Plywood and oriented strand board (OSB). Kaichang Li, an associate professor of wood science and engineering at Oregon State University, has developed a soy-based wood adhesive to bond both of these products. The soy adhesive costs less than the petrochemicals and is virtually free of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.

Plywood developed with soy adhesive is now commercially available under the brand name PureBond from Columbia Forest Products. Li is hopeful that the soy-based wood adhesive will eventually be used for commercial production of OSB panels, as well. He reports that the strengths of OSB panels bonded with the soy-based wood adhesive are comparable to or higher than those of current commercial OSB panels.

Sealant and adhesive products. May National has teamed up with Dow Chemical to develop a sealant and adhesive product line that replaces traditional petroleum-based polyols with soy-based polyols. Products include the Bondaflex Soythane Construction Adhesive, which offers window installers and general construction trades a product with high movement capability and adhesion to a versatile group of building materials.

Staining products for concrete and wood. SoyCrete, a concrete stain from Eco Safety Products in Phoenix, AZ, contains over 60% renewable biocontent and is ultra-low in VOCs, making it suitable for use indoors as well as outdoors. SoyCrete's soy esters penetrate deep into a substrate, where they bond, while still giving color control for natural mottled variations and penetration without toxicity issues. And, because it requires between 40% and 60% less labor time to apply, it costs less per square foot than any other concrete stain.

When developing Varathane, anew wood stain line to complement its polyurethanes, Rust-Oleum determined that soybean oil provided the clearest base and best penetration. Varathane stains can be used on any wood species for indoor use. The company also makes a line of soy-based polyurethanes to protect the stain and the wood.

Carpet backing for the residential market. Universal Textile Technologies has long been recognized in the commercial market for EnviroCel and BioCel carpet-backing lines. Now, through a partnership with Southwind Carpet Mills/Cherokee Carpet Industries based in Dalton, GA, UTT has introduced EnviroCel Home, the first soy-based, performance-enhancing polyurethane carpet backing for the residential market.