Timber iQ December 2018 - January 2019 // Issue: 41 | Page 29

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Above garage timber frame apartment living.
market, he realised that there is an increasing demand for
modular frame timber homes.
Lüdi says, “Among the main advantages of modular
timber structures is the sustainability aspect of using timber
which is the most sustainable building material. Another
advantage is the faster assembly time on site because most
of the construction is done off site under careful
supervision. This involves the manufacturing of all the
elements including the infilled insulation and the window
and sliding doors; making installation time on site much
shorter than building from the ground up.
“The drying time a brick house requires is quite long
– which effects the finishing time; whereas with a timber
frame build, the finishes can commence the day the
structure is up as there is no drying out time. When building
with the correct materials, there is also very little, if any,
www.timberiq.co.za
maintenance required in the long run – therefore no cracks,
no repainting and so on.”
Lüdi adds that timber can be laminated to practically any
structural specifications. “A-grade construction spruce
timber – which we generally recommend – is available in
12m lengths, making for seamless roof beams and structural
possibilities,” he highlights.
‘COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES’
There seems to be a general misconception that building
with timber frame modules is far less than conventional
building, Lüdi notes, adding that, “This is not always the
case when using high-end quality timbers that are kiln dried
and are construction timbers. Having said this, there is no
real way of comparing both construction methods as this
would be like comparing apples to oranges.
// DECEMBER 2018 / JANUARY 2019 27