U.S. glulam producers prepaTe for Norway invasion

ll ['OST likely, the majority of gluIVllam beams vou sell are the traditional 24F-1.8E North American glulam, manufactured by companies such as Springfield, Or.-based Rosboro (Douglas fir), Anthony Forest Products, El Dorado, Ar. (southern pine), and Vancouver, Wa.-based Calvert Co.

Recently, the West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau received North American code approval for a nerv glulam manufactured from Norrvay spruce, which comes from Austria.

Norway spruce laminated beams are accepted for certain applications and equal to some structural values of the more popular existing products from Northern American glulam makers. However. domestic manufacturers claim that while they may appear on the surface to be perfectly suitable, in many cases they may not be.

Published sales literature claims that although they've been code approved, glulam beams made from Norway spruce are a "passive" substitute for engineered wood products that builders can specify. This isn't entirely true, argue domestic producers.

"They aren't being brought in for malicious reasons and are being sold and installed rvith good intentions. though they are being improperly introduced to the marketplace," says Rosboro's Geoff Crandlemire.

Claims suggest that Norrvay spruce beams have the same strength and stability of Douglas fir, rveigh less than southern yellorv pine, and are more workable and cost-competitive than LVL or PSL.

"There's nothing 'wrong' rvith it. But, there are certain design specs that aren't the same as a Doug fir 24F beam," says Doug Calvert, Calvert Co. "Our concern is there rvill be a misconception in the industry that it's the same-since it's being marketed as such."

While the import has some of the design values of North American Doug fir laminated beams. such as the capacity for certain jobs and ability to carry a load and perform. it's reportedly missing crucial values.

None of the Norrvay spruce beam values match LVL. PSL or higher strength (30F) products like Rosboro's BigBeam. Anthony's Porver Beam. or Calvert's GL3000. There are also installation and performance issues.

"With 24F Douglas fir or southern pine. builders use the beam that rvas specified, eliminating the need for additional materials." says Crandlemire. "With beams made from Norrvay spruce. specified as 24F. builders rvould literally have to increase the size of the glulam somehorv. rvhether that be adding more lumber. or using stron-ger. different hangers -and that's if it rvas even engineered to begin rvith."

Kerlin Drake. v.p. of marketin-e.

Anthony Forest Products, concurs: "If the supplier or builder installs Nonvay spruce beams the same way as domestic production. there rvill be many cases of code non-compliance." That said. if the beams are "properly desi-ened for each loadin-e and span combination by a competent EWP supplier or en-eineer. the effects of unequal design values rvould be taken into consideration. We just rvant it to be clear that they are not a passive substitution for domestic glulam."

U.S. manufacturers say another factor that mi,eht come up rvhen using the Norrvay spruce beam is that builders have to make sure their project is engineered for it. If not. they rvill have to increase the bearing end. and use bi-eger posts and different han-eers. as opposed to a Doug fir or southem pine beam.

Each part of the building industry chain has had some confusion about horv the Norrvay spruce beams rvork and act in load-bearing situations.

"Builders make purchasing decisions daily'. and it is the manufacturer's obligation to help guide them to products that are readily code accepted and easy to install," says Drake. "The builder has to know of the unequal design values and the affect on code accepted installation or callbacks will happen."

And what about others in the chain? All are affected, says Crandlemire. "The designer specs a job for Doug fir or southern pine, determining spans, size, and bearing. The builder then goes to their supplier, who supplies him with the Norway spruce glulam beam the supplier received at a discount."

Crandlemire feels the homeowner ultimately gets the bad end of the deal. "Many times, it's only realized that a substitute beam was used after it's been installed. Then the beam needs to be torn out or other structural materials need to be added," he says. "Ultimately, the wholesaler ends up losing the money they saved on the cheaper product since they have to resupply the proper product to the builder."

Domestic producers' wariness does not surprise Carsten Kullik, whose

Kullik & Rullmann AG began selling German glulam beams in the U.S. and other world markets more than l0 years ago. "We also experienced trouble with the U.S. manufacturers when we came to the market," he says. "They gave up the cause, so to speak, after they recognized that we were working properly to bring our product to the market and making sure we were in compliance with all building code requirements."

Kullik agrees that "U.S. customers need assistance by experienced suppliers assisting with proper design calculations and software." Those who want to substitute Norway spruce glulams simply because of price is not their targeted market. Customers should have an application that benefits from the species' lighter weight, ease of nailing, and aesthetics, and, Kullik emphasizes, they must be "willing to work with our distribution partner, Finnforest USA, to properly design each beam for the application in a safe and reliable manner. After so many years in the U.S. market, we know the imporance of the building

According to the latest information sheet from APA EWS, "without a careful engineering analysis of the design on a case-by-case basis, substitution of imported glulam could lead to a red-tagged inspection or structural failure, both situations

Prcperty Difference

code approvals for product market acceptance as well as the importance of having a third party agency that is well known and recognized as a glulam certifying agency."

Bottom line: do your homework. If you're a builder, talk to your yard person before specifying glulam beams made from Norway spruce. If the beams you are getting for your job are specified for 24F, make sure they can handle the loads. If you're a buyer or supplier, check with your manufacturer rep on the above issues and how they might affect your liability, installation and engineering.

"We need to educate the industry that's its not the same and those using it for their projects or those selling it need to know that it shouldn't be passively installed the same as 24 F 1.8E product," says Calvert.

Adds Crandlemire: "We're not criticiz\ng the functionality of beams made from Norway spruce. We just want builders, wholesalers and engineers to be aware that design values are different and this could affect performance and increase their liabilitv."

for which the dealerisupplier can be held liable."

Following are specific instances on what action should be taken if substituting Norway spruce for 24F-1.88 Douglas fir and southem pine beams.

Affected Applications

All shear-critical applicationg including: Glulam supporting other beams on hangers or ooint loads from the structure above Cantilevered or continuous span beam over intermediate support

All beam applications, including:

Simple span beam and reactions

Intermediate reaction points for cantilever and continuous span beams

Metal hangers designed for Douglas fir or southern pine bearing

Any time when the top of the beam is loaded in tension, induding:

Short cantihvers

Continuous span floor beams

Beams inadvertently insulled upside down

. Load reversals due to high wind load situations

When anything is connected to the beam, including:

Floor and roof diaphragms with wood structural panels nailed directly to the beam

Metal hangers designed for Douglas fir or southern pine beams

. Lighting

Sprinklers

HVAC equipment

Action Needed

Engineer must analyze

Reconfigure design of supporting structure with:

More cripple studs

Larger posts

Different connection details

Engineer must analyze

Engineer must consider:

Additional fasteners

Larger or custom hangers

Reduced hanger capacity

Redesigning all load-bearing connections-nail, bolt or screw-for reduced fastener capacity

-Chart courtesy of APA EWS

Lrrrrrrrs

Breckenridge Building C enter, Breckenridge, Co., has begun construction on a 12,000-sq. ft. replacement store, offices and lumberyard on 8 acres-three times the size of its current quarters

Parr Lumber Co., Hillsboro, Or., is building a 26,000-sq. ft. store in Ridgefield, Wa., to open next spring ...

County Line Lumber, Erie, Co., has applied for permits to triple the size of its retail showroom by early fall

Hilmar Lumber, Hilmar, Ca., held a May 13 grand opening for its new 10,000-sq. ft. garden center

Miner's Ace Hardware is preparing to break ground on a $3 million expansion to double the size of its Morro Bay, Ca., store ...

S-Bar-S Supply, Billings, Mt., is considering building a 16,000-sq. ft. facility on 3.5 acres west of its current 8,000-sq. ft. store

San Diego Hardware, San Diego, Ca., has moved after l14 years to a new location featuring an 8,000-sq. ft. multi-level showroom ...

84 Lumber has set a Sept. 26 grand opening for a 57,600-sq. ft. store in Visalia, Ca. (Josh Clymer, mgr.), and will build on a27-acre site in Olympia, Wa. ...

Home Depot opened new stores May 25 in Beaumont, Ca. (Rick Belli, store mgr.) and May 4 in NW Victorville, Ca.

Home Depot expects a midAugust completion of a 102,513sq. ft. store with 28,086-sq. ft. garden center in Crescent City, Ca.; is formalizing plans to build a 130,000-sq. ft. store on a Sears site in Mountain View, Ca.; applied to build on ll.2 acres in Moorpark, Ca.; plans a 104,000sq. ft. store in Tehachapi, Ca., and agreed to make architectural changes and not build an adjoining gas station at a proposed 106,432sq. ft. store with 34,760-sq. ft. garden center in Pleasanton, Ca. lnwe's has decided not to build in a proposed shopping center in Sun Terrace, Ca.; is preparing for the first public hearing for its proposed plans to demolish three buildings and build a new 124,000-sq. ft. store in South San Francisco, Ca.; received approval to build a 171,674-sq. ft. store on l2 acres in Lincoln, Ca., and hopes to build a 170,000-sq. ft. center in a proposed 1OO-acre development in Springfield, Or.

Lowe's expects a 4th quarter 2006 opening of a 117,000-sq. ft. store with 24,000-sq. ft. garden center in Yuba City, Ca. ...

Ace Hardware, Gillette, Wy., has added a contract post office in the back of its store ...

Wror:snrrs/trruncur:rs

Blue Ridge Forest Products, Roseville, Ca., has moved into a new 6,800-sq. ft. warehouse and 4,000-sq. ft. yard, which will allow the reload and distribution of lumber products

Sunroc Corp., St. George, Ut., has agreed to be the first tenant in an 800-acre business park under construction in Cedar City, Ut. ...

Intermountain Forest Products, Montrose, Co., had its dry kiln damaged in a June 2l ftre

Fremont Forest Group's wholesale trading operations, Barr Lumber Resale Inc. and Fremont Forest, Mira [,oma, Ca., are gearing up to reach I million M. ft. of inventory this month, including

Chinese plywood, green and dry Douglas fir dimension lumber, and domestic and Brazilian OSB and plywood...

American Lumber, Central Point, Or., lost $200,0fi) in lumber after a propane tank exploded June 18 and caused ablazn that injured one firefighter

Sierra-Pacific Industries, Redding, Ca., will convert its Chinese Camp sawmill to manufacture cedar fence

McKenzie Forest Products, Springfield, Or., completed installation of a new #l patch line in the finish end of is mill -

Portac /nc. has cut back to four-day-a-week operation of its sawmill in Tacoma, Wa., citing unfavorable market conditions

Northwest Specialty Mill, Yalemount, B.C., has been acquircd by Carrier Inrnber IJd. .--

Housing starts in May (latest available figures) rebounded 5%, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.957 million single

(Please rurn rc page 93)

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