European-style fachwerk houses: advantages and disadvantages

“My home is my fortress,” says a famous phrase. Modern technologies of building houses in combination with time-tested techniques allow you to create a truly reliable structure, which is not afraid of either time or elements. Amazing half-timbered houses are gaining more and more popularity, but everything new is well forgotten old.

Historically, half-timbered houses appeared in the Middle Ages. The first building dates back to 1347, and it is located in Germany in Quedlinburg. It has historical significance as an architectural monument.

Gradually, this type of houses begins to cover the whole of Europe, especially the northern countries. Due to the fact that carpentry is flourishing due to the take-off of shipbuilding, the rise of buildings is also felt in the art of building.The main achievement of the popularity of this technology is wood saving, because the design does not provide for the construction of massive and thick bearing walls, the technique is to create a strong vertical frame.

Bearing frame consists of solid wooden vertical posts, horizontal beams, diagonal braces. Thanks to all these elements, the structure acquires a serious fundamentality and reliability, because half-timbered houses built in the 15th century in Germany, Poland, Britain and other countries still adorn the streets of the old part of the cities and are their hallmark.

Since the design does not provide for the erection of walls, the cells between the beams in the Middle Ages were filled with clay adobe, strengthened with a fence from thin branches, the slits formed after the drying of the clay were sealed with wool. The plastered surface was ready for painting.

In modern construction, the methods of building interior partitions are much more technological, fast and convenient.The most popular and inexpensive material for this is drywall. Mineral wool or any other noise and heat insulation material is laid between two gypsum plasterboards, the outer surface of the wall is plastered, decorated with wallpaper or painted. More expensive and expensive internal and external walls are built of brick and stone.

Save on the construction of external walls will help the sandwich panels. This building material has a three-layer structure. External cloths from rigid durable material (metal, PVC), and the inner layer is designed for heat and noise insulation.

In the creation of the frame, modern technologies also have a place to be. The feature of the vertical arrangement of the beams helped the medieval construction to serve for such a long time, because the water from the rain flowed down them, never lingered anywhere and thus did not destroy the wooden base. But the new method of creating glued bars increases the service life of such a house, in addition, the feature of the material does not allow the house to quickly ignite in the event of a fire, and also saves from the appearance of mold.

Classic German half-timbered houses are, as a rule, a box with a high gable tiled roof. On the white-plastered or red-brick walls, the entire construction of the beams painted in dark color is clearly visible. In this case, this design is functional and decorative. Typically, the building has three floors, including the attic. The windows are rather small, but there are a lot of them, which allows to let in a lot of light inside the house.

Modern construction technologies allow building houses using the half-timbered method in various architectural variations.

Nowadays, a half-timbered house is not just a box. The shape and dimensions of such a house have been greatly improved; now this is a multi-level architecturally interesting building that is ready to satisfy any request.

The sizes and forms of frame houses from the bearing beams any. It can be a small one-storey country house for holidays, with an attic and unequal gable roof. And it is made in the style of hi-tech with a lean-to roof. For permanent residence fit a large and spacious house of different heights with a combined roof. For extravagant solutions, part of the roof is made of a dome shape.

Due to the fact that there are no load-bearing walls in the house, the future planning is carried out completely at the request of the owner. The walls in this case are partitions that solve the problems of sound insulation and privacy.

The most important advantage of half-timbered houses is the ability to create external walls from any material. Of course, given the climate of the area. Thanks to this feature, glass became the most common material for the construction of external partitions. That is why the popularity of houses on technology fakhverk so increased. Thick, up to 6 mm, durable glass of impressive dimensions is used as walls in such houses.

Absolute unity with nature is achieved by completely transparent walls. The house is breathing. And without that large rooms seem huge, clean, airy, boundless. Full sense of serenity and presence. This is a great solution for houses made in ecostyle, as well as high-tech style.

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However, a fully glass house is an expensive pleasure.

The most courageous are ready to use only this material for the decoration of the facade. Modern technology allows you to install glass so that the house will remain warm in the end, and the high quality of glass prevents the possibility of damage. But even if the canvas is broken, the fragments will remain on a special film that will not allow sharp pieces to scatter.

Combined options are most popular because they allow you to arrange a part of the rooms for privacy. For example, the master and guest bedrooms, as well as the nursery, are best made from deaf material, while the living room, dining room, winter garden, or indoor pool can be visually combined with nature and a beautiful park landscape.

The presence of at least one wall, made entirely of glass, in modern half-timbered design is considered mandatory. But this is not the only material that is suitable for the construction of walls in such houses.

Internal cells of the future walls are filled with special material., which has heat, noise insulation, waterproof properties that exclude the occurrence of mold.This inner layer is sheathed outside with durable and reliable plywood plates. This technology allows you to create a homely atmosphere of peace and comfort.

A brick is also suitable for building walls; it is reliable and versatile, suitable for both internal partitions and the external facade. In this case, the beams are necessarily reinforced.

Exterior finish can also be any. Deaf non-glass walls can be plastered. This is a relatively inexpensive option, is popular for decorating any type of houses. By the way, it is white plastered facades in combination with contrasting dark brown beams that are the corporate style of classic German half-timbered houses.

Fachwerk houses are often faced with brick. This method is more expensive, but it is also one of the ways of the classic execution of this type of building. Such houses are the personification of aristocracy and grandeur, it seems that they breathe history and look really impressive. Often dark, red brick is combined with plastered elements.

The tree as a lining is used if they want to emphasize unity with nature and its close proximity.The use of stylized wooden planks in combination with glass and stone allows the structure to dissolve and fully immerse into the atmosphere of the environment. These materials are often used to create an imitation chalet style.

Wooden cladding and metal beams-supports are an excellent solution for decorating a high-tech house. Ecological materials in the neighborhood with modern, urban and rough designs look fresh and dynamic.

A feature of the internal layout of the house, built on the fachwerk technology is the possibility of free planning. The absence of supporting walls allows you to create a project with any number of rooms, create huge, filled with air and light spaces, it is easy to plan the placement of furniture and decor items.

Another unique technology is the highest ceilings right under the roof. Part of the internal structures in height can be divided into two or three floors, and, for example, only the slope of the roof can limit the living room.This is achieved thanks to carrying horizontal beams and the absence of an attic.

When making interior decoration should be borne in mind that the beams that hold the entire structure will become integral elements of the interior. They are never hidden, but rather they create an attribute that emphasizes the style and special charm of the half-timbered houses.

Gentle and airy home decoration can be achieved by painting the load-bearing elements of the structure in snow-white color, to create accents beams are made in the color of wenge, and eco-style or chalet involves the preservation of the natural shade of natural wood. In high-tech or loft houses all beams are made of metal, they are usually left unchanged.

Interior decoration and interior style should overlap with the exterior, the facade of the house. Classical options suggest the presence of a large number of wooden elements and stone finishes. For example, floors, ceilings, ceiling and wall beams, cabinet furniture, stairs to the second floor and railings are made entirely from a single type of wood, and the fireplace and the styling of the fireplace chimney are laid out in stone.Upholstered furniture, often upholstered in leather, is placed around the fireplace area.

Creating a high-tech interior, wood is transformed into metal, smooth lines gain rigidity and linearity, the color scheme becomes more concise. Glass elements, which are classically a feature of the execution of the facade of half-timbered houses, are now also found in the interior design: partitions, stair railings, door panels, furniture and even a fireplace can be made of glass.

Any modern interior of half-timbered houses is a peculiar mixture of styles with common unique features. Such eclecticism is very attractive, as it does not oblige to adhere to any particular stylistic approach. But, choosing a house built on the framework technology fakhverk, everyone will dream of the obligatory presence of a fireplace and large, panoramic windows, walls.

The architecture of a country house half-timbered in the style of high-tech can have a flat straight roof. In this case, the facade is not glass and deaf, the walls are sliding aluminum structures that can be easily opened.

However, the manufacture of two or three of these sliding wall-windows is fully justified.

The futuristic design of half-timbered houses is achieved thanks to the large number of metal beams and the combined roof of an unusual shape.

One-storey half-timbered house - a great combination of comfort and style. Such options are ideal for country houses, which come on the weekend.

Classic half-timbered houses are ideal for cottages. They exude comfort and harmony. They look very nice, but at the same time noble and elegant. Such houses in pure German style are not uncommon in the provinces of Germany.

See how the construction of a half-timbered European-style house takes place in the next video.