Frame houses are buildings that are quite comfortable and durable, of course, if they were erected in accordance with existing rules. The design of a frame structure consists of numerous components, fundamental - basic, and auxiliary. Absolutely any of the existing frame nodes wooden house during construction it will certainly require especially close attention: there simply cannot be any small details here. After all, if all the elements of such a structure are fastened and joined incorrectly, living in the building will not only be uncomfortable, but very dangerous for you and your loved ones. One day, from an incorrectly distributed load, such a house risks simply “falling apart” into pieces.

Frame house components: features

In order for the frame structure to be strong and reliable, all components must be carried out in absolute accordance with the design documents and drawings. The frame structure includes three key components of the building - these are, of course, walls (more precisely, a wall system), floors (floors, ceilings), and also roofing system. This is the basis of the basics, and without the correct construction of these elements, long-term living in the house will be simply impossible. In addition to the main ones, it is also impossible not to note the additional structural components of the structure. They are places of joining, connecting different parts, elements of the future house - frame.

Support for a nodal wall system frame houses – foundation. He can be various types, most often used:

• slab foundation;
• tape;
• columnar-ribbon base.

Anchor bolts act as fastenings for wall units. Ordinary racks are attached to each of the strapping beams. Auxiliary nodes in this case are the lower as well as the upper harnesses. In order to mount the harness, you should use special bolts. The most reliable option with maximum strength is the “frame” assembly, when the fastening bolts are located in the frame, and the racks are put on them. The process of installing rack beams should be given special attention, because it is these elements that are assigned the load-bearing function.

Walls: features of corner nodes

When designing corners, or rather, corner nodes of the walls of a future building, it is also important to avoid mistakes. If there is no competent connection diagram for such units, you will have to spend much more time installing the side and façade wall building.

To create a frame for the side walls, it is imperative to provide an additional post, which will be rotated to the corner post exactly ninety degrees. Thus, it will be possible to qualitatively bandage the frames of the facade and side walls. This means that the corner connection will become reliable and durable. An undoubted advantage is that such a connection makes it possible to form a good internal corner: accordingly, lining the building from the inside with plywood, plasterboard or other finishing materials in sheets will be simple and convenient.

pay attention to the most important detail: the design of the wall (load-bearing) of your future building must certainly be frame type. The dimensions of the vertical racks must certainly be observed in accordance with the existing project; the same requirement would be fair for the gaps between the racks. If we are talking about strengthening load-bearing racks, then it is usually done with plywood or chipboard.

Joining the foundation and walls

What is the best way to connect the walls and the base of your frame? Beams can be placed on the support beam either perpendicularly or parallel to the walls. At the beam level, beams can be located on anchors or on a suspension, perpendicular to the wall. The roof, as well as the walls of the frames, have a unit represented by racks. These posts should be positioned at right angles to the wall surface. You can also place them parallel to the wall, on the roof gable, as well as in (internal) partitions.

As for the beams supporting the attic, they are made of several elements. If the coating on them is reinforced, it can be installed parallel to the walls.

The outer corners of the frame walls contain at least a couple of studs. Corner elements walls, as well as their intersection points, will become a support for the outer and inner edges of the floors. The walls will be bound using boards whose thickness exceeds 4 centimeters. The width of these boards is similar to the width of the supporting posts in the main frame of the building. Bottom trim boards are available in any structural part of the building, and in the outer wall they will protrude above the support by a maximum of a third of the total width of the trim.

Top frame of frame-type buildings

In the event that the lintels and walls are fastened using special wooden plates or high-strength steel plates, it is quite possible to allow the absence of a top frame above the opening with lintels. The harness itself is formed from a pair of boards. If there are openings on the wall for future window or door structures, a jumper is already provided, which will form one unit with the strapping.

The design of the frame implies that in the upper frame the joints of the boards are located above the central part of the vertical posts (installation in staggered order). To fix the elements, nails of at least 6 cm in length are used. Each end of the top trim boards is secured with two nails. A post is nailed to the harness, markings are made indicating the location of the first post. It is advisable to place the mark on two boards at once.

For standard sheet material, the optimal distance between the posts is 380 mm. Where the window openings and door structures will be located, mark the locations of the main posts, as well as the elements that will support the lintels. It is imperative to include the obtained distances in the design of the frame building: it is important that the distances between the underlying posts are equal.

Proper installation of openings with lintels is a guarantee that all loads will be correctly distributed and the building will last a long time.

The bottom trim knot is where the trim beams will be attached to the base of the house. The elements are joined using clamps or special foundation fasteners (bolts). Before laying the beams, ensure high-quality waterproofing of the joints. There is another node in the design of the lower trim - these are the corners at which the beams will be connected to each other. Docking is performed in one of two ways traditional ways: “half a tree” or “in the paw.” In order for the connection to be strong, you should take special metal corners or use bolts.

Ceiling and floor beams: what to consider during installation?

Floor floor beams must be supported by a frame beam and their installation is carried out with a pre-calculated step. Also installed ceiling beams. As for the racks, in frame buildings, first of all, vertical corner racks are installed, and after them - intermediate ones. There are several nodes here:

• corners, in places where vertical posts connect to the upper and lower frames;
• connection of strapping beams and racks.

To ensure that the vertical posts are securely fastened in the corners, grooves are made and additionally fixed with metal corners. By analogy, the intermediate racks are fastened. The bars of the upper and lower trim will be secured equally (joining points - racks frame structure and corners).

Additional “connections” turn out to be important for those who strive to make their home as reliable as possible. Vertical and diagonal supports are the connecting elements with the help of which the entire frame structure receives additional strength. But this method is not always used. More often, the design of frame buildings assumes that for reinforcement it is enough to sheathe the frame with OSB boards.

Rafter system

The rafter system of frame buildings will also consist of a significant number of nodes. These are, in particular:

• places where the rafters rest on the ridge girder;
• places where the rafters rest on the beam of the upper frame;
• the place where the crossbar and rafters meet;
• the junction of the counter-lattice of the frame and the rafter legs;
• the junction of the building's counter-lattice and its sheathing.

Briefly about each node we can say the following:

At the skate rafter legs docked in two ways - overlap or butt. In order to secure the rafters to the beams of the upper frame, cuttings of appropriate sizes should be made on them. As for crossbars and other types of supports, their role, as a rule, can be played by bars or boards. The counter-lattice bars should be installed with a pitch similar to that with which the rafter legs will be mounted. The sheathing of a frame building can be either continuous or sparse, it depends on what the roof structure is and, of course, on the type of future roofing material.

The issues of fastening house elements are discussed in detail in this video:

Having knowledge of what the design of the components of a frame building should be, such housing can be built with your own hands. Use of quality wood and other necessary materials, compliance with all standards and technologies is the guarantee that your residential building will be functional, reliable and of high quality!

The bottom trim of a wooden frame wall is usually made double - i.e. Before installing the wall frames, wooden beds are installed under them.
There are several reasons for this:

• if the house is assembled from factory-produced wall panels, then it is more convenient to install them on pre-assembled basement floor beds that will serve as guides;
• on concrete foundations, installed on top of waterproofing, thus increasing the service life of wooden frame house;
• The double bottom trim serves as a backing board for fastening the internal wall cladding.

For a reliable connection at the corners of the house, the boards of the lower trim should be mounted overlapping, overlapping each other. Lengthwise joints must also be made with an overlap of 600 mm. See fig. 9.9 and 9.10.

Rice. 9.9 Arrangement of the bottom strapping of wooden frame walls using Norwegian technology

1. Technology "Platform"- walls are mounted on top subfloor (1.1) on the basement floor, which is also a working floor. It is used in cases where installation occurs quickly, in good weather. In this case, it is necessary to use waterproof OSB-3 boards with a tongue-and-groove connection to protect the basement floor from moisture in the event of precipitation.
2. Dry installation technology- insulation and sealing of the basement floor is carried out after installation external cladding And roofing at home when residual humidity wooden structures will be ≤ 13%. In this case, the wall frames are installed on beams mounted on the frame of the basement floor. Built into the basement frame embedded board (2.1) , to which the floor boards are subsequently attached. A special feature of the “dry installation” technology is that a finished floor made of tongue-and-groove floorboards can be immediately installed over the basement beams. According to Norwegian building regulations, you need to attach the lower guide rail to the plinth with 2 nails 3.4x95 (or 3.1x90 for drum nailers) every 500 mm. Second board, directly to the bottom trim wall frame is attached to the guide rail in the same way.
3. Installation of walls on concrete foundations. Waterproofing is laid under the wall frames and installed on top of it. impregnated industrially beds in order to thus increase the service life of a wooden frame house. In this case, industrially impregnated beds are attached to the foundation using expandable anchor bolts. The second board, the immediate lower frame of the wall frame, is attached to the impregnated beams with 2 nails of such length as not to violate the integrity of the waterproofing laid under the impregnated beams.

Rice. 9.10 The principle of installing a basement floor on a concrete foundation strip. Impregnated beams, end beams of the basement floor, guide beams, and the lower frames of wall frames in the corners must be installed with overlapping joints.

1. Waterproofing is laid on the foundation strip and mounted on top of it. industrially impregnated beds (1).
2. The frame of the basement floor is supported on impregnated beams. Then Wall panels factory-made ones are installed on pre-mounted floor planks made from ordinary boards (2), which serve as guides;

Sealing the joint between the impregnated bed and the foundation. Norwegian building regulations allow the use of special tapes made of mineral wool, polyurethane and rubber bands.

Continuation of the article about the structural components of a Scandinavian frame house, in particular

Any copying, reprinting and distribution of materials from this article without the written permission of the author is prohibited.
Sincerely, © Vladislav Vorotyntsev, 19.05.2015 .
[email protected] or

The construction of frame houses today is a very promising, popular and fast-growing area. Frame houses are economical, lightweight and easy to install.

When building a frame house, coniferous wood is used: spruce, pine, fir.

They have a modern appearance, beauty, and lend themselves well to any decoration and various design solutions.

The units must be made correctly and in accordance with the design.

Design features of a frame house

Diagram of a frame house with an attic.

The structure of a frame house consists of 3 main components:

1. Wall system.
2. Floors.
3. Roofing system.

During construction, it is necessary to take into account that each of the structural units of a frame house has its own complex structure. Correct installation, made according to the calculations and drawings of the designers, is a guarantee of the strength and safety of the future home. If the methods for assembling each of the components of the house structure are carried out correctly and competently, then the entire structure as a whole will be of high quality and reliable.

In addition to the above main components, the frame house design has auxiliary components. They represent the connection points of certain structural elements of a frame house. The walls of the structure rest on the foundation and are secured using anchor bolts. Row racks are mounted to all strapping beams. Assembly is carried out using strict technology.

The upper and lower frames are auxiliary components of the frame house structure. Their installation is carried out using special bolts. The harness contains corner posts; they contain mounting bolts onto which the posts are placed. This assembly is the most durable and reliable.

The load-bearing function is performed by rack beams. Therefore, the correctness of their installation is given Special attention. Internal floors perform less important functions, but they must be fixed in accordance with strict rules.

Its strength and durability depend on the competent and correct connection of structural units and various elements of a frame house appearance. Design organizations professionally carry out qualitative calculations and give basic recommendations for their assembly.

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Basic rules for the design and installation of load-bearing walls

Panel structure diagram.

All load-bearing walls must have. The distances between vertical posts and their dimensions must strictly correspond to the project. The supporting racks are reinforced with plasterboard, plywood, chipboard or spacers.

Let's consider the junction between the wall and the foundation. See the drawing in Fig. 1. The beams on the support beam can be perpendicular to the wall (A) or parallel to the wall (B).

The junction between the wall and the ceiling is shown in Fig. 2. Beams at beam level can be positioned perpendicular to the wall with anchors (C) or perpendicular to the wall with suspension (D).

The junction between the wall and the roof is shown in Fig. 3

The racks should be located at right angles to the wall. They can be located parallel to the wall in internal partitions or on the roof gable. The beams that support the attic can be parallel to the wall if the covering is reinforced on them. The part of the roof that is supported by the wall should not exceed 2 m in width. Beams should not consist of several parts.

There should be 2 or more studs in the outer corners of the wall frame. The corners of the walls and their intersection points should provide support to the edges of the inner and outer covering. Boards intended for lining walls must have a thickness of at least 38 mm. The width of the boards is equal to the width of the supporting posts of the main frame. All structures must have a bottom trim board. In external walls, it should not protrude above the support by more than 1/3 of the width of the frame.

The top frame of the structure consists of 2 boards, except in cases where:

• there is an opening for a door or window and above it there is a jumper that forms 1 knot with the strapping;
• it is located on non-load-bearing internal walls;
• a single top trim board can be used in part load-bearing wall, where the load from the rafters or roof slabs acts no further than 50 mm on one side of the vertical posts.

Floor plan for a frame house.

There may be no top trim over openings that have lintels if the fastening between the lintel and the wall is made of wood or strong steel plates. The wooden overlays are nailed to the load-bearing wall section using nails at least 60 mm long.

In the top trim, the joints of the boards should be located above the centers of all vertical posts. They should be in a checkerboard pattern. The distance between them should be more than 1 step of the existing vertical beams.

The top trim boards should be nailed using 2 nails at each end of the board. Nails must be nailed above the racks, and their arrangement must be staggered.

A stand is nailed to the harness. Then we make markings, mark the location of the future location of the first rack. The mark can be applied to both boards. In order for the plywood sheet to be at a given distance from the edge of the wall to the center of the rack, you need to reduce the distance between the racks by 20 mm. If the plywood sheet has dimensions of 1525 × 1525 mm, then there should be a distance of 380 mm between the posts. Then we mark the locations of the posts in the window and door openings that will support the lintels, and mark the location of the main posts. The distance between the racks of the floor beams is indicated in the project. The main pillars of the opening must be equal in length. The height of the racks to support the lintels is equal to the height of the upper border of the opening minus the thickness of the lower trim - 38 mm. We place them on the appropriate labels. Double racks are located on the sides of all existing openings.

All openings are mounted with jumpers for proper load distribution. The lintels are fastened with nails. The boards for lintels must have sections corresponding to the span of a particular opening.

WITH outside External walls are reinforced with sheathing. For cladding, plywood, boards or other materials are used. Sheathing sheets are nailed to the frame with nails that are not subject to corrosion.

Have you ever encountered the topic of “correct” or “wrong” frame house popping up in discussions on forums? Often people are pointed out that the frame is wrong, but they find it difficult to really explain why it is wrong and how it should be. In this article I will try to explain what is usually hidden behind the concept of a “correct” frame, which is the basis of a frame house, just like a human skeleton. In the future, I hope we will consider other aspects.

Surely you know that the foundation is the foundation of the house. This is true, but a frame house has another foundation - no less important than the foundation. This is the frame itself.

Which frame house is “right”?

I'll start with the basics. Why is it so difficult to talk about the right frame house? Because there is no single correct frame house. What a surprise, isn't it? 🙂

You will ask why? Yes, very simple. A frame house is a large constructor with many solutions. And there are many decisions that can be called correct. There are even more decisions – “half-correct” ones, but the “wrong” ones are legion.

Nevertheless, among the variety of solutions, one can single out those that are usually meant when speaking about “correctness.” This is an American and, less commonly, Scandinavian type frame.

Why are they considered examples of “correctness”? Everything is very simple. The vast majority of private houses for permanent residence in America, and a very significant percentage in Scandinavia, are built precisely according to frame technology. This technology has been used there for decades and perhaps even a hundred years. During this time, all possible cones have been filled, everything has been sorted out possible options and a certain universal scheme was found that says: do this and with a 99.9% probability everything will be fine. Moreover, this scheme is the optimal solution for several characteristics:

1. Constructive reliability of solutions.
2. Optimal labor costs during construction.
3. Optimal cost of materials.
4. Good thermal characteristics.

Why step on your own rake if you can take advantage of the experience of people who have already stepped on this rake? Why reinvent the wheel if it has already been invented?

Remember. Whenever we talk about the “correct” frame or the “correct” components of a frame house, then, as a rule, this means standard solutions and components used in America and Scandinavia. And the frame itself satisfies all the above criteria.

What frames can be called “semi-regular”? Basically, these are those that differ from typical Scandinavian-American solutions, but, nevertheless, also satisfy at least two criteria - reliable design and good solutions in terms of heating engineering.

Well, I would classify all the rest as “wrong”. Moreover, their “wrongness” is often conditional. It is not at all a fact that the “wrong” frame will necessarily fall apart. This scenario is actually extremely rare, although it does occur. Basically, the “wrongness” lies in some controversial and not the best decisions. As a result, things get complicated where things can be done easier. Used more material where possible as little as possible. The design is made colder or more inconvenient for subsequent work than it could be.

The main disadvantage of “wrong” frames is that they provide absolutely no benefits compared to “correct” or “semi-correct” ones - neither in reliability, nor in cost, nor in labor costs... nothing at all.

Or these advantages are far-fetched and generally doubtful. In extreme cases (and there are some), incorrect frames can be dangerous and will lead to major renovation home will be needed in a few years.

Now let's look at the question in more detail.

Key features of the American frame

The American frame is practically a standard. It is simple, strong, functional and reliable as an iron saw. It is easy to assemble and has a large margin of safety.

Americans are tight-fisted guys, and if they manage to save a couple of thousand dollars on construction, they will definitely do it. At the same time, they will not be able to stoop to outright hackwork, since there is strict control in the construction field, Insurance companies in case of problems, they will refuse to pay, and the customers of the unfortunate builders will quickly sue and rip off the careless contractors like a stick.

Therefore, the American frame can be called the standard in terms of the ratio: price, reliability, result.

The American frame is simple and reliable

Let's take a closer look at the main points that distinguish the American frame scheme:

Typical components of a frame house

Timber in racks and frames is almost never used, unless this is due to some specific conditions. Therefore, the first thing that distinguishes a “correct” frame house is the use of dry lumber and the absence of timber in the walls. By this criterion alone, you can discard 80% of Russian companies and teams working in the frame market.

Points that distinguish the American frame:

1. Corners - there are several different schemes for implementing corners, but nowhere will you see timber as corner posts.
2. Double or triple racks in the area of ​​window and door openings.
3. The reinforcement above the openings is a board installed on the edge. The so-called “header” (from English header).
4. Double top frame made of boards, no timber.
5. The overlap of the lower and upper rows of trim at key points - corners, various wall fragments, junction points internal partitions to the outer walls.

I didn’t specifically mention Ukosina as a distinctive point. Since in the American style, if there is cladding with OSB3 (OSB) boards on the frame, there is no need for miters. The slab can be considered as an infinite number of jibs.

Let's talk in more detail about the key features of the correct frame in the American version.

Correct corners of a frame house

In fact, on the Internet, even in the American segment, you can find a dozen schemes. But most of them are outdated and rarely used, especially in cold regions. I will highlight three main angle patterns. Although realistically, only the first two are the main ones.

Nodes of corners of a frame house

1. Option 1 – the so-called “California” angle. The most common option. Why exactly “California” – I have no idea :). From the inside, another board or strip of OSB is nailed to the outer post of one of the walls. As a result, a shelf is formed on the inside of the corner, which subsequently serves as a support under interior decoration or any inner layers of the wall.
2. Option 2 – closed corner. Also one of the most popular. The essence is an additional stand in order to make a shelf on the inner corner. Among the advantages: the quality of insulation of the corner is better than in option 1. Among the disadvantages: such a corner can only be insulated from the outside, that is, this must be done before sheathing the frame with anything from the outside (slabs, membrane, etc.)
3. Option 3 – “Scandinavian” warm corner. A very rare option, not used in America. I have seen it in Scandinavian frames, but not often. Why did I bring him then? Because, in my opinion, this is the most warm option corner. And I'm thinking about starting to use it at our facilities. But you need to think before using it, since it is structurally inferior to the first two and will not fit everywhere.

What is unique about all three of these options and why is timber a bad option for a corner?

Angle made of timber, the worst option

If you noticed, in all three versions of boards the corner can be insulated. Somewhere more, somewhere less. In the case of timber in a corner, we have two drawbacks: firstly, from the point of view of heating engineering, such a corner will be the coldest. Secondly, if there is a beam in the corner, then there are no “shelves” on the inside to attach the interior trim to it.

Of course, the last issue can be resolved. But remember what I said about the “wrong” frames? Why make it complicated when you can make it simpler? Why make a beam, creating a cold bridge and thinking about how to attach finishing to it later, if you can make a warm corner from boards? Despite the fact that this will not affect the quantity of material or the complexity of the work.

Openings and top trim are the most significant difference between the American frame design and the Scandinavian one, but more on that later. So, when they talk about the correct openings in a frame, they usually talk about the following scheme (window and door openings are made according to the same principle).

Correct openings in frame house

The first thing (1) that people usually pay attention to when talking about “wrong” openings is the double and even triple racks on the sides of the opening. It is often believed that this is necessary to somehow strengthen the opening for installing a window or door. Actually this is not true. A window or door will be fine on single posts. Why then do we need cohesive boards?

Everything is elementary. Remember when I said that the American frame is as simple and reliable as an iron saw? Pay attention to Figure 2. And you will understand that solid racks are needed solely to support the elements lying on them. So that the edges of these elements do not hang on nails. Simple, reliable and versatile.

In Figure 3 there is one of the simplified versions, when the lower frame of the window cuts into a torn mullion. But at the same time, both window frames still have supports at the edges.

Therefore, we cannot formally say that if the racks are not doubled, then this is “wrong.” They can also be single, as in the Scandinavian frame. Rather, the mistake is when the racks along the edges of the openings are solid, but do not bear the load from the elements resting on them. IN in this case they are simply meaningless.

In this case, the horizontal elements hang on fasteners, so there is no point in doubling or tripling the racks on the sides

Now let's talk about an element that is already more critical and the absence of which can be considered as an “irregularity” of the opening. This is the “header” above the opening.

Window header

This is it really important element. As a rule, some kind of load will come from above onto the window or doorway - the floor joists of the second floor, rafter system. And the wall itself is weakened by deflection in the area of ​​the opening. Therefore, local reinforcements are made in the openings. In American it is headers. In fact, this is a board installed on edge above the opening. Here it is important that the edges of the header either rest on the posts (if the classic American scheme with solid opening posts is used), or are cut into the outer posts if they are single. Moreover, the cross-section of the header directly depends on the loads and dimensions of the opening. The larger the opening and the stronger the load on it, the more powerful the header. It can also be double, triple, extended in height, etc. – I repeat, it depends on the load. But, as a rule, for openings up to 1.5 m in width, a header made of 45x195 boards is quite sufficient.

Is the absence of a header a sign that the framework is “wrong”? Yes and no. If you act according to the American principle of “simple and reliable,” then the header should be present at every opening. Do this and be sure of the result.

But in fact, you need to dance from the load falling on the opening from above. For example, a narrow window in one-story house and the rafters in this section of the wall are located along the edges of the opening - the load from above on the opening is minimal and you can do without a header.

Therefore, the issue of the header should be approached as follows. If there is one, great. If it is not there, then the builders (contractor) must clearly explain why, in their opinion, it is not needed here, and this will depend, first of all, on the load falling on the opening area from above.

Double top harness

Double top rail made of boards, also distinctive feature American frame

Double top harness

The double strapping again provides reinforcement along the top of the wall for deflection from the load from above - the load from the ceiling, rafters, etc. In addition, pay attention to the overlaps of the second row of strapping.

1. Overlap in the corner - we tie two perpendicular walls together.
2. Overlap in the center - we tie together 2 sections of one wall.
3. Overlap along the partition - we tie the partition together with the outer wall.

Thus, the double piping also fulfills the second task - ensuring the integrity of the entire wall structure.

In the domestic version you can often find the top frame made of timber. And this, again, is not the best solution. Firstly, the beam is thicker than a double frame. Yes, it may be better for deflection, but it is not a fact that it is necessary, but the cold bridge at the top of the wall will be more significant. Well, it’s more difficult to implement this overlap to ensure the integrity of the entire structure. Therefore, we return again to the question: why make it difficult if you can make it simpler and more reliable?

Correct jib in a frame house

Another cornerstone. Surely you have come across the phrase “jibs made incorrectly.” Let's talk about this. Firstly, what is a jib? This is a diagonal element in the wall, which provides spatial rigidity for shear in the lateral plane. Because thanks to the jib, a system of triangular structures appears, and the triangle is the most stable geometric figure.

So, when they talk about the correct jib, they usually talk about this option:

Correct jib

Why is this particular jib called “correct” and what should you pay attention to?

1. This jib is installed with an angle of 45 to 60 degrees - this is the most stable triangle. Of course, the angle may be different, but this range is best.
2. The jib cuts into the upper and lower trim, and does not just rest against the rack - this is enough important point, thus we tie the structure together.
3. The jib cuts into every post in its path.
4. For each node - adjacent to the harness or rack, there must be at least two fastening points. Since one point will give a “hinge” with a certain degree of freedom.
5. The jib cuts into the edge - this way it works better in the structure and interferes less with the insulation.

And here is an example of the most “wrong” jib. But nevertheless, it occurs all the time.

This is just a board stuck into the first opening of the frame. What is so “wrong” about it, since formally it is also a triangle?

1. Firstly, the angle of inclination is very small.
2. Secondly, the jib board works worst in this plane.
3. Thirdly, it is difficult to fix such a jib to the wall.
4. Fourthly, pay attention to the fact that cavities that are extremely inconvenient for insulation are formed at the junctions with the frame. Even if the jib is carefully trimmed and there is no gap at the end, there is no escape from the sharp corner, and properly insulating such a corner is not an easy task, so most likely it will be done somehow.

Another example, also common. This is a jib cut into the posts, but not cut into the harness.

The jib is not embedded in the harness

This option is already much better than the previous one, but, nevertheless, such a jib will work worse than one embedded in the harness, and the work will take 5 minutes more. And if, moreover, it is fixed to each rack with only one nail, then its effect will also be minimized.

We won’t even consider the options for all sorts of small defective “corners and braces” that do not reach from the top harness to the bottom.

Formally, even the most crooked jib makes at least some contribution. But once again: why do it your own way if good decision has already?

This is where we finish with the American frame and move on to the Scandinavian one.

Correct Scandinavian frame

Unlike America, where frames are practically standardized and there are very few differences, there are more variations in Scandinavia. Here you can find both the classic American frame and hybrid versions. The Scandinavian frame, in essence, is the development and modernization of the American one. However, basically, when they talk about a Scandinavian frame, we are talking about such a design.

Typical Scandinavian house kit

Scandinavian frame

Corners, jibs - everything here is like the Americans. What should you pay attention to?

1. Single strapping along the top of the wall.
2. Power crossbar embedded in the racks along the entire wall.
3. Single posts on window and door openings.

In fact, the main difference is this very “Scandinavian” crossbar - it replaces both the American headers and the double harness, being a powerful power element.

What, in my opinion, is the advantage of the Scandinavian frame over the American one? The fact is that it places a much greater emphasis on minimizing all kinds of cold bridges, which are almost all solid boards (double strapping, racks of openings). After all, between each solid board, a gap could potentially form over time, which you may never know about. Well, it’s one thing when the cold bridge is the width of one board, and another question is when there are already two or three of them.

Of course, you shouldn’t focus on cold bridges. There’s still no escape from them, and in fact, their importance is often exaggerated. But, nevertheless, they exist and, if it is possible to minimize them relatively painlessly, why not do it?

Scandinavians in general, unlike Americans, are very concerned about energy saving. The colder, northern climate and expensive energy resources also have an impact. But in terms of climate, Scandinavia is much closer to us (I’m talking primarily about the North-West region) than most American states.

The disadvantage of the Scandinavian frame is that it is slightly more complex, at least in the fact that in all racks you need to make cuts for the crossbar. And the fact is that, unlike the American one, it does require some kind of mental effort. For example: large openings may require double racks to support horizontal elements, and additional crossbars and headers. And somewhere, for example, on the gable walls of one-story buildings, where there is no load from the joists or roof, perhaps a transom is not even needed.

In general, the Scandinavian frame has certain advantages, but requires a little more effort and intelligence than the American one. If the American frame can be assembled with the brains completely turned off, then in the Scandinavian one it is better to turn them on, at least in the minimum mode.

“Semi-regular” frames

Let me remind you that by “semi-correct” I mean precisely those that have every right to exist, but differ from the typical Scandinavian-American solutions. Therefore, calling them “semi-correct” must be done with caution.

Let me give you a few examples.

An example of how you can “overdo it”

The first example is from our own practice. This house was built by us, but according to a design provided by the customer. We even wanted to redo the project completely, but we were limited by deadlines, since we had to go to the site; In addition, the customer paid a significant amount for the project and formally there are no violations in the design, but he has come to terms with the stated shortcomings of the current solution.

Why then did I classify this frame as “semi-regular”? Please note that there are Scandinavian crossbars, American headers, and double trims not only at the top, but also at the bottom of the walls. In short, there is an American scheme, and a Scandinavian one, and another 30% of the Russian reserve is thrown on top, just in case. Well, the prefabricated stand of 6 (!!!) boards under the glued ridge beam speaks for itself. After all, in this place the only insulation is isoplate on the outside and cross-insulation on the inside. And if there was a purely American scheme, then there would simply be no insulation in this section of the wall, bare wood from the outside in.

I call this frame “semi-correct” because from the point of view of structural reliability there are no complaints about it. There is a multiple margin of safety “in case of nuclear war.” But there are an abundance of cold bridges, a huge waste of material for the frame, and high labor costs, which also affects the price.

This house could have been made with a smaller but sufficient margin of safety, but at the same time reducing the amount of lumber by 30 percent and significantly reducing the number of cold bridges, making the house warmer.

Another example is a frame using the “double volume” frame system, promoted by a Moscow company.

The main difference is that it is actually double outer wall, with racks spaced apart relative to each other. So the frame fully satisfies the strength criteria and is very good from the point of view of thermal engineering, due to the minimization of cold bridges, but loses in manufacturability. The problem of eliminating cold bridges, which is primarily solved by such a frame, can be solved by simpler, more reliable and correct methods such as “cross-insulation”.

And, curiously, usually “semi-correct” frames somehow contain Scandinavian-American solutions. And the differences are rather in an attempt to improve the good. But it often happens that “the best is the enemy of the good.”

Such frames can be safely called “semi-correct” precisely because there are no gross violations here. There are differences from typical American-Scandinavian solutions in attempts to improve something or come up with some kind of “trick”. Whether to pay for them or not is the customer’s choice.

“Wrong” frame houses

Now let's talk about the “wrong” frames. The most typical, I would even say collective, case is presented in the photo below.

The quintessence of “directional” frame house construction

What can you immediately notice in this photo?

1. Total use of material natural humidity. Moreover, it is a massive material, which dries out the most and changes its geometry during the drying process.
2. The beams in the corners and on the straps and even on the racks are cold bridges and an inconvenience in further work.
3. No headers or reinforcements for openings.
4. Do not understand how the jib is made, poorly fulfilling its role and interfering with insulation.
5. Assembly on corners with black self-tapping screws, the purpose of which is to fasten gypsum boards during finishing (and not for use in load-bearing structures).

The photo above shows almost the quintessence of what is commonly called an “irregular” frame or “RSK”. The abbreviation RSK appeared in 2008 at FH, at the suggestion of one builder who presented a similar product to the world, called Russian Power Frame. Over time, as people began to figure out what was what, this abbreviation began to be deciphered as Russian Strashen Karkashen. Like the apotheosis of meaninglessness with a claim to a unique solution.

What is most curious is that, if desired, it can also be classified as “semi-correct”: after all, if the screws do not rot (black phosphated screws are by no means an example of corrosion resistance) and do not burst during the inevitable shrinkage of the timber, this frame is unlikely to fall apart. That is, such a design has the right to life.

What is the main disadvantage of “wrong” frames? If people know what they are doing, they will come to the Canadian-Scandinavian pattern pretty quickly. Fortunately, there is a wealth of information now. And if they don’t come, then this says one thing: they, by and large, don’t care about the result. The classic answer when trying to ask them why this is so is “we have always built it this way, no one has complained.” That is, the entire construction is based solely on intuition and ingenuity. Without trying to ask how it’s generally customary to do this.

What prevented you from making a board instead of timber? Reinforce the openings? Make normal jibs? Collect on nails? That is, do it right? After all, such a frame does not provide any advantages! One big set of not the most best solutions with claims to super strength, etc. Moreover, the labor costs are the same as the “correct” ones, the cost is the same, and the material consumption is perhaps even greater.

Summarize

As a result: the American-Scandinavian frame scheme is usually called “correct”, due to the fact that it has already been tested many times on thousands of houses, proving its viability and the optimal ratio of “labor-input-reliability-quality”.

“Semi-regular” and “irregular” include all other types of frames. In this case, the frame may be quite reliable, but “suboptimal” in terms of the above.

As a rule, if potential contractors cannot justify the use of certain constructive solutions, different from the “correct” American-Scandinavian ones, this suggests that they have no idea about these very “correct” decisions and build a house solely on a whim, replacing knowledge with intuition and ingenuity. And this is a very risky path that may come back to haunt the home owner in the future.

That's why. Do you want guaranteed correct ones? optimal solutions? Pay attention to the classic American or Scandinavian frame house construction scheme.

about the author

Hello. My name is Alexey, you may have met me as Porcupine or Gribnick on the Internet. I'm the founder" Finnish house", a project that grew from a personal blog into construction company, the goal of which is to build high-quality and comfortable home for you and your children.

The structure of a frame house consists of main and auxiliary components. They all demand increased attention during construction. If the elements are joined and fastened incorrectly, then living in such a house will be life-threatening, since it can fall apart “into parts” when you least expect it.

Knots of a frame wooden house

The main components include floor, roof and wall systems. They, in turn, consist of subassemblies. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

The bottom strapping node is the place where the strapping bars are attached to the foundation. Docking is carried out using foundation bolts, clamps or other in an accessible way. Before laying the beams, the joint is waterproofed.

Another structural unit of the lower trim of a frame house is the place where the beams meet each other at the corners. Docking is done using the “paw” or “half-tree” method. For a tighter connection, use bolts or metal corners.

The floor beams are laid with the required spacing and rested on the strapping beam. Ceiling beams are installed in the same way.

When building a frame house, the corner vertical posts are installed first, then the intermediate ones. Several nodes are distinguished here: the joints of the vertical posts in the corners with the upper and lower trim, as well as the connection of the posts with the trim beams.

To secure the vertical posts, grooves are made in the corners and metal corners are used as an addition. Attaching the intermediate posts is done in the same way.

The bars of the upper harness are attached in the same way as the bars of the bottom. They join in the corners and with the frame posts.

To make the frame strong, it is reinforced with diagonal and vertical supports. Although such a solution is rare. Basically, OSB boards with which the frame is sheathed are sufficient for reinforcement.

The rafter system consists of large quantity nodes:

• Nodes for supporting rafters on a ridge girder
• Knots for supporting rafters on the mauerlat (top frame beam)
• Connections between rafter legs and crossbars and other struts
• Connections between rafter legs and counter-lattice beams
• Connection of lathing with counter-lattice

The rafter legs at the ridge are connected to each other end-to-end or overlapping. To attach the rafters to the mauerlat, cuttings are made on them. Boards or bars are used as crossbars and other supports. The counter-lattice beams are mounted at the same pitch as the rafters directly on top of them. The sheathing is made from boards, sparse or solid, depending on what type of roofing is used.

You can find out more about how installation is carried out and the connection points of a frame house are worked out on our website.

When planning a house, it is important to know the structure of a frame house, all the nuances of construction, so that no unexpected problems arise during the construction of the house. Having the necessary information, it will not be difficult to build a frame house yourself. Read about the construction of a frame house here.

Mistakes when building a frame house

If you decide to build a frame house with your own hands, you should not make mistakes. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the most common of them.

Use of poor quality wood

Very often, insufficiently dried wood is used to build a frame house. This is a big mistake. When the tree dries out, it will change its shape. As a result, the house may lean, nails or screws will be partially turned out. Not only the house itself will suffer, but also the insulation and finishing materials.

Wood cannot be dried quickly. The drying process should take several days. If you do not comply with the requirements, the board or timber will burst or bend. Immediately after drying, the wood must be treated with special compounds to protect it from fire and rodents.

Insufficient frame reinforcement

The frame is the foundation of the house. It must be done to the highest possible quality. And special attention should be paid to vertical posts, since they weakly resist lateral loads. To solve the problem, it is enough to strengthen the frame with diagonal braces. This can be done in several ways: use spacers, sheathe the house with plywood or OSB sheets, or fill the sheathing with boards.

Struts can be made from above and below. At one end they should rest against vertical stand, the other end - into the strapping bars and be at an angle of 50-60 degrees to them.

Most often, the frame is sheathed with plywood or OSB boards. Their thickness must be at least ten millimeters. It is important to properly secure the slabs to the frame; for this you can use self-tapping screws with a diameter of at least four centimeters.

You can also strengthen the body using sheathing made of boards, which are attached at a distance of 5-7 centimeters at a slight angle relative to each other.

Lack of vapor and waterproofing

The lack of hydro- and vapor barrier has a negative impact on the insulation. Moisture gets into it, causing deformation. After this, it ceases to perform its functions. Wood also suffers from moisture, it becomes damp and also begins to deform, plus various bugs appear in it.

Lack of foundation waterproofing

The bottom frame beam must be protected from the foundation by a layer of waterproofing. Otherwise, it will be exposed to groundwater and will gradually begin to rot. After a few years it will have to be replaced, and this operation is expensive and complicated.

Failure to follow the step when installing vertical racks

The width of the insulation boards is 0.6 meters. Accordingly, the pitch between the frame posts should be 59-60 centimeters.

Insufficient fastening of vertical posts

It is not advisable to use only self-tapping screws when attaching frame posts. It is better to additionally drive in several nails on both sides at an angle to each other. In general, all joints must be worked out as efficiently as possible.

These are just some of the mistakes that are made when building houses using frame technology. To avoid them, contact a trusted company that has been operating in your city for a long time.

Before building any house, everyone wonders about the cost. A correctly drawn up estimate for a frame house will help answer this question as accurately as possible. The estimate includes two parts: construction works and installation of utilities. It is necessary to take into account not only the cost of materials, but also the costs of their transportation.

Having counted all expense items, we get the cost. Read about how much it costs to build a frame house here.

But before you take your first steps in building a frame house, find out about all its disadvantages. Read about the pros and cons of frame houses in this article. The article will dispel all the myths of frame houses.