Wood Education Presentation
Wood Construction, and
Structural Wood Products and their
various Applications
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Wood as a Material
• preferred building material for residential
construction in North America
• New engineered wood products (EWP) and
Code changes have increased share of
commercial market
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Why Use Wood?
Wood is Renewable
• Over 600 million
seedlings are planted
in Canada each year
• The volume of trees in Canada’s productive
forests increased by 3.8% in the last 15
years (1981-95)
Canadian Conseil
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Why Use Wood?
Wood is Sustainable
The rate of growth in Canada’s
commercial forests is equivalent to:
• 50,354 houses a day
• 2,098 houses an hour
• 35 houses a minute
Canadian Conseil
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Why Use Wood?
Wood is Environmentally Friendly
7
ENERGY USE
5.5
Manufacturing
4
Energy Use
(GJ x 108)
Wood Steel Concrete
Canadian Conseil
Wood canadien
Council du bois
Why Use Wood?
Wood is Environmentally Friendly
GREENHOUSE GAS
1300
Manufacturing 1050
750
Equivalent CO2
(Tonnes)
Wood Steel Concrete
Canadian Conseil
Wood canadien
Council du bois
Why Use Wood?
Wood is Environmentally Friendly
WATER POLLUTION 165
Manufacturing
Index Value
x 108
1 5
Wood Steel Concrete
Canadian Conseil
Wood canadien
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Why Use Wood?
Wood is Environmentally Friendly
RESOURCE EXTRACTION
60
Manufacturing
35
Index Value 30
x 105
Wood Steel Concrete
Canadian Conseil
Wood canadien
Council du bois
Why Use Wood?
Wood is Thermally Efficient
Wood keeps the heat in
Wood R-Value = 1.5/in
Steel R-Value = .0024/in
Canadian Conseil
Wood canadien
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Why Use Wood?
Wood is Thermally Efficient
Effective R-Value
18
16
14
12
10
Wood
8 Steel
6
4
2
0
2x4 - R12 2x6 - R20
Canadian Conseil
Wood canadien
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Structural Lumber
Consists of:
• dimension lumber
• specialty lumber
• timber
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Structural Lumber - Grading
Canadian Lumber is manufactured according to
NLGA Standard Grading Rules:
• approved by the Canadian Lumber
Standards Accreditation Board
• approved by the American Lumber
Standard Board of Review
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Structural Lumber - Grading
Example Dimension Lumber Grade Stamp
Grading Agency - Mill designation
Canadian Lumbermen’s
Association
Species Group
Assigned Grade
Moisture Content
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Specialty Lumber
Machine Stress Rated (MSR)
• lumber which is evaluated mechanically
& visually
Features:
-more predictable properties
-higher strengths than
visually graded lumber
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Specialty Lumber
Fingerjoined Lumber
• dimension lumber into which fingerjoined
profiles have been machined and end-glued
together
Features:
-longer spans
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Engineered Wood Products
Canadian Conseil
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Engineered Wood Products
An Engineered Wood Product (EWP) is a
product that has gone through a process to
provide better or more predictable
properties.
•longer spans
•greater load carrying capacity
•more design flexibility
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Engineered Wood Products
Plywood
Oriented Strandboard (OSB)
Glulam
Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL)
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)
Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL)
I-Joists / Open-Web Joists
Trusses
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Plywood
Thin veneers glued together oriented at cross
grain.
•structural panels use waterproof phenol-
formaldehyde resin glue certified for exterior
use
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Plywood - Features
can be treated
can be used in exposed exterior applications
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Plywood - Sizes
commonly available in sheets 1220mm (4’)
by 2440mm (8’) long
available in thicknesses of 7.5mm(9/32”)
to 31.5mm(1-7/32”) unsanded
available in thicknesses of 6mm(1/4”) to
30mm(1-3/16”) sanded
other sizes custom manufactured
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Plywood - Uses
Uses
•floor sheathing & underlayment
•wall sheathing
•roof sheathing
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Plywood - Specialty Uses
Specialty Uses
•preserved wood foundations
•concrete formwork
•plywood Box Beams
•stress-skin panels
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Plywood - Uses
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Oriented Strandboard
•Successive layers of 80mm (3 1/8”) strands
aligned at 90o to each other
•use waterproof phenol-formaldehyde resin
adhesive or equivalent
binder and wax for
adhesion
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Oriented Strandboard - Features
high shear value (commonly used for
webstock for I-joists)
not recommended for exposed exterior
applications
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Oriented Strandboard - Sizes
most common panel size is 1220mm x
2440mm (4’ x 8’)
thicknesses are available from 6mm
(1/4”) to 28.5mm(1-1/8”)
custom sizes may be specially ordered
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Oriented Strandboard - Uses
Uses
•wall sheathing
•floor sheathing
•roof sheathing
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Oriented Strandboard - Specialty Uses
Specialty Uses
concrete formwork
siding
structural insulated panels
I-joist webs
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Oriented Strandboard - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Oriented Strandboard - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Oriented Strandboard - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Glulam
•dimension (lamstock) lumber glued together
under controlled conditions
•pieces are end jointed or butted and arranged
in horizontal layers
•uses special grade (lamstock)
lumber with a maximum
MC = 15%
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Glulam -Features
•produces large members, many shapes & sizes
•can be curved and tapered
•suitable for exterior & interior applications
•industrial, commercial or quality finish
•uses waterproof adhesives for end jointing
and face bonding
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Glulam - Sizes
available in lengths up to 40m (130’) however,
limited by transportation restrictions
standard finished widths range from 80mm (3”)
to 365mm (14-1/4”)
standard depths range from 114mm (4 1/2”) to
2128mm (7’) or more
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Glulam - Uses
Columns, beams, headers and girders
curved members loaded in combined bending
and compression
used where structure of building is left exposed
for architectural features
heavy trusses
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Glulam - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Glulam - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Glulam - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Glulam - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Glulam - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Parallel Strand Lumber
High strength composite lumber product
manufactured by gluing strands (~ 3mm x
13mm x 2.4m) of wood
together under pressure.
•Manufactured from
douglas fir or southern pine
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Parallel Strand Lumber - Features
•consistent properties
•resistant to seasoning stresses
•high load carrying capabilities
•well suited to applications where appearance
is important
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Parallel Strand Lumber - Sizes
•length usually limited to 20m (66’) due to
transportation constraints
•beams sold in thicknesses of 45mm - 178mm
(1 3/4”-7”)
•can be sawn to any dimension
•multitude of cross-sections
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Parallel Strand Lumber - Uses
•beams & columns (post & beam construction)
•beams, headers & lintels
(light frame construction)
•heavy timber
•trusses
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Parallel Strand Lumber - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Parallel Strand Lumber - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Parallel Strand Lumber - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Laminated Veneer Lumber
Type of structural composite lumber consisting of
wood veneers coated with waterproof adhesives
glued together and oriented
in the same direction.
Canadian Conseil
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Laminated Veneer Lumber - Features
•strong when edge-loaded as a beam &
when face loaded as a plank
•dimensionally stable
•high strength
•high reliability, lower variability
Canadian Conseil
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Laminated Veneer Lumber -Sizes
•available in lengths up to 24.4m (80’)
•manufactured in thicknesses from 19mm to
89mm (3/4”-3 1/2”)
•common LVL beam depths are 241mm to
476mm (9 1/2”-18 3/4”)
•easily cut to length at site
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Laminated Veneer Lumber -Uses
•as flange member for prefab. wood I-joists
•well suited to applications where open web steel
joists (OWSJ) & light steel beams may be
considered
•beams & headers
•scaffold planking
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Laminated Veneer Lumber - New Uses
New Applications
•columns
•wall studs
•trusses
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Laminated Veneer Lumber - Uses
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Laminated Strand Lumber
Consists of long strands (~300mm) oriented in a
parallel direction laminated together with an
isocyanurate-based adhesive.
•Manufactured from aspen
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Laminated Strand Lumber - Features
•uniform and consistent properties
•dimensional stability
•manufactured to a consistent moisture content
and uniform dimensions
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Laminated Strand Lumber - Sizes
•studs available in lengths up to 22 feet
•studs generally available in 2” x 4” or 2” x 6”
•rim boards generally 1 1/4” wide
•rim boards usually available in depths of
9 1/2” to 16”
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Laminated Strand Lumber - Uses
•tall wall studs
•rim boards
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Laminated Strand Lumber - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Laminated Strand Lumber - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Wood I-Joists
Manufactured by gluing solid sawn lumber,
LVL or MSR flanges to a plywood or OSB web.
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Wood I-Joists - Features
•dimensionally stable, lightweight member
•uniform stiffness, strength
•known engineering properties
•use exterior rated waterproof adhesives
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Wood I-Joists - Sizes
•length limited by transportation to 20m (66’)
•common depths range from 241mm to 508mm
(9 1/2”-20”)
•common flange widths vary from 45mm to
89mm (1 3/4”-3 1/2”)
•web thickness usually varies from 9.5mm
to 12.7mm (3/8”-1/2”)
•sizes can be specially ordered
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Wood I-Joists - Uses
•floor and roof joists
•economical alternative to OWSJ
•well suited for longer span joist & rafter
applications
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Wood I-Joists - Uses
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Wood I-Joists - Uses
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Open Webbed Joists
Metal plate connected, glued or metal webbed
trusses used for floor or roof joists.
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Open Webbed Joists
Many manufacturers
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Trusses
Structural frame relying on a triangular
arrangement of webs and chords to transfer
loads to reaction points.
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Trusses
There are two categories of trusses:
1. Light Frame Trusses (metal plate connected)
2. Heavy Timber Trusses
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Trusses - Light Frame
•made from dimension lumber of various sizes
•chords and webs connected by the use of
toothed galvanized steel connector plates
hydraulically pressed
into precut lumber
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Trusses - Heavy Timber
•made from timbers or from manufactured
wood products (i.e. glulam, PSL)
•members connected using bolts & plates,
split rings, and special
brackets & hangars
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Trusses - Features
•unlimited shape & size
•economy
•ease of fabrication
•fast delivery
•simplified erection procedures
•all trusses are custom designed
•flexibility in layout & longspans
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Trusses - Sizes
•shapes and size restricted only by
manufacturing capabilities, shipping
limitations & handling considerations
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Trusses - Uses
•floor systems
•roof systems
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Trusses - Uses
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Trusses - Uses
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Trusses - Uses
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Trusses - Uses
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Trusses - Uses
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Trusses - Uses
Canadian Conseil
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Engineered Wood Products
Summary
•engineered products with consistent properties
- strength, MC, dimension
•proprietary products except panels and glulam
•long span capabilities
•economical alternative to steel and concrete
systems
•engineering support from manufacturers
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Wood Construction
Two basic types:
1. Light-frame
2. Post & Beam
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Wood Construction - Light Frame
The use of closely spaced members of dimension
lumber size combined with sheathing to form the
structural elements of the building.
Two basic methods:
A.) Platform Construction
B.) Balloon Construction
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Wood Construction - Light Frame
Platform Construction:
Consists of a floor platform upon which the walls
are built. The second storey floor is then built on
top of the first floor walls.
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Wood Construction - Light Frame
Balloon Construction:
Wall members continue past the floors. The
joists are then suspended from the completed wall
frames.
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Wood Construction - Light Frame
Single-family Residential
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Wood Construction - Light Frame
Multi-family Residential
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Wood Construction - Light Frame
Commercial
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Wood Construction - Post & Beam
The use of large, widely spaced members to
provide structural support.
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Wood Construction - Post & Beam
Single-family Residential
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Wood Construction - Post & Beam
Commercial
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Architectural Considerations
Wood and moisture
• Use DRY LUMBER when possible
• facilitate shedding of water
• protect edge and end grain
• allow access for air drying
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Architectural Considerations
Lateral Design - earthquakes & wind
Light-Frame
• sheathing and framing together
resist lateral loads- shearwalls
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Architectural Considerations
Lateral Design - earthquakes & wind
Post & Beam
•columns and beams support
vertical loads and diagonal bracing
or other support is required to resist
lateral loads
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Architectural Considerations
Fire Resistance
• Heavy Timber has inherent fire resistance
• Light frame uses GWB to achieve 45 min
to 2 hour FRR
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