Chopped houses - housing that has been used for many centuries. For our country, wood is the most affordable building material, so wooden construction will never lose its relevance. To the availability of logs is added a large number of advantages. Further about them in more detail.
Advantages and disadvantages
Solid logs are used as the main wall material. Such wooden houses are characterized by the following advantages:
- high environmental friendliness;
- good thermal insulation (wood is three times warmer than ceramic brick);
- attractive and presentable appearance;
- good air permeability, in which the thermal insulation and material strength are not reduced;
- good strength characteristics of the log;
- in comparison with brick and concrete houses, wooden ones have less load on the foundation, which allows saving on the construction of supporting elements;
- the opportunity to save on the arrangement of the ventilation system due to the ability of the walls to “breathe”;
- ease of processing.
The disadvantages include:
- susceptibility to mold and mildew;
- low fire resistance;
- the need for waiting time for shrinkage of the log house;
- the difficulty of finding qualified craftsmen.
The only fatal flaw is log shrinkage for a year or more.
To prevent damage to the material by various microorganisms, the wood is treated with a special composition - an antiseptic. Such an event must be carried out immediately after the purchase of the material, otherwise, even with a short shelf life, mold and fungus can damage the structure.
Fire safety can be solved with flame retardants, which increase the resistance of wood to fire.
To find good craftsmen, it will take a lot of time. It is better to choose a trusted contractor who will give a guarantee on quality than to chase for a reduction in cost. Savings in this case can lead to significant costs during operation.
Types of Log Houses
Three types can be distinguished here depending on the material used:
- houses made of chopped logs;
- houses made of planed logs;
- houses made of logs.
Chopped house involves the construction of logs of large diameter. For construction it is possible to use a diameter of more than 40 cm, while for a rounded material, the maximum diameter is usually 27-30 cm.
What are the benefits of using large logs:
- reducing the number of wall crowns, which speeds up the construction in the presence of special equipment (it is impossible to manually raise elements with a large length);
- an increase in wall thickness due to the large diameter, which leads to an increase in the thermal insulation properties of the house;
- strength increase;
- interesting building facade, no need for additional decoration.
The advantages of the manufacturing method for elements of large diameter include:
- the use of tools for manual processing - an ax, a bracket, a plane;
- preservation of sapwood - the outer part of the log, which protects it from negative external influences, has greater strength than the rest of the cross section, and reduces the likelihood of cracking walls.
The second name of the houses from large-diameter logs was “wild log cabin”.
A rounded and planed log can give such characteristics in terms of strength and resistance to external factors only under the following conditions:
- for the manufacture, a selective wood was used, having the most even outer surface, due to which it is possible to remove a very thin top layer;
- processing was carried out on modern equipment by skilled craftsmen.
It is difficult to say exactly which material is better: a round log or chopped large diameter. The choice depends on the climate of the area and the preferences of the customer. For the northern regions, it is better to give preference to thicker walls, the construction of which is made from large cross-sectional material (chopped).
Material selection
Do-it-yourself home building requires knowledge of the procurement of materials. The following tips can be cited:
- when choosing logs of large diameter, it is recommended to pay attention to the region of wood growth (preferably the northern regions);
- when building with your own hands it is important to choose a tree felled at the end of winter, the beginning of spring, this guarantees high strength of the material;
- construction involves the use of coniferous wood of the first or second grade (they are more resistant to damage by mold and fungus);
- log runoff (roughness) for coniferous species should be no more than 0.8 cm per meter, for hardwood 1 cm per meter;
- as antiseptic and flame retardant impregnations, it is necessary to choose compositions that have water permeability, since a moisture-resistant film will reduce the ability of the house to “breathe”.
Manufacturing technology
DIY wall construction is quite simple:
- Stacking - the bottom row (crown) of logs. For this, elements of the largest diameter with a high resin content are used. Before laying, it is necessary to provide a layer of waterproofing between materials with different properties (wood and stone elements). As waterproofing materials, roofing material, hydroisol or linocrom are used.
- To unite the horizontal logs with their own hands, longitudinal grooves are provided at the bottom of each. The width of the groove is determined depending on the climatic conditions of the area and the type of wood.
- Crowns of walls are stacked on top of each other, rallying them at the corners.
- Wait for the initial shrinkage. After the passage, they mark the elements of the log house, disassemble it and collect it again with the seal gasket. To seal with your own hands, use tow, jute or moss.
- Wait time for the final shrinkage of the house (12-18 months). After this, complete caulking is performed. For additional sealing, compositions based on acrylic and foamed insulation can be used.
To connect the crowns at the corners, several methods are used:
- “In the cloud”;
- “Into the cup”;
- "In the paw."
The choice depends on the climate of the area and the availability of subsequent cladding.
Competent selection of material for a chopped house and compliance with construction technology will allow you to build a warm, comfortable and safe home for many years.