How to make a log house from a log. Log house: self-construction of different types (from wild and rounded logs, timber), nuances. Basic information about the design of a log house
Wooden house- aesthetic, environmentally friendly and safe housing, which is characterized by high heat and sound insulation properties, durability and reliability. Many people are interested in whether it is possible to assemble and install a log house with their own hands. It is possible to do this, but it is difficult. When installing, it is important to take into account a lot of factors, including the quality of the log, calculations of lumber and layout of the house, installation features, etc.
Please note that low-quality materials and errors in assembly will reduce the performance properties and service life of the house, lead to the appearance of rot and mold in the structure, warping of the walls and many other, no less serious, problems. But if you decide to self-construction country house or baths, this article will tell you how to make a log house.
Design and selection of materials
Assembling a log house with your own hands begins with designing a house taking into account the features land plot, future engineering systems and room design. Layout log house it can be rectangular or square, as well as shaped in the form of a semicircle, hexagon, etc. Of course, the construction of the first option will be much easier.
After creating the project and calculating the estimate, lumber is carefully selected. Rounded logs - best option for those who want to assemble a log house and build a house themselves.
Such logs are characterized by a smooth and even surface, identical sizes and diameters. This will allow installation to be carried out quickly and easily. In addition, logs that fit tightly together will provide good thermal insulation. Due to the aesthetics and naturalness of materials, a house made of round timber fits harmoniously into the environment. A wooden structure will look elegant and original. Read more about the advantages of a log house.
To get reliable and durable house, you only need to use quality logs. It is desirable that the lumber be from forested regions and undergo special processing. At the MariSrub company, timber harvesting takes place in Kirov region, Republics of Mari El and Komi. These regions are famous for their good, large and moisture-resistant wood.
Raw materials and logs undergo careful selection and processing in the company’s own workshop. The wood is impregnated and processed protective equipment from the negative effects of moisture and insects. Such materials will last longer and preserve original appearance and properties.
Choose logs harvested from winter forest. Since such wood is stronger and more resistant to moisture. The presence of knots of small diameter and small natural defects is allowed on lumber. The trunks of quality materials are characterized by yellow or dark yellow color. These must be untwisted logs of the same diameter and one tree species. There should be no mechanical damage, rot or wormholes on the surface.
How to bandage a log house
After the materials have been selected and the foundation for the wooden house has been installed, the assembly of the log house begins. There are two main types of lashing or tying of logs. This is “in the cup” and “in the paw”. Both methods characterize the stability and strength of the structure of the future house, and they differ in the creation of grooves.
Cutting “into a bowl” or “into an oblo” is a traditional Russian method of assembling a log house. He assumes that the corners of the structure are connected to the release of the ends two times the diameter of the log. Because of this, lumber costs increase. The construction of such a house will cost more, but the warmth inside will remain for a long time. In addition, the corners of the building will not be negatively affected by wind and precipitation.
The “in the paw” method assumes that the logs are laid along the bracket, aligned along the outer edge and the excess is trimmed off from the inside. This is a colder room, so for insulation the ends are covered with boards. This is also necessary in order to protect the sawn wood from rotting. Please note that the log house needs to be hewn inside.
Tying logs “in the paw” has a more modern and aesthetic appearance and less wood wasted. But to create a warm and durable home, it will take a lot additional work. Therefore, such cutting will become a labor-intensive process.
Loghouse installation technology
- Waterproofing is laid on the horizontal surface of the poured foundation. As suitable material roofing felt For laying, the foundation is lubricated when heated and roofing felt sheets are placed on top. After drying, make another layer;
- On waterproofing layer They steal boards at least 5 centimeters thick, and lay a layer of tow or jute on top of the boards. This will enhance thermal insulation properties, because up to 40% of the heat escapes through the floor and foundation!;
- The frame is installed on the insulation layer. As a rule, production logs are numbered. This wall kit is easy to assemble according to the attached diagram;
- Lay the crowns strictly level, row by row, and fasten them with dowels. Make sure the logs lie flat!;
- A layer of insulation, also in the form of tow or jute, is placed on each laid crown. The insulation is secured using a construction stapler;
- In addition to bandaging at the corners, the logs are connected every meter of length using spikes. Additional fastening will make the structure stable.
The final stage
After assembly, the log house is left for 0.5-1.5 years for shrinkage, in which case it is better to close the structure plastic film for waterproofing. During this period, you can sew up the floors and install rafters for the future roof. The floors are sewn up using boards with a thickness of 60 mm, which are laid on beams. The boards are connected using tenons. The ceiling can be laid in the same way.
After installing the roof, finishing work begins. First of all, this is insulation of the floor, ceiling and walls. Don't forget about engineering systems, including electricity and plumbing, ventilation and sewerage. These communications must be carried out before interior finishing begins. Moreover, the location and installation of these systems are calculated at the stage of designing the house!
Log installation and construction wooden house Do it yourself - a complex and labor-intensive process that requires knowledge and skills. Incorrect sequence and technology of work, poor quality materials and lack of experience will lead to serious problems. Therefore, it is better to entrust the work to professionals!
The masters of the MariSrub company will build a turnkey wooden house, cottage or bathhouse! We offer services for creating your dream home project, assembly and installation log house, installation of the foundation and roof, arrangement of communications and finishing buildings. The company has its own workshop for the production of rounded and chopped logs. Independent production— guarantee of careful quality control and low prices!
A wooden house is a separate category of construction. Its smell takes us back to childhood, and the atmosphere that is created inside fills us with comfort and gives us a feeling of calm and tranquility. IN log houses it is easy to live there, the climate remains comfortable, and their environmental friendliness is good for health. In order to obtain all these effects upon completion of the building construction process, you need to understand how to properly build a log house and what features it has.
A log house built according to all the rules will become a real fortress for its owners.
Choice of material: rounded log house or planed (chopped) log
All log houses are divided into 2 types of buildings:
the buildings from planed logs, that is, those that were processed manually;
buildings that were built from rounded logs.
In order to understand how to properly build a house from a log, you need to have an idea not only of external difference 1st warrant from the 2nd, and also constructive.
"Wild log house"
The history of architecture tells us that all log houses that were erected before the end of the 19th century were built from a “wild log”. This meant that the future building material was processed manually. The freshly cut log was stripped of its bark, while the bast layer should remain intact. It was he who protected the wood and its deep layers from moisture. This provided the log houses with reliable protection from fungus and mold, and increased their “service life” significantly.
The main feature of the “wild log” house was its bright and expressive shape. Non-cylindered beams gave such individuality. A sawn log tends to taper from bottom to top. After processing the wood with tools, such a difference in diameter still remained. The farther from the end, which was located at the roots, the thicker the log.
Houses made from “wild” logs completely bring their owners closer to nature
A tall tree can be processed and divided into several logs. Sometimes it produces 2 building elements, but the ideal would be to obtain 3 parts.
The classic rule for dividing timber as follows:
1 log – butt. This is the part that is located closer to the roots;
2 log – friend. This is the middle part of the wood;
3 beam - third or top. Accordingly, this is the last part of the log that approached the top.
For the construction of the house, 1 part was used - the butt. The log house in this place was the thickest, had high strength and the smallest change in diameter. And in order to compensate for those differences that remained, the beams were alternated when laying the walls: in one row the butt “looks” in one direction, in the next in the opposite direction.
When laying timber, each top log lies on the previous one with the opposite side
But, despite such opportunities to simplify the construction of a house from chopped wood, you should approach the selection of building materials very carefully. After all, you need to reproduce an even and robust construction from logs different diameters. And this is not a simple task for them.
The construction technology itself has remained virtually unchanged since those times. Houses are built using the same method: “wild logs” of different diameters are adjusted as close to each other as possible. It should be noted that houses built in this way are classified as elite and differ in price. This is dictated by a certain complexity and labor intensity of the process. After all, after erecting the frame, the house should last from 1 to 2 years. During this period, it will “shrink” in height to 10%. This factor should also be taken into account during design. So, in addition to spending time and effort on selecting building materials, it will take a lot of time and patience to see the result.
The completed house shows the location of the logs in relation to each other.
Rounded log
A rounded log house is a planed log in industrial conditions. On machines, the wood is brought to an ideal state: it becomes smooth and even along its entire length. On special machines, all the necessary grooves for fastening are cut into the timber. In this case, the dimensions are adjusted to the nearest millimeter, which minimizes inconvenience during construction. Building a house using such a log house is similar to assembling a children's construction set.
Rounded logs are made approximately the same size
For all its convenience, a rounded log house also has disadvantages. Ideal evenness in size and smoothness is achieved by removing several levels of wood. During the production process, “useful” layers (sapwood) are also removed, which protect the log from moisture, fungus and mold. Only the mature and hearty central part of the tree remains. She is not protected from anything external factors. Under such conditions, it is necessary to additionally impregnate the timber with antiseptics, antifungal and anthelmintic drugs. The result is a beautiful and lightweight material for building a house. The downside is the low level of environmental friendliness and, oddly enough, durability.
Walls made of rounded timber look smooth and tidy
Selection of material for construction
In order to properly build a house from rounded logs, you need to know how to choose it and which material is more suitable in your region. For log houses wood is best suited coniferous species. These are trees such as pine, spruce, cedar and larch. But if there are no desired options on the market, you can use oak, ash, aspen and others hardwoods. Spruce and pine are the most affordable in the price category. For this reason, they are the most popular.
Trunks coniferous trees smoother and easier to process
When choosing this type of building material, the period of the log house is very important. It is necessary to choose timber that was prepared in winter. It is he who has the best moisture resistance indicators.
The region where the tree grows is also important. If possible, choose wood from the northern regions. This material is the most durable. Good options: Baltic pine and Canadian spruce. The option of coniferous wood, which was properly harvested in compliance with all conditions and requirements, from the central regions is also very good.
note that the choice of beam diameter depends not only on design solution, and also on climatic conditions. Main criterion– this is the maximum temperature in the winter season.
if it's winter in your region not lower than -20 degrees– you can stop at a diameter of 200 mm;
when it's winter maximum -30 degrees– 220 mm;
at thermometer readings up to -40– choose a log that is at least 240-260 mm or more.
To lay the log frame, special equipment is used, which facilitates the construction of the house
Thickness of logs for building a house in northern regions must be at least 25 cm
The main parameters of the log and its cuts are indicated in the table
It is also worth noting that by choosing a beam with a slightly larger diameter than that recommended according to the climate zone, it perfectly compensates for temperature changes. The main thing is not to choose a material less than specified. Despite the fact that the house will be insulated by laying a jute or flax-jute gasket between the logs, it will not be able to give that comfortable temperature, which can be provided by a log of the required size.
Additional criteria, which you need to pay attention to when choosing a log house:
quality log yellow or dark yellow;
on the cut there should be no stains;
at good stuff core dark shade and occupies ¾ of the cut;
OK, when bitches are absent, and if they are present, they should fit tightly without gaps. The opposite picture indicates a damaged core;
best ringing for a log - ringing. Try hitting the end with an ax and listen to how it rings;
Availability cracks possible provided that their depth is no more than 1/3 of the log;
the timber should not be twisted: such a log during the construction of a house can only be used for laying the floor - for this it is cut into boards and bars.
The timber is selected according to several criteria; if at least one does not meet the standard, the material is changed to the required one
Construction technology
At first glance, all houses are built the same. But upon careful study of this issue, certain nuances and features of construction in one way or another come to light. Just like that proper construction log houses have their own distinctive characteristics.
Video description
Without knowing the technology of building a house, it is easy to make many mistakes. About them in the video:
Foundation
The main and most important element of any building is the foundation. Its depth and character depend on the soil on which the house will stand, on the nature of the wall material and on the number of storeys.
A log house is relatively light in weight. This design quality allows the foundation to be shallow. Almost all options existing species foundations are suitable for the construction of a log house. Often they make a tape version. For difficult soils, a deep strip foundation or a pile foundation is used. You can also make a slab version.
It is worth noting that any version of the foundation should go 300-400 mm into the ground. After pouring it and completely drying, it is necessary to carry out waterproofing (roofing felt with mastic). This is a very important process despite the fact that the house is made of logs.
If a strip foundation is used, it begins with the arrangement of formwork
Walling
Upon completion of the foundation laying stage, they move on to the main thing - the construction of walls. It is important to know that the first crown (the first row of logs) is never placed directly on the foundation. First, a “backing” board is laid. It is made from linden timber 50-100 mm thick and at least 150 mm wide. Then they move on to assembling the walls from the rounded log house.
Mortgage crown on a shallow monolithic foundation
The first mortgage crown must be cut from below. Its end should match the width of the backing board. This is necessary so that the house rests firmly on the foundation.
Logs for walls are laid in circles (crowns). First, logs are laid that are parallel to each other. Then the other two sides, and insulation is laid on top. It is attached to the log using a construction stapler and should hang 5 cm over the edges.
Then the transverse sides of the house are laid, which will rest on the mortgage crown. And we repeat the “procedure” of assembling the house like a construction set.
The assembly of the house is carried out like a “constructor set”: each log has its own place
Each of the logs has its own number, which makes it easy to determine where the beam should be located
Roof installation
A wooden house cannot be left uncovered. After installation last crown It is necessary to begin installation of the roof immediately. When building walls from wood, you don’t have to lay the mauerlat (a special support beam for the rafters), but place the rafters directly on the log. The recommended distance between rafters is 600 mm. It is this gap that will ensure the stability of the roof and reduce the risk of its possible sagging.
Since wood is a “living” material, the rafters must be secured to sliding supports. Then they lay the waterproofing and then the sheathing. The sheathing pitch depends on the chosen roofing material. At the end, the house is “covered” with the chosen finishing material.
After the walls are erected, the assembly of the roof frame begins.
Caulk of a log house
Caulking at home is a separate important stage during its construction. Upon completion of the construction of the walls and roof, it is necessary to caulk all the insulation that was initially laid between the logs inside. To do this, using a special caulking tool, wrap the hanging 5 cm of the gasket downwards, and then push it inside between the cracks of the logs.
Having completed the caulking and roofing, the house is left to settle for a year. After a year, the caulking of the walls must be repeated. Some experts recommend carrying out the “procedure” again after a year of operating the house with the heating on.
The insulation placed between the beams must be hidden
After caulking, the insulation is almost invisible, and there is no draft in the house
Installation of doors, windows, installation of ceilings and floors
Important points when installing doors and windows is that they are installed only after the house has completely settled and only in special casing boxes, which are installed in openings in the walls.
Installation of doors and windows is carried out after complete shrinkage of the log house, with the exception of houses made of kiln-dried logs - in this case they can be installed immediately
Such precautions are due to the fact that wood is a “living” building material and will completely shrink in size in another 5-7 years.
The floor is installed on joists that cut into the first, or better yet, the second crown. The mortgage crown must be well ventilated in order to be subject to rotting processes as little as possible.
After installation entrance doors, windows and flooring, you can implement a heating system, carry out communications, connect electrical equipment, and also install interior doors, slopes, baseboards and install plumbing.
There is no need to finish the walls. After all, the beauty of a log house is not only outside, but also inside. The bas-relief of slightly yellowish walls will fit into almost any interior. The main thing is to correctly emphasize the texture of the wood and complement the design with the necessary accessories. And your dream home is ready!
A log house in the forest over the water is a great place to relax from the bustle of the countryside
The inside of the house does not require additional finishing, and natural wood can complement the stone
One-story log house manual cutting in combination with stone finishing
The first floor is built of stone, the second - of logs: this combination also looks great
Video description
How a log house can turn out, see this video:
On our website you can get acquainted with the most popular projects of houses made of rounded logs from construction companies, presented at the exhibition of houses “Low-Rise Country”.
Conclusion
Despite the apparent simplicity of building houses from prepared rounded logs, there are quite a lot of pitfalls, which can only be avoided by experienced specialists who thoroughly know the technology. Therefore, the construction of a cottage must be entrusted to professionals who will not only do everything quickly and efficiently, but also give a guarantee for their work.
Wooden house construction is gaining momentum, which is no wonder, because living in an environmentally friendly building in the age of the concrete jungle is much healthier. Standalone device the home of your dreams is quite possible, provided that the owner suburban area has carpentry skills. Below are descriptions of the important processes preceding such work, the answer to the question of how to make a log house with your own hands, as well as recommendations for its operation after installation.
Site preparation
What is it? The site must be cleared of any type of vegetation. Moreover, after uprooting all the bushes, you should water the ground with chemicals so that the roots do not stretch out again. If this is not done, then you can wait for the trees to appear in the log house. Perhaps, from a design point of view, it will look stylish and unusual, but broken floorboards and constant dampness are unlikely to suit the owners.
The cleared site is fenced off, thereby preventing the passage of other vehicles and marking the boundaries of the construction site. It is necessary to ensure the arrival of special equipment, if any, and provide electricity and water to the site. Thus, the area can be considered ready for the next stage - the foundation.
It would be nice to have a storage area for wood. This is usually a canopy that protects the material from the elements. In addition, it will need to be covered with film if construction is delayed.
Construction of the foundation
When choosing a foundation for a log house, you should proceed from its size and terrain conditions:
- Tape. Suitable for any type of building. Works well on problematic soils. You can be sure that the log house will not “go away” over time. The downside is that it requires a large amount of concrete, which cannot reduce the cost of construction, even if you make the log house yourself.
- Pile. Suitable for light one-story buildings. It behaves well on heaving and rocky soils, reduces construction costs, but you can forget about floor insulation: a blowing wind sweeping snowdrifts under the log house is a common occurrence. It is erected in warm areas.
- Columnar. First of all, it is intended for damp lands. It is too capricious: after shrinkage, the level will definitely move, so its construction should be left to specialists. Economical.
- Slab. The most reliable, but expensive. It is a completely poured concrete base. It performs well on problematic soil: it does not lead, does not allow dampness or heaving. Labor intensive.
Below is a description of the installation for strip foundation as the best in terms of price-quality ratio.
To work you will need:
- shovel;
- level;
- measuring instruments;
- formwork – panels, boards;
- crushed stone, sand;
- fittings;
- insulation;
- concrete pouring.
The process begins with marking. Each bearing wall The log house must be firmly placed on the foundation. With this condition, the outline is outlined. It is very convenient to use wooden stakes and harsh threads.
Then ditches are dug along the marked lines. The soil should be immediately stored separately; it may still be needed. The depth, depending on freezing conditions, cannot be less than 70 cm.
After this, the future foundation needs to be insulated. Styrene is used for this. The slabs are laid on the sides of the ditch and secured with pins, piercing and thus fixing them along the walls. If you neglect the insulation, this will subsequently affect the quality of operation.
The installation of reinforcement begins. It is absolutely necessary for the rigidity of the structure. To do this, steel rods are laid out at the intersection and welded at the nodes and corners of the future log house.
Place the formwork up to the edge ground floor. Shields or boards are strengthened in accordance with the level so that the future foundation is level.
Do concrete pouring. To save money, rubble is poured into the ditch - construction waste: crushed stone, broken bricks, stones, etc. The pouring is carried out slowly, until complete shrinkage, pouring water each time until a milky foam appears on the surface. This is done to prevent the surface of the foundation from cracking. Then it must be given time to completely harden - 2-3 weeks.
Once the formwork has been removed, immediate construction cannot begin. Shrinkage of the base occurs throughout the year. During this time, it is possible to review all the nuances of the material.
Thus, the construction of the foundation can be considered completed. If the owners want to have some kind of extension in the future, then they need to think about it when planning the site. It's best when common log house will be made on the same basis.
Direct selection of material
Probably, even before walking around the offices, the owners had already decided on the choice of wood for their future brainchild. Based on financial capabilities, the material in the log house corresponds to them. An array is considered more expensive, but with it you can be sure that the house will be warm and durable. In addition, due to the beauty of wild or rounded logs, there is no need to decorate it. Profiled or laminated timber will be no less beautiful. In this case, construction with such materials will be easier due to the correct geometric shape of the material.
Types of logs that are used for log houses.
The problem with the question of how to properly make the log house itself lies in cutting the corners. Without the appropriate skill, you can get at least a waste of material. The greater evil is a windswept house. There are many types of felling. The most popular were “in the paw” and “in the bowl”. In the first case, material consumption is reduced, but the corners become cold bridges. In the second, skill is required, but a house with such a log is reliable.
It also makes sense to choose softwood or hardwood. The advantage of conifers is the presence of phytoncides, which protect the tree from mold, mildew and bark beetles. The disadvantage of coniferous trees is that, due to their resinous nature, it is not recommended to build bathhouses from them. The resin flows and poses a threat to people with high blood pressure, as it clogs all ventilation. The choice should be optimal in terms of price, decent quality and durability.
The laying of the first crown - the main element in the entire log house - begins. To make it high quality, it is recommended to choose larch for such a task. This tree has established itself as an excellent material that does not interact with moisture. An example of this is the piles in Venice, which stood in the water for many hundreds of years. They were made from Russian larch, by the way.
So, layers of roofing material are laid on the foundation, or it is tarred bitumen mastic. Then a beam or log with grooves already cut out is placed. Naturally, strictly according to the level. Also, don’t forget to stock up on inter-crown insulation. It could be moss, jute or tow. Although builders refuse the latter. Logs for the subfloor are immediately installed (for the convenience of the entire installation process).
The next crowns do not differ from the installation of the first one. The only difference is that the initial log or beam should be slightly wider than the rest. The work is carried out according to a plan or project, accurately combining drawings with reality. That is, window or door openings should be in place immediately, and not later. The material for fastening is usually wooden dowels. The use of metal is undesirable, since corrosion will lead to destruction of the wood. Work is carried out to the desired height, placing the crowns with insulation. The last two rows in the log house are not secured with anything. After shrinking, they need to be removed in order to be properly mounted and strengthened. rafter system. Thus, you can build a log house yourself. This is not the most difficult, but responsible job.
Caulk and some construction nuances
Construction, of course, is not finished.
The log needs at least a year for final shrinkage.
After laying the crowns, you can carry out preliminary caulking, but you shouldn’t get too carried away with this. Due to inexperience, you can overdo it, and then the house will turn out crooked, with protruding elements. However, without preliminary caulking, you may not subsequently be able to see construction flaws.
What is caulk? This is the sealing of inter-crown gaps suitable material. For this purpose, moss, tow, jute, flax and rope are used. Tow is considered the worst. After time, it will turn into dust. In addition, birds love it very much and will pull it out even before the owners start using the house. When purchasing jute, you need to be careful not to purchase jute felt instead. No matter how much the seller assures that its properties are the same as those of the above-mentioned material, it is worth knowing that felt is a favorite delicacy of moths. For beautiful rounded logs, you can use a rope so that the aesthetic appearance of the log house is complete.
Caulking is carried out with special tools: a spatula, a mallet and a hammer. The essence of the process comes down to plugging all the cracks and gaps between the logs, even if they are not visible at first glance.
There are two methods: dialing and stretching. The first one is good for thread seals. A thread is twisted from the material and pushed into the cracks by a set of loops. The second is faster and of better quality: the material spreads along the entire length of the log, and one edge is tightly tucked into the gap. The second one is rolled up and sent there. It is worth knowing that caulking is carried out from the bottom up and from both sides of the log house. After another 3-5 years, the process must be repeated.
After caulking, you can erect the roof and begin internal insulation and finishing.
The described process of how to make a high-quality log house yourself is simple only on paper. U wood construction a lot of nuances. You can comply with them provided you take a responsible approach to the matter and study the supporting information. Only then will the operation of a home built by oneself fully please the owners and make them proud of themselves.
Today there is great interest in construction wooden houses, including using ancient log house technology. This is explained by the desire of people to live in environmentally friendly housing.
Log houses are popular due to their environmental friendliness.
Meanwhile, to satisfy such a desire, we have to remember the architectural and construction secrets of our ancestors. There are quite a few of these secrets, and one of them is knowing how to cut a log into a bowl.
In practice, there is nothing particularly difficult in mastering this technique, although carelessness and arrogance are unacceptable here. You need to carefully understand some of the subtleties and understand what a log house in a bowl is and why it is good.
Cutting a log into a bowl: its pros and cons
This method of constructing building frames brought into modern times the spirit of an ancient Russian dwelling, reliable, enchanting with its folk-style flavor. In this technology, the connection between times is very noticeable, and today builders, who know how, just like their colleagues hundreds of years ago, are actively building houses for permanent residence and Russian baths, beloved by the people.
When cutting into a bowl, each top log is placed in a semicircular recess, which is cut into the bottom log lying perpendicularly.
The essence of such a corner connection of processed logs is that each upper log is placed in a special semicircular recess cut into the lower perpendicular log.
The recess, which is called a bowl, is made of such a size that the top log, after laying, lies quite tightly on the previous log of the given wall. This creates a continuous vertical ceiling without significant gaps.
The centuries-old experience of folk construction and climatic features in a particular area had a certain influence on the development of this technology. A variant of a corner bundle of logs, when the top log is placed in a bowl, is called “Russian felling” (or “in the oblo”). But there is also a reverse way of cutting down a log house. It consists in the fact that the bowl is cut out in the upper log on its lower part and therefore lies on the lower log. This technique was called “Siberian felling” (or “in the dust”). The emergence of such technology was due to large, compared to middle lane
Russia, problems with cold weather and precipitation in Siberia. Many experts believe that the Siberian version of felling more reliably protects the log house from penetrating moisture and frost.
By choosing the option of cutting a log house using the “chalice” method, the master takes on a certain responsibility for the result. Therefore, it is reasonable to know what advantages and disadvantages this technology is characterized by.
Thanks to this connection, the structure of the log building is very strong, with warm corners that are not blown by the wind.
Marking and cutting out a log frame “into a bowl”. Beautiful original house , created by environmentally friendly building materials, looks very harmonious and does not require additional exterior finishing
At the same time, the customer may encounter difficulties if he nevertheless decides to sheathe the log house. This is a disadvantage of this technology. Another disadvantage of a log house in a bowl is the rather high consumption of material compared to other log house technologies. Due to the corners protruding by 50-60 cm, builders lose the useful living space of the house.
How to cut a log house into a bowl: materials and tools
For comfortable and productive cutting of bowls you will need the following tools:
- carpenter's axe;
- chainsaw (electric saw);
- chisel;
- carpenter's compass (carpenter's line);
- insulation (tow, moss, jute, etc.).
What wood is best to use for the construction of a log house?
In order to successfully cut a frame into a bowl, a good tool and the appropriate skill of a builder-carpenter are not enough. It is necessary to decide on the best material for this, which will resist infection by fungus and attacks by bark beetles.
Types of cuttings “in the hole”.
Carpenters recognize pine as an almost ideal type of wood for this. It is valued for its smooth, almost knot-free trunk, characterized by a high degree of hardness. At the same time, this circumstance does not at all interfere with the convenient processing that pine is characterized by. On the other hand, as an integral element of the wall of a building, it impresses with its reliability and durability, good resistance to rotting and the absence of cracking as a result of drying.
To cut a log house confidently and quickly enough, it is recommended to select logs of approximately the same length and diameter. At the same time, according to the experience of using this technology, the most practical diameter is considered to be 22-24 cm.
As for the time of harvesting logs for a future log house, experts advise doing this in the winter. It is at this time that the tree trunk contains the least amount of sap. Therefore, during subsequent drying of the winter wood, it will be minimally warped and destructive cracks will appear in the trunk.
How to cut a log house: sequence of operations
A good type of wood for building a log house is pine.
The production of any log house, including the “bowl” method, begins with preparing the site on which the house will be built. By the beginning of the installation of the first, lowest layer of logs, the foundation of the future structure must be mounted in such a way that a strict horizontal level of the starting frame is ensured. Before starting to build walls, be sure to put a layer of waterproofing material on the foundation.
The construction of the trim crown begins with the installation of two logs parallel to each other, which will subsequently become part of long walls future building. There should be a distance between them equal to length planned cross-beam log.
After the first logs take their strictly horizontal and parallel position, 2 perpendicular logs are placed on their edges. Along the crossbars laid out in this way, markings are made for future recesses-bowls. This operation is carried out using a carpenter's line.
The performer should very scrupulously mark the semicircles on both logs at the same time, since only perfect accuracy of calculations and markings ensure maximum tightness of fit of the logs to each other. The depth of the bowl should ensure that the upper log fits into the lower one so that the upper trunk protrudes from the lower one by half its diameter.
The marking is followed by the actual sampling. It is made with a chainsaw, an ax and a chisel. After removing the wood from the bowl, a trial installation of the logs is made to ensure they fit tightly together.
To create a tight fit of logs in vertical plane, a special groove is cut out on the upper edge of the lower logs.
To create the tightest possible fit of the logs to each other in the vertical plane, a special groove for compaction is cut out on the upper edge of the lower logs along their entire length. Its thickness is influenced by the size of the logs, as well as the climate that prevails in the area where the building will stand. Typically it ranges from 120 mm to 200 mm.
There should be no gaps in ideally selected sealing grooves. However, despite this technological requirement, for additional thermal insulation, before installing each upper log, the groove of the lower log is lined with insulation.
When installing logs in bowls, they are leveled using special dowels, for which holes are pre-drilled in the workpieces to a depth equal to the height of one and a half logs. When laying the logs in this way, they are tapped with a wooden block. And all this time you need to ensure that the walls are strictly vertical.
Nuances of work
To cut down a log house and make it resistant to bad weather, the logs are oriented with thin annual rings towards the street, and with thick rings - inside the future house.
To facilitate this process, the building can be built in parts. The crossbars (as these parts are called) are usually tied on the ground, aligned upward to the size of human height. Then each of them is disassembled and reinstalled on the base frame.
The optimal choice for a foundation for a wooden frame would be a pile option. It is lightweight and quite easy to install.
In the absence of the necessary experience, it is recommended to start the production of log cabins with the construction of something small and not very significant, for example, with garden gazebo or a small bathhouse. This will give you experience and develop the skills necessary to build a full-fledged house.
Having gradually learned the intricacies of construction, the master will be able to create something not only suitable for habitation, but also causing enthusiastic responses with its exquisite appearance.
IN Lately It has become very popular to do something antique. This retro fashion quickly spread to many places, including homes. Building a wooden bathhouse or a small country hut began to be considered a sign of refined taste and wealth (after all, the price for such buildings is much higher than for brick ones), and appearance causes delight.
Now, fortunately, the material for building a hut has become available everywhere and in great abundance. But for a person not familiar with the technology that our great-grandfathers used, the question arises: how to cut a log house with your own hands And is it even possible to do this alone?
It should immediately be noted that although the huts were built without single nail 100 years ago, the process has changed slightly over time and will require certain skills in construction and additional ways wood processing.
Initially, it is worth considering that building a log house is a very expensive pleasure, although the cost of the necessary tools (you need a saw, an ax and a chisel) and the absence of the need for additional work (except for wood processing) allow you to save a little. Construction of a log house will also require a lot of time, especially if the timber was not dried (it may take a year to dry the log).
It is worth indicating the most significant pros and cons of wooden structures.
- Large financial costs for a log
- Relatively short service life of a log house, depending on the timber used and methods of processing it, up to 50-90 years
- The need to have certain skills and training during construction
- Inability to make an extension (due to technological features)
- Even after applying the anti-ignition mixture, it has low fire resistance
- Threat from wood insects (completely resolved after wood treatment)
- The possibility of the logs drying out over time and deteriorating the general condition of the log house (proper finishing and timely repairs will help)
- You can handle it; you won’t be able to build a wooden building from a log alone (exceptions are: small gazebo or well)
The first thing you will have to face is deciding which foundation to use for the log house. In particular, the choice will consist of a pile option ( advice: more preferable due to the light weight of the structure, ease and speed of construction and of course price) and a regular foundation.
There are a couple of options on how to cut a log house with your own hands, let’s look at them.
Pros: 
- Less complex process of cutting “grooves”
- The ability to use the entire length of the beam and thereby save on it
- Poorly protected corners of the log house will require additional insulation work
- The log house does not look so colorful and aesthetically pleasing
- Considered less stable
Its difference is correct form, there are no ends of the log protruding beyond the corners (the so-called clean corner).
It is desirable that all the timber used for the construction of the log house be of the same thickness
Advice: the thicker the timber, the better - this is the key to more warm home, due to fewer connecting grooves.
- Stage one. Preparations:
1-beam | log, 2-paw, 3- straight spike
Using a plane or grinder, one side of the beam is given a flat surface along its entire length - this will interior wall building. Opposite side must be processed at the very edges approximately at a distance equal to 2-2.5 from the diameter of the log. The remaining sides are also processed at the edges to a length of 1-1.5 times the diameter.
- Stage two. Construction:
The first two logs are placed in the selected area, strictly opposite each other, and two more are laid perpendicularly on them. The square formed in this way (the “framed” crown) is adjusted strictly to the level and the timber is marked at both ends. It must be taken into account that the nest for planting a log should not exceed half its thickness. The next log is placed into the recess made, while the upper part of the “paw” is leveled for better fit further timber.
Advice: if, due to inexperience, the “paws” do not fit tightly together and it is no longer possible to fix this with an ax, then you can drive a wooden wedge of the required width, although you should avoid such connections.
At this stage, it is worth deciding what type of fixation of logs between each other you will choose. This is an important and necessary point so that the adhesion between the beams is more rigid and the beam does not “walk.”
The first option is to drill into the “paw” of the top and underlying log, vertical hole(a hole with a diameter of 3-4 cm is quite enough) and driving a stake (also called a “straight spike”) of a slightly larger diameter into it. This procedure is done in a checkerboard pattern, so as not to get the next stake into the previous one. It is also possible to further strengthen the structure by driving “straight spikes” along the entire length; this will negate the deformation of the log over time.
The second method is more reliable, but much more complicated. It is suitable for those who know how to cut a log house with their own hands and have encountered this more than once. When marking and preparing it, a spike remains on the “paw” protruding upward a couple of centimeters. The area of the spike should be ¼ of the working area of the “paw”. When laying the next log on it, a corresponding hole is made in it for the tenon (“paws” lie one on top of the other according to the LEGO principle). The spike is often placed at internal corner building. It is worth noting that this is a very labor-intensive and, one might say, jewelry process.
When installing crowns, it is worth using tow or other insulating material to eliminate gaps and cracks.
- Stage three. Final work
Do not forget that a log house in a “paw” requires additional internal finishing work on the timber (on the one hand, this makes it possible to customize the design to your taste, on the other hand, the style and thematic meaning of the log house is lost).
The corners of the log house must be additionally insulated, for example, with plank cladding on the outside or a layer of thermal insulation on the inside.
Over time, the problem of gaps appearing between the “paws” may arise due to the drying of the wood; they must be promptly eliminated by driving in a wedge or covered with a special solution.
How to cut a log house into a dovetail?
Dovetail connection
This type of log house is closely related to the construction of a log house in the paw. The dovetail has absorbed, as far as possible, all its advantages, and, if possible, eliminates the main disadvantages of the design of a log house in the paw. The “paws” do not have a perpendicular appearance, but are made at a certain angle of inclination, so that each next one fits into the previous paw. This connection of beams provides a number of features.
Advantages compared to the “paw” method:
- Stronger adhesion, which ensures the stability of the structure and, with the right approach, you can completely do without additional fastenings between the logs (vertical stakes and spikes)
- Because of different angles paw tilt, increased wind protection
Flaws:
- Increased complexity of manufacturing inclined “paws”. Amater shouldn’t even try to ask the question of how to cut a log house with his own hands, he won’t be able to do it without the help of an expert
- The inclined angle of the paws facilitates, during rain, the penetration of moisture into the frame (water simply flows down the ledge of the “paw”, this becomes especially noticeable after several years of shrinkage and the formation of cracks)
The technology is practically no different from the previous one, the only difference is that at the final stage it is simply necessary to additionally trim the corners waterproofing material, to avoid moisture ingress. We must remember that wood that gets wet and then dries again begins to bend and loses its original shape..
Pros:
- Originally Russian type of log house, it looks very beautiful and colorful
- More stable design due to better connection between the logs
- Good thermal insulation of walls for the same reason
- There is no need to carry out additional finishing work
- More complex technology for constructing a log house
- Necessity more logs and, accordingly, money
With this version of the log house, part of the log remains exposed from general design by 20-30 cm, and the connection between the logs is made by cutting down or sawing out recesses - “cups”. Due to the fact that the end of the log protrudes on each side, total loss internal space may be critical, but due to increased stability, it is possible to build several floors to increase living space.
- Preparation:
To mark the “cup” you will need a special tool – a “dash”. The marking principle is reminiscent of drawing with a compass and is quite accurate. You should immediately pay attention to the fact that the bowl should always be on the underside of the log, otherwise the inevitable accumulation of moisture will lead to rapid rotting of the tree.
Next, the beams are stacked on top of each other in such a way that the bowl of the log lying on top exactly follows the contours of the lower beam ( modern way To achieve complete insulation and the absence of gaps is a special paste, which hardens after laying the timber). The depth of the “bowl” cut should not exceed half the diameter of the log.
Due to the initial stability imparted by the joining method, such a log house only in exceptional cases needs to tie the logs together using a stake or tenon.
- Finishing work:
First of all, you shouldn’t waste money on additional wood processing products (protection from moisture, fire and insects has never bothered anyone).
Video of log house cutting into a bowl with a spike:
Choosing a material for building a log house?
After reviewing the main types of log construction, you should ask yourself the question: what did you decide to cut it from?
The use of coniferous wood predominates. To simplify markup and more symmetrical appearance For a log house, you can use a rounded log, which will significantly simplify the cutting of “paws” and “cups”, due to the same diameter of the entire beam. But sometimes the diameter of the log itself is quite small, and the price is high.
The second method to speed up and simplify the entire process of building a log house is to use profiled timber. Thanks to special conveyor processing, such timber has a very precise tongue-and-groove system, which makes it possible to ideally tightly caulk the junction of the beams.
And although the installation process is significantly accelerated, and the quality increases, the main disadvantage is that there will be a template type of the proposed timber. This will not allow you to give free rein to your fantasies and bring some ideas to life.
Advice: if you decide to build a log house with your own hands for the first time, then you should start with a profiled beam, so you can fully understand the entire technology of building a log house with your own hands and avoid many mistakes.
Summarize.
Construction of a log house is almost an impossible task for one person, and sometimes it is very difficult to do without the help of a specialist. The cost of the timber is high enough to allow you to learn from your mistakes. The complexity of some of the knots of the log house is quite high (“paw with a spike”) and the accuracy of their execution directly depends on the dexterity and ability to work with wood.
