Why do builders use raw wood to build new homes?
This is a good question, and one that definitely deserves attention. The use of inappropriate products on wood studs inside walls can cause significant health problems and, in the worst case, even death. I know it sounds extreme, but I have personally had experience with a house that was built by a do-it-yourselfer who thought if he used all the pressure-treated wood on the walls, his house would never rot. Well, the house didn’t rot, but it reeked of poison, and the owner/builder eventually died of brain tumors related to overexposure to toxic chemicals.
What you didn’t realize is that all the protective layers that are put on the outside of a house to keep out rain and bugs form a kind of jacket around the house. And while it keeps the elements out, it keeps the living space or “air conditioned space” in. That is why it is important to keep the air conditioned space free of toxins. There are building wrap products that help the home breathe better, but this will not stop poison odors in the wall because the 1/2″ sheetrock on the inside of the wall is much thinner and much more porous. than the 1/2″ plywood on the other side of the wall. Also, on top of the plywood, you have construction paper or house wrap, then siding and paint. Therefore, it is much easier for odors to travel inside the house instead of out.
Treated wood is mainly used for ground contact or direct contact with concrete. While treated wood is about half the price of alternative rot-resistant wood (redwood), it’s about 2-3 times the amount of untreated doughide, which is the material of choice for most builders. . Most of the treated wood is actually doug fur that is injected with many different poisons (this is why you see all the little marks on the treated wood, it’s from the injection process). Since they are taking the same doug hide wood to inject, they will typically use the number 2 boards or the lower end.
Between you, me, and the rest of the world reading this, treated wood is not a safe alternative to naturally rot- and pest-resistant woods like redwood. States like California recently banned treated wood in all landfills and landfills due to groundwater contamination. The recent standard change has also reduced the number of toxin levels by approx. fifty%. While these efforts are a step in the right direction, it is not seen as green or green construction to use products with napathane copper or zinc.
When properly protected, homes built with Doug fur can last a long, long time. However, when left unprotected it can rot very quickly.