Timber (or lumber, as our friends across the pond call it) has been used to make buildings of various shapes and sizes for most of mankind’s history. Using timber for buildings and framework is a practice that dates back to Neolithic times, approximately 10,000 BC. There are still some surviving timber structures found in Europe which are many centuries old. Not surprising when you consider that one of the best things about timber is how long it lasts. Providing it is properly preserved, a timber building will easily outlast the people who built it!
There are many reasons why timber is a fantastic building material to use in construction, particularly if you are considering installing a new outbuilding on your property. Whether it’s an extra garage, a workshop/studio or even a set of stables, timber is incredibly strong and versatile – it looks great too!
So what else about timber makes it an ideal choice today?
Benefits of timber buildings
It’s an Eco-friendly material
In today’s changing climate, there is a whole host of reasons to choose timber as your building material. Timber is a naturally sustainable product, and it acts as a ‘sink’ for carbon dioxide. It stores carbon dioxide that was taken out of the atmosphere as the tree was growing. That carbon dioxide would otherwise add to the greenhouse effect.
What’s more, wood is a natural insulator. It’s hundreds of times more effective than steel and considerably more effective than concrete at keeping the heat in and the cold out.
Prefabrication
Timber buildings can be manufactured easily off-site, and then brought to your property ready to assemble, meaning the actual time needed to construct them once they arrive is minimal. Even if your order is a bespoke product to your own unique specifications, buying from Shields Buildings means the whole building is installed with the absolute minimum of disruption to you and your property.
Looking good, Feeling good
Planet Ark, an Australian not-for-profit organisation that aims to help the human population “live in balance with nature”, have published a report detailing the range of health benefits associated with wooden buildings. They cite studies from across the world, from Finland to Japan, which have found measurable improvements in people’s well-being associated with the use of wood in buildings.
These include improvement in ’emotional state and level of self-expression’, ‘reduced blood pressure, heart rate and stress levels’, and ‘improved air quality through humidity regulation’. The benefits are most profound when there is exposed wood in the building’s interior. The warmth of the colour of wood, plus the simple beauty of the grain and the genuine feeling of being in the presence of a truly natural material all help to bring about these positive changes in people.
As a result, natural wood is now being used for its therapeutic value as well as its aesthetic and structural qualities.
Timber is truly one of the most versatile materials on the planet and it is a joy to work with. Using timber is what allows us to construct buildings to a specification that fits our customer’s needs to a tee – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
