Norway spruce (Picea abies) is synonymous with mass timber. In North America it is a fast-growing yard tree; in Europe it is the backbone of the timber industry. Grown at altitude in the Alps or at high latitude in Finland and Norway, it is strong, tight-grained, and pale.
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam come in visual grades, from non-visual quality with knots and visible glue lines to domestic or visual quality with clear grain and sanded faces. Other species have their place:
- Southern yellow pine, domestically sourced structural lumber and North American CLT.
- Larch, for durable glulam elements.
- Scots pine, pressure-treated prefabricated timber where exposure demands it.
Species and grade are a design decision, not a supplier default. We settle both before the package is priced. Then the package has to travel, and the trip has a cost in dollars and in carbon.
Adapted with permission from a note by our colleagues at Red Falls Timber Co.
