Wooden construction is always in great demand, so the lumber market is constantly updated with new offers. With such an abundance of wood, rounded and log chopped, timber in different variations (ordinary, glued, bulky, profiled, whole) is easy to get lost, especially for a person who has not previously encountered this issue.
Manufacturers come up with new ways of processing and drying to give the timber additional properties and eliminate the existing flaws characteristic of natural wood. But are all adjustments good, don't they have a negative effect on other properties? We will talk about all this further, and also try to find the answer to the question, which timber is better for building a house?
Varieties of lumber
Only two types of wood are widely used:
- Laminated timber.
- Profiled.
There are several reasons why it is better to give priority to timber for building a house:
- Equaland smooth wall surfaces.
- A small amount of material.
- Geometric accuracy of the entire building.
- Reliable connection of the bars to each other. This ensures that no cold enters the room and no gaps appear.
- Aesthetic appearance and pleasant environment both inside and outside the building.
Do you think which timber is better to choose for building a house? The most popular materials are glued and profiled wood. They compete with each other and each has adherents and opponents.
The difference between profiled and glued beams
Glued laminated timber has a high strength, which is achieved as a result of pressing and gluing. The moisture content of the material is about 14%, thanks to this indicator it does not dry out, the percentage of shrinkage is not more than one. However, during operation, it absorbs moisture, and as a result, the indicator increases and approaches profiled wood in dried form.
For gluing individual lamellas, only environmentally friendly adhesive solution is used. It belongs to the FC0 group, which means that the amount of formaldehyde in the composition does not exceed 0.5 mg / l.
The price of glued laminated timber is much higher than that of profiled timber. But the structure of it does not require finishing and additional care. In addition, due to the use of adhesive composition, the timber is less susceptible to rotting and pest damage.
As for profiled timber, it hasstrictly established dimensions, and does not accept either blowing or mixing seams. Profiled wood has a high external performance, so it is not necessary to carry out finishing work on it.
Which is better
In order to answer the question of which timber is better for building a house - glued or profiled - it is necessary to consider the features and properties of each of them. So, let's compare the materials according to several characteristics.
Used raw materials
Profiled lumber is made from solid solid wood. At the initial stage, the raw materials are rejected, and then sent for natural or chamber drying and secondary inspection to identify defects and work on a profiling device.
Glued laminated timber is made by gluing pre-dried lamellas. This makes it possible to reduce marriage, as damage is eliminated on the lamellas. In addition, the possibility of cracks and twisting of the wood species is excluded. For the production of one bar, 2–5 lamellas are taken. Thus, the manufacturer can change the cost by using different types of wood. For example, the middle can be made of pine, and the outer part of needles or larch.
Beam dimensions
Don't know which timber is best for building a house? The thickness and size of the bars is of great importance.
For profiled timber, this parameter is limited by the parameters of log blanks. As a rule, the normal length is about 6 m ormultiple of 2 and 3 m p., and the standards of the section are as follows: 1010, 2020, 3030. If desired, you can order from the manufacturer non-standard volumes of profiled timber for a specific project. But the cross section of such products occasionally exceeds 2020, this is due to the complex drying process. The thicker the log, the more difficult it is to dry evenly.
Thinking about what size timber is best for building a house? It depends on the dimensions of the building itself and the type of lumber chosen. Glued wood has large dimensions, the maximum width is 27.5 cm. Since the lamellas can be spliced in length, in some cases it can reach up to 18 m.p. This is only done to order.
Sustainable
Eco-property is almost the main argument in the dispute about which timber is better to use for building a house and which one is safer for the environment and people.
The first thing to note is that during the production of glued beams, an adhesive solution containing synthetic compounds is involved. The slats are glued together with a polymer or polyvinyl acetate paste. To the enemies of glued wood, this gives reason to say that in this situation there can be no question of the environmental friendliness of the material.
But it should be noted that adhesive solutions differ in composition and are divided into classes - from harmless to dangerous. The buyer has the right to demand from the seller documents indicating the class of ownership.
Profiled wood is also processedflame retardants and antiseptic composition. And also in the process of manufacturing the material, only the inner side of the tree, freed from the protective bark, is used. This means that the wood is loose, and in order to preserve the operational properties of a structure made of profiled timber, the surface of the walls must be covered with protective compounds from time to time. They will provide protection from UV and other adverse weather conditions.
Breathability
The degree of vapor permeability of profiled timber directly depends on what kind of wood it is made from. Solid wood is able to keep good conditions indoors, and this is very important for private buildings.
Glued wood has a much lower air tightness index. This is due to the different arrangement of the lamellas and the presence of a layer of glue. It does not allow air to move freely through the wood pores.
Humidity
Don't know which timber is better for building a house - natural moisture or dry? The natural moisture content of the material depends on the origin of the wood and the period when the harvest was made. Humidity can reach up to 40-50%. According to GOST, only material whose moisture content does not exceed 15% can be used for exterior decoration.
To reduce this figure, as well as to eliminate cracking and twisting of wood species, manufacturers dry the timber. For this purpose, there are two ways: natural drying and forced, inspecial chambers. The lower the moisture content of lumber, the less shrinkage a structure built from it will give.
For glued wood, the recommended moisture content is up to 14%, and for profiled wood - up to 18%. However, during operation, the tree will absorb moisture from the environment, so little by little the performance of both types of timber will equalize.
Shrinkage
Glued log shrinks about 1%.
Profiled wood with chamber drying - from 3 to 5%, with natural drying - about 8%.
Strength
Thinking about which timber is best for building a house? The degree of strength of glued beams is much higher than that of profiled wood. This is due to the fact that for the production of the first, pre-prepared strong lamellas are used, cut from various parts of logs. It can be a central part, annual rings or heart-shaped rays. And for the manufacture of profiled timber, only the central part is taken, and, as you know, it is the most loose.
Deformation
If the storage rules are observed, the deformation of wooden elements is excluded. If we talk about the possibility of cracks already on the finished structure, then it exists in both cases, both in profiled (with a width of not more than one millimeter) and in adhesive (depending on the quality of gluing).
Biological immutability
During production, each type of log is treated with a special composition. Therefore, the possibility ofmold, fungus and other troubles is minimal.
Fire safety
Glued laminated timber takes the flame worse and burns much more slowly. This factor is important to consider if you plan to build a bath.
Appearance
Don't know which timber is better for building a house - plain or profiled? Both types of material are subjected to high-quality processing of the front surface, which makes it possible to do without subsequent external cladding of the building. And both with the interior decoration of the house, and with the exterior. But, most often, elements of 1515 in size are used for construction, so there is a need for additional insulation of the building.
As for the installation of windows and doors, the warm contour of the building, erected from glued laminated timber, allows installation immediately after its assembly. And the profiled structure shrinks, so it is advisable to wait about six months or use casing.
Cost
If we compare only the cost of the material, then profiled timber will cost 30 percent cheaper than glued timber. However, during operation, the first option requires significant investments to preserve the external appearance of the building. So consider for yourself!
Probability of counterfeit
Profiled wood is produced on high-quality equipment and sold in large volumes, but it can also be profiled in artisanal conditions. Only the house will be reliable, whichwas built from quality material.
It is much more difficult to make counterfeit products of glued laminated timber, since it is quite difficult to glue the lamellas outside the factory.
As you can see, the question of which timber is better for building a house - glued or profiled - does not have a definite answer. Each material has both disadvantages and advantages.
The main thing is to buy lumber from a reliable and trusted supplier. This will help you avoid purchasing low quality products. As for the construction of the building, both materials are suitable for self-assembly, and in order to entrust the work to professionals.
