Engineering & Testing

Builders need to innovate to get potential buyers off the dime. A survey of 3,000 Americans showed that a large majority of homeowners, 72 percent, think it’s a good time to buy. Yet they’re not buying, largely because their “current home is fine” and they have “no urgency to buy.”

To most builders, roof truss connectors are a mere side-note of construction. In truth, it’s one of the most important elements of a building.

A Youtube video featuring an unique truss design.

This week, SBCA sent a letter to ALSC requesting they provide a clear appeal procedure in writing by the end of the week, to which SPIB issued a response letter.  In addition, AFP shared with its customers its letter succinctly outlining why ALSC should postpone ruling on SPIB's recommendations.

Due to the additional resources used for the unexpected Southern Pine lumber issue, SBCA has started a legal and technical fund to help offset the costs.

The results of a working session of Southern Pine lumber producers, component manufacturers, builders, lumber dealers and technical experts regarding proposed design values for visually graded Southern Pine lumber are now available in a  report. 

SBCA has tried to foster a positive outcome to the Southern Pine Lumber (SP) design value issue. However, based on the letter issued by the SPIB this week, it appears SPIB is unwilling to consider any alternate approach to the one they took.

The southern pine situation illustrates what many builders and designers already know: Cold-formed steel framing is not just more stable, durable, strong and uniform than wood framing.

Two significant developments have occurred with regard to the issue of Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) lumber design values leading up to the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) Board of Review hearing scheduled for January 5, 2012.

Recently, there have been design value changes proposed for some visual grades of lumber. This is a reminder that these decisions will have no impact on the design values of MSR and MEL lumber.