Leveling a prefabricated panel house with a jack. How to raise an old wooden house onto a foundation with your own hands, instructions? We are planning to jack up the house - safety requirements

Often people who own old buildings are faced with the question of how to raise a house and pour the foundation. The building may need to be raised in some cases. This may be necessary if the foundation is partially destroyed, or if the house is sagging or sinking on one edge. Such problems may arise due to construction on problematic soil or incorrect choice of foundation.

The raising of the house occurs as a result of the destruction of the foundation and its replacement with a new one.

Tools and materials

• steel plate;
• cement;
• sand;
• crushed stone;
• fittings;
• formwork;
• jacks;
• shovel;
• sledgehammer;
• scrap steel;
• wedges

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Preparatory work

To be able to raise the house, you should prepare it for the upcoming work. It is necessary to analyze the condition of the walls of the house so that, if necessary, damaged areas can be replaced; in the case of a wooden house, rotten beams may need to be replaced. When lifting a heavy structure, the dilapidated structure should be strengthened.

The next stage involves working with the soil.

The condition of the foundation on which the house is installed must first be determined.

It is important to establish how deep the groundwater is. If they are close enough, drainage and waterproofing work will be necessary. In addition, the soil may not be strong enough, so it should be taken into account that loose soil may lead to subsidence. If the soil is characterized by heaving, this can cause the building to skewer, which will lead to deformation of the support.

It is important to prepare materials in advance. Thus, cement should have increased strength characteristics, and sand should be simple quarry sand.

To fill the foundation you will need medium grade crushed stone, but it is preferable to use granite gravel, this will guarantee the reliability of the foundation.

As reinforcement, you can use rods with a cross-section of 10-12 mm, but experts recommend using a cross-section of 14 mm. It is necessary to arrange the formwork; the material will be a 25 mm board, but construction plywood will do the job perfectly.

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House lifting technology

It is possible to raise a house without the use of special equipment; in this case, you will need to use hydraulic jacks that can handle a load weighing 10 tons. In order to dismantle the foundation, you should use a sledgehammer, a crowbar, and also dismantling wedges. Timbers, massive chocks and bricks can serve as temporary supports. And the boards will become spacers. The platform for installing the jack will be beams and boards, which should be combined into a shield; if such material is not available, you can use any other that is durable.

A steel plate, the minimum thickness of which should be 5 mm, will evenly distribute the forces exerted by the jack rod on the first crowns of the building. If work will be carried out with a foundation on supports with a back-up, the latter must be dismantled. At the preparatory stage, it is important to rid the building of heavy things and furniture. Moreover, the floor must also be disassembled.

In order to raise the house onto the foundation, jacks should be installed on both sides at a distance of 0.5 meters from the corners. If the jacks are installed correctly, they will handle the lift. Errors when placing jacks can cause deflection of the beams that are part of the bottom trim, this will lead to uneven lifting, separation of logs and their breakage. Before raising the house, you need to make sure that the jacks are located in places where the wood has not been exposed to rot.

It is necessary to install gaskets, which can be steel plates; this will facilitate the correct transfer of forces to the bars from the jack rod. It is permissible to replace the plates with pieces of wood. Jacks should be installed on a prepared site; if necessary, they should be deepened into the soil, which will ensure their more reliable stability.

Concrete is first poured into the formwork and then compacted.

Sections of beams that are used in the process of arranging temporary supports should be used in such quantities as the lifting technology will require. If you intend to lift the entire house at once, the number of supports should be 2 times larger. The support should be assembled using sections of beams; ultimately, the support should take the shape of a well.

The supports must be given a height that is 10 cm greater than the difference in distance from the height of the jack to the ground. This is explained by the fact that during the lifting process the supports will settle, pressing into the soil. The technology involves lifting houses from both sides simultaneously, the lift on each side should be uniform, but at one time it should not exceed 1.5 cm. The result obtained must be immediately recorded using temporary supports.

Lifting can lead to kinks in the first rims, which indicates the need to install additional jacks. At this stage, it is necessary to ensure that the building does not move to the side, because then this will cause a change in the center of gravity.

In order to replace the foundation, the building will have to be raised to a height of at least 6 cm. Afterwards, the building can be lowered onto scraps of logs, which need to be placed on temporary supports.

After the house has been raised to the required height and secured with temporary supports, dismantling of the old foundation should begin. To do this, you have to disassemble the rubble and brickwork using chisels, but you can use any tools that are convenient. Old supports must be removed from the ground by rocking them to the sides. Some materials that have been well preserved can be used in arranging the future foundation.

Violation of the integrity of the foundation is a phenomenon often found in wooden buildings of considerable age. It happens that the house itself is in excellent condition, but the base has rotted due to external factors and the inability to get close to the structure due to its burial in the ground. In such cases, there are 2 options:

1. Disassemble old house and build a new one.
2. If the building is in good condition, it is not advisable to dismantle it and raise the foundation wooden house and reconstructing it would be a rational decision.

There are even technologies for lifting and moving stone and multi-story buildings, but on your own, without the help of specialists, you can only lift a small wooden house using conventional devices.

The general principle of lifting or which houses can be lifted

The essence of the technology is to place a jack under the wall above the foundation and directly lift the building. You will need 4 lifting devices, their capacity must be at least 10 tons, or according to calculation: take the approximate weight of the house and divide it by 4, you will get the load per jack. The device should be selected with a power reserve.

As they increase, supporting objects are inserted into the opening gaps: beams, bricks, blocks around the entire perimeter. In this way, wooden houses made of timber, logs, or wooden panels can be torn off the ground. These materials and the method of fastening them together are able to compensate for minor distortions that occur during the work, and the house does not fall apart.

Things are more complicated with block, monolithic, stone buildings. The rigid connection of structural components is not able to withstand distortions and destruction of individual parts of the load-bearing and self-supporting frame occurs. In such cases, a technological approach is required:

• Metal plates or beams are installed under the wall, which take on a uniform load from the entire perimeter of the house;
• Powerful jacks are installed under the plates at many support points and lifting is carried out.

This process is impossible without special equipment and qualified specialists.

Restore the foundation or build a new house

Before deciding to replace the foundation, you should evaluate the entire situation:

• Is the house itself suitable for further living?
• If the building is suitable, decide whether the foundation needs to be restored or completely changed.

In cases where restoring a house is a more affordable option than building a new one, you, of course, need to start with the main supporting structure. Why does the foundation break?

• Long service life, as a result of which the constituent elements have time to rot;
• For the same reason, the house may sag along one side or corner, causing a general misalignment;
• Improper construction of structures. This phenomenon happened everywhere 50-60 years ago: they built with what they could and as best they could, the technology was rarely followed;
• Soil erosion, high level groundwater give their results.

Problems may also arise in newly built houses:

• Incorrect calculation of the foundation structure, insufficient depth, resulting in cracking of the structure as a result of soil heaving;
• Errors in construction technology;
• The low base does not allow sufficient insulation of the floor of the first floor, which is why the rooms are cold and constantly damp.

In the case of old houses, there is only one recommendation - no restoration, complete replacement of the foundation! The tree will continue to deteriorate in unfavorable conditions and the effect of the work will not last long. You should choose a monolithic concrete foundation. For new houses, the situation is assessed individually: if there has been a significant violation of the integrity of the structure, it is advisable to completely replace it with a more powerful foundation. If there is noticeable discomfort from dampness on the ground floor and it is impossible to insulate the floor, you can resort to raising the base.

Foundation calculation

To determine the correct depth for laying a new foundation, assess the condition of the soil:

• Availability of groundwater on the site;
• Soil type: sand, clay or rocky base.

Sands and rocky soils without groundwater are ideal for construction. Shallow foundations can be placed on these, without taking into account the level of soil freezing in the region. For reinforced concrete tape, it is enough to take 50-60 cm in depth.

Clays and fluid soils require a different approach. If the house is one-story or two-story with a lightweight structure without weighted concrete floors, it will be sufficient to install shallow strip or column foundations. The latter will cost much less. The depth is taken based on the depth of soil freezing; the depth can be placed at the level of ½ or 1/3 of the table value.

When installing a shallow foundation, it is necessary to create a compensation cushion of sand and crushed stone under the structure. It will take on the pressure of the soil during heaving and the structure of the house will not move.

If the house has a basement, it is advisable to build a buried foundation. To do this, you need to use SNiP “Building Climatology” and take from its appendix the depth of winter soil freezing in the region. Add 20-30 cm to the result. This is true for both tape and columnar foundation. If there is a basement for a columnar foundation, it will be necessary to create enclosing walls and carefully insulate them.

Preparing the bottom frame of the wall

In order for the house to withstand the rise without destruction, it is important to check the condition of the lower frame in order to identify its weakness. If the log is rotten or dry, it must be replaced or dismantled before installing the jacks. You can make a cut under lifting mechanism to a whole log through a defective one.

In general, before starting work, you should check the entire lower tier: tap it, identify weak logs. To this end, you may need to hire a professional to accurately diagnose the condition of the walls.

What you need to prepare for work

To raise the foundation of an old wooden house, you will need a small set of tools and equipment:

• Shovel;
• 4 jacks;
• Laser or bubble level;
• A set of wooden blocks and planks of different thicknesses.

To dismantle it, you will need a hammer drill, a crowbar, an ax - any tools for dismantling the old structure, based on its material.

Preparatory work

If you need to raise a wooden house and pour the foundation, you need to dig a trench around the perimeter of the building. Its depth should correspond to the design depth of the new foundation, and its width should be sufficient for convenient work and installation of equipment, optimally 60...70 cm.

As mentioned earlier, it is necessary to prepare a place for the jack. To do this, a compaction is created in the ground near the corners of the house for installation, and a thick board is laid. It is advisable that the device be located directly under the wall. If under the wall old foundation, you should cut down a separate part of it. Next, the fragile wall belt is dismantled until it is intact and strong. Now you can install the jack. It is advisable to place a thick metal plate on its lifting plane with a width greater than the thickness of the beam. This is necessary so that if the wood is not strong enough, the mechanism will not pierce it, and the load on the plate will fall evenly.

Some sources claim that you can take 1-2 jacks. If you imagine the situation in practice, what will happen: you need to lift the structure evenly, but with 1 or 2 devices you will have to constantly move around the perimeter. In addition, the structure of an old house may not withstand such distortion. Feel free to take 4 jacks at the corners (or more, depending on the type of perimeter) and get to work.

How to lift an old wooden house with a jack

The first thing to remember is no rush! At every step, you need to monitor the process and urgently take action when unforeseen situations arise.

The jacks are installed. We begin to slowly raise the devices by 2-3 centimeters one after another. Greater distortion is undesirable. They raised it and put a support board on it. Then they raised it and put another board down. When the free distance is significant, the boards can be replaced with stronger beams. Supports are installed as often as necessary to support the walls. Under 6 meters you can place 2-3 supports.

When the lifting height is sufficient for subsequent work, you can begin to dismantle the weakened part or the entire foundation. A hammer drill, axe, crowbar and other auxiliary tools will help here. It is important to thoroughly clean the area for the new base.

Now let's start changing the design itself.

When choosing strip foundation We build the formwork, make a 20-30 cm sand and gravel cushion, and install the frame. Concrete is poured using wheelbarrows or a hose from a concrete truck. It is imperative to compact the solution with a submersible vibrator. The period during which concrete will gain 70% of its strength is 5...7 days. After this, the house can be lowered onto the foundation.

To install shallow-depth posts, you can use monolithic concrete or ceramic brick. We lay out or pour into the formwork the supports placed on a bed of sand and crushed stone.

In all cases, the walls of the foundation structure should be waterproofed to preserve its integrity for a longer period.

We make a monolithic concrete grillage along the columns or use a ready-made reinforced concrete beam.

Before lowering the building onto a new foundation, it is very important to create a layer of roofing felt or other polymer insulator between dissimilar materials (wood and concrete). We lay 2-3 layers along the grillage or top of the tape.

Restoration of the lower crown

If the lower crown of the wall was removed due to dilapidation, do not forget to restore this belt. To do this you will need a prepared log or timber. We lay them on a new base. We cut out the places where the jacks are installed; after removing them, the missing parts will be inserted into place. But if the lifts are only in the corners, then there will be no problems. We carefully insulate the cracks between the beams with caulk, flax-jute or padding polyester.

Now we lower the jacks at the same speed as we raised them - 2 cm from each corner. After removing the mechanisms, if necessary, insert the sawn parts of the first tier, insulate and close all the holes.

If the house has a stove or an outbuilding

Separately, it is worth mentioning the old houses with a stove. It has its own foundation, so it will not rise with the house. Before raising a wooden house, it is necessary to clear the floor surrounding the stove, the hole for the chimney in the ceiling and the roof so that the pipe can move freely. After the work is completed, when the house is put in place, when correct execution work, the floor and ceiling will remain undamaged.

If the house has an extension, there are 2 options:

• 1) Raise it along with the house;
• 2) During the work, unhook the connections of the attachment, if this does not affect its stability.

The second option is more understandable and simple, but the choice must be made solely by assessing the situation.

Despite the wide range of materials used for the construction of buildings, wood is traditionally used for the construction of summer houses and country houses. It has many advantages, the main one of which is environmental friendliness. All types wooden materials– beams, boards, panels and logs require special processing to ensure long-term operation. However, wooden structures lose their properties over time and need to be restored or replaced. Lifting a house with a small mass allows you to solve this problem.

Owners wooden houses are interested in how to raise a house with your own hands. This is a serious operation that requires careful preparation. It is important to maintain the geometry of the box, ensure the integrity of the internal and external decoration and prevent destruction. The process of moving with special jacks allows you to provide access to problem areas, securing the building with strong supports made of metal or concrete.

Having decided to jack up a house on your own, you need to thoroughly understand the technology, make preparations and purchase everything necessary for lifting. In this case, it is necessary to strictly comply with safety requirements.

What buildings can be raised

Using modern technological techniques, one-story wooden buildings can be easily jacked up. The materials used for such buildings are:

• rounded logs;
• square and rectangular beams;
• prefabricated panels covered with planed boards or slabs.

The small size and weight of wooden buildings make them easier to move.

It is necessary to carefully prepare for the process of lifting a house with a jack and learn all the intricacies of the technology.

Preparatory activities, building materials and tools for lifting

When preparing to raise a house on jacks, it is necessary to carry out the following preparatory measures:

• carry out a visual inspection;
• analyze the complexity of the work performed;
• estimate the duration of repair activities;
• select a moving method;
• prepare the building for relocation.

By external signs It is easy to determine the need for repair measures. Please note the following points:

• tilting of the house or skew of individual parts;
• cracking of outdoor finishes and interior coverings;
• partial or complete shrinkage of the house;
• displacement of part of the base;
• significant destruction of the supporting crown and foundation.

Partial or complete relocation of the building is carried out in order to fulfill the following restoration work:

• local restoration or overhaul of the foundation;
• preventing shrinkage of the building;
• dismantling rotten load-bearing beams along the contour of the building;
• eliminating distortions of walls and openings;
• performing antiseptic treatment of wooden structures;
• eliminating errors made during the construction process.

It is important to decide on the method according to which the house will move vertically using lifting devices.

To make the right decision, you need to analyze a number of points:

• weight of the building. The jack for moving is selected according to its load capacity. The volume of the building box must be multiplied by the density of the wood, which is 700 kg/m3, then add the mass of the roof and cladding. The resulting value, multiplied by a factor of 1.4, corresponds to the load capacity of the device;
• dimensions of the building. With an increased building length of more than 6.5 meters, local shrinkage is possible wooden beams or beams at joining areas. In order to prevent distortions during movement, it is necessary to secure elements of additional reinforcement in the splice area;

• peculiarities interior decoration. Certain types of interior cladding significantly complicate the implementation of measures to move a building. Sheet plasterboard and traditional plaster can crack under the influence of deformation processes. For reinforcement, boards 5 cm thick are nailed on the street side;
• nature of the soil. The concentration of moisture in the surface layer of soil and its structure make certain adjustments to construction activities. The jack, under the influence of loads, can easily sink into soft and wet soil. The use of metal panels and concrete elements allows you to increase the supporting area;
• estimated vertical displacement. Design features lifting devices limit the length of extension of the rod. The required height of movement is achieved by gradually placing beams under the support platform of the device;
• duration of repair work. The duration of the activities depends on the complexity of the repair. It is risky to load the lifting rod for an extended period. It is necessary to use durable metal structures as temporary support for the structure.

Lifting the house to a convenient distance can be done in various ways:

• using a truck crane. Lifting equipment on wheels is used to lift a building in order to move it to another territory;
• using jacks. The use of small-sized lifting devices is popular when it is necessary to move light buildings vertically.

Having decided to lift the house on screw or hydraulic supports, make the following preparations:

• turn off the electrical power supply;
• shut off the water supply lines;
• disconnect the sewer line;
• turn off the gas supply;
• dismantle the floor around the stove or in the boiler area;
• disconnect the gas boiler;
• ensure the box remains stationary with braces.

Please note that it is necessary to dismantle the roof in the chimney area if the stove is assembled on a separate base.

To carry out restoration measures, prepare:

• a jack whose load capacity corresponds to the calculated value;
• wooden panels to increase the area of ​​the supporting surface;
• steel linings made of thick sheet material measuring 25x25 cm;
• tools necessary to dismantle the support beam along the contour of the building;
• grinder complete with discs for cutting metal and wood.

Having prepared your tools and materials, start lifting.

What kind of jack can I use?

The house is lifted to a given height using the following lifting devices:

• screw. They are distinguished by their reliability and simplicity of design. Effort perceives work surface platforms fixed at right angles to the axis of the threaded rod. The screw device has an increased load capacity and compact dimensions;
• hydraulic. The working body of a hydraulic lift moves as a result of the pressure of the working fluid on the piston. The amount of operating pressure is regulated using a supercharger connected to a lever. The design is more complex than screw devices.

The increased level of reliability of lifting devices allows the use of devices for lifting a house made of wood.

Proven technology allows you to jack up a house using a different number of lifts:

• one device. The lift is sequentially installed in different areas of the building and moves in the vertical direction up to 50 mm per cycle. A limited distance makes it possible to eliminate skewing of the opening, the appearance of cracks and serious deformations of the box. Supports are installed under the raised part, and the jack is moved to the next area. By moving the lift around the perimeter of the building and placing supports, it is possible to lift the house to an equal height;

• two devices. The uniformity of movement and the absence of deformation depends on the correct vertical displacement of the rods of the two lifts. By sequentially shifting each zone to a limited height, serious deformations can be prevented and the structure will not move. The sequence of operations using two lifting devices corresponds to the option discussed above using one device;
• four jacks. This method has maximum efficiency and involves the installation of lifting devices in the corner areas of the building. By alternately shifting the rod of the device by 20–40 mm, you can raise the structure. The main task is to simultaneously carry out lifting using voice commands for four performers. Using industrial lifts with a synchronous control device greatly simplifies the work.

A step-by-step technique will help you perform jacking correctly:

• Select your lifting method and areas to apply force.
• Compact the soil in lift areas.
• Place support platforms under the jacks.

• Install metal plates under the rod pad.
• Raise each section sequentially by 20–40 mm per cycle.
• Place temporary supports, if necessary.
• Shift the structure vertically, checking with a level that the position is correct.
• Install strong supports in the most loaded areas.

It is important to install stops, thanks to which the building will remain motionless in the event of failure or failure of the lift. The given instructions will allow you to simultaneously lift the structure.

We are planning to jack up the house - safety requirements

It is important to ensure the safety of the work performed:

• reinforce the building box with strong boards;
• secure spacer bars in the openings;
• firmly secure the lifting device;
• place gaskets under the rod pad;
• use thrust bearings with an increased area.

When performing restoration work, precautions should be taken not to subject the structure to shear loads.

Let's sum it up

Advice from professionals will help you jack up the building on your own to carry out restoration work. However, experience with tools and qualifications do not always allow you to carry out work on your own. In this case, trust the specialists! They will carefully carry out the lifting and protect the building from deformation.

How to lift a house with a jack - this question interests large number home owners who are going to carry out repair work and are remodeling the building. Of course, at first glance, performing such a task is very difficult and problematic, but it only seems so. The process is actually very simple. The only rule is to take into account all the standards and carry out the work accurately. It is worth noting that you need to prepare for lifting with a jack, read the instructions and specialized literature, and then gradually and without undue haste begin the task. In our article we will find out how to raise a house correctly.

Materials and tools for work

Before you start raising a house with your own hands, you need to ensure that you have the necessary tools:

• Special slats;
• Steel plates or metal corners;
• A metal pipe that is used as a roller;
• Material for trampling a raised building, in most cases timber;
• Hydraulic tools;
• Funnel device.

Attention! For work of this purpose, special cargo machines that have a lifting capacity of up to 10 tons are perfect.

Preparatory stage for lifting

Before you raise a wooden house, you need to prepare for work. The first thing to do is to drive a batten into each corner of the building. Then we take a hydraulic level, which has a rubber hose connected by glass tubes 25 cm long. Using a funnel, pour liquid into the level hose, so that there is the same amount of water in all tubes.

Attention! In order to facilitate the process, you can paint the liquid with potassium permanganate, then the visibility of the level will be obvious.

We use a level to mark the height on each rail that is involved in raising the wooden house. To do this, we need to connect the tube to the rail, that is, connect them together. The second pipe must be attached in the same way, but to other pipes. It is worth noting that the process requires constant monitoring of the liquid level, which should not differ. But, if you notice a difference, this indicates the presence of air bubbles inside the hose.

Attention! In such a situation, the device cannot be used for work.

This problem can be corrected by using a flat platform that is slightly inclined. After refilling the funnel with liquid, you need to go around the house, placing marks. Next, return to the pipe, which is fixed. In case of accidental spillage of water, the process must be continued. If you do not do this, the house will not rise correctly on jacks.

Raising a house

Before starting to raise the building, it is necessary to completely prepare the area for construction where the jacks are installed. Place panels on all horizontal lines of the site. Support points must be maximized. We place the plate between the jack's patch and the lower crown of the room. This action will make it possible to save the log from deformation that can occur from hitting a penny. Afterwards we perform a test lift.

Attention! In case of vertical displacement of the jacks, the support must be adjusted under the structure.

Lifting standing house it is necessary to maintain a height of up to 4 cm. At least 2 people can perform such work, as they can do it on their own. Next, we lay pads under the building, which will later help release the jacks. Afterwards, we lift one side, approximately 8 cm high, and place pads under the building.

We have already figured out how to raise the corner, now we need to do the same work on the other side of the building. Having repeated the lifting process, we return to the other wall. After the jacks are installed, we lower the curtains. If this is not done, then there is a possibility that the tool will be turned out from under the building. This description of the actions is repeated until the building rises to the desired height. Step-by-step instruction of actions requires compliance with the following norms and rules:

• If you have any doubts about the correct installation of the jack, it is better to stop the process of lifting the building;
• You already know how to raise a wooden house with your own efforts, but you should not forget about basic safety rules. When performing work, you must not crawl under the building. It is worth noting that this requirement also applies to individual parts of the body.

Attention! In case of lateral shift, it is necessary to mount the tool on a lower part of the building. The installation will be different as the position must be inclined.

If it was not possible to raise a building made of timber horizontally, then choose the lifting angle a little less, for example, 45 or 60 degrees. Many people doing the work should know that there is no need to rush, as it is necessary to avoid pitching. By violating this requirement, the building can slide and spin around the pillar that stands on the base. Wood requires a precise sequence of work.

You've probably wondered how much it costs to raise a house using the services of professionals. Of course, the cost of such a service is not very cheap. For this reason, it is better to study the recommendations and rules yourself, and then do all the work yourself. After looking at a large number of videos and literature, we decided to highlight for you the most important tips that will make the procedure easier. So:

• When the gap reaches 15 cm during lifting, this means that you need to take duralumin gaskets and lay them in the gap;
• At the points where jacks are installed, it is imperative to analyze the condition of the wood. If the quality is poor, then there is a theoretical probability that the timber will not withstand the stress, and this can cause emergency situations.
• In some situations it is necessary to use narrow tools. With such equipment, you need to install an additional bracket at the installation site.
• If there is a brick oven in the building, it is necessary to constantly monitor the position of the pipes and roof.

Attention! There are times when lifting a building is mandatory, but you don’t have the right tool. If such a situation arises, then you can seek help from the nearest depot, where workers absolutely have this tool.

In this article, we examined in detail the process of raising a building, and found out the fact that it is very simple and easy to complete such a task on your own. But remember about safety rules and careful attention to work.

But, when the entire perimeter of the house was raised and the frame “stood” on brick pillars, it became clear that there were no special problems for further lifting. The lifting itself is quite a nerve-wracking task at first: the whole house is crackling and it is noticeable that the jack is working at full capacity.

For lifting, one 10-ton hydraulic jack purchased on the market for 300 thousand squirrels (about 1100 rubles) is enough. We first had one with a simple single cylinder 20cm high and had no problems with it. Alas, by the second stage of the ascent it disappeared from us (it looked like it was stolen) and we had to buy a second one. It was chosen based on its minimum height when lowered and we bought a six-ton ​​one with a double telescopic piston 16 cm high (approximately 1,490 rubles). In principle, it also served its purpose, but oil flowed from it during lifting, and by the end of the work the piston began to extend only half its height. Perhaps we overloaded it, or maybe the nuances of Chinese technology: in general, it turned out to be rather weak.

At this stage, it is important not to overdo it - you should not raise the frame on one side to a great height. We usually limited ourselves to three to four centimeters. At the same time, when lowering the house onto its supports, everything sank by one and a half to two centimeters. So in reality, during one lift, the log house rose only one and a half to two centimeters.

The following is a diagram showing the jack installation locations and the lifting sequence. The lifting was carried out in several cycles of 1-2 centimeters at a time. In reality, the lifting was carried out by eye, mainly according to the degree of curvature of the roof on the roof. After pouring the foundation, the second stage of lifting was carried out according to the level of the poured concrete, and the height from it to the ceiling was measured.

The lifting technology itself is quite simple; it was difficult at the stage of knocking out the lower crown, after which we ended up with a house on pillars of bricks (on chicken legs). A jack with a steel plate at the top was installed in a convenient place. One of the corners of the log house rises. All support posts that are found to be free are covered with boards and bricks until they fit snugly against the log house log. Then the jack valve is unscrewed: the house “squats” on the supports. The process is repeated at another point. Below is an animated picture of this process.

When the jack valve was opened, the bricks in the stands often broke, and when in some walls the height between the frame and the foundation reached 30 centimeters, it became scary to watch. The bricks always broke on the unevenness of the old foundation, and in order to level it, the lower bricks of the columns had to be placed on masonry mortar.

There are three such columns in the photo. The three lower bricks are mortared, the upper ones alternate with scraps of boards. We used old brick left over from the stoves as supports, alternating it with pieces of boards. Such a “sandwich” is not accidental. The brick breaks under the weight of the house and there is a danger of its complete disintegration. If you use only boards, they are strongly pressed and the lifting height is lost. And so elastic and hard.

The lifting was carried out in two stages: before pouring the foundation and after. We were going to raise the house by about forty centimeters, and when the stacks of bricks in the columns began to frighten us with their height, the lifting was stopped.

When the house was torn off from the foundation, people were quickly found to fill the foundation. By the way, it turned out that they would not have taken on the task of lifting the log house either; apparently such work is too troublesome and intellectually complex.

It took us (I’m 40, and my two sons are 17 and 15 years old) two weeks with weekends to work on dismantling the floor, knocking out the bottom crown and first raising the house. Although, some time was spent removing nails from the floorboards and sorting them into shelving. Probably, a well-organized team of professionals can do this kind of work in a week

After pouring the foundation, the house was raised another 20 centimeters in the same way. Photos of the last stage of the rise are below. The gray spots on the upper surface of the foundation are traces of the support columns of the first stage of lifting - the holes and bricks were covered with masonry mortar. At the same stage, the entire house was leveled in height. First, we measured whether the foundation was poured evenly, then we measured the height of the surface of the foundation - the ceiling - with a rod. Where anything was missing, they placed boards in the support posts.

Later I saw an article in some magazine about raising old wooden houses. Everything is much more complicated there: all the logs are pre-fastened with timber and bolts. We succeeded without this, but I would like to warn you that perhaps the frame of our building was strong and well-preserved and not so successful experiments are likely.

It is very difficult to raise extensions and verandas that do not contain logs in the walls. In the process of lifting, we demolished a small hallway-veranda (in the first photo on the left). Somehow it was possible to raise it, but we had a new idea to reconstruct the entire building and we abandoned this extension

Chapter from the book by Shepelev A.M. "How to build a rural house":
→ Repair of walls of log and cobblestone houses
→ Methods for repairing log walls without lifting
→ Hanging log walls and raising the house