Curved Laminated Timber Beams

They resist checking and twisting because of the use of multiple plies of kiln dried lumber bonded together with waterproof phenol resorcinol adhesive.

Curved laminated timber beams.

The flexibility of glulam beams allows for the designer s creative imagination to be realised. Use other member stress combinations e g. The tightness of the radius will determine the thickness of the laminations. Our creative curves can turn a humble beam into an arch and open a box into an atrium.

The thinner the planks are the easier they are to bend which allows tighter radii to be achieved. Curved beams creativity involves thinking outside the square and wouldn t it be great to work with a material that allows you to do just that. Differing radii are achieved by adjusting the clamp layout and using different thicknesses of timber. Laminated beams are superior in all strength characteristics to solid sawn lumber.

Curved beams are made by clamping glued lamella around an arrangement of clamp frames which are bolted to the floor. A nine metre radius will require a plank thickness of 45mm but a two metre. We can even fabricate complete circles. Glulam beams that curve in plan use plies that are oriented vertically therefore the finished height of the beam is based on standard glulam widths.

As a rule of thumb the thickness of plank required is the radius 200 i e. Larger cross sections can be made via special wood manufacturing processes.