In detail: do-it-yourself timber repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.
Good day! I have such a problem - they bought a house, decided to make repairs inside, it turned out that there is a rotten timber - dry rot, and the lower crowns and near the windows, changing the timber is problematic because house in two halves, and financially expensive.
Tell me what can be done? We were advised to treat the entire timber from the inside and outside with an antiseptic and upholstery with a protective fabric, and then sheathe the house, is this option possible and for how long is it? Thanks for the advice.
It is regrettable that they did not first examine their acquisition in the most thorough way. Not often, but it happens when the former owners sell such rubbish that there is nowhere to go.
Sometimes they act even more trenchantly - they nibble boards in problem areas for decorative purposes so that rot is not visible and they claim that everything in the house is fine.
If everything is done as expected, then the rotten timber should be replaced. Naturally, this is both expensive and associated with many inconveniences, since for this it is sometimes necessary to raise the house.
A slightly different option is not a complete and not everywhere replacement of rot, but only in the most problematic places, when it is visible - if you do not replace it, then deformations are possible up to partial or complete collapse of the walls.
To do this, using an ax, a chisel, a chain saw and other necessary tools, the damaged places are selected and instead of the lost elements, cuttings of a new bar of the required size are inserted, they are fastened with old bearable beams, where jute or other insulation is needed.
Video (click to play).
Antiseptic treatment? If where the timber has completely rotted, then such treatment will most likely be ineffective. After all, you can only process the surface layers, but you still cannot get the insides by impregnation. See for yourself if this makes sense, in the end everything is determined in place. Depending on the condition of the timber. But in any case, where there is solid dust, it is removed.
Naturally, in those places where water constantly gets on the outer sections of the timber, there you can sheathe them with a moisture-proof film. And then sheathe some material or separate areas, or even the whole house.
But it will still be a "pig in a poke", because the root cause will not be eliminated.
The whole question is whether this set will last for a long time. Several times I have seen that this is enough for three or four or five years, less often for a dozen years. And again, it all depends on the degree of damage to the wood.
So see for yourself which of what has been said is acceptable to you and act accordingly.
Other questions about log cabins:
Replacement of logs in log cabins
About caulking log cabins
All about log cabins
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Tools and materials for lifting a house from a bar
Lower crown replacement process
Stages of the crown replacement process
Video of the process of replacing the lower bar
The lower crown is the first row of the timber, which is located on the foundation closest to the ground. It constantly suffers from the effects of various unfavorable factors: rain, snow, high humidity from the ground, therefore it quickly begins to deteriorate. Both logs and beams are susceptible to rotting, so repairs may one day be required for any house. Replacing the lower beam of a house is a difficult, but completely solvable task, and as a result, the house will receive a new reliable foundation that will last for several more decades.
How to replace the bottom beam at home? To do this, you will need to collect everything you need in advance:
Several jacks so that the wooden building can be gradually raised. They must be of sufficient lifting capacity and comfortable so that they can easily be placed under the house.
New materials for home restoration. You will need a bar of the same section as the rest of the crowns, you will need to carefully work out the locking elements. A profitable solution would be to buy a bar for the lower crown made of larch: although this type of wood is expensive, it is practically not subject to decay, so it can hold out for a long time.
Foundation restoration materials. The base also collapses over time and needs to be replaced. In some villages, you can still find houses installed not on concrete or bricks, but on large wide stumps that can withstand the weight for a very short time.
Chisels, ax, hammer and other carpentry tools. It takes a lot of effort to lift a building neatly and is best done with help from assistants.
Before lifting the house, the box must be prepared for a major overhaul. All furniture is removed from the building, it is also recommended to dismantle the plumbing and change the flooring.
It is necessary to remove the door and window blocks in order to protect them from destruction, in addition, it is advisable to disassemble the subfloor.
Only after this will the building be ready for lifting with the replacement of the crowns.
Inaccuracy and non-observance of technology will lead to sad consequences: the house may turn out to be skewed, and cracks in the walls are also possible.
This work must be done very carefully, so it is advisable to involve professionals, those who have already done this more than once.
How to change the lower beam in the house? This work begins with the preparation of the foundation. It is necessary to dig a trench around the perimeter of the house to expose and inspect the base of the building.
If there are no cracks or other damage in the foundation, and it is able to withstand the weight of the house, it does not need to be changed, but this is not always the case.
The pillars of the base often collapse from time to time, and due to their uneven position, the house either tilts to one side, or begins to slowly sink into the ground entirely.
We will have to replace all the posts damaged by time; for this, it is also necessary to raise the building.
If cracks appear in the monolithic foundation from time to time, it is necessary to fill them with a special sealant.
In case of more serious damage, it is necessary to install a new reinforced belt around the house and connect it to the existing foundation using metal pins and other fasteners.
How to change the lower beam at home? This work is carried out in several steps:
The walls are freed from the existing old finishes: siding, panels, plaster, etc. With the help of tapping, you need to determine the boundaries of the damaged area of wood.
Jacks are installed under the walls of the house, after which you can proceed to lifting the house. Here it is extremely important not to rush, you have to lift it very slowly in order to avoid damage to the timber and the appearance of cracks. By 5 cm, no more, the house slowly rises up, after which the walls are installed on lining posts made of brick or other durable materials.
After that, you can repair the foundation or replace the lower beam. If the damage is minor, you can cut out a part of the timber and replace it with new material. This requires an accurate calculation, so the whole bottom rim is changed more often, and it will not be difficult to acquire good materials for it.
When the work on replacing the timber is completed, the house can be gently lowered into place.In a similar way, very slowly, the building is reduced to its usual height, after which the issue of providing the residents of the house with water and sewerage systems is resolved.
After lowering the building into place, the floor is reassembled, door and window blocks are put in their places. Such renovations will prevent the spread of decay and the building will last much longer.
Ecology of consumption. Manor: Repair of the most vulnerable part of a wooden house - the lower crowns - is a very time-consuming work. Usually, it requires the involvement of specialized teams with the appropriate equipment, but in some cases it can be done by hand. It all depends on the type of foundation and the extent of damage to the wood of the lower rims of the house.
Repairing the most vulnerable part of a wooden house - the lower rims - is a very time-consuming work. Usually, it requires the involvement of specialized teams with the appropriate equipment, but in some cases it can be done by hand. It all depends on the type of foundation and the extent of damage to the wood of the lower rims of the house.
Consider the types of repairs, as well as the technology of work in each of the possible options.
with the replacement of the lower rim section;
complete replacement of the lower rims with fragments of logs;
replacing the lower crown with brickwork.
replacement of the crowns of a house with a pile (columnar) foundation;
replacement of the crowns of a house with a strip foundation.
The indicated types of repair of the lower rims are arranged in the order of increasing production complexity. Replacement without raising the house can be done independently, without the involvement of outside help. Lifting a house requires synchronizing the efforts of at least two people working with jacks to avoid skewing and destroying the house, or sliding it off the foundation.
The first stage of replacement is to strengthen the structure of the log house. Even if it is not planned to raise the house with jacks, it will be useful to strengthen the structure. For strengthening, a wooden beam with a thickness of at least 40 mm is used, located vertically along the outer and inner surface of the wall.
The lower edge of the timber should be at the level of the crown, which cannot be replaced, the upper edge - at the level of the upper crown of the frame. The screed bars are attached to the wall with nails. At the upper and lower points, they are fixed with a coupler (pins of at least 10 mm) through a through hole drilled in the wall (log). The screeds are located at a distance of 300–400 mm from the edge of the crown section to be replaced, or in all inter-window spaces of the wall.
First, the affected area of the wood is determined. It is visually difficult to understand how widespread rot has spread. To accurately determine the damage, either a chisel is used, with which the log is channeled from the side of the visible area of the lesion, or a feather drill in wood, with which holes are drilled using an electric drill.
The condition of the wood is determined by the condition and color of the shavings. Having decided on the section to be replaced, they retreat 200 mm to the sides from its borders, and with the help of a chain petrol or electric saw, a section of the lower crown is cut out. After that, waterproofing is laid on the foundation in two layers.
Replacement of part of the crown. 1. Damaged area. 2. The cut area with a margin of at least 10 cm from the detected damage. 3. Insert
In the unaffected areas of the lower rim, cuttings are cut out with a saw for more reliable fixation of the insert element. The lower part of the second crown is treated with an antiseptic. An insert is cut out of a log of the corresponding diameter; its length should be 10–20 mm shorter than the cut area.
The length of the cut should correspond to that of the undamaged parts of the lower rim. After that, the insert is installed (hammered with a sledgehammer) into the opening and the existing cracks are dug with moss or other available material.
Thus, you can gradually replace the entire perimeter of the decayed crown.The replacement starts from the corners from the lower log of the log dressing.
Alternatively, it is possible to replace the damaged area not with wooden inserts, but with brickwork.
Replacement of a log house on a columnar (pile) foundation
This is an easier option, since it does not require the destruction of the foundation. The distance between the piles or foundation posts is usually sufficient to accommodate the jacks. To prevent deformation of the log house and its sliding off the posts, it is desirable to raise the house synchronously from all four corners of a simple rectangular log house. Only in extreme cases is it possible to lift only one side of the house.
The jacks are put under the upper log of the log dressing. A support is placed under the jack to prevent it sinking into the ground (a wooden shield of at least 500x500 mm). The jack stem should not rest directly on the log, but have a metal plate-plate. After lifting with jacks, the lower dressing log is released from the load and can be replaced. Temporary supports made of logs or bricks are installed on it and jacks are lowered.
Simultaneously with the jacks, the upper logs of the frame dressing will also be lowered. They are also replaced and immediately jacked up. After that, the temporary supports are removed from the lower logs of the dressing and the jacks are lowered. The blockhouse falls into place.
This work is the most difficult, because it requires: either partial destruction of the foundation to form niches for the installation of jacks, or the use of a lever system for raising the corners of the house.
The replacement of the crowns, as in the case of the columnar foundation, begins with the replacement of the lower logs of the ligation of the log house. To do this, niches are grooved in the foundation at a distance of 200–300 mm from the corners of the house under the upper dressing logs. After installing the jacks, the replacement procedure is the same as described above.
When using a lever system, destruction of the foundation is not required. The initial stage is the sampling of half the thickness of the upper log of the frame dressing at 1000–1500 mm from its edge from all four corners of the frame.
After that, a metal channel or rail is laid in the formed niche, and the corner of the house is raised with the help of a jack. As it rises, wooden wedges are hammered between the foundation and the channel (rail) until the lower bandage log is released from the load. It is removed and temporary supports are substituted.
Next, wedges are knocked out between the channel and the foundation and removed. The upper dressing log is released and can be replaced with a new one. After that, the channel or rail is reinstalled and the house is raised using wedges in the same way. Temporary supports are removed and new lower logs of the log dressing are laid. Lowering the jacks and knocking out the wedges, the log house is lowered onto the lower dressing log. The blockhouse fell into place.
New timber housing, hand-built from scratch - what more could you ask for? Unfortunately, many can only dream of such an option. Not everyone has such an opportunity: a high-quality tree has an appropriate cost, and there are no building skills.
Buying an old wooden house or a country house is much easier for many - this is an affordable option.
And people often inherit old huts from relatives, often in a very neglected and even uninhabited state. Before you start using it, such housing must be put in order. It should be noted that often quite suitable wood is found under the old coating - although not new, but quite high quality. They knew how to build before.
First of all, a thorough inspection of the house is required. It is advisable to start with its foundation. If you immediately proceed directly to the restoration of the old village house, and later it turns out that problems with the foundation of the house interfere with its full use, then the work done will be in vain.If, during the examination, serious deficiencies in the foundation are found (partial destruction, filling corners, dampness, mold, deformation, cracks), then they must be eliminated.
This procedure cannot be carried out without jacks. With these devices, with great care, the log house is raised to a comfortable height. The base itself is getting better, insulated or filled in again - this is how the restoration of the foundation is carried out. Such manipulations are considered quite dangerous, so insurers and observers are needed for it.
Then the old log house returns to its place, and a new stage begins - its grinding. This will require a special machine equipped with attachments. With its help, it will be possible to process the most inaccessible areas. Hands and a simple emery cloth will not be enough for this manipulation. Grinding is carried out until a layer with a light color appears.
And the machine is universal: changing the attachment elements will allow you to use it not only for grinding, but also for sealing all kinds of defects, cracks and cracks.
Instead of asbestos, you can take wood glue, or ordinary stucco. But such formulations are suitable for correcting minor flaws. If the defects are too large, and there are many of them, the log house will need cladding. Otherwise, the inevitable dampness in the cracks will cause damage and decay of the tree. The wood must be treated with impregnations and all kinds of protective agents.
Before and after the restoration of houses
The procedure is carried out before the caulking is started. It is advisable to process sealing materials with them. All seams between the logs are freed from the worn, crumbling seal, for which it is convenient to use a regular vacuum cleaner. After all, the old log cabins are conscientiously lawn. Instead of worn-out tow, a new, modern sealing material is selected.
The final stage of all work carried out - the final painting of the building.
Ignorant citizens are sure that this procedure consists in a simple application of a decorative coloring composition to the wood. This seems to be so, but in this case, not quite.
This means the application of different means - tinting, varnish, azure. The listed coatings do not hide the charming texture of natural wood.
It is important to remember that the ends of the logs should not undergo any protective or decorative treatment. There are a kind of capillaries of the tree, with the help of which it "breathes". The processing process will seal them, the normal air circulation will be disrupted, and the log or timber will undergo a decay process.
As you can see, restoration or reconstruction of a wooden house is not an overly complicated process. It’s not that hard work, and it’s clearly creative. Here you can give free rein to imagination and imagination, trying to improve and refine the old home. What would seem risky for the decoration of a new house can be safely used to restore the old one.
Cases of putting in order houses of high architectural value, or being monuments of antiquity, are not uncommon. Sometimes the restoration of private merchant houses and mansions is carried out. In such cases, a particularly careful and careful approach is required.
To complicate matters, such a building cannot be decorated with siding or other modern materials. All work is carried out with care, because any negligence can cause irreversible consequences.
Over-sanding, for example, can thin out a unique wood pattern, or spoil it by warping.
What specific features characterize the measures for the restoration of the old house:
The global restoration of an old house should be measured and consistent. There is no rush here. Construction materials and the necessary tools must be selected with great care;
Individual parts and elements, for example, elaborate columns or lace trims, can be ordered from professional craftsmen;
When restoring a house, it is good to be guided by old photos of the house being renovated. Maybe you can find the pictures you need from the old owners or in the family archives. If you wish, you can reproduce the building in its original appearance.
