How to change crowns. Replacing the lower rims of the log house: methods for the complete and partial replacement of rotten logs in the first rim

Wooden houses have not lost their relevance today. After all, this is a comfortable and environmentally friendly housing with a cozy, relaxing atmosphere. However, often the owners of country cottages and country houses made of logs face a number of problems. Wood is a living material that cracks and rots over time. As a result, it is necessary to disassemble and replace the lower rims.

But if the construction was correct and carried out by professionals, a wooden house will serve without problems for 80-100 years!

If the construction was carried out without observing the technologies and treating the wood with protective agents, after 5-10 years you will encounter the growth of cracks, the appearance of rot and mold, the darkening or yellowing of the wood. With these problems, the lower ring should often be replaced. Let's look at when a replacement is needed, and what options exist for replacing crowns.

Causes of decay

Replacing the lower rims of a wooden house is required when it rots. Let's find out why the log rots. Among the reasons are the following:

  • Poor building materials. Often the cause of rot is poorly dried wood. Lumber with high humidity is characterized by a short service life, increased susceptibility to the negative effects of moisture and wind;
  • Insufficient waterproofing of the foundation of a wooden house. The foundation plays a crucial role in the functionality and life of any houses, especially wooden ones. It is important not only to establish a strong, reliable and durable foundation. It is necessary to properly carry out work on the insulation and waterproofing of the structure. Otherwise, the lower crown will absorb moisture from the soil and soil evaporation;
  • Insufficient treatment of wood with antiseptics. Special products will protect the tree from the negative effects of precipitation, wind, ultraviolet radiation and insects, preserve the natural properties and color of the log for 4-10 years, depending on the type of antiseptic;
  • Processing takes place in several stages, including the stage of manufacturing lumber, building a log house and finishing a wooden house. At the same time, the antiseptic coating is regularly updated. Processing will seem like a troublesome and costly process, but it is cheaper and easier than replacing the lower rims.

Professional construction of a wooden house from a properly dried log harvested from a durable winter forest, and treatment with protective equipment is a guarantee that the building will last at least 60-70 years without major repairs! Without compliance with the above conditions, it is likely that severe cracks and rot will appear in the first decade of operation of the house. Next, consider how to change the lower crown in the house with your own hands.

“Spot” or cosmetic repairs

This is the simplest and “painless” technology that you can easily do yourself. It is suitable only if the log is partially damaged in one or more small areas of the lower crown. In this case, the rotten places are cut out and new elements are installed. To replace a damaged component with your own hands, you need to cut down the rotten place with an ax or cut it out with a chainsaw and put a fresh piece of wood there.

The only disadvantage of such a repair is that the harness is made from a single wooden log. And after the replacement, you get joints. This reduces the rigidity of the structure of the house.

Another option for fixing minor problems is to fill the openings with brickwork. This is also a fairly easy way that you can do it yourself. In this case, instead of rotten elements, bricks are laid. The negative point in such a repair is that the new joints formed lower the level of thermal insulation and the strength of the house structure.

Complete replacement

Most often, the owners of country houses do not notice separately rotten sections of the log or delay repair work until the last. You don't need to do this. After all, it is much easier to replace a separate section than the entire lower crown. If the log or the crown is completely rotten, a major replacement of the crowns will be required.

For a similar problem, use one of the following options:

  • Partial dismantling of the foundation can be done by hand without the involvement of professionals, but on condition that the structure is disassembled. Not every type of foundation can be partially dismantled (these include reinforced concrete strip foundation).
  • In this case, a part of the foundation is disassembled, over which a rotten lower crown is located. After that, the damaged element must be replaced with a new one. Of the minuses of such dismantling, a decrease in the strength and service life of the foundation will be distinguished.
  • Dismantling the wall is a laborious but effective method. This method will extend the operational life of a wooden house, although the work cannot be done only with your own hands. With this method, the walls are completely dismantled and reassembled. As a result, you will get a solid and reliable structure with high heat and sound insulation without cracks and gaps.
  • Raising a log house with a jack is another way to replace a rotten lower crown. This method will allow not only to change damaged elements, but also to strengthen or renew the waterproofing layer of the foundation. Lifting a house with a jack can be done with your own hands without the involvement of specialists using special equipment.

If you chose the latter method, it is important to follow the replacement technology. You can not raise the house as it is. First, work is carried out to prepare the premises and assess the state of the structure. Failure to follow the rules can lead to the fact that the house will fall apart when lifting.

log lifting technology

First of all, you need to assess the condition of the corners of a wooden house. It is important that the frame does not fall apart during lifting. Consult with an expert if necessary. After that, furniture and other items are pulled out of the house, window and door frames are taken out. The building must be empty!

The wooden floor in the house is dismantled and separated from the walls. The floor can be left if it is installed not in the mortgage crown, but above. At the same time, the crown with which the floor is connected is not planned to be replaced. When separating the floor, support posts are installed under the logs. The chimney is also separated from the floors so that the roof does not suffer.

You can only raise a log house if the fireplace or stove in the house is on a separate foundation!

After preparation, the frame is raised. If the corner joints are fragile and cause concern, a special support structure is used to lift. In rotten areas, with the help of a saw, at least two openings are made to fit the dimensions of the jack.

The crowns of wooden houses that you do not plan to replace are fastened with boards. Boards 4 centimeters thick are fixed vertically to the log house in the interval of 50 centimeters from the corner of the house. In this case, the lower edge of the board is fixed in the lower crown of those that do not need to be changed. And the upper end of the board is in the upper crown.

It is necessary to raise the house evenly using each mechanism to avoid distortions. Raise the frame so that the jack rests on the upper logs. After that, the lower crown is removed and temporary supports are installed under the lower log of the next crown. The replacement of the crowns is carried out in parts, first two blanks are laid from the corners to the jacks, then one - between the jacks. New logs are placed in the recesses of the jacks.

Replacement logs must be treated with a protective compound and have a flat, smooth surface so that they fit snugly against the old crowns. Be prepared, the materials will have to be leveled, cut and filed in the process. While the house is raised, the hydro and thermal insulation of the foundation is being updated. At the final stage, the joints in the walls are sealed with insulation. Mineral wool, materials for caulking and eco-friendly acrylic sealants (“warm seam”) are suitable for a wooden house.

Technical support for the construction of a wooden house is a prerequisite for extending its service life. One of the most serious problems that necessitates the repair of such buildings is biological damage. It can manifest itself in the form of decay, the development of fungus, and so on. Ultimately, the replacement of crowns in a wooden house is required, otherwise the process will develop and cover the entire supporting structure.

Determination of the method of repair measures

The nature of damage can be different depending on external factors of influence, the time of destruction and the properties of the wood itself. As a rule, under unfavorable conditions, the structure of the crowns begins to rot, after which the processes of development of mold, fungus, insects, etc. start. . Experts conditionally share the following methods of restoring the construction of a log frame:

  • Partial restoration. One crown (or part of it) is replaced if the lesion has not spread to other segments.
  • Full analysis of the salary with the reinstallation of the structure. The method is used in cases where a comprehensive revision of the masonry is required with the possible reconstruction of other elements of the house.
  • Replacing a log with brickwork. This method is used only with partial restoration of several lower logs. Brick replaces the load-bearing belts, but does not form a wall structure as such.
  • Jack method. The technology provides for the possibility of lifting the entire house with the repair of the foundation base.

There is also a professional approach to replacing the crowns of a wooden house. The cost of work in this case is an average of 1-2.5 thousand rubles. for 1 running meter. Specialists will use metal suspensions made specifically for the parameters of the target design. With the help of special equipment, masonry repairs of any complexity are carried out in a short period of time.

Partial Crown Restoration Technology

A kind of spot repair, which justifies itself if there is a small lesion on one log. Work is carried out according to the following instructions:

  • Logs are inspected. With a chisel, it is necessary to perform cleaning in the defect zone, determining the depth of damage.
  • From the affected area, an indent is made on the sides of 50 cm. Next, gripping units are installed, which will make it possible to make a partial replacement of the crowns of a wooden house. With your own hands, this problem can be solved by screwing wooden screeds to a height of up to 3 logs. This is done both from the outside and from the inside.
  • With an electric jigsaw or chainsaw, the damaged area of ​​\u200b\u200bwood is carefully removed.
  • A cut is made at the sampling site. Installation is carried out using the tenon-groove technique using a previously prepared piece of log.
  • The final fixation of the insert is carried out with dowels.

Method for replacing crowns with brickwork

This method can be used if two conditions are met. First, replacement must be planned for solid logs. Secondly, one of the replaced crowns must be the lowest one - joining the foundation with the frame. Segments are removed by knocking out. With a sledgehammer, all damaged logs must be removed from the masonry. Support elements are installed on the formed place from the sides - short metal racks, stone luggage or similar substitutes.

Next, the foundation surface is cleared for the future replacement of the lower crown of a wooden house. With your own hands, you can perform waterproofing by laying a roofing material or a rigid film hydrobarrier. Then, from the central part, in an empty place, bricklaying is carried out on cement mortar. As the gap is filled, the side supports are removed. The seams and joints are filled with the same solution, and after it hardens, it will not be superfluous to apply a sealant to eliminate small gaps.

Preparing your home for jacking up

If a complex replacement of the crowns is planned, then the use of a jack cannot be dispensed with. The complexity of its use lies in the fact that the construction of the house will be skewed in the process of performing work. Therefore, special preparation is required:

  • All furniture, appliances, household utensils and other things with materials are taken out.
  • Openings are freed from frames, sashes, windows and doors.
  • If it is planned to replace the crowns in a wooden house with a log floor system integrated into the frame, then it should be disconnected from the walls.
  • Furnaces, fireplaces and other structures associated with the foundation are disconnected from the structure of the house.

Rules for installing jacks

First you need to calculate and mark the installation points of the jacks. Under them, crowns are cut in accordance with the dimensions of the tool. Sometimes digging is performed to install jacks, but even in these cases a rigid bearing support is provided from a concrete block or metal shield. At a minimum, replacing crowns in a wooden house will require the use of 4 jacks. Accordingly, they are placed at the corner nodes of the convergence of the crowns from opposite sides. But it is very important to maintain a technological distance of 1 m from the location of the tool to the immediate corner of the house.

Crown replacement technique

The process of replacing logs using jacks is as follows:

  • Together with the upper crown, the jacks smoothly fall down. The dressing log is removed.
  • To update the upper segments of the lower crown, two logs are removed. To ensure the tightness of the convergence of wood elements, new wood should initially be carefully processed and filed strictly to the size of the insert.
  • The upper segment is placed on jacks, and its upper part is caulked. Machining operations are also performed in the process of replacing the lower rims. Repair of a wooden house with caulk and impregnation on the adjacent surfaces of the crowns will not be possible after the installation of new elements.
  • The jacks are lifted to the stop - the new segment should lie tightly on the upper mating log in the crown system.
  • The jacks are lifted together with the entire structure, after which the previously installed supports are removed.
  • If necessary, the foundation, which has opened from the upper side, is repaired.

Features of replacing crowns in a frame house

In general terms, the replacement technology corresponds to the repair of an ordinary log house, but there are differences. First of all, a special approach to handling the jack is required. Before lifting, both the lower crown and window openings are strengthened with the help of racks. The jack itself is installed in a special recess at the level of the foundation. As a rule, the repair of a wooden house with the replacement of crowns in a frame structure involves updating the lower tier. This is a support bar that performs a load-bearing function. So that it can be replaced without damaging the house, the wall cladding is also initially removed.

  • At the first examination, a comprehensive examination of the house should be carried out with fixation of the slightest signs of biological damage. Small foci can be treated with special protective equipment without installation operations.
  • Work should not be carried out in bad weather, in winter and during driving periods.
  • Particular attention is paid to the selection of new mortgage segments. It is desirable that the crowns be replaced with larch logs. This material, with proper care with treatments, can last up to 50 years.
  • It is important to observe safety precautions, not substituting hands and feet under the raised structure.

Conclusion

Repairing the construction of a log house or a frame house is a responsible event that requires special skills. Knowing the intricacies of the repair process, a small-scale reconstruction can be done independently. However, large-scale events require the participation of professionals. As already mentioned, the cost of replacing the lower rims of a wooden house is 1-2.5 thousand rubles. per running metre. This figure can be increased if additional services are ordered, which are also not worth saving. For example, a professional caulk with embedding and stripping crowns can extend the life of logs by several years. Another thing is that such operations will need to be performed periodically, regardless of the repair of damaged crowns.

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.

The wood construction market often offers low-quality material, harvested and dried incorrectly, and teams with a low level of knowledge and practical experience are taken to work. As a result, after 5-6 years, the owner has to face the problem of rotting of the lower rims of the log house and urgently look for methods to solve it.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Useful video

A house made of wood is undoubtedly a reliable structure, but even it has weaknesses. Several lower crowns of the house, and in particular the mortgage crown, with the passage of time, come into a dilapidated state. This is due to various errors during construction and operation. Wetting of the lower crown occurs from melt and rain water due to poor-quality waterproofing of the foundation. In addition, today you can still find a large number of old wooden houses in which there is no foundation at all.

Replacing the lower rims of a wooden house requires quite serious financial costs, and the work itself is complex and time-consuming. Often, simple calculations show that new construction on the site of an old house will be cheaper than repairs. However, in some situations, replacing the crowns will be more appropriate. Such a situation may arise when the house is an architectural monument or simply expensive, as a memory of ancestors.

Several ways to replace the lower rims at home

It is worth replacing crowns at home only with the invitation of specialists, or at least with their supervision. After all, errors in technology can lead to the destruction of the entire house, its roof, floors or chimneys. When carrying out such work, you need to know some of the nuances, which we outline below.

Before starting work, you should understand that the technology for repairing a wooden house depends on many conditions: the size of the house, the technical condition of the foundation and the crowns themselves, the sufficiency of free space near the building, the presence of outbuildings under the same roof with the house, the presence of a chimney and many other factors.

Replacing the rotten part of the crown without raising the house

Often there are situations when only a small part of the log needs to be replaced, since it is not all rotten. In this case, there is no need to replace the entire log. This is especially shown when the house is on a strip foundation, from which it is very difficult to raise the house without destroying part of the foundation.

  • First of all, we determine by eye where the most damaged area is.
  • After that, with the help of a chisel, we examine how much rot has penetrated into the log. We clear in both directions from damage. Most often, with the help of a chisel, it is revealed that the area of ​​\u200b\u200bdamage is much larger than that which is noticeable to the naked eye.
  • We retreat 50 cm from the edges of the damaged area in both directions and install wooden ties to a height of 2 - 3 crowns. For this purpose, you can use boards with a thickness of 40 mm, which must be nailed to the frame from the outside and from the inside. We drill holes in the first and last crown of the tie, into which we insert through tie-pins with a diameter of about 12 mm.
  • We cut out the damaged section of the log with a chainsaw and remove it.
  • In the repaired crown, we cut grooves 20 cm wide for a reliable connection with a new insert.
  • From a log of the same diameter, we cut out an insert equal in length to the sawn section with the same cuts at the ends.
  • We install the insert in place of the damaged area. A sledgehammer comes to the rescue here, which you need to hit through the bar
  • We drill three holes in the places of the cuts along the edges of the inserted log and insert wooden dowels into them to fasten the old and new logs.
  • In the process of work, you must not forget to caulk all the cracks with moss, jute or tow.

Thus, it is possible to replace not only one damaged area, but the entire lower crown, including the corners. It should be understood that such a crown will not be reliable enough, unlike the whole one, therefore, this technology of complete crown replacement should be used only in extreme cases or as a temporary measure.

Complete replacement of all lower rims of the house

Complete replacement of the crowns is a rather laborious task, as it involves sorting out the entire frame. For this, it is necessary that no one lives in the house, for example, in the case of the restoration of an old abandoned house, a bathhouse, or even a new log house. Often, this method is resorted to when replacing the upper roofing rims of the log house, which have suffered from excessive moisture.

Replacing a damaged crown with brickwork

It is possible to bring brickwork under a wooden house, both with and without raising the structure. It depends on the type of foundation of the house, on its age and on the amount of funds you want to invest in its renovation. In the case when the house has no foundation at all, and it lies on the ground, you can do without lifting. To do this, the damaged areas are cut out, and the resulting openings are filled with brickwork, the upper surface of which must rest against the solid logs of the upper crown.

Thus, it is gradually possible to change the entire lower crown with masonry, alternately removing its parts and replacing them with bricks. In this case, work must begin from the corners, providing a more reliable support in these places. The advantages of brickwork are well manifested in the case of an inclined position of the house. In this case, several crowns can be replaced with masonry at the lowest section, and only one place at a high place.

If the house has a foundation, it must be raised with several jacks. Both screw and hydraulic are suitable, although the latter are preferable. Initially, lifting is carried out from the corners, gradually placing supports under them. When the house is raised to the required height, the foundation surface is cleaned and brickwork is laid on it. When carrying out such a procedure, doors and windows must be removed without fail so as not to damage them.

Partial dismantling of the strip foundation

The above method with raising the house can only be applied if there is a columnar foundation. If it is tape, then it will not work to raise the house without partial destruction, since there will be nowhere to install jacks. In this case, 70 cm from each corner, niches must be hollowed out in the monolith, such that jacks can enter them. It is necessary to rest the jacks in good crowns, so the bottom one must be cut out at the places where the jacks are installed. It is worth noting that instead of a jack, you can sometimes use a long pipe as a lever. However, this is acceptable for a structure with low weight, such as a bathhouse or a small country house.

The log house is raised by 7 - 10 cm, after which the old rotten logs are taken out, which are replaced with new ones. After that, the destroyed sections of the foundation are repaired. The disadvantage of this method is the need to destroy the foundation, the strength of which after repair is significantly reduced.

Raising a wooden house with jacks and hanging it on special devices

In order to make a complete repair of the crowns and the foundation itself, it is necessary to completely raise the house on jacks. Well, if the house is located on a columnar foundation. This makes it possible to do without destruction. Between the posts, they simply install a solid base for the jack, which can be made from a concrete block.

All the same, first of all, you need to cut out a piece of an old log or several logs. For example, when replacing the three lowest rims, you need to cut out three logs, put a jack and rest it against a strong log of the fourth rim. This method is considered the most reliable and is used most often.

Sometimes it is advisable to hang a house on metal structures specially made for this purpose. They are made specifically for a particular house in size. This option is necessary for a quality repair of a wooden house or a complete replacement of the foundation.

The structure is made of metal channels and led under the frame. First, the log house is raised on several jacks, after which it is lowered onto a reliable support from channels. It is noteworthy that the support points of this design are placed outside the frame, which is more convenient and helps to leave the house in limbo until the concrete is completely dry.

Detailed instructions for raising the house to replace crowns

Since raising the house on jacks to replace crowns is the most common option, we will consider it in more detail. It must be taken into account that the process is quite complicated and time-consuming, therefore, it is better to hire a team of professional builders to carry out these works. In this case, the cost of performing work must be added to the cost of materials.

Before you raise the house you need to carefully prepare:

  • We remove frames and door panels and even boxes.
  • We take all the furniture out of the house.
  • If the floor is cut into the crown, it must be completely dismantled or installed on posts, separated from the crown. If the logs are attached to the walls above, then dismantling is not required.
  • Furnaces located in the house must be installed on independent foundations. Otherwise, the house cannot be raised without dismantling the furnaces.
  • Chimneys must be separated from the roof and ceiling.
  • We fasten the remaining crowns of the house with boards 40 mm thick, which are nailed vertically to the log house 50 cm from the corner of the house.
  • Boards must be placed on the inside and outside of the log house. We fix the upper and lower ends of the boards with through dowels, in order to avoid deformation of the walls when lifting.

After completing the preparatory work, you need to clear a place near the house for the convenience of work. The roof of the extensions to the house must be separated from the main building so that it does not collapse. Further work is carried out depending on the type of foundation.

With a columnar foundation

Raising a house that stands on a columnar foundation is much easier and more convenient.

  • We are preparing a niche for the jack, for which you will sometimes have to dig.
  • A strong support is being built under the jack.
  • We rest the head of the jack against the lower “healthy” log through a metal gasket.

You need to take 4 jacks, one for each side. We install them at a distance of 80 - 100 cm from the corners of the house.

With strip foundation

It is possible even in this case to do without destroying the foundation, but this will require a lot of effort:

  • In the replaceable crowns, we cut out windows under which it would be possible to insert a lever-log.
  • Inside the house, the floor must be dismantled so that the lever can freely enter the underground.
  • As such a lever, you can use a log, channel or chopping block.
  • Jacks are placed outside the house closer to the foundation.
  • A lever is inserted into the window and a strong support from a concrete block or a stack of boards is installed under its inner edge.
  • The outer end of the lever is placed on the jack.
  • Then the lever rises with a jack, and behind it the whole house. At this time, you need to put wedges between the surface of the foundation and the hung house.

After raising the house, we replace the rotten crown logs. Please note that the levers can only lift all sides in turn. Also, after the completion of the work, it will be necessary to repair the technological niche through which the lever was wound.

Replacing crown logs

After the house is hung on jacks, you can begin to replace the crowns. Each crown consists of a top and bottom log tied at the corners. The jacks should rest against the upper logs, which frees the lower logs, which can be easily removed. Instead of them, it is worth putting temporary supports abutting the next crown.

  1. Now the jacks should be lowered, along with which the upper dressing log will also be lowered. It must also be removed.
  2. Instead of the upper dressing logs, new ones are installed, which need to be adjusted in place.
  3. The top log is mounted on jacks and insulated with caulking material.
  4. Next, the jack must be raised along with the log, which is pressed against the log of the next crown.
  5. Raising the jack a little higher, along with the house, you need to remove temporary supports on all walls.
  6. Now you need to insert the lower strapping log, which is tedious to plan and fit under the counter log.
  7. Then it is placed on jacks and with caulking material and lifted, pressing against the counter log.

At this time, the released jacks on adjacent walls must be lowered. Before this, it is required to repair and waterproof the entire surface of the foundation to prevent damage to wood in the future.

Thus, replacing the crowns in a wooden house is a rather laborious task, but subject to all the technology, it is quite feasible.

The article was found by request:
  • crowns in the walls
  • crown replacement
  • replacement of the lower crown in a country house in the Leningrad region
  • how to replace the lower rims of a log house with your own hands
  • how to measure lower crown
  • change the crowns in the old samamu house
  • crown replacement technology at home

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Consumption ecology. Manor: Repair of the most vulnerable part of a wooden house - the lower rims - is a very laborious work. Usually it requires the involvement of specialized teams with the appropriate equipment, but in some cases it can be done by hand. It all depends on the type of foundation and the extent of damage to the wood of the lower crowns of the house.

Repair of the most vulnerable part of a wooden house - the lower rims - is a very time-consuming work. Usually it requires the involvement of specialized teams with the appropriate equipment, but in some cases it can be done by hand. It all depends on the type of foundation and the extent of damage to the wood of the lower crowns of the house.

Types of repair of the lower rims of the house

Consider the types of repairs, as well as the technology of work in each of the possible options.

Repair without raising the house:

  • with the replacement of the lower crown section;
  • complete replacement of the lower rims with fragments of logs;
  • replacing the lower crown with brickwork.

Repair with raising the house:

  • replacement of the crowns of a house with a pile (columnar) foundation;
  • replacement of the crowns of a house with a strip foundation.

The specified types of repair of the lower rims are arranged in order of increasing complexity of production. Replacement without raising the house can be done independently, without the involvement of outside help. Raising a house requires the synchronized efforts of at least two people working with jacks to avoid tilting and destroying the house, or sliding it off the foundation.

Preparing your home for crown replacement

The first stage of replacement is to strengthen the structure of the log house. Even if it is not planned to raise the house with jacks, it will be useful to strengthen the structure. For strengthening, a wooden beam with a thickness of at least 40 mm is used, located vertically along the outer and inner surface of the wall.

The lower edge of the timber should be located at the level of the crown that cannot be replaced, the upper edge - at the level of the upper crown of the log house. Screed bars are attached to the wall with nails. At the upper and lower points, they are fixed with a screed (dowels of at least 10 mm) through a through hole drilled in the wall (log). Screeds are located at a distance of 300-400 mm from the edge of the section of the crown to be replaced, or in all inter-window spaces of the wall.

Scheme for replacing a section of a log

First, the affected area of ​​the wood is determined. Visually it is difficult to understand how widespread the rot has spread. In order to accurately determine the damage, either a chisel is used, with which a log is chiseled from the side of the visible area of ​​​​the lesion, or a drill bit for wood, with which holes are drilled using an electric drill.

The state of the wood is determined by the state and color of the chips. Having decided on the area to be replaced, they retreat 200 mm to the sides of its borders, and a section of the lower crown is cut using a chain saw or electric saw. After that, waterproofing is laid on the foundation in two layers.

Replacing part of the crown. 1. Damaged area. 2. Cut out area with a margin of at least 10 cm from the identified damage. 3. Insert

In the unaffected areas of the lower crown, cuts are cut with a saw for more reliable fixation of the insert element. The lower part of the second crown is treated with an antiseptic. An insert is sawn from a log of the appropriate diameter, its length should be 10–20 mm shorter than the sawn section.

The length of the cut should correspond to that on the undamaged sections of the lower crown. After that, the insert is installed (hammered with a sledgehammer) into the opening and the existing slots are caulked with moss or other available material.

Thus, it is possible to gradually replace the entire perimeter of the rotten crown. The replacement starts from the corners from the lower log of the log dressing.

Alternatively, it is possible to replace the damaged area not with wooden inserts, but with brickwork.

Replacing a log house on a columnar (pile) foundation

This is an easier option since it does not require the destruction of the foundation. The distance between the piles or foundation posts is usually sufficient for the installation of jacks. To prevent the log house from deforming and sliding off the posts, it is desirable to lift the house synchronously from all four corners of a simple rectangular log house. Only in extreme cases is it possible to lift only one side of the house.

The jacks are brought under the upper log of the log dressing. A support is placed under the jack to prevent falling into the ground (wooden shield at least 500x500 mm). The jack rod should not rest directly on the log, but have a metal gasket-plate. After lifting with jacks, the lower dressing log is released from the load and can be replaced. Temporary supports made of logs or bricks are installed on it and jacks are lowered.

Simultaneously with the jacks, the upper logs of the log dressing will also be lowered. They are also replaced and immediately jacked up. After that, temporary supports are removed from the lower dressing logs and the jacks are lowered. The frame falls into place.

Replacing the crowns of a log house on a strip foundation

This work is the most difficult, because it requires either partial destruction of the foundation to form niches for installing jacks, or the use of a lever system for raising the corners of the house.

The replacement of the crowns, as in the case of a columnar foundation, begins with the replacement of the lower logs of the ligation of the log house. To do this, niches are shuffled in the foundation at a distance of 200–300 mm from the corners of the house under the upper dressing logs. After installing the jacks, the replacement procedure is similar to that described above.

When using a lever system, the destruction of the foundation is not required. The initial stage is to sample half the thickness of the upper log of the log dressing at 1000–1500 mm from its edge from all four corners of the log house.

After that, a metal channel or rail is laid in the formed niche, and with the help of a jack the corner of the house is raised. As it rises between the foundation and the channel (rail), wooden wedges are driven in until the lower dressing log is released from the load. It is removed and replaced with temporary supports.

Next, wedges are knocked out between the channel and the foundation and taken out. The upper dressing log is released and can be replaced with a new one. After that, the channel or rail is re-installed and the house is also raised using wedges. Temporary supports are removed and new lower logs of the log dressing are laid. Lowering the jacks and knocking out the wedges, they lower the log house onto the lower dressing log. The log fell into place.

Despite the technology of replacing the lower rims of wooden log cabins, which has been worked out over the centuries, this work still remains very laborious and requires great physical strength. It is impossible to do it alone. But the point is not only in physical activity, but also in the need to synchronize the rise of the log house at the same time in 2 or 4 points. And with a complex structure of the log house - in an even greater number of points. However, replacing only the lower rims is a much less time consuming process than a complete bulkhead of the entire log house. published