Q. Do any I-joist manufacturers still use plywood webs? At my local lumberyard, I was told that manufacturers switched from plywood to OSB webs because the plywood tended to delaminate, but I suspect the real reason is that OSB is cheaper. I'd prefer to use plywood I-joists, because I think they'd be stronger
Q. Many homes in the Dallas area are built on crawlspaces and use LVL beams. Most of these homes have dirt floors but are built to code with regard to crawlspace ventilation. In many cases, I'm finding that the engineered wood is rotting at the point wher
A short lesson on the main driving forces that push attic air up and out of the ridge vent.
After Hurricane Andrew, Florida code advisers ruled OSB sheathing inferior to plywood. Was this judgment too hasty? Here's what the experts say.
Q. I've heard that in older buildings (at least 70 years old) the effective strength of wood members like joists and rafters increases with age. If that's true, how does one evaluate the increase? Or is the increase negligible?
