Making things from wood is something that humans have done for millennia From the fires that were used to keep people warm, to homes and buildings, as well as ships that went sailing around the world, wood has long been a favourite material, and it is something that we still love today to make things like these oak garages https://www.timberpride.co.uk/oak-framed-garages
There are many different types of wood, and they have a variety of qualities, which means that some woods are better than others for doing certain things. Using timber in constriction also has many advantages over things like man made materials – the strength of some woods is perfect for buildings, and indeed many wooden buildings are still going strong after being built hundreds of years ago.
As well as the fact that wood is a strong construction material, it is also environmentally friendly. It is biodegradable, so when we are working out ways to solve the climate crisis the use of timber rather than using other materials is a good idea. Of course, the flip side of this is that cutting down trees is also not something that is good for the planet, as we know, and care should be taken when using timber to ensure that it is being grown in a sustainable way – by planting new trees.
Deforestation has huge negative consequences not only for the immediate area but also for the planet as a whole, so when you are buying timber for a building project, take care to check that it has come from a responsible source – one way to do this is to use European timber which is subject to the legislations that enforce that all trees that are cut down should be replaced. These laws are not as strict in other parts of the world so buying timber that comes from Europe means that you are likely to getting a much more ethically produced timber.
There are many different types of timber, and these can be divided into two main groups – hardwood and softwood. These names can actually be very misleading if you are unfamiliar with them, as there are hardwoods which are actually softer than some of the softwoods and vice versa, so it is not a matter of simply saying that they are hard or soft.
Basically, the trees that are classed as softwoods are grown from a pine cone and are coniferous trees, although there are exceptions to this such as larch. Softwoods tend to be woods from deciduous trees. The uses of hardwoods and softwoods are also different – softwoods are used for things like decorative interior design, joinery, and non-structural uses. Hardwoods however are more commonly used in building, such as the aforementioned oak framed buildings, as well as for things like furniture, although both hard and softwoods can be used to make furniture.
