Engineered wood is becoming more common in residential and commercial construction projects. Engineered wood is manufactured by pressing strips of wood particles together with adhesives to form solid joists and studs. These are most commonly shaped into framing boards for floor joists and support beams. Engineered wood continues to grow in its list of benefits to contractors, from manufacturing processes to the overall performance enhancement of a building or project.

Sustainability

Compared to building materials like concrete and steel, engineered wood is much more environmentally friendly. This renewable building material is derived from a manufacturing process that releases significantly less carbon and other toxins into the atmosphere. The low percentage of fossil fuel consumption decreases the environmental footprint and creates a neutral energy source. This ecological production also requires 30 to 60 per cent less wood than conventional lumber and can be made from smaller and faster growing trees.

Quality assurance

Engineered wood is much stronger, straighter and stiffer than conventional lumber. As such, consistency of the material is a key advantage of engineered wood. Fabricated from dry materials to very tight manufacturing standards, this attention to quality helps keep the engineered planks from shrinking, warping, cupping, crowning or twisting. This material results in considerably fewer defects making it much more reliable and predictable and offers greater protection from the effects of natural disasters.

Performance on site

Although engineered wood products are more expensive than standard wood products, their superior strength means that buildings and homes can be designed to incorporate fewer structural components. Engineered wood is known to speed installation time and reduce labour since the planks are lighter and can be spaced farther apart than dimensional lumber. The result is typically a lower total cost per square foot of engineered lumber. In addition, engineered wood produces less construction site waste because it can be ordered to specification.