The traditional building material in Russia is wood and wood products - timber, boards, sheet materials. But to extend the life of wooden buildings and wooden parts, they must be protected from external factors - from moisture and wind, temperature changes and mechanical impulse loads - impacts and scratches, from insect pests and fungal diseases. To do this, they use a technique such as painting a wooden house outside and inside with antiseptic, fire-retardant and paint materials. What's the best way to paint? wooden house outside, see below.
Features of wooden houses
Positive qualities of a wooden house:
- The weight of a wooden building is almost 3 times lower than a brick house of the same size. This means that the foundation can be made lightweight and shallow, and the house itself can be built on any soil, saving money and labor costs;
- Wood allows air to pass through (breathes) well, so the house will always have a microclimate favorable for living, no matter what colors the facade is painted;
- Wooden walls retain heat well, even if the house is painted outside and/or inside. Thus, walls made of 20 cm logs have the same thermal conductivity as brick walls 32 cm thick with double-sided plastering with a layer of 1.5-2 cm. It does not matter how to paint a wooden house - acrylic paint or varnish, oil or.
Disadvantages of wooden buildings:
- Any house made of wood must go through a shrinkage process, which takes 1-3 years. At the same time, living in the house is not prohibited, and you can move in 6-8 months after completion of construction;
- Due to the fact that wood “breathes”, wooden surfaces cannot be finished with tiles, stone and other hard natural materials. To do this, additional steps are taken, for example, installation of sheathing. But you can paint a wooden house at any time - there are no time or technological restrictions for this;
- A wooden house is a fire hazard structure, so all surfaces must be impregnated with fire retardant substances;
- Wood is easily damaged by insects. To avoid this, use hard wood and special impregnations.
Taking into account all of the above, the decision on which paint is best to paint the outside of a wooden house is made separately for each house. But any paint is applied in several layers - from 2 to 5.
Exterior paints
Paint for interior and exterior work has different characteristics, since external surfaces must withstand exposure to direct sunlight, wind loads, snow and rain, positive and negative temperatures. Therefore, oil, acrylate and alkyd-acrylate compositions are most often used for a wooden house. 
Oil paints are distinguished by deep penetration into the structure of wood, increased resistance to atmospheric factors, and can have any color.
Disadvantages of oil paints:
- Mandatory application in several layers, followed by annual renewal of the last layer;
- If you don’t know how to properly paint the outside of a wooden house, remember: oil paint fades faster than alkyd paint, so it’s better to paint the shadow sides of the house with it;
- The time for complete drying of this composition is up to a day.
Acrylate paints are the most optimal option for wood, since, unlike an oil layer, the wood continues to breathe, when a board or beam is deformed, the paint layer does not crack, and the composition itself does not fade in the sun.
Covering antiseptic is an alkyd-acrylate paint that fits perfectly on any wood, even old wood, and is able to retain its appearance more than ten years.
It is better to cover solid surfaces with all of the listed paints, and for calibrated logs, beams and uneven surfaces, use azure and colorless wood varnish. If the varnish is colored, then even several layers will only slightly change the shade of the surface, but will not change the overall tone. 
| Name | Recommendations | Advantages |
| Tikkurila (Finland) | Tikkurila - the best composition for coloring, widespread in Russia | Good frost and moisture resistance |
| Senezh (Russia) | The paint is suitable for baths, wooden houses and outbuildings, wide range of colors (16 colors and shades) | Fireproof properties, protection against insects, high moisture resistance |
| Drevoplast (RF) | An acrylic-based emulsion creates a durable coating on a wooden surface with the effect of liquid plastic. | High degree of protection against any precipitation, long service life |
| Tex (RF) | Cheap external composition, after drying creates a durable polymer surface | High vapor permeability, resistance to sunlight |
| Pinotex (Estonia) | Polymer facade paint for exterior use | Protection against fungal diseases, mold and insect pests, resistance to temperature changes |
| Olimp (RF) | Emulsion linen paint with elastic dried coating surface | The ability to strengthen the structure of wood, strength, resistance to cracking, protection from precipitation, mold, insects and fungal diseases |
- The varnish or paint for the primary layer is selected based on the preferences of the master. Subsequent layers must have the same composition as the primary layer: oil paint is applied to the oil composition, etc.;
- To clarify the composition old paint or wood varnish, you need to make a cut. Dried oil paint breaks easily, the acrylic sample can be bent;
- When painting, the outer surface of the walls of the house should not be directly illuminated by the sun, so as not to create islands with different shades;
- It is not recommended to use expired varnishes or paints;
- Before painting, any wooden surface must first be impregnated with an antiseptic and fire-retardant substances, and also primed;
- The paint or varnish must have good resistance to UV radiation and moisture.
Preparing house walls for painting
To create a surface prepared for painting you must:
- Remove dust and dirt from the wooden surface. This can be done dry or wet;
- Destroy traces of mold using special means;
- Destroy traces of tree resin and paint the area with varnish;
- If there are nails, screws, staples and other metal hardware in the wall, their surfaces are coated with a metal primer;
- After all these measures, the wooden surface should be left for two weeks to dry completely.
Painting a wooden house
After figuring out which paint is best to paint the outside of a wooden house, you can begin painting the house. The process begins with applying a primer. After the wood has completely dried from the primer and other compounds, the walls can be painted. The paint is applied to dry walls in 2-4 layers, and each layer must be dried.
Important: It is imperative to apply a layer of primer so that the paint does not begin to peel off over time. The primer is applied after the wood has been impregnated with an antiseptic and fire retardant compounds.
Paint is applied to wooden walls as follows:
- During the painting process, the paint must be constantly stirred;
- It is better to apply paints and varnishes with a brush - this way the composition will be distributed over the surface more evenly;
- To obtain a uniform and rich color, use a primer color;
- Wood should not be painted in direct sunlight. Painting is carried out at positive air temperatures, in calm and cloudy weather;
- All compounds (primer, paint, fire retardants, antiseptic) must be applied along the fibers;
- The end surfaces of logs or beams must be impregnated with preliminary compounds several times, with each layer completely drying. Each end should be painted from top to bottom, without smudges.
Staining old wood
Before painting, wooden surfaces are inspected for damage and repairs. Most often, the western and southern walls are damaged due to exposure to natural factors. When renovating, you can paint only those areas that are worn or damaged the most. When completely painting walls, use paint of the same composition and approximately the same color or shade. 
If you don’t know what paint the house was previously painted with, you can determine its type visually, on your own:
- Acrylate compounds are tactilely and visually similar to a layer of thin leather. Dried acrylate paint can only crack along the wood grain;
- Oil paints lose their gloss; if you run your finger over the surface, it will leave a chalky mark. Oil compounds crack across the fibers, and cracks may also look like small rectangles;
- Glazing antiseptic compounds become thinner with prolonged use. Wooden walls can be impregnated with an antiseptic of the same color or darker. In addition, instead of a new layer of antiseptic, you can use oil paint. If the wood has not previously been impregnated with an antiseptic, you can immediately use acrylate-based paint.
Housing plays a vital role in a person’s life, as it is the place where people usually spend the most time. Therefore, the house performs several functions at once: comfortable and convenient for life from the inside, it must also be beautiful and well-groomed from the outside.
Types of paints
The peculiarity of wooden houses is that they need good and high-quality care, since wood is a material that is easily exposed to the external environment, moisture, insects, fungi, and so on. In order to avoid such influence, preserve the external beauty of the house for a long time, and also protect it from the negative influence of the external environment, it is usually treated with paints. To decide which paint is best to paint the outside of a wooden house, you should understand what types of paints are available, as well as choose the right color scheme. Then you can proceed directly to painting.
Paint not only decorates the walls of the house, but also protects it from environmental influences.
There are several main types of paint intended for painting a house. They are distinguished by the type of base, therefore Among the colors there are the following:
- oil;
- acrylic;
- covering antiseptics.
Each of these types has its own advantages and disadvantages. Substances for painting the outside of a wooden house have a fairly wide range, due to the large range technical characteristics, indicators that allow one or another level of wood protection to be provided.
Before you paint the outside of a wooden house, you first need to understand these characteristics. You should also answer the question of what will be cheaper to paint with and whether it is worth covering the wood with impregnations and other protective agents before painting.
Oil paints
What paint is better to paint the outside of a wooden house if there is not much money for it, but a lot of work needs to be done? In this case, finishing craftsmen prefer oil paints. They are the most affordable when compared to others. In addition, oil-based enamels have the feature of deep penetration, which allows them to withstand weather changes for a long time.
Oil paint on the outer wall of a house will last no more than 5 years.
But besides the advantages of this paint, there are also disadvantages that do not allow the widespread use of a cheaper oil base. Such paints, unfortunately, fade quickly, and they also need to be renewed over time - quite often, on average about every 5 years.
In addition, there is one important drawback, which concerns the process of applying paint and its drying. Since oil paints take quite a long time to dry, their use becomes impractical if the weather changes frequently outside, a strong wind blows, or work needs to be done quickly. In this case, any dust, dirt, leaves can settle on the painted surface, ruining its appearance. Drying of oil dyes lasts from several hours to a day or even two days.
Oil exhibits its best qualities if it is not exposed to frequent precipitation and is not irradiated by direct solar ultraviolet radiation. Resistance to these factors often depends on the quality of the substance chosen for painting from different brands and manufacturers.
Acrylic
What paint to paint a wooden house if it needs to be done quickly, the cost of the work is not of primary importance, and great attention should be paid to the quality of the painting? In this case, acrylic compositions are best suited for facade works and exterior decoration of buildings.
Wooden buildings go quite well with acrylic coatings; moreover, acrylic as a dye base is used for finishing not only the outside of the house, but is also well suited for interior decorative and finishing work.
The service life of acrylic paint on the facade of a house is 8 years.
Acrylic compositions, being quite universal in purpose, are suitable for painting any surface, and not just wood. In this case, wooden houses with existing metal or brick structures would be best painted with acrylic substances.
The external beauty of finished surfaces is one of the most important advantages of acrylic. What makes it different from oil is that it allows air to circulate through it so the walls can breathe, which makes it advantageous over other types of paint.
It is also worth considering that acrylic dyes, as a rule, last up to 8 years, after which they can be renewed if necessary.
Protective antiseptics
This type of paint has more protective properties than decorative ones, but due to the variety of colors and assortment, it can be used for almost any external design, including the exterior of wooden buildings. Antiseptic paint for painting the outside of a wooden house is primarily intended to protect the structure.
Protective antiseptics not only protect wood from insects, but also increase the “lifespan” of acrylic paint up to 10 years.
The covering antiseptic is based on alkyd-acrylic compounds. This, like acrylic paints, allows the covering antiseptic to have a number of stability properties. Thanks to this, alkyd-acrylic paints can last longer than others, for example, 10 years or more, and all this time the paint will protect the wood both from moisture or other weather factors, and from insects that, when entering wooden structures, destroy them.
Despite the fact that covering antiseptics have spent quite a bit of time on the market, their qualities have already proven themselves and have allowed many craftsmen and owners of wooden structures to protect their homes at a decent level.
Most often, alkyd-acrylic compounds are used in the case of fairly cheap coating options ( wooden boards, wood paneling and so on). As a rule, paints are not used for expensive elite tree species. In this case, protective varnishes of a transparent or partially transparent color are used in order to preserve the appearance of the wood or to give it a deeper texture and the desired appearance. The same applies to the use of oil and acrylic paints, instead of which it is better to use varnish or glaze for processing the external cladding of a house made of expensive, exotic species.
Color selection
When choosing paint for the exterior of a house, it is worth considering how noticeable or, conversely, inconspicuous the building should be against the general background. Depending on the natural local climate, the nature of the development near the house or the lack thereof, a more suitable color may differ.
Usually, when using certain types of paints, they resort to monochromatic styles or painting in several colors. Design using complex designs and patterns is usually used for special types of painting. In this case, you should seek help from design experts or completely trust your own taste, and you can also find a professional forum or group on a social network that gives advice on what techniques can be used to cover a wooden house.
Color determines the stylistic direction of the home.
As a rule, one is chosen as the main color, which completely matches the surroundings of the house. If the building is located near a forest or among dense private buildings, this may influence the choice of the main color. The best approach in this case is considered to be a choice based on the climate of the area.
Thus, for southern and warmer regions, shades of blue, violet and other so-called cold colors are often used. Closer to the north, in cold latitudes from Estonia to Kamchatka itself, it is better to use warmer colors - yellow, red orange and others. Thanks to this approach, the house turns out to be in contrast to the background of other buildings or the natural environment. In cases where it is necessary to maintain some authenticity of the tree cover, sometimes they also resort to light yellows and shades of brown.
Preparing for painting
Once the home owner has already decided what to paint the house with and has chosen its color scheme, it is important to properly prepare for painting. The preparatory stage of painting is one of the most important, since high-quality preparation of the surface for paint guarantees a longer service life of the entire protective layer.
There are several preparatory work, which should be carried out before painting a wooden house completely:
- Cleaning the surface of contaminants allows you to completely remove everything unnecessary from the surface, after which the paint will not peel off or flake. In order to completely remove dirt, you should wash the building with water, for example, using a hose, after which the facade should be allowed to dry.
- In order for the wood to retain its qualities and not succumb to the further spread of fungus or mold, all areas affected by them should be detected, and before applying the coloring composition, treat the materials with special liquids and impregnations to protect them from rotting and moisture. Pre-treatment with protective impregnations can be carried out over the entire surface of the house.
- In some cases, it is necessary to remove formations of tree resin that may appear on the surface of the walls. This happens when wood species that have a certain amount of resin are used.
After all the preparation steps, you should allow the surface to sit undisturbed for several days before painting. Therefore, it is recommended to prepare for the application of dyes a week and a half before the start of dyeing work.
Painting
Coating a wooden house with paint is quite simple and consists of several stages:
- At the first stage, the facade of the house must be treated with a primer that penetrates deeply into the wood.
- After the primer has completely dried, they begin to apply paint, for which they use a spray gun, brushes or rollers (for large and flat areas), as well as small brushes (for recesses and hard-to-reach places where a spray gun cannot reach).
- If painting is carried out in several layers, then each subsequent layer is applied only after the previous one has completely dried. Even the slightest surface moisture is not allowed
- Dyes are applied along the wood grain, usually along the long side of each board or wall element.
Based on these simple recommendations, any experienced or novice craftsman, already knowing how to properly paint the outside of a wooden house, can do it with ease. In the case when you need to use a special design or patterns, the paint application technology may differ slightly, but this will depend on the very nature of the future exterior.
If the question arises as to what is the best way to repaint a house, then you need to take into account that repainting is carried out with the same material as the previous one, that is, it is impossible to apply oil paint to acrylic paint, even after many years, or vice versa.
Thanks to high-quality and timely painting of the house, you can get the desired exterior, but the main bonus is that the painted house will last a long time, and its walls will be reliably and for a long time protected.
Video: Technology of painting wooden walls of a house
You dip your brush into it and create to your heart's content. But it's not that simple. Any professional will tell you that when painting a house, certain technology and painting rules are important. Everyone has probably noticed: for some, a painted house lasts for many years and the paint is like new, while for others, the house loses its appearance after just a year or two. So what is the secret and how to paint a wooden house correctly?
Wood, as a living and natural material, is very susceptible to aging. The aging and destruction of wood depends on many factors, but the most important enemies of wood are UV radiation, water and humidity, as well as fungi.
Sunlight, together with water, temperature, oxygen and other external influences (dust, dirt, fungi, sulfur compounds) destroys the surface of the wood, as a result of which it turns gray and becomes rough, and its fibers stand upright. This surface gets dirty easily. Moreover, such changes can be seen literally within a few weeks. Water first causes the wood to swell, which, when dried, causes a state of tension, which eventually leads to cracking. In addition, water stimulates humidity, and humidity in turn, especially when elevated temperature, causes the growth of blue fungi, mold and rot. Mold fungi grow only on the surface in the form of dark spots and have a severe and unpleasant smell. And blue fungi grow in the fiber of wood and cover its surface brown, blue-gray or almost black. Blue stain fungi and mold do not destroy wood or reduce its strength, but only cause aesthetic damage, making the appearance of the surface unsightly. But rot fungi are already destroying the wood and causing structural damage inside it. They can destroy the wood cells from the inside and corrode the cellulose, as a result of which the strength of the wood significantly deteriorates and the wood becomes unsuitable for use. We should also not forget about bark beetles, which crawl out after a 2-3-year larval stage. In addition to all this, it must be taken into account that the atmospheric loads on a wooden surface in the coastal zone and in open spaces are especially high, and on the southern and western sides of buildings they are five times greater than on the northern. Thus, after carefully studying the reasons negative impacts onto the tree, we will be better able to eliminate and counter them.
1. Choose paints and impregnations from well-known companies.
2. Preliminary surface preparation. This has an important impact on the final result and should never be neglected. Careful surface preparation improves paint adhesion to the surface, etc. The service life of the finished coating is significantly increased.
First, remove dust and foreign matter from the surface. It is better to do this by rinsing the surface with water using a garden sprayer and a brush, because... water collects dust better. If there are already areas affected by mold and blue stains on the surface, then they need to be treated with a special anti-fungus and blue stain compound, and then rinsed with water. If there is resin in the places of knots (this is typical of coniferous wood), then you need to remove it with a metal spatula and then treat it with a compound for knots. Nail heads and other metal parts need to be coated with an anti-corrosion primer. It is a good idea to leave the surface prepared in this way to dry for one or two weeks, covering the surface with plastic film (in warm weather, do not forget to open the film) and be sure to leave room for ventilation. By the way, if we have a suspicion that the tree is not completely dry, then we will dry it for at least a month, covering it with a curtain of film in rainy weather, and removing this curtain in dry weather. If it is not possible to dry the tree at all, then we will cover it as is with a tinted primer and leave it until better times, when it will be possible to dry the tree.
3.Choice of paint.
Antiseptics penetrate the wood to a depth of several millimeters and protect the wood surface from the effects of atmospheric loads, rot, mold and blue stains. Antiseptics are glazing (translucent) and covering (opaque). Glazing (translucent) antiseptics preserve the wood texture well and at the same time give the wood a certain color tint; they preserve the beauty and pattern of wood better than other paints and varnishes. Covering (opaque) antiseptics completely cover the wood texture while maintaining the visible relief of the wooden surface. Oil paints absorb well into wood and have excellent weather resistance, they are good at preventing water from penetrating the wood, but they dry slowly (seven hours to a day or more). In addition, oil paints tend to slowly matte and change color over time, which is especially noticeable in bright and dark shades of paint.
Acrylate paints are extremely weather resistant. Compared to oil paints, they retain their color and shine much better and, in addition, have good vapor permeability (they “breathe well”). The acrylate present in paints gives them excellent elasticity. Acrylate paints live in time with the deformations of wood and do not crack. Regarding the service life, let’s say that the average service life (after which it is recommended to renew the surface):
- for glazing (translucent) antiseptics it is 3-5 years.
- for covering antiseptics 5-7 years
- for oil paints 5-6 years
- for acrylate paints from 7 to 10 years.
Varnish does not allow moisture vapor to pass through easily, so it should not be used for exterior finishing of a wooden house. Try to choose paint that applies a thick layer and hides defects
4. Application rules. Regarding the technology of applying paint and varnish to wood, we will say the following: for many well-known manufacturers of paints for protecting wood from the outside, the technology of applying paint to wood is divided into two stages. The first stage is the application of a primer antiseptic. Primer antiseptic plays important role in protecting wood, it significantly slows down the effects of moisture, rot fungi, blue stains and mold. Neglect of priming with such an antiseptic leads to global consequences; the service life of the entire paint coating is significantly reduced. The second stage is the application of the finishing coating, which can be used as glazing and coating antiseptics, oil and acrylate paints. So, when the surface is prepared, we apply one layer of primer antiseptic, then, when the surface is dry (usually the next day), we apply 2 -3 layers of topcoat paint or antiseptic, thoroughly drying each layer.
Moreover, if we follow a few simple tips below, then the service life of the coating we apply will be maximum, and the appearance of the house will delight us for a long time.
- mix the paint thoroughly before and during painting, otherwise the gloss and color of the paint coating on the surface may be uneven. - do a test paint on a small area of an unnecessary board and check the correctness of the chosen color.
- it is best to paint with a brush, because... This is the highest quality painting method. At the same time, try not to apply too thick layers, because... You risk getting uneven color and shine on the surface being painted.
- if possible, tint the primer in a color that is closest to the future coating.
- do not paint under direct exposure to sunlight, this will lead to undesirably rapid drying. Therefore, do not carry out painting work in hot and bright sunny weather, or if precipitation (rain, dew) is expected. The most favorable weather for painting is cloudy, windless and warm. Always apply paint and antiseptic in the longitudinal direction.
- the ends of boards and logs are the weakest points, through them water is absorbed into the wood especially easily and quickly, so they need to be especially carefully coated with several layers of both primer and coating material.
To properly paint a wooden house, you must first clean off the resin in those places where it appeared using a solvent and fill the gaps between the knots and the wood. 
5.How and with what to properly paint a wooden house (outside)?
Previously painted wooden surfaces. If we see that the previously painted surface has faded, has a faded appearance, is covered in mold, the paint on the surface is peeling and other similar defects, then it’s time to think about updating the paint coating. A new coat of paint will significantly improve the appearance of the house, and at the same time you can also change the color of the facade itself. But before we begin the renovation, we must decide for ourselves what we want to get as a result? Indeed, often the very condition of the wooden surface limits us in choosing paint. It is worth thinking about repairing not the entire facade, but its individual parts, for example the southern and western walls facades that experience the greatest atmospheric loads and, accordingly, more often need repairs than other walls. Sometimes a good solution is selective repair of individual places or high-quality repair of one (the most worn) wall, with the intention of repairing other walls next season. If the wooden facade is in good technical condition and does not have gross structural defects or damage, it can simply be updated by repainting it in the same or a different color. In the case of repainting, when choosing a new paint, it is better to adhere to the following rule: for repainting, use the same paint or the same type of paint that was previously painted on the surface. If we do not know what paint the surface was previously painted with, we will try to determine the type of paint previously applied. Types of paints can be determined visually. Acrylate paint has a leathery surface and chalks less and later than oil paint. Acrylate paint usually cracks in the direction of the wood grain, while oil paint has checkered or transverse cracking in the direction of the wood grain. You can conduct a simple experiment, try to roll up a small piece of paint. If the lacquer film remains intact, then this usually means acrylate paint, and if the film breaks with a bang, then it is most likely oil paint. Glazing antiseptics also wear out over time and their film becomes thinner. If we see a glossy film of antiseptic, then the surface can be repainted with the same antiseptic of a richer or darker color or with oil-based paint. If the antiseptic has completely faded and does not form a film, then the surface to be coated can also be painted with acrylate paint.
We paint the old surface covered with oil paint with oil paint or acrylate paint (after having previously cleaned the surface with a wire brush to the wood). We paint the surface covered with acrylate paint with acrylate paint or, if you really want, with oil paint (after cleaning the surface with a wire brush to the wood).
Preliminary preparation is important during repairs; how thoroughly it is carried out, the better and longer the coating will last. In such cases, the surface to be painted is usually cleaned of hanging scraps of old paint, dust, dirt, resin and foreign matter with a brush or scraper and washed with water. Mold is removed with a special solution. For better adhesion of paint on the surface, it is recommended to degrease the surface with alkaline detergents. Old sheathing, as well as rotten, crooked and cracked boards must be replaced with new ones. If you need to remove old paint, then remove it mechanically (sandblasting, scraper or metal brush) or chemically (using special compounds). Chemical removal of lacquer coating better preserves the wood texture, but the process of chemical removal itself is difficult and slow, and to use it on large areas (in this case, facades) you need to be very patient. Chemical removal of old paint is resorted to only when the surface to be cleaned must be cleaned very thoroughly or the condition of the wood cannot withstand sandblasting. However, the end result of chemical removal is exceptionally excellent. In addition, it is necessary to do a trial removal of old paint. If you need to sand, then sand the wood. Next, we simply proceed according to the above plan. If we do everything as expected, we will get a good façade coating that will serve us for many years.
It is best to paint with a brush rather than a roller, as this is the highest quality painting method. At the same time, you should not apply too thick a layer, as this may result in uneven color and shine on the surface being painted.
It so happened that to cover wooden facades they choose the first available paint and varnish, while paints for wood have completely different properties. Today we will tell you how to do right choice paint or varnish, if we are talking about the exterior decoration of a wooden house.
Basic functions of paint coating
Why do you need to paint wood at all? The answer, at first glance, is quite obvious: to extend the life of the wood and provide it with additional protection. This is indeed the main, but not the only function of paints and varnishes for wood; moreover, you need to understand what factors harmful effects the coating will have to deal with.
The most important indicator for any façade paint is weather resistance. We are talking about the ability of the coating to resist moisture absorption and maintain integrity under the influence of chemically aggressive substances dissolved in rainwater. Resistance to sunlight is also important: transparent compositions that preserve the wood texture must contain a UV filter to prevent darkening of the wood, and opaque ones must simply preserve the color of the coating for as long as possible.
Paint or varnish should also contribute to asepticity. As a rule, this is achieved by protecting the wood from getting wet, but many paints and varnishes have additional additives that do not allow the development of harmful microflora. Don't forget about insect pests: high-quality paint covers the wood with a hard shell that the bark beetle cannot chew through.
Finally, decorative properties should not be overlooked. The facade is the face of the building and the entire exterior depends on its appearance. Depth and the correct selection of colors in coordination with the details of the adjacent landscape will ensure aesthetic harmony and make the house stand out pleasantly from the surrounding background.
Special properties
Depending on climate and a number of other environmental conditions, paints may exhibit different performance qualities. They are determined mainly by the technical properties of the coating and depend on the chemical composition of the paintwork material.
For different regions, you should choose paint with a certain degree of frost resistance. The material must retain a certain amount of elasticity at low temperatures so that the coating does not crack. Equally important is the ability to withstand high temperatures without irreversible changes in the structure of the coating, because on a hot day, a sunlit building wall can heat up to 70 °C.
You also need to remember about the ability of the paint to reliably adhere to the base. Most materials, even from a low price category, have good adhesion to pure wood, but the situation changes radically if the wood is already coated with some kind of composition. To avoid the grueling process of cleaning the facade, you should choose the right composition so that the paint or varnish base does not conflict with the existing coating.
The ability of paint to withstand mechanical stress should not be overlooked. It seems that this indicator is not important for the facade, but the dust contained in the air acts as an abrasive and gradually thins the upper glossy layer, due to which the coating over time loses its resistance to moisture, sunlight and biological erosion.
Which paint base to choose?
Almost all paints and varnishes consist of a base, a solvent and a coloring pigment with a set of additives. And if the appearance and some special properties depend on the latter components, then the main characteristics of the paint are determined precisely by the base, which can be of three types.
Water-soluble acrylic paints are the lightest type of coating; they are not able to withstand the destructive effects of the natural environment for a long time. Therefore, they are usually used with the expectation of regular renewal, or if the wood itself is stabilized and does not need protection. The advantage of acrylic paints is ease of application and environmental friendliness, as well as the ability to easily create an individual shade yourself.
Paints based on synthetic resins - glyphthalic, pentaphthalic and others - are called alkyd enamels. Their main difference is that they create a durable glossy film on the surface of the coating, which, unlike the film of acrylic paints, is an impenetrable barrier: it does not allow water to pass through and limits the coating base from chemical reactions with atmospheric gases. Not all alkyd enamels have high weather resistance, but this type of paint provides the highest degree of protection for wood. Polymer-based varnishes and paints are often included in this group, but not because of chemical affinity, but because of similar performance qualities.
The third type of base includes stains, which are designed to give wood a certain color and act as an impregnation that protects against bacteriological damage. Stains do not form a film, and therefore are not able to protect wood from getting wet and aggressive chemical influences. For this reason, they are used only if they are subsequently opened with varnish, usually transparent.
Color, glossiness and transparency
The choice of paint and varnish materials for finishing wooden facades, as a rule, is carried out with the aim of giving the building an exceptional appearance. The success of the solution largely depends on understanding the basic principles of working with wood, as well as on your own taste.
Paints in bright, saturated colors are very rarely suitable for facades. On the contrary, the most beneficial would be to choose a calm natural color. If the house is located in a dense building, it is better to give preference to soft pastel colors. For houses located near bodies of water, variations of blue and green are well suited, but always muted with gray.
Buildings located in a natural environment, for example, with a high density of green spaces, as a rule, try to stand out by painting them in colors from sulfur and mustard to dark brown. If the adjacent landscape appears in abundance natural stone, red-brown tones work well, as well as deep green and almost all light shades.
The paint does not have to have a high density of pigmentation. Some enamels allow partial manifestation of the texture, which is very good for houses whose facade is finished with high-quality lumber with a minimum number of defects. If the emphasis is on the natural appearance of the building, it is better to give preference to tinted and transparent varnishes. It should be remembered that the more transparent the coating is used, the higher quality the wood should be and the more thoroughly it must be processed before varnishing.
All facade paints differ in the degree of gloss, which must be chosen taking into account two circumstances. The first is the norm of natural light: shinier coatings look better in shade, while a house with matte paint will not glare too much in direct sunlight. It should also be taken into account that the higher the degree of gloss, the smoother the film created on the surface when drying, which means that the protective properties of the coating will be higher.
Consumption and application methods
Paints and varnishes differ significantly in viscosity and hiding power, which limits the choice of method of application. For example, so-called film-forming impregnations can only be applied with a brush, which is extremely inconvenient when finishing surfaces with a large area or when working at heights.
Alkyd enamels and varnishes are the most versatile in this regard; when working with them, you can use a roller or spray. Acceptable application methods are indicated by the appropriate pictograms on the label. When covering wooden facades, it is optimal to work with a roller: coatings that allow this method of application significantly improve the speed of work without increasing consumption.
The total amount of paint for finishing the facade is determined by the consumption standards declared by the manufacturer, the surface area and the number of layers. It is imperative to take into account that the consumption when painting rough and smooth surfaces may differ by 1.5-2 times. Also, when working with a spray gun, it is necessary to purchase paintwork materials with a margin of about 20-25%. Of no small importance are the drying speed of the paint before applying the next layer and the permissible temperature conditions - these parameters must be taken into account when planning painting work.
Conclusion
The range of modern paints and varnishes is organized in such a way that for each individual product a specific chemical composition and any quantitative expression of the basic properties are not indicated. This is done not only to preserve trade secrets, but also to make the choice easier for the buyer.
Therefore, when purchasing paint for your wooden facade, the most correct approach would be to be guided by general ideas about the behavior of a particular type of paint, and also to assign the responsibility for selecting paintwork materials to consultants. In this case, you only need to indicate the type of surface and type of wood, the presence or absence of any coating, region, special operating conditions, desired service life and additional wishes.
Please note that not only paints are used to protect wooden surfaces. The manufacturer will definitely recommend a suitable primer and protective impregnation. If high demands are placed on the facade in terms of durability and quality of appearance, such recommendations should not be neglected.
Wooden houses and bathhouses made from logs are classics of country house construction. Such buildings look cozy and attractive, but under the inexorable influence of time and Mother Nature, the wood gradually begins to change. The original beauty of the facade fades, and the performance characteristics of the building deteriorate.
To preserve the facade and protect the house, the exterior of the log house is painted, for which the industry has developed a great variety of protective and decorative coatings. Sometimes the purpose of painting a log house is to even out the color (if the facade is faded on the sunny side), in which case the owners also strive to maintain the uniformity of the texture of the wooden surface. In any case, a guarantee of an excellent result will be the choice of a suitable composition and adherence to the technology for processing facade walls.
The facade of a country house takes on an attractive appearance Source peedilyearn.club
Choosing the right paint
The tree is building material of natural origin and, unlike man-made brick and concrete, reacts much more strongly to air humidity, wind, temperature fluctuations and solar radiation. Wood without bark can rot, burn out and become a haven for all kinds of molds and wood-boring beetles.
The factor that determines the service life and external decorative qualities of a log house is the choice of coating. Paints or impregnations for treating wooden façade walls are used to preserve wooden elements and must meet certain requirements:
Create surface protective layer, protecting wood from rain, snow and atmospheric moisture. Be frost-resistant (not destroyed by cyclical temperature changes).
Have UV protection. Direct sunlight causes unprotected wood to change color (tanning effect) and lose its attractiveness.
Have good adhesion(adhesion to the plane of the facade) and absorbency (important when processing with impregnation; penetration depth is indicated in the annotations for the product).
The type of paint is chosen based on its protective properties and visual appeal. Source derevyannyy.com
Demonstrate no moisture absorption.
Have environmental friendliness. A parameter that is especially relevant for a log bathhouse.
Don't lose your attractiveness. Varnish and acrylic compositions should not lose their original gloss. Paints take a long time keep original color.
Be abrasion resistant.
The market offers a wide range of products suitable for painting the facade of a timber and log house. Modern coatings make it possible to preserve and emphasize the naturalness of the facade material or completely hide it under a protective layer. When deciding how to paint the exterior of a log house, owners give preference to proven, certified products. In practice, several types of coatings are used, the characteristics of which are useful to have an idea of.
The use of certified paints is a guarantee of high-quality painting Source fasad.guru
Antiseptic impregnations (waxes, stains) and varnishes
Liquid antiseptic impregnations for wooden surfaces penetrate the wood structure to a depth of 0.5-1 cm and create a barrier to all threats, natural and weather. There are two types of antiseptics on sale:
Wax. Water-based wax is perfectly absorbed into wood, without creating a continuous film and maintaining its breathable properties. When finishing the exterior of a log house, a colorless or glazing (translucent) composition is used, creating a mother-of-pearl effect or an additional shade on the surface. Gives the facade water-repellent properties, leaving the natural structure visible.
stain. The composition is a tinting (impregnating) agent that colors the facade and protects it from biological contamination. The coating is short-lived, so a varnish is applied on top, which can extend the life of the stain and enhance its protective properties.
Treatment of wooden elements with fire retardant Source optimal-r.ru
Lucky(colorless or colored) - a proven, reliable means for protecting the facade. Both options do not hide the natural texture of the wood; colored varnish can highlight its color. Varnishes, glazing impregnations and wax are used for painting not only outside, but also inside homes, where non-toxicity and external decorativeness are especially important.
Acrylic (acrylate) paints
Acrylic paints on water based for processing the external walls of a log house are considered the most acceptable, high-quality option with many advantages:
included in solvents are not included;
dry quickly and form a durable vapor-permeable film;
protect wooden facade from ultraviolet;
durable(resistant to weather vagaries);
for a long time(7-8 years) retain original color and shine.
Flawless look of acrylic paint Source materialyinfo.ru
On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer exterior finishing and insulation services for houses. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.
The construction market offers several types of paints:
Water-based acrylic paints. It is a water-acrylic emulsion (composition of two immiscible elements). After application to a wooden wall, the water evaporates, leaving a thin film layer with attractive properties on the surface. The paint does not have a strong odor, is flexible enough not to deteriorate under the influence of low temperatures, is vapor permeable (allows the wood to breathe) and at the same time waterproofs the facade.
Water-based latex paints. They also contain acrylic resins, and therefore they are elastic, do not fade under solar ultraviolet radiation and are resistant to abrasion. Synthetic latex in the paint makes the surface silky in appearance. This paint is used when processing facades, window and door openings, and fences.
Types of decorative impregnation with water-based acrylates Source plantu.ru
Alkyd compositions. They are produced on the basis of alkyd resins, which remain in the surface layer of wood to form a protective glossy layer. This paint fades quickly, but is resistant to negative temperatures and high humidity; it is often used to paint doors and window frames.
The disadvantage of acrylic dyes is their rather high price. When painting log walls, they can be replaced with less expensive acrylate paints and aqualacs based on acrylate resins and dispersions, which reduce costs. These compositions have similar characteristics, they are safe and beautiful, but are designed for a shorter service life.
Oil based paint
Oil paint for a log house, used externally, is a familiar and fairly common method of painting. Despite its modest consumer qualities, it continues to be used; more often for painting fences than residential buildings.
Oil paint - a budget way to update a facade Source pkr.grunfest.ru
The main reason for use is the attractively low price, deep penetration into the structure and a sufficient degree of protection of wood from atmospheric moisture. Oil-based paints have the following flaws:
toxic composition;
steam tight;
the paint takes a long time (about a day) to dry;
quickly loses color under the sun and does not tolerate low temperatures.
Over time, any covering of a wooden facade loses its original appearance and protective qualities. Walls need to be updated when using:
Oil paint: once every 5-6 years.
Glazing antiseptic compositions: in 4-5 years.
Covering antiseptics: once every 6-7 years.
Acrylic paints: in 7-8 years.
Video description
About the technology of painting the outside of a house in the following video:
Stages of preparing a log house for painting
In order for the paint layer to lay smoothly and beautifully, and for the coating of wooden walls to satisfy the quality throughout the guaranteed service life, it is necessary to consistently prepare the facade, adhering to technology. Before the exterior of a wooden house is processed, a number of preparatory works are carried out:
Grinding. It is mandatory even for new buildings (from 1 to 3 passes are performed). The surface is sanded using a power tool (grinder with coarse abrasive). This treatment removes defects left after sawing (or manual processing) - chips and minor cracks. Sanding also opens the pores of the wood, which facilitates deeper penetration of impregnation and paint.
Polishing. It is carried out with a grinder with a fine-grained nozzle or sandpaper (which significantly delays the process). As a result of processing, a fresh, lighter layer of wood appears; the surface becomes even and smooth, absorbs paint better.
Sanding prepares the surface for painting Source gdeprosto.ru
Cleaning. The facade is cleaned of wood dust formed after sanding, stains of resin that have appeared are removed with a metal spatula and solvent.
Troubleshooting. The facade is put in order: joints and cracks are caulked (using tow and modern sealants); small cracks and knots remaining after sanding are sealed with putty.
Processing of metal elements. Nail heads and screws are treated with a metal primer.
Video description
About mistakes when painting a wooden house in the following video:
Painting the outside of a log house: stages of the process
Protective and decorative painting of a house made of rounded logs on the outside is the key to its long-term preservation without loss of visual appeal. Typically, processing is divided into several stages:
Antiseptic. Impregnation of the facade with water- or oil-based antiseptics and fire retardants disinfects the wood and prevents new insects and microorganisms from appearing (1 to 2 passes are performed). It is convenient to apply the antiseptic through a spray bottle, so a respirator and safety glasses at this stage are not at all superfluous. Further procedures begin after the composition has completely dried.
Primer. The purpose of the treatment is that the composition prepares the surface for final painting. The primer prevents the release of tree resin (in knots) and the appearance of stains on the paint.
The paint color is chosen taking into account the style features Source gomabygg.com
Adhesive primer(acrylic or oil, optional). The impregnating composition improves the adhesion of the base paint to wooden wall and reduces paint consumption. Avoid getting dirt and dust on the drying primer.
Cover paint. The main paint for a log house, the final layer that decorates and protects the walls. Ideal option - acrylic paint, applied in a thin layer sequentially in three steps, using a brush or roller.
Painting the outside of a log house: factors affecting quality
The quality of painting a wooden country house depends mainly on two factors:
Weather conditions. Ideal weather is dry and windless. Do not paint in the sun (the paint will dry too quickly and unevenly), during or after rain. The permissible temperature is determined by the type of paint (indicated on the label).
Wood moisture content. It should not exceed 20% during painting, so façade walls made of wood with natural humidity are painted after the frame has shrunk.
A necessary condition for a quality result is ease of use. Source projecty-domov.ru
Following several rules will help make the painting of a log house durable:
Log ends. They are treated with lime or water-based paint for the first time immediately after cutting the log house (this prevents the logs from drying out suddenly and reduces cracking). After sanding, the ends are painted at least 3-4 more times.
Tool. A spray gun helps to apply paint quickly and evenly if you have experience. Otherwise, a wide brush with a dense padding will be the best choice. The paint is applied with a brush in the longitudinal direction (according to the location of the crowns of the log house).
Working methods. If necessary, intermediate manual sanding with re-application of primer is allowed. The glazing or covering antiseptic should be stirred periodically during operation; this will help the pigment to distribute evenly.
Painting of a wooden house is completed Source yandex.ru
Mistakes when painting a log house unqualified
If the desire to save money on professional services for some reason outweighs the guarantee of the quality of the work performed, then after a while unsightly results such as stripes, stains and simply peeling areas on a recently painted surface are very likely. In such cases, the quality of the paint product is not always to blame. Unprofessional builders, due to inexperience, make basic mistakes that affect the final result:
The façade is not properly prepared for painting: poor quality polishing(or lack thereof) leaves the surface rough.
Technology is being violated(sequence) of painting.
Work in progress in unsuitable conditions(in high humidity or under the scorching sun).
Newly erected buildings are being painted ( natural humidity) walls.
Selected for painting incompatible materials.
Paint peeling caused by technology violation Source otdelka-expert.ru
Painting an old wooden house
Over time, the painted facade begins to lose its attractive appearance - the paint peels off, mold appears, and the south side fades more rapidly. Sooner or later, the external walls of an old country house will require updating. Before repainting, the old coating is cleaned (for example, with a wire brush), and the surface is inspected to identify possible defects.
To ensure that the new layer goes on smoothly and lasts as long as it should, choose the same type of paint that was originally used. A study of the texture of the old coating will help determine what the façade was painted with:
Acrylate paint. Thin, elastic structure reminiscent of leather; You can roll a piece of peeling paint into a roll.
Oil paint. It has a matte color and may leave marks on your fingers after touching. You won't be able to roll the roll - the fragment will crumble.
Old walls need careful preparation Source color-kostroma.ru
An old wooden house is painted in the same way as a new one. The difference is that it is not recommended to paint the old facade with a roller; it does not fill the unevenness that appears after periodic swelling and shrinkage of the fibers with paint. To give the old facade a neat look, painting the log house can be done in three or more layers.
Exterior painting of a log bathhouse
A bathhouse is a building with specific operating conditions; the interior of the log house is exposed to high humidity and temperature. Therefore, the main condition for the external coating is to maintain the vapor permeability of the walls. Otherwise, moisture will linger in the wood for a long time, creating favorable environment for the development of mold microorganisms. When thinking about how to paint the exterior of a log bathhouse, do not forget about the nuances of processing the loghouse of a bathhouse:
The logs must be dry and clean.
In order for the protective layer of the new log house to serve as reliable protection, lumber treated with stain before collecting the crowns.
Before repainting, the structure must be cold and ventilated.
Stages of processing and painting a bath Source do.59.ru
It is convenient to apply impregnations in the following sequence:
Antiseptic. Products based on natural and synthetic oils are optimal.
Fire retardant.
Dye. Best option- acrylic facade paints, non-toxic, durable and vapor permeable.
