How to properly caulk a wooden house. Log cabin caulk: methods - traditional and modern, work technology, subtleties

Modern construction receives more and more high-quality materials and technologies. Allowing them to be applied not only to stone and monolithic structures, but also to be used in the usual form of log houses. This gives options for more time for their operation, as well as high-quality decay and destruction of wood. A separate item can also be noted such a process as caulking, which allows you to ensure the tightness of the entire structure being created and an additional process of protection against the penetration of harmful insects and fungi.

In the process of caulking log houses, it is important to choose not only the material and tools, but also to understand the technology of each stage. At the same time, it is practical to combine practical nuances and rules with modern solutions for each of the structures being built.

The complex of works on caulking a log house should be carried out in two stages, combining separate criteria and sequence. These should be works that will allow for rough caulking in the process of erecting walls and partitions. And the process of final caulking of the cracks between the logs after the construction of the entire building.

When implementing the first method, the lower crown of logs is laid, after which the insulation layer is laid out, with a uniform overhang and filling the space for connecting the next crown of logs. Then a new crown is laid. This is done from the very bottom of the erected structure to the last crown of the walls. After that, the hanging ends of the insulation are driven into the gaps between the logs.

Rough caulk option

In the case of using the second method, the process begins after the completion of all installation work and the installation of the last crown. This method allows parallel work on the installation of the roof and the installation of the roofing carpet, performing the process of caulking inside and outside the house. It is important to note here that each of the crowns must be filled with insulation from both sides at the same time, excluding distortion and destruction of the integrity of the structures.

The produced "caulking of the log house" is carried out by driving the insulation between each of the crowns, starting from the bottom of the structure, gradually moving to the upper elements. This method is best performed using tape material, which is placed at the junction of the two crowns and pressed into the structure. At the same time, there is a need to leave the edges hanging down by 5-7 centimeters, for subsequent twisting into rollers and filling the resulting space between the logs.

After the first stage of caulking, there is a need to carry out additional filling of cracks. This is carried out 2-3 years after the construction of the house. Work should also be done from the bottom up, filling all the seams along the perimeter of the building from the inside and outside of the walls.

Used tool for caulking a log house

A properly selected tool for filling the process of filling the joints between the crowns of logs will simplify this process. Combining practicality and the ability to use modern materials and technologies. To do this, you need to choose a high-quality and practical tool, the list of which should include:

• a flat blade made of wood or metal, 5-6 mm thick and with a blade width of up to 100 mm; used for sealing seams and gaps between crowns;
• flat chisel, with a working blade width of 5-6 mm and a thickness of up to 5 mm, made on the basis of metal; used to seal the insulation layer and the material to be laid;
• wooden caulk with a triangular blade having a longitudinal groove, width 1709 mm and thickness from 5 to 7 mm; allows you to form rollers for the final filling of the gaps between the logs;
• metal wedges, with a blade width of 20 to 35 mm; necessary to expand the gaps during compaction and laying of the material;
• wooden hammer, mallet; used for driving sealant into the seams between the crowns.

Caulking tools

Used materials for caulking, advantages and disadvantages of each of them

Forming the correct process of sealing the seams between the crowns of logs, it is important not only to understand "how to caulk a log house" and to use better quality material. It should be a formula that will combine durability and practicality in each individual case and in the selected area of ​​\u200b\u200bhouse structures.

As an interventional insulation, a special rolled material is used, based on flax and jute. It is jute that allows the logs to fit more tightly and create the required conditions for thermal insulation of the entire wall structure. This material for caulking is placed in the groove below the underlying crown and is fixed around the entire perimeter with the help of a construction stapler. Also, due to this type of material, reliable sound insulation is provided inside the entire building, in partitions and external walls.

Materials for caulking

Using jute also has its downsides. It is subject to decay and its service life is significantly limited, in contrast to the use of flax and moss.

A more familiar and long-used material for caulking a log house is the usual moss. There are two types of moss, red and white, it is used depending on the growth in the region where it is. In this case, the resulting do-it-yourself caulking of a log house is considered more environmentally friendly and combines only natural materials and raw materials, without the use of machine processing of the material and preparing it for use for sealing.

But a significant disadvantage of using moss is the difficulty of finding building materials on the market in different regions. What gives benefit in the direction of choosing the usual flax.

Step-by-step technology and the process of ongoing work on caulking a log house

Today, there are several technologies that allow you to qualitatively seal and caulk the seams and gaps between the crowns of logs. Each of them uses separate materials and tools.

Stretching caulk

The combination of practicality and consistency of this technology allows the use of both jute and familiar moss. This technology allows you to distribute the material evenly along the entire length and perimeter of the building under construction at the stage of installation of each of the log crowns. At the same time, this option of work is considered more productive, since it does not require additional use of a tool, but only a high-quality layout of the material for caulking. Of course, each of the masters has his own method and the amount of material placed in the existing groove between the logs, but there is also a limitation - the material must hang 5-7 cm on both sides of the log. This is in the case of using moss. And in the case of using tape material, it should fit snugly around the entire perimeter of the logs and have an overlap of 5 cm with the previous spreading roll.

It is also worth noting that this incorporation is carried out in two stages, this is at the time of the installation of the walls and with the subsequent clogging of the remaining material after the construction of the walls.

Caulker in a set

When implementing this technology, it will be important to understand that if there are wider seams and gaps between the crowns, then the use of jute cords is indispensable. This method will allow you to practically and efficiently fill the existing space, evenly and gradually placing the material in the existing grooves.

For each of the crowns, gaps can be additionally embroidered, parallel from both sides into the walls, followed by filling with jute. After that, the seams can remain open or where additionally sealed with decorative wood plaster.

Seal knots and joints in corners

When carrying out the process of sealing corner elements or joining walls, it is important to fill each of the sections in parallel, using the same sealant as when sealing straight wall sections. But here it is important to frame the corners correctly and beautifully, without leaving jagged edges or excess material, since the load in these areas is much greater than on straight lines along the perimeter of the walls. It is necessary to hammer the applicable material as tightly as possible to prevent spillage and additional compaction under the weight of wood.

Cost and price range for the work performed on caulking a log house

The cost for the work performed can vary from 60 to 150 rubles. Prices for caulking are calculated per 1 running meter. At the same time, each of the masters takes into account not only the practicality of the material used, but also the technology being implemented, depending on the resulting seam between the logs or the customer's desire for the materials used.

The height of the structure is also taken into account, which will require additional time for the installation of scaffolding and scaffolding. The price increases from the height of the building to 1.2 - 1.5 meters. It is calculated taking into account the number of crowns up to a given height from the foundation of the building. At the same time, it is worth considering the number of nodes and indirect sections of the walls that are available in each individual project. It also increases the cost of the work. But each of the regions of Russia has its own gradation, taking into account the demand for this type of construction and the availability of appropriate material for caulking.

Putting a log house from a log or timber is far from the whole task. It is also necessary to properly caulk this log house: close up the gaps between the crowns and the cracks that form during the drying of the wood. This is done so that the log cabin of the bath loses as little heat as possible. The quality of the assembly of the log house is determined by how the crowns were laid. It is important not only to correctly cut out the bowls and grooves - between two rows of logs or beams, it is imperative to lay interventional insulation.

Insulation is laid at the stage of log assembly

What it will be - moss, tow or jute - is up to you, but such a layer must be present. When folding a log house from logs, it is necessary to lay the insulation in two layers:

• on the lower crown so that the edges of the insulation protrude beyond the edges of the bowl by 3-5 cm, the width of the insulation, in general, is taken 5-10 cm more than the width of the bowl;
• a heater is also placed in the bowl of the upper crown, its edges protrude beyond the bowl also by 3-5 cm.

Please note that when using moss or tow, you do not need to “tap” the material. When tapped with a hammer or an ax butt, the moss fibers break, and dents form on the wood, which are directed across the fibers. Such damage can lead, in the future, to the development of foci of decay. It is enough just to compact the fibers with the palm of your hand, leveling and probing the layer, if large foreign objects come across (cones or sticks are often found in moss) - just remove them.

Laying moss when assembling a log house

When using tape insulation, you can fix it with a construction stapler - damage to wood from staples is minimal, and the material is held securely. It is advisable to lay the “insulated” crowns together, so that the ball can take the log from both ends and lower it overthrow so as not to move the insulation.

• 1 How to caulk a log cabin of a bath
  • 1.1 Moss
  • 1.2 Jute
  • 1.3 Tow
• 2 When to caulk a bath
• 3 How much tow is needed for a bath
• 4 Rules of caulking

How to caulk a log cabin of a bath

All materials for caulking can be divided into two main categories: natural (tow, hemp, moss, jute, etc.) and industrial sealants. Sealants apply faster and are easier to work with. Usually, to reduce the consumption of sealant, a cord is placed in the gap between the crowns, and only then, a sealant is applied over it, which, when wet, is leveled with a special spatula.

When caulking, it does not fit to have a scalpel blade on hand. The working part of the tool is made of hardened carbon steel

Synthetic sealants have a number of disadvantages:

• some of them do not tolerate exposure to ultraviolet radiation - when irradiated, they lose their properties, crumble and are blown out by the winds. The problem is solved by strengthening the strips that will close the seams from ultraviolet radiation;
• some sealants for log cabins, when dried, form a monolith, which, when the wood expands / contracts (depending on weather conditions), interferes with the process and contributes to the destruction of adjacent wood fibers. For this reason, it makes sense to use elastic sealants.

Elastic joint sealant for wood from EUROTEX

The video shows how to use Eurotex sealant.

As shown in the video above, a regular tablespoon can be used as a tool for leveling and removing excess sealant.

If you decide to use one of the sealants, carefully read the instructions and description, make sure that it is compatible with the type of wood from which the log house was built, can be used in your region (temperature regime) and has the necessary qualities.

The use of sealant is justified in the case when it is used to seal caulked cracks: after double caulking the log house with tow, moss or jute, the log house shrinks completely and acquires operational dimensions, after which a cord is laid in the seams, and then sealant is applied.

Natural materials for caulking also have their advantages and disadvantages, in addition, each of them needs a certain preparation.

The most proven material for bath caulking is moss. It has been used for over a century. Today, many other materials have appeared, but they have not surpassed moss in performance. New (especially tape materials) are more convenient to work with. This is indisputable, but the qualities of moss remained unattainable for them. Chief among them is the ability to resist bacteria and high resistance to decay.

Not aesthetic but practical

Moss is first dried, then moistened again before use. This restores elasticity to the stems. The soaked moss is laid out in an even layer so that its ends hang down on both sides of the log / beam. After the completion of the collection of the log house, too long stems of moss are cut, everything else is tucked up and tucked into the slots of the log house - the primary caulking of the log house is made. Behind her, after six months and after a year and a half, there are repeated caulks.

Increasingly, jute is used in the construction of wooden baths and houses. And not just jute fibers, but rolled material. Jute fiber has good characteristics: it has good thermal insulation properties, due to the large amount of lignin - a natural resin that serves as a binder - it is practically not subject to decay and has low hygroscopicity. Even in high humidity, jute remains dry to the touch.

Jute insulation can be of several types:

Tow - waste that is generated during the primary processing of natural fibers. Tow is used for caulking log cabins from jute, hemp and flax. The characteristics of the material and its quality depend on the feedstock, the degree of purification of the fibers and their length. Construction tow is pressed into square blocks. For use when caulking a log house, a strip of material is pulled out from a common block, twisted into a bundle and placed in a seam. Combed tow, which is sold in rolls, is more convenient to use.

Tow for a bath

It is inconvenient to work with such material: it is difficult to achieve a uniform layer when used as an interventional insulation, and for caulking, the tow log house has excessive rigidity, which is why it is almost impossible to achieve a tight filling of the seam the first time and it is necessary to periodically carry out repeated caulking. If the choice is between moss and jute tow, then we can definitely say that moss is better for a bath - it has the ability to inhibit the development of putrefactive bacteria and fungi.

When to Caulk a Bath

The log house has been assembled, when is the first time you can caulk a fresh log cabin of the bath? If the frame was assembled on moss or tow, then between the crowns stick out the remains of material of different lengths. In this case, it is possible to produce primary caulking immediately: cut too long fibers, tuck them in and fill them into the seams. There is no need to be zealous about it. These are preliminary works, the purpose of which is to remove the fibers. But you need to do this following the rules of caulking. If the log house is assembled on tape insulation, nothing needs to be done.

Bath after primary caulking

The first "serious" caulk is carried out approximately six months after the collection of the log house. During this time, logs / beams will lose most of the excess moisture, new cracks will appear, crowns and corners will basically “sit down” in place. At this time, the first caulk is carried out. After this process, doors / windows can be installed.

The second caulk will be needed about a year after the first. A year and a half has passed since the construction of the log house, the log house has settled down. Now all seams and cracks are checked, all shortcomings are eliminated. Depending on the material and quality of work, it may be necessary, after another five years, to caulk the seams again. But there have been cases (usually this is the result of the work of "shabashnikov") when the correction of caulking errors is carried out for several years in a row. Most often, such a need arises if the log house was folded without interventional insulation.

How much tow is needed for a bath

Any natural material for caulking is compressed many times during laying and a large amount of it can fit into a log house, even with good interventional insulation. No one can say exactly how much tow is needed for a bath: it also depends on what material the log house is made of and how the grooves in the logs are cut. When manually cutting grooves, as a rule, more material is used. Also, a sanded log requires more material than a round log. Less is required for a log cabin, but even here the amount of tow or moss that will be used to seal the cracks depends on the accuracy of the beam geometry and the depth / number of cracks that appeared during shrinkage.

Caulking rules

Caulking a log house is not a very difficult task, but a long and dreary one. Everything needs to be done thoroughly and slowly, so it takes a lot of time - it took 10 days to caulk a small 5 * 4 bath (one worked for 7-8 hours).

The main thing is not to overdo it in the efforts applied when clogging the insulation, which can lead to the fact that the log house will rise by 15 cm or more.

Rules for caulking a log house:

• You need to start from the bottom crown, moving along the entire perimeter, first outside the building, then caulk the same crown from the inside. And only after that proceed to the processing of the next crown.
• When caulking, pay special attention to the corners - there are often the most significant gaps.
• With primary caulking, you first need to pick up the hanging material, bend it down and fill it into the slot. Use this tool as needed. Perform this operation on a section about a meter long, then move on to the next section.
• In the same area, with a caulk and a wooden mallet (sometimes a hammer is used, but the mallet does not beat off hands so much), compact the material. You need to hit the caulk until the material begins to spring. Then move on to the next section.
• After compaction, a gap formed. A piece of insulation is again placed in it. If this is tow, you need to roll a tourniquet of the required thickness from it or tear off a piece of the desired length from the tape. This piece is also hammered with a caulk and a mallet until a springy effect appears. Repeat this operation until the gap is completely filled and move on to the next section.

Like every business, caulking requires certain skills. Since there is more than one such procedure, as a result you will have skills. As you gain experience, you will notice the flaws that you made at the beginning of your activity - here will be a chance to eliminate them. Actually, it is not the gods who burn the pots, but it is possible to caulk a log cabin more or less qualitatively even in the absence of experience.

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.

Almost do not reduce the number of people who want to build their own house out of wood. 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 it 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;
• by eliminating cold bridges;
• elimination of gaps that inevitably arise in the crowns, corners of the house, between the window and the frame;
• 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.

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.

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

• 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:

• 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.

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.

- 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 for warming 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.

• 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.

Work order:

• The caulking process itself starts from the bottom, from the lowest crown and continues upwards. It must be taken into account that caulking the seams changes the height of the log house.
• One seam must be caulked around the entire perimeter of the log house, first from the outside, then from the inside. This will avoid warping the walls of the house.
• Then the next highest seam is processed. And so to the very top.

It is impossible to caulk individual walls, this can lead to a deviation of the wall from the vertical.

As you can see, the process of caulking a log house is not so complicated, but it requires great accuracy and careful execution of all operations. Then your house will be protected from atmospheric influences for many years, and the facades of the house will take on a finished look.

The caulk of a wooden house is an important step in warming the finished building using natural or synthetic heat insulators. Here, every detail matters: the right working tool, high-quality insulation material, work performance technology. Not all homeowners are aware of how to correctly seal interventional gaps and joints in order to reduce possible heat loss, avoid warping the house structure, and prevent rotting of wood and heat insulator.

What is the caulking of the log house for?

Thermal insulation of a log house contributes to the preservation of heat in the premises, prevents the deformation of wood and a decrease in its operational parameters. Modern heaters are durable, practical and safe, therefore they provide high-quality caulking of wooden buildings.

Caulker felling solves the following tasks:

• eliminates cold bridges and reduces heat loss at home;
• corrects structural defects in the structure;
• eliminates various flaws in external and internal corners, crowns, door and window openings;
• makes the house more attractive and reliable;
• increases the life of wood.

When is the caulking

The caulking of a wooden house is carried out in several stages, and this is due to the gradual shrinkage of the wood. Maximum shrinkage takes place during the first 18 months after the completion of construction work and stops after 5 years.

1. The first stage of caulking is performed after the assembly of the log structure. In this case, when building a house, thermal insulation material fills the space between the logs so that the edges hang freely on both sides. After installing the roof structure, the insulation is hammered into the connecting seams between the crowns.
2. The second stage of insulation is carried out 1.5 years after the completion of construction work and preliminary shrinkage of the house. The insulating material is laid tightly enough to hide all the gaps and cracks.
3. The third stage of caulking is carried out after 5 years, when the shrinkage process of the log house is considered to be fully completed. All existing defects between the logs are filled with insulation.

Important! For a log house, all three caulking is carried out, and for a house made of timber, which will be lined with siding on the outside, the third stage of caulking is optional.

Materials for caulking

For caulking timber or logs, it is better to use natural heaters with the following characteristics:

• hygroscopicity,
• resistance to temperature changes,
• breathability,
• environmental Safety,
• ease of installation.

These heaters include:

• moss (red and white),
• tow,
• lnovatin,
• jute.

Moss

The safest and most practical material with excellent antiseptic properties. It provides reliable protection of wood from rotting and biological damage.

Moss (sphagnum) is a reliable material for sealing interventional joints: it passes air well and quickly absorbs excess moisture, prevents the development of pathogenic microorganisms and fungi, and as a result increases the service life of wood.

Moss is resistant to fire and decay, therefore it is able to maintain its performance characteristics for a long time. High cost is the only drawback of such material.

Self-procurement of raw materials will significantly reduce the cost of thermal insulation of a house made of logs or timber.

Before caulking the walls, the pre-treated moss must have a suitable moisture level - not excessively dry or wet.

Tow

A practical and safe material that is used for caulking crowns after complete shrinkage of the log house. It is made from hemp, jute and linen fibers.

Sold in pressed bales or rolls. Tow in bales has short and stiff fibers, which complicate the process of driving interventional seams. High quality tape tow has long, elastic and soft fibers.

This material has low antiseptic properties, is susceptible to high moisture, and therefore requires additional treatment with protective impregnations or paints.

The main disadvantages of the insulation include the complexity of laying, the unattractive appearance of the treated seams, and the short service life.

Lnovatin

A natural material for caulking wooden houses, which is produced by pressing short flax fibers into ribbons. Lnovatin has high heat-insulating and moisture resistant characteristics. Such insulation is able to provide reliable protection of wood from rotting and mold damage.

Lnovatin is used for sealing seams between crowns with fixation on metal staples.

Jute

The most high-quality and durable tape insulation for caulking houses made of logs or timber. The material has high heat-saving properties, is not susceptible to rotting and mold damage. Even with prolonged exposure to moisture, jute fiber remains almost dry.

Jute is used for primary and secondary thermal insulation of the house. It has high strength, wear resistance, elasticity and practicality. It fits into interventional seams with fixation on staples.

The only drawback of the material is its high cost.

Caulking tools

If natural materials are used for thermal insulation of a wooden house, then before caulking, prepare:

1. Kiyanku. A small wooden or rubber mallet for laying insulation with wooden caulks.
2. A dial-up caulk. A spatula with a metal or wooden base, blade width 10 cm, thickness 0.5 cm. This is the main tool for caulking log crowns.
3. Crooked caulk. Curved chisel with a flat blade 5 cm wide and 0.5 cm thick. Used to fill fillet joints and gaps in rounded sections of a building with insulation.
4. Road builder. Triangular blade with a special longitudinal groove. Blade width - 17 cm, thickness - from 0.8 to 1.5 cm. The tool is designed to fill gaps of equal width.
5. Breaker caulk. A narrowed wedge-shaped blade up to 3.5 cm wide, which allows you to widen the intervention gaps for the convenience of laying heat-insulating material.

Important! All caulk blades should be slightly dull and smooth to avoid damaging the wood and pulling the insulation out of the seams. Before starting work, the tools are thoroughly cleaned with a clean cloth.

Logging caulking technology

The process of caulking a house from a log house is carried out in stages. There are two caulking methods:

• in stretching
• into a set.

It doesn’t matter what method the caulking is carried out at home, all insulation work begins with the lower crown. Next, we will consider how to competently caulk a wooden structure.

Stretching

Stretched caulk provides for the insulation of the seams between the logs with pre-stretched heaters. For this, fibrous and rolled materials are used.

Fibrous insulation

1. Work is carried out from the ends of the lower crown. A small part of the insulation (for example, tow or moss) is applied with transverse fibers to the seam and clogged inward with a type-setting caulk.
2. At the edges, the insulation is rolled up with a small roller and compacted into an interventional seam.
3. Next, a new portion of insulation is used, which is formed into a roller, and the entire caulking procedure is repeated. This allows you to qualitatively seal the seam along its entire length.

Roll insulation

Dense rollers from roll insulation are much easier to get. For even distribution, the material is gently stretched along the entire length of the seam and applied to it across the fibers.

1. The tape is unwound on a flat surface from one of the corners to the opposite corner.
2. Having picked up the free edge, with the help of a caulk, the insulation is placed in the interventional seam so that the free edges hang down by 5 cm. This fills the entire length of the seam.
3. After the seam is completely filled, the tape is cut off from the roll.
4. The rest of the insulation is driven into large gaps between the logs. The insulated seam must have the same thickness and protrude 3 mm beyond the edges of the grooves.

To the set

Caulking in the set allows you to insulate wide and deep gaps between logs. It uses a larger volume of material, respectively, and the quality of thermal insulation is higher. Tow, hemp rope or jute cord is suitable for this.

1. To caulk a log house with jute (the easiest option for beginners), a small amount of material is unwound and folded into loops. Next, each loop fits into the seam with a caulk.
2. Stitching begins at the top of the seam and then continues at the bottom.
3. On top of the laid insulation, an additional strand is applied for better insulation. The material is leveled along the entire length of the seam with the help of a road builder.

If desired, the insulation of the house in this way can be accelerated. In this case, the driving of the heat-insulating material is carried out using a perforator. The tool is used at low speed to prevent deformation of the seam. Also, a pneumatic hammer with a compressor is suitable for laying insulation.

Caulker corners

The corners in the log house are insulated after the completion of the main work.

To do this, it is better to use a roll insulation and a crooked caulk. The process is carried out as follows:

1. The free edge of the tape insulation is applied to the seam located in the corner and clogged with a crooked caulk.
2. After installing the material, its free edges are rolled up and hammered into the seam.
3. All work on laying insulation is carried out from top to bottom. For uniform driving, the material is gently stretched and straightened.

decorative caulking

If the main task of caulking is the thermal insulation of a wooden structure, then decorative caulking is used to decorate insulated interventional seams.

To give the seams of the log house an attractive and harmonious appearance, experts recommend using a rope and a rope made of jute or flax as a finish.

The rope is carefully fixed to the surface of the seam on galvanized nails without hats, driven into logs at a distance of 18 cm from each other. Decorative caulking is also suitable for hiding unevenly dried joints between the crowns and for additional insulation of the structure.

After the completion of the caulking process, the wooden house should be used as much as possible throughout the year. In winter, a check is made for the formation of new cracks and deformation of the laid insulation.

A year and a half after the first stage of caulking, the second stage is carried out. In this case, a thorough inspection of the structure is carried out, heat-insulating material is added where it has deformed or fallen out, as well as where new gaps or distortions of the log house have appeared.

Caulking a wooden house is an important and responsible event that requires a competent approach and compliance with all stages of the technological process. The quality of the work performed depends on the internal microclimate in the premises and the duration of the operation of the house.