41 / 228
1. LVL AS A CONSTRUCTIONMATERIAL
1.8 LVL SIZES AND LAYUPS
LVL is produced in a continuous layup process from 3 mm ve-
neers. This process optimally produces fairly thin, but wide and
long beams, panels and studs cut from 1200-2500 mmwide bil-
lets. Maximum lengths range from 18-25 m depending on the
production line. Due to the continuous process, the length can
be individually specified for each billet. The minimum length
is however limited to 2000 mm due to handling in the produc-
tion process, so shorter components need to be cut separately.
Standard widths are defined to minimize waste and to comple-
ment the dimensions of other building structures. The stand-
ard layups and product thicknesses are shown in Table 1.6.
Table 1.6.
Nominal product thicknesses and layups of LVL-P and LVL-C.
The thickness to height ratio of LVL-P standard beams is
limited to 1:8 to ensure dimensional stability in normal build-
ing site humidity conditions. Weather exposure on one side of
a beam may lead to cupping of higher beams. Table 1.7 shows
the standard sizes of LVL-P available from several manufactur-
ers; these sizes are thus usually available in the shortest delivery
times. LVL is easy to cut, so custom sizes are possible on sepa-
rate request, making it an attractive option for many building
systems. A more slender beam thickness to height ratio can
be used if moisture conditions are controlled throughout the
whole production chain, e.g. in off-site production of wooden
roof elements for hall constructions.
Table 1.7.
Standard sizes of LVL-P beams.
LVL 01, Table 1.5
Thickness [mm]
Number of veneers
Layup of LVL-P Layup of LVL-C
Number of cross
veneers in LVL-C
24
8
IIIIIIII
II-II-II
2
27
9
IIIIIIIII
II-III-II
2
30
10
IIIIIIIIII
II-IIII-II
2
33
11
IIIIIIIIIII
II-IIIII-II
2
39
13
IIIIIIIIIIIII
II-III-III-II
3
42
14
IIIIIIIIIIIIII
-
45
15
IIIIIIIIIIIIIII
II-IIII-IIII-II
3
48
16
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
-
51
17
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
II-IIIII-IIIII-II
3
57
19
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
II-III-IIIII-III-II
4
63
21
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
II-III-III-III-III-II
5
69
23
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
II-IIII-III-III-IIII-II
5
75
25
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
II-IIII-IIII-IIII-IIII-II
5
LVL 01, Table 1.6
Beam
thickness [mm]
Beam height [mm]
200
220
225
240
260
300
360
400
450
500
600
27
33
39
42
45
48
51
57
63
69
75
LVL Handbook Europe
39