Glue Lams are not rated for areas exposed to the weather, like the frame of a deck. J.

Huh - I had a deck built a couple years ago that has two LVL beams supporting it.

LVL is available for exterior use and in some situtations even for ground contact use.

BUT it depends on your application whether LVL will meet your exterior needs.

American Pole & Timber distributes pressure-treated LVL -- I've heard good things from co-workers about the company.

I would be interested in your experience with their LVL for exterior use should you go with them.

Contact them with your specific application at: http://www.americanpoleandtimber.com/contact.shtml

Jim

P.S. Rosboro sells a "Rosboro Treated Glulam" specifically designed for supporting decks and other weather-exposed applications.

This may be the best solution.

Mine were Parallam brand - I think it's from Weyerhauser.

Intersting. I have a email coming from the poleand timber outfit.

Its one thing to treat beams and poles but a whole different thing to guarentee ground contact with a composite product. This I will be happy to see in print.

Treating framing members to support roof covered projects is also very different than framing under an uncovered deck. J.

Warranty for iLevelî Trus Joistî Parallamî Plus psl Composite Lumber Products

Here is a link that might be useful: Warranty for iLe vel® Trus Joist® Parallam® Plus psl Composite Lumber Products

Now that is intersting. Thanks Denni !!

Treated to the core with cca that should do it although if they do fail there is no labor costs they will just drop the replacement at the job site.

Still working on the span charts. J.

As I said above...

Rosboro sells a "Rosboro Treated Glulam" specifically designed for supporting decks and other weather-exposed applications.

This may be the best solution.

I got a return email from Rodney Strawn,Am Post and timber.
He does not recomend LUV for ground contact. J.

I can't say that I've used lvl's for deck beams but, I have seen them used by other contractors. On elevated decks they should be fine, just be sure to put some sort of moisture barrior on the top of the lvl.

Ground level decks would be a no no far as lvl's go.

Now that I look at the composite glue lams no matter how much cca they pumped into them there is no way I would use them on a low,say 3' and under, deck. Even higher than that would be a gamble. J.

Alaskan Yellow Cedar is the hardest known Cedar in the World and can be made into Glue Lam Beams. Put the rubber Deck Protector on top and it will last. Not sure on ground contact, I use these up the air.

*up in the air*

Don't listen to that idiot John. He has been telling people on here for years not to use glulams. I used the Rosboro Treated Glulam 5 years ago and have been very happy with it. It was recommended by the structural engineer who designed my deck.

I am just saying what the man told me. Take it or leave it.

Belive me if they seemed to be the right thing I would use them real quick. J.