Payne Timber Solutions
Buildings In Timber
Why Timber
Historically the UK has been slow to follow the world wide trends of utilising timber as the principal material for construction purposes. However of late there has been an evident shift in thinking, both from the public and from Local Government. This has been caused by a variety of factors including;
Time & Costs
The costs of conventional construction are becoming increasingly prohibitive. Timber offers a 30% more predictable construction time than brick or block, meaning a faster return on your investment Plus timber, although incredibly strong, is relatively light reducing ever rising transport costs.
Aesthetics
Wood has natural character beauty and warmth. There can be no denying the improved aesthetics of timber structures compared to conventional block or brick buildings. Their “wow” factor can make for an effective marketing tool.
Thermal Efficiency
Timber structures have a very high insulation factor, which increases with the thickness of timber used, considerably reducing the use of insulation materials and heating costs. To enhance the insulation properties in our buildings, we use a system of Rockwool Firesafe Insulation. These high quality insulation slabs are used for thermal acoustic and fire insulation. Not only are they easy to install and effective they are also water repellent and require absolutely no maintenance.
Strength
In relation to its weight, timber is stronger that any other building material. The strength/weight ratio of structural timber is greater than that of either mild steel or reinforced concrete, yet a timber building might weigh only one-eighth as much as a similar structure in concrete and brick.
Longevity
With the development of safe, effective and durable timber treatments, timber will last a considerable time, comparable to conventional structures, even when exposed to the harshest conditions.
Environmental
Wood requires less energy in its production than any other building material. The production of 1m³ of steel needs about 320 times more energy than for producing the same amount of wood. The production and harvesting of wood also creates less pollution than in the production of steel and concrete.
As a building material, wood has the lowest energy consumption and the lowest CO2 emission of any commonly used material. For every m3 of wood used instead of other building materials, 0.8 tonne of CO2 is saved from the atmosphere.
Cement is currently responsible for over 60% of the world’s CO2 emissions. Not only do timber buildings avoid the need for environmentally damaging cement but actually act as a carbon sink, actively reducing CO2 emissions.
Sustainability
The great majority of Europe’s forests are managed sustainably, to generate a sustainable healthy yield, while maintaining biological diversity and replacing harvested stocks.
Payne Timber Solutions sources all of its timber from European forests that are managed on a legal and sustainable basis with proven certification.
“Greater use of wood products will stimulate the expansion of Europe’s forests and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by substituting for fossil fuel intensive products”
European Commission’s DG Enterprise 2003.
Our Product
The timber we use for our structures comes from cold climates. The trees grow at a slower rate, developing an extremely dense and durable timber. Grown on flat land, the timber has lack of tension in its grain and this, combined with the slow growth rate, produces excellent straight of grain. Splitting and distortion are minimised. So, no matter what the weather conditions, our structures will keep their natural characteristics for decades.
Susceptibility to Fire
Are timber structures more susceptible to fire? This common fear is fortunately completely unfounded. Timber structures are actually less likely to suffer serious structural damage in the event of a fire than a standard block and brick house.
If building regulations require it and to maximise fire protection we can use a coating system called "Nullifire", an intumescent coating to natural timber surfaces. This system covers the building in a thin film that possesses a high flame retardant content resulting in low flammability. It is an invisible coating painted on the interior of the building. In a fire the developing carbonaceous char delays the fire attack on the wood.