Both glued laminated timber, also known as glulam, and laminated veneer lumber, commonly known as LVL, are examples of engineered wood products that have a variety of applications in the construction industry.
Other names for these goods are LVL and glulam. Both LVL and glulam are made up of several layers of wood veneer that are bonded to one another in order to create the finished product. Glulam is also a kind of laminated veneer lumber.
LVL and glulam are not precisely the same thing in a number of significant aspects, despite the fact that they are fairly comparable to one another in a number of ways. In this article, we will contrast the benefits of LVL and glulam and look at some comparisons between the two products.
Laminated Veneer Lumber vs Glulam
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In addition, we will look at some similarities between the two goods.
- Both LVL and glulam begin their respective production processes with the layering of wood veneers, which is then followed by the use of adhesives to permanently bind the layers together. On the other hand, the procedures that go into the production of these two different types of items couldn’t be more different from one another. During the production process, LVL is created by gluing together thin layers of wood veneer in a continuous layer. This procedure is repeated many times. On the other hand, glulam is made by gluing distinct layers of wood veneers to one another in the shape of a pattern of dots or stripes using an adhesive. This creates a sandwich between the layers.
- Both laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and glue-laminated timber (glulam) are types of laminated wood products that are extremely solid and sturdy, making them ideal for a wide variety of building uses. The acronyms LVL and glulam stand for laminated veneer lumber and glue-laminated timber, respectively. Glulam, on the other hand, exceeds LVL in terms of both its resistance to bending and twisting and its strength-to-weight ratio. LVL, on the other hand, does not do as well in any of these areas. Glulam is also more dimensionally stable than LVL, which means it is less likely to shrink or swell as a consequence of fluctuations in temperature and humidity. This advantage gives glulam an advantage over LVL when it comes to structural applications. LVL is more vulnerable to these kinds of shifts than other levels.
- The look of LVL and glulam is smooth and uniform; but, the layers of wood veneer that are visible in glulam give it a more natural and rustic appeal. LVL has a smoother and more uniform appearance than glulam. LVL, on the other hand, has a greater degree of uniformity and gives the impression of having been created by a machine.
- Cost: LVL often has a lower price than glulam does because the manufacturing process is simpler and because it uses veneers of a lower grade that are smaller in size. This results in the veneers having a lower cost per square foot. The creation of Glulam, on the other hand, requires the use of veneers that are not only larger in size but also of a higher quality. In addition, the manufacturing process for Glulam requires a greater amount of human work.
- Impact on the Environment Both laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and glue-laminated timber (glulam) are regarded as ecologically beneficial goods due to their production from renewable wood resources and their smaller carbon footprint when compared to solid wood products. These two types of lumber are referred to as “laminated veneer lumber” and “glue-laminated timber,” respectively. The manufacturing of glulam, on the other hand, takes place in production facilities that are not only more compact but also more productive, which results in a somewhat lower impact on the surrounding environment.
In a nutshell, laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and glue-laminated timber (glulam) are both examples of engineered wood products.
Because of their sturdiness and consistency, these engineered wood products are suitable for a variety of architectural applications. However, there are a number of significant differences between the two goods, such as the method of manufacture, the strength and stability of the products, their appearance, the cost, and the impact that they have on the environment.