Materials for Prefabricated House Construction

The proper selection of quality materials and their installation in accordance with professional standards is a true challenge throughout the entire construction process.

Timber construction across Europe, especially in Central Europe, is experiencing significant growth.

To ensure sustainable development in this branch of construction, it is necessary to build on solid foundations. This means understanding the properties and advantages of wood as a building material, while minimizing or completely avoiding its drawbacks.

Wood plays an important role in environmental protection by helping to control CO₂ levels in the atmosphere. The amount of CO₂ can be influenced by reducing emissions or by removing it from the atmosphere and storing it. Compared to other building materials, wood requires the least energy for production. Every cubic meter of wood used in construction instead of another material reduces CO₂ emissions by an average of 1.1 tons. Since one cubic meter of wood stores 0.9 tons of CO₂ within its structure, each cubic meter of wood directly saves up to 2 tons of carbon dioxide.

The longer wooden structures last, the greater their effect in storing CO₂.

Wood is also far more thermally efficient than other building materials - its insulation properties are 15 times better than concrete, 400 times better than steel, and 1,700 times better than aluminum.

It is highly recyclable - it can be reused to make smaller elements or wood-based panels used in furniture and construction boards. Even when not recycled, it can return energy through combustion. This process releases no more CO₂ than was originally stored in the wood, making it a CO₂-neutral material.

For wooden building construction, timber with moisture content of 15 ± 3% and certified properties matching the design parameters is used. With proper protection measures, structural timber can last for generations.

KVH Structural Timber

Solid structural timber (KVH - Konstruktionsvollholz) refers to rectangular cross-section timber that is dried, planed, and strength-graded.

Compared to standard sawn timber, this product must meet strict classification criteria. Quality control ensures that the product has uniform characteristics, resulting in fewer cracks and deformations.

KVH timber is available in two quality grades: KVH-Si - for visible applications, and KVH-NSi - for use in concealed structures. It is most commonly produced from spruce, but can also be made from pine, fir, or larch. Standard cross-sectional dimensions are used, and finger-jointed beams are typically produced up to 18 meters in length.

The dimensioning of KVH structural elements is carried out in accordance with applicable technical regulations, considering the assigned strength classes.

Glued Laminated Timber (BSH)

Glued laminated timber (BSH) consists of layers (lamellae) of the same wood species, glued together with their grains parallel.

It is mainly produced from coniferous species such as spruce, fir, pine, and larch. The physical and mechanical properties of glulam depend on the quality of lamellae, the precision of the finger joints, and their arrangement within the final element.

Thanks to the finger jointing process, lamellae of virtually unlimited length can be produced, enabling the manufacture of long glulam beams.

Standard products used in the construction of walls, roofs, and attics come in widths from 60 mm to 260 mm, heights from 100 mm to 1300 mm, and standard lengths up to 18 meters. Special sizes are available for specific structural applications. BSH is supplied in two quality grades, depending on its intended use.

OSB Boards

Oriented Strand Board (OSB) is a three-layer board with a symmetrical structure made of flat wood strands. The strands in the outer layers are oriented parallel, while those in the inner layer are perpendicular or randomly oriented relative to the production direction. Despite being made from relatively large strands, the boards have a smooth surface.

In Europe, they are mostly produced from coniferous wood. The logs are chipped, the strands dried, coated with adhesive, layered, and pressed. This three-layer structure, with strands oriented in two directions, provides high dimensional and shape stability in the plane of the board. OSB is mainly used for sheathing lightweight structures.

The boards serve to absorb in-plane horizontal loads and to distribute concentrated and surface loads acting perpendicular to their plane.

Gypsum-Fibre Boards

Gypsum-fibre boards are made from gypsum and recycled paper fibres. After mixing natural materials with water, the mixture is pressed into stable, odourless boards, which are then dried, impregnated, and cut to size. The gypsum reacts with water and penetrates the fibres, providing high stability and fire resistance.

These boards are stronger than gypsum plasterboards and are used for cladding load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls, suspended ceilings, or as dry floor panels. They are produced in thicknesses between 10 and 18 mm.

Gypsum-fibre boards are a universal material for cladding prefabricated panels with wooden supporting structures. They stiffen the structure, provide fire protection, and improve seismic resistance.

Gypsum Plasterboards

These consist of a gypsum core enclosed between two layers of cardboard. They are used for wall cladding and suspended ceilings, and are produced in thicknesses from 9.5 to 25 mm.

Depending on their application, there are various types of the boards. For wet areas such as bathrooms or as a base for ceramic tiles, boards with moisture-resistant gypsum cores are used. Their cardboard facing is green and impregnated. For fire-resistant applications, such as partition walls, attics, and service shafts, boards with gypsum cores reinforced with glass fibres are used - these ensure structural stability and strength during fire exposure.