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Landscape timbers are a popular option to transform your home with simple DIY projects. They come in handy for lining driveways and building raised gardens and back patios. But why are landscape timbers so cheap?
Here are five reasons why landscape timbers are so cheap:
- You can use untreated landscape timbers.
- Landscape timbers offer flexible uses.
- Landscape timbers can be reclaimed from demolished buildings.
- Timber is sustainable.
- Landscape timbers are simple and cheap to install.
I’ll explain why landscape timbers are cheap in the next segment of this article. This information will help you make the right choice of landscape timber for your garden.
1. You Can Use Untreated Landscape Timbers
Landscape timbers are cheap because you can use them untreated since they’re naturally resistant to rot and insects.
Using natural timber is cheaper than using landscape timber that has been chemically treated. Although chemically-treated timbers tend to last longer, many people are skeptical about using them because they’re afraid the chemicals will seep into their gardens and poison their produce.
Although treating timber extends its life in your garden, you must decide whether to use untreated or treated timber.
Weigh your options: Use untreated landscape timber and replace it every five years, or use treated pieces that last longer but come with an extra treatment cost and the ever-present fear of arsenic poisoning (source).
You can also consider staining landscape timbers (even if they are treated) to make them more resistant to weathering.
2. Landscape Timbers Offer Flexible Uses
Landscape timbers are more flexible than other alternatives like stone or brick. You can cut them to any size and stack them together easily. Cutting them to your required size fits almost any purpose; therefore, you buy what you need. It’s also easy to remodel, resize, or relocate raised gardens and outdoor structures made of landscape timber.
It can be exceptionally costly and laborious to remodel stone, brick, or concrete garden structures than timber ones. They’re much costlier to construct than timber structures, and they don’t offer much flexibility regarding remodeling or relocation.
And that’s not all. The many ways you can use landscape timbers in your garden show how flexible they are.
How To Use Landscape Timbers
- Construct outdoor stairs: You can easily make outdoor stairs using landscape timbers. Outdoor stairs are functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. They can create a safe walking path on uneven ground, and they can transform the look of your outdoor space.
- Make a hedge around your garden: A garden hedge is another multifunctional addition to your outdoor space. Aside from adding visual appeal, creating a hedge around your garden can help keep your soil intact and can prevent unwanted plants from taking root.
- Build a temporary fence: Landscape timber is an excellent material to build a temporary fence with. These timbers can give your space a historic look while providing many of the same benefits as a modern fence.
- Set up a vertical garden: A vertical garden is a perfect option for those with limited space. It’s trendy as well as functional, and you can modify the timber color to achieve your desired look (Source).
Watch this YouTube video detailing how to construct a vertical garden from reclaimed pallets if you’re still unsure whether landscape timber can get the job done.
3. Landscape Timbers Can Be Reclaimed From Demolished Buildings
Timber reclaimed from demolition works can be a good source of cheap landscape timber. You can use reclaimed timbers from demolished buildings, such as barns and warehouses, as landscape timber.
Using timber for your garden needs doesn’t have to meet the strict structural specifications of buildings. You can customize everything to the timber available and what you want to eventually achieve, and the reclaimed timber fits there perfectly.
Although you’ll have some work to make the timber perfect for use again, the benefits outweigh the cost of buying virgin timber. You can reuse timber from your own structures, so you won’t have to buy it. It’s practical and more budget-friendly.
4. Timber Is Sustainable
Using timber is environmentally friendly, making it an ideal choice for those looking to reduce waste and recycle materials. It’s a cheaper alternative to stone, whose supply diminishes with every use. Trees will grow again but stone won’t, so its supply will decrease, forcing prices to go up (Source).
You can even use recycled, unused, or extra timber from various work sites. Check if companies or workers have any scrap or excess timber they aren’t using. You may be able to use it in your own project, further eliminating waste.
Timber is biodegradable, meaning it rots away naturally without causing harm to the environment. Therefore, it can be disposed of quickly and cheaply after exhausting its usefulness. And what about using scrap wood to fuel your wood stove during winter?
You can also burn timber as a source of fuel and heat. If you’re burning wood, make sure the appliance you’re using is EPA-certified (source).
Timber is also recyclable, so you can dump your scrap landscape timber at a recycling plant, and you won’t have to worry about landfill dumping fees (source).
5. Landscape Timbers Are Simple and Cheap To Install
Installing wooden structures for your garden or lawn is more straightforward than concrete or stone units. It would help if you have the following basic tools:
- Nails
- A hand saw
- A hammer
- A measuring tape
You also don’t need to have technical skills to construct simple garden structures with landscape timber. Many DIYers have done it before, so you can also transform your lawn or garden in a few hours.
This is in stark contrast to using stone or brick in your lawn or garden. Working with either material would be best if you had some skills and experience and special tools like wood floats and plumb bombs.
It’s also more effortless to make, repair, and modify wood joints than stone or brick. You only need to remove the nails, straighten them, and hammer them back to make a firm joint.
Unlike DIY landscape timbers, you may need to hire someone with a unique skill set to help you with landscape stone or brick, which is costlier.
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