While engineered products or metals like aluminum are popular these days, you should not discount the potential of other building materials like timber. Timber should be considered for its numerous advantages. To help you understand timber better, you should not discount disadvantages and ways to handle it.
What are the advantages of using timber as a building material?
Before you go and find a timber supplier in Victoria, you should understand things about timbers and how it can make a difference in your building projects. Some advantages of timber include the following:
- Timber is sustainable: in the past, timber is the most popular building material because it grows quicker. In fact, countries or areas that supply timber have long-standing policies that require planting more timber. This means that if trees are planted to replace the harvested pieces, wood as a building material will still be available in the future.
- Timber offers great insulation: you must know that timber is a natural insulator, which can help reduce energy costs when used in floors, doors, and windows. This is important during the winter and summer seasons.
- Timber can be used in many ways: timber is versatile so it can be used in many ways. Since it is light, it can be installed easily thereby reducing the energy needed for the construction.
- Timber has acoustic properties: the acoustic properties of wood allow it to absorb sound making it ideal for minimizing echo in living spaces. With this, it can significantly reduce noise levels thereby adding more comfort.
- Timber has oxidation properties: although woods have oxidation, it is not the kind you see in metals. When you consider metals, it will get rust but wood will not.
- Timber has more tensile strength: when you compare it with steel, timber has more tensile strength for a relatively lightweight material. This is the main reason why many building designs consider it.
What are the disadvantages of using timber as a building material?
As with anything, timber has disadvantages. Some disadvantages of using timber as a building material include the following:
- Timber can shrink or swell: timber is considered a hygroscopic material. This means it can naturally give off and take water to balance the surrounding environment. With this, the wood can shrink or swell.
- Timber can deteriorate: the deterioration will depend on many aspects but it is categorized into two things – biotic and abiotic. Biotic deterioration involves biological destructions from mold, bacteria, and insects. Abiotic deterioration involves non-biological destructions from certain chemicals, water, sun, wind, and fire.
Is there a way to eliminate wood deterioration?
There is a way to eliminate wood deterioration. The solutions will depend on the type of agents causing the deterioration. You can consider coating, which protects against indoor and outdoor elements. Aside from that, drying is also promising because it can avoid the attacks of fungi before the Fiber Saturation Point.
Final words
Although there is a desire not to rely on wood for building, the advantages outweigh other building products on the market. When it is time to find Timber Supplies & Building Materials, you should first read reviews and ask for recommendations. With this, you can identify the right supplier – the first time around.