Abstract: The present invention provides low-cost formaldehyde-free curable aqueous compositions comprising 100 weight parts of one or more than one binder chosen from (i) mixtures of one or more than one polycarboxylic acid or polymeric polyacid and one or more than one polyol compound comprising at least two hydroxyl or epoxy groups, (ii) copolymers or copolymeric polyacids bearing carboxylic acid groups or anhydride groups and hydroxyl groups, and (iii) mixtures thereof, and 10 to 40 weight parts of one or more than one extender having an average particle size ranging from 0.5 ?m or more and as high as 45 ?m or less, preferably chosen from microcrystalline silica, diatomaceous silica, kaolin, bentonite, and anhydrous aluminosilicate clay delaminated. In the inventive binder compositions, the ratio of the wet over dry tensile strength of said composition is about 0.5 or greater.