estern lumber info ouse click away

Itr/HEN you have questions about V V western lumber, the answers can be as close as your keyboard with the Western Wood Products Association Web site at www.wwpa.org.

Recognized as one of the most information-packed lumber resources on the Internet. the WWPA site draws more than 360.000 visitors a year looking for answers to their lumber, questions. The site features extensive information on western species and products, a full library of digital publications and design tools on lumber and an interactive search utility to find the best sources of western lumber among WWPA member mills.

Much of the crucial information about western lumber can be found in the Online Lumber Technical Guide, a free subscription-based section of the site. After completing the free registration, visitors can learn how to properly specify western lumber, get span tables for most common loading conditions, view profiles and patterns, and download 3l different digital versions of WWPA publications and technical papers.

Since the online guide debuted as a subscription access site in November 2004. more than 10.000 users have registered to use the site. Some 427o of registered users work in the design area, including architects, specifiers and engineers. Builders and remodelers make up 257o of the users and wholesalers/retailers comprise 1 27o.

Three lumber design programs can be downloaded from the online guide. The full-featured Lumber Design Suite provides calculations for horizontal and vertical framing as well as connections. Lumber DesignEasy quickly calculates spans and can be used on a Palm or PocketPC. The Lumber Shrinkage Estimator provides approximate changes in actual lumber sizes as the moisture content is reduced. All design programs work in concert with Microsoft Excel.

The WWPA Web site features some of the most extensive information on mold and lumber. Visitors can download the scientific publication Mold, Housing and Wood, authored by two of the leading experts in the field, as well as two-page Fast Facts that can answer customer questions about mold on wood, how to prevent it and how to clean it.

Wholesalers and retailers can utilize the Online Lumber Buyers Guide to find WWPA member mills that can deliver the lumber they need. The directory allows users to create a list of mills based on the species, product type, product service or state where they operate. Each listing includes detailed information about the mill, including sales contact names, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses.

Visitors can reach some of the most popular sections, such as the list of WWPA mill numbers that appear on grade marks, by pulling down a Popular Links list at the upper right corner of each page.

Users needing printed copies of WWPA literature titles, a CD library of publications, or even subscriptions to the association's lumber industry statistical reports can do all their shopping in the Online Literature Store. Simply select the titles and quantities you need, enter your purchasing info, and submit the order to WWPA.