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Wood-Framed Homes

Wood-Framed Construction

This is the most common above-grade residential construction method in North America and some parts of Europe. The main reason that this method is so widely used is due to how economical it is to build.

There are many types of wood available that are used to build homes, providing design flexibility and options in natural aesthetics. Wood construction can be used for modern, traditional, and contemporary building styles, allowing its architectural possibilities to be endless. Thanks to the air pockets in its cellular structure, wood offers efficient energy qualities and is very efficient in heating and cooling, allowing you to save on power bills. These types of homes are also great for sustainability due to the fact that wood is a renewable resource and construction does not release harmful chemicals into the air.

Comparing Masonry To Wood-Frame Home Construction

Speed

The average time you can expect the frame of a wood framed home to be built is around 7-10 days. This is much quicker than a standard brick and block construction. Wood frame construction can be erected in very low temperatures and since this is a mainly dry process of construction, the limitations compared to block work are significantly lower. The beams, joists, and studs can all be cut to size onsite and unlike some other construction materials, no heavy equipment is necessary.

Residential-Home-Wood-Framed

Thermal Performance

This is a significant advantage of wood framed construction. When compared to masonry walls for example, it will take much less energy to warm a home built with wood. The reason behind this being that the masonry walls have an inner leaf that must be heated first, before the room itself will begin to see a change in temperature. However, a wood framed home will heat up and cool down much faster because of this. This can be considered a good or bad thing depending on the location of the home and the temperature changes it will face.

Noise

Utilizing the best wood for framing a house can provide a wide range of benefits, including noise reduction. Because dense and heavy materials are the best way to defend against loud noises, your clear choice here would be masonry. However, a good amount of sound reduction can be achieved many different ways when building with wood. Filling the voids in between walls with a mineral wool or other sound absorbent material is a great way to cut down on noise. The same methods can be applied between the floor joists and floor boards.

Fire

It is obvious that wood framed homes can burn and will have the disadvantage when compared to a steel or masonry built home. However, steel does fail under high amounts of heat and it will fail catastrophically. When determining the fire safety of one construction method to the other, there is more to be considered, speak with your architect on what else you can do to prevent fire damage.

Wood Framed Homes: The Best Choice For Green Construction 

Timber has been considered renewable, because a similar tree must be planted to harvest one at any time. Compared to the industrial processes of concrete and other blocks that are produced in a factory out of raw materials that will run out eventually. 

Another large factor is that there is little to no waste in lumber production, as well as harmful CO2 production during its process. However, producing other materials such as steel and concrete will contribute to the amount of CO2 and other harmful elements released into the atmosphere.

If you have questions about what type of wood is used in framing a house, or need guidance on how to begin your wood framed house project, give us a call today! Our team of experienced architects can assist you with selecting the best type of wood to use for your wood framed house, provide their expert opinion on design and structural engineering, and be there every step of the way to ensure that your project is completed successfully.

Are you looking to build a custom home?

PSE has in-house designers that can work with you to plan and develop your new home. Whether you are looking for modifications to existing plan sets, or a completely custom home, we’ve got the knowledge and experience to help you design your perfect dream home.

Check out some of our custom homes or read about the home design process here – Custom Home Design

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