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Fine Homebuilding Project Guides

Framing

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  • Introduction to Framing
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SPEC

Weatherproof Laminated Lumber

These pressure-treated engineered beams for exterior use open up options for decks and other outdoor framing.

By Matthew Millham Issue 293 - Aug/Sept 2020
Article Image
Pacific Woodtech pressure-treated LVL
Exterior LVL. By treating the veneers prior to lamination, Pacific Woodtech is able to offer engineered beams for exterior use, opening up options for decks and other outdoor framing.

Deck builders wanted it. Some major manufacturers said it couldn’t be done. But here it is: a pressure-treated LVL. Produced by Pacific Woodtech and introduced in November 2019, the PWT Treated LVL is made by treating the veneers before they’re pressed. The heat from pressing the veneers into laminated veneer lumber drives the preservative chemicals into the thin plies of wood, creating a product that’s treated evenly throughout—in other words, better than the vast majority of conventional treated lumber. There’s no reduction in strength from the process, so their treated LVLs perform the same as their standard products. The chemicals used for treatment are rated as safe for indoor use, though the real game-changer here is that these can be used in exterior above-ground applications (American Wood Protection Association category UC3B) for structural components that are difficult to maintain, repair, or replace, and are critical to the performance and safety of the structure. PWT Treated LVLs are available in beams, columns, and joists. The beams come as small as 1-3/4 in. by 9-1/2 in. up to as large as 5-1/4 in. by 18 in. The joists, all 1-1/2 in. wide, come in depths from 3-1/2 in. to 11-1/4 in. (in other words, the same as nominal lumber sizes 2×6 through 2×12).

pacificwoodtech.com

— Matthew Millham, deputy editor

From Fine Homebuilding #293

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Framing

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Introduction to Framing
  • House Framing Concepts, Tips, and More
Framing Tools, Techniques, and Materials
  • Tools
  • Techniques
  • Framing Lumber
  • Steel
Framing Floors
  • Floor Framing
  • Engineered Floors
  • Floor Sheathing
Framing Walls
  • Wall Framing Basics
  • Layout
  • Wall Assembly
  • Raising and Straightening Walls
  • Framing Rough Openings
  • Blocking
Framing Stairs
  • Stair Layout
  • Building Stairs
Framing Roofs
  • Roof-Framing Basics
  • Roof Design
  • Laying Out and Cutting Rafters
  • Framing Valleys
  • Working with Trusses
  • Dormers
  • Special Situations
Efficient Framing Methods
  • Advanced Framing
  • Double-Stud Walls
Timber Framing
  • Timber-Frame Construction
  • Timber-Frame Design

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