Inspecting Engineered Wood Products
Course Outline
By
John Bouldin, ACI, Ph.D.

• Course description: Two-hour session “Inspecting Engineered Wood Products”. Engineered wood products (EWP) such as I-joists and LVLs are commanding an ever increasing role in residential construction. Traditional wood framing methods for dimension lumber do not necessarily conform to EWP installation specifications and as a result, many EWP construction violations occur. Prescriptive building codes such as the IRC do not contain EWP specifications. This session will enthusiastically present common mistakes, risk vulnerable areas of EWP installation, and source documentation for proper EWP construction. The program will be presented through actual photographs, original illustrations, and demonstration models of the most common problems. I look forward to meeting and working with you!
  
• Goal: Upon completion of this class, students will be more knowledgeable regarding the installation, inspection and evaluation of engineered wood products and the various related systems and components with application to residential inspection. Students will also be more knowledgeable regarding the appropriate conditions observed that warrant recommendation of further analysis.
  
• Learning Objectives: Upon completion of the course students will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of:

1. Nomenclature specific to engineered wood products installations and their relation to Home Inspection, codes and EWP specifications.
   
2. Identify Components and proper installation with respect to select EWP systems.
   
3. Identify modalities and evidences of failure; installation, weathering and mechanical damage related to EWP.
   
4. Common “defects” and recognition/reporting.
   

• Books and Handouts: PowerPoint Presentation by John Bouldin, in PDF format.
  
• Evaluation: Class participation.

Class Schedule
Timing: 2.0 hours

• Class Presentation: PowerPoint presentation by John Bouldin
  
• Timed Outline:
• 5 m Welcome and Introduction.
  
• 5 m Load paths.
  
• 5 m LVL and PSL beam concerns.
  
• 15 m History of the development of open-web trusses, forces, loads, and reactions. The triangle structure as the basis for open-web truss construction.
  
• 30 m Open-web trusses as roof and floor support members. Modified and/or broken trusses can result in disastrous decreases in roof and floor integrity.
  
• 30 m I-joists as roof and floor support members. Many installers treat I-joists the same as dimensional lumber, which can result in compromises in structural performance and safety. We will also examine doubled I-joist beam considerations.
• 30 m Joist hangers and connections. If the basics of structural connections are not handled properly, a structure or component will not be able to properly support its designed load.

Bio: John Bouldin has been a home inspector for 18 years and owns and operates ProTechs Home Inspections. He completed a Ph.D. in a home inspection-related field from Virginia Tech in August of 2011, where he conducted laboratory research into properties of engineered wood products, fasteners, decks, and other topics. He served two terms on the Virginia Board for Asbestos, Lead, and Home Inspectors. He is an ASHI certified inspector, a Virginia certified inspector and holds ICC certification as a Residential Building Inspector. He served as an instructor and convention speaker with ITA/KPS from 2003 – 2007.

.pdf version