Wood has been the most preferred material in residential construction for centuries in the United States. This is due to historical, environmental, and economic factors for preferring timber over steel, concrete, or brick. Several reasons exist for this preference, from historical to experimental considerations. An essential part of the construction process that every builder opts for is lumber takeoff to ensure that the appropriate amount of wood can be ordered in time with no shortages on-site due to lack of quantity; therefore, the wasted material will also be decreased, and cost-cutting by the contractor during construction becomes more accessible.
It is observed that the selection of wood for residential construction in the United States dates back to early American history. European settlers came to America with their ideas and ways of building houses.
They realized that America had vast forests available cheaply and easy to use. This makes it the best for residential constructors. Wooden houses have a culture that is not limited to the previous centuries but extends right through to the 20th century and has only gained sophistication with the advent of technology and techniques used in building.
Wood is probably one of the most easily accessible natural materials found in the U.S. With the vast forests spread throughout the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes region, and the Southeast, it is relatively easy to source locally for timber.
This widespread availability makes wood easily accessible for construction use, reduces transportation costs, and ensures a constant timber supply for homebuilders.
Wood is cheaper to use when compared to other materials; in this case, there is steel and concrete. Low prices of raw materials will mean low transportation costs and reduced labor costs because when using wood, the labor inputs are less.
Hence, it becomes an economical building for house builders because its light weight reduces construction costs concerning foundation support structures.
Wood is easy to cut, shape, and assemble, making it versatile in construction. Carpenters and construction crews can quickly adapt to the design changes during construction. It allows flexibility, which can’t be achieved easily with more rigid materials like concrete or steel.
A wooden house can be constructed in weeks instead of months, thus saving on labor, time, and money spent on the project. This is especially true in prefabricated wood homes or modular homes, where parts are already pre-built on-site to be just assembled.
Wooden houses are inherently energy efficient because wood is a fine insulator with high resistance to heat, which prevents temperature stability and long-time savings on the owners’ part, saving fewer energy bills.
Wood is even far more sustainable than any material used as an alternative since wood has a significantly smaller environmental footprint than the carbon footprint of materials such as concrete or steel. In addition, wood products even store carbon, reducing their overall carbon footprint in homes.
Several types of wood are applied in residential construction, with different purposes to be covered in the construction process.
Choosing which type of wood is based on the intention needed to structure a given place, personal aesthetic taste, and the budget the house owner wishes to incur.
Softwood is the most commonly used wood in house construction. The sustainable ones are pine, fir, and cedar because they are cheap, easy to handle, and available in plenty. Its uses include framing, flooring, roofing, and exterior siding. It is a softwood compared to hardwood, which is cumbersome to use for general construction purposes.
Hardwood is denser and more potent than softwood but a bit more experienced, like maple, plywood, and oak. These woods are used for interior finishes, flooring, cabinetry, and furniture. Though not very commonly used for structural purposes, hardwood gives the interior of a wooden home a beauty, richness, and durability.
These are glued layers of wood together to form a more substantial and stiffer material than Plywood, LVL, and OSB. These are framed flooring, roofing, and sheathing. These are cost-effective and versatile, providing solutions for all areas requiring specific strength or stability.
This is another premium wood for outdoor construction purposes. Its resistance to moisture and decay makes it ideal for use in decking and siding applications. This wood is commonly used for outdoor furniture, decks, fencing, and siding. This wood also applies to custom cabinetry on aesthetic grounds.
In that sense, wood remains in the first place of options, including steel and concrete, in domestic buildings despite its flexibility, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. Ideally suited for U.S. residential jobs, wood fits well in tiny one-story homes and large multi-story buildings.
It varies with several factors like location, size, design, and type of wood—generally, a wood-framed house costs between $100 and $200 per square foot. For example, a 2,500-square-foot home could run between $250,000 and $500,000, not including the land or other overheads on landscaping, permits, finishing touches, etc.
In residential construction, the material used in constructing a home significantly impacts a project’s cost, speed, durability, and environmental footprint.
Wooden houses have become a staple in the United States. They are very affordable, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing. For historical and economic reasons, wood has been the most popular residential construction material for both the homeowner and the builder. With cost-effective construction, availability, and energy efficiency, wood is still the choice of many, which drives the housing market in the United States forward.
