Wood has been a primary source of construction material for houses and many other buildings for a long time. However, advances in materials technology have led to an ever-increasing availability of wood-alternative products for contractors and do-it-yourselfers alike.
There are important advantages to using wood-alternative products, such as:
- Resistance to moisture. While wood is susceptible to expansion and contraction with changes in the humidity level, wood-alternative products remain largely unaffected when exposed to moisture.
- Long-lasting finishes. Over time, paint on wood will begin to crack as the wood expands and contracts driven by changes in ambient humidity, precipitation, or other sources of moisture. However, wood-alternative products help the overlying paint to last longer, ultimately reducing long-term maintenance costs.
- No warping. Manufactured wood-alternative products have no knots and don’t warp or suffer distortion as wood does, which means it’s a lot easier to find straight boards for construction projects.
How Do Our Products Apply to Construction Projects?
At Miura Board™, our wood-alternative construction materials can be used in a variety of applications, such as:
Concrete Forming
While materials such as wood, plywood/phenolic-coated plywood, and steel are the most common choices for concrete-forming material, there are some drawbacks for each option.
- Steel is strong but heavy and can be cost-prohibitive.
- Wood will eventually expand due to the water from the concrete mixture and become less precise.
- Plywood is notoriously inflexible: it can break and splinter and become useless as a forming material.
- Wood disposal adds an extra expense to the construction project.
In contrast, Miura Board™ can be re-used over forty times, making it highly affordable, and will not swell like wood. Whereas wood can leave an imprint of the grain and knots in the concrete, Miura Board™ offers a flat, clean surface to work with. The contractor can also imprint patterns in the concrete by routing high resolution, long-lasting patterns, images, or logos into Miura Board™.
Miura Board™ is highly flexible and can easily accommodate curved shapes. An 8′ sheet of Miura Board™ can be shaped into a complete 360-degree circle.
Siding & Cladding
Miura Board™ can be used as siding for a variety of industrial construction projects, such as:
- Factories
- Warehouses
- Prefabricated steel buildings
- Greenhouses
- Garages
- Hangars
- Barns
- Stables, coops, etc.
These and many other non-residential structures can benefit from durable Miura Board™ siding. Miura Board™ is not yet approved for siding on residential structures.
Roofing
Miura Board™ is tough enough to weather the most severe hailstorms and can be welded as necessary. These characteristics make it an excellent alternative to traditional plywood roofing.
Tongue & Groove
Miura Board™ exhibits a grip behavior not seen in the wood. Miura Board™ fibers can very effectively mesh into each other. Contractors may also add a barb to the tongue of the Miura Board™ for extra traction.
Advantages of Working with Miura Board™
Miura Board™ offers several specific advantages to contractors on building projects. Two of these advantages include:
- Miura Board™ joints can be waterproofed by plastic wire welding, with no membrane required. This can significantly reduce material and labor costs.
- Miura Board™ provides unique customization capabilities for projects that require a tailored solution.
Customers ranging from small businesses to large corporations have come to see the benefits of working with Miura Board™. A prime example is Starbucks in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of working with Miura Board™ in your next construction project, reach out to us today for more information.
