You are currently viewing What is laminated timber?

What is laminated timber?

Laminated timber is a product made up of several layers of wood, in which the wood layers are glued together with a durable and moisture-resistant adhesive.

Glue wood is used in wooden constructions. By laminating several smaller pieces of wood, one large and strong structural support member is obtained. These structural members are used as vertical bars or horizontal beams, as well as as a curved shape. The laminated wood can be made in different appearance and shape, for example, it is easy to give it an arcuate shape. The joints of the two adhesive wood support members are usually connected with bolts or steel dowels and steel plates.

It is possible to use low value timber in the manufacture of laminated timber, which does not necessarily require high quality lumber. This makes it possible to minimize the use of wood material.

Glue wood has a much lower energy content than reinforced concrete or steel and is equal to or less than the energy content of solid wood. The laminating process allows the laminated timber to resist longer, bear heavier loads and be molded into different shapes.

The laminated timber can be produced both straight and curved, providing architects with artistic freedom without compromising on structural requirements. Wood has a higher tensile strength than steel and a higher compressive strength than concrete.

Strong and rigid laminated wood allows beams and curves to be long distances without having to have pillars in the meantime, which in turn allows more design flexibility than would be possible with traditional wood. Sizes are limited to transport and handling restrictions only.