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
