Thicker beams become even more expensive, with a 5-1/4-inch by 13-3/4-inch treated glulam beam running 500 to 550. The two-by-eight costs 10 to 15 the LVL version runs 45 to 50. The last photo shows a PSL beam, which shows the shorter strands/fibers. A 1-3/4-inch by 7-1/4-inch by 8-foot LVL beam is comparable in size to a dimensional two-by-eight by 8-foot piece of lumber. Whereas PSL beams come in many width from 1-3/4 inch up to 9 inches wide (0r wider). LVL’s come in 1-3/4 inch wide beams always. The last clue that you’re dealing with a Microllam / LVL beam is the width. LVL beams always have straight, parallel layers which is very different than similar Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL) beams which have lots of shorter fibers that are compressed. The second clue to idendifying the LVL is the long, straight layers of the beams. The adjacent photo shows the bottom side of the Microllam / LVL header beam. Most LVL’s on the market have a smooth face that looks like plywood. The first clue that this is a LVL header is the appearance. The header was built using three (3) 9-1/2 inch deep Microllams that were nailed together. The photo above shows a Microllam LVL header over a door in a basement. LVL beams are one of several different types of engineered lumber products on the market today. Microllam is a brand name for Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) Beams manufactured by Weyerhaeuser. They are typically used for headers, beams, rimboard, and edge-forming material. The Quick Reference and Allowable Load tables in this guide are only for uniform loads on simple (single) or equal, continuous (multiple) span members as noted in each table. Made in a factory under controlled specifications, LVL products allow users to reduce the onsite labor. It is much less likely than conventional lumber to warp, twist, bow, or shrink due to its composite nature. It offers several advantages over typical milled lumber: it is stronger, straighter, and more uniform. Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is an engineered wood product that uses multiple layers of thin wood assembled with adhesives. In this article I’d like to point out what a Microllam or LVL beam is. Recently a reader asked: “What Exactly Is A Microllam”? It’s understandable that there could be confusion because the industry is full of all kinds of engineered lumber today.
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