Ergo, people tend to build houses out of materials that don't have to be transported far. Besides, says Kate Gatto, a NAFO spokesperson, wood still stores carbon when used in houses. Table of Contentsshow 1. There are a few reasons why US homes are made of wood and bricks instead of concrete. Together the low cost of wood and labor is the main reason why houses made of wood are popular in the US. One other reason why American homes are built with wood is that they serve as a wonderful thermal insulator. Some houses have a combination of steel framing and wood, creating a strong structure. In the sections below, well do a deeper dive into why US homes are primarily made of lumber instead of concrete. The reason for this shift is mostly about costs. There Is Plenty Of Wood The US has 9.834 million km of land and has a population density of around 35 people per km which is a lot less than China and India which have 153 and 464 people per km. The forest products industry argues that moving away from lumber would cost jobs in sawmills and manufacturing; they estimate that forestry-related businesses support more than 1 million jobs. Why are houses in the Philippines made of concrete? In addition, concrete blocks are resistant to fire. 2012-03-20 04:05:03. Have you wondered why it is not instead made from concrete or wood? While building a house with steel and concrete causes fossil fuel production, greenhouse gas emissions, and air and water pollution, a wooden house will reduce your carbon footprint. We will answer this and other related questions in this piece. Meanwhile, the high demand for lumber may be causing more trees to be cut down, rather than fewer. We learned from The Three Little Pigs fable that a house made out of bricks is harder to blow down. The construction industry is not exempt from this. Technology is like a snowball rolling down a mountain it just keeps getting bigger and moving faster. Building materials tend to be bulky, heavy, and difficult to transport for long distances. The first houses built by the original settlers to the United States were made of wood. Labor cost is also low because builders and contractors use prefabricated structures for their wooden houses that do not require skilled workers. The foundation is typically made of concrete asit has superior strengths against compression from the earth, and rot from moisture. The ruins of a home hit by a recent wildfire in Oroville, Calif. Charlie Martinez installs steel framework in a house under construction in Mission Viejo, Calif. Rick LoomisLos Angeles Times/Getty Images, Activists Score Big Wins Against ExxonMobil, Chevron and Shell, What America's Richest Ski Town's Handling of COVID-19 Shows. This is 43% higher than the average construction worker salary of $37,114. Wood is more environmentally friendly than other building materials. Watson started building with non-wood materials last year and now, as he works with clients who lost homes in the 2020 fires, 19 out of 21 rebuilds are using non-wood materials. Wood is ubiquitous, but its time to evolve, says Matt Watson, the president of Gateway Builders, a Northern California contracting company that has been building homes since 1997. Some builders construct homes with large, robust beams and tight engineering. For this reason, if youre an especially creative person, you can build your home in almost any way youd like. But we do have building codes that are locally adopted at the state or city level. The reasons, they say, are that wood is flimsy against inclement weather, that it rots if it becomes wet, and that it can burn easily around wildfires. The tradition and history live on in the quintessential wooden houses. Now, we have intricately framed homes built with a myriad of designs. The USA has vast forests to supply building materials. Wood makes this possible. Also, the material can be remodeled, resized, and cut with ease. When he was planning his new house, Jennings learned that insurers would not cover it because of its fire-prone location; that persuaded him to seek out non-flammable materials to protect his investment. But is tradition the main reason why Americans prefer houses made out of wood? They keep getting destroyed by tornadoes, so why don't people in the U.S. build houses out of stone . But the new houses going up in Philly and other traditional row house cities like Baltimore and Brooklyn come with wooden bones and exteriors made of a range of materials. The worst thing that could happen when they burn is that they would burn to ashes. Making bricks, storing them, and disposing of them after no longer in use is bad for the environment. Second, history plays a large role in how people build their homes, as does American culture and style. In contrast, concrete is often criticized for being unsustainable as it takes a lot of resources to produce. If you are wondering why houses are usually made of wood, then read on as we discuss 12 reasons for its popularity.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'homecadet_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_8',106,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-homecadet_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Most houses are made of wood for reasons like affordability, accessibility, and durability as well as the fact that wood homes are easier to build and repair than other types of construction. The answer is simple economics of the traditional building technologies - which until very recently were the standard. Again, these arent necessarily wrong; its just wise to be aware of the point of view. In a catastrophic fire, Im sure my house will get burned, he says. We drove over Santa Monica the next morning and saw several buildings with brick walls that had fallen like legos. But Sean Jennings house did not burn. The Freeman Online is an online magazine that provides tips and tricks on different categories like Business, Technology, Finance, Lifestyle, Health, Travel etc. Taxes on homes built with wood can be considerably lower than a house built with other materials depending on the state of the house. Wood is lighter than bricks, which makes transportation costs lower. It takes longer to produce the same area of the wall with bricks and mortar than with wood. It is also available in different sizes, some of which can be quite large. This has to be done in a way that balances the taking and replacing of wood, which most wood processors are aware of. Magazines, Digital The Trump administration removed protections from Alaskas Tongass National Forest, one of the largest intact temperate rainforests in the world, as one of his last acts before leaving office. Cost The cost of wood is the primary reason for its prevalent use in home construction. Lets go over the main reasons for the popularity of wooden houses in the US, together with some advantages and disadvantages. In some areas of the country, there may be a benefit to reduced logging. Ask An American: Why are houses in America made of wood? Most houses are made of wood for reasons like affordability, accessibility, and durability as well as the fact that wood homes are easier to build and repair than other types of construction. The US vast forest industry, expertise in transportation and distribution makes wood accessible and relatively inexpensive. How long do wooden houses last? Fortornado protection, many people build underground storm shelters or safe rooms. Americans have been building houses with wood for a long time. Concrete would be heavier to transport and more difficult to install once on the site. There are a few reasons why US homes are made of wood and bricks instead of concrete. Concrete could make some very creative homes with the right tools and techniques. It, thus, tell that concrete will absorb much more heat from room to rise its temperature whereas wood will absorb less heat to rise to same temperature and keep room warm. With that said, this article is simply a discussion of possibilities. When European colonizers first came to the United States, they opted to construct many houses and commercial buildings from wood because it was readily available. There are a few reasons why US homes are made of wood and bricks instead of concrete. I try to make stuff that I need/want instead of buying it. Because of changes to hurricane building codes in the southern U.S., the number of concrete-framed houses built from 2018 to 2019 grew 46%, according to the National Association of Home. Although stucco creates a high-end look, it is made with relatively inexpensive materials like sand and lime. There are some pretty interesting practices in the works, like3D printed homes. The first geodesic dome was designed after World War I by Walther Bauersfeld, chief engineer of the Carl Zeiss optical company, for a planetarium to house his planetarium projector. Wood houses are just so vulnerable and leaky, says Jennings, who is building a second house using RSG panels for his mother in Sonoma County, near where the LNU Lightning Complex Fires in 2020 burned 363,000 acres over the course of six weeks. Wood has a relaxing and calming effect. A wood frame home, in addition to being less expensive in many cases, also provides the opportunity for better insulation because of the spaces between the wood studs. Terpenes are known to come with their unique benefits such as reduced stress, increase in cortisol and they cause the forest bath effect. What Causes Flower Bulbs To Be Pushed Up From Underground? Wooden houses began as a need to build houses quickly but ended up becoming an identity hallmark for Americans. How Far Is California To Texas- Your Options For Traveling From California To Texas, How To Calculate Tax Title And License In Texas- Calculating Taxes On Newly-Bought Cars. Read more: Fire Season in California, When Breathing Feels Like a Luxury. Homeowners should be aware of the following: Wood is treated to increase its natural fire resistance properties, but it can still catch fire faster than good quality bricks. A standard basement foundation (9 foot walls, 5 inch floor, etc .) Wood is the only material capable of being sustained and renewed. Wood was accessible, easy to work with, and that enabled the fast building of numerous homes. Concrete houses provide better environments with less airborne allergens, molds, and toxins than most wood-frame houses. Especially in the western states, large logging companies still harvest a lot of lumber. Some choose a combination of concrete . Concrete is heavier and difficult to transport, making it slower and more expensive to build . Because it is more lightweight but still strong and durable, you can make nearly every family homes shape and size. But when compared with houses made of brick, they will not evolve much heat. Houses built with wood can have excellent insulation, but more work and money is needed to accomplish it. It, therefore, means that cheap houses are made available at a quicker pace. For example, some say that a wooded structure is more suited for earthquakes, as it can flex slightly without cracking. Unlike the case of brick, wood is one flexible material which is capable of resisting low-intensity earthquakes. Second, history plays a large role in how people build their homes, as does American culture and style. Also, Steel is a less expensive material and is only used in high design architectural masterpieces. The problem is that if it remains unnoticed, you can end up with structural damage, and it can be both expensive to repair and dangerous. Wooden homes simply started as a need to construct houses at a quick pace but soon they ended up becoming the trademark of the American construction industry. Although bricks are relatively small, they are also rigid and it is not quite so easy to manipulate them into different parts of a design. Several studies show that Americans have one of the highest rates of mobility in the world. With some of the recent supply issues, people may begin looking at other options for home building. Made with easily accessed materials that are affordable. Wooden products are known to have lower embodied energy while also isolating heat from cold.
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