Synthetic polycondensation adhesives have dominated for the last 80 years, and still dominate, the field of wood panel bonding. They constitute about 50%–60% by volume of all adhesives produced in the world today. This review presents through their chemistry and technology the main categories of adhesives, namely urea-formaldehyde adhesives, melamine- and melamine-urea-formaldehyde adhesives, phenolic adhesives and isocyanate adhesives and their most recent industrial modifications.