End plate for railway crossties, scaffolding planks, and other wood products and methods of use

A method for end plating a wood product having a substantially flat end surface having an area defined by a peripheral edge and including at least first and second opposed sides, comprising the steps of:

• providing an end plate comprising a metal plate having two opposed surfaces of an area that is substantially the same as but smaller than said area of said end surface, an intermediate portion, and at least first and second substantially opposed edges, a plurality of elongated intermediate teeth extending outwardly from said intermediate portion on one surface of said metal plate, and a plurality of elongated edge teeth located along said first and second substantially opposed edges and extending outwardly from said one surface of said metal plate;
• exerting compressive force on said first and second opposed sides of said wood product;
• and
• pressing said end plate into said end of said wood product such that said edge teeth and said intermediate teeth engage the wood fibers of said end of said wood product.