PWT LVL

Typical uses for LVL include rafters, headers, beams, joists, studs, columns, and I-joist flange material. Two or three sections of SCL can be joined together to form 3-1/2-inch or 5-1/4-inch members. These thicker sections readily nest into 2×4 or 2×6 framed walls as headers or columns. (https://www.apawood.org/structural-composite-lumber)

PWT™ LVL features a water-resistant coating applied to the wood during the manufacturing process. The coating is PWT’s new-age wax seal that resists water penetration. It gives builders confidence in a coating they know they can trust. Depend on PWT coatings to help deliver short term protection during those unexpected construction delays. Build with less worry. This answer does not apply to PWT Treated LVL.

Don’t panic! There is technical staff available to help you. Contact the supplier you purchased the product from. They will help you through the process. Expect to fill out a damage report form, take measurements, and send pictures. They will run a calculation and let you know how to proceed.

PWT LVL Hole Details

Field Notching and Drilling of Laminated Veneer Lumber

Engineered Wood Products (EWP), including prefabricated wood I-joists and LVL, have been successfully used in dry service conditions, including exterior applications that are protected from precipitation, for several decades. Except for PWT Treated LVL, PWT products are not intended to be installed in applications where permanent wet-use conditions exist. Dry service conditions for EWP are defined similarly in the United States and Canadian building codes. In the U.S., the National Design Specification (NDS) of Wood Construction defines dry service conditions in sections 7.1.4 (wood I-joists) and 8.1.4 (structural composite lumber) as “...where the moisture content of sawn lumber in service is less than 16%, as in most covered structures.”. In Canada, CSA O86 defines the dry service condition as “...a climatic condition in which the average equilibrium moisture content of wood is 15% or less on average over a year without exceeding 19%.” For more information refer to the Wood-I-Joist Manufacturers Association (WIJMA) document: Use of non-preservative treated products in protected non-conditions applications.

Code Reports are used by building officials and design professionals to determine a product’s compliance with building codes and standards. The report also includes a description of product use, design values, and how to identify the product. Code Reports are issued by entities that have reviewed test reports and audit a manufacturer’s quality management system.

Code Requirements for LVL

Installation Guide

PWT LVL billets, originally 48” wide when manufactured, are ripped into narrower widths, typically from 3-1/2” up to 24”, across the 48” wide width. Each piece is the same grade as the original billet. A 1-3/4” x 24” can be ripped to a narrower width, including 18”. The capacity of the new beam would be based on the new size. An 1-3/4” x 18” 2.0E LVL ripped from a 24” beam would have the same design values as one that came straight from the factory in that size. PWT LVL cannot, however, be planed or sawn to reduce thickness.

PWT LVL, produced for the North American market, has a wax coating applied to mitigate the rate of moisture absorption during storage and construction. This coating will likely make it difficult to apply paint or spray foam insulation directly on the LVL. PWT’s coatings supplier suggests that it would be best to discuss options with the paint supplier for a primer (likely solvent-based) to improve applicability. Inform the paint supplier that the coating contains paraffin wax (hydrocarbon/synthetic wax).