Life in Norway. How do people live in one of the most expensive countries in the world? How do Norwegians build frame houses and how is the Scandinavian frame better than the Belarusian one Wooden houses using Norwegian technology projects
Friends, hello! This is a photo post from a series of articles about life and everyday life in different countries. I already wrote once about life in Holland, I also showed how Armenians live, and today we will go to visit the Norwegians and see how people live in Norway - one of the most expensive countries in the world!
House in Norway No. 1. In the mountains.
It so happened that during a summer trip to Norway our driver was the charming Norwegian Truls. A wonderful person who worked as an ambulance driver in the city of Ålesund for more than 20 years, and now earns extra money by driving tourists.
Visit Norwegian house was not included in the program of our blog tour, but Truls was kind enough to invite us to look into his nice, cozy Scandinavian house at the foot of the mountains in the village of Gaupna.
Truls' house in Norway
The Norwegian village of Gaupna is small, and the houses are generally built in the same style with a predominance of light and bright colors. This is perhaps a typical picture of how they live in.
Houses in Norway with Truls' neighbors 
Norwegians love flowers, so Truls, like many others, has roses and other flowers and bushes growing in his yard. Norwegian houses:
People in Norway are friendly and easy to get along with. Smiling Truls invites us to visit:
Let's take a look into a Norwegian house and see how people live. On the ground floor there is a kitchen, a living room with a fireplace and a dining room. I really fell in love with these blue curtains and white chairs.
The house is small, but very clean and cozy. We go up to the second floor, there is something like another small living room:
The windows have sheer curtains, not curtains:
Also on the second floor is the bedroom of Truls and his wife:
There is a handmade blanket on the bed The children have grown up and do not live at home, but their bedroom remains untouched, and the height front door in the nursery it hardly reaches 1 meter. Room in a house in Norway:
In the corners you can find quite interesting details, complementing the interior:
Chest in the corner 
Singer machine 
Candles and books on tables 
House in Norway No. 2. In the city.
Thanks to the same Truls, who seems to know a good half of the country’s population, I had the opportunity to visit a very unusual houses Norwegians, this time in a city that survived several fires and was completely rebuilt in 1904-1905.
These houses were brought to Ålesund 200 years ago from a Norwegian village, and since then they have stood untouched on the property of Ivar and Anna-Maria Voldsdal. If you are a simple tourist, you can only see the houses from afar
But thanks to great connections we got to private territory to admire the unusual home up close and meet the owners:
I thought that there was someone’s grave on the property, but the owners assured me that the stone in the photo below was there just for beauty:
I think I’ve already written about grass on roofs in Norway, but I’ll repeat it anyway.
Birch bark has long been popular in Norway as a material for waterproofing. She was laid outer side down, and the top was covered with a thick layer of turf to secure the birch bark and insulate the roof. The turf was laid directly with the grass - it’s warmer. This is why grass on the roof is a common practice in Norwegian homes.
To care for the roof, even in our time goats are often put on the roof, which during the day carefully “cut the grass” with their teeth, after which they descend to the ground. Anna-Maria, the owner of the house, admitted that they don’t keep goats and don’t take care of the grass.
Cozy courtyard Scandinavian house:
Mailbox 
Entrance door There is a music studio in the guest house (the owner of the house plays in a rock band).
3 interesting facts about Norwegians:
1. For Norwegians, it is considered quite logical to study abroad, travel, live in megacities such as Tokyo or New York, and then return to their village, marry a neighbor and spend the rest of their lives in a settlement consisting of several dozen houses in Norwegian mountains.
2. Young people in Norway are not eager to work. Many live on unemployment benefits (which can be about $1,500) and go to look for themselves in Southeast Asia and other regions where this very allowance is quite enough for a comfortable existence and the search for truth.
3. Older generation Norwegians, on the contrary, love and want to work. The retirement age in Norway for both women and men is 67 years, but if desired, a person can remain at work until the age of 70.
My vacation in Norway took place at the invitation of the Tourism Council at the Norwegian Embassy in the Russian Federation, for which I thank them very much! More information about Norway can be found at Visitnorway.com
Well, what do you think of Norwegian houses? Have you ever visited foreigners? Where did you like the people's life the most?
Similar posts about cities in Norway:
Have a cozy home! Sincerely,
Traditionally, Norwegian houses are built small to retain heat, with steep, sloping roofs to allow snow to slide off. The windows are small (because glass allows heat to pass through), and there is always a fireplace or wood stove in the center of the house to warm the house during cold weather.
In the old days, turf roofs were common for Norwegian houses, which were made from tree bark, sprinkled with soil on top, with sprouted grass, which did not allow the bark to curl. As it turned out, turf on the roof has good insulating properties, preserving the house warm in winter and cool summers.
The houses are built of wood, so they “breathe”. Rarely seen brick house(although in the 70s there were certain trends towards brick houses), but since they are susceptible to destruction and cracking due to moisture, they have not taken root in the Norwegian climate (and their price is much higher than wood). Norway has slate and therefore most houses use tiles for the roof deck as they are quite durable and easy to replace. However, some homeowners opt for cheaper types of roofing, such as metal slates or tiles.
Having a house with windows facing southwest is the most the best option in Norway, since the house will have daylight and sunlight. Houses usually have a patio (terrace) or balcony on the sunny side, equipped with sun loungers, chairs, a table, barbecue, and also decorated with floor and hanging flower pots.
Norwegians are very fond of floriculture. Everyone has their own planting schedule, which lasts all summer, since the area near their house is always decorated flowering plants in their gardens. Very often plants, herbs and flowers spread through the fence, but this gives a special charm to the street.
However, not many houses have fences. If a house has a fence, it does not exceed a meter in height and is always made of wood. You will never see dogs running around the streets or the yard of a house without their owners. Norwegians never keep dogs outside as guards.
All yards have Street lights. In winter, to ensure safety, they must be constantly turned on. After precipitation falls, residents clear their patios by shoveling snow onto the main road, and then city utilities collect the pile of snow at the end of the street.
Old fishermen's houses have become quite popular places to live. They are close to the sea, usually well located. Houses are often grouped together and create a "miniature" effect, as if they were built for a family of dwarfs. As cities grow, everything more people lives in “city” apartments - minimalist studios attract the business class.
In rural Norway, many people still live in old farmhouses located far from civilization. Many people live on islands and rely on barges to get to the mainland. Norwegians are very practical. Sometimes you will see small fishermen's cottages standing on a small island or a small group of miners' cottages in the mountains. These cottages are not their actual homes - they are a place to stay while they work shifts for weeks at a time.
One thing is for sure, Norwegians love to be at home and they put a lot of effort into making it cozy and beautiful. There are many different types wooden houses, and I'm sure everyone has their own story. If you're in Norway, be sure to take a stroll through the cute streets, especially in the old towns. You will see cute little houses with beautiful gardens and flower pots that are definitely worthy of filling up your camera's memory card.
The Norwegian-style house designs presented in this section of the catalog are built from different building materials: wood, brick, aerated concrete. Scandinavian low-rise architecture has preserved the historical features inherent in the way of life in harsh climatic conditions.
Architectural features of the style
Most private houses in Norway are built on one, or less often two, floors. The following features of the northern building can be noted as the most typical.
- A simple rectangular shape, usually with an entrance along the long side of the house.
- Colors of natural shades: sand, green, beige - in exterior decoration facade.
- Gable, wide roofs (“wings”) with a slight slope of up to 20 degrees.
- Uniting under one “vault” a living space, a bathhouse, a garage, and outbuildings.
The modern design of a Scandinavian Norwegian house, of course, differs from historical examples. The "turf" on the roof was replaced by brown tiles, small open terraces and balconies.
Various designs of Norwegian houses
| House made of wood. Project No. 13-57 | House made of stone. Project No. 58-33 |
The architects of our company offer several solutions for a Norwegian house. The project is developed taking into account building material which the customer prefers. The technology for constructing wooden houses of this style differs in national characteristics.
- House made of wood - traditional look the buildings. The famous “Norwegian felling” involves filing a log on both sides, after which it turns into a “half-beam” or “carriage”. Another feature - corner connections wedge-shaped with a spike (“ Norwegian castle"). It is believed that this technology solves the problems with shrinkage of the house, and due to the tight connection of the logs, it retains heat well. Example of a wooden house: No. 13-57.
- Stone cottage - usually has a simple composition with a built-in garage. Laconic appearance dilutes decorative finishing stone facade that highlights architectural elements: division into floors, entrance area. The design of such houses is no different design features, style is maintained through decor. House made of aerated concrete - No. 58-33.
The Norwegian-style house projects developed by the company have been implemented in practice. Each of them contains a complete package of documentation for construction: working drawings, masonry plans, specifications of materials. A ready-made solution speeds up construction, relieving the customer of the need to delve deeply into technical details.
Many of the site users have heard that building a Norwegian house first of all means building housing according to national Norwegian traditions, multiplied by optimal combination prices and quality. And when the phrase “Norwegian houses” is mentioned, the imagination pictures massive log-carriages with memorable castles in the Norwegian style. This is not entirely true. After reading our article, you will learn:
- What is it - building a house in Norwegian style;
- How to build a Norwegian house;
- What are houses built from in Norway?
- How does heating work in a Norwegian house?
What is a Norwegian house
The magical phrase “house in Norwegian” means the opportunity to live in your own own home in maximum unity with nature, but have all the benefits of civilization.
In Norway, in 1972, the Council of Ministers decided not to develop construction multi-storey buildings. And instead of cramped concrete high-rise buildings, concentrate the main efforts on the construction of private houses or townhouses.
The benefits of this approach to house building are obvious - a private house does not require the construction of huge thermal power plants and the connection of utility networks. It is in this kind of national approach that the answer lies to why private housing construction is so developed in Norway.
Norwegian house building is more of a philosophy than a technology. As mentioned above, contrary to popular belief, traditional log buildings from gun carriages are not built very often. The bulk of the buildings are frames. And log houses, paying tribute to the past, are mainly used for our usual dachas and for going out with the family into nature - just like in Moscow.
There are two categories of houses in Norway: for permanent residence and for relaxation in the mountains. Some Norwegian dachas look like full-fledged homes for year-round residence, they have one characteristic feature- flagpole with pennant.
In a special section of our forum you can learn about choosing a contractor for construction
Despite the fact that electricity is ubiquitous in Norway, some owners of log cottages deliberately refuse to supply electricity.
This is due to the fact that Norwegians tend to be alone with nature during their weekend holidays.
And sometimes, to recreate the atmosphere of antiquity as much as possible, wood stoves and oil lamps are used during relaxation.
In those buildings to which, for one reason or another, it is impossible to supply electricity or is very expensive - the home is located high in the mountains, Norwegians install autonomous sources of electricity - solar panels. And for cooking they use imported gas in cylinders.
In Norway, large and very expensive cottages are not usually built, since it is not customary for local residents to flaunt their wealth.
The average area of houses in Norway is between 160 and 200 m2. Since the Norwegians are famous for their frugality, they rightly believe that in operation it is relatively small cottage more profitable.
If there is a large income, the Norwegian homeowner will prefer not to build huge mansions or castles, but to invest money in design project modern and stylish home.
Norwegian frame
Also in Norway they practically do not build stone houses, preferring frame houses. In addition to low insurance, frame houses They perform much better in the rather cool Norwegian climate, allowing you to heat your home with great savings.
The construction of any frame begins with laying the foundation. But there are some here local peculiarities. In Norway, the main types of foundations are USP and shallow foundations strip foundation with floors on the ground, since the Norwegians believe that such foundations are best suited for frame frames, increasing their heat capacity and energy efficiency.
The standard for a frame in Norway is a 20 cm layer of insulation in the walls, but to create an energy efficient or so-called passive house The insulation layer is increased to 40 cm.
The walls of most Norwegian homes are finished with unplaned boards, which are then painted in several layers. The Norwegians found that unplaned wood, unlike planed wood, absorbs paint better and is much better able to withstand adverse weather factors - snow, wind and rain. The main colors for painting the walls of a Norwegian house are ocher, white, brown and black.
The cladding of the walls of a Norwegian house is done either horizontally, the so-called ship type, or vertically, the barrel type cladding.
Natural building materials are mainly used as roofing - ceramic tiles and metal tiles. Contrary to popular belief, wooden roof in Norway it is used as rarely as flexible tiles.
Most of the roofs of Norwegian houses are made of black metal tiles. That's whythe roof warms up better and the snow melts off it faster.
Traditional Norwegian green roof, mainly found on holiday homes or tourist accommodations.
How do they heat houses in Norway?
Heating in this cool region has to be given great importance, but it is arranged on a completely different principle than ours. Heating in Norway is mainly electric convectors and heated electric floors.
Norwegians like to warm themselves with potbelly stoves.
Additionally, Norwegians can heat their homes by simply wood stove, most often called a potbelly stove.
In Scandinavian countries, due to the high cost of gas heating, it is very popular to heat houses with wood.
Join the hot discussion on our forum about how to get cheap
In conclusion, it is worth saying a few words about the interior of a Norwegian house. Since rooms, in the Norwegian understanding, are a continuation of the nature around them, then living rooms are trying to do panoramic windows, devoid of bindings and the largest possible size, so that while sitting in the living room you can feel like a part of nature.
Also in Norway, as in others European countries, the usual high and solid fences are practically absent.
If necessary, because of the nearby road, Norwegians can build a fence from a low picket fence, or, if it is necessary to hide the house from prying eyes, a green hedge is planted.
And one more interesting feature of local construction: it is customary to erect beautiful outbuildings here.
This is not a well-preserved ancient building or summer house made antique E that's a change house in Norwegian!
There is a topic on our forum with detailed coverage of all stages of building a house. Watch a video about a complex of alternative sources energy to
Norwegian-style houses differ from modern buildings not only in the materials used, but also in the construction process. All of them are built using environmentally friendly pure material- wood. Used in construction,
Typical Norwegian wooden house
If the first two types of timber have long been known to everyone, the carriage began to appear relatively recently in our country. What is he like? This is a log that has a semi-oval shape.
This method of wood processing appeared relatively recently. On one side the log has an even shape, and on the other it is semicircular. This makes it possible to use flat surface material inside the room, and the convex one outside.
Wood has long been used to build houses and today it can be found in any region.
Main characteristics of wood:
- strength,
- reliability,
- durability,
- environmental friendliness,
- ease of use,
- thermal insulation,
- practicality,
- has excellent air exchange,
- quite easy to finish.
In countries with harsh winter climates. Such work is carried out outside and inside at the same time. There's nothing complicated about it.
But for a Norwegian house this will not be necessary, since according to construction technology insulation work can be carried out selectively.
Characteristics of Norwegian houses
Projects of Norwegian houses are quite popular; they are used for the construction of country or. The Norwegian layout differs from ours in that it involves a fairly large and spacious kitchen. The house also has a small living room compared to the kitchen, and two small bedrooms.
As for the shape of the building, it can be anything. But, as a rule, houses using Norwegian technology are built square or rectangular shape, one-story and two-story. Everything will depend on the scale of the construction and the functionality assigned to the house.
Project of a small Norwegian house The roof of a Norwegian house does not have too much of a slope, so the ceilings are low. Their height can reach 2.30-2.50 m, in some cases even less.
Reasons for the popularity of the Norwegian style in home construction
Norwegian houses have become popular not only with the use of wood. This material was used in the construction of houses in Russia. It's all about the laying of the timber and the construction technology. Wood cutting plays an important role in the finishing of building materials, which can be done using special equipment or manually. In the latter option it is possible to use hand tools when the equipment cannot cope with the finishing.
All houses using Norwegian technology have a very massive and fundamental appearance, since logs are used in construction big size. It is worth considering that Norwegian houses are of a small type and, accordingly, have small windows. In such a house, everything is made of wood, even the drains.
The houses are decorated quite brightly. Previously, black, gray and brown were used as primary colors.
On this moment in Norway the following is used in house decoration:
- green,
- orange,
- blue,
- bright red.
Modern production technologies roofing materials have become more advanced, but despite this, the roof is of great importance in such an environmentally friendly structure; in those parts it is grass. It not only helps to normalize temperature regime in the house, but also creates oxygen cushion- the design constantly breathes. Also, a “green” roof protects the house from freezing in winter, and in summer, if it gets on it sun rays, it helps protect the home from overheating.
Cottage, built using Norwegian technology with a grass green roof Advice. To prevent moisture from entering the building through such a roof, it is necessary to carry out certain work using insulating materials.
Project and technology for constructing a frame Norwegian house In such a house, everything is compact - a small kitchen area, which can be connected to the living room, which saves space, or can be separate functional room; a small living room with an area of up to 10 square meters. There are one or two bedrooms - it depends on the size of the house.
If previously all frame houses that were built using Norwegian technology had one floor, then over time they began to turn into full-fledged two-story buildings that could accommodate several families.
The foundation for such a house is first built. After this, a frame is built on it. For this, wood is used, usually profiled timber or well-made boards.
After the frame of the Norwegian house is ready, they begin to sheath it. This is done with a carriage or beam. It is also very common to use plywood or OSB sheets. Such materials are also environmentally friendly and practical. The house can be covered with the same timber or any natural finishing material, for example, a block house.
Insulation technology for a Norwegian frame house Advice. In order for a building to be used for a long period of time in our climatic conditions, it will be necessary to make high-quality preparations for construction materials. The quality of construction will depend on them.
