How to seal joints in a log. Sealing seams in a log house with sealant. Modern means of sealing cracks in wooden structures

Wood is a living material that simply cannot be 100% even even with the highest quality processing. Because of this, during construction log house inevitably there are at least small gaps between the logs, which in the future can increase in the process of shrinkage.

Sealing in log house – compulsory work, which will prevent heat loss and ensure maximum security of the building from drafts and cold. If you don't take care of it in time, heating system will simply “warm the sky”, since the heat will constantly leave through the cracks.

What can be done to fill gaps

There are many more options than how to seal the seams in a log house today than a few decades ago. The choice of materials has increased, in addition, in wooden construction new technologies were introduced. Sealing log houses can be carried out in the following ways:

• The simplest option, which was used centuries ago, is caulking. The gaps between the logs and in the corners of the building are closed with tow, hemp, linen rope, jute fiber and other materials of natural origin. The material is gradually driven in with a sharp tool into all the cracks between each log.

• Another answer to the question of how to close the seams in a log house appeared with the development of technology. Tape insulation appeared on sale - strips of insulation materials are rolled out on the surface of each log immediately during construction. Ribbons can be made from jute fiber, wool, linen and other breathable materials: they close the gaps, and at the same time they do not interfere with air exchange.

By using tape insulation held effective termination corners in a log house, and it can significantly reduce heat loss. However, it will also not serve for a long time, and over time it will have to be supplemented with caulking.

• Most modern solution- sealant for sealing the seams of a log house. it special formulations on silicone or acrylic base, which allow you to close the seam and prevent it from blowing.

Benefits of using sealants

Log house grout can be used on its own, but is best combined with traditional caulking. Very often, natural insulation is destroyed precisely because of the ingress and freezing of moisture, so after a year or two it still has to be updated.

A waterproof sealant can solve this problem: first, the insulation is tightly pushed into the seam, and then the seams are firmly sealed with sealant. As a result, the house will be warm, and the sealant will become reliable protection for insulation and will last a very long time.

Its use has several advantages that were previously unavailable to builders:

The use of sealants has expanded the possibilities of builders, and now it is possible to build wooden houses that are reliably protected from freezing walls. However, it is important to follow the processing rules for it to be truly effective.

How to seal the seams in a wooden house with a sealant

Seam sealer can be applied by hand, this does not require special equipment. To do this, you must first clean the walls of dust and dirt; in an old house, the seam can be cleaned of the remnants of caulking, if it has already lost its properties. If the gap is large, a cord made of polyethylene foam is placed in it, after which sealant can be applied.

It will completely fix the insulation and block the gap between the logs. The sealant must be given time to dry, and to make it look aesthetically pleasing, the seam can be further leveled with a spatula. Very soon, the seam will be completely closed from the cold, while the appearance of the building will not suffer.

All expenses for finishing the house and sealing the seams will pay off, as this work will save heat and reduce heating costs. In addition, they will help increase the comfort of living and increase the durability of the house. Modern insulation materials will allow you to forget about drafts, blowing through and freezing of the walls, so you should not postpone work on sealing the seams.

On another forum, one person I respect tried this thing on his log house. Below is his report:

"Hmm ... Report about caulking a log house with sealant
Sorry for the clumsy subject, but it seems that this is not the first time they have asked, and I am almost the only one who has tried IT on his own skin. That is, a log house.
There is such a manufacturer (domestic) of any chemistry - Sazi http://www.sazi.ru). Quite an alternative to bourgeois sealants (such as permachinka). But at much more humane prices. A few words about how and what.
We will need:
- gun for "sausage" (cartridge made of metalized PE film). 300-350r in any market (in Sazi's office it is, but too expensive - about 600r). They are used for small sausages (300 ml each) and for large sausages (600 ml). We need a big one.
- a vilaterm sealing cord (foamed p. e. of the well-known energy flex type, but denser). It happens F10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80mm. It is bought in Sazi's office (on the market the price is 4-5 TIMES higher - this is not a joke!)
- the actual sealant. I will say a few words. There is a very popular opinion that it is necessary to smear the one that STIZ-A. It is claimed to be "vapor permeable to the outside". I smeared with the one that Sazilast 11 (aka STIZ B), which is "vapor-tight for internal works". In fact, they differ in only 2 parameters:
1. Resistance to vapor permeability (not to be confused with vapor permeability).
A - "no more than 0.25"
B - "not less than 2.0"
At first glance, the difference is big. But ... if we remember that according to the technology, a vilaterm (POLYETHYLENE, albeit foamed) is laid in the seam, which does not let a damn thing through, then what's the difference with what it will be smeared on top?
2. "B" is certified for use "inside" (from a hygienic point of view). All other parameters are ABSOLUTELY the same.
These were arguments on the topic why I smeared "B" and not "A", as everyone sees fit. I will also add that "B" was recommended to me by Sazi themselves with the thesis they can do both inside and outside. And finally, B is a bit more expensive than A.

Process.
We push the vilaterm of the appropriate diameter into the target, squeeze the worm out of the pistol, smear it with a finger. It is convenient to have a small rubber spatula to use to remove excess from the finger. ALL!

Drying
At a temperature of +20 in an hour or two, it is no longer smeared, the next day it acquires full strength. At temperatures below +5, it is VERY unpleasant to apply. Fingers freeze and do not dry out for SEVERAL days. After drying, the "radical white" color becomes a rather pleasant gray.

Result
In general, I am satisfied. Where it was smeared under the hot sun with a very thin layer in places there are small cracks (apparently due to too fast drying). In the current frosts, it dubs quite strongly, but found only 2 cracks 70-80mm long

Consumption-and-prices
Very economical. Most of all it goes in the corners, the lion's share of the seams is just a decorative coating "for uniformity". I didn’t count exactly, but my 8x10 cost about ten in terms of materials. 60-70 "sausages" for 75-80 rubles, 2 pistols, cord. I smeared myself.

Here, somewhere. If you forgot something - ask. I will answer what I remember.
PS. I bought sealant and cord from them in the office on Dmitrovka (see website).

To build a log house, you need to take into account many issues related to its construction. One of them, no less significant and important - how and how to close the gaps between the logs in order to protect
house from impact natural factors. There are many options for caulking the inter-log space. Which one you choose will determine the rest of your life in your new home.

How to close the gaps between the logs

How to close the gaps between the logs - natural materials

the most correct and useful advice you will receive from experienced craftsman or a person who
built a house.

• Caulking log house with moss

So, many
experienced experts come to the conclusion that sphagnum moss is one of
the most efficient and reliable gap sealing materials.

It is taken from the outskirts of the swamps still wet and stuffed between the crown joints. This type of moss is very light and supple.

The quality of the caulking of the walls is determined by a sharp awl, which is stuck between the caulked logs. If it enters the gap heavily, like wood, then the caulking is made on
conscience.

• Tow for caulking

Another
an environmentally friendly way to eliminate gaps is to use tow,
filled with cement or gypsum, as well as acceptable and dense tamping
pure material without any impurities.

Alternative material for
caulking - jute fiber or hemp fiber (hemp), which
differs from tow in that the first is made from linen, and the second is obtained from
hemp.

Our great-grandfathers
used these materials. They are relevant today. What better than tow or
moh, it's hard to say. If the caulk is made with high quality, any material
good. That's only if you want to change the layout with a chainsaw,
a problem arises: tow or hemp can pretty much clog and blunt it.

How to close gaps between logs - modern materials

In addition to environmentally
pure materials that nature supplies us, there are modern
synthetic materials offered by domestic and foreign industry.
As for the environment, of course, one can argue, but the reliability of the manufacturing plant
guaranteed.

Putty for logs

• Silicone sealant

Puttying the seams with siliconeOne of these
materials is silicone sealant. Because wood has
absorb moisture and evaporate it, then this termination method is doubtful, because
evaporation under the sealant layer will not be carried out, which sooner or later
will lead to rot.

• Polyurethane sealant

There are many
special sealants based on polyurethane. He is not
susceptible to temperature changes, resistant to ultraviolet rays. putty
based on it, it is quite suitable for sealing the seams of the crowns of the house.

Cannot be used for
joint putty polyurethane sealants that are sold in bottles - they do not
Designed for direct sunlight!

As you know, the house
wood "breathes". Processes of heating and cooling, absorption and evaporation of moisture
set the logs in motion. Which means polyurethane foam not long
will last, after a while it will crack and crumble. Therefore, for
when sealing seams, use more elastic materials.

How to make a caulk - competent laying between logs

CaulkerBefore sealing the seams,
think about what material will be under the putty. cover up cracks
sealants is impractical and expensive, as they can be very deep
and count in tens.

So, calculate what is more profitable: the filler on what basis, industrial or natural.

We have already discussed natural, and as for synthetic, many
experts come to the conclusion: use a cord made of foamed polymer, which
goes on sale different diameter, which is very convenient when fitting under the cracks.

So when the cracks
packed as tightly as possible, cover them with sealant. To do this, paste on
length of the log with adhesive tape to avoid contamination with putty. As a spatula
we use rubber spatula for seams. And completely close
the joints will help the flashings. They even improve general style your log house.

An environmentally friendly tree has long been considered excellent material to build a house. Huts or log cabins built of wood are good because they breathe easily. In summer, such buildings do not heat up much, like brick or stone houses, and it is comfortable to be in them even in the heat, and in frosty winters, wooden walls keep heat well, not letting the cold into the room. For these reasons, many people prefer to build their summer cottages and country houses just from wood.

However, along with the above advantages, the tree also has many disadvantages. So, under the influence of natural factors, it undergoes deformation and damage. Moisture contributes to the swelling of wood logs, in dry weather they dry out. All this leads to the fact that gaps begin to appear between the crowns of the log house, through which wind and cold can enter the house, and rain and dampness are the causes of wood decay and its gradual destruction. But these processes can be prevented if the log house is insulated and the log joints are sealed in time. The salvation of the dwelling is the high-quality sealing of the seams between the crowns. What materials are better to use for sealing walls and how to properly seal joints in wooden house?

Is it worth caulking a wooden house?

The most famous interventional heaters are moss, hemp and tow. The virtues of these natural materials are resistance to temperature fluctuations, bactericidal and mold fungi, low thermal conductivity, good moisture absorption. But fewer and fewer people building log cabins use these materials to seal the seams in a wooden house. Why did the demand for moss, tow and hemp decrease so much?

The process of caulking the cracks and gaps between the crowns is quite laborious and time consuming, because it is necessary to carefully and evenly plug them natural materials with the help of a chisel. The walls cannot be caulked immediately after the construction of the log house, since it will take at least a year to shrink, and during this time the moisture can already begin its destructive work. The disadvantage of caulking tow and moss is the fact that this process will need to be repeated more than once. The thing is that birds love to “steal” materials from people to build nests. Pulling moss and tow out of cracks and joints, they violate the integrity of the seal and give wooden frame messy messy look. The winds also worsen appearance walls. As for material such as hemp, it is subject to attacks by moths, which, through their activities, harm the seal.

Knowing these shortcomings of natural heaters, manufacturers building materials produce more advanced sealants to improve the quality of insulation of all cracks, seams wooden house. What are good modern heaters walls?

Back to index

How to insulate walls with tape tow and linen rope?

One of the improved sealants is natural tow in rolls. It is made from flax, which is first well combed on carding machines, then the fibers are polarized and turned into a tape 15 cm wide. Next, the fibers are cleaned of various impurities. The result is excellent noise and thermal insulation material with good waterproof properties.

Unlike ordinary tow, tape is easier and denser to fit between the joints, it is not so brittle due to its softness.

Due to the naturalness of the material, the log walls breathe well and do not rot. Tape tow seams are more durable, and it is not easy for birds to pull it out of the cracks. Stacked roll material, as well as usual, along the crowns and along their edges with the help of a chisel or a special caulking spatula, carefully tucking the edges of the tape into each seam and slit. The result is a reliable seal between the logs, and the appearance of the log house is quite attractive.

A house insulated with linen rope looks even more beautiful. Such sealing of seams is called rope. As a heater, a three-strand linen rope is used, which is fixed to the seam with staples or nails. Needed to work the following materials and tools:

• tape measure or ruler;
• scissors;
• linen rope;
• a hammer;
• short nails;
• metal staples;
• tassel;
• wood impregnation.

The acquired linen rope is placed along the line of the inter-beam seam and every 15 cm, pulling it well, a bracket or a nail with a small hat is hammered into the beam. At the corners of a wooden house, the distance between the fasteners may be smaller. In order for the rope sealing to look aesthetically pleasing, when driving in nails or staples, the following action is performed: first, a strand of rope is slightly opened, then fasteners are hammered in, the rope itself is tucked against the wall of the log house and pulled. The strand is closed, and the staple or nail head is hidden under it from prying eyes.

When the sealing of the seams with a natural linen cord is completed, care should be taken to preserve it for for a long time. For this you need to take protective impregnation for wood and carefully process all the rope edges with it. You can perform this procedure, impregnating at the same time yourself log walls. Despite the fact that the process of sealing all the seams of a wooden house is quite long, it is not difficult, and you can do it without resorting to the help of other people. Rope insulation of seams in a wooden house is highly reliable, perfectly protects the log house from moisture and gives the structure an unusual but attractive look.

This question should be asked at the stage of purchasing the material, because cracks in a wooden house can manifest themselves not only in the interventional space, but also on the surface of the raw material. How to choose right material with the least losses and carry out a quality process for caulking and gap filling, details below. It should be noted that the neglect of this action entails not only the impossibility comfortable living but also damage to the material.

The purity of wood is the key to quality

It is possible to buy absolutely smooth raw materials. But the absence of cracks and crevices rather a sign freshness of a bar or log. This means that wood carries a large percentage of moisture, which is not good, since shrinkage can deform the elements and cracks will inevitably appear when placed in a log house.

It is best to purchase dry raw materials with a minimum web of defects, then there is a chance that the aging and drying technology is followed. How to correct these shortcomings and how to cover up the cracks of a log house or cracks in a profiled beam? With the help of many means known since the time of our ancestors. Namely:

• Joiner's glue + wood waste. Exactly this available remedy for quality work.
• Synthetic derivatives - sealants, mastics, resins, polyurethane foams.
• Caulking with jute, flax, tow and moss.
• Decorative patch.

More about the processes available to non-professionals:

• Using wood glue to close cracks in a wooden house, it is possible both at the finishing stage and subsequent regular inspections of the object for damage. The tool is affordable, cheap, brings a lot of benefits. But the disadvantage is only the use in small areas, with extensive lesions, it is worth using something else.

So: cracks should be cleaned with fine emery so that sawdust and wood dust are collected. Next, a paste is prepared from them - glue is poured into the mass.

Then the substance is laid in the cracks and left for easy setting. After grinder places are being processed.

• Using a sealant to seal the cracks of a wooden house, you need to learn one rule - acrylic options not suitable for outdoor work. Silicone should also be treated with caution - they can delaminate in the cold, so the bottle must be labeled strictly as frost-resistant. Worth picking up suitable color to the general background of wood.

Before applying the product, the cracks must be treated for biological deterioration. It would not be bad to walk, in general, with all kinds of defenses. Next, the sealant is put into the gaps as deep as possible and compared with the surface.

Sealing cracks in a wooden house with foam for mounting purposes is recommended only if further cladding is required. It has an unpresentable appearance, and even after cutting off the protruding parts, attractiveness is not added. In addition, foam is a kind of foam rubber that has cells.

Consequently, the moisture that gets there is able to be retained and act detrimental to the wood. Resins and mastics can play the role of putty, but when sub-zero temperatures they are destroyed.

• Caulker - the most The best way sealing of interventional gaps finished log house after shrinkage. It is periodic in nature and takes place in three stages. The first - immediately after the assembly of the object, the second after shrinkage and the third after 3-5 years of operation.

This process - sealing cracks in a wooden house - is subject to buildings from all types of raw materials - timber, logs. Sellers of expensive materials - glued or profiled kit have no right to say that their wood does not need it. There is practically no such type that did without the occurrence of gaps and cracks.

The caulking process is as follows:

• Previously, the surface of the walls is cleaned of wood chips, protruding fasteners and other things. You can use a grinder or a vacuum cleaner.
• Then the surface, especially those places where gaps need to be sealed, in a wooden house is impregnated with chemical or natural protection against fire, fungus, moisture and mold. Each layer must dry completely before applying the next.
• Further, it will not be difficult to close up the cracks in the wooden house with the selected caulk. There are two ways to do this - in a set and stretched. The first for filamentous materials - tow, rope.

The second one is for tape materials: jute, linen. Special tools should be used in the process - a dobor, a flat caulk and a mallet for accurate driving.

Sufficiency is checked with an awl - if it enters the closed gap with difficulty, the material is laid with high quality. But you can’t overdo it either - you can violate the position of the crowns.

• Work is carried out strictly in a circle, from two sides. Regular Prevention and the release of the house from the old material is the key to the windproofness of the house.

The decorative caulk is as follows:

1. A decorative cord is used as a material and such raw materials are used to make the sealing of cracks in a log house look beautiful with expensive and elite material - glued laminated timber, logs.
2. Before laying the twisted cord, the usual manipulations for caulking are performed - cleaning, impregnation. Further, the gaps in the wood are sealed with sealant, mastic or resin. This is done just in case the cord suddenly falls out.
3. It remains to lay the rope. With the help of tools, it is carefully driven between the logs, without waiting for the complete drying of the substance laid before caulking.

The wood house crevice sealant will grab together with the cord, and strength will be ensured. When caulking with a rope, you should start with corner mates and then work on other areas.