LVL and Solid timber 

LVL is an engineered wood material more and more popular in Vietnam. Deciding on whether to use solid timber or LVL can be a difficult choice to make. While both are reliable solutions, understanding their differences we hope that you'll be able to confidently make an informed decision as to which option suits you.

1/ LVL

What is LVL?

Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) is made from multiple thin layers of wood assembled with adhesives. It is laminated together by specialized glue under heat and pressure. Especially LVL is made up the veneers that are oriented in the same direction, so it is durable and has good load-bearing capacity.

Structure of LVL

- Core: Hardwood (Eucalyptus, Acacia, Mixed)
- Glue: MR E2/ WBP Melamine/ Phenolic

Application

- LVL for making pallets
- LVL for making furniture
- LVL for making construction framework

2/ Solid timber 

What is Solid timber?

Solid timber is simply cut directly from the perennial tree to specific dimensions.

Solid timber is still very popular among builders – primarily because of their familiarity with the product. One of the great things about solid timber is that it is generally lower in price than iron and steel for construction, but it often has quality issues, which can result in builders having to perform costly corrections.

Application

Solid timber is best used for wooden frames, floorboards, wall paneling, furniture, and cabinets, ...

3/ Comparison 
LVL and Solid Timber: What is the difference? Let’s see this infographic to know how they differ.
 

Regarding sizes, Solid timber is cut directly from the tree in length, and there are not many natural trees that are tall enough to have the length as long as you want, so it is limited to size, but LVL is the engineered wood made from layers of wood and laminated by special glue that has multiples choices of size.

Solid timber is mainly made from perennial wood, so it takes a long time for most trees to grow. Meanwhile, LVL is made from fast-growing, easy-to-grow, and high-volume woods in Vietnam such as eucalyptus, acacia, etc.

About avoiding wasting materials, LVL plywood production is the least material-consuming industrial activity, usually, only some are rejected due to the detection of defects, in contrast, if the timber is cut to remove any knots or imperfections in the wood, they may be no longer usable.

One of the major differences between LVL and solid timber is that – due to the emphasis placed on quality bonding in LVL – there are no naturally occurring knots. This not only makes the product stronger, but more durable than solid timber.

As an industrial wood product, LVL is strictly controlled in terms of parameters so LVL is straighter, and more uniform than solid timber which is swelling, shrinking, and warping due to its natural state and humidity conditions.

Finally, price is also one of the most important elements. LVL is more cost-effective than solid timber.