Five myths about wooden houses
Wood has been a fundamental construction material for centuries. It was used to build everything from magnificent ancient temples to modern homes and buildings. Wood construction has not only survived the test of time, but has with the help of advanced technologies become a leading force in the development of sustainable architecture. Yet, through long and rich history, many myths about wooden home have arisen that are not difficult to refute.
Myth #1
Wooden homes are not earthquake safe
With three tectonic plates meeting beneath its soil, Slovenia is an earthquake-active area. For this reason, it is crucial that construction takes into account earthquake safety.
Together with the Institute of Civil Engineering, Jelovica has conducted a study on the earthquake safety of cement-bonded particle boards, which we use in our wooden homes. In the laboratory, we tested the load-bearing capacity of wall panels, showing that cement-bonded particle boards are earthquake safe.
Our prefabricated wooden homes have a significantly lower mass than brick houses, so the forces acting on the structure during an earthquake are significantly lower than in brick houses. Additional safety is provided by ductile assembly joints between the structural elements themselves, which act as dampers of excess kinetic energy.
The earthquake safety of our prefabricated wooden homes has also been confirmed by the earthquake that struck the Soča Valley in 2004. The event shook the ground with a magnitude of 7–8 on the Mercalli scale. Despite significant financial damage, our prefabricated homes withstood the earthquake. Only minor visible damage to the plasters of the houses occurred.
It is also worth mentioning that wood is considered an earthquake-safe building material. This can be attributed to its flexibility. During severe earthquake shocks – and in strong winds – we can observe how high buildings sway. This way, kinetic energy is released, which could endanger the integrity of the structure if the building were made of non-flexible building materials.
Myth #2
Wooden houses have a short lifespan
The claim that wooden homes have a shorter lifespan than those made of brick is clearly false, as evidenced by centuries-old wooden buildings around the world. The durability of wooden construction depends on the type of wood used as well as on processing, which can significantly improve the properties of the wood. In fact, there are two elements that contribute to the durability of Jelovica Homes.
- Advantages of BSH wood
The first element is the highest quality wood, which is labeled BSH. It made from whole or longitudinally joined lamellas of solid wood, which are glued together with extremely strong adhesive. Due to its high load-bearing capacity and dimensional stability, BSH wood is suitable for all types of load-bearing structures. - Advantages of cement-bonded particle boards
The second element of Jelovica wooden homes is cement-bonded particle boards. They are more rigid and elastic than standard gypsum-fiber boards. They boast exceptional load-bearing capacity and resistance to rain and moisture, which prevents the accumulation of mould and water ingress that could damage the internal wooden structure.
With careful selection of wood and appropriate processing procedures, wooden materials can survive multiple generations. This is also evidenced by our first prefabricated wooden house, which was built 80 years ago and is still functional. Another example of wood’s durability is the wall assembly panels, which are made of thermally modified wood that is practically eternal.
Myth #3
Wooden homes are not fireproof
Wood is flammable – this is a fact. However, in some cases, wood deals better with fire than other materials used in construction. While concrete or steel seem far more durable than wood at first glance, wood can actually withstand much greater in fire
Moreover, the surface of wood chars during burning. This charred layer slows down the burning process since it acts as a kind of protection against oxidation. Therefore, wooden structures often perform better in fires than steel and concrete ones, as they give in much later – with special processing of the exterior and interior walls, they can offer fire resistance up to 90 minutes.
Myth #4
Wooden houses are not energy efficient
Energy efficiency is increasingly important. Not only because of the rising costs of energy sources, which are getting higher year by year, but also because of the carbon footprint and consequent impacts on the environment. Therefore, especially in new buildings, it is important to ensure energy-efficient consumption of energy sources with high-quality thermal insulation.
Wood is one of the best natural building materials in terms of its thermal insulation properties – significantly better than steel or concrete. The peculiarity of wood lies its cellular structure with hundreds of air bubbles, which conduct heat very poorly. Similar to windows, where triple-layered glazing offers better thermal insulation than single- or double-layered glazing.
Our prefabricated homes are mainly built from wood and fall into the category of nearly zero-energy homes. These houses are designed to minimize energy consumption. Our active homes go even further. By integrating renewable energy sources and using smart technologies, they not only reduce consumption but also actively produce more energy than they use. The use of these advanced technologies and sustainable solutions contributes to energy independence, reducing environmental impact and ensuring a comfortable and healthy living space.
Myth #5
The stability of construction is low in wooden homes
This claim is also a generalisation as wood itself is a structurally solid and durable material.
At Jelovica, we use various technological solutions for the construction of wooden structures, including the innovative LAMTOP construction system. It involves cross-laminated timber panels with high bidirectional load-bearing capacity and dimensional stability, which ensures good mechanical properties and static strength.
Both in internal and external wall elements, we use cement-bonded particle boards. With their exceptional water resistance, they prevent moisture ingress and thus maintain their structural strength and stability, while also providing good thermal and sound insulation as well as earthquake and fire safety.
If we compare the construction of wooden homes to that of brick houses, we should also consider some key advantages. The first is that the construction of a brisk house can take several years, while a prefabricated wooden home can be built in just a few months. A turnkey home only takes 180 days to complete.
Another advantage of our prefabricated wooden homes is that they are fully manufactured in automated production. Due to automation, the likelihood of errors is significantly lower than in brick houses, where the quality of execution is left to human hands. What is more, Jelovica checks the quality of each step of execution and offers a guaranteed price without hidden costs.
Do you still have doubts about our wooden homes? Get in touch and we will be happy to answer your questions.
Sources:
– https://www.economist.com/leaders/2019/01/04/why-more-buildings-should-be-made-of-wood
– https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352710221005635
– https://www.letsbuild.com/blog/ten-benefits-of-prefabricated-construction
– https://think.ing.com/articles/benefits-of-building-with-wood-environmentally-friendly-reusable-light