What wood to choose for the construction of a log house

Spruce

Soft, fairly light, white-golden wood that does not darken over time. It costs about 7.5 thousand rubles per cubic meter. This type of wood is easy to process and has the following characteristics:

• density – 480 kg / m3;
• compressive strength – 42.3 MPa;
• bending strength – 74.4 MPa.

Disadvantages – spruce is very susceptible to damage by the bark beetle, in addition, it often has resin pockets from which resin will flow out at high temperatures.

SOSon the

By far the most common option for the construction of log cabins. The material is easy to process, soft, lightweight. It costs about 8.5-9.5 thousand rubles per cubic meter. Pine characteristics:

• density – 450 kg / m3;
• compressive strength – 43.9 MPa;
• bending strength – 79.3 MPa.

Notable imperfections in pine – resin saturation and color change over time.

Important! Disputes about which is better – spruce or pine – have been going on for a very long time. These are the two most affordable and common types of wood used in our country for construction. Spruce and pine are very similar in composition, as well as in characteristics. In general, pine is more biologically resistant than spruce, but spruce logs retain their whitish-golden hue. In addition, the spruce has a lower thermal conductivity, that is, the house will turn out to be warmer. Experts note that spruce is more suitable for building a bathhouse in terms of its properties, and pine is more suitable for residential buildings. The rest is up to you. The main thing is that the wood itself is of high quality.

Foliageennitsa

Of all conifers, it is the strongest and most durable tree. Larch resin contains a natural antiseptic, so it is not afraid of mold and mildew. Moisture is not terrible for this type of wood, larch will only become harder over time. Specifications:

• density – 650 kg / m3;
• compressive strength – 51.1 MPa;
• bending strength – 97.3 MPa.

Perhaps the only drawback of larch, which allows you to build a house really for centuries, is its higher price. A cubic meter of logs with a diameter of 320-380 millimeters will cost 12.5 thousand rubles with bark and 15 thousand rubles without bark.

To save money, larch can only be used on the lower and upper rims of a log house, on the most important supporting structures, and the rest of the walls can be erected from more accessible pine or spruce.

Cedar

This option for choosing wood can already be called non-trivial and even elite. Cedar is a durable tree, a natural antiseptic that provides the most comfortable microclimate in the house, the absence of fungus and mold. Moreover, this type of wood gives very little shrinkage, unlike other species, it has a beautiful shade and texture. Characteristics of cedar:

• density – 420-550 kg / m3, depending on the area of ​​growth;
• compressive strength – 40 MPa;
• bending strength – 72.1 MPa.

At the price of a cubic meter of cedar is comparable to larch.

Dub

Indeed, the Tsar-tree, immediately distinguished by its powerful bark and dark wood with a pronounced texture. Oak is used in the construction of log cabins much less often than the species listed above. The reason for this is clear – the high price, which can vary from 30 to 45 thousand rubles per cubic meter, depending on the diameter and quality. In addition, oak is a heavy material, so a house will require a solid foundation..

Oak characteristics:

• density – 800 kg / m3;
• compressive strength – 52 MPa;
• bending strength – 93.5 MPa.

Oak today is rarely used for the construction of the entire log house, most often only for the lower crowns, which bear the greatest load and exposure to moisture.

The wood of alder, linden and aspen, which are soft, not resistant to decay and short-lived species, is used extremely rarely for the construction of residential log cabins. Sometimes these types of wood are used in the construction of a bath, but more often just for carving.