Exploring How Engineered Wood Has Offered Sustainable Solutions for Modern Construction

Highlights:

• An introduction to engineered wood
• Factors boosting the demand for these wood products
• Promising applications of engineered wood in construction
• Notable acquisition by key players in 2025

Engineered wood encompasses a range of building materials made by combining real wood, scrap wood, shredded fibers, or sawdust with adhesives. These products mimic natural wood while offering enhanced strength and durability. Engineered wood products undergo rigorous testing for strength, durability, and moisture resistance. Some are crafted with waterproof adhesives, making them ideal for outdoor applications.

Plywood is a well-known engineered wood product, created by bonding layers of veneer under heat and pressure. Each layer is cross laminated by alternating the grain direction, enhancing strength and durability. Its thin, wide, flat panels provide excellent stability for flooring, walls, and roofs, while also being ideal for shelves, cabinets, and stair components.

Reasons for the increasing popularity of engineered wood in the construction sector

Engineered wood is designed to meet specific performance requirements, without being limited by the dimensions of source trees. It is available in various thicknesses, sizes, grades, and exposure durability classifications, making it suitable for a wide range of construction, industrial, and home projects. It has the potential to lower carbon emissions compared to steel and concrete in building construction. In addition, the use of mass timber instead of concrete and steel has the potential to save around 20% of embodied carbon because it is lightweight and requires less energy to transport.

A look into the latest forms of engineered wood

Cross-laminated timber is a robust engineered wood known for its dimensional stability, strength, and ease of manufacturing. It is made by layering wood in alternating directions, creating a solid, versatile building material. Dowel-laminated timber is a stable and safe-to-manufacture wood product. In addition, this type of wood product does not require any metal fasteners or adhesives, which makes it an eco-friendly alternative.

Moreover, Glued laminated timber (Glulam) is a type of engineered wood renowned for its exceptional strength and stiffness, making it a structurally efficient choice for various construction projects. Glulam is created by bonding layers of wood together with durable adhesives, resulting in a material that has the potential to bear significant loads and support the designing of aesthetic structures.

Wider applications for engineered wood across the construction sector

The engineered wood industry has observed significant growth due to the rising demand for these wood products across the construction industry. For instance, plywood, OSB, and CLT are the various types of engineered wood that serve diverse roles in the field of construction. They're commonly used for sheathing and subflooring in both residential and commercial buildings. Moreover, their strength allows them to function as primary structural elements, showcasing the versatility of engineered wood in building projects.

Moreover, engineered wood flooring has become a popular alternative to solid hardwood, offering a similar aesthetic appeal but with enhanced stability. Its layered construction makes it less susceptible to warping or shrinking due to moisture or temperature changes. Often, engineered wood flooring comes at a lower price than solid hardwood, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious homeowners seeking a classic wood look.

BlueLinx partners with Louisiana-Pacific for U.S. wood solutions expansion

In January 2025, BlueLinx Holdings Inc., a renowned US-based distributor of building products, announced its acquisition of Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, a leading manufacturer of engineered wood building products. Through this agreement, BlueLinx aims to expand its footprint of prefinished solutions, namely LP® SmartSide®, to seventeen locations across the United States. According to Leo Oei, Vice President of Product Management and National Accounts at BlueLinx, the company plans to expand its vision of offering best-in-class specialty products to the single-family, multi-family, and light commercial building segments. In addition, under this acquisition, Louisiana-Pacific has planned to provide its customers with additional options to access its cutting-edge wood building products including SmartSide® and ExpertFinish®, accelerating its growth and success for the next decade with the world-class partners like BlueLinx.

Endnote

The growing demand for engineered wood in construction has offered a wide range of structural benefits and provided sustainable and versatile solutions. With advancements in engineered wood products like plywood, Gulam, and dowel-laminated timers, the industry has witnessed prominent growth, offering innovative solutions for modern building needs. Moreover, rapid urbanization and renovation and remodeling of old houses are expected to create wider growth opportunities for the sector in the coming years.

Get in touch with our industry specialists to know more about the emerging applications of the engineered wood industry!

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