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Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

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Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

#121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not how we build in my country though

Yeah most countries in the world dont have 2x4s

We do in some sense but we call it something else like 45x120 or similar. That's not 2x4" but nor is a 2x4 actually 2 inches by 4 inches generally.

But what we definitely don't do is stick build homes using 2x4s apart from interior walls. An exterior wall where I live would probably use 45x220mm studs and probably more wood as well for a total depth of 350+ mm.

Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

#122
post #70

I love the idea of this. My wife and I watch a decent amount of Grand Designs are there are a few houses that experiment with the concept of cnc-cut block based assembly. I intend to build something like it someday (in the US, so it might be harder to find a manufacturer). One thing that strikes me as at odds is that they tout their reusability as well as the customization aspect of the block. It’s cnc cut so they’re…

A lot of basic structural building materials (bricks, framing timber, roof tiles, etc.) are already fairly reusable to an extent. It's just labour-intensive to do so, therefore we often don't. I'm not optimistic that prefabbed structural components would be much better.

Houses are already built from prefab modules (Wall panels, roof trusses, floor beams or even floor cassettes) in many markets, especially in Europe. The US lags somewhat but it's definitely the trend that a house arrives on a truck as a set of components that are lifted in place, rather than stick built.

Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

#123

I like the ethos but to me it's pointed in entirely the wrong direction. Why not just make standard sections of 2x4 or 2x6 framing? Start standardizing window sealing details? Literally anything that will actually get some use? Instead we get opensource plywood boxes? Using plywood for all of the structural components means if you get a leak, which all houses get, you are in danger of much more significant damage tha…

They are registered in England and Wales and they write about millimeters. I guess that they don't have 2x4 and 2x6 frames. Maybe houses there are built in a totally different way.

Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

#124

People build much worse houses now, from aesthetic perspective. No matter where I go, I usually prefer to live in a city center because that's where the most pleasing houses are. We forgot how to build nice houses. Sad.

I think it is not only about worse, better. Standardize the process, like a talking in engineering language, building/improving debates. Also open projects as for me have own style, feels like Ikea really.

Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

#125

I like the ethos but to me it's pointed in entirely the wrong direction. Why not just make standard sections of 2x4 or 2x6 framing? Start standardizing window sealing details? Literally anything that will actually get some use? Instead we get opensource plywood boxes? Using plywood for all of the structural components means if you get a leak, which all houses get, you are in danger of much more significant damage tha…

They are registered in England and Wales and they write about millimeters. I guess that they don't have 2x4 and 2x6 frames. Maybe houses there are built in a totally different way.

Houses in England are generally made from clay bricks, not wood

Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

#126

https://www.iso-bella.nl/containerwoning/

There are many companies offering such small prefab houses. This one [1] offers a system of container-sized blocks that are assembled in the factory, carried by truck and joined together on site. (Initially the blocks were container-size, and carried whole. Current designs are > 3m wide.)

The biggest problem with container-based buildings is that the standard road size of 2600 mm is very narrow. Subtract 150 cm on each side for insulation and walls material, and you're left with 2300 (ISO container is 2350 mm wide inside.) (Standard bed is ~2100 mm long, so you can't put it laterally -- I tried, and discovered you can't walk normally in 20 cm isle.)

[1] https://dubldom.com/

Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

#127
post #77
post #39

Building technologies do need to evolve, but this ain't it. Starting with the tagline "Simple, beautiful zero-carbon building for everyone". WHAT? - Claiming that timber building products are carbon neutral is dubious, just talking about the timber alone, before any value added lifecycle. They should put some pictures of the Spruce forests their plywood comes from and let people decide for themselves. - Simple? Not r…

Why wouldn't raw timber be carbon neutral?

Demand on timber causes manufacturers to go buy it from areas like Amazonia or Siberia, in both deforestation is now a serious problem. And it still requires a lot of energy to be spent on cutting and transportation.

Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

#128

I like the ethos but to me it's pointed in entirely the wrong direction. Why not just make standard sections of 2x4 or 2x6 framing? Start standardizing window sealing details? Literally anything that will actually get some use? Instead we get opensource plywood boxes? Using plywood for all of the structural components means if you get a leak, which all houses get, you are in danger of much more significant damage tha…

They are registered in England and Wales and they write about millimeters. I guess that they don't have 2x4 and 2x6 frames. Maybe houses there are built in a totally different way.

Yes, houses in England are not made from frames almost ever. They are made of solid brick. It was always so confusing to hear about Americans punching through walls. You can't do that here. There's no wood.

Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

#129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah most countries in the world dont have 2x4s

We do in some sense but we call it something else like 45x120 or similar. That's not 2x4" but nor is a 2x4 actually 2 inches by 4 inches generally. But what we definitely don't do is stick build homes using 2x4s apart from interior walls. An exterior wall where I live would probably use 45x220mm studs and probably more wood as well for a total depth of 350+ mm.

2x6 is becoming more common for framing walls. The extra depth allows for more insulation.

Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses

#130

There is a pretty cool project for a complete open source village: - https://www.opensourceecology.org/ Supposed to be all the machines you need to supply a whole village, made from low cost basic materials. I think it’s from 2014 not sure if it’s still being worked on or if anyone actually has used the blueprints in a real world scenario.

TIL about The Liberator: The world's first open source compressed earth brick press. https://www.opensourceecology.org/back-to-compressed-earth-b... A multiple-CEB unit that makes interlocking blocks that don't require mortar could build on work from this project. Add'l notes on CEB, Algae, Sargassum, Hemp in the 2024 International and US Residential Building Code, LEGO-like Hempcrete block: https://news.ycombinator.…

> Round homes fare best in windstorms

Yes, it's about 4x less drag. That's why nomads have round yurts.

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