For a long time in Russia, the main material for the construction of houses was wood. The most interesting thing is that such buildings have survived to this day. Despite the fact that today there are different technologies and materials for the construction of houses, they still could not squeeze the tree. There are many reasons for this. Wood is "living", a natural and environmentally friendly material created by nature itself. Wood has high heat-saving properties and is able to accumulate and release moisture, so living in such a house is much more comfortable, and breathing is much more pleasant.
One of the important advantages is the economic factor, since the construction of such a house can be cheaper than a brick or stone one. The thing is that finishing work is not needed for such a house, it is enough just to grind the wood, which has a pleasant color and appearance. Moreover, if you compare a wooden house with a similar house made of stone or brick, then it will be much easier. In this case, you can save money on the foundation. After all, a house like this looks very beautiful. Based on the foregoing, let's look at how you can make a house from a log with your own hands.
If you want to build a wooden house, you should know that there are 3 types of wood processing that are currently used in construction:
- construction from natural logs;
- construction from rounded or profiled logs;
- construction from simple, profiled or glued beams.
Mostly houses are built from natural or rounded logs. The first option is an ordinary chopped tree, which was trimmed by hand and removed from the bark. In this case, you have to manually adjust the tree to size and make the grooves. But due to the fact that the upper layers of wood were not affected, the design is reliable, resistant to moisture, mold and mildew.
Harvesting material by hand is not an easy and time-consuming task, since the logs have different diameters, and the structure must be even and strong. That is why log houses are considered elite. After all, services for the construction of such structures are much more expensive.
The disadvantage of this technology is that after the construction of the house, it must stand for 1–1.5 years in order to dry out. During this time, the building should shrink. It is possible to install windows, doors, carry out communications only after shrinkage.
This method was used by our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. But modern technologies make it possible to avoid all these inconveniences. Purchased logs can be processed industrially using special machines. As a result, logs of ideal cylindrical shape, length are obtained, and in them, according to the project, all grooves and joints are made. Everything is done with millimeter precision. In this case, it is much easier to build your own house, it is enough to fold it like a designer according to the drawing and instructions. Such logs are called rounded, they are more convenient to work with.
The only drawback is that during processing the log lost the top layer, thanks to which it was protected from external factors. Therefore, before work, such logs must be covered with a special antiseptic, antifungal and anti-rot. But, despite this, its advantages are obvious:
- Ease of use.
- Thanks to machining, all barrels are perfectly flat and grooved.
- Based on your project, the logs are trimmed. All you need to do is fill the foundation and assemble the house.
If you are planning to build your home yourself, it is much easier and more efficient to use a rounded log. Let's look at how you can turn your plans into reality.
Where to start?
The first thing you need to do is project your future home. Here you have two ways: to do it yourself or to resort to the help of specialists. If your knowledge of design is not very deep, it is best not to try to experiment. Design mistakes can be costly, and even worse, the dwelling can be uninhabitable. What to do in this case?
Many ready-made room designs can be found on the world wide web. Some of them can be obtained for free, while others are only available for money. If you are not sure about the reliability of such sources, you can contact specialized companies that will think over the project of your house to the smallest detail.
Next, you need to choose from which tree the house will be built. Basically, these are the following species: pine, spruce, larch, cedar, aspen, oak and ash. Often, coniferous wood is used for such purposes, since their trunks are quite even, and the wood itself is easily processed. Moreover, pine and spruce can be purchased at an affordable price. And thanks to the resin with which the wood is impregnated, moisture resistance and a pleasant smell are provided.
It is better to purchase logs in winter, since then the moisture resistance indicators are the highest.
After that, you need to order sawing wood for a finished project in a company that provides such services. After discussing all the issues, a whole set of logs for your house, floor beams, rafters and joists will be manufactured at the factory. To make sure that everything is done as it should, the house is assembled for the first time at the factory. After checking it is disassembled and delivered to you.
Now your participation is needed. You inspect a set of wood for quality and prepare a place where you will store the material for subsequent work.
To prevent the tree from getting wet when it rains, the storage place must be equipped with a canopy.
This completes all the preparatory work, you can proceed to the next stage.
Laying the foundation for the future home
It's not a secret for anyone that the foundation is the basis for any building. It is thanks to him that the entire building will reliably stand for many years. What exactly your foundation will be depends on the number of storeys of the house and its size. Since wood is a relatively light material, it is not necessary to deepen the foundation by 2 m and make it massive. This is one of the advantages of wood over brick. The foundation device can be varied, but the main thing to remember is that it must be done according to all standards of reliability and strength. To make a foundation, you can use several options suitable for a wooden house:
- shallow strip foundation;
- slab foundation.
Basically, a strip foundation is chosen for the foundation. But the pile foundation is also often used. And if the soil on the site is wet and loose, then they resort to making a slab foundation. To choose the right foundation, you first need to analyze the soil.
For example, you have chosen a strip foundation. Due to its design, it is quite reliable, as it repeats all the contours of the building: load-bearing walls and piers between them. To do all the work, you need:
- Mark out the site according to the project of the house, transfer it from paper to the ground. To do this, it is necessary to hammer in the stakes in the corners of the building and in places where there will be walls, and pull a rope between them. Thus, you will make for yourself a guideline for further work.
- Dig a trench based on the designated landmark.
- Make a formwork for pouring concrete. It can be either plywood or simple boards. The main thing is to do everything without cracks, holes and securely fix it so that the concrete with its weight does not knock it down.
- A cushion of fine gravel, stones or sand should be made in the trench. Recommended cushion height 50 mm. It must be tamped well.
- If the load on the foundation is large, then you can make a frame from reinforcement.
- Directly fill the foundation with concrete. It is important that the pouring takes place quickly and in several layers throughout the foundation. If you are only doing some vertical sections or pouring the concrete partially, there is a chance that the concrete may crack in those places.
- Drive air out of the concrete with a deep vibrator.
- Level the surface and leave to dry for a month.
After pouring, it is important to carefully check the surface with a hydraulic level to ensure that it is level. The difference can be up to 10 mm. If it is larger, those places need to be leveled with mortar or waterproofing. After all the work, the concrete will dry up in a week, but you need to continue working in a month, when it is completely stronger.
As practice shows, if you live in a climate with harsh winters, where snow can stand knee-deep, the base of the building should be high, about 500 mm. If it is made smaller, the first two crowns or logs, which are at the base, will constantly be under the snow, which will negatively affect their properties and further suitability.
Now you have moved on to the main type of work - the construction of walls and the formation of the frame of the future house. But before laying the first crown, it is important to ensure good waterproofing of the material, especially when it comes to wood. Since if you just put the first embedded log directly on the foundation, it will quickly become unusable. Therefore, the first thing to do is to lubricate concrete with molten bitumen. After that, 2-3 layers of waterproofing (roofing felt or waterproofing) must be laid on the foundation. Then you need to put the stacking board. It is better to choose linden timber 50-100 mm thick, at least 150 mm wide. After that, another 1 layer of waterproofing is laid on the board so that it extends beyond the edge of the foundation by 250 mm on each side. Thanks to this, the first stowing log will be protected from moisture and will serve you for many years.
Now, you can safely start assembling walls from rounded logs.
All logs must be treated with an antiseptic so that they do not rot in the first winter.
At the stages of wall construction, it is important to constantly check whether the installation is being done correctly. It is important to ensure the horizontality of the logs and the strict verticality of the frame. Since there are openings in your house for door and window openings, you need to carefully lay down short logs, carefully securing them.
That's all, now you can see the result of your work - the house is almost ready. But note that doing everything yourself will be unrealistic. The logs must be lifted to a certain height. Therefore, ask for help from family, friends or neighbors.
Roof over your head
You should know that it is impossible to leave the walls made of logs uncovered, therefore, you should not hesitate with the installation of the roof. Floor beams and rafters should come with your home. The rafters can be installed either directly on the upper logs or on the laid Mauerlat (special bar for rafters).
If there is a veranda in the project, then a special shrinkage compensator must be inserted into the vertical log supporting the structure. After all, logs that are laid horizontally will shrink and dry out, but logs that are laid vertically will not. Therefore, in order to avoid skewing at home, each vertical log must be equipped with a compensator.
Ridge logs must be connected with metal pins. The rafters should be installed in 600 mm increments. For this, a wooden beam 50 × 200 mm is used. The rafters must be fixed to the sliding supports to the last log of the masonry. After that, a waterproofing film is laid on the rafters. Depending on the roofing material, the lathing is attached. And at the end, the roofing material of your choice is laid.
If, when laying the walls, you left 50 mm of insulation hanging from the logs, it must be carefully caulked. To do this, use a special caulk, wrap the insulation down and push it inside the cracks between the logs.
The final stage is the installation of windows, doors, floor and ceiling installation
Although you used rounded logs for construction, which were dried, and there was little moisture in them, you still need to give the house time to shrink. It is impossible to proceed directly to the installation of windows and doors.
When the house has shrunk, you can do the finishing touches. Place windows and doors where you want them. Please note that you cannot insert them directly into the opening. First, it is necessary to install a wooden casing with a compensating fastening. Only then should the doors and windows be installed. For what, you ask? Since the tree tends to expand from moisture and shrink in its absence, this can critically affect windows and doors, they can deform and completely collapse. And thanks to the casing, the window and the opening become independent.
This completes the construction. Now you know how to build your own wooden house. If you did everything correctly, your "fabulous" home will serve you for many years. Such natural material has a beneficial effect on well-being and health.
Video
This video shows how a house is assembled from a rounded log:
Often, people who live in an area with a commercially available round timber, the idea arises to build a house on their own: all the more so since almost all the peasants owned this wisdom until quite recently, without knowing a single letter, not owning the construction technology. Building a log house with your own hands is not a great science, but it still requires a deep understanding of the process and the ability to adapt old carpentry technologies to new conditions.
Materials and tools for the construction of a log house
We are in a hurry to dissuade people who want to install a log house using modern power tools to save time. Unfortunately, the use of chainsaws and electric planers is not recommended, they can only be used for heavy work. Wood treated with power tools is more susceptible to mold and decay processes. For the construction of log cabins, a special carpentry kit is used.
For work, in addition to axes, you will need a standard plane (as well as a scherhebel plane for finishing work) and a scraper (for removing bark), there is also a number of additional carpentry tools for cutting into a cup. An adze is used to cut a longitudinal groove - an ax with a rounded blade and an inverted hatchet. When processing wood with hand tools, the wood pores are naturally clogged, as a result, a hand-chopped house will stand much longer.
Carpenter's ax and its features: where to order and how to make
A house from round timber is cut by several types of axes, professional cutters order axes for felling houses on order from high-quality hardened steel. In the simplest version, we recommend stocking up with an ax for rough cutting, which, without the weight of the ax, should lead about 1.6 kg, have a sharpening angle of 25 degrees, for convenience, use the length of the ax 60 cm. And the second ax is used for fine cutting with higher accuracy, such the model will have a sharpening angle of 20 degrees, a mass of 0.9 kg and an ax up to 50 cm long.
Many artels in their work use a restoration-carpenter's ax, which was restored and made on the basis of ancient samples by A.V. Popov. There are many modifications made by Popov himself. Up to about 90% of felling joinery can be done with this tool. Popov's ax has a wedge-shaped shape, in fact, this ax is a half moon, since its tasks include not only cutting, but also removing chips during operation. This requirement is achieved with a specially shaped tool.
High-quality axes for felling log cabins are produced by a number of Russian forges. One of the most curious is ToporSib. In this artel, you can purchase all the necessary tools for felling a log house in the form of ready-made sets.
Selection and preparation of logs for the construction of a log house
For the construction of a log house, round timber is required. The thickness of the log house is selected based on the availability of materials. Usually, a round house is cut with its own hands from affordable and inexpensive materials. In Russian conditions, we are talking about pine round timber. There are 4 varieties of round timber available for sale, experts recommend the 2nd grade:
- 1st grade: butt part, no knots, used for high-quality woodwork;
- 2nd grade: assortment from the middle and butt part of the pine trunk, there are a small number of knots and cracks;
- 3rd grade: round timber with a large number of knots;
- Grade 4: wood with any defects, except for rot.
Pine for the construction of a log house is chosen for budgetary reasons, in addition, this wood is soft and pliable in processing, has a small number of knots, does not require additional processing, the trunk runout (difference in diameter) does not usually exceed 1 cm.Pine does not crack as much as spruce in processing, but has softness, therefore, for the lower logs that are closer to the ground, larch or oak is recommended. In this case, the cap can be made of pine, but its diameter should be 5-7 cm larger than the main log. In some cases, a high foundation can save from ground moisture.
For felling, only fresh wood is used; ideally, a log house is cut in the forest, where material can be picked up, and then transported to the installation site. Fresh material should be stored for no more than 2 weeks; for storage on a construction site, rounds are stacked in stacks. For northern regions with temperatures reaching -40C in winter, logs with a diameter of 21-24 cm are used, for the middle strip 15-18 cm is enough.
Project
When building a house, it is better to start with small forms of buildings, for example, to build a gazebo or a log-bath with a relaxation room and a bedroom. You can live in such a house until the construction of the main house, and then use it as a guest house. Usually a timber of the maximum length is ordered, while it is possible to make accurate calculations based on the availability of windows, doors, walls and select the logs at the sawmill according to the required size.
In order to successfully and quickly build a house for yourself, it is better to hire an artel, which is engaged in wood construction, at least for the summer. This will help you to understand the main points of manual felling of log cabins.
Foundation works: in the old days and now
The foundation for a wooden frame is made using tape technology or from stone. The higher the foundation, the better the timber will be protected from soil moisture. A round log house can be installed on a columnar and pile foundation. In the old days, the first rows of logs, the so-called uterine crown, were installed on stone ramparts, they were called ryazem. This solution made it possible to raise the house above the ground and secure it firmly.
We chop the log house with our own hands
Prepare accessories before starting work. First of all, the supports for holding the logs, the fixation of the round timber is ensured by the cut wedges. Next, you need to prepare the logs to size:
- when cutting a log house "in the paw", the logs are prepared according to the design dimensions of the house;
- when cutting "into the bowl" by 60 cm more.
Then, with the help of a scraper, the bark is removed from the trees, you can bring the log to a smooth state with a plane, but since the top layer of wood will be removed, you need to treat the log with an antiseptic solution or tar oil.
At the next stage, the cutting of the oblique crown is carried out using the cutting of the log. On the one hand, you should get a perfectly flat surface that will be in contact with the foundation. Further, a strapping is constructed, a felling is done without much difficulty with your own hands in a bowl, other technologies require skill.
Here is how a do-it-yourself frame is made video:
The algorithm for cutting a longitudinal groove can be different; professional craftsmen make it by hand. A small graphical instruction will help beginners.
The felling of a log house can be carried out in a bowl, as well as using a number of other methods, which are illustrated in the figure.
Please note that there is Russian and Canadian felling technology. The Canadian method of felling log cabins is better calculated for the shrinkage of the log and guarantees better thermal insulation.
Conclusion
Do-it-yourself felling is a very real goal, as a result of which you will become the owner of a beautiful and warm home. Construction of a wooden house will cost you relatively inexpensively, since labor-intensive processes will be carried out independently. The house will delight with its appearance, as well as create a healthy atmosphere inside due to the aroma of pine resins. The key advantage of this construction technology is the fact that you can cut a wooden house at any time of the year. When using high-quality old wood, such a house will last at least 100 years.
Do-it-yourself construction from a rounded log is quite possible: this material is much more convenient to work with than an ordinary round log or bar. During cylindering, the trunk is not only cleaned of bark and knots, but also the connecting bowls and the mounting groove are cut out in it, the crowns are adjusted to each other at the factory, as a result, the wall kit turns into a construction set with completely ready-made elements. But the installation of a log house is only part of the work. How to properly build a house from a rounded log yourself?
Where to begin
The first stage is the creation of a project; it is better to contact a reliable company for its development. Experts will offer a choice of ready-made options for houses of the required area. If they do not suit your needs, order an individual design, it will cost more.
The design takes into account several main parameters:
- The size of the house and the layout of the rooms. It should be borne in mind that the standard length of the log is 6 meters, longer lumber will have to be ordered separately.
- The number of floors and the location of the stairs. If the financial situation does not allow building a two-story house, you can limit yourself to a building with an attic: this will save on wall material and get additional usable space.
- The position of the house on the site with the placement of communications. Already at the design stage, it will be necessary to resolve the issue of sewerage, water supply, heating, etc., to determine the location of the building on the site relative to the cardinal points.
It is not so difficult to build a house from a rounded log with your own hands, but mistakes in the project will be very expensive. It is necessary, together with specialists, to work out all aspects and draw up the most detailed estimate. The cost of a cubic meter of lumber in different companies ranges from 7 to 9 thousand rubles, and you need to choose the best option.
Foundation preparation
Any building needs a solid foundation that will protect it from sinking into the ground and gradual destruction. Since a log house is much lighter than a brick or concrete one, a shallow strip foundation is enough for it, this is the most common solution. What to do next and how to build a house from cylindrical steel:
Installation procedure
Assembling a house from cylindrical cylinders may well be carried out by non-professionals, because you don't have to adjust anything manually, the logs just need to be folded in order. It is problematic to carry out such work alone, it is advisable to involve several assistants.
Sequence of work:
The technology of building a house from a rounded log allows you to erect the building itself in just a few days, then it is left to dry and shrink. During this period, it must not be heated, since due to the sharp temperature difference inside and outside, the logs can crack, which will significantly reduce the strength of the building and become a gate for cold. The process takes at least a year, but only after that the capital roof is installed and the final finishing is carried out.
Finishing
As we said, it is not so difficult to build a house from a rounded log with your own hands, but in the future a wooden building will require constant care of the owner. Wood is a living material that is exposed to various biological factors, from which it must be protected. There are the following areas of protection and decoration:
Full processing and finishing will help make the house comfortable and beautiful, it will last for many years, becoming a reliable home for several generations of residents. A cylindrical building is one of the most inexpensive options for suburban housing construction, and in terms of its technical characteristics it is not inferior to a brick or concrete one.
The main mistakes in the construction of chopped wooden houses.
Log houses have been serving people with faith and truth for more than one millennium. Solid wood houses give their owners incomparable pleasure from living in a comfortable micro-environment. Solid wood has a high heat capacity (2.4 times higher than that of ceramic bricks), which makes it possible to smooth out daily temperature fluctuations. Also, the porous structure of wood allows you to naturally regulate the humidity in the room through the cycles of absorption and evaporation of moisture. The log house is relatively resistant to ground and foundation movements. Wood surfaces often do not require any additional treatment other than sanding and coating with antiseptics to create beautiful interiors.
However, only properly felled wooden houses will give their owners comfort. The construction of a log house requires high carpentry skills at the 6th grade level. Without experience and qualifications, it is almost impossible to cut down a wooden house without mistakes. And mistakes during construction can negate all the advantages of a log house. Houses built with mistakes are easy to recognize: builders or owners have to additionally insulate and sheathe them from the outside and from the inside in order to hide defects, eliminate the through-blowing of locks in the corners and inter-crown seams. One of the modern options for houses made of solid wood, practically devoid of the shortcomings of log cabins, are houses made of glued beams. Due to the peculiarities of this technology, blowing through the seams and cracking the tree in such houses is practically impossible.
In this article, we will briefly touch on the most common mistakes in the construction of log houses.
- Log house preparation errors.
Errors when choosing a material for construction.
According to GOST 9463-88 "Round coniferous timber", round timber of pine, spruce, fir and larch is suitable for the construction of houses. Larch is the most expensive material, the hardest and most resistant to decay. Spruce is less dense, excessively knotty and prone to more cracking. The optimal tree for building a house is a pine tree aged 80 to 120 (140) years old, grown in the northern regions (Arkhangelsk, Angarsk, in Karelia) on dry sandy soil, at least 24 meters high. The best pine logs have a deep red or yellow-red core color, which indicates a high density of wood. Loose varieties have a pale yellow core. The forest of winter felling, contrary to folk legends, actually has a higher moisture content of sapwood (25-50% higher than in summer), a greater amount of starch and, therefore, is more easily affected by fungi. It is possible to determine the round timber of winter felling using a qualitative test for starch: a stroke is applied to the debarked wood with an iodine pencil. If the stroke turns blue - in front of you is a tree felled in winter.
For construction, it is allowed (this does not mean that you have to agree to purchase such materials) timber with such defects as mushroom blue and colored sap spots (no more than 1/20 - 1/10 of the end diameter), wormholes (no more than 5-10 pieces per 1 running meter), side cracks from shrinkage no more than 1/20 -1/5 of the end diameter, trunk curvature no more than 1-2% (1-2 cm per 1 running meter). Logs used for construction must have a run-down (thinning of the log towards the top) of no more than 0.8 cm per 1 m of length.
Rot (sapwood, rotten, hearty) and tobacco knots (decomposed knots of brown or white color, crumbling under load) are not allowed in round timber.
The minimum diameter of a round timber for a residential building is 22-24 cm. The width of the grooves should be at least half the diameter of the log, and in the northern regions it can be increased even more. With a smaller size of the grooves, the consumption of timber decreases, but the thickness of the joints between the joints becomes smaller, and the house becomes "colder".
Cutting of corners can be done without the rest "in the paw" or with the rest - "in the corner". The "corner" cabin makes connections more reliable, and the frame is more stable. In addition, the wood allowance better protects the lock from weathering. Cutting "in the paw" is usually used for the subsequent sheathing of corners or the entire frame. For residential buildings, the device for connecting logs in the corners must have internal locking elements that exclude through-blowing of the corner (connecting logs "into the bowl" with a stop or "in a flash" with a stop). Due to its geometry (overturned bowl), the cut-out allows better drainage of moisture and faster drying of the joint. Cutting internal locking elements requires a high qualification of a carpenter, this work takes more time and costs more. Otherwise, the corners of the residential building will be protected from blowing only with tow (heat-insulating material). This is one of the main disadvantages of rounded log houses, where log joints are manufactured industrially without additional internal locking elements.
Moisture content of timber for construction. SP 64.13330.2011 "Wooden structures" allows the use of raw solid wood for the construction of houses with a moisture content of up to 40% under the following conditions: the predicted wood shrinkage should not disturb the structure and flexibility of the joints, and the timber itself should be antiseptic and conditions should be provided for them to dry out drying and moisture protection. It is optimal if the log house dries up, installed in place on the foundation and under the roof. Drying period from 6 months to 1 year. If the log house stood at the seller in the feet (separate parts of the log house with 5 crowns, convenient in height for processing) without a roof for 6-12 months, then with a high probability this means that the tree will be rotted. It is permissible to purchase log cabins that have stood under the roof.
It is important to understand that the higher the moisture content of the timber, the greater the shrinkage of the wood, and the wider the gap between the joints, the cracks in the corner joints (especially with cutting defects), the more the wood will crack.
Why don't they cut down houses from dry wood? Dry wood has a higher density and hardness and is much more difficult to process. The rounded log is optionally subjected to chamber drying after processing. However, kiln-dried wood can bend as the equilibrium moisture builds up on the construction site. Finnish and Karelian dry-standing pine with equilibrium moisture content is used in construction, but this is already an exclusive product. In addition, a properly assembled blockhouse made of raw wood, during drying in the assembled state, "sits down" in place, reducing the size of the through slots and, accordingly, the coefficient of wall blowing. It is important to know that it is possible to paint (not mean treatment with antiseptics) wood only if its moisture content does not exceed 15%. Otherwise, the wood will crack strongly when it dries. Therefore, the treatment of log cabins is permissible only with vapor-permeable antiseptics. Treating a wet (damp) log house with a steam-impermeable antiseptic will also cause the wood to crack as it dries.
For dowels (dowels), only dry (no more than 12%) straight-grained wood without knots should be used. Birch pins must be antiseptic.
Fastening of logs to metal elements (trimming of reinforcement, long nails) is not recommended, as moisture accumulates on the media section, and the metal element becomes the centers of biological destruction of wood. Usually, the reinforcement is used by unscrupulous builders for fastening and "tension" of curved logs, which then leads to a violation of the normal shrinkage of the frame, the formation of cracks and bulging of individual logs. It is strictly forbidden to punch the corner joints of the logs with nails, as this will interfere with the movement of the tree during shrinkage, and will contribute to the formation of cracks (after the tree has dried, the nails will rise above the surfaces).
Types of timber processing for construction.
The most traditional for Russia is round timber. In Scandinavia they use a carriage (from the Norwegian "lafteverk" - log house) - logs hewn from two opposite sides on two edges, or a half-carriage - hewn one edge from the inner side of the log. The cost of a hewn log house can be 35-50% higher than a log log house. When processing round timber, builders sometimes leave unremoved areas of the bast (under-bark). According to the norms, no more than 20% of bast can remain on the round timber. However, it is better to remove the bast completely with the help of shaving (planing), since the bast contains many polysaccharides, which are an excellent medium for feeding microorganisms and insects that can damage the wood. Also, when ostrozhka, young layers of sapwood that are less resistant to infection by fungi and insects are removed.
Waterproofing must be installed between the first flashing ring and the foundation. Until now, builders for some reason use a non-durable cardboard-based material for waterproofing - roofing material, in which through holes and cracks are formed in 7-10 years. For waterproofing, it is necessary to use modern bitumen-polymer materials with a service life of 25-50 years. Of course, the complete absence of waterproofing is also unacceptable. The use of a backing board under the flap reduces heat loss by heat transfer from the frame to the foundation, reduces the risks of biological destruction of the flare. According to the requirements of SP 64.13330.2011 "Wooden structures", such wooden pads (pillows) should be made of antiseptic wood, mainly deciduous species (oak, aspen). If necessary, the backing boards can be replaced with new ones. Replacing the cap is a much more time-consuming procedure. The lower rims of the house must be protected from moisture. The greatest harm is caused by splashes of precipitation reflected from the ground and snow pressed against the wall. To protect the logs from splashes and snow, it is recommended to raise the foundation above the planning mark by at least 40-50 cm.
Additional factors for protecting the log house include splash guards protruding above the plinth, long overhangs (75-120 cm) and equipping roofs with gutters and pipes.
Orientation of logs during stacking. Each tree has a natural curvature due to wind loads during the growth of the tree. When laying logs, they are certainly laid with the curvature upward so that the loads from the overlying structures compensate for the bending of the wood. If you do not follow this principle, then the logs will stick out to the sides. Normally, the deviation of the crowns of chopped walls from the horizontal by 1 m of length should not exceed 3 mm.
The size of the inter-crown gaps should not exceed 1 mm. With the Russian felling system, it is quite difficult to fulfill this condition, since as the tree dries out, the cracks open. The advantage has Norwegian felling system with a wedging longitudinal groove and a sliding self-wedging lock, in which, as the tree dries, the logs sit down relative to each other, reducing the size of the inter-crown slots.
In Russia, traditionally, they continue to insulate the gaps in log houses with natural materials, such as flax, jute, felt, moss, etc., which are not elastic, subject to biological degradation, and are a breeding ground for microorganisms and insects. All of these materials require repeated caulking. Meanwhile, in Scandinavia, an elastic self-expanding polyethylene foam tape is used as a mezhventsovy sealant, the use of which eliminates the need for repeated caulking.
If possible, you should avoid joining logs in crowns along the length. Such connections weaken the structure of the log house, and the walls of the log house can deform. The logs used in the structure should be as solid as possible. And it is definitely not worth making connections at the intersections of the walls, where load concentrations arise.
Shrinkage and swelling of wood along the grain is more pronounced than across the grain. Therefore, all vertical posts and columns must be equipped with platforms-jacks with shrinkage compensators, which are twisted to the required amount of shrinkage, which can last up to 6-8 years or more. Perhaps a more aesthetically pleasing option is to install shrinkage compensators at the bottom of the columns, where they are less noticeable.
It is not recommended to cut openings for windows and doors in the log house until the end of the first active period of wood drying (6-12 months). During the same period, you should not hem the floor, ceiling and sheathe walls, as this will interfere with normal ventilation and drying of the wood.
Pay particular attention to ventilation of the underground space when arranging wooden floors. The minimum cross-sectional area of one air vent must be at least 0.05 m 2, and the total air air must be at least 1/400 of the underground area. It should be noted that this floor structure is already archaic. The world mainly uses floors on the ground that allow using geothermal heat, avoiding problems with moisture in the underground space and radioactive soil gases into the house.
3. Errors in finishing a log house.
When arranging window and door openings, remember that the minimum distance between openings is 90 cm. The walls must be reinforced with dowels. For installation in log houses, it is better to use windows and doors with frames at least 10 cm wide, which does not allow the window and door block to deform during secondary caulking of the house.
Fastening of window bars for door and window frames should be sliding - without the use of nails, since the shrinkage of a wooden house can last for a long time. Above the windows and doors, compensation gaps are left under the crease of the upper log for shrinkage in the amount of 5-8% of the height of the opening.
It is better to use self-expanding elastic sealing strips for sealing window and door frames. Conventional polyurethane foam, when expanded, can deform window frames, and when the tree shrinks, form cracks. If it is used, then after hardening it should be covered from the outside from the sun and moisture with waterproof vapor-permeable self-adhesive butyl rubber tape. The inside of the foam should be covered with vapor barrier tape. Unprotected foam breaks down quickly, as in the house in the photo below.Finishing the inter-crown seams of the assembled log house after the end of the first stage of intensive drying (12-24 months) with glazing beads or a rope is only decorative, contributing to the waste of money and time, but not protecting the walls from blowing. Modern elastic and vapor-permeable sealants (for example, from domestic manufacturer SAZI) allow you to protect the gaps between the joints from blowing through and create an aesthetic appearance of the walls.
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External insulation of a wooden house. Most often to outdoor insulation it is necessary to resort to the detection of construction defects, such as blowing through walls. The main and most critical mistake is the external insulation of a wooden house with vapor-tight insulation (expanded polystyrene, polyethylene foam). In this case, the tree is deprived of the opportunity to dry out, it is moistened, which increases its thermal conductivity and accelerates biological destruction. In clause 8.8 of SP 23-101-2004 "Designing thermal protection of buildings" it is prescribed to arrange layers of multilayer walls in such a way that the vapor permeability of materials from the inside to the outside of the heated house increases, rather than decreases.
Aesthetics of a wooden house. Often, lovers of wooden houses, where all interior elements such as walls, floors, ceilings, beams, railings, furniture are made of wood, find that, perhaps, they have gone too far with the number of wooden surfaces that create the feeling of life in a “wooden box”. Changing furniture and painting walls comes to the rescue. However, it is wiser to plan contrasting surfaces in the house during the design phase. These can be floors, ceilings, kitchen countertops, steel elements of stairs and fences, decorative walls made of natural or artificial stone.