Abstract: A wax extender may be employed in the manufacture of particle board, and oriented strand board to reduce the content of the wax in favor of a copolymer prepared by copolymerizing vinyl acetate with a hydrophobic reactive comonomer. The hydrophobic reactive comonomer may have the general formula: wherein R1 is a hydrophobic group having from about 4 to about 25 carbons; and R2, R3 and R4 are independently hydrogen or a methyl group subject to the limitation that at least one of these is hydrogen.