Houses made of corrugated board - information and interesting facts

Simply build a house out of cardboard and expand it as needed - cardboard can be processed flexibly, the material is lightweight and, above all, sustainable. What seems impossible at first glance has long since become reality: Fiction Factory, a Dutch company, has proven how excellently corrugated cardboard is suited as a building material - here is a summary of the exciting information for you.

The Wikkelhouse - prefabricated houses from corrugated board

Prefabricated houses have a certain stigma attached to them: Too little individualism, limited possibilities and not being able to live out one's own ideas - the reservations about classic masonry buildings are manifold. Yet there have long been attractive solutions that can be implemented in prefabricated construction . Last but not least, the Wikkelhouse (sustainable living in an affordable way) is likely to cause a rethink here - and external circumstances are fueling this trend.

A Wikkelhouse is a Tiny House made of cardboard. It was invented by a Dutch company. The name of the house in turn comes from the Dutch term "wikkelen", which means "to wrap" in German. This describes the construction of the house: cardboard is wrapped around a form-giving construction.

On the one hand, the financial burdens of rent and ancillary costs are increasing; on the other hand, a home is still frequently used as a workplace. The demands on one's own four walls have therefore changed; cost-effective and, above all, flexible options for creating a pleasant living and working environment are in demand as never before.

And in this question, prefabricated houses clearly have the edge over brick-built alternatives: not only is the construction time significantly reduced, but the price is also cheaper and, above all, fixed. In addition, the issue of sustainability should not be underestimated, because cement, which is particularly harmful to the eco-balance, is hardly ever used.

The preferred building material has so far been wood as a renewable raw material - and now corrugated board, which is popular and versatile in the packaging sector, is being added to the list.

Corrugated board is a pulp product made of paper, for which at least one corrugated and one smooth paper web are glued together. Depending on requirements, corrugated board can consist of nine such layers. The corrugated layers are decisive, because this is where the comparatively light paper derives its enormous strength.

Construction and manufacture of a prefabricated house from corrugated board

The Wikkelhouse is dominated by wood and cardboard, which act as support materials - making the entire building biodegradable.

Logically, the question arises whether such a house is stable enough to provide reliable protection against cold, moisture and wind. But the developers' answer is quite clear: definitely - and for at least 100 years!

Accordingly, the secret lies in the wikkelen - namely, wrap: 24 layers of cardboard made from Scandinavian wood are joined together with a natural adhesive, creating a robust and insulating sandwich structure.

This construction is finally covered with wood - both inside and outside.

But what about moisture? If corrugated board gets wet, the stability is gone. This was precisely the big challenge that the developers had to master. After all, what good is a house that collapses the next time it rains heavily? The solution: Miotex, a breathable yet water-repellent membrane.

It is applied to the outer shell to protect the house for decades. In fact, this membrane only needs to be renewed again at intervals of 30 years. This solution can thus keep pace with the usual house plaster, which, according to the Industrieverband WerkMörtel (IWM), performs its tasks for an average of 30 years.

You have to allow around ten months for the production, which is realized in the Netherlands. But then things move quickly: as soon as the basic framework is ready, the house can be assembled in no time at all. As a rule, one day is enough to completely erect a Wikkelhouse in the form of prefabricated modules.

Fiction Factory - who is behind this revolutionary idea?

Fiction Factory is the company that builds the houses from corrugated board. A look at Fiction Factory's company history explains why the focus is precisely on corrugated cardboard: More than 30 years ago, the company started as a studio with the construction of stage sets - and these are traditionally made of wood, paper, cardboard and now also flame-retardant plastics.

The experience has obviously flowed into this construction method - at the same time, this brings some advantages for builders: A foundation is not necessary, for example, the Wikkelhouse can thus be set up uncomplicatedly in the most diverse places. Not even the established prefabricated houses can keep up! In addition, the Wikkelhouse is extremely light, because each module weighs just 600 kg.

The inventor, Oep Schilling, completed the prototype of today's cardboard house back in 2015, and the following year he published a promotional video for it - and the success story began.

Since then, the developments have been rewarded with nominations for several awards, because one particular point always stands out: cardboard is still underestimated as a material.

Yet no material can offer this combination of lightness and stability and at the same time insulate so well. At best, we associate the thought of cardboard with packaging and first have to get used to the fact that this material is apparently ideal for building.

Prices for a house from cardboard

Of course, the concrete configuration of the segments of a house plays the main role when it comes to calculating prices - after all, the Wikkelhouse works as a modular concept. Overall, it can nevertheless be stated that the prices are significantly lower than those for other prefabricated houses.

For a Vikkelhouse with three segments, 40,000 euros plus VAT as well as transport and installation costs must be budgeted. On average, the cardboard houses erected so far range between 50,000 and 85,000 euros, whereby the taxes and costs mentioned must still be added. The concrete price is influenced by how extensively the house is finally equipped and how high the number of modules is.

Style and design of houses from corrugated board

However, the special feature of a wikkelhouse lies not only in the materials used, but in its structure and the range of possibilities in terms of design: basically, such a house is typically Scandinavian - that is, minimalist and wood-emphasized. Owners can completely let off steam here according to their personal preferences.

On the other hand, the tube-like design allows for expansion at any time. If a bathroom, kitchen, children's room or other rooms are required, the tube is simply extended by the desired modules. This also brings us to a limitation: Complex room structures cannot be implemented. The segments are simply strung together as required.

Wikkelhouse - current locations

This concept is quite popular. More than a hundred of these houses made of corrugated board have already been installed worldwide. First and foremost, these are vacation domiciles, such as in the Dutch vacation park "De Klepperstee" where ten of the 25^m2 houses are stationed both near the beach and in other corners of the park.

Even in the city center of Amsterdam cardboard houses were set up, but also in France and in Germany, namely directly on the beach on Helgoland. However, a building permit is required for the installation of a Tiny House in Germany. Depending on the specific plan, this could also be refused, which is why there are certainly limits regarding the possible locations.

Benefits for consumers - aspects of sustainability

The advantages of a wikkelhouse are extremely diverse, especially as more and more consumers are placing great value on sustainability:

Building material is made from renewable raw materials and is biodegradable
Stability and weather protection is guaranteed for decades
Living areas and use of space are to be designed individually
Scope for design is enormous
Cardboard houses are light, do not require a deep foundation and can be placed virtually anywhere
House grows with you - it can be expanded as needed
Trend towards smaller living space can be lived out without loss of comfort
The price is significantly lower than other prefabricated houses

On the other hand, there are a few disadvantages. For example, the plastic film in the walls, which ensures waterproofing, must be replaced after 15 years. In addition, the Wikkelhouse has so far only been produced on a small scale, which is why it can take some time before the desire to live in such a Tiny House comes true.

The dream of owning one's own four walls becomes realistic for a significantly larger population group with a Wikkelhouse - provided that a suitable plot of land with the corresponding infrastructure is available. In view of the sometimes very scarce living space, this opens up exciting possibilities for solving problems.

On the other hand, individualists who do not want to build for eternity and commit themselves can be optimally served. And of course, the eco-balance of cardboard houses is impressive compared to other buildings - which in itself should be an important argument for many people.

Conclusion: Houses made of corrugated board - an exciting mix of materials

The idea of erecting a stable and weatherproof structure from a material like cardboard seems impossible at first. And yet the Wikkelhouse impressively proves the opposite: the combination of wood, corrugated cardboard and membrane used here in this construction results in exactly the properties expected of a building - and a few more.

In particular, the low weight of the standardized components, which can be lined up according to individual needs and erected without a large foundation, is impressive. In terms of interior design, there are no limits for the owners, but basically the houses have a Scandinavian character. What's more, they are completely biodegradable in themselves.

This makes the Wikkelhouse, which is prefabricated in the Netherlands, particularly suitable for individualists who want to settle in a beautiful spot in harmony with nature. This also opens up interesting possibilities:

The comparatively low price also allows, for example, that existing and already developed plots of land can easily be equipped with another building when the adult children want to use their own four walls.

So far, the houses are preferred as smaller units for vacation accommodation, but the potential is much greater.

FAQ

Can corrugated board really be so strong that it can be used to build a house?
Yes, the proof is in the Wikkelhouse: 24 layers of corrugated board are bonded together with a natural adhesive, covered inside and out with wood, and finally sealed in such a way that moisture is effectively repelled.

How long does it take to build a house like this?
The modules for a Wikkelhouse are prefabricated in the Netherlands, which takes around ten months. The construction can be completed in one day. Then there is the transport and the necessary installations.

What is the service life of a wikkelhouse?
Manufacturers put the service life at around 100 years, provided that the water-repellent but breathable membrane is renewed every 30 years.

Back to the blog