Calculation of the quantity and volume of wooden beams

Information on the purpose of the calculator

Online calculator of profiled and glued timber is designed to calculate the quantity and volume of lumber for the construction of houses, baths and other buildings. The calculation of the amount of inter-wall insulation, nagels, crowns, cost and anti-corrosion impregnation is automatically performed by the average value. For more accurate calculations, be sure to contact specialists in your region.

To understand the advantages and disadvantages of profiled timber compared to glued, you should start with the basic concepts of the production of both.

Profiled timber is made of coniferous trees. In most cases, it has standard cross-section dimensions:

• 100x100 mm
- best suited for the construction of a bathhouse or a summer cottage
• 150x150 mm
- suitable for a good home
• 200x200 mm
- for the construction of large wooden houses or cottages

If desired, you can individually order a beam of a different cross-section. The appearance of the beam can be either with a rectilinear front side or with a D-shaped one. A log of the required thickness is processed on planing and milling machines, after which it is ground from the right sides. The side of the beam that will be located inside the future house and may not require further finishing is usually subjected to high-quality grinding. For the convenience and reliability of the installation of a log house and for protection from cold and moisture, the profile most often happens with 1 or 2 spikes for a light structure or a "comb" for a residential house. The finished log house should shrink for further completion of construction, usually this period is about 1 year. To reduce this period to several months, it is possible to dry the timber in advance in special chambers.

For the production of glued beams, the log is sawn into boards, they are also called "lamellas". The boards are shaken and laid in a drying chamber, where during the drying process in a soft mode, a material with a humidity of about 10% is obtained. Then the boards are again planed to the desired size, sorted, and then glued into a beam using a hydraulic press. Special waterproof glue compositions are used for gluing. In order to give the glued beam resistance from rotting and significantly increase its strength, the boards are laid in a special way – each is placed opposite to the fiber section of the neighboring one.

In the profiled in the production process, the outer, more durable part of the wood is cut off to give the desired shape. Glued beams due to the previously described method of laying boards and gluing them together on a hydraulic press is more durable. As many people know, the most durable and resistant to rot, but also the most expensive among conifers is larch. The production of profiled timber from it significantly increases the cost of construction. In the production of glued beams, it is possible to lay an external larch lamella before gluing, which has a slight effect on the increase in price.

When comparing the moisture content of the material and the shrinkage time, it has already been noted that the glued beam has a humidity of about 10% and, accordingly, a short shrinkage period, which makes it possible to shorten the construction period of the house. Profiled timber has a natural moisture content of wood, and even drying it allows you to reduce the humidity to only 20%, so you can not do without shrinkage. Comparing the terms of shrinkage, we must not forget about the fact that the solid material, due to its greater massiveness, is practically not subject to cracking, and there is a possibility of small cracks on the glued beam.

Due to the technological features of manufacturing, each type of timber can have different overall dimensions. The profile length is usually up to 6 meters, and the cross section is 100x100, 150x150 and 200x200 mm. Making a bar of a different cross-section size (for example, in increments every 10 mm) can increase the amount of waste, which cannot but affect the price. The length of glued beams can reach 12 meters, and the cross-section is usually made from 80 to 280 mm.

But considering only the cost of the finished log house, do not forget that finishing for facades when using glued beams may not be required, and it is possible to compare them by price with a stretch. Everything will depend on the material chosen for finishing the house, its quantity and cost.

In terms of environmental friendliness, profiled timber is not just a favorite, but rather a champion, preserving all the useful properties of such an excellent material as natural wood. For processing, only special mixtures may be needed to protect against fire and rot, which the owner of the house himself can choose. In the production of glued beams, adhesive compositions can be used, which are divided into several groups according to the degree of danger, and it is not a fact that the manufacturer has not decided to save on the cost of glue.

In conclusion, we can say that each of the 2 types of timber considered has its undoubted advantages with a small number of disadvantages. And only the owner can decide from what material to build a house in order to live in it further.

Dalee presents a complete list of calculations performed with a brief description of each item.

General information on the results of calculations

• Total volume of timber
- The estimated amount of lumber in cubic meters.
• Total wall area
- The area of the outside of the walls. Corresponds to the area of the necessary insulation, if such is provided by the project.
• Total weight
- The weight of the beam without insulation.
• Number of rows
- The number of rows of timber in one wall. Depends on the height of the walls and the size of the material used. Excluding pediments.
• The amount of rolled insulation for all crowns
- Equal to the total length of all bars.
• Diameter and number of wooden pins in 1.5 meter increments
- This calculation is suitable only for lightly loaded buildings made of timber. For responsible buildings, the calculation of wooden pins must be carried out by specialists in your region.
• Amount of liquid protective agent from 2 sides
- The estimated amount of liquid protective agent, coated with the outer and inner surfaces of all walls.
• Approximate shrinkage (4%) of profiled timber
- Approximate shrinkage of profiled timber walls after 1 year, with an initial humidity of 20%.
• Load on the foundation from the walls
- Load without taking into account the weight of the roof and ceilings, with support on the entire surface of the lower crown. This parameter is necessary to select the strength characteristics of the foundation.