Engineered Wood Wall Framing Replacement of traditional 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 dimensional lumber with LSL, parallam, or other composite wood products  The decreasing supply of large diameter, old-growth trees has resulted in an increased popularity of engineered wood materials -- those that process young, small diameter trees into strands and reassemble them into panels, boards, and framing material. Engineered wood has many uses, including wall framing. Engineered wood wall framing is used as a replacement of traditional 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 dimensional lumber, installed with the same process, tools, and fasteners. A manufacturer of engineered wood framing states that its product is superior in strength, stability, and uniformity to standard lumber, and is comparable in cost.
For the purpose of this write-up, engineered wood framing is currently made from lamininated strand lumber (LSL). LSL begins with small diameter logs from abundant species such as aspen and poplar, that are processed into small wood strands up to 12 inches long. The strands are coated with adhesive and compressed into large billets that are sawn into standard lumber dimensions. Wall studs and plates are available in nominal 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 sizes. Headers and beams are available to match standard wall thickness and height: 3-1/2" and 5-1/2" thickness, and 4-3/8" to 18" height. Engineered wood studs and plates are available in many standard lengths up to 22' and custom lengths up to 48'. Manufacturers guarantee performance for the life of the structure. When substituting engineered wood studs and plates for traditional framing materials on a one-for-one basis, material costs may be higher than dimensional lumber. Like any new structural material, there is some question as to its durability and its performance when exposed to moisture. Another disadvantage is that it is heavier than an equivalent amount of pine. For instance, a 1 x 12, 16 feet in length, weighed approximately 29 Pounds. An LSL equivalent weighed approximately 43 Pounds. 
Engineered wood wall studs and plates are available in the United States through regional and local distributors.
Typical LSL prices will fluctuate from $1.20 to $2.00 per board foot, compared to approximately 90˘ per board foot for #2 pine, the typical shop grade. It is important to note that LSL should be bought only in large quantities, around 12,000 board feet.
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Current engineered wood framing materials have evaluation reports to increase building code acceptance. The manufacturer supplies load tables for their wall framing system to facilitate proper installation and determine proper stud spacing for various wall heights and loading scenarios.
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LSL wall studs are typically a direct replacement for dimensional lumber studs and can be substituted member for member. Spacing and header sizes, however, may be different due to LSL's greater strength. LSL studs are cut, handled, and assembled in the same manner as conventional lumber.
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Wall Studs are purported to not bow, warp, twist, or shrink once they are installed. They have few defects, such as cracking, splitting, knots, and wane, that would result in material waste. The manufacturing process helps conserve our natural resources because the trees used are fast growing and most of the wood is converted to strands. Engineered wood framing is a more uniform product than traditional lumber framing. Additionally, engineered wood framing uses fast-growing, plentiful lumber species, reducing the amount of old-growth timber that is harvested. It also uses logs more efficiently than solid-sawn lumber. Some engineered lumber will cost twice as much as regular shop grade lumber. However, there is considerably less waste with each piece because it does not contain the defects of other lumber. There are some estimates that approximately 35% of traditional lumber is wasted, due to imperfections. LSL offers nearly 100% utilization. Also, improved productivity due to material uniformity can result in labor savings that will partially or fully offset the additional cost of materials. In the end, engineered wood framing may result in less material and total installed costs. For example, wider spacing of wall studs can be implemented due to its superior strength, and it can be used for tall walls, such as in open foyers. | 
