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There's a variety of structural materials available out there, but some have been around longer than others. Despite being one of the most ancient structural materials, timber remains a popular choice for modern structures due to its many great properties.

If you're weighing up structural material options for an upcoming construction project, keep reading to find out why you should build with timber.

Timber is a structurally sound building material

While structural timber cannot match the strength of structural steel and modern high-strength concrete, it is strong enough to resist tensile and compressive stresses without failure. However, the tensile and compressive strengths of timber may vary greatly depending on the variety and form of timber used.

Also, timber has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than other conventional structural materials such as steel and concrete. This means it can match the strength of comparable steel and concrete structural elements without as much weight.

Timber is a sustainable building material

Although the production of structural timber products requires the cutting down of trees, timber is a renewable resource that can be replenished over and over again by planting more trees.

Plus, the existing stock of trees grown for construction use is harvested in a controlled manner to prevent the fast depletion of timber resources.

Timber is easy to work with

Compared to other traditional building materials such as steel, concrete and brick, timber is easy and fast to build with.

Adjustments can be made to the shape and size of structural timber members without having to transport them to an off-site facility. Plus, timber is generally lighter than comparable non-timber building materials. Hence, timber structures can be erected without the use of heavy construction equipment.

Timber reduces the carbon footprint of structures

From the car that you drive to the home you build, human activities contribute to the increased concentration of carbon gases in the atmosphere. This can lead to climate change and other detrimental environmental effects.

Building with timber helps to lock up carbon in buildings. When trees are felled for the manufacture of timber construction products, the absorbed carbon dioxide remains stored in the timber throughout the lifespan of the built structures. 

This helps to reduce the emission of carbon gases into the atmosphere. 

Despite the numerous benefits it offers, timber is available in many different varieties and forms with varying properties. Before you build with timber, make sure you're using the right type and form for your specific application. For more information, contact a local structural timber supplier.