Fire

FireA glulam structure is much safer (predictable burn) and can be more cost effective than an unprotected steel structure. When fire encases a glulam beam, a carbonized layer forms (charring) around the structural core, which restricts the external supply of oxygen and heat and thus significantly impedes the subsequent burn-off.

The burn-off rate of glulam is 0.7mm/min and therefore expensive fire protection coatings are normally not necessary.

For practical use this means that without any surface protection and any additional provisions, laminated timber construction requiring a fire resistance of 30minutes, 60minutes and 90minutes is simple to achieve.

When a surface spread of flame layer requires to be reduced, this can be solved by the application of a water based patented environmentally friendly product that is invisible to the naked eye.