Mökki Riihiniemi – exterior in transition

The exterior facade of a house is more than just a shell. It protects against wind and weather, provides insulation, and gives the building its character. It's the first thing you see and plays a key role in shaping the first impression. Originally, we planned to focus on the interior work first and wait a few years before renewing the facade. But when we removed the panels and the rotten insulation from the interior walls, we had to reevaluate the costs and benefits. It became clear: There was no point in re-insulating the building from the inside as long as the external insulation protection was faulty.

Before

After

By the time the decision was made, it was already late summer 2024, and renovating before the expected sub-zero temperatures seemed too time-consuming. When the weather at the end of September was still very stable above zero degrees despite the approaching winter months, we started with a quick-fix project. The old facade was torn from the structure relatively quickly. To avoid destabilizing the building, we started with only two sides. Since we still had enough underlayment in reserve, we installed the same membrane as for the roof as protection against wind and water. After meticulously taping the overlaps, windows, and doors, counter battens were installed.

We opted for a traditional Finnish facade with a floor-to-ceiling cladding. It not only looks attractive but is also easy to fabricate with our machinery and tools. The individual boards of the first layer are approximately 15 cm wide and were freshly sawn and installed in our sawmill . The gap between the individual boards is approximately 2 cm. Only above and below the windows and doors was the spacing slightly adjusted to maintain the harmonious appearance of the facade.

Since the weather was still above zero degrees Celsius after completing the first two facade sides, we started on the remaining two. You can clearly feel it: the closer the winter solstice approaches, the earlier the sun disappears below the horizon. While at the end of September we could easily work until 6:00 p.m., by the end of November it was already dark by 4:00 p.m. Of course, this means lower temperatures.

To cover the gaps, we cut roof battens approximately 5 cm wide. Before we could install them, however, we first had to close off part of the outer roof to prevent wasps, rodents, and other animals from nesting in the roof sub-roof. Since the Mökki Riihiniemi construction site is intermittently dormant, the woodpeckers are also making life difficult for us. The facade's membrane was pecked at countless times during the construction phase and had to be repaired...

Timber transport - Omavaraniemi

Fortunately, we were able to complete the rough work on the facade before the snow and the severe cold snap arrived. To protect the machinery, and also our hands, we try to move our work indoors on days with temperatures below zero. As the darkness increases, our energy levels drop noticeably, and so our workdays become shorter again. Despite the amount of work, winter is always a well-deserved and long-awaited period of relaxation for us.

We didn't resume work on the facade until the summer of 2025. As with the roof construction, we also had help from Roberto from Italy this year. As a workawayer, he always contributes with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm. He took care of the design around the windows, and together we installed the cover battens for the floor-to-ceiling cladding. We discovered that freshly cut roof battens were probably better suited than already dried ones.

A Spanish family also helped us for a while with cutting the slats.

If you'd like to learn more about Workaway, you can find our review here .

The Mökki Riihiniemi is now officially bookable from 1.06.2026

We are very grateful for the help of many different hands, even though it is always a challenge to coordinate everything.

We're very pleased with the progress of the facade and the mökki. Now we can focus on the interior work this fall and winter. Stay tuned for the next report on how we completely remove the floor and re-insulate the roof and walls.

How do you like the new design? Could you imagine spending your holidays here?

Let us know. In a comment or a personal message via email, WhatsApp, or Instagram.