Metsä Wood Kerto LVL Used in Large-Scale Modular Housing Project in the Netherlands

Metsä Wood’s Kerto laminated veneer lumber (LVL) was used in what the company described as the Netherlands’ first large-scale modular construction project, where the load-bearing structure has been built entirely from LVL.

The five-story residential complex in Almere delivers 103 homes using an industrialized modular construction system developed by housing corporation De Alliantie and constructor Koopmans Bouwgroep.

Kerto LVL was selected for its strength-to-weight ratio and dimensional precision, Metsä Wood said. The company said the material is up to 50% more resource-efficient than comparable mass timber products while delivering equivalent performance, reducing transportation emissions and on-site material handling needs.

The project uses Kerto LVL S-beams measuring 5.2 meters for floors and roofs, shorter 2.9-meter S-beams for studs and rim beams, and Kerto LVL Q-panels extending 5.05 meters for floor surfaces. Load-bearing stability walls use 100-millimeter reglued Q-panels at 3.3 meters, with CNC machining maintaining tolerances within 0.5 millimeters.