Fabrication and Installation of Glulam Frames

Glulam is an ideal material for building structures with large open areas. Its aesthetic fits right in with modern designs and it can work both as an exposed application as well as being hidden away as part of a concealed structural element.

MEPF penetrations through glulam members require special consideration when designing holes to accommodate MEPF penetrations, per NDS Chapter 16. According to this standard, holes should be designed using the char calculations in order to maintain structural capacity of each member and not compromise it.

Glulam Beams

Glulam is an extremely strong yet light structural material. Produced by adhering laminates of wood that have been accurately planed together with adhesive under heat and pressure, glulam beams can be both straight or curved shaped to suit projects that require long spans such as roofs, floors or walls while its natural appearance adds beauty while connecting occupants to nature.

Glulam can be an economical and eco-friendly alternative to steel and concrete construction, requiring less materials, being easier to install, and having a lower carbon footprint. Plus, glulam’s flexibility makes it perfect for projects with complex design requirements; moreover, most manufacturers of glulam products use wood from reforested forests – another huge plus of this sustainable material!

To create a glulam, multiple wood slats are joined using weatherproof structural adhesives and individually dried before being stacked up into solid laminated or cross-laminated timber, with their grain running parallel or perpendicularly to one another (or perpendicular in cross-laminated forms). Glulam products are structurally sound, durable, and visually appealing and come prefabricated, kiln dried or site fabricated options to fit every situation and location.

Unit Structures was granted patents for both its production equipment and structures in the 1920s by Unit Structures; these included both glulam arches themselves as well as their manufacturing methods. At the New York World’s Fair of 1939, Unit Structures displayed their curved glulam structure which caught architects and engineers who sought an ecological, flexible alternative to steel and concrete constructions. Full scale load tests conducted on this curved glulam structure exceeded design specifications demonstrating its capacity to take heavy loads without buckleing or deflecting.

LVL and glulam both possess an impressive strength-to-weight ratio, yet there are subtle variations between the two materials that need to be taken into consideration when choosing between them for specific projects. Determining the right material depends on many variables including its intended use, environment, budget considerations etc. If your structure will be built in an area with frequent humidity shifts and large temperature swings then glulam would likely be more durable than LVL as both products require significant moisture management for proper functioning.

Glulam Columns

Glulam is composed of dimension lumber lamellas, also known as lamstock, that are secured together using adhesive. Wood lams are carefully chosen based on strength and aesthetic considerations; typically the strongest and most attractive lams will be located near each other while less appealing lams will be placed further from visible spots so as to produce an as beautiful product as possible.

At the outset of fabrication, lamstock must be stripped clean of knots and other imperfections before being cut into individual lengths based on grade. Next comes end-jointing using finger joints which provides an even surface for glue application; once dry, the glued joints must then be sanded down until they can form the foundation for structural glulam components.

Structural glulam is an extremely durable material that can be formed to fit virtually any design. Additionally, its excellent thermal properties prevent thermal bridging in buildings, leading to more energy-efficient assemblies and building envelope assembly processes. Furthermore, structural glulam may be combined with other insulation materials to increase its energy-saving potential further.

Due to its excellent durability and thermal properties, many modern retail buildings use glulam columns in their construction to provide additional support withstanding wind loads on glass facades of storefronts. Residential homes also often utilize this material in wall framing and roof truss applications in order to distribute loads evenly throughout the structure.

As opposed to traditional timber frames, which employ an assortment of heavy and light beams, glulam frames are more resistant to seismic forces due to being less prone to shake and check, as each lam acts as a stabilizer against vibrations between individual lams whereas in solid timber the imperfection of one piece of wood could compromise the entire structure.

Glulam timber frames are eco-friendly construction materials made from sustainably harvested wood sources, sequestering huge quantities of carbon dioxide during their lifespans. A recent study even demonstrated this fact.

Glulam Trusses

Producing an engineered glulam truss from raw wood requires meticulous care at every stage of fabrication. From choosing the appropriate species to conducting critical inspections and tests, this process ensures each piece meets both performance requirements and aesthetic expectations of its design – yielding a sturdy structure that will stand strong for decades to come.

One key advantage of glulam is its use of wood harvested from forests managed sustainably, producing significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions than steel and concrete frames. Furthermore, its lightweight nature makes glulam easier to transport, ship and crane into place – which also enables construction crews to complete projects up to three times faster.

Due to its fabrication nature, glulam can be shipped directly to its destination in its dryest state, eliminating storage requirements and providing materials just-in-time for assembly at building sites. Furthermore, unlike concrete and steel materials, glulam has superior moisture and chemical resistant qualities than both.

Glulam is engineered from thin wood veneers bonded together under heat and pressure to form structural members with uniform stiffness and strength, free from natural defects (like knots, shakes or wane) found in solid sawn lumber. The consistent performance results in structural members performing closer to their theoretical design capacities than other materials, often necessitating smaller safety factors when performing calculations.

Thus, designers can better take advantage of long spans and curvilinear designs in their projects. For instance, vaulted ceilings supported by thin glulam beams can turn living rooms into welcoming environments; or homeowners can rely on arched glulam structures to add an elegant feel to outdoor patios and pergolas.

Before shipment to a construction site, every glued-up panel undergoes a stringent quality check that includes visual scans to detect imperfections, joint inspection, and nondestructive evaluation of glue line bond quality using ultrasound or stress wave timing – this ensures each glulam component is ready for installation.

Glulam Posts

Glulam posts are vertical load-bearing elements that provide support to roof structures of buildings, providing strength and aesthetics in one package. When designed properly, glulam columns offer the ideal combination of strength and beauty. Design begins with an intensive evaluation of loads that will be placed upon a column and its foundation. When fabricating, every lamination of lumber must be meticulously placed to create an enduring, strong column with straight cross sections. Glulam columns are typically composed of Douglas-fir, SPF (spruce-pine-fir) or western hemlock laminations fabricated using mechanized hydraulic presses and secured with moisture-resistant adhesives; when complete they will be kiln dried before pressure treatment and an exterior grade surfaced for appearance purposes.

Glulam differs from conventional lumber in that its surfaces are smooth, even, and ready for gluing. To ensure an efficient manufacturing process, the kiln-dried timber pieces are cut at lengths which match up with the width of glulam production lines; pieces then get graded based on their size before being glued with either structural urethane or phenolic adhesive and eventually come together into stronger and more flexible members than comparable sawn lumber products – making glulam an ideal choice for structures of all sizes!

Some may mistakenly use the terms „posts” and „beams” interchangeably, yet it is essential to differentiate these structural components. Posts support roofs while beams provide primary load-bearing support for walls and other elements of buildings. Beams provide load bearing support for walls as well as providing load support in timber frame homes or soaring arches on domed roofs over 500 feet wide; with its superior strength and stiffness making glulam the ideal material choice for projects requiring both beauty and performance!

Glulam has long been used in construction projects ranging from long-span pedestrian bridges, such as Burnaby’s Kingsway Pedestrian Bridge, to waterfront walkways and docks. Thanks to its ability to withstand water’s harsh environment, glulam makes an excellent material choice for these waterfront structures. Furthermore, its natural resistance against salt corrosion makes Glulam ideal for bridges over roadways.