5 Best Materials That Can Substitute Wood
The world’s forest is seeing an alarming rate of deforestation. The number one reason for this is the increasing demand for wood, whether for construction use or raw material for furniture. Consequently, the increasing demand for wood creates a shortage in the supply of wood and wood products. Furthermore, as people have become more environmentally aware, there came about unprecedented push to look for wood alternatives.
Below are the top five materials that could soon replace wood entirely.
1. Hemp
With deforestation becoming a growing concern around the world, experts and conservationists are looking for alternative ways to save our forest and it seems like the number one contender is hemp. It won't be easy though because a lot of countries don't currently allow growing industrial hemp but that could change in the very near future.
Hemp is a fast-growing plant and has historically been considered an industrial plant used in commercial items like paper, textile, clothing, biofuel, and animal feed.
As a viable replacement for wood, hemp can be made into strong composite products for construction. Hemp chips can also be used to substitute wood chips. And as a lumber substitute, hemp is also technically feasible.
2. Bamboo
A lot of people looking for wood-alternatives first consider bamboo as a viable option. Bamboo is a much faster harvest, a lot more sustainable, and easier to shape. While technically considered grass, bamboo can actually be as strong as some slow-growing woods. It's become a trendy flooring material and it's been traditionally used in furniture as well as other construction materials. Even roofing contractors are considering the use of materials made from bamboo.
Bamboo is usually harvested for one to five years as softwood, and between 10 to 15 years as hardwood. It's also possible to harvest every two years.
In recent years, bamboo slowly emerged as a promising alternative to traditional raw materials as being eco-friendly and sustainable building material. In the past, bamboo had been associated with ladders and scaffolding. In the last few years, however, manufacturers have started considering other uses of the plant.
3. Wood Composite
Wood composites are a wide range of products made up of wood elements held together by a binder. The industry has seen a recent surge in popularity as demand increases for wood alternatives. One major reason for this is because wood composites are made using smaller trees and wood waste materials thus reducing the need to cut down old-growth trees.
Composite wood products are used in different ways which include residential and commercial construction. It is commonly used to replace steel in beams and joists used in building projects. But composites are popularly used as outdoor deck flooring as well as fencing, railings, benches, and door frames.
One main advantage of using wood composites is that it can be designed for specific performance requirements, from thickness, grade, size, exposure durability, and strength. This makes wood composites ideal for a myriad of applications.
4. Wood Plastic
Plastic lumber is a form of plastic lumber made from either virgin or recycled plastic. Its common application is in outdoor deck flooring but it's also been used for trim and molding as well as garden furniture.
Wood-plastic is resistant to splitting and cracking when installed properly. It can be molded with or without simulated grain.
Many manufacturers of plastic lumber claim that it is more environmentally friendly compared to other wood substitutes. It requires less maintenance than wood composites and is also rot-resistant. More importantly, Plastic lumber is 100% recyclable.
In terms of compressive strength, plastic lumber offers equal or sometimes even greater compressive strength than that of wood and can be used in load-bearing structures that require different considerations from wood.
5. Cork
As a wood alternative, cork is seen as a good substitute because it grows a lot faster than wood. Although not as popular as bamboo, it's slowly becoming popular for general use as more and more people become more environmentally conscious.
Cork is a lot more sustainable than traditional wood because the tree, usually cork oak tree, is not felled during the harvest. The tree can regenerate the outer back in a couple of years, with the tree lasting as long as 200 years.
Traditionally used in making bulletin boards, the material is now being manufactured for furniture and floors. It can also be used as an underlayment to ceramic or wood.
Other possible materials that could replace wood include soy, cardboard, nutshell, and straw. These could be used as an alternative to lumber or in other uses such as flooring, decorations, and furniture.
