Do-it-yourself dowels for timber
The construction of structures made of wood implies the mandatory use of special fastening fragments. Such elements are aimed at ensuring that the design is of high quality, reliable, monolithic, and as durable as possible.
An integral part of the structure are dowels, or dowels. It is the quality of this part that determines the reliability of the entire structure. You can easily make dowels for timber even with your own hands. The procedure is not anything particularly complicated. The main thing is to follow the chosen method.
What are wooden dowels?
First, it’s worth understanding what the dowel itself is. The part is a miniature fragment made to strengthen the walls of a log house made of timber. In this case, it is the diameter of the dowels for the timber that acts as one of the most key characteristics.
The purpose of the dowels may be different. For example, wooden dowels are focused on fixing log structures. The detail allows you to slow down a variety of negative consequences that invariably accompany the functioning of wooden structures. It could be:
Such peculiar pins, installed correctly and correctly, will make the building stable. The beams of the structure will be placed in such a way that they will remain unchanged after a couple of months and after several decades.
Spikes for fixing timber: which ones to choose and why?
The most popular are dowels made from hard wood. Maximum durable options thorns of oak or birch protrude. It is not possible to deform, bend, or break them. However, there is one condition. They must be properly secured. What are their shape and sizes? Optimal solution– details of rounded contours. Their length should not exceed 25 mm. Wooden dowels must be smooth and even not only at the point of installation, but over the entire surface. It is these nails that guarantee the longest possible service life.
Installing dowels in timber is mandatory rule for timber and log structures. Birch thorns are the most common option. Such dowels cannot become an analogue of self-tapping screws or primitive nails. If they are used, it is impossible to guarantee the stability and reliability of the structure. It is also worth abandoning the use of reinforcement. Metal versions may result in a number of negative consequences, which is explained by the direct interaction of materials with different thermal conductivity parameters. What can the use of metal dowels lead to? It could be:
- condensation formation;
- coating the surface of the spikes with rust;
- rotting of the entire layer of wood.
The nuances of creating dowels
How to make dowels for timber? It's actually a simple procedure. It's easy to do it yourself. To do this, you will need to use logs of a certain length. The blanks (ideally made from birch) must be split into many small fragments. It is advisable to make them in the form of squares. Then you will need to trim them. This is done manually. It is recommended to give the workpieces a round shape of the desired diameter.
Owners lathe making dowels is very simple. Using it, elements are created quickly and accurately. If not wooden logs, you can always use cuttings from shovels that have already gone out of circulation. To give them the required size and shape, you just need to cut them. Round parts can also be easily created using a circular saw.
Subtleties of fastening dowels made of wood
How is the beam fastened with dowels? You can also do it yourself, without using the services of professionals. The procedure is extremely simple. Using wood tenons will first require finding the middle of the plane being used. At this point it is necessary to make the appropriate markings. This is where the hole will be created later.
Now you need to drill a hole using a drill. It is in this that you will then need to attach the dowels. That is why it is very important to choose the drill diameter correctly. Its dimensions must be identical to the same parameters of the spike. As for the depth, it is 1.5 timber. The question of what dowels for 150x150 timber turns out to be quite simple. Here you can see how this procedure is performed.
In this case, the task itself disappears: how to drill the timber for the dowels. Undoubtedly, best option- This is a modern drill. It is much more important to ensure that the hole is processed correctly. The entry angle depends on the position of the drill. It must be strictly perpendicular to the base itself. Competency in performing this step will allow you to avoid problems with the installation of fragments in the future. It is also worth remembering that if the dowel is located extremely loosely in the timber, this will deprive the structure of all the advantages of this type of fasteners. You should also avoid excessive density. The length of the dowel should not be longer than established sizes. Protrusion of a part above the surface leads to problems in the process inevitable shrinkage designs.
Some secrets of the procedure
A dowel made of wood, like the metal versions, is aimed at connecting 2 logs or beams. That is why there are several secrets on how to properly attach them. Professional assembly of timber for dowels implies:
- compliance with chess alternation, taking into account the perimeter of the structure;
- the optimal distance between them is in the range from 1000 to 1500 mm;
- proper combination of openings and bowls of approximately 300 mm;
- coincidence of the degree of humidity of the dowels with a given parameter of the base itself.
The photo shows how to install it yourself without errors. Those holes that needed to be pre-drilled with a drill are now filled with core buttons. They are the ones needed to mark the timber. If you don’t have such a special fragment at hand, you can sharpen it in pencil format. Its diameter must correspond to the prepared hole. They should be attached directly to the center of the base.
The next step is to lay a couple of boards on a perfectly flat and smooth surface. In this case, the parts need to be barely pressed against each other. However, most builders are interested in the question of how to drive dowels into timber. The tenon must be placed as tightly as possible in the groove. There should be no bevels or other defects between the timber and the dowel. In this case, you will not need to drill anything else. Nagel will do his job with ease.
For this purpose, you can use a marking thicknesser. When the tenons are installed, you need to treat the fragments of the boards with glue. This will allow you to connect the workpieces that need to be firmly clamped during the process and then dried.
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The connection on the dowels looks very aesthetically pleasing in appearance, because it does not reveal the presence of any fastening device; it seems that the parts hold on to each other by themselves. What kind of little thing is this and why it is so popular in the household, now we will figure it out.
Do we know what this element is?
When we say “fastener,” we mean that it is used to firmly fix some parts that can only be separated using aggressive methods. Such reliable products are screws, bolts, etc. But there is another category of fasteners that work for stabilization and positioning, without at all interfering with the disassembly of connected parts in a certain direction. An example of such a group is a dowel. This is a small product cylindrical, sometimes having jagged marks on its surface.
Most often you can see this product in furniture; you've probably had to assemble at least a bedside table with your own hands. Some parts and hinges are attached with screws, but before that the main parts of the structure are assembled on the basis of wooden pegs, for which there are already factory holes. This is a furniture dowel; as a rule, it is made of wood, because it fastens parts also made of solid wood or its derivatives (chipboard, MDF). Sometimes plastic dowels are involved in furniture assembly.
Furniture dowel - production and parameters
External simplicity does not mean that this fastener is made using a handicraft method. Woodworking machines are used for turning dowels; there are even special dowel cutting machines. The fact is that their sizes are clearly calibrated in mass production, and for those cases when urgent minor furniture repairs are needed, a metal template is used, in which there are many diameters, choosing the one you need, you punch through it wooden blank, thus making dowels with your own hands. As for plastic fasteners, they are cast in special molds.
To ensure that such a cylinder holds better in the hole, corrugations are applied to its surface. They can be longitudinal, transverse, helical or complex (mixed). You can also find such corrugations on plastic. The diameter of the dowel can be 4-30 mm, and the length can be 1.5-20 cm. You can, of course, make the product yourself at home according to the given parameters, but this is quite a troublesome job to get a round cylindrical piece of wood. All sizes are available for sale, and the price, of course, is quite affordable. It's another matter if you need more exotic species this mount, we will talk about this below.
Elements for timber - features of use
When building a wooden structure, log dowels are used for safety fixation of logs, and sometimes the only one. They are significantly larger in size than furniture ones; you need to order them or make them yourself, and you often need to make holes for them yourself. If any other fastening is planned, and this method is only a way of orientation and insurance against mobility in perpendicular to the plane to the dowel axis, then you can do everything yourself.
For a log with a diameter of 18 cm, the holes and the diameter of the fasteners should be about 2.5 cm, so you should take a drill. If you don’t want to grind for a long time to a cylindrical shape, you can make dowels for timber with a square cross-section of 2.4 cm. At least 3 holes should be made in one log (two at the edges and one in the middle), if it is very short, then two will be enough . It is advisable to maintain the same depth, so make a mark on the drill so as not to drive it too deep. It is advisable to make do with a depth of 4 cm.
The disadvantage of square dowels is that shrinkage of the house is inevitable, and if it does not occur in proportion, the logs will begin to move freely. In the case of round products, this probability is much less. Especially if you have the same type of wood, but this is not a guarantee, because they may have different ages. Sometimes, to minimize this effect, glue is dripped into the holes or the surface of the dowel is coated.
There is another fastening option for the construction of houses made of timber. At first glance, a metal dowel seems more reliable: it does not shrink, quite certain sizes both at the beginning of construction and after many years, it is very strong and will not crack due to any uneven changes in the geometry of the building. But this product is significantly more expensive in cost, and also will not help with shrinkage of the material of the house itself. Still, they are abandoning it in favor of natural wooden fasteners.
What is a lamella?
There is another one under construction interesting option such fasteners - a flat dowel. In wide circles it is more often called lamella, which is how it can be found in stores. Its essence is that it is not cylindrical, but really flat, it is also attached using specially made grooves, and often sits on glue. The holes are made, of course, not with a drill, but with a special router. It is used in cases where the possibility of twisting of parts relative to the axis of the dowel cannot be allowed.
In general, this connection will be the same as in the case of a round fastener, quite reliable, resistant to cutting, and, moreover, allows the installation of very thin parts. True, you need to be more careful when assembling. Since it is best to glue with glue on water based, and due to the thinness of the fastener, its deformation will be significant, then you should not hesitate, it is important to quickly place the lamella in the hole. You can, of course, use synthetic adhesives, but very few assemblers choose this option.
Dowel connections - should I use glue?
Assembly using dowels is possible in two options: dry or glued. Each case has its own characteristics. If we have finished parts with holes, you won’t need to drill anything yourself. All that remains is to place it in in the right order parts, then drive a dowel into one of them, tap it a little so that it fits in more firmly and is located in the hole, and then put the second part on it, and again knock on the part from above so that the second end fits firmly. This connection does not hold the parts in tension, only in shear, so the fastened structure should be immediately placed in the desired orientation, and not upside down or otherwise.
If installation is carried out without glue, then such an assembly can be disassembled after some time. If there are no such plans, but you want to feel a little more confident about the strength of the fasteners, then you can put the dowels on the glue, and the notches on its surface will improve this technique.
You should not fill the holes with glue so that the product will squish there, it is enough to lubricate the end on one side, and then also treat the other end. Moreover, if there are several fasteners located on one side of the part at once, then first install all the dowels with one end into the holes, after lubricating them with the composition or dropping a drop into the hole. And then coat the protruding edges with glue, let them thicken a little (literally a minute or two) and attach the second part, carefully aligning the holes on it with the protruding ends of the dowels. Lightly tapping the mounted part will better distribute the glue and strengthen the structure. Remember, it is not dismountable; if you want to dismantle it, you will only have to break it.
A universal furniture dowel is a special fastening device made of wood, which is used in the manufacture and assembly of furniture. It has a cylindrical elongated shape and has corrugations on the surface. In some cases, a dowel not only replaces metal fasteners, but also works better than them. At the same time, the price of the dowel is more affordable.
Before describing how to use this fastener, you should understand what a dowel is. The dowel in the design allows you to stabilize and position the parts. It does not prevent disassembly of products if necessary.
The dowel will allow you to accurately connect the elements. During operation already finished product, such fastening takes on the entire lateral load. This is a universal reliable fastener.
Wooden dowels are actively used for the manufacture and assembly of furniture; their length and diameter are selected in accordance with the thickness of the parts. The diameter should be approximately a third of the wall thickness of the product - this way you can ensure the most reliable assembly while maintaining a high degree of strength. The length is selected individually.
Varieties
In fact, a dowel is a small spike - it is a hidden type of furniture fastener. By appearance it resembles a cylinder-shaped rod, with slightly rounded or simply truncated ends on both sides. Sometimes, to assemble furniture on dowels, not only wooden elements are used, but also plastic ones. They have slightly different purposes:
- Wooden ones are needed for positioning and connecting furniture parts made of MDF, chipboard, plywood, and solid wood;
- Plastic ones mainly connect parts when installing prefabricated panel furniture.
Wooden
Plastic
There are also metal products. They have improved strength characteristics; they are also called dowels or dowels. But the most commonly used are wooden dowels measuring 30 by 8, that is, the length is 30 mm and the diameter is 8 mm. There is also a smaller diameter - 6 mm. Buy different types You can buy it in hardware stores or markets. If you wish, you can make dowels yourself.
There are different grooves on wooden dowels:
- Straight vertical;
- Helical – located at a slight angle to the vertical axis;
- Complex ones - there are transverse and longitudinal recesses - they also allow you to make the adhesive joint stronger;
- Horizontal – help to make the adhesive joint as strong as possible;
- Smooth - do not have corrugation.
Corrugation helps air pass during the installation of dowels, improving the adhesion of the glue with the “glue” method of connecting parts.
Vertical straight lines
Characteristics and dimensions
Dowels may vary in length and diameter. Diameter sizes range from 4 to 30 mm, and lengths from 15 to 200 mm. At the buyer's request, they are manufactured in any variations, where D is the diameter and L is the length of the product.
The dowel is a popular fastener, and therefore professionals try to purchase parts in bulk in advance, so as not to waste time and money on constant purchases. The advantages of fasteners include:
- Corrugation of the surface on the rod - this helps to securely fix the parts, ensuring their strong adhesion;
- Improved appearance of furniture, because the fastenings are completely hidden from view;
- Possibility of selecting the diameter and length required for assembly of the product, in accordance with the design features.
Determining the size of the dowel
Installation and removal methods
Furniture dowels make it possible to significantly increase the strength of connections. But this is not as simple a method as it might seem at first: the connection cannot be secured if any hole is displaced. Depending on the size of the offset, the result will be unsatisfactory.
As a rule, tabletops in dining rooms and desks. Put them in working position like this:
- WITH end side The parts are first marked, and then holes are drilled to the required depth. The same holes are made in the countertops. They must match;
- A cylindrical fastener is installed in the end hole, the upper end protrudes at a distance equal to the depth of the hole in the covering part;
- To strengthen the dowel in the hole, it is generously lubricated with glue, fixing it in the desired position. Sometimes glue is poured into the holes, where the fastener is then inserted - this will completely cover its ribbed surface with glue, improving the adhesion strength of the elements;
- The second part of the design is superimposed on the installed dowel.
Drilling the material
Hammering the dowel
Connect with glue
The work is ready
There are 3 main problems in assembling furniture using dowels:
- It is possible to assemble an edge-to-edge connection, but in this case, the planes of the structural parts do not coincide. Solution: The drill guide holes were not aligned with the center edges of the parts. The device must be constantly aligned with the reference planes of the two parts being fastened. Even in the absence of a central location of holes in the connection, no shifts or sagging are formed;
- Holes in one part do not line up with another. Solution: to align the holes, use special markers designed specifically for connections. Initially, holes are made in one part with a drill. A marker is then inserted into each hole and the two pieces are pressed together as they should be when assembled. This way, the second part will have marks with markers in the places where you should drill;
- Holes are made in in the right places, but the installation of the dowels is disrupted: the fasteners do not fit through or, on the contrary, fall out. Solution: It is important to make sure that the diameter of the fasteners matches the diameter of the holes. Factory fasteners are mass produced and may have a diameter slightly larger or smaller than stated. In addition, wood can swell or shrink with changes in humidity. When the diameter is verified and it is identical, then the problem is the wear of the drilling jig and, as a consequence, the deviation of the drill. This leads to deformation. It is enough to change the bushings or purchase a new device.
To correctly assemble furniture parts onto a dowel, you will need to learn three basic rules:
- To mark, use a sharp pencil or knife. A pencil with a thick lead will not make marks accurately;
- When drilling holes, you need to use drills with a central point. Twist drills with conical sharpening can deviate to the sides during work, setting the wrong direction;
- To ensure uniform hole depths, a locking ring is placed on the drill and firmly fixed. The depth of the hole is made 2 - 3 mm greater than the length of the dowel.
Use center point drills
Use a retaining ring
The dowels are completely environmentally friendly and safe, do not rust or rot. Application metal options According to the rules, it is not allowed. Assembly using dowels guarantees uniform shrinkage. They also prevent the crowns from sagging during shrinkage. In addition, such a house will be easy to dismantle and assemble in a new location.
Advantages of fasteners:
- Inexpensive budget price;
- They do not contain resin, unlike coniferous wood;
- The strength of birch wood is comparable to oak;
- High fracture resistance;
- Complete factory production cycle.
Technology for installing (driving) dowels in timber
The dowels are driven into the beam only vertically at a distance of 1-2 meters from each other into pre-drilled holes in the very center of the log. It is important to take into account the fact that the humidity of the dowels should correspond to the humidity of the log itself. For timber with a cross section of 150x150 and 150x200 mm, it is quite sufficient to install fasteners with a diameter of 25 mm. It is better to fasten timber with a cross-section of 200x300 mm and logs rounded and chopped with an ax with a diameter of 30-32 cm in the log house on dowels 30 mm in diameter round section. Installation of metallic and kraft dowels made of coniferous wood (pine, spruce, larch) is not allowed. Because conifers The timber and log joints are glued together with their resin. And this is already a gross violation building codes and rules!
Table of technical parameters of dowels used for timber and logs of wooden log houses
Sales in Moscow
To buy dowels 25 or 30 mm in Moscow (Moscow region), we recommend placing an order or calling. For wholesale purchases of these fasteners, we have delivery throughout the regions of the Russian Federation with shipping by transport companies from Moscow. Call!
Homes from natural wood have now regained popularity. But wood is far from a homogeneous material, therefore, during the shrinkage process, slight deformation occurs; different parts of the house take on their final appearance unevenly.
This raises the problem of fastening the beams together, which will ensure reliability, on the one hand, and uniform shrinkage, on the other. The solution was found a long time ago - dowels. The element differs in size, cross-sectional shape (circle or square), and material of manufacture.
Types of dowels
There are many types of fasteners, but they are conventionally divided into groups according to material and shape. Let's consider this issue in more detail.
Material of manufacture
Two types are actively used:
- Wood. Most experts strongly recommend using a wooden tenon when constructing wooden structures. The main advantages when choosing such fasteners are given:
- Even drying. The beam and dowel should be approximately the same humidity. This will allow the shrinkage process to go through with virtually no visible changes;
- Not affected by temperature changes. The tree practically does not change linear dimensions at different temperatures, so the fastening element will always be in place;
- No rust. Metal rusts over time, which leads to rotting of wooden surfaces in contact with it;
- There is no condensation. With a sharp change in temperature, moisture forms on steel, which is completely useless inside a load-bearing wall.
- The dowel fuses with the wall. Through certain time the house will become monolithic, wooden surfaces get soldered.
- Metal. This option also applies to budget method fastenings, waste (pipes, fittings) are often used. Although experts prefer the previous method, The metal dowel has its advantages:
- The top layers of wood are protected from torsion;
- Durability of the structure.
Form
There are also several main forms:
- Round section. Taking into account the fact that the holes for fastening in the log are made with a drill, the round dowel will provide the maximum contact area, guaranteeing the reliability and durability of the structure;
- Square. It is easier to make such an element; it also costs less. But that's where the positives end. When entering the hole, the edges of the spike are deformed, and total area contact remains minimal. Building a house this way is dangerous;
- Narrow rectangle. The easiest option to manufacture. A board of a certain thickness is taken and cut into rectangles. The only advantage is the very small thickness. Suitable for narrow timber, but installation is extremely difficult.
We make the dowel with our own hands
This type of fastener is sold in stores, but you can make it at home without much difficulty. Wood element is made as follows:
- scraps of boards are taken, from which beams measuring 25 by 25 centimeters are cut;
- stakes are made, 1.5 thickness long construction timber, with a diameter of 2.5 centimeters;
- The corners are cut off with an ax to give a rounded shape.
But the following must be taken into account:
- the wood for fastening must be harder than timber. Nowadays birch is most often used for these purposes;
- the dowel should not differ significantly in humidity from the main structural element;
- It is strictly forbidden to use a dowel with a knot.
We carry out calculations
Depending on the chosen fastening technology, it is possible to determine with sufficient accuracy the number of dowels and calculate their correct characteristics.
Deciding on the sizes
There are many scientific works that will help determine the diameter of the dowel. But in professional environment carpenters-builders have already formed certain rules:
- for timber with a thickness of 20 centimeters or less, a dowel with a diameter of 25 millimeters is used;
- more thick timber fastened with a 3-centimeter spike;
- timber thicker than 0.2 meters can be fastened with a 2.5 cm dowel, but subject to the step being reduced to a meter.
The length is determined even more simply - the most common and recommended method is to fasten two logs with a dowel one and a half beams long.
Counting the quantity
Even small sauna will require quite large quantity spikes that need to be purchased or made, which can take a long time. Therefore, it is better to know the number of fasteners in advance.
There are fastening rules:
- the first dowel is inserted at a distance of 20 to 70 centimeters to the corner;
- the step is from one and a half to 2 meters;
- It is necessary to fasten two adjacent logs in height.
Knowing these tricks, the height of the structure, the diameter of the timber, you can easily calculate the number of dowels needed for construction.
Fastening technology
Drilling
Used powerful drill, if it is necessary to make holes directly on the construction site, or a machine if the timber is prepared in advance.
The second method is common in the West and allows you to assemble the structure of almost any house in a few days. But care is required exact drawing, professionalism.
In the first and second cases, the rule remains unshakable - the hole must be strictly vertical.
The diameter of the drill and the thickness of the dowel must match, and for the upper tiers of the timber the hole should be even two millimeters larger. This is how you get rid of sagging load-bearing structure due to small vertical load. The hole is made 2 centimeters longer than necessary so that the tenon can move smoothly during shrinkage.
Clogging
Typically a sledgehammer weighing several kilograms is used. The dowel is driven inward below the edge of the beam to the end of the hole; nozzles (usually made of brass) are used for this.
Correct location
The ideal option is when the dowels are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. But a strictly vertical direction along parallel lines is also allowed and does not significantly affect the strength.
A gap of at least thirty centimeters before the start of the opening is recommended. The distance of the fastener to the corner should not exceed 70 centimeters. The step can vary from a meter to 3, depending on the material from which the timber is made (hard varieties require a smaller step).
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any other fastening element, the dowel has a number of positive aspects, as well as a liability of shortcomings.
Advantages:
- The spike provides reliable grip and prevents the crown from sagging;
- Provides long-term reliability under bending loads, which nails and bolts cannot boast of;
- Promotes uniform shrinkage of the house. The fastening element moves freely along a vertical plane, preventing horizontal deformations;
- The wooden product is not subject to the formation of moisture and corrosion, excluding the process of rotting;
- Extremely cheap. Even buying ready-made dowels won’t put a big dent in your pocket, allowing you to minimize your budget.
But there are also disadvantages:
- Difficult to install. Absolute vertical position, ideal selection of diameter, implies the presence of decent construction skills;
- Serious quality requirements. The presence of knots or heterogeneity of the material can lead to disastrous consequences;
- Excessive force when driving often leads to cracks in the timber. After which it needs to be changed.
There is a set of installation tricks that will allow you to build your dream home that will last for many years:
- Chess order. The condition is not mandatory, but highly recommended by carpenters of all stripes;
- To avoid sagging, it is necessary to use round-shaped wooden dowels. Square products are mainly promoted by manufacturers as they are easier to manufacture;
- When clogging, you can and should reduce friction. To do this, it is enough to use a soap solution;
- It is recommended to use birch fasteners. This guarantees the reliability of the structure, gives a certain charm, and does not increase the cost of construction;
- Similar humidity between tenon and timber– a fundamental condition for the durability of the structure. You need to pay close attention to this;
- Feel free to use additional elements fastenings Science does not stand still; modern devices can make the task much easier.