undefined | Better HN

0 pointsseanmcdirmid6y ago0 comments

Does wood really last that long? I know ancient Japanese wooden temples are basically rebuilt every 30 years or so, a constant renewal akin to the Ship of Theseus. Are European wooden structures similarly renewed?

0 comments

bdamm6y ago

Here's a 1200-yr old wooden church: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greensted_Church

Protected from fungus (rot) and insects, wood can last indefinitely. How to achieve that, of course, varies widely.

mveety6y ago

Wood, if properly taken care of and kept dry, will last basically forever. I’d imagine they do that in Japan because of humidity or so.

CydeWeys6y ago

They do it in Japan because they choose to. Rebuilding it every generation is a religious ritual tied closely to Shintoism. The buildings certainly aren't rotting out completely over that short timeframe!

Many Americans live in wooden houses that are much older than that. The biggest problem tends to be termites.

fhars6y ago

There are still some 12th century wooden churches in Norway that still have most of the original wood: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stave_church#Old_stave_churche...

jbay8086y ago

Only one temple in Japan is continuously rebuilt. Many others are several centuries old.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse