Finger-Joint Lumber: A Systematic Literature Review and a Global Industry Survey on this Ecofriendly Structural Building Material

Finger-joint lumber is a sustainable building product commercialized as a structural solution for beams, pillars and other thin flat load-bearing elements. This study aims to study finger-joint lumber and its industry to promote this engineered wood product. The first research stage assessed the collection of publications on finger-joint lumber available globally, in which a structured protocol was developed to prospect studies based on two complementary methodologies: PRISMA 2020 using Scopus and Web of Science databases, and Snowball using both forward and backward models to complete with additional literature. The second research stage assessed finger-joint lumber manufacturers, in which companies were globally prospected using Google search engine and their corporate websites were profoundly analyzed using a structured script to collect information. Literary approaches have provided structural performance and bonding quality of finger-jointing. In the review, we provide a global overview and data regarding the current stage and future directions of finger-joint lumber for industrialized construction. Regarding this structural product, we review the main resources, material preparation and processing, and automated production. Mainly active in Europe and already present in 38 nations across five continents, we survey a finger-joint lumber industry comprising 186 producers controlling 214 manufacturing operations worldwide. The vast majority of this industry has exported linear engineered solutions in different dimensions, certified as to compliance with the origins of their bioresources and the European Union requirements, to markets exposed to 24 languages in order to meet commercial applications such as single-story houses, townhouses, roof structures, and hangars.