For many, owning a home is a dream that can be realized in our time. However, even in order to build a house from a log, you must obtain permission. The procedure for obtaining a building permit is defined in the Town Planning Code of the Russian Federation.
Today, building a house from a log with your own hands is a completely feasible task; the main thing is to know the procedure for its construction.
In Rus', houses were traditionally built from logs or bricks, but with the advent of modern building materials, log houses began to be used less frequently as a method of building homes. Currently, the construction of houses from wooden beam or made from logs is becoming in demand again, and there are reasons for this.
Looking at an already built log house, it may seem that it is quite simple to make the same one with your own hands. This is a misconception, and if you decide to build a log house with your own hands, you must prepare thoroughly; the step-by-step instructions below will help you with this.
Log as a building material and a tool for its processing
Image 1. The scriber, thanks to two bubble levels, will help make more accurate measurements compared to the line.
For private housing construction, wood can be considered ideal building material. With the relatively light weight of wood, it can be used to build a durable low-rise building. Therefore, if you wish, you can build both a house and a bathhouse from a log with your own hands. To build a wooden house, you will need the following tools:
- axe;
- hand saw;
- electric drill;
- electric saw or chainsaw;
- the “dash” marking tool (scriber), shown in image 1.
A log processed by hand by removing branches and bark is called wild, while a log processed by special machines– rounded.
Building a house from hand-processed logs is much more difficult than from rounded logs. After processing in production, the material is almost ready for the manufacture of a log house.
The main problem when cutting a log house is the binding of logs in its corners. The logs can be connected so that they do not protrude beyond the wall. This is a cost-effective fastening technology, since the entire length of the log is usefully used. Such connection options are shown in Image 2.
Image 2. Options for connecting logs.
The connection, which is called “with the remainder,” gives the house originality, since in our time such a structure looks unusual. In this option, the ends of the logs protrude beyond the walls, which increases material consumption.
There are many options for corner joining of a log frame “with the rest”, but the most common are three: a simple bowl, a ridge and a fat tail. These connection options are shown in Image 3.
Comparing the options for corner joints, it is easy to see that it is easier to make connections “with the remainder” manually, and such a connection as a simple bowl is made in production at .
Image 3. Options for corner joining of a log frame “with the remainder”.
If you need to increase the length of the log, then the simple method shown in image 4 is.
Along the crown of the logs, they are additionally fastened with dowels. A dowel is a metal or wooden rod. It is driven through the upper crown into the lower one so that there is a gap between the bottom of the hole in the lower crown and the end of the dowel to compensate for wood shrinkage. It is advisable to use dowels made of wood of the same species as the main log. To drill holes for the dowel, you will need an electric drill and a drill of the appropriate diameter.
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Features of wooden buildings
Based on centuries-old construction practice wooden houses, for their construction they use forest with natural moisture. To prevent splashes from rain and water from melting snow in the spring from falling on the lower crown of the house, its foundation must rise above ground level by at least 50 cm. To protect the walls from rain, the overhang of the roof of a wooden building must be at least 60 cm, it is better if it will be equal to 90 cm. However, there is no guarantee that such a design will be able to protect the walls from heavy rain.
Image 4. A method for increasing the length of a log.
Before deciding how to build a house, you need to keep in mind that in order to maintain a log house in proper condition, you will first need to thoroughly treat the wood with insecticides, and during operation, periodically inspect the log house for the presence of pests and treat it with antiseptics.
If there is no basement in the house, the frame can be installed on a strip monolithic foundation, without deepening it below the soil freezing level. You can use either a columnar or screw foundation with a grillage. An example of a strip foundation is shown in image 5, and an example is shown in image 6 screw foundation, where the lower crown of logs is used as a grillage.
In terms of energy saving, wooden buildings are more efficient than brick ones, since at night they release the solar heat accumulated during the day more slowly at night, but this does not exclude the need for their insulation. Modern requirements In terms of energy saving, they have become much stricter, and to fulfill them, the thickness of the wooden wall must be at least 53 cm. This means that in order to comply with energy saving requirements, insulation is indispensable.
Images 5, 6. Examples of foundations.
In addition, some requirements that promote energy saving should not be neglected. Thus, it is advisable to locate living quarters on the south side, with the maximum possible number of windows on the same side. You should not experiment with the shape of the structure. There should be as few protrusions as possible, as well as extra balconies.
To conserve heat, the garage and boiler room should be located on the north side of the building. On the same side, it is advisable to provide a window through which summer heat Natural ventilation can be created to help cool the air inside the room.
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About preparation for building a house
Image 7. Project example wooden house.
Before you start construction, you need to be well prepared. It is advisable to use the services of a specialist knowledgeable construction of buildings made of wood and in particular from logs. He will create a project taking into account the features construction site and the wishes of the future owner. It is easier to build a house from rounded logs.
In this case, you can use ready-made projects, making minor changes to them, which will allow you to completely prepare a set of logs in production conditions. An example of such a project is shown in Image 7.
Rounded logs have significantly less shrinkage and are treated with high-quality antiseptics. It is very important that the longitudinal groove in them be ideally selected.
If you prepare the groove yourself, you will need a scriber. The process of marking and making a longitudinal groove using an ax or chainsaw is shown in image 8.
Images 8, 9. Cutting out a longitudinal groove and an option for laying logs.
It is necessary to prepare a site for storing the material. Image 9 shows an option for laying logs.
When purchasing material, you need to pay attention to its color. It should be yellow or dark yellow. There should be as few knots as possible, and resin pockets absent. Cracks should not exceed a third of the cut. The logs must be absolutely even along their entire length and not helical. When examining the ends of the logs, you need to make sure that the core occupies more than ¾ of the entire cut area and that the cut is even and the wood is dense.
It is advisable to build a wooden house in winter in those areas where the winter is real, frosty and without sudden thaws, therefore, the humidity is minimal. However, the foundation must be built in the summer.
The foundation for a wooden house has its own characteristics that must be taken into account. The height of the base must be at least 50 cm. Vents must be provided in the foundation to ensure ventilation of the underground, which will prevent the formation of mold.
Not so long ago I came into wooden housing construction new material — rounded log. The houses it makes are a sight to behold - nice and neat. It would seem that high quality sets one up for careful attitude. But the hacks don’t care at all - they don’t mind ruining any beauty.
It is generally accepted that assembling a complete house from rounded logs is similar to a child’s game of construction kit - just fold the logs. This statement is true provided that the work is performed by qualified carpenters. For professionals, of course, it is easier to work with rounded logs than with regular logs. Seasonal workers who do not know which side to lay the crowns on often destroy first-class material.
Each tree is essentially unique. Even after careful sorting of timber, the natural characteristics of the logs must be taken into account. One barrel escape is worth it. The decrease in diameter is on average 1 cm per 1 m of length. In addition, trees differ in the diameter and shape of the trunk (the nature of the knots and other natural defects). It is not surprising that until recently log houses were cut by hand. Yes and now manual cutting has not lost its position. At the same time, the quality of log buildings, for obvious reasons, directly depends on the skill and conscientiousness of the carpenters.
In the second half of the last century, it was invented in Finland technology for the production of rounded logs. Briefly it can be described as follows. First class round wood cleared of bark and subjected to primary machining. Then it is sent to a soft drying chamber. Dried logs (with a moisture content of no more than 12-18%) are machine-processed - they are given the shape of a regular cylinder (“pencil”) and a longitudinal mounting groove is selected.
Manufacturing of rounded logs
Subsequently, a house kit (the wooden part of the house) is made from such “pencils” according to detailed drawings. Corner lock connections are selected using high-precision equipment with program controlled. In this way, many problems are solved. A rounded log is nothing more than a unified building module with given geometric parameters, which, in combination with the factory preparation of log cabins, resulted in quality log houses to a completely new level.
When assembling ready-made house kits from cylinders, the share of manual labor is reduced, the influence of the human factor is minimized, and the pace of construction increases. And at the same time, shrinkage is noticeably reduced, and the number of cracks is practically reduced to zero (their localization occurs in the zone of the compensation groove, which is milled before drying the material).
Russian manufacturers have appreciated the advantages of rounded logs. But drying logs in chambers is too expensive. Some woodworking enterprises went their own way. This is how natural drying rounding appeared on the Russian market. If timber is stored in well-ventilated stacks, protected from the sun, rain and snow under canopies, then the logs are dried evenly and without serious defects. However, in practice, they often do not wait for the raw materials to reach the required condition. In other words, raw logs are machine processed. In addition, semi-handicraft enterprises have worn out outdated equipment. The longitudinal groove is literally “gnawed out” with a blunt milling cutter. In turn, “independent” construction teams undertake to build houses from such, so to speak, rounded houses, choosing corner locks with a chainsaw. The result is not log buildings, but outright wrecks.
To be fair, we note that in the professional environment there is an ambiguous attitude towards rounded logs. During the machining process, a fairly substantial layer of useful wood is removed. Moreover, sapwood remains on the surface, that is, young wood that is sensitive to the effects of water, sudden changes in temperature and humidity, and biological damage. Meanwhile, for centuries, carpenters sought to preserve the original volume of the log. Only the bark was removed from the trees, if possible without touching the waterproof splint.
Construction of houses from rounded logs
Houses made of rounded logs, like other wooden buildings, are often erected on shallow strip foundations. Without going into details of the construction of such supporting structures, let's say that the height of the ground part of the tape (that is, the base) should not be less than half a meter. Otherwise in winter lower crowns the log house will be littered with snowdrifts, and in the thaw and spring the tree will get wet, which naturally will not do it any good.
It is necessary to install vents in the walls of the basement- small holes that provide natural ventilation of the underground. In this case, the formation of so-called dead zones - closed spaces completely deprived of fresh air flow - should be completely eliminated. Blooms in lush colors in damp and stuffy conditions dangerous mold, putrefactive and other harmful microorganisms multiply rapidly. It is clear that all these living creatures feed on the wooden structure of the floor of the first floor, as well as the first crowns of the log house. Close the vents in winter period it is forbidden.
In order not to worry about the cold from the underground, you need to responsibly arrange the subfloor of the first floor (covering the technical underground). The gaps between the joists should be filled with effective insulation. It should be noted that the thickness of the thermal insulation layer is determined by a calculation based on the climatic indicators of a particular region. For example, in the Moscow region, floors are insulated with slabs of mineral wool or extruded polystyrene, the total thickness of which is at least 200 mm. In order for the thermal insulation to serve faithfully, which is only possible in a dry state, it is necessary to take care of the vapor and waterproofing of the subfloor structure.
The first crowns of the house require special attention. Along the edge of the foundation, two layers of rolled waterproofing are laid ( seasoned craftsmen They claim that the best option is ordinary roofing felt). Then a backing board or timber is placed. For this purpose, it is advisable to use impregnated lumber (that is, completely impregnated with an antiseptic under pressure at the factory). If this is not possible, the backing board is treated with a strong antiseptic compound. By the way, an excellent “intermediary” between the foundation and the log house is a larch backing beam. Its dense wood resists well the negative effects of water and biological damage.
A longitudinal cut is made on the logs of the first crown(and not a groove, like the other crowns). This technique ensures uniform distribution of the load from the walls and makes a significant contribution to the stability and stability of the log house. From the outside, the edge of the foundation is covered with galvanized steel casting. In addition, the base needs to be finished with waterproof materials. Natural or natural cladding harmonizes perfectly with wood. artificial stone, clinker bricks or tiles.
For those who are planning to build a country house from cylinders, I would like to advise order logs with a diameter of at least 26-28 cm. Of course, massive material will cost more, but it is more viable in unfavorable conditions construction and operation of log buildings. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the thermal performance of the material and, as a result, the cost of heating the house. After all, the thermal insulation capacity of walls is determined, among other things, by the thickness of the structure in the longitudinal inter-crown groove. For walls made of logs with a diameter of 22 cm, this figure is 15-17 cm, and for walls with a diameter of 28 cm - 22-24 cm. One-time savings can result in serious problems and costs in the future.
Forced drying and machining do not cancel natural properties wood. A rounded log needs care and maintenance, like any other wood material. It is no coincidence that house kits from leading Finnish and Russian manufacturers are delivered to the construction site in waterproof packaging. During the assembly process, the erected walls are protected from rain and sleet with plastic film. The wood is treated with temporary antiseptic compounds (a special primer is applied to the ends to prevent capillary suction of water into the walls).
The processing quality of rounded logs is close to the standards of furniture products. Finishing log walls from the inside comes down to sanding and applying a primer and clear varnish. True, careless builders leave dirty marks, dents and scratches on the material. And as luck would have it, the stained logs end up in the most visible place. Another question is whether the stains will be washed off, whether the dents will be sanded out.
Features of building houses from rounded logs
The main problems with log walls are related to wood shrinkage. The natural moisture content of wood is 25-40% (less in winter, more in summer). When wood dries, it decreases in volume, which causes shrinkage deformations of structures made from it. In this case, the walls settle by an average of 4-5 cm per meter of height. True, cylinders made according to all the rules are less susceptible to shrinkage than ordinary logs natural humidity. However, due to violation of the rules of transportation, storage and assembly, the material dried in the chamber may pick up atmospheric moisture. With a sharp increase in temperature, the rounded log dries unevenly, which leads to the formation of through cracks, crevices and other unacceptable defects.
Negative consequences of shrinkage also occur due to unreasonable design(or due to the complete absence of any design documentation). For example, the fact that loaded and unloaded log walls shrink at different rates and by different amounts is not taken into account. If measures are not taken to level out the shrinkage, then the walls on which the rafters rest pitched roof, may undergo irreversible and very critical deformation. Meanwhile, this constructive problem was solved by our distant ancestors. Part of the load was redistributed from load-bearing walls to non-load-bearing ones due to inclusion in truss structure thick poles - lightly.
Unfortunately today wooden house construction People who do not have the slightest idea about the canons of carpentry are often engaged in this work. Such unfortunate carpenters not only do not care about the correct regulation of shrinkage, but also make unforgivable mistakes. For example, large-format windows are built into log gables trapezoidal shape, which leads to worsening dangerous deformations. Rigid casings interfere with the normal movement of walls. The logs literally sit on the dowels, resulting in gaping cracks. To get out of this situation, experienced craftsmen make the attic floor a frame. The walls are insulated with effective thermal insulation and the outside is sheathed with materials that imitate logs (blockhouse, for example). IN frame structure You can safely embed any windows.
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I would like to ask the builders of this house how to adjust the jack located almost under the ridge of the roof? Unless to adjust the aerial platform or scaffolding install.The log house from the main facade is practically in contact with the ground. When the snow melts, water will flood the porch (the terrain of the area decreases towards the forest).There are no vents in the basement.Normal shrinkage of the gable part of the wall is not ensured. Huge gaps have already formed between the logs. |
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Another blunder. Such short partitions (sections of the wall from the cut to the window) are unviable. After some time, they will begin to fall out of the plane of the wall. Here the windows were built into the log gable. Moreover, the triangular casing was placed under the roof slope. It turns out that the rafter leg rests on wooden frame(or, conversely, is the box held by the rafter?) |
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Here the builders not only pushed the window right up to the roof, but also managed to do without the inclined crossbar of the casing. Truncated logs press directly on plastic frame. |
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The first crown of the house is made of logs with a longitudinal groove. The wall essentially rests on two narrow strips |
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Here the builders “forgot” about the backing board. The first crown of the house was placed directly on the rolled waterproofing. The uneven supporting cut of the log is also striking. |
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What, I wonder, are the subfloor beams supported on? At the same time, a solid foundation extension is left on the outside. In addition, the base is too low. The beams are almost in contact with the plant layer of soil |
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There is a wall on this mutilated half-log. The triangular gap will certainly appeal to insects, especially wood-boring beetles. They clearly skimped on waterproofing. Part of the foundation frame remained defenseless against the water elements |
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This wall is in a suspended state. Apparently, when constructing the foundation, the builders made a mistake with the alignment axes. Or, on the contrary, at a woodworking enterprise, logs for walls were cut without looking at the drawings. Or maybe it was the designers who couldn’t make ends meet? |
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Usage mineral wool as interventional insulation Absolutely forbidden! Here the owner insisted that the builders put Isover glass wool between the logs instead of tow or jute. The homeowner ignored the protests of the carpenters and the expert called at their insistence. This kind of insulation must be kept closed. Direct atmospheric exposure is contraindicated for mineral wool insulation. But most importantly, cotton wool microfibers blown out by air currents are dangerous to health. But there are young children living in the house. |
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Here the rules for cutting floor beams into log walls were violated. In fact, there is no trace of any cutting. The beams lie freely on the round surface of the log |
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And this is a view of a wall replete with joints. Moreover, there is no constructive need for such a connection. Apparently, in this way the builders used substandard logs. The joints are exposed, but should be hidden behind decorative elements or overcuts. In addition, the logs are not pulled together - a steel ruler fits freely into the joint |
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A striking example of a disdainful attitude towards a rounded log. The material was seriously damaged as a result of uncontrolled shrinkage. Through cracks belong to the category of emergency defects |
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The longitudinal joint of the logs was made without the use of tightening or fastening elements, that is, in violation of the requirements of GOST. As a result, a gap has formed in the wall that cannot be filled with any caulk. |
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It's hard to believe that this house was just built. The owners haven’t even had time to move furniture into it yet. Unmerciful treatment natural material. failure to meet the conditions ensuring normal shrinkage led to destructive and irreversible deformations of log walls |
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The log walls of the bay window are not tied together. It is not clear what the owners are counting on. Steel staples and other tightening elements are not helpful here. Over time, the joint will dry out. And there, if you push one log too hard, the walls will fall apart |
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The remains of log crowns of different lengths spoil both the external and internal view Houses. Typically, such defects arise due to a noticeable deviation of the walls from the vertical, and this is an encroachment on the stability of the building as a whole. |
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It is difficult to imagine what kind of roof the owners had in mind (it is unlikely that a professional architect was involved in such a plan). Let's hope that the four gables will not fall apart before the rafter structure is installed |
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The builders forgot to install the casing. A plastic window is built into the log walls. During the shrinkage process, the logs will put pressure on the plastic frame, which will lead to deformation and even partial destruction of the window block |
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Internal corners need to be sanded by hand (you can't use a sander). But the builders decided that it would do just fine |
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The rafters of the pitched roof rest freely on the wall. The builders decided that the fasteners were superfluous here |
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A gap was left in the eaves sheathing. An excellent loophole for wasps, the owners will be delighted with such a neighborhood. |
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Rounded logs are damaged by poor-quality painting. The glazing antiseptic is applied according to the principle “sometimes thick, sometimes empty.” As a result, the walls were “decorated” with stains and unpainted marks. |
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Here the walls were left without antiseptics. And in addition it was not provided natural ventilation built house. Now the owners are busy choosing effective means for the treatment of mold and other “infectious diseases”. But will chemistry do any good? |
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This house was left without a roof and antiseptic treatment for a year. And here is the result. The walls, made of excellent rounded logs with a diameter of 28 cm, turned black and were covered with mold in places. In response to the owners' claims, the builders just waved their hand |
During the debate that flared up after the publication of the article “Ours in America,” a reader contacted the site’s editors and wanted to talk about his personal experience. Vyacheslav has been living with his family in a house made of solid logs for four years. And according to him, if he knew all the “nuances” at the time of choosing the material, he would build a house from bricks or blocks. Below in the text is his personal “Top reasons why you should not build a log house.” To maintain authenticity, we left the text almost unchanged, making only light stylistic changes.
Why did we want a wooden house?
1. Once we saw with our own eyes a house made of logs - we immediately liked it, it looked very beautiful, we wanted one for ourselves.
2. For practical reasons: initially it was assumed that we would come on weekends, heat the solid fuel boiler and quickly warm up the house (the concept changed during the construction process).
3. Environmental friendliness: I wanted the house to breathe easily and smell pine forest. In general, I liked the traditional concept of living in a private house: a wooden frame, grass near the house, a forest nearby, etc.
house in summer
Start of construction
back view
Here we managed to learn a little from the mistakes of others. A friend of mine, in order to save money, purchased the timber himself. As a result, a timber truck came to him and the cutters took away suitable logs, half of the timber truck was leaving back... In the end, 120 cubic meters his timber turned into 200. I worked with contractors who sorted the wood at their base, and only what was actually used for work was brought to the site.
view from the yard
Initially, I was not worried about the construction process, since I trusted the contractors. During the work, they still made some mistakes in some places, but not much (more on that below). The logs were laid on moss. They chopped and hewed - by hand. After they made the “box” with the roof, the house stood for a year.
from the entrance
One of the interesting things about the construction process is the discrepancy between the actual sizes of the rooms and their visual perception until the ceilings are covered. I personally measured the 19-meter kitchen with a tape measure, because visually it seemed that there were 7-8 meters there. And so - with all the rooms.
Finishing
The most interesting thing began at this stage. Firstly, the house needs to be sanded ENTIRELY on both sides. This work is tedious and expensive - prices for work can be looked up on the Internet, four years ago it cost us a pretty penny (375 sq. m. at $5 per 1 sq. m.). Moreover, when estimating the area of work, the bend of the log is added to the formula “height by length” - the area increases.
upper plinth - adjustable to curves
Then - impregnation ($0.7 per 1 sq.m.). Then - painting in one layer. Then - to the second (both - $1 per 1 sq.m.). Moreover, so that the materials fit well, the house must be painted by hand(which stretches the process over time). After all these procedures, the question of a “breathing house” and “the smell of pine” disappeared by itself.
We didn’t make a basement, so our foundation is simple: PGS pad, insulation, concrete. The builders who poured the floor did not completely cut out the lower logs in the doorways. As a result, a year later it “broke” in these places floor tiles(ceramic granite). I had to remove the entire damaged tile, cut out more logs, and pour a new floor. This turned out to be easier than somehow cutting out the laid tiles - not every tile cutter takes porcelain tiles.
a crack in the tile remains in the doorway
Added to the “pleasant” aspects of finishing are regular finishing off moss, stolen by birds, and sealing seams with sealant. This work is long, expensive and dreary. Fortunately, there is a sealant manufacturer in the Republic of Belarus that offers products at reasonable prices. If he missed the mark with imported ones, he would go to hell.
Laying communications in a log house it also becomes a problem. Plug the socket into round log- that’s another task (and a corresponding “tariff”). You can't hide the pipes inside. Attaching a plinth to an uneven log is also not an easy task, you will have to “think about it” and work with your hands.
plinth - strip + mastic
Due to the long-term shrinkage of the house, doors and windows were inserted into a frame made of boards. If you try to bet on a “live log”, the risk of getting it “sideways” increases significantly. Like risk of damaging the door or window. But even this “trick” did not help us personally: in 4 years of operation, the doors were adjusted twice. And some windows still siphon.
Home maintenance
box for the kitchen (on the left against the wall)
The house is constantly “breathing”. When the heating works, when it doesn’t, everything moves. To hang the kitchen, it was necessary to build a metal frame, cover it with plasterboard, and only attach the kitchen to it. No other way. So beloved by our citizens sliding wardrobes it is absolutely impossible to establish - there is nothing to “attach” to, and the wall and ceiling live their own lives. The staircase, which was “tied” to the wall, eventually became warped and the railing was torn out.
instead of a wardrobe...
Any decorative boxes, covering communications, turn into a work of art - they need to be somehow combine with log wall , and this process turns into jewelry fitting with a construction cutter in hand.
The joints sealed with sealant were sealed twice in 4 years. Doesn't matter - cracks appear. Wooden floor on the 2nd floor it is also drying out, there are also cracks there, and this is inevitable.
crack between logs
In autumn mice get into the house, in the gap between the lower log and the foundation. It is not yet possible to block this road for them, since the interface line is very uneven. And if on the main “animal trails” this phenomenon can be reduced to “nothing” with the help of poison and mousetraps, then when mice frolic between the logs without “visiting”, nothing can be done with them. Just curse it.
Also between logs every year wasps make their nests. The issue is resolved with the help of Dichlorvos. But it still has to be decided.
In autumn and early winter, the second floor is a kingdom of flies. First flies get stuck in the cracks for the winter. Then the house becomes warm - and they climb inside. We have not yet come up with any other means against this brethren except a vacuum cleaner.
And we also - best friends sellers of Tikkurila paint. There needs touching up, here you need to tint: steps, joints, terrace. They didn’t keep accurate records of production, but a lot of buckets of paint were purchased over 4 years.
In the spring, when the pine tree (and then the birch tree) blooms, the whole the house is covered yellow pollen. Moreover, in a thick layer. On a flat vertical wall, so much of it simply would not accumulate. This issue is resolved by washing the walls with a jet from a Karcher. But again it needs to be resolved.
Bath
Inside the house dust accumulates on the bend of the logs. Here already universal remedies no - dust can only be removed manually, the old fashioned way.
Sometimes spontaneous, inexplicable bursts of life happen inside the house - some bugs, midges, insects appear, but I have not installed any system here yet.
In the bathhouse, near the guest bed, some kind of perky creature lives in a log, crunching the log all night. It is not possible to find and kill her.
And finally - about the famous “winter” forest. My house was cut down from February. The bathhouse is from August. I still haven't noticed a difference.
Price issue
Considering all of the above, such housing cannot be called cheap. House with a total area of 240 sq. m. (with a small attic floor) cost me $40,000 only for the first stage: foundation, frame and roof. Then the project grew, we also built an outbuilding, a bathhouse from the same “round timber,” and landscaped the area and the street next to the house. All this (including materials, finishing, windows, doors and geothermal boiler) cost us a total of $180,000.
shrinkage to the roof
Conclusion: What we got for this torment was a very beautiful house. And some kind of indescribable pleasure from the feeling of a thick, uneven log, its rough appearance, rich texture... Friends who began to build across the site from mine listened to approximately the same text, my complaints and advice to build from blocks. And in the end... the log house was also cut down. Here, of course, everyone decides for themselves. But I gave you fair warning.
Interviewed by: Dmitry Malakhov
When wondering what kind of house I would like to live in, for some reason I remember a tower from children's fairy tales. Why not? A wooden house has an excellent internal climate: warm in winter and cool in summer, always dry, even in very humid areas, wonderful rich aroma wood creates not just comfort, but also a wonderful atmosphere for life and creativity. In your search for the ideal home, you inevitably come to the realization that no one has come up with anything better than log houses. They are beautiful, practical, do not require finishing, retain heat perfectly and are absolutely environmentally friendly, if not even healing. Construction log house- a very responsible and labor-intensive task, although our ancestors overwhelmingly built such houses on their own, everyone knew the technology that was passed on from generation to generation, but today the thread of knowledge has been broken. There are very few good architects left, but there are industrial methods construction of wooden houses. Of course, you can choose turnkey log houses, but within the framework of this article we will consider options for how to build log house with your own hands.
Rounded or planed (chopped) log - which is better?
In total, two types of buildings are called log houses: the first is made of chopped logs, i.e. planed by hand, it is also called “wild log house”, the second is made from logs rounded on a special machine. Let's figure out which option is better.
Until the beginning of the twentieth century, all log houses were exclusively "wild log house". What does this mean? All the logs were processed by hand, the top layer - the bark - was carefully removed from a freshly cut tree, while trying to keep the bast layer intact, which protects the deeper layers of wood from moisture from the outside. This provided amazing resistance to fungi and mold. Obviously, the sawn log tapers from the lower end, which is closer to the root, to the upper end, which is closest to the top. Even after processing, this difference in diameter remains; the closer to the top, the thinner the log. A sufficiently tall tree can be cut into 3 logs: the thickest one, the end of which is located near the rhizome, is called the butt, the middle one is called the drug, and the top one is the third or top. The butt was always used for construction, as it is the most durable, thickest and has a smaller change in diameter. To compensate for the difference in thickness, when constructing a log house, the butt and top were always alternated. In one crown, the butt “looks” in one direction, and in the next, in the opposite direction. Selecting hand-cut logs is not an easy task, because it is necessary to create an even, durable structure from logs of different diameters.
The technology for building log houses has remained virtually unchanged to this day. Everyone also builds houses from different-sized logs, trying to fit them as perfectly as possible. Moreover, such houses are considered luxury housing, and the services for their construction are much more expensive than houses made of timber or even rounded logs. This is dictated by the complexity, duration and labor intensity of the work. After construction, a log house made from chopped logs must stand for at least 1 - 1.5 years, during which time the wood will shrink by about 5 - 7%. Only after this can you start decorating the house: installing doors, windows, installing communications, etc. In general, in addition to the colossal work of preparing and individually fitting the logs, a lot of waiting time will be required.
Thanks to modern technologies All inconveniences can be avoided using planed logs. On special machines in industrial conditions logs are processed to perfection cylindrical, a groove is also cut into them for further fastening into crowns. All dimensions are adjusted to the millimeter. This greatly simplifies the work when constructing a log house; it simply resembles assembling a construction kit according to instructions and drawings.
A very light and convenient material for construction, but it has lost all the advantages of planed logs in production. The fact is that during the production process, not only the bark is removed from the log, but also all the upper layers, including the sapwood, leaving only mature and heartwood, which is not protected in any way from external factors. Therefore, when used, a rounded log is treated with special antiseptics and other antifungal and anti-rot impregnations, as well as agents that prevent insect damage. The result is: comfortable, beautiful, very smooth and less durable and environmentally friendly. In addition, the maximum diameter of such a log is less than 300 mm, while a chopped log can be of any diameter.
For ready-made log houses, the price depends precisely on what kind of log was used: chopped or rounded. Log houses are more expensive. And although many say that they look less aesthetically pleasing, in fact this is not so: from hand-planed logs you can create a masterpiece according to your personal taste. individual order, which will not be like any other house in the world. At the same time, the walls look primitive and unusual. It is much easier to build a house from rounded logs, especially on your own, since the human factor is almost completely eliminated.
Log houses: projects, technologies, cost
Any construction begins with the creation of a project, and the construction of a log house is no exception. You can take a ready-made project, or you can make it individual by ordering it from a special bureau. You shouldn’t first pour the foundation and then think about what kind of house you would like to build, because adjusting it to the dimensions will already finished foundation it will be quite difficult.
The cost of a log house depends on its number of storeys, material and complexity of the structure. Houses may have one floor, or two or three. The walls can be adjacent to each other at almost any angle, since the logs can be cut into a bowl of any shape. Those. a polygon-shaped wall is quite normal for a log house.
Today, log houses are built in two ways: logs are prepared directly on the construction site from chopped wood, or a house is assembled according to a drawing from rounded logs pre-made and fitted at the factory.
In the first case, the forest is always naturally moist, i.e. After construction, the log house is caulked and left for a year and a half to shrink, and only then work continues. Installation of windows and doors is carried out using two technologies: the first is to immediately cut the logs to the required length, leaving space for a window or doorway, the second is based on first allowing the wood to dry evenly, shrink, and only then next year, cut out openings. The second option is preferable, as it ensures the strength and durability of the log house due to uniform shrinkage. But this is a waste of time. And the first option is faster, so it is used more often, although to the detriment of the log house itself.
Rounded logs are sold both at natural moisture content and dried in production. The designer always assumes that all the logs already have their final length, all that remains is to assemble it. Companies involved in the construction of houses from rounded logs rarely agree to build from unprocessed logs; almost always adjustment and complete assembly At home, it is carried out in production, then the log house is marked, disassembled and transported to the site, where it is reassembled.
How much a log house costs depends not only on the type of log, but also on its diameter, as well as related work, which the customer asks to fulfill. For example, the construction of only a log house from rounded logs will cost approximately 280 - 350 USD. for 1 m2, from chopped logs - 350 - 450 USD. for 1 m2. If you order from a construction company the arrangement of the foundation, communications, finishing of the house, in general, everything, then count on 1000 USD. for 1 m2.
How to choose the right wood for a log house
Most often, the construction of log houses is made from coniferous wood: pine, spruce, larch, cedar, but you can also use aspen, oak, ash and other deciduous trees. Pine and spruce are the most affordable materials, so they prevail. It is necessary to purchase logs cut down in winter; such wood has ideal moisture resistance characteristics.
If you have the opportunity to choose, it is better to opt for northern coniferous wood, it is more resistant to negative impacts. A good option- pine from the Baltic coast and Canadian spruce. But prepared in middle lane wood is also not bad if all storage, drying and transportation conditions are met.
Important! Please note when choosing wood that wood grown in different climatic zones will have completely different characteristics and density levels, despite the same processing conditions.
It is better to buy wood from a proven and reliable harvester. The strength of the entire house depends on this. If you make a mistake with the wood, it's a waste of money. The diameter of the logs is selected depending on the design of the house and the severity of the winter cold. For example, if the temperature in winter does not drop below -20 °C, 200 mm of logs are enough, if up to -30 °C, then 220 mm of logs, and if up to -40 °C, then 240 - 260 mm. Of course, these displays are purely advisory nature. You can safely choose logs of greater thickness, up to 500 - 600 mm in diameter, or use 250 mm logs in a fairly warm climate, the tree compensates for temperature changes.
When you come to a sawmill or timber warehouse, pay attention to the following features:
- The surface of the logs should be yellow or dark yellow.
- The cut should be tight and even, without blue spots.
- The core should occupy ¾ of the cut and have an even dark shade.
- There should be no resin pockets.
- It's better if there are no branches. But even if they are present, they should sit without gaps. If you see such a picture, it means the core is rotten.
- When the ax hits the end of the log, there should be a ringing sound.
- The maximum depth of a permissible crack in a log should be 1/3 of the cut.
- The logs should not be twisted; in the construction of a house they can only be used for floorboards and rafters, having previously been cut into bars.
Feel free to reject logs with the above flaws. If you are buying a project house made of rounded logs, be sure to include a clause in the contract obliging you to replace substandard logs at the company’s expense upon the customer’s first request. Pay attention to the conditions in which the timber was stored, whether all requirements were met, or maybe after a couple of months mold will appear on the logs.
DIY log house
The easiest option for self-construction- house made of rounded logs. We will consider this further, since a log house will still require not only the ability to hold a tool in your hands, but also decent experience in working with wood.
First of all, we order a project or a house already finished project in a special company. After we have discussed all the issues, the factory produces a complete set of logs for our house, as well as floor beams, joists and rafters. This is where the house is assembled for the first time to make sure that all the logs are cut correctly. The house is then dismantled.
Our participation begins with an inspection of the timber package. Then we must prepare a place on the building site for storing wood, equipping it with a canopy so that the wood does not get wet in the rain.
Foundation for a log house
Before building a log house, it is necessary to arrange the foundation on which it will stand. Because wooden house- the structure is relatively light, and the foundation can be made shallow. Most often, a pile-strip foundation, a pile foundation, a slab foundation, and less often a buried strip foundation are used.
Let's consider a pile-strip foundation.
- We mark the area, then remove the top fertile layer and set it aside for landscaping needs.
- We excavate the soil to a depth of up to 30 cm across the width of the strip foundation.
- Along the perimeter of the building, in increments of about 2 m, we drill wells with a diameter of up to 180 mm, to the depth of soil freezing, i.e. 150 cm.
- We fill the wells with a layer of sand and crushed stone.
- We weld the frame from the reinforcement and lower it into the well.
- We fill the well with concrete, then tamp it with a vibrator.
- We install wooden formwork for the strip foundation. It should protrude no less than 50 - 60 cm above the ground level.
- We weld the frame for the strip foundation and connect it to the reinforcement sticking out of the wells.
- We fill the strip foundation with concrete, compact it and wait for it to harden.
After the foundation has completely dried, you can begin waterproofing it. This is especially important since our house is made of wood. We lay roofing material on the foundation in 3 - 4 layers and additionally coat it with mastic.
Construction of a log house from rounded logs: erection of walls
Please note, this is extremely important; the first crown - the mortgage - cannot be installed directly on the foundation. Although you may encounter such a design, be aware that it threatens that the mortgage crown will quickly become unusable.
So, to begin with, we lay the so-called “backing” linden board on the foundation. This can be a beam about 50 - 100 mm thick and at least 150 mm wide. Then we begin to assemble the log house:
Important! The lower mortgage rim must have an end cut off at the bottom with a width of at least 150 mm. This is necessary so that the house rests firmly on the plane of the end. If you suddenly notice that the crown logs have the same groove as all the others, contact the manufacturer and request a replacement.
- The first two logs of the foundation crown are laid on opposite walls of the foundation parallel to each other, on a backing board. We carefully check their even position.
Important! All logs included in the set already have a factory-made groove for a longitudinal connection and a locking gusset. Most often this is a moon groove and a “bowl” connection.
- We lay insulation on the logs that we will lay on the remaining two sides. We fill the entire groove and recess of the bowl with caulking material. It could be moss, tow, hemp or jute. Most often, for caulking rounded logs, jute or linen tape insulation is used with a width corresponding to the width of the groove in the log. We spread the insulation so that at the edges it hangs 5 - 6 cm on each side. We fasten it using a construction stapler.
Important! The recess must be completely filled with insulation. When it spreads jute tape, it covers the entire longitudinal groove, but only goes through the middle in the bowl. Therefore, in the area of the bowl it is necessary to insulate with two pieces.
- We install two logs on the transverse sides of the foundation, resting them on the mortgage crown. The bowls should fit together neatly. We check that there is between the logs required angle eg 90°. We control the level of their horizontality. The insulation should hang from the log.
- We install all other crowns according to the same scheme, assembling them like a construction set.
- For greater strength, some technologies involve fastening the crowns together not only with the help of grooves and bowls, but also with dowels. These are wooden slats made of denser wood. A hole is drilled in the logs to a depth of more than one log and a dowel is inserted into the hole.
- The last two crowns are not secured. This is necessary for proper shrinkage.
Important! We must treat all logs with antiseptics, otherwise they will rot in the first winter.
Do not forget to constantly check the correct installation. Horizontal logs and strict verticality of the log house are required. The rounded log house includes holes for window and door frames. We carefully lay the short logs and secure them carefully.
Installation of a log house roof
Log walls cannot be left without a roof, so immediately after the walls are erected, we cover the frame. Rafters and floor beams are included in the kit. The rafters can be installed directly on the logs of the upper crown, or you can first lay the mauerlat (beam for the rafters).
If the project provides for a veranda, then we insert special shrinkage compensators, because horizontally laid logs will dry out and shrink, but vertical logs will not. To prevent the house from warping, all vertical logs must be equipped with compensators.
We connect the ridge logs using metal pins. We install the rafters in increments of 600 mm. For this we use 50x200 mm timber. TO the last crown we fix the rafters on sliding supports. We lay it on top of the rafters waterproofing film. Then we attach the sheathing, the pitch of which depends on the chosen roofing material. IN last resort laying roofing material.
After the walls of the log house are ready and the roof is installed, all the insulation that sticks out of the logs should be carefully caulked. To do this, using a caulking tool (tool), we wrap these 5 - 6 cm of insulation down and push it inside the gap between the crowns. Then we make a pushing movement at the top of the gap and in the middle.
In this condition: with the roof and walls caulked for the first time, we leave the house for a year to shrink.
A year later, we repeat the caulking, sealing all newly formed cracks and gaps with tow, hemp or jute.
Important! Sometimes it is advised to carry out another caulking after the house is whole year be operated with the heating turned on in winter.
Installation of doors, windows, installation of ceilings and floors
All windows, doors and partitions are installed only after maximum shrinkage of the log house, i.e. a year after construction.
Neither doors nor windows are placed directly into openings. To begin with, wooden casing boxes with compensation fastening and they already have windows and doors. This precaution is due to the fact that wood is a plastic material. It expands from moisture and shrinks from its lack, in addition, the shrinkage of a wooden house lasts 5 - 6 years. And although a rounded log is less susceptible to shrinkage, casing is still necessary.
The floor joists of the first floor cut into the embedded crown or the subsequent one. They must be firmly attached. Since the embedded crown must be well ventilated so as not to rot longer, it is recommended to install the floor on the joists with the crown higher.
At this stage you can already mount heating system and other communications, install internal doors, slopes, baseboards, plumbing and perform other finishing.
Now that the log house is ready, you can move in. In conclusion, I would like to note that logs of insufficient length can be joined, but it is important to make a connecting groove, and there should not be many such joints in one wall. Vents should be provided in the foundation for free ventilation of the underground. And don’t forget, you can’t leave the log house uncovered with a roof or at least a film, and also don’t treat it with an antiseptic. A rounded log can deteriorate even in one season.
The cost of installing a log house made of rounded logs in construction companies is quite high, so many people prefer to build a house from a ready-made wall kit on their own. In this regard, rounding is much more convenient than other building materials, but there are many nuances here too. In order to correctly install a log house made of rounded logs, you need to know the order of the work stages.
Work order
The wall kit is a set of logs in which connecting bowls and a mounting groove are made; with its help, the parts will be tightly connected: without cracks and moisture penetration. Since all elements are made on special equipment, they fit together as closely as possible. The owner can only arrange them correctly according to the numbering.
Installation sequence: If the connecting elements are of good quality, assembling a bathhouse from rounded logs, like building a full-fledged country house, will take a little time. The main work can be completed in a few days, after which we can move on to installing a temporary roof. The disadvantage of any wooden structure is the long waiting period: at least six months must pass before finishing can begin.
Installation of windows and doors
The algorithm for assembling a bathhouse from rounded logs is complemented by the mandatory construction of casing boxes in window and doorways. They are also called okosyachka, they are designed to protect window frames and door blocks from shrinkage pressure. The casing is made of a 5 cm thick block and has a mounting groove that connects to the wall projection. It does not have a strong fastening and falls without preventing the height of the logs from decreasing. It is to the box that the frames must be attached, otherwise they will be crushed.A gap is left between the casing and the wall, which will gradually decrease. It is filled with elastic insulation: this will preserve the energy efficiency of the building and will not interfere with the normal course of shrinkage processes.
In order to prevent negative processes during the waiting period, you need to start heating correctly. Cannot be heated wooden building in the first six months after construction. If it’s warm inside and cold outside, the wood will dry unevenly and cracks will appear in it.
They will not only reduce the thermal insulation of the house, becoming a gateway to the cold, but will also negatively affect the strength of the structure, as they will gradually expand. Optimal time turning on the heating - a year after completion of construction, and at first the temperature inside should not exceed 8 degrees. In any case, cracks cannot be avoided, but they can be minimized. To do this, an assembly cut is made in the upper part of the cylinder along its entire length. It allows the inevitable deformation to be controlled and relieves stress from the wood fibres.
Processing and insulation
After the end of the main shrinkage period, you can proceed to finishing. There is an opinion that a building made of cylinders does not need it at all, this is not entirely true. Even if you do not want to hide the natural beauty of the tree, you need to protect it from rotting and the destructive effects of insects.Several types of treatment are carried out: The question of whether it is necessary to additionally insulate the building remains controversial. Tree - warm material, and logs with a cross-section of 24–32 cm are often enough to protect the structure from freezing. However, it is possible to enhance thermal protection and insulate the seams.
Disadvantage of interventional insulation from natural materials in fragility: it deteriorates over time, birds take it away. However, the seams can be closed in another way: one option is a seam made of acrylic sealant. Using a special tool, they fill all the cracks with it, and after drying, it reliably protects the house from the cold. At the same time, it does not reduce environmental friendliness; the walls will “breathe”.
Over time, the tree loses its original color, darkens, and very soon new house will greatly change your appearance. The process can be stopped if you take care of painting in time. It is absolutely not necessary to choose traditional oil paint; there are many modern solutions. One of them is acrylic paint on water based. The use of polymers allows you to forget about unpleasant smell, and the treated surface will be smooth, beautifully shiny, without streaks, which looks very neat. The best option can be selected thanks to large selection shades. One of the few disadvantages of the coating is its high cost. If you do not want to use “dull” compounds, you can purchase translucent glazes that preserve the natural beauty of the tree and protect it from destruction. With their help you can create an interesting eco-interior.Self-installation will allow you to build a warm and beautiful house without extra expenses. With just a few basic skills, almost every homeowner can build a strong, long-lasting home.