Souther weather

Cior.,te BUSINESS EXPERTS may have L)declared the economic recession technically over, but the country's rough downturn continues for construction markets. Until some meaningful recovery is in on the horizon, resourceful LBM dealers are finding the means to stay ahead in a very depressed market.

During times like these, it PaYS to remember that the best products are not necessarily the newest. Southern pine lumber has been a building staple since settlers first milled logs for homes and shipbuilding in Jamestown, Virginia, 400 years ago. In fact, histor-

On the Horizon: New SP Design Values

Last October, new design values for visually graded southern pine dimension lumber were submitted bY the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau to the American Lumber Standard Committee Board of Review. SPIB is the first ruleswriting agency to submit new values. Rules-writing agencies responsible for other lumber species are in different stages for evaluating design values.

The last major change for visuallY graded dimension lumber occurred in 1991, when design values for southern pine and other North American species were published based on in-grade tesf ing of full-size samples of commercially produced lumber.

Since 1994, SPIB has conducted an annual resource monitoring program develooed in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory. Although the level established to trigger additional testing was never reached, overall trends in the annual test data suggest ed a oossible shift in the resource mix. These trends, along with anecdotal external information, prompted SPIB to conduct a year-long program of testing and data review.

As a service to the industry, SFPA has posted SPIB's proposed design values on SouthernPine.com. A link from the homepage takes visitors directly to its new landing page for all information related to this much-discussed tooic.

"SFPA is providing this information to all levels of the southern pine lumber manufacturing and supply chain, as a service to our members and their customers," said SFPA president Adrian Blocker. "These proposed design values from SPIB will help the dialogue progress to a better understanding of the process, the data, and the impacts on our industry."

Also from this new landing Page, visitors can review a collection of news releases wtth comprehensive background information and the latest updates, plus answers to the 30 most frequently asked questions explaining the process and impacts of the SPIB proposal. Current design values that remain effective until SPIB publishes new design values remain on this site, as well.

ical accounts show that sawmilling specialists were among the earliest recruits sought by the founders of Jamestown.

The inherent features that made southern pine a key player in our nation's colonial days continue to make it a wise choice today. Southern Pine is plentiful, durable and renewable, making it one of the most sensible, environmentally friendly building products available today. Customers want what southern pine lumber has to offer: strength, treatability, and beauty, not to mention outstanding value.

Some 68 billion bd. ft. of southern pine lumber was produced over the last five years. Nearly half goes to treated lumber markets for residential applications like decks, fences and gazebos and aquatic and marine structures. Untreated lumber used in structural applications - framing and trusses-calls for another third of total annual production. What remains is used for flooring, specialty patterns, and industrial applications like pallets and crates.

The Southern Forest Products Association stands ready and able to help lumber dealers with the tools and information they need to se11 more southern pine. For nearly 100 years, SFPA has conducted a wide range of promotional programs and weathered every market downturn.

Southern pine manufacturers are responding to today's challenging market, delivering framing lumber in a wide range of grades and sizes, the newest preservative treatments, plus the most popular items in flooring, siding, ceiling and paneling patterns. With mill operations in close proximity to major markets, special-order items are processed quickly in most cases.

A Grade for Every Job

When it comes to residential construction, southern pine can be used for everything from building concrete forms to creating beautiful interior floors and ceilings. Lower grades may be appropriate for certain uses where appearance is not a priority. But when a customer's home is involved, both the contractor and the homeowner may be better satisfied with highergrade lumber for many applications.

Most important, the proper grade counts when using southern pine in any application. The Southern Forest Products Association offers a number of tools to help dealers, architects, specifiers, contractors and other professionals make sure they have the right grade for the job. The place to start is the "Southern Pine Use Guide," which includes grade descriptions, standard sizes. seasoning requirements, design values, and span tables. Separate publications are also available listing maximum spans for joists & rafters, plus headers and beams. SFPA's pocket span card remains a popular item for builders in the field. All titles are available as free PDF downloads in the publications section of SouthernPine.com.

Inspiration for Remodelers

Southern pine products are ideally suited for projects all around the home. Repair and remodeling activity is generating some demand for building materials in this depressed market.

Homeowners are discovering that a wood floor adds comfort and value, not to mention being a healthier, allergy-free alternative to carpeting. No matter the d6cor, southem pine flooring, in a range of widths, grades and finishes, can enhance the look of any indoor space.

The look of real wood for wall paneling and ceilings adds a dramatic flair to all rooms of the home while contributing to energy efficiency. Southern pine patterns are readily available in long lengths to reduce splicing. Clear or semltransparent finishes draw attention to southern pine's distinctive grain. In addition, wood is a natural insulator, contributing to the energy efficiency of a home.

Knowing proper installation and BnildingPoduds.om maintenance tips for interior patterns can help dealers sell more product. SFPA offers comprehensive guides for both interior flooring and exterior porch flooring. Printed copies are available as a free PDF download from SouthernPine.com. A two-part DVD program covers installation of both materials from start to finish. Dealers can order a copy for their next employee training session by visiting the publications store at SouthernPine.com (request AV80). They can watch both instructional programs on the site, too, right at their desktop. SFPA also has three staff members, certified as installers by the National Wood Flooring Association, to answer any questions dealers might encounter with customers (email questions to help@ southernpine.com).

Top Pick: Treated Lumber

Treated southern pine remains very popular for outdoor living applications such as decks and gazebos, plus marine applications such as fishing piers, bridges and walkways. And, of course, it's perfect for framing homes and other structures in areas of the country where decay and termites create problems. The unique cellular structure of southern pine permits deep, uniform penetration of preservatives without incising, making it a preferred species for pressure treatment. In fact, about 9OVo of all pressure treated wood produced in the U.S. is southern pine.

Thanks to progress in wood preservation technology, new "earth-friendly" formulations are now available to address green building concerns. New code-approved preservatives include several micronized (or dispersed) copper formulations, which reduce impact on aquatic or terrestrial environments and are less corrosive to fasteners. For the end-user, paints and stains look better on these materials. too. Borates are finding popularity for wall plates and interior applications not exposed to continual moisture.

SFPA offers a number of technical guides for choosing and using pressure treated southern pine. Available as a free PDF download at SouthernPine. com, these helpful booklets include the comprehensive specification guides Pressure Treated Southern Pine and Aquatic & Wetland Structures. The treated wood booklet features a table listing the commercial trade name under which each preservative is marketed and a corresponding product website for those who want additional information. Following an explanation of available southern pine grades and sizes, the aquatic guide provides detailed specifications for treated lumber used in salt and fresh water. Decking specifications, fastener recommendations, and special grades for marine service are also included.

Treated Decks & Porches

The newest addition to SFPA's Lumber Library is a helpful construction guide that dealers can offer to professional deck builders and advanced do-it-yourselfers. Southern Pine Decks and Porches highlights the beauty, durability, comfort and value that pressure treated southern pine materials bring to outdoor structures. This 12-page, full-color booklet covers the deck and porch building process from start to finish.

Sections cover product selection, illustrated construction steps for building both freestanding decks and decks attached to a house, and helpful tables listing joist and beam spans. Porch construction details are provided as well, with tips on fasteners, finishes, and proper maintenance. Handy tips are included to enhance the building process. Impressive deck and porch projects are pictured throughout the booklet.

"This publication compiles the latest information for the proper specification and use of treated southern pine materials for code-compliant decks and porches," says SFPA's Russell Richardson. "Dealers and professionals already familiar with treated lumber can use this booklet as a refresher course in building techniques, or to acquaint a customer with the versatility and value of using real wood products for their new deck or porch," he adds. A free PDF download is available at SouthernPine.com.

Dealers are encouraged to use SFPA's new siteSouthernPineDecks.com-as a ready reference to answer questions about outdoor construction. The site includes much of the information contained in the new construction guide. The site's content generously refers to the Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide, from the American Wood Council. This publication provides code-compliant details for single-level residential wood decks.

Raising the Floor

For more than a decade, SFPA has devoted resources to educating building professionals and consumers about the merits of building on raised wood floor systems rather than concrete slabs. Working with universities and other industry organizations, the campaign has included demonstration homes, training seminars, and research.

Certainly, raised floors make sense in flood-prone areas. A raised floor system may also be the right approach in areas that have problems with poor soils, since this type of foundation is easier and less expensive to level than a concrete slab if shifting or subsidence occurs.

Developers are finding that a raised wood floor foundation is the versatile solution for utilizing lots in a subdivision that require large amounts of fill. Room additions, remodeling projects, and under-floor repairs are easier to handle with a raised floor foundation. Lumber dealers are winners. too. as raised floor systems can add up to a third more lumber to the tvpical framing package.

Moisture Management

Proper insulation and moisture management within a raised wood floor foundation are the two topics of most interest among building professionals. LBM dealers can be equipped with authoritative answers by referring to the new, l2-page Insulating Raised Floors in Hot, Humid Climates. Here, research findings on moisture management in raised floor homes are summarized, based on the study of a dozen homes monitored over a one-year period. The research was jointly conducted by the USDA Forest Products Laboratory and LSU AgCenter, supported by SFPA and APA.

The booklet addresses different crawlspace types, how insulation affects moisture levels, and how underfloor areas perform through seasonal changes. The houses include six different insulation systems: rigid foilfaced foam, kraft-faced fiberglass batts, closed-cell sprayed foam, and open-cell sprayed foam with different variations. Also studied were water vapor movement and the effects of air conditioning and interior floor finishes.

"This publication is very useful in educating building professionals and homeowners about the importance of keeping the moisture content of subfloors at acceptable levels by installing proper underfloor insulation," says Cathy Kaake, SFPA's senior director of engineered and framing markets. A free PDF download is available at SouthemPine.com.

Thinkinq Green?

Think Wood

Many alternative products make a claim to be the "greenest," but wood still stands on top. America has some of the best-managed public and privately owned forests in the world. Every day, the forest products industry is responsible for planting more than four million trees across the country.

When doing a true environmental assessment of building products, life cycle analysis must be considered. Trees are renewable and studies have shown that wood outperforms other products when compared over a complete life cycle. In a green world, wood wins. Wood is reusable, recyclable and biodegradable. Inorganic materials not only require excessive energy to produce, but also to recycle or dispose of when their service life is expended. And, of course, the proper use of wood building products-particularly pressure treated southern pine when warranted-helps ensure that structures built with wood enjoy an extremely long service life, reducing demands on America's valuable forest resources. Dealers wanting to explain the life cycle of wood products to their customers or sales staff can download SFPA's helpful fact sheet at SouthernPine.com.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative program manages the largest single forest certification standard in the world. More than 180 million acres of southern forests are certified to the SFI standard. In addition, millions of acres managed by more than 31 ,000 family forest landowners are certified to the American Tree Farm standard. SFI recognizes American Tree Farm; the Forest Stewardship Council does not. Without the Tree Farm timberlands across the South, it would be very difficult for southern pine manufacturers to deliver certified lumber. Dealers can source suppliers of certified lumber on SFPA's Product Locator at SouthernPine.com.

Lumber producers are encouraged to see programs such as LEED beginning to consider other forest certification standards in addition to FSC. But the fact remains that LEED requires no certification for steel or concrete... why only wood?

Dealers'Top Tool

Today, SouthernPine.com is a dealer's top resource for answers to customers' questions, training salespeople, and for locating product suppliers. Sourcing hard-to-find items can be just a few mouse clicks away. SFPA can send customers to dealers stocking southern pine products if those dealers are listed among the hundreds already within its online Product Locator. Signing up is free for dealers.

"A dealer's free listins on the &riHing-Roductsorn

Product Locator is a good first step to expanding a base of customers," notes SFPA's Russell Richardson, director of treated and industrial markets.

According to Richardson, "The most-viewed dealer listed on the Product Locator recorded over 40,000 visits during 201 l. This company has entered multiple locations and keeps their products updated regularly. Simply by being listed on the Southern Pine Product Locator, a lumber dealer can gain significant exposure and benefit from all of SFPA's marketing activities."

Help 0n Call

In addition to its strength, beauty, environmental-friendliness and availability, southern pine products remain attractive values when compared to many alternative building materials. Until the economy and construction market fully recover, lumber dealers can invest in their future success by visiting SouthernPine.com to see what's available to help them and their customers learn more about versatile, durable southern pine.

Copies of SFPA's technical and reference publications can also be downloaded from the site or visitors can order a "Lumber Library" CD that contains all SFPA publications.

If dealers, distributors or end-users have a question not answered online or in print, SFPA also offers a Help Desk that can be reached via email (help@southernpine.com) or phone, (50$ 443-4464.

Complete information about SFPA and its programs and services available to the industry are presented online at the association's newly remodeled site, SFPA.org. Here, dealers can review the latest updates on industry issues and explore details of SFPA marketing efforts. The site now offers numerous links to existing services offered at SouthernPine.com, including the Product Locator and Media Center. Links to SFPA's marketing sites covering decks, raised wood floors, and international markets are available from the home page.

SFPA has expanded its social media reach, too. Dealers can follow SFPA on Twitter, @Southern_Pine, receiving regular news updates. SFPA's flagship website, SouthernPine.com, now provides an RSS feed that streams the latest content posted to the site to interested subscribers. Dealers can also visit SFPA's YouTube channel and review more program updates in a video format.

By Randy Engh, British Columbia Shake & Shingle Association