Designing with Nature’s Building Block: Embracing the Dynamics of Wood Movement

Wood is a sustainable building material that must be properly detailed to reach its full performance and durability potential. This course explores the intricate relationship between wood and water, providing insights into moisture management strategies crucial for achieving durability in exterior wood installations. Discussions include the natural properties of wood, dynamics of wood movement, wood drying processes, rainscreen principles, and designing for wood movement in cladding and decking applications.

Upon completion of this course, the Learner should be able to:

• Discuss the inherent properties of wood, such as its hygroscopic nature, and the sustainability benefits of using wood as a building material, including its renewability, recyclability, and role in carbon sequestration.
• Explain the tangential, radial, and longitudinal planes of wood movement and the drying, finishing, and construction methods that can be employed to manage this movement.
• Outline the role of the air gap in a drained and ventilated rainscreen assembly in preventing moisture transport to the structural backup wall, mitigating wood movement, and improving energy efficiency and fire resistance.
• Design and specify wood cladding and decking installations with the ventilation necessary to accommodate wood movement, ensuring long-term performance, safety, durability, and aesthetic integrity.

Approximately 1 hour. Delivered via webinar or face-to-face presentation. Available sessions shown below.

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This course is registered with: 4 Industry Association(s)