How to dry a new log house without damaging its structure?
I've heard that the structure of log homes can suffer from improper drying. How do you properly "dry" a newly built house?
Answers
1st method. Around the top of the wall to fix the outside of the metal plate with a section of 2x20 mm around the house, the same do the bottom of the house at the foundation. After that, apply electric power: – to the upper plate plus, and to the lower plate negative. The voltage should be up to 20-36 volts with a current of up to 5 amps. It is important to observe fire and electrical safety, and under constant supervision and without turning off the power your house will dry in a time which depends on the level of humidity in the wood, it will last from five days to a month.
The 2nd way to leave your house alone, it will dry out by itself over time, with a duration of several years and here is a small rule depending on the humidity of wood, the area of walls, the natural and climatic conditions:
In the heat it is better to leave about 1% of the ventilation holes, the best option on the ceiling is to put the ceiling boards but not sealed and with the floor also, and in the foundation to leave holes about 0.1% of the floor area. In this case, the roof should be arranged completely with gables.
On the gables to leave the holes with the dimensions that were obtained for the floor. In wet weather, add more – open the front door or window.
On top of the logs to load a log cabin – 50 kg bags of sand every 50.0 – 70.0 cm – before this role was performed by the heaviest and thickest log.
For a log house, the first year of maintenance is the most important. You're right to be concerned about damage to the structure. And it's not just about drying out.
Log home maintenance includes:
Drying – the temperature (warming) in the room should not be higher than 20 degrees. The danger of high temperatures is that the logs will start to crack, the cracks will increase, and as a consequence, the walls can lead.
Caulking – carried out only after shrinkage and drying.
Antiseptic and fire retardant treatment – will protect against mold and mildew.
I listed all this for a reason, this is the kind of care you need in the first year of operation. All of this is important along with drying.
In general, there is no way. Wooden construction is time-consuming.
Logs, including logs with natural moisture, dry for a long time. But a number of measures still need to be taken.
Under the temporary scheme, covering the roof for example is not expensive . The main thing is that the precipitation did not get inside the house.
Not earlier than six months later, depending on the humidity of wood, temperature, etc., you can thoroughly cover the roof with a roofing material. While there is shrinkage, windows and doors are not installed. Moreover, even under the temporary scheme you should not close the door and window openings. That is, inside and outside the room should be about the same temperature.
Due to the "openness" of both window openings and door openings inside the room creates natural ventilation.
Of course, the log should be protected for a time while the house gives shrinkage, you can buy even the most inexpensive antiseptics, and more serious protection to produce the log after shrinkage.
Get ready for the fact that you can engage in interior decoration, heating system, etc. not sooner than a year and a half after construction of the house (here the figure is floating, you need to consider the climate in a particular region).
And to dry the log by turning on the heating, or using some kind of heat guns and so on, I strongly advise against those non-uniform distortions (due to non-uniform drying outside and inside the structure) about which you asked.
