Timber – The Revival

Developers and construction firms are getting a kick out of this one, wood is making a comeback as the cheaper material of choice compared to steel and concrete in today’s recession wrecked world. Skills that have long been forgotten are now useful again with the use of wood on a maximum of five stories which is the restrictions set by the many various authorities if timber is used as framing material.
Why timber, it seems our forests have recovered enough vitality and with the maturity of the many cultivated forests that were planted a few years back, they are now being called upon to serve mankind, leaving the many virgin forest’s alone to go on their business.
Is wood a wise idea? It sure is and it has been known for thousands of years that wood is more flexible than steel or concrete, well suited for areas like California which are prone to earthquakes and other extreme weather. Treated right they can withstand the test of time as the many hundred year old structures have been showing us, relics of the past when wood was the only viable material for construction.