Wanhua Hexiang Board
A straw-based board made without added formaldehyde
Hexiang Board is made by bonding agricultural and forestry residue — straw, wheat straw, reed and cotton stalks — with Wanhua's polyurethane eco-adhesive, in place of the urea-formaldehyde resin used in traditional particleboard. No formaldehyde is added during manufacture.
Under the roof, it should be formaldehyde-free.
Wanhua Hexiang Board — no formaldehyde added during manufacture.
How it's made
Straw instead of felled timber
The raw material is crop residue left after harvest — material that would otherwise be burnt or discarded — rather than newly felled timber.
MDI adhesive, not urea-formaldehyde
A polyurethane (MDI) eco-adhesive replaces the urea-formaldehyde resin that conventional particleboard relies on, which is what removes added formaldehyde from the process.
Formulated beyond the ENF grade
The board is formulated to exceed ENF, the newest and strictest formaldehyde emission grade in the Chinese national standard.
Fig. B — From straw to board
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01
Harvest
Wheat straw and stalks are gathered from the field after harvest
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02
Milling
At the factory, the stalks are milled into flakes
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03
MDI adhesive
The flakes are coated with polyurethane eco-adhesive, not urea-formaldehyde resin
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04
Hot pressing
The mat is pressed into a dense board
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05
Facing
A melamine finish is pressed onto both faces of the board
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06
Hexiang Board
Finished board — no formaldehyde added in manufacture
Decor range
Fielwon decors
Thirty-two decors in the Fielwon range — woodgrains, plain colours, linen textures and stone. Quote the code when ordering.
F001
Elegant Elm
F002
Deep Elm
F003
Natural Oak
F004
Zen Oak
F005
Refined Oak
F006
Heritage Oak
F007
Serene Walnut
F008
Oriental Walnut
F009
Simple Oak
F010
Rich Oak
F011
Rustic Oak
F012
Mellow Oak
F013
Quiet Luxe Walnut
F014
Smoked Walnut
F015
Amber Cherry
F016
Umber Cherry
F017
Linen Grey
F018
Moonlit Linen
F019
Porcelain White
F020
Warm Jade White
F021
Satin Camel
F022
Misty Mocha
F023
Smoke Grey
F024
Iron Grey
F025
Ink Black
F026
Bamboo Green
F027
Glazed Orange
F028
Cinnabar Red
F029
Warm Mocha
F030
Snow White
F031
Cloud Travertine
F032
Bronze Ink
Substrate options
- HMR particleboard (P6 / P12)
- High-strength FOSB board
- Bamboo particleboard
Compared with PVC panels
The real difference is in the smoke
PVC wall panels — often sold as "carbon crystal board" — are marketed as flame-retardant and self-extinguishing. Under test conditions that can be true. But it does not answer a question that matters as much in a house fire: what is in the smoke.
PVC wall panel
- PVC — more than half chlorine by weight
- → Gives off hydrogen chloride (HCl) as it heats
- → HCl + dense smoke + CO + chlorinated organics
Hydrogen chloride forms a corrosive acid on contact with moisture in the eyes and airways — in the bedrooms and corridors people need to get out through.
Hexiang Board
- Plant fibre, bonded with a polyurethane (MDI) adhesive
- → Breaks down in heat, like timber
- → CO / CO₂ / smoke / char
No PVC or other chlorinated plastic in the board. Its behaviour is that of a wood-based board.
This does not make Hexiang Board a "safe" material in a fire. Every organic material gives off carbon monoxide and smoke, and the board's polyurethane binder — a small share of it — adds nitrogen-containing gases. The hazards are different in kind. It is why we generally avoid PVC wall panels in the homes we build.
Test results
Tested to Australian methods
18 mm board · AS/NZS 4266.1:2017+Amd.1:2021 · Intertek Testing Services Shenzhen Ltd.
| Property | Result | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 642 kg/m³ | 6 |
| Moisture content | 8.4 % | 5 |
| Modulus of elasticity in bending | 1750 MPa | 7 |
| Internal bond strength | 0.44 MPa — fracture within the core | 8 |
| Surface soundness | 1.08 MPa | 9 |
| Thickness swelling (24 h in water) | 16.1 % | 10 |
| Wet bending strength (Method A) | 6.8 MPa | 11 |
| Screw withdrawal — face / edge | 1220 N / 1680 N | 15 |
| Dimensional stability, 65 → 85 % RH | Length +1.7 / +1.3 mm/m · thickness +0.3 % | 16 |
| Dimensional stability, 65 → 30 % RH | Length −1.1 / −0.3 mm/m · thickness −1.1 / −1.0 % | 16 |
| Squareness / flatness | 0.5 mm/m / 0.0 mm | 4 |
| Formaldehyde emission (desiccator) | Not detected (detection limit 0.2 mg/L) | 17 |
Length changes are given for the length / width direction of the board. Results apply to the samples tested.
Formaldehyde, against Australian limits
Hexiang Board, this test
Not detected (< 0.2 mg/L)Super E0 — industry class
average ≤ 0.3 mg/LE0 — industry class
≤ 0.5 mg/LE1 — AS/NZS 1859.1 class
≤ 1.5 mg/LDesiccator method. E1 is the emission class in AS/NZS 1859.1; E0 and Super E0 are industry classes set by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia.
Properties
- No added formaldehyde
- Good dimensional stability and resistance to deformation
- Available across the Fielwon decor range
Applications: Interior fit-out and cabinetry — wardrobes, joinery, wall panelling and furniture.
Certification
- FSC Forest Certification Certified
Confirms raw material sourcing meets Forest Stewardship Council standards.
- US CARB-NAF Formaldehyde-free Exemption Certification Certified
California Air Resources Board no-added-formaldehyde exemption, one of the highest formaldehyde emission standards in the world.
- US EPA-NAF Formaldehyde-free Exemption Certification Certified
US Environmental Protection Agency no-added-formaldehyde exemption.
- China Environmental Labeling Product Certification Certified
China's official environmental product certification.
- EU CE Certification Certified
Confirms conformity with relevant European Union health, safety and environmental standards.