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heartfelt24 t1_j9290tk wrote

Would it be better in earthquakes?

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aggieotis t1_j92ku3x wrote

Yes and…

Engineered wood really just means they take bits of wood that are all oriented in the right direction and then squeeze and glue those together. It means much less wood can have much more strength because most wood has knots or other bits that weaken it structurally so you have to over spec traditional lumber.

So it’s stronger and you need less of it.

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BiggusDickus- t1_j95qtkm wrote

Except significant more energy goes into its production, and there are all sorts of chemicals associated with the glue.

Sure, it has its positives, but let's not overlook the shortcomings.

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rohnoitsrutroh t1_j94ut4p wrote

Seismic resistance has more to do with shear walls and tie downs than engineered lumber. We do use it frequently though due to its strength.

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