Making gluelam beams

[Sanders Fine Woodworking]

My wife and built our post and beam construction house 13 years ago. My posts (6"X6")and beams 9up to 6"X15") are local red oak. They are exposed inside and out. Several have warped so much the windows cracked and the doors are impossible to plumb. I am going to make new glue lam beams of 4 quarter red oak (quartersawn). Can't find a glue acceptable for "structural members" on the label. Does anyone have any experience with homemade gluelam beams?

 

[Mike Davis]

I made the beam in the top of my shop, but it's not a true Glue Lam. I glued two 2 x 6 treated pine and a piece of 1/2 inch plywood together. But I cheated, and used nails every foot or so.

I used titebond III to glue it up and it's still doing great.

Wasn't the old resorcinol glue OK for load bearing beams?

 

[Gotcha6]

I'd think if you were careful you could use a product like Max Bond or any of the polyurethante glues in the large caulk tubes. Just be sure to keep it off the finish edges or sand it off after it it thoroughly dry.

 

[SkintKnuckle]

Steve, you're not going to find anything for home application which is rated for structural application, or at least anyone in their right mind would not certify their product for that application. The liability of that structural member will remain with the company certifying the adhesive for the life of the building!

So far as I know, there are 3 types of adhesives used in structural laminated beam manufacturing in the US. PRF, Melamine (which is actually imported) and Polyurethane. PFR has the lion share of volume for that market. The requirements needed for the use of those products are pretty much beyond the capabilities of a home workshop.

Good luck, let us know what you do.

 

[skysharks]

When we were framing houses, headers, above windows and doors we would use 2x10's or 2x12's laminated together with a 1/2" plywood in between them. (Just like Mike said) We would use Liquid Nail or something similar as our adhesive.

 

[Ray Martin]

When we were framing houses, headers, above windows and doors we would use 2x10's or 2x12's laminated together with a 1/2" plywood in between them. (Just like Mike said) We would use Liquid Nail or something similar as our adhesive.

I do the same as John for headers at windows and doors. The 2-by material nailed and or glued together does provide adequate load deflection for these wall penetrations (generally 3 feet or less). What kind of a stress will be put on these beams? How long will these beams have to be? What load will they carry. I think there are a bunch of engineering questions (and math) here. I'd be concerned about using home made glue lams, unless I was able to do that kind of engineering.

Ray

 

[Joe Scharle]

I was at a builders show years ago and attended a talk on LVL. All I can remember now is veneers, glue, pressure & heat. No help I know, but here's an idea. My own house has 150 year old railroad bridge timbers in the den ceiling (10" X 16"). They came from a company that specialized in deconstruction and salvage. Anything you find with some age has probably taken the shape it's going to keep by now.
Just another thought,
Joe

 

[William Roscoe]

Fine Homebuilding had an article about 4 or 5 years ago about a guy building an entire house this way, I think, and it even told which glue he had to use to avoid creep. If you have trouble finding the article, I've saved the back issues and can search by hand but it may take a little time:icon_scra

 

[Bigdog72]

Glue lams really aren't a couple of 2x's nailed together with some plywood in between. The manufacturing process includes drying, machining finger joints and pressure to assemble and then cutting to size. Most glue lams have been replaced with engineered timbers. These are made with a whole different manufacturing process. What you are using is more like a flitch beam and the best way to hold a flitch straight is to either use a steel plate in the center or wrap the center member with galvanized flashing.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

I would just by LVL glue lam beams- safer and more stable. If they will be exposed and you want- pretty them up with some oak veneer. But I wouldn't want to rely on the structural integrity of homemade lams. You just can't get the proper glue application, pressure, and curing that the commercial products have.