Do-it-yourself wooden frame - advice from an experienced carpenter. How to raise a wooden house on jacks

Home -> -> Build & Craft -> Log Lift

When building a log house, one of the most difficult operations is lifting the log to the top of the building.

Carpenters lift logs with ropes, dragging them along logs placed at an angle to the wall. A freshly cut log with a diameter of 30 cm weighs up to 400 kg, a dry log (moisture content 12%) weighs 250 - 270 kg. 4 people will be able to drag a dry log upstairs, and 6 people will be needed to lift a freshly cut log. This operation is difficult and dreary, so professionals often use a crane in their work.

If a team works for you, then there are no special questions about lifting logs to the wall. What if there are two of you, or are you alone? Often, it is the log lifting operation that is the reason for the refusal to build a wooden structure.

I cut down a bathhouse 5m by 5m alone in five months. He chopped after work and on weekends and during holidays, not depending on anyone and not adapting to anyone, because the main problem - lifting heavy logs to the wall was solved with the help of a lift.

I want to talk about the design of my lift.

And now, in order.

1. Lifting mechanism.

2. Transport device.

3. Pillars.

The total length of the posts is 5m. Above the ground - 4m, we dig in -1m. The log diameter of the pillar is 16 - 18cm.

4. Beam.

As a beam, we use a beam 6 m long, with a section of 10 cm by 20 cm. According to the calculation, a beam with such a cross section and a length of 5 m will withstand a load of up to 1000 kg in the middle.

5. Assembly of the lift.

Lift in operation:

6. Safety measures when working with the lift.

1. Be sure to wear a helmet! I personally learned from bitter experience when, after an unsuccessful jerk, the upper piece of iron fell on my head. So, as the blow fell on a tangent, I got off lightly - cut skin and a bump. Therefore, do not neglect this rule, and always work in a helmet.

2. Use cables with a diameter of at least 5mm.

3. When lifting and pushing the log, keep the travel mechanism in sight at all times.

4. Never, even for a second, crawl under a raised log.

5. If you have electricity at your construction site, it is much safer to use electric hoist, since during the lifting of the load, you will be on the sidelines.

6. Lift only one log at a time. The maximum diameter of a freshly cut log to be lifted is 30 cm.

7. Before using the lift, be sure to test it to make sure it is reliable. To this end, we cling two logs with a diameter of 20 - 22 cm, which, observing the precautionary measures, we gradually raise. In the process of lifting, we carefully monitor all elements of the lift. Raising the logs by 30 - 50 cm, we keep them in this position for 15 - 20 minutes. If during this time no changes or breakdowns have occurred, the design is reliable, and you can safely operate it.

The wall can collapse or the log house of the house can strongly enter the ground with one corner or side for several reasons - from seasonal movement (thawing) of too soft soil, to a cracked foundation or rotten crowns. In any case, for repairs you will need raise the frame of the house. It seems to be impossible to do so. But, in fact, it is a difficult, time-consuming, but doable job.

Building guidelines say that renovating is always more difficult than building from scratch. BUT overhaul sweat technologies- much more difficult. So the sooner you find a problem, the better less strength will have to spend to solve it. And the solutions may be different depending on what served as the collapse log house. But there are several commonly used techniques, methods and advice.

If there is a suspicion that the lower crowns are rotting (more often on the north side), then they and the basement part outside and inside must be cleaned of everything that is nearby - from sheathing, siding - everything to the ground on which the house stands. Tap all the logs with a hammer to understand where the sore spot is.

But you still need to understand - from what it comes - whether it's just rotten sections of the log, or bad waterproofing, or the foundation is crumbling, or the soil "walks" ... Naturally, the reason needs to be removed. Because otherwise you will have to fix the rickety frame again in 5 years.

Most main tool in this case - a jack. But, of course, an ordinary car will not work. Is that hydraulic from a heavy truck with a carrying capacity above 5 tons. You can contact the railroad. It is better that there are several jacks, but, under certain conditions.

When the log house is located on corner supports (with intermediate auxiliary ones), then it is easy to install a jack under the log itself or a bar 150x150. But if you have strip foundation, then through holes are hollowed out in the damaged log, a lever is inserted there and, with the help of a jack (outside the log house), they are raised. Note that inside the end of the beam must be on a rigid support.

You have to work very slowly and carefully. If there are several jacks, then try synchronously. If you work with one jack, then lift 2 centimeters at a time, install a support and move to another lifting point - especially if the wall is large.

Please note that during work, the load may be redistributed, and rotten logs may break. It is better to remove the degraded pieces in advance. When working with such a weight, it is necessary that any jack that you use has a strong rigid support - at least a wooden shield 0.5 by 0.5 meters from durable boards or a disk from a load wheel, a metal plate, etc. Prepare supports of different heights in advance - strong boards, concrete blocks, logs - in short, everything that does not break under such weight and does not go into the ground itself.

Naturally, when the repair or replacement of a log or part of the foundation has taken place, we work with jacks in the reverse order, gradually “sit down” the log house in its original place, not forgetting to put interventional insulation made of jute under the new logs.

Our company provides services for raising log cabins wooden houses. Considering that in each case this work is individual and unique, inspection and consultation of an experienced master is required. The cost of the service for the departure of the master to the place of performance of these works for consultation and preparation of estimates is 5000 rubles.

The question is how to raise wooden house do-it-yourself becomes relevant either if it is necessary to replace the lower crowns, or if you intend to fill in a new one or restore the foundation in other ways. In any case, the building moves vertically on several jacks, temporarily supported by concrete blocks, wooden logs or special welded goats.

The main problems during lifting are the possible collapse of the structure or the violation of the geometry of wall materials relative to each other.

Location of jacks

Because of the diversity repair work do-it-yourself necessary different ways fixing the jack to the lower strapping beam (half-timbered, panel, panel, frame house), the lower crown (log house).

For example, to repair the foundation, jacks can be brought in any convenient place. If it is planned to replace the crown, it is necessary to ensure its dismantling after lifting - the head of the lifting device is installed on the adjacent wall.

Please note that a reliable lining is required not only under the base of the jack, but also under its head, so as not to destroy the lower crown.

Less often there is a need for local repair (a corner sank) with bulls, strengthening the soil under the foundation. In this case, the jacks are located closer to the corners.

Before starting work, it is necessary to find out the main points that significantly affect the construction estimate:

• wall construction - usually the length of a log, a beam in a log house is limited to 6 m, if the dimensions of the building are larger, then the crowns were spliced ​​from several elements, in addition to the mandatory jacks at the corners, additional ones will be required at the joints;
• weight of the building - the load capacity of the jacks should be selected with a minimum margin of 30%, for this you need to calculate the prefabricated loads by multiplying the cubic capacity of the wall by the density of the timber (about 800 kg / m3), adding the weight of the ceilings, roofing, cladding;
• lining internal walls- with systems of drywall sheets, plasters, everything is more complicated, in order to avoid repairing interiors, the walls will have to be fastened from the outside with boards (5 cm thick), placing them vertically near each corner, screwing 2 screws into each crown;
• the nature of the soil - the sole of the jack should not sink into the ground at the most crucial moment, therefore it is necessary to increase the area of ​​\u200b\u200bsupport with boards, wall concrete blocks;
• lifting height - the working stroke of the hydraulic jack rod is limited, so you can use linings or rods from a bar of 10 x 10 - 15 x 15 cm as you lift;
• duration of repair - it is not recommended to support the building on jacks for a long time, it is better to use temporary supports with flat and wide surfaces.

Thus, it is possible to restore the old foundation by alternately raising the sides of the house and placing temporary supports until the design height is reached. In places where jacks are placed under the house, you will have to break through the old foundation from the lower crown to the ground, the width of the hole should be such that you can place the jack and temporary supports at the same time.

Another option for lining under the head of the jack.

To drywall interior decoration did not burst, the plaster did not crack, it is better to raise all corners at the same time. In this case, you will need a separate coordinator who gives voice commands to all participants at different corners of the cottage. This method is suitable for small buildings (no more than 6x6 meters). For massive buildings, there are special systems of computer-controlled jacks, with the help of which the house is raised simultaneously and evenly. But this is no longer a budget repair.

Practice shows that six 20 t jacks are enough for the simultaneous safe lifting of two-story large-sized log cabins from a calibrated log in order to replace the foundation, strengthen it with clips or screw piles. If you raise the sides of the house one by one, gradually increasing the temporary supports, 2 jacks are enough.

After lifting the house, a reinforcing cage is made for a new foundation.

Having decided on the number of jacks, their locations on the wall sections, it is necessary to ensure reliable support of the sole of the tool, widen the head of the rod so that it does not push through the timber, and find reliable linings for the jacks.

In order to pour a new foundation with maximum comfort, the dwelling is usually raised to the planned level of pouring from the ground. Therefore, depending on the type of repair, it is necessary to perform the following operations:

• compact the platforms under the soles of the jacks;
• partially disassemble the old foundation with your own hands;
• place wide supports under the lifting equipment;
• cut out a piece of the lower crown with a chainsaw if it is planned to be replaced.

After laying the reinforcement cage, the formwork is set up, temporary supports are cut off by vertical partitions, through which reinforcement is released for the next stage of pouring.

To increase the support surface of the rod, bars are used that have a rounded recess in the upper part, into which the old log crown fits comfortably, you can also use a channel or thick sheet steel.

Rise order

In order not to destroy the operated foundation when replacing crowns, you can increase the number of jacks:

• through cuts are created in the lower crowns that require replacement;
• the finishing and draft floor is opened;
• perpendicular to the walls, metal beams (channel) are brought under them;
• under the outer ends of which 8 jacks are brought in (2 at each corner of the long side).

For partial repair of the foundation in this way, correspondingly less lifting equipment will be required. The main requirements for moving a home with your own hands vertically are:

• rigid fixation of wall elements relative to each other with vertically sewn boards;
• rise at one time by 4 cm (side), 2 - 3 cm (corner), if the building rises completely and at the same time, there are no restrictions, but it is necessary to constantly control the horizontal of all walls;
• lifting should be as uniform as possible;
• the strength of temporary supports must be sufficient, they must be resistant to blockage, because wind loads act on the house;
• prepared set of gaskets, serviceability of jacks.

Important: Before lifting, it is necessary to check the chimney passage nodes, the interfaces of structures resting on separate foundations.

For example, heavy furnaces (more than 400 kg) are mounted on slab bases that are not connected with the foundation of the building. Chimneys pass through ceilings and roofs. When the log cabin is raised, the pipes or structures of the house may be destroyed, since the chimney and stove remain in place. Therefore, it may be necessary to partially dismantle the roof, cutting in the ceiling, factory ceiling passage units.

Internal stairs can also be based on independent foundations, which threatens to collapse the floor beams, to which stringers and bowstrings of structures are usually attached. There is a porch on separate pillars, which should ideally be separated from the building by a technological seam. In practice, the elements of the porch are often associated with the house, which also threatens to destroy a less durable structure.

To reduce loads, it is recommended to remove furniture and heavy equipment, turn off permanently connected electrical appliances. In 60% of cases, an opening of the subfloor is required, providing access to the foundation and crowns from the inside. It is better to dismantle metal prefabricated chimneys, with brick pipes this cannot be done.

Partially poured new foundation. Then the temporary supports are removed and the rest of the foundation is poured.

Even if there is no need for rigid fixation of the crowns with vertical boards, the lower 3 rows must be connected with brackets (step 1 - 2 m). Simultaneously with the lifting of the jack rod, wedges are inserted under the rims to ensure safety in case of accidental failure of the working tool. Later they are replaced with 5 cm board cuts, laying a wedge on top of it to continue the lifting operation.

The frequency of retaining pillars depends on the weight of the building; it is not recommended to place them less than 1.5 m in order to avoid sagging of the lower rims left without support.

The fresh concrete of the reinforcing clips cannot be loaded with the weight of the cottage. The minimum period for gaining 90% strength is 28 days. It is this period that is necessary to complete the hydration of the cement inside the concrete mixture.

In the first three days, standard concrete care is required - a wet compress of sawdust or sand. If the change of crowns is not accompanied by a strengthening of the foundation, it is possible to lower the log cottage to the place of operation immediately, controlling the geometry in certain areas. Caulking is produced according to standard technology.

To pour the foundation around the existing one (concrete casing technology), it is necessary to arrange temporary supports in such a way that they do not interfere with the installation of reinforcing cages and concreting into the formwork. IN difficult cases pouring is carried out in separate sections, rearranging the gaskets as necessary.

In order to fill the foundation not in parts, but in one go, they make special welded goats that do not interfere with passing reinforcement through them and pouring concrete.

If you plan to fill a new foundation, then you can use the following technology:

• temporary supports are replaced with special welded goats (from a corner or thick reinforcement), which are schematically shown in the figure above;
• then the reinforcement of the future foundation is passed through the goats, the formwork is exposed and concrete is poured.

This technology allows you to pour a new tape not in parts, but in one go, as it should be.

Remember that lifting a house is a rather dangerous operation, especially in the absence of experience. Therefore, if you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to entrust this matter to professionals.

Advice! If you need contractors, there is a very convenient service for their selection. Just send in the form below detailed description work that needs to be done and offers with prices from construction teams and firms will come to your mail. You can see reviews of each of them and photos with examples of work. It's FREE and there's no obligation.

Since a log house is erected once and, as a rule, for a lifetime, you should not choose a cheaper offer. You can somewhat reduce the cost of construction if you build a log house on your own under control experienced builder. It depends on the skill of the carpenter appearance log house and its durability. I. TUGARINOV, who worked in the timber industry for 40 years and cut down more than a dozen houses and baths with his own hands, shared carpentry secrets with our readers.

10 CARPENTRY Tricks

Having decided to put a log house on your own, first of all, sort the logs by diameter. Log cabins look much better, the logs in which are selected strictly in diameter, from thicker to thin in the upper rows. Curved logs will go to the walls between windows, from corners to windows or at doors. If a crooked long log is cut into short ones, the curvature will be barely noticeable.

1. The felling begins to be cut from the thickest logs, gradually moving to thinner ones (it’s easier to lift them to a height, and the log house seems higher than it actually is). I take logs for one log house with a difference in diameter of no more than 6 cm. But here it is important to make a smooth, uniform transition to thinner logs, then the difference is not noticeable (photos 1 and 2).

2. Before starting the felling of the log house, you need to choose a place to work. If it is not possible to mechanize the lifting and turning of logs, and the team is small, then I do this: I unload the brought logs onto spacers (I lay 2 thin even logs at a distance of 0.5-1 m from the ends of the logs) to a place located, if possible, a little higher above the place for cutting the log house: it is more convenient to roll the logs, and not to drag them end-to-end. To move under the logs, I put meter-long short round cuts, having prepared them in advance. I immediately roll the thickest logs closer to the felling site. A hand winch makes the job easier, but it’s faster to do everything with light crowbars up to 2 m long or strong wooden stakes.

Z. The felling begins to be cut on a horizontal platform. If it is necessary to turn the log with its top in the right direction, this log is rolled in the middle onto a segment of another log so that the ends of the unfolded log are in the air: it is easy to unfold it.

4. Raising the logs to the log cabin manually, they can be rolled up to the height of the chest, standing on the ground, with the help of slopes.. The slopes are laid on the log house like this. so that 50-100 cm remain until the ends of the rolled log: then the opposite end of the log will work as a counterweight and it will be easier to correct the log, which will warp due to the difference in the diameters of the top and the butt.

It is easier and safer to lift logs above chest level with ropes and slats (Fig. 1). To do this, inside the log house at chest level, it is much safer to pull the scaffolding by the end of the rope, being above the rolled log (photo 3). The rope is passed under the log and well fixed at the top of the log house. The rolled log, rotating, works like a block, halving the load on the traction end of the rope. The fastening knot is the simplest, with a loop like on shoes, it holds perfectly and is easily untied (photo 4). In the same way, you can lift logs for ceiling beams, rafters and rafters.

Safety precautions: it is safer to roll logs together when both builders are upstairs, on the scaffolding inside the log house, and not outside. The end of the rope must be well secured to internal scaffolding or to specially hammered building brackets. Both workers must have strong stakes or bars (1.5 m long) so that, if necessary, they can use a lever to direct a new log to the log house.

While one is working with a lever, the other holds his end of the log with a rope, preventing it from rotating and sliding down. The ropes are gradually shifted along the log to its middle. If you work alone, you have to alternately drag the log at one end by about 1 m, then fix this end of the rope and cross the scaffolding to lift the second end of the log. Working together using this technology, we lifted 6-meter logs with a diameter of up to 24 cm to the top of the log house.

5. To cut a row, first lay two adjacent logs side by side.: top to top, butt to butt. In the next row, the log should be laid with its top on the butt of the previous row: this is how the corners of the same height are obtained.

6. Having cut down 6-7 rows of a log house, on the last tape measure the height of the corners from the logs is verified, on which they began to cut the first row of the log house, to the top of the last laid log. If there is a difference in height in the corners, it is leveled either by picking up a runaway log for cutting the next row, or by cutting out a more (or less) deep groove and bowl in the next row of the log house, but in no case deviating more than 2 cm from the usual.

7. Logs with slight curvature can be used for felling, if you lay them one on top of the other curvature up. Such a bend, the same on several logs in a row, will not be noticeable to the eye, and when the log is dried, it will also partially decrease.

8. Having removed the upper (sixth or seventh) row, it is laid on an adjacent horizontal platform. And then they continue cutting the log house to the desired total height. For a number of reasons, they often cut not in one, but in two or three piles. The verticality of the corners is controlled by a plumb line, moving away from the log house by several meters. When moving to the cutting of the beginning of the second pile, the row taken from the first is very important.

Stacks, exactly set to the same position horizontally and corner heights. You can use, if available, a level, level, and other tools.

9. When cutting into a bowl, it is cut down to a depth of up to the middle of the log, and the obligatory first row So, despite the difference in diameters of the tops and butts of different logs, you can adjust the depth of the groove (of course, within reason). Otherwise, at some stage, you will have to make very deep bowls, such an angle can simply fall off when disassembling, transporting, loading a log house.

As for the shkans, when cutting small (less than 6 × 6 m) log cabins from whole logs, they can be omitted. But in this case, it is better to cut the rafters a little into top row buffed (photo 6): this guarantees the stability of the log house even in the event of an earthquake or, which sometimes happens, a collision with construction equipment. If the logs lie in grooves with a depth of at least 4 cm, and the ends hold the bowls or the correct "paws", then manually such a log, without raising the upper part of the house, can neither be pulled out nor shaken.

Be sure to check the log cabins from the timber: there are no grooves, and corner connections weakly hold the beam from displacement.

Scanners used to be made of wood, rectangular, about 2.5 × 4 cm in cross section and 8-10 cm long, the nest for the scant was hollowed out with a chisel. Now, with the advent of powerful electric drills, they drill holes for a scale with a diameter of up to 25 mm directly through the last laid beam or log, deepen it into the previous row by 3-4 cm, leaving a gap of 2-3 cm above the scale for shrinkage during shrinkage.

Only log cabins, assembled at a permanent place for insulation, flutter. Even one obliquely installed scale will not allow the log to settle down, and in a year or two a gap will form in this place, the structure will be blown through. It is not easy to find such a place, even an additional caulk will not always help out, it will have to be repeated. In addition, a groove with an additional caulk will spoil the look of the log house. If the log house is supposed to be trimmed with siding or clapboard, then additional caulking is generally impossible.

Choosing the best wood for felling

The best material for a log house, logs with low density and dense wood.

This is formed by trees grown but in poor soils in dense, frequent plantings in places with a short growing season. This is not only the Arkhangelsk forest, but also the Vologda, Kostroma forests. Such wood is brought from the Komi Republic.

You can independently determine the time of harvesting timber using a moisture meter, the weight of the log, and also by the bark if it exists.

The fact is that after 1.5-2 months after harvesting, the bark, previously easily separated, begins to dry out in the period from April to June.

It is not worth buying last year's logs - the wood in the bark suffocates, and loses its strength, pests start up in it. According to the classification, this is attributed to the 2nd and even 3rd grade.

On older logs, the bark simply crumbles; it is impossible to use such a forest for construction.

A log debarked shortly after felling, which does not have internal rot, when struck with the butt of an ax, makes a sonorous sound, and a rotten or late debarked one makes a dull sound.

A late debarked log dries more slowly and is always heavier.

Lumber mills harvest wood all year round and logs are made of standard length, (4 or 6 meters).

If your log house has custom size, it is cheaper to order logs of non-standard length.

But in this case, it is especially important that the calculations are made by a competent builder, taking into account the cutting method.

When purchasing a forest, be sure to ask the driver for documents - in particular, an invoice that remains with the consignee, as well as a sanitary certificate (but not all shippers, however, take it), which indicates that the cargo is not infected with any diseases and pests. All these documents indicate the place of shipment of logs, it is located not far from the harvester.

The most common log diameter now is 18-22 cm (measured by the top cut). Do I need to buy logs of greater thickness?

They cost significantly more, but if the log house is folded incorrectly or the groove between the logs is blown, the costs will not pay off.

As for the groove, its width should be at least 12 cm, if in your area in winter the thermometer drops to 30 *. Ideally, the logs should be brought close to each other so that a match can be inserted between them (photo 5). For baths, sometimes a log with a thickness of 16 cm or more is used, respectively, and the grooves will be narrower.

WHEN BUYING A READY LOGO (or controlling the quality of work of workers), pay attention to:

1) the horizontality of the bottom of the first row;

2) the verticality of the corners (according to the level (photo 8) or a plumb line, any weight on a strong thread will be a plumb line);

3) the height of the log house at the corners must be the same;

4) the gaps between the logs, in the bowls and other joints of the valley should be minimal, when the log cabin is dried, they will increase even more;

5) log wood should have a healthy appearance and color, especially at the ends;

6) you can raise the upper log of the log house and measure the width of the groove - not less than -10 cm;

7) the depth of all bowls should be up to the middle of the log.

How to cut?

A house cut down with a bowl will last longer.

But such work is more laborious, so many carpenters have switched to cutting the bowl from above. Not knowing the nuance customers receive a less durable frame.

There are the following types of log cabins: into the bowl with different locks in the hook(photo 7) (gives the warmest corners, but very laborious), under the bracket, in the valley with various hidden spikes and without thorns in ryag and in okryatka.

All types can be with or without scales, if the grooves are accurate and deep.

Log cabins chopped under the bracket are rare. This is an old method of rounding logs with an ax, under the same diameter of the top and butt. Such a log house (processed with an ax, planer or scraper) is more durable than the one whose logs have been factory rounded.

In RYAZH, this is a cutting into a bowl without grooves. So they cut rows for bridges, sometimes they did temporary winter houses for hunters and fishermen in the forest. More moss was put into the grooves, but they were not cut down. Sometimes the logs were laid in the bark, only warmed from above with moss or earth.

felling in Okhryapku involves sawing or cutting out a rectangular bowl. It holds especially well in the boar if rectangular bowls are made in the upper and lower logs - each 1/2 deep. So I cut down the rafters: such a connection works like an upper lock for the whole log house better than shkans.

SEPARATELY I WANT TO MENTION THE FOUNDATION FOR THE LOG.

For log houses, it is made at least 30 cm high from the ground - to protect the lower log from water splashes and moist air accumulating near the soil surface. In addition, all lower crowns must be completely treated with an antiseptic.

MUCH HAS CHANGED IN HOUSING CONSTRUCTION: AND THE LOGS ARE CYLINDERED, AND THE GROWS ARE MILLED, AND THE SEAMS ARE SEALED WITH NEW MATERIALS.

BUT, IN ESSENCE, THE TECHNOLOGY OF ASSEMBLING THE LOGO REMAINS TRADITIONAL. HOWEVER, CARPENTERS ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO SIMPLIFY THEIR CONSTRUCTION.

Photo: A. Matveychuk. Picture: In Davydov.

The proposed method is very simple and not worse than all the others. To assemble the house, you will need a chainsaw and 20 m of knitting wire about 6 mm for staples.

A tarred lining board is laid on the foundation along the roofing material.

To join the first row, you should decide on the geometry of the joint and make a template for your wall material. The cutting plane runs along the moon-shaped groove to the 45-degree notch of the oval edge of the log. After fitting the two logs, you should get a tight, beautiful angle, which is insulated with linen and pulled together with a connecting bracket. Holes are drilled along the axis of the log for dowels to connect the upper log to the lower one.

The second and all subsequent rows are hemmed and laid in the same way, but in a checkerboard pattern and with trimming the edge of the lunar groove. The rows are connected with dowels and caulked. As a result, due to the shift of the rows, the corner of the house is not blown through and looks quite decent.

The interior is finished. The outer part of the corner can also be cut and stuffed with boards for additional insulation and blowout protection (see illustration).

Buildings made of logs and timber are durable, they can serve for tens and even hundreds of years. However, time has a destructive effect on the most durable materials, so sooner or later the foundation will require repair. Rotting often affects the lower crowns, after which the house will gradually begin to fall sideways.

To prevent the destruction of the building, it is necessary to overhaul the foundation and replace the lower rims. The first stage of this work is raising the log house with a jack, which is important to carry out with the most accurate observance of technology.

How can you raise a log house

Raising the log house with a jack is the only way to provide access to the foundation without dismantling the building itself. With due care, it is possible to raise the building with minimal damage, replace rickety or destroyed pillars, and also remove the lower logs, after which the frame is lowered into place.

The same work is carried out if the building began to go into the ground after the destruction of the foundation. IN countryside you can still find old log cabins placed on wooden decks: such a foundation has a minimum service life, and it still has to be changed.

To carefully raise the structure, it is better to use several jacks, the carrying capacity of which is at least 5 tons. They can be hydraulic or mechanical, often using a screw jack for a log house.

It is important to make sure that everything necessary for work is delivered to the construction site in advance: the sooner the work is completed, the better. It is impossible to keep the log house raised for a long time, this can lead to very serious consequences.

How to raise a log house with jacks? Before starting the ascent itself, several preparatory steps should be performed:

• The basement cladding is disassembled (if any), you need to clear access to the foundation around the entire perimeter. A trench is being dug, which will allow you to see the base of the house in full and assess the damage.
• The condition of the lower rims is checked: they should be examined, tapping with a hammer will determine the presence of sore spots. If there are signs of decay or deep cracks, the lower crown must be replaced.

In addition, it is important to determine the cause: the logs rot due to improper waterproofing, initially of poor quality, cracks may appear due to soil movements, etc. If the cause of the damage is not eliminated, the repair will have to be repeated very soon.

• It is advisable to prepare the house in advance to prevent possible damage: remove window sashes in order not to damage the glass, temporarily remove the doors from the hinges, sometimes the subfloor is dismantled.
• Everything needs to be delivered to the site for work: jacks for raising log cabins, material for the foundation, material for temporary supports, prepared logs for a new lower crown, etc.

Care must also be taken to ensure that the jacks are installed on a solid substrate that can support the weight of the house and not sink into the ground. It can be a solid metal plate or at least a square wooden shield with a side of at least half a meter.

Log lifting technology

Raising a log house with a jack is not an easy task, but it is quite doable. It is important to take your time to avoid any serious damage.

If the building has a columnar foundation, it will not be difficult to put jacks under the lower crown, but if the building has a strip foundation, recesses will have to be made in the logs. In this case, in the log you need to do through hole, into which the lever is inserted and the wall is raised with a jack.

The main stages of work on lifting the log house with your own hands:

If a columnar base is used, the destroyed columns are broken and removed, after which they are replaced with new ones. If the house has a strip foundation, it will be necessary to remove the remains of the destroyed base, deepen the trench and pour a layer of sand on the bottom.

Reinforcement is laid in the trench, formwork is installed, after which a new foundation for the house is poured. If the foundation has only minor damage, it is simply fastened with an additional monolithic concrete belt.

Lowering the log house after repairing the foundation

When the restoration work is completed, the building must be properly lowered into place. In order not to damage the log house, the jack is also moved gradually: the reverse work is performed. A jack is installed, a support is removed, after which part of the building is slightly lowered, a temporary support is placed, and you can go to the next point.

It is important not to rush: it is very easy to damage the structure, and the repair will be extremely difficult. Work on lifting the log house is not carried out alone, it is better to first consult with experienced builders.

Repairing the foundation is expensive, but as a result, the house can be given a second life. After reconstruction, the building will be able to serve for decades more, and if the repair technology has been fully observed, it will be possible to avoid cracks and other damage to the house.