Lifting the house with the replacement of crowns. The lower crowns of the log house: replacement technology and important nuances

The lower crown is the “weak link” in the design of the bath log house. It is most susceptible to moisture, so it rots easily, spreading rot to the top logs. And this leads to a gradual distortion and destruction of the entire structure. Therefore, at the first signs of rotting of the lower crowns of the log house, a decision should be made: either rebuild the bathhouse, or replace the rotten logs - completely or partially. The latter option is associated with the least time and material costs, therefore it is used most often. About the methods and nuances of replacing the lower rims of a bathhouse, read on.

Method #1. Replacing the lower rims with parts

There are situations when the logs in the log house are partially damaged and do not need to be completely replaced. In this case, it is enough to remove the rotten area by putting in its place a “patch” made of wood, brick or other materials.

The technology of partial replacement of the lower rims is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. The area of ​​the affected area is freed from the outer skin (siding, lining, etc.).
2. Determine the boundaries of rotten wood, mark them with a chisel or knife.
3. Retreat from the intended boundaries of 40 cm in both directions and install screeds. They are necessary so as not to damage the structure during the removal of rotten wood tissue. For screeds, bars 40 mm thick, 2-3 crowns high, are used. They are fixed on both sides of the wall, on the sides of the damaged area (only 4 bars). Ties are required if it is intended to remove a significant part of the crown at a time. With small replacements, they are rarely used.
4. Cut out the rotten part of the log with an electric or chainsaw. First, a through cut is made on one side of the damaged area, then on the other. The sawn part is removed. For a tighter fit, inserts along the edges of the opening make cuts about 20 cm wide.
5. The opened lower part of the second crown is cleaned, leveled to a flat state (with a chisel). Treat it and the side walls of the resulting opening with an antiseptic.
6. Roofing material is laid on the foundation in 2 - 3 layers.
7. An insert is made to cover the opening. A part is cut out of a log of the same diameter as that of the repaired logs. In length, it should be 1 - 2 mm less than the size of the opening. The insert is treated with an antiseptic.
8. Install the insert in the opening, if necessary, hammer it with a sledgehammer.
9. The gaps between the frame and the insert are carefully caulked with moss, tow, and jute.

Using this method, you can replace not only damaged logs, but the entire lower crown. To do this, parts are gradually cut off from the crown, replacing them with new ones. The process is quite painstaking, but it allows you to do without raising the log house on jacks.

You can also replace the lower crown with brickwork. In this case, parts of the damaged log are sequentially cut out, and a brick is laid on the mortar in the resulting openings. Gradually, brickwork will replace the entire lower crown.

Method #2. Complete replacement of lower rims

A complete replacement of the crowns can be performed not only in the manner described above (with the gradual removal of all parts of the damaged log). The new crown will be more durable if it is made from whole logs, and not from pieces. To do this, the walls of the log house are raised with the help of jacks, the damaged lower crowns are removed, and new logs are installed instead.

This method involves the displacement of the entire structure of the bath log house, therefore, it requires preparation.

Preparatory work before raising the log house

• Window panes and frames, door frames are removed so that they do not crack during the raising of the log house.
• All heavy furniture is taken out of the bathhouse, ideally the log house should remain empty.
• If the floor logs are cut into the lower crown, then they are dismantled. In structures where the logs are laid above the lower crown, the floor can not be touched.
• The chimney is separated from the ceiling and roof. Otherwise, in the process of raising the log house, they may be damaged by a heavy chimney pipe.
• Those log crowns that will not change are fixed and fixed. To do this, at a distance of 50 cm from the corners of the log house, on each wall, boards (bars) 40 mm thick are vertically nailed. The bottom edges of the boards should end at the level of the end of the logs of the crown that cannot be replaced (second from the bottom). The upper edges are fixed on the logs of the uppermost crown. Boards are nailed both on the outer walls and on the inner ones (along the entire frame - 16 boards, 4 on each wall). From below and from above, each board is fixed with through dowels. Such fixation is necessary so that the walls of the log house do not lead when they are raised on jacks.

Once all the preparatory work is completed, the walls can be raised and proceed to the repair of the lower crown.

The progress of work on the replacement of the lower crown of the log house

If the log house is on a strip foundation, proceed as follows:

1. The ligation of the log house consists of two logs (upper and lower), connected in a corner joint. First of all, it is determined which logs in the replaced crown are the top ones. Jacks will be installed under them. Here, retreating 0.7 - 1 m from the corner of the house, an opening 40 cm wide is knocked out in the foundation. Opposite the opening, a part of the log of the lower crown is cut out. The total height of the resulting niche should allow you to install a jack there.
2. On two opposite walls, two such niches are cut out, at an equal distance from the corners.
3. Jacks are installed, from 2 to 4 pieces. The available amount will allow you to either immediately raise the entire frame, or - each wall in turn. Less distortion can be achieved if all walls are raised at the same time - when installing 4 jacks under two opposite walls (2 pcs. on each).
4. With the help of jacks resting on the upper logs of the dressing of the crown, the log house is raised by 7–10 cm.
5. The lower dressing logs are released and removed. Under the opened lower logs of the second crown, temporary supports are installed (logs, concrete blocks, bricks, boards, etc.).
6. The jacks are lowered. Together with them, the upper logs of the repaired crown are lowered. They are also removed. Instead, new logs are installed and immediately pressed with jacks.
7. Temporary supports under the lower logs of the second crown are removed. New logs are laid on the foundation (the lower ones are in dressing).
8. The jacks are lowered slowly and synchronously, laying the upper dressing logs on the lower ones. The gaps between the new logs and the second crown are sealed with tow, moss or jute (caulking is performed).

This completes the replacement of the lower crown.

If the log house is on a columnar foundation, the replacement is easier:

1. Between the columns of the foundation, on which the upper logs of the strapping of the lower crown rest, jacks are installed. 2 pcs. on the wall. In this case, the jack must be installed on a solid foundation, for example, on a shield made of boards (dimensions about 50x50 cm). The head of the jack rod should rest on the log through the metal plate.
2. The jacks are raised. Next, perform the same steps to replace the lower crown as in the presence of a strip foundation. That is, the difference in replacing the crowns of log cabins with strip and column foundations is only in the way the jacks are installed. The strip foundation for this must be partially destroyed. The columnar foundation does not need to be destroyed. By its design, it is "intermittent", so there is enough space between the posts for installing jacks.

See the diagrams below for more details.

Prevention of decay of the lower crowns: protective measures

You can replace the old logs in the crown, but after 2-3 years you will find them rotting again. To prevent this from happening, the lower crowns must be properly waterproofed and protected from decay. Protective measures can be the following:

• Production of lower crowns from larch, which is little susceptible to decay. Larch boards can be used instead of solid logs. They should be placed under the lower crown. So between the crown and the foundation, a protective layer will be formed that is not affected by fungi. A good alternative to larch is oak logs and boards.
• Covering logs with antiseptic. You can use any water repellent, for example, the antiseptic "Pinotex", "Sadolin", "Senezh Ognebio", etc. Another popular "folk" antiseptic is machine processing. Its disadvantage is a sharp, long-lasting, odor.
• Coating with a water repellent bath basement.
• The use of several layers of roofing material (2-3) for waterproofing the joint between the crown and the foundation.
• Protection of the lower rims from external moisture with the help of visors (for example, from galvanized strips).

Such simple methods will help you eliminate the cause of rotting and prevent the need to repeatedly replace the lower rims of the bath.

The lower crowns in a wooden frame are one of the most vulnerable places. No matter how hard the owners try to protect a wooden frame (be it a house or a bathhouse), it is not immune from decay. Wood is an excellent building material, but its lifespan is limited.

The situation when the house is in good condition, and the basement is very rotten, is quite common. The owner of a wooden building should think about the possibility of repairing the lower logs already at the construction stage.

If a wooden frame house requires major repairs after 50-60 years of operation, then its lower crowns (basement) can fail much earlier. The accelerated destruction of wood occurs for the following reasons:

1. Rotting as a result of frequent and prolonged direct contact with sediment and flood moisture, groundwater leakage, accumulation of penetrating moisture and condensate.
2. Damage by microorganisms (fungi, mold, bacteria), insects (ants, bark beetles, etc.) and various rodent pests.
3. Destruction under the action of excessive loads.
4. Mechanical damage of various types.

The following factors contribute to the appearance of these destructions:

1. Lack or poor-quality waterproofing between the foundation and the plinth, as well as from the outside of the lower part of the wall.
2. Incorrectly organized drainage system, which causes the accumulation of sedimentary and flood water, as well as moisture formed during the melting of snow.
3. Lack of foundation ventilation (vents or vents).
4. Violations during construction - the use of low-quality wood, the wrong choice of log diameter, the use of undried wood, insufficient antiseptic treatment and anti-putrefaction impregnation of wooden elements, incorrect calculation of loads, violation of the rules for laying the lower crowns.

Important. The lower crowns, made of high-quality, durable material and impregnated with a protective compound, with proper waterproofing, have the same service life as the entire wooden frame of the house.

Preparatory work

Properly carried out preparatory stage creates the basis for a quality repair. It includes such activities:

1. Visual inspection. It must be carried out periodically so as not to start the destructive process. With special care, the above-ground part of the foundation, the backfill element and 3-4 lower crowns of the log house are examined. An obvious reason for repair is the appearance of visible defects - cracks in the wood, deformation of individual logs (including bulging in one direction or another), discoloration, traces of insects and pests. A pronounced sign may be the presence of a specific smell of rotten wood.
2. Checking the internal condition of the wood. Superficial signs do not always indicate the need for major repairs - sometimes they just need to be scraped off the logs and covered with a protective layer. Things are much worse if the process has gone deeper into the material. The first sign of this is established by the dull sound heard when the logs are tapped with a hammer. For a more accurate picture, you need to use a chisel and carefully remove the top layer of trees to assess the condition of the core.
3. Evaluation of the scope of work and drawing up a repair plan. At this stage, the types of defects and the spread of damage are identified - local, i.e. on a small section of the log; damage to individual logs; destruction of almost the entire basement area (on one wall or around the entire perimeter of the house). Accordingly, repairs can have the following varieties: replacement of a small section of a log; replacement of one log with or without lifting the entire log house; complete replacement of the entire basement part of the log house.

Complete replacement of lower rims

A major overhaul in the form of a complete replacement of the lower rims includes raising the log house, removing rotten logs and installing new rims. The work is carried out in the following order: preparatory measures, replacement of the lower rims and timber.

Preparatory activities:

• maximum lightening of the entire structure (removal of furniture and plumbing, removal of doors and windows, dismantling of the floor and roofing);
• dismantling of stoves and fireplaces, if they do not have their own, independent foundation;
• separation of the chimney from the ceiling and roof, if the stove is not dismantled;
• disconnection of floor lags if they are cut into the lower rims to be replaced;
• disconnection of all communications.

To fix the crowns around the entire perimeter of the house, boards with a thickness of at least 3 cm are nailed vertically at a distance of 45-60 cm from each other. You can fasten adjacent crowns with metal brackets. Fastening is provided on both sides of the wall (outside and inside).

To raise the log house at a distance of 60-80 cm from the corner of the building, an opening 35-45 cm wide is made in the foundation and a part of the logs is cut out to form a niche for installing a jack. The following lifting technology can be used:

1. With one jack. Each corner rises in turn.
2. Using 2 jacks. First, one wall rises completely, and after fixing it, the opposite one.
3. On 4 jacks. The whole frame rises at once. This method excludes damage to the frame, but requires coordination of the operation of the devices.

After raising the corner of the log house to a height sufficient to extract one log, a support is placed under the first crown that cannot be replaced, mounted on 2 columns. So the log house is fixed at all lifting points, and the jack is removed.

Unusable logs are knocked off the nigels and removed outside. Then new logs are installed. They are immediately fastened with nigels. A jack is again brought under the lower crown, with which new logs are compacted.

Before the completion of the work, if necessary, the foundation is repaired and the waterproofing between the base and the plinth is restored, and a new backfill element is installed. After that, the log house is slowly lowered by jacks to its original place with fixation on the pins.

After the log house is completely lowered, all the cracks between the logs are caulked with moss, tow or jute. The heat and waterproofing of the basement is being restored.

Partial bar replacement

If a survey of the state of the house showed that the foundation is in good condition, like most of the basement, and only a small section of the crown is destroyed, then the repair is carried out by partially replacing the elements of the log house. In this case, only the damaged area of ​​one or more logs is removed, and a kind of “patch” is installed.

Such work involves the following steps:

1. The area to be repaired is clearly marked, for which you can use a knife, an ax or a chisel.
2. Fixation of crowns. At a distance of 35-45 cm on both sides of the border markings, screeds from a board 3-4 cm thick (with fixation of 2-3 crowns) or metal brackets are installed.
3. Cutting by marking the damaged area with a chainsaw, electric saw or grinder.
4. Opening preparation. The lower surface of the upper, untouched crown is slightly flattened, and cuts 15-20 cm wide are made at the ends of the opening. The entire surface of the opening is carefully treated with an antiseptic.
5. Manufacturing and installation of the insert. From logs with a size similar to installed logs, elements are cut 1.5-2 mm shorter than the opening. After processing and impregnation with an anti-rotten compound, the insert is tightly driven into the opening with a sledgehammer. All cracks are caulked.

Replacing a bar without raising the log house

Major repairs of the house can be made without raising the log house. There are such options:

1. Replacing a broken log. First, the rotten element is removed in parts. To do this, the log is cut into pieces 1-1.5 m long, which are alternately taken out. The technology does not differ from the previous method of partial replacement. After removing the entire log, exactly the same element is carefully driven into the vacant space and fastened to adjacent crowns with metal brackets.
2. Replacing the destroyed wooden plinth with brickwork. The technology is based on alternately cutting and removing sections of a wooden base 1-1.5 m long, with brickwork 1.5-2 bricks thick instead of it. The masonry is brought directly under the remaining lower crown, and waterproofing is laid between them. Gradually moving around the entire perimeter of the house, a complete replacement of the rotten lower wooden crowns with a brick basement is ensured. Further, it is enough to insulate and plaster the masonry.

What wood is best suited for the lower rims of the log house

During the construction of a wooden house, wood of the following species is used:

1. Spruce. This is one of the most accessible and cheap materials. Due to the loose structure, spruce logs retain heat well. In addition, they have antibacterial properties. The main disadvantages are low moisture resistance and a tendency to rot, which limits the use in the lower crowns.
2. Pine has a smooth trunk without knots, but in its shortcomings it is similar to spruce.
3. Birch is considered a hard, durable material, but it dries out a lot, has high water permeability, rot and low durability.
4. Larch. It has high strength, resistance to microorganisms, is not subject to decay. The main advantage is moisture resistance and a fairly high fire resistance. Wood is a highly drying species, which requires good drying before construction. The only real downside is the high cost.
5. Oak. This wood stands out for its strength and durability, high hardness, resistance to any weather conditions. In terms of resistance to decay and moisture resistance, oak logs are comparable to larch and have a similar disadvantage.

Taking into account the economic side, wooden houses are most often built from spruce and pine. However, in the lower crowns, their use threatens premature overhaul. The best option for making a plinth is larch and oak. Such materials will cost more than common tree species, but their very high resistance to moisture and mechanical strength will significantly increase durability.

Attention! The maximum loads fall on the lower crowns of the log house, and therefore the diameter of the logs for them should be 15-20% larger than the size of the elements of the rest of the walls.

What tools are required to perform the work

When carrying out repairs on your own, you will need the following tools and equipment:

• jack for lifting the house (1-4 pieces);
• Bulgarian;
• gasoline or electric saw for cutting logs;
• perforator for forming the installation site of the jack on the foundation;
• electric drill for installing nigels;
• sledgehammer;
• hammer;
• chisel;
• plane;
• hacksaw;
• scissors for cutting waterproofing;
• metal brush;
• paint brush;
• roulette;
• metal ruler;
• rail for height control.

Is it possible to change the bottom bar yourself

In general, the repair work under consideration requires a certain skill, considerable time and labor costs.

The question of whether it is possible to independently replace the lower rims of a wooden house is a purely individual one. If you have the necessary equipment and enough time, you can do the work associated with lifting the log house with your own hands.

But, if a person is in doubt, it is better to invite specialists. In order to carry out repairs correctly and efficiently, it is necessary to take into account some nuances.

When is the best time to work

Repair of the basement of a wooden house must be carried out immediately upon detection of damage. In this case, it is possible to do without a major overhaul and complete replacement of the lower rims. The work itself can not be carried out in high humidity and in windy weather.

When planning the timing of repair activities, it is necessary to take into account some features of the behavior of wood. In summer, moisture moves deeper into the log, which can cause cracking during drying.

In winter, the humidity of the wood is minimal, and the moisture freezes out, which ensures uniform shrinkage. In addition, in summer, temperature differences between night and day are more sensitive to wood.

The choice of repair terms should be made taking into account the recommendations given for the construction of a wooden house:

1. It is better to repair the foundation in the fall, when the air temperature has not yet dropped to minus values. After 2.5-3 weeks, the concrete will gain the desired strength, and you can deal with the log house.
2. Work with a wooden frame is best done in winter.
3. During the spring, maximum shrinkage occurs. This period is better to wait.
4. Summer is the best option for finishing work.

Important! If the overhaul of a wooden house is associated with raising and strengthening the foundation, as well as replacing the lower rims of the log house, then work should begin at the end of October-November, taking into account that the completion of the log house repair will take place in December-January.

How to increase the service life of a beam

The service life of the lower rims, and hence the entire wooden house, can be done in the following ways:

1. The use of high quality and reliable waterproofing. Such materials include modern euroruberoid. It is laid on top of the foundation and well protects the log house from below.
2. Cover board. In the absence of financial opportunities for the manufacture of lower rims of larch or oak, it is possible to increase the reliability of the base by installing boards from these materials. It is mounted on top of the waterproofing of the foundation and has a width of 25-30 cm with a thickness of 6-8 cm.
3. Impregnation of wood with folk remedies. It is recommended to use such substances - copper sulphate, "Finnish mixture" (slaked lime, copper sulphate, table salt, flour); natural wax; spruce resin or birch tar; bitumen; drying oil; oils.
4. Modern, synthetic, impregnating compositions. Such antiseptics are popular - Pinotex, Sadolin, Senezh Ognebio, Tikkurila, Belika.

Replacing the lower crowns in a wooden frame can be done independently in different ways. It is important to correctly assess their condition and determine the scope of work.

To prevent rapid decay of wood, it is necessary to protect it from moisture and pests. Preventive measures will help eliminate the need for time-consuming overhauls.

All photos from the article

Wooden houses of venerable age, which have stood for more than half a century, require reconstruction, which involves the replacement of crowns. The destruction of the lower part of the building is caused by a completely missing or poor waterproofing between the lower logs and the foundation plinth. If you have plans to replace the lower crown of a wooden house with your own hands, we recommend that you stay with us.

About causes and consequences

Houses that were built more than 50 years ago, in most cases, have a blockage that covers part of the lower crown from drafts.

This design prevents ventilation, and the lower crowns are destroyed to a powdery state.

1. The main and worst enemy of a wooden house is moisture, which can occur due to the combination of a pile (columnar) foundation and backfill. Over time, this design sags very strongly, and the walls begin to freeze through.
2. The destruction of the plaster of the strip foundation, erected from brick or rubble, contributes to the accumulation of moisture, destroys the wood and foundation material.
3. The extrusion or subsidence of a tape-type foundation with heaving soil contributes to the formation of gaps at the point of contact between the foundation and the overlay crown. As a result, atmospheric precipitation gets there.

The above reasons require elimination, otherwise the newly erected crown of the house will suffer the same fate.

Replacing part of the crown without raising the house

Often there is a need to replace only part of the log of the lower crown.

In this case, the entire crown remains intact, and the work is carried out without raising the house.

1. Determine the damaged area by eye; how much rot has spread can be found with a chisel. Clear 40 cm on both sides of the damage.
2. Install extensions, the height of which will be equal to the height of 2-3 crowns.
3. Nail boards 4 cm thick from the inside and outside of the log house. Drill holes in the two tightening crowns (first and last). After that, you can insert tie-studs with a diameter of 12 mm.
4. Cut out the damaged part with a chainsaw and remove.
5. In the replaced crown, make cuts 200 mm wide. Thanks to them, a reliable connection of the new and old part will be ensured.
6. Make a log insert of the same diameter. Be sure to make reciprocal cuts on it.
7. Insert a part in place of the sawn section and drive it in with a sledgehammer and a block placed under it.
8. In places of cutting, make three through holes on each side, drive pins into them. This will help quickly, and most importantly, securely fasten the insert and the old log.
9. At the end of the gap, caulk with jute, moss or tow.

Note! This method can be used to replace the entire lower crown. However, the prefabricated structure is less durable than a solid crown, so it is recommended to resort to technology as a last resort or use it as a temporary measure.

Replacing the crown with brickwork

Replacing the crowns of a wooden house with your own hands can be carried out not only with similar wooden elements, but also with brickwork. A rather difficult task can be performed with or without raising the house. The choice of method is determined by the age of the house, its condition and the foundation of the structure. Without lifting the house, the crown is replaced by masonry if the structure is located directly on the ground or on a columnar foundation.

It is recommended to start replacing the crown with corner joints, this will help create a fairly reliable support. The height of the brickwork is determined by the slope of the house. Often the best solution is to replace several crowns on one side and only one on the other.

If the house is based on a strip foundation, it is recommended to raise the structure on screw or hydraulic jacks. First, the corners of the house are raised, under which a temporary support is placed. The surface of the foundation is cleaned, leveled, after which the brickwork is built up.

Advice! Before lifting the house, it is advisable to remove the wooden door frames and frames, which can be damaged in the process.

Replacing the crown on the strip foundation

House uplift

To raise the house from the strip foundation, it will be necessary to arrange places for a jack; for this, the foundation is partially dismantled. 70 cm recede from the corner of the house and hollow out a niche with a width of at least 40 cm. Before directly installing the jack, a part of the crown log is cut out so that it rests against the log of the upper crown.

Depending on the extent of destruction and reconstruction, you can raise the whole house or one side of it. For old houses, the latter option is unacceptable, since there is a possibility of the structure being skewed.

Foundation niches in the amount of 2 pcs. on each wall are placed on opposite sides. The log house is raised by 10 cm, the old logs are taken out and replaced with new ones.

Note! This method involves the further reconstruction of the foundation, which loses its integrity and strength.

If the house stands on a columnar foundation, its rise does not require the formation of niches. It is enough to put a solid base under the jack, for example, a concrete block.

Hanging out at home

Raising a log house on channels can be called the latest know-how in the matter of reconstructing the foundation of a house. This method is quite costly and is justified only if the house does not have a foundation or the latter needs a complete reconstruction.

On the basis of metal channels, a structure is made, which is wound up under the log house. At the same time, the support points of the structure are taken out of the house, so after replacing the rotten crowns, a solid foundation can be poured.

Complete crown replacement

Stage	Instructions for conducting
Preparatory	Remove window frames and sashes before lifting the house. The same applies to door frames and doors. Move heavy furniture out of the house. Separate the wooden floor from the walls. In a situation where, during laying, it was embedded above the mortgage crown, it can be left untouched. Otherwise, the floor is disassembled, support posts are constructed under the logs. The chimney of the fireplace or stove is separated from the roof and ceilings, this will ensure that when the house is raised, the heavy chimney will not destroy the roofing material. Logs that cannot be replaced are fastened with boards with a thickness of 40 mm or more.
Basic	In logs that need to be replaced, cut out windows into which the log lever will wind up. The role of the latter can be assigned to the channel, log or chopping block. Install jacks as close as possible to the foundation part from the outside of the house. Insert a lever into the window, install a concrete block or a stack of boards under the inner end, which will serve as the base. Raise the lever with a jack, and with it the frame. At this point, place wedges between the hung house and the foundation. Now you can proceed to the direct replacement of logs. The material is carefully processed so that the parts of the new crown fit snugly together. Install the upper log on jacks, lay caulking material on top. Raise the jack with the log so that it is pressed against the top log and remove the temporary props. Similarly, the replacement of the lower log is carried out.

In order for the new foundation of the house not to repeat the fate of the former, think carefully about how to process the lower crowns of a wooden house.

The growing popularity of wooden log cabins as warm and environmentally friendly housing has its own "pitfalls" that you need to remember when deciding to build such a house.

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A house built from a winter forest, qualitatively dried and antiseptic, the walls of which are reliably protected from rain and snow by wide roof overhangs, does not require major repairs for at least 50 years.

We will consider the case when, as a result of poor waterproofing of the foundation and blocking of the walls, the lower crowns have rotted and their urgent replacement is required.

We note right away that this work belongs to the category of labor-intensive and complex, so it is not always possible to do it yourself without the involvement of experienced craftsmen.

Methods and technologies for replacing rotten lower rims of a log house

cosmetic way- the easiest and most affordable for most homeowners. It does not require the use of special equipment and large financial costs. Its essence is to cut out the rotten lower sections of the walls and replace them with new elements of the crown structure.

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If the process of decay has not affected the entire lower belt of logs, this method can be considered a real way out. However, the disadvantage of this technology is the violation of the integrity of the log house and, as a result, the loss of part of its rigidity.

In addition, after such a repair, new joints appear through which heat loss occurs.

According to another method, replacing rotten crowns of a wooden house made after the complete disassembly of the walls. This is the most expensive and time-consuming, but also the most effective way to repair a log house.

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After such work, the building again becomes strong and reliable. An additional advantage of this repair method is the possibility of replacing the upper crowns of the walls, which also come into contact with moisture and rot.

The third repair technology involves dismantling the upper part of the foundation and replacement of the lower rotten crowns. After that, the removed foundation layer is restored and waterproofed.

The disadvantage of this method is the violation of the structure of the foundation, which in the future may affect its durability and bearing capacity.

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With your own hands, you can inexpensively and fairly quickly replace the lower crown of a log wall with brickwork. To do this, successively cut out small sections of a rotten crown and in their place put a red brick on the mortar.

The latest common repair method consists in raising the walls of the log house with jacks and disassembling and replacing the crown structures of the lower rows. This is the most economical and high-quality way to restore walls.

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With its proper implementation, the strength of the log house is not reduced and its geometry is not violated. Simultaneously with the replacement of the crowns, it is possible to repair the foundation and strengthen its waterproofing. However, this method requires the use of special equipment, good knowledge of each stage and the general sequence of work.

Let us consider in more detail how the lower crowns of the house are replaced by the jacking method. Before starting work, the possibility of lifting the log house on jacks is evaluated. The main criterion here is the condition of the bandaging of the corners - the main elements on which the preservation of the geometry and strength of the frame depends.

If the dressing is in good condition, then the log house will withstand lifting on jacks. If its integrity is broken by the process of decay, you will have to use a stationary support frame.

On one wall, depending on the size of the house, you may need from two to four jacks. In the walls of the log house for the installation of the supporting parts of the jacks, a part of the rotten crowns is cut out with a chain saw.

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In order to change the lower rims with jacks slowly and evenly raise one wall. The ascent is completed at a height sufficient for the free extraction of the rotten crown and its replacement. A new log is inserted into the wall in three parts. Two short ones are installed in the corners, and the longest one is placed in the gap between the jacks.

Having lowered the frame and removed the jacks, the openings from them are filled with pieces of logs, exactly fitted to their size. The joints are sealed with tow or other high-quality sealant.

Even before the start of work on lifting the log house, you should decide than to process the lower crown so that in the foreseeable future this operation would not have to be repeated. Options using bitumen or used mineral motor oil for this purpose are now considered only with extremely limited funds.

However, even in this case, it is better to go to the extra expense and purchase a product from a wide range of branded wood preservatives. They do not have an unpleasant odor, well protect the crowns of the log house from decay and do not spoil the appearance of the outer wall.

It should be noted that the effectiveness of the protection of the lower rims of the log house depends not only on the quality of the impregnation, but also on the degree of waterproofing of the foundation. Therefore, you should not use cheap types of roofing material for these purposes, but it is better to lay 2 layers of euroroofing material on the foundation. This material is made of elastic modified bitumen and reinforced with fiberglass, so it has not lost its strength and tightness for decades.

In addition to the use of antiseptic solutions, the protection of the lower crown of the log house requires the installation of metal canopies over the lower crown, which will divert rainwater from the logs.

The total cost of replacing the lower rims of a log house depends on its size. For a standard one-story log house (6 by 8 meters), it is in the range from 15 to 20 thousand rubles without the cost of material. Logs for this work will cost from 8 to 12 thousand rubles for one crown.

All owners of baths know that the lower crowns are a very vulnerable spot. Unlike other structural elements of a bath log house, it is most susceptible to the harmful effects of moisture. But the worst thing is that easily rotting, he immediately begins to spread rot to the upper logs, which invariably leads to the destruction of the entire structure. In order to prevent such a development of the situation, it is necessary immediately, at the first signs of decay, to replace the lower crown either partially or completely. Otherwise, you will need to start building a new bath.

If you immediately respond to the situation that has arisen, you can save yourself from unnecessary money and labor costs and replace only some of the damaged parts of the lower crown.

Replacement Technology

The essence of this procedure is to remove the rotten area and install a “patch” made of wood, brick or other materials in its place.

1. The outer skin is separated from the area affected by rot;
2. Determine the boundaries of rotten wood, outlining them with a chisel or knife;
3. To prevent damage to the entire structure, during the removal of rotten wood, screeds are installed at a distance of 40 cm from the intended boundaries. Screeds are bars 2-3 crowns high and 40 cm thick. In total, 4 bars are used, attaching them to the sides of the rotten section on both sides of the wall. It is necessary to use screeds in case of removing a large section of the crown, but if a small area is damaged, screeds can not be used;
4. The damaged part of the log is removed with an electric or chainsaw. To do this, you must first make a through cut on both sides. The sawn area must be removed;
5. In the resulting space, you need to place an insert. In order for it to be firmly fixed, cuts are made along the edges of the resulting opening (width 20 cm);
6. The lower part of the second crown is cleaned, leveled with a chisel to a flat state. In order to protect the wood from insects, moisture, mold, decay and fire, the side walls of the resulting opening and the lower part of the second crown are treated with an antiseptic;
7. The foundation is covered with roofing material in 2-3 layers;
8. Making an insert. A piece of exactly the same diameter is cut from the log as that of the damaged logs. The length of the insert should be 1-2 cm less than the size of the opening. It is treated with an antiseptic, and then installed in the opening. If there are problems with this, you can use a sledgehammer. To make the insert, instead of wooden bars, you can use bricks. To do this, in the opening formed after cutting out the rotten part, bricks are laid on a concrete mortar. Thus, the brickwork will replace the entire lower crown;
9. The gaps between the insert and the frame are covered with fibrous materials such as tow, jute or moss.

Replacing the lower rims completely

The replacement of the entire lower crown can be carried out according to the above scheme. This will require a large investment of time and effort, since it will be necessary to gradually cut off all the damaged areas, replacing them with new ones. But there is also a big advantage - it will no longer be necessary to raise the log house on jacks.

It will be much stronger if the new lower crown is made up not of pieces, but of solid logs. To do this, you need to displace the entire structure of the bath log house, lifting it with the help of jacks.

Replacement Technology

1. Preparatory stage:

• In order not to crack the windows and doors during the raising of the log house, they are taken out;
• The log house should remain empty, and therefore all heavy objects must be taken out of the bath;
• The floor logs cut into the lower crown must be disassembled. Logs laid above the lower crown are not dismantled;
• To avoid damage to ceilings and roofs by a heavy chimney pipe, it must be separated;
• Undamaged log crowns must be fixed. This is done as follows: from the inner and outer sides of each wall at a distance of 0.5 meters from the corners of the log house, boards or bars (4 cm thick) are nailed vertically. Their lower edges should end exactly where the logs of the unreplaceable crown (second from the bottom) are, and the upper ones should be attached to the logs of the uppermost crown. To fix undamaged areas, 16 boards are used, which must be fixed from below and above with through dowels. This is done so that when the log house is raised on jacks, its walls do not lead.

Once all of the above work is completed, you can proceed to the procedure for repairing the lower crown of the log house.
2. Main work

The process of replacing the lower crown of the log house depends on the type of foundation.

Strip foundation

1. The framing of the log cabin consists of the top and bottom logs, which are connected and tied at the corner. It is very important to determine exactly which logs in the rotten crown are the top ones, since it is under them that the jacks will be installed;
2. In the replaced crown of the log house, at a distance of 0.7–1 m from the corner of the house, an opening 0.4 m wide is knocked out in the foundation. According to this scheme, exactly the same niches are made on two opposite walls. The distance from the corners should be the same;
3. Now you need to install jacks (2-4 pieces). A very important point is the choice of jacks. To do this, you need to choose a mechanism with a load capacity of at least 10 tons. Depending on the size of the bath, the lifting capacity of the jack can reach 25 tons. An error at this stage can lead to the formation of distortions and breakage of logs. The number of jacks depends on how the frame will be raised: all at once or each wall separately. But if you raise the walls one by one, then this can lead to distortions, so the best option is to raise the entire frame together. To do this, you need to install 2 jacks under opposite walls so that they rest against the upper logs of the crown dressing;
4. Jacks raise the log house by 7-10 cm and remove the lower dressing logs;
5. Under the lower logs of the second crown, reliable temporary supports are placed, such as bricks, concrete blocks, logs, boards, bars. The main thing is that they can withstand the weight of the entire log house;
6. Jacks, together with the upper logs of the repaired crown, are lowered, and instead of them, new ones are immediately installed and pressed with jacks. All supports installed under the lower logs of the second crown are taken away. The upper dressing logs are placed on the lower ones, and the lower logs are laid on the foundation. The jack is lowered very slowly and synchronously;
7. At the last stage, caulking is carried out - they seal the gaps formed when new logs are connected to the second crown of the log house. To do this, use fibrous materials (tow, moss and jute), which are hammered into the formed seams.

Column Foundation

Replacing the log crowns on this type of foundation is quite simple.

1. It is necessary to install 4 jacks between the foundation posts, which are connected to the upper logs of the lower crown trim. They are placed 2 on each wall. It is necessary to install these jacks on a very solid base, such as a shield made of boards, measuring 50x50 cm. The head of the jack rod should rest against the log only through a metal plate;
2. The jacks are raised simultaneously. Further actions are exactly the same as when replacing the lower crown of the strip foundation log house.

The difference between replacing rotten log crowns with a strip and column foundation is only in the process of installing jacks. The first option is more time-consuming, since the foundation needs to be partially destroyed. For a columnar foundation, this is not necessary, since there is a lot of space in its structure for installing jacks.

How to protect the lower crowns from decay?

The process of replacing damaged logs can last indefinitely, repeating every 2-3 years. The reason for this lies in improper waterproofing.
Protection measures:

• The lower crowns of the log house must be made from tree species that are not very susceptible to decay - oak or larch. It is not necessary to take whole logs; larch boards that need to be placed under the lower crown are quite suitable for these purposes. Thus, a protective layer is formed between the foundation and the crown, which is not susceptible to the effects of fungi;
• To protect the logs from rotting, they need to be coated with an antiseptic (water repellent) of brands such as Pinotex, Senezh Ognebio, Sadolin. It is also possible to carry out “machine testing”, but in this case, a pungent odor will be felt for a long period;
• The basement of the bath also needs to be covered with a water repellent;
• Between the crown and the foundation for waterproofing the joint, it is necessary to use several layers of roofing material;
• The lower rims must be protected from external moisture with visors made of galvanized strips.

By following all of the above methods, you can permanently solve the problem of rotting of the lower rims of the log house, saving yourself from unforeseen cash costs.