A registered trademark for a type of hardboard building material first made in 1926 by Masonite Corporation. Masonite® is a wet process fibreboard composed of fine wood fibres compressed into a dense, rigid sheet with heat. The fibres are held together by the natural binders from the pulp with no additional adhesive. Masonite® boards do not bend or warp ,easily but the sheets are brittle and break under pressure. Standard Masonite® Presdwood® is brown in colour with one very smooth surface; the reverse side has a wire screen impression. Some artists have coated the rough surface with gesso and used it as a painting support. Tempered Presdwood® is prepared with an oil that adds weather resistance to the board, but makes it less receptive to paint or gesso. Synonyms: Presdwood®; hardboard; fibreboard. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2000). [J. Cassar, R. de Angelis]