Published: 13/01/25 By: Mike Bekin
Think you know everything there is to know about timber? Think again. As one of the world’s oldest building materials, timber has accrued a lot of data over the centuries, and even our EcoChoice experts do not know them all – and that is saying something! So, dip your toe into some of the facts we think you might not know in this guide.
The Oldest Timber Structure Was Built in 607AD
Horyuji is the world’s oldest surviving timber building. It was built around 1,300 years ago in 607AD from Japanese Cyprus, which was already around 2,000 years old at the time of construction. The temple is still meticulously maintained today and is expected to withstand the next 1,300 years with ease, proving just how long timber can last when properly nurtured.
The US Produces the Most Timber in the World
When thinking about countries which produce the most timber, you might have guessed Russia or somewhere in Scandinavia – Sweden, perhaps? If you did, though, you would have been wrong. The US actually holds the title of the world’s largest timber producer, shipping 292.1 million cubic metres to construction projects and product manufacturers globally. With a wide abundance of trees and plenty of land to source their timber, this does not come as too much of a surprise.
Timber Actually Can Sink
If you have heard that timber does not sink in water, this is not precisely true. While many timber products will stay afloat in water (such as timber boats – thank goodness!), any dense wood with a gravity of 1.00 or more will sink. This can include Ipe, Ekki and Greenheart.
African Blackwood is the Most Expensive Timber
Timber is known to be a pretty cost-effective building material, especially when you choose a more common species (for example Pine or Oak). But just as with any category of products, timber prices are a spectrum, and you can find plenty of super-expensive species out there.
One such species is African Blackwood, which just so happens to be the most expensive timber in the world. This incredibly dense timber is sourced from a slow-growing tree found in dry areas of Southern and Central Africa, and is listed as ‘Near threatened’. Like similar African timbers – such as Ebony – the boards tend to be narrow and hard to work with, and because of its Near Threatened status, we do not work with it.
The Oldest Living Organism Is a Tree
Out of all the plant life, bacteria, bugs and animals on the planet, the oldest living organism currently recorded is a tree. It is to be found in Eastern California and is a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (hooray for Pine!) known by tree lovers and locals as Methuselah. This tree is thought to be over 4,850 years old, meaning that humans were just entering the bronze age, Stonehenge was being built, and the first Egyptian pyramids were appearing when it was a sapling.
Now that is one tree which definitely will not be felled for timber!
Start Using Sustainable Timber
If there is one thing that we should all take away from these facts, it is that timber is amazing. It is sustainable, long-lasting and can be used for a huge variety of applications, making it well worth protecting. That is why our team at EcoChoice work hard to supply our clients with sustainable timber sourced from responsible, independently-certified forests.
To source eco-friendly timber for your next project, get in touch with us today.
