ADVANTAGES AND

DISADVANTAGES OF
TIMBER CONSTRUCTION
GROUP 2
LAXAMANA, RAFAEL O.
MANALAC, KEYZER GLENN S.
NAKANISHI, MAYUMI R.
PARINAS, AILA DANICA S.
SOLICITO, CARL ANGELO D.
TIMBER CONSTRUCTION

 Timber has been around longer than we have, and since

the prehistoric man first stepped foot out of his cave, it
became the widest spread material for building shelters.
It didn’t take long for our ancestors to understand how
useful wood is. This amazing material is not only very
resistant, but it is also easy to maneuver, a good insulator
and found in abundance. Over the years, different
civilizations became interested in the visual appeal of a
home, and due to its pleasant texture, wood became even
more popular.
ADVANTAGES OF TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION
 Wood is an organic, hygroscopic and anisotropic
material. Its thermal, acoustic, electrical,
mechanical, aesthetic, working, etc. properties
are very suitable to use, it is possible to build a
comfortable house using only wooden products.
With other materials, it is almost impossible.
ADVANTAGES OF TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION
 easy and fast to build: a timber construction can be build very
easy and fast in contrast to a common brick or concrete
construction
 Strength: Timber framings are strong in real structural terms
 aesthetic appeal: timber is a beautiful material for both
internal and external appearance
 Oxidation Properties: although wood has oxidation
characteristics in some way, it is not the kind of oxidation seen
in metals. Metals get rust, wood doesn’t. For such
characteristics, use of wood is preferred to avoid rust when
necessary.
ADVANTAGES OF TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION
 excellent insulator: houses they are built out of bricks also known to
have outstanding insulating properties, but timber manages to surpass
them
 Timber is an elastic material: At the opposite of brick or concrete
walls, timber walls don’t need to be very thick. A 20m timber wall for
example, is strong enough to protect the internal space against the
winter cold, in conjunction with a proper treatment
 weight: timber is very light
 Working Properties: It is easy to repair and maintain wood. While old
woods can be renewed by special touches other materials are highly
difficult and costly to maintain and to repair. Therefore they are
usually disposed of.
ADVANTAGES OF TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION
 sustainable: timber is a renewable resource
 reusable: timber can be used more than once. It is easy to
recycle
 price: to build a timber house or a timber construction is
cheaper than any other common procedure which has the same
requirements or sizes.
 Variation: There are more than 5000 kinds of woods in the
world. Their specific gravity, macroscopic and microscopic
structures are different. Accordingly, their physical, thermal,
acoustic, electrical and mechanical properties are also
different.
DISADVANTAGES OF TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION
 Though a traditional and sometimes sustainable
material that is often used in a wide variety of
applications, wood has many disadvantages that
can be mitigated by the selection of other
materials. Wood is a plant-based material, which
means that it is very sensitive to environmental
conditions and wood pests. Processed wood has
structural weaknesses and sensitivities that are
not found in other materials.
DISADVANTAGES OF TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION
 Shrinking and swelling: Timber has a natural ability to
absorb water which is also known as Hygroscopy
 fire resistance: If timber has not passed a special
treatment which ensure a special fire rating, timber is
highly combustable
DISADVANTAGES OF TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION
 discolouration: With the time untreated timber which is
exposed to the different weather influences it discolours
turns to a dark and dirty optic
 mouldiness: If timber is treated wrong or the installation
is not regulated accordingly, timber has the ability to
mould.
DISADVANTAGES OF TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION
 DETERIORATION OF WOOD:
 Vulnerable to pest attacks: Timber is vulnerable to biotic
forces like termites, woodworm or wood ants.
 Prone to abiotic forces: Abiotic forces of nature like Sun,
Fire, water etc. can have adverse effect on Timber.
DISADVANTAGES OF TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION
 Cost comparisons are difficult to make between timber frame and other
construction materials. Actual construction costs are probably a few
percentage points higher for a typical timber frame over brick and block.
Architects and builders less experienced in timber frame construction tend to
increase their prices to compensate for the extra time needed to ensure that
the design is correct.
Seriously consider timber frame
construction if:

 You need the structural shell up quickly e.g. if building in winter

 The ground on which you are building is particularly poor.
 You expect the heating to be frequently turned on and off daily during a typical
week in winter.
 You wish to promote the use of environment-friendly materials.
 There is no major source of noise, such as a main road, nearby.
 You do not expect to have to make major alterations to the property once built.
 The design of the plan does not include very large structural spans.
 The site is very constricted, with limited access and/or space to store materials.
 You intend to do a lot of the construction work yourself.
 The site is a timber-friendly area, such as Scotland.
 You like the timber frame aesthetic, which is genuine in feel and appearance.