One of the most popular materials for interior and exterior decoration is a wooden beam. This material has many positive qualities, such as environmental friendliness, reasonable price, practicality and presentable appearance.
- Varieties of coloring compositions for timber
- Transparent materials
- Opaque paints and varnishes
- Rules for painting the beam
- Preparatory work
- Painting stage
To increase the life of the timber, he needs the most reliable protection, since otherwise the material will begin to blacken and crack. The best option to protect a wooden surface is to paint the beam both outside and inside the house. Paint will become an effective and simple protection for a rounded or log beam.
Varieties of coloring compositions for timber
Before you begin painting work, it is recommended to choose a color scheme, and the type of paint material. Paint for profiled or glued beams should be selected taking into account the climatic situation in the region. In addition, in this case it is necessary to consult with a specialist. The main criteria that must be considered when choosing a paint and varnish material are its resistance to atmospheric or mechanical stress, duration of use and vapor permeability.
to contents ↑Transparent materials
This paint is also called the term lessing. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that such a solution does not hide the natural structure of the tree, but rather emphasizes its beauty. Such transparent paints are perfect for freshly rounded or log timber, which does not have defects, cracks or dark spots on its surface. Of transparent materials, the following compounds were most widely used:
- Water-based paints and varnishes. It is easy and safe to work with such paints, since their main component is water. That's why water soluble paints are more common for indoor decoration. They do not emit an unpleasant odor and are environmentally friendly.
- Polymer varnishes, among which the most common polyurethane materials. They have higher strength and wear resistance. Therefore, they are often used to decorate a beam located outside the room. Accordingly, their cost is an order of magnitude higher than that of waterborne varnishes.
- Impregnation is an excellent tool for finishing glued and profiled timber. Of these, drying oil was most widely used. However, today there are more advanced materials that in many respects are superior to drying oil.
- Lazuri are distinguished by the fact that they do not just cover the wood, but add a specific shade to the surface. That is, they allow you to make the tree lighter or darker depending on the situation. They are mainly used to add a little white tint to the color scheme. Accordingly, after processing them indoors, the surface becomes similar to the old noble interiors.
Opaque paints and varnishes
These compositions are selected if the design inside or outside the room does not take into account the structure of the wood. Therefore, such paints have a certain color, which can be selected in each specific situation.Opaque compositions are suitable for such situations:
- The presence of dark spots or stains that cannot be eliminated by conventional methods. In this situation, of course, a transparent coating will not work, and colored paint for glued or profiled timber will help to hide all not the most attractive areas of the tree and will help improve the appearance of the surface as a whole.
- There are various defects and cracks on the surface of the wood, for the elimination of which putty and subsequent grinding should be used. Accordingly, the putty surface will differ in color from the basic shade of the tree. In this regard, it would be better to paint it with opaque paints. This will make it possible to successfully hide all areas that have been repaired.
- If necessary, paint the timber soaked previously with another paint. Accordingly, it will be very difficult to completely remove the old coating, so it is better to apply better fresh paint on it.
To date, there are several varieties of opaque compositions:
- Oil paints are the most affordable option, which, however, does not have the best quality. Such a coating is characterized by low resistance to ultraviolet rays. If you use oil compositions for decoration outside the premises, then after a few years such a surface will begin to fade or crack. Another drawback of these paints is their long drying time, which usually is more than a day. In addition, the unpleasant odor in the room when working with oil paint will remain for several days.
- Alkyd compounds are more modern practical. They are distinguished by a wide selection of color options and maximum surface protection. In addition, alkyd paints retain their rich color for a long time. At the same time, they are more suitable for indoor decoration, as for outdoor work they are not too durable. When working with alkyd paints and varnishes, you should be especially careful, since the vapors of this composition are very corrosive.
- Acrylic paints can be considered ideal for finishing rounded, log or glued beams. This material is the most practical and durable in comparison with other compounds. In addition, such paints are presented in a wide range of colors and shades, among which everyone can choose the most suitable option. Another advantage of alkyd compounds is that when working with them, almost no unpleasant odors are observed. Therefore, they are well suited for indoor decoration. A similar material is applied very easily, since it has excellent adhesion with a wooden coating. The only drawback of acrylic based paint is its relatively higher cost.
Rules for painting the beam
The main conditions for successful painting are the right choice of paint and strict adherence to all the rules of work. When choosing a paint, it is important to consider its color, so that the painted beam is combined with other elements of the interior or exterior.
Preparatory work
At the preparatory stage, it is first necessary to thoroughly clean and dry the treated surface. When working with log houses from glued beams, it must be borne in mind that they are practically not subject to processes of reducing the moisture content in the material. Therefore, they are an ideal option for painting. First of all, a primer should be carried out. It is best to use a fire-resistant and bioprotective composition as a primer. In addition, it is desirable to thoroughly treat the surface with an antiseptic.
Next, grinding is carried out, which is an obligatory preparatory stage before painting.Properly performed grinding will make the surface smoother and at the same time reduce paint consumption. In addition, such a procedure will increase the depth of penetration of varnish into wood material. As a result, the duration of operation of the timber will increase significantly. Grinding is recommended to be carried out before the moment you have installed doors and windows. This is due to the fact that this stage of the work is very dusty. Therefore, the presence of a respirator and glasses for protection is necessary in this case.
Grinding affects the entire surface of the timber, including the ends. In some cases, it is necessary to stain the layer of wood covered with the fungus. For grinding, it is recommended to use grinders or sandpaper having a degree of rigidity in the range of 40-120. At the final stage of grinding, polishing is carried out. It is carried out with the same tools as grinding work. The only difference is that sanding paper with minimal grit is used for polishing.
Before you start painting the glued or rounded beam, you should also seal the ends. These areas are much more susceptible to moisture compared to the side parts.
to contents ↑Therefore, experts advise to process the ends with acrylic sealant. This must be done both outdoors and indoors.
Painting stage
Painting profiled or log timber should be carried out at an ambient temperature of at least +5 degrees. In addition, you can not paint the beam during rainfall, so the surface of the tree must be completely dry before finishing. In the rest, the method of applying paint to a bar is standard and is carried out taking into account the instructions for a specific paint composition.
Paint quality is the main component of high-quality exterior decoration of a country house. When choosing this composition should take into account its external characteristics, wear resistance and vapor permeability.
