For What It's Worth

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