The objectives of this project are to rationalize the compression perpendicular-to-grain design for lumber, glued-laminated timber and dowel connections in CAN3-O86 and propose characteristic strength values. Work concentrated on two areas: a finite element analysis of common wood to steel and wood to wood support bearing conditions incorporating nonlinear material behaviour; and, a comparison of the bearing values for lumber, glued-laminated timber and panel materials in CSA O86.1-1989.