House made of rounded logs: what you need to know before you start construction

A house made of rounded logs is a more progressive analogue of the traditional Russian log house - the hut, which our ancestors built. Although building a house from chopped logs has still not lost its relevance.

Paying tribute to traditions, modern technologies make it possible to obtain a building material - a rounded log that has the same diameter along its entire length, with clearly defined parameters for longitudinal grooves and seats (bowls).

Visually, the modern log house has also undergone changes and began to look much smoother and neater. The operational characteristics of the log itself have also changed. As a result of processing, it has become more stable, resistant to torsion, and most importantly, rounded logs, unlike chopped logs, have no curvature. Stable geometry increases the speed of house assembly and its quality.

Construction of houses from rounded logs - step-by-step instructions, assembly stages

Advantages and disadvantages of houses made of rounded logs

Both advantages and disadvantages can be identified, most of which are subjective or depend on the source material or the quality of processing.

Advantages of houses made of rounded logs

• Predominantly natural materials are used. Usually the finishing is chosen to match the house made from natural materials;

• excellent natural ventilation, due to which there are no prerequisites for the appearance of condensation, dampness, development of cracks and mold;

• there is a unique spirit of natural wood, which has a positive effect on human health; Material prepared for the website www.moydomik.net

• warm in winter and cool in summer. Due to the tight fit of the logs and the low thermal conductivity of the wood itself, a house built from large-diameter logs does not need additional insulation and air conditioning;

• attractive facade, exterior and interior.

In addition, a log house is a strong, reliable, stable structure, the construction of which takes from 5 to 30 days, depending on the project. At the same time, building a house from a log is considered one of the economically feasible projects in private construction, with an optimal combination of price, quality and construction time.

Disadvantages of houses made of rounded logs

Disadvantages need to be considered, first of all, in order to take measures to eliminate them and avoid possible mistakes.

• shrinkage. The main disadvantage of a house made of rounded logs. Note that wooden construction is always associated with shrinkage of buildings, this is due to the characteristics of the wood itself. But, a six-month break in work for the most active shrinkage, the choice of dry material, the use of jacks, strengthening the junctions of logs, etc. nuances will reduce the shrinkage of the log. The optimal figure is 8-10%;

• flammability. Wood burns - that's a fact. But it is not a flammable material, and the likelihood of spontaneous combustion (for example, from electrical wiring) is no higher than in other houses. But it is easier to extinguish a wooden house, and the smoke released during the combustion process is not as toxic as that of the insulation materials used to insulate stone houses;

• cracking. The appearance of cracks is also a natural process for wood. Their occurrence can be minimized by purchasing dry logs and putting the house into operation correctly, in particular the correct mode of heat supply when cold weather sets in;

• care. A wooden house constantly needs maintenance. From time to time it is necessary to caulk the cracks and cover the log to protect it from external factors. But, any private home needs care. Taking care of your own home can hardly be considered a serious drawback.

Stages of building a log house

Before you start building a house, you should prepare the site; you will also need to take care of a sufficient area for storing logs. And having data on the condition of the soil, you can choose the optimal type of foundation and get to work.

For construction, you can hire a construction team, but it is quite possible to build a house from a log with your own hands, although you still cannot do it without assistants and consultants.

Foundations for wooden houses

A wooden house, even a two-story one or with an attic, does not require a powerful foundation, and one-story houses made of rounded logs, in general, can be placed on a shallow strip or slab foundation .

In addition, depending on the type of soil and groundwater level, you can choose a pile or columnar option. And in order to eliminate possible mistakes, which will subsequently affect not only difficulties with the construction of the house, but also its reliability, markings for the foundation should be done very responsibly.

A wooden house can be built with a base, but its height must be at least half a meter and it is necessary to provide vents for ventilation. Or you can put the house on a grillage - this option for wood is very practical and affects its durability, but is used for pile or columnar types of foundation. Subsequently, the grillage is closed, creating an improvised base, or left open.

If you use screw piles for the foundation, then you can start building a house in early spring or even winter, then even finishing work can be completed by autumn. But it is better to give time for the structure to shrink, which in any case is inevitable and takes on average 1–3 years and depends both on the condition of the soil and on the quality of the material, especially its moisture content.

If the foundation is strip or slab, you need to give it time for the concrete to gain strength. And before you begin installing the first crown, you should perform high-quality waterproofing.

Construction of a log house from rounded logs

The first to be laid on the prepared foundation is the embedded crown or lower trim . It is preferable that it be made of larch, or at least aspen. Next, fixation is performed (with metal crutches or reinforcement) and waterproofing of the first crown. The most reliable way to protect it is to coat it with bitumen resin , and storm drains must be installed on top of the trim.

Installation of the next crowns is much faster, especially if logs with already prepared bowls are used for this.

In addition, if log houses are built from material made to order for a specific object or from a ready-made kit, then all logs in this case are numbered and they are installed taking into account their already determined location.

To fasten the crowns together, dowels or tenons are used, which are often made of birch, while a checkerboard order of their installation and a given step within the range of 1 to 2 meters are observed.

In order to avoid violations in geometry or turning out of logs in window and door openings, fastening with dowels in these areas is carried out in smaller increments - on average it is 0.5 m.

After each installed row of crowns, compliance with the horizontal and vertical levels is checked, and the coincidence of the diagonals is also checked.

For corner joints, like any wooden building, you can use different types of ties: “in the bowl”, “in the bowl”, “in the paw”, “with remainder” and “without remainder”, etc. The Canadian “bowl” is especially popular , representing a connection in the form of a cone, which guarantees the absence of cracks after shrinkage and has a beautiful aesthetic appearance “with remainder”.

Before proceeding with the installation of the next crown, insulation , for which it is recommended to use products of natural origin rather than synthetics. Most often jute, tow or hemp are used for this.

It is recommended to install doors and windows in a wooden log house after shrinkage , at least partial, no earlier than a year later. If it is not possible to wait such a period, then you should take into account the percentage of shrinkage and subsequently make an adjustment.

Installation of joists and ceilings

The construction of floors occurs using logs , which are installed on support beams fixed in special holes in one of a number of lower crowns, most often in the first. In this case, the supports can be placed on the foundation, which will prevent unnecessary load on the walls.

After the logs are laid, the subfloor is .

It is imperative that both support beams and logs be treated appropriately and have waterproofing, antipyrite and antiseptic impregnation.

The insertion of roof beams or ceilings between floors is similar to the installation of supports under the logs - for this purpose, grooves are cut out in two adjacent crowns. Most of the interfloor overlap is located in the upper crown - 80–90%, and the rest in the lower one. For support beams, a step of 50–60 cm is used, and for floors it can be somewhat larger; for roofing beams, 1–1.5 m is quite enough.

If the house has a terrace or balcony , then you cannot do without vertical beams. In this case, in order to avoid problems associated with shrinkage of the house, it is necessary to install rubber compensators , which will regulate the uniformity of shrinkage, taking into account the fact that vertical logs do not change their length and can “pull” the entire structure.

Roofing for a wooden house

Installing a roof on log houses is not much different from installing it on houses built from other materials, but there are still some nuances, primarily related to the characteristics of the load-bearing walls.

A conventional rafter system is used, which is attached to the walls, but on special sliding supports - metal elements that maintain the given roof slope even as a result of shrinkage of the house. For rafters, a step of half a meter is used.

Then the sheathing is performed and a layer of vapor and waterproofing is laid, and, if necessary, thermal insulation. A counter-lattice is mounted on top of this structure and you can begin covering the roof with the selected type of roofing material.

How to properly caulk walls

All log houses must be caulked inside and out, that is, using natural insulation, all joints between the crowns must be sealed. Caulking is carried out in two stages:

1. first, immediately after the construction of the log house;
2. the second time - after shrinkage occurs.

Like inter-crown insulation, caulk can be made of jute, hemp, tow or flax.

Materials for caulking walls should be:

• environmentally friendly and non-toxic;
• ensure high heat retention;
• show resistance to moisture and temperature changes;
• not serve as a habitat for various microorganisms;
• durable.

The most practical material is jute , which has the ability, due to the presence of natural resin in its composition, to retain its thermal insulation qualities for a long time, and also serve as a kind of protection against the appearance and progression of rotting processes.

There are two ways to caulk walls: “stretched” and “set”. In the first case, the caulking seems to stretch along the crowns, and in the second, it is “driven” into the space between the crowns.

Caulking is a very important stage in building a house from hand-cut logs, so it should be done carefully. If, trying to better insulate a house, you overdo it, then you can even get the problem of skew or uneven shrinkage of the building.

When is the best time to build a house from rounded logs?

You can choose to start construction based on your own capabilities. Any time, with the exception of autumn, allows construction work to be carried out. However, the most preferred time of year to start assembling a log house is the end of winter. This is due to the following factors:

• winter forest is considered the best for building houses;
• in the winter season there is no precipitation, and it is easier to protect a log from snow than from rain;
• since the house is being built quickly, the developer has spring for the gradual drying of the wood, and summer for the most active phase of shrinkage, and in the fall it will be possible to install a permanent roof.

Project of a house made of rounded logs

Any construction must begin with the development of a project, and the design of a residential building made of rounded logs needs approval from various authorities.

What is needed to design a log house:

• order the development of an individual project, develop the project yourself using computer programs, download a standard project and modify it taking into account the characteristics of the location and operating conditions (you will need to conduct geodetic research);

• calculate the parameters of the future house: total square footage, usable area, number of living rooms, their purpose, take into account the special requirements of residents (for example, pensioners or people with disabilities), take into account all wishes, because the house is being built for the whole family and will be used by several generations ;

• think over the rafter system and choose roofing material. It must be heavy enough to create pressure on the walls and prevent gaps from appearing between the logs;

• will take care of protecting the south side of the house. As you know, it is this material that is most susceptible to rapid shrinkage due to direct sunlight. Therefore, most designs contain a veranda or covered terrace along the south side of the log house;

• make a log sheet - a document that will allow you to order a house kit from rounded logs for self-assembly or will simplify the adjustment of logs when using moldings.

About preparation for building a house

Image 7. An example of a wooden house project.

Before you start construction, you need to be well prepared. It is advisable to use the services of a specialist who knows the specifics of constructing buildings made of wood, and in particular from logs. He will create a project taking into account the characteristics of the construction site and the wishes of the future owner. It is easier to build a house from rounded logs.

In this case, you can use ready-made projects, making minor changes to them, which will allow you to completely prepare a set of logs in production conditions. An example of such a project is shown in Image 7.

Rounded logs have significantly less shrinkage and are treated with high-quality antiseptics. It is very important that the longitudinal groove in them be ideally selected.

If you prepare the groove yourself, you will need a scriber. The process of marking and making a longitudinal groove using an ax or chainsaw is shown in image 8.

Images 8, 9. Cutting out a longitudinal groove and an option for laying logs.

It is necessary to prepare a site for storing the material. Image 9 shows an option for laying logs.

When purchasing material, you need to pay attention to its color. It should be yellow or dark yellow. There should be as few knots as possible and no resin pockets. Cracks should not exceed a third of the cut. The logs must be absolutely even along their entire length and not helical. When examining the ends of the logs, you need to make sure that the core occupies more than ¾ of the entire cut area and that the cut is even and the wood is dense.

It is advisable to build a wooden house in winter in those areas where the winter is real, frosty and without sudden thaws, therefore, the humidity is minimal. However, the foundation must be built in the summer.

The foundation for a wooden house has its own characteristics that must be taken into account. The height of the base must be at least 50 cm. Vents must be provided in the foundation to ensure ventilation of the underground, which will prevent the formation of mold.

Which log is best to build a house from?

A log house will only be able to reveal all its features when it is made of high-quality building material.

How to choose a rounded log? To make the right choice, you need to know the technical characteristics and parameters of the log:

• log diameter For the construction of a residential building for year-round use, only logs with a large diameter are suitable - from 240 to 260 mm or more. Thin logs can also be used if the house is located in a region with a mild climate or additional insulation is expected.

The actual value of the thermal resistance of the walls is calculated using the formula:

After calculation, the resulting value is compared with the standard value for a specific region of residence (reference data).

For example, for Moscow and the Moscow region R = 3.0 (m²*°C)/W.

It should be noted that according to SNiP II-3-79, the value of the thermal conductivity coefficient (λ) depends on the humidity in the region.

Excerpts from SNiP II-3-79 in order of increasing thermal conductivity coefficient of building materials for the dry humidity zone (A) and the normal and wet zone (B)

• logging period . Logs harvested in winter are drier, because... In winter, the process of sap flow in the trunk slows down greatly. And the drier the log, the fewer cracks there will be on the constructed walls. The best forest in Karelia, Arkhangelsk and Angarsk regions.

• breed _ Rounded logs are made from coniferous wood - pine or spruce. However, for the lower crown you should choose denser wood, for example, larch;

• log color . The shade must be uniform, corresponding to the breed, without blue;

• extraneous inclusions . The presence of knots, resin pockets, mechanical damage or biological activity in a quality log is not allowed;

• cracks _ Allowed, but their depth cannot exceed a third of the diameter;

• geometry _ The log should be smooth, not twisted, with neatly cut longitudinal grooves and bowls;

• surface quality . The surface should be flat and smooth. The presence of burrs and roughness indicates poor sharpening of the cutting tool and will require grinding the wall after installation;

• compensation cut . Not every manufacturer makes cuts. However, its presence makes it possible to reduce internal stress in the barrel and reduce the likelihood of cracks;

• profile . There are two types of profiles - lunar and Finnish. The first is more traditional, allowing for quick installation. The second one has shoulders (shoulders) - protrusions on the ridge that protect the junction of the logs from the appearance of cracks during the shrinkage process. In addition, the thermal groove with this profile is larger, which leads to an increase in the number of crowns when building a wall, but makes it warmer, because The width of the wall at the junction becomes larger. For example, a log with a diameter of 220 mm. with a lunar profile, has a thermal groove 110 mm thick, and with a Finnish profile - 140 mm;

• the ratio of the diameter of the core and the total log . It should make up 75% of the cut;

• degree of processing of the log . Antiseptic treatment of logs is a must;

• storage conditions . The logs are stored in stacks, without packaging, in a place with good ventilation, protected from moisture and direct sunlight.

Technology of building a house from rounded logs

Step-by-step instructions for assembling a log house with your own hands or for understanding the construction process when involving private craftsmen or a contractor (turnkey construction). All stages of construction with explanations and photos.

Wooden house construction. Log house construction technology

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A log house is one of the most comfortable and convenient buildings for human life. We can talk endlessly about the advantages of a log house. The main ones include:

• Environmental friendliness and comfortable living. Wood has a unique structure - constant air exchange occurs inside it at the cellular level. The walls of a log house are constantly “breathing.” In your country house, built from hand-cut logs, optimal humidity and oxygen balance will always be maintained. In addition, the natural properties of wood have a very beneficial effect on the health of people living in a wooden house.
• Warm. Due to the low thermal conductivity of wood (3-5 times less than that of brick), log houses are warm in winter and cool in summer. Log walls do not require additional thermal insulation even in the harshest conditions.
• Durability. Log houses made from hand-cut logs are significantly superior in durability to houses made from timber, panel and frame houses, and due to the use of modern fire and bioprotective materials they are close in durability to brick houses.
• Aesthetics. In terms of beauty, it is difficult to find something more natural and suitable for a country house or cottage than the processed surface of natural wood with its unique pattern.

However, all of the above advantages will be fully revealed only if at all stages of construction of a log house the technological requirements developed by the centuries-old history of wooden house construction and necessary to obtain a truly high-quality log house are met.

On this page we will talk about how the process of building log houses from hand-cut log houses occurs when construction is carried out by our company.

In order to build a good log house, you need selected coniferous forest. Softwood logs are distinguished by their smooth and dense internal structure, as well as high air permeability. At the same time, the thermal conductivity of such wood is close to zero, which means the house will always remain warm and cozy. In the Chukhloma region (Chukhloma is a small town in the Kostroma region, famous for its craftsmen in the field of wooden house construction), the best environmentally friendly coniferous forests (pine and spruce) grow, most suitable for the production of log houses and bathhouses. The presence of significant forest areas on lease from our company allows us to make a high-quality selection of timber before the craftsmen begin building the log house. Rented forests are located deep in the forest fund of our region, which in turn affects the quality of the wood. Wood is less susceptible to environmental pollutants. The trunk of these trees is longer and more even, unlike those growing along the edges of fields and roads, which makes it possible to cut large log houses without using “joint” logs. An important advantage is the environmental friendliness and low natural radiation background of our forest, which has a beneficial effect on the human body.

Craftsmen set aside a plot in coniferous forests. This procedure is very important. You need to select an even stand of trees approximately from 23 to 32 cm in diameter. Then this forest is felled by fellers and special equipment and taken to an area specially designated for debarking and cutting logs. Wood intended for felling should not be affected by fungus. To check, the logs are carefully tapped with the butt of an axe, and a clean and clear sound should be heard.

A team of felling experts clears the wood, that is, debarks it with an axe. Also, cleaning can be done with a scraper (this is an ancient tool of craftsmen similar to a sickle; after cleaning with a scraper, the wood will be cleaner and whiter than in a log house made from debarked logs) or with an electric plane (after processing with a planer, the logs become smooth and clean, similar to rounded ones, but at the same time Unlike a rounded log, all the protective layers of the tree are preserved). It should be noted here that in accordance with the technology of building log houses, we carry out processing with an electric planer on the site before cutting the log house (using diesel power plants), which allows us to ensure a tighter fit of the logs in the log house to each other.

Then the craftsmen, according to the design dimensions of the house's log house, saw off the embedded logs from which the first crown will be cut down. It will be thicker in diameter than other logs. This is done so that the lower crown does not rot for a long time and, in addition, floor beams (joists) are cut into it. Then, from the entire debarked forest, craftsmen select logs based on diameter for the next crowns of the log house. When cutting, it is necessary to carefully monitor the geometry of the log house to prevent distortions.

In order for the logs in the log house to fit snugly against each other, the marking of the notches is carried out with a special tool - a line. A log groove and a lock are drawn in the corners of the log house. The castle is usually made in a “bowl” or “paw” (in the bowl the corners are placed beyond the edges of the frame, in the claw the logs are sawn evenly along the walls). After drawing, the lock and groove of the log are sawed out and chopped with an ax. A “level” is used to maintain the verticality of the walls. After the cutting of the last crown is completed, markings are applied at the corners - according to it, the Chukhloma log house is assembled directly at the construction site.

After the log house is cut down at our site in Chukhloma, it is dismantled and delivered by road to the customer’s site. Here, at the construction site, the log house is assembled onto the foundation, but with insulation in the grooves. As a rule, moss or tow is used as insulation for log houses. We prefer to use moss because, unlike tow, it does not absorb moisture and, in addition, acts as a natural antiseptic.

When the log house is completely assembled, the rafter system, attic partition, sheathing, roofing and lining of the gables (if they are not chopped) and cornices are installed, as well as the subfloor is installed. In this form, the log house should stand for 6-9 months, after which interior and exterior decoration can be done.

This break in construction is due to the technology of building a house, namely the fact that when the logs dry, the log house settles, which in turn leads to damage to chimneys, windows, doors, and the appearance of gaps and cracks in the final finishing of the premises. Therefore, it is not recommended to carry out finishing work immediately after assembling the log house.

After shrinking the log house, the log house is finished: installing the floor, ceiling, partitions, covering the attic and veranda, installing doors and windows.

There are many options for interior decoration of log houses, so we will not dwell on it in detail. Let us only note that in order for a log house to be truly warm, a year and a half after installing the log house, it is necessary to caulk the log house, since when the logs shrink, they dry unevenly and cracks appear between them.

Here we have listed the main stages of construction of log houses, during which your house will become a reliable and comfortable home for you for many years, however, there are many more nuances that cannot be described in a short article and which craftsmen pass on from generation to generation. By ordering a log house from our company, you will receive a reliable, high-quality log house, the construction of which will comply with all the necessary technologies for wooden house construction.

We are the only construction company in Chukhlom. We build wooden houses and bathhouses from logs for you

Foundation for a house made of rounded logs

The strength and stability of the house, as well as the uniformity of shrinkage, are determined at the stage of laying the foundation.

The cost of the foundation for the construction of stone houses is up to a third of the construction budget. Wooden houses are much lighter, and therefore the requirements for the foundation are more flexible.

For a house made of rounded logs, it is better to pour a strip foundation or install a columnar (pile) foundation. The type and depth of installation depends on the characteristics of the soil: type, freezing depth, groundwater level, relief.

The recommended height of the foundation (basement) is 40-50 cm from the ground (to protect the logs of the lower crown from snow and splashes of rainwater). For the same purpose, a visor (low tide) is made along the upper edge of the base to reflect splashes.

Before starting work, the foundation must be checked with a level, because laying logs requires a perfectly flat surface.

After the walls are built, the foundation will be covered with tide to protect it from water.

Foundation waterproofing

Due to the fact that wood and concrete have different thermal conductivity, the wood of the lower crown needs protection from moisture and condensation. To do this, the foundation must be insulated. As a waterproofing material, roofing material is used, laid in two layers, and glass insulation (in one layer). The material should lie flat on the surface of the foundation and protrude beyond its edges by 30-50 mm.

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Today, in the construction of country houses, some use modern materials and technologies, creating a house from foam plastic and aerated concrete, while others lean towards traditional methods and build houses from wood or adobe. But there is another way to combine technological advances and traditions. Those who choose this path build houses from rounded logs. Such a house has a number of significant advantages over a house made of artificial materials; moreover, anyone who knows how to handle carpentry tools and has at least a little understanding of the construction business can build a house from rounded logs with their own hands.

1. Preparing to build a house
2. Construction of a house from rounded logs
   Foundation
3. Walling
4. Creation of interfloor ceilings and floors
5. Roof
6. Caulk
7. Installation of windows and doors
8. House made of rounded logs: video

Preparing to build a house

To build a house from rounded logs, you will need to acquire drawing and design documentation. For the project itself, it will be necessary to carry out geodetic work on the site and, taking into account the recommendations of the architect, the data obtained will be documented in detail. Based on the data received, the architect will create a project taking into account all the features of the area and the personal wishes of the customer. In addition to creating a project from scratch, you can purchase ready-made projects of houses made of rounded logs and, if necessary, make changes to them. Typically, such house designs are offered by organizations that produce logs. This greatly simplifies the production and construction of houses from rounded logs for a specific project.

Of course, if you have the desire and skills to work with the ArchiCAD program, you can complete the project yourself. But it’s still better to order logs for your home from the manufacturer. This is many times easier than renting equipment and producing rounded logs directly on the site. And there are more than enough reasons for this. The first, and perhaps the main reason is the moisture level of the log. During production, logs undergo special drying, which reduces their shrinkage to 1%. For comparison, logs with natural moisture shrink up to 10%. Secondly, on an industrial scale it is much easier and better to treat wood with fire retardants and antiseptics. Thirdly, it is difficult to ideally select a longitudinal mounting groove in field conditions, but in production this is a common occurrence.

Unfortunately, due to various circumstances, even factory production of rounded logs does not guarantee ideal quality. Therefore, when purchasing logs, you should approach their selection with increased attention. To do this, you need to focus on the following indicators:

• Log color. It should be yellow or dark yellow.
• No resin pockets and complete or partial absence of knots.
• If there are cracks on the log, they should not exceed 1/3 of the cut.
• The logs themselves must be perfectly even in length and not twisted.
• The core of the log should be 3/4 of the cut, and the cut itself should be smooth and dense.

In addition, to the above basic indicators, it is necessary to add several more features that significantly influence the choice of wood. First, when the trees were cut down for logs. It is best if in winter, then the log will have the best moisture resistance. Secondly, the type of wood and the region where it grows. Coniferous logs are chosen for the walls, and those that grow in the north are considered the best. For embedded crowns and strapping, you should choose larch or aspen. These breeds are famous for their strength and resistance to negative influences.

The finished house project, in addition to drawings and other documentation, must contain the estimated amount of materials used and the amount of work. Based on this, you can get the cost of building a house. Typically, prices for building a house from rounded logs start from 300 USD. per 1 m2 and fluctuate depending on the prices of materials and the complexity of the work. The table below shows the total amount of materials for a two-story house with a total area of ​​180 m2.

Based on these data, you can draw conclusions about the required materials and scope of work for your own project and the total cost of construction. In addition, I would like to note one more important point. The overall cost of a log house is also affected by the diameter of the log used. The larger it is, the more expensive it will cost to build a house.

Construction of a house from rounded logs

Having acquired the design documentation and handed over a copy of it for the production of logs, you can begin preparing the site for assembling the house. This primarily concerns clearing the site of debris, trees or shrubs that interfere with the construction of the house. After that, a site for unloading and storing rounded logs and access roads are built. In addition, you should arrange a free area directly next to the future wall of the house for preparing and lifting the logs upward. All work on building a house from rounded logs is best done by a team of 5–6 people.

An important point in building a house from rounded logs is the favorable time of year, and this, oddly enough, is winter. Actually the secret is simple. In winter, the air is driest, and wood does not absorb moisture. Accordingly, shrinkage of the house will be minimal. But this approach is valid for those regions where there is low humidity and sub-zero temperatures in winter. If in your region the winters are less frosty, and it sometimes snows, you will have to equip a storage facility for logs, where they will be protected from precipitation. The exception is laying the foundation. It must be done before the cold weather arrives, otherwise the strength of the concrete will be low.

Foundation

Since a house made of wood is much lighter than a house made of stone, the foundation for it can be made lighter. The most suitable are shallow strip, strip-pile and shallow slab foundations. Which one to choose depends on the properties of the soil and natural conditions. In fact, the choice of foundation type is determined at the design stage, when all geodetic work has been carried out and the architect begins to create the project.

Laying the foundation begins with marking . To do this, we drive pegs in the corners of the future house and stretch the cord between them. To control the correctness of the geometry, we use a fairly simple method. We stretch the diagonals between opposite corners and then measure their length. If the perimeter has right angles, then the length of the diagonals will be the same; if not, then you will have to rearrange the pegs so as to even out the distortion.

In the case of arranging a slab foundation, the designated perimeter will be sufficient and you can begin to excavate the earth. For pile-strip and conventional strip foundations, additional markings will have to be made. To do this, indent the corners of the perimeter to the required width, insert pegs and pull a string between them. We check the correctness of the angles using diagonal connections. When everything is perfectly leveled, we proceed to excavation. The depth depends on the occurrence of groundwater and can range from 0.5 m to 1 m. In the case of a pile-strip foundation, you will also have to drill wells to a depth of 1.5 m.

Now we are setting up the formwork for pouring concrete . For these purposes, you can use moisture-resistant plywood, rejected boards or rented special boards. We knock the boards and plywood together, ensuring a tight fit so that there are no gaps left. Having installed them in place, we make spacers for the strength of the entire structure. It is also necessary to remember about vents in the foundation. To create them, it is enough to take a piece of log with a diameter of 15 - 20 cm, wrap it in glassine or roofing felt and securely fix it so that the block does not move during pouring. After pouring the concrete, hardening it and removing the formwork, carefully remove the bars and get a smooth round hole.

In parallel with the arrangement of the formwork, we create a reinforcing frame for the foundation . For these purposes, we use a special reinforcing mesh or weld reinforcement rods together. We lower the finished frame inside the formwork and begin pouring concrete. The concrete itself can be ordered ready-made, and it will be delivered with a mixer, or it can be made directly on site. Upon completion of the pouring, we leave the foundation to gain strength for 30–40 days. During this time the logs will be made.

Important! Despite the simplicity of the task, creating a foundation for a house from rounded logs has a number of key points, failure to comply with which will lead to the destruction of the wooden walls. Firstly, the height of the base must be at least 50 cm. This will protect the logs from getting wet and rotting during the spring melting of snow and rain. Secondly, when creating the foundation, it is necessary to arrange vents for ventilation of the underground. Otherwise, moisture will accumulate there, which will affect the walls, floors, microclimate of the house and lead to the appearance of fungi, mold and rot.

Walling

After the foundation has gained strength, rounded logs have been manufactured and delivered to the site, you can begin to build the walls. We begin the work with arranging waterproofing of the foundation . For these purposes we use roofing felt, glass insulation or other rolled material. We lay materials like roofing felt in two layers, glass insulation can be laid in one. Since the work is carried out in winter, you must first remove the snow and warm up the surface of the foundation with a burner, on which to lay the waterproofing. The insulating layer itself should lie evenly, without distortions, and protrude beyond the edges of the foundation by 3–5 cm.

The next step is to lay the bottom frame from wooden support beams . Beams made of larch or aspen are perfect for these purposes. We lay the beams themselves in two rows in the middle of the foundation and temporarily secure them. After this, using a hammer drill, we drill through holes and finally fix the beams using metal pins from the reinforcement. Finally, we coat the beams with bitumen mastic.

Important! Before finally securing the beams to the foundation, we check their geometry using diagonal connections. If necessary, we level it and then secure it. A slight discrepancy of up to 5 mm is allowed. Before laying the beams, thoroughly soak them with an antiseptic. When constructing wooden houses, rounded logs and other wooden structural elements must be carefully treated with fire retardants and antiseptics.

Having completed work with the support beams, we proceed to laying the embedded half-logs. Why half logs? In order for the walls of the house to be stable and last long enough, their base must fit tightly, without gaps, to the frame of beams. Therefore, the bottom of the logs of the embedded crowns is cut so that it is even, in contrast to the logs for the walls, the bottom of which has a longitudinal groove in the shape of a crescent. We install storm drains on top of the trim. Laying is done as follows. First, we lay out the logs along walls parallel to each other. Then we lay logs on the free walls, which will overlap the previously laid ones. At the same time, in the corners and joints in the upper logs we make a groove for tying the logs together. For structural strength, we connect the joints of the logs with metal staples, which we then recess into the log. We attach the mortgage crowns themselves to the harness using dowels.

Important! Corner connections of logs can be made in several ways: “into a cup” (Russian or Canadian) and “into a paw”. The “paw” connection implies the creation of corners without leaving a trace; the corner connections are strong, but they do not look aesthetically pleasing. The cup, on the contrary, looks beautiful, but after shrinking, cracks may appear. For those who prefer a cup, we can recommend using a Canadian cup. It is made in the form of a cut cone, and after the wood shrinks, it retains the reliability of the connection without cracks.

Further construction of walls occurs as follows. Maintaining the stacking sequence, as for the embedded crown, the logs are stacked on top of each other . Before laying each next log, a tape insulation made of jute, hemp or tow is attached to the longitudinal groove. The assembly is carried out according to the drawings, and thanks to the industrial production and timbering of the house from rounded logs, the work is completed quite quickly.

Each new log laid is strengthened with a dowel - a wooden stake connecting two or three logs together. To secure the log, after laying and checking the correctness of laying, it is temporarily fixed with nails on the sides. This is done so that when drilling a hole for the dowel, the log does not move to the side. After that, take a hammer drill with a long drill with a diameter 5 mm smaller than the dowel used, and drill a hole through two or three logs. The dowels themselves are made with a diameter of 20 mm. Now all that remains is to drive the dowel inside, thereby tying the logs together. The first dowels are driven in near the corners of the house, the next ones in increments of 1 - 1.5 m. On every fourth log, the dowels are shifted relative to those driven in earlier. The result is a staggered arrangement, which increases strength. While laying the logs, we constantly monitor their horizontality and the verticality of the wall, otherwise the entire structure may collapse. Having secured the log with dowels, remove the nails driven in to secure the log.

Creation of interfloor ceilings and floors

When we build houses from rounded logs, we need to take care of the flooring in a timely manner. In such houses, the flooring is a wooden floor on joists , and its creation will require some skill. To do this, at the beginning of laying the first crowns, you will have to cut into them and lay support beams. To do this, it is necessary to mark the installation locations of the beams according to the project. Then use a chainsaw to carefully cut a rectangular groove inside the log. The depth is taken so that the beam rests firmly on the foundation. Then saturate the beam with fire retardants and antiseptics and put it in place. Next, you can make a rough flooring from boards and continue building the walls.

Important! To ensure the reliability and strength of a wooden floor, supporting columns made of brick, logs or concrete are created under the floor support beams.

If the house is two-story or more, interfloor ceilings are created using the method described above. That is, the interfloor beams neatly cut into the crown logs. But unlike the beams of the first floor, the insertion of interfloor beams occurs in such a way that 90% of the groove is in the upper log, and 10% in the lower one. After all work on the construction of the house has been completed and after it has settled, the floors can be finally installed.

Roof

The roof structure is familiar to everyone. It consists of a rafter structure, a thermal insulation layer and roofing material. But there are several significant differences that distinguish the roof of a house made of rounded logs from the roofs of ordinary houses. Firstly, this is a ridge run. It is part of the internal wall, so this should be taken into account when designing. But this is for large houses. In small ones, the ridge run is made in the usual way. Secondly, the rafters are fastened in a special way , and the log of the last crown acts as the mauerlat. To install the rafter leg, a cutout is made in the Mauerlat at an angle that corresponds to the angle of inclination of the roof. The rafter leg itself is fixed using metal elements, which will slide during the shrinkage of the house, while maintaining the angle of inclination and the strength of the connection with the walls.

Assembling the roof is quite simple. The first two rafter legs are raised up and connected at the beginning of the ridge at the required angle, after which a cutout is made in the Mauerlat and the rafter leg is placed there. The same operation is performed for the second pair, but at the end of the skate. By pulling the string between them and leveling the horizontal, both trusses can be finally secured. The remaining rafters are installed under a tensioned cord in increments of 600 mm. A sheathing and a layer of waterproofing are installed on top of the rafters. Finally, the counter-lattice is installed and the roof covering is laid.

Caulk

The second stage of construction is completed by caulking the walls. It is performed with a special tool that pushes the heat-insulating material into the joints between the crowns. There are two options for caulking. The first is adding thermal insulation to the joint. The second is caulking of protruding thermal insulation, laid during the installation of the crowns. How the caulk will be made depends on the width of the insulation used. Having finished caulking the walls and joints, the house is left for 1 year for the logs to shrink. Only after this can you begin finishing work and additional caulking of the walls.

Important! To insulate and seal cracks in a house made of rounded logs, it is prohibited to use mineral and glass wool, as well as polyurethane foam.

Installation of windows and doors

After the house has stood for a year and the logs have settled a little under their own weight, you can proceed to installing windows and doors. To do this, a ridge is made in the vertical part of the openings. Then the casing for windows or doors and fixed there. This is necessary to compensate for shrinkage during operation of the house. The joints between the frame and the wall are filled with a double layer of insulation. The windows and doors themselves are installed in the casing. The photo showing a window opening for a house made of rounded logs shows the method of arranging such an opening.

You can build a house from rounded logs with your own hands in a fairly short time. But you can complete the finishing work and move in after a year. Such a long period may seem unacceptable to many. But those who have waited for this hour can without hesitation be proud of an environmentally friendly home that is useful for a healthy life.

House made of rounded logs: video

Laying the crowns of a house made of rounded logs

The crown is one row (belt) of logs laid along the perimeter of the building. The assembled and fastened crowns form the walls of the house.

When building a house from rounded logs, different types of crowns are used:

• the frame crown is the first row of logs that are laid on the foundation (also called the lower, first, mortgage);

• bottom trim - the second (lag) crown, which allows you to form a subfloor in a house from rounded logs, as well as an interfloor ceiling;

• ordinary crowns - the remaining rows (wall);

• window - are shortened logs (short logs) from which window openings are made;

• window sills - logs laid from the bottom crown to the window;

• over-window - logs laid on top of window crowns. The first crown above the window is the closing crown.

• the top trim is the basis for constructing the roof truss system.

Regardless of the type of crown, each log must be coated with an antiseptic before laying. This will protect it from all sides, incl. at the junction. The treated log will be protected primarily from biological activity and will prevent rotting.

The first crown of the house (flat or bottom)

To lay the first row, denser logs are used, usually from larch. Hardwoods are more difficult to process, so they are less common on sale. But, aspen and oak are perfect. Before you begin laying, you need to make a longitudinal cut on the log. Unlike the grooves that are on every log, the cut is needed to ensure that the log rests on the foundation with the maximum area. This will distribute the load evenly and make the log house more stable.

Advice. Some users recommend making a backing crown from laminated veneer lumber, as the material that is most resistant to deformation, or a backing board.

The logs of the embedded crown are treated with antiseptics in 2-3 layers.

After laying the first crown, the diagonal of the laying is checked; the discrepancy should not exceed 5 mm.

Beams and halves of logs (cut in half) for the frame crown and wood processing

Laying timber under a frame crown made of rounded logs

The first (flat) crown made of rounded logs

Note. The foundation log is not attached to the foundation.

The second crown (lag) is the lower trim

The floor in the house is made of rounded logs and is formed directly during the process of laying the crowns. Logs can be installed in the first crown, but insertion reduces their strength. Therefore, according to new technologies, logs are installed in the second crown on support beams.

Bottom frame of a house made of rounded logs

Laying the second crown of a house made of rounded logs (bottom trim device)

How to embed floor beams (joists) in a log house:

• the beam is fixed with a pin made of reinforcement, which is inserted into a pre-drilled hole or using a metal support for beams (joist holder);
• the beam is impregnated with antiseptic and fire retardants;
• places for installing beams are outlined;
• a groove is cut inside the log (using a chainsaw). The depth of the groove is selected so that the support beam fits firmly into the log;
• installed in a prepared place;
• After the erection of the ordinary walls, logs will be laid on the beam in increments of 600-700 mm.

Technology of inserting floor beams into logs

How to cut a groove in a log for a beam with a chainsaw

Shallow cutting of floor joists into logs

Deep cutting of floor beams into a log

Method of installing floor joists on a support beam

Floor joists rest on a beam attached to the foundation

Installation of floor beams in a log house

Fastening unit for floor beams in a log house

Installing a floor along logs in a log house

Fitting chipboard floor joists for subsequent insulation

Ordinary Viennese

Ordinary crowns are laid in the same way as the first, with mandatory checking of horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines. Rolled insulation, usually jute fabric, is placed between the crowns.

Note. The vertical check is carried out from the inside of the wall.

The figure shows how to lay a rounded log correctly.

Laying ordinary crowns of a house made of rounded logs

Construction of house walls from rounded logs

Construction of internal walls of a log house

Installation of shortened logs (short logs)

Phased construction technology

Before you start building a log house with your own hands, you need to carefully prepare the site and also provide a place for storing logs. The type of foundation is chosen taking into account the characteristics of the soil , and when the foundation is ready, construction begins. You can hire a team of craftsmen, but many decide to build log houses with their own hands, although they cannot do without competent assistants who can always advise on all questions that arise.

Foundation

A two-story wooden house with an attic does not need a powerful foundation, let alone a one-story dwelling, where a shallow strip foundation or slab support is quite suitable, and if the soil allows, you can use piles or posts with a grillage. If desired, you can arrange a plinth, but here you need to respect its height (up to 50 cm) and the presence of air vents. Read how to choose the best type of foundation for a log home.

Scheme of a shallow foundation
As a rule, houses made of calibrated logs are placed on screw piles from the end of winter, then all work will be completed in the fall. Before finishing, you need to allow time for shrinkage, which may take from 1 to 3 years. The strip or slab base for the log house must completely harden and gain strength, and before laying the first crown, the foundation must be provided with waterproofing.

Crowns

The technology by which log houses are erected, at the first stage, involves installing a mortgage crown or lower trim on the foundation, as well as its fixation and waterproofing. It is desirable that larch or aspen be used as the material here, and it is best to coat it with bitumen resin.

Storm drains are installed on top of the trim. Each subsequent row is installed faster, especially if the timber has bowls. The numbering of each wooden element speeds up the work even more, which is typical for a ready-made kit for a separate project. So, each log is installed at a specific location.

The crowns of a house made of rounded logs are fastened with dowels or tenons in a checkerboard pattern in increments of 1 - 2 m. In order to maintain the geometry and prevent its violation in the area of ​​window and door openings, in these areas the spacing between dowels is reduced to 0.5 meters. Each row of crowns made of rounded timber is checked by a horizontal and vertical level and the coincidence of the diagonal lines is checked.

Layout of dowels for fastening the crowns
At the corners, the log house can be connected in several ways:

• "to the oblo";
• "into the bowl";
• "in the paw";
• "with the remainder";
• "without a trace."

Before installing the next crown with your own hands, the previous one is treated with insulation, preferably of natural origin. These can be fibers of tow, jute or hemp. Please note that wooden houses made from rounded logs shrink, so it is advisable to install windows and doors after about 12 months.

Floors

The log house must be equipped with logs on which the floors will be installed. The logs themselves, pre-treated with antiseptics and fire retardants, are laid on support beams fixed in the technological holes of the lower crowns. The supports can be installed on the foundation, which eliminates the creation of loads on the walls. When the logs are in their seats, begin laying the subfloor.

Correct installation of floor beams

The insertion of beams for the roof and interfloor ceilings is carried out in the same way as in the case of supports for logs. Make sure that the main part of the overlap (about 90%) is in the upper crown, and the remainder in the lower one. The support beams are installed with your own hands in half a meter increments; for floors this distance can be increased (up to 1.5 m). If a log house made of rounded timber will be supplemented with a terrace or balcony, it is necessary to install vertical supports with rubber compensators for uniform shrinkage. Read more about the construction of floors using wooden beams.

The technology for installing a roof on a log house is practically no different from that which is performed when installing a brick house with your own hands, but still, there are some features. So, here the rafter system is attached to sliding metal supports, which maintain the given roof slope even when the log house shrinks. The rafters are mounted at a distance of 50 cm from each other.

Roof structure

Next, the construction of the sheathing and the laying of steam and heat insulation materials are carried out. Then comes the counter-lattice and, in fact, the decorative cladding itself.

It is quite possible to build a house from rounded logs, knowing all the rules discussed here, the main thing is to follow the technology and choose high-quality material. If you are confident in your abilities and accept full responsibility for the final result, then your log house is worthy.

Methods for joining logs in a log house

Regardless of how the type of crown is laid, special attention is paid to the formation of longitudinal, corner and T-shaped connections.

For chopped logs, three “bowl” cutting technologies are used: Russian, Canadian and Norwegian log cutting, as well as “paw” cutting. For rounded logs, the formation of planting bowls is typical using Russian technology:

Longitudinal connection of logs (lengthwise)

To lengthen a log, a dovetail joint is used, since it allows you to create the most durable and reliable joint connection.

Dovetail joining of logs (trapezoidal tongue-and-groove joint)

Longitudinal connection of logs to studs

End connection of logs to staples

End joining of logs on brackets

Splicing logs along the length - tongue and groove on brackets

Type of tenon joint of logs along the length

Corner connection of logs

Planting bowls are usually made in a factory way to form a “bowl” joint in half a tree.

When building a house from rounded logs, three types of angular connections with the remainder are used:

Corner notch “in the oblo” from logs and a carriage with the remainder (half a tree, a rolled bowl, a fat tail)

Cutting “into the bowl” or “into the cloud”

In this case, the connection has a residue, looks beautiful, but increases wood consumption.

The technology for installing rounded logs using this method has three varieties:

• with an oval comb . There is an oval ridge in the recess of the bowl;

• half a tree . A seat is cut out in half the diameter of the upper and lower logs;

• in the fat tail . In the recess of the bowl of one log there is a special recess, and in the bowl of the other log there is an additional protrusion.

Types of cutting corners from logs “in a clap”, connection with a ledge

Cutting "in a hurry"

This fastening method is distinguished by cutting out a bowl in the lower part of the log; as a result, the upper log seems to slam down the lower crown, which is why it is called clap.

Cutting a corner from logs “in okhryap”, corner knot with remainder

Cutting "in the okhryap"

When cutting corners using the “sharp” method, the log has additional notches in the seats.

Much less often they use the residue-free connection method - “in the paw” . In turn, it has three options: a simple (straight) paw, a paw with a cut, and an oblique paw with a cut.

Corner cut of a log - straight paw with a notch

Corner felling of logs - oblique paw (dovetail) without residue

Connecting logs in the corners without leaving a trace - an oblique paw with a cut

T-joint of logs

Connection (cutting) of internal walls into load-bearing ones - dovetail and into a bowl. This is done using a dovetail connection (residue-free method) or “into a half-tree bowl” (connection with a remainder).

Dowel for logs

To give rigidity to the wall, the logs are fastened together using dowels - wooden fasteners. Often dowels are cut from the remains of a log, but it is more correct to use special fasteners for this that meet the following parameters:

• made of hardwood (for example, birch). This type of dowel is more durable compared to coniferous ones;
• the diameter of the dowel (usually 25 mm) exceeds the diameter of the hole by 2-3 mm;
• has a square shape (ensures uniform shrinkage);
• humidity corresponds to the moisture content of the log.

Note. Metal dowels or dowels made of corrugated fittings are not suitable for installation. Iron dowels tend to rust, and on corrugated reinforcement the log will hang during the shrinkage process and there will be cracks.

Layout of dowels in a log wall

How to install dowels correctly:

• Once the log is in place, it is temporarily fixed with nails. In this way, the displacement of the log during the drilling of a hole for the dowel is prevented;

• drill a hole for the dowel. Moreover, the diameter of the drill is 3-5 mm less than the diameter of the dowel;

• a hole is drilled through 2-3 logs;

• the dowel is driven into the hole using a mallet. It must enter with force. To simplify the installation of the dowel, it can be sharpened from below;

• The first dowel is installed at a distance of at least 200 mm. from the edge of the log;

• all dowels are recessed into the wood to a depth of 2-3 mm. Protruding fasteners will cause logs to hang; Material for the site www.moydomik.net

• The step for installing dowels in a log is 1-1.5 m.p. In piers, the installation step varies and depends on its length. There should be at least two dowels per log;

• installation is performed in a staggered manner. To avoid confusion and install fasteners correctly, craftsmen advise marking the installation locations of the dowels with a pencil on the inside of the wall;

• installation displacement occurs on every fourth log;

• after fixing the log with a dowel, the safety nails are removed;

• After some of the logs are fastened with dowels, they are pushed down with a mallet so that they accurately occupy the seats. This helps reduce the amount of shrinkage.

How to drill holes for dowels in a log

Hole for dowel in log

Birch dowel for logs

Metal dowel for logs

Log as a building material and a tool for its processing

Image 1. The scriber, thanks to two bubble levels, will help make more accurate measurements compared to the line.

For private housing construction, wood can be considered an ideal building material. With the relatively light weight of wood, it can be used to build a durable low-rise building. Therefore, if you wish, you can build both a house and a bathhouse from a log with your own hands. To build a wooden house, you will need the following tools:

• axe;
• hand saw;
• electric drill;
• electric saw or chainsaw;
• the “dash” marking tool (scriber), shown in image 1.

A log processed by hand by removing branches and bark is called wild, while a log processed on special machines is called rounded.

Building a house from hand-processed logs is much more difficult than from rounded logs. After processing in production, the material is almost ready for the manufacture of a log house.

The main problem when cutting a log house is the binding of logs in its corners. The logs can be connected so that they do not protrude beyond the wall. This is a cost-effective fastening technology, since the entire length of the log is usefully used. Such connection options are shown in Image 2.

Image 2. Options for connecting logs.

The connection, which is called “with the remainder,” gives the house originality, since in our time such a structure looks unusual. In this option, the ends of the logs protrude beyond the walls, which increases material consumption.

There are many options for corner joining of a log frame “with the rest”, but the most common are three: a simple bowl, a ridge and a fat tail. These connection options are shown in Image 3.

Comparing the options for corner joints, it is easy to see that it is easier to make joints “with the remainder” manually, and such a joint as a simple bowl is made in production when producing rounded logs.

Image 3. Options for corner joining of a log frame “with the remainder”.

If you need to increase the length of the log, then the simple method shown in image 4 is.

Along the crown of the logs, they are additionally fastened with dowels. A dowel is a metal or wooden rod. It is driven through the upper crown into the lower one so that there is a gap between the bottom of the hole in the lower crown and the end of the dowel to compensate for wood shrinkage. It is advisable to use dowels made of wood of the same species as the main log. To drill holes for the dowel, you will need an electric drill and a drill of the appropriate diameter.

Vertical column supports

Installation of vertical elements (pillars, columns, racks) in a wooden house is carried out using special devices (shrinkage compensators) - screw jacks.

• the log is cut to length minus 80-100 mm. By this amount, a house made of rounded logs will shrink, and the jack can be lowered;
• a bowl is cut out at the bottom of the support;
• a jack is installed on top, which will compensate for the shrinkage of the house;
• Vertical installation is checked;
• the remaining vertical elements are installed along the same line;
• The jack is height adjustable.

Wood selection rules

To build a wooden house with your own hands, various technologies are used. Modern construction methods make it possible to process a log house to the desired shape, cutting a groove in the logs for subsequent fixation into crowns. Each size is adjusted to within 1 mm. Building a house (using this method) is presented in the form of a construction set. When carrying out such work, you will need to make a drawing.

If the house is being built from rounded logs, then the bark and top layers, including the sapwood, are first removed. The next stage involves treating the wood with special impregnations. The diameter of each element must be more than 300 mm. The project on which the log house is built can be purchased ready-made or completed independently.

Assembly diagram of a log house made of rounded logs.

The price of such a building depends on the following criteria:

• number of storeys;
• material;
• complexity of the design.

The walls of an object can adjoin each other at different angles. This is due to the fact that logs can be cut into a bowl of the desired shape. Builders distinguish 2 methods of building a house:

• harvesting logs at the construction site;
• assembly of the building according to the drawing using pre-prepared rounded wood.

Method 1 is characterized by the use of wood with natural moisture. When choosing a material, its density is taken into account. Logs should have a yellow or dark yellow surface. The cut should be smooth and dense, without resin pockets. A crack in wood can have a depth of no more than 1/3 of the cut.

Insulation of a house made of rounded logs

Thermal insulation can be divided into three stages:

1 – interventional insulation

How to lay inter-crown insulation for a log. Laying rolled thermal insulation material between the crowns of a log wall. The insulation sheet is laid in one layer and secured with a stapler for reliability. The width of the blade is 10-20 less than the width of the longitudinal groove. The amount of overlap is 50-70 mm. A meter before the end of the log (corner or opening), the insulation is laid in two layers. This is due to the fact that the log dries more intensively in the opening. The insulation in the bowls is also laid in two layers;

2 – first caulk

Performed one year after the construction of the house. During this time, the most intense shrinkage occurs;

3 – subsequent caulking

Performed as necessary during the operation of the building.

When performing caulking, you should remember:

• Only the outer walls are caulked;
• the bowls will definitely be caulked;
• a large amount of insulation can cause the crown to rise, causing the need to raise the crowns of other walls.

Roof installation

Installation of windows in a log house.

The next stage involves installing the roof. Beams and rafters are included. The last elements are mounted on the logs of the upper crown. If desired, pre-lay the Mauerlat. If the project includes a veranda, then shrinkage compensators are inserted into the supporting frame (vertical). To prevent the structure from skewing, each vertical log is equipped with the last elements.

Metal pins are used to connect ridge analogues. The rafters are installed in increments of 600 mm. To do this, you will need a beam with a cross section of 50x200 mm. To fix the structure, sliding supports are used to the last crown. Waterproofing material is laid on top. When installing the sheathing, a step is followed that depends on the type of roofing material used. The next step involves installing the roof.

Upon completion of the roof installation, you will need to caulk the insulation. This will require a special tool. The material is wrapped 5-6 cm downwards, pushing it into the cracks between the crowns. The house is left in this state for a year (for its shrinkage). After the specified time, the caulking process is repeated. The resulting cracks are sealed with jute or hemp.

Installation of the roof of a log house.

Some builders recommend caulking a building after its annual operation. An important point when building a log house is the installation of doors and windows. Partitions and openings are installed one year after the building is erected. Casing boxes with special fasteners are pre-installed. Windows and doors are inserted into the resulting structure. Since wood tends to expand and shrink, this process takes a long period of time.

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The construction of the floor of a log house involves inserting logs into the mortgage or a subsequent crown. The last elements must be securely fastened. The mortgage crown needs good ventilation. Experts recommend installing the floor covering on the joists of the upper crown. At this stage, various communications are installed, including the heating system, baseboards, and plumbing.

If the construction of a house is made from logs of insufficient length, then joining them is allowed.

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Interfloor ceilings in a house made of rounded logs

As a rule, houses made of rounded logs are one-story, but there are projects of two-story houses or houses with attics. In any case, during the construction process it becomes necessary to create a ceiling between floors or between a floor and an attic or basement.

The ceiling is formed similarly to the lag crown of the wall. Those. a support beam is cut into the log, onto which the logs are laid, on which, in turn, the boards of the subfloor of the upper floor or attic will be laid.

For support beams, rounded logs are used, but often preference is given to laminated veneer lumber.

The choice of beam cross-section, which is determined by the span width and the distance between the beams, is of great importance for the strength of the structure. To calculate, you can use the table:

Note. The log or timber can be replaced with paired boards of suitable width.

When installing interfloor ceilings, the insert is made so that only 10% of the groove falls on the lower log, and the rest on the upper log.

What is better timber or log?

If we compare whether a log or timber is better for building a house, then the conclusion is clear - a log, or even better, a rounded log, which retains all the positive properties of natural wood:

• low thermal conductivity;
• environmental friendliness;
• external attractiveness;
• lightness and low density of the material;
• durability.

It is much easier to erect wooden houses from rounded logs, and the whole process takes less time, since the shrinkage process occurs faster and is up to 6 cm versus 10–15 cm for timber.

The undeniable advantages are:

• the opportunity to build a house that has a beautiful view and even exclude, if desired, additional decorative finishing of the facade and interior walls;
• the construction of a log house can be greatly facilitated by preliminary marking and adjustment of the crowns;
• almost perfect connections of crowns and corner joints ensure a tight fit;
• Great possibilities of material for the implementation of an individual architectural project.

The main disadvantage of a rounded log is considered to be the fact that it lacks natural protection - the bark and the upper part of the trunk. But if the production technology is followed and treated with special compounds, a house made of rounded logs, the pros and cons of which it doesn’t even make sense to compare, also gains fire resistance.

From this material you can build a good-quality, beautiful house, not inferior, for example, to a brick one, but at the same time its cost will be much lower, and the time it takes to build it will be much less.

Pros and cons of rounded logs, video:

Roof of a log house

A house made of rounded logs involves the construction of a massive roof, which will accelerate its shrinkage and create additional pressure on the logs of the walls. A massive roof requires the installation of a reliable roof truss system.

Features of installing a rafter system on a log house:

• install the rafter leg not on the top log, but place it inside the log. This will avoid blowing through the joint;
• When installing the rafter legs on the top log, which serves as a mauerlat, use sliding fasteners. Similarly, using sliding fasteners, install the ridge girder. This compensates for shrinkage;
• the installation pitch of the rafter legs is 600-700 mm;
• further installation is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the roofing material;
• The under-roof space must be insulated.

Installation of a warm circuit

It is recommended to install window and door blocks after shrinking the house made of rounded logs. During installation it is necessary to use casing bars. The bars are placed in a vertical groove measuring 50x50 mm, which is cut at the ends of the logs facing the openings. The purpose of the block is to prevent the log from torsion and to compensate for the displacement of the block during the shrinkage process.

The window or door frame is attached only to the casing, but not to the end of the log. Galvanized nails or self-tapping screws are used as fastening elements. The length of the hardware should not exceed the thickness of the box and casing. A technological gap is left above the box, the size of which is 100-120 mm. (depends on the expected amount of shrinkage, which is determined by the moisture content of the log). The gap is filled with elastic heat-insulating material.

Step-by-step diagram of how to install a pigtail and casing with your own hands

How to make frames for windows and doors in a house from rounded logs

Groove and casing for windows and doors in a log house

Construction of a house from rounded logs takes from 5 days to a couple of months, depending on the complexity of the project, the experience of the workers and weather conditions for construction. A team of professionals can handle it in a short time, but assembling it yourself will take much more time.

However, regardless of the speed of construction, finishing work can begin only after the house shrinks, i.e. about a year after finishing assembling the box at home.

Note. From the remains of rounded logs you can make sub furniture, benches or decor to decorate the site.

Preparatory work

To build a log house yourself, you will need to buy beams, rafters, joists, roofing material, a tape measure, a level, buckets, boards, screws, and a screwdriver. Then the site for the future building is prepared. Wood should be stored under cover. Since the building being erected is light in weight, it will require a shallow foundation. For these purposes, experts advise pouring a pile-strip base, slab, pile or buried strip structure.

Related article: How to bring water into a house from a well or borehole

Foundation diagram for a log house.

To arrange a pile-strip foundation, you will need to mark the area. Then the top layer of soil is removed. A recess with a depth of 30 cm is made across the width of the structure. Wells are installed along the perimeter of the building, the diameter of which is 180 mm and the depth is 150 cm. A layer of crushed stone and sand is poured into each well. A frame is prepared from the reinforcement, which is lowered into the well. The next stage involves filling the hole with concrete. A vibrator is used for compaction.

Boards are used to construct the formwork. The structure is mounted above the ground level so that it protrudes 50-60 cm. For a strip base, you will need to weld a frame that is connected to the reinforcement sticking out of the wells. The next stage involves pouring the base. If the foundation has hardened, then it is waterproofed. To do this, you will need to lay roofing material on the surface (3-4 layers), additionally coating the material with mastic.

Shrinkage of a house made of rounded logs

How to control the shrinkage of a log frame:

• wait a year for primary shrinkage to occur;
• use jacks to adjust vertical elements;
• arrange gaps over non-shrinkable elements of the house: door and window openings;
• remember that walls can not only shrink, but also gain moisture and, therefore, swell;
• take into account that internal walls (piers) shrink faster than external ones, because they are more protected from external influences;
• warm up the house slowly, because in case of rapid heating, the internal walls will shrink quickly, and the external ones will lag behind in this process;
• remember that southern walls dry out faster, which means they shrink faster;
• control the process of shrinkage of the log house and caulk the cracks in time.

Rules for building walls

The mortgage (1st) crown cannot be mounted on the base of a log house. A board (made of linden) is first laid on the foundation. For this, you can use timber, the thickness of which ranges from 50-100 mm, and the width - no more than 150 mm. The next stage involves assembling the frame.

Scheme for constructing walls from logs: I - cutting with a cup down; II - cutting with the cup up; III - correct placement of the log with the cup; IV - angle of the frame; 1 - processed log; 2 - groove; 3 - cup; 4 - remainder; 5 - dowel (spike).

Initially, logs (1-2 pieces) are laid on opposite walls of the base (parallel to each other). Each log house has a factory-made longitudinal and locking corner connection. The next stage involves laying the wood on the remaining 2 sides. Insulation is placed on top. The groove and recess of the bowl are filled with moss, tow, jute and other caulking material. The insulation is laid in such a way that it hangs down on all sides by 5-6 cm. A construction stapler is used to fix it. Since the jute tape completely covers the groove and runs in the middle in the bowl, the material is installed in the last element in 2 pieces. The recess is filled with insulation.

Related article: Instructions on how to use a door trim kit

2 logs are mounted on the transverse sides of the foundation. They rest on a mortgage crown. An angle of 90 degrees must be maintained between the wood. Builders advise regularly monitoring their horizontal position. The remaining crowns are installed according to a similar pattern. Some modern technologies for building a log house involve the use of dowels (for fixing the crowns).

The elements under consideration are presented in the form of wooden slats made of dense wood. In each log you need to make a hole into which the dowel is inserted. The remaining 2 crowns are not fixed (for shrinkage). Factory rounded logs have holes for door and window openings.

Finishing a house made of rounded logs

Finishing work includes: grinding, installation of drip lining, installation of communications, external and internal finishing.

1 Sanding

The constructed wall must be sanded until the surface is smooth. The process of rounding involves obtaining a high-quality surface of the log, but during the installation process roughness may appear that is better to remove.

Grinding a rounded log with a grinder

2 Low tide

You can protect the lower crown log using galvanized steel, plastic, copper, concrete, etc. The ebb is installed in such a way that there are no gaps between it and the wood. If there are gaps, they are filled with sealant. The ebb is installed at an angle relative to the wall surface and fixed with hardware.

Ebb for the foundation of a wooden house

3 Communications

Wiring and other communications can be installed only after the house has settled. In this case, it is unacceptable to install wiring into the ends of the log, because it can be deformed during the process of torsion of the log, which will lead to a short circuit. Installation of communications is carried out in accordance with fire safety requirements.

To install electrical wiring, users recommend using special pads rather than cutting holes in the log, and thus not reducing its thermal insulation and load-bearing properties.

4 Exterior finish

Includes sanding logs, caulking cracks, finishing openings, etc. work.

5 Interior decoration

Includes all work that is carried out indoors. This could be finishing the walls with clapboard or plasterboard, installing a finished floor, installing a staircase to the second floor, etc.

Caring for a log house

In order for the house to maintain its original appearance for a long time, you should take care of it on a regular basis, in particular:

• promptly coat the log walls of the house with antiseptics. The frequency of application is determined by the product manufacturer's recommendation;

• cover log walls with fire retardants;

• apply stain or lighten walls. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, walls darken, and not always evenly. The use of various protective compounds can slow down the process, but the process cannot be stopped. Therefore, after time, it will be necessary to cover the walls with a darker composition;

• paint the walls with glazing translucent paints, which, on the one hand, allow you to see the structure of the wood, and on the other, create additional protection;

• as a last resort, cover the outside of the house with siding or clapboard. But, this is only if it is not possible to restore the wood.

Thanks to proper installation and maintenance, a house made of rounded logs will function fully for a long period and stand out among other buildings.