Wood Structure Guide
Introduction to Wood Structures
Wood is one of the oldest and most versatile building materials, continuing to be a cornerstone of construction, especially in residential and light commercial sectors across North America.
What is a Wood Structure?
A wood structure uses lumber or engineered wood products—such as plywood, laminated veneer lumber (LVL), glulam beams, and cross-laminated timber (CLT)—as its primary load-bearing components. These structures are widely used due to wood’s high strength-to-weight ratio, workability, and renewable nature.
The natural framework for homes and more.
Key Advantages of Wood
- Sustainability: Renewable resource, lower embodied energy compared to steel or concrete.
- Cost-Effective: Often more economical for light-frame construction.
- Ease of Construction: Lighter, easier to cut and fasten on-site with common tools.
- Aesthetics: Provides warmth and natural beauty in exposed applications.
- Thermal Performance: Good natural insulator, contributing to energy efficiency.
From traditional homes to innovative mass timber buildings, wood offers versatile and environmentally friendly construction solutions.
Types of Wood Structural Members
Wood members come in various forms, from traditional sawn lumber to advanced engineered products, each serving specific structural roles. Click on a type to explore more.
Dimensional Lumber
Glued Laminated Timber (Glulam)
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT)
I-Joists
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)
Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
Select a Wood Structural Member Above
Click on any member type card to view its detailed description and typical uses.
Common Wood Connection Methods
Effective connections are crucial for transferring loads and ensuring the integrity of a wood structure. Various methods are employed depending on the application and load requirements.
Direct Fasteners
These methods involve directly penetrating wood members with fasteners, relying on the friction and bearing of the wood to transfer forces. They are common in light-frame construction.
- Nailing: Most common and versatile. Used for framing, sheathing, and general connections.
- Screwing: Provides stronger withdrawal resistance and can be used for structural and non-structural connections.
- Bolting: Used for heavy timber, engineered wood products, and connections requiring significant load transfer.
Metal Connectors
Prefabricated steel plates, hangers, and straps enhance the strength and ductility of wood connections, especially for critical load paths or in engineered wood applications.
- Plate Connectors: Flat or bent steel plates with pre-punched holes for bolts or nails. Used for joining members, creating strong shear connections.
- Joist Hangers: U-shaped metal brackets that support the ends of joists, beams, or rafters, preventing twisting and providing robust connections.
- Straps & Ties: Long, thin metal pieces used to provide tension connections, particularly for resisting uplift forces (e.g., hurricane ties).
The choice of connection depends on load magnitude, member size, and environmental factors.
Wood Construction Workflow
Building with wood typically follows a well-defined sequence, from preparing the site to finishing the interior spaces.
Site Prep & Foundation
Framing
Sheathing & Roof
Rough-ins & Exterior
Finishing
Design Principles & Industry Standards
Designing with steel requires adherence to rigorous engineering principles and industry-leading standards to ensure safety, efficiency, and structural integrity.
Key Design Considerations
Structural engineers meticulously analyze various factors to create a safe and efficient steel design:
- Load Analysis: Determining all forces acting on the structure (dead, live, wind, seismic).
- Material Properties: Selecting appropriate steel grades (e.g., ASTM A992 for W-shapes) based on strength and ductility.
- Stability: Ensuring the structure resists buckling and overturning.
- Deflection Control: Limiting deformation under load for serviceability.
- Connection Design: Ensuring connections can safely transfer forces between members.
American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)
AISC is the cornerstone of steel design and construction in North America.
AISC Specification & Manual
The AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings provides unified requirements for the design and construction of steel structures. The AISC Steel Construction Manual compiles design aids, tables, and examples to facilitate practical application of the specification.