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MacMillan-Bloedel Parallam Wood Beam Factory Tour

Bob meets with Dave Parker to tour the MacMillan-Bloedel parallam engineered wood beam factory. Outside is a car and beam supported by cardboard boxes demonstrating the strength of parallam beams. David explains they use both good and waste Douglas Fir veneer to create their beams. The veneer pieces initially have a high moisture content, so they are first passed through a dryer that blows three hundred degree air on the sheets of veneer. After they are dry, they are put into a shredder, which cuts the veneer sheets into large strips. A gap in the conveyer belt allows the small strips to fall through. These scrap pieces of veneer are used to fuel the dryer. Next resin is applied to glue the strips together. A belt moves around and from side to side so the strips drop into a trough parallel and overlapping, key factors in the strength of a parallam beam. The trough is thirty inches deep and, after it is filled, it is compacted to a depth of eleven inches. Next, the beam is cured in a microwave to ensure a secure bond. It is passed through a cooling station and then a saw cuts it to the desired length. After cutting, the beam is inspected for imperfections, and once approved, is then wrapped and shipped. More information