26 



TIMBER TRENDS IN THE UNITED STATES 



Expenditures for residential upkeep and im- 

 provements have shown trends similar to growth 

 in GNP and number of households. On the basis 

 of a statistical analysis of the relationship between 

 expenditm'es and gi^oss national product in the 

 1947-62 period and a gi'aphic analysis of trends in 

 expenditures per household, total expenditures for 

 residential upkeep and improvements were pro- 

 jected from $11.2 bilHon in 1962 to $26.6 billion 

 in 2000. 



Nonresidential Expenditures for 

 Repairs Also Increasing Rapidly 



Expenditures for nonresidential repairs, includ- 

 ing minor improvements but excluding major 

 alterations or additions which are included in new 

 construction, averaged about $12.2 billion in the 

 period 1960-62 (table 14). Expenditures as a 

 percent of gross national product have shown a 

 slight downward trend — from an average of 2.9 

 percent in the 1920's to about 2.3 percent in 1962 

 (table 14). 



In view of the projected decline in new non- 

 residential construction as a component of GNP, 

 and continuing improvements in the quality of 

 materials used in construction and in construction 

 technology, some further decrease in the ratio of 

 expenditures for repairs to 1.4 percent of GNP by 

 2000 has been assumed. This, along with a 

 statistical analysis of the relation between expend- 

 itures and GNP in the period 1947-62, indicates 

 that expenditures for nonresidential repairs may 

 total about $27.8 billion annually by 2000. 



About 5.4 Billion Board Feet of Lumber 

 Used for Upkeep and Improvements in 1962 



The volume of lumber used for upkeep and im- 

 provements of both residential and nonresidential 

 structures amounted to an estimated 5.4 billion 

 board feet in 1962 (table 15). The major part of 

 the lumber consumed — about 4.4 billion board 

 feet— was used on residential properties. The re- 

 maining billion board feet was used for nonresi- 

 dential repairs and minor improvements. 



Of the lumber used in residential upkeep and 

 improvements, more than four-fifths went for 

 framing, sheathing, and siding, according to recent 

 field surveys in a number of sample cities. About 

 9 percent was used for doors, windows, cabinets, 

 and other millwork. Flooring lumber made up 

 about 6 percent of the total, and paneling and con- 

 crete forms each accounted for about 1 percent. 



Table 14. — Expenditures for repair of nonresiden- 

 tial structures ^ 1920-2000 

 [1961 dollars] 



Period or year 



Expenditures 



for 



repairs 



Gross 

 national 

 product 



Expenditures 



in relation 



to GNP 



1920-29 2 



1930-39 2 



1940-49 2 



1950-59 2 



1960 



1961 



Million 



dollars 



5,002 



6,407 



7,147 



10,711 



12,098 



12,036 



12,558 



Billion 



dollars 

 171 

 183 

 326 

 438 

 511 

 519 

 546 



Percent 



2.9 

 3.5 

 2.2 

 2.4 

 2.4 

 2.3 



1962 



2.3 



PROJECTIONS 



1970 



1980 



1990 



15,300 

 18,700 

 23,200 

 27,800 



710 



990 



1,380 



1.920 



2.2 

 1.9 

 1.7 



2000 



1.4 







1 Excludes farms and railroads. 



2 Data shown are annual averages for the decade. 



Sources: EXPENDITURES FOR REPAIRS: 1920- 

 56, U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of 

 Commerce, statistical supplement to vol. 3 of Construction 

 Review, Construction Volume and Cost, 1915-1956, 1958. 

 1957-62, U.S. Department of Commerce, Business and 

 Defense Services Administration, Construction Review. 

 Projections, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 

 Service. 



Table 15. — Lumber consumed in upkeep and 

 improvements,'^ 1962-2000 







Residential re- 









pairs, alterations, 



Nonresidential 







and additions 



repairs 





Total 

 volume 







Year 













used 





Use per 





Use per 







Volume 



dollar of 



Volume 



dollar of 







used 



expend- 

 iture 2 



used 



expend- 

 iture 2 





Million 



Million 





Million 







board 



board 



Board 



board 



Board 





feet 



feet 



feet 



feet 



feet 



1962 



5,400 



4,400 



0.394 



1,000 



0.080 



PROJECTIONS 



1970 



5,900 



4.800 



0.300 



1,100 



0.070 



1980 



6,500 



5,300 



.280 



1,200 



.060 



1990 



7,100 



5,800 



.260 



1,300 



.055 



2000 



7,800 



6,400 



.240 



1,400 



.050 



Excludes farms and railroads. 

 1961 dollars. 



