PWT Treated™ LVL

Wet use conditions play a role in both the requirement for preservative treatment and the strength and stiffness of wood products. Wet use conditions can be found indoors as well as outdoors. It’s not as easy as saying all exterior applications are wet use conditions and all interior applications are dry use conditions. Ambient temperature and relative humidity play a significant role. PWT Treated LVL should be specified where required by the code or when wet use conditions may exist to ensure that the wood is protected from insect and fungal decay. Additionally, when PWT Treated LVL is specified in the rare application where equilibrium moisture content of lumber (EMC) will exceed 16% the product should be designed using the wet use properties. For more information related to where wet use conditions exist refer to the Tech Note titled “Where do wet use conditions exist.”

Pacific Woodtech has teamed up with Kop-Coat to create the only commercially available fully treated LVL. Called “TRU-CORE® technology,” this process was developed to move treatment chemicals through wood; the migration process is accelerated when energy, such as heat from an LVL press, is added.

Yes.

No, the treatment continues to normalize for about 24 hours after the LVL is pressed. After that time, the process has stabilized within the product.

All organic molecules degrade over time – regardless of treatment process. The ones selected for TRU-CORE® technology retain their strength for 30 to 60 years in use – this is a significant improvement over traditional treatment processes where only the outer layer of wood fiber is treated.

The difference is that traditional processes use VOCs and/or incising to drive treatment into only the outer 0.4” perimeter of a wood member, while the patented TRU-CORE® technology can drive treatment into the entire member (no gradient) without adding regulated mineral solvents or water-based drivers, which can affect strength and/or void warranties in engineered wood products.

Any above-ground interior or exterior use such as deck beams or deck joists. It is also a great product for treated sill plates, when used with a foam gasket for separation from the concrete, which is required by code. PWT Treated™ LVL should not be used in “ground contact.”

PWT Treated LVL can be used in exterior construction above ground applications (UC3B) and for components that are difficult to maintain, repair, or replace and are critical to the performance and safety of the entire system.

PWT Treated™ LVL SDS

The LVL will also be stamped/marked “PWT TREATED” and will have a muted olive-colored sealer that is different than the standard PWT honey brown sealer on untreated LVL.

Yes, the active chemicals used in the treatment process are below EPA levels for indoor use.

There are no solvents or VOCs in the treatment, so the genuine smell of wood is retained.

PWT Treated™ LVL can be disposed of in the same manner as untreated LVL.

No, since PWT Treated LVL is treated throughout the piece (no gradient), re-treatment is not necessary. However, it is recommended to recoat cuts with a sealer or paint to minimize swelling, as moisture will wick into end-grain fibers more quickly than edges and faces.

Yes, PWT Treated™ LVL can be stained or painted.

Cladding is allowed if it will not trap moisture, as this will reduce the performance and life expectancy of even treated wood products.

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.