Designing Multi Story Homes With Glulam
Glulam (glued laminated timber) has revolutionized modern construction. Offering unparalleled strength, stability, and design flexibility – Glulam provides unparalleled strength, stability, and design flexibility.
Gulam allows designers to achieve ambitious spaces without needing extra bracing and support beams; NSDA Architects’ project in San Francisco is no exception to this rule.
Glulam Beams
Glulam beams can be used to support floors, walls, roofs and other structural components of a building. Constructed using wood lams bonded together using moisture-resistant adhesives, Glulams can either be designed as straight supports with simple spans or bent in an array of directions to fit specific building layouts.
Glulam stands out as an eco-friendly construction material made with renewable resources like wood. Its resilient nature can reduce maintenance costs while increasing energy efficiency to ultimately decrease overall project expenses and help meet LEED certification.
There are various types of glulam beams available today, each offering their own set of advantages and suitability for specific types of buildings. Most typically made up of multiple species of lumber graded according to strength and appearance requirements for a given project; APA’s Glued Laminated Beam Design Tables Form S475 provide recommended preliminary design loads for common applications of these beams.
Rosboro produces specialty glulams beyond standard grades, such as their X-Beam(tm), an architectural appearance glulam that matches standard framing lumber dimensions for easy installation using common metal hangers on existing structures. Furthermore, these beams make an ideal solution for projects that need concealed yet high strength engineered beams or headers.
Big Beam DF(tm), an Architectural appearance glulam with depth matching I-joists, makes an excellent option for use in floor or ceiling applications that require concealing high strength engineered products. Both X-Beams and Big Beam DF come with both Industrial and Architectural appearance options depending on what your building requires.
Assuming your beams will be exposed, a premium Architectural appearance should always be the preferred choice. Timber will be hand-selected to minimize knot sizes and surfaces will be finished smoothly; an alternative Framing or Industrial appearance may also be specified when an aesthetically appealing look is desired without meeting architectural standards.
Glulam Columns
Although there are various columns and beams used in construction, few are as aesthetically appealing as glulam. This heavy-duty structural material supports numerous building configurations – arches and roof trusses among them – making glulam an excellent option for arches that curve around corners or bow out at angles that would be difficult or impossible with solid lumber. Furthermore, its moisture damage resistance means it can span greater distances, making glulam an excellent choice for large commercial or public buildings with open areas.
Contrary to other building materials, glulam differs significantly by being made up of individual dried wood slats that have been individually dried at a mill prior to being assembled with waterproof structural adhesive. This process helps reduce adverse effects caused by knots on mechanical strength and dimensional stability of finished product; additionally glulam manufacturers usually combine various wood species to achieve the desired structural properties in finished glulam products.
Contrasting concrete and steel, glulam is an environmentally-friendly material offering a more sustainable solution. Producing it requires significantly less energy than concrete or steel production; after its lifecycle it can even be recycled back into production! Furthermore, its insulation properties make glulam ideal for new and renovated buildings alike as well as exterior wall framing; additionally glulam structures may even be more fire resistant than non-fireproofed structures made of either concrete or steel.
Comparative to concrete and steel construction methods, glulam offers an incredibly fast installation time. Due to components being prefabricated in dry environments and delivered directly to jobsite locations just-in-time for delivery, projects using this material can often be constructed three times faster – saving both time and money during construction while decreasing waste production.
Gulam can add both durability and aesthetic charm to any structure, adding architectural character and style. Its striking aesthetic often lends itself to striking, exposed applications like vaulted ceilings or other designs with soaring spaces; but it is equally suitable for more inconspicuous uses, like purlins and ridge beams or garage door headers. When specifying Canadian glulam products it is crucial that both stress grade and appearance grade requirements be specified when specifying.
Glulam Floor Beams
Glulam floor beams can be found in residential and commercial buildings alike. Not only do they add structural integrity, they provide an aesthetic element as well. Crafted from various wood species including SPF (Spruce-Pine-Fir), Douglas Fir, Larch and Alaskan Cedar; additionally they are considered green construction material as they’re made out of small pieces of lumber that would otherwise become waste material – plus being lightweight means no thermal expansion/contraction issues occur!
Glulam differs from traditional lumber in that it’s composed of laminations bonded together with water-proof adhesives to form complex shapes and sizes that would be impossible with conventional lumber, including arches and vaulted ceilings. This process makes glulam perfect for creating arches and vaulted ceilings.
A glulam structure requires fewer connections and fittings than traditional framing, saving time and money during assembly. Furthermore, glulam beams of similar strength weigh significantly less than concrete beams and have superior acoustic performance when coupled with porous sound-absorbing materials like drywall.
Glulam comes in both custom and stock sizes and can be specified according to one of four appearance categories – premium, architectural, industrial or framing. Each appearance category differs in how glulam is processed and finished; for instance a premium grade would require hand selection to minimize visible knots or defects and all exposed surfaces being sanded smooth prior to finishing.
Another benefit of selectinging a glulam system for your home is the elimination of intermediate floors, creating more open space and simplifying MEP coordination by leaving plenty of room for ductwork, sprinkler lines, and electrical wiring.
Pre-cambered floor systems from many glulam manufacturers provide an advantage in long span applications. Usually, this camber amounts to no more than 1/4″ over 28 feet of run and is almost unnoticeable.
Big Beam or X-Beam systems can also help accommodate longer spans by using heavier and stronger material in their compression zone – an option which will significantly decrease glulam requirements and keep projects within budget.
Glulam Roof Beams
Glulam roof beams are an indispensable feature of timber frame homes and commercial construction projects alike, serving in gymnasiums, arenas, bridges and other demanding environments such as gymnasiums or bridges. Fabricated by laminating together finger-jointed lumber that has been kiln dried after stress testing before glueing it with weather resistant glues then weather-proofed using weather resistant glues; their grain runs parallel with member length. Douglas Fir or Spruce Pine Fir (SPF) species typically make these lams their home
Glulam stands out among structural materials by being both strong and stiff; produced as straight or curved sections it can meet any design specification, providing long spans without intermediate columns being needed for support.
Glulam can also be shaped into dramatic curved forms for use in open timber frame designs, providing more visual interest while increasing natural lighting levels in homes.
Glulam is widely utilized for visible applications like vaulted ceilings; however, its many hidden applications such as simple purlins, ridge beams, garage door headers and cantilevered beams require significant strength and flexibility; making glulam an excellent material choice.
As glulam beams are constructed from wood, they do have the potential to crack or check with age. Engineers make allowances for this and it does not impede on structural integrity of beams.
As part of your design, there may be instances in which beams must be notched or drilled for plumbing, electrical and conduit purposes. Any openings made should always be carefully measured to minimize their effect on load-bearing capabilities of beams.
Notching and drilling of glulam beams should only be conducted under professional engineer oversight, due to potential changes in moisture absorption which could cause splits to form over time. It is advised that any notched or drilled area be filled immediately using water-repellent sealant, in order to reduce risks of moisture absorption changes leading to splits forming in future years.