The construction of frame houses for several decades is popular throughout the world. This is due to the large number of advantages of such buildings. In our country, the development of construction is only beginning. What are the main advantages and disadvantages of frame houses? Features of construction technology, as well as the main points are given in the article.
Features of frame houses
The technical characteristics of frame structures indicate that with a relatively small weight of the structure, the house is able to withstand fairly high loads. Due to its resistance to various external factors, the operating time is also long. Frame houses have such features:
- Environmental friendliness, which is caused by the use of wood.
- A high level of fire safety due to the use of special impregnations that prevent combustion, as well as lining materials.
- Profitability is due to the low cost of materials, in comparison with traditional brick houses.
The high speed of construction of such facilities is also noted.
Technology basics
The main feature of frame construction is the speed of building a house. The basis of the technology is a frame made of wooden beams, which are assembled in accordance with the design documentation, which must be prepared before construction. The walls of the frame house necessarily consist of the following materials:
- crate;
- insulation;
- windproofing;
- Chipboard panels.
From these materials a so-called “sandwich” is formed with a “filling” of a thick layer of insulation, the role of which is played by mineral wool with a high level of fire safety. Also externally, the house can be finished with almost any material. The most popular are siding, brick, decorative stone, plaster.
An interesting feature of frame houses is the uniform load distribution. Due to this, the floors in such buildings do not creak, and vibrations are not felt.
Cons of buildings
Despite the large number of positive aspects, frame houses have drawbacks and problems. These may include the following factors:
- Fire hazard. If the construction technology is not followed, the house may have an increased fire hazard. This is due to the fact that wood is a flammable material. It is possible to prevent a fire by using modern non-combustible wood impregnations, as well as using fireproof materials for exterior decoration and insulation.
- Fragility. This drawback of the frame house can be called conditional, since classic brick structures also tend to collapse over time. The main short-lived material that is used in the construction of frame structures is insulation. However, this problem is easily solved by replacing it after 20-25 years of operation.
- The decay to which the tree is subject can be attributed to the significant disadvantages of frame-panel houses. This problem should be solved at the construction stage. All wooden elements must undergo thorough processing with special antiseptics.
- Noise insulation of a frame house is an order of magnitude lower than the noise level inside a classic brick structure. However, using modern materials, it is possible to achieve complete elimination of noise inside the building.
Also, according to residents, a drawback of a frame house can be called the appearance of mice, mold or termites. These problems also need to be addressed even before they appear, at the construction stage. It is important to use insulation materials that contain borax and refrain from using ordinary foam. It is very important to carefully treat all wooden elements with antiseptics and antifungal agents.
Positive sides
According to reviews, what are the disadvantages and advantages of frame houses? All the negative aspects of such structures are described earlier. They are easy to solve at the construction stage, therefore, such disadvantages can be considered insignificant. The advantages of frame houses are as follows:
- Savings on the foundation, which is caused by the lack of the need to build a capital and expensive classic concrete base. A pile foundation is enough, which is quickly and easily mounted.
- High speed construction. A small house can be built from scratch in just three months.
- No need to wait for shrinkage of building materials. Such a positive point is due to the fact that the frame house has a relatively small weight.
- No need to use expensive construction equipment. Everything that may be required for the construction of such a building can be purchased at any construction supermarket.
- Good seismic stability, which is a positive thing when building a house on moving parts of the earth's crust.
In addition, in such houses it is easy to carry out redevelopment, in addition, they will be completely inexpensive.
Varieties of construction technology
When all the advantages and disadvantages of the frame house are clarified, it is necessary to determine the technology by which the future residential complex will be built. Today, several varieties stand out:
- Canadian technology involves the use of off-the-shelf sandwich panels, which are produced in the factory. It is simple, since building materials already have the required layer of insulation, hydro and noise insulation, and are also treated with antiseptics and antifungal agents.
- Frame technology is also simple. It consists in the construction of a wooden frame with subsequent cladding.
- German technology is that ready-made building elements are delivered to the customer. The only drawback of a frame house built using this technology is the need to use construction equipment.
Currently, the most popular frame-assembly technology in Russia. This is due to the fact that such a building can be built completely independently.
Possible problems
What are the disadvantages and advantages of frame houses? A person who wants to build a frame house on his own site will have to face a number of problems, which in itself is a small drawback.
Most often, novice builders face a number of such problems:
- Search for suitable materials. With independent construction it can be difficult to find suitable building materials. A person may encounter some difficulties, as well as the high cost of some elements.
- In the absence of the necessary experience or skills in working with wood, marriage can be tolerated at work. In order to prevent such a mistake, you need to carefully draft a house, as well as consult with specialists.
- By the way, about professional builders: often when choosing a team for building a house, you can come across unskilled workers who are ready to perform all the necessary work for a fairly small fee. It should be remembered that a poorly constructed frame house will not be durable, so it is important to be responsible for the choice of workers.
The disadvantages of frame houses include the need for a good ventilation system, since in the absence of air circulation the wood can damp, which negatively affects its quality characteristics.
Foundation Features
According to reviews, the frame house can be cold in the winter, so special attention should be paid to the foundation and floor, which must necessarily keep warm. Most often, preference is given to pile structures, on top of which wooden logs are attached, and the floor is laid on them.
As a heater, basalt mineral wool is laid between the layers of the floor. It has heat preservation properties and has a long service life. In addition, unlike cheaper polystyrene foam, it is completely fireproof. You should also take care of vapor barrier and floor waterproofing.
Wall device
According to many reviews, a drawback of a frame house may not be enough warm walls. Many people who have not experienced the operation of frame houses may think that in such houses it is cold in winter, as the walls seem thin. In fact, in a properly equipped house in the cold season it is quite easy to maintain the desired temperature.
The first step is to assemble the frame of the house. In this case, special attention should be paid to strengthening the structure. This will add extra strength to the structure. The issue of warmth is also solved by laying a massive layer of basalt insulation. As with the arrangement of the floor, a layer of waterproofing must be placed on top of the mineral wool. The design of such sandwich panels can be reinforced with the help of bars and battens attached along OSB boards.
Roof mounting
Roofing issues must be approached with all responsibility. The difficulty lies in the fact that the process of attaching it is more complicated than in similar houses made of brick or cinder block. Most often, specialists are involved in the construction of structures of this complexity.
Metal roofing is most often used as a roofing material, since it fully meets all the requirements, and also has a relatively low weight. Less commonly, slate may be used.
Necessary materials
Despite all the advantages and disadvantages of frame houses, more and more people are engaged in their construction. In order to independently build such a building, you will need such materials and tools:
- concrete, if necessary, the construction of a concrete floor;
- concrete mixer for mixing mortar;
- metal screw piles for the construction of the foundation;
- edged and unedged boards;
- ready-made panel panels or OSB-plates;
- insulation in the form of mineral wool;
- antiseptic impregnations for wood processing;
- materials for waterproofing and vapor barrier;
- consumables - nails, screws, channels, steel pipes, corners;
- jigsaw and circular saw;
- construction level and tape measure;
- materials for working with wood - hammer, pliers, ax, nail puller, hacksaw.
A detailed list with the necessary materials and their quantities should be compiled at the planning stage. In the absence of the necessary experience in preparing estimates, it is recommended that you seek help from professional builders.
Exterior finish
When all the shortcomings of the frame house for permanent residence are taken into account and corrected, you can proceed to the exterior decoration of the house. For this, materials such as sidenig, decorative stone, block house for simulating log masonry, decorative plaster, decorative tile can be used. Exterior finish is necessary not only to give the structure a beauty, but also to protect OSB boards from adverse external factors.
Conclusion
Frame houses are a great alternative to classic brick buildings. Distrust of construction technology is due to its insufficient distribution in the territory of our country. Despite the presence of some minor defects that are easily eliminated during the construction phase, the advantages of frame houses are undeniable. Particularly attractive may seem the cost of erecting such structures, since it is an order of magnitude lower than the construction of brick buildings.