Interesting idea, I wonder what it would take to bring the poorest billion up to the housing standard of the second poorest billion, without pouring more concrete.
My view is that if the overall energy use is less, then it is a good thing, recycling is affected by economics and comes into play when virgin material is too costly,
And yes, there is a lot of middle class (English) snobbery, but brought about by lack of knowledge/understanding of the issues.

Could I make a boat from it?

But surely something like this has been around for ages, when it was just called "waterproof MDF"?

Making a kitchen on site for a friend's barn conversion in Cheshire and so had to work outside for the rough cutting of boards. (They wanted MDF panels in softwood frames, the panels painted so that she could stencil onto them.) Thought I'd buy the MDF boards up there rather than cart them all the way from Shropshire but when I got to Travis Perkins all they had was "waterproof stuff, will that do?" Never heard of the stuff before. The price was only a bit extra than the standard stuff and, as it was going into a kitchen, thought it was probably a more sensible option anyway and loaded up.

It was lethal in that it had razor-sharp edges which cut a nice slice into your fingers as you let it slide between them to lower the board to the ground. It was bloody heavy too.

I'd been cutting the stuff all morning and found it brilliant to work with. Had taken a cut length into the garage for machining and it started to bucket it down. Waited for the rain to stop and then remembered I'd left the board on trestles in the open outside. Went to see what the damage was and the board was sat there with just a few droplets sitting on its surface, likewise the full board leaning against the wall.

Was never able to source the stuff again. That was back in 1995. Even phoned the same branch of Travis Perkins when I wanted to use the stuff on another job, but they didn't know what I was talking about!

If it's the same stuff it is nice to work with, taking a moulding to give a crisp finish. I remember it had all the appearance and feel of having been made with a resin. And I meant what I said about it cutting into fingers, the cut's as painful as any paper cut - you only make the mistake once.

Posted By: Joiner.............But surely something like this has been around for ages, when it was just called "waterproof MDF"?

NO I don't think so Joiner bog standard "water resistant " MDF was/is a different product, merely a chemical impregnated product. Acetylisation, the same process that is used for Accoya, is a different process thet results in a board with a manufacturers 50 year warranty,- I understand.

Thanks owlman. Good to hear. There's a lot of snobbery over MDF and I've mentioned before about the kicking some poor innocent got when she came on here some while ago and asked about it. Think I also mentioned the apparent change in attitude as indicative of the change in the GBF's definition of "green".

Wonder how the product will fare in competition for the biomass feedstock?

Steamy Tea.
you could make a boat hoose.

Cradle to cradle materials (plastics?)
Extract resource once only, then ; form , use, collect , reform , use, etc.
Call them technicial elements.
thats the future for sustainable production and resource use .
Similar process for organic elements is required
Important to create a cyclicial process that can be power by renewable (solar) energy and has no negative effluent by-product.
Nothing more than a design problem waiting to be solved.

definitive put, James

Posted By: jamesingramNothing more than a design problem waiting to be solved.

I like that

I have, an 8 by 4 one, talking feet here not centimetres.
My apprenticeship was with a company that did destructive testing (you will know them Timber as not far from you) and I still like breaking things, so much more satisfying than a spreadsheet

Done this before. A Sauna is between 85 and 100°C and humidity below 30%, a steam room is 55°C tops and 100% humidity (or it would be a water vapour room and very nasty). There was, a few years ago, an attempt to combine the two, called a Valcano Sauna (Sauna World in Colchester had some). They had lower temp, about 60-65°C and higher humidity, about 50%-60%. Total disaster, the wood rotted and they smelt bad.

Jeez!

Bit of a difference in price though!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=marine+plywood

I think some of that is the 'marine' ply that Timber has warned us about.
18mm is still 50 quid and upwards

Makes steal and GRP cheaper for boats in some situations.

Thanks Beau, not had a reply from them, so they can't be keen to give it away

Good. Will be interesting to see how you test it and how it behaves. I am currently testing a bit, so will post up with my findings when they are ready.