How much does a LVL beam cost per foot?
LVL beams cost on average $3 to $12 per linear foot for the material or $50 to $200 per foot installed. LVL beams are more cost-effective and durable than regular wood beams. LVL beams are more cost-effective and durable than regular wood beams.
How strong are LVL beams?
How strong is an LVL? Due to its strength, an LVL beam can span up to 60 feet and is much stronger than traditional lumber. Generally, you can find LVL beams in 4-foot increments starting at 24 feet and going up to 44 feet long, with special orders up to 60 feet. LVL beam thickness is usually between 1 ¾ and 7 inches.
What does a LVL beam cost?
LVL beams cost $3 to $12 per foot, while wood beams run $5 to $20. Builders may combine and ...
Where to buy LVL beam?
Due to a lack of customer demand, few home improvement centers will carry LVLs in-stock and on the shelves, ready for purchase. However, some of the large home centers have LVLs in their catalog, available for special order. If you need an LVL beam now, your local, independent lumber yard likely will have a few basic LVL sizes in-stock.
Is LVL stronger than wood?
Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) studs can be two times stronger in compression and tension than standard framing lumber of the same dimension.
What are the disadvantages of LVL?
Disadvantage of LVL Due to its production from many layers of the veneer, the LVL can have some defects such as warping, delamination, so it requires high production technology and good workmanship to have a stable quality LVL.
What does a LVL beam look like?
0:041:25What is LVL? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUsed for large cantilevers. And no seams if needed you can order up to sixty foot lengths anotherMoreUsed for large cantilevers. And no seams if needed you can order up to sixty foot lengths another Plus that makes this lvl better than traditional joists is that it doesn't have Wain meaning.
What is difference between LVL and laminated beam?
LVL refers to a manufactured timber product made from thin veneers (often 3mm) glued together to form large structural members, often known as Hyspan or similiar. Glulam is made from thicker sections of timber, generally 15-45mm thick, glued together to form a large variety of products.
Do LVL beams sag?
Most building codes have allowances for sag, and within those allowances, you will see LVL beams sag slightly at 14 feet and longer spans. This deflection or sag can be visible with an unleveled floor or even cracks in the drywall.
Can LVL get wet?
Can I get my LVL lashes wet? After the first 48 hours you can get your lashes wet. For the first two days after your LVL lashes treatment and lower LVL treatment, you should avoid all steam, saunas and swimming. After that, you can jump in and get wet with no worries – swim, shower, bathe, whatever.
Can you screw into LVL beam?
This deflection could overstress supported equipment or piping unless properly considered. Whenever possible, avoid drilling vertical holes through LVL beams unless the beam width is at least 3-1/2 inches. Prior to drilling any vertical holes, an engineer or architect qualified in wood design should be consulted.
How much does LVL beam cost?
LVL beams cost on average $3 to $12 per linear foot for the material or $50 to $200 per foot installed. LVL beams are more cost-effective and durable than regular wood beams.
How much weight can an LVL beam support?
Note: a single 2×6 will support 347 pounds per lineal foot of beam. Therefore, a double 2×6 carries 2 x 347 = 694 pounds per lineal foot.
Are LVL beams waterproof?
How is LVL made? LVL is made from rotary-peeled veneers that are bonded together under heat and pressure into large panels that are cut into range of widths. Phenol-formaldehyde resins provide waterproof bonds.
What is the strongest wood beam material?
Douglas firPerhaps the strongest wood beams made this way are Douglas fir.
What are some of the benefits of LVL?
Benefits of LVLThe Strength of Steel. ... Consistency Means No Surprises. ... Lightweight for Safer, Easier Handing. ... Better Cost Control. ... Longer Lengths for Bigger Spans. ... Sustainably-Managed Timber is One of the Most Environmentally Friendly Materials Available.
What is a LVL beam used for?
LVL is suitable for use as beams, trusses, planks and rafters. When cross-bonded for increased stiffness it can be used to form wall and floor panels with load-bearing capacity. While frequently used solely as a concealed structural component of a building, finished appearance grades are also used.
How far can a LVL beam span without support?
Some manufacturers limit their beams to 60' due to transportation issues, while others have the capability to manufacture beams up to 80' long. So, the longest unsupported span possible using LVL would be 80-feet. Typically, though, it is common for a continuous LVL span to be between 20' and 30'.
Is LVL cheaper than steel?
LVL beams are cheaper than steel beams; however, steel beams take up less space and are easier to install inside a ceiling.
How thick is an LVL beam?
The most common thickness of LVL is 45 mm (1-3/4 in), from which wider beams can be easily constructed by fastening multiple LVL plies together on site. LVL can also be manufactured in thicknesses from 19 mm (3/4 in) to 178 mm (7 in).
What is LVL veneer?
LVL is made from rotary-peeled veneers that are bonded together under heat and pressure into large panels that are cut into range of widths. Phenol-formaldehyde resins provide waterproof bonds. A diverse range of species can be used to produce LVL—such as Douglas-fir, larch, pine and spruce—to produce members that are beyond conventional lumber lengths. Typically, LVL veneers are oriented in the same direction.
What is LVL used for?
LVL is suitable for use as beams, trusses, planks and rafters. When cross-bonded for increased stiffness it can be used to form wall and floor panels with load-bearing capacity. While frequently used solely as a concealed structural component of a building, finished appearance grades are also used.
Will LVL rot or mold?
Similar to other wood products, LVL will not rot or acquire mold when designed and installed correctly. Exposure to water should be avoided during and after construction. Sealing the ends and edges of LVL will help ensure resistance to moisture penetration. Long-term exposure will require preservative treatment and finishing with a protective coating. Following best practices for managing moisture in wood construction will safeguard the product from damage or decay.
How does LVL compare to other building materials?
LVL is a solid, highly predictable, uniform wood product and can be made from fast-growing trees not suitable for conventional solid-sawn lumber. Its consistency in quality streamlines construction and reduces waste on the jobsite. Many species can be used interchangeably without impacting performance. This efficient use of wood fibre adds to its ecofriendly benefits and makes it an attractive alternative to more carbon intensive materials. Like most wood products, it is well-suited to prefabrication. As an engineered product, LVL is less prone to shrinkage or warping and is able to span longer distances and support heavier loads than conventional lumber.
Will LVL burn in a fire?
LVL is permitted and is safe to be exposed in accordance with building codes, as its large mass provides inherent resistance to fire. LVL, like other mass timber products, naturally resists fire because it chars. In the event of a fire, this char on the outside forms a protective layer while retaining strength. This slows combustion significantly, allowing time to evacuate the building safely.
What is LVL lumber?
February 8, 2021 by James. Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is an engineered wood construction product. LVL made of multiple veneer sheets and assembled with waterproof adhesives. It is used in headers, beams, rim boards, truck bed decking, roadway signposts, trusses, and many other applications. LVL is an innovation for the construction fields.
When was Lvl made?
LVL production began in 1941 . It was first made from a 3.6 mm thick Sitka spruce veneer. Because of the great demand for LVL, the USDA Forest Products Laboratory did research and development to improve its efficiency.
How is Laminated Veneer Lumber Made?
In the first step, the right wood is selected and harvested from the forest. After that, the debarking process is started with a wood log. Debarking is the process of removing bark from wood.
What is laminated lumber used for?
Laminated veneer lumber is used more in framing wooden floors. Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is compatible with I-joist floor framing. I-joists are used extensively in floor and roof framing. I-joists are strong and lightweight. Because of this, builders do not have trouble maintaining and leveling the floor. Its use makes it very easy to level the floor.
What kind of sanding paper is used for laminated lumber?
This laminated veneer lumber is once again final sanding. Sanding is done all around. Low grain sanding paper is used in this process. But medium and large size grain sanding paper is used for hardwood species based on grain size.
What is veneer trim?
In this Trimming process, the Veneer sheet is trimmed to the correct size. So that the Veneer gets the right shape for laminated veneer lumber Production.
Why is laminated lumber heavier than traditional lumber?
Laminated veneer lumber has more weight than traditional lumber because it does not have a hollow part. It is made of solid veneers. Due to the weight, it can be difficult to work at height.
What is LVL lumber used for?
It is typically used for headers, beams, rimboard, and edge-forming material. LVL offers several advantages over typical milled lumber: Made in a factory under controlled specifications, it is stronger, straighter, and more uniform.
How much wood is in LVL?
Although the creation of LVL is often proprietary and thus its make-up is largely dependent on individual manufacturers, in general one cubic meter of North American lumber is composed of 97.54% wood, 2.41% of phenol formaldehyde resin, 0.02% of phenol-resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, and 0.03% fillers.
What is LSL board?
LSL is also made from strands rather than veneer, although the strands are shorter and aligned with less precision than PSL and is created as billets that are like a thick version of oriented strand board. Billets of PSL and LVL are very similar although their sizes are different.
What is LVL used for?
Because it is specifically sized to be compatible with I-joist floor framing, residential builders and building designers like the combination of I-joist and LVL floor and roof assemblies. LVL is considered to be a highly reliable building material that provides many of the same attributes associated with large sized timbers. LVL can also be used in combination with gluelam as an outer gluelam tension lam to increase the strength of the gluelam beam. However, due to the fact that the assembly adhesives limit the penetration of chemicals typically used to treat outdoor-rated lumber, LVL may not be suitable for outdoor load-bearing use. A deck built using pressure-treated LVL collapsed due to internal rotting of the twelve-year-old LVL components, although the LVL beams had passed regular visual inspections. The breakdown of LVL end uses in North America is 33% new single family residential construction, 25% residential renovations and upkeep, 8% new non-residential construction and 34% manufacturing furniture and other products.
What is laminated veneer lumber?
For other uses, see LVL. Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is an engineered wood product that uses multiple layers of thin wood assembled with adhesives. It is typically used for headers, beams, rimboard, and edge-forming material.
When was Lvl first released?
The 1991 release is the first release which mentions LVL. LVL is mentioned as a subcategory of structural glued laminated timber. The first explorations into engineered lumber happened during World War II in the United States. In 1942, an increased demand for wood caused a sudden timber shortage.
Where are LVL joints made?
LVL is commonly manufactured in North America by companies that also manufacture I-joists. LVL is manufactured to sizes compatible with the depth of I-joist framing members for use as beams and headers. Additionally, some manufacturers further cut LVL into sizes for use as chord-members on I-joists. In 2012, North American LVL manufacturers produced more than 1.2 million cubic metres (43.4 million cubic feet) of LVL in 18 different facilities, and in 2013 the production increased with more than 14%. It is not coincidental that LVL mills are often co-located with I-joist manufacturing facilities as many builders use a combination of I-joists and LVL in floor and roof assemblies.
What is LVL lumber?
Unlike plywood or OSB, LVL lumber uses wood fragments that are all oriented in the same direction to produce very stiff beams that generally have greater span capacity than sawn lumber. GluLam produces laminated wood beams, timbers, I-joists, and other engineered wood products.
What is LVL trim?
Like LVL beams, LVL trim is dimensionally stable and is easy to cut, nail, and install, similar to a piece of plywood. Its weight falls in between solid wood and hardboard. It can be used for fascia, casings, corner boards, and most other exterior trim, and is available in lengths from 8 to 24 feet. According to Laminated Veneer Lumber, Overview ...
What is laminated veneer lumber?
Laminated veneer lumber is an "engineered wood product", developed in the 1960's, is produced by gluing together layers of wood veneers with the wood grains in parallel. Illustraged in our photographs of LVL beams in use at a Poughkeepsie NY Project, our example LVL beams are made of fifteen laminated wood plies.
What is laminated beam?
Laminated beams such as GluLam ™ (photo at above left) or microlam structural wood beams (see LVL or laminated veneer lumber earlier in this article and illustrated further below). Layers of wood are glued (laminated) together with heat, resin binder, and pressure to form a very strong structural member that can be produced in regular sizes and lengths.
How thick is LVL lumber?
Typically an individual LVL ply or layer of veneer is 45mm to 65mm in thickness, and may be up to 1.2 meters wide and as much as 25 meters in length, depending on the size of the original tree. LVL lumber, including trim and structural beams (see our photo at left) is provided by several wood products companies including Georgia Pacific (GP-LAM).
Is laminated wood stronger than lumber?
Because individual wood ingredient defects in a laminated wood product will not extend beyond a single layer or "veneer" of wood, the overall laminated product is stronger than a piece of lumber of the same dimensions sawn from an individual tree. This approach also permits construction of large structural beams from smaller-diameter ...
Can span tables be used with engineered wood?
That means that the span tables provided by a given manufacturer can be used only with that manufacturer's product.
What is LVL lumber?
Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is one of the most widely used engineered wood products for constructional applications. It is a composite product manufactured from multiple thin layers of veneer that are aligned with the length of the finished lumber. This fact sheet summarizes basic manufacturing steps, advantages and disadvantages of LVL compared to other structural engineered wood-based products.
What is the difference between LVL and plywood?
In general, LVL production is similar to that of structural plywood; however, the main difference between the two products is the grain orientation of each veneer. In the case of plywood, an odd number of veneer is assembled across each other, so the final product will not only have better mechanical properties, but also will be dimensionally more stable. In the case of LVL, more veneers are assembled along the longitudinal direction, so it will have similar properties to those of solid lumber, because each lamina is parallel to the board axis, as illustrated in Figure 3.
What is laminated veneer lumber?
Laminated veneer lumber is a versatile wood-based product. Together with plywood, lumber or oriented strand board (OSB), LVL can be used for many structural applications. Some of the most popular uses of LVL include I-joists, header, rimboards, truck bed decking, roadway signpost, beam, truss, special applications such as skateboards, ...
Why is LVL produced in different shapes?
Because it is manufactured with homogeneous quality that has a minimum number of defects or even distribution of defects, mechanical properties of the final product can be predicted. In general, LVL can be produced in different shapes depending on for what it will be used.
What is the loose side of veneer?
The side of the veneer next to the knife-edge is called the loose side, while the other side is called the tight side. There are many fine cracks on the loose side of veneer due to lathe checks running parallel to the grain. Figure 1. Rotary peeling veneer production.
How thick is veneer?
Veneer sheets with a thickness of 2.5 mm to 4.8 mm are produced using a rotary peeling technique. Typical veneer thickness for LVL production is 3.2 mm. Rotary peeling of the logs is carried out on a lathe, which incorporates geometry and positioning of a knife as main manufacturing parameters important role to the quality of the veneer. For example, the bevel angle of the knife selected is approximately 23 degrees for softwood to have efficient peeling.
What is the raw material for LVL?
Douglas fir is the most commonly used raw material for LVL manufacture, in addition to Yellow poplar, Southern pine and other softwoods in the United States. Radiata pine and rubberwood are extensively used in New Zealand and Southeast Asian countries, respectively.
ENGINEERED WOOD PRODUCTS (EWP) LVL SPAN AND SIZE CHARTS
VERSA-LAM ® laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams and headers eliminate twisting, shrinking and splitting, and deliver flatter, quieter floors and structures. Our VERSA-LAM ® LVL is manufactured in either Alexandria (Lena), Louisiana in Eastern United States, or in White City, Oregon for the Western United States.
US East
To download our VERSA-LAM ® span and size chart PDFs, click on the links below.
US West
To download our VERSA-LAM ® span and size chart PDFs, click on the links below.
BC Calc
BC Calc ® performs engineering analysis to help our customers size beams, joists, columns, studs and tall walls for their building projects. It is simple to use, yet flexible enough to analyze a variety of common applications. The user enters the member geometry, adds loads, holes and other relevant data and then selects a product for analysis.
