Batirwood engineer Benoit Cordonnier used BauBuche for the three-hinged frames, columns and struts. By opting for BauBuche Q boards with 20% cross-plies, the rigid corners of the three-hinged frames could be constructed with dowels arranged in a circle. The cross-plies in the BauBuche Q boards significantly reduce the risk that the timber is split by the pin fasteners.

With this innovative construction, Batirwood is able to offer a highly cost-effective solution, as there is no need for extra columns. Thanks to the excellent strength properties of BauBuche, the material allows for much slimmer cross-sections than would be possible with conventional spruce LVL.

While the main girders taper off towards the roof ridge, the columns become slimmer towards the ground. As the cross-sections of the BauBuche material make sure that the cut fibres in the tapering elements do not lose any of their stability, it is possible to construct beams of any shape, thus minimising waste.

All elements of the construction could be machined without problems in the company’s workshop. Using suitable tools, the screws were inserted without pre-drilling. Prior to screwing the BauBuche elements, they were glued together with a one-component adhesive.

For Benoit Cordonnier, beech laminated veneer lumber has many advantages: apart from the excellent strength properties, the engineer is particularly impressed by the unique look and finish of the material, and came up with the term “BeauBuche”, incorporating the French word for “beautiful” into the product name.