ENGINEERED WOOD PRODUCTS

Consider How Roof And Floor Trusses Save Our Forests

Engineered Structural Lumber is made up of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL), manufactured wood I-beams, and manufactured trusses. Using Engineered Structural Lumber products reduces demand on forests by using wood waste or small dimensional lumber in place of larger lumber.

These materials fall into the general category of engineered wood. This means that the tolerances in stability, consistency, and strength are more precise than solid dimensional lumber. In joist and rafter applications, the engineered products are particularly useful for long spans because they are consistently straight, creating a flatter floor or roof.

These materials drastically reduce the amount of waste created in processing the raw materials and in their end-use installation. Waste wood and entire trees, regardless of species, shape, and age can be used in making some of these products. Other products in this group, such as glulams and trusses, use small dimensional lumber in configurations that allow them to replace large dimensional timbers.

Manufactured wood I-beams are composed of a center web of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) and top and bottom flanges made of LVL or solid wood. Wood I-beams are used as floor joists and as rafters in roof framing. Manufactured wood I-beams are typically used as floor joists and as rafters. I-beams can be manufactured to span longer distances than solid lumber and can be purchased in lengths up to 40 feet. I-beams weigh much less than solid wood lumber and can be installed quickly. Because they are an engineered and manufactured product they are dimensionally stable and do not crown or bow, as does solid lumber.

Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) is dimensional lumber that is composed of thin layers or veneers of wood glued together and sawn to make dimensional lumber in sizes ranging from 2x4's to 4x18's or larger by special order. This class of lumber is used as studs, headers, rim joists, beams, columns, and girders in floor framing and as rafters in roof framing. Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) is used as rim joists and girders in floor framing; as headers, studs, and beams in wall framing; and as rafters and beams in roof framing. LVL can be manufactured in sizes to meet almost all structural needs. Because this is an engineered and manufactured product there is little or no dimensional difference or loading capacity between pieces. If LVL is stored and handled properly it will be straight and true without the crowns and bows found in large dimensional natural lumber.

Manufactured trusses are structural elements that have been engineered and manufactured to meet high design loads using small dimension lumber held together by metal plates. Using manufactured trusses allows the engineered use of 2x4's or 2x6's in place of large dimensional lumber in floor and roof framing applications.