How does laminated, or glued, wood enable the creation of wooden structures with greater strength and load-bearing capacity? Is laminated wood fire-resistant? How does the use of laminated wood impact the rationalization of global wood consumption?
Wood, along with stone, is one of the oldest building materials known to mankind. Despite the fact that many modern materials with exceptional characteristics are used in construction today, wood remains popular. Recently, there has been increasing mention of the use of laminated, or glued, wood.
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Laminated wood is produced by gluing multiple wooden components into a final building element. The advantages of this type of wood production are numerous. The most obvious advantage is the ability to obtain wood of desired dimensions, which can be larger than the logs from which the final product is made.
Enhanced Mechanical Properties Through Lamination
By combining multiple wooden segments, a material with better mechanical properties and greater strength is obtained. This allows the wooden structure to be lighter while withstanding greater loads and having higher strength.
One of the advantages of laminated wood is that the wood is already dried before the processing, cutting, and gluing process, ensuring its dimensions are defined and eliminating the possibility of warping or cracking during subsequent drying. Additionally, laminated wood is more resistant to deformation due to moisture.
Furthermore, the lamination process creates a product with a controlled structure. In contrast, solid wood is a natural product that can have a non-homogeneous internal structure, leading to variable mechanical characteristics.
When wooden panels, not beams, are produced through lamination, the layers are glued with the wood fibers positioned crosswise, providing significantly greater strength and uniform wood characteristics in all directions. This process also allows for the use of lower-quality wood and even by-products of the wood industry to create a new, high-quality finished product.
Improved Fire Resistance
One unexpected advantage of laminated wood is its fire resistance. While not non-combustible, in the event of a fire, the outer layers of the wooden laminates heat up while the inner layers remain protected. This allows the wooden structure to maintain its load-bearing capacity for a long time during a fire, providing ample time for evacuation.
Today, a wide range of laminated wood products is available from sellers, with beams of various lengths and cross-sectional dimensions being the most sought after. What makes laminated wood popular in the construction industry is the ability to create wooden components of desired dimensions, including curved segments like arches, offering constructors extensive possibilities for the application and aesthetics of wood.
Advantages and Concerns
The advantages of laminated wood in construction are immense. Many experts believe that processing wood in this manner leads to more rational use, less waste, and more efficient use of wood processing by-products. However, there is a justified concern that the increased popularity of wood could lead to more deforestation.