Timber Frame Technology

For centuries, wood has proven itself as a building material. However, with the industrial revolution in the 19th century and the associated transition from handcrafted individual production to industrial mass production, wood was displaced by new building materials that could be produced in large quantities. After that, timber construction was a niche market for a long time. In the meantime, timber construction is on the upswing again.

The proportion of timber construction is rising continuously. Not only are more and more private builders opting for wood as a building material for their one- or two-family homes, but there has also been a significant increase in multi-story residential construction. Even non-residential buildings such as day-care centres, schools, nursing homes, or even office buildings are now being built with wood. For extensions, timber construction offers static advantages.

In multi-story construction, hybrid construction is becoming more and more popular, making targeted use of the advantages of solid and timber construction. With material and processing properties that are very similar to timber construction and fast processing, fermacell® gypsum fibre boards complement the advantages of wood as a building material and also offer decisive arguments against other building materials such as wood-based panels.

Statics

Due to their high stability, fermacell® gypsum fibre boards can be used both load-bearing and stiffening and can be used for planking and cladding components.

Earthquake resistance

Fermacell® gypsum fibre boards are durable - even when the earth is wobbly - and can be used in all earthquake regions for the construction of single-storey and multi-storey buildings in wood panel construction. The corresponding suitability of areas has been proven in extensive investigations at various European institutes

Sound insulation

Even single-ply constructions planked with fermacell® gypsum fibre boards achieve better sound insulation values than, for example, constructions planked with two-ply wood-based panels. Various testing institutes have confirmed the excellent sound insulation properties of fermacell® gypsum fibre boards.

Benefits of timber frame construction

Speed of construction

Timber frame houses are a practical and efficient alternative to traditional block construction. The process of building a timber frame house can be significantly faster than a standard block construction, thanks to the use of prefabricated timber components. These components can be easily assembled on-site, reducing the time required for construction.

Energy efficiency

Thanks to their superior thermal and airtightness performance, these buildings can easily help you exceed Part L and nZEB requirements. Not only will they keep your living space warm and cosy, but they also play a significant role in reducing heat loss and eliminating cold bridging through the stud. No wonder more and more homeowners opt for timber frame houses – they offer a plethora of benefits that make them stand out from the crowd. And with the growing demand for eco-friendly building solutions, it’s clear that this construction method represents the future of the housing industry.

Environmental sustainability

Timber is a sustainable resource which has numerous benefits for the environment, both in terms of its renewability and its capacity to act as a carbon sink. As a natural material which is harvested from forests, timber has a much lower environmental impact than man-made materials. It does not require the use of fossil fuels to produce, nor does it generate the same amount of pollution as synthetic materials. Instead, timber can be harvested from sustainably managed forests, where new trees are constantly planted to replace those which have been harvested. Moreover, timber has a unique ability to absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to reduce the levels of greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change. By choosing timber as a building material, we can help to reduce our dependence on non-renewable resources, while simultaneously protecting the environment for future generations.

Design flexibility

Timber frame houses, with their sturdy and durable build, have been a popular choice among homeowners for centuries. The beauty of timber frames is that they can accommodate a variety of architectural styles and features, from rustic to modern designs, and can be constructed in both small and large homes. Not only do they offer an aesthetic appeal, but they are also versatile enough to handle complex builds and unique design elements. When it comes to designing a dream home that is both beautiful and functional, opting for a timber frame house is definitely a smart move.

Quality control

Timber frame houses not only offer exceptional strength and durability, but they are also precision engineered and manufactured using state-of-the-art technology in controlled environments. This manufacturing process ensures that each component is produced to exacting standards of quality and accuracy.

Economical

Fermacell-example

Most applications in timber construction can be carried out with only one type of board. Fermacell® gypsum fibre boards can be used universally as construction, fire protection, and moisture-proof boards and are equally suitable for wall and ceiling constructions.

For the majority of requirements – also in fire protection – a single-layer planking is completely sufficient.

This is because the boards are particularly stable and resilient due to the special manufacturing process in which recycled paper fibers are pressed together with gypsum and water under high pressure. The processing of only one type of board with single-layer planking also makes the use of Fermacell® gypsum fiber boards particularly economical. The lower material requirement noticeably reduces costs and ensures shorter processing times.

Prefabrication

A fast and weather-independent prefabrication of the individual components, under ideal conditions, guarantees a high quality level of the components. It enables on-time planning and assembly, ensuring short construction times.

When assembling fermacell® gypsum fibre boards, there is no need to take into account the acclimatization times of several days. Instead, the boards can be processed immediately after delivery without any loss of time.

This accelerates the entire prefabrication process, requiring less storage volume. Thus, creating space for new projects and increasing the cost-effectiveness.

1 - Simple installation

2 - Stable and resilient

3 - Safe fire protection

4 - Best room climate

Safe fire protection

Timber construction with fermacell® gypsum fibre boards is also on the safe side in the event of fire. They are classified as non-combustible according to the requirements of building material class A2 or A1 and thus offer reliable and high band protection. Wooden constructions covered on both sides with a single layer of fermacell® gypsum fibre boards easily achieve fire resistance class F 60.

Healthy room climate

As a natural building material, wood contributes to a pleasant room climate. fermacell® gypsum fibre boards supplement these properties by regulating humidity and temperature. Since fermacell® gypsum fibre boards are manufactured exclusively from natural materials without any glue additives, they do not contain any hazardous substances such as formaldehyde. They have been proven to be practically emission-free. These positive building biology properties of fermacell® gypsum fibre boards have been confirmed by the Institute for Building Biology in Rosenheim with the IBR test seal and by the renowned Cologne eco Institute with the award of the “Low-Emission Product” certificate.

Reasons why choosed Fermacell boards in our constructions

Why we use Fermacell boards?

Firstly, it has a load-carrying capacity of up to 50kg per cavity fixing and 30kg per screw, which gives greater flexibility as many items can be fixed directly to the boards rather than the sub-structure.

Secondly, Fermacell minimises the inherent risk of fire with timber frame construction. It is classified as non-combustible according to the requirements of building material class A2 or A1 and thus offers reliable and high band protection.

In addition to these benefits, Fermacell boards are also moisture-resistant and can be used in wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. They are also environmentally friendly as they are made from recycled materials and are recyclable themselves.

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