SPECIAL Focus Southern Forest Products
New southern pine design values go live
M
aware than some important changes have taken place in the southern pine lumber industry. After two years of research, testing and analysis, new design values for all sizes and grades of visually graded southern pine dimension lumber became effective June 1, 2013. These new design values are based on more than 7,400 destructive tests of full-size samples of commercially produced southern pine lumber (resulting in more than 300,000 data points) and represent the most accurate design values now available. SFPA does not test lumber or establish design values. SFPA’s primary function is to market lumber products and to help users understand southern pine grading rules and design values. ANY DEALERS ARE
Over the last two years, SFPA has worked to facilitate the transition to new design values, providing a dedicated page on www.southernpine.com with answers to the mostoften asked questions, sample span tables based upon the new design values, and other helpful resources for dealers, building professionals, and consumers. By communicating this information, SFPA’s ultimate objective is to help users successfully transition with minimal disruption to their businesses.
A Rigorous Process
Design values for structural lumber undergo a rigorous approval process. As the rules-writing agency for southern pine lumber, the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau is responsible for developing and publishing design values for southern pine. All testing and data analysis must be completed in accordance with approved standards. Proposed design values are submitted to the American Lumber Standard Committee Board of Review and approved following a careful review and recommendation from the USDA’s Forest Products Laboratory. New southern pine design values have been published by SPIB, following approval by the ALSC Board of Review. In February of this year, SPIB published the new design values in Supplement No.13 to the 2002 Standard Grading Rules for Southern Pine Lumber.
SP Is Strong, Dependable
SPANS: Now in effect, new design values for visually graded southern pine dimension lumber resulted from extensive research, testing and analysis.
38
Building Products Digest
June 2013
Southern pine lumber is one of the best construction products on the market today. From framing a house to building a deck, southern pine is a dependable product for any project. Southern pine’s strength and stiffness remain comparable to other softwood species used in residential and commercial construction. Southern pine users have many available product options, including visually graded dimension lumber and an increasing supply of mechanically graded lumber. Southern pine lumber provides great value in a wide variety of applications, with its superior treatability against decay and insects and superior fastener-holding power due Building-Products.com