Anyone who has been around the timber industry for any length of time can see that the sawmills are having to process much smaller logs than they used to. Using existing equipment and methods leads to a higher proportion of waste as there is less useable wood per log. Across the world there is a move to engineered or laminated timber products to get more out of each tree felled.
There are a whole range of new products that combine the structural strength and beauty of the native timber but can be created from the lower grade logs that would have previously gone for wood chipping. Diane Evers brought this sample from Inglewood Joinery to the Forests For Life presentation in Margaret River.
Laminated Veneer Lumber is a stack of veneer sheets stuck together with adhesives. When compressed into a large block (billet) and dried it can be even stronger than the natural timber. The blocks can be up to 1.2 metres square and can be sawn in a variety of ways to produce different patterns on the final product.
The positives are that it is a more efficient use of the low quality material, veneers can still contain the marks of knots and vein but be structurally sound, it is expanding the use of rotary log peeling already used for laminates and veneers and has a lower carbon footprint than the alternative of manufacturing steel and plastic.
The negatives are using artificial adhesives and that the process is not widely available in Australia so logs are shipped overseas and returned as the processed product.
Tasmania has been leading the field with the Forestry Tasmania Hardlam operation. www.hardlam.com.au
There are a whole range of new products that combine the structural strength and beauty of the native timber but can be created from the lower grade logs that would have previously gone for wood chipping. Diane Evers brought this sample from Inglewood Joinery to the Forests For Life presentation in Margaret River.
Laminated Veneer Lumber is a stack of veneer sheets stuck together with adhesives. When compressed into a large block (billet) and dried it can be even stronger than the natural timber. The blocks can be up to 1.2 metres square and can be sawn in a variety of ways to produce different patterns on the final product.
The positives are that it is a more efficient use of the low quality material, veneers can still contain the marks of knots and vein but be structurally sound, it is expanding the use of rotary log peeling already used for laminates and veneers and has a lower carbon footprint than the alternative of manufacturing steel and plastic.
The negatives are using artificial adhesives and that the process is not widely available in Australia so logs are shipped overseas and returned as the processed product.
Tasmania has been leading the field with the Forestry Tasmania Hardlam operation. www.hardlam.com.au
