Wooden dwellings are a familiar sight in colder climates. The Nordic nations, Canada, and Switzerland are all renowned for their attractive and warm timber buildings. An advantage of these structures is that they absorb less heat than brick-based structures, so they keep you cool in the summer.

Timber is an ideal material, not only because it is sustainable and environmentally friendly, but also because it is robust and long-lasting. In addition, it is a natural insulator of heat, helping to maintain a pleasant temperature inside and cutting down on the energy needed for heating, increasing the energy efficiency of the build.

 How to deal with moisture?

Insulating timber frame homes is usually achieved with either a foam board with a foil facing or a glass/mineral wool, often with a foil blanket to enhance U-values. To guard against moisture, vapour barriers are implemented and cavities within the structure must be kept dry and intact. Though this can be effectively simulated in a lab, it is much harder to do in reality due to the difficulty of preserving a continuous connection between the various layers and membranes.

Construction areas are usually messy, windy, and wet. Timber frames, insulation materials, and pre-made panels tend to be exposed to moisture on-site, which is why it is essential to incorporate a system which will dry materials rapidly. Timber has the capability to absorb water when exposed, but it will dry out just as quickly. It will then continue to draw out the moisture from the frame studs until both materials reach a similar low humidity level.

Quality materials

Highly advanced membranes that let air pass through have been made to block infrared radiation and regulate the temperature, making them an effective way of preventing heat loss. Additionally, making sure the membranes are air-sealed and using reflective vapour barriers are also useful techniques. You can encase your structure with bricks, but using timber or brick slips will enable you to create thinner walls, giving you extra space.

If you are finding it difficult to reach the desired level of insulation with just air tightness, another option is to install a Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery System. This system will extract the air from typically warmer rooms like the kitchen and bathrooms, and smaller rooms, and then conducts the air through an exchanger. This creates warmer, fresh air with minimal energy consumption.

Eco-friendly

In addition to reducing your energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions, timber frame houses rely on reliable production systems. Utilising timber won’t just be an efficient way of managing and minimising the amount of waste on the construction site; it is also sustainable when obtained responsibly.

Timber frame houses are also ideal for quick construction and assembly, as the frames are prefabricated off-site and then assembled on the construction site. This helps to reduce labour costs and the amount of time spent building the house. Additionally, timber frame houses are often more resilient to weather conditions than other types of homes.

Contact us

We can design, manufacture, supply and build timber frames homes for clients across the UK including Lancashire, Cheshire, Yorkshire, Midlands, London, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cumbria, Somerset, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Essex, Wales, Sussex and more. If you would like more information about how we can help you with your self-build timber frame project, contact us.