Apparatus are provided for forming a loosely felted mat of elongated wood flakes, the wood flakes being supported on an elongated caul. The flakes are deposited between a plurality of closely spaced parallel baffles so as to be aligned in mutually parallel relation. The caul is supported adjacent the lower edges of the baffles and is support for vertical movement to facilitate buildup of the mat. Apparatus movable back and forth along the length of the caul is provided to deposit wood flakes in an evenly dispursed manner. At least one picker wheel also moves along the length of the baffles, the picker wheel including fingers extending downwardly between baffles and adapted to engage the flakes to cause them to fall between the baffles.