Engineered Wood I-Beams Exposed to Fire Part one, a engineered wood I-beam is  a structural component of top and bottom flanges, which could be solid or laminated wood, united with a plywood or Oriented Strand Board web of various depths separating them. Engineered wood I-beams are primarily used for floor systems but can also be found in some roof applications. You'll find they are manufactured up to sixth feet in length for applications where folks desire an open floor space area. The cross section resembles the same shape of a steel I-beam, which is how its name came about.

The development of engineered wood I-beams, they were frist develop in 1969, The cost and performance drove the development of the engineered wood I-beam "I-joists as they are also known by ", They were designed to provide open floor spaces, At one time they were only considered for the high-end residential market.

Engineered Wood I-Beams Exposed to Fire Part one, the prevalence, they were used in fifty percent of new residential construction, the rising cost of solid sawn lumber made the engineered wood I-beam floor system affordable, the ease of there installation reduce the labor costs for builders.

Theres a real hazard in home that have had engineered wood I-beams used in the construction of them. The collapse potential of engineered wood I-beams that have been exposed to fire presents an extreme danger. 

Post 603 - 18 Oct. 2009

Link to Part two

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