Weyerhqeuser Hqrdboqrds lntroduced

A line of versatile hardboards, manufactured by a neu'ly developed, flexible process, goes into full-scale production this month in Weyerl-raeuser Timber Company's Klamath Falls, Oregon, branch plant.

These hardboards are the first to be made b1,' the drv process from defibrator whole-wood fibers.

C. C. lleritage, Weyerhaeuser's director of development, and Hugh B. Campbell, the company's Klamath Fails branch manager, describe these new hardboards as e11tirely different in rarv material, performance, and characteristics from anytlting previously knorvn in the forest products field.

"Instead of limiting production to a single line of hardboard products," Heritage said, "these nerv facilties lvere designed so that '\ re can manufacture a line of customtailored boards to meet the exacting needs of various industrial users and processors."

Campbell reported tltat the basic raw material for thc harclboards is rvhite fir (abies concolor) which occurs, abundantly on the company's western pine area tree farms in Oregon. Ilesearch and development have shorvn t'hite fir fiber to be superior to other species for hardboard lrrocessing.

f n manufacturing hardboard, Weyerhaeuser literallv takes a tree apart, processes the ultimate t'hole-lvood fibers, and reconstitutes them into a new form of rvood which then has a host oi added qualities. Asplund defibrators reduce the lvhite fir chips into fiber, unchangecl {rom its natural condition in the tree, by rubbing the chips apart under an atmosphere of moderate steam Pressure. Additives can be introduced for tailored uses during the defibrating process.

After defibration, the fiber is continuously felted from air suspension, then hot-pressed into boarcls, humidiliecl to prevent \\rarpage, trirnmed, and cut to specified size.

Three types of hardiroard are being made at Klama'rh Falls : standard, treated, and tailored-to-the-use. The latter category is in a class by itself. It can be designecl to take various stresses and pressecl to different densities and surfaces for bending, die-cutting, or for various finishes, <lepending upon specific customer requirements.

Both the standard and treated \\'e1'erhaeuser hardboards score highly in their basic characteristics. In appearance, they have an attractive color (light tan), smoothness, sttrface texture (fiber fineness), and gloss; the surface is harC, the edges clean-cut and rugged. They have ttnusual durability-stiffness and transverse strength, impact and abra-r sion resistance.

The boards are easily handled, transported, applied, and finished by choosing from a range of surface tiimensions, thickness, and densities. In regard to permanence, the boards have the ability to u'ithstand, rvithout undue change, exPosure to moistttre, heat, sunlight, air, microorganisms, vermin and rodents; they are dimensionally stable.

These boards are exceedingly workable, having the ability to be die cut, polished by buffing, easily and cleanly drilled, punched rvithout burring, bent to permanent contours, sau'ed, flexed, sanded, paintecl 'lvithout bleed-throug'tr, and to take all types of finishes.

In the more important characteristics, the boards harte good uniformity, especially in color, thickness, density, ancl smoothness. The treated board, by choice of rarr materials and processing conditions, including pressing to higher den5ities, pror.ides a board of superior characteristics and 1>erIormance.

\\reyerhaeuser hardboards may be smooth on one side and a screened impression on the other, or smooth on both sides. These hardboards have great internal-bond strength 'ivhich permits short-radius bends and close edge-nailing lvithout breakout damage, and provide good gluing characteristics either to hardboard itself or to other materials.

Generally, Weyerhaeuser hardboads rvill go to four classes of customers : retail lumber dealers, distributors, industrial firms rvho 'rvill use it in their products, and to fabricators rvho n'ill cut, shape and process the board for industry.

The end-uses for hardboards are practically limitless, in that nerv uses constantly are being developed. Horvever, some of the current items in rvhich hardboard appears are television cabinets and backs, auto parts, floor underlay(Continued on Page 61)

Another Good Building Year Predicted

our complele inventory of rooftng ilems will be ot your disposol so don'f lurn owcy ony business on moleriols nof in your yords. Keep in mind the ftne fomily of Olympic products designed to help you "gel more in 54"

SO. PASADENA YARD:

SYcomore 9-1197

PYromid l-1197

855 El Cenlro Street

Se"orotiue Fly.oottfor Fonrling anl'ilatch,ing

Cobiret flinirh

Orientol Ash - Rotory Cut

Orientol OakRifi Grqin

Orientol Birch - Rotory Cut

Philippine Mchogony - Rotory Cut

GARDENA YARD: Plymouth 6-1112 llEnlo 4-1196 1858 W. Rosecrons Ave.

Slae /883

"Zralpa foz e@ry Pecryu"

PTYWOOD * FI.OORING * MARTITE

UPSON BOARDS * FIR * REDWOOD

PINE * FI.INTKOTE INSUI.ATION

PANEI.YTE PTASTIC SHEETS *

MASONITE PRODUCTS * SPRUCE * ond CEDAR

Pleosqnl

C. E. Strait, vice president, Cstling Manufacturing Company of El Monte, California, announced last month the all panel home in Garden Grove Calif., for which his company furnished material, has been completed on schedule. The three bedrr-rorn unit was constructed in three work weeks ready for occupancy by Henry C. Cox, builder of Brookhurst Park Estates in Orange CountY.

The interior and exterior, including the roof, of this modern <lwelling are completely furnished with 100 per cent treated panels. All windows are sealed plate glass, none opening, and the interior panels and detail are completely finished with Philippine Mahogany. All exterior panels are Forest Board and the kitchen cabinets are finished in Birch. A1l air entering this model home is filtered and dust free as the unit is air conditioned throughout.

To complete the efficiency of easy California living so necessary in present day construction, this new residence is electrically equipped with air-cooled refrigeration aird forced air furnace. A built-in Thermador range, a wall oven with garbage dispcisal ancl electric dishwasher offers the latest in modern convenieuces to the home owner.

The staff of the Ostling Manufacturing Company has been working on this new development for over a year and all panels, detail an<l intent are patented, but construction of these homes will be franchised in all areas, according to Mr. Strait.

Henry C. Cox informed The California Lumber Merchant representative that within the immediate future his firm plans tract construction of the new Ostling panel home and building will get underway in Orange County early this month. This new home can now be seen at Lampson Avenue and Edith in Garden Grove. The reasonable cost of the new unit has met with ready acceptance by the prospective houe ot't,ner, according to Mr. Cox.