Wood is undoubtedly the holy grail material that has been used for years. However, over time, the use of wood as a building material has decreased significantly due to advances in technical products such as metal and aluminum. In terms of environmental factors, the idea of not being dependent on trees as the main building material is morally the right choice.
While the use of wood still outweighs the importance of other materials on the market.
Properties of the use of wood as a building material
- Tear resistance
- Electrical & heat resistance
- Sound absorption
- Beauty & appearance
- Woods green advantage
Tear resistance
"Wood is a relatively light building material with a break length (or self-supporting length) that is much stronger than steel," commented Build Search experts. In short, it can easily carry its own weight, which means less support for some construction designs.
Electrical & heat resistance
Wood is resistant to electrical and thermal conduction when dried to normal moisture content (MC). If you are not aware of this, the moisture content (MC) for most types of wood is usually between 7% and 12%. It is important to note that the conductivity of wood is the basis for moisture measurement systems. In addition, heat does not affect the strength and proportions of the wood to any great extent, which means that it only provides stability to the completed building, but also provides security in the event of fire.
Sound absorption
Wood has specific acoustic properties that make it an ideal choice for construction to minimize interference in offices or normal households. This happens mainly when wood absorbs sound instead of reflecting or amplifying it. However, if you want the lowest possible dB values, additional effort is required to soundproof a room. It is therefore quite an advantage to block out unnecessary noise using special soundproofing materials.
Beauty & appearance
In addition to all the practical features, wood is known to enhance the look of an entire building and give it a touch of luxury and elegance. Where there are countless types, there is wood in an impeccable selection of aesthetically pleasing options, from colors to textures – as you call it! Not only that, but depending on your structural requirements, it also offers durability and resistance to acoustic and thermal properties. According to experts from the Gwinnett real estate company Watkins Homes, you can browse the nearby house lists to not only admire beauty and looks, but also to learn more about how wood deals with time in your area. Yes, wood not only increases tensile strength, but also gives every new house or apartment a beautiful makeover!
Woods green advantage
Since the last decade and up to date, the design trends in the use of wood as a building material have changed drastically. Among many other factors, the main motive for the trend was the management of deforestation and greenhouse gases. However, this is not the case this time. Wood has many advantages that not only help the client, but also promote sustainable design. According to experts from Hardware & Construction, the use of recycled and technical materials has shifted the battle for solid wood to MDF by reusing a wide range of residues from the raw wood industry.
Advantages of wood
Here are some of the advantages of considering wood as a building material:
- Wood is renewable
- Wood is immediately available
- Wood prevents less volatile organic compounds
- Wood increases energy efficiency
- Wood is biodegradable
Wood is renewable
In contrast to other building materials such as concrete or metals, wood is a building material that grows and regenerates through natural processes such as replanting and / or forestry. Selective harvesting and other practices enable steady growth. And when it comes to renovation and garbage disposal, wood is one of the types of construction waste that is safe for the disposal of garbage containers and bins.
Wood is immediately available
The lifecycle of wood has a lower environmental impact than its counterparts compared to other building materials such as steel or concrete, which is why it often costs much less to manufacture. Wastewater production and the environmental impact of wood production processes are also considerably lower, especially when compared to steel. Wood factories use a lot of wood to produce products such as chips, bark as biofuels for their plants to minimize the burden of fossil fuel on the manufacturing process, and moisture monitoring systems allow the mills to optimize productivity and produce less subsoil and waste during the drying process . Not to mention that these benefits continue to multiply as forest protection and replanting programs continue to thrive.
Wood prevents less volatile organic compounds
As a natural building material, wood emits far less volatile organic compounds (VOC) and exhaust gas carbon dioxide than aluminum, steel, concrete and plastics. However, when it comes to wood-based materials or composite wood products, this cannot be far from the truth. According to The Home Guide, the lower impact of the VOC of wood is a particular advantage over everyday use like at home and in the office. In fact, wood gives off a natural organic connection that relaxes people – not only the warmth of wood color creates such an enticing effect.
Wood increases energy efficiency
Wood has a higher degree of isolation than all other materials, mainly due to its cell structure. This ensures that houses and buildings use less energy for heating and cooling, and wood certainly helps to control the humidity to a small extent.
Wood is biodegradable
Building materials such as concrete, aluminum and plastics face countless challenges during the recycling process, since the decomposition takes forever. While the wood can disintegrate much faster under normal environmental conditions and is returned to the ground.
Increase wood resistance with MC measurement
Remember that proper knowledge of the relationship between wood and moisture can maximize the performance and longevity of the wood. The main step to avoid moisture-related damage to wooden floors and building materials is to bring every wooden building product to the corresponding MC standard. This cycle begins at the sawmill furnaces and continues until the building is completed. In order to determine the performance and durability of the wood, it is important to carry out an accurate MC measurement in every phase.
Why focus on moisture content?
The moisture content of a piece of wood is a fundamental value of how the processing, gluing, finishing and long-term performance change under the influence of water. When it comes to quality and performance, nothing speaks louder than experts:
“Wood is a material of hygroscopic origin. It obviously has a give-and-take relationship to the ambient humidity and is always trying to find a balance between its internal MC and its external atmospheric conditions, ”comments Terry Smith, Garden Landscape Box's professional landscape designer.
"In addition, the wood must be in harmony with its climate, a condition known as equilibrium moisture content (EMC)," said Jimmy Morton, founder of Morton Plumbing. If builders or floor installers start the project before the wood has adapted to the relative humidity, there is a risk that the wood will warp, bend, split and buckle. Using wooden molds in areas near water sources can also end up ticking bombs for cost and renovation. “He adds. It is best to use a wood moisture meter to measure MC.
Wooden packaging under construction
All in all, using wood as a building material is definitely your best bet. With its "built-in" advantages over ecological and aesthetic aspects, it has clearly taken the lead. In summary, if your wood MC management is optimized correctly, your wood can maintain these properties for generations.
