5 Reasons Why Wood Construction is Gaining Popularity

Wood construction has been widely used in the US and most parts of Europe for centuries now. Even after other seemingly more advanced materials such as vinyl, steel, and brick were discovered, wood has remained as the most preferred feature for housing construction across the world.

Some homeowners say that they love wood because it is the most inexpensive material. Others say that the labor costs are extremely affordable for using wood as compared to brick and concrete. And because many homeowners invest in home remodeling almost every decade, tearing down a wooden house and remodeling it is perceived to be easier and affordable than most of the other construction materials.

Here are 5 more reasons why wood construction has constantly gained popularity over the years:

1. Environmental friendliness

Environmental conservation is the tune these days across nations and industries. In the construction industry, the world is gravitating towards sustainable, renewable and environmentally friendly construction materials. Wood fits that bill perfectly. For starters, wood is the only carbon-neutral construction material. It absorbs tons of carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere and consequently saving tons of carbon emissions. Environmental experts say that for every 100M3 of wood used in construction, about 80 tons of carbon is saved. But then, deforestation is a despicably saddening fact. Cutting down trees would be counterproductive unless at least two trees are planted for every tree cut. Note that the more the wood we have, the more the carbon absorption we shall have. It is also important that people only cut down old trees because they have weaker carbon-absorption abilities than the younger trees.

Also Read: North Africa’s first continuous wood-based panel plant nears completion

2. They are easy to build

Building a home using wood is so easy that you can build your house on your own provided you have some basic construction skills and the right tools for the job. That translates to extremely low-cost housing. Besides, if your wooden house is damaged by extreme weather elements, say a tornado or an earthquake, you can always repair it on your own. Note that such calamities happen so unexpectedly and you might not have the budget for repairs. And speaking of extreme weather, wooden houses can withstand low-intensity earthquakes or light tornadoes.

3. Impeccable insulation properties

Wood has better insulation properties than steel, vinyl, aluminum, glass, and several other construction materials out there, meaning that it causes less energy leakage from a home. Only brick, concrete, and stone have better insulation properties than wood. Wood also doesn’t expand or contract when exposed to extreme temperatures. Instead, it dries and gets harder when exposed to direct sunlight. Note that contraction and expansion of siding materials can easily cause a house to weaken and eventually come crumbling down. However, when exposed to direct heat, wooden houses are easier to catch fire compared to glass, aluminum, steel, and vinyl houses.

4. Aesthetically versatile

There are over 5000 different types of woods to choose from in the US alone. You will never lack the right wood for your construction or design desires. Different woods come with different acoustics, appearance, grain, durability, and color. You can even combine multiple types of wood to bring your construction ideas to life. The versatility that wood provides also makes it great for flooring, structural frames, ceiling, and even walls. Another advantage of wood is that unlike brick or glass, wood can be painted in any color just to brandish its natural finesse. Waxing and varnishing the wood to increase its aesthetic beauty is also an affordable option. You can carve any shape from wood, glue, cut, and nail it down to your imagination. You can even choose to build a wooden garden room of whichever shape or size you like- wooden indoor gardens appear modern and classy, and they easily blend into their natural surroundings. Combine that with eco-friendly grow lights and you will have a sustainable indoor garden.

5. Material availability

It is very easy to find wood wherever you are in the world. It is the great abundance of wood that makes it so affordable. You can find wood at any lumber yard or home improvement store. Conclusion Wood may seem like a traditional construction material, but there are many ways of making it look stylish and modern. And because it is lightweight, easy to work with, and affordable, homeowners across the world cannot resist using this material for their low-cost houses!