PHOENIX, Ill., May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sterling Structural, a leading manufacturer of cost-effective,
pre-fabricated mass timber and hybrid structural systems in North America, announced a modular Shaft Wall System for new construction. The system supports all major elevator manufacturers or egress stair designs and enables builders to save time and cost from elevator wall shafts without sacrificing fire safety or structural integrity, all while reducing embodied carbon compared to concrete or masonry shaft walls.
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 easy 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 outperform traditional masonry shaft walls in several ways. Unlike poured concrete or masonry, CLT is:
- Lower Cost: CLT panel installation does not require as much labor nor the use of multiple tradespeople;
- Not Weather Dependent: CLT panels can be installed in all weather conditions, enabling more predictable scheduling and maintaining project timelines;
- Quicker to Install: Prefabricated panels can be installed in hours, by a single trade and require only a single inspection
- Sustainable: Sterling’s CLT panels are made from 100% domestically grown, regenerative timber dramatically reducing embodied carbon and supporting the health of US forests
- Generates WELL AP Credits. When left exposed in stairs, CLT generates WELL AP credits by making stairs biophilic which encourages people to take the stairs which leads to healthier lifestyles.
Sterling Structural’s CLT-based panels and systems were recently 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. The facility was designed to meet the highly restrictive military Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection (ATFP) requirements under the Privatized Army Lodging program.
“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.”
Sterling’s TerraLam® structural product line provides a competitively priced, mass timber panel that is designed for seamless integration into wall, floor, and roof applications. Sterling Structural serves as a one-stop shop for mass timber or a hybrid structural shell. Its 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.
About Sterling Structural
Sterling Structural is a division within Sterling Solutions, America’s leading manufacturer of sustainably-sourced, domestically-produced, high-quality and cost-effective Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats, panels and systems. Our TerraLam® structural product line provides a competitively priced, mass timber panel that is designed for seamless integration into wall, floor, and roof applications. Sterling Structural serves as a one-stop shop for mass timber or a hybrid structural shell. Our 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. Sterling has manufacturing facilities in Phoenix, Ill., and Lufkin, Tex., with an annual production capacity of 700,000 cubic meters. More information is available at www.sterlingstructural.com.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/74ca402d-579f-43aa-994b-be515e422dca
