Often, people who live in areas with commercially available round timber have the idea of building a house on their own: especially since until recently almost all peasants possessed this wisdom, without knowing any literacy or mastering construction technology. Building a log house with your own hands is not a great science, but it still requires a deep understanding of the process and the ability to adapt old carpentry technologies to new conditions.
Materials and tools for building a log house
We immediately hasten to dissuade people who want to install a log house using modern power tools to save time. Unfortunately, the use of chainsaws and power planers is not recommended and should only be used for heavy-duty work. Wood treated with power tools is more susceptible to mold and rotting processes. For the construction of log houses, a special carpentry kit is used.
To work, in addition to axes, you will need a standard plane (as well as a Scherhebel plane for finishing work) and a scraper (for removing bark), there is also a number of additional carpentry tools for chopping into a cup. To cut out a longitudinal groove, an adze is used - an ax with a rounded blade and an inverted ax handle. When processing wood with hand tools, the wood pores are naturally clogged; as a result, a hand-cut house will last much longer.
Carpenter's ax and its features: where to order and how to make
A house made of round timber is cut using several types of axes; professional woodcutters order axes for chopping houses to order from high-quality hardened steel. In the very simple version We recommend stocking up on an ax for rough cutting, which without the weight of the ax should weigh about 1.6 kg, have a sharpening angle of 25 degrees, for convenience, use an ax length of 60 cm. And the second ax is used for finishing cutting with more high accuracy, such a model will have a sharpening angle of 20 degrees, a weight of 0.9 kg and an ax handle up to 50 cm long.
Many artels in their work use a restoration and carpentry ax, which was restored and made on the basis of ancient samples by A.V. Popov. There are many modifications of it, which were made by Popov himself. Approximately up to 90% of carpentry work involving felling a log house can be performed with this tool. Popov's ax has a wedge-shaped shape; in fact, this ax is a half-splitting ax, since its tasks include not only chopping, but also removing wood chips during work. This requirement is achieved using a special tool shape.
A number of Russian forges produce high-quality axes for cutting log houses. One of the most interesting is ToporSib. In this artel you can purchase all necessary tool for cutting a log house in the form of ready-made kits.
Selection and preparation of logs for construction of a log house
To build a log house you will need round timber. The thickness of the frame is selected based on the availability of materials. Usually a house made of round timber is cut with your own hands from available and inexpensive materials. In Russian conditions we're talking about about pine round timber. There are 4 varieties of round timber available for sale; experts recommend the 2nd grade:
- 1st grade: butt part, without knots, used for high-quality woodwork;
- 2nd grade: assortment from the middle and butt parts of the pine trunk, available a small amount of knots and cracks;
- 3rd grade: round timber with big amount knots;
- Grade 4: wood with any defects except rot.
Pine for the construction of a log house is chosen for budgetary reasons; in addition, this wood is soft and pliable in processing, has a small number of knots, does not require additional processing, the trunk run-out (difference in diameter) usually does not exceed 1 cm. Pine does not crack as much as spruce processed, but is soft, so larch or oak is recommended for lower logs that are closer to the ground. In this case, the frame crown can be made of pine, but its diameter should be 5-7 cm larger than the main log. In some cases, a high foundation can save you from ground moisture.
To cut a log house, only fresh wood is used; ideally, the log house is cut in the forest, where the material can be selected, and then transported to the installation site. Fresh material should be stored for no more than 2 weeks; for storage at the construction site, rounds are stacked. For northern regions with temperatures reaching -40C in winter, logs with a diameter of 21-24 cm are used; for the middle zone, 15-18 cm is sufficient.
Project
When building a house, it is better to start with small forms of buildings, for example, building a gazebo or a log bathhouse with a recreation room and a bedroom. You can live in such a house before the construction of the main house, and then use it as a guest house. Usually timber is ordered maximum length, in this case, you can make accurate calculations based on the presence of windows, doors, partitions and select logs at the sawmill according to the required size.
To successfully and quickly build a house for yourself, it is better to join an artel that deals with wooden construction, at least for summer time. This will help you understand the main points of manual felling of log houses.
Foundation work: in the past and now
Foundation under wooden frame made using tape technology or made of stone. The higher the foundation, the better the wood will be protected from ground moisture. A house made of round timber can be installed on a columnar or pile foundation. In the old days, the first rows of logs, the so-called mother crown, were installed on stone shafts; they were called ryazhe. This solution made it possible to raise the house above the ground and secure it firmly.
We cut a log house with our own hands
Before starting work, prepare additional equipment. First of all, the support for holding the logs, the fixation of the round timber is ensured by cut out wedges. Next you need to prepare the logs to size:
- when cutting a log house “in the paw”, the logs are prepared according to the design dimensions of the house;
- when cutting “into a bowl” it is 60 cm more.
Next, using a scraper, the bark is removed from the trees; you can bring the log to a smooth state with a plane, but since upper layer wood will be removed, you need to treat the log with an antiseptic solution or tar oil.
At the next stage, the cutting of the facing crown is carried out by trimming the log. On one side, you should get a perfectly flat surface that will be in contact with the foundation. Next, the harness is constructed, done without special labor cut a log house into a bowl with your own hands; other technologies require skill.
Here's a video of how to make a log house with your own hands:
The algorithm for cutting a longitudinal groove can be different; professional craftsmen do it manually. For beginners, a small graphical instruction will help.
The felling of a log house can be carried out in a bowl, as well as using a number of other methods, which are illustrated in the figure.
Please note that there is Russian and Canadian technology cuttings The Canadian method of cutting log houses is better designed for log shrinkage and guarantees better thermal insulation.
Conclusion
Cutting a log house with your own hands is a very realistic goal, as a result of which you will become the owner of a beautiful and warm home. Construction wooden house will cost you relatively little, since labor-intensive processes will be performed independently. The house will delight you with its appearance, and also create a healthy atmosphere inside due to the aroma of pine resins. The key advantage of this construction technology is the fact that a wooden house can be cut at any time of the year. If you use high-quality old wood, such a house will last at least 100 years.
Construction log house involves the use of various technologies. A log house can be built from chopped logs (hand-planed) or from a log house rounded on a special machine.
A log house can be built from chopped logs or from a log house rounded on a special machine.
Wood selection rules
To build a wooden house with your own hands, various technologies are used. Modern methods construction allow you to process the log house up to the desired shape, cutting a groove in the logs for subsequent fixation into crowns. Each size is adjusted to within 1 mm. Building a house (using this method) is presented in the form of a construction set. When carrying out such work, you will need to make a drawing.
If the house is being built from rounded logs, then the bark and top layers, including the sapwood, are first removed. The next stage involves treating the wood with special impregnations. The diameter of each element must be more than 300 mm. The project on the basis of which the log house is being built can be purchased at finished form or do it yourself.
Assembly diagram of a log house made of rounded logs.
The price of such a building depends on the following criteria:
- number of storeys;
- material;
- complexity of the design.
The walls of an object can adjoin each other at different angles. This is due to the fact that logs can be cut into a bowl of the desired shape. Builders distinguish 2 methods of building a house:
- harvesting logs at a construction site;
- assembly of the building according to the drawing using pre-prepared rounded wood.
Method 1 is characterized by the use of wood with natural moisture. When choosing a material, its density is taken into account. Logs should have a yellow or dark yellow surface. The cut should be smooth and tight, without resin pockets. A crack in wood can have a depth of no more than 1/3 of the cut.
Preparatory work
For self-construction For a log house, you will need to buy beams, rafters, joists, roofing material, tape measure, level, buckets, boards, screws, and a screwdriver. Then the site for the future building is prepared. Wood should be stored under cover. Since the building being erected is light in weight, it will require a shallow foundation. For these purposes, experts advise pouring a pile-strip base, slab, pile or buried strip structure.
Foundation diagram for a log house.
For arrangement pile-strip foundation you will need to mark the area. Then the top layer of soil is removed. A recess with a depth of 30 cm is made across the width of the structure. Wells are installed along the perimeter of the building, the diameter of which is 180 mm and the depth is 150 cm. A layer of crushed stone and sand is poured into each well. A frame is prepared from the reinforcement, which is lowered into the well. The next stage involves filling the hole with concrete. A vibrator is used for compaction.
Boards are used to construct the formwork. The structure is mounted above the ground level so that it protrudes by 50-60 cm. For strip base you will need to weld a frame that is connected to the reinforcement sticking out of the wells. The next stage involves pouring the base. If the foundation has hardened, then it is waterproofed. To do this, you will need to lay roofing material on the surface (3-4 layers), additionally coating the material with mastic.
Rules for building walls
The mortgage (1st) crown cannot be mounted on the base of a log house. A board (made of linden) is first laid on the foundation. For this, you can use timber, the thickness of which ranges from 50-100 mm, and the width - no more than 150 mm. The next stage involves assembling the frame.
Scheme for constructing walls from logs: I - cutting with a cup down; II - cutting with the cup up; III - correct placement of the log with the cup; IV - angle of the frame; 1 - processed log; 2 - groove; 3 - cup; 4 - remainder; 5 - dowel (spike).
Initially, logs (1-2 pieces) are laid on opposite walls of the base (parallel to each other). Each log house has a factory longitudinal and locking gusset. The next stage involves laying the wood on the remaining 2 sides. Insulation is placed on top. The groove and recess of the bowl are filled with moss, tow, jute and other caulking material. The insulation is laid in such a way that it hangs down on all sides by 5-6 cm. To fix it, use construction stapler. Since the jute tape completely covers the groove and runs in the middle in the bowl, the material is installed in the last element in 2 pieces. The recess is filled with insulation.
2 logs are mounted on the transverse sides of the foundation. They rest on a mortgage crown. An angle of 90 degrees must be maintained between the wood. Builders advise regularly monitoring their horizontal position. The remaining crowns are installed according to a similar pattern. Some modern technologies The construction of a log house involves the use of dowels (for fixing the crowns).
The elements under consideration are presented in the form of wooden slats made of dense wood. In each log you need to make a hole into which the dowel is inserted. The remaining 2 crowns are not fixed (for shrinkage). Factory rounded logs have holes for door and window openings.
Roof installation
Installation of windows in a log house.
The next stage involves installing the roof. Beams and rafters are included. The last elements are mounted on the logs of the upper crown. If desired, pre-lay the Mauerlat. If the project includes a veranda, then shrinkage compensators are inserted into the supporting frame (vertical). To prevent the structure from skewing, each vertical log is equipped with the last elements.
Metal pins are used to connect ridge analogues. The rafters are installed in increments of 600 mm. To do this, you will need a beam with a cross section of 50x200 mm. To fix the structure, sliding supports are used to the last crown. Waterproofing material is laid on top. When installing the sheathing, a step is followed, which depends on the type of used roofing material. The next step involves installing the roof.
Upon completion of the roof installation, you will need to caulk the insulation. This will require a special tool. The material is wrapped 5-6 cm downwards, pushing it into the cracks between the crowns. The house is left in this state for a year (for its shrinkage). After the specified time, the caulking process is repeated. The resulting cracks are sealed with jute or hemp.
Installation of the roof of a log house.
Some builders recommend caulking a building after its annual operation. An important point when building a log house is the installation of doors and windows. Partitions and openings are installed one year after the building is erected. Casing boxes with special fasteners are pre-installed. Windows and doors are inserted into the resulting structure. Since wood tends to expand and shrink, this process takes a long period of time.
The construction of the floor of a log house involves inserting logs into the mortgage or a subsequent crown. The last elements must be securely fastened. The mortgage crown needs good ventilation. Experts recommend installing flooring on the logs of the upper crown. At this stage, various communications are installed, including the heating system, baseboards, and plumbing.
If the construction of a house is made from logs of insufficient length, then joining them is allowed.
Natural wood– environmentally friendly, durable, inexpensive, aesthetic material. Logs have been used for construction for a very long time and do not lose their popularity today. Today, when people make a choice in favor of natural and environmentally friendly products, log houses are becoming especially relevant.
Construction wooden houses A huge number of companies are engaged in turnkey work. Most often, they are also involved in harvesting logs. The final price of the finished home will depend not only on the size of the house, but also on the quality of the log, its diameter and production method.
Building a house with your own hands is half the price. In this article we will look step by step at how you can build a log house yourself.
Peculiarities
Wood has the properties of releasing moisture. Living in such houses is much more pleasant than in stone ones: warm in winter and cool in summer. A wooden structure is lighter than concrete or brick, therefore, the foundation will be cheaper.
Compared to timber, a house made of logs will be much more expensive and will take more time to complete the construction process, but its unique color and high performance characteristics easily compensate for these shortcomings.
One of important points– this is the preservation of the structure of wood in the interior. The interior design of a wooden house made of logs can be decorated in rustic style like a hut with a Russian stove or, for example, Provence.
Despite the emergence of new technologies in construction field, log houses continue to be built using traditional methods. The logs are laid in a horizontal structure forming walls. Each laid row is called a crown, and the lowest one is called a frame crown. A log house that consists of 4 walls is called a four-wall structure, where the logs are tied together in the corners. If there is an internal partition - a five-walled one.
Advantages and disadvantages
A log house has a number of advantages. Specialists construction industry and owners log houses note the following advantages:
- Environmental friendliness of the material. Such houses are built from natural wood, which allows you to preserve the natural qualities of the material. Such a home will always retain a pleasant woody aroma and a cozy atmosphere.
- The most important thing people love about wood is its excellent thermal insulation properties.. For example, housing made of 20-centimeter logs is much better thermally insulated than similar housing made of brick. Therefore, by building a log house, you will save on heating.
- Weight wooden house will allow you to lay any type of foundation.
- Structure wood allows the house to “breathe”. It is comfortable to be in such a house.
- WITH material point vision wood is an affordable building material. Building a bare box log house will cost you a small amount of money that you would never have bet on brick house. Also due to the cheap foundation and lack of decorative processing The walls of a house made of wood end up being much cheaper.
- Wood has a natural feel. Nice appearance allows you not to finish it additionally either outside or inside.
- Wood has high strength and load resistance, which allows you to build a house on several floors.
- Possibility of assembly and disassembly if necessary, allows you to move the house to a new location.
- The wooden house project is simple design drawing, which will be understandable to anyone reading.
In addition to the advantages, such buildings also have disadvantages:
- susceptible to rotting over time;
- complete shrinkage of the log house occurs after three years, although you can move in six months after construction is completed;
- Although special treatments reduce the fire hazard, the risk of fire is still high.
Wood selection
When preparing for construction, an important step is the choice of material. The main requirements for wood as a building material are resistance to external aggressive factors, aesthetic appeal, accessibility, durability, heat and sound insulation.
It is also important to understand that no matter quality wood neither was it, if the construction technology is violated and technical instructions are not followed, then the durability of the building in this case is not guaranteed.
Typically, the choice of wood type is made between larch, pine and spruce.
Larch
Larch is a coniferous tree that is distributed throughout Russia. The most suitable for construction is larch from the Siberian regions.
This type of wood has a huge number of advantages. It is durable, strong, does not rot and is not affected by fungus.
Materials made from larch do not swell or deform even in rooms with high humidity.
Larch has a beneficial effect on humans, bringing great benefits to his health. The price for products made from this material will be affordable to every buyer. In addition, larch does not require additional processing, unlike other species, which can also significantly save money.
In the process of rounding logs, very narrow sapwood is removed from larch, as a result of which the logs will not turn blue in the future.
Logs of this species do not require additional processing. The resin of the tree itself acts as an antiseptic, disinfecting and preventing tree beetles from developing.
Larch has greater fire resistance compared to other species.
Spruce and pine
Both breeds are actively used in the production of building materials. These are the main competitors in the consumer demand rankings. Timber made from these species is durable and strong.
Spruce and pine are identical in physical indicators, however, spruce timber is looser, but that is why it is warmer compared to pine.
Both species are similar in strength and chemical properties, but pine is more susceptible to blue-sap staining, which can be prevented in the first place by special means. As a preventative measure, it is recommended to use antiseptics. Over time, the color of spruce wood does not change.
The natural moisture content of both rocks is 12%. Timber harvesting for spruce and pine occurs in winter time year due to the fact that deformation during shrinkage of logs is possible in summer. Large diameter pine logs are preferred for the construction of large buildings.
There are also differences in the structure of the fiber: in pine it is pronounced and has a certain pattern, while spruce has a uniform structure.
When choosing a material, an important factor is its flammability. But this can be combated by using fire retardant compounds to treat wood.
When building wooden houses they use different kinds logs
A rounded (calibrated) log is obtained by processing rounding machine. The advantages of this type of raw material are increased quality, the ability to form a profile of any complexity, low cost and high speed construction of a log house. Houses made of rounded wood look beautiful and do not require additional processing.
Planed log – more suitable option for a warm and durable log house. It is processed with an electric planer, and all irregularities are removed. Such logs turn out even and smooth. The price of a house made of planed logs is significantly higher compared to houses made of other types of wood. The scraped log is the most durable even without special treatment. And with additional antiseptic treatment, a log house made from this type of log can last more than a hundred years.
Minor processing helps the debarked log retain all its protective properties, which significantly increases its service life.
Glued laminated log combines the advantages of profiled laminated veneer lumber and beautiful rounded log shapes. It is characterized by increased strength compared to solid wood. The main advantages of this type of log: it does not crack and does not change its shape during long term operation, and also has insignificant shrinkage, amounting to only 1-2%.
Requirements
There are certain standards and requirements that must be taken into account before starting to build a house.
So, for example, first you need to obtain permission to build housing on your site. Upon receipt, documents such as: certificate of ownership are checked land plot, permission to use land for country house construction or individual housing.
After receiving the necessary permission from the administration, you need to start planning the site. Neighboring buildings and a fence are selected as a guide for the location of the future house. The distance to them should be at least 5 m.
There are also requirements for building materials: no cracks, defects, or curvature. Indications for solid timber and laminated veneer lumber may differ. For example, in a solid log, cracks with a depth of up to half of the log are allowed, while in a glued log, their permissible depth is only 1/3. The curvature of the laminated veneer lumber can be up to 10 mm, and in the case of solid laminated timber – 17 mm.
Design
Any house is an architectural and engineering structure that cannot be built without a project that will require certain calculations. When designing, it is best to turn to specialists or choose a ready-made project.
It is worth considering that two-storey house with an area of 50 m2 will cost a little more in terms of financial costs than a one-story building of the same area due to the fact that costs are reduced due to the foundation, engineering systems and roofs.
Before starting design, it is important to conduct a geological survey of the area, which will give an idea of the properties of the soil and groundwater. This information will help you decide on the type of foundation.
First, the total weight of the future house is calculated, according to which the type of foundation is selected. Then the layout of the rooms, as well as the design and appearance, are thought out. It is necessary to think through it in detail precisely at this stage of preparation, since subsequently it will be impossible to make any changes, since the partitions in log houses intersect with the crowns of the external walls.
The next step is to calculate the number, locations and sizes of windows and doors.
Next, the type of roof is selected. Before designing a roof, you need to consider that the simpler it is, the more reliable it will be in the end. After which the sequence of work is developed, as well as the stages of assembly of the log house. At the end of the design, the installation of all utilities is thought through.
Do not forget to think about the issue of storing building materials on site. To do this, they usually build a shed where logs are laid with the obligatory relaying of thin wooden blocks.
Important details:
- decide in advance what type of timber the construction will be made from;
- do not forget to calculate the impact of shrinkage on the roof;
- choose the place where the house will stand, taking into account the 5-meter distance from the boundary lines of the site;
- do not design window openings onto the roadway, in the future the rooms will be noisy.
Projects for country houses and houses for permanent residence will differ in some details. For the latter option, a more durable monolithic foundation is selected, the installation of communications, careful insulation and special sound insulation are taken into account.
Standard project– the most common type of design that does not require any special modifications. The most important thing in this option is to take into account the characteristics of the site for future construction.
A preliminary design is a drawing that shows only the facade of a house without calculations.
An individual project is developed taking into account all the wishes of the future homeowner.
Preparation
Today, a home is not just a place to live or spend a weekend, but also a financial investment. Therefore, before you start building, you need to thoroughly prepare. Errors in design, choice of materials, and installation can lead to serious consequences in the future.
The preparation for construction consists of the following steps:
- If you are already the happy owner of a plot of land, before construction you will need to think through the design, obtain technical specifications from the authorities servicing communication systems, and also obtain a construction permit.
- If there is no electricity or water on the site, you must take care of this at the preparation stage. The issue of water supply is solved by drilling a well, and in the absence of electricity, it is necessary to stock up on at least an electric generator.
- To prevent strangers from entering your site and preserving building materials, it is advisable to fence it.
- It is also necessary to install a small utility unit, which will simultaneously serve as a place to store tools and shelter from bad weather.
Then you need to level the area for the foundation, uproot stumps and tree roots, and clear the construction site of debris.
Construction stages
After completing the preparation, design, and procurement of materials, construction can begin.
When building a house with your own hands, it is important to follow the stages of action.
At the first stage, the foundation is erected and ground floor. Trenches or a pit are dug depending on the type of foundation. For log houses, strip, pile-grillage or slab foundation options are usually chosen. At the same stage, communications are laid and drainage is arranged. It is better to lay the foundation of a house in the warm season.
After delivering the marked log to the site, the construction of walls and floor coverings is carried out, as well as the installation of stairs and internal partitions. Assembly takes place according to technological maps walls in development. All crowns are fastened together in a checkerboard pattern.
The next stage is construction rafter system Houses. It is very important to comply with all necessary technological rules. When constructing wooden houses, rigid fastening of rafters is not used due to the fact that during shrinkage the entire structure may rupture. The most popular roofing coverings are metal tiles, corrugated sheets, soft roof, ondulin.
The next stage is sanding the walls and insulating them. Shrinkage may cause cracks to form, so it is very important to inspect the house and seal any cracks if necessary. After sanding, walls can be coated with special tinting solutions to change the color.
Then the doors and windows are installed, leaving gaps for the insulation. Conducted engineering work, is installed heating system, stairs. At the end of all work, external and internal finishing is carried out.
Insulation
A house made of wood is considered warm and pleasant to live in due to the fact that the walls breathe, retaining heat. However, the thickness of the logs cannot always withstand severe frosts. In this case, it is best to carry out external and internal insulation of the walls, roof and foundation. Insulating your home will help reduce heating costs and also reduce heat loss.
A vapor barrier film must be present in any type of home insulation, be it external or internal.
The film is installed between the wall sheathing and the heat insulation layer. The vapor barrier layer helps the main insulation not to get wet.
Outside
Owners of log houses should take into account that not all materials are suitable for external installation of insulation.
Ecowool, granulated sawdust and mineral wool are well suited for log buildings - these materials do not prevent water evaporation, are resistant to combustion and increase the thermal insulation parameters of a log house.
Before installing external insulation in a log house, it is necessary to treat the facade with antiseptic agents to prevent damage to the wood by rot, mold and insects. The structure must also be thoroughly caulked, that is, all walls must be examined for damage and cracks.
The cracks can be easily detected with the help of a candle; to do this, you just need to move the burning flame next to the wall. If it deviates, then there is a gap in this place that needs to be sealed. When caulking, jute or tow is used.
After this, the sheathing is installed in the form of horizontal and vertical guides in increments equal to the thickness of the insulation. First lay on top of the sheathing vapor barrier film using a stapler, and on top of it - insulation material. A waterproofing film is placed on top of it, which will protect the insulation from moisture.
Finishing in the form of siding or lining is done at the very end. Such cladding will provide protection from winds and bad weather, and will also give beautiful view your home.
It is advisable to insulate the house in the dry season and only a year or two after the start of its operation.
For external insulation, in addition to the heat insulator, you will need wooden beams for the frame, a vapor barrier and a water barrier, and fasteners.
It should also be noted that thermal insulation work on the outside is better than other insulation options.
From the inside
Insulation from the inside can sometimes reduce living space, so many people choose external insulation. However, if the external insulation option is not suitable, but you still need to protect your home from the cold, then this can be done from the inside. But it should be remembered that this method can create a threat of rotting of the walls, this is especially typical for baths due to the constant high humidity.
Before insulation, you need to caulk, seal all cracks and cracks with tow, foam or felt and treat the walls with a protective solution. Next, a “pie” is created, consisting of several layers. First, a vapor barrier film is laid. Then a frame of 5*5 cm timber is installed, after which a layer of insulation is applied to the frame and covered with another layer of vapor barrier film.
You should never rush into anything finishing works, if the room is not yet insulated. It is important to insulate not only the walls, but also the ceiling and floor. Popular materials for this are mineral wool and glassine for the ceiling and floor; glass wool, polystyrene foam and ecowool - for walls.
You can insulate the building from the inside no earlier than a year after the construction of the house, in which case the insulation will last a long time. External roof insulation is a rather labor-intensive process consisting of several steps. First you need to thoroughly waterproof the entire roof space. In this case, membrane film is most often used, which is easy to install and affordable. Next, the insulation flooring is made, and at the end the roofing material is laid.
To insulate the inside of the attic, it is most often finished with fiberboard sheets, which create additional sound insulation and also create a beautiful appearance.
Bulk and liquid insulation, which must meet the following requirements: have low thermal conductivity, light weight, high vapor permeability, good sound insulation qualities, be fire resistant and have high density.
It is also possible to insulate the foundation both from the inside and from the outside. The most optimal time to insulate the foundation - before the construction of walls begins. If you are not planning a basement, then the entire space should be covered with expanded clay up to the level of the future floor. To create this type of insulation, it is necessary to make formwork around the perimeter of the internal walls, using durable materials (boards, slate). Next, expanded clay is poured inside, and the subfloor is covered with a hydromembrane layer and mineral wool.
The outer walls of the foundation must be treated with special sprayed insulation.
Installation of partitions
In addition to load-bearing walls, wooden houses have interior partitions, which can be made from various materials, but in a log house they are usually made of wood, in harmony with the log walls. They are usually installed after shrinkage.
With the help of interior partitions, you can divide one large space into several small rooms to suit your taste. At the same time, they do not carry any load, but are responsible for sound insulation. Such partitions can be moved from place to place without outside help.
When designing a house, interior partitions are usually placed so as not to create a large number of passage spaces. Today there are a lot modern programs, where you can create a three-dimensional model and immediately evaluate the future layout.
Partitions must be made of quality wood, treated with an antiseptic, and have lightness, reliability, rigidity and heat and sound insulation.
There are several types of interior walls.
Frame-panel
The most popular and economical option, which you can easily do with your own hands. They are constructed from timber beams, which are connected to each other by horizontal strapping. This harness gives strength and reliability. Insulation of frame-panel partitions can be done from mineral wool, and the wall must be lined with some kind of vapor barrier material on both sides.
Frame-panel walls are considered the best in terms of sound insulation compared to other types. The surface can also be sheathed with plywood sheets to give a perfectly flat surface.
Solid
This type partitions are made of the same material as load-bearing walls, but fiberboard is sheathed on top. The solid partition is secured at the top and bottom using bars, and at the sides with nails.
Panel walls
Made from several layers of boards that are laid in a bandage, it is a rather heavy structure with a thickness of 6 cm and a weight of about 80 kilograms.
Partitions are installed after the log house shrinks. To make them you will need a hammer, hacksaw, screwdriver, chisel, screwdriver, electric drill and jigsaw.
In this article we will look at how to make a house from a log with your own hands, which will not be inferior in beauty and functionality to a structure made by specialists.
Modern technologies
If you have a question about how to build a house from a log, we recommend reading this material. The most popular thing is to build a house from rounded logs. There is an explanation for this:
- This type of building material undergoes preliminary machining, making each trunk the same size.
- The length of the logs is adjusted according to the customer’s project, and with the help of laser equipment a connection is made on each trunk with great precision. Thanks to this, there is practically no manual adjustment, and the frame is assembled as if from parts of a construction set.
Where to begin?
Of course, from the project. Some limitation to the flight of fancy for creating your own project can be the size of the logs - they have a certain length. Therefore, you first need to take an interest in what is sold in your area, since the standard length of logs is 6 m, and the maximum can reach 13 m, but this is only possible when purchasing Siberian larch.
However, if your knowledge of design is superficial, then it is better not to experiment, as mistakes can be very costly, to the point that the house may become uninhabitable. What to do?
There are many ready-made projects on the vast expanses of the Internet - some can be downloaded for free, others are sold. The second option is more reliable, since everything is calculated down to the smallest detail by specialists. Whatever route you take, before you build a log house, you need to have a clear idea of the size of the house and the number of floors. This will help you decide what kind of foundation you need.
Choosing a foundation
The lifespan of a house built from logs depends on how strong the foundation is. The undoubted advantage of a wooden house is its light weight, due to which there is no need to make an overly powerful foundation. Its structure may be different, but the foundation must be built in accordance with all standards of strength and reliability. Let's consider several options suitable for this purpose:
- Shallow strip foundation.
- Columnar foundation.
- Pile foundation.
- Slab foundation.
The most common is strip foundation. This is followed by columnar and pile, but in cases where the soil is too loose and wet, then the last option remains - the device slab foundation. This costs more, but even if a log house “floats”, it will only be with the slab. In any case, before deciding what kind of foundation to make, you need to “get to know” the soil.
After completing the work, carefully check the levelness of the base surface using a hydraulic level. If the difference is more than 1 cm, then it must be leveled with cement mortar or waterproofing.
Material selection
Even a child will answer the question about which tree is the most resinous - well, who doesn’t remember how hard it is to wash your hands after you grab the trunk. Someone may have less pleasant, but vivid memories of resin - sitting on a bench, from the boards of which this liquid was released, sticking to everything it came into contact with. Undoubtedly, the most resinous logs are those from coniferous trees.
Due to the fact that this wood contains a lot of resin, it is less susceptible to rotting. In addition, the trunks of coniferous trees are straight, and this is one of the the most important factors to build a wooden house, so, given the low cost of this material, we will choose it.
If you wish and have the funds, you can purchase larch beams, which have a very beautiful texture, they are strong and durable, but very expensive.
Stages of work
For any house, and especially for a wooden one, the building material must be well insulated from moisture. First of all, the concrete is coated with molten bitumen. Before laying the first crown, lay at least 2 layers of waterproofing on the foundation (in addition, you can install it once with “glass insulation”). Then there is a laying board, and on top there is another layer of waterproofing, which must be laid in such a way that all layers extend 25 cm beyond the edge of the foundation on all sides.
The timber must be prepared in advance, even when unloading the timber onto the site. You need logs that are as smooth as possible, with a minimum number of knots and without blue stains. The forest is selected based on its annual rings - the one with the most rings is the densest. Make sure this is the central part of the tree. This can be determined by the location of the center point on the cut of the log.
Be sure to coat the selected wood several times with liquid bitumen mastic(this composition is achieved by mixing with waste machine oil), leaving the ends untouched, as moisture will escape through them. This will help to saturate the timber as much as possible, thereby significantly increasing the service life of the crown before it is replaced.
If the log is slightly curved, then it should be laid with its straight edge down. Secure the beams with metal dowels, which need to be driven to a depth of 3 cm.
Next, the house is assembled from blanks, which is not particularly difficult. While maintaining the laying sequence, the logs must be laid on top of each other, but before laying the next logs, attach tape insulation made of jute, hemp or tow to the longitudinal groove.
It is important to securely fasten the timber near window openings and doors. This is done using a dowel - a wooden stake that connects 2-3 logs. Before securing the log, check its position relative to the wall. Secure it with nails by driving them into the sides.
This will prevent the log from moving when drilling it with a hammer drill with a long drill, the diameter of which should be 5 mm smaller than the dowel used. That is, if the drill is Ø 20 mm, then the dowel should be Ø 25 mm. Tightly driven dowels firmly hold the logs together, making the frame strong.
Video
This video talks about building a house from logs.
