Facade laths: types of materials for decoration of country houses

Sheathing exterior and interior walls always looks elegant, status. It is also important that it is completely environmentally friendly. Such obvious disadvantages of wood as a tendency to absorb moisture, rot, deform, today are leveled by special treatment. As a result, strong, moisture-resistant materials appear that tolerate temperature changes and the effects of negative environmental factors. Planken is one of them.

Special features

Planken is a type of board, wooden facade material, which, however, is also used for interior decoration. Its feature is beveled or rounded corners, which is achieved by chamfering (bevel edge of the corner) on all four sides of the material.

Externally, it has similarities with the ship's board, however, the plank is thinner (from 15 to 22 mm).The width of the material reaches 70–140 mm.

The basis of the board often become such varieties of wood as larch, oak, pine, ash, cedar. Planken of these tree species, as well as products of their duodenum, are characterized by durability and can be operated for up to 25 years without requiring repair.

The material has a wide scope of application, in particular, it is used to perform the following types of work:

  • the organization of the ventilated facade of the house, outbuildings, baths;
  • the design of the floor and ceiling, railing device on the verandas and terraces of a country house;
  • construction of fences, fences of a private house;
  • the creation of benches and benches;
  • production of playground elements for children;
  • covering surfaces by type of horizontal flooring.

Unlike lining, plank does not have a “thorn-groove” system, therefore, when exposed to moisture or high and low temperatures, it does not warp or unscrew. And in the case of damage, if the installation is made in an open way, it will not be difficult to replace the necessary element. With hidden installation technology, it will be necessary to disassemble the part that is above the board that needs to be replaced.

Advantages and disadvantages

The board is characterized by dimensional accuracy and perfect geometry, which is achieved through an automated manufacturing process. Naturally, this facilitates installation and allows you to get the most smooth surface.

Due to the sorting of the material, as well as the careful control of all stages of manufacturing, the set of the planken contains almost no scrap.

In other words, buying it is economically viable.

Among the benefits worth noting the following:

  • high resistance to temperature changes and humidity indicators;
  • improved sound and heat insulation performance;
  • a long operational period, due to the careful processing of wood, the absence of knots, resin pockets on the material;
  • impressive vapor barrier indicators, so that the wood "pulls" out of the room, and then from the surface of the walls excess moisture;
  • ease of installation, easy replacement of the damaged area;
  • lack of warping and deformations;
  • biostability;
  • variety of blossoms and textures, elegant and noble design;
  • wide scope of application.

These advantages are achieved through short-term heat treatment of boards.Heat-treated material can withstand various environmental influences without losing its aesthetic appeal.

The presence of the topcoat makes the plank resistant to UV rays. As is known, under the influence of such radiation, the tree dries out, cracks and loses its color. Subjected to thermal impact, and then covered with a finishing layer, the boards retain their high technical characteristics and attractive appearance during the whole service life (20–30 years).

The disadvantage of planken is its high cost.

It is believed that even with the use of high-class materials, the price of boards is too high. Some experts agree that it is due to the novelty of the material.

In addition to the purchase of planken, it is necessary to spend money on special fasteners, as well as a special light-resistant hydro-windproof membrane, the usual hydro-protective film with an open type of installation will not work.

Species

Depending on the method of cutting chamfers, there are 3 types:

  • straight line (mounted end-to-end with preservation of small gaps);
  • oblique (has the shape of a parallelepiped, laying is carried out end to end);
  • straight with pages (equipped with a special mount of the type "crab" or "bridge").

Depending on the type of material, there are:

  • Extra class boards - they are of the highest quality, they do not have chips, damages and pitch pockets on the surface;
  • “Prima” products - small defects and surface cracks are permissible;
  • board class "AB" - in addition to cracks, other flaws are found, for example, knots;
  • boards "BC" - significant surface defects, the presence of knots, dark areas.

Planken can also vary depending on the material used. Common are the products of larch, which is characterized by the ability to tolerate high humidity, while maintaining its parameters and geometry. Moreover, under the influence of moisture and high temperatures, they acquire additional strength and hardness.

This type of wood is not susceptible to insect pests, which is why the finished board retains its integrity. These characteristics provide durability, the service life of larch planken - 25 years.

Larch products are attractive and versatile.

They are well combined with other materials, whether it is a parquet board or an artificial stone.

Canadian cedar and pine are also used for cladding. Strong, durable, with a characteristic pattern, the product becomes a worthy option for interior work and facade decoration.

High performance has a version of wood-polymer composite (WPC). Its basis is crushed pine rock, which is filled with polymers. Due to this composition, it is possible to obtain a material that is completely not subject to rotting, is distinguished by weather resistance, moisture resistance, and a long period of operation. WPC Planken tolerates both high (up to + 70С) and low (up to -50С) temperatures, as well as thermal “jumps”.

Finally, heat-treated planken is also isolated, which, thanks to special treatment, has high biostability, is not susceptible to deformations and is characterized by lower weight.

Main settings

As already mentioned, the thickness of the boards is about 15-22 mm. However, if necessary, the stalk is produced with greater thickness. The thickness of the material is directly dependent on its insulating properties, as well as service life.

The width of the boards - from 90 to 140 mm.Narrow products (70–120 mm) are usually used for interior decoration, and wider products (120–140 mm) for outdoor ones. Length - from 2000 to 3000 mm. Some manufacturers offer options up to 4000 mm in length.

Mounting methods

Usually boards are mounted horizontally. However, nothing prevents to fix the planken in the vertical or diagonal direction. Installing material horizontally is easier; it requires special skills.

There are two ways of fastening: open and closed. The first installation option is suitable for bevelled boards. It is laborious and takes more time, however, the result will be the effect of a monolithic wall of wood, because the joints and fasteners are not noticeable. In the absence of skills in working with material, indoor fasteners should be entrusted to a professional.

Installing an open system is easier. It implies attaching the boards to the crate with the use of screws, so with this method of fixing the fasteners become noticeable.

Trim stages

First of all, it is necessary to install a crate, which is made of antiseptic larch bars.Using screwdrivers, they are fixed on the wall over the insulating material. Lags are located at a distance of 100 cm from each other, their direction corresponds to the direction of the boards.

If the previous coating is durable (brick cladding), it can be saved. It is better to knock down the plaster, dust the surface.

The pitch of the batten is usually determined by the width of the sheet of insulation.

Since the most common heat insulating material is mineral wool with a 60 cm wide layer, the sheathing step will be 56–58 cm. When choosing another material, be aware that the insulation must fit tightly between the elements of the subsystem.

Planken before use is treated with an antiseptic, which increases the moisture resistance of wood. When cutting material, it is important to handle the cutting points. If you plan to paint or apply another decorative coating, then the front side is better not to cover with antiseptic. Further paintwork may lie unevenly.

Installation begins with the second row.

First, a laser level is used for marking and a bar is fixed. A board is placed over it to map the location of the fastener.

On the back side of the plank, the fastener must be mounted in such a way that the fastener element under the screw is left in its upper part. Then it will be bolted to the logs (batten bars), and the lower one will be fixed to the fasteners of the upper part of the previous board.

Subsequent rows are similarly performed. After completing the work, you should remove the bar under the second row and proceed to the installation of the first. For this purpose, a corner is fastened on the back side of the planken and fasteners are made. He “hides” behind the second row, and the corner from the bottom is fixed to the lags. The result is a flat surface, all gaps are hidden from prying eyes and the external environment, which increases the service life of the mounting system.

Installation of bevelled planken is carried out using a special fastener - planfix. This is a metal plate in the shape of the letter “G”, which allows fixing the boards up to 25 mm thick.

The mount has a special spike on which the boards are mounted. Installation also begins with the thermal insulation of the building and the installation of the subsystem. The first row is attached to the crate with bolts or screws.Next, the planfix is ​​connected to the cradle bar and the first row board. After that, the “strip” of the next row is placed on the fastener spike. All planken are fixed in the same way.

Recommendations

If you want to get a surface on which the gaps between the boards will not be visible, choose a bevelled planken. with a tilt angle from 45 to 70 degrees. It is also recommended for regions with high humidity levels. Bevelled edges and hidden installation eliminates the formation of connecting gaps between the boards, which means that any probability of penetration of moisture is eliminated.

For installation it is recommended to use stainless steel fasteners or other materials.having a corrosion-resistant coating. After installation, the outer surface of the planken should also be protected - it can be coated with linseed paint, varnish or special paint.

Experts recommend leaving a small gap between the boards, because during operation they may slightly increase in size. In the absence of a gap not to avoid deformation of the coating.

Original examples

Planken looks equally impressive both on large areas and when using it on compact structures.The style of the building is also of no primary importance - the material correctly matched in color looks harmoniously on the exterior of any style.

Using it in the interior trim adds refinement and luxury to the interior, brings comfort and warmth. Planken can be painted, as well as combined with other finishing materials.

See the video below for details on the cladding of the facade.

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Information provided for reference purposes. For construction issues, always consult a specialist.

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