The Simplified Design and Practical Use of Engineered Wood Products (WEBINAR)

In The Simplified Design and Practical Use of Engineered Wood Products , you'll learn ...

• The various types of engineered wood products: wood structural panels, such as plywood and OSB; glulam; structural composite lumber; and prefabricated wood I-joists
• The history and development of engineered wood products
• The advantages of engineered wood products relative to solid sawn lumber
• The uses of engineered wood products in modern construction.

Overview

Due to rising consumer demand and more restrictive environmental limitations, the use of engineered wood products in construction, as opposed to solid sawn lumber, has increased significantly over the last several decades. In comparison to solid sawn lumber, engineered wood products used for framing can accommodate longer span lengths, are lighter in weight, and utilize fewer natural resources (smaller diameter trees as opposed to large diameter as well as less resource waste).

According to the American Wood Council (AWC), engineered wood products can be defined as “products consisting of a combination of smaller components to make a structural product, designed using engineering methods. They are an alternative to traditional sawn lumber.” Plywood, one of the first engineered wood products, is still in use today. Created by gluing together multiple pieces of wood veneer, plywood has been and still is a practical and dependable building product in use throughout the world.

Many engineered wood products, including oriented strand board (OSB), glulam beams and columns and structural composite lumber (SCL) are manufactured by combining layers or pieces of sawn wood with an adhesive to form the structural element. Engineered wood I-joists are often comprised of sawn wood or SCL flanges joined to a web, either plywood or oriented strand board.

All of these engineered wood products, currently in use throughout the United States, are becoming the more popular choice over traditional solid sawn lumber for both residential and commercial construction. There are numerous advantages to using engineered wood products for new and rehabilitation construction. Combining strength, uniform appearance and availability make these products the choice of many design professionals and builders. However, the proper application and installation of these engineered wood products is imperative in maintaining their structural integrity. Correctly designing and implementing these engineered wood products is vital and necessary in order to optimize their strength and stability as a building product.