A question of structure: what are the benefits of LVL framing?

Once a standard and common sound on residential building sites around the country, the distinctive noise of the planer has overwhelmingly decreased of late because this piece of construction equipment is needed less and less. 

That’s due to the introduction of new options for structural framing. Until recently, solid timber was the standard product of choice for residential framing, and while it remains a relevant option, technology has advanced and now offers an alternative - laminated veneer lumber, more commonly known as LVL.

“The standout benefit of J-Frame LVL is that it is an engineered timber, which by nature, makes its straight strong and very durable,” Juken New Zealand’s Greg Hill says. 

“This has meant there is no longer any need for construction professionals to spend days - or more - working with a planer to straighten the framing after installation. Ultimately, this saves time, and therefore money, during the build.”

“LVL is structurally strong and straight, which places it as a frontrunner immediately. But in terms of J-Frame, this is an LVL product that is also CodeMark certified, meaning it can be used across the country, with all territorial authorities accepting it as an approved solution,” Greg says. 

Sustainability is at the heart of any socially conscious business, and the construction industry is no different. When it comes to forestry and timber products, the need to ensure stringent environmental policies are in place is arguably even more important. 

“This is something that we place utmost importance on in everything we do,” Greg says. Juken New Zealand owns 40,000 hectares of predominantly radiata pine forest in New Zealand, spread across Wairarapa and the East Coast, with mill operations close to each site. 

“Our success depends on and reflects our commitment to the environment. Our customers demand it and we respond to that demand, and the final products represent premium quality and sustainable solutions.”

For Greg and the Juken team, a central part of producing a premium product is transparency in the supply chain; knowing where and how a product was produced and being able to ensure environmental sustainability. “With forestry in particular, we cannot only consider the short term. What we are doing is ensuring our environment is protected for the generations to come.”

Juken’s radiata pine are harvested at 30 years of age, after which time the land is carefully prepared for replanting within six months. “Every tree that is harvested is, in this process, swiftly replanted.”

For Waikato-based residential builder and director of Summit Homes, Tony Clark, the choice to use J-Frame in every project is one based on various factors, including its performance, transparency of origin and sustainability. 

“We choose to use J-Frame for all our wall framing and have done for about 12 years now. It’s CodeMark certified, which means it can be used anywhere and must be accepted as compliant, and it is strong and stays straight,” Tony says.

“Perhaps the main benefit from a construction point of view is that you don’t need to spend time going around and straightening it all with a planer. It saves us at least a full day of work on every project. 

“As a company, we also want to be 100 per cent confident in every product we use. Having the transparency of being able to visit the mills and see how the product is made and what it is made from means we can pass this knowledge on to our clients - knowing that this is a high quality, premium solution - along with the knowledge that it is sourced locally and managed responsibly - all Juken products come from sustainably managed forests.”

Find out more about premium LVL framing from Juken New Zealand.