The art of construction wooden house you can learn on your own. The material chosen is, as a rule, timber: glued or profiled. It differs in the manufacturing method, but the construction technology is almost the same for each of them. Wood allows you to save on hiring workers, since 3 people can build a house from timber with their own hands. You don’t need heavy equipment for this; you just need to prepare a concrete mixer, a concrete pump, a winch, a chainsaw and small tools.
What will the house be like?
Timber is used in low-rise private construction for the construction of houses no higher than 3 floors. Performance properties material, favorable internal microclimate, Beautiful design contribute to the choice of this particular material for building a house. The beam differs from the log in its rectangular shape, and this is its advantage, since it allows you to immediately obtain flat surface. Its benefits are obvious: it is easy to do internal and external cladding, you can hang any interior details on the walls. Also, the use of timber eliminates cold bridges due to the precise fit of the wooden elements.
Wood allows you to create an exclusive design project for any structure: a small dacha, one-story house, luxury cottage. It may include balconies with beautiful railings, cozy terraces, and verandas. A multi-pitched roof decorates a building more than other types of roofing, especially if it has a large total area. The house project must be ordered from a professional organization. This will guarantee that the soil properties are taken into account, correct calculation materials, compliance with construction technology.
It all starts with the foundation
A house made of timber has sufficient weight, so it requires a strong, reliable foundation. If you plan to make a basement or cellar under the house, choose a strip foundation. If the soil is wet, muddy, loose - the right decision will be the use of screw piles. A small house can be built on a solid slab foundation. In this case, the concrete base simultaneously serves as the subfloor of the first floor.
A pile-grillage foundation is constructed in the same way as a strip foundation, but with concrete piles installed in trenches. Used on loose soils with high levels of freezing. The strip foundation is the most popular: it can withstand heavy loads, can be erected without the use of machinery, and the work technology is easy to implement. This type of foundation is suitable for all private houses, so its design is discussed further.
First, markings are made exactly along the perimeter of the future house. Indicate the location of carriers interior walls. According to the markings, trenches are dug, the width of which is 10 cm greater than the width of the walls. For the basement, you need to dig a pit of the appropriate size, for the cellar, a hole. The depth of the trenches should be greater than the freezing level of the soil, but not less than 60 cm. The bottom of the trenches is filled with sand cushion from sand (10 cm) and gravel (10 cm), level the layers. The sand should be moistened and compacted to ensure sufficient density. The pillow is flooded thin layer concrete (5 cm).
Formwork, reinforcement, concreting
For removable formwork, take a 25 mm board and knock it down in the form of panels. They must rise above the level of the trench by at least 40 cm (the external height of the foundation of the house, which is indicated in the project). Shifting of the formwork is prevented by installing spacers between the inner walls and support boards from the outside.
Reinforcement is carried out with 10 mm rods in 2 layers. The frame is laid first along, then across; the intersection points are secured with tying wire. It is important that the rods do not touch the formwork. The gap should be 5 cm. Concrete mortar can be made in two ways:
- ratio of M400 cement and sand 1:3;
- the ratio of M400 cement, sand and special additives is 1:4:4.
Concrete on construction site can be kneaded in a concrete mixer, poured into trenches using a special pump for concrete. It is important to prevent the formation of air bubbles in the foundation before it hardens, so you need to use a cement vibrator. The uncured surface is moistened with water to prevent the foundation from hardening too quickly. At this stage, the construction of a house made of timber with your own hands is suspended for 20-30 days. This time is required for the foundation to completely harden and be able to bear the main load.
The consumption of materials and the cost of the building depend on the method of assembling a house from timber. You can reduce them if you select frame method construction, however, this article discusses classic masonry houses made of timber. Wood species most suitable for self-construction, easy to process and at the same time inexpensive: larch, pine, spruce.
The first crown is laid on a double layer of rolled insulation laid on the foundation. It is placed alternately with bitumen, heated to a liquid state. Thus, the following layers are obtained:
- bitumen,
- roofing felt,
- bitumen,
- roofing felt
The width of the insulation exceeds the width of the foundation by 30 cm. Next, work with the timber begins. It is important that each part is pre-treated with an antiseptic. It will protect the tree from rotting and damage by insect pests. Fire retardant compounds are also used to protect wood from burning. Impregnating each log separately is more effective than impregnating the entire building, since in the second case there will be untreated areas at the junction of the beams.
The very first board, the backing board, is rigidly attached to the foundation through a layer of waterproofing. A low tide is fixed to it, which will protect the frame from precipitation by draining water. There are 2 ways to lay the first crown:
- on the backing board,
- on the cross rails.
The second option provides additional clearance, and therefore ventilation. Slats 10 mm thick are attached across the foundation to the backing board in increments of 30 cm. The length of the slats is equal to the width of the board. It is important here to constantly check the horizontal placement of elements. It is better to use a laser level, or an oil-drop level. The quality of the entire structure depends on the competent, unhurried assembly of the first crown. A 150x150 mm beam is used for it.
Features of connecting beams
Profiled and laminated timber have a 4-corner profile, and for the construction of houses they use section sizes of 140x140 mm and 90x140 mm. The front side can be convex or flat (for profiled timber; for laminated timber it is always flat). A tongue-and-groove connection is made at the factory on the upper and lower sides of the timber. It allows you to connect the elements together as tightly and rigidly as possible. Each new row is laid on a layer of jute inter-crown insulation. The crowns are connected to each other by vertically hammering the dowel in increments of 1 m, to a depth of 30 cm.
More information about insulation
Jute insulation eliminates the formation of cold bridges in winter. This prevents facade condensation, mold growth in the wood structure, and significantly increases the service life of the building. It is better to buy inter-crown insulation in the form of a tape of suitable width. Secure it with a construction stapler.
It should be noted that the use of tow or flax does not prevent the appearance of microscopic gaps in the log house, since it is impossible to ensure uniformity of the layer. Tape insulation does not have these disadvantages; it has the same thickness and high-quality non-woven fabric, connected by a needle-punched method.
How to lengthen a beam?
The length of the walls of the house often exceeds the length of the timber, and in this case it is necessary to properly connect the joints. The assembly is carried out in a dressing, that is, the vertical seam of each next row is shifted relative to the previous one. To securely connect the joints, cut half a tree along the beam. After connection, rigidity is ensured by driving in the dowels. The reliability of the connection can be increased if the joint is located on the partition.
Window and door openings are arranged by laying shorter timber. In these places, only solid material is used. 2 dowels are hammered into the crowns near the openings. The second method involves cutting out openings in the finished log house. In this case, the dowels should be located outside the opening, but close to its edge. Sawing begins with markings using a plumb line and level. The work is done with a chainsaw.
Roofing a house made of timber
The beautiful roof consists of several slopes, and the presence of an attic with several windows makes it original. If you don’t have the skills, you can install a gable roof yourself - this is a practical, effective, aesthetic type of roof. For the Mauerlat, choose a 150x150 mm beam and attach it to the crown of the wall using staples, dowels, and anchor bolts.
The rafters rest on the mauerlat. It should be noted that in this place it is customary to make a triangular cut for a stronger engagement of both elements. In wooden houses that experience significant shrinkage, a notch is not made, since displacement can deform the structure. The best way attach the rafters and provide the ability to move - use a steel sled fastening. It consists of 2 elements that allow the rafters to change their angle due to shrinkage of the house.
The rafter system consists of durable timber and is a frame. It defines the shape of the roof and consists of duplicate elements. The angle of inclination, pitch, length, thickness of the rafters are indicated in the project. As a rule, they take timber with a width of 150-180 mm and a thickness of 50 mm. The system elements are connected to each other by tongue-and-groove fastenings and steel plates. Raising the rafters to a given angle is carried out using special elements - rafter legs, which are higher, the more the beams rise up.
The installed rafter system is covered with a vapor barrier layer, and a counter-lattice and sheathing are mounted on top. The first is assembled from slats 2 cm thick, stuffing them onto insulating material along the rafters. The sheathing is nailed across the rafters; the pitch of the beams depends on the choice of roofing material. If tiles are laid, a continuous sheathing is required; for corrugated sheets and slates, it is nailed in increments of 30 cm.
If an attic is planned, the roof is insulated from the inside with mineral wool slabs laid between the rafters. The cladding material used is lining or plasterboard. A wooden house shrinks within 1-2 years. During this period, you can live in it, but the walls cannot be finished with facing materials.
The choice of material is the primary problem faced by anyone who decides to build a small, reliable and comfortable house on their own site. Modern market building materials can safely boast huge assortment raw materials for every taste and budget. Most people prefer wood. And it’s not surprising, because wooden beam– This is an environmentally friendly and inexpensive material.
This material is presented in several variations, but in this article we will talk about how to build a house with your own hands from profiled timber, since it is the most common and has the simplest installation technology. It is very malleable for processing, which means that you can install electrical wiring, plumbing and sewerage without much difficulty.
Drawing up a plan, preparing materials and tools
Without good project building a house is simply unrealistic, so it is very important to take this stage extremely seriously, especially since this is where you can clearly understand where you can save money.
Ideally, you can turn to special design agencies for help. For a fee, they will individually draw up a complete layout of your future home, taking into account the size and shape of your territory, soil composition, financial capabilities and, most importantly, personal preferences.
If you do not need any miracle of design thought, then you can build a building using standard options. All necessary documentation for this can be found at free internet resources or use one of several 3D editor programs, including FloorPlan3D, CyberMotion 3D-Designer, SEMA and many others. The latter, by the way, is designed specifically for the layout of houses made of timber. SEMA will help you carry out all the necessary statistical calculations, select the type of rafter system and much more.
The drawing should indicate everything from the overall dimensions of the building and the number of floors to the location of doors and window openings, furniture, all communications (light, water, heat).
As soon as the plan is in your hands, you can begin to calculate, if this has not already been done, and select the required materials and tools, including:
- Timber as the main building material.
You can buy ready-made beams with the necessary cut grooves and tenons - bring them, install them - use them; also, thanks to the perfectly flat and smooth surface of the edges, there is no need for additional finishing works oh, or you can buy wooden blanks and make the cuts yourself, there’s nothing complicated about it, and you can save a lot of money.
Experts recommend using timber with a cross-section of 150x150 mm during construction. But since you have to work alone or with an unqualified assistant, it is better to use material with a cross-section of 150x100 mm. Such timber is much lighter, and the missing volume can be restored in the future by insulating the facade from the outside of the building.
- Insulation.
To save additional money, you can use materials that are, so to speak, “at hand” as insulation. Moss is considered the best among these. It is not difficult to find and process, and its technical characteristics are identical to its artificial counterparts.
- Nails, screws and other fastening structures (metal corners, wooden dowels, etc.).
- Waterproofing material (for example, roofing felt).
- Ready-made concrete solution or the components necessary for its preparation (water, sand, crushed stone, cement).
- Reinforcement (if a strip foundation is planned).
- Saw.
- Jigsaw.
- Screwdriver.
- Hammer.
- Construction rubber hammer.
- Roulette.
- Building level.
- Plumb.
- Circular Saw.
- Pipes for water supply and sewerage.
- Cable for electricity, TV.
- Master OK.
- Caulk.
- Other tools for small and decorative work.
Harvesting wood and moss for construction
To build a warm and cozy home from timber, in addition to knowledge of the technology for laying crowns, it is important to understand which type of wood is best suited for this purpose.
Each species, naturally, has its own advantages and disadvantages, but the main thing you need to pay attention to when choosing lumber is strength, density, moisture resistance and degree of drying. So, if the wood is fragile, then your house may very soon simply fall apart; if the density is low, then such material can shrink by up to 20 percent, or even more. If a lot of moisture accumulates in the wood fibers, then such a house will never be warm, but if the raw materials are under-dried, then it will simply be impossible to work with them; if the raw materials are over-dried, the material will become too unreliable.
Very serious requirements are placed on the walls of the house, as they must provide warmth, comfort and low noise levels in the premises, especially since wood is a rather fire-hazardous material that can be deformed due to weather precipitation. That is why experts recommend purchasing timber from coniferous species such as spruce, cedar, fir, larch and some others. Due to the high content of resinous substances, conifers are resistant to rotting, cracking and other deformations. Also, trees of this species are very durable, light, and therefore do not create too much load on the foundation.
By choosing softwood timber, you can save money by building a foundation using a simplified system.
If you decide to harvest the wood yourself, then you should know that the humidity coefficient should not exceed 20%, otherwise cracks will soon begin to appear in the walls, which will require additional treatment, and this extra costs effort, time and budget.
When preparing, keep in mind the fact that it is better to do this in winter period year (from January to March), since in winter the process of photosynthesis slows down and the speed of movement of juices along the tree trunk becomes minimal.
Cut the lumber to the desired shape and size, treat it with an antiseptic and leave it stored in a dry place out of reach of sunlight. The bars must be stored compactly in special stacks, at a height of at least half a meter from the ground. There should be a gap of 4-5 and 10-15 cm between the crowns and rows. To do this, several transverse beams are inserted between them. After lying like this for 5-6 months, the tree is ready for further processing and installation.
To keep your home warm in inclement weather, you should think about choosing inter-crown insulation. Professional builders use modern strip materials, but the price for such pleasure is quite high, so we recommend paying attention to moss.
There are more than 300 species of this plant in the world, but only a few varieties are used for construction purposes, among them: sphagnum, cuckoo moss, red moss and peat moss. All of them have excellent bactericidal properties and are excellent natural antiseptics. Among the disadvantages is a high flammability, since after drying the moss becomes dry and brittle, for example, at high temperatures it can spontaneously ignite, to prevent this it is treated with special means.
Moss must be collected; it can be found in swampy areas - these are long, up to 30 cm, stems with small leaves, dried and stored in a dry place for about two weeks. Can be used as bags plastic bags, but then the moss will be a little wet. There's nothing wrong with that.
Foundation construction
A high-quality foundation is the key to a reliable, stable and durable home. Since it is he who is the main one load-bearing structure, which must withstand the total weight of the building, such requirements are imposed on it high requirements.
When building a house from timber, three main types of foundations are used:
- Pile-screw.
- Gnezdovoy.
- Tape.
The choice of foundation type depends mainly on the soil on which the house is planned to be built. This issue must be resolved at the planning stage. You should conduct a soil analysis, you can also ask your neighbors what foundation their houses are on, or look for information in documents about the purchase of a plot or other reference literature.
If the soil is heaving or watery, and also if you plan to use the house only seasonally, and not live there permanently, then use one of the first two options. If it contains a large amount of sand or clay, then a strip foundation is suitable.
The first thing to start with is clearing the area of debris, thickets, bushes and other objects that may interfere. Immediately before digging it is necessary to mark. To do this, use ordinary wooden pegs, which are placed in the corners of the site, as well as along load-bearing walls, and the thread that is pulled between them - everything is simple. Subsequent actions depend on the selected type of foundation.
Pile-screw foundation
After the area is cleared and ready for further manipulations, we proceed to earthworks. It is better to pre-purchase metal piles from a specialized store, since it is quite difficult to build such structures by hand. Choose supports of the same size and always have drills already welded at one end.
Thanks to the special design, the piles are easy to install yourself, while keeping an eye on the angle of inclination. A building magnetic level can help you with this. Also, if there was no cap on the screws, you will need to install it yourself. To do this, use a processed sheet of metal 25x25 cm and 5-6 mm thick.
Nest foundation
The nested foundation differs only in that instead of metal piles, either monolithic concrete supports or hollow pipes with a diameter of 250-300 mm are used, into which cement mortar is poured after installation.
As soon as the territory has been marked, it is necessary to dig holes at selected points along the perimeter with a depth of 2/3 of the height of the support. A layer of sand is poured onto the bottom, moistened and compacted tightly. After this, support structures are inserted into them at right angles, and if necessary, a solution is poured inside and into the space around them at the bottom. The remaining gaps between the supports and the ground are filled with a mixture of sand and crushed stone.
There is also an option to install formwork in the dug holes and fill it with concrete mortar to ground level; we recommend using M400 cement in a ratio of 1:3 to sand. After the cement has completely dried, the formwork is removed and aerated concrete or foam blocks 20x20x40 cm are laid on top.
Strip foundation
Strip foundation is the most common, as it can be used in the vast majority of cases, for example, if you are planning to build a heavy two- or more-story house.
The first step is to dig a trench 10-15 centimeters wider than the thickness of the walls and 50-70 cm deep. It should be located at a height of at least a meter from the groundwater level.
There are several options for strip foundations, including:
- Brick.
- Concrete.
- Stone.
For any of them it is necessary to prepare a foundation. A layer (10 cm) of sand is placed at the bottom of the trench, moistened with a small amount of water and compacted thoroughly; if necessary, sand can be poured in two layers. A layer (15-20 cm) of crushed stone, broken brick or small stones is poured on top of it.
By the way, geotextiles can be pre-laid at the bottom of the trench, and along the outer edge you can install thermal insulation material– this will help prevent freezing of the shallow foundation.
If you plan to build a brick or stone base, a little before reaching the top of the foundation, you can install formwork on the resulting cushion. It is necessary to pour a layer of mortar inside to the level of the ground surface and compact it. To increase stability, we recommend creating a reinforcing frame from metal rods with a diameter of 1.2-1.5 mm.
Already on top, after the solution has completely hardened, bricks or stones are laid, which can be ordered, or used independently found near any body of water. Another reinforcement belt is installed on top of the masonry and concreted (height 5-10 cm) and leveled.
If a concrete base is planned, then the height of the formwork should reach 30-50 cm, thickness 2-3 cm. If the formwork is planned to be made of wood, then the material should be free of cracks, chips, unevenness and other defects.
The reinforcement is installed in increments of 10-20 cm. The distance between the rows is 5-10 cm. The result should be a mesh with cells of 15-20 sq. cm. The rods are tied together with rigid wire, the whole structure is poured cement mortar, which can either be purchased or prepared personally. We recommend investing in a concrete mixer - this will save you time and nerves, since mixing cement by hand is quite long and difficult. The formwork must first be moistened with water or wrapped in a layer of plastic film.
It is very important to prevent the appearance of bubbles before the solution hardens. A vibrating hammer will help with this, or you can simply punch holes in several places; later they will need to be filled with mortar.
The foundation is left to dry for 3-4 weeks. The formwork can be removed after 5-7 days, during which and several more days, the solution must be sprayed with water in order to prevent cracking of the foundation. Don't forget to make holes for communication wiring.
Construction and insulation of walls and floors
The crowns of the first row are connected to each other traditionally, regardless of the method of connecting subsequent rows, “half-tree” is a fairly reliable and easy-to-make type of end notches, and they are not laid directly on the foundation, but on a lining of small slats located transversely to the beam itself , at a distance of 5-10 cm from each other. The gaps between the slats can be filled with foam. To cut the end notch, you can use a hacksaw, and use a chisel to remove excess material.
So, if the slats rot, it will be easier to replace them than whole line timber. The boards also need to be treated with an antiseptic or primer to prevent the development of fungus and various microorganisms, and laid out on a covered surface in two layers waterproofing material, for example, roofing felt, foundation.
The beam of the first row should have a little big sizes than the crowns of the remaining rows, for example, if a material with a section of 150x150 mm is used for the walls, then for the first row use the option with a section of 200x200 mm.
It will be possible to mount logs for the subfloor on the lining of the planks using steel angles and nails or screws. It is necessary to attach to them the so-called cranial beam, on which the edged board for subfloor. A layer of waterproofing should be laid on top of the draft, and on top of it insulation boards, such as mineral wool, polystyrene foam or any other modern analogue. The next layer is a vapor barrier, and after that is the finished floor.
All subsequent rows are laid identically to each other. There are two main ways to fasten bars:
- “With a remainder” is when a small part of the beam protrudes from its two ends.
- "Without a trace."
The picture below shows different types of end notches.
This manipulation can be done using a circular saw or jigsaw. Options “A” and “D” (“without remainder”) are the most reliable for residential buildings, but also the most difficult to install. Recommended for areas where annual precipitation does not exceed 300 mm. Option “Z” is used to connect internal load-bearing walls. Also note that tongue-and-groove connections must leave a gap of half a centimeter for the insulation.
The rows are fastened together using wooden or metal dowels. We recommend using the latter, since during drying the lumber will not crack, which will ensure the durability of your building.
Using dowels for fastening, it is necessary to drill holes with a diameter of 30-40 mm. It is necessary to drill so that the beam of one row of dowels goes through, and the beam of the bottom row only partially, or you can use short dowels; for this, holes are cut out on two opposite sides, a dowel is driven into one with a hammer, and simply inserted into the next. Remember that the dowels should not be located on top of each other. To make the structure as stable as possible, arrange them in a checkerboard pattern, as shown in the figure below.
If the walls of your house turn out to be longer than the timber, it’s not a problem. In this case, you need to cut a rectangular hole at the end of one beam, and at the end of the second a rectangular protrusion right in the center, so you get a tongue-and-groove joint.
The space between the crowns can be insulated using pre-collected and dried moss and tow. The tow is laid across the beams, and the moss is simply thrown on top. Thus, when installing the upper crown, part of the insulation will stick out - this is not a problem, since caulking work is planned in the future, and this, in turn, will provide maximum thermal insulation.
In order for the bars of one row to be on same height, use a rubber hammer, tapping it along the walls after installing each beam. The plane is used at the end, only after you have noticed that due to the unevenness of the bottom row it is impossible to install the timber of the top row.
*Important! Don't forget to alternate corner joints.
The last two rows of crowns are not fastened, since in the future, after shrinkage, the rafter system will be installed. To do this, you will have to temporarily dismantle these two rows.
To design door and window openings, you can use two methods: either lay out all the rows, and then, after making a mark, cut out the necessary holes with a jigsaw, or use beams of such length in advance that they will subsequently form windows and doors. Remember that the size of the openings must exceed the size of the door or window itself, since it is still necessary to leave space for installing window and door frames. It is also necessary to leave a gap of 10-15 cm above the windows and doors. This is necessary so that in the future, when the timber shrinks, it does not damage the structure of the windows or doors. It will need to be filled with liquid insulation.
Roof roof
After the last row of crowns has been erected, the building must be covered with roofing felt or slate and allowed to settle. The shrinkage period takes up to 6 months on average, only after which you can proceed to installing the roof and facing work.
There are a huge number of variations of roofs. The most reliable and stable is considered to be a four-slope or hip roof, is used in regions with high humidity and strong winds, but since it is quite difficult to build it without the help of specialists, we recommend installing a gable roof. We will briefly describe the installation steps and the main elements.
First, you need to insulate the surface of the walls from moisture, using, for example, roofing felt. It must be laid in two layers. After attaching the Mauerlat - the base for the rafter system, in which special cutouts are made, with the help of which they are attached rafter legs. The top row of crowns, pre-treated with an antiseptic, will serve as the Mauerlat.
The rafters themselves, depending on the area of the house, should be made of timber with a section of 100x50, 150x50 or 200x50 mm. They should not protrude beyond the house by more than half a meter; if more, additional supports will be installed. A wooden sheathing of slats 5-6 cm thick and 10-20 cm wide is installed on the rafter legs in increments that depend on the roofing material (tiles - planks are laid end to end, if slate or corrugated sheeting - at a distance of 30 cm from each other). Sometimes they install a counter-lattice, on top of which they mount it themselves. roofing material. Insulation, vapor and waterproofing are laid in the resulting space between the two sheathings.
The ceiling consists of several ceiling joists, which are attached using the tongue-and-groove method to the top row of timber. The remaining manipulations are identical to the floor. You can additionally lay insulation and insulation between the finished and rough ceilings. In the future, this can reduce heat loss by up to 30%.
So that the roof is stable, strong, and can withstand strong wind and has served for many years, it is worth thinking about additional support structures, such as crossbars, struts, tightening, racks and others. All of them are attached using hardware, such as steel angles and self-tapping screws.
Don't forget to leave ventilation gaps, a hole for the chimney and attic, if one is planned. The roof fronts can be covered with clapboard or decorative block house.
Remember! Any roof will require repairs over time. Therefore, in order to reduce financial expenses, experts recommend checking the coating annually for damage and various deformations, such as sagging and leakage. The first is eliminated by installing additional supports (crossbars, racks, etc.), and the leak is eliminated by replacing rotten roofing material.
Let's summarize
The last stage of construction work is the installation of entrance and interior doors and windows. If necessary, insulation work is carried out and decorative finishing walls either inside or outside the house. They provide electricity, water, heat, and connect the sewerage system.
Now that you know the main stages of building a house from timber on your own, as well as ways to save money, you can begin building a warm, cozy and reliable home that will warm and delight you for many years.
A popular phenomenon in suburban areas is the construction of wooden houses. Because timber house high quality and comfortable. Moreover, it looks quite chic from the outside, as you can see by looking at photos of wooden houses. Not only the elite can afford to build such a house. The ability to work with a chainsaw or electric saw makes it possible to build a reliable house from timber with your own hands.
Log house construction technology
Timber is considered a universal building material, and it is quite easy to use. The huge demand for wood is caused by its efficiency and environmental friendliness. Simple construction technology timber houses does not foretell a large investment of time. You should catch all the nuances of the work presented in video lessons and photos, as well as in articles, and even inexperienced builders will have the chance to build a house from timber with their own hands.
In the construction of a house, everything must be done in stages, then the speed and productivity of construction is guaranteed, and a certain period of time must be maintained between some stages.
Step-by-step instructions for building a house from timber
Material selection
The duration of construction and its technology depend proportionally on the type of timber. It is faster to build a house from dried wood, but given the material costs, construction will cost much more. It is cheaper to construct a building from raw timber, but construction in this case takes longer.
The following types of wood are used for housing construction:
1. Profiled timber.
2. Solid timber.
Advantages of profiled timber:
— resistance to deformation;
— minimum construction costs;
— the risk of rotting is eliminated;
— excellent thermal insulation;
— high-quality armor against airflow;
- no additional wall covering required;
— simple assembly ensures construction speed;
- impressive appearance.
Flaws:
- high flammability;
— requires impregnation with agents to increase biosecurity and fire protection;
— formation of cracks at elevated temperatures;
- need additional wall insulation;
— redevelopment of an erected timber house is impossible;
- dependent on weather conditions.
Advantages solid timber:
— does not require the use of special equipment;
— there are no problems with purchasing, since such timber is widespread;
— low price, makes timber accessible to everyone.
Flaws:
— finishing costs;
— low protection against blowing;
— decent cracking of timber;
- such construction requires double-sided cladding;
— need careful selection: compliance with GOST, absence of fungus;
- if there is fungus, the timber needs treatment antiseptics.
When choosing, you should focus on the wear resistance of the wood. Accuracy in choosing timber, as well as adherence to technology, are a guarantee of the quality of the house.
Preparation of materials
The entire required amount of material should be collected before construction begins. The purchase of materials provides for two development options:
— purchase of finished timber. When ordering material, the customer specifies all the necessary measurements and purchases a finished timber with grooves, which can be used immediately;
— purchase of wood that needs to be prepared with your own hands. In this case, you have to cut the beams yourself, after which it should be treated with an antiseptic. Only after this will construction of the house begin.
When purchasing wood, you should pay attention to the following factors:
- quality of wood;
— whether the beetles fed on this timber and whether they live in it;
— are there any through cracks in the wood;
— Is the timber affected by fungus?
Project development
Drawing up a diagram of a log house requires careful and accurate calculations. It is quite possible to draw a project with your own hands.
Creating a plan consists of several steps, which include their own nuances:
1. Determining the size of the house and its immediate diagram.
At this stage, it is important to take into account the specific purpose of the premises and the functions that they will perform, as well as all the necessary systems (ventilation, heating, etc.). It is important that rooms with high humidity (kitchen, toilet, bathroom) are located next to each other.
2. Calculation of the amount of materials.
When calculating material consumption, you need to take into account the thickness of the tree, as well as its length. An ordinary beam is six meters long, so if the walls of the house are planned to be longer, it is joined along the length.
A bunch of construction companies create projects for timber houses to order. When drawing up drawings, all rules are followed. A house built according to such schemes will be geometrically correct and earthquake-resistant. You can also find many photos on the Internet with examples of ready-made schemes for log houses.
Laying the foundation
The foundation for a wooden house must be very strong. When choosing the type of foundation, the following circumstances should be considered:
— soil characteristics;
— house design features;
- the magnitude of the load of the structure.
Based on the volume of lumber designed for building a house, it is easy to calculate the load of the future structure.
Foundation options:
1. Shallowly buried tape.
2. Deeply buried tape.
3. Columnar.
4. Pile.
Pile, as well as shallow bases are considered more economical. But a shallowly buried strip foundation is more popular.
The foundation of such a foundation should be laid to a depth of 50 to 70 cm.
Laying the first crown
To high humidity If the first crown is not damaged, a buffer element should be created between it and the foundation. Such an element is an antiseptic-impregnated lining board (50 mm thick), which is usually made from larch.
Before laying the board, the side of the base adjacent to it is covered with two layers of roofing material. A layer of waterproofing will ensure moisture exclusion.
Wall installation
Step-by-step laying out rows of timber represents the construction of walls. Dowels are used to prevent displacement. Rows of wood are attached to them. A tight corner connection is ensured by the presence of grooves and tenons.
They should be additionally insulated with tow or other sealant. When laying out the phalanges of the timber, the tenons and grooves alternate.
There are several methods for connecting beams at the corners:
- connection to warm corner;
- connections to the bowl;
- claw connection.
You can find and watch the video on the Internet detailed instructions corner connection of the beam.
In places where the installation of doors and windows is planned, the size of the beam is calculated, taking into account the size of the opening. All openings are weak points for walls. To make the wall stronger, some beams are laid precisely according to its size. When the assembly of the frame is completed and it settles, the excess material is cut out.
To increase strength and fire resistance, the walls are treated with special substances. To increase protection from wind, all seams should be caulked (caulked). Many builders of their wooden cottages post videos on the Internet in which they present a step-by-step installation of the log house.
Roof construction
The high probability of roof repairs after the construction of the house is guaranteed by its complex geometry. Therefore, the roof construction technology should be simpler. Therefore, it is better to build a gable roof.
After constructing the walls, ceiling joists are placed on them so that they protrude beyond the wall by 50 cm. The gap between them should be equal to the width of the insulation used, 60 cm or 90 cm.
Next comes the assembly of the rafter system. To strengthen the rafters, crossbars and racks are used. Then the fronts are sewn up. The lathing is made with a maximum pitch of 400 mm, and is attached to the rafters.
Finishing work
You can watch the video to see what houses made of timber look like, and how they are finished with all the nuances.
Flooring
During the installation of log houses, a preliminary floor covering is created along the floor beams. The floor itself is installed in two steps:
1. Laying the floorboard.
2. Laying the subfloor.
The floor needs to be insulated; to do this, place between the boards of the subfloor mineral wool or other thermal insulation material.
For flooring, in addition to floorboards, you can use laminate, as well as other materials.
Ceiling arrangement.
To reduce heat loss at home, the ceiling must be insulated with at least 200 cm of insulation. It is placed between ceiling beams and protected with special vapor barrier and moisture protective films. The ceiling of wooden houses is covered with clapboard. Large beams, if desired, can be left unsheathed; they will serve as decorative elements.
Interior and exterior finishing
Sometimes all you need to do is paint the house. This applies to those cases where profiled timber was used.
While the house is being built with their own hands, long time, and the quality of the wood surface changes characteristically. Therefore, the timber should be sanded again before painting.
Communication networks are laid inside. In the photo on the Internet you can see the result of finishing work in houses made of wood with a variety of design styles.
Window installation
In places designated for windows, special openings (windows) are created. To do this, grooves are cut and the block is placed in them, preferably not end-to-end. It should be smaller in length so that when the walls shrink, the timber can be lowered. Thanks to this, shrinkage proceeds smoothly, and upon completion, the windows are installed.
No need to install wooden windows, you can also use plastic ones.
Installation of doors and partitions
To install doors, the same technology is used as for installing windows.
Partitions are installed only after the frame has been assembled. If a two-story house with an area greater than 60 m2 is being built, then the first floor, which is not equipped with partitions, makes the building structure dangerous. For safety and strength, at least one partition is required.
In principle, building a house from timber with your own hands is not at all difficult. You can watch video lessons that cover all the nuances of construction step by step. The technology of building a house itself is simple and if you follow it, the built house will be durable for many years.
Video. Detailed film about the construction of timber houses
Natural wood is distinguished by its environmental purity and incredible nobility, so it is valued at all times, despite the fact that the construction market has been occupied by innovative materials. The construction of timber houses for year-round or seasonal living has achieved high quality new level thanks to the huge number of advantages of the material, as well as improved methods of its processing and installation.
Such a home has an attractive appearance, which is important, especially for people who value aesthetics in everything. What kind of material is this and what is needed to build a house from timber, this instruction will tell you.
Choosing the type of wood
Before getting acquainted with the structure itself and finding out the features of its installation, we suggest considering the characteristics of the wood species used for these purposes. Currently, manufacturers prefer coniferous wood:
- pine;
- fir;
- larch.
Very rarely, but still, deciduous trees, for example, birch, are also found in this segment. It may mistakenly seem that coniferous materials are identical, but they have significant differences, and we cannot help but mention them:
- Spruce and fir are considered the most affordable;
- spruce allows you to achieve a uniform color color, since such material is characterized by ideal uniformity;
- Fir has very beautiful fibers, but, unfortunately, it is less durable. 2 years after the log house is ready, you will encounter the fact that some fibers will begin to darken;
- country houses made of larch are the most practical, because such material is absolutely not afraid of a humid environment, is durable, and this is precisely its advantages;
- Birch timber is popular for a reason affordable price, but the quality here is also not high, which is not suitable for the construction of country houses, so experts categorically do not advise considering such wood, as well as fir, as a raw material, since here the disadvantages clearly outweigh the advantages.
Device for measuring wood moisture content - needle moisture meter Before you begin assembling the log house, you need to pay attention to the moisture content of the timber. Without checking its level, which should be within 23%, the material cannot be used. If you neglect this rule, after some time you may encounter severe cracking of the structure. Therefore, at the acceptance stage, we recommend purchasing or renting a moisture meter, with which you can easily measure the moisture content of the received timber.
Nowadays, the workpieces are dried either naturally or using drying chambers. In the first case, we are faced with a long process, which is why modern manufacturers give preference to chamber drying. This process happens quickly, but here the cost of paying for energy increases, the material becomes more expensive and this affects the final cost for the buyer.
Description and characteristics
A beam is a log with hewn edges, mostly square in cross-section, and can have different cross-sectional sizes. This configuration is full of advantages, and above all, it is consistent thickness along the entire length, which simplifies the finishing process of country buildings. You can also save on insulation here. Wood acquires special properties after it is treated with special impregnations that protect against moisture, combustion, and putrefactive processes.
Connecting elements
The beams can be connected in various ways:
- tongue and groove;
- half;
- end-to-end;
- on dowels, etc.
The simplest connection can be called a “butt” connection, and it is precisely this system that is used to equip the products from which economy-class country log houses are built. You can assemble it yourself easily and quickly, but you need to remember about the “cold” lock, which needs to be additionally insulated to prevent drafts and cold air masses from entering the living spaces.
A butt joint is the coldest, and therefore requires additional insulation. Try to use a different type of joint. Profiled timber
It has a special comb joint geometry, which makes the connection very tight and airtight. Now it is very common for year-round residence They build structures from precisely this material, because it has undeniable advantages over ordinary timber.
Profiled timber is made from solid logs, which are planed on all sides, have an ideal level of humidity, and are of the same thickness along the entire length.
Pros and cons of profiled material
The advantages of this technology include:
- simple installation diagram;
- strictly verified dimensions of lumber, specified by professional equipment;
- connections in the form of landing cups and grooves prevent cracking of wood during year-round use
Glued construction
The production of products of this type involves the use of lamellas glued together. To ensure that the finished product of modern industry is durable and lasts a long time, the drying process is carefully monitored. The technological instruction for gluing individual segments involves placing the best varieties wood in the outer part of the laminated timber.
The beams are fastened together using tenons and grooves, which is very practical and easy to implement. The technology for constructing such houses is accessible even to inexperienced developers, thanks to which anyone can do most of the work with their own hands. The finished structure is lightweight, the log house is resistant to rotting, its elements do not crack and are not afraid of aggressive environmental conditions.
Construction technology
Nowadays, the most popular are single-story log cabins, but you can choose any project for yourself, including several levels; it all depends on the wishes and capabilities of the developers. Let's look at a step-by-step scheme for building a country log house.
Foundation
First of all, you need to choose the type of foundation. It must be strong enough to reliably support the weight of the house and roof. You can choose - this is the most common and universal option.
Strip foundation is the most popular type for a timber house But if the soil on the site is loose, give preference, and the laying scheme looks like this:
- the site is marked out, highlighting the boundaries of the future home;
- a trench is dug with a depth below the freezing point of the soil (at least 60 cm);
- the trench is supplied with a sand and gravel cushion, with each layer being compacted to squeeze out air from the loose rocks;
- concrete solution is poured.
Construction of house structures
The first crown is laid on top. Its function can be performed by ordinary roofing material laid on a foundation screed. Make sure that the roofing material is 35–40 cm wider than the finished base.
It is very important that everyone wooden elements were pre-treated with antiseptic agents, because even if you install country houses from heavy-duty wood, over time it may lose its properties under the influence external factors, which will lead to rotting of the material and, as a result, deformation of the structure.
Features of connecting crowns
Strength timber walls is ensured thanks to a special fastening method. The log house is assembled using the tongue and groove method. The starting board must be firmly fixed to the foundation, and it is laid both on insulation and on a frame (lathing) made from slats. The crowns are connected to each other with wooden or metal dowels.
Sealing rows and insulating joints with jute cloth and cord All subsequent crowns are mounted on a seal that prevents condensation and mold infection. Thanks to the inter-crown seal, the log house acquires additional strength and tightness.
Corner connections
Beam extension
Due to inexperience, it may seem that the disadvantage of a timber frame is that the length of their walls does not match the length of the log, but this is absolutely not a problem if you ensure high-quality joining of the seams. Everything you need in in this case, this is to slightly shift each subsequent joint, which will avoid the formation of a long continuous seam. This method is vaguely reminiscent of ligating brickwork and is quite simple to implement.
Roof and floors
Flooring is also laid according to the standard.
Flooring can be laid in several ways, but the most optimal option is “floating” floors, because they do not create noise and, on the contrary, thanks to their special design, they absorb extraneous sounds. We recommend that you read the article about.
Having compared the pros and cons of technology and the construction process itself, we can confidently say that the advantages here outweigh by a huge margin. If you do not have a ready-made dacha, but have a plot of land and a strong desire to have your own home, we advise you to opt for a log house.
Increasingly, land owners are focusing their choice on building houses from timber. The main advantage of this solution is the fact that you can build a house from timber with your own hands. Such a building has exceptional qualities of reliability, durability and environmental friendliness. The actual technology for constructing buildings from timber is extremely simple and understandable. Even with basic construction skills, all work can be done independently, without the need to contact construction companies.
What kind of wood can be used to build a log house with your own hands? Photo
Before starting construction, it is necessary to choose the most suitable and high-quality material for the work. The main qualities of wood are density and strength. For some species, these indicators reach the level of most metals, so quite high requirements are placed on buildings made of timber. The walls of the house must be strong and durable. In addition, they are required to provide good noise and heat insulation.
However, wood has a number of disadvantages, the main of which are the low level of fire resistance and the tendency to sedimentary deformations, which especially often manifests itself during the first 2-4 years after completion of the construction process.
Coniferous species are the most optimal choice for the construction of a timber building. This material is durable and resistant to rotting processes, it does not crack and does not damage significant load on the foundation. To build a house yourself, it is extremely important to remember that not only competent construction technology, but also material selected according to all the rules will make it possible to build a good wooden house. Therefore, the wood must be dense and wear-resistant.
Profiled or solid timber?The timber can be profiled or solid. For construction, you can use both the first and second options. To choose a specific type of material, you should consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.
Build a house from profile timber with your own hands. Video
Profiled timber provides for the presence of a profile. It has crown grooves and tenons. Such connections are installed along the entire length of the material, and then the surface is ground. Timber for building a house is supplied ready-made. The owner just needs to assemble a building from them. Among all the advantages of houses made of profiled timber, the following stand out:
- Relatively low costs for construction work.
- High resistance to deformation.
- Low complexity of work.
The building material has a precise shape, which allows all required activities to be carried out in the shortest possible time. Houses made from this material have a more attractive appearance and high thermal insulation characteristics.
The advantages of profiled timber include an almost perfectly flat wall surface. They do not need to be additionally sheathed with any facing material, as they already look excellent. Walls made of timber are protected from rotting, since rain and melt water will not collect in them. The profile is calculated in such a way that precipitation cannot penetrate into the roof joints.
After shrinkage of the house occurs, there is no need to waste time and effort on caulking. Wood provides excellent wind protection and high level thermal insulation, since the crowns have connections of sufficient density.
However, profiled timber also has disadvantages. Firstly, it does not withstand many atmospheric influences well enough. Secondly, the timber supports combustion. Therefore, in order to increase bio- and fire-retardant properties, wood must be treated with antiseptics and impregnations.
The natural moisture of the material can cause cracks to appear on the timber during the warm season. For this reason, the material should have a moisture content no higher than 20%. If necessary, chamber drying will be required.The initial thickness of the walls of a building made of profiled timber will not be enough for optimal use. One way or another, additional external insulation will have to be carried out. However, once construction is completed, it will not be possible to change the layout or make additions.
Build a house from solid timber with your own hands. Video
Despite the fact that solid timber does not have the most presentable appearance, the material is still widely used in construction. The main advantage is the relatively low price. When preparing wood, its standard moisture content is maintained, which makes it possible to get rid of the need for additional procedures and reduces the duration of the preparatory stage.
Suitable solid timber can be purchased at any specialized market. Another big advantage of using this material to build a house with your own hands is that there is no need to use special equipment or special tools.
However, there are also disadvantages, which include:
- When choosing timber, you must be extremely careful, since unscrupulous sellers provide timber of poor quality.
- Higher costs for finishing work. To obtain a complete and beautiful appearance of the building, it must be covered with clapboard or siding.
- Fungus may begin to form on the timber. The reason lies in natural humidity, since the material does not undergo special drying technology. Naturally, you can treat the timber with an antiseptic and special impregnations to prevent the formation of fungus, but this will require additional money and time.
- After shrinkage, the material cracks. To prevent such damage from occurring, wooden walls needs to be sheathed on both sides.
- Intercrown seams are heavily blown. A building made from solid timber is characterized by a significantly lower level of thermal insulation.
Preparing tools, materials and a project for building a house from timber with your own hands. Photo
After selection suitable type timber, you can proceed to purchasing materials, collecting the necessary tools and drawing up a project plan. If desired, you can purchase materials ready-made. In this case, all the bars are cut to the required dimensions of the tools. There will already be grooves in the material, and all that remains is to lay out the building.
If you wish, you can save on material if you prepare it yourself. To do this, you should pay attention to the following factors:
- Large and through cracks are strictly unacceptable.
- The wood must be absolutely “healthy”.
- The material must not have any traces of insect damage.
- Before use, the timber must be treated with special antiseptic compounds.
The work of building a house from timber with your own hands will require the use of a certain set of tools, which include:
- gasoline or electric saw;
- yardstick;
- hammer;
- electric drill;
- level;
- axe;
- electric screwdriver;
- nails, screws, jute;
- hammer drill.
After preparing all the necessary materials and tools, you can begin to draw up a project for the future house made of timber. To do this, you will need to accurately calculate all the required calculations and parameters. You can draw up the project yourself, as there is nothing complicated about it. Or contact a specialized construction organization.
Building a house from timber with your own hands: foundation, photo, video
Having prepared the project yourself or received the project in hand, you can begin arranging the foundation. A house made of timber must be built on a reliable, solid foundation.
When choosing the type of foundation, you should consider the following parameters:- The main characteristics of the soil on the site.
- Design features.
A wooden house can be built on a wooden or concrete base. Most often, a concrete foundation is used, on which a brick plinth is laid, and only on top of this structure are walls made of timber and then a roof erected. If it is assumed exclusively wooden structure, the base is made of wood.
A house made of timber can be built on:
- shallow foundation;
- buried foundation;
- columnar base;
- belt type support.
As a rule, a strip or shallow foundation is prepared for a house made of timber. A depth of 50-70 cm will be sufficient.
Step-by-step instructions for building the walls of a house from timber with your own hands. Video, photo
After arranging the foundation, you can proceed to laying the timber walls. At this stage, the most important thing is to choose the optimal assembly technology. The walls are laid out in rows. A new layer is placed on top of the previous one until the required wall height is obtained.
The bars have special grooves that ensure that the logs fit snugly together. The grooves are insulated with thermal insulation. To increase the strength of the walls, it is necessary to use spikes to connect the beams.
A simplified version involves the use of untreated pine timber. The bars weigh little, so for construction there is no need to call for special lifting equipment.
In the process of erecting timber walls on your own, it is important to take into account a number of main requirements. Firstly, all seams should be caulked, which will eliminate the possible occurrence of wind blowing through the walls. Secondly, the finished walls are treated with special impregnations that increase fire resistance and strength.
Roof and floor installation. Finishing the house made of timber with your own hands, photo
Very often, developers who build wooden log houses try to save money and do this during the process of constructing the roof, using cheap materials, for example, ondulin. But it’s wrong to skimp on material when finishing a roof for wooden building absolutely not recommended.
This element of the house can have different versions: it all depends on the roofing and rafter systems. It is better to equip each area using boards of different sizes. For example, rafters are assembled from boards with a section of 150x40 mm, and for creating braces and racks - 100x40 mm.
When it comes to arranging the floor and choosing a covering, you need to focus on personal preferences. The only mandatory point is proper waterproofing of the floor and ceiling. Special attention attention should be paid to the issue of waterproofing basement and basements. Moisture protection is carried out before screeding or leveling. In a cobblestone house you can use:
- coating materials;
- roll waterproofing;
- jellied compositions;
- penetrating moisture protection.
Plinths and basements can be waterproofed with your own hands without any problems. This process is simple. You need to choose the most suitable and liked material and begin its installation in accordance with the technology. 
For wooden floors, wood-based coatings are better suited: laminate and parquet are the most best option, because the material is comfortable and easy to install.
Regarding more modern materials, then there should be no problems with their installation.
Finishing a house made of timber with your own hands, photo
Finally, work is carried out on the installation of interior doors, window frames and partitions. The subfloor is laid, after which the selected insulation, finishing floor and finishing coating are installed. The ceiling is finished with any selected material. On at this stage it is necessary to equip water supply, sewerage, heating and energy supply systems.
Exterior decoration is chosen by the owner of the house independently. If desired, the building can be left without exterior finishing, if, of course, the appearance and quality of the material allow this. If you want to get some other appearance, the house can be painted, covered with clapboard, siding, or trimmed with other materials.
In this sequence, the construction of a house from timber with your own hands is carried out. By following the technology, you can get a reliable, comfortable and durable structure without turning to third-party specialists.
