Glacier

The wall is erected in such a way that the edges of the logs protrude from it by 2-3 cm. In a cold climate, the thickness reaches 40-60 cm on average, sometimes 90 cm.

Houses made from clay mud are attractive because of their unusual appearance, increased internal space (for example, with a circular foundation ), economy and ease of construction. Wood usually makes up 40-60% of the total wall volume, and the rest is mortar and insulating filler. ^[1] There are two types of construction: Pass-through and Lime-insulating .

The pass-through method assumes that the mortar contains insulating material, usually sawdust , shredded paper, and newspapers in the proportion of 80% filler per 20% solution.

In the lime-insulation method, in contrast to the through and brick masonry , the solution is not laid on the entire depth of the wall. It is placed 5-10 cm from the outside and inside of the wall, ensuring the stability of the connection, and in the middle remains insulating material.

Such walls can carry a load (due to the bevel of the wall or reinforced corners), and are often built at the junction of beams and pillars, which adds strength to the whole structure in areas of high seismicity. Bearing walls, as a result of pressing wood and mortar, allow the roof to be attached directly to the walls. Various building mixes and insulating fillers affect the overall measure of wall thermal resistance and thermal thermal resistance ; and accordingly - on the internal thermal mass and the ability to retain heat.

The remains of clay buildings with wooden logs belong to the 10th century AD. er and are in Greece and Siberia . More modern homes are found in Europe, Asia and America. The exact place of origin of this construction method is unknown. However, it is likely that people living in the forest erected primitive shelters between the fire and logs. ^[2]

The logs are extracted from fallen trees, which ensures the efficiency of the construction method in forest areas. The source of wood can also be sawmills, firewood , pillars (without creosote ) or debris from logging. More self-sufficient and economical is the use of recycled materials. All wood must be bark free, regardless of origin. Coniferous tree species are preferred, but any lightweight and porous wood can be used, because the less water there is, the less it will shrink and expand when the temperature drops. The latter include ash , maple , oak , but most types of wood are suitable if it is sufficiently dry and corresponds to the relative humidity of the surrounding air. In addition, logs are selected from the same type of tree because of their identical characteristics for expansion — compression.

In addition to the usual solutions of clay, manure , straw and pine needles, or clay with sand in a ratio of 1: 1 (1: 2), used in Russia, there is a method described by Robert Roy. Such a mortar consists of 9 parts of sand , 3 parts of sawdust , 3 parts of building lime (not for agricultural purposes), 2 parts of Portland cement . Sawdust is taken with a diameter of not more than 1.2 cm from soft wood, shavings, soaked in water in advance and serve as a sponge from which the solution takes moisture, slowly drying out without the appearance of cracks. Instead of sawdust, a cement retarder is sometimes used. Building lime allows the walls to breathe, makes them more flexible, helps self-repair, because if you use cement it takes longer to set. Portland cement chemically binds the solution and is of two classes - I and II. ^[3]

External solutions for protecting mortars include sand and lime plaster, linseed oil based coatings on earth plaster and earth compound 100 (waterproof additive). Long overhangs and a high foundation also contribute to the lesser impact of adverse natural factors.

Depending on such factors as the thickness of the walls, the type of wood or the composition of the mortar, the thermal insulation of the clay soil, expressed as a measure of thermal resistance, is usually lower than that of highly efficient frame walls. The walls of the clay mud have a thermal mass more than the frame walls, but less than that of ordinary brick-cement masonry. This is due to the fact that the relative heat capacity of brick clay (0.84) is higher compared to wood (0.42), and brick has a higher density than porous wood. The thermal mass indicates the building's ability to maintain an average temperature inside during the daily shift of cold and warm phases.

The thicker the logs (and the wider the walls), the better the insulation performance. A wall 40 cm thick for a mild climate contains 15 cm of insulation layer in the core in the form of perlite or vermiculite . In addition to them, Batts fiberglass is used in isolation, as well as economical packaged peas.

Moreover, wood is an anisotropic material associated with heat flow. This means that the thermal resistance depends on the direction of heat flow, which in turn depends on the fibrousness of the wood itself. In frame constructions, when wood is parallel to the wall, the heat flow in it moves parallel, and the measure of thermal resistance is 2-2.5 times higher than in walls made of clay mud, since the heat flow moves perpendicular there. ^{[4] A} wall consisting only of logs and mortar does not provide sufficient insulation for comfortable living in a cold climate, unless the construction method is transparent .

Prior to the construction phase, it is necessary to test the soil for the ability to withstand heavy walls of clay mud, without subsidence. Fallen trees should be cleared of bark with a spade, chisel or scrape, preferably in spring. Juice moving in the spring under the bark provides cambium lubrication, simplifying the cleaning task, which is impossible in the autumn when the bark and wood are tightly interconnected. After removing the bark, the logs should be dried for three years in order to reduce cracking and fading.

It will be right to prepare chocks initially along the width of the wall, as soon as the tree is cleared of bark. Hand saws are better for driving as smooth sawn wood helps retain moisture and prevent insects from entering. Sometimes grinding is used for these purposes.

Harvested wood is transported to the construction site. After the foundation is poured, as a rule, 30–60 cm above the earth’s surface, using protection against rain, walls begin to be erected. The frame of the beams and supports creates a canopy for the place of production of the solution.

Before embarking on construction, one should try several options for building walls in practice, this will speed up the construction process and bring satisfactory results.

Lime-insulating , the most common method involves the laying of portions of the solution through 8-10 cm in two rows and making the insulating material in the middle between them.

In the end-to-end method , a thin even layer of the solution is first put on the foundation, then the logs are placed tightly to each other; the next layer of mortar is leveling and filling the gaps. Then the process is repeated.

Chopped firewood is easier to align, fill with a mortar and press in than round logs, because there is less space for filling with a mortar.

When building a house on a rectangular foundation, each new circle of logs is placed perpendicular to the main stack for reinforcement.

Completing the construction, it is sometimes necessary to lay out small boards for finishing joints or leveling the top.

Sometimes bottles are inserted into the wall to give a "muddy glass effect."

A wide roof with long canopies (30–40 cm) is built in houses of clay mud to keep logs as dry and asymptomatic as possible. Well ventilated and dry ends of logs can age without problems for quite some time. Some homeowners cover the ledges with linseed oil or a solution to reduce the weather effect. Over time, some staining occurs, which is normal and is corrected by applying a solution or tar . ^[five]