Com-Ply Studs–A Status Report

Composite (Com-Ply) studs were developed as substitutes for solid wood studs in conventional wall frames for home construction, without any changes in construction designs or building techniques. The primary purpose of the development was to more efficiently utilize small-diameter softwood logs by placing the strongest material from the outer diameter on the edges of the studs and including a core of particleboard made from the inner portions of lower quality and from various logging and mill residues. The process is expected to use half as many trees to produce a given number of studs as will conventional sawmill practice. The Com-ply stud was taken from an initial concept to successful pilot plant production and use in three demonstration private homes within a two-year period. Success was achieved by first developing performance criteria for strength, stiffness, dimensional stability, durability and fastenability that were acceptable to the cooperators in the program–the Federal Housing Administration of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In this way, specific targets were available for development and evaluation of the studs and as a basis for acceptance by building code officials, builders, and home owners. Com-ply studs, with two parallel-oriented layers of 1/6-inch southern pine veneer bonded to each edge of a phenolic-bonded particleboard core, were demonstrated to have the necessary performance according to the established criteria and to be suitable for direct substitution for solid studs in wall frames in conventional construction of three demonstration homes in Annapolis, Maryland; Aurora, Illinois; and Vancouver, Washington. Preliminary economic studies indicate that such studs can be produced to compete directly with solid softwood studs. The reactions of builders and their workmen, code officials, and the public have been excellent. It is now planned to extend the composite lumber concept to larger sizes of dimension lumber for joists and rafters and to consider some additional utilization of hardwoods.

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