The fashion for "green" technologies in construction also naturally actualizes the demand for environmentally friendly materials, the main source of which is wood. There are different methods for its application, but it is only masonry with cement mortar that can optimally combine the principles of green building and meeting modern requirements for building reliability. This is how the classic woodpile or clay pot is constructed. The technology of such housing construction as a result allows you to create a solid frame for housing with the necessary thermal insulation properties, which is also suitable for cold regions.
Technology Overview
In one version or another, the technologies for building houses based on logs are used in various regions of the world. In Siberia and northern Greece, traces of ancient buildings of this type have survived to this day, but in a more or less modern optimized form, this concept of an eco-house began to take shape in the 1800s. In the north-east of America, cordwood technique was actively used at that time, with the help of which household structures were built. In Russia, the technology of building a house from firewood from a clay pot has been known since the time of Leo Tolstoy, and during this period folk craftsmen made many changes to it, improving the concept of the structure. The fundamental difference between the construction of woodpile is the transverse masonry of the walls of firewood using clay or cement mortar.
Material for construction
Since the logs will serve as the basis for the construction of the frame structure, their choice should be approached with the greatest responsibility. The average length of firewood is 40-60 cm, that is, the thickness of the walls will be greater than with ordinary brickwork. Regarding the origin of logs, it is recommended to use oak or spruce trees. In extreme cases, you can take pine or birch chocks. The stage of preliminary processing of the material is also important. There are disputes regarding the optimal cross-section of firewood, but disposal of the bark is mandatory. Whether to leave the logs whole or chop - in this regard, the technology of building clay pots does not have an exact answer. But there is an opinion that whole billets are more likely to crack over time, and the split of chocks relieves stress and makes masonry more reliable. At a minimum, cutting will not lower the technical and physical characteristics of the walls.
Masonry mortar
The second most important material for the construction of woodpile is mortar. With its help, a hitch is formed between the logs, sealing is provided and the warming function is increased. There are many approaches to the preparation of mixtures for clay glazes from traditional to modern. Classical technology involves the use of clay, hay, manure and needles for a solution. Also in some cases sand and wood chips are added. A recipe for a mixture of lime and sawdust is also widespread. In this case, the technology of clay dressing involves the preparation of a solution in the following proportions: 3 parts of agricultural lime and sawdust, and 2 parts of cement are added to 9 parts of sand. It is important to note that sawdust should be made of soft wood and have a diameter of not more than 12 mm. The presence of fibrous binders is extremely important for masonry from firewood, since such inclusions perform the function of further strengthening the structure of the frame. According to modern technologies, a solution for clay pellets can be made on the basis of Portland cement and fiberglass reinforcing fibers. However, in this case, the ecological cleanliness of the structure will be reduced, which contradicts the concept of the eco-house.
Preparation for construction
Before the start of construction activities, the bearing capacity of the soil at the work site should be assessed. The soil must withstand heavy walls, without giving much shrinkage, otherwise the structure is deformed. If you plan to independently prepare firewood for the construction of a clay-peeling house, then this work should begin in the spring. The fact is that the processing of logs during this period is facilitated by the presence of cambium under the bark of the blanks. The juice moving in this layer provides lubrication, due to which cleaning with polishing of the surfaces of the material is simplified. In the fall, such preparation of logs is simply not possible. It is even better to plan the construction several years before its implementation. During this time, you can dry the firewood with the bark removed, which will further reduce the likelihood of their discoloration and cracking.
Foundation device
Despite the thickness of the walls, which is twice the size of the brickwork, the construction of clay-pellets weighs less than stone structures, so the requirements for the foundation are less stringent. Deepening can be done at 60-70 cm. The platform is carried out by a strip foundation or ordinary masonry with a preliminary arrangement of a drainage pillow made of sand and gravel. More attention in the technology of building clay pellets is given to the grillage and socle. This part is made as high as possible (up to 50 cm) from stone or block elements. A high base is required to minimize direct contact of precipitation and especially melting snow with wood masonry. The columnar foundation is not recommended in this case, although it is optimally suited for the load ratio. The limitation is caused by the dynamic instability of such foundations, which in no way can be combined with the characteristics of the skeleton skeleton.
Masonry
Walls are erected from a grillage or basement. Using the prepared solution and woodpile, you should gradually lay out the structure, maintaining the perimeter line. That is, all walls are laid with the same observance of the height level. For a greater thermal insulation effect, builders advise directly to cement the cement adhesive mixture to be laid at the edges, and to fill the central part of the masonry with insulating solutions. If we talk about tools, then do-it-yourself clay-pot can be erected with a standard set of technical tools of the master of decoration. At the masonry stage, trowels, a putty knife and a rule with levels are suitable. In a separate order, chocks are corrected with a mallet, but serious displacements after filling with a solution should be avoided. Also, unlike brickwork, logs can be arranged transversely in random order relative to each other. Maintaining checkerboard geometry in this case is not necessary, but leaving large gaps is also not recommended.
Finishing work
After masonry is completed, the frame of the house must be insulated. This is done with plaster. All protruding parts of logs must be necessarily treated with a primer with a biological protective function. Acrylic mixtures can be used for such purposes, which close the pores in the wood structure and prevent decay processes. To warm a house from clay glaze, the technology provides for the use of an insulating layer based on lime with sawdust and vermiculite. For greater reliability, it can be combined with polyurethane foam and reinforcing fibers. As an alternative, polystyrene and cellulose, which are mixed with plaster, are also suitable. If we are talking about a cold region with extremely low temperatures in the winter, then you should consider the thermal insulation function even at the stage of preparing the main mortar for masonry walls. Foam concrete, PVA glue in a building modification and plasticizers are added to it.
Roof mounting
Count on the high load-bearing capacity of the walls of clay pots is not worth it. The weight of the roof should be balanced in design, so it is advisable to exclude heavy metal and I-beam wooden beams. The rafter system with wide overhangs up to 80 cm are made of medium-sized bars. As a roofing, the technology for building a clay house involves the use of straw, shingle or tile. But, again, the load from the flooring must be correctly assessed, so heavy ceramic or metal tile is excluded. In this case, you can use corrugated board, if it does not contradict the requirements for thermal insulation.
Technology benefits
The popularity of eco-houses as such can be explained by two factors - environmental and price. Low construction costs are achieved due to the possibility of using completely natural materials, which also provide environmental safety. All this fully corresponds to the technology of building a clay pellet, which also has other advantages. For example, many owners appreciate the unusual design of woodpiles, which distinguishes them from other "green" buildings. In addition, the ease of construction and installation activities is noted. The lack of large modules and critical racks at the heart of the design allows you to do it yourself in the construction of the house.
Technology disadvantages
The significant disadvantages of the owners themselves include the low basic thermal insulation of woodpiles. Without special insulation, which is implemented at different stages of construction, it will not be possible to achieve an optimal microclimate in it. It will also be possible to ensure sufficient structural stability of the structure only when using certain types of lumber that has undergone special training. As the reviews on the technology of building a clay pellet show, the proper level of frame strength is achieved using professionally prepared firewood with heat treatment. In this case, one can count on both biological and physical security of the structure, however, the price tag will also be increased.
Conclusion
With all its advantages, woodpiles are rarely used as the main housing. Experienced craftsmen advise to consider this area of housing construction only as an auxiliary. For example, today the technology of building a bathhouse made of clay pellets is actively applied, in which all the advantages of the ecological structure are organically combined. For utility rooms and a utility unit, thermal insulation indicators do not matter at all, so this technology is best suited for such purposes. As a suburban ecological housing, clay peel is also suitable, but for this it is necessary to carry out the corresponding revision in the form of the same insulation finish.