Last not least, my heartfelt thanks to Iris Detenhoff who translated this, my first book into English and Gordon Pierce for his foreword. I am very grateful and excited about this dream coming true.
Next: the author's epilogue to this edition
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Special thanks to my wife Karin and my children for their understanding, patience and contributions; to our Urliopa Gottlieb Brugger for passing on his wisdom and experience, Urlioma Elisabeth, Grandma and Grandpa Hilde; Hans Dabernig; the story-telling Mama and Grandma Irene Thoma and many others.
I want to thank all who supported my writing efforts and also those who act kindly towards Mother Nature. Thank you to the universe for the knowledge and strength which I am allowed to pass on in this way.
Thank You
Every coincidence has a meaning. It is wonderful to recognize, that very often one meets just the right person at the exact right time. Suddenly, without looking, they are there. Without the knowledge, help and goodwill of these people, this book wouldn't be in your hands right now. Networking
After our small saw mill began to adopt wood-working methods in harmony with nature's seasonal cycles, more and more people supported us in many different ways. Amazement, joy and gratitude is resulting into a steadily growing network. If you would like to contribute your personal experience or interesting story about 'Living with Timber', please send us your contributions. Arguments for rough sawn siding, external cladding:
- Less expensive, because all the dressing procedure falls away - Less use of wood - Optical reasons and tastes. - The right time of harvesting
- Natural drying and proper storage - Using constructive ways of working with wood - Making sure the wood stays dry One opinion is that rough sawn wood is more favourable for insects to lay egs on, compared to dressed wood.
Adequate protection from insects is mainly achieved by: - The right choice of wood type and mature tree Arguments for a dressed surface:
- Water runs off better when the surface is smooth and Wood dries faster. - The area where hands come into contact with wood (external cladding on ground level, balconies) is safer when dressed because there is no splintering. - In case it will be painted, dressed wood needs less paint. - Optical reasons and taste. Rough Sawn or Dressed?
This question often comes up in the context of UV protection and weathering: "Should wooden surfaces outdoors be dressed or stay rough sawn?" If you cannot see yourself happy with natural colouration caused by the sun and you still want to paint it, avoid using paints which harm you and the environment. There are quality natural paints available and you recognize trustworthy natural paint manufacturers by their willingness to provide a listing with all the paint ingredients.
Before you consider painting, ask yourself this question: "Did I consider the overall costs for work, material and the continuous upkeep?" When building properly and omitting construction mistakes, you will save all these costs. However, buildings which have been designed and built poorly cannot be maintained for long with or without more paint.
We should ask ourselves: "Where are all the people who love and enjoy those old wooden buildings with so much patina and character?"
Why are there so few architects and builders with the courage to let their buildings be coloured by the sun and weather? Money cannot be the reason here - because the sun works for free. Facades which show creases and colorations tell their own stories and observers feel the harmony between building and surrounding.
We visit open air museums and enthusiastically admire suntanned building facades. Then we drive through the countryside and look at the facades of new buildings. It is not the purpose to discuss taste and fashion here. Nevertheless, I would like to offer some thoughts which might give you another point of view for your building project.
When landscape photographers want to convey beauty and harmony they often take photos of old buildings which have never seen a coat of paint. You can observe a different tone of colour on every elevation of the building, as varied as nature herself. Why are we so unimaginative and insist that all walls of our buildings have to be the same colour?
2. Visual changes caused by the sun The clue is that over the years, wood produces a superior protective layer all by itself. Sunlight shines onto the different sides of the building and causes the wood to adapt with the most appropriate and protective shade. Old wooden buildings have survived for centuries without having been painted at all.
You probably have occasionally worn dark clothing on a hot summer's day and were melting in the sun. If so, you can empathize with an external wood cladding which has been painted in dark colours and now absorbs the heat. High temperature variations during day and night cause cracks in the paint and destroy its protective effect.
We recommend a coat of natural paint only for wooden windows. The often heard statement that pigments do protect wood from sunlight is basically correct. However, what is not being mentioned is that wood by itself finds the best and most suitable colour. If the painted colour is too light it doesn't protect from the sun. If it is too dark, the wood absorbs too much heat.
1. The sun's weathering impact:
Ultraviolet (UV) light generally causes just a light deterioration of wood. This breaking down process however is very slow and it takes centuries for deep traces to show up. It is not necessary to protect the wood surfaces of a well-built wood dwelling with a coat of paint against the sun. The life expectancy of a wooden dwelling has little to do with paint and paint brush - and traditionally, wooden buildings never saw a coat of paint. Most people nowadays don't hesitate and apply a coating to seal any wooden surface thinking they are preserving the wood. However, just a few years later, they are faced with paint peeling off and wood rot underneath.
It would be strange to think that after all those years working as a carpenter his hands should have remained with the same skin colour as our youthful hands.
Why then, do we expect the skin of our wooden buildings to always look young and new? Why do we demand that a building needs to be the same yellow or brown colour from every angle at all times? As children, we often sat next to our granddad and our delicate hands would touch the protruding veins on his old hands. It was a fun game to squeeze his hands for a moment and watch how his blood streamed back into the veins and filled them up again.
Can you imagine, if all humans had the same skin and hair colour? Luckily, this isn't the case. We also ask our children to have respect for our white haired elders. The wrinkles and grooves in old people's faces are wonderful and honest witnesses to their trials and triumphs.
Sun and Wood
This is mainly an issue with wood on external surfaces like cladding. Indoors, the sun only leaves a few small discolorations and has little impact on wood. |
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