"Plus, you can sand and stain reclaimed wood—looks great and adds character without sacrificing safety."
Good point about reclaimed wood—I hadn't thought about the sanding and staining part. Wondering though, does reclaimed lumber hold up as well structurally in earthquake-prone areas, or is steel usually the safer bet?
Reclaimed lumber can definitely hold its own, structurally speaking...but it really comes down to the quality and type of wood. Steel's generally more predictable in an earthquake, but properly reinforced wood can surprise you. Have you looked into hybrid framing at all?
Hybrid framing's interesting, but honestly, steel isn't always as predictable as people think. I've seen steel frames buckle unexpectedly during quakes...wood, especially engineered stuff like glulams or CLT, can flex surprisingly well. Just gotta pick the right materials and connections carefully.
Totally agree, steel gets way too much credit sometimes. I've flipped a couple homes in quake zones, and honestly, engineered wood like CLT has saved me more headaches than steel ever did. Had one property with a steel beam that warped badly after a mild tremor—cost me thousands to fix. Meanwhile, the glulam beams I put in another build flexed just enough to ride it out without damage. It's all about smart design and giving your structure room to move...
Interesting take, but I've gotta say, steel isn't always the villain here. I restored a historic home built in the early 1900s, and we retrofitted with steel beams strategically placed alongside original timber framing. The key was careful placement and proper anchoring—no warping or damage after multiple moderate quakes. It's less about the material itself and more about how thoughtfully it's integrated into the existing structure. Wood's great, but steel can still hold its own if done right...
