In the first part of this article, "Myths About Building Recreational Wooden Cabins", we debunked most of the myths surrounding timber-frame construction. In part two, we will confirm some important facts that not everyone knows about or realises exist.
Fact one – a wooden holiday cabin goes up very quickly
The undeniable advantage of timber-frame technology is the speed of construction. Timber-frame houses are built much faster than brick ones. Building a holiday cabin using the traditional masonry method can take anywhere from several to even a dozen or so months. A wooden cabin or a garden gazebo built with timber-frame technology is completed in anywhere from a few days to a maximum of one month, depending on whether you work on your own or with the help of professionals in the industry, such as a manufacturer of wooden holiday cabins. It is worth thinking carefully about choosing a company that offers construction using timber-frame prefabrication. The walls, floors and roof trusses are then prepared in the factory and arrive at the customer's site ready to be put together, which makes building the cabin itself quick and smooth. In fact, as early as the second or third day of construction, you can start laying the roofing, and the holiday cabin is protected from rain or snow.
Fact two – Canadian-style houses can be built regardless of the season
Importantly, the season has no effect on the construction time of a recreational cabin, because this type of house requires only wood, screws and nails, which can be worked with in almost any weather. The only element that must be done at a suitable outdoor temperature is the foundation. Of course, building a holiday cabin in winter will take a little longer than in the summer season, but the advantage in that case is that you will be able to use it right away, as soon as the first sunny day arrives.
Fact three – wooden houses are cheap to build
Wooden houses cost less than their brick counterparts. First, the materials used for the structure are cheaper, and a smaller quantity of them is needed to complete the build. Second, timber-frame cabins do not require such solid and expensive foundations as brick ones. A thin foundation slab or a pad foundation is enough. Third, the building crew's working time is much shorter and, as a result, cheaper. These three factors mean that wooden houses are steadily gaining popularity.
Fact four – timber-frame cabins lose heat quickly
This one is actually true, although the reality is much more positive than the heading above would suggest. Because Canadian-style wooden houses have no thermal mass, their temperature is very easy to regulate. However, the lack of thermal mass does not mean that within a few hours of switching the heating off it is 5 degrees in the house. It means that 24 hours after the radiators are turned off, the temperature will drop by 2-3 degrees. It may drop lower if the holiday cabin has unusually large windows. Always remember that large windows in a house mean plenty of light, but also a lot of heat loss in winter and a lot of heat on hot days. So, as a rule of thumb, you can assume the difference is 3 degrees C. Wooden cabins, on the other hand, win when it comes to heating-up speed. Heating a brick building back up to its starting temperature usually takes at least several hours. In a Canadian-style house, just 30 minutes is enough. Moreover, the heating season for a recreational wooden cabin is cheaper than in classic houses with comparable heating. After all, the first timber-frame houses were built in Canada, a country where winters are much harsher than in Poland.
Fact five – a wooden cabin is harder to sell
Honestly, it is hard to settle this question one way or the other. The value of a house depends above all on how it looks, how it is finished and where it is located. A potential buyer may be prejudiced against timber-frame technology, but just as likely to be biased against a house made of aerated concrete or brick. It must be admitted honestly that on the Polish secondary market, timber-frame houses are worth less than similar ones built using traditional methods. However, once the myths and prejudices about timber-frame technology cease to exist in the popular mind, this situation will change dramatically.