Timber-Frame Construction – Flexible Planning for Healthy Living

Timber-frame construction is a modern, flexible construction method that results in healthy living and leaves no wish unmet in terms of architecture and design. What does it involve? A structure of interconnected timber studs, collectively called the house’s skeleton or frame, is cladded on both sides with wood-based boards to reinforce and stabilise elements such as walls, ceilings and roof sections. 

A major advantage is that these elements can be largely prefabricated in a factory or carpentry shop. Everything down to the insulation and windows can be installed in advance. Then all it takes is to assemble the elements at the construction site, which takes only a fraction of the time required to build the conventional way: an entire house can be put together and sealed on-site in a matter of days. As timber-frame construction eliminates drying times (in contrast to, say, brick or concrete construction), follow-on trades can also get to work on the interior right away. 

Flexible Timber-Frame Construction for Maximum Design Flexibility

Timber-frame construction can accommodate any wish with regard to layouts, the number of storeys and the design of exterior walls: you have total freedom for realising your ideas. Whether you’re planning a detached single-family home, a terraced house or a multi-unit block of flats, the possibilities are virtually limitless. 

Another benefit of timber-frame construction is that it lets you do a lot of the work yourself if you are so inclined – all of the interiors, for example. If you’re handy with tools and enjoy DIY projects, you can save a bundle this way. And if at some later point you realise that there isn’t enough room, there’s always the option of expanding upward by adding another storey, which is a straightforward affair. In city centres in particular, vertical extensions fully exploit the benefits of timber-frame construction as a fast, dry approach involving relatively lightweight materials. 

Sustainability and Energy Efficiency with Timber-Frame Construction

As wood is a renewable natural resource, timber-frame construction is an eco-friendly, sustainable approach that excels right across the board. Timber houses boast an excellent environmental footprint with outstanding energy efficiency and are also exceedingly healthy to live in. When you build with wood, besides benefiting the environment you’re also doing your own health a favour. Homes made of wood are characterised above all by an excellent indoor climate and comfortable feel-good ambiance. People with allergies and/or asthma derive especially great benefits from the improvement in indoor air quality. 

Good thermal insulation slashes energy costs while excellently keeping out the cold in the winter and the heat in the summertime: the indoor temperature stays pleasant and constant year-round. Prefabricated timber-frame houses significantly surpass the requirements of Germany’s very strict Energy Saving Ordinance, despite the fact that the exterior walls are quite thin. A side effect of this is that up to ten percent more indoor space is available compared to conventional concrete and masonry construction – this can add up to the equivalent of an entire extra room. In Germany and some other countries, it can also be possible to obtain state subsidies for building highly energy-efficient houses. 

Today, timber-frame construction is every bit as good as massive construction methods in yet another respect: protection from fire. A state-of-the-art timber house can satisfy the same requirements – even if it has multiple storeys – without costing any more than conventional approaches. 

So if you’d like to build your home sustainably, economically and fast whilst taking a forward-looking approach, timber-frame construction is the answer. 

All of the Benefits of Timber-Frame Construction at a Glance: 

• Extensive prefabrication for rapid on-site construction 
• No drying times, so follow-on trades can start on the interior right away 
• Suitable for all purposes, including highly energy-efficient houses 
• Total flexibility with regard to architecture and design 
• Also suitable for multi-storey buildings and subterranean structures with larger rooms (building classes 4 and 5 in Germany) 
• Resource conservation 
• Environmentally friendly and sustainable 
• Cost savings 
• Healthy living 

For more information on this topic: 

Timber-Frame Construction with SWISS KRONO OSB Longboard