Wooden houses can be called one of the first modern shelters for people, which have been used for centuries. Throughout history, wooden houses have been seen mainly in the Scandinavian region of Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Baltic countries, and Russia. These houses are built with wood from many species of trees, usually obtained by felling trees older than 50 years.
Wooden houses, which have survived their presence from centuries ago to the present day, have been combined with more modern architecture and have become one of the most preferred types of houses in recent years due to the refreshing and relaxing ambiance it give to people. Wooden houses, which adapt to time by renewing themselves, are indispensable structures that can be preferred in every period. This type of house, which is very durable as long as it is maintained, is said to cause mental enlightenment and psychological relaxation. We agree with this.
According to what we have seen and heard from the movies we watch and the books we read, we agree that wooden houses provide the mentality to overcome most problems. That is why people who live in the city want to spend their vacation in a bungalow house in the forest far from the center.
What are the Advantages of Wooden Houses?
As mentioned above, wooden houses have many attractive features. Just because people prefer wooden houses as a short-term escape from city life does not mean that these houses are vacation homes. In fact, after living in a wooden house for a few days, most of them decide to live here for the rest of their lives and go in search of a wooden house.
The advantageous features of wooden houses that impress many people are:
Better Air Quality
The wooden house always remains alive and has a breathable structure due to the trees from which it is produced. Therefore, people living in a wooden house encounter fewer health problems such as rheumatism, asthma, circulatory disorders, and kidney disease and contribute positively to the health status of people with these diseases.
Earthquake Resistant
Wooden houses and log houses have been identified by earthquake research experts as the most earthquake-resistant structures in the world. When the intensity of the earthquake is high, no repairs are made to concrete structures, but this is not the case with log homes. Log houses can be repaired and restored if damaged.
As Istanbul is a city that often experiences earthquakes, people are searching for a different option to the high-rise buildings made of reinforced concrete in the city centers. Out of all the possibilities, we believe that the most suitable one is to construct wooden or log houses.
Building a wooden house outside the city, which could be particularly fitting for those working from home, can greatly improve your quality of life and can reduce your risk of being affected by a major earthquake.
Fire Resistant
Wooden houses are also highly fire-resistant compared to steel and concrete houses, despite popular belief. The top architects in the world choose wooden structures over steel ones. Tree houses are treated to prevent damage from external factors like mold, odor, and fire. Steel structures melt when exposed to 600 degrees of heat.
Simply put, in a big fire, the roof falls down within fifteen minutes, and this puts the people inside in serious danger; however, wooden buildings might take up to an hour to collapse. Therefore, we can conclude that in fire situations, wood houses are more durable and safer than steel or stone houses.
More Sustainable
One can immediately notice the environmentally friendly, renewable, and non-polluting materials used during the construction of wooden houses. Wood has the ability to absorb carbon dioxide, which is a widely recognized fact.
Therefore, wooden houses have the smallest carbon footprint. However, one might think that in order to build this type of house you have to cut down trees, which is bad for the environment if done frequently. It is important to note that all trees cut down during the construction process must be replanted with new ones.
What are the Disadvantages of Wooden Houses?
Like any other type of dwelling, wooden houses are not perfect. Wooden houses offer both advantages and disadvantages.
The drawbacks of residing in a wooden house are:
Need for Maintenance
Poor exterior cladding or inadequate sealing between wooden units may require extensive renovations in the future. This can be a disadvantageous situation, even though it is not directly related to the wood material. Furthermore, wood should be maintained every year so that the structure is long-lasting and can be used for many years.
Risk of Fire
Wood can easily catch fire, which makes wooden houses more susceptible to fires than those made from non-combustible materials such as concrete or steel. Fortunately, the fire safety of wooden buildings has improved considerably due to modern building codes and fire-resistant treatments.
Vulnerability to Bugs and Harsh Weather Conditions
Wood can be damaged by insects like termites and carpenter ants. If left untreated or unattended, these insects can cause significant harm to the wooden structure and be the resident’s nightmare. Apart from this, being exposed to extreme weather conditions, like heavy rain, snow, and intense heat, can cause wood to get worse and worse as time goes on. This can cause the wood to warp, split, and get damaged in other ways.
How to Maintain and Repair Wooden Houses?
Breathable paints are products that can form a coating on the painted surface that does not allow water to pass through but does allow water vapor to pass through. They can also be defined as microporous paints with high water vapor permeability. A small crack may occur on the surface as a result of the operation of the wood used in the outdoor environment due to precipitation and changes in humidity in the air, or a slight impact may cause the wood to get wet.
It is very important for the life of the paint and the wood that this water, which penetrates the wood under the paint layer, dries in a short time. Wooden materials should not be stored in natural conditions without being painted, and surfaces exposed to the sun should be thoroughly sanded before painting to completely remove the faded or blackened layer. Burning the surface to prevent resin leakage from knots or to remove paint will also reduce the life of the paint. The scorched surface prevents the paint from penetrating the wood and shortens its life.
Wooden Houses in Turkey
Wooden houses, which are used in Turkey, especially in the Black Sea region where the forest is abundant, protect people from humidity, do not require long-term maintenance, provide psychological relaxation, and are a naturally healthy building type.
This building material, which was also used in the old Ottoman houses, was either used as monolithic wood or applied together with the earth with a special building system called Badadi, and the first mixed wood and concrete house system was created.
The types of wooden houses that can be made from different tree species are long-lasting and that is why some people prefer wooden structures over steel or concrete buildings. Besides that, wooden houses are way cheaper to build when compared to concrete properties in Turkey that are located in the city center or the suburbs. If you are an away-from-crowd person, you should definitely consider wooden houses.