Realization of the Ekodom70 timber frame house in Pietrzykowice
Implementation Details:
- Project Model:
- Ekodom75
- Construction Type:
- Timber Frame House
- Purpose:
- Single-family House
- Roof Covering:
- Standing Seam Metal
- Facade Finish:
- Duo Romb modrzewiowa
- Window Joinery:
- VEKA Windows
- Finish Standard:
- Turnkey
- Additional Features:
- Heating Mats
- Additional Features:
- Air Conditioning
- Country:
- Poland
- Voivodeship:
- Silesian
- City:
- Pietrzykowice
- Usable Area (m²):
- 68
- Number of Floors:
- 2
- Number of Rooms:
- 4
- Number of Bathrooms:
- 2
The start of the investment in Pietrzykowice required non-standard site preparation and logistics from us
Every construction project begins long before the first shovel is turned, and in the case of the house construction in Żywiec (Pietrzykowice), the key challenge was the access infrastructure. The investor's plot, although picturesquely located, did not have a paved road, which was a significant obstacle for the planned deliveries of heavy structural elements. The decision to pave the road ourselves was necessary to maintain the continuity of work. In the context of civil engineering, the load-bearing capacity of the ground for heavy equipment, such as cranes or log trucks, must be at least several dozen megapascals to avoid wheels sinking and delays. The alternative would have been to manually carry materials over a distance of several hundred meters, which in the winter conditions seen in the project photos would be economically and temporally unjustified. Ultimately, creating a solid sub-base allowed for the smooth entry of timber transports, which directly translated into the timely start of foundation work.
The organization of a construction site for timber frame technology differs significantly from masonry construction due to the sensitivity of materials to ground moisture. Storing structural timber required the preparation of ventilated platforms, separated from direct contact with the ground. Ensuring the moisture content of the timber is below eighteen percent is critical for the dimensional stability of the future structure. Wood that absorbs moisture during storage can twist as it dries in the finished wall, leading to cracks in the plasterboard inside the building. Although many contractors neglect this stage, using only a foil cover, we opted for full air circulation around the material packages. Thanks to this, despite the winter weather and the presence of snow, the material maintained its C24 strength class parameters, which is the foundation of the durability of the entire frame.
The Ekodom70 project was chosen for its optimal use of sixty-eight square meters
Choosing an architectural design is always a compromise between the investor's dreams and the possibilities of the plot and budget. The Ekodom70 model, a modern single-family house with a usable area of 68 m², is the essence of spatial efficiency, where every square centimeter has its functional justification. The use of two full floors instead of a ground floor with an unusable attic allowed for the creation of as many as four rooms and two bathrooms. From the perspective of construction economics, a compact building with a plan close to a square or rectangle generates the least heat loss in relation to its volume. Single-story houses with the same usable area would have a much larger surface of external partitions and roof, which would increase the investment cost and later operating costs. In this case, a compact body with a gable roof is the optimal solution both thermally and cost-wise.
The functional layout was enriched with elements that are rarely found in typical ready-made projects of this size. An additional external vestibule is a thermal buffer that drastically reduces the inflow of cold air into the living area when entering the house. In our climate zone, a vestibule acts as an airlock and is crucial for the energy balance. Forgoing it in favor of an open entrance area, fashionable in projects from southern Europe, usually ends in Poland with the ground floor cooling down and an increase in heating bills. Additionally, on the rear facade, we designed a balcony that not only visually enlarges the upstairs bedroom but also provides a natural roof for part of the terrace below. Such a hybrid construction increases the utility value of the building without the need to build separate garden canopies.
| Parameter | Value / Feature | Technical Justification |
|---|---|---|
| Usable area | 68 m² | Optimization for regulations and construction costs |
| Number of floors | 2 | Minimizing the building footprint on the plot |
| Room layout | 4 rooms / 2 bathrooms | Maximum functionality for a 2+2 family |
| Extras | External vestibule, balcony | Improving thermal balance and user comfort |
The building's timber frame structure is based on precisely selected structural wood and rigid sheathing
The heart of this house is its wooden frame, which must bear all permanent and variable loads, including snow and wind loads. For the construction, we used certified structural timber, kiln-dried and planed on four sides, which ensures its biological resistance without the need for chemical impregnation. Planing the wood closes its pores, making it difficult for insects and fungi to settle and increasing its fire resistance. Unlike cheaper, wet sawn timber, dried wood does not "work" as intensively, which eliminates the risk of cladding cracking or leaks at the joints. The precision of cutting and assembly in this technology is measured in millimeters, as can be seen in the attached photos showing the perfectly aligned lines of the gable walls and rafters.
A key element that stiffens the entire structure is the sheathing made of OSB boards, visible in the photos under the black windproof membrane. These boards act as a shield that prevents the frame from collapsing under lateral forces, such as wind. The use of board sheathing far exceeds the strength of traditional bracing mortised into the posts. Many investors wonder if OSB board blocks water vapor diffusion, but with the use of the correct layer system and ventilation, it is a safe and durable solution. In this project, the OSB board serves as a mounting base for the substructure of a ventilated facade, which is a standard in modern Scandinavian construction. Thanks to this, we get a building with the stiffness of a monolith, but with a much lower dead weight.
Thermal insulation of walls and roof with mineral wool guarantees low energy demand
In timber frame construction, insulation makes up the larger part of the wall's volume, which makes these houses extremely warm with relatively thin partitions. To insulate the building in Pietrzykowice, we used high-quality mineral wool, filling the spaces between the structural studs and applying an additional layer on the installation grid. Mineral wool not only provides excellent thermal insulation but is also non-combustible and has great sound-dampening properties. Compared to PUR foam, wool allows for better adaptation to the working wood structure, without creating rigid connections that could crack as the building settles. The decision to use wool was dictated by the desire to obtain a partition with high vapor permeability and fire safety.
Roof insulation is particularly important in houses with a usable attic, where rooms heat up quickly in the summer. We used a cross-insulation system here, eliminating thermal bridges at the rafters. The thickness of the insulation in the roof slope was chosen so that the heat transfer coefficient U more than meets the WT 2021 standards. A common mistake is to use a layer of wool that is too thin, which results in heat escaping in the winter and unbearable heat in the attic in the summer. In Ekodom70, we made sure that the insulation forms a continuous thermal "cap", tightly connected to the wall insulation. As a result, the house acts like a thermos, holding the set temperature inside for a long time, regardless of the conditions outside.
The building's airtightness is a key element in ensuring the durability of the wooden structure
The photos from the site clearly show a black membrane covering the external walls – this is a high-grammage wind barrier, crucial for the thermal protection of the building. Its task is to protect the mineral wool from heat being blown out and from external moisture, while at the same time allowing moisture from inside the partition to evaporate. The lack of a sealed wind barrier can reduce the effectiveness of the insulation by up to several dozen percent on windy days. We use membranes with system tapes for sealing the overlaps, which can be seen in the details around the windows, where every joint is carefully sealed. It is these details that distinguish a professional realization from an amateur construction, where the foil is often just attached with staples.
Equally important, although not visible from the outside, is the vapor barrier installed on the inside of the building. In this case, we opted for an active vapor barrier film, which regulates the flow of water vapor depending on the season. Airtightness is not the same as a lack of ventilation – it is control over where the air enters the house. Leaks in the vapor barrier lead to moisture in the wool, which drastically worsens its parameters and can lead to mold growth inside the wall. That is why, at the closed shell stage, we carry out rigorous checks of the continuity of the insulation layers, especially at the points of installation penetrations and the connections of joinery with the wall.
Installation of VEKA Ideal 8000 window joinery eliminates thermal bridges at critical points
The choice of VEKA Ideal 8000 windows for this project was not accidental, as it is a system designed for passive and energy-efficient construction. These profiles are characterized by a construction depth of 85 mm and a system of three seals, which provides excellent thermal and acoustic insulation. The use of triple-glazed units with a low heat transfer coefficient is now a standard that really lowers heating costs. Installing windows in the insulation layer (or flush with the outer edge of the frame) minimizes the risk of thermal bridges around the window frames. The large glazed areas visible in the photos, especially in the gable wall, require joinery of the highest rigidity to avoid deformation due to solar heating.
Proper window installation in a timber frame house requires the use of sealed expanding tapes or a "warm installation" system using vapor-tight and vapor-permeable foils. Mounting foam alone is not enough to ensure a durable seal at the junction of wood and PVC. Wood works differently than plastic, so the connection must be flexible and protected against degradation. In the Ekodom70 project, the windows also serve to gain free solar energy, which is why their placement relative to the cardinal directions has been optimized. Large glazed areas on the south and west sides act as natural heaters on sunny winter days, supporting the heating system.
Window joinery specification
- Profile: VEKA Ideal 8000 (85mm depth, 6 chambers).
- Sealing: System of three seals (the middle one protects the fittings from moisture).
- Glazing unit: Triple-glazed, filled with argon, U=0.5 W/m²K.
- Installation: Layered (sealed), eliminating thermal bridges.
The heating system based on infrared mats and air conditioning is an economic and functional decision
In a modern house with such a low energy demand as Ekodom70, traditional hydraulic systems with a boiler room and radiators become an unnecessary investment expense. We decided on infrared heating mats (radiant mats), which are installed in the floor. Infrared heating works on the principle of radiation, directly heating the partitions and people, not the air, which provides higher thermal comfort at a lower air temperature. This system is characterized by almost zero inertia, which is an advantage in a timber frame house – the rooms heat up instantly when needed. The absence of pipes, water, and a boiler eliminates the risk of hydraulic failures and the installation freezing.
The heating system is complemented by air conditioning with a heating function (air-to-air heat pump). In transitional periods, this is the most economical source of heat, and in summer it provides necessary cooling. The combination of infrared mats with air conditioning creates a hybrid system that provides comfort throughout the year with minimal maintenance costs. Timber frame houses tend to heat up quickly in summer, so an active cooling system in the attic bedrooms is a standard turnkey feature, not a luxury. The entire system is controlled by zones, which allows for precise temperature management in each of the four rooms independently.
The larch wood facade in a duo rhombus pattern gives the building a modern character
The facade in this project is not plaster, but natural larch wood with a "duo rhombus" profile. Larch is a species of wood with a naturally high resin content, which makes it one of the most weather-resistant domestic species. The rhomboidal profile allows for the creation of an openwork facade or one with a visible shadow gap, which provides excellent ventilation for the underside of the boards. Rainwater flows easily down such a profiled surface, not accumulating in crevices, which is the main cause of biological corrosion of wood. Such a facade, unlike plaster, ages gracefully, acquiring a silvery patina over time if not protected with a pigmented oil.
The installation of a wooden facade requires maintaining a ventilation gap between the board and the wind barrier, which is achieved with a substructure of battens. The photos show vertical battens (counter-battens) that create this distance. Air circulation under the board is a necessary condition for the durability of both the facade wood and the timber frame wall itself. Air entering at the bottom and exiting at the top dries out any potential condensation. Larch boards in a horizontal arrangement visually widen the building, giving it a modern, horizontal rhythm that fits well with the minimalist body of a roof without eaves or with short eaves.
The standing seam metal roofing combines aesthetics with resistance to harsh weather conditions
A roof finished with standing seam metal is a nod to tradition, but in a modern technological version. This metal is lightweight, which does not excessively load the roof truss, and at the same time extremely tight thanks to the specific way the sheets are joined. The standing seam is one of the tightest roof coverings, ideal for roofs with a simple geometry, such as in the Ekodom70 project. The absence of visible screws on the roof surface (hidden fastening system) eliminates potential points of corrosion and leaks. In mountain or sub-mountain conditions, where snow accumulation is common, the smooth surface of the metal makes it easier for it to slide off, relieving the structure.
The color scheme of the roof and flashings was chosen to contrast with the warm shade of the larch wood on the facade. The red roof membrane visible in the photos is only the initial layer; the final metal sheet (usually in shades of graphite or black) will give the building elegance. However, the use of standing seam metal requires perfect execution of the substructure and ventilation of the roof slope. Any unevenness in the battens would be visible on the smooth metal, so the carpentry work had to be done with pharmaceutical precision. This is a solution for years that does not require maintenance, unlike shingles or tiles that can become overgrown with moss.
The turnkey standard also includes the development of the entrance area and balcony
We take the term "turnkey" in our Pietrzykowice project literally – the investor receives a building ready to live in, with fully functional installations and finishing. The finishing includes not only the interiors but also external elements, such as the aforementioned vestibule and balcony. The balcony on the rear facade was made as a self-supporting or post-supported structure to avoid piercing the thermal insulation of the wall. This is a critical detail in energy-efficient houses – extending the floor joists to the outside creates a powerful thermal bridge, which we avoided in this project. The balcony floor must be properly sealed and profiled so that water does not run down the facade below.
The final stage of the work is also the installation of gutter systems and flashings that protect the facade from rainwater. The external vestibule, which is the showcase of the house, was finished to the same standard as the rest of the building, creating a coherent whole. Attention to finishing details, such as sills, soffits, or external lighting, determines the final aesthetic reception of the investment. The project in Pietrzykowice, despite the terrain challenges, is proceeding according to schedule, proving that timber frame technology is fast, precise, and allows for the construction of houses of the highest energy standard even in difficult winter conditions.