What is Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and how does it differ from Glulam?

What is Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and how does it differ from Glulam?

• A. CLT is sheet-based with strength in multiple directions; Glulam is glued wood members with high strength-to-weight.
• B. CLT is a metal laminate; Glulam is concrete reinforced wood.
• C. CLT is a ceramic tile; Glulam is glass.
• D. CLT is a single wood beam; Glulam is stacked boards.

Answer: (A)

Cross Laminated Timber is built from timber boards laid in layers that run at right angles to each other and glued together to form solid panels. That cross-lamination gives the panel strength in more than one direction, so large flat panels can be used for walls, floors, and roofs. Glulam, by contrast, is made by gluing thin boards lengthwise to create long, strong beams or columns that have high strength along the grain. So the statement captures the key difference: CLT is a sheet-based panel with multi-directional strength, while Glulam is glued wood members designed for high strength along a single direction. The other descriptions don’t fit these products—CLT isn’t metal or ceramic, and Glulam isn’t a single beam or flat, sheet-like.

Cross Laminated Timber is built from timber boards laid in layers that run at right angles to each other and glued together to form solid panels. That cross-lamination gives the panel strength in more than one direction, so large flat panels can be used for walls, floors, and roofs. Glulam, by contrast, is made by gluing thin boards lengthwise to create long, strong beams or columns that have high strength along the grain. So the statement captures the key difference: CLT is a sheet-based panel with multi-directional strength, while Glulam is glued wood members designed for high strength along a single direction. The other descriptions don’t fit these products—CLT isn’t metal or ceramic, and Glulam isn’t a single beam or flat, sheet-like.