How to caulk a log house. Caulking and log house insulation

In order for a house or a bathhouse made of a log house to serve for a long time, not to be blown through, and the building not to warp, you need the right caulk.

Various materials can be used for caulking: tow, jute, wool, felt or moss.

Moss is a material for caulking, proven for centuries. The log cabins of the generations of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers were caulked with moss, and the wooden houses built by them are still standing. The most suitable mosses for construction are cuckoo flax and sphagnum.

Moss is placed between the logs as a heater during the assembly of the log house, and after the log house is assembled, caulking is carried out. The log house is caulked twice: the first time - immediately after assembly, the second - when the house shrinks completely, that is, after 1.5-2 years.

In order for dry moss not to crumble, it is moistened before caulking.

The log house is caulked with the help of special tools - mallets and caulks.

Caulker is a small wooden spatula, which is made from the same tree from which the log house is made. If it is made of harder wood, it will leave dents and scratches on the logs. There are also bent caulks for caulking seams at the junction of logs, made of harder wood or metal. It makes sense to use them only if there is already some experience in working with this tool. But, in general, in order to properly caulk a log house, a simple caulk is enough. A mallet is a wooden mallet that is used to strike the caulk so that the applied force is greater and the moss fills the interventional space more densely.

Caulking starts from the bottom crown, gradually moving up. Of course, you need to caulk each crown around the perimeter of the log house, first from the outside, then from the inside. If you caulk each wall in turn, or lay the caulk separately only outside or only inside, the house will warp. Wedging of crowns with caulking is unacceptable.

The laying technology of sphagnum moss and cuckoo flax is somewhat different.

Before laying, sphagnum moss is slightly fluffed by hands and the fibers are placed across the logs so that its fibers hang down by at least 50 mm. So stack several layers (somewhere 5-10 cm). Then, with the help of caulking blades, it is tightly hammered between the crowns.

Kukushkin flax is used as a tape insulation and is laid between the crowns with ribbons about 40 cm long, also in several layers 5-10 cm thick. The moss ribbons are superimposed on each other with an overlap of approximately 5 cm. Then the moss is also tightly caulked between the crowns.

Caulking a log house is not a difficult task, but it requires a lot of attention. At all its stages, it is necessary to ensure that the log house does not warp, and the seams are tight, but the logs do not come off from each other.

The development of the construction industry, the emergence of new building and finishing materials almost do not reduce the number of people who want to build their own wooden house. Moreover, wooden buildings have a lot of advantages in comparison with frame, concrete and brick buildings.

But often many of them forget that a wooden frame, whether it is built from logs, rounded logs or timber, has such a significant drawback or, rather, a feature such as shrinkage and high deformability of wooden elements. For this reason, the construction of a wooden house is always rather longer in time - first you need to wait for the log house to shrink, and only then you can start finishing work.

But shrinkage leads not only to a change in the geometric dimensions of the logs, but also to the appearance of cracks and leaks, which subsequently need to be sealed. Without it, the house will be cold, damp and uncomfortable. To eliminate the defects that have arisen, caulking of the walls is carried out.

What is a caulk

The process of caulking is to eliminate the gaps between the elements of the log house with heat-insulating material, which is designed to prevent cold air from entering the house.

This seemingly simple work requires patience, accuracy and quite a lot of time from the performer. Caulking technology has not changed much over the past centuries, so many developers prefer not to deal with caulking on their own, but use the work of professionals.

The caulking process has several purposes:

• correction of defects made during the assembly of the log house;
• thermal insulation of the house by eliminating cold bridges;
• elimination of gaps that inevitably arise in the crowns, corners of the house, between window and door frames and the log house;
• giving the house a finished look.

Do not think that it is enough to caulk the house once and on this all problems will be solved.

Only at the first stage - during the construction of a house - caulking is carried out twice:

• after the initial shrinkage of the log house (about six months after its assembly);
• before starting finishing work.

Materials used for log cabin caulking

In ancient times, moss and wool were the main materials for the purpose of warming a log house. They are still used today, but other materials have appeared on the market, different in price and raw materials. Therefore, any person, even limited in funds, will be able to find a suitable material for warming their home.

In order to choose the right material for caulking, you need to know the properties that it should have (or at least most of them).

These are properties such as:

All materials used to insulate a log house are divided into two groups: natural and synthetic.

Natural heaters include:

• tow;
• hemp;
• felt;
• lnovatin;
• jute.

Artificial heaters include:

• mineral wool;
• foamed polyethylene;
• foam rubber;
• sealants.

Of the artificial heaters, only sealants deserve attention.

Other heaters should not be used, as this will lead to undesirable consequences:

• mineral wool is a good insulation, but it is afraid of moisture and can lead to the development of allergic reactions in some people;
• polyethylene foam - a material with closed pores, it retains heat well, but does not breathe, which can lead to rotting of the crowns of the log house;
• foam rubber and other materials with open pores are not able to protect the seam from freezing, as air and water get into the pores (in addition, foam rubber sags under the weight of logs and decomposes in the light).

Sealing joints can also be carried out with the help of sealants. This process is much simpler and faster than traditional caulking. Some sealants (for example, Neomid) have good adhesion to wood and high elasticity. The application of sealants is carried out using a construction gun. The seams obtained in this way are not afraid of moisture, do not decompose under the influence of UV rays, do not turn yellow or mold.

But, no matter how good modern sealants are, most owners prefer to carry out caulking at home with natural materials.

Natural interventional heaters

Moss- this is the most ancient and to this day quite effective insulation for a log house.

It has such necessary properties as:

• excellent hygroscopicity (capable of absorbing moisture in a volume 20 times greater than its own);
• the presence of lignin in the structure of the fibers, which resists damage to both the moss itself and the logs;
• bactericidal properties - moss is able to destroy microorganisms.

Before caulking, dry moss is moistened in a solution prepared from 200 g of soap and 500 g of oil dissolved in a bucket of water. Of all the types of moss, only two types are used as caulking: forest (cuckoo flax) and red swamp moss.

Moss is laid not after the assembly of the log house, but during it. To do this, the moistened material is distributed with a layer of at least 10 cm along the crowns with stems across. The ends of the stems 10 - 15 cm long are released outside, for subsequent caulking. The disadvantage of this method is the high labor intensity of preparing the moss (it must be cleaned of soil residues and dried) and the rather complicated process of caulking.

tow can be used but not recommended.

There are several reasons:

• tow is difficult to twist so that it does not crumble;
• it absorbs water vapor well, so it is almost always wet and deteriorates;
• in the heat, the material crumbles into dust;
• Tow is very fond of birds, using it to build nests.

Thus, the caulking of the log house will have to be dealt with too often. The tow is preliminarily treated with formalin solution and then dried. This protects it from pests. It is not very convenient to work with tow, because it is too hard and it is very difficult to achieve a tight filling of the seam.

Hemp- Made from hemp stem fibers, which are highly durable and resistant to various influences.

Felt- non-woven fabric made from felted wool. For caulking, it is cut into strips. It needs pre-treatment with protective compounds, as it is easily damaged by moths and other pests. Currently, it is possible to purchase impregnated felt that has already been treated with bitumen or resin.

Linen- it is advisable to use their dry wood or glued beams to insulate the house. The material does not have a high density and is afraid of prolonged exposure to moisture, which can cause decay processes in it. The shade of linen caulk is usually gray.

Lnovatin- made from linen and jute, which together form a good insulation. The material is resistant to external influences, has a good density and the ability to restore its dimensions. After the wood has dried, leading to the formation of cracks, the material reliably fills all the voids that have formed.

Jute- the properties resemble moss, but it is much easier to work with. The material has sufficient density in order not to let in the cold and not let the heat out of the house. Jute is a breathable hygroscopic material. In addition to all these positive properties, jute has a beautiful golden hue, which greatly decorates the house.

Chopped wall insulation technology

From ancient times to this day, two main technologies have been used to insulate wooden walls.

Stretching - used mainly for caulking narrow gaps:

• a strand is formed from the selected insulation, placed in a slot and pushed with a spatula, leaving the edge of the material about 5 cm long outside;
• then a thin roller is rolled up from the insulation, which is wrapped in the edge of the insulation left free and carefully, using a chisel, hammered into the groove.

In the set - used for caulking large grooves and gaps between logs:

• the sealant is twisted into long strands up to 15 mm thick and wound into balls;
• then it is carefully unwound, while driving the material into the slots with a caulking chisel;
• if the slots have different sizes, then for larger ones, the necessary thickness of the insulation is gained by twisting it into loops.

Tools for the production of works:

• caulking (they are different: type-setting, curve, split);
• wooden mallet or wide-faced rubber mallet.

Caulkers have a steel blade, which must not be sharp and smooth, otherwise it may damage the seal.

A log bath is a tradition that has not lost its relevance even after several hundred years. Wood has the highest level of thermal insulation among building materials, while the weight of a log structure does not go beyond the permissible limit. The only conditional disadvantage of this technology is the presence of gaps between the stacked logs.

When laying and fitting logs between individual elements, horizontal through-holes will inevitably remain along the entire perimeter of the bath, and before its operation it is necessary to caulk them.

To learn how to properly caulk a bath, you need to understand all the intricacies of this case. The process of caulking cracks in itself does not contain any difficulties, however, there are several special points that must be taken into account.

This article will describe step-by-step instructions and highlights on the topic - “how to caulk a bath with your own hands”. In addition to describing the technology, it will also provide detailed information about how the bath is caulked, since in this case the correct choice of material plays a decisive role in the success of the entire process.

A selection of material

Forest moss is the most traditional material that our great-great-grandfathers used for caulking the log house. This is the most environmentally friendly material of all analogues used, as it is of natural origin, hand-picked and not processed with chemicals. It has bioactive properties - moths and mold do not start in it.

Moss is especially valued for its antiseptic properties - it does not rot even under the influence of high humidity. At the same time, moss caulking is not only not subject to decay, but also protects nearby areas from damage, which is especially important.

Also, the use of moss as a material for caulking can significantly save on the purchase of material, since it can be collected in a nearby forest with your own hands. Even if this is not possible, its price in stores is quite affordable. Natural moss is the most rational solution to the question, what is the best way to caulk a bath?

The most common material for caulking is a log house due to its cost, but linen has the lowest quality characteristics. Before caulking a bath with flax, it should be taken into account that there are practically no natural antiseptics in its composition - in connection with which, putrefactive bacteria, which wet wood contains in excess, will quickly destroy the formed seam, after which nearby areas will undergo degradation.

It quickly collapses under the influence of high humidity - its service life is from 1 to 3 years, after which the seam begins to crumble. Insects love it - moths, beetles, in the raw state, mold and fungus start up quite quickly. Without chemical treatment for the next season of operation, you can find a large number of insect larvae in it.

Note!
Some of the shortcomings of this material can be leveled by chemical impregnation, but this will negatively affect the atmosphere of the bath.

Of all the analogues used, flax can be called the most undesirable solution to the question: how to caulk a bath?

Recently, the opinion of experts on the issue of what is better to caulk a log cabin of a bath? - Increasingly leans in favor of jute fiber, which has recently appeared on the domestic market.

And this is not without meaning - natural jute is a durable material containing a large amount of natural lingin, which gives it water-repellent properties. Also, jute is much less damaged by insects than flax.

Note!
Not to be confused with jute felt, which contains a certain proportion of flax, and, accordingly, all its negative qualities are present.
To distinguish them from each other is quite simple - 100% jute has a gray color.

Caulker

In this process, there is practically nothing difficult - the main thing is to choose the right material for sealing the seams. You will need a mallet (wooden mallet) and a set of caulks. There are two technologies by which caulking of seams is made - stretched and set.

Stretching

• The insulation is pushed into the cavity with fibers across, this is done either by hand or with a caulk, depending on the width of the cavity. The material is hammered inward until about 4–5 cm of the edge of the insulation remains outside;
• Then, a roller of the appropriate diameter is made from the insulation, which is wrapped in the remaining edge, after which it is driven into the cavity with a caulking chisel;

In set

• For this method, the insulation must be twisted into strands like a rope, the diameter of which is selected based on the size of the cavity between the frame;
• The finished strands are pushed into the slot by means of a caulking chisel - first the upper part is pushed through, and then the lower one. To align the seam, a road builder is used;

• During the caulking of cracks, the log house rises slightly, and therefore, it is necessary to clog each crack along the entire perimeter and only after that move on to the next level, otherwise the bathhouse may “skew”;
  
• If it is necessary to release it, so that the structure that has risen due to caulking does not damage the masonry.
  To do this, it is enough to free up space by a few centimeters;

Outcome

Caulking a log house in a bath is one of the simplest building processes

The correct selection of material and our helpful tips will help you carry out these manipulations without any difficulty. You can learn more clearly about the process of caulking a bath by watching the video in this article.

To get rid of the gaps between the crowns and close the cracks formed during the shrinkage of the log house, caulking is carried out: this is the only way heat will be retained inside the log house. For work, you can use various materials, but the technology is the same. How to properly caulk a log house? What is better to use for this?

What is the best way to caulk a log house? The work can be done using both natural and artificial materials. The latter are much more convenient to use, and the process takes very little time, but they have several significant drawbacks.

natural

These include moss, tow, jute, lnovatin, hemp and others.

Moss

Caulking a log house with moss has been performed for a long time, and even with the advent of modern materials, it has not been abandoned. This is due to its unique properties: it not only retains heat well, tolerates sudden temperature changes, removes excess moisture without rotting, but also has antimicrobial and even healing properties.

Tow

Technology using tow is considered one of the most difficult. In the process of drying the log house, the material will become damp, which will begin to rot over time. Therefore, after drying at home or a bath, the old tow is cleaned, and then the caulking of the log house is performed again.

Jute

Moisture-resistant, environmentally friendly and durable material that retains heat well. Due to its ability to absorb moisture, it has a rather short service life (about 3 years). Worn-out jute is not easy to remove from the gaps between the crowns, so it is rarely used.

There are several types of material:

1. Jute tow. In the production of this type of insulation, the fibers are combed to give them the desired direction. The tow obtained in this way retains all the properties of jute, however, the finished material is not very convenient for work: it is rigid, and at the same time not too dense. The process of caulking when using the material becomes more complicated - it is necessary to carry out work in several stages (during the initial laying, the desired degree of density cannot be achieved).
2. Linen jute. Mixed material consisting of an equal amount of linen and jute fibers. It is popular among builders, but needs protection from insects: before use, it is treated with moth and rotting agents.
3. Jute felt. Composed of 90% jute and the remaining 10% flax fiber, the material has the right density for the job, but at the same time retains flexibility. The ease of use of felt makes it an optimal choice. When buying a material, you should choose one whose fibers are longer than 2 cm - it is more elastic and flexible. The only drawback is that moths can damage it, so the felt is treated with a special protective impregnation before laying.

Lnovatin

Material for protection against insects is subjected to chemical treatments, so it cannot be called environmentally friendly. The service life of the insulation is up to 3 years, it is attached to the log house with the help of a construction stapler.

Synthetic

The use of ready-made compounds - sealants - will cost significantly more than if you caulk a log house with tow. However, they are much easier to work with. Usually, in order to reduce the consumption of a synthetic agent, it is used together with a natural one (for example, a cord). First, the cord is closed in the gap, and a sealant is applied on top, leveling the layer with a scalpel blade.

Among the disadvantages of sealants:

1. A number of synthetic products are destroyed by the action of sunlight - over time, it begins to crumble and falls out. To protect the substance from deterioration, strips are installed on the seams that protect the sealant from ultraviolet radiation.
2. After drying, some compounds harden into a dense solid mass, due to which the wood that contracts and expands depending on humidity and air temperature begins to collapse. It is recommended to use only elastic sealants.

Methods for caulking the walls of a house or bath

Caulking and insulation of the log house can be done in two ways:

1. In a set. Suitable for wide gaps. For work, they take jute, tow or hemp. The selected material is divided into strands, wound into a ball.
2. In stretch. In this case, the heat-insulating material is divided into tapes, hammered into the slots.

General rules

Primary caulking of a house from a bar is carried out approximately 6 months after assembly. During this period, most of the moisture contained in the beam will disappear, cracks will appear on the tree, and cracks will appear in the structure itself.

The next time the work will need to be carried out another year later. At this point, the building will finally sit down, and it will be necessary to eliminate the cracks and crevices that have arisen over the past months.

If everything is done correctly, the third time will be needed only after 5 years. However, if the technologies are not followed, the need to eliminate gaps may occur annually. In order for the caulking of a house from a bar to be done correctly, it is worth watching a video with the advice of experienced craftsmen.

1. Work starts from the bottom. The lower crown is sequentially caulked around the entire perimeter from the outside, after that - inside the log house. After that, they move on to the next, acting in the same way.
2. Usually the largest gaps are formed at the corners, so caulking should be especially careful in these places.
3. First, the material is fixed in a slot in a section of about 1 m, then the hanging parts are folded in and tucked in. Using a mallet, the insulation is tightly hammered into the slot until the material begins to spring. When everything is done, move on to the next section.

Caulker with moss

For work you will need:

• pre-dried moss;
• water;
• soap;
• vegetable oil.

Work order:

1. 200 g of soap and 0.5 l of oil are added to a bucket of water. Mix thoroughly.
2. Dry moss is placed in the prepared liquid. Wet fibers will become elastic.
3. They take a strand of material, twist it into a roller, insert it into the slot. Well tamped.
4. Using a spatula and a mallet, the insulation is tightly hammered into the gap.

For the primary caulking of a log house from a bar with the help of moss, it is recommended to use the “stretching” method, all subsequent ones - the “set-up” method.

The use of tow

In the insulation of this type, insects can start over time, and in order to protect it, the tow should be treated with a disinfectant.

Need to prepare:

• tow;
• formalin (it will act as an antiseptic);
• water.

Caulking a house from profiled timber using tow takes place in 4 stages:

1. Formalin is diluted with water to obtain a disinfectant solution.
2. All prepared tow is placed in it and left for half an hour.
3. After removing and squeezing the material, they drive in the tow divided into ribbons using the “stretching” method. The insulation is rammed with a spatula and a mallet to achieve maximum packing density.

Caulking jute

This material is laid using the “set-up” method.

Depending on which type of material is selected, you will need:

• jute itself;
• bitumen or resin (for felt jute);
• formalin (for jute tow).

Work order:

1. Tow is soaked in formalin solution.
2. The material is folded into strands, the slots of the lower crown are filled with it.
3. Using the tool, push the hanging edges.
4. Using a groove, align the position of the insulation layer.

Important! When processing the area around the chimney pipe, about 3 cm of the surface must be left untouched.

Caulking with sealant

Caulking a log house using sealant is the fastest. To work, you will need the synthetic material itself, a cord for filling the gaps, a special spatula for leveling the seams (you can take a narrow spatula), and a mounting gun.

Everyone is well aware that the grooves formed between the logs of the log house should be caulked. The essence of such work is to seal the gaps remaining between the logs and in the corners of the log house with moss, tow or any other sealing material. The instructions on how to properly caulk a log house indicate that the sealant should protrude from the grooves by 3-4 mm on both sides of the wall, which will protect the future house from blowing and will reduce heat loss during the frosty period by 5-6%.

The process of caulking (caulking) a log house is as follows:

• An evenly distributed fibrous material should be applied across the gap and, using a special device (the so-called “caulker”), hammer it into the existing grooves with strong blows. In order for the walls to keep heat better, they need to be caulked both from the inside and from the outside of the log house.
• When organizing these works, it should be taken into account that uneven caulking of the walls can cause the log house to skew. That is why caulking work is carried out immediately around the entire perimeter of the felled building; while the crowns are processed sequentially, starting with the lowest.
• The caulking of the inner surfaces of the walls is transferred immediately after the completion of the processing of the outer walls.

In construction, two methods of warming log cabins are used, which are called caulking in stretching and caulking in a set.

Caulking in stretching

This method is recommended for caulking small grooves and slots in the log house. When sealing the gap, a strand of tow is applied to it and pressed inward with the help of a sealing blade (“caulking”) until the entire space in the groove is filled with material. After that, the top layer of tow is carefully compacted with a special type-setting "caulking". Then a dense roller is twisted from the tow, which is placed in the groove between the crowns so that it adheres to the fibers protruding from the groove and is driven in with force.

The roller must be captured by adjacent strands hanging from the grooves, because. otherwise, it may simply fall out of the groove.

This method of warming the log house is usually used when it is necessary to seal large gaps and wide grooves. When it is implemented, small strands are prepared from hemp or tow, which are then collected into a ball to form (set) a loop, which is hammered into the grooves as a sealant. It is quite natural that the thickness of the typed loop depends on the size of the existing groove. The resulting layer of tow is compacted first along the upper cut of the gap, and only then - along the lower one. All these works are carried out using a special caulk - "road builder".

Required Tools

It has already been noted earlier that log cabins are caulked with the help of special tools, the so-called “caulks”, made of metal. The main tool for carrying out sealing work is the so-called type-setting "caulk", which is a flat blade with a blade about 100 mm wide and about 5-6 mm thick. In addition to it, when carrying out work of this class, the following tool can be used:

• curve "caulking" with a blade width of about 50-60 mm and a thickness of the working part of the order of 5 mm (used for caulking log corners);
• caulk-"road worker" with a blade up to 170 mm wide and about 8-15 mm thick with a groove along the length of the blade up to 10 mm deep (used to form rollers from twisted tow strands). There are three types of "road builder", which are used to work with wide, medium and narrow seams;
• breaking wedge up to 30-35 mm wide; used for breaking (cutting) too narrow grooves, facilitating the driving of tow into them.

The blade of the tool used must be smooth and slightly dull, otherwise it will simply cut through the sealing material. To drive the tow with metal "caulks", you can use any hammer that is suitable for weight.

The following tips will provide you with additional assistance in resolving the issue of “how to properly caulk a log house”:

• If you use moss as a sealant, then you must first moisten it in a special solution prepared from 200 grams of soap and 500 grams of oil dissolved in one bucket of water. Before use, it is advisable to soak the tow in any potent disinfectant, which will protect it from pests.

• If the roller, twisted from fibers, is not voluminous and dense enough, it is necessary to add strands from the stocks of insulating material to it. The spare strand is hooked on the ends of the tow hanging from the wall and hammered between the logs.
• When driving insulation into the slots, the crowns can be slightly raised. At the same time, the insulation, designed in the form of a roller, is hammered into the gap formed with the help of a mallet hammer.

Re-caulking should be carried out 2 years after the manufacture of the log house, after the latter shrinks and gaps form again between the logs. It is usually performed in the "set-up" way.

Video

We invite you to watch the process of caulking a log house on the video.