By Chandra McCarthy, PE

Mmmm. Smell that? That lovely, earthy wood smell? All that timber…

Okay, so maybe your nose can’t actually smell the fresh lumber scent as you walk through a new building with abundant timber, but your eyes sure can see it. Furthermore, the sensory appeal of mass timber is only one of its many favorable attributes. It’s no wonder mass timber in general, and cross-laminated timber in particular, are rapidly gaining popularity.

While some mass timber products closely resemble their steel and concrete cousins in both form and function, this isn’t necessarily the case for cross-laminated timber (CLT). CLT and similar panelized wood products are unique in application compared to traditional framing techniques and require design strategy adaptations from the entire project team. When considering mass timber, specifically CLT, for your next project, here are some tips that your entire design team should consider to make it a success.