"Green" Plywood?

[mbullism]

We are currently working on a large private residence, and one of the design requirements is that we cannot use engineered lumber products. Apparently the owner has allergies to just about everything, and we cannot introduce the types of adhesives used in plywoods/LVLs, etc.

I've heard that a plywood exists that uses special glues that would eliminate his problem. Has anyone heard of/used/have any info on this type of product?

Thanks in advance-

 

[RARWOOD]

Contact APA-EWS. (American Plywood Association) It is hard for me to believe that anyone is allergic to the glues used in plywood. My understanding is that once the glue in plywood is set that it doesn't give off any ordor. In other words it is a inert solid.

If it ends up that you can't use any plywood you may have to use diagonally applied board sheathing.

 

[structuralaggie]

I ran across this situation before. Apparently some type of formaldehyde is used in the glue for glulams and plywood. This is why its not a good idea to use a chunk of glulam for a cutting board.

The issue came up after the entire 15,000 s.f. house was designed. I had to go back and redesign every beam as a steel beam. There is a type of OSB that is made with glue that is supposed to be friendly to people with this type of allergy. I would check with APA or OSB manufactures. Sorry I can’t give you better information, it has been years and this doesn't come up much. It is definitely an allergy that you have to be rich to be able to afford to have.

 

[woodengineer]

I am not aware of this particular allergy from the off gasing of the glue/resins in plywood, OSB, LVLs, etc. If the allergies exist in only in the engineered wood products, perhaps consider framing the house "old school." This means using 2x12's (or even floor trusses) rather than I-joists. Consider shorter spans not requiring LVL beams. Sheath the house as they did in the old days with diagonal lumber (if the plywood/OSB on the exterior bothers your client).

or

Design the house with masonry/concrete walls with bar joists or an elevated concrete slab. Anything is possible; how much do they want to spend?

woodengineer

 

[mbullism]

I've been told they want to spent what it costs... oh, to have that problem. We are already basically a steel frame with 2X infill joists, and metal deck on the roof.

Diagonal sheathing boards has already come up... it's just that the architect said he had heard about this plywood, and we're in the early stages of researching it... We've gone steel moment frame because of the open floorplan and the expanses of perimeter glazing, really just down to the floor diaphragm at this point (and a "non" structural base to distribute wind loads to the metal studs and attach exterior finishes to)

The elevated concrete slab was set aside because of concerns that it would continue to give up moisture after the flooring above was in place...

 

[structuralaggie]

http://www.propex.com/C_f_env_formldy.htm

I found this after a short search. Apparantly there is a formaldehyde that is not as bad as the other. If they say so, I'm no chemist. They also talked about sealing with polyurethane. I didn't find any formaldehyde free products, though.

http://www.healthyhomeplans.com/articles/information14.php

More stuff at this link.

Good luck.

 

[seattlemike]

You can sheath the walls "new school"-style with sheet metal.
The floors, diagonal boards, as woodengineer suggests.

SeattleMike