At present, with constant worldwide crises, people continue to build their own housing, saving on material. Buying very cheap sleepers, people start building a house. It is at this moment that the question is brewing: "A house made of sleepers is harmful or not?" Photos, advantages and disadvantages of such a house - further.
Harmful to the human body
Sleepers are treated with chemicals that protect against bark beetles and increase durability, even at the manufacturing stage. All chemicals that are used for processing are very toxic. And if the sleepers were already in use, then during the movement on them from the wagons of a freight train, various chemicals can crumble or spill on them. When interacting with the sun, most substances begin to produce their chemical reactions. Is a sleeper house harmful to he alth? The emitted smell from sleepers is very harmful to human he alth. In general, it is the smell that creates creosote. It does not transfer on very old sleepers. But doctors think heuseful for people. It is creosote that treats tuberculosis.
But the question remains the same: is a house made of sleepers harmful, or is there nothing particularly dangerous in it? The answer is this: the house is not harmful if the sleepers have already lain for several years in the ground. The service life of products usually reaches from 6 to 30 years, depending on environmental conditions. During this time, they lose their impregnation properties, but the price is already lower for them. It is best to take sleepers that have been in use for more than 15 years. It is in such sleepers that there is more option that they have already lost their smell and processing properties. After construction, the building must be tightly sheathed on the walls that are inside. An advantageous option in the sheathing will be a plastic film. From the side of the street, it is better not to touch the walls for several years, during which time all the smell disappears. People's opinions about whether a house made of sleepers is harmful or not are very different: someone writes that it is dangerous, and someone that it is not.
The most harmful house is the one built from new sleepers. This wood material has only survived processing and is highly toxic. You will have to wait quite a long time to start construction or to move into the built house.
Advantages of sleeper houses
A house built of sleepers not only has its drawbacks. It has its advantages:
- This house is good for heating in winter. The building keeps heat for a long time in winter, and in summer it keeps the room cool.
- Sleepers are made fromgood conifer. Due to this type of wood, the material is not destroyed during processing. Such a house serves for many years, not at all afraid of various vagaries of the weather.
How to build a house from sleepers with your own hands? Materials
To build a house from sleepers, you will need not only sleepers, but also other materials. About 200 sleepers per 10 square meters. When building a sleeper house, you will need rebar, sand, cement, gravel and more.
Foundation for future home
First you need to determine the place, clear it along the foundation. Since the house will be wooden, it is best to make the foundation tape. It is necessary to determine the width of the future structure. If the height of the walls is more than 200 millimeters, then it is necessary to increase the width of the walls. For deepening, a distance of 1.2-1.8 meters is ideal. After that, it is necessary to make formwork from boards and slats. After pouring the foundation, allow time for it to harden and thicken for 14 days.
Laying waterproofing and insulation
Waterproofing is applied over the foundation, only after that the sleepers should be laid. Concrete must be treated with resin and roofing material laid. Later, the first layer of sleepers is laid. To build the first layer, it is best to choose sleepers that are large and heavy in weight. The shawls are connected to each other with a spike connection. Then, a heater is laid on the first layer of sleepers and they begin to lay the 2nd row with the flat side of the sleepers. Fasteners are made using a dowel method. It is best to choose sleepers of the same size. Checking evenness at all stages of laying sleepers, waterproofing and insulation is carried out with a level.
Hide irregularities
All irregularities are covered with a facade. The facade is the outer walls, their decoration is carried out according to your taste and interior. The corners are fastened with metal staples, which are approximately 60 centimeters long and 2 to 5 millimeters wide. Doorways in such structures are made of boards and filled with foam.
Interior decoration
It should not only be beautiful, but at the same time, and protect from fumes and weather conditions. The interior decoration is made initially from a polyethylene film, the thickness of which is 150-250 millimeters. All seams are sealed with tape, a shingle is overlapped over the film. Then a layer of drywall or something else is laid. For the floor, it is best to cover the wood with a layer of thermal insulation. Various materials can be used to seal the ceiling, but drywall is best for good service. External walls are best sheathed with clapboard or brick. It all depends on the idea of the appearance of the house and the budget.
Positive and negative feedback about the sleeper house
People's opinions vary, as each person has their own opinion. A large number of people say that they like this kind of house. It is suitable for living in both summer and winter. Differs in its lower cost. The smell of creosote, which is used to treat the sleepers, disappears over time. Many people re-treat the sleepers in order to extend the wear resistance and durability of the house.
Along with the advantages, there are also disadvantages. People attributed the following points to them:
- Sleepers that are treated with new chemicals have an odor that won't fade.
- Material may cause allergic reaction and rash all over the body.
- High fire hazard. Impregnation is very flammable. As practice shows, such buildings burn down completely in 15-20 minutes. And it is extremely difficult to extinguish them.
- In European countries, the construction of such houses is prohibited.
Dangerous Moments
A house of sleepers is harmful or not? As we have already found out, the creosote contained in fresh sleepers has the most detrimental effect on the human body. He alth will deteriorate if you live in such a house permanently. Is a sleeper house harmful or not? Among the problems worth noting:
- Persistent headaches.
- Development of liver disease.
- The formation of cancer cells.
- The appearance of chronic skin diseases.
- The emergence of diseases associated with the respiratory and nervous system.
Some mask this smell by sheathing the walls inside with drywall. But this does not mean that the concentration of harmful creosote will be less. This phenomenon is misleading. Therefore, it is worth abandoning the construction of a house from sleepers that have recently been saturated with a harmful substance.
House,built of sleepers, harmful or not? It is worth saying that when it comes into contact with the skin, creosote causes burns. Yes, it is possible that there is no need to touch the sleepers. But creosote fumes can also cause burns if inhaled. Especially their concentration increases at high temperatures, that is, in summer. That is why in 2003 creosote was banned for civil engineering in the countries of the European Union.
Where to use sleepers relevant?
Most experts are inclined to the following opinion. It is possible to use sleepers as a building material only for the construction of utility and utility rooms. These are hozbloki, sheds and so on. That is, for the construction of those premises where a person will not stay for long. The nuance also lies in the fact that some sleepers can be very wet. And the room will be constantly damp even after years.
Conclusion
So, we found out what a sleeper house is. As you can see, building a house from this material is a very controversial issue. Definitely not worth building a structure from fresh sleepers. But you should also be careful with those materials that have already been in operation. Completely harmful impregnation is weathered for a very long time. There is always a risk of he alth problems. If such a structure is erected, then only after making sure that the material is completely safe.
