Design Values
Make Specifying Cypress Easier

Wood grain in a golden honey Color

The American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) has certified the first-ever set of engineering design values for cypress. The design values now are recognized in model building codes across the United States.

 

The certification makes it much easier for architects and builders to specify cypress for structural applications, such as exposed beams, timbers, posts, columns, headers and other large structural or accent pieces.

 

Grading for structural cypress will be under the auspices of the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB) (www.spib.org). Appearance-grade cypress will continue to be governed by the rules of the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) (www.natlhardwood.org).

Summary of Allowable Base Design Values for Baldcypress Dimension Lumber

GradeExtreme Fiber in Bending FbTension Parallel- to-Grain FtCompression Parallel- to-Grain FcHorizontal Shear FvCompression Perpendicular- to-GrainModulus of Elasticity, E
Select Structural120065012001606151,400,000
No. 1100055010501606151,400,000
No. 28254509001606151,300,000
No. 34752505251606151,200,000
Construction92550011001606151,200,000
Standard5252759251606151,100,000
Utility2501256001606151,000,000
Stud650350 5751606151,200,000

Design Values in Pounds Per Square Inch (psi)

Summary of Allowable Design Values for Cypress Timbers

GradeExtreme Fiber in Bending FbTension Parallel- to-Grain FtCompression Parallel- to-Grain FcHorizontal Shear FvCompression Perpendicular- to-GrainModulus of Elasticity, E
Select Structural115075010502006151,300,000
No. 110006759252006151,300,000
No. 26254256001756151,000,000

Design Values in Pounds Per Square Inch (psi)

Comparisons Between Base Design Values for Baldcypress, Northern White Cedar, Western Cedars & Redwood Dimension Lumber

Species & Commercial GradeSize ClassificationBending FbTension Parallel- to-Grain FtCompression Perpendicular- to-GrainCompression Parallel- to-Grain FcModulus of Elasticity, EGrading Rules Agency
Baldcypress
Select Structural2″ – 4″ thick120065061512001,400,000SPIB
No. 12″ and wider100055061510501,400,000
No. 2 8254506159001,300,000
No. 3 4752506155251,200,000
Stud 6503506155751,200,000
Construction2″ – 4″ thick92550061511001,200,000
Standard2″ – 4″ wide 5252756159251,100,000
Utility 2501256156001,000,000
Northern White Cedar
Select Structural2″ – 4″ thick775450370750800,000NeLMA
No. 12″ and wider575325370600700,000
No. 2 550325370475700,000
No. 3 325175370275600,000
Stud 425250370300600,000
Construction2″ – 4″ thick625375370625700,000
Standard2″ – 4″ wide350200370475600,000
Utility 175100370325600,000
Western Cedars
Select Structural2″ – 4″ thick100060042510001,100,000WCLIB
No. 12″ and wider7254254258251,000,000WWPA
No. 2 7004254256501,000,000
No. 3 400250425375900,000
Stud 550325425400900,000
Construction2″ – 4″ thick800475425850900,000>
Standard2″ – 4″ wide450<275425650800,000
Utility 225125425425800,000
Redwood
Clear Heart Structural2″ – 4″ thick1750100065018501,400,000RIS
Select Structural2″ and wider135080065015001,400,000
Select Structural, open grain 110062542511001,100,000
No. 1 97557565012001,300,000
No. 1, open grain 7754504259001,100,000
No. 2 9255256509501,200,000
No. 2, open grain 7254254257001,000,000
No. 3 5253006505501,100,000
No. 3, open grain 425250425400900,000
Stud 575325425450900,000
Construction2″ – 4″ thick875475425925900,000
Standard2″ – 4″ wide450 275425725900,000
Utility 225125425475800,000/td>

Design Values in Pounds Per Square Inch (psi)