▁work , ▁compared ▁to ▁the ▁long ▁ 2 x 1 0 s ▁and ▁ 2 x 1 2 s ▁tradition ally ▁used ▁as ▁ra fter s ▁and ▁floor ▁jo ists . ▁ ▁Trans parent ▁wood ▁compos ites ▁ ▁Trans parent ▁wood ▁compos ites ▁are ▁new ▁materials , ▁currently ▁only ▁made ▁at ▁the ▁labor atory ▁scale , ▁that ▁combine ▁trans par ency ▁and ▁st iff ness ▁via ▁a ▁chemical ▁process ▁that ▁rep laces ▁light - abs or bing ▁comp ounds , ▁such ▁as ▁l ign in , ▁with ▁a ▁transparent ▁polym er . ▁ ▁Adv antages ▁Engine ered ▁wood ▁products ▁are ▁used ▁in ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁ways , ▁often ▁in ▁applications ▁similar ▁to ▁solid ▁wood ▁products . ▁Engine ered ▁wood ▁products ▁may ▁be ▁preferred ▁over ▁solid ▁wood ▁in ▁some ▁applications ▁due ▁to ▁certain ▁compar ative ▁advantages : ▁ ▁Because ▁engine ered ▁wood ▁is ▁man - made , ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁designed ▁to ▁meet ▁application - specific ▁performance ▁requirements . ▁Re quired ▁shapes ▁and ▁dimension ▁do ▁not ▁drive ▁source ▁tree ▁requirements ▁( length ▁or ▁width ▁of ▁the ▁tree ) ▁ ▁Engine ered ▁wood ▁products ▁are ▁vers atile ▁and ▁available ▁in ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁thick ness es , ▁sizes , ▁gr ades , ▁and ▁expos ure ▁dur ability ▁class ifications , ▁making ▁the ▁products ▁ideal ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁un limited ▁construction , ▁industrial ▁and ▁home ▁project ▁application . ▁ ▁Engine ered ▁wood ▁products ▁are ▁designed ▁and ▁manufact ured ▁to ▁maxim ize ▁the ▁natural ▁strength ▁and ▁st iff ness ▁characteristics ▁of ▁wood . ▁The ▁products ▁are