Modern technology has improved the materials available to the construction industry. Engineered wood products have pushed the boundaries of design to extremes that seemed unattainable just a few years ago. Engineered floor joists are one of these wonderful new products that give the architect and builder more flexibility in design and the homeowner a stronger, better built home.
The longest engineered floor joists you can order today are over 50 feet long. Can you imagine the size of the tree it would take to produce a piece of lumber that is 50 feet long and 24 inches wide? Think of the trees saved each year by making these monstrous engineered wood beams.
To the observer unfamiliar with the physics involved with wood I-beam technology, it would appear that the designed beams are not strong enough to support the weight they can support. I-beams get their strength from the depth of the beam, not the width. To demonstrate this fact, simply take a standard 8- to 10-foot-long 2×4, stand it upright so the narrow side is up, support it on both ends, and stand on it. Then turn the 2×4 horizontally, so the wide side is facing up, and stand on it. Notice how much more the 2×4 deflects when the wide side is up. The strength of any beam is directly proportional to its depth and only minimally related to its width. Therefore, a thin, deep I-joist can handle the same load as thicker, shallower wood floor joists. The top and bottom flanges of wood I-joists are important for nailing surfaces and preventing the thinnest part of the I-joist from twisting.
Engineered beams, also known as wood I-joists, have become widespread in the construction industry and offer the best material available to build a greenhouse today. There are many advantages to using engineered floor joints when building:
- Engineered beams are constructed from wood chips and use non-toxic resins as binding agents, making them very environmentally friendly.
- Lighter than standard dimensional lumber means easier handling and lower construction costs.
- Wood I-joists are stronger than traditional wood joists, so they can span longer spans or require fewer floor joists to meet code requirements for floor loads.
- Engineered joists are straighter, more uniform, resist warping and twisting, and provide a larger nailing or gluing surface compared to standard dimensional lumber used for wood floor joists.
- Engineered floor joists are custom cut at the factory to the precise length required, minimizing time and waste on the construction site.
Framers can use standard construction techniques and joist supports when building with engineered floor joists, so no special skills are required. Because fewer wood I-joists are required for the same floor load, construction time and shipping costs are reduced.
All of the factors associated with engineered wood beams make them the perfect building material to use when you want to build green. Using wood chips, less fuel required for transportation, and less material in the construction process for the same support all make Engineered Floor Beams the best choice when green building is important to you.