XLAM Cross Laminated Timber 121

XLAM SOUTH AFRICA: XLAM Cross Laminated Timber 121

The XLAM 121mm CLT panel is a mid-range structural panel engineered for primary load-bearing walls, multi-storey floor plates, and roof structures in mass timber buildings. With five cross-laminated layers of plantation-grown Pine or Saligna hardwood, this panel delivers over three times the axial capacity of the 66mm variant at 1,163 kN/m (Pine, 2.0m wall height), making it suitable for mid-rise residential and commercial construction. The 121mm thickness achieves airtightness, a critical performance characteristic for energy-efficient building envelopes, while providing single-span floor coverage of 3.75m under standard residential loading. Each panel is manufactured to precise CNC tolerances and arrives on site ready for immediate assembly, replacing weeks of conventional block-and-mortar work with days of dry installation.

Technical Specifications

• Panel thickness: 121mm (5-layer configuration: 22-22-33-22-22mm lamellas)
• Panel designations: XT5/121 (Transverse, walls) / XL5/121 (Longitudinal, floors/roofs)
• Maximum panel dimensions: 8.25m x 2.85m; standard widths 2.10m, 2.50m, 2.80m
• Timber species: Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata) or Saligna (Eucalyptus Grandis x Saligna)
• Timber grading: S5/S7 per SANS 10096:2013, kiln-dried, finger-jointed
• Adhesive: Polyurethane or Melamine resin, Class I to SABS 1349
• Density: approximately 480 kg/m3 (5 kN/m3 for structural calculations)
• Moisture content: 15% (+/-2%)
• Structural capacity (Pine, XL5/121 at 2.0m height): Axial 1,163 kN/m, Tensile 532 kN/m, Shear 92 kN/m, Bracing 1,965 BU/m
• Floor span (Pine, single span, 2.0 kN/m2 imposed load): 3.75m
• Airtight from 90mm thickness (this panel exceeds the threshold)
• Thermal conductivity: 0.10 W/m2K
• Heat capacity: 1.60 kJ/kgK
• Fire resistance: 60 minutes (100mm Pine), 90 minutes (100mm Eucalyptus)
• Charring rate: 0.64 mm/min (walls), 0.71 mm/min (ceilings)
• Reaction to fire: EN 13501: D, s2, d0
• Standards: SANS 8892

Sustainability Features

• FSC-certified timber from managed plantation forests
• Carbon-sequestering building material: each cubic metre stores approximately 0.8 tonnes of CO2
• Airtight panel construction supports energy-efficient building envelopes, reducing operational heating and cooling loads
• Dry construction process eliminates water usage associated with wet trades
• Factory prefabrication reduces on-site waste to near zero
• Fully recyclable and biodegradable at end of life
• Lightweight compared to equivalent concrete floor slabs, reducing foundation loads and associated material consumption
• Supports EDGE, LEED, and Green Star certification through embodied carbon reductions and improved thermal performance