Why does shrinkage occur?

The list of disadvantages of buildings made of wood necessarily includes its tendency to shrink. Yes, unfortunately, you can’t do without this, this is a feature of natural material, and the more natural it is, the deeper these processes are. But, I think, this is unlikely to stop someone who decided on an option that has been proven for centuries.

The greatest shrinkage phenomena are observed in solid round timber, slightly less in rounded logs and beams; profiled timber that has been dried in a chamber and glued practically does not suffer from this.

Why does shrinkage occur?

The shrinkage process can be explained in a nutshell as follows: the log house shrinks by a certain amount after some time. Everything seems simple and clear - that’s why wood natural material that is subject to various kinds influences directly related to its structure and properties. But if you delve deeper, everything is much more difficult and many probably don’t even want to understand this, they just need specific numbers - when and how much. Still, let’s delve a little deeper into this topic.

There are two forms of wood shrinkage - shrinkage and mechanical.

Shrinkage is the most difficult process, because its speed and intensity are influenced by a lot of factors. To begin with, let's briefly talk about the basis of this phenomenon: any freshly cut wood, regardless of the time of year, contains a large number of moisture. It is found in wood fibers in both free and bound states.
Free water is intercellular water; it begins to come to the surface immediately after the tree is cut down. The process of its evaporation proceeds relatively quickly and directly depends on the ambient temperature - the higher the temperature, the faster it evaporates.
Bound water is found in the walls of wood cells and comes out gradually and over a long period of time. natural conditions, it is possible to speed up this process only in drying chambers. True, such equipment is most often designed only for fine gauges.

So, as the log loses moisture, it gradually loses not only weight, but also volume. Moreover, given that the wood fibers are elongated along the trunk, the loss of volume occurs by reducing its diameter.

Mechanical shrinkage is usually called the deformation of wood under the influence of weight; here it is meant that in the finished log house, the upper logs put pressure on the lower ones, as a result of which they are slightly compressed. To this we can add one more point, which for some reason is not mentioned by many - this is the compression of inter-crown insulation. For example, this phenomenon in a dry log house collected on moss gives the highest percentage of shrinkage among other factors.

The shrinkage process is affected whole line moments:

- wood type (wood density, initial natural moisture content),
- time of year of felling,
- period and method of assortment processing,
— drying of logs (logs) after debarking (cutting),
- technology felling of a log house,
- weather at the time of construction,
- type of interventional insulation,
— climatic conditions of the region and area,
— construction features (height, number of load-bearing walls),
- presence of finishing.

Taking into account all of the above, we present the figures (of course approximate) of shrinkage one-story bathhouse from various materials:

Solid log – 8-12cm
OCB - 7-10cm
Beam: - planed - 5-7cm,
- profiled - 3-5cm,
– glued – 1-3cm

As you can see, the first options have quite serious indicators, which makes it clear why the finishing will need to be delayed.

How did they do it in the old days?

Wood has long been a traditional material for construction, at least where there were forests. Many will probably be interested in how things were with this matter in the old days.

And it was like this: with rare exceptions, log houses from freshly felled forest were not immediately erected; the harvested logs were debarked directly and often left to “mature” right there until next year or transported them to the site of future construction. Here the round timber was stacked to dry, not forgetting to cover it from rain and sun with flooring. Thus, the tree “flyed”, gradually gave up moisture and grew stronger. In future buildings, such logs gave significantly less shrinkage, which made it possible to start finishing it earlier.

If the log house was cut down immediately, then they also left it for a year, and sometimes two, to dry in a place well ventilated on all sides, and only after that they began to build a house or bathhouse. After the walls were brought under the roof, all work was suspended, they waited for the log house to settle and finally dry out, as the old people said, “to become rusty,” and only then began the finishing work.

We are not in a hurry to finish the bath

Announcements and advertisements from manufacturers are replete with offers to sell log houses for shrinkage, what does this mean? This means that it was made from fresh wood, with normal humidity and not undergone long-term natural or forced drying. Those. your bathhouse will be built in two stages: first you purchase a ready-made log house, put it under the roof, and only then (after 6-12 months) you begin to arrange it.

Of course, many companies will not refuse you to build a building in a couple of months, which is called “turnkey”, but is it necessary - it is better to build slowly, controlling the shrinkage process and the behavior of the logs (beams), than to correct quite predictable consequences later. After all, no one will offer you a well-maintained log house - this is too troublesome.

So the log house was purchased and safely erected on a foundation prepared in advance. What do we do next? And then we continue to do construction - we erect the roof, lay the floor and ceiling, arrange communications (not all). At the same time, if the temperature allows, we make sure to take measures to protect the wood from adverse weather conditions and woodworms.

After completing these works, we leave the building to shrink; the time period is difficult to accurately determine due to the above factors.

Perhaps those who are not particularly patient will ask the question - is it possible to somehow speed up this? Yes, of course you can, only in the future you yourself will not be happy about it and here’s why. The shrinkage process can really be accelerated by regularly drying the room or by starting to heat it. Moisture will naturally evaporate faster, and accordingly the log house will shrink earlier than it is supposed to. It seems like there are only advantages - saving time, effort and money, but that’s it for now. After a while, you will be surprised to discover how your beautiful logs large and small cracks will begin to break - this is precisely the result of accelerated drying.
For future owners of rounded bathhouses, we note that no amount of compensation cuts will save you from this, no matter what the builders say about it.

Shrinkage compensators

The shrinkage process does not proceed evenly, this is due to unequal evaporation of moisture in different places of the log house, for example, at the junctions of logs, moisture does not come out as intensively, trees even of the same species have different structure and density. In addition, somewhere the foundation may sag, somewhere a log may hang out due to poor-quality or incorrectly installed insulation. In general, you need to constantly monitor it, yes, it’s not entirely easy, but such a log house will then be warm, durable and will not require repairs in a couple of years.

Controlling shrinkage Special attention pay problem areas- purlins and embedded logs, outlets for attics, roofing, terraces, etc. These elements, being a continuation of the walls of the log house, sit with it, but vertical supports, holding them practically do not sit down. In this case, there is a high risk of the building becoming distorted or even breaking the above parts. In the old days, wooden wedges driven between them were called upon to protect against this - as the logs settled, they squeezed them out under the influence of weight, thereby protecting the outlets from bulging upward.

Currently, no one uses wedges anymore, everyone uses so-called compensators, they are also called shrinkage jacks or elevators. They are designed very simply - two stainless steel plates fastened in the middle with a threaded screw, a nut is also screwed on here, and this is where the clearance height is adjusted, loosening or tightening.

Compensator checks are carried out at certain intervals, in winter once every 2-3 weeks, in warm weather every 7 days.

How long are we waiting?

Voice the time for which wooden building The whole thing will end up being not rewarding and not even right. We will give only approximate periods that are most often mentioned by builders: the main shrinkage processes occur during the first year after the construction of the log house, and in the next 4-6 months. the logs finally take their shape. Although it should be noted that in the future, over the course of 3-5 years, the bathhouse continues to shrink slightly, but this no longer carries with it any consequences.

When starting the outer and inner work, be sure to set aside the required percentage (with a margin) for shrinkage. For example, when installing windows, doors, or laying communications, be sure to leave space at the top so that later the logs do not hang and damage these elements.

After reading all this, some people will think - but the tree is capricious, then harvest the forest at a certain period, then not every species will do, then cut it down this way and not that way, in general one headache, Maybe better sauna from blocks? But you must admit that the properties of wood are so good and obvious that they will not force you to retreat in the face of difficulties that arise, especially since all this can be solved.

Shrinkage of a house made of timber or logs is an inevitable process caused by living natural material. Wood is an anisotropic material, and during natural shrinkage wooden element changes its size. The main shrinkage of a house made of timber as a result of shrinkage occurs in the first years of life wooden house, but the change in the geometric dimensions of the walls of the house never stops, and the shrinkage of a house made of timber varies from centimeters at the beginning of the shrinkage process to millimeters years later.

Reasons for shrinkage of timber and log houses

The porosity and anisotropy of the properties of wood is the reason that the logs and beams that make up the house constantly absorb moisture from the air when humidity rises and release this moisture when atmospheric humidity decreases. The radial increase in size is much greater than the linear one, and this unevenness leads to the appearance of gaps between the crowns of log houses, shear and torsion deformations, leading to cracking in the logs.

Dependence of the amount of shrinkage of houses made of timber and logs

The amount of shrinkage of a house made of logs or timber depends on:

• Initial moisture content of wood and type of material. Glued laminated timber, assembled from lamellas that have undergone chamber drying, gives a minimum shrinkage in a log house of no more than 20 mm per three meters of log house height. A frame made of profiled timber shrinks within 40-50 mm for every three meters of wall height. timber natural humidity will give a reduction in height of about 60 mm per three meters of height in the log house. Most large shrinkage gives a log house - about 100 mm per three meters of log house height. Calibrated (rounded) logs shrink slightly less - about 800-100 mm.

• Linear dimensions of house elements, length and thickness, or diameter.
• Linear dimensions of the building. For houses made of logs - more depending on the height of the walls, since the shrinkage of logs is nonlinear, the log decreases much more in diameter than in length.
• Wood species.

• The time that has passed since the end of the felling of the log house. During the first three months, intensive shrinkage processes occur. The main shrinkage ends after three years. In a shrink-built house, the load-bearing walls and roof. But window door blocks, internal partitions and the flooring is carried out only after the frame has shrinked. Interior decoration performed last.

• Technologies. The skill and experience of the installers allow them to make precise adjustments to the connections of the crowns and corners of the frame.
• Time of year, climatic and weather conditions of the construction area. A summer log house is usually left to settle for at least a year. Winter logging produces maximum settlement one and a half times faster and more uniform.

Compensation for shrinkage of houses made of timber and logs

To compensate for the settlement of the house it is important the right technology, namely:

• Tight fit of logs and beams in the walls of the house, with the laying of natural inter-crown insulation - jute, flax, moss.

• To cut walls made of non-profiled timber, assembly is required using dowels - vertical fastening elements passing through several crowns. The best dowels are considered to be wooden ones, made from birch wood. Dowels prevent torsion of logs and beams in the wall and provide vertical stability and rigidity to the walls of the log house. the second caulking is carried out after drying the log house; the gaps formed as a result of shrinkage of logs or beams are filled with insulation.
• All window and door units are installed according to the compensation type - in casing boxes, also called frames. The connections between the casing and the walls of the log house are not rigid, but sliding, of the tenon-groove type, and when the log house settles, the windows and doors are guaranteed not to be deformed. Above blocks of windows and doors, gaps of about 30-40 mm are required to prevent pressure from the upper rim of the opening on the block. Polyurethane foam for strengthening and sealing window and door units in wooden log houses are never used, since foam provides a rigid connection and can cause deformation damage not only to the blocks, but even to the crowns of the log house.

• All vertical load-bearing elements log house - racks, columns, are made shorter than the geometry of the log house shows, and installed on compensating devices, in the form of screw jacks. Once every few months, as the log house settles, the jack screw is tightened in the direction of decreasing the length. By using screw jacks, you can ensure the safety of the racks, crowns, and beams of the log house. The design of the jacks is simple; their main elements are two plates and an adjusting anchor with a nut. The plates have holes for bolts for attaching jacks to the posts and beams (walls) of the log house.

Conclusions about the shrinkage of houses made of timber and logs

The technology of cutting a log house, as well as the choice of cutting method, greatly influences the degree of shrinkage. One of the cutting methods - the Canadian bowl - is considered one of the best for cutting timber house precisely in the context of shrinkage. The wedge-shaped shape of the joints, when reduced in size as a result of shrinkage of the timber, leads to an even greater compaction of the joint under the weight of the overlying crowns and log structures. Not all joints are compacted during drying; some types are only suitable for dried material, since cracks form during drying.

Profiled timber gives less shrinkage in the log house due to the shape - ridges and grooves along the entire length, allowing for a very tight fit and partially compensating for the reduction in the size of the log house.

A house made of laminated veneer lumber gives minimal shrinkage. You can move into such a house and carry out almost any interior decoration in it immediately after completion of construction.

Monitoring and correcting sedimentary processes in a freshly built log house is a responsible task that requires certain knowledge and experience, and therefore it is best to conclude a contract for the maintenance of the house during the initial settlement with the construction company that built it

The draft is long lasting

Wall deformations during settlement

A house made of chopped or rounded logs should dry out gradually. In general, as the moisture content of the wood decreases, it will shrink over the course of 7-8 years, which can amount to 10-12 cm. Finishing of the premises can only be done in the second year after the construction of the house. Then the heating is turned on, and during the first heating season it maintains a temperature no higher than 10°C. In this case, the wood will dry slowly, and settlement will occur more evenly, without serious deformations.

The first year of standing of a log house (boxes under a temporary roof) is the most critical. It is during this period that it settles most actively, which is why there is a high probability of violation of the geometry of the building, cracking and displacement of logs, the appearance of cracks on the gables, sagging rafter system.

Professional maintenance of a log house during the entire period of its initial settlement will cost the customer in the amount of 16 thousand rubles. Construction company employees will visit the site at least four times and carry out necessary work according to the concluded agreement

What does log house maintenance involve?

The main goal of control measures is to ensure that the shrinkage of the house proceeds correctly, without distortions and deformations, and does not have negative consequences for the building structure. An approximate list of service work includes the following items:

One of the ways to prevent pediments from hanging involves installing a special system on them: screws pass through the pediment crowns, at the ends of which there are springs that rest against the washers - they create an additional compression load that the pediment lacks

• Inspection of the log house in order to identify biological damage to the wood (mold, fungus, etc.).
• Checking the integrity of the temporary roof covering.
• Periodic measurement of log house settlement at control points. Since the house settles unevenly, measure the height of each wall at the corners.
• Control measurement of wood moisture content.

Upon expiration of the service period, the customer receives a conclusion, which reflects all the results of measurements and examinations, and analyzes the readiness of the facility for further construction work and recommendations for their implementation are given.

Chain link

To prevent the gables from hanging, a dormer window (15 x 15 or 20 x 20 cm) is made in their upper part, stretching a galvanized chain through it and the lintel of the window (or door) opening. The ends of the chain outside the house are connected with a special screw tie, which is tightened from time to time, creating a load on the pediment. When tightening the chain, it is important to take into account the uneven settlement of the log house and avoid bending. Instead of a dormer window, you can drill a small hole in the pediment, closing it with a wooden insert.

In the old days, when building a log house, craftsmen had to carefully adjust the logs to the size and quality of the wood used, so the construction of a house was often delayed for quite a long period. Modern buildings are erected from rounded logs that are completely ready for assembly, having an ideal shape and the same diameter along the entire length. A good-quality tower has smooth walls and clear outlines, and the process of building the box lasts only 2-3 weeks. But wood has one significant drawback - its natural moisture, which leads to the fact that over time the house made of rounded logs begins to shrink, as a result of which gaps, cracks and crevices appear on the walls, and the structure itself can significantly change its geometry.

What happens during shrinkage

A process in which the dimensions of timber are changed downward to an already finished building, is called shrinkage of the house, which leads to a change in the shape of the building and violates the integrity of the structure. This term also applies to concrete and ceramic products. Shrinkage occurs due to changes in the moisture level of the material, its compaction, and hardening, as a result of which the shape and size of the structure changes and cracks appear. Speaking about timber, it should be noted that logs and products made from sapwood or freshly cut wood are most susceptible to shrinkage, and laminated veneer lumber, due to its manufacturing technology, is practically not prone to shrinkage.

A peculiarity of the structure of wood is the peculiar arrangement of its fibers, located closer to the surface of the bark. They are placed in a spiral, twisting around the trunk. As the rounded log dries, it becomes everted, so improper fastening of the log elements with uneven shrinkage leads to deformation of the walls:

• bending logs in different directions;
• exiting the support sockets of floor beams and lowering them;
• skewed openings;
• settling of corners and roof;
• bulging floor;
• complete destruction of walls;
• irreparable defects of the rafter system, etc.

How to avoid mistakes

To avoid large deformations and troubles during shrinkage, to some extent, are helped not only by dowels, but also by casing bars (swarms) mounted in the openings. They prevent the logs from twisting.

Dowels in logs must be installed sufficient quantity. You should not skimp on them, otherwise this will lead to the appearance of mold, which will negatively affect the reliability and service life of the house, since mold is very dangerous for wood.

The appearance of gaps between the finished floor of the second floor and the baseboards indicates that the outer walls are bowed. In this case, even separation may occur truss structure from the ridge beam, if not provided in advance sliding joint using a flexible wire tie between the rafters and the walls, which will help them move a little when the house shrinks. There are too many similar examples that can be given. All of them are individual and are solved in each specific case in their own way.

The house made of rounded logs shrinks according to its own laws. Almost no one can avoid the problems associated with it, but they can be reduced. To do this, it is necessary to strictly follow the technology for constructing a log house and give it time to shrink, and not listen to the advice of an “all-knowing” friend.

How long does shrinkage take?

SNiP standards allow the use of rounded logs with a natural humidity of up to 25 percent for the construction of houses, but in practice it reaches 30 or even 40 percent. Shrinkage of log houses occurs for two reasons:

• when the logs dry out - up to 5-8 percent;
• under load and due to crack opening - up to 2 percent.

Based simple calculations, the total value reaches 6-10 percent, which means that with a wall height of three meters, its top can drop 18-30cm.

Maximum shrinkage of the structure occurs during the first year, and it can drag on for a long 7-8 years. Its timing depends on:

• on the initial moisture content of the log used in construction;
• from the period of timber harvesting;
• on the drying conditions of the log house;
• from constructive and characteristic features Houses.

Traditionally, the constructed log frame is allowed to settle for a year, after which it is produced Finishing work and installation utility networks. The owners begin to intensively heat the house, naively believing that the wood will dry out faster this way. But this does not correspond to reality.

Walls with inside They really start to dry faster, but this effect does not happen outside, especially on the north side. As a result, the process leads to uneven shrinkage of the building. The inner wall will settle faster than the outer one. She will pull you along ridge beam associated with rafter legs, which, in turn, will impact the outer walls, causing them to bow outward. In the worst case scenario, the walls will simply collapse.

The conclusion suggests itself - shrinkage log house it is necessary to provide a longer period of time, and it should be started to heat gradually.

Of course, a house made of rounded logs shrinks less than one made from planed or debarked logs, due to the fact that the logs have correct form, but are laid close to each other without significant cracks or gaps. But wood moisture and loads, especially on lower crowns, make themselves known. And this fact should not be ignored!

A wooden house attracts with its warmth, environmental friendliness, beautiful lines and design. With the advent of modern woodworking, it has become easier to build a custom residential building. The principles of construction have not changed. And today it is necessary to follow all stages so as not to be disappointed in the future. Maintain the proportions of the door and window openings, to avoid re-repair Correct shrinkage of the log frame will help. How does the process of settling a log house work? Does it depend on the moisture content of the wood? How long should it take to start interior finishing work? What is better: a house to be shrinked from a log or a log house to be assembled for shrinkage and left for a while. But first things first.

Initially, houses were built only from solid logs using the manual cutting. But people capable of professionally building log house became less. But the demand has not disappeared. Appeared new technology wood processing - rounding. You can build a house from rounded logs, carrying out all the stages yourself - from purchasing high-quality blanks to cutting down corner connections log house and its assembly. Construction companies offer to buy ready-made houses from rounded logs on a turnkey basis or a log house for self-assembly. Regardless of the method you choose, you need to know what kind of log the house is being built from:

• cylindering of natural humidity;
• chamber drying cylindering.

This determines how long and how the shrinkage of the log frame will take place.

Features of shrinkage of a house made of rounded logs with natural humidity

Rounding of natural moisture goes through the processing stage on a machine, but is not dried in a chamber. Taking off upper layer Having received a workpiece of a certain size, the log is stored for subsequent sale or the log house is assembled. Many construction companies They offer to buy a turnkey house made of rounded logs or just a box, numbered for ease of subsequent installation. By purchasing a log house, you can save on the services of craftsmen. Then you can build a house from rounded logs inexpensively. When choosing a rounded log of natural moisture for construction, do not forget that assembled box should shrink.

Wood will dry out naturally, under the influence of weather and natural phenomena. On average, any shrinkage wooden structure occurs up to three years. In subsequent years, you can notice minor differences in the geometry of the walls. The main shrinkage of wood occurs in the first year. At this time, you need to be patient and carefully monitor the process. It is better to take your time during the first stage of construction than to correct mistakes when living in the house is in full swing.

What affects the shrinkage of a log frame made of wood with natural moisture?

We are looking at a rounded log. This means that its shrinkage will differ from ordinary wood. When processing, the machine removes the upper protective layer wood What remains is the central core, which is prone to rapid rotting due to its soft structure. There is no natural protection. She's being replaced artificial processing different compositions. They prevent rotting, but not drying out of the wood. Without the protective layer of bark, this process will happen faster.

1. Weather conditions affect the shrinkage process of the log house. The sun, rain, wind, snow fall on the log. Wood absorbs or releases moisture, expands or contracts. Not all walls of the log house are directed in one direction. On the south side there will be the most active shrinkage of logs. The sun will do the job. From the north, the process will take longer. Structural deformation may occur. This must be taken into account and prevented. (We’ll talk about ways to properly compensate for the shrinkage of a log house made from rounded logs below).
2. The location of the house affects the shrinkage of the log house. The terrain varies:

• elevation;
• lowland;
• open area (field);
• closed by forest.

The shrinkage is different in different places. The lowland will additionally saturate the logs with moisture. In a dry place, moisture will disappear faster. In the field of influence of the wind, the wind is stronger, which means the weathering of moisture will be greater. The forest shelters the house from such influence and slows down shrinkage wooden walls Houses. Take these nuances into account when choosing a site for development. You can reduce the flow of moisture in a low place by using wood with a dense texture for the lower crowns: aspen, oak, larch. This will reduce the shrinkage of the rounded log house.

1. The season of wood harvesting and house assembly also affects the settling of a wooden structure. Experts recommend winter option construction. Wood has lower moisture content and services are cheaper. This is another option to build a house from cylinders inexpensively. During winter construction, the shrinkage time of the house is halved. After just 6–8 months, you can begin laying the finished floor, ceiling and roof, if the method of assembling the log frame for shrinkage was chosen.
2. Let us especially say about the shrinkage of rounded logs inside the house when heating is started. If you run the system at high power without waiting for the structure to settle completely, you can get a lot of problems. The inside of the logs will dry out faster than the outside. Rounded logs will be strongly compressed, they will crack and some links may bend. An unsightly sight - a small degree of damage. The situation could be more serious - it will lead to the entire structure.
3. The method of connecting the corner elements of a log house - important point. There are many methods for connecting corners. Log cutting specialists know all the details. When hiring a team, check the level of professionalism of the craftsmen. They will tell you which method is more suitable for correct and quick shrinking of the box. You can learn all the methods yourself if you prepare a rounded log for a log house with your own hands. Then shrinking a house made of rounded logs with natural moisture will not cause any trouble.

Shrinkage of a log house made of chamber-dried rounded logs

Chamber drying cylindering differs only in the degree of moisture content of the wood. If the natural moisture of the log dries out on its own, then the second option is subjected to artificial drying. This type of preparation is more expensive. A plus will be the time it takes to put the house into operation. Shrinkage will occur faster, which means finishing and engineering work can begin earlier.

Do not forget one point: rounded blanks can be different diameters. The thicker the log, the higher the percentage of moisture in it. Drying in the chamber occurs in different ways. Rounding large diameter may not dry completely. Then the shrinkage of the log house will not occur in the same way as with thin wood, let’s assume equal to 180 mm in volume. Therefore, there is no clear opinion on the shrinkage of chamber drying cylinders.

The factors influencing the shrinkage of chamber-dried cylinders are similar to those of logs with natural moisture. We will not list them. The only difference can be in the speed of settling of the house and the drying of the wood itself. In general, a box made of solid logs shrinks by 80 - 90 mm in the height of the wall. Wood shrinkage is up to 10% of its original state. But if you follow all the rules of construction and wait a sufficient period before the housewarming, such a decrease in height will not become a problem. To prevent the ceilings from being low at the final stage of construction, set the shrinkage percentage when creating a wooden house project.

Methods for compensating for shrinkage of a house made of rounded logs

If shrinkage of the building is inevitable, is it possible to take any measures to create comfortable conditions shrinkage of a log house or house erected under a roof. Of course you can. House shrinkage occurs in two directions:

• mechanical - the pressure of the upper links of the frame on the lower ones, the presence of a roof;
• natural - change in the diameter of wood as it dries.

In the first case, the siege of the house occurs under the pressure of the entire structure. It can be reduced by creating additional conditions:

• use jute insulation, which will soften the pressure of the upper link on the lower one;
• make grooves and tenons along the length of the log, which will relieve pressure and reduce cracking of the wood, the fit of the elements will be greater;
• the use of dowels for connections will not allow the logs to fall out or get twisted, and the lock joints will not move.

It is impossible to reduce natural shrinkage. This is a natural phenomenon. It is possible to compensate for the shrinkage process. Serious craftsmen themselves will offer to compensate for shrinkage using a screw jack. Let's talk about the screw compensator in more detail.

Screw compensator for structural sagging

A compensator is a device that allows you to control the settlement of a house or log house. It's simple in design but does serious work. The design of the compensator is based on an adjusting anchor (bolt with threaded notches), two plates (support/reciprocal) and a nut that changes its position on the anchor as the walls shrink. The height of the jack corresponds to the degree of shrinkage of the structures. The maximum height is 25 cm. Attach the compensator to the lower or upper load-bearing floors, vertical pillars.

It is more convenient to install from below, between the pillar and the lower supporting log. A hole is made in the wood where the top plate of the jack is installed. Another plate is placed on the lower post. They are secured with self-tapping screws, the holes for which have already been drilled. The shrinkage of the box does not happen in one day. Therefore, it must be constantly adjusted. During the first months, the compensator is checked frequently; the rest of the time, it is enough to check it at least once a month. A rounded house settles within a maximum of three years, but even after that, minor changes are possible.

Particular attention is paid to vertical load-bearing supports or columns, which do not produce such changes, but their height varies relative to log walls. This may lead to disruption ceiling or gender. The proportions of the second floor and roof may be disrupted. The compensator-jack allows you to avoid such consequences.

A method to compensate for changes in height of walls is to install moving mechanisms. They are used when installing the roof to avoid the removal of roof joists. When securing the stairs between the first and second floors, movable fastenings are also appropriate. But don't attach them to the walls. The staircase cannot give such shrinkage. By securing it to the upper ceiling on sliding supports, you will avoid any alterations. When designing a house, gaps are taken into account. If you have no experience in construction wooden houses, then trust the professionals. Know the subtleties that allow a house to remain strong and strong for a long time correct design, not everyone can do it.

Features of shrinkage of a log bath

If you want to build a bathhouse on a plot of rounded logs, you should not forget about shrinkage. Even though this is non-residential premises, but there may be no less problems. Arranging logs in a bathhouse is no different from the process with a residential house. Everything happens similarly to the events described. The only difference is that you can use the bathhouse later. It’s cheaper to buy a log frame made from rounds for shrinkage for a bathhouse. Calmly assemble the structure on the site, give time for the bathhouse to settle properly.

Experts advise assembling a log house for a bathhouse for shrinkage in winter, and after a year or closer to next spring, begin installing the finished floor, ceiling and roof.

You can, of course, make sure that the bathhouse is assembled under the roof. But the floor and ceiling must be rough. The roof may require rework if the shrinkage of the bathhouse has left consequences. For a bathhouse, a more acceptable option is when the log house is located under open air and naturally takes the correct shape. It’s easier to start installing all the elements of the bathhouse when the logs are used and fit. Carry out additional caulking, wood processing, finishing interior walls baths and start bath procedures. Some craftsmen recommend drying the log house for a bath in disassembled form. All logs are stored under a shed with good ventilation. The main thing is to provide flat surface so that the cylinder does not bend. Sometimes a weight is placed on top. When assembling a log bathhouse, use high-quality inter-crown insulation and a special mallet to improve the tightness of the links.

Usually the first method is used, when the bathhouse frame shrinks when assembled. Then do not forget to frame the door and window openings to avoid strong pressure from the upper crowns on these openings. Leave technological gaps that compensate for pressure. These tips apply not only to a bathhouse, but also to a log house for permanent residence.

Having understood the concept of shrinkage of a log house, having found out all the subtleties of the process, I would like to pay attention to the price of houses made of rounded logs. What you can save on, and what is better to entrust to professionals.

Why is the price of cylinder houses different?

It is generally accepted that a house made of rounded logs is more expensive than other wooden houses. We agree with this partially. The process of making a blank is expensive. A log with natural moisture will be cheaper. Chamber drying is an additional cost for the manufacturer that needs to be compensated. So the price for such a workpiece is higher. Some customers do not want to deal with completing their home themselves and choose a turnkey house. The manufacturer invests absolutely everything into the project:

• foundation;
• carpenter services for assembling the frame, installing the roof and ceilings;
• cost of all materials (possibly with an additional surcharge);
• interior finishing and engineering works.

As a result, you get a house where you can immediately move in and live, and a tidy sum that not everyone can afford. Is it really necessary to give up a cylinder house? Of course not. You can build your dream home for less money. Buy a log house for shrinkage, a house kit made from cylinders of natural humidity, and do all other work yourself. Here is a table of prices for different standard shrink-wrapped boxes and turnkey cylinder houses.

Box size	Price per box, rub.
	shrinking		Full construction
	eating. ow.	Kam. drying	eating. ow.	Kam. drying
Houses: 3x4	550 000	870 000	1 200 000	1 600 000
4x5	700 000	1 100 000	1 500 000	1 800 000
5x5	820 000	1 300 000	1 800 000	2 100 000
6x6	950 000	1 450 000	2 000 000	2 400 000
7x8	1 250 000	1 600 000	2 450 000	3 000 000
Baths: 2x3	35 000	50 000	250 000	350 000
3x3	55 000	80 0000	400 000	550 000

*Prices shown in the table may vary. It depends on the supplier, delivery distance, settlement and order completion. You can save on building a house or bathhouse from rounded logs if installation work carry out independently. Having experience in felling a log house, buy blanks of rounded logs of natural moisture and assemble your dream house with your own hands, taking into account information about the shrinkage of wooden structures.