Assessing the pros and cons of a wooden home can help you make informed decisions before buying a home. If you are considering whether or not to buy a wooden house, you've come to the right place. You need to make sure that you invest in what you know. Wooden houses are a more economical alternative to concrete and traditional brick houses. Since wood is part of nature, wooden houses are also environmentally friendly. However, they have several disadvantages, including high maintenance costs.
This guide will explain all the pros and cons of wooden houses. You will also learn about the different types of wooden house construction. Read on to find out more.
Types of wooden houses for sustainable building
For the sustainable construction of wooden houses, builders have to plant a new tree to replace every tree they felled. This helps to keep an ecological balance. Here are the different types of wooden houses that you can find in Canada.
- Mobile homes: The manufacturers assemble the houses in factories and transport them in large parts to construction sites. Depending on their overall size, you can manufacture the wooden houses as individual units or transport them in sections.
- Log houses: The log house is assembled or built on site. The thick logs from which the house was built give it a unique look. In addition, the suitcases help regulate internal temperatures and humidity.
- Timber frame house: Most of the wooden houses built in Canada are of this design. Large quantities of small components are used to facilitate module construction and prefabrication. Wooden timbers are joined with nails.
Work with a contractor who knows how to build wooden houses, whether you are investing in a mobile home, light house, or log home. A great example is Paradise Developments, which has built many homes in Canada.
Advantages of buying or building a wooden house
Wooden houses are made from recyclable and biodegradable non-petroleum materials that make them environmentally friendly. Not to mention, they offer numerous benefits, including lower energy requirements and a lower environmental impact.
Now let's dive a little deeper into the benefits of wooden houses.
Energy efficient
Because wood is a natural insulator, wooden houses are usually more energy efficient than other houses. The material can keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter, making it suitable for sustainable construction. It can effectively isolate heat and cold. Investing in a wooden home will save you thousands of dollars in energy bills. Studies show that homeowners who live in small wooden houses can save up to 60 percent per year on ventilation, heating and air conditioning. Most of the wooden houses in Canada are made of materials that help protect homes from outside noise and constant temperatures. Examples of such materials include recycled cotton, lambswool or rock wool. Fortunately, they are all environmentally friendly.
Naturally attractive
As an aesthetic material, wood can serve as a decorative element. Each tree produces wood with a unique design, color and smell. It's easy to find different wood materials based on color. However, the wood design may vary depending on how it is cut. You can use the natural color of the wood or paint it to suit your style and preferences. You can paint it in darker varnished colors with a few mattes or light touches. But without decorative surfaces, we still make your home look more beautiful.
Very diverse
Did you know that wood is elastic? Wooden houses are easy to change, build and even manipulate. You can cut, carve, bend, glue, nail, screw, laminate, splice, weather, mill, or join pieces of wood to make them easier to change or modify for future renovations. One good thing about wood is that you can reuse or recycle it. You can also use wood to build different types of buildings. The versatility of the wood makes the material a great choice for homeowners looking to upgrade their homes in the future.
Cost efficient
Depending on the house design, you can build wooden houses faster and cheaper. They are 30 percent cheaper than traditional brick and concrete houses in terms of construction costs. If damaged, wooden houses can be inexpensively repaired or converted. Plus, you won't be spending a lot on the foundation of a wooden house because the material is light. The thermal properties of wood (insulation) have also helped many homeowners save on heating and air conditioning costs.
Cons of wooden houses in Canada
Like any other building material, wood has some drawbacks, including shrinkage and insect damage. Here are some of the cons of living in a wooden house.
Vulnerable to damage
Both abiotic and biotic agents can destroy or deteriorate wood. Some of the biotic factors include insects, bacteria, and fungi. Insects such as dust beetles and termites are a major threat to wooden houses. They can shorten the life of your home. Some of the abiotic elements are sun, water and wind. Wood can deteriorate quickly if the environment is too humid. While you can't stop the abiotic agents because they are part of nature, you can control your home's exposure to them.
Shrinks and swells slightly
Wood is naturally hygroscopic. That said, it can absorb water from the area, especially if you are buying the house in a flood-prone area. Pieces of wood shrink and swell when exposed to moisture. So use waterproof coatings to avoid this.
Catches fire easily
Wood consists mainly of hydrogen and carbon elements, which makes the material highly combustible. When the elements combine with oxygen during a fire outbreak, the effects can be so devastating. Some trees have chemicals that can catch fire easily. A good example is the piece of resin made from pine wood, which can catch fire at lower temperatures.
last words
Now that you know the pros and cons of a wooden house, you can make an informed decision about whether or not to invest in it. In general, wooden houses are environmentally friendly and cheap to build. You save a lot of money on construction, heating and air conditioning costs. However, the downsides are a potential risk to your investment.
