CLT: solid wood for fast and precise construction

CLT (cross laminated timber) are solid wood panels made of several layers glued crosswise. This arrangement increases the strength and dimensional stability of the panel.

CLT panels in brief

How a CLT panel is made and where it is used.

Panel composition
The individual wood layers are placed perpendicular to each other and the wood is already dried (moisture approx. 8–12 %), giving the panel dimensional stability in both directions.
Use
Load-bearing walls, floors, roofs and other parts of family, residential, commercial and public buildings.
Precise production
The panels are machined in the factory including openings, penetrations and details, ready for assembly on site.
Result for the build
Fast assembly, high precision and the option to leave solid wood as a final part of the interior.
Cross-section of a CLT panel: wood layers glued crosswise

Wet vs. dry process

Where CLT saves time.

The biggest time saving comes from eliminating wet processes and the technological breaks for drying. CLT is built by dry assembly from prefabricated panels made in advance.

Wet process (masonry / monolithic construction)

  • Concreting, masonry and wet plaster require technological breaks for setting and drying — days to weeks.
  • Other trades wait until the structure cures and dries.
  • Moisture brought into the building must be removed before further layers.
  • The process is more sensitive to weather and temperature.

Dry process (CLT prefabricated panels)

  • Panels are produced in the factory in parallel with site preparation.
  • Dry assembly — without technological breaks for drying.
  • The shell is built in days, not weeks.
  • Other trades follow almost immediately.
  • Assembly is not tied to frost-sensitive wet processes — building is possible even in winter.
  • Less dependence on weather, a cleaner and safer site.

Real example: we have built even in December. CLT makes it possible to build in winter, without frost-sensitive wet processes.

Benefits of CLT

Properties that expand design possibilities.

Beyond the speed and precision that shape the construction, CLT opens up further possibilities — from building types through the character of the interior to lower structural loads.

Eco-friendly building

Wood is a renewable material with a low carbon footprint — an advantage for project financing, marketing and ESG reporting. ESG is an assessment of a building's environmental impact that banks and investors increasingly monitor.

Interior quality

Exposed wood can remain part of the interior and create character without additional surface layers.

Lower building weight

Lower loads can help with rooftop extensions, sloped plots or combined solutions.

CLT in numbers

What it means for a project.

4 days

Shell of a 106 m² family house, including fitted windows. Vyšný Klátov.

Cheaper financing

Shorter construction — shorter loan drawdown, earlier sale or rent.

More sellable m²

Thinner walls free up more usable area on the same footprint.

One partner

Design, structural engineering and construction from one place — a predictable budget and schedule.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to questions before the project begins.

Every project has different parameters. That is why we compare the architecture, scope, technology, schedule and final price of the whole building.

What is CLT and why is it suitable for buildings?

CLT (cross-laminated timber) is a solid timber panel glued from several layers of boards arranged crosswise. This gives it high strength, rigidity and dimensional stability in both directions, and it serves as the load-bearing structure of walls, floors and roofs. It suits family houses as well as multi-storey residential, commercial and public buildings — built by fast, dry assembly from prefabricated panels made in advance.

How does CLT compare to masonry construction?

A CLT building is comparable in price to masonry. The key difference is time — CLT assembly is significantly faster, and shorter construction means lower financing costs and earlier sale or rent. And time is money.

How does CLT differ from a common prefabricated timber-frame house?

A common timber house or prefabricated (post-and-beam) timber structure has a load-bearing frame of beams filled with insulation and clad with boards. CLT, on the other hand, is a solid load-bearing panel glued from crosswise wood layers — an entire wall or floor is one rigid structural element. This gives higher rigidity and load capacity, dimensional stability and CNC-production precision, thanks to which CLT can handle multi-storey and commercial buildings — not just family timber houses.

How is fire protection addressed?

Solid wood burns predictably — it chars at approximately 0.6–0.8 mm per minute and the charred surface layer protects the core of the cross-section, which retains its load capacity. We design the structure for the required fire resistance (REI 30 / 60 / 90) according to the type and height of the building, with cladding (e.g. plasterboard) if needed. The solution complies with applicable standards and the building is normally insurable.

What is the lifespan of a CLT building?

The lifespan of a solid CLT building is comparable to masonry — 100 years or more. The wood is protected within the structure; durability depends on the quality of the details and protection against moisture — which we address as standard already in the design.

Can a bank finance and an insurer insure a CLT building?

Yes. A CLT building can normally be financed with a mortgage and insured. Both the bank and the insurer assess the specific project and documentation — with a certified solid timber structure this is not an obstacle. We help prepare the documents they need for it.

I have a design for a masonry house or timber house — can it be converted to CLT?

Yes, we do this routinely. The design needs to be redrawn and structurally recalculated for CLT, because solid panels behave differently from brick or concrete. We assess the existing design and tell you what needs adjusting for design, production and construction.

Can you take over an already started project?

Yes. First we check the phase the documentation is in and what needs adjusting for CLT, production preparation and construction.

Technical data sheets →

Send us the basic information about your project.

Just the building type, approximate area, project phase and the scope you expect from us. We will get back to you with a proposal for the next steps.

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