Why are houses still made of wood in the United States?

Wood is commonly used to make furniture, flooring, and paper in the United States, but it is also widely used in home construction. This makes the country one of the few places in the world where wood is the predominant material for building homes.

This situation lends itself to many questions, since wood is a material that is more vulnerable to hurricanes, fires, tornadoes and other disasters. Why then are houses still built with wood in the United States?

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Why are houses still made of wood in the United States?

Wood is a predominant material in home construction in the country despite it not being sturdy in the face of powerful forces of nature. However, durability is not the only consideration of those who build houses. Here are some factors that bear weight in deciding to make use of wood.

Speed of construction

Since the arrival of Europeans in the United States, construction began with wood due to the need to build a large number of homes in a short time. The speed of construction is one of the main reasons why people build with wood. The use of wood allows houses to be built more quickly compared to using cement and brick.

Ease of construction

In addition to the matter of speed, wooden houses are also easier to build. There are various options on the market that offer houses off-plan or kits that allow owners to build their own house.

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Availability and price

The United States has numerous mountains and forests, so wood is an easily accessible material. Added to this is the economic factor, since the great abundance of wood allows its prices to be much lower. It is also easier to transport.

Mobility of Americans

According to several studies, Americans can move houses up to five times in their life, so fast and affordable construction makes it possible to change state or house without it being a big problem.

Less taxes

Another very important reason to build wooden houses is that the taxes on homes built with this material are lower than those paid by owners of houses built with cement and bricks. Building houses with brick or concrete makes the house more valuable, which increases taxes.

Are wooden houses safe?

Despite wood's vulnerability in certain situations, wood is a flexible material that can withstand low-intensity earthquakes or light tornadoes. In areas that are prone to more intense hurricanes or tornadoes, wooden houses usually have a basement built of brick as a shelter.

If the house suffers any damage, it is cheaper and faster to repair it if it is made of wood.