House made of timber or frame? Frame or timber house, which is better: comparison of characteristics.

Before choosing a material for building a house, it is important to weigh all the positive and negative qualities, and only then start building housing.

Wooden houses are becoming more and more popular from year to year. The reason for this was that a wide variety of products appeared on the domestic market. building materials, which are used for the construction wooden buildings or serve as additional internal and exterior finishing.

New ones also appeared technological methods, allowing to effectively counteract the formation of fungus and rot, which 20-30 years ago was the main problem of all owners of wooden buildings.

Experts say that with proper care, a house built of wood using modern technologies can last more than 100 years.

It is worth noting that the construction wooden house does not require large quantity time, especially when it comes to structures made of high-quality timber or frame buildings. However, structures made from these popular materials differ greatly in properties, and in order to answer the question of which house is better - frame or timber, you can conduct a comparative analysis and consider the main pros and cons of the proposed buildings.

Advantages and disadvantages of using timber

The primary task before building a house from timber is choosing the type of building material. Now on the market you can find both cheap options in the form of raw timber and high-quality analogues in the form of laminated veneer lumber.

Often houses from profile beam are produced with the involvement of special companies, and they arrive to the consumer in the form of a large wooden construction set. In this case, raw timber is practically not used due to the fact that there is a high chance of deformation of the erected buildings after drying. Manufacturers take this risk wooden houses usually they don't go.

Using dry or laminated timber is more practical. This material is made mainly from coniferous wood, which initially contains a certain amount of antiseptic substances.

Based on the opinion of experts, the following advantages of houses made of timber can be identified:

  1. Thermal insulation. Standard profiled timber and its laminated veneer lumber are very good thermal insulation materials, which do not require additional finishing materials to insulate the room. Stacked in compliance with all necessary requirements wooden beams perfectly prevent the penetration of not only cold, but also moisture into the room.
  2. Aesthetics. When making timber, its edges are cut as evenly as possible. Immediately after construction, the house will not require any finishing work, but it will look very presentable.
  3. Safety. Fire retardants (special impregnations that reduce the possibility of wood ignition) are used in the production of timber. As a result, the material practically does not burn, and it is quite difficult to cause significant damage to it using fire. The wood is also impregnated with other substances that help the wood resist rot, fungi and various types of insects.

But, despite the large list of advantages, buildings made of timber also have their disadvantages:

  1. Shrinkage time. Any type of timber after the construction of a house must stand for some time without occupants. This period can take from 3 to 6 months, and in the case of raw material, even longer. This process is necessary for the shrinkage of the building.
  2. Selection of material. Despite the fact that timber is a very popular material that can be purchased everywhere, it should be understood that its selection is a very responsible process. It is not always possible to independently determine the quality of raw materials, especially when it comes to the construction of permanent housing, where the durability of the house will depend on the quality of the timber used.

Pros and cons of frame buildings

Frame houses can be divided into buildings for seasonal living and those that are used all year round. The latter are called capital. For their construction they are often used Additional materials in the form of siding or trim natural stone, which increase the service life and make homes warmer.

Seasonal structures are erected using panels consisting of insulation and materials made from waste from the wood processing industry. They are additionally treated with substances that help the wood resist moisture and ultraviolet radiation. Such structures are often used as a summer house or cottage. It is uncomfortable to live in them in the autumn-winter period, because such housing has poor thermal insulation characteristics. In permanent buildings, this problem is solved by using panels made of denser materials. This applies to both wood and various insulation materials.

The advantages that can be highlighted in the material for frame houses:

  • construction time: frame houses do not require downtime and are erected almost instantly, the panels are quickly assembled into a single structure without additional adjustment;
  • frame: the base of the house can be built from a variety of materials, but the most popular are metal and wood.
  • cladding: for the internal and external cladding or cladding of a house, you can use a wide variety of materials, making allowances only for the properties of the frame and its capabilities, thanks to this there is a chance to independently choose the design style of the house.

Unlike wooden frame, metal structure for a long time maintains integrity and does not change physical properties.

The main disadvantage panel houses- this is the fact that for its construction it is necessary to attract professionals. Especially when it comes to the construction of permanent housing. In addition, panels for frame houses are a rather rare building material. Usually it is made to order, because such a product may have various variations in terms of combining raw materials.

Cost of frame houses

Many people believe that frame house or a cottage is much cheaper than timber housing. To some extent, the statement is true. However, it should still be noted that there are practically no significant differences in the cost of a capital frame structure and a building made of timber.

If you make a comparison, you can really notice that glued or even standard timber will be noticeably more expensive. However, a house built from panels does not require interior or exterior finishing. In addition, an all-season panel structure requires additional costs for the purchase of insulation and work aimed at increasing the level of waterproofing.

In this case, if we take the total costs of building both houses, we can calculate that their total cost will be almost the same. The only thing cheaper than a building made of timber is the construction of a frame summer house.

It should also be noted that financial investments in construction frame house should be one-time, and the construction of housing from timber is carried out gradually, which makes it possible to finance it in parts. This, of course, does not make a timber building cheaper, but it significantly relieves the financial burden during construction.

Additional Analysis

Despite the fact that each material has its pros and cons, we can say that when choosing from two possible options, it is best to give preference to timber. This is due to the following factors:

Before choosing a material for building a house, it is important to weigh all the positive and negative qualities, and only then start building housing. published

A frame house is a structure made of boards or timber that forms the frame of walls, ceilings and roof. On both sides, the frame posts are sheathed with slabs on a wood or chip base, and insulation is laid inside. Thus, thanks to the frame, the house is strong enough to withstand natural disasters, but economical, since little wood is used to construct the posts, floor beams and roof.

Low price is also due to the fact that for such light buildings there is no need to make a strong and heavy foundation, a columnar or strip foundation is sufficient shallow foundation. Modern insulation materials- mineral wool, ecowool, expanded polystyrene - allow you to make the building protected from the cold even during severe frosts. The fact that frame houses have been successfully built for several centuries in Scandinavian countries and Canada indicates good thermal insulation of the house.

Frame houses are very easy to build, if available good project, attentiveness and accuracy, even a person who has no experience in construction can build a good house.

The disadvantages of frame houses, especially compared to timber houses, include their fragility. If desired external walls, upholstered with OSB on the outside and plasterboard on the inside, can be broken or even broken with a fist, and in order to hang heavy shelves, a cornice with bulky curtains or a horizontal bar on the wall, it is necessary to further strengthen it.

Only those buildings in the construction of which specially prepared materials were used can be called good frame houses: the wood must be well-dried using artificial methods and protected from moisture until the time of construction, it should also be treated with compounds that prevent rotting; the insulation must be of high quality and dry; It is imperative to use a vapor barrier with inside houses and hydro-windproofing from the outside. It is very important not to confuse the sequence of creating the so-called wall pie, otherwise moisture will penetrate into the insulation, which will lose its properties.

Advantages and disadvantages of timber houses

Log houses are much more impressive and stronger than frame houses; they are built entirely from profiled timber. It is very difficult to break a wall made of strong wood, which is why such buildings seem reliable. But due to the strength and heavy weight of such a house, it is necessary to make a more powerful foundation, which is more expensive.

The timber itself is cheaper than dried wood, but more wood is required. And in the northern regions it is necessary to additionally insulate such a house. But you can save on external and interior decorationtimber house and without finishing it looks attractive. But not everyone is ready to live in a house with internal walls made of timber, so in most cases they are closed anyway.

Since such a house shrinks, you need to wait a year before finishing work.

Log houses are usually more durable than frame houses; they can last for several decades. But it is more difficult to build such a building; you need experience in construction and significant assistance in labor force.

Unlike concrete, wood has a high level of environmental friendliness. Any developer is faced with a choice - what is better to use to build a wooden house: a frame or timber?

To get a complete answer to the question posed, it is best to analyze both materials for the following characteristics:

  1. Strength and durability.
  2. The difference in the price of the material and the calculation of its cost.
  3. Speed ​​of construction and ease of operation.
  4. Environmental friendliness.
  5. Structural and architectural abilities.
  6. Advantages and disadvantages.

Let's take a closer look at each of the points to understand which one. wood materials will receive priority.

Comparison of strength and durability

Considering the strength of materials, you can safely give preference to frame buildings. The fact is that the period of operation of the frame, even if different chemicals and antiseptics, is about 25 maximum 30 years. After a certain period of time, such a design requires mandatory replacement of the supporting racks, which wear out from negative influence natural factors.

A building made of timber can last about 50 years, without various deformations and changes in operational characteristics. IN similar houses One small detail needs to be taken into account. Before they began to produce, many used profiled material, which was not processed at all in the factory.

After the introduction of laminated timber into society, the service life of timber houses has increased significantly and is over 80 years.

Many developers believe that the timber construction option is much more reliable and durable. It is worth noting their differences:

  • A frame house is presented in the form of several layers of finishing, the gaps of which are filled with insulation. This type is completely non-functional and does not have a sufficient level of strength. The walls of such a house are easily destroyed and opened.
  • House from timber walls presented in the form of wood, which is naturally strong enough. A 150 mm thick beam is a very reliable barrier.

From the point of view of strength and durability, the timber version is much better.


Price difference

Most important point for any developer - price policy, namely the total cost of housing. This criterion is very important and is what guides the future owner of the building.

For some reason, the majority of the population believes that it is much lower in cost than one built from beams, but this is not at all true. If you look carefully, the price for both options is approximately at the same level.

You can verify this by studying each of them in more detail:

  • Firstly, timber is not as expensive as the advertising of various companies suggests, since there is more than enough material and production is developed at a good level.
  • Secondly, the timber does not require various additional work and exterior decoration, thanks to its beautiful and aesthetic appearance. While frame buildings require both internal and external finishing.
  • Third, frame structures require immediate payment for both the material and the facing work due to short terms construction. The costs of a house made of timber can be easily distributed over two seasons, since its construction period is somewhat longer.

Advice! If we consider both materials in completely identical projects, then the timber option can be much more cost effective.


Calculation of the cost of a timber house

The cost of this house consists only of the price of wood. This material itself is more expensive than the frame, but much lower in cost with complete set insulating materials. However, such a case only concerns solid beams. If we are talking about high-tech projects using, then construction will incur costs slightly higher than the expected level.

Advice! The construction can become more expensive only if additional exterior finishing is done on the laminated timber.

When it comes to pricing for laminated veneer lumber or frame, there are a number of important factors in favor of the first option:

  1. When building a house from timber, all funds are spent on purchasing laminated timber, not counting the cost of laying the foundation. Regardless of its high price, which is fully compensated by the absence of costs for covering the walls of a home.
  2. Laminated wood, developed according to the latest technologies, and a specialist is strongly discouraged from finishing it, especially since the timber has natural beauty and style. Therefore, the developer will significantly save on the purchase of finishing materials, which will significantly reduce the final cost of housing.
  3. The glued beams are designed in accordance with the “tire-groove” system, in which all the constituent elements of the structure are tightly connected to each other. Houses made from this material do not require the installation of heat and waterproofing layers.

If we compare the costs of sheathing material, thermal insulation, finishing and the work of craftsmen for frame housing, then timber buildings can be much cheaper as a result.

Calculation of the cost of a frame house

The cost of housing made of frame wood consists of the following materials:

  • Wood.
  • Hydro- and thermal insulation.
  • Facade works.
  • Decoration Materials.

Frame houses will be cheaper in price, if they are made using old technologies, which were not available at that time a large assortment material. Modern material has a low competitive price, but for long-term work such technology will be too expensive in heating and maintaining the building.

When building houses from this material, additional heat-insulating, waterproof, noise-absorbing and wind-barrier materials are now used. They form the structure wall structures from several layers. Due to the set of these materials, costs increase several times.

The final cost of buildings depends on the material that will be used for construction vertical racks, horizontal strapping, etc. In this situation it can be used as ordinary timber, and metal profiles.

Advice! If any metal is used to create a housing frame, its cost will instantly increase by approximately 20–30%.

Availability different nuances in the technology of erecting frame structures requires special knowledge, which increases costs due to the cost of specialists.

Advice! The price for 1 m2 of frame-panel construction depends on the choice of insulating material and cladding. For example, if you use SIP panels, the house will be built faster and its cost will be lower, and quite the opposite when you use OSB boards.


Difference in construction complexity

From point of view construction work materials should be analyzed in accordance with the following points:

  1. Construction speed.
  2. Ease of operation.
  3. The time required for construction from the very beginning until its commissioning.

In terms of speed, a frame house is several times faster than a timber house. The construction of the building occurs very quickly, and due to the use of dried wood, after commissioning you can immediately move in.

A log house takes a little longer to build due to the following points:

  • Required for housing reliable foundation, which takes about 5–7 days.
  • The laying of elements is carried out individually, if you do not use a home construction kit.
  • Installation requires more concentration, precision and time.

Advice! You can move into a house made of timber immediately after putting it into operation, but finishing can only be done after a few months, since it takes time for the building to shrink.

There are two options for building a house from beams:

  1. Made of profiled material with special grooves, which is very easy to place.
  2. From unplaned beams, which are low in price, but more labor-intensive installation and finishing. Plus they require additional thermal insulation.

Advice! A house made from unplaned material should last about a year while it settles, and from profiled material - about 6 months.

Environmental Comparison

When giving preference to a particular type of housing, a person’s safety parameters are important. Cause great distress modern materials for finishing frame-panel buildings. They do not at all meet the required indicators and environmental standards, so the timber is superior to the frame in this indicator.

A structure made of timber perfectly retains heat indoors. Therefore, the cost of heating a log house will be lower than frame construction With high level heat transfer.


Comparison of structural and architectural capabilities

When the construction of a house is planned according to a complex project with different geometric elements or configurations that are irregular in shape, then the frame option is in the lead, since the technology of such a construction option involves the creation of unusual, complex and interesting structures.

Structures made from timber are somewhat simpler, but they are not inferior at all in terms of beauty and their natural airy forms. With the help of modern technologies, it is possible to create more complex elements, it will just take a little longer. For laying timber, there are specially designed fasteners that allow you to use your imagination this material to the maximum.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of a frame house

Pros:

  1. Construction speed.
  2. Low cost of materials.
  3. No shrinkage.
  4. Resistance to natural factors.
  5. One-time payment for construction.
  6. No expensive foundation.

Minuses:

  1. Service life – 25–30 years.
  2. High costs for Decoration Materials.
  3. Installation requires specialists who know all the nuances of the technology.

Advantages of a timber house

Pros:

  1. Reliable and durable walls.
  2. Service life over 80 years.
  3. Easy to install, no additional workers required.
  4. Material costs can be divided into two seasons, thanks to the possibility of phased construction.
  5. Does not require facade finishing.
  6. Has excellent thermal insulation.

Minuses:

  1. It is necessary to wait for shrinkage.
  2. Requires a lot of time to build.

Conclusion

Building a house is a very important undertaking that should be approached with the utmost seriousness and care. Each developer independently determines which material should be given greater preference. According to all the information presented, construction from timber is preferred.

Advice! When choosing material for construction, take into account the climatic conditions of the area where the house will be located. In addition, pay attention to GOST standards, which perfectly describe the construction standards for different buildings.

When planning to build a house, before starting construction, each developer, based on his needs and financial capabilities, must decide: to start building a frame or timber house, what is best to use for its insulation, how many rooms it should have and on how many floors these rooms should be placed.

It is necessary to decide in what time frame a house needs to be built, what roofing and finishing materials to use, and how much a person is willing to pay for building a house.

Frame house

When planning to build a house, everyone thinks about how long it will take to build it. After all, the longer construction drags on, the more material resources will need to be invested.

You need to understand that modern technologies construction of a house can significantly speed up the construction process.

However, here too we have to face a rhetorical question: which technology is better?

When choosing between a frame and timber house, you need to consider the structural features of each of them, the pros and cons. Only after this can you start creating a project for your own home.

Excellent reviews about frame houses make them one of the most attractive construction structures. They are erected as summer cottages, and for permanent residence.

Building a frame house is much cheaper than building a brick house. The speed of construction of a frame house is also attractive.

You just need to prepare for the fact that, unlike brick house, you will have to purchase the necessary parts for construction almost at once.

To build a frame house, frames are used, which, at the request of the owner, can be wooden or steel.

Based on the assembly technology, panel houses and frame houses are distinguished. The principles of construction are the same in both cases.

In the first case, houses are assembled from ready-made panels or panels; in the second case, it is first necessary to build a frame from parts, mainly long ones, and only then proceed to its cladding and insulation.

The box of a frame house is quite rigid and takes on the main operational load.

The frame is the main element of the house, since the roof in such houses is a separate module that is connected to the frame.

The advantages of a frame (Finnish) house are minimal material and physical costs. A Finnish house is preferable for small families, as it maximum size reaches 10x12 m.

It is not designed for the addition of other buildings to it and is not designed for complex shapes during construction.

Canadian frame house technology provides for a complex building outline and the possibility of erecting a three-story building.

Advantages of frame houses built using Canadian technology, are that their service life is up to 70 years (the Finnish analogue will last about 40 years), and the size can reach 15x15 m.

However, construction Finnish house costs 20 - 30% cheaper than Canadian.

Timber house

Houses made of timber are currently very popular because they have their advantages compared to stone or concrete.

First of all, this is due to the lightness of the house itself, therefore, it does not require a powerful foundation.

Due to its weight, a log house can be installed on any soil without fear of destruction of its foundation.

A house made of timber can be multi-storey (up to three floors) and large in area (total area can be 600 - 700 square meters), you just need to first build a high-quality foundation.

In addition, a timber house is considered much warmer than a brick one: according to research, twenty centimeters of timber retain heat as well as seventy centimeters of brick.

In addition, wood has the ability to retain heat well indoors, and in winter you will not have to spend money on additional heating of the house, thus saving a lot of money.

It is worth considering this nuance: houses made of other materials in conditions low temperatures require constant heating, otherwise the walls begin to dampen and collapse.

At the same time, a log house can be safely left without heating for any length of time. It will be completely heated much faster than a stone one (two to three hours versus a couple of days).

Besides wooden house You can easily cover it with siding by adding additional thermal insulation.

As numerous reviews indicate, a timber house looks much more beautiful than its concrete or brick counterpart, because wood is considered a more aesthetically attractive material.

An important factor is the long life of a house made of timber - if built correctly, such structures can stand for a very long time without collapsing.

You can easily build a house made of wood with your own hands, without having any special skills or education and practically without involving a special specialist for construction. construction equipment.

At the same time, its cost is quite low, which is a big advantage.

The disadvantages of timber houses include an increased fire hazard and the vulnerability of wood to moisture.

For both cases, there are special impregnations that can improve these indicators, but they negatively affect the environmental parameters of wood.

You cannot begin finishing a timber house immediately after construction, since the wood takes time to shrink.

Wooden buildings require special attention for interior decoration of premises, especially bathrooms with communications.

Comparison of houses

First of all, it should be noted that a frame and timber house have much in common.

This is the low weight of the building, thanks to which it is possible to build a fairly light foundation, the ability to build a house on any soil, most of work is carried out at the factory during manufacturing, and not at the construction stage.

In addition, it is worth noting the low labor costs during construction, the absence of the need to use special construction equipment for construction, and the high speed of assembling houses.

These advantages are what allow these two types of houses to be so popular today.

Comparing these two types is quite difficult, since each of them has both advantages and disadvantages. First of all, much depends on the climatic conditions in which the building is located.

According to reviews, a timber house is stronger and more durable than its frame counterpart, especially in harsh climates.

In mild weather conditions with low humidity, frame houses can also stand for a long time without collapsing.

Access to repair work. Usually, timber houses it is much easier to repair, while frame ones require great effort for repair of any structures.

In harsh climatic conditions, additional thermal insulation and waterproofing of the building may be required; here, a timber house has its advantages, since it can easily be sheathed with siding with additional layers of protection, and a structure made of timber retains heat better in the room and does not require increased heating.

When choosing which house is better, frame or timber, you must take into account the material side of the issue.

There is no definite answer to this question, since a lot depends on such factors: what material the frame of the house is made of, whether additional thermal insulation of the timber structure is necessary, what is the climate and what is the humidity in the place of construction.

Depending on these nuances, a frame house can be significantly cheaper than a timber house, or vice versa.

If we compare which type of house is easier and faster to assemble, then here too a lot depends on whether additional work will be necessary.

According to a number of indicators, a timber house has its advantages over a frame house, but much, including the cost of construction, depends on various external factors.

The main thing when choosing a frame or timber house is to first understand how much money can be spent on construction and in what climatic conditions the building will be located.

Log houses or frame structures? Which technology to choose for building a permanent home? Each technology has strengths and weaknesses.

Since its appearance in Russia frame technology construction, there is a lot of debate about the advantages and disadvantages of such houses and technology in general. For us, this technology is completely new, although in Europe such houses became traditional a couple of centuries ago. Our grandfathers were accustomed to building houses from logs and timber. The log house is a tradition of Russian architecture. What is better: houses made of timber or frame houses? Of course, each technology has advantages and disadvantages, and each of the houses must be assessed according to different sides. Let's try to be objective and look at a log house and a frame house from different sides.

Before comparing a frame house and a timber building, it is necessary to briefly talk about the principles of construction for each technology. Construction of foundations, roofing and Finishing work in many ways very similar (perhaps the foundation for a frame house will be a little simpler). The key differences between these technologies are embedded in the walls of the house. We will tell you a little about the construction of walls so that beginners in the field of construction have an idea of ​​​​the compared structures.

Log house made of timber

Expert opinion

Sergey Yurievich

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Walls timber log house constructed from solid or laminated wooden beam. Wall thickness and thermal insulation properties(without using additional insulation) depends only on overall dimensions selected material.

Houses made of timber can be built from several material options:

  • Sawn timber– regular sawn lumber natural humidity or natural drying. The walls are erected using additional sealants between the crowns (jute, moss, tow) and secured along the height of the wall using dowels;
  • Profiled timber with natural humidity or chamber drying – planed solid material, equipped with a tongue and groove, which allows installation without additional seals;
  • Glued laminated timber– the same profiled version, except that in its production, chamber-drying laminated material is used as a raw material. This allows you to avoid shrinkage of the house and produce timber that is free from defects, cracks and deformations during the installation process;
  • Mini-timber, or double-timber construction technology. The walls are erected from milled boards with a tongue and groove, section 47x140 mm. The technology is very young and more similar to frame houses, so we will not take such buildings into account to compare the two technologies.

Frame house

The construction of the walls of a frame house consists of several stages:

  • Construction of the frame;
  • Sheathing of the frame on one side;
  • Filling the frame with insulation;
  • Sewing the second side of the frame.

In addition to the frame and insulation, the walls also contain construction films or membranes various types depending on the design of the walls and the insulation used.

This is precisely where the main differences between the two technologies lie: timber houses consist almost entirely of wood, while the wall of a frame house consists of dissimilar materials.

Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of each technology.

Cost of building a house

What is cheaper: or a log house? The question is very controversial, especially when it comes to building a house for permanent residence. Of course, we are talking about houses of the same area and layout.

The price of a house made of timber depends on the chosen material. Houses made from sawn timber can cost 50-60% less than houses made from laminated veneer lumber. On the other hand, sawn material may require additional sheathing, but you can get by with just sanding the walls.

The price of a frame house largely depends on the chosen insulation and materials for exterior and internal lining. Most economical option is the use mineral insulation, and OSB-3 as cladding.

If your budget does not allow you to purchase expensive building materials, then your choice should fall on a frame house. This is due not only to lower costs for constructing the walls and roof of the house, but also to the costs of the foundation. At equal area and the layout of the house for a frame structure will require less solid foundation at a much lower cost.

When working with expensive sheathing materials, glued frame material (as implied by the Finnish traditions frame house construction) a frame house for permanent residence will cost you more, because building a house from laminated veneer lumber practically does not require subsequent finishing. The walls are only treated with protective paints and varnishes.

What material do you like the house from most?

You can select up to 3 answer options

House made of timber

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House using Canadian technology

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Log house

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Brick house

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House made of aerated concrete blocks

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House made of rounded logs

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Monolithic house

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House made of sip panels

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House made of foam blocks

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Reliability and durability of the house

The price should not play a decisive role, because the built house should give you a feeling of coziness and comfort, security and confidence in the future. The durability and strength of your structure will be responsible for this.

When using materials of the same quality category, houses made of timber, of course, surpass frame structures in strength. But here we should make a reservation about the complexity of the project. When building a house with a large number of large openings, the strength of a timber building decreases sharply. The strength and reliability of such a building significantly depends on the presence of solid beam runs along the entire length of the wall. Construction of a similar frame structure does not damage the rigidity of the structure, but requires high qualifications when calculating the frame and its implementation.

The service life of houses made of timber can be judged by the buildings erected by our great-grandfathers. About durability frame structures We cannot judge from Russian experience yet, because we started building such houses only in the 60s of the 20th century. In Europe and Canada, such structures have been in service for more than 100 years, but the experience of their construction there is much greater. The durability of a log house depends on the quality of the wood; the service life of a frame house depends on many factors: the quality of building materials (including wood), adherence to technology, the qualifications of specialists, and the quality of work performed.

If we talk about the Russian construction market, then a frame house is much inferior in durability to a log house; the reliability of the structure depends on the layout, but even here the log house is likely to win, especially when using laminated veneer lumber.

Which house is warmer and more comfortable?

Expert opinion

Sergey Yurievich

Construction of houses, extensions, terraces and verandas.

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With equal wall thickness, a frame house significantly outperforms a log house. This is explained by the much lower thermal conductivity coefficient of wood and any insulation that is used for frame structures.

Another important indicator is the microclimate inside the house. Here log houses are significantly superior to frame houses. A wall made of wood has excellent air exchange with environment. This explains why a log house is cool and has enough oxygen on a hot day. A frame house does not have air exchange with the environment through the walls; this is achieved only with the help of additional forced ventilation, which cannot control the oxygen content, humidity and temperature inside the home and in the environment.

Environmental friendliness of the building

Since we mentioned comfort in the home, we must not forget about the harm and benefits to human health.

Houses made of timber are built on the basis exclusively environmentally friendly material– wood. The most common ones for construction are conifers wood, which, in addition to excellent performance qualities, has phytoncidal properties, that is, they disinfect the surrounding air.

To build a frame house, you will need to use many materials. Each of them, of course, has certificates of harmlessness, but this is still not natural materials. So in this criterion, log houses prevail.

Selection of projects, layouts and appearance

Here a frame house and a log house stand on the same level. Each of these structures is not limited in façade and interior layout options. Both technologies make it possible to realize the most daring architectural ideas. Everything will depend only on the professionalism of the contractor implementing this project.

However, it is necessary to note the issue of redevelopment of the house. In buildings made of timber, almost all partitions are cut into load-bearing walls, which makes it almost impossible to transfer them. In a frame house, there are few or no load-bearing partitions, which makes it easy to move or remove partitions during operation.