How to cover the outside of a house. The best way to sheathe the outside of a house: materials for sheathing

Wooden houses are gaining increasing popularity. More and more often those who want to build a residential building or country cottage prefer natural materials various blocks, panels and so on. How to cover the outside of a wooden house made of timber or timber?

What is the outer cladding used for?

Sheathing wooden house outside is not only a way to make it more attractive in appearance. It is carried out both for practical purposes and also serves as protection for the wooden base of the house.

Finish options

There are many options for finishing a house made of wood. Each person decides for himself what material to use, based on personal preferences and budget.

Read also about the exterior decoration of the house with facade panels.

Let's take a closer look at the most popular materials:

There are other options for cladding a wooden house, such as: facing tiles, clinker thermal tiles, curtain wall façade, but all these materials much more expensive and not so in demand.

Which material is better and cheaper?

Choosing the sheathing material first depends on what the house itself is built from. The range of products for cladding is extremely large, and it is sometimes very difficult to understand it.

It is also worth considering purpose of the house, If this is a small country house, then it would be advisable to choose such a material so that the finishing will cost you cheap and will not cause unnecessary costs. What will be better and cheaper in your case?

In this article you can learn about the construction of frame houses in the half-timbered style.

Log houses

It is believed that a log house can be operated without external cladding, but so that the wood does not rot longer, and the house didn't sag, it is better to protect its walls. Especially if rounded logs were used in construction.

The best fit is clapboard or Euroboard. These options are eco-friendly, they are easy to use for cladding; most insulating materials are suitable for lining or euroboard.

Frame

Frame houses require lighter material for cladding. This can also be a lining or a block house (rounded board), however the best option there will be siding. This Quite light and durable to temperature changes, a material that is also good in decorative terms. It is enough for them to simply decorate the house without having any special knowledge.

Various wooden or plastic panels are also perfect. Sheathing with them is easy, general the cost of the material is low, since the panels are inexpensive. It is better not to use materials made of fire hazard plastic to ensure the safety of your home.

From timber

Timber houses can be sheathed on the outside with any materials, since the flat surface of the walls allows the installation of frames various types. However, it is still better not to use facing tiles or natural stone under such cladding the timber will rot quickly, and mold and dampness can settle in the house.

From SIP panels

Lightweight and durable SIP panels require the same cladding. It’s great if the material you use for these purposes is rot resistant. Lining and euroboard are not very suitable for these purposes, but siding and PVC panels are a good option.

DIY finishing technology

To make the cladding look attractive in appearance and defended well wooden house from external influences, you need to choose the right materials and do everything in accordance with technology.

Sheathing stages:

1. Choose the optimal material. The selection criteria may be different, it all depends on your budget and the building material from which the house is built.
2. Treat the walls of the house. For this, special compounds can be used that impregnate the wood and protect it from destruction by pests, fungi and moisture. It is necessary for the treated layer to dry completely.
3. Lay a vapor barrier layer. It is necessary to ensure free and proper air circulation. It can be polyethylene, foil, roofing felt or other options. Please note that it is better to apply such a film on a special slatted frame (this is especially true for houses made of timber).
4. Next comes the installation of the frame., on which you will install insulation and sheathing. For the frame, metal slats or wooden planks impregnated with anti-rotting treatment are used.
5. Next step - laying insulation and waterproofing layer. They will help keep the house warm and protect its walls from moisture and fungus. Mineral wool, polystyrene foam, and penoplex can be used as insulation. Waterproofing is applied to the insulation.
6. Next comes the actual installation. frame and cladding itself. The frame is made in the form of an ordinary wooden sheathing. And the top walls are sheathed with the material you choose: siding, clapboard, panels.

Compliance with technology is very important, because your goal is to protect your home from moisture, pests and any external harmful influences.

Cladding a wooden house is a simple but necessary process. Important choose the optimal material and do the wall cladding correctly.

Sheathing a wooden house video instructions.

Quite a large number of materials that are used to build houses require additional finishing, and in this case the question arises of how to cover the outside of the house. Also, do not forget about those that may lose their attractiveness during operation, and in any case, the exterior of the house needs to be covered. It should also be noted that in most cases it is necessary to fix the material without using a solution, in particular this applies to wooden and frame houses.

In addition, you always want to carry out any work as profitably as possible and without loss of quality. Sheathing the outside of a house is quite easy and can be done with your own hands; the main thing is to choose the right material for its implementation. Let's look at what to cover the outside of the house with, and the photos will help you visually familiarize yourself with each material and its type.

How to choose the right materials for exterior cladding of a house

First of all, when choosing a material, you should take into account the fact that the exterior finishing material should have greater vapor permeability. In this situation, high air humidity, which is quite common in homes, will be regulated by removing excess moisture naturally, which occurs as follows:

If this selection principle is violated, all the moisture that will tend to leave the room will begin to accumulate between the layers of material and form condensation. This phenomenon becomes the ancestor for the occurrence of fungus, rotting and other aspects of corrosion. Considering winter time, then the wall simply freezes, which leads to a decrease in thermal insulation qualities and unnecessary heating costs, not to mention the fact that such a phenomenon destroys the material of the building and ultimately there will be a need for its dismantling and replacement.

But when considering the characteristics of vapor permeability, it should be noted that only wood has this characteristic at the proper level, but different finishing materials there is a sufficient number. Accordingly, there is a solution to this problem. And you can protect yourself in two ways.

The first of these is the creation of a ventilated facade. Its design implies the presence, between the finishing layer and the wall itself, of an air gap, which creates a sufficient level of ventilation, which, accordingly, will protect the surface from the occurrence of “diseases”. In this situation, gaps are arranged up to 15 centimeters. At the same time, ventilation holes must be present in the lower part, the area of ​​which should be 75 square centimeters per 20 square meters of finishing area.

The second way is to install an internal vapor barrier, which allows the finishing material to be attached directly to the wall. In this situation, it is necessary to provide an improved ventilation system, through which excess moisture will be removed.

Recently, the most common option is using a vapor barrier, which makes it possible to cover the outside of the house with any material that meets the operational requirements of the region. And taking into account the emergence of new materials that improve thermal insulation, which actually reduces heating costs, this option becomes the most acceptable.

Wooden siding on the outside of a house

The oldest material used in construction, both in the construction of buildings and their cladding, is wood. Its use became relevant many centuries ago, and will not lose its popularity for many years to come. This material has a rather attractive appearance, and in addition has a good advantage, in particular the property of regulating the microclimate of the premises.

This material is on this moment the only one that can remove excess moisture from the room without collapsing.

The most popular materials recently have become the block house type, or those that resemble timber. In addition, quite often you can find the use of lining for exterior decoration. Among the differences of this material, it should be noted that it is quite thick, compared with the analogue used for interior decoration.

Considering block house type materials, it should be noted that they have the appearance of rounded logs. In this case, the front part of the material has a rounded shape, while the back part is perfectly smooth. Considering the imitation of timber, it should be noted that it is quite similar to planed timber. Each of these two types of facing materials is fixed to the sheathing, after which they are necessarily sanded and treated with protective compounds.

When answering the question of how to cover a house made of foam blocks, it should be noted that the option with wooden surface cladding is becoming the most acceptable. In this case, installation is also carried out on a lathing made of wood or metal. It is also possible to provide insulation. Its type becomes a rather important factor - only basalt insulation can be used; note that the use of expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam is strictly prohibited.

Price

When considering the pricing policy, it can also be noted that wood occupies a leading position among materials for exterior finishing of buildings. At the same time, the cost range is quite large. Considering the cheapest option, both among wood products and in total among all finishing materials, it becomes an ordinary planed board.

The material itself has a thickness of 4 centimeters, installation is carried out according to the same principle as a block house. At the same time, the elements are arranged in such a way that the top, with its edge, extends 1-2 centimeters onto the board from below, which creates a beautiful appearance. This can be called the bump effect. It is this material that fully answers the question of how to cheaply cover the outside of a house.

Of course, a material such as wood also has a number of inherent disadvantages, among them the following should be noted:

• Pest damage
• Rotting
• Loss of appearance

Thus, behind the wooden paneling it is necessary good care, otherwise it will quickly lose its qualities. If you are more interested in a finishing option that will allow you to forget about worry and wasting time caring for it, then wood is clearly not suitable.

It should also be noted that lumber is not available in every region, and in this case, a good solution would be. Speaking about when such material is used for cladding the outside of a house, it can be clearly noted that such finishing will help you forget about yourself for many years. The only care for it will be washing, since during heavy rains the material will be splashed with dirt, especially at the base. And this factor, in turn, will significantly worsen the appearance of the finish and the house as a whole.

The use of siding will be a fairly correct answer when asking the question of how to cover the outside of a wooden house.

The material is fastened to a frame, which creates a ventilated facade; when building a house from timber or other types of wooden materials that independently remove excess moisture from the room, this option is the most acceptable. Thus, siding becomes a good, and most importantly, quite budget-friendly finishing option. At the same time, the material is universal and can be used as cladding when constructing buildings from any other types of building materials.

Among the types of siding the following can be noted:

• Vinyl;
• Metal;
• Basement;
• Fiber cement siding.

Decorating the outside of the house with vinyl siding

The main material used in the manufacture of siding is polyvinyl chloride, which is why this type got its name. Considering the type and structure of the material, you can see that it consists of PVC strips (boards) with a width of 20.5 centimeters and 25.5 centimeters, with a thickness of 1.1-1.2 millimeters. Along the edges there is a lock on one side for fastening several strips, and on the second there is perforation for fastening to the frame.

Fastenings of this type of siding are carried out on the sheathing. The best option is metal, but processed wood bars also find their application here. Self-tapping screws are usually used for fastening, but they should not be screwed in completely, leaving a small gap, to compensate for temperature changes, in particular changes in the shape and structure of the material during climate change. This solution will avoid the destruction of the material due to sudden changes in temperature.

It should be noted that such material for cladding the outside of a house has a fairly low price, and in addition, it is quite easy to install, which allows you to attach the siding yourself.

Of course, there are certain disadvantages, including the high level of fading of the material, which requires the use of only non-bright colors, unless, of course, you want the building to soon lose its appearance.

But such a drawback, when using not bright colors, is practically unnoticeable; in addition, it is compensated by a fairly large temperature range at which it can be used. Thus, the material can withstand temperature changes from -35 to +50 degrees Celsius without changing. Of course, even in mild frosts, PVC freezes, which makes the product more susceptible to mechanical damage.

Also, we note that siding becomes the most suitable option for buildings with broken architecture. Further, in the photo, you can see that with a straight wall configuration, without various kinds of protrusions, such material does not give it beauty, but, on the contrary, creates a not as attractive appearance as we would like.

Metal siding

The next type is metal siding. This material consists of the same strips as vinyl, including the system of its fastening is completely identical to the previous version. The difference is the material of manufacture. If in the previous version PVC played its role, then in this case it becomes aluminum or galvanized steel, which is additionally treated with protective compounds and a decorative coating.

Additional decorative coating is made from polymers. This solution gives the material reliability and, most importantly, resistance to fading and external factors, which vinyl siding does not have. The main disadvantage in this case is only a rather modest selection of shades.

Another option is powder coating. In this case, such a disadvantage as a small assortment of colors is eliminated. At the same time, the coating lasts for many years without the slightest sign of peeling.

When looking for a good material that can be used to cover the outside of a house for many years, with high requirements for reliability and brightness of the finish, metal siding will be a good solution. It should also be noted that such material does not break; even under the most severe weather conditions, it can bend a little, but no more.

Speaking of installation, the process is quite simple; to carry it out, you only need metal scissors, self-tapping screws and a screwdriver or screwdriver. There are no special factors when fixing, everything is carried out in the same way as in the case of vinyl, the only difference is the possibility of installation at any temperature.

Among the features of the material is significant durability, but speaking of appearance, the building with such cladding will not be too attractive. Metal siding has a more industrial appearance, which ultimately gives the building the appearance not of a beautiful residential building, but of some kind of warehouse or production site.

Basement siding

And the last type is basement siding. At its core, this is one of the varieties of vinyl material. But thanks to a completely different configuration, thickness and general appearance, it is quite often distinguished as separate group. Initially, the development of this type was carried out purely for the purpose of protecting the basement part, but over time, this siding gained popularity when cladding the facade.

The material is made to look like masonry, while looking at the assortment, you can notice a fairly large number of variations in colors and varieties. In addition, in some cases the coating is so high quality that it is visually impossible to distinguish it from real masonry. In this case, in reality, you can only determine that it is siding by touching it.

Installation of this type of material is carried out in the same way as in the case of its other analogues. The only difference is the shape of the material; if metal or vinyl products are made in strips, then the basement siding is made in the form of a section of wall with curly edges, with which it is joined.

Note that in this case the frame must be adjusted to the size of the individual siding fragments. During the installation process, each element is initially fixed with the lock of the previous one, after which it is secured with self-tapping screws. It is also necessary not to tighten the fasteners, as is the case with vinyl, so that the material can “move” freely when the temperature changes.

Considering the frame itself, it can be noted that both wooden elements and a plasterboard profile can be used for its arrangement. You can find out more about the installation of this unique type of siding in our other articles.

Fiber cement boards and siding

More recently, fiber cement products, which are presented in the form of slabs and siding, have begun to gain popularity. Such products consist of the following components:

• Wood fiber;
• Quartz;
• Mica;
• Cement;
• Chlorine;
• Asbestos.

Compounds of these materials are formed into sheets, which are subsequently dehydrated and fired. After which a certain kind of protective coating is applied to them. Such coverage can be presented in the following forms:

• Acrylic. It has a fairly high level of resistance to fading, and is inexpensive.
• Hydrofilceramic. It is resistant to water and does not fade or wear off. But such coverage is quite expensive.
• And the last one is photoceramic, which can retain color for quite a long time, while being resistant to water and abrasion. The cost is average.

If you are still asking the question “What is the best way to sheathe the outside of a house?”, then fiber cement products will be a pretty good solution. We also note that they are quite easily mounted on any type of surface using various types of materials.

The finishing coating itself can be presented either smooth, for example, matte or glossy, or textured, imitating brickwork or tree.

Installation of the material is carried out on guide profiles that are fixed to the wall. If you don’t know how to sheathe the outside of a frame house, this material is well suited, since it creates an airtight connection, which in turn will protect the premises from precipitation.

Looking directly at siding made from this material, it should be noted that it is in full compliance with manufacturing technologies, the same as in the case of slabs. The difference is the formation of the product into strips measuring 3.6 * 0.19 * 0.012 meters. The material is easily processed using a jigsaw and mounted to a wooden sheathing.

Thermal panels

Another material for finishing the outside of a house is thermal panels. These products simultaneously perform several functions, including, first of all, cladding, and additional insulation of the house. Such products are a layer of thermal insulation, onto which a decorative coating is additionally applied. Moreover, it can be made to imitate marble or stone, and it also has a fairly high level of water resistance.

The material is produced on the basis of polystyrene foam, mineral wool or polystyrene foam. Installation, accordingly, is carried out depending on the selected base.

• In the case of expanded polystyrene and polystyrene, the material is glued in accordance with the technologies for carrying out insulation work with this type of heat-insulating material.
• When using mineral wool panels, installation is carried out on a special profile system.

This solution is becoming increasingly popular due to the ability to simultaneously insulate the house and at the same time perform its cladding. Of course, it should be noted that such material is quite expensive, but compared with separate thermal insulation and finishing, the cost will be almost the same figure, with a slight difference.

The only negative factor is the lack of reviews about the material, which forces you to trust only the manufacturer’s words. This is due to its novelty, and there is not much experience in using it, so you will have to trust it.

So, we have answered the question of how to cover the outside of a house, and the photos will help you visually familiarize yourself with the appearance of each type of finish. The cost of each material is different, then it’s up to you to decide based on your financial capabilities and the requirements for the material.

There are several reasons why you should do the exterior decoration of a house or cottage:

• I want my house to look beautiful, neat, and not like other houses in the neighborhood.
• Finishing the façade provides additional thermal insulation and protects against dampness and other vagaries of the weather.
• Insects and rodents need to be repelled.
• A house with cladding will last longer if everything is done correctly and wisely.

When covering the outside of a house, there is a great temptation to do everything according to the “expensive and rich” principle. An aesthetically attractive façade is an important thing, but you should not pursue beauty alone. For different types of buildings - and the material here is the most important factor - there are nuances and objective limitations.

The principal parameter is maintaining normal humidity in the premises. To do this, it is necessary that the vapor permeability of the outer cladding be higher than that of the wall material. If the rule is followed, then excess moisture will come out. If not, it will accumulate on the walls and ceilings, which in the future threatens dampness, unpleasant odors, fungi, mold, freezing in winter and, ultimately, destruction of the walls.

In order not to limit the choice of material for cladding the house, there are two options:

1. Equip with battens and ventilation holes;
2. Attach the sheathing directly to walls protected from the inside by a layer.

Thanks to the emergence of various and effective polymers (based on polystyrene foam), the second option, the so-called “wet facade,” has recently become popular. It, among other things, holds heat well, allowing you to save on heating costs. You need to keep in mind that you can’t do without internal vapor barrier here - the material does not allow moisture to pass through well.

Wooden house cladding

Wooden houses last less than their stone or brick counterparts; organic matter is more easily destroyed. Wooden buildings are often clad to refresh their appearance. On the other hand, covering, say, a log house with spectacular material will only modernize it. What goes with wooden walls?

Siding

The simplest and least expensive thing is wall cladding. It can be wooden or. In the latter case, it is important to provide for the possibility of manufacturing lathing, which will serve as a frame for the facade material.

Lining

You shouldn’t sheathe a wooden house or with stone - it’s expensive, you need an additional foundation, it will create an extra load, it’s not clear why hide the wood.

In any case, do not forget about insulation. The insulation is selected according to the finishing material.

Brick house cladding

Brick buildings are strong and can support a lot of weight. Therefore, there are more options for external finishing here than with wood.

The most economical and fastest is, again, siding. For brick walls options made of metal, plastic and fiber cement are suitable.

Facade clinker bricks are extremely popular in Europe: out of ten houses, nine will be covered with it. Made from refractory clays, the material absorbs water very poorly, which makes it possible to use it in any climate zone. Good for exterior decoration of buildings made of building blocks.

A practical option for finishing a brick facade is insulated plaster. This is a type of “wet facades” that are in high demand today.

Facade tiles are a very durable, practical, unpretentious material with high insulating characteristics. The wave also looks decent and is made of the same material as.

It looks elegant and performs all the functions necessary for covering a house: quartzite, slate, granite, sandstone, marble. This pleasure, however, is not cheap. To save money, natural materials can be replaced: ceramics, concrete, polymers, resin - these types of facade stones are widely represented on the market. An alternative to stone can be.

Some have already heard about flexible stone. It is flexible because it is plastic and rolls up like linoleum. It is made from sandstone: a thin layer with an expressive pattern is cut off and polished. It is durable, heat-resistant, lightweight, resistant to mechanical stress, easy to clean and install.

If lathing is necessary, for brick buildings it should be made of a metal profile.

Frame house cladding

The frame structure is light, therefore, when sheathing it, the first thing to consider is the weight of the finishing material. The optimal solution would be siding: it is lightweight and economical.

Insulation is placed under the siding; you can choose the texture and color of the material. Instead of siding, clapboard, block house or even plaster will also work. Alternatives will be noticeably more expensive. The main thing, we repeat, is to correctly calculate the weights.

In truth, a wooden house is endowed with a special specific atmosphere, which has a beneficial effect on the feeling of comfort of all household members and guests, because even its walls can breathe as if “alive.” But such pleasure also requires special care, in particular high-quality finishing of external walls, which should perform not only decorative, but also a combination of heat-insulating and protective functions. To perform this kind of task, there is a whole technology for cladding a wooden house, which this article will discuss.

First of all, it is necessary to remember that all work related to finishing a wooden house can only be carried out after a certain time has passed after its construction. This is due to the shrinkage of the house, the period of which depends on the wood of the constructed structure. So, for a house made from wild felled trees, cladding can be done no earlier than 2 years. For houses made of timber, the shrinkage period ranges from 6 months to 1 year. The only exception is glued and profiled timber, houses from which can be finished almost immediately.

Very often, owners of wooden houses, in which residence is seasonal, generally refuse to sheath the house. And this is, in principle, correct, since wood, in the case of high-quality processing, is beautiful in itself, and accordingly it simply does not make sense to insulate this kind of house. In all other cases, covering the house is advisable and will not only give it a well-groomed and beautiful appearance for many years, but also protect the tree from negative impact environment. The technology of cladding a wooden house can be divided into the following stages:

Insulation of the house and subsequent Finishing work, as a rule, are held in the summer. Sheathing a house can be done with your own hands without resorting to the help of professionals, since there are no particular difficulties in this process. You just need to select all the materials correctly and strictly follow the step-by-step instructions for each block of work, which are described in detail below.

Preparatory work and installation of vapor barrier

Preparatory work consists of treating the wooden walls of the house with special emulsions that prevent the infection and spread of various fungi and harmful insects. Such procedures are necessary, first of all, because after applying all layers of insulation and finishing, subsequent access to the walls will be closed, so it is very important keep safe and preservation of the tree.

In order to maintain natural air circulation in the walls of a wooden house, a vapor barrier layer is installed, which can be polyethylene film, aluminum foil, bitumen roofing felt and a special vapor barrier. As a rule, the first option is used for a wooden house, since it combines an acceptable cost and the fulfillment of all the tasks assigned to such a material. Please note that between the walls and such a layer there must be certain free space. Therefore, if the house is built from flat logs, and not from round ones, it is necessary to build a frame from slats, 2-3 cm thick, which are nailed to the walls in a vertical position at a distance of 40-50 cm and install film on them.

The vapor barrier layer is laid according to the following algorithm:

Features of thermal and waterproofing of a wooden house

Before you start insulating your house, you need to select a suitable heat insulator and calculate it required amount. Considering the characteristics of a material such as wood, the choice of suitable insulation is quite small and comes down to almost one most rational option. For the purpose of a more detailed visual perception, we present to your attention several types of heat insulator for a wooden house:

1. Foam boards. This material has high heat retention and sound insulation properties. Quite easy to install and not susceptible to various pests. Despite all the advantages, many experts consider it a very serious mistake to use polystyrene foam as insulation for a wooden house. This is due to the inability to allow air to pass through, which over time can cause wood to rot. In addition, it is not fire resistant and not environmentally friendly, which is also not entirely suitable for such a natural material as wood;
2. Penoplex. This is a relatively new material that is made by extrusion. Possesses very high level thermal insulation, fire resistant, not susceptible to the spread of bacteria and fungi. But penoplex has the same disadvantage as the previous material, namely, it is vapor-tight and, moreover, difficult to cut and install.
3. Mineral wool. The most commonly used material for external insulation of a wooden house. Air flows pass well through the insulation, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the tree. Quite easy to install and adjustable. Mineral wool is environmentally friendly and non-flammable material. The disadvantage is that the slightest ingress of moisture due to a violation of the laying technology of this material can lead to the loss of all thermal insulation properties throughout the year.

Based on the above, the most acceptable option for insulating a wooden house is mineral wool, for installation of which the tiled form is best suited.

On an already installed vapor barrier layer it is necessary install the frame system, into which mineral wool slabs will be installed. This will require vertically nailed wooden boards(thickness and width approximately 50 and 100 mm, respectively), the distance between which is 2−3 cm less than the width of the mineral wool slab. Thus, the heat insulator will fit tightly to the base without any additional fasteners. Mineral wool is very easy to install, and inserting the slabs into the frame will not be difficult. If desired, you can use two layers of insulation. In this case, the second level of heat insulation must be installed at the joints of the slabs of the first layer.

After the entire frame is filled with insulation, lay special waterproofing film. It is worth paying attention to the correct location of this material in relation to the mineral wool. The uneven rough side must be adjacent to the heat insulator, and the smooth side must face outward. The film is attached in the same way as the vapor barrier layer using a stapler to the frame with an overlap, and all joints and staples are sealed with self-adhesive tape. Boards are nailed onto the existing frame system (width - 50 mm, height - 40 mm). This sheathing will perform two functions. Firstly, this creates additional space for air circulation, and secondly, such a system will serve as a frame for finishing the house.

Options for exterior finishing of a wooden house

The choice of finishing material depends entirely on the taste preferences of the owner of the house and the aesthetic goals pursued. There are two ways to move forward. The first is to preserve the appearance of a real wooden house and give it a well-groomed appearance. The second implies more modern external finishing solutions, both color and texture, which will not be related to wood in any way. So, let's look at the most popular ways to give a particular appearance to a house:

There are many more different finishing materials, but as practice shows, the options described above are the most suitable for cladding a wooden house. The main thing is to decide whether you want to maintain the wooden appearance of the tree or bring in something new and interesting. We hope that our tips and recommendations for carrying out all stages of work on cladding a wooden house will help you in this difficult, but at the same time enjoyable task.

Video instructions for cladding a wooden house

There are several main reasons why the owner decides on the need for exterior finishing of a building made of wood - to further reduce heat loss, rid the premises of drafts (and over time they will certainly appear) and a number of others. There are enough cladding materials on the market, but this does not mean that all of them can be used for cladding. So what is the best way to cover the outside of your wooden house, so that it is cheap and at the same time beautiful?

Before understanding the cladding options, it is worth remembering what was so attractive about a wooden house, which the owner was just beginning to build (or purchased on a turnkey basis).

One of the components is the low cost of building a foundation. And this is quite understandable if you consider that the value of the specific gravity of wood is significantly lower than the same indicator for brick or reinforced concrete.

Conclusion 1

The ability of wood to “breathe”

It is precisely this property – microclimate regulation without human intervention – that has always been highly valued by developers. And so that this huge advantage of lumber is not leveled out, even the insulation of a wooden house has its own nuances. The choice of thermal insulation for it should also be approached taking into account all the structural features. .

Features of cladding materials

Imposing someone else’s opinion on someone is an unpromising activity. A prudent owner will first think carefully, weigh the pros and cons, and only then make a definite decision. The author considers it more appropriate to understand the main advantages and disadvantages of products intended for facade finishing. And the reader, who knows the features of the home well and can realistically assess his own capabilities, will choose what to cover the outside of his wooden house with.

Wood panels

• Their common advantage is vapor permeability. This category of products includes lining (in various designs), block house and imitation timber.
• Strength. Such façade cladding cannot be damaged unless you make a special effort.
• The presence of locking joints not only simplifies the process of covering a wooden house, but also ensures the reliability of the joints. Therefore, there is no need to engage in additional sealing (against leaks).
• Good maintainability. It does not take much time to replace one or more damaged panels. And you don’t have to turn to specialists - any man can handle this kind of work.

• Any wood needs regular maintenance. Therefore, when assessing how cheap such house cladding will cost, one cannot discount the costs of various compositions for treating wood - antiseptics, natural oils, mineral impregnations, varnishes, and the like.

But the fact that wood paneling It looks very nice - definitely.

Calculator for calculating the quantity and volume of lumber

Siding

This is the customary name for any cladding panels, although they are made from the most different materials.

But there are also disadvantages - insufficient strength of the panels and high thermal conductivity. For exterior decoration these are important factors. In addition, polyvinyl chloride samples, even from a well-known manufacturer, gradually “burn out.” And the cladding on the outside literally means - under the rays of the sun. Therefore, the panels of this group will have to be updated regularly. Few advertisers and sellers draw the buyer's attention to the fact that over time the house will become “colorful.” In those areas that are illuminated more intensely, the shade will change more strongly. Consequently, “bald spots” and “stains” over the entire area of ​​the cladding of a wooden house cannot be avoided.

But the fact that it will turn out cheap is undeniable. And it will be beautiful for 2–3 years, no less.

The main disadvantage of covering a house with siding is that it is cold. Without insulating a wooden house from the outside, it makes no sense to install it (it freezes quickly). Consequently, metal siding does not fulfill one of the purposes of exterior finishing - to reduce heat loss.

It’s beautiful, although it will be a little more expensive than covering it with PVC panels.

A common feature of finishing the facade of a wooden house with metal or PVC panels is that in addition to its reliable insulation, it is necessary to organize effective ventilation from the outside. Otherwise, the mineral wool, which is used as a heat insulator, will quickly become wet and cease to perform its function. Sometimes conrograting alone is not enough, and a number of additional measures have to be taken. And this complicates the process of covering the house and leads to higher costs of work.

All other options in relation to a wooden structure should not be seriously considered.

• Brick. In addition to the high cost of the material, you will also have to spend money on strengthening the foundation. By the way, this is not always possible. Unless, of course, you reinstall the frame, which will be very expensive.
• Thermal panels. Same thing - expensive. No matter what is stated in the articles on the topic of construction/repair, it is impossible to install them yourself (if we mean the quality of the work). And the price for samples is appropriate. It won't come cheap.
• Siding is ceramic or cement. Complete isolation of a wooden house from the external environment + significant weight of products. This alone is enough to understand that it is not an option for its outer cladding. Although if you add the complexity of cutting and the high cost of samples, the argument will become more convincing.

When choosing cladding material, the purpose of the building should also be taken into account. For a small country house that is closed for the winter, PVC siding is sufficient. You can finish it with such panels in a day, and without outside help. But if this is a residential building, then it is advisable to focus on wood products.

Although you will have to decide personally, dear reader. Have a beautiful and warm home!