Every house has windows and a front door. All these openings in the finished wooden structure weaken it a little. To strengthen the walls, protect door and window blocks from the destructive effects of shrinkage processes, pigtails are made in a wooden house. They are wooden boxes that are installed in a door or window opening. They are also called casing.
What is the pigtail for?
- Pigtails in a wooden house do not allow the logs to move horizontally and relative to the vertical axis in the opening itself. This absolutely does not interfere with the shrinkage of the log house vertically.
- Relieves the load from the upper logs above the opening, which helps prevent various deformations of frame and door blocks.
- Protects window frames and glass from pressure due to shrinkage effects of logs. In this case, the frames will remain intact, and the window will function as expected.
- Protects against gaps and cracks between the frame andlogs.
- Makes the wall more stable, so it is recommended to do casing in houses made of timber that have stood for 2 years.
- Pigtails in a wooden house can become a necessary structural element, as well as a decorative component. For example, if you choose an interesting texture and color, everyone can style this element of the house to their liking.
Types of pigtails by type of manufacture
The pigtail is made from dry wood, so it needs impregnation (painting). This can be done both by the construction team at the installation site, and at the production base itself. For those who do not know how a pigtail is installed in a wooden house, a photo from construction publications will show how to do it correctly. These products are of several types.
- Solid pine - round wood is sawn and a 100 mm thick carriage is obtained, after which it is dried. Next, blanks of different lengths are made and processed to obtain the desired profile. The pigtail of this type is divided into rough, finishing and exclusive.
- Set-glue - this type is made of edged wood with a moisture content of 9%. All knots and resin pockets of the tree are cut out, and after harvesting they are spliced in width and length with micro-spikes. The finished pigtail is ground and machined, and then glued together.
- Combined - the risers and the top are made from solid pine, and the window sill is made with a typesetting and glue method.
Installation andpigtail construction
Pigtails in a wooden house consist of three elements: a threshold, a sidewall and a top. A separate casing is made for each opening, and its installation does not require screws, nails and other elements. For thermal insulation of the house, a heater is laid. A properly installed pigtail in a wooden house is very important. Prices will depend on the size. Therefore, it is very important to accurately measure all the casings that will be installed.
To properly install the casing, you must first cut out the window opening (the optimal distance from the window sill to the floor is 80-90 cm), after which a 50 x 50 mm groove is prepared for the bar. Next, a bar is installed and lnovatin is laid. Then install the window sill, sidewalls and top. So the pigtail is ready, now you can install windows. You can do this work yourself.
