Comparison of frame and timber houses. Which house is better: frame or profiled timber? Frame frame construction

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

New technological methods have also appeared that make it possible 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 much time, especially if we're talking about about 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 made from profiled timber are produced with the assistance of special companies, and they are delivered 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, we can distinguish the following advantages timber houses:

Thermal insulation. Standard profiled timber and its laminated veneer lumber are very good thermal insulation materials that do not require additional finishing materials to insulate the room. Laid in compliance with all necessary requirements wooden beam perfectly prevents the penetration of not only cold, but also moisture into the room.
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.
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 tree is also impregnated with other substances that help the wood resist rot, fungi and various types insects

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

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.
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 summer house. IN autumn-winter period it is uncomfortable to live in them, 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, panels are quickly assembled single design 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.

lining: for interior and external cladding or cladding 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 you have the 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 most important disadvantage of panel houses is that for its construction it is necessary to involve 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 can 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 will indeed notice that laminated veneer lumber 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:

Long service life of the timber. This is achieved thanks to the ability to replace damaged timber with a new one. Frame houses sometimes need to be almost completely disassembled to carry out repair work. In addition, high-quality profiled timber is a solid material that is initially stronger than multi-component panels.
Facing. Houses made of timber can be left completely without cladding. However, their properties will not change. In case of frame structure cladding or finishing is a necessary measure.

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.

The construction industry has various technologies for using wood. Having decided to build from wood, the owner of the future house is often faced with a choice - to build a frame house or from timber. Let's try to figure out which of these is better in our article.

Houses made of timber began to spread and gained wide popularity before frame houses. Perhaps this is precisely what explains the prejudiced attitude towards framers, which is found among both amateurs and professionals. When deciding for yourself what is better - a frame house or a house made of timber, it is correct to look not for advantages (which is quite categorical), but to compare all the pros and cons of technologies and materials. Having assessed the parameters, you can make a decision.

Source cryptopia.ru

To select, a comparative analysis is required from the point of view of year-round use

Beam and frame: types and quality of material

To build a practical and modern home, you should pay close attention to the material.

timber

Several types of timber are used in construction, the first two are recommended for country houses:

Regular (massive). It is obtained after minimal processing of a raw log on a woodworking machine, where it is given a cross-section (square or rectangular). Product humidity may exceed 20-30%.

One-piece profiled. Wooden blanks are given more complex shape profile (a tongue-and-groove system that allows rigid connection of structural elements).

Glued. The humidity of the workpieces (lamella boards made of coniferous wood) is reduced to 10-12% in drying chamber. Then the lamellas are selected according to quality (external ones can be made of larch, internal ones - from pine) and glued together under pressure.

Frame technology

The design is based on a wooden frame (from lumber chamber drying), metal or sandwich panels. The frame is filled with insulation (ecowool, polystyrene foam, mineral wool) and covered with plywood, cement-bonded or oriented strand boards.

Source ostwest.su

Board in an industrial drying chamber

About wood quality

The quality of lumber is the quality of construction, so they are chosen carefully. The market offers materials made from both raw and dried wood.

Lumber natural humidity(EB) is a popular option. It undergoes minimal processing (requires minimal investment) and is therefore cheap. This is its main advantage.

EB timber and boards are often used in modern construction(timber and frame houses, respectively). Natural processes occurring in raw wood lead to unpleasant consequences:

Shrinkage(shrinkage) . Once solid timber walls are assembled, they will lose EB and shrink in size. This feature makes it necessary to take a technological break in construction (at least six months, and often more). Walls made of laminated veneer lumber exhibit minimal shrinkage. Using raw material for framing will lead to an uneven change in the size of the boards (shrinkage is different for all boards, it is more pronounced in thickness and width). Gaps may appear at the joints of boards (and beams). Such defects become a gap in the thermal insulation, disrupt the finishing and, alas, require correction through an additional cash injection.

Bio-attack. Mold and fungi thrive in EB lumber. If damp walls are not left to dry and insulation is started immediately, moisture will linger and create an ideal environment for the development of microorganisms.

Changing geometry. Touches the boards. During the drying process, internal stresses appear in the wood; the board may bend, warp or twist. This doesn't just happen with stack drying (air drying); the racks in the finished frame can be unscrewed until a gap appears.

Source stroyka.ru

The amount of cracking depends on the quality of drying of the timber

The cost of high-quality lumber includes antiseptic treatment; impregnation often occurs under pressure, which ensures deep penetration of the mixture into the wood. This method is not applicable to damp wood; manual processing of its surface affects only the surface layer and does not effectively protect against rot. An important question is proper storage; Glued laminated timber will be irrevocably damaged if it is left on a construction site for the winter.

Design

Regardless of which technology is chosen for building a house - timber or frame, construction will begin with the development of a project, depending on the features of the technology:

Architectural and structural diversity. This parameter means the possibility of constructing complex design with non-standard solutions. Here, as the owner of more flexible technology, the frame option is in the lead. Timber buildings are more standardized; It will take more time and money to develop and create unusual elements.

Style solution for the project. The trump card of houses made of timber - the natural beauty of wood - limits the choice of style and the designer’s imagination; You can achieve variety by combining shades. Thanks to the quality of finishing materials, a frame house is indistinguishable from a brick or wooden one.

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Source lesdomik.ru

A house made of timber can have an asymmetrical shape

On our website you can find contacts construction companies who offer house design services. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

Construction: technologies and designs

Construction companies use technologies that have been refined over the years to build frame and timber housing. All work is carried out by specialized specialists under the supervision of a qualified engineer. When wondering which house is better - frame or timber, you should start by becoming familiar with construction technologies.

Features of frame construction

The size and type of structure are limited only by the designer’s imagination and the allocated budget. The frame is mounted on the foundation; after insulation, the structure is sewn up with finishing or slab material. Next comes the installation of the floor, ceiling and roof, and interior decoration. Communications are hidden in a gap inside the walls.

Depending on the complexity of the project, the house is built in 1-2 months; You can move into it immediately after completion of construction. A house built in compliance with the technological process will not present any unpleasant surprises in the future.

Features of the construction of a timber house

Such houses resemble a construction set; the elements are laid in a certain order and fit into the grooves. In the presence of detailed instructions and experience among workers, work in progress smoothly, without delays.

Source sawwood.ru

Details timber house resemble a constructor

The roof is being erected, the floor and ceiling are being installed; no additional wall decoration is needed. Laying communications is a labor-intensive and expensive process. IN timber walls ah, channels are drilled, pipes are laid taking into account future shrinkage.

The wall timber needs complete finishing. It is polished (surface and ends), protected special compounds(only at positive temperatures). Subsequently, the external walls are sanded and painted every 5-7 years, and treated with impregnations once a year.

Professional design takes into account inevitable shrinkage. The structure will take its final form in 6–12 months (taking into account production preparation and the shrinkage process).

About the thickness of the walls of a timber house and frame in the video:

Frame and timber houses: comparison parameters

Having seen what the features of the material and installation are, you can compare laminated timber or frame, which better meets the selection criteria. Housing intended for permanent use must be warm, safe and beautiful. Let’s compare the differences between a frame frame and a house made of timber: we’ll look at the pros and cons of each of them in different parameters.

Cost comparison: which is cheaper

Cost is one of the determining factors, since the budget has limited limits, which are not always possible to expand. The total amount consists of the costs of materials, transportation costs, salaries for builders, and payment for equipment:

Construction materials. The initial set for frame housing will cost 20-25% less.

Construction cost. Installation work when constructing a frame frame, they require more highly qualified workers (and higher salaries). On the other hand, equipment is used to lift the timber to the upper levels. As a result, a slightly smaller amount is spent on the construction of a frame house (10-15%).

Source tues.ru

Frame house is the result of qualified assembly

In reality, everything turns out to be not so simple. In order for frame and timber cottages to be equal in parameters, it is necessary to use quality materials. As a result, a properly constructed frame frame can be equal in price or even turn out to be more expensive than an uninsulated timber house.

The construction of a house made of timber is extended over time, which requires financing in parts. This does not reduce the cost, but it reduces the monthly financial burden on the owner and can be a strong argument in favor of this option. Price, by and large, will not help determine a favorite; you have to choose based on other criteria.

Energy efficiency: which house is warmer

To understand which house is warmer, frame or timber, you need to pay attention to the thermal insulation characteristics. The energy efficiency indicator is high for both frame and timber houses, but the process of heat conservation is different:

Frame house. If the insulation is selected correctly (taking into account the climatic region), the walls are reliable protection in any frost. The home warms up quickly and maintains comfortable conditions for a long time. Fuel is consumed economically.

House made of timber. To achieve acceptable energy efficiency, wall thickness is calculated taking into account climate zone. The house takes longer to warm up; After turning off the heating, it also retains heat longer, since the timber is able to accumulate heat. In areas with harsh winter conditions(Far North, Siberia) walls made of laminated timber require additional insulation.

Source brigada-remonta.com

The technological filling of the frame walls reliably retains heat

Strength and Durability

Durability. Here, a convincing advantage belongs to houses made of timber - their service life reaches 70-80 years, subject to regular treatment of external walls. The operation of the frame lasts 25-30 years, after which the construction requires major renovation with replacement of load-bearing elements.

Strength. Both types of buildings cope equally well with hurricane winds and tremors. The safety margin of modern materials used in frame construction is not inferior (and sometimes superior) to solid wood in strength.

Environmental friendliness

Solid wood timber meets environmental standards as closely as possible. All other materials (both laminated timber and frame building materials) in the production of which glue is used are capable of releasing substances hazardous to health (formaldehyde) into the air.

Source in.pinterest.com

The mixture for protecting timber walls may contain components harmful to health

Comparing the advantages and disadvantages of houses

Just as there is no yin without yang, so there cannot be merits without faults; Both houses built from timber and frame houses have them. Trying to determine whether a beam or a frame is better for building a house, they compare the features of the buildings:

Pros and cons of timber houses

The use of profiled or laminated timber is in most cases more practical than its raw counterpart, which is prone to deformation. The advantages of a structure assembled from a timber constructor are:

Thermal insulation. Wooden beams produced and laid using technology have good thermal insulation properties. It reliably maintains the microclimate of the house, protecting the interior space from cold in winter and from heat in summer. If facing and thermal insulation materials are chosen correctly, the walls “breathe”, ventilating the rooms.

House cost. Very attractive, given the availability of wood and the ability to refuse finishing.

Durability. A log house built according to the rules does not require repairs for decades. To increase its lifespan, it is treated with compounds that protect against moisture, fungus and pests.

Source oooarsenal.ru

A fireplace in timber housing is not dangerous

Safety. To protect against fire, the timber is impregnated with a fire retardant (a substance that retards combustion). In case of fire, this will help gain time to evacuate people.

Aesthetics. Log houses are always in trend, polished wooden walls attract with their naturalness.

Vapor permeability. Only horizontally glued timber has it, in which the lamella boards and the layers of glue between them are oriented horizontally. Vertical laminated timber is completely airtight.

The disadvantages are:

Shrinkage. Time must pass for the wood to dry out and for the house to take on its final dimensions, decreasing by 3-10 cm. According to technology, the active process can take 3-6 months, if the timber is damp - more than a year. If you finish while shrinking, it will be damaged.

About the comparison criteria in the video:

Raw materials for the home. Not everyone can independently determine the quality of lumber. In order not to make a mistake, you should contact companies with extensive experience and quality certificates for their products.

Subtleties of insulation. At the construction stage, the walls are carefully caulked; The procedure may need to be repeated after shrinkage. To avoid getting a thermos house, do not use polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene for thermal insulation. They trap steam and air, preventing the walls from “breathing.” Mineral wool has the best thermal insulation and vapor permeability properties.

Glued wood. It has high strength, which affects the price and sometimes eliminates the advantage of a lightweight foundation. If during production you use not a harmless wood glue, but a toxic (cheaper) option, the walls will emit formaldehyde.

Pros and cons of frame buildings

Capital frame houses have undoubted advantages:

Construction time. Attractively short - the construction cycle is 1-4 months. All elements are of factory quality, assembly takes place without delays or downtime, no additional adjustment of elements is required.

Source rdv-immo.logic-immo.com

Frame buildings attract with the speed of construction

Reliability. Frame houses are widespread in Europe and America; they are built everywhere in Canada, which has harsh winters.

Saving. Wood is used mainly for the frame, which reduces the cost of construction. The wall consists of a frame, insulation and sheathing; there is no need for finishing work. Frames are also characterized by cost savings during the heating season.

Communications. They are easily hidden in the walls, unlike wooden houses, where you have to leave gaps between the wall and the finish, and many people prefer to lay the wiring open method.

About how much it costs to heat a frame frame in the video:

Minuses frame construction:

Novelty. Many do not want to take risks, noting that modern frame technologies have not been tested by time.

Deception. Unscrupulous enterprises deceive customers by trying to reduce production costs (for example, by reducing the thickness of the profile). The quality of the design is declining, as is the trust in the technology. The manufacture and construction of frames should be trusted to a reliable developer.

Poor quality materials. Chinese-made products can become a source of formaldehyde indoors.

Source ok-berta.ru

Both frame and timber houses will reliably protect from frost

What to choose

After analyzing the data, we can summarize: both technologies have attractive sides; both a frame house and a house made of timber are equally suitable for living. The question “frame or timber - which is better for building a house” should be rephrased as “Which house is best for you,” and start from your needs, about what your soul is about.

Prudent owners choose construction technology taking into account future heating costs; The size of the future home and the heating method (availability of gas) are taken into account. It is also important whether the house will be maintained in winter constant temperature, or you will need to quickly warm up the premises on weekends. In this case, what will come first is not the beauty and durability of the log house, but the performance characteristics of the frame house.

Whatever the choice, it is better to entrust design and construction to a company with experience, a solid portfolio and recommendations. The desire to save on materials and work will lead to a violation of technology and will ruin any house, frame or timber.

Everyone who thought about building their own house asked the question: what to build it from? Currently on the market great amount building materials, new types appear every day. In this article we will try to understand two types of materials for building houses: frame and timber.

Comparison of the strength of frame and timber houses

It is safe to say that timber houses are more reliable than frame houses. There is an explanation for this. Frame houses are made of wood using various chemical treatments to protect the structure.

Chemical compounds allow a frame house to last longer, but they are not able to protect against all factors environment. As a rule, frame houses are treated against mold, moisture and anti-fire preparations.

Sectional diagram of a frame house wall

Log houses are made from solid material, which itself has protective properties against environmental factors. The service life of frame houses is 25 - 30 years, after which they will have to be replaced bearing structures.

Log houses will stand quietly for more than 50 years. Modern technologies make it possible to increase service life timber houses up to 80 years: use of laminated wood, treatment against cracking.

The maximum service life of a frame house is 30 years.

Many people believe that these two types of houses differ in reliability, but this is true:

Let's summarize: if we compare these two types of houses from the point of view of strength and durability, then houses made of timber material are definitely in the lead here.

Cost comparison

Pricing of frame houses

Every owner is looking for a home option that will not only be warm and reliable, but also cost less than others. Let's look at what goes into pricing frame houses.

The calculation will be given for a house with an area of 46 m2:

The main advantage of a frame house is its low cost

Any home starts with a foundation. Nowadays, for a prefabricated house, you can install a strip foundation or a columnar one. A prefabricated house weighs less than a timber house, so it does not require a massive foundation. A columnar foundation consists of supports that are installed at a distance of two meters from each other. The larger and taller the house, the more foundations will be required. Such a foundation has an advantage: you can always get under the house and water will not accumulate there. This type of foundation is well suited for areas where it is difficult to remove water from the site where the house is being built. Strip foundation is a more classic and frequently used option, but it will also be more expensive. If a columnar foundation costs 30-50 thousand rubles, then a strip foundation starts at 50 thousand;
House frame. This is the main stage of construction. The frame consists of walls made of wood, internal and external decoration. It’s worth saying right away that to build a good frame house you need to use insulation. If the cost of constructing the frame is 100,000 rubles, then the same amount will have to be spent on insulation and interior decoration of the house. There are a great many options for insulation and finishing;
An important part of building a house is building the roof. For a prefabricated house being built wooden base which needs to be insulated and waterproofed. The roof can be covered with metal tiles or soft tiles tigola or shinglis. The cost of erecting a roof for a house is approximately 80 – 120 thousand rubles. The cheapest covering option is metal tiles - from 90 thousand rubles;
The outside of prefabricated houses is sheathed with cement-bonded particle boards, but the house cannot be left in this form. It is cheaper and more practical to cover it with siding. Now there is a wide variety of this material on the market: all colors, shapes and sizes are available. Vinyl (cheaper) siding for our house will cost 40 – 60 thousand rubles. If you want the house to look like a timber house, then you can use a block house to decorate the walls. This covering is made of natural wood and is quite easy to install. The cost of finishing is from 80 thousand rubles. Do not forget that wood is less durable than plastic. This coating will have to be painted and treated against mold;
Electrical wiring and water supply. We will specifically indicate this point, because work on lighting and supplying water to the house must be carried out before the start of interior decoration. The minimum cost of work is 60 thousand rubles: if there is a well or well on the territory;
If you plan to heat the house, then the pipes are partially placed inside the walls. It is quite difficult to calculate the cost, since there are different types of heating: stove, boiler for wood, gas, water, fireplace;
Interior decoration of the house. Finishing begins with construction plasterboard walls. Then you can use any available material: wallpaper, tiles, plastic panels, wooden cladding.

Comparative characteristics frame houses at their cost, depending on the size

The most expensive thing in a frame house is the frame itself.

Pricing of timber houses

Pricing of timber houses has the following components:

The degree of complexity of constructing frame and timber houses

Frame houses consist of several layers:

internal lining;
frame;
vapor barriers;
thermal insulation;
waterproofing;
external cladding.

For each layer, it is necessary to select materials that are suitable for this area, will retain heat well, and protect the house from moisture and mold. If you build a house yourself, you will need special knowledge.

Log houses are installed using material and dowels. The process of building houses from timber is much faster than frame houses. Pre-cut parts will allow the building to be erected in two days.

An example of a two-story frame house project

If we talk about which house is better: frame or timber, in terms of the degree of complexity of construction, a timber house will take first place.

Architectural and structural parameters and their differences

Timber structures are excellent for standard-built houses. If you want unusual roof, round kitchen and bay windows, then it is better to start construction from frame material.

Houses made of timber are more durable than frame houses

Of course, you can build a complex structure from timber, but you should understand that the price of such a house will be significantly higher than its analogue. The construction of a log house can be done with one assistant, without the involvement of a team: all the parts are signed and they need to be laid in accordance with the construction plan.

If we talk about which house is warmer, then there is no definite answer. The timber structure itself retains heat better than a frame sandwich. The use of high-quality insulating materials, good finishing and the presence of heating in a frame house will guarantee that it will be warm in the dead of winter.

We have already said that specific gravity There are fewer frame houses than timber houses. This means that you can move into frame houses almost immediately after construction, since they will have little shrinkage.

Finishing interior spaces can also be done almost immediately, but in a timber-framed room you should wait to decorate the walls, especially if you plan to install tiles or decorative plaster, and the laminate will lie flat if you wait for it to shrink.

Sample Project two-story house from timber

Another difference between a prefabricated house and a house made of timber is that a timber house can be erected in several stages: walls, roof, finishing inside. A frame-type house requires a one-time investment of money and completion of construction, since you cannot leave only the frame and vapor barrier for the winter, because you will have to do everything all over again.

If a frame house is planned for year-round use, then each layer of the house must be installed dry, and the building must be mothballed for the winter.

Environmental comparison parameters

IN modern world Almost any material for construction has the prefix “eco”. However, this name does not provide a guarantee of safety. If future residents have problems with allergies, then the house must be built from timber. Such a house will contain a minimum number of components that can trigger allergies.

Rating various technologies building a house

To summarize, we can say that timber houses have a number of advantages: attractive appearance, do not require finishing and are durable and reliable. Frame-type houses are lightweight, you can build any type of premises, the house can be finished with siding, wood, tiles and other materials, you can save on the foundation.

Houses made of timber are at least 2 times more durable than frame houses.

If you plan to build a house of classical construction with four corners and a regular roof, then using timber in this case is advisable. Frame houses are suitable for the construction of any architectural ideas; it is easy to attach more buildings to them.

For a summer cottage, a frame house - The best decision. For year-round use, it is better to use timber. The construction of a building that will last forever requires the use of timber.

Video

You can watch a video where experts will talk about the difference in the cost of frame and timber houses.

One of the most frequently asked questions, coming to our address, sounds like this: “Which house is better: frame or made of profiled timber?” The question itself is not very correct. Why? The answer is further in the text.

Let's start with the fact that both options have a lot in common:

these are undoubtedly houses, not temporary buildings;
the house will outlive you, your children and will be left to your grandchildren;
these are not houses for the poor: frame houses were designed for the US middle class, and houses made of profiled timber for the Scandinavian middle class.

The Volkswagen car was created in exactly the same way. The literal translation is “people's car”, while there are few complaints about the quality of Volkswagen.

You can compare prices of houses directly, but there are other more important criteria:

cost of land;
expenses for supplying communications;
Finishing work and “stuffing” at home.

These three points, given the low (compared to other technologies) cost of the house, can account for up to 80 percent of the costs.

Frame or profiled timber?

Even if there is money, it is unlikely that it will be possible to build a Winter Palace on 20 acres. After all, any choice of technology involves a compromise: each has both advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of both options:

low weight of the structure;
high degree of work performed in the factory;
low labor costs and costs for construction equipment;
high speed of house assembly;
the construction of a house does not depend on seasonal conditions.

Frame houses: pros and cons

Advantages of frame houses

The advantages of frame houses include:

if everything is done correctly, then - ideal thermal insulation of the house;
communications hidden inside the walls;
light interior decoration, which has a positive effect on its cost;
earthquake resistance (this advantage may seem surprising; although, if you remember that the cause of the decline of the Smolensk Principality was an earthquake, the desire to discount this advantage may disappear).

Disadvantages of frame houses

There are no perfect technologies. The disadvantages of frame housing construction include the following:

the house will require care: fire retardants and antiseptics lose their qualities over time;
high requirements for the ventilation system, which is a consequence of good thermal insulation (an open window is not enough - this can be a complex system, in which the outgoing air heats the incoming air);
the need for careful adherence to technology in the process of assembling a house: also, there is no 50% surgical operation; a similar approach should be applied to assessing housing construction.

Houses made of profiled timber

Advantages of houses made of profiled timber

The advantages of houses made of profiled timber, of course, include:

environmental friendliness, although there is one “but”: the timber is always treated (there are fireproof and bioprotective impregnations, which cannot be avoided);
low heat loss; there is nothing new here: 20 centimeters of wood is comparable to 70 centimeters of brickwork (the technology of profiled timber is made to minimize heating costs: protrusions and grooves, of course, help with the accuracy of installation, but they also have another task - in construction this is called removing “ cold bridges");
Oddly enough, there is a frequent and worthy argument: “Grandmother had a wooden house” - here there is trust in the experience of ancestors, and support for traditions, and nostalgia.
building a house from profiled timber will cost less than building a frame house.

Disadvantages of houses made of profiled timber

Wood - proven over time natural material. However, it has not only advantages, but also some disadvantages:

flammability;
the tree may get sick: fungus, mold, woodworms (you will need preventive measures, not very frequent - once every 10 years is fine);
installation of a house made of profiled timber does not immediately involve finishing work: it will take time for the house to shrink;
the appearance of cracks in solid timber is inevitable - this is a property of wood, the same as the presence of knots;
Communications cannot be hidden in walls made of timber: load-bearing structures cannot be damaged.

So what should you choose?

The assessment of the advantages of the first or second technology is very conditional. What is important is not the choice of technology, but its adherence. It’s like the joke: the name of the bank does not matter, but the bank must be in Switzerland.

For example, houses in Japan, just like half-timbered houses in Western Europe- This is frame house construction. Some of them are 600 years old.

But the museum complex in Kizhi was built about 300 years ago. Moreover, it is built from timber, and this is not a low-rise building.

From the above we can draw the following conclusion. The recipe for the customer is very simple: choose a project that you like and look at the technology with which it can be implemented.

And before you order construction from any company, find out the addresses of previously constructed objects. Go to the place, look, talk to existing clients construction company. The option is reliable, like a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Of course, the Internet and a search engine are an addition.

Such traditional materials for the construction of houses, like brick and logs, are increasingly being replaced by modern technologies, which make it possible to build a house much faster and cheaper. Frame houses and houses made of timber are now in greatest demand in the suburban construction market, so we suggest you understand the main features of these two technologies.

Which house is better: frame or timber?

This question is perhaps the most common among owners. suburban areas, and the dispute between the happy owners of both types of houses can continue endlessly. In fact, to make this question sound more correct and the dispute to be constructive, many individual factors should be taken into account - the characteristics of the site, the climate, the personal needs of the owner. We, in turn, bring to your attention an overview of the most important characteristics these two technologies.

Comparison: timber or frame house?

1. Construction

When making a decision, you should consider some features of both technologies, such as construction speed, choosing the right time of year to start construction and others architectural nuances.

How long does construction take?

If we compare the speed of lung construction frame-panel house and houses made of timber, then the first one wins by a large margin - construction and finishing here will take several weeks. More serious frame-based buildings will require more time, but even in this case, a team of qualified craftsmen is able to build and commission a house within one season.

Another important advantage frame houses is that they practically do not shrink, so finishing can begin immediately after construction is completed. In the case of houses made of timber, you need to wait some time before starting finishing work. It is known that houses made of laminated timber shrink within at least a year.

When to start building?

It is often recommended to start building a house from timber in winter, since in this case the tree will not tolerate the aggressive effects of the sun and high temperatures, and therefore will not crack and shrink more evenly. A frame house can be built at any time of the year and in a few months you can already celebrate housewarming.

What about the installation of utility networks?

Regarding the laying of utilities (water supply, sewerage, telecommunication lines, heating system), then in frame houses this, as a rule, does not cause any difficulties. The small diameter of the pipes makes it easy to install them inside any partitions. In a house made of timber, everything is more complicated: communications are laid either openly, placing them in special boxes, or closed, which requires drilling channels in the walls, which can weaken the structure.

Architectural nuances

Do you think which is better to make a simple 6x6 house - from timber or frame?

Construction from timber assumes the classic shape of the house - square or rectangular. The scope of application of the frame is much wider than that of timber. A serious advantage of frame buildings is the ability to carry out not only simple projects, but also the most bizarre ideas of the architect. Incorrect geometric shapes, original and complex facades - all this is easier to implement using frame construction technology.

2. Service life

In terms of durability, which is better: a house made of timber or a frame house? The advantages of timber include a longer service life, although the quality of wood harvesting, construction of the foundation and waterproofing, proper care after construction and climatic conditions generally. Estimates of the durability of log houses usually range from 50 to 100 years, and the longest period is usually allocated to profiled timber, which provides a tighter fit. So if you are wondering which building will not require serious repairs longer - a house made of profiled timber or a frame house, then the advantage will be on the side of the former.

However, if we are talking about winter timber house, requiring additional insulation, then it durability will depend on the service life of the insulation used, after which it will need to be completely replaced. Thus, houses made of timber here lose their advantage over frame buildings.

Modern frame houses are usually expected to last from 30 to 80 years, this indicator will depend on the professionalism of the builders and the materials used in the “pie” of the walls. With high-quality assembly and proper care frame houses can last longer without requiring major repairs.

3. Thermal insulation properties

Which house is warmer: frame or timber? This issue is especially important for residents of central Russia. In this plan frame technology can easily challenge the advantage of timber buildings. A frame house provides almost perfect tightness, while timber requires regular caulking - from season to season, with changes in humidity and temperature regime The sizes of the gaps between the beams also change.

Wood is known for its low thermal conductivity, but the performance modern insulation materials, used in the construction of frame houses, still surpass it.

Let's take a look at the specific numbers and calculations:

House made of timber without insulation

GOST R 54851-2011 sets standards for heat transfer resistance (denoted by the letter R, unit of measurement: m² °C/W), for Moscow and the Moscow region this standard is 2.99 m² °C/W. If we use the program http://www.smartcalc.ru, popular among builders, we will see that to comply with the standard, the thickness of the walls of a timber house must be 515 mm, otherwise the house will have to be additionally insulated, which negates the desire of many to have an environmentally friendly and warm house without additional insulation:

House made of timber with insulation

It is clear that no one would think of building walls 515 mm thick (which is exactly what we found out is needed to ensure compliance with thermal insulation standards), so a winter house made of timber will require additional insulation:

Let's make similar calculations for a frame house, for the protection of which 150 mm thick mineral wool is used as insulation, wind and moisture protection and vapor control membranes:

conclusions

If we compare an equally well-insulated frame house and a house made of timber, then the construction of a log house in the second case seems completely unnecessary. Using the example of calculating the heat transfer resistance for a frame building, it is clear that good thermal insulation can be achieved without spending money and time on assembling the frame of a house from expensive timber.

note for one more important point: the thickness of the walls, taking into account the ventilated gap and external finishing in an insulated timber house, will be at least 29 cm, while the thickness of the walls of a frame building is only 19 cm. Since caulked walls are not suitable for everyone from an aesthetic point of view, they are usually sheathed inside drywall. In a timber house, unlike a frame house, this will require sheathing, which also reduces usable area. For clarity, using the example of a two-story house measuring 10x10 m, you can calculate how much space can be saved by this difference in wall thickness.

It turns out that in a log house the “eaten” area will be approximately equal to the area of a small bedroom or two bathrooms, which is not so small!

It is worth noting that The heat capacity (ability to absorb heat) of timber is higher than that of frame structures . It follows from this that the timber will maintain the temperature inside the house longer when, for example, the heating is turned off. At the same time, warming up a frozen wooden house will require much more time and energy. A frame house, if it is not used for permanent residence, can be very easily “defrosted” in winter time year and quickly achieve heating to a comfortable temperature.

Comparative table of specific heat capacity of building materials

The comparison table below shows specific heat some building materials, as well as the amount of heat that 1 cubic meter of material can retain when heated by 1 °C:

No. according to SNIP	Material	Density, kg/m3	Specific heat capacity, kJ/kg*oC	Amount of heat per 1 degree, kJ/m3*oC
144	Expanded polystyrene	40	1,34	54
142	Expanded polystyrene	150	1,34	201
119		200	2,30	460
118	Wood-fiber and particle boards	400	2,30	920
108	Pine and spruce across the grain	500	2,30	1150
109	Pine and spruce along the grain	500	2,30	1150
129	Stitched mineral wool mats	125	0,84	105

4. Environmental friendliness

Both construction technologies involve the use of wood, the environmental friendliness of which is beyond doubt. However, the degree of cleanliness of the timber is somewhat higher, despite all kinds of impregnations that are used to prevent rotting, fungal attack and increase the fire safety of the tree. When building a frame house, sheets of plywood, chipboard or OSB can be used, which, although they are derivatives of wood raw materials, contain chemical impurities.

Markings OSB boards, most commonly used in the construction of frame houses, are the same in Russia, Europe and the USA, but the formaldehyde emission standards differ.

For emission class E1 the norm is no more than 10 mg per 100 g of dry matter according to Russian requirements (8 mg for the USA and Europe).
For class E2– no more than 30 mg (15 mg for the USA and Europe).

Be sure to pay attention to the certificates building materials, while focusing on European standards in order to get a home that is truly safe for your health.

Fire safety

In defense of frame structures, it is also worth noting that the use of modern non-combustible materials(For example, mineral wool) significantly increases the fire resistance of a building, while timber houses, despite being impregnated with fire-retardant compounds, are still quite easily susceptible to fire.

5. Cost

Which house is cheaper - frame or timber? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally, because everything depends on the class of materials used. High-quality, properly prepared timber without defects is worth its weight in gold, and finding a conscientious manufacturer is a rare success. In addition, transportation of long cargo will also cost a pretty penny, and the assembly of log houses in general is more expensive than frame construction. Many point out the opportunity to save on finishing, because the timber itself looks very aesthetically pleasing, while frame buildings require mandatory interior and exterior finishing. But in fact, few people are satisfied with the appearance of caulked walls, and in the case of building a winter log house with additional insulation, it will definitely not be possible to save money on the external finishing of the facades.

The concept of a frame house involves reducing the cost of construction, and indeed, the construction of such structures is significantly cheaper, despite the need for interior and exterior finishing.

If cost is of fundamental importance to you, then it would be advisable order an accurate estimate for construction specific option and then decide what will cost more - a house made of timber or a frame one.

The choice in favor of a frame house or one made of laminated veneer lumber, as can be seen from the proposed comparison, will largely depend on the operating conditions and the individual requirements of the future owner of the house. Unfortunately, it is impossible to cover absolutely all the nuances of both technologies in the format of this review. But we will be happy to provide you with a full consultation and answer any questions that will help you make right choice!

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