Timber is now beginning to regain its Mojo

Timber is now beginning to regain its Mojo

Since the NZ Wood promotional campaign started in 2007, wood house framing has regained some of the ground it had been losing to steel in the previous few years. The latest market survey from BRANZ shows wood is back up to a 92 percent share of the residential frame market, although in the last six months, pine conceded 2.7 percent of the market to Douglas-fir.

Prior to the NZ Wood push, wood's share of the framing market had dropped from its previous 98 percent share to 89 percent, largely due to the rise in steel framing and concrete masonry construction.

Programme manager for NZ Wood, Geoff Henley, says the programme's message that wood is better for the environment is definitely resonating with consumers. "Our television advertising in particular seems to be really driving the message home. We're unapologetic about emphasising the huge amount of CO2 that wood removes from the atmosphere, and the fact that wood is our only truly renewable construction material."

In terms of cladding, the BRANZ report shows brick continuing to have most of the market share at 44 percent. Timber weatherboard's market share at around nine percent is higher than it was in 2000 and 2006, but the alternatives such as fibre-cement weatherboard, EIFS cladding, concrete/masonry panels, PVC weatherboard etc continue to enjoy a fluctuating share of the market.

As well emphasising the environmental benefits of wood cladding, the NZ Wood programme is actively developing resources for builders, architects and house owners as to the modern range of choices available, its best applications and information on its optimised maintenance. "Timber is now regaining its mojo,"Geoff Henley says. Source: NZ Wood

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