Disadvantages of timber frame construction

Certainly, this discussion has probably happened once or twice already – but now, more currently asked – what does the technology look like in 2015?

I want to exclude soundproofing from the discussion, since we are in a very quiet residential area, as probably most residential areas are. I don’t want to discuss the special case of house construction in flight paths, on main roads, or similar, especially since such a double or triple layered wall also provides some soundproofing (actually a very good one).

I have always had concerns about mold, but on the other hand, where should the moisture come from? In the event of a pipe break and massive moisture damage, you have worse problems in a solid house according to various sources than in a wooden house. The procedure here is to remove the plasterboard, throw away the insulation (at the affected spot), let it dry for a week (with controlled living space ventilation + professional equipment), new insulation, close it up, done.

Normally, without a pipe break, no moisture should penetrate, right? As with a solid house, only the first millimeters of the wall serve as a moisture buffer. The breathable wall, as is well known, does not exist.

Regarding summer heat protection, I have experienced that even shaded massive model houses heated up quite a bit over the weekend. The two house types are comparable in this respect. I even read that the heat cannot be released from the masonry at night, whereas with the wooden house, with little storage mass, you can ventilate and thus reduce the temperature or even create pleasant temperatures with a brine-earth heat exchanger in controlled living space ventilation.

What about durability: why is it said that wooden houses supposedly don’t last as long, and what is a realistic lifespan?

What are the real disadvantages of a modern timber-frame prefabricated house from established providers (Bien-Zenker, Weberhaus)? Not meant are those things from Poland or the Hunsrück.

Just like 1693 (Fachwerk) Good idea if well executed. Bad idea if poorly executed. If well calculated and not poorly executed, you won't have mold problems in any house (where would they come from?). What was the solid model house made of? Was it really that solid? See the houses from 1693... well maintained and kept in normal condition, such a house also lasts forever. They cost more than a solid house, but they stand faster – possibly they are also somewhat less prone to errors.

I always had fears because of mold, but on the other hand, where should the moisture come from.

Water vapor (e.g. cooking, showering) and the person themselves with their emissions.

The often cited disadvantages you have already refuted yourself. Even soundproofing from top to bottom can be managed, for example, with a [Brettstapeldecke].

I can imagine that in [HRB-Bau] there is quite a large gap between cheap and not so great, and expensive and (very) good quality, which is not filled by mediocre providers. That’s why good [HRB-Bau] buildings feel expensive, but actually only compete with very good/expensive stone houses, with which they are not compared.

Water vapor (e.g. cooking, showering) and the person themselves with their exhalations.

Are you deliberately making things difficult now? The question is of course where the moisture is supposed to come from, and specifically into the wooden studs? It is clear that there is moisture in the room and that it is regularly vented again (whether by window ventilation, controlled residential ventilation without heat recovery, or controlled residential ventilation with heat recovery). But it is well known that moisture inside a reasonably ventilated house only manages to penetrate the first few millimeters of the wall to a small extent; this acts as a moisture buffer until the next ventilation (if not ventilated permanently). Diffusion to the outside, even if you do not ventilate and the moisture remains in the wall for days and weeks, is practically 99 percent excluded. As a rule, without ventilation, the moisture partly penetrates the interior plaster in solid masonry and the first of 2 to 3 layers of drywall in a wooden stud wall. With the next ventilation, the indoor humidity drops and the small remaining amount of wall moisture is released back into the room.

We have been living for 2 months in a 25-year-old timber frame house (prefabricated house). So far everything is great....in the extreme heat we had 26 degrees inside and when it cools down the warmth lasts a few days (this may take longer with solid construction). We only have slight mold in a garage (built stone on stone) - so you can't blame it on the wood again.