Replies

1. 
   Floss | Mar 23, 2006 02:20am | #1

   nickt,

   I have used the wheat board for built-ins in a couple of houses I owned a few years ago. It is basically like particle board but slightly lighter and not as dense. I liked using it because it does not use formaldehyde glue and the sawdust wont irritate your lungs if you happen to cut a couple of pieces without a dust mask. It does smell like hay when you cut it though. Not too bad.

   It holds screws well however the surface is not as smooth as particle board so it does not paint up well. The surface is a little bumpy and I am not sure if you can sand it smooth enough to get a good finish. I did not have any exposed exterior surfaces. Only the interiors were painted. I think it would perform the same as particle board as far as moisture is concerned.

   Lastly the cut edges are somewhat rough but probably not any more so than particle board.

   J.P.

   http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com
2. 
   hammer1 | Mar 23, 2006 04:42am | #2

   I used some "Woodstalk" pre-finished shelving in a closet. It's a wheat stalk product. I couldn't stop the end grain from splitting when I used screws. Maybe I should have used something like Confirmats. I only used a few to hold the dadoes and predrilled. The thickness on this material was not perfectly uniform. The surface is rough by most cabinet standards. The material is not very hard. The painted finish that came on these shelf boards was not that great but the texture of the surface didn't help. I had some scraps in a pile outside. The surface swelled like the old OSB but the material thickness didn't swell as much as particle board does. I think it's a useable product for inexpensive, utility shelving but I wouldn't use it for kitchen cabinetry.

   Sometimes peoples concerns about formaldehyde is misinformed. It occurs naturally in the air and is often contained in things like women's make up, clothing, upholstery and many other things besides plywood. Once the plywood is finished, the off gassing is fairly well contained. Folks could do a lot more for the environment in many other ways, but what would they talk about after parking their SUVs at the wine tasting club?

   Here is some decade old information on formaldehyde.
   http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/725.html

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

3. 
   JohnWW | Mar 24, 2006 01:34am | #3

   If you want a certified formaldehyde free, water resistant board you might be interested in Medex from Sierra Pine.  It is a well known product for commercial use so you should be able to find a supplier for it locally.  You can learn more at sierrapine.com.

   John W.