Balcony cladding: types of finishes, choice of materials and design, interior photos

Glazing, insulation and finishing of a balcony or loggia are closely related to the choice of material. Craftsmen usually offer the cheapest PVC, corrugated board or other advantageous option that is easy to install, but any repair is not cheap for the customer. The entire volume of trimming the loggia or a small piece of work can be done independently. If this seems difficult, experts recommend that you only tackle the inner lining of the space adjacent to the apartment.

Competent finishing of the balcony will help to avoid problems during operation and even improve the indoor climate

Basic requirements for balcony cladding

When deciding how to decorate the insulated balcony inside, it is important to take into account all the nuances, including waterproofing and heating method. It is better to entrust the design outside to professionals, at the same time strengthen the base and make a small takeaway, as in the photo.

The photo shows how much you can increase the usable space of a narrow balcony by taking out the slab

This will slightly increase the interior space. But it will be possible to make high-quality insulation and glazing with double-glazed windows - for sound insulation and prevention of condensation.

Any balcony cladding must meet the basic requirements:

1. Practical cleaning (all surfaces are easy to wash and clean, preferably anti-static coatings to repel dust from the street).
2. Durability - to carry out high-quality repairs and no longer think for 10-15 years about how to decorate the balcony inside or outside.
3. Environmental friendliness and safety - it is undesirable to sheathe the inside with cheap plastic or paint with caustic fumes. It is not recommended to insulate loggias with materials that are subject to structural changes when overheated on the south side of the house.
4. Aesthetics (insulated loggia and cold cladded balcony should have a modern design).
5. Functionality (a refined space adjacent to one of the rooms can be easily arranged as a resting place, a workshop with a wardrobe or a mini-room with exercise equipment).
6. Ease of installation, especially when the loggia is insulated - do-it-yourself finishing inside (it is better to entrust the glazing and external cladding to the pros).
7. Maintainability (in case of hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters, the balcony cladding is partially damaged).
8. The financial side of the issue. The balcony is not the most important room in the apartment, in the design of which it would be worth investing a lot of money (except for the increment in the living room, bedroom or kitchen-dining room area).

Quite an extensive list of requirements. But compliance with all these points will protect homeowners from damage to health and help optimize repair costs for many years to come.

Pros and cons of balcony cladding with budget materials

Before decorating the balcony with the selected material, it is important to understand for what purpose this is being done. One approach is needed for insulation, other materials are needed for the "habitation" of additional square meters.

The outer cladding will protect the interior space from the influence of weather conditions and make the outer appearance of the balcony more beautiful

In any case, the refined external block with glazing has a lot of advantages over the old "soviet" balcony:

• high-quality protection against weather and climatic conditions;
• more comfortable microclimate of the adjacent room, even if the loggia is not insulated;
• high-quality exterior finish will eliminate the need for frequent repairs;
• "Conservation" of space, windows and balcony doors from freezing, flooding during oblique showers, strong drafts and heat, especially on the sunny side;
• the aesthetic design of the balcony will give the apartment a presentable look.

A well-equipped balcony will not be used as a warehouse for unnecessary things. After the renovation, the balcony space will become an additional resting place. It will be pleasant to dine here after work or even sleep in the open air in the summer, if the glassed-in balcony is properly furnished. At the end wall, you can equip a table for a laptop or a corner for needlework.

There are many options for turning a balcony into a useful extension of the living area of ​​an apartment.

There are also disadvantages, especially if there is no full-fledged insulation and vapor barrier, also when the interior decoration of the balcony is chosen incorrectly. A local "greenhouse effect" is possible, especially when large indoor plants are lodged there with abundant watering.

Varieties of external cladding

For the loggia to have a decent look, external refinement is enough. A comprehensive solution would be universal:

• sheathing;
• insulation;
• finishing of the loggia inside according to all the rules of modern design.

You should not rush to buy material without having familiarized yourself with all the options in detail. Each of them has its own unique properties, advantages and disadvantages. It is the material that determines the method of fastening and insulation, as well as the overall aesthetics of the balcony space.

Sheathing with corrugated board

A cladding made of corrugated board will be quite beautiful if mineral wool is laid under it and waterproofing is well done. The cladding is attached to the balcony parapet with a corner profile or slats. "Sandwich" made of insulation can be laid in layers, and then fixed to the crate with ready-made blocks, as in the photo.

The corrugated board is distinguished by good rigidity and strength, while it has a low weight

In apartments with a small balcony, a small take-out or expansion is often made due to cladding. To do this, a metal frame is welded to the perimeter and logs are laid, protruding beyond the perimeter of the balcony area. In the old stock, a substantial build-up, but a minor "addition" will add space for drying laundry or flower decoration.

Siding

The most affordable material for outside balcony cladding is siding. It is successfully used for general cladding of private houses in many countries. A solid siding wall is perfect for any occasion:

• renovated balcony;
• fully habitable and insulated space;
• glazed "cold" loggia.

The versatility and relevance of the material is explained by its availability and the method of locking fastening, embedded in the very form of its fragments. Maintenance of the surface of the profiles on the lock connection is extremely simple - they are well washed from dirt and dust.

Siding is resistant to moisture and ultraviolet rays, which means it has a long service life

The siding is made of durable PVC. It comes in a variety of colors and is often offered with a wood look. It has practically no obvious drawbacks, although it is a synthetic raw material.

Wooden lining

For a long time there was no alternative to this natural material, until eurolining and a cheaper replacement made of polymers with imitation of wood texture appeared.

The main disadvantage of using wooden lining for external cladding is the need for periodic renewal of the paintwork

Scraps of boards were used to insulate wagons, hence the name. In modern construction, a high-quality wood base is used. This natural material has many advantages:

• excellent heat and sound insulation;
• environmental safety (no chemical components, with the exception of antifungal impregnation);
• easy installation;
• durability.

This is not to say that this is a cheap material, but prices fluctuate significantly, depending on whether it is "classic" or "euro". To reduce the cost of work, masters recommend natural material for interior cladding (for insulation), and a synthetic profiled analogue for outdoor work.

Sheathing with plastic and polymer type clapboard

Most modern facing materials are produced on the basis of modern modified plastic. These are well-known plastic windows, ceiling and wall panels. They are practical and affordable, but have a significant drawback - without good ventilation, the cladding "does not breathe".

Sheathing with plastic panels is one of the most inexpensive outdoor options.

This material is also used for "cold" finishing, since it can withstand temperature extremes and high humidity. Other benefits:

• well-thought-out technology for installing PVC panels (most often they are offered with a lock connection or under fastening with an aluminum profile);
• easy to cut and cut at home, without leaving small debris;
• sufficiently durable, affordable and practical material that is easy to wash and clean;
• part of the panels can be replaced in case of fragmentary damage to the skin.

For high-quality cladding under PVC panels, a reliable frame is needed. The color and texture, length and width of the panels vary, which gives unlimited possibilities in terms of design.

Due to the huge variety of manufactured panels, they can be used to create a very attractive appearance of the balcony.

Plastic lining is a budget finish, inferior in design and price. The main disadvantage is the synthetic material.

MDF paneling

MDF panels are produced on a natural basis, but their properties determine functionality - they are not suitable for external balconies refining. This material is produced on the basis of compressed wood fibers, therefore it belongs to an environmentally friendly cladding.

Medium density wood fiber panels, as evidenced by the decoding and translation from the name, are available in different forms.

The use of MDF panels for interior decoration of the balcony has many advantages.

Main advantages:

• a large lineup in terms of texture and color;
• an environmentally friendly basis that creates a healthy microclimate in the room;
• affordable price.

The disadvantages include the need to prepare the walls, and the panels themselves are susceptible to swelling at high humidity.

The photo shows an example of interior decoration with MDF panels on the wall on the balcony

Sandwich panels

Ready-made material for sheathing and wall insulation, available in the following options:

• composite panels;
• polymer or plastic (lightweight and easy to maintain);
• wooden (natural environmentally friendly raw materials, suitable for interior work);
• metal (used as a supporting structure), high-quality offers come with galvanizing.

The advantages of sandwich panels of any design are that they remain the best option in terms of heat and sound insulation.

Sandwich panels are a ready-made solution for warming and decorating a balcony

Interior decoration methods

• Plasterboard is suitable only as a base inside an insulated loggia. It is good to sheathe brickwork or concrete goods with crumbs with GKL sheets, this is an environmentally friendly hypoallergenic material (gypsum + thick cardboard). Next, the cladding is plastered for painting with water-based or acrylic compositions. Available material for self-arrangement, easy to cut and install, absorbs moisture. Therefore, it is not suitable for cold glazing, it is fraught with condensation.
  

  For finishing a balcony or loggia, moisture-resistant drywall sheets are used

• Cork and bamboo wallpapers are suitable for interior cladding, produced in the form of rectangular sheets of plates or rolls. Excellent decor that requires prepared walls, such as drywall. The surface of sheets made of pressed cork chips is waxed, therefore it does not absorb excess moisture. Bamboo itself has the ability to repel water. Both materials are made from natural raw materials, with all the benefits of an environmentally friendly base.
  

  Cork is an environmentally friendly material that also has excellent heat and sound insulation properties

• Decorative plaster is a rather attractive way of ennobling a glazed balcony area. Produced ready-made or in dry packaging, requires dilution with water. The main components are cement, sand, lime and gypsum. Additives - hardeners, polymers, pigment, silicone, plus inclusions (granules, stone chips). The design of the room depends on decorative additives and the method of application. The main disadvantage is that you need good tools and skill in working with decorative plaster.
  

  Decorative plaster easily hides minor surface imperfections, therefore, does not require final leveling of the walls

• Finishing with "wild" or artificial stone is a great way to decorate the end and inner walls of a heated loggia. This is a slab material that has an external resemblance to its natural counterpart - rubble stone, granite, sandstone or chipped rocks. Imitation of a stone can be done independently - on the basis of a gypsum or cement mixture, casting in silicone molds. Another way is decorative plaster or latex paint with sand to imitate stone.
  

  Decorative stone is one of the most beautiful and effective ways to decorate a balcony

The simplest ways to cover the walls inside the loggia are washable wallpaper, tiles and painting. For the ceiling, plastic panels or stretch ceilings are suitable. At the bottom, you can insulate yourself according to the "warm floor" scheme under a polymer coating or tile materials. Wooden flooring will look organically under the clapboard, siding or other imitation of a natural analogue.

The easiest way to finish the walls and ceiling of the balcony is to paint with acrylic or alkyd paint intended for outdoor use.

A combination of several finishing materials helps to create a unique and practical balcony design. For example, timber cladding matches well with painted white walls.

Examples with photos of original ideas for cladding a balcony and a loggia

Before finishing the loggia inside, it is important to decide on the style of the interior.

• For country, wood and stone are suitable.
  

  Pictured is a country-style balcony with antique wood paneling

• Minimalism accepts any sleek, no-nonsense finish.
  

  Smooth monochromatic surfaces are characteristic of minimalism, so the walls and ceiling are most often simply painted in the desired color.

• Classic - panels made of natural wood for varnishing.
  

  To decorate the balcony in the classic style, you can use Venetian plaster or wallpaper.

• Modern style - metal, plastic panels, decorative plaster or painting.
  

  One of the most modern solutions is finishing the walls of the balcony with laminate

• Other options:

The photo shows a cozy place to relax on the balcony, decorated in the style of French Provence

In the photo there is a balcony with a study made in the loft style

For the organic transformation of balcony square meters, you will also need full heating and lighting.

The insulated and heated balcony can be used as a full-fledged living space

A modern approach to decoration requires a sufficient competence in facing materials. The choice depends on building skills. If you do not want to warm yourself and tinker outside, it is better to contact specialized companies, but what to sheathe a balcony inside can be decided on the basis of interesting photo examples.

Video: Internal cladding of a balcony with Euro lining

Photos of various options for cladding balconies