The modern construction market is in constant improvement. There are very convenient products for the repair and decoration of houses. Many of them can be used to cover walls on the inside and outside. Finishing with a block house - a relatively new material - became possible only a few years ago. Let's get to know her better.
A method of manufacturing a finishing structure
Analogues among finishing building materials are enough. So, a block house can be compared with euro lining. The starting material for the manufacture of the latter is a flat board. At the heart of the new product is a whole log.
The block house "Tree" is a structure obtained on machines designed for wood processing. The technology of its production consists in the implementation of the “square in a circle” scheme. The source material - a log - is processed to obtain a square profile. Semicircular cut planes are a blank for the production of a block house.
Further, the workpieces are subject to trimming, grinding, equipped with a tongue-and-groove type lock and special notches on the back side. The advantages of the new material are as follows:
- For the manufacture of a block house panel, a natural material is used - wood, with high quality characteristics.
- The ease and simplicity of connecting structural elements to each other gives him significant superiority over its counterpart - euro lining.
- Block house cladding gives the house a log look.
- Ease of assembly and a well-thought-out system of connecting panels to each other allow you to carry out the skin of a house yourself, without the involvement of specialists.
Types and purpose of the block house
The wooden block element of the modern block house is available in various sizes. Dimensions and thickness determine the direction of its application:
- The panel for external finishes has a width of 19 cm or more, its thickness should be at least 3.6 cm.
- The block house for interior decoration has narrower shapes. The width of such elements can be no more than 9 cm.
- A wide block house - outdoor - is used not only in home decoration. For all building structures that require insulation, combined with an external design, this material can be used.
In addition to various types of wood, production of a block house from plastic and metal, imitating wood and, naturally, differing in value, has been established. So, if you take a vinyl block house under a log, its price will start from 200 rubles per square meter. This very light material, used for facing arbors and summer cafes, is in great demand.
And for a metal block house, the price is less than for products made of natural wood, but higher than the vinyl analogue - from 500 rubles per square meter.
Features and advantages of a block house
Those who, starting to build a house, are looking for an opportunity to save money, can offer its basics of cheaper materials, followed by facing the finished house with decorative material that mimics the natural. Of the many proposals, the most popular and relatively inexpensive, is considered the decoration of a block house.
Block house panels have many advantages:
- High strength, resistance to mechanical damage.
- Aesthetics of the appearance of the premises after cladding with a block house.
- A fairly light weight panel does not create a large load on the foundation of the house, the foundation.
- It serves as a good protection of the construction of the house, helps to preserve the heat inside it.
- Provides quality finishes for facades of houses, baths, cellars, arbors.
- It is resistant to temperature changes, without the effects of external defects in the form of cracks, curvatures, thanks to the wax treatment technology.
In addition, to date, finishing a house with a block house requires lower financial costs compared to other analogues that have similar characteristics.
Disadvantages of facing material
Like any building product, a block house has some disadvantages:
- Despite the simple installation principles, it is imperative that the cladding technology is followed so that there are no costs in the form of deformation processes.
- Low vapor permeability. As a result of its action, condensation may accumulate on the inner surface of the panel.
- Ultraviolet radiation reduces the life of a block house.
- Block house panels can be used as decorative cladding material. Insulation characteristics for this material are absent. If finishing with a block house with insulation is required, it is necessary to use additional insulation - natural or synthetic.
- Obligatory care is required during operation, since dust, dirt settled on the surface will spoil the overall appearance.
- High degree of flammability.
Panels for external cladding
The block house comes to the market in plastic packaging. The choice of the basis of the material is quite diverse. According to his preference, the customer can choose panels from pine, spruce, larch or oak.
The dimensions of the boards are as follows:
- the length of the boards is 2 m or 6 m;
- width and thickness vary - with a width of 90 mm, a thickness of 20 mm, a board 140 mm wide has a thickness of 30 mm, and a wider panel has a thickness of 45 mm.
Currently, the finishing panel arrives to the consumer in a form ready for installation, that is, it is equipped with the necessary fasteners. The block house in this design greatly simplifies and speeds up the lining of surfaces.
Sheath preparation
Getting started with the woody appearance of the panels, it is necessary to perform some preliminary operations:
- Processing of wooden elements with an antiseptic that prevents rotting of wood, and additional treatment with a flame retardant, which will increase resistance to fire and mold. Currently, the manufacturer puts on sale material that has already undergone such processing.
- A film of vapor barrier material is attached around the perimeter of the house with a small overlap, fastening it with brackets, using a construction stapler.
- On top of the vapor barrier, they install a crate, using bars for this. They are fixed to the facade of wood or clay with self-tapping screws, and frame dowels are used for the brick base . The bars are fixed after checking their horizontal position with a level. It serves as the basis for the installation of a block house.
Next follows the laying of insulation blocks in the prepared cells of the crate.
Tools and fasteners for facade installation
The metal block house, the price of which is much higher than other types of panels, has gained popularity due to the external effect of the facades of private houses. To cope with facing this material with your own hands, without the involvement of specialists, you need to have basic knowledge in construction, the ability to own a tool.
So, before starting work, you need to make sure that you have the necessary tools, fasteners and materials:
- staple fiberglass and fibrous thermal insulation material (mineral wool) to ensure heat conservation, reduce sound and vapor barrier (used in the form of plates);
- special materials to protect the walls and insulation from moisture. The most practical is foil kraft paper or film;
- wood bars for forming the lathing (the dimensions of these elements: 40 x 50 mm, 30 x 50 mm);
- hammer for working with galvanized nails;
- drill with screwdriver functions;
- a tool for forming the dimensions of wooden parts, a saw, a jigsaw or a simple hacksaw;
- water construction level;
- construction stapler for fastening insulating materials;
- fasteners: self-tapping screws, nails, kleimers.
Step-by-step stages of facade cladding
The installation of the block house panels on the external walls is carried out on the prepared surface. The operation is the same for all types of this facing material:
- Before starting work, a vinyl block house under a log, the price of which is affordable for middle-income homeowners, is laid out in a room to adapt the material to the environment. This procedure should be applied to any type of block house panels to prevent shrinkage and the possibility of skewing of the finished skin. It is recommended to do it only in summer dry weather. In winter, block-house sheathing is allowed only inside heated rooms.
- The surface of the walls must be cleaned of old cladding and dirt.
- The prepared surface of the facade is covered with vapor barrier material, attaching it to the wall with construction tape.
- On top of the vapor barrier layer, using wooden bars of 50x50 mm in size, install the battens. It is fixed on the brick surface with dowels, and self-tapping screws are used for a wooden facade.
- The wooden crate should be treated with special preparations that protect the tree from decay and pests;
- Insulation plates are placed in the cells of the crate and a moisture-absorbing film is mounted on it.
- An additional crate of bars of 30x40 mm in size is installed. This is necessary to ensure ventilation between the layers of heat, steam, moisture insulation and the casing of the block house.
- The block house panels begin to be laid on top, after marking the boundaries of the area intended for work. The first element is mounted on the wall strictly horizontally, since it represents the basis of the casing. This is checked using a building level.
- Finishing the facade with a block house requires the panels to be grooved down, which will prevent moisture from entering the casing, protect its interior from decay and increase the life of the unit.
- The following panel components are inserted by placing the spike in the groove at an angle of 45 °. They are to the crate with self-tapping screws or nails, being careful not to damage the part.
- On the finished sheathing, additional measures are required to mask the fasteners with plugs and paste prepared by mixing sawdust and glue.
The panels can be mounted on self-tapping screws and nails, followed by their masking procedure. The second assembly option is carried out using kleimers - special metal plates having a platform with a mounting bracket for fixing one of the adjacent parts of the groove.
Elements of the block house have holes for self-tapping screws or nails and a foot for installing the block-house spike in the groove of the previous panel. Preparing the installation of a block house on kleimers consists in attaching the latter to the crate.
It is recommended to fasten the blocking strip of the block house using self-tapping screws or nails, providing it with a more reliable, durable fixation.
Making the exterior corner of the facade with a block house
The facade cladding completes the design of the corners. The complexity of this stage is that when connecting the panels end-to-end, a special sawing of the ends of the block house is required. This operation requires the use of a special tool. In addition, tight joining will create a problem of free deformation of the panels when the ambient temperature changes. That is, only specialists can join the corners of the block house on the facade.
When doing the work yourself, it is more advisable to use ready-made docking elements - strips and corners. These details can close the joints of the block house at the corners of the facade. Attached with a special adhesive, they hermetically close the joint and perform a decorative function.
Another option is a rounded wooden beam, 50x50 mm.
Platbands decoration
Another necessary operation when facing the house is the design of the platbands. This element of the house has a dual function:
- Window decoration, facade decoration, creating the individuality of the exterior of the house.
- Masking cracks, an additional way to warm the interior of the room, protecting it from drafts of dust and moisture.
In order for the facade to have a finished look, windows and entrance doors are framed by platbands. They can be flat, semicircular and curly. They fix the structure in the usual way, framing the windows with trim strips. The second method is more advanced, has a special design with protrusions intended for attachment to the window frame.
Rules for the maintenance of the facade
The block house, after completion of installation work, must be prepared for long-term operation. To do this:
- surface treatment of the material with colorless antiseptics and stains based on wax or alcohol;
- coating with varnish or a special paint designed to protect wood from exposure to a dried-up UV layer;
- sanding with a fully dried coating;
- additional surface treatment with a layer of varnish (paint).
The performed operations will help protect the skin of the house from the effects of external climatic conditions, extend its life.
The block house for interior decoration after completion of work is subjected to a similar treatment five years after a preliminary inspection of the coating. Detected damage must be repaired before updating the facade surface.