CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Timber is a fibrous rigid material of plant origin. The word, timber, which is wood that is prepared for use in building construction, is
sometimes used interchangeably with wood in our construction parlance. It is broadly classified as hardwood and softwood.
Hardwood is derived from angiosperm or broad-leaved trees such as Iroko, Mahogany and Danta. Softwood is obtained from
coniferous trees, which have needle-like leaves. Examples of softwood trees include Scots Pine, Norway spruce and Douglas
fir. Timber has been used as a primary source of building material for ages in construction of building. The Raw Materials Research
and Development Council of Nigeria, RMRDC, (1998) opined that the roof structure and ceiling noggins of most buildings are
constructed with timber because of its workability and durability. Opepe (Nauclea diderrichii), a yellowish, very hard timber is used
for door and window frames because of its natural resistance to insect attack.
Timber is natural and renewable. It has a high strength to weight ratio and is easy to work with, making it especially useful even
where only basic technology and procedures are available (Apu, 2003). According to Douglas (1995) timber remained the most
predominant building material until the last half of 19 century. Today, proponents of timber as a building material perceive it as an
attractive building material while its opponents opine that it is unreliable for construction. However, Andreas (2005) asserted that
architects are only limited not by the material but their knowledge of how the material works.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
A building requires assembling different materials through the process of construction. Some of these materials include concrete,
timber (wood), steel and glass and so on. Energy is involved in the extraction of these raw materials, their processing and
transportation from the factory to the construction site and their eventual placement. In most of the developing countries, Nigeria
inclusive, there is a general dependence on fossil fuel for energy generation for these processes. This results in the emission of
greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, methane etc in the atmosphere resulting in the depletion of ozone layer
thus causing global warming and by extension, climate change.
Some building materials such as steel, glass, concrete are manufactured from raw materials that their replacement require
geological years while tree is continually being fell for construction work without due consideration for afforestation, consequently
the nature is over exploited resulting in environmental degradation, desertification, desert encroachment and imbalance in the
ecosystem. Fewer trees mean more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere since plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into
the atmosphere during photosynthesis. This has engendered the need to investigate the potentials of building materials that are
comparatively sustainable, hence the topic ‘’ a study of prospects and problems of timber as external material in building
production in hot climate region.
1.3 Aim and Objectives
This study aims at assessing the potentials of timber as a building material in Nigeria with a view to determining its comparative
sustainability against other commonly used building materials. To achieve the above aim, the study objectives are to:
· Investigate the qualities of timber as a building material
· Examine the challenges of timber as a building material
· Investigate the sustainability of timber as a building material.
· To advance recommendations that will enhance the sustainability of timber as a building material in Nigeria.
1.4 Significance of the Study
This research work will benefit so many people, the public who will benefit from this work in the following ways:
To serve as source of information to building clients, building, designers, students and several others. The contractors will benefit immensely from this from this work, as the work will expose them to the problems and prospects of
timber as an external material in building production in hot climate.
The study would be significant for students who might wish to use it as a basis for further research; it will serve as a board from
which further research might take off. The data already gathered and documented in this project will serve as a source of
information to students as well serve a reference material in their class room work.
The work will equally be of great importance to individual citizens of the country who would like to know more about the problem
and prospects of timber as an external material in building production in hot climate.
1.5 Research Questions
For the purpose of this research work, the following research questions were formulated:
1. What are the various problems and prospects of timber in building?
2. What are the functions of timber in building production?
3. What is the main aim and objectives of using timber as a building material?
4. Are there ways of preserving timber from insert and fungal attack?
5. What are the types of preservatives?
6. What is the method of preservation/application?
1.6 Scope of the Study
This research project will be focused on the problems and prospects of timber as an external material in building production in hot
climate. Therefore the researcher will be limited to projects in Nigeria only.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
Limitation in the cause of this research study on inadequate found to effectively carryout a through and comprehensive study of
the topic.
Time constraint also hampered the effective study of the topic. Scarcity of new and current books dealing wholly of timber as our
libraries are stocked without edition that does not incorporate new idea and finding some of these books just make passing
references to timber without in dept discussion on them.
Inadequate data base compelled by professionals in wood technology in Nigerian timber relates information can be reliable
sourced.
1.8 Definition of Terms
For easy understanding of the research work, the researcher has carefully defined the terminologies used in the research project.
These are as follows:
1. CONSTRUCTION: This is the building or creating of something.
2. ASSESSMENT: This refers to the consideration and judgment of someone or something.
3. TIMBER: Trees that is grown to be used in building or for marketing things.
4. LUMBER: Pieces of furniture, and other large objects that you do not use anymore.
5. CONVERSION: Is the term to the sawing up of the log into timber of marketable size, before the seasoning process.
6. SEASONING: This is the removal of surplus moisture from the timber.
7. WOOD PRESERVATION: Means the treating of wood with solution which makes it poisonous to insects and fungi.
8. SAPWOOD CELLS: Are the growing of cells and have thin cellulose walls.
9. SOFTWOOD: It is standard wood used for building construction, fairly strong, easily worked.
10. HARDWOOD: Very strong, tough, hard and decorative easily to work with sharp tools.
11. KILLS SEASONING: It consists of brick-built chamber in which the timber is stocked with stick between the boards.
12. CHIP BOARD: Is a wood waste mixed with bonding and hardening agents and formed at high temperature in powerful
process.
13. CONTRACTOR: A contractor is a person or a company that does work for other people or companies especially in the
building industries.
14. BUILDING: A structure such as a house or school that has a roof and walls
15. MATERIALS: This refers to substance that things can be made from.
16. PRODUCTION: The act or a process of soothing naturally.
17. HOT CLIMATE: This refers to a very hot tropic region
