Timber-framed construction as safe as houses

From: James C Coulson, director, Technology for Timber, Market Place, Ripon.

I READ the letter headed “Up in smoke” on the subject of timber homes, more correctly known as timber-frame housing (Yorkshire Post, July 21). I can assure your readers I know what I’m talking about, since I am a past president of the Institute of Wood Science and I am a member of the Board of the Wood Technology Society – which is a division of the Institute of Materials: of which I am a Fellow.

Your correspondent’s uninformed opinion perpetuates the fallacious view that houses which have their structural frames made from timber are somehow a fire risk. The many years’ research into timber-framed construction proved wood is a very difficult material to ignite, when it is used in large cross-sections (ie, when it is not cut into thin strips for kindling).

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Moreover, when it does burn, it does so slowly and predictably and it fully retains its load-bearing strength and does not collapse, as steel, concrete and masonry all do in fires. Timber converts to charcoal at a very slow rate and this insulates the wood below the charcoal layer.

The Building Research Establishment tested a six-storey block of flats built entirely of timber framing and deliberately set fire to it to prove that it would not collapse and that it would maintain its fire safety for far longer than a structure of any other comparable material. It passed with flying colours.

Of all the house fires that occur each year in the UK, more than 95 per cent are of masonry construction. Many fire brigades have said they would sooner enter a timber building on fire than they would a steel, concrete or masonry one. And after a major fire in a timber building, all you need to do is to scrape off the thin layer of charcoal and you can then usually reinstate the building without major structural repairs, whereas with a more “traditional” construction, demolition is frequently the only option.

From: Julia Marshall, Leeds.

I LIVE in an Arbour Home, built by Apppleyards since 1975. Based on a design from Scandinavia, and coming flatpacked, they boasted they could complete a house on the prepared concrete slab in a week. They are much cheaper to run than similar sized houses built then, being double glazed and very well insulated. I have never heard of one burning down, though no doubt the fire service could give accurate figures.

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There is a reluctance by insurance companies to insure them but I have found two who will and the others are usually thwarted by the “computer says no” syndrome where a non-traditionally built house is not programmed in as an option.

I would be very reluctant to move back to a brick built home.

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