Ongoing LVL Test

I have been running an informal test since the day I brought the LVL home and made the first cut. What I did was I took a scrap piece and placed it in my driveway that is usually shady and directly under a downspout from the house. This way it would see lots of water and not dry out so fast baking in the sun.

That piece of wood has now been sitting there since May of 2010, Yea I know I have one of the longest on going stringer projects known to man.   

Anyway here are the top and bottom of the LVL that has been sitting exposed outside for close to 2 years.





And here is me standing on that piece of LVL laid across saw horses. The thin side of LVL is only about 1/4" - 3/8" thick where it is resting on the saw horse.

So after about 2 years exposed outdoors with no weatherproofing of any kind there is no rot. There is some mold there but it still holds me up (195#) no problem and one side is only about 3/8" thick. I am liking the results of this test so far!!

Kris

ya dont break your leg testing that wood!!

Did you weight the piece before and after? I wonder how much water it has absorbed. Good test!

8122pbrainard wrote: Kris, Fantastic you took the time to do the test. Now, you better get back to the boat!

LOL Yep, I have been working on it a little here and there but planning on hitting it hard and heavy now until it is completed. My wife may make me slow down a little at the end of them month for our son being born. Some people have their priorities out of wack, I tell you!!

Jllogan wrote: ya dont break your leg testing that wood!!

Oh I was real easy about that before I put my full weight on it. I made sure to hold onto the wall behind me and had my other foot so I could catch myself before falling the first time I did this.

gun-driver wrote: Gain some weight then you'll be able to break that thing!!! The only down side I see to your test is that mold and mildew usually grow where there is a lack of ventilation. So out in the fresh air is not a good representation of under a closed up wet floor area. But at least we know it doesn't delaminate in the weather.

Well part of the reason that this has taken me so long is I have been working on being a lot more healthy and have lost about 50 pounds in the process. So I am not worried about breaking the wood. :-)
I hopefully have my floor sealed up well enough that it will not have to deal with being wet for a long time!! I know it is not the perfect test but it does make me feel a little bit better about the material I selected to use in my project.

anthonylizardi wrote: Did you weight the piece before and after? I wonder how much water it has absorbed. Good test!

I did not, that would have been a good thing to do though. I can tell you that it does not feel like it is any heavier. I will try and find a piece about that size in my scraps and see if there is a weight difference.

rcthorpe wrote: Great sounds like we're going to have to wait another two years to find out the result of that test...

Hopefully it will be longer before it is completely rotten. Hopefully that will mean it will last even longer in my boat!

50 pounds is awesome!! Guess we should call you little pappa.