How to treat wooden I-beams. Protection of a wooden house from biodestruction. Specifics of wooden floor beams

Wood is one of the most common building materials in the world. It is widely used both for the construction of buildings and for interior decoration, thanks to strength, durability and excellent aesthetic characteristics. Because this natural material, it is susceptible to biodegradation under the influence of moisture and microorganisms, so it is important to prevent the putrefactive process. How and what is used to treat wood against rotting?

Causes of rotting

The main enemy of wood is fungus, which causes it to rot. “Contamination” can occur as a result of improper storage and transportation. Active reproduction of microorganisms provokes a whole set of accompanying factors:

High air humidity – up to 90%.
Stagnation of oxygen.
Exposure to moisture.
Temperature changes and freezing.
Prolonged contact with the soil.

Fungus on wood

Prevention of wood rotting

There are many preventative measures to prevent mold from appearing before construction begins. Since the moisture content of wood after felling varies from season to season, it must be dried under natural conditions for at least 1 year.

There are a number of methods to prevent biodegradation processes and negative impact moisture:

Waterproofing.
Coloring with special compounds.
Roof waterproofing.
Heat and vapor insulation.

The foundation for a wooden structure should always be located above ground level, and it is also necessary to equip a drainage system and blind area. A garden near a house with tall trees is a bad idea as they will interfere with natural drying.

Also, to prevent putrefactive processes, it is necessary to inspect the house every year. If signs of fungus are detected, the material should be sampled to determine its moisture content and density.

Preventive measures are important, since wood affected by fungus has many reductions. physical indicators: it becomes up to 30 times less hard, 3 times less dense. All this leads to distortion window openings, movement of walls, up to loosening of the structure.

If biodegradation has begun, it can be contained using special means - both store-bought and folk.

Antiseptics

If mold has already appeared, its growth can be prevented using antiseptic agents. They suppress reproduction wooden surfaces microorganisms that cause rotting.

Today in the store there is usually a lot to choose from antiseptics

When choosing a specific product, you should pay attention to indicators such as possible harm for humans and animals, anti-corrosion properties and impact on the quality of wood.

All antiseptics are conventionally divided into 3 groups:

Water-soluble products.
Oily.
Pasty.

Water-soluble antiseptics

The most common impregnation is sodium fluoride. Its popularity is explained by a set of significant advantages:

high efficiency;
good penetrating ability;
no unpleasant odor.

Sodium fluoride does not impair the aesthetic properties of wood and does not cause corrosion of metal parts that come into contact with it. In order to protect wood from rotting, BBK-3 and GR-48 are also often used.

BBK-3 is a solution of borax and boric acid. It is relatively safe for people and animals, and also has excellent penetrating ability.

GR-48 is a drug based on pentachlorophenol. It protects the boards not only from the negative effects of moisture and biodegradation, but also from blue stains.

Often, products are used that contain several active ingredients– for example, CCC based on chromium and zinc chloride. However, this impregnation has 2 significant disadvantages: toxicity and the possibility of staining the wood.

Oily and pasty antiseptics

Oily antiseptics are considered the most powerful of their kind. They are used to protect wooden walls from the negative effects of moisture and soil. However, oily impregnation also has two serious disadvantages: sharp unpleasant smell and the ability to color wood dark brown.

Paste antiseptics consist of three main components:

Water-soluble antiseptic.
Filler.
Clay or bitumen as a binder.

Organically soluble antiseptics are products like PL containing pentachlorophenol and petroleum products. However, due to their high toxicity, they are rarely used.

The use of organically soluble antiseptics is justified for treating wood when exposed to moisture in order to avoid drying. When using these tools, you need to take care personal protection: gloves and respirator.

How to apply impregnation to wood

In order to treat wood with an antiseptic composition, use different methods. Most in an efficient way Immersion of the material in baths with the active substance is considered. The only disadvantage of the method is its high cost.

The second method is impregnation using autoclaves. This method is based on the influence high pressure, which promotes deep absorption of the composition into the material.

Often special pastes are applied to the boards - they have good penetrating ability and effectively protect the material from fungus. Antiseptic agents are often applied using rollers, brushes, or simply sprayed from a spray bottle.

Applying antiseptic with a brush or spray

It is always necessary to apply the composition to a dry surface that has not been coated with varnish or enamel, since in these cases the product will not be able to be absorbed.

The first step is to treat areas where rotting has already begun. Usually these are the ends of the building and sections. It is best to carry out the procedure at a temperature from +20 to +25. If the temperature drops below +5, treatment with an antiseptic will not work.

Folk remedies for impregnation

If the putrefactive process has not had time to grow significantly, folk remedies will help prevent further destruction of the tree:

Silicate glue.
Soda and vinegar.
Potassium dichromate solution.
Copper sulfate.
Resin.
Salt and boric acid.

The easiest way is to use silicate glue. It is necessary to dilute it with water, and apply the resulting solution to areas where biodegradation occurs. You can also treat the rotting areas with soda, and spray vinegar from a spray bottle on top.

Potassium dichromate is used by mixing in equal proportions with sulfuric acid. The resulting composition should be used to treat not only the boards on the street, but also up to 50 cm of the soil layer.

Another effective one improvised means to prevent wood rotting – copper sulfate. To prepare the composition, take 100 g of the substance per 10 liters of water.

For external processing you can use resin, as well as a mixture of 1 kg of salt and 50 g of boric acid, which are stirred in 5 liters of boiling water. This composition must be applied to the wood several times, waiting a couple of hours so that the product has time to be absorbed.

Processing using the Finnish method

The Finnish method is a special way of processing wood to protect it from moisture and rot. You will need a set of ingredients:

salt;
flour;
water;
slaked lime;
iron sulfate.

This composition stays on the material for a very long time without being washed off with water. Despite the safety of the method, it is recommended to use it only for protective treatment wood intended for fences and roofs.

The listed ingredients must be mixed to a consistency reminiscent of sour cream, and the main part of the mixture should be based on flour and water. After thorough mixing, the composition should be slightly warmed over low heat, and when it becomes warm, you need to quickly apply it to the boards.

After the first layer has dried, it is necessary to process the material again. If the composition has cooled down by this time, it will need to be heated again.

What are lags?
Pros and cons of installing logs
Linear dimensions wooden beams
Calculation of individual log parameters
Tips for installing joists

Among modern materials for arrangement flooring wooden floors occupy one of the leading places. As a rule, they are mounted on logs, which are an element load-bearing structure Houses. Their correct installation directly affects the reliability of the floor surface and its service life.

Beams located longitudinally and transversely on a rough foundation in a room are called joists. Boards are attached to them to form a wooden floor. To make logs, dry, first-class wood is used, which must be tarred, treated with antiseptic and fire retardants, as well as compounds against damage to the material by rodents and insects.

The logs shown in the photo perform the following functions:

a flat floor surface is created and the load on the foundation is correctly redistributed;
between the rough base and reverse side floor board an air gap is formed;
the space between them can be filled with sound and heat insulating materials, which leads to a decrease in noise pollution and reduces heat loss;
Thanks to their installation, it is possible to quickly replace a floor covering element that has become unusable.

If the floor joists are calculated and installed correctly, the wooden floor will last for many years.

Pros and cons of installing logs

There are a number of advantages to installing flooring on joists:

In the space between them you can fit not only thermal insulation materials, but also wires and pipes of engineering systems.
The cost of the bars is low, and any home craftsman can install them if desired.
The supporting structure of them is capable of withstanding a 5-ton load per “square”.
Often, if it is necessary to restore the floor, it is enough to repair the joists. In this case, there is no need to re-lay the floor covering.
The load exerted on the building's floor is less than during construction cement screed, since the structure weighs little.
Thanks to the use of bars, it is possible to bring the location of the floor plane to any height.
Once the structure is installed, no additional work is required.
The installation of flooring products begins immediately.

A floor mounted on joists also has disadvantages:

The height of the room is reduced by several centimeters.
Labor-intensive technology for performing work. Structural elements are difficult to mark and install.

Linear dimensions of wooden beams

The width and length of the floor joists are their main parameters, which are taken into account when choosing a material for constructing a wooden frame:

Definition of width. In the process installation work rectangular bars are laid on the edge in order to impart the required rigidity to the wooden structure. At the same time, when making floor logs, the size of the timber should be as follows: the width is 2 times less than the height.

Length Determination. This parameter is directly dependent on the area of the base. True, when choosing floor joists, the size is determined taking into account the technological gaps, since the distance between the beams and the wall should be about 5 centimeters.

Gaps are necessary to prevent significant deformation of the structure in the event of thermal expansion of wood. The maximum length of the log without support, depending on the direction of installation of the floor, should correspond to either the width or length of the room.

Since the thickness of the logs for a wooden floor directly depends on the size of the spans between the supports, there is a direct relationship between the pitch of the logs and the thickness of the beam. This means that the thicker the block, the wider the step.

Calculation of individual log parameters

To calculate floor joists, their main parameters are taken into account. At the same time, you need to remember that they should be located 1.5-2 times higher than the installation height of the flooring - otherwise a hammered nail will not be able to hold the floorboards.

When calculating the lag, then with a board thickness of 50 millimeters, the height of the bars should be 100 millimeters (read also: “What thickness of floorboard is suitable for the floor”). If the rough flooring is made of plywood or other sheet materials 20 millimeters thick, you can use lower bars (30-40 millimeters).

Manufacture wooden joists must be made from coniferous wood, and the moisture content of the workpieces cannot exceed 20%. The section of the floor joist must have rectangular shape. To cut them, take boards with a thickness of 50-60 millimeters.

Prepared logs should be laid in increments of 40-70 centimeters across the light flow coming from the windows. If the dimensions of the rooms and the laying pitch are known, it will be easy to calculate the floor joists and the number of required elements. Before installation, wooden blocks should be treated twice with an antiseptic, which can be replaced with hot bitumen.

When choosing the height of the log, the thickness of the thermal insulation layer is taken into account. Typically, the materials chosen for insulation are: mineral wool, produced in slabs whose thickness is 5 centimeters. The size of the log for a wooden floor should be similar to the height.

When laying thermal insulation in two layers, a 100 mm joist height will be required. The installation step directly depends on the thickness of the material used to lay the subfloor. The thinner the flooring, the more often you need to install logs. For example, if 12 mm plywood is used for the substrate under the finished floor, then the laying step should be about 30 centimeters.

Typically, the subfloor is created from tongue-and-groove boards - spruce, fir or pine. They are not used for finishing flooring, since coniferous wood is soft - women's heels leave marks on its surface. A floor made of laminate or other material is installed on top finishing. With a lag pitch of 50 centimeters, the recommended thickness of the boards is at least 35 millimeters.

As a rule, the distance between the bars is calculated taking into account the thickness of the flooring. For example, with such board parameters as 20, 24, 30.50 millimeters, the gap should accordingly be 300, 400, 500, 1000 millimeters.

Lags are made not only from wood. They are also made from reinforced concrete, metal and various polymers. Reinforced concrete products, which are usually used during construction, have the highest strength country house. Logs made from other materials are used when repairing floors.

When wooden beams are chosen as the basis for arranging the floor, the logs are secured with self-tapping screws. The size of the fastening elements must be 2 times greater than the thickness of the bars. The advantage of this method is that to adjust the height of the lags, no additional special pads are required.

Begin laying the bars from the opposite walls, retreating 20-30 centimeters from them.

To control the horizontal installation, use a level. A fishing line or nylon thread is pulled between the bars.

Announcement

According to it, the remaining logs are installed.

When making calculations, one should not forget that they reduce the height of the rooms by at least 10 centimeters.

Elements of the subfloor (sheets or boards) must be attached to each of the joists.

Instead of timber with a certain cross-sectional size, you can use boards connected in pairs, which reach the desired diameter.

If there is a concrete base, the logs are attached to it with galvanized metal corners, for fixing which dowels and screws are used. Corners are sometimes replaced with U-shaped devices.

If necessary, to achieve the required log length, wooden blocks connect with each other. Under the place where they connect, they mount reliable support, which could be, for example, brick pillar. To build it, dig a hole 10 cm deep, fill it with sand and water it on top. A layer of polyethylene is laid on top of the sand cushion and placed on it cement-sand mixture. After this, columns are built from red brick.

How and with what to treat old wooden floor beams?

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Please advise how and with what you can treat the old wooden beams of the existing floor; they are a little rotten in some places to a small depth and in some places you can see holes, like from a shashel.

What is the best way to treat the ends of wooden floor beams?

There are special remedies for wood-boring beetles. But treating all beams with them is expensive, time-consuming and tedious, and the result is in question. From folk ways It may be advisable to cover it with drying oil or waste oil. The calculation here is that the fat closes the pores in the tree, and the whole shashel suffocates inside in its burrows and passages.

Sand the wood with sandpaper and coat it with a water-soluble antiseptic. You can inject additional antiseptic into the grooves left by the bugs and seal them with something plastic, such as wax. You can also use bitumen mastic, it protects the wood from moisture and is also an antiseptic.

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The installation of an attic significantly increases the living space of the house. In practice, another usable floor appears in the house. But for its full use, it is necessary to strengthen the attic floor, since the loads on the structure increase significantly. First of all, this applies to wooden beams, most often used in the construction of private buildings.

Specifics of wooden floor beams

The popularity of using wooden purlins in attic floors is due to their light weight compared to steel and reinforced concrete counterparts. In addition, wood has low thermal conductivity and low sound permeability. But natural material, unfortunately, has a number of disadvantages that must be taken into account. This:

lack of resistance to mold, rodents and insects;
high fire hazard;
weak strength of beams of small cross-section.

The first two disadvantages can be dealt with by treating wooden beams with antiseptics and fire retardants. The latter problem is solved by using lumber of a larger cross-section or by strengthening load-bearing elements ceilings

Attic floor beams carry lower loads compared to similar interfloor structures.

When constructing an attic, reinforcement of load-bearing wooden floor elements is required.

How to treat lags? Impregnations and antiseptics

If the measures are not taken, the purlins will begin to sag under increased load and become irrevocably deformed over time. This is in the best case, and in the worst case, they will crack and, as a result, break. But don’t despair and think that the much-desired increase in exploitable area will remain only in dreams. There are quite a lot of options for strengthening attic floors in order to choose the only correct solution based on specific operating conditions.

When reinforcement is needed

It should be noted that it is necessary to strengthen beam structures not only when constructing an attic, but also for other compelling reasons. Namely, when the load-bearing characteristics of wooden beams decrease due to the poor condition of the wood resulting from:

incorrect calculations;
high humidity;
accidental damage;
vital activity of insect pests or rodents;
the appearance of unacceptable deflections;
cracking;
periodic exposure to temporary loads unforeseen by the design.

Professionals do not recommend postponing restoration work for a long time. Failure to resolve the problem in a timely manner can lead to dire consequences and even tragedy. To competently assess upcoming events, it would be wiser to invite a specialist.

Common ways to strengthen wooden beams

The diameter of the logs or cross-section of the timber for the attic and interfloor floors is selected taking into account the loads falling on square meter floor or ceiling area in plan. This takes into account:

span width;
pitch of wooden beams.

In the table below you can see optimal values sections of logs and lumber.

Strengthening the attic floor is carried out without changing or changing the operating conditions of the beam structure, using standard or non-standard solutions.

The choice depends on the degree of deformation of the wood and the specific requirements for enhancing the strength characteristics of the purlins and flooring as a whole. The most common options for strengthening beams involve the use of:

wooden overlays;
metal plates;
rod prostheses;
carbon fiber, also called carbon fiber;
supports in the form of pillars.

Wooden overlays and metal plates can be installed both in the span of wooden beams and at their joints with the supporting wall. Reinforcing elements are fixed on both sides or bottom and top of the purlin being repaired. In this case, the linings are tightly tightened using bolts passed through the beams. Wooden parts are pre-treated with antifungal compounds and fire retardants. Metal plates paint or apply special agents to their surface to prevent the material from rusting. In addition, the wood is separated from the metal by a layer of waterproofing.

To ensure the reliability of the beam structure, it is recommended to install overlays along the entire length of the girder.

End reinforcing elements are mounted in areas supported by walls. In this case, the rotten ends of the beam are cut off and the removed pieces are replaced:

double wooden overlays with liners installed at the level of the supporting part of the wall, corresponding to the thickness of the reinforced beam;
end metal prostheses made of channel;
metal strips with clamps;
reinforcing bars fastened with channel strapping.

The list can be continued in several more ways, including mobile prostheses, dual systems, etc., but they relate to more complex options strengthening beams. The end reinforcement has its own characteristic feature. It consists of providing temporary support for the beam being repaired by a pillar. After completion of the work it is dismantled.

Rod prostheses are a system consisting of metal clamps applied in several places of the damaged beam and connecting elements. The latter are made from durable steel profile or several reinforcing bars intertwined with each other according to the “triangle rule”. In this case, the system remains stable, without any spatial movements. The installation option for bar prostheses depends on the degree of required reinforcement of the beam floor.

Carbon fiber reinforcement refers to modern methods strengthening wooden beams. Composite material does not yet have widespread, but the technology is undoubtedly cutting edge. Reinforcing reinforcement is placed on the bottom side of the purlin. Next, carbon fiber reinforced plastic is glued in several layers onto a partially reinforced beam, forming a trough-shaped clamp. The lightness of carbon fiber, ease of use and the absence of unsightly overlays in the design are the undoubted advantages of the modern material.

In case of irreparable deformations, it would be better to remove the damaged section of the beam to avoid unnecessary costs.

Simple solution

Probably the most popular option should be the simplest option for strengthening the attic floor, namely, installing a pillar supporting the problem beam. This simple method solves the issue of accepting loads with a vertical support. The work, in this case, is reduced only to the installation of the pole. As a result, the main problem disappears, but two others appear in its place.

One drawback is the formation of a point load acting on the floor. The second is related to the aesthetic side of the issue. The fact is that a pole installed in the middle of the room will look ridiculous. But if you decorate it in an original way, the support can turn into an interesting decorative element, and also a functional one.

There is another way to strengthen the attic floor. But its use is effective only in cases where ceiling beams have no deformations.

The load-bearing capacity of the structure is increased by installing additional purlins with mandatory winding of their ends with roofing material. Protective measures avoid mechanical damage and help resist moisture.

Strengthening the attic flooring

If the beams are strengthened for the purpose of further constructing the attic, then you will still have to think about updating the flooring. Experienced craftsmen recommend using OSP boards. They are laid according to subfloor. Subsequently, finishing work is carried out.

The roof truss system is a wood material that is easily destroyed upon contact with moisture and quickly ignites in the event of a fire. How to treat rafters to extend their service life and prevent the formation of mold microflora. Which of the formulations available on the market is most effective? This depends on the type of wood and the prevailing climatic conditions. If it’s humid, you need protection from water; if it’s hot, you need to protect the wood from fire.

What should be the composition

Any product you decide to use for coverage rafter system, must meet the following requirements:

penetrate deeply into the structure of wood fibers;
do not contain copper sulfate, potassium bichromate, arsenic, chromium;
dissolves well in water, but does not wash off from the tree;
effectively protect floor beams and sheathing from mold, rot, fungus, and prevent fire.

After this, it is worth deciding what threatens the rafter system more – rot or fire. For humid climatic conditions, an antiseptic is chosen that will penetrate deeply into the wood, and after that it is additionally coated with a fire retardant. The fact is that wood can only be impregnated once. Strengthening the properties of wood to resist the formation of rot or fire depends on which composition is applied first.

What are the types of antiseptics?

Antiseptics for floor beams and sheathing may have additional decorative effect. The product contains alkyd resin, which gives the wood a certain color. For the rafter system, water-soluble antiseptics are most often used. They have a number of advantages:

penetrate deep into the wood structure;
they are easy to apply to elements of the rafter system;
dry quickly and allow the wood to breathe;
form a moisture-proof film on the surface of the wood.

High-quality antiseptics must have antimicrobial (biocidal) and antifungal (fungicidal) properties, and also provide reliable protection from insects – insecticidal properties.

Water-soluble substances predominantly contain sodium fluoride and silicofluoride, a mixture of borax and boric acid, pentachlorophenol, a mixture of zinc chloride with sodium (potassium) chromium. The compositions are toxic only to microorganisms and are completely harmless to humans. There are also products soluble in oil, petroleum products and light solvents.

Methods of applying antiseptics

Impregnation (surface impregnation with an antiseptic) is carried out by completely immersing wooden elements in the composition or by applying the substance with a spray bottle / regular brush. For immersion, use a special bath, trough or even a ditch, after lining the container with plastic film.

The immersion time of the material depends on the specific antiseptic. Typically, the manufacturer indicates on the packaging 30-60 minutes for wood of small and medium sections. When immersing large trusses, for example for roofing from natural tiles, the impregnation time is increased to four hours. After drying for 24 hours, all ends are treated wooden structures.

When treating with an antiseptic manually by spraying, spraying or painting, the efficiency of penetration of the composition deep into the wood is noticeably reduced. Although this method requires a small amount of antiseptic composition.

The coating is carried out in several layers with an application interval of about half an hour.

The most popular antiseptics

The modern remedy Senezh has proven itself well in practice. This antiseptic can be used to treat roofing, wooden sheathing, and floor beams. The composition is presented in the form of a ready-to-use solution on water based. Its advantages:

bioprotection for a period of 30-35 years;
type of composition – difficult to wash out;
chemical bond with wood;
penetrates deeply into the fiber structure without increasing hygroscopicity;
allows the tree to breathe;
has a decorative effect.

The recommended consumption is 250-300 g/m. cube when applied without immersion, 60-80 kg/m. cube when soaking. Senezh penetrates deeply into floor beams and other elements, forming a two-level protective barrier. Prevents the development of fungi and mold microorganisms, insects. The manufacturer produces various series of antiseptics - Ultra, Bio, Thor, Sauna for specific wooden structures.

Estonian-made Pinotex Impra is highly effective. Suitable for bioprotection of floor beams, sheathing, mauerlats, rafters. It is a water-based antiseptic with an alkyd binder. Deeply absorbed into the wood surface, provides good protection from rot, blue stains, mold.

The consumption of the substance ranges from 85 to 200 g per square meter, depending on the wood processing - sawn or planed. Pinotex Impra cannot be used for elements of the rafter system already affected by microorganisms, unlike the Senezh composition.

The product produced in Russia, Drevotex, is used to protect wood material from the formation of rot and mold. Key Features:

effectively protects floor beams and boards from exposure to atmospheric moisture;
the bio series is suitable for the prevention of healthy wood material, the anti-mold series is used for wood affected by focal microorganisms;
type of impregnation – difficult to wash out, allows the wood to “breathe”;
the bioprotection period of the rafter system with the complex agent Drevotex is about 30 years;
product consumption is 250-350 g/sq.m. m when brushing and 200 kg/m. cube when immersed.

The product can be applied to new wood or as a treatment for existing roofing structures.

When choosing antiseptic compounds for floor beams, sheathing boards and mauerlats, it is necessary to pay attention to the moisture content of the wood, since not all antiseptics are suitable for wood with a moisture content of more than 20 percent.

Application of fire retardants

Fire protection is designed to give wood material additional qualities - fire resistance, reduced flammability. If you decide that the likelihood of a fire is higher than the possibility of rotting of the rafter structure, first of all, all wooden fragments of the roof should be treated with fire retardants.

They are classified into the first and second efficiency groups. The products of the first group provide fire protection for 5-7 years, so they are more effective. Most fire retardants are based on ammonium phosphates and sulfates, borax, boric acid and combinations of these substances.

All fire retardants are divided into:

Impregnations are solutions of salts that are applied manually or by immersion.
Coating fire retardants have a paste-like consistency.
Varnishes are used for decorative purposes. Their use on the roof is unnecessary.
Paints form a thin protective film on the surface.

Most often, to protect floor beams and rafters, impregnation is used, when the fire retardant will serve as the main protection, and coating, if the fire retardant is applied to the antiseptic. The methods of coating with fire protection are identical to the application of antiseptics. Available on the market large selection compositions of the first and second categories. Neomid is very popular.

Since the composition has received mass positive feedback buyers, you can take a closer look at its properties.

Neomid 530 – fire protection

The product is suitable for any type of wood surface - sawn or planed floor beams, boards, rafters, sheathing. Main advantages:

fire protection for ten years;
has antiseptic properties;
does not contain toxic substances and formaldehyde;
does not interfere with further processing of wood;
does not change the hygroscopicity of the material;
supplied ready to use;
made on a water basis;
in terms of danger to humans, it occupies the same category as household chemicals, – not dangerous.

Neomid compositions are available in different series. Some products are designed to protect floor beams and other elements of the rafter system from insects, rot, blue stains, and are used as wood bleaches. Neomid 530 is an effective fire protection that is currently the most popular.

Before processing rafters, you need to choose the right protection priority. The composition that is applied first will be the main one. The second substance will perform an additional protective function.

All photos from the article

They try to simplify the construction of private houses and country cottages as much as possible, excluding the use of heavy construction equipment. To achieve this, many people abandon reinforced concrete floor slabs and replace them with wooden structures. We want to tell you how to install wooden floor beams with your own hands.

Wooden floors

Advantages and Disadvantages

The use of wooden structures as basement, interfloor and attic floors is practiced mainly in private construction. However, previously they were also used in multi-storey residential complexes, therefore, these designs are suitable for all types of houses.

Application in private construction is due to the presence of specific advantages, the most significant of which are:

The use of lumber makes the structures lightweight. As a result, the load on the walls and foundation is reduced, which significantly reduces the cost of the project;
Floors are assembled from individual beams and boards. This eliminates the use of cranes and other heavy equipment, which is also important for self-construction;
Installation of structures involves only dry processes, so the floors are ready to immediately accept the design loads. In addition, this installation method does not introduce process moisture into the premises;
The wood is malleable and easy to work with, which means you won’t need expensive, complex tools and equipment;
Such floors are easy to repair, replace and reconstruct;
If you carry out the work yourself, the price of construction and materials will be much lower.

It should also be noted that, unlike reinforced concrete slabs, beam structures can be used in wooden and frame houses. In addition, carefully assembled and processed wood floors can be used in various retro and country interiors.

Of course, there are also disadvantages:

Wooden structures make a lot of noise. Even the use of sound insulation does not make them as silent as reinforced concrete slabs;
They become deformed due to sudden changes in humidity and temperature;
Susceptible to fungus, wood-eating insects, putrefactive bacteria;
Support combustion;
Not as strong as reinforced concrete.

Important!
With proper design and compliance with SNiP standards, as well as with the help of special processing and protection of materials, most of the shortcomings can be leveled out.

Selection of materials and calculation of their parameters

First, two outer beams are laid, which are aligned in the same plane using a spirit level or building level. Then the threads are pulled between them and the remaining parts are placed along them, laying them out with the same pitch within the range of 600 - 1500 mm.

IN panel houses It is allowed to use steel anchors, which at one end enter the mounting socket over its entire width, and at the other end the beam rests. Fix the parts using self-tapping screws.

IN brick walls They also make landing sockets with a length of at least 200 mm. The lower planes of the mounting holes must lie strictly at the same level, for this they are leveled cement mortar, and the width dimensions should exceed the width of the beam by 100 mm.

The ends of the boards are covered with bitumen and wrapped in a double layer of roofing material, then laid in nests to a length of at least 150 mm and concreted.

The entry points of stairs, passages of chimneys and other obstacles are equipped with additional crossbars for supporting beams. The distance from the boards to the chimney must be no less than 300 mm, and the boards themselves must be protected with asbestos cardboard or other insulator.

Important!
If the flooring of the roll will be made using a cut into the beam, such a cut must be taken into account in the calculations of the section.

Conclusion

Wooden floors are a good alternative reinforced concrete slabs in private construction. Their installation does not require the use of heavy equipment, and the work can be done with your own hands. The video in this article and our instructions will help you cope with laying beams.

Wood is the traditional, main material for flooring, despite its inherent disadvantages. Its structure is based on organic substances: this makes wood less resistant to destructive factors compared to other types building materials. In addition to oxidation, and both metals and concrete are subject to this process, wood fibers are threatened by biological organisms, sunlight, water, and fire. To extend the service life of structures, builders are making certain efforts to improve operating conditions wooden parts or giving them new properties.

Wood beams: operating conditions and protection

The floor joists, due to their location, are protected from sunlight and are not influenced by water flows or sudden temperature changes. However, they are affected by condensed and partly capillary moisture, as well as living organisms: fungus, bugs, snails. The influence of each factor can lead to damage and rotting of parts. The main enemies are biological agents; their penetration into the wood structure leads to blue discoloration of the material. The defect itself does not violate the strength characteristics of the timber, however, over time, other types of microorganisms settle in the affected areas, for which blue-tinted fibers are the best nutrient medium.

There are various ways protection of wooden building elements. SNiP 2.03.11-85 identifies structural and chemical measures that must be performed when installing floors.

A preventive means of combating rot is the proper arrangement of the underground space; condensation should not accumulate in it. To prevent its formation, ventilation is installed in the basement of the house: vents are made between the flooring and the base of the floor - holes that ensure air circulation. If under the boards in large quantities water forms and accumulates, drainage is performed.

In the case when under the floor in a house or bathhouse is laid concrete screed, it is advisable to equip the ground floor with vertical pits for condensate drainage. If the base surface is covered with sand, it is not necessary to make channels.

To protect the logs from rotting, even at the installation stage, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of absorption of water rising from the ground along the foundation elements. To do this, perform mechanical waterproofing: under beams and boards in places of contact with piles or concrete base lay bitumen-containing films.

Compositions for chemical protection of wooden elements

The main way to prevent rot from forming is to use chemical coatings on the floor joists. All SNiP protective fluids are divided into several groups:

surface applied antiseptics;
impregnating compositions;
film-forming substances.

According to SNiP, materials for surface antibacterial protection can be:

water soluble;
organic;
oil

The first group includes salts (fluorides), borates (washable antiseptics), as well as compounds containing chromium, copper, arsenic, which are called difficult to wash out. The second group includes alkyd, urethane and acrylic compounds. The third set of antiseptics includes resin-containing substances, which are based on coal, anthracene and other similar compounds. This also includes vegetable oils of linseed, hemp and gum, as well as rosin and tar.

Glazing materials are intended for surface application - to a depth of 1–3 mm. Impregnations penetrate 15–35 mm into the fibers. Water-washable compounds are suitable for protecting parts that are not exposed to atmospheric precipitation and are not subject to intensive washing: in a bath they can be used to cover, for example, logs.

Antiseptics are classified according to their functional use:

transport;
preservatives;
whitening;
fire protection (flame retardants).

Factors determining the suitability of timber

In order to be completely confident in the quality of the floor, it is advisable to know in advance the history of the origin of the wood from which the beams are planned to be made. The tree must undergo the first antimicrobial treatment at the stage of primary sawing. Moreover, the duration of its implementation is strictly limited: 12 hours after cutting.

Second important point is drying. According to standards established since 1925, all timber must undergo a mandatory period of closed warehousing. Coniferous wood is aged for at least a year, oak - more than two years. In this case, the humidity indicator is important: for pine and spruce it should be 15–18%.

If, to place a steam room in a bathhouse, you make logs from raw wood and lay them on a damp foundation, they will collapse in a year or two. The preservative coating will turn the timber into a closed incubator for mold growth. It follows that you need to coat material that is guaranteed to have passed preliminary preparation and drying.

Chemical protection materials

In individual house construction, both homemade impregnations and factory-made mixtures are used. The first group of antiseptics contains solutions prepared on the basis of materials recommended by GOST, SNiP, as well as preparations made according to folk recipes.

For biological protection of logs in a country bathhouse or at home, impregnations based on copper salts, urea, linseed oil, a solution of wood resin and beeswax. Oil mixtures are heated before use. Together with normal ventilation, this coating provides wooden elements half a long life. Experienced carpenters claim: with active vents made in the base of the bathhouse, beams made of dried wood do not rot.

According to folk recipe

One of the popular compositions used to preserve logs is machine mining. There are many recipes that are based on a combination of oily waste, diesel fuel and various salts. However, craftsmen claim that coating with oil alone is extremely reliable: with its help you can stop the process of rotting on already damaged beams.

The method has become widespread due to the large supply of used oil. The effectiveness of the method is beyond doubt: there are many active substances in the process that can neutralize the development of any biological process. For this reason, it is not recommended to apply the treatment to the entire surface of the lag - the chemical activity is high. This material should not be used to protect parts in a bathhouse. It is considered relatively safe to coat small areas of the most affected part of the timber - the ends and notches: it is in these places that the most accessible path is located along which microorganisms penetrate deep into the fibers.

The treatment is applied hot: the mixture is heated in a water bath, then rubbed into the prepared surface using a brush or brush. It is not necessary to polish the timber before processing; the molten emulsion penetrates deeper if the surface remains unplaned.

In accordance with the requirements of the standards

Traditional compositions are solutions of borax, potassium dichromate, silicate glue, and vinegar. Today there are compositions that have high antibacterial properties and are safe for others. These compositions, made according to the recommended recipe in accordance with GOST requirements, are intended to perform various functions. In most cases, they allow you to protect house parts from damage by living organisms, flames and active chemicals.

To protect the load-bearing beams of the floor in the bathhouse, you can use certain brands of impregnations industrial production. Among them are Finnish, Tikkurila, Bioks, Biosept and many others. Indications for use in each case are indicated on the packaging (in the user manual). Compositions designed to protect logs in a bathhouse are distinguished by the fact that they ensure minimal shrinkage of wood and maximally close the pores at the ends of posts and boards. These compounds do not necessarily protect the material from sun rays, temperature changes and emphasize the texture of the fibers.