MSR Lumber

Wood Three Hour Fire Assembly

Question: 

Is it possible to construct an assembly for ceiling between first and second floors using 2x with few layers of gypsum to obtain a 3-hour fire rating?

One Hour Fire Rated Assemblies

Question: 

The Gypsum Association “Fire Resistance Design Manual” (GA-600-12) lists file RC2601 with two layers of 5/8 in. gypsum wallboard (GWB) on wood joists.

Trusses Exposed To The Elements

Question: 

We are having a house built and on a recent visit we brought along a friend who builds houses for a living. He noticed that the trusses were wet and a bit moldy. The wood seemed warped, brown, and had white splotches on it. We are worried that it would later make the roof uneven. How could we tell how long the trusses have been exposed to the elements? What options do we have from here? Do we request new trusses, or can these be repaired?

Old Fire Retardant Treated Lumber

Question: 

I have recently heard of a problem with fire-retardant-treated wood (FRTW) trusses that were manufactured and installed in 1965-1980. I was searching for more information, since my job involves the protection of property in our member school districts. I had heard that the trusses make of FRTW during that time period can or will become corrosive to the hardware and the trusses will fail.

Fire Damaged Trusses

Question: 

I have been hired by an insurance company to determine the extent of damage to roof trusses exposed to fire. How much fire damage compromises the structural integrity of the truss?

Lumber Species

Question: 

What type of wood is usually used for wood trusses? I live in Louisiana and I would guess pine, but I want to make sure.

Ga Rc 2601

Question: 

In RC 2601, is RC-1 Channel used?

Mold On Lumber

Question: 

I am looking for some information regarding black surface mold on lumber. Does it alter the integrity of the lumber stress values? I have a client who wants to use “all dry” lumber for his construction but I do not know if this is really necessary.

Machine Rated Lumber Makes a Lot of Cents

With MSR lumber, CMs find they can more effectively deal with lumber defects that can affect connector plate teeth embedment at critical joints.

It’s one thing to have a salesperson from an MSR producer tell you the advantages of using MSR lumber in your production process. It’s an entirely different thing—and much more persuasive—to have four veteran component manufacturers (CMs) give you the reasons they’re convinced it’s better than visually graded lumber.

Why Lumber Variability Is a Problem for CMs

ALSC’s PS 20-15 has fundamentally changed what this grade stamp represents.

Few issues have demanded the attention of the SBCA Board of Directors more over the past five years than the variability of lumber design values. SBCA Legal Counsel Kent Pagel provided guidance to component manufacturers (CMs) on ways to mitigate the potential risk and liability that have arisen in the market as a result of how the lumber industry has chosen to deal with the issue of variable design properties.