Log cabin caulking: methods - traditional and modern, technology of work, subtleties. Self-caulking log house Wooden chisels for driving jute

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.

Even if all stages of the construction of a wooden structure are completed professionally, this does not guarantee that there will be no drafts in the house. Firstly, the used blanks (beam, log), characterized by a large length, cannot be adjusted to one another with jewelry accuracy. Secondly, wood is constantly in the process of deformation (under the influence of moisture, temperature, and also due to natural shrinkage).

Even interventional insulation is not able to level the problem of emerging cracks, gaps; only caulking, as a way of additional thermal insulation of the log house. It is quite doable with your own hands, if you know how to do it and what you may need in the process of work.

Caulking is not a one-time event. For the first time, it is carried out either immediately after the completion of construction, or in parallel with the construction of the log house. Secondary - the next year or after 2 - 3, depending on local specifics (climate in the region; location of the building on the territory; its protection from winds; grade of wood used, which determines the intensity of its shrinkage and a number of other factors). The third time - after the final moisture removal from the material. As a rule, 5 years are allotted for this. But this does not exclude the need for unplanned caulking, as cracks form in certain areas.

Any material that can close the gap is not suitable for these purposes. His choice is determined by the following criteria:

optimal combination of elasticity and density;
low thermal conductivity;
resistance to destruction by microorganisms;
hygroscopicity, approximately identical to this indicator of wood. That is, the material for caulking should be characterized by the ability to equally absorb moisture and give it away;
"ecological cleanliness";
resistance to external negative factors. That is, the caulk should not be deformed, much less destroyed under the influence of the atmosphere (changes in humidity, temperature, their limit values).

When insulating a log house, it is necessary to adhere to a certain scheme. Caulking is carried out in levels, along the perimeter of the building. It starts from the lower crown, and only after high-quality sealing of the 1st aisle, you should start processing the 2nd. Failure to comply with this recommendation leads to the fact that under certain conditions there is a risk of warping the log house.

The specifics of caulking of timber and log buildings are somewhat different. The figure explains this well.

Caulking is always carried out before the start of any work on the finishing (plating) of the building. When insulating, the material is forced into the gaps with force, which leads to the "rise" of the entire log house. In total terms, for a one-story house - about 10 cm.

When caulking, you can not use different materials. The reason is the differences in hygroscopicity, which determines the degree of deformation when liquid is absorbed. Caulking only on one or two sides is also not recommended. Failure to comply with these requirements leads to a distortion of the structure.

If this happens, it is not critical. You can fix the skew with an additional caulk. The main thing is to correctly determine the area where the secondary installation of insulation will eliminate this defect.

There are quite a few of them. You do not need to be an expert in the field of construction to understand that natural materials are the best.

Moss

It has practically the same advantages. You can not purchase it, but assemble and prepare it yourself, although this opportunity is not available to everyone. "Ecological cleanliness" a priori no doubt. Another significant advantage - moss has antibacterial properties. Therefore, in places of sealing cracks, it provides high-quality protection of lumber from fungi and mold. Experts note only one drawback - the high cost of purchased moss.

Tow

With it, on the contrary, the cost is low, but it is difficult to work with this material, and it does not differ in durability. Firstly, the tow is fibrous in its structure, and therefore it absorbs moisture very actively. And she gradually moves to the tree. This, in turn, complicates the removal of rotten insulation from the gaps, especially if the seal was made to a great depth (which is typical for log cabins). Another disadvantage is that moths are very fond of tow, which gradually spreads throughout the house. And the quality of thermal insulation when the layer is damaged quickly decreases.

Lnovatin

Quite a new type of insulation. Represents the tape received by a method of pressing of the crushed flax. The material is good (heat-saving indicators are high, it does not absorb moisture and is not subject to decay), but it is only suitable for sealing large gaps.

Jute

The main characteristics are identical to flax wool. The advantage is in the variety of assortment. Jute is produced in ribbons or cords, so this material can be considered universal. The high price is the only drawback of the product.

Sealing compounds

They are categorized into three groups, but the common characteristic is the simplicity of warming the log house. The use of these heat insulators does not require professional skills; besides, the time savings are quite tangible.

Pasta in tubes. It is easy to match it to the tone of wood, so when sealing small gaps, it is the best option for caulking. If necessary, this place is varnished.

Briquettes. Their use requires a special gun. Convenience in a variety of nozzles, which allows you to process cracks, both large and relatively small.

Cords, plaits from polyethylene foam. They are pressed into the gap with the help of special tools. It is advisable to use for sealing cracks of great length.

Instruments

Since caulking is carried out in various areas that differ in the parameters of the cracks, and hence the complexity of the operations, it is advisable to use a set (set) of devices for such work. Insulating a log house with just one will not work. The tool will not be needed only in the case of using soft (paste-like) sealants.

A properly selected tool will allow not only to optimize work in various areas, but also to expand (if necessary) the gap, to insulate the place of the log house, which has a complex geometry. Therefore, you should not be limited only to the devices shown in the figures.

Basic caulking technologies

Stretching

As a rule, this method is implemented in areas characterized by a large length. Accordingly, the material is also selected - cords, ribbons, harnesses. The meaning of the operation is to uniformly push the insulation into the slot with a gradual displacement of the working surface of the tool to the side. The peculiarity is that a small part of the material remains outside the log house. At the last stage, the excess is tucked up (that is, a kind of roller is formed) and forced into the gap with effort. This ensures its complete sealing.

To the set

This technology is suitable for large gaps, since in this case a narrow tape (cord) cannot provide high-quality insulation. Or in difficult areas, when the gap width changes many times. The material is disassembled into separate strands; they are twisted (in balls, loops) and driven into the gap. Working is more painstaking, requiring time and accuracy.

Sometimes the edges of the interventional insulation protrude somewhat from the log house. Experienced craftsmen do just that during the installation of the structure, taking into account its subsequent shrinkage. In this case, it remains only to tuck the excess and drive them into the gap.

In principle, there is nothing complicated in the caulking of a log house. It is only necessary to correctly assess the specifics of the work, the parameters of the cracks and choose the right material and the optimal method of thermal insulation.

The construction of log cabins is gaining more and more popularity. Such houses have a special comfort and create a feeling of naturalness and closeness to nature. However, when erecting a wooden building, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the material and observe the technological features of construction. One of the mandatory processes is caulking a log house with your own hands.

Insulation with a caulk of a wooden house is done by plugging the gaps between the logs outside and inside the house.

The caulk of a timber house is necessary to eliminate the gaps between the individual elements. In the absence of gaps between the logs, cold from the street does not penetrate into the house.

Do-it-yourself methods for caulking a log house

The quality of the result when performing konopakti on your own largely depends on the materials and tools used. In addition, it is very important to observe the technological subtleties of the process for optimal results.

Tools required for work:

A hammer. Its weight should be in the range of 300-400 g.
Chisel 2 cm.
Special spatula for caulking.
Rubber mallet.

It is best to caulk a house 6 months after construction. A year later, the procedure is repeated, as the house shrinks. If necessary, the caulking can be repeated 5 years after construction. You can caulk the log house with a perforator instead of a hammer. However, in this case, it is necessary to observe increased caution and accuracy, as the logs can be significantly damaged.

To fill the gaps between the logs, one of two methods can be used:

in stretching;
into a set.

In the first case, the material is laid in separate strands. The gap is filled, the strands are twisted into a roller, which is driven into the groove. If caulking is performed in a set, the insulation will be divided into strands that are folded into a ball. A ball formed from strands fills the cracks. In this case, the amount of material to be driven in depends on the width of the gap. Due to the peculiarities of caulking technology, it is also called punching.

Materials used

To insulate the walls of a log house, as a rule, natural materials are used. Traditional options:

hemp;
tow;
felt.

Natural heaters are environmentally friendly, this explains their popularity. However, they also have certain disadvantages - low hygroscopicity and short service life. In addition, such heaters attract insects that can spoil not only them, but also wood.

Popularity is gaining modern material - jute fiber. Its advantage over alternative options is hygroscopicity and strength. However, jute felt is far from the best solution for caulking. The composition of the material includes linen. Jute felt quickly rots, moths start in it, and its strength is insufficient for its goals.

It is worth paying attention to lnovatin. In its production, industrial flax waste is used. The material has high rigidity and strength.

Features of caulking

A log house is a special type of structure, any manipulation of which can significantly affect its parameters. It is necessary to caulk the walls in a circle, starting from the bottom row. You cannot first process one wall, and then move on to another, since in this case the log house can be very skewed.

Features of the caulk must be taken into account even at the stage of building a log house. So, when laying heat-insulating material, it is very important to leave a gap of 4-5 cm. When caulking, this will simplify the work. It will be necessary to lay the material in the grooves later, if a small gap is not provided. As a result, the quality of insulation will be significantly reduced.

The first caulking is carried out 6 months after laying the timber.

This period allows the house to settle. Laying imperfections become noticeable, which can be partially corrected or masked with a caulk. Before construction and re-caulking, it must be taken into account that the caulking made in accordance with the technology increases the height of the house by about 15 cm. The filling of each seam must be done carefully, avoiding gaps.

Thus, you can caulk the house with your own hands. It is very important to prepare high-quality materials and special tools. Proper filling of the seams between the elements of the log house can significantly enhance its thermal insulation.

Caulking a log house is a painstaking process that requires patience and great effort. Everything matters here: the tool, the quality of the material, the sequence of work. Without the appropriate experience, not everyone can correctly caulk a log house, so you first need to familiarize yourself with the technology, study the methods of caulking, and correctly select interventional insulation.

The caulking of the log house is carried out in two stages - immediately after the erection and after some time, when shrinkage occurs. Primary (or rough) caulking can be carried out in two ways: with the laying of insulation during the assembly of walls or a one-time performance of work on completion of construction.

1 way

Perform the laying of the lower row of logs on the base.

Then the insulation is spread on top so that the ends of the material hang evenly on both sides. Next, a second crown is laid, and again a layer of insulation. So repeat to the very top of the log house. After all the work on the construction of the log house is completed and the roof is installed, the protruding ends of the sealant are hammered into the gaps between the bars with the help of caulks.

2 way

Caulking begins after the installation of the roofing system on the frame. Insulation (best of all, tape) is applied to the seam of the bottom row and, using a tool, is stuffed into the gaps between the logs along the entire length, leaving hanging edges 5-7 cm wide. Then these edges are tucked in, a roller is formed from them and hammered into the seam. Repeat the procedure in the next row and so on to the top of the structure.

The second stage of caulking is performed after shrinkage of the log house - after 1-2 years. The selected insulation is applied to the cracks between the crowns and tightly hammered inside. You should always start work from the bottom row, and be sure to do it around the perimeter of the log house.

You cannot first caulk one wall, then the second, and so on. In addition, each row is caulked both from the outside and from the inside to avoid distortions of the structure. The insulation raises the log house by 5-10 cm, and its uneven distribution contributes to the vertical deviation of the walls. In some cases, the log house is caulked for the third time - 5-6 years after the construction. During this time, the wood shrinks completely, and new gaps form.

There are two ways of caulking - "in a set" and "in a stretch". The first is used to eliminate wide gaps between logs, the second is usually used for primary caulking, when the gaps are still narrow.

To work, you need tools - a set of caulks, a road builder and a mallet. As a rule, metal caulks are used, although many craftsmen make their own from hardwood.

Name	Description	What is it used for
	Flat metal or wooden spatula. Blade width 100 mm, thickness 5-6 mm	The main tool for sealing gaps between crowns
	Flat chisel with a blade width of 50-60 mm and a thickness of up to 5 mm	It is used for sealing joints in corners and rounded sections of the log house
	Caulking triangular shape with a longitudinal groove along the blade. Width - 170 mm, thickness 8-15 mm	Tool for forming even rolls from twisted strands of sealant
	Thick and narrow wedge up to 35 mm wide	Expands narrow gaps, which provides more convenient filling with insulation
	wooden hammer	Used for stuffing the sealant with wooden caulks

Caulker blades should not be sharp, otherwise, when clogging the material, they will cut it. Pay special attention to the surface of the blades: if it is rough, the insulation fibers will cling and pull back out of the seams.

Materials for caulking

The following materials are used as interventional heaters:

red and white moss;
tow;
felt;
jute;
lnovatin.

Material type	Description
	Environmentally friendly material with antiseptic properties. With independent procurement of raw materials, the cost of warming the log house will be minimal. It is collected, as a rule, in late autumn, when there are no snails and fewer insects in it. Immediately after collection, the moss is sorted out, clods of earth and debris are removed, and slightly dried. It is not necessary to dry strongly, otherwise the stems become too brittle and unusable. Purchased moss must be soaked before caulking to facilitate styling. Pros: durability, low thermal conductivity, resistance to temperature changes, environmental friendliness, antimicrobial properties, low cost. Cons: Difficult to find commercially, requires bird protection, requires pre-treatment before laying
	The tow is suitable for the primary caulking of the log house and for sealing the crowns after shrinkage. It is made from flax fibers, and depending on their quality is divided into bale and roll (tape). Roll consists of shorter and stiffer fibers, which makes it difficult to drive between the rims. Tape tow is better in quality, softer and more convenient for caulking. Pros: has low thermal conductivity, does not electrify, is highly absorbent and dries quickly, has bactericidal properties. Cons: the complexity of laying, unaesthetic appearance of the seams after caulking.
	Until recently, natural felt was widely used in the insulation of log cabins. Now its composition is supplemented with synthetic and vegetable fibers, which significantly improve its individual properties. And yet, felt insulation without additives has a number of advantages: it has high vapor permeability, does not let in odors, provides good sound insulation, has low thermal conductivity, is easy to use, and environmentally friendly. Cons: prone to rotting, easily damaged by moths
	Traditional heaters are increasingly being replaced by materials such as jute. It is produced in the form of fibers, ropes of any thickness, as well as in the form of a tape. Ribbon jute is soft and pliable, evenly compacted, used for both primary and re-caulking. Jute fibers and ropes are more convenient to use after shrinkage of the log house. Pros: it is durable, it is not damaged by moths and other insects, it does not rot, it provides a favorable microclimate in the building. Cons: the material quickly caking, short service life.

Tow prices

Primary caulking "in stretch"

The whole process is divided into two stages - the laying of insulation between the logs during the construction of the log house and the caulk itself. The insulation is laid after the installation of each crown. If moss is used, it should be slightly damp.

They take a large bunch of moss and lay it with fibers across the log so that the ends of the fibers hang on both sides by 5-7 cm. The next bunch lies close next to each other.

The fibers must be evenly distributed over the surface, forming a layer of the same thickness. Wood should not shine through the moss, so make the insulation layer thicker. It is better to put in excess than not to report, because a thin layer will not be able to effectively protect the seams from blowing.

If tape insulation is used, the installation is much easier and faster: the tape is rolled out along the crown and fixed with staples of a construction stapler. When the tape ends, the new segment is overlapped by 5 cm so that there are no gaps at the joints. After the entire row along the perimeter is covered with insulation, the installation of the second crown is performed.

So, the log house has been erected, the roof has been installed, the walls can be caulked.

The procedure for caulking and sealing cracks after shrinkage of the log house

It is more convenient if the insulation is tape, then it is much faster to form a roller out of it. When twisting the material, it must be slightly stretched along the seam, which contributes to greater compaction and uniform distribution of the insulation. Sometimes the thickness of the roller is not enough to fill the gap, then they take additional strands and wrap them in the hanging ends of the material. After that, the thickened roller is hammered into the gap.

If during the construction process the insulation was not laid between the logs, caulking is performed in the manner described above, only more material will be needed. It must be applied to the seams with fibers across. The longitudinal arrangement of the fibers will not provide the desired density, the material will not be able to firmly fix itself and will constantly crawl out of the grooves. When choosing a tape compactor, make sure that the width of the tape is several centimeters greater than the thickness of the log. Too short edges are difficult to tuck, respectively, the quality of caulking will be low.

The edge of the tape is laid on the ground near the corner of the log house and retreat along the wall, unwinding the roll. You can’t stretch the material, it should just lie in an even strip on the ground. It is very important that the tape does not twist during the unwinding process. Having reached the second corner, the roll is also left to lie, nothing is cut off yet.
They return to the beginning of the tape, take it by the edge and put it over the seam. With a caulking blade, the tape is pressed in the middle, leaving the edges to protrude by 5-7 cm. In this way, the entire interventional seam passes.
We insert the insulation into the seam
Measure another 25-30 cm of the tape and only then cut it off the roll. This margin will allow you to more tightly clog the grooves without adding insulation.
Now little by little, straightening and tucking the edges of the material, they begin to caulk the seam. The tape should completely hide in the gap between the logs along with the stock.
As a rule, one layer of tape is not enough for high-quality filling, so everything will have to be repeated two or even three more times.
The finished seam should protrude from the grooves by no more than 3-4 mm and be of uniform thickness.

Caulking prices

caulk

If the gaps between the crowns are very wide, caulking "in a set" is used. For these purposes, tow, hemp ropes or jute cords are used. Long strands are formed from tow, which are wound into a ball. Finished cords or ropes are also wound into balls for convenience.

Start from the edge of the lower crown:

clear the gap, removing chipped chips and debris;
unwind a small amount of cord, fold it in the form of loops and push it into the gap with a caulk;
seal the loops first at the top of the gap, then at the bottom;
impose another strand on top, now without loops, and level with a road builder.

Further along the seam, the strands are laid in one layer until the next gap. The denser the voids are clogged, the better the insulation. Try not to leave hanging fibers: firstly, they spoil the appearance of the wall, and secondly, birds can pull the sealant apart. Having finished caulking the first row, they move on to the second, and everyone repeats in the same way.

For a decorative log house, a jute cord can be hammered along the entire length of the seams.

Caulking corners

The corners are caulked separately after the walls are completed. It is also more convenient to use tape insulation here.

Since the seams between the logs have a semicircular shape at the corners, you will need a crooked caulk.

Step 1. The tape is placed vertically. They take it by the edge, apply it to the fillet seam and press it inward with a caulk. They step back a little and again drive the material into the gap.

Step 2 As soon as the insulation is a little fixed, they begin to tuck the protruding edges and hammer them deeper into the cracks.

Step 3 After filling and leveling the upper seam, they move on to the second. The material must be constantly straightened, and slightly stretched so that it lies more evenly.

This is how the entire corner is consistently compacted. The seams should not protrude more than 5 mm, otherwise the look will be sloppy.

Video - How to caulk the corner of a log house

Caulking a log house with sealants

The caulking of the log house with special sealants is gaining popularity, which are easy to apply, give the seams a very aesthetic appearance and reliably protect against blowing. If the log house is made of rounded logs or glued beams, and jute is laid as a heater between the crowns, only sealant and foam polyethylene tow can be used. The sealing of the seams is carried out not earlier than the shrinkage of the log house.

Step 1. The joints between the logs are cleaned of dust and clogged debris, wiped dry with a rag.

Step 2 A primer-primer is applied along the perimeter of the seams with a brush or sprayer. If the work is carried out in winter, the primer must be chosen on a rubber basis, in the summer - on a water basis.

Step 3. After the primer has dried, a tourniquet of foamed polyethylene is inserted into the seams, the diameter of which is selected according to the width of the gap.

Step 4 Apply sealant. The composition is used in tubes, which is applied with a mounting gun, in buckets and in the form of a tape. The latter option is very easy to use: on one side of the tape, remove the protective film, apply it to the seam, press it with your hand and roll it with a roller.

Step 5 After sealing all interventional joints, remove the outer layer of the film so that the sealant hardens. At the end, the joints are covered with a colorless varnish or a tinting composition is applied, depending on the color of the sealant.

When applying the composition with a spatula or from a tube, the sealant should be smoothed out and the excess removed with a damp cloth.

If the logs for the log house were harvested by hand, more uneven gaps form during shrinkage. Here, one sealant and a polyethylene cord will not be enough. In such cases, caulking is performed in the traditional way, after which the seams are closed with a sealant. After such processing, the need for subsequent caulking disappears.

Video - How to caulk a log house

When building a house from a bar or a bath from a log, caulking of a log house is mandatory.

This technological operation provides the building with the necessary parameters to ensure comfortable conditions.

Wooden houses and outbuildings are considered the most convenient for living and when used for other purposes in the climatic zone, where there is a pronounced change of seasons.

What is the caulk for?

Wood as the main building material has been used for centuries in areas with a sharply continental climate.

In winter, when the air temperature is very low, the house, assembled from timber, retains heat for a long time. The furnace serves as the main heating device.

In summer, when the yard is hot for several weeks, the house, built of round logs, stays cool.

Due to climatic conditions, an ordinary estate cannot be imagined without a bathhouse and a summer kitchen. Each building, which is constructed from wood, is an ordinary log house.

At present, when the construction market is full of new, easy-to-use and inexpensive materials, many people prefer to use traditional methods, projects and tools when building a house or a bath.

Time-tested technologies allow you to get the desired result with minimal effort and budget costs.

Getting started, the contractor needs to know how to caulk a log house and why this procedure is being done. There is no secret in this matter.

The walls of the house or bath at a certain stage of construction must be brought into proper condition.

To assemble a good log house from logs or timber, you need to choose a quality building material.

As statistics show, today there are fewer and fewer quality woods on the market. At the same time, the demand for lumber tends to grow. This is an objective process.

Experienced carpenters know that logs that come from living wood need to be properly prepared for use. The main thing is to dry.

Practice shows that large volumes of timber arrive at the construction site in substandard form.

This means that the timber or logs from which the log cabin for the house and bath are built will dry out for some more time.

Experts call such changes shrinkage. Shrinkage leads to the fact that cracks gradually form between the crowns, and cracks appear on the logs, as a result of which cold air and atmospheric moisture penetrate into the house or bath. To avoid such consequences, it is necessary to caulk the log house with jute or tow.

In ancient times, marsh moss was used to insulate and caulk log walls. For work, a special tool was used.

Today, this procedure cannot be dispensed with, despite the fact that grinding, painting and other methods are used in wood processing technology.

The construction and decoration of a wooden house is carried out taking into account the shrinkage of the log house. If you do not take into account this feature, then you will have to finish the walls inside and out several times.

Depending on the quality of the beam or log from which the house is built, shrinkage can last more than a year. Therefore, the caulking of the log house has to be performed several times.

The first entry is made after the house is brought under the roof and the thermal circuit is completed. This means that all windows and doors are in place, and the stove or boiler is ready for the heating season. If necessary, after the caulking, grinding of the walls is performed.

Today on the market you can buy various materials for caulking a log house.

Basically, they are divided into the following types:

natural;
synthetic;
mineral.

Experienced carpenters prefer to work with natural materials. Most often, caulking a log house is done with jute, moss and tow. The technology of caulking has been worked out to the smallest detail.

These materials are time-tested, and the craftsmen know well when and how to perform this procedure.

Moss has long been considered the most affordable and high-quality material for log house caulking. However, in recent decades, the volumes of its harvesting have been declining, and it has noticeably increased in price.

To work with moss when caulking a log house, a simple tool is used that can be used for other materials.

Tow has universal properties, low cost and thermal conductivity. Old carpenters know well how to properly caulk a log house, so they prefer not to use tow when building a bath.

The reason for this attitude lies in the fact that this material is fibrous and does not have water-repellent properties.

Moisture easily accumulates in the tow, which, in turn, creates conditions for the gradual decay of the timber.

To prevent the development of such processes, the tow must be impregnated with a special compound before the caulk.

In the list of materials that are used for caulking log cabins, one of the leading positions today is occupied by jute.

This material is known at all latitudes as Calcutta hemp. From this hemp, as well as from hemp strands, ropes, ropes and technical fabrics are produced.

The caulking of a log cabin from a bar began to be made with jute from the moment hemp appeared on the construction market.

Jute has the following properties:

high strength;
minimal hygroscopicity;
low thermal conductivity.

Evaluating each natural material for a particular building, you need to choose which one is better.

The fact is that when building a bath, it makes sense to caulk the log house with a sealant. Synthetic materials for sealing gaps and seams have been used recently.

Today, methods have been developed for caulking a log house with rubber sealant together with jute. This combination is used for large gaps.

Sealants are convenient to use when subsequent grinding of log walls is planned.

In regions with a temperate climate, clay and adobe are used to caulk the seams between logs. This technology gives the expected result with the correct preparation of the working mixture.

Tool and technology

When you plan to caulk a log house with your own hands, you need to properly prepare for this responsible work.

Insulation of a house or a bath requires the precise execution of all technological operations. The first step is to prepare the instrument.

The complete set includes the following accessories:

road builder;
mallet or mushel;
crooked caulk;
type-setting caulk;
breaking caulk.

All instruments, with the exception of the mallet, are made of wood. You can also purchase metal fixtures - they will last longer.

There is an electric chisel for caulking a log house on sale, but skill is needed to work with it.

The tool that is assembled in the kit is designed for all the available options. A road builder is a wide spatula that looks like a spatula.

It is used when filling slots and gaps of equal width. A mallet is a wooden or rubber mallet.

A curved caulk is used when filling uneven gaps, and a type-setting caulk is used when filling narrow gaps. With the help of a breaking blade, if necessary, expand the gaps between the crowns.

The direct executors of the work need to imagine how to caulk a log house. In order to better prepare for this responsible work, it is useful to see how experienced craftsmen perform it.

When caulking a log house, despite the apparent simplicity of the procedure, it is necessary to have physical fitness and strictly follow certain rules. Not every modern person is able to keep a mallet out of his hands for hours.

When caulking an old log house, it is necessary to remove the outdated material from the cracks and gaps. For a log house from a bar, it is more convenient and faster to perform stretching.

Very often, in this case, the gap has the same size along the entire length, and caulking with jute allows you to achieve the desired quality.

If the walls are made of logs and further polishing is required, then the "set-up" method is used.

Before starting caulking a log house, you must have all the tools at hand. Particular attention is paid to the processing of cracks and gaps at the corners of the log house.

These places in severe frosts freeze through more often. When, after caulking, the walls of the log will be polished, you can use a sealant. In this case, the costs will be less.

But it is better not to chase cheapness and use natural materials. It is important to emphasize that before performing caulking, it is impossible to carry out finishing work inside the house. The fact is that after insulation, the height of the walls often increases.

You need to start caulking the log house from the lower rims and move around the perimeter. The sealing material must be driven in as tightly as possible using a suitable tool.

Work on only one wall is not allowed. No need to save and use different materials - it will not get better.

In the uppermost gaps, you can simply push jute or tow with a spatula without using a mallet.

If, as a result of caulking, the log house is warped, then you should not panic. It is necessary to perform the caulk again according to all the rules.