Thinking of self building with timber? Why not? It's environmentally friendly, represents good value for money and is versatile. Discover more here...
By Gordon Miller
Wood is the building material of choice for the 21st century. It is natural, carbon-neutral (which means it is eco-friendly) and sustainable because most timber used in construction is from managed and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), or similar in other countries, accredited sources. Additionally, only quick-growing trees - such as oak and Douglas fir - are cut down, leaving hardwood trees, which take longer to grow, to prosper. The effect is less damaging to the environment.
Merry Albright, creative assistant at Border Oak Design & Construction, a family-run business, based in rural Herefordshire, says, 'One of the most compelling reasons to build with wood is the aesthetic one. In the UK people really appreciate hand craftsmanship. So pros include the aesthetic value, and the characteristics and craftsmanship of building with wood. Timber houses also have a higher perceived value, and the longevity of timber is an incentive too.
'There are three main downsides to timber frame house building. Firstly only a limited number of people can manufacture and build timber frame homes. It is a very specialised industry. Secondly, it can be expensive although soft woods, such as Douglas fir, are cheaper. Thirdly, there are more restrictions on what can be done with timber. For example it is difficult to incorporate huge doors into oak frames because the structure cannot cope with it.'
Wood's durability is a major plus point for its use as a building material. As Albright notes, essentially we are still using the same engineering as medieval times, and houses from that period are still standing. However, structural engineering standards have improved which has made some difference to ensuring houses stay standing and upright - unlike many 500 year old buildings you will see around the country that have bowed and warped badly.
Albright says, 'Softwood frames can be at least a couple of hundred years. You will probably find that the windows and roof will give out before the structure does on a timber frame building. Such constructions can also be very flexible because of the nature of wood, which makes them perfect for earthquake zones as they can take the impact and have some room for movement before causing structural problems. The frames can be more forgiving.'
Oak, or green oak, which are one and the same thing, is Border Oak's preferred construction material, but there are other options. Softwoods, which are generally evergreens, are also suitable as a building material. In the USA and Canada, Douglas fir is an extremely popular option, primarily because it is indigenous and versatile. It can be used both for traditional 'log' homes and when cut for plank and bean construction.
Albright notes Americans tend to use lots of wood types because they also use 'glue lam beams', which are thin strips of timber glued together and then laminated to make them strong.
