by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia
Wooden house is a favorite construction for an earthquake zone. It can withstand frequent ground shocks without failures. Although wood is strong, it will decay if continuously exposed to water. When the wood is wet or damp, mould will grow on its surface.
There are some treatments which can be applied to the wood surface to protect it from decaying. The most common treatment is applying wood paint or varnish to all exposed panels of the wooden house. The paint has to be of water resistant material. Every two or three years, carpenters must clean the wood surface again and apply protective coating.
We have to remember that to obtain the best wooden house construction, the wood as the main material has to be adequately dry. If it is still wet or contains high percentage of water, mould will grow and destroy the painting or coating which has been applied to its surface.
In Japan, experienced home builders apply a unique treatment to the panel surfaces of wooden house. They burn the surface of the wooden wall until it is wholy covered with cinder. By then, mould will not grow. This cinder layer is more weather resistant compared to conventional wood painting or varnish. Also read: How to buy a good wooden house and Earthquake resistant wooden house of Minahasa
