Did you know that an incredible 85% of UK hardwood is used to generate energy? The rest becomes a variety of different products, including pallets and fences. It’s very rare to use it for construction, but there could be opportunities. We want to have a closer look here, then you can speak to us if you want to discuss materials with a top architect in London.

What do we use?

Timber is a common construction material, useful for framing, roofing, walls, floors, and more. Softwoods are the preference for various applications because of the strength to weight ratio, workability, and flexibility. They also tend to be more affordable. Hardwoods are useful for applications where you need more density and durability, such as flooring.

Interestingly, we don’t use a lot of home-grown wood in the UK. In fact, we are one of the biggest importers in the world. We get tonnes of timber, worth billions of pounds, from oversees annually. This includes various types from Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Finland, and Cameroon.

Why is it unpopular?

UK hardwood has quite a bad reputation. Most see it as unsuitable for the majority of projects because historically it tends to lack strength and have issues like moisture content and waviness. A lot of this leads back to the fact the UK is humid; it has a direct impact on the quality of the timber. If you want to ensure you use the right materials on projects, talk to us and get advice from a top architect in London.

Additionally, we often don’t have up to date data about UK hardwoods. The information for many types is over a century old. In a lot of cases people simply did not bother to look to see if there have been changes; they just assume it is not useful for things other than burning or basic applications. Plus, many home-grown timbers currently cannot be graded for structural applications because of a lack of testing to determine the strength and durability.

Realising the potential

Critically though, there is support to change attitudes. This includes demonstrations to show that UK mass timber, including various species of hardwoods, has huge potential. It could be useful for a variety of applications.

There are potential benefits if you can use local materials for a project, including timber. Most notably, it is better for the environment. You can massively reduce the carbon footprint of buildings by buying local rather than shipping materials from overseas. You can also make designs more interesting, using timbers that have more variety in terms of the shades and grains.

Discuss your plans with a creative architect in London

The materials you choose for a project have a massive impact, affecting aesthetics, costs, sustainability, and long term performance. Therefore, it is important to think carefully about what you want to use. It’s best to talk to experts and discuss different options to see which will provide the most value for you.

If you want to dive deep into different materials, you can rely on us. We’re a top architect in London because we get the best results for every project, especially if it involves using local resources. So, talk to us today and design a stunning property.