Do-it-yourself insulation of timber walls from the outside. The correct method of external insulation of a house made of timber. Material selection criteria and requirements for insulation process technology

Insulating a timber house from the outside is necessary not only to ensure an optimal climate inside the rooms, but also to protect wooden walls from negative influences external environment. However, to ensure high-quality thermal insulation, it is not enough just to select a material that will have a minimum thermal conductivity coefficient, but also have natural properties. Is it difficult to insulate a house made of timber from the outside or choose an internal method?

Insulating the façade of a timber house from the outside has the following advantages:

when conducting external works uncomfortable conditions are not created for the residents of the house;
the interior space of the premises is preserved;
provided additional protection load-bearing structures from negative external factors;
the ability to easily change the cladding of the facade of the house;
the service life of the building increases;
the dew point is located outside the main structures, so problems with dampness or condensation are not a problem;
are saved natural properties wood due to optimal air exchange with the external environment.

The disadvantages of this insulation technology include:

work is permissible only under optimal climatic conditions: in the absence of precipitation and positive ambient temperatures;
necessity external cladding or finishing, which may cause significant financial costs;
It is possible to insulate the facade of a building only after the period of shrinkage of the timber has passed, namely after 1-2 years after its construction.

Types of materials for insulation

Insulating the walls of a log house from the outside can be done using one of the following thermal insulation materials:

polystyrene foam;
mineral wool;
extruded polystyrene foam.

Styrofoam

External insulation of a house made of timber with polystyrene foam is the cheapest method of thermal insulation. The material has a thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.03-0.04 W/m·K. It has increased moisture resistance (maximum absorption up to 1% of the total volume), so mold and mildew do not form on it.

The service life of polystyrene foam is more than 20 years, so maintenance of the insulated layer is not required during this time. During installation, no difficulties or problems arise either, since a minimum amount of tools is used, installation is carried out quickly and efficiently.

Other advantages of polystyrene foam include:

optimal level of sound insulation;
minimal loads on supporting structures compared to other materials;
ease of sheet processing;
the possibility of applying a finishing layer directly to the insulation.

Mineral wool

Insulating a log house from the outside with mineral wool is the most common method of thermal insulation. The fibrous material has a natural composition, so it can come into contact with wood without problems. Due to the softness of the mats, they can be tightly laid on a surface of any shape without air gaps.

The thermal conductivity coefficient of mineral wool is 0.077-0.12 W/m K, depending on the type of fibers and the thickness of the slabs or roll. Density varies from 10 to 100 kg/m3. The minimum service life is 20 years.

Insulation of a timber house from the outside stone wool allows you to get the following benefits:

high level of sound insulation;
increased fire resistance;
not prone to damage by rodents or pests;
optimal vapor permeability and air exchange.

The use of extruded polystyrene foam (EPS) is the most profitable and expensive, since it easily tolerates conditions of high humidity, external mechanical influences, and contact with chemically active substances. Its service life is up to 100 years, that is, it has no analogues today.

The thermal conductivity coefficient of EPS is on average 0.03 W/m·K. The level of moisture absorption is up to 0.4% of the total volume for 30 days. Unlike polystyrene foam, EPPS has a parapermeability of 0.05 mg/m·Pa·h and a homogeneous structure (granules with a size of 0.2 mm).

The density of the slabs varies from 25 to 45 kg/m 3, due to which the load on the walls can be accurately calculated. Compressive strength is up to 0.16 MPa, and bending strength is up to 0.25 MPa.

The main advantages of EPPS include:

resistance to sudden temperature changes;
environmental friendliness of the composition;
resistance to fungus and mold;
chemical resistance.

Material selection criteria and requirements for insulation process technology

Proper insulation of a log house from the outside can be done with materials that meet the following requirements:

optimal ratio of material thickness and strength, minimum thermal conductivity coefficient;
moisture resistance;
non-flammability;
so that the weight of the insulation is supported by supporting structures;
ease of installation;
unpretentious operation and low maintenance requirements.

The requirements for insulation technology are as follows:

wood must be protected from external negative factors: temperature, moisture;
the thermal insulation sheathing must have sufficient strength, not shrink and withstand sudden temperature changes;
all layers of material should not accumulate moisture, that is, be well ventilated, or have increased waterproofing properties;
technological installation conditions must allow the implementation of a specific insulation method: surface evenness, absence of obvious or hidden defects, the possibility of installing guides, etc.

The operating conditions of the insulation also play an important role:

temperature range in a specific area;
building features: fire hazard, possibility of contact with various chemically active substances, likelihood of mechanical damage;
minimum service life of the insulation under specific conditions;
need for maintenance.

Therefore, when choosing a material, it is important to take into account all influencing factors. Only in this case can you ensure maximum service life and no problems with the timber. It is also worth paying attention to the additional properties of insulation, which will allow you to save on laying sound or waterproofing.

Features of preparing house walls for insulation

The technology for insulating a timber house from the outside requires following conditions And preparatory work:

a wooden house must go through a period of shrinkage into the ground after construction;
wood must be impregnated with antiseptics and protective impregnations, reducing flammability and moisture absorption;
all cracks and defects must be repaired; if necessary, several logs must be replaced;
it is necessary to consider how the materials will interact with the timber in order to ensure the longest possible service life.

Options for external insulation of a timber house

Insulating a log house from the outside with your own hands can be done using one of the following methods:

using a suspended ventilated facade;
by spraying a polyurethane layer;
cover with polystyrene foam.

Installation of a suspended ventilated facade

Installation of a ventilated facade involves installation of lathing with laying in the space between the insulation guides and subsequent cladding cladding panels. Mineral wool boards are used as thermal insulation material.

The main advantages of this technology are:

increasing the level of hydro- and sound insulation of walls;
ease of installation;
minimum requirements for surface evenness;
wide choose finishing materials;
shift of the dew point from the supporting structure to the insulating layers;
ease of maintenance and repair of the hinged frame.

The implementation of the method is as follows:

Preparatory work is carried out: the wood is treated with impregnations, defects are removed, etc.
A wooden or metal sheathing is installed along the width of the insulation.
A waterproofing layer is laid.
The insulation is installed between the guides.
The insulation is covered with a windproof membrane.
The counter-lattice is laid along the slats of the main sheathing.
The cladding is done with boards or decorative panels.

Insulation under siding

The insulation of a timber house from the outside under siding is similar to the technology of thermal insulation using the curtain façade. However, there are a number of features:

Mineral wool or EPS can be used as insulation;
the joints of thermal insulation and guides are sealed with polyurethane foam;
when using mineral wool, a diffusion membrane is used as waterproofing;
When laying EPS, siding can be installed directly on the main sheathing, since installation of waterproofing is not required.

Spraying a polyurethane layer

Polyurethane spraying is an innovative method, the most effective and expensive among all existing ones. It is with its help that you can form a sealed seamless layer that is highly resistant to negative influences. external influences: moisture, sudden temperature changes, pests.

The advantages of this technology are:

maximum protection of timber from rotting;
improving the fire resistance of walls;
increased adhesion of the applied layer to various building materials;
no need to level the base;
no fastenings required;
increases sound insulation;
high layer uniformity.

However, there are a number of negative points:

difficulty in applying a uniform layer;
the need to use special equipment;
high cost of polyurethane foam;
instability to direct ultraviolet rays.

The method is implemented like this:

The surface of the walls is cleaned of dirt and various stains.
The wood is treated with antiseptics and other protective compounds.
Wooden guides are installed.
Polyurethane foam is sprayed. If necessary, apply two layers.
The sheathing is being installed.

Foam insulation

Thermal insulation of walls with foam plastic is very profitable and inexpensive, since the material is relatively cheap, easy to install and unpretentious in operation. In addition, laying the sheathing is not required; finishing can be done directly onto the insulation; it does not lose its properties during sudden temperature fluctuations.

Polystyrene foam is a flammable material, so it is necessary to treat the wood with impregnations that increase the ignition temperature or make it non-flammable (fire retardants).

The insulation method is implemented as follows:

A vertical sheathing made of wooden blocks is mounted to the walls. Their thickness is equal to the thickness of the insulation, and the fastening step is equal to the width of the slabs.
Foam sheets are mounted end-to-end inside the frame. The seams are sealed with sealant or heat-insulating tape. The foam is attached to dowels, called “umbrellas,” or to an adhesive base.
A diffusion membrane is laid end-to-end on top of the foam. All joints are taped with special tape. The membrane is secured to the staples using a stapler.
The facing layer is installed.

On preparatory stage When installing polystyrene foam, it is important to carefully level the walls, since at the slightest kinks (more than 1.5 mm on linear meter) cracks may appear in the sheets. In addition, this will save on the consumption of a layer of plaster.

To plaster the walls, it is not necessary to install lathing, since the load on the decorative layer is minimal. However, there is one important condition - it is necessary to lay a reinforcing layer in order to increase the engagement area of the outer layer and mechanical strength.

To make a house made of timber cozy, warm and inexpensive to maintain, and to reduce heating costs, external insulation methods are the most profitable. Their implementation is relatively simple, and there are a lot of advantages: reducing heating costs, protecting supporting structures from temperature changes, pests, mechanical, physical and chemical influences.

When choosing materials for insulation, you must be guided by the requirements for thermal insulation and the overall budget for all stages of work.

During construction timber houses In the Russian climate, wall insulation is a prerequisite for comfortable living. Our winters are too harsh, so an uninsulated building will force the owner to freeze or pay incredible amounts for heating. But when choosing materials for wall cladding, you want the wood to maintain its healthy microclimate as much as possible. Unfortunately, many insulation materials, having high thermal insulation characteristics, are not “friendly” with the timber and cause it to “suffocate”. And in a couple of years they will lead the wood to a deplorable state. Let's consider what materials should be used to insulate a log house so that the rooms are warm and the walls are ventilated.

Which is better: insulating a house made of timber from the outside or from the inside

The main rule of the builder: plan everything in advance, so as not to have to deal with alterations later. Therefore, start thinking about insulating a house made of timber when creating a project. First, decide: you will sheathe the inside or the outside.

What are the benefits of insulating a log house from the inside?

If the house is new, then many owners do not want to hide the wood texture under the finishing, because it is beautiful in itself. In addition, insulating a house made of timber from the inside is beneficial for monitoring the condition of the wood. The owner will have time to notice places where the walls begin to collapse or rot in time and will take measures to “treat” and enhance the protection of the tree.

Disadvantages of internal wall insulation

And yet, insulation of a log house from the inside is used less often than from the outside. Firstly, it steals a lot of useful living space. That is why this point must be thought through during design in order to calculate the square footage of the rooms, taking into account insulation. But if the foundation is already in place, you will have to put up with the fact that the rooms will become more cramped, or install timber insulation for the walls from the outside.

Secondly, builders do not recommend insulating a log house from the inside, because the wood will be in direct contact with the cold. And when winters begin, the dew point will shift to the inside of the wood. At the slightest error in ventilation, the wood will begin to rot inside the pie, and you will notice this only when the fungus eats right through the beam.

Advantages of external insulation

The main advantage of insulating a log house from the outside is the correct distribution of materials for the release of internal vapors. According to building codes, materials are laid from low-permeable to highly permeable. So that steam, penetrating into them, can disappear more easily. Wood has a denser structure than insulation (only properly chosen!) and a diffusion membrane, so the steam will not settle in the thickness of the cake, but will evaporate in the ventilation gap. In the case of internal lining, steam will easily penetrate through the insulation, but it will not always break through the wood, because it will have time to cool down and the molecules will move less easily.

When making a choice in favor of external or internal insulation, you should weigh the pros and cons of the chosen thermal insulation method

In addition, for old buildings in which wooden walls no longer look presentable, insulating the log house from the outside is a more profitable option. You will simultaneously insulate the house and embellish it through finishing. Well, the usable area of the premises will not be affected.

Disadvantages of insulating outside

If you decide to insulate a timber house from the outside, you will lose the opportunity to monitor the condition of the wood. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the correct installation technology and find professional builders so that the walls covered with finishing remain healthy even without your control.

Nuances of internal insulation of a log house

If you nevertheless choose the option of internal insulation, then even this can be made as safe as possible for the “health” of the wood. To do this, you need to buy a suitable, well-ventilated insulation, whose vapor permeability and composition will coincide with the properties of the timber.

Expanded polystyrene materials disappear immediately: they are poorly permeable to moisture. They cannot be used for either internal or external insulation, because condensation will begin to form at the junction with the wood.

With a high level of heat saving, polystyrene foam insulation is not recommended for wood, as they do not allow the house to breathe

Basalt and fiberglass materials have excellent vapor permeability, and with proper ventilation, moisture will evaporate from them. The only negative is its unnatural origin. All of them emit harmful substances to some extent, and their structure contains many suspended microparticles. When you shake the slab, you can see how the air around is filled with tiny fragments of insulation, and they can settle on a person, causing discomfort. With normal ventilation, some of the suspended matter will end up inside the house, and you will be forced to breathe it. If you block their exit into the house with an impenetrable film, then the entire healing microclimate of the tree will disappear.

When installing mineral wool, respirators are used, and you will have to breathe suspended particles inside the house

The most beneficial materials for maintaining environmentally friendly air in rooms will be flax fiber and soft fiberboard. Both insulation materials are of natural origin, so they are ideal for the structure of timber walls.

Eco-insulation materials for wood

Flax fiber

It is a slab consisting of 85 percent flax fibers and 15 binder fibers. Linen is known for its antiseptic properties, which are also preserved in insulation. Those. fungi and bacteria will not settle in it. When cutting and installing, linen insulation will not generate dust. It does not deteriorate its thermal insulation properties when saturated with vapors, therefore it does not require a vapor barrier layer during installation. Well ventilated and does not cause allergies.

Flax fiber does not contain suspended particles, so it will be safe to breathe in the house

Soft fiberboard

It's made from wood chips coniferous trees, forming into slabs with environmentally friendly binders. Absorbs sound well and allows vapor to pass through. It has the unique property of absorbing vapors in excessively humid rooms and releasing them back if the air is too dry. Maintains the maximum acceptable level of indoor humidity for humans: 40-60%.

Soft fiberboard is a material identical to wood, so they work perfectly together

Some installation aspects

When using soft fiberboard, no sheathing is needed. The insulation is glued to the timber or taken with self-tapping screws. The wall turns out to be smooth, so it is plastered, covering the joints of the slabs with reinforcing mesh, and then painted. You can immediately glue wallpaper onto fiberboard.

When using flax fiber, a vertical sheathing is created by filling it directly onto the timber. Insulation boards are placed in it, secured with dowel-umbrellas. Metal profiles are placed on top of the sheathing and the walls are covered with plasterboard. Due to the metal profiles, a ventilation gap is formed in the wall, through which the moisture that gets into the insulated beam will go under the roof or down and erode. Please note that when using flax fiber, vapor barrier films are not installed so as not to disrupt natural air circulation.

How to insulate a timber house from the outside

Most often we see on video the insulation of a timber house from the outside. Such cladding is installed using the technology of creating ventilated facades, because the main requirement for preserving healthy wood is high-quality ventilation.

The choice of insulation in this case is wider than with internal cladding. You can use any fiberglass or basalt insulation, because the laminated timber itself will be an obstacle for their small particles. The main thing is to use slabs rather than rolls, because they are more rigid and do not slide down over time.

: Do not choose rolled materials for installation, because over time they can slide down

But before you insulate a house made of timber, decide on a specific heat insulator. For example, if you buy mineral wool, then when creating a wall pie, it must be insulated with a film from the timber so that steam does not penetrate into the loose structure. Wet cotton wool no longer retains heat. But by attaching a vapor barrier layer to the walls, you will thereby reduce their ability to “breathe”, because moisture from the timber will be forced to return back into the house. If you buy insulation materials that are not afraid of getting wet (for example, ecowool or glass wool), then you do not need to create a vapor barrier. It is enough to protect the glued insulated timber ventilation gap from finishing cladding and waterproofing film. Those. your wall pie will look like this:

Beam.
Lathing with ecowool inside.
Waterproofing film (superdiffusion membrane).
Ventilation gap (wooden slats are packed along the sheathing).
Finishing finishing material (lining, siding, etc.).

Ventilation slats are packed onto the sheathing, which should be set exactly level: clapboard or siding will have to be attached to it

When choosing how to insulate a log house - from the outside or from the inside, weigh the pros and cons. Look for an option that will keep the wood “healthy” and make the rooms much warmer.

4.95 out of 5)

Houses made of timber, due to their environmental friendliness, are a popular option for private construction. But although they heat up quickly enough and have good thermal insulation properties, insulating a log house is an urgent need for most households.

Installation of insulation on the walls of a timber house

Differences between old and new technologies

Wooden construction in Rus' is a centuries-old tradition. For centuries, houses were built exclusively from log houses, from massive round and semicircular logs, the thickness of which was sufficient for good thermal insulation. Just like today, the tree dried out over time, and cracks appeared between the logs. But earlier there were other ideas about the beauty of the facade, so ordinary wood moss was used to caulk cracks. It landed in the cracks between the logs and over time reliably filled the entire space between them.

IN modern construction issues of economy come to the fore and force the use of timber, the thickness of which does not always meet the requirements of the developed standards. If the cross-section is insufficient, complete freezing occurs in winter, which means that the walls of the house are not able to retain heat. In addition, over time, the wood begins to dry out, causing heat loss to increase even more.

This is what a timber wall looks like after the wood has dried

Advantages and disadvantages of wall insulation in a log house

Thrifty owners are looking for ways to properly insulate a house made of timber so that they can spend less funds for heating. This can be done in two main ways: from within and from outside, and external insulation is preferable for a number of reasons.

Features of insulation with inside

With internal insulation, the positive effect of heat saving is offset by the disadvantages:

Part of the usable area is inevitably lost due to the installation of a frame under the insulation.

The thermal insulation layer hides the “living” wooden walls and the rooms lose their unique charm.

Due to external winter cooling of an unprotected wooden wall, the dew point moves into the internal insulation. Condensation occurs, mold appears, and it is difficult to control the condition of the wood.

What happens to the wall if the insulation is not properly insulated from the inside - in the video:

Insulation of walls from the outside: advantages and disadvantages of the method

Most often they resort to it, keeping in mind the obvious advantages compared to internal insulation:

Useful area is preserved internal space;

External work does not change the family's daily routine.

The facade of the house is reliably protected from sudden temperature changes, which extends the life of the building.

The correct selection of materials does not disturb the microclimate of the rooms (the house “breathes”).

You can decorate the facade to your liking or improve the appearance if the wood has darkened over time.

If the technology is followed, the wood will be additionally protected from damage.

Ease of monitoring the work of the construction team.

The main disadvantage of external insulation is the need to carry it out in good weather; in cold and damp weather there is no point in doing this.

Three main insulation methods

Any insulation of walls involves attaching a layer of insulation and structures holding it to it. Several methods have been developed for this purpose and each of them has its own advantages and implementation features.

The principle of wall insulation is the creation of an additional protective “pie”

Hinged ventilated facade

This technology itself was developed as a decoration for the facade of a house, but since the installation procedure involves attaching a layer of mineral wool or a similar material to the wall, this method can be considered as insulation.

Advantages of using ventilated facades:

Long service life (up to 50 years), excellent heat and sound insulation.

Easy to install.

Wide selection of facing materials in various colors.

The dew point moves outward.

Installation technology:

Pre-treatment of lumber is carried out with compounds that prevent rotting and make the tree unattractive to insects.

A sheathing is attached to the outside of the house, onto which a sheet of hydro- and wind protection is placed. Air circulates freely in the space between the sheathing slats, due to which condensation or moisture that appears in other ways will be removed from the insulation.

The sheathing is leveled with a plumb level.

Next, slats are placed on the sheathing, the distance between which should correspond to the width of the heat insulator. The height of the slats is selected accordingly - for central Russia it is recommended to use insulation with a thickness of at least 70 mm.

A feature of the ventilated facade is that a gap is left between the insulation and the cladding

Insulation mats are placed between the slats, secured with dowels.

Then bars with a thickness of at least 5 cm are additionally stuffed onto the slats so that there is always a gap between the insulation and the cladding.

Cladding (siding) is installed.

Laying insulation under siding.

There are practically no fundamental differences from the previous technology - insulation is also used here and is also used outside decorative coating. But if the very name of the ventilated facade indicates the place of its use, then in any case the entire house is covered with siding.

Installation nuances taking into account the selected material:

The distance between the slats is set equal to the width of the mat if foam or sheet extruded polystyrene foam is selected.

The distance between the slats is set to 10–15 mm less than the width of the mat if mineral wool is used. This must be taken into account when calculating the amount of mineral wool.

According to the technology, wool slabs are mounted by surprise; polymer slabs are placed in cells, the joints are treated with polyurethane foam.

When using mineral wool, a waterproofing layer (diffuse membrane) is additionally installed on top. It is not needed when using fiberglass or polystyrene.

Covering a log house with siding

Polyurethane foam spraying method

The principle of this technology is clear to anyone who has seen how they work with polyurethane foam. The difference here is that the volumes of material required to create a thermal insulation cushion are much larger, therefore, for processing polyurethane foam, a spray gun using compressed air from the compressor. Advantages of the technology:

Easy to use and high speed applying a heat-insulating mixture on large surfaces.

Excellent adhesion (adhesion) to most building materials, long-term preservation of properties.

Environmental friendliness, fire resistance and protection against rotting of the treated surface.

Spraying of insulation can be done on any prepared surface

Types of insulation

The choice of insulation for outdoor work is quite wide and each of them has distinctive features, which must be taken into account when choosing:

Mineral wool

Available in three varieties - stone (basalt), glass and slag. All have similar properties: fire-resistant, non-flammable, chemical and biological resistance. Other advantages of the material include vapor permeability, environmental friendliness and high sound insulation.

The downside is that cotton wool attracts rodents and does not dry completely when wet.

It all depends on the skills of the builders, but usually insulating the outside of a house with mineral wool is easier to do using mats than rolls - the latter are not always convenient to deploy on vertical walls.

Laying mineral wool slabs in lathing

Slab styrenes (foam plastic, polyurethane foam)

Foam plastic is the most cheap option, lightweight and porous, with low hygroscopicity and excellent thermal insulation. The main disadvantages are considered to be flammability (releases toxins when burned), fragility and instability when exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

Extruded polystyrene foam

It has a special porous structure and tolerates well low temperatures and unsuitable for microorganisms. The material is durable, easy to install (slabs), and does not absorb water. Disadvantages: Highly flammable and releases harmful toxins.

Polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam are similar in appearance

Ecological sprayed styrene (ecowool and polyurethane foam)

Such insulation materials are expensive due to the method of application; To process large surfaces, special installation and operational experience are required. For small areas complex shape(cracks near pipes, windows, between slabs) polyurethane insulation in cylinders is offered.

"Warm" plaster

A mixture of light granules of complex composition (glass, cement and hydrophobic additives), which is not flammable, is not afraid of ultraviolet radiation, protects the facade well from moisture and is easy to repair.

Preparing a wooden structure for plastering in the video:

Subtleties of insulating timber walls

Insulating a log house from the outside under siding cannot be started whenever you want - before this, the following conditions must be met:

Work on installing insulation can begin only after the log frame has completely shrunk - often this period can be one and a half to two years.

It is prohibited to carry out work if the façade has not been treated with an antiseptic. Ignoring this rule will lead to the appearance of fungus and rot.

Before insulating a house made of timber from the outside, it is necessary to prepare the facade: seal not only wide cracks, but also small cracks. To do this, you can use putty, polyurethane foam or similar materials.

Good thermal insulation of a log house requires careful selection of material and calculation of its quantity. It is necessary to consider how the thermal insulation material will be combined with the wood of the timber itself.

To choose the right insulation, you need to take into account the size of the building, the quality of the frame and seams.

Some insulation is installed without sheathing

Tools and materials for thermal insulation of buildings

To insulate a house without being distracted by searching for tools and materials, builders need to prepare the following:

bubble or laser building level, you can also use a plumb line;

tape measure, square or metal ruler;

hammer, construction knife or hacksaw, screwdriver;

facade dowels, tape, chalk, polyurethane foam, antiseptic;

dry slats, insulation;

vapor and waterproofing film;

material for final cladding.

sprayer for treating wood with protective compounds

Treating a wooden wall with an antiseptic

General progress of thermal insulation installation

All steps for insulating a house made of timber using any of the described methods are always schematically the same and are performed in the following sequence:

to ventilate the first layer of insulation, a sheathing of wooden planks is mounted on the wall;

a frame is placed on the sheathing to fix the insulating material

installation of insulation;

installation of additional sheathing and frame (if double insulation is used);

laying an additional layer of heat insulation;

fastening a diffusion membrane, which will provide water and wind protection.

installation of facade finishing (lining, siding) with an air gap.

In general, the insulation of a house made of timber, carried out according to the rules, will make it possible to save on heating in the future. Despite the apparent simplicity of the entire process, there are quite a large number of pitfalls that will definitely come out during installation. As a result, if you do not have the proper qualifications, then it is better to order the work to be carried out by professionals, because supervising the construction site is much more pleasant than climbing the walls yourself.

The ancient method of building houses from wooden beams has become popular again these days. Now such buildings serve as not only country houses, but also full-fledged dwellings for year-round residence. Well, in order to wooden house It was warm in winter, it needs to be insulated. We will talk about how to properly insulate a timber house in this article.

Insulation of house walls from outside

Usually, wooden buildings It is customary to insulate from the outside. This allows you not to hide the interior space of the premises, and also prevents the wood from rotting. Insulation of a timber house from the outside is necessary for several reasons:

Thermal insulation of the building protects the walls from heat loss and reduces heating costs.
An insulated house is not afraid high humidity, severe frost and other unfavorable environmental factors.
While thermally protecting the walls, you can simultaneously install siding, which will allow you to change the appearance of the house at the owner’s request.
As already mentioned, external insulation does not reduce the internal space of rooms.

When performing such work, it is important to consider several points:

choose the right thermal insulating material, calculate its thickness and required amount;
strictly follow the installation technology;
do not forget about creating a hydro- and vapor barrier layer;
properly treat wooden walls to protect them from insects, fungi, combustion and other harmful influences.

Insulation for a log house must meet certain requirements:

be of high quality and durable;
easy to process and install;
safe for health, environmentally friendly;
don't burn.

So that the insulation of a timber house is effective, and the building serves you long years, listen to the following recommendations:

Never use raw material. The insulation must be dry and pre-treated with an antiseptic. If you cover the walls wet material, the wood will begin to mold, rot, and collapse. Fungi and microorganisms will grow in it, and after a while the beams will simply become unusable.
Insulate walls wooden house possible only after the building has completely settled. Such shrinkage usually takes at least 1.5 years. If the building is sheathed earlier, the cladding will become deformed as a result of subsidence of the logs.
Heat-insulating material can only be installed on prepared walls. This means that all deep cracks and chips must be covered with putty, and the wood itself must be impregnated with antiseptics and fire retardants.

How to insulate a timber house from the outside: creating a curtain wall

Among the methods of thermal insulation of log buildings, the construction of a ventilated facade is considered the most popular method, the reason for this is the advantages of this method:

the curtain wall façade is easy to install and requires relatively little time to work;
after insulation, the walls can be lined with various decorative materials: clapboard, porcelain stoneware, siding, boards, slatted profiles, etc.;
this method of insulation does not allow the walls to mold and collapse, the dew point moves beyond the outer wall;
resistance to temperature changes, humidity, precipitation, as well as excellent sound insulation are also among the undeniable advantages of a hinged ventilated façade;
this design is durable, its service life reaches 50 years;
By insulating walls you reduce energy costs for heating.

External insulation of a timber house in a similar way can be described as follows:

To prevent moisture from accumulating in the wood of the walls, a gap is made between the insulation layer and the decorative finishing material, which is why such a facade is called ventilated. To create an air space, sheathing is installed on the wall. To make it, marks are first placed on the surface where the beams will subsequently be attached. The width between them should correspond to the width of the sheets of insulating material, and the thickness of the beams is selected depending on the thickness of the mats.
Having placed the marks, the logs are attached to the walls using self-tapping screws. The evenness of the sheathing is checked using a building level and plumb line. It is especially important to ensure that all the beams are located in the same plane - this will help subsequently make beautiful, even and high-quality siding.
When the sheathing elements are secured, sheets of insulation are laid between them. They are pressed tightly against the walls and secured with dowels.
To provide the necessary air space, wooden strips are nailed over the sheathing and insulation layer. Their thickness should be such that the gap is at least 5 cm.
After laying the insulation, finishing is done with decorative siding.

Insulating a house with sprayed materials

Instead of sheet insulation, you can also use sprayed insulation, for example, ecowool or polyurethane foam. Ecowool is a cellulosic substance made from recycled paper, borax and boric acid. The advantages of this material can be considered:

environmental friendliness and hygiene;
good resistance to moisture;
excellent thermal insulation and sound insulation qualities;
fire safety;
non-toxic;
waste-free use;
excellent vapor permeability;
ability to fill even the smallest cracks in walls.

Ecowool has the form of a crumbly mass pressed into briquettes. Before use, such briquettes are opened, their contents are poured out and dried.

If you want to use polyurethane foam as insulation, check out the advantages of this material:

like ecowool, polyurethane foam is fireproof;
it has good sound and heat insulation properties;
considered an environmentally friendly type of finishing;
its service life is quite long, and during this entire period the material does not lose its properties;
polyurethane foam is not subject to rotting, mold does not form on it, and is not damaged by insects and microorganisms;
ease of installation due to the fact that it does not require the use of special fasteners.

To insulate walls using the spraying method, you will have to acquire special equipment. You can buy it, or you can rent it and save money. The process itself looks like this:

Even before purchasing material, you should calculate its required quantity. To do this, measurements are made of the area of the working base, and the consumption of sprayed insulation is also taken into account.
Then on the wall of a log house with outside install a sheathing made of wooden boards or metal profiles. Subsequently, decorative finishing material can be attached to this crate.
Using a special installation, ecowool or polyurethane foam moistened with water is sprayed between the beams of the sheathing. Often, when soaking cotton wool, adhesives are added to water, which will allow the insulation to adhere more firmly to the surface.
After treating the walls of the house with a pneumatic sprayer, the material is left until it hardens completely.
After this, the excess insulation is cut off with a knife, and siding is installed on top of the sheathing.

Insulation of a timber house from the outside, video:

Thermal insulation of the house from the inside

Is it worth insulating a wooden house from the inside?

Few people decide to install insulation on the inner surface of the walls. log structure. Insulating a log house from the inside is not popular for several reasons:

This method of thermal insulation of a building can lead to the accumulation of moisture in the walls, which is why the wood will rot, mold and collapse. It is highly undesirable to use this method in baths and saunas, where the air is constantly saturated with water vapor. In winter, when the wood freezes, the dew point is located between the walls and the insulating layer, as a result, condensation accumulates there, which destroys the structure. If you create a good ventilation system in your house, then such problems can be leveled out.
The second reason why walls log houses Rarely insulated from the inside, the result is loss of usable space. The space of the rooms decreases by at least 3-4 cm on each side, and this is especially noticeable in small rooms.
The insulation layer also hides the natural beauty of the log structure, which is not liked by lovers of natural interiors.

However, sometimes owners of wooden houses resort to this method for various reasons. Some, for example, do not want to hide the appearance of the house under a layer of insulation and siding. Someone wants to line the interior walls with some kind of decorative material. Regardless of the reasons, the technology for internal insulation of premises should be conscientiously followed so as not to spoil the wooden beams and not to shorten the life of the building.

What is the best way to insulate a timber house from the inside?

For thermal insulation of internal walls, you should only select environmentally friendly materials, which will not release toxic substances into the air. For example, polystyrene foam is not suitable for such a purpose for several reasons. Firstly, it is not vapor permeable and does not allow the walls to “breathe”. The room turns out to be completely isolated, there is no necessary natural air exchange. Secondly, polystyrene foam releases very toxic substances into the air during combustion, so in the event of a fire it is considered an extremely dangerous material.

You can thermally insulate walls with mineral wool. It is environmentally friendly and does not burn, has good vapor permeability, and high thermal insulation characteristics. The most significant disadvantage of such insulation is that small particles are released into the air, which pose a danger to the respiratory tract. If the cotton wool is covered with a layer of film and finishing, then this minus can be ignored.

Very often, completely environmentally friendly and safe materials in all respects are used for internal wall insulation: flax, jute, wool. Such insulation means are economical and effective, protect the building from the cold and extraneous sounds, provide good air exchange through wooden walls.

How to insulate a timber house from the inside with your own hands

The first step is to carefully inspect the walls for cracks, chips, damage, and the quality of the caulk. All defects are eliminated, cracks are covered with putty. Dirt and dust are removed from the logs, after which the beams are impregnated with antiseptic compounds. If electrical wiring runs along the walls, it is also checked and, if necessary, repaired.
After drying antiseptic impregnation the cracks in the walls are caulked. For this purpose, jute fiber is used, which is inserted into the gaps using a chisel.
Before insulating a log house, it is also important to take care of creating a vapor barrier. To prevent the thermal insulation material from getting wet, it is customary to cover it on both sides with a layer of vapor barrier film. Because of this, the humidity in the rooms will increase, to avoid this, you should arrange in the house good ventilation.
When laying vapor barrier material, it is placed with the smooth side facing the wood so that moisture from the logs does not saturate the insulation.
The next stage is installation of the sheathing. Along load-bearing walls stuffed wooden blocks or metal profiles. The pitch between the boards should be equal to the width of the mats of the heat-insulating coating. Corner posts are installed in the corners of the room to make the corners smooth and beautiful. The sheathing is fixed to the walls using self-tapping screws, and its evenness is checked using a level. If wood is used for the frame, it, like the walls themselves, is also impregnated with antiseptics.
Sheets of insulation, for example, mineral wool, are laid between the sheathing parts. A fragment of the required length is cut from a roll of material and installed between profiles or bars. It is desirable that the width of the sheet be 1-2 cm greater than the distance between the frame parts. When expanded, the cotton wool fills the entire space and does not require additional fastening. If the insulation itself does not hold very securely, you can fix it with dowels.
Another layer is laid on top of the mineral wool vapor barrier film. Its fragments are laid overlapping and connected with tape at the joints. The vapor barrier is nailed to the insulation with a stapler. Remember also that the film should be placed with the rough side facing the interior of the room.
The final stage of work is finishing the walls. The easiest way is to install sheets of plasterboard on top of the sheathing, after which they can be painted, covered with decorative plaster or covered with wallpaper.

Insulation of a timber house. Video

A house built from wooden beams actually breathes, providing the space inside with a healthy microclimate.

A well-caulked façade often does not require additional insulation. However, it is carried out in order to save and save energy used for heating.

In addition, cladding and effective insulation are one of the most relevant methods of repairing a building that is no longer new.

Preparing for insulation

Facade preparation

Insulation is carried out according to the principle of a suspended facade. In choosing the most suitable material for this purpose, a householder often listens to the recommendations of friends and acquaintances.

At the same time, it is important to remember about the dew point, which even the highest quality insulation can shift deep into the wall.

And this is fraught with consequences: condensation collects on the inside of the facade during the cold season. And it causes increased humidity, the appearance of fungus and mold.

Before starting work in the outer wall, you will have to properly seal all the cracks.

If the house is new, then you need to wait at least a year, since they will appear after it shrinks.

In an old building, all corners and walls are carefully checked. The holes found are sealed with tow or hemp, which requires a chisel. It is advisable to have several of them in different sizes.

Cracks in timber can be filled with a special compound - wood sealant. Glued laminated timber does not require caulking.

Material selection

After completing the restoration work, you can think about choosing a suitable insulation.

Most often it is used as mineral wool or polystyrene.

Modern polystyrene foam has an improved version - extruded polystyrene foam. It is characterized by higher strength; even over time it does not crumble into fragments and granules. Ordinary Styrofoam deteriorates over time. Also, the improved type of material is distinguished by its non-flammability.

How to insulate a house made of timber from the outside?

Such insulation as mineral wool, perfectly ventilated. Thanks to this property, it does not lose its working qualities even when wet (it absorbs moisture well).

When choosing a material for insulating a wooden structure, be sure to take into account the characteristics of the finishing materials, thanks to which they can breathe like wood. This makes a huge difference.

The working properties of wood should not be impaired, otherwise the qualitative physical characteristics of the home may change. Therefore, more often the choice falls not on polystyrene foam, but on mineral wool.

The process of insulating a house made of timber

How to correctly calculate the required thickness of material for insulation

Before purchasing the material, you need to calculate the required amount of mineral wool. The thickness of the insulation boards is of no small importance.

Too thin is not only a violation of technology, but also causes the walls inside the building to sweat and get wet during the cold season. Excessively thick material can lead to unnecessary high costs. When working, it is important to observe the following provision: the dew point from the wall is directed strictly into the insulation.

For this reason, a wooden facade is insulated only from the outside.

You don’t have to make your own, rather complex calculations, or order them from professionals, but rather refer to the requirements of a special SNiP, which defines all the necessary indicators for each specific zone.

It also states that if the wall is up to 15 centimeters thick, then for mineral wool as insulation a thickness of 5 centimeters is sufficient. A material of 10 centimeters will be too massive.

To calculate the thickness of the insulation, you can use a simple folk method:

If winter temperatures do not fall below 20 degrees below zero, then with a thickness of 20 centimeters, one layer of 5-centimeter mineral wool slabs will be required.
If winters are colder, and the temperature often exceeds 20 degrees, two layers of mineral wool insulation are used.

Insulation from outside. Work progress

Let's assume we have decided on the choice of material and know what thickness it should have. All subsequent work is carried out according to the well-known template for installing a curtain wall. This is a well known technology.

The following manipulations have to be done:

Wooden beams are treated with special compounds - anti-flammable and antiseptic.
The sheathing is installed, for which timber with a thickness equal to the thickness of the mineral slabs is used. The pitch between the individual beams should be equal to the width of the insulation plates, which can be different - it depends on the manufacturer.
Mineral wool is placed between the beams and securely fixed to them with special self-tapping screws with umbrella caps.
Windproofing and waterproofing film is installed. It is important to ensure that the film is placed on the correct side: glossy outward, and rough towards the insulation itself.
After this, the facing façade slats are nailed directly onto the timber. Finishing can be done using different materials: it can be lining, block house, siding, etc.
It is also necessary to remember to maintain the required air gap between the waterproofing and the cladding itself.

This technology provides high-quality air ventilation of all existing layers, which guarantees the free evaporation of excess moisture.

This method can be used not only to insulate the facade of a wooden house, but also to insulate the roof. The roof can be covered with any suitable material, for example, functional flexible tiles.

Which wood paint for exterior use with wax is best?

When buying a country house made of timber, some people believe that wood is a warm material, so a wooden house does not need additional insulation. But it is not always the case. In order for the microclimate in the room to be normal for living during winter frosts, and not have to shell out huge sums for heating, it is necessary that the walls be built from timber at least 40 cm thick. But the construction of such a building will be very expensive.

House made of timber

Most houses outside the city have walls that are not thick enough to withstand severe frosts. Even if you qualitatively seal all the cracks of the log house, this will not make the house much warmer. In order for the log house not to freeze and the room to have a normal temperature even in the harshest winters, high-quality insulation of the log house from the outside is necessary. Making a good thermal insulation system is not difficult now. Manufacturers offer customers a wide selection of a wide variety of thermal insulation materials, the installation technologies of which are so simple that they can be performed even by inexperienced and unskilled craftsmen. And to make your task easier when installing thermal insulation materials, you can watch the video of insulating a house made of timber from the outside on the Internet with detailed explanations of all stages thermal insulation works.

External thermal insulation of a timber house: main advantages and useful recommendations

External insulation of a timber house is carried out using different materials, but they all must meet this requirement.

Do not support combustion.
Have low thermal conductivity.
Do not emit harmful substances, do not have toxicity.
Made from environmentally friendly materials.
Good heat retention.
Do not accumulate moisture.
Allow fumes to escape from the home.
Do not let atmospheric moisture in.
Have soundproofing properties.

Among the advantages of external insulation we can especially note:

Possibility of changing, transforming or updating the facade of the house.
Reducing heat loss through building envelopes, reducing fuel costs.
Protection of load-bearing walls of the house from adverse natural factors.
Saving interior space at home.

When performing installation work, do not leave heat-insulating material under open air. If the insulation gets wet, it sharply loses its heat-shielding properties.
When laying horizontal sheathing beams in increments smaller than the width of the insulation by 15 mm, they can be laid sideways, without fastening materials.
When working with insulation, it is necessary to use products personal protection(respirator, gloves, glasses).

External insulation technologies

External wall insulation is most often performed in three ways:

Hinged ventilated facade.
Polyurethane spraying method (the material is sprayed onto the wall of the house using a special installation)
Insulation of walls with foam plastic.

Many experts consider a suspended ventilated façade to be the most effective and convenient type of insulation. This method is also supported by many of its advantages, such as:

Quick installation.
Large selection of facing materials (siding, lining, porcelain stoneware, wooden facade board, lath profile, composite, brick).
High thermal protection and sound insulation.
Durability (service life up to 50 years).
Reducing heating costs.
Protection of the facade from atmospheric influences.
The “dew point” is located outside the load-bearing walls.

Materials for insulating the walls of a timber house

To insulate the walls of a log house, you can use various modern thermal insulation materials. A house made of timber is insulated:

fiberglass
Mineral wool slabs
Basalt mats
Expanded polystyrene and other materials

Each of these insulation materials has its own distinctive properties. But when choosing a material for a thermal insulation system for a wooden house, you need to pay attention to whether this type of thermal insulator meets the basic requirements.

Insulation materials for external insulation of timber houses must have:

High heat-shielding properties.
Non-flammability.
Moisture resistant.
Non-hygroscopic.
The ability to prevent heat exchange between the room and the external environment.
Environmental safety.

Excellent conditions for insulation and will not allow condensation to accumulate

How and how to insulate a house made of timber

The most popular material for insulating timber houses is mineral wool. This material is light enough so as not to create additional stress on structural elements building. The cost of mineral wool is not high, it keeps the house warm well, but, what is especially important, mineral wool is not a flammable insulation. Due to its softness and elasticity, mineral wool is easy to install and does not form cold bridges. In addition, it is resistant to thermal deformations of walls.

Insulation can be done for a block house, or the outside of the house can be covered with plastic siding. Installation of a thermal insulation system using mineral wool consists of several stages:

Vapor barrier

Installation of a thermal insulation system for a wooden house begins with a vapor barrier. You can use aluminum foil for this. plastic film, a special vapor barrier film and roofing felt. Vapor barrier provides ventilation of the facade under the film.

Vertical slats 2.5 cm thick are placed on the walls, at a distance of 1 meter from one another. Next, a vapor barrier layer is applied to the placed slats over the entire surface of the wall. Between the base slats at the top and bottom, holes are made (20 mm in diameter) for ventilation. The presence of a ventilated layer between the vapor barrier and the wall will prevent moisture from accumulating under the film, which could lead to rotting of the wooden wall. The vapor barrier is secured with nails or staples, and the fastening points are sealed with tape to protect them from water ingress.

Installation of frame for thermal insulation

For the frame, take boards 100 mm wide and 40-50 mm thick. The boards are placed vertically on the edge on the wall. The distance between the boards should be one or two centimeters less than the width of the insulation.

The beam is attached to the facade of the house with self-tapping screws. When installing the beam, you need to control its position with a level or plumb line. If the lathing is installed unevenly, the installation of the facing material at the final stage of thermal insulation work will be of poor quality.

To install the thermal insulation system of a timber house, it is necessary to install a frame

Laying thermal insulation

Between the boards of the frame, mineral wool slabs are installed as closely as possible to each other so that there are no gaps. Mineral wool 50 mm thick is laid in two layers. Semi-rigid, elastic slabs with a density of 80–120 kg/m3 are used; they are easily held between the frame boards without slipping without additional fastening.

Laying insulation between frame bars

Waterproofing

Having finished laying the thermal insulation, you need to lay a waterproofing film, which should allow steam to pass through, but at the same time retain water. The film is laid on the thermal insulation, nailed with staples or frame nails. When joining the film, an overlap of 5-10 cm is left, and the joints are sealed with self-adhesive tape.

Second layer of frame

On the thermal insulation frame, slats (50 mm wide and 2.5 - 3 cm thick) are stuffed over the waterproofing. This is necessary in order to ensure free circulation of air between the sheathing and the vapor barrier, which will dry out the condensation that appears on the waterproofing layer. The resulting space from below is covered with a thick metal mesh to prevent insects and rodents from entering it.

External cladding

The outer cladding serves mainly a decorative function. Therefore, what will be the facing material, of great importance does not have. This can be wooden lining, plastic siding or any other material.

Insulation materials for thermal insulation of timber walls

Recently there have been many effective insulation materials, which are produced on the basis advanced technologies. One of these modern materials is "Penoplex", produced Russian company in the form of thermal insulation boards.

"Penoplex" is a type of foamed extruded polystyrene foam prepared using special technologies. The panels are durable and highly resistant to moisture. This material does not have the ability to absorb moisture, is not afraid of dampness, and is not a medium for the development of bacteria, mold and other microorganisms.

Penoplex slabs

Penoplex slabs, due to their high strength, can be laid both vertically and horizontally. The structure of their surface allows the application of plaster.

Penoplex insulation is a material that has a uniform structure, which consists of small, closed cells (0.1-0.2 mm in size).

The main properties of PENOPLEX boards are:

low thermal conductivity
low vapor permeability
no water absorption
high compressive strength
Resistant to fire and biodegradation
ecological cleanliness
simplicity and convenient installation
durability

When using Penoplex boards, you should know that this material, like other types of extruded polystyrene foam, has low chemical resistance to substances such as:

Aldehydes (formaldehyde, formaldehyde)
Aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, xylene)
Ketones (acetone, methyl ethyl ketone)
Esters (diethyl ether), do not use solvents with ethyl acetate, methyl acetate,
Gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel
Polyester resins (hardeners cannot be used epoxy resins, as well as coal tar),
Oil paints.

Penoplex is resistant to the following chemicals:

Acids.
Salt solutions.
Caustic alkalis.
Bleach.
To alcohol and alcohol dyes.
For water-based paints.
Ammonia, carbon dioxide, oxygen, acetylene, propane, butane.
Fluorinated hydrocarbons (freons)
For cement and concrete mortars.
Animals and vegetable oils, paraffin.

Important! PENOPLEX boards should only be used in temperature conditions recommended by the manufacturer. If the range of recommended operating temperatures is exceeded for a long time, the slabs may lose their mechanical and thermal insulation properties and change their dimensions. With Penoplex insulation, you should use only adhesive solutions approved by the manufacturer. Products containing acetone, ethyl acetate, etc. lead to softening and shrinkage of extruded polystyrene foams.

Another modern insulation material, polyurethane foam, is used to insulate the walls of a log house using the spraying method.

The main advantages of this method:

The thermal insulation system based on polyurethane foam is not susceptible to rotting and bacteria.
The material has a long service life, during which it retains its thermal insulation qualities.
Does not support combustion.
Has noise-insulating properties.
A simple way to apply heat-insulating material.
Does not require additional fasteners.
Environmental friendliness.

This insulation method can be used for thermal insulation of walls, plinths, and foundations.

The easiest way to insulate a log house is with polystyrene foam, but this material has low fire-fighting properties. And since the wood itself flammable material, many experts do not recommend using foam boards to insulate wooden walls.

Among the advantages of houses made of timber are the naturalness of the wall material, environmental friendliness and good ventilation. Despite the advantages, over time the thermal conductivity of such buildings decreases, larger gaps form in the walls, and drafts begin to appear. Warm air quickly leaves the home. To solve this problem, additional insulation of a timber house is necessary.

You need to insulate your home with non-flammable, environmentally friendly and durable material. To choose the right one, you should familiarize yourself with the features of each insulation. You can do the job efficiently only after familiarizing yourself with the main points regarding insulation.

The first step is always to prepare the surface for further work. First, you need to evaluate the walls and check how well all previous activities were carried out. Small cracks and defects may form at the joints. It is better to fix all this at the first stage. After construction, the house will shrink, so the lack of caulking and small cracks are sealed.

The initial stage includes the removal of all foreign elements that may interfere with the insulation of a wooden house made of timber. If the work is done inside, all hanging structures are removed and the surface is cleared. External measures include the removal of all nearby plantings that touch the house. In both cases, dust and dirt are removed.

After cleaning the walls, they are treated with a fire retardant solution and an antiseptic. Coat several times, use a roller for this. The brush can be used to get into hard-to-reach places. After the walls have dried, their condition is assessed and the need for additional caulking is required. Cracks are repaired with jute fiber and a chisel.

Important! No thermal insulator will make a house better if it has large cracks and chips. Work does not begin until they are completely eliminated.

Insulation of walls in a timber house

After carrying out the above measures, you can begin insulating the walls. The material is selected, the possibility of carrying out work outside and inside is assessed. The optimal option is being considered. To choose the right one, you need to familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of each method.

Advantages and disadvantages of internal and external wall insulation

The first advantage of internal insulation is its low cost. Not required here special devices to rise to greater heights. The turnaround time is much shorter. You can make the walls much smoother. You can perform the necessary actions at any time of the year.

But there are disadvantages:

You have to sacrifice living space if you use a volumetric insulation material.
The dew point shifts, moisture condensation takes place in a different plane. If the work is done incorrectly, this can lead to freezing of the walls, or their constant moisture. The offset of the point will be inside the room. For external insulation - outwards.
There is a risk of mold formation and blackening of the walls.
The cracks and joints that are located outside the house will still have to be sealed.

The main advantage of external insulation is more high efficiency works The materials used will preserve more heat. The dew point moves outward, so the walls will not become moldy. The useful volume of the room does not decrease. Disadvantages: high cost compared to internal work; seasonality and weather dependence.

Choosing a material for external insulation of a timber house

For high-quality insulation It is worth considering the characteristics of each insulation. They differ in characteristics, service life, degree of environmental friendliness and installation features. The price of products varies greatly.

Mineral wool and its analogues

Using this insulation, you can carry out work inside and outside the house. The material is “breathable”, which is necessary for wooden walls. The material is not destroyed by rodents and insects, and mold does not grow on the surface.

In addition to the above, there are advantages:

relatively low thermal conductivity;
high degree of sound insulation;
ease;
ease of work;
low cost;
environmental cleanliness.

The main disadvantage is the ability to accumulate moisture. If the wool is wet, its characteristics drop significantly. It takes a long time to dry, sometimes not completely. After this the composition becomes heavy. If the fixation was not secure enough, it may move downward under its own weight.

Insulation of the façade of a timber house should only be done using ventilated façade technology. Installation of reliable vapor barrier is required.

It’s worth figuring out how to insulate a house made of timber in order to prevent typical mistakes during work. You can use polystyrene foam for external and internal insulation. The advantages are low cost, low thermal conductivity. Installation is simple and convenient. It has good hygroscopicity.

Additional Information! When purchasing, you should pay attention to the tightness of the grains in the block. The higher the strength, the better the insulation performs its functions.

The main disadvantage is high flammability. This is especially important to consider when work is carried out in a wooden house. Birds and small rodents love to eat foam.

This insulation is similar in properties to the previous one. It is distinguished by its execution technology, due to which performance characteristics grow significantly. The cost is also higher.

Advantages:

high performance characteristics;
does not accumulate moisture in the structure;
not destroyed by rodents or mold;
has high strength;
The installation process is simple and fast.

Among the disadvantages is the high cost. You can use not just any adhesive, but only a certain adhesive composition for fixing to the walls. It is necessary to install high-quality ventilation of the room, because EPS does not allow air to pass through and the natural ventilation of a wooden house will be disrupted.

Foamed polyethylene

Foil polyethylene can be wrapped with a protective membrane on one or both sides. It is used for insulation outside and inside the house. It is usually used not as the main one, but as an additional insulation. When answering the question of whether it is necessary to insulate a house made of 200x200 mm timber, it is worth considering not the thickness of the walls, but how well they retain heat. Perhaps minimal insulation is needed to create an ideal indoor microclimate.

Has advantages:

low cost;
ease of installation;
hygroscopicity;
high noise insulation;
high performance characteristics.

Disadvantages include flexibility. Reliable gluing to the surface will be required so as not to reduce the quality of the work performed. Gluing can only be done with special compounds.

Spray polyurethane foam

In fact, the material is ordinary polyurethane foam. It is applied from a special container, not with a gun. A positive feature is the possibility of insulation inside and outside the house. Moisture is not absorbed into the surface. Has high thermal insulation characteristics. There is no need to pre-prepare the walls, just apply the composition to the cleaned surface and it will remain hanging until it hardens. No fasteners or sheathing are needed. The layer will be continuous.

The disadvantage is the price of the insulation. It is significantly higher than its analogues. Without the use of special equipment, the work cannot be completed. Further processing is required, since the composition is destroyed under the influence of sunlight. He becomes fragile.

The composition is used to insulate the outside of objects. He doesn't respond to negative factors environmentally friendly, durable, does not require fastening. The material is highly hydrophobic. Seamless connection can be made. There is no need for further restoration. The material allows air to pass through well, so additional ventilation is not needed.

The service life declared by the manufacturers is 15-20 years, but after 5-7 years the composition loses about 30% of its thermal insulation characteristics.

Fire safety is low. To use it, you need special equipment, which is expensive.

Windproof boards Isoplat based on wood fiber

Such plates are quite popular in Europe.

They have advantages:

provide high wind protection;
high paper permeability. It is advisable to use the material in places with a cool climate. In hot weather, it will interfere with normal ventilation of the premises;
good thermal insulation properties. The indicator is higher than the level of basalt wool;
high strength. The material adheres well to the surface of the house, but it is not easy to break;
reliability. The material does not lose its characteristics after some time of use. Properties are maintained throughout the entire service life. Exposure to sunlight does not affect the quality of the insulation;
high heat capacity.

The advantages of windproof boards are obvious, but there are some disadvantages. Their cost is much higher than that of traditional insulation. It is advisable to use them only in places with cold climates, because they do not allow air to pass through well.

Folgizol

The material stands out among traditional insulating materials due to its characteristics. It has a high degree of thermal insulation and sound insulation. To compare, approximately 10 mm of foil insulation provides the same heat retention as 45 mm of mineral wool or 150x150 mm of brick. Sound and vapor barrier indicators are also excellent.

The composition weighs very little, its installation is convenient. It is elastic, it will not be difficult to close any curves in the walls. Resistant to any chemical influences, protected from mold and mildew, not interesting to insects and rodents. The service life is 80 years, during which the performance characteristics will not decrease. Not used in production harmful to humans substances. No odor, no toxicity.

The disadvantage is low vapor permeability. This is not very good for a wooden structure - the walls will stop “breathing”. It is impossible to answer the question of how to insulate a log house in one sentence. There are many options, something for everyone.

SIP panels

The panels are perfect as a base for walls. In comparison, it would take 2.5 m of brick to achieve the same degree of heat loss as 15 cm of panels.

Picture 8. Heat transfer resistance of materials.

Other positive characteristics:

high degree of sound insulation. The thickness of the material is small, but the penetration of noise from the street is almost completely eliminated;
low weight of material;
high construction speed. When using SIP panels, it will be possible to build a cottage with an area of about 50 m2 in 3 weeks.

The material is usually not used as insulation. It can be used to build a full-fledged home. Disadvantages include flammability and the presence of additives that are not considered environmentally friendly. The panels are susceptible to attacks by rodents.

Interventional insulation

The correct choice of interventional insulation depends on the needs in each individual case.

You can identify important points that you should pay attention to:

If the house is being built in the fall, jute should be used. Synthetic materials are not used. There is almost no shrinkage of structures in winter; condensation forms. Therefore, the insulator must allow air to pass through well. Synthetics do not have this property.
If there are people in the family with allergies, it makes sense to purchase linen materials. They do not have an allergenic effect. Linen is not used in cool climates. For example, he will not be able to endure the Siberian winter.
If in the house for a long time not planned to be produced external cladding, it makes sense to use synthetic insulation models. They do not deteriorate when exposed to active sunlight.

Good interventional insulation has a number of advantages:

equal thickness over the entire surface;
not exposed to rodents and insects;
after fixing with logs, it does not erode;
different thicknesses of products allow you to select the optimal sample for each joint;
insulators retain positive characteristics regardless of the time of year.

The disadvantages of inter-crown insulation appear if the wrong composition is chosen. For example, when a non-porous product is selected, and the wall stops allowing air to pass through, ventilation will be impaired. Any options are suitable for a wooden house, because the walls themselves allow air to pass through, and insulation cannot greatly limit this property.

Additional Information! It is advisable not to use inter-crown insulation as the main one. If your home loses a lot of heat, you can use them to achieve initial insulation. It is advisable to select other modern materials as the main ones.

Rules for external insulation of a wooden house

Any tree absorbs moisture. Even impregnation cannot completely eliminate the hygroscopicity of wood. If ventilation is properly arranged in the home, then the moisture will quickly evaporate without affecting negative influence for construction, the comfortable microclimate will remain. If the gas exchange process is disrupted, the tree swells, and fungus and mold develop.

To avoid encountering the problems listed above, you need to follow the rules:

do not insulate damp walls;
use only vapor-permeable insulation;
thermal insulation materials must be covered on both sides with waterproofing, if it is not present in the layer of the insulation itself;
leave a gap between the final finish and the insulation.

If the walls are only going to be painted after insulation, or only the seams are insulated, the paint or sealant should also be chosen to be vapor-permeable. The compositions can be used on acrylic base. Before insulation, the surface should be well prepared, cleaned, and repaired.

Additional Information! It is important to ensure that no wood-boring beetles remain in the wall, which can severely destroy the building. Under the additional layer they will continue to destroy the structure; nothing will stop them from reproducing. Over time, the wood will completely deteriorate and become unusable.

Hinged ventilated facade

They have a number of advantages. Among them are the absence of the possibility of dampness and a reduction in the amount of building materials. The insulation of the structure is very effective. Any finishing work on top can be carried out, there are no restrictions. The building does not overheat in summer due to proper ventilation.

The negative aspects are the need to inspect the supporting structures. The work must be carried out by specialists; it will be difficult to carry out all the actions correctly on your own.

If you decide to do the work yourself, proceed in the following sequence:

Arrangement of sheathing. The bars are installed such that insulation materials fit between them normally. The maximum thickness is considered to be 10 cm. The distance between them should not be more than 60 cm, although it should be calculated based on the size of the insulation. Secure with self-tapping screws.
Installation of insulation. It is advisable to use elastic plates. The distance between the bars will be such that they fit tightly between the beams.
Installation of wind protection. It is attached to the bars using a stapler. Attach to the insulation with double-sided tape.
Installation of the second sheathing. Bars measuring 5x5 cm are enough. They are fixed to the wooden bars of the first sheathing.
Installation of a block house and other materials for external cladding.
Final surface treatment. All components are sanded and adjusted to remove wood fibers. After completing this type of work, a layer of paint or varnish is applied.

Wooden houses are insulated with thermowood, block house, plank, and wood-look porcelain tiles.

Laying insulation under siding

The main thing is the absence of gaps between the material. Place them evenly without bending them. The material should not bulge or go beyond the boundaries of the bars. Initially, you need to prepare the surface: remove all elements that may interfere with the process: drainpipes, lights, etc. Then the surface is cleaned of contaminants.

The frame that will hold the siding elements must be impregnated with an antiseptic. It is advisable to use wooden blocks rather than metal elements. The metal collects condensation, which will turn into ice in winter. As a standard, bars with a cross section of 50x50 mm are taken.

Mineral wool, suitable as insulation, weighs quite a lot. It is secured between the installed beams using dowels. A film is installed on top of the insulating material, protecting it from steam from the inside and water from the outside. Secure with a stapler.

First, the insulation lathing is performed. The bars are arranged vertically in level. Insulation is laid inside, and a counter sheathing is placed on top. Its pitch is 40-50 cm. The bars are vertical. The last action will create a ventilated gap between the sheets and fix the mineral wool sheets.

Polyurethane foam spraying method

To install this type of insulation, special tools are used. The composition comes from 2 containers containing polyol and polyisocyanate. They are mixed in a sprayer and fall on the walls.

Installation is carried out in the following sequence:

After preparatory work it is installed wooden sheathing. The distance is 30 cm.
The space between the bars is filled with foam. Application is done from bottom to top.
If you need to move to another place, the gun turns off. If it is necessary to apply several layers, the next one is performed only after the previous one has hardened.
The insulation should not protrude beyond the boundaries of the sheathing. Any irregularities after application are carefully removed with a knife.
After the insulation hardens, the walls are covered with reinforcing mesh.
Finishing is in progress.

It is difficult to do the work yourself, even if you have special equipment. Usually specialists are involved.

Internal insulation

Expanded clay or sand are used as the simplest materials for floor insulation in a wooden house. They are placed in a layer on top of the subfloor, which is used as an additional base. The surface is not exposed to fungi and microorganisms. The main disadvantage is the loss of hygroscopicity over time.

Insulation of floors

Modern materials for floor insulation can be mineral wool, ecowool, fiberglass, polystyrene foam or penoplex and others. It is worth considering the pros and cons of each composition in order to make the right choice.

When insulating the floor in a house made of timber, it is important to take into account the purpose of the room, the average temperature and humidity. Don't forget about the load on the surface.

The work is divided into stages:

The subfloor is laid along the joists. The main advantage of the design is that the insulation material is not subject to any mechanical load. You can use any insulation composition. Make from unhewn boards with a cross-section of at least 25x150 mm. The tree must be treated with an antiseptic.
Wooden logs should not reach the walls by about 3-4 cm. They can be placed on the foundation, wooden spacer or columns (depending on what is available). A rough beam with a cross section of 50x50 mm is fixed to them and rough boards are nailed to it below. There should be no large gaps between them. You can use screws for fastening.
Insulation is being installed. Glass, eco-, mineral wool or other insulation materials fit tightly onto the wooden base between the joists. The remaining space is filled with polyurethane foam.
A layer of waterproofing is laid. Be sure to insulate wet areas at home, or in the case of hygroscopic compounds (fiberglass, mineral wool, ecowool). If sprayed insulation is used, waterproofing may not be installed.

Waterproofing is found in the form of impregnation, paint or adhesive. Depending on the choice, it is fixed on the surface layer of the resulting pie.

Vapor barrier is installed. Immediately overlapping the previous layer. The edges protrude 10-15 cm beyond the borders and are glued to the joists. The joints are closed with metallized tape.
The finished floor is laid and final finishing is carried out. It needs to be fixed at a distance of several cm from the rough. To do this, use boards 10-14 cm wide and 3-4 cm thick. They should have channels at the bottom for natural ventilation.

Wall insulation

You should not insulate the walls of a house from the inside with materials that do not allow air to pass through: polystyrene foam, penoizol, extruded polystyrene foam. They are able to create a “greenhouse” effect. You will have to spend money on installing air conditioners to remove moisture from the walls. It is optimal to use mineral wool.

After carrying out the preparatory work, impregnating the walls with an antiseptic solution, a wind and waterproofing layer is installed. It will prevent weathering and moisture penetration from the outside of the home. It is better to use a vapor diffusion membrane for this.

The material will not allow the penetration of liquids and will not stop the movement of steam and air. The waterproofing layer is fixed to the walls using a construction stapler. The overlap at the joints is at least 10 cm and is taped.

Installed wooden frame. The width between the racks is selected based on the width of the insulation. Make the distance 2 cm smaller than the plates so that the material fits tightly.
The thickness of the frame is 2-3 cm more materials to ensure ventilation. Mineral wool or other substance is laid.
Plastic dowels are used for fastening.

When answering the question of how to insulate a log house for winter living, it is worth taking into account the climatic conditions. A variety of insulation materials that are attached according to the specified pattern are suitable. Upon completion of the work, a vapor barrier layer is installed. Typically the membranes are secured with staples.

The last stage is finishing. The layer should not interfere with the passage of air flow through the surface. It is advisable not to use plastic options.

Roof insulation

Work in the attic is carried out in the following sequence:

A vapor barrier layer is installed. The canvases are overlapped by 15-20 cm over the entire surface. They should be glued with tape and secured with staples to the beams. When using polyurethane foam or other similar compounds, this step is not necessary.
Insulation is being installed. If it is ecowool, the measures are carried out using the spraying method. In other cases, all boards are dismantled so that the material covers the entire surface attic space. When using mineral wool and similar substances, the installation must be tight.
Waterproofing is being installed. Be sure to overlap, adjacent strips are connected with waterproof tape.
Additional beams are installed on which the finishing coating is fixed.

Mistakes when insulating a timber house

The insulation of a log house from the inside is often carried out with errors, after which the material does not fulfill the task assigned to it.

The following typical deviations from the rules are common:

Lack of control over the condition of the walls. Over time, traces of various types of damage remain on wood. Before insulation begins, after which there will be no access to the surface of the walls, it is necessary to carry out all the specified measures. Only then proceed to the next stage.
Inattention to caulking of walls. Perhaps, thanks to a couple of defects in this part, the house began to leak. After correcting the problems associated with this item, the home becomes much warmer.
Insulation of the log house from the inside. If it is possible to carry out work outside, it should be done this way.
Wrong choice of thermal insulation material. Mineral wool, glass wool and any type of polystyrene foam are ideal for wood.
Improper storage of materials. Thermal insulation must be dry. Only then do the compositions perform their function completely.
Wrong choice of materials. Hard insulation is used for vertical surfaces, and soft analogues are used for floors and ceilings.

In addition to the listed errors, there is an incorrect choice of insulation thickness. For a log house in central Russia, a couple of layers of materials 50 mm thick, laid one on top of the other, are enough. The material provided will help you understand how to properly insulate a house made of timber.

Wooden houses are quite warm, but without proper insulation there can be high heat losses that occur through the roof joints in the walls, through the ceilings and floors, as well as through windows and doors. It is important to properly insulate a house made of 150x150 timber from the outside. The size of the timber, which is usually used for the construction of a wooden house in Russia, is usually 150x150 mm and 200x200 mm. Moreover, the first option is becoming more common, since it is easier to work with thinner timber (less weight, how much does the timber weigh here). However, this solution is ideal for regions with mild winters.

When using 150x150 mm timber we can observe the following:

– on the one hand, the construction of such a building becomes significantly cheaper;
– on the other hand, there are large heat losses, and, as a result, huge consumption of electricity and gas.

However, these shortcomings can be easily removed, the main thing is to have the desire, knowledge and skillful hands. The most optimal solution- this is the insulation of a house made of 150x150 timber from the outside.

External insulation of houses made of 150x150 timber must be carried out in several stages:

decide on insulation;
calculate the exact amount of materials;
install a thermal insulation layer;
finish the façade.

Choosing insulation for a house made of timber

For insulating a house made of 150x150 timber from the outside, 2 materials are perfect:

mineral wool.
linen mats

Polystyrene foam, which is perhaps the most popular material for external insulation for a wooden house, is not rational to use, and we will explain why.

Polystyrene foam is excellent for thermal insulation of brick or stone houses, but not wooden ones. The reason lies in the ventilation rates. If mineral wool has a good ability to pass air and at the same time perfectly insulates the room, then foam plastic cannot “boast” of such properties. It does not allow air to circulate freely, but main feature wooden houses are precisely the need to “breathe”. After insulation with polystyrene foam, wooden walls made of timber will, after some time, begin to become covered with mold and mildew, rot and collapse. After all, the formation of condensation in cold winter is simply inevitable.

Therefore, the best choice for a wooden house remains mineral wool or linen mats that are safer for health.

We calculate materials for insulation

A more suitable form for insulating a log house is the form of a slab. This is explained as follows:

slabs adhere better to vertical surfaces;
more convenient to mount on walls;
they are more economical.

Rolled mineral wool is usually used on very uneven surfaces. The thickness of one mineral wool slab is usually 5 or 10 cm. To correctly calculate the layer of such insulation, there are many formulas, but here is the simplest method:

if the walls are 20 cm or thicker, and the temperature in winter does not fall below -20°C, then you can use one layer of mineral wool 5 or 10 cm thick;
if the winter temperature often drops below -22-30°C, then you need to use two, in rare cases - three layers. Usually 10-15 cm of insulation is enough for 150x150 timber.

In addition to mineral wool, you will need wooden slats based on:

for single-layer insulation - 5×5 cm;
for multilayer - 5×10 cm.

You also need to buy a windproof film with diffuse membranes (on the inside it allows steam and moisture from the insulation to pass through, and on the other hand, it protects against wind and moisture), anchors, self-tapping screws and also, it wouldn’t hurt at all, an antifungal agent. To attach the wind barrier (diffuse membrane), a special (furniture) stapler with staples is suitable.

Advice: It is better to choose complex anti-fungal agents that are fire-bioprotective and also provide protection from fire. This could be, for example, SENEZH Ognebio, Guardian or others.

We install thermal insulation on the walls

Thermal insulation is usually installed in the following order:

we prepare the surface (treat it with fire protection or antiseptic);
install the sheathing;
install insulation;
We install wind protection (diffuse membrane).

At the preparatory stage, as indicated above, the wood is processed using the indicated means.

Important point! Here you need to take antiseptic treatment especially seriously, because then access to the surface of the walls will be very difficult.

You need to wait for the antiseptic to dry completely, so it is better to carry out this work only in the warm season.

The waterproofing layer is a special film or diffuse membrane. When using membranes, it is important to place it on the correct side, because it tends to allow air to pass through only in one direction. It is fastened with a stapler and must be placed with an overlap of approximately 10-15 cm. The joints are insulated (but not necessarily) using special tape.

Advice: It is better to subtract 2 cm from the length of the slab, and then install the sheathing. This will allow the slab to be firmly inserted between the bars without fastening.

After installing the sheathing, mineral wool slabs are installed. They are very easy to process. To secure them more securely, special anchors made of metal or plastic are used. It is best to use anchors with a wide head.

AND final stage– thermal insulation – this is the installation of wind protection (diffuse membrane).

Finishing

After all the work carried out to insulate the house from 150x150 timber, a wooden sheathing is attached to the outside of the wall along the previous sheathing, which will be the basis for the future facade. To finish a timber house you can use the following materials:

siding
lining;
block house;
boards;
planken and much more.

After external insulation, the house will become warm, while inside it remains environmentally friendly, because the insulation remains from the outside. External insulation houses made of timber are more rational and because the insulation “does not eat up” usable area inside the house.