If nothing is done about this, then drafts will appear in the house, and over time, mold will appear, which will lead to rotting of the logs.
Until recently, this problem could be dealt with by caulking a log house. Now there are other, more modern methods.
What is better for end protection?
Wood is considered a delicate material, so the best modern materials are used to process it, including specialized acrylic sealants for wooden houses. Today they are actively used in various types of construction - industrial and private.
Industry, domestic and foreign, offers special sealing compounds created for processing the end elements of wooden buildings. Such materials cope well with the negative effects of atmospheric phenomena and protect wooden structures from rapid destruction. After applying the substance, the ends are under a layer of elastic film with water-repellent properties.
“Acrylic sealant for wood ends” of domestic production is a protective material created on the basis of a water-dispersed acrylic composition of very high quality. This allows you to reliably protect structures made of wood from drying out, moisture and rotting for a long time. In addition, treatment with this substance gives the ends additional stability.
Acrylic sealant for end cuts
Acrylic sealants used in the construction of environmentally friendly buildings are themselves materials that are harmless to humans.
>Surface preparation
It should be noted that proper preparation of the surface of the ends for the subsequent application of protective material is the key to preserving a wooden house for many years.
Characteristics of sealants
There are several types of sealants that can be used to insulate roof joints and cracks:
- acrylic;
- silicone;
- polyurethane;
- bituminous.
The most popular of the presented types is acrylic composition. Among its advantages are:
- elasticity;
- good adhesion;
- moisture resistance;
- biosustainability;
- color fastness;
- simplicity and ease of application.
Silicone-based sealant withstands high temperatures and humidity well, which is why it is often used to seal cracks in baths and saunas.
The polyurethane composition also has decent characteristics, but due to the fact that it contains toxic components, it can only be used for external insulation.
Bitumen mastics have a very high degree of moisture resistance, so they are usually used to seal the dampest places: basements, basements and roofs.
More detailed characteristics of acrylic and other types of sealants can be found in the article “Sealant for a wooden house - a review of materials and manufacturers.”
Types of packaging
The sealant is produced:
- In cartridges. This packaging is intended for use in special construction guns.
- In tubes. The mass is squeezed out of the tube directly onto the seam, and then it is given the desired shape with a chisel. Leveling is carried out within 10 minutes after application, otherwise the sealant will polymerize and it will be quite difficult to correct the frozen shape.
- In plastic buckets. In this case, the sealant is applied using a spatula.
Recommendations for using sealant
Log and timber houses can be insulated no earlier than 1-2 years after construction. The exception is houses made of laminated veneer lumber, which can be sealed almost immediately after construction.
To achieve maximum effect, it is advisable to carry out sealing outside and inside the house. However, only external thermal insulation of seams is also allowed.
The sealant can only be applied in dry weather at a temperature of at least 5 degrees Celsius.
If work is carried out in the summer in hot sunny weather, the shady side is sealed first. When the sun is active, the sealant dries quickly, which is undesirable, since the technology is disrupted.
When applying sealant to a previously painted surface, it is necessary to first conduct an adhesion test with the dye on a small area.
Pros and cons of using
Like any material, sealants have their strengths and weaknesses. The advantages of the compositions include :
- long service life (from 25 years);
- excellent adhesion indicators in relation not only to wood, but also to other materials;
- moisture resistance;
- increased elasticity;
- resistance to temperature changes and humidity;
- Ease of use.
The disadvantages of sealants include:
- the inability to paint some types of compounds;
- compliance with clear work technology;
- impossibility of use on wet surfaces.
Loghouse sealing technology
If you adhere to basic principles, anyone can seal a log house. General recommendations for sealing wooden houses are as follows. Work must be carried out in the temperature range not lower than +5°C and up to +30°C. The wooden base on which the sealant will be applied must be strong, clean and dust-free. The minimum thickness of sealant application is 5 mm.
If the house is new, first of all it is necessary to carry out fire protection. Then follows painting and only after that sealing. Most of the topcoats are compatible with acrylic sealants. Possessing high adhesion (stickiness), they fit well on any treated surface.
There is a special attitude towards old logs. If the paint has seen its fair share of wear and tear, you need to check how it holds up. If there is peeling and swelling, it is better to sand these places. If the coating holds well, you can seal it by first removing dust from the surface of the joint mouth. Dust and dirt impair the adhesion of the sealant. If cleaning is not performed, the sealant may peel off from the substrate and the seam will become unsealed. If the brand of topcoat is unknown, you can check the compatibility of materials on a small area.
One of the important aspects of quality work is the use of special insulation in the form of a cord inside the joint. The cord is made of foamed polyethylene. This insulation serves as a filler, reducing the consumption of sealant, and as a heat insulator. The cracks are deep and their treatment leads to excessive consumption of the base material, and the use of filler can sometimes reduce consumption by an order of magnitude. An important function of such material is to prevent the adhesion of the sealant at three points, that is, not only to the adjacent edges of the log, but also in the zone of their closure inside the gap. It is necessary to understand the essence of how the sealant works during operation. Its main task is to seal the gap during any changes in the geometry of the joint. If the sealant sticks to the wood beyond just the edges of the gap, the material could come off if the logs warp.
When sealing inter-crown seams, a situation occurs when the gap between the logs is thread-like, less than 1 mm wide. It is very difficult to insulate it; expansion of the seam will lead to a violation of the tightness. However, if it is not treated, the seam may come apart during operation under certain conditions. To prevent this from happening, you need to carefully coat the mouth of the log joint with a concentrated soap solution with a brush. Let dry and then apply sealant. When the soap solution dries, it creates a film that prevents adhesion. And the sealant, as expected, will only adhere to the edges of the joint. Sometimes the material used to caulk a log house is packed tightly, so there is no point in replacing it. You can also use a soap solution here.
The quality and neatness of the seam sealed with sealant depends on how carefully the preparation was carried out. Immediately before applying the sealant, the gap should be slightly moistened with a spray bottle. It is necessary to strive to ensure that the thickness of the seam is as small as possible, but at the same time the gap itself is completely closed. The optimal diameter of the sealant extruded from the gun can be determined experimentally. After the sealant has been applied, it is again sprayed with water and smoothed with a spatula of suitable width. To get a neat seam with clear edges, the edge of the seam is pre-formed with masking tape. Another method can be used: the sealant is applied more or less carefully, and the excess is removed with a sponge soaked in an alcohol solution (you can use cheap vodka).
Acrylic sealant does not turn yellow over time and does not lose its color (it is colored with pigment in the mass). Acrylic does not emit any harmful substances into the air, therefore it retains the advantage of a wooden house such as environmental friendliness. The aesthetics of the seam sealed with sealant also remains at its best. These can be contrasting stripes or matched to the color of the main wood so that the treated seams are not particularly noticeable. The sealant is produced in standard 600 ml tubes or 5-liter buckets.
Video description
For car owners, a video about automotive sealant will be interesting:
These materials are practically not used for filling voids or gluing elements of other structures. The color scheme of the material is often made in white, colorless, black and red. For working with facing decor, the range of shades differs significantly from the standards.
How long does it take for sealant to dry?
The time spent on installation work and the wait before full use of this or that equipment depends on how long the silicone sealant dries. The time period depends on the composition of the mass and the following criteria:
- depth and width of the gap (without exceeding the parameters recommended by the manufacturer);
- ambient temperature (optimal range from +5℃ to + 40℃);
- access to air mass flows (most materials dry due to moisture release).
The polymerization process occurs in stages. First, a surface film forms, which takes about 15-25 minutes. Further, the rate of strength gain is on average 1.5-2 mm within 12-24 hours. At this stage of construction, it is important to adhere to the recommendations from the manufacturer.
The drying time of the mass depends on the applied layer Source bec-mn.org
Chemical treatment
A huge number of different impregnations and mastics make novice builders tempted to cover the first crowns of a log or timber house with a thick sealing layer that completely eliminates the circulation of moisture.
The expediency of such an action is very questionable, since complete sealing will lead to the opposite effect - the log will remain stably moist and, as a result, will turn into an excellent incubator for microbiological substances.
But what is really worth doing from the operations of chemical preparation of wood for long-term use is antiseptic treatment, which minimizes the risk of biological contamination of wood.
We recommend not experimenting with the so-called “folk methods of antiseptic treatment (vitriol, old machine oil, etc.)”, since in this case there is always a risk of getting a stable source of carcinogens, emitting them, by the way, not only into the external environment, but and in the underground
Fumigation of logs
In any hardware store today you can purchase inexpensive antiseptics that are certified in government laboratories and have a number of additional useful qualities (for example, almost all antiseptics can be used as a primer before painting).
Among the “ancient” methods of extending the life of the lower crowns of a log house, it is worth mentioning fumigation, which consists of burning logs in an open fire.
The essence of the technique is that when the outer layer of the log is fired, the capillary network of the wood becomes clogged, through which dangerous saturation with moisture occurs
But - what is important - in this case the effect of vapor permeability is preserved, which, by the way, is absent in many polymer sealants
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What destroys the lower crowns of log houses
Modern technology for building wooden houses involves installing a log house on a stone foundation.
In this case, the foundation of the house is exposed to several dangerous factors:
- capillary moisture coming from the foundation;
- humid atmosphere from the basement;
- lack of sunlight, since the lower part of the wall is often in the shadow area;
- drip moisture and temperature changes from the outside of the walls.
Damaged logs
In the latter case, the situation is aggravated by the fact that if the base configuration is incorrect, moisture flowing from the walls during rain accumulates in the lower logs and in the inter-crown seals.
A direct consequence of the factors listed above is the development of microbiological formations in the wood, affecting its structure and ultimately leading to a complete loss of strength in the lower crowns of the frame.
The greatest biological danger to logs is represented by fungal structures, the first signs of which are the so-called blue discoloration, sometimes penetrating into the very core of the log.
The nutrient medium for such fungi is lignin, cellulose and oxygen. But the main catalyst for their development is always high humidity.
The second factor in the biological damage to wood is wood-boring beetles, the appearance of which is almost always associated with fungal infection of wood.
Taking into account the above, the main methods for solving the problem of lower crowns are:
- saturation of wood with antiseptic compounds that impede the development of microbiological formations;
- reduction in the capacity of the external capillaries of the logs, necessary to stabilize the internal moisture content of the wood at an acceptable level.
As mentioned earlier, the solution to the listed problems is carried out not only through additional processing of wood, but also through the use of special design solutions, the most significant of which will be discussed below.
Reliable sealing of seams between logs guarantees living comfort
Required tools and materials
Due to the growing popularity of wooden construction, sealing seams between logs is becoming an urgent repair task. The methods for solving it are quite diverse; both historical methods of sealing and the use of new insulating materials deserve attention.
Renaissance of wooden architecture in modern construction
Throughout the 20th century, the architecture of private houses rapidly mastered various building materials in order to return in the new millennium... to time-tested traditional wood. Houses made of solid timber, buildings made of solid logs and rounded beams are not a tribute to fashion - they have solid operational advantages:
- Wood is a natural and “warm” material. In terms of environmental qualities and beneficial effects on the well-being of all residents, wooden houses simply have no competitors. It is pleasant and comfortable to be inside such a building, especially if the house is built from softwood logs,
- Impeccable aesthetics and durability. A well-built log frame will last no less than a permanent stone structure, but will look unique and recognizable, unlike standard brick and concrete “boxes”
- When constructing wooden houses, the external and internal finishing is laid immediately, even at the stage of wall construction. This allows you to save significant money and effort on subsequent repairs. You don’t have to decorate the house with metal siding on the outside, cover it with wallpaper on the inside and plaster the facade,
- The naturalness of the wood contributes to the elasticity of the joints; the mandatory sealing of cracks between the beams should not violate this quality. A certain elasticity of the logs and joints themselves allows the entire house to withstand strong temperature changes and ground fluctuations - buildings made of bricks and stone are more likely to develop cracks,
- A wooden house needs cosmetic repairs less than others. Maintaining it in an attractive condition can hardly be called repair. The biggest problem may be sealing cracks in the log - but they are rare and can be completely fixed on your own. A log house does not require investments in laying tiles, erecting suspended ceilings, decorating rooms with plasterboard and other expensive repair “pleasures”,
- Wooden walls, even if they are made from the most massive beams, will be thinner than brick and stone ones with comparable durability and strength. This ensures a gain in the internal living space, of which there is never too much.
Naturally, buildings made of wood have their drawbacks, otherwise they would have long ago displaced all other building materials into the dustbin of history. Firstly, log houses have a significant cost. We can say that savings on subsequent repairs are included in the capital construction estimate. Secondly, you cannot build such a house on your own - you need a proven company with a qualified staff of designers and craftsmen. Thirdly, it will not be possible to radically change the design of the interior and exterior decoration; it will still have a “woody” orientation.
In addition, any wooden houses need sealing of cracks. Without such a procedure, drafts will appear in them, residents will begin to get sick, bills for the use of thermal energy will reach sky-high heights, comfort and coziness will collapse from the heavenly horizons below a narrow baseboard. How and with what to seal the seams between logs depends on the requirements for reliability, durability and the desired aesthetics of the joints between logs and beams.
Reliable sealing of seams between logs is a guarantee of living comfort
Sealing cracks and seams between logs and beams provides thermal comfort to the entire structure - analysis of seam sealing methods and video tips on the topic
Why are cracks dangerous?
Water easily penetrates into the cracks formed in the logs and moisture accumulates. Which inevitably provokes internal rotting of the tree. And this is dangerous:
- gradual destruction of the structure;
- significant deterioration in thermal insulation qualities;
- the appearance of dangerous mold and fungi inside the building.
It was noted that the largest number of cracks appears in the first year of construction and subsidence of logs.
The explanation for cracking is simple: the outside of the wood material dries out much faster than the inside. And when solid wood remains dry on the outside and damp on the inside, this situation automatically “stretches” the outer layers of wood, while the inner ones shrink. The result is the rupture of wood fibers and the formation of cracks on their surface. Moreover, the faster the tree shrinks, the more cracks appear on it.
Sealants for sealing joints in a wooden house
In houses made of logs and timber with natural moisture, cracks appear very often; this is a distinctive feature of the material. During drying, the outer layers lose moisture much faster than the inner ones, which is why they also shrink much more strongly, and cracks are the result of excessive tension in the outer layers. In the article about how to seal cracks in logs, we talked about various methods of sealing cracks in logs or beams, including using sealants. In this article we will talk about the most popular wood sealants, their prices and reviews from those who have used them to seal cracks in a log house.
Popular sealants for timber and logs
Here is a list of sealants that are most popular among owners of log and timber log houses:
- Perma-Chink.
- Neomid Warm House Mineral Professional.
- Remmers ACRYL100.
- Sazilast STIZ-A, V.
- Mapei Silwood.
- PENOSIL.
- A mixture of PVA and sawdust.
Differences between wood sealants
The main two parameters that distinguish all the sealants described above are elasticity and price. American Perma-Chink sealant is the absolute leader in elasticity, but also the most expensive. Even the cheapest Penosil and Silwood have sufficient elasticity to last 3–7 years without problems. After all, elasticity is necessary so that the sealant can expand and contract along with the crack, which becomes smaller during summer shrinkage, and expands in autumn and winter, because the wood absorbs moisture from the atmosphere.
Insufficient elasticity, less than that of the sealants described above, leads to the material cracking in winter. Cheap Russian and European wood sealants often behave this way, as well as materials intended for interior work. Such sealants are not designed for large temperature changes, so they do not tolerate frost well.
Which sealant is better to choose?
When starting to seal cracks, you need to choose the sealant that best suits your conditions. If you have to seal cracks over a large area, then it makes sense to choose inexpensive Silwood sealants from Mapei or Penosil. If you are going to repair a utility room, garage, barn or any other structure made of timber or logs that does not require careful color selection, then the best choice is a mixture of sawdust and PVA. You can get sawdust for free or very cheap at the nearest carpentry shop or sawmill. If you heat the stove with wood, you can cut the sawdust yourself.
Once you have decided on the brand of sealant, choose between purchasing a large capacity (15–19 liters), a medium capacity (1–5 liters) or a small capacity (up to 1 liter). Purchasing sealant in large volume containers will save up to 20% compared to material in small containers. However, purchasing even one large container is justified only if you can use up at least 95% of the sealant. It is known from experience that a 15–20 liter container of sealant is enough to seal 50–150 meters of cracks 2 cm wide, if a sealant made of tow, foamed cellophane, isolon or polyethylene is placed under the sealant.
Equally important is choosing the right color of sealant. After all, the less the color of the sealant differs from the color of the frame, the more beautiful the repaired cracks will look. Moreover, all manufacturers provide at least 6 different colors of sealant corresponding to different types of wood. If, after repairing cracks, you will cover the frame with paint, you can use sealant of any color.
Prices for seam sealants
Below we have given the approximate cost of materials from various manufacturers in tubes and containers of 19–20 liters. This will help you roughly estimate the cost of the material needed to seal the cracks. However, due to inflation and the unpredictable exchange rate of the ruble, we cannot guarantee that prices in your region will not differ significantly from those indicated here.
Sealants for sealing joints in a wooden house
How to choose a sealant for seams and cracks in a wooden house? Review of manufacturers and prices for sealants for wooden houses
Let's support domestic producers
If we analyze the sealant market, then, traditionally, products from domestic manufacturers will be more attractive due to their low cost. You can buy one package of Russian sealant for 350 rubles. for 1 kg. As for American analogues, they cost about 3 times more. This should not be surprising, since this price includes customs duties, transportation costs and unreasonably inflated trade margins.
Domestic manufacturers use American and German polymers to produce sealant In addition, we should not forget that Russian sealants were initially created for use in harsh Russian conditions. Therefore, it is difficult to name at least one good reason to give preference to foreign products rather than high-quality sealants from Russian companies.
Warm seam sealing without flaws
No matter how strong today's people's desire for authenticity may be, the effectiveness of modern technologies forces us to pay close attention. Thus, traditional caulking has been replaced by a more effective method of insulating wooden houses - sealing using the “Warm Seam” method.
An increasing number of country house owners are choosing this technology, appreciating its positive properties. In order not to be unfounded, let's try to compare the functionality of traditional caulking and progressive sealing on a number of the most important points.
What is the price?
Many new owners of wooden country houses are primarily concerned with the material side of the issue: they already had to spend a lot, and then they also need to think about insulation! On this point, at first glance, caulk has an advantage. But this is nothing more than a misconception: a single application of sealant (once is enough) is at least two times cheaper than stage-by-stage insulation with flax-jute fiber. In addition, the responsibility and labor intensity of the caulking process implies a higher cost for this service to be performed by craftsmen.
How long will it last?
The material benefit from using a sealing compound is also due to its durability. A seam applied on only one side of an insulated wall can last for several decades without the slightest loss of its functional properties. As for the operational life of the caulk, it is much more modest - about 5 years. To avoid partial loss of the sealing properties of such insulation, it is necessary to regularly update it.
How safe is it?
The next aspect of comparison is safety for human health. Of course, natural materials initially seem to be a better choice. But if natural insulation is regularly exposed to external factors - moisture and temperature fluctuations (which is an axiom in our climate), then it will quickly turn into fertile soil for the proliferation of harmful microorganisms. Among all natural materials, perhaps only moss is not subject to a similar fate.
In addition, natural insulation is of considerable interest in the eyes of birds building their nests. And if there are a lot of birds in your region, then moss and hemp are clearly a disastrous choice. The seam of the polymer sealant, in turn, does not freeze, does not get wet, does not turn into mold colonies over time, and does not contain particles harmful to health.
What about functionality?
One of the unpleasant nuances that the owner of a wooden house may encounter is partial deformation of the logs. The result of such wood instability is a change in the size of the inter-crown cracks, which leads to the notorious drafts and other unpleasant consequences.
Caulking used as insulation is not subject to deformation and, accordingly, is not able to fill the entire gap space when it increases. Sealing using the “Warm Seam” technology does not have this drawback. The sealant evenly fills the inter-crown cracks, forming an elastic and durable film that does not lose its quality characteristics in any conditions.
Is the answer obvious?
So, the comparison of the main methods of insulating a wooden house has come to an end. The results speak for themselves: at each of the intermediate stages, victory, although not always unconditional, remained with sealing. Having given your preference to this option, you can not doubt for a second that your home will not be afraid of any climatic surprises!
Applying a “warm seam” does not always require thorough preparation of the joints
If the seams are sealed after two to three years of operation of the house, the sealant is applied over the old insulation, without taking care to properly clean the joints. This technology is unacceptable.
You need to understand that due to dirt, residues of previous processing, and biological damage, it will be difficult for the sealing composition to be properly bonded to the surface. Without taking care of cleaning the seams, the destruction of the wood will continue under the new applied sealant. The adhesion of tow and jute is carried out with the creation of a 3rd adhesion point, which protects against a stretching seam. This procedure will soon end with cracking of the seam.
Applying a “warm joint” without preparing the base
Application to surfaces that are painted with film-forming, non-vapor-permeable preparations is prohibited. Before carrying out work, it is necessary to clean the paint in sticking areas. For old caulking, deep recessing into the gap or cutting is used so that there is no interference with the laying of the sealing harness, and the caulking can also be aligned in such a way that it acts as a sealing harness.
Wood sanding is often used on the eve of sealing joints. This procedure facilitates further finishing stages, from oiling to painting.
Methods for sealing cracks in a log house
As we already understood, cracks in logs should not be ignored. When they first appear, you must immediately start looking for ways that will help you eliminate them easily and quickly.
Moreover, these can be either old methods, which have proven their effectiveness over decades, or modern ones, which are not inferior to them, and sometimes even superior.
Use of sealants. Most often, owners use sealants to seal cracks, which can be purchased today at any hardware store. However, you need to be careful here, because sealants are different.
First of all, you need to pay attention to their base, which can be made of rubber, acrylic or silicone. Although any of these remedies can help you deal with cracks in wood, it does not always provide confidence that the defect will not appear again in a few years.
Therefore, be prepared for the fact that after two or three years, you will have to re-treat the cracks with sealant, and during this time it may simply crumble and crack. This is due to the fact that sealing compounds do not change their properties over time.
But this cannot be said about wood, whose humidity and hardness change, which, in turn, affects the volume. This leads to a significant deterioration in the bonding of wood and sealant, which causes destruction of the composition that was used to seal the cracks.
Some owners also use polyethylene foam to combat cracks, however, experts do not recommend choosing it because this material is airtight. This means that he will be able to create favorable conditions for the formation of rot in crevices.
Moss is a natural remedy for sealing cracks in wood.
For many centuries, our ancestors used moss as an effective and affordable material, which helped to effectively seal the seams between logs and cracks in them. But to use this method, you must first properly prepare the material for work.
- first it must be kept in water for 2–3 hours and then squeezed out;
- then you need to take a special spatula and use it to begin sealing the cracks;
- This must be done very carefully to ensure the highest quality sealing of the crevices.
Moss today is highly popular due to the fact that it is a breathable material and has excellent noise and heat insulation properties.
And although with its help you can cope with the problem quite effectively, moss still looks unattractive against the background of the wood itself
And this is very important for most owners, which is why they try to find a more aesthetic alternative.
Environmental friendliness comes first
When working with wood, every owner must not forget that this is a material of natural origin , so the question arises: is it worth using synthetic compounds that can negate the naturalness of a wooden house, if such methods of sealing gaps as using felt, tow and hemp. It’s hard to disagree with this, because for many centuries our grandfathers used natural materials that form an ideal combination with a wooden house. But you shouldn’t immediately write off acrylic sealants, which are just as environmentally friendly in composition as their natural counterparts.
Manufacturers take a very careful approach to the process of manufacturing seam sealants, observing strict safety requirements at every stage. As a result, they manage to create products that do not emit toxic substances and do not cause any harm to both humans and pets. Modern sealants shatter the opinions of individual consumers regarding the violation of wood structure by sealants. Therefore, in terms of environmental friendliness, there are no differences between caulk and sealants.
