Why hasnt plastic replaced lumber as that main construction material ?
Question:like always thank you for your help.
Answers:
Plastic does not have the structural integrity of wood and is more expensive. From an environmental viewpoint, plastics are generally not recycled because it is cheaper to produce new plastic since it is a by-product of gasoline. Personally, I think light-gauge steel is the best construction material apart from earthen construction because it comes mostly from recycled materials and can be recycled once the building is torn down. I am glad you are asking the question about alternative building materials because the current popularity of wood construction is not sustainable. It has to be shipped long distances to job sites and does not last due to mold, termites, and rot. And after a building is torn down, it all goes into the land-fill. The main reason it is used is that wood frame construction does not require skilled labor unlike steel (or plastic for that matter.) There are some recycled plastic materials being used for decking made by Trex that show promise, but they still require wood or steel support.
i believe because pvc lumber is not load bearing and would break when put under the load bearing weights that construction has
Lumber is fibrous, making it much sturdier and durable than plastic. It is even preferable to reinforced concrete in some instances due to its flexibility and strength.
Also, plastic has to be manufactured... and trees are everywhere. Wood is dirt cheap.
There are some great environmental uses for plastic instead of trees, especially if the lumber comes from old growth or ancient growth forests, or from impacted environments.
The drawbacks are that plastic, as it is made today, uses a large amount of energy, creates a large amount of toxic waste, and comes from oil.
Ironically, we can make plastic out of hemp, or other biomass, but so far, the corporations that are in place would rather keep reaping the profits from oil.
Ultimately, forests can be managed, if profits are not the only goal of the people in charge of the forests. If sustainability is the goal, then lumber can be a great environmental product. As of today, though, it rarely is.
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