Interventional insulation for a bath: which one to choose?

The use of a wooden log house for a steam room is perhaps a classic of the genre, and for the construction of one, regular or jute inter-crown insulation for a bathhouse is necessarily used, which is also used to seal the logs. Of course, this is not the only material that helps improve performance properties, but we will pay our attention to it.

The inter-crown seal for a bathhouse simultaneously serves as insulation

In addition, we will have the opportunity to watch the thematic video in this article as a supplement.

Necessity

This material performs several important functions at once:

Reliably isolates the space between the crowns of the house, inaccessible for inspection, from water and moisture, which, over time, can seriously damage the house;
Does not allow air to blow through the cracks between the logs;
Compensates for changes in wood volume that occur due to seasonality and changes in temperature and humidity.

The timber is insulated both at the construction stage and after, the so-called caulking of the log house.

As a conclusion: the inter-crown seal serves not only as a heat insulator, but also:

Performs waterproofing functions;
Increases the service life of the building.

The choice of such material must be approached very carefully.

Plant fibers or tape material

Plant fibers are often more affordable in terms of cost, but they require more installation time.

Plant fibers are more environmentally friendly, but have a shorter service life compared to synthetic materials.

Reference. A separate article is devoted to foil materials used as insulation for ceilings and walls.

Synthetic insulation materials PolyTerm and Avatherm

The industry does not stand still and today, in the construction of wooden buildings, modern polymer seals are increasingly used, replacing traditional materials of natural origin. First of all, this is PolyTherm, actively promoted by manufacturers on the market as the best replacement for insulation made from natural materials. The main advantages of synthetic PolyTherm materials are:

Lack of flammability. It will not cause a fire if a spark hits it. Even when directly exposed to an open flame, this material does not support combustion. The material is not eaten by insects. Being a completely synthetic material, PolyTherm is not at all interested in wood-boring insects, which happily eat any natural insulation. High elasticity avoids the need for regular caulking of the log house when the sealant dries out. Natural materials under the load of logs tend to compress greatly over time, which leads to the appearance of gaps

PolyTerm is free from such a drawback and, even over time, continues to reliably fill all the leaks between the crowns. PolyTherm does not absorb moisture, which is especially important in our climate, since the hygroscopicity of the sealant can cause rot. The material does not cause allergic reactions and has excellent vapor permeability, allowing the log house to “breathe”.

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Features of insulation of wooden buildings

So that you do not make mistakes and do everything correctly, you need to know several important rules, because working with wood is significantly different from working with brick, concrete and gas silicate bases. Let's tell you the most significant nuances:

The need for ventilation Wood tends to absorb moisture during a damp period and release it when the temperature rises; if the surface is covered with a vapor-proof material, then the moisture will have nowhere to go, and over time this will cause rot and the occurrence of mold or even mildew Shrinkage processes After construction, the structure shrinks significantly, so if If you decide to additionally insulate the surface, this can be done no earlier than a year after the completion of the work. Do not rush in any way, as this can do more harm than good later. Beauty of the material If you like the structure of wood, then it is better to take care of high-quality insulation at the construction stage and put the highest quality and most reliable insulation between the logs. Then you will not have to carry out additional work and spend significant funds. Appropriate preparation. Here everything is again determined by the properties of the material - the base must be completely dry, so it is better to carry out work during a period of time when there is no precipitation and the weather is stable and warm outside.

Important! You cannot skimp on the quality of insulation; always choose the best quality option, this not only guarantees excellent heat retention, but also guarantees the safety of the main structure.

Choosing interventional insulation for a bath

In Russia, the bathhouse is traditionally built from wood. Wood absorbs moisture over its entire surface, followed by its distribution along the fibers and gradual removal through the ends of the log houses. This causes periodic changes in the volume of wood. In spring and autumn, the tree, gaining moisture, swells, and in summer and winter, when it is lost, it dries out. The result is the appearance of gaps between the crowns.

Due to the impossibility of ensuring a tight fit of logs or beams to each other, cold bridges are formed between the crowns, increasing the ventilation of the walls and inevitable heat loss. To eliminate the problem, insulating inter-crown spacer materials are laid between the logs or beams. Let's consider the most commonly used insulation materials, and which inter-crown insulation is best for a bathhouse built from timber and log frames.

What requirements must materials for baths meet?

To ensure long-term comfortable temperature conditions at high humidity during hygienic and health bathing procedures, interventional insulation must have the following quality properties:

not contain or emit substances harmful to human health during operation;
ensure uniform and tight closure of the seams between the crowns;
low thermal conductivity;
absorb and release moisture similar to wood;
not affected by mold, mildew and insects;
resistance to temperature changes;
do not arouse interest among birds as a material for constructing nests;
durability.

Natural:

Natural moss. For thermal insulation of joints in wooden baths, red (cuckoo flax) and white (sphagnum) are used. The first type of moss has excellent properties, but is quite rare, which makes it difficult to harvest the required volumes. The parameters of sphagmum are somewhat lower (especially in terms of durability), but it is found everywhere. Due to the long time it takes to collect and properly dry the material, moss is gradually being replaced by other insulation materials. But it continues to be widely used in places of its mass growth, especially in the northern regions.
Jute. It is obtained from the stem of a tropical shrub of the same name. Has all the above characteristics. The high content of natural resin (lingin), while giving the material excellent properties, makes it somewhat rough. Available for sale in the form of tow, jute cords, felt and flax-jute. The last two varieties are tape with the same density along the length. This is an excellent inter-crown insulation for a log bathhouse, but the difficulty of filling uneven grooves between logs with such a tape practically precludes its use as an inter-crown insulation for a log bathhouse (tow is used for such baths). The main disadvantage is the high cost.
Linen. In addition to traditional tow, which, like moss, has been used since ancient times, it is produced in the form of a ribbon of interwoven flax fibers, called flax batting or “euro flax”. Can be used in any wooden baths, but is ideal for buildings made of timber.
Sheep's wool. Rarely used due to high cost.

In all natural insulation materials, the presence of synthetics in the composition or adhesive compositions is unacceptable. It is recommended to purchase tow made of moss and jute in the form of rolls, which greatly simplifies its installation.

Artificial:

PSUL is a polyurethane foam tape impregnated with acrylic mixtures to increase elasticity and strength.
Polytherm is a tape consisting of thermally bonded polyester organic fibers; in fact, it is a padding polyester designed specifically for baths.
Foamed polymers (spray foam, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam and others).
Mineral wool TechnoNIKOL.
Silicone sealants.

To ensure comfortable conditions in the bathhouse, it is recommended to use only natural insulation materials in Russian bathhouses.

How to insulate a bathhouse from the inside?

All work on internal insulation is divided into three stages: floor, walls, ceiling. Often the procedure begins with a pre-prepared base. Its base can be either concrete or ordinary soil. In the latter case, you will need to make a sand and gravel cushion on the ground with a layer thickness of no more than 40 cm.

Creating a warm base

Which wooden bathhouse is the warmest, with a dirt or concrete floor? Of course, the option with cement mortar is more modern and practical, so we will insulate it.

Cover the concrete base with roofing felt or bitumen mastic;
Secure the support bars under the joists;
Install the logs on the supports so that their ends meet the walls;
The resulting cells between the logs are filled with expanded clay;

The thicker the expanded clay layer, the lower the level of heat loss

Cover the floor frame with waterproofing film;
Install insulation between the joists, put mineral wool in the steam room, and foam plastic or expanded polystyrene in the dressing room;
On top, the structure is covered with a vapor-proof membrane;
Afterwards, a rough version of the floor is knocked down, onto which the desired material is mounted.

Please note: ceramics and solid boards are used most often in the bathhouse, tiles are not afraid of dirt and deformation due to moisture, although wood swells, it is warmer.

Wall decoration

This algorithm of actions will help you figure out how to properly insulate a steam room, dressing room and other rooms in a wooden bathhouse:

Do it right! All work on wall insulation is carried out from the ceiling to the floor!

Initially, the surface is impregnated with biocidal impregnation;
Next, the seams are processed - place the material in the grooves between the beams and caulk it thoroughly;
Apply a moderate layer of sealant on top of the fabric;
Afterwards, a special frame is installed, similar to what was done outside;
A heat insulator is placed in it - only material resistant to high temperatures can be installed in the steam room; gypsum fiber, magnesite boards and mineral wool will do;
A vapor barrier is placed on top - is it worth using foil? It’s not just worth it, it has practically no alternative, well, if you don’t take into account the innovative foil penotherm;
Next, a frame is mounted to secure the cladding, taking into account the required two-centimeter gap from the vapor barrier layer.

There is no need to rack your brains for a long time about how to insulate the ceiling. From the inside the procedure is similar to the walls, but from the attic it looks a little different.

Ceiling insulation

A little outdated, but still effective ceiling insulation.
Experts say that to minimize heat loss, sealing the outside of the ceiling is mandatory! Let's look at this simple technique:

Place fiberglass on the ceiling to prevent moisture from entering;
Mix a solution with high thermal insulation qualities - for this you will need clay, chopped straw, water and sawdust. All ingredients are mixed until thick in one to one proportions;
Fill the space between the beams with mortar, controlling the level of moisture insulation on the inside of the ceiling;
Leave the work for several weeks until the solution dries completely;
Then, dense insulation and a moisture-proof membrane are laid;
A thin cement screed is poured on top - fixing it.

At this point, the complex of work on capital insulation of the bathhouse can be considered completed. Many will wonder whether it is necessary to make so many unnecessary movements for the sake of short-term pleasure? Anyone who wants to feel the real heat of an old Russian bathhouse will definitely say - it’s a must! Moreover, such leisure also has a healing effect.

Necessity

The joint of logs is the weakest point of a log structure. Firstly, this is where the wall thickness is smallest, and secondly, initially it is an open gap into which moisture and wind can penetrate. To protect this “deprived” area of a wooden house, insulation for logs is used.

This material performs several important functions at once:

Reliably isolates the space between the crowns of the house, inaccessible for inspection, from water and moisture, which, over time, can seriously damage the house;
Does not allow air to blow through the cracks between the logs;
Compensates for changes in wood volume that occur due to seasonality and changes in temperature and humidity.

The timber is insulated both at the construction stage and after, the so-called caulking of the log house.

As a conclusion: the inter-crown seal serves not only as a heat insulator, but also:

Performs waterproofing functions;
Increases the service life of the building.

The choice of such material must be approached very carefully.

What is the best gasket for logs in a log house? Expert opinion

A variety of building materials are used to build houses, bricks, concrete panels, cinder blocks, but the highest quality and most durable material is wood. Houses built from wood are warm, durable and very beautiful. Such houses can be built from either timber or logs, but it is the second version of the material that is being used more and more often, due to its most optimal cost and at the same time its excellent characteristics. In the construction of a log house, the main thing is its insulation and the correct choice of insulation material, of which there are many.

Other

Of course, the three examples we have given are not a complete list of insulation between logs. For these purposes use:

Sheep wool;
Jute;
Polytherm.

We will talk about all these materials in separate publications. For example, many people are interested in what is better to use, flax or jute, for inter-crown space.

And someone asks: what is better, jute or moss?

We will devote a separate article to jute insulation in the near future.

This article deliberately did not discuss all the issues related to seals

However, we have collected the most important and useful. Which inter-crown insulation for timber to choose for your home depends on various factors and the main ones are the financial component and efficiency

The chosen option must correspond to the overall design of the building.

Time-tested

Photo: today the traditional material for timber and rounded logs is jute inter-crown tape.

Even today, experts are in no hurry to part with materials that have been proven over the years for laying between the crowns of a log house; only now manufacturers have given these materials a convenient form for their intended use. So a jute tape was made from jute, rolled into a roll, and the rolls were given different widths of 10 cm, 12 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm. A roller of jute tape was placed on a log bowl, unrolled and secured with a construction stapler. Agree, it is very convenient to use such insulation. If you are building a bathhouse, then we advise you to choose moss - cuckoo flax - as a gasket between the logs. Moss absorbs all unnecessary odors and moisture well. But keep in mind that laying with moss requires a lot of experience and knowledge in this matter, so choose specialists wisely. Tow is also a good spacer between logs. Typically, tow for laying is made in the form of a tape, which is rolled into rolls. There is no other form of tow, for example, in bales or bales, for laying; such construction tow is not suitable for these purposes. Tow usually consists of a mixture of jute and flax fibers. Also, tow has a wide range of prices, from cheap to the most expensive, the main thing is that the price-quality ratio suits you.

Linen seal

Another natural material that has long been used to insulate houses is flax tow. Tow is obtained by carding dried flax. This is a fibrous material resembling cotton wool with large fibers of plant origin.

When assembling a log house, the roll is rolled out on top of the log and shot with a construction stapler:

This will reduce the time and effort spent on subsequent caulking of the log house. Rolled material made from flax has all the advantages and disadvantages of tow. The advantages of flax wool include:

the material breathes well, allowing you to maintain the heat and humidity balance in the room;
the material is able to maintain its heat and sound insulation properties for a long time;
compacts well and is quite elastic;
has hypoallergenic properties.

The disadvantages of flax wool include:

predisposition to debate, rotting of fibers;
is a “delicacy” for insects and, without special treatment, quickly becomes a cozy “home” for a wide variety of woodworms;
birds steal material for nest construction.

Artificial materials

When answering the question - how to choose inter-crown insulation for timber, you cannot ignore artificial materials. Today this option is the most popular. One of these materials is called “holofiber”.

This insulation is made from polyester fibers using the non-woven method. The material is produced in rolls and plates, each type has its own density.

Holofiber has high elasticity. This feature is very convenient for thermal insulation of crown joints, especially when using laminated veneer lumber or non-profiled timber.

This material has no pores, which means it can warp when drying. If insulation made from natural material is used, then the appearance of cracks is inevitable. When using holofiber, additional sealing of the crown joints after the timber has dried is not required. The fibers of this material will fill the cracks that appear on their own.

Holofiber does not absorb water and retains its thermal insulation properties

In addition to a high degree of elasticity, holofiber has a number of other advantages. Experts include the following among the most significant of them:

has low water absorption rates, less than one percent. This means that holofiber will not absorb moisture and will retain its thermal insulation properties longer even in a humid climate; the material does not burn even at high temperatures

This property is very important for thermal insulation of wooden buildings; Insects “don’t like” the material; they definitely won’t live here. In addition, holofiber is not afraid of mold; not only has high thermal insulation properties, but is also an excellent sound insulator; holofiber has a long service life, and even over time does not require additional caulking

You should not think that holofiber can have a detrimental effect on human health. This material does not cause allergies, does not emit harmful substances and is absolutely environmentally friendly. There can only be one drawback. If wood that was too damp was used during construction, it may be prohibited. Holofiber does not allow the walls of the house to “breathe”.

Another common inter-crown insulation for wooden houses made of profiled or laminated timber is “shelter”. This material is made from polyester fiber. Just like holofiber, it has high elasticity, which allows you to fill all the cracks newly formed as a result of shrinkage of the house. Shelter does not rot, does not absorb moisture and retains heat perfectly.

There are also more modern materials, for example, “polytherm”. At its core, it is a type of holofiber, but with greater elasticity. According to the manufacturers, the material can last 50 years. But polytherm appeared not so long ago, only about ten years ago, so it is not possible to test this in practice.

Inter-crown insulation “Polytherm” can last up to 50 years

Insulation materials

Next, we will consider the features of different interventional insulation materials.

Felt

Felt interventional insulation does not shrink and consists of wool. When purchasing, you need to make sure that it has been treated with special fire and bioprotective compounds (from fire, fungus and insects), because felt likes to eat moths. Felt insulation is one of the best, but also one of the most expensive options. It holds heat very well. More suitable for insulation during construction, because It will be difficult to caulk inter-crown seams with it due to its high density. Felt boots are made from felt - just the shoes that best retain heat.

Jute

Inter-crown insulation jute is made from a tropical plant, environmentally friendly, it freely allows steam to pass through, which will undoubtedly help the house or bathhouse to “breathe”. It contains resin, which is an antiseptic. At the same time, it is a flammable material that can independently support combustion. Its cost is also relatively high. Jute insulation is pliable and at the same time does not crumble, so it is well suited for use both during construction and for caulking the crowns of an already built house or bathhouse. Caulking a log house with jute is one of the most popular methods of insulating inter-crown joints at present.

Linen, linen wool

Flax is an annual herbaceous plant; flax insulation is also environmentally friendly. It allows moisture to pass through well. One of the cheapest options for insulating crowns. Flax is the favorite food of moths. Suitable if your budget is very limited.

Moss

The most ancient, but still relevant method of insulating inter-crown joints is caulking a log house with moss. Moreover, it is the most natural. Moss is more suitable for use during construction than for caulking a finished log house

An important advantage is that you don’t have to buy moss; you can collect it yourself. Moss does not absorb moisture from the air, it breathes

But before laying it between the crowns, you will have to wet it a little, because... dry moss crumbles a lot, and it’s inconvenient to work with dry moss.

Polytherm

New interventional insulation, which is only gaining popularity. Made from polyester fibers. Synthetic clothing is also made from them. The material is quite hard and resistant to aggressive substances. It is still difficult to say with confidence about its properties, but you can try it as an experiment.

It is not difficult to find inter-crown insulation for a log house in any large hardware store. The thickness must be at least 3 mm. The width is selected based on the size of the logs; for caulking, 15-20 cm is suitable.

Log house

In fact, there is no point in insulating a log bathhouse, since wood itself is an excellent heat insulator.

In addition, due to additional insulation, the area of the bathhouse is reduced.

Thus, if you are still hesitant about insulating a log bath, then you should know the following facts about the thermal insulation characteristics of a log house, depending on its diameter:

More than 20 cm – there is no need for additional insulation;
15 cm – thermal insulation is not necessary, but heating the room will take a long time;
10 cm – thermal insulation of the room is necessary.

Information. A steam room with log walls has a very positive effect on the human body, since the steam from the stove is reflected from them and creates a healthier atmosphere.

Jute

Another natural inter-crown insulation, consisting of fibers from a plant of the linden family. Natural jute is becoming increasingly widespread due to the following advantages:

• Environmental friendliness of natural material.

• Good thermal insulation characteristics.

• Simple installation of material made in the form of a tape.

• Laying speed. Jute tape does not require caulking.

• Contains a large amount of lignin - a natural antiseptic, prolongs the life of wood, slows down biological decomposition.

• High strength and durability.

• The color and composition of the insulation is similar to wood.

Among the disadvantages, it can be noted that jute is rarely used for chopped baths due to its high cost.

The main thermal insulators used: pros and cons

The origin of the word “caulk” is associated with hemp, from which hemp and twine for sealing cracks were made hundreds of years ago. Products based on this plant are still produced in separate nonwoven fabric factories. But sphagnum moss and “cuckoo flax”, which were once the most popular sealants in Russian wooden architecture, are now perceived as exotic. We will limit ourselves to considering what is present on the shelves of construction supermarkets and specialty stores.

Rolled flax insulation

Inter-crown linen seal

This inter-crown insulation is made from flax fibers using needle-punched technology. We can order any strip width from 3 to 40 cm in 0.5 cm increments. The thickness at a density of 700 g/m² is 8 - 10 mm.

Linen wool (as this thermal insulator is also called) is one of the best means for residual elasticity, heat conservation, environmental friendliness, and aesthetic properties. In addition, flax fiber tape is currently the most inexpensive way to efficiently caulk a chopped bathhouse. Rolled flax is easy to use. The strip is laid in the groove of the crown and adjusted with staples. The log can then be mounted. Wind is not a hindrance to installation.

Among the disadvantages of flax, it is not the best biostability. Birds happily take it out of the cracks to build nests. Some insects also live in this material.

Rolled jute insulation and jute-linen materials

Jute inter-crown seal

Thermal insulation made from jute is a coarse, homogeneous non-woven fabric produced using the same technology as the insulation made from flax. Jute inter-crown insulation is a durable and relatively rigid tape, which, in addition to good heat-shielding and hydrophobic properties, is distinguished by the presence of 20% lignin in its composition. Lignin is a resin similar in properties to the resins of coniferous trees. Thanks to its presence, jute exhibits both positive and negative qualities.

What should be an interventional seal for a bathhouse?

Despite the fact that wooden buildings are erected for different purposes, the technology remains almost unchanged, only there are some nuances. The installation method involves the use of inter-crown insulation for a bathhouse. What thickness of jute tape to choose depends on the quality of the building material for the walls. If the surface of the timber is flat, then a tape up to 7 mm thick is suitable. The more defects and unevenness there are, the thicker the jute seal should be or the installation should be done in two layers.

You can buy insulation for a bathhouse from a log house at a cheap price, which will allow you to save on materials. Ideally, for such buildings it is better to use inter-crown insulation made of jute at a low price.

Final Recommendation

By the way, recently (on the eve of the New Year) a fellow colleague of mine bought flax-jute fabric at. He liked the conversation with the consultant (in his words, he understands issues of wooden house construction very well) and the price of the product was quite reasonable. This is not an advertisement - just a consultation, which is always useful. I recommend this company for residents of Moscow and the Moscow region. Moreover, the company is specialized and has been on the construction market for several years.

Well, perhaps he said everything he wanted. If it was informative, then do not miss the release of new information. Do you have friends who are building a bathhouse or a house? Recommend the article to them.

Good luck and warm, well-caulked walls. Bye!

Quote of wisdom: This is how men are made: they can resist the smartest arguments and cannot resist a single glance (Bazzak).

Other

Of course, the three examples we have given are not a complete list of insulation between logs. For these purposes use:

Sheep wool;
Jute;
Polytherm.

We will talk about all these materials in separate publications. For example, many people are interested in what is better to use, flax or jute, for inter-crown space.

And someone asks: what is better, jute or moss?

We will devote a separate article to jute insulation in the near future.

What to choose

Since ancient times, natural and durable material – wood – has been used to build a real Russian bathhouse.

However, many years of experience show that it is impossible to achieve an ideal joint of materials either in manual cutting or in production, and this entails heat loss directly through the walls.

In this regard, even at the first stages of construction, each of the rows is laid with inter-crown insulation.

This allows you to completely eliminate heat loss through cracks in the walls.

Today, the most popular materials used as inter-crown insulation for baths are:

Linen;
Moss;
Jute;
Other insulation materials.

Let's look at each of the categories in more detail. Important! All internal components of the wood structure must be dry and properly treated with antiseptics

Felt (sheep's wool)

A natural material for insulation, which in its performance properties is superior to tape insulation made from plant fibers.

Felt is a worthy option for buildings made of profiled timber. It is simply irreplaceable for insulating residential buildings and baths, although it is not cheap.

During the production process, the felt seal is carefully treated with special fire-retardant compounds, as a result of which it absorbs moisture well and quickly releases it when heated.

It is resistant to mold and mildew and does not cake during use.

What is suitable for bath walls

For a bathhouse, you can only use inter-crown insulation that allows moisture to pass through without accumulating it at all - these are all materials with a capillary fiber structure. Moss, jute, flax and some of their derivatives. Yes, only natural materials have such properties! But all synthetic ones always accumulate moisture, which is why the wood then rots and the seams are not ventilated at all.

Experienced builders, who have built more than one wooden bathhouse or house behind them, advise choosing inter-crown insulation not based on advertising, and not based on the success of its use among neighbors - but solely on a case-by-case basis. In some places, foam plastic is indeed necessary - there are such construction technologies, but for most buildings it is completely unsuitable.

So, what you first need to pay attention to is the density of the insulation. For massive baths made of profiled timber, an insulation thickness of 3-4 mm is sufficient if its density reaches 300-400 g/m2

But for steam rooms made of heavy rounded logs, this figure is already different - 4-5 mm, and the density should be at least 500-600 g/m2. For a bath house with two floors, focus on 8-10 mm thickness and 700-800 g/m2 density. But this is where problems can arise: if the seal has a density of 300-400 g/m2, but it is placed at 6-7 mm, expect “bald spots” soon. Reliable insulation will not work here. If the sealant is applied by 5-6 mm, but its density is from 700-800 g/m2, this is already “stuffed too much”. So, after the building shrinks, the material will not be able to evenly fill all possible unevenness of the beams.

So, what insulation should you use? It depends not only on whether you bought the wood wet or dry, but also on the processing of the wood itself. So, for a bathhouse made of rounded logs and profiled timber, the following natural materials with a layer of 5-10 mm will suit you:

Flax-jute;
Jute felt;
Linen felt.

And for a chopped bath, use 10-15 mm:

Linen felt;
Jute felt;
Construction tow, sold in bales;
Ribbon linen or jute tow;
Moss.

That's all the subtleties. Understand this issue well before building a bathhouse - the quality of its walls directly depends on this!

Materials and tools

To insulate the gaps between the crowns you will need:

interventional insulation;
hook for removing old caulk;
Lebeza (flat spatula) for caulking - needed for sealing cracks;
flat chisel - seals seams in corners;
lebeza (narrow thin wedge) to expand the grooves;
triangular caulk with a groove - it is used to form rollers;
disk for caulking thin grooves;

Caulking tools. a - hook for removing old caulk; b - swan for caulking; c - winch for expanding the grooves; g - disk for caulking thin grooves.

wooden mallet - helps to hammer the insulation into the cracks;
construction stapler.

Do-it-yourself finishing caulk

After the log house has been subjected to shrinkage, finishing caulking is carried out at home. During the shrinkage process, the previously laid layer of insulation is deformed, voids can form in the inter-crown cracks, and vertical cracks can form in the corners of the frame. The operation is performed from the outside and inside. Caulking is a labor-intensive process that requires diligence and attention; the main tool is a wide wooden chisel or rubber mallet. To avoid damaging the integrity of the fibers, it is better to blunt the chisel. The operation begins with the lower crown along the entire perimeter, after caulking of the first crown is completed, they move on to the second, etc.

conclusions

Interventional insulation of a wooden bathhouse is carried out directly during its construction, therefore, you cannot do it without outside help. That is why it is recommended to seek professional help or advice. The fact is that experienced craftsmen will arrange your bathhouse and the insulation pie in it in the shortest possible time and without harm to their health and yours.

But if you decide to take on the task of insulating a timber bathhouse from the outside with your own hands, then it is extremely important to study the basic materials on this topic outlined above.

Types of insulation used

Natural:

Natural moss. For thermal insulation of joints in wooden baths, red (cuckoo flax) and white (sphagnum) are used. The first type of moss has excellent properties, but is quite rare, which makes it difficult to harvest the required volumes. The parameters of sphagmum are somewhat lower (especially in terms of durability), but it is found everywhere. Due to the long time it takes to collect and properly dry the material, moss is gradually being replaced by other insulation materials. But it continues to be widely used in places of its mass growth, especially in the northern regions.
Jute. It is obtained from the stem of a tropical shrub of the same name. Has all the above characteristics. The high content of natural resin (lingin), while giving the material excellent properties, makes it somewhat rough. Available for sale in the form of tow, jute cords, felt and flax-jute. The last two varieties are tape with the same density along the length. This is an excellent inter-crown insulation for a log bathhouse, but the difficulty of filling uneven grooves between logs with such a tape practically precludes its use as an inter-crown insulation for a log bathhouse (tow is used for such baths). The main disadvantage is the high cost.
Linen. In addition to traditional tow, which, like moss, has been used since ancient times, it is produced in the form of a ribbon of interwoven flax fibers, called flax batting or “euro flax”. Can be used in any wooden baths, but is ideal for buildings made of timber.
Sheep's wool. Rarely used due to high cost.

Artificial:

PSUL is a polyurethane foam tape impregnated with acrylic mixtures to increase elasticity and strength.
Polytherm is a tape consisting of thermally bonded polyester organic fibers; in fact, it is a padding polyester designed specifically for baths.
Foamed polymers (spray foam, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam and others).
Mineral wool TechnoNIKOL.
Silicone sealants.

To ensure comfortable conditions in the bathhouse, it is recommended to use only natural insulation materials in Russian bathhouses.

Advantages of jute

Safety

The insulation must be safe for human health. In the bath we enjoy the smell of natural wood and get healthier, so the materials used should not contain any harmful components.

Fire resistance

The insulation for a bath should not flare up from every little spark. Experts recommend using materials no higher than the second flammability group.

Biological resistance

The insulation should not attract the interest of birds and allow the emergence and proliferation of various fungi and bacteria.

Vapor permeability

In a steam room, humidity and temperature constantly fluctuate, and condensation of water in the inter-crown space can only be avoided by using materials with a good ability to transmit moisture without rotting the wood

Therefore, pay attention to the coefficient of vapor and air permeability of the material

Country bathhouse

Durability

Good insulation lasts as long as the structure itself, and at the same time maintains its integrity and elasticity throughout the entire period of use.

Performance characteristics

High-quality insulation, which is laid between the crowns of logs or beams, must meet high standards of quality and safety of use. Therefore, the main performance characteristics of the material include:

High elasticity and density, maintaining properties throughout the entire period of operation. Thanks to its elasticity, the insulation is able to take the desired shape, and its density is able to fill existing gaps between the crowns.
Low thermal conductivity for effective protection of walls from heat loss.
High moisture and vapor permeability.
Resistance to mold, fungi and harmful microorganisms that arise when exposed to increased moisture and heat.
Resistant to ultraviolet exposure and adverse weather conditions.

Methods for sealing inter-crown gaps

Regardless of what type of material was chosen for insulating a wooden structure, installation work is carried out in several available ways:

No bends;
With a bend on one side;
With a bend on both sides.

Laying insulation without using bends is characterized by high quality of fit and small technological gaps.

The material is laid out around the perimeter of the log house on the base, and the next element is laid on top. Fixation is performed with a construction stapler.

For timber buildings, a one-sided bending installation method is used. To do this, take a compactor whose width is twice the width of the log. The strip is mounted with a one-sided bend on the lock. An additional rope made of jute or flax is installed on the outside of the wall.

Installation of insulation with a double-sided bend is carried out for buildings made of wild logs, fire monitors or rounded logs.

Often, such building materials are characterized by uneven dimensions at different ends.

The inter-crown insulation for the timber is fixed using a stapler, while the strips are folded in half and shifted in width. This allows for correct installation between different sized ends. In addition, this method prevents complete shrinkage of the wood.

The choice of the best insulation option for a house or bathhouse depends on many factors that experienced craftsmen take into account at the beginning of construction.

How to make it from timber

Many people believe that insulating a bathhouse made of timber is completely unnecessary, but in vain.

Practice shows that insulation is necessary both internally and externally.

Only in this case the bathhouse will be as functional, comfortable and with a healthy microclimate as possible.

The sequence of work is as follows:

The first stage occurs immediately at the time of assembling the bathhouse from the timber. At this stage, one of the inter-crown heat insulators described above is laid between the building elements. After six months, this process is completed by means of a caulk and a hammer, with the help of which the ends of the fibers are embedded in the seam;
When building a bathhouse, care should also be taken to insulate the floors;
How to insulate walls in a bathhouse? This must be done both inside and outside, but only after the structure has completely settled;
Wall cladding outside and inside, as well as additional thermal insulation.

DIY walls from the inside

Many who are faced with the construction of wooden baths ask the question - why is it impossible to insulate a bathhouse made of timber from the inside immediately after the construction of the building? The answer is quite obvious, since compliance with this rule is necessary to avoid deformation. The fact is that a bathhouse made of timber shrinks only after a certain time has passed after construction.

Attention! It must be remembered that an erected wooden bathhouse is capable of shrinking during the first 1.5-2 years.

Basalt or ecowool are perfect for internal insulation of walls in a bathhouse, since they are not susceptible to high temperatures and high humidity.

From timber outside

It is very important to take care of the insulation of a timber bath from the outside, since such thermal insulation not only protects against blowing, but also ensures a stable temperature in the room.

First of all, we insulate the attic:

It is necessary to cover all floors with glass hydrosol;
You can use bulk heat insulators, such as expanded clay or slag, and you can also opt for laying mats with a mineral base;
On top of this “pie” it is necessary to install a reinforced or non-reinforced screed.

Do-it-yourself insulation of a timber bath from the outside also involves external thermal insulation of the walls.

Important! The most important heat leaks occur in the corners of the structure, which is why it is worth taking care of the minimum number of joints, as well as their high-quality sealing.

For this purpose, ventilated facade technology is used. So, how to insulate a bathhouse made of timber:

The first step is to install the sheathing frame, the width of which should be 3-5 cm greater than the width of the insulation;
You can use penoplex or mineral wool as insulation. Insulation boards must be laid out from bottom to top;
Next, you need to attach a diffuse membrane to the grid. This is done using a construction stapler;
At the final stage, the building is faced with colored siding, varnished lumber or other elements.

Synthetic insulation

Synthetic thermal insulation for the gaps between the crowns of the wall is represented by polyester fibers. The general advantages of this type of insulation include:

durability - manufacturers talk about a service life of 100 years;
low thermal conductivity coefficient;
vapor permeability;
elasticity (volume is restored by 90% after prolonged compression);
frost resistance.

There are two disadvantages:

high cost of 1 linear meter;
do not absorb water, as a result of which a greenhouse effect occurs indoors, and the wood becomes moldy. Therefore, good ventilation of the house and careful wood processing are needed.

The result of using low-quality synthetic inter-crown insulation is fungus at the joints of the crowns.

The best representatives in the segment of synthetic insulation are “Holofiber” and “PoliTerm”.

"Holofiber"

Inter-crown insulation “Holofiber” (translated as “hollow thread”) is one of the varieties of padding polyester known to everyone. It is a springy polyester fiber molded into a tape that perfectly adapts to changes in the linear dimensions of wood during deformation due to shrinkage or changes in humidity. This property is especially valuable for a log house made of sawn timber without grooves. The insulation perfectly holds the volume, ensuring complete tightness, so that re-caulking is not done.

Holofiber insulation.

It goes on sale in rolls and sheets of different densities and elasticity, which allows you to make a choice based on the characteristics of the wood.

Among the advantages:

excellent elasticity;
good noise and thermal insulation properties;
long service life;
simple installation;
no need for re-caulking;
environmental cleanliness;
resistance against negative biological factors (birds do not carry, insects do not appear).

Negative factors include:

“biting” price;
artificial origin;
there is a risk of mold or a special type of rot, about which people say: “the tree is rotting.”