Glulams ri de the wave of custorn home market

lfl LULAM timbers are improving the look of custom \Ihomes across America, and also improving profits for retail dealers who sell them.

Many retailers report that architects are specifying increased volumes of exposed custom glulam trusses and beams, particularly for custom and upscale homes. Their conclusion? You're missing a big market unless you go after the custom home business.

Architect Bob Easton, Montecito, Ca., designed an adventurous home in Ventura County with a "flowing undulating roof structure" made up with 38-ft. curved glulam timbers. Easton said the 3,600-sq. ft. house undulates around oak trees at the scenic building site, and also includes a separate 1,000-sq. ft. studio and a 300-sq. ft. meditation building. All structures are framed with the curved glulam timber roof system.

He said the curved, wavy effect could only have been achieved with glulam timbers. "We could have specified steel. but we would have lost the warmth and aesthetic beauty of the glulams and would have had to wrap the steel," he noted. Because of the curved concept created by three radiuses in the design, there are no straight walls in the home, which has the general shape of a kidney bean. The laminated timbers were supplied by QB Corp., Salmon, Id., through Weyerhaeuser Building Materials.

Jim Bell, Hagle Lumber, Somis, Ca., said that glulams and other ensineered wood now account for about 2O7o of the yard's annual volume. Hagle Lumber is a master dealer for Trus Joist. "We're seeing big growth in engineered wood sales every year," Bell added.

Hagle provides complete services for its contractor customers, including an in-house Trus Joist designer who handles conversions, plans and design assistance. Bell said, "Most of the glulams we sell are used for floor and roof framing, but we're also seeing increased demand for laminated timbers in upscale homes because of their aesthetic appeal when left exposed."

Brad Schaub of Schaub Pacific, the building contractor, said the curved glulam timbers are 51314" wide by 15" deep. The finished ceiling inside will be plaster between the beams. "The construction has gone very well, considering the complexity of the compound curve glulam roof design and radius wall layout," he noted.

According to American Institute of Timber Construction, demand for glued laminated beams and trusses will exceed 400 million bd. ft. for the first time this year. AITC members now produce more than half of all glulams manufactured in the U. S.

Architects and specifiers report that other reasons for the surge in glulam demand are their strength for long spans; their kiln-dried, machine stress rated stability; predictable, value-added engineering; superior fire resistance compared to steel; flexible sizes and shapes, and that they are real wood, which comes from a renewable resource.

Retailers and other specifiers also report an increasing number of educational and commercial structures are being designed with laminated timber framing.

Designers find that a dramatic, exposed timber ceiling combines economy with an uplifting interior environment

Wood timbers are often specified because of their natural appearance plus aesthetic beauty and strength for long spans which provide unobstructed views without columns or posts.

Glued laminated wood arches, beams and trusses are also a renewable resource, because U.S. foresters plant 5 million trees each day to insure a future supply of wood. This contrasts with steel and concrete, which deplete natural resources.

AITC reports that about two-thirds of all U.S. glulams go into the residential and remodeling market, with 25Vo in non-residential uses and 9Vo in export and industrial applications. Glulams also have about 247o of the garage door header market, according to AITC.