Many clients ask us why they should build their home with a timber frame and what the benefits, durability, and quality of our wood are.
We have compiled a list of the top advantages of using QTF Homes’ timber for the structure of your home, as well as the great advantages and qualities that this product has. It is not surprising that 46% of the UK self-build market is moving toward the “Greener” build for their new homes and business premises given the increase in heating, water, and operating costs.
Because of a number of factors, building with wood may be among the greenest options.
1. Ecology and health
In addition to not emitting any harmful substances, wood is a natural, environmentally friendly material that even removes toxins from the air. Meanwhile, when heated, a material like plastic emits toxins that are harmful to humans and also softens or ages.
No other material can compare to wood in terms of ecology and the environment. The environmental harm is minimized thanks to the ongoing renewal of the forests, and the materials (waste) left over from cottage production are recycled.
The properties of wood will ensure that the wooden tool and storage houses, which are not intended for human habitation, are comfortable to use in any season. In hot weather, the houses won’t heat up as much as metal or plastic ones, and in the winter they will be warmer (due to low thermal conductivity).
2. Strength in Tension.
We won’t overwhelm anyone with too many statistical data in this discussion. Let’s just say that some types of wood have tensile strengths that are almost 50% higher than those of steel. In addition, it is much easier to work with and more flexible than steel.
3. Energy Saver
When heated, some non-combustible building materials, like steel, can expand and weaken the structure to the point of collapse. In response to this, wood behaves in a nearly opposite way. Wood dries out and actually gets harder when heated (but not to an extreme that it becomes combustible).
Here, let’s draw some analogies. Glass conducts heat 24Â times faster than timber, 95Â times faster than marble, 1750 times faster than steel, and 7040 times faster than aluminum.
Less energy will be lost from a home as a result. Wood is a fantastic substitute for brick, concrete, or stone if you want to keep the warmth (or coolness) in your home while spending less on heating (or cooling). Wood is the economic insulation darling when compared to other building materials.
Using wood for heating reduces costs, and building with wooden frames is economical. Although wood does slightly expand when air humidity falls below 0%, builders won’t be affected by this because humidity never falls below 5% in even the driest of climates.
4. Quick to Build
People enjoy cutting wood. With this activity, one can see results right away. Thomas Edison. It appears that he hit the mark there. People prefer quick, affordable results, and wood can deliver just that.
A 100m2 wooden house can be built on-site by some manufacturers of wooden homes in just 7 days. Imagine taking a quick two-week trip to Florida and coming home to find a brand-new structure growing in your neighbor’s garden. You know wood is impressive, right?
Wood constructions unquestionably do save time when compared to brick, stone, or concrete constructions, and that automatically translates to labor savings. This is particularly true in inclement weather, such as persistent rain, snow, and icy conditions, where wood construction can proceed unhindered. Additionally, a friend of mine who is a builder has claimed that the plans for wooden structures are simpler to follow than those for structures made of brick, concrete, or steel (though I am unsure of the veracity of this claim, so feel free to disagree in the comments section).
Wood-framed homes allow for simple modifications both during and after construction, and it’s because of their simplicity, adaptability, and affordability that they are such a well-liked and reasonably priced option. Post-construction modifications to insulated concrete form homes (ICF) can be expensive, difficult, and time-consuming.
5. Environmentally conscious
Since green is currently in style, it goes without saying that a significant portion of this article will focus on it. Building a home from wood is environmentally friendly, renewable, and sustainable. Did you know that wood is the only carbon-neutral building material and that it is carbon neutral even when hauling is taken into account? Wooden structures also absorb and store atmospheric CO2.
Using 20 cubic meters of wood to build a home results in a carbon emission reduction of 16 tonnes, or 0.8 tonnes for every cubic meter of wood used in construction. In this context, 90,000 kilometers of driving results in the production of 16 tonnes of carbon (as a very crude estimate). It’s true that using wood in constructionâwhether it’s for the entire building or just the wooden framesâhas a positive effect on climate change.
The majority of westernized nations have laws requiring the planting of at least one tree for each one that is felled. There will be more wood on the planet as a result of this, which increases carbon absorption. But let’s not become oblivious; deforestation is an appallingly saddening reality; make sure your wood supply is reliable.
It may be advantageous in the fight against climate change to cut down older trees, use them for construction, and plant new carbon-eating trees in their place because mature trees actually use less carbon than younger, faster-growing trees.
6. Healthy & Natural
For some people, this is a big deal because electrostatic charges are thought to be somewhat unhealthy. The good news is that wood produces absolutely no electrostatic charges.
Uncoated wood can help control humidity in a space, which may be beneficial for those who have respiratory sensitivity. In addition to controlling humidity, wood is said to have calming effects on the mind and nervous system. Just watch out that the wood doesn’t get too wet from the humidity or the static electricity benefit might be lost.
For these reasons, people believe that choosing wood over other materials like metal and plastic is healthier.
7. Easy to update/restore
Given that the wood and other components of the cottage are readily available for purchase, the wood stands out because it is simpler to renovate and repair. A broken plank, roof, or door is simple to replace. You can easily repaint the house with new colors if you grow tired of the current paint or if it starts to peel. You cannot fix or repaint the plastic house if it breaks or ages.
Conclusion
Timber is a very robust substance. Some well-built wooden structures endure for hundreds of years. In comparison to other materials, it is also simple and inexpensive to maintain, especially if you don’t mind the color changing over time.
