Wooden houses

Many would like to live in wooden houses, log cabins, but many people are afraid of this technology. Is there a reason for concern?

It is worth mentioning right away that a wooden house will not fit into any environment. It will look out of place next to a modern urban landscape. The best location for it is next to a forest, a river... In a word, in nature.

The second problem is finding professionals to erect the building, as working with wood requires a lot of experience. It is better not to trust such an object to the first construction team you come across. In addition, wood is not a cheap material.

What wood to use

Pine, spruce or fir can be chosen for building a wooden house. Pine is most often used. Its layers are narrow, and the wood itself is impregnated with natural resin, which provides exceptional strength and a good appearance. The moisture content of the wood should not be higher than 18%.

Also, glued timber has been used in construction lately. It is much more resistant to deformation, but also much more expensive. In terms of aesthetic qualities, it is no different from natural wood.

The main building material for the construction of wooden houses is a round or rectangular beam. The length of the beam, as a rule, is from 14 cm to 22 cm, the width is from 6 cm to 30 cm. The diameter of the rounded beam can vary from 14 cm to 48 cm.

The thickest beams can be used to build single-layer external walls without any fear. Due to the properties of the wood, they do not even need to be insulated. Manufacturers usually supply wood treated with a special impregnation, which is not afraid of fire and high temperatures.

Where to get wood

It is unlikely that you will be able to order suitable timber from a sawmill. The best way is to seek help from a specialized company that will undertake the delivery of all necessary materials. Also, specialists will be able to select the necessary timber sizes based on the project. And, of course, there are companies that build wooden houses "turnkey".

Specialized companies also provide assistance in resolving all formalities, provide services of experienced designers, technical consultants. Often they can also order windows, doors, ready-made stairs, floor coverings. And, in addition, in the case of a turnkey house, the company can provide the client with a 5-10-year guarantee.

How long does the work last?

On average, building a wooden house from timber takes 3-4 months. After placing an order, the client will have to wait several weeks while the contractor prepares all the necessary materials for a specific project. The actual construction, provided that the foundation is prepared while waiting for the material, will last about three weeks. And, of course, the entire process will depend on the weather.

As usual, most of the time is spent finishing the house, connecting communications and installing equipment. If you want to deal with this yourself (which is not recommended in the case of wooden houses), it will take 2-3 months.

A specialized company will complete its work much earlier. In any case, handing over a house "turnkey" is a long process.

How is construction going?

If the foundation is already ready on the site, the company brings materials to the site and begins their installation. The first important step is to prepare the so-called basement - the first beam on which all subsequent ones will be laid. It must be laid perfectly horizontally, otherwise the walls will be uneven. During the installation process, thermal insulation, such as mineral wool, must be laid between the beams.

The horizontal beams are reinforced with vertical dowels, for which special holes are drilled in the wood.

Often, in the immediate vicinity of windows and doors, the beams are fastened with dowels, which also provide rigidity to the structure near the windows and doors and prevent cracks from forming around them.

If you do not want to build external walls from thick timber (36-48 cm), you can choose timber 10-12 cm thick, lay them in two layers, and place 10 cm of mineral wool insulation between them. You can also insulate log walls from the inside, but this is associated with certain difficulties.

The timber is used for the construction of internal and external walls. Partitions can have a frame structure.

During the construction process, holes are made in which windows and doors will later be installed.

Specialized companies provide beams with holes in the right places to create reinforcing vertical channels, as well as channels for all necessary installations. In this case, a detailed and carefully designed project is required for installation. This is especially true for electrical equipment, the installation of which is carried out in accordance with fire protection requirements.

Walls usually need finishing. They are usually treated with varnish or colored glaze. Paint is used less often. Some manufacturers recommend covering wooden walls with wax. It is best to treat wood with a product containing a protective impregnation. In this case, the wood will acquire a pleasant shade, and, in addition, will receive a protective barrier against ultraviolet rays, fungus and pests. During the first year of operation, the walls should not be painted or otherwise treated.

Advantages of wooden houses:

• Wood is an excellent natural building material;
• the timber is easy to process;
• wooden houses have a pleasant and healthy climate;
• Properly processed wood is durable and reliable;
• wooden walls provide good noise protection;
• Wood does not require expensive finishing work.

Disadvantages of wooden houses:

• do not fit into any environment;
• quite expensive;
• it is necessary to find solutions to improve fire safety;
• difficulty in installing electrical wiring, heating, sewerage and water supply;
• a wooden house requires more frequent maintenance than brick buildings;
• During construction, convenient access for large trucks is required.