Glulam quality description

Characteristics Quality class
A B C
Gluing Surfaces glued absolutely tight, tight joints along the narrow side and wide side Surface closed along the wide side and narrow side
Appearance, surface Uniform appearance, balanced colour Some colour tolerance permissible as regards play of colours. Up to 25% firm healthy brown heartwood permissible
Texture Texture typical of the type of wood permissible, but texture must be even Coarser texture permissible No requirement
Brown, wet, figure Not permissible Not permissible; in places in beech Permissible up to 25% of the area, unlimited in beech
Rays Medullary rays, end stains not permissible; minerals 1 mm wide and up to 50 mm long permissible Medullary rays, end stains permissible; minerals permissible without limit Permissible
Sapwood Not permissible Permissible Permissible
Wavy grain Permissible
Dormant buds Permissible
Pin knots Up to 3 mm thick knots in wood colour, up to 3 pcs. per m² Up to 8 mm thick in wood colour Permissible
Healthy tightly adhering knots Not permissible Diameter up to 15 mm permissible, but no more than 4 pcs. per m2
Black knots Not permissible Up to 8 mm, no plugs Permissible, but closed surface, filling in wood colour Holzfarbe
Cracks Not permissible Permissible surface closed and filled
Bark pocket Not permissible Permissible
Feeding tunnel infestation Not permissible
Discoloration, fungal attack Not permissible Slight discoloration permissible, no rot Rot not permissible
Open joints Not permissible
A Brown heartwood in ash and beech, including steamed, in Class B max. 5% of surface permissible
B Sapwood is not permissible in Class A in oak, cherry, elm, chestnut or robinia
C Not permissible in Class B in oak or chestnut