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Solid wood is having a moment.
In September, the number of multifamily, commercial, or institutional solid wood projects that were underway or built had increased by more than five times from seven years agoaccording to WoodWorks, a non-profit organization that supports contractors in massive wood construction.
With this demand comes a question: In the midst of a continuous qualified labor crisisWho can contractors tap to build these projects?
Ironworkers believe they have the answer.
“We look at solid wood, there’s no one better suited to set up the lifting, placing and overall work flow of a structural project than a steelworker,” said Coby Foust, a fourth-generation steelworker and president of Foust Fab & Erectors, a steel erection company located in Colville, Washington.
The steel experience translates
The skills that bind both materials make ironworkers in a good spot to get involved with solid wood, Eric Dean said.general president of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcement Workers.
“We have this heavy equipment skill set to be able to put together any kind of skeletal frame for a building,” Dean told Construction Dive.
Foust, whose company is no stranger to massive wood projects, echoed the sentiment. His team helped erect Walmart’s corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. The 1 million square foot structure features 21,000 cubic yards of cross-laminated timber and glulam.
He acknowledged, however, that there are some differences between the two materials that ironworkers should be aware of before undertaking massive woodworking.
“Solid wood, I joke with the guys, has feelings. It’s an architectural finished product,” Foust said. “If a worker hits the wood too hard, that could leave a hole that would require repairs down the road. Structural steel can take more hits.”
Getting ready for more
Ironworkers expect demand for their services to grow in the solid wood sector. With this, they are preparing to learn more about using the material.
Thirty-five Iron Workers are now training on mock-ups, or facsimiles, of massive wood projects, according to a Sept. 29 press release sent to Construction Dive. Foust Fab & Erectors offer a similar range of their own hybrid mockups.
Members of a railroad apprenticeship program in Boston, Massachusetts, stand inside a raised massive wooden model.
Permit granted by the International Association of Iron, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcement Workers
Chapters have used blueprints provided by WoodWorks and materials from manufacturer Vaagen Timbers to erect 12-foot-tall structures. according to Jason Rafter, a rail training specialist. Some of these locations share these layouts with other locations.
The training and mockups help ironworkers get started with the material during their apprenticeships, according to the press release.
joining forces
But that doesn’t mean only ironworkers are the key to success: Teams that combine both skill sets are also important to the overall effort, said Tom Baun, steel industry solid wood consultant and president of 3 Tree Consulting.
With a hybrid crew, Baun said, all trades can come together, where carpenters, electricians and toolmakers can focus on their respective skill sets. For toolmakers, this is erecting the structures of the project.
In a recent example of combining crafts to achieve mass lumber success, McCarthy Building Cos. delivered the Brookhaven City Center project in Brookhaven, Georgia. The City Hall of 58,250 square meters succeeded after the steel and solid wood teams working together to find the best approach to erecting the solid wood installation with solid results.
Brookhaven Town Center, a government building in Brookhaven, Ga., constructed primarily of solid wood.
Courtesy of McCarthy Building Cos.
Carter Schmid, senior project manager at McCarthy, based in St. Louis, told Construction Dive via email that the blacksmiths and carpenters excelled at their own crafts. Ironworkers saw their skills translate to details of structure and connection, and carpenters benefited from their training in precise design and installation.
“By combining these skill sets, we weren’t approaching the job from a single point of view. The teams collaborated closely to find the most efficient and precise ways to handle and install each massive wood element,” said Schmid. “In the end, this mix of disciplines created a stronger, more well-rounded crew and resulted in a smoother, higher-quality installation process than we would have achieved with just one trade.”
Baun echoed the point and the importance of collaborative crews.
“A composite crew is the best approach, and the structural members should be the ironworkers, because that’s what they do, and they’ve been doing it for decades,” Baun said.
