Wood is a building material that combines unique properties. It can be easily obtained directly from nature. As a result, it is one of the most widely used materials. Thanks to its use in the field of construction, designers have a lot of new solutions, which is due to the beautiful appearance of the tree, as well as its environmental friendliness. However, wood has some specific features. Each of them must be taken into account when starting the construction of a wooden house.
Pros and cons of wood
Of course, wood is a very beautiful material. Products from it look expensive and solid. In addition, they have a beautiful natural scent that will fill any room with freshness. However, compared with stone and brick, this material has several disadvantages. So, for example, it begins to decompose very quickly if external stimuli act on it. Protecting wood from moisture and decay in this case is simplenecessary. After all, otherwise the building will take on an ugly appearance, and subsequently it can be completely destroyed.
Features of wood material
As noted above, wood combines a number of features. Each of them has certain disadvantages. Consider them in more detail:
- Is a highly flammable material. Therefore, it is undesirable for the wiring to pass along its surface. If the house is completely wooden, a quality fire system should be installed.
- Wood is afraid of moisture. Under its influence, it can swell, so it is desirable that the premises have a minimum of dampness.
- Various microorganisms also adversely affect the tree. These include fungi, mold, and bacteria. Under their influence, the destruction of the original structure of the material begins. Protecting wood from decay occurs in various ways. Often, special tools are used that temporarily slow down this process. But if the decay has already spread over a large area, then reconstruction is necessary.
Biological protection
One of the most important enemies of wood material are various microorganisms. Moreover, these are not only mushrooms, but also algae, as well as some insects. Most often, mushrooms take root in a humid environment, where they have enough nutrients. In order for them to fully gain a foothold here, just a few hours are enough. That is, in time to notice and destroyalmost no one succeeds in such a pest. Although the first signs of the presence of such microorganisms are evident: black or gray spots appear on the wood, blue, it becomes wet.
But the most terrible enemy for a wooden dwelling is the mushroom house. If the room has favorable conditions for its development, then it can destroy the floorboards in just a month. And getting rid of such a pest is very difficult. It used to be customary to burn the houses where such a guest lived so that he would not live with his neighbors.
Biological protection of wood from moisture and rotting is a prevention of wetting of wooden materials during their use. To make this possible, you should try to reduce the amount of evaporating water in the bathroom and kitchen. After all, if the humidity of the air increases even a little, the humidity of the wood itself will also change. As a result, it will begin to swell, crack, rot. Moisture protection is a very important process that all owners of wooden houses should pay attention to.
Main causes of decay
Wood is very vulnerable, so it easily rots. Therefore, any wooden object must be carefully treated with special means. Consider a few of the main causes of wood decay:
- Humidity. This is the most terrible enemy of any item made of wood. Many have observed more than once that interior doors in the bathroom and kitchen often increase in volume. This happens due to swelling. To get rid of such a nuisance, you should take out the moisture-damaged door to a warm place. Over time, it should return to its original size. If you don’t feel like waiting, you can use a jigsaw and cut down the edges of the door a little. That is why it is so important to protect wood from moisture.
- Due to frequent changes in temperature, the tree either narrows or expands. As a result, its structure is broken, becomes crumbly.
- Wood accumulates a large amount of moisture that does not come out of it. This causes it to swell a lot.
- Freezing in winter.
- Contact with the ground, so there is always increased dampness in the room.
Rot protection
A fungus that completely affects wood tissue is considered a formidable pest. It can not only damage the structure of the material, but also hit the whole log house, bathhouse or even a gazebo. Therefore, protecting wood from moisture and decay is an important and indispensable step in the process of building a house. As a rule, such a microorganism affects the wood that was cut down relatively recently more strongly. To determine the degree of damage, just look at the boards or bars. If they have brownish spots, porous dips or depressions, then the process of decay has already begun. And the sooner the rehabilitation of the material begins, the greater the chances of saving it.
Protecting wood from decay involves the use of special impregnations based on chemical components. One of the most effective coatingsthose that were made on a silicone basis are considered. They are characterized by high biological stability.
How to choose the right product?
When choosing a protective coating, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the object. For example, if it is located in a humid region, then it is better to look for a tool that will protect the tree from constant temperature changes. Typically, such drugs retain their effect for 12 years. There are also multifunctional substances. They are designed not only to protect the building from decay, but also protect against spontaneous combustion. Street buildings (terraces, gazebos) are best treated with products that are difficult to wash off. They are much more expensive, but their effectiveness has been maintained for 35 years. For some buildings (especially residential buildings and baths), high-quality protection of wood from moisture and decay is necessary. Senezh is one of the best options, because it copes well with all pests, and its validity lasts for 20 years.
Processing technology
If you don't know how to protect the wood, it's better to use the instructions below:
- The material should be thoroughly cleaned of dust and dirt, which will interfere with the penetration of the special compound.
- To remove all unnecessary gaps, you can use sandpaper. It is desirable that it be small, as with its help it will be much faster to do this.
- Gently rinse the boards with warm water. Fordetergents can also be used. It is desirable that they do not foam too much.
- Leave the tree to dry completely.
- Apply protective agent.
Processing Features
Wood decay remedy must be applied very carefully. It should be handled very carefully, ensuring your own safety. It is important that the substance does not get into the eyes, mouth, and even on any part of the skin. If this does happen, then the damaged area should be washed with water. If the means of protecting wood from moisture and decay are applied by spraying, then complete safety for the respiratory system should be ensured. At the moment, there is a wide variety of different agents and preparations used against wood decay. Therefore, when starting building a house, there is no need to be afraid that it will soon collapse.
Increasing the water resistance of plywood
Of course, the most appropriate way to improve the water resistance of plywood is to stop it getting wet. If the walls of the house are covered with sheets of plywood, then to protect them, the roof overhangs should be made large. Upholstering the room with it, it is necessary to fasten it so that the outer fibers are vertical. Plywood will be well protected from moisture if it is thoroughly soaked with drying oil. Before applying, it should be slightly warmed up so that it is better absorbed. Repeat the procedure until the plywood stops absorbing drying oil.
How to stop the rotting process?
If the decay has already begun, then it will not be possible to restore the damaged areas. But it is still possible to stop the spread of this process. To do this, the affected area is cut down with an ax or a chisel. It is also advisable to capture some of the he althy wood, which may contain spores of a harmful fungus. A metal rod is installed in the resulting hole, and then everything is carefully puttied.
Why paint wooden structures?
Protecting wood from moisture and decay involves not only the use of special compounds, but also paints. Painting is a rather laborious process, as it takes a long period of time. Before starting it, it is necessary to remove the previous layer of paint. To do this, a weak solution of caustic sodium (or water with soda) is applied to it. After some time, the paint will become softer, so it can be easily removed with a scraper. You can also find special solutions on sale that will help remove old paint of various types.
Wood is a living material, so it must be painted according to special requirements. Otherwise, after a while, the paint will begin to peel off and completely recede. It is imperative that the wood to be painted is as dry as possible. Therefore, it is advisable to paint only in summer, when the weather is dry. Before painting, the surface can be primed. It is better to use only oil paints that form a waterproof film.
There are also Swedish and Finnish paints. They are durable, cheaper,require the removal of the old coating. But they cannot be applied over old oil paint. That is, they are only suitable for covering fresh dry wood. In addition, it is advisable to completely deresin the tree before starting work. To do this, just wipe the problem areas with acetone or alcohol.
