THE BEST CHOICE FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING
WOODEN HOUSE WALL INSTALLATION
Premium timber harvested in the Carpathians
Quality proven over the years
Competitive prices
- KOLEO Construction Company
Features of building walls from timber or log
Once the foundation and plinth have gained the required strength, wall construction begins.
The foundation is waterproofed with roofing felt or a fiberglass waterproofing membrane. The material is laid in two layers, without gaps or misalignment, so that it extends 3-5 cm beyond the edge of the foundation.
Laying the first course. Wooden base beams are laid in two rows along the center of the foundation, and the geometry of the structure is checked using a level and horizontal ties.
The base beams are fixed with reinforcing rods and thoroughly coated with bitumen mastic.
The next stage is laying the sill half-logs. They have a flat base that fits tightly against the base beams. This type of structure is the most stable and will last for decades.
The remaining logs are laid out according to a specific pattern. Timber beams are laid along parallel walls into grooves, overlapping the previously placed logs.
To fix the laid logs, it is recommended to use not nails but special wooden pegs – dowels. They are used to join two or three logs at once.
Walls made of wood are formed by joining individual courses into a single structure. Course-by-course installation involves a set of operations that includes corner notching with fitting and inter-course insulation.
A longitudinal groove is cut into each timber beam or log to hold the insulation. Flax fiber or hemp shive, in the form of ribbons or cords, is used as insulation when assembling the walls.
Wall thickness of a wooden house
The optimal wall thickness of a wooden house built from timber or log is the value at which a comfortable indoor temperature is achieved while ensuring cost-effective construction and long-term durability of the building. To determine the required value, a thermal engineering calculation is carried out before the building is designed. The calculation takes into account climate conditions, as well as the characteristics of the material, the heating system, and the building as a whole.
Determining the optimal thickness of a wooden wall
The design process takes the following factors into account:
- operating loads;
- thermal performance characteristics of the structures;
- additional requirements regarding fire safety, sanitary safety, economic feasibility, etc.
The first stage determines the loads the structures will experience from their own weight, snow, wind, the people inside the building, and furniture and equipment. Standard calculations show that for a wooden residential house up to 2 stories high, a timber cross-section of 160-180 mm is sufficient. This value guarantees the required load-bearing capacity of the structures, ensuring their stability without deformation.
The next stage is the thermal engineering calculation. The required heat-transfer resistance of the walls is determined. The calculation takes into account temperature thresholds and the relative humidity of the outside air, as well as the dew point, solar radiation, and other data.
If the thickness of any wall in a wooden house made of timber or log is insufficient, the necessary thermal protection will not be provided. On the other hand, excessively thick enclosing structures increase material consumption and the share of labor costs, which leads to an unjustified rise in the cost of construction work.
How the required thickness of timber or log walls is calculated
Heat transfer in enclosing wooden structures occurs unevenly – the wave speed is 3 times higher along the grain than across it, so the thermal conductivity coefficient for cross-grain orientation is used in calculations. Thermal conductivity is also affected by the wood species and wood density, which amounts to:
- pine – 0.15 W / (m ° C);
- spruce – 0.11 W / (m ° C);
- larch – 0.13 W / (m ° C).
The good thermal insulation properties of wood are confirmed by a clear physical figure: the thermal conductivity coefficient of any type of wood is 18 times lower than that of reinforced concrete.
The thickness of single-layer wooden walls is determined by the formula δ=Rreq*λ, where Rreq is the required heat-transfer resistance and λ is the thermal conductivity coefficient. If there are layers of special insulation and/or finishing, their contribution to the total heat-transfer resistance is taken into account. The value Ri=δi/λi for each material layer must be subtracted from Rreq, and the resulting figure is used to calculate the cross-section of the wooden structures.
Wall thickness of a wooden house for winter living
When building a house intended for year-round occupancy, two criteria are usually taken into account: strength and comfort. Both requirements are successfully met by profiled timber with a cross-section of 160-300 mm. The situation is more complex with milled round logs. Log thickness options. If the winter temperature in the region reaches -30℃, the log diameter chosen for construction should be 240-260 mm. In winter cold reaching -40℃, the recommended diameter is 280-320 mm.
Wall thickness of a wooden house for seasonal living
Here is another popular question: what thickness of timber should be used to build a summer house? When building country cottages or small houses for summer getaways, it is enough for the walls to withstand the planned loads and remain stable.
If only a single story is planned, the timber thickness for the house can be 160-200 mm, and the diameter of a milled round log – 140-240 mm. For a two-story building, timber with a cross-section of 200-300 mm or a log 220-300 mm in diameter is chosen.
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EXPORT OF HOUSE KITS
If you are interested in glued laminated timber construction but live outside Ukraine, take a look at the options for importing a timber house kit to:
“KOLEO” – HOUSES MADE OF WOOD
we build
WILD-STYLE LOG HOUSE
These houses have a distinctive look that combines natural authenticity with a certain rugged character.
HOUSES OF MILLED ROUND TIMBER
Our company offers ready-made log houses at affordable prices - all our houses combine attractive pricing with high construction quality.
HOUSES OF PROFILED TIMBER
Houses made of solid timber combine modern construction technology with a traditional look and eco-friendliness
HOUSES OF GLUED LAMINATED TIMBER
Glued laminated timber is a unique building material that requires no ongoing maintenance
MODULAR HOUSES
A ready-made modular house saves one of the most important resources - time
A-FRAME HOUSE
A-frame houses are designed for people who value their freedom but still need a home of their own
SAUNAS
Building wooden sauna houses has become a popular trend in recent years.
BATHHOUSES
The aesthetics of a wooden bathhouse will leave no one indifferent - outward beauty and wellness in one experience.
CHURCHES AND CHAPELS
Construction of religious buildings based on standard and custom designs.
Take a look at the answers to the construction questions we’re asked most often. If you still haven’t found the answer to your question, get in touch – I’ll do my best to help.