Why would wood be good?

Wood is an EXCELLENT INSULATOR and has a very low thermal conductivity. This makes wooden windows, floor and doors extremely thermally efficient. But what “wood” that mean for you? We could go into all the scientific thermodynamics, but in the end it means you will have a warmer home. Not only aesthetically, but your wooden windows will impede cold wind penetration – literally… making your home much warmer…

In today’s crime-ridden South Africa, wooden windows can add to your safety! Wood is made of natural cellulose and strong fibres, not only ensuring that your windows and door will withstand years of weathering, but also meaning that the wood itself will expand and contract with the weather. This means expansion gaps will not be necessary – ensuring there are no gaps providing easy access points for those crow bars!

Good quality wooden floors can last you decades! Carpets get replaced every five years on average, and with proper maintenance wooden floors. And of course, wooden floors are so much easier to clean than carpets, which are major dust traps. This also means that wooden floors are much more hygienic.

Even if your floors get scratched or damaged, simple repair maintenance like sanding and sealing will make them as good as new again. Not to mention the beauty and warmth of wooden flooring

Wood, you believe?

Prehistoric windows

The Romans were the first to use glass for their windows. The word “window” comes from the Old Norse “vindauga”, meaning wind eye.

First floors

Hand hewn plank floors were the basis for the first wooden floors. In the Colonial Era (1607 – 1708) an abundance of wood brought common use of wood plank flooring to the masses. Before that, most people just had “dirt” floors, with the wooden version only belonging to the wealthy.

Dawn of doors

The earliest record of doors are those represented in paintings of the Egyptian tombs. Ancient doors were hung by pivots at the top and bottom of the hanging stile, which worked in sockets.

What you didn’t know about wood

There are 82% more hardwoods today than 40 years ago

Hardwoods come back naturally. Harvesting large, mature trees in hardwood forests lets enough sunlight reach the forest floor to stimulate new growth

While trees are renewable, each ton of iron ore, coal and limestone are gone forever

Wood is recyclable, biodegradable and durable – sometimes lasting centuries. When it is no longer needed, it can be returned to the earth

Trees have a natural lifespan. Once they reach maturity, which does vary, depending on the type, growth slows down, decay sets in and they do eventually die

Final forest facts

Most softwoods do not sprout from the root, so they are most often replanted after harvest

Our forests are renewable natural resources. Wood products come from a resource that grows, matures and is being replanted for future generations

In the USA, six additional tees are planted for every one that is harvested.