Hello everyone,
I am planning a tiny house on a trailer to be permanently placed on a plot in northern Greece (it will be moved little to none). The dimensions will be approximately 10m x 3m x 4m height (33ft x 10ft x 13ft) with double-glazed windows.
My idea is to position the low-loader trailer on the property and hire a local craftsman to build the walls using timber frame construction and deliver them to the site for assembly.
Since I want to create precise construction plans using locally available materials, I am wondering what the most suitable structure might be. It should meet the following criteria:
1. Effective thermal insulation – the tiny house will only be used in warm months, and it gets hot there.
2. Narrow dimensions – there is no space for installation layers as the width on the trailer is limited.
3. Low maintenance – the risk of damage should be minimal since it might be unoccupied and unventilated for up to half a year.
4. The outer layer should withstand weather conditions near the sea.
5. 8 cm (3 inches) wide spruce construction timber for the frame seems good to me, with insulation inside. Mineral wool or wood fiber (better heat protection but possibly higher mold risk)?
6. Not too complicated to build, as it will be a local craft business abroad/in Greece, where timber frame construction is not very common.
What would you do and why?
Best regards,
Ais
I am planning a tiny house on a trailer to be permanently placed on a plot in northern Greece (it will be moved little to none). The dimensions will be approximately 10m x 3m x 4m height (33ft x 10ft x 13ft) with double-glazed windows.
My idea is to position the low-loader trailer on the property and hire a local craftsman to build the walls using timber frame construction and deliver them to the site for assembly.
Since I want to create precise construction plans using locally available materials, I am wondering what the most suitable structure might be. It should meet the following criteria:
1. Effective thermal insulation – the tiny house will only be used in warm months, and it gets hot there.
2. Narrow dimensions – there is no space for installation layers as the width on the trailer is limited.
3. Low maintenance – the risk of damage should be minimal since it might be unoccupied and unventilated for up to half a year.
4. The outer layer should withstand weather conditions near the sea.
5. 8 cm (3 inches) wide spruce construction timber for the frame seems good to me, with insulation inside. Mineral wool or wood fiber (better heat protection but possibly higher mold risk)?
6. Not too complicated to build, as it will be a local craft business abroad/in Greece, where timber frame construction is not very common.
What would you do and why?
Best regards,
Ais
Hi Ais,
an exciting project, considering that 10m by 3m (33 ft by 10 ft) on a trailer and then permanently by the sea is quite a statement. In hot conditions, the issue is less about the U-value and more about the phase shift. That makes wood fiber insulation more interesting than mineral wool, even at just 8cm (3 inches) frame thickness, although mineral wool often looks better on paper. Without an installation cavity, your options are limited anyway, so I would recommend keeping the interior simple with a reliable vapor retarder and breathable cladding on the outside. Otherwise, moisture problems will arise after a few months, especially near the sea. Easy maintenance here also means dealing with salty air, so no experiments with unprotected exposed wood facades. Fiber cement or coated aluminum may seem dull but will last 15 years or more without issues. The fact that local contractors are not used to timber framing speaks in favor of simple details and few custom solutions; load-bearing and bracing OSB on the inside saves a lot of hassle.
The question is whether you want maximum summer comfort or just “bearable,” because you can’t have both with only 8cm (3 inches) insulation thickness...
an exciting project, considering that 10m by 3m (33 ft by 10 ft) on a trailer and then permanently by the sea is quite a statement. In hot conditions, the issue is less about the U-value and more about the phase shift. That makes wood fiber insulation more interesting than mineral wool, even at just 8cm (3 inches) frame thickness, although mineral wool often looks better on paper. Without an installation cavity, your options are limited anyway, so I would recommend keeping the interior simple with a reliable vapor retarder and breathable cladding on the outside. Otherwise, moisture problems will arise after a few months, especially near the sea. Easy maintenance here also means dealing with salty air, so no experiments with unprotected exposed wood facades. Fiber cement or coated aluminum may seem dull but will last 15 years or more without issues. The fact that local contractors are not used to timber framing speaks in favor of simple details and few custom solutions; load-bearing and bracing OSB on the inside saves a lot of hassle.
The question is whether you want maximum summer comfort or just “bearable,” because you can’t have both with only 8cm (3 inches) insulation thickness...
N
nordanney28 Dec 2025 16:37The wall structure doesn't matter in your case. It will be unbearably hot either way.
1. Air conditioning
2. Durable exterior wall (e.g., aluminum sandwich panels)
3. The rest according to your preferences
Experience from southern Spain
1. Air conditioning
2. Durable exterior wall (e.g., aluminum sandwich panels)
3. The rest according to your preferences
Experience from southern Spain
Nauer schrieb:
Hi Ais,
Interesting project, although 10m by 3m on a trailer and permanently by the sea is quite a challenge. In hot conditions, thermal mass (phase shift) is more important than just the U-value. Wood fiber insulation with an 8cm (3 inch) frame becomes more attractive than mineral wool, even if the calculations often look better for the latter. Without a service cavity, you have very limited options inside, so I would keep the interior simple with a reliable vapor retarder and make sure the exterior is diffusion-open; otherwise, moisture problems will show up after just a few months, especially near the sea. Low-maintenance also means salty air here, so no experiments with unprotected wooden cladding. Fiber cement or coated aluminum may seem boring but will last 15+ years without issues. Since local builders aren’t used to timber framing, it’s better to stick to simple details and avoid special solutions. Structural OSB on the inside for load-bearing and bracing saves a lot of discussion.
The question really is whether you want the highest possible summer comfort or just "bearable" because with 8cm (3 inch) insulation you can’t have both... I understand that diffusion-open construction is better for indoor air quality but carries more risk regarding moisture?
How would the buildup differ in a closed system?
I would prefer to work with wood fiber insulation. However, I think this might be more challenging regarding moisture and mold compared to mineral wool?
I also have questions about installations: if I want to route electrical outlets and pipes inside the wall, isn’t that difficult with a vapor retarder, or are there solutions?
I have also considered using OSB; what thickness would you recommend?
And what do you mean by load-bearing in relation to OSB panels?
Generally, it’s true that it will get extremely hot. Still, I hope it can be kept at least tolerable. I will shade the windows from the outside.
N
nordanney28 Dec 2025 20:36Aisoro. schrieb:
I still hope it can at least be kept bearable. I will shade the windows from the outside. Just take a look at classic mobile homes. There are tens of thousands of them along the coasts in southern countries. You don’t need to overcomplicate the wall construction for just a few months of the year.
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