Question

What are the drawbacks of recycling of timber?

Answer 1

Some hurdles facing the widespread adoption of recycled timber:

1. Sometimes the ends of wall studs need to be trimmed off to stop decay and cracking, thus resulting in a shorter piece of wood; this trimming may result in pieces of wood that do not meet building codes.
2. Though the price may be less than for new wood, the process of selecting usable pieces of salvaged wood, pulling out nails, and refinishing for a new use can be laborious and time-consuming.
3. Demolition must happen in such a way as to preserve as much of the timber as possible in a building, which means more time spent dismantling a building rather than just tearing it down quickly.
4. The trade in recycled timber is not well established everywhere, so a reliable supply of usable wood may be hard to come by for builders.
5. There may be a stigma associated with using "used" or "cheap" wood that is perceived to be of not as high quality as "new" wood.
6. Not all pieces of wood in a dismantled building will fit in a new building, and it may be cheaper and easier, from a design and labour perspective, to simply get new wood.
7. Of course, none of these issues is insurmountable, and they are issues of convenience and logistics rather than structural integrity. Still, many builders find it easier and less time-consuming to simply get new wood in standard uniform sizes.