Advantages of houses made of combined timber. From timber with filling, or insulated packet timber

Know-how on the building materials market is insulated laminated veneer lumber. This material is rapidly gaining popularity. Many buyers are interested in why this type is so good, how it differs and what quality indicators it has. To understand this, you need to plunge into the history of the creation of such material. Technicians thought for a long time about how to make sure that a log house did not need additional insulation and preserve its external appearance. natural look. The insulated timber became great solution these tasks. And insulation of a house made of laminated veneer lumber is not necessary at all.

It has a design similar to sandwich panels. It is compared with the glued look only due to the connection of a special insulation with lamellas. This technology is based on multilayering. The sandwich, which has three layers, is glued together on special machines under pressure. At the same time top layer They are made from dry planed wood, like laminated timber, and a special insulation is laid between them. Insulation can have different compositions.

In its own way design features glued insulated material can be:

1. Batch. This is a closed structure like a box filled with thermal insulation.
2. Single chamber. This design has two boards connected to each other by jumpers. The distance between the jumpers is 50cm. Insulation is filled inside and gives solidity to the entire structure.

According to its composition, insulated timber is divided into:

1. Polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam insulated timber (PPU).
2. Insulated timber filled with cellulose or ecowool.

Polyurethane foam insulated timber (PPU)

This type is a leader in its quality characteristics among other insulation materials. That is why manufacturers began to use it for construction warm timber. The thermal conductivity of such a material is 0.024, which is twice as high as ecowool. This insulation is durable, and when combined with wooden slats, it gains strength. The degree of flammability of polyurethane foam G1 is low flammable.

The insulated polyurethane foam type can withstand compression of 250 kPa and bending of at least 0.35 MPa. This makes it possible to maintain a strict geometric shape of the lamellas.

There is no need to talk about the environmental friendliness of this product, since all food substrates in stores are made from it. This is the only material that can come into contact with food.

In addition, it is economical, since heating a house with an area of ​​160 m2 requires no more than 2.5-3 kW of electricity. By spending money on this type of warm timber, you will save for the rest of your life.

The main disadvantage of such warm timber is its airtightness. As a result, the house needs additional ventilation.

Insulated timber made of ecowool

Ecowool is made from newsprint impregnated with a special glue containing antipyrine. The use of ecowool in Russia began in the late 90s; I have been using it all over the world for a long time. The use of ecowool in glued structures has just begun to develop. This product has big drawback, this is low moisture resistance. But in terms of price, it beats polyurethane foam. Such insulated timber can be called an economy option.

Another main, and probably the main, disadvantage of such glued laminated timber is the inability to carry out installation independently, since special equipment is needed.

For a more complete comparative picture, we give an example in the form of a table quality characteristics ecowool and polyurethane foam.

Qualitative characteristics	Ecowool	Polyurethane foam
Heat retention indoors	—	+
Fire resistance	+	+
Does not shrink	—	+
Environmental friendliness	+	+
When exposed to moisture, it retains its qualities and properties.	—	+
Have increased sound insulation	+	+
Does not separate microparticles (dust)	—	+
Has a low cost	+	—
Resistant to rodent attacks	—	+

It is clear from the table that it is of course more practical to purchase glued insulated polyurethane foam products, since in terms of quality indicators it wins.

Price for insulated laminated timber

Let's consider average price on glued insulated timber in the form of a table:

Type of insulated laminated veneer lumber, 13m long	Price per cube, rubles
Single-chamber polyurethane foam with a section of 180x146 mm	18500 — 21000
Single-chamber with ecowool Section: 140x160, 170x160, 140x200, 170x200, 140x240, 170x240 mm	12000 — 15000
D - shaped insulated glued with ecowool Section: 140x240, 170x240, 140x280, 170x280 mm	13500 — 16000
Bagged polyurethane foam Section: 140x160, 170x160, 140x200, 170x200, 140x240, 170x240 mm	20000 — 23000
Batch with ecowool Section: 140x160, 170x160, 140x200, 170x200, 140x240, 170x240 mm	16000 — 18000

It is worth noting that construction with such material involves a timber frame, which differs little from a panel structure. This means that if you build panel house and insulate it with mineral wool, covering the top with siding imitating timber, appearance it won't be any worse. And you can win three times the price!

Why then is laminated veneer lumber with insulation becoming increasingly popular in Russia? This question can be answered by considering all the advantages of building a house from this material.

Seven pros and cons of a house made of laminated laminated timber

If we talk about the advantages of such a structure, they are obvious and are already included in the name:

1. Preservation of heat in the house, 2 times warmer than a laminated timber structure.
2. The price of a log house made from warm laminated timber is 30% cheaper than from laminated timber and two times cheaper than from conventional dry planed timber.
3. Cross connections in the structure give the house additional strength.
4. More cheap foundation. The weight of such material is two times less than that of laminated veneer lumber and five times less than that of rounded logs. This means that the structure turns out to be super-light, and a minimum of money will be spent on the foundation.
5. Cracks do not appear on such material, since the lamellas are dried.
6. The appearance of the house is in no way inferior to a wooden timber structure.
7. Saves heating and electricity twice as much.

These are the indisputable advantages of laminated laminated timber, but there are also pitfalls:

1. Thermal insulation material deteriorates over time, and it is not possible to replace it in such a structure.
2. Air tightness. Walls made of such material will not allow air to pass through, which means the house will not “breathe.” Additional ventilation costs are required.
3. As you know, wood absorbs moisture, and if there is ecowool inside, it picks it up even faster and more. It will be very difficult to dry such a structure later.
4. One can argue about the environmental friendliness of such a house. After all, no matter how safe the heat insulator that the timber is made of is, it is still an unnatural material.
5. Rodents love to live in ecowool. And here the design itself is created to create ideal minks.
6. Wall finishing will still have to be done over time. Since the external slats are made of wood, it is darker and loses its appearance.
7. Comparison with frame construction makes it possible to talk about extra costs. Since if you cover the frame with panels imitating timber, then external differences will not be visible.

Insulated laminated veneer lumber is made in compliance with all standards and changes in construction SNiP. Even children's institutions are allowed to be built from it. And in my own way price category it is located between a rounded log and a profiled beam. So think and decide whether it is right for you or not. But pay attention to this new product in construction world, we advise.

30.01.2016

Insulated timber is an innovative development in the field of low-rise construction. What is it, where did it come from and can it be used at all? This, as well as much more, will be discussed in today’s article.

Features and characteristics of insulated timber

First, you should figure out whether it was necessary to invent anything at all, because wood, as you know, is already an effective heat insulator in itself. In fact, this is exactly the case, but such thermal insulation is not always enough to meet strict modern standards and standards. For this reason, consumers have to choose: environmental friendliness wooden houses or the efficiency of frame construction.

To solve this difficult dilemma, an insulated profiled beam was created, which is a successful combination laminated veneer lumber and slab sandwich. Over time, this material began to gain increasing popularity not only because of the striking visual similarity with the usual laminated veneer lumber, but also because of its high thermal insulation properties, which are many times superior to its analogues.

To find out what exactly this superiority is, you just need to find out what the minimum wall thickness is when using a particular building material to comply with SNiP standards.

SNiP II-3-79. Construction heating engineering. Downloadable file (click the link to open the PDF in a new window).

Let's compare these indicators for different materials.

1. U wooden wall this is 45 centimeters.
2. Glued laminated timber has 35 centimeters.
3. On a wall made of foam concrete, this is as much as 88 centimeters.
4. At the brick wall - 170 centimeters.
5. The profiled insulated timber has only 15 centimeters.

Moreover, the material described has higher energy efficiency, since its mass is approximately half that of, say, solid timber. This makes it easier installation work, yes and production process noticeably accelerates. Finally, the use of insulated timber makes it possible to save some money, because an overly deep foundation is not required. A reinforced concrete base is completely replaceable with a foundation on screw piles, which will have a positive impact on both the cost of construction and its duration.

Table No. 1. Product comparison

		Insulated glued laminated profiled wall timber		Price, rub. m3
		Width, Height, mm	Length, mm		According to the project
				Price, rub. m3
		Width, Height, mm	Length, mm		According to the project
		Backing board covering forced drying 10-12%		Price, rub. m3
		Width, Height, mm	Length, mm		According to the project
		Glued laminated timber, profiled wall		Price, rub. m3
		Width, Height, mm	Length, mm		According to the project

Additional savings are achieved by reducing heating costs (more than three times), although the air and vapor permeability of the walls at this time remains quite high, which means the atmosphere in the house will be more comfortable. The construction technology itself is also simplified, because everything is produced at the factory connecting elements, selections, door and window openings. As a result, the buyer receives a “constructor set” with instructions for its assembly. There is nothing complicated in the instructions itself, so construction will not require either qualified specialists or expensive special equipment - two or three assistants are quite enough.

It is also worth noting that insulated timber allows you to avoid finishing works both outside and inside the house. The fact is that wood is processed at the factory using special woodworking equipment.

Video - Insulated timber

How to insulate a bathhouse from the inside

Previously, we talked about how to insulate a bathhouse from the inside and what materials should be used; in addition to this article, we advise you to read this information

Strengths and weaknesses of insulated timber

So, we found out that houses made using the technology described in the article are reliable and heat-protected, which reduces heating costs. Let's get acquainted with the main advantages of the material. For the convenience of users, they are all presented in the form of a small table.

Table No. 2. Strengths insulated timber

№	Dignity	Description
	High thermal conductivity	The indicator here is approximately 3 times higher than that of ordinary timber, which is explained by the use of ultra-precise tongue-and-groove connecting technology. As a result, there are no cold bridges at all.
	Light weight	The weight of insulated timber is approximately two times less than that of ordinary wood. For example, its weight with a cross-section of 15x15 centimeters is about 74 kilograms, but for insulated products with a similar cross-section - no more than 40 kilograms.
	High speed construction	Thanks to the previous advantage - light weight– there is no need for a solid foundation; a shallow foundation will suffice.
	A building made of such timber can “breathe”	This is explained by the excellent vapor and air permeability of each element of the sandwich.
	Increased strength designs	Achieved thanks to the transverse arrangement of the jumpers.
	Finishing (both external and internal) is not required	All elements are properly processed at the factory.
	Low cost	Thanks to this, construction costs are reduced by almost one and a half times.

As for the disadvantages of the described timber, it is worth mentioning only the degree of vapor permeability - although it is not bad, it is still lower than that of traditional solid wood. For this reason, when constructing residential buildings from this material follows mandatory provide high-quality ventilation.

Video - Production of insulated timber

Types of laminated laminated timber

Insulated timber is produced in several varieties at once, having different technical specifications. Moreover, even the design of the timber itself can in this case differ.

Let's start with the fact that thermal insulation material can be different.

Option #1. Polyurethane foam

This insulation has impressive advantages. For example, it has a relatively low thermal conductivity. If polyurethane foam is used for insulation, then the entire volume of the frame is completely filled, thereby reducing the risk of the formation of so-called cold bridges. However, there are also disadvantages, or rather, there is only one - we're talking about about the low vapor permeability, and therefore at the design stage it is necessary to provide for the presence of a high-quality ventilation system.

Option #2. Ecowool

This material, also known as cellulose, is impregnated with antiseptic agents during production, and it effectively holds thermal energy and is quite cheap. To reduce the volume of ecowool (and also for more convenient transportation), the material is pressed three times, resulting in its density reaching 110 kilograms per cubic meter. Immediately before use, it is fluffed up in a bucket or any other container using an electric drill with a mixer attachment, after which the volume increases to its previous size (that is, it grows three times).

Pay attention! During the fluffing process, it forms huge amount dust, and therefore a person must use a respirator.

During insulation, not only a team of workers may be required, but also special equipment. After all, it is impossible to lay it down with bare hands, especially in large volumes (sometimes, in principle, it is possible, but this is very uneconomical). After installation, the ecowool should be left for several days: due to contact with moisture in the air in a dissolved state, the outer layer of the material will harden and a crust will form. Actually, this is how warm timber is formed.

It is worth noting that there is also a classification of insulated timber according to design features. Here it is also divided into two types, let’s get acquainted with them.

Option #1. Single chamber bars

From a constructive point of view, this kind of timber consists of a pair of boards connected to each other by special jumpers with a pitch of 50 centimeters. As a rule, such frames are filled with polyurethane foam insulation, due to which the ready-to-use beams acquire “solidity.”

Option #2. Packet beams

In fact, structures of this type are not much different from the bars that were described above. Although at least one important difference still exists. In this case, we are talking about a frame, which is divided not only by horizontal jumpers, but also by vertical ones, and therefore a honeycomb, completely closed, is created inside the structure. These cells need to be filled with the previously selected insulation material. Yes, the use of the batch method significantly increases performance characteristics timber, but at the same time the cost of the product also increases.

Important points that sellers may not mention!

Actually, there are only two such moments, let’s get acquainted with them.

1. Today, insulated timber is often produced in low quality. Therefore, immediately before construction, you will have to check each product separately.
2. It will be stuffy in a house made of such building material, since it (the house) will be completely sealed.

Manufacturing Features

The procedure for making insulated laminated veneer lumber looks something like this: first of all, the boards are placed in a special dryer and brought to a moisture content of no higher than 12 percent, then special elements are made from them - lamellas with inserts. If we talk about lamellas, then these are a pair of long boards located parallel to each other and fastened together using special fasteners (known as “dovetail”) with one step or another.

It turns out that identical cavities are formed between these boards, into which, as noted above, insulating material will be placed during installation.

To give products the profile required by technology, a special four-sided planing machine is used. And due to the fact that the heat insulator will evenly compress/bulge during installation, it will not be able to penetrate the seams in the beams - this is what ensures the final external characteristics both inside and outside (we are talking about the fact that a house made of such timber looks like completely wooden building).

Pay attention! If desired, the developer may well use a combined beam - this is if one part is made of wood more than high quality, and therefore more attractive in terms of aesthetics.

Technology for constructing a building from insulated timber

The procedure consists of several stages; let’s take a closer look at each of them.

Stage 1. Foundation

We have already talked about this, but much depends on the specific project (for example, the house may have a basement), soil characteristics and the depth of groundwater. In each specific case it must be taken individual solution. If there is no basement, then it is possible to build pile foundation, otherwise it is preferable to resort to reinforced concrete or strip monolith.

A house made of such timber will weigh little. On average, a cubic meter of a building will exert a load of no more than 300 kilograms on the foundation, which means that the foundation itself in this case may be light.

Stage 2. Assembling the box from the described timber

After the construction of the foundation is completed, you can begin installing anchor bolts with the distances provided for by the project. It is worth remembering that for each type of foundation, its own type of fastening of such anchors is selected. Thanks to this separation, the strength future design will increase noticeably.

So, if the base is made on screw piles, then the anchors should be fastened in the manner shown in this diagram.

In case of use strip base, flooded concrete mortar, the anchors should be attached slightly differently - something like this.

Further actions should be carried out according to the following algorithm.

Step 1. After installing the anchor bolts, insulating material is laid over the base.

Step 3. Then the bottom layer of the structure is installed. For this purpose, profiled boards are used (they are also called backing boards), which should be placed on the studs mentioned above.

Step 4. The insulated timber, in which the grooves are made, must be laid on the board. Typically, the pin should be a guide.

Step 6. It is also necessary to lay a profile board on top of the top beam of the box. Only after this the beam is tightened using a nut.

Stage 3. Installation of the screed on the crowns

Next, it is necessary to equip ties on the crowns of the beams. For this, you should use thermal tape that can withstand critical temperatures (from minus 60 to plus 80 degrees). Under the influence of operating temperatures, such a tape is capable of stretching somewhat (by about 15 percent), after which it returns to its original dimensions. What is characteristic is sun rays Thermal tape does not react in any way, as well as to aggressive climatic factors (snow, sub-zero temperatures, rain, etc.). Finally, thanks to this tape, you can do without finishing the beams, which means that construction costs will be lower.

Stage 4. Windows, doors

When installing these integral elements it should be remembered that they can be like standard dimensions, and made according to individual sketches. Thanks to the use of laminated timber, you can easily resort to both the first and second options. Here special furniture panels, which will prevent the walls from deforming until the windows/doors are finally installed. These panels should be installed immediately after the roof of the house is built.

Stage 5. Floors

As for the floor, it is preferable to make it concrete, with reinforcing steel mesh. This way the surface will be smooth, and rodents will not be afraid. Beams are laid on top of the screed (the step should be 0.6 meters), and then the floors themselves are laid. If desired, you can install a “warm floor” system (provided that the screed is thick enough for this) or install additional thermal insulation.

The roof frame is attached using timber with a cross-section of 10x20 centimeters. There are many ways to insulate a roof, as well as decorate it (plywood, drywall and others), you can choose any, the main thing is not to forget that the ceilings must be insulated.

Stage 6. Roofing

At the end, the roof is installed, but this is a topic for a separate article.

Video - Assembling a building from insulated timber

Wooden house-building technologies develop over time and take progressive forms, as the pace and realities of life force creators to look for new ways to improve comfortable living. The main qualities will forever remain heat capacity and environmental cleanliness of housing. By combining these advantages, manufacturers offer their potential clients combinations of monolith and wood, as well as an absolute innovation - combined timber. More about this below.

The essence and advantages of the material

The combined product consists of glued lamellas, similar to luxury pressed wood. But the layer between the elements is extruded polystyrene foam - best insulation in your class. The advantages of the new building material are obvious:

1. Lightening the object as a whole. Considering that laminated wood is quite heavy and requires special conditions foundation and other nuances, then houses from combined timber It is two times lighter compared to the same project without the participation of a weightless layer. This is a great benefit if you want to build a house of any number of floors or reduce the cost of the structure due to a simple shallow foundation.
2. Ecology. The raw material contains expanded polystyrene, which does not interact with moisture and does not emit toxic substances. calm state, odorless, harmless to environment, uninteresting to rodents. Therefore, the combination of wood and styrene can be considered ecological. If we talk about glue, then its amount is small and insignificant - it does not threaten allergy sufferers.
3. Heat capacity of the object. Based on the fact that a 5 cm layer of polystyrene is equivalent to 2.5 m brickwork, then, one might say, houses made of combined insulated timber are the only ones that do not require additional insulation.

It follows from the last point that an additional advantage of innovation is external and internal view. Wood with its structure remains in the forefront design techniques. Because additional finishing is not required, then the owner will receive true traditional house- drawing different breeds unique, and hide it behind decorative coverings no longer needed.

Combined buildings – monolith and wood

Not new, but also at the peak of popularity, construction is houses combined from blocks and timber. The bottom - ground floor and first floor are made of cellular foam concrete, the second tier and roof space are made of wood, respectively. The advantages are as follows:

The material has some disadvantages - poor interaction with moisture if low-quality blocks are used. The need for cladding - some options are unpresentable. But, nevertheless, projects of such houses receive well-deserved attention.

Construction of houses from combined timber. Combination of wood and foam concrete

The construction of the described objects requires an understanding of the processes. An independent device is possible at all stages. Therefore, below are given detailed descriptions each option.

Warm laminated timber:

• As in any construction, the process begins with design. By contacting design bureau For a layout option or with your own sketches, the future owner will receive detailed consultations and comments. But, most importantly, everything will be documented and permissions obtained.
• Build houses combined from laminated veneer lumber follows the same pattern as everyone else - choosing a foundation, erecting walls, rafter system, finishing. Due to the fact that construction is simplified by the lack of insulation, speed increases and there is no need for a deep monolith.

Therefore, the basis for such objects may well be piles or a shallowly buried tape. These options are given a short time to shrink, after which there is no need to delay the construction of walls.

• Load-bearing structures are carried out with mandatory compaction with inter-crown material, that is, as if it were with an ordinary log house. Upon completion, the house is left to shrink, and then caulking is carried out. These measures are designed to prevent drafts from entering the resulting gaps when the soil moves.
• It remains to be worked out rafter system. All elements can also be made of insulated timber. Recommended mansard roofs- they will create usable space and will receive additional insulation due to the material.

Finishing refers to the painting of timber with varnish or other film compositions designed not only to preserve the youth of the wood, but also to protect it from any damage - biological or fire.

Combined buildings - foam block and timber:

Depending on the design, such houses have an impressive foundation. They are used for heavy architecture or problematic soils.

The advantages of a monolith are the ability to arrange basements for autonomous communications – well pump or boiler room. The work comes down to proper organization and the layout of the first monolithic floor:

• Getting settled strip foundation significant depth. In addition to protection from freezing, he will have to bear the load of blocks - although they are light, they are large number and dimensions require a stable platform.

Reinforcement, shock-absorbing cushions, and high formwork are required. After hardening, the concrete must be tarred and insulated. Objects – combined houses Foam block timber necessarily needs protection from moisture.

• Installing foam blocks is not difficult. Laying should begin by removing the corners. The colored fishing line serves as a guide. The first 5-6 rows must be checked with a level.

Through a row, the surface of the blocks is reinforced by gating and inserting reinforcing bars so that the intersection occurs at the joints. The walls are built to the intended height - 2.5 m.

• IN last row blocks, reinforcement must be installed and the surface must be tarred. Now comes the turn of wood, it needs protection from condensation, which will certainly arise due to temperature differences from different surfaces.
• Further, the construction of the second floor is no different from the ordinary one - crowns with the obligatory seal are installed, ceilings and joists are laid, and a subfloor is laid.
• There are many options for roofs, but for a house made of combined timber, simple ones are recommended - pitched, attic. With their shape they will not burden the entire structure.

Well, as can be seen from what has been written, innovation is quite real for independent work. All processes have been described many times and if the instructions are followed exactly, they do not pose a problem.

Many potential owners country house they see it as wooden - it just so happens that wood building materials are traditional for our country. But time does not stand still - technology develops along with it. Preserving the natural “wooden” appearance of the house, while reducing its cost and improving thermal characteristics - this was approximately the task faced by the inventors of packaged timber. What came of it? Read about this in our short article about packaged timber.

What is package timber

Packet timber, or, as it is also called, cassette timber, is a building material consisting of several elements: three boards, inserts of timber and insulation that fills artificially created cavities. Such multi-layer construction, in theory, should provide optimal mode operation as for wall material, and for people living in the house. Houses from double timber are built using approximately the same technology. The difference is that in the first case, the fastening of the boards is carried out using cups, while the packaged timber is additionally secured using lavsan ties. Foam glass (granulated glass), ecowool (a product of waste paper processing), mineral wool, etc. can be used as insulation. In fact, the final price and characteristics of packaged timber depend on the type of insulation used.

Advantages of using packaged timber

• No need for additional insulation (no need to think about how to insulate a house made of timber, etc.) and finishing (planed boards of the front parts have an attractive appearance).
• Use environmentally pure materials, included in the package timber, the absence adhesive joints(as opposed to insulated laminated veneer lumber).
• Minimizing the effects of wall shrinkage.
• Savings on the foundation due to the relatively small mass of the log house.
• Short deadlines for building a house.
• Comparable low price on package timber.

Some nuances

• Difficulties in DIY construction.
• Problems during repair work.
• Absence real reviews people who built a house using “package” technology.

About prices for packaged timber

Prices per cube of packaged timber are in the range of 12,000-13,000 rubles. At this cost square meter a log house will cost 4500-5000 rubles. or from 12,000 rub. per square meter for turnkey construction.

The popularity of timber buildings is increasing every year. There is only one minus - such houses require additional insulation. Insulated timber will allow you to preserve the natural natural look building and significantly increase its thermal insulation.

Today, insulated laminated veneer lumber is a kind of innovation in construction market. Its production is based on multi-layering, in which dry planed wood is laid with a special insulation and glued together under pressure. The principle of manufacturing the material is reminiscent of the creation of sandwich panels, in which the base is successfully combined with thermal insulation.

Material manufacturing technology and its types

Depending on design features Glued laminated timber can be packaged or single-chamber. The package material is closed design, resembling a box containing thermal insulation. A single-chamber beam consists of two boards connected by jumpers with a pitch of 50 cm. Insulation is laid between the boards, then the entire structure is given a monolithic structure.

The following materials can be used to insulate timber:

• polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam (PPU);
• ecowool or cellulose.

Their manufacturing technology is the same. First of all, wooden slats are prepared, which are dried artificially to a moisture content of no more than 10-12%. The lamellas are fastened together, forming closed cavities 7 cm wide. On the extruder, the cavities are filled with polyurethane foam or other type of insulating material.

The finished structure is processed on a four-sided planing machine, which gives it the necessary parameters. In this case, the thermal insulation protrudes slightly beyond the wood, which allows it to wrinkle during installation and completely clog the seams between the bars.

The characteristics of the insulated material significantly exceed all the qualities of simple laminated veneer lumber.

PPU timber is especially popular, which is explained by its low thermal conductivity. Thus, the level of thermal conductivity of expanded polystyrene is only 0.024 W/(mK), which is significantly lower than that of ecowool or cellulose. To heat a house with an area of ​​about 160 m2, you will need no more than 3 kW of electricity per day.

How building material expanded polystyrene has good durability, and in combination with wooden straps it acquires high level strength. Such a beam is capable of withstanding compression loads of more than 250 kPa and bending loads of about 0.35 MPa. Thanks to this, insulated timber mounted in the walls always maintains a strict geometric shape, without being subject to shrinkage or distortion.

The environmental friendliness of expanded polystyrene is known, because it is from it that substrates for food products are made. It does not emit harmful fumes or substances in either dry or humid environments.

Together with a large number PPU timber also has one significant drawback - the complete airtightness inherent in polyurethane foam. To maintain a healthy atmosphere in the house, you will have to install additional ventilation systems.

Timber filled with ecowool

Ecowool consists of shredded paper impregnated with an antipyrine-based adhesive. Its performance characteristics are somewhat inferior to polyurethane foam. In addition, timber made using ecowool is characterized by low moisture resistance.

Other disadvantages of ecowool include the following parameters:

• high thermal conductivity;
• susceptibility to shrinkage;
• contributes to the generation of dust;
• may be damaged by rodents.

Due to the large number of disadvantages, the cost of timber filled with ecowool or cellulose is significantly lower than that of polyurethane foam material. As a rule, insulated ecowool beams are purchased by people seeking to equip environmentally friendly and budget housing with an attractive appearance.

But it must be remembered that a house built from laminated veneer lumber with ecowool may lose its thermal insulation qualities over time. And if in a building from ordinary timber Replacing the insulating material does not cause any particular difficulties, but in this case it will be almost impossible to do so.