Embodiments of the present disclosure describe ambient temperature pressing (“cold pressing”) of a wood-based product using protein/PAE adhesives within industrially suitable set times and press pressures. A method includes preparing an adhesive comprising a protein source and polyamideamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin, applying the adhesive to one or more wood-based components, and cold pressing the one or more wood-based components to form a wood-based structure, the cold pressing being the only pressing operation in the formation of the wood-based structure after applying the adhesive to the one or more wood-based components. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.