New Particleboard Uses and Applications

By Robert E. Dougherty Executive Vice President National Particleboard Association

f, N interesting Fphenomenon is taking place amons builders and briilding supply dealers. They are discovering particleboard is not for floor underlavment only.

While floor underlavment remains one of particleboard's most important products, particleboard is now being sold and used for shelving, stair treads, utility panels, corestock for lamination, and a host of other applications.

The reasons are not hard to find. Inflation has caused prices to go skyhigh among most building products and while particleboard has also been on a roller coaster ride over the last few years, the highs and lows haven't been as severe. Consequently, cost-cutting without sacrificing product performance quality is the order of the day.

Story at a Glance

lncreased use of waterboard . . . particleboard studs are being tested . . Com-Ply mak' ing headway as are various oriented strand and flake boards . . . dealers improving in selling particleboard to d-i-yers.

The industry has been watching the shift for some time now and desPite the fact that total shipments of particleboard in 1979 amounted to onlY 3,376 million square feet 1t1o" basis), a drop of approximately 330 million square feet, the figures indicate that the drop was more in industrial products. door core, and mobile home decking. In fact, shelving and stepping showed an increase in shipments reported.

In the industry's western mills-

2l in all-the amount of particleboard shipped in 1979 compared to the record breaking year of-1978 was almost exactly the same for the floor underlayment category, which means that western mills were finding the markets for particleboard still there, though applications differed, and supply anddemand factors affected the pricins levels.

With the^ decline in housing, a much steeper drop in demand for particleboard was indicated and to some extent that is occurring in 1980. FV S" end of this year the slump in housing should have ended, however, and the increased starts predicted for the 1980s will beein ro affed the demand for particleS-oard.

One especially important area that builders and building supply dealers must watch out for is the iabiil acceptance of waferboard in the marketplace. Waferboard has been used in Canada for more than 15 vears and has withstood the severe winiers there admirably. It will come on stong as a wall sheathing and roof decking material in the next few years, esi pecially as builders and dealers recosnize its outstanding qualities an-d get over the habit of using only one material for these applications. The National Particleboiid Association is working with the various building code officials' organizations to obtain acceptance from them on a broad scale to replace the research reports that currently are being used.

In addition there is significant interest in a number of structural board products that are being tested and are moving onto the national scene. tsor example, particleboard studs are being tested. Com-Ply is making headway (a sandwich-lype panel with particleboard as the cor6 and wood veneers on the surface). and various types of oriented strand or flake boards are being marketed. The 1980s will see a number of new products serving traditional laree builder markets and it will be up io builders and dealers to become famihar with them to obtain the performance and economic efficiencies that are offered.

Thg pq{gleboard industry is going into the 1980s in a strong positionl Its products are in demand.-The housing market is expected to increase and stay at a high level. And the numper of new plants coming on stream has slowed tb the point w:here supply is not likely to cause severe imbal'ance in product demand.

At long last, dealers are beginning to be more comfortable with particleboard and are learning how to advise therr customers in its use. Still required is a massive effort to educate the consumer to cash in on the huee doifyourself market that exists.