Half-timbered houses: main features, technology, photos of finished projects

Half-timbered timber is one of the most elegant decorations on the façade of a country house. Initially, half-timbering originated as a technology for building houses in Germany, and later spread throughout Europe.

Today, half-timbered structures do not serve to ensure the strength of buildings, but solely for aesthetic purposes.

Half-timbered buildings have gained immense popularity among lovers of antiquity and connoisseurs of architectural traditions. In Russia, half-timbered timber is especially loved by residents of the Leningrad, Kaliningrad, Moscow regions, and Krasnodar Territory.

Walls plastered and painted in light colors are divided into sectors using boards or beams. The color of the boards and beams should contrast with the color of the walls. This contrast gives the building a fascinating look. Sometimes sacred meaning is also added to half-timbered patterns.

Facade decoration

The most important advantage of half-timbered houses is the ability to make external walls from absolutely any material. Of course, taking into account the climate of the area. Thanks to this feature, glass has become the most common material for the construction of external partitions. That is why the popularity of houses using half-timbered technology has increased so much. Thick, up to 6 mm, durable glass of impressive size is used as walls in such houses.

Absolute unity with nature is achieved by completely transparent walls. The house seems to be breathing. The already large rooms seem huge, clean, airy, limitless. A complete feeling of serenity and presence. This is an excellent solution for houses made in eco-style, as well as high-tech style.

However, an all-glass house is an expensive pleasure.

The bravest ones are ready to use only this material to decorate the facade. Modern technologies make it possible to install glass so that the house ultimately remains warm, and the high quality of glass prevents the possibility of damage. But even if the canvas breaks, the fragments will remain on a special film that will prevent sharp pieces from scattering.

Combined options are the most popular, as they allow you to decorate some of the rooms for privacy. For example, it is better to make the master and guest bedrooms, as well as the children's room, from solid material, while the living room, dining room, winter garden or indoor pool will be visually combined with nature and a beautiful park landscape.

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

The internal cells of future walls are filled with a special material that has heat, sound insulation, and waterproof properties that prevent the occurrence of mold. This inner layer is sheathed on the outside with strong and reliable plywood boards. This technology allows you to create a cozy atmosphere of silence and comfort in your home.

Brick is also suitable for building walls; it is reliable and versatile, suitable for both internal partitions and external facades. In this case, the beams must be reinforced.

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

Houses made using half-timbered technology are often faced with brick. This method is more expensive, but is also one of the classic ways to build a building of this type. Such houses are the personification of aristocracy and grandeur; they seem to breathe history and look truly impressive. Often dark, red brick is combined with plastered elements.

Wood is used as cladding 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 completely immerse itself in the atmosphere of its surroundings. These materials are often used to create an imitation chalet style.

Wooden cladding and metal support beams are an excellent solution for decorating a home in a high-tech style. Ecological materials next to modern, urban and rough designs look fresh and dynamic.

Thermal panels

Thermal panels combine the appearance of facade tiles and the thermal insulation properties of insulation. This building material is valued for its visual appeal, reliability and excellent technical characteristics. Thermal panels are made of polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam.

Advantages of thermal panels:

1. Moisture resistance.
2. Excellent performance properties.
3. Immune to sun exposure.
4. Possibility of mounting on a variety of surfaces - wood, brick, concrete, stone, etc.
5. Natural and environmentally friendly.
6. High thermal insulation properties.
7. Excellent sound insulation.
8. Possibility of installation under any weather and temperature conditions.
9. Ease of installation.
10. Inability to spread fungi or mold on thermal panels.
11. Huge selection of colors.

The only downside is the cost of materials. The price includes both external finishing and additional insulation.

Features of German technology

The half-timbered finish is a kind of grid of wooden beams applied to the cladding of the house in a contrasting color. This solution has a number of advantages:

1. Versatility. Joining with decorative beams is suitable for both small country houses and spacious cottages. The façade can be combined with other style trends characteristic of a particular area.
2. Ease of arrangement. The technology is not difficult. The main thing is to plan the location of the beams in advance and prepare the material.
3. Sophistication. A variety of wall finishing textures and colors allows you to create an exclusive facade. The design suggests unity with nature - the external wooden frame gives the house a special charm.

The disadvantages of the technology include: the relative high cost of the materials used and the fragility of wooden elements.

Decorative plaster

Decorative plaster is performed by applying special building mixtures to the walls of the facade.

There are several types of plaster:

• Acrylic - made from synthetic building materials.
• Silicate - made of potassium glass and sodium silicates.
• Mineral - cement based.
• Silicone - made from synthetic resins.

Facade plaster is applied in a variety of ways. The most common is the “bark beetle”. The so-called “Venetian plaster” is very popular, which gives the house an antique look.

Decorative plaster is extremely in demand because it has a number of significant advantages:

1. Gives the house a unique and inimitable look due to the huge selection of textures and colors.
2. The materials have disinfecting properties that prevent the appearance of fungi and mold on the facade.
3. Using most types of plaster, uneven walls can be leveled.
4. Easy to apply, does not require special construction skills (except for certain types of mixtures, for example, “Venetian plaster”).
5. Can be used for many years.

The disadvantages include fairly rapid drying, which requires some skill for application.

Choice of colors

The basis of the color scheme of German-style rooms is made up of delicate, warm light shades. Most often you can find interiors whose main color is white, olive, cream or soft coffee.

The presence of black and gray colors in small quantities is acceptable. To add zest to the interior, you can add bright accents in yellow, azure, blue, and purple colors. Wine and cherry shades of red are quite rare.

Living room in German style with fireplaceSource roomester.ru

They prefer to leave the walls light; this approach helps to emphasize the volume and contour of the furniture, which is most often presented in shades of brown. In some interiors you can find soft pink, blue, gray, green or olive furniture.

The flooring, on the contrary, is made from natural wood in dark shades. The material is oak, ash, walnut, pine or alder.

Modern living room furnishings in German styleSource stroyson.ru

In general, the combination of light and dark shades in the interior makes the space expressive and emphasizes the severity of the style.

Facade of a half-timbered house

The uniqueness of half-timbered houses lies in the fact that the outside of the frame is not covered or camouflaged with anything. It is easy to determine the style of this building, since the facade of the building is divided by load-bearing elements into separate planes. The glazing area of ​​half-timbered houses can reach up to 75%, but in cold climates and sudden temperature changes, such construction is considered unprofitable. In this case, architectural projects are used where there is no panoramic glazing and the area of ​​window and door openings is small; an imitation of the frame is often used, using overhead decorative elements.

The roof of a building in this style is usually gable, there is no attic, and the overhangs are wide. To cover the roof, tiles are used, or its modern and cheaper analogue is metal tiles. To imitate the decoration of facades in the half-timbered style, buildings constructed from a wide variety of building materials, based on any structure, are suitable. The best decorative beams and beams are made from polyurethane, which is practically indistinguishable from wood, and is not susceptible to moisture or damage by insects.

A little about the overall design

Currently, architects have created a huge number of different half-timbered house projects, with original facade designs, which can be complemented by other styles, such as: classic minimalism - characterized by large windows, built-in furniture and combined rooms; American ranch - cheap materials, asymmetrical design, maximum ground floor area; the German version of the country style - assumes the functionality and practicality of the entire furnishings, creating a unique comfort through the use of high-quality materials in the design of the house, the presence of modern technical equipment in the interior, and thoughtful arrangement of decorative elements.

Sometimes it is allowed to combine several styles to obtain the best effect in the facade design and its logical completeness.

Advantages of style

The main positive quality is considered to be an excellent microclimate inside the house, created by the properties of natural wood to allow air to pass through and release useful substances even after processing. Wood has a low thermal conductivity coefficient and can reliably protect your home in the event of a sudden cold snap. Treated timber can improve not only the façade of a building, but also its interior, thus creating an original interior design.

Vinyl siding

Vinyl siding is made from polyvinyl chloride. It is thin and durable. The thickness of the plates is approximately 1 cm, and the width can vary from 10 to 30 cm. The length of individual blanks also differs and ranges from 2 to 6 meters.

Vinyl siding attracts not only its pleasant appearance, but also its special design that allows the house to “breathe.” Each workpiece is equipped with special channels that remove condensate, preventing it from accumulating. They are also responsible for constant air circulation and provide natural ventilation. Polyvinyl chloride gives this type of finish a long service life. Vinyl siding can last at least 40 years.

According to construction stores, in 50% of cases vinyl siding is purchased for finishing facades. This popularity is due to the large number of advantages of this material:

1. Easy to use. The plates are easy to install and weigh little, which allows installation without outside help.
2. Corrosion resistance.
3. Does not ignite in case of fire.
4. Does not emit toxic fumes and is completely safe for humans.
5. Does not require processing or painting.
6. Easy to clean.
7. Repels dirt.
8. Flexible and plastic.
9. Low cost.
10. Huge selection of colors and textures.

The disadvantages of vinyl siding are:

1. The need for additional thermal insulation, since this sheathing does not protect against low temperatures.
2. Low resistance to mechanical stress. The panels get scratched, and with serious impacts they crack and break. To replace one board, you will have to dismantle a large section.
3. Does not withstand low temperatures and strong winds, which narrows the geography of application.
4. Burns out in the sun.

The low cost and existing advantages more than compensate for the existing disadvantages.

German style half-timbered houses

Interestingly, the German style of half-timbered houses

in modern architectural fashion it is used in two directions. Absolutely traditional facades are used, in which painted wooden beams are taken, and the space between them is filled with wood slabs, stone, brick, in a word, something similar in appearance is made to how houses were built two hundred years ago.

On the other hand, the very technology of building a rigid frame and partitions between the frames from a less strong material has given rise to the popularity of frame buildings with stained glass glazing.

This is by no means a saving, because such huge double-glazed windows in aluminum frames are quite expensive, taking the project budget to a completely different level, but the appearance of such a cottage, the comfort of living inside it (light, spacious) will be many times higher. Half-timbered house projects

is now offered by most design and architectural bureaus that serve the suburban construction segment. But not all of these Provence-style house projects will end up looking like a true half-timbered house, so you need to either understand the theory of the technology itself, or be content with something vaguely reminiscent of a real German house.

It must always be remembered that the frame for construction was not a decoration, not an architectural feature, but the main element that allowed the entire structure to have stability and strength. That is why there is a certain logic and meaning in the direction and number of beams, cross bars, jibs and other things.

Thus, you can often see projects in which the façade of a house is decorated in a half-timbered style.

consists in placing beams solely as decorative elements that decorate balconies, windows, second floor areas, and the like. At the same time, the frame seems to hover in the air, which looks strange and incomprehensible.

It is also wrong when there is an imitation of load-bearing vertical supports without the required number and direction of oblique ones, which help the vertical supports to bear the entire weight of the floors, roofing, finishing, balconies and other things. To understand exactly how to place the beams, you can either use photos from real European cities, repeating the location of the beams for your specific facade. Or simple schemes for building a frame, one of which you can see in the photo above, to recreate one of the most popular styles of home interiors.

Ideally, a finished façade of a half-timbered house

should give the impression of a building constructed entirely according to ancient technology, even if the brick, stone, mortar and plaster have been replaced by more modern materials.

DIY half-timbered house

If you disassemble the construction of a half-timbered house with your own hands

, then any instructions for constructing frame buildings will be useful to you. Of course, you shouldn’t take the design of a garden gazebo as an example, because the loads on the beams of the first frame and vertical supports will be much smaller, but simple one-story frame houses will be very close relatives of half-timbered houses, which are easy to make yourself. Be sure to follow all general recommendations common to all styles of wooden houses. That is, a reliable foundation must be covered with a special waterproofing layer, which will protect all wooden parts from the destructive effects of moisture. The beams themselves are coated with exactly the same protective agent, since they will not be hidden in the thickness of the walls, but will be in direct contact with precipitation.

For finishing a house in half-timbered style

You will need to think about a color scheme that will suit the chosen style well. Dark beams in combination with all sorts of light shades of plaster on the walls are considered a classic - sand, beige, white, light brown and so on.

It would be beautiful to add decorative brick or natural stone to the facade; by the way, in expensive projects you can often see an interesting combination of the lower tier (basement or entire first floor) made of stone and a completely wooden second floor or attic. Another very important stage of construction is the installation of the roof, and if you look at examples of houses in the half-timbered style, photo

which are demonstrated above, you will see that most of them have a roof of a very complex shape, which is a real decoration of the entire external appearance of the house. The tiles must be selected to match the chosen color scheme of the facade, and it is better to use “antique” coatings for greater effect.

Sequence of work

To create a half-timbered decor, first develop a plan for the arrangement of wooden boards on the surface. To achieve the desired effect, you need to convey the structure of a real beam frame. The specialist must know what the frame of a particular building could be like.

After creating a plan for the placement of parts on the wall, you need to select the parameters of the boards: width and height. To create the impression of a monumental structure, wooden elements must have volume.

The decorative pattern will retain its original appearance for a long time if suitable material is used during installation. If the work is carried out using natural wood, you should choose larch. This breed has high strength, resistance to moisture, and sudden changes in temperature. If the choice is made in favor of laminated veneer lumber from softwood (pine, spruce), the material must also be dried and processed. Then the raw material will not be inferior to larch.

When painting, you will need to apply 3-4 layers of composition from a trusted manufacturer. When working, pay attention to the ends and joints. Each part is painted before attaching to the surface.

If polyurethane beams are chosen as the material, the processing of parts will be less labor-intensive. The main thing is to choose the right glue. The composition will have to hold the pads on the outside of the house and be constantly exposed to various weather conditions. In terms of budget savings, polyurethane parts are preferable due to the low cost of the material.

Authentic half-timbered style consists of snow-white walls, a wooden frame, windows and a wenge-colored roof covering. Today, style is becoming more diverse and freer in implementation. Materials and compositions are available to create original effects. For example, the wall surfaces may be dark, but the frame may be white. The main thing is to adhere to the rule: window frames, doors, wooden or polyurethane parts and roofing must be the same color.

Imitation half-timbered: interesting house designs

Glazing of a significant part of the facades seems unacceptable in the Russian climate. However, in the middle zone and in the southern territories such houses will be cozy and warm. Modern multilayer double-glazed windows made of special glass are not only durable, but also have energy-saving characteristics. In such houses, for example from a construction site, there is a lot of light, and they look luxurious and are an ideal solution for country cottages surrounded by a beautiful landscape.

Panoramic windows in a half-timbered houseSource strolh.ru

Small one-story houses with half-timbered facades look fabulous. Imitation of style in this case allows you to decorate a simple, uncomplicated structure, making it interesting and unique.

Compact cozy cottage in half-timbered styleSource lesstroy.net

The classic roof of a half-timbered house can be gable or hipped, but the modern style allows for complex designs. The finishing of the foundation can overlap with the decor of the walls using natural stone.

Complex shaped roof on a half-timbered houseSource thesims.cc

Houses on stilts or with a high foundation look natural with half-timbered decor. Several rows of transverse beams encircling the structure help visually separate the two floors from each other.

Half-timbered house with a high ground floorSource mvlife.ru

An alternative to painted plaster is to decorate the walls with decorative bricks in combination with wooden structures. This decorative finish will be more durable. With the help of brick, half-timbered wood can be harmoniously combined with English, Provence or country style.

Decorating a half-timbered house with decorative bricks Source yandex.ru

The interior decoration of a half-timbered house is primarily associated with exposed beams and roof slopes, and ceilings between floors. The walls can be decorated with imitation wood frame, just like the outside. This means that the interior should be dominated by wood, simple shades and light tones of the walls.

Inside of a half-timbered houseSource pinterest.de

Half-timbered house. What kind of technology is this? We build a half-timbered building:

Frame with panel filling

Modern insulated half-timbered walls are designed for a long service life (at least 50 years) and comply with the requirements of SP 50.13330.2012 “Thermal protection of buildings”.

The frame is assembled from laminated veneer lumber with a cross-section of 200×00 mm or more (usually 230×230 mm at the latitudes of Moscow and St. Petersburg) using metal fasteners - tie rods, corners, detachable brackets, etc. The fastening points are hidden or decorated to look like old dowels connections. As a rule, the frame consists of racks, frames and crossbars. There is no need to reinforce it with braces, unless the architectural design plan requires it: the required rigidity is provided by metal fasteners and sheet filling of the gaps between the posts. All frame parts are delivered to the site completely ready for installation, often painted in the workshop.

Vladimir Grigoriev/Burda Media

Wall options: 1 - cement-based façade sheet; 2 — polyurethane foam spraying; 3 - mineral wool slab; 4 - plasterboard sheet.

Vladimir Grigoriev/Burda Media

1 - decorative brick; 2 — polymer insulation plate (PIR); 3 - cranial block; 4 - plasterboard sheet.

There are many filling options, but usually cement particle boards or OSB-3 are installed on the outside, and plasterboard or gypsum fiber sheets on the inside. To fasten sheet materials to the racks, two rows of cranial bars are stuffed.

All parts and main connections of the frame remain visible, so the highest demands are placed on materials and build quality.

EuroCode5

Combined trusses replace massive beams.

Brauniart

Double beams are also widely used.

Vladimir Grigoriev/Burda Media

And special metal ties.

In the empty space between the outer and inner cladding, insulation is placed - mineral wool slabs, EPS sheets, PIR, polyurethane foam, cellulose wool. Some companies use two-layer insulation, for example, from PIR boards (outer layer) and mineral wool (inner layer) - such a wall is better protected from blowing. In this case, the insulation from the inside must be vapor-insulated with polyethylene or polypropylene film. The heat transfer resistance of such a wall is 3.6–4.0 m² • °C/W (requirements for the Moscow region are about 3.2 m² • °C/W).

FahverkDom

For glazing and finishing of facades it is necessary to construct scaffolding.

FahverkDom

After completion of each stage of construction (construction of the foundation, assembly of the frame, installation of double-glazed windows, installation of engineering systems), quality control of the work performed is carried out.

The open space concept, characteristic of modern half-timbered buildings, imposes specific requirements on the internal structure and decoration of the house. Thus, interior partitions are often made of light-colored wooden panels (CLT panels), and floor beams (due to the large spans) are made of LVL beams.

Sergey Domogatsky, founder of Ecocomplect:

Install an underfloor heating system in your house - built-in convectors or water heated floors. This way you will ensure comfort in the rooms and protect the glass from fogging. Be picky about the quality of double-glazed windows and demand at least a five-year warranty on them; Large-format products are at increased risk of depressurization of the edge seam. Buy a house kit with maximum factory readiness. To insulate blank parts of walls, use materials with a thermal conductivity of no more than 0.035 W (m • K). This will reduce heating costs.

Modernity

Fachwerk began to be revived en masse. The reason for this is practicality plus the development of the building materials industry.

The changes have gone towards making the design lighter and simpler, thanks to the quality of the materials and fasteners used.

The areas of the cells of the entire supporting structure have expanded, in other words, there are fewer elements. Diagonal braces, which played an important role in constructing the façade pattern and strengthening the frame, were no longer needed. Lost their functionality.

Laminated timber, which replaced solid logs, is much stronger and stronger; beams made from this material require fewer supports. The fillers of the spaces between the beams are not heavy bricks and clay, as in the old days, but light panels that have all the necessary strength, insulation and energy-saving characteristics. There was no longer any need for a deep and solid foundation.

Interior of a half-timbered house

The peculiarity of the construction of a half-timbered structure (frame) also dictates the approach to interior design. You can’t hide the beam system – and there’s no reason to. Of course, the beams carry the spirit of antiquity. But this can also be played around. In general, for the interior design of a half-timbered house, you can choose any style - from German country to modern minimalism.

Interior decoration of a half-timbered structure in modern minimalism (HUF HAUS)

Photo from schoener-wohnen.de

In the first case, the beams can be artificially aged, more wood can be used in the decoration, boards can be laid on the floor or tiles can be laid in an “old-fashioned” manner, solid solid furniture in a retro style can be installed, and rough textiles and home-woven rugs can be used. Modern technology should be hidden as much as possible behind the facades of cabinets and in any structures. Order a German stove and enjoy the comfort and charm of old Western Europe.

You can choose a classic style for decoration - in this case, the beams can be decorated with carvings or even turned into sculptures. Laying wooden floors, erecting blank internal partitions and decorating them with wallpaper will change the room beyond recognition. High-quality classic furniture, expensive textiles, solid accessories - and the interior space of a half-timbered house will be difficult to distinguish from a classic house.

Haacke GmbH & Co

In general, half-timbered structures provide enormous scope for the designer’s creativity, because here you can control volumes, combine and separate spaces, use various zoning techniques, use beams, rafters, connections, etc. Or you can simply create an interior in the half-timbered style. Of course, this is a conventional name for the style. In fact, the interior decoration of a half-timbered building can be (and was) different. They were united only by the presence of a frame and a hearth.

From the site fewo-direkt.de

So, to create an interior in the half-timbered style, you need to focus on the frame elements, painting them in a contrasting color: if the walls are light, make the frame dark, and vice versa.

By creating additional partitions, you can imitate frame elements using wooden overlays, creating a half-timbered layout.

The walls in old half-timbered houses are usually light, so when decorating the interior in the half-timbered style, use light textured plaster or paint. Buy and install a German firebox or order a fancy fireplace to once again emphasize the “gingerbread” of your house.

From the site inderwies-keramik.de

Use beams to mount lighting, and also use them as shelves for utensils or brackets. Order kitchen furniture with fronts decorated with a wooden layout a la the outer wall of a half-timbered wall. Use forging in a half-timbered interior. In real half-timbered buildings, forged objects were found quite often. However, like wicker ones. The wall can be decorated with a cart wheel and a horseshoe. Still, a half-timbered house is an old house, most often built by peasants. Therefore, the interior style of a traditional half-timbered building is, as a rule, country.

All these techniques can be used to create a stylized interior decoration of a half-timbered structure in a city apartment. Yes, and this is possible: in an apartment or in an ordinary cottage, if the ceilings are high, you can decorate the interior in the half-timbered style, focusing on a wooden layout that imitates the interesting division of the half-timbered facade with open frame elements. You can also use decorative polyurethane beams and an electric fireplace a la a German stove.

Half-timbered stylization. Designers: O. Shkadenkova and T. Solovyova (design studio "ANT")

Beautiful examples

House design in a chalet style, signs of the Alpine style

The grace and beauty of half-timbered design are simply limitless, but it is important to remember both the right moves and the wrong actions that are absolutely unacceptable. When decorating the interior of a house in the half-timbered style, think about furniture products

The key principle of their correct selection is the simplicity of the device and geometric brevity. An original move is to use furniture that has undergone restoration; it is noticeably cheaper and looks beautiful. Things made of solid wood are preferred; forging or carving of the original type is widely used to decorate furniture products. There shouldn’t be anything superfluous, and if you yourself don’t know whether a certain cabinet or chair will be used, it’s better to remove them

When decorating the interior of a house in the half-timbered style, think about furniture products. The key principle of their correct selection is the simplicity of the device and geometric brevity. An original move is to use furniture that has undergone restoration; it is noticeably cheaper and looks beautiful. Things made of solid wood are preferred; forging or carving of the original type is widely used to decorate furniture products. There shouldn’t be anything superfluous, and if you yourself don’t know whether a certain cabinet or chair will be used, it’s better to remove them.

12 photos

Proponents of minimalism try to focus on the other side of the half-timbered style, no longer on its traditionality, but on a significant amount of light in the room. This approach means that we must strive to glaze as much of the walls as possible, to create spacious and uncluttered rooms. Windows in wooden frames are better suited to the half-timbered style than plastic ones. This design technique makes it possible to glaze the entire perimeter of the house, including the roof (using roof windows).

Since we are usually talking about the style of a country house, another trend characteristic of the German approach is also appropriate - the organization of an attic in the attic, from which a lovely view of the adjacent garden opens. Windows are often complemented by shutters and boxes with unpretentious plants. If there is a terrace, floral decorations on it are required.

A classic country house looks advantageous with carved beams, especially when this solution is complemented with parquet or laminate. Also a good option are tiles that imitate the look of wood, and short-pile carpets that match the dominant color of the room. When using tiles, they are generally laid in a checkerboard pattern, in rows or offset.

A distinctly rough fireplace made of stone or aged bricks helps to focus attention on classic motifs. Brick can also be used in wall decoration; along with it, facing stones and wooden overlays are widely used

When decorating various surfaces, remember firmly that their appearance should remain natural. The walls are decorated with cobblestone-like decorative stones or left white and plastered.

Not just any forging is suitable for decorative items, but primarily the one that emphasizes the image of a rural home. For example, a horse's horseshoe or a cart wheel will definitely come in handy. The external effect of forged parts will be complemented by something wicker. Just do not forget that the rooms should not be cluttered with anything, even visually, the atmosphere should be made airy and free.

To ensure that the latest household appliances do not undermine the stylistic unity of the room or harm the integrity of the image, they are removed behind partitions and hidden in built-in cabinets.

The rigor of the geometry and the absence of bright color inclusions are completely compensated for by a very small number of decorations: the result is a cozy and hospitable home. If partitions are erected, then under no circumstances should they block the view of the frame, because it is this frame that is responsible for the “spirit” of the half-timbered structure.

Considering these simple principles, recommendations and advice, it is easy to build and decorate a half-timbered country house either with your own hands or with the help of professionals (controlling them and eliminating defects).

To learn how to decorate the facade of a house with half-timbered wood, see the following video.

Advantages of half-timbered houses

The advantages of technology are one of the first things that exhibition visitors are interested in when choosing what and how to build a house.

• Stylish appearance. A half-timbered house is particularly airy and weightless, and the glazing of its large area only emphasizes this impression.
• Durability. Glass is practically not subject to aging, and laminated veneer lumber rots less than regular timber, and bugs don’t quite like it due to the presence of glue in it.

Project of a house built using half-timbered technologySource yandex.uz

Possibility of construction in any climate. Despite the fact that the construction technology was born in the mild climate of Germany, the half-timbered style was successfully adapted to the harsh Russian conditions. Thanks to heat-saving double-glazed windows, such houses are not afraid of either frost or heat.

Openness to sunlight

A large glazing area - up to 3/4 of the wall area, as well as skylights - allows the house to transmit the maximum amount of sunlight, which is especially important in the autumn-winter-spring period.

Project of a house using half-timbered technology with panoramic glazingSource cottage.ru

• Short construction time. A house, depending on its size, can be erected in just 1–2 months, without taking into account the time for laying the foundation.
• No shrinkage. The shrinkage of the house is no more than 1–2%, which allows you to begin finishing it immediately after completion of construction.
• No cracks. If cracks do appear, then they can be said to be microscopic – no more than 1 mm.
• Undemanding to external and internal finishing. The timber can simply be sanded and covered with paint or mastic, and glass does not require finishing at all.

Facade of a half-timbered houseSource yandex.uz

• Possibility of building long spans. Glued laminated timber allows spans of more than 6 meters in length, and this makes the rooms inside the house spacious.
• Lightweight foundation. The structure of the house is relatively light, due to which it is possible not to build a deeply buried massive, and therefore expensive, foundation.
• Possibility of high-rise construction. This technology allows you to build houses up to 4 (!) floors high.
• No need to use heavy equipment.
• Factory production. Remember, manufacturing a house kit at a factory, for example from a construction company, usually takes 2-3 weeks, so it is advisable to order it in advance.
• Environmental friendliness. Glass and wood are used in the construction of the house, and they are considered environmentally friendly building materials.
• Feeling close to nature. Thanks to the glass facade, the surrounding nature becomes closer.

Interior of a house using half-timbered technology Source zen.yandex.ru

How else does today's half-timbered structure differ from the medieval one?

In addition to materials, construction technology has also changed. Or rather, the tools used.

If earlier carpenters made the strength elements of a house using a saw and an ax, now they use high-precision machines with numerical control for cutting. Moreover, the programs for these machines are prepared by the designer - this is a guarantee that when assembling the house, all the parts will be connected perfectly. In practice, the error reaches only 1–2 mm.

Also, panoramic glazing is widely used today in half-timbered houses - in the past it simply did not exist.

Floor-to-ceiling window. Or a glass wall

Features of modern architecture are straightforwardness, some even angularity, with a predominance of vast flat surfaces, and large windows. Fachwerk incorporates both of these directions.

Panoramic glazing of a half-timbered house is an integral part of the style; it simply suggests itself. A full-wall window in a private house is an unusual phenomenon in the post-Soviet space; a lot of attention is paid to describing the benefits and advantages.

First, a lot of daylight is captured. Secondly, the dimensions of the room extend to the nearest trees, or to the horizon - depending on the location of the house. And the opposite effect - the appearance becomes part of the interior.

It is possible to locate the house in the depths of the plot, with a view overlooking the surroundings that have been personally furnished. Or a “turn” in the direction of the patio. There are many options - if only there was a plot.

Glazing is made using frameless three-chamber double-glazed windows, the formula of which can be selected depending on the climate and geographic region. Tempered glass is usually installed on the outside, which is several times stronger than ordinary glass and is difficult to break. On the inside there is sun-protection or energy-saving glass. Protects against excessive heat in summer and heat loss in winter. From this point of view, a modern window can be of any size.

Facade brick

Facade brick is considered the most optimal option for external cladding of buildings. It looks natural, and also gives the building additional sound and heat insulation.

The advantages of facade bricks include:

• the wide color palette in which it is presented;
• a wide price range, which allows different consumer groups to purchase building materials;
• resistance to temperature changes;
• high level of moisture resistance;
• increased sound insulation properties;
• long service life - more than 20 years.

There are also disadvantages to facing bricks:

• heavy weight, which entails additional load on the foundation;
• the need to pre-level the walls before facing with brick;
• selection of special adhesives.

The cost of this type of cladding will be considerable, but the appearance, performance properties and service life easily pay for these costs.

Wooden frame houses, half-timbered Photo Projects Prices Turnkey construction

German experience at the service of Russian builders: turnkey half-timbered houses

Frame house projects are a promising development based on the experience of German architects. The concept is based on half-timbered technology, successfully used in Europe since the 15th century. The buildings are erected on the basis of a durable frame made of laminated veneer lumber, covered with modern wall panels and insulated with mineral wool. In terms of durability, such cottages can compete with traditional brick buildings. Thus, individual German buildings have withstood more than 200 years of constant use.

The secret of the popularity of frame structures

adopted foreign experience, combining it with its own developments. When creating projects for half-timbered houses, experts rely on the key advantages of the direction.

Short construction time

Construction of a house of an average price category takes no more than 20 days. The duration of the work depends on the complexity, as well as the list of related services. Materials for cottages are already in stock, as they are produced at our own factory according to pre-approved drawings. The assembly technology has been worked out to the smallest detail, and the teams have many years of experience.

Exclusive design

The beam system looks unusual, bright, and interesting. Frame house projects are created using programs with a 3D effect. This gives the client the opportunity to see his cottage in advance and, if necessary, make changes.

100% defect proof

The popularity of the technology is due to the absence of the risk of shrinkage, deformation, and cracking. You can live in the houses immediately after commissioning. Special impregnations and varnishes protect wood from the destructive effects of precipitation and direct sunlight. The antiseptic procedure prevents damage by fungi or insects. The strength of beams made of laminated veneer lumber exceeds that of logs several times.

Among the undeniable advantages of half-timbered structures, experts cite lightweight construction, reduced foundation costs, and wide planning possibilities. Projects of frame houses are complemented by elegant balconies, open and closed terraces, verandas and attics. The scope for creativity is unlimited.

Legendary German quality at an affordable price

A team of specialists is actively developing the direction, offering clients hundreds of interesting options. Spacious cottages have a full range of communications and meet European standards of comfort and reliability. The average cost category includes half-timbered houses with a turnkey price. The estimate reflects the entire amount of costs required to obtain modern housing.

Total costs include:

• design and budgeting;
• preparation of the construction site;
• foundation production;
• production of materials;
• assembly of the structure;
• interior and exterior decoration;
• landscaping of the site.

Since the materials are produced in our own factory, there is no markup from intermediaries. This has a positive effect on the final cost. Experts do not hesitate to guarantee durability, because the projects of half-timbered houses are made from elements that have passed the strictest quality control. The costs are comparable to the construction of objects from timber or logs. However, in this case the client benefits in space and layout.

Any promises must be supported by examples, and therefore Narkhozstroy has created an open exhibition exposition. Potential customers are invited to familiarize themselves with the best results and also visit the production workshop. The tours are conducted by certified technologists. You can ask them questions, clarify the details of production, and obtain accurate calculation data on service life, strength and wear resistance.

Your dream home is waiting! You just need to trust the professionals.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with information about the construction of frame houses.

List of sources

• skalice.ru
• north-facades.ru

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages and disadvantages of buildings.

Interior decoration

A feature of half-timbered houses is the use of predominantly natural materials for construction and decoration, as well as natural decorative elements, which gives a feeling of comfort and naturalness.

The interior uses soft pastel colors: beige, peach, milky colors.

There must be a lot of light. In this case, it is the beams that can serve as niches for lighting.

Modern half-timbered furniture involves the use of simple furniture made from natural materials, discreet and not pretentious.

Photo:

Imitation of antique furniture is possible, or even restored furniture, which will add a special charm. It would be appropriate to use forging in home decoration.

Features of the construction of frame houses using half-timbered technology

Like all buildings erected using frame technology, half-timbered houses have all their advantages and, accordingly, disadvantages, but there are also characteristics that are unique to this type.

Pros and cons of half-timbered houses

Most often, the first place among the advantages is given to the aesthetic appeal of houses, their difference from many others. Therefore, if a developer wants to distinguish his house from hundreds of others, then this is the most suitable option.

But the advantages of half-timbered wood are not limited to this only. To build a house:

• a powerful foundation is not required, a strip monolithic shallow foundation is sufficient, but other types of foundations can be used, depending on the geological features of the site;
• due to the light weight of the structure, as well as the use of glued or dry material for the construction of the frame, the building has virtually no shrinkage, which allows you to immediately begin installing walls and finishing the premises;
• Despite the obvious openness of the structure, all engineering communications can be easily hidden in technological niches, for example, inside the floor or walls.

Among the disadvantages of half-timbered houses, you should pay attention to:

• the need to regularly treat wooden elements with protective compounds (antiseptics, fire retardants and increasing the moisture resistance of the material);
• if construction is carried out in harsh climatic conditions, then additional costs will be required to install a reliable and effective thermal insulation layer, which will lead to an increase in the thickness of the walls, which means that the racks and beams must have a larger cross-section;
• Taking into account the design features, the cost of developing a project and building a house will be slightly more expensive than a conventional frame building of similar size.

Polyurethane board

At the moment, natural finishing and building materials have a high price, so not everyone can afford them. Thanks to modern technologies, many owners of private houses have found an alternative solution - the use of materials that imitate natural wood, for example, polyurethane boards.

This artificial material has a number of advantages and good performance characteristics, so it is in no way inferior to natural wood. It is worth noting that it is difficult not only for an ordinary person, but also for a professional to distinguish natural wood from a board of this type. Polyurethane board has a low price, light weight and good moisture resistance, which makes it a good alternative to natural wood.

What is half-timbered wood?

A half-timbered structure is, first of all, a special type of building structure.
Simply put, it is a rigid frame made of timber. This frame is formed by a system of horizontal, vertical and diagonal elements: beams, racks, braces. The gaps are filled with some kind of material: at first it was clay, adobe, stone, and now modern insulation and sandwich panels are used. The external decoration of the walls can be different: before it was left “as is”, then the walls began to be covered with brick and plastered, and for those who are richer, they were covered with wood panels.

Well, today there are many more finishing methods. The external walls are sheathed with moisture-resistant material (moisture-resistant plywood), after which they are finished depending on the personal preferences of the owners: lined with brick or natural stone, lined with clapboard or wooden panels, etc.

However, one thing remains unchanged: the frame is visible from the outside. If the outer walls are plastered and painted, then the frame is not touched. Beams, racks, braces and crossbars interestingly divide the walls of the house, giving them special attractiveness and effectiveness. This is the expression of the half-timbered style. The roof of a half-timbered building was traditionally gable or, less commonly, hipped. The rafter gable roof is also distinguished by modern half-timbered roofing.

Today, half-timbered buildings refer not only to the structure itself, but also to the method of construction. There are even descriptions of half-timbered architecture as an architectural style. However, it is not difficult to guess the original meaning of the term “fachwerk” by translating it from German: Fach is a section, and Werk is a structure. Thus, a half-timbered structure is a sectional structure.

What should a tree be like?

To achieve the expected result, wood must be subjected to a number of preparatory processes. Natural material must be dried. This way you can prevent deformation of parts during operation. Each block is painted with paints and varnishes, then treated with agents to protect the material from high temperatures, moisture, insects and rodents.

The prepared parts are attached to the surface using dowel screws or traditional nails. The joints of the elements are processed and painted. To achieve an antique effect, professional compounds and tools (brushes for brushing) are used before painting.