Sterling Structural Launches Mass Timber Shaft Wall System`

Sterling's CLT-based panels and systems were used at a Candlewood Suites Hotel at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The six-story, 207-room, 122,000-square-foot building was constructed almost entirely from mass timber, including the elevator and stair shafts. This isn't the first time an army base has been constructed using mass timber. 

Photo By Sterling Structural

PHOENIX, Ill. — Sterling Structural, a manufacturer of pre-fabricated mass timber and hybrid structural systems in North America, has launched a modular mass timber Shaft Wall System for multi-level construction projects. The system supports all major elevator manufacturers or egress stair designs.

The new system features pre-fabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels for shaft walls—and, in some cases, roofs—along with coordinated connection details and all necessary hardware. Sterling’s project management team coordinates deliveries, sequencing panels for installation, whether the project uses platform or balloon framing.

“It’s easy to overlook the elevator shaft when considering building materials for a project,” said Michaela Harms, vice president of Mass Timber at Sterling Structural. “Yet it’s often the easiest, most cost efficient and quickest way to reduce cost and embodied carbon across a project. Our new system makes it turnkey to construct your shaft walls from domestically sourced and manufactured, sustainable CLT that reduces cost and time to installation without sacrificing performance, structural integrity or fire resistance.”

CLT-based wall panels differ from traditional masonry shaft walls in several ways. Unlike poured concrete or masonry, CLT costs less and can be installed in any weather. 

“We’ve been incredibly impressed with how much time this product saves during the installation of CLT mass timber walls, especially for stair and elevator shafts. Not only does it eliminate the need for interior drywall to meet the 2-hour fire rating—which is a huge win—but it also integrates seamlessly with all the structural systems we work with, including cold-formed steel, precast concrete, and traditional metal deck systems,” said Lee Grawcock, a senior project manager with MLP Solutions, the project installer. “It also streamlines site work by not having to schedule a mason/concrete subtrade.  The installation process is straightforward and efficient, making it a real game-changer for our carpenters to drive the critical path of our projects.”

The panels are certified to the PRG 320 performance standard by the International Code Council; are Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Chain of Custody certified third-party verified by SCS Global; have an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) third-party verified by EPD Hub; carry a Red List Free DECLARE label through the International Living Future Institute.

To learn more, visit sterlingstructural.com.