Mezhventsovy insulation for a log house. Jute laying on a bar (mezhventsovy insulation)

No construction wooden structures can not do without mezhventsovy insulation. This is a special heat-insulating gasket, the task of which is to insulate the seams and openings of wooden walls.

Mezhventsovy sealant: for what purposes is it used

When erecting log cabins, you need to make sure that there are minimal gaps between the logs. If, in the end, they remain, then they need to be insulated to avoid getting cold inside.

Otherwise, a house made of wood will very soon become uninhabitable, as it breathes, therefore, there are constant changes in humidity inside. To provide steam and thermal insulation of such a structure, it is necessary to use a mezhventsovy heater.

Certain requirements are imposed on the seal material for wooden structures, namely:

environmental friendliness. That is, the material must be safe for nature;
elasticity and density. The task of the material is to tightly close the gaps between the joints so that they do not appear after a while, that is, after the structure has shrunk;
durability. Perfect option so that the insulation material will serve the entire period;
low thermal conductivity. This indicator should be close to the thermal conductivity of the timber. Thanks to this, the loss of heat from the house will be minimal;
antibacterial properties. The sealant must be resistant to the formation of microorganisms that cause disease or decay;
resistance to external influence... First of all, this means resistance to atmospheric influences (precipitation, temperature drops). Secondly, the insulation should not attract birds that drag cauliflowers to their nests and bugs that like to settle in wooden walls;
the ability to absorb / release moisture, similar to wood. This is necessary to maintain optimal humidity in the home.

The best inter-crown gaskets for wooden buildings are:

jute felt tape;
linseed, jute tow or hemp;
long staple moss.

Each of these materials is excellent for sealing seams. They all have similar characteristics, but each has its own characteristics, which can be both advantages and disadvantages.

The use of natural materials

In the old days, wooden houses were insulated with felt, moss or tow, which showed themselves with better side... These materials are still used today.

Moss for warming crowns

The fibers of the plant reach 30 cm in length. The thermal conductivity of the material is 0.04 W.

TO undoubted merits it can be attributed that he:

does not attract insects, but birds carry it;
not subject to decay from moisture;
perfectly absorbs liquid.
natural antiseptic.

Its disadvantages are as follows:

this material does not possess the elasticity that the sealant needs;
has extremely low fire retardant properties;
it is quite difficult to make a uniform styling with this material.

Important! Not every moss can play the role of insulation. You can only use "cuckoo flax", white peat and red.

When laying moss, a fringe must be left outside. Then you need to push it into the slots using special tool... And after the shrinkage of the log house (after about a year), it is necessary to conduct an audit: cut off the excess, and insert where there is not enough.

Linovatin for warming crowns

The thermal conductivity of the seal is 0.034 W.

According to the method of production, materials are divided into two types:

combed;
additionally stitched or needle punched.

Linen is the basis of two types of sealant:

linseed tow tape;
linen felt.

The advantages of flax as a mezhventsov insulation are:

good hydroscopicity;
ease of installation. Since the tape material is easier to lay;
environmental friendliness. No hazardous substances are present;
excellent sound insulation properties;
profitability;
resistance to the appearance of fungus.

Among the disadvantages are:

linseed tow is produced in standard width;
additional caulking may be required;
The mole "eats".

It is a natural insulation known since long ago... The thermal conductivity coefficient of tow is 0.047 W. This insulation is supplied in bales.

Advantages of tow:

absorbs moisture and dries quickly;
it is possible to form the required bundles in size;
low cost.

The disadvantages of tow are:

re-caulking is necessary;
difficulty in styling;
flammability.

Important! Materials such as tow and moss are only suitable for sealing the inter-crown space of log houses. For a bar, these heaters will not work.

Jute for warming the crowns of the timber

Materials of this type are divided into three types:

jute tow. It contains exclusively combed jute;
flax-jute felt. The proportions of flax and jute are 50 to 50;
jute felt. In addition to jute, there is flax in the composition.

Material advantages:

ease of installation, since the insulation simply rolls out;
durability;
no need to re-caulk;
environmental friendliness;
different roll widths;
hydroscopicity.

The disadvantage of this material is the cost, but at the same time it corresponds to the quality.

Synthetic mezhventsovy heaters

Today, many developers prefer new, synthetic materials. But with such seals, wooden houses will not be able to "breathe" and it will be necessary to build a ventilation system.

What if synthetic insulation turns out to be of poor quality, then the early appearance of fungal spores and mold is possible.

This material cannot play the role of insulation for a log house, but this is because its threads practically do not absorb moisture. And the liquid that is absorbed does not evaporate. Besides, mineral wool allows heat to pass through.

Isover

On the one hand, this material has many positive qualities, for example:

fire resistance;
not subject to decay;
easy to use;
squeezes well and so on.

But there are also huge disadvantages:

accumulates moisture;
not environmentally friendly.

During construction wooden house from a bar, the latter should be whole, even, and not have cracks. Indoor use only in summer suitable material medium thickness, thicker when used throughout the year. However, the durability of the building depends not only on the quality and thickness of the tree. No less important is the mezhventsovy insulation for the timber. This material will provide the room with heat, extend the life of the wood, and can also save the consumer's money. What kind of insulation to choose for laying between the crowns of a building is discussed in detail below.

In winter, the average daily air temperature always drops below zero. The warmer seasons are also characterized by frosts, especially at night. Therefore, the key requirement for inter-row insulation is the provision of reliable protection by cold.

This quality is a complex indicator that combines:

density (gap closure by 100%);
elasticity (the previously named condition must be met even after the house has shrunk);
low coefficient of thermal conductivity (approximately like that of a bar; the lower the insulation has, the better the heat is retained);
absorption and quick release of moisture in the case of precipitation (to maintain normal humidity inside and protect the walls from decay or destruction);
resistance to external mechanical influences (harm to rodents, birds, pulling away insulation for nests, insects);
durability (the ability to perform its functions for as long as possible without deterioration);
ecological purity (absence of impurities harmful to human health that cause diseases or allergies);
antibacterial properties (resistance to harmful microorganisms).

Almost any mezhventsovy heater for a bar that a consumer meets in a hardware store, to one degree or another, meets the above stated requirements. However, choosing the best one for your own benefit will not be easy. To facilitate the task, it is worth familiarizing yourself with two large groups of materials for cladding wooden structures between tiers.

Types of mezhventsovy heaters

Everything existing materials for laying between the beams, houses are divided into two large groups:

Made from artificial components;
Made from natural fibers.

mineral wool (basalt, glass, slag);
expanded polystyrene;
foamed polyurethane foam;
various sealants;
foam rubber.

No matter how low the thermal conductivity of the listed materials is, they are not used as a mezhventsovy heater. For example, mineral wool or foam rubber, squeezing under the weight of the timber, are compacted and impede the normal circulation of air and liquid. Also, the space between the crowns, insulated with these materials, with negative temperatures it is easily blown out, and the room freezes over.

With moisture-proof insulation (polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam, sealant), the situation is different - liquid vapors condense at the joints, causing premature destruction of wooden walls. Of course, you can close the seams tightly, eliminating blowing, but what good is it if another problem appears?

Most often, it manifests itself when laying the so-called "warm seam", when a foam tape is applied to the horizontal plane of the bar, then the seams (on both sides) are caulked with a polyethylene cord of a certain thickness, and then acrylic sealant is applied.

The consumer's expectations are only partially justified - air and moisture do not get inside the house, but the foam rubber will absorb moisture from the bars and will not be able to dry out. Moisture at the joint will inevitably lead to gradual rotting of the wood. Summarizing the option with artificial insulation, one thing can be said - they do not allow the walls of the house to breathe fully, which is just necessary for buildings made of timber.

More preferable are natural materials except for wool and cotton. The latter quickly absorb moisture, dry slowly, and are of genuine interest for insectoids. To wooden bar fully showed its positive properties, it is better to choose a heater made of natural fibers. The most popular are jute (in the form of a ribbon), flax, moss. They have a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, prevent pests, quickly release moisture after being absorbed into themselves. The given materials differ in their characteristics from each other, so it is worth considering each of them in detail.

Features of jute and jute tape

The southern plant of the linden family ranks first in its popularity among mezhventsovy heaters. The qualities of the material are:

excellent hygroscopicity (moisture absorption);
similarity in properties to wood;
strength;
composition (20% - lignin; polymer responsible for moisture resistance);
uniformity and ease of laying (jute is usually realized in the form of ribbons, unwound along the tier of the house / bath);
cost-effective (no need to apply two layers of material).

It is usually applied in one layer, but to increase the thermal insulation characteristics, it is permissible to bend the tape in half (doubling the insulation). Jute has a light golden or grayish hue, so it looks perfect between tiers. However, the insulation should not be strictly gray - this indicates the presence of linen impurities added by the manufacturer for the sake of his own economy. The grayer and softer the considered jute, the more flax it contains and the worse it will regain its shape after getting wet. You shouldn't buy gray insulation.

Heaters containing linen

linen felt;
flax

The properties of heaters are reminiscent of jute, but at the same time they are cheaper. Linen felt, also referred to as "eurolene", is a needle-punched material. When pierced with a sharp object, the fibers of the plant become entangled, further strengthening the structure.

Flax is obtained in a slightly different way - needle-stitched, so it is not as dense as previously described. Both materials are not to the liking of birds, insects and rodents, although they are made from natural materials. As a mezhventsovy heater for timber it is used extremely rarely and is not recommended by specialists.

Types of moss used in the work

Heaters for timber containing moss are in demand among representatives of " old school". The most popular are cuckoo flax, sphagnum and red moss.

The material is laid in large quantities... All knots, cones and other debris are preliminarily removed, then it is abundantly wetted (it will be easier to shrink). During operation, the moss will not rot, since the plant appeared in an environment with high humidity... Since it is placed on the tier in large quantities, it is much easier to caulk in the future. The use of natural material will provide good natural ventilation air.

Sphagnum, cuckoo flax and red moss have several disadvantages. For example, this is their fragility when completely dry and abundant shrinkage; because of this, the layer of insulation has to be periodically updated. Another disadvantage is the difficulty in laying; either a beginner will have to fiddle with moss for a long time, or pay money to more experienced builders.

The result of considering the popular mezhventsovy heaters for timber will be the conclusion: jute and moss are the most the best materials for building thermal insulation. The first is a little more expensive, but easier to fit; the second is cheaper, but working with it is more painstaking. It is advisable to give preference to one of these heaters.

The cost of a heat insulator for crowns is about 1/50 of the price of the entire building. The wrong choice of insulation will increase the cost of saving heat at times. Save wisely, do not skimp on natural, high quality material and do not pay attention to attractive synthetic counterparts. Jute and moss are what will save you in the cold season.

So, what is a mezhventsovye insulation? If we talk simple language, this concept is general - this includes all Construction Materials, which insulate and seal the joints in the walls from the log house. Most of them are based on flax and jute, although in modern heaters already an artificial filling, which, however, is not quite suitable for a bath. And this article will help you figure everything out - how to select a mezhventsovy heater for a bath, and is it worth the risk with popular materials that are not intended for this purpose.

Mezhventsovy heaters, time-tested

Option # 1 - jute and its derivatives

The most popular today is jute - a southern plant from the linden family that grows in warm and humid countries. It is more expensive than flax, but also of higher quality. Its most valuable advantage is its amazing hygroscopicity. Jute itself is the closest in its properties to wood: it is durable, hygroscopic and consists of 20% lignin polymer, which determines its resistance to moisture. For comparison: conifers have only 24% lignin. The only thing: when used in laminated veneer lumber baths, the width tolerances should be minimal: only 1-2 mm.

The color of the jute is pretty pretty - light golden, and it looks great in the walls of the bath. But some manufacturers, for the sake of profit, also add flax fiber to this material, which is why it significantly loses in quality. You will identify this trick right away - the grayer and softer the jute, the more flax it contains. Refuse such a purchase. So what's wrong with flax in jute? The fact is that pure jute has a surface density of 400-800 g for each square meter... It is on this indicator that the caking of the insulation and the uniformity of the shrinkage of the bath directly depend. Flax has a much lower density. Second important point: When installing the dowels, pure jute does not wrap around the drill.

Option # 2 - tape heaters

Especially convenient in use is the tape inter-crown insulation for profiled timber: environmentally friendly and natural. You will purchase it in the form of a tape, and the store will immediately offer you its different lengths and thicknesses. Why? Because there are bars different parameters, you will need to do it in advance required measurements... Such insulation should be used as follows: we bend the strips along and put them between the crowns so that the folded edge is inside the house. At the same time, leave 5 mm to the edge of the bar - this is how you get beautiful walls baths with smooth sealing seams. And yes, put the tape tow in 2 layers.

Material such as flax is also becoming popular. In terms of its qualities, it is similar to jute, but it is cheaper. The seam turns out to be smooth, and interior walls additional sheathing is not necessary. This is an environmentally friendly insulation for profiled beams and rough logs, which “breathes” and provides quite effective thermal insulation. Moreover, birds usually do not like it.

Option # 3 - good old cuckoo flax

And before today many builders remain faithful to the "real Russian mezhventsovy heater" - moss. They only recommend putting it in large quantities, not sparing it, removing all the cones and branches from it. If you take it too dry, you can safely wet it before use, so it will wrinkle much better. And finally: today wool is practically not used in construction - it has too many shortcomings.

Of the newest materials, there are many reviews about Eurolene - supposedly it was they who assembled the house for the president. They make it in Finland, and different types: the more expensive one will never rot, no matter how wet, and the second one can be used exclusively with a dry bar. WITH damp forest it turns black and turns into dust. The new Finnish PP-TERMO insulating material also attracts with its quality. Here are its competitive advantages:

Resistant to mold and various microorganisms, does not rot.
It has low water absorption, and therefore is always dry. This, in turn, significantly increases the life of the wood.
It is not hatched by birds - it is simply difficult to access for them.
Fire resistant - it even has a corresponding certificate.
It does not need caulking - after shrinkage, the log quickly recovers its volume and fills all cracks and gaps by itself.

And it also has an unlimited service life - almost forever.

Materials unsuitable for insulation

Option # 1 - mineral wool

Ordinary mineral wool also cannot serve as a heat insulator for a timber in any way - its threads have moisture absorption close to zero. All moisture in this material is held by the tension of the fibers and does not disappear anywhere. In addition, this material allows heat to pass through and even creates a dew point when firing up the sauna. And yet, sometimes unscrupulous builders manage to use it.

Option # 2 - isover

As for Isover, who in recent times became incredibly popular, then in those places between the crowns where there is no gap, it is compressed by almost 100%, and here its heat transfer is somewhat less than that of other material under the same conditions. But in the places of gaps, Isover is a little fluffed up and quite normally copes with its functions of a heat insulator. On the other hand, the ability to accept and remove moisture from Izover is almost the same as that of many other mezhventsovy heaters, but this material does not burn, does not rot, it does not need to be caulked, and over time it does not crumble like dust. Unpleasant dusting can be eliminated with an airtight finish.

So, let's summarize. This is what Isover is preferred by many as a mezhventsovy heater:

Does not burn, does not rot;
Convenient to work;
Well compressed and leaves no gaps;
Doesn't like birds;
Does not need additional caulking.

But this fashionable material also has a significant drawback: it is not too environmentally friendly, and with a slight break it emits prickly and allergic dust. And it also quickly accumulates moisture ... And many lazy builders convince the future owners of baths to use this particular insulating material - after all, it is much easier for them to work this way: it is cut easily, downright rolling on a log, construction goes quickly and costs less. That is why, despite advertisements from neighbors, not many people want to put Izover inside the walls of the bathhouse - especially those who saw it in the process of use: even with a dry timber, the insulation turned out to be 2/3 wet.

Also like them synthetic materials are often a dangerous source of phenol. So, let's conclude: mineral wool in a compressed state does not remove moisture at all, and Izover, if not closed with a vapor barrier, turns into a sponge altogether. The decision is yours.

Option # 3 - polyurethane foam

Used as a mezhventsovy insulation and polyurethane foam. It is appreciated for the following properties:

Fast technological installation.
Good adhesion, due to which the timber is glued tightly. When drying, it will not twist, and the steam room will not warp.
The foam seals the corners of the frame much better than moss or tow.
The hardened one-component foam is not flammable and does not emit toxins, which, however, the multi-component foam cannot boast of.
The caulking process after the foam is quite simple.

But for all its advantages, foam as a mezhventsovy insulation does not please with such qualities:

It is not elastic, due to which microcracks may appear over time (and a tree, like any living material, can slightly change its volume).
In winter, it does not tolerate the cold - it crumbles.
Low resistance to ultraviolet best. Over time, the sun turns to stone and crumbles.
Not environmentally friendly enough.

And, note, polyurethane foam is used as a mezhventsovy insulation today relatively little, and therefore many other negative consequences of such insulation are not yet known. But the foam itself is also used as a mezhventsovy heater in such an alternative:

Option number 1. The timber is put in half a meter, and after the end of construction, they are penalized. So it supposedly dries faster, and then the remaining wide gap can be foamed. Fast, airtight and no caulking required. From the inside of the bath, the cracks are caulked with a linen rope.
Option number 2. Before applying the foam, let the bath sit completely on the tow. After all, the settlement of the building occurs due to the shrinkage of the timber itself - and this is at least a year and a half. After that, a 5 cm gap is punched in the tow and the groove is foamed, and, finally, they are protected with a sealant at the seams.

As for the choice of the brand of foam, so far Macroflex Pro is most suitable for this purpose. In a word, there are a lot of materials, and, as they say, how many people - so many opinions. There are also those bathhouse owners who built their steam rooms ten years ago and are quite satisfied with Izover as a sealant. They argue that the timber after the rains will be wet in place of the insulation, regardless of the type of the latter: it is moss, or modern material... And the main advantages become a decisive factor: these are the cheapness and ease of construction of the installation. It is only important not to take the cheapest Izover (it is also called Chinese) - you can really get poisoned from it.

What exactly is suitable for the walls of the bath?

For a bath, you can use only that mezhventsovy insulation that allows moisture to pass through itself, without accumulating it at all - these are all materials with a capillary structure of fibers. Moss, jute, flax and some of their derivatives. Yes, only natural materials have such properties! And all synthetic moisture always accumulates, which is why then the tree rots, and the seams are not ventilated at all.

Experienced builders with more than one behind them wooden bath or a house, it is advised to choose a mezhventsovy heater not according to advertising, and not according to the success of its use with neighbors - but exclusively for each specific case. Somewhere, indeed, foam is needed - 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, a thickness of 3-4 mm of insulation is sufficient, if its density reaches 300-400 g / m 2. But for steam rooms made of heavy rounded logs, this indicator is already different - 4-5 mm, and the density should be at least 500-600 g / m 2. For a bath house with two floors, be guided by 8-10 mm thickness and 700-800 g / m2 density. But where problems can arise: if the sealant has a density of 300-400 g / m 2, but at the same time it was put in 6-7 mm - expect "bald spots" soon. Reliable insulation will not work here. If the sealant was imposed on 5-6 mm, but at the same time its density is from 700-800 g / m 2 - this is already too "stuffed". So the material will not be able, after the building has shrunk, to then evenly fill all possible irregularities of the beams.

So what kind of insulation should you use? It depends not only on whether you bought the wood raw or dry, but also on the processing of the wood itself. So, for a bath made of rounded logs and profiled beams, such natural materials with a layer of 5-10 mm are suitable for you:

Linen-jute;
Jute felt;
Linen felt.

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

Linen felt;
Jute felt;
Building tow sold in bales;
Oakum tape linen or jute;

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