Steel l-beams lighten up

basement-type structures or the upper level in two-story buildings.

"We're working with Wickes Lumber right now, trying to develop a floor system in which (castellated Ibeams) will be the primary framing, load-carrying members through which other members will be inserted," says sales engineer Carey SwinneY. "We're trying to get that working and accepted by residential builders."

But gaining acceptance is a slow

Story at a Glance

Lighter weight makes new steel l-beams practical for residential uses ... a future addition to your inventorY?

potential: "For longer spans, steel offers a lot more strength. The openings allow passing services through without having to go underneath. They're lighter because of what you can do in terms of span restrictions. Some applications are more cost effective. And compared to glulams, they're considerably less expensive."

Castelite began making the beams in November, gradually increasing production to the current level of 200 to 300 tons per week. By year's end, they expect to reach an annual rate of 20,000 tons. Yet the start has been slow, with persistent line problems. "The beam is not a brand new concept, but this is a new Product, a new way to fabricate it," says SwinneY. "It's a learning process."

process, admits president Art Ullom. "We've done some work with peoPle in the wood industry, doing flooring, who have found it economical. It's just a case of getting people to switch over to it," he explains. "The hard part is connecting wood to steel. It's a different system than they're used to."

Ullom contends castellated steel's advantages over wood justify investigating their

It's also a learning process for contractors, dealers and wholesalers, so it might take a while longer before you see racks of steel I-beams at the lumberyard.

ALTHOUGH company announceflments of plans to build additional OSB plants are no longer a monthly occurrence, just-completed facilities continue to come on line at an astonishing pace, ensuring the explosive growth in North American OSB production that began in 1994 should continue strong through 1991.

Although new players are introducing massive, state-of-the-art plants, industry leaders such as GeorgiaPacific, Norbord, Weyerhaeuser and especially Louisiana-Pacific will not

OSB Plants By Year