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Volume 103 • Number 7
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THREE PROMISES
------------ BY PATRICK ADAMS
IS LIFE TODAY more complicated, or does it simply appear that way as technology, media and other life distractions swirl around us on a 24/7 cycle? I think it’s easy to get caught up in this and believe life is more complicated.
I consider this frequently as it is my nature to constantly be gathering information around me, processing it in the background of my mind, and trying to gather meaning from it. Of course, there is a LOT more information to process these days than for generations past. It’s harder to discern what is accurate, or even real.
However, I suppose the question that gets complicated is, “Does more complicated mean harder?” Do we have harder lives now than past generations did? I think we’d all agree the answer is no. But are things more complicated? I guess that is the very root of my dilemma, which is what we choose to make complicated. (I know, very deep and philosophical this article).
Perhaps as a survival mechanism, or perhaps because with age comes wisdom, these days I find myself constantly seeking simplicity and things with solid foundations. As I reflect on the things that do not bring out the best in me and cause stress, I challenge whether they are truly necessary portions of my life and if not, strip them away. More and more, I seek peace and stability in my life often at the expense of so-called “opportunity.” If needs are being met, is the challenge of conquering another mountain truly worth the sacrifice of peace, my “best self,” and enjoying the moment?
I work hard these days to be my best self, for those I hold important and especially as a role model for my kids. It’s hard to believe that my “little girl” is already half past 13—two and a half more years until driving and five more until she starts college. Just five more years! In simplifying my life, I think about how to simply define me and what I stand for. My word means a lot to me and the promises I’ve made are like unnegotiable contracts. It takes a lot for me to utter the words “I promise.” I have made three promises in my life that I think about frequently:
1. I promised my father-in-law when I asked for his permission that I would take care of his daughter for the
rest of my life. And when we made our vows, I promised my wife and God that I would honor, love and respect her until death do us part.
2. I promised my grandmother, when she was the first person who said she believed in me, that I would never give up.
3. I promised God that if he gave me a chance at a better life that I would never stop trying to be the best man that I could be.
Each day when I say goodbye to my kids, we hug, we say we love each other, and I ask them, “What is the plan?” They each respond with sincerity, “To be better than yesterday.” I hold up my fingers with just a small gap in between and respond, “Just this much.” Because we each have a tendency to assess where we are, and where we want to be and feel like it is just too big of a gap to get there. But, “just this much” each day is progress and something to be proud of and eventually, will result in you being “there.”
I hope each of you finds “simple” in the complications that swirl around you these days, and in that search, spend some quality time with those most important this summer!
Now, in a follow up to last month’s teaser, you will notice an ad on page 51 for something new from us. In our constant pursuit of serving this industry, as well as evolving as the media landscape changes around us, we are trying something new! For a year, we have researched and curated some of the very best partners to bring you a product that we all deeply cherish every day—COFFEE! “Lumberman Coffee” has officially launched! We know you all start your day with it, and we believe why buy from a stranger when you can buy from a friend! Please, give it a try and give us your honest feedback. Like everything we do, it was done to serve you! If we’re in the service industry, why not serve you your first cup of coffee each day!
As always, thank you for your support and the opportunity to serve you!
PATRICK S. ADAMS, Publisher/President padams@526mediagroup.com
Like the foods we buy, when it comes to decking, we want natural and real. Redwood is always available in abundance of options. So stock the shelves! Unlike mass-produced and inferior products, Redwood is strong, reliable and possesses many qualities not found in artificial products. They maintain temperatures that are comfortable in all climates.
Redwood Empire stocks several grades and sizing options of Redwood.
PRESSURE-TREATED hardwoods today are mostly used in industrial/commercial applications such as pallets, ties and industrial blocks. (Photo by American Pole & Timber)
THE FUTURE OF PRESSURE TREATING HARDWOODS
BY DALLIN BROOKS
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WHEN WE DISCUSS pressure-treated or preserved wood, the automatic assumption is that we are talking about softwoods. That’s fair enough, considering that 50% of [SYP] lumber is pressure treated in the South and East, while along the West Coast, the refractory species have about 10% of their production preserved. Hardwoods are preserved, mostly in railway ties, but other options exist.
Today, hardwood markets focus on infrastructure and yield-graded (appearance) lumber. The demand for pallets, ties, and crane matting use in infrastructure has stayed static at around 5 billion bd. ft. since 1999. However, graded lumber markets have dropped from highs of 6 billion bd. ft. in 1999 to 2 billion bd. ft. after the 2008 crisis and remain at 2 billion today. The hardwood lumber industry has never recovered from this drastic drop in U.S. consumption of flooring, millwork, cabinets and furniture, as substitute products have taken over these traditional hardwood markets. The hardwood industry must shift into structural and preserved markets to help grow and stabilize production and pricing.
So, why aren’t there hardwood posts or hardwood decking? There are some, but they are minimal, and you must look for one if you want it. There are several reasons for the limited availability of preserved hardwoods. It is not because hardwood is not treatable. Just like
softwoods, some species treat better than others, but there are plenty of permeable hardwood species, such as alder, poplar, maple, red oak, and sap gum, to name a few. It is not because hardwood costs more. High-appearance grades have lots of value, but plenty of lowgrade stock goes into pallets and ties that can meet the structural requirements and are ideal for preserving. It is not because of lower strength and grading. Hardwoods are often stronger than softwoods, and there are structural grades for many hardwood species.
The reason you don’t see a lot of treated hardwood lumber is due to limited supply. Undoubtedly, the hardwood industry has not gone after these markets for a while, and thus, it has not met the needs and might not be able to shift back to structural and preserved applications quickly. The limited supply is also due to variable sizes. Hardwood mills produce random widths that don’t work for structural and preserved applications where fixed sizes fit together. However, more than the above reasons, the shortage of available pressure-treated hardwoods is due to a lack of knowledge between the hardwood and the wood preservation industries on the other capabilities. Hardwoods are able and available to be pressure treated. Now, we just need to grow the market.
For the hardwood industry to be innovative and build market share, it needs to capitalize on the overlooked
markets of the softwood industry. Hardwoods should focus on exterior fire retardants and preservatives in applications like hardwood mass timber (CLT and glulam), profiled decking, thermal modification, preserved siding, preserved square posts, and other areas the softwood market has mostly ignored.
The good thing about hardwoods being late to the game is that they don’t have to recreate the wheel, and it is easy to differentiate Real American Hardwoods (RAH) from tropical hardwoods and softwoods. The RAH campaign promotes hardwoods to consumers, architects, and designers and can easily incorporate exterior applications. The existence of thermally modified hardwoods will continue to push the exterior stories and open markets for preserved hardwoods. Check out the campaigns at RealAmericanHardwood.com for consumers and RealAmericanHardwood.pro for designers and architects. The Softwood Lumber Board has ignored the pressured-treated market; thus, the treaters should look to capitalize on the hardwood industries’ interest.
For the preserved wood and FRTW industries, the status quo, and the high cost of the search for the perfect chemical has ignored the perfect wood. Simply put, if you want increased fire resistance, then increased density should be welcomed in preserved and FRT hardwoods. Concerns for wood use in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) should lead to a lot of opportunities for hardwood to be used instead of wood-plastic composites (WPC) and other substitutes for softwood. The concerns for tropical hardwoods and WPCs should encourage treaters to look at other ways to compete
on the higher end markets. Profiled hardwood decking offers a great alternative. The trend is coming, and almost every deck board in Europe is profiled. Research has shown that profiling the deck board offers increased visual appearance and smaller checks. The softwood market has not picked up on this trend, but hardwood hopes to.
The NHLA strongly recommends that the hardwood and wood-preserving industries unite in a collaborative effort to conduct research and testing. This is not just a suggestion; it’s a call to action to expand new markets, prevent the loss of wood markets in the WUI, and from substitute products. The research must be done anyway, so why not on pressure-treated hardwoods?
Nothing changes overnight, so it will take time for treaters and hardwood producers to find a match and create a good relationship. Lumberyards should encourage this to differentiate from box stores and capitalize on higher-end opportunities. A lumberyard representative told me that they make more money on the markup of WPC than a softwood board, no doubt, but you can make more profit on hardwood and don’t have as many competitors.
The future of pressure treating hardwood lumber is not just uncertain, it’s full of potential. Hardwoods are still responsible for the shipment of your goods, the table you eat on, the floor you walk on, the cabinet you store in, the chair you sit in, the sports you watch, the music you play, and so many more possibilities; if treated properly, the potential of pressure-treated hardwoods is limitless. MM
MASS TIMBER POISED TO EXPAND REACH OF EWP
------------ BY ROBERT FOUQUET
MASS TIMBER, an innovative construction material, has been gaining traction in North America as a result of its many benefits including its sustainability, minimal environmental footprint, structural performance, and aesthetic appeal. As a new form of engineered wood, mass timber complements traditional engineered wood products (EWPs) such as LVL, LSL, PSL and wood I-joists.
This article is divided into two parts. Part 1 provides a brief overview of wood I-joists and LVL, emphasizing their reliance on North American residential construction. Part 2 explores the history, development, and status of mass timber in North America, highlighting technological advancements, future prospects, and the potential for mass timber to extend the reach of EWPs in North American building construction.
Part 1: Traditional Engineered Wood Products
Engineered wood products (EWPs) have transformed the construction industry over the past 50 years, providing sustainable, high-performance alternatives to traditional solid wood. These innovative materials, made by binding wood strands or veneers with adhesives, offer remarkable attributes such as strength, uniformity, reliability, precision in manufacturing, and versatility in dimensions. These qualities have led to substantial benefits for the construction sector, resulting in significant
market share gains, particularly in residential building construction.
In 2022, 70% of wood I-joists (approximately 290 million ft.) were used for the construction of new single-family homes in the U.S., primarily as joists for framing raised floors—an area where I-joists have achieved an impressive 47% market share.
However, several factors challenge the continued growth of wood I-joists in this segment. These include the increasing use of parallel chord trusses, changes in fire codes, and a regional shift in construction toward the U.S. South. In this region, 60-75% of homes are single-story, and the slab-on-grade floor solution is popular among builders. These trends are contributing to a decrease in usage rates for wood I-joists.
Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is renowned for its superior structural properties and dimensional stability, making it an excellent choice for applications requiring high strength, stiffness, and reliability. LVL is commonly used for beams supporting floor and roof assemblies, long-span headers like those for double garage doors, and as flange material for wood I-joists.
Like wood I-joists, LVL is widely used in new single-family and multifamily construction where stringent loading conditions and performance requirements govern. The structural capabilities of LVL, along with
its availability in long lengths and large cross-sectional dimensions, provide greater flexibility in design and construction. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for accommodating architectural preferences such as openspace designs.
LVL is also gaining popularity in light-frame, low-rise nonresidential buildings, a market segment where steel and concrete have traditionally been dominant. Market share gains for LVL are expected in emerging enduse segments as well, such as outdoor and industrial applications, which have the potential to increase LVL volumes in the future.
Overall, although the future of traditional engineered wood products like wood I-joists and LVL is closely tied to North American residential construction, there are expansion opportunities. In particular, the combination of LVL and mass timber in hybrid structures offers a significant opportunity for displacing steel and concrete in the nonresidential building construction sector, which we will discuss next.
Part 2: Mass Timber
Mass timber generically comprises panels such as cross-laminated timber (CLT), and glue-laminated timber beams and columns (glulam). These products are typically used together to create structurally efficient two-dimensional and three-dimensional assemblies for multifamily and nonresidential building occupancies, including institutional, offices, hotels, student housing and other nonresidential buildings.
Mass timber beams and columns can be made of glulam, LVL and PSL, although glulam is the dominant column and beam material in North America. Mass timber glulam differs from traditional glulam in that it is typically 3D modeled, manufactured to very fine tolerances and often includes imbedded connections which facilitate easy assembly on site. We refer to this glulam as MT-ready (mass timber-ready) glulam.
Mass timber panels include cross-laminated timber (CLT), nail-laminated timber (NLT), dowel-laminated timber (DLT), veneer laminated timber or mass plywood panels (VLT or MPP). The dominant mass timber panel product in North America is CLT, with 90% of total panel production.
CLT panels are formed by stacking and gluing successive orthogonal layers of dimension lumber under pressure. The lumber can vary in size and structural grade but commonly consists of 2x6 dimensional lumber of No. 2&Btr grade. The pressing can be done in either hydraulic or vacuum presses, although in North America, presses are hydraulic. The panels coming out of the press are produced in a variety of dimensions, typically up to 12” in thickness, 12 ft. in width and 60 ft. in length. They are then prefabricated (sized and shaped) by CNC machines into construction-ready elements that can be shipped to the job site for easy and quick assembly.
History & Development of Mass Timber
Interestingly, CLT was invented and first patented in Tacoma, Wa., in 1923. However, the commercial roots of mass timber can be traced to Austria, where CLT was
RISE IN MULTIFAMILY construction has been a boon to LVL and other engineered wood products. (Photo by APA)
developed and first commercially used in the 1990s.
Cross-laminated timber has been in use in North America since 2010. The first few structures were built with CLT and glulam imported from Austria. Since 2013, with Structurlam (now Mercer) and Nordic leading the way, several companies have established mass timber manufacturing plants in the U.S. West and Southeast, and in both Western and Eastern Canada. There currently are 15 mass timber panel plants in North America, with a nominal press capacity of 26.9 million cubic ft. The effective manufacturing capacity is considerably less—approximately 65% of the nominal press capacity.
The big demand driver for mass timber is the environment and specifically climate change. Sustainability, carbon sequestration and reduced embodied carbon emissions are becoming ever more important with time and mass timber is demonstrably superior to steel and concrete on all of these metrics. Other demand drivers include cost certainty, lightweight, seismic performance, aesthetic appeal and biophilic advantages (health and well-being). Finally, mass timber elements are prefabricated, enabling structures to go up much more quickly.
Case in point: The Brock Commons student housing building on the University of British Columbia campus, Vancouver, B.C., in 2016 was a game changer. Scrupulous advance planning using Building Information Modeling (BIM) and prefabricated CLT components resulted in the onsite assembly of an 18-story building in just nine and a half weeks and with only nine skilled wood installers.
The growth of mass timber is also being driven by major U.S. corporations such as Walmart, Microsoft, and Google, which are building new corporate offices and—in the case of Walmart—a 2 million-sq. ft. corporate campus with 14 mass timber buildings. This trend is largely driven by the desire to enhance sustainability and advance environmental, social and governance performance. These flagship projects will undoubtedly
stimulate faster adoption among architects and building owners alike.
Future Prospects of Mass Timber
A final trend that will enhance the competitive position of wood-based solutions relative to concrete and steel is the growing interest in establishing additive manufacturing operations. These operations are situated between suppliers (such as producers of CLT blanks, glulam, EWPs, and conventional wood products, as well as manufacturers of MEP systems, kitchen, and bathroom pods) and projects. They can involve varying degrees of integration to capture both upstream and downstream value.
Additive manufacturing integrates the design process, including BIM, and a library of standard components (the “kit-of-parts”), streamlining manufacturing and planning for onsite construction. This approach ensures consistency, reduces errors and waste, and simplifies and speeds up the construction process, potentially leading to significant cost reductions. Intelligent City, Timberlab, Mercer, Kalesnikoff and Element5, for example, are all investing in additive fabrication/manufacturing.
The integration of additive manufacturing into mass timber construction and engineered wood holds great promise for advancing the industry. It can foster more innovative designs, greater customization, improved sustainability, and lower costs. As research and technology development continue, we can expect to see more applications of additive manufacturing, driving new possibilities in architecture and building design. MM
– Robert Fouquet, partner, Forest Economic Advisors, has 40 years of experience in the lumber, panels and engineered wood products industries with a focus on North American, Asian and European markets. He assists FEA in analyzing new wood product technologies and uses, and expanding FEA’s analysis of emerging markets, particularly in Asia (getfea.com).
GARE FLUVIALE terminal in Lévis, Quebec, employed mass timber inside and out. Its Nordic X-Lam cross-laminated timber roof is supported by Nordic Lam glulam beams, which rest on steel columns (Photo by Nordic Structures)
GROWING STRONGER.
Like you, Roseburg is built to grow. That’s why we’re planting, investing, innovating and delivering more of what you and your customers want. Coast to coast. For nearly 90 years, we have been providing sustainably sourced wood products from our timberlands that generate pride for the job and stand the test of time, inside and out. See how we are building and growing at www.roseburg.com
Douglas-fir Lumber, grown and milled in USA
A CASE FOR OPTIMISM IN 2024? APA MARKET OUTLOOK
------------ BY JOE K. ELLING
PURCHASES OF existing and new homes followed different paths in 2023. Quarterly sales of existing homes consistently fell through 2023 and totaled 4.09 million at the end of the year, down 18.7% from 2022. Higher mortgage rates certainly played a role in driving the sales decline. Also contributing was the historically small number of homes available for sale. In 2023, the number of existing homes for sale averaged 1.06 million at the end of each month, compared to an average of 1.82 million in the years 2016 to 2019.
New home sales rebounded in 2023, as home builders aggressively used incentives, most notably with mortgage buydowns and adjustments to their product mixes to make homes more affordable. As a result, new home sales rose 3.9% to 666,000 in 2023.
Still Not a Good Time to Buy
Each month, the research staff at Fannie Mae conducts a survey to gauge the public’s perception of the housing market. One question asks whether the individuals believe it’s a favorable time to buy a home. The answer largely depends on the level of mortgage rates, home prices and the time needed to find the desired home. Throughout 2023, just 18% of the respondents felt it was a good time to buy, while 82% felt the opposite was true (see following graph). There was effectively no difference in the January 2024 survey. Prospective home buyers and builders expect mortgage rates to fall over 2024. Based on statements made by Federal Reserve policymakers, it appears they might begin to lower the target range for the federal funds rate in the second half of 2024. However, the declines will be small, 25 basis points at a time, and spaced over two to three
months each. This suggests that the rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage could be near 6.5% at year-end.
Labor Shortage Easing
Periodically the research staff at the National Association of Home Builders surveys its members regarding labor availability. In the January 2024 survey, just over half of the home builders stated labor was in short supply, marking the lowest reported shortage of labor since 2017 (see graph below). This suggests the rate of increase in labor costs will slow in 2024. It also means construction time should improve, which will contribute to lower building costs.
Multifamily Construction Historically High
At the end of January 2024, the number of multifamily units under construction totaled 996,000, down 22,000 from the July 2023 historic high of 1.018 million.
Roughly 95% of the units under construction are intended for rental. Investors in rental housing are backing off from the market due to rising vacancy rates, which are causing rents to either stagnate or decline. There is already evidence of this, as property owners are offering the first two months rent-free, reduced prices for parking and other incentives to attract tenants.
Starts Mixed in 2024
Housing starts totaled 1.42 million in 2023, down from 1.55 million in 2022. Single-family starts fell 6% to 947,000, while multifamily came in at 473,000, off 13.2%. The prospects of lower mortgage rates in 2024 point to another increase in home sales and, in turn, a rise in single-family starts to 1 million for the year. Rising vacancy rates, stagnant rents, and falling property values are expected to initiate a drop in multifamily starts to 380,000 in 2024. At 1.38 million units, starts will be less than what is needed to meet demand for new housing units.
Home Size Down Again
The average size of single-family units started in 2023 was 2,411 sq. ft. (see next graph). This marked the lowest value for average size since 2010. The decline in the average size of single-family-unit starts was driven by home builders reducing size to improve affordability. The average size of single-family homes started in the fourth quarter of 2023 was 2,374 sq. ft. With sustained efforts by builders to enhance affordability, the average size of new homes started is projected to be 2,365 sq. ft. in 2024.
Repair and Remodeling Peaked in 2022
The availability of reliable data for estimating repair
and remodeling activity is very scarce. One indicator used to get a feel for the repair and remodeling market for wood products is the Census Bureau’s estimates of sales at building material and garden equipment dealers. The data are expressed in nominal dollars and not adjusted for price changes. As shown below, sales at these establishments totaled $499 billion in 2023, down 3% from 2022. Anecdotal reports from key players in this market were down on a per capita basis. Sales in January 2024 were reported to be down 4.1% from December 2023 and off 8.3% from January 2023. These two data points imply 2024 is going to be another down year for the repair and remodeling market.
Answer to Opening Question: Probably Not
Despite the talk in the business media about the prospects for lower interest rates, 2024 is going to be a challenging year for those in the wood products industry. The degree of the decline in mortgage rates is likely to be slight. The reluctance of existing homeowners to move will sustain the competition in the existing home market, implying higher home prices. Home builders will again do what they can to generate sales, but the likelihood of smaller homes will partially offset the increase in wood products demand through an increase in single-family starts. Existing homeowners who would like to undertake a major remodel will remain frustrated by high financing costs, either through a direct loan or pulling equity out of their house via refinance at a much higher interest rate, significantly driving up their mortgage payment. MM
– Joe K. Elling is the director of market research at APA –The Engineered Wood Association (www.apawood.org).
Do not take if you enjoy higher energy costs and other headaches.
MASS TIMBER: A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
------------ BY MADISON STEPHENS
AMERICA’S HOUSING stock is failing to keep up with the need for affordable housing and mass timber is a compelling new option for consideration in affordable housing projects across the country.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates a shortage of 7 million affordable and available rental homes and nearly two-thirds of renters say they can’t afford to buy a home. Rather than the affordable housing complexes that come to mind in recent history, mass timber construction offers an efficient, sustainable solution to the current affordable housing crisis.
Using mass timber products has the potential to lower the overall project cost by up to 25% just through faster construction time and smaller crews, because mass timber arrives at construction sites as premanufactured panels, ready to be assembled. This speed of construction is an important factor in the ability to quickly address our massive housing shortage.
Affordable housing is more than just a safe, stable structure to live in, it is also a critical part of remediating inequality, addressing social problems and reducing unemployment. Cities on both the East and West Coasts have recently turned to mass timber to meet the physical and social needs related to affordable housing.
In late 2023, Seattle’s Heartwood, an eight-story mass
timber building that provides 126 workforce housing units, welcomed its first tenants. The 67,000-sq. ft. structure was built using cross-laminated timber (CLT) ceilings and glued laminated timber (glulam) columns and was the first tall mass timber (also known as Type IV-C construction) workforce housing building permitted in the U.S.
New Haven, Ct., followed Seattle’s lead and broke ground on a mass timber affordable housing project called 340+ Dixwell. The structure will include 70 units and rely on CLT for walls, including the elevator and stair core walls. In an effort to ensure access and equity, the project includes units that are dedicated to supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals and families at risk of homelessness in the New Haven area.
Before its inclusion in the national model building codes, mass timber was rigorously tested to demonstrate its fire performance. The wood boards that make up a mass timber product are glued or pressed together so tightly that oxygen is forced out preventing fire spread. Instead, the outside of mass timber panels char while the inner part of the panels remain unaffected, preventing a loss of structural integrity and creating a barrier of protection for the inside of the structure.
Along with its superior structural integrity and faster construction time, U.S. mass timber products are sourced
from sustainable working forests that sequester carbon from the atmosphere, and then store that carbon for the life of the product. As the worldwide climate crisis continues to be a motivating factor in how cities are built and maintained, mass timber is already prepared to meet the need for a truly climate-friendly construction material.
The American Wood Council (AWC) is highlighting mass timber at the federal level through advocacy, partnerships and showcases like the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Innovation Summit. Last year, AWC hosted the House Working Forest Caucus on the National Mall where legislators toured two modular mass timber buildings that were displayed as part of HUD’s Innovation Summit and were recipients of Wood Innovation Grants (WIG). Representatives heard from AWC’s president & CEO Jackson Morrill and Forest Service staff who emphasized the critical role WIG grants play in creating new markets for wood products. Both Republican and Democrat representatives heard how HUD is pursuing mass timber to help
MASS TIMBER has tremendous potential to reduce carbon emissions and sequester carbon, as well as provide a better living environment for its occupants, particularly as a “green” solution for low-cost, affordable housing solutions. Learn about one such project in Seattle. Watch a short video on the Heartwood workforce housing project on AWC’s YouTube page at youtube.com/@AmericanWoodCouncil.
reduce housing costs nationwide. This year’s HUD Innovation Summit was held in June with AWC supporting the wood product exhibits and engaging key members of Congress and the public through exhibit tours.
Officials at the federal and state level are recognizing that mass timber quickens the construction process, can lead to a cheaper overall
project cost and is a more sustainable and climate-friendly building material. As a climate-friendly material that is also safe and able to withstand the increasing number of climate-driven disasters, mass timber is the right now solution to meet the critical need for affordable housing in the U.S. MM – Madison Stephens is communications manager for the American Wood Council.
SNAPSHOT OF A GROWING MARKET
SHARED EXPERIENCE DRIVES MASS TIMBER ADOPTION
------------ BY BILL PARSONS
IN THE EVOLVING landscape of construction, mass timber continues to expand as a high-performance, sustainable structural solution for commercial, multifamily and institutional markets. Nearly two decades into the growth of the U.S. mass timber market, more design teams than ever have exposure to successfully built wood projects. New research, building code updates, and technical resources focused on mass timber continue to bridge gaps in knowledge, catalyzing growth and innovation. As of March 31, 1,006 multifamily, commercial, or institutional projects were underway or completed in the United States, with an additional 1,109 in the design phase.
The trend toward greater urban density as a means to address housing needs is driving multifamily devel-
opment, and developers are increasingly recognizing the potential of mass timber and hybrid solutions (e.g., mass timber floor and roof systems with lightframe wood walls, or a combination of wood and non-wood systems) to provide a differentiated product that offers sustainability and biophilic benefits, as well as greater leasing velocity, tenant retention, and return on investment. Approximately 75% of U.S. mass timber projects six stories or greater that are now in design are multifamily residential.
New models for tall timber construction have emerged since changes in the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) allowed for wood buildings up to 18 stories and amendments to the 2024 IBC increased the allowable percentage of exposed wood ceilings in buildings 12 stories or less. Tall mass timber projects
TREND TOWARD greater urban density is driving the rise in multifamily construction, including with mass timber.
like 1510 Webster in Oakland, Ca. (19 stories, 16 of which are mass timber); Bakers Place in Madison, Wi. (14 stories); and Heartwood Workforce Housing in Seattle, Wa. (eight stories), have leveraged the updated codes in groundbreaking designs. As of March, 15 tall mass timber building projects (both multifamily and office developments) were built or under construction in the U.S., and WoodWorks, which offers free technical support to design and construction teams, is currently assisting on 230 projects at that scale.
The performance capabilities of mass timber have led to growth in commercial and institutional market segments. Warehouse and manufacturing projects have experienced a surge in the last several years. The switch to mass timber on Janicki Industries Building 10 (a 188,000-sq. ft. aerospace manufacturing facility in Hamilton, Wa.) helped the project overcome supply chain issues and meet an ambitious construction timeline.
Education and student housing segments have also shown continued growth, with 173 projects under construction or built. While labs and life sciences buildings have been slower to adopt mass timber, pioneering projects like the Michigan State University STEM Teaching and Learning Facility are leading by example and pointing to the untapped potential for timber’s use in high-tech projects.
The International Mass Timber Conference (IMTC) serves as a barometer of industry momentum and collaboration. The 2024 IMTC saw a record attendance of 3,000 professionals and featured WoodWorks’ second live mass timber construction demonstration on the exhibit floor. Developers’ interest in mass timber was underscored with the addition of a new session track in partnership with the Urban Land Institute (ULI). Networking events throughout the week, including one hosted by the WoodWorks Innovation Network (WIN), brought together attendees to share their experience with mass timber products and highlight their growing project portfolios.
Major cities like New York, Boston and Atlanta have launched successful mass timber accelerator programs, helping projects move from concept to construction. The programs award grant money and technical support to teams whose project proposals meet community needs and sustainability goals. Additionally, mass timber project management and installer training is expanding across the country. To date, 28 training centers and four universities throughout the U.S. are using WoodWorks’ mass timber construction management training mock-ups and curriculum to educate tradespeople with experience in other building systems, along with the next generation of general contractors and installers.
The body of knowledge on mass timber continues to expand through cross-disciplinary collaboration. This year, WoodWorks partnered with an experienced mass timber construction professional to release a guide covering cost-estimating considerations for general contractors with an emphasis on minimizing whole project costs and maximizing the value of
mass timber projects. WoodWorks also collaborated with KL&A Engineers & Builders to release a Mass Timber Comparative Life Cycle Assessment series comparing the embodied carbon impacts and cost of mass timber buildings to functionally equivalent buildings.
Mass timber is unique among solutions addressing the needs of modern construction, as designers pursue wood products for their many benefits, from flexibility and sustainability to speed of installation. Backed by the proliferation of shared experience and widely available technical education across trades, the U.S. mass timber market is positioned to continue gaining in strength with increasing supply and popularity in the multifamily, commercial, and institutional sectors. MM
– Bill Parsons, PE, is the chief operating officer at WoodWorks/Wood Products Council, a non-profit organization providing free project support for commercial and multifamily mass timber and light-frame wood buildings, a nationwide education program, and a wide range of published resources.
MASS TIMBER construction demonstrations took place right on the exhibit floor at the International Mass Timber Conference. (Photo courtesy International Mass Timber Conference)
HOW TO SPECIFY ENGINEERED WOOD PRODUCTS
ENGINEERED WOOD
products are used in a wide range of construction applications. For low in-place cost, versatility and superior performance, engineered wood systems are simply hard to beat. Their various sizes and dimensions mean less construction jobsite waste and lower disposal costs. In completed buildings, they store carbon and deliver decades of strong, dependable structural performance.
Engineered wood products (EWP) that bear the APA trademark are manufactured in accordance with APA or national standards. The trademark is the manufacturer’s assurance that the product conforms to the standards noted on that trademark. APA members commit to a rigorous program of quality inspection and testing. Some EWPs are proprietary and use proprietary engineering service reports and APA Product Reports for their code recognition and product use and design information.
Below is a look into a few engineered wood products and specification factors to consider.
Wood Structural Panels
OSB and plywood, referred to as “wood structural panels” in the code, are manufactured with an alternating layer direction using moisture-resistant adhesive. The panels must pass wet and dry structural performance tests. Panels are available in Exterior and Exposure 1 bond classifications.
Specifying Wood Structural Panels
Specifiers should refer to APA’s Engineered Wood Construction Guide
Tips for writing the spec:
• Use “wood structural panel” rather than OSB or plywood.
• Call out panel “Performance Category” rather than thickness.
• Avoid the term “CDX.” Instead, use “rated sheath-
ing,” which refers to both plywood and OSB.
When specifying panels, designate the grade, span rating, bond classification, dimensions (Performance Category, width and length) and APA trademark.
Example Specification:
19/32 Performance Category, APA Rated Sheathing, 32/16 (span rating), Exposure 1, nominal 4’x8’ (either tongue-and-groove or square edge).
Exposure 1 panels are appropriate for applications that will be covered with finished materials. Exterior bond classification is used when the panel is going to be permanently exposed (like siding and concrete forms).
Structural I provides higher lateral resistance in engineered shear walls and diaphragms, most commonly needed where the panel strength axis will be installed parallel to supporting members, such as in panelized roof applications.
Other Considerations:
• 1/8” gap on all panel edges to accommodate expansion.
• Fasteners installed 3/8” from panel edges.
• The APA trademark on the panel should reflect what’s specified in the plans.
Glued Laminated Timber
Glulam is made with layers of 1-1/2” and 1-3/8” lumber face-bonded together by adhesives. The wood grain runs parallel to length. Glulam can be used for beams, headers and columns and is available in I-joist-compatible depths and lengths up to 60 feet. Glulam can be custom made in just about any shape or length.
Balanced or Unbalanced Members
Unbalanced are primarily for simple span applications and include “TOP” for proper placement. Balanced are
(Continued on page 26)
TUF-TRED®
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• Superior skid resistance
• Surface durability
• Weatherability
• Moisture resistance
• 4x8 panels, ¾" thick
• ADA Approved
Swanson Tuf-Tred is ideal for interior or exterior stair applications where skid-resistant surfaces are desirable.
used in applications of long cantilevers or continuous spans. Glulam can also be used in column applications. See APA’s Design of Structural Glued Laminated Timber Columns
Allowable Design Properties
Bending stresses are typically specified on the basis of the maximum allowable bending stress of the member. Combinations are found in ANSI 117, Standard Specification for Structural Glued Laminated Timber of Softwood Species, used by APA glulam manufacturers for design stresses. Some can also produce glulams to ESR-1940. Some manufacturers have APA Product Reports for proprietary and commodity glulam layups.
Appearance Classifications:
Architectural, Industrial, Industrial-L, Framing, Framing-L. See APA Technical Note: Glulam Appearance Classifications for Construction Applications for details.
Outdoor Applications:
If glulam members are covered by a roof or other overhead weather barrier and the sides and ends are not subject to direct wetting from precipitation, the application is not considered as exposed. In that case, preservative treatment or naturally decay resistant species are not required.
Glulam subject to long-term direct exposure should be pressure preservative treated or produced from the heartwood of a naturally durable species like Alaska yellow cedar or Port Orford cedar. See APA Technical Note: Preservative Treatment of Glued Laminated Timber.
Exposed glulams can also be designed for one-hour or two-hour fire exposure. See ANSI 117-2020, Section 5.7, Fire-Resistive Construction and APA Technical Note: Calculating Fire Resistance of Glulam Beams and Columns
Glulam Specification
When specifying glulam, refer to APA’s Engineered Wood Construction Guide, and ANSI A190.1-2022: Product Standard for Structural Glued Laminated Timber
The APA glulam trademark contains several critical pieces of information you should know when specifying beams. The trademark identifies:
1. Allowable design stress
2. Appearance classification
3. Grading: Visual (V) or Mechanical (E)
4. Assigned combination number of lumber used to assign the design stresses
a. Shear, Modulus of Elasticity, etc.
5. Wood Species: Commonly Douglas fir (DF) or southern pine (SP)
While many stress classes are listed in ANSI 117, the most commonly available stock beam or column combinations are:
• Glulam beams: 24F-V4/DF, 24F-V8/DF, 24F-V3/SP, or 24F-V5/SP
• Glulam columns: Combination 2/DF or Combination 47/SP
• High-strength glulam beams: 30F-E1/SP or 30F-E2/SP
The trademark shown above tells us the allowable bending stress is 24F, which represents the allowable bending stress of 2,400 psi. The V tells us that the lumber used in this glulam was visually graded. The number 4 is the recipe for how the lumber layers were laid up, which is relevant only to the manufacturer. The trademark also tells us the appearance grade, whether balanced or unbalanced, the wood species, if it is cambered and the mill number.
Cross-Laminated Timber
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels are exceptionally stiff, strong and stable, handling load transfer on all sides. Panels can include precision cuts using state-ofthe-art CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) routers. Finished panels are typically 2-10 ft. wide with lengths up to 60 ft. and thicknesses up to 20”. Wider widths and lengths are possible. Check with each manufacturer, as transportation restrictions might dictate size.
CLT offers superior acoustic, fire, seismic and thermal performance, is fast and easy to install, generates almost no on-site waste and offers design flexibility and low environmental impact. For these reasons, CLT is proving to be a highly advantageous alternative to materials like concrete, masonry or steel, especially in multifamily and commercial construction.
2021 IBC has expanded acceptance of CLT including buildings up to 18 stories. CLT in taller structures pertains to the requirements of the standard.
• Adhesives are required to be evaluated to ASTM D7247, Standard Test Method for Evaluating the Shear Strength of Adhesive Bonds in Laminated Wood Products at Elevated Temperatures.
• Moisture durability: Face-bond criteria is the same as glulam.
• Fire performance: Per the National Design Specification for Wood Construction (NDS) Chapter 16 including adhesive heat durability of PRG 320. New adhesives qualified to ASTM E119, and full-scale Compartment Fire Test specified in the standards.
Specifying CLT
To specify CLT, refer to APA’s free Engineered Wood Construction Guide, ANSI/APA PRG 320: Standard for Performance-Rated Cross-Laminated Timber (basic CLT grades) and APA Product Reports (custom CLT grades).
For custom products, a manufacturer should be pre-chosen in order to develop the most efficient design incorporating all the capabilities of the product. MM
– Learn more on specifying EWP at www.apawood.org.
APA –THE MARK OF QUALITY FOR WOOD STRUCTURAL PANELS
WHEN ORDERING or specifying wood structural panels, it is important to receive the right panel for the application, and equally important that the panel is manufactured with the required quality. Wood structural panels trademarked by APA meet both criteria, based on qualification tests in compliance with PS 1 for plywood and PS 2 for plywood and oriented strand board (OSB), as well as ongoing quality assurance tests on every production period with a robust quality assurance system. In Canada, APA panels are trademarked to similar standards, which include CSA O121 for Douglas fir plywood, CSA O151 for Canadian softwood plywood and CSA O325 for OSB and plywood.
APA’s quality assurance system includes review of mill quality procedures, independent third-party audits of the mill quality program and regular independent testing that verifies the quality and performance of wood structural panels. APA’s quality assurance system has proactive steps to ensure any product quality issues are addressed promptly and properly in the manufacturing plant.
APA-certified products bear a trademark clearly identifying the appropriate standard and product application. The qualification and quality assurance system apply evaluation methods that are appropriate for many applications, including span ratings for roof, wall and floor construction, and for a wide variety of other uses, such
as in concrete forming, upholstered furniture frames, recreational vehicles and other products where materials with high strength-to-weight ratios, durable exterior adhesives and known mechanical properties are important.
Occasionally, imported wood structural panels are sold in North America. Those imported panels may be manufactured with foreign wood of low density or with adhesives of unknown durability, or they may be qualified by testing to a foreign standard that is not intended for North American markets.
In the past, APA has been asked to evaluate imported panels available in local markets by testing them with requirements specified in PS 1 and PS 2. In some cases, the panels were found to be lacking in stiffness and bond quality and emitting formaldehyde more than certified products conforming to North American standards. Specifying APA-trademarked panels from trusted manufacturers means getting the right product for the right application at a recognized quality level.
The APA Panel Trademark Explained (Compare to trademark at top of page 30)
1. Panel grade — The term “grade” may refer to panel grade or veneer grade. Panel grades are generally identified in terms of the veneer grade used on the face and
(Continued on page 30)
LOOKING FOR LVL?
LVL manufacturing is the first step in making our Mass Ply panels, which allows us to offer very thin cross-sections to mass timber sized products. Thus giving you the building elements for any job.
We are now approved for 2.1E and 1.9E LVL, and now producing up to 1.5" thick LVL in single laminations. Please check out our revised Product Reports at apawood.org
CURRENT CERTIFICATIONS
• MassPly Panel Grades: PR L-325 – F16 and F10
• MassPly Lam Grades: PR L-324
– 2.1E, 1.9E, and 1.6E Beam & Header
• LVL Grades: PR L-324
– 2.1E, 1.9E, and 1.6E
– 1.55E Rim Board
back of the panel (e.g., A-B, B-C) or by a name suggesting the panel’s intended end use (e.g., APA RATED SHEATHING, APA RATED STURD-I-FLOOR, APA RATED SIDING, UNDERLAYMENT).
2. Span rating — Two numbers separated by a forward slash. The left-hand number is the maximum recommended center-to-center spacing for supports in inches when the panel is used for roof sheathing with long dimensions across supports. The right-hand number is the maximum center-to-center spacing of supports in inches when the panel is used for subflooring with the long dimension across supports. The span rating on APA RATED STURD-I-FLOOR underlayment and APA RATED SIDING panels appears as a single number. The span ratings for APA RATED STURD-I-FLOOR and underlayment panels, like those for APA RATED SHEATHING, are based on application of the panel with the long dimension or strength axis across three or more supports.
3. Product Standard — An industry product manufacturing or performance specification. Voluntary Product Standard PS 1, Structural Plywood, was developed by the plywood industry and the U.S. Department of Commerce. Voluntary Product Standard PS 2, Performance Standard for Wood Structural Panels, establishes performance criteria for specific designated construction applications. ANSI/APA RP 210, Standard for Performance-Rated Engineered Wood Siding, was developed by APA under the national consensus process of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to provide qualification and marking requirements during manufacture. APA PRP108, Performance Standards and Qualification Policy for Wood Structural Panels was developed by APA to provide qualification and marking requirements on APA RATED SIDING products.
4. Tongue-and-groove — A system of jointing in which the rib or tongue of one member fits into the groove of another. Tongue-and-groove edges eliminate the need for blocking beneath panel edges for support.
5. Bond classification — Exposure ratings for APA wood structural panels may be Exterior or Exposure 1. The classifications are based on the severity and duration of weather and moisture exposure the panels are designed to withstand, and the wood materials and adhe-
sives used in manufacture.
6. Decimal thickness declaration — This value is generally at or near the lower tolerance specified in PS 1 or PS 2.
7. Mill number — Manufacturing mill identification number.
8. Performance Category — A panel designation related to the panel thickness range that is linked to the nominal panel thickness designations used in the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC).
9. Siding face grade — Grade identification of siding face, based on number of repairs and appearance characteristics.
10. Species group number — Classified according to strength and stiffness under manufacturing standard PS 1 into groups 1 through 5. Group 1 woods are the strongest, Group 2 second strongest, and so on. Typically used when no span rating is noted.
11. HUD recognition — Recognition of wood-based performance-rated panels is contained in Use of Materials Bulletin UM-40c.
12. Panel type, Canadian Standard — Some APA panels are manufactured to both U.S. and Canadian standards, and carry a dual mark, as shown in the RATED SHEATHING mark above. Other panels may carry a single mark for either the U.S. or Canadian standard.
13. Span rating, Canadian Standard — Span rating and end-use designation for use in Canada. In the Canadian span marking, the “R” signifies roofs and the “F” represents floors: 1F for single floor and 2F for subfloor.
14. Adhesive type, Canadian Standard — Adhesive type is required by Canadian building codes. Bond classifications Exterior and Exposure 1 meet Exterior Type Adhesive according to CSA O325.
15. Canadian Construction Sheathing Standard
16. Panel face orientation indicator.
APA field representatives are available in many major U.S. cities and Canada and can answer questions involving APA trademarked products. For more information, visit www.apawood.org. MM
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PASSING THE BATON
------------
BY SARA GRAVES
RELATIONSHIP. Loyalty. Commitment. These are the words that the folks E&E Lumber have lived by for 58 years. And the reason that they have remained a steady resource for the homeowners and contractors across Washington state.
“This whole business is relationship based, from the customer to the vendor,” says Brent Emory, VP of E&E, who started with the company at 16, then took over the family
WASHINGTON’S E&E LUMBER LOOKS AHEAD
business 43 years ago at the age of 21. “That’s always been my philosophy growing up—and my whole life.” He equates it to a marriage: “It’s about talking about stuff, having good communication.”
In Emory’s 20s, he and his staff built many of their decades-long, customer relationships from their two Washington locations in Marysville and Sedro-Woolley. It’s why 75-year-old Ron Loop of Loop Construction still comes into the Marysville store 45 years later to buy his supplies.
Yet, as Emory is looking towards retirement, so too are a number of his longtime customers. He shared that one of his employees, who has been with the company nearly 40 years, has seen some of his customers retire that he used to work with every day. Emory says others are “phasing out, moving south, or unfortunately passing away.”
That’s why Emory has educated his children and younger staff on the importance of building their own relationships with younger clientele. “You do something long enough, there’s going to be change one way or another. The kids, the younger contractors, need to do their thing.”
He says relationship building is all about team building. He points to his family’s relationship with Mike Reimer, president of family-owned Western Wood Preserving Co., Sumner, Wa., and Mike’s two children, who enjoy motorcycle riding together.
Ultimately, Emory says, it’s about loyalty, quality, good service, and competitive pricing. “You want your customer to be loyal to you and vice versa. You always try to do the right thing with your customer. Hopefully, you’ll have them for 30 years or so like we did.”
Emory has taught his staff, including his son-in-law Kyle Rossnagle and daughter, Brooke Rossnagle, that quality and good service have been the keys to keeping E&E Lumber competitive despite the four box stores within five miles of their Marysville location and the two box stores within five miles of the smaller Sedro-Woolley location.
“People like coming to us because they get the quality help. All our people have been here 12 to 40 years. We give them that quality help, and get them the answers instead of just pointing them down an aisle.”
This, in turn, has kept their sales steady year over
E&E LUMBER is all about relationships at both its Marysville (upper photo) and Sedro-Woolley, Wa. (lower), locations.
suppliers.
year. That and their fully stocked lines of decking including Trex and TimberTech. “We have really good suppliers that we work with. We get our products every day—next day if we special order it. The quality of the service is what keeps (the customers) faithful.”
They also stock premium Douglas fir purchased from Weyerhaeuser in Seattle, Wa., and treated products by Western Wood Preserving.
E&E, whose business is made up of approximately 20% treated wood, had been dealing with Western Wood Preserving for over 35 years, but made
Wood Treating Service with a Superior Preservative Selection
them their primary treater during the pandemic when their previous treater wasn’t able to provide what they needed. Emory explains that one of Western Wood’s sales managers had been trying to get them to switch for 37 years. “Once we switch,” Emory explains, “we’re extremely loyal.” Western Wood Preserving makes stops at E&E three days a week.
“I feel if you’re loyal, you’re going to always be taken care of,” Emory adds. “The guys that aren’t browbeating (their suppliers) all the time for better pricing are gonna get—if the deal does come up—they’ll really hook you up, take care of you. I just feel the loyalty there at the end of the day—everything is long term, if you plan on being in business long term.” MM
SARA GRAVES
Sara Graves, senior editor, is interested in your story. Contact her at sgraves@526mediagroup.com.
LOYALTY is ingrained toward E&E’s employees, customers and
QUESTIONS
------------ BY JAMES OLSEN
MOST SALESPEOPLE
talk too much. The Master Seller knows how and when to ask questions.
Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions help customers engage. Many sellers “feed” the answer in the question, which leads to monosyllabic, non-engaged answers. Example:
Salesperson: You’re probably using southern yellow pine, right?
Customer: Yes.
Salesperson: Do you use random lengths or straight lengths?
Customer: Random.
Versus “open-ended”:
Salesperson: What species do you use?
Customer: We mostly use southern yellow pine in 2x8 – 2x12, but we use spruce in our 2x4 and 2x6 and our studs.
One Question at a Time
Another mistake is asking multiple questions in a row. This can be confusing to the customer and breaks rapport. Example:
Salesperson: How do you normally buy your lumber? Do you put out an RFQ or do you buy off offerings or do you do it after you do your inventory?
Better: How do you normally buy your lumber?
Simple, open-ended questions are better. Customers are more likely to give us a more detailed answer when we give them room to do so. “Fed” and multiple questions lead to short and non-detailed answers. Conversation will flow more when we give our customers space to elaborate.
Questions on Inquiry
Many sellers are in such a hurry to quote product that they don’t take a thorough inquiry. When we don’t take
a thorough inquiry, we send the message “I’m just here for a quick order” which is easy to say no to. In addition, when we don’t ask enough questions, we often come back with the wrong item because we missed the nuance of what the customer wants. Example:
Customer: I’m looking for a 2x4 random.
Salesperson: Okay, let’s go look for that and I’ll get back to you with a quote.
Better:
Customer: I’m looking for a 2x4 random.
Master Seller: When you say random, what kind of tally are we thinking?
Customer: 8 through 16, heavy 16.
Master Seller: When you say heavy 18, how heavy are we needing?
Customer: About 75% 16.
Master Seller: What would the rest of the tally look like?
Customer: Maximum one 8 and 10 foot, three to four 12s, and maximum two 14s.
Master Seller: What grade are we needing?
Customer: Euro premium.
Master Seller: Could we use a highline western or eastern spruce?
This extra question gives the seller more options to provide more value to the customer and more options to get the order.
Customer: I could use a highline western out of ABC or XYZ Sawmill.
Master Seller: When do we need it to ship?
Customer: Two weeks or sooner.
Master Seller: Could we live with three weeks?
Again, this gives the seller more options to bring value. There may only
be two mills that can do two weeks shipment and there may be 10 mills that can do it for three.
Customer: Yes, I can live with three weeks.
Master Seller: What are we thinking of paying on this?
Most sellers are too intimidated to ask this question because a lot of buyers won’t answer it. Master Sellers make price just another detail to be discussed between partners. They train customers to be open with them. It will take more time to get some customers to treat us like a partner, and some never will, but we must try with all of them, and most will over time. If the customer is thinking of an unreasonable price it is better to discuss early rather than doing a bunch of work and finding out later.
Asking for the Order
Somewhere between 80% and 90% of sellers fail to ask for the order. Most sellers present product and then wait silently for the customer to buy or give the price and ask, “What do you think of that?” The problem with both of these methods is that they work. They just don’t work as well as asking simply and directly for the order.
Master Sellers tell the customer why what they are offering is a good deal and then ask, “Can I earn your business on this?” There are many ways to ask for the order but asking is a must for success in sales. MM
JAMES OLSEN
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE NEW EXEMPT MINIMUM SALARY?
While legal challenges have been requesting an injunction until the question whether the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has the right to increase the salary threshold is determined, no such injunction has been issued as of this writing. Therefore, all employers must prepare their response to the new rule which goes into effect July 1, 2024.
IN APRIL, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced its long-anticipated change to the “white-collar” exemptions (Executive, Administrative and Professional, or EAP) and highly-compensated exemptions. The changes were published to its website.
Increasing the salary requirement reflects the overall growth of wages in general as well as the thinking that an employee with exempt-level responsibilities to be truly exempt should probably be making more than $17.10 per hour.
The DOL estimates that by January 1, 2025, the exemption of four million workers will be impacted unless their employers increase their weekly salary, while another 292,900 workers will be impacted with the increased Highly-Compensated salary.
First, the Basics
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is enforced by the DOL and dictates several areas of labor law including minimum wage, overtime, compensable time, child labor, and independent contractors. FLSA also requires all employees to be classified as exempt or non-exempt according to its definitions and tests.
Non-exempt employees must be paid at least minimum wage for all hours worked and time-and-a-half their regular wage rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek (defined as a set seven-day period). To ensure
proper wage payment, records must be kept of their exact time worked within this seven-day period, although how time is tracked is left to the discretion of the employer. Non-exempt employees can be paid hourly or salary.
Exempt employees are not required to be paid overtime and do not need to track their exact time worked. While there are many categories, the main ones are Executive, Administrative, Professional, Computer, Outside Sales, and Highly-Compensated. To be classified as exempt, employees must pass three tests:
1. Be paid on a salary basis (defined as a wage guarantee) which is not reduced based on time worked or not worked;
2. That salary must be no less than the minimum salary threshold (This is the test under discussion now.); and
3. Meet the job duties test for their applicable category.
As with all labor laws, if an employee’s classification is uncertain under these tests, the employee must be classified as “non-exempt” as this is considered the most favorable to them.
New Minimum Salary Threshold
The “good” news: the DOL did not change the job duties test.
The “bad” news: the DOL announced a significant increase to the minimum salary threshold although they softened it by allowing for a two-stage increase. The EAP salary was calculated based on the 35th percentile of weekly earnings of full-time salaried workers in the lowest-wage Census region. The Highly-Compensated salary was based on the annualized weekly earnings of the 85th percentile of full-time workers nationwide.
The announced minimum salary threshold for EAP and Highly-Compensated exemptions will increase as follows:
Current $684 $35,568 $107,432
June 30, 2024
July 1 - $844 $43,888 $132,964
Dec. 31, 2024
Jan. 1, 2025 – $1,128 $58,656 $151,164
June 30, 2027
July 1, 2027 + every The salary basis will be recalculated based on a 3 years thereafter formula to be announced
What to Do Now
All employers need to review their payroll roster to determine which currently-exempt employees will fall below the higher salary threshold and then take one of the below steps for each:
• Keep those employees exempt: If you want to ensure the employee stays exempt, you will need to increase their salary to meet the above standards by the effect dates.
o If the increase is minor, consider making it their annual adjustment.
o If the increase is significant, consider explaining that this increase encompasses their annual increase for the next two to three years since the next increase will not be required until July 1, 2027.
• Reclassify those employees to non-exempt: Given the salary threshold is almost doubling by January 1, 2025, employers may decide that it is best to reclassify these employees as non-exempt to avoid having to pay the higher salary and to reduce misclassification exposure. If you choose this route, advise employees:
o of their non-exempt status;
o of their hourly rate or, if still salaried, effective hourly rate (weekly salary divided by the number of hours they will work, usually 40);
o how to track their exact work time;
o what is considered compensable time; and
o that they will be entitled to overtime.
Whatever you choose, notify employees in writing of all changes prior to the effective date.
Challenges
While some employers will absorb the increase with minimal impact, small employers and/or those in the lower-wage industries and/or Census areas (typically the South and Midwest) may find the salary increases difficult to budget for and sustain long-term. These employers may find it best to convert all but the highest-paid employees to non-exempt so they can more easily manage pay rates in line with the markets and trends of their area and/or industry.
Even companies that can manage the increases may then need to deal with resulting wage compression across the rest of their organization so all employees are paid fairly based on factors such as job duties, educa-
Q. We allow employees to have their personal cell phones at their desks while they work, but we have some who take advantage of this. One employee spends most of the day taking calls from her family and friends while another watches his favorite shows and TikTok videos while he is working. What can we do without penalizing those who use their cell phones only when needed?
A. Cell phones can cause major disruptions in the workplace. Ring and text tones can be loud and annoying; conversations or streamed content can be disruptive and not suitable for the workplace; and any time spent talking, texting or watching is time not working or being productive.
You can expect employees to perform their job duties with minimal personal distractions during their work time. Address those that are creating issues with their cell phone use. Explain that this use is keeping them from meeting expectations and creating distractions preventing others from working effectively.
You can also consider offering meal and rest breaks and defining these as the only times employees can make calls, send texts, or stream content. By offering these breaks, you can reduce the during-work-time use except in emergencies.
Hopefully by addressing the specific behavior and offering defined times for use, you can control disruptions without having to escalate to disciplinary action.
tion, and experience. Wage compression can cause low morale, result in high turnover, and lead to legal challenges. Employers facing wage compression issues could consider:
• initiating an across-the-board rate increase so employees are still paid comparable to their duties, experience, etc.;
• defining that the required increase will cover a longer period (i.e., two years instead of one), adjustable based on the percentage of increase; or
• offering employees impacted by wage compression bonuses, benefits, and/or perks (such as flexible scheduling, professional development reimbursement, or more PTO) to adjust their overall compensation.
Looking to the Future
The Workplace Advisors will continue to monitor this DOL change including clarification and legal decisions as they develop. We are here to answer questions and help you develop a plan to address this change and its impacts in the future. MM
Paige McAllister, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is vice president for compliance with The Workplace Advisors, Inc. Reach her at (877) 660-6400 or paige@theworkplaceadvisors.com.
PAIGE McALLISTER
US LBM ACQUIRES NEW MEXICO’S RAKS
US LBM acquired RAKS Building Supply, a top provider of building products and manufactured components to builders and contractors throughout central New Mexico.
Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Los Lunas, N.M., RAKS operates five locations throughout the Albuquerque metropolitan area, including an 11-acre, full-line building materials yard, home center and truss manufacturing plant in Rio Bravo, N.M., along with full line yards in Socorro, Edgewood and
two in Albuquerque, N.M.
“US LBM has an outstanding track record of partnering with the best local building materials suppliers, and we’re excited for the enhanced value and greater opportunities this partnership will create for our associates, customers and the community,” said Richie Tabet, who along with Kenny and Bobby Trujillo, will continue to lead RAKS’ day-to-day operations.
With the acquisition, US LBM now has 12 locations in New Mexico.
HPM LAUNCHES TRUSS DIVISION WITH MAUI DEAL
HPM Building Supply acquired Maui’s leading building component manufacturer, Truss Systems Hawaii, creating a new division known as Truss Systems by HPM serving the Valley Isle.
All 33 Truss Systems Hawaii team members have become HPM owner-employees, and operations are continuing seamlessly to produce locally made wood roof trusses, metal trusses, floor trusses, wall panels and ShedPro Hawaii custom sheds. HPM plans to keep growing the business to serve the Maui building industry and to help address the need for housing on the island.
“Truss Systems Hawaii has been the market leader on Maui for 30 years across 28,000 projects for good reason,” said Jason Fujimoto, HPM chairman and CEO. “Nobody has a better reputation for expertise, quality and putting the customer first. The opportu-
nity to continue and expand upon what founder Scott Loomer has established is truly an honor. We are excited to join forces and grow together. Providing more locally prefabricated building materials right here on the island gives builders more options and capacity to make housing more attainable and affordable for residents.”
Truss Systems by HPM offers products for all types of jobs on Maui, both residential and commercial, including precision-engineered wood roof trusses and floor trusses; metal trusses that are resistant to insects, mold and fire; and wall panels up to 20 ft. in length. In addition, Truss Systems by HPM offers ShedPro Hawaii custom wood sheds, available for the customer to design in 3D online, that are made with high-quality, Hi-bor-treated lumber and siding and come with a variety of options for paint, doors, windows, flooring and more.
, Dixieline Lumber opened its new yard in Dana Point, Ca., on June 17—at the previous site of Ganahl Lumber.
Supply Monkey Lumber & Materials Co., Prescott, Az., has opened.
Westlake Ace Hardware opened its 17th store in California: 16,000-sq. ft. Ace Hardware of Simi Valley (Melissa Minter, GM).
Ace Hardware added a new branch in Soledad, Ca.
Auburn Ace Hardware, Auburn, Ca., has purchased a larger 19,500-sq. ft. storefront, which will be remodeled in time for moving in before the end of the year.
Beacon added new branches in Everett and Spokane, Wa., to support specialty waterproofing pros.
Roseburg permanently closed its Missoula, Mt., particleboard plant on May 22.
Kronospan has acquired Woodgrain’s particleboard facility in Island City, Or.
Pyramid Mountain Lumber remained hopeful it could find a buyer for its sawmill in Seeley Lake, Mt., even as it nears a self-imposed July 15 deadline before it plans to auction off the facility’s equipment.
Vaagen Brothers Lumber, Colville, Wa., is installing a USNR Multi-Track Fence and VerifEye fence verification system to improve final board position and trim accuracy.
Boise Cascade, Phoenix, Az., is now distributing Starborn Industries’ Clip&Rip deck board installation system.
Simpson Strong-Tie acquired Canada-based Calculated Structured Designs, a software development company for the engineered wood and building industries.
Owens Corning is hitting the road this summer with a “Champion Your Project” mobile training tour at home-improvement stores across the country, including in Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland, Or.
Oregon Women in Lumber held its first workshop May 16 in Portland, Or. Speakers included Hampton Lumber’s Lea Eastman and Lois Perdue, Patrick Lumber’s Terry Haddix, Weyerhaeuser’s Jill Bell, and Roseburg’s Tiffany Roddy.
INTRODUCING HPM Building Supply’s newest division, Truss Systems by HPM, led by HPM president Adam Bauer, Truss Systems Hawaii founder Scott Loomer, and HPM CEO Jason Fujimoto.
Hi-bor® brand treated wood is a borate treated wood product designed for interior house framing in Hawaii. Hi-bor treated wood resists attack by Formosan and subterranean termites and numerous household insects and pests, as well as fungal decay. Hi-bor borate treated wood is also backed by a 20 year limited warranty*.
FIRE STRIKES ECONOMY LUMBER IN OAKLAND
Investigators are seeking the cause of a fire that destroyed a lumber warehouse at Economy Lumber, Oakland, Ca.
FirePro® brand re retardant treated wood is treated with a patented formulation that contains no phosphates and has been shown to exhibit exceptional re performance properties without compromising other critical engineering properties such as strength, durability, corrosivity, and hygroscopicity. FirePro treated wood is also backed by a 50 year limited warranty*.
The blaze was first reported about 7:45 p.m. Sunday May 26 and within 90 minutes had escalated to a four-alarm conflagration.
No injuries were reported, but the building was deemed a total loss. The old wooden structure was used for lumber storage, as well as the location’s main door and window showroom.
Owner John Bacon said the yard would shut down for about a week while they formulated a plan to build a new facility that’s better suited to its current needs.
Of Economy’s four locations, this reportedly is the first one to suffer a fire—and the only one lacking sprinklers.
OVERSTOCK LUMBERYARD OPENS IN NO. CAL.
Advance Guard® borate pressure treated lumber is recommended for sill plate, furring strips, joists, studs, roof trusses, blocking, rafters, beams, and other framing applications. Advance Guard is also recommended for fascia, trim, wall sheathing, roof sheathing, and sub- oors. Advance Guard borate pressure treated lumber is also backed by a lifetime limited warranty*.
Nobles Construction Components, Inc. has opened a discount overstock lumberyard at its manufacturing site in Susanville, Ca.
The idea behind the business is to resell overstock lumber and hardware materials—left over from its construction projects—to Lassen County builders, ranchers and DIYers.
The two-acre, self-service NCC Lumber Yard offers “high-quality wood materials at discounted prices,” “digital pricing for efficient shopping,” and ample loading space to make your experience hassle-free.
TRUCKEE-TAHOE ROLLS OUT TRUSS DIVISION
Truckee-Tahoe Lumber, Truckee, Ca., has expanded into structural building components with the purchase of the assets of NVO Construction Components, Reno, Nv., including its 75,000-sq. ft. manufacturing plant for floor and roof trusses, wall panels, panelized floor/ roof cassettes, and prefabricated stairs.
The deal, which was set to close July 1, creates the Truckee-Tahoe Lumber Co. Truss and Component division.
“Our goal is to offer our framing customers the entire framing materials package,” said Truckee-Tahoe president and CEO Andrew Cross.
ECONOMY LUMBER in Oakland, Ca., lost its primary warehouse and door/ window showroom in a May 26 fire of yet-to-be-determined origin. (Photo by Oakland Fire Department)
------------| MOVERS & SHAKERS
Brad Satterfield has been promoted to CEO of Ganahl Lumber, Anaheim, Ca. Rick Escalera is new as finish lumber sales supervisor in San Juan Capistrano, Ca.
Jay McArthur, ex-Capital, is now general mgr. of OrePac Building Products, Wilsonville, Or.
Pete Qualls, ex-RedBuilt, has joined Capital Lumber Co., Portland, Or., as regional sales mgr.
Scott Fisher, ex-Hardwoods Inc., is now with Kelleher Corp., Ontario, Ca., in outside sales. He will focus on the Los Angeles, Riverside and Palm Springs markets.
Jack Latchford, ex-Rafael Lumber, is now senior sales rep & commodity buyer at Fairfax Lumber & Hardware, Fairfax, Ca.
Omar Salinas has joined the outside sales force at Spenard Builders Supply, Anchorage, Ak.
Mark Thompson, ex-Weyerhaeuser, has joined PWT, Burlington, Wa., as Idaho-based business development mgr. covering the Northwestern region. Keith Graves has returned to the EWP industry as western region business development mgr. with PWT, covering the Southwest.
Bishop Biddix, ex-LBM Advantage, is now covering the mid-Atlantic for PWT, and Sean Nuedling, ex-Boise Cascade, the Eastern region.
Caitlin Susen has joined Weyerhaeuser Co.’s distribution marketing & branding team, Seattle, Wa., as a marketing specialist.
Brittany Decker, ex-Woodgrain, is a new millwork account mgr. with Boise Cascade, Denver, Co.
BIG TIMBERS/LONG LENGTHS DISTRESSED WOOD
D-BLAZE® FRTW
Dennis Christensen, ex-Milwaukee Tool, is new to Huber Engineered Woods, as territory sales mgr. for California.
Dalton Wasson, ex-Lowe’s, has joined the inside sales team at Builders FirstSource, Tacoma, Wa.
Ian Glenn is now in counter sales with Parr Lumber, Sherwood, Or.
Benjamin Conn, ex-Ocean View Decks, is new to decking & rail outside sales with Master Halco, Highland, Ca.
was honored for 75 years in business
WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR OF A WIDE RANGE OF ENGINEERED WOOD PRODUCTS, INCLUDING:
PACIFIC WOODTECH I-JOISTS
• PWI-20 • PWI-45
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WWW.HUFFLUMBER.NET
(800) 347-4833
CRENSHAW LUMBER, Gardena, Ca.,
by buying group LMC. (Left to right) Colin Klein, LMC’s western regional manager, who presented an award to Crenshaw’s Lindsay Olson, James Cederholm, Larry Olson, David Olson, and Ethan Olson.
Aaron Eckermann, ex-AZEK, is now a marketing specialist with Capital Lumber, Chino, Ca. He is based in Thousand Oaks, Ca.
Phoenix O’Hara, ex-Lohmiller & Co., joined the sales team at Alpine Lumber, Denver, Co.
Jordan Broggi was promoted to executive VP of customer experience and president of online for The Home Depot. He will succeed Matt Carey, who will retire Dec. 31 after 16 years with the company.
Ben Corralejo Jr., ex-Beacon, is new to outside sales at ABC Supply, Oxnard, Ca.
Scott Voss has joined Miki Forest Products, Santa Rosa, Ca., as Texasbased president of sales.
Joe Stubler has been promoted to division mgr. for Envision Outdoor Living Products, Mount Joy, Pa., supporting the company’s sales teams in the Great Lakes, Midwest, Rockies, and South-Central regions. Mikhail Mikhailov is now senior regional mgr. in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest.
Kyle Evans, Mullican Flooring, Johnson City, Tn., was elected Decorative Hardwood Association chairman of the board during the group’s recent annual meeting in Scottsdale, Az. Garrett Keil, Murphy Co., Eugene, Or., is the new vice chair, and Rocky Boucher, Columbia Forest Products, Newport, Vt., immediate past chair.
Jay Hilsenbeck, Arxada, has been elected president of the American Wood Protection Association during its recent annual meeting in Portland, Me. He succeeds Andy Kudick, Intec Services. Paul Merrick, Louisiana-Pacific, is the new 1st VP; David Jones, Timber Products Inspection, 2nd VP; Bill Buczek, UFP Industries, 3rd VP; and Jonathan Moyes, Viance, treasurer.
Erin Nuxoll, senior VP of human resources, Boise Cascade, Boise, Id., was recently honored with the Idaho Business Review’s ICON Award for leadership.
Janet Webb, president, Big Creek Lumber Co., Davenport, Ca., was honored as 2024 Farmer of the Year by the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau.
Earl Lee Riser is the new openingshift foreman at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.
WRC IS THE STAR OF ANNUAL CEDAR SUMMIT
OVER 180 ATTENDEES, including delegates and Cedar School students, traveled to beautiful Whistler, B.C., to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association and participate in the annual WRCLA Cedar Summit.
Held May 15-17, the Cedar Summit featured a series of events including a golf tournament at the Fairmont Château Golf Club, receptions, dinners, speakers, business sessions, and the AGM & board meeting.
Keynoters included architect Brett Farrow on “Western Red Cedar Makes My Work Stand Out” and Forest Products Association of Canada’s Kerry Patterson-Baker and Justin Veale on “Forests Can Save the World.”
This year’s Cedar Champion Award was given to WRCLA’s Paul Mackie for his distinguished service not only to western red cedar but also to the WRCLA. The association also saluted Jake Power for his service as one of the longest standing chairman of its board of directors. This year, Power handed the reins to longtime WRCLA member Ben Meachen, OrePac Building Products.
A highlight was WRCLA’s Cedar School, which educated students on the benefits and uses of western red cedar. The program offered the opportunity for students to learn about the full circle of the species, from the forest to finished product. Courses included manufacturing, grading, installing, finishing, marketing and more. The school sold out this year and it is recommended that future students sign up early in 2025.
Cedar School kicked off in Richmond, B.C., with a seminar by master grader and quality control expert consultant Rob Johnson. His course included a tutorial on manufacturing and details on the primary mill that
the students visited at Terminal Forest Products. The mill’s access to deep water allows efficient transport, sorting of logs, grading and scaling. The tour included a look at the beginnings of the manufacturing process after harvesting.
The primary mill tour was followed with a hands-on grading course by Johnson that taught the students to understand grading rules and identify grades.
On day three, a woodlands tour at the University of British Columbia’s Malcolm Knapp Research Forest facility gave students a look at a large working forest. From reforestation to harvesting, they learned about sustainable practices used to keep forests in good health.
The final stop was PowerWood Corp. for a tour of its remanufacturing mill. PowerWood specializes in producing a broad range of customized cedar products such as timbers, decking, siding, paneling and trim.
In all, it contributed to a most satisfying event. MM
WRCLA’S 2024 Cedar School included a grading course...
... AS WELL AS a Malcolm Knapp Research Forest Tour....
... AND A TOUR of PowerWood’s remanufacturing plant.
BARRETTEOUTDOORLIVING.COM (877) 265-2220 ,
QUICK COLUMN WRAPS
Snap-Tite PVC Wrap-Around Column Wraps from Superior Aluminum Products, which snap together for quick and easy installation with no glue or adhesive, are now available in either a smooth or woodgrain finish. The product shaves 30 minutes off installation time for traditional PVC columns that require mitering, gluing, and clamping-in-place while the glue is curing. Long-lasting cellular PVC is available in 6” or 8” widths, with lengths up to 10 ft.
SUPERIORALUMINUM.COM (937) 526-4065
POST AND RAIL FENCING
Barrette Outdoor Living’s new Aluminum Post and Rail fencing features a premium powder coat that meets and exceeds AAMA 2604 standards and is available in seven colors—including Black and Matte Black. Unlike steel or wood, aluminum won’t rot or rust over time. Styles include two, three and four rails in heights of 3, 4 and 5 ft. and widths of 8 ft. as well as three-cap options.
BLACK ONYX TOP RAIL
Digger Specialties Inc. is adding a stunning new color option to the PolyRail TRX B-Series vinyl railing system. The exclusive look of Black Onyx top rails accompanied by 3/4” round black aluminum balusters is contrasted with white vinyl posts, caps, and bottom rails.
The elegant tuxedo inspired color combination provides upscale curb appeal to residential and commercial properties. This eye-catching design enhancement is achieved by applying a sleek black onyx wrap to the white top rail of TRX B-Series railing.
The TRX B-Series system incorporates proprietary laminated black top rail surfaces that are highly resistant to fading. Durable black aluminum balusters are available in a choice of satin black or black fine texture finishes. The B-Series railing comes in 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, 9’, and 10’ straight and stair sections in 36” or 42” heights.
DIGGERSPECIALTIES.COM (800) 446-7659
MODIFIED CLADDING & DECKING
Spartan Forest Products has launched ThermaPro Wood, a collection of thermally modified, prefinished, installation-ready building materials that are entirely sustainable, weatherproof, and devoid of chemicals.
The ThermaPro line include prefinished T&G nickel gap wood cladding and prefinished decking, all presealed with CUTEK Extreme Wood Oil. A complete line of coordinating trim, moulding, railing, and other finishing components is also available.
SPARTANFOREST.COM (336) 574-0111
Still don’t know us? Yup. Still bananas.
Watkins Sawmills is one of the largest manufacturers of cedar siding and roofing in North America producing ASTM E108 Class A, SFM Listed 7A WUI, and IWUIC compliant Certi-Guard cedar roofing and sidewall shingles Family owned and operated since 1947 The Watkins Group employs over 100 people across their operations including Fire Smart Roofing [FSR] in Maple Ridge BC, Canada and SaferWood with Thermex-FR in Ferndale WA, USA.
SaferWood with Thermex-FR by Chemco is the industry ’s best appearance grade, ignition resistant, Exterior FRTW, compliant with California 7A WUIWildland Urban Interface ( SFM Listed) and only FRTW evaluated by the ICC to be compliant with the IWUIC - International Wildland Urban Inter face Code.
Since 1947
Since 1981 REAL
Photo by Karsten Winegeart on
SMART VISE
Work IQ Tools’ new IQ Vise System includes the maneuverable multi-axis bench-mount IQ Vise, five task-specific IQ Vise Jaws, and IQ Connect plug-andplay accessories and mounts.
The vise’s ball-and-socket design allows 360˚ rotation at any angle. A Quick Cam compression lever lets the vise lay flat, lock at any angle, or rotate for optimal positioning. The eight-position IQ Lok locks the ball in place and allows up to 130 ft.-lbs. of torque.
The various IQ Vise Jaws allow users to tailor the vise’s grip for the project at
SELF-SEALER
Designed for insulation attachment over an air barrier or WRB, ThermalGrip TubeSeal fastener is the latest addition to TruFast’s TubeSeal line. Available in lengths for insulation nominal thickness from 1” to 4”, in halfinch increments, Thermal-Grip ensures a tailored fit for various insulation needs. In addition to securely attaching insulation, it helps seal blind fastener penetrations of a WRB and/or air
barrier, all while enhancing the overall integrity of the building envelope. With its UV-resistant, semi-rigid tube construction, the fastener is suitable for all weather climates.
For added convenience, it is available pre-assembled with various TruFast Grip-Deck screws, including SDS (self-drilling) or HiLo thread with various washers for insulation or lath.
TRUFAST.COM (800) 443-9602
hand. Double-sided, textured jaws specifically engineered to secure materials such as wood, pipe and fine/delicate items expand the capability of the traditional workbench vise.
Three hands-free accessories can connect to the vise via the IQ Connect Clip and flexible, extended arms: a work light, cellphone holder, and 5” magnifying glass. Also available are three bench mounts, a magnetic mount, and a clamp mount.
WORKIQTOOLS.COM (866) 202-4746
,
TWO CONTAINMENT TAPES IN ONE
FrogTape Double-Sided Poly-Hanging Containment Tape provides two tapes in one to create a cost-effective and efficient solution for hanging poly-sheeting and creating high-performance containment systems. With a premium grade painter’s tape adhesive on one side and an aggressive adhesive on the other, the tape securely holds poly-sheeting and ensures protection of surfaces, helping to tackle jobs with speed and ease.
Because it offers two tapes in one, it’s 50% faster compared to standard poly-hanging methods and removes quickly and easily, with 21-day clean removal. The tape is ideal for a variety of surfaces, such as painted walls, woodwork, glass, metal and vinyls.
SHURTAPETECH.COM (800) 321-0253
Re Reddwwood i ood is
in some of the most productive timberlands in the world. Redwood is known for its timeless durability without the use of chemicals. Due to its flawless formation, there has never been a Redwood recall. There is a grade of Redwood for every application, every budget, and every customer.
“Growing beyond measure.”
Call or visit us today. Our family of Redwood timberland owners will continue to be your reputable and reliable source of Redwood.
COLLATED PLUGS FOR COMPOSITES
FastenMaster’s Cortex hidden fastening line is now available with an easy-to-use hand guide for scalloped TimberTech boards.
The hand guide helps installers properly align the fasteners through the thickest portion or ‘pillars’ of the scalloped boards for maximum engagement and strength. The new plugs and hand guide are immediately available for TimberTech Terrain+ boards, including Natural White Oak, Weathered Oak, and Dark Oak.
The new-colored plugs are available on collated strips in 100 linear ft. and bulk 300 sq. ft. configurations. Each plastic watertight package includes enough fasteners and plugs to install the requisite linear or square footage of decking, assuming two fasteners installed 16” on center. The 100LF pack includes two setting tools and one alignment guide, while the 300-sq. ft. pack includes six setting tools and two guides.
FASTENMASTER.COM (800) 518-3569
BOARD & BATTEN COMPOSITE
Alside has added 12” Vertical Board & Batten to its Ascend composite cladding product line.
The product combines the realistic look of wood with high-performance composite technology, in 20 faderesistant colors.
The board & batten design is not only visually appealing but also offers practical advantages for installers, including single-step installation, light weight, lower total installed cost, and no special tools or skils required.
ALSIDE.COM (800) 922-6009
VERSATILE RAILING SYSTEM
The new RailFX Oasis Railing System makes it easy for contractors and homeowners to create beautiful outdoor living spaces by offering a blend of style and simplicity in aluminum railing systems.
What makes the system unique is its versatile infill options, including picket or horizontal cable infills to match diverse aesthetic preferences. It also features 3” posts, which are available in 36” and 42” railing heights. The posts can be spaced up to 8 ft. apart with a cable brace. For cable railing installations, the posts are predrilled, ensuring cable runs are perfectly aligned, evenly spaced and level.
Tension-fit balusters make it easy to secure the railing systems together tightly to prevent rattling.
Railings are made of extruded aluminum that will never rust and exceeds IBC and IRC requirements to provide the structure you need. Single corner posts maximize cable runs and reduce the overall project cost.
RAILFX.NET/OASIS (206) 453-1123
TOUGHER TOOLS FOR TRADESMEN
Designed to help make hard workers’ efforts on the jobsite simpler and seamless, Bosch Power Tools has expanded its line of 18V cordless tools for tough cutting, drilling and debris removal.
New are an 18V Brushless 5” Deep Cut Band Saw, 18V Brushless Planer with fast blade-changing technology, ProFactor 18V Connected-Ready 3/4” Impact Wrench with Friction Ring and Thru-Hole, and 18V BiTurbo Brushless Blower.
BOSCH.US (877) 267-2499
NORTH AMERICAN Wholesale Lumber Association held its Portland regional meeting June 6 at the Ringside Restaurant, Portland, Or. [1] Speaker Jodi Hack. [2] Brystol Koch, Matt Bruno, Alayna Fernandez. [3] Judy Haney, Angela Reynolds, Cami Waner. [4] Steve Anderson, James Russell. [5] Paul Quandt, Charley O’Dell. [6] Dan Ettelstein, Bob Jank, Gunnar Brinck. [7] John Morrison, Pat Burns, Chase Morrison. [8] Harp Dhillon, Ryan Kline. [9] Chelsea Zuccato, Marcos Flores. [10] Jurea Tan, Doren Maness, Jenny Scull, Natalie Heacock, Hailey Willett. [11] Jon Teague, Joe Rivier. [12] Paul Owen, Mike Holm. [13] Kalayna Crook, Steve Osterman, Jodi Hack. [14] Tyler Johnson, David McNabb, Tyson Sands, Charlie Hanson. [15] Andy Smallacombe, Matthew Wallerius, Dan Semsak. (More photos on next page)
PACIFIC NORTHWEST wholesalers were out in force at NAWLA’s recent Portland, Or., regional meeting. [16] Tara Takano, Collin Thomason, Hannah Swanson. [17] Jack Porter, Katherine Pederson, Hamilton Mateski, Riley Rausch. [18] Tim Hussion, Jay McArthur. [19] Courtney Chesney, Matt Ferguson, Todd Olson, Frank Forward, Misty Dicks, Aly Kingsley, Grant Phillips. [20] Ryan Holwebge, Cam Stevens. [21] Dillon Miller, Josh Hamilton, Todd Foster.
SIXTY-FIVE YEARS after the first Pacific Coast Builders Conference in San Francisco, PCBC drew thousands of builders, dealers, wholesalers and construction-industry manufacturing professionals to the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Ca., June 19-20 for the latest expo. [1] Eddy
[2]
[
[
Andrew
Garcia, Landon Boucher, Jarod Mateko,
Hagene, Christy Beymer.
Brigette Briones, Beth Bora.
3] Trevor Johnson, Tanner Cannon.
4] Roger Baltayan, Melissa Reed, Steve Mitchell. [5] Peter Ross, John David. [6] Jessica Stillson, Chelsea Canto, Amanda Seckendorf, Don Wolfson. [7] Tim Schultz. [8] Nicholas Nickoletopoulos. [9] Gemma Hartigan, Benjamin Conn. [10] Chris Reiten, Ryan Mitchell, Kaylee Dorris, Kyle Lazon, Jeff Dracup, Mitchell Gough, Shawn Dewitz. [11] Peter Charlton, Sandy Pace. [12] Wayne Zhang. [13] Bill Hendricks.
Listings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.
Amboy Territorial Days Logging Show – July 12-14, Amboy Territorial Park, Amboy, Wa.; www.tdays.org.
Riverside Home & Backyard Show – July 12-14, Riverside Convention Center, Riverside, Ca.; www.homeshowconsultants.com.
South Fork Loggers Day Festival – July 12-14, South Fork, Co.; www. southfork.org.
Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club – July 17, speaker meeting/golf, Los Serranos Country Club, Chino, Ca.; www.hoohoo117.org.
West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association – July 1819, 2nd Growth summer conference, Rancho Mirage, Ca.; www. lumberassociation.com.
Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association –July 24, annual golf tournament, Fossil Trace Golf Club, Golden, Co.; www.mslbmda.org.
Umpqua Valley Lumber Association – July 30-Aug. 1, Customer Appreciation Event, Umpqua Valley, Or.; www.uvla.net.
Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club – Aug. 2-3, ladies weekend, Hilton, Palm Springs, Ca.; www.hoohoo117.org.
Old Time Lumbermen’s BBQ – Aug. 3, Smokey Ridge Ranch, Healdsburg, Ca.; tturner@resawmill.com.
Orgill – Aug. 5-18, fall online buying event; www.orgill.com.
International Woodworking Fair – Aug. 6-9, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; www.iwfatlanta.com.
Ace Hardware – Aug. 8-10, fall convention, McCormick Place, Chicago, Il.; www.acehardware.com.
Fastmarkets – Aug. 12-14, Forest Products Latin American Conference, São Paulo, Brazil; www.fastmarkets.com.
Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association – Aug. 15, 6th annual clay shoot, Colorado Clays Shooting Park, Brighton, Co.; www.mslbmda.org.
Mid-States Distributing – Aug. 20-22, Fall Rendezvous, Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, Az.; www.msdist.com.
American Wood Protection Association – Aug. 21, summer executive committee meeting, Grand Rapids, Mi.; www.awpa.com.
Independent Home Improvement Conference – Aug. 27-29, JW Marriott Resort, Marco Island, Fl.; www.ihiconference.org.
National Hardwood Lumber Association – Aug. 28-30, intro to hardwood grading course, Memphis, Tn.; www.nhla.com.
BC Wood – Sept. 5-7, Global Buyers Mission, Whistler, B.C.; bcwood.com.
Hoo-Hoo International – Sept. 5-12, international convention, cruise from Boston, Ma.; www.hoohoo.org.
Do it Best – Sept. 6-9, fall market, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, In.; www.doitbest.com.
True Value – Sept. 9-11, Fall Reunion show, Orlando, Fl.; www. truevaluecompany.com.
Horizon Distribution – Sept. 11-12, fall expo, Yakima Convention Center, Yakima, Wa.; www.hdweb.com.
Orofino Lumberjack Days – Sept. 12-15, Orofino, Id.; www. orofinolumberjackdays.org.
World Conference on Timber Engineering – Sept. 16-17, Zurich, Switzerland; www.wcte2023.org.
Sierra Pacific Industries – Sept. 18-19, open house & golf tournament, Red Bluff, Ca.; www.spi-ind.com.
Western Hardwood Association – Sept. 23-25, annual convention, Ilani Casino Hotel, Ridgefield, Wa.; www.westernhardwood.org.
Dave Bufe, 69, Southern California lumberman, died on June 14 after fighting a heroic battle with cancer.
Right out of High School, Dave worked for Ward & Harrington Lumber Co, Newport Beach, and Inland Timber, before starting his own business, Mesa Forest Products, Costa Mesa, in 1985. For the last 22 years, he had been with Reliable Wholesale Lumber, Huntington Beach, Ca.
Dale Everett Brooks, 72, longtime lumber trader with Central Forest Products, Canby, Or., died on May 31.
Dale attended Chemeketa Community College, then worked for Publishers/RSG Forest Products sawmill, Molalla, Or., for 15 years. He then served as a lumber broker for Central Forest Products until his passing.
William Walton “Will” Bacon, longtime employee of family businesses South City Lumber & Supply, South San Francisco, and Economy Lumber, Oakland, Ca., died on June 9 following a lengthy illness. He was 64.
Robert Horne, 72, vice president of Perfect Plank Co., Oroville, Ca., died on April 16 of multiple myeloma.
A 1976 graduate of California State University, Chico, Bob spent four years in the Navy, before devoting his entire career to helping run Perfect Plank, the family lumber remanufacturing plant.
CALFIBRE SEEKS TO REOPEN CALPLANT MILL
CalFibre is seeking $75 million funding to acquire and reopen the CalPlant rice straw board factory in Willows, Ca.
CalPlant began limited operations at the 276-acre site in March 2020, producing the world’s first noadded formaldehyde, rice straw-based medium density fiberboard, Eureka MDF. Founder Jerry Uhland said, “The buyers loved getting a product with our substantial green credentials, and at the same quality and price as their everyday wood-based boards.”
Unfortunately, the company was hit by what Uhland describes as a $100 million “laundry list of bad luck,” including major construction costs over-runs, COVID shutdowns, a fire to their straw inventory, and a problem with the equipment line that prevented the plant from exceeding 40% of capacity. “The creditors carried us through the hard times during the challenges of the construction phase with additional investments, but the expense of a long shutdown to solve that one process issue exceeded what they were willing to invest,” explained Uhland. “They were then forced to choose bankruptcy and asset liquidation.”
Uhland has since joined with several industry allies to form CalFibre LLC, hoping to raise $75 million to acquire, repair, restart and operate the distressed asset. Over the past 12 months, there have been numerous bids on the asset, Uhland says, but none has committed to restart the plant using local crop residues and some intend to disassemble the mill.
Uhland says CalFibre has everything it needs to succeed, including 150,000 tons of rice straw at the plant site, 400,000 tons a year of ongoing straw contracts, a guaranteed equipment fix, a full turnaround team, support of the local community, and customers lined up.
FLASHBACK: CALL TO YOUTH
EVERYTHING IS CYCLICAL.
Sixty-five years ago this month, The Merchant reported on the 67th annual meeting of NAWLA (today’s North American Wholesale Lumber Association), which gathered over 350 members in New York to discuss topics as critical today as they were back then.
The most urgent was a “Call to Youth,” recognizing that the pioneers were passing or retiring, and the industry desperately needed a new generation of skilled youngsters to take their places. (With perfect timing, NAWLA’s secretary manager/ executive vice president, Sid Darling, announced he too was calling it quits after nearly 30 years of service.)
Attendees were encouraged to “develop a program for recruiting forces of outstanding men and training them in the art of manufacture and sale of forest products. We must compete with other industries for new talent,
and we are not going to get good talent for peanuts.”
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In California, the trend had been “out with the old”—but minus “in with the new.” The same July 1959 issue of The Merchant reported that the historic Woodhead Lumber on West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles announced it was ceasing operations after 43 years, effective June 30, 1959. Shutting down would allow president Hal A. Brown to retire to his recently built home on the cliffs above Malibu Beach.
At the time, Brown was serving as president of the Southern California Retail Lumber Association (a forerunner of today’s West Coast Lumber & Building Materials Association).
The news was the latest closure by a Southern California lumber giant— including Patten-Blinn, the Hammond Lumber chain, Fox-Woodsum Lumber, and E.K. Wood—which had all weathered the Great Depression and World War, but ran out of steam by the end of the 1950s.
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With its eye on the growing $2.5 billion-a-year small boat industry, Matzley Corp., San Francisco, Ca., had begun importing plywood leisure
The cover of the July 1959 edition continued the Twin-City Lumber Co.’s
crafts from Japan to be sold at retail lumberyards.
The new line, manufactured in a variety of different models ranging from 14-ft. runabouts to 21-ft. cabin cruisers, were “reasonably priced” and “of equal quality” to domestically produced vessels. They would be constructed from Philippine mahogany marine plywood, complete with fiberglass bottoms, and outboard motors.
Consumers would place their orders at their local lumberyard, it would be custom-built to their specs in Japan, and Matzley would oversee the overseas delivery. Matzley’s initial shipment included two cabin cruisers and one runabout.
Unfortunately, Matzley—which had only been founded the prior year— found few takers and soon abandoned the strategy. MM
ad campaign featuring sets of attractive twins.
IN THE LATE 1950s, California Wood Products, Santa Rosa, Ca., began advertising its wide range of flush doors.
It’s simple: when you’re responsible for meeting building codes, you want to slow the spread of flames from the ground up. That’s why D-Blaze fire retardant wood has been the choice of builders from the Sears Tower to the One World Trade Center. It’s so good at its job, you’d think an army of firefighters was defending your building.
