Manufactured woods come west

ONVERSATION in the busiTness these days seems to be ing more and more to the new turnmg more ancl manufactured structural panels making their way into use in the West.

A new generation of these products is being created in an effort to catch up with Scandinavian wood technology. Waferboard and oriented strand board (OSB) are among the latest composite products. Manufacturing processes for both depend on phenolic resin and wax in combination with pressure and heat although the shape of the wood flake and the alignment of layers differ. Aspen is the wood commonly used.

Waferboard, produced in Canada for a long time, made a commercial appearance in the states less than ten years ago. Generally sold in 4x8 panels in thicknesses ranging from Vz" to Y4", it generally costs about half as much as plywood.

Useful for residential construction and remodeling, it serves most often for roof decking and wall sheathing. It can be sawed, nailed and glued like any other wood. In addition, it is waterproof because of the resin binder and can be used on exteriors.

Waferboard gains a distinctive appearance and texture from the use of comparatively large, thin chips of wood, rather than the sawdust and small shavings that go into the familiar particleboard. The chips, in various widths up to about two inches long, vary in color and texture. The patterns which result as they are interfaced and compressed are haphazard, but visually interesting.

The product has the capability of taking either paint or stains on its smooth surface. Attractive enough to be used in cabinets or left exposed on interiors, it eliminates the need for drywall. On the exterior, one panel can serve as both sheathing and finished wall. These qualities have made them useful for summer cottages and ski chalets.

Because the criss-cross matting of wafers within a board forms a laminate construction which provides equal strength in both directions, waferboard can be applied either along or across studs andjoists to save time and minimize waste.

Oriented strand board consists of long, narrow flakes or strands of aspen aligned in layers. Alternate layers are perpendicular and bonded with phenolic resin, creating strength properties and dimensional stability comparable to cross-laminated veneers in plywood. The smooth, solid panel has no core voids or knotholes and reportedly can replace plywood in almost every structural application. It is rated higher in structural characteristics than waferboard.

Although aspen prices are rising, they are not meeting the steadily increasing softwood timber costs

Story at a Glance

Waferboard, oriented strand board invade West. . . manufacturers find ready market . . increase production ... opt for additional manufacturing facilities other marvels from the lab expected.

ANOTHER C0MPETIT0R lor plywood is oriented strand board, a non-veneer struclural oanel. This cross section shows the long, narrow slrands of aspen aligned in layers. lt reportedly has strength and dimensional properties comparable to plywood in virtually every struclural application.

which have tripled softwood plywood prices since the 1960s, according to a recent report by the American Plywood Association. The report estimates that the nonveneer segment of the panel market including products like OSB and waferboard will grow nearly three times faster than the total panel market in the next five years.

Manufacturers encouraged by the economics of using woods which otherwise might not be utilized for a product with a relatively low price tag have begun producing these molded panels.

Louisiana-Pacific, said to be the first major forest products firm to manufacture waferboard, which they market as WaferWood, is currently doubling the capacity of the first plant at Hayward, Wi., and building a second manufacturing facility in Houlton, Me., with completion targeted for mid-1982. With