Wood shrinks as it dries. If you install a 72-inch strap on wet green lumber, the shrinking wood will loosen the fasteners over six months. Wait for lumber to reach <19% moisture content.
A 72-inch strap spreads tension and shear forces over a much larger area of the beam. Instead of concentrating stress at a single point (which can cause splitting or pull-through), the long strap engages multiple fasteners along the beam’s depth. atir strap and beamd with 72
For beams spanning >20 feet, lateral-torsional buckling is a risk. A continuous 72-inch strap attached to the bottom flange (or face) of a beam, connected to blocking or a ledger, stabilizes the member. Wood shrinks as it dries
