Lumber is observed the most widely used building materials in the United States most especially for residential buildings. The characteristics of lumber have made it suitable for a wide range of applications with few other building materials possessing the environmental benefit of wood. Aside the fact that wood is efficient and durable, the raw materials are planted, felled and processed into engineered and dimensional lumbers for sustainable construction. Lumbers that are produced from trees come in ranges, starting from minimally processed log at a log-home building site to a well processed and engineered lumber that are largely manufactured for various uses in the building construction. The project captures the evolution of lumber as an environmentally sustainable construction material, types of engineering lumber for construction, processing of timber for lumber, the preservation and application in the United States building construction industry.

1. Why the Lumber?
An illustrative Depiction
Compiled By: Mojeed A. Oladele
January 2024

2. Abstract
umber is observed the most widely used building materials in the
United States most especially for residential buildings. The
characteristics of lumber have made it suitable for a wide range of
applications with few other building materials possessing the environmental
benefit of wood. Aside the fact that wood is efficient and durable, the raw
materials are planted, felled and processed into engineered and
dimensional lumbers for sustainable construction. Lumbers that are
produced from trees come in ranges, starting from minimally processed log
at a log-home building site to a well processed and engineered lumber that
are largely manufactured for various uses in the building construction. The
project captures the evolution of lumber as an environmentally sustainable
construction material, types of engineering lumber for construction,
processing of timber for lumber, the preservation and application in the
United States building construction industry.
Keywords: Lumber, Construction, Sustainability.
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3. Introduction
• Wood is observed a preferred
environmentally friendly and sustainable
material.
• Wood is natural renewable and reusable.
• Wood after processing can be converted to
lumber or timber
• Lumber after adequate preparation are
converted to Engineered lumber and
dimensional lumber
• Lumber are engineered to provide strength
and consistency in sizes, shapes and weight.
Examples are laminated veneer lumber (LVL),
Oriented Strand Board (OSB), Plywood, I-joist
and so on.
• Dimensional Lumbers are divided cut into
pre-defined standard sizes, shapes which
are sawn planed and smoothened. Examples
are, logs, planks, beams and so on.
• By their characteristics, lumbers are
attractive, easy to work on, affordable and
can be used for both structural and non-
structural elements of building.
• The green building rating system identifies
lumber by its strength compared to the
weight ratio.
• Good electrical and moisture insulator.
• Ability solve carbon energy problems.
• However, wood remains a smart choice for
building both now and in the future.

4. Evolution of wood as a construction material
• Wood was adopted in the United States for construction
towards the end of 16th century and the beginning of 17th
century.
• The abundance of wood in America makes the price
cheaper compared to other building materials
• The fact that Americans have high rate of mobility has also
made wood a good choice of building construction, houses
can be built more quickly and affordably.
• over 10,000 years, wood has been in existence for
construction.
• Articles made it known that in the history of
construction materials, wood is second to stone
• The first type of wood building are the Europe
Neolithic Long houses.
EuropeNeolithicLonghouse TheoldestwoodschoolhouseatSt.AugustineFlorida,UnitedStates

5. The two methods of wood construction worldwide are log
homes and prefabricated houses of wood light frame.
Log houses are the oldest style of wood for
construction and were the typical houses of the
Scandinavians, Russians and some parts of the North
Europe.
Prefabricated woods are the engineered and
dimensional lumbers that are used in modern days
for construction. Sophisticated machinery of
numerical control are being used by modern
manufacturers.

6. The types of trees used for construction
Exogenous
• They are trees that grow outwardly. They can be
classified into Conifers or deciduous and most are
good for engineering functions.
• Conifers are softwoods and evergreen. Examples are
pine, fir, redwood, spruce, deodar, cedar and so on
• Deciduous trees are hardwoods with broadleaves.
Examples are Maple, Mahogany, Oak, Teak, Walnut,
Babul etc.
Endogenous
• These are types of trees that contain fibrous mass in
their longitudinal sections and grow inwardly.
• Examples are
• Bamboo
• Palm

8. Processing of wood to lumber
• Felling of trees: This is the process of cutting down trees it can be carried
out using the hand felling method or a feller buncher Timber Seasoning
• Timber seasoning can be natural
or artificial
• Natural seasoning is the process
by which timber is seasoned
when subjected to natural
elements such as air and water.
• Artificial seasoning: This is
another method devised for
timber seasoning. With this
method, timber can be seasoned
within 4-5 days. Artificial
Seasoning can be by:
• Boiling
• Chemical
• Kiln
• electrical

9. Natural Seasoning Artificial Seasoning
Water Seasoning
Air Seasoning

10. Conversion of wood
to dimensional
lumber

11. Conversion of wood to Engineered Lumber
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
Hardboard (HDF) AC Plywood
CDX Plywood
I-Joist

12. Glulam (LVL) Production Processes

13. Preservation
of Timber
• To increase the life and durability,
preservation is carried out.
• This is done with use of some
recommended preservatives to
prevent fungi and insect from
attacking the timber.
• A good preservative for timber by
characteristics should be effortlessly
and cheaply available, economical,
and free from any harmful substance.
• A good preservative should not
provide flame when in contact with
fire.
• Preservatives should not be affected
by light, heat, water and should come
with a pleasant smell.
Types of preservatives are:
• Coal Tar
• ASCU
• Chemical Slats
• Oil Paints
• Solignum paints
• Creosote Oil

14. Application of Lumber in Building
Lumbers are used in all
the systems that make up
a building, such as:
Structural
components:
foundation, frame,
roof, and ceiling
joists
Functional components:
windows and doors
Finishes: siding,
fascia, drywall
and finished
flooring
Furniture:
kitchen cabinet,
tables, chairs
and so on.
Foundation
• Even though most foundations
are established with concrete to
prevent the flow of moisture
content and to provide a rigid
base, lumbers are still used as
floor joists.
• Foundation frames usually begin
by laying a 2x6s or 2x8s across
the foundation walls to form the
floor joists.
• On the floor joists are laid sheet
of plywood to form the
subfloor.
• Lumber can be used for
suspended floor or as a finished
material for a solid floor.

15. Suspendedfloor Solidbasefoundationfinishedwithengineeredlumber
Application of Lumber in Foundations

16. Wall Framing
Wall framing can be described as a collection of studs that are usually
2in X 4in for a storey house construction and 2in X 4in for external
walls. Two storey building may require a larger lumber. The studs are
often arranged equally at 16in or 24in interval centre to centre.
Components of wall framing
• Sole Plate
• Top Plate
• Studs
• Corner
• Tee or
Partition
• Header
• Cripple Strand
• Trimmer
Studs
• Bracing

17. wooden wall-framing envelope

19. Roofing
• Structural components of roofs are ceiling
joists, Ridge boards, Ridge beams, Rafter
How to assemble a roof framing:
Step 1: Build the trusses
Step 2: Erect and secure the roof trusses
Step 3: Add the roof sheathing
Step 4: Add protective covering

20. Structural Envelope

21. Wood buildings and
climate actions
• wood reduces carbon-di-oxide and a
good replacement for both bricks and
blocks that are carbon intensive.
• The production of concrete and steel
for construction has contributed
about 15% of the global co2
emission.
• Energy efficiency in buildings can be
improved by putting into
consideration the embodied energy
(the energy used in the production,
transportation, construction,
maintenance, demolition of buildings
and materials).
• When woods are used for building,
the embodied energy in the building
process can be adequately reduced.

22. Wood buildings and climate actions

27. High-Rise Wood Buildings
5-Storey San Mateo County Office, California United States 20-Storey Wood Hotel in Skelleftea, Sweden

28. High-Rise Wood Buildings
25-Storey Ascent Tower, Milwaukee, Michigan USA 18-Storey Voll Arkitekter's Mjøstårne, Brumunddal, Norway

29. The future of wood for construction.
• The use of wood for construction could be
receiving a big comeback in the future
• Wood, been a very strong fibre has been observed a
solution to the challenges of atmospheric carbon.
• The major focus of the construction industry is to
deliver low-level and sky scrappers that are green
building.
• Many lumber companies have been making efforts
to ensure sustainable forestry.
• To make this realistic, lumber companies have
been devising means to ensure that woods can be
planted and be grown back more quickly and
easily.

30. Proposed High-Rise Wood Buildings
50-Storey Residential Wooden Skyscraper in Perth, Australia 34-Storey Wooden Skyscraper in Stockholm, Sweden

31. Conclusion
• Wood remains a versatile organic material that has been tested as a sustainable material for
various construction purposes. Woods have sufficient strength, durable and easy to work on. They
are planted, felled and processed to engineered lumber and dimensional lumber. The two types of
lumbers are used for structural components of building such as foundation, walls and roofs. They
are also used for building window frames, door frames, floor finishes and furniture works.
• Lumber is a good material for removing carbon-di-oxide from the atmosphere and can as well
provide long term carbon storage in buildings. As an ecologically friendly material, lumber is a
potential material for construction both now and in the future.
• The construction industry is focused on delivering low-level and skyscraper buildings that are
green and environmentally friendly. Hence, there will be need for more woods and the sustainable
management of forests, thereby necessitating lumber companies to look for ways in which trees can
be planted, fully grown and matured more quickly.

32. References
• Himes and Busby (2020): Wood buildings as a climate solution. An article written on the development in the
built environment Vol. 4. Adapted from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dibe.2020.100030
• Robert H. Falk (2019): Wood as a sustainable construction material. Forest product journal vol. 59, no 9.
Miscellaneous publication (Sept 2009): page 6-12.
• Sarah Woods (2016): A history of wood as from stone age to the 21st century. Journal of the American
Institute of Architects adapted from https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/products/a-history-of
wood-from-the-stone-age-to-the-21st-century_o
• Sonya A. (2018): Wood: renewable construction material of the future? An article adapted from Wood:
renewable construction material of the future? | Environment| All topics from climate change to conservation |
DW | 04.01.2018
• The Constructors book (2009): Wood as a construction material – types, structure, processing. An article of
the civil engineering home adapted from https://theconstructor.org/building/wood-as-construction-
material/1242/
• Xavier Borras (2010): A brief history of wood as a building material adapted from
https://www.interempresas.net/Madera/Articulos/44265-Breve-historia-de-la-madera-como-material-de-
construccion.html