Wood has so many benefits for indoor living!

Wood, a long-standing staple of architecture and flooring, boasts a remarkable ability to harmonize with the environment and significantly improve indoor microclimates. Spaces decorated with wood create a sense of comfort and warmth, enhancing not only work efficiency and enjoyment but also, more importantly, improving quality of life and creating a more hospitable indoor microclimate.

Visual properties of wood

Wood not only has excellent properties such as light weight, high strength-to-weight ratio, low heat conductivity and poor electrical conductivity, but also has a soft reflection of light, which makes the wood present beautiful natural wood grain and pleasing colors, making wood the main material for interior decoration.

Wood color

Wood colors vary due to the varying penetration of pigments within its cells. Wood with high brightness and saturation creates a sense of brightness, opulence, neatness, elegance, and comfort; wood with low brightness and saturation creates a sense of depth, stability, and sophistication. Warm tones like red, yellow, and orange create a sense of warmth. Therefore, when decorating, choose the wood color you prefer based on your preferences and cultural preferences.

Wood grain patterns and knots

Wood grain is a naturally occurring pattern, varying due to its inherent variations and the way it is cut across different sections. People have a natural affinity for wood grain. The wiry, wiry pattern on a radial section, or the parabolic pattern on a tangential section, do not intersect, remaining parallel and smooth, creating a sense of fluidity, order, and ease. Furthermore, the grain patterns in different parts of the wood exhibit a cyclical pattern, mirroring the ebb and flow of the human circadian rhythm. Wood grain is a beautiful gift from nature to humanity, unmatched by any other industrial material.
Knots form when the cambium within a tree's lateral branches or dormant buds gradually separates from the cambium within the trunk. While some knots can create instability in the wood, they can also create a unique artistic effect. They add a naturally curved, distinctive texture to the wood, making it even more appealing.

Wood grain absorbs ultraviolet rays and reflects infrared rays

Ultraviolet and infrared rays are invisible to the naked eye, but their impact on the human body cannot be ignored. Strong ultraviolet rays can cause snow blindness; human skin is more sensitive to ultraviolet rays than the eyes. The visual harmony of wood stems not only from its soft reflective properties, but more importantly, it absorbs ultraviolet rays from sunlight, reducing their harmful effects on the human body. Furthermore, wood reflects infrared rays, which is one of the direct reasons for its warmth.

Tactile properties of wood

The tactile properties of wood are closely related to its structure, particularly its surface structure. Different wood species have varying tactile properties. For example, the surfaces of renowned Ming Dynasty furniture are waxed rather than lacquered to preserve the wood's unique texture.

Warmth and coolness of wood surfaces

The cool and warm sensations of wood perfectly match human needs, creating a feeling of warmth. This harmonious tactile experience is a key reason why people prefer wooden furniture for their homes.
The roughness, smoothness, and softness of wood's surface are due to its unique tubular structure composed of cells, resulting in a certain degree of surface roughness. Even planed and sanded wood surfaces are not completely smooth. Therefore, the smooth feeling of walking on wooden floors is related to the friction between the foot and the wood surface.

Different woods have varying degrees of hardness. Generally, most conifers are harder than broadleafs, and wood with different cross-sections can also have significant hardness variations. When using wood, you should choose the right flooring based on the specific environment. For example, a hard wood tabletop will be less likely to show scratches and pressure marks, but a floor that is too hard will reduce comfort.

Wood harmonizes the sense of hearing

When sound waves strike a wood surface, some are reflected, some are absorbed by the wood's vibrations, and some are transmitted. 90% of sound waves are reflected, primarily soft, mid- and low-frequency waves, while harsh, high-frequency waves are absorbed. Therefore, the appropriate use of wood in our living spaces can create a sense of acoustic harmony.

Thermostatic properties of wood

Relative humidity plays a crucial role in the human living environment. It plays a crucial role in the metabolism of the human body through the skin, affects the survival of planktonic fungi, and has a significant impact on the spread of viral diseases such as influenza. Research shows that the ideal relative humidity for human living environments is 45%-60%, and wood also has a certain effect on regulating indoor temperature.

Principles of Wood Humidity Conditioning

One of wood's unique properties is its ability to regulate humidity. When the ambient temperature changes, the wood absorbs or releases moisture to maintain a balanced moisture content, directly moderating the temperature fluctuations in the room and regulating the interior temperature.

Relationship between high temperature effect of wood and thickness

The thicker the wood, the smaller the fluctuation in its equilibrium moisture content. Experimental results show that 3mm thick wood can only regulate temperature fluctuations within a day, while 5.2mm thick wood can regulate temperature fluctuations for 3 days, 9.5mm thick wood can regulate temperature fluctuations for 10 days, 16.4mm thick wood can regulate temperature fluctuations for a month, and 57.3mm thick wood can regulate temperature fluctuations for a year. To maintain long-term indoor temperature stability, the thickness of the wood used for decoration can be appropriately increased.

Wood odor and living environment

Since ancient times, my country has used camphor wood and sandalwood to make trunks and other items to kill bacteria and prevent insects. Recently, people have discovered that the smell of some woods can also kill mites, deodorize, and increase environmental comfort.

Reduce the number of mites

The number of mites in indoor dust has been increasing year by year, contributing to allergic symptoms such as bronchial asthma. Japanese research has shown that certain wood materials can reduce mite populations. In a study, families troubled by mites replaced all their floors with solid wood flooring, and saw a dramatic decrease in mite counts compared to before the renovation.

Deodorizing effect

Most wood scents are refreshing. These aromas bring a sense of joy and comfort. Furthermore, wood scents have a deodorizing effect, eliminating unpleasant odors. Wood essential oils are known to eliminate the odors of pollutants such as ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

The health and conditioning functions

Some woods have physiological health benefits, such as the stimulant effects of active ingredients like pine and camphor. Others can lower blood pressure, while others offer analgesic and vasodilation properties, or act as diuretics and expectorants. Sleeping under the scent of α-pinene, found in wood, can help with recovery from fatigue. Compared to sleeping without fragrance, exposure to low-concentration aromas can increase blood flow through the fingertips, reduce pulse rate, calm mood, and reduce stress-related sweating.

Utilization of wood odor

Developed countries like Japan have already begun producing and selling aromatic building materials. These materials inhibit the growth of mites and mold, repel cockroaches, and create a pleasant environment, evoking a forest-like atmosphere with a refreshing, refreshing aroma. Fabrics and microcapsules infused with forest-scented fibers are also under development. Indoor air fresheners are also proliferating.