Benefits of Using Wood for Your Next Project
Whether you’re an architect, contractor or the one looking to fund a new building project, deciding what materials to use is one of the first things to consider. Of course, you’ll want to make sure the building looks good, but it’s also got to be durable, in-keeping with the local environment and pass all relevant safety tests.
Using wood for your next project will not only tick all those boxes, but also help you reduce your carbon footprint.
Here’s why we think wood is the building world’s most superior building material…
Environmental Benefits
As the only material that helps to tackle climate change, wood is the obvious choice for those who are environmentally conscious. In fact, using wood instead of other building materials saves an average of 0.9 tonnes of Co2 per cubic metre.
Of course, timber comes from trees, which absorb Co2 from the atmosphere and turn it into oxygen. When trees are sustainably harvested, they hold onto the carbon stored inside them and this is held within the wood for its lifetime. In fact, some timber cladding, such as the Abodo Vulcan+ range is even carbon negative!
At NORclad we are passionate about protecting the environment and only use timber sourced with either FSC or PEFC Chain of Custody Certification. You can find out more about our commitment to sustainability and the environment here.
Cost Benefits
Cost is always a big factor in any build, and there’s a fine line between using cost saving tactics and ensuring you are left with a quality building. By using wood, you can rest assured that the finish will be high quality and durable, but also easy to work with and great value to source.
Though the initial purchase cost may not be significantly cheaper than other materials, the savings you can make through shorter building time and low upkeep over time mean that wood is arguably the most cost-effective material on the market.
Wellbeing Benefits
No matter whether a building is going to be for commercial or residential use, it’s important to consider how the people who use it will spend their time inside it. Most of the world’s population spend a significant amount of time inside, often much more than they should, so a key factor in modern architectural design is bringing that feeling of being outside into a building.
By using wood, you are replicating the feeling that we experience outside in nature, which studies have shown can have a calming and productive effect. For example, in a hospital, where plants and flowers aren’t allowed, timber cladding is a practical and hygienic alternative way to allow sick patients some connection to the outside. Similarly, in an office, the warm nature of timber reduces the cold, clinical ambience that offices often give off, and so boosts employees’ moods and consequently their productivity.
At NORclad we have experience using timber cladding in various different buildings, from office spaces to schools and hospitals, and can advise how using wood might also help make your building better for its users health.
See more: What Are The Health Benefits of Timber?
Practical Benefits
If you’re investing in building or renovating, you want to ensure that the costs involved will reap considerable, long-lasting benefits that hold up over time.
One of the major selling points of wood is the fact it is incredibly insulating, meaning it will trap hot air in tiny air pockets in its structure, and keep a building warm or cool – depending on the season. Compared to concrete, wood is 15 times more insulating, and a staggering 400 times more insulating than steel. Using those numbers, we can also conclude that buildings made from wood are also likely to be more environmentally friendly and low cost, given they will use far less energy for heating and air conditioning.
On top of its insulating properties, wood is an exceptionally durable material. In rainy or windy climates, it’s essential to consider how well a building will stand up to the elements, and if you will have to incur upkeep costs year after year, or not. At NORclad we preserve our timber cladding with a revolutionary treatment that maintains its colour and comes with a 30-year warranty against rot and fungal decay, meaning you won’t have to worry.
Aesthetic Benefits
Last but by no means least, perhaps the biggest benefit of using wood for your next project is how beautiful it looks. Timber cladding on the outside of a building can create striking facades that capture the attention of passers-by, encouraging them to come inside and shop or seek out business or services that you may offer.
In rural areas, wood can also help a building to blend into its local environment, by association with nature, and in cities it is often used to inject some colour and warmth to otherwise cold concrete jungles.
The unique nature of wood means it is one of the most versatile and adaptable materials. NORclad offer a huge range of timber products, in numerous different profiles and finishes that each have their own selling points. If you need help understanding which would be best for your building, our experts will be happy to advise, you can contact us here.
Learn More with NORclad
At NORclad we are timber cladding specialists, with over 40 years of experience. We would love to help you understand more about the different benefits of using wood in your next project, and can source top-quality materials for your build.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team today.
