Traditional material For the construction of a Russian bathhouse, a solid log is used. Besides affordable price, sawlogs (aka round timber) are also attractive with another feature: a person with little experience in carpentry can make a log house with their own hands. You will need: availability of time, desire to self-study and theoretical preparation combined with practice. Hence the purpose of our article – to clearly explain how to properly build a log sauna with a steam room.
The first task that needs to be solved in advance is to allocate a site for building a bathhouse. Determine a location close to your home, preferably near a pond or swimming pool. Recommended location of the building and distances from other objects in the country or personal plot shown in the diagram.
The next step is to draw up a layout of the premises, taking into account the allocated area. As a rule, a sauna has 3 rooms - a washing room, a steam room and a dressing room, which at the same time serves as a relaxation room. You can read more about the correct breakdown of the area. Now that the planning is done, let's take a closer look at how to cut and assemble your log bathhouse.
So, the work is divided into the following stages:
It is customary for us to build log houses from wood coniferous species– pine, spruce and larches. It is better to put the latter in the first 2-3 crowns, since it resists moisture well. Freshly cut wood is allowed to sit and dry for 1 month.
Reference. The ideal forest for constructing a log house is the part of the tree from the root (butt) to the beginning of the crown of the pine tree. There are almost no knots in this area, and the density of the tree is greater than at the top.
To build a reliable and durable log bathhouse with your own hands, select and prepare timber taking into account our recommendations:
The diameter of the sawlog decreases from the butt to the top
When selecting logs, consider one thing: important feature: The diameter of the trunk necessarily decreases from the butt to the top. The technical name of the phenomenon is camber, ideally it should not exceed 8 mm per 1 linear meter of round timber.
Advice. It doesn’t matter when the consistency exceeds the specified value. Before cutting down a bathhouse, you need to disassemble the logs into pairs with the same indicator, and during construction, lay them according to the butt-top-butt pattern. An experienced carpenter will tell you in detail about this installation technology in his video:
They know how to work with an ax deftly and quickly experienced craftsmen, but they also now use power tools, which significantly facilitate the work in the construction of log structures. The optimal set of a carpenter-builder looks like this:
To mark the trunks, you will also need a special device shown in the photo - a line (otherwise known as a scriber). To make it, you need to take a thick steel wire, sharpen the ends and bend it in the form of a compass.
Log houses are heavy structures, and therefore it is better for them to be filled concrete foundation tape type. An exception is a mini-bath measuring 3 x 3 m, under which you can make brick or block pillars, and then place the first crown on these pillars. In other cases, it is necessary to mark the contours of the building on the ground and dig a trench 40-50 cm wide around the perimeter. You need to go deep to a stable layer of soil lying 0.5-1.5 m from the surface (depending on the region).
Filling is carried out with concrete of a grade not lower than M150, prepared from 3 parts of sand and 5 of the same volumes of crushed stone per 1 measure of Portland cement M400. During installation concrete mixture compacted with vibrators, and in their absence - with long steel rods. The base will take 4 weeks to harden, the formwork can be removed after 7-9 days.
Advice. To avoid having to trim or cut the logs of the first crown and thereby reduce the durability of the structure, make a foundation strip at different levels. How this is implemented in practice, see the following video.
The first step is to protect the wood from soaking and subsequent rotting. To do this, lay waterproofing made of two layers of roofing felt on the foundation, and treat the trunks with an antiseptic compound. You can also make an additional lining under the lower tier from timber 50-100 mm thick. Then the most interesting part begins - cutting the casing crown.
There are several ways to join logs at the corners:
The simplest cutting of corners
Reference. Russian cutting methods are listed here; in addition to them, Canadian and Norwegian technology is used, but it is more difficult to implement.
Cutting in the form of a bowl
The connection with a rectangular groove shown in the photo is only suitable for building a shed. Due to direct gaps, even if caulked, such a corner will turn out to be cold, which is unacceptable for a bathhouse. Docking “in the paw” is more reliable, but is rarely used by modern carpenters due to its complexity. For beginners, we suggest mastering a relatively simple and “warm” option - cutting into the upper bowl with a hidden spike, otherwise - into the clap.
Before you collect crown molding, it is necessary to cut the round timber along its entire length in order to increase the area adjacent to the foundation. The width of the contact patch must be at least 12 cm. To ensure this, place the log on a concrete strip and mark it with a line resting one end on the surface of the foundation.
Drawing a cutting line with a scriber
To speed up the work, make cross cuts with a chain saw every 10-15 cm, then cut the wood lengthwise and cut out the excess with an ax. Make a clean cut with an electric planer, or better yet, with a scraper.
Advice. In the center of the hewn side, try to make a hollow up to 5 mm deep for good compaction. How the master does this is worth watching in the video:
Now let's look at how to cut the corner of the casing:
Important point. When constructing a log bathhouse, the finishing heave is done with an ax or a scraper; mechanized processing is used only to form cups and grooves. The fact is that electric planes, grinders and chain saws greatly open the wood fibers, where moisture is subsequently absorbed.
When all 4 corners are cut out, the trunks are laid on the foundation with a layer of moss or jute fiber (this is also stuffed into the joints of lumber) and tightly seated in the grooves using a wooden hand tamper. Please note: connection with concrete base is not used, the design is rigidly fixed on the groove-tenon joints and stands confidently due to its decent weight.
The remaining crowns are mounted on the frame using the same technology - bowls with spikes are cut out at the corners, which cover the logs of the previous tier. After a tight nozzle with a moss gasket, an additional connection with wooden dowels, also known as dowels, is required.
Note. Traditional technology does not provide any metal connectors, often used by today's builders. Being in the thickness of the tree, the cold metal becomes covered with condensation, causing rusting and accelerated rotting of the timber.
Moss is the best inter-crown insulation for a chopped bath
A few words about how to assemble the second and subsequent crowns of a log house:
So that during shrinkage and further operation chopped sauna didn't look askance horizontal movement elements, they need to be fastened together with dowels. These are rods turned from dry wood with a diameter of 22-30 mm, driven into vertical holes after laying each crown. The hole drilling step is 0.8-1 m, the depth is at least 2 log diameters. To avoid hitting the previous dowels during subsequent drilling and driving, they should be placed in a checkerboard pattern.
Vertical bundle of crowns with dowels
When you need to increase the length of a log, use one of two joining methods - root tenon and dovetail. In the first case, a vertical groove and tenon are made at the end of the log rectangular shape, and in the second – trapezoidal, as demonstrated in the photo. When joining elements of external walls, a clearance of 8 mm must be provided for the sealing gasket.
Molar joint (left) and dovetail (right)
Important point. After laying the connected trunks into the wall of the log house, the joint must be shanked on both sides.
The log walls of the bathhouse are covered with a gable roof. It is easier to assemble it from beams and boards, which is described in detail. Do rafter system it is possible from logs, but this process is much more complicated.
There are 2 ways of edging door and window openings:
The first option is more expensive and labor-intensive - shortening the logs to cut out the tenon must be provided for at the stage of building the bathhouse. The casing is made with an internal groove, which is fitted onto the finished ridge. The perimeter of the jamb is sealed with the same material that was used for inter-crown insulation (caulking).
The second method is implemented after the construction of the log house by cutting a groove in the ends of the round timber. Then an embedded beam is hammered into it, forming the same tenon. The further procedure for installing the box is repeated, as shown in the diagram.
If, in the process of building a log house with your own hands, you follow the technology described above and work without haste, you will certainly get a good-quality and strong bathhouse that will last for decades. But do not rush to put the building into operation - the log structure needs to stand for at least 1 year for shrinkage. After this, you can start caulking the joints and interior arrangement of the bathhouses.
Design engineer with more than 8 years of experience in construction.
Graduated from the East Ukrainian National University. Vladimir Dal with a degree in Electronics Industry Equipment in 2011.
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The construction of wooden houses and baths is gaining unprecedented popularity. This is explained by the environmental friendliness and safety of wood, as well as the availability of assembly of wooden structures.
Modern felling of log houses is represented by both the simplest and technologically complex methods, which provide maximum protection of the finished log house from the adverse effects of the environment.
The final stage wood construction is the assembly of the log house. Often, for the construction of wall structures, rounded logs are used, which are securely connected to each other using special tenons and grooves.
To understand how to properly cut a log house, you need to choose the most suitable method of joining lumber.
The most popular logging technologies are Russian, Canadian, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian. For each of them can be used various options log connections.
Chopping in Canadian bowl is performed on round logs and has a number of advantages:
Russian felling is one of the most sought-after and popular types of construction of wooden houses. Often, it is performed using a round chopped log.
This material is resistant to high moisture, mold and fungal infection. The fastening of logs using Russian technology is carried out in 2 ways - in the paw and in the head.
For construction wooden structure According to Finnish technology, it is recommended to use round timber and timber prepared from coniferous trees. Preparation of material using Finnish technology is similar to the previous version. The insulating material is placed tightly and deeply between the logs, so it is completely invisible from the outside.
Norwegian technology involves the use of a log carriage with an oval cross-section. Otherwise, this technology is carried out similarly to the Canadian version. However, with this option for preparing logs, the walls are flat, which effectively saves space, especially in small buildings.
Visually, Swedish technology differs from all others in the appearance of the resulting ends. In this case, the crowns are hewn in the form of hexagons. The bowl is also shaped like a ½ hexagon, making it easier to place crowns. Swedish felling is characterized by the complexity of installation and high financial investments.
How to properly cut any type of log house in order to get a practical and durable structure? This process involves sawing or cutting out special corner joints on a beam or log and longitudinal grooves for secure installation of crowns. This can be done in several ways.
Felling in oblo is the simplest and most affordable option construction of various types of log houses, which is done manually. The preparation process itself building material does not require large time and labor costs.
This method involves removing logs from the corners of the log house at a distance of up to 25 cm, which leads to a reduction in the size of the finished structure on all sides. For this reason, it has another name - cutting with residue.
This construction option provides additional strength to the structure, and protruding elements protect the corners of the frame from damage and destruction.
The bowl is made in the shape of a semicircle with a smooth surface and is not equipped with locks. To prevent possible rotting of logs, it is recommended to carry out timely inspections outside and inside.
Cutting into a bowl is an intermediate option between okhlop and oblo, it is performed in half a tree, while the chopped bowl can be positioned up or down.
Arranging the logs with the bowls facing down is not only convenient, but also practical. This will prevent the accumulation of excess moisture in the cups and protect the joints from rotting. Preparing logs with the bowls down is often called “slamming” due to the fact that the upper element of the structure is placed with the bowl on the lower one, as if slamming it down.
This option for preparing logs eliminates the formation of unwanted voids in the joints between the crowns.
Many novice craftsmen may wonder how to cut a log house into a bowl or thicket correctly? All work is carried out in the following order:
Foot-cutting involves laying logs in such a way that they do not extend beyond the outer corners. This method requires serious preparation and adherence to the technology of laying individual elements.
Reliable connection of the crowns is ensured by the presence of double locks in the corners of the building. Inaccuracies in the installation of logs can lead to the appearance of cracks and gaps in the finished structure, which in the future is fraught with large heat losses.
To improve thermal conductivity in the corners of the log house when using this processing method, it is recommended to carry out additional insulation and external cladding.
The “in-paw” processing method provides an increase usable area premises while maintaining the length of the log used.
Work on the construction of a log house using this method is carried out in the following order: first, the lower crowns, then mounted wooden base for the floor, then the flooring is laid and the construction of wall structures continues.
You can cut a log house yourself by preparing high-quality lumber and choosing the most suitable technology styling The finished log house is durable, practical and easy to maintain, so it can last for decades.
Angle mates in wooden house plays a big role in the comfortable operation of the latter. They can take on the cold, become a breeding ground for mold, become damp and have other disadvantages. Corners cut into a paw or half a tree have such a set of serious defects.They are used when they want to save on material. Indeed, the internal area and external squares remain the same as stated in the project. But this saving is mythical and corners in the paw are abandoned in favor of such a process as the technology of cutting a log into a bowl. The advantages of such an act are below.
Canadian and Norwegian craftsmen, famous for their skill in hand-building houses, once simply adopted the cutting method from their Russian neighbors, and many centuries later the name of the technology is considered to have come from another country. Theirs, or more precisely our variety, is more reliable than an ordinary bowl, because it has a tail spike; when the wood shrinks and jams, it tightly fixes the crowns, not giving them a single chance to move.
In order to accurately cut corners, experience is required, since ignorant home-grown craftsmen are unlikely to succeed the first time. How to cut a log house into a bowl - the process is described below.
You can cut a log frame into a bowl yourself with your own hands. But in the absence of skills, this work will drag on.
Due to inexperience, owners can ruin a large number of material. It will be even more offensive if it is a valuable coniferous species.Therefore, it makes sense to order the work from professionals or purchase a ready-made house kit, chopped into a bowl. Such houses are assembled like a construction kit within a couple of weeks or a month, depending on the complexity of the work and the object.
The desire to build a house yourself is commendable. Manual cutting – good way training in building your own wooden house. Having considered all the options and made a choice in favor of the “bowl”, you can guarantee that the object will be durable, and most importantly, comfortable for living.
The first thing you need to learn is the professional language that carpenters speak and in which we will communicate throughout the book. So let's start with terminology.
It is known that the house must stand on a foundation, and one should start with it, but this is a slightly different topic, so the figure shows temporary linings instead of a foundation 1. When the opportunity arises (even after a few years), they will not prevent you from placing a permanent foundation .
A log house is a log structure without a floor, sheathing or roof, i.e. the main structural part of the house. It consists of several crowns, the number of which determines the height of the log house. The crown is a rectangular structure consisting of perpendicularly laid logs, fastened together at the corners with a locking connection.
The first crown of the log house is the frame crown 2, the second and main one is the lower frame 3, into which logs 4 are cut. The logs tighten the bottom frame and carry the floor, and the frame crown serves to strengthen the bottom frame and protects it from rotting. Over time it can be replaced. Crowns from the bottom trim to the beginning window opening are called window sills 5. Next come window crowns 6, then above-window crowns. The first crown above the window is the closing crown 7. The structure that serves as the basis for the roof is called the top frame. It consists of two upper purlins 8 and rafters 9. What rafters 10 and corner veranda posts 11 are is clear from the figure.
Let's agree to call logs in crowns lying perpendicular to the purlins transverse, and crowns in which there are window or doorways, - split. The logs that form the openings are called “short logs.” They can be of different lengths depending on the location of windows and doors.
Traditionally, as a log house was being built in Rus', logs were processed at height. In some films, you have probably seen how a carpenter, sitting astride a log, dashingly and quickly wields an ax. Let's take a closer look at what operations it performs. First of all, he needs to drag the prepared log upstairs. Then, having made the marking, cut along it and lay the log in its designated place. Agree, such work at height requires great qualifications and skill. As a novice carpenter, you are unlikely to be able to process a log with the required accuracy the first time. You will probably have to repeatedly remove and re-lay the log, adjusting it to its location. The slightest carelessness during such manipulations leads to injury. You can make your work easier and significantly protect yourself by installing scaffolding. They must be made comfortable and reliable, supporting not only your weight, but also the weight of the log being processed. Therefore, the installation of such scaffolding requires a lot of additional building material and time. But even if all the requirements are met, working at height with an ax (including on scaffolding) without sufficient skill is dangerous!
We suggest that you build the log house in parts, each of which is the height of a person. This method is called felling followed by relaying. It consists in the fact that the individual parts of the log house, after being manufactured on the ground, are disassembled and transferred to the main frame. The transfers will allow you to carry out all work with an ax while standing on the ground, and external scaffolding will not be needed. In this case, we use two relays, since, in our opinion, this best option for the beginning builder. Don’t be embarrassed by the time spent on additional disassembly and assembly of the crowns. They are more than compensated by the convenience and safety of work, because a well-equipped workplace is the key to high labor productivity. You will learn more about how translation is carried out later, but for now we will continue to get acquainted with the terminology.
The part of the tree trunk adjacent to the root is called the butt. When starting to cut down a house, you should know that there is no such thing as a perfectly straight log. Any log has a flatness, that is, it decreases in diameter from butt 1 to top 2. Therefore, when laying logs one on top of another, it is necessary to alternate butts and tops.
When assembling a log house, in order for one crown to fit more closely to the other, a groove 3 is selected along the logs. Another frequently performed operation when processing logs is the manufacture of edging 4.
The end of the log, hewn from two parallel sides, is called a “block” 5, the resulting planes are called cheeks 6, and the untreated, convex surface is called wane 7.
Main structural elements log house, employees locking connections logs are “paw” 8 and “dovetail” 9. For additional fastening of logs in the crowns, a dowel 10 - pocket 11 connection is used, and the posts and rafters are securely installed using tenons 12.
Special attention You must pay attention to the selection of tools.
The most important of them is carpenter's ax 1. It should suit your weight and fit comfortably in your hand. The purpose of such tools as chisel 2, plumb line 3, hacksaw 4, two-handed saw 5, staple 6, bayonet shovel 7, as well as tape measure 8, ruler 9, square 10, colored pencils or wax crayons 11 should not raise questions. Low-stretch cord 12 and awl 13 are used for marking, and level 14 is used to check horizontality. To make a level, take an elastic rubber hose 5-8 m long, about 1 cm in diameter, the ends of which are placed on two transparent glass tubes of the same diameter, 15-20 cm long. The resulting device is filled with colored water. In addition to the level, you yourself need to make a template 15 from plexiglass 2-3 mm thick and a line 16 - the main marking tools, as well as a “babu” 17 - the main “percussion” tool, made from a birch block with two staples hammered into it.
If you have the opportunity to purchase a chainsaw, do not miss it. A chainsaw will make your work much easier and save your energy and time.
To avoid injuries and other “troubles” during construction, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the pages of special work practices and safety precautions.
Construction must begin with logging.
It is best to use coniferous species - pine and spruce. Aspen is good for making log houses for baths and wells - it is not afraid of water. But you cannot use birch, as it quickly begins to rot and behaves very “capriciously” when processed. Since it burns well and produces a lot of heat, save it for your fireplace. After the forest is cut down, it needs to be debarked and dried.
| Design element | Number of logs | Log length | Log diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover crown | 2 pcs. 3 pcs. |
820 cm 620 cm |
30-50 cm |
| Bottom harness | 2 pcs. 3 pcs. |
820 cm 620 cm |
30-50 cm |
| Lags | 5-6 pcs. | 620 cm | 20-35 cm |
| Window sills | 10-13 pcs. | 620 cm | 20-40 cm |
| Split logs (window and door) | 22-27 pcs. | 540 cm | 20-35 cm |
| Trailing and above-window crowns | 5-9 pcs. | 620 cm | 20-35 cm |
| Upper purlins | 2 pcs. | 820 cm | 20-35 cm |
| Rafters | 7-9 pcs. | 720 cm | 20-35 cm |
| Rafters | 14-18 pcs. | 520 cm | not less than 10 cm |
| Veranda pillars | at least 2 pcs. | 300 cm | not less than 20 cm |
| Note: the indicated dimensions are selected with a margin for trimming. | |||
Now let's choose a location for the construction site.
On the side of the future veranda, it is necessary to provide a place for assembly components log house Then you can begin marking the plan of your future home, which is done using a low-stretch cord and pegs. Our task is to obtain right angles.
BASIC RULE OF THE BUILDER - MARKING DETERMINES QUALITY
We will implement it as follows. We determine point 1. Set aside 800 cm from it and get point 2. On a cord 1600 cm long, measure 600 cm and tie a knot. We fix the ends of the cord at points 1 and 2. Taking the knot, stretch the cord and get the desired point 3. Similarly, we find point 4. We mark the resulting points with pegs and use a tape measure to check all the required distances and the equality of the diagonals with an accuracy of ~3 cm.
Next, we will manufacture and install linings for the frame (temporary foundation).
Choose wooden chocks about 1 m long and at least 30 cm in diameter. Aspen is good for lining. It is resistant to dampness if it is pre-barked.
Pads must be installed under the purlins of the frame, near the corners of the frame, in order to ensure proper distribution of the load. Installation of the linings is carried out according to the level with an accuracy of ~5 cm.
Making edging is the most common operation when processing logs..
In order to perform it, you need to trim the log to size, select a side for the edging, position the future plane of the edging approximately vertically, and secure the log with staples. Don't be alarmed if the log has a curve. This will not prevent you from using it.
Along the plumb line at the ends of the log we draw vertical lines that define the plane of the edge.
We secure the cord using awls in the plane of the edge. Then we make a visual check, looking from the end of the log, and adjust the position of the cord. Using a colored pencil, we transfer the projection of the cord onto the log. To obtain the second edging line, we repeat the same operations, turning the log over.
After this, we secure the log for hewing with staples, but not tightly, so that we don’t have to knock them out later with a crowbar. Let's position the plane of the future edging vertically, make cuts and, having hewed the log, we will get an edging.
Having a chainsaw, instead of making cuts, you can make gashes, which will significantly speed up the work.
Finally, let's proceed directly to the manufacture of the log house.
We begin to make a frame with eight-meter logs (purlins) of the casing, on one side of which there is an edging about 10 cm wide. With the edging, the purlins of the casing will rest on the linings. Now we need to process the ends of the purlins.
First, we cut out “boobs” 2/3-3/4 wide of the diameter of the log. The length of the “boob” L is a constant value equal to the maximum diameter of the logs of the log house.
At the end of the “boob” we select point 1, through it, according to the template, we draw a “paw” line with an extension into the house.
Similarly, according to the template, through point 2 on the outer cheek and through point 3 on the inner cheek, draw a “paw” line.
On the cheeks of the log we draw vertical lines spaced from the end by the width of the “boob” of the counter log, and we get points 4 and 5. We make a vertical cut to line 4-5.
Then you should lay the transverse logs “blocks” on the “feet” of the purlins and, securing them with staples, check and adjust the dimensions of the log house.
Now you can tightly staple the purlins with the linings.
Drawing is the parallel transfer of points of the connecting lines of the lower log to the upper one.
The line width when drawing the “foot” of the flashing crown is chosen to be minimal, but such that the line of the “foot” of the transverse log does not fall on the wane.
During the process of drawing a log, the solution of the line cannot be changed! Let's draw the lines from top to bottom, mark the top of the "paw", and then cut it out. Let's make a medium "boob" on the runs.
To make cutting out the cheeks of the average “boob” easier, we’ll make cuts.
Along the width of the “boob” of the transverse log, we will cut out a “dovetail” in the run. Using a line, we will transfer the dovetail lines to the “boob” of the transverse log and cut it out. Let's lay the middle transverse log on the purlins of the flashing.
Now let's take care of the bottom trim.
Let's make "boobs" on the purlins of the lower trim and place them above the purlins of the casing crown. Using linings and a level, it is necessary to ensure that the upper parts of the purlins are horizontal and lie in the same plane with an accuracy of ~3 cm. It should be taken into account that the butts and tops in the crowns alternate. Let's secure the purlins with staples.
For drawing, select a line solution corresponding to the maximum gap between the logs, plus 1-1.5 cm.
Let's check the selected line solution along the ends of the log. He must be more distance 1-2 at both ends. Point 2 is the border of the wane and the inner cheek.
Let's mark the tops of the "paws" for the transverse logs.
For further work we need to master the operation of selecting a groove.
We will make cross-shaped notches along the entire length of the groove with the “heel” of the ax, and select the wood with the “toe” of the ax along the lines of the groove. When these two operations are combined, a groove is formed.
After this, you should cut out the “paws” and, placing the log in place, check the tightness of its fit. To do this, the stacked log should lie on the inner cheeks with a slight overhang. When tipped over, it will easily fall into place. Then we return the log to its original position and evenly lay tow (moss) on the underlying log. Now you can finally lay the top log on it.
Next, three transverse logs of the lower trim should be made and laid on the purlins. To complete the bottom trim, all that remains is to embed the logs. On the purlins of the lower trim we will mark the places where the joists will be inserted. As the zero mark (upper level of the log), we select approximately the middle of the transverse log of the lower trim. Let's move the zero mark to the corners of the log house and make notches. Let's put the finished logs in place, outline them, and then cut out their outline to the level of the insert. Let's fill in the logs with a "woman".
During your work, you may encounter typical errors.
It should be said that the following gap sizes are acceptable: in the “foot” - 0.5 cm, in the groove - 1.5 cm.
Now it’s time to lay the first window sill crown.
First, let's mark the doorway. It should be noted that openings (both window and door) are made 5-10 cm smaller than the design size. Split logs are secured with dowels, for which markings are applied on both sides of the logs.
To mark the center lines of the dowel on both logs, it is necessary to remove the “short” (a log in a split crown). Then, using a chisel, pockets for the dowel are selected along the center line. The total depth of the pockets should be 1 cm greater than the height of the dowel. The dowel should fit tightly into the pocket.
When laying the crowns, you should constantly check the verticality of the corners with a plumb line. The last window sill in the doorway is uncut. The continuous log of this crown is also placed on two dowels.
Tow (moss) is not placed under the logs of the last window sill crown, since this crown is removed for the first relaying. Starting translation, first from zero level put the same distance up and make notches at the corners of the removable crown. Then we will remove the last window sill and install it on the ground, placing pads 15-20 cm high. In this case, it is necessary to maintain the verticality of the cheeks. Using a level, we will restore the horizontality of the crown along the notches. Let's check the equality of the diagonals at the corners.
Let's start laying out the window crowns, having previously marked the window openings.
Recommended height of openings: windows - 110-130 cm, doors - 180-190 cm. The “shorties” of window crowns are fastened with dowels. Let's lay the closing crown, which consists of continuous logs, and place it on the dowels, moving the zero mark to its corners. We will draw a vertical line at the corners of the frame to be repositioned, which serves as a control during assembly.
Now you can, having marked the logs, transfer them to the main frame, laying each crown with moss or tow. For convenience in work, we recommend making the simplest scaffolding inside the house at the level of the window sill, for which you install chocks in the corners of the house and fasten them together with poles (two poles along each side of the log house). To ensure the stability of the scaffolding, the poles in pairs must rest against the opposite walls of the log house.
The upper trim consists of two upper purlins and rafters. At the ends of the purlins, “boobs” are made, and in the middle - only the inner cheeks. For adjustment, we will place the upper purlins (eight meters long) on the transverse logs of the last crown above the windows (there is no need to make the top of the “paws” on them).
We will check and correct sizes A-B, S-D.
Using linings and staples, we will achieve horizontality at the top of the purlins.
Let's transfer the lines of the inner cheeks of the purlins to the transverse logs. Having rolled back the run, we cut out a “paw” on the outer transverse log, and a “dovetail” on the middle one. Let's make cheeks in the upper purlins according to the “dovetail” of the transverse log. On the underside of the purlins we will make pockets 4 cm deep for the tenons of the veranda pillars. Let's lay out the purlins again and, having drawn them, we'll cut them into the appropriate place.
We will prepare logs for the rafters 7 m long. All of them, except one, should be cut into two parallel edges, obtaining sleepers of the same thickness (minimum 15 cm). Let's dovetail the raw end rafter into the purlin so that its top is horizontal.
Let's mark the insertion points for the remaining processed rafters on the upper purlins. Then we’ll cut in the rafters (checking the level), cutting the purlin by no more than 1/4 of the diameter.
You can also adjust the upper level of the rafter by cutting it itself, but no more than 1/4 of the thickness.
Next we make platforms for rafter legs and under the wind board on the outermost (first) rafter (level with the rest). If necessary, it should be precipitated by repeated drawing. Pull the cord along the ends of the outer rafters and align the rest along it.
Make marks on the sub-strings and purlins for subsequent alignment and label them.
Along the cord on all the rafters, mark pockets for the rafter legs. Cut them out with a chisel and check with a template.
Make pockets for pillars on the veranda rafter (the number is determined by the design of the veranda). To eliminate the gap between the level of the lower edge of the rafters (ceiling) and the last log of the veranda wall, draw and embed a log - a “plug”.
Now let's start making the rafters.
The choice of material, marking and manufacturing of rafters require special care and precision, since the strength of the roof depends on their quality. Rafter blanks are selected with the least number of knots. In no case should the knots fall on the top of the workpiece, because the tenon in this place will be significantly weakened. It is allowed that the rafters have a slight curvature in the plane of the roof slope. The length of the blanks is determined by the angle of the roof and the length of the rafters. In our case, the angle of inclination is 45°.
The prepared rafter blanks must be disassembled in pairs and numbered. On rafter blanks, the side on which the sheathing will be attached must be smooth, without protruding knots.
Let's start marking the base of the rafters
Let's make a cut along the line of the ellipse and cut out the workpiece for the tenon, and then, having made the end cut, we'll cut out the tenon itself. Next, we will mark, saw and cut out the tops of the rafters. We will disassemble the finished rafters in pairs and install them for fitting and checking the quality of connections to the rafters. Adjustment is carried out by trimming the tenons or widening and deepening the pockets.
Sometimes they simplify the work of making rafters. At the tops they are connected into half logs, and the bases are fastened to the rafters with nails without making a tenon. By thereby simplifying the task for yourself, you significantly weaken the rafters and reduce the service life of the roof in advance.
Now let's remove the rafters and proceed to the final relaying, not forgetting to lay tow (moss). Then we will lay all the rafters, except for the veranda, and fasten them with brackets staggered to prevent them from turning along the axis.
We have reached the final stage of construction - making the pillars
In the log house, the pillars form the frame of the veranda and in their own way functional purpose are divided into corner, door, window and intermediate. Corner posts provide support for the upper purlins; door and window frames are attached to the frames. The intermediate pillars do not carry any additional load and are only a frame for the cladding. The corner pillars should have the largest cross-sectional area, and the intermediate ones should have the smallest cross-sectional area. The distance between intermediate posts is determined depending on the length of the boards used to cover the veranda, but in any case should be no more than 1.5 m.
Making corner posts begins with determining their length and marking the pockets. For ease of marking, we will make a “fishing rod”, at the end of which we will attach a plumb line. Using such a device, we project any of the corners of the upper pocket onto the platform of the veranda transverse log of the lower trim, and in this case we obtain the distance H. Using the designed angle, we restore the counter pocket below.
Corner posts must be processed into three edges, and the distance between two parallel edges should be at least 16 cm. Next, the post should be cut to size.
Then we will make a pocket for the lower tenon with a depth of 7 cm. We will install corner pillars, placing linings 5 cm high, which should be removed six months later, after the frame has settled.
Having installed the corner posts, we will put the veranda rafters in place and secure them with brackets. The remaining pillars need to be made and installed after the frame shrinks. Door and window pillars, as well as corner ones, are processed with three edges, the rest - with two. The bottom tenon of all posts, except corner ones, should be 3 cm long.
The installation of the remaining pillars should begin from the side of the log house, securing the already installed pillars to the upper purlin (veranda rafter) with staples.
The final operation is the installation of rafters.
To carry it out, it is necessary to lay walkways from poles (boards) across the rafters, prepare jib bars from poles about 1.5 m long according to the number of rafters and nails 100 mm long. Let's lay out the rafter legs on the rafters, orienting the spikes opposite the pockets.
We will nail the tops of the rafters and install them, securing them with jibs. When installing the outer rafters, use a plumb line.
It is more convenient to install the rafters with three people. When lifting the rafters, you should simultaneously move forward, and having fixed the spikes of the rafter legs in the pockets, secure them with jibs, checking the vertical installation of the rafters.
All that remains is to fasten the rafter legs with the rafters with thin staples.
So, ! But a log house is not yet. Next, you will need to make a foundation, sew up the gables, cover the roof, build a stove or fireplace, lay floors, sheathe the veranda, cut in window and door blocks etc., in general, a lot of interesting work awaits you.
The log house design we propose is universal. If its dimensions are proportionally reduced, you will get a very good log bathhouse, for example, with a size of 4x4 m. By the way, with such a building it is better to start learning carpentry, gain the necessary skills, gain self-confidence, and then you can safely offer your construction services to others gardeners.
Recently, 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 has become considered a sign of refined taste and wealth (after all, the price of such buildings is much higher than brick ones), and the 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 methods of wood processing.
Initially, it is worth considering that building a log house is a very expensive pleasure, although the costs necessary tool(you need a saw, an ax and a chisel) and the absence of the need for additional work (except for wood processing) allows 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.
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: 
Its difference is the correct shape, 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.
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. The opposite side must be processed at the very edges at a distance of approximately 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.
The first two logs are placed on 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 in the hole made, while top part"paws" are aligned 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 a vertical hole in the “paw” of the top and underlying log (a hole with a diameter of 3-4 cm is sufficient) and drive a stake into it (also called a “straight spike”) of a slightly larger diameter. 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.
Do not forget that a log house in the “paw” requires additional internal finishing works timber (on the one hand, this gives you the opportunity to customize the design to your own 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.
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:
Flaws:
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:
With this version of the log house, part of the log remains protruded from the general structure 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, the total loss internal area may be critical, but due to increased stability, it is possible to build several floors to increase living space.
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 laid 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 (a modern way to achieve complete insulation and the absence of gaps is a special paste, which hardens after laying the beam). The depth of the “bowl” cut should not exceed half the diameter of the log.
Due to the initial stability imparted by the connection method, such a log house only in exceptional cases needs to be tied together by means of a stake or tenon.
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:
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 the markings and have a more symmetrical appearance of the log house, you can use a rounded log, which will significantly simplify the cutting of the “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.
