Technology of building a house in the half-timbered style. Attractive half-timbered houses House using half-timbered technology

Frame-panel buildings and structures belong to group II of housing capital. First of all, it includes half-timbered houses.

As an independent style of house construction, half-timbered houses originated in Germany in the 15th century. The word "half-timbered" is translated from German as a panel (panel) structure (Fach - panel, Werk - structure). Half-timbered structures were used for construction in the most various areas. Houses, warehouses, hospitals, town halls and even small churches were built on wooden frames. Wooden structures perform both frame and decorative functions. Today, half-timbered houses in the West are returning to modern life due to the large area of glazing.

Half-timbered houses in the center of Europe gave medieval city originality, but were quite harsh in terms of everyday comfort. Due to the fact that the enclosing structures of these structures had high thermal conductivity (in most cases their thickness did not exceed 14-16 cm), the installation of living quarters for servants in large unheated attics reduced heat loss through the coating. With numerous design flaws, considered cold even for mild winters Holland, these houses, however, became integral element local color. In addition, frame housing made it possible to short terms solve the most acute housing problem with minimal investment. However, even well-preserved buildings in the historical zones of Western European cities have numerous destructions and cracks along the southern facades, since this is where the consequences of uneven overheating first appear.

The reconstruction of old half-timbered buildings abroad is accompanied by the restoration of reprints of the early 18th-19th centuries on the construction of half-timbered houses, starting with the study of the most important components from the point of view of reconstruction. The richest material, even in terms of local history, was collected in Leipzig and other cities that suffered during the war.

Solutions for curtain rod assemblies still cause many difficulties. In spring, in our cities everywhere you can see wet walls in the under-eaves with numerous cracks from the corners of the building. Classic cornice solutions always remain relevant.

The enclosing structures of a half-timbered house are dual system intersecting wooden beams, the space between them was filled with roughly burnt clay blocks, many of which were poorly preserved at the time of reconstruction. If local materials were available, sandstone, etc. was used instead of clay fragments. materials that do not have sufficient durability. Fragments wooden sheathing in many places they rotted, collapsed and required replacement.

A half-timbered structure consists of a wooden frame and filler - clay or bricks, which fill the gaps between the beams. The structural elements in it also perform a decorative function. Timber beams visible from the outside give the viewer a clear idea of the structure of the building, so standard elements of classical architecture such as cornices, friezes or pilasters are no longer necessary.

But timber half-timbered buildings had a serious drawback: vulnerability to fire (although oak wood is relatively resistant to high temperatures). In addition, wood in contact with the filler was subject to increased rotting and biological damage.

City authorities often took fire precautions by prohibiting thatched roofs or by erecting thick stone firewalls (as, for example, in Osnabrück).

In cities, the replacement of wooden facades with stone ones was encouraged, as in Nuremberg. This process apparently began earlier than many researchers assume. For example, house 12 on Ober Krämergasse in Nuremberg acquired a stone façade no later than 1398. However, this had almost no effect on the appearance of the building, with the exception of the configuration of the windows.

Initially they were grouped in threes, and the middle window in each trio was located slightly higher than the side ones (this arrangement of windows was common throughout Upper Germany and Switzerland). The neighboring buildings with a wooden frame on stone plinths (houses 16 and 18 Unter Kremergasse) date back to a later period, 1452 - 1560.

The materials used for the construction of the building were not always determined by the prosperity of the city dweller-customer. The quality of some half-timbered buildings, commissioned by powerful guilds or wealthy patricians, was exceptionally high. A typical guild building from around 1480, the Brotherhood of Michael guild stands on the market square of the wooden town of Fritzlar. It is clearly distinguished from neighboring residential buildings by a hall located on the ground floor, into which two arcades with pointed arches lead, and a bay window spanning three floors - from the second to the fourth. At roof level, this bay window transforms into an octagonal tower with a spire. Such a narrow building is the result of legislative restrictions related to city planning: small plots were allocated for houses with facades facing the street. The design of this guild building dates back to the Franconian tradition of wooden architecture, common in Central and Western Germany.

In Ehingen (Swabia), the new building of the Hospital of the Holy Spirit, built in the characteristic Alemannic tradition of half-timbering, which prevailed in all southwestern German states, has survived to this day. Its distinctive features, in particular, are small windows squeezed into narrow spaces between lintels and large distances between frame posts. These posts, together with the struts, form various geometric figures, which were given anthropomorphic names. On the first floor of this hospital there was an almshouse, on the second and third floors there were rooms for the so-called “scientists” and servants. The kitchen was originally also located on the third floor.

The house on Knochenhauerstrasse in Braunschweig can serve as an example of the half-timbered structure typical of Lower Saxony (although this type of timber construction is also found throughout Northern Germany). True, only fragments have survived from the ancient building, but they clearly demonstrate the characteristic features of this type: all the beams are located at right angles to each other, the upper floors protrude far forward, the frame posts are separated by narrow intervals, and, finally, rows of closely placed The other windows form a so-called “lantern”. The window sills, decorated with carvings, a screw frieze, inscriptions and typical late Gothic ornaments, anticipate the lavish decorative carvings of the 16th century.

In 1480, the Junker-Hansen Tower was erected in Neustadt near Marburg - a round fortified building of mixed construction, in which stone was combined with a wooden frame. This tower served to protect the castle and a small village. Architecturally, it is a cross between a castle donjon and a fortress wall bastion.

In Germany, for more than ten years, there have been special excursions - “Fachirwork Street”.

Half-timbered houses are also found in France, Great Britain, Austria, Belgium, Holland, and Scandinavian countries, but Germany is especially famous for them.

In modern Germany there are about two million half-timbered buildings. But, of course, the excursion route does not cover them all. The first part of the German “half-timbered street” was laid from Weserbergland to Vogelsberg back in 1990. And now “Fachwerk Street” covers more than 2.6 thousand kilometers and passes through more than 100 cities in different federal states.

Today there are nine routes along roads and towns, which are monuments to the seven hundred and even thousand-year history of the country (construction using this technology began a very long time ago, but its peak was in the 16th century). The oldest surviving half-timbered houses are located, in particular, in Esslingen. The buildings of this city are about 750 years old. The oldest houses in Limburg an der Lahn were built in 1289 (however, there are older buildings of this type in Germany).

A “half-timbered house” is a house built according to a certain model: rigid load-bearing frame from racks ( vertical elements), beams (horizontal elements) and braces (diagonal elements) on which the roof rested. Beams were most often made from durable and strong oak. The upper floors were sometimes built from pine or spruce. It’s amazing, but even today, several centuries later, you can sometimes notice Roman numerals on the beams - with them, even on the ground, before assembling the frame, the builders marked the place of each beam in the overall structure.

To save money, only plinths were built from stone. More prosperous people allowed themselves to build the entire first floor of stone in two or three-story houses.

The builders filled the space between the frame elements with reeds, branches, chips, straw and other things mixed with clay. construction waste(and in England they also added for warmth sheep wool). Thus, wood was saved during construction,
and besides, the filled “cracks” allowed the house to breathe - it was neither particularly hot in summer nor cold in winter. Later they began to fill the space with bricks, and often they also laid it out with beautiful ornaments.

The resulting panels were plastered, and the frame itself was usually left in sight. Half-timbered buildings still catch the eye today with their clearly separated dark and white elements. Rich townspeople filled the inter-frame space with carved wooden panels. These architectural delights became especially popular at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries.

Half-timbered buildings have their own terminology, used for centuries. Basically, it indicates the peculiarities of the location of beams in buildings. Thus, the form of crossing, similar to the Latin letter “x”, is called “St. Andrew’s Cross” (after the name of the Apostle Andrew, crucified on such a cross). Based on the “St. Andrew’s Cross,” a richer ornamental motif appeared, similar to the Russian letter “zh.” It became a symbol of fire and at the same time protection from fire. The other form is called "Man", or "Wild Man". In it, the lateral obliquely located sections of beams intersect at a third or in the middle of the height of the load-bearing vertical beam. A design in which the oblique sections of the beams do not intersect is called the “Swabian woman”.

On the corner beams of the walls you can often see ornamental curls similar to the letter S. They served as amulets against lightning. Frightening masks in the corners of houses are also “security”. Rosettes were symbols of the sun and were believed to bring fertility and abundance.

Half-timbered houses in Europe are distinguished both by style and by national characteristics. For example, British and French half-timbers have a distinctly vertically striped appearance, while German ones have several variations, but with one common tendency towards original ornamentation on the facade.

Half-timbered buildings were influenced by fashionable architectural trends: Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance. The facades of half-timbered buildings built during the Renaissance period are decorated with decorative elements typical of that style: rosettes, shells, acanthus leaves, wreaths, garlands, vases of flowers, mascarons, etc.

From the Baroque, half-timbered structures have allegorical figures and high pediments with powerful curls along the edges. Often, on the corner of the building or on the console supporting the bay window, figures of burghers or characters from Sacred History appeared.

Dates, coats of arms and entire boards with inscriptions located on the facades became a special part of the decor. They indicated who owned the house, what craft workshop refers to the homeowner or what he does professionally. And sometimes they wrote something additional on the façade: wishes for well-being, various moralizing sayings. Actually, this is the prototype of our current house numbering.

Half-timbered buildings began to go out of fashion in the mid-18th century. Wealthier townspeople wanted to use modern utilities, but they did not go well with the half-timbered structure. And only in the 20th century, nostalgia for the old days forced engineers to come up with ways to combine modern and ancient construction: this is how reconstructed half-timbered buildings appeared in many towns, and even in large Frankfurt. Left in them external walls, and the “filling” was completely replaced with a modern one.

The construction of frame houses is the main direction in construction today. The foundation of a frame structure is most often made using the columnar-ribbon type. A wooden frame is installed on the foundation, which is assembled according to the honeycomb principle in increments of 5-6 centimeters. The frame is made of timber made from coniferous wood, dried to 15% humidity.

The wood is pre-treated with impregnations against insect damage, rotting, fire, as well as antiseptics. After installing the supporting structure, it is sheathed on the outside with a moisture-resistant slab, and the inside of the wall is filled with various fire-resistant insulation materials. To prevent wind and moisture from destroying your frame, it is sheathed on both sides with a vapor-permeable membrane, i.e. frame house- a “breathing” house.

Inside, after installing the membrane, the frame is sheathed with plasterboard. After this, networks and communications are laid out, also covered with plasterboard. The result is a wall 20 cm thick, with all communications hidden in the walls.

The advantage of a frame house is that finishing of the living space can be done immediately after construction work. That is, from the idea of creating a house to moving in, no more than 3-4 months will pass.

It is believed that these houses are very economical due to thinner walls compared to houses made of logs or timber. If, in accordance with the climatic characteristics of Russia, the external walls log house should be at least 20 cm, then for a frame house 15 cm is quite enough. However, it should be remembered that durability wooden house- 50 years, and frame-panel - 30.

Thanks to the effective combination of wood, insulation and insulation materials, it is possible to build a frame house suitable for almost any climate zone. It is the versatility of this technology, the ability to develop a project for each individual order that has made the construction of frame houses so attractive today.

Due to their low durability, reconstruction of half-timbered houses continues today. But now they are approaching it more boldly, which allows for vast accumulated experience.

The old roof, covered with polyethylene, is rebuilt as an additional floor, and an attic floor is built above it, precisely following the contours old roof. And, although there is practically no structural timber left in Europe, all work is carried out using wooden load-bearing structures, since their low weight does not add additional load to the existing foundation.

In Western Europe, when, during the reconstruction of historical half-timbered buildings, the external appearance of the structure is completely preserved, the load-bearing structures and thermal sanitation of the structure are carried out only from the inside of the building, due to the reduction of the internal usable area.

After the refurbishment of the wooden half-timbered structures, a thick wall was erected inside the building. 24 cm, most often made of porous hollow brick in such a way that between her and half-timbered wall there is a gap in 12 cm: 8 cm- for laying thermal insulation material, and 4 cm– for ventilation of a half-timbered wall.

As a result of the measures taken, the thickness of the external walls, as a rule, increases to 56 cm, which reduces living space. In this case, the question arises about populating the attics. To do this, it is necessary to replace those not designed for the increased constant load. wooden beams floors, which by that time in many structures have completely exhausted their service life. In addition, during the reconstruction of half-timbered houses, modern bathrooms are installed, including in the attic floors.

When solving the problems that arose, European builders followed the most difficult path for themselves, completing projects and carrying out all work in the most gentle manner for ancient buildings. The inner wall is made of half-timbered walls, with exact adherence to the ligation system that the outer walls had, so replacing floor beams does not cause difficulties, since the new beams rest on the half-timbered inner wall, which had a higher load-bearing capacity.

The need to preserve the ancient appearance complicates and exterior finishing. The outside of the house is plastered in three layers, each layer having to dry completely before the next one is applied. The amount of cement binder decreases from the inner layer to the outer one. Mineral is applied on top facade paint. The seams of the renovated wooden half-timbering are not only carefully preserved, but also deepened, and the preserved details of the external clay walls remain in their original form.

Since the main heat loss in a building occurs through windows, window openings there were few in such structures; they were made small, since they were fitted between the half-timbered beams.

Therefore, the interior spaces were not insufficiently insulated. When constructing new window openings during reconstruction, we tried not to interfere with the existing half-timbered system. Towards the attic, the step of the half-timbered frames at the ends of the structure was further reduced; the installation of windows could completely change the architectural appearance of the structure. At the end of the 40s of the twentieth century, the first models of Swedish-made inclined roof windows appeared. When reconstructing historical buildings, they were given preference, first of all, because they practically did not change the existing appearance of the building merging with the pitched roof. And only during the period of operation it was found out that skylights transmit 40% more light than conventional ones.

Reconstruction of half-timbered houses of 49 and the end of the 80s of the outgoing century. The first dormer windows were made blind, without the possibility of opening

After the reconstruction and renovation of the housing stock of historical buildings, the attitude towards attics has changed. With the installation of plumbing, an elevator, and electrical wiring, the attics acquired the status of elite housing. Modern communications have not only made the attic floor equal to any other, but even made it more preferable in terms of comfort.

The construction of houses using this technology consists of constructing monolithic foundation, with a pre-calculated depth, depending on existing climatic conditions.

Next, walls are constructed, for example, from laminated veneer lumber, which should be coated with antiseptic agents, and then, after building the frame itself, with varnish that protects against environmental influences.

Coniferous trees are predominantly used as building materials. Half-timbered houses have a load-bearing rigid frame made of vertically placed posts, beams placed horizontally and diagonally located braces, which constitute the peculiarity of the entire structure.

The empty space located between the walls of such houses should be filled with various building materials, and the building will receive rigidity thanks to the same braces. Fastening the structural parts will increase the strength level of the frame.

To build a house using half-timbered technology, any land plot. When constructing a half-timbered building, it becomes possible to turn absolutely any architectural plans and fantasies into reality.

If you don’t know what half-timbered architecture is, then you should remember the characteristic German houses that appeared in the Middle Ages, but are still popular today. This style is characterized by facades with characteristic dark timber paneling and light wall fillings. Because of the beauty and organic nature of this style, half-timbered construction technology still remains popular in Germany and the countries of Northern Europe.

Properties of modern half-timbering

The construction of houses using half-timbered technology can be confidently classified as frame house construction. In fact, this is one of its varieties. In this case, the functions of load-bearing structures are performed by a frame made of wooden beams. Glued laminated timber is ideal for the frame, as it can easily withstand various deformations. To connect frame elements in the corners and among themselves, special methods are used that give additional rigidity to the entire structure.

Important: the main feature of this style is that metal fasteners are not used to connect the frame elements. Beams and beams are connected using dowels, wooden dowels and other wood products.

A half-timbered frame house can be built from different wall materials. In the Middle Ages, adobe was used to make walls. Today, brick, OSB, and sometimes glass are used to fill the wall structure between the beams. In principle, any material can be used, since the wall itself does not serve as a load-bearing structure. The entire load falls on the frame. A characteristic feature of the style is that the frame is not hidden in the wall structure, but rather is put on display, being an architectural element. Most often, frame beams are made in a contrasting dark color against the background of light, sometimes white walls.

The half-timbered house is very warm. This is achieved through the use of thermal insulation materials in the wall construction. An additional advantage of such buildings is their virtually unlimited planning possibilities. Since the wall does not serve as a load-bearing structure, partitions and partitions can be easily removed, moved, changing the layout.

The half-timbered technology of building a frame house is quite complex due to the peculiarities of the installation of the frame. However, if you have certain skills in working with wood, you can easily build such houses yourself. In addition, spatial thinking and knowledge of spatial geometry will not be superfluous.

Advice: it is better to build half-timbered houses from a ready-made house kit. If you want to get a high-quality, strong and durable structure, then it is better to entrust the work of assembling the house to professionals.

Advantages and disadvantages

A frame house in the half-timbered style has the following advantages:

The main advantage of such buildings is their aesthetic appeal and unlike other frame buildings. Such houses should be chosen by those who want their home to stand out from the general development with its originality and unusual beauty.
To build any frame house, including a half-timbered one, powerful foundation structures are not needed. A shallow strip foundation or another structure (column or pile-screw) will be sufficient, depending on the geological features of the area.
Since laminated veneer lumber or other wood material that has undergone chamber drying, the structure practically does not shrink. For this reason, the installation of windows and doors, as well as finishing the house, can be done immediately after the construction of the frame. Thanks to this, moving into the house will happen much faster than in other wooden buildings.
Although frame structures are exposed, engineering communications, on the contrary, can very easily be hidden inside the structure of the walls or floor.

Half-timbered houses have some disadvantages, which are also worth mentioning:

Open wooden structures the frame must be processed periodically protective compounds so that their load-bearing capacity does not decrease. So, you will need fire retardants to protect against burning, antiseptic compounds will help protect the wood from rot and damage by insects, and you will also need solutions to protect from moisture.
When building such a house in a harsh climate, it is necessary to thoroughly insulate the walls. As a result, the thickness wall structure increases, which entails the need to use more massive beams for the frame.
Ordinary frame houses will cost less than buildings built using half-timbered technology.

Installation technology

When installing the frame, a special technology for connecting wooden elements is used, which only professionals can design correctly. Yes, they apply the following types connections:

mann;
polumann;
corner mann;
wilderman;
"St. Andrew's cross" and others.

Foundation and frame

Pouring the foundation on the site is carried out independently. In parallel with it, a frame can be manufactured at the factory. It will be much faster if these two operations are performed simultaneously.

After pouring the base and delivering lumber for the frame to the construction site, work is carried out in the following order:

Horizontal waterproofing is required on the foundation.
After this is done top harness. To do this, a support beam is installed. It must be firmly attached to the base. Anchor bolts are used for fixation.
Logs are attached to the strapping beam. Rolling boards are laid on the cranial bars fixed to the joists. At this stage it is worth insulating the floor. To do this, waterproofing is laid on the floor structure, and thermal insulation material is placed on top of it in the gaps between the joists.
The floor is covered with a layer of vapor barrier on top, and a rough covering is laid.

Next, the vertical beams are installed. For joining inclined, vertical, horizontal and spacer beams, a tenon connection option called “warm” is used. Wooden dowels are used for rigid fixation. The most common options for warm connections:

dovetail;
secret thorn.

Further installation of structures is carried out in accordance with the project, observing the sequence of stages. Simultaneously with the construction of the supporting frame, partitions are made, which are also mounted using frame-frame technology.

Fillers for walls

After the process of constructing the frame is completed, you can begin to fill the gaps between the frame elements of the walls. It’s easier to say that the sieve of the walls is being filled.

Stone, brick, cellular concrete elements (aerated concrete, foam blocks, etc.) can be used as fillers. In modern houses, in most cases, sheet wood and board materials are used, namely OSB, moisture-resistant plywood, cement bonded particle boards, lining, gypsum fiber sheets, etc. When choosing a material for walls, it is worth considering that the products must meet the following requirements:

high moisture resistance;
excellent strength;
low specific gravity;
environmental cleanliness;
low thermal conductivity.

Important: if you use heavy materials (stone, brick) as wall filler, then this should be taken into account at the design stage, because under such a house you need to lay powerful buried foundations. Foundation calculations must be made taking into account the material of the walls.

When filling out the frame, it is worth remembering that with outside walls, the frame beams must be visible, that is, the filling material should not completely cover the entire outer surface of the walls. WITH inside can be used at home different variants, here everything depends on the style of the interior.

If you want to build an extraordinary house, then you can use double-glazed windows as wall filler. As a result, you will get maximum natural lighting in the rooms and a panoramic view of the landscape around the house. However, the abundance of glazing does not help retain heat in the house. Even if you install energy-saving double-glazed windows, in areas with harsh winters this will not help retain heat.

Any materials can be used to finish the walls:

facing tiles imitating brickwork;
plaster with decorative compounds;
clapboard covering.

Roof of a half-timbered house

Most often, in a half-timbered house, the usual gable roof. It harmonizes perfectly with the overall architectural style of the house. A characteristic feature of such buildings is the absence of an attic floor and attic. In addition, half-timbered houses are characterized by wide roof overhangs. They protect the walls of the house well from precipitation, and the rooms from the abundance of sunlight in summer.

The role of roofing can be:

euroslate;
soft roll roofing;
metal tiles;
corrugated sheeting

Important: due to significant specific gravity It is not recommended to use natural tiles as roofing.

Home interior

Many people who have never been inside a half-timbered house believe that the inside looks the same as the outside. Sometimes the interior of a house is actually decorated in the same style as the exterior. In this case, white tones predominate in the decoration of the room; the style is characterized by a lot of free space and some asceticism.

But besides this, you can use other styles in decorating the premises of such a house. For example, the high-tech style with its abundance of metallic shine and minimalism is ideal for a half-timbered house. Anything looks quite organic in the interior. metal parts, and especially forged products.

Advice: it is worth considering that beams in the interior can be used not only as a decorative element, but also as a basis for hanging shelves, hanging cabinets, installing lighting and other interesting solutions.

Half-timbering is a technology for building houses in which the capital load of the building is carried by vertical supports - racks made of timber in the walls of the building. Unlike traditional frame walls, the space between the supports is occupied by a dense heavy material- brick, wood, concrete, adobe, clay. At the same time, the load-bearing racks made of timber are not masked in the wall, but remain visible, creating characteristic appearance buildings, a special “European” flavor.

Half-timbered buildings have proven their durability. The first peak of their popularity occurred in the Middle Ages. Built several centuries ago, these buildings still perform their functions. Today technology is experiencing its peak in fashion for the second time. Wide range of possibilities design and reliability of houses make them popular among customers frame construction.

History of origin

The history of half-timbered buildings began in the 11th century. Half-timbered timber became widespread in the 14th and 15th centuries in the northern coastal regions, where timber was available and shipbuilding was developed. The ability to carpenter and build ships allowed craftsmen to easily build strong wooden frames for future buildings.

German style.

In the 15th century, half-timbered buildings spread throughout Europe - the northern countries, Holland, England, France, and Switzerland. The reasons for its popularization were the following factors:

The buildings made it possible to save expensive wood and use it only for the construction of the frame, and not the entire wall mass.
The level of carpentry skill has increased, which ensured the reliability of the frames and the strength of future walls.

The peak of popularity of the technology falls on the period from the 15th to the 18th century. Hundreds of thousands of buildings were built in Europe during this period. Half-timbered houses in Germany are called Fachwerk, which translated into Russian means “wall of cells” (Fach is a section, cell, panel, “Werk” is a structure).

Modern style.

In England, buildings with a wooden frame were called "half-timber", and in France the technology was called "colombage". In one of the modern versions, half-timbering received another name - Post & Beam or post and beam technology. Its main feature is the use of hand-cut logs.

On a note

According to psychologists, the open demonstration of a load-bearing frame in the walls instills a sense of confidence in a person.

Half-timbered buildings with a frame visible from the outside have become a hallmark of northern Europe. Today the technology is experiencing a second wave of popularity. With some changes, it spreads beyond Western Europe, to Canada, America and Russia.

Half-timbering and frame technology

At its core, a half-timbered house is a frame structure with wooden frame from load-bearing posts and floor beams that support the main load of the walls and roof. Unlike traditional modern frame houses, the gaps between the beams are filled not with synthetic insulation, but wall material- brick, stone, concrete, clay, which can be found at the link. The filling material of the walls, “half-timbered” and “frame,” determines the differences in construction technology and in the characteristics of finished buildings.

Comparison factors.	Half-timbered building	Frame.
Service life of the building.	Long service life - several hundred years. This is confirmed by hundreds of houses built in the 15th and 16th centuries in Europe.	- several decades.
Energy efficiency.	Average.	High.
Construction speed.	Average.	Minimum time - the building can be erected in a few months.
Lightness of walls and foundation costs.	The walls are heavy; a strong, deep foundation or columnar foundation is required.	The walls are light; you can get by with a small, shallow foundation.
Construction cost.	The price of a half-timbered house is minimal; the walls are based on the cheapest building material - clay.	Medium - requires the purchase of good insulation and high-quality wall cladding.
Environmental friendliness.	High - built from natural materials.	Low - built from artificial insulation.
Fire safety.	The walls are 80% fire-resistant and smoke-free. Only wooden supports and roofing can burn out.	All materials are flammable and emit acrid, toxic smoke during combustion.
Difficulty in self-construction.	Half-timbered houses are simpler than frame technology, especially if you use ready-made half-timbered house kits.	More difficult to implement, but also available as a ready-made frame house kit.
Possibility of wall restoration.	Without removing the roof and disassembling the frame, the wall material can be replaced with another, new one.
Interior design.	Any layout is possible, since the internal walls do not bear capital loads. You can arrange large spacious rooms.

Comparative characteristics of half-timbered and frame buildings clearly shows the main differences between the two technologies. The technology of half-timbered houses is a structure made from natural materials, environmentally friendly and durable. Frame construction is a new prefabricated structure made partly from synthetic materials. Moreover, their construction is equally accessible. It is possible to build a half-timbered house with your own hands, just like from a house kit.

Half-timbered building in the forest.

In modern technologies, half-timbered houses are acquiring more and more features of traditional frame buildings. The supports are often masked with panels; for better energy efficiency, the walls themselves are sheathed with insulation or replaced with a layer of heat insulation. Which leads to a mixture of styles, the creation of a new construction option using the characteristics of a half-timbered house and a frame house at the same time. This is how it works.

Construction of half-timbered houses

The design features of half-timbered houses determine their differences from frame buildings. Here are the projects and prices for half-timbered houses, what elements and features are their characteristics:

Each subsequent floor protrudes above the previous one. This is due to the need to protect the wooden beams of the lower floors from getting wet. Floor projections are provided only on the front side. The side walls are blank and smooth. This is due to the history of construction. The density of buildings in the Middle Ages was so high that only the facades of buildings remained open. The ends were tightly adjacent to each other, without passages and the possibility of constructing protruding floors or hanging structures.
Visible beams in the walls of the building.
Inexpensive available wall filler - clay, lightweight concrete.

On a note

Today, external frame elements are often decorative. They are traditionally used in construction, but do not always carry a semantic load; more often they are a sign of style. Such a structure turns into a traditional frame building.

Sometimes style elements are used as external design for brick walls. Beams are attached on top of the brick, which imitate the frame of the building. At first glance, houses with such decor differ little from how half-timbered houses look in the photo. They have the same appearance, but a different construction technology.

Projects and prices

Projects of half-timbered houses are distinguished by a wide variety of interior design. Since walls and partitions do not carry load-bearing loads, their location is subject to design requirements, and not technological necessity.

Frame of the building.

Designing half-timbered houses often involves large spacious rooms and huge windows. Glazing often takes most external walls. The use of laminated veneer lumber allows you to reduce the size of its cross-section without reducing strength. Thanks to the small massiveness of the load-bearing elements and the sufficient glazing area of the half-timbered houses, the walls became panoramic. Such buildings give rise to a unique decor in which the outdoor garden forms part of the interior design of the house.

The turnkey price of a half-timbered house does not exceed the cost of frame construction. Therefore, elite panoramic walls have become available to the majority. Thanks to the technology of half-timbered houses, exclusive buildings became the property of the middle class. A real design that transforms half-timbered houses, the video allows you to see all the intricacies of construction.

Technology of half-timbered houses

Today, the technology of constructing half-timbered houses is experiencing a second peak in popularity. Based on this technology, one-, two- and three-story houses are built. At the same time, the technology itself is used in a modified and improved form.

Instead of solid wooden logs, glued and profiled timber is used. They are additionally impregnated with antiseptics and fire retardants to prevent rotting and increase resistance to fire.

Panoramic glazing Houses.

The gaps between the vertical supports are filled with insulation, and multi-chamber double-glazed windows are installed. Energy-efficient glazing of half-timbered houses, along with insulation, ensures their heat capacity and reduces energy costs during the heating season.

To ensure that the outside walls of the house are not completely transparent, surface coating of glass is used - lamination. From the inside and outside, such a house looks like a spacious, fairy-tale palace.

Step-by-step technology of half-timbered houses

Foundation: USHP + its surface waterproofing.
Frame:, vertical columns, top trim, rafters. A one-story half-timbered house - the rafters are placed on top of the frame of the first floor. In two- or three-story construction, the second floor frame is constructed, the supports are attached, and then the second upper frame, rafters. The roof overhang is designed to be quite large - up to 1.5 m. This protects the walls and wooden frame from getting wet.
Roof: traditional choice for frame houses, light metal profiled sheets, flexible roofing.
Filling cells: glass unit, brick, arbolite blocks(lightweight concrete with wood shavings, wood chips), foam concrete, clay concrete, multilayer cake with insulation and wall cladding.

Frame features

The frame of a modern half-timbered house is not only a load-bearing structure, but also a decorative element. It divides the wall into segments and gives the appearance of the building clarity and expressiveness.

Two-story frame house.

The frame of a half-timbered house consists of vertical, horizontal, and inclined elements. Vertical supports withstand the main load-bearing loads. Horizontal - distribute the pressure of vertical load-bearing elements, making it uniform over the entire area of the walls of the house. Inclined - create additional strength, strengthen the structure, make it stable for lateral loads.

The frame elements are connected to each other using metal pins. One of the options for half-timbered construction uses studs along with the excavation of the timber at the joints - the so-called groove.

This system was called Herrenbald. It differs from the traditional frame in the absence of jibs. The stability of the frame is ensured by precise selection of wood at the joints, as a result of which adjacent elements fit tightly together and are additionally secured with through metal pins.

Building with a flat roof.

The technology of half-timbered houses does not require time for shrinkage. However, we must make allowances for mentality. If the timber is solid and dry, shrinkage is not needed. It is also not needed for laminated timber. If the timber is solid and fresh, raw, it is necessary to firmly fasten the frame (with metal pins, nails, with grooves at the joints) and condition it for at least several months. Turnkey half-timbered houses can be completed when the walls of the frame have been insulated and finishing work remains.

The frame is laid on an insulated foundation. The ideal combination is an insulated Swedish plate or USHP, which simultaneously provides strength, rigidity and insulation of heat loss to the base of the house.

Interior of half-timbered houses

The construction of half-timbered houses ends with the creation of an interior design that can be anything. Traditional classics, medieval Provence or modern minimalism - any style will fit into a real European home.

Often modern trends are used - minimalism, hi-tech, brick style - not plastered walls. Natural wood has retained its popularity in Russia.

Half-timbered houses have become one of the business cards medieval architecture. Features of this architectural style it becomes clear from the word itself - the German Fachwerk, consisting of two semantic parts: Fach, which means part, panel, section, and Werk - structure. Medieval technology turned out to be so successful that half-timbered houses - frame house projects, which appeared in Germany in the 15th century, are again popular centuries later.

Construction of half-timbered houses: technologies tested over centuries

Created in Germany, half-timbered houses, the construction technology of which has undergone virtually no significant changes, appeared as a result of an acute shortage of quality wood in medieval Europe. Therefore, a wooden frame was created from wood, and the space between the beams was initially filled with clay, which was replaced by more durable materials: stone and brick. Another undoubted advantage in the Middle Ages was the ability to quickly restore a destroyed or damaged half-timbered house with your own hands. For the constantly warring Europe of that time, this was very important.

The basis of a half-timbered house is a complex wooden frame consisting of horizontal, vertical and diagonal elements, which are the main feature of the half-timbered architectural style. Diagonal elements - braces located between beams and racks, add rigidity and strength to the structure. To create the frame structure, wood was used - spruce, oak, fir, Douglas fir, and the strength of the frame is achieved through accurate calculation of loads and precise connection of all parts.

The vertical arrangement of the beams has fully justified itself - today you can find houses built more than 500 years ago. The reason for such longevity is the well-polished vertical beam rainwater flows down quickly, practically without lingering or being absorbed. And this is the fundamental difference between half-timbered houses and traditional log Russian huts, in which the logs were located horizontally and, as a result, absorbed more moisture, which led to a faster gradual destruction of the wood.

Half-timbered houses: revival of popularity

Interest in half-timbered houses was revived in the mid-70s of the last century, primarily due to the emergence of new, technologically advanced materials. Modern design trends have made it possible to give a new sound and content to already classic methods of decoration and construction. And although modern half-timbered houses differ quite seriously from classic samples, they are popular among lovers of classic European rustic style.

If clay was initially used to fill the space between the beams, then wooden panels, stone or brick, then with the advent of double-glazed windows it became possible to build half-timbered houses with full glazing. Full glass facade it looks very impressive and elegant, while maintaining the visual division of the wall - the main architectural feature of buildings in the half-timbered style.

One of the features of half-timbered architecture is the decorative function of the frame. This is its main difference from ordinary frame houses, in which, when finishing load-bearing beams turn out to be hidden. The special arrangement of the frame elements not only visually divides the facade into panels of various shapes, but also creates a bizarre pattern (they are also called “figures”): “man”, “St. Andrew’s cross”, “wild man” and others.

Advice! To make the exterior of the house more decorative and attractive, corner posts are decorated with carving, and the heads of the beams protruding onto the facade are given shaped shapes, for example, a horse’s head, races, etc.

At the same time, modern technologies have made it possible to obtain warm "glass House– installed special, low-emission double-glazed windows allow short-wave solar radiation to pass through, but at the same time acts as an insurmountable barrier to long-wave thermal radiation. As a result, to calculate the heating power of such a house, the formula traditional for stone and concrete houses is often used - 1 W of power per 10 m 2. At the same time, the glass only looks fragile from the outside - in fact, it is made using technology and can reach a thickness of up to 6 mm. In addition, even if suddenly, which is unlikely under normal conditions, such glass breaks, the fragments will not fly to the sides - they will remain hanging on the elastic polymer film.

As a result, using a half-timbered structure, it is possible to create large glazed areas, turning the entire facade into one large glass wall. This makes it possible to realize the effect of merging with nature and the surrounding space. The landscapes that surround the house seem to become part of the interior.

Another reason for the increased popularity of half-timbered houses was the use of glued timber instead of a regular tree, which made it possible to type very durable frame. At the same time, the frame elements (laminated veneer lumber and metal fastenings, which connect the frame elements) additionally act as a decorative part of the exterior and interior of the building. In addition, the durable frame allows you to create any building layout that features spacious open spaces with exterior glass walls adjacent to cozy and quiet secluded rooms inside the building. And since the concept of “load-bearing wall” is absent in principle, the entire load falls on the frame, in such a house you can easily carry out redevelopment at any time.

The use of laminated veneer lumber for the frame made it possible to get rid of a number of disadvantages characteristic of natural wood:

increased fire safety - laminated timber ignites at higher temperatures than ordinary wood. In addition, it does not burn, but smolders, retaining its shape and load-bearing capacity, thereby giving significantly more time than natural timber for the evacuation of people

no shrinkage - over time, laminated veneer lumber practically does not change its properties linear dimensions, which allows you to begin interior and exterior finishing immediately after installing the frame

immunity to moisture, resistance to mold and fungi
high strength - according to this indicator, laminated veneer lumber is 2 times superior to solid wood

In our area, half-timbered houses appeared and became widespread relatively recently. Nevertheless, this technology construction has already managed to win a lot of supporters - and it’s not surprising, thanks to its thoughtful design, ease of construction using natural environmentally friendly pure materials, as well as ease of use, half-timbered houses are becoming increasingly widespread, including in our latitudes.

The history of the appearance of half-timbered houses goes back several centuries. The first structures of this type appeared in the twelfth century. By the mid-sixteenth century, the technology for constructing half-timbered houses in Western Europe was recognized as very suitable and became widespread in many countries. Half-timbered houses traditionally belong to low-rise construction - such buildings can include up to 3-4 floors. Currently, there is a growing popularity in the construction of one-story half-timbered houses using modern technologies, including for the middle class. Currently, there are about two million buildings in this style in Germany – you can even take special excursions there called “Full-Timbered Street”.

Translated from German, “fachwerk” is a cellular (lattice) structure. The technology for constructing houses in this style differs from other construction methods. A half-timbered house is a structure based on a wooden frame made of load-bearing vertical posts, horizontal beams and diagonal braces. Glued laminated timber made from durable wood, treated with special compounds, forms the basis of the building. The space between the frame elements of a half-timbered house is filled with panels or masonry made of various materials (brick, stone, building blocks). Cement particle boards are widely used in construction - this material, made by pressing from Portland cement with the addition wood shavings and stabilizers, is characterized by high density, excellent sound and heat insulation properties, resistance to weather influences, as well as low cost and ease of processing.

In addition, modern technologies make it possible to build the walls of half-timbered houses from special heat-saving glass panels (consisting of single- or double-layer glass, as well as triplex). This method allows glazing of 75-95% of walls. Thanks to modern technologies, three-layer glazing with filling of the chambers of double-glazed windows with argon makes it possible to obtain the equivalent of walls with brickwork about 80 cm thick - thermal insulation properties houses like this are quite impressive.

Traditionally, half-timbered houses are crowned with a gable or hipped roof, hung low enough so that in its shade one can hide from the scorching sun. A tribute to historical tradition and the main distinctive feature half-timbered house construction technology is a visible wooden frame, which is assembled from durable wood species - oak, beech, hornbeam, and wood coniferous species. This construction solution makes it easy to distinguish the facade of a half-timbered house from buildings in other styles.

Advantages and disadvantages of half-timbered houses

Half-timbered houses pleasantly impress with their neat appearance, lightness and elegance of construction, and at the same time they are distinguished by ease of construction - such a building can be erected with little labor in a short time, by assembling the house from its component parts like a constructor. Despite this, half-timbered houses are characterized by a significant margin of safety and durability - this is evidenced by buildings erected about three centuries ago, which are still preserved in excellent condition.

In addition, the following advantages of half-timbered houses can be noted:

The axial design characteristic of half-timbered buildings allows you to plan rooms of any size in them without the need to build internal load-bearing walls;
in a half-timbered house, the main load is carried by the vertical wooden posts of the frame. This design is very durable and at the same time lightweight - this reduces the pressure on the foundation of the house. Half-timbered houses do not shrink and can be erected on any foundation, unlike monolithic buildings, including lightweight ones. This circumstance significantly reduces the cost of construction;
the technology of constructing half-timbered houses, which essentially represents the assembly of a structure on a frame like parts of a designer, allows you to complete turnkey construction work (from pre-prepared material) in a short time - several times faster than traditional buildings made of brick, stone or timber .

There is probably no ideal construction style without any shortcomings. But most of the problems were solved over several centuries of construction of half-timbered houses. Half-timbered houses with walls built on a wooden frame filled with clay adobe were significantly inferior in their ability to conserve heat compared to brick buildings. With the use of modern heat-saving materials, the situation has changed. It is worth noting that most insulation requires replacement - after about 25-30 years. In the same time, square meter the resulting living space will be relatively inexpensive - thus, the constructive solution of a half-timbered house allows you to save a significant amount during construction, which will be more than enough for several cycles of replacing thermal insulation materials. With the use of modern construction technologies, the heat transfer results are almost equal, modern half-timbered houses are quite energy efficient - perhaps, except for the conditions of the far north.

Glass buildings placed in the lap of nature look very harmonious and allow you to admire the surrounding landscape from anywhere in the house.

Decorating a house in half-timbered style

The basis of a half-timbered house is a specially designed and visible supporting frame, which is made of laminated veneer lumber, reinforced concrete or steel. In such houses, the elements of the load-bearing frame in the form of posts, beams and braces are traditionally located in the field of view (from the outside and from the inside of the building), emphasizing the design features of the building and giving it special expressiveness.

Previously the space between load-bearing elements filled with adobe modern conditions For this purpose, various Construction Materials– bricks (in the form of regular or decorative masonry), a natural stone, gas and foam blocks with the addition of various insulation materials. For the construction of walls and subsequent finishing of houses in the half-timbered style, you can also use:

panel materials - for example, cement-bonded particle boards (CPB). Due to its high wear resistance and durability, this material is widely used for finishing buildings in the half-timbered style. The slabs, cut with a grinder or jigsaw, are painted in suitable colors using water-based or oil-based paint, and then fixed with screws on the walls between the frame elements. Other board materials are also widely used for these purposes - moisture-resistant gypsum fiber sheets, lining;
plastering walls - this rather labor-intensive type of finishing is suitable for brick and block buildings. Waterproof ones are suitable for this. building mixtures, the final layer of plaster can reach several centimeters;
in areas with a harsh climate, building a half-timbered house with glass walls may not be cost-effective. Thus, various adapted construction options have appeared, borrowing recognizable features of the half-timbered style, including finishing the facade in this style. In this case, the basis can be ordinary house from wooden beams, bricks or building blocks, and for finishing you can choose a very realistic-looking decor from polyurethane panels and timber (with a cross-section of at least 150x150 mm), imitating a half-timbered structure. They are glued to the facade using construction adhesive (placed on liquid nails, ceresite, etc.). The advantages of such an imitation of half-timbered wood include a presentable appearance at a low cost, resistance to various atmospheric influences, mold and insects, strength and durability.

DIY half-timbered houses

If you have read the available information and examples of projects presented on the Internet, and then thought about building a half-timbered house with your own hands, it is worth considering that this is not at all easy. Construction companies claim that the construction of such a building will take a little time - it should be noted that this means the assembly of a house from a kit previously prepared by specialists according to the developed project of a half-timbered house, in which all the details and structural elements are carefully planned and calculated using computer programs. The beams are connected using special connecting seams that guarantee structural strength - when independent execution Such work from scratch will require carpentry skills.

In case of use ready-made kit, on construction site imported factory-prepared wooden beams(usually oak or pine) with cut grooves, pre-painted and treated with special impregnation, as well as front panels prepared for installation. In this case, all that remains is to assemble the house from the parts according to the plan - like a wooden construction set.

When building a house in the half-timbered style, the following features of construction technology should be taken into account:

To erect a building, you will need to prepare a lightweight foundation - it is recommended to use a shallowly buried strip foundation up to 0.5 m wide. A half-timbered house will not create a large load on the foundation, since it is largely distributed by the elements of the wooden frame. In addition, the walls of this design are quite rigid and do not differ in significant weight;
a layer of waterproofing is laid on the foundation, a timber frame is installed on top, securing it with metal anchors;
Next, you need to build a frame from laminated veneer lumber, connecting its elements ( vertical racks and horizontal beams) in a pre-planned manner, securing the structure with braces;
for the construction internal partitions use beams with a smaller cross-section - they are attached to the floor using frame dowels;
the frame frame is connected to the roof rafters;
it is necessary that the walls of a half-timbered house fill the frame from the inside, leaving the elements of its structure visible;
internal partitions in such a house can be erected in any way from any building material;
Various materials are used as insulation - for example, basalt wool or cellulose fiber mats. In the case of glazing the walls, a “warm floor” system or convection heat supply near the double-glazed windows is used to heat the house;
communications are placed under the floor, as well as in the frame;
the roof of half-timbered houses is most often covered ceramic tiles or metal tiles, sometimes sheet iron;
After the work has been done, you will need to start exterior finishing. Plastering opaque walls and painting them in bright hues, you can give the house a characteristic half-timbered flavor.