Structura rs turn on changes lffi"mterials

hBelens MUST KEEP up on the latest I-fconstruction trends in order to provide customers with the right fastener for the right building material and ensure the best home building package. Fastener companies can assist dealers and builders to make sure they are educated about the factors that impact proper fastener installation.

Structural Screws for Laminated Materials

More diverse building materials are entering the marketplace, and fastener companies have been charged with keeping up with these new materials. Glue-laminated beams (glulam, LVL) are a good example. They're engineered in several different sizes for a wide range of load capacities and applications. Traditional, old-style lag screws do not have the performance requirements that are needed with today's engineered building products. To handle the load capacity of these building materials, a larger diameter fastener is required.

Installation of traditional lag screws in glulam materials also poses a challenge. The correct way to install a traditional lag screw is to drill a pilot hole for the thread length and an oversize clearance hole for the shank of the fastener. This practice is very time consuming and costly. Couple that with the need for larger fasteners and you've spent a lot more money on the job.

To address the problem, manufacturers are creating fasteners for engineered building products with safety, load capacity. corrosion resistance. and speed of installation in mind. These new structural wood screws are designed for a variety of wood-towood applications and feature special thread and point styles that in most cases reduce installation torque, make driving fasteners easier and predrilling unnecessary, and minimize wood splitting-while still meeting the requirements of the building.

Structural Screws for Use with Metal Connectors

In some structural connector applications, screws have been developed to replace nails. For example, in tight spaces or overhead applications, screws are much easier and more convenient to install then standard structural connector nails. New structuralconnector screws feature an optimalsize shank that is specifically designed to match fastener holes in connectors. The fasteners' material also mimics the bend and yield of a connector nail, achieving the appropriate load values needed with metal connectors.

STRONG-DRIVE SDW structural wood screws are code-listed to fasten multi-ply truss and engineered-wood assemblies

Coating Innovations

New coatings are now available that exceed the standards of hot-dip galvanized fasteners. It is important that building inspectors and others get up to speed on these new coatings in order to determine if the coating has enough microns of plating to match or exceed hot-dip galvanizing.

The education of builders, contractors, inspectors, code officials, and homeowners will continue to be the key to fastener growth and innovation. The best way for dealers to encourage customers to upgrade to better fasteners is to educate them about the products. their choices. and the results of those choices. Since fasteners are such a small cost of the overall project, it always pays to specify and buy the proper fastener for the job.

LaCrosse Lumber Co., Jacksonville, ll,, was destroyed by an Aug. 23 fire of undetermined origin.

The dealer has had a lumberyard on the site since 1901.

Depot Building Supply, texington, S.C., is closing after 26 years.

True Value Hardware, Yort<, Ne., has been acquired by Blake and Casey Burgess fom Jane Thompson. Her husband, Loren, had operated the store from 1965 until his passing early this year.

Blake had been an assistant manager at an Ace Hardware in Des Moines,la.

Blevins Building Supply opened its 6th location, in West Jefferson, N.C. (Will McNeil is store mgr.).

Brinkmann True Value Hardware, Blue Point, Va., held an Aug. 7 grand reopening to celebrate its expansion from 5,000 to 11,000 sq. ft.

The remodel incorporates the coop's Destination Format.

Shoreline Lumber, Fort Myers, Fl., added a showroom in Cape Coral, Fl., for marine construction materials.

Plainville True Value Hardware, Plainville, Ct., is closing this month after more than 60 years.

Mobile Lumber & Millwork is renovating its Mobile, Al., siore.

Busbee's Hardware, Texas City, Tx., has closed after 69 years, with the retirement of owner Bennv C. Busbee.

ANA Enterprises dosed its two Ace Hardware stores in Norman, Ok., as it restructures to relieve debt. Stores remain in Purcell and Blanchard, Ok.

Lowe's submitted plans for a 100,000-sq. ft. store in Hoover, Al.

Menards expects a spring 2011 opening for a two-story, 236,000-sq. ft. 'mega-store" in Eden Prairie, Mn,, and has broken ground on a 240,000-sq. ft. store in Columbus, Oh.

Marling Adds Wisconsin Yard

Marling Lumber will add a lumberyard to its HomeWorks showroom in Janesville, Wi., by October.

Marling opened the 17,000-sq. ft. showroom, incorporating a new company headquarters, 14 months ago on a former Wolohan Lumber site.

Its existing lumberyard in Janesville, as well as operations in Madison, Waukesha, Green Bay, and Edgerton, Wi., continue to operate.

Kentucky Dealer Flooded

Graham Lumber, Flemingsburg, Ky., was damaged by excessive rain and flooding in late July.

The nearby Fleming Creek flooded after a total of 6 inches of rain fell, according to owner Woody Graham. "It got into our lumber sheds," he said. "We had a lot of inventory damaged there."

Also damaged were several cargo containers, two delivery trucks, and four or five delivery trailers.

Graham said it was the worst flooding he's seen in the area and cleanup would take several days. "I've got all my workers here and I think we can handle it, but everybody's been really supportive-right down to my banker showing up and saying,'Hey, whatever you need."'

Cincy Showroom Expands

Hyde Park Lumber & Design Center, Cincinnati, Oh., has expanded its showroom to 8,000 sq. ft. and updated its website to reflect new products now offered.

"Although we have always catered to male customers and contractors, we are now seeing more and more women come into our showroom with their own list of requirements for remodeling jobs," said owner Mike Judy, whose great-grandfather started the business in 1902. "The whole idea is to let the customer see exactly what the product looks like when used, before they buy it."

The expanded center includes decorated mini-rooms and a large display area for exterior products such as light poles, decking, columns, and siding.

"There is so much available in one place, saving customers and contractors from running around town to find different products," said Judy. "If it is for interior or exterior, new construction or remodeling, we are the place for most of your building needs."

Depot Adds Quick DC in Ohio

Home Depot started receiving merchandise in its newest DC last month, in a 657,000-sq. ft. building in Van Buren, Oh.

General manager Lance Hunt said the new facility is called "a rapid deployment center" because goods will be there no more than three days-versus the 14 to 2l days common at traditional DCs.

He said it's all part of Depot's strategy to make it easier to keep the right products in stock when consumers need them.

The "RDC," Depot's fifteenth, will distribute to 127 stores in eastern Michigan, northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and Buffalo, N.Y. Three more RDCs are planned.

McClain Takes over North Pacific's Hardwood Operations

McClain Forest Products, Alton, Mo., announces the acquisition of North Pacific's Missouri and Arkansas hardwood lumber and flooring operations.

The deal includes drying yards in Van Buren and Raymondville, Mo., and Western Grove, Ar., and an office in West Plains, Mo.

McClain is the parent company of Ozark Mountain Hardwoods, which has drying concentration yards in Alton and Koshkonong, Mo., where it has produced Ozark Mountain Hardwood brand flooring.

All locations now operate as McClain Forest Products LLC, with headquarters moved to West Plains. All flooring, including the former Ozark Mountain Hardwood line, will be branded under the Springcreek Flooring trademark.

Darwin Murray, who spent 10 years running North Pacific's Missouri hardwood operations, is now president of McClain. D.Q. Perna is v.p., and Larry Rainwater, chief financial officer.

BlueLinx Granted More Time to Analyze Buyout Offer

Cerberus ABP Investor LLC has given Bluelinx Holdings, Atlanta, Ga., more time to evaluate a proposed $49.6-million offer by the private equity firm to buy all outstanding shares of the distributor's common stock.

Cerberus already owns a 55.47o stake in Bluelinx. The cash tender offer was extended from Aug. 27 to Sept. 3 at the request of a special committee of Bluelinx's board.

New England Lumber Specialties, W. Springfield, Ma., has closed after 22years.

Gushman Lumber, Bethel, Vt., has acquired the former North Pacific reload in Charleston. N.H.

Georgia-Pacific wilt indefinitty idte its OSB mil in Mount Hope, W.V., beginning in October.

LP Building Products' 0SB mitt in Roxboro, N.c., has added LP TechShield to its manufacturing capabilities. Roxboro becomes LP's fifth OSB mill to produce the radiant barrier sheathing.

Uniboard will close its particleboard laminating plant in Fostoria, 0h., Oct. 1.

Uniboard bought the facility from Industrial Dimen. sions lnc. in 2o-oo.

Bluelinx is now distributing Barrette Outdoor Living's Xpanse brand railing, fencing, sheds, lattice and yard accents nationwide.

Advantage Trim & Lumber Co., crover, N.C., is now distributing cumaru decking and FSC-certified Brazilian teak and tigerwood.

Haddon Windows & Doors is the new name of Haddon Windows, Bensalem, Pa., which had been operating as Accu-Weld.

Fiberweb's Typar facility in Old Hickory, Tn., is now marketing and distributing Benjamin Obdyke's Home Slicker rainscreens that incorporate Typar housewrap. Boston Cedar, Holbrook, tr,ta., is distributing the new Home Slicker Plus Typar rainscreen in the Northeast.

Universal Forest Products, Grand Rapids, Mi., has acouired manufactured housinq/RV comoonent distributor Sh'epherd Distribution Cb., Elkhart, In., for its UFP Distribution subsidiary.

Airport

Industrial Waste Water Applications

. Constructed Wetlands Landfill Drainage

Sewer Sludge Compost Pipe

3tt to 48tt

Crumpler Plastic Pipe, Inc.

Post Olfice Box 2068

Floseboro, NC 28382

Phone: 91 0-525-4046

FAX 910-525-5801

For the Best Quality and Service Call WEB SITE: www.cpp-pipe.com

LP Building Products, Nashville, Tn., was awarded the UL label for its LP FlameBlock fire+esistant sheathing.

Railing Dynamics, Egg Harbor Township, N.J., was awarded a patent for its Novaline cellular PVC railing.

Versatex, Pittsburgh, Pa., received national code compliance CCRR-0149 for its cellular PVC trim, after testing by Architectural Testing Inc., and was certified as a Green Approved Product by the National Green Building Standard. The producer is also now offering trimboards in '12'lengths.

Azek Building Products, Scranton, Pa., has launched a green website at www.cpggreeninitiative.com.

Redesioned websites: American Architectural Manufactlrers Association, www.aamanet.ors ... BW Creative Wood, www.stairsimple.com Harlwood Cou nci l,- www.hardwoodcouncil.com ... S u perseal Window & Door Co., www.supersealwindows.com.