Gluelam connectors

[Russell griffiths]

Art noon,

i have a fairly substantial gluelam beam going in the house to hold the roof up, this beam has 2 joins and 2 posts under the joins, has anybody found any good suppliers of joining plates

i need to join the beams end to end with a post underneath the joins. 

The local gluelam supplier is less than helpful 

cheers russ. 

[Mr Punter]

Ask the designer or call Simpson Strong Tie. Maybe made to order.

[scottishjohn]

you got your posts ?

If so sounds like a job for local blacksmith or garage to make you up a suitable "shoe" and get it galvanized or painted

5mm plate should the trick with bolts etc 

did your designer not spec something for this ?

[Russell griffiths]

I’m actually thinking of making them myself, but being rather busy I thought a nice stainless bracket would be nice. 

Achitect wording was GLUELAM CONNECTION BY OTHERS. 

i cant believe the local company who have absolutely hundreds of gluelam on the shelf don’t actually have any connection details. 

[joe90]

 

 

I am  surprised this was not specified in your plans for building control, also surprised your gluelam supplier didn’t machine them and supply plates and bolts, mine did .

 

sorry cross posted with above!

Edited November 29, 2018 by joe90

[Russell griffiths]

I haven’t got building control sign off on this bit yet

they have allowed me to submit a phased submission 

so I basically submit some drawings they approve them, I build it, I submit the next bit, they approve that bit and so on 

it sort of happened like this as I was keen to start work in the summer and didn’t have them all finished. 

 

Who was your supplier @joe90

[joe90]

I used these http://www.glulamte.co.uk/ when I lived in Bristol, they were very helpful. I must admit I only like working to full plans so I know before I start exactly what is required, but that’s just me.

Edited November 29, 2018 by joe90

[nod]

I don’t like the glue lams 

I replaced mine with two steels 

Worked out about the same price 

[the_r_sole]

.

Edited September 26, 2019 by the_r_sole

[Russell griffiths]

27 minutes ago, nod said:

I don’t like the glue lams 

I replaced mine with two steels 

Worked out about the same price 

This is on show in the main living room, so all sanded and varnished up. 

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, Russell griffiths said:

[...] 

The local gluelam supplier is less than helpful 

[...]

 

I found this site to be a big help

This was also a help...

[Russell griffiths]

44 minutes ago, joe90 said:

I used these http://www.glulamte.co.uk/ when I lived in Bristol, they were very helpful. I must admit I only like working to full plans so I know before I start exactly what is required, but that’s just me.

Don’t worry it’s all in my head in a big jumbled heap, I have designed these connectors a dozen times at 2.30 in the morning as I lay awake wondering how mad I must be to be doing this again, and thinking of my next project before this one even has a roof on. 

[Russell griffiths]

Funny story about the local engineered timber company 

i walk in and talk to a bloke for half an hour, total tit didn’t like him at all

so I thank him and move on thinking I won’t ever go back there. 

A month passes and I go to have a chat with a company a little bit further afield, as I walk in their office, guess who’s grinning at me from over his computer screen, yep mr arse hole. 

So it just dawned on me I can now go back to the first company as he doesn’t work there any more. ??

[JamesP]

I have 10.5m steel spliced together with cover plate as the drawing enclosed. Unrelated to Glulam but might be helpful.

 

 

[bissoejosh]

Do you definitely want to use joining plates? We've got a 140x450mm 14.9m glulam ridge beam that came in 3 pieces, one join supported by a wall the other a 140x140mm glulam post. The main beam is half lap jointed. No steel other than the threaded bar. Our post is a mortice and tenon join all pre cut. I can attach the engineering markups if it helps?

Edited November 29, 2018 by bissoejosh

[Russell griffiths]

Ooh Er that sounds good @bissoejosh my beam is about 17 m long 140 wide depth to be confirmed it will be split into 3 pieces with the two joins sitting on 140x140 posts and both ends into the walls

i had imagined a dirty big plate bolting it all together, but a hidden join would be nice also. 

A drawing would be most appreciated.  

[bissoejosh]

1 hour ago, Russell griffiths said:

Ooh Er that sounds good @bissoejosh my beam is about 17 m long 140 wide depth to be confirmed it will be split into 3 pieces with the two joins sitting on 140x140 posts and both ends into the walls

i had imagined a dirty big plate bolting it all together, but a hidden join would be nice also. 

 A drawing would be most appreciated.  

Here is the assembly drawing for the ridge beam element and supporting post. The same mortice and tenon join is used on our glulam frame for our sliding door opening (4210x2110mm) also pictured. I've also got the original engineering sketches but I don't think they show any more detail.

 

 

[joe90]

I like the above, less hassle than a steel plate and less to see after it’s done ?.

[Nickfromwales]

15 hours ago, nod said:

I don’t like the glue lams 

I replaced mine with two steels 

Worked out about the same price 

Just more complex to fix, and to fix to. 

[scottishjohn]

not happy on that half lap joint --the pillar is not under the left hand side of the half lap --so that beam is all hanging on half its depth

make the support post wider to support left hand side and it would be fine.

you paid this engineer for this solution?

[bissoejosh]

Yes, paid an engineer who works alongside the design firm that did our timber frame and then had the whole lot CNC cut from machine file. All signed off by building control etc.

[Nickfromwales]

14 minutes ago, scottishjohn said:

not happy on that half lap joint --the pillar is not under the left hand side of the half lap

That’s a standard detail. 

Look at how purlin struts have been done for eons. They’re all still up, and all those guys had back then was a bow saw and a hip flask.