The acoustic velocities of a wide range of particle boards were determined from measurements of the transit times of wave packets through the materials. Velocities measured along the plane of the board are dependent on the properties of the board's skin layer, and are reasonably well correlated with the board's modulus of elasticity (r=0.73) and modulus of rupture (r=0.65). Velocities measured perpendicular to the plane of the board are not so well correlated with the mechanical properties of the board — the most significant being the Z strength parameter (r=0.56). The results suggest that this form of non destructive testing would be more suited to production line monitoring than to replacing or complementing existing test methods.