Wood is very strong. A comparison with steel and concrete shows that structural timber has a strength to weight ratio 20 per cent higher than structural steel and four to five times higher than non reinforced concrete in compression.
Reference: Forests and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation (undated) Build in Timber.
Introducing Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)
Cross Laminate Timber has gained traction since 2000 as an emerging building material. This video provides thoughts and commentary from technical experts, manufacturers, architects and leaders in the building community regarding their experience with CLT.
This video provides thoughts and commentary from technical experts, manufacturers, architects and leaders in the building community regarding their experience with CLT.
Bushfire Recovery Workshops
Make It Wood joined Forest and Wood Products Australia for a series of half-day workshops called 'Resilience, Recovery and Rebuilding' in bushfire-affected locations Bairnsdale, Tumbarumba and Bega. The workshops included presentations by the RFS and CFA on preparing for and handling fire situations, and a psychologist who highlighted the best ways to manage mental health following a bushfire event.
Architect Nigel Bell from EcoDesign discussed the opportunities of building with timber on Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rated sites, and David Rowlinson from Planet Ark's Make It Wood campaign highlighted the environmental and biophilic benefits of using sustainably sourced wood.
The workshops were hosted by TV personality, author, cook and craftsperson Tonia Todman, who recently lost her Kyneton home and home-based business to fire. Tonia also shared her experience and discussed what she has learned as a result.