Please help with my science project!?!?

Question

I need info. on laminating wood, how it works, about it, etc. I need to find out if laminated wood is stronger than normal wood. PLEASE HELP IN ANY WAY YOU CAN!!!

Answer 1

A laminate is any object that is made of layers of materials. Plywood is a laminate. You can also have metal laminates.
As far as wood goes, a laminate is created by gluing wood layers together under heat and pressure. The laminate is usually stronger because any flaws in the wood is limited to one spot in one layer. There may be several flaws in the different layers, but the chances of them being on top of each other is extremely small. The glue fills the flaw and helps reinforce the laminate. This is unlike a standard solid wood member, where a knot or similar weak spot affects a large part of the member in one area. This can cause a significant weakness in the member or structure.

Answer 2

For your project, try taking several thin layers of wood and glue them together (like balsa from a hobby shop), with the grain on each layer at right angles to the previous layer to make a laminated piece of wood. Then place weights on the laminated wood to see how much it will hold. Get another piece of balsa that is the same thickness as the laminated piece and do the same test. It should prove that the laminated one will hold more weight than the regular wood.

Remember that the glue will add some thickness, so you may want to get a wood piece slightly thicker and sand it down to the exact thickness as the laminated wood.

Answer 3

Yes, laminated wood is stronger than other wood. Overlapping layers of wood with their grains in differing directions creates a surface that is strong in more dimensions than the original material.

It also reduces tendencies to warp with temperature and humidity fluctuations.

(Makes nice-looking gun stocks, too!)

Answer 4

You've had good answers so far. I'd like to add that glue laminated wood beams (glulams) can be fabricated in essentially any size or shape for structural applications that are impossible with dimensional lumber. Click on the link below to learn more.

Answer 5

Laminated wood is omprised of layers of compressed or glued together sheets of sawdust or chips of wood .it is probably very similar to plywood.as it is not very thick commonly about !/8 t0 1/4 inches sheets of pure wood held together by glued sawdust.Thick wood is expensive and wide sections such as table tops or shelves are cheaper to make and practically easier to make into large sctions of thin plyood or laminated wood by the gluing or pressing together by heat or steam pressure.These are my own general knowledge but as my father was a furniture cabinet maker not a rough carpenter so i lerned a few things from him.For mor accurate information I would suggest you refer to a woodworking book from a library. Good luck.
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best regards.Alec