APA has updated the I-Joist Construction Details - Performance Rated I-Joists in Floor and Roof Framing. This installation guide provides updated information on recommended construction details for Performance Rated I-joists in floor and roof applications. The publication also includes recommendations for cantilevers and placement of web holes. The 55-page interactive PDF contains links to exploded views of various construction details.

[More]

Question: What adjustment factor should be applied to the test values published in APA Technical Topic TT-070: Nailhead Pull-Through Strength of Wood Structural Panels?

[More]

APA has updated two publications pertaining to glued laminated timber (glulam) design specifications and layup combinations.

[More]

The APA Publications Index, Form B300 NN, has been updated. The revised 2008 index provides a complete listing of APA design and construction guides, product guides, builder tips, case histories, industrial publications and other materials available from the Association.

[More]

Question: Plans call for five- ply plywood roof sheathing but the lumber yard sent out four-ply. They say they won’t have five-ply in stock until next month. What is the difference between the panels?

[More]

Question: I specified 1/2-inch roof sheathing for a commercial building. When I was inspecting the project I found that the contractor had installed 15/32-inch. What can be done to correct the situation?

Answer: A wood structural panel that is 15/32 inch thick contains six percent less wood fiber than a 1/2-inch thick panel. The effect on structural properties and characteristics is negligible. In most applications, the 1/32 of an inch difference in thickness of span-rated wood structural panels does not affect performance. In fact, assuring adequate performance in specific applications is at the heart of APA’s rigorous program of quality auditing and testing.

[More]

Question: What approved methods of weatherization exist for I-joists that are extended for soffit and eave locations on a roof structure? Do you need to have an enclosed soffit and eave, or can they be painted?

[More]

New structural insulated panel (SIP) CAD details are now being offered at www.apacad.org.

[More]

APA just issued the 2007 Engineered Wood Construction Guide, the major reference manual for using engineered wood products in residential and commercial construction.

[More]

Question: What purpose does tongue-and-groove (T&G) serve on a roof deck or balcony with inhabited space below? What are the advantages of using T&G in an exterior deck application if, for example, the deck is a subfloor to an exterior balcony with waterproofing and 2-inch topping slab over inhabited space, or a low slope roof deck?

[More]

Glued laminated beams (glulam) are used in a wide range of applications in both commercial and residential construction.

[More]