FAQ Category: AWC Standards

Where can I find lumber specific gravity?

See Tables 1 and 2 for visually graded lumber species and lumber species combinations and assigned specific gravity per the National Design Specification (NDS) for Wood Construction. Assigned specific gravity in the NDS is an average property based on weight and volume when oven-dry. Bold entries are commonly available lumber species combinations used in International…

Where can I find contact information for lumber grading rules writing organizations?

A list of lumber grading rules writing organizations certified by the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) is provided below.  NELMA. Standard Grading Rules for Northeastern Lumber; published by the Northeast Lumber Manufacturers Association (NELMA), 272 Tuttle Road, P.O. Box 87A, Cumberland Center, ME 04021; 207.829.6901; 207.829.4293 (fax); e-mail [email protected] RIS. Standard Specifications for Grades of…

What publications do you have on Permanent Wood Foundations?

The Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA) publishes the Permanent Wood Foundations Design and Construction Guide. Download the document here. AWC’s PWF Design Fabrication Installation (DFI) Manual and Technical Report #7, Permanent Wood Foundation System Basic Requirements (TR7) have both been discontinued and are out of print. ANSI / AWC PWF – Permanent Wood Foundation Design Specification replaces TR7 and has been adopted in the 2009/2012 International…

Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) specifies diaphragm unit shear values for lateral loads due to wind or seismic. What diaphragm unit shear values should be used to resist lateral loads from soil?

Guidance for this issue can be found in the commentary to the Permanent Wood Foundation Design Specification. The PWF commentary states in C5.4.5: Since nominal unit shear capacities for shear walls and diaphragms published in the Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) Specification are based on short-term load duration, it is necessary to multiply…

Per 2021 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS), can anchor bolts in a 2-sided 2×6 shear wall be staggered to meet the ½” edge distance for 3×3 plates or do custom plates need to be installed?

Anchor bolt connections designed per SDPWS 4.3.6.4.3 are designed for the shear load in the sill plate. If the shear capacity of a double-sided shear wall is twice that of a single-sided shear wall, the anchor bolt spacing derived based on the anchor bolt shear capacity for a double-sided shear wall would be half the spacing of…

Where do I find decking design values?

The National Design Specification® (NDS®) Supplement tables list design values for 2x and larger decking. The American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) provides a Policy for Evaluation of Recommended Spans for Span Rated Decking Products. Here’s more information on their website: https://alsc.org/lumber-recommended-spans-for-decking/ You will need to contact the specific grading agencies to obtain their span ratings for various species. A…

How do I calculate a capacity for lumber sheathing or heavy timber decking diaphragms?

AWC’s Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic, Table 4.2D contains shear capacities for lumber sheathing attached straight and diagonally. Table 4.3D contains shear wall capacities for straight and diagonal lumber sheathing as well. AWC also publishes Plank and Beam Framing for Residential Buildings (WCD-4) (T14). It shows how this floor and roof framing system, traditionally used in…