If you have been tracking how Australian builders and homeowners are doing things these days, you’ll notice the use of timber is evolving. While traditional lightweight timber-frame construction has long been the go-to for many home builders across Australia, a new era of timber technology is here. Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) is reshaping how wood is used in modern construction.
This blog by The Rubix will explain how CLT differs from traditional timber framing, outline its key performance characteristics, and assess where it offers practical advantages for contemporary residential construction in Australia
Timber frame construction is often referred to as “stick framing”, using timber studs, beams and posts to create a structural skeleton, forming the base to add insulation, plasterboard, cladding and roofing.
This construction approach relies on a series of lightweight timber studs to transfer loads through walls and floors. This limits structural capacity and typically requires additional bracing, tie-downs, and supplementary elements to meet wind and weight load requirements, particularly for larger or more complex homes.
This style of timber framing has been used for many years, and still dominates the Australian residential industry. While there are benefits to this system, CLT construction has gained global momentum using timber in a new and improved way.
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As the manufacturing and construction industry has moved towards improved sustainability practices and increased efficiency - CLT or Cross-Laminated Timber construction has gained momentum. Timber is not only used as a structural frame, but can form the walls, floors and roof. While traditional lightweight construction is likely to always have a place in the industry, the numerous benefits of CLT are hard to ignore!
CLT panels are made from plantation derived, sustainably sourced wood. As this wood sequesters carbon throughout its life and stores it as solid carbon, building with CLT is the right choice if you’re looking for a material with low environmental impact.
As the CLT panels are milled and prefabricated in controlled factory settings, they arrive on the site with high accuracy and lower risk of human errors. This CNC-based panel construction also ensures that there’s less waste generation both on-site and off-site.
Prefabricated panels mean the builders can assemble them together quickly, reducing the on-site time and labour costs. This also fits in the modern modular construction as entire factory-built modules can be craned into the site of construction.
With its alternating grain-direction, CLT is strong enough to be used for large spans, walls, floors, and roofs. Its engineered nature also behaves more like the traditional heavy materials while keeping a lighter carbon footprint.
CLT buildings are highly energy efficient due to their natural insulation and airtight construction. This also makes CLT the best choice for passive house construction.
CLT provides predictable performance in both bushfire and seismic conditions. When exposed to fire, panels form a protective char layer that slows combustion and maintains structural capacity for defined periods. Its high strength-to-weight ratio and engineered connections also support stability and energy dissipation during earthquake events.
If you are wondering how much this CLT construction will cost you and whether it is a worthwhile investment, here’s a discussion on whether CLT is a budget breaker or a great investment.
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As the construction industry is shifting from heavy, resource-intensive materials to greener and cleaner alternatives, the focus is now on cutting carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency, and designing smarter buildings.
CLT with its reduced embodied carbon, pre-fabricated on-site assembly, and great thermal performance is fitting well in this shift. It aligns with the way the Australian construction industry is evolving, making it a strong option for sustainable, high-performance buildings now and into the future.
At The Rubix, we believe Cross-laminated timber, in all its modern forms, is the smart path forward for sustainable, beautiful, affordable and responsible new homes. Check out our previous CLT projects here and contact us about CLT design options and build strategy for you.
CLT and Timber framing differ in their structure, strength, and construction. While CLT is formed by gluing solid layers of timber, each perpendicular to the last one, timber frame is a skeletal framework of individual timbers with cavities that can hold insulation. CLT has a greater load bearing capacity than timber framing. The prefabricated CLT panels are assembled quickly on-site while timber framing requires expertise for on-site build.
Yes, CLT walls can be load-bearing with their great strength due to the perpendicular assembly of the timber layers.
The lifespan of a CLT building is similar to, or can exceed, homes constructed with traditional building materials.
Yes, Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) can be used for beams as it offers a strong, lightweight, and sustainable alternative to concrete or steel.