A high-quality cottage is not necessarily a stone building with two or three floors. No less reliable and at the same time beautiful and environmentally friendly is a house made of round timber. This cottage will become a family pride.
Round timber is a rounded, sanded or calibrated log prepared in production, which has a single circular cross-section along its entire length with a tolerance of 0.8% from its total length. The surface of the round timber, as a rule, is ideally cleaned and treated at the production stage with antiseptics and flame retardants.
Important: a hand-cut log can also be called round timber, which is processed exclusively with an ax, as is done in Belarus (in Kobrin) and in Russia. But here the diameter of the wood may diverge somewhat at the two ends of the log. And therefore, the laying of the house is carried out in this case with a constant change in the diameters of the tree in each crown, in order to compensate for the differences in sections in this way and not to disturb the horizontal laying of the crowns.
The choice of wood for round timber
All houses from round log, as a rule, are mounted from coniferous wood. At the same time, the properties of each type of wood are slightly different:
- So, a pine log is the most popular for construction. wooden house. The cost of such a tree is much lower than other types of wood. However, pine copes well with temperature changes and retains heat well. The only disadvantage of pine is the formation of cracks during log shrinkage.
- Larch. More expensive type of wood for installation one-story house or a two-story cottage. At elevated level humidity larch becomes even stronger. That is why it is used for laying the lower crowns of the house.
- Spruce. Most often used for mounting all internal walls at home. The spruce log has an even light shade over the entire surface. In addition, spruce enriches the air in the house with valuable aromas of coniferous resins. For laying the exterior walls of the house, spruce is used less often, since the tree has a fibrous structure, which opens up when moisture gets on the log.
- Fir. It has the highest cost among other types of wood, so it is used quite rarely. Cedar wood can also be equated to fir. A house made of such types of wood will be beautiful and durable, but very expensive. There is no need to talk about how much this type of wood costs.
Benefits of a log frame
Features of a wooden house made of round timber form an increased demand for the construction of cottages from such material. The main advantages of log cottages include:
- Absolute environmental friendliness of the material;
- High breathability of wood, which creates an optimal microclimate in the house;
- The low thermal conductivity of round logs allows you to save resources on heating the cottage in the cold season and provides warmth in the house;
- The evaporation of valuable coniferous resins into the atmosphere during the construction of a house and its operation has a beneficial effect on respiratory system household members;
- In addition, log houses are distinguished by their durability (they can stand for about 80 years or more) and the ability to build cottages in seismically hazardous regions.
Types of round timber for home installation
To build a round timber house, you can use one of the types of logs that the construction market offers. The quality of each of the presented types of wood is the same, the difference is only in the type of wood processing. So, you can buy such a round log:
- rounded log. This type of log is subjected to simple processing, removing from it upper layer(bark) and the next (bast) with a scraper, cleaning from branches and resin pockets. As a result, the rounded round timber has the most dense base on the surface. This wood processing technology is successfully used in Kobrin (Belarus).
- Skinned log. It is this type of round timber that has discrepancies in thickness at its different ends, since only a thin layer of bark and branches is removed during its processing. At the same time, the goal of giving the log a single section over the entire thickness is not worth it in production.
- Calibrated log. Construction material perfectly matched to the diameter. All elements have the same cross section, which simplifies the installation of the crowns of the house.
Important: when performing work using any type of log, voids and gaps between the crowns are inevitable. Therefore, professionals recommend filling the free space well with insulation. In this case, dry moss has proven itself very well, which is also an antiseptic for wood.
Calculation of the number of logs
Before you start building a cottage from a round timber log, you need to calculate how many cubes you need for a house of finished material. Accurate calculations will allow you not to overpay for an extra tree. Calculations are not difficult to perform, the main thing is to know the design length of the walls of the house. For example, let's take a house, the perimeter of which will be 6x6 m.
Important: when designing a log house from round timber, it is important to consider that standard length logs 6 meters. Therefore, the length of the wall should be equal to this indicator. If you want to make the house bigger, then a competent architect places the joints of the log along the length in the cuts (in those places where perpendicular walls). Another way of designing is considered gross mistake. Such projects of a house made of round timber cannot be used.
So, we perform the calculation as follows:
- We will use round timber with a section of 28 cm as a building material. It is worth remembering that a larger section of a log will ultimately lead to material savings, and hence the construction budget.
- In addition to the cross section of the log, it is worth knowing the height of the log house. As a rule, the height of the walls of one floor is 2.4 m. In our calculations, we will take 3 m as an indicator in order to have some stock of material.
- So, now we divide the height of the wall by the section of one log, that is, 300:28 = 10.71. We get 11 logs on one wall and add to this value a log on the lower crown of the house. In total, we have 12 round timber on the wall of the house.
- The resulting number must be multiplied by the number of walls of the cottage, that is, by 4. As a result, we get 12x4 = 48 logs needed for the construction of the outer walls of the cottage. But the round timber is not sold by the piece. It is sold in cubic meters. Therefore, you will have to calculate the required volume of the tree in cubic meters.
It is worth knowing that for each log diameter there is a different amount of round timber per cubic meter of material. The table looks like this:
- Log diameter 180 mm - 6.5 logs per m3;
- Log 220 mm - 5.3 pieces/m3;
- Round timber 220 mm - 4.38 pieces/m3;
- Log 240 mm - 3.69 pieces/m3;
- Log with a section of 260 mm - 3.14 pieces / m3;
- Log 280 mm - 2.7 pieces/m3.
That is, in our case, only 2.7 pieces of wood go to one cubic meter of a log with a diameter of 28 cm. Now we simply divide the number of logs needed by the number of pieces per m3 - 48:2.7=17.77 m3. We round up to 18 m3 and go shopping for building material.
We mount a log house
You can make a cottage out of round timber with your own hands, if you have at least some carpentry skills. But first you have to mount (make) the foundation for the cottage. As a rule, a tape shallow-depth basis is mounted under the frame. It must be waterproofed at the stage of pouring the solution, and also reinforced with steel rods. From above, the foundation is waterproofed with roofing material and bituminous mastic, but only after the final drying of the concrete.
Important: do not forget to make ventilation in the foundation so that the wooden structure breathes from the side of the floor. Otherwise, the tree will rot faster.
Wall mounting
The walls of the house from round timber should be laid on a lining board. It will protect the lower crowns of the log house from decay. As a material for the lining board, it is better to use moisture-resistant larch. The board is laid strictly horizontally on a waterproofed foundation. In this case, the lining should be anchored to the base and additionally treated with bituminous mastic.
Already on top of the backing board, the first crown of logs is mounted. Round timber at the corners are joined in several ways:
- "Into the bowl". This method requires additional processing of the wood in order to form bowls for connecting the wood at the corners. This method is considered the most aesthetic and at the same time warm. That is, cold bridges are practically excluded under the condition of high-quality laying of insulation between round timber. With this method of laying, the log should be with a Finnish groove (a small notch round section along the entire length). Thus, the upper round timber lies more tightly on the lower one, which makes the cottage warmer. Such joining of logs is also called "in oblo".
- Connection "in the paw". This method of mounting wooden houses from round timber is also called "cold corner". Here, the ends of the logs are hewn in such a way that they take on a trapezoidal section and are joined to each other at an angle of 90 degrees. This method of joining the corners of the log house is more laborious, and its result is not always pleasing. quality warmth in the house.
The main points of working with a log during installation
It is necessary to build a house from a log in compliance with certain standards and rules. It is thanks to a competent approach that the log house will be strong and reliable on long years. Even if you choose to build cottage, but a log house with an attic and a balcony, as shown in the photographs below. So, the basic principles of the installation of a log house:
- Before laying, it is desirable to dry and treat all round timber with antiseptics and flame retardants.
- When installing logs, they must be fixed with wooden dowels (pins prepared in advance from hardwood). The pins are driven into the grooves drilled in the logs, hammering them to the full depth.
- Pins should be located in each 3-4 crown with a step of 1.5-2 meters and with an offset of the pins hammered below (in a checkerboard pattern).
- In the proposed window and doorways you need to drive the dowels to the entire height of the opening.
- After the house is ready, it needs to be given time to shrink (1-2 years). And only after that they cut openings for windows and doors.
- Also, it is necessary to caulk a log house only after it shrinks.
- As finishing houses from round wood the log is sanded and varnished.
Roof of the house
The roof of the log house after the house is completely seated. And this is neither more nor less - 1.5-2 years. Otherwise, the roof can lead a lot and the work will have to be redone.
The installation of the rafters is carried out on the Mauerlat, which is the upper crown of the log house. It makes the appropriate cuts under the rafters. Then the first farm is assembled on the ground and lifted up. Attached to the Mauerlat with metal corners. Further, according to the scheme with a step of 60 cm, all other trusses (rafters) are mounted. The roof is sheathed with crate, hydro and vapor barrier, and then covered roofing material. On this, the construction of the house can be considered completed. Fully built wooden frame requires only the final design of the interior in the style of country, chalet, Mediterranean or classic.
Video of a round house:
The main mistakes in the construction of chopped wooden houses.
Chopped houses faithfully serve people for more than one millennium. Houses made of solid wood give their owners the incomparable pleasure of living in a comfortable microenvironment. Solid wood has a high heat capacity (2.4 times higher than that of ceramic brick), which makes it possible to smooth out daily temperature fluctuations. Also, the porous structure of the tree allows you to naturally regulate the humidity in the room due to the cycles of absorption and evaporation of moisture. The frame is relatively resistant to soil and foundation movements. The wooden surface often does not require any additional processing, except for grinding and coating with antiseptics to create beautiful interiors.
However, only correctly cut wooden houses will give comfort to their owners. The construction of a log house requires high carpentry skills at the level of 6th category. Without experience and qualifications, it is almost impossible to cut down a wooden house without mistakes. And mistakes during construction can negate all the advantages log house. Houses built with mistakes are easy to recognize: builders or owners have to additionally insulate and sheathe them from the outside and inside to hide defects, eliminate through blowing of locks in the corners and interventional seams. One of modern options houses made of solid wood, practically devoid of the disadvantages of log cabins, are houses made of glued beams. Thanks to the features of this technology, blowing through the seams and cracking wood in such houses is practically impossible.
In this article, we will briefly touch on the most common mistakes in the construction of log houses.
- Log preparation errors.
Mistakes in the choice of material for construction.
According to GOST 9463-88 “Softwood round timber”, pine, spruce, fir and larch round timber is suitable for building houses. Larch is the most expensive material, the hardest and most resistant to decay. Spruce has a lower density, excessive knotting and is prone to more cracking. The optimal tree for building a house is a pine aged from 80 to 120 (140) years old, grown in the northern regions (Arkhangelsk, Angarsk, in Karelia) on dry sandy soil, at least 24 meters high. The best pine logs have a dark red or yellow-red core, indicating a high density of wood. More loose varieties have a pale yellow core. The forest of winter felling, contrary to folk legends, actually has a higher moisture content of sapwood (25-50% higher than in summer), more starch and, therefore, is more easily affected by fungi. It is possible to determine the round timber of winter felling using a qualitative test for starch: a stroke is applied to the debarked wood with an iodine pencil. If the stroke turns blue - in front of you is a tree cut down in winter.
For construction, it is allowed (this does not mean that you must agree to the purchase of such materials) timber with such defects as fungal blue and colored sap stains (no more than 1/20 - 1/10 of the end diameter), wormholes (no more than 5-10 pieces per 1 running meter), side cracks from shrinkage no more than 1/20 -1/5 of the end diameter, trunk curvature no more than 1-2% (1-2 cm per 1 linear meter). Logs used for construction must have a run-off value (thinning of the log to the top) of no more than 0.8 cm per 1 m of length.
Rot (sapwood, rotten, sound) and tobacco knots (decayed knots of brown or white color, crumbling under load) are not allowed in round timber.
The minimum diameter of round timber for a residential building is 22-24 cm. The width of the grooves should be at least half the diameter of the log, and in northern regions can be increased even more. With a smaller size of the grooves, the consumption of timber decreases, but the thickness of the interventional seams becomes smaller, and the house becomes more “cold”.
The cutting of corners can be carried out without residue "in the paw" or with the remainder - "in the corner". Cutting "into a corner" makes the connections more reliable, and the log house more stable. In addition, the wood allowance better protects the castle from the effects of atmospheric factors. The cutting "in the paw" is usually used for the subsequent sheathing of corners or the entire log house. For residential buildings the device for connecting logs in the corners must have internal locking elements that exclude the through blowing of the corner (connecting logs "in a bowl" with a barrier or "in a cloud" with a barrier). Due to its geometry (inverted bowl), cutting "in the cloud" allows better removal of moisture and faster drying of the joint. Cutting internal locking elements requires a highly skilled carpenter, such work takes more time and costs more. Otherwise, the corners of the residential building will be protected from blowing only with tow ( heat-insulating material). This is one of the main disadvantages of round log houses, where log joints are manufactured industrially without additional internal locking elements.
Moisture content of timber for construction. SP 64.13330.2011 " wooden structures» allows the use of raw solid wood for the construction of houses with humidity up to 40% at following conditions: the predicted shrinkage of wood should not violate the device and the flexibility of the joints, and the timber itself should be subjected to antiseptic treatment and conditions for drying out and protection from moisture should be provided for them. It is optimal if the log house dries out, installed in place on the foundation and under the roof. Drying period from 6 months to 1 year. If the log house stood at the seller in the feet (separate parts of the log house with 5 crowns, convenient in height for processing) without a roof for 6-12 months, then with highly likely this means that the tree will be rotten. It is permissible to purchase log cabins that have stood under the roof.
It is important to understand that the higher the humidity of the timber, the greater the shrinkage of the tree, and the wider the gaps between the crowns, the gaps in the corner joints (especially with cutting defects), the more the tree will crack.
Why don't they cut down houses from dry wood? Dry wood has a greater density and hardness, and is much more difficult to process. The rounded log is subjected to chamber drying upon request after processing. However, the tree chamber drying can be bent in the process of gaining equilibrium humidity at the construction site. They use Finnish and Karelian dry pine of equilibrium moisture in construction, but this is already an exclusive product. In addition, a properly assembled frame made of raw wood, during drying in the assembled state, “sits down” in place, reducing the size of the through slots and, accordingly, the coefficient of blowing through the walls. It is important to know that it is possible to paint (do not mean antiseptic treatment) wood only if its moisture content does not exceed 15%. Otherwise, the wood will crack badly when it dries. Therefore, the processing of log cabins is permissible only with vapor-permeable antiseptics. Treating a damp (damp) log house with a vapor-tight antiseptic will also cause the wood to crack as it dries.
For pins (dowels), only dry (no more than 12%) straight-grained wood without knots should be used. Birch pins must be antiseptic.
Fastening logs to metal elements (reinforcement trimmings, long nails) is not recommended, since moisture accumulates on the media section, and the metal elements become centers of biological destruction of wood. Usually, rebar is used by unscrupulous builders to fasten and "tighten" crooked logs, which then leads to a violation of the normal shrinkage of the log house, the formation of cracks and the bulging of individual logs. It is strictly forbidden to pierce with nails corner connections logs, as this will interfere with the movement of the tree during shrinkage, and will contribute to the formation of cracks (nails after shrinkage of the tree will rise above the surfaces).
Types of timber processing for construction.
The most traditional for Russia is round timber. In Scandinavia, a gun carriage is used (from the Norwegian "lafteverk" - log cabin) - hewn from two opposite sides on two edging logs, or semi-carriage - hewn on one edging with inside logs. The cost of a hewn log can be 35-50% higher than a round log. When processing round timber, builders sometimes leave parts of the bast (podkore) not removed. According to the norms, no more than 20% of the bast can remain on the round timber. However, it is better to remove the bast completely by shaving (planing), as the bast contains many polysaccharides, which are an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms and insects that can damage the wood. Also, when guarding, young layers of sapwood that are less resistant to damage by fungi and insects are removed.
Waterproofing must be laid between the first flashing crown and the foundation. Until now, builders for some reason use for waterproofing short-lived material based on cardboard - roofing material, in which through holes and cracks for 7-10 years. For waterproofing, it is necessary to use modern bitumen-polymer materials with a service life of 25-50 years. Of course, the complete absence of waterproofing is also unacceptable. The use of a backing board under the flashing crown reduces heat losses by heat transfer from the frame to the foundation, reduces the risks of biological destruction of the flashing crown. According to the requirements of SP 64.13330.2011 "Wooden structures", such wooden linings (pillows) should be made of preservative wood, mainly hardwood (oak, aspen). If necessary, backing boards can be replaced with new ones. Replacing the crown crown is a much more time-consuming procedure. lower crowns houses must be protected from moisture. The greatest harm causes splashes of rain reflected from the ground and snow nailed to the wall. To protect the logs from splashes and snow, it is recommended to raise the foundation above the planning mark by at least 40-50 cm.
Additional protection factors for the log house include splash-proof visors protruding above the plinth, long roof overhangs (75-120 cm) and equipping the roofs with gutters and pipes.
Orientation of logs when laying. Every tree has a natural curvature due to wind loads during tree growth. When laying logs, they will certainly be laid with the curvature upwards so that the loads from the overlying structures compensate for the bending of the wood. If you do not follow this principle, then the logs will stick out to the sides. Normally, the deviation of the crowns of chopped walls from the horizontal per 1 m of length should not exceed 3 mm.
The size of the interventional gaps should not exceed 1 mm. With the Russian felling system, it is quite difficult to fulfill this condition, since as the tree dries out, the cracks open up. The advantage is the Norwegian felling system with a wedged longitudinal groove and a sliding self-jamming lock, in which, as the tree dries out, the logs shrink relative to each other, reducing the size of the mezhventsovye slots.
In Russia, traditionally they continue to insulate the interventional gaps of log houses with natural materials such as flax, jute, felt, moss, etc., which are not elastic, are subject to biological destruction, and are a breeding ground for microorganisms and insects. All of these materials require repeated caulking. Meanwhile, in Scandinavia, an elastic self-expanding polyethylene foam tape is used as an interventional sealant, the use of which eliminates the need for repeated caulking.
If possible, you should avoid connecting logs in crowns along the length. Such connections weaken the structure of the log house, and the walls of the log house can be deformed. The logs used in the construction should be as solid as possible. And it is definitely not worth making connections at the intersections of the walls, where load concentrations occur.
Shrinkage and swelling of wood along the fibers are manifested to a greater extent than across the fibers. That's why everything vertical racks and columns must be equipped with shrinkage compensator platforms, which are tightened to the required shrinkage value, which can last up to 6-8 or more years. Perhaps more aesthetic option is the installation of shrinkage compensators at the bottom of the columns, where they are not so noticeable.
It is not recommended to cut openings for windows and doors in the frame before the end of the first active period drying of wood (6-12 months). During the same period, you should not hem the floor, ceiling and sheathe the walls, as this will interfere with normal ventilation and drying of the wood.
Special attention it is worth paying attention to the ventilation of the underground space during the device wooden floors. Minimum area the cross section of one vent should be at least 0.05 m 2, and the total area of the vents should be at least 1/400 of the underground area. It should be noted that this design of floors is already archaic. In the world, floors are mainly used on the ground, which allow you to use geothermal, avoid problems with humidity in the underground space and the flow of radioactive soil gases into the house.
3. Mistakes in finishing a log house.
When arranging window and door openings, we should remember that the minimum distance between the openings is 90 cm. The walls must be reinforced with dowels. For installation in log houses, it is better to use windows and doors with frames at least 10 cm wide, which does not allow window and door block deform during secondary caulking at home.
The fastening of the bars for the frames of doors and windows should be sliding - without the use of nails, since the shrinkage of a wooden house can last quite a long time. Above windows and doors, compensation gaps are left under the top log for shrinkage of 5-8% of the opening height.
It is better to use self-expanding elastic sealing tapes for sealing window and door frames. Ordinary polyurethane foam can deform when expanding window frames, and when the tree shrinks, form cracks. If it is used, then after hardening it should be covered from the outside from exposure to the sun and moisture with a waterproofing vapor-permeable self-adhesive butyl rubber tape. From the inside, the foam must be covered vapor barrier tape. Unprotected foam quickly breaks down, as in the house in the photo below.Finishing of interventional seams assembled log after the end of the first stage of intensive drying (12-24 months) with glazing beads or a cord, it is only decorative, contributing to the waste of money and time, but not protecting the walls from blowing. Modern elastic and vapor-permeable interventional sealants (for example, from the domestic manufacturer SAZI) make it possible to protect interventional cracks from blowing through and create an aesthetic appearance of the walls.
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External insulation of a wooden house. Most often, external insulation has to be resorted to when construction defects are detected, such as through blowing through walls. The main and most critical mistake is the external insulation of a wooden house with vapor-tight heaters (polystyrene foam, polyethylene foam). In this case, the tree is deprived of the opportunity to dry out, it is moistened, which increases its thermal conductivity and accelerates biological destruction. In paragraph 8.8 of SP 23-101-2004 "Design of thermal protection of buildings" it is prescribed to arrange the layers of multilayer walls in such a way that the vapor permeability of materials from the inside to the outside of the heated house increases, and does not decrease.
Aesthetics of a wooden house. Often, lovers of wooden houses, where all the elements of the interior, such as walls, floors, ceilings, beams, railings, furniture are made of wood, find that they, perhaps, went a little too far with the number of wooden surfaces that create the feeling of living in a “wooden box”. To the rescue comes the change of furniture and the painting of the walls. However, it is wiser to plan contrasting surfaces in the house at the design stage. These can be floors, ceilings, countertop surfaces in the kitchen, steel elements of stairs and railings, decorative wall from natural or artificial stone.
Since ancient times, a wooden house has been a source of comfort, well-being and harmony. Today, no original fashion solutions and innovative technologies do not reduce interest in wooden houses. Any project of a house made of round timber resembles fairytale house. To make the fairy tale come true, we will help you learn the secrets and features of round wood buildings.
Features of the forest round timber
At all times, the forest is considered the wealth of any country. Especially if it is a varietal round timber, widely used in construction. The main use of round timber is its processing into lumber: edged and unedged boards, logs, beams and bars.
Round timber refers to trees with a trunk diameter of more than 18 cm.
Wood round is distinguished by the diameter of the trunk and size. Saw logs are called logs suitable for subsequent sawing into boards. Depending on the size of the diameter of the log, the forest is divided into assortment. The diameter of the logs is measured at the top of the cut.
The diameter of a large group of logs can reach 26 cm, a medium group - from 14 to 24 cm, and a small group from 6 to 13 cm. The length of a sawlog can reach 4 m. Pine forest round timber is considered the most popular in suburban construction. Pine round log cabins are distinguished by their excellent appearance, resistance to rotting and cracking, and minimal drying out.
You can determine the quality factor and quality of round timber by signs: the bark should not fall off the tree or traces of soot are visible. Otherwise, the tree turned out to be dried up before cutting down, or these are traces of a fire.
For the construction of a log house from round timber, logs with a diameter of 26-28 cm of the same thickness are used.
To build a house from round timber with your own hands means to erect a solid and environmentally friendly structure.
Projects of houses from round timber
Any project of one or two storey houses from round timber, they begin with the choice of logs. In addition, when designing houses from roundwood the main design parameters are: the diameter of the logs (cm) and the volume of logs (cubic meters).
To calculate the parameters, it is recommended to use the On line calculation program. As a result of the calculation, the amount of material needed to build a roundwood house will be obtained: logs (volume per 1 square meter of wall), dowels, boards, timber and bars, jute.
How to choose logs for construction, and how to fix the log house?
choose logs
Distinguish the following types round logs:
rounded
calibrated
Sanded.
The rounded round log has the simplest type of processing at woodworking plants, which consists in removing the top layer. In the process of processing, a dense base of wood remains, which has an even cylindrical shape. Wood with this type of processing fully retains its qualities of a natural material and is ready for use.
A calibrated log is wood already selected for certain qualities, sorted by diameter. The construction of a log house from a calibrated log is the most preferred option. The walls of houses, baths during the construction have flat surface due to proportional selection.
A sanded log is a lightly processed wood with a removed layer of bark and irregularities in the form of knots. The protective layer under the bark remains in its original state, maintaining the high strength of the structure and natural shape.
The difference in the diameter of the top and base of the trunk is clearly expressed. However, this type of processing most fully preserves the dignity of wood. It was from this type of wood that the huts and towers served for 200 years.
Ways of fastening logs from round timber
There are three ways of fastening and joining logs and timber:
Horizontal
Vertical
End.
With the horizontal method of fastening, parts of the beam or logs are applied to the “cold” joint. As a result of the connection, a small gap is obtained, which is closed.
More technologically considered vertical way, in which, when the beams or logs are superimposed on each other, a “warm” joint is obtained.
And finally, the end method allows you to join the logs into a flat spike located on the inside of the logs.
The angles obtained by joining the logs are additionally reinforced with grooves and spikes.
How to design and build a house from round timber with your own hands
The design and construction of a house from round timber is based on the calculation of the necessary material and taking into account the characteristics of the soil on the site. It is important to remember that when building a house, you must choose a base or foundation. Recall that for a light building with low weight and number of storeys, it is possible to choose a columnar base.
To build a house from round timber on swampy or water-saturated soil, you will need to build pile foundation. For the construction of a one- or two-story capital log house on ordinary soils, it is possible to install a strip non-buried foundation.
The technology of building a house from round wood
When building a house from round timber with your own hands, it is preferable to purchase a complete house kit, ready for assembly. In the kit, all logs intended for construction are adjusted in size to each other and numbered. It remains only to carefully assemble. The weight of the logs is impressive, so it is better to work with 2-3 people.
Initially, holes are drilled between the logs for dowels, with the help of which the logs are somehow strung and form a wall. The pins located in the corners, window and door openings are fixed first. The fastening interval should be 1.5 - 2 m with a side length of the logs, and at the interval window openings 10 cm. For laying the first crown, the largest and most even logs are used.
The lower base is cut off to create a stable installation, and a “bowl” is formed in the log house. "Bowls" are semicircular recesses for attaching corners. Having formed a row of a crown, the insulation is laid. The erection of subsequent crowns is carried out with laying roll insulation. The crowns are laid with the adjustment of the location of windows and doors, adjusting the logs.
After laying the last crown, ceiling beams are cut and installed truss system. assembled house from round timber they are allowed to stand for up to 6 months, so that the wood is completely dry, and the shrinkage process is completed.
Rounded logs are a popular construction material used for building wooden cottages, country houses, baths, log cabins and other structures. His distinguishing feature- maximum closeness to the natural shape of the tree trunk, which makes it possible to build buildings that are attractive and authentic appearance. The rounded log has a rounded shape and is manufactured industrially. Each element goes machining- rounding, during which the top layer is removed and the material is given a strict rounded shape. Then the drying process takes place and only after that the workpieces are processed special formulations and impregnations that improve aesthetic and performance characteristics. On some blanks are additionally prepared special bowls under the grooves, spikes, ridges, so on construction site ready-to-use elements arrive.
Advantages of log houses
Log houses made of logs are one of the most popular types of buildings due to a number of advantages:
- high environmental friendliness. In the production of rounded logs, glue and other chemicals that adversely affect health are not used;
- neatness and attractive appearance. The construction of houses from rounded logs is carried out from blanks of the same diameter, which have a flat, smooth surface, which ensures high aesthetics and originality of the design;
- no need for external finishing. The undulating relief is their original visiting card, which allows you to significantly save the budget when building a house;
- durability. Wood is a durable and wear-resistant material, therefore, subject to right technology building a house made of logs can last for decades;
- good thermal protection. The tree has excellent thermal insulation characteristics.
In addition, the construction of houses from logs does not take much time. The blanks do not require editing, they fit perfectly and are folded into a log house. Therefore, if you have decided to order a log house, you can be prepared for the fact that in a few weeks a finished structure will grow on your site.
The owner of the house bears the name Bulat, which is rare for our region. Nothing surprising, given that he comes from Kazakhstan, where he has successful business. Another thing is surprising: for Bulat, this house became the fourteenth, which he built in his life. Of course, not everyone had a chance to live - some of the houses were built for children and relatives, but the fact remains: by the time the house was ordered from round timber, Bulat had tremendous experience in house building. For the company to which he turned, this became a kind of challenge: it was necessary to please the customer in all the little things. And that's what happened in the end … Word to the owner.
Born in USSR
Now I have several houses: one is in Kazakhstan, one is with my mother-in-law in Ukraine, and now I have one in Belarus. It is unusual for me to hear words about independent states; I am, so to speak, "born in the USSR." And I sincerely love the post-Soviet countries, I had the opportunity to travel and live in most of the republics. Each of them has something unique, good, memorable. Belarus is a great place to live: nature, forests, air, helpful and kind people. And although I built 14 houses in my life, it was here that I decided to get a house made of round timber.
To live in wooden house- an old dream. She appeared after four years spent in Siberia, in Tomsk. I lived there in the apartment of a leather master, in a real Siberian log house made of cedar. At that time, this house was 100 years old, it was already considered a monument of wooden architecture. And not so long ago I returned to Tomsk, to the same street where I lived - this house is standing, at least for him. It has been standing for 130 years. It impressed me so much that I firmly decided to build my house from round timber.
There were fears, of course. For me, this is the first experience of wooden construction, the previous houses were from more standard materials: bricks and gas silicate blocks. In Kazakhstan, where I come from, there is not very much wood, the climate is different, so almost no wooden houses are built. And in Belarus - God himself ordered. It remains only to find a company with experience in the construction of log cabins and agree on the details. After searching, the choice fell on the Ecohome company.
Design and construction
It was decided to build a one-story house. Most of the time my wife and I live here together, why do we need a second floor? And in general, I think in most cases this is an excess, money thrown away: my mother two-storey house, so she has not entered the second floor for a year and a half. For the elderly - and at all 100% extra spending, no one uses the second floor. The architect of the Ecohome company was in solidarity with us, and after numerous meetings and negotiations, the project of the house was agreed upon.
Foundation - pile-grillage, from above monolithic slab. They did this because of the height difference in the area - more than one and a half meters. The basement was not expected, so they chose this type of foundation so as not to spend too much. In addition, the basement is always damp and heat leakage. For hot countries, it is even reasonable to go deep into the ground, with Belarusian climate it's too much.
Regarding the forest, I completely trusted Dmitry (director of the Ecohome company - ed. note). Forest, of course, winter, logs with a diameter of 240 mm. I am satisfied with the quality of the wood: the wooden house has been standing for four years, during this time only two cracks appeared: one on the outside, one on the inside. Seal them up and no problem.
It took a year to shrink the log house. Then they installed the windows, proceeded to the interior and exterior finish. Last steps I already tracked the work personally, I arrived with my wife Lyudmila, began to live in an old house, equipping it for temporary residence. I managed the finishing work myself, my wife was responsible for interior design, selection of materials, etc. This is an important point: if properly organized Finishing work- you can move into the house very quickly. We moved in 7-8 months after the construction of the box. In the same six months, they poured foundations for a bathhouse and a summer kitchen / garage, put up a fence, laid all communications for utility buildings and street networks.
The house has a “second light”, the roof is hemmed under the ridge, and at the ends there are two attic rooms. Our insulation system is non-standard: the entire attic was filled with liquid polyurethane foam with a layer of 120 mm, the density was chosen high so that you could walk on the frozen foam. In the attic we have something like technical floor, there is wiring. The main advantage of polyurethane foam (in addition to thermal conductivity) is seamlessness, insulation is obtained without a single gap, heat does not go outside. On the slopes (where there is a "second light") - the insulation is also made with polyurethane foam.
Heating, by the way, in the house is combined: underfloor heating and radiators. Heat in the house is preserved due to the good thermal conductivity of wood: to maintain the temperature, you need to heat the boiler less, we spend pennies on gas in winter.
The hardest part of the process was sanding the walls. They are polished in two stages: in roughing, and finishing, for painting. After painting - the walls are ready. Compared to plasterboard sheathing, the savings in time (and money!) are enormous. Judge for yourself, in the case of a stone house, you need to: mount the profiles, make a vapor barrier under them, glue all the seams after installing drywall, putty, sand, prime, and only then paint. Here - much easier and faster.
Of course, before that, you still need to caulk all the logs, seal the seams with sealant - this is also a piece of work and financial costs. A familiar brigade of Ukrainians caulked the house, in the old fashioned way - with a hammer and a screwdriver they “punched” every slot. Every day I personally checked the quality of the work. But this part refers more to the design of the walls than to the finish: if you do not caulk, there will be no heat in the house.
Interior and design
The house is made in two colors. My wife likes a light shade, I like a dark one, so we can say that we shared the house (smiles.- Note. ed.). The interior design was done by individual design project spouses Lyudmila: and colors and furniture and textiles. At the project stage, the living area with two bedrooms was separated from the guest area (living room and kitchen). We did this for convenience: so that guests who often visit us do not move in the host area. Bedrooms with a separate entrance from the street are not uncommon in European architecture, so we decided to borrow this experience.
Initially, it was planned that the entrance hall and the corridor would be open, something like a terrace. But later this idea was abandoned: in winter, running from wing to wing is not very convenient. Equipped with a warm floor, glazed - it turned out a spacious, well-lit corridor-entrance hall.
From the living room there is another exit to the covered veranda, it is very good to sit, think, read here.
Almost all the furniture in the house is attached, it was design solution. The walls in the house move for the first two or three years, so almost all the furniture is on the floor. They didn’t even make an exception for the kitchen: we don’t have hanging cabinets, everything is stored in floor cabinets and two cabinets. Stylized the cooking area with a painted wall clinker brick, which lags behind the main log wall. In addition to being decorative, this wall also has a practical function: food preparation products do not get on the wood, they are not absorbed into it.
In the bathroom / toilet, a similar design and technical solution was made: they “crashed” into the log house with a wall of clinker bricks, to which the bathroom adjoins. The wall was painted with paint and covered with Remmers waterproof varnish. Both convenient and practical - the log wall behind the clinker "breathes", moisture does not get on it.
The two bedrooms are each furnished in their own way. Men's - in calm tones of natural wood, women's - light, in a classic style.
In this place of the living room, they decided to put either a fireplace or a stove, they have not decided yet. The opening has been laid natural stone, interspersed with mica. It turned out to be a good design solution, albeit a temporary one.
The house itself cost us $110,000. at total area in 147 sq.m. But, again, the price depends on what Decoration Materials choose. We have, for example, expensive Italian tiles on the floor: about 45 USD. per sq. m., French sanitary ware and earthenware. Impregnation for wood used high-quality, from well-known manufacturers and with a guarantee of at least 10 years, the sealant is not very budgetary, etc. In a word, everything was done with high quality and from high quality, expensive materials, although it could have been cheaper - it all depends on the budget and preferences.
Location on
Separate buildings on the site - a guest house with a garage and a summer kitchen, a bathhouse with a relaxation room and an open terrace.
There is a Russian stove in the guest building - not only for heating, but also for everyday cooking. Meat, duck, bread - you can bake everything in it. Ukrainians laid it, even brought special white clay from their homeland. The furnace, of course, will still crack slowly - the technology is the most traditional, all furnaces crack. But this room is ideal for receiving guests: here you can walk in shoes, big table, dishes can be served directly from the oven ... Well, if someone gets tired - out and the bed at hand.
The property is adjacent to a garage. We combined the garage with the summer kitchen in order not to build a separate building: we saved on the foundation, a common roof, etc. Inside the garage, everything is painted in a gray metal primer, the floor is self-leveling, wear-resistant. Unlike summer kitchen garage is not heated. But for a car, this is good: from a cold car to a warm one, without washing - this is to rust.
The sauna has a steam room with a wood-burning stove. Opposite the exit from the steam room there is a washing area, with a separate water drive into a tilting bucket, it is very convenient to douse yourself after the “steam”.
On the site stands an original outdoor toilet, which the Ecohome company built for me for free, as a bonus. It seems like a trifle - but it gives some originality to the landscape.
Conclusion: Happy with the house. Compared to stone, the air here is different, it is easier to breathe. Another aura, if you will. After we lived in it, there was an understanding of the importance of the layout of the house, its advantages and disadvantages. But now, having this knowledge, I understand what an ideal wooden house can become. Therefore, now I want to move out of my stone house in Almaty and build another wooden one there ... I don’t know if I will stop there. But so far I understand that it is in a wooden house that life is most comfortable.
Interviewed by: Dmitry Malakhov
