Almost 40% of all mass timber products used in buildings are now made from cross-laminated timber (CLT). While CLT is expected to remain the dominant mass timber product around the world, interest in nail-laminated timber (NLT) is growing rapidly in China, Japan, and South Korea, thanks to its price and familiarity with local fire codes.
That is according to a new report, Mass Timber Construction Market by Construction Type, produced by Allied Market Research, revealing that the market (for construction) is expected to hit US $1.5 billion by 2031 – primarily fueled by a surge in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa (growing more than 18% per year over the next six years).
And whilst installation costs (especially in roofing) and decay problems are acting as restraints to growth, “rapid urbanisation and industrialisation in emerging countries (especially in) India and China are expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities,” according to a media release, revealing that two-thirds of all panels and beams produced were installed into low-rise and mid-rise buildings (up to seven stories) in 2021.
Also known as Brettstapel – German for board stack – NLT is a panel product used in floors, roofs, and walls, with pieces of dimensional timber stacked together and connected with nails along their edge. According to Lucas Epp, who spoke at the International Mass Timber Conference in Portland, Oregon, earlier this year, the material has several advantages, especially in markets where there is insufficient capacity to produce CLT.
“The team’s decision to go with NLT (in building Hines’ first T3 building) was formed on a number of factors, including structural advantages, lower cost, and faster procurement times,” Epp said way back in 2019. “For a one-way span, NLT and GLT (glue-laminated timber) panels are more structurally efficient than CLT panels, as they have all of the wood fibre going in the direction of the span.”
The report found that over half of all mass timber projects are in Europe, with “50% of all mass timber products used in new single-family and multi-family housing units.” In residential construction, “glulam and I-beams have been utilised mainly, allowing for long spans without intermediate supports, indoor headers, floor beams, and ridge beams.”
To find out more, click here to download the report. And to read more about China’s growing mass timber market, click here for Wood Central’s special feature from July 2024.
