The Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB) has resubmitted proposed design values for all grades and sizes of visually graded Southern Pine dimension lumber to the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC). SPIB and the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory worked cooperatively to finalize the analysis of the latest test data, comprised of more than 300,000 data points. This is the largest submission of data since the original In-Grade Testing Program in 1991.
“SPIB made a number of revisions to the proposed design values as compared to their September 2012 submittal, but almost all are minor and within one rounding rule,” says Cathy Kaake, vice president of technical marketing for the Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA). The latest proposed design values from SPIB are now available on www.southernpine.com. SFPA will update the rest of its comprehensive collection of design value analysis – informative Q&As, comparisons with other species, alternative Southern Pine grades and maximum span tables – and this information will be available online soon.
The ALSC Board of Review will meet on January 30, 2013 to hear testimony from interested parties and will consider all input before making a final decision. SFPA and key customer groups continue to support an orderly transition to new design values and encourage the ALSC Board of Review to provide a six?month transition period after certification of new design values for all grades and sizes.
Southern Pine’s strength and stiffness remain comparable to other softwood species used in residential and commercial construction. Southern Pine users have many available product options including visually graded dimension lumber and an increasing supply of mechanically graded lumber. From framing a house to building a deck, Southern Pine continues to be a dependable product with superior treatability against decay and termites.
BACKGROUND: The last major change for visually graded dimension lumber occurred in 1991 when design values for Southern Pine and other North American species were published based on In-Grade testing of full-size samples of commercially produced lumber. SPIB’s proposed design values are based on the testing of more than 7,400 full-size samples in a two-step process to complete the full In-Grade testing matrix.
SFPA does not test lumber or establish design values. SFPA’s primary function is to market lumber products and to help users understand Southern Pine grading rules and design values.
Visit www.southernpine.com for complete information about Southern Pine design values.