Timber is a practical building material. The low price, low heat loss, light weight and ease of installation of a house made of timber make this material very popular. However, it is not so easy to fix the beam on the foundation, because the tree cannot be glued to concrete and not welded to metal. In this article, we will talk about how the timber is attached to various foundations, what they pay attention to and what mistakes they make.
Types of foundations for a house made of timber
Waterproofing
The lower beam, as well as the wooden grillage, must be adequately protected from water and dampness, however, it is not always possible to use creosote or other equally effective (and most often unpleasantly smelling) substances. If it is not possible to treat the grillage or lower beam with heavy fractions of oils, then less effective substances must be used, and at least 2 layers of roofing material must be laid between the foundation or the iron / concrete grillage and the beam. This is a material that falls out during temperature changes. After all, in the morning the air temperature rises, and the temperature of the foundation or grillage remains unchanged. If you use a wooden grillage, then the waterproofing must be laid both under it and above it. This will protect the wall from moisture and prevent mold and rot.
Which mounting method is best
When choosing a mounting method, consider the following factors:
- timber moisture;
- climatic conditions;
- seismic activity;
- strength of the most frequent winds.
To fasten a wet (over 16%) beam to a wooden grillage, only shrinkage compensators must be used. All other attachment methods are ineffective.
After all, a beam of high and especially natural humidity gives a very strong shrinkage, so ordinary anchor bolts will not be able to provide high-quality fixation. To fasten a bar of high or natural moisture to a wooden grillage, it is necessary to use an analogue of a shrinkage compensator, only made not from a screw, but from an anchor bolt. The same method can be used when installing a beam on threaded studs. Instead of a nut and washer, you must use a nut, two washers and a spring. The same method of fastening should be used in those regions where heavy and long rains fall in spring and autumn.
In regions with high seismic activity, it is necessary to use a lower beam with a moisture content of no higher than 12%, treat it with the most effective hydroprotection and install it on the most rigid mount (ordinary and anchor bolts). This will ensure sufficient strength of the entire structure. The same approach should be applied in regions where wind speeds often exceed 20 meters per second. Neglecting a rigid mount in seismically active or windy regions will cause the mount to loosen under the influence of external factors and the house will begin to sway. Neglect of shrinkage compensators when working with timber of natural and high humidity, as well as in regions with frequent and heavy seasonal rains, will lead to the appearance of gaps between the flashing crown and the foundation or grillage.
Construction is a complex process that requires a lot of knowledge and skills. And if a person is faced with the task of attaching a wooden beam to metal, then for this it is important to find out the necessary information. Because this work process is extremely specific and requires at least minimal skill, and even better if the work is done not alone, but in four hands.
Where to start and what to do
To begin with, it is worth deciding on the possible thickness of the metal itself, and by its size already select the necessary tools. It is important to choose high-quality and durable screws, the thickness of which will directly depend on the type of metal sheet. Everything should be as harmonious as possible and correctly selected. The size of the beam in this case does not play too big a role. In order to attach a beam to metal, in a metal sheet or in any other form, you need to drill the necessary hole that will fit the beam. And after that, install the tree to the required height or correct position and then begin to install the screws. Regarding the screws, you should not feel sorry for them, because in this process they are a guarantee of the reliability and strength of the entire structure. If you suddenly lose if you are trying to install a tree into a slate together with metal, for example, then the screws should be replaced, with self-tapping screws, of the greatest length and volume. Since the work is quite painstaking, and the beam will have to be held while screwing the screws, it is worth using the services of some assistant. Because it is almost impossible to cope with this task alone. In four hands, everything will go much faster and with a full guarantee of quality.
Should I prepare the tree?
If wood-to-metal installation is necessary for outdoor construction, then the wood must be prepared and lubricated with a special solution to ensure that the wood is dry and not exposed to moisture. So you can ensure that the structure stands for a long time and reliably, and pleases you with its beautiful appearance. The breed of wood when working with metal does not have much knowledge, the main thing is to choose the ideal option for size and purpose of use.
All photos from the article
During the construction process, there is often a need to fasten wooden elements to structures made of brick, concrete, aerated concrete and metal. In order for the result of the work to be reliable and durable, it is necessary to know the types of fasteners and the features of using one or another option.
Modern technologies have made it possible to develop many solutions that provide high strength and allow you to install it yourself, this article will be devoted to this issue.
What you need to know about this type of work
Before you start installation, you need to familiarize yourself with several important nuances that will ensure the highest reliability:
wood properties | Do not forget that this material can expand with changes in temperature and humidity, so be sure to leave a gap in order to compensate for linear dimensional changes. This will avoid a lot of trouble in the future and save you from unpleasant surprises in the form of cracks on the final finish. |
Appropriate structural protection | In order for the structures to serve as long as possible, be sure to treat them before installation with a special compound that will protect the material from mold and pests, and also significantly reduce the likelihood of fire. It is better to use hard-to-wash options that penetrate deep into the structure |
Use of quality materials | It is not recommended to use wood with high humidity, since after installation the elements may lead, which will violate the geometry of the structure. In addition, when drying in improper conditions, cracks can form on the surface, which reduces the reliability of structures. |
The right choice of mounting method | For different situations, various options for carrying out work may be suitable, there is no universal solution, so you should understand the pros and cons of one or another method. This will allow you to choose the optimal fastener |
Important!
Sometimes you have to proceed from the existing situation when the walls are erected, but even in such cases, you can achieve an excellent result of the work.
It is necessary not to save on and choose the most reliable of them.
Overview of the main mounting options
The choice of one or another solution depends on the base to which the fastening will be carried out, the weight of the structures and their location. There are many ways, we will consider the most widespread and popular of them and will start from the material to which the wooden product will be attached.
Concrete and brick
It all depends on what elements you need to install:
- Fastening a wooden beam to a concrete wall is carried out using quick-mount dowels or special metal anchors. The work is quite simple and is carried out in the following way: through holes at a certain distance, the diameter of which must be equal to the size of the fastener, holes of a certain depth are also drilled in the wall, for reliability, the length of the element in the wall must be twice the thickness of the bar.
Important!
If the thickness of the metal elements is large or they have increased hardness, then it is recommended to pre-make holes with a drill, the diameter of which should be 2 mm smaller than the self-tapping screws used during work.
aerated concrete
This material has its own characteristics, so the following fasteners are used for it:
- Special nylon dowels, which can have different configurations, to use them, you need to read the recommendations given by the instructions on the package, it will indicate which drill and how deep you need to make a hole and which screws to use for fixing. This is the easiest and fastest option, and the photo below shows some configurations of this type of product.
- For more massive structures, it is recommended to use metal fasteners, they have teeth that, when a self-tapping screw of the required diameter is screwed in, diverge and cut into aerated concrete, providing the highest reliability.
- If a wooden staircase is fastened to an aerated concrete floor, then additional reinforcement with a threaded stud may be required., which goes through and provides the highest reliability.
Drywall
We note right away that heavy structures cannot be attached to this material, but small elements can be fixed very securely using the following products:
- The dowel "driva" is a knot with or without a drill at the end, the first option is preferable, since there is no need to drill a hole.
- Dowel "butterfly" is inserted into the hole, with the help of a self-tapping screw it bursts from the inside and holds the element. Its price is low, but the work is very convenient to carry out.
Conclusion
The video in this article will tell you more information on this topic. In general, it is worth noting that following simple recommendations and using high-quality fasteners are the main components of the reliability of connections.
Any owner of a suburban area quite rightly tries to enclose his possessions in some way. Thus, the construction of the fence is always included in the list of priority tasks, and it is often begun to be mounted even before the construction of the main house has begun. There are a lot of design options for such fences. But despite the very wide range of materials offered for sale, both general construction and specially designed for the construction of fences, wooden fences remain one of the most popular.
Wooden fences have been used for centuries, and have proven their practicality. True, the fence supports have been and remain a weak point - wood from constant contact with the ground is quickly biodegradable, and the age of wooden poles, alas, is short-lived. But nothing in our time prevents us from finding a more solid solution. So, for example, a wooden fence on metal poles will last much longer . It is about such fences that will be discussed in this publication.