QB Corporation - 208-756-4248

Technical Stuff You Should Know

The purpose of this section is to provide information relating to beam selection and to help avoid some common errors made in the usage of glulam products.

Beam Layup

Appearance Grades

Beam Layup

Most glulam beams are manufactured using one of three types of layups:

Balanced - V8

For applications that have cantilevers or are supported by columns or walls anywhere in mid-span

Unbalanced - V4

For simple span members supported only on the ends with no cantilevers

Columns - Combination 2 or V8

Combination 2 for use as vertical columns only
COLUMNS are surfaced on four sides with all edges eased
V4 and V8 BEAMS are surfaced on three sides, top stamped, with two bottom edges eased

Inverting a V4 Beam Reduces the Bending Design Value by 25%

Back to the Top

Appearance Grades for Glued Laminated Beams

Download in PDF format

In order to more fully understand visual grades of glulam, we provide this guide for your review.

Hand Select Premium

Lumber pre-graded for tight knot. All voids filled, eased edges, fine sanded finish

Hand Select Premium, Stain Grade

Lumber pre-grade for tight knot. No patch, no filler, eased edges, fine sanded finish

AITC Premium

All voids filled, eased edges, fine sanded finish

Architectural

Fill voids over 3/4 inch, eased edges, fine sanded finish

Industrial

No patch, no filler, square edges, machined finish

Stain Grade

Pre-selected lumber, no patch, no filler, eased edges, fine sanded finish

Framing Grade

Planed to nominal size - hit and miss finish

Architectural Rough Sawn

Fill voids over 3/4 inch, rough sawn texture

Industrial Rough Sawn

Standard lumber, no patch, no filler, rough sawn texture

Rough Sawn, Stain Grade

Pre-selected lumber, no filler, rough sawn texture

Back to the Top

Return to Product Information