Block house with imitation of a bar: features and advantages

Block house is a popular type of cladding board and is widely used for exterior and interior decoration of buildings. It perfectly imitates natural timber and gives the structure a natural and aesthetic appearance.

The block house is a planed wooden tongue-and-groove panel, the outer side of which exactly repeats the shape of a bar, and the inner side has an absolutely flat surface. The boards are connected to each other by means of the "tongue-and-tenon" system, which greatly simplifies installation and ensures a reliable connection between the panels. The material has gained great popularity among the owners of frame structures, allowing you to quickly and inexpensively improve the building. It is very difficult to distinguish houses sheathed with a block house from natural ones cut from a bar. Such cladding gives the facade solidity, high cost and indicates the impeccable taste of the owners.

A special feature of the panel production is the preliminary drying of the wood., which is carried out in special chambers and completely eliminates the risk of longitudinal cracking of finished boards. During processing, the wood loses a lot of moisture, due to which the lamellas have a very low moisture content, not exceeding 15%. This acts as a guarantor of the absence of mold and mildew, and excludes the appearance of a blue tint, characteristic of undried wood. The dried board is not subject to the process of shrinkage and deformation, due to which the panels are able to maintain their original shape for a long time.

Block house panels are produced in different sizes. The length of the lamellas can vary within 2–6 meters, the width is 9–19.5 cm, and the thickness is 2–4 cm. Products with a width of 9–15 cm are suitable for interior decoration, and wide panels are better for external cladding. A block house is made from an array of deciduous and coniferous species. The former are represented by linden and oak, while the latter are represented by Arkhangelsk pine, cedar, Siberian larch and spruce. Coniferous panels are the most valuable material. Due to the significant resin content in the wood, the waterproofing qualities of the board are significantly increased, the risk of damage to the wood by bacteria that cause decay is reduced, and the overall strength of the lamellas and their service life increase.

Siberian larch wood is especially appreciated. The material has high hardness and moisture resistance, therefore it is the most expensive. Spruce and pine have good resinousness, sufficient strength and are distinguished by an optimal ratio of price and quality. Cedar boards are able to regulate the level of humidity in the room and contribute to the creation of a favorable microclimate. When buying a block house, remember that northern timber is the best and most durable.

The popularity and high consumer demand for block house cladding panels are due to a number of positive qualities of the material.

• Versatility. The cladding board can be used for both exterior and interior decoration. With the help of a block house, you can not only qualitatively improve the facade, but also perfectly sheathe the room of a bathhouse, veranda or living quarters of rural and ethnic styles.Wood panels can be mounted on any type of base, including concrete, brick, wooden surfaces, as well as on walls made of foam concrete and gas silicate.
• Absolute environmental safety and good ventilation of the facade endow the material with high hygienic properties. The facade retains high vapor permeability properties, removing excess moisture through the joint seams and wood, and it is always easy to breathe in a block-finished room.

• High resistance to mechanical stress. The material resists impacts and weight loads well, the lamellas do not delaminate or crack.
• Good maintainability. In case of damage to the board, the problem area can be easily restored. To do this, it is enough to grind the defect and then varnish it.
• Light weight of the panels. Due to the lightness of the material, it is possible to achieve a significant reduction in the weight load on the load-bearing walls of the building and the foundation.
• High resistance to thermal shock, high humidity, as well as to conditions of high and low temperatures, allows the material to be used both in the Far North and in the steam rooms of the Russian bath and Finnish sauna.

• Ease of installation is due to the presence of a universal locking system "thorn-groove", which allows you to install yourself and in a short time.
• Excellent heat and sound insulation properties. The presence of a small space between the main wall and the cladding from the block house allows you to lay insulation, while providing reliable protection from cold and extraneous sounds. Reducing heat losses to a minimum will significantly save on heating the house.

• Aesthetic appearance and comfortable cost allow you to get a luxurious facade or stylish interior decoration for very little money. The material retains its original appearance for a long time, which eliminates the need for frequent repairs. It is recommended to renew wood panels with varnish at least once every 7 years.
• Good biological endurance and fire resistance of wood are due to antiseptic and anti-fumigation processing of raw materials, carried out at the production stage.

In addition to the many advantages, there are some disadvantages of the material. Among them, it is worth highlighting the need for periodic renewal of the material with varnishes, mastics, stains and antiseptics. It should be noted that block house wooden panels are somewhat more expensive than artificial facing materials. Another disadvantage is the flammability and low moisture resistance of some types of panels. But this applies to the most budgetary, not specially processed, models.

The block house with imitation of a bar is made not only from natural wood. Vinyl and metal are often used as raw materials.

The metal panels are made of galvanized steel. The front side of the plank is covered with a polymer material that perfectly imitates the pattern of wood fibers. The advantage of a metal block house over a wooden one is a long service life of several decades, low cost and no need for regular renovation.

At the production stage, the panels are coated with an anti-corrosion compound, preventing the destruction of metal and the appearance of rust. Due to the incombustibility of the material, the overall fire safety of the building is increased. The disadvantages of a metal block house include the formation of a greenhouse effect inside the building and the need to install additional fastening structures.

Plastic panels that are made from vinyl are more suitable for interior decoration. The front side is covered with a polymer film with a wood pattern applied to it.The advantages of this type are low cost, a huge selection of colors and textures, complete environmental safety and hygiene. The planks are lightweight, easy to install, easy to maintain and do not need to be updated regularly. The material is not subject to decay, is not of interest to rodents and insects, excludes the appearance of mold and mildew. The disadvantages include sensitivity to temperature extremes, the need to form interpanel gaps, and not such a spectacular appearance when compared with wooden models.

Facing with panels of a block house consists of several stages.

• You should start with surface preparation, which consists in removing all protruding elements from the base: window sills, platbands, electrical wires, lanterns and cornices.
• The wall should be cleaned of dirt, large cracks, chips and deep depressions should be putty.
• The base must be covered with any waterproofing material, for example glassine. The canvases are overlapped and secured with aluminum tape.

• The next step should be the installation of the crate. The distance between adjacent bars should correspond to the width of the insulation sheet.
• Wooden blocks should be secured with fasteners designed specifically for the material from which the wall is made. For example, a timber is attached to a brick or concrete base with dowels, and for a wooden surface, it is enough to use self-tapping screws.
• Care should be taken to ensure that the bars are installed in a strictly vertical position. For accuracy of installation, it is necessary to use a building level or a plumb line. Bars should be used to frame doorways, windows, corners and transverse joints of block house panels.

• After installing the bars, you should proceed with the installation of insulation boards, which are attached to the facade using umbrella-shaped dowels or special glue. If mineral wool was used as insulation, then it should be covered with a moisture-proof membrane. When insulating with expanded polystyrene or polystyrene, laying the membrane is not necessary.
• Then you can proceed to the installation of the block house. Installation should be done from below, checking the horizontalness of the first board with a level. The panel is attached to the crate with self-tapping screws, clamps or nails.

• When installing a block house, small gaps should be left. This will prevent deformation of the cladding, which can occur from the expansion of the wood as a result of sudden changes in climatic conditions.
• The final stage should be the installation of visors, wiring, window sills, platbands and lanterns.

Internal installation of panels is carried out using the same technology, with the exception of laying insulation plates and membranes.

It is recommended to bring the material to the site in advance in order to enable the wood to adapt to the external conditions and microclimate of the installation site. This will allow the panels to gain the necessary moisture content, as well as eliminate further changes in the shape of the panels. For exterior decoration, it is better to choose coniferous wood that grows in the northern regions. Hardwoods can be used for interior decoration. When purchasing material, you should check for certificates of conformity and other accompanying documentation, and visually inspect the panels for knots and other defects.

The block house is an excellent timber simulator. He noticeably transforms any building, giving it solidity, high cost and style.

For information on how to revet the walls inside the house with a block house, see the next video.