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The construction company "2-Stroy" has been using a unique Finnish technology for the construction of warm and reliable houses for many years - double timber. These are truly some of the most energy efficient homes on the planet. modern market. We build houses from double timber on a turnkey basis: from designing the structure to interior decoration and putting the building into operation. Strict adherence to technology and a number of ready-made projects.

Why is this timber called Finnish?

The construction of houses from double timber came to us from neighboring Finland, where they have long been able to build warm houses for year-round use. Some sources claim that this technology originated in Austria. This construction technology takes into account not only the harsh climate of the country, but also the affordable cost of construction and savings on heating. The construction of such houses requires minimum costs, That is characteristic feature Europeans. Today Finnish technology is known throughout Europe, Russia and other continents where there is a need for reliable and energy-efficient houses. We are actively promoting this technology in the Moscow, Tula and Kaluga regions and very successfully.

About the material

Double beam - truly unique technology. The material itself is a hollow system, which includes dry profiled boards assembled into a strong connection. In turn, the boards are assembled using special technology. Special attention given to insulation, which fills the empty space between the boards. In double timber technology, the insulation is ecowool, consisting of 80% fire-resistant, recycled paper (cellulose), 13% boric acid(fire retardant) and 7% borax (antiseptic). Cellulose, which is the main component of insulation, is a “breathable” material, which means:

• will never create a vapor-permeable barrier, which eliminates the installation of additional vapor barrier at home;
• provides protection for a house made of double timber from mold and rot;
• guarantees 2 times more effective sound insulation of the house than mineral wool.

Such a structure finished walls in a house kit provides excellent thermal insulation compared to houses made of solid timber of the same cross-section. For example, a wall of a house made of double timber, 190 mm thick, will not be inferior in thermal insulation properties to thicker walls made of other materials (400 mm for logs, 1000 mm for bricks). Unlike laminated veneer lumber, this technology does not require adhesive joints. At the end of the day, you receive a home ready to move into.

Wood drying process

An important part of the production of material ready for construction is drying the timber. On a production scale, drying occurs in a gentle mode in special chambers. The drying procedure itself occurs gradually at a temperature in the chamber of 40°C, which eliminates the appearance of cracks in the wood and preserves all the advantages of natural wood, enhancing its physical and mechanical characteristics. The result of drying is finished timber, which competes worthy with the more expensive laminated veneer lumber.

About construction technology

The double beam technology assumes that the walls do not require mandatory finishing, since the front surface of each part, already during production, receives its own unique architectural appearance, which has aesthetic appearance. The walls of the house can be erected without fastening with dowels, due to a special comb profile (tenon in groove), which ultimately allows the assembly to be done very accurately, efficiently and quickly. All parts in the overall design are manufactured on specialized equipment in a factory, where machine processing of wood is necessarily used. All boards are well dried, which will not cause the house to dry out in the future, and this also helps to minimize various types of deformation and cracks. As a result, the wall surface does not require additional finishing.

A double wall with a thickness of 22 cm (220 mm) and an internal cavity width of 13 cm (130 mm) allows the production of hidden installation any engineering communications. It is precisely due to the fact that in the production of construction kits using the Finnish double-timber technology that less wood is consumed, the cost of construction is quite low compared to laminated veneer lumber.

Advantages of building houses from double timber

The main advantages that can be identified for houses made of double timber are the following:

1. Environmentally friendly material - no glue or formaldehyde;
2. Year-round installation - you can build at any time of the year, winter and summer, without restrictions on weather conditions;
3. Minimum construction time - it is always possible to build a standard house kit in 1.5-2 months;
4. The minimum shrinkage of the house is only 1%, which can be called its complete absence;
5. Tightness of the connection - such houses do not require caulking of seams and additional external insulation;
6. The walls do not require sanding - internal and external walls are ready for painting or varnishing and eliminate additional costs for sanding;
7. You can hide all utility lines - pipes, electrical wiring and other utility networks can be laid in the space between the beams;
8. Light weight of the house frame - there is insulation inside the beam, which means the weight of the beam itself is reduced by 2-3 times, which also allows you to save on foundation construction;
9. Structural rigidity - all connections are perfectly accurate, which provides the necessary rigidity to the structure;
10. Favorable microclimate inside the house - natural aroma of wood and beneficial features provided to every owner of a double timber home.

Here are the main advantages and features of modern Finnish house building technology, which is now available in Russia. Together with our partners, our organization offers the production and construction of these houses in the central part of Russia. On this page of the site we have posted house designs according to which you can order the construction of a house. You can also contact us with your plans, according to which an individual project will be developed.

What is a house made of double timber, what kind of wood is used, stages of construction, advantages and disadvantages, price range of construction, vapor barrier and insulation.

Currently, a house made of double timber has increasingly begun to be introduced as a year-round living space; if 10-20 years ago houses of this type were looked at as a curiosity, at the moment it is no longer a luxury, but a standard building for living with an attractive appearance.

This article describes in detail what are the pros and cons of double timber, what are its positive sides and disadvantages, price analysis of double timber. What is the essence of the design of a double beam, what is the technology for constructing a double beam, the nuances of constructing a double beam, what does the swallow’s nest method mean during construction.

How double beams are produced, experience of use in the domestic market, how durable the structure is, how to make reliable installation vapor barriers. What is better than ecowool or mineral wool as insulation, as well as sawdust or bulk cellulose, what are the stages of construction using double beam technology.

How to create a reliable foundation, is finishing necessary, is additional vapor barrier needed, what type of wood is used to create wooden houses from double timber.

Positive sides

• Natural wood is environmentally friendly.
• Elements for internal and external walls are factory-made from dry sanded boards 45 mm thick and are 100% ready for assembly. After drying, the boards reach a humidity of no more than 12%, which contributes to minimal shrinkage of the house. Therefore, you don’t have to wait six months to move in and celebrate your housewarming.
• Each tongue and groove beam is equipped with a double comb lock, which creates a tight, reliable, windproof connection. Therefore, sealing of seams is not required, as in log buildings.

With a small wall thickness of 220 mm, where the wood is 90 mm and the insulation is 130 mm, high energy saving rates are ensured.

The total weight of the building is relatively small, which makes it possible not to lay a capital foundation. On loose and unstable soils on the site, screw piles are the ideal foundation. But, if the nature of the soil allows, then one of the options may well be a shallow strip foundation.

With the use of modern technology in wooden housing construction, it has become possible to speed up construction times as much as possible.

Simple assembly of wooden elements is carried out without the use of special equipment. The work is performed by several workers, which significantly saves construction costs.

Expert opinion

Filimonov Evgeniy

Important! You can build houses from double timber at any time of the year, the only requirement is the absence of rain or snow.

Disadvantages of double timber

The main disadvantage of the technology is uneven shrinkage wooden structure, which occurs as a result of a large difference in temperature from the outside and inside the building. The difference should not be more than 2-3 mm.

Difficult to achieve High Quality assembly, so it is necessary to conclude an agreement with professionals, and not “shabashniks” who want to make money on what seems to be an easy job.

Another important disadvantage is the selection of insulation, which is used to fill the voids between the outer and inner rows. Due to the large assortment insulating materials available on the construction market, it is difficult to make the right choice and give preference to any one option. Only experts know what characteristics and properties each type of insulation has.

Despite the fact that the listed disadvantages of double timber are much smaller than the advantages, the main indicator is performance characteristics building. The shortcomings of such technology may appear over several years. The most unfavorable moment is the climatic conditions, so before deciding to build, you should consult with specialists and find out in advance what disadvantages the Finnish construction technology has in a particular region of Russia.

Expert opinion

Filimonov Evgeniy

Professional builder. 20 years of experience

Important! To avoid unpleasant moments associated with shrinkage of the building, you should carefully select candidates for work and order construction material from a trusted manufacturer who guarantees high-quality drying of the timber.

Positive sides

• Beautiful and neat appearance.
• There are excellent thermal insulation characteristics and high energy efficiency of the entire structure.
• A tight connection and the absence of gaps between the seams creates reliable sealing of the walls and protection from wind penetration.
• The walls of the house “breathe”, so there is a favorable microclimate in the rooms.
• The presence of space between the outer and inner rows of timber walls allows you to hide all engineering and communication networks (water supply pipes, sewerage pipes, ventilation ducts).
• Cost-effective housing due to inexpensive materials, no need for interior wall finishing and additional insulation. Quick payback due to low costs of hiring workers, heating, and building maintenance.

Expert opinion

Filimonov Evgeniy

Professional builder. 20 years of experience

Important! Buildings made from double timber are much cheaper than houses of the same size, but only made from 150x150 laminated timber and without thermal insulation materials.

Disadvantages of houses made of double timber

• The main concerns are climatic conditions. Therefore, you need to know how the climate of the region can negatively affect a house made of double timber. What are the disadvantages of frequent freezing-thawing cycles? Sudden changes in temperature can cause uneven shrinkage, causing cracks to form in the wood. The use of high quality material reduces this risk.
• The second significant disadvantage is incorrect choice insulation. The best choice is ecowool, which is placed between the external and internal walls without tamping, and its blowing is carried out in several stages. Only in this way can the natural density of the insulation be achieved. The main requirement for performing such a procedure is to correctly calculate the amount of ecowool at above-zero temperatures. Insufficient filling of the gaps will lead to the absence of the necessary parameters and a decrease in the energy efficiency of the building, and excess will lead to deformation of the walls at low temperatures.
• In houses made of double timber, the disadvantage is the complex execution repair work. But the manufacturer guarantees that with timely and high-quality treatment of wood with special antibacterial agents, such a procedure will not be required in the near future.

Expert opinion

Filimonov Evgeniy

Professional builder. 20 years of experience

Important! You cannot save on insulation, as this can lead to low thermal insulation performance, which will result in condensation, mold, mildew, which will be followed by damage to the entire building.

How can the advantages and disadvantages affect the choice of a house made of double timber?
Having considered all the positive and negative aspects, you can decide for yourself whether to build a house from double timber or not.

The pros and cons of such construction were shared almost equally. If the number of the former is much greater, then the disadvantages prevail in importance. Therefore, before you decide to build a house from double timber, all the pros and cons need to be carefully studied and written down in a column. Possible nuances should be discussed with specialists. You should only seek help from professionals with sufficient experience.

Pros and cons of double timber technology

Therefore, builders have to use various techniques to reduce wall deformation and reliably insulate them.

Strict energy saving standards today do not allow even a 20-centimeter beam to pass through.

This thickness of wood is not sufficient for construction warm houses in the central Urals region, not to mention the northern regions of Russia. That's why wooden frame it is necessary to additionally insulate from the inside.

An economical and effective solution to this problem is provided by double beam technology, first tested by builders in Finland. Even in this forested country it is not easy to find a log thick enough to protect a house from forty-degree frost.

Finnish engineers have calculated all possible options for saving energy and came to the conclusion that building environmentally friendly and warm housing from wood is quite possible. Only for this you need to use not a massive beam, but two thick boards, between which there is a layer of insulation.

This is how a new technology arose, which in our area received a not entirely correct name. Despite the fact that the words “double” and “timber” sound solid and impeccable from an advertising point of view, from a technical point of view this technology should be called a wooden “sandwich wall”.

Considering the structure of a wall built from “double timber”, we see here elements inherent in both log house(special joining of boards at the corners) and the classic frame (double cladding).

The role of timber here is played by a planed board with a thickness of 44 to 70 mm and a height of 140 mm, placed on its edge. Its seating edges are profiled using a tongue-and-groove system, which makes it possible to achieve tight contact and protect the seam from blowing.

The spatial rigidity of the structure is achieved due to the corners connected by the “cutting” method, when a groove is cut in the joined boards to half their height.
The main advantage of this technology is high energy saving.

The thickness of such a wall does not depend on cross section logs or timber, so the insulation layer can be selected in strict accordance with the requirements of thermal engineering standards.

Another advantage that building houses from double timber gives us is minimal shrinkage of the walls (no more than 1-2%).

A building built using Finnish turnkey technology can be used immediately after the walls are assembled and the roof is installed. There is no need to wait six months until the wood dries and the crowns of the log house find their place.

Installation of double plank walls is quite simple, not too labor-intensive and does not require the use of powerful lifting mechanisms. This has a positive effect on construction time and cost. Simultaneously with the assembly of double wooden walls, thermal insulation is being laid in the space between the boards. Therefore, a house made of double timber does not require additional insulation and finishing.

When constructing a building from wood that is not impregnated with harmful synthetic resins, the most correct decision would be to use insulation that is safe for health.

Polyurethane foam for insulating walls made of double timber is a rather expensive material. Polystyrene foam emits toxic gases and is completely destroyed over time. Mineral wool requires the installation of a vapor barrier (ecowool does not need it) and over time cakes, forming empty cold cavities.

To insulate box-shaped walls, you can use flax fiber or chopped straw - materials that do not cake and are optimally combined with wood.

The disadvantages of this technology usually include shrinkage of the insulation. However, this problem, as we indicated above, arises only when laying mineral wool.
Theoretically, there is a risk of cracks appearing in the wall due to uneven shrinkage of the outer and inner cladding boards. However, in practice, such comments have not been noted from owners of houses built using double timber technology.

There are no long-term instrumental observations of the behavior of double wooden walls in Russia yet. Therefore, the customer can only trust the experience of the Finns, who have been successfully building and operating such buildings in the harsh northern climate for more than 20 years.

You will not be able to build a house from double timber on your own, because for quality construction walls, it is necessary to machine the boards, cut tenons and grooves, as well as connecting grooves for corner joints. Therefore, it will not be possible to save personal funds by abandoning a team of specialists and purchasing a house kit.

Price analysis

As a first approximation, houses using double timber technology are more expensive than log houses made from solid wood. average cost square meter double insulated wall - 5,500 rubles. The price of 1 m2 of a wall made of solid timber 150 mm thick is about 3,500 rubles. At the same time, we must not forget that the timber, even with a thickness of 20 cm, needs insulation.

The double insulated wall technology gives us a ready-made load-bearing structure that does not require additional work. Therefore, for comparison, we will draw up a simplified estimate for a wall built from profiled timber.

So, the cost is "naked" timber wall 15 cm thick is about 3500 rubles per 1m2. The price of insulation (20 cm of ecowool) with installation is 800 rubles/m2, the cost of materials and work on installing the frame and covering it with clapboard is another 600 rubles/m2.

Additional measures for insulating a log house will cost us 1,400 rubles per 1 m2. As a result, we will get 3500 + 1400 = 4,900 rubles for one “square” of wall.
Comparing this amount with the price warm wall from double timber, we see that the difference is not so significant. If we take into account the serious advantages of this technology, then double timber can be called a profitable alternative to traditional wooden log houses.

Double beam construction

The construction of baths from timber is considered the best option due to the environmental friendliness of the wall material, their low thermal conductivity, and the high speed of construction. Baths built from ordinary profiled timber and from double timber look identical in appearance, but there are a number of differences in both technical specifications, and by the method of constructing walls.

The double beam design was developed not in Russia, but in Austria. Then the technology began to be used in Germany, and only then the design received particular success in Finland. In Russia, double beam technology began to be used relatively recently.

The wall material is laminated veneer lumber or technically dried wood with a moisture content of less than 14%. The production of timber is carried out on longitudinal milling four-sided machines. The beam connection is a double profiled sealed windproof lock. Between two beams (external and internal) the distance is 130-150 mm. In this gap, ecowool insulation is laid with the addition of antiseptics, fire retardants, boric acid, borax, necessary to ensure the fire safety of the building. Insulation density up to 70 kg/m3.

Expert opinion

Filimonov Evgeniy

Professional builder. 20 years of experience

Important! According to GOST 18288-87, lumber is defined as lumber with a height and thickness of more than 100 mm. IN in this case the structural elements are thinner and are more likely to be profiled boards, but builders still call the technology “double timber” or “double tongue.” Sometimes profiled wall elements are called “mini-beams”.

And one moment. Double beam technology and frame construction are completely different things. A frame bath has a “skeleton” formed by vertical posts and jibs. Mineral wool is usually laid between the racks, the walls are covered with vapor barrier on both sides, and then with OSB or boards. When building from double timber, there is no “skeleton”. All walls around the perimeter are load-bearing.

This technology is akin to construction from full-fledged profiled timber rather than frame construction. The rigidity of the walls is ensured by double corner joints. In addition, ecowool has no joints or cracks, and the insulation is of higher quality than slab or roll materials. In the Russian Federation, houses and bathhouses using double timber technology began to be built 40-50 years ago, and reviews from the owners of such buildings are more than positive.

Features of double beam technology

Thermal efficiency.

A wall made of double timber with a thickness of 220 mm (of which 130 mm is insulation) is comparable in thermal efficiency to wooden wall 700 mm thick or with brick wall 1.2 meters thick. The vapor permeability of double timber walls is maintained and freezing is prevented.

Energy efficiency.

A minimum amount of energy is required to warm up a house or bathhouse made of double timber. On a note! According to SNiP II-3-79, the heat-insulating qualities of double timber are 2.5 times higher than that of laminated veneer lumber. Environmental friendliness. Ecowool used for insulation consists of 82% cellulose and 18% antiseptics and fire retardants. These substances do not emit toxic substances into the atmosphere and are completely safe for humans. And wood is environmentally friendly a priori. No glue is used during construction. The bath will have the aroma of natural wood and a favorable microclimate.

No problems of traditional wooden log houses.

Shrinkage log house can be up to 10%, and if undried wood was initially used for construction, then the percentage of shrinkage can reach up to 17%. Shrinkage continues for several years (at least a year and a half) after the walls are erected, which makes finishing processes impossible, requiring the installation of compensators, etc. During the shrinkage process, the wood cracks, cracks form, and caulk is required. Lock connections during the drying process they lose their tightness. Walls made of chamber-dried double timber have a shrinkage of no more than 2%. The risk of cracking is minimized. Corner joints with double cutting and additional insulation of the shafts with ecowool are not a freezing zone. Ecowool itself inside the walls is not prone to shrinkage or creasing. No caulking of walls or additional thermal insulation is required. There are no gaps between the crowns thanks to high altitude tenon and deep grooves of wall elements. Pests, mice, and rats do not live in ecowool.

High speed of construction.

The wall kit is completely prepared in production within one month according to the customer’s design. Ready kit Delivered to the site ready for assembly, marked for convenience. On a note! During the design process, not only the size of the building and the location of the premises are selected, but also calculations of wind, snow, and seismic loads are made. The project can also include integrated floor beams and integrated scaffolding, which are beams protruding beyond the walls, on which boards are laid for construction workers to move along them. Integrated scaffolding is cut down after painting the façade. This achieves additional savings and increases the speed of construction. A load bearing capacity integrated floor beams are higher than classic floor joists.

The approximate construction period for a large house with an area of ​​up to 130 m2 is 3 months, of which about three weeks are spent on assembling the walls, the rest of the time is spent on building the roof and ceilings, installing doors, windows, laying communications and other work. Respectively, small sauna can be built in a much shorter time. On a note! All elements are produced exclusively in factories, and not in artisanal conditions. During production and shipment, constant monitoring of the quality of the material, its dimensions, and humidity is carried out. During construction there is no need to use heavy lifting equipment. Work can be carried out in any season of the year.

Hidden communications.

In houses made of double timber there are special cavities (boxes or cuts) into which wiring, pipes, etc. are laid. The house or bathhouse looks aesthetically pleasing and neat both inside and out. The wiring and pipes are hidden, but repairable at any time.

Durability.

The estimated service life of a double timber structure is up to 110-115 years.

Affordable price.

The cost of building from double timber is approximately 30% lower than a bathhouse made from profiled, laminated timber or rounded logs.

Possibility of construction on a lightweight foundation.

Screw piles are usually chosen as the foundation, or, less often, strip foundations. Can be used screw foundation with a grillage. This point depends on the condition of the soil in the area and the proximity of groundwater.

The nuances of construction from double timber

• It is permissible to make the strapping platform from timber of natural moisture.
• The joists should not be located below the strapping platform.
• The floor insulation should not rest solely on the vapor barrier; there must be a solid, continuous base.
• It is better not to fasten floor joists and terraces with corners; the load may tear off the heads of the screws.
• It is better not to use plate beams. This design is prone to warping and cracking.
• It is important to follow the technology for installing door and window frames.
• It is important to connect the crowns tightly, without gaps. If there are gaps between the rims, alignment will be lost.
• The first crown must be attached to a strapping beam or board.
• If the wall kit delivered to the site contains elements with defects, it is better to turn the timber with the unsightly side inside the cavity into which the ecowool is pumped.
• It is not recommended to build large-sized buildings from double timber multi-storey buildings. This technology is relevant for low-rise construction.

When designing, it is necessary to provide for cuts in the walls, and there should not be more than three and a half meters between adjacent boxes. This is necessary to prevent warping of the walls under the influence of a dense layer of ecowool, which puts pressure on the outer and inner walls of the building.

There may be an option for a wall 6 meters long without overcuts; in this case, a solid beam is installed vertically in the middle between the inner and outer walls. This beam will be invisible. This will help maintain the rigidity of the walls and prevent deformation under the pressure of the insulation.

When building walls, gaps may remain between the elements. Construction cannot continue until all cracks are eliminated. For this purpose, the method of tightening the walls can be used.

Double beam dovetail

Above we looked at the principle of constructing a building using the classical double-timber technology. The elements were assembled without insulation, any gaskets, dowels or nails. The “double dovetail beam” technology has differences, is considered even more reliable and allows the construction of high-rise buildings and large areas.

We have already mentioned that the house kit is cut in production strictly to size. The corner elements have through holes for vertical studs. Inside the walls, studs are connected and extended. After the walls are erected from below and above, a nut and washer are screwed onto the studs, tightening the crowns. That is, the pins are used as dowels.

A dovetail groove has been added into which a special fastener. The connector is hammered into the groove with a mallet, placing the part with the rounded side down. It is no longer possible to remove the connector from the timber.

The dovetail connection is made not only on external corners walls, but also on all partitions. What does this give? Even with a strong change in the linear dimensions of wood due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity, during shrinkage, the outer and inner perimeters may shift slightly vertically, but the overall geometry of the house will remain unchanged, the geometry of all corners will be preserved.

What is the essence of the new technology?

Even a novice builder knows that log houses have two main drawbacks - thin walls and shrinkage of the crowns. The latter occurs due to wood shrinkage. Therefore, they use techniques that prevent wall deformation and promote it. effective insulation. By existing standards The walls of the house should be no thinner than 20 cm.

The double beam technology, which was first used by Finnish builders, allows us to solve this problem. The country has a small number of trees thick enough that could be used to build houses, while protecting them from the severe frosts characteristic of the region.

Finnish engineers have managed to develop a technology that allows them to build warm wooden houses at relatively low financial costs. It was called “double beam”. In fact, this technology has little in common with timber in the usual sense. Its essence lies in the fact that to achieve the proper thickness of the walls, two tongue-and-groove boards are used, between which there is a layer of insulation. –

Houses using double timber technology are distinguished by improved thermal insulation characteristics, compared with houses made of solid timber of a similar section. Compared to insulated laminated veneer lumber, this technology does not use adhesives. The insulation is often ecowool or mineral wool.

Double beam: production

The production of material for the construction of houses using double-timber technology differs from the production of conventional profiled timber. It is carried out on special equipment - a fully or partially automated cup-cutting line.

It is carried out in several stages:

• production of workpieces;
• drilling holes intended for fastening edged boards;
• cup cutting;
• grooving;
• cutting the workpiece;
• removal of residues;
• marking;
• insulation with material; package.

Advantages

The main advantage of a house made of double timber is high energy saving. The thickness of its walls does not depend on the diameter of the log or timber. The insulation layer is selected in accordance with the requirements specified in generally accepted thermal engineering standards. The second advantage of the technology is the minimal shrinkage of the walls, fluctuating in the range of 1-2%.

Expert opinion

Filimonov Evgeniy

Professional builder. 20 years of experience

You can begin full operation of a house built using Finnish technology once the walls and roof are assembled.

Ordinary houses made of timber cannot be used immediately, since you need to wait until the wood dries and the crowns “fall” into place. In this case there is no need to wait.

Installation of a house made of double timber is relatively simple, not labor-intensive and does not require the use of complex construction equipment, which has a beneficial effect on the construction time of the house and financial costs. In parallel with the assembly of the walls, thermal insulation work is carried out, filling the space between the boards. The walls in houses made of double timber do not need to be additionally insulated and finished.

Flaws

“Double beam”, despite many advantages, also has a number of disadvantages. The most significant is the shrinkage of the insulation, but it occurs only when using mineral wool. There is also the possibility of cracks appearing.

They can form due to uneven shrinkage of the cladding of external and internal boards used for houses built using the “double beam” technology. Reviews from builders assure that in practice such problems do not arise at all. At least there were no comments.

Application experience in the domestic market

The technology has been used on the domestic market only recently, so no one can guarantee that wooden houses will fully perform their functions in our climatic conditions. You just need to trust the Finnish experience in house building, since they have been building houses from double timber for over 20 years and successfully operate buildings in their more severe climatic conditions.

It is not possible to build a house yourself using this technology, since its high-quality construction requires boards processed on special machines. It is also necessary to cut tenons, grooves and docking recesses intended for corner joints. There is no way to do it without a team of specialists and the purchase of a house kit. Therefore, saving on financial costs is problematic.

Structural strength

Double beam technology is not comparable to conventional frame construction, where the insulation is located between two thin walls. In this case, everything is held on the bars. There is also a subtype of this technology – “double mini-beam” – that exists and is used. Its construction is similar, but its walls are thinner.

Increased structural strength is also provided by floor beams if they are cut into walls during the construction process. The technology can use exclusively dry lumber, which largely affects the strength of the house as a whole. This is due to the fact that drying the timber leads to a loss of 13% moisture content, due to which the molecular bonds are broken. In the future, the timber will give off exactly the same amount of moisture that it will absorb. Therefore, no deformation will occur.

Vapor barrier

For the construction of houses whose walls consist of several floors, vapor barrier is an important issue. Without its consideration, it is not recommended to carry out construction. Double timber is an exception, despite the fact that the walls of houses built using this technology will inevitably begin to absorb moisture after a certain time. Therefore, there is an opinion that the insulation between the beams is a place for rot to form. Wherein construction companies, who specialize in building houses using this technology, claim that double beams have never caused any problems before. Reviews from the owners agree that it is enough to use the film only in ceilings.

But there are exceptions. Some owners are concerned about the lack of vapor barrier as such, so during construction they use windproof membrane, which is applied after the insulation. Experienced builders are skeptical about this, since it will not allow the walls to “breathe” freely, but they can last much longer.

Ecowool as wall insulation

When building a wooden house that is not impregnated with synthetic resins that are harmful to health, the best option would be to use harmless insulation. Optimal material is ecowool, the main component of which is cellulose. It does not rot, does not shrink and is not subject to fire.

The calculations for the material are as follows:

• acoustic insulation – 46 dB;
• dew point – under standard conditions, condensation will not occur;
• insulation – 0.13 m2 per m2 of wall;
• thermal conductivity coefficient – ​​0.2 W/m2.

Ecowool is blown dry into the space between the beams. The height should be no more than three meters. The procedure is carried out in stages. But here certain difficulties arise: ecowool is blown into the “double beam” in the same way as inside frame walls. If the latter have closed wells and it is not difficult to achieve the required density, then more material is filled in and, as a result, can settle. Experienced builders have found a way out of this situation and use a special blow molding installation. IN Lately Mineral wool has nevertheless found great use.

Mineral wool as insulation

The material is reliable, environmentally friendly and relatively cheap. If mineral wool is used as insulation, then it is necessary to organize a vapor barrier for the room (this is not done for ecowool). In addition, over time it cakes and, as a result, empty cold cavities form in the walls. Therefore, the material will have to be coated with an antiseptic inside and outside.

Sawdust

It is recommended to use old sawdust to insulate walls. If you only have fresh ones on hand, you can soak them in lime for a day and only then knead them. The procedure is as follows: m2 of sawdust and two bags of cement are poured into the mixer. Moisten everything a little, mix it, pour it into the space between the walls and tamp it down. A significant disadvantage of the material is mice, mold or dampness.

Bulk pulp

The material effectively performs the task of wall insulation. Often, during construction, insulation is not used at all, since they believe that air itself is an excellent insulation agent. But it is important to understand that it serves as thermal insulation only when it is motionless. This is the task of other materials: they create a large number of cavities with “stationary” air.

Polyurethane foam is sometimes used, but it is relatively expensive, so I have not found it wide application in construction. In this case, the material releases toxic substances and after a certain time is destroyed.

Box-shaped walls are insulated using flax fiber. Chopped straw or other material that does not cake over time will also work. It is also important to remember its compatibility with wood.

The construction of baths from timber is considered the best option due to the environmental friendliness of the wall material, their low thermal conductivity, and the high speed of construction. Baths built from ordinary profiled timber and from double timber look identical in appearance, but there are a number of differences both in technical characteristics and in the method of constructing the walls.

The double beam design was developed not in Russia, but in Austria. Then the technology began to be used in Germany, and only then the design received particular success in Finland. In Russia, double beam technology began to be used relatively recently.

The wall material is laminated veneer lumber or technically dried wood with a moisture content of less than 14%.

The production of timber is carried out on longitudinal milling four-sided machines. The beam connection is a double profiled sealed windproof lock.

Between two beams (external and internal) the distance is 130-150 mm. In this gap, ecowool insulation is laid with the addition of antiseptics, fire retardants, boric acid, borax, necessary to ensure the fire safety of the building. Insulation density up to 70 kg/m3.

Table. Beam sections

Important! According to GOST 18288-87, lumber is defined as lumber with a height and thickness of more than 100 mm. In this case, the structural elements are thinner and are more likely to be profiled boards, but builders still call the technology “double timber” or “double tongue.” Sometimes profiled wall elements are called “mini-beams”.

And one moment. Double beam technology and frame construction are completely different things. A frame bath has a “skeleton” formed by vertical posts and jibs. Mineral wool is usually laid between the racks, the walls are covered with vapor barrier on both sides, and then with OSB or boards. When building from double timber, there is no “skeleton”. All walls around the perimeter are load-bearing. This technology is akin to construction from full-fledged profiled timber rather than frame construction. The rigidity of the walls is ensured by double corner joints. In addition, ecowool has no joints or cracks, and the insulation is of higher quality than with slab or roll materials.

In the Russian Federation, houses and bathhouses using double timber technology began to be built 40-50 years ago, and reviews from the owners of such buildings are more than positive.

Video - Owner's review of a house made of double timber

Features of double beam technology

Thermal efficiency. A wall made of double timber 220 mm thick (of which 130 mm is insulation) is comparable in thermal efficiency to a wooden wall 700 mm thick or a brick wall 1.2 meters thick. The vapor permeability of double timber walls is maintained and freezing is prevented.

Energy efficiency. A minimum amount of energy is required to warm up a house or bathhouse made of double timber.

On a note! According to SNiP II-3-79, the heat-insulating qualities of double timber are 2.5 times higher than that of laminated veneer lumber.

Environmental friendliness. Ecowool used for insulation consists of 82% cellulose and 18% antiseptics and fire retardants. These substances do not emit toxic substances into the atmosphere and are completely safe for humans. And wood is environmentally friendly a priori. No glue is used during construction. The bath will have the aroma of natural wood and a favorable microclimate.

No problems of traditional wooden log houses. The shrinkage of a log house can be up to 10%, and if unseasoned wood was initially used for construction, then the percentage of shrinkage can reach up to 17%. Shrinkage continues for several years (at least a year and a half) after the walls are erected, which makes finishing processes impossible, requiring the installation of compensators, etc.

During the shrinkage process, the wood cracks, cracks form, and caulk is required. Lock connections lose their tightness during the drying process.

Walls made of chamber-dried double timber have a shrinkage of no more than 2%. The risk of cracking is minimized. Corner joints with double cutting and additional insulation of the shafts with ecowool are not a freezing zone. Ecowool itself inside the walls is not prone to shrinkage or creasing. No caulking of walls or additional thermal insulation is required. There are no gaps between the crowns due to the high tenon height and deep grooves of the wall elements.

Pests, mice, and rats do not live in ecowool.

High speed of construction. The wall kit is completely prepared in production within one month according to the customer’s design. The finished kit is delivered to the site ready for assembly, marked for convenience.

On a note! During the design process, not only the size of the building and the location of the premises are selected, but also calculations of wind, snow, and seismic loads are made. The project can also include integrated floor beams and integrated scaffolding, which are beams protruding beyond the walls on which boards are laid for construction workers to move along. Integrated scaffolding is cut down after painting the façade. This achieves additional savings and increases the speed of construction. And the load-bearing capacity of integrated floor beams is higher than that of classic floor joists.

The approximate construction period for a large house with an area of ​​up to 130 m2 is 3 months, of which about three weeks are spent on assembling the walls, the rest of the time is spent on building the roof and ceilings, installing doors, windows, laying communications and other work. Accordingly, a small bathhouse can be built in a much shorter time.

On a note! All elements are produced exclusively in factories, and not in artisanal conditions. During production and shipment, constant monitoring of the quality of the material, its dimensions, and humidity is carried out.

During construction there is no need to use heavy lifting equipment. Work can be carried out in any season of the year.

Hidden communications. In houses made of double timber there are special cavities (boxes or cuts) into which wiring, pipes, etc. are laid. The house or bathhouse looks aesthetically pleasing and neat both inside and out. The wiring and pipes are hidden, but repairable at any time.

Photo - the walls are smooth from the inside and do not need finishing

Durability. The estimated service life of a double timber structure is up to 110-115 years.

Affordable price. The cost of building from double timber is approximately 30% lower than a bathhouse made from profiled, laminated timber or rounded logs.

Possibility of construction on a lightweight foundation. Screw piles are usually chosen as the foundation, or, less often, strip foundations. A screw foundation with a grillage can be used. This point depends on the condition of the soil in the area and the proximity of groundwater.

Video - No dew point in a double timber house

The nuances of construction from double timber

1. It is permissible to make the strapping platform from timber of natural moisture.

   

   

2. The joists should not be located below the strapping platform.
3. The floor insulation should not rest solely on the vapor barrier; there must be a solid, continuous base.

   

4. It is better not to fasten floor joists and terraces with corners; the load may tear off the heads of the screws.

   

5. It is better not to use plate beams. This design is prone to warping and cracking.

   

6. It is important to follow the technology for installing door and window frames.

   

   

7. It is important to connect the crowns tightly, without gaps. If there are gaps between the rims, alignment will be lost.

   

   

8. The first crown must be attached to a strapping beam or board.
9. If the wall kit delivered to the site contains elements with defects, it is better to turn the timber with the unsightly side inside the cavity into which the ecowool is pumped.

   

10. It is not recommended to build large multi-storey buildings from double timber. This technology is relevant for low-rise construction.
11. When designing, it is necessary to provide for cuts in the walls, and there should not be more than three and a half meters between adjacent boxes. This is necessary to prevent warping of the walls under the influence of a dense layer of ecowool, which puts pressure on the outer and inner walls of the building.

    

12. There may be an option for a wall 6 meters long without overcuts; in this case, a solid beam is installed vertically in the middle between the inner and outer walls. This beam will be invisible. This will help maintain the rigidity of the walls and prevent deformation under the pressure of the insulation.
13. When building walls, gaps may remain between the elements. Construction cannot continue until all cracks are eliminated. For this purpose, the method of tightening the walls can be used.

    

    

Prices for natural moisture timber

natural moisture timber

Construction of a bathhouse using double beam technology: instructions

First of all, a foundation is laid under the bathhouse. For a bath made of double timber best option– screw foundation. 9 are screwed under a bathhouse with dimensions of 6x4 m screw piles. You can learn more about the intricacies of arranging foundations of this type in.

The construction work plan is as follows:

• installation of strapping;
• assembly of massive walls. The house kit will be delivered to the site, all elements will be marked. Nails and dowels are not used in the process. You will need anchors, studs, screws, mounting plates;
• arrangement of floors;
• roof construction;
• installation of window and door units;
• installation of communications;
• fine finishing, namely painting the external walls and treating the internal walls with impregnations intended for baths and saunas (paint and varnish are not used in the steam room). Finishing also includes work on installing imitation timber and corners on the crosscuts outside and inside the bathhouse;
• installation sauna stove, chimney assembly, furniture arrangement.

Step 1. On the foundation, namely on the pile heads, it is necessary to lay a double layer of roofing material, fixing it with bitumen mastic.

Step 2. A strapping beam is laid on top of the waterproofing, which should preferably be pre-treated with an antiseptic. If in the future a firewood shed, a porch, or a terrace will be added to the bathhouse, holes will be left in the piping beam for joining the piping of the bathhouse and the piping of the extension. The ligation of the harness is performed “half-tree”.

Important! If the heads of the screw piles are not level, this can be compensated for by the support and strapping structure. The upper surface of the strapping beam must be located in a single plane and be strictly horizontal without errors.

Before rigidly fixing the strapping structure, it is necessary to measure all diagonals and check their equality.

Under the internal partitions (in places where the floor joists will rest on the timber), a single strapping beam with a cross-section of 150 x 150 mm is installed. In places where there will be a heavy load ( load-bearing walls at home), install a double remotely fixed beam of the same section. Rigid fixation is performed with studs. Lay two beams, between them a piece of moisture-resistant plywood, drill all the elements through, and then tighten them with a pin.

It is important to check that the foundation and piping strictly comply with the project drawing.

Step 3. You need to take a diagram of the first floor, look at the part numbers on it and select these elements from the kit brought to the site. The elements are installed in pairs. It is recommended to additionally fix the first crown by connecting it to the harness with a perforated mounting bracket and self-tapping screws.

Another fastening option is to fix the starting beam through and through with a long self-tapping screw, screwing the hardware into the groove of the beam. The starting beam in this case is the elements of the first crown, having a height 2 times less than the remaining wall beams.

Usually, long elements are laid first, and short beams are installed on them in a second row perpendicularly, creating cuts in which communications will be located in the future. The ends of the beams are profiled, the upper and lower adjacent rows are connected using a tongue-and-groove system. When laying each element, you should hammer it with a mallet through a block so that the connection is as tight as possible.

During the construction process, it is important to control the horizontality of the crowns, the equality of the diagonals, and ensure that there are no gaps due to loose fitting of the parts.

When assembling the walls, window and door frames are immediately installed. These elements are not secured with screws or nails.

To make a salary you need:

• tongue and groove board 30 mm thick;
• U-shaped profile 60x27 mm, profile thickness 2 mm;
• lumber board.

How is the casing box constructed? Since double beam technology implies that there are two walls - external and internal, the design of the casing differs from casing for log houses.

You need to take two tongue and groove boards and connect them with the long side. After this, you need to cut off the protruding tenon and screw several long screws through the end to secure the boards. Two U-shaped profiles need to be screwed in parallel to the resulting workpiece with bugs. The distance between the profiles and the width of the workpiece are selected based on the total thickness of the wall; the length should correspond to the height of the door or window opening minus 3-4 centimeters of shrinkage allowance. The casing is “put on” the ends of the opening.

The horizontal casing element consists of two tongue-and-groove boards connected to each other. The length of the workpiece is equal to the width of the opening. You need to screw a board 13 cm wide to the workpiece in the center with self-tapping screws (the distance between the inner and outer walls of the bathhouse). At the ends, you need to cut grooves 3 cm long with a hacksaw to accurately join the casing elements.

On a note! You can make the entire casing without using U-shaped profiles, according to the principle of the horizontal casing section described above.

Step 4. When the walls of the first floor are assembled, the process of insulating the walls with ecowool begins.

The outermost crown is covered with a vapor barrier, in which holes are made. You can fix the vapor barrier with a regular construction stapler.

The insulation is loaded into the wall cavity through the device hose. The hose is connected to plastic pipe, which is inserted into the hole in the vapor barrier and the supply of ecowool begins. Through the use of a film covering top part walls, the loss of insulation and its blowing out onto the street are prevented.

First, loose ecowool fills approximately half of the wall cavity, after which it begins to compact under its own weight. The result is a uniformly insulated wall of the first floor (the wool lies tightly right up to the vapor barrier). Next, the specialist pulls out the pipe and adds a little ecowool directly from the hose so that there is no difference in the density of the insulation over the entire area of ​​the walls.

On a note! If you can assemble the walls yourself using double beam technology with your own hands, then insulating with ecowool is a process that will have to be entrusted to craftsmen who have necessary equipment. If you fill ecowool manually from bags, the density of the insulation will be insufficient and uneven, which will lead to a number of negative consequences.

When the wall insulation is completed, the vapor barrier can be removed. Next, the construction of the walls of the second floor continues, if provided for by the project.

The walls of the second floor are insulated with ecowool in the same way as the walls of the first floor.

The photo shows a partially dismantled window sill to control the quality of insulation. Window sill installed using felt

Step 5. The next step is installation of the rafter system. There are no complications or intricacies here, all calculations are done at the design stage, and the rafters are made in production required sizes. Rafter legs rest on the ridge beam. The elements are fixed with self-tapping screws and mounting plates.

Do not worry that the rafters under their own weight and the weight of the roof and snow will lead to deformation of the walls. All wall assemblies are very rigid, the connections are as tight as possible, and the roof load is evenly distributed across the ridge beam and the top frame.

Step 6. On rafter system Windproof film is rolled out and attached on top. The sheets are fixed with a construction stapler, ensuring an overlap of 10-15 cm between adjacent sheets.

Window openings are also covered with a membrane. The film is cut to the size of the openings plus an allowance of 15-20 cm and stapled to the inside of the outer wall beam.

Prices for windproof films

windproof film

Step 7 Sheathing boards are attached over the membrane. The boards are fastened with long self-tapping screws right through to the rafters. The sheathing pitch depends on the type roofing material, which is chosen for the bath.

Step 8 If the floor beams are not integrated, they are secured with metal fastening supports to the building frame. The cross-section of the logs is 50x200 mm, the pitch is selected depending on the load on the floor, the optimal option for a bathhouse is the distance between the logs is 60 cm, provided that a separate independent foundation is equipped for the sauna stove.

You can proceed to filing the subfloor and ceilings. The filing is carried out with OSB boards. First, vapor barrier sheets are stapled to the bottom of the beams, then the OSB is fastened with self-tapping screws through to the bottom of the beams. OSB can be replaced edged board 40 mm thick. The floors are insulated with ecowool, filling it between the beams.

The rafters from below (from the side of the under-roof room) are sheathed with a vapor barrier. A sheathing is attached on top of the vapor barrier (again from the room side). Those. vapor barrier is located at the top and bottom of the rafters. Ecowool will be blown into the free space.

Prices for OSB boards

OSB boards

Step 9 At this stage, you will again need equipment for feeding ecowool. It is necessary to insulate the roof. Ecowool is blown through holes in the vapor barrier (they are made between the sheathing boards closer to ridge beam. On inclined planes, the density of ecowool is up to 55 kg/m3. Work is carried out at heights and safety rules must be followed.

If there are reinforcing elements, partitions, or walls in the under-roof space, they are insulated with ecowool through technological holes. Holes are cut in the cuts using a drill with a round “crown” attachment. The diameter of the crown is chosen slightly larger than the diameter of the hose for supplying ecowool. The cut piece is not thrown away.

A piece of vapor barrier is stapled inside the cut over the technological hole, a hole is cut out in the material with a knife, a hose is inserted there and ecowool is pumped in.

When the insulation is pumped in, the hose is removed and the film is simply torn off from the wall. Now the cut piece of timber needs to be inserted into the hole, sealing the insulation layer so that the ecowool does not spill out.

It is important to take a high-quality approach to the issue of insulating all cavities of the building.

Step 10 Work is underway to install roofing materials.

Step 11 The eaves overhangs are hemmed.

Step 12 Install the drainage system.

Step 13 Work is underway to lay communications. Electrical wires in the bathhouse must be placed in a metal corrugation.

Step 14

Step 15. The façade is being painted. Internal walls covered with natural impregnation based on beeswax or linseed oil.

Step 16 Integrated forests are cut down.

Step 17 Install imitation timber on technological cuttings.

Step 18 Lay a finished floor covering, for example, tongue and groove boards in the steam room, linoleum or laminate in the rest room, ceramic tiles in the shower.

Above we looked at the principle of constructing a building using the classical double-timber technology. The elements were assembled without insulation, any gaskets, dowels or nails. The “double dovetail beam” technology has differences, is considered even more reliable and allows the construction of high-rise buildings and large areas.

We have already mentioned that the house kit is cut in production strictly to size. The corner elements have through holes for vertical studs. Inside the walls, studs are connected and extended. After the walls are erected from below and above, a nut and washer are screwed onto the studs, tightening the crowns. That is, the pins are used as dowels.

A dovetail groove has been added into which a special fastener is inserted. The connector is hammered into the groove with a mallet, placing the part with the rounded side down. It is no longer possible to remove the connector from the timber.

The dovetail connection is made not only on the outer corners of the walls, but also on all partitions. What does this give? Even with a strong change in the linear dimensions of wood due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity, during shrinkage, the outer and inner perimeters may shift slightly vertically, but the overall geometry of the house will remain unchanged, the geometry of all corners will be preserved.

Video - Construction of a house using the “double beam - dovetail” technology

Video - Double beam. We are building a 6x4 bathhouse. Day 1-2. Foundation and half walls

Video - Double beam. We are building a 6x4 bathhouse. Day 3-5. The walls of the first floor are ready

Video - Double beam. We are building a 6x4 bathhouse. Day 6-8. Electrics, floors