9 tips for interior finishing of wooden walls

In order for a wooden house to retain its original appearance, be reliable and attractive for many years, it is necessary to prepare it for long-term use. To do this, you need to go through all the required finishing stages, among which one of the main ones is treating the inside of a wooden house with special protective agents. Many owners of wooden log houses believe that if the structure is treated from the outside, treatment of the wooden walls from the inside of the house is not necessary; the wood already has reliable protection. However, this is not the case, despite the fact that indoors the wood is in more favorable conditions, however, it can also suffer from moisture, insects and other negative factors.

No. 1. When can I start interior finishing of wooden walls?

Alas, immediately after the construction of a wooden house you cannot proceed to finishing work. A newly built house must be given time to shrink . The duration of this process depends on many factors . If the house is built from laminated veneer lumber, then you can start finishing the walls in 3-4 weeks , but owners of all other types of wooden houses will have to wait at least 10 months , and for a guarantee - a year.
The shrinkage time depends not only on the material used in construction, but also on the climatic conditions in the region and the initial moisture content of the raw materials. During shrinkage, active drying of the wood occurs, it decreases in size, and the insulation used is crushed under the weight of the logs and beams. It’s easy to imagine what will happen if you start finishing the walls during this period - the facing material will either fall off or become warped. In any case, after a few months everything will have to be redone, and this again means money and effort, so it is better to wait until the main shrinkage processes take place. But you won’t be bored with nothing to do, since it is at this time that it is necessary to ensure the tightness of all joints, which is achieved through proper caulking .

No. 2. Features of caulking the walls of a wooden house

Caulking is carried out in two stages : the first time several months after the construction of the house, the second time after 6-8 months. The essence of the process is to fill the cracks with insulation , which is usually jute or tow . The thermal insulation of the house and its tightness depend on the quality of this work.

Caulking is carried out immediately inside and outside, going around the perimeter of the house and caulking each crown from the bottom up. Each time after this, the structure will rise by 5-7 cm and then settle, compacting the insulation, which will completely fill the cracks. You can proceed to finishing work only when shrinkage occurs after the second caulking. In order to know exactly when it is possible to carry out cladding, it will be necessary to regularly measure the height of the walls: if within 2-3 months the obtained values remain practically unchanged, then the main shrinkage processes have passed, and you can proceed to finishing. The next time caulking is done is after 5 years, and then only if necessary.

Caulking is performed in one of the following ways:

"to the set." First, long thin strands are made from insulating material, and then they are wound into a ball. The gaps are filled with such strands, and the larger the gap, the greater the number of strands needed;
"stretched" . This method involves the use of individual strands, which fill the gaps. A roller is formed from them, which is pushed into the gap.

To perform caulking you will need a simple set of tools : a hammer, chisels, a rubber mallet and a caulking spatula.

Why is it necessary to treat wood?

Living in a house made of untreated lumber poses a danger to humans, since fungi and mold appear on the wood, which are harmful to health, bugs settle in and eat the wood, and rotting processes begin to develop.

If these processes are allowed to develop uncontrollably, then after a short period of time the wooden house will become uninhabitable. Timely treatment will prevent all these unpleasant phenomena.

Any wooden house, both new and old, needs treatment. For a new building there are three stages of processing:

Antiseptic treatment of logs and beams at the production stage or self-treatment at the construction site before the construction of the structure.
Treatment immediately after construction.
Coating the house with an antiseptic after going through the shrinkage process, 6-12 months after construction.

An old log house must be treated every 3-5 years, depending on the finishing method and the quality of the material.

No. 3. Nuances of choosing finishing material for wooden walls

A distinctive feature of wooden walls is their ability to maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels inside the room. To preserve these unique properties, it is necessary to use natural materials . The choice of a specific material is influenced by many factors:

climate of the region
and whether the owners of the house will live in it permanently or only in the summer. If the climate is mild or you plan to relax in a wooden house only in the warm season, then you can do without additional finishing materials and admire the natural beauty of the log house, although do not forget to cover it with protective agents. If the house will be used constantly, and the winters in the region are cold, then it is better to use finishing, and install it on the sheathing, so that insulation is used between the wall and the cladding;
condition of the house
. The walls of a brand new wooden house have an attractive appearance, beautiful texture and color, so if possible it is better not to hide them under decoration. In this case, it is better to sand the log or timber and tint the surface. For this purpose they are used water based paints, which do not paint over the color of the wood, but only give it a certain shade, or tinting antiseptics. Antiseptics will still have to be used in order to preserve the original appearance of the wood for a long time and provide it with reliable protection. Varnish can also be used, but more often it is used to cover floors. If the walls are old and already have an imperfect appearance, then it is better to hide them under the decoration. Perfect fit lining, in particular the one that imitates a log house - a block house;
features of the room . In some rooms, wood walls can be covered with tile, stucco, or even drywall and siding. Of course, this is only justified for kitchens and baths to ensure maximum protection for the wood.

Lining, drywall, wall panels and many other finishing materials are attached to wooden walls using lathing ; it is best made from wooden beams. insulation is placed in the sheathing , but if the house is not cold and little money is spent on heating, it is better to do without additional thermal insulation and vapor barrier, because wood itself copes with these tasks perfectly, and excess materials can only upset the natural balance. It is better to leave the space between the wall and the cladding free, ensuring normal air circulation , which is very important to prevent wood rotting. The resulting gap behind the finishing material can be used to organize communications , incl. electrical wiring. When it comes to wooden walls, electrical cables must be laid in non-flammable pipes, so a fair amount of space will be required.

Regardless of what material is chosen for installation on the sheathing, it is necessary to leave a gap to the ceiling of 2-4 cm . If the house was recently built, this will become insurance against shrinkage, and for an old wooden house - in case of changes in the geometry of the wood, because this material absorbs moisture and releases it throughout its entire service life. The gap will allow the wood to breathe calmly without disturbing the cladding. To prevent this safety distance from being replaced, the plinth is attached only to the surface of the ceiling and leaned against the wall.

Protecting logs from cracking

To prevent cracking of a log, you need to protect its main less vulnerable place - the ends. To do this, you can use the excellent product Tor Plus from Neomid. It will prevent the logs from cracking when drying and will reduce their linear deformation. In addition, it will prevent the ends from becoming waterlogged and rotting. After application, a thin and elastic coating is formed on the surface, which has good water resistance and vapor permeability. Thor Plus does not lead to changes in the structure of the log. Manufacturers release impregnation to the market immediately in a ready-to-use form.

No. 4. Painting or varnishing

If possible, it is better to leave the wooden walls inside without finishing at all, because they already have an excellent appearance - it is better not to spoil it unless absolutely necessary, but only to emphasize it. For these purposes, paints, antiseptics and varnishes . Only not very aesthetic caulk seams , but in this case there is a way out - they can be sealed with a twisted cord . It turns out very original and cute, and the cord will also serve as additional protection from drafts.

Before varnishing or painting, it is important to properly prepare the walls . The initial stage is grinding . Many are afraid of this process, fearing to disturb the natural texture of the wood, but if everything is done correctly, the appearance of the walls will only improve. Sanding helps get rid of cracks that may have occurred as a result of shrinkage. After this, treatment is carried out with antiseptics , which prevent the appearance of fungus and mold, and with film-forming compounds (varnishes and oils), which create a reliable protective layer on the surface of the wood, protecting the material from dirt, darkening and mechanical stress. It is also advisable to use fire retardants - substances that increase wood resistance to fire.

The paint can be glazed or tinted . The first option is used when it is necessary to preserve the natural color of the wood, but give it a certain shade. Paints with a dense color shade completely cover the color of the wood, but before painting the entire wall or part of it, it is better to try applying the material to an inconspicuous area of the wall. If it is necessary to hide the relief of the tree, then a primer is used for painting.

Most often, the following compositions are used for painting wooden walls:

water based acrylic paints
- perfect option. These are safe and environmentally friendly materials that form an elastic, durable coating that allows the wood to “breathe.” The structure can be transparent and dense. Disadvantage – high price;
alkyd paint allows you to provide wood with additional protection from fungus and moisture. The material is resistant to temperature changes and frost, is inexpensive, but such a coating dries for about a day, and then an unpleasant odor may persist for several more days;
Oil paints are being used less and less for finishing wooden walls. They are well absorbed into the wood, due to which it receives additional protection from moisture and dirt. The coating is safe, has a lot of rich shades, but it dries for about three days, and over time it may turn yellow.

The use of nitro paints and polyurethane paints is strictly not recommended - they violate the environmental friendliness of wood.

An alternative to paint is varnish . They have a transparent structure and do not hide the natural beauty of the wood, but now there are also tinting varnishes on sale that can slightly change the shade of the wood. According to the type of surface obtained, varnishes are divided into matte and glossy - depending on who you like. If necessary, the transparent varnish can be tinted. Another good option is wax , it allows you to get a velvety, glossy finish.

All described coating options can also be used to decorate lining . Do not forget that it is necessary to treat wood with protective agents even if you use lathing and facing material.

Types of compositions

How to cover the lining inside a house is an easily resolved question, because there are many products on sale for different climatic zones and types of buildings.

Composite impregnations are designed to perform several functions, the main ones of which are the following:

decreased flammability,
protection against microbes,
improvement of appearance,
increasing mechanical strength.

There are products designed primarily to protect the lining, and compositions created for a decorative effect. Many drugs perform multiple functions equally successfully.

No. 5. Lining for finishing wooden walls

Most often, lining is used to decorate wooden walls - a completely natural material, a type of cladding board, which is made from different types of wood. Environmental friendliness is not the only advantage of lining. This is an inexpensive and easy-to-install material with excellent decorative qualities. Lining, unlike, for example, drywall, can withstand loads - you can hang something on it.

For internal wall cladding, you can take 1.5-2 cm thick - it copes with its tasks perfectly, is inexpensive and weighs little. Thicker material will require powerful lathing, which will take up a lot of free space. The lining slats can be mounted horizontally, vertically, at an angle, or used in different directions at the same time, creating beautiful panels.

Lining can be made from different types of wood , but the wood is well dried beforehand (humidity should not exceed 12%). Deciduous trees (birch, ash, linden) can be used in any premises, incl. and in the bathhouse (linden, alder), and cheaper conifers are suitable only for living rooms, since they release resin at elevated temperatures. Experts advise, if possible, to select lining from the same rock from which the house is built. In this case, the walls and trim will have approximately the same expansion coefficients.

The lining is made from edged boards - boards from the core are less durable and are not suitable for these whole ones. Based on the quality of wood, lining is divided into the following classes:

extra - material without cracks, knots and other defects, with a uniform color;
class A. One knot or blind crack is allowed for every 1.5 linear meters;
class B is a lining, 1.5 linear meters of which can have 4 knots and 2 resin pockets. The presence of contrasting spots is also allowed;
class C - This is a lining with a lot of spots of stripes, cracks, resin pockets and knots. Not suitable for wall cladding.

The surface of the lining can be as follows:

flat _ Only such lining was previously sold. Looks good, but many may find it boring;
softline - almost the same flat paneling, but with rounded edges;
block house - a lining that imitates a log house. This is an ideal option when it is necessary to preserve the style and atmosphere of a wooden house as much as possible;
panel - imitation of timber cut from a log;
American - lining with a wedge-shaped profile, due to which the wall will look as if the panels were overlapped.

Before installation on the sheathing, coniferous lining can be deresined with special means or a 25% acetone solution. If necessary, you can lighten contrasting stripes and spots.

All modern lining has special fastenings that facilitate its installation. Do not forget to leave 2-4 cm gaps at the top and bottom to compensate for the expansion of the wood. Previously, the lining was fastened to the sheathing with nails, which were driven into the front surface. At best, finishing nails or nails without heads were used. Today, for installation, they use clamps or drive nails at an angle into a tenon or groove.

No. 6. Wall panels

Thanks to the use of wall panels, walls can be transformed beyond recognition and completely any design idea can be realized; with their help, only certain areas are often decorated: above the bed, kitchen apron, near the bathroom. Wall panels are made from different materials:

wood and bamboo;
veneered and laminated MDF;
glass (transparent, frosted, printed);
leather;
plastic.

Panels can be type-setting or panel . Stacked ones have a large length and a small width, and are connected according to the tongue-and-groove principle. Wooden lining , in fact, belongs to panel wall panels, but its wide distribution and unique properties have made it possible to distinguish it into a separate class of finishing materials. Panel panels already have a more comparable length and width.

Wall panels are attached to the lathing, the pitch of which depends on the parameters of the finishing material. The variety of designs cannot be described in words, but not all such panels meet the requirement of environmental friendliness: leather and glass will not disturb the microclimate, which cannot be said about plastic panels. However, even plastic panels , incl. and plastic lining have the right to be used for finishing a bathroom, toilet or kitchen.

No. 7. Drywall

Drywall for cladding wooden walls is used quite rarely for obvious reasons. Its use is justified when it is necessary to erect a partition , hide communications , or when the surface of the wood has significant defects. Installation of plasterboard sheets is carried out on a frame , for the construction of which you can use a wooden beam or a metal profile; you cannot do without gaps near the ceiling and floor.

Finishing with plasterboard can only be done after the house has completely settled and provided that the room is heated in winter. Gypsum is a sensitive, fragile material that can become severely deformed when walls shrink or undergo sudden temperature changes. To extend the life of such a finish, you can use a floating frame , and glue all sheet joints and corners with a reinforcing polymer mesh . To decorate the walls in the kitchen and bathroom, you must use moisture-resistant plasterboard.

How to protect wood

To protect boards or timber before painting, various types of impregnations are used, which are selected depending on the impact the wooden product will be exposed to:

Antiseptic. These solutions prevent mold and various wood fungi from developing. They are used for treating surfaces in wet areas or for outdoor work. Applying these compounds before painting significantly increases the resistance of the wood structure to adverse factors that provoke the development of fungal spores. Unfortunately, all antiseptics are very toxic, so it is not recommended to use them indoors.
Insecticidal. Impregnation of surfaces with such compounds causes the wood to become “unpalatable” to bugs. It is recommended to use insecticidal agents for outdoor buildings.
Water repellent. Water penetrates deeply into the wood structure, causing it to swell and, upon subsequent drying, to cause various deformations and cracking. This kind of trouble can be avoided if you treat the timber or board with water-repellent impregnations. Such an impregnating agent will penetrate deeply into the wooden structure, fill all the pores and, after drying, create a durable moisture-repellent layer. It is recommended to use moisture-proofing compounds in wet rooms and for facade work.
Fire retardant. Fire protection means must be used if wooden surfaces are located close to the source of fire (bathhouse, sauna, area near some household appliances in the kitchen or barbecue gazebo). Fire retardants significantly reduce the natural flammability of wood and allow, if not to prevent a fire, then to quickly localize and destroy the fire that has arisen. In addition, for prevention, it is recommended to treat facade walls made of wooden materials with fire retardants to increase the fire resistance of buildings.
Combined. Solutions containing 2 or more of the above components. Combined mixtures are convenient to use when it is necessary to provide comprehensive protection of the wood structure before painting. For example, you need to protect the facade of the building from fire, bugs and high humidity. Applying each of the specialized compounds, and then waiting for it to dry and repeating the treatment again is a long and labor-intensive process. It is much easier to use a combined mixture, and it will cost much less in terms of money.

After the impregnation has been applied and dried, it is recommended to prime the wooden surface.

No. 8. Stone, tiles and plaster

Artificial and natural stone, as well as tiles, are environmentally friendly materials that will not disturb the microclimate of a room with wooden walls, but they are rarely used as the main independent cladding. Stone, for example, is suitable for finishing the area near the fireplace , tiles will be appropriate for bathrooms and kitchens . By the way, tiles and artificial stone can imitate wood so accurately that the appearance of the house will not suffer at all.

Wooden walls plastered , but individual plaster compositions that withstand moisture and high temperatures can be used to decorate a kitchen or toilet work area.

External skin

The main function of the outer skin is surface decoration. The choice of materials is varied and can satisfy every taste. Depending on what purpose is pursued during insulation (decorative effect or the ability to protect the tree from external influences or increase insulating properties), the type of sheathing is selected.

There are two types of facade cladding - wet, which involves the use of various plasters and mortars, and dry, with the formation of three-dimensional facades (from siding, facade tiles, metal, PVC facade cassettes, etc.). Due to the fact that thermal insulation thickens the walls, window and door openings become somewhat deeper. This problem is solved by installing new window sills along with trim or siding.

The environmental friendliness of log houses, as well as their preservation of heat indoors, is beyond doubt. It has been proven that a 240 mm thick wooden wall is equal in terms of thermal conductivity to 1 m of brickwork. However, it is often necessary. This is required when drafts are detected in a new house or after purchasing an old building.

No. 9. Features of the interior decoration of old wooden walls

Finishing work in an old house made of timber or logs is preceded by dismantling the cladding and assessing the condition of the wood. All light and dark spots, areas that differ in texture and structure must be checked for strength with a chisel, screwdriver or knife. If there are no signs of destruction, then all that remains is to coat the wood with protective compounds and begin finishing work.

When the wood has lost its strength in places, crumbles or dried out, it is better to consult with a specialist who will help determine the cause (insects, fungus, microorganisms) and select a set of measures. Most likely, damaged parts will have to be replaced, paying special attention to treating adjacent areas with antiseptics. After the restoration work has been completed, you can proceed to finishing, choosing one of the options listed above. The main advantage in this case is that there is no need to take shrinkage into account.

Preparatory work

After sanding, the wood absorbs protective compounds better.
Compounds should not be applied to old paintwork, dirt, tar or damaged timber. Before treating a wooden house outside and inside, the surface is prepared. Old paint or varnish is heated until softened and removed with a scraper. Then the log house is polished with a special machine. The procedure allows you to remove unevenness and defects, dark spots, and improves the appearance of the material. Removing the top layer opens the wood pores, allowing deep penetration of the impregnation. Grinding occurs with coarse and fine abrasives. After the procedure, the surface and surrounding objects are cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.