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Timber crown. Russian chopped log house. Glossary of terms. Partial crown replacement

The crowns of a house made of wood are rectangular in height building construction. They rest on a fundamental foundation and carry the load from the crowns and roofs located on top. Even the ancients recognized the possibility of replacing rotten elements as an advantage of log houses built from crowns. lopsided log cabin did not need to be completely rebuilt. It was enough, having raised the walls in a special way, to lay a new row of logs, that is, a crown.

The structural elements of the crown have their own names. The logs located along the longest wall of the house are called shoulder straps, those that are directed perpendicular to them are transverse. For windows and doorways short logs are used, the length of which depends on the location of future doors and windows, as well as the width of the openings.

Despite the apparent analogy of the crowns, each of them performs a different job. The fundamental design is the first crown, it is also called salary or salary. For him, the ancient Russian architects chose a special wood: oak, if it was possible to cut it down, buy and bring it, resinous twisted pine, larch. Powerful logs for the overhead crown have a larger diameter. It is very important to immediately eliminate violations of geometric directions when installing the blind crown, otherwise the error will drag on. With the help of modern instruments or an elementary hemp cord, the correct parameters of the angles and the dimensions of the crossed diagonals are checked. On the this stage all deviations are easily eliminated.

Previously, to seal and protect against premature destruction, the wood for this part of the structure was burned on all sides at the fires until a glossy sheen appeared. Now salaries are processed with antiseptics. Often, before installing the crown crown, a special board is laid, treated with resin or bituminous impregnation from three sides not adjacent to the logs. Instead of impregnation, you can wrap it with any waterproofing material. Then comes the heat-insulating layer, and immediately after it is the crown crown. In the old days, its laying was considered the most important stage of construction.

The crown crown is the basis for the second crown, which is the lower harness. Then the following construction crowns are placed, equipping the grooves between the logs heat-insulating material. Previously, tow, hemp, moss, flax fiber were used for this, now there are special materials made on the basis of flax and jute. To provide functional openings, window and window crowns are installed. The installation of the log house is completed by the upper crown, which is the basis for roof structure, it is called the top harness.

Sincerely, the editors of "SK Klen".

A crown is a construction of one row of beams or logs laid perpendicular to each other and fastened together in the corners. The walls of the house are built from the crowns.

Types of crowns at home:

  1. salaries. These are the first crowns of the log house;
  2. lower harness - second crowns;
  3. window sills. Logs from the bottom trim to the window;
  4. window. They are cut from short logs (shortened logs) and are intended for arranging window openings;
  5. overwindows. Fitted over window frames.

Crowns of a wooden house


The felling of the walls of a wooden house begins with the installation of an overhead (first) crown. Since the lower crowns of the house sooner or later begin to rot, the installation immediately provides for the possibility of their subsequent replacement. The lower crown of the house is usually made of larch or oak, as these types of wood are the most resistant to moisture and rot.

The installation of the first crown is the most important stage in the construction of a log house. For him, the thickest and most durable log of high quality wood is selected. The first crown of the house stacked and calibrated with extreme precision using a building level.

Since it is very inconvenient to work at a height, a log house is usually assembled in separate parts on the ground. Each part is shaped to human height so that workers can do their work while standing on the ground. After manufacturing, parts of the log house are disassembled and transferred to the prepared foundation. For stable laying on the foundation, the crown crown of the house is hewn from the bottom side.

Reconciliation of the corners of the log house is performed in a diagonal way - by measuring the diagonals of the crowns and correcting their position, if necessary, by moving one of the ends.

Replacing crowns at home

The lower crowns, as the part of the wooden house most susceptible to rotting and destruction, must be replaced over time. Replacing the lower rims can be done in several ways:

  1. Redecorating. The destroyed parts of the log are sawn out, new ones are installed in their place.
  2. Complete disassembly of the house with the replacement of the lower rims and its subsequent alignment. This is a long, laborious and costly process.
  3. Jacking. With the help of jacks, the first crowns of a wooden house are evenly raised, under them (after restoring the foundation and performing waterproofing work), new ones are started, and the old ones are carefully removed.
  4. Instead of the lower rims of a wooden house, brickwork is performed, concrete is poured or foundation blocks up to a whole rim are installed. Concrete is pre-treated with an antiseptic. With this method of replacing a rotten crown, the height brickwork or concrete base must be installed below floor level. This is done in order to avoid the formation of a "cold bridge". If necessary, additional insulation is arranged.

The crown of the log house is one solid horizontal row of timber or logs, which are laid perpendicular to each other and fastened in the corners. These rows form the walls of the house. There are several types of crowns depending on the location. The first row is called salary, the second is the lower trim, then window sills go to the beginning of the window. For arranging window openings, window rows made of shortened lumber are used. The rest of the log house is occupied by rows of windows.

Before laying, each log or beam must be dried and antiseptic. Quality dried and processed products will last longer. They will not be covered with cracks, mold or rot, and will retain a presentable appearance for a long time. appearance and initial physical properties. And in order for the lumber to dry evenly both inside and out, experts recommend using a modern safe one.

Crown laying technique

Laid crowns are laid first and are made of thick, powerful and durable timber or logs. After that they put bottom harness. At the same time, it is very important building level check the evenness of the rows and lay the lumber evenly. In addition, you need to check the corners using the diagonal method. To do this, measure the diagonal of the crowns and, if necessary, change the position of the row by moving the desired end.

Special attention should be paid to window crowns and installation of a window frame. For the installation of these rows, shortened materials are used. In an already assembled log house, a pigtail or casing is installed. This is wooden frame, which is installed in the window opening. It prevents the formation of cracks and deformation of the window structure during shrinkage.

Experts recommend assembling the log house in separate parts. And then the assembled parts are laid on the established foundation. And to strengthen and stability the structure, the first row of the structure is hewn from the bottom side. After shrinkage, the log house is insulated. To do this, make a caulk and lay a heater between the crowns. Jute and acrylic sealant are perfect as a heater. Read more about how and how to insulate log or timber walls, read .

Assembling a log house and laying crowns is a rather difficult task that requires certain knowledge and skills. Without compliance with the construction technologies, the walls will turn out to be uneven, and the log house will be transferred. In addition, improper masonry will not be able to provide reliable thermal insulation. The house will be blown through, and moisture will accumulate on the lumber. This will lead to the formation of mold and rot, the gradual destruction wooden walls.

To avoid problems, contact professionals. Masters of "MariSrub" will reliably and quickly assemble the log house, evenly, competently and correctly lay the crowns. We carry out construction and decoration wooden houses according to a standard and individual project, we produce lumber, install the foundation and roof, conduct and connect network engineering, we warm the log house.

The assembly of the log house is carried out along the crowns. The crowns can be from one log, if the structure is small, and from several logs spliced ​​in a certain way. Let us consider in detail the procedure for assembling a log house from logs.

Everyone knows that a tree grows unevenly in thickness. To the south - more than to the north. And the width of the annual rings is correspondingly less from the north, and more - from the south. The lower the density of wood, the better its thermal protection. Therefore, if the log is even, then it is laid so that the denser side, the northern one, is outside the log house, this part of the log is less prone to cracking. But there is usually not so much timber, all trees have a certain curvature. Slightly curved logs are laid, regardless of the location of the annual rings, with the direction of the "hump" up or down. If there are many or all of the curved logs, and they are the same, then when laying the "hump" outward, it is almost impossible to notice the curvature of the finished wall.

When laying the log crowns, a sealing layer is laid between the logs. Traditionally, this is forest moss. Often, jute fiber is used as an interventional sealant.

Log assembly rules

  • Laying logs in crowns. There are two ways of laying - butt to top and butt to butt (top to top). But if you need to make horizontal alignment in a row, this rule can be changed.
  • To obtain the necessary rigidity in the structure of the log house, they are fixed in vertical planes with the help of dowels - wood parts carved in the form of a round or square rod. Two or three logs go through the pins at once, into the drilled holes, such fastening is done in each crown. Holes are drilled with wood drills from 450 mm long and 25 mm in diameter. Distances between holes are selected from 80 to 150 cm. At least 100 mm should remain from the edges of openings and bowls. The dowels are hammered into the holes with a hammer, into the "tightness". The use of metal pins instead of wooden pins for a log house is unacceptable. Firstly, the metal condenses moisture from the air, and wood rotting becomes possible in the interventional seals inside the walls. Secondly, when driving pointed pins, free shrinkage of logs is impossible, logs “hang” on pins during drying, the log house does not shrink, and the gaps between the crowns increase.

  • After the frame is assembled, the protruding parts of the logs at the corners are cut to the mark, but not less than 200 mm from the corners to the ends. The ends of the logs are cut along the vertical markings. Open-grained ends dry faster than the middle parts of the logs and can develop deep cracks. To avoid this, acrylic varnishes or PVA glue are used to cover the ends. Historically, clay and lime mortar were used for this purpose.
  • For the arrangement of window and door openings, they do not always leave holes in the frame or make them obviously smaller. Be sure to leave only an opening for entering inside the log house. After shrinkage of the frame, openings for windows and doors are cut to the required dimensions, taking into account the connection to the landing spike.

The device of the lower salary crown of the log house

The crown crown is closest to the ground, it accounts for more moisture from rain and snow. Therefore, it requires special attention. The waterproofing of the lower crown is made of rolled bituminous materials in two or three layers. A waterproofing layer is laid along the upper edge of the foundation under the lower crown, and should prevent the log house from getting wet from the foundation.

For the manufacture of the crown crown, the thickest logs are taken. It is best to use wood species that are resistant to decay - oak or larch.

The logs in the crowns fall on different horizontal levels, the difference is 0.5 of the log diameter. There are two ways to arrange the lower crown.

The first way to arrange the lower crown

Two logs are laid on the foundation, hewn along the bottom by 50 mm, so that the logs fit more closely to the foundation. A sealing material is laid under the logs for waterproofing, the same as that which will go under all the following crowns. The most commonly used jute fiber and tow. Traditionally moss.

This laying method has a drawback - a large gap between the foundation and the logs located at the top of the crown. This gap is closed with a tree in the form of a beam or halves of logs, or bricks. It is possible, when constructing the formwork of the foundation, to make its opposite sides at different heights, then there will be no gaps under the lower crown.

But this method has a significant advantage, since the logs are stacked in one piece. And whole logs are the most durable.

The second method of the device of the lower crown

With this method of laying, there is no gap between the crown and the foundation, since the lower logs are hewn to the middle, and the upper ones - by 50 mm for a tight fit on the foundation.

In the corners, the logs of the overlay crown are connected by corner cuts, which are called “okryap”.

As the logs are processed, care must be taken to prevent rotting of the lower hewn sides adjacent to the foundation waterproofing. an antiseptic is needed here, it is applied in 4-5 layers with a brush or roller. Sometimes a board is laid under the crown crown. That's what they call it - a salary board. It is much easier to replace this board if it rots than crown logs. Using jacks, they lift the log house and replace the old board with a new one. The flashing board has a width of 250-300 mm and a thickness of 50 - 80 mm. For its manufacture, wood species resistant to decay are used - oak or larch. A thorough antiseptic is carried out, as an option, they are kept in used engine oil (development). It is impossible to preservate wood, especially undried wood, with the help of bitumen and mastics. Due to the capillary structure of wood, it rots very quickly if the capillaries are clogged with resins or bitumen. Wrapping in a roll of waterproofing material gives the same effect.

The laying of the mezheventsovy sealant is necessarily done under the first crown between it and the flashing board, and between the foundation waterproofing and the flashing board, that is, everywhere.

The crown crown as a result of weathering is in a wet state for most of the year, that is, almost constantly. therefore, to increase the durability of the lower logs, it is practical to arrange visors or overhangs above them, for example, from galvanization.

In the next topic - types of cutting corners.

Chopped log - the most unpredictable construction material. During the shrinkage of the log house, the crowns can twist so that through cracks appear in the walls, and their appearance will be hopelessly damaged. Insufficiently diligent builders can distort a house, the construction of which went to a bar, gun carriage or rounded log. Repair.Divandi experts tell you what you need to pay attention to in order to get a beautiful, warm and durable wooden cottage(or bath).

Customer errors

A minor mistake made by builders during the construction of a wooden house can dramatically worsen thermal characteristics at home or shorten his life. But customers can also make mistakes. Conscientious builders always dissuade a private trader from buying log cabins that have stood at the production site for a year or more. As a rule, their lower crowns have already begun to rot or are affected by a fungus. To give a presentation, the log house can be bleached, but this will also have a bad effect on the durability of the wood.

Alexey Galimov

A similar situation can be if the timber was brought to the construction site, but they did not start cutting it right away, but dumped it on the ground. After some time, the logs begin to turn blue - this starts the process of decay. Blue is removed with chlorine-based chemistry, but as a result, the oil that is used for finishing log house. If under construction big house, then the forest must be brought in as necessary so that it does not lie, but falls on the walls as quickly as possible.

Another problem with old log cabins is that there is a possibility that the cutters who made the box are already working elsewhere, and other people will be assembling the log cabin. A hired team will easily shift the blame for poor-quality assembly onto unknown cutters. Those, they say, made a frank marriage, and it is impossible to collect it qualitatively. The assembly of the log house should be trusted only to those who made it. Otherwise, there will be no one to ask for quality.

By the way, from improper storage not only the chopped log deteriorates, but also other materials.

Alexander Bunkov

Aleksey Markin, director of the AMstroy company, tells about another mistake often made by customers.

Alexey Markin

For example, a person decides to build a house from a gun carriage, rounded log or profiled timber. Log cabins from these materials, as a rule, are made on special equipment. The customer comes to the enterprise with a project that was prepared for him by a third-party architect, and it turns out that here they cannot make the nodes the way they are in the project. The equipment is designed for other sizes. As a result, one has to either abandon the selected material, or completely redesign the house for the technologies available at the enterprise. It happens that reworking a project costs as much as the project itself.

Another tip that saves you from mistakes can be considered naive, but in some cases it will come in handy. Builders categorically advise against contacting companies that promise to build a log or timber house in a month. The construction of a building from wood of natural moisture or even dry wood is always carried out in two stages - the construction of a log house with a roof, and after about a year's break, windows, ceilings, and floors are put on the shrinkage of the log house. Shrinkage is not needed only at houses made of glued laminated timber. Earlier, the Repair.Divandi portal talked about.


Photo #1- A log house with huge cracks.

Builders' mistakes: typical and gross

As Aleksey Markin notes, the most common mistake in the manufacture of a log house from chopped logs is the small area of ​​\u200b\u200bfitting the log to the log (small width of the interventional groove). The thermal performance of such a house will be low. The head of the Domostroy-SK enterprise, Oleg Valuev, adds that in some cases the crowns may not be adjacent to each other at all (photo 1). Huge gaps will have to be regularly caulked, which will require considerable additional costs. At the same time, the appearance and thermal characteristics of the house cannot be radically improved.


Photo #2- The log house cannot sit properly due to incorrectly set racks.

It happens that builders build a house in such a way that it simply cannot sit down.

Oleg Valuev

This is a very common mistake. Often the house has an open veranda under a common roof. It turns out that part truss system rests on the frame, and part - on the racks of the veranda. The log house shrinks - by 10-15 cm per year - and the racks are not shortened. As a result, the upper crown hangs on the rack, the edge of the frame closest to it cannot sit down, gaps appear here. If the material is damp, it can warp the roof.

As Oleg Valuev explains, if you plan to make a veranda under the roof, then a special shrink jack must be installed between the upper end of the rack and the upper crown (photo 3). It will allow the frame to sit evenly. Instead of a jack, you can put a few boards that will need to be knocked out periodically. By the way, shrinkage jacks are clearly visible in the first illustration (Fig. 1) to ours.


Photo #3- Jack for shrinkage (photo "Domostroy-SK").

Another mistake that prevents the log house from shrinking is an attempt to fasten adjacent crowns with nails. The log lies unevenly on the head of the nail, and an intervention gap appears. Due to the loose fit, the log may begin to “spin” during the drying process.

Alexey Galimov

There are some very difficult cases. One day a man came to us with a request to fix a frame made of profiled timber. We came to the facility, and there the crowns were fastened not even with nails, but with self-tapping screws. If the log can somehow slide down along the nail during shrinkage, then the self-tapping screw holds it tightly. There are huge gaps in the log house, all the jute is outside, the blue has gone at the joints. Here the treatment is only a complete disassembly, processing and installation on a new one.

The problem of poor-quality waterproofing of the lower crown of the log house has somewhat lost its relevance. As a rule, the installation team performs this operation with high quality. However, the customer should pay attention to how the foundation and wooden walls are paired. If the foundation is tape or grillage, then the surface of the tape should be leveled, and between the foundation and the lower crown there should be 2-3 layers of roofing material, or a waterproofing layer of a similar efficiency.

However, excess moisture can get into the wood not only through the foundation. If you lay floors in the house and hang ceilings before the log house has sat down and dried, this will impede air circulation and lead to “steaming” of the house - on inner walls mold or fungus may appear.

Alexander Bunkov

Especially the issue of protecting wood from moisture is relevant for the lower rims of the bath. We recently had a case - they were repairing a bathhouse, in which the lower logs had rotted. It turned out that the builders insulated the floors in the steam room and the washing department with polystyrene foam. The space under the floor was clogged. The water that got under the floor from the sink did not dry up. For six months, the lower crowns rotted. We raised the log house on jacks, changed the crowns and redid the floors. The repair cost a third of the price of the bath ... The floors in the washing department and in the steam room must be done without insulation.

The head of the Domostroy-SK enterprise, Oleg Valuev, notices that in the washroom it is also not necessary to make baseboards on the floor. Moisture collects under them and the process of decay also begins.


Photo #4– Mold on unventilated wooden structures.

Unpredictable wood

Even experienced builders cannot always predict where moisture will go and where it will begin to accumulate.

Alexey Galimov

A very recent case. They polished inside the log house from chopped logs. The days were very hot. The heat presses - moisture goes inside the house. The inner surface of the walls turned out to be more wet than expected. The sawdust, formed during grinding, stuck to the walls and underneath it went blue. Well time noticed, cleaned up. So that moisture does not form anywhere inside the log house, the log house must be well ventilated.

To skew or not to skew...

Many Yekaterinburg builders consider it a mistake not to use pins (dowels) when assembling log cabins. These are wooden rods installed in vertical holes and uniting two logs adjacent in height. In general, the scheme is as follows: dowels pierce the first and second logs. When the third is placed on top, holes are drilled in it and in the second log (with an offset relative to the existing ones) for the dowels of the “second portion”, and so on along the entire height of the log house.

Alexey Galimov

The main mistake during the installation of log cabins is not to dodge. And without dowels, the log may begin to spin when it dries. However, different factors must be taken into account. For example, if a profiled timber of natural moisture is laid in winter, then the drying process will not be fast. Such a log house and without dowels can sit down normally. And if you build in the summer, then dowels are required. Otherwise, the log house will lead, it can snatch a cup.

Not all builders agree with this position. Some believe that cutting should be done in such a way that the walls stand firmly and without dowels. However, recently there have been much more supporters of the use of dowels. After all, the additional fastening of logs allows you to make the shrinkage of the log house more predictable, and in some cases, correct the shortcomings of the lumber. The presence of pins in the walls with openings for windows and doors is especially important.


Photo #5- Installation of dowels when assembling a log house from profiled timber.

Aleksey Markin, director of AMstroy, emphasizes that when working with a beam, rounded log or gun carriage, incorrect installation of dowels can lead to hanging of the crowns. Other experts are reminded of the same.

Oleg Valuev

Usually dowels with a diameter of 22 mm are used. The holes for them should be slightly larger in diameter. For example, we use a 25 mm drill. Otherwise, during the drying process, the log may pinch the dowel and this will prevent the shrinkage of the crowns, since the log will not be able to move down and hang on the dowel. I also remind you that to drill holes for dowels, you must use a very sharp drill. So that he cuts through the jute laid between the crowns, and does not pull it through. Otherwise, the occurrence of cold bridges in this place is possible.



Photo #6- Laying jute in the interventional grooves (photo by Domostroy-SK).

A heater / sealant is laid in the interventional grooves - moss, tow, linen or jute felt (more often they just say “jute”). The last option is the most popular today. Oleg Valuev draws attention to the fact that in the cup the width of the pairing of logs is almost twice the width of the interventional groove. Therefore, in this place, the builders must not forget to increase the width of the insulation tape (photo 6).

There are other points that a private developer should keep in mind.

Alexander Bunkov

The side of the log that was facing north at the tree has denser wood. This can be seen on the cut - the annual rings on the north side are thinner. The north side should be put logs out. Then there will be fewer cracks. However, the brigades, as a rule, do not pay attention to the annual rings. They put it how they feel comfortable. True, and customers also do not take this moment into account. When we offer for a surcharge - 50 rubles. linear meter - laying logs taking into account the rings, customers, as a rule, refuse.

Yaroslav Kulikov, specialist of VIRA Group, reminds that wooden house also makes special demands on the arrangement of the roof. Usually a log house has not only external, but also internal walls. They sit down faster than the outer ones. This can lead to deformation of the rafter system, which relies on both internal and external walls. To prevent this from happening, small backlashes are laid in the attachment points of the rafters, and the rafters are made sliding.

Yaroslav Kulikov

I would also not recommend using tapwood for construction. These are tree trunks from which the resin was collected. They show a characteristic Christmas tree made of cuts. There is no resin in this wood. She is fluffy. The house will not last long. By the way, in order for the house to be durable, we use the following technique in the manufacture of a log house - on the lower surface of the log along the lunar groove, a compensation cut is cut with a depth of 3-5 cm. Then, when the wood dries, the cracks will go inside. Outside, large cracks should not appear.

If the house is being built from a chopped log, then the presence of cutting wood in the prepared materials can be calculated from the characteristic Christmas tree from the cuts (“the top” of the Christmas tree is directed to the butt part of the log). If a timber or a rounded log is used, then the absence of a "tap" will have to be taken on faith. However, some assurance is given by the fact that last years(about 15-20 years) in the Ural region, pine tapping is practically not carried out.