There are many myths circulating about timber frame construction in Poland. In most cases these are just repeated cognitive errors caused by a lack of knowledge about modern building technologies used in the production of holiday cabins. In the following article we will try to debunk most of them.
Myth one – timber frame structures are not sufficiently durable
Natural wood as a structural material is traditionally regarded as weak, not durable, prone to cracking, twisting and, above all, bending. Because of that, until now it wasn’t possible to freely design wooden buildings with large spans and open spaces. The problem also included lintels, for example in large terrace windows. Additional reinforcements in the form of steel or concrete elements were needed. Fortunately, modern technology has come to the rescue with glued-in wood elements in the BSH, LVL or KVH classes. This is certified structural wood intended for building all wooden houses, meeting appropriate strength standards and successfully replacing steel or concrete. It also has proper moisture content, a small tendency to form cracks or fissures, while maintaining dimensional stability and aesthetics.
Myth two – wooden holiday cabins are not resistant to fire
Many potential Investors fear buying a an individual holiday wooden cabin due to fire risk. To minimize this risk, the wood undergoes four-sided planing and edge rounding, which slows down the spread of fire compared to rough, unplaned wood. In case of scorching it forms a carbonized layer around the core, protecting it from complete burning and helping the wood maintain its load-bearing properties longer, thus facilitating a safe evacuation. Additionally, we use non-combustible mineral wool as thermal insulation, which also brings the holiday cabin up to the all-year home standard.
Myth three – wooden holiday cabins are not resistant to moisture and biological factors
Wood as a natural material is obviously susceptible to factors such as moisture, but thanks to its properties it can not only absorb moisture when levels are high, but also release it when the level drops. The whole process is natural, yet aligned with the principles of modern timber-frame construction. While performing interior thermal insulation in our holiday cabins, we protect the structure with a vapor barrier to prevent moisture from entering the wall cavity. As an exterior barrier we use wind protection/wiatroizolacja on our wooden cabins, which protects the interior from the inside while allowing moisture to escape.
Myth four – wooden holiday cabins are not resistant to external factors (forces of nature)
Because wooden frame structures are lightweight, there is a widespread belief that at the first strong gust the cabin will be torn away or destroyed by a storm. Nothing could be further from the truth! Although a single, not-clad wall may seem light and unstable, that same wall clad on both sides and connected to other walls, the floor and the roof forms one rigid whole, resistant to external factors. We have addressed this myth—often asked by potential Investors—more extensively in a separate article "Will the wind carry away my cabin?".
Myth five – a wooden cabin cannot be repaired after flooding
This is a very serious issue for both wooden and masonry constructions. It may look drastic because we need to open the wall from the outside and inside, replace damp elements such as wool insulation, membrane, and dry the structure. After such a repair, which is relatively quick to perform, we regain a dry wall ready for use. In traditional masonry constructions this process is much more laborious and time-consuming, because we must apply methods such as injection or absorption, and even then 100% effectiveness is not guaranteed.
That’s all for the myths we deal with daily as a producer of holiday cabins. If you’re looking for facts about building wooden holiday cabins or all-year homes, welcome to the second part of the article "Facts about building wooden holiday cabins".