Wood is one of the most widely used facade options in many countries. It offers a huge variety in terms of texture, strength, colour, and thickness. While using solid wood may not always be a feasible option due to the weight and availability of good-quality wood, a new feature taking the market by storm is laminated timber beams.
BeautexWood Glued Laminated Timber Beams & Cross Laminated Timber Beams provide premium quality engineered wood that have higher load carrying capacity than regular timber while being efficient and economic. Laminated timber, also known as glulam has revolutionized the industry and taken precedence over solid timber that presents transportation and seasoning issues.
ABOUT GLULAM
Glulam or laminated timber is an engineered wood that is stronger than steel and can carry more load than a same-sized beam of regular timber. Glulam is made from multiple layers or laminates of structural wood that are pasted on top on one another using adhesives. These are moisture-resistant to prevent water damage.
The wood grains are so placed that they run parallel to the direction of the beam, to reduce chances of breakage. Today, glulam is considered a high-tech innovative material and has found uses in the architectural, construction and industrial industries. They are available in custom sizes for residential use and as long beams for non-residential use. Unlike regular beams, beams made from glulam can be curved as well.
ADVANTAGE AND BENEFITS OF GLULAM
Due to the structural strength and stability offered by pasting several layers together, glulam is much stronger than regular, solid timber.
Compared to other materials like steel, aluminium or concrete, glulam requires a much lesser amount of energy to manufacture and produce.
Proper finishes can ensure that glulam has fire protection properties. It is available in various levels of fire ratings.
Timber textures add a warm and natural feel to a building. BeautexWood now introduces a new concept of Glulam Timber Facades are available in a variety of textures and shades.
Understanding Engineered Wood Beam Options
Various types of engineered wooden beams are available today.
Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) – To create CKT sections, the individual laminates are glued on top of one another in a way that subsequent layers are perpendicular to one another. The layers in between are subjected to vacuum press for proper interlocking. The number of laminates here is always an odd number and a minimum of 3 panels are used.
Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL) – These are used in cases where head strength is more important. Here, parallel strands of laminates are pasted together and then sawn into wooden members of standard sizes. They are mainly used for beam headers. This is the most expensive variety.
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) – This is a cheaper subsidiary for the PSL variety where parallel laminates are bonded together. One advantage of LVL over PSL is that LVL can be cut into smaller or narrower sizes as required. They’re mostly used for aesthetic purposes wherever the timber is exposed for viewing.
