How to properly caulk a log house. What is the best way to caulk a log house for a bathhouse: comparison of materials and work procedure

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To get rid of the gaps between the crowns and close the cracks formed during the shrinkage of the log house, apply caulk: this is the only way to retain heat inside the log house. You can use different materials for work, but the technology is the same. How to caulk a log house correctly? What's best to use for this?

What is the best way to caulk a log house? The work can be done using both natural and artificial materials. The latter are much more convenient to use, and the process takes very little time, but they have several significant disadvantages.

Natural

These include moss, tow, jute, flax wool, hemp and others.

Moss

Caulking a log house with moss has been done for a long time, and even with the advent of modern materials it has not been abandoned. This is explained by its unique properties: it not only retains heat well, tolerates sudden temperature changes, and removes excess moisture, without rotting, but also has antimicrobial and even medicinal properties.

Tow

The technology using tow is considered one of the most complex. As the log house dries out, the material will become damp, which is why it will begin to rot over time. Therefore, after drying out the house or bathhouse, the old tow is cleaned out, and then the log house is caulked again.

Jute

Moisture-resistant, environmentally friendly and durable material that retains heat well. Due to its ability to absorb moisture, it has enough short term service (about 3 years). Jute that has become unusable is not easy to remove from the cracks between the crowns, so it is rarely used.

There are several types of material:

Jute tow. When producing this type of insulation, the fibers are combed to give them the desired direction. The tow obtained in this way retains all the properties of jute, but the finished material is not very convenient for work: it is rigid, and at the same time not too dense. The process of caulking when using the material becomes more complicated - the work has to be carried out in several stages (during the initial laying, the required degree of density cannot be achieved).
Flax-jute. A mixed material consisting of equal amounts of flax and jute fibers. It is popular among builders, but needs protection from insects: before use it is treated with anti-moth and anti-rot agents.
Jute felt. The material, 90% jute and the remaining 10% flax fiber, has the density necessary for work, but at the same time remains flexible. The ease of use of felt makes it an optimal choice. When purchasing a material, you should choose one whose fibers are longer than 2 cm - it is more elastic and flexible. The only drawback is that it can be damaged by moths, so before laying the felt, it is treated with a special protective impregnation.

Lnovatin

Insect repellent material is processed chemicals, therefore it cannot be called environmentally friendly. The service life of the insulation is up to 3 years; it is attached to the frame using construction stapler.

Synthetic

Application ready-made compositions– sealants – will cost significantly more than if you caulk a log house with tow. However, they are much easier to work with. Usually, in order to reduce the consumption of a synthetic product, it is used together with a natural one (for example, a cord). First, the cord is sealed into the gap, and sealant is applied on top, leveling the layer with a scalpel spatula.

Among the disadvantages of sealants:

A number of synthetic products are destroyed under the influence of sunlight - over time, they begin to crumble and fall out. To protect the substance from damage, strips are installed on the seams, which protect the sealant from ultraviolet radiation.
Some compositions, after drying, harden into a dense solid mass, due to which the wood, which contracts and expands depending on humidity and air temperature, begins to collapse. It is recommended to use only flexible sealants.

Methods for caulking the walls of a house or bathhouse

Caulking and insulation of a log house can be done using two methods:

Into the set. Suitable for wide crevices. For work, use jute, tow or hemp. The selected material is divided into strands and wound into a ball.
Stretch. Wherein thermal insulation material divided into strips and hammered into the cracks.

General rules

The initial caulking of a timber house is carried out approximately 6 months after assembly. During this period, most of the moisture contained in the timber will disappear, cracks will appear on the tree, and cracks will appear in the structure itself.

The next time the work will need to be carried out another year. By this point, the structure will have completely settled, and it will be necessary to eliminate the cracks and crevices that have arisen over the past months.

If everything is done correctly, the third time will be needed only after 5 years. However, if technology is not followed, the need to eliminate cracks may arise annually. To ensure that the caulking of a timber house is done correctly, it is worth watching a video with advice from experienced craftsmen.

Work starts from the bottom. Sequentially caulk the lower crown around the entire perimeter from the outside, then inside the log house. After this, they move on to the next one, acting in the same way.
Typically, the largest cracks form at the corners, so caulk in these places should be especially careful.
First, the material is fixed in the crack over an area of about 1 m, then the hanging parts are folded in and tucked inside. Using a mallet, the insulation is firmly hammered into the gap until the material begins to spring back. When everything is done, move on to the next section.

Caulk with moss

To work you will need:

pre-dried moss;
water;
soap;
vegetable oil.

Work order:

Add 200 g of soap and 0.5 liters of oil to a bucket of water. Mix thoroughly.
Place dry moss in the prepared liquid. Wet fibers will become elastic.
Take a strand of material, twist it into a roller, and insert it into the slot. They compact well.
Using a spatula and mallet, firmly hammer the insulation into the gap.

For the initial caulking of a log house using moss, it is recommended to use the “stretch” method, all subsequent ones – the “set” method.

Using tow

Over time, this type of insulation can harbor insects, and in order to protect it, the tow should be treated with a disinfectant.

You need to prepare:

tow;
formalin (it will act as an antiseptic);
water.

Caulking a house made of profiled timber using tow takes place in 4 stages:

Formalin is diluted with water to obtain a disinfectant solution.
All the prepared tow is placed in it and left for half an hour.
Having taken out and squeezed out the material, they drive in the tow, divided into strips, using the “stretch” method. The insulation is compacted using a spatula and a mallet to achieve maximum packing density.

Caulk with jute

This material is laid using the “set” method.

Depending on what type of material is chosen, you will need:

the jute itself;
bitumen or resin (for felt jute);
formalin (for jute tow).

Work order:

The tow is soaked in a formaldehyde solution.
The material is rolled into strands and filled into the cracks of the lower crown.
Using a tool, push in the hanging edges.
Using a groove, level the position of the insulation layer.

Important! When processing the area around the chimney pipe, about 3 cm of the surface should be left untouched.

Caulking with sealant

Caulk timber house using sealant is the fastest way. To work you will need yourself synthetic material, a cord for filling cracks, a special spatula for smoothing seams (you can take a narrow spatula), a mounting gun.

Many are already looking at wooden houses in the form of a log house. After all, they look beautiful and are quite warm inside. After all, during the construction of a building, insulation is laid between the crowns of logs, this gives additional confidence in the quality of the log house.

But several years pass and after the house has completely settled, all sorts of cracks and crevices appear. This not only makes the house cold but also spoils appearance. In addition, unclosed cracks are the places where mold and rot will first appear, which will subsequently lead to damage to the building.

To prevent this from happening, after the building shrinks, the log house is caulked. There are several methods for this procedure depending on the selected material; in this article we will look at them.

Material for log caulking

Log caulking can be made from various materials. If insulating jute was used when assembling the building and its ends protrude properly, then this will be enough to carry out the necessary manipulations as described below and additional material you won't need it.

If no insulation was used when assembling the log house or its ends do not protrude from the cracks, you will have several options regarding the choice of material.

Most old way This is caulking with moss. Although it is time-tested, today there are many modern materials that have more best qualities for this purpose.

Tow is also very often used for these purposes. To ensure the quality of work is as good as possible, you need to choose jute tow. It will lay down evenly, and it will be easier to work with.

Caulking with rope is often used, and it is recommended to use jute or linen rope.

IN Lately The so-called warm seam is increasingly being used. This is the result of new technologies that are rapidly advancing especially in the construction industry.

Technology of caulking a log house with jute

To perform caulking we will need:

Small hammer – 300 – 400 gr.
Chisel 20 mm.
Caulk trowel or wide chisel
Rubber mallet

The caulking of the log house must be done after the building has settled and shrinked. First, during assembly, jute insulation must be laid between the crowns. The caulking process involves turning the jute from top to bottom with a spatula and then compacting it in the groove between the logs. In this case, light blows of the hammer are made on the shoulder blade. You will end up with a folded strip of jute in the form of a rope, which is very practical.

The work is carried out in two stages - primary caulking and main caulking. It is necessary to take into account that caulking of a log house is carried out only after the house has settled; for this it must stand for at least half a year.

Primary caulking is done without strong compaction, especially in those places where the logs have not yet settled into place. In such places, the jute is tucked without compaction, but care should be taken to leave room for further shrinkage of the logs. Caulking a log house, its technology is not very complicated, so we will look at it in detail below.

Caulking must be done sequentially - from bottom to top. First of all, the lower groove around the perimeter of the building will be caulked, then the second groove, etc. It is important to do everything along the perimeter, otherwise caulking a separate wall may cause the building to warp. We also need to take into account that the higher we rise, the less we need to seal the grooves with jute. And the very top two or three grooves are tucked only with the help of a spatula, without hammer blows, this is done in order to avoid the slightest compaction of the jute.

The fact is that the log house will shrink for at least another five years, so the upper crowns will eventually crush the jute tightly themselves.

In a log house, the ends are the weakest point, due to the cut out bowls, so you need to caulk it carefully, without unnecessary effort.

The second caulking, the main one, is carried out together with the finishing, where the caulking of the log house is carried out more tightly. It is advisable to carry out this operation no less than a year and a half after the construction of the building. During this time, the log house will shrink almost completely and, without fear, you will be able to install windows and doors, carry out electrical work and install plumbing.

Periodically, you need to inspect the log house for cracks, especially after a hot summer. After all, even a small gap can lead to wood rotting.

Video instructions for caulking a log house with jute:

This method is not the best today, because there are already many other modern materials that allow you to perform this procedure faster and with better quality. But if you decide to use moss for caulking, first of all you need to choose it correctly.

So, moss called “cuckoo flax” or it is also called “red flax” is suitable for caulking a log house. It has long fibers, brownish Brown, with shades of red. “White moss” is also used, or its correct name is “sphagnum moss”. This moss is very soft, similar to cotton wool. Has excellent antiseptic and bactericidal properties. Wood pests will never grow in it; moss also kills all fungal spores. Both of these plants are often also called construction types moss.

During the construction of a log house, it is laid between the crowns of logs as insulation. In the future, using moss, you can caulk it. This is done twice, the first time immediately after assembly, the second time after some time has passed when the house has settled. This can take from one and a half to two years, or even more.

The moss must first be dried before caulking. And before the process itself, it needs to be moistened with water, otherwise it will crumble upon physical contact.

Caulking timber with moss also requires special tools, you will need:

Kiyanok
Caulker

A caulk is a small blade made from the same wood as the frame. This is done so that upon physical contact with the logs they have the same hardness, which will avoid leaving marks on the log house.

A mallet is a small wooden hammer that is used to strike caulk. This allows you to push the moss into the cracks with greater force and fill the free space more tightly.
As in other technologies, caulking begins from the very bottom, going through the entire perimeter. This approach will avoid possible distortion of the building. First, they pass the crown from the inside, and then from the outside.

If “cuckoo flax” moss is used, it is formed into a strip up to 10 cm thick, laid parallel to the log and the gap is tightly caulked using the above tools. When used, the white moss fluffs up a little, laying is done perpendicular to the log, so that the fibers hang down by about 5 - 10 cm. Next, caulk is made with the same tools.

Caulk of a log house with a rope

The technology for using rope for caulking is not much different from the above methods. The only thing that needs to be added is that this material needs to be treated more carefully, because it is used not only for insulating the house but also for decorative design, so even light damage is unacceptable.

Caulking a log house with rope, stages:

The places where the rope will be laid must be cleaned and even washed if possible.
Treat the log house with antiseptic properties, it is desirable that they have fire retardant properties.
We make rope piercing of the log house using tools. This work is done carefully, making sure that the cord does not twist. Also make sure that the driving depth is the same everywhere.
As with other materials, work is carried out from the bottom up along the entire perimeter.
The undoubted advantage of using jute rope is its decorative component.

Warm seam technology

Before using this method, the seams where this technology will be used must be cleaned. Especially if the cracks are painted with varnish or other materials.

Next, vilotherm must be placed in the cracks and cracks - this is a cord-shaped material made of polyethylene foam. Please note that the cord should be about a third thicker than the slot. This material not only insulates the log house, but will also reduce the consumption of the sealant used.

The sealant is applied with a gun and immediately leveled with a spatula. The recommended sealant thickness is from 4 to 6 mm. Moreover, the adhesion area with wood must be at least 4 mm. from each side. The sealant hardens in no more than a day, so during this time it must be protected from precipitation. For this purpose you can use plastic film. Complete hardening of the substance will occur in approximately 48 hours at a temperature of 23 degrees. Once cured, the sealant turns into a rubber-like substance, so your log house will be as protected as possible.

Now, after complete drying, you can smooth the seam, remove any excess and paint with acrylic-based paints.

Caulking of a log house in this way can only be done after the log house has shrunk. This work can be done outside in about a year, but inside the house only after a season with the heating on.

This technology has a number of advantages:

Only done once.

Protects against water ingress, which prevents mold.

Makes your home significantly warmer.

Resistant to temperature changes, not afraid of moisture.

Easy to use, which allows you to significantly speed up the caulking of timber.

A beautiful appearance that allows you to veil even the shortcomings of the building itself.

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

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

The complex of work on caulking a log house must be carried out in two stages, combining individual criteria and sequence. This should be work that will allow rough caulking to be carried out during the construction of walls and partitions. And the process of final caulking of the cracks between the logs after the construction of the entire building.

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

Rough caulking option

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

The “log caulk” produced is performed by driving insulation between each of the crowns, starting from the bottom of the structure, gradually moving to the upper elements. This method is best performed using tape material, placing it at the junction of two crowns and pushing it tightly inside the structure. In this case, there is a need to leave the edges hanging down by 5-7 centimeters, for subsequent twisting into rollers and filling the resulting space between the logs.

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

The tool used when caulking a log house

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

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

Caulking tools

The materials used for caulking, the advantages and disadvantages of each of them

Forming correct process sealing seams between the crowns of logs, it is important not only to understand “how to caulk a log house”, and to apply better quality material. This should be a formula that will combine durability and practicality in each individual case and on the selected area of the house structure.

A special roll material based on flax and jute is used as inter-crown insulation. It is jute that allows the logs to fit more tightly and create the required conditions for thermal insulation of the entire wall structure. This caulking material is placed in the groove below the underlying crown and secured around the entire perimeter using a construction stapler. Also, due to this type of material, reliable sound insulation is ensured inside the entire building, in partitions and external walls.

Materials for caulking

Using jute also has its disadvantages. It is susceptible to rotting and its service life is significantly limited, unlike the use of flax and moss.

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

But a significant disadvantage of using moss is the difficulty of finding building materials on the market in different regions. Which benefits the choice of the usual flax.

Step-by-step technology and process of work carried out on caulking a log house

Today, there are several technologies that allow high-quality sealing and caulking of seams and cracks between the crowns of logs. Each of them uses separate materials and tools.

Stretched caulk

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

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

Caulking set

When implementing this technology, it will be important to understand that if there are wider seams and gaps between the crowns, then you cannot do without the use of jute strands. This method will allow you to practically and efficiently fill the existing space, evenly and gradually placing the material into the existing grooves.

Along each of the crowns, gaps can be additionally embroidered, parallel to both sides of the walls, followed by filling with jute. After which the seams can remain open or be additionally sealed decorative plaster on wood.

Sealing knots and joints in corners

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

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

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

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

City	Price
Moscow	from 70 to 100 rub.
Saint Petersburg	from 70 to 100 rub.
Kazan	from 70 to 90 rub.
Rostov-on-Don	from 90 to 120 rub.
Krasnodar	from 60 to 100 rub.

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 properly caulk a log house, so first you need to familiarize yourself with the technology, study caulking methods, and choose the right inter-crown insulation.

Caulking rules

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

1 way

Lay the bottom 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, lay the second crown, and again a layer of insulation. This is repeated until the very top of the log house. After all work on the construction of the log house is completed and the roof is installed, the protruding ends of the seal are driven into the gaps between the beams using caulking.

2 way

Caulking begins after installation roofing system to the log house Insulation (preferably tape) is applied to the seam of the bottom row and, using a tool, is pushed into the gaps between the logs along the entire length, leaving hanging edges 5-7 cm wide. Then these edges are folded in, formed into a roller and hammered inside the seam. Repeat the procedure in the next row and so on until the top of the structure.

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

You cannot caulk one wall first, then the second, and so on. In addition, each row is caulked both from the outside and from the outside. inside to avoid distortions in the structure. The insulation raises the frame 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 construction. During this time, the wood completely shrinks and new gaps form.

There are two ways of caulking - “set” and “stretched”. The first is used to eliminate wide gaps between logs, the second is usually used during primary caulking, when the gaps are still narrow.

To work, you need tools - a set of caulking tools, a road worker and a mallet. As a rule, metal caulks are used, although many craftsmen make them themselves from hardwood.

NameDescriptionWhat is it used for?


	Flat metal or wooden spatula. Blade width 100 mm, thickness 5-6 mm	The main tool for filling gaps between crowns
	Flat chisel with a blade width of 50-60 mm and a thickness of up to 5 mm	Used to seal seams in corners and rounded areas of a log house
	The caulk is triangular in shape with a longitudinal groove along the blade. Width - 170 mm, thickness 8-15 mm	Tool for forming even rollers from twisted strands of compaction
	Thick and narrow wedge up to 35 mm wide	Widens narrow gaps, making it easier to fill with insulation
	Wooden hammer	Used for filling the seal with wooden caulks

The caulking blades should not be sharp, otherwise when driving 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 be pulled back out of the seams.

Caulking materials

The following materials are used as inter-crown insulation:

red and white moss;
tow;
felt;
jute;
flax wool

Type of materialDescription


	Environmentally friendly material with antiseptic properties. If you independently procure raw materials, the costs of insulating the log house will be minimal. It is usually collected in late autumn, when there are no snails and fewer insects. Immediately after collection, the moss is sorted, lumps of earth and debris are removed, and slightly dried. There is no need to dry it too much, otherwise the stems will become too brittle and unusable. Purchased moss must be soaked before caulking to make installation easier. Pros: durability, low thermal conductivity, resistance to temperature changes, environmental friendliness, antimicrobial properties, low cost. Cons: difficult to find on the market, requires protection from birds, requires pre-treatment before installation
	Tow is suitable for the initial caulking of a log house and for sealing the crowns after shrinkage. It is made from flax fibers, and depending on their quality, it is divided into bale and roll (tape). Rolled fiber consists of shorter and stiffer fibers, which makes it difficult to stuff between the crowns. 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. Disadvantages: labor-intensive installation, unaesthetic appearance of seams after caulking.
	Until recently, natural felt was widely used in the insulation of log houses. Now its composition is supplemented with synthetic and plant 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 allow odors to pass through, provides good noise insulation, has low thermal conductivity, is easy to use, and is environmentally friendly. Cons: susceptible to rotting, easily damaged by moths
	Traditional insulation materials are increasingly being replaced by materials such as jute. It is available in the form of fibers, ropes of any thickness, and also in the form of tape. Tape jute is soft and pliable, compacts evenly, and is used for both primary and repeated caulking. It is more convenient to use jute fibers and ropes after shrinkage of the log house. Pros: it is durable, not damaged by moths and other insects, does not rot, and provides a favorable microclimate in the building. Cons: the material cakes quickly, short service life.

Primary caulking “stretched”

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

Take a large bunch of moss and lay it in fibers across the log so that the ends of the fibers hang down on both sides by 5-7 cm. The next bunch lies close together.

The fibers must be evenly distributed over the surface, forming a layer of equal thickness. The wood should not show through the moss, so make the insulation layer thicker. It is better to put too much than not to add, because a thin layer will not be able to effectively protect the seams from blowing.

If you use tape insulation, installation is much simpler and faster: the tape is rolled out along the crown and secured with the staples of a construction stapler. When the tape runs out, the new piece is overlapped by 5 cm so that there are no gaps at the joints. After the entire row around the perimeter is covered with insulation, the second crown is installed.

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

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

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

If during the construction process insulation was not laid between the logs, caulking is performed in the manner described above, only more material will be needed. It is necessary to apply it to the seams with the fibers across. The longitudinal arrangement of the fibers will not provide the required density; the material will not be able to be firmly fixed 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. Edges that are too short are difficult to tuck, and therefore the quality of caulking will be poor.

If the gaps between the crowns are very wide, caulking is used “in a set”. For these purposes, tow, hemp ropes or jute cords are used. Long strands are formed from tow and 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 loose chips and debris;
unwind a small amount of cord, fold it into loops and push it into the gap with caulk;
seal the loops first in the upper part of the gap, then in the lower part;
put another strand on top, now without loops, and level it with a road maker.

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

To make the log house decorative, you can hammer a jute cord along the entire length of the seams.

Caulking corners

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

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

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

Step 2. As soon as the insulation has been secured a little, they begin to tuck the protruding edges and drive them deeper into the cracks.

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

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

Video - How to caulk a corner of a log house

Caulking a log house with sealants

Caulking of log houses with special sealants, which are easy to apply, give the seams a very aesthetic appearance and reliably protect against blowing, is gaining popularity. If the log house is made of rounded logs or laminated veneer lumber, and jute is laid as insulation between the crowns, you can only use sealant and a rope made of foamed polyethylene. Sealing of seams is carried out no earlier than shrinkage of the log house occurs.

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

Step 2. A primer primer is applied along the perimeter of the seams using a brush or sprayer. If work is carried out in winter, the primer should be rubber-based; in summer, water-based.

Step 3. After the primer has dried, a rope 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. They use the composition in tubes, which is applied using mounting gun, in buckets and in the form of a tape. The last option is very easy to use: remove the tape from one side protective film, apply to the seam, press with your hand and roll with a roller.

Step 5. After sealing all inter-crown joints, remove the outer layer of film so that the sealant hardens. Finally, the joints are coated with colorless varnish or a tinting compound 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 and excess should be removed with a damp cloth.

If the logs for the log house were harvested by hand, more uneven gaps will 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 sealed with sealant. After such treatment, there is no need for subsequent caulking.

Video - How to caulk a log house

How to properly caulk a bathhouse: with moss, flax fiber, tow, felt

Caulking of any wooden bathhouse must be done in two stages: after completion of construction and after a year of shrinkage. For the work, the same insulation is used, which is laid between the links during construction. Traditionally, for caulking baths, they use: moss, felt, tow, and hemp. Readers will learn how to properly caulk a bathhouse with their own hands, what tools are needed and the intricacies of the work by studying the article to the end.

The bathhouse will have to be caulked in any case. The main thing is to do the work carefully.

Features of caulking baths using various materials

When assembling the bathhouse box, insulation is laid between each log or timber. But wood shrinks regardless of chamber drying material or natural humidity. When shrinking, space appears between the logs, so it is necessary to caulk the bathhouse the first time to seal the seam and the second time to eliminate the resulting cracks.

It is easier to caulk the log house of a bathhouse using special tools: caulk and a rubber mallet or mallet. If there is no caulk, then you can use a regular chisel.

What material is better to caulk a bathhouse?

To caulk a log cabin, natural insulation materials are used: moss, hemp, tow, and felt. All materials are available, but each one must first be prepared in its own way.

Preparing moss for caulking

Insulating seams with moss is a traditional method that was used by our grandfathers. You can collect moss yourself or purchase ready-made moss at a hardware store.

Moss for caulking is one of the most environmentally friendly materials.

The price of moss starts from 250 rubles, so it’s cheaper to collect it in the forest. The collected moss is laid out under a canopy and left to dry for 1–2 weeks. It is necessary to stir the moss every 2-3 days to prevent it from rotting. Using wet moss will cause mold to form and destroy the wood. But it is necessary to ensure drying, as overdried moss will be fragile and difficult to work with.

Pros of moss:

Cost-effective (can be dialed for free in the forest).
Natural means environmental friendliness is not compromised.

The material has more disadvantages:

When dry it becomes brittle.
It's difficult to caulk a bathhouse.
Afraid of moisture and mold.
Short-lived.
Burns well.

Choosing moss to caulk a log house is only necessary to save money. From the point of view of practicality and durability, it is better to pay attention to something else.

Preparing felt for caulking

Felt is a natural material based on wool. But modern felt may consist of refined fibers. Moreover, the composition is: 60% wool and 40% artificial fiber, 70% artificial fiber and 30% wool. For a bathhouse, choose completely natural felt or felt with a high wool content. The fact is that natural material does not burn, but simply smolders. Artificial felt is a fire hazard.

Felt for caulking baths is suitable natural or with a small addition of artificial fibers.

Before work, the felt must be treated with a formaldehyde solution; it will prevent moths from breeding in the wool. After spraying, the felt is hung in the sun and dried thoroughly.

The main advantages of felt include:

Naturalness.
It's easy to caulk a log house.

Natural material is afraid of moisture and rots.
Mice and birds love to use felt to build their nests, and pick out the material from cracks in the log house.
High price of natural insulation.

Preparing tow for caulking a bathhouse

There is no need to prepare the tow before work. But moths and other insects love to settle in natural material, therefore, tow is impregnated with any protective compound, for example, formaldehyde.

Tow for caulking baths can be bought in bales.

The main advantages of using tow:

Low price.
Natural material.
Ease of operation.

Afraid of moisture.
Over time it may begin to rot.
Mice live in insulation.

Tow is an alternative to moss, since the price of the material starts from 70 rubles.

Jute and flax fiber for bath caulking

Modern insulation options: jute and flax fiber can also be used to caulk a log house. But despite the manufacturer’s assurances that insulation materials are natural, most of them contain artificial additives. They make jute and flax fiber durable, but the environmental friendliness is reduced.

Yuan jute is sold in ribbon form.

Natural jute is made from bast wood from the linden family. Jute has high strength, durability and moisture resistance. When water gets on the material, it does not linger on the jute fibers, but quickly erodes.

Flax fiber is made from flax waste. The material performed well construction sites. Does not rot and does not absorb moisture. But there are pitfalls; sellers offer flax wool instead of flax fiber to the buyer. The materials are similar in composition, but the batting is 40% artificial fiber. You can distinguish one from the other by color; linen batting is light, while natural insulation fibers are darker.

Available in the form of tape or cord. To caulk the frame of the bathhouse, tape jute or flax fiber is used.

You need to caulk the frame of your bathhouse with insulation that meets your requirements and capabilities.

It is necessary to caulk a bathhouse in two stages:

immediately after installing the box;
after the bath shrinks.

It is difficult to re-caulk a log house made of profiled timber, since the lock will not allow the work to be carried out efficiently. Therefore, it is better to take chamber-dried or glued material with a profile. Thus, shrinkage will be minimal and there will be no need to caulk again. All other types: log, simple timber, rounded timber need to be re-caulked. You need to work with special tools, as shown in the video:

Tools for work

To caulk a log house they use different kinds caulking:

typesetting;
curve;
breaking;

A mallet (mushkel) is also required. The tool is used to strike the caulk during work. The mallet can be replaced with a regular rubber hammer. A road worker is needed, a tool helps to level the seam after punching with caulking.

What subtleties do you need to know when caulking a bath?

The walls of the bathhouse need to be caulked from the bottom up along the entire perimeter. Moreover, the work is done by first caulking one row from the inside and outside, then the second, etc. The fact is that when caulking, the bathhouse is raised by 5–15 cm. If you do not work sequentially, the structure will warp. By caulking the bottom groove along the entire perimeter, outside and inside, then the second one, the bath structure will rise smoothly and evenly.

The caulking of the bath begins from the bottom, along the entire perimeter.

It is necessary to take care of the chimney before caulking the log house. The pipe is released at the junction with the ceiling and roof or removed temporarily so as not to damage it.

You can caulk a bathhouse using two methods:

to the set;
stretched out.

Let's look at each in more detail.

Sauna caulking set

It is necessary to caulk the set when sealing large cracks and grooves. The selected material is twisted into a 15–20 mm rope and, for convenience, wound into a small ball. The tourniquet is placed against the crack and hammered in using caulk and a mallet, as in the photo.

Caulking set and stretched.

First from above, then from below. They level everything with the help of a road worker.

Stretched bath caulk

The insulation does not need to be twisted into a bundle. It is simply pushed into the gap between the links and then pierced with a mallet. The work is carried out until the insulation no longer fits between the logs of the bathhouse frame.

It is necessary to caulk the log house slowly, carefully sealing every crack. Places where it is difficult to reach with a tool are simply foamed with polyurethane foam.

We answered the question of how to properly caulk a bathhouse using various methods. After the bathhouse frame has finished caulking, it must be sanded and coated with protective compounds. We'll talk about this next time.

What is caulk? Essentially, this is the process of compacting a log house with fibrous materials - moss, tow and others; in this case, heat-insulating material can be used as inter-crown insulation - flax-jute fiber, polyurethane foam, For example. But caulking correctly is not so easy - you will learn about all the intricacies and features of this process from this article. So, how to caulk a log house - with moss, tow, tape and sealants.

3 Video selection of examples of caulking
4 What tools are needed for caulking

Technology for getting the job done right

Once the frame is laid, it is still impossible to caulk it - after all, shrinkage lies ahead. One can understand, of course, the desire of those building a bathhouse to make money, which is why they propose to caulk everything right there, but this needs to be done only after at least six months.

So, as soon as the log house has shrunk, you can begin to caulk it - from the bottom up, from the very bottom crown. This should be done this way: caulk one seam, strictly along the perimeter of the entire log house - outside, then inside. It is impossible to caulk each wall separately - otherwise the log house will warp over time. The same applies to separate caulking of the external and internal sides - because of this, a dangerous vertical deviation of the walls can easily occur.

Caulking is a careful, fussy job. At the same time, the master is obliged to constantly monitor the log house so that there are no distortions in the walls. And it’s bad if, after caulking, the entire log house rises up a whole crown - this will invariably lead to logs falling out of the dowels or locks, and therefore it is better not to allow this.

Which material should you prefer?

So, here are the most common materials for caulking a log bath:

Moss - like the good old days

Moss is an environmentally friendly material that has healing properties. It resists temperature changes and drying well, absorbs moisture, but does not rot. And most importantly, it has antimicrobial and tonic properties, and at the same time lasts quite a long time.

This material for caulking has been used since ancient times. Today it cannot be called the best, but many bathhouse owners use only it during construction.

So, when laying, you can only use highly moistened moss - then after drying the log house, it will turn into a homogeneous dense mass that will fill all the cavities and cracks. Therefore, you won’t have to caulk the bathhouse anymore. However experienced builders It is not recommended to attach special importance to the historical experience of its use - such finishing is still quite expensive.

Tow - not everything is so smooth

Caulking tow is the most difficult. As the log house dries out, it will gradually gain moisture and eventually rot, turning into dust. And then you will have to clean out this insulation, caulk everything again and tightly fill the empty cavities - and this will take a lot of effort and time.

Sealants - modern technologies

Sealants for log baths are much more expensive than tow, but they also have their undeniable advantages. Sealants as a means of caulking are suitable if the log house is rounded, or well-cut from an ordinary log, and the groove in it is semicircular. And if there is jute fabric between the logs. In this case, you can really get by with just one sealant. But, if the log house was made using a chainsaw, and the groove in it is triangular in shape, then it is already necessary to fill the void, i.e. caulk for real.

If you use a sealant with tow, then everything should happen according to this scheme: the bathhouse is caulked with tow twice, and after it completely shrinks, the seams are sealed. And in order to save sealant, it is advisable to lay a cord of insulation in the grooves.

Moreover, for seams of different widths - different types sealant. But the seams turn out light and neat. And there is no longer any risk of subsequent caulking.

Caulk with tape insulation

One of the most simple ways caulking – caulking with tape. There is no need to cut it into strips, which makes the whole process much easier. And you need to do it like this:

Step 1. First you need to approach one of the ends of the log house, place the end of the tape on the ground, and, unwinding it, gradually move away to the other end. There is no need to cut the tape - it is only important that it does not twist and runs in a strip. And most importantly, the tape should not be pulled, it should go slightly relaxed.

Step 2. Returning to the beginning of the tape, you need to lift its end and start tucking it right from the end between the crowns - with the tool that was selected depending on the existing gaps. As soon as it has already been passed to the end, you need to leave a margin of 10-20 cm - and only then can the tape be cut, and only with well-sharpened scissors.
Step 3. At this stage, you can already caulk the tape. But only a little bit - otherwise it will go into folds. Moreover, you need to caulk it not in one stage, but in several - until the tape completely disappears in the logs, and the reserve that was initially left will also disappear. As for the process itself, the tape should be pushed in diagonally.
Step 4. Now you need to repeat everything - between the same crowns. Oddly enough, two or three tapes will easily fit there, depending on their density. Those. The amount of insulation caulking itself requires at least four times what was originally used during installation - and this is only when caulking outside, whereas according to all the rules, the same should be done inside.

So, if the insulation padding has become dense, like wood, the caulking was successful. By the way, craftsmen advise taking jute of at least 10 mm – and the thicker it is, the better.

Video selection of examples of caulking

The easiest way to take a closer look at the process of caulking a log house is with a step-by-step video:

What tools are needed for caulking?

As for the caulking tool, in ancient times it looked exactly like this:

But today a Chinese instrument is considered a completely worthy alternative, which is not expensive and is quite acceptable in quality.

By the way, if you use a hard tool for caulking, you cannot avoid chips and dents - after all, it will slide off. Soft caulk is more difficult to use, but you can make it right on the spot, with your own hands. Today, wooden caulks are also made with curved edges, which are quite easy to penetrate into the depth of the seam, but they require skill to use.

In general, everything is within the power of a Russian person!

Bath caulking: technology and material selection

A log bathhouse is a tradition that, even after several hundred years, has not lost its relevance. The tree has the most high level thermal insulation among building materials, while the weight of the log structure does not go beyond the permissible limit. The only drawback of this technology is the presence of gaps between the stacked logs.

When laying and adjusting logs between individual elements, horizontal through cavities will inevitably remain along the entire perimeter of the bathhouse, and before its operation it is necessary to caulk them.

To learn how to properly caulk a bathhouse, you need to understand all the intricacies of this matter. The process of caulking cracks in itself does not contain any difficulties, however, there are several special points that need to be taken into account.

This article will describe step-by-step instructions and main points on the topic - “how to caulk a bathhouse with your own hands.” In addition to describing the technology, it will also provide detailed information about how to caulk the bathhouse, since in this case the correct choice of material plays a decisive role in the success of the entire process.

Selection of material

Forest moss is the most traditional material, which our great-great-grandfathers used for caulking log houses. This is the most environmentally friendly material of all analogues used, since it is of natural origin, assembled by hand and is not treated with chemicals. It has bioactive properties - it does not grow moths and mold.

Moss is especially valued for its antiseptic properties - it does not rot even when exposed to high humidity. At the same time, moss caulk is not only not susceptible to rotting, but also protects nearby areas from damage, which is especially important for insulating a bathhouse.

Also, using moss as a material for caulking allows you to significantly save on the purchase of material, since it can be collected in the nearby forest with your own hands. Even if this is not possible, its price in stores is quite affordable. Natural moss is the most rational decision The question is, what is the best way to caulk a bathhouse?

The most common material for log caulking due to its cost, but flax has the lowest quality characteristics. Before caulking a bathhouse with flax, you should take into account that it contains practically no natural antiseptics - therefore, putrefactive bacteria, which damp wood contains in abundance, will quickly destroy the formed seam, after which nearby areas will undergo degradation.

It quickly deteriorates under the influence of high humidity - its service life is from 1 to 3 years, after which the seam begins to crumble. Insects love it - moths, beetles; in its raw state, mold and mildew quickly grow. Without chemical treatment, you may find a large number of insect larvae in it the next season of operation.

Note!
Some of the disadvantages of this material can be mitigated through chemical impregnation, but this will negatively affect the atmosphere of the bathhouse.

Of all the analogues used, flax can be called the most undesirable solution to the question: how to caulk a bathhouse?

Recently, experts have expressed their opinion on the question of what is the best way to caulk a log house for a bathhouse? - is increasingly leaning in favor of jute fiber, which recently appeared on the domestic market.

And this is not without meaning - natural jute is a durable material containing a large amount of natural lingin, which gives it water-repellent properties. Also, jute is much less damaged by insects than flax.

Note!
Not to be confused with jute felt, which contains a certain proportion of flax, and accordingly all its negative qualities are present.
It is quite simple to distinguish them from each other - 100% jute is gray in color.

Caulk

There is practically nothing complicated in this process - the main thing is to choose the right material for sealing the seams. You will need a mallet (wooden hammer) and a set of caulking tools. There are two technologies for caulking seams - stretching and tapping.

Stretch

The insulation is pushed crosswise into the cavity with fibers; this is done either by hand or with caulk, depending on the width of the cavity. The material is hammered inside until about 4–5 cm of the insulation edge remains outside;
Then a roller of the appropriate diameter is made from the insulation, which is wrapped into the remaining edge, after which it is hammered into the cavity using a caulking chisel;

Recruitment

For this method the insulation must be twisted into strands like a rope, the diameter of which is selected based on the size of the cavity between the log house;
The finished strands are pushed into the gap using a caulking chisel - first the upper part is pushed, and then the lower one. A road worker is used to level the seam;

During caulking of cracks, the frame rises a little, and therefore it is necessary to hammer in each crack along the entire perimeter and only then move on to the next level, otherwise the bathhouse may “skew”;
If the bathhouse already has a stove and chimney, the pipe must be freed so that the structure that rises as a result of caulking does not damage the masonry.
To do this, it is enough to free up the space around the bathhouse pipe by a few centimeters;

Bottom line

Correct selection of material and our useful tips will help you carry out these manipulations without any difficulties. You can learn more clearly about the process of caulking a bath by watching the video in this article.

Caulk with moss

In caulking with moss, the main thing is no longer compliance with technological subtleties - in this respect it is much simpler than caulking with fibrous materials - but the preparation of material. More precisely, purchasing. Forest and swamp building moss goes on sale, but self-harvesting of tree moss is possible only in certain places very remote from civilization, and self-harvesting of bog moss in most developed countries is prohibited and punishable by law: in recent decades, the extremely important role of swamps as moisture accumulators and regulators has been revealed natural processes. In addition, mosses actively accumulate many useful and harmful microelements; swamp moss– natural filter of radionuclides. By caulking with moss collected yourself, you risk not only infecting the frame with rot, mold and pests, but also yourself and your loved ones, which is no better.

The best moss for caulking is bog sphagnum, or cuckoo flax, pos. 1 in Fig: it never wakes up in buildings and releases substances that protect wood from damage. But it is impossible to caulk with bright green fresh sphagnum (item 2) - on the contrary, it will overheat and ruin the frame. You need to caulk with moss (both swamp and forest), dried until it withers without rotting, pos. 3. This moss is sold in bags (item 4). It must be stored in them until use, not allowing it to dry out completely: moss that is still slightly alive is suitable for caulking. Dried gray or brown building moss (item 5) is not caulk, but insulation material. By the way, very good.

Note: It is impossible to caulk with rock and ground moss - particles of the substrate with germs of wood pests will certainly remain in it.

Procedure for caulking with moss

They caulk with moss before winter. In the spring, when it gets warm but not dry yet, the hanging festoons are checked (see below) and the green ones are plucked out. Then the scallops are tapped into the grooves. It is very important to prevent the caulk from drying out: if the moss begins to crumble under the caulking tool, the entire caulk will never be intact, and every 2-5 years you will have to re-caulk, and the entire log house will not stand as long as it can. A year later, the building is checked and, if it is split, a secondary caulk is carried out with the same (!) moss.

Sphagnum moss is laid out in the grooves when assembling the log house as a mountain (item 1 in the figure below), because It cakes heavily under pressure. The festoons of bog moss should hang abundantly from the grooves, pos. 2. Immediately after assembling the frame, moss is added to the remaining cracks (shown by arrows in position 2), tamping with a scythe on top wooden caulk. Quite easily reviving tree moss, on the contrary, is laid out sparingly but tightly so that there are no empty cracks, pos. 3. Its scallops should protrude from the grooves assembled log house approx. half the palm of your hand, but not hanging down, pos. 4. Hanging ones (shown by an arrow in position 4) are cut off.

Instead of moss

In coastal areas you can find durable log buildings, caulked instead of moss with damask - sea grass eelgrass or eelgrass thrown ashore by storms. Kamka also good insulation and in this capacity it is now sold dried, but caulk can only be done with damp, fresh stone. But digging with damask turns out to be excellent: it releases salts into the tree, making it unsuitable for pests, and releases iodine into the air in the room. Which, as is known, among others beneficial properties, promotes the removal of cumulative poisons and radionuclides from the body. They caulk with damask like moss, with some differences: they take it apart into flat strands and lay them out in the grooves of the log house in a herringbone pattern without gaps so that the ends hang down half a log. Upon completion of the assembly of the log house, the ends are tapped into the grooves with wooden caulk.

Synthetics and sealants

Synthetic caulking is used in combination with rough jute tape, or, for “aesthetics,” with twisted white jute rope. The rough tape is placed in the grooves of the frame under caulking with sealants without wings, flush with the edges of the groove. If the logs have a Finnish groove, then the edges of the tape should lie exactly on the longitudinal cuts in the log under the edge protrusions of the groove of the upper log.

Sealants for wood are chemically neutral polyurethane: silicone is less compatible with wood in terms of mechanical and physico-chemical properties (in particular, in terms of the thermal expansion coefficient TCR), and is destroyed under the influence of even very weak acids. In turn, the silicone solvent - acetic acid - spoils the wood, so do not try to replace special sealants for wood with ordinary construction ones. Synthetics are used to caulk mainly log houses made of laminated logs and timber - their estimated service life is the same as that of glue joints of laminated lumber.

Caulking with sealants is done quickly and simply: the initial composition is squeezed out of the tube into the groove, pos. 1 in Fig.. When it has set, the seams are puttied on top with a finishing compound to match the wood, pos. 2.:

There is also an “ultra-modern” method of caulking log houses built without rough caulking at all: cuts are made along the seams, strands of self-expanding polyethylene foam are inserted into them and sealed with wood-like sealant, pos. 3. In essence, this is no longer caulking, because This method is suitable for buildings made of lumber without shaped grooves, assembled on dowels and impregnated with water repellents ( water-repellent impregnations). In addition, it is only suitable for selected chamber-drying materials that are completely dried and settled. And then what will happen with warping from moisture during operation - we’ll wait and see: in practice, “caulk-free caulking” has so far been used for no more than 10-12 years.

Let's return to caulking, which is still caulking, albeit synthetic. Finishing compounds darken when dry, so they are selected to match the wood using test strokes on the container. But in the light, the finishing synthetic caulk fades and the walls of the log house take on the appearance shown in pos. 4. Some people, since such “decoration” cannot be avoided, order caulking seams to be glued or filled with white twisted cord. How much this adds “aesthetics and respect” to the building is a matter of taste of the owner. And there is no arguing about tastes. Moreover, about the tastes of people who believe that natural wood needs additional “improvement”.

It is much more practical to use synthetic caulk to seal gaping cracks in logs, pos. 5 in Fig. On top of the sealant, the cracks are filled with any wood putty for exterior use, and the entire structure is rejuvenated. The putty has to be renewed every 2-3 years - it also fades in the light - but this doesn’t last long, it’s not difficult and inexpensive.

The final touch - sanding

Caulking has not yet completed the construction of the log house until it is ready for flooring, installation attic floor, roofs, installation of windows, doors, partitions, for finishing and equipment - the log house is desirable, but the inside must be sanded. Especially - chopped from wild logs, debarked by hand.

Sanding a frame with sandpaper is extremely time-consuming, tedious, and this damages the outer most resistant layers of the wood. The frame is sanded using a hand-held universal grinder with nylon brushes. Worse - grinder with them; drive is too powerful. But the main thing here is still brushes for sanding wood, see video review:

Video: review of nylon brushes for sanding logs

Sanding a log frame with a brush is actually a controversial issue: the brush removes the bead of caulk, see figure..

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