The typical home in Finland is a timber-framed detached house of moderate size, with wood and stone finishing and a sloping roof. The exteriors are often light-coloured, ranging from pale yellows to light browns and greys.
The interior design is typically quite sparse and functional, but with a focus on natural materials like wood. The designs also tend to be quite traditional, with Nordic touches like birch logs, antler chandeliers, and fur rugs.
The living area and kitchen are often combined, with a kitchen island or dining table and basic appliances. The bedrooms are most often on the upper floor and sleep up to four people. The bathrooms tend to be quite modern and often include a bathtub or shower.
Many homes have a sauna, and it is not uncommon for some traditional properties to include an outdoor sauna and a wood-burning oven. Solar panels are becoming increasingly common, as is geothermal and air source heat pumps as a more eco-friendly way to heat the home.
Some of the most energy efficient homes go even further, with features such as triple glazed windows, thermal mass walls, and renewable energy sources like wind turbines.
How do people in Finland heat their homes?
Most people in Finland heat their homes with a combination of heat pumps, electric radiators, and geothermal energy sources. Heat pumps are the most widely used and efficient form of heating, taking heat from either the air or ground and transferring it into the home.
Electric radiators are also popular as an affordable and efficient way to keep a space warm. Geothermal energy sources, such as geothermal heat pumps, are a relatively new way to provide heating in Finland, which has proven to be a popular and cost-effective option.
Geothermal heat pumps utilize the renewable energy stored beneath the surface of the earth, transferring heat from below the surface into the home. Renewable energy sources such as solar are also becoming increasingly common in Finland.
Solar panels can capture the energy of the sun and transform it into usable electricity, which can be stored and used to heat a home.
What are houses made of in Finland?
Generally speaking, the type of materials used to construct houses in Finland ranges from wood and glass to stone and steel. Wood is the most popular building material in Finland, as it is a sustainable, renewable resource that is abundant in most regions of the country.
Many traditional houses in Finland are constructed from wooden logs, with an inner layer composed of insulating backfill material. Modern houses in Finland typically feature a combination of materials, including wooden slats, prefabricated concrete walls, and steel or glass elements.
A variety of cladding materials are used in order to provide visual appeal, such as brick and stone, as well as fiber-cement boards and metal or plastic panels. These materials are then often coated with exterior paints or sealants in order to protect the underlying building material from the elements.
How are homes insulated in Finland?
In Finland, homes are typically insulated using an array of materials and methods. Common insulation materials including fiberglass, cellulose, foam and rock wool, often combined with a vapor-barrier lining and air-sealing techniques.
In the past, insulation was mainly used for structural thermal insulation, which involved thin external walls filled with mineral wool, but now most homes are insulated in two or three layers. The first layer involves a vapor barrier, then a layer of thermal insulation which prevents heat loss, and then a layer of air-tight insulation which prevents air from including drafts and heat-producing air loss.
Exterior walls are typically insulated in one of two ways. The first involves a “cold-wall” technique, which seals off the attic, exterior wall and basement air spaces with insulation. The second involves an “envelope” approach which seals the outside walls and attic with an air-tight isolation material.
Roofs and ceilings are also insulated in Finland. Typically, the most common insulation materials used are mineral wool, foam and cellulose. To improve air tightness, a vapor barrier of aluminum foil, polyethylene sheeting or a vapor-retardant paint is applied to the interior sheathing.
There are also various types of specialized interior and exterior reflective membranes that improve thermal performance of the roof.
Interior walls and floors are also insulated. Air-barrier membranes are applied on the interior wall and floor assemblies and thermal insulation is installed between the studs and joists. In older buildings, insulation is used in the form of loose-fill, such as cellulose or mineral wool as well as rigid foam, to provide improved air-tightness and reduce sound transmission.
Overall, insulation in Finland is a key part of construction, which helps to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and reduce the amount of energy consumed for heating and cooling.
Why do houses in Finland have ladders?
Houses in Finland often have exterior ladders due to their extreme weather conditions. During the long, cold winters, snow accumulates on the rooftops, and ladders provide an easy way to remove it. Without removing the snow, there is an increased risk of damage to the roof, which could lead to costly repairs.
In addition, ladders can be used for maintenance and repairs of the roof structure and chimneys. They are also handy to be able to go up to the rooftop to enjoy the view or to hang Christmas lights during the festive season.
Lastly, exterior ladders in Finland provide a practical way to access rain gutters that are often located at the high points of the roof line. Regular cleaning of the gutters is essential to minimize the risk of them overflowing, which could cause water damage to the property.
What is Finnish interior design?
Finnish interior design is a distinct style of design that originated in Finland, often characterized by bright and efficient use of space, as well as an emphasis on natural materials, textures, and colors.
Common features of Finnish interior design include furniture made from pale wood, light pastel walls, and white accents. Finns also use natural elements like wood, metal, stone, and plants to give their interior designs texture and depth.
They often use pops of bright colors, such as bright yellow or blue, to add to their design. As nature is such an important part of Finnish culture and identity, it is often a part of Finnish interior design.
Natural materials like wooden furniture, natural stone walls, and wooden beams are commonly used to bring the outdoors indoors. Overall, Finnish interior design is characterized by simple shapes and lines, smart use of space and natural materials, and accents of bright colors.
Is Finland a good place to move to?
Finland is a wonderful place to move to for those who want to experience a modern and advanced European country that is still deeply rooted in its culture and traditions. The country is known for its high quality of life, with excellent public health care, educational services, and social safety nets, as well as a well-developed infrastructure.
Finland also has amazing natural beauty, and being one of the few remaining countries to be largely unspoiled by industrialization and consumerism, it is a great place to enjoy the outdoors. You can enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities, including fishing, hiking, and canoeing, to name a few.
Additionally, Finland is a very accepting and peaceful country, welcoming people of diverse backgrounds and offering a comfortable lifestyle for all. All of this makes Finland an attractive place to move and live in.
Does Finland use gas?
Yes, Finland does use gas. Gas is an important resource for providing energy in Finland, and a range of gas sources, such as natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), biogas, and synthetic gas, are all used.
Natural gas is the most commonly used type of gas in Finland, and about 68 percent of households mainly use natural gas for their energy supply. Additionally, it is used to heat many of the buildings in Finland, from residential homes to commercial spaces.
LPG is used mainly in rural areas that don’t have access to natural gas, while biogas is used to generate electricity, heat energy, and resources found in agricultural waste. Lastly, synthetic gas is mainly used with coal and biomass to generate electricity.