Frame-fill walls of the house: what kind of material is it, pros and cons - Setafi

The frame-backfill house is a structure with multilayer walls. Insulation is poured between the outer and inner sides. Previously, sawdust was used for this, today mineral wool, polyurethane foam and other artificial materials are more often used. The features, pros and cons of such a house are described in the presented article.

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The basis of such a structure are frame-backfill walls - this is a structure that consists of several layers. They may be different, but 3 elements are fundamental:

• outer wall;
• inner wall;
• insulation.

In fact, there are many more layers. These are outer and inner lining, outer and outer lathing, heat and sound insulation, as shown in the diagram.

Sawdust is often used as a heater, which literally falls asleep between the outer and inner walls. That is why the name "frame-bulk house" appeared. Also, artificial materials with excellent thermal insulation can serve as a filler:

• ecowool;
• polyurethane foam;
• fiberglass;
• expanded polystyrene (regular or extruded).

Frame-fill houses always have outer skin, which is made of several materials:

• timber imitation;
• block house;
• lining;
• plywood with moisture resistant properties;
• facade panels;
• shingles;
• chipboard and others.

The same materials are used for the interior lining. Along with them, GKL and GVL are sometimes used. Such sheets are suitable for interior decoration, but they are not suitable for external cladding.

Types of frame houses

The pros and cons of frame-bulk houses should be considered in connection with the peculiarities of the specific technology of their construction. In practice, 2 types are most often encountered:

1. Finnish.
2. Canadian.

Approximately 80% of the cases in Russia are built by Finnish bunker houses. The salient features of the design are:

1. The frame is made of timber. It is collected directly at the construction site or even at the factory.
2. This frame is already sheathed on the outside and inside, which facilitates installation.
3. Fiberglass and mineral wool are used as insulation. Also, materials of the modern generation are used - polyurethane foam and ecowool.

The pros and cons of the Canadian technology backfill house are also related to the construction technology:

1. It is made from sandwich panels. Such structures consist of a wooden beam, and insulation (polyurethane foam or polystyrene) is immediately laid in them. The material is pressurized with a press to obtain maximum density. Next, the materials of the outer and inner cladding are glued (plywood with moisture-resistant properties, chipboard, metal or others).
2. The material of the walls of the frame-fill house is timber. A rigid frame is made from it, which ensures the strength of the structure. Since the walls are already prepared, installation is very fast.

The design can be not only one-, but also two-story. In such cases, there are 2 more types of frame-fill house with their pros and cons:

1. With floor elements, when they make 2 separate frames and put them one on top of the other. This is a platform building scheme.
2. With one frame that goes to both floors. This is a two-story or through scheme.

Pros and cons of a frame house

Now it’s clear what a frame-fill house means. The design consists of 2 walls, between which there is space - insulation is laid in them. Despite the existence of different construction technologies, such houses remain very popular:

1. One of the main pluses is the price. A frame-fill house will cost about 30% cheaper than a log or timber. And when compared with a brick - by 50%.
2. The pace of construction is very high. Even if a small team of 3 people works, it is possible to put the structure on the foundation in just 3-4 weeks. If you work with ready-made kits, you can assemble them in just a few days.
3. There is no need to involve heavy equipment, so you can save on cost.
4. Such houses are energy efficient, the walls give minimal heat loss, so it is possible to build structures even in regions with frosty winters.
5. You can start finishing, creating communication networks already during the installation of the walls.
6. A frame-fill house is a structure that can be built at any time of the year, regardless of weather conditions.

But this design also has disadvantages:

1. Fire hazard - almost all materials used during construction are combustible.
2. Wooden walls are subject to decay. But if you choose high-quality materials, process them correctly, install vapor barrier and ventilation, they will last for several decades without any complaints.
3. Noise isolation is not the highest, so if the house is near the road, you should consider using additional materials.
4. One of the short-lived options is a bulk house made of sawdust. The insulation is quite good, but it gradually sags, so you need to fill it up regularly to restore the volume. In addition, sawdust is prone to decay, they need to be treated with antiseptics.

The frame-fill house is convenient in terms of ease of construction and low cost of work and materials. But it is important not to save on quality and strictly observe the installation technology. For the construction of the structure, it is better to involve a team of professionals with many years of experience in similar work.