Glulam Durability

A 50-year structural design life is required by some authorities, for example James Cook University calls for a minimum "building design working life" of 50 years for its own buildings. Perhaps glulam producers have aligned their warranties to this common requirement. We are not aware of a glulam producer that warrants its products for 120 years. It would seem somewhat impractical given that such a long term warranty could never be exercised. The personnel who issued it would be long gone, and probably the company as well.

Existing timber

If there are no grade marks on the timber you would need to have a timber grader assess the timber on site in accordance with the relevant Australian Standard. Someone who is experienced in grading timber could do this, for example a person who has completed a visual stress grading course at Timber Training Creswick. The same person may be able to identify the species of timber. Otherwise you could send a sample for identification by an expert such as Dr Jugo Ilic who is an authority on the subject.

Kiln Drying of Timber

Drying timber by dehumidification is a more gentle process than the more conventional kiln drying methods used in large-scale timber production. Consequently dehumidification leads to less checking (a bonus with Australian hardwoods) but the downside is, it is relatively slow. Progress needs to be monitored by testing the timber at intervals with a moisture meter. There is much helpful information on the net about building a dehumidifying kiln, mostly from US sources. You will find this information if you write "building a dehumidification kiln" or similar wording in your browser.

Are you looking for a supplier?

Start Your Search

Social Media Feeds