To build a frame house correctly, you need to take into account several points. Most of this work does not require the use of special equipment, and, as a result, the overall cost of construction is significantly reduced. In view of this, such houses are considered to be among the most affordable solutions.
In this article, we will tell you what you need to build a frame house with your own hands. However, it should be taken into account that in any case, you cannot do without the help of experienced specialists and consultants in this matter. It is impossible to be an expert in all areas, and valuable advice can help you speed up the construction process and perform all the work efficiently.
In this article, we will describe the general construction algorithm, and also consider some key points that need to be taken into account.
Selection of tools and materials
Any construction is impossible without the use of tools and building materials. One of the advantages of a frame house is that its construction does not require the use of massive special equipment. This allows you to limit yourself to a relatively small set of tools, which may vary depending on the specific project.
List of materials required:
- concrete
- boards and beams
- piles
- plywood
- materials for vapor and waterproofing
- nails, etc.
List of tools required:
- screwdriver set
- hammer
- building level
- perforator
- drill
- roulette
- stairs, etc.
The process of preparing for the construction of a frame house
Often, the initial work of building a frame house includes preparing the site and marking out the building. However, one should not underestimate the time and financial costs of developing and purchasing a ready-made house project, as well as the process of coordinating with local authorities. In addition, it is necessary to purchase and study the site itself before starting construction.
Before you start building a timber frame house, it is recommended to clear the area of vegetation and debris for more accurate measurements, as they affect the measurement error. A construction site with unevenness or a slope must be leveled beforehand. These activities will take some time, but this will greatly simplify the subsequent stages of construction.
High-quality site preparation will facilitate the process of marking out the house, will allow you to create a layout with even wall angles and will avoid wasting time on correcting errors and inaccuracies.
How to build a foundation for a frame house
Marking out the foundation of a building is usually done with pegs and rope. This marking includes defining external and internal partitions. A frame house has a wide range of foundation types that can be used on almost any type of soil. Restrictions may only arise depending on the type of soil on the site and budgetary constraints.
The pile-screw foundation is perfect for building a frame house. It has a number of advantages:
- light weight
- affordable cost
- ideal for loose or unstable soils
- Possibility of installation without special equipment
- easy installation
- high speed of construction completion
- wide range of options
- Possibility of installation at any time of the year
The main disadvantage of such a foundation is the impossibility of creating a basement.
The choice of pipe diameter and pile installation pitch depends on the type of structure.
Features of pile installation
It is necessary to take into account the soil characteristics when installing piles. If the soil is clayey, it is recommended to carry out work in good weather and drill holes for piles at right angles. Before starting to screw in piles, it is necessary to level the area to ensure maximum accuracy of the work. After this, install reinforcement bars at the corners, connecting them with a rope.
The piles are then installed to the required depth, preferably with the participation of two people: one screws the pile, and the other holds it in a vertical position. After this, markings are made inside the perimeter and the remaining piles are installed. The piles are cut to the required level, the shafts are concreted, and the heads are installed on them.
How to make a timber frame
To give rigidity to the foundation, create a base for the future floor and evenly distribute the load on the foundation, strapping is performed using beams, the size of which depends on the thickness of the walls and the distance between the piles.
The stages of work include:
- treating the beams with an antiseptic, covering the tops with mastic and laying roofing felt to ensure good waterproofing;
- laying beams along the entire perimeter of the foundation, connecting them with nails. Corner joints are reinforced with metal corners secured with nails;
- if the length of the load-bearing walls exceeds the length of the beams, the beams are joined with an overlap of 20-30 cm to ensure strength. The beams in the frame should not sag;
- then holes are drilled in the foundation heads and the beams themselves. The strapping and piles are connected using bolts and studs. Excess parts of the fasteners are deepened inside the beam for the convenience of subsequent work.;
- After completing the external strapping, they begin the internal one. The work is carried out in a similar manner, the internal beams are attached to the external ones using metal corners to strengthen the connection.
Installation of the floor of a frame house
To prevent problems in the future, it is necessary to install basic communications in advance. Although electricity and gas can be connected later, planning their location in advance will greatly simplify the work and save time.
Installation of the floor of a frame house begins with the installation of joists, i.e. beams laid on top of the frame.
The choice of joist sizes depends on the distance between the supports. If the distance is about four meters, joists measuring 10×20 cm or 10×15 cm are selected. If the distance is less than 3 meters, a 5×15 cm board can be used, or preferably 5×20 cm.
The stages of installing the logs are as follows:
- choosing the distance between the joists, which usually depends on the insulation. For example, with a 70 cm wide insulation, the distance between the joists is 68-67 cm for tight laying of the insulation;
- installation is carried out on the frame using nails and corners. The joists are not installed at the same level with the frame to create the possibility of closing all the holes in the perimeter. The joists are shifted by 5 cm from the edge to make it possible to install an additional row of boards 5 cm wide perpendicular to the joists;
- to strengthen the resulting structure, a board measuring 5×15 cm or 5×20 cm is installed between the joists, depending on the height of the joists;
- a board measuring 100×25 mm or 150×25 mm is attached to the bottom perpendicular to the joists and secured with self-tapping screws;
- The final stage is waterproofing.
Stages of floor insulation:
- laying insulation in several layers between the joists depending on climatic conditions and the required thermal insulation;
- a vapor barrier is stretched over the insulation;
- plywood, OSB boards or planks are mounted on top of the vapor barrier.
Installation of walls of a frame house
The wall blanks should be 15 cm lower than the ceiling height in the future house. This is explained as follows: 5 cm is subtracted from the bottom for the floor level, 10 cm is subtracted from the top for the upper trim.
Regular boards are also used to assemble wall frames. The distance between the boards depends on the width of the insulation used. In order for the insulation to be tightly laid between the wall posts, a few centimeters are subtracted from this width.
Then two boards of the future partition are laid along, on which the position of the longitudinal posts is marked. Then the posts are laid and fastened with nails. Metal corners are used to create additional rigidity.
Lintels can be used to reinforce the walls. As in the previous stages, nails, studs and metal corners are used when installing the walls.
Most partitions in a frame house can be assembled from boards measuring 5×15 cm or 5×20 cm, depending on the insulation and the thickness of the walls and the insulation used. We recommend using a denser insulation.
After assembling the frame blanks, they begin their installation. The frame is installed in place, connected to the floor and supported by a beam or board at an angle. All other walls are set up in the same way.
Then the upper strapping is done. It makes the structure more rigid and strengthens the corners, thereby evenly distributing the load. To do this, a board is punched along the perimeter of the walls. It is important that all joints are overlapped by at least 25-30 cm.
The resulting structure can be strengthened by piercing the entire area of one of the external load-bearing walls with plywood or OSB boards.
The algorithm for working with internal partitions is similar to the previous stages. Internal walls require less thickness and thermal insulation.
Insulation of internal partitions can serve as sound insulation, so the insulation is selected taking this quality into account.
Internal partitions assume the use of small thickness. There is no need to use vapor and waterproofing.
Roof installation
Installing a roof on a frame house is a complex and labor-intensive process with many nuances. There are many different types of roofs, such as single-pitched, double-pitched, hipped, multi-pitched, and others.
When assembling the walls of a frame house, it is most practical to carry out the work on the floor of the future home, in order to avoid confusion regarding the length of the wall relative to the finished floor.
Insulation and finishing of a frame house
Insulation should be carried out on all fronts, including the floor, walls and roof. Important points when insulating a house:
- Before the external finishing stage, waterproofing is installed on the outside of the building by covering the external panels with plywood or OSB boards with a special membrane;
- the insulation is placed between the wall posts, on top of which a vapor barrier is laid;
- insulation of the attic is also carried out using a vapor barrier, which is placed down on the beams, and then covered with boards or plywood;
The following materials are usually used for cladding a frame house, such as brick, siding, stone and other finishing materials. At the very beginning, the lathing is installed, which is formed from a metal profile or from bars and treated with an antiseptic, as well as fireproof impregnation. Then they proceed to the installation of the finishing material.
In finishing a frame house, you are not limited by choice. You can use various materials, such as lining, plastic lining, decorative stone, block house, painting or varnishing, plasterboard and others. It is important to take into account your preferences and create an interior that will meet your desires and needs.