Cross Laminated Timber turns 100 this week!

It is not readily known as it is thought of as modern technology, but Cross-Laminated Timber is actually 100 years old on Monday this week. The patent that describes the technology was published on 21 August, 100 years ago.

The patent that describes the technology is repeated below;

“The strips or boards thus formed are then cut into suitable lengths and such lengths are then superimposed one above the other so as to form a plurality of layers, with the grain of the wood in one layer running at an angle to the grain of the wood in the adjacent layer.”

Also not known, and contrary to popular belief, it was invented in the USA, not Europe.

FRANK J. Wars and ROBERT L. WATTS, citizens of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Composite Lumber, of which the following is a specification.

So, it can be seen with the following image: CLT was described one hundred years ago this week.