BUILDING

CONSTRUCTION
GRAVITO
Wood Construction
Wood is the only renewable source for building materials. It comes
from forests that are continually being replanted as they are
harvested. This practice ensures a plentiful supply of wood for
construction and for a myriad of other uses. Compared to other
building materials, wood has a very high ratio of strength to weight.
This makes it very economical for use in all types of construction.
Wood also has an aesthetic quality and natural warmth unequalled by
other building materials.
Types of Woods
Wood has traditionally been classified into two primary categories:
Hardwood (any leaf-bearing tree) and softwood (any cone-bearing tree).
 Hardwoods are commonly used in the construction of walls, ceilings and
floors, while softwoods are often used to make doors, furniture and
window frames.
Some examples of the most popular hardwoods include oak, maple,
mahogany, cherry, walnut, and teak. Commonly used softwoods include
pine, hickory, beach, ash, birch, and cedar. 
BENEFITS OF WOOD IN
CONSTRUCTION
Wood carries several benefits that make it an excellent candidate for
use in a wide array of construction projects. One such benefit is its
thermal properties, which give it an advantage in terms of its
resistance to high temperatures. Unlike steel, which can expand or
even collapse in high heat, wood actually dries out and becomes
stronger as the heat increases.
BENEFITS OF WOOD IN
CONSTRUCTION
Wood also contains highly-sought-after acoustic properties. It can absorb sound and
echoes, and is a favorite material of choice for the construction of structures where
proper acoustics is important, such as concert halls.
Wood is resistant to electrical currents, making it an optimal material for electrical
insulation. 
Another important characteristic of wood is its tensile strength, which is its ability to
bend under pressure without breaking.
Tensile strength is also one of the main reasons for choosing timber as a building
material; its remarkably strong qualities make it the perfect choice for heavy-duty
building materials such as structural beams. 
Steel Construction
Steel has been used in construction since the 19th century, most
widely for commercial buildings. There are two types of steel – “hot-
rolled” and “cold-formed”.
 Hot-rolled steel (sometimes “structural steel”) is produced in
an industrial process using high heat. The beams and columns
produced are very strong, but also very thick; this type of steel
is most often used to construct commercial buildings, but
these beams are also used sparingly in high-end residential
projects that have large spans requiring the added strength of
steel “I-beams”. Hot-rolled steel is expensive, making it cost-
prohibitive for most residential projects.
Cold-formed steel, also commonly known as light-gauge steel, is also
incredibly strong but has the added benefit of being able to be formed into
much thinner pieces. Cold-formed steel can be folded, punched and laser-
cut, allowing for more precision and customization.
 Steel-framed homes are built in a similar way to platform-framed wood
homes – individual steel beams are assembled on-site, piece by piece, to
form the skeleton structure of the building.
The biggest difference between wood platform framing and steel framing on the
construction site is the amount of on-site customization required. With wood
framing, dimensional lumber is cut to fit at the job site, whereas steel
components are precisely sized during production at an off-site factory, meaning
less work is required on the construction site.
Additionally, there is greater flexibility with the design process as opposed to
platform frames, as steel allows for greater spacing in between vertical studs,
larger open spans, and other design elements that require more structural
strength than dimensional lumber can provide. BONE Structure steel construction
system website to view the endless possibilities of using a steel structure for your
home or light commercial project.
Masonry Construction
There are other, lesser-used home construction methods that are
sometimes chosen by home builders for their specific properties or
aesthetics. Masonry, either with brick, stone or concrete, was
traditionally used as a stand-alone construction method, but today is
most often used in construction jointly with a wood frame, with a layer of
brick or stone added to the frame as a veneer. Rammed earth
construction uses layers of compressed earth blocks to form the
structure of a home, and is commonly used in areas where wood is
scarce and climates are dry, such as the American Southwest.