Let’s not delay the process and take our time: when can you start finishing a wooden house?
Wall finishing in a wooden house does not begin the day after its construction is completed. Wood does not tolerate such haste. There are deadlines for everything, so you need to take advantage of the given time and prepare for further repairs.
Newly built wooden housing should “rest” and dry out
The process of drying the structure lasts about six months. During this time, excess moisture leaves the material. The countdown must begin from the moment the frame is erected up to the roof.
Shrinkage is significant, it is at least 4-10 cm even with normal moisture content of the material. But even six months is only a suspended sentence. In order to caulk the roof gaps, you need to wait almost a year.
If we are talking about an ordinary, freshly built wooden house, then there is no rush here either.
During the first six months, the cutting board shrinks by about 2 cm
The conclusions are clear: shrinkage eliminates the possibility of high-quality finishing inside the building, otherwise the entire repair can be started from the very beginning. In addition, a low-quality board may dry out unevenly, so the structure will “lead” and the material will have to be replaced.
Shrinkage also occurs due to the weight of the building. To make your home beautiful not only from the outside, but also from the inside, you need to wait
While time passes, you can plan the future interior, select finishing materials, install communications and heating, mark doorways, create blind areas. There is a lot of work to do, just enough for 6-12 months, during which you should not do interior decoration.
The end of drying will be prompted by the traditional method. To do this, drive a nail into both the top and bottom logs, and string the twine between them. After a week, they see whether the rope sags or not. If there is no sagging, it's time to start interior decoration.
With a frame house they operate differently: you need to stick a piece of paper with an allowance on the adjacent boards. If after some time the sheet does not tear, then drying is complete.
Related article:
Decorating the inside of a wooden house with your own hands : what it costs to decorate a house made of wood, the pros and cons of each type of material and how to do it yourself - read the publication.
Veneer wallpaper
Veneer wallpaper is a sheet of thick paper, on one side of which a veneer of one or another type of wood is glued. Their main difference from wallpaper made from natural wood is their lower cost. But at the same time, all other indicators - durability, environmental friendliness, practicality and aesthetics - remain unchanged.
Wooden veneer wallpaper is sold in rolls from 5 to 10 m long and 35-50 cm wide. However, other sizes are possible depending on the manufacturer.
According to the method of their fastening, they are similar to ordinary paper wallpaper. The adhesive composition should be applied to the substrate, and then, joining the edges of the pattern, it is necessary to paste the walls of the room.
What preparatory work is needed for interior finishing of a wooden house?
First, a thorough inspection of the building is carried out from all sides. After you are convinced of the reliability of the construction and the shrinkage produced, you can begin to move on.
Wood must be treated with protective compounds against fungi, mold and fire retardant
If we are talking about an old building rather than a new one, then additional sanding of the walls is needed. Grinding is also carried out for the log house, once every 4-5 years before new surface treatment.
Those who wish to leave the log house “as is” should use stain or varnish tinting
So, the preparatory work for finishing is as follows:
- caulking of walls;
- fine finishing;
- headliner;
- flooring;
- stain treatment, painting.
As you can see, there is plenty of work!
Recommended materials for finishing a wooden house
You need to know what is the best way to cover the walls of a wooden house. If your building is seasonal, then insulation is not required for summer use, but a permanent place of residence requires more serious materials for the interior decoration of the walls of a wooden house.
The material must be hygroscopic, durable, capable of expanding and contracting with changes in humidity and temperature.
Conifers are not prone to overheating and easily absorb moisture; over time, resin may be released
Drywall, lining, block house, plaster, painting, and wall panels are used as finishing materials. For the floor, laminate is most often purchased, and the ceiling can be wooden, decorated with beams, or covered with clapboard.
Important! When purchasing any finishing material, you need to purchase it 10-15% more than you expected.
Advantages of wooden wallpaper compared to lining
If we compare them with lining, which preceded the appearance of wallpaper, then the latter has a number of advantages. The main ones are light weight and faster installation speed.
- Installing the lining is a rather painstaking task, in which each narrow strip is nailed separately. Wooden wallpaper for interior decoration is glued in strips, as a result of which the installation speed is significantly accelerated.
- If we talk about weight, then the lining is heavier. This is another plus in the direction of wallpaper. They can be used to decorate the ceiling, arches, niches, and decorative projections.
Wooden wallpaper for interior decoration photo
Among the disadvantages, it should be noted that the lining is more natural than wooden wallpaper. Still, the latter are in some way a composite material, and chemical impregnation and adhesive compositions do not add naturalness. The lining can consist exclusively of wood without any impregnation, i.e. safety for human health is guaranteed 100%. In addition, one of the disadvantages that should be noted is the fact that in damp rooms the joints and edges of wooden wallpaper can peel off.
We focus on wall finishing options in a wooden house
The choice of options for interior decoration of a wooden house is considerable. We calculate how much money you are willing to spend on repairs, how you will use the home, and what style you would like to see the decor in.
How to equip the inside of a clean log house finished with paints and varnishes
If the region allows you to leave the log house in its pure form, that’s great. The woody smell will always be a subtle aroma present in your life, and the appearance of your home will be beautiful and presentable.
The beauty of the log house is unrivaled
You should not lose sight of the fact that such a house requires special attention: it needs to be updated, removing contamination, anti-parasitic treatment and varnishing the surface every 4-5 years.
The log frame lends itself well to painting
The range of coatings suitable for wooden walls includes alkyd paints, which perfectly protect against moisture, and acrylic paints, which are non-toxic and safe, and also leave the wood “breathable”. In addition, oil coatings based on drying oil or linseed oil are used, but this is not the best and most modern option.
The wood is also coated with glazing compounds that provide a translucent protective coating.
If you like lining for finishing walls with wood
Lining has a number of advantages: it is the same material that is easy to install, and the appearance of the room immediately becomes beautiful and dignified.
Lining is suitable for those who want to see a smooth, aesthetic surface around them
The material is environmentally friendly; manufacturers offer a large selection of colors and types of wood.
Such a wooden covering costs a lot, but for its installation you need lathing. After installation, the lining is varnished, sanded and varnished again.
A block house, as a type of lining, consists of higher quality wood. This is a worthy choice due to its durability, ease of assembly and beauty. For interior decoration, lamellas with a thickness of 25 mm are needed.
The texture of a block house is indistinguishable from natural wood
However, this material is flammable and does not have good vapor permeability.
Finishing a wooden house inside with plasterboard
Drywall is also actively used in finishing the inside of an old wooden house. This is the material under which you can easily hide some flaws in construction and planning, which serves to level the walls. Plasterboard is usually used to finish ceilings and is used to install partitions.
For the bathroom and kitchen, select plasterboard with a moisture-resistant coating
Wall panels for interior decoration
Since the choice of wall panels is not small, this option is gaining more and more popularity. You can choose panels to match natural veneer, choose products from laminated MDF, which is not afraid of moisture and has different textures.
The possibilities of decorating your home with wall panels are increasing, since it is not difficult to find materials that imitate koi, bamboo, or wood.
Installation of wall panels is simple, and the room immediately takes on a solid and noble appearance
The panels are fastened to the sheathing using a tongue-and-groove system.
Advantages of products imitating wood
The use of materials that replicate wood will result in significant cost savings and will highlight every centimeter of the room being treated.
At the same time, wood-look wallpaper for walls has a number of positive qualities:
- High speed of work is ensured, allowing you to achieve results within two days.
- The products are thin and therefore can take up little space on surfaces.
- Materials can give the room habitability and comfort.
Also, by relying on such materials, people can ensure that they spend minimal effort and time on caring for the walls, since they are easy to stick and further care.
On the issue of finishing the ceilings of a wooden house
The ceiling is not the easiest element to repair. This is the very place that makes the room spacious, cozy and complete.
In wooden houses, many prefer coffered finishing due to its unusual appearance
Lining is also actively used for ceiling coverings: it is an easier way to make a beautiful and neat ceiling.
The lining dramatically changes the appearance of the room
For some styles that require naturalness, you can finish the ceiling only using protective coatings for wood.
Stretch ceilings are good for rooms where there is a high level of humidity.
What is the type of floor finishing in a wooden house?
If the ceiling makes the room look solid, then the floor sets the overall tone in perception, balancing all the elements of the living space. In our case, the best choice would be natural boards: these will be durable and reliable floors.
This floor should be additionally insulated and protected from moisture.
Laminate as a covering has long won its place in interior design and is perfect for wooden houses.
Laminate flooring is quick and easy to install
To lay the heat-insulating layer, bulk materials, foil-based heat insulators, and mineral wool are used. There should be more than 2 cm of free space between the insulation and the finishing.
The best way to sheathe the inside of a wooden house: options from professionals
If communications and heating are ready, rough finishing is also completed, the time has come for the final stage of home decoration.
If there are irregularities, lathing is needed. Its usual pitch between the slats is 40-70 cm, and the space between them is filled with insulating material.
Finishing with plaster is a rather old-fashioned method, but it also has its pros and cons.
Plastering costs a lot, given the specific nature of wood with periodic shrinkage, plastering will need to be done every 5 years. But for many interior styles it is good.
The block house is used by people who value aesthetics
You can leave the log house in its pure form, later working on the style of the room
Popular styles of wooden house design
It's easy to be proud of a wooden house. This is a combination of beauty, grace, natural origin and the chosen style of interior design.
We’ve already figured out how to decorate the inside of a wooden house. Now let’s look at the approaches and nuances to different types of such houses.
Interior decoration of a wooden house made of timber in a rustic style with photos in the interior
In numerous photos you can see the interior decoration of a wooden house. What if you want to create a certain style? Well, that's not a problem either. Consider the design of country style. This is a traditional Russian style, and an American style, and a simple rustic one: country music is popular in different countries.
Russian style does not tolerate excesses in decorating a house made of timber. Here it is appropriate to simply protect the tree with special coatings
A touch of rustic elegance that is not alien to the log house
Design of a wooden house made of logs in a chalet style with a photo inside the building
The chalet style, which is not so familiar to us, is an excellent option for decorating the inside of a house with wood, as the photos below will demonstrate:
Interior decoration of a wooden house in a modern style
Adherents of modern styles: hi-tech, loft or minimalism will have to try hard, trying to incorporate their wishes into the decor of a wooden log house. But whoever wants to, can always.
You need to pay attention to the texture of surfaces
Stylish and modern
Decorating the inside of the attic of a wooden house with photo examples
The building with the attic is very convenient. To find an option for finishing the second floor of a wooden house, you should refer to successful photos:
Wood-effect wallpaper in the interior: high-quality imitation
Wood can be combined with any style in the interior; design in an ecological, rustic or country style looks especially good.
Wooden wallpaper for walls includes several types of finishing coating:
- Natural wood panels assembled using a hidden tongue and groove system;
- Rolled veneer;
- Cork wallpaper.
Wood has a pleasant structure, so wood-style wallpapers are available in many designer collections.
The highest quality type of wallpaper that imitates wood is non-woven wallpaper.
Depending on the material you can find wood-effect wallpaper:
- Paper;
- Non-woven;
- Vinyl.
The color and texture of the canvas can imitate tree bark or wood structure.
For real patriots, wallpapers with images of birch trees were developed
In addition, there are wallpapers with images of trees and forests of any climate zone:
- Birch or oak groves;
- Jungle, tropical forest;
- Savannahs, prairies;
- Spruce and pine forests.
Wallpaper with silhouettes of trees brings a sense of harmony to the interior, and the natural green color of the foliage gives rest to the eyes. 3D wallpaper with a pattern of trees enlivens the room and visually enlarges the space. Often the landscape is complemented by images of ponds, babbling streams, and waterfalls. In the background you can see snow-capped mountain peaks, cumulus clouds, and plains stretching into the distance. It’s very pleasant to look at such wallpapers; natural landscapes don’t get boring over time. Usually 1 wall is decorated with landscape and photo wallpapers, and the other 3 are filled with background light wallpaper.
Despite the fact that wood-effect wallpaper was originally used in country houses, it is also perfect for modern interiors.
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This interior solution makes it possible:
- Direct guests’ attention to the landscape and distract them from repair defects;
- Visually increase the area of the room due to light walls;
- Emphasize the chosen style in the interior using wallpaper on an accent wall.
Wallpaper with the texture of wood or the image of green trees will help to realize the creative idea for renovation. What is the fundamental difference between wallpaper stylized as wood and coverings made from natural wood panels?
Difference:
- Wooden wallpaper lines the wall, because the thickness of the planks is about 2 cm;
- Stylized wallpaper with a natural wood look should be glued to a flat wall.
Both options are suitable for an apartment, but for a country house or cottage it is more convenient to choose natural wood. The walls in a dacha are often cold even in the summer; wood paneling will add coziness and create a homely atmosphere.
