Replies

1. 
   JohnE | Jun 08, 1999 11:26am | #1

   *
   Andrew;

   Try the APA Engineering Wood Association. Formerly the American Plywood Association.

   Cheers
   JE

2. 
   Guest_ | Jun 08, 1999 08:49pm | #2

   *
   One of the codes is not too difficult or at least I thought. We had two guys put in a big glu-lam for a header for a garage. They were very happy to have done the job by themselves and get everything closed up. When I came by to check the work I too was glad to see the job done. However the words (code) on the glue lam were a concern. Looking UP to the glu-lam I saw the code that said "top".
   The guys then took the rest of the day to cut the wall apart and turn the beam over. Now actually I know that often the top is for a camber and in this case it might have been able to be left upside down since it had a very little load on it. I later did call Geoga -Pacific and they agreed I could have left it upside down because of the low load, but in doing so would have lost almost 25% of its carry capacity.Even if I had known it was ok I still would have had the guys turn it back over.

   With most glu-lams I have used they list a toll free number to call for any code questins.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jun 09, 1999 09:14am | #4

   *Check the references mentioned above.Off the top of my head, I rember that something like a 5 1/8" x 15" 24FV4 is made up of 2x6's plained down after gluing about 3/8" of an inch so that it is 5 1/8" wide and a multiple of 1 1/2" deep.The 24F if I remember means 24,000 PSI allowable Fb, the variable that represents Fiber bending stress. The V4 is the Variety combination. Certain grades use Douglas Fir in the middle edges and a lesser grade in the center like Hem Fir. The particulars are also listed in the Uniform Building Code charts on glulam values.

3. 
   Guest_ | Jun 09, 1999 09:14am | #3

   *
   Can somebody please explain the coding system used with glu-lams. What exactly do the letters and numbers refer to?

   A.M