Engineered Wood as a Sustainable Building Material:
Construction Material Used in Recycled Wood Flooring, APA Rated Siding, I-Joists, and OSB
© 2009 by Kelly Smith all rights reserved; content may not be copied, rewritten, or republished without author’s written permission
These products are also called manufactured or composite wood and they’re green building materials
in 2 respects. To begin with, the process uses scrap material from sawmills as well as repurposed wood
(pallets, deconstructed buildings, etc.) so it reduces excess waste in the local landfill.
But more than that, since it utilizes recycled material, it begins to curtail live tree cutting,
deforestation, as well as all the energy consumption that goes along with harvesting timber and then
transporting it to the sawmill processing facility.
For any home renovation or remodeling project, it it just makes good sense to consider using this
material.
What are the Benefits of Manufactured Wood?
- Because of the way the manufacturing process works, this stock can be made to more precise
tolerances than fresh-cut timber. Also, it’s free of many natural potential defects, like
knots, soft spots, burls, and splits. Burls are coveted for
woodworking projects.
- A number of engineered products have less of a tendance to warp during times of high humidity.
Particle board is a notable exception to this.
- Smaller as well as stunted trees as well as wood scraps are used. Waste not, want not.
What are the Disadvantages of Engineered Wood?
- Working with this stock may mean having to use PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). This might
include respirators when sawing to avoid inhaling any toxins. To find out if this is the situation,
always refer to the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).
- Some of the bonding agents used in the manufacturing process may be toxic.
- In a number of cases, more energy is expended in the manufacturing process than would be
in producing traditional stock. Remember that production consumes much less energy than making
concrete or steel, so it follows that the project’s total material list should be considered.
What is Engineered Wood Used for?
- I-Joists. Both floor and ceiling joists are made with this material. These
wood framing members
have the advantage that results from the strict adherence to specified sizes, well-distributed
strength, and trueness of the boards. Increasingly, they’re being utilized in residential and
light commercial building projects.
- APA Rated Siding. Composite wood is widely used in a number of
home siding products. The
Engineered Wood Association states, "A single layer of rack-resistant panel siding delivers
an attractive exterior appearance while eliminating the labor and materials cost of installing
separate structural sheathing or diagonal wall bracing." That is an important consideration
when shopping for a
Siding Estimate
for a home addition or a remodel.
- Glulam. Glue Laminated timber beams are actually wood laminations that are glued together
using a special high-strength,
waterproof glue.
The considerable strength that results from this
process make it ideal for spanning long distances.
- OSB. Oriented Strand Board is getting more popular all the time. Interestingly, many people
are under the impression that OSB is plywood, but that’s actually not the case. Although
it’s manufactured in the same sheet shape, it’s composed of wood strands rather
than laminations.
The strands are generally rectangular in shape. They are assembled in cross-oriented layers
and then bonded together with heat-cured, waterproof adhesives.
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