Wood Utilization—Wood Industry in North America

How much wood is used in building a house? For a 2000 ft 2 wood-framed house 16,2000 board ft. (1 bf = 1’ x 1’ x 1”) Lumber16,2000 board ft. (1 bf = 1’ x 1’ x 1”) Lumber or 1,350 ft 3 or 20.5 m 3 or 1,350 ft 3 or 20.5 m 3 or 20 pine trees (30” DBH) or 20 pine trees (30” DBH) Plus 9,500 ft 2 (based on 0.5” thick) Structural PanelsPlus 9,500 ft 2 (based on 0.5” thick) Structural Panels or 400 ft 3 or 300 4’ x 8’ x 0.5” sheets of or 400 ft 3 or 300 4’ x 8’ x 0.5” sheets of Plywood, OSB, or Hardboard for sheathing, decking & siding Plywood, OSB, or Hardboard for sheathing, decking & siding Wood for decks and non-structural panels are extraWood for decks and non-structural panels are extra

Lumber Solid lumber is good but subjects to availability andSolid lumber is good but subjects to availability and variability in physical properties Can be substitutes by engineered wood products, such asCan be substitutes by engineered wood products, such as Parallel Strand L, I-joist, Laminated Veneer L and Laminated Strand L PSLI-JoistLVLLSL Plus Glue-laminated Timber Glulam

Advantages of Engineered Products Value-added and conservativeValue-added and conservative These products made from materials of lower grades and processing residues Predictable physical properties and performancesPredictable physical properties and performances

Disadvantages Wood is good but needs to be protected from many enemiesWood is good but needs to be protected from many enemies Fires destroy houses And billions of dollars Property lose annually Along with 12,200 fatalities

Enemies of Wood Termites also destroy housesTermites also destroy houses Annual property lose: 250 M$ Costs 125 M$/yr in Corrective measures.

Wood Decays Millions are spent annually to repair houses due to decay Bath room leakage causes decay A brown-rot fungus is eating up the wood My Pella window decayed Only because of inproper installation!

The wood industry is proud to be environmentally friendly A survey was conducted in 1996 by the Forest Products Laboratory to identifyA survey was conducted in 1996 by the Forest Products Laboratory to identify Top Ten Most Significant Forest Products Technologies

Here They Are #1 Development of wood preservative treatments to extend the service life of wood --How many trees saved? --How many trees saved? #2 Oriented Strand Board manufacturing --Use low-value species and milling residues

#3 Manufacturing paper from hardwood and wood wastes --Again, saving more valuable softwoods Technology for plywood production from Southern pine #4 Technology for plywood production from Southern pine --Saved many big Douglas fir and larch trees

#5 Methods to utilize alternative/low-value species #6 Methods of processing small logs --Computer technologies make it possible --Computer technologies make it possible #7 Development of composite products from waste or low-value woods/fibers including hardboard, or low-value woods/fibers including hardboard, particleboard, medium density fiberboard, particleboard, medium density fiberboard, wood/plastic composites wood/plastic composites

#8 Development of recycling technologies for paper, wastewood and agricultural fibers paper, wastewood and agricultural fibers #9 Development of non-toxic wood preservatives #10 Technology transfer to the forest products industry industry