Cross-Laminated Timber in the USA: Opportunity for Hardwoods?

Purpose of Review: In this paper, the authors review the available literature on the manufacture and usage of hardwood cross-laminated timber (CLT) and discuss the technical and economic feasibility of hardwood CLT including procurement issues. Recent Findings: CLT is an emerging building system in North America that has attracted the attention of construction professionals, developers, and researchers across the continent, due to its environmental, economic, and esthetic advantages, among others. Today, however, virtually all CLT structures are manufactured using softwoods, yet, there is growing interest in the possibility of manufacturing CLT using a variety of hardwood species. To date, most studies on the feasibility of hardwood CLT are motivated by a desire to find high value-added uses for underutilized or low-valued hardwood species but there is also an interest in benefitting of specific mechanical properties of selected hardwood species. Summary: Research on hardwood CLT is scarce, though findings from existing studies suggest that it is technically feasible and the resulting product offers interesting perspectives for specific applications. However, for hardwood CLT to become a reality, the hardwood industry needs to overcome significant challenges, some of which are discussed in this paper.