Engineered Lumber Buying Guide


Engineered Lumber

Getting Started

Engineered Lumber is a manufactured product including natural wood species with adhesives and glues to create a structurally superior product.

Plywood

Oriented Strand Board

Oriented Strand Board (OSB) is used for sheathing and underlayments. Created from chips and flakes of wood oriented at 90 degree angles from each other and set in a resin that is baked at high temperatures to produce a strong sheet. Water resistant, OSB is tested for strength by how much weight it will hold. Available in 4X8 foot sheets, ¼-inch to ¾-inches thick. Tongue and groove designs are manufactured.

Finger Jointed Lumber

Finger jointed lumber is used when the lengths of 22-feet to 24-feet are needed. Dimensional lumber is cut to small lengths under 2-feet and with finger joints are glued together producing stronger lengths up to 36-feet long.

Structural Composite Lumber

I-Joists

I-Joists are engineered as strong yet lightweight for framing in residential and light commercial construction. Shaped like a capital I, the I-joist has a top and bottom flange, often created from sawn LVL, with a center web of plywood or OSB. Used for floor and roof framing, I-joists are engineered for longer spans, and will not crown or warp. Common depths are 9-1/2”, 11-7/8” 14” and 16”; flanges vary in width from 1-1/2” to 3-1/2”.

Glulams

Glulams are strong structural beams often left exposed due to their beauty. Created by using durable, moisture-resistant adhesives with wood laminations running parallel to the length of the design.  Available in custom or stock sizes, Glulams are used where a long run is desired, such as in garage door headers, ridge beams and large cantilevered beams.  Stock sizes are 3-1/8”, 3-1/2”, 5-1/8”, 5-1/2” and 6-3/4”. Created in premium, architectural, industrial and framing classifications.    

Rim Board

Rim Board is rated by the APA-The Engineered Wood Association and is manufactured for strength, dimensional stability and structural reliability of plywood, OSB, glulam, or LVL in lengths up to 24’. Designed to match the depth of I-joists, Rim Board is used in floor systems between the sill plate and bottom plate of a wall, or between the top plate and bottom plate of two wall sections.    

Cross-Laminated Timber

Cross-Laminated Timber is engineered for use in multi-family and commercial construction. Manufactured from several layers of kiln-dried lumber boards stacked in alternating directions and pressed with structural adhesives.