You want to make a roof yourself, but don't know where to start. In principle, every person understands that the roof is an integral part of the house. That is, without a roof, a house is not a home.
Do-it-yourself construction will help you not only gain experience, but also save a lot of money.
After all, almost half of construction costs goes to pay hired workers. And only when you do the roof yourself can you be one hundred percent sure of the quality of the work performed.
The structure must be light, since it puts pressure on the walls and foundation, and at the same time strong, so that it can withstand the weight of the roof and a large amount of precipitation and strong winds. The roof is a construction kit, so to speak, which is best assembled by a company of three people (more are possible).
The basis of the roof is a frame, which consists of straps. The straps are installed on the ceiling joists. A ceiling joist is a beam that is fixed to the walls and, after covering with boards, forms the ceiling in the house and the floor in the attic. If you do not plan to use the attic as a room, you can use bars measuring 50 × 150 millimeters.
And if you decide to make yourself an attic, then use beams for ceiling joists 150 × 150 mm. If the house is brick, it is advisable to use maurlat. This is a beam that is fixed to brick wall, around the entire perimeter of the house. It is attached using studs pre-installed into the wall or armored belt.
For straps used in construction use edged boards size 50 × 150 millimeters. The logs are displayed in the form of a hut (letter Λ). First we place it along the edges or along the brick gables. These will be the templates according to which we will make all other lags.
The frequency of lags depends on the material from which the roof will be made. From the two installed straps we pull three cords (at the top along the ridge, in the middle, at the bottom). The straps extend beyond the outer part of the wall by at least 30 cm; the larger the extension, the less precipitation will fall on the walls.
Then we install all the rest, securing them with braces or sheathing boards. Next, we place a support beam in the middle of each strap. If the roof is attic, the support can be moved slightly to increase the usable space.
We place the top of the straps end to end with each other and embroider them at the top with a block (if the roof is attic, we fix the block at the height of the desired ceiling). All fastenings should be made using self-tapping screws.
We fasten the straps to the joists using metal staples. After the straps are set, we cover the top with lathing. For the sheathing, an inch board is used, or an unedged one. Just remove the wane from the boards (bark along the edge of the board). We lay waterproofing on the sheathing.
And already for waterproofing with a stele roofing material of your choice (slate, tiles, etc.). For construction, use dried lumber.
Without exaggeration, we can say that this flooring option has been tested for centuries. The technology of laying wooden floors on logs has been used for several centuries with minor changes. This is the most environmentally friendly solution for flooring, but at the same time of this coverage There are a number of disadvantages and important nuances that you need to know before starting work.
Currently, the main area of application for wooden floors is the construction of small private houses. Especially often the floor on joists is arranged in wooden houses and log houses, in which the floors between floors are made of beams.
Much less often wooden floor laid in city apartments with reinforced concrete floors. However, the technology is still used, especially in cases where pouring a full leveling screed is impossible for some reason.
Sometimes plank flooring is a finishing coating and part of the designer’s idea when creating a renovation concept. In this case, beautiful wood species such as oak, larch or pine are chosen for the flooring. The boards are thoroughly polished, impregnated with an antiseptic and covered with varnish or wax. The end result is very beautiful and durable coating, pleasing to the eye with natural wood texture.
Wooden floors can be used even when arranging wet rooms, such as baths and bathrooms. However, this is not done often, as it requires careful selection of wood, reliable waterproofing and impregnation of boards with very expensive solutions that prevent moisture absorption.
Features of laying wooden floors on joists
The main feature of this type of floor, which must be taken into account, is that wood can absorb moisture from environment, deform due to temperature changes, and are also susceptible to rotting. Therefore, when laying a wooden floor, it is extremely important to take care reliable vapor barrier and saturate the joists and boards with antiseptic.
The joists must be attached to the base and the floor boards to the joists as securely as possible; it is necessary to prevent the formation of cracks, voids and “sagging” of the boards and joists. When laying boards finishing coating It is imperative to use expansion wedges that will press the boards together as tightly as possible.
Wood screws provide maximum security of fastening. The length of the screw must exceed the thickness of the board being fixed by at least 2.5 times. To prevent the board from splitting when you screw in the screw, you must first drill a hole in it with a diameter 2-3 mm smaller than the diameter of the screw.
If the boards are planned as a finishing coating, then care should be taken to hide the heads of the screws or nails. To do this, use either a special putty or small plugs made of the same type of wood as the entire floor. But the best option is screwing a screw into the chamfer of the board at an angle to the joist. The disadvantage of this option is that it is more labor intensive.
You should also make sure that all the finishing boards are from the same batch, because the color of the wood depends on the growing conditions, and the shade of different batches may differ.
What are the consequences of mistakes when laying a wooden floor on joists?
The biggest mistake you can make when laying a wooden floor is insufficient vapor barrier. It is usually made of dense polyethylene or foam foam, which will also provide additional sound insulation. If this step is neglected or the insulating coating is damaged, the floor will very soon begin to rot and mold will appear on it. This will not only significantly shorten the life of the floor, but can also negatively affect people’s health.
The second most common mistake is using wood that is not dry enough. The humidity of boards and joists should be no more than 15%. It is important to remember that in wet weather, even initially dry boards very quickly absorb moisture from the air. If there are prolonged rains outside the window, then it is better to refuse to lay the floor on these days. If you lay a floor with wet planks, they will begin to warp as they dry. This will lead to creaking, the appearance of cracks and differences in height between adjacent boards, which, in turn, will affect the finishing coating.
An insufficiently accurate level when laying joists will lead to creaking of the floor and gradual loosening of the boards. This will greatly reduce the service life of the coating and will require periodic repairs.
Another common mistake is insufficient distance from the end board to the wall; it should be at least 10 mm. This distance is necessary to compensate thermal expansion wood. If it is neglected, then with seasonal temperature changes the floor will experience very serious internal loads, which will lead to cracking of some boards and the appearance of squeaking.
Advantages and disadvantages of wooden floors on joists
The advantages of this coating
Disadvantages of wooden floors on joists
Step-by-step instructions for laying a wooden floor on joists
Below is step-by-step instruction for laying wooden floors. The installation of such a floor in a private house with a soil foundation is somewhat more complicated than in a house with a reinforced concrete foundation, but in general the stages of work are the same in both cases.
Laying logs on the ground base
If you are laying a wooden floor directly above the soil, then it must be cleared of turf and plant roots and a layer at least 20 cm thick must be removed. After which the soil is covered with fine crushed stone and thoroughly compacted.
On this basis they build brick pillars with a cross section of 250 x 250 mm and a height of at least two layers of brick. The tops of all columns should be at the same level, this will prevent sagging of the joists and floor boards.
If beams 100 x 50 mm and up to 3 meters long are used as logs, then two columns at the edges of the logs are sufficient. The distance between the logs, and therefore between adjacent columns, should be 600 mm. If the length of the log is more than 3 meters, then one is strengthened with an additional column in the middle.
The top of the column is lined with rigid waterproofing material, for example, dense plastic film. Installed on top of it wooden spacers or wedges, which are necessary for the final horizontal adjustment of the joists.
After this, you can begin laying the joists. Initially, the two outermost logs are laid level. A fishing line is stretched between them, along which all other logs are set. Adjustment is carried out using spacers or wedges. The lags are fastened to the posts using anchor bolts.
In this case, the procedure is much simpler; it is enough to cover the floor with waterproofing, for example, made of polyethylene, and logs are laid on top of it at a distance of 400-600 mm on wooden control pads. First, the two outer logs are laid level, after which a fishing line is stretched between them, along which the height of all other logs is adjusted.
Adjustment is carried out by adding or, conversely, removing adjusting shims.
Currently, it is sometimes practiced to use adjustable joists. These logs have drilled holes with threads into which a special pin is screwed, attached to concrete base using dowels. Rotating the pin adjusts the height of the log.
After all the logs are aligned to the same level, the protruding parts of the studs are cut off using a grinder. This method greatly simplifies the horizontal alignment of the logs, but is not used very widely due to the noticeable increase in the cost of the structure.
Adjustable lags with clamps
It is important to remember that there must be a distance of at least 10 mm between the edges of the joist and the wall. It is necessary to compensate for the thermal expansion of wood.
Preparing for flooring
Before you begin laying the boards, you need to lay a layer of thermal insulation between the joists. This can be mineral wool or polystyrene. At the same stage, wires in plastic corrugation can be laid between the joists, if necessary. Standard width insulation sheets are most often 600 mm, which makes it easy to lay it between the joists.
After all the necessary communications and insulation have been laid, you can begin laying the rough or finished floor.
Laying rough wood flooring
If laminate, carpet or linoleum is intended to be used as a finishing coating, then, as a rule, it is laid on the logs rough coating from uncut boards, plywood or fiberboard.
Sheets of plywood or fiberboard are laid on the joists and secured with nails or screws. You should not skimp on fastening points; screws should be screwed into each joist at intervals of no more than 30 cm. The head of the screw or nail should be recessed into the slab by 1-2 mm. It is important to leave a distance of at least 10 mm between the wall and the coating. This gap will also provide ventilation of the space under the floor. 2-3 weeks after completion of work, it can be covered with a plinth.
When laying a subfloor made of boards, you need to start work from the far corner of the room and move towards the entrance. The length of the boards is selected so that their joint is in the middle of the log. The boards are laid as closely as possible to each other and fixed with screws. To prevent the board from splitting when screwing in a screw, you must first drill a hole for it with a drill bit with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw. Using a drill of a slightly larger diameter, you need to make a small recess into which the screw head will hide.
Laying finished wood flooring
A folded board or a board made of laminated veneer lumber is usually used as a final finishing coating. These boards must be soaked in a protective antiseptic solution. There are some nuances in laying such boards. Since this floor will no longer be covered with anything, it is extremely important to avoid the slightest gaps between the boards, and it is also important to hide the screw heads so that they do not spoil appearance floor.
Laying folded boards is carried out according to the same principle as laying boards for a subfloor, with the only difference being that two adjacent boards are pressed against each other as tightly as possible. To do this, a bracket is driven into the joist at a distance of 4-6 cm from the board, between which and the edge of the board a wedge is installed, pressing the board. When the pressure on the board is maximum, it is fixed with screws, after which the wedge and bracket are removed. The operation must be repeated for each row of boards, this will prevent the formation of cracks. The board is attached to the joist using a screw, which is screwed into the chamfer at an angle, this allows you to hide its head and improve the appearance of the floor. You can also use special decorative nails for the floor, driving them in strictly at equal distances, but this is a compromise option; the absence of visible fastening looks much better.
Comparative characteristics of floorboards
Batten. Prices
| Floor board. Name, material, size | Price, rub./m2 |
|---|---|
| Board Sexy Pine K1-2 (25x90) 1.8m | 250 |
| Floorboard Pine K1-2 (25x90) 1.0m | 250 |
| Floorboard Pine K1-2 (28x130) 1.8m | 290 |
| Floorboard Pine K1-2 (28x130) 2.0m | 480 |
| Floorboard Pine K1-2 (28x130) 6.0m | 480 |
| Floorboard Pine K1-2 (32x100) 5.4m | 570 |
| Floorboard Pine K1-2 (32x130) 5.85m | 570 |
| Floorboard Larch K2-3 (27x90) 5.4m | 460 |
| Floorboard Larch K2-3 (27x90) 5.1m | 460 |
| Floorboard Larch K2-3 (27x90) 4.8m | 460 |
| Floorboard Larch K1-2 (27x130) 3.0m | 560 |
| Floorboard Larch K1-2 (27x110) 3.0m | 560 |
| Heat-treated pine LUNAWOOD (Finland). Floor board (tongue and groove) 26x92 | 195 rub. /linear m |
| Europol (pine, 32 mm) | grade 0 (Extra) 970.56 rub/m2; grade 1 (Prima) 676.80 rub/m2; grade 2 (B) 460.00 rub/m2; grade 3 (C) 384.00 rub/m2; grade N/K (D) 301.76 rub/m2. |
Video - Laying a wooden floor on joists
The floors are constructed in several layers. The part visible after finishing the floor installation, which primarily performs a decorative function, is the finished floor. Under it there is a rough foundation, from correct installation which determines the quality characteristics of the floor: sound insulation, absence of squeaks, thermal insulation, evenness, etc. The classic version of the rough foundation is a floor on joists. It is their arrangement that will be discussed.
Logs are beams laid across the room, on top of which a finished floor or a finishing wooden floor is laid. The beam can be made of metal, polymer materials or concrete. But most often wooden logs are used. The installation principle is approximately the same for lags made of any material.
Arranging the floor on joists has a number of advantages:
- ease of execution and the ability to replace elements if necessary;
- the presence of space between the joists makes it possible to lay thermal insulation, communications, and with this design, ventilation of the subfloor is ensured;
- creating a flat surface for the main floor;
- uniform distribution of load on the floor;
- robust design.
Disadvantages include exposure wooden logs exposure to moisture, as a result of which the geometry of the floor changes, as well as the appearance of squeaking. But you can reduce the likelihood of these problems occurring correct installation observing all the nuances.
Features of installation of logs
You can install floor joists yourself. The main thing is to follow certain rules.
First, you need to choose a material that won’t put a big dent in your budget. At the same time, the logs must perform their functions well. Ideal option are beams made from coniferous trees, as they are impregnated with resin, which provides additional moisture resistance. Larch is expensive, so pine, spruce or fir beams of the second or third grade with a moisture content of about 18% are more often used.
The timber for the logs must have a rectangular cross-section, and the width must be less height approximately 2 times. The greater the distance between the support points for the logs, the larger the cross-section of the beams should be:
- for a two-meter span, the height of the log should be 11 cm and the width - 60;
- for three-meter - 15x8 cm;
- 4 m – 18x10 cm;
- 5 m – 20x15 cm;
- 6 m – 22x18 cm.
Note! When choosing the section of the log, take into account the width of the insulation layer, from which there should be 3 cm to the floor for ventilation.
The distance between the logs should be on average 50-60 cm. If thick boards are laid on the logs, then the distance can be increased to a meter. For a tiled floor, the joists should be installed at a distance of 30 cm from each other.
A distance of 2 cm is left from the first and last joists to the wall, which is filled with mineral wool. According to the rules, logs are laid across the room.
Wooden floor elements in mandatory treated with antiseptic agents.
These are the general nuances of installing subfloor joists, regardless of the base on which the beams are laid.
Instructions for installing joists on the ground
When laying logs on the ground, they are supported not only by a grillage or beams bottom trim at home, but also often special posts that will need to be prepared. They are built after the soil has been prepared. But first we will describe the process of erecting support pillars.
The pillars are made of brick. But first the foundation is prepared.
Installation of logs on the ground
The installation of the logs itself includes the steps described below.
Step 1. Level and compact the soil.
Note! It is recommended to remove the fertile layer, replacing it with a compacted layer of gravel and sand, 10 cm each.
Step 2. Install the support pillars according to the scheme described above.
Step 3. Lay the first pendulum logs against the walls and 2 m from each other.
Step 4. Check with a level whether the beams lie horizontally relative to each other and relative to the ground. If necessary, where the joists sag, you can insert pads, and trim the bulging areas with a plane. Such adjustments can only be made if there is a deviation of 1 mm per linear meter lag
Step 5. Lay the remaining beams, checking them with a level.
Step 6. Attach the logs to the posts and beams metal corners and screws. At this stage, the installation of the joists is completed, and the installation of the remaining parts of the subfloor or finishing boards begins.
Laying joists on concrete floors
Laying and alignment of lighthouse logs: 1 - finished floor level; 2 - lags; 3 - soundproofing gasket; 4 - level; H - thickness of the plank covering
Installation of logs on concrete floor– this is an option not only for private houses, but also for apartments. The entire installation process is simpler than for laying joists on the ground and includes the following steps.
Step 1. Thoroughly clean the surface of the ceiling from debris.
Note! If the slab is uneven, it is sometimes poured concrete screed or produce sand bedding.
Step 2. Polyethylene is first laid on the concrete as waterproofing, and the edges of the film should extend 10 cm onto the walls.
Step 3. Mark the places where the joists will be installed on the walls.
Step 4. Where the logs will lie, lay a noise-insulating layer of soft chipboard or sand-slag embankment.
Step 5. As when installing logs on the ground, first lay the beacon logs. Mounting wedges are placed under all the logs, including the first ones, which will allow the beams to be leveled.
a — leveling of the level of intermediate lags; b - displacement of the joints of laid joists; c - control of laid logs;
1 — lighthouse logs; 2 - intermediate lags; 3 - soundproofing gaskets; 4 - control rail; 5 - half-wood joint; 6 - the same back to back; 7 — level
Step 6. Lay all the logs, level them, and fix the wedges with the beams with screws.
Note! Sometimes logs are laid on the floor without wedges and secured to the concrete base with corners. The masters do not have a common opinion.
Installing joists on beams
In some cases, logs are installed on wooden floor beams and fixed to them. The installation is the same as in the cases described above, and begins with the installation of beacons. Sometimes the floor beams themselves act as joists if the distance between them does not exceed 60-80 cm.
The methods of laying lags described above are classic options. However, in Lately Adjustable floors, in the joists of which have special holes for fasteners, which are racks with bolts, are becoming increasingly popular. The racks themselves are secured to the base using anchors.
This design greatly simplifies the installation process, including adjusting the floor level using a key and fastener bolts.
Adjustable joists virtually eliminate the appearance of squeaks and improve floor ventilation, but increase the cost of the floor, as it requires very high-quality components.
In conclusion, let’s say that no matter what option you choose for installing joists, the right approach you will receive a high-quality and environmentally friendly subfloor. The main thing is to follow the rules and carefully carry out all work on laying the logs.
Video - DIY floor joists. Laying joists on concrete
Video - Installation of subfloor from logs
Currently, the construction industry is developing rapidly, new products are constantly appearing on the market good materials. But, like many years ago, the use natural wood remains relevant. A floor covering based on logs can be installed quickly, the price of the logs is quite reasonable, and all that remains is to figure out how to correctly lay the floor logs with your own hands, since this will significantly reduce the cost of the work.
Preparing the base
Most often, the floor on logs is installed on a concrete base or in private houses directly on the ground. Instructions for each method are given below.
Construction on a concrete basis
Installation on a concrete base is most common at this time.
- The first thing to do is prepare the screed. The difference in height across the horizon is too of great importance doesn't have it here. So, with a difference of up to 40 mm, you can adjust the horizontal position of the logs using pads under the logs. If the difference is more serious, it is recommended to fill it with a more even one.
cement-sand screed on the floor.
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Arrangement on the ground
- Before laying floor joists on the ground, you should prepare the ground itself. The distance from the ground level to the logs must be at least 160 mm.
- First you need to remove the first fertile layer of soil.
- In its place, a cushion of crushed stone or sand is filled and compacted.
- Next, waterproofing is laid over the entire area, which will be discussed in more detail below.
- Next, you should install brick support columns under the logs or pour in a small, reinforced, strip foundation directly under the bars.
- Support posts or strip foundations are made in increments of 30 cm to 1 m. Depending on the thickness of the finishing coating, the thicker and more powerful the coating, the wider the step can be taken.
Installation of logs
- Before installing the floor joists, the timber should be thoroughly treated with an antiseptic so that it does not absorb moisture and is not eaten by pests. From experience, the most best option, this is to saturate the timber with used machine oil, several times. This method does not produce foreign odors and reliably protects the timber.
- You should also not use freshly cut timber. The moisture content of the timber should not exceed 18 - 25%. Because later, when drying, the logs can lead and your floor will become deformed.
- Next, you should set the horizon level according to upper level lag To do this, using a large building level, at a convenient height, we run along the walls horizontal line around the perimeter of the entire room.
- After that, we lower this line using a tape measure, ruler and pencil to the required height.
- Next, you should lay a layer of waterproofing. The most optimal material in terms of price/quality ratio is polyethylene from 200 microns. The waterproofing is laid in strips overlapping by 200 - 300 mm and taped.
- After installing the waterproofing, we make support columns. If it is soil, then you can use a brick, plus a reinforced cement-sand cushion on top of the column.
- If it is a screed, then the supports can be made from plywood squares, which should also be treated with an antiseptic, glued or tightened with self-tapping screws.
- Each beam is exhibited separately. The first beam is placed at a distance of 200 - 300 mm from the wall. Further depending on the thickness of the finishing coating.
Table for calculating the cross section of the logs and the step between them.
- We should not forget that if you are planning to lay a floorboard, it is customary to lay it in the direction from the light source, that is, from the window. Consequently, the logs themselves will be located perpendicular to the direction of laying the boards. The same goes for laminate flooring.
- Further, if the distance from the timber to the base is large enough, it can be filled with expanded clay. This material quite light, plus provides good thermal insulation and sound insulation. The price of expanded clay is quite affordable.
- If the beam does not have a large gap between the floor, that is, it practically lies on the screed, then it makes sense to use mats made of mineral wool or sheets of polystyrene foam. Calculate the thickness of the insulation depending on the cross-section of the timber. Ideally, the insulation should be tightly laid flush with the top cut of the timber.
Laying the finishing coating
- Before you lay the floor on the joists, you should decide what kind of coating you will have.
- If you are using parquet or laminate, you will need to lay a level on top of plywood sheets with a thickness of 10 mm or more; you can use chipboard or OSB.
Parquet or laminate, then you will need to lay a level on top of plywood sheets with a thickness of 10 mm, you can use chipboard or OSB.
Important: batten must be well dried, the moisture level of the forest should not exceed 12%. Otherwise, the board may move during the drying process and your floors will be damaged.
When laying linoleum, parquet or laminate, you will need to lay a level on top of plywood sheets with a thickness of 10 mm or more; you can use chipboard or OSB.
Important: the floorboard must be well dried, the moisture level of the forest should not exceed 12%. Otherwise, the board may move during the drying process and your floors will be damaged.
How to lay linoleum correctly: sequence of work and important nuances» href=»https://shkolapola.club/elast/linoleym/ukladca/279-ukladka-linoleuma»>lay linoleum, parquet or laminate, then you will need to lay a level on top of plywood sheets with a thickness of 10 mm or more, you can use chipboard or OSB.
Important: the floorboard must be well dried, the moisture level of the forest should not exceed 12%. Otherwise, the board may move during the drying process and your floors will be damaged.
It's up to you to decide, the main thing is that it is dry.
Conclusion
Installing a floor on joists, as you can see, is not very difficult. Almost any owner who knows how to use plumbing and carpentry tools at the household level can install such a structure. And on our website you will always be provided with detailed instructions.
The video in this article clearly shows the process of installing logs.
The quality of laying the finishing coating on a rough base is largely determined by the correct assembly of the lathing from the logs. In the process of finishing the subfloor, all technological standards must be observed, otherwise the structure will quickly deform, which will lead to damage to the finished floor. In the article we will look at the features of installing lags on tape and monolithic foundation, and we will also dwell in more detail on the nuances of installing the finishing coating.
About lags
Logs are heavy wooden beams with a rectangular cross-section, which are used in construction to level and insulate the subfloor. Installing a floor on joists is one of the most popular solutions when arranging a rough foundation. National team wooden sheathing from beams can be used for laying many types of finishing coatings, which include:
- solid boards and parquet;
- laminate and linoleum;
- ceramic tiles and carpet;
- plywood and cork flooring.
Advantages of a subfloor on joists:
- Good sound and noise insulation, which is formed thanks to air gap between the wooden sheathing and the base;
- Uniform distribution of static and dynamic loads across beams;
- Laying floor beams with your own hands allows you to lay communications under the floor;
- Thanks to the air layer between the base and the wooden structure, there is always circulation under the floor air masses, which prevents condensation accumulation;
- If the beams are placed correctly, the structure can withstand a load of 5 tons per m 2 of coverage;
- With the help of logs you can build almost any foundation: monolithic, pile, strip, etc.
Laying wooden sheathing on the ground (strip foundation) is fraught with some difficulties. Wooden beams are hygroscopic, therefore groundwater, “washing away” the wood, can lead to its destruction. To avoid this, installation wooden elements do it yourself on the waterproofing layer.
Features of choosing wood
A properly prepared subfloor is the key to the “longevity” of the finishing coating. So that over time the wooden sheathing does not deform or sag, during the selection process suitable wood The following points need to be taken into account:
- You can make a leveling sheathing with your own hands only from beams rectangular section. They are stronger and more stable, which gives wooden structure considerable rigidity;
- The lags are laid on edge, and their height should be at least 1.5 times greater than the width;
- The most reliable material for beams will be oak, larch or aspen. Boards made of spruce, fir or pine have less strength;
- When laying beams on a strip foundation, care must be taken to carefully treat the wood with non-hygroscopic compounds;
- If you need to make a final coating that will be opened with varnish, you can limit yourself to choosing premium grade wood;
- The highest grade of wood for the finishing boards is taken if you plan to leave the floor with a natural look.
Design features of the log
To make a reliable and durable ceiling with your own hands, you need to consider some technological nuances, namely:
- Floor beams are laid using only 2nd and 3rd grade wood;
- The approximate moisture content of the boards should not exceed 18-20%, otherwise they will become deformed when drying;
- Beams should not have significant defects, the size of microcracks on them should not be more than 1 cm in length;
- To avoid a shortage of wood when arranging the floor in a private house, it is better to purchase boards with a reserve: +10% of the required quantity;
- Before or after laying the logs, the wood should be treated with an antiseptic to prevent the appearance of mold;
- The lower part of the finishing boards should also be treated with potassium fluoride or ammonium fluoride;
- Installation of logs is carried out with a certain step, which directly depends on the thickness of the finishing coating: the wider the step, the thicker the finishing floor should be.
You can find out more in the video below.
The nuances of installing beams on a concrete floor
Leveling a concrete floor when installing a wooden structure made of beams can be done in the following ways:
- Using a tie. Divorce with your own hands cement-sand mortar, with the help of which height differences on the base are leveled. It dries within 3-4 weeks;
- With the help of lag. When arranging the base on logs, it can be leveled with adjustable beams.
Since wood exposed to moisture will be laid on the foundation, the following sequence of work must be followed in the process of preparing the floor:
- On concrete covering You should first put a layer of waterproofing - polyethylene, glassine, roofing felt, etc.;
- When preparing the floor in multi-storey building It is advisable to also lay a layer of sound insulation;
- Then the logs are installed on the prepared base in increments of 30-40 cm with a final coating thickness of 4-5 cm;
- As a heat insulator placed in cells between the beams, you can use mineral wool, ecowool, polystyrene foam granules, etc.;
- At the final stage, the final covering is laid with your own hands - laminate, parquet, plywood, solid boards.
A video will help you understand the topic better.
The nuances of installing beams on the ground
A strip foundation is one of the most difficult, from a technical point of view, bases for installing wooden sheathing. In a private house, this type of foundation is used quite often, especially in modern buildings. Making a rough base on the ground with your own hands is very problematic, since in the process of assembling the floor you need to take into account many points, namely:
- The soil is leveled and compacted well;
- A “point” foundation is made of several brick columns along the perimeter of the room;
- The height of the underground should be approximately 20 cm, so the columns should be strong enough and high;
- A layer of waterproofing (roofing felt) should be placed between the formed supports;
- When setting up a strip foundation in a private house, the beams are placed with a distance of 30 mm from the wall;
- To insulate the base, granulated expanded clay, sand or crushed stone are placed in the cells of the sheathing;
- Then the logs are “adjusted” and attached to support posts using special anchors;
- At the final stage, the finishing coating (plywood, parquet, laminate) is laid.
Determining the distance between beams
What distance should be maintained between the beams when assembling the floor sheathing? The service life of the finishing coating depends on the correct assembly of the wooden sheathing. Why? If the distance between the bars is made too large, finishing material will experience greater stress. Over time, this will cause the finish to warp and crack.
How to determine the required distance between the bars? If a durable board 4 cm thick is used as a finishing coating, the logs can be laid at a distance of 0.6-0.7 m from each other. If the thickness facing material will be less than 2.5 cm, the distance between the beams will have to be reduced to 30 cm. In rare cases, when laying fairly thick wood - more than 5 cm in thickness, the beams can be installed at a distance of 1 m.
Selection of finishing material
In a private home, often as finishing coating boards are used. Today, milled boards with a tongue-and-groove system are the most popular. The thickness of such material ranges from 2.9 to 4.5 cm. Using such wood as a finishing coating, you can achieve the maximum lifespan of the floor - more than 10-15 years.
Also, installing a floor yourself involves installing the following types of coatings:
- solid boards with trapezoidal tenons;
- plywood and parquet;
- laminate and linoleum;
- tongue and groove board.
For laying laminate, parquet and similar materials when arranging the floor on joists, the wooden sheathing is pre-sewn OSB sheets or plywood. As already noted, the distance between the beams will be determined by the thickness of the facing material.
Features of finishing flooring
Scheme of laying tongue and groove boards on logs How to properly lay a board on a joist floor? To achieve maximum strength and wear resistance of the floor, when laying the boards you need to take into account the following points:
- The floorboard begins to be attached from the wall, which is located opposite the door entrance;
- There should be a technological gap of 15 mm between the wall and the floor board in case of wood expansion;
- The location of the boards must correspond to the direction of the light; they are laid parallel to the light entering the room;
- The material is secured using self-tapping screws, the length of which should be 1.5 times the thickness of the finishing coating;
- In a similar way, 3-4 rows of boards are laid, after which the laid material is inside they are tightened with a metal bracket so that the floor does not “walk”;
- You need to tighten the covering with metal staples every 3-4 rows of laid boards.