Fachwerk frame drawings. Modern fachwerk: traditions and innovations. Half-timbered houses in the German style

In our country, half-timbered houses are a relatively new trend, which is gaining more and more popularity every day. Such a structure has already gained its overwhelming popularity, and this is quite obvious. For its construction, only pure building materials are used, and the structure is convenient to use.

Why are half-timbered buildings so special?

We are building half-timbered house

half-timbered houses began to build several centuries ago, starting from the distant 12th century.

Such structures are classified as low-rise buildings and may include a maximum of four floors. And today it is very popular to build such a structure from one floor using the maximum modern technologies.

Fachwerk is a cellular structure. The technique of building half-timbered houses has nothing to do with the usual brick or concrete buildings. Such a structure is based on a frame made of wood from load-bearing vertical posts, horizontally installed beams and diagonal braces. The basis of the house is a wooden beam made of durable species, which is treated with special glue.

The technical features that a wooden beam should differ in are shown in the table.

During the construction of buildings, chip and cement slabs are very often used, which are produced by pressing Portland cement, wood chips and various stabilizers. This canvas has:

high density;
good heat and sound insulation features;
not afraid of the vagaries of the weather;
has an affordable price;
easy to install.

Today, thanks to technological progress, it has begun to erect half-timbered buildings from heat-saving glass panels. In this way, you can glaze up to 95% of the surfaces in the house.

As a rule, half-timbered buildings are complemented by a two or four-slope roof, which is installed quite low. Thanks to its location on hot days, you can hide under its shade from the scorching sun.

The main distinguishing feature that is unique to half-timbered houses is a wood frame that is not hidden under a layer of finishing material.

Advantages and disadvantages of buildings

How to build a half-timbered house with your own hands?

The building in half-timbered style cannot but amaze with its accuracy and grace. Another plus in their favor is that they can be built very quickly by collecting all necessary details together as a constructor. Despite the ease of installation, such structures have high level strength and different long term exploitation, which can be seen if you look at the houses that were built about 3 centuries ago, but retained their original beauty.

It is also worth highlighting the following advantages:

due to the fact that an axial structure is being erected in buildings, there is no need to build bearing walls inside the building;
in half-timbered buildings, the main load falls on vertical racks and wood frames, which reduces the amount of pressure on the foundation;
such buildings do not shrink, so they can be erected on any basis, which, in turn, reduces the cost of construction;
due to the fact that the house is being built from separate parts (according to the principle of the designer), it can be rebuilt in the shortest possible time, which brick or stone buildings cannot boast of.

There is nothing perfect in our life, and a half-timbered house is no exception. But, thanks to modern technology, many problems were still managed to be overcome.

For example, earlier half-timbered buildings were very inferior brick houses by the "ability" to keep warm. But, today, thanks to modern building materials with increased heat retention, this has ceased to be a problem.

How to decorate a half-timbered house?

Do-it-yourself half-timbered houses, really?

A half-timbered building is based on a special load-bearing frame, for which glued beams made of steel or reinforced concrete are used.

Previously, it was customary to fill the spaces between the bearing parts with adobe, but today they use for this purpose:

brickwork;
a natural stone;
foam blocks;
aerated concrete.

As a rule, various heaters are added to such materials.

But, this is not the whole list of materials from which you can see the design of the half-timbered building. Also widely used:

board material

To work, such plates can be cut with a grinder or a jigsaw, then pigmented in the desired shade with a water-based or oil paint.

The plates are fastened with screws, which are screwed between the frame parts.

Also as board material gypsum-fiber sheets with a high level of moisture resistance or lining can be used.

Plaster

This type of finish is most suitable for decorating buildings made of brick or blocks.

As a mixture, it is better to choose waterproof compounds that can cover walls several centimeters thick.

If you live in a region with harsh climatic conditions, building a house with glass walls is not very cost-effective. For this, other options have been developed that allow you to make the house the most favorable for living, thereby not violating its stylistic features.

As you can see, such an imitation of a half-timbered house will be cheap, but this makes its appearance and specifications not a bit hurt.

We build buildings in the style of half-timbered houses with our own hands

half-timbered house

If half-timbered buildings made an indelible impression on you, and you decide to build such a house for yourself with your own hands, get ready that this is absolutely not easy. Although experienced builders they assure of the speed of construction of such a building, they mean the assembly of the structure from already prepared parts, for which all elements were previously carefully designed by computer programs.

Such parts are connected using "thorn-groove" systems, which provide the structure with strength. But, for high-quality work with your own hands, you must have at least some skills in carpentry.

Before you build a half-timbered building with your own hands, you need to consider the following points:

in order to properly build a building with your own hands, you need to build a lightweight foundation, because a half-timbered structure does not create a large load on the base, but distributes it between the wooden beams of the frame;
it will be necessary to lay waterproofing on the foundation, then install a strapping from a bar and fix it with metal anchors;
then install a frame of glued beams;
as a heater, you can use both basalt wool and cellulose mats;
if the house has many walls made of glass, you can install a "warm floor" near them or additional system heating;
to cover the roof, you can use ceramic or metal tiles, as well as sheet iron;
when all the work is completed, you can proceed to the external design.

To give the building completeness, color and half-timbered style, it must be plastered and painted with light colors, preferably in pastel colors.

Construction technology half-timbered houses came to us from the Middle Ages. Although the first buildings of this type appeared as early as the 12th century AD, they were most widespread in Germany in the 15th century, and then became popular throughout Northern Europe. Until now, many countries use this technology in the construction of buildings. It has stood the test of time for centuries. If you decide to build a half-timbered house with your own hands, then in this article we will describe many of the nuances that you need to know before making a final decision.

Peculiarities

The German word Fachwerk is translated as "frame, lattice structure", which already gives an idea of the design features of this structure. The technology for building such a house is the construction of a frame from wooden beams, which is the supporting structure. Vertical and horizontal racks are combined with beams under different angles which gives strength and rigidity to the structure. Monolithic walls are not erected, as they are obtained by filling the space between the beams various materials. During the Middle Ages, adobe, clay were used for this, later - stone, brick.

The load-bearing beams of such buildings are not hidden, they face the facade and look like decorative element, which gives half-timbered houses their unique and recognizable individuality. Frame elements intentionally highlighted in color create a bizarre ornament on the facade of the building.

Modern reading

Reliability and durability are confirmed by the fact that buildings that are already about five hundred years old have been preserved. Interest in this style began to revive at the end of the last century, especially since modern technology has helped to interpret the classic examples of such buildings in a new way.

There are many benefits to using laminated veneer lumber instead of conventional wood for framing. Its superior wood strength, greater water resistance, more heat fire, resistance to mold and fungi allow you to get rid of the shortcomings inherent in wooden houses.

Modern technologies have made it possible to create, while respecting all the advantages of a half-timbered structure, a “glass house”, when the planes between the frame elements are filled with especially strong double-glazed windows.

Technology Benefits

Undoubtedly, the attractiveness of such houses in aesthetic terms - they are original, unlike the buildings we are used to.
Such buildings do not require a strong foundation, which leads to a reduction in construction time and cost.
The buildings have a very slight shrinkage, which is associated with the low weight of the frame. This allows you to start external and interior decoration immediately after installation is complete.
Since the main vertical load is borne by the frame of the building, the layout interior spaces not constrained by the need to build load-bearing walls.
The construction time is several times higher compared to buildings built using traditional methods.

The nuances of building a house

It may seem that building a half-timbered house can be easy and fast, but it is not. You can often hear advertisements that such construction is carried out by one person in a short time, but do not flatter yourself with this half-truth, since the rapid construction of such a house is possible only if a team of specialists has taken up the matter. Moreover, they assemble the frame from parts pre-prepared at the factory. In this case, indeed, your house can be built in just 2 weeks.

If you take on independent execution this work, it is important to be aware of the limits of your capabilities in order to bring the work you have begun to the end. To do the job correctly, you need not only to be able to handle the tool, you must have it. In addition, you will need to competently perform numerous calculations. Such qualities as accuracy and scrupulousness are needed, because then it will not be possible to redo it, and it will not be possible to cover the flaws with panels. The mood has not changed, and are you ready to build on your own? Then take a look at the to-do list.

Work sequence

Depending on the climatic and landscape conditions of the area in which the house will be built, an appropriate project is being developed.
As with any other building, a half-timbered house needs a foundation. Given the small mass of the house, let's stop at a shallow strip foundation 50 cm wide by performing calculations on our online calculator. You can also make a different type of foundation, as for an ordinary frame house.
For the manufacture of load-bearing structures, we will use glued beams, the size of which should be specified in the project. Nowadays, acquiring such building material will not be a problem. You can also use a regular, only guaranteed dry timber, of the same dimensions.
If there are no skills for such work, but you want to do everything yourself, then it is better to find or order a project in accordance with your needs, order blanks from an enterprise specializing in the manufacture of half-timbered houses, and then proceed to assembly using the drawings.

A layer of waterproofing is laid on the foundation, and the bars of the lower trim are laid on top of it.
Metal anchors are used to fasten the beams to the foundation.

When assembling the frame, it is important to ensure that the parts are fully inserted into the grooves. The joints of the frame parts, which will bear a large load, must be further strengthened, for which metal plates, corners or brackets can be used.
In that part of the building where the walls will be deaf, care must be taken to ensure that the depth of the frames of the frame is sufficient for insulation made of cellulose fibers.

Interior partitions are assembled from a smaller beam, about 50 × 50 mm. For their fastening to the floor, frame dowels are used.
over vertical bars longitudinal runs are being installed, to which floor boards will need to be attached.
If provided for by the project, then crossbars are installed above the interfloor piping.
The frame of the house in the corners is reinforced with braces, which can be either closed or open.
Now you can start making the roof.

We briefly described the stages of the frame assembly so that you can imagine what you have to do. Why is a list of work performed, and not step-by-step instruction? Because structurally, each house will have its own differences, and there are several assembly technologies. To learn more about the construction, we suggest watching the video.

Video: building a half-timbered house

As you can see, the process of assembling a house cannot be called simple, and it will not be possible to build such a structure alone.

Another distinctive feature is the extensive glazing, so the building differs in its appearance from its predecessors, built centuries ago. Often, speaking of buildings erected using half-timbered technology, people call them glass houses.

Video: more about glass houses

Glazing a house is a separate issue, but due to the design features, a special technology has been developed, which is described in the following story.

Video: half-timbered glazing

So, we can conclude that the construction of a modern glass house only a team of specialists can perform qualitatively.

If it is a small village house with small windows, then the rigidity of the structure will be ensured by numerous struts, and the openings are closed with improvised materials - just like our great-grandfathers did.

In the era of maximum development of design and construction, many people dream of their own ideal housing, and in order to make this dream come true, it is necessary to take care not only of the interior environment, but also of the external appearance of the building. At the same time, the choice of a stylistic direction depends on many factors, including the surrounding small architectural forms, the landscape, as well as financial and technical capabilities. However, the fundamental criterion for choosing the direction of styling is the taste preferences of the future homeowner. Despite the fact that in this case everything seems obvious, the situation is somewhat complicated by the increased requirements for private real estate. In Russia, more and more often you can find elite suburban villages, cottages in which are made in uniform style. An unusual decision, gaining more and more popularity are groups of cottages, the facade of which is made in the half-timbered style, which came to us from Western Europe. The historical quarters of the old towns of Germany, Switzerland and Holland are built up with similar buildings, reminiscent of gingerbread houses from a fairy tale, which fascinate tourists and are attractions in themselves. These buildings are wrapped in the charm of Europe and the spirit of antiquity, which hovers even over modern half-timbered buildings. Thanks to the development of innovative technologies in construction, complemented by the high professionalism of the craftsmen, each developer gets the opportunity to recreate half-timbered houses with their own hands. To make sure that you want to have such a house in private ownership, check out the materials in this article, which discusses the features of building a half-timbered house.

Half-timbered houses: a brief historical background

The name of the half-timbered style, which comes from the German fach - panel, werk - structure, and in general translates as "frame construction", came to us from Germany, where this architectural solution has been popular since the ΧV century. First of all, you need to understand that fachwerk is building construction a special type, the basis of which is a rigid frame made of timber and formed by the system elements of vertical, horizontal and diagonal elements such as posts, beams and braces. In this case, the gaps between the supporting elements are filled with various materials. If earlier it was stone, clay or adobe, then the development of today's construction industry allows us to diversify this list with modern insulation and sandwich panels. Despite the fact that such wooden frame structures are common throughout the entire European state, they are consistently associated with gingerbread houses from German fairy tales. Historically, the half-timbered style was used in the construction of not only residential areas, but also warehouses, industrial buildings, warehouses and even small churches. It is important that frame structures in the half-timbered style play not only a functional, but also a decorative role, which is due to their distinctive feature - the visible frame of the structure, which emphasizes the shape of one-story and two-story buildings with its cellular structure.

Currently methods frame construction used in the construction of luxury houses. A characteristic feature of the style is the absence of any restrictions on the designer's imagination, and a large glass area creates a unique feeling of unity with nature. The modern manifestation of the fachwerk was a stylistic trend that originated in the 70s of the ΧΧ century. The main trend of that time was a radical restructuring of old forms into something new, previously unknown and not always successful. It was at this time that fachwerk experienced its second birth, followed by an interesting development. To date, there is a distinction between the construction of half-timbered houses and the decoration of houses in this style.

Half-timbered houses photo

German fachwerk: design features of the building

The German half-timbered building is considered the most ancient building style, the main architectural and stylistic concept of which is borrowed by modern half-timbered buildings. But, despite the unity of the stylistic concept, modern half-timbered houses show only an external resemblance to their progenitor - the German half-timbered house and a distant similarity of architectural forms. Modern house V german style fachwerk is a reliable frame structure of high strength, which is designed in the spirit of past years and demonstrates respectability, nobility, as well as clarity of lines and perfection of forms. The basis of the German-style half-timbered house is a frame, which is made of solid or glued beams. conifers wood. The know-how of modern construction is the erection of a house frame, in which polypropylene or mineral wool boards, equipped with two membrane layers: windproof, which prevents the fibers of the heat-insulating material from blowing out, and moisture-proof, protecting the material from moisture penetration.

For the manufacture of the building, pre-prepared sandwich panels can be used, pressed on both sides with cement-bonded, mineral wool or polypropylene boards, attached to the wooden frame of the building. For the manufacture of the frame of the building is used only modern equipment allowing high precision work. Also at the production stage, it is treated with antiseptic compounds that prevent the development of mold and fungus. In addition, the building frame can be glazed, filled with slabs or sandwich panels, without deviating from architectural project. At the final stage of construction and during the execution exterior finish wooden structures needs to be processed protective compounds produced on natural oil based protecting the frame structure from exposure to ultraviolet radiation, fire and biological damaging objects.

Reasons for the popularity of half-timbered houses

The sophistication of appearance is not the only advantage of half-timbered houses. modern houses, made in this style, are distinguished by a large area of glazing, which creates the impression that the boundaries of the house are dissolved, ensuring the unity of man and the surrounding nature. However, this is also the reason for the popular misconception that such structures cannot be used as residential buildings in regions with a harsh climate, and even more so in harsh Russian winters. To dissuade you from this, we note that half-timbered houses are one of the most economical structures in terms of energy saving and can compete directly with buildings made of brick, concrete, stone and logs.

Important! The large savings in heat energy, characteristic of half-timbered houses, are due to the use of special energy-saving glazing. Unlike conventional glass, it reduces heat loss through openings. In addition, in the manufacture of modern half-timbered structures, sandwich panels are used, the structure of which includes thermal insulation materials that reduce heat loss. And, finally, such buildings are equipped with a "warm floor" system that regulates heat transfer in the building.

The optimal rigidity of the frame guarantees the absence of shrinkage and deformation, which is another indisputable advantage of half-timbered structures.
In progress individual construction houses to difficult conditions often use such frame structures, due to their lightness and, unlike brick houses, less pressure on the ground. Due to the fact that frame structures of this type do not need to install a reinforced foundation, being limited to a shallow system, you get the opportunity to save on construction.

Half-timbered house projects

Design is the main stage of any construction. High-quality projects of half-timbered houses, developed by competent specialists, are the key to successful construction. In the case of a competent approach to the construction of half-timbered houses, the building will last for decades, while retaining its original characteristics. To be sure that the house will be characterized by a comfortable layout, you need to think about the development individual project. If you are planning to build a house characterized by a complex non-traditional design, in any case, you cannot do without an individual project.

Even an inexperienced craftsman understands that the construction of half-timbered houses is not the easiest option for building houses in our climate. Due to the fact that half-timbered houses are not similar to one another, and can differ not only in the way of finishing and size, but also in layout, experts do not recommend neglecting the drafting of projects, during the development of which you can determine the number of storeys of buildings, the number of entrances , glazing option and the nuances of the internal layout.

Distinctive feature frame structure in the half-timbered style are storey ledges, the question of the presence or absence of which is decided at the stage of developing a house project. Initially, they were intended to protect the front wall from precipitation. Currently, the arrangement of a half-timbered house “by all the rules” implies the presence of storey protrusions, which contribute to a slight increase in usable area. Also in the design phase one-story house in the half-timbered style, the issue of the presence and location of balconies and terraces, which are an integral part of modern half-timbered houses, is solved. The design stage allows you to play with glazing variations, frame colors and structural elements, you get the opportunity to recreate a unique half-timbered house that will be associated with old gingerbread houses from German fairy tales or with modern villas in the Art Nouveau style.

Building a half-timbered house: fundamental points

The simplest option for creating a half-timbered house is its initial construction using the fundamental points of this technology. In order to deal with the construction technology in the future, we will designate the main stages of the construction of a half-timbered house:

Treatment wooden materials specialized antiseptic compounds, which prevents the development of mold, fungus, and also reduces the absorbency of wood;
Fachwerkhouse frame installation;
Filling the frame with sound and heat insulating materials;
Roof installation;
Implementation of internal and exterior finish walls;

Important! From the moment the construction of half-timbered houses began, it was believed that they were intended only for regions with a mild climate, but technology does not stand still, and today, in the process of building half-timbered structures, it is supposed to use:

Sandwich heaters;

Systems "warm floor";

Energy saving glazing.

Site preparation for construction

Before proceeding with construction, it is necessary to prepare the site on which the building will be erected and examine the soil. As the basis of a half-timbered house, you can use any foundation suitable for construction wooden houses. This is due to the ease inherent in any wooden frame building, thanks to which. Bearing structures will not create pressure on the foundation.
If the site chosen for construction is characterized by the presence of heaving soils, it is necessary to build a more reliable foundation that will prevent it from being squeezed into winter time by using ground water. The choice of the type of foundation must be carried out, focusing on the characteristics of the soil, which will determine the type of foundation - it will be tape, columnar or pile.

How to mount the frame?

To ensure the insulation of the structure from moisture, a layer of waterproofing materials is laid on top of the foundation, after which a strapping crown is mounted from a bar with a cross section of 50x200 mm. Before mounting the frame, the timber is treated with antiseptic compounds. After the strapping crown is ready, the lower part of the frame is attached to it. To ensure the reliability and rigidity of the frame structure, use the connection parts various types, such as dovetail, countersunk spike, and the use of wooden dowels during the assembly process.
Half-timbered houses are characterized by the presence of a rigid frame consisting of vertical and horizontal beams, as well as diagonal elements - braces, which are a distinctive feature of the half-timbered structure and give it stability. To make the fasteners invisible, as well as to hide the visible details of the skin, use the connection in the groove and spike.

Important! The most popular material for the construction of half-timbered houses is planed polished glued laminated timber from coniferous wood, pre-treated with specialized protective compounds. Often used to mount the frame metal beams, the use of which makes the structure even more durable.

The installation of load-bearing racks is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the project, which takes into account the width of window and door openings. The distance between the support posts depends on the width of the window and door openings, but it should not exceed 3-4 meters.
As a material for installing floor beams, an edged board with a section of 50x200 mm, treated with fire-retardant compounds, is used. The installation of frame elements hidden by sheathing and not being visible parts of the half-timbered structure is carried out from edged board with a section of 45x145 mm, also treated with fire-retardant compounds. After the installation of the walls is completed, the truss system is made hipped roof. At the same time, the installation of a half-timbered house structure on this stage slightly different from the installation of a traditional frame structure.

Features of mounting wall sheathing elements: popular materials

The development of modern technologies makes it possible to replace traditional clay, adobe and reeds, previously used to fill the space between the supporting beams, with more modern heat-insulating materials. At present, for these purposes, more and more often use modern materials such as stone wool, polyurethane panels or cement-bonded particle board. The same materials are used to decorate a half-timbered house.

Important! Distinctive feature half-timbered construction lies in the fact that horizontal and vertical beams and braces located in the outer plane always remain open.

The final stage of construction is filling the empty space of the frame with the subsequent installation of windows and doors. IN Lately for these purposes, large glasses are increasingly being used, which ultimately led to the development and popularization of half-timbered glass. In appearance half-timbered construction are combined classic styles: European and Japanese.

Important! To ensure the preservation of heat in a house where the voids in the frame are filled with glass, experts recommend using specially designed energy-saving double-glazed windows, made of low-emissivity glass, characterized by argon filling. Despite the fact that such a house is filled with natural light, its external fragility is very deceptive.

Another material used for this purpose is cement particle board (CSP) , which is a rectangular sheet, which is made from Portland cement and wood shavings. In addition to these components, the DSP includes special chemical components that provide the antiseptic properties of the material. DSP belongs to the materials of low price category, and despite the fact that it is characterized by low bending strength, it perfectly withstands longitudinal loads.

How to decorate a half-timbered house?

Finishing the facade of a half-timbered house is an easier way to create a half-timbered house. To carry out the decoration of a half-timbered house with your own hands, they take as a basis a building made of any material and characterized by any constructive and stylistic variations. Polyurethane is the main material for finishing half-timbered facades, from which beams and beams are made, visually indistinguishable from wooden beams even at close range. However, unlike wood, they are resistant to high humidity, temperature changes and the harmful effects of insects. In addition, using polyurethane for the manufacture of beams, you can not worry about the appearance of deformations and cracks. To carry out the installation of polyurethane beams, you will need "liquid nails" glue.

Important! When purchasing an adhesive for mounting polyurethane beams, read the instructions to make sure that it is suitable for outdoor use, as well as resistant to temperature and humidity changes.

An important stage in the installation of polyurethane beams is the cutting of parts and the fitting of joints, which will require end and circular saws.

A few words about the design of the half-timbered house

Seeming at first glance, the simplicity of a half-timbered house, upon closer examination, becomes deceptive, because, attracting the views of others, half-timbered houses create a unique luxury and recreate ancient German motifs in reality. Despite the fact that in the process of building and finishing a half-timbered house, experts adhere to the same principles, the variety of appearance of half-timbered houses is so great that it is difficult to find two identical buildings. Due to the variety of textures and colors, half-timbered houses are considered one of the most unique buildings.

The fundamental principles of the design of half-timbered houses:

The facade of a half-timbered house can be complemented by any style: it can be classic minimalism, an American ranch, a German version of country style, and even a combination of several national styles;

The color scheme of the half-timbered house is also characterized by diversity. The main principle of the color scheme is the contrasting selection of wooden beams that stand out against the main background of the wall. The most popular is the combination of light pastel shades and dark brown beams;
Despite the fact that the combination of light walls and contrasting dark beams is most often used, the reverse combination is also acceptable and often more advantageous;

The interior of a half-timbered house must match its exterior. Interior decoration buildings can be designed in the style of German country music, which will allow you to create a complete picture;
The German version of the country style involves the use a large number tree. Textiles within the framework of this stylistic decision require a careful approach: it is best to lay a rough carpet on the floor, decorate the windows with thick curtains, and cover the furniture with thick bedspreads, matching the color and texture of the curtains. The highlight of the style will be pre-aged wooden beams.

The space between the beams and crossbars, which are usually left visible from the outside, is filled with various materials, this is frame houses, it doesn’t matter whether it is or a board, they use it in half-timbered houses.

In ancient times in Germany, the Germans used used clay mixed with. There is even a house built in the 13th century, which was built by a German builder in 1347.

Beams from a bar for such a time did not rot, and the wood became strong, like a stone. This house will stand for more than one century. Europeans have long realized the reliability of these houses, gradually they begin to appear in Russia. And all this was done by hand, without the use of power tools.

It is amazing that a half-timbered house can stand for more than 500 years, this proves the reliability of this type of construction.

Today, technological solutions can be very diverse, in half-timbered construction instead of walls, panoramic double-glazed windows, brick, wood, natural stone, etc. are used.

Feature of German frame houses in Germany

A characteristic feature of the half-timbered house is the protrusion of each upper floor above the previous one. This historical feature is by no means connected with the desire to increase the area of the upper floor. This was done in order to protect the facade of the house, which is also the supporting frame of the entire building, from precipitation and excess moisture. Thanks to such indents, water flowing down the walls of the upper floors flows directly to the ground, and the facade of the lower floor remains dry.

Half-timbered houses

Despite the fact that the widespread use of half-timbered houses was associated to some extent with the desire to save wood, this technology has shown itself to be excellent and has whole line benefits.

This is a fairly inexpensive and environmentally friendly type of construction that you can afford to build yourself. Half-timbered houses are unusual and beautiful.

At modern construction glued softwood timber is more often used, which provides buildings with strength and durability, but ordinary timber can also be used, the main thing is to choose good quality dry timber.

Modern half-timbered houses

Thanks to the use of modern, a modern half-timbered house will not only be aesthetically attractive, but also warm and cozy.

When choosing a material to fill the space between the beams, you can show imagination and use, along with traditional building materials, glass, carved wood, clay mixtures, etc. It will be beneficial to play and protect from moisture the coloring of beams or filler with modern paints and varnishes.

Having all these advantages, half-timbered houses are being built today, many are ready to build such structures with their own hands. In addition, quite light in nature, half-timbered houses do not require construction. Perfect for them, which will allow you to put such a house even on a slope and on the purchase of land.

Video about modern glass frame half-timbered houses

Half-timbered houses in the mind are firmly associated with something fabulous and European. Surprisingly, the creation of these buildings, in principle, does not involve significant efforts, and putting them on suburban area— is quite doable. To do this, of course, you need to know construction technologies and use high-quality materials. When looking at half-timbered houses, there is a desire to touch them with your hands and, if not to settle in them, then live for some time in order to appreciate this building on its merits.

History of appearance

Translated from German, "half-timbered" means "work panel". This construction technology appeared in the Middle Ages, when wealthy residents, for whom the ancient Roman construction techniques were not fully available, were forced to rework them to fit their capabilities. The Romans, as you know, made many military campaigns, during which they built frame houses in the conquered territories. For this we used wooden log cabins, which were hammered with cement and gravel and thus received a frame. Later it was filled with brick and stone. characteristic feature of these buildings was the bringing to the surface of the vertical racks of the frame, struts and horizontal bars. After the base and walls of the house were whitewashed with lime, the wooden components of the house stood out more and more against their background, creating a unique originality of the dwelling.

In the period from the 14th to the 16th century, German, English and other European half-timbered houses were improved, and the technologies for their creation were perfected. As a result, each part of Europe developed its own decorative patterns and the motives of these buildings. Often they were very complex.

Modern half-timbered houses (video)

Foundation construction and frame installation

The beginning of the construction of a half-timbered house begins with the preparation of the site. It is very important to examine the soil for strength. Half-timbered houses can be built on the basis of any foundation designed to create wooden house, but in terms of their weight they are quite light, having a minimal impact on the soil. Accordingly, if the soil is prone to swell and there is a lot of water inside it, then the building will be extremely unstable. To do this, the choice of foundation should be approached with all responsibility. In some cases, you can be content with columnar, slab or pile foundation, but sometimes you will need to create a tape version.

Half-timbered houses, because they have wooden frame, largely depend on the quality of the waterproofing. To do this, a layer is laid on the surface of the foundation. waterproofing material and only then the strapping crown is mounted. Its cross section must be at least 50x200 mm. All beams must be treated with antiseptics before installation to protect the wood from pests. In addition, all wooden elements covered with fireproof liquid. The strapping crown later becomes the basis of the frame, because all its lower parts are attached to it.

Invisible wooden elements of the walls, which will be hidden under the sheathing, are made from edged boards (45x145 mm). They are also treated with fire prevention and pest control materials.

The rigidity and strength of the frame of a half-timbered house is achieved by the fact that hidden spikes and a dovetail are created at the joints on its elements. Outwardly, they may look somewhat doubtful, but houses built using this technology have been standing in Europe for more than 300 years, which is the best proof of the strength of such fasteners.

After mounting the frame, the house requires the creation of a hipped roof, which is carried out using the standard for this method. truss system. For roofing, metal tiles are most often chosen. In general terms, a half-timbered house is created like any frame house, with the only difference being that the walls are sewn up.

dovetail connection

This is the old way of fastening. wooden beams between themselves. At the same time, it is still considered the most complex and time-consuming to create. It is best used at a distance between joints of 3 to 4 m. This is enough for half-timbered houses to get good rigidity. As a rule, even in the most critical places of the supporting structure, the use of a dovetail fully justifies itself and does not lead to premature repairs.

Distinctive style features

Half-timbered houses are always wooden structures. They are based on vertical racks, horizontal beams and braces (the so-called bars that fix the walls of houses in a diagonal). The step between the uprights is traditionally kept at a distance of 3 to 4 m. The fastenings between beams and beams can be visible and invisible. In the first case, a dovetail is used, and in the second, a hidden spike. To do this, a groove is created on one beam, and a spike on the adjacent beam.

Half-timbered houses (video)

wall cladding

In the old days, clay and reeds were actively used for insulation and wall cladding, but now the need for this has completely disappeared. Basalt wool is most often used to insulate a house, and cement-bonded particle boards (DSP) are used for wall cladding, which connect the load-bearing parts of the structure. In addition, you will need a special windproof and vapor barrier material.

Inside, the house is sheathed with the usual gypsum boards or glass-magnesium sheets (LGM). The latter type of cladding is rather unfamiliar in the post-Soviet expanses, but at the same time it allows you to qualitatively replace drywall, asbestos-cement boards, gypsum fiber sheets and other similar materials. Its advantages are that it does not burn at all, does not absorb moisture, and withstands shock well. That is, it is very difficult to break through a glass-magnesium sheet.

Exterior wall decoration

Finishing the house outside is carried out using ordinary putty and white paint. All floor beams must be left without processing. The half-timbered style also requires that all roof overhangs are not hemmed, and that the braces, posts and beams remain visible. The only thing that can be done is to treat them with a special tinting wood impregnation to emphasize them against the background of a white wall.

Fachwerk facade decoration will require careful selection plastic windows, which must have Brown color under the tree. To date, there are many color projects of half-timbered houses with different dimensions and plans. Designers offer their customers a variety of color options for bars from light brown to black. Accordingly, it is quite possible to create a half-timbered house with your own hands using one of them.