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 Below is a list of common frequently asked questions about our company and the products we offer, along with answers to those questions. If you can't find the answer to your question through the following links or any other part of our website, please feel free to give us a call at one of the following numbers: Rosboro Corporate Office: (541) 746-8411 Rosboro Sales: (888) 393-2304 Technical Support: (877) 457-4139 Click on a subject below for a list of specific questions: Rosboro Engineered Wood Products Studs Plywood Timber Washington Hardwoods Questions About Our Company (Click on a question to see the answer) Who owns Rosboro? What are your expansion plans? Is Springfield the only Rosboro operation? What is Rosboro's philosophy with regard to its employees? Can I invest in Rosboro? Does Rosboro donate to the community? Who can I contact for more information about Rosboro? How do I apply for a job at Rosboro? Q: Who owns Rosboro? A: Rosboro is owned by a group of approximately 50-60 private owners. Our company is managed by a professional management team with an average of 25 years of forest products industry experience. (Back to Top) Q: What are your expansion plans? A: Our daily focus is taking care of the business that we currently have, although we are always on the lookout for profitable opportunities to expand our operations. (Back to Top) Q: Is Springfield the only Rosboro operation? A: Rosboro manufactures a wide variety of products in seven facilities including studs (for the home building market), veneer (for plywood and LVL production), plywood (for the residential market), and laminated beams (residential and commercial) at our Springfield and Vaughn plants. In addition, we have added hardwood door and window frames and custom doors through our acquisition of Washington Hardwoods in Seattle, Washington. To learn more about Washington Hardwoods, click here to visit that website. (Back to Top) Q: What is Rosboro's philosophy with regard to its employees? A: Dedicated employees are a company's best asset and Rosboro is proud to have many second- and third-generation employees. We have always provided a safe workplace for our employees and we put great emphasis on these safety programs, as well as on employee health programs. Management involvement and team efforts by employees continue to keep the company's accident rates and injury levels far below the industry average. It is Rosboro's goal to offer one of the best benefit packages in the industry to our employees. (Back to Top) Q: Can I invest in Rosboro? A: Rosboro is a privately held company and does not seek outside investors. For more information, please contact our Chief Financial Officer at (541) 746-8411. (Back to Top) Q: Does Rosboro donate to the community? A: Rosboro has a team that reviews donation requests and makes suggestions regarding which organizations to support. We prefer to support groups in the communities where we do business, mainly in the McKenzie River and Southern Willamette valleys. Charitable groups that we have supported recently include the United Way, the Child Center, the McKenzie-Willamette Hospital Foundation's Festival of Trees, and Junior Achievement, 4-H and the Boy and Girl Scouts. Please contact our Director of Corporate Giving at (541) 746-8411 regarding donation requests. (Back to Top) Q: Who can I contact for more information about Rosboro? A: Please contact our Director of Corporate Communications at (541) 746-8411. (Back to Top) Q: How do I apply for a job at Rosboro? A: All available positions are listed on the Careers page of our website and with the Oregon Employment Department. Please check with the local employment office or online to see what positions are currently open. (Back to Top) Questions About Engineered Wood Products (Click on a question to see the answer) What is camber? Why is there a crack in the beam? I'm used to installing LVL with the glue lines running vertical, what about Rosboro BigBeam®? Why is there LVL in Rosboro BigBeam? Why does it say "TOP" on some of your glulam? Can holes be drilled in glulam? Can glulam be left exposed to the elements? Are pressure treated glulam products available from Rosboro? What are the differences between "wet-use" and "dry-use" conditions? Q: What is camber? A: Camber is a "crown" purposely built into a glulam at the time of manufacture. It is most often desired in long span applications to counteract deflection. Camber does not affect the strength of the beam. Residential stock beams are normally made in either 3500' radius or zero camber, while other engineered wood products are zero camber. Most residential spans are less than 24', and the camber derived from a 3500' radius falls inside industry accepted manufacturing tolerances for zero camber beams. These glulams are increasingly popular because they contribute to a "flat" framing system without humps. (Back to Top) Q: Why is there a crack in the beam? A: Glulams, like all wood products, are subject to seasoning checks, or cracks. This is a natural occurrence due to the shrinking of wood fibers as moisture is lost to the surrounding atmosphere. Often checks will be found near the first glue line, as the bottom laminate has more surface area exposed to the air. Also, a check will normally be found near a glue line, as that is where it meets resistance from another laminate. Because of its lower moisture content, glulam will tend to experience less seasoning checking than solid sawn timber, and rarely is the strength of the member compromised. Click here to look at the APA EWS Technical Note on this subject ("Checking in Glued Laminated Timber") in the technical reference section of this website. (Back to Top) Q: I'm used to installing LVL with the glue lines running vertical. What about Rosboro BigBeam? A: Rosboro BigBeam is normally intended to be installed with the glue lines running horizontal. The LVL in the glulam is designed as a tension laminate, and therefore should be on the bottom and top of the beam. (Back to Top) Q: Why is there LVL in Rosboro BigBeam? A: Used as intended (in a horizontal application), the LVL serves as the tension and compression lams within the member. This lay-up produces a beam with approximately 25 percent higher design values than typical stock glulam. (Back to Top) Q: Why does it say "TOP" on some of your glulam? A: Standard stock glulams are normally manufactured with an "unbalanced" lay-up. This means they are engineered with a tension lam, (the strongest and most expensive laminate), only on the bottom, and intended for simple span applications. Although the beam can be used upside down, the load carrying capacity is reduced by 25 percent. Rosboro BigBeam, Treated Glulam, and 1.8E-IJC are manufactured with a "balanced" lay-up, meaning the laminates are symmetrical in lumber quality from the middle out, and therefore have no "TOP" orientation. Click here to download the Rosboro Tech Guide from the technical reference section of this website. This contains a more thorough discussion on the characteristics of glulam. (Back to Top) Q: Can holes be drilled in glulam? A: Yes. However, care must be taken to avoid damaging the structural integrity of the beam. Glulams are engineered with specific laminations of varying strength and stiffness properties, therefore certain areas or zones of the member need to be protected. Click here to look at the APA EWS Technical Note on this subject (Field Notching and Drilling of Glued Laminated Timber Beams) found in the technical reference section of this website. (Back to Top) Q: Can glulam be left exposed to the elements? A: Untreated glulam normally used in residential construction is not recommended for use that is exposed to the weather. Although waterproof adhesives are used in the manufacture of the beam, Douglas fir and Southern yellow pine wood species react unfavorably if not properly cared for, and insect infestation and decay may occur. Pressure treatment to American Wood Preservers Association (AWPA) standards, use of naturally decay resistant wood species such as Alaska yellow cedar, or maintaining a weather resistant surface coating is required. (Back to Top) Q: Are pressure treated glulam products available from Rosboro? A: Yes. Rosboro currently manufactures a product called Rosboro Treated Glulam. This is the only manufacturer treated product on the market and is designed for supporting decks and other weather-exposed applications. (Back to Top) Q: What are the differences between "wet-use" and "dry-use" conditions? A: "Wet-use" and "dry-use" are terms associated with end-use conditions that determine if full "dry-use" design stresses can be applied. Often a glulam member is exposed to the elements on an intermittent basis but drying typically follows this wetting and the beam does not reach a "wet-use" condition. Thus, dry-use stresses can be used even though the beam might be described as being "wet". The technical measure of "wet" is accepted as consistent moisture content within the beam of greater than 16 percent. It is important to emphasize that a moisture content of 16 percent is rarely reached unless the beam is submerged in water, subjected to an artificially humid moisture condition, or when in direct contact with the ground. Even in a highly humid artificial moisture environment, moisture content of 16 percent is only reached under unique combinations of relative humidity and temperature. For example, even a beam in an environment having 80 percent relative humidity and a temperature above 70 degrees Fahrenheit will not reach equilibrium moisture content of 16 percent. Since a combination of relative humidity and temperature outside of this range is seldom reached in the U.S., ambient air conditions rarely result in wet-use conditions. However, pockets of moisture may collect even though the wood in these areas is protected from decay hazards by using Rosboro pressure treated glulam products. (Back to Top) Questions About Studs (Click on a question to see the answer) Does Rosboro treat its lumber with anti-stain? Do your studs have any prior selections? The quality of your products has really improved recently, what are you doing differently? You offer KD Hem-Fir studs, is it Hemlock or White Fir? Do you publish a price list? Q: Does Rosboro treat its lumber with anti-stain? A: Yes. Anti-stain is applied right after planning as the wood travels through an in-line spray booth. The consistency we use will last for 90 to 120 days, helping to keep our product bright and fresh for that time period. (Back to Top) Q: Do your studs have any prior selections? A: Not in our 9' and 10' studs, however a limited volume of wane-free product, Rosboro PLUS, is pulled from our 8' trims. This home center quality stud gives our customers the option of buying a product that satisfies the most demanding customer, but amounts to less than 20 percent of our total production. Therefore, it has little effect on the appearance of our other products. (Back to Top) Q: The quality of your products has improved recently. What are you doing differently? A: In 2001, Rosboro decided to streamline the product mix in order to be a more competitive producer. This allowed us to lower our production cost, while increasing our production volume. Also, making fewer items has enabled us to improve our quality and packaging techniques. (Back to Top) Q: Are your KD Hem-Fir studs hemlock or white fir? A: We manufacture studs using both species. The product we sell as "Hem-Fir" is typically coastal hemlock, which grows west of the Cascade mountain range. Our hemlock generally comes from Western Oregon and Southwest Washington. We also manufacture a true white fir, which grows in Eastern Oregon and parts of Northern California. Although there are some market areas that use both, we have found white fir to be more durable, and it is used specifically in hot climate areas. (Back to Top) Q: Do you publish a price list? A: Yes. We send out a weekly price list to our customers itemizing what we have for sale via fax or e-mail. If you would like to receive our weekly list, please contact our Lumber Sales office at (888) 393-2304. (Back to Top) Questions About Plywood (Click on a question to see the answer) What effect does mold have on plywood? I have x# live load and an x# dead load on my roof/floor; what panel should I specify? What is the requirement for edge clips on roof sheathing (panel edge support requirements)? What is the difference between Exterior and Exposure 1? What is the difference between Structural 1 and Exposure 1? What are the recommendations for panel spacing? Why is spacing important? Q: What effect does mold have on plywood? A: Mold and mildew are microscopic fungi, a low form of plant life that lives off of organic matter rather than a photosynthetic process. Mold and mildew appear as woolly or powdery growth on numerous substrates. Mold spores are always present in outdoor and indoor air, and almost all building surfaces can provide nutrients to support growth. The incidence and development of mold and mildew depend heavily on temperature and moisture conditions. A warm, wet or humid environment provides ideal conditions for the development of mold and mildew on a variety of surfaces, including wood structural panels. Mold and mildew are terms commonly used interchangeably, although mold is often applied to black, blue, green, and red fungal growths, and mildew to whitish growths. The color depends on the infecting organism and the type and moisture condition of the nutrient. For example, white mold is commonly found on water-saturated laboratory test samples of wood stored at room temperatures overnight. Mold and mildew are not decay-producing fungi, although decay may occur under similar conditions as mold and mildew (high moisture, 30 percent ± moisture content). By itself, the water vapor in humid air usually will not wet wood sufficiently to support significant decay, but it will permit development of some mold and mildew fungi. Thus, wood will not decay if it is kept air dry. Allowing the wood to dry to a moisture content not exceeding 20 percent stops further growth of mold or mildew fungi. The surface growth often can be easily brushed or surfaced off. Additionally, a chemical spray solution of 10 percent household bleach and water will kill the fungi. However, under renewed moist conditions, new infestation may occur. (Back to Top) Q: I have x# live load and an x# dead load on my roof/floor; what panel should I specify? A: The fastest way to determine live and dead load capacities is to check the load span tables for roof and floor applications in the Engineered Wood Construction Guide found on the Plywood Technical Reference and Specifications page. Click here to see this document. The tables in this APA document provide allowable live loads for panels installed over common support spacing configurations. (Back to Top) Q: What is the requirement for edge clips on roof sheathing (panel edge support requirements)? A: Recommendations for panel edge support (edge clips) are provided in Table 24 (page 53) of the Engineered Wood Construction Guide found on the Plywood Technical Reference and Specifications page. Click here to see this document. (Back to Top) Q: What is the difference between Exterior and Exposure 1? A: Exterior plywood has a fully waterproof bond and is designed for applications subject to exposure to the weather or to moisture for its entire service life. Exposure 1 plywood has a fully waterproof bond and is designed for applications where construction delays may be expected prior to providing protection. Exposure 1 plywood is made with the same exterior adhesives used in Exterior panels. However, because other compositional factors may affect bond performance, only Exterior plywood should be used for permanent exposure to the weather. NOTE: APA-Rated Plywood Sheathing Exposure 1, commonly called "CDX" in the trade, is sometimes mistaken as an Exterior panel and erroneously used in applications for which it does not possess the required resistance to weather. "CDX" should only be used for applications as outlined under Exposure 1 above. For sheathing grade panels that will be exposed permanently to the weather, specify APA-Rated Sheathing Exterior (C-C Exterior plywood under PS 1). (Back to Top) Q: What is the difference between Structural 1 and Exposure 1? A: The term Structural 1 refers to certain specialized strength and stiffness characteristics of plywood panels while the term Exposure 1 refers to the glue bond durability. (Back to Top) Q: What are the recommendations for panel spacing? Why is spacing important? A: APA recommends 1/8" spacing at all panel end and edge joints unless otherwise indicated by the manufacturer. Spacing is important because wood expands and contracts in response to moisture content. Spacing panel edges and ends during installation minimize the risk of panel buckling. APA's 1/8" spacing recommendations are based on typical 4 x 8 panels installed under and for normal conditions. If larger panels are used or if severe moisture conditions are anticipated, increased spacing may be required. (Back to Top) Questions About Our Timberlands (Click on a question to see the answer) Do you own your own timberland? Do you cut and manufacture old-growth timber? What do you do to care for the environment? How many trees do you replant a year? Do you issue firewood permits? Do you buy logs or timberland? Q: Do you own your own timberland? A: Rosboro is one of the largest private timberland owners in the Pacific Northwest. Our lands are strategically located in eight counties in the fertile forests of Western Oregon. We are actively looking to expand our ownership base. (Back to Top) Q: Do you cut and manufacture old-growth timber? A: Our sawmill and veneer operations utilize smaller, second growth, plantation-type logs. We continue to be on the forefront of technology, to successfully respond to ongoing changes in timber supply and the demands of the marketplace. We use the most current technology to maximize timber growth while providing a healthy forest environment. (Back to Top) Q: What do you do to care for the environment? A: Rosboro participates and consistently meets or exceeds the requirements outlined in the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), a set of principles that integrates the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil and water quality. When consumers purchase Rosboro products, they can be assured that care has been taken to nurture forest health and practice responsible forestry. Our stewardship of the land includes prompt reforestation, prudent use of forest chemicals, protection of special sites, and enhancement of wildlife habitat that contribute to biodiversity. We also protect water quality, support improvements in wood utilization, minimize the visual impacts of harvesting, and educate the public about the practice of sustainable forestry. SFI participants are called upon to meet market demands while ensuring the future of our nation's forests by using environmentally responsible practices. (Back to Top) Q: How many trees do you plant each year? A: Rosboro replants harvested sites with sufficient numbers of seedlings to far exceed Oregon Forest Practices Act requirements of four trees planted for each tree harvested. As they grow, we fertilize them, control competing vegetation and thin the trees to stimulate growth. These methods ensure the future viability of our timberland resource for generations to come. (Back to Top) Q: Do you issue firewood permits? A: We do not allow any firewood or forest products (such as boughs or mushrooms) to be removed from our property. (Back to Top) Q: Do you buy logs or timberland? A: We buy logs and timberland from a variety of sources throughout Western Oregon. If you are a timberland owner looking to sell your property or just have logs to sell, please call us at (541) 746-8411 for the latest prices. Our professional foresters can help you through the harvest process from start to finish. For questions, click here to e-mail our log buyer. (Back to Top) |
