Timber house uk: 28 Timber Frame Houses to Inspire Your Build

The pitfalls of building a home out of timber

For many years, stone, bricks and blocks were the staple materials of house building. They still are. However, timber-framed buildings are soaring in popularity, as a recent MTW report revealed – and for good reason.
 
Timber-framed buildings are quick and relatively inexpensive to build. They are also extremely versatile and can be clad in almost any material.
 
But the main reason timber-framed homes are proving so popular is they are far greener than the alternatives. Compared to a traditional brick building, a timber frame build will produce less CO2 emissions. And if the timber is ethically sourced and the trees replanted, a building’s eco-credentials are going to be even more impressive.
 

Timber-framed homes in context

However, despite all the advantages, timber-framed houses haven’t always had the best reputation. People tend to see them as poorer quality than homes constructed with other materials, as being a bit lightweight or not solid enough.
 
Considering that timber frames were one of the earliest building methods used, it seems strange that this building technique could be seen as a problem.
 
Part of that bad reputation could be the result of poor examples of post-war timber-framed housing. Admittedly, some of these houses have experienced issues surrounding rotting and acoustics, but not to the extent we’ve been led to believe.
 
One theory is that building industry itself has played a part in fuelling some of the suspicion surrounding timber-framed homes. After all, it’s in their best interests to stick with the tried-and-tested building materials and not steer too far from them.
 
But while timber was seen as an outsider for many years, that’s no longer the case today. The scare stories have been put to one side and it is now recognised that timber-framed houses can play a significant role in providing sustainable housing.
 

What are the disadvantages of building a house from timber?

Timber-based homes are as popular with developers as they are with self-builders, but there are a number of potential pitfalls when building a timber home.
 
If you’re thinking about building a timber-framed or timber house, you’ll want to consider the disadvantages as well as the benefits.
 
Here are some of the key pitfalls of building a home out of timber.
 

1 There is a risk they will rot

The timber used in the construction of modern homes is pressure treated with preservatives to reduce the risk of it rotting. As long as the frame has been constructed correctly and the timber isn’t resting in water, then the risk of rotting is low. Another way of looking at it is that if you have that much water present, you’re going to have issues whatever your home is built from. The upshot is that rotting is probably less of a risk than it sounds.
 

2 Sound travels more easily

Sound travels more easily through the walls of a timber-framed house compared to a block-built home. That’s because blocks have a higher density. However, sound transmission can be reduced with the additional of insulation or sound-deadening materials to the timber frame during construction.
 

3 They don’t feel solid enough

A common complaint about timber-framed homes is that they feel ‘lightweight’ and not as solid as traditional cavity constructed homes. This is probably only really an issue when it comes to hanging pictures or putting up shelves as you need to locate a timber stud. However, modern picture fittings make it easier to fix items onto plasterboard.
 

4 Issues with shower units

Timber offers huge benefits as a building material. But it also tends to shift over time. You are unlikely to notice this movement day-to-day, but in the bathroom it may be different. Shower enclosures are not designed to shift, and if they do there’s the risk they will crack. If a shower is no longer watertight it will be more prone to leaking – and you don’t want water to find its way into a building’s timber frame.
 
Luckily, there is a simple solution: installing a shower unit rather than an enclosure. These do not require tiles or grouting and so will not crack or leak.
 

5 The timber fraction issue

The amount of timber stud compared to insulation in a building is known as the timber fraction. This is calculated to work out the thermal performance of a building in relation to reducing energy consumption. However, there is a tendency for timber frames to be calculated with an optimistically low timber fraction, using a simple section of the wall to work out the U values, then applying this calculation to all the building’s walls.
 
The issue is that a frame will often have big lumps of timber at junctions, corners and doors, but these are not necessarily being factored in at design. Poorly considered timber fractions are part of the so-called performance gap.
 

6 Not popular with mortgage lenders

This is more myth than fact. There are plenty of mortgage lenders who will happily lend on modern timber or timber-framed houses. To make life even easier, an insurance specialist such as Insurance Choice can help you find the right

non-standard home insurance cover

to meet your needs.
 

How to build a successful timber home

The more work you put in at the design phase of building your timber house, the more you gain in the future.
 
As this

Home Building and Renovation

blog points out, the three main considerations you need to make when designing your timber home are:
 
·Insulation: High levels of insulation will ensure you end up with a home that doesn’t take long to warm up, but also doesn’t overheat over the course of a warm day.

·Orientation: Always factor in the position of the sun in relation to the building. Giving this careful consideration at the design stage will mean you make the most of the sun’s rays.

·Solar shading: Controlling the amount of heat and light from the sun that’s admitted to a building can significantly lower energy consumption and increase the comfort in a building.
 

Insuring your timber home with non-standard home insurance

If you’re planning to build a home out of timber – or already own a timber-framed property – you’ll need

non-standard home insurance

. Specialists in tailored home insurance, the team at Insurance Choice can help you find the cover you require.
 
Standard home insurance won’t be enough to cover this specialised risk. Older timber-framed buildings can be more susceptible to fire and flood, which could lead to financial problems down the line if your policy doesn’t provide the protection you need.
 
Get in touch for a quote and find out more about getting the right

non-standard home insurance

for your timber home today.

What Are Timber Frame Houses? — SmoothSale

What Are Timber Frame Houses?

Timber frame houses are a non-standard method of house construction that quite literally, have timber frames. As with all methods of non-standard construction, timber frame houses often come with a whole host of questions surrounding their construction, durability, and mortgageability.

28th March, 2022

Timber frame houses are a non-standard method of house construction that quite literally, have timber frames. As with all methods of non-standard construction, timber frame houses often come with a whole host of questions surrounding their construction, durability, and mortgageability. We’ve written this guide to give you the full picture on timber frame houses. 

We’ll talk about what timber frame houses are and how they’re built, as well as how you can identify if a house is timber frame. Then we’ll talk about the pros and cons of timber frame houses vs traditional housing, and their durability and mortgageability. Finally we’ll give you an overview of the different types of timber frame houses and the best way to sell a timber frame house. 

Looking for something specific like whether or not you can get a mortgage on a timber frame house? Use our menu below to navigate through the article quickly. Got a bit more time on your hands? Great, read on for the whole guide! 

• What are Timber Frame Houses?
• How are Timber Frame Houses built?
• How to tell is a house is Timber Frame
• What are the pros and cons of Timber Frame Houses?
• How long do Timber Frame Houses last?
• Can I get a mortgage on a Timber Frame House?
• Can I sell a Timber Frame House?

What are Timber Frame Houses? 

Timber frame housing is a modern method of house building that relies on a timber frame as the means of structural support. In the UK, timber framed construction consists of factory-made components. Meaning that the structure is, to a large extent, prefabricated and assembled on site.  

How are Timber Frame Houses built? 

Timber frame constructions make use of timber studs inside the external structural walls to bear the load of the rest of the building, and transmit this load to the foundations of the building. 

Timber frame houses make use of a number of different elements and materials to construct the walls, floors and roofing of the building. These include: 

• Breathable membrane. The breather membrane on a timber frame house is affixed to the outer side of the insulation. The purpose of the breather membrane is twofold. First, it repels water (usually rain) from entering the building and causing damage to the structure. Secondly, it allows water vapour to escape from the building and prevents the buildup of condensation. 
• Wall insulation. Unlike with traditionally built houses, wall insulation should not be filled into the open wall cavity. This can create rot and corrosion as timber (and indeed all wood) requires air circulation. Instead, external wall and internal wall insulation are both popular methods of insulating timber frame houses. 
• Wood lining. This can be either Oriented Strand Board or Plywood lining. It is fitted directly to the wooden frame to strengthen the structure and provide rigidity. 
• External Cladding. This includes the wall cavity and can be composed of a number of different materials. Some of the most common are brick, render, timber boarding, or composite materials. The purpose of external cladding in timber frame buildings is to provide both insulation and protection from weather conditions. 

How to tell if a house is Timber Frame

There are a few different ways to identify if a house is timber frame construction. You can do this both by checking online records and by looking at physical features of the property itself. Some of the most common ways that you can tell if a house is timber frame are below.  

• Check online records. The local authority Building Control department is a great place to check whether or not a building is timber framed. 

• Window depth. If a house is timber frame construction then windows are typically fixed to the wooden frame itself, rather than to the outer brickwork as they are with traditional construction. This means that the windows may often be set slightly deeper into the building that they would be with brickwork construction

• Internal wall cladding. Most new-build houses which are constructed using traditional methods have what is known as ‘dry lined’ walls. This is different from most timber framed houses where the plasterboard is screw-fixed to the external walls. The way you can tell if the plasterboard is screw-fixed is that, upon being tapped, it should yield a consistent sound no matter where it is tapped. This is because the timber frame is behind it.  

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What are the pros and cons of Timber Frame Houses?

We’ve mentioned some of the substantial differences in construction methods and materials used between timber frame houses and traditional construction. These come with a range of pros and cons. We’ve run through some of the most common pros and cons of timber frame construction below. 

Pros

• Construction speed. Because timber frame houses are typically prefabricated they can be erected much more quickly than comparable traditional construction buildings. This means that the interior work can begin much more quickly, and the overall build time is reduced. Timber frame buildings can also be erected during low temperatures whilst traditional construction typically has to pause. Meaning these buildings can be built year round. 

• Environmentally friendly material. Wood is a far more environmentally friendly construction material than stone or concrete. Because trees ‘lock in’ carbon dioxide, they can be seen as a means of combating climate change and even reversing global warming. This obviously only holds true if trees are replanted when they are cut down. Because it’s easy to ‘regrow’ the supply of timber it can also be viewed as a renewable resource. 

• Energy efficiency. Timber frame constructions typically achieve significantly better thermal performance than their traditional counterparts. This is because spaces enclosed by timber frames heat up more quickly than masonry buildings, however they also cool down more quickly. 

Cons

• Rot and infestation. This depends upon how well the external timber elements of the property are treated and maintained. If the timber is well maintained then the risk of rot and infestation is very low. The timber must maintain a low moisture content of around 12% to prevent rot setting in. This generally isn’t a problem with well-heated buildings and ventilated buildings however. 

• Fire risk. There’s a general perception that timber frame buildings are more at risk of fire than masonry buildings. Of course, wood is more likely to burn than stone or concrete. However this again comes down to the treatment and maintenance of the wood itself. Generally the risk is very low with well constructed buildings. 

• Sound insulation. Timber frame won’t resist sound transmission as well as traditionally constructed buildings because it has a lower density. It is possible to offset this with extra insulation, or deadening materials to reduce sound transmission, but as a general rule timber frame buildings will transmit more sound. 

• Obtaining a mortgage. We discuss this in more detail later in the article, but it can be difficult to obtain a mortgage on certain types of timber frame buildings, particularly if you have a low credit score.  

How long do Timber Frame Houses Last? 

There is no set answer here. The lifespan of a timber frame house will depend on the quality of its construction and the elements to which it is exposed. There are many European timber frame structures that date back as early as the 12th century. But some sites out there suggest that timber frame houses can last as little as 30 years. 

Can I get a mortgage on a Timber Frame House? 

Many people have concerns about whether it will be possible to get a mortgage on a timber frame house. It is certainly possible to get a mortgage on a timber frame property, but there are a number of different factors that will affect your mortgage eligibility. We’ve listed some of the most common factors below. 

• Other materials used in the property. The cladding and exterior materials of a property often have a large bearing on the propensity of lenders to offer mortgages on timber frame houses. Lenders typically prefer exteriors that are mainly brick or stone, whereas less robust materials such as metal sheeting or plastic can make obtaining a mortgage much more difficult. 

• The mortgage lender. Some lenders are more prepared than others to offer mortgages on houses that are non-traditional construction, including timber frame construction. Do your research and make use of comparison sites and mortgage brokers to find the best rate possible. 

• Your credit score. This is a factor with any mortgage, but particularly so on a mortgage that lenders may deem more ‘risky’. You could look for a specialist mortgage provider that offers mortgages to borrowers with bad credit scores, but be prepared to pay higher interest rates. 

• The age and type of property. There is a huge range of types of timber frame construction, and a high degree of variance in the quality of construction. Your lender will likely want to conduct a detailed survey to establish the quality of the building, and may require you to take out specialist insurance to obtain a mortgage. 

Can I sell a Timber Frame House? 

Some people dread selling their house if it is of ‘non-standard’ construction, for example BISF housing. There’s the fear that it may be undervalued or take a long time to sell. Whilst it’s true that non-standard construction homes tend to appeal to a smaller pool of buyers and therefore are slightly more difficult to sell fast. There are other routes to get your house sold quickly. 

At SmoothSale we can overcome these hurdles by working directly with you, the seller, to achieve your desired outcome. As a cash house buyer, we are able to buy houses using our own funds, and complete within a flexible time frame that suits your needs. It also means that we’re not picky on which houses we buy. We buy any house in any condition, and we offer a fee free service. We’ll even cover your legal fees. If you’re interested in selling your timber frame house in a timescale that suits your needs then why not get a cash offer today or give us a call on 0800 368 8952. 

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The Truth About Timber Frame New Homes

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Durability

Modern day timber frame components are preservative treated.  However this is only fully effective if the timber is not drilled or cut. All cut ends should be re treated with preservative! It is somewhat inevitable that some components will require “site alteration” to suit as-built site sizes and site tolerances. It is also a moot point whether the timber treatment offers full long term protection against all known possible detrimental effects to timber. Timber fence posts are treated but can and do still rot!

The modern timber frame home is not the same as the older type of timber framed buildings built by our Tudor ancestors consisting of large section 8” x 8” solid hardwood Oak frames that have stood the test of time.  Modern mass produced timber frame homes have been built since the 1970’s and the very oldest are still less than 40 years old. The timber frame itself is normally “guaranteed” by the manufacturer for various periods ranging from 10 to 40 years. It is a commonly perceived opinion within the industry that 25 –30 years is a reasonably expected life span for a softwood timber framed building. This is the same period as the average length of mortgage.  No one would buy a leasehold property with 30 years left on the lease!

Timber Frame new homes

Quality issues with timber frame new homes

Timber rot and pests

Timber is vulnerable to both wet and dry rot and from attack by a variety of insects and vermin. For more information on what can destroy a timber frame home CLICK PDF download

Termites that originate from mainland Europe have recently been found in some counties in the UK. They are white ant-like insects that destroy timber. Termites eat 24 hours a day 7 days a week and have caused billions of dollars worth of damage to property and homes in America. Termites and other insects don’t eat concrete or brick, so termite protection and repair costs are not necessary or a concern in a traditionally-built masonry new home.

To lessen the possibility of wet rot it is generally accepted that the timber frame should not be covered until the moisture content is at 20% or below.  This is when the thermal insulation, vapour barrier and plaster boarding can be commenced.  However, how many site managers know this, check this or even have a moisture meter?  The most critical element is the sole plate, a structural timber fixed to the ground floor onto which the wall panels are fixed.  This is often immersed in standing water for a period while the frame and roof are constructed, especially so in multi-storey buildings.

Insurance

Insurers increasingly include a general provision that excludes dry and wet rot. Hardly any policies cover damage caused by vermin, but damage by fire and flood is normally included in the cover provided. Termite damage is not covered by UK insurance policies. Loss or damage caused by damp is generally excluded and poor maintenance of your house can actually invalidate your policy. See also Safe and Secure download PDF

Insurers are now looking at the increased fire risk posed by timber frame construction in new homes, especially in apartment blocks and terraces. The building regulations (2011) require at minimum one-hour fire protection for the timber frame. But timber burns – concrete block walls do not.

Condensation

Condensation is the most common form of dampness in new homes. Condensation leads to mould growth and in many cases the mould and its spores can lead to health complaints and respiratory problems. Condensation is a particular problem in timber frame homes as the polythene vapour barrier installed behind the plasterboard, effectively seals in all the moisture generated by the occupants, through cooking and bathing.  It is essential that the extractor fans are used whenever moisture is being generated in the home. It is also advisable despite draughts, to leave all window trickle vents open even in the winter.

If condensation does become a problem both the house builder and NHBC will, in the first instance, suggest that it is a “lifestyle problem” rather than a building defect. The advice given by them is normally to turn up the heating (so the air can accommodate more moisture vapour) and increase ventilation by opening windows to let the moisture laden air (and the heat!) out.  

Adaptability and Flexibility

If you choose a masonry home it can be easily extended if you have the extra land. Not so simple for those who live in a timber frame “kit” home, where extensions can be expensive, invasive and have a lengthy design and delivery lead time. DIY jobs such as putting up shelves are much easier in a masonry home; no need to locate support brackets at the stud centres if indeed you can find them!

Timber also requires structural steelwork to support loads that can be accommodated by masonry construction. This can cause an additional problem when the timber frame shrinks as it dries out and the supporting steelwork does not. However, smaller section steel beams can be used to support a light weight timber frame to enable larger rooms free of intermediate support columns.

Security

The type of materials used to construct a new home can influence how resistant the building is to a break-in attempt, especially with terraced houses, apartments and communal living spaces. Party walls are of particular concern as they are normally just a few layers of 12mm fire resistant board fixed to 89 x 38mm timber studwork filled with fibreglass.  It is obvious that an intruder will be able to cut his way through a party wall quietly, and fairly quickly using little more than a utility knife or small padsaw. It could be possible to gain access to a whole terrace of homes or a floor of apartments unnoticed by the outside world.

Apartments are particularly vulnerable if built in timber frame.  Access can be gained via the stud walls in the communal staircase area or as is quite common, through the roof space via the loft hatch accesses in the staircase area and top floor flats. The party wall fire breaks are formed in either curtains of wire-reinforced fire resistant mineral wool or timber frame panels clad with 12mm fire resistant board –  neither much of a match for the burglar who will be able to break in again, unnoticed by anyone.

Finally, any timber frame home that is clad in timber is also more vulnerable to a break in. It is very easy to strip off the cladding and cut through the OSB and plasterboard inner leaf to gain access.

However, with a masonry built new home, knocking an access hole through two 100mm thick leaves of brick or concrete block is not only noisy and would therefore not go unnoticed, but also very hard work!  

Energy efficiency

New homes built using timber frame are generally more energy efficient.  Thick thermal insulation is placed between the inner leaf studs resulting in only the air in the home being heated, not also the building structure’s inner leaf block wall as is the case with cavity-insulated masonry construction. However it also follows that timber frame homes do tend to suffer more with overheating in the summer.

Noise

The basic rule is that Mass helps to reduce overall noise transmission.  Mass is found by multiplying weight by density. A wall constructed using concrete blocks will have around 50% greater sound insulation due to the much higher Mass than an insulated timber stud wall, resulting in less noise being transmitted between adjoining homes that are built using masonry construction.  Noise transmission is a particular problem in blocks of flats and terraced houses. Solid concrete floors are much better at reducing the amount of noise transmission between dwellings than timber floors, even with the latest floating floor and noise isolating detailing. Indeed a “floating” timber floor construction may even introduce further problems for the occupant with “springy” floors caused by the sound isolating design.  

The timber frame method of construction has also been used to build many of the new “budget” hotels.  If you have ever stayed in one, you will be familiar with the noise transfer from adjoining rooms, with TV’s and talking being easily audible and noise from the occupants walking around in the room above.  At least with a hotel your disturbance is only temporary.

The English House Condition Survey statistics show that up to 4.7 million people suffer as a result of noise from traffic, industry or noisy neighbours. Noise is one of the most common complaints from homeowners. Whether it is from a noisy neighbour, loud music, dog barking or even the toilet flushing, noise disturbance is a real problem. Local Authorities say that every year they get more complaints about noise than any other issue; it is one that can cause emotional distress and can result in breakdowns in families and communities.

Resale

The majority (75%) of new homes in the UK are built using masonry materials, which continues to be the preferred construction method today as it has been for many years. Indeed new homes of masonry construction are often referred to as “traditionally-built”.

Independent research conducted by MORI, found 90% of those questioned preferred the attributes of brick and block built homes. When the time comes to sell your home, a traditionally built home could be more attractive to potential buyers than a timber frame home.

Timber frame construction can offer a viable alternative solution for the self-builder building a single one-off detached home. They will be in a position to inspect every stage of the process and will stand to benefit fully from any cost savings and faster construction time. Do the UK house building companies pass these savings on to their buyers with comparable lower prices for timber frame new home?

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Timber high-rise building, 9-storey residential building Stadthaus, London

high-rise wooden housing projects (30 meters) in the world. The main bearing and enclosing material in its design is CLT-panels.

Stadthaus. Waugh Thistleton Architects.

Stadthaus – 29 apartment 9-storey building, built in 2009 in London (London, Hackney, 24 Murray Grove). This is one of the first high-rise (30 meters) high-rise wooden housing construction projects in the world. The main load-bearing and enclosing material in its construction is glued wood – CLT panels. Partly, the London experiment was due to the fact that in the United Kingdom there were no formal acts restricting the construction of residential multi-storey buildings from timber. In essence, the challenge for engineers and designers was an exceptionally interesting technical problem. But the customers, Telford Homes PLC and the Metropolitan Housing Trust, had to fit into their difficult technical task – to build a modern apartment building in a residential area without disturbing the usual rhythm of life and without compromising the comfort of the residents of the surrounding houses.

Stadthaus (German analogue of the English Town House; probably this name is due to the use of formaldehyde-free coniferous CLT panels from the Austrian company KLH Massivholz GmbH and its division KLH UK) – urban dwelling. The task for the architectural design competition, set by the customers, was to design the construction of a comfortable apartment building on a small site (17×17 m), surrounded by existing residential buildings. It should be energy efficient, inexpensive, in harmony with the surrounding urban environment. The choice of the concept was made in favor of wooden housing construction, and the material – modern structural wood, CLT panels.

“Commercial” floor plans (4th to 8th) Stadthaus by Waugh Thistleton Architects.

An important aspect in the evaluation of the proposed projects was the adherence to the concept of sustainable development. The price calculation took into account not only the real current costs of production, but also components due to the environmental aspects of the cost (from benefits and subsidies for “green” materials and technologies, to the cost of recycling a building that has served its purpose). Finally, construction work should not have significantly worsened living conditions in neighboring residential buildings.

Visualization of the Stadthaus project, engineering and construction company Techniker.

The project, which was supposed to use CLT panels instead of traditional concrete, turned out to be a winner in every respect. And even the initially higher cost of structures made of glued wood and other materials corresponding to the technology of “wood construction” was compensated by the high speed of work and reduced labor costs at the construction site. It is estimated that a comparable reinforced concrete house would take 72 weeks to build, while the Stadthaus was completed in 49weeks. Moreover, the top 8 wooden floors were assembled by 4 installers, spending 27 working days on this (9 weeks, 3 working days each). Since the construction used ready-made modules, and the work was reduced to lifting and installing relatively light prefabricated elements, the life of the townspeople was not overshadowed by noise or construction debris.

CLT panels in the Stadthaus design by Waugh Thistleton Architects.

Although at the administrative level the decision in favor of wood as a building material was made consciously (with the realization of the advantages of CLT-panel structures), they did not advertise the new technology to potential property buyers and tenants. The reliability of wooden structures and their fire safety during the construction period were far from indisputable for public opinion. Therefore, the Stadthaus, finished on the outside with decorative and protective eternite facade panels, and on the inside with drywall and plaster, is no different from a modern residential building. The idea of ​​using “living and healthy wood” in PR, which is widely used in modern high-rise wooden housing construction, still seemed risky ten years ago.

Stadthaus wall structure, “Case Study / Stadthaus, Murray Grove, London”, Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA).

Stadthaus – designed by Waugh Thistleton Architects (www.waughthistleton.com) and built by Techniker (www.techniker.co.uk). Elevator and stairwells form the skeleton of the building, around which residential apartments are located. The load is redistributed both between this core and between the “honeycomb” structure of the inner and outer walls. All elements, including elevator and stair shafts, are made of CLT. When installing a new floor, finished panels, with pre-made holes for engineering lines and communications, with installed windows and doors, are built on the already assembled base of the underlying one. Metal corners are used to install and fix the panels. The design works due to the connectivity of all elements, however, it is designed with a margin of safety that allows you to dismantle any of them for replacement or redevelopment.

Construction process Stadthaus, KLH UK.

Cross-laminated boards (CLT) have sufficient dimensional stability even with significant changes in temperature and humidity. However, when used for horizontal slabs, swelling/shrinkage in thickness can lead to noticeable deformations. That is why the first floor of the Stadthaus, where the ceilings and walls are more likely to get wet, is made of concrete. And the CLT structures of the upper floors are protected by drywall and plaster. In addition, almost all wooden panels of the building are “wrapped” with heat and sound insulating layers. They provide minimal heat losses to the outer walls, and good sound insulation to the inner walls (the elevator shafts are generally assembled in two CLT panels with a porous insulating layer each). Outside, the building is covered with eternite tiles, for the production of which wood (chips, woodworking waste) was also used.

It is worth noting that the pattern of the facade, formed by tiles of different colors, as noted in the project description, was chosen in the style of the works of artists Gerhard Richter and Mark Harvey. And so that the light reflected by it with modulations of brightness and color was perceived by the residents of neighboring houses as familiar, which existed before the construction of the Stadthaus. The energy efficiency of the building is also excellent. In particular, up to 70% of heat is returned from ventilation systems, solar panels are used, and heat losses per square meter of wall with a temperature difference of 1 degree are only 0.13 W.

History of wooden frame houses

Home Articles History of wooden frame houses

Contents

• 1 Early timber building methods
• 2 Decline in popularity of timber
• 3 Modern revival of wooden houses
• 4 Supremacy of Sweden
• 5 Improvements in British timber buildings

from the Neolithic period. 1 of the oldest timber frame houses in Europe are in England and Scotland, and the earliest timber frame buildings in existence today in Britain date back to the 13th century. This shows how durable this construction method is. In Russia, you can also order good frame houses on the website https://lenstroydom.ru/house/karkas-house.html.

Although timber has fallen out of fashion in recent centuries, it is experiencing a renaissance in modern times, despite advances in other types of building technology, testifying to the continued popularity of timber frame houses.

Early Timber Building Techniques

When wooden frame houses were first built in Britain in the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common technique was lap jointing, but this was soon replaced by the much stronger mortise and tenon joint, which created a strong and durable frame.

Over the centuries, other methods of wood building have become widespread, including frame building and panel building, with panel building being more common in the UK.

Another technique that became very popular was the extension, in which the space of the upper floors extended beyond the outer walls. Sometimes with the help of a canopy more than one floor was built on, which led to the appearance of houses, the upper floors of which went straight to the street. A good place to see this is The Shambles in York.

The decline of wood

In the 16th century, wood became increasingly difficult to find in Britain as it was increasingly used for ship building and fuel. Until the 18th century, most buildings remained wooden, but in subsequent centuries this became less fashionable, and often the wood was covered with plaster.

The Modern Revival of Wooden Houses

The 1970s saw a renaissance in the 1970s in the UK, as well as in the US and Canada, where more affordable mass-produced technologies became available. However, at least in the UK, these technologies were initially of poor quality.

The wood was usually low quality softwood with minimal structural integrity, the frame was built quickly with exterior brick sheathing, and the overall end product was poor and of poor quality. This was different from some other countries where timber frame buildings were still popular, one of which was Sweden.

Swedish Excellence

Timber frame buildings have remained popular in Sweden for centuries, and over the last 50 years Swedish craftsmen have perfected their craft of building wooden houses. One reason for the higher quality was the significant differences between the way Swedes and Scandinavians erected wooden buildings compared to the British process.

First of all, they used high quality lumber. Sweden used wood grown slowly over 50 years compared to the UK where wood was grown quickly over 25 years. This had a significant impact on the structural integrity of the base product.

In Sweden, craftsmen also tended to build wall panels, starting with a window and building a frame around it, as opposed to walls with openings for windows. This meant that each panel had full thermal integrity with a factory finish.

In the UK, by contrast, light frames with window openings are more common, which are then erected on site and the windows installed retroactively. This made the joint between the windows and the frame the weakest part of the entire building.

UK Timber Building Improvements

While the timber frame trend in the UK in the 1970s did a lot of damage to its reputation, we are now seeing something of a renaissance in the market. Currently, timber framing is regularly used for the construction of nursing homes, hotels and other buildings. It is also used in residential construction in some cases and tends to provide the best level of environmental performance as it is an environmentally friendly technology known for its energy efficiency.

Currently, several Russian companies have decided to adopt many Scandinavian skills and develop wooden houses with exceptional environmental performance and sustainability. These buildings can last more than 50 years if they are well cared for throughout their lifetime. With the right technology, wood is likely to remain a popular and highly efficient building material in Russia for years to come.

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Houzz UK: London house on the site of a former squat

A combination of old and new details gives this house a modern, timeless rustic interior helped technologist Joe Stewart and his wife find inspiration to transform a dilapidated north London squatter home. “We recently visited Williamsburg in Brooklyn, and we really liked the rustic interiors we saw there,” says Joe. “We tried to use elements of this style in the design of our own home.”

Adelina Iliev Photography

About the project
Location: North London
Size: Two bedrooms and one bath
Who lives here: Production architect Joe Stewart, his wife 09 Architects03

The building was in a poor state of repair when the couple purchased it, but this made it possible to completely remove all finishes and infrastructure and start over. “We completely redesigned the layout and opened the first floor as much as possible to fill it with light,” says Joe. “On the other hand, we tried to preserve the historical roots of the building, built in the era of King George.”

Adelina Iliev Photography

“We only kept the brick walls, cleaned them up, and left them as is in many places to highlight certain walls,” says Joe. The couple decided not to cover the brick walls, so they chose low cabinets for the kitchen, which makes the latter look very homely. They decided to buy cabinets from British Standard, a British brand that produces simple and solid kitchen furniture. “It’s a modular system that you have to pick up and assemble yourself, but it looks great and it’s inexpensive,” explains Joe.

Redesigned bar stools with Architectural Forum and metal pendant lamps are industrial details that add interest to the space.

Worktops: IKEA; plate: Rangemaster; yellow lamp: Jackson, Made

Adelina Iliev Photography

Sink: Shaws; tile: Tons of Tiles

Finding a washbasin to match this vanity was a challenge. It is made in a rustic style and is combined with a convenient dish drainer, in which you can quickly put washed dishes.

Adelina Iliev Photography

The couple installed heating under the restored floorboards and built a wood-burning stove into the fireplace, which creates a cozy atmosphere in winter. “We use the oven all the time,” Stewart says. “She exudes amazing warmth.”

Tiles on the floor by the fireplace add a geometric pattern to the interior. “We sent the specialist the necessary measurements, and he sent us a finished assembled form, which only had to be installed,” explains the architect.

Plate: Esse; tile by the fireplace: 20th Century Fireplaces

Adelina Iliev Photography

With the arrival of the baby, the couple had to pick up the pace to complete the home renovation as soon as possible.

The couple went to Sofa. com looking for a sofa, but couldn’t find one until a co-worker told them to check the store’s eBay account. “There we found this gray sofa at a discount. It goes well with brick and wood,” says Joe.

Adelina Iliev Photography

Since there is not much space in the apartment, the couple tried to build in storage systems. These neatly filled floor-to-ceiling shelves in the living room add color and interest to the space, as well as providing much-needed book storage. In addition, shelves separate the kitchen from the living room.

Adelina Iliev Photography

The fireplace in the couple’s bedroom remains in its original state. Blinds on the windows keep the room simple and tidy. “We opted for blinds split in the middle as they are easier to control to fill the room with sunlight.”

Wardrobe: IKEA; bed: Sofa.com; bed linen: John Lewis

Adelina Iliev Photography

The spectacular bathroom features handcrafted and recycled furniture and is accessed through the bedroom and hallway. The wooden sliding door used to be in Joe’s great-grandmother’s house.

“We used it as a backdrop for our wedding photos,” says the architect. “That’s why it’s especially nice to see her in the house. I built the sink cabinet from the boards of the former platform.

Adelina Iliev Photography

Bathtub and WC: Victorian Plumbing

Mid-19th century style faucets recall the building’s historical past. “Also, we really liked the idea of ​​having a free-standing clawfoot tub here,” says Joe.

Adelina Iliev Photography

The wall between the bathroom, the bedroom and the corridor is made of microcement. “It’s an amazing material: waterproof and flexible, which means it won’t crack. Because of this, we were able to use it on the bathroom wall,” says Joe. “I really wanted to have a color connection between the space inside and outside the soul. In addition, the microcement wall blends well with the bricks and creates a nice industrial effect. ”

Adelina Iliev Photography

Wallpaper: Cole & Son

Black and white wallpaper with trees creates a dreamy atmosphere in the guest bedroom. In order to focus on the wallpaper, the bed is made up with simple white linen, the windows are covered with very discreet and inconspicuous blinds.

Adelina Iliev Photography

This corner of the attic has always existed, but Joe has made it more accessible and convenient by building a staircase and a balustrade. Now it is a comfortable study or reading room. Considering that the couple recently had a baby, materials with a minimum content of chemicals were used in the repair. This room is painted with earthborn eco-friendly paint. 9

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04/17/2019 at 23:07

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A wooden house burned down in Vsevolozhsk (Leningrad region). According to witnesses on social networks, the fire happened in front of the local House of Culture on Koltushskoye Highway.

Several emergency vehicles arrived at the scene of the fire.

There is no information about injured or dead at the moment. The circumstances of the fire are being established.

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Wooden house building in the 21st century (Russia)

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The traditions of wooden housing construction are rooted deep into the centuries. Even in the pre-Christian era, the ancient Slavic tribes erected pagan prayer buildings and dwellings made of wood. Over time, a log house made of unhewn logs became the constructive basis of Russian wooden architecture and a kind of archetypal symbol of Russia. In the 16th century, the English diplomat J. Fletcher in his essay “On the Russian State” wrote about the widespread distribution of wooden buildings, explaining this by the low cost and low thermal conductivity of raw materials. For several centuries, wood continued to be the most popular building material. Only in the middle of the 19th century, with the development of the brick industry, did it give way to stone housing construction. The decline of wooden architecture fell on the heyday of the Soviet era and the mass development of concrete structures. The second half of the 20th century marked the transition of wooden buildings to the category of country life.

In modern Russia, wood is used little and, for the most part, as an auxiliary material. So, in accordance with the data of the State Budgetary Institution “Center for Expertise, Research and Testing in Construction”, more than half of the total volume of wood falls on the production of opal, scaffolding and other similar structures, while the construction of load-bearing elements is only 2%. Another 6% goes to the segment of private low-rise construction. Here the situation is somewhat better, and the share of wooden housing construction is approximately 30% of the total volume of residential buildings. At the same time, wooden houses are in the greatest demand in the North-West region, as well as the Ural, Siberian and Far Eastern federal districts.

Despite the relatively modest figures, the Association of Wooden Housing notes the positive dynamics observed over a twenty-year period, during which construction volumes increased by about 7 times. In the near future, the state plans to actively promote the development of wooden housing construction to meet the needs of citizens in affordable and comfortable housing. According to Interfax, the Ministry of Construction is already developing regulations on the construction of multi-storey wooden buildings. According to the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, this will become possible by 2024. By this time, the authorities expect to increase the share of wooden housing from 10% to 20%.

On the way to the set goal, it will be necessary to resolve the issue of the shortage of raw materials, which is often faced by players in the domestic market. Despite the fact that Russia has the world’s largest timber reserves, numbering more than 11 million square meters. m of forest land, the bulk of raw materials are exported on the principle of obtaining the greatest benefit. The situation is aggravated by the high level of illegal forest management – for example, according to Greenpeace Russia, about 20% of the forest is cut down by poachers. In response to the current state of affairs, the Kremlin press service stated that, starting from 2022, the export of unprocessed wood for export will be prohibited, which will allow the accumulation of large volumes of raw materials within the country necessary for the development of wooden housing construction. As additional measures to combat “black loggers”, in January 2021, the State Duma approved in the second reading a package of amendments to the Forest Code, in accordance with which a federal information system for the forestry complex will be developed in the next two years, allowing you to track the entire path of timber from the plot to end buyer. These measures, combined with the creation of forest supervision, will significantly reduce illegal activities with raw materials.

Viktor Yevtukhov, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, voiced an important task on the way of popularizing wooden houses. It lies in the need to convey to consumers the benefits of living in a wooden house. In Russia, since the 1930s, with rare exceptions, there have been no examples of industrial construction made of wood, which is why our citizens have not formed confidence in such types of construction. At the same time, in many European countries you can find high-rise buildings made of wood, for example, the nine-story house in London (UK) Stadhouse, the nine-story residential complex in Milan (Italy) Via Cenni, or the Mjøstårnet skyscraper in Brumunddal (Norway), numbering 18 floors, making it the tallest wooden structure in the world. Semyon Goglev, an expert in wooden housing construction and a partner of Norvex NLK, authoritatively states that modern technologies make it possible to create architecturally complex environmentally friendly wood structures whose life cycle reaches, and sometimes exceeds, 100 years. In terms of service life, such houses are comparable to buildings made of ceramic bricks and will last longer than panel and block buildings (the life cycle of which, on average, is 75 years).

Another consumer concern concerns the fire safety of timber structures. But here, too, experts, including the Head of the Association of Wooden Housing Oleg Panitkov and the Executive Director of the Association of Wooden Construction Siberia Veronika Zaitseva, argue that a properly designed building, during the construction of which beams and ceilings treated with special compounds were used, will retain integrity for a long time structures and will not lose their bearing capacity, unlike metal. Using the fire retardant NEOMID 450-1 as an example, it is easy to see how wood behaves in the event of a fire.