Choose timber for your frame Timber has been used for building and decorating homes for many years, being a sustainable building material that is also environmentally friendly.
Timber is a natural insulator, not to mention, strong and can be easily repaired alongside being available in any size and shape and colour of your choice. Why timber window frames, why not plastic? Plastic, or PVC-u, windows became popular during the mid-1990's and early 2000's because of their perception of plastic being low maintenance and affordable, however, recently people are choosing wood because of general health and environmental issues. A recent report outlined the issues and benefits afforded by choosing timber windows and doors as long as they material is environmentally sourced: "The production and disposal of PVC-u windows leads to the release of highly poisonous chemicals which threaten health. PVC-u production involves no less than six of the fifteen most hazardous chemicals listed by European governments for priority elimination. "Timber is a sustainable resource. As long as the timber is sourced from properly managed forests and care is taken in the choice of preservatives, paints and stains, timber windows are by far the best environmental choice." Which timber? Timber is either available in hardwood or softwood; it is possible that some of the softwoods will actually be harder than the hardwoods and vice versa, however, hardwoods are generally better as they are more resistant to rot. Some of the popular choices of timber in hardwood are: - American White Oak - Ash - Black American Walnut - European Oak - Iroko - Maple - Sapele - Tulip The popular choices of softwoods are:
- Douglas Fir - Redwood/Pine As well as these selections available for your timber window frame, there are a number of finishes available that should increase the life expectancy of your wood. Please visit our website to see our available options of timber cladding!
Benefits of a garden office Garden offices have grown in trend in the past two years for those who are working from home.
A garden office will provide you with that extra room bringing financial benefit to your home. A majority of self-employed people will convert a room in their home into a home office, however, we at York Timber Products offer a solution that doesn’t involve losing the space in your home. By introducing a garden office can actually increase the value of your property as much as 5 – 7%. Yet another benefit of having a garden office is that will be no rent to pay and you still get to leave your house to go to work in the mornings, or afternoons, depending on your individual preference. The most obvious benefit of having a garden office is of course the scenery and setting you are in. It may have a calming effect or even promote productivity.
Garden offices will be a worthy investment for anyone who is self-employed providing the perfect tranquil environment that will allow you to work from home, free of distraction.
Find your perfect garden office with us and see the benefits for yourself; please visit our website to view our range!
Timber Cladding
Timber cladding, commonly referred to as weather boarding, is a popular choice for covering external walls to protect the buildings from the weather.
Cladding is evolving and becoming a more common choice extensively in residential and commercial buildings. Timber cladding can be seen to form the external facade of buildings. The inner wall would be separated by a cavity that would be well ventilated so that any moisture that penetrates the cladding will be evaporated and drain away. Timber cladding may be used this way to protect new buildings, along with improving the aesthetics of the building, its thermal properties, environmental appeal etc. Timber cladding can be laid down in a variety of ways depending on preference - they can be laid vertically, horizontally and even diagonally. The cladding is supported by thin beams of wood named battens; if the cladding is being placed horizontally, the battens would be fixed vertically and so on.
Cladding can be fitted together by tongue and groove and shiplap joints, also open joining and overlapping are ways of joining the timber cladding together. There are two groups of wood that can be used as cladding: softwoods and hardwoods. Depending on aesthetics, budget, durability, maintenance level and availability, either can be used as cladding. Consider softwoods, (European redwood, whitewood and Pine) these can be used once they have been treated with preservatives. Softwoods that do not require any pretreatment are Western red cedar, European Larch and Douglas fir, along with the hardwoods such as European oak and sweet chestnut can be used after the sapwood has been extracted. We've spoken about how environmentally friendly timber cladding is as it is important to consider the whole life cycle cost to the environment when choosing timber cladding. For further information on shiplap timber cladding, please visit our website!
Timber Cladding: The Advantages
Timber cladding is a popular choice of material for roofing and siding as there are many advantages to timber cladding!
Insulation One of the advantages timber cladding offers is a natural insulation and the effects it gives would require larger amounts of insulation between walls from other materials like steel and aluminium. Timber is a brilliant choice if home builders are looking to save some money. Lightweight Shiplap Timber is a lightweight material and because of its decrease in weight, it means that builders will be able to use those saved funds elsewhere. It may be possible to build a higher-end building also. Because of its lightweight nature, timber can also be used for roof covering, which would further reduce the weight of a home. Environmentally friendly
As a construction option, timber is one of the most environmentally friendly. The harvesting of timber doesn't create as much carbon emission as other construction materials. If the company who harvest the timber, harvest from forests specific to that purpose, carbon emissions related to the timber harvesting are in negative amounts. Natural beauty As one of the only siding materials that looks appealing in its natural state, the builder is given a material that can truly be molded into a piece of art. Timber siding can also be cut into many designs offering an unlimited range of options for a builder. Flexible As mentioned, timber can be cut into and designed to fit near enough any criteria. Another thing is that is has a natural flex to it, allowing it that unique durability to withstand different situations which may not be the case with materials such as brick and concrete. The works of art come in here as builders have the ability to create archways and windows that seem to blend together seamlessly with the rest of the construction. Has this swayed your material options for a future build?
Visit our Shiplap Timber Cladding website for more information about timber cladding and our services!