Builders are buying glulams

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products, especially structural glued laminated timbers?

Mainly because builders are buYing them, but there are other reasons, answers the American Institute of Timber Construction, Vancouver, Wa. Laminated beams can be imPor0ant, high profit products for retailers. Many dealers sell a good volume of stock laminated timbers for ridge beams, exposed raf0ers, girder beams, hip beams, floor beams and door, window and garage headers, usuallY at a higher profit margin than solid lumberbeams.

AITC lists nine primary reasons why specifiers prefer laminated beans and headers over solid sawn timbers, I-Joists or steel framing. They suggest dealen consider them as sales points.

Strength: predictable engineering performance with extra strength for longer spans. Conventional stick built framing, I-joists and LVL can't handle many of the comPlex roof angles and longer spans in today's custom homes. Heavier roof trusses require stronger headers as more building weight is transferred to perimeter walls. The extra strength of laninated beams is valuable for "bonus rooms" over garages. Their ability to span 30 feet or more eliminates the need for posts or columns in the middle of the garage space. Some traditional lumber srength values for solid sawn members declined as a result of the lumber industry's in-grade testing program, giving laminated beams even more value.

Lower Gosts: builders report installed cost of laminated loVo to 207o less than for conventional solid sawn timbers or other engineered components with minimum waste at the job sit€. Long lengths and exfa strength make it faster and easier for framers without field splicing or fabrication. Laminated beams can provide long spans and carry loads that would require much larger solid sawn beams and help avoid callback complains which occur on about 25Vo of all new construction built with green lumber floor and roof joists. These callbacks can cost up o $1,000 each to repair.

Stability: laminated timbers are manufacnued with kiln &ied material which doesn't warp and twist like solid lumber, particularly critical in larger roofs with more hips, dormers and vaults. Laminated can be machined sEaight, without the crown often found in solid sawn timbers.

Availability: in contrast to wide width dimension lumber and timbers which are difficult to find, have a relatively high moisnre cont€nt and are increasing in price, laminated beams are widely available at competitive prices.

Faster Gonstruction: laminated beams can be installed quickly with minimum manpower and equiPment. Time consuming and expensive job site built-up beams are not engineered for most applications.

Ease of Handling: laminated arrives at the job site pre-cut and ready to go and weighs less than a built-up steel and lumber flitch plate beam. Carpentry crews can trim and fit glulam timbers at the job site, in contrast to specialized detailing and fab,ricating required with steel.

Appearance: with the increasing preference for open interiors, exposed ridge beams and cathedral-style ceilings, laminated bearns can be finished to provide an atfactive, custom touch and improve design appeal.

Fire Resistance: unlike unpro- tected steel bar joists which lose strength quickly and can collaPse under fire conditions, laminated timbers retain a significantly higher percentage of their original strength when exposed to fire. (See related story p.38)

Environmental EfficiencY: laminated bearns come from a renewable raw material resource and require significantly less energy to produce than steel, concrete, aluminum and plastic.

AITC spokesman Don Jaenicke suggests retailers promote sales of laminated beams with in-store displays and samples for builders and highlight the beams in direct mail and newsletters to contractors. Services such as custom cutting to specified lengths, shop drawings, material take offs and erection of the beams can reinforce the concept of being a glulam specialist, he adds.

Story at a Glance

Reasons for a retailer to sell laminated beams 9 waYs they compete against solid sawn timbers, l-joists or steel framing ... ways to encourage builder customers to buy.