Curved Laminated Timber Beams
Larger cross sections can be made via special wood manufacturing processes.
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. Use other member stress combinations e g. 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. 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.
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. Laminated beams are superior in all strength characteristics to solid sawn lumber. Rigidply rafters inc has been manufacturing glue laminated products since 1954.
The tightness of the radius will determine the thickness of the laminations. Differing radii are achieved by adjusting the clamp layout and using different thicknesses of timber. As a rule of thumb the thickness of plank required is the radius 200 i e. Our creative curves can turn a humble beam into an arch and open a box into an atrium.
Factory made members can be formed into any practical shape and any desired size. The flexibility of glulam beams allows for the designer s creative imagination to be realised.