Wood remains the most common building material who owns country houses and cottages are used for the construction of various fences on the site. The wattle fence between the recreation area and the beds near the cottage will look harmonious, beautiful wooden fence around country house or a low wooden picket fence around the flower beds in the yard. But unprotected wood is subject to rapid deterioration due to constant interaction with rain, wind, snow, and the sun.
In shaded areas in the yards of cottages, in places with high humidity, the boards quickly lose their original view and covered with mold or affected by fungus. How to process fence posts and the plank fence of a country house itself so that they retain their attractive appearance for more than one year? There are many available ways wood processing, although, for example, fence posts require the use of different protective equipment for the outer part and the one that is buried in the ground.
Common mistakes when installing wooden poles
Initially, it is important to understand the reasons why the support posts for the fence become unusable and how they need to be processed. This happens, first of all, under the influence of moisture, which, by impregnating the wood, creates “good” conditions for the development of all kinds of bacteria. And if the top of the pillar has time to dry out under the sun and wind, then at the point of contact with the damp earth, the process becomes irreversible. The tree begins to rot, becomes covered with mold, insect pests start up there. The processes of decay in the lower part of the column are somewhat slower, but inevitable. Not better way to prevent this process than to treat the fence posts with antiseptics and waterproof their lower part.
The typical mistakes of summer residents when installing wooden poles include the wrong choice and installation of a log, as well as non-compliance with the rules for processing the underground part.
When choosing pillars, you should pay attention to the general condition of the wood - the absence of signs of rot, blueing, pests. The moisture content of wood should not exceed 15%. Logs must be sanded and dried before treatment with antiseptics.
It is important to determine where the log has the top and where the bottom is, since the pole must always be dug up with the butt up. This prevents "sucking" of water through the capillaries.
In no case do not wrap the treated end of the tree with roofing material, since when moisture enters such a “glass”, it remains there forever, creating conditions for decay.
The treatment of wooden poles is necessary with preparations that have antiseptic, moisture-proof and fire-retardant properties.
Compositions for processing the underground part of the pillars
There are many folk methods how and with what to process fence posts.
Here are a few of them:
- Coating with birch tar or spruce resin (the oldest and most proven method).
- Processing with used car oil (most cheap way). The oil is applied in several layers in a heated state, thoroughly soaking all the ends and cracks. 90% of the mining composition is mineral oil - a good water-repellent antiseptic. The acid salts contained in the mining kill any fungus in the wood.
- Roasting and processing with bitumen. That part of the log that will be buried in the ground can be burned either at the stake, or gas burner, creating a charred layer of several millimeters. The burnt part is treated with molten tar or bitumen.
The protective layer is applied in two stages, so that each layer of bituminous impregnation can harden, it is necessary to withstand the drying period of the first layer for about a day. Bituminous impregnation is correspondingly black, so only treat the part of the wooden fence post that will be hidden in the ground with it.
It is not recommended to apply bituminous impregnation on wooden poles during fog or rain.
The construction market also offers all kinds of synthetic waterproofing compounds - mastics, pastes, etc. For example, Biom-2 or Izhora bituminous mixtures, several layers of which, in combination with a fiberglass mesh and a protective film, create excellent waterproofing with high protective properties, designed for 10-15 years of operation. Moreover, a 15-kilogram bucket of such a mixture costs only 450 rubles.
Neomid 430 eco is a preservative, indelible antiseptic for external use, which provides maximum protection for wood during prolonged contact with soil and moisture. Protects against damage by wood-destroying and wood-coloring mold fungi, algae, mosses, as well as wood-boring insects for up to 35 years.
Installing unfinished poles is strongly discouraged.
Step-by-step instructions for installing and protecting support poles
Step one.
We determine where the butt of the log is and mark that this will be the top of the pillar. Before proceeding with the installation of fence posts, its lower part should be treated with a penetrating antiseptic to a height of 1.5 meters. Better by immersion for two days in a 5% solution of copper or iron sulphate. You can also apply a 5% solution of potassium bichromate in 5% sulfuric acid, the remaining solution will need to soak the soil around the dug-in post. This will provide antifungal protection for 15-20 years.
Step two.
After impregnation with an antiseptic, the buried part is treated with one of the types of waterproofing (bitumen, tar, mastic, mining, etc.).
Step three.
We are in the process of installing the pole. There are several different ways, some of which provide additional protection for the post from interacting with wet soil.
Option one (cheapest). The processed end of the column is buried in the ground and carefully rammed. After a few years, it is imperative to check its base for the appearance of fungus or rot.
Option two. Prepare a hole a little over a meter deep and twice as wide as the diameter of the column. The bottom is covered with gravel, then a “glass” without a bottom is made of geotextile or other non-woven material around the perimeter, which will protect the gravel backfill from clogging with earth. The entire space is covered not with soil, but with gravel or rubble, carefully tamped and spilled with mining.
Option three (the most expensive, since the purchase of pipes is added to the costs). Using a sleeve made of a metal or asbestos-cement pipe into which a wooden pole is inserted. Since the sleeve rises 10 centimeters above ground level, the tree will not have direct contact with the ground, and therefore will be subject to decay processes.
The process of installing a wooden pole into a sleeve requires care and time. To prevent the pillar from falling inward, you should select a piece of pipe (100 cm) with a diameter less than the diameter of the pillar by about 10 centimeters. The log is laid on the goats and at a height of about 30-40 a circular cut is made, and then the necessary layer is removed with an ax. The resulting cylinder should enter the pipe freely.
First, this part of the column is impregnated with drying oil or mining, and allowed to dry for several days. Then, the tar is heated on a fire to a liquid state, the beveled end of the column is thickly coated with a hot mass with a brush, and a piece of pipe is planted. The gap between the tree and the pipe and the lower part of the post are also treated with tar. The resulting pole is buried so that the top of the pipe protrudes slightly above the ground.
Step four.
Impregnation of the visible part of the column with an antiseptic and applying the main coating (paint, varnish). To further protect the pole, experts recommend covering it with a tin cover.
Protective coatings for the visible part of the post
The upper part of the post, which is above ground level, also requires special protection with both antiseptics and protective paints and varnishes. To understand how to process fence posts, decide on the type of coverage. If it is important to preserve the texture of wood, then coatings such as Pinotex or Belinka, Biotex, AVIS timbercoat varnish have long established themselves on the market.
If it is planned to apply paint, then both a simple domestic-made oil paint based on zinc white and wood paints from the largest foreign manufacturers Tikkurila (Finland), Selena (Poland), Alpa (France), Akzo NV » (Netherlands), Belinka Belles (Slovenia).
Before applying a layer of paint, the tree is always primed.
The paintwork should be renewed every three to five years to keep the wood from rotting and being damaged by insects.
The porch has always had the ability to give comfort to everyone who enters the house. And how pleasing to the eye and creates a pleasant, friendly and inviting atmosphere of a wooden porch - it's hard to put into words. In addition, such designs are durable, unpretentious and financially profitable. But, as with any thing, a wooden porch also needs care, which consists in painting and periodic surface treatment.
What to use to treat a wooden porch
When deciding to process a wooden porch, it is initially worth choosing the necessary antiseptic primer or antiseptic impregnation. Both of these tools have an identical effect, but the primer additionally prepares the surface for further processing with varnish or other material.
Porch protection from moisture
For wood, as for any material, there are allowable norms, the neglect of which will lead to the rapid destruction of the structure. Thus, exceeding 15% of the wood moisture threshold will lead to the destruction of the fibers, subsequent swelling and delamination of the integral structure. wooden porch. Almost all types of wood are affected by moisture and special solutions have been created to protect them. These are penetrating and water-repellent so-called film-forming substances, where the former give a more reliable result and retain their properties for a long time, while the latter are cheaper, but serve many times less.
For example, consider two products that resist better than others the penetration of moisture into wood.
Medium viscosity impregnator Aidol Langzeit-Lasur shown on next photo, perfect for processing walls, furniture, decorative structures, railings and fences made of wood. The tool is absolutely safe for people. Suitable for use with any wood, because it has huge selection shades from ebony to dark oak.
Colorless, based on acrylic resin, water and a number of additives Belinka Interier Sauna azure. The tool is perfect for processing a wooden porch in hot regions with high humidity. Very well withstands temperature loads and the influence of aggressive environments. The product is applied with a spray gun or roller in several layers. We will consider the process of applying this azure in more detail in the next photo.
Protection against fungus and decay
The constant change in temperature, seasons and many other natural factors lead to early decay of wood structures. In our changeable and difficult climate, a wooden porch experiences all the hardships of the environment, and this can lead to wear and tear on the structure.
The best solution for treating a wooden porch is to use a special antiseptic. Basically, antiseptics are produced in the form of solutions and in most cases are universal. The scope of their application varies from antifungal to insecticidal. The most popular are solutions from Pinotex Impra and Senezh EcoBio.
The first is used for hidden wooden structures and details, such as cross beams and roof slings. It is extremely reliable and gives a persistent antifungal effect for many years. After applying the first layer, re-painting is not required.
The second is necessary for impregnating the outer part of the wooden porch, it partially acts as a primer for subsequent painting. It is applied in several layers, as indicated in the next photo, and protects against decay and mold for up to 30 years.
Impregnation for fire protection
Fire is the most terrible and terrible pest for a tree. To protect and prevent fire and even smoldering, special solutions are used - flame retardants. When a fire occurs, the flame retardants in the wood turn into a dense protective film, which is able to withstand fire for a relatively long time. Fire retardants are available in the form of mortars, paints, plasters and gels.
The main representative of NEOMID 530 products. This solution allows you to cover wooden base for both indoor and outdoor work. After processing, the wood structure reliably resists fire and is not broken, which makes it possible further processing porch varnishes and paints.
Another representative is Pyrilax-biopyren, a complex remedy presented in the following photo, which provides protection not only from fire and its harmful effects on the wooden surface of the porch, but also from fungus and harmful insects. The product is absolutely safe for people and animals. It is a universal remedy, so it can cover the tree both indoors and outdoors.
Protecting wood from insects
Akvalak Bor - impregnation of deep penetration, resists the ingress of insects into the wood and its destruction. The solution does not violate the integrity of the wood and its color texture. Basically, the varnish is diluted with water, and it is intended mainly to cover doorways, railings, stairs and walls.
The second representative, suitable for processing a wooden porch, shown in the following photo, is a multifunctional decorator with an antiseptic effect - Tonotex. The solution is able to get rid of insects of all kinds and at the same time prevent fungi and mold from developing. It has a large selection of shades, which gives a huge field for choosing the color of wooden products from bog oak to red woods.
Porch Processing Procedure
It is worth knowing that the processing of wooden products is carried out in 2 stages. Firstly, the wood is impregnated with special antiseptics to fight fungus and mold, and an insecticidal and refractory solution is applied. Secondly, varnish or paint is applied, which gives the wood a special decorative layer that gives beauty and naturalness to the porch.
Impregnation of a wooden porch
At the time of receipt wooden parts structures and immediately before assembly, they are industrially impregnated with special solutions, but there are cases when impregnation is not carried out and you have to do it yourself. Self-impregnation is applied by spraying the solution onto a well-prepared surface of a wooden porch. The solution, as can be seen from the following photo, is applied in several steps with an interval of 15 - 20 minutes each.
The technology of preparation for impregnation spraying is standard and includes a number of simple but important requirements. The first step is to treat the surface with abrasive materials to eliminate the appearance of cracks and gaps. After that, the surface should be cleaned of dirt and dust with detergent and warm water. Finally, after complete drying of the surface, it is necessary to apply impregnation, in accordance with the instructions for use.
Important ! All types of impregnations are chemically active solutions. When using them, remember about personal safety measures and clearly follow the instructions for working with them.
Pay special attention to the respiratory organs, because they can suffer in the first place.
Applying paintwork
At the moment, there is an unimaginable number of various impregnations and solutions for wood and wooden parts, but almost none of them is able to completely protect the surface from all sorts of factors, and for an absolute effect and fixing the result, surface treatment with paints and varnishes is necessary.
When choosing a brand and type of paint, one should not forget that the following features of the finished porch on the street depend on their choice:
- future type of product;
- durability of the upper layer and, accordingly, the entire structure as a whole;
- product safety and environmental risk factor;
- commissioning time due to surface drying time.
The type and brand of varnish or paint is, of course, important, but the question of the correct application of the last layer is no less important. How to properly paint a wooden porch, we will learn from the following photo instruction.
First, you should make sure that there are no defects and shortcomings on the surface of the wooden product. If chips or cracks are detected, it is better to treat them with wood putty until they disappear completely, an example of a perfectly polished surface is shown in the following photo. The areas treated with putty should be sanded after drying.
Next, you need to prepare the paintwork. It should be shaken to avoid settling of heavier fractions to the bottom. Also, when applying paint, it is necessary to determine and add a color or pigment dye to obtain the desired color or shade. It would be ideal to test the resulting color on small area wood, because after drying it can change its shade and is no longer suitable for processing. If preference is given to varnish, then a brush or molar swab is suitable for its application, and when choosing paint, preference should be given to a roller or more. modern version application - sprayer.
Important! When hand staining, it is necessary to cover the paint with a thin layer, as shown in the following photo. This will make it possible to see gaps, gaps and streaks during application.
Conclusion
Giving preference to wood for the construction of any building is an excellent choice, but also no small responsibility. The processing of the selected material directly depends on your approach to this issue and will fully show itself during the operation of the structure. For high-quality and complete protection, you will need a comprehensive processing of the structure with all the means and impregnations indicated in the article. This will not only save you from a lot of problems in the future, but also extend the durability of the wooden porch several times over.
The main destructive factors that reduce the strength and visual value of a tree include damage by microorganisms (fungi) and. All negative impacts are interconnected and most intensively occur at high humidity. To increase the resistance of wood to the destructive influence of the environment, an integrated approach is used, which consists in reducing and impregnating it with chemical reagents.
The use of antiseptic compounds prevents the appearance of blossoms and woodworms, and also accelerates the process of restoring the structure of the product after a comprehensive cleaning or repair. The means used are self-made or factory-made. Factory mixes are considered the most effective and usually contain substances of organic origin. They are more toxic to the body and require strict adherence to recommendations for use.
Do-it-yourself formulations are often no less effective, but they are much cheaper. The complexity of preparing antiseptics for wood processing is low. It is important to use hand and face protection (gloves and masks) as there are a lot of substances to deal with. The composition of the solution depends on the goals that are set for the protection of wood, and how it is used.
Are bituminous and salt mixtures safe?
Part of the compositions for antiseptic impregnation is used for deep protection of a tree buried in the ground. A more gentle effect is provided by mixtures for processing the external surfaces of a house or gazebo, as well as interior decoration premises.
Antiseptics for the most effective protection are non-aqueous mixtures based on waste engine oil or bitumen. The advantages of such compositions:
- viscous coating of heavy petroleum products effectively protects the product from the penetration of moisture and oxygen;
- the anaerobic environment of a tree protected by bitumen stops the development of bacteria and fungi, destroying already existing colonies of microorganisms;
- wood-boring insects cannot appear in a tree treated with bitumen or oil. For their existence, only weakened (rotten) wood and the absence of resins and hydrocarbons harmful to any organism are necessary.
Treated with heavy oil products (often with the addition of substances of a coke-chemical nature), the tree does not deteriorate in the ground for years. Suffice it to recall telegraph poles standing for decades without a hint of decay.
Disadvantages of the preparation and use of resin (bitumen) and oil mixtures:
- component toxicity;
- easy flammability if improperly prepared;
- high soiling compositions, which are almost impossible to wash off when it gets on clothes;
- bad smell;
- inability to use due to unpleasant odor and toxicity indoors.
Traditional mixtures for wood processing are aqueous solutions salts - sodium fluoride and copper or iron sulfate. Their low concentrations are used to coat external and internal parts wooden structures and decorations. More saturated compositions help protect piles or boards buried in the ground.
Benefits of saline water solutions:
- less toxicity than non-aqueous impregnations. The greatest danger is only copper sulfate (copper sulfate), which can cause severe poisoning if swallowed;
- ease and safety of preparation. Heating the mixture over an open fire is no more dangerous than simply making a fire;
- ease of transportation. Bitumen or oil is more difficult to transport to the place of application, while salts are easily transported over any distance.
The disadvantages of water antiseptics include:
- lower degree of wood protection than non-aqueous viscous mixtures;
- ability to be washed off with water after application;
- the need to apply insulating coatings to consolidate the effect.
All protective preparations should be used on the territory of the homestead with caution, especially during the harvest period. Contact of substances with fruits can lead to poisoning, so the preparation and application of an antiseptic should be carefully considered.
Impregnation for wood: main components and preparation process
Bitumen solution for wood processing
The composition of the drug includes not only bitumen, but also a thinner - diesel fuel or gasoline. The bitumen containing diesel fuel will harden for a long time and will have time to impregnate the treated surface more strongly. The use of gasoline speeds up the curing time and is useful in times of work restrictions.
Bitumen thinners are sold at gas stations, and used oil can be purchased at service stations. Bitumen is purchased from hardware stores or construction sites. Officially sold bitumen is more viscous and well packaged, which improves its transportation.
When buying and using gasoline, use only metal containers. Static electricity from polymer containers can cause fire and burns .
In addition to the original components, for work you must have:
- capacity for heating bitumen;
- a device (stops) for fixing the container over a fire or burner;
- metal stirrer.
The process of preparing the bituminous composition is as follows:
- bitumen is poured into metal container and set over the alleged source of open fire;
- turn on the burner or kindle a fire, gradually increasing the heat;
- heat the bitumen to complete liquefaction, periodically stirring to dissolve the lumps;
- put out the fire after bringing the bitumen to a low-viscosity state and set the container with it aside;
- The solvent is added in small portions, controlling its splashing due to heating. Gasoline will actively evaporate, so you should wait until the mixture cools down a bit.
The proportions of bitumen and diluent depend on the initial state of the bitumen. The main criterion is that the final mixture is in a liquid state at room temperature. The content of diesel fuel or gasoline is usually about 20-30% of the total mass, but may vary depending on the nature of the viscous component.
If the bitumen is heated quickly, the mixture may foam and overflow over the edge of the container directly onto the fire. This is due to the presence of water in the bitumen. Slow heating stops this process and allows the water to boil away calmly.
The preparation time of the bituminous preparation takes several hours. Depending on the amount of work, you can do it in two hours or spend the whole day. The resulting mixture is a viscous mass that has high adhesion to any wood surface. It is not worth leaving bitumen for long-term storage, spending it immediately after cooling and diluting with a lighter oil product.
The mixture should be prepared exclusively on the street, so as not to breathe in harmful fumes and not start an accidental fire. Apply bituminous antiseptic with brushes with long handles. You can also immerse part of the tree in a container with a solution. After drying, the bituminous layer is very difficult to damage, so the products become suitable for burying in the ground.
Water mixture preparation and wood treatment with copper sulphate
Solutions of salts in water are prepared by dissolving a given amount of salt in heated water. Heating is necessary to increase the speed and completeness of dissolution. There are various proportions for treating wood with sodium fluoride and iron or copper sulphate:
- a weak solution of sodium fluoride is used to impregnate wooden surfaces of household structures. Its content is from 0.5 to 4% (from 50 to 400 g per 10 liters of water), depending on the design purpose. Inside the house, it is enough to use less concentrated mixtures, while on the street (arbors, benches) it is better to use saturated solutions. For visual control of the completeness of the application, 10 g of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) is added to the resulting solution. Intense coloration will not be permanent and will disappear shortly after the surface has been coated. Apply the solution with a spray gun or a wide brush;
- for the treatment of pillars and structures buried in the ground, sulfate mixtures are used with a content of the target component of 10-20% (1-2 kg per 10 liters of water). Such formulations require particularly thorough drying and long impregnation times to improve the application effect. The quality of applying the antiseptic is controlled by the degree of color of the product, which is facilitated by the rich color of the vitriol solution. In the resulting preparation, parts of the wood are soaked, which will be further exposed to negative external influences.
To prepare the water mixture, you need a source hot water, a container for cooking and a spatula for mixing. The use of the solution after settling makes it possible to load it into the sprayer, improving the uniformity of the coating and reducing the consumption of reagents. You can apply impregnation immediately after cooling. Solutions can be stored for several days until suitable weather conditions are established.
The preparation of aqueous solutions can be carried out at home or on the street. At home, you need to be especially careful not to spill excess solution on things or in hard-to-reach cracks. The total preparation time for an antiseptic rarely takes more than an hour.
To avoid mistakes when dosing components, study the characteristics of the wood you are going to process. There are complex approaches to processing, including cutting off a layer of wood and varnishing a salt-soaked surface.
Comparison of purchased and homemade antiseptics
The advantages of a do-it-yourself solution:
- lower cost;
- high efficiency in the case of bituminous or oil composition;
- less toxicity;
- the minimum probability of buying counterfeit products.
Advantages of purchased factory-made drugs:
- the greatest efficiency;
- ease of preparation (ready after mixing with water or non-aqueous solvent);
- selectivity of influence.
The choice of a tree processing tool is left to its user. The quality of the obtained wood protection when using self-made impregnation may be inferior to more expensive factory mixtures. For use inside the house, it is advisable to buy a complex tool that will have not only an antiseptic, but also a fire-fighting effect.
Do-it-yourself antiseptics are several times cheaper than ready-made commercial formulations and have good efficiency. The scope of such mixtures is not limited to outdoor work and includes a number of compositions for use inside the home. The degree of protection can be adjusted by the thickness of the applied impregnation layer and the concentration of its aqueous solution, ensuring the suppression of any wood-destroying effects.
For a long time, our ancestors used wood as one of the most common building materials. Samples of creativity of ancient masters, made of wood, delight the eyes of our contemporaries. But, unfortunately, wood needs protection from decay, the necessary measures should be taken in time, otherwise the cost of carelessness will be too high.
Why does wood rot
The cause of wood decay is fungi, the vital activity and development of which destroys its fiber. Wood becomes infected when spores of a harmful fungus get on it. The most harmful is the house fungus, which affects wood, regardless of whether it is protected from weathering or not.
There are such signs of fungal infection of wood:
- The natural color of the wood changes.
- Cracks appear - transverse and longitudinal.
- Decreases strength.
- The structure is destroyed.
The fungus destroys wood cells, worsening its physical and mechanical properties.
The process of destruction of the structure of the tree is called rotting. First of all, wood deteriorates when exposed to high humidity, freezing and thawing, sunlight and wind.
The process of decay occurs faster on the outer surfaces and in places where it touches the soil (window frames, cellar, lower crown of the hut, etc.).
Folk remedies for decay
wood processing, folk remedies protection against decay.
tarnishing
Processing wood from decay - impregnation of dry wood with hot resin - is most often used in the yard (the picket fence and logs for fences are tarnished, round timber for covering paths on summer cottages etc.). This method is also used inside the building - they produce tarnishing ceiling beams, floorboards, rafters, etc.
Burning
Roasting also protects the wood from rotting. The surface of the product, slightly moistened, is burned with a blowtorch to brown or even dark brown with your own hands, after which you need to clean off the carbon deposits with a metal brush so that annual rings become visible.
Video review: Burning wood
wood burning
Nowadays, the cleaned product is also covered with a transparent water-repellent varnish. Such a coating will protect the wood from destruction under the influence of water, winds and various precipitations. Using paints and varnishes, you will not only protect the wood from the damaging effects of its environment, but also perform decorative trim surfaces. Paints and varnishes with protective and decorative functions for wood are produced not only in the form of varnishes. These are primers with antiseptics, paints, impregnations, enamels.
Antiseptic
Chemical methods of protecting wood from destruction include conservation and antiseptics. It's two various ways processing of wooden structures and elements with special protective compounds.
To protect wood from rotting in the ground, and therefore, under difficult operating conditions, not all antiseptics or impregnating compounds are suitable. Good feedback in the fight against decay, it receives an antiseptic with non-leaching properties, which is specially designed for processing wood that is subject to constant direct contact with the ground, precipitation and soil salts (see Which antiseptic is better for wood).
Video review: Professional wood processing
In this video, experts will talk about the correct use of wood preservatives.
It is necessary to cover with such a composition external walls made of wood, load-bearing structures - wooden beams, bars, floors, logs. Rafters, window and door blocks, fencing, fences and wooden structural elements that are exposed to the harmful effects of the atmosphere and the vagaries of the weather.
heat treatment
This is a classic method, so called dry steam treatment. It is possible to completely destroy the fungus only after complete sterilization of the material, which is possible when it is heated to its full thickness to a temperature critical for the fungus, above 70 degrees C. It is enough to warm it up to 71 degrees C for 2-4 hours. This method of wood protection can be carried out in special drying chambers.
Using modern facilities protecting wood from decay, you can save for future generations not only ordinary houses, but also beautiful old churches, huts built without a single nail, and even wooden furniture decorated with carved patterns.
Moisture and rot are interrelated: fungal growths appear where there is dampness. Impregnation for wood against moisture and decay in a modern design combines protection against both misfortunes. But in previous centuries, people paid more attention to the protection of wood from sputum, considering it to be the root cause of any appearance of mold.
The logging was arranged, as a rule, in the fall so that before the summer it was possible to remove moisture from the fallen tree. After that, lumber was already made from the log, and the likelihood of rot in it, if stored properly, is negligible. Moreover, the drying will continue further.
The resistance of wood to decay is higher in resinous species, for which they are valued when fixing underground mine workings. In old abandoned developments, larch racks are in excellent condition even after half a century. Nowadays, it has become easier to deal with water in wooden structures thanks to new impregnating materials.
Moisture protection
If we talk about protecting wood only from dampness, then there are such methods. But when it comes to preventing decay, this problem is solved in a complex way: the effect of water as a catalyst for the process is also limited, and microorganisms that can cause rot are blocked. Ways to protect wood from moisture:
- Paintwork. Surface treated different colors special paints or varnishes. The effectiveness of protection by this method leaves much to be desired, and one cannot do without constant updating of the layer. But some modern dyes contain antifungal additives. Lacquers should be selected in such a way that they contain elastic polymers that do not allow cracking of the outer layer, or absorb varnish without film formation.
- More reliable and long-term protection of wood from moisture is achieved by impregnation with special solutions to fill existing cracks. But this requires equipment for the size of structures: autoclaves or baths. Working compositions also include antiseptics, and sealed slots will not allow harmful insects to penetrate.
- Tar coating is carried out if the elements of wooden structures are installed in the ground, where there is constant dampness. The surface painted with a black viscous mass does not look very attractive, but it protects very reliably, for example, properly treated railway sleepers serve for a century.
- Used engine oil is used to waterproof the underground part of pillars or logs. As with tar coating, the product looks ugly, but this method is often used in order to dispose of the lubricant.
Rot Protection
It is not used in its pure form, it is usually performed in combination with protection from water, since the source of decay is dampness. It is the result of sharp temperature fluctuations and direct exposure to precipitation, and indoors it is high humidity air and lack of ventilation. Most often rot wooden surfaces, in direct contact with the external environment: window frames, ground crowns of log cabins and pillars buried in the ground.
The internal elements of housing construction can also rot if the ventilation mode is not observed. Ways to combat this fungal disease will be discussed below.
With the use of special types of structures
To avoid moisture wooden devices measures for this are already taken at the design stage. Exist certain rules, using which you can significantly reduce the risk of infection with fungal rot:
- Protect the building from atmospheric precipitation.
- Disconnect contacts with the ground, concrete and stone foundations and metal beams using waterproofing. The top of the foundations themselves should be above ground level. A blind area is a must.
- Provide ventilation, and provide access to the elements of the structure for routine inspections for signs of disease or the appearance of harmful insects.
- Use for construction only material previously dried during the year.
- In places of contrasting temperatures, structural elements should be covered with thermal insulation.
It is much more reliable to protect a tree from decay by impregnation with antiseptics. Moreover, it is not too late to do this even if the rot disease was detected during the next preventive inspection of the structures.
Processing with special solutions
Antiseptics are drugs that prevent the processes of decay by inhibiting the growth of microbes or completely destroying them. To protect wood, any mixture with the use of these substances must also include a component that protects the product from the penetration of water drops into it.
Beneficial features such chemical solutions:
- toxicity to fungal formations;
- indelible durability;
- high degree of permeability;
- no unpleasant odor;
- does not have a harmful effect on people and animals;
- neutral composition does not cause corrosion of fasteners.
Processing of wood from decay and moisture is carried out before its installation in the structure. Antiseptics are produced in the form of solutions of various viscosities:
- Water-soluble based on powders of sodium fluoride and silicofluoride (concentration 4%) with excipients: chalk, cement, lime, soda ash and gypsum. And also on a dry substrate, ammonium silicofluoride was made, its content in the liquid is 5-10%. On the basis of mixtures - preparations BBK-3 (boric acid and borax), HCC (chromic peak and zinc chloride), MCC (the same substances and copper sulphate), the last 2 are toxic. And finally, the GR-48 agent is a liquid with pentachlorophenol (2-5%).
- If wood that has not been dried in a timely manner is put into operation, then it is better to cover the tree from decay and moisture with an organic-soluble antiseptic such as PL, which is pentachlorophenol dissolved in light petroleum products like diesel fuel or kerosene. This mixture is highly toxic and has good penetrating power. Another agent of this class is labeled NML - copper naphthenate diluted in fuel oil or solvent naphtha. Has the same properties.
- Oily are considered the most effective, but have a strong smell. These are oily liquids: coal, shale and anthracene. They are very resistant, do not wash out with water and are neutral, do not cause corrosion. They are often used for coating pillars (their underground part), sleepers, piles and elements of underwater structures.
- Antiseptic pastes have a thicker consistency. They are made from the above water-soluble mixtures, filler (peat powder) and binding components - liquid glass, bitumen and clay. The ends of log beams and poles are treated with viscous substances, which tend to absorb moisture well, and as an additional measure they are also waterproofed.
There are other means to protect wood from decay and moisture. For example, healthy timber is often coated with a mixture of dilute sulfuric acid (5%) and potassium bichromate (5%).
Availability of protective solutions in the distribution network
Most often, wood processing products of complex action are sold, combining the properties of antiseptics, fire retardants (from fire) and waterproofing materials. Here are some of their varieties:
- Polymer preparations - aimed at preventing mold, blue and decay, and also contain salts of tin, chromium and zinc that prevent the appearance of microorganisms. These are absolutely harmless to humans brands Bicidol, Vuprotek and Pinotex.
- Biopyrents - SenezhBio belongs to this class. And biocidal compositions of the DL series (wood healer), all of which provide protection against mold, microorganisms and insects.
- Antiseptics-flame retardants work against rot, and give products fire resistance. Popular brands are VIM-1, Aquabor, Biokron, Novotex, VAK-48D, Pirilax, Pinotex.
The main Russian manufacturers are the Yaroslavl Antiseptic and Senezh companies, NPO NORT LLC. When choosing how to process a tree, you should pay attention to the manufacturer. These companies can be trusted.
Make your own protection
To process wooden structures, it is not necessary to involve a team of specialists. You can do it yourself, but you must follow some rules. Before painting surfaces, you need to clean them of dirt, and it is good if the weather is dry and warm.
Some tips:
- apply aqueous solutions with an airbrush, thicker ones with a brush or roller;
- you should not forget about others - some drugs emit a pungent odor;
- it is necessary to work in a respirator or mask, overalls;
- there should be no children and pets near the object;
- compliance with the manufacturer's dosage is mandatory.
Surfaces must be treated at the intervals specified in the instructions. The antiseptic consumption depends on its viscosity, it is in the range of 100-400 g per m². The most economical is the spray method.
Harmfulness
Contact with the drug on the skin or its vapors in the lungs can cause negative reactions of the body, which manifest themselves in the form of an allergy: rash, redness and itching. Protecting the rights of consumers, the legislator established a ban on the sale of highly toxic antiseptics for domestic use.
After application, the solution dries or hardens, the smell disappears, and with it the danger to humans disappears. For the environment, the mixtures are neutral in terms of the composition of the components: they decompose under the influence of sunlight and the most powerful natural oxidizing agent - atmospheric oxygen.
Materials for self-use
Most often, wooden products are protected with liquids or powders available for purchase or available on the farm, dissolving them in water. It can be:
- silicate glue;
- waste machine or linseed oil;
- bitumen and tar;
- slaked lime and a mixture of table salt with boric acid.
Long since under construction wooden house materials used to this day were used. Here are these folk remedies:
- copper sulfate - it is dissolved at the rate of 100 g per bucket;
- soda and vinegar;
- resin.
Thus, the protection of wood from decay has always been carried out, and there are many different means and methods. They are constantly being improved, as evidenced by their wide range.
