The modern builder has a wide choice of building materials and building construction methods. In each case, there are a number of unique advantages, but I would like to highlight the frame construction technology separately. Its use is advisable in cases where the building must be erected in record time, while the budget of the future homeowner is limited.
Step-by-step construction of frame houses can be carried out even by an inexperienced master, which eliminates the need to attract expensive specialists. What this construction method is based on and what kind of work it implies, we will consider in detail in our article.
Features and essence of modern technology
The technology of building a frame house (in stages) differs from the traditional construction of buildings in that in this case the house does noterected and collected. Initially, the frame of the future structure is installed on the foundation. It is made of metal or wooden profiles, which are fixed to each other with special fasteners. In some cases, the frame can be fully welded.
The finished base of the house is sheathed with wooden shields, between which there is a heater. When the walls of the building are fully assembled, the builders mount the roof and proceed to the interior and exterior decoration. The main advantage of such buildings is the ability to start decorating the premises immediately after the completion of its assembly. Unlike log houses, these buildings do not shrink, which allows you to install windows and doors without delay.
Step-by-step construction of a frame house with your own hands can be done by a team of 2-3 people in just a couple of months, which attracts most of the fans of this method of housing construction.
Main building assembly steps
The building assembly process can be divided into several parts. This allows you to control costs at each stage of the assembly and plan the budget for the next work. The phased construction of frame houses includes activities such as:
- choosing a site for construction;
- laying utilities;
- creating the foundation for the house;
- string foundation;
- subflooring;
- assembly and installation of the frame;
- structure insulation;
- creating a roof;
- roofing material flooring;
- finishing.
All of the above steps do not require expensive and complex equipment. The work is quite simple and does not cause any particular difficulties. To build a frame house with your own hands, detailed step-by-step instructions should be available to all workers. This will help you avoid many mistakes. Do not forget about the plan for future construction. It is better to entrust its creation to experienced specialists.
Selection of building materials
One of the important preparatory stages is the choice of materials from which the house will be assembled. If everything is extremely simple with the walls - sheets of plywood or OSB boards are used for their installation, then questions may arise at the frame assembly stage.
As mentioned earlier, the base for the walls can be assembled from wood or metal, let's look at their differences:
- Wooden frame. Private builders prefer natural material, as it is characterized by environmental friendliness, low cost and quick installation. But here it is important to understand that this design will turn out to be heavier than metal, which means that the base for it should be more durable.
- Metal frame. As for the metal profile, its cost will be one third more expensive than the wooden one, but in the end the owner will receive a safe, durable and fairly light base for the house, which does not require strengthening the foundation. This option is also preferable because the attachment points of the screws do not need to be treated with anti-corrosion compounds.
The technology of building frame houses (in stages, with your own hands) involves self-assembly of insulation for walls. As for his choice, he must comply with fire safety requirements and not interfere with natural air exchange. Otherwise, the internal microclimate of the room may be significantly affected.
Building a frame house with our own hands: where to start?
We will not stop at the first stage of building a frame house. With the choice of a place for building a house, everything is clear - you need a flat and fairly spacious area. It needs to be cleared of debris, remove all plantings. If there are any irregularities on the surface of the earth, they are eliminated. The mounds are cut off, and the depressions and pits are covered with earth.
Based on the design documentation, the site is marked. With the help of a cord and pegs, they designate the perimeter of the house and the internal (bearing) walls. The laying of engineering communications does not cause difficulties, since it is carried out strictly in accordance with the plan of the house. It can be performed both before and after the arrangement of the foundation of the house.
Foundation of the house
Let's move on to the process of building the foundation. The technology for building a frame house and a step-by-step description of the whole process suggests that the basis for these structures can be of three types:
- tape;
- columnar;
- pile screw.
Strip foundation. Outwardly, it looks like a concrete strip, inside of which there is reinforcement. To create it, a formwork is mounted, into which a concrete solution is poured. The height of the base may be different, however, if a basement floor is planned in the house, the walls of the foundation should be increased by 60-80 cm. In this case, they require insulation and ventilation holes.
Column foundation. This option is more preferable for frame buildings. The pillars are installed at every corner of the house, at the intersection of the walls and every 2 meters under the external and load-bearing elements of the house. A hole is dug under the pillars, at the bottom of which a sand cushion is placed. Formwork is arranged at the bottom of the recess, waterproofing material is laid. After the preparatory work, concrete is poured.
Pile-screw foundation. Finished piles are screwed into the ground strictly according to the level and poured with concrete. Such a foundation is used in soil with a high water table and in uneven areas.
Base binding
For those craftsmen who decide to build a frame house with their own hands, expert advice will help to avoid mistakes. Experienced builders recommend strapping as follows:
- Pre-prepared wooden bars (section 20x20 or 20x25) treated with an antiseptic composition.
- Smear metal or concrete base with mastic and cover with waterproofing material.
- Lay the beam along the perimeter of the foundation so that it covers its entire surface. If the length of the beam is not enough, then 2 elements can be joined. Placesconnections should be located strictly above the pillars. Fastening is carried out with self-tapping screws.
The harness is attached to the foundation with large bolts and studs. Fasteners must be deepened into the material.
Creating the floor
A subfloor is mounted on top of the strapping. First, the lags are installed. To do this, take wooden beams with a section of 10x12 centimeters and lay them on the foundation strapping in increments of 0.6-0.7 meters. The lag is fastened with nails and corners.
The next step in the phased construction of frame houses is laying the subfloor. For its arrangement, the cheapest material is used - unedged board. The resulting surface is covered with waterproofing, insulation and vapor barrier material. Lay sheets of plywood, OSB or floorboard on top.
Frame house: step-by-step instructions for assembling the base of the walls
Assembling the walls of the house begins with the creation of a frame. It is made as follows:
- According to the scheme for assembling the structure, one span of the wall is assembled on the floor, which is subsequently installed on the strapping and fixed at the base with nails and corners. The frame posts are fixed at the upper and lower horizontal wall element. At the corners, the timber is fixed by cutting, all other racks are fixed with steel corners.
- The distance between the vertical beams (frame posts) is determined depending on the width of the sheet of the selected insulation. If you plan to use mineral wool, thenthis gap is reduced by 2 cm so that the soft material lies more tightly in the empty space of the wall.
- To give the structure additional rigidity, horizontal lintels are fixed between the vertical uprights of the walls (in a checkerboard pattern). Window and door openings are arranged in the same way. Along the edges of the hole - with racks, and above and below - with jumpers.
- Internal partitions are assembled and fastened in a similar way. The finished structure of the house is tied with a board from above, which gives it additional rigidity. Next, the walls are sheathed with sheet chip materials.
Creating the roof ceiling
Step-by-step construction of a frame house with your own hands is almost done. It remains to assemble the roof, and you can start finishing. To fasten the ceiling beams in the beam of the upper trim, it is necessary to make grooves. For reliability, the beams are fixed with metal fasteners. A tongue-and-groove ceiling is nailed over the beams.
The phased construction of frame houses on one level is slightly different from the construction of multi-storey buildings. In the first option, a vapor barrier, heat-insulating and waterproofing material is laid on top of the grooved board, which is covered with unedged boards or plywood. If the house has several floors, then the flooring is laid from a tongue-and-groove board.
Roof installation
Roof arrangement is the most important point, especially for those builders who decide to build a frame house with their ownhands. The recommendations of experienced developers should be studied even before work begins. They say that the work should be done in this order:
- Determine the required roof slope and its type. For simple one-story buildings, it is better to use gable structures. On houses with a flat roof, only shed varieties are installed. The roof on buildings with a veranda can be of a combined type: over the veranda - shed, and over the house - gable.
- Based on the parameters of the insulation, choose the desired section of the rafters. The material must fit freely and hold between them.
- Next, two boards (6 meters long) are connected with the letter "L" and lifted to the roof, where they are placed on the upper trim so that the edges of the rafters hang down by 30-50 cm. The structure is fixed with a crossbar and used as a model for rafters. Next, the rafters are installed at a distance of 0.7 meters from each other.
- In the ridge, the rafters are fixed using the "paw floor" method. First of all, their installation is carried out on the gables. A wire is stretched between the extreme rafters, which indicates the level for installing the remaining roof elements.
When the main frame is ready, the crate is stuffed on the rafters. Depending on the chosen roofing material, it can be either solid or thinned out. Separately, it should be noted that any kind of crate in the area of \u200b\u200bthe ridge is fixed without gaps.
House insulation
Now let's move on to the final part of the assembly of the frame house in stages. Construction andthe technology of erecting such buildings implies the performance of work on their insulation. For this purpose, foamed polystyrene foam, mineral wool and polystyrene foam are most often used.
The thickness of the insulation layer is selected taking into account the climate and the purpose of the room. For year-round living in the house, the thickness of the thermal insulation must be at least 5 cm.
Insulation is placed tightly between the vertical beams of the frame so that each subsequent layer closes the joints of the previous one. A vapor barrier material is fixed on the walls, after which they are sewn up with OSB (slabs). From the outside, the facade is covered with waterproofing and a crate of thin laths is mounted, which will serve as the basis for the outer cladding and provide ventilation for the building.
Finish
When the construction work is over, you can start finishing the building. The style and method of interior wall cladding depends solely on the capabilities and wishes of the building owner. The only thing that the owners of the house should take into account is that the material should not heavily load the walls.
Exterior cladding can also be made in different versions. Most often, siding, block house, lining or other decorative materials are used for these purposes. For example, the phased construction of a frame house in the Art Nouveau style involves the use of light and simple materials. In this case, it is advisable to use plaster. For lovers of Provence, light imitations of bricks andnatural stone.
Conclusion
The main advantages of frame buildings are assembly speed and economy. Thanks to this technology, a much larger number of people can afford their own home, which will fully meet all the wishes and requirements of the family.
The principle of erecting such buildings is so simple that it does not cause difficulties even for novice builders. The main requirement is strict adherence to the technology and stages of construction of a frame house, which means that if you do not make mistakes, such a house will delight the owners with warmth and comfort for many years.
