Basics of building frame houses. What is frame technology? Slab foundation for a frame house

Until recently, frame house building in our country was poorly developed - basically everything was done solely on a whim. Whereas in America and Scandinavia, the technology of building frame houses has come a long way, turning into a set of standard, proven and proven solutions over the years. Among the craftsmen of the portal from Moscow to Vladivostok are many adherents of frame housing construction, who build small country houses or new country houses for permanent residence with their own hands or under their control. There are so many people, so many opinions and skills, so there are dozens of variations on the theme, but there are two initial technologies for houses on a wooden frame - Canadian, also known as American, and Scandinavian, also known as Finnish. These house construction technologies will be discussed in the material.

• Frame house construction;
• Canadian technology for the construction of frame houses;
• Scandinavian house technology.

Frame house construction

In frame house construction, regardless of the materials used, be it wood, metal or concrete, the main structural element is the load-bearing frame, not the walls. Most modern high-rise buildings are built using monolithic frame technology, filling the reinforcement frame with concrete and filling the walls with masonry materials. In private construction, wooden frames are the most common; LSTK (light steel thin-walled structures) or homemade metal frames from profiles are somewhat less common.

The popularity of wood is explained by its availability and ease of processing, and in terms of durability, a properly assembled frame is not inferior to stone buildings, which has been proven by zealous Europeans.

Canadian and Scandinavian technologies are considered reference standards - their compliance guarantees the result of a reliable, durable and energy-efficient design.

But certain differences are observed.

Frame houses using Canadian technology

On the portal there are many craftsmen who build “Canadian” and “Scandinavian” frames for themselves, but there are also professionals who have dozens of buildings to their credit. One of them - Roracotta (Vladimir), the forum’s “guru” in the field of Canadian (American) technology, generously sharing his experience on numerous topics. The construction of a frame house using Canadian technology, “Canadian”, is as follows.

Roracotta FORUMHOUSE user

In Canada and America, this is the only construction order:

1. Construction of foundation and waterproofing;
2. Installation of trim, floor joists and its covering with OSB or plywood;
3. Installation of the wall frame (sometimes immediately with sheathing);
4. Installation of ceiling or floor joists on the next floor;
5. Installation of the frame of the walls of the next floor;
6. Installation of the rafter system and roof cladding with OSB or plywood;
7. Covering the finished frame with OSB or plywood (if this was not done during the construction of the walls);
8. Roofing;
9. Installation of external windows and doors;
10. Laying communications and engineering networks;
11. Installation of insulation;
12. Vapor barrier;
13. GKL.

This construction technology is characterized not only by the construction of walls on a subfloor platform, but also by other features:

• assembly of the frame only from dry lumber, all elements from boards, double/triple if necessary, no timber, either in the corners or in other parts of the structure;
• in the area of ​​openings there are double racks;
• the openings are reinforced with a board installed on the edge (hider);
• double top trim;
• at key points (corners, junction of partitions, posts) overlap of the top and bottom rows of the trim.

The pro advises paying special attention to the fasteners.

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A properly assembled frame does not require any metal corners or brackets. Perhaps for tying (fixing) the roof to the walls or separate “T” lag connections. The only thing that is allowed is to connect the frame of the house with special plates. But I've never seen them used. To fasten a 100 mm post, two nails (85 mm) must be driven into the end. For a 150 mm rack - three nails on each side. For windy regions, special steel strips are added, which are nailed to the rafters, then, without breaking, to the strapping and to the rack itself lengthwise, with nails.

To fasten frame elements, the technology involves the use of smooth nails. Using twisted or notched ones will not provide greater strength, and they are more difficult to work with.

OSB with a thickness of 12 mm or more is used as cladding almost everywhere. On the roof, if the distance between the rafters is more than 60 cm, thick plywood is laid. Like the frame, the sheathing is fixed with nails (45 mm), and a deformation gap (2-4 mm) is left between the sheets. The plates provide the frame with additional rigidity, which makes it possible to do without jibs. The slabs can be mounted on walls either horizontally or vertically, but horizontally, staggered, is more practical. The slabs are laid strictly across the joists and rafters.

Frame house: Canadian technology.

One of the most important points in the construction of a frame is vapor barrier. In Canada and America, thick, virgin polyethylene 150-200 microns is preferred instead of specialized membranes.

Roracotta FORUMHOUSE user

1. The polyethylene is fixed with a stapler along the posts in increments of 30-40 cm.
2. An overlap is required between the sheets (15 cm in both directions);
3. The joints are carefully glued with special glue or a special adhesive tape that has adhesion to polyethylene;
4. First the ceiling is insulated, then the walls, but if the joints are properly sealed, it doesn’t matter;
5. There is no need for vapor barrier between residential floors and adjacent warm rooms;
6. During the process of assembling the frame, a strip of polyethylene (50 cm) is placed vertically in the connection between the outer wall and the inner partition, from the floor to the ceiling. Subsequently, general polyethylene along the perimeter of the walls is glued to these polyethylene sides protruding from the frame.

Canadian house finishing system.

Mineral wool in all varieties is widely used as the main insulation - it is cheaper than PPS (in Canada), and communications in walls with such insulation are easier to maintain. Polystyrene foam is used if the walls are too thin and there is not enough wool to provide the required resistance to heat loss. It is also combined with cotton wool when insulating floors and to eliminate cold bridges along the racks. Classic wall “pie” of Canadian frame:

Roracotta FORUMHOUSE user

From the inside to the outside - gypsum plasterboard, polyethylene or cellophane for studs and ceiling, studs with cotton wool, OSB (9-12 mm), protective membrane, polystyrene foam for screws or special nails with wide spacers if the facade is plaster. All. Don't listen to anyone and don't invent anything else. This is not a new scheme; it has been tested for decades. All frame structures on the North American continent are built according to it.

Scandinavian frame construction technology

Porcupine (Alexei), the founder of the topic on the Scandinavian technology of frame house construction on the forum, with his light hand it went to the masses, this is how he describes the basis.

Porcupine FORUMHOUSE user

The technological chain of construction is approximately as follows:

• The foundation is made - an insulated slab or strip foundation (insulated floors on the ground);
• External walls and load-bearing partitions, if any, are placed on the ribs;
• Roof trusses are installed;
• The frame is sheathed on the outside and the roof is made.

It turns out to be such a huge hangar on a foundation, and without internal non-load-bearing partitions. After creating a closed contour of the building, in a calm environment, without wind or rain, the house is completed. The creation of the foundation slab, heated floor and its pouring are completed, new internal partitions are installed, insulation is installed, finishing is done, etc.

Scandinavians are characterized by “semi-finished products” - they are built mainly from pre-assembled house kits of varying degrees of readiness - from ready-made modules to a set of finished parts (the so-called pre-cut). If we are talking about a frame made of individual elements, followed by insulation and sheathing, then again, all the parts are sawed and numbered, and assembly remains on site according to the project.

We most often use this system, with the difference that all the elements are cut independently. Scandinavians also prefer mineral or basalt wool (local) as insulation; in recent years, cellulose wool (ecowool) has become widespread - especially in ceilings and attics.

Like Canadian technology, Scandinavian technology is demanding on lumber - dry planed boards, no timber, unless this is due to the specifics of the project.

There are several differences between the approaches.

Porcupine FORUMHOUSE user

In fact, the Scandinavian frame is a modernized version of the Canadian one. Scandinavians, due to living in a harsh climate, put energy saving at the forefront. And double and triple boards (straps, opening posts), potential cracks and cold bridges, which they decided to avoid. As a result, the angles and miters in the frames are the same, but:

• single top trim;
• a crossbar is embedded into the racks of each wall along its entire length;
• single posts on openings.

It is the presence of a crossbar that is a characteristic feature of a Scandinavian frame, since it makes it possible to do without reinforcing the openings and replaces the double upper frame.

A typical wall “pie” looks like this:

From outside to inside:

• façade cladding;
• ventilation gap;
• facade gypsum plasterboard, MDVP (soft fiberboard) or only wind protection;
• power frame with insulation 200 mm thick;
• vapor barrier (also most often polyethylene 200 microns);
• additional layer of insulation (horizontal sheathing and insulation);
• GKL or other interior finishing material.

If you want to build a house as quickly as possible and relatively inexpensively, then you should prefer frame technologies. Frame frames have their own advantages, thanks to which these buildings are very popular. However, one should not neglect the disadvantages that any structure has. The technology of frame construction is quite simple, so you can easily build a house yourself. In order to choose the right technology to build your frame house, you need to study the features of each of them.

Advantages and disadvantages

First of all, it’s worth listing the pros and cons of frame buildings. The technology for constructing a frame house makes it possible to obtain structures that have the following advantages:

1. Frame buildings are quite warm, despite the small thickness of the walls. The thing is that most of the wall structure is occupied by thermal insulation material, and special methods of connecting components and parts make it possible to avoid the formation of cold bridges.
2. House operating costs are low. Due to the high airtightness of the house and the good thermal insulation qualities of the walls, little money is spent on heating such a building, because the heat in the room is retained for a long time. Moreover, the walls of the frame structure are quite strong and durable, so they do not require special care during the operation of the house.
3. The technology of frame house construction is so simple that you can easily build a house yourself. In this case, you will not need heavy construction equipment.
4. The technology for constructing a frame house itself is relatively inexpensive, so by purchasing standard projects, you can save significantly on construction. You will receive additional savings on the construction of the foundation, which can be made lightweight due to the low specific weight of the wall material.
5. A frame house can have any configuration and architectural style. You can build a one- or two-story house, a building with an attic, garage, balcony, terrace or veranda. In any case, this house will cost less than a building of a similar layout made of brick or concrete. By using different facade finishes, you will get buildings that are completely different in style.
6. You will spend 2-3 months building a house yourself using frame technology. If the construction of the building is entrusted to a team of qualified workers, then construction will take even less time (several weeks). Since the structure does not shrink, you can finish the house and move into it immediately after construction.
7. Frame construction can be carried out at any time of the year (even in winter), since there are no “wet” processes during the construction of the frame. The only thing worth doing before the cold weather is building the foundation.
8. In a frame house it is much easier to carry out hidden installation of utilities.
9. Frame buildings can be used as seasonal homes. The thing is that the wall structure can easily withstand the winter period without heating. The walls will not move, they will not warp, they will not become damp.

Very often you can come across the opinions of experts that frame houses, the construction technologies of which we will describe in our article, have many disadvantages. However, whether this is actually so, judge for yourself:

1. You can often hear the opinion that the main disadvantage of a frame structure is the impossibility of redevelopment after construction. However, this statement is true only for frame-panel houses. A frame house built using frame technology can be redesigned, since lightweight partitions are not load-bearing structures.
2. The opinion that a frame building can be built no higher than one floor is a misconception. Indeed, it is not recommended to make panel houses two-story, but you can afford an attic floor. If you need a two-story house, then choose frame-frame construction technology.
3. The myth that a frame house has a short service life (no more than 75 years) can be easily debunked. At the end of this period, the house needs repairs. However, the whole point is that even a house made of any other material needs repair and replacement of some parts, for example, roofing. Since the frame of such a house is reliably protected from any weather influences, the structure can last up to 100 years.
4. Previously, it was believed that the frame was not very warm, but frame technology has been improving over the years, new thermal insulation materials, effective wind barriers and vapor barrier membranes are appearing, so now there is no need to doubt the thermal insulation qualities of such a house.
5. The only thing that is true is that the noise protection of a frame house is slightly lower than that of buildings made of brick or stone.

Types of technologies

We list the most common technologies for constructing frame houses:

• DOK technologies;
• frame buildings using Canadian technology (houses made of SIP panels and construction using the “Platform” system);
• houses using German technology (factory kits for panel structures);
• half-timbered technology;
• frame-frame buildings.

If you decide to build a frame house, the construction technology may be slightly different, so you should consider in detail the features of each frame construction.

DOK technology

DOK technology is the construction of a house with a double volumetric frame (DOF). The design and construction of such houses is justified in regions with harsh climates. The main distinctive features of structures erected using this technology are the following:

1. Additional warmth and comfort in the premises of the house is achieved due to the fact that there are completely no cold bridges in the wall design. Thanks to this, the service life of the house increases significantly.
2. The design of the walls provides additional measures to protect them from the accumulation of condensate and a decrease in thermal insulation qualities during operation. In particular, a special ventilation gap is used for this.
3. In house construction using this technology, only high-quality materials are used.
4. Frame houses using DOK technology are built only using kiln-dried lumber.
5. During construction, European quality standards are adhered to.

Thanks to this, special energy efficiency of enclosing structures is achieved, as well as their strength. The main condition is the displacement of the frame posts relative to each other. After laying the basalt insulation, the wooden frame posts are covered with thermal insulation material, thereby eliminating the formation of cold bridges.

Canadian technologies - Platform system

Such a frame house can be assembled on a construction site, or components for it can be manufactured in a factory. Since the walls of the house are assembled from panels, the buildings belong to the category of frame-panel houses.

Important: panels are a structure made of OSB, plywood and other sheet wood materials with thermal insulation filler inside.

They are installed on a mounted platform of logs and oriented strand boards. The shields are installed with a groove on a special ridge of the platform. From above, all panel elements are connected by an upper trim. Also, the shields are additionally fastened together. The joints are carefully insulated with polyurethane foam.

As you can see, the peculiarity of the installation of panels is that each of them is also a load-bearing element, so redevelopment of such a house is impossible. After installing the walls of the house, the roof is erected, utilities are laid, and the walls are finished.

Canadian technologies - SIP panels

• the two outer layers are sheet wood material (OSB or moisture-resistant plywood). The most commonly used oriented strand board is 1.2 cm thick;
• The layer of thermal insulation material can be of different thicknesses, which depends on the climatic conditions of the construction region. Typically, polystyrene foam is used for these purposes.

There is a groove at the ends of the SIP panel to facilitate fixation to the beam, which will serve as the frame. The same beam is installed not only in a vertical position, but also as an upper and lower horizontal wall trim.

Important: SIP panels are used not only to form wall structures, but also as the floor of the first floor, as well as ceiling slabs.

German technology

The construction of houses using German technology differs from the above methods in that panel panels that are manufactured in a factory are used to build a house. Moreover, windows and doors have already been installed in them, communications have been laid, insulation has been laid, and the primary finishing of the walls has been completed. The ceilings are also assembled at the factory.

Due to the significant weight of one panel, lifting equipment will be required for its transportation and installation. All this contributes to the rise in cost of building a house. However, the principle of connecting panels in wall construction is the same as that of the technologies described above.

Among the disadvantages of this technology are the following:

• the quality of assembly and insulation of panels in the factory cannot be controlled;
• for installation and delivery you will need construction lifting equipment;
• the strength and reliability of the house is lower than that of buildings erected using frame-frame technology.

Half-timbered houses

Such buildings are erected using frame-frame technology. To make the frame of this house, laminated veneer lumber with a cross-section of at least 15x15 cm is used. Then the space between the frame posts is filled with the selected material. It can be stone, brick, sheet material with insulation inside, glass, concrete, adobe, etc. Thus, the house is assembled on the construction site. In addition to the vertical and horizontal posts of the frame, diagonal braces and transverse bars are necessarily used.

The main distinguishing feature of a half-timbered house is that the frame is not hidden in the wall structure, but is exposed. Moreover, it is usually painted in a contrasting color and stands out against the background of lighter walls. Such houses are characterized by large areas of glazing.

Frame technology

This method of building a house is ideal for self-construction due to the simplicity and accessibility of the technology. To build a house, you do not need construction equipment; all work is carried out on the construction site manually. The layout and design of a frame house can be very different.

The essence of the technology is that the frame of the house is first built from timber at the construction site. Then the outside is covered with wood sheet material. After assembling and installing the roof, the walls of the house are insulated from the inside and covered with OSB or plywood. The design of such walls necessarily uses a wind barrier, a hydro- and vapor barrier membrane.

Despite a certain conservatism in the thinking of the population of our country in terms of construction (the use of heavy, reliable stone and concrete materials), lightweight structures are becoming increasingly widespread. Houses made of SIP panels, wooden frame and frame-panel buildings are gaining more and more popularity. The reason for this is the significantly lower cost of both the required material and its installation. In this article we will look at the stages of building a frame house from the foundation to the roof.

Nuances of wooden construction

The main difference between wooden structures and “classic” stone, concrete, reinforced concrete and steel structures is the high fire hazard. The use of load-bearing wooden structures determines the fire hazard class of the structure to be no higher than III (class II is typical for stone and concrete structures).

The problem is partially solved by fire retardants. These are special substances intended for processing wooden structures in order to reduce flammability and combustibility groups. Neglecting such processing can lead to the most dire consequences.

Another vulnerable point in the construction of a frame house is susceptibility to biological destruction. We are talking about rotting and woodworms. To combat these factors, bioprotective compounds are used. Modern industry offers complex fire-bioprotective agents that are most suitable for use for the protection of wooden structures.

Separately, we emphasize the importance of scrupulously fulfilling all electrical installation requirements. The most common cause of house fires is poor-quality wiring, the use of uncertified electrical equipment (sockets, switches), and violation of the rules for operating electrical appliances.

The indisputable advantages of wooden frame houses include their lower cost and speed of construction.

The foundation is the first stage of building a frame house

A difficult issue in private construction was, is and will be the choice of foundation type. Wooden buildings are characterized by low weight. The foundation, as a rule, is also made “lighter” in relation to the classic “stone” version of the house. Moreover, all types of foundations (strip, slab, pile) can also be used for wooden houses.

The choice of foundation type for a frame house primarily depends on engineering and geological conditions - soil strength, groundwater level, and so on. For the frame construction option, it is possible to use columnar foundations.

To save money, you should order engineering and geological surveys in a minimum amount. At least one well about 5m deep. Based on the survey report, through consultation with a specialist, it will be possible to determine the optimal foundation option. An independent solution to this issue “by eye” will most likely result in either an overexpenditure of materials “in reserve” or problems in the operation of a house installed on top of a foundation that is too weak.
Particular attention should be paid to the level of groundwater, its seasonal fluctuations, as well as the risk of the appearance of perched water - the so-called “soil water”. Paying for research and consultations with a specialist will pay off handsomely.

Stage 2: construction of the frame and interfloor covering

The construction of the frame during the construction of a wooden house begins with the installation of the lower frame. The dimensions of its cross section will directly depend on the type of foundation. For piles installed with large pitches (3m or more), the lower frame will be more powerful than for other options. The lower frame on top of the pile foundation is essentially a grillage. In all cases (including strip and slab foundations), this piping must be located above the ground level. The lower harness should be antiseptic especially carefully. In addition, waterproofing made of dense polyethylene, roofing felt or other rolled insulating material should be placed under its bottom.

The frame can be erected using two methods - by assembling each element separately directly at its design position, or by assembling the frame of an entire wall on a horizontal surface, then lifting it “on its butt” and installing it in place. The second option is preferable as it is more productive. It is especially convenient when using a foundation in the form of an insulated Swedish slab - at the time of assembling the frame, the rough surface of the first floor floor (top of the slab) is a convenient platform for collecting wall frames.

The spatial stability of the frame is ensured either by boards (frame-panel design, typical, among other things, for SIP panels) or by a board slanted in the opposite direction. At the installation stage, temporary braces are often used, installed on top of the frame. After covering one side of the future wall with shields or diagonal boards, the temporary braces are removed.

As a rule, OSB (QSB) boards with a thickness of 12 mm are used as shields. When covering with a board, its thickness is in the range of 18-25mm.
The pitch of the racks (columns) of the frame is very often set to 60 cm, which in the case of a frame-panel scheme causes confusion. The size of the OSB board is 125x250cm, as a result of which a step of 60cm creates the need to trim each panel by 5cm in width or 10cm in length. In this case, a step of 62.5 cm will be a complete multiple of the width of such a sheet (2 steps) and length (4 steps). With plank cladding, a multiplicity of 60 cm does not create problems.

The choice of panel/board cladding is usually based on the prices for these materials in the construction region. At the same price, preference should be given to the panel version, as it is more technologically advanced and quickly erected.

After the construction of the frame of the walls of the first floor and the installation of the upper trim (belt), the installation of floor beams begins.

Reinforced concrete floors (both monolithic and prefabricated) are not used in wooden houses. It is also better to refuse lightweight options like Terriva and the like. Wood has very different indicators of linear expansion due to temperature changes than other materials. In addition, wood, as a “living” material, changes its size slightly with changes in humidity. The combination of dissimilar materials in the supporting frame is highly undesirable.

Floor beams are usually made from 50x200mm boards or paired 50x150mm boards. The second option is preferable if the boards are paired with a mirror image of the growth rings - such a beam will be more stable. The pitch of the beams depends on the span to be covered, cross-sectional dimensions and loads. Usually this step is in the range of 60-100cm.

Before constructing the frame of the next floor, it is necessary to lay the flooring on top of the floor beams. To do this, use tongue-and-groove floorboards or board materials (OSB, plywood) in two layers. The joints of the second layer should not coincide with the joints of the first. If the floorboard is used before the completion of construction, it is protected from contamination and damage with sheets of fiberboard or thick cardboard.

Floors in wooden frame houses must be soundproofed. It is advisable to use finishing materials with vibration isolation. For example, laminate flooring laid over a balsa wood underlayment. Otherwise, audibility will be very high, and the floor will be an analogue of a drum.

Stage 3: roof

A good option for installing a roof for a frame house is its pitched version. The roof can be single-pitched, gable, hip, etc. Any material can be used as a roofing layer - slate, corrugated sheets, metal tiles, bitumen shingles, etc.

The roof slopes are formed by a rafter system. Rafters are most often made from boards with a section of 50x150 or 50x200. The pitch of the rafters depends on the snow loads in the construction region, span, and cross-section. Usually the step is 80-120cm.

The rafter leg rests on the mauerlat. In a frame wooden house, its function is performed by the top frame of the last floor.

Stage 4: partitions, communications and interior decoration of a frame house

The best option for partitions in a wooden frame house is a frame made of wooden beams with a section of 50x100mm, sheathed on both sides with the same OSB boards. The spacing of the partition racks is identical to the load-bearing walls. The internal cavity of the partitions is filled with soundproofing material.

In rooms with wet conditions (bathrooms), the floor and walls are additionally sheathed with magnesite slabs, on top of which waterproofing is done with coating materials. The use of magnesite slabs makes it possible to cover walls and ceilings with ceramic tiles.

There are no obstacles to installing plasterboard partitions in wooden frame houses.

Internal communications are laid up to the internal wall cladding. Electrical wiring is placed in special corrugated sleeves. It is better to avoid laying water-carrying communications in the body of the ceiling. The risers of such communications are usually passed into the wall cavities.

The best option for interior finishing of walls and ceilings is plasterboard. It is easy to secure it with wood screws and then putty. The final part of the finishing can be anything - from painting to wallpapering.

Fasteners

Fastening elements in the construction of wooden houses are nails, construction staples and powerful self-tapping screws. It is better to avoid using black phosphated screws “for drywall” due to their fragility. The use of such fasteners when installing plasterboard partitions is permissible.

You can strengthen the connection of wooden elements using steel angles, plates, overlays, etc.

Stage 5: finishing of facades

Ventilated facade systems are most widely used for finishing the facades of wooden frame houses. For example, siding.

Any plastering options for wooden houses are unacceptable. Facing with decorative wooden bricks will also cause problems (with the possible exception of the basement part, if no wooden structures were used within its boundaries).

Conclusion

To avoid distortions of load-bearing structures, it is necessary to strictly follow the stages of construction of a frame house. This is especially true for elements of spatial rigidity - temporary braces and frame sheathing. It is highly undesirable to use thinner materials, especially shields. This construction technology does not tolerate deviations and amateur activities. For example, it is impossible to replace OSB sheathing with chipboard, cement-sand, magnesite, and gypsum fiber boards. If the requirements given in this article are met, the service life of a wooden frame house will be at least 50 years.

A warm and inexpensive house that can be built in one season is the dream of any owner. Frame house construction meets these requirements. The low weight of all structural elements makes it possible to do without the use of lifting and other special equipment, and modern thermal insulation materials make frame houses suitable for living even in harsh northern winters. But it is not enough to know how to build a frame house; it is necessary to comply with all the requirements of the technology and take into account the phased features of the construction of the structure.

Finished view of a frame house

Basic rules of frame construction

To ensure that the final result of construction does not disappoint, before construction you need to familiarize yourself with simple rules:

• The main criterion when choosing lumber is quality. It is better to give preference to laminated veneer lumber than naturally dried wood, which can crack when drying out. A good option would be to technically dry the timber, which minimizes the amount of moisture in the wood.
• Entrust the work to professionals. Building a house in which you will live is not the most suitable platform for experiments; if something is done wrong, then at best it will lead to uncomfortable living conditions, and at worst to emergency situations. And this is not even taking into account the fact that construction is not only the construction of walls, but also many narrow-profile types of work: wiring communications (sewage, electricity, heating), roofing work at heights and much more.

A professional team builds a frame house in a short time

• Every little thing matters. Trying to save money on fastening materials, insulation or wood impregnations can be expensive. Low-quality but cheap insulation can emit harmful substances that are hazardous to health. Unreliable fastening of elements can lead to damage to the integrity of the frame.

The technology of building a frame house is a step-by-step work, which in itself will help save budget funds. Therefore, you should not save on building materials.

Choosing a location on the site

Two groups of factors that influence the location of the future home are recommendatory and obligatory.

The latter include:

• Fire regulations. They regulate the rules for the location of buildings depending on the fire hazard. For example, the distance between buildings made of non-combustible materials is at least 6 meters, for wood and other combustible materials - 12 m.
• Sanitary standards. They regulate the distance from the house to outbuildings, power lines, trees and other things.

To choose the right location for your home, you need to take into account many factors.

• Horizontal orientation. Windows facing south or east will allow for maximum natural light.
• Accounting for prevailing winds. There is no need to install additional windows and doors on the leeward side.
• Distance to roadway. The greater the distance to the road, the quieter it will be in the house, but it will increase the access road.
• Exterior view from the window. It is preferable to have windows overlooking the garden rather than those overlooking the estate's courtyard and outbuildings.

To comply with all standards and select the most suitable location, you must contact the design organization.

The foundation for a house is the basis

A strong foundation is the key to a strong and durable home. For frame buildings, a foundation of one of the following types is usually built:

• shallow belt;
• pile-screw.

In the first case, excavation work will first be carried out so that there is somewhere to pour the foundation, then formwork is made and a reinforcing frame is laid out in it.

The second stage is pouring concrete. It is technologically correct to do this in one step, but sometimes layer-by-layer filling is allowed. As the formwork hardens, it is removed - the foundation should gain strength within 30 days. After this, waterproofing work is carried out, and the assembly of the lower trim begins.

Scheme of a strip foundation for a frame house

The pile foundation, in turn, is considered one of the most inexpensive and quickly erected.

The pile is a thick metal pipe, the end of which is equipped with a screw blade. They are twisted into the ground using special equipment. There are some types of driven piles, but they are rarely used.

Video description

You can see the advantages and disadvantages of screw piles in the video:

Piles are an innovative method of foundation installation that has recently appeared on the domestic market. Therefore, for now it enjoys the distrust of consumers. However, correct installation in compliance with all requirements will ensure the reliability of the building and a long service life.

Bottom rail and floor

To protect the piping from moisture from below, roofing material or waterproofing is laid on the foundation. You can use bitumen mastic, but it will be more expensive than roll material. Sometimes materials are combined: once the foundation is covered with mastic, and waterproofing is laid on top.

The assembly of a frame house begins with strapping. For it, boards with a section of 15x5 cm or timber 15x10 cm are used. The boards are laid around the perimeter and aligned along the outer edge of the foundation. Holes for the studs are drilled in the required places. The second layer of boards is laid in such a way as to cover the bottom joints of the boards. This gives the structure additional strength. Installation of timber is easier and faster, but its price is higher than that of boards. In addition, the overall load-bearing capacity of a double board will be higher than that of a single beam.

This is what fixed joists look like

A 15x5 cm board is installed on the harness on the edge. It is also aligned along the outer edge of the foundation and secured with ordinary nails. The logs are mounted from boards of the same section. Fastened with nails or special corners. Installation step – 40–60 cm.

Important! The longer the lag, the smaller the step. This will ensure even weight distribution and eliminate sagging.

The next stage is insulation. The simplest option is polystyrene foam. It is easily cut with a hacksaw and fits tightly between the joists. This will eliminate the need to install a subfloor underneath, which will hold the insulation.

To support the insulation, you will need to fill two 5x5 cm bars along the joists. Two layers are laid at intervals - the top layer overlaps the seams of the bottom one. Joints and seams with joists are treated with sealant.

Joints with joists must be sealed with sealing materials

Important! Polystyrene foam is a flammable material, which makes it undesirable for insulating wooden structures. Therefore, sheets of stone wool and expanded polystyrene are most often used for thermal insulation of floors.

To install the subfloor, a 10x2.5 cm edged board is used. Plywood 0.5–0.6 cm thick is laid on top of it. Sheets of plywood can be laid immediately without a flooring of boards. In this case, the thickness of the sheets should be at least 1.5 cm. This option is faster, but in some cases more expensive. Like brickwork, plywood is laid in staggered patterns. A gap of a few centimeters between the sheets compensates for expansion when air humidity increases.

On our website you can get acquainted with the most popular projects of frame houses from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses “Low-Rise Country”.

A strong frame is the key to a strong house

There are two possible schemes for building a frame house:

• construction of a wall on the floor and its subsequent installation in a vertical position;
• assembly of all elements immediately on site.

The first method is usually used in factories for the production of modules of frame-panel houses. In some cases, assembly on the floor is easier than on site, but the resulting structure will have considerable weight, so several people will be needed to lift and install it.

Installation of an already assembled wall

Even one person can assemble the elements vertically at once. This method is slower, but will help to avoid inaccuracies in dimensions - the parts are assembled “in place”.

For one-story buildings, corner posts are chosen with a section of 10x10 cm. If another residential floor is planned, then the dimensions increase to 15x15 cm.

The intermediate posts must be as deep as at the corners, and at least 5 cm wide.

To calculate the pitch, there are special formulas that take into account the load on the structure. But in practice, most often the pitch between the racks depends on the width of the insulation. The distance between them should be several centimeters less than the insulation. This will ensure a tight fit to the racks and retain heat.

Racks are most often fastened using metal corners - one corner on each side. It is possible to mount it with a cut into the bottom trim board, but this may compromise the integrity of the entire structure.

Another ancient method is dowel fastening.

Scheme of fastening the rack with a dowel

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer frame house design services. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

A hole is drilled diagonally through the rack to the middle of the lower boards or timber - a wooden pin is driven into it. This provides reliable fastening, but this method is difficult to implement. In addition, if the material is wet, the dowel may dry out and lose rigidity.

Depending on the type of outer cladding, permanent or temporary cuts are made. If the outer part is sheathed with sheet material with sufficient strength, it will add additional rigidity to the structure and constant mowing will not be required.

If the exterior finish is hard, this option for installing slopes is possible.

If the finishing material is composite - siding or lining, then the installation of permanent slopes will be required.

The best option would be to install four small slopes on each rack - two on top, two on bottom.

The installation of corner posts requires special attention. The technology is simple, but simply installing a vertical beam can freeze. If the cross-section is 15x15 cm, then for a moderate zone this may be enough to not allow heat to pass through.

Vertically installed racks are secured with bevels

If lumber of a smaller cross-section is used or the owners additionally want to insulate the corner elements, then several options are possible:

• To increase the thickness, two boards with a depth equal to the depth of the post and a width of 5 cm are nailed to the corner posts. After external finishing, a special platband is placed on the corner, which provides an air gap between the corner and the platband board. This will reduce heat loss.
• Before starting the outer cladding, a counter-latten is installed that will hold the waterproofing. Typically a beam of 5x5 or 5x4 cm is used. 5 cm is the optimal size for the ventilation gap between the wall and the finishing material. The selected material is attached to the counter-batten - lining, siding, imitation timber.

Attaching the counter-batten to the posts of a frame house

Overlap

Ceiling beams are attached to the top frame using the cutting method or to metal corners. The notch should not exceed 50% of the thickness of the top trim beam. The cross-section and pitch of the beams depends on the purpose of the second floor.

• If the presence of an attic or a full-fledged residential floor is assumed, then the construction of the floor is similar to the floor of the first floor.
• If there is only an attic above, then the beams are taken with a smaller cross-section.

For ease of work, a subfloor made of 10x2.5 cm boards is laid on the floor. This will make moving easier and make work safer.

If the house assumes a one-story structure, then the upper beams are mounted with a 30-centimeter extension beyond the walls of the frame. This is done to secure the rafters.

Fastening beams using the cutting method

Installation of the rafter system

An important stage in the construction of a frame house, as with any other technology, is the selection of the type and installation of the roof. Frame construction is positioned as fast construction. Therefore, most often they choose a conventional gable design. If all construction standards are observed, the roof of a frame house can be constructed of any configuration and complexity, but this will require more time.

For good snow removal, the roof slope should be more than 28 degrees, but should not exceed 50 degrees - the wind load on such a roof increases several times.

To construct the rafters, boards 15x5 cm 6 m long are taken. The first pair of rafters is assembled from two boards and installed on the edge of the frame. The same pair is installed on the opposite side. Cords are stretched between two pairs of rafters on both sides to control the plane of the roof. The rest of the rafters are set along them. The step between them varies from 60 to 80 cm depending on the choice of insulation. For strengthening, wooden crossbars with a cross-section of 15x5 cm are used. They fasten a pair of rafters like the letter “A”.

Video description

How to make a rafter system for a frame house is shown in the video:

The nature of the lathing depends on the selected roofing material. This can be soft tiles, corrugated sheets or metal tiles. The limitation will be the weight of the roofing material. For example, the use of clay or clinker tiles is not recommended - heavy weight will create additional stress on the frame of the house.

Photos of frame houses

Frame house with balcony

Frame house with classic German exterior decoration

Original frame house with a small roof slope

Frame house with veranda and sloping roof

Factory-assembled two-story frame house

Construction of a frame house in winter

Frame house with a 4-slope combined roof

Conclusion

A frame house is a technology that is only gaining popularity in domestic housing construction. Short construction times and cost savings are significant advantages over other construction methods. But the technology for building a frame house will require strict adherence to all technological processes and stages of construction, which will allow its advantages to be fully appreciated.

Prefabricated houses are attractive because once the foundation is ready, the house itself can be erected very quickly. For example, building a frame house with your own hands, with the help of two people, is possible in a month without haste. And this is if inexperienced workers are involved in the construction, who only know how to hold a hammer in their hands. This is because the assembly occurs step by step: regular repetition of simple actions. It is only important to know how to correctly assemble each unit. Having instructions and understanding the principle of construction, anyone can assemble a frame house on their own.

Frame construction is no less attractive because it can be done at minimal cost. How much money will be required for construction depends on the size of the house and the materials used (type and grade of wood, finishing materials). But in any case, this is one of the cheapest methods. (

Timber frame houses are not the only ones. There are regions where wood is a luxury. They put it there. Despite the fact that metal is not cheap today, it still turns out to be relatively inexpensive.

One more thing. Many people are interested in whether it is possible to leave a frame house unfinished, and if so, at what stages. The answer is yes, and the first stage is known to everyone: the finished foundation is left to winter. The following wintering options are also possible:

• foundation + frame + roof (without floor);
• foundation + frame + roof + external cladding OSB + wind protection;
• foundation + frame + roof + external cladding OSB + wind protection + mounted and insulated floor and ceiling + partitions.

It is dangerous to leave windows and doors unattended over the winter. In other options, delaying the completion of construction is even a good idea: the wood will dry out. In winter, as a rule, there is low humidity and drying is active. At the same time, identify all the jambs in the already assembled part.

After pouring the piles, a grillage is installed, and the reinforcement is laid and tied into it. Longitudinal rods are connected to bent reinforcement outlets from the piles. At this stage, holes are left in the tape for supplying communications and (insert sections of plastic pipes across the tape).

The strapping beam will subsequently be attached to the foundation strip. To install it, studs are fixed in the tape. They are installed in increments of 1-2 meters. From each corner, 30 cm are retreated in both directions. Here, studs are required, the rest depending on the dimensions of the house, but at least every 2 meters. Please note that it is the studs that connect the frame of the house to the foundation. That’s why it’s better to deliver more often. And one more thing: no matter how short the wall is, there must be at least two studs.

When everything is ready, the concrete is poured.

After pouring the concrete, so that it does not dry out, but gains strength, it is better to cover it with polyethylene (look at the photo). If the temperature after pouring the foundation remains within +20°C, construction can continue after about 3-5 days. During this time, under such conditions, concrete will gain more than 50% of its strength. You can work with it freely. When the temperature drops, the period increases significantly. So at +17°C you need to wait about 10 days.

Step 2: Bottom Rail and Floor

To prevent the wood of the frame from drawing moisture from the concrete, cut-off waterproofing of the foundation is necessary. The safest way to do this is with bitumen mastic. And it’s better - in two layers. You can also use roll waterproofing. Roofing felt is cheaper, but it breaks over time. Waterproofing or other similar modern material is more reliable.

You can coat the grillage once with mastic, and roll out waterproofing on top. Another option for cut-off waterproofing under a frame house is two layers of waterproofing coated with mastic: the closer the groundwater is, the more thorough the waterproofing should be.

The first layer is liquid waterproofing. While it is not dry, you can glue a layer of rolled waterproofing on it.

Then the beds are laid - boards measuring 150 * 50 mm. They must be dry, impregnated with bioprotective and fire-retardant compounds. The edge of the bed is aligned with the outer edge of the foundation. In the necessary places, holes are drilled for the studs (the diameter of the hole is 2-3 mm larger than the diameter of the stud). Then the second board is laid. It is placed so as to cover the joint of the first row. It turns out to be a castle.

The second board is laid so that the joints overlap

In general, you can lay one beam of 100-150 cm, but its price is much higher than two boards, which together give the same thickness, and properly fastened two boards have a greater load-bearing capacity, although their installation takes more time. To make them work as a single beam, they are knocked down with nails in 20 cm increments in a checkerboard pattern.

We install the harness and logs

The next stage is installation and installation of the logs. These are the same 150*50 mm boards placed on edge. They are attached with two oblique nails (9 cm) at the end to the trim board, two nails on the right and left to the bed. So each lag is on both sides.

The photo shows that the first joist is installed close to the second - this way the load is better transferred to the foundation. It is installed along the second edge of the bed. The installation step is 40-60 cm. It depends on the length of the span and the cross-section of the lumber used: the longer the length, the smaller the step.

If the logs are long and there is a cross beam, as in the photo above, to prevent the logs from “moving away,” jumpers are placed above the cross beam. Their length is equal to the step of installing the logs minus the double thickness of the board: if the step of the log is 55 cm, the thickness of the board is 5 cm, then the jumper will be 45 cm long.

Insulation and flooring

After the base for the flooring has been installed, it is time to insulate the floor. It can be done in different ways, with different materials. We will show you an economical option - with polystyrene foam boards with a density of 15 kg/m3 (more is possible, less is not possible). It is, of course, not environmentally friendly, but it is the only one that is not afraid of moisture and can be installed without a subfloor. The estimated thickness of the insulation is 150 mm, two layers are laid: one 10 cm, the second 5 cm. The seams of the second layer should not coincide with the seams of the first (they shift).

To begin with, a 50*50 mm cranial block is packed along the lower edge of the log. It will hold the foam.

The foam is cut with a regular hacksaw. The blade can be used on wood - it cuts faster, but you get a torn edge, or on metal - it goes slower, but the edge is smoother. The cut slabs are laid in two layers, the seams overlap. Then they seal the perimeter with sealant to ensure waterproofing.

Next, lay the subfloor from boards, level it and lay plywood on top (preferably FSF 5-6 mm). To prevent the rough flooring of boards from warping, lay the boards alternating the direction of the wave. If you look at the cross section of the board, the annual rings go in a semicircle. So, you need the arc to look up and down (see photo).

You can do without plank flooring. Then the thickness of the plywood should be at least 15 mm. Consider what is more profitable in your region and choose.

In any case, the sheets should be laid in a spaced pattern - the seams should not match (as in brickwork). Also, do not forget to leave a gap of 3-5 mm between the sheets of plywood to compensate for changes in size when humidity changes.

The plywood is attached with self-tapping screws 35 mm long (preferably white ones - less waste) around the perimeter in increments of 12 cm, inside in a checkerboard pattern in increments of 40 cm.

Step 3: Frame Walls

There are two ways: the wall frame is assembled (all or part, depending on the size) on the floor, then raised, positioned and secured. Sometimes with this method, OSB, gypsum fiber board, or plywood are attached directly to the floor on the outside of the frame: the rigidity is greater. This technology is called frame-panel or “platform”. Factories generally operate according to this principle: they build ready-made panels according to the design in the workshop, bring them to the site and only install them there. But frame-panel house construction is possible with your own hands.

The second method: everything is assembled gradually, locally. The beam of the bottom frame is nailed, the corner posts are set, then the intermediate posts, the top frame, etc. This is the technology called “frame house construction” or “balloon”.

Which one is more convenient? It depends on how many people work and whether it is possible, at least periodically, to attract help. Working on the floor is faster and more convenient than jumping up/down a stepladder countless times. But if the section is assembled large, then it will be difficult even for two people to lift it. The solution is either to call help or to break the wall frame into small segments.

Installation step and cross-section of racks

Corner posts should be 150*150 mm or 100*100 mm, depending on the load and the required width of the insulation. For a one-story frame house, 100 mm is enough, for a two-story frame house - at least 150 mm. The intermediate posts are the same in depth as the corner posts, and their thickness is at least 50 mm.

The installation step of the racks is selected taking into account the load, but in reality it is more often selected based on the width of the insulation. If you will be insulating with mineral wool in rolls or mats, first find out the actual width of the material. The gap between the posts should be 2-3 cm less than the width of the insulation. Then there will be almost no waste, no gaps and cracks through which heat will escape. The density of installation of insulation in frames is the main point, because only it will serve as protection from the cold. The slightest violation will lead to the fact that the house will be cold. Therefore, the selection of insulation and its installation must be treated with full attention.

Fastening the racks is possible in several ways: with wooden dowels, with a notch or on corners. The cut into the board of the bottom trim should be no more than 50% of its depth. The corners are attached on both sides. Fastening with dowels is an old technology, but difficult to implement: long dowels are planed, a hole is drilled obliquely through the stand and beam of the lower trim, a wooden tenon is driven into it, the excess of which is cut off. It works well if the wood used is dry. If not, drying out and loss of fastening rigidity is possible. Installation on reinforced corners is much easier.

According to Canadian technology, the beams to which windows and doors are attached are made double. There is more load here, therefore the support must be more powerful.

Reinforced counters near windows and doors are a must. This is the only way a frame house built with your own hands will be reliable

Bevels or braces

If the outer cladding is planned to be made of high-strength slab material - OSB, gypsum fiber board, gypsum fiber board, plywood - temporary slopes are installed from the inside of the room. They are needed to level and maintain geometry until the outer skin is attached. The strength of this material is sufficient to create the required structural rigidity.

If the cladding is planned to be made up of linings, etc. installation of permanent jibs is required. Moreover, the best option is not those that are placed on several racks, but four small pieces for each: two on top and two on the bottom (as in the photo below).

Please note that in the photo above the racks are prefabricated: two boards are nailed together along the entire length in a checkerboard pattern. Such racks have even greater load-bearing capacity than solid ones and cost less. This is a real way to reduce construction costs without losing quality. But construction time increases: you have to hammer in a lot of nails.

Corners of a frame house

The most questions arise when constructing corners. If you place a beam in a corner, then there seem to be no difficulties, except that the corner turns out to be cold. In regions with short and mild winters this is not a problem, but in central Russia it requires some kind of solution.

There are several ways to make the corner of a frame house warm. All of them are shown in the diagrams, so it’s clearer.

After assembling the frame, it is most often sheathed on the outside with OSB, plywood or other similar material.

Step 4: Covering

The floor beams rest on the beam of the upper frame. There are several mounting methods:

• on supporting steel brackets;
• on the corners;
• with insert;

Notching - the depth of the cut should not exceed 50% of the thickness of the top frame timber. It is hammered in from above with two nails, which must go into the harness at least 10 cm. Corners are the usual method. You can use reinforced, but not necessarily perforated staples - the shape may vary

The dimensions of the beams and the pitch of their installation depend on what will be on top. If the second residential floor or, the cross-section is taken larger, the step is made smaller: so that the floor does not sag. If only the roof and attic on top are assumed to be non-residential, these are completely different calculations and dimensions.

If a second floor is being built, the ceiling is sheathed with the subfloor of the second floor. This will make it easier to work on creating the second floor of a frame house. Its assembly is no different from the construction of the first one. The only reason is that all the lumber has to be hauled to the second floor.

Step 5: Rafter system and roofing material

When developing a house project using frame technology, the most popular are or. Their device is no different. All the same principles and calculations. The only limitation concerns the weight of the roofing: it must be a light material, the load from which wooden beams and ceilings can withstand.

To fix the rafters in a given position before the sheathing was filled, temporary jibs were used

Another relatively inexpensive technology

Step 6: Insulation

A frame house can be insulated with any of the materials available on the market with the appropriate characteristics. All of them are imperfect, but all problems have standard solutions.

The most popular insulation for frame walls is basalt wool. It is available in the form of rolls or mats of different densities. It is more convenient to install mats in walls: they are denser and hold themselves well due to the pushing force. To do this, as mentioned above, their dimensions should be 2-3 cm larger than the distance between the frame posts. The mats, of course, are additionally fixed with special fasteners, but it is more convenient to work with than with a soft roll.

Mineral wool has high thermal insulation characteristics and good sound insulation. But there is also a serious drawback: it is afraid of getting wet and it must be protected on all sides not only from moisture (rain), but also from the penetration of steam. Therefore, from the side of the room it is covered with a layer of vapor barrier membrane, which prevents vapors from penetrating inside.

On the street side, the thermal insulation made of mineral wool is covered with another membrane, but of a different type with different characteristics: a hydro-wind-protective vapor-permeable membrane. It is not blown, does not allow moisture in liquid or gaseous states to pass through from the street, and vapors can escape from the insulation: vapor permeability is one-sided. After installing the insulation, only finishing work remains. Actually, that's it, construction is finished.

Now you know how to build a frame house. The detail of some processes is far from complete, but you have a general assembly sequence. Perhaps another video from a professional carpenter who has been building frame houses for decades will help you (see below).

Video instructions for installing frame houses

These are three videos of excellent carpenter Larry Hohn. Each of them lasts more than an hour. The technology for building a frame house on a finished foundation is described in great detail.

According to these instructions, self-construction is possible without any questions: all stages of building a frame house and small details are commented on and explained, down to what nails, what length, how many pieces in what increments, should be hammered into each node. The main problems that may arise and methods for correcting them are demonstrated. If you decide to build a frame house with your own hands, take the time to watch the movie. Much will become clearer to you.

The first part is the lower trim and the floor.

The second part of the video is the design and assembly of frame walls.

The third part is building the roof of a frame house.

If you still doubt whether to build a frame house, it’s probably because you’ve heard that this is a bad technology, that it doesn’t work for us. There is such an opinion. But it is based on the fact that Canadian and American frame houses are built from dry wood, with moisture. no more than 20-22%. In our conditions, wood is brought from the sawmill with almost natural humidity, and this is up to 60%. That’s why the houses twist and turn, they become cold.

But if you are planning to build a house with your own hands, what will stop you from using dry wood? Kiln drying is expensive, the difference per cubic meter is very significant - almost twice. But by stacking the wood on the site in ventilated piles, it can be dried to the same 20-22% within a year. You decide for yourself whether or not to impregnate it with bioprotection before drying. Dry wood does not rot or be damaged by fungi, but it is advisable to impregnate it with bioprotection against insects.

An example of this opinion is in the video. With an explanation of why the technology is bad...