They’re referring to wood-framed houses that have a layer of what’s essentially cardboard between the frame and the plastic vapor barrier that adds rigidity to the framing.
It looks flimsy as hell, but is actually good engineering. Think of it like Ikea furniture that racks until you put the cardboard backing on it, but then is remarkably stable. It also doesn’t crack as the house settles or the ground moves, is easy to patch and repair, can be effectively environmentally sealed with tape when you run plumbing or electrical to it, and can be cut to whatever shape it needs to be with a knife.
They live in what now? You mean like, in a slum?
They’re referring to wood-framed houses that have a layer of what’s essentially cardboard between the frame and the plastic vapor barrier that adds rigidity to the framing.
It looks flimsy as hell, but is actually good engineering. Think of it like Ikea furniture that racks until you put the cardboard backing on it, but then is remarkably stable. It also doesn’t crack as the house settles or the ground moves, is easy to patch and repair, can be effectively environmentally sealed with tape when you run plumbing or electrical to it, and can be cut to whatever shape it needs to be with a knife.
American houses are… different