How to maintain and repair wooden houses
We wanted to inform you about the maintenance and repair of wooden structures, which is one of the most frequently asked questions of our customers who are going to build wooden houses, log houses or bungalows.
First of all, we would like to point out that; Before you build a wooden house, you need to research the wood manufacturers very well. Although your living spaces made using cheap and unprocessed wood materials may seem economical to you at first, it will actually cost you more when you put the money you will spend on maintenance, repair and renovation works over the years.
Since wood is a living material, it will stretch over time, cracks and various deformations will occur. For this reason, wood must be processed, especially in exterior and outdoor areas. While manufacturing companies do this, some companies do not process the wood in order to keep the m² price cheaper and increase competition, and then the customer experiences more cost loss for maintenance and repair.
We recommend you to research all these and choose companies that work with quality production and workmanship, instead of avoiding the cost and regretting the cost of living spaces that you will probably leave to your children for years. This will save you money in the long run by allowing you to perform maintenance and repairs at longer intervals.
So, after you have done all these, will your structures need maintenance? Yes, it is necessary to have your wooden structures regularly maintained. As we mentioned above, you will need to maintain your wooden houses, which are produced using high quality and processed wooden building materials, at longer intervals.
You can do this maintenance yourself or you can get support from the manufacturer for a fee.
The first step is to be able to sit in your wooden structures for a longer period of time without any problems; impregnation process…
Before construction, wood must be treated and protected. In this, it must be passed through the impregnation system and baked.
The impregnation process is the process of incorporating the protective material determined in accordance with the structure of the wood into the wood. It prevents the formation of toxic substances in the wood material and fungi that damage the wood.
Why is impregnation necessary?
The impregnated wood is not affected by weather conditions, is not affected by insects, fungi, does not rot, and prevents cracking by not bending over time. When this process is applied, your wooden structures will last for 56-60 years and are immortalized by being supported with monthly and annual maintenance.
You can also impregnate your wooden structures by spraying.
Tips for the care of wooden houses,
If you want to take care of your wooden houses and allocate a more limited budget; You need to know at what intervals and what kind of maintenance you should do. By intervening in a timely manner, you will both avoid having bigger problems and make it look brand new.
How to do monthly maintenance…
You can take precautions against dust and mold formation by wiping the wooden surfaces with a slightly damp cloth every month. This process should not be done during very hot hours and with a wet cloth. Because this can cause cracks in the wood and cause the wood to run. The contact of the wood with the ground must be prevented and the wood must receive air from the gaps behind it. After wiping with a damp cloth, do not forget to dehumidify with a dry cloth. Resin may form on the wood, make sure to have the resins cleaned. Since windows and doors are usually made of wood in wooden structures, it is very important to maintain them in these areas. Even though you take care of mold and dust, you may experience swelling or air-tightness problems. If you do not have the expertise for these processes, there is not much you can do, you must have a repair without neglecting it.
Resin spills seen in summer should be burned before they run off further and turn the wood yellow.
If there are openings in the floor coverings; It should be closed with sealants suitable for the shape of the wood and the formation of insects and bacteria at those points should be prevented.
How do you do annual maintenance on your wooden houses…
While monthly maintenance is easier, annual maintenance is a more arduous process. But don't be lazy because it has to be done, and take your time and apply your care once a year.
How will you do the annual maintenance?
Since wood is a living material; It is a good ground for bacterial growth. Therefore, the first thing to be done in the annual maintenance is to prevent the formation of bacteria. It is necessary to strengthen the wood with the impregnation process. You can protect your homes against harmful bacteria by applying the impregnation process from carpenters or your manufacturer.
There will be no decay and bacteria in your living areas where the procedure is performed. And so you protect the wood from insects and fungi.
Puttying cracks:
Ultraviolet rays and moisture are wood's worst enemies and create cracks. On exteriors, cracks, if any, should be filled with superfill materials (it would be more appropriate to replace the cracked material with a new one) and paint should be done every year.
Replacing rotting wood:
The rotten woods seen on the facades; It should not be filled with putty or paint and should be replaced with a new one. Otherwise, the rotting wood will also damage the surrounding woods. Surfaces that are cleaned and dried once every two years, if not every year, should be painted with a coat of covering paint in spring, which is not too hot. These paints are resistant to acetic acid spray, chlorinated air and chlorinated salt spray.
Burning resins on wood
Before proceeding to the paste and paint processes, the resins on the wood, if any, should be burned with hot air guns (blows hot air) or pulumus (spraying a flame by attaching a hose to the gas stove) and the resins should be poured. It is more appropriate to prefer guns that blow hot air against fire hazard.
The second application you need to do in annual wooden house maintenance is paint.
Before you start painting, you need to apply putty to rotten and cracked areas. You only need to apply the paste on the problematic surfaces, if you apply it to the entire surface, you will shorten the life of the paint.
But you need to choose paints specially produced for wood. The difference between ordinary paints and specially produced paints for wood is that it allows the wood to breathe, protects against water and prevents crack formation. By choosing these paints, you protect the wooden surfaces and make them more durable.
After the paint process is finished and it dries, you can polish your floors once a year with odorless polish that is not harmful to health.
Selection of floor lacquer
If the flooring is wooden, water-based varnish should be used. Water-based varnishes do not harm human health and do not have a permanent odor. Hard and durable varnishes can be preferred because they are resistant to abrasion. When a coat of water-based lacquer is applied once a year, the wood will be maintained.
As long as you do the monthly and annual maintenance routinely, you can comfortably sit in your wooden house for many years in a healthy and peaceful way.
Conservation of antiquated wooden house:
In old wooden houses, it is better to use it in accordance with its original form, instead of making protections that will prolong the age of the tree (which may cause the tree to die). If the structure is desired to last for a long time, wood can be impregnated; but when this system is applied, the tree dies completely. The main principle is to use the tree in the restoration as it was in its own time. It is said that exterior façades are difficult to maintain, but when painted with technical paints and applied consciously, exterior paint has a lifespan of 8-9 years. If it is taken care of every 7-8 years, it can live for many years since no atmospheric effects enter the wood.
You can contact us for information and support about maintenance and repair.