A wooden house requires especially careful thermal protection, since if the temperature and humidity conditions are violated, the wood begins to rot and lose its strength characteristics. It will help prevent this effective insulation. Before you begin work on protection from the cold, you need to figure out how to properly insulate the floor in an individual wooden house.
Why insulate a wooden floor?
Wood compared to concrete is enough warm material, but when building a frame private house or a house made of timber with your own hands, it is not always possible to achieve a rational balance of the thickness of the structure in terms of strength and thermal conductivity. To reduce the consumption of materials on walls and foundations, thermal insulation is necessary. It is possible to carry out insulation work both in an old building that has been commissioned for a long time, and in new construction.
Insulating the floor in a wooden house can prevent the following problems:
- the appearance of excessive dampness in the room;
- reducing the temperature in the task;
- condensation, which causes mold to appear;
- the appearance of fungus and other microorganisms dangerous to humans;
- increased heating costs;
- destruction of wooden structures from the inside.
By doing the work yourself you can significantly reduce costs. Now there are many materials, the use of which does not require special skills and high qualifications.
Diagram of all heat losses wooden house.
Which floors require insulation?
The following structures need protection:
- cold basement floor pie;
- attic floor;
- interfloor slab design.
In the case of an interfloor option, the material is used as sound insulation. In this case, you need to provide a layer 3-5 cm thick.
Insulating the floor of the first floor in a wooden house allows you to provide comfortable living conditions. Most heat loss occurs through the ceiling of the upper floor, so it is necessary that the insulation is selected and installed correctly.
Materials for work
To properly insulate the floor in a wooden house, you need to choose high-quality insulation that has all the necessary properties. Insulation can be carried out both from the inside of the room and from the cold air side.
For insulation with your own hands attic floor from the inside or below the basement, it is better to use lightweight materials that can be easily attached to the floor pie from below. In this case, it would be correct to use:
- mineral wool in rolls;
These materials will ensure maximum convenience when insulating the ceiling with your own hands.
When insulating a frame house, a house made of timber or logs, you can carry out work from inside the room for the floor of the first floor and outside for the last floor. In this case, it is better to insulate the floor along joists or beams, since this will prevent the load from being transferred to the fragile material. For this type of work you can use the following materials:
More information about insulation with sawdust and expanded clay can be found in the articles and. These materials have such advantages as natural origin and low cost, so if you need to reduce construction costs or insulation in an old building and ensure complete environmental friendliness, it is better to use them. However, they are less technologically advanced compared to other materials.
Recently, the method is also gaining popularity. This method is good for its low labor intensity and high efficiency.
Floor insulation technology
It is important to lay the insulation correctly, observing the correct order of all layers. The floor pie when insulating the attic floor, the floor of the second floor or the first has not always noticeable, but significant differences.
Insulation of the floor of the first floor from below
In this case, when carrying out work with your own hands, the materials should be correctly laid in the following order:
- waterproofing;
- insulation;
- vapor barrier;
- ceiling design.
When building a house from timber or frame, the material is secured along the beams. After which the filing is performed. As a protection against moisture and steam, you can use ordinary polyethylene film. As a second option for waterproofing, moisture-proof membranes are used. If all layers are laid correctly, the structure will be reliably and competently protected from the cold from the point of view of heating engineering.
This method is very labor-intensive and is used only if it is not possible to insulate from the inside.
Also, the method is perfect for insulating from below.
Insulation of the ground floor floor from the inside
Carrying out work under the ceiling is quite inconvenient, therefore, when constructing a frame house or a building made of timber, insulation of the first floor ceiling is often carried out using beams from above. In this case, in addition to the previously mentioned materials, you can use bulk materials such as sawdust and expanded clay. When carrying out insulation with your own hands, correctly lay all layers in the following sequence:
- floor design;
- waterproofing;
- insulation;
- vapor barrier;
- clean floor.
The vapor barrier must be placed from the inside of the room, so it will work correctly, preventing damage to the floor along the timber beams.
Insulation of interfloor ceilings
In the first case, the insulation extinguishes airborne noise: human speech, music, etc. In the second case, the structure is also perfectly insulated from impact noise - steps, jumps, etc.
Proper sound insulation of interfloor ceilings is the key to comfortable living for all family members.
Insulation of the ceiling of the upper floor from the inside
Installing insulation from the inside does not provide maximum protection for structures, but it can be used as a second option for laying insulation. In this case, the insulation is mounted on the beams from below the floor. It would be correct to arrange the layers in this order:
- vapor barrier;
- insulation;
- waterproofing;
- beam-based floor structure.
Insulating the attic floor
When constructing and repairing a frame house, a house made of timber or logs, it is better to insulate the attic from above. This method has the following advantages:
- ease of installation;
- the possibility of using inexpensive bulk materials;
- competent thermal protection;
- insulation of not only the room, but also the ceiling along the beams of a house made of timber or frame;
- prevention of condensation in the thickness of the ceiling.
To ensure proper protection, the layers are laid in the following order from bottom to top:
- floor design;
- vapor barrier;
- thermal insulation material;
- waterproofing.
Calculation of insulation thickness
To perform a full-fledged thermal engineering calculation of the structures of a frame house or a building made of timber, it is not necessary to have a construction education. When performing calculations, it is important to know the thickness of all layers of the cake and their thermal conductivity. It's quite easy to find out.
The calculation will allow you to perform proper insulation of a house made of timber and prevent excess consumption of materials. All calculations, taking into account the search for source data, are unlikely to take more than half an hour. Typically, layers such as waterproofing and vapor barrier are not taken into account.
A competent choice of insulation method, type of material and its thickness can eliminate many problems during operation. When constructing multi-storey residential buildings, the question of insulation does not arise: it is required. The correct selection of thickness and the presence of measures for thermal protection of the floor, attic floor and walls are checked by an expert, which considers these calculations on a par with calculations of strength.
In private housing construction, no one checks the presence of proper insulation, but this does not make it any less important.
Heat loss is not always associated with the thermal conductivity coefficient of the material; very often the reason for this is different temperatures in the basement and on the first floor of the house. Thermal insulation of the floor in a wooden house prevents heat leakage, thereby reducing heating costs. High-quality floor insulation in a wooden house can be done with making the right choice isolation.
This is what an insulated floor looks like in section
Why is floor insulation necessary in wooden houses?
It is very rare to find wooden houses with high-quality floor insulation, ensuring a comfortable stay even in severe frosts. In most cases, cold floors are a fairly common phenomenon in wooden buildings.
This happens according to the laws of physics from school course, according to which heavier cold air accumulates below. Lack of thermal insulation on the floor or disruption of the insulation process causes the formation of cold bridges between dried boards.
This phenomenon contributes to the loss of almost a quarter of thermal resources.
Video description
The advisability of floor insulation is clearly shown in the video:
Based on this, we can say with confidence that an insulated wooden floor eliminates the following problems:
Increased humidity in the room.
Low temperature inside the building.
Accumulation of condensation, which causes mold to form.
The appearance of harmful microorganisms.
Formation of rot inside wood structures.
The combination of these factors encourages the homeowner to start insulating a wooden floor, and to do the work according to all the rules.
Laying thermal insulation in interfloor ceilings
The result of the actions taken will be a comfortable and cozy stay, and most importantly, leakage of thermal resources and corresponding costs will be reduced. Thermal insulation can be carried out not only in old buildings, but also in buildings being commissioned.
How to choose the right thermal insulation material
Owners of private buildings often wonder whether floor insulation is needed in a wooden house, and which one is better to purchase to get a greater effect. The selection of material for this purpose can be called a rather crucial moment, so it is important to adhere to the following:
Weight of materials. Owners of private wooden houses there is little point in considering this characteristic, since their houses themselves do not create a large load on the foundation strip or pad. It is necessary to know the mass of material only when working in multi-storey buildings, where too heavy insulation will put additional stress on the floor slabs.
Moisture resistance. Most often, this criterion is looked at when finishing “wet” rooms - a bathroom or kitchen. You should also take this into account when building a house in latitudes with a humid climate.
Operational life. This parameter directly determines how many times and after what time the homeowner will carry out work related to repairing or replacing the floor.
The packaging of high-quality and certified materials always indicates their full characteristics
Thermal conductivity index. The lower the value of this parameter, the more heat will be kept in the house.
The degree of complexity of laying the material. Every master dreams of simplified installation work, therefore, than easier installation insulation, the better.
Availability basement or ground floor. If there is an unheated room under the insulated floor, then it is important to choose thicker thermal insulation.
Ceiling height. Laying insulation is always accompanied by a decrease in usable space, so in rooms with low ceilings It’s better to opt for thinner insulation materials.
Features of use. Permanent or temporary residence also determines the thickness of the insulation.
Fire resistance. It is very important that the thermal insulation material is resistant to fire or at least does not support combustion. In addition, it should not emit harmful gases when heated.
In our catalog, you can find a list of companies specializing in finishing materials and works, among the houses presented at the exhibition is Low-Rise Country.
Popular types of thermal insulation materials
Ease of use is one of the the most important criteria selection of materials. Some of them are hard and can only be used on flat surfaces, while others are successfully used for thermal insulation of areas complex shape. Before insulating the floor in a wooden house, you should choose the most suitable look insulation.
When choosing a material, you must take into account the conditions under which it will have to be laid.
Insulation in rolls
Insulation materials are supplied in this form, the base of which is balsa wood or mineral wool. The physical characteristics of these materials (softness and reduced density) make it possible to lay thermal insulation not only on a perfectly flat surface without any particular difficulties. Roll insulation can be laid with the smallest number of joints, which increases the degree of thermal insulation. In most cases, this type of insulation is afraid high humidity, therefore, when laying it you should take care of waterproofing. Sometimes rolled materials have an outer foil layer that protects the material from moisture.
Rolls are easy to unwind on a flat surface
Plate materials
These are lightweight insulation slabs or mats that cannot change shape during installation. They are characterized by low thermal conductivity and low weight. Easily mounted on surfaces with minor errors.
The slabs can also be laid alone
Liquid polymer thermal insulation
This type is a special composition that, when exposed to air, forms a hard foam structure. With the help of such thermal insulation, all hard to reach places and errors. Among the well-known representatives of this type of insulation is penoizol, which is applied to the surface from a spray can using a special sprayer. The only drawback liquid insulation materials you can call it a high price.
Liquid insulation sticks to any surface
Loose thermal insulation
This type of insulation is represented by bulk materials such as slag, expanded clay or sawdust. They fill the required volume quite tightly, and installation is possible both on a pre-arranged base and on ordinary soil.
When using such insulation, you will have to install additional beams for the finishing coating and, as a result, raise the floor level.
When choosing a method for insulating a wooden floor covering, you should be guided by the efficiency of using the material and the financial benefits.
Least labor costs on flat surfaces
Popular materials for insulating wood flooring
Usually you don’t have to look long for the best way to insulate the floor in a wooden house - in construction stores There is a large selection of different materials and all that remains is to choose the appropriate one, based on their characteristics.
Polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam
In addition to good thermal insulation, one of the main characteristics of these materials is their vapor permeability, so it is most effective to use them for insulating the floor of the first floor or basement. Under normal conditions in mid-latitudes, it is enough to use slabs 5-13 cm thick. If you take thinner slabs, then over time the savings will be offset by increased heating costs.
Working with foam plastic
Mineral wool
The properties of this material do not allow its use in floor screeds on the ground. And here wooden floors, insulated with mineral wool, can boast of increased service life. It is recommended to insulate the floor between the basement and the first floor with a material whose thickness is 20-30 cm. More high floors insulated with materials 10-15 cm thick.
Video description
The procedure for working with mineral wool in the video:
Ecowool
The material is produced from shredded waste paper and cardboard packaging with further impregnation with fire retardants and antiseptics. Ecowool cannot be used for insulation on the ground due to its low density, but for ceilings on beams the material is considered the best option. In this case, the thickness of the floor insulation in a wooden house can be 20-25 cm.
Ecowool backfill
Foamed polymers
The main difference is the high cost compared to other insulation materials. The use of this insulation on the floor and floor beams cannot be considered effective. Therefore, it is best to use foamed polymer thermal insulation materials for thin-layer structures under floor coverings.
Before installing the finished floor
Foam glass
The material is obtained by foaming quartz sand. The mass of such insulation is much less than that of dry wood. The main advantages of the material include good vapor barrier properties, the ability to withstand heavy loads without changing shape or loss quality characteristics, as well as good sound insulation.
Foam glass is produced in slabs that can withstand the weight of a heavy-duty vehicle, or in granules for backfilling wooden floors.
The standard density of the material is 150 kg/m³, allowing it to be used for insulating the basement floor and ceilings located above. In this case, the thickness of the thermal insulation should be 18 cm and 15 cm, respectively.
Foam glass slabs
Expanded clay
Recently, this insulation has begun to be used much less frequently due to the appearance of more effective thermal insulation materials on the construction market. Some characteristics require an increase in the thermal insulation layer by 4-6 times compared to stone wool or ecowool. The ceiling on beams cannot always accommodate such a volume of insulation.
Expanded clay needs a lot of space
Fibrolite
This type of insulation is obtained by mixing cement powder, liquid glass and wood wool. The advantage of such thermal insulation of the floor in a wooden house is the ability to dampen noise of various origins, as well as significant heat retention when pasting this type of insulation load-bearing walls Houses. The high hygroscopicity of the material limits its use in floors on the ground, but it is ideal for insulating floors along beams and for creating multi-layer pies of wooden structures. The insulation of the floors between the basement and the first floor is carried out with a layer of 15 cm, for upper floors 10 cm of insulation is enough.
Fiberboard boards
Sawdust
Such isolation cannot be called the most effective way insulation of residential premises, since to reduce heat loss it is necessary to lay a layer at least 30 cm thick. Therefore, sawdust is most often used in non-residential attic spaces. Recently, sawdust has been used in the production of highly effective thermal insulation and materials with similar characteristics.
Leveling the sawdust layer
Izolon
This thermal insulation, made from polyethylene foam, has a low thermal conductivity coefficient, even with a thickness of 0.2-1 cm. This quality makes the material indispensable for insulating wooden floors. Other advantages include good sound insulation, which makes laying additional sound-proofing layers unnecessary. When using isolon, it is necessary to lay it not end-to-end, but with overlapping strips; the resulting seams are treated with polymer glue or bitumen mastic.
Isolon rolls
Penofol
The material is roll insulation new generation. This lightweight and easy-to-use material provides shielding that prevents the dispersion of radiant energy. Heat is retained due to the reflective layer; this makes the material especially popular for insulating floors between floors. Advantages include the ability to withstand heavy loads, low thermal conductivity and easy installation.
The thickness and flexibility of Penefol allows it to be used in difficult places
Comparing the properties and features of use, we can conclude that for wooden elements it is better to choose vapor-permeable materials, and in other cases use high-density insulation.
Procedure for installing thermal insulation
Before insulating the floor in a wooden house, it is important to familiarize yourself with general rules carrying out work.
Video description
First of all, you need to understand what you can’t do – you can see this clearly in the video:
And the insulation process itself occurs as follows:
First you need to remove the baseboard and remove the old floor. However, you need to be careful not to buy new material.
Exposed beams ceilings are inspected for rotten elements that must be replaced. It is best to fasten new wooden parts using galvanized self-tapping screws that are not subject to corrosion.
It is best to attach the support beam from below the joist.
The rough flooring is made from unedged boards, the length of which corresponds to the distance between the logs or is 2 cm less than this parameter. The subfloor is not laid closely, and the beams need not be attached to the elements of this covering.
Houses located on high-level plots groundwater, very often suffer from high humidity with all the ensuing consequences. Therefore, it is very important to protect floors with roofing felt or glassine. The waterproofing strips are laid overlapping, gluing the joints with tape.
The insulation is laid on top of the finished floor joists. In addition, another layer of waterproofing is required.
To create ventilation gap, counter battens are nailed on top of the insulation.
The final stage is laying the new flooring.
Final finishing of the finished floor
Whatever material or technology is used, first of all, you must always remember that a high-quality result can only be obtained if the work technology is strictly followed.
The floor is considered the coldest part of the house, especially if we're talking about about a country wooden building. There is nothing surprising in this, the usual laws of physics: warm air rushes upward, and cold air spreads along the bottom, and drafts blow down the legs from the cracks between the cracked floorboards.
A solid foundation, four strong walls and reliable roof– this is only part of comfortable suburban housing. In order to minimize heat loss, it is necessary to insulate the floor in a wooden house.
The functions of this action are very clear: retaining 20% to 30% of heat, significantly reducing humidity, preventing mold, reducing the cost of organizing stove, gas or electric heating. A good, warm floor will make your life in a wooden house surrounded by nature as pleasant as possible. You will feel comfortable both in the gloomy off-season and in winter frosts.
What is the best way to insulate the floor in a wooden house?
Floor insulation in wooden houses is carried out using different materials that have the same characteristics. As the simplest and inexpensive insulation materials, which are poured in a layer on top of the floor roughing, which serves as an auxiliary base.
These materials are sufficiently hygroscopic, they protect the wood from rotting, the appearance of fungus and microorganisms, and also ensure air movement. However, this method of thermal insulation has a significant drawback: bulk non-metallic insulation materials lose their hygroscopicity over time.
Introductory video guide
A country house made of logs or timber is an environmentally friendly home, so the materials for its insulation are also subject to environmentally friendly requirements. This will help preserve the unique natural aura! Previously, sawdust, granulated sawdust insulation, sawdust concrete, wood concrete, and foam plastic were widely used to insulate floors. But today there are more convenient and effective materials on sale that are also environmentally friendly.
Currently, manufacturers produce a wide range of thermal insulators. They suggest insulating floors in a wooden house with mineral wool made from basalt, stone chips or slag, ecowool made from cellulose, fiberglass, penoplex, expanded polystyrene, penofol, isolon and other modern materials. Usually they are used for thermal insulation of walls, attics and roofing floors. Each insulation has its own characteristics, therefore, when choosing a material, you need to take into account its pros and cons.
At the same time there are General requirements to all thermal insulator materials. They should be light (not weigh down the structure wooden structure), durable, safe, easy to install and, naturally, have low thermal conductivity.
The insulation is selected taking into account the parameters of the building, and it is possible to avoid heat leakage only with proper organization of thermal insulation.
Fiberglass and mineral wool– these are materials whose distinctive characteristics are density, low thermal conductivity, good noise absorption, durability, availability, environmental friendliness, non-flammability, chemical resistance, water resistance and high level thermal insulation, so they are most often used for floor insulation in a wooden house.
Sometimes unscrupulous manufacturers use harmful phenol-formaldehyde resins to connect the fibers in these materials. Glass wool that does not meet environmental requirements has a yellowish tint, and mineral wool has a brownish tint.
Expanded polystyrene and penoplex– modern materials that are sprayed onto the surface of the auxiliary floor and fill the space between the joists. They are distinguished by such qualities as efficiency, low thermal conductivity, minimal level of water absorption, stability of shape and volume, environmental friendliness, biostability, efficiency and durability.
Due to their low cost and ease of use, expanded polystyrene and penoplex are used in wooden houses for insulating floors and other structures. High-quality polystyrene foam must be absolutely dry, without the presence volatile compounds, which can be released when the temperature rises and cause harm to health.
Acrylic and latex binders used in the production of these materials are safe for human body. This is confirmed by quality certificates.
The main manufacturers of materials for thermal insulation of buildings today are the following companies: Izovol, Izorok, Izorus, Knauf, Rockwool, Ursa and others.
Stage 1– laying the subfloor along the joists. This simple and versatile design is most often used in renovations and new construction. Its main advantage is that the insulation is not affected by mechanical loads, so any heat-insulating material can be used.
This floor is made from wooden shields or rough boards measuring approximately 25x150 mm. You can also use boards left over from the foundation formwork for these purposes, provided they are in good condition. In any case, it is recommended to pre-treat the wood with an antiseptic composition.
First they lay wooden joists, not reaching the walls by about 2-3 cm. They are either installed using a T-shaped cut into a log house, or laid on a foundation, brick pillars or wooden spacer at a distance of 0.6-1.0 m from each other. A cranial beam with a cross-section of no more than 50x50 mm is attached to the logs using screws, then shields or rough boards are nailed to it from below, making sure that there are no large gaps left between them.
Stage 2– laying insulation. Sheet, slab or roll thermal insulation material (foam plastic, glass, eco-, mineral wool, etc.) is placed tightly on a wooden base between the joists, and the remaining gaps are filled with polyurethane foam. Sometimes such insulation is laid under the subfloor.
Sprayed insulation is fixed using special equipment. These materials have good adhesion, follow the contours of the surface and do not form joints.
Stage 3– laying vapor barrier (waterproofing) material. Waterproofing of the subfloor is mandatory when insulating wet rooms in a wooden house, as well as in the case of using hygroscopic heat insulators. In particular, it is necessary when using fiberglass, ecowool or mineral wool as insulation. At the same time, you can do without it if you use sprayed insulation.
Waterproofing is divided into impregnation, painting and pasting. Pasting materials include polyethylene films, PVC membranes, glassine, roofing felt, isoplast, etc. Film waterproofing materials perfectly protect fiber insulation from condensation and moisture penetration.
Sheets vapor barrier film laid over the heat-insulating layer with an overlap of approximately 15 cm, and the edges are folded approximately 10 cm and attached to the joists. The joints and resulting gaps are glued with metallized tape. Sometimes two layers of moisture-resistant film are laid: a waterproofing layer on the subfloor, a vapor barrier on the insulation.
Stage 4– laying the finished floor and its finishing. The finished floor is laid on top of the vapor barrier layer at a distance of 3-4 cm from the auxiliary base (subfloor). For its construction, specially treated boards with a width of 9.8-14.5 cm and a thickness of 3.0-4.4 cm are used, which have longitudinal grooves on the bottom side to ensure natural ventilation.
Video guide for floor insulation in a wooden house
Do not use for laying finished floors edged boards It is not recommended, because before laying them you will need to prepare them: cut off the wane with an ax, plan the front side. This is a rather labor-intensive process that takes energy and time. Sometimes fibreboard (fibreboard) and a soundproofing coating are placed on top of the boards.
To enlarge, click on the picture
Paint and varnish, or slabs, linoleum, and carpet are used as finishing materials for a finished insulated floor in a wooden house. They are laid according to generally accepted rules governing the installation of these materials, and then skirting boards or profiled slats are installed along the joints with the walls. On straight sections they are connected at an angle of 90 degrees, and in corners - at an angle of 45 degrees.
The profiled slats are pressed tightly against the floor and walls and secured with 75 mm nails, keeping a distance of 60-70 cm between them. Also, nails must be driven into the joints of the baseboards.
The floor is one of the coldest parts of the house. This especially applies to the first floors of multi-storey buildings, as well as private wooden houses. This is primarily due to the fact that cold air tends to fall down, and drafts also blow from under the floor. Therefore, in order to obtain a warmer floor and reduce heat loss in the house, the floor must be properly insulated. This is especially necessary if the floor of the house is made of wood. Even if the docks were packed tightly together, over time they will dry out and leaks will begin to leak from the crevices. As a result, heat loss in the house can reach 30%. You can insulate a wooden floor with your own hands; the technology is quite simple. However, before insulating a wooden floor, it is necessary to study the properties of various insulation materials.
Floor insulation is an integral part in the construction and renovation of private houses.
Wood floor insulation technology
Before you begin the process of insulating the floor, you need to decide on a number of important parameters, namely: the possible height of the thermal insulation layer and the entire structure, surface operating conditions (indoor conditions - humidity and temperature, load, purpose). Only after you have decided on these parameters will it be possible to properly insulate a wooden house.
The technology for insulating such a floor is quite simple, you can easily handle it yourself. Properly installed thermal insulation consists of a layer of thermal insulation material, a vapor barrier and a floor covering. In the process of designing a thermal insulation layer, you need to determine its thickness. The thickness of this layer depends on climatic conditions and the type of insulation. It is selected individually for each building.
Insulation of wooden floors on joists
Most often, the method of insulation on joists is used to insulate a wooden floor in a house.
Scheme of floor insulation on joists.
It is relatively simple, but at the same time very effective, making it possible to eliminate significant heat loss. This method is only relevant for floors located close to the ground (plinths, first floors).
This insulation technology is carried out as follows. First, wooden logs with a T-shaped notch are installed in the log house or on the foundation in increments of 60-100 cm. Next, you need to secure the boards or panels on which the insulation layer will be laid. Shields (boards) are hemmed from below or secured to special cranial bars. Next, you need to lay insulation on the flooring between the joists.
The next stage is laying a waterproofing and vapor barrier layer. This stage is needed only in certain cases - depending on what material is used for insulation. For example, protection from moisture and vapor is needed in the case of insulation using mineral wool or ecowool. The vapor barrier is overlapped by 10-15 cm, and its edges are bent to a height of up to 10 mm. Ordinary polyethylene film can be used as a vapor barrier material. In this case, the film must be laid so that it goes around each rafter, is in an even state and is secured with staples to the load-bearing elements of the roof. Film is one of the most inexpensive vapor barrier materials. Despite its relatively low cost, polyethylene film copes well with the tasks.
The final stage of insulation on joists is the installation of floorboards and finishing with the selected floor covering.
What is the best way to insulate a wooden floor?
Insulating floors with polyurethane foam is a durable, reliable coating.
You can insulate a wooden floor using a variety of materials. Most often, mineral wool, polyurethane foam, ecowool, penofol, and polystyrene are used for this. You can insulate the floor using sawdust, polystyrene foam and expanded clay. The choice of a specific material depends on many parameters and personal preferences of the home owner.
Insulation of the subfloor is carried out in the same way as for joists. That is, first you need to secure the bars to the sides of the logs, after which you need to lay boards on them using self-tapping screws or nails, which should be cut out in accordance with the distance between the logs. When all the boards are secured and a complete surface is formed, it is covered vapor barrier material. After this, the selected insulation should be laid tightly between the lags, without gaps. Finally, a layer of vapor barrier is laid again. This concludes the work on insulating the subfloor. When using certain thermal insulation materials, a vapor barrier layer may not be necessary.
One of the simplest and most affordable materials with which you can insulate a floor is sawdust. Despite its simplicity, sawdust has very good characteristics. The main advantages of this material are its low cost (compared to other types of thermal insulation materials) and ease of backfilling, which allows you to insulate even hard-to-reach and narrow places. As you know, sawdust is obtained as a result of processing natural wood, which means they are environmentally friendly, natural material. Of all materials made on the basis of sawdust, sawdust in its pure form is mainly used for insulating wooden floors.
The most economical and environmentally friendly material for floor insulation is sawdust.
You can insulate a wooden floor using mineral wool, which can be glass, slag or stone. One of the main advantages of this material is its absolute non-flammability. In addition to this, mineral wool has a number of other advantages: biological and chemical resistance, fire resistance, high heat and sound insulation characteristics. Among the disadvantages are low vapor permeability and low mechanical strength.
Penofol is one of the modern thermal insulation materials. Penofol appeared relatively recently and is not yet widely used. This is a rolled multilayer material consisting of insulation and a reflective layer, which is thin polished aluminum foil. Almost any insulation material can act as a base (insulating material). The most preferred are translucent materials, which include foamed polyethylene.
Expanded polystyrene is also very popular. This is due to many advantages and an almost complete absence of disadvantages. Such insulation is characterized by low vapor permeability and thermal conductivity, fire resistance, high strength, chemical and biological resistance (does not decompose, does not undergo mold formation, and is not afraid of rodents). The cellular structure of the material makes it durable and very effective as thermal insulation for wooden floors.
Penofol - modern material for insulation. It is thin, lightweight, and has high thermal insulation properties.
You can insulate a wooden floor using ecowool. This material consists of 80% cellulose and 20% various natural additives. Used as a binding component organic antiseptic lignin and boric acid. It is due to this composition that the main advantage of ecowool is determined - its environmental friendliness and complete safety for humans.
Polyurethane foam is obtained by synthesizing two components - isocyanate and polyol components. By changing the recipe and processing mode, it is possible to obtain various materials: from plastic and soft to hard, differing in density and physical and mechanical characteristics.
How best to insulate a floor: stages of work
To properly insulate a wooden floor, you need to have a number of tools and accessories on hand. Some of them will be used constantly, while others are needed occasionally. You will need:
To insulate the floor you will need a level, drill, screwdriver, saw, tape measure and pencil.
- Drill for drilling various holes.
- Level - length at least 200-250 cm.
- The rule is a special rail made of metal or wood, the length is from 120 to 200 cm.
- Mixer - equipment for mixing various compositions.
- A screwdriver is a device for tightening various fasteners.
- An electric jigsaw is a device that automates sawing work.
- Ordinary saw.
- Roulette.
- Chop.
- Pencil.
The process of insulating a wooden floor may vary slightly depending on what material was chosen as thermal insulation. Next, the most popular and widespread method will be considered.
Chipboard is very often used as flooring, which can be explained by its relatively low cost and fairly high quality.
Scheme of insulating floors in a house with penofol and penomplex.
Laying on the foundation or tying waterproofing material (roofing felt) is carried out. This material is needed so that the sand does not absorb water and other liquids that can get into it from the foundation. The sand layer itself should not be too large.
Leveling the sand cushion can be done with almost any available means, for example, using a shovel or rake. Next, polyethylene film is laid. Much attention should be paid to its thickness. Actually, the thicker the film, the more efficient system will cope with the tasks assigned to it.
Polyethylene film is attached to the base. A construction stapler is used for this.
The next step is flooring foam (or laying another material of your choice). This material is excellent as thermal insulation. Firstly, it retains heat remarkably and provides high noise protection. Secondly, this material is not dangerous to human health, it does not ignite and is characterized by chemical inertness.
Make sure that no extraneous holes remain after installation. All cracks must be eliminated without fail.
The final stage is creation last layers in the amount of two. The layers are made from chipboard. That's all, the process of insulating a wooden floor in a private house is over. In reality, any construction work looks simple and easy only on paper. However, if you strictly follow the instructions given, then you will definitely succeed.
Thermal comfort in the house, first of all, begins to be perceived by the body through the legs. Therefore, considerable attention is paid to the condition of floor coverings and their foundations. After all, they, especially on the first floors, are among the coldest structures in residential buildings. This is due to the coldness and dampness coming from the ground, as well as convection currents of cooling air inside the premises, descending from the ceiling to the floor. It is not surprising that for houses with wooden floors without a basement or basement, heat loss through and ceiling structures can be up to 30% of the total. A logical question arises: how to insulate a wooden floor in order to minimize such negative indicators, thus increasing indoor comfort?
Design features of insulated wooden floors
In most cases, wooden plank flooring is installed along joists. There are two main ways to create such structures: on the ground or on a foundation with a subfloor. The first option is cheaper and preferable for small technical structures or temporary residence buildings. These could be barns, workshops, saunas, cottages, etc. They are more often used for floor insulation. bulk materials: expanded clay, perlite, polystyrene foam balls, ecowool, tyrsa, straw, derivatives or wood waste (sawdust, shavings, wood pellets).
In the second option, support columns or strips of brick (concrete, rolled steel, foam concrete blocks with an average density of at least 400-600 kg/m3) on a pre-prepared sand cushion can act as a base. Floor insulation in a wooden house is placed at a certain distance from the ground surface, forming a ventilated space (underfloor) to remove moisture. In this case, it is more convenient to install a heat-insulating barrier by laying slabs (expanded polystyrene, arbolite blocks, mineral wool) or rolled (felt, penofol, mineral wool) target materials, however, the use of bulk materials is not excluded.
Stages of installing a floor with bulk insulation on the ground
Use this method allowed only if the groundwater level is low at the stage of construction of a temporary residence structure. The sequence of installation stages of floor insulation will be as follows:
- On the marked construction site the fertile soil layer is completely removed to a depth of at least 30 cm - the main depth of the roots of the grass cover, exceeding two to three times the height of the timber (10-15 cm), usually chosen as lags.
- The bottom of the excavation is carefully compacted.
- The resulting pit is filled to a depth of 10 cm with coarse-grained mineral material. Suitable: crushed stone, gravel, large construction waste, broken brick, etc. Ideally, it is recommended to use crushed stone or gravel impregnated with bitumen.
- A pillow of coarse aggregate is compacted, and fine aggregate (10 cm) is poured on top: river or expanded clay sand, fine slag. It is also suitable to install a layer of rich clay - it will simultaneously serve as additional waterproofing for insulating the wooden floor below.
- The logs are lowered onto the ground base. Their wood must be thoroughly treated with an antiseptic in 2-3 passes. Suitable target compositions of factory production, waste machine oil or ozokerite. For maximum protection from accidental moisture from below, the timber can be wrapped in roofing felt, taking care also to waterproof its ends, and a couple of layers of plastic film can be laid under the entire structure.
- The space between the joists is filled with backfill to insulate the floor.
- Semi-rough or semi-rough boards are laid on the timber frame.
If the GWL (groundwater level) is close, then, at a minimum, a high base is required. Then the prepared base is constructed from bulk compacted soil, with which the plinth strip is filled to its upper cut.
Thermal insulation of a wooden floor on joists with an underfloor
Buildings and structures designed for continuous use in winter period time, more thorough floor insulation is required. At the same time, quite often used for thermal insulation purposes:
- mineral wool,
- insulation from waste wood,
- ecowool,
should be reliably protected from moisture. It cannot be placed directly on the ground surface, even using polymer roll waterproofing. In addition to capillary suction of water from below due to temperature differences, condensation can accumulate in it. Drops of moisture, retained in microchannels or pores of the heat-protective layer, significantly reduce its effectiveness.
Therefore, at high groundwater level, frame structure, including floor insulation on joists, is recommended to be raised above the ground surface by installing a ventilated subfloor. The supports of the frame can be any sufficiently strong pillars with a height of at least 30-50 cm made of non-rotting materials, as well as wood impregnated with antiseptics and hydrophobes.
To reduce humidity in the underground space, it is advisable to cover the soil surface with plastic film. The panels are laid in an overlap of 10-15 cm, sealed with wide tape at the seams. If the supports are monolithic blocks of porous concrete, it is recommended that they be installed directly on the film. Gaskets under the logs made of 2-3 layers of bitumen-impregnated roofing material are placed on the heads of all types of pillars.
In addition to ground waterproofing, it is necessary to install a barrier of breathable waterproofing (membrane) at the bottom of the wooden floor insulation frame. Vapor-permeable material is laid in such a way as not to prevent moisture from escaping from bulk or fibrous thermal insulation. The underground space receives 2 layers of protection at various levels, not only from moisture, but also the migration of soil radon gas into the living space is reduced.
Important! The ventilated subfloor space must have a sufficient number of vents (vents) with adjustable gaps. The holes are covered with a fine metal mesh or grate, which makes it difficult for rodents to penetrate into the underground.
If you plan to use sealed insulation for a wooden floor - slab polystyrene foam average or high density, foil thermal insulation based on foamed polymers (isolon, penofol), then the need for a breathable membrane barrier disappears.
Do-it-yourself floor insulation using joists: sequence of processes
Making the base:
- for the base for the supports, you need to choose soil 30-50 cm deep, and the width dimensions are 10-15 cm larger than the column. Fill the pit with sand and gravel mixture and compact it;
- Place supports on the formed pillows. Their step is taken to be no more than 2 m along the span (along the log);
- the heads of the pillars should be aligned in a horizontal plane using splashes from cement-sand mortar. If the thickness of the mortar exceeds 3 cm, then it is better to reinforce it with a metal mesh, for example a masonry mesh;
- Lay waterproofing sheets (2-5 cm wider than the posts) on top of the hardened blotches, onto which you already mount the logs. The step between the lags depends on the rigidity of the entire structure: the material used for floor insulation, the thickness of the lag, the type finishing coating, as well as operational loads. For standard designs floors in residential buildings Logs with a cross section of 100-150*50 mm are usually used. Moreover, it is advisable to install them in increments of 600 mm, which corresponds to the width mineral wool slabs. With this placement, floor insulation with mineral wool is noticeably simplified, and the amount of its trim is reduced.
Thermal insulation and flooring:
- If you decide to use slab or roll thermal insulation materials, then to lay them it is enough to secure a metal mesh along the bottom plane of the logs. If you chose bulk heat insulator, then you will have to assemble a lower subfloor to support it. OSB boards, substandard boards, plywood scraps, etc. are suitable for it. The rough flooring is mounted directly to the bottom plane of the joists or to their side surface through the skull block;
- floor insulation on joists must be reliably protected from above from exposure to both dripping liquid and humid air. Therefore, lay a water vapor barrier film on top of it. For each subsequent strip, ensure an overlap of at least 10-15 cm over the previous one. Glue the seams with tape intended for such work;
- Now, in principle, you can begin to assemble flooring boards, nailing them or screwing them to the joists with self-tapping screws. However, to preserve the wood, it is better to provide a ventilation gap of at least 30 mm under the top flooring. The boards of the appropriate thickness will be used to lift the covering boards above the joists.
What is the best way to insulate a wooden floor?
1. Sawdust, wood chips, shavings, wood waste and thermal insulation based on them
Insulating the floor with sawdust in a wooden house is economical and also quite effective. The main advantages of this method are the affordable cost of the material, ease of use, and environmental friendliness. However, sawdust in its pure form generates quite a lot of dust and is a favorable habitat for various unwanted small living creatures. Therefore, it may be better to insulate the subfloor using building materials made using wood waste. Similar products include:
- thermal insulation panels. They are blocks 20-50 cm thick, consisting of sawdust, cement and copper sulfate. An effective material with high resistance to biological damage. It is widely used not only for insulating floors, but also for thermal insulation of walls of structures built using a frame method;
- pallets/pellets/pellets made from sawdust and carboxymethylcellulose glue. Various antiseptics and fire retardants are also added to the starting raw materials. Thanks to modifiers, the material produces good thermal insulation of a wooden floor, which is highly resistant to combustion and biological damage;
- sawdust concrete, for the production of which, in addition to sawdust, mainly coniferous species wood, sand is used as a fine filler, and Portland cement is used as a binder. The finished product is molded into blocks or slabs;
- wood concrete is the closest analogue of sawdust concrete. It plays the role of a placeholder wood chips. The feedstock is also subjected to targeted chemical treatment by introducing hydrophobic modifiers into it. In addition, the material can be installed both for sound insulation and for insulating wooden floors.
2. Mineral wool for floor insulation
This is one of the most common and effective materials. Mineral wool based on slag, basalt and glass fibers are suitable for thermal protection purposes. All of them are non-combustible materials, have low thermal conductivity coefficients, and high chemical and biological resistance. However, since slag wool is the most hygroscopic, shrinks significantly, is too brittle, and generates a lot of dust during installation, it is better to refrain from using it.
Low mechanical strength, considered a disadvantage of many types of mineral wool, is not of key importance, since the fibrous material will be enclosed in a rigid structure of logs and plank flooring.
Floor insulation with mineral wool in a wooden house can be done either with mats or rolls. It is recommended to use them in two layers with offset joints, and also to choose basalt wool with moisture-resistant impregnations.
3. Insulating a wooden floor with foam plastic
Expanded polystyrene (foam plastic) is the second most popular material for floor insulation and interfloor ceilings. It has significant biological and chemical resistance, low thermal conductivity and vapor permeability. And unlike fibrous and many bulk building materials, it is not afraid of even direct contact with liquid, so it can do without creating a waterproofing carpet between the insulation and the room.
Its disadvantages include: high flammability, some release of carcinogenic substances (decomposition products of the styrene group). Expanded polystyrene insulation of a wooden floor can also be happily inhabited by rodents, at the same time not being too fond of glass wool.
Types of expanded polystyrene
In addition to the usual slab foam, it can be used in in bulk form from unconnected balls. This form is convenient for both self-use, and in combination with slabs for insulating narrow niches.
In structures without joists (if there is a rigid, level base), it is possible to install extruded polystyrene foam. It is strong enough to withstand laying a semi-rough or finished plank floor directly onto its surface.
4. Ecowool
Refers to thermal insulation materials made from recycled products. Consists of waste paper (80%) and modifying additives, mainly on a natural basis (20%). In other words, ecowool is a homogeneous mixture of cellulose fibers, an organic binder (lignin), an antiseptic and a fire retardant (boric acid). Insulation of floorboards based on it is positioned as environmentally friendly and absolutely safe for human health. It has low thermal conductivity, and after getting wet and then drying, its original properties are completely restored.
Laying insulation on the floor can be done either manually or using special injection units with the assistance of third-party specialists. Special equipment also allows you to blow ecowool into the space between the joists even after installing the finishing floor covering.
5. Foil thermal insulation based on polyethylene foam (isolon, penofol)
The use of such modern thermal insulation materials makes it possible to insulate the floor in a wooden house with almost complete preservation of the infrared component of thermal energy indoors (up to 98%).
At the same time, insulating a wooden floor with penofol or isolon is also its waterproofing. The material is laid end-to-end, sealing the joints with special aluminum adhesive tape.
Important! Between the reflective layer and inner surface floor covering should maintain a distance of 10-20 mm.
6. Spray polyurethane foam
Polyurethane foam has a cellular structure, reminiscent of very dense extruded foam. It is one of the most effective means of thermal insulation due to its extremely low thermal conductivity. Resistant to biological damage, acids and alkalis. It has low moisture absorption rates and does not require the installation of an additional vapor or waterproofing carpet. It is applied by spraying using special equipment.
conclusions
The insulation of wooden floors can be done on your own, using various thermal insulation materials and technologies. The costs incurred will be recouped over several years due to energy savings. Besides, building construction, due to the absence of temperature changes and condensation formation, will receive a longer service life.
