Today, many of us dream of living in our own beautiful house. But to make spending time in it as comfortable as possible, it needs to be well equipped. The comfort of living in any home depends on the quality of thermal insulation. This is especially true for buildings made of wooden beams. However, in order for the external insulation made by yourself to be of high quality, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the tree. If this is not done, the thermal insulation and walls will not last long. In addition, during the work process it is necessary to adhere to certain instructions and observe safety precautions.
General information about insulation
To achieve good thermal insulation wooden house, it is necessary to take into account two features of wood as a building material. Firstly, wood has high vapor permeability, and secondly, it is susceptible to the development of fungi and mold. Speaking in simple language, wood absorbs moisture very well, which increases heat loss. Thus, arranging insulation log house outside with your own hands, you should choose materials that will protect the wood well from moisture so that it does not rot. Another important nuance is ventilation gap, which should be between the insulation layer and the wall. And to prevent the development of fungus and mold, the wood is impregnated with special antiseptics.
Types of insulation
Insulating a log house from the outside, the technology of which requires compliance with certain instructions, is a rather labor-intensive process. When insulating the inside, the insulating material is laid in the room, after which it is sheathed with any finishing material. With external insulation, the opposite happens.
Insulation inside the house is used in cases where it is necessary to preserve the natural appearance buildings, for example, if the house is built from a log house.
However, this technology has several disadvantages:
- decrease free space inside rooms;
- constant dampness in the room;
- a strong difference in temperature inside the house and outside leads to the fact that the wood deteriorates very quickly.
Therefore, in most cases, insulation of a log house is used from the outside under siding.
External insulation device
To minimize heat loss through the walls and eliminate the possibility of fungus, when insulating the facade of a house, it is very important that the wall not only prevents heat from escaping, but also breathes.
To achieve this, insulation is carried out according to the “layer cake” principle, which consists of the following components:
- bearing wall;
- frame;
- insulation layer;
- membrane film that protects the wall from the wind;
- lathing for finishing materials;
- siding.
With such insulation of the house, the walls breathe, condensation is removed from them thanks to the wooden frame, which is not only responsible for fastening finishing materials, but also creates an air cushion. In addition, condensation cannot disappear on its own, so a layer of vapor barrier must be provided between the insulation and the wall, which will protect the insulation from moisture and prevent its deterioration.
Types of insulation materials
Today, insulation of a log house from the outside and inside is carried out according to a similar principle, and can be done using the following materials:
- mineral wool;
- polystyrene foam;
- extruded polystyrene foam;
- ecowool.
Each of the materials has certain advantages and disadvantages, so when purchasing it, you should take into account all the features of each type of insulation. You can purchase everything you need to insulate your home in specialized stores.
External insulation of a wooden house: which material is better to choose?
Before you start arranging thermal insulation at home, you need to purchase suitable material. It is very common to insulate a log house from the outside with ecowool. It consists of a collection of fibers that are produced by the melting of rocks. The excellent thermal insulation qualities of ecowool are due to the fact that there is air between the fibers, which contributes to better heat retention.
In addition, insulation also has the following advantages:
- ease of installation;
- low cost;
- high resistance to ignition;
- good vapor permeability;
- excellent sound and heat insulation characteristics.
If you decide to make external thermal insulation using this material, then you should take into account the fact that insulating the outside of a log house with mineral wool under the siding should include wind protection, since this insulation absorbs moisture very well, which significantly reduces the performance characteristics of ecowool.
Other types of insulation that can be used to create thermal insulation for a house made of wooden beams are polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam. Both materials belong to the category of polymers, consisting of numerous cells glued together, between which there are pores. It is thanks to the voids that excellent thermal insulation is achieved. It is worth noting that both materials are very similar and are manufactured using reliable technology, however, polystyrene foam has higher strength.
Nevertheless, most professionals recommend using mineral wool to insulate a log house from the outside, since polystyrene foam and its analogues have very poor vapor permeability. Consequently, condensation accumulates between the insulation and the wall, which creates ideal conditions for the development of fungus, mold and harmful microorganisms.
External thermal insulation using mineral wool
Mineral wool, due to its availability and fairly good characteristics, is most often used for external insulation of houses made of wooden beams or logs. However, it is very important to understand how much material will be required for this. To do this you need to calculate total area which needs to be insulated.
In order not to make mistakes in the calculations, you can adhere to the following algorithm:
- The ceiling height in each room is measured.
- The total perimeter of all rooms is measured.
- The resulting measurements are multiplied for each individual room, after which the area of the openings is subtracted from the resulting figure, and then the area of the gables is added, which can be calculated using a mathematical formula for determining the area of a triangle.
- Determine which material from which manufacturer you will use. Divide the total area of the mineral wool by the area of each slab. In this case, it is very important to provide a small margin, which will be necessary to eliminate errors when cutting the mineral. The resulting figure will indicate the amount of mineral wool that makes up each slab for insulating a log house from the outside.
In this case, the amount of material depends on the thickness of the insulating layer. For regions with warm climates, insulation can be laid with a layer thickness of 50 millimeters, and for areas with very cold winters - 150 mm. If for some reason mineral wool cannot be laid in one layer, then in this case two layers can be made.
What tools are needed?
To make thermal insulation of a wooden house, in addition to the insulation material, you will need a certain set of tools. To build the frame you need electric jigsaw or grinder for cutting wooden beam. At the same time, it is important to understand that with a grinder the work will go much faster, but this tool will damage anti-corrosion coating, which will negatively affect the durability of the material, and the insulation of the walls of a log house from the outside will not last so long. If the frame is made of metal profile, then in this case you will need metal scissors.
In addition, you need to tighten the screws with something. A screwdriver with a set of attachments will cope with this task perfectly. It is best to choose a tool with a self-contained power source, since this way you will not be tied to an outlet and will be able to do work in any part of the house. Since insulating a log house from the outside is a very labor-intensive and time-consuming process, it would be useful to acquire an additional battery. This way you can work with the tool and charge the battery at the same time.
When creating a wooden frame, it is necessary to adjust its individual elements. This is done using a rubber or wooden hammer. It will also be necessary sharp knife for cutting mineral wool.
As mentioned earlier, the insulation of a log house from the outside should include a windproof layer. It is created using a special film, which is attached to a wooden frame with metal brackets. To do this you will need a construction stapler.
In order for the wall to be perfectly level after all work is completed, the installation of thermal insulation must be done using a level, tape measure and plumb line. Without these tools it is simply impossible to do everything efficiently.
Laying insulation on a wooden frame
Most often, when installing thermal insulation at home, the insulation is placed on wooden frame. In this case, the insulation of the log house from the outside is carried out in a certain sequence.
- The wall is being prepared. All protruding elements are removed from it, after which the wood is treated with special antiseptic agents. Particular attention should be paid to hard-to-reach places, since it is in them that fungus and microorganisms most often develop.
- A wooden frame is created. For it, it is better to use bars measuring 30x30 millimeters. Horizontal and vertical elements are fastened together using galvanized self-tapping screws, which are highly resistant to corrosion. It is worth noting that the distance between the beams should be 5 mm less than the size of each slab of insulating material. This is very important, because after laying the mineral wool there should be no cracks or gaps. Otherwise, the thermal insulation will be of poor quality and heat loss will occur. Disc-shaped dowels are used to fix the material.
- The second layer of insulation is being laid. All work is performed in the same way as described earlier.
- When the thermal insulation layer is completely completed, you can begin laying Each subsequent strip of film should be laid with an overlap of 10 centimeters on the previous strip. The membrane is attached to the frame using a construction stapler and metal staples. To ensure high-quality and reliable protection, the joints of the membrane must be taped with special construction tape.
- On top of the windbreak, slats are attached to the wooden frame, on which the siding elements will be attached.
- At the final stage, facing work is carried out.
At this point, the insulation of the log house from the outside can be considered completely completed.
Laying insulation on brackets
The insulation can be laid not only on a wooden frame, but also on brackets. The process of performing work in this case must take place in a certain sequence.
- The outer side of the walls is treated with an antiseptic.
- Metal brackets are attached to the facade of the building, at a distance that will be between separate elements battens.
- Mineral wool is being laid. To do this, the insulation is simply placed on the brackets and secured with disc-shaped dowels.
- A windproof film is laid and fixed on top of the mineral wool.
- Created metal lathing, on which vinyl panels are installed.
If you strictly adhere to the instructions described above, you will get high-quality and durable thermal insulation.
Conclusion
Regardless of how the outside of the log house was insulated - with clay, sawdust, shavings or mineral wool, when working with any material it is very important to adhere to the rules for working with it, as well as to follow the installation technology. Nevertheless, the best option for insulation is mineral wool, since it has excellent performance characteristics and a low price.
Regardless of the chosen insulation, it is recommended to install thermal insulation in the warm season so that the wood dries out properly. In addition, before laying the insulation material, the walls should be treated with an antiseptic, which will protect them from damage and prevent the formation of fungus, mold, rot and the appearance of various microorganisms and rodents. This is the only way you can create thermal insulation that will last for centuries, which will not have to be replaced after just a few years.
How to insulate a room? For example, an old wooden house? In what cases is this required? These questions concern many owners of such structures. Additional insulation is required when the walls of a building are unable to properly retain heat inside.
It is the layer of insulating material that can reliably protect the walls, extending their life, from ultraviolet radiation and moisture, and also act as a barrier between the warm air from inside the house and the cold outside.
Preparing the surface for insulation
During preparation, it is often necessary to remove all plaster or old insulating material so that in the end it remains clean and flat wall made of wood, blocks or bricks.
Expanded polystyrene. Click on photo to enlarge.
Insulating a wooden house, when all the work is done by hand, involves high-quality priming of the surface, for which a composition with deep penetration is used. If there are differences in the level (pits or mounds), they need to be scraped off or covered with a solution. Before work, dust is removed from the wall surface.
A set of plumb lines and beacons is created in advance, which will later allow the insulation to be laid evenly by defining its outer edge. This way the layer of material will not interfere during the complex of finishing and facing works.
This is done by driving screws into the top of the wall. Threads with weights are tied to them and lowered. Horizontal lines are made in the same way. They form a control grid for high-quality styling insulation.
Next comes the stage, the specifics of which depend on the type of material. For example, consider the option with expanded polystyrene.
Work with expanded polystyrene or extruded polystyrene foam
Insulating a wooden house with this material implies a certain sequence of work. First, a control corner is mounted along the lower edge, through which the stacked sheets are aligned. Expanded polystyrene is fixed with a special glue by pressing the sheets against the wall. The control grid will not allow you to make mistakes.
The second layer is fixed in a similar way, but shifted sideways by half a sheet. Fixation is carried out anchor fastenings, which are clogged in the center of the sheet and at its corners. As for window openings and wall corners, a metal corner is used at these points to fasten the slabs. Reinforcing tape is used to seal the seams between the sheets.
Next, extruded or regular polystyrene foam is covered with a reinforcing mesh and then plastered. This material is optimal for insulating concrete or brick walls. The only negative is low vapor permeability. And this will not allow condensation to be removed from the surface of the walls of an old house. To solve the problem, it is recommended to thoroughly dry the walls before starting work, and upon completion, install a ventilated façade.
Insulation procedure different designs wooden house requires that at the end of this stage there is no access left to the laid foam and rodents cannot damage it.
Interior work
On this moment exist different ways performing work that depends on the materials used.
Warm seam
This scheme allows you to significantly reduce the thermal conductivity of wall joints and seams. It is used when finishing walls with decorative plasters is not planned.
Laying is carried out directly between the beams of the structure using natural (linen rope, flax wool or tow) or synthetic (latex, acrylic, bitumen-rubber, silicone) sealants.
Works with mineral wool
For insulation, mats made of glass wool, basalt (mineral) fiber or slag fiber are used. This material has excellent thermal insulation qualities, noise absorption and environmental friendliness. The problem is that it has a fibrous structure, and this contributes to the accumulation of water in it. The result is that layers of hydro- and vapor barrier must be laid on the walls of an old house.
Work progress:
Preparation. This method initially involves filling all defects, crevices and cracks using synthetic sealant. Next, the surface is treated with an antiseptic composition.
Lathing. This method of insulating structures, in particular, a wooden house, implies the need to install sheathing. First, a transverse lath is fixed, which is made of a metal profile across the logs and in a step of 80 cm. The counter-lattice frame is created in a similar way with the same step, but along the logs. The design performs the function of providing ventilation, removing excess steam and preventing condensation.
It is advisable to use mineral wool in mats, because this structure material gives him the opportunity to save thermal insulation properties even under heavy mechanical loads. The mats are placed spaced between the sheathing elements with a maximum permissible joint width of 2 mm, which are subsequently sealed with special tape.
Vapor barrier. To prevent its rupture due to thermal expansion of mineral wool, the vapor barrier is laid with an allowance and overlap - this method is optimal.
Finishing. For this, plasterboard, chipboard, lining or fiberboard is used. They are fixed directly to the profile or joists, and the thickness of the seams should be minimal.
The sequence of operations must be strictly followed.
Ceiling insulation with sawdust
Materials:
Prepared composition for insulation. Click on photo to enlarge.
- cement;
- sawdust;
- glassine - you can use another insulator. It spreads over the entire area of the ceiling with a small allowance for side bends.
A sawdust-cement mixture is used for the work. The required amount of sawdust is calculated based on optimal thickness warm ceiling V wooden building- twenty centimeters. To obtain the total cubic capacity, measure the surface area and divide by five. The ratio of cement and water is 1 to 10, and water and sawdust is 1.5 to 10.
The insulation scheme intended for a wooden house imposes certain criteria on the shavings:
- age – from 1 year;
- dryness;
- size - too small will not work, as more cement will be required, which will worsen the composition;
- There should be no moldy smell coming from the sawdust.
Composition laying technique
Work order:
- do-it-yourself processing of all wooden components antiseptic;
- laying sheet waterproofing on the entire floor between floors;
- mixing the mixture in the specified proportions;
- uniform laying of the mortar on the floor;
- tamping the thermal insulation layer.
Floor work
Insulating an old structure, in particular a wooden house, may require replacing the joists, as well as reworking the rough floorboards, but not always.
Installation of logs
If there is serious damage to any of the foundation beams, it must be replaced. This will take a lot of time - at least a day.
Since the logs are flooded concrete mortar, the damaged timber will have to be cut out from the thickness of the concrete. Next, it is necessary to expand the mounting hole so that a new log with a cross-section similar to that of the other beams can be installed.
The seat for the timber is prepared using tar paper wrap or resin, and the log is pre-treated with an antiseptic composition. Upon completion of the replacement, it is necessary to fix the beam in the mounting socket with gravel, inspect the level and concrete it with a solution of cement and gravel. Then all that remains is to wait for the mixture to harden. This method will give maximum effect.
Installation of subfloor
Insulating a wooden house involves creating a subfloor. Initially, the lathing is attached to the logs with screws, which is created from beams with a cross-section of 50x50 mm and is packed in parallel. This is followed by the filling of subfloor boards with a thickness of at least 20 and a width of 200 mm. Fixation occurs using simple nails, but in such a way that they do not “go into” the joists. The boards must be of the same thickness so that there are no distortions in the coating, while gaps between them are allowed up to 1 cm.
The insulation of the seams of the subfloor of a wooden house is carried out with a heat insulator.
All wooden elements(joists, sheathing, etc.) it is recommended to treat them with special antiseptic compounds, as well as fire retardants. These products (“Senezh”, “Pinotex”, “Finesta”) are not too expensive, so it’s not worth saving on their purchase.
Laying waterproofing
In the process of insulation wooden houses it is necessary to use exclusively a membrane film that does not allow moisture to pass upward. During installation, you need to leave 10-15 m from each edge for smell, and then seal everything with moisture-resistant tape.
Finishing logs
These beams with a section of 50x150 mm or 75x150 mm (for rooms where heavy furniture will be placed) are mounted in increments of 1 meter. Naturally, the 150 mm width limits the insulation parameters. Therefore, if you plan to lay a thicker layer of material, the thickness of the lags should be greater.
Before installing new joists, you need to mark the location of the rough joists by making marks on the floor. The finishing joists are fixed with long screws and a screwdriver so that the screws go into the lower joists. Between finishing beams and the wall needs to leave a gap of 2-4 cm.
Laying insulation and installing the finishing floor
Insulation (mineral wool, penoplex, foam plastic, etc.) is placed directly on the membrane waterproofing, in the gap between the joists. A combined method is allowed, but insulation of seams carried out in wooden house, must be implemented. No additional fixation is required, you just need to make sure that the material does not come out and completely covers the entire space between the beams.
To fill the finished floor, both new and old boards are used, and screws or nails are used as fastening elements. Different materials are used:
- floorboards (tenned, milled or tongue-and-groove);
- massive board;
- laminate;
- Fiberboard and others.
Before installing a ventilated facade, you should consider how to insulate the log a private house from the inside. If you choose the right materials and follow the thermal insulation technology, this will be enough to protect the building. In this case, you will not have to spoil the façade of the building.
Thermal insulation of a private log house involves insulation of all surfaces: walls, ceiling, floor and roof. Experts do not recommend pawning construction material inside the walls, as the wood will begin to rot.
Thermal insulation of roof and ceiling
Roof and ceiling insulation scheme. Click on photo to enlarge.
Insulation should begin with the roof and ceiling, because it is through the roof that most of the heat escapes. In a one-story building with an attic, the procedure begins with laying a waterproofing film on attic floor. Used as insulation mineral wool, sawdust or seaweed, which are distributed over the entire area of the installed film. The layer thickness can vary from 150 to 250 mm. Boards are laid on top of the insulation so that you can walk in the attic of the house.
If instead of an attic the house has attic floor, it is necessary to insulate not only interfloor covering, but also the roof slope. For wooden floors, use for this purpose bulk material, which is placed from the inside between the logs, and for concrete - slabs or rolls. The thickness of the thermal insulation layer varies from 50 to 100 mm.
Insulating the roof slope of a log building begins with laying a waterproofing film. Next, insulation (for example, mineral wool) is laid on it in a layer of 150-200 mm. A vapor-tight membrane is attached to the top, the purpose of which is to protect the heat-insulating material from moisture. Finally, the sheathing is installed and the room is finished.
Internal wall insulation
Since thermal insulation from the inside of log walls is impossible, you can caulk them.
Attention should be paid to door and window openings what is it used for interventional insulation or mineral wool. Experts do not recommend using polyurethane foam, because it quickly breaks down and loses its properties due to the constant movement of the log house.
The walls of a structure made of logs can be finished using wooden lining. But insulation cannot be installed between it and the base wall of the house. This kind of finishing will increase the thickness of the wall, and it will prevent heat loss.
Before insulating a log house, it is necessary to prepare the surface from the inside:
- clean the walls from dust and dirt;
- treat the wood with an anti-insect compound;
- apply a liquid that prevents rotting to the walls;
- fill the gaps with jute fiber.
After implementing the above procedures, you can begin insulating the walls.
First of all, you should arrange waterproofing barrier. Next, install a vertical sheathing of timber with a section of 5x5 cm and a pitch of 30 cm. Before installation, the beams must be treated with compounds that will protect them from burning and rotting.
Before laying mineral wool on the sheathing, the material is cut into strips of the required length. Their width should be 20 mm greater than the distance between the beams. Each strip is carefully laid and fixed anchor bolts so that the material holds tightly and provides reliable insulation.
Mounted on top of the sheathing and thermal insulation material vapor barrier film, which will protect mineral wool from moisture and prevent small particles from entering the air. The film is secured using a construction stapler. The material is laid with an overlap of up to 10 cm in order to reliably protect the insulation and prevent rotting of the house from the inside.
To sheathe the premises of the house on top of the heat-insulating pie, install the sheathing again using 3x4 cm bars. internal lining For a log building, you can use wooden lining.
Insulation of walls with foam plastic
Insulation of a log house with polystyrene foam. Click on photo to enlarge.
It is also possible to insulate walls using polystyrene foam. Since thermal insulation will be carried out from the inside of the building, thinner sheets should be used than with exterior decoration. To calculate required amount polystyrene foam, just multiply the height of the walls of the house by the length.
Before insulating the walls with foam plastic, the surface is prepared: cleaned of dust and dirt, treated with emulsions. Experts note that insulating a private building with foam plastic is not the best option, because it is not an environmentally friendly building material and is easily susceptible to combustion. However, thermal insulation using foam plastic also has advantages:
- reduction of heat loss, even if the cracks in the walls were not sealed before the insulation process began;
- a heat insulator of small thickness can protect the house from the cold;
- a log house quickly warms up, even if it is rarely used;
- simplicity of the installation process of insulating material;
- secured good level soundproofing.
Floor insulation
Wooden floor insulation scheme. Click on photo to enlarge.
To make a log house as warm and cozy as possible, it is necessary to insulate its floor. During the process, it is important to follow the technology for installing flooring on the ground. First of all, bedding is carried out, then a waterproofing film is installed, and finally the insulation itself is installed.
Insulation of a wooden floor
If the floor is wooden, thermal insulation material is laid between the joists in a layer of 100-150 mm. Afterwards, the rough and finishing floors are installed. If there is a need to insulate a concrete floor, extruded polystyrene foam or foam should be laid between the main layer of concrete and the thin one. The thickness of the slabs should be 50-80 mm.
Often, the insulation of a log house is carried out by installing a “warm floor” system, then there is no need to install a ventilated facade. A properly equipped system can provide comfortable accommodation in the house, so there is no need to sheathe the walls outside.
Although wooden frame It retains heat perfectly, maintaining the natural level of humidity in living spaces; owners sometimes have to solve problems with its insulation, since in winter it becomes cold and drafts occur. In such situations, not everyone knows how to insulate a log house from the outside, so as not to spoil its appearance and achieve the maximum reduction in heat loss.
To improve the thermal insulation characteristics of a wooden house, different thermal insulation is used, for each type of which special installation technologies are provided. Knowledge of the causes of heat loss and the appropriate methods for eliminating them will allow you to restore a comfortable temperature regime in the room.
There can be many reasons for heat loss in a log house. If the house was built several decades ago and is quite worn out, then the reasons may be either cracks in the windows, floor and ceiling, or dried out logs that lose their heat capacity due to cracks and crevices formed.
If we're talking about about a new log house, the main problems here are related to the shrinkage and shrinkage of the wood, which also causes gaps to appear both between the crowns of the log house and in the junctions of windows, doors, as well as in the floor and ceiling.
If we consider the pattern of movement of air masses from the heater in the room, it will become clear that the air in the room is always in motion, but due to room temperature it is not felt by the people in it. But if there are heat leaks, then during circulation the air manages to cool significantly to such an extent that it begins to be felt by those present as a draft in the floor area.
In addition to problems associated with wood imperfections, there are also design errors. Such errors result from the use of insufficiently thick logs for construction in a given area. Interesting fact is that at the same temperature, but a difference in humidity, the same log house will behave differently. Therefore, for the Central European part of Russia with its “wet” frosts, thicker logs are used.
In any case, you need to remember that insulating a log house needs to be approached comprehensively, without trying to correct only part of the shortcomings.
Requirements for material for insulating log walls
When choosing insulation for a log house, you should take into account the ability of wood to “breathe”. Therefore, the insulation material must have a number of the following qualities:
- the same vapor permeability as wood, if it is laid along the facade of the log house;
- moisture resistance, which will protect the tree from moisture accumulation and rotting;
- fire safety;
- immunity to fungus and pests;
- have a loose structure that will ensure a tight fit of the insulation to the wooden walls.
Wood is a unique building material that not only “breathes” through the ends of the logs, but is also a natural heat exchanger. Therefore, for such a “living” material, you should use natural insulation, which has the same natural origin as log walls, unlike, for example, the materials used for .
External insulation of a log house can be carried out using the following materials:
- oakum;
- tape-type insulation made from flax and jute;
- hemp;
- moss
When insulating old wooden houses, it is allowed to use ecowool and mineral wool for external insulation. They are simple and easy to install and inexpensive, and in terms of their main technological characteristics they are close to natural ones. thermal insulation materials. Use thermal insulation made of synthetic materials for log houses unacceptable.
To insulate the attic and floor, backfill material should be used: sawdust or expanded clay. Dry seaweed and straw can also be used in the attic. You can insulate the floor with mineral wool roll type, placing it under the floor covering.
Exterior insulation technology for a log house
Before directly carrying out work to eliminate heat loss, it is necessary to determine exactly where these losses occur. There are several methods for this - modern and traditional.
For the traditional method, you do not need anything other than a regular lit candle, with the help of which all external walls and corners of the house are examined for drafts. The more the flame blows away, the more attention you should pay to this place.
The modern method is to inspect the house using a thermal imager. This device gives the most accurate and understandable picture. Based on the readings of this device, you can accurately determine the places that need to be repaired, as well as places that are not worth wasting time and effort on.
Regardless of the period of construction of the house, the first step is to insulate the windows and doorways, insulation of the floor, as well as the ceiling, if this has not been done previously. As you know, up to 70% of heat can escape through the ceiling if it is not insulated or insulated poorly. Therefore, before looking for flaws in a log wall, pay attention to the basic insulation of the floor and ceiling.
We wrote about insulating a wooden floor. You can learn about ceiling insulation from the article about. You can also install a heated floor as an additional source of heat. We wrote about installing heated floors in a wooden house.
For external insulation of a log house, two technologies are used - additional caulking with puttying of cracks, as well as installation of a ventilated facade with additional insulation. These technologies can complement each other and be used both together and separately.
It should be remembered that effective insulation log house is only possible from the outside. In this case, the wood will continue to “breathe”, and the moisture will disappear from it. Otherwise, the dew point will mix deep into the frame, which leads to rapid wear and rot of the wood.
Caulking technology
The caulking technology consists of driving additional insulation into the gaps between the crowns of the logs (in addition to what was laid between the crowns during the construction of the log house), which fills the gaps formed by the shrinkage of the house and the drying of the tree itself.
Cracks in a log house should be caulked only in dry weather. To compact the material, a special tool is used - a caulk, which is a metal rod with a spatula at the end for better driving into the cracks. As mentioned above, only natural dry materials - jute, hemp, moss - should be used as insulation. It is necessary to caulk all the joints of the logs, Special attention facing the corners of the building.
During natural drying of a log house, longitudinal cracks are inevitable. different sizes in the logs themselves, both inside and outside the house. This problem can be solved by filling cracks with special wood putties or sealants.
The fight against this problem is not limited to one-time sealing of cracks, since with a high degree of probability, even after final shrinkage, cracks will appear with a certain frequency.
If the problem of heat leaks is not solved by caulking the cracks, then most likely the thickness of the logs in the house is insufficient for specific climatic conditions and installation of a ventilated façade is required.
When installing ventilated facades, you should also first caulk the frame, and only after that proceed with the installation of the facade cladding. You will learn more about caulking a log house from the video:
Installation of ventilated facades
When cladding the facade of a log house to insulate it, you should use only ventilated facades, which will allow the wood to “breathe” and ventilate moisture. Before installation, the outer surface of the walls must be treated with an antiseptic and fire-fighting composition to protect the wood from fungi and mold, as well as from possible fire.
After this, a sheathing is installed on the walls, which will hold the insulation. The width of the step when packing the timber vertically should be equal to the width of the insulation. To lay thermal insulation boards tightly to uneven surface log house, between it and the wall you need to fill the resulting space with inter-crown insulation made of jute and flax, or rolled “Basaltin”.
After this, a windproof film is installed, which has a vapor permeability of 1400 g per m 2 per day. It is important to choose the right windproof film for wood. The quality of insulation will depend on this. The film will not let the wind inside, leaving free access for air and moisture circulation. The walls will “breathe” while remaining dry and protected from rot.
A sheathing is installed on the windproof film, on which siding or other materials will then be mounted. façade panels. For the front side of a ventilated facade you can use vinyl siding imitating natural wood, or wooden block house to preserve the log profile of the frame on the façade.
Thus, by following all the above steps, you will be able to insulate a log house yourself, significantly saving on heat loss.
The process of insulating a log house and covering it with siding is clearly shown in the video:
Log houses are the warmest and most environmentally friendly. Wooden walls perfectly retain and accumulate heat and regulate humidity levels. On every corner we hear that a wooden wall with a thickness of only 240 mm has the same thermal conductivity as Brick wall 1 m thick. Impressive, right? But there are situations when you built or bought a new log house, lived in it, and with the onset of the first serious cold weather you realized that the house was cool and drafty. Then we seriously think about insulating the building, even at the expense of beauty. But there may also be more trivial situations: you bought an old wooden house, which is already quite “worn out” and requires serious insulation measures. So a serious question arises: how to insulate a log house, what materials can be used, and what absolutely cannot be done.
Why is it cold in a log house - a little theory
What problems do owners of log houses most often encounter when they complain that it is cold in the winter? Firstly, there are drafts in the rooms. Secondly, it blows on your legs. Thirdly, the house cools down quickly if you turn off the heating. Fourthly, the walls are too cold. And many accompanying nuances, from which the conclusion is drawn that the house urgently needs to be insulated, and it is imperative to start from the floor, since it is the coldest. Let's figure out what happens in the room when it is heated.
Imagine that we have a log house that we heat using some kind of heat source. What is involved in heat exchange: heat source, air, ceiling, walls and floor. How does this happen? Let's remember school course physics. Heated by the heat source, the air rushes upward - to the ceiling. Resting against the surface of the ceiling, it spreads across it, giving off heat and cooling. As a result, we get a ceiling - the most warm surface in the room. Then the air flow reaches the walls and goes down along them. Since our walls are much colder than the ceiling, the air cools much faster and its speed increases. The air has already reached the floor, having accelerated considerably, and is rushing along it with such speed that the illusion of such a strong cold draft is created, as if there is no floor at all, and you are standing right on the snow.
If you place the heat source near the internal walls, as is usually done when heating with a fireplace or portable radiator, then the rate of heat transfer increases significantly. There is a constant draft in the room, it turns out that it is our own fault that the house is cold.
It’s not for nothing that there are rules that heating radiators should be located under the windows. The outer walls are initially the coldest, in contrast to the inner ones, which are completely inert. If you place a heat source near outer wall, then the air will rise up, then fall again onto the walls, but now not at the same speed and will not cool so quickly. After all interior walls quite warm, so passing through them, the air will not cool down too much. And going down external walls, it will rest against the heat source again, where it will heat up and rise upward. As a result: the room warms up faster, the structures retain heat better, since it accumulates and is not wasted.
What needs to be checked to eliminate unnecessary heat loss:
- Ceiling. The very first outpost that should be checked for leaks, as up to 70% of the heat can escape through it. Be sure to insulate the attic or attic floor to trap heat inside the room.
- Walls. The second outpost is the outer walls and everything that is in them: windows, doors, etc. Wrong installed windows and doors are the bane of log houses. The lion's share of the heat can escape through them, without even having time to heat the room. Directly from the radiator and in the crack under/above the window. Plus, don’t forget to check whether the walls are thoroughly caulked; maybe cracks have already formed somewhere.
- Floor. The last thing that can be a source of cold is the floor. It should be checked for serviceability and insulated in the standard way. Also for the winter it is worth reducing the ventilation of the subfloor, blocking most of the air.
I would also like to note that in order to make the heating of a log house better, you can install “warm floors” in the house, in addition to existing system heating. Then warm air will be distributed more evenly throughout the room, due to which drafts near the floor will disappear and the house will cool down more slowly.
By the way, too thin walls can also cause cold in the house. For example, for a climate with cold, harsh winters but low humidity, walls with a thickness of 200 - 240 mm are sufficient. But for regions with wet winters, even with temperatures that do not drop below -20 ° C, it is advisable to use logs with a diameter of at least 400 mm, and preferably 480 mm. Such regions, for example, include Moscow and the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and Leningrad region. Be sure to take this into account when developing a log house project, so that later it will not be excruciatingly painful.
What materials can be used to insulate a log house?
The standard procedure for insulating a log house includes insulating the ceiling or attic, caulking the walls and insulating the windows and door frames, as well as floor insulation. If everything is done correctly, then no additional measures will be needed.
Considering that log houses are built with the goal of creating a home from natural, environmentally friendly materials, it would be foolish to use polystyrene foam for insulation. Then the whole meaning is lost.
For insulating the attic log house can be used sawdust, ecowool (cellulose wool), seaweed, straw. In extreme cases, you can insulate mineral wool.
Caulk the walls produce only natural materials: moss, oakum, hemp, jute, tape insulation flax based And jute. The main requirement for the material is that it must have properties similar to wood.
For insulation of wooden floors on joists you can use natural ones backfill materials, or maybe mineral wool in rolls. And here concrete floor will require denser material, suitable expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene foam, cork And basalt wool in slabs with a density of more than 160 kg/m3.
If after all standard procedures It’s cold in the house, maybe because the thickness of the logs was chosen incorrectly, maybe the house is just very old, or maybe the heating was calculated incorrectly, and you decided that you can’t do without such a procedure as insulating the walls of a log house, then you You should know some nuances.
The material that can be used to insulate log walls must have the following properties:
- Be vapor permeable on a par with wood or to a greater extent if it is installed outside the building.
- Be moisture resistant so as not to accumulate moisture, which can lead to rotting of the wood.
- Be fireproof and resistant to pathogenic fungi.
- Easy to pass air.
- Have a structure loose enough to fit snugly against a rounded log wall and leave no gaps.
Considering all of the above, to insulate a log house from the outside you can use:
- Ecowool.
- Mineral wool (although it is not natural, it is easy to install and publicly available).
- Sawdust or sawdust granules (fill material).
- Expanded clay (fill material).
Wood is an unusual building material. It not only “breathes”, but is also a kind of air recuperator. And if someone assures you that the vapor permeability of wood across the fibers is slightly greater than that of reinforced concrete, know that you can object. Entering the thickness of the wood across the fibers, the air is then distributed along the fibers and exits through the end. In other words, the tree “breathes” at the ends.
Precisely because wooden walls are “living”, the following materials cannot be used:
- Styrofoam.
- Extruded polystyrene foam.
- Polyurethane foam.
- Polyurethane foam for sealing cracks.
- Sealants.
The use of vapor-proof materials will lead to the wood rotting or, if you protect it from the inside with a vapor-proof film, you will turn a wooden house into a thermos. In this case, the whole point of building a house from a log will be lost. But it’s still up to you to choose.
How to insulate a log house from the outside
As we have already found out, it is necessary to insulate the walls of a log house only when all other insulation measures have not brought the desired result.
If you are interested in the question of how to properly insulate a log house from the outside or inside, then here is a definite answer - outside. This is due to the properties of wood to breathe, accumulate moisture and release it. If the insulation is located externally, air and moisture will freely escape from the wood and erode.
You can start insulating only a year to a year and a half after the completion of construction, when the log house has settled.
Caulking log walls
Even if you have already made the final decision to insulate the house, the first step is to thoroughly caulk it. We inspect all walls for visible cracks. Then, in calm weather, we walk around the house with a candle, holding it close to the walls. If the flame leans towards the wall, then there is a gap in this place from which it blows in winter.
One of the most effective ways searching for cracks in logs - in winter, when the house is heated, it is necessary to go around and inspect all the walls. If you notice frost, it is sometimes called a “bunny”, it means that heat is leaking from the room in this place.
Caulking should be done in dry, warm weather, using tow, jute, hemp or roll insulation. We insert the material into the gaps between the crowns and push it through special tool- caulk.
Installation of a ventilated facade
Insulation of a log house from the outside is carried out by installing a ventilated facade. This design allows wooden wall“breathe” and release moisture.
First, we treat the walls with an antiseptic and fire retardant to protect the wood from fire and mold. We fill the sheathing on top of the walls, which will hold the insulation. For this we use timber with a cross section of 50 mm. We stuff it vertically in increments equal to the width of the insulation boards minus 2 - 3 cm.
As insulation we will use mineral wool in slabs with a density of 35 - 50 kg/m3, 50 mm thick.
Important! When installing insulation on a log wall, we encounter some inconvenience. The fact is that the wall is uneven, laying the insulation closely without gaps is almost impossible. Therefore, we insert insulation into the gaps (openings) between the wall and the sheathing beams. To do this, you can use “Basaltin” in rolls or inter-crown insulation - jute, flax batting.
We insert mineral wool slabs between the sheathing, pushing them tightly into the opening. We do this from the bottom up.
We install a windproof waterproofing superdiffusion membrane on top of the insulation. It must have a vapor permeability of at least 1400 g/m2 per day or higher.
Important! Correctly selected wind protection for the ventilated facade of a log wall is almost the most important thing in insulation. This membrane will not allow moisture and wind to pass through from the outside into the thickness of the insulation and walls, but at the same time it will release moisture and air from the inside to the outside, thus giving the walls the opportunity to “breathe.”
On top of the windbreak we fill the sheathing with 50 mm beams. We install siding on the sheathing. This can be vinyl siding that imitates wood, or you can use a house block, then the wall will have the same log profile as the real one.
A ventilation gap is formed between the membrane and the facade over the entire thickness of the sheathing (50 mm). It is necessary to arrange vents at the bottom and at the top so that air can circulate freely.
How to insulate a log house from the inside
The option of insulating the house inside must be considered before constructing a ventilated façade. Perhaps standard insulation measures will be enough, and you won’t have to spoil the appearance of the walls.
Insulation of a log house from the inside includes the following procedures: insulation of the floor, ceiling, roof and walls. Moreover, experts are categorically against installing insulation inside the walls, since in this case the wood will become damp and rot.
Insulation of ceilings, roofs
The first step, as soon as we discovered that the house is cold, is to insulate the ceiling and roof.
If the house is one-story with an attic, then we lay a waterproofing film on the attic floor, and pour a layer of insulation on top with a layer of 150 to 250 mm. It can be ecowool, sawdust, seaweed or ordinary mineral or glass wool in rolls. There is no need to cover the insulation. You can lay boards on top for ease of movement around the attic, but there is no need to install a floor.
If the house has an attic floor instead of an attic, then it is necessary to insulate both the floor between the floors and the roof slope. It is enough to lay 50 - 100 mm of insulation (any kind) into the ceiling. If the attic floor is wooden, then add insulation between the joists. If the floor is concrete, then we use basalt wool in slabs or, as a last resort, polystyrene foam. To insulate the roof slope directly under the roof, we lay a waterproofing film, then lay insulation (mineral wool) in a layer of 150 - 200 mm. We lay a vapor-proof membrane on top of the insulation so that the material does not become saturated with moisture from the room. We install sheathing and trim for the attic.
The above procedures should be enough to make the house warmer.
Insulating the walls of a log house
Let's move on to the walls. Since it is impossible to install insulation inside log walls, what can we do: thoroughly caulk the inside, insulate all window and door openings.
To insulate openings, we use rolled inter-crown insulation or, as a last resort, mineral wool, but in no case do we blow in the cracks polyurethane foam, it will quickly become unusable, since the walls of a log house are constantly in motion, and foam is a non-plastic material.
To decorate the walls of a log house from the inside, you can upholster them with wooden paneling. In this case, insulation cannot be installed between the wall and the finishing. The house will become a little warmer due to the fact that the wall will have a slightly greater thickness, as well as air gaps from the side of the heated room between the flat paneling and the curved surface of the log walls.
Insulating the floor of a log house
In order for the floor in a wooden house to be warm, it must be equipped following all the technology for laying the floor on the ground. Backfilling, waterproofing and insulation are required. If the floor is wooden, we lay insulation between the joists in a layer of 100 - 150 mm. Above is the rough and finishing floor.
If the floor is concrete, then between the layer of “lean” concrete and the main layer we lay polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam in slabs 50 - 80 mm thick.
Before insulating a log house with a ventilated facade, install a “warm floor” system in the house. Perhaps this will be more than enough to ensure a comfortable stay. Then you won’t have to sew up the beautiful log walls, because such houses are built because of their primitive beauty. What's the point if you cover the walls with siding?
Insulation of a log house is the whole complex measures If everything is done correctly, start with the ceiling and roof, then thoroughly caulk the walls, insulate the windows and doors, and the floor, there will be no need to sheathe the outside of the house. If this does not help, there is another way to keep warm in a log house, which is not described here, - build glass veranda on the coldest side of the house, thereby expanding the area and creating an air barrier.