Despite the fact that every year new construction materials conquer the market, wood does not give up its positions. Houses made of logs have long won and retain leadership in the construction of a comfortable and reliable home. Their popularity is due to the many technical and operational advantages, which will be discussed in our article. The technology for the production of timber and the construction of houses from it will also be considered.
Making logs
Rounded logs in configuration are round or semicircular and are manufactured industrially. Modern manufacturers use the latest equipment in their work, so that the products are high quality. Sometimes, for the purpose of saving, developers carry out cylindering with their own hands on a lathe or chain sawmill, and here the quality is under the responsibility of the craftsman who is involved in this process.
At the plant, lumber goes through several stages of processing. In addition to imparting a specific configuration, wood is sawed by removing the top layer, and the peeled logs are impregnated with special tools that improve their quality and decorative characteristics. But at the start of processing, drying of the raw material is carried out until the moisture parameters correspond to the parameters of 23 - 26%.
Then they process the surface of the beam and give it smoothness, form straight end parts and ensure the correct cylindrical shape. The length of the product according to the standard is 6 m, although sometimes 4 m elements are found. Some products are additionally equipped with special bowls for one type of connection, grooves and a comb are cut out, technological gaps are made for fastening with pins or spikes, and they can also be equipped with the necessary parts for specific object.
In most cases, coniferous wood is used as the raw material from which the log house will be erected, and most often it is pine, much less often larch, and spruce practically does not occur. Production technology is based on technical specifications, however, almost all manufacturers comply with standard generally accepted parameters.
It’s best to do it yourself with logs, the diameter of which is from 160 to 320 mm, and the larger this parameter, the better the housing retains heat, so when choosing, you need to take into account the climatic features of the region and the area of the future structure. For example, a log house with an area of about 120 m2 can be erected from a timber with a caliber of 180 - 230 mm, and a cottage of 200 m2 requires a material of 260 - 280 mm.
Advantages
Besides the visual appeal, a house made of logs logs outperforms an ordinary one by the fact that after processing the crowns fit snugly together thereby increasing the thermal insulation properties of the home. If we compare the rounded log with an ordinary beam, then there can be only one conclusion - the first instance is better in that it is endowed with all the positive characteristics of a natural material:
- environmental cleanliness;
- attractive appearance;
- ease and optimum structure density;
- long operational period.
The process of assembling round logs with your own hands is much simpler, and takes less time, since the house shrinks faster, and the shrinkage itself is no more than 6 cm, while at the beam this mark can reach 15 cm.
There are a number of advantages that include a rounded log to the category of leaders among similar building materials from wood:
- you can build beautiful log cabins with different sizes, without having to decorate the facade and internal foundations;
- a log house is built with its own hands quickly thanks to the labeling of the material and the fitting of the crowns;
- almost tight joint of rims and corner elements;
- huge architectural and design opportunities.
A conditional disadvantage is the lack of natural protection that the bark and the upper stem segment provide for the beam, however, correctly implemented production technology and the competent use of fire and insecticidal protective agents completely neutralize this minus. From such material it is possible to erect a log house, which in no way gives way to a brick building, and in some moments will bypass it. For example, the cost of building a solid wooden dwelling will cost an order of magnitude cheaper than the same brick house, and it will take less time.
The choice of timber for the construction of log cabins
Before starting the construction of a house from a cylindrical log or beam, it is necessary to carry out design work with soil analysis and taking into account the landscape features of the site. You can use a ready-made project adapted to your area, if you, of course, do not dream of implementing personal wishes regarding the planning of the future home. When you have decided on the project, you can proceed with the selection of material.
The quality material from which the log houses are built is determined by careful examination of it:
- on the surface of a quality beam there should not be blue or dark spots, as well as pockets with resin;
- the color of the wood should be from a light shade of yellow to brown, depending on the type of wood;
- the material should not contain knots or their quantity should be insignificant;
- cracks are not allowed more than a third of the cut diameter, and they should not be through;
- with a quality material, 75% of the cut area is occupied by the core, which is a guarantee of a dense and even surface;
- you need to carefully examine the log to avoid twisting or bending;
- log houses are built exclusively from "winter" wood, which is harvested in the cold season. Such a material has a denser texture, does not shrink and is better resistant to moisture.
Material calculation
To cope with the calculation of the cubic capacity of the log from which the log house will be built, you need to know its size. There are several calculation methods, we will give two of the most popular:
- The cubature of the log is calculated by the formula π × R² × L, after which, knowing the area of the house, you can easily determine the required amount of material for the house from the logs. Despite the fact that there is no doubt in the accuracy of the data obtained, it is better to provide a margin (15 - 20%).
- Approximate calculations are carried out using a coefficient (it depends on the size of the house and the number of levels in it), which varies between 0.6 - 0.9. In this case, the total area of the house is multiplied by the reduced coefficient and the cubic capacity of the building is obtained. Knowing the volume of one log, you will approximately calculate the cubic capacity of lumber.
Phased construction technology
Before you begin to build a log house with your own hands, you must carefully prepare the site, as well as provide a place to store logs. The type of foundation is chosen taking into account the characteristics of the soil, and when the base is ready, begin construction. You can hire a team of craftsmen, but many decide to build log cabins with their own hands, although they can’t do without competent assistants who can always advise on all issues that arise.
Foundation
For a two-story wooden house with an attic, you do not need a powerful base, what can we say about a one-story dwelling, where a shallow strip foundation or a support from slabs is quite suitable, and if soils allow, then you can use piles or columns with grillage. If desired, you can arrange a base, but here you need to observe its height (up to 50 cm) and the presence of air. Read how to find the best foundation for your log home.
As a rule, on screw piles of a house from calibrated logs they put from the end of winter, then in the autumn all work will be completed. Before finishing, you need to withstand the time for shrinkage, which may take from 1 to 3 years. The tape or slab base under the log house must completely harden and gain strength, and before laying the first crown, the foundation must be waterproofed.
Crowns
The technology by which log cabins are erected at the first stage involves the installation of a mortgage ring or lower harness on the foundation, as well as its fixation and waterproofing. It is desirable that larch or aspen be used as the material here, and it is best to coat it with bituminous resin.
Rainfall is installed over the strapping. Each next row is mounted faster, especially if the timber has bowls. The numbering of each wooden element speeds up the work even more, which is typical for a finished set for a separate project. So, each log is set to a specific location.
The crowns of a house made of logs are fastened together with pins or spikes in a checkerboard pattern in increments of 1 - 2 m. In order to withstand the geometry and eliminate its violation in the area of window and door openings, in these sections the pitch between the pins is reduced to 0.5 meters. Each row of corners from a rounded bar is checked by a horizontal and vertical level and the coincidence of diagonal lines is controlled.
At the corners of the log house can communicate in several ways:
- "In the cloud";
- “Into the cup”;
- "In the paw";
- “With the remainder”;
- "Without a trace."
Before you install the next crown with your own hands, the previous one is processed with a heater, preferably of natural origin. It can be tow, jute or hemp fibers. Please note that wooden houses made of logs shrink, so it is advisable to install windows and doors after about 12 months.
Overlap
The log house must be equipped with lags on which the floors will be arranged. Logs themselves, pre-treated with antiseptics and flame retardants, are laid on support beams fixed in the technological openings of the lower crowns. Supports can be installed on the foundation, which eliminates the load on the walls. When the lags are in their seats, they begin laying the rough floor.
The insertion of beams for the roof and floors is carried out in the same way as in the case with supports for the log. Make sure that the main part of the overlap (about 90%) is in the upper rim, and its remainder is in the lower one. The support beams are installed with your own hands in increments of half a meter, for floors this distance can be increased (up to 1.5 m). If the log house from the rounded beam will be supplemented with a terrace or balcony, installation of vertical supports with rubber expansion joints is required for uniform shrinkage. Read more about wood joists.
The technology for installing the roof on the log house is practically no different from that which is done when installing a house of brick with your own hands, but still, there are some features. So, here the rafter system is mounted on sliding supports made of metal, which maintain a given roof slope even when the log house shrinks. Rafters are mounted at a distance of 50 cm from each other.
Next, they perform the construction of the crate and the laying of steam and heat-insulating materials. Then comes the counter grill and, in fact, the decorative lining itself.
To build a house out of logs, knowing all the rules that were discussed here, is quite possible, the main thing is to follow the technology and choose high-quality material. If you are confident in your abilities and accept all responsibility for the final result, then your log cabin is worthy of being.