It is not impossible to build as they used to, but you have to adapt to today's standards. I'm currently finishing the last part of my house with a design from 1922. From the outside, it can't be distinguished from a 100-year-old house, but everything you see is from 2018-2020.D Dcaprio said:
The walls are 3 times thicker, with FTX, vapor barrier, modern insulation, stud frame, etc. Inside, it will have a lot of 1920s style. Moldings, wallpapers, pantry. All the doors and the distinctly heavy radiators are from houses and apartments built around 1921-1927 that have been renovated...
You can timber a house, insulate as required. Expect it to be perhaps 50% more expensive.
Exactly, that's probably as close as you can get. But then it feels like your (ts) idea gets lost a bit since your thought was that it would be simpler.Huddingebo said:
Personally, I might be able to build a house myself with today's building techniques, and then gather knowledge about what I don't know. But I doubt I could manage to find the knowledge and meet today's requirements if I tried to build with older building techniques. Then it probably also becomes more difficult to find other craftsmen (who you almost have to get help from) who can make construction/installation safe according to old standards.
I would probably say that the conclusion is that you don't benefit from it, and it doesn't become easier to build with old building techniques.
If one wants to understand the building technology developments regarding small house construction, one should probably disregard the impact of standards. They have only played a role in the last few decades. Broadly speaking, the structural systems have transitioned from horizontal logs to vertical planks (latest 1920) to stud frameworks (around 1950). The first transformation was due to the rise of the sawmill industry, the second to a government campaign aimed at reducing the use of sawn timber. The use of stud frameworks became possible with the advent of gypsum and mineral wool boards. It was only then that insulation standards were introduced. It was also first in connection with the use of mineral wool as insulation that the need for vapor barriers became relevant. During most of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the requirement for insulation in exterior walls was about 100 mm of mineral wool. Only around 1980 did insulation requirements begin to increase. If I were to build a new residential house today for personal use, I would not use wood in the exterior walls at all, but instead modern hollow brick plastered on both sides. A material that is constructed in few layers but has adequate insulating properties. Internally, concrete is needed as a thermal mass.
This is actually a very interesting question, which I think is too rarely addressed when architecture is discussed!D Dcaprio said:
The short answer is that the labor would become extremely expensive. The cost of labor has increased due to changes in society while material costs have decreased as a result of industrialization. Today's construction techniques are based on efficient access to prefabricated components that reduce labor input during the actual building process and provide a lot of performance.
In addition, many traditional building techniques require knowledge that is difficult to acquire without experience. Here, I think a lot of interesting things are beginning to happen with technology and society recently, as it undeniably seems that a lot of knowledge is being rediscovered and spread. This happens through YouTube, forums, and other platforms in a way that actually makes it possible to build traditionally today in a manner that was rare in the 80s and 90s. I believe so, at least, there are, of course, exceptions!
Houses have been constructed with age-resistant plastic since the 60s.
Since the 70s, it became completely standard.
The houses generally fare very well. Grandfather built a new house in 1975, and it's in excellent condition.
At the same time, some houses built, for example, in 1920 and earlier suffer from modern habits that some people have. Incorporating modern bathrooms, frequent showers, etc.
Building history shows many pitfalls, but plastic as a vapor barrier is probably not one of them.
Since the 70s, it became completely standard.
The houses generally fare very well. Grandfather built a new house in 1975, and it's in excellent condition.
At the same time, some houses built, for example, in 1920 and earlier suffer from modern habits that some people have. Incorporating modern bathrooms, frequent showers, etc.
Building history shows many pitfalls, but plastic as a vapor barrier is probably not one of them.
In that case, I think the combination of a vapor retarder and cellulose insulation is a good approach for you. What you definitely want to avoid is convection, i.e. airflows, from the indoor air through the walls. A vapor retarder stops this just as effectively as a vapor barrier, but allows for some diffusion.D Dcaprio said:
What about a completely airtight house feels wrong?D Dcaprio said:
I live in a house I built myself with vapor barriers and cellulose, which is incredibly airtight. So airtight that the guy who performed the leakage test had problems with the measuring equipment alarming for unreasonable values.
Absolutely wonderful house to be in. Ventilated with HRV which means very good air circulation. Now that one has become spoiled, you always think it feels a bit stale when you enter older houses. Even though they're leaking air like a sieve.
Garden fixer
· Vischan
· 1 421 posts
Sorry if I may sound stupid but what do you mean by the following..D Dcaprio said:
"wonder if it is possible to build a house like they used to (17-18-1920s)"
.. do you want to build like in the 1700s, 1800s, and specifically the year 1920?
There is quite a difference between the 1700s and the year 1920
yes there is, up until the 1920s.Excuse me if I may be stupid but what do you mean by the following..
"wonder if it is possible to build a house like they used to (17-18-1920s)"
.. do you want to build like in the 1700s, 1800s and specifically the year 1920?
There is a certain difference between the 1700s and the year 1920
Older houses heated also with solid fuel combustion with a warm chimney for natural ventilation and which had a drying effect, the supply temperature to the radiators was much higher too.
With today's "cold" VP systems, it also places different demands on the climate shell.
With today's "cold" VP systems, it also places different demands on the climate shell.
The wall is built with 300 mm light beams with a 30 mm edge board of wood fiber on the outside. Internal vapor barrier with taped seams and blown cellulose in walls and roof. The reason it became so extremely tight (0.05 in some unit where the requirement for passive houses is 0.3) is probably a combination of careful execution and good materials.D Dcaprio said:
Is your frame made of lättklinker then? Or what do you mean by beam? Vertical studs of lättklinker?N nybyggarn3 said:
The 30mm board, is it träullit?