A family house in a land of lakes and tranquillity
The surrounding environment inspired the choice of nature-friendly construction material: wooden logs. The façade was freshly renovated with semi-matt Tikkurila Vinha paint to enhance durability.
Just 40 kilometres from the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, you enter a beautiful land of lakes and tranquillity. Arvydas carefully selected the perfect spot for his family’s weekend home in Molėtai, near the shores of the picturesque Lake Dūriai, which spans 278 hectares. Today, Molėtai is becoming an increasingly popular destination for tourists, drawn by the unspoilt nature and unique landscape. Nearly 300 lakes are nestled among forests that cover a quarter of the region’s territory.
Suitable coating for log houses
The surrounding environment inspired the choice of nature-friendly construction material: wooden logs. The house was originally built and painted with Tikkurila Valtti Color about 10 years ago. This summer, the façade was freshly renovated with semi-matt Tikkurila Vinha paint to enhance durability against the harsh and damp climate and highlight the natural wood structure.
When the house was built, it was painted with a Tikkurila wood stain in a brown-orange shade. It was time to renovate the façade, but I faced two challenges: first, choosing the most suitable and durable coating for log houses; and second, selecting a colour that would blend in with the landscape as the house sits on a hill, visible from afar. The new colour also needed to complement our friends' house next door, which is coated with Tikkurila paint in a dark shade.
The first challenge was easily solved – I contacted Tikkurila for advice. The second took longer, but Tikkurila also helped by recommending that I apply sample colours directly to the exterior wall. This way, I could see how the real colours looked on the façade. We chose shades of grey and saw how the colours complemented the red tile roof.
Paint that highlights the beauty of wood
Vinha paint has been developed for wooden façades to withstand extreme weather conditions and UV damage. The painted surface is flexible and adjusts to the substrate and seasons. Vinha creates a moisture-resistant paint film that allows water vapor to pass through from the underlying wooden structure. This provides increased protection against mould growth on painted wooden surfaces.
Vinha is also Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) verified – this is essential for assessing a product's environmental impact, with the data used in whole-life cycle analysis (WLCA) to calculate a building's ecological footprint.
Colours that blend with the landscape
The house’s orange tones were replaced with a more subdued, greyish colour that complemented the roof tiles and better suited the unique landscape.
The façade and plinths were painted in shade Q699 – a warm, earthy, neutral grey that blends beautifully with nature’s green and brown tones. The windows were finished in Q644 – a soft, warm, neutral beige with greyish undertones that pairs well with similar darker tones to give a calm, modern and natural look.
Three steps for a great result
The paint system - the main three steps were:
1. Preparation: The façade was carefully washed including with Homeenpoisto mould remover where necessary. Homeenpoisto should be used according to instructions, rinsed with water and allowed to dry.
2. Priming (one layer): Valtti Plus Pojuste priming oil was used to protect the surface and reduce the risk of the wood cracking.
3. Painting (two layers): The façade was painted with semi-matt Vinha paint to enhance durability and highlight the natural wood structure.
Valtti Plus Pohjuste
A clear priming oil is used to protect wooden surfaces outdoors. Penetrates easily into the wood fibres, providing very good protection against water absorption even on joints and end wood. Reduces the risk of cracking of wood and paint layers.
Vinha
A high-quality semi-matt paint for new or previously treated wooden surfaces. The paint showcases the beauty of the wood surface, creates a UV and moisture-resistant finish and protects against mould growth.
Ensure the long-term beauty of wooden façades
Repainting a wooden façade is a proactive way to increase its durability, shield it from the elements and enhance the building's overall aesthetics. Regular maintenance, including timely repainting, helps preserve the wood and ensures the integrity of the building's exterior.
The sustainability demands of the future
Our customers trust us to deliver high-performance products that extend maintenance intervals and reduce the environmental impact of buildings across their life cycle. Our efforts towards sustainable development continue as we aim to have a positive impact on the living environment and people's well-being.
Using EPDs we can offer more transparent information on the environmental impact our paints have in sustainable construction.
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