Cross laminated timber

Willmott Dixon has delivered over 25 projects utilising cross laminated timber (CLT) frame, as an alternative to traditional structural frame methods such as steel, concrete and masonry.

A great example is the Harris Academy in Sutton which is the largest Passivhaus secondary school in the UK and one of the countries exemplar buildings.

What is cross laminated timber?

Cross laminated timber is produced from layers of dried spruce boards which are stacked together at right angles and glued to form a large panel.

Each cross laminated timber panel is between three and seven boards thick depending on the amount of structural loading required.

Why use cross-laminated timber frames?

Cross laminated timber frames offer a number of advantages through the life cycle of a project, as detailed below.

Design stage:

  • Simplicity of design and BIM integration
  • Low carbon form of construction
  • Lightweight, which minimises foundations
  • Improved air tightness
  • Strong thermal properties, reducing cold bridging
  • Resource efficient, as the exposed structural timber can reduce finishing costs.

Construction stage:

  • Speed of construction
  • Less weather dependent than traditional forms of construction
  • Minimal trades required during erection of the frame
  • Waste minimisation through offsite manufacture
  • Cleaner working environments on site.

Operational stage:

  • Exposed timber has warm and tactile properties
  • Energy efficient
  • CLT locks up a significant amount of carbon sequestered within the structure