Houses on wooden structure

They are also called timber frame houses or Wood Frame Houses. They can't be called wood houses because it's the structure of the house, the finishes can be done any way you want. Unlike houses made of prefabricated structures, which are made in the factory and then mounted on the foundation, these houses on wooden structure are made in the classic way, at the place chosen for the future home and keeps that art of construction called carpentry. It's all about house building, about knowledge of the strength of wood and less about the aesthetic side.

Advantages of a house on wooden structure

The wood does not have to be invisible or look like a wooden house. It can even look like one made of round wood, if the right cladding materials are used. The idea is that instead of resting on concrete posts and beams, becoming much heavier, the whole house rests on a skeleton of wooden posts, beams and planks. Further finishing is done according to one's choice and desire.

Quick and easy construction

The use of a wooden structure allows building the house much simpler and faster, eliminating the time it takes to build the formwork, waiting for the concrete to harden and the hassle involved in pouring the concrete and breaking up the formwork.

Energy efficient

The way the structure is made allows a very good wall insulationfrom the construction phase, resulting in a much more energy efficient home.

Versatility

It is a versatile and adaptable way of building, which can also be combined with other materials or construction methods. For example, a wooden floor can be built on a brick house.

Light in weight

It is a lighter construction than on concrete structure. In this way many blocks have been lofted, adding practically one more habitable floor without affecting the building's strength. Being light, this helps it to be and....

Earthquake resistant

Construction is more flexible, with much better earthquake resistance. Wood is flexible and can absorb and dissipate seismic energy better than rigid materials such as concrete or brick. This flexibility allows the structure to move and deform without collapsing under the forces of an earthquake.

Reduced implementation cost

I don't have a calculation of the cost of such a house, but if we take into account the time needed for construction including the related labour, at identical dimensions, it is obvious cheaper than a classicon concrete structure.

It is an environmentally friendly type of construction

Last but not least, it is made of material that does not negatively affect the environment. Wood is a renewable material that contributes to lower carbon emissions, unlike traditional materials.

An old style of construction

Timber frame construction was much used in the past, when modern building materials had not yet appeared. At that time, it was customary to leave the beams and posts exposed. Even today, houses like this can be seen in Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Austria and England. They have been rebuilt while preserving their external appearance and are much appreciated by tourists.

Around 1900, industrial development and the need for more and cheaper living space led to the emergence of stronger building materials and multi-storey houses. Timber-frame construction was abandoned and metal and concrete structures emerged.

Lately there has been a worldwide return to this type of construction. The argument is the positive environmental impact of using wood. They are building like this again in the USA, Canada and Japan, in Denmark, Germany and France. In France and Germany there are famous carpentry schools, and many enthusiasts train there.

How wooden houses were built in Romania

In the past, Romania also used to build on wooden structures. Where there was not enough wood to build a wooden house, wooden structures were made and the walls were filled with clay mixed with straw.

I told you at one point that the craftsmen had a special system to reinforce the wall so that it could support the weight of the clay. Several rows were battened on the battens, inclined at 45º, on the ties between the posts. To increase strength the rows alternated, one facing one direction and the next the opposite.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I can't even say exactly, I came across a photo of such a house these days. Unfortunately, because it looks very bad and I don't think it can be saved even if it wanted to. Fortunately, because this deterioration gives me the opportunity to exemplify the above. You can see the battens (leafs) beaten in to support the clay that filled the wall and had an insulating role.

The photo was taken by Ciprian Muntele. It is a house with a specific architecture of the Argeș and Oltenia hills. A recognizable element is the foundation on which the house is built, higher in the front and lower in the back (because of the difference in level in the hill areas). It was built of stone and functioned as a cellar or animal shelter (stable). The heat given off by the animals helped to warm the house.

How timber frame houses are built now

Now things are easier because there are materials to clamp, stiffen and fix the structure. You can work with treated wood that is resistant to insect attack, fungi and fire.

Usually the skeleton of each wall is built separately from horizontal and vertical studs, beams and planks for stiffening. The window and door frames are also made of wood. These structures are then erected and fixed to the foundation. If it is an ordinary house, the erection can also be done by a couple of strong guys. For larger structures a crane is used.

Each individual wall is made, erected and tuned by another. This is how all the walls of the house are made, including the interior walls. Then the whole wall is stiffened, both inside and out, with OSB tilesOSB is preferred because it is a material specially designed for use in construction, with very good vertical strength.

House insulation on wooden structure

In the gaps that form inside the wall, between studs, reinforcing planks and OSB, insulation materials can be easily installed. You can use natural materials, which are increasingly popular these days - hemp, wool, jute, wood fibre - or classic materials - basaltic wool, glass wool, polyurethane foam, expanded polystyrene.

After fixing the insulation and fitting the anti-condensation foil (vapour barrier), the wall is "sealed" on the inside with OSB or plasterboard. Such a wall provides very good thermal insulation for the house, and if properly fitted well-made double glazed windows, a very energy efficient house can be achieved.

Finishing houses on wooden structure

Once the panels have been fitted to the structure, the walls can be finished as desired. On the outside, they can be plastered, painted, thin brick or exposed brick panels can be applied, they can be clad with horizontal or vertical wood or panels imitating round wood.

The roof can also be chosen as desired without any restrictions. In the end, the house will look the way you want it to, without the wooden structure influencing your choices in any way.

Disadvantages of a house on wooden structure

Everything can't be perfect, so there are drawbacks:

• water absorption in the wood that can occur if the insulation and protection of the ends of the support posts is not very well done
• poor sound insulation, especially between levels. Sound insulation between rooms can be improved by using special materials with high sound absorption capacity. We have written about these materials in this article.
• if large shelves, heavy pieces of furniture or heavy appliances are to be fixed in the walls, their place must be established at the design stage in order to reinforce the wall in question
• the possibility of wood being attacked by decay if not treated with special substances
• low durability of wood compared to other building materials. However, looking at timber frame houses in European countries, I think they have stood the test of time quite well.

If you're thinking of building a house, you can look at timber frame construction as an alternative.