Construction country houses made of wood is gaining increasing popularity in the country real estate market. Most customers prefer this material because of its excellent qualities: thermal insulation, environmental safety, and the creation of an optimal microclimate for health in the home. Moreover, with all the listed advantages, wood remains one of the most affordable materials from a financial point of view. These and many other factors explain the popularity of the tree.
Houses made of non-profiled timber - production technology
When choosing between profiled, solid and laminated timber, many opt for solid timber. A non-profiled solid beam is obtained by processing a tree trunk: the log is processed on 4 sides and receives an ideal rectangular shape. All loose and soft surface is removed from the sawlog, leaving the solid and most durable part of the log. Thanks to these properties, houses made of timber serve their owners for a long time and reliably.
During processing in a factory, the timber receives special grooves and tenons, which will subsequently be used in the construction of a house. A ready-made kit is delivered to the customer’s site, which does not require any additional steps for processing the material. Thanks to the tongues and grooves, the assembly of the house is quite quick and easy.
Houses and bathhouses made of non-profiled timber from the Drevgorod company are advantageous combination price and quality, comfort and durability. 
Solid timber house - finishing
The external appeal of the house is not as attractive as in the case of profiled timber, so further finishing is required. True, you can try to save on it by trimming it on one or both sides, but in this case you will also have to work on the inter-crown insulation so that it does not protrude so much, since the seams between the crowns may vary in height. Therefore, the use of wall cladding with block house, imitation timber, siding, or clapboard is strongly recommended. In most cases, timber with natural moisture is used in the construction of houses due to the fact that the drying process is complex and does not always end in success. Therefore, if you do not take care of the walls of the house and do not treat them thoroughly, there remains a high probability of fungal damage. The disadvantage of non-profiled timber is the increased cracking that occurs during shrinkage and drying of the walls of the house.
IN lately structures made of timber. There are different opinions about the advantages and disadvantages timber before other species building materials.
As a rule, when deciding what to build your house from, the following options are considered: frame structure, construction from various blocks, a house made of bricks, a house made of logs, both rounded and non-rounded, as well as a structure made of timber. Read about how houses are built from rounded logs in this article.
All these materials have their pros and cons. We will not consider them in this article, but will talk about the advantages and disadvantages different types timber. Currently, there are 4 options for such building materials on the market, which differ fundamentally in their production technology.
Types of construction timber:
Planed timber unprofiled
Glued beam
Let's look at the pros and cons of each of them separately.
This material is obtained by dissolving logs into products with smooth edges, which have either a square or rectangular cross-section.
Advantages of planed non-profiled timber:
The most low cost of all types of timber considered.
Such timber never in short supply. It can always be found either on construction market, or at the nearest sawmill.
Disadvantages of planed non-profiled timber:
Since such timber is made from raw wood, in the process natural drying it will change its size, both in height and width. Therefore, no external and internal finishing works cannot be carried out immediately. Also, windows and doors cannot be installed. The erected structure must remain under the roof for some time. Preferably at least a year.
For the same reason timber will crack during drying.
Such timber often changes its shape, twisting into a spiral. Again, because the wood is damp.
Planed non-profiled timber often darkens or becomes moldy due to the same moisture.
Due to the fact that the production of planed non-profiled timber does not require high-tech and high-precision expensive equipment, and it can be produced by purchasing an inexpensive band saw, the dimensional accuracy of such material leaves much to be desired. Therefore, when assembling a house from such timber, more effort and time will be required to adjust the material.
As a consequence of the previous point, interior and exterior decoration is required if you want your home to look aesthetically pleasing.
Fig.1 Planed non-profiled timber
The production of this type of timber requires expensive equipment and the technological process for its production is quite complicated. Therefore, the quality of this material is much higher than that of planed non-profiled timber.
Pros profiled timber:
Comparing this type of timber with ordinary non-profiled timber, one of its first advantages is that before processing the raw material is brought to a moisture content of 22%.
Lower percentage of shrinkage and shrinkage compared to conventional timber. Although it is still present.
Profiled timber has clear geometric dimensions and undergoes serious processing in production, where it is given aesthetic appearance. Therefore, it is much easier to assemble a structure from such material. Moreover, almost every organization involved in the implementation profiled timber, offers for additional fee services for the production of this material for a specific project, preparing it required sizes, and cutting cups for connection.
Also the house from profiled timber does not require external or internal finishing.
The profiled timber is connected to each other using the "groove-tenon" technology, and insulation is laid between the tenons, which ensures good thermal insulation structures.
The connection can also be of the “Comb” type, in which case insulation is not required, but the material must be as dry as possible to avoid deformation and the appearance of gaps.
Fig.2 Profiled timber
Disadvantages of profiled timber:
All the same disadvantages as planed non-profiled timber, which are obtained due to the presence of moisture in the material, but with a lesser likelihood of occurrence.
A break is required during the construction process to allow the material to shrink.
More expensive cost profiled timber, compared to non-profiled.
Fig.3 Profiled timber
3. Glued laminated timber
Such timber results from a very complex technological process which requires special conditions and the presence of expensive equipment using the method of gluing wooden lamellas.
Pros laminated veneer lumber:
Almost 100% dried material.
As a result, all the disadvantages that the above-described materials have are absent.
House from laminated veneer lumber it is possible to build it “turnkey” immediately, within one season.
Does not require shrinkage time.
You can order material for construction for a specific project, as is the case with profiled timber.
Glued laminated timber processed in production chemicals, protecting against rotting and insects. Therefore, no additional processing is required.
Cons laminated veneer lumber:
Very high price.
No matter how manufacturers claim that the material is environmentally friendly, it is still big question. The timber is made by gluing, and this says a lot. Firstly, glue is glue, and what vapors it will release immediately or after some time remains a mystery. Again, you can only say one thing, but you are unlikely to know what kind of glue is used in production in reality.
On at the moment very few organizations are engaged in high-quality and conscientious production laminated veneer lumber.
The presence of glue in the material disrupts natural circulation moisture in the material, and this can disrupt the internal microclimate of the house.
Fig.4 Glued laminated timber
Production technology timber LVL similar to production technology laminated veneer lumber. The fundamental difference is that it is not wooden slats that are glued together, but sheets of 3 mm veneer.
Pros timber LVL:
Very high elasticity and strength of the material.
Can be made in any size.
It has the same advantages over other materials described above, as laminated veneer lumber , only even better.
Very high moisture resistance.
Cons timber LVL:
This is the most expensive material of all those considered.
Environmental friendliness timber LVL– the lowest.
Fig.5 Beam LVL
As you can see, everything types of timber- fundamentally different in production technology, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Which one to choose is up to you, but in our opinion it is better to give preference to either profiled timber, or glued.
Having decided to build your own wooden house, having decided on suitable place and having developed the project, you begin to understand that now one of the most important actions lies ahead - the choice between profiled and non-profiled timber. The first option is more convenient, but expensive, the second is cheaper, but simpler. How else do these materials and the structures created from them differ?
Pros and cons
Houses made of timber are durable and reliable, with correct operation they can last more than half a century. Such houses look beautiful, modern and solid.
Construction of wooden timber houses can be made from planed profiled and unplaned timber of natural moisture. Non-profiled timber is a log whose edges look like a square or rectangle with sides 10x15, 15x15 cm.
Walls made of unplaned timber are not attractive. They crack when dry and are not equipped with barriers to moisture penetration, so they require additional cladding, but this can be done no sooner than after a year and a half. This wait is explained by the need for time for shrinkage. For finishing, they mainly use block house, siding, lining and other material suitable for this purpose.
Buildings made of non-profiled timber require insulation of the outer fabric. Basically, it is done with mineral wool.
Profiled timber is considered to be of higher quality. It is equipped with a complex cross-section that prevents the log house from blowing through and moisture from entering between the joints. For its production, ordinary unplaned timber of natural moisture is used. The cost of profiled lumber is higher, but houses built from it do not require insulation, and finishing activities can only consist of painting or varnishing the walls. The construction of buildings made of timber with a profile will take about 2 weeks.
However, such material is not without its drawbacks: just like regular material, it can become cracked and shrink significantly during the first year.
Many people living in the city dream of having a house in some holiday village. Such a house can be built independently, with your own hands, or purchased ready-made, but in both cases the owner must decide which house is cheaper from timber or foam block.
From the great variety of building materials used in construction, you can see that most often they are made from foam blocks. This is explained by the fact that these materials are the cheapest and have excellent performance qualities.
Characteristics of foam blocks and timber
Before we talk about what is cheaper – timber or foam block, let’s consider all the pros and cons of these building materials.
Advantages of foam blocks
- The mass of foam blocks is small, which allows you to avoid making a powerful foundation.
- The dimensions of the foam concrete blocks are 20x30x60 centimeters, so the walls are laid out quite quickly. The installation process is simple and even an inexperienced builder can handle it.
- Foam concrete is easy to process, both for external and internal work.
- Foam concrete has a porous structure, due to which it has high noise-absorbing and heat-insulating properties.
- Foam concrete blocks do not rot and do not support combustion.
Disadvantages of foam blocks
- One of the disadvantages is the fragility of the material, especially during transportation. Also, during the shrinkage process, cracks may appear on the walls.
- Due to the porosity of the material, strong moisture absorption occurs. Therefore, walls made of foam concrete blocks must be additionally finished.
Types of timber used in house construction
When deciding whether to build a house from timber or foam blocks, and choosing timber, it is important to consider that several types of timber are currently used for walls.
They differ primarily in the methods of their production and, accordingly, in price.
- The cheapest and easiest in . When making it, the log is simply cut off on all four sides.
- More difficult to produce and therefore more expensive is profiled timber.
- Glued material, which has been gaining popularity lately, is even more expensive.
Advantages of non-profiled timber
Comparing the material and finding out which is better - foam block or timber, we will talk specifically about non-profiled material because its price is comparable to the price of foam concrete blocks.
- This makes the manufacturing process as simple as possible and the cost is relatively low.
- It is the non-profiled material that is the most in demand in the construction of private houses and at the same time the most popular offer on the construction markets.
- Due to the fact that manufacturing is a simple process, there is no need to place an order and wait for a long time for its delivery.
- The instructions for assembling log houses are very simple and do not require the use of special construction equipment. A team of three people can cope with this task without any problems.
Attention: Correct docking connections between each other will allow you to avoid issues such as heat leakage. That is, construction technology must be followed.
Disadvantages of non-profiled material
- Need for additional finishing or sharpening. It is most effective to create a hinged ventilated facade on the outside, using clapboard, blockhouse or siding as cladding.
- A lot of time and money is spent on such a process as caulking. Without this work, the material quickly deteriorates and the thermal insulation qualities of the walls are lost.
- Most often, there is a difference in height between the crowns and different heights of the seams. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to pay attention to quality, which can significantly increase its price.
- The appearance is imperfect. An unprofiled material has much worse attractiveness than, for example, a profiled one, which becomes noticeable when sharpened or sanded. The inter-crown insulation and seams begin to catch your eye.
- Possibility of fungal infection. The material has natural humidity and is not specifically dried, which, if stored improperly, can lead to damage to the wood.
Outwardly, this is expressed in the fact that the tree receives a specific color. On the other side, modern means are capable of destroying the fungus and preventing its development, but this leads to increased costs and takes some time.
- Non-profiled material cracks severely during shrinkage and drying. In the event that it is not planned additional finishing walls on both sides, the appearance of cracks leads to a deterioration in the appearance of the house and can cause a lot of problems for the owners.
Combining materials is a great solution
Talking about general principle construction combined houses, it should be noted that they consist of a massive base of the lower floor and more easy execution its upper part. Construction is carried out as follows: the first floor is made of foam blocks - the second floor is made of timber.
It is the use of foam concrete blocks for the first floor that is preferable, since their thermal performance indicators are close to those of wood. Combined project a house made of foam blocks and timber involves the construction of an upper, residential floor- wooden.
Wood brings a special, favorable microclimate into the house, most suitable for those rooms in which bedrooms, children's rooms are located game rooms, offices and recreation areas. In general, those places where a person spends quite a long time.
Advice: Since houses made of timber and foam blocks are built from different materials, then their features must be taken into account during the construction process, in particular, the moments of success must be agreed upon. On the one hand, this is more troublesome, but the presence comfortable conditions for living and an incredible aesthetic effect, the combination of blocks and wood smoothes out all these nuances.
What is cheaper to use - timber or foam block
To answer the question of what is cheaper - a house made of timber or foam block, you must first decide on a number of parameters of the house: the volume of material for the walls, the presence or absence of finishing.
When making calculations, the first thing to take into account is that the external finish for both wood and foam blocks can be the same, most often it is a hinged ventilated facade. True, in the case of using profiled or glued material, you can do without exterior finishing, but it is much more expensive.
Therefore, the cost of the house if the volume of the walls is the same will be influenced by the price of what the walls are made of and the costs of interior decoration. One cubic meter foam blocks cost between 2,500 and 3,000 rubles, while non-profiled timber costs 6-8 thousand, that is, about 3 times more.
The costs for interior finishing are approximately the same in both cases. For wood, this means caulking, sharpening and sanding the walls. For foam blocks - plastering, wallpapering, or another option - installing a frame and covering it with some finishing material.
Conclusion
IN general case, building a house made of wood will cost a large amount than constructing it from foam concrete blocks. And depending on the region, the difference can reach significant amounts. The fact is that the production of foam concrete can be established almost anywhere, but wooden building materials have to be imported.
But on the other hand, people began to pay more attention to the environmental components of their lives, so it’s up to you to decide. The video in this article will tell your point of view on this matter - watch it!
Construction of a house from non-profiled timber
Benefits, i.e. advantages of non-profiled timber:
Flaws:
1. Not very aesthetic appearance compared to profiled timber, but this is if you don’t do the finishing. This drawback is actually not so important, because a house made of profiled timber will not look so beautiful in a few years - its walls are not protected from rain, moisture and other influences. A house made of simple timber, sheathed on the outside, for example a wooden or vinyl house block, will definitely look no worse. One more point: the sheathing can be replaced after 15-20 years, but walls made of profiled timber cannot. A particularly aesthetic appearance of a house made of simple timber is given by the clapboard finishing (inside) and the blockhouse outside. Other materials can also be used. It is important to remember that it is advisable to begin decorating your future home only approximately 10-12 months after the construction of the house, when natural shrinkage has taken place.
2. A house made of non-profiled timber, according to builders, retains heat worse due to the lack of a “groove-tenon” connection.
3. As shrinkage occurs, cracks appear on the walls, spoiling the appearance of the house, but such cracks will also appear on profiled timber over time. However, a house made of simple timber will most likely be sheathed, and these natural cracks will not be visible. But what to do with cracked profiled timber?
4. Walls damaged by fungus. The fact is that non-profiled timber does not undergo special drying and has natural humidity, which, even if improper storage creates the possibility of infection of non-profiled timber by fungus (this is visually expressed in the specific color of the tree). You need to buy timber good quality so that it is without darkening, spots and wormholes. In fairness, it is worth noting that profiled timber that has been stored incorrectly is also susceptible to fungus, like any product made from natural wood.
Result: non-profiled timber is quite good and traditional material for the construction of a private house, advantages of non-profiled timber outweigh many of its disadvantages and even create some advantages over profiled and laminated timber.