Its warm and safe home- the dream of many people. A house built of wood is not only warm and reliable, but also environmentally friendly. Modern technologies construction offer various options construction wooden houses. Perhaps the best thing is to build a house from timber.

Timber minimizes the unpredictability of wood behavior during operation, and therefore is the optimal building material. The construction of timber houses is completed within one season, and the durability of these houses is at least 50 years. There are 4 types of timber used in the production of wooden houses: solid non-profiled, solid profiled, glued profiled and the so-called LVL timber (from the English LVL - Laminated Veneer Lumber).

Which one is better to use to get a house with the best price/quality ratio? Let's look at the pros and cons of each type.

Solid non-profiled

The timber is made from a single log, with a round edge cut off on four sides. For the construction of residential buildings, naturally drying 150x150 mm timber is usually used.

• low cost;
• availability at any sawmill, that is, by choosing the nearest one, the issue of delivery of building material is easily resolved.

• warping, shrinkage and cracking are the disadvantages of naturally dried wood;
• wood defects - internal rot, flying knots, pests, fungus that appear after construction is completed;
• the need for additional finishing - it is not subject to finishing, therefore it needs additional finishing;
• the need for enhanced insulation of the seams - it does not have strict transverse dimensions and evenness of the cut, as a result - large gaps between the crowns;
• low manufacturability - initially not suitable for the construction of walls, so additional reinforcements have to be made load-bearing walls and corners of the house, which means extra labor and time.

The price of a solid non-profiled timber with natural humidity is about 9,500 rubles. per cubic meter Plus the cost of finishing, mandatory treatment with fire-retardant compounds and additional work.

Conclusion: not the best good material for building a house, but if you have the labor, patience, accuracy and attention to detail during construction, you can build a house from it, and for reasonable money.

Solid profiled

The timber is also made from a single log, only it is driven through special equipment, where it is given ideal geometric dimensions, a special lock profile is selected and, of course, planed to give it an aesthetic appearance.

• low probability of warping - industrial wood drying technology makes it possible to achieve 10-15% humidity in the final material with virtually no deformation consequences;
• does not require additional processing and finishing of the walls;
• high precision connections (no gaps);
• manufacturability - locking profiles greatly facilitate the construction process.

• all possible wood defects mentioned above;
• the need for additional time for shrinkage - after all, the existing possibility of shrinkage and warping of solid beams requires time for the finished walls to shrink.

Price for solid profiled timber chamber drying on average 12,000 rubles. per cubic meter More expensive than non-profiled, but the final result is much higher in quality.

Conclusion: after treatment with fire-bioprotection, subject to construction technology, perhaps the best choice in terms of price/quality ratio, however, you must be prepared to deal with possible “surprises” of solid timber.

Glued laminated timber

As the name implies, this type of timber is also calibrated and equipped with a locking profile. However, it is not made from a single log, but from separate blocks. They are glued together under pressure with a special glue.

• all the advantages of profiled timber;
• resistance to warping - thanks to combination various types wood when assembling blocks for one log, further deformation, cracking is absolutely excluded and shrinkage of the finished beams is practically eliminated;
• no need for additional time for shrinkage - a house built from laminated veneer lumber, does not shrink and is suitable for habitation almost immediately after completion of construction.

• high price;
• low environmental friendliness compared to solid timber - glue is a foreign material;
• somewhat disturbed natural circulation moisture inside the timber, due to the use of glue, moisture is not able to circulate between the layers, because of this, a slight disturbance of the microclimate inside the house is possible.

The price of laminated veneer lumber is on average 25,000 rubles. per cube - twice as expensive as a whole one. However, it should be noted that the cost of a project of wooden houses made of laminated veneer lumber is no different from similar projects of houses made of solid timber, and in the costs of the construction itself, the cost of the walls is approximately half of the entire construction budget. Consequently, the final house will not rise in price by much. In addition, when construction time is reduced, and when using laminated timber, as mentioned above, it is minimal, the cost of work also decreases.

Conclusion: If you have the opportunity to spend money on this expensive version of timber, then for the quick construction of a turnkey wooden house this is the best option, otherwise, it’s probably better to stick with a solid profiled beam.

LVL timber

The manufacturing technology of LVL timber is reminiscent of the technology of laminated timber, only it is glued not from blocks, but from 3 mm veneer. Plywood is produced in almost the same way, only, unlike it, the wood of adjacent layers in LVL timber is located parallel to each other relative to the fibers. This allows you to process this type of timber in the same way as solid or laminated timber. When gluing, the density of the various layers is selected in such a way that the denser layers are located on the outside and the soft ones on the inside.

• all the advantages of profiled laminated veneer lumber, only elevated to the rank of absolute;
• increased strength and elasticity, as well as unlimited length, makes it possible to manufacture spans of any size;
• increased moisture, fire and bioresistance.

• highest price;
• lowest environmental friendliness.

The price for LVL timber is about 35,000 rubles/m 3. This price makes it unprofitable when building walls of houses made of timber, but since it makes it possible to increase spans without the use of support pillars and beams, in combination with other types of timber it significantly expands the possibilities when choosing a project.

Conclusion: It is not a rational material for the construction of walls, but it is quite suitable for auxiliary structures.

All conclusions are quite clearly shown in the final table:

Name	Availability	Technology versatility	Warm- insulation	Fire, moisture, biostability	Strength	Construction time	Eco- versatility	Risk of wood defects	Conclusion
Solid non-profiled	ex.	bottom.	bottom.	bottom.	bottom.	bottom.	ex.	bottom.	Satisfactory material
Solid profiled	chorus	ex.	chorus	chorus	ud.	ex.	ex.	avg.	Very good stuff
Glued profiled	ud.	ex.	ex.	chorus	chorus	ex.	chorus	ex.	If not for the price, it would be an ideal material
LVL timber	bad	ex.	ex.	ex.	ex.	not Spanish	bottom.	ex.	Very expensive to build. Excellent for power elements

Thus, what the house will be like is always decided by whoever will live in it. Materials for construction must be selected based on your needs and available funds. From the analysis we can conclude that the most preferable for building a house from timber are solid profiled and glued profiled beams, however, there is also a place for other types.

Wood is one of the the best materials for the construction of houses, baths, saunas. However, in order for lumber to fully reveal its advantages, you should carefully study its characteristics and make right choice. The source material is an ordinary round log. What kind of timber is there? This lumber most often has rectangular shape(less often - arbitrary) with a section thickness of 50-400 mm. IN modern construction it exists in several forms.

All types of timber on the building materials market

• Solid (non-profiled) timber

Externally, it is a log, sawn on 4 sides, more than 50 mm wide. This material is the most popular in construction and has a multifunctional value. Wall structures, roof truss systems, and partitions between floors of the house are erected from ordinary timber. It may well be replaced wooden beam OK. Considering what types of timber there are, it should be noted that the low cost of logs is explained by the ease of their processing. This means that the material requires additional protection.

The cross-section of the material can be from 150 to 220 mm, the humidity is natural. The diameter of the material is selected depending on the type of object being built: in the construction of houses for permanent residence use lumber with a diameter of 200-220 mm, for a sauna, bathhouse or cottage - 150-220 mm.

The ease of installation and low cost of non-profiled timber makes it one of the most popular in the construction industry.

Advantages of houses built from solid (non-profiled) timber

1. Availability. Today this is one of the most popular offers. Unprofiled lumber can be purchased at any construction market. At the same time, after placing an order, you do not have to wait for a long time for delivery. The ease of preparing the material explains its ubiquity.
2. Low cost. Considering the fact that the natural importance of the material is preserved, the process of its preparation is simplified as much as possible, which has a positive effect on the cost of the timber.
3. Convenience and high speed house assembly. No specialized equipment is needed to lay non-profiled timber. Installation work Carpenters can carry out 3-4 grades. Moreover, the assembly of a 6*6 m house is carried out in less than one week.

Disadvantages of houses built from solid timber

1. The need for finishing work or planing. The best option is cladding with a block house or forcing. In addition, you will need to trim excess jute after natural drying and shrinkage at home.
2. Non-compliance of non-profiled timber with GOST requirements (relates to the evenness of the cut and the size of the cross section). As a result, differences in the placement of crowns can reach 5 mm, and the seams can be different heights. The only way to minimize such problems is to purchase high-quality solid timber. In this case, the cost of solid material is as close as possible to the price of profiled timber.
3. Fungal infection. During the harvesting process, the material is not subjected to special drying, which significantly increases the risk of wood being damaged by fungus. Today, more than 15% of non-profiled (solid) timber has this drawback. In this case, antiseptic treatment is required, as a result of which the fungus is destroyed and its reappearance is prevented. However, this event significantly increases the cost of production.
4. Imperfect appearance. Compared to its profiled counterpart, solid timber has a less attractive appearance. After planing the walls, the seams and insulation between the crowns may become noticeable.
5. Corner connections are made without overhangs.
6. Cracking of the material. As a result of shrinkage and shrinkage of the walls, noticeable cracks appear that spoil the aesthetics of the house. The solution to the problem is the exterior decoration of the building.
7. Blowability of inter-crown seams. If there are no tongues and grooves when assembling the walls, the house will retain heat less well.

This type of material has clearly defined parameters. It is presented in the form of a planting bowl with tongues and grooves; there are also vertical cuts, which greatly simplifies installation. In production, the log is cut with an accuracy of 1 mm.

The use of profiled timber in the construction of houses makes it possible to obtain a structure without cracks, which means that the risk of moisture getting inside the structure and wood rotting is reduced.

In addition, a house made from profiled lumber is very warm, which minimizes the use of insulation. It is worth noting the unsurpassed appearance. Such timber has smooth and even walls and does not require finishing. But profiled timber also has weak points. It must be properly dried, otherwise there is a risk that the house will “lead” over time. Its humidity is about 10%. Drying lumber requires significant areas, and the maintenance of such areas affects the cost of the final product.

Advantages of profiled timber

1. Unsurpassed appearance. The use of this material allows you to build houses with ideal smooth walls. This eliminates the need for additional exterior finishing buildings.
2. Connections are made with projections (into the bowl). Since the connections are created in the factory, they are smooth and high-strength, which ensures high reliability of the structure and uniform shrinkage during operation.
3. There are tighter connections between the crowns and in the corners, which significantly increases the thermal characteristics of the structure and ensures minimal ventilation.
4. There is no need to trim the jute and there is no need to caulk the house. The only exceptions may be end and corner connections.

1. The need for a technological break during the construction of a house. It is caused by the fact that the material must dry. After assembling the structure, the house should “stand” for 10-12 months, after which you can proceed to finishing work.

Cracking of the material. Profiled lumber, like other types of timber, is made from solid wood, which inevitably entails the appearance of cracks.​

• Glued laminated timber

Today they are most popular. This material is made from pine, larch, spruce or cedar. The log is sawn into boards, after which they are dried. Next, the lamellas are treated with protective compounds and glued together. One beam can have from 2 to 5 lamellas. The shape of the elements is cut out with maximum precision. The result is a high-quality, durable material with less than 1% shrinkage.

Advantages:

1. The material is not subject to cracking.
2. There is no need for finishing or additional processing.
3. Minimal shrinkage and the risk that the structure will “lead.”
4. The optimal moisture content of laminated timber will eliminate the risk of rotting and damage to the wood by microorganisms.
5. Due to its high strength, this lumber can be used in highly complex projects.

Flaws:

1. Relatively high cost (2-3 times more expensive than non-profiled lumber).
2. The use of glue in production reduces the degree of its environmental friendliness in comparison with logs or profiled timber.
3. The presence of glue impairs air exchange and moisture circulation.

Glued laminated timber is the best choice for “quick” construction. On a ready-made foundation, you can build a house in just 5-6 weeks.

Timber for house construction is used for private low-rise buildings. In project wooden house you can realize the most daring design ideas: from a small one-story dacha to a large one two-story cottage with all kinds of balconies, attics and cozy terraces on the veranda.

At a relatively low price, timber has excellent performance characteristics and is excellent for the construction of residential buildings and baths.

How to choose timber for such a house? To do this, you need to find out what types of bars there are and how they are used in individual cases.

Which timber is better for building a wooden house

There are 4 main types of bars:

• non-profiled with a rectangular or square section;
• profiled solid;
• glued;
• LVL timber.

The first type is the most economical building material. It is most often used for the construction of ancillary non-critical premises, since it is low-tech due to the lack of strict dimensions. This wood is not treated with anything, so it is susceptible to rotting, insect damage and easy fire. In addition, uneven dimensions contribute to poor fit of the beams to each other, which creates so-called cold bridges. Thus, non-profiled timber cannot be used for the construction of walls in residential buildings.

The profiled timber of a solid structure has precise dimensions and appropriate processing. This material ensures a tight fit between the wood, which facilitates installation and eliminates additional processing of the walls. The profiled timber is securely fixed thanks to the tongue-and-groove system. The shrinkage of a house made of such material does not exceed 5%.

Glued laminated timber consists of individual lamellas (dried timber), glued together taking into account the direction of the fibers. This material is of the highest quality and reliable. It is highly technological, as it practically does not shrink. A house made of laminated veneer lumber does not require additional treatment of the walls, Finishing work can be performed immediately after the walls are erected.

Such a house is characterized by good thermal insulation and is not subject to deformation due to high humidity. Glued laminated timber can be replaced with profiled timber, but the quality of the construction will suffer.

LVL timber is also laminated timber, but veneer serves as its constituent elements. This material is dense on the outside, but soft on the inside. This is the most expensive and high-quality wood. LVL timber has high strength, elasticity, and moisture resistance. This material is practically not subject to fire and rotting, and its range consists of materials of different lengths.

The timber material is made in different sections: from 120x120 mm to 200x200 mm. But the most appropriate for building a house is considered to be timber with dimensions of 150x150 mm in longitudinal section.

House made of timber: construction technology

Before you start building a house, you need to develop its design and think through all the details. The most favorable types of wood for building a log house are: pine, spruce, larch.

So, the technology for building a timber frame includes the following steps:

1. Laying the foundation.
2. Floor installation.
3. Construction of external walls and partitions.
4. Roof construction.
5. Installation of windows and doors.

For a standard residential log house they usually make strip foundation. To do this, a trench 0.7 m deep is dug along the perimeter of the future house. A sand cushion is poured onto its bottom, and crushed stone is placed on top. The entire backfill is thoroughly compacted. After this, the dug trench is filled with concrete mixture.

Floor arrangement - important stage in construction wooden house. This is due to the fact that wood absorbs moisture very quickly, which is why there may be constant dampness in the home, and the building material may also begin to rot. Therefore, the floor in a house made of beams consists of two layers: rough and finishing.

After pouring the foundation, at least two weeks should pass, and only then they begin to lay the lower crown of beams and arrange the subfloor.

Before laying the bottom row of beams, it is necessary to lay a waterproofing layer on the foundation. To do this, lay a double layer of bitumen and roofing felt, alternating them with each other. The width of the insulation must exceed the width of the foundation by 30 cm.

The very first board is rigidly mounted to the foundation, and an ebb is attached to it, through which all the water from precipitation will flow out.

The first crown of a house made of beams must be treated with antiseptic impregnation to avoid rotting of the material. The evenness of the entire structure depends on the laying of the first crown. Therefore, at this stage it is important to check the dimensional accuracy using a laser level.

1. Logs with cross-sectional dimensions of 150x100 mm are laid. The logs are laid with the narrow end down. The beams are fixed to the first crown of the house by placing them in a groove. The logs should be spaced from each other in increments of 70 cm. If the beams are longer than 3 m, then additional supports must be laid under them - beams with a cross-section of 200x150 mm.
2. Bars with cross-sectional dimensions of 50x50 mm are nailed to the side of the log.
3. The base of the floor is mounted on cranial bars. Floorboards are laid close to each other without fastening to the joists.
4. Layers of waterproofing, insulation and vapor barrier are laid successively.
5. Special slats are laid in the direction of the beams to create a ventilation space.
6. The subfloor is laid from boards 40 mm thick. Second-grade wood can serve as this material.

The finishing floor is laid after the walls and roof are erected. For this purpose, high-quality processed boards with precise dimensions are used.

Features of connecting beams and erecting a roof

The construction of a log house from beams consists of laying out the crowns in stages. For the construction of walls of a residential building, it is better to use profiled and laminated timber with section dimensions of 140x140 mm and 90x140 mm.

For reliable fastening, the ends of the beams are made with a tongue and groove. Fixed in this way to each other, the beams will reliably preserve the structure of the house.

After each crown, jute insulation is laid. It provides good thermal insulation, prevents the formation of cold bridges, and also prevents the appearance of mold. Tow or flax acts as insulation.

The crowns are secured to each other with dowels. These fastenings allow you to preserve the structure of the house without twisting and drying out the beams. These hardware are 6x200 nails. Nails are driven in increments of 1 m to a depth of 25 - 30 cm.

The roof for a house made of beams can be of various shapes: consist of several slopes, with an attic and an open terrace. For such options, you cannot do without specialists. But if the house is being built independently, then most often they choose the classic gable roof option.

Gable roofing is performed according to the following technology:

1. The beams of the upper crown are tied together. For the Mauerlat, choose a beam with a cross-section of 150x150 mm and secure it to the crown of the wall using brackets and dowels. Ceiling joists are laid in increments of 90 cm.
2. Next, rafters are made that rest on the Mauerlat. Rafter system is a frame that will determine the shape of the roof. These beams are taken with cross-sectional dimensions of 50x150 mm. A triangular cut is made at the attachment point for strong adhesion of the elements. To maintain the desired angle, a special template is made. The rafters are laid in 1 m increments and secured to the beams using angles and self-tapping screws.
3. Lay out the roof fronts from beams or siding.
4. The rafter system is covered with a layer of vapor barrier, and then the sheathing is made of beams and boards. The sheathing pitch depends on the type roofing material. If there are tiles, then there should be practically no gaps on the sheathing. If there is corrugated board or slate, then the gap in the sheathing can be up to 30 cm.
5. Install roofing material.
6. If an attic is planned, then the roof must be insulated from the inside. Suitable for this mineral wool, which is laid between the rafters.
7. The interior lining of the attic can be made of plasterboard or lining.

It should be noted that within 2 years wooden house may cause natural shrinkage, so trim facing materials it is not worth it during this period.

A wooden house is beautiful, environmentally friendly and warm.

First and a budget option- sawn wooden beam. The dimensions of such timber are standard six meters, since the timber is delivered to the sawmills on timber trucks standard size. Sections of sawn timber are 100x100 mm and above. Unplaned timber does not undergo additional drying, so the appearance of cracks cannot be avoided. Also, buildings made of sawn timber require shrinkage, and to prevent the appearance of “cold bridges”, caulking of joints will be required, and additional insulation of the house made of timber inside followed by finishing of the walls. Prices for sawn timber from 6,000 rubles/m3.

Profiled timber - good material to implement the project of a house made of timber. It is planed using precision equipment, which makes it possible to maintain the geometry of the walls being built. The tongue and groove connection prevents the appearance of “cold bridges” and after shrinkage, it will not require caulking of walls, internal and exterior finishing. Due to the tight fit of the profiled timber to each other, the material has a low heat loss coefficient. Planed timber, when shrinking, produces a smaller web of cracks, thanks to rational cuts in the grooves. The length of the profiled timber is standard six meters. A beam with a cross section of 190x140 mm corresponds to a log with a diameter of 32 centimeters, while it has a smaller cubic capacity, and, as a result, a lower cost than round wood or rounded log. Prices for profiled timber from 7500 rub/m3.

Dry profiled timber - made from chamber-dried wood. After drying, the moisture content of the raw materials is 12-18%. The material is processed on a machine. The walls give minimal shrinkage, 3 percent, which means you can immediately build a turnkey house, which was definitely an advantage. Dry planed timber practically does not crack, because the moisture has left it in the factory. Price for dry profiled timber from 13,000 rub/m3

Glued laminated timber appeared on the market wooden house construction recently. Manufacturing requires the use of high-precision equipment. The selected material is dried in drying chambers, and then spliced ​​together along the length and treated with special glue. Under pressure, the glue saturates the wood. The material is then passed through a machine where the profile is cut. In size, such timber reaches a length of up to 14 meters and a cross-section of up to 26 centimeters. Glued laminated timber does not shrink and almost does not crack, so it does not require wall finishing; turnkey work can be done immediately.

When choosing wood for building a house, the question of which timber is best for construction interests any user. The number of buildings made of lumber is increasing, and, consequently, the demand for materials is growing, which allows manufacturers to offer more and more new products with a wide variety of quality and practical characteristics. As a result, the owner of the construction site is given a good choice, which needs to be carefully sorted out so as not to make a mistake when purchasing materials.

Types and types of timber

Assuming to build timber house for permanent residence, it is worth remembering that wooden lumber looks like a long beam with a rectangular cross section length 6 meters, thickness 100-300 mm. This is a standard size, considered the most optimal for the construction of buildings.

Advice! If this length of timber is not enough, you should pay attention to elite Finnish wood: manufacturers offer elements up to 12 meters in length.

Materials differ according to various indicators, for example, according to the degree of processing; there are the following types of timber:

• Raw edged/sawn;
• Planed;
• Polished;
• Profiled.

According to the manufacturing method, lumber is divided into:

1. whole;
2. glued;
3. hollow, padded thermal insulation materials as a filler.

Now a little more about the types of timber for building a house, modifications and characteristic features.

Edged timber

Considered a classic material, it is an element obtained by cutting the body of a tree. During processing, the whole log is freed from edges, the result is construction material in the form of a beam of square cross-section, having smooth, untreated, rough planes on all four sides.

The product has natural humidity, therefore, it is possible to inspect the material for distortions that occur during improper storage. Section sizes: 250*250; 150*200; 150*150; 100*150; 100*100 mm. A large range of sizes allows you to select the optimal batch of lumber to build your own.

Affordable price, high quality and the practicality of the material are advantages, but among the disadvantages it is necessary to note the mandatory use of sealing material. It is mounted between the crowns so that precipitation does not get into the cracks, leading to the destruction of the building. In addition, there is a possibility that the lamellas will lose their shape when the natural drying process begins.

Planed, polished timber

This is an edged product made from wood, which undergoes a sanding process during processing. The result is lumber with smooth planes (on one, two or all sides), sometimes with a removed corner chamfer, which gives an aesthetic appearance and facilitates the construction process.

Advice! Dishonest manufacturers often pass off planed timber as sanded timber, so you need to be especially careful: the price of sanded timber is higher than planed timber. The differences are obvious: planed material does not have the smoothness of sanded material.

Profiled wood building material

It is considered the most progressive and practical for building a house. Each element is equipped with a locking connection, and, therefore, the crowns are adjacent with maximum density. In addition, the smoothness of both sides and the presence of fasteners make it possible to build a warm and strong structure, so the increased price of the product does not frighten consumers.

Advice! There are two profile options on the market: tongue-and-groove (German) and bowl-shaped (Finnish). The choice depends on the construction technology and the preferences of the developer.

Glued laminated timber

The material consists of several separate lamellas obtained by cutting the body of a tree, glued together. Thanks to pre-drying, as well as gluing taking into account the direction of the fibers, the product is considered one of the most reliable and high-quality for building a house. High-tech laminated veneer lumber does not shrink, does not require additional processing of wall panels and has high energy saving rates. Developers consider the lack of deformation and moisture resistance to be one of the main advantages of the material. The high cost of the material is due to its practicality and quality.

Advice! The material labeled LVL is also laminated veneer lumber, but has regular veneer as components. This causes it to be hard on the outside but soft at the core. It is considered the most expensive and quality material made of wood. Due to increased strength, elasticity and moisture-repellent properties, the timber is not subject to corrosion and does not rot; the product range has a different set of lengths, which allows us to call the piece goods universal for building a house.

Finnish timber

Elite wood with the following characteristic features:

1. the annual rings in the lamellas have a unique direction opposite to each other, that is, they “look” at the center of the section.
2. Strength and flexibility are also due to the vertical splicing of component parts every 4-6 meters.
3. To obtain the finished product, thick elements are spliced ​​together, so the question is: which beam thickness to choose is of utmost importance. Standard technology recommends impregnating the elements adhesive composition no less than 2 cm, due to which the material is not completely impregnated, but only in the upper layers.

Important! Glued Finnish timber has a price 2-2.5 times higher than the Russian analogue.

Composite timber materials

The packaged and hollow types of timber that have appeared on the market are also suitable for the construction of houses and buildings for various purposes. Representing hollow inside wood block, the structure consists of a pair of boards equipped with end elements and jumpers.

The differences are:

1. The package material is internally filled with insulation, which has a base made of mineral wool or foam glass.
2. Hollow timber has no filling.

The main feature is increased energy-saving characteristics, which allows you to build a house with high energy efficiency indicators. Due to its technological features, composite beams are extremely affordable, but are superior in quality to foam blocks, and experts say: a piece of composite timber product retains heat 2 times better than masonry made from brick, gas blocks and other standard materials.

Advice! For areas with high temperature fluctuations, the latest development is suitable - thermal timber. it's the same composite material, consisting of hollow timber filled with polyurethane foam. Price category finished house comparable to the cost of a house made of laminated solid timber, however, when deciding what thickness of timber to take, choosing a glued timber, you will have to make a wall of 390 mm, an alternative thermal timber can be taken of 160 mm. This means that with equal cost and energy saving indicators, wall panels made of composite thermal timber will be thinner.

When calculating the disadvantages and advantages of lumber, you should pay attention to optimal humidity. This figure should be approximately 15-20%. Quality is achieved by drying in special chambers. The process should be carried out immediately after cutting the body of the log, and only then, the dried lamellas are processed, sanded, and so on.

Choosing the thickness of timber for building a house

Everything here is quite simple: standard timber for construction comes in square or rectangular cross-section with side dimensions of 100, 150, 200 mm. Some manufacturers offer sides measuring 250 mm on order, but here you will need to focus on the price of lumber. It turns out that Wall panel, specified by the dimensions of the timber, can be 100-250 mm thick. And the parameter is selected depending on the needs of the owner: the thicker the beam, the higher the rigidity of the structure. In addition, the wall must provide protection from the cold.

Important! The strength of wall structures is based not only on the thickness of the timber. When building a house, the presence and number of openings, the configuration of the walls and other indicators are taken into account; the assembly, or rather its quality, should also be taken into account.

Experienced developers advise choosing timber with a thickness of 100-150 mm for a one-story building, but parameters of 150-200 mm are better for building a house of 2 or more floors. It is also important to understand that when constructing an all-season heated building, it is necessary to insulate the walls from the outside; without this element everything modern houses will not comply with accepted energy saving standards.

If we compare wall structures made of timber of different thicknesses, a weak dependence of the thermal resistance, determined by the thickness of the elements, is noticeable. For example, an insulated wall made of 150 mm timber is only 12-15% “warmer” than a wall 100 mm thick. Conclusion: with high-quality insulation and thorough waterproofing, it is enough to choose a good timber, as well as insulation. The calculation is approximately this: for walls made of 100 mm timber (100*150-200 mm), purchase mineral wool insulation of the same thickness (100-150 mm). This will be enough to maintain the high energy efficiency of the building.

But, nevertheless, when choosing what thickness of lumber to buy, it is worth remembering that building from thick timber has many other advantages, in particular, the structure will have less ability to warp when drying, greater strength and heat capacity.

Advice! Houses for seasonal living, bathhouses and outbuildings do not need to be sheathed with heat-insulating material, but it all depends on what size of timber is chosen. Experts recommend not to go cheap, but to build a bathhouse or summer house from lumber with a thickness of 150 mm or more. Heat accumulation is higher, which means that when warming up optimal temperature will last longer.

Types of beam connections

The technology for constructing timber walls is different, but it is important to know the types of timber connections. Today developers offer the following typical connections:

1. Angular. It happens with a residue (in the bowl) and without a residue (in the paw). With a remainder - a type that represents the protruding ends of the log house at a distance of approximately 0.5 meters. It is expensive, but heat loss is reduced and the strength of the building increases. Without remainder - the type when the end of the frame ends at the level of the wall. The connection occurs using staples or spiked plates with nails.
2. Longitudinal connection is used when the length of the timber is insufficient. The increase in size occurs by connecting two elements. There are several ways:

• tenon with key;
• half a tree;
• root thorn.

1. T-shaped connection. Used when it is necessary to fasten external and interior wall. The options are as follows:

• by creating a trapezoidal symmetrical tenon in the log house;
• creating a triangular tenon in a log house;
• a locking groove on an insert tenon;
• straight groove on the main tenon.

Despite the variety of connection types, there are some general recommendations:

• rounding of the timber is done with outside to minimize the threat of water accumulation in the grooves;
• the place where the logs touch must be smooth and carefully polished.

It is a good idea to give the elements additional tightness by coating the joints with a composition of resin and sand.