How to caulk a log bath. Do-it-yourself caulking at home from a log house: tasks, stages, working tools and materials. Sauna log caulking with synthetic sealant

Putting a log house from a log or a bar is not the whole task. You also need to know the correct way to dig this log house: to close up the cracks between the crowns and cracks that form when the wood shrinks. This is done so that the log house loses heat as little as possible.

Basic principles

The quality of assembly of a log house is determined by how the crowns were laid. It is important not only to cut the bowls and grooves correctly - between two rows of logs or beams, it is imperative to lay an inter-crown insulation.

Insulation is laid at the stage of assembling a log house

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

on the lower crown so that the edges of the insulation protrude 3-5 cm beyond the edges of the bowl, the width of the insulation, in general, is taken 5-10 cm more than the width of the bowl;
insulation 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 the butt of an ax, 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 to simply compact the fibers with your palm, leveling and probing the layer, if large foreign objects come across (cones or sticks are often found in the 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 the wood from the staples is minimal, and the material is held securely. It is advisable to lay the "insulated" crowns together, so that the ball is able to take a log from both ends and lower it so as not to move the insulation.

How to caulk a bathhouse

All caulking materials 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 on top of it, which, in a wet state, 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 several disadvantages:

some of them do not tolerate the effects of ultraviolet radiation - when irradiated, they lose their properties, crumble and are blown out by the winds. The problem is solved by strengthening the planks that will close the seams from ultraviolet radiation;
some of the 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 flexible sealants.

If you decide to use one of the sealants, carefully read the instructions and the description, make sure that it is compatible with the type of wood from which the log house was erected, 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 the caulked gaps: after double caulking of the log house with tow, moss or jute, the complete shrinkage of the log house is expected and the acquisition of operational dimensions, after which a cord is laid in the seams, and then the sealant is applied.

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

Moss

The most proven material for caulking a bath is moss. It has been used for centuries. Many other materials have appeared today, but they have not surpassed the characteristics of moss. It is more convenient to work with new (especially tape materials). This is undeniable, but the qualities of moss remained unattainable for them. The main among them is the ability to resist bacteria and high resistance to decay.

Not aesthetically pleasing, but practical

The 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 / bar. After completing the collection of the log house, too long stems of moss are cut, everything else is tucked in and tucked into the cracks of the log house - the primary caulking of the log house is made. After it, after six months and after a year and a half, there are repeated caulking.

Jute

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

Jute heaters can be of several types /
Jute tow
In the manufacture of this material, the fibers are not torn, but combed, giving them the necessary direction. With this processing, jute retains its properties to the maximum extent. But for caulking, such material is inconvenient: it is hard and not dense enough, it is quite difficult to work with it, caulking has to be done several times: firstly, the birds pull the fiber to the nests (the material is natural), and secondly, it shrinks, becomes compacted ( due to rigidity, it is not possible to immediately achieve the required seam density from one time).

Jute tow

Jute felt
It is a material made up of 90% torn jute fibers and 10% long flax fibers. The material is dense and flexible at the same time. It is much easier to work with it, but with insufficient length of fibers, it tends to get lost and get enough sleep. When choosing jute for caulking, pay attention to the length of the fibers - only fibers over 2 cm will provide the required elasticity. The material from shorter fibers will become denser and lose most of its properties; also, short fibers are simply poured out or blown away by the winds. Another disadvantage is that this material often becomes a breeding ground for moths. Therefore, before use, it is advisable to treat it with impregnation from moths and decay.

Jute for a bath - jute felt

Flax jute
A combined webbing material made up of half soft linen and half hard jute. This combination attracts many builders, but this material tends to rot and is often attacked by moths. So, just like jute felt, flax-jute requires processing from rot and moths before use.

Tow

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

Bath tow

It is inconvenient to work with such material: it is difficult to achieve a uniform layer when used as a mezhventsovy insulation, and for caulking a log, tow has excessive rigidity, which makes it almost impossible to achieve a dense filling of the seam, the first time, and you have to periodically repeat 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 the bath

The log house is assembled, when is it possible to caulk a fresh log house for the first time? If the blockhouse was going on moss or on tow, then the remnants of material of different lengths stick out between the crowns. In this case, you can produce the primary caulking immediately: cut off too long fibers, tuck them inward and tuck into the seams. You do not need to be zealous in this. These are preliminary works, the purpose of which is to remove fibers. But this must be done following the rules of caulking. If the blockhouse is assembled on a tape insulation, nothing needs to be done.

Bath after primary caulking

The first "serious" caulking is carried out about six months after the collection of the log house. During this time, the logs / beams will lose most of the excess moisture, new cracks will appear, crowns and corners will generally "sit" in place. At this time, the first caulking 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, and the log house is well established. Now all seams and cracks are checked, all flaws are eliminated. Depending on the material and the quality of the work, it may be necessary, after another five years, to re-drill the seams. But there have been cases (usually this is the result of the work of the "shabashniks") 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 built without an inter-crown insulation.

How much tow do you need for a bath

Any natural material for caulking is compressed many times during installation and a large amount of it can fit into the frame, even with good insulation between the crowns. No one will be able to say exactly how much tow is needed for the bath: it also depends on what material the frame is assembled from and how the grooves in the logs are cut. As a rule, more material is used for manual cutting of grooves. Also, a flaked log requires more material than a rounded log. Less is required for a log house from a bar, but even here the amount of tow or moss that will go to seal the cracks depends on the accuracy of the geometry of the bar and the depth / number of cracks that appeared during shrinkage.

Caulking rules

Caulking a log house is not very difficult, but long and dreary. 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 (it worked one hour for 7-8).

The main thing is not to overdo it in the efforts made when hammering the insulation, which can lead to the fact that the frame will rise by 15 cm or more.

Log caulking rules:

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

As with 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 the activity - here you will have a chance to eliminate them. Actually, it is not the gods who burn the pots, but it is possible to dig a log house with more or less high quality even in the absence of experience.

Constructing a bathhouse or any other building from a log house is only half the battle. There is another important work that requires high-quality performance - the caulking of the bath, which consists in sealing all the cracks to prevent heat loss and blowing by the wind.

The material for caulking a bath can be chosen from two categories - natural materials (jute, moss, tow) or their synthetic counterparts. How to caulk the log house of the bathhouse?

It is much easier and faster to work with these than with natural ones. The sealant is leveled with a special spatula, and it is applied with it.

Synthetic sealant

But synthetics also have significant drawbacks:

Some sealants are sun-resistant. They burn out, become thinner, or are simply blown out of the cracks by the wind. In this case, it is necessary to think over how and with what to cover the joints of the log house;
Most synthetic sealants are not flexible enough. They do not shrink in the cold and do not increase in heat, preventing the natural expansion and contraction of the wood.

When choosing synthetic products for caulking a folded bathhouse, it is extremely important to carefully read the information on the package. Make sure the sealant is suitable for the type of wood in the log house, weather conditions and moisture levels. Only then can the product be purchased.

Natural materials

Moss

The undisputed leader among natural materials for caulking a bath can be called moss, which has passed the test of time for centuries. So far, no modern industrial sealant or insulation has been able to surpass moss in quality. What advantages does it have?

Moss processing

moss is resistant to decay;
has antibacterial properties;
perfectly retains heat.

Dry moss is first moistened to give it elasticity. Then the material is laid on the log so that its ends hang down on both sides. As soon as the bath is completed, the long ends are trimmed and the remaining moss is set between the logs. This is how primary caulking occurs. After six months, and then after another one and a half, re-processing of the cracks will be required.

Jute

Jute has excellent thermal insulation properties, jute fiber remains dry even in high ambient humidity. For ease of use, it is recommended to use jute in a roll.

Materials for caulking a jute log house can be of several types:

Jute tow;
Jute felt;
Linen-jute.

Jute tow in bales

For the production of tow, jute fibers are not torn, but combed. Jute tow is quite dense and tough, therefore it is not very convenient to work with it.

Since jute is a natural material, tow can be easily carried away by birds to build nests. In addition, over time, the jute tow dries out and becomes more dense, so the caulking of the walls will have to be performed several more times.

Jute felt is 90% small pieces of jute fiber and 10% flax fibers. Such material turns out to be quite flexible, dense and warm. But, along with this, short fibers can simply spill out of the material. When buying, it is important to pay attention to the length of the fibers - it should be at least two centimeters. Otherwise, the material will quickly lose its heat-insulating properties and the wind will blow in the cracks of the walls from the log. Also, jute felt requires processing with a special impregnation, which does not allow moths to settle in it.

Linen-jute consists of linen fibers and jute in a ratio of 50 to 50. This material is produced in ribbons, which greatly simplifies its use. Flax-jute is prone to rapid decay and moth damage. High-quality caulking of a bath with such material is possible only after it has been impregnated from insects and the possible appearance of putrefactive processes.

Tow in blocks

Oakum is a waste from the processing of jute, flax and other materials. On sale you can find ready-to-use tow, as well as pressed into square blocks. It is much more convenient to use ready-made tow, since the pressed one requires pulling out the required amount of material and twisting it further.

Oakum is not very popular among builders - it is difficult to achieve uniform insulation with it. In addition, this material may be too stiff and not elastic enough, therefore it is not easy to fill the slots of a bath from a bar with it accurately and with high quality.

What is the time frame for caulking a bath?

When can you start the final stage of insulation after the construction of a log house?

If the frame was laid with moss re-laying, then it is necessary to cut off its excess. Then the rest of the material is tucked into the slots and gently pushed inward. Everything. You should not be especially zealous - the first caulking will take place six months after the end of the construction. During this time, the tree will finally sit down, the excess moisture will evaporate. After completing the first caulking, windows and doors can be installed.

A year after the first caulking, the second is carried out, as the last stage of warming. After about five years, another caulking procedure may be applied, which is optional and depends on the materials used.

How much material will you need?

It is impossible to deduce the exact formula by which it is possible to calculate the amount of material for filling gaps.

Natural material, be it jute or moss, is highly compacted and compressed when cracking. So its consumption can be quite large. First of all, the consumption of material depends on the methods of processing the log and cutting grooves.

In any case, it is necessary to buy material for caulking with a large margin - it will not disappear and will be useful for a second procedure. For industrial sealants, the manufacturer usually indicates the method for calculating the approximate number of packages.

What rules must be followed?

Sauna caulking materials

The process of caulking a bath itself is quite simple, despite the fact that the work is progressing slowly and monotonously. Everything needs to be done efficiently, accurately and without haste, you can spend almost a whole day on this stage.

To get a warm bath, it is important not only to properly caulk the log house, but also not to forget to lay insulation between the rows of logs. It can be jute, moss or tow. The material is laid in two layers, and its edges on all sides should protrude by about 5 centimeters.

It is necessary to start caulking from the lower crown, moving around the entire perimeter of the bath from the outside, then carefully seal up the cracks from the inside of the building. And only then you can move on to the next crown. Particular attention should be paid to sealing the corners. As a rule, it is in these places that the largest holes and crevices appear. The corners are caulked last, using a special blade of a special shape.

If the first caulking is performed, then the hanging ends of the material are removed first. No tool is yet used for this, and the material is not compacted. After a while, it is necessary to push the jute or moss deeper until it begins to spring slightly, opening new slots. They are also sealed using another piece of caulking material.

The material should not protrude from the recesses by more than 5 mm, otherwise the appearance of the bath will be sloppy. You should not go too far with the amount of insulation, as well as with its compaction, as there is a risk that the building will increase in height by 15 centimeters.

In no case should you leave hanging residues outside - they can easily be taken apart by birds to arrange their nests.

Jute decorative cord

To ennoble the interior of the room, you can drive in a decorative jute cord into the seams, which looks very impressive on the wall.

If a synthetic sealant is used, do not forget about thoroughly cleaning the crevices from dust and dirt. After the sealant has dried, it is recommended to varnish the surface.

When using moss or tow, there is no need to "tap" the tree. At the same time, the villi of the insulation break, and completely unnecessary microcracks appear in the log, which over time can lead to rotting of the wooden frame.

Caulking the log house of a bathhouse is not so much difficult work as it is responsible. The main thing is to do everything slowly and carefully.

The main stage of warming an erected log house from a bar or log is caulking. This process is an effective sealing of gaps and special insulation - tow, moss, jute or linen.

The main purpose of caulking

The first caulking is carried out after the installation of the crowns and the completion of the roofing work.

The second stage is performed after a partial one, which takes 6 to 10 months.

The final stage of caulking is carried out after complete shrinkage of the wood for 5 years of operation.

Caulking a house or a bath from a rounded log must be carried out inside and outside the building.

Materials for sealing a log house

Log caulking is done using practical materials - moss, tow, jute, flax and wood sealant. Each of them has unique properties.

Tow

Caulking tow is the cheapest and most affordable material used to insulate and seal a log house. Unlike other materials, tow has many disadvantages that reduce its performance.

It quickly absorbs excess moisture, therefore it is susceptible to decay. It is rather difficult to put tow in the interventsoles, and replace the damaged areas with new material.

The tow is prone to damage by household moths and other unwanted organisms.

Moss

You can insulate the log cabin of the bath with the help. This is a reliable and expensive material, which is quite in demand among novice craftsmen and professional caulkers.

Moss is absolutely environmentally friendly, safe and practical. In addition, it has unique antibacterial properties while providing good thermal insulation.

Jute

No less popular is jute insulation, which has such advantages as: durability, strength, resistance to decay and destruction, high thermal insulation characteristics.

Flax

Due to its high thermal insulation and strength properties, flax batting takes its rightful place among the heaters for the log house. It is made of linen fibers, which are joined together with fastening straps.

Special sealants

Often, modern synthetic-based sealants are used for caulking a log house. Sealants can be used in conjunction with natural seals - jute or linen. The material is gently applied to the joints, creating an even and neat seam.

Caulking tools

For a competent organization of the workflow, it is recommended to prepare the necessary insulation, as well as a tool for caulking a log house.

Caulking caulk. Outwardly, it resembles a chisel, which is used to insulate large gaps (up to 10 cm wide) and small cracks (up to 2 cm wide).
A road worker for working with caulking.
Mallet for hammering insulation.
Hammer.
Insulation.

Effective ways of caulking a log house

The process of sealing the seams between the crowns of a log house is carried out in two ways. To obtain a good result, it is recommended to combine both options.

Stretching

This method provides for maximum stretching of the insulating material along the entire length of the seam. First, one strand of insulation is placed in the existing gap. Further, the second strand is twisted, stacked on the first and clogged with a type-setting caulk.

This method is effective for initial caulking before log shrinkage. The fibers of the insulation should be in a perpendicular position in relation to the logs. The ends of the insulation are rolled up into a small flat roller and hammered into the resulting seam.

Into the set

This method is suitable for compacting a log house after its partial or complete shrinkage.

It provides for the clogging of a large amount of insulation, and the process itself is carried out as follows: an initial 16 mm thick strand is prepared, then the strands are formed into loops, after which each loop is hammered into a gap in a transverse position with respect to the slot.

The strands are hammered in with caulking or mallet from the top and bottom sides. After the strands are completely driven in, the final compaction is performed using the road builder.

Competent insulation of a log house from cylindering provides for effective clogging of the material along the tier - from the bottom up. First, the joint between the initial and subsequent crown is processed. Work is carried out along the perimeter of the building from corner to corner. After warming one tier, you can proceed to the next.

In the process of sealing, special attention should be paid to the corner elements of the crowns - grooves and locks.

Diy step-by-step process of caulking a log house

Now let's figure out how to caulk a log house after it has completely shrunk in order to provide the structure with maximum protection.

All work is carried out sequentially using roll insulation in the following order:

Cleaning the seams between the logs from accumulated debris and preliminary insulation, which has become unusable. You can use a regular vacuum cleaner to clean the surfaces.
Caulking is performed only from one tier to another. This will prevent possible distortion of the finished building structure.
Insulation is carried out outside the building, then on the inside of the walls.
The insulation is unwound to the length of the wall with the addition of 20 cm for the stock. During the caulking process, small folds can form, so there should be enough material for one tier.
One end of the tape is hammered into the slot and fixed with a mallet.
Next, the material is compacted using a collapsible caulk and a hammer. To do this, the insulation is carefully inserted into the gap and clogged. The operation is performed several times along the entire length of the suture. When plugging in insulation, it is important to monitor the sealing of the seam and the absence of distortions.
Insulation work is carried out in a similar way from the inside of the wall.
Warming starts from the lower crown, moving towards the upper element. At the top, the material is neatly bent and hammered in such a way as not to obstruct a slight shrinkage of the structure.

If a synthetic sealant is used as insulation, the whole process is much easier and faster. To work, you need to purchase a rope of the right size, made of synthetic fibers.

The rope is carefully placed into the seam between the joints along the entire length in such a way as to tightly close the existing slots. Next, a sealant is applied in a thin layer. The layer width should not exceed 6 mm and the height 11 mm.

After the completion of the work, the sealant is treated with a special compound and carefully leveled with a spatula. Until completely dry, the synthetic compound should be protected from direct sunlight to prevent cracking.

The sealant is used for outdoor use, inside you can use a natural fiber rope to decorate the joints.

The process of caulking a log house using natural and synthetic materials does not cause difficulties, does not require large financial investments and practical experience. All you need for work is working materials and tools, as well as a little free time and patience.

Correctly chosen sealant and insulation will improve the properties of the structure of a wooden house and will help preserve the wood. One of the most important stages in the construction of a log house is the insulation of seams, gaps and openings in other words - caulk.

We seal and insulate the log house

The specificity of wood as a building material is that under the influence of moisture it changes its shape, size and volume, i.e. logs in a log house are constantly in motion, and cracks form in the walls through which heat "flows" from the house. Various types of sealant are used for sealing joints.

Previously, seams and openings were caulked with dry moss, tow (linen and hemp), bast fiber, felt, etc. Over time, new natural materials have appeared: jute fiber, flax, flax, mineral wool.

Caulking quality comes first

Must meet a number of requirements, namely:

to provide reliable protection of the house from blowing out (to have sufficient density and elasticity so as not to contribute to the formation of cracks during the operation of the house);
keep warm (have low thermal conductivity);
be able to absorb and release moisture, depending on changes in humidity, both outside and inside the room, similar to the tree itself;
restrain the development of microorganisms;
be durable (maintain their physical and chemical properties and not be destroyed by natural factors);
do not contain substances harmful to human health.

For a house made of ordinary timber and rounded logs, it is recommended to use insulation with a thickness of 10 mm.

Ideal material for caulking - natural

Gaskets made from natural materials are ideal as insulation between joints. They are usually produced in the form of bales or ribbons. Kippah is a traditional form, but tape seal is more convenient: it is distributed faster and more evenly across the “front of work”. The width of the belts is selected depending on the type of timber or log from which the house is being erected. The main materials from which the sealant is created are jute, flax, hemp (hemp fiber) and moss.

Tape seal for log caulking

Tape sealant (linen-jute)

Swamp moss

Sphagnum moss- a natural material that is not subject to decay, hygroscopic and has good bactericidal properties. "Collecting" houses "on the moss" has been widespread in Russia since ancient times.

Warming of a wooden blockhouse is carried out simultaneously with the erected walls: a sealant is laid on each crown in layers.

The so-called red moss was popular. In the absence of it, cuckoo flax (forest moss) was used.

Jute fiber

Jute- from the linden family. Its golden color is closest to the color of wood. Jute fiber is the undisputed favorite among inter-row seals. During the shrinkage of the walls, the jute is evenly compacted. It is not susceptible to decay, absorbs and gives off moisture depending on environmental conditions, as wood does. Jute is not affected by moths, and is not taken away by birds. Mixed products are also used as a mezhventsovy sealant: jute and flax-jute felt.

The use of a tape seal not only insulates the log house, protects it from blowing, but also speeds up the assembly of the log house

Carefully choose a non-uniform, low-density compactor - a sign that the material is the result of recycled jute or linen sacks, that is, poor quality.

Caulking with flax

Linen- affordable and cheap material, used for caulking for a long time. Flax is used to produce flax fiber ("Eurolene"), bast fiber and linen tow. In favorable conditions, linen sealant will last a long time, retaining its elasticity.

Fiber caulking can raise the height of the log house up to 15 cm. At the same time, due to wood shrinkage and non-professional caulking, the log house can shrink by 3-5%.

The disadvantages of flax include susceptibility to rotting. In addition, the linen seal can be scattered by birds and rodents and be attacked by insects. In addition to 100% flax fiber, linen tow, linen wool (linen felt) and flax-jute are used in construction.

Accelerates caulking by using a hammer drill with an appropriate chisel

Synthetic materials for caulking

Mineral wool is the most “natural” of its human-made “brethren”. It consists of volcanic rock (basalt) and synthetic fiber, which provides "airiness". The advantage of mineral wool is that when pressed with crowns, it retains a porous structure and, due to this, retains heat.

The material is placed mainly on a profiled beam - in one row, and fixed with staples. After assembling the house, the protruding edges of the tape are cut off. Mineral wool is elastic: it is easily restored, filling all the cracks, completely blocking the access to water and obstructing the flow of air. Additional caulking is not required after shrinking at home.

In addition, mineral wool is devoid of the disadvantages of flax: it does not absorb moisture and does not collapse, does not attract birds, is fire resistant, does not rot and is more technologically advanced.

After caulking, shrinkage will occur

Basic rules for caulking

Caulking is performed simultaneously along the entire perimeter of the log house from the inner and outer sides, starting from the lowest groove. This is important, otherwise the caulking of one separate wall can lead to a distortion of the entire log house. In the process of drying, the walls usually shrink, as a result of which cracks appear, so wooden houses are healed even after the end of construction.

Six months after assembling the house, the final caulking of the seams is made with combed tow under the "pigtail".

After 1-2 years, when the blockhouse has stood, the final caulking is performed with the creation of a "roller". As a result, the blockhouse rises again in height by several centimeters per floor.

The quality of the caulk is checked with a sharp metal object (steel ruler, chisel, nail), which should not penetrate through the caulk. You can drive a nail into a good caulk!

Insulation is placed in the groove of a bar or log in three ways: without bends, with one or two-sided bend. Fastening is done with a construction stapler.

fibrous mineral wool insulation based on glass wool, glass staple fiber (Ursa, Isover), basalt mineral raw materials (Rockwool);
closed cell materials: extruded polystyrene foam (Penoplex), expanded polyethylene (Porileks, Pleneks, Izolon, Polifom, Energoflex), rigid sprayed polyurethane foams, polyurethane foam (Makroflex, Panafix, Macrofoam), sealants;
materials with open pores: foamed polyurethane foam (foam rubber PSUL-Profband).

In the case of using materials from this list, excess moisture accumulates in the thickness of the insulation, causing freezing of the seam, others contribute to the fact that moisture condenses at the junction of the tree and the insulation ("greenhouse effect"), or both together, which over time causes destruction of a wooden structure from the inside.

Some synthetic insulation is great for brick and concrete houses. But not for timber construction! Sometimes careless builders use them out of ignorance or selfish intent, as a cheap and easy-to-use material.

One of the main measures for warming a bath from a log house is caulking (caulking). Caulking is a clogging of gaps between the crowns of a log house with environmentally friendly insulation materials. In this article, we talk about how to make a caulking of a log house yourself and what materials and tools will be required for this.

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Purpose of caulking a log house

After all the rims of the bathhouse from the log house are laid, inserted and the roof is closed, it is necessary to proceed to the process. The log house has been insulated for a long time, and this process has practically not changed to this day. The only thing that has changed is the materials and tools for caulking (we will talk about them a little later).

Caulking a blockhouse is necessary for the following reasons:

For a well-insulated, it will take less time to warm up the steam room and other rooms
The log house tends to dry out, as a result of which gaps are formed in the construction of the bath, which will need to be hammered
If heat comes out of the bath, condensation will form outside the log house, which will entail rotting of the log house
Heating a well-insulated bath requires less fuel (coal, gas, wood or even electricity)

As you can see, log caulking is a very serious and at the same time useful exercise.

When do you need to caulk a log house?

As we know, it takes at least one year for a log building to shrink. Based on this, there is a lot of disagreement about the timing of the caulking.

The first caulking of the log house must be carried out immediately after laying all the crowns and overlapping the roof.

The second caulking of the log house is carried out after the bath has partially sat down (after about a year). Despite the fact that during the first caulking all the gaps will be tightly clogged, a year later there will be a place for another bath warming in the inter-crown gaps.

Well, the last caulking of the log house should be carried out at the time when the bath is completely seated, no later than 5 years later.

We draw your attention to the fact that do-it-yourself caulking of a log house must be carried out both from the outside of the bath, and from the inside. Another important point: during high-quality caulking, the bath can rise by about 7-10 cm, so it is better not to fix it to the roof, so that it does not deform during this time.

Materials for caulking a log house

Today, you can use moss, tow, special sealant, jute and flax for caulking a log house with your own hands. Let's take a quick look at the benefits of each material.

Moss

Previously, the log house was caulked with moss. This material for caulking is still used by some builders, but most of the experts prefer more modern materials.

The advantages of moss are that it is 100% environmentally friendly material that has antimicrobial properties and at the same time has a high durability.

The disadvantage of caulking a log house with moss is the high cost of this insulation.

Caulking moss should not be too dry, but at the same time, it should not be too wet.

Tow is also often used for caulking a log house, but this material is not recommended. First, the caulking of a tow log is a very laborious process. Secondly, the tow absorbs moisture, so after a few seasons it can start to rot, thereby damaging the crown of the log house. Thirdly, it is very difficult to pick out rotted tow from the cracks between the wedges, especially since the repeated caulking is not a very pleasant process. And fourthly, tow is a treat for moths.

Jute is an environmentally friendly material of plant origin. It is often used for caulking a log house with your own hands, because this material has the following advantages:

The material has high strength
Jute practically does not absorb water, which means it does not rot
Jute has good thermal insulation properties

We draw your attention to the fact that often in hardware stores instead of jute they offer an analogue - jute felt. We do not recommend using jute felt for caulking a log house, because this material has a share of flax, and this significantly reduces the strength and increases the hygroscopic properties of the material.

The caulking of a log house with jute is carried out during the construction of a structure from a log house. The material is placed on top of the crowns and fixed with a construction stapler.

Flax is also used for log caulking. This material consists of compacted flax dust, which is made with long belts. Flax, like jute, has high strength and heat-insulating properties.

Sealant

Special sealants for log caulking are also gaining popularity. They are most often used together with jute. There are different types of sealants depending on the width of the cracks. We draw your attention to the fact that it is advisable to use the sealant together with jute or flax, this will make the thermal insulation of the bath more effective.

To date, the following set of tools is used for do-it-yourself caulking of a log house:

Type-setting caulking
Curve caulking (requires skill at work, but more effective)
Road worker (used in conjunction with caulking)
Split caulk (narrower, in some places it is more convenient to work with it)
Mallet (used to drive caulk in a crevice)

It is recommended to use soft caulks (for example, made of wood), because they will not damage the surface of the log house. The only problem is that soft caulking is more difficult to use, but after a few warming, you will definitely adapt to this tool.

Diy caulking technology

The technology of caulking with your own hands is quite complicated, although you cannot say this from the outside. As we said earlier, when caulking a log house, the structure becomes 7-10 cm higher, so you need to caulk evenly and correctly.

You should be aware that no finishing measures should be taken before the caulking of the log house, because they will be damaged immediately when the structure is being lifted.

Correct caulking of a log house implies warming the inter-crown space in tiers (from lower to upper). First, caulk the lowest joint (between the first and second crown). This must be done along the perimeter, starting from one corner and ending with it. As soon as the tier is insulated, you need to move to the overlying crown.

We draw your attention to the fact that it is extremely forbidden to carry out isolated caulking (for example, only one wall), because log structure can be noticeably skewed.

It should be noted that experienced builders can level a skewed log house using only caulking.

When caulking a log house, it is necessary to carefully hammer in the insulation at the corners, because these nodes need it most of all (due to the presence of locks and complex grooves).

There are two ways to caulk a log house with your own hands: "stretching" and "in a set". The first method is used if the gaps between the crowns are small, respectively, the second is intended for wide slots. Let's take a closer look at each of the methods.

For caulking a log house "in a stretch" you will need a strand of insulating material for the length of the entire gap. First, it is necessary to tamp one side of the strand into the gap, then bend the other side (as shown in the picture) and carefully hammer in with a split or inlaid caulk.

This method of caulking a log house with your own hands requires much more insulation material, but it insulates a bathhouse from a log house with better quality. Caulking technology is different: a strand is prepared with a thickness of at least 15 mm. Next, the strands must be typed into loops and alternately hammer each loop into the gap (so that the strand goes across the gap, as shown in the picture). It is necessary to hammer in a strand using a split caulk, knocking the material from above, and then from below. After the strand is completely clogged in the cracks, it is recommended to make the final compaction with a road builder.