Spruce Glulam (GL)

Spruce Glulam (GL)

Glulam – short for glued laminated timber, also colloquially known as laminated beams or laminated wood beams – consists of several dried wood lamellas glued together parallel to the grain. This construction makes large cross-sections and great lengths possible, which would be difficult to produce from a single log.

Our spruce glulam beams meet the strength class GL24c and are manufactured according to DIN EN 14080:2013. They are suitable for load-bearing components such as purlins, ridge beams, underbeams, main beams, and supports.

Properties of our glulam beams

• Strength class GL24c
  The "c" stands for a combined construction: The outer lamellas have a higher strength class than the inner ones. The stated strength class is used for dimensioning.
• Melamine resin glued
  The lamellas are glued with melamine resin to make them water- and weather-resistant; the glue line is light.
• Large cross-sections
  The glued lamellas make large cross-sections such as 160 × 240 mm or 200 × 200 mm possible – for beams and supports with higher requirements.
• Uniform appearance
  Glued lamellas generally tend to twist and crack less than a single-piece beam. This is why BSH is often chosen for visible beams.
• Cut to length as selected
  The beams are cut to length from a 12.0 m long stock beam according to the selected variant; a section can be at most 7.0 m long.

Select BSH by cross-section

For other cross-sections and larger quantities, please contact us via our business contact.

Typical applications

BSH excels with large cross-sections, large spans, and visible beams. In a carport, BSH purlins support the rafters over the entire length, while in roof structures, purlins and ridge beams with larger spans are often made of BSH.

For patio covers, the beams usually remain permanently visible and often support a glass or corrugated sheet roof. This is why glulam is often chosen for main beams and purlins, such as the BSH glulam beams 160 × 240 mm. Visible ceiling beams are also often made of BSH because they look more uniform.

Tip: For rafters, posts, purlins, and frames in standard cross-sections, structural solid wood (KVH) is usually the right addition. Many projects such as carports, pergolas, or roof structures combine KVH and BSH.

Cutting the BSH glulam beams

The 12.0 m long glulam beams are cut to length according to the selected variant. This also allows you to order long BSH stock beams in the sections you need for transport and processing.

Important: We cut the beams manually with a chainsaw. The width of the cut causes material loss at every cut – the sections are therefore not finished dimensions accurate to the millimeter. Please allow sufficient extra length for the final cut on site.

Professional planning advice

Whether BSH is stronger than KVH depends on the strength class and cross-section, not just the product type. Dimensioning and use are based on the structural and planning requirements of the construction project – for glass roofs, the requirements for deflection are particularly high. Have larger or permit-required structures dimensioned by a structural engineer or carpentry company.

Spruce BSH is not intended for direct, permanent exposure to the elements. In outdoor areas, roof overhangs, coverings, post supports set away from the ground, and ventilated connections protect the wood. The weather-resistant gluing refers to the glue line, not the wood surface.

Risk of confusion: BSH is not the same as a laminated wood panel. Laminated wood panels consist of lamellas glued side by side and are intended for furniture, worktops, or stair treads – not as structural elements.

KVH or BSH?

Structural solid wood (KVH)

Solid wood in standard cross-sections for rafters, posts, frames, and beam layers.

View KVH

Guide: KVH or BSH?

Construction, differences, and typical applications – from carports to patio covers and roof structures.

Go to the guide