Abstract
The following findings were obtained from a questionnaire given to house builders about their selection of kuda-bashira (connective posts) for the construction of Japanese post-and-beam housing. 1) The proportions of kuda-bashira in 2007 are as follows: laminated wood, 56.0%: solid wood (kiln-dried), 39.0%; and solid wood (excluding thekiln-dried), 5.0%. Larger builders tend to use laminated wood and smaller ones prefer solid wood. 2) However, laminated wood have been coming into increasing use among small- and medium-sized builders. 3) On the other hand, a return to solid wood can also be seen, particularly among the small- and medium-sized builders. 4) When ordering laminated wood, builders place more emphasis on "functional value", and when ordering solid wood, they focused on "emotional value".
