Icelandic turf house

Icelandic turf houses (Icelandic: torfbæir [ˈtʰɔrvˌpaijɪr̥]) are timber structures with turf walls and turf as a cover for the roof. Turf houses have been constructed since Iceland was settled in the 9th century.^[1] Turf houses were the product of a difficult climate, offering superior insulation compared to buildings solely made of wood or stone, and the relative difficulty in obtaining other construction materials in sufficient quantities.^[2]

30% of Iceland was forested when it was settled, mostly with birch. Oak was the preferred timber for building Norse halls in Scandinavia, but native birch had to serve as the primary framing material on the remote island. However, Iceland did have a large amount of turf that was suitable for construction. Some structures in Norway had turf roofs, so the notion of using this as a building material would not have been alien to many settlers.