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Architecture → Design Dictionary

Glulam

The nickname might sound funny, but this engineered wood has some serious strength

Houzz January 1, 2000

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Glulam is the nickname for glue-laminated wood. Thin sheets of wood are pressure bonded with waterproof adhesives, resulting in a timber material that is stronger than conventional woodcan cover longer spans, since it is stress engineered and not sawn timber. Glulam is also moisture resistant and is a fire retardant.

Doerr Architecture

Glulam can be produced in curved shapes, even in lengths exceeding 100 feet.

Bright Designlab

Glulam is fabricated following the same formula as plywood: thin sheets of wood glued together.

Chris Johnson

Glulam timbers are stronger and less expensive than steel beams or sawn timber, making them a great choice for open areas with long spans.

Contemporary Dining Room Dennis Wedlick images

Not just for horizontal use, glulam has wide-ranging versatility.

Browse more glulam photos

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Comments (3)

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tapd0g

Umm, this link was supposed to be about cameras. Instead it's about glulam. Anybody else had this happen?

1 Like June 11, 2013 at 7:13PM

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Rajan "Raj" Dharni

Since glulam beams are stronger than sawn wood or steel beams (and cheaper), can they be used for strictly construction purposes for, say, a second story new build?

2 Likes December 1, 2013 at 9:40AM

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serenityjewel

I'm curious to find out as well. Seems like a great alternative to traditional hardwood or laminate.

Like October 7, 2015 at 5:23PM