Material-efficient window solution for timber frame construction

Material-efficient construction requires high-quality and high-performance products, especially when long spans and thinner cross-sections are needed. Kerto^® LVL is lightweight, but highly durable with low deformation. It is used for construction that requires superior strength qualities or greater cross-sections or lengths while using less wood material. German timber construction company Holzhaus Fabrik has found an efficient way to implement a new window lintel solution to meet these complex challenges. They replace the massive cross-section of the lintel with a slim, strong and sustainable Kerto LVL Q-panel.

High windows require low lintels
Holzhaus Fabrik specialises in timber-based multi-storey residential buildings and public buildings. The window area and especially the height of windows have increased in recent years. “Floor-to-ceiling windows are popular in both multi-storey residential buildings and single-family homes leaving little space for the lintel. At the same time, the lintel must be aligned with the façade from the outside. And of course we want to avoid thermal bridges and we need adequate shading options,” explains Heiko Dietzenbach, Founder and Managing Director of Holzhaus Fabrik.

Smart lintel solution based on Kerto LVL
Holzhaus Fabrik replaces the massive cross-section of the lintel with beams made of Kerto LVL Q-panel. “Laminated veneer lumber is installed vertically with a small, slender cross-section. At the same time, it has a high structural load-bearing capacity. Window widths of up to four meters can be constructed without any problems. We form the lintel into an L-shape. A support strip is screwed onto the edge beams, and slabs with a maximum span of six meters lie on the L-detail,” Dietzenbach explains.

Dietzenbach points out, that Kerto LVL is easy to process in the factory: “The high dimensional accuracy is an important factor for us, as we run a fully automated production. With its material properties, Kerto LVL also enables a high degree of standardisation for different requirements. The material is very straight and has no warping. Reworking is therefore not necessary, so that the production speed can be maximised. The material itself can either be screwed, nailed or glued and processing can be done with standard tools. We always recommend Kerto LVL for the window lintel and rely on our standardised detail,” Dietzenbach explains. Lowering the costs and reducing the use of construction materials
It is important to use materials as efficiently as possible. Because Kerto LVL is strong and material-efficient, it offers reduced material consumption. Holzhaus Fabrik has calculated that a low lintel made with Kerto LVL can bring cost savings of up to 20 percent compared to traditional methods. Due to the optimised use of materials and thinner wall structures, the components have a lower overall weight. This means that the quantity of wall elements per transporter can be increased and a lighter crane can be used on the construction site. This also has a positive impact on costs and carbon footprint.