Guide to Engineered Lumber: A Practical Decision Checklist

For Developers, General Contractors & Property Managers

Before you build, run through this checklist.

It will help you:

1. Avoid overbuilding or under-specifying
2. Align systems with real jobsite conditions
3. Reduce delays tied to labor and coordination

Start Here: What are you trying to optimize?

The right engineered lumber system is determined by what constraint matters most. Before choosing a system, clarify the primary driver of your project:

• Speed to completion
• Labor availability
• Structural span requirements
• Cost control
• Design flexibility
  

Step 1: Evaluate Your Structural Needs

Span & Load Requirements

• Do you need long, open spans (e.g., parking, retail, large units)?
• Are you minimizing interior load-bearing walls?

If YES → Strong candidate for trusses or structural beams (LVL, glulam)

Use Trusses When:

• Roof spans are wide
• Floor systems need to minimize columns
• Layout is repetitive

Step 2: Assess Project Scale & Repetition

Is the building layout repetitive? For example:

• Multifamily units with similar layouts
• Hotels, senior living, student housing

If YES → Strong candidate for panelized wall systems + trusses

Use Wall Panels When:

• Units repeat floor-to-floor
• Framing details are consistent
• You want predictable installation

Step 3: Evaluate Schedule Pressure

How tight is your timeline? Are you facing any of the following?

• Aggressive completion date
• Financing or lease-up pressure
• Weather exposure risk (Midwest conditions)

If YES → Prioritize prefabricated systems where possible

Best Choices:

• Wall panels for faster vertical framing
• Trusses for rapid roof dry-in

Step 4: Consider Labor Availability

What does your labor situation look like?

• Limited framing crews
• High labor costs
• Inconsistent subcontractor availability

If YES to any of these → Engineered + prefab systems could be a good fit

Why?

• Less on-site cutting and measuring
• Smaller crews required
• Faster install cycles

Step 5: Determine Level of Design Flexibility Needed

Traditional framing still makes sense where flexibility outweighs efficiency.

Is the design highly customized? Are any of these features included?

• Unique layouts
• Frequent plan changes
• Non-repetitive structure

If YES → Consider traditional framing or hybrid approach

Examples include:

• Custom homes
• One-off commercial builds

Step 6: Compare System Options Side-by-Side

Criteria Trusses

Wall Panels

Traditional Framing

Best for:

Long spans, roofs

Speed, multifamily

Custom/small jobs

Installation speed

Fast

Fastest

Slowest

Labor needs

Moderate

Low

High

Waste

Low

Lowest

Highest

Flexibility

Moderate

Low

High

Step 8: Decide Your Approach

Quick Decision Rules

• If spans are large → Use trusses
• If schedule is tight → Use wall panels
• If labor is limited → Use engineered + prefab
• If design is custom → Use traditional framing
• If project is multifamily → Use trusses + panels together

Bonus: Hybrid Approach (Most Common in Multifamily)

Most large projects don’t choose just one system:

• Trusses for roof + floors
• Wall panels for exterior + demising walls
• Stick framing for small adjustments