Glued laminated timber (glulam) by Hetzer
Madera laminada encolada (glulam) de Hetzer
- Date
- 1906 · confidence medium
- Place
- Weimar, Thuringia, Germany
- Credited to
- Otto Karl Friedrich Hetzer
- Field
- Matter & energy
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
Curved or straight beams made of thin boards glued with grains parallel. They allow long spans, curved shapes and pieces steadier than solid timber, using lower-grade boards.
Hetzer patented his process in 1906; some sources cite earlier use in Basel (1893) and layered-glue precedents (19th century), so priority is open to question.
What it led to
- long-span timber halls and bridges
- engineered timber such as CLT and LVL
- taller timber construction