The need to build a compact house may arise for various reasons. For example, such a small structure is perfect for placement on a summer cottage that is not used for permanent residence. In a small house you can conveniently change clothes, put your things and spend the night.
Of course, ready-made cabins are sold on the market, but the quality of their execution often leaves much to be desired, and the cost is definitely overpriced. For the same money you can put together a great little house on your own.
There is nothing complicated about building a compact structure yourself. Follow the guide and everything will definitely work out.
Any construction must begin with planning, without which construction will take much more time, money and effort. There is a possibility that the finished structure, built without a plan, will not meet your needs and expectations.
For a small house it is not necessary to draw up detailed documentation with many drawings. Even a simple sketch indicating the main dimensions, communications and other design features will be sufficient.
Preliminarily think through the order of the internal organization of the future small house. Will it have only one room, or will there be enough space for a small kitchen and a small bathroom? At this point, focus on your personal preferences and capabilities.
For example, many prudent owners use a very interesting technique: they raise the ceiling and arrange a sleeping area in the attic. This solution allows you to significantly save useful space.
It is recommended to pay special attention to the experience of the Japanese. Even on a few square meters they manage to place everything necessary to create a comfortable and cozy environment, because even a mini house is still a house in which it is definitely more comfortable than on the street.
The following guide will give instructions on how to build a fairly simple small house. Approximately 75% of the space will be occupied by living quarters, and the remaining space will be used to accommodate a storage room and dry closet.
If things are very difficult with free space, you can make separate entrances to the mentioned premises from the street. If there are no such problems with free space, and you don’t want to constantly go outside, arrange an entrance to the technical room from the living room.
If desired, make your own changes to the plan. For example, instead of a pantry, you can arrange a mini-kitchen with a table, a couple of folding chairs or small stools and a compact stove.
After approval of the plan, proceed directly to construction activities. Start by laying out the foundation.
Foundation
For the construction of a small house, a simple foundation made of blocks is perfect. Western private developers came up with a very interesting solution. They create a foundation block with four channels. A reinforcing bar is inserted into each of these channels. The rods themselves are driven into the ground. As a result, the block is securely attached to the ground.
In the project under consideration, the foundation will consist of six such blocks. You will place four blocks in the corners of the future building, the remaining two - under the internal partition.
You can make the blocks yourself from concrete or buy them ready-made.
Dig a hole 200 mm deep with sides corresponding to the dimensions of the blocks.
Fill the hole with a 20 cm layer of sand and gravel mixture. Pack the pillow thoroughly.
Install blocks and introduce reinforcement in accordance with the previously given recommendations.
Cover the blocks with a layer of roofing felt.
Make sure that the blocks are installed evenly and proceed to further planned activities.
Floor installation
First step
Mount the bottom trim. Make it from timber with a cross-section of 15x15 cm. To connect the strapping beams, use a convenient fastening option. You can, for example, connect them using the tongue-and-groove method with additional reinforcement with glue and bolts.
Second step
Place a platform pre-assembled from a 15x5 cm board on top of the frame.
Third step
Cover the platform with plywood.
Fourth step
Turn the resulting box over and place insulation inside it.
Fifth step
Sew the insulation with a double layer of plywood. Lay plywood 1.2 cm thick along the box, and 0.9 cm thick across it. As a result, the floor will have a thickness of 2.1 cm. Use PVA glue to fasten the layers of plywood.
Sixth step
Sew the platform with roofing felt on all sides.
At this point the floor is ready. If you wish, you can additionally decorate it with other material to your taste.
Linoleum is perfect for finishing the floor.
First step
Treat timber and boards intended for wall construction with an antiseptic.
Second step
Assemble the frame of the planned dimensions.
Third step
Arrange the top harness.
Fourth step
Cover the entire structure with plywood.
Fifth step
Attach windproof film to the outside of the walls. At the same time, this material will perform waterproofing functions.
During the construction of walls, do not forget to leave openings for installing doors and double-glazed windows.
Arrangement of the roof structure
The roof structure must be such that in the future, when opening the door, the roof overhang will not be affected. To comply with this rule, the slope of the roof slope must be 25 degrees.
First step
Install the rafters. To do this, use 10x5 cm boards. To fasten the boards, use corners and screws.
Second step
Mount the roof ridge. To make it, use a 15x5 cm board.
Third step
Additionally, fasten the roof rafters with ties 10x2.5 cm.
Fourth step
Attach 0.9 cm thick plywood to the rafters.
Fifth step
Lay your preferred roofing material over the finished base. Flexible tiles work well. This is a relatively lightweight material with good performance properties. At the same time, the roof of a small house will have a small area, so you won’t spend a lot of money on finishing material.
Doors and double glazed windows
To create a healthy microclimate in a room, even if it is very small, you need to install windows. It is better to provide places for placing double-glazed windows at the stage of assembling the frame.
To determine the optimal total window area, divide the floor area of your small house by 5. Divide the resulting value by the number of windows you need.
If you are planning to equip your small house with a bathroom and kitchen, think in advance about the order of furniture placement so that the windows do not interfere with the normal use of the house in the future, but are a useful addition.
If possible, windows should be placed in a south-east direction, since there is very little sunlight on the north side, and low western sun rays are bad for the eyes.
You can buy doors ready-made or make them yourself. It is enough to assemble the frame, fill the voids with thermal insulation (mineral wool is perfect), cover the frame with plywood and upholster it with the desired material.
Wall decoration
External
Proceed with the exterior wall decoration.
Internal
Proceed with interior decoration.
- Secure a layer of thermal insulation material.
- Cover the insulation with a layer of vapor barrier.
- Cover the walls with clapboard.
At this point the wall decoration is ready. After this, it is recommended to start arranging the ceiling and making a porch to your taste. It is better to carry out these activities before the construction of the roof structure begins.
Furnish and technical equipment of a small house according to your taste.
Ceiling finishing
- Cover the ceiling with a vapor barrier material.
- Secure the insulation material.
- Cover the ceiling with insulating layers with clapboard.
You can lay boards in the attic. At this point, focus on the specifics of your situation, taking into account exactly how you will use your attic.
Necessary communications
If necessary, install electrical wiring, sewerage and water supply into the house.
For heating a small house, both an electric heater and a gas convector are well suited. Such gas convectors use liquefied gas as fuel. To ensure the most efficient heat distribution, the system should be equipped with a galvanized steel reflector.
A gas convector must be equipped with a smoke exhaust pipe. The chimney is carefully insulated to prevent fires. To protect the chimney from snow, rain and various debris, install a special protective canopy on its street end.
This completes the small country house. You did an excellent job without involving third-party specialists, which allowed you to save a significant amount of money, and you were convinced that there is nothing complicated in the construction of such structures - you just need to follow the manual in everything and adhere to the advice of professional builders. You can start using the house you built yourself.
Happy work!
Video - DIY small house
Everyone has the opportunity to build a dream home, and if you do everything with your own hands, you will be able to create a special, unique atmosphere, avoiding standard and hackneyed approaches. And even though it may be just a small house on a summer cottage, it will be filled with happiness and warmth.
1. The Hut on Chicken Legs in Strathmore
This fairytale home was created by a team of architects from Broadhurst Architects for clients who had a plot of land in Maryland. The nearly 25 square feet of this lovely little home includes a kitchen, living room with gas fireplace, bedroom, bathroom and a pretty deck. It is made from previously used materials and is equipped with a rainwater collection system, solar panels, and a modern security system against bears, rodents and other uninvited guests.
This cute A-frame house will only take a day to assemble and will cost you $1,200. It was designed by Derek Didriksen of Relax Shacks and built by Joe Everson of Tennessee Tiny Homes. The roof and walls are made of polycarbonate material, which is lightweight and easy to handle. If you want to add space, from 6 to 9 square meters, you just need to raise the wall. The house has two beds that can also be used as shelves, a small kitchen with a sink and a mini-fridge.
Owned by designer Mac Loyd of Creative Cottages, this stunning little cottage features a kitchen, living room, bathroom, two bedrooms, gas fireplace, laundry area and terrace. According to Mack, his home demonstrates the ergonomics of space, thanks to which an entire family can live in it. Assembly of the house will take only a week.
Foy and Louise, a Maine couple, spent about 10 years creating the cabin as a rental property. When the project was ready, we decided to live in it ourselves. The house, with an area of just over 20 square meters, stands on a plastic pallet and pontoon. It was first assembled on land and then launched into the water. Unfortunately, it may suddenly flood. Louise spends hours carrying water into a 55-litre water tank to keep the shower and kitchen running, and there is also a rainwater collection system for watering the plants. The house has a bedroom, living room and equipped kitchen. In the evening and at night it is illuminated by candles and gas lamps and thanks to the energy of solar panels.
This is probably the largest of the houses presented in the review, since its area is almost 40 square meters. This little house can easily be moved on a trailer. The spacious bedroom has a large bed and multifunctional shelves that are placed in different places. In the kitchen area there is also a dining area, and outside there is a 9 square meter veranda where you can barbecue or enjoy the sun and fresh air.
A couple of extreme skiing enthusiasts, Molly Baker and Zach Giffin, are constantly traveling from place to place, and so they decided to buy a mobile home so that they could be at home everywhere. In a two-story house, the ground floor contains a living and dining room with a kitchen with a small stove. The guest bedroom and storage area are accessed via an unusual staircase. The cost of the house is $25,000.
Nestled in a majestic forest, the modern lodge was built to replace a 60s building that had stood there for decades. Inside, the house has a modern, elegant design, but it itself seems to be sandwiched between two large stones - one serves as a support, and the other as the basis for the terrace. The house is spacious, as its area is more than 30 square meters, and the windows are quite large.
8. Secluded cottage
The 35 m2 house is built from natural materials and equipped with energy-saving technologies, a vaulted ceiling and large floor-to-ceiling windows. In addition, there is a glassed-in terrace that can be used as a dining room or an additional bedroom. The house has a fireplace and a kitchen.
9. Carrie and Shane's Little House
The couple recently completed three months of construction and furnishing of a cute 18 square meter house. The basis for the mobile home was a trailer. The house itself is equipped with a water heater, dry closet, solar battery, and large windows provide better lighting.
10. Tiny House by Richardson Architects
The small house has a bright exterior and interior. The area is 25 square meters and it is equipped with a rustic-style terrace. Interestingly, on the terrace there is a board on which the menu is indicated every day, and comfortable wooden chairs made from previously used materials. Inside there are two bathrooms and double bedrooms, a kitchenette and a dining room. Stainless steel materials and painted plywood sheets were also used during construction. The house is located in a picturesque corner of the Californian coast.
11. Tom's Tree House
Tree houses never fail to amaze. Many people would like to stay overnight at Camp Wandawega, located in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. The three-story structure is located on an elm tree. The spacious terrace allows you to relax in a hammock or have lunch during the day. On the second floor there is a library and a bedroom.
12. House on Orcas Island
The house is hidden in a thicket of elms and cedars on Oscar Island, Washington. This is an ideal place for those who want to retire and get closer to nature. On a total area of just over 35 square meters there is a living room, a bathroom, and a bedroom on the second floor. Since outside temperatures can drop significantly in winter, the house is equipped with energy-saving windows and insulating materials.
13. Box of matches
Gingerbread Cottage.
Houses in the American town of Oak Bluffs are striking examples of how cozy and beautiful a small home can be. Many are decorated with Victorian-style patterns and painted in a variety of colors, as well as quaint terraces and lofts where the bedrooms are located. Renting such a house per week will cost $1,800.
This shabby but chic cottage is built with 95% reused materials from 25 other houses that are 200 years old or more. This 7 square meter home from Texas Tiny Houses features arched windows and stained glass windows. The stairs leading to the second floor lead to the sleeping area. The house, whose interior is designed in a rustic style, has a kitchen, living room and dining room.
But these examples are not all that people are capable of going to in order to have a separate home, because everyone has their own little childhood dream, the fulfillment of which our review offers:.
Experts say that a modern, comfortable home does not have to be large. In fact, 28 m is enough for a person to live a normal life 2 . It turns out that a family of four will feel comfortable in a house with an area of slightly less than 120 m2 2 . And such a house can rightfully be called small.
As a rule, small house projects are one-story. But at the request of the customer, it is possible to complete a full second floor or attic.
In order to accommodate all living rooms in a relatively small area and ensure comfortable family living, the size of technical and utility rooms is reduced. Although the space is organized according to the same principles as in any other project. But there are features that are due to the need to strictly save usable space.
Large house project: fight for every square meter
- When designing small buildings, architects minimize the use of internal partitions. Thus, rooms with different functionality are combined into a single space. For example, the living room, dining room, and kitchen are grouped into a day area and separated purely visually - using design techniques. The design of a small house allows you to rationally use every square meter of usable space. At the same time, additional rooms remain isolated.
- The bedrooms of family members, bathrooms, and dressing rooms form the night zone and are located in such a way as to maximally protect the personal space of the residents of the house from strangers. If the house is two-story, then the night zone is located there.
- They try to design the utility area, consisting of bathrooms, a boiler room and other utility rooms, to a minimum size.
- In order to productively use non-residential space, they strive to limit the number of corridors and passages.
- If the house is two-story, there should be two bathrooms. In order to reduce costs when installing utility networks, they are placed one above the other. In a one-story house, the bathroom is placed so that it has a common riser with the kitchen.
Pros of small house projects
- The construction of a small house does not depend on the configuration and size of the land plot.
- Construction of such a house will also cost much less.
- Short design and construction times.
- Relatively low utility costs and easy home maintenance.
Small house projects: results
A carefully thought-out design of a small house allows you to rationally use every square meter of usable space. Thanks to this, the customer receives modern, comfortable housing for relatively little money. Therefore, we recommend choosing professional small house projects from Dom4m.
Small houses can be extremely beautiful and cozy. Today, talented architects have developed many professional projects for small residential buildings from 50 m². Organizing small interiors will be a pleasant task for you. Numerous sketches of houses are, first of all, a wide range of unique compositions, which imply low costs for the construction and operation of these structures. The projects presented in the photo gallery are characterized by originality and creativity! A wide range and attractive stylization of facades allows you to adapt a small house to the individual needs of even the most demanding people. Enjoy small house projects by choosing the most suitable option for yourself. 
Why is building small houses so popular today?
According to available data, modern people are most often looking for small two-room apartments. This happens due to financial limitations. Apartments that can provide more comfort to a family actually start from 60 m². In this area, developers often create three small rooms where you can live comfortably and place all the essentials. Unfortunately, an apartment of 60 m² costs a lot of money, especially in large cities. And a square meter in your own home will always be cheaper than a high-rise apartment, so don’t think for long, but choose a project for a future private property to live in from the photos presented. 
Maybe you should think about all the advantages and choose a small house? If we already have part of the land, for example, from our parents, then we can easily build a budget residential building on it, especially if you select the right building and finishing materials, decide on the structure of the roof, the number of floors, the presence of a garage and an attic. A small house is an excellent economical option for a small family, a couple or a single person. 
Small private houses: what size to choose?
The size of a potential small house project is an important selection criterion according to which a person is looking for the best housing option. In the collection of small houses you can find buildings with a usable area of up to 150 m². People are also interested in buildings up to 110 m² and plans up to 80 m². Building a very small house, for example 60 m², can also be an ideal alternative to buying a medium-sized apartment, which is why many people choose this solution. Your own home is first and foremost the improved comfort of family life, but also your own garden, personal garage or carport. 
All projects included in the group of small houses are suitable for independent implementation. Custom plans are suitable for use in densely built-up areas. Due to the fact that one of the walls is windowless, it can be attached closer to or even attached to the existing building. On the front side, in addition to the entrance and garage, a boiler room and sometimes a laundry room can be installed. The living room is located on the opposite side of the building almost always when the house plan includes a garage at the ground floor level. In the house design of a modern small project, in which it is planned to build a garage under the building, it is even easier to create a sunny living room. This is especially beneficial in the case of investments on narrow plots when entering from the south. 
Projects of houses with an attic
The most popular small houses are those with an attic, which make up a very large collection in the photo gallery. The main advantage of such construction is the division into the day and night parts of the house in accordance with the natural arrangement of the floors. Projects of small houses with an attic, due to the smaller area of the buildings, can be implemented on small plots, compared to one-story buildings of comparable size. 
Projects of a mini-house with a basement
This is a group of objects that is recommended primarily for people who plan to build a house on a slope. Such a landscape requires the selection of an appropriate full or partial basement design that makes the best use of the natural soil conditions. The design of a small house with a basement is also worth considering when building on a narrow plot. By placing the boiler room or laundry room in the basement, you gain additional space on the ground floor for development, which will certainly be useful for creating another room. 
Projects of small multi-storey buildings
In the photo gallery you will find interesting designs of small two-story houses that offer residents a more spacious and comfortable interior. Thanks to the full height of the second floor, you can design wide glazing in the rooms, perfectly illuminating the entire interior space. The lack of slopes in the attic also provides greater freedom of action. Modern designs of small and narrow two-story houses will definitely appeal to those people who want to become the owner of a mini-villa. 
Projects of small one-story houses
One-story houses are distinguished by functionality with a clear division of the used area. One-story buildings enchant with their natural connection with the garden, and the benefits of using the interiors will be appreciated primarily by families with children and the elderly. Expanding the attic makes it possible to increase the usable area of the house. 
House on a small and narrow plot
Today it is easy to find interesting house designs for a small plot of land, which, despite all the restrictions, will allow you to build comfortable and functional apartments. Consider small houses with attics for narrow lots, two-story buildings, and practical plans for small one-story buildings on limited space. When choosing such a house, special attention should be paid to the possibility of correct placement of the building in relation to the cardinal directions in order to effectively use solar energy. 
Tiny houses are a full spectrum of stylistically diverse buildings. Here you will find interesting projects of small traditional buildings, the character of which is emphasized by architectural details, such as: columns, arcades, projections, terraces, decorative window openings. People who appreciate modern architecture will find a wide selection of “modern small houses” that follow the current minimalist trend with a unique flat roof. The choice is yours!
Tags:After purchasing a country plot for a summer residence, the question of how to build a country house with your own hands becomes urgent. Well, building it yourself is quite possible, unless, of course, you are planning a huge “palace” that requires the involvement of construction equipment and a team of professionals.
Usually compact buildings are chosen for a dacha, but, nevertheless, the house must have everything necessary for rest - rooms, kitchen, veranda. The latter will become a favorite place for an evening pastime all family. It is very important to make the country house cozy and comfortable, so you need to think through all the nuances of its arrangement.
The optimal material for a country house building is wood, and the principle of construction is a frame structure.
Of course, the first thing that will need to be done is to decide on the location and size of the building, draw up a project, and plan further work.
Proe ct of a small country house
The size of the future house largely depends on the area of the dacha plot, the number of family members and the financial capabilities of the owners. If you plan correctly, draw up a successful project and choose inexpensive but high-quality material for construction, you can save space, money and work time.
In any case, the first steps are drawing up a project Most often, a country house has a size of 5.0 × 6.0 or 4.0 × 6.0 m. Larger buildings are erected much less frequently, and mainly in cases where they are planned to be used year-round. But this, most likely, will not be a country house, but a full-fledged country house.
The layout of the house may have to be carried out on the basis of requirements that can be established by the board of the gardening association, therefore, when purchasing, you need to find out about such nuances in advance. The following distances are most often required:
- The house must be installed at a distance of 3 meters from the border of the neighboring plot, and from the fence separating the plot from the general passage (street) - 5 meters.
- In order to ensure fire safety, a stone house is placed at a distance of at least six meters from another stone building, and ten meters from a wooden one. If the house is wooden, then it should be installed at a distance of no closer than 15 meters from another wooden building.
- To prevent the house from blocking neighboring buildings from sunlight, if it is placed on the eastern, southern or western side of the site, it is located at a distance from another residential building at least equal to its height.
Usually, to install a country house, the highest place in the area where Water will not collect when snow melts or from heavy rains. Increased humidity under the house will never benefit any building material, but it will always have a negative impact on the overall strength and durability of the structure.
Most often, the following construction technologies are chosen for the construction of country houses: frame-panel construction, log houses, walls made of blocks or bricks.
For summer cottages, designs of one-story houses with closed or open verandas or terraces are predominantly chosen. Often a building has an attic space used for storing garden tools and other things that seem unnecessary in everyday use, but which can always be useful in the country. However, it also happens that in some projects there are no attic floor beams at all, and then the roof slopes simultaneously serve as a ceiling.
If the family is large, and the area of the plot is not as large as we would like, then you can plan a two-story house that takes up very little space at the base. In this case, the first floor can be used as a living room, terrace and kitchen, and on the second floor you can arrange cozy sleeping areas for the whole family.
Not at all necessary in a dacha building, build a full second floor, since its role can be perfectly fulfilled by an attic superstructure. By decorating it with natural materials, you can create a wonderful, healthy country atmosphere.
Country houses are mainly used in the warm season, starting with the arrival of spring and ending in autumn. Therefore, they do not require enhanced insulation of walls and roofs, but devices for heating the premises must still be provided - in case of cold nights or a drop in temperature during unstable weather. Typically, electrical appliances are used as heaters, for example, convectors or infrared film emitters, but sometimes owners even prefer to install fireplaces or cast iron heating and cooking stoves.
By the way, if you plan to build a real fireplace or brick stove, then they must be included in the project being compiled.
There are also ready-made versions of country houses, sold complete in disassembled form, which simply need to be delivered to the site and assembled. Any such set of parts must be accompanied by detailed instructions, which outline the procedure for carrying out the work, basic technological techniques and connection diagrams of individual elements and assemblies.
For the owner of the site, who has basic construction skills, it will not be difficult to assemble such a country house yourself. The main advantage of this option is that the kit often already includes everything necessary for the building’s electrical network, its ventilation system, and even for installing the water supply.
Video: a small, neat country house that lives up to its name
What type of house to choose?
Having decided on the approximate plan of the future house, you need to choose the material for its construction. This choice will determine not only the appearance of the building itself, but also the comfort of staying in it, as well as the costs of its construction.
- The traditional material for a country house is wood, which will create a favorable microclimate in it, filling it with the smells of the forest. A wooden house can be built using a frame method, from timber or logs. The disadvantage of wooden buildings is considered to be the high fire hazard of the material.
However, wooden houses have always been built, and many of them have stood for centuries. Today, there are special fire-retardant impregnations on sale that significantly reduce the risk of fire in wooden buildings. And in general - the most important thing here is not the material, but the human factor - it is people’s neglect of basic fire safety requirements that in the overwhelming majority of cases becomes the cause of fire.
- The construction of a brick structure will cost much more, but it can with good reason be called a full-fledged house, which can be used not only in the summer, but also, if necessary, in the winter, if you install a stove in it. Brick buildings are much less susceptible to fire and, with high-quality masonry, will last a very long time. Their disadvantages include a more complex and lengthy construction process, requiring special skills, and the high price of materials.
- Very often, different materials are used when building a country house. For example, a house is built from wood, but on a foundation made of concrete, brick or blocks.
This option can be called optimal, since a foundation made of moisture-resistant materials will create optimal conditions for the construction of walls made of wood, thus becoming a reliable foundation for the house.
It is this last option that is worth considering, since it is the most popular of all types of country houses.
Stages of construction of a country house
Materials for building a country house
If you don’t want to bother with calculations, then it’s better to purchase a prefabricated ready-made model of a house that has a certain area, for which you only need to prepare a place.
In all other cases, you will need to purchase building materials. Their type, size, volume, total number - all depending on the size of the planned building, which is determined by the project.
Prices for various types of timber
Foundation material
For any type of foundation you will need the following materials:
— sand, crushed stone, cement;
- third-grade board and timber for formwork;
- brick or concrete blocks;
— waterproofing material (roofing felt);
— expanded clay of the middle fraction.
Wall and roof material
Since wood was chosen for the construction of the walls, other materials will be selected based on this:
— bars and boards of different sizes, depending on the design parameters;
- fastening elements - nails, self-tapping screws, bolts, studs;
- corners of different configurations, metal plates - for fastening nodes;
— vapor barrier film;
— insulation — mineral wool, ecowool or expanded clay;
— to cover the roof, it is better to choose a lightweight material — ondulin or corrugated sheeting.
Once the installation location for the future house has been determined and the materials have been purchased, you can proceed to arranging the foundation. True, first you will have to decide on its type.
Country house foundation
Even when erecting such a small and light building as a wooden country house, you cannot do without a foundation. In this case, one of two types is ideal for these purposes - a columnar and strip foundation. Which one to choose depends on the preferences of the builder.
- A column foundation will be a less expensive option, as it will allow you to seriously save on building materials. In addition, such a foundation can be completed independently, without outside help, which will also save some money.
You can find out in detail how to build it correctly by following this link to the corresponding page of our portal.
- To create a strip foundation, you will need not only a larger amount of materials, but also a fairly long period of time. This is not surprising - a trench will need to be dug along the entire perimeter of the future house, waterproof it, install a reinforcement structure, build formwork and fill the foundation pit with concrete. And after that, whether you like it or not, it will take another month until the filled tape completely hardens and gains brand strength.
However, strip foundations are still very popular among individual developers. This option is convenient because it allows you to make a basement under the house, however, to do this, the foundation walls will have to be raised above the soil surface by 700 ÷ 800 mm.
If a columnar foundation is selected, then it is recommended to remove the top layer of soil by 150 ÷ 200 mm from the site, which will be located under the house and around it by 500 ÷ 600 mm. Then pour a 30 ÷ 40 mm layer of sand into the resulting pit, which should be compacted. A layer is laid on top of the sand cushion mid-fraction crushed stone and is also compacted, and the remaining space must be filled with expanded clay of the middle fraction. All these procedures are done to ensure that small rodents cannot get close to the house. They cannot stand expanded clay (especially small clay), as it contains a large amount of dust and has a loose surface.
Fine expanded clay is an excellent rodent repellent To protect the house from the penetration of large rodents or other uninvited guests from the animal world, it is advisable to cover the space under the house with a metal mesh with cells no larger than 10 mm.
Construction of a frame structure
For a country house, the best choice is a frame structure A frame house can be placed on either a columnar or strip foundation. Construction always starts from the foundation, which must be reliably waterproofed two or three layers of laid roofing felt.
- If the project includes a veranda, you must immediately separate its zone, over which a roof will be erected, but there will be no solid walls. To support the roof over the veranda, you can use the racks of the general wall frame. Another option - veranda will be attached to the house separately.
- Without exception, all wooden workpieces must be treated with antiseptic compounds and fire retardants. These impregnations will increase the resistance of wood to fire, to decay, will prevent the appearance of insect nests or colonies of microflora representatives - mold or fungus.
- After the workpieces have received proper preparation and have completely dried, during construction, a lower frame (crown) is first made, which will be laid on the foundation and will subsequently be used to install the floor.
In order for the floor to be reliable, it is necessary to use high-quality timber of the required cross-section for the frame. If funds allow, then it is better to choose wooden elements not according to the “lower limit” of dimensions, but by placing a certain margin in their cross-section.
The table shows the optimal dimensions of timber for a frame house:
- The frame support beams are mounted on crown bars located along the perimeter of the foundation, at a distance of 600 ÷ 700 mm from each other. They are secured using corners or by inserting. If the elements are large in cross-section, they can additionally be fastened with metal brackets.
- When the lower frame with support beams is ready, the wall frames are made. They can be assembled separately, and then, when finished, lifted and secured to the framing bars.
Another option is to lift the frame directly into place. For example, if a house is being built independently, without helpers, then it will be very difficult to lift the finished frame from the shade alone to the height of the frame, install it evenly and temporarily fix it until it is finally secured. This means that each of the bars will have to be placed separately.
- The size of the bars for the wall frame posts must be at least 100x100 mm, but it can also be mounted from boards with a cross-section of at least 50x150 mm.
The bars are secured to the lower frame using powerful corners that can hold them in a vertical position. It is best to use self-tapping screws rather than nails for fastening - the difference in price is not so significant, but the quality and reliability of the assembly is incomparably higher.
- When installing vertical racks, you need to immediately mark the location of the openings for windows and doors. It is best to leave the area where they are to be installed free in the frame, and install the part of the wall with the window opening separately.
Then, when the upper strapping block is installed and secured to all other vertical posts, the area with the window opening is secured to the space left for it.
- All four walls are assembled in the same way. At the corners, the side posts are fastened together with corners, or instead of two separate ones, one common corner post is mounted. It is recommended to support it with diagonal struts on both sides - they will add rigidity to the entire wall structure.
- The doorway is installed in the frame immediately. It is reinforced with an additional rack, since a door suspended on hinges has a certain weight, which must be calmly supported by both the reinforced opening and the entire wall frame.
- If you plan to sheathe the frame from the outside with clapboard, then this is the next step. The sheathing will give the structure additional rigidity, which will allow the installation of the attic floor to continue and
Installation of the floor can be carried out immediately after the outer wall cladding, but only if the roof will be covered on the same day. It is highly undesirable for your freshly laid flooring to get wet if it rains unexpectedly at night. Therefore, it is better to first resolve the issue with the roof, and then calmly deal with all other construction activities inside the house.
Roof construction and roof laying
Types of rafter systems
A few words need to be said about the types of rafter systems, since, moving on to the construction of the roof, it is necessary to have a general idea about this, to know which design is best to choose.
There are two types of rafter systems - hanging and layered.
Hanging system
The hanging rafter system is distinguished by the fact that it is installed only on external load-bearing walls and has no other supports. It is perfect for erecting over a small country house building. In order to lighten the load on the wooden walls and on the foundation, hanging rafters are fastened with ties.
The hanging structure itself consists of a transverse beam, which also performs an overlapping function, and can simultaneously serve as a frame for lining the ceiling, as well as rafter legs that form the roof slopes.
Layered system
A layered system is installed if the house, in addition to external walls, has internal permanent partitions that will become additional support points. This scheme can also be used when constructing the roof of a country house, if it has a large area and its rooms are separated by walls built on the foundation.
When installing this system, the load on the load-bearing side walls becomes weaker, so it will be possible to use fewer retaining elements. It is perfect for attic structures that will be used as living quarters.
Floor beams
An important structural element is the floor beams The beams are laid exactly above the vertical posts of the wall frame. In order for them to fit tightly on the upper strapping belt, grooves are cut out at their edges. The size of the grooves can be calculated based on the formula shown in the figure.
The beams are secured to the frame structure of the walls using nails or self-tapping screws, and in addition they are sometimes fixed on both sides with metal corners.
Having completed the installation of the ceiling beams, you can proceed to building the roof truss system. For safety reasons, temporary plank flooring is laid on the floor beams to ensure comfortable movement along the attic plane during installation of the rafters.
Installation of the rafter system
The roof truss system can be mounted using different sequences of fastening its elements:
- First option. It is necessary to fasten the outer pairs of rafter legs on the ground, then lift them onto the harness and install them ready-made on the gable walls of the house. And then connect them with a ridge beam, and mount the remaining pairs of rafters on it.
- Second option. To begin, install the middle posts along the gables, then fasten them with a ridge beam or board, onto which the rafters are then attached.
- Third option. In this case, pairs of rafter legs in their upper part are attached to each other with a ridge plate, and their lower side is fixed to the wall frame, which in this embodiment will act as a mauerlat.
The cross-section of beams or logs used for rafter legs must be strictly maintained - depending on the rafter length between two support points, and depending on the step between adjacent pairs of rafters
| Maximum permissible rafter leg length (in mm) | Rafter spacing (in mm) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | 1400 | 1750 | 2100 | |||||
| Section of the rafter leg (in mm) | ||||||||
| bars with cross-section | logs Ø | bars with cross-section | logs Ø | bars with cross-section | logs Ø | bars with cross-section | logs Ø | |
| up to 3000 | 80×100 | 100 | 80×100 | 130 | 90×100 | 150 | 90×160 | 160 |
| up to 3600 | 80×130 | 130 | 80×160 | 160 | 80×180 | 180 | 90×180 | 180 |
| up to 4300 | 80×160 | 160 | 80×180 | 180 | 90×180 | 180 | 100×200 | 200 |
| up to 5000 | 80×180 | 180 | 80×200 | 200 | 100×200 | 200 | - | - |
| up to 5800 | 80×200 | 200 | 100×200 | 200 | - | - | - | - |
| up to 6500 | 100×200 | 200 | 120×220 | 240 | - | - | - | - |
It should be noted that the attachment point for the rafters in its lower part will depend on the angle at which they are fastened to the ridge and how long they are.
If the rafter is long enough and protrudes beyond the load-bearing walls, then a notch is cut out on it, with which it will be installed on the strapping beam (). An example of such a notch is shown in the picture:
If the rafter ends at the edge of the load-bearing wall, then its lower edge is cut at a right angle to the Mauerlat, and the leg itself can be fixed to it using a special fastening plate, a sliding support, an angle, a bracket, nails or long screws.
If the house is very small, then after securing the rafters to the frame, tying them with ridge beams or boards, you most likely will not have to install additional supporting elements.
Detailed information about the exact details can be obtained from a special publication on our portal by following the recommended link:
For installation of additional reinforcing elements of the rafter system, the material can be selected in accordance with the recommendations indicated in the table:
Prices for various types of fasteners for rafters
Rafter fasteners
Roofing system
After the rafters and additional elements form the roof slopes, you can proceed to the installation of the subsystem for the roof deck.
- The first thing that needs to be done on the outside of the roof, after installing the rafters, is to lay a vapor barrier film, securing it first with staples and then with counter-lattice strips on the rafters.
The film is laid perpendicular to the rafters, starting from the lower eaves of the roof. The overlap between two adjacent strips must be at least 200 mm.
- The main batten is mounted perpendicular to the counter-lattice, onto which the roofing material will be attached. The installation step of the guides depends on the type and size of the sheets of roofing material.
If a soft roof is chosen to cover the roof, then instead of sheathing slats, the slopes are covered completely - with plywood, and then with waterproofing sheets of roofing felt, which are overlapped by 150 ÷ 200 mm and glued together with bitumen mastic. Another option is to use soft bitumen decorative tiles, which are laid using a similar technology.
- The following roofing materials are most often used for wooden houses (depending on the steepness of the roof slope).
- The selected roofing material is laid and secured onto the prepared base. The work starts from the cornice, and if the first row is laid from right to left, then all other rows are installed according to the same pattern.
Some types of roofing materials have a strictly specified installation pattern in direction, which cannot be changed. This must be indicated in the instructions supplied with them.
Also, for any type of sheet roofing material, the amount of overlap in the direction of the slope (usually 150 ÷ 200 mm) and the number of waves (relief protrusions) in the horizontal direction along the roof are determined.
- Almost all roofing materials are secured to the sheathing using special nails or self-tapping screws with waterproofing gaskets.
- It is very important to correctly select and secure the ridge elements of the roof, otherwise it will leak at the first rain. Typically, the ridge element is selected from the same material as the covering of the roof slopes.
- Next, the eaves of the roof are finished - this can be done with wooden or plastic lining. Sometimes special plastic elements - soffits - are used for these purposes.
- Then elements of the roof drainage system are installed on the wind board - funnels, gutters on brackets, pipes, etc.
- Next, the gable sides of the rafter system are sheathed. Most often, wooden or plastic lining or even planed boards are used for this.
For the lining, a special profile is fixed around the perimeter of the pediment triangle, into which the prepared panels, cut at the desired angle, will be installed. Installation is usually done symmetrically - from the middle post to one side and then the other - then the cladding will be smooth and neat.
By the way, install the lining, Besides, you can do it horizontally, in a herringbone pattern, or come up with a more complex pattern.
Detailed information about the technology can be found in the article posted on our website by clicking on link.
Now, having finished the external finishing of the roof and being confident that rain will no longer get inside the country house, you can move on to installing windows and doors, insulation, flooring and wall cladding.
Installation of windows and doors
- Window frames are mounted in the frame openings left for them and leveled. For preliminary fixation when placing the frame, spacers made of wooden blocks or slats are installed between it and the opening bars.
Then, after checking the correct installation, the frames are attached to the wall frame with metal strips. The remaining gaps between the frame and frame bars are filled with polyurethane foam. After it dries, the excess is cut off, and platbands are installed around the windows on the outside of the wall, which will close the unsightly appearance of the gaps and give neatness to the overall appearance of the house.
- It is best to install the door together with the door frame, if it has sufficient rigidity. This will make it much easier to align the entire structure with the level in the wall doorway.
It is best to install the door as a block - together with the frame and leaf When exposing the door frame, if necessary, to achieve a clear vertical position, place wedges (inserts) made of wooden slats. The door frame is secured to the frame in the same way as window frames, using metal strips, and the gap is filled with polyurethane foam.
Having installed all the windows and doors, you can proceed to installing the floor.
Installation and insulation of floors
To begin with, the temporary flooring from the boards (if there was one) is removed from the lower frame, and then you need to install the subfloor.
- To do this, cranial bars are nailed or screwed onto the frame supporting beams. They are necessary for laying transverse subfloor boards on them.
- Next, boards cut to exact size or plywood 8 ÷ 10 mm thick are laid on the skull blocks - this flooring will serve as a subfloor.
- The subfloor laid on top is closed hydro- paro— insulating film, which should cover both the load-bearing beams and the entire floor plane. Individual sheets of material are laid overlapping (by 150 ÷ 200 mm) and taped at the joints with waterproof tape.
- Next, insulation material is laid or poured onto the vapor barrier film. If you don’t want to have neighbors who like to live under the floor, then it is better to use expanded clay of medium or fine fraction, or ecowool, to insulate the floor - these toothy pests simply do not live in such materials.
- Another layer of film membrane is laid on top of the insulation, which is nailed to the supporting beams with staples. The installation principle is exactly the same as on a subfloor.
The floor is finished! - The entire structure is then covered with thick plywood or wooden floorboards.
Prices for thermal insulation materials
Thermal insulation materials
Measures for additional thermal insulation
When the floor is completely ready, the walls of the house are insulated and sheathed from the inside. If the building will be used only in the warm season, then the insulation will still not hurt - it will work as an insulator of the premises from heating in extreme heat. Therefore, it is recommended to lay a thermal insulation layer not only in the walls, but also in the ceiling, and if it is missing, place insulation along the internal slopes of the roof.
- First, a vapor barrier material is attached to all walls and ceiling beams. Then the ceiling is covered with clapboard, plywood or plasterboard.
- After covering the ceiling, the walls are insulated. Insulation mats are laid between the frame posts. It is necessary to ensure that the mats fit as tightly as possible against the bars of the wall frame, so that there are no gaps left.
That is why mineral wool is most often used as insulation - after being tightly laid between the racks, it will straighten out, completely filling the entire space. The material is usually selected so that the thickness of the mats and the thickness of the frame posts are the same.
- After this, all walls are again covered with vapor barrier film.
- The next step is covering the walls with wooden paneling, plywood or. The latter, during subsequent decorative finishing of the walls, can be painted with water-based paint or covered with wallpaper.
- Next, the attic floor is insulated, where the insulation is placed between the floor beams.
If the ceiling is sheathed on the side of the house with plasterboard or clapboard, then we must not forget that you cannot step on it, since the sheathing will not support the weight of a person. You must move carefully along the floor beams.
- If the attic is planned to be used for storing various garden supplies, then a flooring made of boards or plywood with a thickness of at least 10 mm must be secured on top of the insulation on the floor beams.
- The finishing touches of the interior decoration will be the installation of trim on windows and doors, ceiling and floor skirting boards and closing the corners with fittings.
Extensions to the house
The last stages of arranging a country house are installation work on the veranda and porch.
If a place is left in advance for the veranda on the frame lying on the foundation, then a board is laid on this space to cover the floor (material for open areas is used), a fence is installed and a canopy is mounted.
If the foundation is raised high enough above the ground, then a porch is also attached to it.
Building a country house with your own hands is a completely doable task, but it will be quite difficult to do without helpers. Therefore, it is best to seek help from a knowledgeable craftsman who has experience in such work, will always give useful advice and show how to correctly install certain components in the structure of the house. You can “mobilize” your relatives and friends - it is possible that a knowledgeable person will be among them.
Video: building a country house using frame technology