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Fibreboard's

GOLDPLYTu plyvood gives a whole new meaning to the often used phrase "High Quality Standards. "

We have gone beyond the quality you naturally expect from Fibreboard's extensive hardwood plywood product line by using an Aspen Mende-Board Crossband for our new GOLDPLYu.

\Ahy Aspen?

The length of the fiber in fupen wood creates the extra strength of our GOLDPLYTv. Plus... plantations of fast-growing Aspen in North America, give us a speedily renewable resource which helps us do our part for the global environment.

Eliminates telegraphing and crosschecking. No open defects under the face or back. Better screw-holding strength. Uniform thickness.

v Availability

GOLDPLYTTvT is a proven product manufactured at our Standard, California plant, ensuring availability and quick delivery times.

tP Affordability

GOLDPLYTvT, with its Aspen crossbands, outperforms more costly imported species' rS,

GOLDPLY, is a versatile panel designed to frt the needs of furniture, kitchen cabinet, and industrial millwork producers. It is the ideal combination of tradition and innovation.

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Tbp 25 Precsure Tbeotere Production aetennines rank

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DavldOutler SENIOREDITOR JuanltaLovret ASSOCI IE EDITORDavidKoenh

COI{TR|EUT|i{G EDIToRS Dw,lght Curnn, Gage McKinnE, Walty Lynch

ART DIRECTOR MatttuEmory ST FFARTFT Dlanel.Stovall CIRCULATOil MlchelleMondragon

U.s.: $11{ne yoac.$17'lwoyea6;$22-t[ge.Ls_al]:_F_oigign:.ons year.payable h advancs in_U.s. funds: surlace-$30; air rat€s atso avaihblo. singlo copies-$a; back E, plta shDph and handlinO. CHAilGE OF ADDRESS Send address hbol lrom le€nt lssue il Do6sbls. new addross and zb code to addrass betori|who.nav-a||ab|E,p|t6shFp|rEardhand|ing:cH^t{GEoF^bDREssSendadd|tss6bir||romreenttssu9ipo6sb|9,newaddr6ss.arrdzbooetoaooud ilASIER s€nd addrsss dlam€s to Ths Merchanl Magazlne, tlsm Canpus Dr.. Ste 480. NosDon B€ach. Ca:96t60 ilERCHAI{T XAG ZINE (USPS 796-560m) b publbtEd monthty at 4500 Campug Dr., Sto. 180, l{cupori Beach, Ca. 92660, Ot4l 852-1990, bv TheMsrctEnt MaoaztrB. tnc. S p9h9:oEtTpaqq|Ngtwon8ee!h'ca',andaddiliona|pogtofhes.ltisaninir€pen&n|'$vn6dp6li:ation|orflg]9tai|'whbbsatiranooistlbui rpo9hrtetgspaHa|Ngtwon8ee!h!9a:,andaddiiona|poetofhes.ltisaninit€penden|]y$vn6dp6li:ationtorfreptait'wnbbsatiranooistbuinn|sYebo|t rB.h-13rstemstates'copyr|gho1994byTheMer-hanlMagazine,|rE.covera'|dentke'con|enb'are|u||ypotec1edandmustmtborepmducedinarrmannorrY|f|olllwen Bhhb R6eil€d. The Merchant Magazlna assumss m liability for materhb tumbhed to lt

A Douglas fir deck is practical, €ffiY to build, economical and long lasting.

Thcre has aluuvs been sornething spccial abttut l)oLr-9las f'ir dcckin-e. When 1tl-operlt' treatccl ttl pr'otect it ll'om inscct clatnagc altcldecay. it lasts lbr ycars ancl 1'eals atrd ycars...attcl it .itrst gets bctter r.i ith agc.

But evcn thc best producl can bc Ittade bctter. So whcn we cliscovcrccl that olrr ne\\' ACQ" wood treating proccss coulrl protcct Douglas fir ancl still keep its natural beautv. wc kttcw wc had a wlllllcr. l,ct r,rs give yott thc lLrll clctails o1' Iltlw ttr propcrlv prcscrve DoLrglas l'ir ancl achier c ittclttstry acccptablc prese|r ltti r c l-rctlctt'lttion ltlltl retclltion. without arsenic and chrotttiLrnt. Checkitlg ittlcl tu isting rrc nrinitlal ancl the colot' ages to a dal'k brown ir-rstcacl of gttl'. Call todav.

DAVID CUTLER editor-publisher

The deal with steel

Light gauge steel framing has occasionally been both a real and imaginary threat to the supremacy of the faditional wmd snrd. But today, steel's threat to wood looks more real than at any time duing the lasthalf century.

While steel studs are used in only 2Vo of all homes built in the U.S., steel associations predict rising lumber prices and availability problems will enable steel to capture 25Vo of the new home market within five years.

Lumber producers don't buy this scenario. They counter that if steel reached even a llVo share, the pressure on lumber would be off and wood prices would decline. Steel, according to the lumbennen, would lose its price advantage and its attraction for home builders.

Othen aren't so sure. At the National Association of Home Builders show earlier this year, a steel frarned home was built to demonsEate new technologies and systems. Builder interest was intense. Calls seeking inforrration about steel ran 3040 per day on a NAHB hotline for builders.

But the conversion from wood to steel isn't simple. Product prejudices and lifeJong work patterns are not quickly or easily changed. Problems and pitfalls arc present for any builder making the change. Framers must be retrained. Inventory handling is not identical to that of wood. Actual assembly and other real life Murphy's Law problems can be quick to surface. To make the sale of steel snrds profitable, retailers must be sure steel suppliers will provide essential faining and technical support.

With lumber prices a driving force behind any retreat from wood studs, converts had best remember that lumber price trends are notoriously difficult (read impossible) to predict. If price is the sole reason to change, good sense indicates adding a large measure of caution to the mix.

Steel studs have some features and benefits wood studs do not. Their producers also claim environmental advantages. While these claims do not stand up to close examination, that doesn't mean the public won't believe them.

This time it doesn't look as if steel studs will conveniently go away as they have in the past

Will it last? ls it safe? ls it always available? You can't be sure with some pressure treated woods. So Louisiana-Pacific uses Wolman" CCA, the best-known wood preservative in the trusiness. Withover 60 years of proven safety and effectiveness, customers request Wolman three times more often than any othertreated wood. And because availability is important,