Pros and cons of covering a balcony with wood
If you prefer environmentally friendly material, you can use a wooden profile for glazing a loggia or balcony and similar panels for doors. Nowadays, specially treated wood is used, which does not deform due to changes in humidity and temperature, does not crack, and does not become moldy. The service life of natural wood frames is 20-25 years.
Cladding trim is a harmonious addition to double-glazed windows with wooden profiles
But even if you only line the inside of the balcony or loggia with wooden panels or slats, the space will look cozy and “warm”. In addition to being environmentally friendly, wood has the following advantages:
- ease of processing and installation, which allows you to do the finishing yourself;
- a variety of rocks, textures, shapes that represent prospects for a design project;
- Suitable for finishing residential premises.
The disadvantages include additional costs for protective and decorative surface treatment. The natural structure absorbs moisture well and shrinks from heat, so if installed incorrectly, the structure can become deformed.
Country styles for a room on the balcony
The style of an Alpine chalet and a Provencal house is often summarized by one term - “country” (“village”). This is not unreasonable, because the principles of decorating living rooms in this case are similar. But there are also a number of fundamental differences.
Rusticism in loggia design
What characterizes a village? Remoteness from the city and many benefits of civilization, closeness to nature, simplicity of life, where almost everything is done with your own hands. Hence the specific features of country styles with reference to a specific area and culture.
This is the predominance of natural materials. Plastic and chrome are strictly prohibited! If we talk about finishing, then the materials should show handicraft, independence in performing the work, and inexperience. This is expressed in chaotic strokes, uneven seams when laying stone, and unpainted areas.
Don’t be afraid to apply ideas for decorating large rooms for balconies with some adjustments.
Colors should be natural. These are shades suggested by the nature of the chosen region and the characteristics of its climate.
It is better to choose furniture that is practical, dimensional, and as simple as possible. Clear lines, almost complete absence of decor, deliberate roughness in execution - classic country furniture.
Country furniture
Taking into account the area of the loggia, the choice should fall on the most necessary products that correspond to the purpose of the room.
Even a small country-style balcony always has an abundance of fabrics and decor. In most cases, it is traditional in nature, reflecting national or local affiliation.
Balcony in Provence style - French country
The proximity of Provence to the sea determined the palette of the style of the same name. These are sand, blue, blue, shades of brown, olive, the color of spring grass, milky. It is better to avoid bright accents. In extreme cases, it can be rich blue or green.
Characteristic range
Provence pleases the eye:
- An abundance of fresh flowers. Pots, handmade cache-pots, and explanatory inscriptions on them are welcome.
- Symbols in the form of sunflowers, lavender, roosters. They are embroidered and depicted on dishes and cutting boards.
- An abundance of loose textiles. Fringe, ruffles, and braiding are acceptable.
- Furniture can be made of solid wood, forged, or wicker. With a claim to elegance.
Recognizable Provence decor
Provencal style is one of the most beloved by designers. It does not require large investments, is suitable even for the smallest balconies, and gives an amazing feeling of comfort and unity with nature.
The charm of Provence lies in its simplicity
Alpine chalet – when you want to go to the mountains
The chalet is associated with mountains, blinding snow-white slopes, and endlessly tall trees. Living even on the ground floor, you can bring yourself closer to such an idyllic picture by decorating your balcony accordingly.
Unlike Provence, the colors here are darker, the palette is based on contrast. You should start from the numerous brown shades of natural wood and the white color of snow. Color accents can be made using terracotta and red.
The main materials are plaster, wood, stone. Rough, preferably without additional coating. However, to extend the service life, you can use matte varnish.
Chalet style
Alpine motifs are typical. These are images of snow-capped peaks, mountain landscapes, animals, and vegetation. They are appropriate on fabrics, in the form of paintings in a rough frame, or in carved decor. Animal figurines, simple geometric clay vases, and animal skins as a carpet create coziness.
Characteristics of wood for finishing
When choosing a type of wood, take into account the technical characteristics and decorative properties of the material. Avoid conifers, as pine and spruce release resin when exposed to sunlight. Many people choose pine because it makes the cheapest panels. This option is possible if the loggia faces north - but even under this condition, the surfaces should be carefully treated with special impregnations.
Pine lining is an inexpensive finishing material
At a temperature of about 50ºС, which is possible in summer, even cedar (Far Eastern or Siberian) releases resin. The exception is the “extra” class panels. If you are not limited in finances, you can choose cladding from expensive white or red Canadian cedar. These types of wood do not emit resin, but have all the advantages of coniferous wood, for example, creating a pleasant atmosphere that is good for health.
We suggest considering linden. Pleasant yellow, slightly golden color that does not change over the years, beautiful texture and low thermal conductivity are perfect for finishing work. Linden is more expensive than pine, but lasts much longer. In the same price category are oak, larch, abashi (African oak). The interior, decorated with the listed species, can safely be called elite - due to the high cost and noble appearance.
Decorating the room with larch
It is possible to save money by choosing alder or aspen. However, over time, aspen acquires an unpleasant gray tint. To avoid an undesirable prospect, tinted impregnations or paint and varnish products will help, which not only protect against mold, but also give a fresh, natural look. Alder has high thermal conductivity, but this is not significant for a balcony.
Loft style interior
A short excursion into history will help you better understand the loft. This style has undergone virtually no changes over the years of its existence.
Loft interior for a standard loggia
The history of the loft - how it all began
In the first half of the 20th century, New York industrialists, in order not to go completely bankrupt, decided to rent out their warehouses, factories, and factories. The low price, distance from the city center, and uninhabited premises attracted only eternally poor artists and students.
They did not strive for comfort and radical changes around them. Pieces of furniture and decor successfully coexisted with concrete, brick, and uncovered utility lines.
However, after a couple of decades, an unusual solution attracted the attention of wealthy citizens around the world. They began to implement loft design projects in ordinary houses and apartments.
Loft in balcony design
If you are not indifferent to such an original idea, follow the following finishing recommendations when decorating your balcony:
- Walls: aged concrete covering with small (!) chips and cracks, brick, carelessly applied paint and plaster. The brick wall is the calling card of the loft, but you shouldn’t overuse it. Decorate only one wall with it, making an accent. This is where you can put a sofa, hang a shelf made of pipes or a bright poster.
- Floor: planks or ceramic tiles with an aged effect.
- Ceiling: plaster, paint. The decor will be metal or wooden beams. They should not be too massive, so as not to visually make the ceiling of the balcony lower.
Brick walls and dark window frames typical of a loft
Let the palette be dominated by shades of brown and natural wood, black, gray, terracotta. If the balcony is poorly lit or has a very small area, use white as a basis. It will visually increase the space. Don't forget about 2-3 bright objects as accents.
Note! Maximum openness of space and abundance of light are the characteristic features of a loft. Shade the room less often; use simple blinds or roller blinds for this.
For a loft-style balcony, choose only the most necessary pieces of furniture. For a sleeping place, a place to relax - a double leather sofa or a deep chair on wheels, a mattress with a leather hanging headboard. For the office and as storage places - shelving, shelves made of round pipes, a table made of natural wood, painted wooden boxes on wheels.
Loft shelving option
Metal, glass, stone and wood are the best choice for a loft interior. Give up chipboard, plastic and other delights of modernity.
Accessories are usually few in number. These are rough “factory” lamps and lamps, posters.
Loft style lamps are amazing
Lining is a practical, inexpensive material
Lining (lath, finishing panel, tongue and groove board) is actively used by professionals and amateurs. Working with small elements is easy; they can be processed with ordinary household tools (plane, grinder, hacksaw, drill). Technical characteristics depend on the quality of the material, respectively, and its cost.
Lining on the balcony is convenient for covering walls, cabinets, benches, shelves
Also note the class:
- extra (O) – smooth texture, absence of core, defects (cracks, bends, knots);
- A – there may be a knot, a resin pocket or a small crack (1 flaw per one and a half meters);
- B – up to 4 knots (no more than 2 cm in diameter), 2 cracks, 2 pockets per one and a half meters of fabric;
- C – many of the listed shortcomings, dark spots up to 15 cm in diameter, stripes, and minor mechanical damage are also possible.
If both the technical and aesthetic characteristics of the material are important to you, choose extra, or at least class A.
Softline profile for covering walls and doors
The boards also differ in profile and design. For example, “eurolining” on the reverse side has hollows - channels for ventilation, which relieve structural stress and prevent the appearance of condensation. Most popular profiles:
- block house;
- standard;
- American;
- softline;
- Landhau.
All products are equipped with edges and grooves for a tight connection into a single fabric. Most of them have a flat surface, but the block house is distinguished by the convex structure of the outer side, as it imitates a log.
Modern – from classic to modern
Art Nouveau has been at the peak of popularity for many years and is considered one of the modern styles. In fact, it dates back more than two hundred years.
Art Nouveau is characterized by an almost complete absence of angles, a predominance of smooth lines and rounded shapes. Thanks to them, many familiar elements of the decor look extremely original.
Endless smooth lines and curls immerse you in a magical fairy tale
Note! When arranging objects, the rigor of the composition is important. It is needed in the chaos of forms.
The materials are expensive. These are natural wood of various species and degrees of processing, stained glass windows. They are decorated mainly with floral ornaments and motifs.
Fabrics are used strictly for their intended purpose - curtains, upholstery, bed covers.
The palette is light colors (linen, sand, peach, milk), against which dark wood stands out.
A semicircular balcony is ideal for Art Nouveau style
Choose furniture from natural wood, in strict accordance with the purpose of the room. Upholstery should be minimal. Wooden furniture elements can be decorated with decorative overlays or carvings.
Original chairs in Art Nouveau style
Classic modernism is not a cheap pleasure, but its modern direction (neo-modern) involves a combination of traditional wood with plastic, expanding the palette to include black, burgundy, blue, and gray.
Far from classic neo-modern
Instructions for interior finishing of a balcony with wood
Anyone who is familiar with carpentry tools can decorate a balcony or loggia with wood on their own. Brief instructions will give a general idea of finishing and thermal insulation work.
Preparation of tools and material
If you are using ready-made products, you will need the following tools for work:
- hacksaw, hammer, chisel - for cutting and fastening;
- pencil, tape measure, square - for marking;
- brush, tray, roller - for processing or painting.
More serious tools will come in handy if you need to process other wooden elements - boards, bars, panels.
A hacksaw is convenient for sawing boards into pieces
Don’t forget about the material for the frame - boards (25 mm), bars (50 mm x 50 mm), fasteners - clamps, nails (30 mm), dowels for the frame. You will also need thermal and waterproofing - mineral wool, membrane film. This is a minimum set, additions are possible.
Installation of frame and thermal insulation
First, you need to create a supporting structure - a sheathing that will fix the insulating boards and serve as the basis for attaching the lining. We cover the walls and ceiling with a waterproofing membrane (overlapping), then install racks (bars) at intervals that allow the insertion of thermal insulation slabs. We cover the outer side of the mineral wool with a vapor barrier film.
Installation of insulation under the sheathing
If necessary, in addition to dowels, we use construction staples to attach the racks (a stapler is required). We punch holes in the concrete slabs with a hammer drill. We also cover the ceiling with insulation, which we fix with a board. We secure the thermal insulation “pie” by nailing a sheathing on the outside, which will serve as the basis for fastening the lining. To insulate the floor, we use an electric “warm floor” system or flooring made of heat-insulating material (foam plastic, penoplex, foil covering, URSA, ISOWER, ROCKWOOL mineral wool).
The interval between the fastening boards is no more than 30-40 cm, so that the rail does not sag or deform from possible load.
Cladding with wooden slats - clapboard
At this stage, accuracy and precision are required, since the wooden layer is the final one; it creates a decorative background for the future interior. If the sheathing boards were fastened horizontally, then the slats must be fastened vertically, and vice versa. For horizontal cladding, fix the first element at the bottom, with the tenon pointing up. We string a clamp into the groove on one of the outer protrusions - on both sides, and secure it with small nails. Next, using the tongue-and-groove principle, we insert the next strip - and so on until the end of the surface.
Fastening the board with a clamp
The panels should fit tightly to the sheathing and to each other. To do this, tap the adjacent slats with a wooden hammer, driving the tenons into the grooves all the way. The width of the last panel is determined by the amount of space remaining; if necessary, cut the strip with a hacksaw or plan it with a plane. Instead of clamps, which hold the slats more firmly, you can use small nails. They are driven into the groove or near the ridge.
Assembly of wall paneling
Lining is good for walls and ceilings; it is better to cover the floor with a sanded board (15-30 cm), first leveled with a cement screed or sheets of plywood.
Protective surface treatment
The more carefully you treat the wood, the longer it will last. Each element must be protected from mold, mildew, moisture, and ultraviolet radiation. Wood burns well, so it needs to be coated with a fire-resistant impregnation. Manufacturers have tried to simplify the processing process by producing solutions with universal qualities. For example, paint primers with antiseptic properties.
Protective impregnation (or stain) can also improve the decorative characteristics of wood, while preserving the natural pattern of the material. Pay attention to the products of such brands as Senezh, Tikkurila, Pinotex. Among the range of varnishes, paints and primers from these manufacturers, it is easy to choose what is suitable for a particular type of wood.
Varnishes, primers, impregnations change the color of wood
Among water-based, alkyd, acrylic, and polyurethane varnishes there are colorless and tinted compositions - if you want to decorate the surface in a certain color. Thus, even aspen can be given the yellowish tint of linden or the dark tone of rosewood. For living spaces, we recommend using water-based varnishes.
Read more about the selection and use of products for protecting and decorating wooden lining here.
Wood decoration methods
The value of wood is also that it is very convenient for decorative processing. Use one of the original techniques to give your panels a stylish look:
- patination - artificial aging due to darkening of the wood pattern;
- brushing – creating a relief surface with subsequent contrasting design;
- carving – decoration with an openwork pattern;
- glossing with oil or a layer of varnish.
Aging the surface is appropriate if you want to create a country-style interior. Bleached oak or “worn” walnut look very stylish both on the walls and on the floor. The gloss is good for a modern, minimalist style setting or for wall decoration in a luxurious Art Deco style.
Brushing wood - a fashionable design technique
More often, a loggia or balcony is decorated in a restrained classic style, painting the panels with plain light paint or translucent varnish. White color or light pastel shades visually increase the space, the volume of which is slightly reduced after the interior lining.
How to do everything without errors
The most common question when carrying out renovations is how to properly cover a balcony with clapboard. After all, having finished, you can stumble upon crooked walls, gaps, cracks and other shortcomings that should have been calculated when performing all the stages.
In fact, if you have experience in renovation work of other premises, then the balcony will not cause difficulties. The main thing is to understand the algorithm - first the frame is built, and then the lining is applied. The frame must be level. The most important thing is to correctly set the horizontal line on each wall. That is, the first board. Because it is from her that the rest will be exhibited.
If you follow the rules and set the frame as level as possible, it is possible to make a balcony without a single mistake.
Lathing
There are a few important rules to remember about sheathing. Essentially, sheathing is the installation of a frame for repairs. In fact, this is the most important stage, in which, if there is an error, everything will go downhill.
The frame is made of wooden blocks. The height of such a bar depends on the thickness of the insulation, if any. That is, you need a block the height of the insulation from the wall and another two centimeters more. This is done to ensure sufficient air circulation. This “layer” of air allows you to preserve both the insulation itself and the lining. These two materials require insulation from fungus and moisture. This gap ensures it.
The second secret to successful repairs is the correct direction of the lining and frame bars. If the lining is laid horizontally, then the frame bars must be laid vertically. If the lining is placed vertically, then it is necessary to lay the frame horizontally. That is, in any case, the frame and the skin itself must be strictly perpendicular to each other.
Installation
There are also a couple of important points for installing the lining itself. The lining is attached to the frame boards. That is why the sheathing and frame are strictly perpendicular. They can be attached with nails, self-tapping screws, or using a construction stapler. Any option convenient for you will do. The main thing is not to use glue.
The second point is that the boards are attached to the frame one at a time. The second is inserted into the grooves of the first, thus fixing on the required surface. That is, there is no need to nail all the lining boards to the frame.
Cost of wooden glazing
The price of manufacturing and installing wooden windows on balconies and loggias can vary significantly, depending on many factors, including:
- The scope of additional work for measuring and dismantling old windows: removing a layer of finishing in order to reach the stone, number of floors, the need for welding work, removal and disposal of garbage.
- Range of delivery, lifting, including the presence of a freight elevator in the house.
- Size of the finished product: the window will occupy part of the plane or be installed along the entire height of the balcony. It is important to consider whether the side walls are solid or glazed.
- Type of wood, cost of fittings and rotating mechanisms (hinges, handles, quality of internal blocks).
- The number and quality of layers of impregnation and coating with paints and varnishes: treatment only with water-repellent impregnations or ensuring resistance to fire and high temperatures, type of varnish, etc.
- Glass thickness - 4 mm or more. Number of cameras in a double-glazed window: 1, 2 or 3.
- Type of gas with which the chambers will be filled: argon, krypton or xenon.
- The cost of installation depends on the complexity: the height of the balcony, the need for subsequent finishing of the facades.
Provençal textiles
Provence style is a provincial French style that belongs to the light, southern styles. Furniture upholstery and pillows should be decorated with natural materials in light shades with floral motifs, discreet stripes or checks. Any color palette is possible, but the only condition is that the shades should be muted and slightly blurred.
Textiles in the Provencal style often depict many small flowers and other plant elements. Objects are often embroidered with ornaments. Such patterns should be laconic and cute. For pillows, you can wear pillowcases with buttons and ruffles.
Mediterranean style in the design of balconies
How is it different from the sea? The Mediterranean interior is a solution specifically for residential premises in the coastal zone. Here wood gives way to stone and plaster.
The amount of typical ship decor is reduced. Its place is taken by accessories reflecting the culture of the Mediterranean countries. Due to the national color, the palette is expanding. Cute homemade ruffles, embroidery, and flowers in pots appear.
There are many styles for decorating a balcony. You can add something of your own to ready-made solutions and combine them (within reason). However, it is important to be guided by the basic principles of developing a particular style.
