Timber Replacement Product OK'ed

A unique new, standard-sized timber replacement product has been certified by the West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau.

The new product, RMT (Rosboro Manufactured Timber), is being made by Rosboro Lumber Co., Springfield, Or.

"This is a glued laminated timber that can be used interchangeably with solid sawn timber of the same dimensions and grade," says WCLIB exec. v.p. Brad Shelley. "It qualifies under the standard grading rules, which are approved under all major codes throughout the U.S."

Adds Fred Bauer, sales manager for Rosboro Lumber: "Laminating technology improves on nature. WCLIB-certified glued lumber is superior to conventional timber because we glue-dry lumber together, creating a timber that is uniformly dry throughout. The random mixing of dry lumber in the laminating process gives every piece the stability of 'free-of-heart' timber."

Also, as a timber equivalent, WCLIB-certified glued lumber does not require re-engineering. Distri- butors, not needing to hire a technical staff to support it, can offer a product that is priced between the cost of solid timber and engineered wood, with the dimensional stability and advantages of engineered wood.

According to Bauer, Rosboro became interested in developing a timber replacement when the company saw how builders were using more costly, higher strength engineered wood in applications that could use lower cost timber. "Builders said they knew the engineered wood was overkill, but they were willing to pay more for dimensional stability and to prevent call-backs due to cracked plaster," he explains.

Rosboro protects RMT with Liquid Wrap, a sealant that controls moisture penetration, minimizing warp, twist and checking.

Finally, he points out, manufactured lumber is environmentally friendly because it doesn't rely on old growth timber but uses smaller, faster growing trees from second and third generation forests.