Next to the use of caves, wood is probably the oldest material used by man both for shelter and survival. Sticks of wood were probably first used as a means of protection, support or for hunting. Till eventually someone figured out that it was also a fuel. Man later learned to shape and combine wood to form larger and larger objects. Home construction followed.

ADVANTAGES OF WOOD IN CONSTRUCTION:

All About Wood

A Wooden Frame house consisting mostly of timber and glass.

Wood has several advantages which makes it perfect for home building:

  1. It is renewable. Believe it or not, it is possible to maintain renewable sources of wood. Wood is also recyclable and, in many modern cases, it can also be re-engineered into stronger products
  2. It is easy to manipulate. Wood is a lightweight building material. It is easy to form and build with because of this and once a general frame has been constructed, the assembly of a home easily follows.
  3. Insulation: Believe it or not, wood does not conduct heat easily – unlike say concrete (Try touching a summer sun-baked wall in the afternoon and you’ll know what we mean.
  4. It is better for you. One of the problems with modern construction is the inclusion of so many chemicals into your home. Wood allows for fewer chemicals to escape into the environment than any other material.

DIS-ADVANTAGES OF WOOD IN CONSTRUCTION:

Sadly wood also has several draw-backs:

  1. It burns. Nuff said? Home design must ensure that exposed wood is also not exposed to extreme heat sources or potential fire such as exposed wires. Wood can be treated with fire retardants, but remember, fire retardants slow down – and in some cases, will stop – the burning of wood, but given enough heat, the wood will eventually burn.
  2. Wood Rots: Again, prior to construction, wood must be properly protected against the elements. Remember that it is an organic substance and all organic material decays. Water can also be just as damaging as fire, so don’t scrimp on the wood treatments.
  3. Weight limits: There’s only so much that wood can support. If you’re looking to build big, then you have to start incorporating steel and concrete into your structure.

Cement Board

In 1901, Austrian Ludwig Hatschek thought it would be a great idea to mix asbestos fibers with cement, creating the first Cement Board. Hatschek was trying to create a substitute for wood that was fire-resistant – which explains the use of asbestos. Hatschek’s Cement Boards would see mass production in 1903. The only major change between the Cement Boards of 1901 and the Cement Boards

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Fiberboard

Fiberboard is a relatively new product, having only been introduced in the 1960s for making furniture, cabinets and other in-door essentials. Today it is used from everything from soundproofing to car-dashboards and panels. No one is credited as the inventor of Fiberboard, however, a similar product was created by William Mason in 1925 when he made what he called “Hardboard” out of scr

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TENANTS:

Watch the following video to learn more about the tenant carrying wood in MC Home Depot: