How is Glulam Made?
Glulam beams are an engineered wood product designed for strength, stability and aesthetic appeal. Commonly used in structural applications such as roof beams, floor beams and exposed features in architecture, they’re prized for their combination of performance and sustainability. But how are they actually made?
The process begins with high-quality, kiln-dried timber sourced from Scandinavian sawmills — a region known for its slow-grown, straight-grain softwood. Each individual piece of timber is machine-sorted and checked for strength and moisture content. This ensures only the best timber goes into production.
The raw timber is then cut into lamellae — thin lengths of wood that form the building blocks of a glulam beam. Where necessary, shorter pieces are finger-jointed end to end to create longer, continuous lengths. This method of joining produces a strong, reliable bond while reducing waste by making use of offcuts that might otherwise be discarded.
Once the lamellae are prepared, they’re glued together face to face using a high-performance adhesive. The number of lamellae used will depend on the final size and load-bearing requirements of the beam. The glued assembly is then pressed under controlled pressure to ensure a strong, consistent bond across the full depth of the beam. This is what gives glulam its excellent load-carrying capacity and dimensional stability.
After curing, the beam is planed smooth on all four sides to give it clean, straight edges and a finished appearance. At this stage, the beams can also be cut to specific lengths. We offer beams in 12m lengths, cut down to whatever span you require.