FAQ Category: Materials

How are the floor joist span tables calculated and used?

Floor joist span tables are tabulated based on allowable deflection limits of L/360. Floor live loads range from 30 psf for sleeping areas to 40 psf for other occupancies. Ceiling joist span tables are tabulated based on allowable deflection limits of L/240. Typically a user will know the span and desired spacing for a given…

Are there span tables for cantilever beams?

No. An engineer or architect should design cantilever members. Design of cantilever beams involves many variables including load, cantilever span and interior or back span. Often the load is not a single uniform distribution over the length of the member, and other additional loads are present, such as point loads at the end of the…

Where can I get span tables and span table information for lumber? Where can I get decking span tables?

A variety of Span Table Documents and Span Calculator products are available for use in wood building design, complete with a tutorial for their use. The online AWC Span Calculator performs calculations for ALL species and grades of commercially available softwood and hardwood lumber as found in the NDS Supplement. There are also several other online span tables available for…

Where can I find additional background information for adhesives and epoxies used in wood construction?

McGraw-Hill publishes a Wood Engineering and Construction Handbook, which includes a chapter on Adhesives (Chapter 12). It is authored by Richard Avent, Ph.D., P.E. Contact information:Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Louisiana State University 3505B CEBA Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA Phone: (225) 578-8735 Fax: (225) 578-8652 Email: [email protected] Website: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)…

Where can I find information on concrete formwork design and materials?

AWC’s WCD #3. Design of Wood Formwork for Concrete Structures (T13). 1987 NO LONGER IN PRINT. For archival information, contact​ AWC. APA-The Engineered Wood Association publishes Concrete Forming available for free on their website. The American Concrete Institute (ACI) published the Guide to Formwork for Concrete available on their website. Concrete Form Plywood Concrete form plywood panels are manufactured in conformance with…

Can Oriented Strand Board (OSB) be used interchangeably with plywood?

Yes. From section 9.1.3 of the NDS: The term “wood structural panel” refers to a wood-based panel product bonded with a waterproof adhesive. Included under this designation are plywood, OSB, and composite panels. The term “composite panel” refers to a wood structural panel comprised of wood veneer and reconstituted wood-based material and bonded with waterproof…