Assembling a log house with your own hands + Video. Wooden frames were used back in Russian times. Even now, despite the fact that there is a huge variety of building materials, wooden houses are extremely popular. Such a house can without a doubt be called environmentally friendly, and in terms of strength it will not be inferior to a brick and stone house. It is quite possible to build and assemble a log house with your own hands if you know the installation technology, as well as all the nuances of assembly.
To find out how to assemble a log house, you should first make a house project, prepare the wood and select the required type.
A wooden frame is a structure made of logs that are laid horizontally and form walls.
I call each row of logs that go along the perimeter a crown, and the bottom row is a frame crown. The structure at the corners will be formed by connecting logs with the projections of others, and if the house is represented only by external walls, then it will be called a four-walled one, and if there is a partition from the inside, then a five-walled log house with the logs connected from the inside in a T-shape. To build such a house, you will need hardwood or coniferous wood, and it is advisable that the trees were recently cut down. If trees are cut down in winter, they will have less moisture. Preference is given to coniferous wood, ideally it should be pine.
In order to build a log house, you will need logs with a diameter of 25 cm. If you live in an area with a warm climate, logs with a diameter of 2 cm will do. The material must be of high quality, free from rot and wormholes.
The construction of a log house can be divided into several main stages:
So, to assemble a log house from timber with your own hands, you should choose a technology. On this moment The 3 main ones are Canadian, Russian and Norwegian. The first two types are based on the use of rounded logs, and the Norwegian technology is based on the use of logs hewn on both sides. Such technologies differ from each other in their approach to making blanks and laying wood.
But still, no matter what technology you choose, you need to carefully prepare the material, namely calibrate, polish, and select logs of the same diameter.
The following types of foundations are suitable for a timber frame:
- Columnar – it is suitable for small houses, but careful calculation is required during construction.
- Deep foundation – is the most expensive foundation, which is used for the construction of bulky buildings with a garage and basement.
- Shallow. It is considered the best for a log house, and this technology is ideal for any soil, and is also economical and reliable.
How to assemble correctly
To begin, remove the bark from the felled tree and cut it into logs with the same length required for the walls + 1 meter allowance. If logs of the same length are not available, they can be obtained by crossing shorter logs using the tongue-and-groove method. Please note that the first crown of the log house must be made of high-quality and, most importantly, solid material. Logs that are intended to be completed interior work, should be trimmed on both sides.
Assembling a log house from rounded logs can be done in the following two ways:
- Using wood dowels.
- Using nails.
The first method is preferable, since the contact area between the logs and the dowel is larger, which means that the structure will be securely fastened. The dowels are connected in a checkerboard pattern, and the distance between them should be no more than 200 cm. If you assemble using nails, then you should correctly calculate their length. With a wall thickness of 10 cm, the length of the nail should be at least 25 cm. Please note that the head of the nail must be deeply recessed into the wood, otherwise the material will shrink.
When the foundation dries, its surface should be covered with a waterproofing material such as roofing felt. After this, you can begin laying the first crown of the thickest logs. To make it stronger, use cross-bar spacers. They and the lower crown should be well covered with tar and antiseptic. The gaps between the lower flashing and the foundation should be closed using concrete mortar and bricks on a pre-laid layer of roofing felt.
Most often, logs at the corners are joined using the “cup” or “paw” method. In the first case, tying at the corners is assumed with an allowance of logs, and in the second without allowances. The cup method is suitable for round logs, while the second method is suitable for both hewn and round logs. Please note that the second method is even more economical, since excess wood does not remain at the corners. When assembling, you should control how smooth the corners and vertical walls are.
the uppermost crown is called the mauerlat, and it serves as a support for the roof. The upper crown must be made from high-quality and strong logs. You need to leave appropriate openings for windows and doors, but they can be cut out after you build the frame. This method is even preferable, since during the construction of the structure you will be able to ensure a uniform load on the foundation, and this will mean that the house will not be skewed.
Wall treatment + interior work
After assembling the log house with your own hands is completed, you should caulk the walls with moss, tow or felt. You can use artificial materials made from real rubber. Such materials will hermetically seal the gaps between the logs, due to which the walls will receive a monolithic and completely waterproofed structure. You can start caulking surfaces from below and using tools such as a caulk and a hammer. This procedure should be carried out along the entire perimeter, since if you caulk individual walls, the structure may be skewed. When the treatment of the external walls is completed, you can begin to caulk the internal surfaces.
After this, the wood should be coated with antiseptics. Be sure to treat the wood with fire retardants in those places where the fireplace, stove and chimney area will be installed. Such procedures will help to significantly extend the life of the house. Finally, you should make a shelter from waterproofing materials. This procedure should be carried out 2 times a year so that the house first shrinks naturally, and then maintains it in the same condition. When the walls are ready, you can begin installing the blood and completing the interior decoration of the room.
Usually, quality wood should be sanded and varnished and a colored/clear coat can be used for this. If you want to make a modern interior design, then interior walls can be sheathed using wood or plasterboard, but first take care of installing electrical wires. Electric wires must be isolated.
Log houses made of wood do not need any additional insulation, therefore, laying insulation such as polystyrene foam between facing material or walls are not required. If necessary, you can use mineral wool as insulation.
The floors in the log house are made of boards 4 cm thick - they need to be laid tightly together, then secured, sanded and processed along the entire perimeter of the walls. If desired, you can varnish the floor and then lay laminate.
Advantages of a log house
A wooden log house made by yourself has many advantages:
Results
Wooden log house- This is one of the most environmentally friendly buildings. Such a house will literally “breathe”, since there is constant air exchange through natural wood. Due to optimal performance humidity in a wooden log house is even useful for living!
The service life of such houses is much longer than even the most solid buildings. Frame structures, in which the beams are impregnated with an anti-corrosion and fire-resistant composition, can become excellent housing for several generations of a family. Interestingly, the thermal conductivity of a log house is 2.5 times less than that of a house built of brick, and this ensures warmth inside the house in winter and pleasant coolness in summer. The external walls of the log house do not require insulation.
Making a log frame is not easy, but exciting process. This guide to building a log house will provide complete information and answer most questions that may arise during the work. Here you can find a point-by-point analysis of all stages of construction, nuances and little tricks. The instructions will tell you what tools you will need and introduce you to the terminology of carpenters.
Preparatory work
What tools should you get to build a log house with your own hands?
- Carpenter's axe. It should be comfortable, not too heavy, but not light either.
- Square
- Chisel.
- Roulette.
- Marker or simple pencil.
- Plumb.
- Hacksaw.
- Brace.
- Shovel.
- Non-stretch cord.
- Level.
- A dash is a special marking tool, similar to a compass.
- “Baba” is a birch block with two brackets on the sides, used as a spacer.
- A chainsaw is not necessary, but it will significantly facilitate labor and time costs.
Carpenters use specific expressions in construction - professional language. Basic carpenter terminology:
- A log house is a building made of logs, without floors and a roof, the basic part of the house, its height depends on the number of crowns.
- The crown is a part in a log house, consisting of logs that form a square or rectangle. At the corners they are connected by “locks”. The crown is divided into 3 types: window sill, window, over-window. From the name it is clear where they are located.
- The frame crown is the first crown of the log house. Protects the bottom trim from rotting.
- The lower trim is the second crown in the log house, which is the main one. Logs are installed in it.
- Logs are load-bearing for the floor. They strengthen the lower harness.
- The trailing crown is the first crown above the window.
- The top trim is a structure that is the basis for the roof. It consists of rafters and upper supports.
- The butt is the part of the trunk in a log house that is located at the bottom of the tree. The part opposite to it is called the vertex.
The classic form is a log house made of round timber. This is lining logs at height. A log house made of round timber requires great professionalism; it is easier to process a log house on the ground, and use scaffolding to install it in the right place. The scaffolding needs to be made strong and comfortable. Working with a log house is dangerous, so do not neglect safety rules. In this instruction we will use the cutting method followed by re-arranging. It is much safer and more convenient, no need to work at height. Its only drawback is the increase in construction time. The structure of the log house will be carried out in stages and parts: base, middle and upper part.
You need to understand that there are no ideal logs. They change their diameter along the entire length of the trunk. Therefore, it is necessary to change the tops and butts. When making a piping, one crown will fit better against the other. The edge of the deck is trimmed on one side and the other - the result is a plane.
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“Dovetail” and “claw” – the basic part of the lock
One of the first actions to take is logging.
Depending on the size, width, length and height, you will need a different number of logs.
Connection diagram “ dovetail”.
Pine, spruce and other conifers are mainly used. Birch should never be used; it will rot quickly and is very difficult to process. After selecting the forest, you need to get rid of the bark and dry the forest.
It is necessary to select the place where construction will take place, taking into account that it should be sufficient for all parts of the building. It is necessary to mark using a non-stretch cord.
Then you need to make a non-permanent foundation - linings. Their dimensions are 1 m long and 1/3 m in diameter. We install them near the corners of the building, which will ensure the most uniform load on them. The linings must be installed level, with an error of up to 5 cm.
The next stage is making the edging. To do this, you need to choose where the future edging will be. This side should be placed up and the log should be secured with staples. Using a plumb line, we draw vertical lines, which will become the edges of the edging. Using awls, you need to pull the cord from one edge of the log to the other. This way the edge of the edging will be drawn. After that, you need to secure the log with the future edging up and, having made cuts, begin to cut the log, getting an edging. Then you need to mark the edge on the opposite side of the log and make another edge in the same way. An alternative to cuts can be cuts made with a chainsaw.
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The process of making a log house
We take a log for the frame crown and make an edging, approximately 10 cm wide. The edging will lie on the linings. Next, we will cut down “blocks” 60-75% of the log thickness, the length of which will be constantly the same and will not exceed the maximum diameter of the log. We put a point at the end of the block and from it we draw a “paw” line with an extension into the house. After that, we place the “blocks” on the “legs” of the transverse log purlins, secure the structure with brackets and check whether the size of the round timber frame has not been violated.
Connection diagram “paw with socket”.
And only after re-check finally secure with staples. Then we transfer the connecting lines to the upper log from the lower one. This must be done while maintaining parallelism. During runs, you need to cut out the middle block using the same principle of transferring lines.
Next in line “ bottom harness" “Doodles” are made on logs of this binding. It is necessary to make sure that the upper purlins are flat; using a lining and a level, we ensure that they are horizontal. The error should not exceed 3 cm.
The next step will be cutting out the groove. To do this, we make notches across the groove, crosswise, using an ax. We make a notch along the groove with an ax, resulting in a groove. We cut out the “paws” according to the pattern described above and lay the log on the base. We check the tightness of the fit, if necessary, remove and finish. When the log house is the right size, spread the tow evenly on the bottom log and mount the log on top. We make and install 3 transverse logs into the lower logs and make logs. We install the logs using a “woman”.
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Installation of the 1st window sill
Let's start by marking the doorway. Using a dowel, we secure the logs, having previously applied markings. Using a chisel, select a pocket for the dowel, going 1 cm deeper than the dowel itself. It is necessary to check the verticality of the corners using plumb lines. The finishing sill log should be placed on 2 dowels and no tow should be placed under it. When translating, it is necessary to maintain the equivalence of the diagonals.
We carry out installation of window crowns. Height window openings from 110 to 130 cm. We fasten the “short ones” of window crowns with dowels. We do the work by analogy. In order not to get confused when shifting, you need to draw a line at the corner of the log house.
We make the “cap” of the log house. We remove the upper crown crown and begin to make the upper trim. The design includes two purlins and rafters. At the end of the runs we make blockheads, in the middle we need to make cheeks instead of blockheads. Using shims and staples, you need to ensure that the top of these purlins is horizontal. Transverse purlins should be installed, those in the middle should be equipped with a “dovetail”, others with a “claw”.
We make rafters. We take logs with a thickness of at least 15 cm and cut off 2 edges on each (they must be parallel), except for one. We cut the raw rafter into the deck using this fastener, as a result its top should be horizontal. We cut the rafters into the upper purlin, but not more than 25% of the diameter of the log. You should hook the cord along the edges of the last rafters and align all the rest. Using a chisel, make pockets for the rafter legs.
Manufacturing of rafters. This requires special precision; the strength of the roof depends on the rafters. The length of the rafters also depends on the angle of the roof. Presence is not allowed large quantity knots in the rafters. We cut out a tenon at the base of the rafters and stack them in pairs. We adjust the spikes and pockets. We begin relaying the rafters, while we must remember about the padding.
Tool Removing bark Laying out logs Initial markings Cutting feet Adjusting feet planes Log grooves
Cutting down a log house yourself is quite possible. Now we’ll find out all the details and see, and then the ax will be in your hands.
You won’t find this kind of material anywhere else on the Internet, since everywhere the cutting of a log house from first-class logs is shown, but it’s not easy for an inexperienced person to get first-class round timber, so we’ll cut from what God sent, without sacrificing quality.
At that time, God sent the forest felled by a hurricane, and there is no talk of the first grade. Nevertheless, we will make an excellent log house from it for a bathhouse.
If you get the first grade - great, make your work easier.
Tool
To make a log house you will need the following tools:
2. Hacksaw or chainsaw
3. Scherhebel plane or electric plane
4. Level 40 - 60 cm.
5. Metal ruler 40 - 60 cm.
6. Construction cord.
7. Template.
Learn more about the template, as it will need to be made. Pattern for a Canadian paw (dovetail). Here he is:
Template dimensions
A - width, taken relative to the crown (thin) part of the thinnest log. The width of the template is taken to be 4 centimeters narrower than this part. For example, if the thickness of the log is 20 cm, then the width of the template is 16 cm.
B - 3/4 of A
C and D - 2/4 from A
E - 1/4 of A
Removing the bark
First of all, remove the bark from the logs. From all. So that the log under the bark does not rot, and in warm weather, the bark beetle does not become active under it.
This operation is done with a shovel sharpened like this:
With the bark removed, logs can lie for a very long time, but if the expected storage period exceeds six months, it is necessary to ensure ventilation and cover the top of the stack with roofing material, or something similar.
Laying out logs
The work begins with laying out the logs. To do this, two stands with recesses are made, on which the log is given the position required for marking.
If the material is of the first grade, without noticeable bends, the log is laid out along the annual rings so that the part where the annual rings are thinner will later appear on the outside of the log house.
If the material is not of the first grade, then the log is laid out in accordance with the existing bends, which should be facing either upwards or towards the outside. Or in both these directions. Just don't go down and in.
Be careful. At first glance, the log may seem very straight, but a look along it will immediately reveal the curvature.
When laying out, we also determine the direction of laying the logs in the log house relative to the previous one. The butt part is placed on the crown part, and vice versa.
Initial marking
The logs are selected as follows: the first crown is the thickest, then thinner and towards the middle the thinnest. from the 7th crown it is thicker again, and the last pressure crown is thick.
For marking, the log is trimmed. There are no special devices for this - it is done by eye, but the smoother the trim is made, the less adjustment there will be and the likelihood of gaps in the corners.
The trim is done exactly to size, the same for all logs of the wall.
After trimming according to the level, draw a horizontal line along the widest part of the end of the log (for the first grade it is the middle), mark its center, and take the width of the template from the center.
We draw two lines along the width of the template, along the vertical level, thereby beginning to outline the cheeks of the paw.
Then along these lines we stretch a thread between the ends of the log, and along it we draw the longitudinal part of the cheeks, 25 - 30 cm long. Only all are the same.
As a result, the ends of the log will have the following markings:
Paw cutting
According to the markings, we cut out the cheeks of the paw.
We adjust the width of the cheeks exactly to the width of the template so that it fits tightly, but without strain. Until your hand is full, it is better to make them with a small margin, and then trim them with an ax to the desired size.
A chainsaw is used to cut out the cheeks when there are knots on them. If there are no knots, then the entire segment is cut down with an ax.
Let's move on to production seat paws. The first two logs have one seat - the top one.
We put the template on the paw in the middle and draw along the upper border. The narrow part of the template is located on the outside of the wall.
From the edge of the border outlined according to the template, draw a line upward along the vertical level on both sides. The distance from the border to the top of the log, on the wide (inner) side, must be at least 5 centimeters.
.
Then we draw out the edge of the seat, cut through the end, and cut down a segment of the log. It is important when cutting the end not to make a cut below the border of the template.
The paw is made in the same way at the opposite end of the log. Then, according to the same instructions, a second log is made, which in the log house will be parallel to the first.
Let's move on to the transverse logs of the first crown. Trimming, marking and cheeks for a transverse log are done in exactly the same way as for the first one. But the paw is a little different, since it is already complete, with two landing pads, upper and lower.
First, the lower platform of the paw is made. We measure approximately 5 cm from the bottom of the log, install and outline the template.
Why about 5 cm? Since the logs are not perfectly even, and the trimming will most likely not be perfect at first, the template will most likely move away from the plane, so it will need to be adjusted to the lower paw, and this adjustment can eat up another 1 - 2 cm.
As a result, we get the normal depth of the paw. The depth of the paw should be approximately 0.5 of the width of the groove, so if the average width of the groove is 12 - 14 cm, then the depth of the paw is normally 6 - 7 cm.
Don't forget that the narrow end of the template is on the outside. You don't have to draw the top edge yet. I have outlined it here to make it clearer for you.
Now we draw by level inner edge paws.
We turn the log over, and just like on the first log, we draw the edge and make a cut, and we cut out the paw in the same way, only if on the first log we made the top of the paw, now, on the transverse one, we make the bottom.
We are not touching the upper fit yet, since the lower one will still have to be adjusted.
After this, we take an electric planer and process the knot protrusions. If there are sharp bends or protrusions on the log, then we trim them too.
We just have to adjust the planes of the legs of the longitudinal and transverse logs, but how to do this, so as not to repeat ourselves, I will show you on the second log, which will already have a groove on it.
In the meantime, let’s install the transverse ones and draw out the entire structure along the diagonals and level. The level is taken from the bottom of the first logs.
Adjustment of paw planes
We have the top of the paw of the first log and the bottom of the paw of the first transverse log ready. Now we need to adjust these planes.
First of all, we draw out the vertical. This is done using a level and a wedge.
Having positioned the log in this way, we look at the gap, determine and mark out the places on the paw that need to be cut so that there is no gap and the log lies strictly vertically.
After fitting, we measure the resulting depth of the lower plane of the paw, and using this size we draw according to the template and cut out the upper plane. This way the paw will be located exactly in the middle of the log.
Now we prepare the log three times. It will be longitudinal, with a groove, and all subsequent logs will be made according to the same instructions.
We position the log as mentioned above, cut out the cheeks and cut out the bottom of the paw to a depth of about 5 cm, process the knots and protrusions with a plane and install them on the previous one.
We set the vertical using a wedge, and look at the gap between the logs.
Wooden frames have been used in Rus' since time immemorial. And even in our time, despite the fact that new building materials have appeared, wooden house quite popular. Such a house is considered environmentally friendly, and in terms of its strength it is not inferior to stone and brick houses.
Coniferous wood is the best choice for building a log house.
It is quite possible to build a wooden house yourself if you know the installation technology and all the details of the assembly. To know how to assemble a log house, you need to make a house project, prepare the wood and choose desired type foundation.
Loghouse construction technology
A log house is a structure made of horizontally laid logs that form walls.
Each row of logs around the perimeter is called a crown. The bottom row is the frame crown.
The structure at the corners is formed by connecting logs with protruding ends. If the house is represented only by external walls, then it is called a four-wall house, and if there is a partition inside, then it is a five-wall frame with a T-shaped connection of logs inside.
To build such a house you need coniferous or hardwood. It is advisable that the trees are freshly cut and in winter time. Such wood contains less moisture. For a log house it is preferable to choose coniferous wood. The best option there will be a pine tree.
For the construction of a wooden log house, logs with a diameter of 25-26 cm are used. For areas with a warm climate, logs with a size of 22-23 cm are suitable. The material must be of high quality: without wormholes and rot.
The construction of a log house consists of several stages:
- Drawing up a house project. This stage includes the development of drawings, selection of materials, type of foundation and everything design features future building.
- Preparing for work. It includes building the foundation and preparing the logs.
- Construction of log walls. This is, in fact, the main part of the construction.
- Construction of the roof.
- Finishing walls and interior finishing work.
To properly assemble a log house, you need to choose a technology. At the moment there are three of them: Russian, Canadian and Norwegian. The first two are based on the use of large rounded logs, and the Norwegian technology is based on logs hewn on both sides. These technologies differ in their different approaches to harvesting and laying wood.
Any technology requires careful preparation of the material: calibration, grinding, selection of logs by diameter.
Under wooden frame The following types of foundation are suitable:
- Columnar. Suitable for small houses. Their construction requires careful calculations.
- Deep foundation. This is the most expensive foundation. It is used for the construction of bulky buildings with basements and garages.
- Shallow. It is considered the most optimal for wooden house. This base is suitable for any soil, and it is also reliable and economical.
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How to assemble a log house correctly
Log fastening scheme.
First you need to remove the bark from the felled trees and cut the logs to the same length, equal to the length of the walls plus 100 cm of allowance. If there are no identical long logs, then they can be obtained by splicing short ones using the tongue-and-groove method. But the first crown of the log house must necessarily consist of solid, high-quality material. Logs intended for interior work must be hewn on both sides.
You can collect in two ways:
- using wooden dowels;
- using nails.
The first method is preferable, since the contact area between the dowel and the logs is larger, which means that the structure will be securely fastened.
The dowels are connected in a checkerboard pattern, the distance between which should be no more than 2 m.
In the case of assembly with nails, it is necessary to correctly calculate the length of the nails. If the wall thickness is 100 mm, then the length of the nail must be at least 250 mm. The head of the nail is deeply recessed into the wood to prevent shrinkage of the material.
When the foundation is dry, its surface is covered with a waterproofing material: roofing felt. Next, you can lay the first crown of the thickest logs. For strength - cross-bar spacers. The lower crown and gaskets should be thoroughly coated with antiseptic and tar.
The gaps between the lower frame and the foundation are closed with bricks and concrete mortar on pre-laid roofing felt.
Connecting logs at corners is most often carried out using the “cup” method or the “paw” method. The first method involves tying at the corners with an allowance of logs, and “in the paw” - without an allowance. The cup method is for round logs. Cutting "in the paw" is used for both round and hewn logs. But this method is more economical, since there is no excess wood left at the corners.
During assembly, it is necessary to control the evenness of the corners and the verticality of the walls..
The topmost crown of the log house, the mauerlat, serves as a support for the roof. The upper crown is made of strong and high-quality logs.
Appropriate openings are left for doors and windows. But these openings can be cut out after the construction of the log house. This method is preferable, since during the construction of the structure a uniform load on the foundation is ensured. This means that the house will not warp.
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Wall treatment and interior work
After the construction of the log house, its walls should be caulked with moss, felt or tow. You can use artificial materials based on natural rubber. These materials hermetically close the gaps between the logs, so that the walls acquire a monolithic waterproofing structure.
Begin caulking vertical surfaces from the bottom using a hammer and caulk. This procedure should be carried out around the perimeter. This means that if you caulk individual walls, the structure may become warped. When the treatment of the external walls is completed, they begin to caulk the internal surfaces.
Next, the wood must be coated with antiseptic compounds. Treatment with fire-fighting substances is mandatory in those places where the stove, fireplace and chimney area will be installed. These procedures will significantly extend the life of the house.
Cutting in the “oblo” with the bowl down.
The final stage of assembling the log house will be its shelter waterproofing materials. This procedure is carried out for six months so that the house shrinks naturally.
When the walls are ready, proceed to the installation of the roof and interior decoration premises.
Usually, high-quality wood is sanded and simply varnished. To do this, you can use both transparent and colored coatings.
If you still want modern design interior, then the internal walls can be sheathed wooden clapboard or drywall. But before that, you should take care of installing the electrical wires. Electrical wires must be insulated: with copper conductors in metal tubes.
Wooden log houses do not require additional insulation at all, so laying polystyrene foam between the walls and the facing material is not necessary. If necessary, mineral wool can be used for insulation.
The floors in the log house are made of boards, the thickness of which is 40 mm. They are laid tightly next to each other, secured, sanded and processed according to the example of the walls. You can varnish the floor, or lay laminate.
Our ancestors also preferred to build houses in Rus' from wood, and in our time this construction material has not lost its relevance. This is determined by the fact that wood is a unique, natural and environmentally friendly material. Majority wooden buildings erected by Russian architects without the use of nails by chopping into a bowl. The method received this name because the logs are connected into a single structure. The principle of such a log house is that a recess is cut out in the log that is located below, which has a semicircular shape in the form of a bowl. The top log is placed in this bowl so that the angle is right. A log house built according to this principle is not only durable and warm, but also beautiful.
Construction methods
There are two types of log house construction using the bowl method.
- "To the region"– another name for Russian felling. The bowl is carved into the lower crown. In most cases it is smooth, but sometimes a small protrusion in the form of a spike is left in the bowl to prevent possible movement. This method was used in the construction of most architectural monuments that have survived to this day.
- "To the clap" or Siberian felling. In this case, the bowl is cut out at the bottom of the top log, which is laid on top of the bottom log. This is how the construction process takes place.
Experts recommend using Siberian logging when building houses. They explain this by saying that it is more reliable and better protects the log house from moisture and cold. But application modern species heat and waterproofing, as well as competent thermotechnical calculation allows us to minimize this disadvantage.
Learning to chop into a Canadian cup with your own hands is not at all difficult if you follow the recommendations of experts. The article presents step-by-step instruction how to make a log house, it right size, for example, 6x6 cm, working technology and technique, how to sheathe the structure with this material.
Advantages of constructing a log house using the bowl method.
- This results in a very strong nodal fastening. As a result, the structure is very stable.
- Such houses have a high degree of thermal insulation, since the corners are windproof.
- Houses built this way are environmentally friendly.
- The result is a beautiful and majestic wooden structure.
- No additional finishing is required, since wood itself is a beautiful material.
- The stability of the structure allows the construction of several floors.
If we compare the construction method in a paw and in a bowl, then it is better to use the second method of construction, since it has proven itself with the best side, and this is exactly the method our ancestors built houses.
It is worth noting the disadvantages of the method.
- Only professionals can build houses using this method, as it is quite hard work, requiring professional skills.
- Difficulties arise when exterior decoration log house, since the corners protrude a considerable distance.
- The useful length of the crowns is significantly reduced due to the presence of protruding corners, which leads to a significant increase in the cost of the log house. This disadvantage acts as the main one when choosing the method of construction in a paw or in a bowl. But a house built using the claw method requires additional thermal insulation, so you won’t be able to save much on this. In addition, a log house built in a paw is not stable enough.
Selection of material for construction
When constructing a log house using the bowl method, materials from coniferous species. In most cases, pine is chosen for construction, which has an even trunk, uniform in thickness, a small number of defects, and also resistance to rotting. Preference is given to material harvested in the winter season in northern latitudes. This is due to the fact that in winter the tree contains a small amount of sap, so the workpieces crack less when dried.
The building material should have approximately equal dimensions.
The blanks are carefully processed; for this they are sanded and hewn. In order for the log house to be resistant to climatic conditions, they try to orient the material along the growth rings. Material that has thin rings is placed on the outside, and material that has thick rings is placed on the inside.
Thus prepared material is dried, covering it from precipitation. It takes at least six months to dry the material.
Methods of marking
Correct markings play an important role in the construction of a log house. Marking specialists use a tool called a dash. This tool has a handle and two rigid plates, the ends of which are pointed. The distance between the plates changes. Using a dash, you can draw two parallel lines.
To mark, two logs are laid on the ground, maintaining parallelism between them. It is necessary that the edge of the third log, which is laid across parallel logs, be positioned so that the distance from the edge of the log to the bowl is at least 25 cm. Check the correct placement of all logs in the crown. To facilitate marking, all logs are connected with staples. If the bowl is cut out in the upper log, the line is moved apart so that the distance between its plates is equal to half the thickness of the lower log.
When working on markings, they try to ensure that one plate of the line is on the upper log, and the second rests on the lower log. To outline the bowl, one leg of the tool touches the arc of the log below, while the other leg traces a parallel line on the log above. This will create the outline of the future bowl. Mark a special semicircular groove along the log so that the logs are in close contact with each other.
In the event that the bowl is cut into a log located below, one plate of the dash outlines the bottom of the log located on top, and the second plate outlines the lower element. The distance between the tool plates is equal to the thickness of the log located on top.
Working with a line requires experience, so traditional marking tools are sometimes used.
The process of assembling a log house using the bottom bowl method.
- To assemble the structure, you first need to prepare the foundation. Waterproofing is laid on the upper surface of the foundation.
- Larch boards are laid on the waterproofing material. These boards are immersed in an antiseptic solution. Then control the horizontality of the laid boards using a level.
- The logs are installed on boards along the sides of the house under construction. Make sure that the distance between them is the same and equal to the length of the transverse log. The length is measured using a tape measure, and the horizontalness is determined using a level.
- After checking the structure using a level, two transverse logs are laid on it.
- The logs are marked using a carpenter's line.
- They begin cutting out the bowl. Cut out the notch using a saw and finish it with an ax or chisel. The bottom of the recess is processed so that it is as smooth as possible, so that when the top element is laid, the gaps are minimal.
- The degree of mating of the logs is checked, after which the top log is removed. Then a semicircular shape is cut out in the lower log longitudinal groove small depth. This work is done using a rounded ax.
- After the lower crown is worked out, work on the second crown begins. The logs are laid with butts and maintained horizontally.
- Work is underway on the next crown. The insulation is laid in the longitudinal groove. Currently, jute or linen tapes are used as insulation. In the past, our ancestors used moss for these purposes. To make the top log fit more tightly, tap it with a wooden block. When laying the crowns, care must be taken to ensure that they are horizontal and vertical.
- Using special clamps, the laid crowns are secured in a checkerboard pattern. The clamps are driven into the prepared holes using a sledgehammer. Dowels or “Force” spring units are used as clamps.
- After work on the assembly is completed, all seams are caulked and excess insulation is removed. After about six months, this operation is repeated.
- When all work is completed, everything is subjected to antiseptic wooden elements designs. This procedure is repeated twice.
- Often a log house is first built on bare ground, and the horizontal position is checked using building level. It is necessary to ensure the horizontal position of the logs laid at the bottom of the log house, using boards of the required thickness.
- If the building material is a rounded log of the same diameter, then it will be convenient to use a template made of tin, which imitates the upper log when working on cutting out a bowl in the lower log. This template will allow you to avoid repeatedly lifting heavy logs during the construction of a log house.
