One of the main disadvantages of wooden building materials is a high susceptibility to decay and vulnerability to woodworms. Since these processes are a direct consequence of the increased moisture content of wood, most often such damage occurs in the lower part of the walls, for which the correct waterproofing of the lower rims has not been carried out.
It should be noted that moisture insulation of the lower rims means not only the physical and chemical processing of building materials, but also a number of design solutions, during which a slight modernization of the foundation may be necessary.
This review considers what affects the durability of the base of the log house, and what technologies exist to prevent its destruction.
Modern technology for the construction of wooden houses involves the installation of a log house on a stone foundation.
In this case, the foundation of the house is subject to several dangerous factors at once:
- capillary moisture coming from the foundation;
- damp atmosphere from the basement;
- lack of sunlight, since the lower part of the wall is often in the shadow zone;
- drip moisture and temperature differences from the outside of the walls.
In the latter case, the situation is aggravated by the fact that with an incorrect configuration of the plinth, moisture flowing down from the walls during rain accumulates in the lower logs and in the interventional seals.
A direct consequence of the factors listed above is the development of microbiological formations in the wood, affecting its structure and eventually leading to a complete loss of strength in the lower crowns of the frame.
The greatest biological danger for logs is represented by fungal structures, the first signs of which are the so-called blue, sometimes penetrating into the very core of the log.
The nutrient medium for such fungi is lignin, cellulose and oxygen. But the main catalyst for their development is always high humidity.
The second factor in the biological damage to wood is woodworms, the appearance of which is almost always associated with fungal infection of wood.
In view of the foregoing, the main methods for solving the problem of lower rims are:
- that impede the development of microbiological formations;
- decrease in the throughput of the external capillaries of logs, necessary to stabilize the internal moisture content of wood at an acceptable level.
As mentioned earlier, the solution of these problems is carried out not only through additional processing of wood, but also through the use of special design solutions, the most significant of which will be discussed below.
Special bottom crown design
If we imagine the three-dimensional structure of the log house, we can see that the classic lower crown, assembled “into a bowl”, cannot be placed without a gap on a single-level foundation. At the same time, it should be remembered that the larger such cracks and gaps, the higher the likelihood that they will become moisture accumulators and cause the logs to rot.
In this connection, the sealing of the lower crown does not begin with the treatment of logs with mastic or impregnations, but with the conjugation of its geometry with the geometry of the foundation.
There are two options for solving this problem:
The first option is used for the construction of small buildings (baths, barns, etc.).
The second method is more used, as it avoids the need for "figured casting" in the corners of the foundation and allows the use of a solid interlayer board made of durable wood.
Separately, we consider such a solution as the above-mentioned gasket board, which is the simplest way to extend the life of the log house by a dozen years, and also greatly facilitates the repair of the lower crown, if this is still necessary.
The essence of this solution lies in the fact that between the foundation and the lower crown of the log house, a wide board is laid from the most stable type of wood (oak or larch).
Please note that a wide board is always made from the central sectors of a log, the maximum stability of which is noted only for larch.
At the same time, it is important to take into account one feature of this technology: additional processing of interlayer boards with some chemical compositions is not performed. Laying the seal is carried out according to the same method as for interventional gaps.
Foundation edge shape
One of the reasons for the beginning of rotting of logs is the accumulation of moisture in the contact zone of the log house and the foundation. This happens most intensively if the foundation is wider than the zone of contact with the log house and a kind of “shelf” is created to capture the water flowing down the wall.
This effect can be avoided if the edge of the foundation is cut at an angle of 45 0.
Waterproofing between foundation and frame
The most important point affecting the durability of the lower rims in houses made of timber or logs is the proper organization of waterproofing between the foundation and the log house.
The fact is that most of the now popular "stone" building materials have good capillary conductivity, and if you do not take measures for additional waterproofing, the lower crown will always be wet.
In this case, moisture is cut off by laying sheets of roofing material or by covering the contact zone with liquid rubber.
The roofing material is laid according to the standard method (on liquid bitumen), and an interventional sealant must be laid between the waterproofing and the crown.
protective ebb
In some cases, it makes sense to mount additional ebbs above the lower crown, minimizing the leakage of moisture into the first interventional seams.
On the front facades of houses, such a solution is not always acceptable for aesthetic reasons, but on the rear walls, which are often shaded or stand right next to outbuildings, such protection will not be superfluous at all.
Please note that it is desirable to make such ebbs from the most protected material, since it will have to work in conditions of constant humidity.
Air holes in the foundation
Most often, on construction forums, you can find the question “Why is the lower crown wet if its waterproofing is done in accordance with all the rules?”.
The answer, as a rule, lies in the insufficient area of \u200b\u200bthe vents in the foundation, due to which the moist air from the cellar saturates the lower logs with moisture.
Note that proper ventilation of the subfloor or basement is a higher priority than treating logs with moisture protective agents.
19.07.2016
Any construction starts with a foundation. What is it for? The task of this design is to bear the weight of the entire structure and take the entire load and evenly distribute it over the entire area. How reliable the foundation is will determine how long your structure will last and for how long. One of the most negative influences on the foundation is water. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the waterproofing of the foundation is done correctly. In the article you can read about what waterproofing is, what it happens to be and what it is.
Vertical and horizontal waterproofing
Vertical waterproofing is carried out in a place located between the base of the foundation and the level of rainwater ingress when spraying. It requires a particularly careful approach to the quality of the material used, and more precisely to its moisture resistance, which will guarantee that the floor in the bath will not suffer from water. The main task of this type of insulation is to provide reliable protection at the points of horizontal insulation output and directly at the joints of the vertical one itself. Accounting for all the nuances, whether it is the thickness of the layer, the choice of soil, as well as the installation of various protections using polystyrene foam plates, asbestos-cement sheets and other protective materials, should be carried out at the design stage and when filling the pit.
As for horizontal waterproofing, it is used to protect walls from capillary absorption of moisture. It consists of several layers of bituminous roofing material. Usually they make two horizontal waterproofings independent of each other. The first is located under the basement ceiling, and the second is at the support points of the walls on top of the foundation slabs. It is worth remembering the need for a reliable connection of horizontal and vertical insulation at their joints, as well as both horizontal ones in the floor area.
Materials used and methods of application
There are several types according to the method of applying insulation: pasting, coating and plastering.
Pasting insulation is a multilayer water-repellent membrane, which consists of polymer-cement bitumen films with a density of up to 5 mm. This method is widely used to protect structures made of brick, concrete or reinforced concrete. It is characterized by ease of application, by tightly pressing to the surface and heating with a gas burner, effective water-repellent effect and resistance to cracks. However, with this type of insulation, additional pressure walls or ties are required to achieve the desired effect.
Another type of insulation application is the so-called coating insulation, consisting of membranes, but already up to 3 mm thick. For this type, special bitumen-polymer emulsions and mastics are widely used, as well as elastic or rigid polymer solutions. The application of this insulation is also quite simple. The insulation is applied with spatulas, specialized paint trowels and even sprayers.
Plaster insulation is nothing more than several layers of various insulating mortars up to 22 mm thick. The materials widely used are mineral-cement mortar with various additives to increase moisture resistance, polymer concrete, hydro concrete, asphalt mastics, etc. It is excellent for horizontal waterproofing, however, it is necessary to apply plaster insulation only in a hot way to avoid cracks.
Waterproofing the foundation of the log cabin of the bath - some features
It must be remembered that in brick and stone foundations, waterproofing is usually laid 15-25 cm from ground level, and if placed on beams, then the insulation should be located 5-15 cm below them.
Do not forget about the treatment of the lower layer of the crowns with antiseptics and, importantly, the impregnation of this area should be even more than the entire log house as a whole. The existing voids must be filled with expanded clay, however, it is worth considering the fact that expanded clay will effectively perform its functions with a layer thickness of 40 cm or more.
If the house has a basement, waterproofing must be laid in the foundation at the same level as the floor or 13 cm below it and in the basement 15-25 cm above the blind area.
The level of groundwater must also be taken into account. So, if groundwater lies below the basement floor, then the outer side of the wall, which is in contact with the ground, is covered with two layers of hot bitumen, and a 25 cm layer of oily clay is placed on the basement floor. After compacting the clay, it is covered with 5 centimeter. The concrete is leveled, kept for 10-14 days, and then treated with mastic and several layers of roofing material are glued. Finally, the same layer of concrete is laid and leveled, which is then covered with cement mortar and ironed.
In the event that groundwater is located above the level of the basement floor, it is necessary to carry out high-quality insulation of both the walls and the floor. An important point is the creation around the walls at the points of their connection with the basement floor, the so-called elastic lock from tow soaked in bituminous mastic. Such a lock is especially relevant in basements with clay soil with uneven settlement.
The insulation of the walls from the outside is usually raised 50 cm above the groundwater level.
Underground insulation, with a sufficiently high level of groundwater, is carried out in the following sequence: a layer of clay 25 cm thick, concrete, waterproofing, cement mortar.
If the basement is provided for, which are located below ground level, then in front of such windows it is necessary to build so-called pit wells with walls lined with stone, brick or concrete. The bottom of the pit should have a reservoir for an ox, and visors should be installed above the windows.
The foundation is also subjected to heavy loads in winter, when the soil freezes. Therefore, to protect the base from freezing, it is necessary to take into account a number of important points. So the freezing depth is influenced by the climate (snow cover thickness, temperature), and the type of soil, as well as the temperature inside the building. For example, non-freezing types of bases include rock, coarse sand and gravel. It is easy to guess that on freezing soils, the foundation must be laid below the maximum level of soil freezing.
However, it should be remembered that the deep (below the freezing level) laying of the foundation is not always decisive and effective. On the one hand, the vertical force of frost heaving ceases to act on the bottom of the foundation, on the other hand, the effect of the tangential force of frost heaving can tear off the upper part of the foundation from the bottom or even pull it out along with the frozen soil. This is possible if the foundation is made of stone, brick or small blocks and such a foundation is located under small buildings. Therefore, in order to eliminate the tangential heaving force inside the foundation, a reinforcing cage is laid over the entire height, which securely connects the top and bottom of the foundation, and the base of the foundation is expanded, it takes the form of a support platform-anchor, which in turn prevents the foundation from being pulled out of the ground during frost heaving soil.
However, such a constructive solution is possible only when reinforced concrete is used. However, when building a foundation of stone, brick or small blocks, where no vertical reinforcement is provided, it is possible to prevent the adverse effects of the tangential frost heave force. For this, it is necessary that the walls of the foundation have a slope and taper upwards.
Foundation protection video:
"Foundation waterproofing device":
Conclusion
Summing up, it can be noted that waterproofing the foundation of a bathhouse or a house does not present any particular difficulties and can be easily done by hand, taking into account all the small features and using the most effective and latest tools and materials.
An important aspect in the field of wooden construction is to prevent constant contact of wood with water. Weather precipitation is excluded, because rain and snow are short-term phenomena and the absorbency of a log or timber depends more on the care of the owner himself. It is he who will have to foresee everything and take measures in advance to process wooden elements. However, there is such a section of the house that will always have a risk of interaction with water - this is the foundation and protecting it is the most important task of the owner.
Types of waterproofing
The most common material is TechnoNIKOL waterproofing for the foundation. It is produced in the form of rolls, which are rolled out onto mastic, without the use of gas burners for heating.
The laid waterproofing between the foundation and the log house has two purposes:
- Antifiltration. Designed for aggressive environments and capricious soils. In the soil there is often a large amount of chemical elements dissolved there, which can affect the composition of the foundation and have an adverse effect, slowly destroying it.
- Anti-corrosion. The condition of the wood directly depends on it - the waterproofing layer should not allow rot and, as a result, the rest of the damage.
Features of waterproofing works
Consider the first option, which must be laid before pouring concrete. Then there will be no point. The owner must understand this at the stage of determining the soil and the foundation model for construction.
The main stages and features of waterproofing with your own hands:
1. When the ditches and formwork are ready, a layer of sand should be poured to the bottom and carefully compacted, spilling several times with water. Then crushed stone is poured over it and also rammed. Together, both layers should not be less than 30 cm.
Only then are the remaining layers of the foundation cushion laid, and everything is poured with concrete. What is the point? Sand will serve as a filter for groundwater and, when raised, will have a retarding effect on the chemical elements dissolved in it.
And the water itself will not stay in it for a long time. This should be taken into account by owners whose houses are located near industrial enterprises, car parks, farms and other things. Waste products will definitely end up in the soil, and who knows how it will behave when it meets the foundation.
2. The second option is familiar in understanding - wood should not come into contact with water. Waterproofing a log house from the foundation is done by creating layers between two different surfaces. This process has several ways - coating, glued and gasket.
- For the first, bituminous mastic or liquid resin is used. Having brought them to the state of paint, the prepared foundation, freed from the formwork, is smeared very carefully, leaving no white spots. The work is carried out in several layers after the previous one dries.
It is impossible to allow the surface to be a frozen hill, then the first crown will fall with flaws. For even work, you can use a leveling spatula. The tree must also be coated. Or, using a blowtorch, it is wrapped with basalt fiber.
- The next method is glued. For it, roofing material is used, which is also heated and tightly applied to the surface of the foundation. One layer is not enough. Two - for sure, three according to the state of the soil.
- The third way, in which the waterproofing of the foundation under the log house will last almost forever, involves the use of progressive means of protection from the current industry.
We are talking about styrenes. Polystyrene derivatives are the best moisture protectors today. How to apply them:
In a compacted ditch around the perimeter of the walls of the entire foundation, sheets of foam, expanded polystyrene or extruded derivative material are laid. You can fasten them “on the zhivulka”, all the same, the filling and fittings will press as it should. Thus, the entire base is processed.
There is a nuance, when digging, you need to take into account the thickness of the material immediately and make the appropriate width. It also happens when negligent owners do not immediately think about waterproofing, then the work will be complicated by the fact that a place is being dug near the finished foundation for inserting slabs of material, which will also serve as insulation.
But before that, the surface must be dried from moisture and tarred, and while the bitumen is hot, it is convenient to glue the plates. Needless to say, the first crown is also smeared in this case.
This is how the foundation is waterproofed. You can combine insulation and protection from moisture using the third method for this - laying styrenes, then the cost of additional materials will be reduced, which will reduce the cost of independent construction.
Waterproofing of a residential log house and a bath
Moisture protection is required not only for the foundation - the living quarters also need it. For this, laying a kind of pie is provided - in addition to warming, layers of hydro and vapor barrier are laid both inside and outside. However, this is intended for residential log cabins that do not require cladding.
If the waterproofing of the log house occurs in this way and closes the rounded log, there is no longer any point in buying decorative material. What to do in this case? On the outside, only impregnation and sealing will help. The inner side can be layered and decorated with wooden elements - block house, clapboard.
Bath - the most "wet" room. Moreover, all its premises are in constant contact with the steam. And you can’t impregnate, with the exception of especially advanced formulations or oil waste.
There is only one way out - the bath should have good ventilation and water flow. To do this, the floor is made in such a way that it is a concrete cushion at an angle.
The height of the clean coating in this case should be at a decent distance from it. Impregnation, so that the waterproofing of the log cabin of the bath is at the level, is mandatory, but only with the appropriate marking, otherwise it will not heal anyone.
Laying the first crown of timber - secrets and tricks
Before starting the construction of a house, everyone has a question: how to put the first crown of timber? It is necessary to lay the first crown of a house from a bar as thoroughly as possible, with mathematical calculations, so that the walls of the future house stand perfectly exactly at an angle of 90 degrees. This is not too difficult to do - the main thing is not to rush and prepare very well for this work.
Before starting the laying of the first crown, it is necessary to lay at least two layers of waterproofing, then a lining board and then another layer of the same waterproofing.
Waterproofing between the frame and the foundation
Before laying the timber, the foundation should be waterproofed to the maximum. To do this, lay the roofing felt twice, and then lay the glass isol once. All laid layers should exceed the width of your foundation by 25 centimeters along its entire perimeter.
The stacked beams should be in contact with each other as tightly as possible, in no case should even the slightest voids be left in the wall, especially its lower part. After all, it is on this part that the floor is subsequently hung and all serious loads go.
You need to fasten the bars to each other on metal dowels to a depth of 3 centimeters, and finish them off with a wooden mallet. If the beam has a slight bend, lay it down with its even edge. There are cases when the connection of the lower bars requires additional fastening with staples or nails (they need to be placed through 2 crowns).
Before laying waterproofing on the foundation of roofing material. check that its upper plane is strictly horizontal. You need to check the horizontalness with your own hands with a hydraulic level, since a simple level often gives a large error. The difference should not be more than 1 cm on the entire plane of the foundation. If the difference in level is greater, level the plane with a mortar or an additional layer of waterproofing.
We lay the first crown of the log house - assembly diagram
Before laying the beam on the foundation, we need to take care of the durability of our structure. To do this, lay out the slats pre-treated with an antiseptic, about 10-15 mm thick. The distance between them is 25-30 cm.
- Well, on top of the exposed rails, we put our first layer of bars.
Reiki are necessary to prevent contact of the crown with the foundation. This trick will greatly increase the life of the log house, thanks to additional protection against decay, and we fill the gap between the beam and the foundation with mounting foam.
- Next, we check the level for evenness of the surface - after all, an uneven wall is obtained from an uneven 1st crown.
- After eliminating inaccuracies, we fill the gap with mounting foam. The timber must be prepared in advance, even when materials are delivered to the site. Choose the best bars that have a minimum number of knots, as even as possible, without blue. The beam must be selected according to the cut of the annual rings - choose the one with the density of the rings which is as high as possible (in this case, the beam should be the middle part of this tree). At the end of the cut, you should see circles that diverge from the center. The selected wood must be greased several times with bituminous mastic (liquid), in combination with mining, so that the composition is absorbed as deeply as possible into the future timber. The ends do not need to be processed, they must be clean, because excess moisture will be removed from the wood through them. From how you process the wood. the service life of the lower crown and the time after which it will be necessary to replace it directly depend.
In some cases, it is not necessary to attach the first crown to the foundation - a house made of timber will be quite heavy and will stand very well on the foundation without anchors. Angular joints are made without the use of locks, the timber is joined at the ends. Such joints are made so that in the future it will be possible to replace any beam, without dismantling the corners. In the corners, the beam, when adjoining various partitions, is connected with metal plates or brackets.
Although many builders tightly fix the timber between themselves and to the foundation.
All angles must be strictly 90 degrees, then the geometry of the house is considered ideal. It is necessary to check that the length of the opposite sides is equal, and the diagonals between the corners (opposite) of the house coincide - if everything is correct, then the corners are drawn exactly. When working on laying the lower rows, in no case should you rush, because it depends on what walls will be obtained during further construction.
How to lay out the first crown of a house from a bar?
When building a wooden house, the quality of laying the first row of beams is of great importance. It depends on this how smooth the walls will be, because it is quite difficult to correct errors during the construction process.
The strength and reliability of the entire structure as a whole depends on how well and correctly the first crown of the house is laid out of timber.
To properly lay the timber on the foundation, it is not necessary to have special knowledge or experience, but, of course, you will have to try very well.
Selection and preparation of building material
The timber for building a house must be of high quality.
For a house from a bar, it is necessary to choose the highest quality wood, with a high density, a smooth surface and not damp. It is desirable that the bars for the first row be cut from the core of the tree, this can be determined by the annual rings on the slices, they should be located very tightly and diverge from the center. Logs with black spots or a cut of a bluish tint cannot be used as a base.
The most even bars with the least number of knots are selected and impregnated with liquid bituminous mastic, to which waste oil is added. The protective composition is applied 3 or 4 times so that the tree is soaked as deep as possible, while the sections must be left untreated - moisture will come out through them. The impregnated bars are laid out on a flat open surface and allowed to dry completely. After that, the material is ready for laying.
Foundation waterproofing device
The scheme of fastening the lower trim and waterproofing under the first crown.
Waterproofing a house from a bar should be carried out after checking the foundation with a water level. With height differences of more than 1 cm, the foundation surface must be leveled with a concrete mortar. Next, a bituminous mixture is prepared and the base is covered with a dense layer, diligently filling in the smallest cracks and gaps. After that, the roofing material is heated with a gasoline or gas burner, cut into strips and laid directly on the mastic. The width of the strips should be more than the width of the foundation by about 20 cm. At the joints, the roofing material is overlapped by 10-15 cm, heated separately and again coated with mastic. When the first layer of waterproofing is laid, another one is made in the same way.
On top of the roofing material, it is recommended to lay a layer of glass isol, all layers should protrude beyond the edges of the foundation at the same distance along the entire perimeter. Instead of glass isol, you can use a laying board, but then it should be closed on top with roofing felt and all seams should be glued with mastic. The better the waterproofing is, the more durable the building will be.
Laying the first row of logs
The design of the nodes of the first crown of the house from a bar.
To properly lay the first crown at home, you should prepare the following materials:
- wooden slats 15 mm thick;
- timber;
- metal staples;
- mounting foam.
Reiki must be impregnated with any antiseptic that will protect the wood from damage.
First, the slats are laid on the waterproofing. They should be placed across the foundation strip every 30 cm, with the length of the slats corresponding to the width of the foundation, as shown in the figure. Now prepared bars begin to be laid on top, which form the first crown.
It is very important that the corners correspond to 90 °, otherwise the house will be skewed. Also, after the formation of a row, its location relative to the horizontal is checked.
If individual sections protrude from a common plane, they are leveled with a planer. Corner elements are joined at the ends and fixed with metal brackets.
When the crown of the house is laid, the resulting gaps between the waterproofing and the timber are filled with mounting foam. This will not only strengthen the structure, but also protect it from the penetration of rodents, insects, water and snow. There is no need to attach the beam to the foundation, since the structure will be heavy enough and will not be able to move. On this, the laying of the first row is considered complete. This is followed by the stage of mounting vertical racks inside the perimeter and cutting holes in the beam for the log, after which you can proceed to the further construction of the walls of the house from the beam.
If the material for construction is chosen correctly and the installation technology is strictly followed, the house will last for decades without requiring major repairs. The most important thing is to carry out each process with the highest quality, then even a lack of experience will not hurt to build a strong, reliable and tidy house with your own hands.
How to lay the first crown of timber on the foundation?
The very first responsible and not fast stage of laying walls from a bar is the installation of the first crown. Consider how to lay the first crown of timber on the foundation. Here you need to prepare very well - treat the beam for the first row with an antiseptic (wood impregnation) and it is better to do this from all sides so that the material is protected from decay. Usually it is enough to repeat the antiseptic procedure 2 times.
It would seem that it is difficult to build walls from a bar, because it is almost like a designer, but the most difficult moments, it turns out, are to create a flat horizontal surface, which is often not achieved when pouring the foundation. Therefore, if the foundation is not ideal (not made according to the level), we align the horizontal position in one of the following ways:
- 1) level the foundation with a layer of mortar (concrete);
- 2) we smooth the bars under the first crown, and later we fill the gaps with mounting foam or lay the foundation;
- 3) cut off the beam of the first crown, so that it is even horizontally along the upper plane;
- 4) we make a lining board 10 mm, cutting and adjusting it to the ideal horizontal, and the first crown will be laid on it;
- 5) we make brickwork or masonry from structural foam concrete (grades not lower than D-500), due to which we will, by adjusting the thickness of the seams, find precious centimeters and create an even line.
Before laying the timber, it is imperative to make waterproofing. For example, put 2-3 layers of roofing material (or hydroisol) on the foundation, which will cut off moisture from the foundation, which is detrimental to the timber. The bottom row can be laid out with boards 50-100 mm thick and fastened together in a "thorn groove".
However, you can do without a lining board, immediately laying the first crown on the waterproofing.
The lower rims of the timber must be trimmed, and to connect them, prepare spikes with grooves (you can use the dovetail connection), trying not to confuse the position of the recesses and depressions.
We fasten the first crown of the house from a bar in the corners with the help of metal staples, hammering them “under the face”). Here is a general answer to the question of how to lay the first crown of timber on the foundation. This initial stage of laying the timber takes a lot of time, but after it the rest of the work will go much faster.
How to lay the first crowns on the foundation
Laying the first crown of timber - secrets and tricks Before starting to build a house, everyone has a question: how to put the first crown of timber? It is necessary to lay the first crown of a house from a bar ...
Laying timber
- Tools and materials
- Beam laying technology
- Features of the insulation process
- Installing beams on the foundation
- The final stages of installation
Every home craftsman who is building his own house, at a certain stage, the question arises of how to lay the timber on the foundation.
To build a house from a bar, a strip foundation is often used with a height of 0.5 m above the ground.
Tools and materials
To work, you need to prepare the following materials and tools:
- waterproofing material;
- building level;
- fasteners, anchors, dowels, nuts with wide washers;
- wooden mallet;
- antiseptics;
- electric planer.
Beam laying technology
The main point in the construction of a wooden house is the choice of timber.
Scheme of laying timber.
The best of them are considered smooth, with the least number of knots and without a shade of blue. When choosing a bar, you should pay attention to the annual rings. Preference is given to the bars, the density of the rings of which is the highest.
Laying timber cannot be carried out at a high level without a well-executed foundation. The ideal option is a concrete monolithic slab, but the high cost of the material in most cases makes it impossible to use it. The exception is moving soil, where it is impossible to build a foundation of a different type.
Quite often, for the construction of a wooden house from a bar, a strip foundation is used, the height of which above ground level should be at least 0.5 m. The elevated part is made of brick.
- Before the laying of the bars of the first crown is carried out, first determine that side of it, which will be located inside the room. The side of the timber on which there is a visible defect will be directed upwards. The side of the beam, which has bulges, will be the side. In the process of laying the timber, it is necessary to take into account its shrinkage, according to which the final facing of the house is carried out after 1-2 years.
- The beam of the lower crown is coated with mining, the rest of it is treated with special antiseptic compounds.
- To lay the first crown of a wooden house, everyone is carried out quite thoroughly, making all the necessary mathematical calculations. This is necessary so that the walls of the new house are strictly at an angle of 90 °. The most important thing is not to rush at this stage and do everything with maximum accuracy.
Features of the insulation process
Scheme of waterproofing the foundation from above under the timber.
Before proceeding to the installation of the first crown, insulation must be carried out, for which two layers of waterproofing material should be laid, between which a lining board is placed.
The insulation includes two layers of rolled roofing felt and glass insulation. All materials are laid in such a way that their edges protrude 25 cm beyond the foundation. At the corners, the insulation is overlapped.
Before the insulation is laid between the crown and the base, you need to check the foundation surface, which should be perfectly flat, without drops. To do this, use a hydraulic level, which is more accurate than usual. Differences of no more than 1 cm relative to the entire plane of the foundation are allowed. Strong differences are removed by laying roofing material or leveling with cement mortar.
An equally important point is to seal the gap between the foundation and the lower crown of the beam.
The most common method is to add cement mortar under a layer of waterproofing material. Work can be complicated due to the difficulty of access to the right place. In some cases, the gap is simply sealed with wooden scraps of a certain thickness. Wooden wedges or boards are fastened between the roofing material and the bottom beam, which are tightly driven in until the gap is completely eliminated. There can be an unlimited number of such inserts both in length and width.
Scheme of laying timber on the foundation.
The most common method of sealing gaps in recent years is to foam them with construction foam, which is sold in cans. It will be better to carry out such work in wet weather, when the material sets very well.
A day after foaming, the excess material is cut off with a sharp knife. In the future, the area between the lower crown and the plinth is covered with metal tides or a decorative strip. This is necessary in order to protect the foam from exposure to direct sunlight, under the influence of which it will collapse in just one season. In addition, a reliable barrier is created for the accumulation of moisture, which will lead to rotting of the wood.
Installing beams on the foundation
After the foundation is insulated, proceed with the installation of the lower trim.
The beams installed on the foundation should fit snugly enough to each other without the formation of a minimum space between them. This is especially true of the lower part of the log house, where the floor will be created and where significant loads will be applied.
Between themselves, the bars are fastened with metal dowels, which are achieved using a wooden mallet. In some cases, if necessary, the bars are additionally fastened with staples or nails.
The scheme of fastening the bars to each other.
Docking of the bars of the lower crown with each other occurs by sampling at the corners by any of the existing methods:
- “in half a tree” - a variant of laying beams, in which the upper half of the array is removed in the corner joints on one beam, and the lower half on the other;
- "in the paw" - the most common way of joining the beams, which is the opposite and does not include the end part of the log, protruding beyond the wall level.
By means of nuts and wide washers, the beam is fastened to the surface of the foundation. A wide washer will allow you to expand the area of \u200b\u200btouch of the nut with the surface of the tree. You only need to use a hex nut, and square or round nuts are not suitable for such purposes. If narrow nuts are used to fasten the beams or not used at all, then during the installation work it will be quite clear that the nut will completely sink into the surface of the beam and the connection of the frame elements of the house will be unreliable and short-lived.
The final stages of installation
When the bars of the lower crown in the corners have been fastened with dowels or nails, the anchor is usually not installed. In the future, the first anchors will be installed on the inner contour of the fundamental strip.
- There should be at least 2 anchor bolts on one piece of wooden beam, but on the condition that the house has short walls.
- Using the building level, carefully check the diagonals and corners of the lower crown. All existing irregularities are eliminated with an electric planer.
- After the bars are attached to the foundation, they begin to install the vertical racks of the frame of the house.
The issue of fastening the beam to the foundation is controversial and has both supporters and opponents. Despite this, experts argue that fastening is mandatory, since the foundation tends to be in motion, it is often said that it “walks”. Rigid fixation of the lower trim completely assumes any movement of the base.
In the most critical situation, the lower crown of the bars can move slightly to the side or pull out the anchor. That is why the fastening of the beam to the surface of the foundation guarantees the stability of the entire structure.
In some cases, the lower crown of the log house is not fastened to the foundation, since this is considered superfluous. Under the weight of its own weight, a house made of beams will stand quite firmly without anchors. Corner joints are created without the use of special locks, and the beam itself is joined by means of ends. This method allows, as necessary, to replace any part of the beam without disassembling the corners.
How to lay a beam on the foundation: installation steps (video)
Every home craftsman involved in the construction of his own house, at a certain stage, the question arises of how to lay the timber on the foundation. In addition, the isolation of the base is also of interest.
How to lay a beam on the foundation? Analysis of all the subtleties
Right away, on a bare, albeit completely dried-out foundation, it is absolutely impossible to lay a crown. Moreover, lumber, barely brought from the warehouse, is not suitable for starting work.
- The first thing to do is to isolate the base from water. A house on earth is affected not only by precipitation, but also by groundwater. Their seasonal rises are by no means the only danger. Even the presence of groundwater in a state of temporary rest does not stop their insidious influence on the foundation, since there is such a thing as capillary penetration. Therefore, the foundation must be thoroughly protected from moisture. For this purpose, its evenness is checked by a level and height differences are eliminated - by filling the cavities with concrete or laying pieces of roofing material.
Those who bought a profiled beam will connect it in the way that the profile suggests. If you have stocked up on a budget option, you will have carpentry work on sampling wood at the ends to connect the timber in the corners. There may be several options.
- "Half-tree". The simplest connection is at the stage of timber preparation. The upper half of the lumber is removed on one element and the lower half on the second. However, such a connection is considered not the most successful, because in case of errors in sampling or assembly, the house bears
- significant heat loss.
The process is as follows.
- On top of the rails, strictly along the marked perimeter, the first row of timber is placed. Its geometry is carefully checked by level.
After laying out the first row of timber, the gap provided by the underlayment rails is filled. There are several ways to eliminate the gap: it is clogged with wooden wedges, smeared with cement mortar. But modern craftsmen often blow out the gap with mounting foam. Until it dries, no further work is carried out. After swollen excess foam is simply cut off.
How to lay a beam on the foundation? Analysis of all the subtleties - Easy repair of apartments and houses
The instruction on how to lay the beam on the foundation is simple in general terms, but requires extreme precision and accuracy from the builder. Incorrect calculation and negligence in work will lead to
The construction of the house takes place in stages. The foundation is laid first. It depends on him how strong and durable the finished building will turn out.
It is important to understand: the foundations of a log, brick or block building are different. The specific gravity of wood is lower, therefore, the pressure on the foundation is low. Bases for log cabins are classified into:
screw;
pile;
tape;
columnar.
Each foundation stands out with specific benefits. But disadvantages are not excluded. When choosing a foundation for a log house, it is necessary to take into account such factors: the quality of the soil, the proximity of groundwater, the mass of the building. And, no matter how trite, the material costs of the event.
Pros and cons of screw, pile, strip and column foundations for log cabins
Heaving soil, which is able to freeze deeply, needs to install a strong frame. In this capacity, poles made of different materials are used: from wood to concrete (fbs). The pillars are strengthened at the support points of the log cabin. The advantages of a columnar foundation:
profitability;
comfortable on difficult terrain;
installation speed.
Minuses:
designed for one-story buildings;
cannot be mounted at low temperatures;
unsuitable for loose ground.
When erecting a building with a basement, a strip-type foundation is the best option. It is laid in the form of a solid frame, which is able to hold the overall structure. Benefits of a tape bookmark:
low cost;
even distribution of the log weight;
there is no need to clean the soil under the whole house.
Minuses:
cannot be used on heaving soil;
great labor costs.
How to put a house from a bar on swampy soils? The situation will help to resolve the foundation on piles. This will require experienced craftsmen and considerable labor costs. Justifies itself when:
sharp changes in the terrain;
"floating" soil at the construction site.
The disadvantage of such a foundation is the need for special equipment for installation.
On wet soils, it is advisable to use a screw foundation. A steel pile is taken as the basis. For ease of screwing, it has a screw tip, as well as a wide blade. The diameter of the pile is calculated depending on the complexity and dimensions of the structure being erected. The following factors speak in favor of a screw foundation:
site leveling is not required;
no need for waterproofing
low labor costs;
simplicity and speed of the device.
An unpleasant moment, a minus of the pile-screw foundation will, over time, be the corrosive destruction of the pile. A lot of trouble will also bring subsidence of the foundation due to poor-quality work.
The optimal choice of foundation for a log house: price vs quality
When choosing a foundation, it is fundamentally important to pay attention to such parameters: the composition of the soil, the load and area of \u200b\u200bthe building, the relief of the site. Do not forget about the value for money.
A profitable solution for the construction of a small house, a summer residence, will be a columnar foundation. A more solid structure, with a perspective, is best placed on a strip foundation. The amount of expenses will be ¼ of all expenses. You will be pleased with the quality and reliability, as well as a good opportunity to build a basement or garage, basement floor.
Labor-intensive, requiring considerable expenses - a pile foundation. The price is justified only in the presence of unreliable soil, where another option cannot be fixed.
The screw foundation is economically beneficial: at minimal cost, a reliable, earthquake-resistant, quickly erected frame under the house is obtained. Its cost is lower compared to other types of foundation by half.
Regardless of the chosen type of foundation, a quarter of the costs will go to installation. A reasonable approach and correctly made calculation will reduce costs without sacrificing quality. The price is influenced by:
material used;
the type and size of the building being built;
foundation width;
mounting method.
An important point in the work is waterproofing.
Waterproofing the log house from the foundation
The quality, strength and durability of a log house directly depend on the insulation of the log house from the foundation. Neglect at this stage of construction entails such problems as:
dampness;
cold floor;
the presence of condensation on the walls of the basement;
the formation of mold and fungus.
Pile-grillage foundation
Waterproofing between the log house and the foundation will help to significantly reduce or avoid the above problems. There are two types: anti-filtration and anti-corrosion. The first is used when installing a log house on soils with a high content of chemical elements. The second - directly protects the wood from rot.
Anti-corrosion waterproofing of the log house from the foundation provides for two methods:
coating;
glued.
For the coating method, heated bituminous mastic is required. The finished foundation is carefully smeared in two or three layers. Accordingly, the initial layer should dry well before applying the next one. Then put a log house, plastered in a similar way.
With the glued method, roofing material is used. It is heated and placed between the base of the foundation and the lower crown of the log house. It is advisable to lay three such layers.
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Maximum service life without repairs
The safety of the foundation for a beam without repair depends on the method of assembly and compliance with the technical parameters. The strip foundation has proved to be the most durable. Its "life expectancy" reaches 150 years.
