The off-site manufacturing phenomenon is rapidly transforming the construction industry, and many architects are re-evaluating the efficiency of traditional stick-built practices. After all, we don’t build cars and computers in the customer’s backyard in the rain and hot sun, so why should we build homes that way?
Off-site manufacturing allows architects to focus on what they like best—design. They don’t need to send construction drawings to the builder. However, it does require the architect, home buyer and interior designer to plan things in greater detail upfront. Then the design has to be optimized for the off-site manufacturer’s system. But the result is that all parties get exactly what they want.
An engineered wood product like LP FlameBlock Fire-Rated OSB Sheathing is well-suited to off-site manufacturing because it’s strong, straight and dimensionally stable. In addition, it helps architects accomplish much more than fire code compliance. For example, an LP FlameBlock wall assembly utilizing 2x6 framing provides greater energy efficiency while reducing the transmission of outdoor noise into the home.
“We recently worked with a spec builder on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts where we were able to erect two houses and a guest cottage with all the windows in—plus insulation, plumbing, and electrical—in just four weeks,” says Karim Sahyoun, co-founder and executive vice president of off-site housing manufacturer Blueprint Robotics. “One project was a 5,700-square-foot house with a 1,450-square-foot guest cottage and the other was a 4,000-square-foot house. Before another builder could even get the framing crews signed up, this builder had three structures that were completely sealed from the weather.”
The equipment in the Blueprint Robotics plant in Baltimore, Md., requires precision-engineered building materials. “If there’s an imperfection in the wood, the equipment may start measuring a millimeter further and the nails may miss,” says Sahyoun. “We’ve had no problems at all with LP’s LSL products and LP FlameBlock sheathing.”
Off-site manufacturing is already delivering numerous benefits—significantly faster construction time, fewer workers required, and improved worker safety. But perhaps the biggest benefit is the boost in quality. Off-site manufacturing that uses straight, dry engineered wood reduces the potential for warranty issues after the job is complete.
When architects and off-site manufacturers view home building from the whole-house perspective—and use engineered wood products ideally suited to the task—construction costs drop dramatically and quality greatly improves.
LP and FlameBlock are registered trademarks of Louisiana-Pacific Corporation.
