Features of the device floor on wooden beams. Laying a subfloor on wooden beams, preparing the base and step by step instructions Parquet flooring on wooden beams

There are two options for arranging wooden floors: on beams and on logs. The choice of one or another method of performing work depends on the individual characteristics of the premises and the preferences of its owners. Among the advantages of floors made on beams, it should be noted their high level of strength and low cost of work. How to build floors on wooden beams, we will consider further.

Floor construction on wooden beams: performing calculations

The use of wooden beams, in comparison with reinforced concrete, is distinguished primarily by a more affordable cost and ease of work. In addition, the floor has almost the same strength characteristics. The use of wooden structures helps to reduce the overall weight of the house and its load on the foundation base.

Among the advantages of floor beams in a wooden house, we note:

  • high resistance and rigidity before loads;
  • light weight compared to concrete beams;
  • affordable cost;
  • the possibility of self-assembly, without specialized technical equipment.

For arranging the floor on wooden beams, specialized equipment is not required, since several people are enough to lay the balls. The main load-bearing element of the structure is a wooden beam. It has the shape of a wooden beam, the height of which is from ten to thirty centimeters, and the thickness is from seven to twenty centimeters. The optimal beam laying step ranges from 65-100 cm. To determine the beam cross section, one should take into account the individual characteristics of the room, the load and weight of the building, the span length and other important factors. Interconnected wooden boards mounted on the edge will help to replace the timber. The use of hewn logs will be the most economical option for arranging flooring.

In order to determine the cross section of a beam installed in a particular house, it is necessary first of all to determine the level of load that affects it. To determine the total load, the weight of the floor, the load from people and the fittings that will be installed on it are taken into account. The total value of the total load is four hundred kilograms per square meter. In relation to this value, the cross section and size of the beam is determined by the table:

If the span is about 4 m, then with an installation step of 65 cm, a 10x20 cm beam will be required. Please note that the length of the beam must be 15 cm longer on each side to ensure its installation in the wall. That is, to determine the length of the beam, add 30 cm to 400 cm, you get 4.3 m.

The correct calculation of wooden beams allows you to choose the optimal size of materials with which you can correctly distribute the load in the building.

Laying wooden beams is carried out in a direction parallel to each other. At the same time, the interval between the beams should be maintained in almost all areas, with the exception of chimneys and other structural elements of the ceiling. The interval for laying beams in a house made of wood is about one meter. If the house is made using frame technology, then this distance is reduced to 50 cm. If this value increases, in relation to the structural features of the building, then an additional element is installed between the beams, which improves their bearing capacity.

If there is no place for fastening the beam in the area close to the stairwell, an additional structure in the form of a wooden crossbar should be equipped here. It will become a place for installing beams. At the same time, the beams can be installed directly on the crossbar or in it. In order for the beams to easily withstand the loads placed on them, the following requirements must be observed:

  • the optimum height of the beams will be at least one twenty-fourth of its length;
  • the width of the beam should be at least half of its height;
  • if the beam is installed in the attic, then a width of one third of its height is sufficient.

With the help of this ratio, it is possible to choose the best option for beams for arranging floors. If the installation of beams is carried out in a section of the mounting grooves, then the size of the beams should increase slightly. In order to reduce the thickness of the beam, if the overlap is quite long, support posts are installed between them.

If the installation of beams is carried out in outbuildings, garages, change houses or other non-residential premises, the average load level decreases and ranges from 100 to 300 kg per square meter. At the same time, the cross section of the beams should also be reduced.

If you could not find the indicated size of the beams, then it is possible to construct them independently using ordinary boards. At the same time, they are stacked in a checkerboard pattern, connecting with each other with the help of nails.

With the further construction of the stove and chimney in the house, one should take into account the fact that the distance between it and the beam should not be less than thirty centimeters.

Overlapping the floor on wooden beams: features of the installation of beams

Fixing wooden beams is carried out directly on the wall. If the ceiling is arranged in the attic, then the beams are installed on the last crown of the wall, made of timber or logs.

A hole should be made in the wall, comparable in size to a beam. Before installation, the beam should be overlaid with tow. If there are too thin beams, they are installed into the wall by 10-15 cm. In this case, a special cutting method is used. It is possible to attach the beam using a connection called a dovetail.

This option is suitable for houses, which is also made of timber. To fix the beam in a house made of wood, a trapezoidal connection is used, and a clamp is installed for additional strength. In this case, the crossbar and the beam will be on the same level. The easiest way to install floor beams is to mount the cranial bars and fix the beams on them. In this case, the size of the bars will be about 5x5 cm.

If the house is made of a shield, then for laying the beam, you should equip a hole in the wall in the form of a nest. Each end of the beam is installed inside the holes. In this case, each nest for the beam must be at the same level. The optimal depth of the nest in this case is about 15-20 cm, and the width between the beam and the wall is about 1 cm. Each of the ends that is installed in the nest is lined with tow. This is followed by the process of processing the beam with an antiseptic solution. Thus, it will be possible to extend its life and protect the coating from mold and fungus.

It is possible to fix the tow with steel anchors. One end of the anchor is installed in the socket, and the other is fixed on the beam with screws, while the length of the beam is calculated so that it does not enter the wall and is different from the length of the ceiling.

If the house is made of brick, then the installation of wooden beams will also require the construction of nests. They are the supporting elements for holding the beams. Try to build nests as level as possible. In order to install the beams at the same level, you will need to level the bottom of the nests with a concrete mortar. After the concrete solution is completely dry, a roofing material or roofing felt is installed on its surface, which protects the tree from moisture.

In this case, the size of the nest is 6-10 cm more than the thickness of the beam. The gap between the wall and the wooden beam should be about three centimeters. The depth of the nest in this case is about 20-25 cm, while the beam is installed only 15 cm inside. The sections of wooden beams that are placed in the nest should be smeared with hot bitumen.

Then they are wrapped with roofing felt or glassine in two layers. After that, the rest of the beam is covered with a solution with antiseptic properties. After laying the beams in the nests, they should be poured with a concrete solution, for which crushed stone is used as a filler. Alignment of beams is carried out on the same level with the wall.

Overlapping the floor on wooden beams: features of the floor device

The rolling part of the ceiling is the ceiling on the rolling floor. There are several ways to lay out flooring. Most often, cranial bars are installed on the beam, the cross section of which is 4x4 or 5x5 cm. The cranial bars are installed in such a way that they are flush with the beam. Further, a wooden roll is laid on the surface of the bars in the form of wooden boards, the thickness of which is from 10 to 20 cm. At the same time, there should be no gaps between the boards. A ready-made shield made of wood or ordinary plywood will help replace the boards. In order to equip a flat ceiling on the lower floor, drywall sheets or plywood are installed on top of the run.

With the help of another method of mounting the roll, it is possible to significantly increase the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe ceiling, if it is not large enough. Bars are installed on a wooden beam, with a section of 4x4 cm. A roll is laid on them, while its installation is carried out perpendicular to the beams. This is followed by the installation of filing in the form of boards, the thickness of which is the same as that of the previously installed bars.

In addition, a bar with a thickness of 6 cm or more is also used to make a roll. Cranial bars are installed on the beam, the cross section of which is 4x4 or 5x5 cm. This is followed by the process of laying the bar, At the same time, they are connected by a quarter method using a cut groove in the bar . The thickness of the beam depends on the height of the beams, they must be located on the same level. In this case, the beam performs the function of both rolling and filing. In addition, the manufacture of a mounting groove inside the beam will help replace the cranial bars. In some cases, the lower part of the beams is left open and unfinished. This method is relevant when using country style indoors.

Floor installation on wooden beams: technology for performing work

This is followed by the process of arranging the floor on wooden beams. To begin with, bars are installed on each of the beams, in relation to which the flooring surface is formed. This stage involves the fitting of the floor and the construction of a rough coating. Therefore, it is allowed to use an unplaned board in the work, however, it must be covered with protective materials and impregnations.

The next step is waterproofing the flooring. The best option is to use a clay-sand mortar, which has the consistency of putty. Another option for performing waterproofing work is the use of roofing material. With it, it is possible to provide high-quality waterproofing, which does not take up much space. After that, the process of providing thermal insulation follows. The most popular materials for carrying out these works are the use of:

  • slag, poured between the bars;
  • mineral wool;
  • polystyrene;
  • non-polystyrene;
  • sawdust or expanded clay.

The most popular floor insulation for wooden beams is mineral wool. It has high thermal insulation capabilities, has a long service life, is resistant to rodents and is quite antiseptic.

Mineral wool is installed in such a way that it fits snugly against the floor surface. After that, a vapor barrier is installed, since this material is not resistant to moisture, which can get on it through a wooden floor.

Further actions are related to the arrangement of the finishing flooring. It is possible to install it directly on the beams, but it is best to pre-install the system from the log. Thus, firstly, additional space and ventilation will be arranged under the flooring, and secondly, the noise level emitted by the wooden floor will be significantly reduced.

In addition, it is possible to build a wooden floor of a floating type. The warm floor on wooden beams is distinguished by the presence of rigid fixation to the surface of the walls. In addition, it has excellent soundproofing characteristics and a low level of creaking. As a finishing finishing material for arranging a concrete floor on wooden beams, a planed floorboard, chipboard, laminate, parquet board or linoleum is used.

23.12.2017

Wet floor construction on wooden beams. Draft floor on wooden beams

There are only two options for flooring in the construction of a wooden house: floors along logs and floors along floor beams. Which one to choose depends on the design features of the house. The easiest way is to lay the bottom floor on the logs, which in most cases happens. But the arrangement of beams has its advantages. Firstly, beams are an important part of the design of the house. They are built into the load-bearing walls, so the installation of the floor on them will give the house greater stability. Floors on wooden beams have one significant drawback: due to the fact that the beams are firmly built into the frame of the house, any impact on the floor is transmitted through beams to load-bearing and other walls. Therefore, the level of generated noise and audibility will be increased. In this regard, even if the structural feature of the structure is beams, the floors must be laid on them on a pre-fabricated frame that does not have points of contact with the crowns and walls of the house. However, there are still advantages in the arrangement of beams, as the basis for the floor, and not as a lag. First of all, these are low material costs for the construction of the lower floor, and the small weight of the material used for this purpose.

Embedding a beam in a brick wall

First of all, you should calculate the cross section of the beam and the distance through which they need to be laid. There are special tables for this, but most often the owner buys rectangular bars (often pine) 15/15 or 20/20, and stacks them with a distance of no more than 60 cm from each other.

In the event that the house is built of brick, or the upper part of the foundation is built on from this material, the beam is embedded tightly into such walls. Therefore, in the process of bricklaying, nests (openings) are necessarily provided, into which the ends of the beams will subsequently be laid. It is necessary to observe safety measures that will prevent rotting of the ends of the beams that will be laid in the nests. For this filter, the cavity of the opening in the brickwork is lined with a double layer of roofing material, and the beam itself, at a distance of at least 3/4 meters, is treated at both ends with a fire-retardant compound. It is highly desirable for them to cover all the wooden parts of the frame of the house. Important point: in order for the tree to be able to "breathe", which prevents the accumulation of condensate, the ends of the beams themselves cannot be treated with a composition that prevents this process. For example, resin. It is quite possible that the nest of the beam will be much larger than its section.

In this case, the resulting cavity is insulated with mineral wool or foam, or sealed with cement mortar.

It is important to consider here that between the wooden beam and the walls of the opening in the brickwork, an air gap of at least 3-5 cm must necessarily remain. The beams are laid freely, without attaching them to the masonry. It should be noted that the distance from the load-bearing wall to the first timber should not be less than 5 cm. The supporting part of the beam should be at least 15 cm, the nest depth should be at least 18 cm. and laid in such a way that the direction of the cut forms a greater distance to the wall of the nest from above than from below. That is, the lower plane of the wooden beam should almost closely adjoin the brickwork, while its opposite, upper side, should be at least 5 cm away from the bricks.

The device of beams of the lower floor in a frame and wooden house

If the beams are installed during the construction of a frame house, then in this case they are arranged on the lower trim of the house and nailed to it with nails. The process is similar to the device of the lower strapping of the building.

In the event that the house is built from timber or logs, openings are cut in the walls, into which floor beams will subsequently be laid. In the same way as in the case of brick nests, wooden beams are treated with an antiseptic solution. Please note that the distance between the base of the stove, the chimney and the wooden beams must be at least 40 cm.

The device of wooden flooring and flooring on beams

  • On both sides of each beam, bars are attached, to which the flooring is closely fitted. Boards, gypsum boards or other material can be used as it. The essence of the process is to form a flooring at the level of the lower plane of the beams.
  • Waterproofing work should be carried out on the flooring panels to ensure the safety of the insulation. To do this, the entire plane of the flooring is smeared with a clay-sand mortar, or roofing material is laid.
  • Floor insulation is installed. This can be done using slag, which is poured onto the flooring between beams, mineral wool boards, foam sheets, sawdust, or other floor insulation options.
  • Next, the floors are laid on wooden beams. Planed boards with a thickness of at least 35 mm can be chosen as the material. Logs can be laid along the beams, and the floor can already be laid along them. This will be the best option, since in this case an additional ventilation gap is formed.

Private low-rise construction has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Do-it-yourself country houses and country houses are occupying an increasing share in the total volume of housing being put into operation.


The most demanded material in private construction is wood, due to its affordable cost and ease of processing. But not all individual developers have sufficient experience and knowledge to independently carry out the entire range of construction work. So, the question often arises of how to properly lay the floor of the second floor in compliance with all building codes and technologies.

Construction requirements for wooden floors

In order to mount a durable and safe wooden floor between the 1st and 2nd floors with your own hands, you must strictly comply with the technical requirements for them.

Thermal insulation layer

Thermal insulation of the floor will improve the temperature in the room on the second floor

If the wooden floor will separate the upper and lower rooms with a temperature difference between them of more than 10 ° C, it will be necessary to build a heat-insulating layer.

This is necessary, for example, when arranging ceilings between the first floor and the underground, basement or between the first / second floor and an uninsulated attic.

Beam strength

Beams and ceilings must withstand up to 180 kg / sq.m of load

When constructing the floor of the second floor on wooden beams, special attention should be paid to the strength of the supporting structures. The safety of the operation of the building depends on how durable the wooden beams of the floors are.

According to building codes for wooden low-rise buildings, the ceilings of the first floor should not exceed 210 kg per sq.m., the pressure on the wooden floor of the second floor should not exceed 180 kg / sq.m., and for attics and attics this figure should be less than 105 kg/sq.m.

Maximum deflection

In addition, building codes also impose requirements on the deflection of wooden floor beams. According to SNiP, this coefficient should not exceed 1 to 250. That is, the maximum deflection of wooden supporting structures during operation should be less than 4 mm per meter of beam length.

According to this standard, the deflection of a beam structure 4 m long in the center should not be more than 1.6 cm (4 m: 250 = 0.016 m). If it is planned to place massive furniture and household appliances in the room, flooring as a floor covering of tiles, etc., then the requirements for structural rigidity increase to 1 to 400.

That is, the deflection should not exceed 2.5 mm per meter. For non-residential attics and attic spaces, a larger deflection coefficient is allowed - 1 to 200 (5 mm per 1 meter).

Soundproofing

Fifty-millimeter mineral wool will not only insulate the floor, but will also become a good sound insulator

According to building codes, the sound insulation threshold for interfloor floors of residential buildings should be 50 dB.

To ensure this requirement, it will be enough to cover the floor of the second floor under the finish coat with mineral wool 50 mm thick.

The length of the beam should be no more than 5 m

The maximum allowable length of the free sag of wooden beams should not exceed 5 m for interfloor and 6 m for attic floors. If the design length of the room is more than 5 m, it will be necessary to install an additional support under the bearing beam. The fact is that the optimal length of the supporting wooden structure is 4 m.

With a further increase in its length, the rigidity and strength of the supporting structure are sharply reduced and the requirements for the thickness of the beam section increase disproportionately. So, in order for the deflection indicators for an 8 m beam to “fit” into the SNiP standards, its thickness should be about 40 cm. For example: the same deflection indicator shows a 4 m beam with a cross section of only 15 x 15 cm.

Wood is a material quite vulnerable to external influences, primarily dampness and fire, therefore, before proceeding with the construction of load-bearing structures, all wooden elements must be treated with antiseptic materials and flame retardants.

Construction material

Before proceeding with the installation of the floor on the second floor on wooden beams, you should make a list of all the necessary materials. This will allow during work to avoid unforeseen downtime and delays caused by the need to purchase some building materials.

beams

A beam section of 15 x 15 will be enough

The basis of the entire structure of interfloor wooden floors is beams. They play the role of load-bearing elements, and the strength of the structure depends on them. For them, a bar or gun carriage with a section of 15 x 15 cm, or 18 x 18 cm is usually taken.

This section is usually enough to provide sufficient rigidity for a specific load of 400 kg per sq.m. In this case, it is necessary to observe the parameters recommended by building codes: the span is 4 m, and the step between the beams is 60 cm. Based on these parameters, you can also calculate the required amount of timber.

Span length (mm)Beam cross section (mm)
1 2000 75×150
2 2500 100×150
3 3000 100×175
4 3500 125×175
5 4000 125×200
6 4500 150×200
7 5000 150×225

However, in the absence of a beam and small values ​​​​of the expected loads on the floor, it is quite possible to use boards nailed together in pairs and placed on the edge with a thickness of 50 or 40 mm. This option is suitable for flooring in the attic or in a small country house.

For the first floor of a residential building, this option is not suitable due to the low bearing capacity of the boards: to ensure the necessary rigidity, the step between the plank beams will have to be significantly reduced, which will lead to unjustified waste of material.


The most commonly used material for beams is pine. This is the best option according to the "price-quality" criterion: its wood is quite affordable and at the same time has good technical characteristics.

Bars made of wood of stronger species (larch, oak) can rarely be found on free sale, and their price is incomparably higher, and pine wood after appropriate treatment with antiseptics will not be inferior in terms of durability to the same larch.

When buying a bar, you should choose a material with dry wood. Otherwise, after mounting the beams, their deformation during the drying process is possible - bending and twisting.

Flooring

Wooden decking laid on beams will be a rough base for flooring

Usually, the flooring of interfloor ceilings is made in two tiers: from below there are rough floors, on which insulation is laid, and from above - pre-finish flooring, mounted on top of the bearing beams. A decorative floor covering is laid directly on it.

To determine the nature and amount of material for flooring, you should clearly consider the design of the floors.

In the device of the subfloor, either 5 x 6 cm bars stuffed onto the supporting beams or grooves made in the beams can be used as a support for the floorboards. The latter option is quite laborious, so most often 5 x 6 cm bars are used to create a support.


To calculate the required number of bars, it is enough to count the number of beams and multiply them by the length of each of them. The resulting footage (the total length of all beams) is multiplied by two more (since the bars will be stuffed on both sides of each beam).

A wide range of materials can be used for finishing flooring. It can be boardwalk, plywood, chipboard, MDF, OSB, etc. Each of these materials has its advantages and disadvantages, after reading which you can choose one of them. To calculate the required amount of material, it is enough to simply calculate the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room.

When purchasing building material, you should always purchase it with a margin of 10 - 15%, since unforeseen material overruns are inevitable during construction.

This will save you from having to interrupt work and buy the missing part.

Impregnation

Antiseptic will extend the life of the tree

To maximize the service life of wooden structures, they must be treated with antiseptic materials.

It will also be useful to treat wood with fire retardants, which increase its fire safety.

To calculate the required amount of impregnation, you should read the instructions for its use - it always indicates the approximate consumption of the mixture per sq.m.

Waterproofing


Since wood is afraid of moisture, waterproofing materials are always used in construction.

This can be rolled waterproofing used to create a water-repellent layer between wooden floor structures and the finish coat, or between wood and brick (stone, cinder block, etc.).

To protect the tree from moisture, you can also apply a coating waterproofing based on polymers or liquid bitumens.

Heat and sound insulation

If it is necessary to create a barrier to noise or cold, insulating materials are used in the construction of floors. Most often, for these purposes, use a minplate or foam. Their total number in area should be approximately equal to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room. For more information about floor insulation, see this video:

Expanded clay or ordinary slag mixed with sawdust can also be used as an insulating material.

Fastening materials

To fasten wooden floor elements, you should purchase self-tapping screws, nails, steel corners, anchor bolts and other consumables. When purchasing screws and nails, attention should be paid to their length.

According to the standards for a strong connection, the nail should be 2/3 longer than the thickness of the attached element (board, bar). For self-tapping screws and screws, this figure can be reduced to 50%.

Those. for reliable fastening to the beam of the “magpie” board, you will need 120 mm nails or 80 mm self-tapping screws.

After all the necessary materials have been purchased, and all preparations have been completed, you can proceed directly to the construction work. The construction of interfloor floors can be divided into several main stages.

The part of the beam inserted into the wall is wrapped with three layers of waterproofing material

The installation of load-bearing beams is most often carried out at the stage of erecting the walls of the building. Before laying the bearing bars, their surface is treated with all the necessary impregnations.

Then their ends are cut at an angle of 60 ° and that part of them that will be walled up in the wall is wrapped in 2-3 layers of rolled waterproofing.


The ends of the beams are usually also coated with waterproofing compounds, but some experts advise leaving them open to allow the moisture contained in the wood to freely escape.

The depth of the beams to the depth of the wall should be at least 15 cm. The step of laying the beams is usually taken at 0.6 m, but depending on the expected load on the floors, as well as on the thickness of the beam section, this indicator can be reduced or increased.

The choice of the interval between the beams is also influenced by the technical indicators of the material used for the finished floor.

If the top flooring is supposed to be made of inch boards, plywood or chipboard, then the distance between the beams should not exceed half a meter, otherwise the floors will sag when walking. For more information about the installation of beams, see this video:

Floor joists must lie in the same plane

Installation of load-bearing beams starts from the two extreme walls, while the beams should be located at a distance of 5 - 10 cm. After installing the two extreme beams, we mount the rest, observing the required interval.

When laying beams, special attention should be paid to the horizontal slope: all floor beams must lie in the same plane. To do this, a cutting board is placed on the edge between the two extreme bars, or the twine is pulled tightly.

If the base on which the beams are laid is uneven, then mortgages should be installed under the ends of the beams to level the horizontal level. For mortgages, material is used that is resistant to decay and physical stress - metal plates, pieces of tiles, etc.

It is not recommended to use wooden wedges to adjust the level of the beams, as they can quickly rot, which will cause the lowering of individual floor beams and the curvature of the floor line.

The bearing bars are attached to the wall with anchor bolts and steel corners.

Fastening of support bars

After all the floor beams are exposed, bars with a section of 5 x 6 cm are attached to them (the so-called "cranial" bars). They serve as a support for laying the subfloor and are attached along the entire length of the bearing beam, on both sides.

They should be nailed in such a way that their bottom is flush with the bottom of the beams.

Most often, the draft floor is made from an inch board.

For the device of the subfloor, edged boards are taken and laid across the beams on the support bars. Since the distance between the beams usually does not exceed 0.6 - 0.8 m, then an inch or thirty board is quite suitable for subfloors: the pressure on them will be limited only by the weight of the insulation.

Also for these purposes, you can use a cut slab. You can also combine the draft floors of the second floor with the finished ceilings of the first floor or basement. In this case, edged boards are hemmed from below, from the side of the first floor to the beams. For more information about the draft field, see this video:

Thermal insulation flooring


After the installation of subfloors, compartments are formed between the beams, which, if necessary, can be filled with heat-insulating materials.

To do this, a hydro- or vapor barrier (roofing material, isospan, etc.) is laid on top of the subfloor boards, and then mineral wool, polystyrene, slag with sawdust, etc. are laid.

In this case, the entire space between the bars should be densely filled. We fill the gaps between the beams and foam sheets with sealant.

It is also desirable to lay waterproofing on top of the insulation, which will protect it from moisture leaks from above.


The final stage will be the flooring of the finishing floors, which is mounted on top of the supporting beams with self-tapping screws or nails.

To do this, the material (boards, OSB, plywood) is cut in such a way that their joint falls in the middle of the timber. The finished floor is the basis for the finishing coating - laminate, linoleum, parquet.

Draft floors on wooden beams are widely used architectural elements in building construction. Depending on the specific location and features of buildings, they perform various functions and differ in the technology of arrangement.

Draft floors are used for the following purposes.


The manufacturing technology of rough floors largely depends on their specific purpose.

Design features of subfloors

Features of the manufacture of draft floors take into account the methods of fastening beams or floor logs. Beams can be installed on different structures.

Table. Structures on which beams can be installed.

Design nameBrief characteristics

This option is used during the construction of wooden log cabins or panel houses. On the columnar foundations, the load-bearing elements of the floor of the first floor are mounted. Due to the fact that the lower surface of the beams rests on the foundation, the fastening of the draft floors can only be on the cranial timber. They are fixed to the side surface of the log or beams. Except for those cases when the beams are made of round timber and do not have flat side surfaces. The second option is the installation of subfloors on top of the beams for the supporting base of the finishing floor coverings.

Draft floors are made on logs, fixed to the side cranial bars or upper surfaces. A waterproofing barrier is used between the slabs and beams.

The ends of the beams lie on the foundation strip or the lower crowns of the log house. The draft floor can be installed both on the side surfaces and above or below the beams.

It must be borne in mind that the fastening of the draft floors on the cranial timber reduces the thickness of the insulation layer. If the width of the beams or lag is less than 15 cm, then it is undesirable to use this option. The fact is that the recommended minimum thickness of the insulation is more than 10 cm, with a decrease in this indicator, the effectiveness of insulation is significantly reduced.


Beams - supporting elements for the construction of a floor or ceiling, must withstand the maximum design loads, have a margin of safety. Depending on the purpose and operating conditions of the premises, the thickness of the beams and the distance between them are selected. As materials, bars with dimensions of 50 × 50 mm or more or boards with parameters from 50 × 150 mm can be used. On lumber with even surfaces, the subfloor can be attached from the bottom, side or top, on round beams - only from the bottom or top.


Table. What elements does a classic draft floor consist of.

Element namePurpose and description

The main bearing element, perceives all static and dynamic efforts. In each individual case, individual calculations are made for linear parameters and distance steps. They can be supported on posts, foundation strip, floor slab, facade walls or load-bearing interior partitions.

Size - approximately 20 × 30 mm, fixed to the side surfaces of the beams, used for laying subfloor boards.

Waterproofing is laid on the subfloor, which serves as the basis for the finishing floor. Vapor barrier is used to protect insulation from increasing relative humidity, it is used on the first floors or ceilings.

Depending on the specific placement and purpose of the subfloors, the listed elements may be added or excluded. We will look at some of the most commonly used types of subfloors.


Draft floor in a log house on beams

Beams should be thoroughly soaked with an antiseptic, preferably at least twice. The ends can lie on a strip foundation or beam, between concrete and wooden structures, two layers of roofing felt waterproofing must be laid. The upper and lower planes of the beams were hewn with an axe, the side surfaces were sanded. The subfloor will be made from sheets of moisture-resistant OSB approximately 1 cm thick. Keep in mind that the final thickness of the slab should be selected taking into account the distance between the beams. The main selection criterion is that the sheets should not bend under their own weight. Cheaper materials can also be used: unedged sanded boards of the third grade, used lumber, pieces of plywood, etc.


Practical advice! If floor insulation is planned, it is recommended to keep the distance between the beams within 55 cm. The fact is that pressed or rolled wool has a standard width of 60 cm, due to this distance between the beams, the insulation will be pressed tightly against the side surfaces, and this greatly increases efficiency insulation. In addition, mineral wool does not have to be cut, which speeds up construction work and minimizes the amount of unproductive waste of expensive material.


Step 1. Set the beams in place at a given distance, check the position of the top surfaces - they should all lie on the same level. To check, it is better to use a rope. Stretch it between the two extreme beams and adjust the rest to this level. To fit, it is better to cut off excess height, if this is difficult to do, then you can use linings. Professional builders do not recommend laying wooden wedges, over time they will shrink. Much better to use plastic or metal. Level check the horizontal position of the beams.


Step 2 Remove the beam, unscrew from the square. In the future, the element must be installed in the same place, otherwise the linearity of the finished floor may be disturbed, unpleasant squeaks will appear when walking. Turn it over with the bottom plane up, put it in an empty place on the foundation.

Step 3 From OSB boards, cut strips 5–6 cm wide more than the width of the bottom of the beam. The length does not matter, if necessary, the strips can be joined.

Practical advice! In order to save material, in the lower part of the timber, non-solid strips can be screwed into squares. The distance between them is 30–50 cm. The subfloor does not carry any load, the mass of heaters is negligible, there is no need to make strong shelves to install the subfloor.


Bars are stuffed at the bottom across the beams - one of the possible options


Step 4 Using an electric drill or screwdriver, fasten the strips to the beam. Use self-tapping screws that are at least one third longer than the thickness of the OSB board. Otherwise, the fixation will be fragile. Instead of self-tapping screws, you can use ordinary nails of the appropriate size.

Step 5 Do the same with all remaining beams. Unscrew them in turn, fix the OSB strips and install them in their original place.

Step 6 Cut the OSB boards to the width of the subfloor. If you have precisely maintained the distances between the beams, then you can immediately prepare all the elements. If for some reason the distances between the beams are not the same, then each strip will have to be measured separately.


Step 7 Lay the sheets on the shelves. There is no need to achieve a complete absence of gaps; the subfloor for insulation does not require exact observance of dimensions.


Practical advice! To make work easier, cut the sheets 1-2 cm narrower than the distance between the shelves. The fact is that the beam on the sides has bulges that narrow the clearance, due to a slight decrease in the width of the sheets, it is much easier to install them in place. Another plus of reducing the width is a compensating gap. OSB boards change their linear dimensions quite significantly during changes in relative humidity. If there are no compensating gaps, then the sheets may swell. For a subfloor, this is not critical, but swelling indicates a low qualification of builders.

Step 8 To reduce heat loss, you can blow out all the cracks with mounting foam.


On this, the manufacture of the subfloor is completed, you can begin laying the insulation. How to do it?

Step 1. Put a vapor barrier on the beams and the subfloor, do not pull it too hard, fasten it to the tree with a stapler. For vapor barrier, you can use expensive modern non-woven materials or ordinary cheap plastic film. There is no difference in efficiency, but the price may differ by an order of magnitude. Vapor barrier is a must, do not neglect it. The fact is that mineral wool reacts extremely negatively to an increase in humidity. With an increase in the index, the thermal conductivity increases exponentially, which sharply reduces the effectiveness of thermal insulation. Another operational disadvantage is that the material dries for a long time. This means that wet wool will have a long contact with wooden structures. Such adverse conditions significantly reduce the life of lumber.

Important! Never store insulation outdoors. If you suspect high humidity, dry the material thoroughly, use only dry cotton wool.

Step 2 Lay the first layer of mineral wool 5 cm thick on the subfloor. Squeeze the edges tightly, do not allow cracks to form. Pressed mineral wool is slightly compressed and has elasticity, which allows it to occupy the most convenient place.


Step 3 Lay the second layer of insulation with offset seams. To do this, first lay the piece remaining from the last piece of pressed mineral wool. Using the same algorithm, insulate the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe subfloor. The thickness of the floor insulation for the northern regions of the country should be at least 15 cm, for the middle climatic zone 10 cm is enough.

Practical recommendation! It is not necessary to insulate the floor with one thin layer of mineral wool, a thickness of 5 cm has almost no heat-saving effect. Especially on the ground floor, where there is constant natural ventilation and heat is quickly removed from the premises.

Step 4 Cover the insulation with waterproofing. To do this, you can use any special materials. The waterproofing is fixed with a stapler, the width of the overlaps is at least 10 cm, the ends of the material are hermetically sealed with adhesive tape.


Step 5 On top of the waterproofing membrane on the logs, nail 20x30 slats or the remaining strips of OSB. Reiki will provide ventilation of the finished floor and will not allow mold to appear under it.


The underground must necessarily have ventilation openings that provide multiple air exchange. Do not forget to close the openings with metal bars that protect the underground from the penetration of rodents. Modern mineral wool has very thin fibers, rodents easily make passages in it and equip their nests. As a result, not only the thermal protection indicators worsen, but mice also appear in the premises.


On this, the black floor is completely ready, you can start laying the boards of the finishing floor.

Draft floor on the attic floor

It has several options, for example, we will consider the most complex of them. It is better to do the filing of the ceiling before the installation of the subfloor, but this condition is not necessary. When working with mineral wool insulation, it is recommended to use a respirator or mask to protect the respiratory organs, put on rubberized gloves on your hands.


Since there is no ceiling covering, nail a vapor barrier membrane underneath. Fasten it securely, it will hold the weight of the insulation for the first time.

Important! When performing further work in the attic for walking, make special passages, put long boards in these places. To improve security, it is recommended to temporarily fix them. The boards will somewhat complicate the process of laying the insulation, but they will minimize the risks of unpleasant situations.


Step 1. Start laying insulation in the space between the attic floor beams. We have already mentioned that when calculating the distance between the beams, the standard width of the materials for thermal insulation must be taken into account. Lay as tightly as possible, if there are two layers, then their joints should be shifted.




Important! When laying rolled mineral wool, do not allow sharp bends - in these places the thickness of the insulation is significantly reduced, a cold bridge is formed. And one more piece of advice. Do not press hard on the cotton, do not artificially reduce its thickness. Unlike pressed, roll does not withstand any loads.

Step 2 Install a wind and vapor barrier. Rolled mineral wool is easily blown through with drafts, and heat is removed along with the intake of fresh air. The membranes are fixed to the beams with a stapler. Professional builders do not recommend pulling the membranes strongly, it is desirable that they lie freely on top of the insulation. In the event of leaks, water will not enter the insulation through the holes made by the stapler brackets.





Step 3 Fasten the membrane along the beams with thin laths. Lay the subfloor boards on the slats. They can be screwed with screws or nailed.




Subfloor under laminate

This type of subfloor requires a more demanding attitude to the quality of the coating. If floors are made between floors, then insulation can be omitted. Warm air from the rooms on the first floor does not go outside, but heats the second floor. Due to this, the parameters of the microclimate of the rooms on the second floor are improved. Warming is done only on attic floors.


The subfloor serves as the basis for laminate flooring and must meet three requirements.

  1. Hardness. The thickness of the boards and the distance between the beams are selected in such a way that deformations of the planes are completely excluded under the maximum possible loads.
  2. Humidity. The relative humidity of lumber should not exceed 20%. Before laying the boards, it is necessary to dry them in a heated room for several days. During this time, they will acquire natural moisture and will not change linear dimensions.
  3. Evenness. The deviation in the height of the plane cannot exceed two millimeters per two meters of length. Otherwise, the laminate floor will start to emit very unpleasant sounds during walking, appearing due to the friction of the elements in the connecting locks. It is impossible to eliminate these sounds. You will have to completely dismantle the flooring, level the subfloor and only then lay the laminate again. The work is long and expensive, it is better to immediately pay attention to quality. For rough floors, only sawn timber passed through a double-sided thicknesser should be used. The final adjustment of the subfloor to the laminate can be done with a parquet machine or a hand planer. The choice of tool depends on the total area of ​​coverage.


The evenness of the base should be checked with a long level or a rule, apply tools in various places on the subfloor and pay attention to the gaps. If deviations are found, the plane should be leveled with one of the tools. If the difference in height of the subfloor does not exceed a millimeter, then an unpleasant creak can disappear on its own after a few months of operation. During this time, the elements of the interlock will partially rub in, the abutting parts will reduce their thickness. Those that do not get used are slightly deformed, due to which the density of the locking joint decreases. These changes will not affect the quality and durability of laminate flooring.


When fixing the subfloor under the laminate, you need to slightly sink the heads of nails or self-tapping screws into the boards. The fact is that it is even theoretically impossible to achieve a perfectly even fit of the boards to the beams. Over time, in places where the boards sag, the nails may come out of the beams a little, because of this, the hat rises above the plane of the boards. This is highly undesirable for laminate floors. They are laid on a special bedding, have a sealed waterproofing. Hats of hardware with sharp edges damage the membrane layer, the tightness of the waterproofing is broken. Moisture that has entered through the holes between the laminate and the subfloor causes the appearance of fungi and rot on the wood. It is impossible to see the problem in a timely manner, it is detected after the lumber has lost its original properties. As a result, complex special measures are required for elimination, sometimes it is necessary to change the supporting structures.


On a note! Wooden beams should be able to move a little, never fix them in a stationary state. Today on sale there are special metal stops that allow the ends to move along the length.


And the last. The most optimal option for laying subfloors for laminate flooring are waterproof OSB boards or plywood. Sheets of large size, due to this, the number of joints is minimized, it is much easier to smooth out sharp differences in height. It is necessary to lay the slabs with damper gaps about 2–3 mm wide, which will compensate for the thermal expansion of the material. Otherwise, swelling of the laminate floor is likely, their elimination will require the complete dismantling of both the finish coating and the leveling base.

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Good day dear readers! In this article, you will find out which wood use for beams and decking, as it should be beam section under different loads, how to install wooden beams and how to lay floor boards.

An important point in the construction of a country house is floor construction. The floor, built according to all the rules and regulations, will not sag and creak when walking. And from this article you will learn important points in building a wooden floor with your own hands.

Timber for beams and decking

timber for beams it is best to choose from softwoods such as pine and larch. Beams made of such wood are more resistant to decay. But larch is 30% stronger than pine, because. fiber density is higher. Therefore, it is better to choose larch as floor beams.

All beams need extra treat with antiseptics and peel off the bark, if any. Antiseptics should be applied with a garden sprayer so that the antiseptic is well absorbed into the tree.

For beams, wood of 2-3 grades is suitable. Wood for beams should be dried in the open air for at least a year, preferably two. At the same time, the moisture content of wood should not exceed 13-17%. A freshly cut tree has a moisture content of 40-50%.

For flooringit is better to use pine, because. pine has a medium fiber density, which makes it easy to process.

Board moisturefor flooring should not exceed 12%. If the boards are wet, then over time they will shrink and cracks will form in the floors.

When buying boards and beams, do not be too lazy to sort them out. Leave only good boards free of cracks, knots, splits and other defects.

Installing floor beams

Floor beamsmust rest on the foundation, extending from each side by 150 mm. For these purposes, special recesses for beams must be provided in advance in a brick wall. If the walls are made of timber or rounded logs, then the recesses for the beams are made after the construction of the walls.

Beam spacingshould be between 0.5 and 1 meter. In order to evenly distribute the beams along the entire length of the room, it is necessary to divide the length of the room by such a number that the result is a figure that lies in the range from 0.5 to 1 m. For example, the length of the room is 6.4, divide this number by 10 and get a step beams 0.64 m.

Based on the step of the beams and the future load on them. Determine the cross section of the beam according to tables 1 and 2.

Table 1.

Span, m

Distance between beams 0.5 m

150

250

350

450

2,0

50x80

5x10

50x110

50x120

100x100

2,5

50x100

50x120

100x100

100x110

100x120

3,0

50x120

100x100

100x110

100x130

100x140

3,5

100x110

100x130

100x150

100x160

4,0

100x130

100x150

100x170

150x150

100x180

150x160

4,5

100x140

100x170

150x150

100x190

150x170

100x200

150x180

5,0

100x160

100x190

150x160

100x210

150x180

100x230

150x200

Table 2. Section of wooden beams, mm

Span, m

Distance between beams 1 m

150

250

350

450

2,0

100x100

100x110

100x120

2,5

100x100

100x120

100x130

100x140

3,0

100x120

100x140

100x150

100x170

150x150

3,5

100x140

100x160

100x180

150x160

100x200

150x180

4,0

100x160

100x190

150x160

100x210

150x190

100x230

150x200

4,5

100x180

150x160

100x210

150x180

100x230

150x210

100x260

150x220

5,0

100x200

150x170

100x230

150x200

100x260

150x230

100x280

150x250

is found by adding the load from its own ceiling (beams, insulation, flooring) and the load that will affect during the operation of the wooden floor (furniture, people) per 1 m 2.

Beams of a large section are often not even enough for a finished floor, so more even ones are laid on top of the beams. lags for the floor smaller section, but with a more frequent step. Lags should be positioned perpendicular to the beams. Under the logs to align them horizontally, place plastic wedges, which are sold in a box of 20-40 pieces.

In cases of excessive deflection of the beams due to a large span or small section of the beam, to reinforce them, it is necessary to use channels fixed along the entire length of the beam with bolts. Or increase the cross section of the beam due to the boards screwed onto the screws to the sides of the beam.

Before installing floor beams, it is necessary to wrap the ends of the beams two layers of ruberoid, fixing the roofing material with nails. This will protect the beams from rotting in places where they rest on the foundation.

First, two extreme beams are set, aligning them horizontally and relative to each other. In this case, the extreme beams should be separated from the walls at a distance of 3 to 5 cm. Use tarred wood trimmings to level the beams.

Once the end beams are set and aligned, pull a strong thread between them, securing it with nails to the beams. And already along the stretched thread, align all the remaining beams.

After installing the beams, it is necessary insulate the ends of the beams use mineral wool for this.

Necessarily fix beams with a metal corner. Screw one side of the corner with self-tapping screws to the beam, and fix the other side to the anchor to the foundation.

After fixing the beams, screw on the screws cranial bars section 50x40 mm. The cranial bars are attached on both sides of the beam flush with the bottom edge of the beam. These bars will serve as a support for the subfloor, on which the insulation will be laid in the future.

If you get a large length of beams, then to strengthen them you will need installation of support posts from ceramic bricks. Columns must be arranged at an equal distance within 2-3 meters. A small reinforced foundation on a sand-gravel bed with a size of 400x400 mm will serve as the basis for the posts. They dig a hole 35-40 cm deep. Sand and gravel fall asleep and compact. Then formwork and a reinforcing cage are installed and it is poured with concrete 20-30 cm high. Given that the top of such a foundation should be 5-10 cm above the ground. Then ceramic bricks are laid on the foundation to the desired level, given that the top row of bricks should be laid perpendicular to the beams. Between the foundation and bricks and between bricks and beams, a layer of waterproofing (roofing material) is laid.

Usually they are made from unedged boards, from grade 3 edged boards, from plywood sheets. It is not allowed to use fragile materials for the subfloor (cement-bonded particle boards, gypsum-fiber boards, drywall). The thickness of boards or plywood sheets should not be less than 25 mm. All black floor boards are necessarily covered with an antiseptic. The entire bark is removed.

After the installation of the black floor on all its surfaces, including beams, vapor barrier is laid. Vapor barrier sheets should overlap each other by 10-15 cm.

Laid on top of the vapor barrier insulation. It can be any insulation, rolled, slabs or bulk. It all depends on your desire and budget.

As a cheap natural insulation for the floor, you can use sawdust, which must be dried well in the sun before laying.

Medium insulation thickness for floor 200 mm. Depending on the outside temperature, this thickness can be less or more. In the event that your beams do not allow you to lay a heater of the required thickness over the section, then lay logs on top of the beams, and lay a heater of the required thickness between the logs.

After laying the insulation, it must be closed vapor barrier. Vapor barrier will prevent moisture in any form from entering the insulation from the room.

The device of a wooden floor on logs

Best for flooring grooved board first class which is well dried and free from defects. It is enough to varnish or paint such a board, and it will serve as a finishing coating.

The table below shows the thickness of the board at a certain lag step.

Floor board thickness, mm

Distance between lags, mm

1000

Boards are fixed on the logs using self-tapping screws. This will avoid creaking of the flooring, as in the case of fixing boards with nails.

The direction of annual rings in the boards must be alternated so that when the board bends as a result of shrinkage, the boards would compensate for the bend.

The board must be tightly fitted to the previous board, and then fixed with self-tapping screws with an inclination towards the previous board. Self-tapping screws are screwed into the groove of the board at an angle so that the head of the screw does not interfere with the crest of the next board.

If an ordinary edged board of the first grade is used, then the caps of the self-tapping screws must be drowned in the board so that in the future the cap can be covered with wood putty and varnished.

The distance from the wall to the boards should be 10-20 mm.

In the bathroom and toilet, for laying tiles on the floor, it is necessary to lay cement-bonded particle boards over the wooden floor, fixing them with self-tapping screws. As an alternative to DSP, moisture-resistant gypsum-fiber sheets can serve.

We hope that after reading this article, you will gain the necessary knowledge for installing a wooden floor on beams and be able to make handmade wooden floor.


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Wooden floors on logs are one of the oldest methods of arranging floors and the only one used in the northern regions of our country. Modern materials have only improved the old technologies, due to which the scope of application has significantly expanded and performance has improved. Before proceeding directly to the consideration of various options, you should familiarize yourself a little with the engineering requirements for calculations.

Logs are distinguished from beams by their smaller size and mobility. If the beams after installation cannot be moved, the repair is very long and labor-intensive, then the logs are a mobile architectural element. They are much easier to mount, if necessary, repairs are made faster.

Before proceeding with the construction of the floor, you need to study the requirements of regulatory documents for the dimensions of the log and the distance between them, taking into account the thickness of the floorboards.

Log section table with a step of 70 cm

Table of the distance between the lags depending on the thickness of the board

In order to learn how to independently make calculations based on tables, it will be useful to consider the simplest example. Initial data: the length of the room is 10 m, let's take a floorboard 30 mm thick.

Method of calculation

According to the table, with such a board thickness, the distance between the lags is 50 cm, with a room length of 10 m, 20 lags will be needed. The removal of the lag from the walls cannot exceed 30 cm. This means that we will have to increase their number by one piece, the distance between the rest will decrease to 45 centimeters.

Important note. During calculations, all rounding must be done only downwards, thus creating an additional margin of safety.

There is no need to calculate dimensions and distances to the nearest millimeter, no one is engaged in such measurements. By the way, during construction, the vast majority of architectural elements and structures are measured in centimeters, the highest accuracy is half a centimeter. Millimeters are almost never used during measurements.

Floor base options

These types of floors can be placed on a wooden and concrete base or on the ground. Each option has its own technological features, which must be kept in mind during the production of work. As for the specific purpose of the premises, taking into account this parameter, the floor base and its performance characteristics are selected. The device technology itself remains almost unchanged. There are, of course, options for warm and cold floors, but these features also have a common construction algorithm.

The device of a wooden floor on logs on wooden bases

Such floors can be made both in wooden and brick buildings, they can have several varieties. It is necessary to think over the features of floor coverings at the design stage of the building. Not only the purpose of each room and its dimensions are taken into account, but also the climatic zone of residence, microclimate requirements and the financial capabilities of the developer. Below are step-by-step recommendations for the construction of this type of floor.

Depending on the specific conditions, the algorithm can be changed somewhat, but all the main construction operations are mandatory. Moisture-resistant OSB boards or plywood sheets can serve as the base. The design of floor coverings provides for the possibility of laying heaters; it is allowed to use rolled and pressed glass wool or polystyrene. If there are heaters, then be sure to put hydro and vapor barrier.

Step 1. Take the dimensions of the room and calculate the number of lags, taking into account the above recommendations. Prepare materials and tools, markup. Do the work slowly, the mistakes made at this stage have extremely negative consequences. Removing them will take a long time.

Step 2. Start installing logs from the extreme wall. If the room has black floors, then the logs can be fixed directly to them. To facilitate the work, it is better to use perforated metal squares, such elements significantly speed up the work and increase the stability of the lag. According to the mark on the wall, taking into account the thickness of the floorboards, set one end of the log, fix its position.

Practical advice. During the installation of the extreme lags, do not fix them immediately; at first, the screws should only be baited. This will enable final fine adjustments to be made.

Do the same actions at the second end of the log, constantly monitor its position in terms of level. When the log lay down normally, you can firmly fix the ends and proceed with the installation of intermediate fasteners. The distance between them depends on the thickness of the boards that are used for the logs, it is about 70 centimeters.

Step 3 Between the extreme lags you need to pull the ropes, set all the remaining lags along this line. Constantly check the level, the installation accuracy should be ± 1–2 mm. There is no point anymore, it takes a lot of extra time. A small difference in height will be removed during the finishing of the front surface of the floorboards.

Step 4 If the floors are warm, then it is necessary to lay thermal insulation between the lags; waterproofing and vapor barrier are used to prevent moisture from entering. The distances between the lags must be adjusted taking into account the length and width of the heaters. It can be either mineral wool or polystyrene, or bulk types of insulation. If all the preparatory work is completed, then you can start laying the floorboards.

There are options for mounting the log on the floor beams. These are the so-called ventilated floors, most often used for non-residential premises. It is not necessary to observe special accuracy, the alignment of dimensions is done by lags. Logs to the beams are attached with nails or self-tapping screws on the side. The work algorithm is the same. First, the extreme ones are placed, a rope is pulled between them and all the rest are fixed along it.

Ventilation is carried out through special vents in the foundations, the distance between the ground and the floor must be at least fifty centimeters. Otherwise, the air exchange rate does not meet the required indicators, and this causes damage to wooden structures.

Floor installation on wooden logs for concrete

Such floors are considered more complex, time-consuming and expensive; all wooden structures must be reliably protected from direct contact with concrete. Otherwise, the structures will quickly become unusable and they will have to be changed prematurely. There is a chemical way to protect the log from decay processes with the help of various impregnations. They are quite effective, they really prevent the process of wood damage. But unfortunately, impregnated wooden structures can no longer be considered environmentally friendly, and it is for the sake of this indicator that most developers install natural wooden floors.

If the logs are placed over the entire area on concrete, then waterproofing is required between them.

But they can also be fixed with the help of metal squares, which allows you to make a gap between the base and the lag. It must be borne in mind that in this case the bearing characteristics of the floor are somewhat reduced.


This method of fixation has its advantages. Firstly, direct contact of wooden structures with concrete structures is completely excluded. Secondly, logs can also be installed on a black screed. With the help of corners, you can eliminate irregularities of several centimeters, there is no need to make a final screed. This saves a lot of time and money.

The second way of laying on a concrete screed - logs are placed directly on it, material based on modified bitumen is used for insulation.

Laying log on the ground

The method is used for outbuildings, bathhouses, gazebos, verandas, etc. Wood must be treated with antiseptics. The foundation is better columnar, if you want to make a more durable tape, then it is necessary to provide ventilation for natural ventilation in advance.

How is this floor made?

Step 1. Remove the fertile layer of soil. It can be sprinkled with beds or level the area in front of the house.

Step 2. Mark up the columns. The distance between them is selected taking into account the load and the dimensions of the lag. Columns can be made concrete, block or prefabricated. The dimensions of the supports are approximately 40 × 40 cm, the depth of burial is within 30 cm. A layer of sand ≈ 10 cm thick should be poured onto the bottom and compacted.

Step 3 Fill the supports with concrete. For the preparation of concrete, two parts of crushed stone and three parts of sand should be taken per part of cement. Water is added as needed. Formwork can be omitted in the ground; formwork from boards or OSB trimmings is installed above the ground level. During the manufacture of formwork, you need to use a level, all edges must be strictly vertical.

Practical advice. It is much easier to make columns from ready-made blocks. Horizontal alignment must be done along the rope. After the extreme ones are set according to the hydraulic level, a rope is pulled between them. Deviations should not exceed ± 1 cm. This variation is eliminated during the installation of the log.

Step 4 Proceed to fixing the lag, you also need to start work from the extreme ones. Spacers can be used for precise horizontal alignment. It is undesirable to take wood wedges, over time they will dry out and wobble will appear: the floor will begin to creak unpleasantly while walking. Between wooden structures and concrete surfaces, it is imperative to put two layers of roofing material for reliable waterproofing.

Step 5 After the extreme logs are laid, a rope is pulled between them and all the rest are laid under it. Logs are fixed with metal squares on dowels and self-tapping screws. To increase stability, it is recommended to install them on both sides. Floor boards can be laid immediately on the logs or pre-laid with a subfloor. The final choice depends on the characteristics of the operation and purpose of the premises.

Always select logs with a margin of safety, especially in cases where the installation method involves bending loads. It must be remembered that correcting mistakes made during the construction of floor coverings is always much more expensive than the production of work with quality materials and in compliance with the recommended technologies.

Choose your boards carefully. They must be absolutely healthy with no signs of rot. The presence of through cracks and rotten knots is completely prohibited. If there are large healthy through knots, then you need to install the logs in such a way that there is an emphasis under them.

During the fastening of the lag, do not allow the possibility of reeling.

Most lag wobbles cause very unpleasant floor squeaks while walking. To eliminate such phenomena, it is necessary to remove the floor coverings, which is long and expensive, it is not always possible to keep the dismantled materials in a state suitable for reuse.

Video - Installation of a wooden floor along the logs

Wood is a traditional building material, the advantages of which in certain areas of construction over all others are indisputable. This is an absolute statement when it comes to flooring. The main thing is to know the features of the material and how to work with it. On a solid wooden base, you can mount both the "warm floor" system and tiles.

What could be the basis?

The type of foundation can be different, it all depends on what material the house is built from. Namely:

  • The floor in a wooden house, based on wooden beams, rigidly cut into the frame of the house;
  • Installation of "suspended" wooden beams;
  • Covering in a stone house with wooden ceilings;
  • The floor structure in the house is made of precast concrete or brick with concrete floors.

Let's start with the classic version - the floor is laid on wooden beams, rigidly fixed in the walls of the building.

Reliance on capital wooden beams

In this case, the floor beams, regardless of the floor, are a single wooden mass rigidly fixed in the wall of the building. In a wooden house, both through fastening is practiced, when the ends of the beams pass through the main walls, and hidden. In stone houses, the beams are always hidden. The ends of the beams must be treated with antiseptic materials on a water or bitumen basis, which prevents them from rotting. A wooden house is built immediately with beams that dry simultaneously with a log house, and for a stone house, pre-dried material is used, usually this is natural drying in sparse stacks.

Plywood installation

In a natural way, wooden beams should dry for at least six months. The laying of beams and their alignment with the formation of an ideal horizontal plane occurs during construction. Therefore, the flooring of the first draft base on wooden beams does not present any difficulties. Floor boards are simply laid out along the beams until the floor is completely covered. It is best to use edged boards for this work, however, a rough trimming of the edges of an unedged board with an ax is possible. If the subfloor board is not dry enough, then it is not immediately attached to the beams, but pressed with transverse boards and several wedges are driven into the remaining gap in the middle of the room, which are knocked out as the boards dry.

If it is planned to install a warm floor system in the room, and in the case of subfloor flooring on solid wooden beams, this is possible, as well as, if desired, to arrange a ceramic tile finish, then the draft flooring is necessarily impregnated with antiseptics, any, bituminous or water-based . You can’t just use used engine oil, it has an alkaline reaction and destroys wood no worse than a fungus. When installing the "warm floor" system on the rough floor, it is also necessary to lay the heat-insulating material "penofol", which simultaneously plays the role of waterproofing.

wood floor frame


wood floor frame

If no utilities are planned under the finish coating, but there is a desire to make the floor warm, then bars are nailed to the floor beams in front of the flooring of the rough base, and the gaps between the beams are covered with boards. Here the tightness of the edges does not play a role. On a plank base between the beams, a layer of heat-insulating material is laid, any - mineral plates, rolled heat-insulating material, expanded clay or building foam. All these heat insulators must be protected with waterproofing materials on both sides. This method of insulation concerns the overlap of the first floor, the lower edge of which goes into the basement. For the second and subsequent floors, the ceiling boards of the lower floor can serve as the basis for laying insulation.

Support on suspended beams

If a small private house is built of brick, aerated concrete blocks or natural stone, then it is best to make suspended wooden beams based on brick or concrete pillars in the basement. This is dictated by the fact that with any, even the most thorough processing, wooden beams inside the stone massif of walls can rot. For the device of such a base, it is necessary to install posts over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe basement, on which the logs rest. The execution of the columns can be different - from wood impregnated with bitumen to brick, concrete and natural stone. The only thing these pillars cannot be made of is silicate brick and aerated concrete blocks.

A small depression is dug under each post, which is filled with fine gravel and compacted. It is not recommended to use river pebbles, as they are mainly of limestone origin and cannot withstand heavy loads. Brick columns can be folded both in the usual direct way and in the form of a truncated pyramid. This is more difficult, but the poles will be more stable.

The distance between the pillars with a beam cross section of 150 by 150 millimeters can be made 1 meter. Small square concrete slabs for pavement can be ideal. Even fragments of concrete piles will do. A layer of waterproofing is arranged under each supporting pillar, not to protect the pillar, but to prevent groundwater from soaking the beam through them. On top of the column, it is also necessary to lay two or three layers of roofing material impregnated with bitumen.


After the installation of the pillars, which must be tried to be carried out so that all the upper edges approximately coincide in a horizontal plane with each other, wooden beams can be laid on them. The adjustment of wooden beams to form a horizontal plane is carried out exclusively by lining wooden parts on the pillars, but not by sawing the beams, in order to avoid weakening them. The beams installed on the pillars should not touch the walls and the distance between them and the wall should be sufficient so that the seasonal fluctuation of the foundation does not lead to deformation of the flooring.

The ends of the wooden beams, on which the subfloor will rest, must also be treated with antiseptics. The device of such a “suspended” floor is justified in houses where they live permanently, with heating of the house in the winter months, then seasonal ground fluctuations when it freezes will not destroy the entire structure. The device of the "warm floor" system on this basis is unjustified, because it is impossible to predict the magnitude of seasonal fluctuations in the structure.

To insulate the floor, it is worth using the same method as when insulating the floor of the first floor in a house with wooden beams that are part of the structure of the house. And now let's move on to ordinary city houses and try to destroy the established vicious practice of erecting concrete screeds under wooden floors.

Support on a concrete base

A vicious practice has developed everywhere, when a cement screed is additionally arranged to level the floor in houses with concrete floors. Firstly, this makes the ceiling heavier, and if we agree on any alteration of the main walls in construction inspections, it is not clear why they have not yet paid attention to the overload of floor slabs with these concrete screeds.

Secondly, it is a long, dirty and often useless job, since concrete work carried out by unskilled workers is often of very poor quality. The strength of such concrete screeds is very low. It is much easier to use wooden beams, but with a much smaller section, because they are not, in this case, a supporting structure. Edged boards with a thickness of at least 40 millimeters or wooden blocks with a section of 60 by 60 millimeters can serve as such beams. Wooden beams form a frame on which it is very easy to attach a rough floor covering. In addition, for the installation of the “warm floor” system, it is enough to waterproof the capital floor, and let the heating pipes “snake” so that they go around each beam.

Every self-respecting man knows how to work with a tree, so anyone can level the floor by placing hewn pieces of wood under the beams. Also interesting is the option when several threaded bolt supports are arranged under each beam. In this case, the floor can be leveled to the accuracy of "at least launch rockets." If no engineering communications are provided under the floor, then the space of the frame can be filled with insulation.

General rules for covering over wooden beams

Regardless of the type of flooring at home, there are several general rules that must be observed in order for the floor on wooden beams to turn out to be really strong and serve for a long time.

  • The distance between the beams should not be too large to prevent deflection of the material of the main subfloor. With a thickness of subfloor boards of 40 millimeters, it should be no more than one meter;
  • As a material for the base of the floor, which is laid along the beams, a material having a long-fiber structure can be used - boards, both solid and glued on special machines or construction plywood, it does not matter - waterproof or ordinary.
  • Plate building materials such as cement-bonded particle boards and gypsum fiber boards have a discrete structure, and, despite their apparent strength, can only be used as an additional coating under the floor finish;
  • The boards of the subfloor must be well dried before laying on the beams, no matter which way - natural drying in sparse stacks or on special installations. If insufficiently well-dried boards are laid, then before the final floor covering is mounted on them, they must lie on the floor beams for at least 3 months, all this time they must be constantly rallied, removing the gaps that form;
  • If high humidity is expected in the room or communications are laid inside the floor, for example, a floor heating system, then the processing of wooden structures with antiseptic materials is mandatory;
  • All insulation materials located in the space between the beams and the main floor must be protected by waterproofing materials. It would be ideal if you provide ventilation openings closed with bars in the corners of the room.

Grooved floor board

Working with environmentally friendly and easily processed material - wood, is available to any home craftsman. And the installation of the floor base on wooden beams is the most logical and simple solution in terms of execution technique, it will allow you to make a warm and reliable floor at minimal cost.

Floor on wooden beams video


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