Re: Houses
 

So there endeth the debate on why Canadians build wooden houses. Because it moves with the hot/cold temperatures becomes invalid straight away. I figure it's more to do with cost, as you say.

I envy that you do.

Re: Houses
 

It's been a source of great joy to me though it hasn't helped me to understand issues related to construction.

Re: Houses
 

Brick "spalls" in the freeze thaw climate that we have here. Hell, even concrete suffers from the winter.

You can get away with brick if you are lucky and do a lot of maintainence, but ultimately brick is expensive...they are not made locally, and its sucks are keeping in heat, and so is relatively uncommon as a result. I would stick with timber frame.

A lot of the high street of my local village is brick or stone construction, but its constantly decaying and having to be repaired.

Naturally mother canada has a web site...
http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/bes/hmpe/m...ezethaw_e.html

Re: Houses
 

Have you any idea what the insulation value of brick is?

Virtually zero, actually it is R0.2 per inch. To maintain a warm interior a home should have at least R20 in the wall cavities.

Brick construction just cannot do that along with the freeze thaw thing others have mentioned it makes brick totally useless as a primary building material in most areas of Canada hence wood frame construction.

Don't you think that if brick had worked Brit immigrants from the early twentieth century would have convinced everyone it was the way to build. :p

Re: Houses
 

How do you explain the Parliament buildings in Ottawa then?
They sure ain't wood.

Re: Houses
 

You make an excellant point Your Majesty, my most humble apoligies.

Bows and walks away

Re: Houses
 

Oh FFS give it up the topic has been gone over before.

Brick is not practical in most areas of Canada.

If you want to build a brick house and freeze your ass off go for it.

Re: Houses
 

The occupants dont have to pay for the heating or maintainence out of their own pocket;)

And its mostly concrete faced with sandstone


And it looked like this for 2 years in the 90s while they spent millions to rebuilt it after all the winter damage it had sustained...
http://www.parliamenthill.gc.ca/yout.../fem10_max.jpg


In fact the houses of parliament are probably a perfect illustration of exactly why masonary is a bad idea in Canada.
http://www.parliamenthill.gc.ca/text...reblock_e.html

Re: Houses
 

Peterborough has many many century houses. There was a fire some time back and the result was a bylaw prohibiting wooden buildings in the city.

They are still standing and look good. I dont know if the inside is a wooden frame and the outer part brick as the fire retardent??

Our house inspector said that the old houses have dodgy foundations, some country ones have none. A friend has a log house with no foundations.

I dont have penis but I have access to one.

Does that help?

Re: Houses
 

Sorry if I upset you Steve, that wasn't my intention, I was merely reminding you that the Parliament buildings went up around the mid 1800's, were built with the traditional English methods, they are still here and in relatively good shape. So it follows that brick houses built around the same time could be a viable option and made 'snugglier' (not a real word I guess).

Re: Houses
 

Houses tend to be built of the materials that are locally available, at least that has been the case in the past. That explains why some parts of the UK have houses made of granite, others sandstone, others clay brick etc.

Re: Houses
 

Oh.

Re: Houses
 

Yes it does help, thankyou.

I do to.

Re: Houses
 

I suspect you meant "I do too" but I rather wish you meant "I do two".

Re: Houses
 

Ah. A coffee-keyboard moment.