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087 - Engineered Wood: From Glulam Beams to CLT Panels
Episode 87
Monday, 26 October, 2026
Engineered wood products are how we build 18-story buildings out of wood. This episode covers every major product in the family, from glulam beams and CLT panels to LVL, PSL, LSL, OSB, and I-joists. You will learn the difference between heavy timber and mass timber, how the 2021 IBC Type IV subtypes allow wood buildings up to 18 stories, and why CLT chars instead of collapsing. We walk the full processing spectrum from plywood to OSB and break down exactly when to specify each product, including the structural composite lumber family that shows up in every residential and light commercial project. If you have ever mixed up LVL, PSL, and LSL, or wondered why a glulam beam gets stamped "TOP," this is the episode that sorts it out. 📝 Key topics covered: Heavy timber vs mass timber construction IBC Type IV-A, IV-B, and IV-C mass timber types Glulam beams: balanced vs unbalanced and the TOP stamp Cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and two-way behavior Mass timber char rate and fire performance Structural composite lumber: LVL, PSL, and LSL OSB as a panel product Wood I-joist anatomy, hole placement rules, and web crippling When to use each engineered wood product ⏱️ Chapters: (0:00) Mass Timber: 18-Story Wood Buildings (1:36) Free ARE Study Notes (2:08) Why Engineered Wood Exists (4:06) Heavy Timber vs Mass Timber (5:31) Plywood: The Original Engineered Wood (6:18) Glulam (Glued Laminated Timber) (9:22) CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) (12:04) Structural Composite Lumber (13:17) LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) (14:27) PSL (Parallel Strand Lumber) (15:12) LSL (Laminated Strand Lumber) (15:50) LVL, PSL, LSL Memory Trick (16:25) OSB (Oriented Strand Board) (17:18) Wood I-Joists: Engineered Floor Framing (19:53) When to Use Each Engineered Wood Product (21:13) ARE Exam Study Resources 📖 Read the full blog post and take the free 10-question quiz 📝 Download the FREE Engineered Wood Products study notes Selecting the right engineered wood product is a PPD decision. Knowing how to detail and specify it is a PDD decision. PPD 101 covers structural system selection, including choosing between wood, steel, concrete, and mass timber based on spans, loads, and fire ratings. PDD 101 covers how those systems get documented, from junction details to Division 06 specifications. Both courses live inside the ARE 101 Membership, so one membership gets you both sides of the topic. 🎯 Join our 10-week ARE Boot Camp 🎯 Get access to all ARE study materials with the ARE 101 Membership 📚 Individual ARE Exam Courses: PPD 101 (Project Planning and Design) PDD 101 (Project Development and Documentation) Building Codes 101 PA 101 (Programming and Analysis) CE 101 (Construction and Evaluation) PcM 101 (Practice Management) PjM 101 (Project Management) Building Systems 101 AIA Contracts 101
