For centuries wood has been used in the construction of buildings, mainly due to its availability and its many properties that make it ideal for this.
Providing a strong and durable structure to build around wood has been a key resource for a large amount of new builds.
We examine below what type of wood should be used and what benefits it has. Valuing a new build property can be difficult to do so a homebuyers survey cost is a fee well worth investing in. https://www.samconveyancing.co.uk/news/house-survey/homebuyers-survey-cost-9958 have a dedicated page here that discusses it in more detail.
Different types of wood
Hardwoods, such as ash, beech, birch, cherry, maple, oak and walnut, produce a denser and heavier lumber than can be achieved with softwoods, which come from trees like cedar, fir, pine, redwood and spruce. When building walls, floors and ceilings hardwoods are seen as the better option, whereas softwoods are typically used for doors, window frames and furniture.
The woods are then graded according to the number of defects present on a board.
The benefits of using wood
Traditionally in the UK, homeowners have looked to brick built properties for a long term solution, but wood is now making steady progress within the residential construction industry, especially among self-builders.
One of the main benefits of using wood is that the frames can be constructed around 30% faster than using bricks, which reduces the time taken to complete the work. This is a reason why it’s so popular for self-building projects as homeowners need to be able to live in their new home as soon as they can.
Wood is an extremely strong material and can be bent under pressure without it breaking, but it is also very light, which makes it an ideal choice for use as a building material. It has fantastic acoustic properties, which enable it to absorb sounds and it has resistance against electrical currents.
There are many different building materials that can be used in the construction of houses, but the versatility and properties of lumber give it unique features and make it an excellent material for a range of settings.
