Wooden architecture – The way home

For many years we were observing the slow disappearance of wooden folk architecture from the landscape. What was common and usual in the past, is on the verge of extinction, nowadays.

Crossig the Polish-Czech border area (Klodzko Land, Orlické Mountains and Podorlicko) we can still find many folk buildings. Slightly different depending on the area, they stand out, like rare flowers, with their unique features, like steep roofs and crowned construction, and if we are lucky, we will also be able to spot their influence on the neighboring (newer) buildings, in the form of masonry walls.

Nowadays, these old houses are the subject of special care, especially in Czech Republic. In many villages you can find interesting examples of folk buildings. Habitants love these houses, by the way they they keep the original features, all the way through meticulous preservation, paint (original) and gardening.

On the Polish side, it is worth to visit the Open Air Museum of Folk Culture of Sudety Foothills in Kudowa-Zdrój which presents a few folk gems transferred from Klodzko Land area (can you imagine the complexity of moving whole buildings piece by piece?). If you want to see how it used to be in the countryside there, we highly recommend you pay this place a visit.

Open Air Museum of Folk Culture of Sudety Foothills in Kudowa-Zdrój

Abandoned crowned construction house in Kudowa-Zdrój

We often do not realize how much information is hidden in old beams of historic buildings. Going on a journey in the footsteps of former builders, we can learn interesting things about the structure and its former repairs.

Carpentry joint in Siedlęcin Medieval Tower (Poland)

In historic constructions, joints of wooden elements were made without the use of metal connectors. The elements were connected using carpentry joints, reinforced with wooden pegs (depending on the type of connection). Only at a later time, together with the increase in the span of the structure, began to introduce metal connectors. In uncomplicated constructions as well as during renovations and reconstructions, carpentry joints are used even today.

Crowned construction with a saddle notch corner

Traces of ancient carpenters can become a guide for the history of the building for us, and old beams a source of knowledge about crafts and construction techniques. On the surface ot the wooden elements we can find carpenters' marks that simplified the assembly of the structure (they determined where in the structure the given element should be). They were usually made with chalk or pencil or cut with a sharp tool. The numbering was often Roman numerals or some variation thereof. Based on this marks, it is possible to deduce in which order individual parts of the structure were erected, as well as to determine which elements are original and which were inserted during subsequent repairs and renovations. Traces left on the surfaces of the processed elements of wooden structures can give us information about the tools used - traseology deals with the study of these traces.

Carpenter's mark on the roof structure from XVIII century

Carpenter's marks on the half-timbered structure form XIX century

It is worth to remember about carpenters' marks and take care of them during renovation! If their removal is necessary, due to biological corrosion, it is best to document them in advance.

Tag: Wooden architecture

Folk architecture gems in the Polish-Czech border area

History written in wood