Wooden log houses are not built as often these days as they were just a few years ago. For some it is not prestigious. For some it is too labor intensive. Expensive for some. After the invention of building materials such as foam blocks and other inexpensive bricks, it became more profitable to erect stone houses even in summer cottages. But many people also install a bathhouse on their suburban property, and a wooden bathhouse will give a hundred points ahead of any brick one in terms of comfort, heat transfer, and health benefits. Moreover, many do them on their own and in half of the cases they are faced with such an incorrectly resolved issue as installing a door in a log house. After a year and a half, the door begins to close poorly, cracks and other not very good defects appear. It is quite possible to avoid all this if you take into account all the subtleties of installing doors in a log bathhouse.
Features of doorways in a log house
However, precisely because of the ability of wood to change, equipping a log house with doors and windows is not an easy task. Modern designs - a door block, a metal-plastic window - require rigid fixation and a tight fit of the elements to the slopes of the walls. But it is precisely in a log house that the walls exhibit serious shrinkage - up to 1 cm per year, which does not allow the use of conventional installation methods.
Exactly the same difficulties are faced when it is necessary to install doors to a bathhouse. However, as a rule, a wooden door block is installed in a bathhouse extension, made from the same wood that was used for construction, and this greatly simplifies the task. The entrance door to a residential log house requires sufficient strength and reliability, which a panel wooden door cannot provide.
In any case, it is possible to install a door in a log house only a year after its construction, when the most active stage of shrinkage is completed.
Window as an important power unit at home
Deformation of logs in a log house
A log house, despite its external solidity, is a rather unstable structure. The reason for this is the round shape of the logs and the change in their geometric dimensions during shrinkage and shrinkage.
If you cut openings for windows and doors in such a wall without installing casing frames, it will simply collapse. Therefore, the entire structure of the window openings is not only a place for installing double-glazed windows, but also a power unit that gives the frame additional rigidity.
Note that this feature is inherent in all wooden buildings, including houses made of profiled timber.
Overhead hinges
No drilling or overhead. The most famous manufacturer producing glass doors is Leroy Merlin. This method is used only when the canvas is completely transparent and does not have a frame. Buying hinges for glass doors without drilling is required for systems installed inside apartments, shopping centers, and offices. Such canvases perform rather a decorative and delimiting function, so their canvases are light in weight and have a slight thickness. Canopies that are made in the shape of the letter P can easily withstand them.
A sheet of glass is inserted between two metal surfaces, after which it is fixed with clamps (pressure bolts). The adhesive gasket under such canopies is used for thin 5 mm glass, which is more often found in furniture doors. For thicker doors and interior partitions with a thickness of 8-10 mm, plastic or rubber gaskets are used. The weight of the canvas should not be more than 25 kg, then such loops will hold it. This hardware is much easier to install. Furniture hinges for glass doors without drilling are more noticeable on a transparent sash, so you need to choose neat and not too bulky models.
The main advantages of overhead fittings:
- the loops are installed opposite each other;
- they are suitable for interior doors and furniture;
- It is not necessary to fix such a canopy to the wall; it can also be fixed to the ceiling;
- You just need to clamp the glass sheet; installing such fittings yourself is not difficult.
There is a third mounting option - with partial drilling. In this case, no hole is made in the canvas, but only a small depression is made. This is a cross between the two methods. This approach provides a strong fixation, but it is acceptable for not too heavy sashes. This method is often used to install glass doors for furniture. Partial drilling does not violate the integrity of the glass sash and prevents its displacement, since the fastening elements fit exactly into the grooves made for them.
How to install a door to a wooden bathhouse
A wooden door can be installed in any or all areas of the bathhouse. They install either a solid wood or a frame door with cladding , for example, clapboard.
Hinges or canopies are mainly used either internal (butterfly) or external , or mortise (card).
The sequence of installation operations is described entirely above - everything was about wooden doors.
The difference between indoor and outdoor ones can only be in the number of hinges (for a heavier one, three are installed) and a more complex lock. Locks inside the bathhouse are made simple : roller, magnetic, etc.
In a Russian bath there is usually a high threshold at the entrance to the steam room , in a sauna there is no threshold, there is a gap between the sheet and the floor . Therefore, an important point is to determine the size of the door to the steam room of a Russian bath.
IMPORTANT! Wood impregnations can be used everywhere except doors in the steam room.
Features of installing a door structure
If you need to install wooden doors, then installation of the frame is not required; its role will be played by the casing system. An exception may be the situation when wood lining is used as a finishing material. Then the box is placed on polyurethane foam.
After installation, the box is closed with platbands. In case of severe shrinkage, they can be replaced with new ones or simply reinstalled by adjusting the dimensions.
If you plan to install a metal door, then the casing is done a little differently. Its upper part does not need to be installed. Instead, you need to leave a gap that allows settlement to occur naturally.
The main advantage of a metal door is strength. Its box is able to withstand the pressure of wood during shrinkage without any consequences.
When cutting an opening, a number of recommendations should be taken into account:
The above requirements are relevant and, if necessary, install a window. The casing must be carried out in any case, even if the opening cut in the log house is small.
When carrying out the work described above, the possibility of the formation of cold bridges should be taken into account. To avoid this, it is necessary to use thermal insulation materials, for example those with which the wall was insulated.
In other words, cracks and gaps formed during the installation process can be sealed with tow, polyurethane foam and other materials with similar functions.
It is preferable to use polyurethane foam, because it not only prevents drafts, but also gives strength to the structure. At the same time, it is much easier to use.
Casing box
The casing is a rigid structure that takes on the main load from the door system. The casing does not interfere with the shrinkage of the house and at the same time protects the door frame from the impact of the crowns settling down.
How to install casing? At the project preparation stage, when calculating the dimensions of the doorway, it is necessary to add 50-70 mm to the dimensions of the door structure on the sides - this gap will allow the installation of the casing. The upper gap should be 150 mm - this is what will be closed by the settled crowns.
The casing is a “sliding” structure. On the sides of the opening, a ridge is cut out, onto which carriages with a groove of appropriate sizes are placed. A transverse strip is attached to the carriages at the top. As a result, a frame is installed in the opening that will not change its geometry when the log house shrinks. It cannot be rigidly attached to walls. Please note: the frame must be positioned strictly vertically.
Installation of canvas in a log house
Construction of a doorway for a bathhouse
Correct installation of the entrance block begins with the installation of the flashing. This specialized structure consists of two bars connected at the top by a board.
If you plan to install doors for a bathhouse that are lightweight (for example, made from panel boards), you can get by with installing a door frame:
- from the end sides of the opening, select a groove with dimensions of 0.5 × 0.5 m;
- bars of identical size are inserted into the resulting groove;
- and the box is already attached to the latter.
Installing a door to a bathhouse
If you want to install a massive door in a bathhouse, it is recommended to use a U-shaped flashing and follow the following recommendations:
- First of all, correctly take measurements of the doorway. Moreover, its width should be identical to the thickness of the frame and the box on all sides.
- Make markings on the surface of the walls of a log bathhouse using a building level and a plumb line.
- Cut a hole in the wall of the bath house using a chainsaw.
- From all end sides of the doorway, form a tenon measuring 0.5 * 0.5 m in the form of a vertical ridge along the height of the door.
Flashing for mounting the door structure
Fix bars measuring 0.5 * 0.5 m onto this tenon. In the upper and lower parts of the frame jambs, securely secure them with a beam. The latter should be distinguished by the presence of grooves on the sides, which in size correspond to the protrusions of the bottom and top of the side posts. This design of the frame is reliable and can prevent the movement of the logs of the walls that lead to the opening. A log house in a log bathhouse should not be attached to logs. Indeed, in this case it is necessary to ensure movement in the doorway. And the insulation of cracks near the bathhouse frame can be done with a regular jute strip. After installing the frame, you need to hang the door leaf on several hinges. Their number must be at least four
To complete the task, it is important to combine the canvas and the frame with the exact location of the hinges on the sashes. Thanks to the use of wooden wedges in a log bathhouse, the position of the door leaf is secured. Moreover, it is important to leave a small gap of 20-30 mm between the canvas and the racks with hinges, and at least 50 mm between the other surfaces.
Door in a bathhouse made of logs
- Only then can you start attaching the frame with self-tapping screws. It is recommended to use at least two of them for each connection and final fixation of the pellet.
- Next, hang the door leaf on the hinges and double-check the verticality using a building level.
- Install fittings - handles - on the bathhouse door.
- Lastly, install the trims. If necessary, trim the logs.
If you purchased the door leaf and frame already assembled, the installation of the structure occurs in a simplified version. Grooves are created along the verticals of the opening, and bars are inserted into them. Moreover, the door frame is fixed to the latter
However, in this case, it is important to remember about the shrinkage of the fresh log house and leave a gap of 60-80 mm
If you follow all the described recommendations, you can easily install a wooden door in your log bathhouse, because there are no particular difficulties in this matter. The main thing is to be aware of all the subtleties, which are clearly described in our article.
Voted over 301 times, average rating 5
Tips for installing different types of bath doors
Following the installation instructions will help this element perform its intended functions. After all, the door protects from drafts and retains heat in the room. And its service life directly depends on proper installation. So, any door leaf should open outward. It is not advisable to remove the packaging from the product until the installation process is completed.
The entrance door to the bathhouse can be of the following types:
- wooden;
- glass;
- metal;
- from MDF, chipboard, plywood.
If your budget allows, you can opt for a metal door. It is durable, reliable and durable. However, this option is not in great demand. MDF, chipboard, plywood - all of them can be used as an entrance door. But such products are less durable due to the fact that the slabs quickly absorb moisture. This circumstance can lead to deformation of the product. The wooden option is the oldest and most traditional of all available. This canvas is attached to the frame.
https://vk.com/video_ext.php
The dimensions of the recesses should be 0.5 centimeters larger than the width of the frame beam. Such a reserve is needed to correct possible deformation of the canvas after its installation. The frame requires a beam with a section of 6 by 15 cm. When choosing a beam, you need to take into account the fact that the thickness of the canvas should be 5–7 cm less than the width of the frame posts.
You will see that the door leaf will fit tightly into the groove cut on the outside of the posts and crossbars. It protects the room from drafts. The main thing is not to confuse the location of the groove: the recess should be on the outside of the door leaf. After the timber is strengthened, you need to go over it with sandpaper to eliminate any unevenness on the surface.
The next step in installing the door is to tenon the top lintel of the frame with the posts at the corners. The entire door frame is leveled so that there are no distortions. Long anchors are used to attach the frame to the opening. After installation, you must once again check the strength of the fastening of the racks and the upper jumper. At the final stage, the threshold is installed.
After installing the door frame and threshold, the fittings are attached. It is recommended to use 3 sets of hinges: the first should be fixed 20 cm from the floor, the second - 50 cm, and the top - 140 cm. Then the door leaf with the installed fittings is hung on the frame.
When installing a glass door, you must first remove the panel. For this purpose, several screws are unscrewed using a hexagon on the hinges. Then the threshold is removed from the box. The side posts and the top crossbar are mounted in the opening, then the frame is attached. After fixing the box evenly, you can hang the glass sheet. The final stage is attaching the handle.
The steel product is mounted in the opening in the same way as wooden and glass panels. This means that the opening is first prepared, then the frame is installed using plates, screws or steel rods. The next stage is foaming the resulting gaps. The installation of the door leaf and fittings completes the work process.
Features of installing a door without deforming the frame
When installing a door block, you often have to secure the wooden frame with screws. Not everyone likes the fact that their heads are visible on the body of the box. This can be easily avoided. After all, in the design of the door block there are already visible screw heads that do not hurt the eye, and their presence is justified - these are the screws for fastening the door canopy. And so, if the place of one of them is used for the box fastening element, the replacement will be invisible from the outside.
To implement this idea, you should not use the upper or lower mounting hole of the canopy. The second one from the top is better, the one that moves deeper into the box. After installing the temporary fastening of the door frame using wooden wedges, the awnings are removed. The intended hole is expanded with another large drill to such an extent that the plastic dowel for quick-mount fastening together with the cap can freely pass through it. Then a hole in the wall is drilled through this hole using a Pobedit drill of the appropriate diameter and to the required depth. Insert a plastic dowel, pressing the cap all the way to the wall.
The same operation is performed with the lower canopy. At the next stage, the canopies are installed in place. A mounting nail is threaded through the hole intended for fastening the box and driven into the plastic dowel. It may happen that the gap between the wall and the frame is too large, then you should select a longer mounting nail from another quick installation kit. At the attachment point between the wall and the body of the box, a wooden spacer should be laid so that the mounting nail does not move the vertical part of the box towards the wall.
There are no canopies on the other side of the box, but there it is permissible to use a metal lock cylinder for hidden fastening. Here, to fasten the box, it is advisable to use both mounting holes of the cylinder. The end result will be an additional strengthening of the door lock.
In general, installing wooden spectacular doors with your own hands becomes an accessible task for everyone. Installing wooden doors is not difficult, but you should listen to the basic recommendations. In this case, it will be possible to correctly install the door structure and ensure the longevity of the wooden panel. Take into account the specific placement of the box and the insertion of hinges. The result will be a reliable door with an interesting appearance.
Finishing with platbands
Installation of platbands is the final stage of work. They can be made with beveled corners or rectangular. To make even cuts, it is recommended to use a miter box.
An interior opening decorated with platbands looks more aesthetically pleasing. To fasten them, use finishing nails or nails without heads. If a wooden casing is installed, then securing it with nails will not be difficult, but to attach MDF casings, you first need to prepare the holes. The joints must be filled with mastic.
How to install platbands
Ways to fill the opening
There are several common solutions for how to remove a window in a wooden house:
- The most radical, but also the most reliable and aesthetic way is to disassemble part of the log house and replace the logs or beams. If we are talking about an attic or dormer window, this is not such an expensive solution, and it will allow you to forget about all the problems with blowing through the walls. But it should be borne in mind that old and new lumber will settle differently, so it is better to purchase dried wood and do not forget about laying insulation. When shrinkage is complete, re-caulking of the resulting cracks will be required.
- Installation of fragments of logs or beams of similar size and diameter into the hole. This is a rather labor-intensive method: the opening logs are cut at an angle of 45 degrees, the same angle is made at the ends of the insert pieces. There is also a minus: the new elements filling the hole will be very different in color. In this case, you will have to paint the entire wall to disguise the embedded part, or use another cladding option.
Frame method
How to install a window in a wooden building with minimal labor costs without cladding? There is a simple and effective method that will allow you to forget about the cold, and at the same time the structure will remain beautiful and neat. Sequencing:
The old window block is being dismantled. The doors are carefully removed and the frame is removed. There is no need to throw away the plastic system: it will be useful for a summer house, greenhouse or gazebo. The resulting hole is cleared of accumulated debris and dust. After this, a frame made of thin timber or wooden slats is installed in it. It can be attached to the wall logs with nails or self-tapping screws.
A frame is stuffed onto the frame from the outside, and material corresponding to the walls is attached to it. If the house is made of logs, they usually use a block house, if it is made of timber, a horizontal lining of the required size is used. As a result, the opening will not be noticeable from the street, and the surface will appear smooth. To avoid any difference in color tone, the wall should be painted.
Preparatory work for the installation of metal doors
Before you begin installing the doors, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work, and the whole process looks like this:
- The opening is being prepared;
- Sizes are customized;
- The box is fixed to the opening;
- The cracks are sealed;
- The door leaf is installed.
It is customary to install the block flush with the wall and secure it with anchor plates. If desired, the block can be made recessed into the opening and secured with anchor bolts or steel pins. The door frame inserted into the opening is pushed apart with wooden wedges to fix the product in the desired position.
The position of the box is adjusted using a building level; the position is adjusted by moving the blades to the side or inward. After adjusting the desired position, the box will be tightly fixed and will not move during the drilling process.
Afterwards, the canvas is put on and its movement is checked, which should be free when opening and closing the doors. Next, you need to remove the door in order to secure the lintel with the threshold on the narthex side and put it on again, checking the movement again. You can correct the position of the box by tightening or loosening the nuts.
Having finished installing the box, it is left without a canvas to seal the technological gaps with polyurethane foam, having previously sealed it with construction tape. Excess polyurethane foam is cut off and covered with casing.
Features of installing a metal door
Installing an entrance door made of high-strength metal means creating reliable protection against sudden entry into your home.
To reliably protect a wooden building, install a metal entrance door
Installing a metal structure in a wooden house consists of several steps:
- Arrangement of the opening. If the opening was not provided during the construction of the house, then it is cut out in a blank wall with a chainsaw. When non-solid crowns are installed in its place, then apply markings and trim off the excess protrusions of the tree.
- Installation of the pigtail. Ridges are made on the sides of the opening, onto which carriages with a groove are subsequently placed. Then the cross bars are attached.
- Installation of frame and sash. If necessary, the metal box must be insulated. After it is inserted into the frame, level the structure and secure it with self-tapping screws. The number of fastening points must be such that the load is evenly distributed over the entire wall. After installing the box, hang the canvas on four loops.
- Sealing joints. It is performed with polyurethane foam.
- Decorating the opening. To make the opening look more attractive, it is decorated with overhead strips. They are attached not to the wall, but to a metal frame.
It is difficult to install a metal door alone due to its heavy weight. Therefore, it is recommended to call someone to help you. Strict adherence to the instructions and the presence of desire will allow you to cope with this not very easy job, even if you have no experience.
Necessary tool
The wooden structure of the house has its advantages. Wood is a durable material and easy to process. If an error is made, it is not at all difficult to correct everything. Therefore, installing a door in a wooden house is within the capabilities of anyone who has ever held carpentry and joinery tools in their hands.
To work you will need:
- Roulette.
- Building level.
- A hacksaw for wood, or better yet a hand chainsaw.
- Hammer.
- Chisel.
- Screwdriver or drill.
- Planer (electric or manual).
Installation instructions
Installation of the product requires a clear sequence of actions. Step-by-step instructions will allow you to get an overall picture of the entire scope of work and not lose your way. Installing a metal door consists of four stages.
Metal door installation diagram
Preparing the opening
The locations of openings in the building are provided for by the design. They are made at the construction stage or cut out with a chainsaw after the house is built.
During construction, an opening for the door is cut out
The width of the opening should be 150 mm larger than required by the door structure. This is necessary to install a casing box with a width of 65 mm. It is also necessary to leave a gap of 15 cm at the top, which will be closed over time by the settled crowns.
When replacing an old frame door, preparation of the opening begins with its dismantling. Disassembling the structure will not be difficult. To do this you need:
- Remove the canvas.
If it was held on collapsible hinges, then open the door and lift it with a crowbar. If the hinges were not removable, use a screwdriver to unscrew the screws holding the sash in the frame. Removing the old door - The easiest way is to disassemble a wooden box with your own hands.
To do this, unscrew all the fasteners or saw the racks on the sides and tear them off with a crowbar. The metal box is usually sawed off with a grinder. Removing the door frame - Clean the opening from worn-out insulation, remaining fasteners, and pieces of plaster.
Assembly and installation of casing
The frame or casing is the name given to the bars around the perimeter of the opening, which form a rigid base for fastening the door. It does not prevent the shrinkage of the wooden structure, but at the same time protects the openings from distortions that appear under the influence of settling crowns. When installing the casing, a groove is made at the ends of the opening using a router.
To install the frame, you need to cut a groove at the ends of the opening
Then a beam is inserted into it. It is also called a sliding bar, along which the entire house settles. The contours of the opening remain unchanged.
A sliding bar is installed in the groove
It is also possible to use other casing structures that perform exactly the same function. The choice of connection type is a matter of taste.
Casing options
A cross-bar is installed at the top, and soft insulation is placed in the gap. The beams are extended on the sides with boards, the width of which is equal to the width of the end. As a result of these actions, a rough frame is obtained to which the iron door will be attached.
The door casing is arranged by analogy with the window
Finished casing
Installation of box and canvas
For buildings made of wood, frames with a high degree of rigidity are usually chosen. As a rule, this is a welded mechanism made of sheet material with a thickness of at least 2 mm.
Before inserting the front door frame into the opening, it should be insulated with mineral wool and thereby seal the joints. Often there are products with an insulated box. In this case, no additional manipulations are required before installation.
The gap between the door frame and the casing should be in the range from 1.5 to 3 cm. It is filled with polyurethane foam.
Once you have managed to place the iron box in the opening, align it and secure it. To ensure that the load is evenly distributed over the entire wall, it is recommended to increase the number of fastening points.
After installing the box in the opening, it is aligned and fixed
The next step is hanging the sash. There are 2 fastening methods used in iron doors:
- Welded external hinges. To put the fabric on, you need to lift it and place the top of the loop on the pin. This fastening is considered unreliable, since the loops are easily cut off.
- Hidden loops. They are inserted into the sash or hatch and are considered burglar-proof. To carry out installation, you will need a hex key, which is used to tighten the fittings.
By opening and closing the door, check that it is hung correctly
The correctness of the door hinge is checked by opening and closing it.
Filling cracks with foam
After installation is complete, it is necessary to foam the cracks around the iron box. If you don't want traces of foam to remain on the frame, cover its edges with masking tape.
After the polyurethane foam has hardened, its excess is removed. As a decoration, the metal door is framed with platbands. The overhead strips are not attached to the wall, but to a steel frame.
Properties of wooden buildings
If you have decided to independently install doors in a house made of logs or timber, pay attention to the important properties of wooden structures that influence the choice of technology for installing door structures. These include:
- Tendency to shrink. During the first years after the construction of a wooden house, the geometric dimensions of the structure change - the log house “shrinks”. The crowns are shifted vertically downwards, as a result of which the doorways become lower. If you install the door without taking into account shrinkage, the door frame will warp, jamming the leaf.
Article on the topic: The interior door slammed, how to open it
Maximum shrinkage is observed in houses built from wood with natural moisture; structures made from dry timber and logs are less susceptible to this process, and the geometric dimensions of a building made from laminated timber practically do not change.
- Change in wood volume under the influence of external factors. The tree tends to absorb and release moisture, swelling or drying out. Heating and cooling also affect the geometric dimensions of wood structural elements. Accordingly, the dimensions of the doorway during operation vary within a certain range.
- Ability to hold fasteners. Fastening anchors are firmly embedded in concrete walls, but wood is a fragile material that can collapse (crumple, split) if the fastening elements are installed incorrectly or carelessly.
- Strength characteristics. The blank walls of a wooden house have high strength. Along the perimeter of the doorway, the structure is weakened. The metal frame of the front door has an additional impact. If installed incorrectly, cracks may form through which insects and rodents can enter the house.
Installation of doors in a wooden house can be done in the first year after the construction of the log house, if the construction was carried out from laminated veneer lumber. In other cases, you need to wait until the intensive shrinkage of the structure ends - this takes at least a year. Violation of this rule may result in deformation of the door frames and damage to the door panels. Correcting any defects that have arisen will require additional financial costs.
Basic information
In timber buildings, doors and windows can be installed both during the construction of walls and after all construction work is completed. And the bathhouse is no exception to these rules.
In the first case, it is necessary to take into account that the log house dries out over a certain period of time and gives rise to sediment reaching 60-150 mm. Therefore, this factor can affect the quality of door installation as a whole. Therefore, the best option would be if it is installed after the constructed log house has stood for about 6-8 months, or even a year. As a rule, this is enough so that the degree of further shrinkage cannot adversely affect the geometry of the doors or windows. Moreover, to guarantee this, we will provide for such a possibility and take appropriate measures.
So, let's begin the process of installing the door in the steam room. We have already made its canvas earlier (see the article “How to make a door for a bathhouse with your own hands”). We will work with him.