veitts

Veitts are a type of traditional Scandinavian wooden house frame structure. This building technique is primarily used in Norway, Sweden, and Finland. The framework is typically constructed from horizontal, vertical, and angled wooden elements, which are interlocking without nails or otherwise fastened.

The characteristic elements of a veitts framework include hovedtimmer (main timbers), innertimmer (inner timbers), and krok (crooks). The main timbers form the main walls and horizontal components, with inner timbers serving as secondary vertical supports. Krok are angled timbers that provide the framework's lateral support.

In traditional veitts construction, walls are composed entirely of wooden members, without the use of brick, stone, or rendered surfaces. The wooden planks that cover the spaces between these vertical wooden components typically comprise both exterior and interior walls. Exterior materials often include traditional paint, lath and plaster, or slated sections, while interior sections often serve as load-bearing elements of the house's walls.

Veitts buildings are still constructed today, although with widespread use of pre-fabricated materials and modern construction technologies, the method has largely fallen out of favor with many Scandinavian builders opting for more standard approaches to building. Pure examples of traditional veitts construction are now most prevalent in Norway's Lapland region and Sweden's far north. The natural appearance and the stability associated with the wood make veitts buildings attractive to those who are interested in green construction methods.