Mass timber construction is the term used to define a large number of designed wood products. These
products typically involve the compression and lamination of different layers to come up with solid
panels of wood.
If the term ‘mass timber construction’ has been mentioned, you are probably curious what it is. This form of consutrction has exploded in popularity across Canada, Australia, and Europe. This is due to the fact that timber is affordable, durable, and sustainable. Projects using timber therefore receieve praise and attention.
The most commonly used mass timber product is cross-laminated timber (CLT). To understand CLT, we must take a closer look at it.
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT)
Cross-laminated timber is an excellent secondary wood product and a classic alternative to building with solid lumber. This material resembles plywood except it doesn’t have veneer layers.
Cross-laminated timber panels are comprised of an odd number of layers of dimensional lumber fixed perpendicular to the adjacent layers and then stacked together to create structural panels. Cross-laminated timber comprises two materials: adhesive and lumber.
Currently cross-laminated timber is manufactured from softwoods.
Nail laminated timber is similar to Cross-laminated timber but NLT panels are made from dimensional
lumber fixed on the edge. Nail laminated timber is used in walls, flooring, roofing, and decking.
Glue laminated timber is comprised of individual dimensional lumber boards glued in parallel layers and
then fixed together with moisture-resistant, durable adhesives. Glue-laminated timber is used for
columns and beams in commercial and residential construction.
Big wood is our business. If you are considering using mass timber construction and wondering whether
you should move from traditional wood framing to mass timber, we would love to talk to you.
Seagate Mass Timber is leading the revolution in “Big Wood” being used in all areas of construction.
Seagate has offices in British Columbia, Canada and the US in Washington state. If you have any
questions about this article or would like to talk to us about your construction project, please call us at