Korea First NLT Community Center Under Construction
Canada Wood Korea’s latest demonstration project is underway this year reflecting one of our key strategies – to advance the use of mass timber construction in South Korea using Canadian wood. The structure will hold the distinction of being South Korea’s first building using NLT (Nail-laminated Timber). The building is being erected as the community centre for the Jinju City.
NLT is a mass timber product created by stacking dimensional lumber on edge and mechanically fastening laminations with nails. NLT is commonly utilized for floor and roof systems and is gaining popularity due to its relative ease of prefabrication, aesthetic features and lightweight. It is a cost-effective solution, allowing projects to leverage the economic and environmental benefits of mass timber construction.
Project rendering
The project stems from an MOU between the City of Jinju and Canada Wood Korea signed last November. Construction started on February 22nd this year and 3 repetitive factory-made NLT roof panel configurations will be installed onto the steel skeletal structure.
NLT panels are manufactured off-site in Busan under the supervision of CWK technical staff, transported to the job site via truck and lifted by crane, then fastened into position by workers. Conventional wood frame walls will also be used as infill in the construction of the building.
Since the NLT panels have formatted shapes requiring integrated structural connections and will be exposed once finished, the manufacturing process was more complicated than expected. Construction of the main steel structure will start in the second week of April 2021. The pre-made panels will then follow. CWK technical staff will provide technical support.
NLT manufacturing process at the factory in Busan. 
A case study is being developed on this demo to document how it was designed, fabricated, and erected. It will be used to promote best practices for Korea designers/builders looking to utilize NLT.