Hello everyone, new to the forum here, soaking up info in preparation for renovating my first house, an old one. Maybe I’ll dare to start a thread about it in the future.
Anyway, I see someone has opened up several walls in a log house. Left a beam in the ceiling, not put a gåt in the cut-off ends. Does that hold together in terms of tensile strength to keep the outer walls together and support the load from above? Or is it just a matter of time before they start showing settlements?
My red lines in the floor plan are created openings based on what I can see. Green is the ridge line.
https://svenskamaklarhuset.se/objekt/obj22071_1923394065-grindstuvagen-3-vendelso/
Anyway, I see someone has opened up several walls in a log house. Left a beam in the ceiling, not put a gåt in the cut-off ends. Does that hold together in terms of tensile strength to keep the outer walls together and support the load from above? Or is it just a matter of time before they start showing settlements?
My red lines in the floor plan are created openings based on what I can see. Green is the ridge line.
https://svenskamaklarhuset.se/objekt/obj22071_1923394065-grindstuvagen-3-vendelso/
surris
Construction veteran
· Sverige
· 1 467 posts
surris
Construction veteran
- Sverige
- 1,467 posts
It is irresponsible to leave the logs sawed off like that without braces. The interior walls are also meant to support the exterior walls, so you can't just cut them away arbitrarily.
One should not underestimate the movements and settling of the timber.
Log houses were also previously built without dowels, and then it's only the corners that hold the house together.
One should not underestimate the movements and settling of the timber.
Log houses were also previously built without dowels, and then it's only the corners that hold the house together.
Homeowner
· Småländska höglandet
· 5 091 posts
Hope you haven't bought the house in the pictures. That looks ominous to say the least. As a prospective buyer of old (timber?) houses, you should avoid botched renovations and torn-down walls like the plague! Now, timber frames are generally (pardon the dad joke) seriously overdimensioned, but that doesn't mean you can just cut away anything you like.
U
Utsliten och utdömd
Building conservationist
· 2 604 posts
Utsliten och utdömd
Building conservationist
- 2,604 posts
I hope and believe that the openings have a whole log even at the bottom below the floor level. If so, it's probably only the large one in the living room that connects to the gable wall that is causing direct concern. How does it look on the outside? Are vertical followers installed?
Even if there are no headers in the smaller openings, the logs don't seem to be giving way, and if they start, it will be visible right away because it's open. Do you know how long ago the modifications were made?
Even if there are no headers in the smaller openings, the logs don't seem to be giving way, and if they start, it will be visible right away because it's open. Do you know how long ago the modifications were made?
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