Structural Composite Lumber (SCL): A Practical Alternative

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Structural composite lumber (SCL), which includes laminated veneer lumber (LVL), laminated strand lumber (LSL) and oriented strand lumber (OSL), is a family of engineered wood products created by layering dried and graded wood veneers or flakes with waterproof adhesive into blocks of material known as billets. Cured in a controlled process, SCL is typically available in various thicknesses and widths and is easily worked in the field using conventional construction tools.

Strong, Reliable and Consistent

In SCL billets, the grain of each layer of veneer or flakes runs primarily in the same direction. The resulting products out-perform conventional lumber when either face- or edge-loaded. SCL is a solid, highly predictable and uniform engineered wood product that is sawn to consistent sizes and is virtually free from warping and splitting.

Making the Best Use of Resources

One important benefit of SCL is that the veneering, flaking and gluing process enables large timbers to be made from relatively small trees of many species, thereby providing for efficient utilization of wood fiber resources.

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APA Engineered Wood Construction Guide

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