Parallam Shop drawings. 2

[RARWOOD]

A post on the structural engineering portion of this forum about Parallam got me thinking about the difference between Parallam and glulam.

When you specify Parallam does the supplier provided shop drawings? Is the Parallam shop fabricated or field fabricated?

I work for a glulam fabricator and occasionally see Parallam specified on jobs where Parallam just doesn't seem to fit the project. For example I've seen Parallam specified for curved beams. To the best of my knowledge Parallam is not produced in curved shapes. Also I don't know if you could rip a Parallam beam into a curved shape and still use it structurally.

I worked on a job about six months ago where Parallam was specified and glulam was subsituted. The job was quiet involved and required glulams with beveled ends, sloping tops and valley cuts. While I was working on the shop drawings I proposed that all straight billets be shipped to the contractor.

The basis for my argument was, that I believed that if Parallam was supplied it would all be shipped as straight billets with no fab. In addition the straight billets could be shipped in five days or less. While waiting on shop drawings and fabrication drawings could take two to three weeks.

I lost the argument. However I am still wondering if their is any one out there who shop fabricates Parallam.

 

[JAE]

I don't think it is ever "shop" fabricated other than perhaps cut to specific lengths for the project.

Parallam, microlam, etc. are factory built products that come in standard sizes - much like dimensional lumber.

Don't usually ask for shop drawings - more likely I'd ask for material certificates to verify Fb, Fv, etc.

 

[graybeach]

I had parallam shop fabricated, with shop drawings done by trus joist. We needed all sorts of predrilled holes at regular spaces. It worked out very well.