Glulam Construction
Made with multiple layers of wood critic lumber held together with high-strength adhesive, glulam is an innovative and versatile laminated beam used in residential and commercial construction.
A glulam unit looks like a well-bonded stack of large lumber glued together. It doesn’t only come in a variety of sizes but can also be custom-fabricated to meet a wide range of design specifications. Due to the strength and stiffness glulam construction offers, it’s often an essential component used for building vaulted roofs, domes, and bridges.
When it comes to glulam connections, they typically feature steel bolts, dowels, and plates.
Common Uses
Common uses for glulam include:
Straight beams
Curved beams
Arched bridges
Trusses
Columns from round and square to complex ones
Tied rafters and arches
Benefits of Using Glulam
For starters, glulam timbers are very strong, highly customizable, and cost-effective. Since they make with smaller pieces of lumber, they are also resource-efficient. Builders and designers enjoy a number of benefits by using glulam in their construction projects, including:
Glulam can use in a myriad of ways – from the roof and floor beams, and columns to decking and bracing
Have a unique capability of creating up to 500 feet of unsupported spans
Contain low levels of formaldehyde and thus, are environment-friendly
Cut down the handling and transportation costs
Can easily be customized to meet special design requirements
Are readily available in standard lengths and widths
Are easy to install and repair
Have amazing fire-resistant properties, better than steel beams
Are make to precise dimensions
Are manufacture in well-managed forests and are PEFC-certified
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)
LVL is another common timber wall cladding option for modern buildings. Also known as microlam, LVL makes from peeled or sliced thin veneers laid in a parallel arrangement and bonded together under heat and pressure.
The standard sizes of LVL include widths of 3 ½, 5 ¼, and 7 inches, and depths from 9 ½ to 24 inches deep. Columns are available in sizes from 4×4 and 8×8.
The biggest reason why builders so commonly use LVL is that it’s cheap. A unique advantage of this beam type is that you can fabricate it to match narrower beam widths. Not only this, you can also get a larger beam made by simply nail-laminating several plies together. This especially proves helpful in retrofit projects where lifting a big, heavy beam is difficult or impossible.
Common Uses
The strong engineered wood beam typically uses for structural applications. Below are a few common uses of it:
Beams
Pitched rafters
Truss chords
Floor bearers
Formwork
Lintels
Purlins
Benefits of Using LVL
The following are some of the amazing benefits offered by LVL.
High sustainability and durability
Is a cost-effective option
Delivers maximum structural reliability and considerable strength
Has fire-resistant properties similar to solid timber, burns at a slow and predictable rate
Is easily available in long lengths
Small wood pieces can easily make into large LVL beams
Can easily be cut and machined with regular woodworking tools
Conclusion
Both glulam and LVL have their own set of advantages in the construction industry. Glulam beams typically manufacture for a specific design. When they bring on-site, they’re usually already custom sanded, stained, and finished. Needless to say, they look stunning and can be expensive. Although they’re much lighter than concrete and steel, they’re extremely strong. Glulam is most commonly uses in the construction of large buildings, including universities, airports, hotels, and museums.
On the other hand, you’ll only find LVL buried in the walls, usually over windows and doors. Even when used for decks or other exterior structures, they tend to get covered up with different finishing products.
Both glulam and LVL are strong materials in their own roles. Your choice between the two will depend on the type of construction project you’re working on and the kind of results you want.
