On-Site Snapshot – 300 × 63 mm F17 Structural LVL, Australia
Sydney duplex build, Padstow NSW
- Clear-span first-floor joists at 450 mm centres, 5.2 m opening left-to-right.
- 300 × 63 mm F17 LVL dropped into galvanised face-fix hangers (Simpson LUS 300) nailed off in under 90 seconds per end—no crane, two carpenters.
- String-line check shows < 2 mm crown across entire bay; no cambering required.
- H3-LOSP treatment eliminates temporary tarping during three-week rain delay.
- Mid-span penetration for 100 mm Ø ductwork cut with cordless recip-saw; engineer sign-off confirms residual section still exceeds 24 kN·m requirement.
- After plaster-board ceiling installed, 2 kPa live-load + 0.8 kPa dead-load test records 4.1 mm deflection (L/1 270), well inside L/300 code limit.
Melbourne warehouse mezzanine, Dandenong VIC - 300 × 63 mm F17 LVL used as secondary beams @ 600 mm centres, 4.8 m span, supporting 18 mm ply plus 2.5 kPa pallet load.
- Lightweight (10.9 kg m⁻¹) allows two-storey installation without mobile hoist—savings of AUD 1 200 in crane hire.
- Red oxide end-seal shows zero end-check after six months of HVAC cycling; E0.05 = 12.3 GPa delivers consistent floor stiffness for high-reach forklift traffic.
Brisbane residential renovation, Indooroopilly QLD - Existing 1904 hardwood joists (undersized) replaced one-for-one with 300 × 63 mm F17 LVL; no concrete footing changes required.
- Beam shoe retrofitted with M12 chemical anchors; pull-out test > 18 kN per bolt, satisfying AS 1720.4 clause 5.2.
- Completed floor passed private certifier inspection same day, enabling immediate tiling schedule—project programme shortened by five working days.
Pair our LVL with plantation pine plywood for a complete structural package—beams, joists, bracing and roof diaphragm all sourced under one BSI-certified quality system. One purchase order, one shipment, one point of accountability.
Strong-back shortcut
For residential floors over 4.8 m, a single 90 × 45 mm F17 strong-back nailed flat at mid-span will cut deflection by ≈ 25 %, letting you stay with 300 × 63 mm instead of jumping to the heavier 360 × 63 mm beam.
Colour coding
Red stripe = F17, blue = F14, green = F11. If the crew mixes grades on site the floor will feel “soft” underfoot because 63 mm deep joists are often spaced at 600 mm—well above the F11 span tables.
14-year mill, F17 LVL up to 9.5 m, AS/NZS 4357.0, 72 h boil-proof, BSI 773486.
Stock vs. Custom length
Although merchants carry 2.4–6.0 m “off-the-shelf”, the billet can be factory-spliced to 12.6 m. When you order a full-length 9.5 m joist you eliminate one site joint, saving 15 min labour and a row of hangers.