The decision to build a house from timber is not made immediately or suddenly. It’s just that this technology, with a simpler assembly of walls, allows you to obtain excellent characteristics for housing: for the Moscow region, timber 195 mm thick is sufficient. With such a thickness of the external walls it will be warm, but to save on heating it is better to insulate it (10 mm mineral wool on the outside) and make a reversible façade. Then there will also be savings on heating.
Plasticity in processing is one of the advantages of wood
Which wood to choose
Wood is usually used to build a house coniferous species. There are several reasons. Firstly, the increased content of resins, which are natural preservatives and antiseptics. Thanks to their presence, wood does not deteriorate for a long time. Secondly, affordable price. You can, of course, build a house from beech or oak beams, but the price will be simply exorbitant. Thirdly, the wood is soft and easy to process.
Of all the coniferous species, a house is most often built from pine beams. With good characteristics, it is relatively inexpensive. Houses made of larch and cedar are rarely built: they are too expensive. Spruce is even rarer, but for a different reason: it deteriorates the fastest, and is also difficult to process. So, regarding the type of wood, there is, in fact, no choice. 95% of it is pine. But you need to understand the type of timber.
According to the processing method, timber can be:
- Regular or solid, unplaned timber. Sawed out of solid log, cross-section - quadrangle (square or rectangle).
- Profiled timber. It is also sawn from a single log, but is then processed: tenons and grooves are formed with milling cutters - profiles with the help of which one beam is joined to another. The side edges are also processed. They come out of the machine already planed. Section - complex shape. Side faces can be smooth, rounded, figured - with chamfers, a “lock” shape - numerous beards and notches.
- Glued timber. Outwardly similar to profiled, but assembled (glued) from several boards.
Let's look at the features of each type of timber regarding the construction of a house.
House made of ordinary timber
If earlier they said that they decided to build a house from timber, then they clearly understood the usual rectangular timber. There was simply no other one or it was too expensive: it was brought from abroad. Ordinary timber is the most affordable, if you take the cost per cubic meter. But, as a result of all the required measures, the cost of construction may be higher than from a profiled one. It's all about the characteristics of the material. They lead to significant additional costs even at the construction stage: when building a house from unplaned timber, inter-crown insulation is necessarily used. Its geometry is not ideal, and if this is not done, the blowing through the gaps between the crowns will be very strong. The second feature is that the surface of the walls turns out to be uneven and it is impossible to do without finishing the inside and outside.
In addition to laying the inter-crown layer, the delivered log house is caulked, additionally sealing the seams. You need not just one caulk, but at least two, sometimes more. And all because it is made from wood with natural moisture. In practice this has the following consequences:
Another feature of the house from ordinary timber: The walls turn out uneven. To give them a “decent” look, they are either sheathed finishing materials, or polished. But grinding is a controversial undertaking: the inter-crown seal makes it almost impossible. Even if you manage to sand the timber, where should you put the seams?
So it turns out that the cost of the house may be higher as a result: to the cost of the timber, add inter-crown insulation, material for caulking and the work itself (and it is not cheap), the cost of external and internal finishing. Please also note that they deliver moldings to your site - bars of the ordered length. The bowls are cut on site. This means that the qualifications of carpenters must be high. How warm the corners will be depends on how the cut is made. And in timber house It is the corners that are the most problematic places.
Features of profiled timber
When examining profiled timber, the first thing that catches your eye is the almost ideal geometry and smooth surfaces. At least that's how it should be. At good quality execution, no finishing is needed: the wall immediately turns out even and smooth, even if it’s ready for painting.
The second, also quite obvious feature, is that due to the fact that the edges that join two profiled beams have recesses and protrusions (locks), there cannot be through gaps. Manufacturers of profiled timber say that you can lay walls without inter-crown insulation: it will be warm anyway. But few people listen to them. They put in at least thin insulation. Some people use a thin backing for laminate, others use self-expanding tape for installing plastic windows, as well as jute tape and similar materials.
In the photo, by the way, the most common profile among developers lately is the “comb”. It can have a “tooth” of different heights and widths, and everyone loves it because, in theory, it is impossible to “blow through” it. However, even here they play it safe by installing insulation.
Several typical timber profiles (the two on the far right in the picture are laminated timber, but the exact same profile is made from solid wood)
In general, there are a lot of profiles. Some of them are in the photo. When choosing a supplier, you need to pay attention not only to the shape of the locks, but also to how they are made. The match in any pair should be maximum.
Having decided to build a house from timber with a profile, you need to decide on its humidity. Profiled timber can be of natural humidity (cheaper), or - chamber drying with humidity no more than 14-16%. The features of lumber with natural moisture have already been considered, now let’s talk about chamber drying. The enterprise installs large drying cabinets, into which the finished profiled timber is loaded. There, in the conditions elevated temperatures, it loses excess moisture. At the same time, all the processes that usually accompany drying wood occur in the chamber: it bursts, it twists. Accordingly, part is scrapped, and the rest is sold at a higher price. The reasons seem clear.
If you decide to build a house from kiln-dried timber, you can start finishing earlier. The log house should still stand, but it will take 9-12 months. At the same time, new cracks rarely form; existing ones only expand. But it is worth keeping in mind that due to the high costs of drying, most often they only reduce the humidity to operational - 16-18%, while chamber-drying wood is considered to be 8-12%.
In any case, the cracks will need to be sealed. Caulking is needed in very limited quantities: first of all, you will have to look at all the corners and notches, if any (this is what they call the places where the walls are attached). Even a well-made bowl can dry out unevenly, causing a gap to appear. The beam can also turn out, which will also lead to the appearance or expansion of a gap. So periodic revision of the angles is also required during operation. Wood is a living material and will change all the time. Also, after a year of sludge, you will have to repair too large cracks in the timber (without fanaticism, so that the tow does not open the crack).
The log house is assembled from numbered blanks with a molded bowl (numbers in blue at the ends)
The situation may be simpler with the assembly. If you just order lumber, you can cut corners from profiled timber, as from regular timber, on the site. But many enterprises, if they have a project, offer to take on part of the work themselves. Using a special program, they lay out the timber: they make a list of “spare parts” from which the house will be assembled. Then, according to this list, blanks are cut out, with molded bowls. The blanks are numbered and delivered ready-made to the site, where the house remains to be assembled like a construction set: folding the beams according to the numbers marked on the plan.
This is convenient, especially if you are going to build a house with your own hands without construction experience. It is clear that the service is not free, but you can save on paying carpenters: you do not need to assemble such a highly qualified designer. Only in this case, whether your house will be warm or not depends on how accurately the bowls are made in production. Sometimes there are companies that make very low-quality cuts. You can see several of these in the photo.
Poorly made bowls - the blowing will be incredible, and caulk will not help much
In general, it has its disadvantages and its advantages, but compared to ordinary timber, profiled timber is more convenient in construction, and in terms of price it may even be cheaper if you count the finishing.
Glued laminated timber
From the name it is clear that it consists of glued parts. First, the lamellas are cut out, treated with antiseptics, dried to a certain moisture content, and then glued together. Because of complex process manufacturing, the price tag for this material is approximately 2.5-3 times higher than that of conventional material and 80-90% higher than that of profiled material.
What are its advantages? Properly made, it does not crack, it does not shrink: dry material cannot shrink, and glued beads should have a moisture content no higher than 12-15%. Therefore, the finishing process, with a beam width sufficient to compensate for heat loss, can only be reduced to painting or varnishing, since protective impregnation carried out at the enterprise (should, in any case).
What does laminated veneer lumber and its profiles look like?
Another consequence of the lack of shrinkage is that after just a few weeks, the folded frame can be immediately placed under the roof, and after another few weeks, finishing can begin. This time is necessary for the bowls to shrink, and geometric dimensions laminated veneer lumber should not be changed. That is, there is a significant saving of time - everything, including finishing work, can be done in one season.
But are glued beads really that good? In terms of speed of construction, yes. But he has serious shortcomings. First: it is glued. This crosses out one of the main advantages of wood - environmental friendliness. Secondly, its vapor permeability is low. Many people put wooden houses precisely because of their ability to naturally regulate indoor humidity. Glued laminated timber lacks this due to the presence of layers of glue. Of all the advantages of wood, only its attractive appearance remains, but when finished with clapboard of the appropriate profile or a block house, it looks exactly the same. Therefore, the use of laminated veneer lumber to build a house is a very controversial issue.
Stages of building a house made of timber
A log house has several advantages:
- The walls turn out to be light, which is why the load on the foundation is low, which means that the costs of its construction will be lower.
- Wood is an elastic material and it compensates for small movements of the foundation without compromising the integrity of the building. And this, again, allows you to make shallow foundations on well-draining soils.
The choice of foundation type depends largely on the soil, but most often it is done if there is no need for a basement, you can put a columnar one (for small buildings of temporary residence - dachas, bathhouses, etc.) or without). It is advisable to base the choice on the results of geological research. The process is described in more detail.
While the foundation is “setting,” the wood is prepared. All timber and dowels are treated with antiseptics and fire retardants. Use compounds that do not form a film on the surface of the log. They will not interfere with the drying process. After preparing the timber, the actual construction of the house begins:
- Cut-off waterproofing. To prevent the wood from the foundation from drawing moisture, it is necessary to lay a layer of hydrophobic material. Previously, two layers of roofing material were laid under the first crown. Today there are more modern materials- coating and roll. You can use them, and in combination: coat them, stick them on a roll.
- Laying the trim crown. The timber is selected without signs of blue, with a minimum number of knots. Preferably - from the middle part of the tree - with a maximum density of annual rings. It is additionally treated with impregnations intended for wood in direct contact with the ground. In order to ensure better preservation of the first crown, there is a trick: lay it on the waterproofing wide board, soaked bitumen mastic with working out. Another layer of waterproofing is placed on it, and the first crown is placed on top. All these layers are connected to the foundation with studs that are embedded in the foundation.
- Rough floor. The floor logs are attached to the first crown - a beam with a section of 150 * 100 mm. They are laid in increments of at least 70 cm. To make it more convenient to work, subfloor boards are laid out along the joists without nailing them.
- Assembling walls from timber. If a wall kit with ready-made bowls is not ordered, they are “slaughtered.” Cut out according to the template. A template is drawn from a piece of plywood, traced, and then cut out. A chainsaw is used more often, but a fairly high degree of proficiency with the tool is required: how warm the house will be depends on the accuracy of the cut. The shapes of the timber connection are shown in the picture.
We have already talked about laying inter-crown insulation: when using regular timber it is required, for profiled timber it is advisable in bowls, the rest is optional. The crowns are connected to each other by dowels - long round bars carved from a single piece of wood, dowels - rectangular in shape or pins - metal rods. In any case, a hole is drilled under the connection into which the connecting element is driven.
- The order of work depends on the type of roof chosen. When installing a simple installation, rafter legs are installed, but the order is different. A windproof membrane is rolled out and secured onto the assembled rafter system. In this form, the house is left to dry out for a long period of time.
- Door and window openings. To speed up drying and shrinkage, you can cut out window and door openings, install a frame or fixing strips. Door and window units Do not install until the end of the main shrinkage.
After a year or two you can start finishing works. All the time while the log house is settling, it is necessary to monitor the processes occurring in the wood. It is necessary to immediately inspect the corners and, if necessary, caulk them. Then monitor the condition of them, as well as the beam connections. If the dowels are driven in with great force, during drying the timber may hang on them, causing cracks to form. You can solve the problem by hammering: take a huge wooden hammer and knock on the walls, causing faster shrinkage. The same technique is used if the house is settling too slowly.
The video shows the main stages of how to build a house from timber. Despite lyrical digressions, a lot of valuable information.
How to build a house from timber: photo report
They built such a house.
We ordered a wall kit for the project, and a strip foundation was poured under it.
They brought blanks with sawed-off bowls. They were carefully unloaded, while inspecting them for any defects. One beam turned out to be problematic - it was in the middle of the bundle and suffocated - it became covered with fungus. It was postponed for a separate “treatment”. The rest were covered with impregnation (Valti Pohusta) and stacked.
To avoid problems with fungus, a spacer is laid under each - boards lying across.
Rolls of insulation and dowels were also purchased. The Nagels were sent to bathe in the impregnation. IN old bath poured the impregnation and left them for half a day, then took them out and dried them.
The first crown - a half-beam - was laid on top of the waterproofing laid on the foundation. It has no grooves at the bottom.
It was pulled to the foundation with anchors to studs poured into concrete.
The first crown was laid. The one that was previously fixed on the foundation is often called “zero”.
Let's measure the diagonals. In order for the cups to stack without problems and to avoid distortion, they must be equal. The permissible distortion is a couple of millimeters.
Having aligned the diagonals, we drill holes for the dowels. To prevent holes larger/smaller than the required length, a wood stop was placed on the drill.
The walls are gradually growing. We fasten them in a checkerboard pattern with dowels.
In general, the timber is more or less normal, but there are problems with incorrectly sawed cups. When we lay the timber, we get a huge gap. The only way to combat this is to manually adjust the cups so that everything lies evenly.
It takes a long time to eliminate these inconsistencies, but gradually all the walls are laid out.
Walls made of profiled timber were removed
Let's start assembling rafter system. First, as is customary, the two outer trusses are installed, then everything else, according to the project.
The finished sheathing was sheathed with roofing felt. So let's leave the house to dry.
Inside we lay out the subfloor boards, nailing every fifth one. They will dry along with the house.
Video on the topic
Mistakes that are made when building houses from profiled timber are described and discussed in detail in this video. Very helpful. Look.
As surprising as it may sound, building a house from timber with your own hands is a very real task and can be done by many. To do this, you need to take care of purchasing building materials: first of all, timber. It can be glued or profiled material. The manufacturing procedure of these two types differs from each other, but the process of building a house has practically no differences. If this is important to you, then construction will allow you to save on labor costs, since it does not require a large team - only 3-4 people are enough.
As for the use of special equipment, it is also not required. All you need is a concrete mixer, a pump for it, a winch, an electric or chainsaw, as well as a number of other tools that are always at hand. You will learn further about how to build a house from timber.
Characteristics of a house made of timber
Please note that timber is used mainly in low-rise construction, the structures of which do not have more than three floors. What can you get as a result?
- First of all, everything performance characteristics timber have positive properties.
- Secondly, its environmental friendliness will create a high-quality microclimate in the room.
- Thirdly, a house made of timber looks very beautiful and stylish.
Agree that all this is very important. If we compare timber and logs, it can be noted that the first, since it has rectangular shape, will bring more benefit. The same walls built from it have a smooth surface. Therefore, you will not have any problems additional problems related to interior and exterior decoration.
Additionally, when building a house from timber, you do not have to worry about the fact that so-called cold bridges may form as a result of the construction of walls. This is due to the tight fit components, again related to their shape. How to build and how to insulate a house made of timber, what to use for processing and other nuances will be discussed further.
Some general information
With the help of timber you can easily make all your wildest fantasies and dreams come true. It can be used in the construction of a cottage of impressive size, for an ordinary house on one floor, for small dacha or a fairy-tale tower.
Elements such as a balcony, terrace or veranda can be added to the building design. All of them will fit quite appropriately and elegantly into the overall style.
A house with large dimensions can be decorated with a multi-pitched roof. This option looks very beautiful and elegant.
If you turn to professionals to create a project, you will get a result that will take into account all the features. In particular, the qualities and properties of the soil will be taken into account, calculation required material And technological features. But how to build a house from timber is the second question; first you need to take care of a reliable foundation.
Laying the foundation for a timber house
Since a structure made of timber is quite heavy, it will require you to have a strong foundation that meets the reliability requirements.
- If your project involves constructing a basement or cellar, it is best to opt for the tape option.
- If wet and silty soil is found, a foundation on screw piles is best.
- If the area of the house is not very large, you can use a slab foundation. This option will allow you to create a base that simultaneously serves as a subfloor on the first floor.
You have selected the device option pile foundation with a grillage? Its technology involves installing concrete piles into a recess. The best option for its installation is loose soil with a high degree of freezing.
Concerning strip foundation, then to him positive qualities can be attributed to the ability to withstand high loads, as well as its construction without the use of special equipment. Additionally, it is distinguished by quite simple technology execution. This type of foundation is the most common and is ideal for private homes. That is why its structure will be discussed further.
Technological process
Initial actions include marking along the entire perimeter of the future building. It is imperative to note the location of the walls inside the house, which will be load-bearing.
- Next, trenches are laid along the applied markings. Their width should exceed the width of the future walls by approximately 10 cm.
- If a basement is indicated in the plan, then you need to start arranging a pit (to organize a cellar, it is enough to dig a hole). Minimum size The depth of the ditch under the foundation must be at least 60 cm, while exceeding the level of soil freezing.
- At the very bottom of the trench, a sand cushion is installed, then a layer of gravel. Both of these layers must be at least 10 cm deep. You also need to take care of their thorough leveling.
- Another mandatory procedure is moistening and then compacting the sand to achieve required density. The next layer will be concrete mixture. Usually 5 cm is enough.
Formwork construction technology, reinforcement procedures and subsequent concreting
In order to make removable formwork, you will need a board measuring 25 mm. You will need to knock down the shields from it. Their elevation above the upper edge of the trench should correspond to a value of 40 cm. To ensure that the completed formwork does not move, it is necessary to install special spacers.
As for the reinforcement procedure, it will require metal rods with a cross section of 10 mm. The frame made from them is located both lengthwise and crosswise. The joints of rods located in different directions are fixed using knitting wire. Make sure that the formwork and rods do not touch each other. The gap between them should correspond to 5 cm.
- The concrete mixture for pouring the foundation is prepared in one of two ways. For example, you can use a 1:3 proportion of cement and sand; the grade of cement in this case should be M400. Another variant concrete mixture 1:4:4 is prepared, where the first component is cement, the second is sand, and the third consists of specialized additives. The grade of cement in this proportion is also M400.
- Mixing of concrete is done using a concrete mixer, and pouring is done using a pump. The most important thing is to prevent air bubbles from appearing in the mixture itself. A vibrator will help you with this.
As with other types of work with concrete, the surface must be moistened until completely dry. This will allow the concrete to dry out not too quickly, which means it will improve its quality. After pouring the foundation, you need to wait approximately 28-30 days and only then proceed to the next stages of work.
How to build a log house from timber
From which assembly method timber house you choose will depend on the consumption of building materials, as well as the amount of funds spent. The least expensive is considered frame option construction. But today is not about that. Next, we will consider the classic method of assembling a log house.
The most optimal types of wood are the following options: spruce, larch and pine. Any of them is quite easy to process and has affordable price. How to lay timber correctly? For the answer to this question, it is best to turn to professional builders.
- The very first crown is laid on a layer of insulation. It is very good if it is two layers.
- Hot bitumen is applied between layers. Simply put, the first layer is bitumen, then roofing felt, again bitumen and again roofing felt. Please note that the insulation size (width) must be approximately 35 cm larger than the foundation.
- The following stages are carried out exclusively with timber. In the process of this work, a fair question arises: how to treat the timber? For these purposes, it is necessary to use an antiseptic composition. This is done in advance. This processing will ensure reliable protection from moisture, bacteria and pests.
In addition to the antiseptic, a composition that has fire protection properties is used to treat the timber. The most the best way processing is considered to be the application of compounds to each beam separately, since an already assembled building cannot be completely processed, the joints will remain unaffected. However, how to treat a house made of timber is up to you to decide. The main thing is that the materials used are of high quality and meet the necessary requirements.
- The first part laid on the foundation must have a rigid attachment to the base, passing through the waterproofing layer. The ebb tide will also be fixed to it, the function of which is to protect the walls from possible precipitation. Laying the first crown can be done in several ways. The first of them involves the use of a backing board, the second - transverse slats.
As for the second option, its use will provide an additional gap, that is, ventilation. The slats (10 mm) are fastened in increments of 30 cm. At this stage, the horizontal position of all parts should be carefully monitored. The most suitable for these purposes is a laser level.
The cross-section of profiled or laminated timber is usually 140x140 mm or 90x140. The front part can be flat or convex.
- Factory production involves applying special tongue-and-groove joints to its upper and lower sides. This option allows you to most tightly and rigidly connect the parts of the house to each other.
- Between the rows of timber it is necessary to place jute insulation specially designed for this purpose. The crown connection is made by driving the dowel approximately 30 cm, the pitch of this fastening is 1 m.
The jute insulation mentioned above will help you avoid the formation of cold bridges in winter period. It will also prevent the occurrence of condensation, which means it will reduce the chances of fungus appearing inside the wood, which in turn will significantly extend the life of the building. The jute insulation is fastened using a construction stapler.
Methods for lengthening timber
It often happens that it is necessary to connect two beams to obtain a length corresponding to the size of the wall of the house. This type of connection must be performed competently and carefully. The most commonly used method is the dressing method, in which the vertical seam in the next row is slightly shifted in relation to the previous one.
To increase the strength of the butt joint, you need to cut half a tree in the direction along the beam. To increase reliability, dowels are used.
The shorter timber is used for window decoration and doorways. For these purposes, only whole building materials should be used; connections are not allowed. Using another method involves making a cut in an already assembled log house. A chainsaw is usually used for this procedure.
Basically, the construction process is quite simple if you at least observed the construction process from the outside. Of course, there are many nuances (markings, doors, windows, etc.), but if you want, building a house from timber is quite possible. Good luck!
How to build a house from timber. Video No. 2
How to build a house from timber. Video#3
How to build a house from timber. Video #4
At the moment, building a house from timber with your own hands is much easier than before. Almost everyone now has a computer at home and an Internet connection, where you can find tips and advice about this type of construction, so as not to make unnecessary mistakes.
In principle, you can build such a house using two construction methods:
- First, you can find a company that produces kits of houses from timber, and order a log house of the required size, and after its delivery, assemble this kit with your own hands. You will spend much less time assembling such a house.
- second, you buy the required amount of timber and assemble the log house, cutting it yourself to the required size.
For the construction of walls, you will need timber measuring 15x15 cm, and for partitions, timber measuring 10x15 cm is used. Before assembling the house, it is advisable to treat the timber with an antiseptic solution to protect the wood from wood-boring insects, rot and mold.
We lay the first row, which is called the strapping, on the prepared foundation. It will differ from the rest of the rows in that its corners must be connected to each other. This can be done by laying the corner beams overlapping, for which it is necessary to cut off half of each beam from opposite sides to the width of the beam itself and then fasten them with a dowel. For strength, it is advisable to make the dowel from birch boards.
The logs under the floor can be laid so that they are connected to the first crown. In this case, it is necessary to mark for the joists and make cuts according to the markings to a depth equal to half the height of the beam. Then he began to chop, trim, lay the lag, after placing insulation and securing it with a dowel.
Before laying the second row of beams, insulation is laid on top of the first row. Can be used as insulation natural material moss or tow, or felt. Partitions must be cut into the walls, and insulation is also laid on them, otherwise their height after assembly will be less than the height of the walls. The rows are fastened together with dowels, which are driven into holes drilled in two beams.
The height of the walls after assembling the log house should be within 3 meters. If the house is one-story, then on the penultimate crown it is necessary to lay ceiling and rafters
beams, they also need to be embedded into the penultimate crown and secured with a dowel.
The rafter beams should protrude beyond the frame by a distance of about 60 cm on both sides.
Rafters can be installed from 10x15 cm timber, cutting them into a lock with a rafter beam and additionally fastening it to it with special brackets or brackets. To give
stiffness of the rafters, install a tie at approximately 2/3 of its length, and rafter posts under its ends. To give the rafters a vertical position, we install braces.
We make the lathing from edged or not edged boards 30 mm thick in increments of 10-15 cm.
We seal the gables with a tongue and groove board, but later it will have to be sanded and painted, or, as many people do now, covered with corrugated board.
To cover the roof, you can use metal tiles, corrugated sheets, and corrugated sheets. You can choose the color of this material at your discretion.
We install wooden entrance doors. The windows can be plastic, or wooden, but made according to modern technologies with seals and double-glazed windows.
All that's left to do is interior decoration, but before you start, you need to wait a while for the house to shrink.
It makes no sense to tell the reader about the advantages of buildings made of wood - enough has been written about this. But not every product allows you to build a house from scratch with your own hands. Working with a log, even a rounded one, requires not only practical experience, but also certain knowledge. Timber is preferable in this regard, which is why it is so popular among individual developers, especially since independent construction will cost much less than a turnkey order.
From the author’s point of view, many manuals describing installation contain almost everything - diagrams, recommendations, examples standard projects. But this is overlooked important point, as the choice of timber. Its range is quite large (if you take into account the difference in cross-section), and without knowing some of the nuances, you can significantly complicate the process of constructing a building with your own hands. Therefore, before understanding the technology of building a house from timber, you need to decide on the material itself.
Manufacturing features influence the characteristics of the finished product and determine the specifics of working with workpieces. Not the price, but everything listed below should become a criterion when choosing. Ignoring this information will directly affect the final result, and not for the better.
Brief description of varieties
1. Planed.
This is nothing more than a log, cut to length on all sides, the profile is a square or rectangle. Among analogues this option- the cheapest, but when purchasing it for construction, you need to take into account that a number of difficulties will arise.
In accordance with the requirements of SNiP, the use of wood with a moisture content of more than 20% (for glued elements - 15%) is not allowed in construction.
- You will have to dry the timber yourself. Without knowing all the intricacies of the technology, it is unlikely to be done correctly.
- You will have to wait and start construction after some time (depending on local conditions, this period may drag on for a long time).
- You will need space on the site for storage. Plus additional costs for covering material, slats and the like.
- Initially, such timber does not have strict geometry. Its pruning is done “roughly”, often using worn-out equipment. Considering how many cracks will appear after installation (and the workpieces will also “lead” during the process of self-drying), it is really possible to build warm house made from planed timber is quite problematic.
2. Profiled.
It differs in that there are “samples” on both sides - tenons and grooves or a “comb” (wave). In the latter case, there will be no need to install insulation during construction.
To ensure that the matches of the protrusions and recesses are as accurate as possible, you need to use products from the same batch for the entire building. Therefore, before purchasing material for a house made of profiled timber, it is necessary not only to make a correct calculation of its required quantity, but also to determine the reserve (about 10%).
Such products can be either naturally moist or dried under production conditions. The latter option is preferable, as it will allow you to build a house that meets all the criteria for a cozy home with your own hands, even without construction experience. Shrinkage does not exceed 5%, so in some cases finishing and arrangement are not delayed.
3. Glued.
Building a house from this type of timber yourself is quite simple, since the process is reminiscent of assembling a construction set. If it is certified, then the maximum shrinkage is 1%. Consequently, some types of work (laying communications, fastening attachments) can be carried out in parallel. Do-it-yourself construction has many benefits, and once you consider them, the high cost won't seem too daunting.
- Firstly, you can move into such a house made of timber immediately.
- Secondly, saving money on materials (insulation, cladding).
- Thirdly, saving money. The technology of building a house is so simple that paid services various masters and in principle you won’t need consultants - you can do all the work yourself, and according to any scheme (project).
When choosing laminated veneer lumber yourself or ordering turnkey construction, you need to focus on a number of points:
- all lamellas should be the same thickness, and their optimal number is 5;
- they must have a uniform shade. There is a timber whose top boards are made of one type of wood (for example, cedar), and the “inside” is made of low-grade wood. Build really good house will not work.
1. In relation to our climate, the optimal cross-section for a house made of timber is 150 x 150 (or 100 x 150).
2. It is advisable to build with coniferous materials, as they are more resistant to moisture.
3. Annual rings on the end parts should be evenly spaced. Asymmetry is a sign that shrinkage will lead to axial distortions (twisting).
4. The quality of construction largely depends on the correct geometry of the workpieces. It is difficult to determine this visually when storing products, but to ensure the evenness of the products, it is enough to lay 2 beams from the batch side by side - all the bends will immediately become visible.
Step-by-step construction instructions
It should be considered as a recommendation. The fact is that it can be built in different ways, since there are differences in projects (even when ordering on a turnkey basis), in laying schemes, fastening of timber and other nuances. This manual will only give practical advice a master who decided to do everything with his own hands.
1. Foundation.
You can build a house from timber using any type of timber. Choice optimal option determined by local conditions, it makes no sense to provide unambiguous instructions for this stage. But there are a number of recommendations:
- The lower crown must be raised above the ground by at least half a meter.
- If the foundation is built on piles (pillars), then it is advisable to arrange a grillage, that is, to close the “gap” between the ground and the structure.
- Even during the process of pouring the solution, it is necessary to install fastening elements (pins) onto which the lower crown beam is “fitted.”
- At self-installation The knitting of the frame is literally done with your own hands, but it is better not to use welding. Thermal effects destroy the structure of the material, and if a plastic rod is used, then this technology is not suitable by definition.
- Regardless of how and what the reinforcement is knitted with, in the corners and in places of sharp bends of the tape, the frame elements are connected only with metal fasteners (wire, staples, clamps).
We must not forget that construction from timber involves protecting the wood from direct contact with liquids. Therefore, the building needs to be “raised.” And this is not to mention the fact that few people are happy with the prospect of a garbage dump forming under a house made of timber. For the base belt type in order to save money, you can lay out the so-called “zero” (0.5 m) of brick (preferably ceramic).
2. Lower crown.
Perhaps this is the main point when building a house from timber with your own hands. Both the final result and the complexity of independent construction depend on how accurately and correctly such work is done.
The main requirement is geometry accuracy. Even if the contour of the tape is not a rectangle, some distortions of symmetry can be eliminated by proper laying of the timber (possibly offset relative to the axis of the foundation). In addition, all upper cuts of the workpieces must lie in the same plane (horizontal). It is the construction level at this stage that is the master’s main assistant.
When independently purchasing material for a house made of timber, regardless of the project for which it was decided to build it, it is advisable to choose larch for the lower crown. During use, it only becomes stronger, even when absorbing liquids.
3. Construction of walls.
The work is carried out from the lower crown upward - this is understandable. The only question is how to fasten the workpieces. To really build strong house, regardless of the connection diagram, in the corners, as well as in places where walls adjoin, for high-quality fixation of the elements, you need to use additional fasteners - dowels.
In order to have fewer joints, even when drawing up the project, the linear parameters of the house are selected so that as much as possible large quantity The timber was laid in its entirety, without cutting the pieces. When determining the optimal length, it is necessary to take into account ease of transportation.
It is mounted according to various schemes. But experts recommend choosing wood of the same species as the timber for the rafter system.
Everything else - door and window openings, flooring, “finishing” finishing (if intended) is done at the discretion of the owner. It is independently determined with both materials and technology, so there are no specific instructions.
Technology for assembling a log frame for a house or bathhouse
Organization of a workplace for assembling walls
To ensure the work progresses, the beams are laid out in a stack at a distance of 5-6 meters from the building on one or, better yet, both sides. Each layer of beams in a stack is placed on spacers made of boards.
Next to the stack will be equipped workplace for marking and cutting beams. A variant of such a workplace is shown in the figure.
It is convenient to mark the timber using a template at a height of 0.9 - 1.1 meters in the marking area, node A in the figure. After marking, the timber is lowered onto low pads into the cutting area. In this position, it is convenient and safe to saw the timber chain saw.
The cut timber is lifted onto the wall. To facilitate the ascent, slopes are arranged - inclined beams, whose upper end rests on the upper crown of the log house. The timber is moved along the slopes using a rope.
Wedge-shaped stops are nailed to the slopes, which make lifting the beam safer. In addition to safety, the stops allow you to get by with little force. Even one person can, if necessary, lift the beam, fixing it with stops at intermediate points.
It is most convenient to carry out work on assembling a log frame from timber with a team of four people. You can work together, but the work will just go slower.
Scaffolding is constructed to install the upper rims of the log house and the roof.
Three-tier scaffolding on the gable of the house. 1
— extreme racks; 2
- L-shaped scaffolding stand of the first tier on the side facade; 3
- flooring; 4
— central racks; 5
— cruciform braces (shown conditionally); 6
- bosses The assembly of the upper crowns of the log house is carried out from the level of the first tier. The flooring of the first tier is laid on L-shaped racks, pos. 2 in the picture. The racks are installed around the walls of the house and attached to the walls using bosses, pos. 6.
At the stage of constructing the roof (attic), on the facades where the installation of pediments is necessary, scaffolding has to be made in three tiers. To construct scaffolding racks, boards 50 x 150 are used. mm. Flooring is made from the same boards.
Working from scaffolding is more convenient, faster and safer than from ladders - don’t forget about this.
Marking beams for wall assembly
Practical construction experience shows that it is not realistic to keep in mind the sequence of marking the elements of corner joints.
Before starting work, draw a diagram of the assembly of the walls of the house, which indicates: the serial number of the crown, the type connecting element at the ends of the workpieces, the position of the openings in the wall.
An example of a house wall assembly diagram is shown in the figure:
Scheme for marking corner joints of timber and joints of parts of longitudinal walls, for a house with overall dimensions 6x9 meters. A And WITH- longitudinal walls; D And B- transverse walls; E- internal wall made of timber - partition; 1
- joints of beams. For the house shown in the diagram, each crown consists of 7 pieces of beams ranging in length from 3 to 6 m.
The crown of the longitudinal wall consists of two parts: the main beam of a standard length of 6 meters and an extension of 3 meters. On one crown, long beams are laid on the left, and extensions on the right. On the next crown, laying begins in in a similar manner, but on the right.
The parts of the crown of the transverse wall and the partition are made from one beam of a standard length of 6 meters.
To eliminate cold bridges in external walls, the joints of the beams of the longitudinal wall, item 1, are made by making vertical cuts “into the floor of the tree” with an overlap of 15 - 20 cm. The timber in the corners of the crowns is connected into a dressing with a root tenon (see below for more details).
How to correctly and quickly mark tenons, grooves and other profiles, ensure identical dimensions of lumber blanks?
The easiest way to do this is using templates. The template is placed on the beam and the outline of the template profiles is transferred to the surface of the beam with a marker.
It is more convenient, faster to mark and there will be fewer errors if the template completely follows the contour of the part and has the same length as the part being marked. I placed the template on the timber and immediately transferred all the dimensions and profiles to the workpiece.
For our example, we will need to make seven templates, corresponding to the number of parts in the crown. One template is used to mark two mirrored wall parts.
If you think about it, the number of templates can be reduced. Let's look at how to make universal templates for marking parts of the longitudinal walls of a house (see above for the wall assembly diagram).
Two templates (highlighted in bright yellow) for marking the beams of the longitudinal walls. 4
— groove for the main tenon; 5
- groove for tenon interior wall; 6
- sample; 7
- finishing beam. The picture above shows the template for marking the main beam in the crown, in which the extension is located on the right. On the wall marking diagram, these are crowns A1, A3, A5 and C1, C3, C5.
Bottom template serves for marking the main beam in the crowns with extension on the left - A2, A4, A6 and C2, C4, C6.
The templates are the same at first glance, but differ in that the grooves, item 5, for connecting to the partition, are located in different places in the templates.
The same templates are used to mark the parts of the extensions. To do this, on the templates at points b And With through holes are drilled, and at points A And d cuts are made.
To mark the extension, the template is placed on the beam and points are made on the surface of the workpiece through holes and cuts.
Remember this technique when making holes in the template. This will help you create universal templates in many other cases.
The templates are made from planed inch boards.
As a result, we manage to reduce the number of templates from seven to three (2 for longitudinal walls and 1 for transverse walls). Two longitudinal templates (right and left) provide the ability to obtain blanks for longitudinal walls, and one transverse template allows you to prepare parts for transverse walls and partitions.
Now let's look at how templates are used. To mark the first beam of the crown (for example, starting from the left), the left template is laid on the beam and the end of the template on the left is outlined with a marker, then two grooves and, finally, a recess for the connection “into the floor of the tree”. The marked timber is transferred to the cutting site, where unnecessary fragments (it is better to mark them out)
hatch) are cut with a chain saw.
How to mark parts with spikes? Obviously, the tenon and groove are elements of the same unit, which means they must match each other in size and location. In a part with a tenon, a tenon is marked in place of the groove.
If the groove dimensions are 5×5 cm, then the spike should have dimensions - 4.5 × 4.5 cm. The gap is filled with inter-crown insulation.
The template profile is transferred to the upper edge of the beam. The markings are transferred to the vertical edge of the beam using a square. Accurate cuts are made using these markings.
How to assemble smooth walls from timber of different widths
The technical conditions (TS) for the manufacture of timber allow deviations in the size of the timber in one direction or another from the standard value specified in the documents.
If the purchase documents indicate standard sizes timber, for example, section 150x150 mm. and length is 6 meters, then the actual dimensions will differ from the standard.
Each beam in a batch of timber brought to the construction site will differ from the dimensions indicated in the documents by several millimeters. The cross-sectional dimensions and length of the bars will be different.
The variation in sizes must be taken into account when developing templates, marking timber and assembling walls.
How to assemble smooth walls if the beams are different in width and length?
b— minimum beam width; delta b- the difference between a narrow and wide beam. Obviously, using timber of different widths, you can make only one surface of the wall flat - either from the outside or from the inside of the building.
If they want to make the outside wall of the house smooth, then All beams in the wall are aligned along the outer edge. Then, inside the house, wide beams will protrude from the wall by the amount of “delta b"(the difference between narrow and wide bars). Alignment along the outer edge leads to an increase in gaps in the corner joint of the beams (see figure).
If the beams in the wall are aligned along the inner edge, then the “steps” from the protruding beams will already be on the outer surface of the wall. The outside of the wall is usually sheathed. And if you chamfer the outer edges of the timber, then the steps on the wall will be invisible even without cladding. The corner joints of the beams are more dense and “warm”.
How and with what to connect the crowns of a log house
Each crown of the log house is connected to lower crown metal or wooden dowels. The dowels are placed at a distance of approximately 250-300 mm from the end of the beam and then every 1-1.5 meters of the length of the beam.
Each detail of the crown is secured with at least two dowels. The length of the dowel must be at least 1.5 times greater than the height of the beam.
cm., pos. 1. Round steel dowels with a diameter of 6-8 mm.- pins with a pointed end or nails (6x200-250 mm), simply hammer into the beams of the crowns, option a on the image.
The upper ends of dowels made of any material must be buried into the timber by 2-4 cm. If this is not done, then when the timber dries and the log house shrinks, the dowels will be higher than the timber and will lift the upper crown. A large gap forms between the crowns.
For the same reason Driven pins cannot be made from reinforcing steel. The corrugated surface of such dowels will keep the crown beams from moving when the log house shrinks, even if the dowel is buried into the timber. The crowns will simply hang on such dowels.
Small-diameter steel hammer-in dowels cannot always provide the necessary wall rigidity, especially when long length spans of walls. Their use can be recommended for small buildings - for example, baths. To increase the rigidity of the walls of large buildings, it is necessary to install dowels of increased diameter.
Steel dowels with a diameter of 10 millimeters or more, as well as wooden dowels, are inserted into pre-drilled holes in the timber. The diameter of the holes is made slightly smaller than the diameter of the dowel.
When the dowel fits tightly into the hole, the rigidity of the wall increases, but the risk that the dowels will interfere with the shrinkage of the frame increases.
Wooden dowels with a diameter of 25-30 mm Convenient to cut from round cuttings for tools. Such cuttings are made from hardwood. It is recommended to chamfer the lower end of the dowel - it will be easier to drive the dowel into the hole.
You can cut dowels from a regular board into “inches” square section 25x25 mm. One end of the workpiece is chamfered. Such pins are driven into a hole made with a drill with a diameter of 24 mm.
The ribs of such a dowel are made of relatively “soft” coniferous wood when hammered in, they crumple, the wood becomes compacted, ensuring a fairly tight fit of the dowel in the hole.
How to properly drill holes in timber for dowels
The depth of the holes in the wall for installing dowels must exceed at least 4 cm. dowel length. Moreover, the hole must be free of chips.
To drill holes in timber that are deep enough and have a large diameter, a low-speed electric drill (drill) is usually used. The passport of a power tool usually indicates what diameter of drilling in a particular material the drill is designed for. Considering the large drilling depth, it is better to choose a drill with a power reserve.
To drill holes in timber, it is convenient to equip the drill with a stop, as shown in the figure.
The stop block is attached to the drill with steel clamps. Emphasis, in the form wooden block, attached to the drill, for example, with clamps. The stop stops drilling at the required depth, but the rotation of the drill does not stop after that. Continuing to rotate in one place, the drill clears the hole from chips, grinds in and then easily comes out of the deep hole.
It is convenient to drill holes for connecting the crowns in a beam that is already installed on the wall in the design position on the inter-crown insulation. But here it's usual A problem arises - the crown gasket cannot be drilled. The fibers of the spacer material simply wrap around the drill bit and clamp it.
You have to install the beam on the wall in two steps. First, the timber is mounted without a gasket and temporarily secured from displacement, for example, with nails. Drill holes for dowels. Then the timber is moved from the wall and inter-crown insulation is laid.
At drilling sites the gasket is cut out sharp knife . Then, the removed beam is put back in place, this time on the gasket, and secured with dowels.
Drilling holes in timber laid on a wall should be done while standing on a solid foundation - scaffolding, scaffolding, flooring. Stand on narrow wall and drilling is dangerous. The drill can “bite”, a powerful drill will turn around and easily throw the worker off the wall.
How to make a straight wall from crooked timber
Some of the timber delivered to the construction site may be bent. The beam can have a curvature in one plane, or it can be twisted with a screw and become diamond-shaped in cross-section.
If possible, it is better not to use curved beams for the walls of a house or bathhouse. It is recommended to cut beams with curvature into smaller pieces and use them in other, less critical places.
A small amount of timber that has curvature in one plane can be used to mount walls. You should not lay such a beam into a wall with its convexity up or down, in the hope that it will straighten under the weight of the house - the beam will not straighten, even if it is placed in the lower crowns.
The curved beam is laid in the wall, straightening it in a horizontal plane as shown in the figure.
The crooked beam is straightened sequentially by fixing it with dowels The curved beam is drilled, aligning it with the straight beam at the drilling points. After laying the inter-crown insulation, the curved beam is fixed with dowels at one end and, when unbent, is sequentially fixed with dowels at other points.
Unbending the beam does not require much effort. A lever and bracket will help make work easier
Inter-crown gasket - insulation, sealant
For cold protection, a gasket is placed between the crowns. Previously, moss or flax tow. Currently, special cushioning materials based on flax wool or flax jute are available for sale. The material is sold in the form of a roll of tape with a width of 20 cm.
A strip of cushioning material is laid along the entire upper edge of the beam in two or three layers and secured with staples using a construction stapler.
If the wall is not sheathed, then the gasket should be 1-2 inches from the outer edge of the beam. cm., otherwise it will get wet.
Some craftsmen lay the cushioning material in one layer and suggest caulking the joints after the frame shrinks, adding additional material to the voids of the joints. In this option we have less consumption of cushioning material.
The work of caulking joints is quite labor-intensive and tedious. It is better to immediately lay a thicker sealant, in several layers (three layers), to eliminate the need to caulk horizontal joints.
How to control the correct assembly of a log house
During the construction of a house or bathhouse, it is necessary to regularly check the correct assembly of the log frame. To do this, it is enough to control the following five parameters:
- Verticality of corners.
- The height of corners and walls.
- Horizontality of the crowns and upper edges of the timber.
- Straightness of walls.
- The quality of installation of inter-crown insulation.
For control of vertical angles The following method is used.
To control the verticality of the angle, a vertical line is applied on each side of the crown. 1
- lower trim; 2
- crowns; 3
— control lines; 4
- base. On each side of the crown, a vertical line is drawn at the same distance from the corner edge.
At correct installation For crowns, this line should be straight and coincide with the vertical. The verticality of the line is checked with a plumb line.
If deviations are found, the work is suspended and the cause is eliminated.
The height of corners and walls is measured roulette. The measurement is taken from the base horizontal line, which is applied to the strapping beam using a water level.
Horizontality of crowns and top faces timber is checked by level.
Straightness of walls determined visually by pulling a cord along the wall.
The verticality and height of the corners should be especially carefully and constantly checked. Deviations from verticality are eliminated, up to the replacement of the timber in the crown. The height of the corners is adjusted by increasing the thickness of the gasket between the rims in the sagging corners. Sometimes it helps if you tap a sledgehammer on a beam in a high corner.
The quality and thickness of the installation of inter-crown insulation is checked visually by inspecting the walls.
Window and door openings in a log house
From the second crown they begin to form doorways. The distance from the floor level to the window is chosen in the range of 70 - 90 cm.
Laying timber in crowns in the area of openings has its own characteristics.
A
- layout of openings in the wall, where: 1
- wall; 2
- door opening; 3
- pier; 4
- window opening. V
— diagram of timber cutting, where c is the remainder of the cutting. G
- option for constructing an opening in a log house with the installation of temporary fastening bars, item 7. d
- option with installation of decks in the opening, item 6 - we immediately get an opening ready for installing a door or window. In practice, two options are used for forming openings when assembling a log house.
One option is " G" on the image. The opening is made in rough form; only preparations are made to create the opening. The opening is not prepared for the installation of doors and windows immediately when assembling the log house. This work is left for later - usually done after the frame has shrunk.
This option allows you to speed up the assembly work of the log house. Beams must be installed in the opening to fasten the partition to the log house, item 7 in the figure. At least two such beams are installed in the doorway.
During the shrinkage of the log house, the piers can “lead” inward or outward. To prevent this, timber in the walls is fastened with vertically installed boards.
In another version - " d"in the figure, the openings are immediately prepared for the installation of doors and windows. To do this, install decks (windows) in the openings - vertical beam with groove, item 6 in the figure. The tenon of the wall beam fits into the groove. In this way, the partition beam is fixed from displacement. In this option, the openings are immediately ready for the installation of doors and windows.
Decks (windows) traditionally serve not only to connect timber in the opening, but also serve as window slopes, window sills. To do this, they are carefully processed and chamfered.
Option for installing a window in a wall made of timber: 1 - finishing the window slopes; 2 - a vertical frame board with a tenon strip, fits into the groove of the wall beam; 3 — plastic window frame; 4 — PSUL sealing tape IN modern conditions, when installing plastic windows and installing plastic slopes and window sills, you don’t have to make a deck (jamb). The beams in the opening are fastened like this. At the ends of the beams along the entire length of the opening, a vertical groove is cut out and a rail is inserted there, which secures the pier beams from displacement.
The length of the deck (plug) or slats should be less than the height of the opening by 5-7 cm so as not to interfere with the shrinkage of the log house.
Timber for home, bathhouse in your city
How to properly install windows in a timber wall
If the opening in the wall was made in draft form (see above), then the installation of the window begins with cutting out the opening under right size. To do this, a lath is filled along the edge of the cut, item 2 in the figure, and the beams are sawed off along the edge of the lath with a chain saw.
Correct installation of a window in a wall made of timber. 1
- wall; 2
- rail; 3
- platband; 4
- window; 5
- window box; 6
- wall beam above the window; 7
— interventional insulation; 8
— shrinkage gap above the window and deck; 9
- window frames; 10
- wall beam (pier); 11
- deck; 12
- nail. Then circular saw Spikes are cut out at the ends of the wall beams (piers). The deck, pos. 11, is placed on the tenons, pos. 10, with a groove. The joints are sealed with insulation. The deck is nailed to the wall beam with nails driven in at an angle, pos. 12. This way the nails will not interfere with the shrinkage of the frame.
A window frame is inserted into the opening prepared in this way, which is attached to the deck with self-tapping screws. Above window frame be sure to leave a gap, pos. 8, to compensate for the shrinkage of the log house. Gap size 5-7 cm. The gap is filled with soft insulating material.
An expansion gap must also be left above the upper end of the deck.
Openings are prepared in the same way and doors are inserted into the walls made of timber.
After completing the assembly of the first floor of the house, the log house is covered with beams of interfloor or attic (if the building is one-story) floor.
Can be a structural element. And they can also perform an independent function.
The next page describes the structure of a broken roof of a house made of timber, where the floor beams at the same time serve as an element power frame mansard roof.
Watch the video clip, which describes and shows in some detail the technology for installing a log house from construction timber.
