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Its Big Presenf

from The California Lumber Merchant - April 1963

from The California Lumber Merchant - April 1963, page 98

OBITUARIES

Its Greater Future

I Introduction l,rriirling itnrl lrorrtt' itn1,t,,rtrttlrrt.'l-lrt' lasl ( il[('gor\. l lri, lr irrr'lrrrlts llrr. rlo-il-r oLn'st'lI tttitrkct rlt'lrtrrrlirrg orr ltlail oLrtlcts. lrlrls

A \lll) llt, rt,'ll,'t ,,I r'tlr't!ill! rr,,,,,1 1'11rrlrI ull- [lr-lri,,n,.rl [,rt llrt.,,,rr.lrrr,ti,,rr rttarkt'1. lrar-rll'oelrl lras lrarl l rt'tttulkal,lt' lrislolv oI il( ('('l)ta]l( ('. (.onsrrrrtlrtiorr ol' lralrll,oitlrl iras tl,,ttl,lt',1 t'rt'rv t'iglrl lo lt'rr t'r'ltls sirrct' r'r,tntttt'rliltl lrlorlrrlliorr licglrr l,alk in 192(r. n itlr tlrt' lrost-u ar 1rt'r'iorl slrorlirrg tlrt.trtosl rapid glorrtlr. ["r'onr l95l Io 19.r9. fol irrstarrte. tlrt-r't' l as a I I li lrcl cetrt gairr irr tht.ttse of lralrllr,rard.

Industrial users of ]rarrl]roald prest'ntl1' a( r-ollllt for alroul hall tlrt t onsunrptiorr of more than 2 lrillion sc{uare feet of harrl. l,oard nrarrufac'tured last lear- in thc I nitt'<l States.

'l'hc othcr lralf is l,t,irrg sold lrr rt'tail lrrrnl','r' ,1,'lrlr.t- for rr.t. irr , urrslrultiorr.

Ltp lo alrotrt otrt'-sirllr oI lltt ltotnc ttst',,I lra rr l roa lr l.

Florrsing lonstlrrcliorr is rrol .jrrst histolv past. lrrrl lrisurlr ;rltstnl anrl Irrtrrlr'. A tt'r'errl I ttirclsitr ,rl (.alifolrria strrtir lonr'lrrr'lt'rl tlral firt'nrillion rt'rr lronrt's nrust l,r' l,rrill irr (ialiforrria lrl l9{-10. an(l lhirt mor'{' tlran 7(X),0(X) drrellings ir tlre statt, urt, srrl,, starrtlard. in rreecl of rt'plact'nrt'rrt or inrl)rolement.

Tht' natir,rtt is l,rrilrlirrg nrort' thar 1.250.(X)0 nell lromt's turnuallr'. arrrl sperrr'linu jJ5 lrillion dolltrrs il \ ('i1r for nt'rr housirrg. lrontt' irnpnrvenrcnts trnrl honrt' frrlnishirrgs. An<l thr Los Angt'lcs artu rarrks {irst in tht' rtntion irr lrrril<ling. ns ut'll as irr 2l ollrt,r s('l)llitl(' irrtlrrsllill r'llssilicitli,rrr.. Altorrlittlr lo llrr' \rttiorrll ll,rtttt' lrttl,ro\('lll('nl (lorrrrlil. tlttrorlr'litre crl,r'rtrliIrrlt's t'rlrlrl ii() lrll ct'rl ol tlrr'.ttttr lltitl 9()('s into n{'\\ r'orsttttt'liott. rritlr ltotttt' 0\\ tr('l: si,r'rtrling llr|r'r''[ottt-!lt. lrI tlrt' iun()ul)i. Irrtlct'rl" $)i orrl r)[ t'\('l'\ $10 lor' lcttrorlt'lins trtltllrial. i' .irt'lllrl ottl l,r lltc :nan \\lro rrill rlo thr' .i,rl' hinr.t'lf. I"rrrtlrt'r'. tlrr' (.orrrrcil plt'rlicts lhut tlttll rrill I'r' a i Pt'r ctrtt ittt rt'ast' itr t'r'trtoriclitrg. lo l,t'itr!I the total tolurnt'ttt $l5.9 I'illiorr irr l9(t.l l,,r' t r..irir-tttill r,'rtt,',1,'litrr'.

'l'he .lemand fot' lor, r'ost llott.ittg utttl tlre market fot' renrorlr'lirrg nt:rterial l)r'('s('nt arr irrcreasetl potcrrlial iol the u:(' r)f nl()r(' har-<llroalrl. ln c<'onrinti.al , iroi.r' for rtt'rr corrstlrrcliorr rl'lrir'h is als,r l') its rrttltrrt' rt rrutrrral selt'r'liorr for t't'tro,lr'linq. Ill il(l(l;-

APRtt,1963 liorr. neu hardlroaltl llro<lucts ilr(' ('ornpetirrr.r [or tlrralitr aplrlit atiorrs in tlrt' homt'. Arrtl spet ialtt prorlrrcts hrr t, l,r'r'rr rlt'r t'lr,lrt'<l {ot' ('onslrrr( liorr rrst's.

2. Flisiory

It rr a. not t()() nlan\' \ r,tt r's itgo that th. "l,rea<l lnrl LLrtter" lilotlrrli oI thr' ]ralcllroarrl irrrltrstr\' \\as a plain. l,r'r,'u rr forrr'lrr'-t'igirl-irxrl pilllcl. l'or rrranr vtars. tht irrsil t'flort [or teclrnical lorrtrol antl irn. l)ro\ ('nr('lr[ \\'as ( ollcent nrlr,rl orr l)ro(lucin3 rt rrt'lr'-1rt'r'[t'r'l rntrterial r,r'hiclr uas an irlt.al l,asis [ol fabricatiorr.

In lt'r't'trt lears. tlrt' irrtluslrr, has gorr,' tlrrorrllr I signi6<'arrt ol'.jcr.tive chang.e. arrrl rron tlrinks in ternrs of lrrr t'rxtineererl loorl ltrotlrrcl Io nle('t spt'r'ifi, rr.r's. 'J'lie olrjt'r'tirt rrou is to prodrrct' a hirrrllroalrl that rr ill rnct't and pt'rforrn for st'lt'r'ted l)u rJ)os('s. lhlough conlrol of fi lrt'r'r.ontent anrl lrlr;ttt, , ,l Ptorlrlr'lirrrr l,.r'lrrriqtr*..

I"olmerlr-. thc lralrllroard inrlrrstrr lt'ft ittttoraliotrr I'c\rrn'l llr,,-1. i1,r,,1,,.,1 irr ;,rr,,. t'sscs of marrrrlircttrrt'. to its ctrstorrrt'r. u ho rlcr.elolrccl lrrorlrrlts from the lrtr:il nurtt'r'ial. Prefinisherl tilc lroard. arrrl 1rt,r[orateil hardhoarcl. [ol t'rample. \\.r'r(, not t lt'ntccl ht'mantrfltclrtrcrs.

'l'he charrge Io ('on(.entration orr lhe enrl lrrodrrcl rathcr than tlrt' l,asit lommoditr. ( ilmr trl,,,rrl lhr',rrrglr inl,.rrrilir',1 -trir il,: am()ng martrrfacturers lo lunl ollt al] e\('1.int'r'eusirrg rrumlrer of spt't ialtr' lrarrels. ( )l ( olrrs('. lht'st. manufa<.lrrrt'rs still coriperrrtt tlosclv u ith r.ustomtls in Irrrrrishine tht light kind of hardlroalrl [or special lrrrr1,ost's",rrrrl $'ork \ritll fal'ricators ancl otlrt'r' in<lrrstrial rrsers r'rr llrc rit,si!:rr oI rrt'l lrrotl" lorrst trrr'tiorr rrses llr rorrglr t'r'st'art h. llcs,'lr, lr lrtrs rncl tlrt' r'hrllt'nges oI llr,' lrrriltlirrg arrd intlrr.tlial nrarkt'ts ln l,uilrl' irrg rrr thc prop('fti('s rrt't'rk'rl in eat'lt rrt'u plrrltrt't rleveloperl : r'al,irrt't l,ac:ks u itlr speci{il irnyract r-t't1rrirt:rnt'rrts. lilastir'-t'oatt'rl { on( r'('te form lroarrl. u ith alkali rt'sistlrrct' irtt<l u atet' rt'pelltrrt" ,'ores {or higlr-prcsrrrlc ltrnriuates u itlr high irrternul lrorrtl str-t'ngth-'-thest' art' lrrrt u fen solrrtiorrs lo trat:ting tet lrrrital prolrletns.

Hardlroarrl \\ls fi r'.t ust'rl il: -irlirrq uhen l,rrilrlcr'. sll,t:rl [t'nrlrelerl parrt'ls lo sizr'.'l'orlar lralrll,ortrtl is trtadt' t'rltt't'.tlt to lrt'usetl as sitlinl. plorlitrred irr tlrt'r'iglrt sizt's for lhtr jol'" u'ith t'rtla thit'krrt'*. an<l inr1,r'oved rvealht'r'irrg tlualities. I rr tlrr' ploct'ss. tet'hnicians \\ ('nt lrar:k to tht' lrasit: tilrer. to \\oo(l sl)('{'i('s. densitr- arrtl lrrt'1taratiolr of tirt' {i},r'r to set \\hat llrt'ir t'rts!onters \\ ilnl('(1.

LaP sirlins tnar lutte att inlr':tal ol -{elrarate w(x)(l slrrtlou strip arrrl ntav lrc applie<1 lrr nailing. or it nr!\'l,t','tlet'slotted for rnorrrrlirrg orr a rnt'tal slt:rrlon strilr ot' lirturt' lrr,l alrlrlictl l itlr lrirlrlt'n nailing.

Panel siding may be plain or a surface pattern such as longitudinal grooves or raised ribs for decorative purposes along with machined edges to provide shiplap joints.

For the many decorative interior panels that add visual interest to hardboard, research had definite problems to solve. For striated, pressed or embossed treatments the problem was to engineer a panel that would machine well. For the wood-grain finish panels that have won new acceptance for hardboard as interior paneling, the essential task was to develop application techniques on a surface that would receive the decorative treatment.

For industrial applications, requirements might vary as to prime factors, from workability to paintability. Or the problem might be one of creating a pre-finishing process.

In each instance, members' research has been egual to the challenge, and has con. tributed to a dramatic decade of development for the hardboard industry.

Meanwhile, research activities by individual companies have been supplemented by programs sponsored by the American Herdboard Aseociation.

- Currently, there is a four-year program under way conducted by the Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin, to nteasure physical properties of hardboard. Tests u.ill cover tension, compression, shear and bending properties and mechanical fastenings. Evaluation of these properties will include the efiects of plasticity and elasticity, rate of loading, duration oI stress, fatigue, moisture, terrperature and exposure.

This research program supplements those which are being conducted in cooperation with the Armour Research Foundation, to develop the potential use of hardboard for outdoor signs, and with the National Paint, Varnish and Lacquer Association for exterior finishing. Under the supervi' sion of NPVLA technicians, test fences in several areas are being used to test hard' board panels under every weather condi' tion. This program is aimed at developing proper specifications for hardboard painting systems.

4. Applicotions

This emphasis on research and the development of new products had marked changes in the use potential for hardboard. There are now more than 50 places within a home where hardboard can be used to advantageo either in its plain form or with dozens of surface treatments developed for actual applications in and around the home.

Twenty years ago the only places one might reasonably expect to find hardboard used in a house were as underlayment for flooring, as soffits and perforated utility panels. Now hardboard has become decorative as well as functional, with new textures and finishes unheard of less than a decade ago-

New hardboard products include:

All kinds of paneling for every room in the house, with distinctive nelv surfaces; embossed, woven, ribbed, striated, corru(Continued. on Page 12)