Since Eurodita is in business of producing private label houses built with glulam, we naturally want and can talk a lot about glulam log homes. This includes its benefits, the interesting ways homes can be built using this technique and designs we create and offer to our partners. Given all that, in this post, we would like to share some interesting facts you may not know about glulam log homes, their design and construction process.
About glue laminated timber
Glulam timber is an exceptionally solid building material, used to construct, walls, floors, ceilings and roof boards of glulam log houses. The strength of these beams easily exceeds the strength of structures, built from brick or concrete. They are also approximately 50-70% stronger that log cabins and log houses, built from solid logs.
During the glulam beams production process, the timber becomes rigid. It doesn’t twist, shrink or bend over time. It also withstands moisture very well, is resistant to rot and pest infestations. Glulam timber doesn’t change its shape over time, compared to full logs or other building materials.
Glulam beams production.
First step in producing log homes is to adequately prepare the beams. They are shaved on all sides in order to achieve the desired geometry. Then, the shaved boards are glued together under intense pressure, using specialised glue that keeps the air permeability of the logs intact. During this procedure, glue sets in deep within the pores of the timber, forming a strong connection between boards.
While glueing, the boards are then put onto each other by the opposite sides, in order to make structure directions of each board turn away from one another. This is what gives glulam beam houses their extraordinary strength and sustainability against moisture. After the glueing process in complete, the boards are calibrated into desired girth by a four-sized profiling machine and then cut into desired length.
Flexibility of design
Due to the calibration procedures of glue laminated beams production, this material gives a lot of freedom to design various bespoke timber houses. Sizes of each beam are flexibly adapted to the needs of the design, hence providing an opportunity for architects and designers to experiment and build intricate log homes projects.
With that also comes aesthetics. Glulam timber doesn’t have any cracks of knots. Depending on the type of wood used, it retains the natural colours of the timber. It can also provide a much wider interior space than classic full log houses could, due to the malleability and strength of glulam beams.
Other great advantages
Glulam timber is surprisingly soundproof, reducing the travel of sound waves due to the timber pores, filled tightly with glue. Whether it’s vertical or horizontal-shear sound vibrations, the wood can withstand and contain them relatively well.
Wood is also a natural insulator. Glulam beams have not lost this ability, providing good heat retention during winter months. Meanwhile, during warm seasons, due to the natural heat accumulation properties of the tree, glulam log houses provide a reliable protection from the heat.
Lastly, glulam timber frame houses tend to maintain an ideal indoor microclimate. This is due to the natural ability of the wood to absorb moisture, or give it away when the rooms dry up. It’s also naturally antiseptic, which is further enhanced with the glue, filling out the pores in the wood.
Glulam log houses construction
Houses built with glulam have an advantage over classic log homes or those built from brick. Since they arrive to the construction side already in pre-built parts, their construction time is greatly reduced. They also don’t weight as much, making their transportation cheaper and they don’t require as deep foundations compared to brick or stone.
Final thoughts
Overall, glulam logs have many advantages over their classic counterparts. They are strong, yet flexible material, which is why we as a company have chosen to build glulam timber frame houses above all else. Our current partners know our dedication to quality and longevity of our products, which is in large part possible due to the great glulam logs.