Click together a home that your grandkids will love you for

Published in: scanmagazine.co.uk

Whether you are a homeowner or an architect looking for a more sustainable, efficient, and accessible way to build, the Klik-Klik wall system may be the answer. Developed by the Danish/Latvian CLT Factory, this modular and directly reusable wall system offers a new patented solution to timber construction – one that responds not just to climate concerns but also makes building your own house more than just a dream.

At its core, Klik-Klik is a prefabricated wall system made from cross-laminated timber (CLT) with patented joints that click together, eliminating the need for screws or nails and minimising waste. It is robust enough to meet static and load-bearing requirements and simple enough to be assembled by two people in a day or two.

“We have by far the world’s fastest way to build the basic structure of a house — the load-bearing part – while at the same time finishing the interior surface,” says Peter Frandsen, CLT Factory’s CEO of process & quality management, Scandinavia. “If you compare it to constructing with plaster walls, you would first have to cut and install the loadbearing piles, then the plasterboard is inserted – studs, frames, screwed in – then isolation is added and another plasterboard layer is added on the other side. Once it’s done, you just call the painter to paint, trim and spackle. When we put up our elements, we install them right then and there – and when we do, the wall is finished, we don’t go back to it. There’s nothing faster than this.”

More than that, the Klik-Kilk system is designed to be disassembled and reused, bringing circular economy principles into practice and cementing the sustainable merits of constructions made in responsibly sourced timber, a renewable and carbon-negative building material.

Launched in 2024, the Klik-Klik system is still young but has already gained recognition. For the last two years, it has received the Sustainable Building Awards from the British BUILD Magazine. Crucially, the system has also been granted technical approval from ETA Denmark, verifying that it meets current national standards for use in construction. “Klik-Klik is a developing company, but this is for real,” says Frandsen. “The system is already out there, in use, and approved.”

A team of two can assemble the load-bearing walls of a house in one day.

A solution rooted in practice

Frandsen, a trained carpenter, and his Latvian CLT Factory partner Eriks Meinarts developed the Klik-Klik system in collaboration with university scientists and engineers, as well as traditional cabinetmakers and Janis Straupe, a famous woodwork artist. “I was working with CLT for years, but it was always large-scale – hotels, schools, office buildings,” Frandsen explains. “I kept thinking: how do we bring this material into the hands of ordinary builders, carpenters, and homeowners?”

Inspired by Japanese Buddhist woodwork, the answer that emerged was to develop a system of standardised CLT panels that fit together like a puzzle. While this may sound simple, getting it just right was a long journey including numerous designs, redesigns, technical tests and patent applications. One of the key strengths of the final system is, however, its simplicity. “We wanted to make it like Lego,” says Frandsen. “Something you can understand and work with right out of the box, assemble and disassemble. There’s no need for cranes or specialist tools, and the panels can be installed on-site.”

Manufactured in Europe, the panels come in 16 variations, colour-coded and delivered with clear assembly instructions.

Built to minimise waste, last, and be reused

Klik-Klik is not just a system built for speed – it is built for longevity and flexibility. CLT has a natural lifespan of over 100 years, provided it is protected from moisture and direct sun exposure. But unlike traditional building materials, Klik-Klik is also designed for disassembly.

“If your needs change in 30 years, you can take it apart and use the panels again,” Frandsen says. ” You can turn a row of senior housing into a kindergarten or a set of family homes without discarding the materials. That’s the power of this system.”

Another ecological strength of the system is its dedication to minimising waste. “This is about making something strong, yes, but also something that fits into an economy where nothing is wasted,” Frandsen adds. “That’s the future we’re working toward. Every offcut from production is used – we even make our transport pallets from the excess top sills that come out of our panels, so when you’re using our system and you come down to the pellets, you can disassemble the pellets and use them in your house production.”

This idea of creating environmentally sound constructions is central to CLT Factory’s ethos. In fact, the company has started using a slogan in its marketing that captures this long view: “Your grandkids will love you.” As Frandsen puts it; “Because you didn’t just build something for yourself. You built something they can use, too. It’s like Lego in that way, too; it will last for generations. And that’s how it should be – we should be able to use the things again and again and again. Otherwise, there will be nothing left for our grandchildren.”

A cluster of holiday houses in the Netherlands stands as a testament to the versatility of CLT factory’s elements.

From concept to construction site

Since its development, Klik-Klik has been used in residential and light commercial projects in northern Europe. A 200-square-metre home in Sweden was built over two days using the system, while in the Netherlands, a cluster of holiday homes now stands as a testament to CLT’s versatility.

“The exceptional Klik-Klik walls system, featuring CLT panels, offers not only a rapid and efficient construction solution but also seamlessly blends visual aesthetics with sustainable practices, creating a harmonious combination… Our initial experience with the Klik-Klik elements has revealed its immense potential and inherent advantages.”

Frandsen, too, is keen to ensure that despite the patented engineering behind Klik-Klik, the intended users are not just architects or developers, but the builders and carpenters who construct everyday homes. “We don’t design for Gaudi architects,” he says with a grin. “We’re talking to the people who build homes for families. Architects who sit on trains with rolled-up drawings. People solving real problems.”

Design at home

To make planning and ordering as simple as building, CLT Factory offers a user-friendly 3D application that allows customers to design their projects digitally before committing. Whether you are an architect, builder, or homeowner, you can use the tool to draw your layout, select wall elements, and visualise the structure in real time. The online application provides a clear overview of the materials needed and generates a corresponding price quote based on your design. “The idea is that you can sit at home with your partner, enjoy a glass of wine and sketch your summer house extension,” says Frandsen. “It should be that accessible.”

This accessibility ethos extends to pricing as well. While Frandsen is cautious about making sweeping claims on cost, he notes that savings can be significant when factoring in speed, waste reduction, and the elimination of separate finishing work. “We don’t want to get into debates about cost per square metre,” he says. “But when people see the whole picture, the value is clear.”

A building deposit system

Klik-Klik’s reusability places it firmly within a circular building model. The CLT is sourced from certified suppliers across Europe and cut using CNC technology to precise tolerances, ensuring minimal material loss.

Even electrical installations are designed with reuse in mind. The system’s Element #16 features a dedicated cable channel that allows users to install and later retrieve wiring without damaging the structure. “It’s another layer of circular thinking,” says Frandsen. “When you reuse the wall, you can reuse the wiring too.”

Due to its durability and easy disassembly, Frandsen is also anticipating that the Kilk-Klik system will pave the way for a future where buildings will come with their own form of deposit system. Working in partnership with STARK, one of Europe’s leading building suppliers, CLT Factory is exploring a return system inspired by the Danish bottle deposit model.

“We’ll be the first timber wall system with a deposit return system,” Frandsen explains. “If someone comes to STARK in 30 years with a Klik-Klik element they bought today, the idea is that they could ask, how much will you pay me for this?

A 200-square-metre home in Sweden was built over two days using the Klik-Klik wall system.

Looking ahead

Confident of the product’s worth, the CLT Factory continues to refine the Klik-Klik system, with plans to expand the range of panel types and further develop the app that lets users visualise their designs in 3D.

“We’re not trying to reinvent architecture,” Frandsen concludes. “We’re just making it easier to build something solid, beautiful, and lasting. And if your grandkids thank you one day, well, that’s a bonus.”