Glulam

Mega Beams Maintenance Instructions Section

 Handling, Installation and Maintenance Instructions

 

Keeping dry

H1.2 treated Glulam is designed for above-ground use and should be kept dry at all times. Any prolonged exposure to moisture will increase the risk of decay and rot.

Don’t drop or rough handle

When handling H1.2 treated Glulam, it is essential to do so with care to avoid any damage. Dropping or roughly handling the timber can cause cracks or splits, which will reduce its strength and integrity.

Use above ground only

To maintain the structural integrity of H1.2 treated Glulam, it should only be used in above-ground applications, where it is not in contact with the ground. If you are unsure about where the timber can be used, seek advice from a qualified professional.

Overview

Glue laminated beams (Glulam) are solid wood members manufactured by bonding multiple pieces with proven adhesives to form a larger structural member. Glulam is more uniform and offers improved structural performance over sawn timber.

Lumberbank distributes GL17c manufactured by Megabeam located in Caloundra, Queensland, Australia. This product is utilises slash pine (pinus elliotti) with high stiffness in its manufacture and with the standard radius camber (see camber details below).

Megabeam commenced trading in 2011 on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia as a Glulam manufacturing and supply business specialising in GL17c beams. Megabeams managing director, John Schwabe has been glue laminating since 1990 and consulting as an engineer since 1988. John developed much of the Glulam manufacturing standard AS/NZS 1328 and developed the current grades that exist in Australia’s Timber Design Standard AS1720.1.

The renowned natural strength of timber is enhanced by the glue laminating process, ensuring GL17c is comparatively lightweight and ideal for long span / high load applications. GL17c is ideal for lintels over large window and door openings, garage openings or roof beams where spans over large spaces are required.

Availability

We stock the Glulam in the following sizes

Thickness (mm) Widths (mm)
85 360, 400, 460

These are available in lengths 4.8 – 9.6m please check what’s available and lead times with our team.

Common Applications

Lintels, Roof Beams, Floor Beams, Bearers

Botanical Name Pinus Elliotti
Standard Trade Names Slash Pine
Origin Of Product Australia
Density 460 – 560 Kg/m3 @ 12% m.c.
Durability Class 4: Non-durable
Treatment H1.2 Boron
Finish Structural
Property   Unit Grade E13 Values Grade E11 Values
Modulus of Elasticity E GPa 16.7 Modulus of Elasticity
Modulus of Rigidity G MPa 1110 Modulus of Rigidity
Bending (f’b) MPa 42 Bending
Tension parallel to grain (f’t) MPa 21 Tension parallel to grain
Compression perpendicular to grain (f’p) MPa 15 Compression perpendicular to grain
Compression parallel to grain (f’c) MPa 35 Compression parallel to grain
Shear in Beam (f’s) MPa 3.7 Shear in Beam

Cuts, Penetrations, and Chamfers

A taper cut of chamfer must not exceed 0.15 of the beam span without nail plate reinforcement.  The minimum depth remaining for the Glulam at the support must not be less than half the original depth of the beam.

Camber

Timber glue-laminated (glulam) beams with a “C” suffix designates a vertical camber radius of 600m. An “S” suffix designates a straight beam profile.

Alignment tolerance of both straight and cambered beams shall be no more than 1mm per metre of beam length. Cambered beams are generally supplied with a marking stamped on the top edge of the beam. Unless specifically requested (such as for large cantilevers), cambered beams should not be installed with the camber arch facing downwards.

Beam Length (m) 4.8 5.4 6 7.2 8.4 9.6
Camber (mm) 4.8 6.1 7.5 10.8 14.7 19.2

Treatment +

Glulam 17c is H1.2 treated in accordance with NZS 3604 (A5).

This product is not suited to exterior unprotected situations where exposed to weather but may be used in any protected situation suited to H1.2 Boron treated sawn Radiata or Douglas Fir under NZS3602.

Channel Partners / Where to buy

Give the Lumberbank team a call, they are happy to point you in the right direction.

Call the lumberbank team

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