Kerto LVL for load-bearing wooden walls

The Wälderhaus (“Forest House”) was built in 2013 as part of the International Building Exhibition in Hamburg, Germany. The building is a great example of the many possibilities of using wood in construction. Metsä Wood’s Kerto® LVL (laminated veneer lumber) was used for the challenging load-bearing walls of the house.

The Wälderhaus is owned and operated by the Association for the Protection of German Forest. The first two floors of the five-storey building are occupied by a forest and sustainability education centre. The top three floors work as a hotel. The building also houses an event hall and a restaurant.

The engineering firm Assmann Gruppe took the task of designing the structures.

In this Talking Wood video Henning Klattenhoff, the team leader in structural engineering at Assmann tells about the project, and how Kerto LVL (laminated veneer lumber) was used for the load-bearing walls.

About Henning Klattenhoff

• Dipl.-Ing. Engineering, graduating from the University of Hannover
• Several years of experience in London, founder and organizer of the Holzbauforum Hamburg, freelance lecturer, speaker and author
• Ideology: Structures are like shoes: They have to fit and please! The choice of the system is crucial for timber structures. However you decide: The most important thing is that there is a reasonable decision at the end. Do not leave home without shoes!