Despite the abundance of buildings made of brick and concrete, the wooden frame has not lost its relevance and popularity. The attractiveness of solid wood lies in its availability, ease of processing and environmental safety.
However, lumber also has significant disadvantages. Wood is very dependent on the external environment, so sooner or later it may be necessary to replace the lower crowns of a wooden house. The work is painstaking, but overall not difficult, so it can be done with your own hands.
Is it possible to replace the lower crown?
It is the lower part of the beam of the house that is more vulnerable than all the others. It comes into contact with the soil and atmospheric moisture (like other elements of the external surface). In addition, this fragment freezes faster and suffers from temperature changes. As a result, it can rot and begin to collapse. Typically, a wooden house is designed to last for 50 years, but if the wrong wood is used, it can begin to deteriorate even after 2-3 decades.
Therefore, the crowns can and should be inspected periodically to determine the need for replacement. Diagnosis is quite simple. You need to take a hammer or an ax and hit the log with its butt. If the sound is clear, then everything is fine. If, on the contrary, he is deaf, the tree has clearly begun to deteriorate from the inside. You can do an additional test - take a chisel and pick out part of the timber, and then look at the sections under good lighting.
Repair work to replace timber has several advantages:
- you can actually save a wooden structure from subsidence;
- installation is simple, you can do it yourself;
- materials are affordable, the process can be carried out according to budget estimates.
Although there are also disadvantages:
- new joints are formed on the timber, due to which heat loss increases;
- the strength of the structure weakens, it is not worth considering the repair as a major “forever” repair.
Important! During diagnostics, you need to inspect 2-3 wooden logs that go above the mortgage. They also deteriorate quite quickly and often need to be replaced.
Which parts of the wall deteriorate most often?
Certain parts of a wooden structure are more susceptible to rotting.:
- lower parts of walls;
- crowns - lower logs located around the perimeter of the house, connected to each other;
- strapping - flashing crowns - the next 4 logs in the lower part of the wall;
- notch - the place where logs join in the corners of a building;
- lining - a board lying between the foundation and the lower crown.
Why is this happening?
There are many reasons for the destruction of such structures; it is important to notice the problem in time, find the cause and remove the source of decay .
Why do crowns rot?
- Increased humidity of the material. If materials with a high percentage of humidity were used during construction, over time mold, mildew, cracks will appear on it and the process of rotting will begin.
- Leaks. If you do not promptly seal the cracks and seams in the log house that form during the shrinkage of the structure, moisture will begin to penetrate and stagnate.
- Lack of or improperly installed ventilation causes increased humidity.
- Insufficient antiseptic treatment of wooden elements or its absence.
- Violation of the rules for caring for external structural elements. Wooden elements should not be in constant contact with the ground, since periodic strong temperature changes begin the process of wood rotting.
How to replace the lower crown of a wooden house if it is rotten
You can replace the beam of the lower trim of the house with the following materials:
- a new crown made of wood, pre-treated with special compounds to prevent rotting;
- brickwork;
- gas silicate brick;
- expanded clay block.
The choice of material and technology depends, first of all, on the condition of the house and its foundation. An important factor is the availability of free space around the building, its dimensions, the location of the chimney, extension and other structures. If in doubt, it is advisable to first consult with a specialist.
Brick is more durable compared to wooden beams and provides good thermal insulation
Cost of work
The final cost of work is influenced by many factors, for example:
- scope of repairs;
- the need to raise the building;
- work area;
- the need to use special equipment;
- number of employees.
Approximate prices per linear meter are given in the table:
| Name of service | Price |
| Complex of works to lift the building | 1200 rub. |
| Dismantling a rotten log | 300 rub |
| Preparation + installation of a new log | 600 rub |
| Installation of inter-crown insulation | 100 rub |
| Waterproofing device | 100 rub |
| Replacing rounded logs | 2000 rub |
| Replacing logs from 200 mm (cutting into a bowl/foot) | 2300 rub. |
These prices are for labor only. Additionally, you will have to spend money on materials . However, it is not advisable to save on such repairs. Otherwise, the next repair will have to be done earlier than planned.
How to change the bottom beam of a wooden house
You can change the old lower crown of a village house yourself using the following instructions:
- Identify the damaged area. Take a chisel and assess how damaged the timber is. You need to clean the wood around this area, turn on the lamp and carefully inspect it.
- Install the ties 40 cm from the edges. Their height should correspond to the width of 2-3 crowns of timber.
- Reinforce the walls inside and outside with boards 40-50 cm thick.
- Drill holes in the first and second crowns.
- Install studs with a diameter of 12-14 mm.
- Carefully go through the chainsaw and remove the damaged part of the timber.
- Place notches, the width of which is 2 cm. These holes are used to securely fix the logs with new sections.
- Prepare the replacement material, make markings on the new timber and accurately cut along them.
- Place a new piece of wood and drive it in using a hammer or sledgehammer.
- Carefully go over the tow to seal all the cracks. Instead, you can use moss, jute or other insulation.
Technology for replacing the lower crowns of a wooden house with brickwork
Brick is often used as a building material, which can perfectly replace part of the logs below. The material is durable and frost-resistant. It withstands frosts, temperature changes, and freezing and thawing cycles well. In addition, unlike wood, it does not rot, is fire-resistant and provides sound insulation.
Replacing the lower crown with a brick is carried out in this way:
- The old base needs to be removed. To do this, use a chainsaw, a wood saw, as well as a hammer and a crowbar as a chisel.
- Clean the surface.
- Mix the mortar for laying bricks.
- Make the necessary calculations and start laying.
- Carry out work around the entire perimeter.
- After finishing the masonry, let it dry for several days.
Replacing the lower crowns of a wooden house with foam blocks with your own hands
Foam block as a building material has a number of advantages:
- excellent thermal insulation;
- light weight, ease of use;
- minimal water absorption;
- very long service life, reliability;
- fire resistance;
- no need for finishing;
- affordability.
Can be changed for different types of material. Expanded clay blocks cost about the same as gas silicate. But they are worse to cut and provide less thermal insulation. Sand-lime brick also does not retain heat very well, and is even more expensive. But it is resistant to moisture and frost, so it can be mounted along the outer perimeter.
You can also replace the lower rims of a log house with a gas silicate block. It is easy to cut with a saw, which is important when laying on old logs. The material has good thermal insulation, but is more expensive than other varieties. Since the work is being carried out thoroughly, and not much material is required to dismantle one crown, the cost can be neglected.
Replacing the lower rims with blocks can be done according to the following instructions:
- Remove old base. Clean the surface thoroughly.
- Place foam blocks.
- Walk around the outer perimeter.
- The draft will look like this. Then they begin further finishing.
How to perform partial repairs of embedded elements
A good alternative may be to replace the rotted crowns of the house with brickwork. Depending on the foundation and age of the building, such a replacement can be performed with or without lifting.
For a house without a foundation, that is, if it stands on the ground, you can do without raising it.
As in the first case, the damaged areas are cut out with a chainsaw.
The foundation is built from brickwork. In this case, the upper part of the masonry is brought under whole logs.
If the decision is made to raise the house, then this is done with a hydraulic or screw device.
Repair stages:
- The building rises at the corners.
- Temporary support is installed at the corners.
- The old foundation of the house is being dismantled.
- Brickwork for the foundation is being built and waterproofing is being installed.
- The building is being lowered onto a new foundation.
Of course, if you do not take into account the cost of work and general labor costs, the complexity of the process, then the most preferable method of repair can be called the latter - with raising the house. In this case, the repair is really a major one, and it is possible to update the waterproofing of the foundation, which will also affect the durability of the building.
Partial replacement of the lower rims of a wooden house without lifting
Partial replacement of the lower crown of the house can be done without a jack. The sequence of actions for installing a new beam is as follows:
- Cut the crown with a chainsaw.
- Hammer the ax into the wood to make dismantling easier.
- Remove the rotted part of the timber.
- To correctly replace the lower crown of a log house, you should inspect the cut of the log. If it is rotten, you need to cut out another part of the timber to a normal area.
- New cuts are made using a similar technology and another part of the crown is removed.
- Clean the surface of the foundation.
- Remove the last part of the bottom crown of the house from a wooden beam.
- Measure the required height (in this case 30 cm) and prepare materials for the new beam.
- Take measurements and cut in appropriate places.
- The next stage of replacing the lower crown without a jack is laying a layer of roofing felt.
- Remove the remains of dismantled wood.
- Lay new timber for the house (first part).
- To properly replace the rotted lower crown of the house, you need to cut down the frame a little.
- Place the second part and hammer it in.
- Repeat the same replacement operation on the other side.
- Hammer in the new crown again.
On a strip foundation
The work is more complicated because it requires partial destruction of the foundation and cutting out niches for jacks. Niches are cut into the rotten crowns, affecting the floor and part of the foundation. This installation is necessary so that the jack can move up and down freely.
An alternative option can be used: a lever system. As a lever, you can take a hardwood log or a metal channel number 10-12.
- A niche is made in the upper log of the lower crown for a channel or rail. To do this, wood is selected at a distance of 1-1.5 m from each corner.
- The channel is inserted into the niche.
- The corner of the house is raised with a jack.
- Wooden wedges are driven between the foundation and the channel.
- When the lower log is free from load, it is removed.
- The wedges are knocked out, the jack is lowered, and the channel is removed.
- Temporary supports are installed.
- The upper logs of the lower crown are removed.
- Again they take the channel, hammer in the wedges and raise the house.
- The temporary supports are removed, the logs are replaced, the wedges are removed, and the frame is placed on new crowns.
Recommendations and common mistakes
You can correctly replace the lower crowns of a wooden house yourself, using available materials and tools. But novice workers can make certain mistakes.
General tips:
- When replacing, it is better to use a monolithic beam from one part. If made from several fragments, the structure will be less stable. Although its dismantling will be easier.
- During replacement, the top beam should not “hang” in the air. Wooden and other supports must be placed under it. You can remove them immediately before installing a new crown.
- It often happens that replacing the lower crowns also involves repairing the foundation. It is not advisable to lay a new element on an old, sagging base. It is necessary to take into account the time required to carry out this work.
- When replacing with a foam block, it is important to know that it can shrink 2-3 mm. Therefore, it is advisable to use such material only for one-story houses. If the building is two-story or higher, it is recommended to first consult with specialists and carry out the necessary calculations.
- It is undesirable to use wood when replacing it, since over time it will suffer the same fate - the material will rot under the influence of dampness, temperature changes and other unfavorable factors. But if you impregnate it with special compounds, it will last for decades.
Replacing the lower crown of a frame house with your own hands requires special care. It is made on a mortgage element, which is made of logs and wooden beams. In this case, you need to act like this:
- At the preparatory stage, the facade cladding is dismantled.
- Strengthen the wooden frame of the house. To do this, wooden boards 50 cm thick are installed at the level of the window blocks. They are fastened on both sides using powerful bolts.
- They lift a wooden frame house with a jack in the same way as a structure made of timber. But it is worth keeping in mind that if the foundation is of a strip type, it cannot be lifted using a lever. In this case, the base is first partially destroyed and then a new one is installed.
- After the wooden structure is raised, its frame is fixed on supports made of powerful timber with a cross-section of 100*80 mm.
- The support post is installed on a concrete block or dug into the ground 15-20 cm. The supports are placed at intervals of 200 cm.
- They carry out the necessary work, restore the foundation and lower the wooden house.
How to determine that replacement is required?
You can visually understand that something is wrong with the house and that repair work needs to begin.
At the initial stage, you can notice mold and fungus appearing on the logs. But if the room begins to smell damp, and the floor in the house seems damp, it means that the crowns have begun to rot from the inside. In this case, it is necessary to find the source of decay.
To do this, you need to tap the walls, every log, with a hammer. Affected material produces a hollow sound (as if buzzing), while normal logs produce a dull sound.
Important! If the construction technology of a wooden house is followed, replacement of the crowns will not be required in the first 5 years.
