The Benefits of Wood Products

Osborne Wood Products is proud to manufacture and distribute wooden components to builders, carpenters, hobbyists and designers. These components are not only decorative elements for home design but they are also eco-friendly resources for building and furniture making.

Wood is a sustainable and renewable building material. For over 50 years in the United States, the amount of wood grown annually has been greater than the amount harvested. There are over 800 million acres of forest in the country but the annual rate of harvested lumber is less than 2% of the available volume. Harvesting must be done according to forestry standards which includes trimming trees when they are around 12-15 years old and only harvesting trees when a certain diameter is reached. Replenishment occurs from planting seedlings (over 780 million are planted each year) and natural growth. In fact, it takes only 0.57 seconds for one cubic meter of American red oak to grow.

The wood that is harvested is then used to its full potential, especially when transformed into components that will last in homes and buildings for generations. Not only is wood a durable, long-lasting material – it is also one of the most environmentally-friendly. In comparison to steel or concrete, wood requires less energy and any waste created (such as bark, sawdust or trim) can be reused as power. Repurposing wood also prevents the carbon present in the wood from being released into the atmosphere. If the wood is used for energy or burned, the released carbon is sequestered as the forest experiences regrowth. This cycle displays how wood products and wood energy are carbon-neutral resources.

As the wood industry continues to grow, private landowners are encouraged to maintain woodlands and invest in forest management. Over 96 million acres of U.S. woodlands are certified forests which is above the global average and results in the U.S. accounting for 9% of the world’s total certified forestland.

Osborne continues to provide wooden components not only as cost-effective materials, but also versatile and environmentally-friendly resources. Build your home while reducing your carbon footprint! Browse our full inventory of wood products today.

References & additional resources regarding the benefits of wood manufacturing:

• https://www.ahec.org/
• https://www.thinkwood.com
• https://www.forest2market.com/blog/how-much-timber-does-the-us-harvest-and-how-is-it-used
• https://www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc/topics/carbon-benefits-wood-based-products-and-energy
• https://sfpa.org/lumber-info/wood-the-environment/#:~:text=Wood%20products%20also%20store%20carbon,non%2Drenewable%20steel%20and%20concrete