Finishing a log house, both inside and out, is one of the important stages in arranging your suburban housing. Many homeowners dream that their house organically combines such important qualities as safety, maximum comfort and high aesthetic characteristics. A competent, tasteful exterior decoration of the building allows not only to solve aesthetic issues, but also to thoroughly insulate the building, hide some communications, improve the microclimate.
Exterior finish of a log house: is it worth “masking the beauty”?
Is it worth it to hide the beauty of the natural tree from which a suburban or country house is built? Disputes about this among homeowners are highly relevant.
In the event that the building was built relatively recently, it makes sense to preserve its natural beauty and do without external decoration, repairing the structure only inside. However, if your housing is already old, then issues of not only internal but also external decoration become relevant. The wooden structure will have to be reliably protected with the help of finishing materials from the effects of various adverse conditions: it is snow, rain, and much more. However, wood is a very moody material, and you should not forget about it in any case. If it is incorrect to organize the decoration of the walls of such a building from the outside, you can not only not improve, but also significantly worsen both the condition of the house and the microclimate in it.
Basic rules for exterior decoration
First of all, it should be noted that an important circumstance is that any work (this is the design of the facade and interior decoration) should be done no earlier than after a certain period of time from the moment the construction of the wooden building is completed. This is, of course, associated with the shrinkage of the structure, and the period of such shrinkage will depend on the type of wood used. For buildings erected from "wild" trees, the casing should be installed at least two years later. For buildings that were built from timber, this period will be from six months to one year. The only exception is perhaps the profiled beam (as well as glued beam). Buildings built from it can be finished outside almost immediately upon completion of construction work.
In addition to the material for cladding a building made of wood from the outside, you should take care of the following important points:
- processing of walls from the outside using various special compositions;
- installation of vapor barrier;
- arrangement of a reliable frame;
- sufficient thermal insulation for the building (usually several layers);
- installation of a special film for waterproofing;
- decorative cladding of the building outside.
Warming of the building, as well as all subsequent work, is usually carried out in the warm season. You will certainly be able, with certain skills, to carry out such activities without involving workers. It is only important to choose all the materials correctly and adhere to a strict work order.
Surface preparation and vapor barrier
Preparatory measures are mainly associated with the treatment of wooden surfaces with the help of special protective emulsions. They will prevent the appearance and development of fungi, insect pests, etc. Such procedures are mandatory because after finishing work carried out outside the building, the wood becomes inaccessible - and, accordingly, various negative processes can begin here.
The vapor barrier layer for a wooden house can be either a special vapor barrier, or a plastic film, aluminum foil, or, for example, bitumen roofing material. Polyethylene film is used more often than other options, since it is distinguished by its affordable cost and high efficiency in solving all the necessary tasks. Initially, for the installation of vapor barrier, the house made holes with a diameter of about 20 cm - for ventilation. Next, the vapor barrier is fixed on the frame. Then the joints with a special tape need to be glued.
Waterproofing, thermal insulation
The heat insulating material should be selected before the decorative material for the sheathing is selected. There are several options for insulation, among which it will be possible to choose the best according to requirements and budget.
Foam boards are one of the common options. It retains heat well, does not miss sounds. It is not difficult to mount it, but it is not exposed to pests. These are the pluses. And here are a few drawbacks: firstly, polystyrene is a material that does not allow air to pass through, and over the years this will provoke the decay of wooden surfaces, secondly, it is prone to burning, and thirdly, it is far from the classification of "environmentally friendly" materials.
Penoplex is another insulation material that provides stability during fires, does not let in sounds, and is resistant to bacteria and fungi. The downside is that the penoplex is difficult to cut, not easy to mount. In addition, it, like polystyrene, is vapor tight.
Mineral wool is one of the preferred materials for thermal insulation of a wooden building. It is good in all respects except that with improper installation due to moisture ingress the effect of insulation can be reduced to almost zero. It is worth choosing mineral wool in slabs - it is most convenient in installation.
The thermal insulation is installed on the frame, then the waterproofing is laid. It is attached with an overlap, a stapler. Boards are nailed onto the existing frame - for the crate. Thus, additional space will be created for air circulation.
Finishing materials
Wooden lining - A type of material that will be ideal for restoring the natural appearance of a wooden house. Lining can be of different shades. With its help, often, by the way, the interior decoration is also carried out. For fast installation, special fasteners - "spikes" are used. The only drawback of the lining is that it needs to be additionally treated from harmful insects. In addition, every few years, such a finish will need to be painted.
Block house - one of the types of lining, which serves as an imitation of a rounded log. Durable and beautiful, it is installed using a spike phase. There is only one drawback - the high price of the material.
Vinyl siding - lightweight, easy to install, inexpensive, and at the same time - aesthetic. There are many colors and textures on the building materials market, you can choose the optimal coloristic solution. Easy to operate, does not require special care. You can nail the panel with nails or fix it with screws. The disadvantage of siding is its lack of strength. In addition, such material completely changes the appearance of a wooden house - from classic to modern.
Pvc panels - Almost similar to vinyl siding in operational and external parameters. Their appearance is interesting (you can imitate stone, marble and other materials). Their minus, again, is insufficient strength.
If you want to preserve the appearance of wooden housing, choose natural materials for its external decoration, but for example, siding will help to create a completely new solution to the facade decor. Do not spare money on acquiring material of decent quality, follow the installation technology - and your home will retain a spectacular, attractive appearance for a long time!
We recommend to watch a video about home decoration siding: