Weyerhaeuser Company Limited

Alkivadis G Dimakis

Earl D Hasenwinkle

John S Selby

Ronald C Wilderman

Richard E Wagner

Kendall H Bassett

John W Kerns

Engineered structural wood products particularly useful in critical applications such as joists, headers, and beams where longer lengths, greater widths, and higher and predictable stress ratings may be required and to a method for making the wood products. Most logs by nature are radially anisotropic, having wood of higher density and stiffness in their outer portion adjacent the bark than is found in the inner portion. The logs are machined to segregate the denser, stiffer outer wood. A first generally rectangular component is formed from the less dense inner wood. Second generally rectangular components are formed from the stiffer outer wood. Second components are adhesively bonded to at least one edge of the first component, more usually to opposite edges. The stiffer wood is thus specifically placed where it will contribute most effectively to the properties of the product. The product is analogous to an I-beam in which the lower density first component serves as the web and the higher density second component as the flange portion The products can be handled in use in identical fashion to solid sawn lumber. They are characterized by much less variation in their stiffness than solid sawn visually or machine graded products and can be made in a wide range of width, thickness, and length.

Method for manufacture of structural wood products

The invention comprises engineered structural wood products particularly useful in critical applications such as joists, headers, and beams where longer lengths, greater widths, and higher and predictable stress ratings may be required. The invention is also directed to a method for making the wood products. Most logs by nature are radially anisotropic, having wood of higher density and stiffness in their outer portion adjacent the bark than is found in the inner portion. The logs are machined to segregate the denser, stiffer outer wood. A first generally rectangular component is formed from the less dense inner wood. Second generally rectangular components are formed from the stiffer outer wood. Second components are adhesively bonded to at least one edge of the first component, more usually to opposite edges. The stiffer wood is thus specifically placed where it will contribute most effectively to the properties of the product. The product is analogous to an I-beam in which the lower density first component serves as the web and the higher density second component as the flange portion The products can be handled in use in identical fashion to solid sawn lumber. They are characterized by much less variation in their stiffness than solid sawn visually or machine graded products and can be made in a wide range of width, thickness, and length.

Engineered structural wood products

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Federal Way, WA, United States of America

Alkivadis G Dimakis