When we thought about the way to describe our constructions, we thought of the chat between two fairy-tale characters. On his first journey to rescue the princess, Shrek says to the donkey: " We are like onions."
The whole conversation went like this:
Shrek: "We ogres are like onions."
Donkey: "Hmm, you mean that they smell and nobody likes them?"
Shrek: "Noooo, donkey. Because we have layers. You get it? We have layers like the onion, the surface is what the others can see and it's what protects us. Then there are more layers that make us what we really are. And only those who really want to know us, can see it. If you remove any of the layers, you will never be the same again. You will be someone else. "
The whole story is a great lesson and can be applied to timber constructions too. Even a slight change can lead to a completely different result, so every single layer in our design has its own meaning.
Perimeter wall
Chic coat for the house - exterior envelope layer (1)
The surface finish of a house is what's on a display. It can be called Your business card. Whether it's a plaster or a timber facade, great demands are being laid. It has to withstand all weather conditions while maintaining a mechanical resistance and a colour stability. It can be said that the surface of the exterior walls is a light, aesthetic, windproof and waterproof coat that can be worn in any weather. Even after ten years it will stay chic.
Comfort in winter and summer - thermal insulation layer (2)
The thermal insulation layer provides a heat comfort in the building. In the winter it keeps the building warm, in summer it prevents the house from an overheating. It is a porous material with a low resistance to weather conditions, so it is simply impossible to have it without any exterior protective layer(safely hidden under the exterior envelope).
Robust and stable - an external casing of a rough frame layer(3,6)
The thermal insulation is anchored to the outer casing of the frame. We can create very solid structure capable to bare a wide range of loads by fixed connection of the casing with the frame. The outer casing of the frame not only contributes to the static function but also ensures a fire and an acoustic resistance of the building.
Intelligent skeleton - frame construction layer (4)
A frame construction is an intelligent skeleton of a construction. Together with internal and external casing a basic baring system of the whole house is formed.
GoreTex in construction - a vapour barrier layer(5)
The frame construction must be protected against any penetration of internal moisture. This feature provides the most sensitive layer in the house - a vapour barrier. Long-term accumulation of moisture in a timber structure can lead to permanent damage to its timber frame. Therefore each corner, passage and connection must be made with great precision. No mistakes are forgiven and all additional repairs are very difficult to execute. Because the vapour barrier is so very sensitive to rupture, it must be hidden under the internal case of the frame.
Maximal variability - installation gap layer (7,8)
All electrical wiring and instalations are located in the space of the installation gap. As a result no wiring has to go through the vapour barrier and it will not form any additional holes that need to be tightly sealed. The installation gap contains a grate and a casing which is there to form a bearing foundation for the final internal casing. At the same time it is filled with a thermal insulation and increases the thermal resistance of the structure.
Inner surface finish layer (9)
The final interior finish plays mainly an aesthetic role and at the same time it must be resistant to any mechanical damage. The surface layer and its attributes are based on the nature of the environment in which these are being used. For example in a bathroom the wall surface must be able to withstand high levels of air humidity while in a concert hall it must be able to absorb the sound. For each purpose, it is necessary to select the right materials to fully meet the specific conditions.
