Owner's Guide to Understanding Checks in Glued Laminated Timber

Glued laminated timber (glulam) is a popular engineered wood product prized for its strength and visual appeal in exposed applications. When checks — natural separations in the wood fiber — appear on glulam beams, building owners often become concerned about the structural integrity of their investment.

This publication is designed for: homeowners, builders, contractors, designers

This publication explains what checks are, why they occur and how to assess whether they represent a structural concern. It also offers guidance on preventing and repairing checks.

Key sections include:

• Anatomy of a glulam

• What is checking?

• How do you identify checks?

• Do checks significantly affect the strength of glulam?

• Flowchart: is my glulam structurally sound?

• How can checks be prevented?

• Can checks be repaired?

Published by APA — The Engineered Wood Association.