Sizang up noh-standard-sized OSB

1/.\SB PRoDUCERS coNTINUE to go \-fbevond the standard size-4 ft. wide and 8 ft. tall, at7116" thick-to solve a variety ofbuilding challenges.

Each non-standard size has its advantages. Extra-thin panels-as little as l/4" thick-are lighter and less expensive, so they are suitable for underlayment and other applications. However, most structural uses require thicker panels.

Most manufacturers also offer panels up to 1-1l8" thick. "Common applications for thicker panels are performance-rated sheathing and floor panels, which are typically produced with tongue-and-groove edges for easier installation," says Marilyn LeMoine. market communications director at APA-Engineered Wood Association. "Thicker panels are also used as sheathing for engineered shear walls and horizontal diaphragms designed to resist high wind and seismic loads."

Longer and wider panels are becoming increasingly popular. Georgia-Pacific can supply custom panels up to 8 ft. wide and 26" long, which are used in structural insulated panels (SIPs), panelized roof systems, modular floors, and in the manufacture of recreational vehicles.

The larger panels can be manufactured at the former Grant Forest Products mills in Earlton. Ontario. and Allendale, S.C., which G-P acquired in May 2010, along with an unfinished OSB mill in Clarendon, S.C. Once market conditions improve, G-P hopes to complete the unfinished construction and begin operations there.

Ainsworth also hopes to increase its offering of taller panels, once it acquires the remaining 507o interest in the Footner mill in High Level, Alberta, that it co-owned with Grant Forest Products. Although the mill has been shuttered for the past two years,

Ainsworth hopes to reopen the mill when the market improves.

"Once the deal is approved, we would still need to hire crews and ramp up production," says John Murray, manager of marketing and communications at Ainsworth. "The mill has the world's largest single-line continuous press, which means it could manufacture larger panels with far less waste."

More common, particularly with the trend of higher ceilings in residential construction, are 9' and l0' long panels for wall and roof sheathing. LP Building Products has been producing taller panels since January 2009.

Named LP Longlength, the panels are installed vertically instead of horizontally so the sill plate can be tied to the top plate with only one panel. The result is sturdier walls, fewer seams, less opportunity for air infiltration, and no need to cut and install fillers or blocking materials.

"With LP Longlength, builders can use one solid piece of OSB vertically, which means construction is simpler and the home is stronger," says Judy Musgrove, LP's OSB marketing manager.

According to APA's LeMoine, taller panels have also become popular in regions where high-wind exposures require engineered shear walls to also resist wind-uplift loads. "These panels can protect structures against airborne debris and provide code-mandated resistance to wind pressures on exterior walls."

RoyOMartin supplies one such product, named WindBrace, which is a full 1-1l8" taller than standard OSB panels. The extra height eliminates the need to install metal connectors, threaded bolts, and blocking and filter strips - substantially reducing material and labor costs.

Stronger, more stable walls are also a plus in seismically actives areas. To meet these challenges, RoyOMartin's StructWall and StructWall XL are designed to minimize racking and shifting during seismic activity, and flex and absorb shock under extreme conditions. StructWall XL comes in 8' l-l/8", 9' l-118", and 10'l-1/8". That extra l-118" allows one continuous panel to connect each walls' bottom plate to the top plate.

When constructing walls higher than one-story, taller sheathing adds rigidity. Next to large window and door openings, it allows wall-bracing segments as naffow as 16"-without the use of any special components or connectors.

84 Closes Yards, While Vowing to Expand

84 Lumber Co. has temporarily mothballed its truss plant in Chandler, Az., and permanently closed lumberyards in four other states, while simultaneously securing federal loan guarantees to eventually grow its business.

Its adjacent store in Chandler will remain open and continue to design and sell trusses. but for now will order them from a third party.

Stores in Oklahoma City, Ok.; St. Toledo, Oh.; Waveland, Ms., and Augustine, Fl., were permanently closed.

At the same time, 84 Lumber received $20 million in loan guarantees for debt restructurins with the promise that it would enable the addition of 400 jobs in its home state of Pennsylvania over the next three years.

Company spokesman Jeff Nobers said the company plans to add jobs to its new business units as they continue to grow. The new units include installation services for windows, insulation and siding, and commercial construction of college dorms, apartments, and shopping centers.

"Single-family housing will continue to struggle," said Nobers. "You're constantly looking at how you're doing things, whether it's store staff or markets."

Price Remains Key to Green Acceptance

While green homes are generally perceived as expensive to build or purchase, a recent survey found that consumers and builders believe that reduced prices on building materials will help these homes become more affordable.

According to the NAHB Research Center survey, 59Vo of consumers and l5Vo of builders indicated that the costs of materials and products for green homes must be reduced.

"It's encouraging for us to see that consumers and builders are taking a stronger interest in green housing concepts," said Tom Halford, general manager-contract sales & marketing for survey co-sponsor Whirlpool Corp. "We need a combined voice of manufacturers, builders and volunteer organizations to continue helping the general public see the benefits of green building. Their collective input is valuable to us as we work to overcome the hurdles that are pointed out in the survey."

Another change consumers claim is needed to make green homes affordable is an increase in incentives for sustainable building and remodeling. Of all respondents , 53Vo felt that increasing incentives for homeowners would help with green home affordability, and 36Vo suggested increasing incentives for builders. Most consumers (697o\ believe state and federal governments should both provide incentives for purchasing green products. Among builders, 407o support incentives for both homeowners and builders.

The survey showed that l77o of consumers feel that green homes are at least somewhat. if not very, important to them, with their primary reasons being: the positive impacts on the environment, the long-term financial savings, and the health benefits for the familv.

Dixieline ProBuild has ctosed its store in Poway, Ca., due to "market dynamics."

The store is located just blocks from the site of a proposed Lowe's.

Arrow Lumber has applied to add a 7,200-sq. ft. hardware store at its Port Townsend, Wa., lumberyard.

Orchard Supply Hardware's store in Fresno, Ca., suffered $50,000 to $75,000 in damage in an early morning Jan. 5 fire, which presumably began under a cash reglster.

Lowe's applied to build a 153,152sq. ft. store in Newbury Park, Ca.; should break ground next month in Carlsbad, Ca., and expects a January 2012 opening in Oxnard, Ca.

Home Depot began shipping Dec. 14 from its new 667,000-sq. ft. rapid deployment center in Ontario, Ca, The chain also expects to break ground early this spring on a new home center in Grants Pass, Or., and applied to build a second store-89,000 sq. ft. with 13,400-sq. ft. garden center-in Thousand Oaks, Ca.

ProBuild, Denver, Co., redesigned probuild.com with new features and functionality, including advanced search capabilities for specific products and services.

Anniversaries: Economv Lumber Co., Campbell, Ca., 75th ... Forest Historv Societv. 65th ... Paul's Ace Hdrdw?Ie. Scottsdale. Az., 55th ... Ace Hardware, Yerington Nv., 40th ... Western Woods lnc., Chico, Ca.,40th.

Ukiah Dealer Shutting Down

Ukiah Valley Lumber, Ukiah, Ca., will close at the end of this month. The business opened as Bittenbender Lumber in 1933, when Lloyd Bittenbender built the store with timbers salvaged from a sawmill that shut down during the Great Depression of 1929.

After several changes of ownership, Warren and Kathleen Lewis bought the business in 1993 and changed the name to Ukiah Valley Lumber. Business was good, even when big boxes began appearing in the valley.

Things began to change in 2008, said Wanen Lewis, when "the housing market began its downward spiral and the contractor business began to dry up. Next came bad housing loans, foreclosures and the mortgage problems, all of which contributed to building coming to an almost complete standstill."

New Store Replaces Best Valley Lumber & Hardware

opened Jan. l0 in Mesquite, Nv., just nine months after Best Lumber closed at the same location. Tom Hayes, Best's general manager, is the new owner.

"We offer basically the same things that Best Lumber had before they closed," said store manager Colby Moore. "We want to have all different types of installation and offer delivery depending on the size of the order. Paint, plumbing, electrical, flooring, tools and hardware-it's iust a downsized store."

Supplied by Do it Best, the new, smaller store is geared for home improvement. "We offer a full line of lumber products, pave stone, and concrete block," said Hayes. "We're open for business now, and we'll have a grand opening in the near future."

Clary Lumber Moving to Former Lewis County Mill

Clary Lumber Products will lease the former Lewis County Forest Products' sawmill in Winlock. Wa.. from NW Log Sales.

Myers Woodline, Sheridan, Or., will continue to handle all lumber sales.

Clary plans to move its current sawmill operation to the new facility in March and produce industrial and dimension lumber recovered from pulp logs. The company will continue to run a reman operation at its current location in Winlock.

Sonora Mill Modernization Reaches Halfway Mark

Sierra Pacific Industries expects a May restart for its sawmill in Sonora, Ca., which is being retooled so it can also accept smaller logs.

About 130 workers will be hiredabout the same number the mill had before it shut down in 2009.

The modernization will also allow the facility to produce a wider variety of products, including fir and pine construction timbers and more finished boards.

SPI built most of the new equipment itself, at its plant in Anderson, Ca.