Log or timber, choose the material for your home, compare and analyze the characteristics and cost
Living in your own house made of environmentally friendly materials today is both the prestige of the family, and wealth, and the creation of a comfortable and secure environment for your children.
Many families have already appreciated the comfort of living in or logs. But even more are just going to build such a house. Before starting planning, the question arises: “Which is better than a beam or a log?” It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. In this article we will try to analyze one and the other building material.
Log or timber
At its core, both timber and logs are wood. They just look and cut differently. The log has a round shape, and the timber is cut in the form of a square or rectangular section. Modern wood processing technologies distinguish timber and logs according to the processing method:
All received bars and logs can be divided into:
- Profiled - a whole trunk after processing, which is given an even rectangular shape.
- Glued - in its form does not differ from profiled, but more reliable and durable. This is due to the fact that several lamellas are glued in a different cavity
In this article, we will consider an ordinary beam and a log that does not have additional machining.
So, giving preference to a particular material, you need to pay attention to:
- Possibility of architectural solutions.
- Conditions for the subsequent operation of the building.
- Construction time of the object.
- Used finishing materials.
- The climatic zone of the building, (the thickness of the wall depends on this).
A more accurate picture can be presented by watching the proposed video or in the table below:
We present you a comparative analysis of timber and logs in the form of a table:
| Criteria for comparing building materials | bar | Log | ||
| Material advantages | Cons of the material | Material advantages | Cons of the material | |
| Environmental friendliness | They are made from natural wood, without changing its texture and quality. | No | Made from a solid tree trunk, does not change its texture and quality. | No |
| Thermal conductivity | Holds heat well | Thermal conductivity depends on the thickness of the beam. The thicker the timber, the better the house will keep warm. | Retains the full texture of wood with full preservation of properties. Holds heat better than timber. because it is thicker. | The rounded shape makes it possible for moisture to accumulate, which over time worsens heat retention. |
| geometric proportions | Square or rectangular shape. It has the same thickness throughout the length. | No | Round shape for easy stacking | Sawed from solid wood, which has a conical shape. There are differences, which gives its additional nuances in the way. |
| Material shrinkage | The beam gives a minimum shrinkage to the operating humidity, which, in accordance with GOST, is 14-16% for the beam. Shrinkage and cedar is approximately 3.5%, and from larch - 4.5%. | Cracks form on the material after drying and shrinkage | Cracks are formed, but in a smaller amount than on the bars. | Logs of natural moisture give significant shrinkage. The shrinkage of the lower floor of the building in this case can be 10-15 cm. |
| Caulking after shrinkage | Needs additional caulking, but cracks less than a log. | After shrinkage, gaps are formed that require additional caulking. | Needs extra padding. | After shrinkage, it requires additional caulking, as large gaps form between the logs. |
| Object construction time | The speed of construction is quite high, since the beam has the correct geometric shape. | After construction, additional finishing of the external facade and internal premises is required. | The build speed is average. | Requires the selection of one log to another. This is due to the irregular geometric shape of the logs. Fits, alternating the crown with the base. After construction, to give a good appearance, it requires additional finishing. |
| Life time | Sufficiently long service life | Amenable to fungi and decay, which means that it requires additional processing and waterproofing. Between the logs there is a favorable environment for the development of mold and wood fungi. | Sufficiently long service life. Longer than a log. | Requires additional processing of each log separately. |
| Climate zone of the building | Suitable for any area. | With a high humidity content, you should not build at a temperature of less than -10 degrees. | Suitable for any climate. | Requires additional caulk, otherwise it will be bad to keep warm. |
| The use of facing material | The material is suitable for any cashing, easy to mount and dismantle, due to the smooth surface of the walls. | Finishing the house can only be started after it is completely dry. | Suitable for any material. | When installing the crate, there is a risk of fasteners getting into the space between the logs. This is also inconvenient for interior lining. You can start finishing only after complete drying. |
| Price | The price of a timber depends on the flora where the house is being built. | The price is slightly higher than for a log, this is due to additional processing costs. | The price is the lowest of all wooden building materials. A log at times, since the cost of its production is less. | |
| Environmental resistance | With good processing, the timber is resistant to harmful effects. | Even weaker than logs, since the top layer of wood is cut down, namely, it protects the tree from decay and color change. | Weak stability, but more stable than timber. | The weak resistance of wood to aggressive environmental influences causes rather high costs for maintaining the exterior of the house in proper condition. For example, even logs covered with special glazing antiseptic compounds become gray over time. |
After analyzing the table, it becomes clear that both timber and logs have their pros and cons. The only difference is in its processing and preparation for construction. This gives its distinctive features in the future during construction and operation.
The pricing policy is formed depending on the consumer demand. Imagine the purchase of logs and timber in the form of a graph.
The choice remains only with the owners of the house.