LOCAL PROJECT
Timber houses are cost-efficient and much quicker to construct than brick buildings .
by the municipality , which is a normal procedure . The requirements are the same as for constructing a new brick house and a lot will depend , obviously , on how long the application sits with the municipality .
MAINTENANCE ON A TIMBER BUILDING
According to Chizema , it is not true that wood buildings require more maintenance than brick and concrete buildings . In fact , he says that the maintenance on timber constructions is far less . “ With any building one has to do maintenance . The trick is to do it properly . A brick building must be plastered , painted and damp-sealed , and that process needs to take place every few years , for example . The timber we build with is fully treated at the sawmill or retailer . At the house in the Eastern Cape we used treated Pine timber . Once the house is constructed , we paint the outside with a good exterior wood sealer . The owner needs to apply a second coat of sealer after six months , and then again after one year . Thereafter the wood only needs to be treated every two or three years . It is important that the owner follows the prescribed guidelines . It is the same as using the correct paint for the right application on a brick house , and following the right steps ” says Chizema .
Contrary to popular belief the maintenance on a timber house is less than that of a brick and mortar house . People build with Facebrick because they want to avoid painting but there is still a lot of maintenance . The Facebrick also needs sealer to prevent the sulphur bleeding through the bricks and if you do not maintain the house , it will cost you dearly . Maintaining a timber house is no different . If you do not paint the walls often , they will deteriorate and crack and damp will rise , to the detriment of the structure . It is the same with wood , if you do not treat it , the wood will start rotting .
The interior wood panels at Chimu Construction ’ s timber project in Pretoria .
www . timberiq . co . za // DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 13