Any owner of a wooden house sooner or later has to think about cladding the outside of the building. Wood is a natural material that is susceptible to rotting, which means it is best hidden under reliable and durable sheathing. Which, moreover, can serve as an additional heat and sound insulator, and will also make the house look neat and elegant. Modern construction industry offers many options for cladding for wooden buildings: they all have their own pros and cons. In the article we will tell you more about them and find out what material is best to cover the outside of a wooden house.
Functions of facade cladding for a wooden house
Someone might say - why bother covering a wooden house at all, let it stand as it is. However, one can argue with this statement: the outer cladding of a wooden house has several important functions. This is especially necessary for old log houses, which have been significantly affected by external environmental influences.
Let's list them in order.
Firstly, a wooden house is a fire hazardous structure. The presence of cladding increases the building's resistance to fire. In addition, the home’s resistance to the effects of various microorganisms, fungus, mold, and insects also increases significantly. Thanks to the cladding, the exterior of the house becomes much more presentable.
You can read all the information about facing tiles for facades.
Review of materials for a log house
Let us give the characteristics of the most common cladding materials that are used for wooden buildings. The review contains materials that can not only cladding, but also insulate a building.
Siding
This is the most favorite exterior cladding among home owners. Siding appeared here not so long ago, but in a short time it has managed to leave all other types of siding far behind in popularity. Siding can turn even an old, shabby wooden house into a completely presentable structure. In order to install this product on the facade of your house, you need to install.
There are two types of siding: metal and vinyl. The metal one is inconvenient because it heats up in the sun and gets very cold in the cold. In addition, it is susceptible to corrosion and is afraid of mechanical stress: dents and scratches easily remain on it. The vinyl version is not as durable, however, it is lighter and is not susceptible to rust. In addition, plastic siding makes the building modern and gives it a certain “European” touch. Vinyl panels do not have to be painted or treated with any solutions.
The big advantage of siding is that it has many color options and different widths of the strips. Such a wealth of choice allows you to decorate the house in any color, blending it harmoniously into the surrounding space.
Siding is durable, and throughout its operation its appearance does not deteriorate. In addition, this durable material is not afraid of temperature changes: it will safely withstand both frost and heat, and thanks to its special fastenings, even in the wind.
The advantage is that the top of the siding does not need to be covered with anything: it does not require any anti-corrosion or antibacterial impregnation, or a moisture-repellent composition. Siding is also good because its installation work can be carried out in any weather, except for too much heat.
You can also find information about clinker panels for facades.
Installation of the material requires preliminary installation of the sheathing.
The price of the material is quite affordable, which makes siding one of the most attractive sidings in terms of price/quality ratio.
This cladding also has a drawback: it is low resistance to mechanical damage. But if you are sure that no one will encroach on your brand new siding: scratch it and leave dents, then this option is the most attractive today.
Planken
This is also one of the types of siding that can be used for cladding wooden buildings. Planken differs from conventional siding in that it can imitate various materials and textures: marble, brick, stone, etc.
The material is not cheap, but very beautiful and extremely presentable. It requires no maintenance, is completely environmentally friendly and safe.
Block house
This is a rather expensive material, but also the most beautiful and presentable. From the outside it appears that the house was built from round logs. Therefore, if you do not want to sheath a wooden house with plastic panels, but want to preserve the “spirit” and originality of a wooden building, pay attention to the sheathing from a block house. This material consists of perfectly calibrated (matched by color and size) small slats of logs. A house covered with them looks like a real fairy-tale tower. Externally, the cladding looks very aesthetically pleasing. Neat logs laid in rows look wonderful and elegant.
The advantage of a block house is that it is not afraid of high temperatures, so it can also be used to cover a wooden bathhouse. As a result, by decorating all the buildings on the site with the same material, you can get a single style for the entire “estate”.
The material is very durable and strong, which increases its attractiveness to the buyer. In addition, even a novice finisher, as well as a person far from construction work, can cope with a block house and cover a house with it on their own.
Corrugated sheet
This material is also called metal profile: both names can be found in stores. The material, as an option for cladding, is in steady demand among owners of wooden (and brick) houses. The advantages of corrugated sheeting are that, at a low cost, it is very durable: it can serve for 50 years without losing its performance qualities. This material is not afraid of mechanical damage, is resistant to moisture, and can be installed very quickly, in a matter of days. 
For cladding the outside of a wooden structure, corrugated sheeting marked C is required - means “wall”. In addition, it is quite possible to sheathe a house yourself with a metal profile and without the involvement of hired labor: installation is simple, since it is very different.
The disadvantages of corrugated sheeting include its not very presentable appearance. Therefore, for the most part, dachas, temporary buildings, and utility buildings are sheathed with this material. For solid buildings, corrugated sheeting is not chosen as external cladding, since, whatever one may say, it reduces the cost of appearance.
The disadvantages include the appearance of condensation on metal sheets, which over time can lead to destruction of the casing. This type of sheathing cannot be called a thermal insulation coating either - it will not additionally protect from frost.
Lining
Everyone knows the material, which has been used in our country for quite a long time. But if previously there was only one type of lining, now you can choose from wooden and plastic varieties.
Wooden
This material is able to preserve the environmental friendliness and naturalness of a wooden home in its original form. You should know that wooden lining is an excellent additional heat and sound insulation. Therefore, this option will be more suitable for the northern regions. 
Notches, knots and other defects reduce the quality of the lining and, as a result, worsen the appearance of the building.
The material is usually made from coniferous trees: larch or pine, as well as oak. After the house is covered with clapboard, it must be treated with a fire-resistant solution, then painted and varnished. Then the material will last a long time and will not lose its important characteristics.
The disadvantages of this material include the need to periodically paint it and treat it with antiseptic solutions.
Plastic
If the choice fell on the plastic option, then you need to know that in this case there will be no significant thermal insulation, but plastic does not rot, is not afraid of moisture, and is durable. And plastic lining is also very easy to clean and wash: the house will always be elegant and shining.
The technology for installing a ventilated facade made of metal cassettes is described.
Stone and facade brick
There is also this option for cladding wooden buildings. In this case, the exterior of the house will look like brick or stone - it is impossible for an ordinary person to guess that the wooden “filling” is hidden under the cladding.
Let us note right away: this is not the most popular option for decorating the facade of a wooden house., since stone and brick significantly increase the weight on the foundation, which is undesirable. However, if the foundation is strong enough, then such cladding can make the house very warm. In addition, the walls will become many times more fire-resistant.
Immediately after construction, such cladding cannot be used: it is necessary for at least a year to pass until the house “settles” completely. When carrying out work, it is necessary to leave a gap of 5 cm between the stone/brick and the wooden wall of the house.
How to choose facing materials for house facades will tell you.
When constructing or restoring a country house, one of the main roles is assigned to the outer cladding of the building. The appearance of the building, as well as various technical characteristics, each of which is of no small importance, completely depends on it.
General properties and characteristics
The construction industry and the introduction of the latest innovations into it are moving forward. Natural wood as a material for cladding country houses and cottages still remains one of the most popular and in-demand building materials.
Often, builders, using wood as a cladding material, can resort to cladding the outside of the house. This allows you to achieve a beautiful, visible result, create the look of a “Russian hut” and sheathe the house with the highest possible quality. There are many reasons, citing which we can confidently say that cladding a house is desirable, and sometimes even a mandatory construction procedure.
In addition, there are a number of factors and necessary conditions that you should pay attention to when choosing cladding material:
- Unfavorable climatic factors can always contribute to breakdowns and some kind of destruction. To avoid this, it is recommended to resort to cladding the house, preferably with additional protection against penetration by sedimentary moisture and condensation.
- Thermal water and vapor permeability must be eliminated, thereby ensuring that the house is sheathed with a material that provides high-quality thermal and waterproofing.
- Noise can also often be a nuisance, so you should choose a material with good sound insulation.
- It happens that over time, the cladding often loses its former attractive appearance due to fading. To prevent an undesirable situation, it is recommended to choose a cladding material that will withstand the influence of sunlight and ultraviolet rays.
- A fire can strike at any moment. To avoid this, there are materials for home cladding, the use of which will secure and protect your home from open fire.
- Specialists often put forward requirements for the material that ensure ease of installation, as a result of which the use of special equipment is optional.
The best option, according to builders, is to choose a facing material that primarily performs protective and aesthetic functions.
However, home owners often have to choose between reliability and aesthetics, since it is quite difficult to find a material that meets both characteristics.
Requirements for facade finishing
In order to increase the life of the home, it is worth taking care of the possible influence of unfavorable external factors and ensuring the protection of load-bearing structures. Good thermal insulation and vapor barrier, eliminating the possibility of moisture penetrating into the middle of the house, as well as its evaporation to the outside - these are the main goals of a well-installed house facade. Do not forget that the facade is necessary not only to protect the entire house, but also the building itself must protect the facade structure. That's why The design of the structure itself is the most important aspect in planning the entire installation.
When exterior finishing of log walls of a building, several insulating materials are most often used at once for the purpose of the best insulation.
Weather conditions and various external factors pose a great danger to the facade during finishing work. Otherwise, you will have to return to repairing the facade every year, and the process is complex and very painstaking.
To ensure that the lining of the logs of the constructed dwelling is not damaged, it is necessary to pay special attention to various chemical protection agents in order to prevent the influence of rain, winds, frost and other climatic factors. To prevent the sun's rays from having a negative impact on the cladding, after building a house from rounded timber, you can also resort to using acrylic paint on top of the cladding material.
Popular types
Block house
Among modern materials for facade cladding, one of the first positions is occupied by a block house, as shown by statistics and consumer reviews. This type of cladding is especially popular in Canada and Northern Europe. The block house is used not only for cladding facades, but also for decorating interior spaces. It is a cladding board that looks like a log house.
When choosing boards for cladding, you should pay attention to the growth rings: the closer and closer they are located in relation to each other, the better and higher quality the wood is.
In addition to the fact that the block house is one of the most economical options, it is also an environmentally friendly material that has characteristic features and advantages, namely:
- durability. The cladding does not crack or deform. Manufacturers guarantee that cladding with block house slats and corrugated sheets will retain an attractive and aesthetic appearance for many years;
- a block house is often sheathed if necessary to hide construction defects;
- This material is not characterized by mold, fungi and any rotting;
- installing a facade with a slatted frame and processing it using a block house does not require special knowledge and also requires a minimum amount of time and effort;
- the material has excellent waterproofing properties, especially the block house made of pine, which initially needs to be treated.
The negative aspects of using a block house include the following:
- high flammability, since wood that is prone to fire is used for its manufacture;
- the material has low vapor permeability, resulting in a high risk of condensation.
Lining
A good option when choosing a material for cladding the facade of a house is lining. It has high sound and heat insulation, and also gives the structure a decorative effect. This material has such obvious advantages as:
- durability, as it does not rot under the influence of external factors and is not affected by a humid environment;
- provides an aesthetic appearance of the building.
However, there are also negative features of this choice, namely:
- needs careful care;
- has a high price;
- has low fire resistance;
- To maintain a presentable appearance, periodic painting is necessary.
Brick
Another popular material preferred by many builders for cladding a village home is brick. The final covering of the facade with brick will give the building the most aesthetically pleasing and well-maintained appearance, however, it is worth noting that this is quite an expensive pleasure, and not everyone can afford it. As an alternative, you can always resort to using brick-like façade panels. The brick cladding of the house is quite good, since this material has the following advantages:
- the brick is not affected by weather conditions and other external factors that can lead to rotting of the material;
- brick is not flammable, however, exposure to fire reduces its strength by more than 50%;
- The material is characterized by good sound insulation.
Among the properties of brick there are also negative aspects, such as:
- has low heat-saving characteristics, as a result of which it is necessary to use additional insulation during the construction process;
- high price.
Porcelain tiles
Porcelain stoneware is a popular material for cladding the facade of a house, which protects well from natural influences and external factors. Finishing with this material has an attractive and modern look. Porcelain tiles have the following advantages:
- has moisture-absorbing properties, which makes it not susceptible to moisture;
- mechanical impacts do not pose a danger to porcelain stoneware due to its characteristic strength and hardness;
- is non-flammable and monolithic. Its design is solid and does not involve cracks.
However, despite a number of advantages, the following disadvantages of this material should also be noted:
- has a high cost and is not an economical solution;
- characterized by a complex and lengthy installation process.
Clinker tiles
Clinker tiles are another material that is ideal for cladding the façade of a building in a stylish and attractive way. In addition to its aesthetic and presentable appearance, this material will also provide protection from external factors and weather conditions, therefore it is durable and of high quality. To make clinker tiles, shale glycine, flux and coloring pigment are used.
Manufacturers are faced with the important task of preventing even the slightest failure and performing high-quality work. Otherwise, deformation of the material will occur, and the result of work on the product will noticeably deteriorate.
Many builders give their preference to clinker tiles, because This material is in great demand due to a number of obvious advantages such as:
- the use of clinker tiles ensures a long service life due to its beneficial properties and high quality;
- this material will not deform as a result of the influence of severe frosts and sudden temperature changes due to the low level of moisture absorption;
- This material is good for its unpretentiousness and does not require special care, since little dust settles on the surface, and moss and lichens can rarely appear.
The negative characteristics of this material include the following:
- special fragility, since clinker is made of ceramics;
- high price.
Siding
There are many popular materials for cladding and restoration of a country house, ranging from corrugated sheeting to siding. When resorting to exterior cladding of houses, builders often opt for siding. Aesthetic appearance, high-quality thermal insulation and high strength provide this facing material with an honest and good name in the market. In appearance, the siding is a narrow strip-like panel with a punched edge and a lock-type fastening. It is often used in cases where it is necessary to hide any construction defects or damage.
The following types of siding exist:
- vinyl;
- wood;
- cement;
- steel;
- aluminum;
- ceramic.
Siding has a number of advantages that describe its positive characteristics, namely:
- it retains its expensive and aesthetic appearance for half a century, which indicates its durability as a material. In addition, if there is siding cladding, constant painting of the coating is not necessary;
- when choosing siding with installation, it is unlikely that any problems will arise, since the design does not involve complex work;
- If the siding material is dirty, it can be easily cleaned with ordinary water.
Siding also has such negative qualities as:
- the main part of the coatings is subject to mechanical stress;
- does not have a wide range of colors to suit every taste;
- high price;
- vinyl siding sheets become brittle in severe frosts.
For combined buildings
A combination of facades is an excellent way to create an original, stylish and unique building. Combined facades involve division into functional zones and blocks in accordance with the different facing materials used. Having certain design ideas, you can realize a unique idea, transform or recreate an interesting style of the house facade.
Today, uniform finishing of facades with cladding material has begun to be quite successfully replaced by a combined one thanks to creativity and good architectural imagination. In order to implement combined cladding, at least two types of finishing materials are used.
The combined cladding of the facades of a country house has a number of undeniable advantages, namely:
- if you correctly combine and plaster the facing materials, you can easily change the visual perception of the structure: lengthen, reduce, expand;
- this type of installation is not labor-intensive and does not involve large expenses due to the fragmentary use of expensive high-quality materials;
- An individual and original façade of the house is guaranteed.
There are many types of combinations of different materials, among which the following are worth highlighting:
- finishing different floors with different materials is encouraged if the house being decorated is a multi-story building;
- It will look good if you whiten and highlight some parts of the building through a combination of facing materials around the entire perimeter of the house.
It is worth paying attention to two existing technologies for combining materials.
Vertical technology involves the use of materials in contrasting shades. An aesthetic appearance is ensured by the design of the entire facade using one material, and the design of any parts and elements of the building, window or door openings, by another.
Horizontal design technology for combined facades is the direct selection of horizontal parts of the facade, plinths, floors, and roof. Most often, this technology is carried out with a combination of specific materials: stone and wood, brick and wood, and sometimes even tile and wood.
Installation methods
Any installation begins with the creation of a drawing and project, the necessary markings, and a plan necessary for an accurate representation of all further construction work. The preparation process begins with such preliminary work as leveling the walls, removing defects and various existing roughnesses on the surface. This is directly related to the creation of the sheathing, thereby creating a distance of 5–7 cm.
Thus, all unwanted defects and irregularities will be hidden and will not remain noticeable. After creating the project, you should, focusing on it, mark the walls, install existing profiles and beacons.
It is necessary to mount the brackets so that the vertical step does not exceed 80 cm, and the horizontal step does not exceed the total value of the installation seam and the width of the slab.
One of the most important aspects of a quality façade installation job is good thermal insulation, after all, this is a very significant thing that helps to significantly save money and not go broke on heating a country house. Directly for these purposes, special insulating boards are used, attached to the wall using the necessary fasteners.
It is important that there is not even the smallest distance between the wall and the insulation itself. In most cases, the insulation layer is fastened using screws with a wide head or dowels. The distance from the insulation layer to the future coating varies within 50 mm.
A very important step during installation is protection against blowing.
For this purpose, a special windproof membrane is used, which is installed on top of the insulating layer itself. A significant aspect is the need to cover the load-bearing profiles. For this, a plumb line is used, and it is important to control the distance between them. Fastening of profiles is often carried out using metal screws with a press washer.
Next comes the fastening of the panels themselves, the selected material for decorating the facade of a private house. To fasten the panels to the supporting profiles, special clamps or other devices are required. Their choice depends on the material used. The complexity of installing the facade of a house or reconstructing an old building depends on the facing material itself.
In order to achieve maximum quality results, it is necessary to follow a clear sequence of completing the assigned points. Otherwise, obvious defects and defects are likely to occur.
The cost of a good wooden log house is high, and not everyone can afford to build such a house. You can add elegance and naturalness to the appearance of even a brick building by covering it with wood, especially since the process itself is simple, the main thing is to be able to use the tool and know some of the features described in this article.
Is wood finishing that good?
In fact, many are already quite tired of this “concrete jungle” of urban buildings. Every year, more and more people dream of their own, albeit small, country house. Returning to the issue of finishing, and without taking as a basis the construction of a house made of wood, the natural question will be - what are the advantages of this type? There are several arguments here that do not tolerate any reservations:
- The natural look of wood is in harmony with any finishing material, stone, plaster, brick and much more - any option, in combination with wooden finishing, will look more natural and beautiful.
- Finishing is also indispensable from a practical point of view; it hides well all defects in load-bearing walls, allowing you to install hidden communications and arrange additional thermal insulation.
- And, of course, this is additional protection for load-bearing walls from weather troubles and climatic troubles in any form.
Which wood is better?
Experts know the intricacies of wood and how it will behave in a given climatic situation, and those who are unfamiliar with the characteristics of the species need to understand their performance characteristics.
Pine
This is a soft, pliable wood. Conifers are rich in resin content, which makes them more resistant to use in humid climates. Pine is resistant to rotting and has the smallest percentage of drying out.
Cedar
Noble material. Unlike pine, it has a longer service life. It has an interesting shade: yellow with a reddish tint, making it exotic in its own way. Canadian cedar is especially valued in construction.
Oak
Elite type of wood. Its unique strength and durability make it unaffordable. Oak has proven itself excellently as a construction and finishing material in all climatic zones of our country. A wide range of colors from dark brown (stained oak) to light gold puts it in the first position in the ranking of decorative finishes.
Beech
This is also an unusual type of wood in decorative terms. Reddish lines or with a yellow tint - any option is suitable for finishing work.
Larch
The yellowish-red tones of the structure of this species make it possible to use larch in any work. Construction of a house or bathhouse, as well as decorative finishing – there are no restrictions. Numerous temples in our country, considered architectural monuments, are built precisely from 
deciduous tree species.
This area could not do without modern technologies. Thermo-modified wood is something of a novelty. The wood is processed at high temperature using special equipment. The result is a new, environmentally friendly and durable material that is not afraid of any manifestations in the form of rot or mold and is resistant to various insects that like to spoil the appearance and inner layers of wood.
On a note. When choosing wood for exterior decoration of a house, you should not chase the exotic. Take a closer look at traditional options that are no less resistant to climatic factors.
What to choose?
There are several options in decorative terms. Here, manufacturers offer several types of finishing materials.
Lining
For finishing, this is the most inexpensive and accessible material for self-installation. It is also very popular because it does not put a strain on the house. And if the timber walls are smooth and well caulked, it can be installed directly on them. The planks are secured with a special bracket (kleimer) and secured with self-tapping screws or nails.
Block house
Also no less popular in decorative terms and as an option for independent work. The front side is made in the form of a rounded log, the back side is flat, for mounting on a frame. For fixation, some use galvanized nails or self-tapping screws, explaining this by the fact that all planks differ in their weight. It is also possible to use a clamp when arranging sheathing with more frequent steps.
Wood siding
Similar to plastic panels, it is produced in the form of long and wide lamellas. It is joined by means of a toothed tenon on one side and grooved segments on the other. “Siding”, translated from English, means overlapped cladding, which indicates the type of fastening. Mounted only on vertical sheathing.
Wooden panels
This is the youngest type of facing material. Although the panels are made of wood, they are secured by gluing using a special technology. Thanks to this, the boards hold their shape perfectly even in damp climates, do not dry out and retain their natural appearance for quite a long time. They are assembled from individual planks by layering and impregnated with special compounds. This is a convenient approach to creating decorative material. Ordinary lumber is laid inside, and veneer of an expensive type of wood is layered on the outside, resulting in a material that is inexpensive and practical in all respects.
Subtleties of finishing
Any external finishing with piece material is done on the frame. Its dimensions and cross-section of the timber may differ, but the assembly rules remain unchanged. Initially 
you need to cover the load-bearing wall with soil and install a vapor barrier. It should be located in such a way that the natural process of draining liquid from the room is not hampered. If you lay the film on the wrong side, then the steam, without escaping, will accumulate inside the walls and on the heat-insulating material, destroying them.
Then comes the turn of the frame. A block with a cross-section of 50x50 is placed vertically along the entire wall of the house. The step between each plank is 40-50 cm. Fastening with nails, but better with special wood screws. They fix the material more firmly, preventing it from moving away from the base during operation. Nails without a threaded connection may come out of the wood over time due to climatic changes.
Using any finishing material (lining, block house or panels), the bottom strip is installed first. It is aligned horizontally. It must determine the line as accurately as possible so that all panels lie as evenly as possible. All subsequent strips are installed with preliminary adjustment. First, the panel is applied, cut to size, and the finished profile is secured with a clamp or other method.
In general, the whole sheathing process is simple; the main thing is to make an even frame and place the first plank correctly. Subsequent panels will be installed automatically. You just have to adjust them to length and cut them according to size, bypassing the window and door blocks. To avoid annoying mistakes, take note of a few tips from the experts:
When the walls of a private house are built from foam blocks, aerated concrete and other similar materials, they need to be additionally lined both inside and outside. Traditional brick facades with modern cladding also look much better, let alone frame buildings, where you simply cannot do without it. The purpose of this article is to tell you what you can use to cover a house on the street side so that it turns out both cheap and beautiful.
What materials are there to choose from?
First, let's list the common methods of exterior wall decoration, and then highlight options that are relatively inexpensive:
- smooth or textured plaster with or without insulation;
- vinyl or metal siding, corrugated sheeting;
- decorative elements made of wood - lining, house block and so-called shingles (planks that form a scale-like covering);
- panels made of fiber cement and foam plastic with imitation brick and other types of facade cladding;
- artificial and natural stone;
- various types of cladding bricks - torn, figured, bassoon and so on.
Sheathing the walls of a house with artificial stone is not the cheapest option
If you choose the right colors and cover the walls in any of the listed ways, then your country house will look beautiful, but it’s not a fact that the work will be cheap. It’s not difficult to verify this: find out how much it costs in your city to cover facades with stone or clinker bricks. Since we are interested in inexpensive finishing options, we will not consider the last two.
A little about what is best for sheathing different types of buildings. If any house can be upholstered with siding, wood and various panels, then external plaster or coat applied wet is not suitable for wooden walls of timber and log dwellings. Plastering is appropriate to do in cottages made of stone, slabs and blocks, and even in old adobe houses. You can get more visual information about the methods of cladding private houses by watching the video:
Important point. The technology for performing the work depends on the type of cladding chosen. The rule applies here: water vapor moving from the thickness of the fence structure to the street should not encounter obstacles on the way, otherwise it will condense, causing the wall to get wet and, as a result, fungus will form.
Since wood, plaster and fiber cement do not interfere with the passage of moisture (they have good vapor permeability), products made from these materials can be attached directly to the walls. Another thing is upholstery with panels made of plastic or metal, which are absolutely impermeable to water vapor. To ensure that it goes outside unhindered, such cladding is mounted using a new technology - on a wooden or steel frame - a subsystem. The latter provides a ventilation gap (breathing) between the structure and the cladding.
To prevent the structure from becoming saturated with moisture, all its layers must be permeable to steam
Note. The rule also applies to insulation materials. Vapor-permeable mineral wool is mounted directly to the surface of the structure, while foam and penoplex require a small air opening. Therefore, polymer boards are not completely covered with the adhesive mixture, as shown in the photo.
External plastering of walls
The technology for applying smooth plaster has remained unchanged for decades. Homemade or factory-made beacons in the form of planks are installed on the leveled base, after which the first layer of the building mixture is applied and stretched using the rule. The second layer is the grout, which is made smooth or textured using various tools - trowels, figured rollers and stamps.
Reference. The most popular type of plaster is bark beetle, shown in the photo. The grooves, reminiscent of wormholes, are made due to the round fractions present in the solution, stretched by direct or circular movements of the grater. How to do this correctly, watch the video:
After the solution has hardened, the surface is painted with an acrylic, silicate or silicone composition, depending on the base of the plaster mixture used. A more progressive, but also expensive option is to apply tinted plaster, which does not need to be painted during its entire service life.
If the wall needs to be covered with insulation before facing, then the work is carried out in this order:
- The base is impregnated with a primer, after which foam boards or mineral wool are glued to it. A day later, the insulation is additionally attached to the wall with dowels in the form of umbrellas.
- Next, a waterproofing layer of a special construction mixture is applied, into which the reinforcing fiberglass mesh is embedded. The canvases are laid vertically and overlap by at least 10 cm.
- After the waterproofing has hardened, it remains to apply a layer of plaster, as described above.
Insulation pie under plaster
Note. You should not use the described technology for cladding a wooden house, because after some time the cladding will crack and collapse. The reason lies in the properties of wood - it “breathes” (absorbs and releases moisture), which is why the timber or log changes in size by several millimeters.
Siding and corrugated sheeting
The advantages of these materials are a wide range of colors, affordable cost and quick installation without “wet” processes. This type of exterior finishing of a house involves constructing a frame made of metal profiles or wooden blocks (the latter will be cheaper). If the walls are made of aerated concrete and do not need insulation, then the subsystem is used to create a ventilation gap, level the plane and fasten the sheathing.
The full cycle of finishing work along with insulation looks like this:
- Bars or metal profiles of the subsystem are attached to the walls in increments of 0.5-0.6 m (depending on the width of the slab insulation). Thermal insulation material is laid between them and the dowel is fixed with umbrellas.
- The entire surface is covered with sheets of a diffusion membrane that allows moisture to pass through in only one direction – from the inside of the “pie” to the outside. It works as protection against wind and precipitation.
- A counter-lattice is mounted on top, providing a ventilation volume of 4-6 cm, as shown in the diagram. In the corners, above the plinth and under the roof, additional elements - starting, finishing and corner strips - are attached to the subsystem with self-tapping screws.
- Corrugated sheets or strips of siding are cut to size, taking into account a gap of 6 mm for thermal elongation, after which they are inserted into the grooves of the extensions and screwed with self-tapping screws. The latter should not press the elements tightly against the sheathing. How to properly sheathe a house with siding is described in detail in.
Note. The frame profiles are attached perpendicular to the intended position of the siding strips or corrugated sheets.
You can cover the walls with metal or plastic panels yourself, saving money on the work. Please note that construction is not hampered by weather conditions (except for heavy rain) and there is no need to wait until the adhesive and waterproofing layer hardens, as is the case with plaster. And the last point: siding is not only affordable and looks beautiful, but it can also be easily washed off dust using a regular hose.
Installation of wood cladding
The wooden cladding of the house looks nice and stands out for its main advantage - environmental friendliness. At the same time, it requires care - antiseptic treatment during construction and periodic painting during operation. Properly made cladding allows excess moisture to pass through well and “breathes” along with the wooden walls.
This is what facades covered with clapboard look like
Reference. Moisture enters the thickness of enclosing structures in two ways: from inside residential premises and as a result of condensation from the occurrence of a dew point. So the internal vapor barrier only partially solves the problem and water vapor still needs to go outside, and the pores in the wood contribute well to this.
Block house imitates a log building
The choice of finishing method depends on the material from which the building is constructed. In houses made of SIP panels and those built using frame technology, the lining can be attached directly to OSB sheets, since they are flat and fairly even. In the same way, houses made of ordinary and laminated veneer lumber are sheathed, when there is such a need. Another thing is log houses with uneven surfaces, stone and brick houses. Here you cannot do without installing a wooden frame, as described above.
Cladding with wood products is carried out in the following ways:
- The lining and its variety - the house block - is installed following the example of siding - the tenon of each subsequent strip fits into the groove of the previous one. Fastening - galvanized nails or special clamps.
- The shingle elements (otherwise known as shingles) are laid overlapping one on top of the other and nailed with nails, 2 for each piece.
- An original way to cover a country house is to use regular and unedged boards of approximately the same width. They are mounted in a horizontal position in a herringbone pattern, placing the edge of the next element on the upper end of the previous one, as shown in the photo.
Upon completion of finishing, shaped wooden parts are placed on the corners, plinth and roof junctions, after which the facade is covered with varnish or paint. More details about the installation of the lining are described in the following video:
Finishing with finished panels
These types of finishing materials cannot be called cheap, but their use allows, in most cases, to save on the construction of the subsystem. For example, fiber cement panels, manufactured using technology from the Japanese brand Kmew, are attached directly to any smooth walls with several screws or dowels. Clinker panels made of foam plastic with cladding imitating brick, natural stone and other types of finishes are also installed.
Installation of fiber cement panels on a subsystem of steel profiles
Both types of products have undoubted advantages. The service life of fiber cement boards is equal to the period of operation of the entire building, and they do not lose their appearance over time and are permeable to water vapor. If you want to cover the walls with clinker thermal panels, you will kill two birds with one stone: decorate your house beautifully and insulate it with polystyrene foam. The installation technology is clearly shown in the video:
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many relatively inexpensive methods for exterior cladding of a house. Some of them are more labor-intensive and time-consuming (plaster), others require investment in material at low installation costs (fiber cement panels). Judging by reviews from homeowners, the undisputed leader in terms of price/facade appearance ratio are various types of siding. Well, the cheapest option is corrugated sheeting, which has the unfortunate property of quickly fading in the sun.
Related posts:
The question of what can be used to cover the outside of a house made of foam blocks worries many who have decided to use this material for construction. Although there is an opinion that finishing is not a mandatory event, this process helps to give the building a presentable appearance, as well as significantly increase its durability. Now there are several most popular options that are actively used for external use.
When deciding how to decorate the facade of a house made of foam blocks, it is necessary to take into account a number of mandatory conditions that the materials must meet:
- Resistance to seasonal temperature fluctuations. The cladding must withstand long cycles of freezing and thawing, and this cannot affect the appearance or protective characteristics.
- Vapor permeability. Since foam blocks are breathable products, the exterior finishing should not interfere with this process. It should be taken into account that when using products for cladding that significantly impede vapor exchange, special technology is used.
- Waterproof. Protecting load-bearing structures from moisture is a parameter that prevents premature destruction of the structure.
Naturally, if all of the listed factors are present in the material, this indicates its durability. But we must not forget that the exterior decoration of walls made of foam blocks must have a significant margin of safety, because there is a high probability of mechanical impact.
On a note! The peculiarity of the foam blocks themselves, which are a type of foam concrete, plays an important role. This material is characterized by cellularity and porosity, which must be taken into account when performing any work.
Types of products for exterior home decoration
A house made of foam blocks does not look very presentable from the outside, so the material chosen, in addition to its quality characteristics, should create a good decorative appearance. Therefore, the final decision should be made only after assessing all the characteristics of the facing products.
Natural and artificial stone
The use of natural stone requires the presence of reinforced surfaces and a reliable foundation. That is why, if the foundation for the house does not involve a significant increase in the weight of the structure, it is better to abandon this option or replace it with an imitation.
In any case, natural and artificial stone have undoubted advantages:
- Excellent decorative look. The coating is completely individual.
- Durability. Even an analogue of natural material has a long service life.
- Resistance to various types of influences. Indeed, the surface does not lose its qualities even with the passage of time.
An example of finishing a façade with decorative stone Unfortunately, the product also has quite significant disadvantages:
- Difficult to install. This is especially true for the natural option. In addition to being difficult to process, such products require special adhesives. We also must not forget that due to the heavy weight, the design must initially be reliable.
- Expensive. The most accessible variety is sandstone, which is quite widespread. Of course, it is much cheaper to use imitation, but it will also require significant financial costs.
Finishing a foam block from the outside using stone can be done using two methods: fixing it to a base (which reduces the level of vapor exchange) and mounting it on a frame. The latter method is typical for modern artificial varieties. Stone is most often used in combination with other materials; it is excellent for finishing part of a building.
Tile
In general, tile is an analogue of stone; the technology for its use completely repeats the process of working with this option. Today there are several main varieties for cladding foam blocks:
- clinker;
- porcelain stoneware;
- ceramic for facades.
All of them are united by the following positive qualities:
- Ability to withstand aggressive environmental influences.
- Wide decorative range.
- Excellent protection against moisture penetration.
The disadvantages are almost identical to those inherent in natural stone. In addition, the cost of such products depends on their quality.
Facade cladding with porcelain stoneware On a note! Much attention should be paid to installation technology, especially joints. It is because of their rapid destruction that moisture penetrates, which gradually deforms the coating.
Brick
Exterior finishing of a house made of foam blocks using bricks is a labor-intensive and expensive undertaking; it is almost impossible to perform it efficiently without the appropriate experience. During installation, it is necessary to provide for many nuances. For example, if the home will be used year-round, then it is necessary to install an air gap and ventilation holes.
Brick has many advantages, which depend on the type chosen: clinker, silicate or ceramic, but it is better to entrust the work to professionals.
Plastering and painting
There is a cheap but popular option when the cladding of a house made of foam blocks is carried out using plaster mixtures. The application technology is quite simple. There are two main ways to finish with this composition:
- Manual. The work is carried out with hand tools, and installed beacons are used for more accurate alignment.
- Machine. This method allows you to cover the surface in a short time, but leveling is also done using a rule and a spatula.
Regardless of which option it is decided to decorate the house, reinforcing mesh is used to strengthen the coating. And to make the surface truly reliable, an additional layer of paint and varnish is applied to it. You should be extremely careful with facade paint; the composition should not greatly interfere with vapor permeability.
On a note! There is so-called decorative plaster, which has inclusions of different fractions. It is applied directly to foam blocks without an additional layer of plaster or as a topcoat.
Installation of a ventilated facade
Due to the fact that when finishing houses made of foam blocks from the outside it is necessary to pay great attention to vapor exchange, the best solution can be considered products that are mounted on a frame. There is a special group of materials for this.
Decorative facade block
An excellent alternative could be a façade foam block, which already has a decorative finish. When using it, problems with choosing material for cladding the constructed house completely disappear.
Currently, there are three main types of such products:
- Standard. This option is a fragment with a coating on one side. The constructed structure takes on a very respectable appearance.
- Angular. Such foam blocks with cladding have two decorative surfaces. They are excellent for installation in window and door openings, as well as on external corners.
- With insulation. This material includes a layer of thermal insulation, which is especially important for difficult climatic zones.
Decorative facade foam block Probably, a foam block with a facing side, as production technology develops, will be able to completely eliminate the need for subsequent finishing.
