Tall window walls often call for creative
design and engineering to keep
winds from flexing the wall, rattling
the glass, and cracking the plaster.
One answer may be Gang Lam LVL
Studs from Louisiana-Pacific. Made
from standard Douglas fir and southern
pine laminated veneer lumber, Gang
Lam studs come 11/2 inches thick, and
in lengths and widths to match dimensional
lumber. Like LVL beams, they're
straight and true, and free of knots and
other defects that weaken stud-grade
material. According to L-P engineer
Carlos Suarez, Gang Lams are two to
four times stronger than conventional
lumber. The LVL studs are about twice
as costly as your garden variety 2-by, so
L-P is marketing them mainly as part
of an