Higher lumber prices and labor costs for stick framing
have led me, like many architects, to specify engineered
lumber in more and more structures. Though wood I-joists
and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) will do for many applications,
glued laminated timbers, or glulams, are the only
substitute for large, exposed solid timbers. In this article, I'll
share some of what I've learned from ten years of using glulams
for headers, joists, cathedral ceiling rafters, and exposed
trusses.
Why Glulams?
Glued laminated timbers are made by face-laminating dry
lumber of 1- or 2-inch nominal thickness under controlled
temperatures and pressures. Glulams can be made to nearly
any width, length, depth, or strength. And because their