How to sheathe a balcony inside and out: materials, characteristics, photos, videos

Repair and insulation of the balcony inevitably raises a lot of questions, and first of all it is necessary to find out how to sheathe the balcony inside and out. The requirements for materials are different, therefore we will consider them separately. 

How to sheathe a balcony inside

There are many options, both traditional and new. The requirements for the interior decoration of the balcony are mainly as follows:

• durability – after repair, you want at least 10 years not to worry about how the balcony looks;
• practicality: the surface should be well washed, not absorb dirt;
• attractiveness – from the balcony it is quite possible to make a place to relax, and not a warehouse of unnecessary things;
• ease of installation – this is especially true if you are going to do the trim yourself;
• maintainability – you never know how it goes, it should be possible to replace the damaged area.

There are many requirements, but often one more is added to them – financial. Not everyone has the ability or desire to invest decent amounts. From the point of view of all these requirements, we will analyze the most popular finishing materials.

Wood

In many regions, balconies are most often sheathed with wood products. The most popular lining and eurolining, but you can use any other similar materials: imitation of timber, block house, terraced or even ordinary planed board. The difference in appearance and, in some cases, in the method of fastening: the lining and its varieties (imitation of timber and block house) have a thorn-groove lock, which results in a connection without gaps.

Next, let’s look at everything point by point:

• Durability. With proper care, this finish will last for decades. Only periodically (every 3-5 years) will it be necessary to restore or update the protective coating. Without it, wood loses its attractiveness, and may even collapse.
• Practicality. Depends on the type of coverage. If there is a dirt-protective film (polymer or varnish) on the surface, maintenance is simple. If the pores of the wood remain open, care is problematic and dirt is difficult to remove.
• Attractiveness. Few materials can compete with wood in this area.
• Ease of installation. Not to say that the work is difficult, but time-consuming. First, a frame is assembled – a crate, then each plank is nailed to it.
• Maintainability. If necessary, starting from one of the corners, you can disassemble everything, and then reassemble. So everything is fine here too.
  

Sheathe a balcony with eurolining or ordinary clapboard – one of the most popular finishes. Especially in regions where lumber is inexpensive. Where wood is a luxury, other materials are used.

Plastic

Plastic PVC panels in any store are in a wide range. Usually they are strips of material of different widths, which are joined like a lining: a lock with a spike and a groove. Therefore, such products are also called plastic lining. Usually this means a surface with seams (as in the photo below).

When talking about plastic panels, they mean their seamless version. There is more choice here. There are surfaces glossy (shiny) and matte, plain and with a wide variety of patterns.

Now consider the compliance of this material with the requirements for interior cladding for a balcony:

• Durability. The declared service life of plastic panels is calculated in tens of years. It depends on the quality (and price), but it will last 8-10 years on the balcony without problems.
• Practicality. Cleaning such surfaces is very simple: a rag or brush, soapy water.
• Attractiveness. A matter of taste, of course, but there are a lot of options, so you can decorate a balcony in any style and color scheme.
• Ease of installation. The installation is exactly the same as when working with lining: a frame is assembled, panels are attached to it. They are easily cut: with an electric jigsaw or a hacksaw for metal (less burr is obtained).
  

• Maintainability. The situation is the same as with the lining: you can disassemble it starting from one of the corners, replace the damaged panel, then assemble everything. Just one point: the collections change frequently, and if you don’t have a “repair kit”, you may not be able to find the right color or the color will be different. So leave some margin. Plastic is brittle and can break. This, by the way, is its main drawback, although manufacturers are trying to increase its strength at the expense of partitions. But, if you hit well, it’s easy to break through or push through.

Sheathing a balcony with plastic panels is an option from the category of “inexpensive and good”. This is the best choice if you need a practical surface.

Laminated materials: MDF panels and chipboard

Another option for interior decoration of an insulated balcony: sheathing with MDF panels or laminated chipboard. Their basis is wood fibers processed in a special way and covered with a decorative film that imitates various surfaces. In addition to a flat surface, they also absorb sound well. This is the effect that is not available to plastic.

This material has one feature: it does not like high humidity. Therefore, MDF wall panels are suitable only for heated balconies, and they will feel best on loggias. The same applies to laminated chipboard.

Now about whether they meet the requirements for finishing materials for a balcony or not:

• Durability. Subject to the requirements for operation (at normal humidity), the service life is 20-30 years.
• Practicality. The surface is even and smooth, all traces of dirt can be easily removed. The film is applied dense and strong, but if you set a goal, it can be damaged with a sharp object.
• Attractiveness. A variety of surfaces, mostly imitating wood – this is the range of MDF lining (as it is also called). If you like the surface of the tree, but do not want to take care of it, this is your option, because there is a very good imitation.
• Ease of installation. The system is still the same: the crate to which the trim is attached.
• The maintainability of MDF panels is similar to the case described above: some margin is needed. With chipboard it is more difficult – either cut and replace part of the skin or change the entire fragment.

For the price, this is a very affordable option. It takes a little time to install: the width of the panel is about 20 cm, chipboard is generally sheets. So if you don’t know how to sheathe a balcony inexpensively and quickly, you can take a closer look at MDF wall panels or laminated chipboard.

Drywall

This type of decoration has become traditional in recent years. Its advantages are known: you can get a perfectly flat surface of any configuration. But, with such a finish, “wet” processes with plaster are used, and if the surface is painted, without experience you are unlikely to get a fairly even surface. Unless you use decorative plaster as a finish, which will hide small flaws.

Let’s deal with the requirements for finishing:

• Durability. The surface itself can stand for decades, but the coloring will have to be updated regularly. But this has its plus: you can inexpensively change the boring design. With all the other materials previously described, this is not possible.
• Practicality. If the paint is of good quality, it can be wiped several times with a damp cloth. Only special plasters can be washed.
• Attractiveness. Finishing with drywall – at the current stage, this is practically the standard for mid-level repairs. You can create a very interesting design or a completely neutral surface. Everything depends on the desire.

• Ease of installation. The technology is still the same: the frame on which the trim is mounted. Only in the case of drywall, a rather large area of ​​plastering work is added. Of all the previously described processes, this process is the most difficult.
• Maintainability. In principle, everything can be fixed, but there will be a lot of work. It is also likely that everything will have to be repainted. In any case, one wall. But you can fix it.

As you can see, there are a lot of finishing materials. And this is not all possible options. There are also exotic possibilities: sheathe with bamboo, cork, wickerwork or mats. But for these types of finishes, the surface will have to be leveled with plaster. With the advent of new materials, this process is not very popular: it is slow and dirty, but sometimes you cannot do without them. On a leveled and plastered surface, finishing elements are “sit down” on the glue. Everything is simple, only bamboo and cork cost decently, but the design turns out to be beautiful and unconventional.

How to sheathe a balcony outside

The exterior finish of the balcony imposes slightly different requirements on the materials. In addition, it must be strong and reliable, wear-resistant. To understand the best way to sheathe a balcony from the outside, consider the main options.

Vinyl Siding

It is available in two versions – traditional in the form of long boards with a tenon / groove fastening, which is often sheathed at home, and facade in the form of slabs with uneven edges, imitating stone or masonry. Both materials are mounted on the crate using self-tapping screws, but the frame is assembled a little differently, adjusting to the geometry of each material.

Metal siding or profiled sheet

Although vinyl is considered durable among plastics, it cannot argue with metal. If for high balconies how strong the material is uncritical, then for the lower floors it is very important. Therefore, below, balconies are often sheathed from the outside with metal siding or profiled sheet.

The better to sheathe a balcony with siding or profiled sheet – a matter of personal preference. Both of them have a high degree of reliability. Siding is made of aluminum or galvanized iron, on the front surface of which a polymer film is applied. Professional sheet – a shaped sheet of roofing iron, coated with a polymer or paint. The service life is declared from 15 to 25 years.

The main difference is in the installation method. A detail of the desired shape is cut out of the profiled sheet and fastened to the crate in a large piece with special self-tapping screws with a painted hat. The siding is also assembled as a lining: on one side there is a spike, on the other – a groove. Along the edge of the strip there is a perforation for fasteners. Self-tapping screws are screwed into it (in the middle of the hole, slightly short of the cap – leaving the opportunity to move with the temperature change of materials).

How to decorate a house with siding is written in the article “How to sheathe a house with siding with your own hands”. If you have chosen this material, you will need to know the features and installation rules …

Wooden Sheathing

Houses are built from wood, so why not sheathe the balcony outside with it? Not a bad option, but the wood needs maintenance. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the impregnation of the material used. Take an antiseptic and protective compounds for outdoor use. Processing is carried out before installation begins – then it will be problematic. When finishing, do not forget to process the ends of the boards sawn to size. The rest of the installation is the same.

Just keep in mind that without proper care, a pretty skin will turn into something unattractive. A fragment of a tree left without care can be seen in the photo on the right below.

How to sheathe a balcony without glazing

Since the finish of an unglazed balcony will be exposed to all atmospheric phenomena, it is necessary to choose from materials for the exterior of the house. Possible options:

• siding – vinyl, basement, metal;
• decorative finishing stone;
• porcelain tile;
• plasters for outdoor work;
• tree;
• frost-resistant ceramic tiles;
• polycarbonate.

Most of the material is familiar to you. Questions may arise only on polycarbonate. Sheathing the balcony with polycarbonate has recently begun. And you can make not only a visor on the upper floors (in the photo on the left). This material looks very nice paired with a forged balcony railing. But on such a balcony, the order should be perfect.

How to sheathe the ceiling

On a glazed balcony, the ceiling is often sheathed either with the same material as the walls, or with plastic panels. You can make a plasterboard ceiling.

If we are talking about an unglazed balcony or loggia, then the ceiling is usually sheathed with siding. It is inexpensive, easy to clean, easy to install and at the same time, holds up well.

See the photo below for a few ideas for finishing unglazed balconies.