Some building designers have started incorporating the use of non-milled wood when making timber trusses instead of using processed timber. Why would you consider this new way of making timber trusses? Read on and discover some of the advantages that unprocessed logs have over processed timber during the making of trusses.
Superior Aesthetics
Round trusses from unprocessed logs give your home a unique appearance that is more attractive than the traditional trusses made from processed wood. Round trusses create the impression that one is living in a forest or a tree house. Your home will be one of a kind if you choose to have this type of truss installed.
Greater Strength
All trusses, except decorative trusses are designed to be weight bearing. Trusses transfer loads from the roof into the columns and beams so that the weight is eventually transferred into the ground underneath the house. Milled timber is cut into standard sizes so that several timber pieces are combined to make a truss. Round trusses from unprocessed lumber may be structurally stronger than processed timber because the unprocessed wood may contain more mass than the thin timber pieces that are used to make the conventional processed timber trusses. Thus, a house made using unprocessed lumber trusses may be better able to withstand stresses from phenomena such as earthquakes.
Lower Cost
People who make processed timber trusses are very particular when choosing the trees from which timber sections will be extracted to make trusses. This strictness is a necessity because the milled lumber needs to be uniform as it is cut into small sections of limited width. Consequently, a lot of lumber goes to waste as rejects during the process of making conventional timber trusses. This can raise the total cost of installing the trusses because processors want to recover the costs that went into producing those trusses. Trusses from unprocessed wood do not have to undergo such a rigorous selection process because the log is used in its entirety. Consequently, the tree sections needed to make trusses from unprocessed lumber may be cheaper since they are more readily available than the flawless logs used to make conventional timber trusses. This can translate into a lower overall cost to you, a homeowner.
Environmental Benefits
Trusses from processed timber have a high carbon footprint because a lot of energy goes into cutting the log into thin sections. Additionally, the trusses may be made a long way from where they will be used, thereby increasing the energy (fuel to ship the trusses, for example) needed to get those trusses to a construction site. Unprocessed lumber trusses can be made near the construction site so they have a lower carbon signature. This is advantageous to homeowners who are conscious about environmental preservation.
Talk to contractors in your area and find out if this innovation is available in your area. You will be able to enjoy the benefits discussed above. For more information, contact a business such as Wonson Frames & Trusses.
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