Do-it-yourself construction of a log house from a log. Houses from chopped logs: construction technology. Construction of a log house from logs: building walls

The company "Vityaz-Stroy" brings to your attention unique projects of log houses and baths, which are built using the latest and most efficient technologies, which guarantees reliability, environmental safety and durability of the finished building. Wood is a unique building material that people began to use for personal needs in ancient times. It was this material that served as the best and most reliable for the construction of residential buildings, namely log houses, and for many years its use has not lost its relevance.

The main characteristics of log houses and baths

The creation of projects for houses from chopped logs and their construction is a laborious and responsible work, and it is desirable that the preparation of materials for construction work be done manually. It is manual processing and harvesting of wood that makes it possible to obtain raw materials of the highest quality, and its functionality will be impeccable.

Today, many people order hand-cut log houses, already knowing about their advantages and undeniable performance qualities. Indeed, log houses built from pure natural wood are the most comfortable, reliable and durable dwelling. In addition, wood has a unique property to maintain a good indoor climate, thereby creating an atmosphere of coziness, comfort, warmth, and security.

When planning to build a country house, a cottage or a house for permanent residence outside the city, you should pay attention to the projects of houses made of hand-cut logs, which combine optimal performance, and will also be roomy and comfortable for the whole family, thereby demonstrating ergonomics. architectural design. Modern log houses can embody completely different and often complex architectural solutions: a second light, large multifaceted windows of non-standard shape, bay windows, attics, balconies inside and outside the house, terraces, garages, baths with a pool, etc.

Depending on personal preferences and the needs of a particular family, everyone decides on the project of a chopped wooden house from a log that suits him best: it meets household needs and aesthetic preferences. A turnkey log house project will be the best option for an average family, especially if small children grow up in it, not only in terms of size and spatial amenities, but also in terms of cost and construction costs. And most importantly, it will be an absolutely environmentally friendly log house in which your family will breathe clean, humidified air. In the project of log houses, a favorable microclimate and comfortable temperature conditions will always be maintained, due to the low thermal conductivity of wood. Residents of such a house will immediately feel for themselves how much their well-being has improved and the quality of sleep has improved.

Advantages of log houses and baths

Choosing house designs from chopped logs, everyone makes a profitable and successful investment in their own well-being, in arranging their future and the future of their family. Among the advantages that log houses have, we can name the following main points:

• aesthetic appeal;
• variety of architectural designs of log houses;
• environmental cleanliness and safety of raw materials and materials used;
• maintaining a comfortable microclimate and optimal air humidity in all rooms;
• reliability and durability of buildings;
• the speed of construction and the possibility of using innovative technologies for the construction of a strong and durable home;
• other.

Read more about the benefits of log houses.

Looking at the projects of log houses, you can pre-specify the entire design and layout, materials and felling technology, modify the existing project, which will be exactly adapted to the needs and needs of the customer. Construction of log houses, main aspects.

Stages of construction of houses and baths from chopped logs

There are three main stages in the construction of log houses:

Design and manufacture of a log house

At the first stage, you choose the project of a log house that you like the most, which our architect will help to adjust according to your wishes, if necessary. You can also order a new unique project in which our architect will help you realize your dreams of an ideal home. The construction of log houses is carried out taking into account the topographic features of the area, the size of the site, the wishes of the customer and other factors. After the approval of the project, the foundation for the future log house is erected from a log. Next, you need to start harvesting logs or making a log house. All our logs are harvested at our own base in the Arkhangelsk region and undergo a rigorous selection, so we can guarantee the quality of a wooden frame. It is more correct to harvest the forest in winter, then the wood will not crack as much from shrinkage as during summer harvesting. There are many technologies for manual felling of houses, in particular, “under the bast”, under the planer, cutting in a paw, in a cup, according to Norwegian technology, according to Canadian technology, and others. We will tell you which technologies are suitable for the selected log house project, and you will decide on the one you like the most, after which we will be able to proceed directly to the processing of the log.

Installation or assembly of a log house

A wooden frame is brought by trucks to the assembly site, and laid out in such a way that the logs are ventilated. After the foundation is waterproofed, you can proceed directly to laying the crowns and assembling the log house. Each crown is treated with an antiseptic and laid with a heater. Then gables, ridge logs and a temporary truss system with waterproofing are installed. At the end of the installation, the wooden log house must be covered with mesh and left to shrink for at least a year.

Development of felling techniques

Log houses and baths are built according to several methods, which differ in the principle and quality of the finished structure. There is a division of felling methods according to the place of origin, for example, Russian, Norwegian and Canadian felling. At the same time, the “Russian felling” is still divided into several variations. Consider the methods of building log houses in more detail.

The simplest method of creating a log house is the “cutting into a bowl”, which is so named due to the presence of a corresponding groove on the surface of the log. Less often it is called "in oblo". The crown does not turn over during preparation, which greatly simplifies the work. A semicircular bowl is not equipped with locks, and such a log house project requires more attention from the owners in the future. Corner joints are vulnerable to blowout, and slots tend to trap water. It is not difficult to solve these problems, it is enough to carry out a high-quality caulking at the first sign of the described difficulties.

An improved type of log processing is the Siberian bowl or “okhlop”. Turnkey log houses of this type are somewhat more expensive and the process of preparing the material requires more work and attention. The workpiece is repeatedly turned over during processing, as the most accurate adjustment of the crowns and grooves to each other is carried out. The disadvantages of the previous version of cutting a wooden house from a log are minimized, since the technological grooves are turned down, which does not allow moisture to accumulate in them.

Projects of log houses can be implemented according to an intermediate scenario, which allows you to combine their advantages in one design. In this case, the groove is directed downwards in order not to collect moisture, and the bowl is directed upwards. The shape of the last element is not just rounded, but is equipped with a semicircular ledge. With this form, the crowns of a log house are stacked without voids between the logs.

Log houses are quite common, built and processed according to the “paw-cutting” method, the main advantage of which is significant savings in material during construction. The joints of the log house project have a complicated shape with tightly connected protrusions and grooves. The method allows for reliable fixation of logs, however, it tends to blow more from the corners during operation than when cutting into a bowl. In addition, this method is quite laborious, since the cutting of paws requires great precision and high qualification of the master.

One of the most difficult fellings of domestic origin is the so-called “flap-flap with a cut”. The construction of log houses of this type allows you to give the structure high strength characteristics, as well as reliably protect it from wind and moisture. With this method, a notch remains in the semicircular bowl - an unselected quarter, which is tightly combined with the underlying crown. The complex geometry that a log acquires makes log cabins more difficult to implement, since a high qualification of the master is required.

And the last method comes from the Russian hinterland - this is "hook cutting". Turnkey log houses in this case can be executed in two ways. Firstly, a semicircular bowl can be selected up to the middle of the thickness of the element, and a quarter is removed from above through and through. The result is a shape resembling a hook, with which the crowns are firmly attached to each other. The result is an extremely durable and warm construction. Secondly, the construction of log houses can be carried out according to a similar method with a cut, but the inner part of the log is squeezed under the plane by a quarter, and the spike-cut is equal to the previous element. Both options are laborious and require great skill in execution, while in the second case, the houses also get flat walls inside the premises, which are perfectly combined with modern interiors.

We emphasize that the Vityaz-Stroy company implements the most functional methods at the height that allow you to comfortably live in turnkey log houses of any format.

A log house with a terrace or any other architectural refinement can be realized using foreign methods. In particular, Canadian felling is widespread. In this case, a trapezoidal bowl is performed, pointing down. The construction of log houses occurs when creating a secret ledge or spike, as well as an external groove on the opposite crowns. At the same time, the trapezoidal bowl and the spike lead to self-jamming of the logs, as a result, with shrinkage, the structure only becomes stronger and is not subject to blowing from the corners.

There is a somewhat simplified version of the previous method - “in the saddle”. Externally, turnkey log houses of both methods are similar, but in the method under consideration, a groove and a ledge are not prepared, which simplifies the technology without losing its qualities.

The construction of log houses on a turnkey basis can be carried out according to the “Norwegian” technique, which implies the use of a gun carriage - a log with sawn two opposite sides. The Norwegian gun carriage house is distinguished by its special aesthetics and recognizable shape of flat walls. The main advantage of this technology is the self-jamming of logs during shrinkage, which means high reliability and structural strength, as well as very high thermal insulation.

The latest technology used to build log house projects is the “Swedish” felling. In this case, the rims are cut in front of the corner in the form of a hexagon, which creates an interesting visual image and gives the structure the same self-jamming property. Turnkey log houses with this approach turn out to be somewhat more expensive and more difficult to implement.

The company "Vityaz-Stroy" carries out the construction of houses from chopped logs by any method of manual cutting at the highest level. Our craftsmen have vast experience in building architectural projects of log houses of any complexity. To be convinced of this, you can visit some of the projects of log houses that we have implemented and see all their advantages with your own eyes!

A log as a building material has been used for a very long time, and does not lose its popularity to this day. In addition to environmental friendliness, log houses attract with their appearance and relatively low cost. In this article, we will analyze in stages how to build a log house yourself.

Many companies are engaged in the construction of turnkey wooden houses today. They are also engaged in the preparation and production of logs. The price of a turnkey house depends not only on the size of the house, but also on the diameter of the logs used and the method of their production.

Building a house from a log with your own hands will be much cheaper than ordering turnkey construction. The cost of building materials is comparable to the cost of work. That is, the price of a finished house ordered from a turnkey company is twice the cost of building materials.

Types of logs

Logs are made from softwood, mainly spruce, pine or larch.

According to the method of production (harvesting), a log can be:

- debarked

- scraped

- planed

- rounded

The debarked log is one of the commonly used materials for building houses. Not significant processing helps the tree to keep all its protective properties, which significantly increases its service life. At the price of a house made of debarked logs, they are not expensive, but require additional finishing.

From a barked log, by removing the underbark (bast) with the help of scraping and polishing, a very durable scraped log is obtained. In the process of processing, the logs are adjusted to each other, all irregularities, knots and other flaws are removed. The price of a house made from such a log will already be higher than from a debarked one, since additional processing requires a lot of time. A log house made of a scraped log does not require additional finishing work, but on the contrary, due to the uniqueness of each log, it looks very worthy.

The name itself - "planed log" speaks of the technology of its production. With the help of an electric planer, a small upper part is removed from the logs, and all irregularities are eliminated. Thus, fairly even logs are obtained. Just like with a chipped log, planed logs fit together. Houses made of planed logs are very warm, durable and do not require additional finishing work. The price of such turnkey houses is much higher than that of the above options.

The rounded log is obtained as a result of processing the log on a rounding machine. Due to this, perfectly even logs are obtained along the entire length, which do not require adjustment. As a result of processing, the protective layer is removed from the tree, which can subsequently lead to cracking of the log and rapid damage to the log house (rotting). Houses from such a log are assembled quite quickly, they look beautiful without additional decoration. The price of turnkey log houses is not high, but it is quite difficult to get a high-quality log house from such material.

Project selection

After determining the material from which the house will be built, you can begin to select its project. You can design a small house yourself or find a free project on the Internet. But you should not experiment with the project of a two-story large house. It is better to purchase it in the appropriate organization, which, most likely, will help with obtaining a permit for its construction.

When independently designing a future home, it is necessary to take into account the maximum possible length of logs, which is 6 meters. The height of the future house is calculated based on the diameter of the logs, which is different for everyone, with the exception of the use of galvanized logs.

Foundation for a log house

The foundation for a house made of solid logs must withstand heavy loads. The most suitable is a tape shallowly buried foundation. The price of this type of turnkey foundation in construction companies is quite high, therefore, it is also better to perform this stage of construction on your own.

Before erecting a foundation for a log house, it is necessary to mark the site. To do this, pegs are driven into the corners of the future house, and a string is stretched between them, indicating its contours. Next, a trench is dug with a depth of 60-70 cm and a width equal to the width of the foundation, and it depends on the diameter chosen for the construction of the log. It is desirable that the foundation would protrude beyond the wall by 5 cm from the outside, and by 10 cm from the inside. The internal protrusion is necessary for a more stable and high-quality fit of the floor logs.

A layer of sand (sand cushion) is poured at the bottom of the trench, which is well compacted.

The next step is the assembly and installation of the formwork. It is made from boards or plywood, by assembling shields. The shields are installed on top of the trench opposite each other and are well fastened together.

Reinforcement is placed inside the formwork, which is connected to each other into one single frame. For the foundation for a log house, reinforcement of at least 12 diameters is used, in several rows.

After the formwork and reinforcing frame are installed, concrete can be poured. When buying concrete at the manufacturer, it is necessary to order concrete grade M250. With self-pouring, the proportions are as follows: 1 cement (400): 3 sand: 4.5-5 crushed stone.

Important! In the foundation, it is necessary to provide holes for ventilation of the subfloor. The height of the foundation from the ground should be less than 50 cm.

wall technology

Before laying the first crown of the log house, it is necessary to waterproof the foundation by laying waterproofing material on it (roofing material, hydrostekloizol).

For the first crown, choose the largest log in diameter and the most resinous.

You can also use larch logs, but its price is quite high. To give greater stability to the log, part of it is removed, making a flat area. Treated with an antiseptic solution and laid on the foundation.

For a high-quality fit to each other, a longitudinal groove is selected in the logs. When ordering a finished log house made of logs, this groove is already made at the factory. In all other cases, the groove is made manually.

Video. How to make a longitudinal groove manually:

Logs are stacked groove down on top of each other. For a tight and warm connection, moss or tow is laid between the logs. The logs are connected to each other with the help of wooden dowels, which are inserted vertically into pre-drilled holes.

Corner connection can have several options: with and without a remainder.

When connecting logs with the rest, there will be an overrun of the material, since part of the log protrudes beyond the walls of the house. This method will increase the cost of construction.

The corner joint of the logs must be warm. It can be obtained by joining into a paw (when joining without a remainder) and by joining into a bowl (when joining with a remainder).

If the diameter of the logs is large enough, then, most likely, in order to build a house from a log, you will have to resort to the help of equipment: a crane or a manipulator.

It is easier to build a house from a rounded log than from a regular one. The log is even, all the necessary grooves and corner joints have already been made in production, all that remains is to assemble the designer.

Roof construction technology

After assembling the box at home, it must be protected from the effects of precipitation. To do this, you must immediately build a roof over it.

This will require boards 150 * 50 mm, from which the truss system is constructed. A roof slope of 30 degrees is optimal. The rafters are installed at a distance of 60-100 mm from each other and are attached to the wall in the lower part with long nails or metal corners, and in the upper part to the ridge beam. Roofing waterproofing is laid on top of the rafters, a counter rail is nailed to ensure a ventilated gap, and a wooden crate is equipped.

Roofing material is laid on the crate. In the case of flexible bituminous tiles, a solid plywood base is made. The price of a soft roof is higher than a metal one, but in certain cases (complex hip roofs) its use will be preferable and more expedient.

A log house with an arranged roof will have a beautiful finished look.

Important nuances

After the construction of the box of the house and the roof, the log house must be settled for at least one year. After its shrinkage, you can proceed to the finishing (pigtail) of window and door openings.

As described above, houses made of logs or planed logs do not require additional finishing, but protection of wood from moisture and insects is required. For this, wooden houses should be periodically treated with special solutions and paints. The quality of wood processing will determine how long a log house will last.

To reduce the heat loss of a log house, it must be well caulked.

To build a turnkey log house with your own hands, you need to purchase a suitable project, high-quality and affordable material and follow the technology at all stages of construction.

By choosing or drawing a specific project, and calculating how much building material is needed and how much money is needed to build this particular house, you will understand how much the price of the proposed finished houses in construction companies differs from the cost of building a house with your own hands.

Video. Construction of a house from a log.

19.04.2016 by
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There is a saying among the people “Every successful man in his life should plant a tree, raise a son and build a house.” You planted a tree, your son is almost an adult, it remains to build a house. The question arose before you, what kind of house to build? After a long search for information on this issue, you still decided. You decided build a wooden log house. And this is the right decision, because wooden log house has more advantages over other houses, such as brick, concrete, slag concrete, and other types of houses.

Advantages of a wooden log house

Firstly, a wooden house is much warmer than other houses, since wood helps to retain heat. For reference: the heat conduction coefficient of wood is about 0.15 W (m * K), and the thickness of the logs for the walls of the house should be 22-24 cm. This value for logs is the most optimal in any respect. This house will be very warm in winter.

Secondly, since the tree has a low thermal conductivity, then in the summer, on a hot day, coolness will settle in this house. To maintain this effect, it is recommended to treat the walls with special solutions that prevent the walls from rotting and seal the cracks so that the wind does not pass. Modern technological impregnations contain components that prevent combustion.

Thirdly, wooden walls, as they say, "breathe". Thanks to this, the air, passing through the fibers of the wood, is cleaned, absorbs useful substances from the wood, and penetrates into the room. The house creates a balance of oxygen and humidity (up to 50% of the total volume of all air in the house). And the resin present in the wood fills the house with a fresh smell of needles and disinfects it.

Fourthly, the air in a wooden house constantly circulates. This gives the atmosphere of the house cleanliness, freshness, prevents the appearance of dampness. With closed windows and doors, the influx of fresh air is up to 30% of the total volume. At higher humidity, the tree absorbs it, and at low humidity, on the contrary, it releases it.

Fifth, wood is an environmentally friendly material. It smells good, has a natural beautiful pattern, has positive energy. In such a house, peace and tranquility reign.

Compared to a brick structure, a wooden house is more stable and does not deform due to temperature changes. The tree does not allow condensation to form, absorbs toxins and even tobacco smoke.

And finally, when building a wooden house, you can reduce its cost: saving on interior wall decoration, since wood is beautiful in itself by its texture; at the laying of the foundation, because wood is not a particularly heavy building material. For example, the density of a tree is three times less than the density of a brick. Wooden houses are all-season, you can start their construction, both in summer and in winter.

We start building a wooden chopped house

1. Project selection

2. The right choice of log house

3. Pouring the foundation

4. Assembling the log house

5. Installing the roof

6. Installation of doors and windows

7. Flooring

There are two types of construction of wooden houses: from chopped wood (logs are cut by hand) and from logs processed on a machine. Let's briefly consider both types and define their positive and negative sides.

From a chopped tree, you need to plan the bark and the top layer of wood manually with a special device. It takes a lot of your energy and precious time.

Chopped wood must be perfectly adjusted to one another, cut down, or cut grooves, which will also take a lot of effort and the same time.

After the assembly of all logs is completed, the log house must stand up to one and a half years, so that the tree shrinks and dries out.

But on the other hand, hand-processed logs provide protection against moisture ingress into the layers of wood and create an environment in which mold and fungi do not form.

When manually planing a tree, the natural structure of the tree, the environmentally friendly healing properties of the tree are preserved.

Rounded logs are characterized by the fact that they have the same cylindrical shape with already cut grooves. They are lighter than hand-cut logs. It remains to simply assemble them as a constructor.

In the process of processing logs on the machine, they lose their useful properties, since the upper, protective layer is removed along with the bark.

After considering all the pros and cons of wood, you have to make a difficult choice, and we will dwell on the construction of a log house in more detail.

The construction of such a house requires great qualifications, experience in the field of cutting log cabins, and knowledge on this issue. If you do not have the necessary knowledge, then it is best to buy a ready-made log house, which is made by professionals in this business, which will reduce your time and effort, and the log house will be made taking into account all your requirements.

How to choose the best type of log house

In construction, there are several types of log cabins:

1. Sanded wood frame

2. Log house from planed logs

3. Log cabin made of rounded wood

You will have to make the choice of a log house yourself. It is also worth paying attention to what kind of wood the frame is made of. It can be spruce or pine, aspen or birch, or any other trees. You should also choose the diameter of the log log. The log house of the house in which you will live permanently should have logs with a diameter of 24 cm in its optimal value. It is also necessary to focus on the type of felling of the log house. A log house chopped into a bowl has an internal size smaller than a log house chopped into a paw by 80 cm. It is necessary to ask what time of the year the log house was cut. The log house, chopped in winter, is considered the best, since winter wood has the best qualities and prevents mold and fungi. All corners and logs in the log house must be numbered for subsequent assembly on your site.

log house project

The first thing you need to do if you are planning to build a house is the acquisition of its project. You can buy a ready-made project if everything suits you in it. But if you want something special, individual, then it is better to design the house yourself.

It seems that the initial stage of your idea is ready: the house is designed, the log house is brought to the site, what's next? And then we'll start making the foundation. If you do not plan a basement in the house, then a wooden house does not need a powerful foundation. The type of foundation depends on the climate in your area, the types of soil of the site on which the house will stand with all its structures.

Foundation laying

When laying the foundation, it is not recommended to save on cement, reinforcement and its other constituent elements, since the stability and strength of the house depend on all this. Next, we measure the area where your house will stand. With the help of pegs and ropes, we mark the grooves for concreting the foundation. We make sure that all corner markings are strictly an angle of 90 degrees. Then, along the obtained marked lines, we tear out even grooves for pouring the foundation to a depth of 0.5 to 1.2 meters (the depth of the foundation is reflected in the project). After all the preparations, we build the foundation formwork. At this stage, accuracy and accuracy are important in order for the foundation to turn out to be even and strong.

The next stage is the reinforcement of the foundation. We construct a three-dimensional frame using reinforcement, and the size of the frame is made 15-20 cm smaller than the formwork, and is inserted into its middle. It should be borne in mind that the frame is assembled using wire. Attention: do not use welding reinforcement. Along the length of the frame, rods with a diameter of 1.6 mm are placed, and in height and width - with a diameter of 1 mm.

The last step is to pour the foundation with concrete. To do this, the easiest way is to purchase a ready-made solution and pour it into what you got (into the formwork). At the stage of concrete drying, it must be periodically moistened so that the foundation does not crack. In this case, cover it with polyethylene, and wait for complete solidification. On a ready, frozen foundation, we apply roofing material, lubricated with bitumen mastic for its waterproofing.

We collect a log house

Before starting the construction of walls, on top of the already finished foundation, we construct a mortgage crown.

1. We put a linden board 5-10 cm thick and at least 15 cm wide on two opposite sides parallel to each other on the waterproofing layer of the foundation.

2. We lay the logs on the lining boards and check the correctness of their position with a level.

3. On the logs intended for the other two parallel sides, on the grooves cut in them, we impose material for caulking (linen tow, hemp, and the best option is natural swamp moss).

4. Install the logs on the free two opposite sides. The ends of the logs should rest on the mortgage crown.

5. Align the corners of the logs. Its value must be a strictly 90 degree angle. Be sure to control the level of the structure.

6. We measure the internal diagonals of the log house, make sure that they are equal to each other.

7. We put the numbered logs in the crowns, not forgetting to put warming material under them. We make sure that there are no gaps in the corners, where the logs join, and along their entire length.

8. Similarly to the first, we lay the remaining crowns of the log house, and, at a distance of 5–10 cm, we drill holes through 2–3 logs with a diameter of 2–4 cm to secure the structure being erected. We insert wooden dowels into the drilled holes. We alternate the height of the holes in a checkerboard pattern.

In the process of installing the crowns, it is necessary to constantly hang a plumb line at each corner of the log house to check the structure vertically. The top two crowns are not recommended to be joined with a dowel, in order to obtain the correct shrinkage of the house. After assembly, the log house stands for a whole year, more if time permits. But it is impossible to leave an uncovered log house for such a long time, so it is necessary to bring the log house under the roof.

Building a roof

A structure of rafters is installed on the upper crowns of the log house at the right angle. On top of the rafters, a crate of boards is superimposed at a distance of no more than half a meter from each other. The finished crate is temporarily covered with roofing material. It is not recommended to immediately apply a capital roof covering until the entire house has completely dried.

Asking the question in what kind of house one would like to live, for some reason, a tower from children's fairy tales comes to mind. Why not? A wooden house has a wonderful internal climate: it is warm in winter and cool in summer, always dry, even in very humid areas, the wonderful rich aroma of wood creates not only comfort, but also a wonderful atmosphere for life and creativity. In search of the ideal housing, you inevitably come to the realization that no one has come up with anything better than log houses. They are beautiful, practical, do not require finishing, perfectly retain heat and are absolutely environmentally friendly, if not even healing. The construction of a log house is a very responsible and labor-intensive business, although our ancestors overwhelmingly built such houses on their own, everyone knew the technology that was passed down from generation to generation, but today the thread of knowledge has been interrupted. There were very few good architects left, but industrial methods of building wooden houses appeared. Of course, you can choose turnkey log houses, but within the framework of this article, we will consider options for how you can build a log house with your own hands.

Rounded or planed (chopped) log - which is better?

In total, two types of buildings are called log houses: the first is from chopped logs, i.e. planed by hand, it is also called a "wild log house", the second - from a log rounded on a special machine. Let's see which option is better.

Until the beginning of the twentieth century, all log houses were exclusively "wild log". What does this mean? All logs were processed by hand, from a freshly sawn tree, the top layer, the bark, was carefully removed, while trying to keep the bast layer intact, which protects the deeper layers of wood from moisture from outside. This provided amazing resistance to fungus and mold. It is obvious that the sawn log tapers from the lower end, which is closer to the root, to the upper end, which is closest to the top. Even after processing, this difference in diameter remains, the closer to the top, the thinner the log. A sufficiently tall tree can be sawn into 3 logs: the thickest, the end of which is located near the rhizome, is called a butt, the middle one is a friend, and the top one is a third or top. For construction, it was always the butt that was used, as the most durable, thickest and with a smaller change in diameter. To compensate for the difference in thickness, during the construction of the log house, the butt and the top always alternated. In one crown - the butt "looks" in one direction, and in the next - in the opposite direction. The selection of hand-cut logs is not an easy task, because it is necessary to create an even, solid structure from logs of various diameters.

To this day, the technology for building log houses has come down almost unchanged. Everyone also builds houses from different-sized logs, trying to fit them as perfectly as possible. Moreover, such houses are considered elite housing, and services for their construction are much more expensive than houses made of timber or even logs. This is dictated by the complexity, duration and laboriousness of the work. After the erection of a log house from a chopped log, it must necessarily stand for at least 1 - 1.5 years, during which time the wood will shrink by about 5 - 7%. Only after that you can finish the house: insert doors, windows, carry out communications, etc. In general, in addition to the colossal work of preparing and individually fitting the logs, a lot of waiting time will be required.

Thanks to modern technology, all the inconveniences of using planed logs can be avoided. On special machines in industrial conditions, the logs are processed to a perfectly cylindrical shape, and a groove is cut out in them for further fastening into the crowns. All dimensions are adjusted to the millimeter. This greatly facilitates the work during the construction of the log house, they simply resemble the assembly of the designer according to the instructions and the drawing.

A very light and convenient material for construction, but it has lost all the advantages of a planed log in production. The fact is that during the production process, not only the bark is removed from the log, but also all the upper layers, including sapwood, only mature and sound wood remains, which is not protected from external factors. Therefore, when used, a rounded log is treated with special antiseptics and other antifungal and anti-rotten impregnations, as well as means that prevent insect damage. The result is: comfortable, beautiful, very smooth and less durable and environmentally friendly. In addition, the maximum diameter of such a log is less than 300 mm, while a chopped log can be of any diameter.

For ready-made log houses, the price depends on what kind of log was used: chopped or rounded. Log houses are more expensive. And although many say that they look less aesthetically pleasing, in reality they are not: from a hand-planed log, you can create a custom-made masterpiece that will not look like any other house in the world. At the same time, the walls look primitive and unusual. It is much easier to build a house from rounded logs, especially on your own, since the human factor is almost completely eliminated.

Log houses: projects, technologies, cost

Any construction begins with the creation of a project, and the construction of a log house is no exception. You can take a ready-made project, or you can make an individual one by ordering it in a special bureau. You should not first pour the foundation, and then think about what kind of house you would like to build, because it will be quite difficult to fit it to the dimensions of the finished foundation.

The cost of a log house depends on its number of storeys, material and design complexity. Houses may have one floor, or two or three. The walls can adjoin each other at almost any angle, since a bowl of any shape can be cut into logs. Those. a wall in the form of a polygon for a log house is quite normal.

To date, log houses are built in two ways: logs are prepared directly on the construction site from chopped wood or a house is assembled according to a drawing from rounded logs pre-made and fitted at the factory.

In the first case, the forest is always of natural humidity, i.e. after the erection of the frame, they caulk and leave for a year and a half to shrink, and only then continue work. Installation of windows and doors is carried out according to two technologies: the first is to immediately cut the logs to the required length, leaving room for a window or doorway, the second is based on first letting the wood dry evenly, shrink, and only then, on the next year, cut openings. The second option is preferable, as it ensures the strength and durability of the log house, due to uniform shrinkage. But it's a waste of time. And the first option is faster, therefore it is used more often, albeit to the detriment of the log house itself.

The rounded logs are on sale as natural humidity, and dried up on production. The designer always assumes that all logs already have the final length, it remains only to assemble it. Companies involved in the construction of houses from logs rarely agree to build from raw logs, almost always the fitting and complete assembly of the house is done at the factory, then the log house is marked, disassembled and transported to the site where it is assembled again.

How much a log house costs depends not only on the type of log, but also on its diameter, as well as on the related work that the customer asks to perform. For example, the erection of only a log house from rounded logs will cost approximately 280 - 350 USD. per 1 m2, from chopped logs - at 350 - 450 c.u. for 1 m2. If you order foundation construction, communications, home decoration, in general, everything, then count on 1000 USD from a construction company. for 1 m2.

How to choose the right wood for your log home

Most often, the construction of log houses is carried out from coniferous wood: pine, spruce, larch, cedar, but you can also use aspen, oak, ash and other hardwoods. Pine and spruce is the most affordable material, so it prevails. It is imperative to purchase logs cut down in winter, such wood has ideal moisture resistance indicators.

If there is an opportunity to choose, it is better to opt for northern coniferous wood, it is more resistant to negative influences. A good option is pine from the Baltic coast and Canadian spruce. But the wood harvested in the middle lane is also not bad if all the conditions of storage, drying and transportation are met.

Important! When choosing wood, please note that wood grown in different climatic zones will have completely different characteristics and density levels, despite the same processing conditions.

It is better to buy wood from a proven and reliable harvester. The strength of the whole house depends on this. Wrong with wood - money down the drain. The diameter of the logs is selected depending on the design of the house and the severity of the winter cold. For example, if the temperature in winter does not fall below -20 ° C, 200 mm logs are enough, if up to -30 ° C, then 220 mm logs, and if up to -40 ° C, then 240 - 260 mm. Of course, these calculations are purely advisory in nature. You can safely choose logs of greater thickness, up to 500 - 600 mm in diameter, or use 250 mm logs in a fairly warm climate, the tree compensates for temperature changes.

When you come to a sawmill or a wood storage base, pay attention to the following features:

• The surface of the logs should be yellow or dark yellow.
• The cut should be tight and even, without blue spots.
• The core should occupy ¾ of the cut and have an even dark shade.
• Resin pockets should be absent.
• It is better if there are no branches. But even if they are, they should sit without gaps. If you observe such a picture, then the core is rotten.
• When the ax hits the end of the log, there should be a ringing sound.
• The maximum depth of an allowable crack in a log should be 1/3 of the cut.
• Logs should not be twisted; in the construction of a house, they can only be used for floorboards and rafters, after dissolving them into bars.

Feel free to reject logs with the above disadvantages. If you buy a project house made of rounded logs, be sure to include in the contract a clause obliging you to replace the substandard log at the expense of the company at the first request of the customer. Pay attention to the conditions under which the forest was stored, whether all the requirements were met, or maybe after a couple of months mold will appear on the logs.

Do-it-yourself log house

The easiest option for self-construction is a house made of logs. We will consider it further, since a log house will still require not only the ability to hold a tool in your hands, but also a decent experience in working with wood.

First of all, we order a project or a house according to an already finished project in a special company. After we have discussed all the issues, the factory produces a complete set of logs for our house, as well as floor beams, logs and rafters. In the same place, the house is assembled for the first time to make sure that all the logs are sawn correctly. Then the house is dismantled.

Our participation begins with an inspection of the wood kit. Then we have to prepare a place on the building plot for storing wood by equipping it with a canopy so that the tree does not get wet in the rain.

Log house foundation

Before building a log house, it is necessary to equip the foundation on which it will stand. Since a wooden house is a relatively light structure, the foundation can be made shallow. Most often, a pile-strip foundation is used, pile, slab, and less often buried tape.

Consider a pile-strip foundation.

• We mark the site, then remove the top fertile layer and set it aside for landscape needs.
• For the width of the strip foundation, we excavate the soil to a depth of 30 cm.
• Along the perimeter of the building, with a step of about 2 m, we drill wells with a diameter of up to 180 mm, to the depth of soil freezing, i.e. 150 cm.
• We fill the wells with a layer of sand and gravel.
• We weld the frame from the reinforcement and lower it into the well.
• We fill the well with concrete, then we ram it with a vibrator.
• We install a wooden formwork for the strip foundation. It should protrude at least 50-60 cm above the ground level.
• We weld the frame for the strip foundation and connect it with the reinforcement sticking out of the wells.
• We fill the strip foundation with concrete, compact it and wait until it hardens.

After the foundation has completely dried, you can proceed to its waterproofing. This is especially important, since our house is wooden. We lay roofing material on the foundation in 3-4 layers and additionally coat it with mastic.

Construction of a log house from logs: building walls

Please note that this is extremely important, the first crown - a mortgage - cannot be installed directly on the foundation. Although you can meet such a performance, but know that it threatens that the mortgage crown will quickly become unusable.

So, for starters, we lay the so-called "lining" board made of linden on the foundation. It can be a beam with a thickness of about 50 - 100 mm, and a width of at least 150 mm. Then we begin to collect the log house:

Important! At the bottom of the mortgage crown, an end face with a width of at least 150 mm must be cut off from below. This is necessary so that the house is firmly supported on the plane of the end. If suddenly you notice that the logs of the mortgage crown have the same groove as all the others, contact the manufacturer and demand a replacement.

• The first two logs of the mortgage crown are laid on opposite foundation walls parallel to each other, on a backing board. We carefully check their even location.

Important! All logs in the set already have a groove for longitudinal connection made at the factory and a locking corner connection. Most often, this is a lunar groove and a “bowl” connection.

• On the logs, which we will lay on the remaining two sides, we lay the insulation. We fill the entire groove and recess of the bowl with material for caulking. It can be moss, tow, hemp or jute. Most often, for caulking rounded logs, jute or linen tape insulation is used with a width corresponding to the width of the groove in the log. We spread the insulation so that at the edges it hangs 5-6 cm on each side. Fasten with a construction stapler.

Important! The recess must be completely filled with insulation. When the jute tape is spread, it covers the entire longitudinal groove, but in the bowl it passes only in the middle. Therefore, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe bowl, it is necessary to insulate with two segments.

• We install two logs on the transverse sides of the foundation, resting them on the mortgage crown. The bowls should fit neatly. We check that there is a required angle between the logs, for example, 90 °. We control the level of their horizontalness. The insulation should hang from the log.

• We install all other crowns according to the same scheme, assembling as a designer.
• For greater strength, some technologies involve fastening the crowns together not only with the help of grooves and bowls, but also with dowels. These are wooden slats made of denser wood. A hole is drilled in the logs to a depth of more than one log and a dowel is inserted into the hole.

• The last two crowns are not fixed. This is necessary for proper shrinkage.

Important! All logs must be treated with antiseptics, otherwise they will rot in the first winter.

Do not forget to constantly check the correct installation. The horizontality of the logs and the strict verticality of the log house are obligatory. Holes for window and door frames are provided in the set of houses made of logs. We carefully stack short logs and carefully fix them.

Mounting the roof of a log house

Log walls cannot be left without a roof, so immediately after the walls are erected, we cover the log house. Rafters and beams of overlapping are included in the package. The rafters can be installed immediately on the logs of the upper crown, or you can first lay the Mauerlat (beam for the rafters).

If the project provides for a veranda, then we insert special shrinkage compensators, because horizontally laid logs will dry out and shrink, while vertical ones will not. To prevent the house from warping, all vertical logs must be equipped with compensators.

We connect ridge logs with metal studs. We install the rafters in increments of 600 mm. We use for this timber 50x200 mm. We attach the rafters to the last crown on sliding supports. We lay a waterproofing film on top of the rafters. Then we fix the crate, the step of which depends on the selected roofing material. Lastly, we lay the roofing material.

After the walls of the log house are ready and the roof is mounted, all the insulation that sticks out of the logs should be carefully caulked. To do this, with the help of a caulk (tool), we wrap these 5-6 cm of insulation down, pushing the gap between the crowns inside. Then we make a pushing movement at the top of the gap and in the middle.

In this state: with the roof and the walls caulked for the first time, we leave the house for a year to shrink.

A year later, we repeat the caulking, closing up all the newly formed cracks and gaps with tow, hemp or jute.

Important! Sometimes it is advised to make another caulk after the house has been operated for a whole year with the heating turned on in winter.

Installation of doors, windows, installation of ceilings and floors

All windows, doors and partitions are installed only after the maximum shrinkage of the frame, i.e. one year after construction.

Neither doors nor windows are placed directly into openings. To begin with, wooden casing boxes with compensatory fastening and already in them windows and doors. This precaution is due to the fact that wood is a plastic material. It expands from moisture and shrinks from its lack, moreover, the shrinkage of a wooden house lasts 5-6 years. And although a rounded log is less prone to shrinkage, still casing is necessary.

The floor logs of the first floor cut into the mortgage crown or into the next one. They must be firmly attached. Since the mortgage crown must be well ventilated so as not to rot longer, it is recommended to mount the floor on the logs with the crown higher.

At this stage, it is already possible to mount the heating system and other communications, install internal doors, slopes, skirting boards, plumbing and perform other finishes.

On this log house is ready, you can move in. In conclusion, I would like to note that logs of insufficient length can be joined, but it is important to make a connecting groove, and there should not be many such joints in one wall. In the foundation, ventilation should be provided for free ventilation of the underground. And do not forget, you can’t leave the log house uncovered with a roof or at least with a film, and also don’t treat it with an antiseptic. A rounded log can deteriorate even in one season.