Improve Framing Efficiency With Engineered Wood

If your construction site isn’t as efficient as it can be, it’s likely losing money. That can increase the pressure on builders and contractors to deliver faster. This increased pressure can seem unfair, but luckily, there’s a way out - and it’s called engineered wood. 

 

Products made of engineered wood, such as i-joists, rim boards and LVL beams, among others can help you streamline workflows onsite, reduce instances of costly callbacks and keep jobsite waste to a minimum. 

 

So whether you’re about taking up a project to frame a home or a mid-rise building, it’s wise to put your money into engineered wood solutions - especially if you want to build smarter, faster and better. Let us explain! 

 

1. Consistently high-quality material

 

As a professional in the industry, you know the downsides associated with dimensional lumber. It’s more likely to come in variable shapes and strengths with relatively high moisture content. Engineered wood products, on the other hand, are free of these risks as they are manufactured in a controlled environment. So what you get is:

 

• More uniform boards in a straighter shape
• Minimal warping coupled with reduced likelihood of cupping or splitting
• Consistent load-bearing capacity

The stability and structural integrity of engineered wood make framing faster and more precise. Framers don’t have to spend half as much time correcting misaligned boards. 

 

2. Speedy installation 

 

We’ve said it several times before, but we’ll say it one more time - time is money. It’s the prevailing truth on any construction site. To accomplish your goal of efficient installation, you must turn your sight to engineered wood products because:

 

• I-joists: Their lightweight nature makes them very easy to handle as opposed to solid-sawn lumber. You also need fewer supports when covering distances with them.
• Pre-marked layouts: You can even get pre-drilled knockouts in engineered wood, which makes installing electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems a much faster process. 
• Longer lengths: Coming in longer spans, these boards reduce the need for splicing and using joist hangers. This, in turn, prevents mistakes and cuts the effort required for the job. 

What you get is a framing project with a faster turnaround time. 

 

3. Reduced waste and lower costs

 

Less waste, fewer surprises - that’s one major benefit of using plywood for your construction and renovation projects. Manufactured in a quality-controlled setting and as per your specifications, you can expect significantly fewer cutting errors. As a result, less material is discarded, and there’s also a reduced need for on-site corrections and trims. For builders, these benefits are equivalent to cost savings. More predictable material usage prevents unexpected expenses in large-scale projects from cropping up, whose costs can really add up. 

 

4. Greater design flexibility

 

Open-concept layouts are in demand when it comes to modern home designs. These require uninterrupted spans, which are easier to accomplish with engineered wood. They maintain their structural integrity even with wide gaps between supports. 

 

In fact, using engineered wood is your key to longer spans and custom sizes. They also guarantee compatibility with other engineered systems, and enable framing crews to execute complex architectural plans without relying heavily on bearing walls. 

 

5. Improved customer satisfaction

 

Structurally uniform, strong and moisture-resistant, engineered wood can keep issues such as creaking floors, uneven ceilings and cracks in the drywall at bay. This results in fewer callbacks, leading to happier clients. Not to mention it also results in fewer warranty hassles. After all, who doesn’t appreciate clean and consistent framing? It not only benefits the workers who take over, clients get to enjoy the finesse of the finished results too. 

 

Conclusion

 

Engineered wood is a quiet game-changer when it comes to framing residential buildings and large-scale projects. It is fast, light and cost-efficient while leading to fewer issues down the line and lesser waste to begin with. If you want to support your framing strategy from the ground up, you can count on Fonthill Lumber Inc. Our line-up of engineered wood products includes premium-quality i-joists, LVL beams, headers, and rim boards among others. Contact us to get technical guidance and prompt delivery of quality engineered wood products across Canada.