What Type of Timber Should You Use to Build a House?

Timber is a smart choice when it comes to building a house, but not all species are made equal. To ensure you build your home on strong foundations, you need the right timber for the job. Not sure what this is? No problem. Our EcoChoice experts have got the low down on the best types of timber for building a house.

Oak

Oak is one of the first timbers people think of when building a home, and for good reason! It is a solid, reliable choice for long-lasting buildings, with the oldest piece of surviving carved timber in the UK being over 6,000 years old. In terms of longevity, you cannot do much better than that.

Oak is an incredibly durable hardwood which harbours great resistance to insect infestation, making it a low-maintenance choice for your foundations. It also does not need to be treated before installation, bringing another level of sustainability to your project.

Pine

As a softwood, Pine is strong enough to hold up the foundations of your home. It also comes with the benefits of being very easy to work with and lightweight, making it one of the most popular choices for modern-day construction and DIY home-building projects. This is also a more cost-effective option than other timbers, making it more suitable for budget-conscious projects.

To add longevity to your Pine, you can look into eco-friendly treatments. OrganoWood, for example, adds a protective, natural Silicon compound which extends the lifespan of the timber without using harmful chemicals.

Cedar

Cedar is both lightweight and durable, making it an excellent timber for building homes – particularly where there will be exposed timber (Oak is also a good choice for this!). It is resistant to insect infestation and brings beautiful rich hues to your project.

Be sure to source Canadian Cedar as it is much more durable and beautiful than its European counterparts, making it more suitable for house-building projects where longevity is key.

Douglas Fir

Douglas Fir is a dimensionally stable timber, meaning that it is not prone to warping or swelling when humidity levels change. It is another softwood which is impressively tough and will bear the weight of a home with ease while also being very workable. If you are planning on unique architecture with plenty of curves and arches in your house frame, the ability to bend makes Douglas Fir a top choice.

Glulam

Glulam is a glued laminated timber made up of the offcuts of timber boards. By using a strong adhesive to form these smaller parts of timber into new, dense boards, it creates an incredibly strong construction material with enhanced load-bearing capacity. This makes it perfectly suited for building the frames of houses. Because Glulam is manmade using natural materials, you can also request your timber to be constructed to suit the shape of your frame and embrace curves, twists and arches in your architecture.

Find Your Perfect Timber To Build a House

Choosing the right timber species for your house construction depends on a number of factors, including your budget, aesthetic preferences and the requirements of your unique project. We have looked at a few of the most common timbers used in home construction here, but they are far from the only choices.

To learn more about the right timber for your house, get in touch with our team at EcoChoice. We supply a wide range of timber species to construction projects around the UK and will be more than happy to match your specifications to the right species.