Glued Laminated Timber

Glued laminated timber, commonly called glulam, is an engineered wood product made by bonding together multiple layers of dimensioned lumber with structural adhesive, producing beams and arches stronger, straighter and more dimensionally stable than an equivalent solid timber member and capable of much longer spans and curved forms. Developed in Europe in the early twentieth century, it enabled large clear-span structures, including gymnasiums, churches and exhibition halls, in an era before steel and concrete alternatives were always practical or affordable, and it remains a preferred material for exposed structural timber in contemporary architecture for its combination of strength, renewability and warm visual character.