Building Code Glossary
Structural Composite Lumber: Building Code Definition
How the IBC 2009 define structural composite lumber, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Structural composite lumber is a defined term in the International Building Code (IBC) 2009, in Wood. The code's own words are: “Structural member manufactured using wood elements bonded together with exterior adhesives. Examples of structural composite lumber are:” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IBC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 5 chapters of this corpus, most often in Wood (IBC 2009), Floors (IRC 2009), Roof-ceiling Construction (IRC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted. Record the jurisdiction, the adopted edition, the application date and any local amendment that rewrites the definition before you use it on a live project, because a term redefined by amendment changes every requirement that depends on it.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Structural Composite Lumber — IBC 2009, Wood:
Structural member manufactured using wood elements bonded together with exterior adhesives. Examples of structural composite lumber are:
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Structural Composite Lumber is defined once in this corpus, in the Wood chapter of the International Building Code (IBC) 2009:
Structural member manufactured using wood elements bonded together with exterior adhesives. Examples of structural composite lumber are:
Where structural composite lumber is used in the code
The term appears in 5 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | IBC 2009 | 13 |
| Floors | IRC 2009 | 6 |
| Roof-ceiling Construction | IRC 2009 | 2 |
| Definitions | IBC 2009 | 1 |
| Fuel Gas | IRC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about structural composite lumber, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Structural capacities for structural composite lumber shall be established and monitored in accordance with ASTM D 5456.
Cuts, notches and holes bored in trusses, structural composite lumber, structural glue-laminated members or I-joists are prohibited except where permitted by the manufacturer's recommendations or where the effects of such alterations are specifically considered in the design of the member by a registered design professional.
Cuts, notches and holes bored in trusses, structural composite lumber, structural glued-laminated members and I-joists are prohibited except where permitted by the manufacturer's recommendations or where the effects of such alterations are specifically considered in the design of the member by a registered design professional.
Structural Composite Lumber: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IBC | Wood | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Wood (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Floors (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Roof-ceiling Construction (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Definitions (IBC 2009) | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all glossary guidance
- Wood Structural Panel: Building Code Definition
- Treated Wood: Building Code Definition
- Shear Wall: Building Code Definition
- Braced Wall Panel: Building Code Definition
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of structural composite lumber?
The International Building Code (IBC) 2009 defines it in Wood as: “Structural member manufactured using wood elements bonded together with exterior adhesives. Examples of structural composite lumber are:” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on structural composite lumber?
In this corpus the term is used across 5 chapters, led by Wood in the IBC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
What is structural composite lumber?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IBC 2009 states, in Wood: “Structural member manufactured using wood elements bonded together with exterior adhesives. Examples of structural composite lumber are:” It is defined in IBC 2009. Because it is a defined term, whatever the adopted edition says it means is what every section using it means — so check Chapter 2 of that edition and any local amendment before relying on this wording.
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