How to lift a house with a jack? At first glance this may seem quite challenging task, in fact, the technology is quite simple. The main thing is to take into account all the requirements and act in accordance with a certain sequence. It is necessary to carefully prepare for the process of lifting a house with a jack and learn all the intricacies of the technology. Here it is very important to act without haste, gradually.
Two jacks will be quite enough; during the process they will need to be installed alternately, on different sides of the house. The use of four jacks (for each corner of the house) is not recommended, since this approach to work can cause the house to move sideways. Before lifting the house with a jack, it is necessary to calculate the approximate load that falls on each corner. This way you will be able to choose optimal material of a suitable size that can be used as a temporary support for the house.
Required materials and tools
Before jacking up a house, you should make sure you have the necessary materials and tools:
- slats;
- steel plate ( metal corner suitable size);
- metal pipe (for its use as a roller under the house);
- material for supporting a raised house (excellent wooden will do timber);
- hydraulic level;
- funnel.
IN in this case Jacks designed for trucks (with a load capacity of 10 tons) are perfect.
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The stage of preparatory work for raising a house with a jack
Before you start lifting the house, you need to complete a series of preparatory work. First of all, two slats are driven into the ground at each corner of the house. To perform the following steps, you will need to use a hydraulic level. A special feature of this device is a rubber hose, the ends of which are connected to glass tubes, their length is about 200 - 250 mm. To work with a level of this type, water is poured into the hose using a funnel (for convenience, the liquid can be tinted using ordinary potassium permanganate). The water level in the tubes must be the same.
Using a hydraulic level, the height to which the house will be raised is marked on each of the slats. For this purpose, one tube is attached (tied) to the rail. Meanwhile, the second tube is applied to the remaining slats, after which marks are made. In this case, it is necessary to return to the tube, which is in a stationary position, and check the liquid level. If the levels do not match, we can conclude that the hose contains air bubbles. As you understand, such a device is unsuitable for work.
Scheme of raising a house using two jacks: 1 – a rail with a mark of the lifting height; 2 – foundation.
In order to correct this situation, you will need a flat area with a slight slope. After the device is filled with water again (again using a funnel), go around the house, placing marks on slats driven into the ground. Then return to the fixed tube. In this case, checking the coincidence of the rail levels is prerequisite. If you accidentally spill liquid from the tube, the process must be continued. Otherwise, all subsequent work related to raising the house may not be performed correctly.
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Stage of raising a house, or working with a jack
Before lifting a house with your own hands, it is very important to prepare the areas where the jacks will be installed. Shields, boards or other material should be placed on each horizontal platform. It is advisable to make the supporting area as large as possible. A steel plate is laid from the jack's spot to the lower crown of the dwelling (which can be replaced with a corner of a suitable size). This will avoid damaging the log on the patch. Next, try a test lift. If there is a shift (from the vertical) of the jacks, support platform adjusts to fit the device (jack).
The house should be raised so that the height is from 30 to 40 mm. To lift houses, as a rule, two jacks are used at once. At least 2 people must take part in the work process. The next step will be to lay pads under the house, with the help of which the jacks can be released. After this, the same side is lifted. The lifting height of the house this time should be about 80 mm. Next, you should install the pads under the house.
After the first side of the house has been lifted, you should begin installing jacks on the opposite side of the house. Subsequent actions are similar to the previous ones. Next, return to the right side of the house again. After installing the jacks, lower the curtains, otherwise the tool may turn out from under the home. The actions already familiar to you are repeated in the same sequence until the house is raised.
When lifting houses, it is very important to consider the following rules:
- If you doubt the correct installation of the jack, you should stop the process of raising the house and place the tool correctly.
- When lifting a house with a jack, under no circumstances should you crawl under the house. This also applies to arms and legs, no matter how secure the temporary pads may seem. You should carry out the work with particular caution if you have to raise the house after it has rained, since it will temporarily installed stands may settle unevenly.
If the house moves sideways during lifting, install jacks on the side that turns out to be lower. In this case, the installation of the jacks will be slightly different; their position should not be vertical, but inclined. The slope should be directed towards the desired position in which the house should be (the angle should be approximately 60 degrees). Using jacks, you need to support the crown of the dwelling; a stop board nailed to a log is perfect for this.
This way, the house will stand more securely and will not begin to slide further. The other two jacks are used to raise the opposite part of the house (by 30 mm). Place a pipe section of ½ to ¾ inch diameter under the logs. After you have succeeded in lifting the house, lower it onto pre-prepared rollers. Your next steps (using jacks set at an angle) should be aimed at not only lifting the house, but also moving it horizontally.
If you succeeded in raising the house, but cannot move it horizontally, install the jacks at a smaller angle (between the axis of the tool and the ground from 45 to 60 degrees).
You should work with jacks slowly, performing several strokes with each tool in turn. Otherwise (if long work with only one of the tools placed under the house), the housing can gradually slide and twist around the pillar installed on the foundation. The house must be lifted strictly in the specified sequence.
You should know that raising a house is not too difficult. Of course, it is better to entrust this work to professionals, but if this is not possible, you can do it yourself.
We will need following materials and tools:
- hydraulic jack, preferably ten or twenty tons
- beams measuring approximately 150x250 mm, you can take sleepers
- various construction tools
- thick steel plate
Sequence of work:
- calculate the load incident on each corner
- choose a place where the jack will stand
- put a jack
- raise each wall and place supports
- fix the raised wall
- replace crowns or top up foundation
Next, you should choose a place where the jack will stand. It depends on the purpose for which you are lifting. If you need to change lower crowns, you need to cut a hole in them until the next log, which will become the support of the jack. The hole should be wide enough to accommodate the jack itself, as well as the boards that will support the house after it is raised.
If the purpose of the lift is to increase the height of the foundation, it will be necessary if the foundation belt type, make a recess in it for the jack. If it is columnar, there is no such need.
Place a thick steel plate under the head of the jack. It’s good if there is some kind of milling in its center, then the head will not slip off.
You need to place a rod not far from the corner and stick it into the ground. You need to make marks on it and on the corner at the same level. The ratio of these marks during lifting will indicate how many centimeters the angle is raised.
Work begins by turning on the jack. It is necessary to ensure that the jack is vertical. If it deviates to the side, you need to stop work and install the jack correctly.
When lifting you must follow next rule. It is necessary to lift with two jacks at once, which are placed at angles. Raising one corner should be done if it has sagged in relation to the other corners and needs to be leveled.
Each wall at a time must be raised to a height of 4 to 6 cm and no more. Then you should place stops under the wall and begin lifting the opposite wall.
There are two options for how to fix an already raised wall. The first is to place boards between the foundation and the log. The second is to make a “bench”, that is, place boards under the wall at right angles to it. The ends of the boards should be placed on supports located on both sides of the wall. The choice of option should be determined by what you need to do with the house, for example, replace crowns, top up the foundation, etc.
How to raise a corner of a house video
Quite often, owners of old wooden buildings are faced with the question of how to achieve their rise. Log house can last much longer if its base is properly “reanimated”. Hydrological processes occurring in the depths of the soil cause subsidence of the foundation of a wooden structure. Exposure to water also provokes different biological processes, which destroy the structure of building materials. The result is the formation of cracks and the gradual expansion of existing ones. During operation, the log house loses its caulk, which negatively affects the thermal insulation; in addition, the house begins to settle over time.
After lifting the log house, the lower crown or foundation is changed.
You can control the intensity with which these processes occur by using paper beacons, which should be glued to the cracks.
Violation of their integrity indicates destruction of the foundation of the house, which must be repaired, otherwise the destruction will progress.
Tools and materials
Replacing logs in a log house: a) Yes; b) became.
- asbestos-cement pipes;
- brick;
- metal staples;
- sledgehammer;
- crowbars;
- chainsaw;
- wedges;
- jacks;
- sheet metal;
- hydraulic level;
- metal plate;
- sand;
- fittings;
- cement;
- shovel;
- roofing felt
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Features of lifting a wooden house
Pouring a new foundation for the log house.
If the destruction affected only the base log house which has sunk into the soil, while the rest of it remains in excellent or satisfactory condition, it is necessary to lift and subsequently replace the foundation. It is important not only to repair the foundation of a log house, but also to avoid destruction of the building.
The initial step will be to determine the height to which the house will be raised. As a rule, this figure is no more than 2 m. In order to obtain accurate data when measuring, you should use a hydraulic level, which can successfully replace a tape measure. Based on this, we first need to prepare reliable wood posts that must have required height, they should be placed at corners.
It is also necessary to determine the mass of the house, knowing such data as the thickness and dimensions of the walls, as well as the density of the wood, which is approximately 800 kg/m³. This will be necessary for the correct selection of the type of jacks.
The old house should be cleared of furniture and belongings, the doors should be removed, the floor should be dismantled, all these actions will help lighten the structure. If the house has any structures that could interfere with the lifting process, you should also get rid of them for a while, including the following elements: beams from the stove, porch, roof pipe.
Scheme of pouring the foundation for a house along the perimeter and with a concrete lintel in the middle.
In addition to wooden posts, care should be taken to have additional equipment, such as: a sledgehammer, a chainsaw, crowbars, wedges made of wood, jacks with a long rod. Jacks, as practice shows, must have a load capacity of at least 10 tons. During the work, you will need jack supports, which should be made using thick sheet metal; it can be replaced by sheets of plywood. As a result, the resulting lining nickels should have dimensions equal to 500x500 mm.
Before starting work, the frame of the house should be analyzed so that, if necessary, the joints of the logs can be strengthened or fragments of logs that have become unusable can be repaired. Using metal brackets, it is necessary to fix the first 3 bottom rows that make up the frame. Before installing the jack, you should determine the most convenient angle for this. After placing the jack under the house, you can begin to carefully lift it. As soon as you have managed to raise the frame to the point where the corner is torn off from the base, you should install wedges that will act as insurance in case the jack cannot cope with the load.
Once it becomes possible to position the jacks at the remaining angles, you can install them on the pads and then begin lifting. Having shifted the angle by 1.5 cm, you can move on to the next one. Lifting should be carried out with extreme caution to avoid distortions that could lead to collapse. It is necessary to install temporary supports near the jacks using bricks, which will provide additional insurance.
Replacement of the beams of the lower crown of the log house.
Once the opportunity arises, you need to place beams under the lower crowns, rearranging the jacks so that they rest against the beams. A metal plate should be placed between the beam and the jack, and then continue lifting until the desired height is reached. During the work process, supports should be built using Construction Materials, and then placing them under the middle of the spans.
If out of order brick foundation has sufficient height, bricks should be removed in certain places, placing beams in the resulting holes. Then you need to install jacks under the beams to continue raising the house using the method described above.
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House foundation repair
After the house has been lifted and secured, you can begin to repair the foundation on which the frame is installed. In this case, you must adhere to of a certain order actions. Replacing the foundation under the house starts with dismantling the old foundation. Brickwork must be completely disassembled. And the trench should be deepened to create a new foundation.
Replacing the old foundation with screw piles.
The bottom of the trench should be filled with sand, the thickness of the embankment should be 150 mm. The base on which the log house will be installed must have a reinforced foundation; formwork must be installed to equip it. Next stage- filling the trench concrete mixture. During the process of gaining strength with concrete, it is unacceptable to load it, which should be adhered to for 28 days. After this period, the formwork can be dismantled.
The log house is exposed to water, which is why its base must be waterproofed, for which roofing felt sheets should be used. The new base must certainly be treated with bitumen; these actions constitute vertical waterproofing, which serves to protect against the effects of groundwater.
The opposite sides of the foundation must be provided with openings to ensure ventilation of the underground space. The holes can be arranged by laying asbestos-cement pipes at a certain height during the process of pouring the base.
Every person who has own house, sooner or later will encounter problems with cracks on the walls of the building, curvature of the foundation, and distortions. First of all, these problems come from damage to the base of the foundation, which, even with proper construction, can significantly decrease over a long period of time.
Of course, these problems must be solved without the slightest delay. This will save your time and money, and will prevent your home from deteriorating further. Therefore, the main ways to fix it will be described below.
There are 3 main options for solving this problem: the foundation can be strengthened, raised, or replaced in whole or in part.
Method one: strengthening the foundation
Let's start with the simplest: . Typically, reinforcement is carried out when the foundation begins to subsidence. If you cannot correct the foundation of your house in time with the help of reinforcement, then this may result in a large amount money with a complete replacement of expensive parts of both the foundation itself and the entire building.
First, you will need to dig a trench around the entire perimeter of the house. It is better to make the trench as deep as possible. Its width should be such that it is as comfortable as possible for you to work with underground part foundation while in a trench.
Now, using a trowel, carefully clean the surface of the foundation of the entire house from dirt and debris, after which you can begin strengthening. To be reliable, you will need rigid reinforcing wire. Take it and nail it firmly to the foundation to its full possible height. The other end of the wire is lowered and secured on the other side to the ground.
In order for this entire structure to remain strong, you need to make formwork along the width of the trench and fill the whole thing with concrete. The solution must be made as thick as possible. It is also advisable to add small pieces of reinforcement to it.
Fill the trench with the solution so that about 15 cm remains to the surface of the earth. After the concrete hardens to this height, you will need to add earth and sand and compact everything well. If there are places on your foundation with very large cracks, it is necessary to make through anchoring on them and connect it with an additionally laid row of brick or cinder block. This will subsequently ensure an even load on all parts of the building.
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Method two: raising the foundation
The next option is to raise the base of the foundation. This perfect option how to fix the foundation for a house if it sank too much, thereby giving large cracks on the walls of the house and distortions in the openings of doors and windows.
To raise the foundation, you will need a very strong pad to support the foundation on, and two fairly strong jacks. Start by lifting the most damaged corner of the house using jacks. Carefully place a spacer under the raised part and immediately begin working on the next corners.
When lifting corners with a jack, it is very important to consider two main points. The first is the lift height. The most damaged area should be raised first and above the other corners. But with all this, the maximum lifting height should not exceed two cm. The second is the possible distortion of the frame. Therefore, in the process of raising the corners, it is necessary to carefully ensure that the frame does not warp. Otherwise, it may lead to even greater destruction.
After raising all the corners, check that in the end all the corners are raised exactly the same distance. If you have checked and all the lifting heights are the same, proceed directly to the process of correcting the foundation. To do this, near the corners and in the middle of each wall we make recesses for pillars, the height of which is approximately 1 m.
After this, very strong reinforcement is inserted into the recesses. Try to squeeze the reinforcement so that it rests well on the walls of the recesses. When you are done with the reinforcement, install the formwork. But after this, mix a thick solution with pieces of reinforcing wire and fill the recesses with reinforcement with it. As a result, you should get so-called reinforcement columns, which will prevent the foundation from sagging in the future. After the solution has hardened, you can sprinkle the flooded areas on top with soil, compacting it well with a roller.
During the entire work process, it is very important not to forget about safety precautions. To avoid damage, be sure to install the jack securely so that it is well supported. And between the log house and the support for the jack it is necessary to place non-slip boards.
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Method three: replacing the foundation
And now as for partial or complete. When complete replacement everything is very clear. This is equivalent to rebuilding a building with large financial investments and significant time costs. Therefore, it is undesirable to allow this to happen. It is better to correct individual parts of the foundation in time.
To partially replace the foundation, it is most convenient to use the old, but well-tested method. This is a partial replacement of the base. To do this, the sole should not be deepened. For this purpose, it is best to make holes in the ground approximately 1 m deep in places where the foundation and walls of the house are damaged. Opposite each of the cells in the foundation wall, notches are made with a hammer drill for future fastening.
Now, using a powerful jet of water, wash the foundation near the dug cells and place reinforcement beams under them, which need to be hooked with anchors to the notches made in the wall. Then mix a thick solution and pour it into all the cells.
After that in mandatory it is necessary to strengthen the openings for doors and windows. To do this, tap the openings in loose places and check them with a level. Only they must first be carefully aligned, if even minor distortions have already formed.
This method will make it possible not only to partially restore individual parts of your foundation, but also to increase the overall bearing capacity foundations for the entire house. In this regard, the risk of new cracks appearing will be greatly reduced.
Thus, three main ways to improve the foundation of a house were considered. These methods are the simplest and most effective if the deformation of the foundation has not yet reached too significant a scale. Corrected defects in a timely manner will prevent the problem from developing into a more serious scale.
Svarog (Builderclub expert)
You're right about the trench. Just check in which direction the water is then discharged from it. And most importantly, how quickly. If the water doesn't leave there right away. However, a trench can play a negative role - water collects in it from the surrounding area, stands, is absorbed and flows under the house already inside the soil.
Apparently you have frame house. The frame is quite flexible and forgives large drawdowns and distortions. True, the panels may come apart in the corners. But when returning to their original position, they should close almost completely.
It is better, of course, to raise the corner that is falling down. In order not to wait for the floors to rise strongly, the cladding to come apart, etc. But if drawdowns continue, then you don’t want to give away 10k every two years. Therefore, the alternative is to raise the house yourself using wedges.
Wedges are best made from the cheapest wood. The main thing is that it is not rotten. As a rule, such wood is soft (not construction wood). I don’t know what kind of wood you sell, so I can’t tell you. The wedge is made flat. There is no need to make the wedge very sharp. Look at the attached picture, I think it will be clearer. The picture shows a lining - it is temporary, not the permanent one shown below, and is only needed at corners and intersections of walls, as a safety net.
The operating procedure is as follows:
1) It is necessary to gain access under all external walls (from the side where the subsidence is) and under all internal walls at least from 1 side. Those. make room for work.
2) Take the first wedges, which are 10-15mm thicker than the gaps. Drive in 3 wedges at each corner with a pitch of 500-1000mm (the first one is in the corner, and 2 and 3 on one and the other side of the corner, respectively. Do the same for interior walls. As a matter of fact, on the house plan that you showed, the red arrows mark all the right places. Hammer the wedges evenly. Those. there is no need to hit each wedge all the way. They knocked down 1 halfway, then 2, etc. Finish off the second pass.
3) Prepare new wedges (preferably in advance, of course), which are 15mm thicker than the previous ones and drive them in next to the previous ones. This way you gradually level the entire wall to the desired level.
4) It is necessary to raise all the walls a little more than necessary - by 2-3mm. This is necessary in order to lay the main (permanent) gaskets. The main gaskets are already made from construction wood(pine, for example) impregnated with antiseptics. Place the gaskets and carefully knock out the wedges. To strapping beam At home I laid it tightly on the pads.
What you need to properly prepare gaskets and wedges. Firstly, determine as accurately as possible how much each part of the house has subsided (your subsidence seems to be uneven). Prepare your own wedges for each corner and wall. Place them next to the place where you will put them. If you lump them together, you'll make a mess later. During work, it is necessary to constantly monitor building level position of the strapping beams so as not to skew them in the other direction :). It would be a good idea to have someone inside the house check how the floors are leveled and whether any cracks appear.
Work can be stopped and continued as you wish. But the wedges under all the walls should be approximately the same.
If something is not clear, please clarify.