The price of lumber had been rising steadily in small increments since 2014. Since the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) expired in December 2016, however, price volatility has increased dramatically. For your budget and for your peace of mind, switching to engineered wood wherever possible in your projects could be the right thing to do. Dimensional … Continued
A recent study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University foresees a healthy remodeling increase over the next 10 years. The study cites factors such as older homeowners modifying their homes allowing them to age in place, and first-time homebuyers modifying a newly purchased property. Per-homeowner-per year spending is projected to go … Continued
Travelling to construction sites in the US and in Canada, I’ve noticed each country has a preferred wood-joist-to-steel connection method. These two methods are called slope cut and top mount. Wood to steel used more often In both Countries, I see steel being used more and more often in residential projects. House sizes have been … Continued
If I told you that open joist TRIFORCE® can be used for stair girders, the first thing you might think is “Ok, but why?” Keep with open design! In two words: open design. We’ve often said it in this blog: 0pen Joist TRIFORCE® has an open design that allows you to run Plumbing, Electricals and … Continued
We recently got a question on our website about how the joints are made on the open joist TRIFORCE®. It’s great question, as it touches on many of the product’s strengths. We always welcome questions on our blog, so please feel free to ask. So, here’s our answer. 5-fingered-joints acting as connector The first thing … Continued
Lately, we’ve been working on quite a few flat roofs for multifamily projects. While most roof structures in this category of building are made from dimensional lumber, MDUs with flat roofs tend to be framed with either dimensional lumber or plated trusses. So, how did we convince the multifamily project designers to use Triforce® for … Continued
Building with engineered wood floor systems allows wider spans, greater strength, and far more design possibilities than traditional sawn lumber. Using engineered wood is somewhat more complex, though. Here are some recommendations for engineered wood floor system installation. Use the manufacturer’s recommended hangers and fasteners Joist applications can vary, and there are hangers and fasteners for … Continued
Open joist TRIFORCE® falls under the category of engineered wood products (EWP). EWP has seen growing popularity since its introduction in the early 1970’s. Engineered wood is used in framing for floor assemblies, building sheathing and roof assemblies as well as Structural Insulated panels. Its basic ingredient is a combination of wood fiber, strands or … Continued
Install a series of joists, secure floor sheathing on top of them and you have a floor. But, for it to be an effective floor system, there’s more to it than that. At TRIFORCE®, we aim to create floor systems that surpass industry standards, providing strength, durability, and comfort. Here are the main elements in … Continued
When it comes to designing and installing a floor system, having strength as well as deflection and vibration performance at lowest possible cost is a natural objective. But there are also logistical considerations that come into play. Any one of these can impact your project either time-wise or cost-wise. Locations of Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC … Continued