Understanding Glulam Beam Sizes and Span Limits

Glulam is an impressively flexible construction material, creating inviting spaces. From residential beams and headers to arched domed roofs, glulam has long been trusted to deliver strength, reliability, and beauty in its construction projects.

For applications requiring aesthetic considerations, architectural or premium appearance glulam should be specified. Small penetrations are allowed; however drilling and notching should always be performed in consultation with a structural engineer.

Sizes

Glulam provides architects, designers and builders looking for an eye-catching yet strong and beautiful material the solution they’ve been searching for: engineered wood product composed of lamellae that have been laminated together using weatherproof high strength glue resulting in beams with superior strength-to-weight ratios that can be used in numerous ways.

Glulam’s appeal lies beyond its inherent strengths; this material can also be shaped into intricate designs to form distinctive architectural features. For instance, arched structures made of glulam add visual interest to ballrooms and wedding chapels while its structural strength allows open spaces without columns that may obstruct views.

Due to glulam’s construction from multiple small pieces of lumber rather than one large slab, its impact from knots and other defects is reduced, while pre-dried wood ensures that its dimensions remain stable as well as moisture resistance – giving glulam an unparalleled durability compared to traditional building materials.

Glulam offers considerable cost-cutting advantages in both initial and long-term costs of construction. Due to its light weight, glulam helps lower foundation expenses while shortening construction times for faster project completion and budgetary flexibility. Furthermore, its natural insulating properties may help lower heating and cooling expenses significantly compared with traditional materials.

Stress designation of glulam members is determined by their maximum allowable bending stresses, with APA’s Glulam Design Tables, Form S475, providing recommended preliminary design loads for roof and floor applications based on species composition and percentages of higher grade lumber used during beam layup.

Glulam can be purchased in custom or stock sizes and comes in four appearance categories: premium, architectural, industrial and framing. In general, higher appearance grades tend to have more visual impact when installed; furthermore, their grade can impact overall strength as higher appearance grades contain a larger portion of stronger, stiffer lumber that contributes more significantly.

Span Limits

When designing a structure, span must be taken into account along with other considerations like structural strength and aesthetics. Glulam (glued laminated timber) offers inherent bending and compression strength which may meet your project requirements; making this engineered wood product perfect for long span applications like roofs and floors.

Glulam differs from traditional lumber in that it consists of wood laminations bonded together using durable, moisture-resistant adhesives. This creates a stronger and more homogenous product which remains dimensionally stable over time. Plus, since slats used to manufacture glulam are smaller, their adverse impacts on mechanical properties of wood are mitigated significantly.

Laminations in glulam beams are typically arranged so that their grain runs along the length of the member, which allows architects to shape glulam into various forms and shapes such as arches without columns restricting views or restricting space. This flexibility in design allows architects to create spaces free from columns which obstruct views or limit space.

Another important consideration in selecting a glulam beam is camber. Many residential-grade glulam members feature little or no camber; therefore making them suitable for residential applications. If additional camber is desired, custom glulam members can be manufactured to your specifications. For more information regarding available options for your glulam structure please consult APA’s Glued Laminated Beam Design Tables Form S475.

Boise Glulam can tailor its manufacturing of columns to meet the load requirements and your specific needs and load specifications, with both glulam and concrete columns available for your selection. When designing concrete columns, we advise consulting a professional engineer in order to select an ideal size and placement of holes for your project. When placing holes into glulam members however, specific engineering guidelines must be observed so as not to compromise its integrity – for more information regarding approved hole locations please refer to either our Specifiers Guide or Boise Cascade Glulam and Column Allowable Design Stresses guides.

Types

Glulam beams come in many custom shapes and sizes, enabling designers to craft stunning structures. Common shapes of glulams include straight and curved beams for an aesthetically pleasing architectural appearance; tight radii designs can also help achieve dramatic circular forms.

Glulam wood, typically composed of spruce, fir or pine species, is engineered using individual laminations glued together under pressure and designed with strong and stiff components specifically engineered for long-span construction projects. These pieces can then be carefully assembled together into strong yet stiff components – an engineering design which makes glulam stronger and more stable than standard lumber; making it perfect for use in larger buildings.

Gulam is an eco-friendly building material. Sourced from sustainably managed forests, its carbon emissions can be drastically reduced – in line with increasing environmental awareness among construction projects. Furthermore, its lightweight nature enables quicker transportation and installation on site than concrete and steel alternatives.

Labor-intensive yet time and cost effective, glulam assembly produces an exceptionally strong and long-lasting product. Gulam can withstand extremely high loads without deforming or failing under stress; furthermore, its flexible nature enables it to fit larger or more complex building shapes than steel or concrete construction materials can. Furthermore, glulam fabrication takes place on-site to reduce time and money during construction.

Glulam is not only fireproof, but can also be treated to reduce moisture damage. When fire does strike, glulam forms a protective char layer which reduces oxygen consumption and delays combustion – leaving less vulnerability for fire damage than steel and non-fireproofed wood surfaces.

Glulam is an ideal choice for open and spacious building designs, such as vaulted ceilings. Additionally, its versatility lends it an excellent performance in many hidden applications like ridge beams, garage door headers and floor beams. In British Columbia alone it has been utilized in dozens of bridges and elevated pedestrian walkways–from 44 metre crossing over one of Burnaby’s major roads to an undulating pedestrian bridge in Princeton – as well as in numerous bridges used as pedestrian crossings or elevated pedestrian bridges over one or more main roads!

Applications

Glulam beams have become an indispensable material in both commercial and residential projects, demonstrating their versatility and dependability. Builders have used them to design open floor plans or support large window openings in residential homes while adding warmth and visual appeal. Beyond their structural integrity, glulam is also a green material, made of renewable resources with lower energy consumption compared to steel or concrete production, thus lowering carbon footprints while making greater use of raw materials than would otherwise go to waste.

Glulam offers many advantages over solid wood in terms of durability and resistance to weathering, including intricate designs not possible with solid lumber such as curved and bowed forms. Since glulam consists of multiple lumber elements connected together by nails and screws or mechanical fasteners as well as adhesives or steel connectors for joining together, its pieces can be attached using multiple methods (nails and screws, mechanical fasteners, adhesives or steel connectors are just a few options) before being stained or painted to meet the aesthetic requirements of any given building project.

As an environmentally responsible material, glulam is an ideal choice for projects seeking LEED or NGBS Green Building credits. Furthermore, these structures are less vulnerable to fire damage than wood or metal constructions as the wood’s exterior chars when exposed to heat, creating an insulating layer which reduces oxygen consumption and delays combustion.

Even though glulam beams are strong and durable, they still can become subject to degradation due to improper construction practices such as improper sealants or moisture exposure. Moisture control is particularly crucial in this application since moisture exposure can damage structures leading to structural failures.

Glulam should be sealed and protected after installation to reduce moisture-related deterioration, and depending on its use in construction projects such as screened porches. Sealing should occur approximately every two to three years; regular sealing could even prevent rot or insect infestation if improperly protected and maintained; for this purpose specialized water-based urethane stain or polyurethane coating products should be used to block moisture entry and extend their longevity.