How to properly caulk a house made of timber. How to properly caulk a timber house and cracks in a log house How to caulk a timber house from the inside

It’s done: a new beautiful wooden house has grown on your site. The torment of choosing an architectural style, a suitable project and building material is behind us.

Your choice fell on profiled timber, and you were not mistaken. The realized result of your dreams - a nice, neat structure that pleases with its impeccable geometry - will serve you and your household for a long time and reliably.
By the way, when you decided on the material, you were convinced that timber walls do not require caulking. They said that a beam is not a log; everything is smooth here, and in principle there cannot be any cracks. In addition, when assembling a house, builders will definitely lay a layer of insulation between the crowns, so that no cold can penetrate inside your home.
You didn’t believe it, and you did the right thing.

Interventional insulation, no matter how wonderful it is, is only partial protection walls from bad weather.

There are always gaps between adjacent rows of timber, through which atmospheric moisture easily penetrates and the wind moves freely.
Caulking protects the material laid between the crowns, prevents it from becoming damp and rotting, and at the same time insulates the house, preventing drafts and eliminating cold bridges. Therefore, you need to stock up on materials and tools for caulking and immediately begin the process of sealing joints and cracks.
Many people think that this is a simple activity that does not require special knowledge. But, as in any business, there are rules. You need to familiarize yourself with them before you get to work. This is important, since a careless and superficial attitude to business can lead to big troubles; for example, like this:

distortion of the frame due to uneven filling of the seams;
dampness and blackening of wood, which will subsequently lead to the appearance of mold and rot;
the appearance of “hares” (this is the professional name for areas of the wall where icing occurs caused by heat leakage to the outside). In winter, you need to mark them, and with the arrival of warm weather, it is good to caulk all problem areas.

Neglect of these rules may result in a large amount of work redoing poorly executed caulking, and, as a consequence, considerable and unjustified financial losses. “Bloopers” in construction are expensive. Therefore, it is better to immediately tune in to painstaking and thorough work.

Technology for caulking a timber house

It all starts with the right tool. See what you'll need:
1. Ladder - stepladder (it will not be possible to caulk the upper crowns from the floor).
2. Caulk (this is the name of an object similar to a chisel). Using caulking, you will seal the insulation material into the crown joints. Ideally, it should be made of wood, but let's be honest: most professional craftsmen use metal tools, considering them more reliable in operation.
3. Mallet (that’s what it’s called wooden hammer). The master taps the caulk with it when he hammers the next portion of insulating material deep into the gap. Varieties of this percussion instrument: rubber or steel hammer. It is clear that the second one is not used together with wooden caulk, unless they want to smash it to pieces after a few hits.
4. A knife (or a simple stationery knife) for cutting jute tape - if you decide to caulk the house with this particular material.
5. Cloth gloves, if necessary.
6. Available material for caulking: moss, tow, jute, flax or something else.
Professionals advise: When choosing a hammer or mallet, consider its optimal weight. Too light will not allow you to fill the seam tightly, too heavy - it will be inconvenient to work with. Most craftsmen agree that a “correct” hammer should weigh one and a half to two kilograms. It is advisable to equip the mallet handle with a wide protective ring made of dense rubber so that the blow of the hammer does not fall on the master’s fingers.
They caulk sequentially - from bottom to top, and immediately along the entire perimeter. The lower crown is caulked first; first pass through external wall, then move on to the inner one. Having finished working with the first crown (and the numbering of the timber always goes from bottom to top), they begin to caulk the second. And so on to the very top.
This sequence is very important, as it avoids distortion of the structure. After all, caulk makes the house “grow”; its height increases, on average, by 10 cm. The material must be driven in without extra effort; everything should be in moderation.
Natural materials are used to fill grooves:

moss (where it grows) is the undisputed leader among insulation materials;
tow is one of the most popular insulation materials;
hemp - currently used infrequently;
jute tapes are a controversial material for caulking; many believe that jute strongly absorbs moisture, so it is only suitable as an interventional gasket;
flax batting is a good material for caulking, provided that the flax content does not exceed 10%;
and others, less common.

There are two types of caulking: in a pigtail (tow) and in a set (flax batting). In both cases, a dense roll is formed, similar to a rope.

How experienced caulkers work with tow

1. The tow along the entire seam, moving from right to left, is “hung” in strands one and a half to two times the width of the beam (depending on the width of the gap between the crowns).
2. Top part the strands are hammered into the crack roughly.
3. When the crown is completely hung, the master moves in the opposite direction - from left to right; he lifts and grabs 1-2 cm of strands, after which he hammers it into the seam.
4. A new movement from right to left - now the strand is wrapped with a roller, and its lower part is embedded in the gap. It turns out a continuous row of roller.
5. The craftsman now moves to the right corner of the frame, finally sealing the wide bead, gradually turning it into a thin, neat and barely noticeable one inside the seam.
6. Result: a beautiful intervention seam - smooth and without rags.
Professionals advise: You should only use clean combed tow, regardless of whether it is jute or linen. The main thing is that it is free of debris and foreign impurities.

Techniques for working with flax wool

1. First, only the upper edge of the tape is driven into the groove, the lower edge simply hangs down. A second tape is placed under it, twisted into a bundle.
2. The bottom edge of the first top tape is tapped.
3. Gradual embedding of the material leads to the fact that the seam becomes smooth and dense; it should not be easily crushed with your fingers.
4. An experienced caulker can determine at a glance the required number of tapes to lay the seam.
Professionals advise: The wider the seam, the more insulation tapes will be required. There may be three or four of them.

The best choice of caulking material to minimize further heat loss

The choice of insulating material for caulking depends on several circumstances:

terrain. If moss grows there, especially red moss, then you shouldn’t look for anything else;
production located nearby. If there is a tow manufacturing plant nearby, you won’t have to order expensive jute;
financial capabilities of the owner. Most likely, you will have to pay attention to more a budget option. At the same time, it is wise to study the offers of several suppliers of caulking material, since the price for it can vary significantly.

In any case, the insulation must meet several important requirements:

environmental friendliness;
low thermal conductivity;
hygroscopicity;
breathability;
resistance to mold and mildew;
durability.

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Optimal caulking time

Caulking of timber is carried out in several stages:
the first is preliminary: it is carried out immediately after assembling the house kit on the site. The insulation material is inserted into the inter-crown grooves not very tightly and is left like this for the period of initial shrinkage of the house: this is a year or a year and a half.
the second is the main one: the initial settlement of the house has already occurred by this point, and it is necessary to caulk all the cracks, grooves and joints with careful adherence to all technology. The better you do the job at this stage, the warmer and more durable your home will be. This stage is also considered important because at this time many begin finishing the facade (for example, with siding), after which it will be problematic to correct flaws in the caulking.
the third is fixing: it is believed that it gives complete shrinkage five to six years after its construction. By this time, the caulking material had become compacted from the weight of the crowns, “fused” with the timber and acquired its final form.
You can verify how well the caulk retains heat by inspecting the seams and joints. If you used tow, some of it could have been taken away by birds. Therefore, you will have to add material where voids have formed, or where the caulking has lost its density.
High-quality, soulful caulking will delight more than one generation of your family; will keep your home warm and cozy for many years. And if you are lucky enough to buy a high-quality timber that will not rot before the caulking collapses, then your family nest will have time to please your heirs.

All technologies for building a house from timber assume that in the process it will be necessary to insulate the walls, or more precisely the inter-crown joints. Moreover, it doesn’t matter at all whether the owner’s plans include insulating a house made of timber from the outside with finishing with siding or other material, the caulking of a timber house must still be carried out. In the article we will look at why this is necessary and, how to caulk timber house .

Photo of caulking the walls of a house made of timber

Why do you need caulk?

You can write a whole article about the caulking of a timber house, since several things depend on it. important points in operation of a wooden house:

Caulking eliminates “cold bridges”. Without good caulking between the rims of the timber, the cold will pass through, and then the house will be cold, uncomfortable and it will take a lot of money to heat it in winter.
Caulking eliminates drafts, which appear due to the appearance of gaps between the beams when the house shrinks.
Caulking prevents moisture from penetrating through the cracks between the beams, which contributes to more for a long time preservation of wood in the wall.

As a result of caulking we get the following positive points:

There are no ways for heat to escape from the premises.
No icing on the outside (sometimes on the inside) timber wall.
A significant increase in the service life of the timber and, accordingly, the entire timber house.

Wall of a house with insulation between the crowns

How to caulk a timber house

Now let's figure out how to caulk a house made of timber. Any interventional insulation that we choose for caulking must meet the requirements:

Have low thermal conductivity;
The insulation must be resistant to temperature fluctuations and humidity fluctuations.
Possess antiseptic properties, i.e. insulation should not become a “home” for mold and mildew, and especially for insects.
The service life of the insulation must be at least 20 years.
The insulation material must “breathe”, i.e. be airtight.
Possess hygroscopicity.
Its properties should be similar to wood.

Let's now consider how to caulk a house made of timber, i.e. the most popular materials used for caulking timber houses.

Treatment of cracks with moss.

One of the best traditional materials for caulking wooden houses is sphagnum moss. In Rus' it has been used in wooden house construction since time immemorial.

Moss has big advantages:

Environmental friendliness. This natural material is simply ideal for interaction with both timber and humans.
Durability. Sometimes, when dismantling old houses in which the walls have rotted, you can find that the logs have rotted, but not the moss at the roof joints.
Moss has antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
Moss has good hygroscopicity.

Note!
Moss, as a material for caulking, has 2 small disadvantages:

For an inexperienced caulker, working with moss is a real challenge;
Birds sometimes like to pull moss out of the grooves, so it is advisable to cover the joints with something (sealant, rope punching, slats, etc.).

Tow

Tow, as an inter-crown sealant, is used in construction quite often, but less often than in past decades.

Caulking oakum timber has slightly fewer advantages than moss, but working with it is much easier. For caulking, tow is often treated with resin, which increases its resistance to moisture and, of course, increases its durability. By the way, birds like to pull tow out of the grooves (they use it for nests), so it is advisable to cover the seams with something.

Jute

This is an overseas insulation made from the tropical Jute tree of the same name.

Note that jute has the same positive properties as moss, and in its composition the maximum is close to timber. In addition, jute is produced both in the form of a tape and in the form of a fiber suitable for caulking. The tape is very easy to work with even for a beginner with your own hands.

When to start caulking?

The caulking process is a step-by-step work due to physical properties wood, the timber dries out gradually and the house shrinks (about 5% of the height):

1st caulk immediately after construction. When laying the timber, insulation is immediately placed between the crowns, and after the construction of the house is completed, the cracks are filled with this material, but not tightly.
The 2nd caulking is done approximately 15-18 months later. In this case, the caulking is done so tightly that the insulation does not protrude from the cracks.
The 3rd caulking, if you have not insulated the log house outside with mineral wool and have not finished it with siding, blockhouse, etc., can be done in 5-6 years. All cracks are carefully and tightly clogged with the selected sealant (tow, jute or moss).

The process of insulation and caulking itself

The first stage of insulating a house made of timber is carried out already during the construction of the house - jute tape or tape and other materials are placed in the space between the crowns of the timber.

Important note!
If we are building a house from profiled timber that is already dry, then we can lay a 4 mm thick tape between the rows of timber, and if we are building from timber with natural moisture, then the jute tape should already be 10-15 mm thick.

First option. Sometimes, using a wide jute tape, it turns out that the insulation hangs a couple of centimeters on both sides of the beam. Next, using a tool called a “caulk”, this protruding jute is wrapped under the bottom and pushed into the inter-crown gap.

To properly push the sealant into the gap between the rims of the timber, you can hit the caulk with a rubber (or even a simple) hammer. Insulation is based on the principle of driving a wedge, only instead of a wedge, a sealant-insulation is driven in.

In principle, there is nothing complicated about how to caulk a house made of timber yourself. The main thing is, after all the work, inspect the cracks between the crowns, and suspicious places, if any, caulk them additionally.

The second option, when laying the timber, used a tape no wider than the timber, i.e. the insulation does not hang out of the cracks, you just need to caulk it additionally. To do this, you can make a kind of rope from jute or other fiber, which you can hammer along the length inside the crack.

Do-it-yourself caulking will be more thorough (we do it for ourselves). If you hire workers, then you need to control both the process and the result, so that you don’t have to redo all the work later.

Houses made of timber have always been attractive not only appearance, but also in terms of technical characteristics. Their popularity in individual construction widespread due to availability large selection material. However, besides this wooden houses They are also environmentally friendly.

However, buildings made of wood also have disadvantages, the main one of which is the formation of gaps between the components of the structure. This is caused precisely by the naturalness of the material itself. Firstly, even factory processing of wood will not provide and will not guarantee a perfectly flat surface and absolute adhesion of the beams. And secondly, shrinkage of the material. Workpieces that have undergone heat treatment still have a certain percentage of moisture. In order for the building to look presentable and to retain heat, it is necessary to caulk the structure.

Stages of work:

	Preparation of tools and materials, selection of insulation options.
	Caulking a house made of timber. Choice suitable method caulking, identifying problem areas, performing work.
	Check and finishing(if necessary).

How to caulk a house made of timber. Video

Caulking a timber house is nothing more than a process that allows you to achieve maximum compaction of the space between the crowns and logs. This sealing of the gaps will help conserve heat inside the room and maintain optimal temperature conditions.

Materials and tools: how and with what to caulk

The tool for caulking should be convenient and correctly selected. Since ancient times, the following tools have been used for these purposes:

crooked caulk;
type-setting caulk;
breaking caulk;
road worker;
mallet (mushel).

Today, the most popular material for caulking is inter-crown tape seals. Their production is carried out using jute or flax. During the assembly of the log house, they are placed in grooves, after which they are fixed using a construction stapler. The jute seal releases moisture well, does not rot, and is not interesting to birds. When the log house shrinks, the seal lies evenly.

From nonwovens Linen is considered the most affordable. To his distinctive qualities include elasticity, good heat retention and durability. For the caulking procedure, it is made in the form flax tow and Euroflax (flax fibers). However, it must be taken into account that flax attracts the attention of birds and can be affected by insects.

In addition to these materials, others are used:

Moss is a natural material for sealing inter-crown space, which has been tested for centuries. It has bioactive properties and perfectly protects against the appearance and spread of mold. Swamp red moss easily withstands sudden temperature changes. In addition, forest moss or, as it is also called, cuckoo flax, can be used for caulking.

Wool is a material that deserves special attention. In terms of its thermal insulation abilities, sheep wool is superior to any type of wood. The material works on the principle of a spring, that is, when assembling a log house, a 20 mm thick seal can be compressed to 6 mm. During the period of shrinkage of the beams, the wool expands, filling the voids.

Tow and felt - precisely on the basis of these natural materials insulation is being manufactured. Their advantage, in addition to naturalness, is considered to be excellent thermal insulation properties and an obstacle to drafts. But there are also disadvantages, which include a short shelf life and the ability to absorb moisture.

Artificial materials made on the basis mineral wool and polyethylene foam.

When choosing insulation, you can use other materials, but provided that they meet the following parameters:

have low thermal conductivity;
resistant to insects and microbes;
the composition does not contain harmful and toxic elements/substances;
resistant to external and internal factors, for example, strong wind or increased humidity levels;
they must not have or emit unpleasant odors.
Durability is a mandatory parameter for any insulation. The period of their use without loss of all qualities and properties should be at least 20 years.

Tip: you need to be able to distinguish regular felt from the jute variety, since the latter option is the favorite material of moths. In addition, jute felt can rot.

Types and methods of caulking a house made of timber. Video

There are two types of caulking:

Primary – a process that is carried out at the stage of construction of a log house. In this case, the material used is placed in a log row.

The final caulking occurs 7-12 months after the frame is assembled. To do this, builders use special equipment with which thermal insulation material again placed in the gaps and voids.

In addition, there are two ways of caulking:

"To the set."

Caulk of wide voids. To carry out the process, the sealant is twisted into strands 20 mm thick, after which they are wound into small sizes, ball. Filling the free space starts from the top edge and gradually moves towards the bottom. After this, the road worker comes into action.

"Stretch."

Insulation is applied to the groove. With your hands, it is pushed inside, after which the remaining edges are tucked in and driven inside using caulk. To do everything correctly necessary actions It is recommended to watch the video.

Caulking a house made of timber: insulation from the inside

After caulking the walls outside, you should carefully undertake a similar process inside the log house. Building a house from laminated veneer lumber also involves insulation from the inside. In order to do everything correctly, you should adhere to the same rules, that is, caulk the groove only around the perimeter of the walls. You should prepare the tool for work in advance.

Tip: It is best to cut off any excess insulation all the way to the very edge of the groove. When caulking interior walls- this is the main condition if the building will not be sheathed with any finishing material afterwards.

Indoor walls must have an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Therefore, the choice of material for insulation must be approached doubly carefully. The grooves should be carefully sealed so that in the future there are no violations of the overall interior. Inside the building, the insulation is checked every three years. External walls must be caulked when assembling the timber frame, after one year, and then after five years. In the future, this procedure should be carried out as needed. If you watch our video, you can learn more about the procedure for internal caulking at home.

Tips from the professionals

Do-it-yourself caulking is a scrupulous and labor-intensive job, which requires maximum effort. In order for the actions taken to be as effective as possible, you should not only select and prepare tools, but also get acquainted with some tips and recommendations from experienced specialists.

Firstly, to avoid distortions in the structure of the building, it is not necessary to process each wall in turn. It is necessary to carry out work around the entire house, along the perimeter, starting from the bottom and gradually moving higher. After reviewing our video, the execution technology will become more clear.

Secondly, it should be taken into account that high-quality work will increase the height of the building by at least 10 cm. This should be foreseen during the design so that no difficulties arise.

Thirdly, when constructing a log house, insulation should be laid between the rows. You need to remember about the need for final caulking of the walls. To do this, you will need to lay thermal insulation material up to the cut of the wall so that there is free place 3-4 cm. Most often, a road builder tool is used for such purposes, which allows you to correctly and efficiently lay the insulation when filling gaps.

The cost of caulking a house made of timber

The feasibility of caulking walls yourself will largely depend on the availability of experience and time. The construction of a house from profiled timber requires additional caulking, however, due to the complexity of the locking type of connection, it is extremely difficult to do it yourself. Therefore, it makes sense to turn to specialists.

The price of the work depends on several factors:

the type of diagrams and blanks that are used in the process of building a house from timber;
total area;
number of crowns along with corner joints;
degree of material processing.

A poorly caulked log house can lose its symmetry in a short period of time, for this reason the entire procedure must be carried out thoughtfully and carefully. It is recommended to contact a specialist to avoid any problems.

Caulking a log house is a job that was done by our ancestors. It was in this way that they closed the cracks in their wooden houses. Today there is more modern methods insulation, however, caulking still remains one of the most popular options for sealing seams and joints between logs. Caulking is made using natural materials that breathe along with the wood and do not interfere with the air exchange of the wood. Caulking is a difficult job that requires not only skills and experience, but also great patience. If you want to try your hand, you need to study in detail how to caulk a house made of timber. There are many nuances in this matter, without knowledge of which a good and high-quality caulk will not work. Therefore, let’s take a closer look at how to make caulk.

Caulking is done several times. The first time it is carried out immediately after the construction of the house, the second time the log house is caulked a year and a half after construction. During this time, it goes through a process of shrinkage, new cracks and gaps appear between the logs that need to be closed.

All wooden houses are deformed, perhaps only laminated timber is an exception. Houses made of profiled timber due to natural humidity are especially susceptible to deformation. During the period of shrinkage, cracks may appear in the wood itself, which will be removed by caulking. Often caulking of a house made of rounded logs and timber is carried out again five to six years after construction.

Primary caulking can be performed at different times:

Directly during the construction of a log bathhouse or house. In this case, the insulation is laid between the rows of logs. First, its edges hang evenly on both sides, and then, after the frame is placed under the roof, they are driven into the roof joints.
Immediately after the construction of the house. The insulation is applied to the seam and, using a tool, is pushed into the gaps between the beams.

Do-it-yourself caulking of a timber house begins with lower crowns. First, they caulk the bottom row of logs along the entire perimeter of the house on both sides, then the second, third, and so on until the end. You cannot caulk the house first on one side, and then proceed to the second and subsequent ones. Caulking raises the wall by about 5-10 cm, so if you caulk the bathhouse on one side, you cannot avoid distortion of the entire house.

For caulking they are used only natural materials, which:

hygroscopic,
immune to temperature fluctuations;
breathable;
environmentally friendly;
similar in properties to wood.

They have these characteristics:

tow;
jute;
flax wool

Many people ask the question: how to caulk a house made of timber? All the above materials are suitable for caulking both timber and log house, no difference.

Moss

Considered one of the the best materials for caulking. It’s not for nothing that our ancestors caulked with moss. Among other things, it has antibacterial properties and protects the wood from pests and mold. However, getting this natural insulation today is very problematic. It is difficult to find it on the open market; of course, you can prepare it yourself, but it is not so easy.

Tow is waste generated after primary processing natural fibers flax, hemp and jute. Its characteristics depend entirely on the properties of the feedstock. The insulation can be pressed into bales or tied into strips. Hard and short fibers are collected into bales, which are not very convenient to work with, roll material softer and more pliable in work.

Tow has mild antibacterial properties. However, this insulation strongly absorbs moisture, which after a few years can negatively affect the wood. After laying, it is necessary to impregnate the tow with special impregnations or paint it with paint to protect it from birds.

Jute

Made from plants growing in China, India, Egypt. Available in the form of ropes, fibers or tapes. The insulation is easy to use, durable, due to large quantity natural resin, mold does not form in it and microorganisms do not appear. Even with high humidity, the material remains dry.

Lnovatin

It is a needle-punched fabric produced in rolls. The material is completely ready for use and does not require any preparation. The insulation is made from short fibers of highly purified flax. Linen wool has high heat-saving qualities, is not subject to rotting, and does not accumulate moisture.

Caulking technology

There are two main caulking methods:

“Stretched.” The material is pushed using special tool into the gap, tightly filling it with insulation. The remaining material is wrapped in a roller, which is pushed firmly into the unfilled space between the logs.
"Recruiting." This method is used to seal wide cracks and gaps. The material is twisted into strands, which are then folded into loops. The loops are pushed into the holes between the logs and fill the free space with them.

Regardless of the caulking method used, proper caulking always starts with the lowest row of logs. Next, we will look in detail at how to properly caulk a log house.

Stretched caulk

Caulk with fiber insulation

Caulking begins from the ends of the bottom row. Take a bunch of moss or tow in your hands and apply it across the fibers to the crack, then press it inward with a caulking blade.
The edges of the fibers are rolled into a tight roll, applied to the seam and pushed into the cracks with caulk, leaving the end hanging outside.
Take new strands of tow, weave them into the free edge of the roller and repeat the steps in the same sequence. You need to caulk the entire seam tightly and evenly. Therefore, it is very important that the roller is not interrupted and is continuous along its entire length.

Caulking with roll material

When using tape insulation, it is much easier to twist the roller. The material is stretched slightly along the seam, which allows the insulation to be distributed more evenly. The material must be applied to the seam across the fibers; with a longitudinal arrangement, it is impossible to achieve the required density.

The tape is unwound from one corner of the log house to the other, without tension, but leaving it to lie freely on the ground.
Take the tape by the edge and use caulk to push the middle of the material into the seams between the logs, leaving the edges hanging down by 5-7 cm. Fill the entire seam in this way.
Once the entire seam is initially filled, you can cut the tape from the roll.
Hammer the remaining material into the gaps between the beams. The caulked seam should be of uniform density and thickness and should protrude approximately 4mm from the grooves.

Caulk "set"

In this way, as a rule, wide cracks are caulked. In this case, more insulation is required, but the quality of insulation is much higher. To do this, use tow, from which long strands are made and wound into a ball. You can trim the log house with jute cords or hemp ropes, which are also used to form balls.

Unwind a little cord and fold it into loops, which are alternately pushed into the seam with caulk.
The hinges are hammered in with caulking, first from the top of the gap, and then from the bottom.
Another strand is placed on top, with which the final compaction is made, then the strand is leveled with a triangular caulk.

To make the work a little easier and fill in the insulation faster, the process can be mechanized. To do this, the log house is caulked using a hammer drill, which is used instead of a traditional tool. But while working, you cannot put too much pressure on the hammer drill, otherwise its blade may get stuck between the logs, and you also need to take a break every 20 minutes. You can also use a pneumatic hammer with a compressor to hammer in the insulation.

To give the seams a neat and beautiful view, on top of the caulking, you can finish the log house with jute rope. The finishing does not insulate the house, but is done purely in decorative purposes. How to attach a rope for finishing a log house? The decorative cord is attached using galvanized nails without heads, which are driven into the upper and lower logs in 20 cm increments.

Sanding and painting the house is done after secondary caulking. How and with what to paint a log house can be read in the article: “How to properly paint the facade of a wooden house.”

Caulking corners

The corners are caulked after the main caulking is completed. It is more convenient to do this using roll insulation.

The edge of the tape is applied to the corner seam and pushed inside using a curved caulk.
After securing the material, fold its edges and hammer it tightly into the cracks.
During work, move from the top seam to the bottom. In order for the material to lie evenly, it needs to be stretched a little and constantly straightened.

How to check the quality of log caulking? The tightness of internal and external seams can be checked using a chisel or other sharp object that should not pass through the caulk. The insulation should lie tightly, and the caulked seams should look neat and secure.

Self-help errors

Making caulk yourself is not easy. Lack of experience and lack of caulking skills lead to the fact that the work is of insufficient quality.

Typical mistakes that people make experienced craftsmen:

Using low quality insulation.
Incorrect preparation of material for work.
Violation of the sequence of work.
Caulking the house on only one side, internal or external.
The caulking is not around the perimeter of the building, but along the walls.
Loose fit of the insulation and its protrusion from the seams.

The caulk will turn out to be of poor quality even if only one mistake is made. It is not easy to become a specialist caulker. Experience in caulking is acquired over years, so it is not surprising that inexperienced craftsmen often make mistakes, which then have to be corrected by professionals.

Services of professional caulkers

Entrust the caulking of your home or bathhouse to qualified specialists who will quickly and efficiently complete all the work. The Master Srubov company employs caulkers with ten years of experience who are well aware of all the intricacies and nuances of caulking. We use high-quality and dried natural materials that meet all requirements. We work under a contract and provide quality guarantees. Our specialists will make caulking of any complexity and volume at an affordable cost. Contact us with any in a convenient way according to the coordinates in the section.

You can sometimes hear statements that caulking profile timber is not necessary. But this is the wrong approach to construction. As with other construction technologies, the construction of houses made of timber is carried out in compliance with certain features. Each stage of work has its own nuances.

The legend that timber houses they do not need caulking, due to the fact that the shrinkage of such structures is slow and less noticeable in comparison with others wooden materials. But even in houses made of profiled timber, over time, loose areas and cracks appear, so caulking of such houses is a mandatory procedure.

A house built from profiled timber exhibits slight shrinkage. This is due to pre-treatment to which wood is exposed.

Timber is considered a relatively inexpensive building material for building walls. It has natural moisture and is often used for economy-class houses, which require additional insulation and finishing using siding.

No one has yet managed to build a house from timber, completely devoid of gaps and cracks between the crowns. When the natural drying of the timber folded into a log house begins, many additional gaps will appear in the elements; they change size and become deformed. Due to the resulting cracks, the walls lose their ability to conserve heat. To avoid this, it is necessary to caulk about 3 times, and carefully insulate the walls.

Profiled timber was developed in order to reduce financial costs and time costs for the construction of wooden houses. In production, such building materials undergo special processing, after which it will not dry out during operation. The connection elements (tongue and groove) are adjusted down to the millimeter. Thanks to this, the fit of one beam to another will be very tight. When laying the walls, insulation material is laid between the crowns.

When the timber begins to shrink under the overall weight of the building, you need to wait a while and only then carry out caulking. The rate of shrinkage will depend on the type of wood, climate, preservation conditions and the region where the trees grew. There is no guarantee that all material for a log house will be of the same quality. Due to changes in the structure, slight displacement of elements and deformation of the insulation are possible.

Even in the absence of cracks, moisture accumulates in the inter-crown spaces outside and inside the house. Since the area is inconspicuous, rot can form there and spread quite widely before it is discovered.

Caulking a house made of profiled timber is necessary, first of all, for the purpose of insulation wooden walls. The gaps in those places where the beams are connected into a corner, as well as between the elements, are completely filled with insulation. This ensures tightness, heat from the house does not escape through the walls, and ice does not form on the timber outside the building. Ice patches can form when warm steam escapes through cracks in your home and settles on the wood surface.

What material is suitable for caulking?

Before figuring out how to caulk a house, decide on the choice of sealant. It must meet the following requirements:

low thermal conductivity;
poor sensitivity to fluctuations in temperature and humidity;
absence favorable conditions for the appearance of mushrooms and insects;
the material must be environmentally safe;
performance properties must remain unchanged for as long as possible;
breathability and hygroscopicity are required;
the characteristics of the sealing material should be similar to wood.

Nowadays, houses are used for caulking as traditional materials, which have come to us from time immemorial, as well as modern developments. The best option in your case should be determined based on the characteristics of the structure and climatic conditions the area where it is located. The following options for caulking log houses are used:

Moss. One of the best materials for insulation wooden log houses Sphagnum moss is considered. It grows in swamps and can be white, brown or red. Gradually, such a plant degenerates into peat. Modern materials cannot compare with moss in many performance characteristics: it is environmentally friendly and durable, as can be seen in any Russian village when looking at old buildings. Often when the logs are rotten, the moss is still in working condition. Properly harvested moss is ideal as inter-crown insulation; it has antibacterial, antiseptic, and medicinal properties. It does not create favorable conditions for the development of fungi and bacteria, which explains its durability. It has a good ability to allow air to pass through and smoothes out changes in humidity. But moss also has a significant drawback - working with it is not as easy as it might seem.
Linen tow. The timber can be compacted with tow made from flax fiber. It represents waste from the manufacture of fabrics, ropes, ropes, and so on. It also has antiseptic properties, but compared to moss it is much less. Tow can be treated with resin - this makes it resistant to moisture. Natural resins are used. Processing with petroleum products is possible, but in this case the resulting material cannot be considered environmentally friendly. Tow also contains a lot of fire. It is shaken out during the first years of operation of the building. Caulking will need to be repeated as material is lost from the fire.
Hemp. Hemp hemp is very similar to tow, but its fibers are coarser. The material is not afraid of humidity and temperature changes, suitable for use in damp areas. It is resistant to rotting. Even after getting wet, hemp will not lose its performance characteristics.
Jute is one of the popular modern materials. This product is produced abroad from shoots of plants of the mallow family and imported to us. Jute fibers are extremely durable, resistant to mold and rot, the material is hygroscopic and has good air permeability. Release form - fibers or tapes different widths. This seal is convenient for laying between the crowns of timber.

Inter-crown felt seals:

jute inter-crown insulation (10% flax, 90% jute);
linen felt;
flax jute felt.

When choosing, you should keep in mind that all materials with the addition of flax do not have the best effect on the properties of the insulation.

Caulking of profile beams

Before caulking a house, you should understand that the timber dries out gradually. Therefore, the work will need to be carried out in several stages. The shrinkage of the structure completely stops after about 5-6 years.

For the first time, caulking is performed immediately after the construction of the building. The sealant is placed between the crowns of the beams, the cracks in the constructed walls are also filled with sealing material. They caulk the second time after one and a half to two years. In the third - in about five to six years. All cracks and gaps formed by shrinkage are plugged as tightly as possible, without leaving the material hanging down.

The first two caulks must be completed. If you plan to install siding, a third caulk is not required.

How to do caulking yourself

It is not so easy to caulk a house well. This is quite a time-consuming task. You can consider the process using jute as an example.

Before carrying out work, timber is laid and secured. Insulation is installed in the inter-crown space. The layer should be no thinner than 5 mm. The width depends on the type of tongue-and-groove system. In some cases, it is not possible to lay a strip of material as a continuous carpet, then it is placed in the middle, and the cracks inside and outside are caulked separately.
Caulking must be done from top to bottom. First they work with the outer part of one crown, then with the inside, and then they take on the next one. It is more convenient to perform the operation not alone, but with assistants.
You can consider an example when the sealing tape hangs a few centimeters between the beams. The jute is folded down and pushed into the gap. Then they push through at the top and in the middle. To make the task easier, use a wooden mallet, which is tapped on the material.
For narrow cracks, you can use an option where a piece of jute is twisted into a rope of suitable thickness, and it is hammered inside the crack using a mallet.
For large cracks, use a method called set. They twist the jute into long strands, wind it into a ball, make loops from it and seal the cracks with them until they are completely filled.
In winter, after caulking, the log house is checked for cracks and pockets of frost. This is done by looking at the outer walls. A lot of warm air escapes from the house through these areas.

It is necessary to start finishing the house inside or outside after caulking has been done 2 times.