When to process the logs of the bathhouse. Common mistakes when building a house from logs

Log houses and bathhouses are very popular, which is quite natural, because a wooden house is considered more environmentally friendly than a brick or stone one. A log house is made, as a rule, from a rounded bar. In winter, the walls of such a house are warm, and in the summer they keep the desired coolness. For a log house to last a long time, it needs processing, grinding and high-quality impregnation. But how to handle the log house, how and when to do it? Is it possible to do without this?

Why handle logs

Wood is a living material, it is susceptible to fungal infections, mildew, in addition, the wood may delaminate, dry out or, on the contrary, swell. To avoid the troubles associated with the properties of wood, it is necessary to carry out processing.

Inside the walls of the house are not exposed to aggressive environmental influences, which can not be said about the baths made of wood. In addition to the indicated environmental impact on the walls of a wooden log house, elevated temperatures and humidity influence the walls inside the bathhouse. Because of this, the need for additional protection of the walls of the bath from the inside is so important.

Not the last place is the appearance of the house. Therefore, the processing is not only functional, but also aesthetic in nature, since almost all means of impregnation for a log house have decorative properties.

The processing of the log house takes place in several stages with various compositions, among which:

antiseptic;
fire retardant;
whitening.

Pre-grinding

Before treating the log house with impregnation, its grinding is required, which solves a number of issues:

eliminates roughness;
disguises cracks;
removes bark;
makes a better appearance.

In addition, grinding prepares the logs for impregnation with other substances after this work. Grinding is carried out when the upper surface of the timber dries well. If you try to grind raw wood, this will lead to delamination of the wood fibers.

Grinding is carried out in several ways:

First, a grinder and an abrasive disc are used.
Then a grinder and nozzles with different degrees of granularity are used.
After the final grinding is carried out with a fine-grained nozzle.

Sawdust left after grinding is removed or used for garden work. After grinding the rounded beam, it is already possible to directly impregnate the log house.

Bleaching agents

To protect the surface of the rounded beam from damage by a fungus that causes the wood to turn blue, the log house is additionally treated with bleaching substances:

Sagus
The Saga
"Neomid 500";
"League" - a new drug, notable for the fact that it is able to reanimate an old tree, relieves the log house of blackness, blue, restoring its former appearance.

First, the log house is treated with a bleaching substance, and then an antiseptic.

Antiseptic treatment

Antiseptic impregnation is used to increase the service life of wooden structures and is carried out both inside and outside the premises of the house and bath. Antiseptics inhibit the development and reproduction of bacteria inside the walls. The initial impregnation with an antiseptic is made by the manufacturer of the rounded bar, after which the tree is aged for at least another six months - a year for complete drying and only after that it is delivered to the object.

For the treatment of internal and external surfaces, easily and difficultly washed away antiseptic compositions are used. Easily washed quickly dry and have less resistance to moisture, they are applied to internal surfaces. Difficult to wash out dry very slowly, but are quite resistant to leaching by precipitation, recommended for external processing of logs.

Antiseptic drugs used for the outer surfaces of the timber:

"Neomid 440" (protects the timber from bacteria, fungal diseases and viruses for up to 15 years);
“Aquatex” (in addition to the basic protective functions, it gives the timber the appearance of valuable wood species, and also protects the walls of the bathhouse from rotting, water, and sun rays);
Prosept Ultra
League-Bioshield.

Antiseptics for impregnation of a log house inside:

"Neomid 430";
Prosept Interior.

The antiseptic is made using synthetic and natural oils that are able to penetrate the wood fibers, after which they form a stable compound. Antiseptic coating is carried out in several stages. Each subsequent layer can be applied only after the previous one has completely dried. Processing is not allowed until the rounded bar is dry, as well as in wet weather.

Flame retardant treatment

Since wood is flammable, first of all, you need to think about fire protection. Fire-retardant agents must be used to process the timber in any case.

For fire impregnation, the following agents are used:

"Neomid 530" - in addition to fire-fighting properties, has protection against biological damage, as well as decorative properties.
"Senezh Ognebio" - provides protection against decay, fire, insect pests.
"Fenilaks" - protects from fire and internal damage, penetrating into the depths of wood.
"KSD" - this tool, in addition to flame retardant properties, is an antiseptic.
"Pyrilax SS-20" - is used to process the walls of the bath inside.
“Pirilax 3000” - baths are processed with this tool from the outside.

Fire protection manifests itself when an open flame or high temperatures act on a rounded beam. After a fire, a foam layer appears on the treated walls of the log house, which stops the access of oxygen to the surface and prevents the fire from spreading.

Stages and methods of applying the compositions

So, the processing and impregnation of the log house is carried out in several layers. Logs must first be covered:

bleaching agent to prevent premature aging of wood;
antiseptic - the first layer is applied by the manufacturer;
refractory layer.

Separately, it is worthwhile to allocate a remedy than to process the ends of the logs of a log house. The fact is that the end part of the log is stronger than the side, absorbs moisture. To prevent moisture from absorbing wood, it is necessary to cover the logs with a water-repellent layer.

The ends of the logs need to be covered at least 5 times, paying special attention to the logs of the lower tier, while the side part will have enough coverage in 2 layers. It is advisable to carry out the processing of the lower tier additionally by all means, since at the bottom the log house is exposed not only to climatic effects, but also to the influence of dampness from the ground.

Methods of applying layers:

You can cover the surface with a roller or brush, this method is suitable for thick mixtures.
By means of a spray (spray) - for aqueous solutions.
The surface can be covered by immersion, so the beam is evenly coated on all sides.

It is not worth saving on the processing of a wooden log house so that you do not have to bear the additional costs of eliminating all kinds of problems.

Thanks for the answer, but here's what dug up:
Linseed oilis a clean, cold pressed linseed oil. When pressing flaxseeds, the temperature does not exceed 50 ºC.
Flaxseed oil is a pure natural product, it is absorbed into the tree, protecting it from pollution, moisture and cracking. Flaxseed oil emphasizes the beautiful texture of the tree and the knots. Suitable in kind only for internal conditions and for finishing wooden surfaces in contact with food. Flaxseed oil is completely natural and environmentally friendly.
Planed surface consumption 7-10 m2 / l.
Places of application
cutting boards
wooden dishes
wooden Toys
furniture
wooden walls and ceilings
valuable wood surfaces indoors
heat treated wood indoors
Preliminary processing:
Finished wood material must be dry, the maximum moisture content in the wood is less than 15% and the relative humidity is less than 80%. First of all, old surfaces to be cleaned of varnishes, paints and other and removed substances. Clean the remaining surface with a sandpaper and dust off the sand.
User's manual:
As a diluent, pine turpentine can be used. Finish with a brush or cloth, applying a thin layer in the direction of the wood fibers and allow the oil to soak. Excess oil that is no longer absorbed must be wiped with a cloth no later than 1 hour. Wooden surfaces are ground again and finished again. The number of finishing layers (1-4) depends on the quality of the wood surface and the purpose of the application. Particularly carefully finish the end surfaces of the wood. Flaxseed oil can be tinted with pigments. The dried wooden surface can be finished by lightly grinding or treating with a scraper. The finished wooden surface can be waxed with wood wax. A new finish is carried out if necessary after a year. Flaxseed oil is not recommended for varnished and painted surfaces. Use for other purposes and in contrast to recommendations is undesirable.
Drying time: When applied with a brush in a thin layer 24 hours (20 ºC).
Density: 0.93 kg / l.
Tool washing: Water and soapy water.
Environmental Risk Prevention: Rags and wood shavings in contact with the product can catch fire by themselves, so they must be stored moistened with water before disposal, kept in a closed tin container or immediately burned. Empty and dry packaging can be destroyed along with other household waste.
Storage: Can be stored in a cold warehouse.
Composition: Linseed oil
It will be a pity if it starts to rot from the inside. Maybe I'm wrong

All photos from the article

During operation, any wooden house must withstand the effects of a number of climatic factors without consequences, but subject to its reliable protection. Impregnation of the walls of the log house with an antiseptic is an excellent way to ensure it, protecting it from rotting, and wood will become unattractive for pests.

Do logs need extra protection?

When choosing a log for a log house, you need to think about its durability in advance.

The fact is that different processing methods strongly affect the resistance of wood to rot:

compared to other types of logs, a log that is round is especially susceptible to moisture, its natural protection is almost negated during processing. The fact is that during calibration, not only the bark is removed from the trunk, but also a thick layer of dense wood;

Note! Sometimes, when processing on the side surface, the core of the trunk even comes out. In this case, the log has practically no natural protection, so impregnation is simply necessary, and as deep as possible.

but only the bark is lost, the protective layer of very hard wood remains. Impregnation is also needed here, but the durability of the log house from such a material will be higher. The only thing that can confuse is the high price of the round bark, compared to the round one;

occupy an intermediate position between barked and rounded.

Impregnation of wood with antiseptics not only protects against rot and insects, but also reveals the texture of wood. So on top you can apply a layer of transparent varnish, and the wooden surface will already look good.

You can meet the recommendations under the log house not to use impregnations at all, they say the round timber will be so well preserved. But it’s better to still process the wood, if only to preserve its appearance, and the protection will be more reliable.

How to process logs

The choice of special compounds for the treatment of wooden surfaces is very wide. For the most part, all popular antiseptics give good protection against moisture and insects, the only thing is that you do not need to confuse the means for external processing and internal processing. In the room, compositions are usually used that do not then emit substances harmful to humans.

Internal processing of log cabins

Processing logs from the inside is also necessary, although operating conditions will be more gentle than outside, but the level of humidity can vary over a wide range, and insects should not be forgotten.

As for the types of tools used, it is possible to distinguish such types of solutions as:

washable - as an example, we can give a saline solution. This is too much a budget option, it can only be recommended for processing auxiliary buildings and then as a temporary measure;

penetrating - processing logs with such a composition guarantees the penetration of an antiseptic to a decent depth (depending on the type of wood, but will reach a depth of 5-7 mm in most cases). Over time, they are not washed out, besides, they allow the wood to breathe;
film-forming - used rather for decorating the surface of the tree, the liquid does not penetrate deep into the tree. Such compositions are applied after impregnation with an antiseptic to give the desired shade to the tree.

For processing wooden surfaces inside the house, for example, SenezhAkvadekor can be used. It does not stain the surface of the wood, is deeply absorbed and does not create an impenetrable layer on the surface after drying, so that rotting does not threaten the logs from the inside.

Processing of a log house after installation from a log includes impregnation of rafter frames, as well as elements of wooden floors. Since they will not be visible, it is advisable to use formulations with a coloring property. This is done in order to clearly distinguish between the treated and the untreated area.

Antiseptics can stain wood in a green tint, but the shade of a flame retardant surface is reddish. Of course, such compositions will not work for processing floors or ceilings.

Outside processing

Processing a log house from a log with protective compounds on the outside gives much greater scope for creativity. At the same time, antiseptics can be used both as a prophylactic and for preserving existing defects.

Note! Processing with a strong composition will freeze the development of rot in wood, but there is a limit to everything. If the log is severely affected, then no impregnation will help.

With external processing, you will have to solve several problems:

carefully fill the cracks and cracks in the logs;
processing of the ends of the logs is also performed (a separate composition is used);
only then can we proceed to polishing the wall and applying an antiseptic.

Wide and deep cracks in the logs are far from uncommon, because of them moisture and insects can easily reach the particularly vulnerable central part of the log.

Fortunately, sealing cracks can be done with your own hands, for this you will need:

clean the crack from dust and dirt;
push the sealing material inside (special cords made of synthetic materials are on sale). You can use ordinary natural fabric;

then fill the rest of the crack with sealant, it is quite elastic, so that when the house is upset, it will still provide a reliable connection of the edges.

The question of how to process the ends of the logs is especially important because it is through the ends that the moisture loss of the log is accelerated. This is what causes cracks. In addition, moisture and insects are easier to penetrate through the ends.

Note! To process the end of the log, special compositions are used that slow down the evaporation of moisture.

Usually the problem of how to process log slices is solved even at the stage of harvesting the round timber, but it is better to play it safe and independently process them again.

To do this, you can use both folk and purchased funds:

the simplest recipe can be considered the application of paraffin, this "chemical dead" is guaranteed not to let moisture in;

you can use purchased compositions, the same "Senezh TOR" does not contain substances harmful to humans, and processing logs with an antiseptic from the ends normalizes the shrinkage of the logs in the transverse and longitudinal directions.

Does the chopped bath need processing

If there is no particular problem with the question of how to process a log house from a log outside, then in the case of a wooden bathhouse, you have to take into account the specifics of its operation. Experts nevertheless tend to the fact that from the inside impregnation with an antiseptic is not necessary.

In this case, it is advisable to use barked or planed logs with a sufficiently high natural protection (meaning resinous substances) as a building material. You only need to consider that the use of tree species with a high resin content is unacceptable, because of the high temperature the walls will be constantly sticky.

In principle, the instruction allows processing of a chopped bath from the inside, but with a number of reservations:

it is forbidden to use compounds that release harmful substances under the action of high temperature (that is, the lion's share of antiseptics immediately disappears);
wood must remain breathable.

If the problem than processing the logs inside the bath is confusing, then you can try to limit yourself only to external processing. If inside the wood darkens a little after some time, then you can just polish the logs with a petal circle, for a few years a pleasant shade of natural wood is guaranteed.

Note! Various folk remedies, for example, based on beeswax, oil, resin, etc., are not suitable for internal treatment of the bath just because of its low resistance to high temperature.

If the bath is built from an inexpensive calibrated round timber, then external treatment is required. Given that harmful substances have the unpleasant property of seeping through a tree and falling into the air (especially at high temperatures), the product should be 100% harmless.

In principle, you can buy logs already impregnated with a protective compound, but the question is, what is the best way to handle a log in a bathhouse, it’s still better to decide for yourself. The fact is that with factory impregnation, they do not particularly think about the environmental friendliness of an antiseptic.

Summarizing

Processing a round timber is a good way to increase its durability, and the appearance will remain for a long time. In this case, a number of nuances must be taken into account, namely: to select individual compounds for internal and external decoration, correctly process the ends of the logs and seal the cracks. Subject to these conditions, antiseptic treatment becomes completely harmless to humans and prolongs the life of the chopped house.

In the video in this article, the external processing of the log house is described.

The irresistible desire of residents of megacities at least one step closer to nature has led to the rapid development of suburban construction. Not hard to understand. What is the most popular form of suburban real estate is a wooden house, accommodation in which is characterized by a number of advantages that life in a brick building will not be able to give. Chopped houses and baths built from environmentally friendly wood, in their originality, environmental friendliness, internal microclimate and comfort, significantly surpass structures from other building materials. Due to the fact that increased attention is paid to suburban construction, there probably does not exist such a homeowner who does not know that to build a reliable house you need a quality log house. To carry out its preparation, before starting construction it is necessary to prepare the material - wooden logs. The wood, which is based on cellulose, is in itself a favorable environment for the development of mold and microorganisms, and, given the fact that the log house is constantly in the open air, as well as in conditions of constantly changing temperature and humidity, favorable conditions are created that accelerate the defeat of wood fungus and other microorganisms. To prevent premature loss of the original appearance of the building and mold damage to the wood, it is necessary to treat the log house with an antiseptic, which is an integral stage in the construction of any structure from the log house. How to properly handle the log house and how to choose an antiseptic - read on.

Antiseptic treatment of logs: relevance of the problem

Being in conditions of constant exposure to ultraviolet radiation, wood loses its original appearance, gradually crumbling and acquiring gray shades. Despite the fact that this does not affect the strength of the wood, it does not deliver pleasant emotions either, since the appearance of the building is irreversibly deteriorating. To prevent such detrimental effects, it is enough to apply the appropriate paint and varnish or antiseptic. One of the varieties of the bacterial damage to the log house is a mold damage, which is no less dangerous for wood. In the old days, the defeat with a white building fungus (mold) was considered a building "plague", to prevent the further spread of which the house had to be burned. Today, mold is not as bad as it used to be, and in order to prevent its appearance, it is also sufficient to timely produce an antiseptic treatment of the log house.

In addition to white fungus, there are a large number of bacterial agents that cause rotting of wood. These include: red, gray, green and other types of rot. But the greatest danger among them is blue rot or the so-called “blue”, favorable conditions for the development of which is fresh saw cut, high humidity, poor ventilation in the premises and low ambient temperature. The presence of “blue”, which, spreading, is able to infect up to 70-80% of wood in one week, indicates a fungal infection and indicates an early decay of the wood. In contrast to the white fungus (mold), the development of which can be stopped, there is no sense in fighting the “blue”, and its appearance must be prevented at the stage of the material procurement. And the use of an antiseptic will help in this.

Log houses photo

What does the protective treatment of a log house include?

In addition to the antiseptic treatment of the log house, there is a need for its complex processing, which implies a number of measures that will provide comprehensive protection of wood. Distinguish between internal and external wood processing.

Outdoor wood processing

Due to the fact that the external side is constantly in the open air, it is exposed to adverse environmental factors, such as precipitation, sudden changes in temperature and direct ultraviolet radiation. All this has a negative impact on the quality of the material and contributes to the active reproduction of mold and fungi in wood, the appearance of biological pests and accelerate decay. To prevent this, it is necessary to perform antiseptic treatment of wood, which will provide biological, bacteriological and chemical protection of wood. Since wood is highly flammable, it also needs flame retardant treatment.

Another problem that needs to be addressed is the appearance on the surface of wood of cracks that occur when the wood dries out after it is moistened, especially when exposed to elevated temperatures or when water freezes in microcracks. To prevent this problem, it is necessary to carry out additional processing of the log house, which in addition to solving the indicated problem, will give the building the desired decorative appearance. To cope with the solution to this problem will help grinding the log house.

Internal wood processing

Due to the fact that the inside of the log house is in relatively favorable conditions, it does not need special treatment. However, this situation is fundamentally changing when it comes to a wooden bath, the inner walls of which are in conditions of high humidity and high temperatures. With this in mind, they, like the outside of the log house, need antiseptic and fire retardant treatment.

Wooden blockhouse photo

Grinding a log house: how to machine a log house?

Grinding a log house, which is an integral stage of external processing, is a labor-intensive process, the implementation of which will require specialized skills and tools. Grinding the log house or machining it is the first stage of the complex processing of the log house, which allows you to eliminate bumps, microcracks and the remnants of the bark. In addition, the log house, previously subjected to grinding, more effectively absorbs fire-retardant and antiseptic compounds, which significantly reduces their consumption. Grinding the log house allows you to improve the appearance of the log house and effectively emphasize the natural texture of wood.

To ensure the effectiveness of grinding, it is carried out after drying of the surface layer of wood, when the texture and color of the wood has not yet changed. Grinding of raw wood is not advisable, as it contributes to the scoring of wood fibers and damage to the structure of wood.

The easiest way to polish wood is to process it using a grinder equipped with an abrasive disk. If you want to improve the quality of processing, as well as speed up the process, you can use a grinding machine equipped with nozzles, which are characterized by different degrees of granularity. For final cleaning of a log house use a fine-grained nozzle. At the end of work, use a vacuum cleaner to remove sawdust.

Fire-retardant treatment of the log house: choice of fire-retardant composition

An equally important stage in the preparation of the log house is fire retardant treatment, implying the impregnation of wood with specialized compounds. The action of flame retardants is based on their ability to release substances that form a foam fire-retardant layer when exposed to open flame or high temperatures, preventing oxygen from accessing them and thereby stopping the ignition and spread of fire.

The most common flame retardants that have won the trust of consumers are Pirilax formulations. To process the inner surface of the log houses of saunas and baths, it is recommended to use a composition of the SS-20 grade, capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to high temperatures (up to 110 degrees). To process the outside of the log house, it is recommended to use the compositions of the brands "lux" and "3000", which can be applied with a brush or spray. The component composition of flame retardants contributes to their deep penetration into the structure of wood, which significantly reduces the consumption of material. The absence in the composition of the impregnation of toxic substances for humans guarantees their environmental safety.

The compositions of the above brands are far from the only means used for fire retardant processing of wood. Fire retardant formulations made in accordance with innovative technologies also have antiseptic properties.

Antiseptic treatment of the log house: a guide for the novice master

To increase the operational life of the log house and preserve its original appearance, it is necessary to carry out another stage of comprehensive protection of wood - antiseptic treatment, which is carried out both from the outside and from the inside. The use of an antiseptic agent not only helps to extend the longevity of the timber and logs, but also reliably protects the log house from the effects of tree-eating insects, which can render any wood structure unusable.

In order to conduct a high-quality antiseptic treatment, it is necessary to responsibly approach the choice of an antiseptic, which is a tool that has a bactericidal and fungicidal effect, which guarantees the protection of the log house from mold and microorganism damage. Since antiseptic treatment is carried out from the outside and from the inside, it is important to understand the types of antiseptics, the effectiveness of which depends on their type and proper use.

How to choose the antiseptic for the log house?

Specialists suggest distinguishing between two types of antiseptics:

Washed Antiseptics designed for internal processing of the log house and characterized by low resistance to rainfall;
Hardly washed antiseptics , which include synthetic and natural oils, are designed to treat the outside of the log house and are characterized by resistance to leaching under the influence of precipitation. Their only drawback is the slow drying.

Today, the construction market offers a wide range of antiseptic agents both domestic and foreign manufacturers. Due to the variety of tools presented, masters who do not have sufficient experience may encounter a number of difficulties. To simplify the choice of antiseptic composition, experts have proposed several rules, following which you will not be mistaken when choosing an antiseptic.

Rules for choosing an antiseptic composition:

Rule number 1. Give preference to the means of trusted manufacturers who have managed to establish themselves in the construction market. Giving preference to a well-known brand, you can not doubt the quality of the selected composition;

Important! The most popular products that are in demand among consumers are products of domestic brands Neomid 200 and Senezh. As for foreign manufacturers, Tikkurila and Teknos brands are in the greatest demand.

Rule number 2. The following rule is relevant not only for antiseptic agents, but also for any other products. High-quality antiseptic agents cannot be cheap, and therefore, experts recommend giving preference to drugs that are at least in the middle price category. In addition, it is not recommended to purchase funds from hand, since when buying antiseptic compounds in a reliable online store, you are less likely to encounter a fake, which can be not only ineffective, but also toxic;

Rule number 3. The label of a high-quality antiseptic composition must indicate that it is intended to protect against all types of biological agents: insects, fungus, rot and mold. In addition, during the sale of the product, the supplier must comply with the storage conditions;

Rule number 4. For the implementation of external treatment, it is necessary to use hardly washed away antiseptics, which, despite a longer period of preserving their properties, need periodic updating. This is due to the fact that any product, under the influence of moisture, will be washed out, and needs to be updated with an external coating.

How to conduct antiseptic processing of wood? Walkthrough

Processing of the log house with antiseptic compounds is performed several times, at various stages of construction. Currently, the manufacturer often offers wood that has already undergone preliminary antiseptic treatment.

Important! Despite the fact that the cost of wood that has undergone antiseptic treatment is slightly higher than the untreated log house, during the construction process you will save time and money, since you do not have to process the log house immediately after assembly. Factory pre-treatment is characterized by deep penetration of antiseptic compounds, which guarantees reliable protection of wood.

Many masters ask: “Is it necessary to process a fresh log house immediately after its acquisition?”, And there are also often disputes regarding the processing of a log house immediately after its assembly.

Despite the fact that some builders believe that the application of antiseptic impregnations reduces the efficiency of air exchange, preventing the timely drying of the log house, however, this assumption is fundamentally wrong. Modern water-based products do not reduce the environmental friendliness and quality of the log house. Having performed the initial antiseptic treatment of the log house, you will reliably protect the log house for six months until it reaches its final drying and shrinkage, after which you can carry out the final processing of the log house.

Important! As for the time frame for processing the log house, according to experts, the final processing of the log house is best done after the wood has dried (19-20% moisture), after which it can be finished.

There are several options for processing wooden log cabins:

Manual processing, implying the application of antiseptic compounds with a roller or brush. Despite the fact that this work is lengthy and painstaking, applying antiseptics in a manual way allows you to provide reliable protection for every centimeter of wood. If you have enough time, give preference to this particular method, since it allows you to qualitatively process the joining of timber or logs, end parts of the log house and other problem areas;

Spray application - A more modern method of antiseptic treatment, which can significantly save time. Modern spray guns allows you to quickly distribute antiseptic compounds over the entire outer surface of the log house.

Important! In the process of applying an antiseptic, make sure that there is not a single untreated area left. To facilitate control of the application of an antiseptic composition, you can purchase tinted products. The use of a tinted composition is advisable if in the future you plan to produce decorative finishing.

In both cases, antiseptic impregnation is applied in two layers. The first layer is applied after the wood has completely dried (treatment in rainy weather is strictly prohibited) and left for several days to dry it. After that, re-processing is carried out. If you use a brush, the antiseptic composition must be applied evenly with even strokes, periodically changing the direction of the brush.

Recently, antiseptics based on oils or wax have been effectively used, giving the surface a certain decorative effect. Experts recommend the use of antiseptics based on wood resins, beeswax and natural oil (usually linseed).

Often there are disputes about the need to treat log houses with antiseptic compounds. One side claims that it is necessary to process natural material with chemical compounds, motivating this by the fact that recently the log houses were left untreated, and the other justifiably argues that the means used in modern construction guarantee maximum air exchange and extend the operational life of wooden structures.

Protective antiseptic impregnations significantly extend the effective operation of log houses, which covers any theoretically supposed harm. The practical use of antiseptics confirms that the use of antiseptic compounds contributes to the maximum preservation of the external beauty and natural color of wood, and also protects against aggressive natural factors. From a material point of view, the effectiveness of the use of impregnations is also justified, since it is better to spend a small amount on an antiseptic than to subsequently dismantle the log house and replace elements that have undergone decay and damage by insects.

The ends are the most vulnerable places of the logs, since the wood fibers remain completely open and more than other areas are exposed to the negative effects of weather factors. Moistening and rapid evaporation of moisture lead to the formation of cracks at the ends, as a result, the logs can crack, which is very poorly reflected in the strength of the wooden structure. To prevent the development of negative processes will help the processing of the ends of the logs of the logs from the logs with special antiseptic agents. If the protective treatment is timely carried out, the wood dries evenly, which has a positive effect on the appearance of the logs and the log house as a whole.

The need to process the ends becomes obvious if you look at an unprocessed log lying on the street for several years, the ends of which have lost their natural color and darkened, covered with cracks, fungus and mold appeared on them.

This happens because the open ends actively absorb moisture, which then quickly evaporates, and the loose wood structure becomes a refuge for microorganisms and insects.

Through the end and side surfaces of the logs, moisture evaporates at different speeds. Moisture evaporation through the ends occurs much faster, which leads to the formation of cracks and deformation of the crowns.

Painting the ends of the log house promotes uniform drying of the logs, since the evaporation rate through the painted surface slows down, and accordingly, the process of cracking stops.

The first processing of the ends must be carried out immediately after the construction of the log house. But since in the first years after construction there is an active process of shrinkage of the log house, it is necessary to treat the ends with a tool that does not interfere with the natural shrinkage processes that occur in the wood.

Must have the following characteristics:

do not interfere with the evaporation of moisture from the logs through the ends along the longitudinal fibers;
do not extinguish the processes of moisture removal along the transverse fibers;
do not impede the removal of moisture from the surface.
protect the tree from ultraviolet radiation;
prevent decay processes.

The traditional means of processing the ends is lime. It is often used today for these purposes. Lime is a natural antiseptic that protects wood from decay and UV rays. However, the duration of this product is very short, as the first rain will completely wash off the lime, and the ends will remain unprotected.

Knowing this, many owners of wooden houses use PVA glue or acrylic varnish to process the ends. But the effectiveness of these products is also doubtful, since they form a film on the surface that prevents the evaporation of moisture and interferes with the full air exchange of wood.

To ensure their effective protection? Currently, Russian and foreign manufacturers produce a lot of impregnations for the processing of ends. Among domestic antiseptics, three drugs are recognized as the best:

Biotor.

The product has good penetration. The antiseptic is absorbed into the wood to a depth of several centimeters, forming a protective layer on the surface that lets air through and repels water. The coating helps to remove excess moisture from the wood, prevents the development of putrefactive processes, reduces the depth and number of end cracks. An antiseptic does not lose its protective properties for several years.

The product does not contain solvents and does not emit odor, tolerates frosts and has fire retardant properties. For ease of application and control of the treated areas, the antiseptic slightly changes the color of the tree.

The tool protects the ends from biological damage by microorganisms and insects, prevents the formation of fungus and mold and prevents decay.

The antiseptic creates an elastic protective film on the ends of the logs that does not allow moisture to pass through, which prevents the accumulation of excess moisture in the wood fibers. At the same time, the coating has vapor permeability; therefore, it does not interfere with air exchange processes occurring in wood.

This tool does not affect the aesthetic characteristics of the log house in any way, since the antiseptic preserves the natural color and texture of the wood.

Biotor

It has the same characteristics as the above tools. Impregnation protects the ends of logs and beams, creating a waterproof transparent coating on the surface that prevents decay and cracking of the ends, and also reduces existing cracks. The elastic film also reduces the linear deformation of the tree that occurs during shrinkage.

To provide a wooden house or bath with good and durable protection, it is necessary to adhere to a certain order of work. Before treating the ends with an antiseptic, it is necessary to perform a number of mandatory operations.

The work is carried out in the following sequence:

Trimming the log house. This operation involves cutting the protruding parts of the logs. During the construction of a house from a general security bureau, the size of the logs is not regulated. After construction, the length of the logs in the cuts rarely turns out to be the same, and the ends, as a rule, also are not perfectly flat. The formation of a neat and even vertical plane is done after construction. The protruding ends are cut off with an electric or chainsaw.
Next, grinding the ends of the log house. By grinding, the surface is prepared for antiseptic treatment. After polishing, the absorbency of wood increases, the ends better and deeper absorb the antiseptic, which ultimately increases the period of action of the protective treatment.

At the first stage, roughing is performed with a large abrasive grinder. Then the ends are ground with an emery nozzle of a finer fraction. Processing must be carried out until a layer of intact and clean wood appears.

It can be made only in dry weather. It is possible to process only fully dried logs, the moisture content of which does not exceed 20%. When grinding wet wood, villi are formed that do not allow the surface to be smooth and even.

Protective treatment of the ends with an antiseptic. The ends are processed with a wide brush at least three times. The impregnation is applied in a generous layer. After the first layer has completely dried (about a day), the second layer is applied, and then after 24 hours the third layer.
Sealant treatment. This operation is performed after antiseptics to create a durable water-repellent coating on the ends that prevents excessive moisture of the wood. For these purposes, it is recommended to use special acrylic sealants.

End processing after shrinkage

After the initial shrinkage of the log house, approximately 12 months after construction, the ends are painted with a tool that creates a strong protective film on the surface. It can be either drying oil, or paint containing oil or wax.

Antiseptic treatment is necessary in any case, even if it is further anticipated