All about laminated veneer lumber

Construction is a rather complex process that requires not only craftsmanship and special skills, but also the use of suitable high quality materials. Glued laminated timber has been a popular building material for a long time. In our today's article we will talk about what it is, what the distinctive characteristics and types of material exist, as well as for what purposes and in what areas it is used.

Glued laminated timber is a building material that is made from thin wooden boards that are glued together (such boards are usually called lamellas). Experts note that this building material belongs to the high-tech category. The properties of laminated veneer lumber are regulated in detail in a document such as GOST. So, according to GOST standards, the length of the material should be 6 meters, and the sectional shape should be rectangular. However, in some cases, deviations from these indicators are possible.

In the modern construction market, you can find several types of laminated veneer lumber, which differ in their purpose. For example, certain types of material may have special tenons and grooves that are designed to be connected. Such a bar is usually called profiled (or German).

Depending on how the lamellas are connected to each other during the production of laminated veneer lumber, the building material is divided into several categories. Let's list the main ones:

• horizontal (in this case, two lamellas are connected horizontally, and the glue does not interfere with natural air permeability);
• vertical (the lamellas are connected vertically, and the seam itself gives the element additional rigidity);
• salon (this material consists of six layers).

The technology of manufacturing building material is of particular interest. According to its characteristics, it is quite complex, in addition, the production process is lengthy. However, at the same time, a high-quality result is 100% guaranteed.

The glued laminated timber production process can be divided into several stages:

• selection of boards without defects (the absence of knots is obligatory);
• drying wood in a special device until the moisture level of the raw material does not exceed 10%;
• trimming boards to the required shape and length;
• assembly of lamellas (in this case, it is very important that the direction of the fibers of the lamellas is mirror-like);
• coating parts with glue;
• laying out the entire structure under the press;
• cutting out profiles and recesses (this stage is relevant if the production of profiled building material is carried out);
• final processing of the timber with special materials that are designed to prevent decay processes.

Like any other building material, glued laminated timber has both advantages and disadvantages. These characteristics should be studied as carefully and thoroughly as possible before you decide to purchase and use the material - in this way you reduce the possibility of further problems.

To begin with, consider the merits of a building material.

• Low moisture content of wood. Thanks to this indicator, the timber does not dry out over time, does not tighten with a screw and does not become covered with cracks (which usually happens due to the presence of internal stress). Accordingly, if you use this material during the construction of a private house, you can be sure that the shrinkage will be minimal. In this regard, it is allowed to immediately install windows and doors.
• Profitability. The use of laminated veneer lumber during construction significantly reduces the construction time. This is primarily due to the fact that the material is quite easy to use.
• Light weight. Due to the relatively low weight, you can mount the structure using the so-called "lightweight" foundation.
• Aesthetically pleasing appearance. After you complete the construction of a building or structure made of laminated veneer lumber, you can make sure that it does not require additional revision. After all, the material itself initially has an attractive appearance. In addition, the absence of the need for finishing will significantly save your budget.
• Thermal conductivity. Glued laminated timber has good thermal conductivity, and therefore there is no need for additional insulation (it must be used only between crowns). In this case, one should also take into account the fact that the larger the cross-section of the bar, the lower the thermal conductivity will be.
• Durability. The long service life of the building material is primarily due to the fact that during its manufacture it is treated with special protective substances.
• Low fire hazard. This characteristic is determined by the properties of the glue that is used in the manufacture of the material.

However, even despite the presence of such a number of advantages, one should keep in mind the existing disadvantages.

• High price. The high price of building material is determined by the complex and lengthy process of its manufacture, a large amount of waste and rejects, as well as high requirements that are put forward in relation to the equipment necessary for the production of laminated veneer lumber. Accordingly, when buying, you must take into account: if you are offered cheap material, most likely it is a fake.
• Environmental hazard. The adhesive used to bond the lamellae is often toxic and can be hazardous to the environment.

As you can see, the advantages of the material significantly exceed its disadvantages. However, at the same time, it should be remembered that the listed disadvantages may be so significant for some users that they will refuse to purchase a bar (in particular, its high cost). In any case, the choice is always yours.

When building a house (or any other structure), an important question arises about which building material is better to choose. For example, many people think about what is the difference between materials such as brick and aerated concrete, profiled logs and rounded logs. It is also important to determine the differences that may arise during the construction of a frame from glued or ordinary timber.

The most important differences between laminated veneer lumber and other building materials include several characteristics.

• In the course of the production of the building material in question, the most important drying procedure is mandatory. Thanks to this laminated veneer lumber will be characterized by such characteristics as high strength and resistance in relation to the negative influences of the external environment (for example, excessive moisture or ultraviolet rays).
• The surface of the timber is perfectly smooth, which is a rather rare advantage among existing building materials.
• Despite the fact that laminated veneer lumber is not a solid wood, in its appearance it is in no way inferior to the natural species.
• Glued laminated timber undergoes minimal deformation (and this rule is relevant even in the case of prolonged use of the material in unfavorable climatic conditions).
• During the production process, glued laminated timber is necessarily treated with compounds that prevent such negative influences as mold and mildew, and also protect the material from pests.

Today on the market you can find several varieties of glued construction timber: for example, structural, insulated (and with various types of insulation), dry, hollow, with grooves, as well as without them, seamless and many others. All these types differ in their characteristics, such as thermal conductivity, cross-section, shrinkage coefficient, texture, environmental friendliness, density. Let's consider several classifications of the material.

First of all, glued laminated timber differs in its indicators of resistance to water. When buying material, you need to focus on the climatic indicators of the region in which you plan to build a structure made of laminated veneer lumber.

The environmental friendliness of the material largely depends on what kind of glue was used to connect the lamellas. For to familiarize yourself with this parameter, be sure to read the labels, and if necessary, contact your sales consultant for help.

The appropriate class of glued laminated timber operation in your particular case will depend on the purpose for which you will use the material. So, service classes will differ for the material used for the construction of temporary partitions or permanent structures (in the latter case, it should be higher).

Glued laminated timber can be made from sawn timber of different types of wood. Accordingly, when buying a material, you should definitely pay attention to this factor, since it directly affects the characteristics and properties of the building material.

Let's consider several popular options.

• Cedar. It should be said right away that this type of wood is very expensive. In this regard, it will not be available to every person (it all depends on the economic and social status in society). At the same time, cedar has a number of positive characteristics. For example, the breed contains valuable woody essential oils, which create a positive climate inside the structure. In addition, cedar is very durable and resistant to various negative external influences. And also the material has disinfecting properties.

• Spruce. The distinctive characteristics of the spruce tree include good sound insulation properties, as well as a warm and cozy yellow color.

• Pine. Pine glued laminated timber is the most popular, widespread and demanded building material. This is due to the presence of a large number of positive characteristics of the material, namely: affordable price, attractive appearance and strength. However, it is also worth remembering that this breed has disadvantages: for example, you can often observe the presence of such defects as knots or tar pockets.

• Larch. Larch wood glued beams are highly resistant to negative external influences. In addition, the material is characterized by an attractive appearance.It should be noted right away that only the outer lamellas of the timber are usually made from larch. This is due to the high price of the raw material.

• Oak. This material is rarely used for the manufacture of laminated veneer lumber, since its processing is expensive (as is the price of the oak itself). If you want to purchase glued oak timber, then you will most likely have to purchase it on order. In addition, not every factory has equipment that is able to process oak.

During the construction of any building made of laminated veneer lumber, it is very important to make the correct calculations. In this case, measurements can be made in different units, which are denoted in different ways: for example, cube. m, kg, m3 and so on. It is worth considering not only the desired indicators of your future structure, but also the properties of the direct building material. So, on the market you can find a wide and narrow beam, which will vary in length.

If necessary, you can carry out the production of material to order. However, in hardware stores you can find glued laminated timber of standard dimensions:

• door - 82 by 115 mm;
• insulated wall - from 100x180 to 160x180 mm;
• non-insulated wall - from 180x260 to 270x260 mm;
• window - 82 x 86 mm;
• bearing - length up to 12 m, thickness up to 30 cm.

The areas of use of laminated veneer lumber are quite wide and varied. For example, building material is used for construction and design (both interior decoration and facade decoration outside, on the street) of such structures as:

• private houses and luxury cottages;
• baths and saunas;
• gazebos;
• cafes and bars;
• auxiliary buildings, floors and other products.

The production of elite laminated veneer lumber is carried out not only in Russia, but also abroad. For example, companies from Finland and Karelia are popular. We offer you to familiarize yourself with the rating of popular manufacturers of laminated veneer lumber:

• Lameco Lht Oy - this Finnish company manufactures products that meet all modern environmental requirements;
• "Kontio" - a distinctive characteristic of this brand can be considered the fact that rare arctic pine is often used in the production of products;
• Timber Frame - the company has been on the market since 1995, during this time it has managed to prove itself well and gain trust and love from consumers;
• Finnlamelli - the brand from Finland has a wide assortment, thanks to which each user can choose the best option for himself;
• "Tree module" - the products of this company are characterized by democratic prices;
• LLC "GK Priozersky Lesokombinat" - the manufacturer offers customers 6 standard sizes of laminated veneer lumber;
• HONKA - the products of this Finnish brand are popular in 50 countries of the world.