When planning a home construction project, whether it’s a new home build or a deck installation, it’s important to know your products. You have plenty of options when it comes to the materials you use to build and renovate, but as specialists in lumber and home improvements, we wanted to take a few moments to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about engineered lumber.
Q: What is Engineered Lumber?
A: Natural wood can has long been used for building, but it has a few qualities that make it prone to warping and deterioration over time. To make engineered lumber, manufacturers bind or fix the particles, strands, fibers, or veneers of natural wood together with adhesives to form a strong, composite material.
Q: What are the Benefits?
A: Engineered lumber provides all of the benefits of its natural coutnerpart, but without many of the disadvantages. Some of the reasons builders opt for engineered products include:
- It’s man-made and can therefore be designed to meet application-specific performance requirements.
- It’s manufactured to maximize the natural stiffness and strength of wood when building.
- It makes more efficient use of wood, since it can be made from underutilized species of wood, wood with defects, and small pieces of wood that may otherwise be useless.
- It is highly versatile and is available in a wide range of grades, sizes, thicknesses, and exposure durability classifications.
Q: What is Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)?
A: These engineered products are made using top-quality adhesives and ultrasonically-graded veneers to make them one of the strongest manufactured lumber products available. Made from renewable resources, including wood, laminated veneer is an eco-friendly choice for building and renovation projects.
Q: What Can I Use Laminated Veneer Lumber For?
A: LVL is your best choice for headers, beams, and other load-carrying members. It is manufactured to be longer, wider, and thicker than traditional beams, which provides total design freedom.
Q: What are I-Joists?
A: This engineered product offers uniformity and strength by staying straight, even at lengths up to 48 feet. These joists are manufactured without camber, which means you don’t have to worry about backwards or crown-down installation. I-Joists are a highly-recommended lumber product, as they are resistant to:
- Twisting
- Warping
- Splitting
Q: What Can I Use I-Joist For?
A: I-Joists are great for use as cantilevers for high-pitch roof framing, cathedral ceilings, balconies, and in expanding construction.
Get Engineered Lumber for Your Next Project
J.F. Johnson Lumber Company is one of the top engineered lumber providers in the area, serving Maryland, D.C., and Virginia homeowners and commercial property owners alike. Reach out to our construction experts for more information today!
