Understanding the Basics of Mass Timber Construction

Mass timber or Massive Timber is a term for different forms of engineered wood products that perform as structural elements. They can be made of douglas-fir, spruce-pine fir and western hemlock. In this video, we're going to cover the six most popular types of mass timber products.

Chapters
0:00 Introduction
2:01 Glulam
2:40 CLT
3:24 LVL
4:02 DLT
4:45 NLT
5:24 PSL
6:27 Sponsor
7:09 Urban Machine

1- Glulam
Glulam is made by gluing together three or more small pieces of lumber, typically 2 to 4 inches in width. Individual pieces of lumber or laminations are laid out with the grains running in the same direction, parallel with the length of the member. A durable, moisture-resistant adhesive is applied to each lamination. Then, the laminations are clamped together with a hydraulic press until the glue has cured.

2- CLT
CLT is made by gluing three, five, or seven layers of lumber at right angles to each other. The panel is placed into a hydraulic press and compressed under high pressure to ensure that the glue is evenly distributed and that the panel is tightly bonded together. It is then trimmed to its final dimensions, sanded, stained, or coated with a protective finish.

3- LVL
LVL is made by layering thin wood veneers and bonding them together with a strong adhesive. Logs are debarked, steamed and peeled into thin sheets, or veneers, 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch thick. Layers of veneers are stacked and a strong adhesive is applied. The panel is compressed at a high pressure and temperature to activate the adhesive and bond the veneers together.

4- DLT
DLT is made with stacked dimensional lumber, fit together with hardwood dowels made of beech, maple, or oak. Dowels are inserted into pre-drilled holes and a hydraulic press forces the dowels to interlock with the boards, creating a strong, rigid panel.

5- NLT
NLT is made by stacking boards and inserting nails or screws at an angle. Any excess nails or screws are trimmed, and the panel is sanded and finished to create a smooth surface.

6- PSL
PSL is made from long wood strands that are bonded together with adhesives and heat. Logs are debarked and cut into long, thin strands 1/8 inch thick. Layers of veneers are stacked, a strong adhesive is applied and the panel is compressed with a hydraulic press.

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#masstimber #ecofriendly #greenbuilding #wood #construction #architecture #carbon

[kurtzxcvb]

Yes we want a dedicated video to the podcast on Urban machine

[joeldcanfield_spinhead]

Urban Machine sounds magnificent. I reuse junk wood all the time, and the idea of someone automating the cleanup, and the entire concept of using scrap and junk wood in something as beautiful (to me) as PSL is fascinating.

[yodaiam]

I designed Brentwood station roof structure (and station) noted at 5:22. I was not the EOR but I was the head engineer and did most of the concept, analysis, and final design. We used 20' long staggered 2x4s nailed together so we could form the compound curve of the roof. Each span varies a bit but it is about 5m (16') spans between ribs. It was an interesting project. We had to really fight for the design since the 2x4s were not cheap but really, in the end, it was most cost effective way to form the shape and get enough strength to span between the ribs. The client wanted to use steel roof decking but that would be a false economy due to the compound curve and long span between ribs.

[taxfree]

Your in depth interview with the owner of Urban Machines was excellent. The choices in wood construction is so varied, in a good way, the only question is which one do you prefer. You have such variety in your video with all the pertinent info and manage to give just enough time, not too long, to keep it moving and so interesting. Thank you for such great information.

[LucasRichardStephens]

Scribed timber houses use no nails glue or metal, and have been popular here in Norway for about 1000 years. They cost a small percentage more than stick frame houses to build, but last 400 years if well executed and adequately maintained. It may seem like an exaggeration to many readers of this comment, but I have worked on many houses in the area I live, that are 2-400 years old and still perform exactly as when they were new. The same can be said of most areas here in Norway. Though in the North, all the houses were destroyed as a war tactic. Thanks for sharing your studies Belinda, I am glad you are getting such a good number of subs, you are doing more for architecture than you could have if you had found a job at once. There is so much that could be improved in the building industry and this kind of democratic sharing of information is invaluable.

[gregcorwin]

Good to see you back, Belinda. Really enjoyed this video, thanks!

[stephenmontez]

I am always exited to see a new video from you, very educational and informative. Great content !

[boriss.]

Belinda a great video. Could you please take this to the next level.

[MinnesotaBeekeeper]

Lol, we were just cutting mass beams last week. Our mill seems to see a growing demand. And our great grandparents build pure post and beam barns in Wisconsin. Magnificent structures!

[emmanuelwekesa]

there are some wood versions in the market that you may have a look at and probably do a review on them

-transparent wood.
-acetylated wood like accoya
-softwood infused into hardwood like kebony premium hardwood

[matrazar]

I really enjoy your content.
It’s easily digestible.

[BelindaCarr]

I was tempted to insert a Pumpkin Spice Latte joke at 5:24 ...

[ybaggi]

Awesone as usual.

I would have liked to hear about the pros and cons of each type of mass timber described.

Thank you.

[gabrielfraser]

I like your new intro slide, Belinda. You keep getting better.

[ian]

In the US, steel frame and concrete or brick is the way to go. mass timber can be used for non load bearing walls. Tornados level wood buildings. Steel frame and concrete give occupants the best chance of survival without a storm shelter. Cheers from Texas.

[paxiahern]

Yes, give us a deep dive into Urban Machine.

[ryanlongman]

And don't forget MPP! Although Mass Plywood Panel is not as popular as the others because it is only manufactured by Freres Lumber in Oregon.

[raymondpeters]

Yet another very informative video
Doing good keep going
Take care Ray

[indijen]

I would love a separate video on Urban Machine's process!

[DGarte]

Thanks a lot! It would be really interesting to see a comparison between CLT and concrete or brick regarding Thermal properties