APA – The Engineered Wood Association

Did you know that glulam can be used in projects that span more than 500 feet? Glulam provides greater strength and stiffness than similarly sized dimensional lumber, offering enhanced design values, improved performance and cost competitiveness – making it a highly innovative construction material. Learn more > apawood.ly/jS2A50SBM5W #FridayFact #Glulam

Did you know APA-trademarked wood panels have unique properties that make them ideal for specialized industrial applications? In fact, APA-rated panels can be manufactured with specific treatments like preservatives to further enhance these properties. Learn more > apawood.ly/lrp550SBLO5 #WoodPanels #Plywood

On July 24 & 25, our Engineered Wood Specialist, stephanie thomas-rees, will be speaking at the 2024 Southeast Building Conference (SEBC) in Orlando, FL. Her discussions will offer building professionals practical solutions and guidance on identifying and addressing common structural and framing issues, best practices for improving storm resistance, discussion on load paths, and tips for adhering to code requirements. Register now > https://lnkd.in/gfF--Z5Z #APAwoodSpecialist #EngineeredWood

Check out our six-article spread in the July APA Engineered Wood special issue of BPD/Merchant Magazine! Find guidance on how to specify engineered wood products, a look into APA’s comprehensive quality auditing system, FAQs about OSB, APA’s 2024 market outlook, and special contributions from our friends at American Wood Council (AWC) and WoodWorks on the growth of mass timber construction > apawood.ly/ZQuR50SAMvf #EngineeredWood #APAwood

Have you seen this home on Zillow or social media? It’s a stunning example of the beautiful and unique home designs that are made possible by using engineered wood products! This Dallas home was designed by Marek Architecture (now Studio Lema) and constructed by Ripple D+B Co and Dimension DB Co. The project showcases the beauty of exposed framing and fully sheathed plywood and OSB wood structural panel walls. “In developing the house, we organized it to limit areas of plumbing and HVAC so we didn't have to deal with a lot of exposed pipes and ducts,” said Studio Lema’s Principal Architect Scott Marek. “We used plywood for the exterior wall sheathing because it provided a nice wood finish to the interior, provided shear strength, and served as an attachment surface for the weather barrier.” In addition to the aesthetics, fully sheathing a home with wood structural panels also enhances the structural integrity—especially in areas prone to high-wind events. While a wind-resistant home may cost a little more than a code-minimum home, it can be several times stronger at resisting wind forces. Learn more about building resilient structures > apawood.ly/sNPi50SAM9y Photos courtesy Ripple D+B Co and Dimension DB Co #WindResilience #ResilientConstruction

Modern forestry standards in North America ensure a continuous cycle of growing, harvesting and replanting. In fact, in both the U.S. and Canada, responsible forest management has resulted in more than 50 consecutive years of net growth. Learn what APA members are doing to protect our treasured forest resources > apawood.ly/NeUh50SzYmO #FridayFact from Think Wood #NationalForestWeek

Recognize this ceiling? Showcasing the beauty and capabilities of engineered wood, custom arched glulam, LVL and plywood panels soar above our Research and Testing Laboratory at our Tacoma, WA, headquarters. Learn more about our lab > apawood.ly/nIm150SuR0M #EngineeredWood #APAwood

Monthly housing update from the APA Market Research team: U.S. housing starts fell 5.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.28 million units in May. Single-family starts were down 5.2%, running at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 982,000 units. Through May, the number of single-family starts totaled 427,100, up 19% from the first five months of 2023, and multifamily starts declined 6.6%, running at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 295,000. Over the last three months, multifamily starts averaged a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 290,000 units. This is down 51% from the three-month average of 593,000 units in November 2022, the peak for this cycle. Canadian housing starts bounced up to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 264,500, up 9.7 % from April. #HousingReport #APAwood

“Mass timber construction is gaining attention in the architectural world. Timber construction can have significant benefits in reducing the embodied carbon footprint of buildings. Another major reason for the attention to mass timber likely is that we perceive wood to be natural and beautiful. In the design sphere, an awareness of the physiological and psychological impacts of wood products and structures is beginning to take hold.” Have you heard the term “biophilia”? It refers to human affinity for natural materials — like engineered wood. But there’s more to it than just personal preference. A growing body of research suggests that exposure to wood products can have numerous beneficial effects. Terrapin Bright Green explores this concept and the science behind it in their report “The Nature of Wood: An exploration of the science on biophilic responses to wood.” Read > apawood.ly/beJT50SuQFF #Biophilia #WoodDesign

Did you know the manufacturing process for SCL (including LVL, PSL, LSL and OSL) enables large billets to be made from smaller trees of many different species, providing efficient use of forest resources? More on SCL > apawood.ly/rcKN50SuQw3 #CompositeLumber #EngineeredWood