Floor insulation in a wooden house: 15 the best ways

The coldest surface of the house, of course, is the floor. This usually applies to the first, least protected floor of the building, as well as separate wooden houses. Why is the floor in a lower floor apartment always cold? This is due to the fact that air rushes down. There are also drafts from under the floor below. To minimize heat loss, the floor in the house has to be insulated.

This procedure is especially necessary in houses with classic eco-friendly wooden flooring. Even if you lay wood elements (boards) tightly together, they will dry out over time. It will certainly begin to leak from the crevices. This will naturally lead to heat loss.

How to insulate a floor in a wooden house: choosing a material

The quality of thermal insulation of the flooring directly depends on the correct choice of material. Today, the Russian construction market has a wide selection of thermal insulators.

Penoplex, stone and mineral wool, polystyrene foam and the commonly used fiberglass are popular types of thermal insulation. Each of them has its pros and cons. Which one is better?

Fiberglass, stone and mineral wool - these materials have good thermal protection properties and excellent noise absorption. If you want to lay insulation in one layer, then use rolled or mats. The latter are considered a more elastic and durable material. the site advises installing insulation elements between the joists or under the rough flooring. Both options are acceptable.
Penoplex and expanded polystyrene can also be used. At the same time, they will delight you with an affordable price, high thermal insulation of the structure and durability. Thermal insulation from these materials is carried out by spraying. This is an effective, fairly fast and economical method. This method is most often used in new homes.

Advantage of expanded polystyrene:

minimal water absorption, and, accordingly, resistance to water;
excellent thermal insulation qualities;
shape stability;
high strength material;
volume stability;
long service life;
stability of biological type;
immunity to various microorganisms;
the material is environmentally friendly.

Advantages of mineral wool:

the material is low in density;
the level of thermal conductivity is insignificant;
long service life;
reasonable price;
non-flammability;
environmentally friendly material;
high level of water repellency;
high chemical resistance.

All of the above materials meet environmental requirements:

The higher quality the polystyrene foam, the more environmentally friendly it is. It needs to be dried well so that no volatile compounds did not remain in the material. Otherwise, at elevated temperatures they can poison a person. Styrene can cause toxic hepatitis, rarely curable leukemia, etc.
You can fit into the tight confines of ecology by using fiberglass or mineral wool, provided that these materials use non-harmful resins. Phenol-formaldehyde resins, which are undesirable, can be identified by the brown or yellow tint of the material.

Durability of thermal insulation

Various qualities must be taken into account when choosing a particular material. For example, if there is some load on the heat-protective layer, it will no longer be able to restore its original volume - some of the fibers will simply break. That is why such raw materials do not adhere tightly to the joists and floor beams. As a result, cold bridges are inevitably created on structures. Condensation can also appear where the insulation does not fit tightly.

In order not to make a bad choice and buy good quality insulation, press on a small piece of it (for example, step on it). If after such a test it returns to its former shape, then it is suitable for you. If it remains crumpled and flat, then it is best to refuse such a product.

Is it possible to improve thermal insulation qualities? When insulating, you can’t get by with mats alone. Insulated finishing options are often used: heat-insulating linoleums, two-layer carpets... Other materials can also not be neglected. The first floor can be made warmer by insulating the foundation. Basements must be thoroughly checked and all cracks sealed.

We insulate a wooden floor along the joists

Most often, floor insulation in a wooden house is realized through the use of logs. It is quite simple to implement and at the same time very effective. In any case, you can eliminate significant heat loss. This method is especially relevant for the basement and first floors - there the floors are closest to the ground.

The technology goes like this:

Install on a T-shaped joist base. Maintain a meter step.
Then secure the boards or panels on which you will later lay the insulation. They must be secured to a special type of cranial bars or hemmed from below.
Then lay the insulation on the flooring between the joists.
Next, you will have to take care of vapor and waterproofing. True, the need for this procedure arises only in individual cases. It all depends on the type of insulation. So, this procedure will be relevant if you use ecowool or mineral wool. Lay the vapor barrier sheets overlapping by about fifteen centimeters. Its edges should “climb” onto the wall by about ten centimeters. For waterproofing, you can use either simple polyethylene film or special types of materials.
The final stage is installation and finishing of the flooring.

Important! You can also insulate the floor using joists that are laid on even brick columns. Insulation boards must be laid between these columns (foam plastic, fiberglass, mineral wool). The insulation layer must be covered with a layer of vapor barrier on top.

An invariable advantage of thermal insulation along joists is the ease of execution of the work. Moreover, the method is very effective. The insulation does not experience mechanical load, therefore, any thermal insulation material can be used.

What materials are there for floor insulation?

Of course, choosing insulation is not easy. You can make the floor warmer different ways using different materials:

isolon;
polyurethane foam;
polystyrene;
penofol;
mineral, glass, stone, slag wool;
ecowool.

Sawdust, polystyrene foam, and expanded clay are perfect for this purpose. The choice depends on the characteristics of the material, personal preferences and financial capabilities.

We insulate the subfloor

The entire procedure is carried out using logs.

Attach the bars to the sides of the fixed joists.
Secure the boards to them with self-tapping screws or nails. The length of the latter must correspond to the distance between the lags.
When a complete surface is formed, lay a vapor barrier on top: plastic film, glassine or some other material.
Next, lay the insulation between the joists.
Make sure that no gaps are formed.
Next is another layer of vapor barrier. The subfloor is ready.

We insulate the floor with sawdust

Sawdust is one of the commonplace types of insulation. Its main advantage is low cost and ease of filling. The insulation can penetrate even the most hard to reach places. It is also important to mention that this material is environmentally friendly. Sawdust can be used as insulation not only in its pure form, but also mixed with appropriate building materials.

Pellets and sawdust granules

This is a granular insulation made from a mixture of sawdust, carboxymethyl cellulose-based glue and an antiseptic fire retardant. Thanks to such components, the insulation is not only an excellent heat insulator, but also antiseptic and fire-resistant.

Sawdust concrete

It can be obtained by mixing sawdust (mainly coniferous) with cement, sand and water. It is similar to cinder concrete in terms of thermal conductivity. It's environmentally friendly pure material, requiring good waterproofing (since it contains sawdust).

Arbolit

Such material can be obtained by mixing cement with the required chemical components and organic fillers (wood chips). Typically, slabs are made from this material. They have good heat and sound insulation properties. This insulation is non-flammable, easy to process, and durable.

Main disadvantage– “not indifferent” to moisture.

Of all the above materials, sawdust (without adding impurities) most often serves as insulation.

We insulate the floor with mineral wool

This is a very common, popular type of insulation. It can be slag, stone, glass. Absolute non-flammability is one of the main advantages. The advantages also include: chemical and biological resistance, thermal and noise protection properties.

It is necessary to mention the disadvantages: low vapor permeability and mechanical strength.

The material is hygroscopic, resulting in a decrease in thermal insulation properties. Pay close attention to the vapor barrier layer when installing mineral wool. Such material also cannot be called absolutely safe for human health.

It is sold in slabs and mats. The latter form is made from hydrophobized mineral wool. The blue stripe marks the hard side of the slab. Please note that the markings should face up when laying. Among manufacturers the most popular are Rockwool and Izovol.

The base is mineral fibers. "Izovol" has low thermal conductivity. It has much more hydrophobic efficiency. In addition, it is chemically and biologically resistant and non-flammable.

Basaltic mineral insulation- this is Rockwool brand material:

resistant to mechanical load;
does not shrink during operation and is practically not deformed;
chemically and biologically resistant, non-flammable;
low thermal conductivity of the flooring;
absorbs sounds well due to its porous structure.
excellent noise-absorbing properties.

Insulation of floors with mineral slabs (video)

We insulate the floor with penofol

The new kind thermal insulation material. It hasn't gained much traction yet.

This is a multilayer material that comes in rolls and consists of a reflective layer (aluminum foil) and insulation (almost any insulation)... For example, polyethylene foam.

The classic version of this insulation is precisely polyethylene foam, which is held together with foil. However, all requirements modern construction this option cannot satisfy. That is why various types of penofol were invented.

Classic penofol has a higher density. It can withstand higher mechanical loads. The insulation can also be used as a hydro- and vapor barrier. It will perform well in tandem with insulation materials of a different composition.

Penofol comes with double- and single-sided foil.

Penofol-2000 has become a progressive version of penofol. Foamed gas-filled polyethylene is used as a base here. It costs less than its classic representative.

There is penofol and type “C” - self-adhesive. It is multi-layered: polyethylene foam, contact adhesive (moisture-resistant) with anti-adhesive film, aluminum foil. Such insulation can be fixed to any (with few exceptions) surface thanks to glue. Accordingly, installing it is very simple and quick.

The material is laid on the surface of the base. Sheets can be laid either end-to-end or overlapping. The joints must be taped with metallized tape. If you use penofol, then there is no need to perform hydro- and vapor barrier. Aluminum foil will provide everything. We recommend that you read the material about.

We insulate the floor with foam plastic

Also one of the leading types of insulation. Possesses:

low vapor permeability;
significant fire resistance;
high strength;
low thermal conductivity;
chemical and biological resistance;
does not mold;
unsuitable for rodents;
high performance layer.

The disadvantages include the fact that it absorbs moisture, losing some of its properties. When using such insulation, you need to pay attention to hydro- and vapor barrier.

Both foamed and extruded foam are suitable for insulation. The latter has a strong structure - a mass of closed cells filled with gas molecules.

Of course, insulation has both pros and cons. The advantages include hygroscopicity, low thermal conductivity, durability, and fire safety. The disadvantages are harmful effects on the human body.

We insulate the floor with ecowool

This insulation is made from natural materials. It consists of 78-81% waste paper, the rest is natural additives - a mixture of cellulose fibers. The connecting component is organic antiseptic lignin, as well as boric acid.

The main advantage of ecowool is safety for humans. The advantages also include:

fire safety (smolders, not burns);
low thermal conductivity;
after drying, it restores its thermal insulation properties.

The disadvantages include high cost.

Ecowool can be applied to the surface in different ways:

manually. Wool slabs will need to be laid between the bars on boards or boards hemmed underneath. The main thing is to lay the insulation tightly and treat the joints with foam;
using special devices - mobile blowing machines. Under the influence of pressure, the insulation is supplied through a hose. There are two methods: dry (ecowool is blown into the floor cavity) and wet (ecowool is applied to the walls).

Laying ecowool (video)

We insulate the floor with isolon

New generation insulation. It is made from foamed polyethylene foam. Izolon is designed to meet new requirements for floor thermal insulation. Has a number of advantages:

small thickness - 2.1-10.0 cm. It is noteworthy that the level of thermal conductivity does not increase;
goes well with any material. Ideal for any gender;
does not absorb moisture;
does not rot, protects against the negative effects of moisture and steam;
long service life;
environmentally friendly material;
suitable for any room;
small thickness. This saves space significantly.

We insulate the floor with polyurethane foam

This insulation (hard and soft) can be obtained from isocyanate and polyol components.

Polyurethane foam has a cellular structure (bubbles filled with gas and air), provides low thermal conductivity, and is lightweight. For a number of properties, it is considered one of the best materials for thermal insulation.

The insulation must be applied to the surface by spraying. You will have to use special equipment. Polyurethane foam adheres perfectly to any material. A vapor barrier layer is not needed.

PPU floor insulation (video)

Double floors

An effective insulation option. The subfloor is used as the first layer (rough boards that are attached to the beams). There should be no gaps.

Try to fit all the boards tightly together. The finishing flooring is mounted on top. It will even do finishing coat from decorative materials.

Often, instead of a rough base, various floorings are used: embossed or smooth coatings with high level thermal insulation.

The mentioned material does not accumulate debris. Dust and debris can be removed from it with a vacuum cleaner or swept away. The covering must be glued to the floor using an adhesive substance. You need to glue them in separate strips. Don't forget to glue the joints too.

We insulate the fiberboard floor

For floor insulation, standard DV slabs are sometimes used. Such slabs can be placed under rough covering boards or under finishing flooring (parquet, linoleum, carpet, etc.).

The main thing is to act carefully and perform installation in stages. Maintain the alignment of the joints, avoid the formation of cracks.

The type of plates may be different:

PT-100;
M-20.

These options will prevent the cold from entering your home. Fibreboard for insulation can be used in combination with other heat insulators. For example, with mineral wool.

Underfloor heating system

The mentioned system is especially relevant for floors based on cold cement screed that require good heating.

The system will heat evenly floor surface. The result is comfortable thermal conditions throughout the entire room. The humidity level in the house will drop significantly. For the first floor eco-friendly wooden house water is especially relevant. You can read the material about.

lay on the base of the floor concrete plates or ;
lay any type of insulation. Its thickness should not be less than two centimeters and more than ten;
lay a reinforcing mesh;
attach the piping system to the mesh with plastic clamps;
fill the floor with a cement-sand mixture;
use a backing if necessary;
install the finishing coating.

You can find out about the device and installation technology.

We create an electric heated floor system

It's much easier to install. Cable structures and safe film infrared elements are used for heating.

The cable can, if necessary, be stretched on a metal mesh, which must first be installed. Film elements can be attached directly to the screed, insulated with some kind of heat insulator.

We invite you to find out by reading the relevant article on our website.

The variety of insulation materials can confuse buyers. We list several of the most common types of thermal insulators:

Thermolife. This material usually used for light loads on the thermal insulation layer. Most often, they are used to insulate walls, roofs, and interfloor space. Equally applicable on planes of varying inclinations.
Ursa. A popular insulation material among specialists. Especially common in finishing horizontal surfaces. Advantages: good heat and sound insulation properties.
Insulation Made in China. Available in rolls. High quality at a low price. It will find application in a variety of fields.

You can insulate the floor in different ways and on your own. The choice is great. Go for it!

Keeping your home warm is one of the main components of comfort and a healthy life for the whole family. In this, an important role is played by floor insulation in a private house, which has its own subtleties and features. It is worth paying attention to it first of all, without delaying work until the onset of cold weather.

Features and Benefits

In a private house, unlike city apartments, there is almost always no central heating, therefore, the tasks of ensuring warmth and dryness indoors have to be solved independently. Even if there is powerful batteries In winter, it is not possible to maintain a comfortable temperature in the rooms if reliable thermal insulation is not installed under the flooring.

Sometimes during construction country house After pouring the screed, they hastily make some simple thermal insulation and install a finishing coating. And then, with the onset of cold weather, they wonder why it’s cold in the house, you can’t walk barefoot, and there’s generally a draft coming from under the floor. Therefore, you should carefully insulate, knowing all the intricacies of the process, the properties of materials and other construction tricks.

In a multi-storey building, the floor is partially heated by the lower apartments, and even if the apartment is located on the ground floor, then below is the basement, where it is always warm due to the placement of hot pipes and heating systems there.

In a private house, under its foundation there is simple earth that tends to freeze in winter, so all the tasks of ensuring reliable thermal insulation of the floor lie on the shoulders of the owners.

The decision to reliably insulate the floor in a country house before the onset of the cold season has a number of advantages:

reduction of heat loss in the room, expensive heating becomes more efficient and is not wasted;
many floor insulation also have vapor and waterproofing;
the atmosphere in the house becomes more comfortable, you can walk barefoot, including children;
reliable insulation keeps the finished flooring in the house – laminate, parquet and others – fresh for a long time;
If high-quality materials are used and everything is installed correctly, then the thermal insulation will last for many years in a row.

There are different methods for insulating a floor, but the coating itself, on which the insulating layer is placed, comes in several types. And it also affects the choice of insulating material.

Types of coatings

The solid base of the floor has several varieties depending on its material: wood, concrete, screed.

A wooden floor on joists made of thick beams is one of the most ancient types of building the foundation of a house. Schemes for fastening crossbars, tools and technologies are changing, but general principle has remained unchanged for many centuries. There are two ways to secure the logs: in the foundation of the building or on support pillars.

The logs are embedded in the foundation of the building, if its area is small, so that the beams are long enough to securely connect the structure. Otherwise, or if the horizontal supports can no longer be fixed to the base, a “floating” floor on support pillars is used.

Supports for logs are made of brick or concrete at a distance of 70 - 100 cm from each other. First, holes are made for them in the ground, the depth and width of which depends on the height of the pillars themselves. Crushed stone or sand is poured inside with a layer of 30 cm, compacted well, then the supports themselves are installed from brick or cement mortar with the construction of formwork and reinforcement cage. Waterproofing from 3 to 4 layers of roofing material is laid on top, then horizontal beams are attached to the pillars using threaded rods or anchors.

Wooden logs are good because you can successfully create a subfloor from them by nailing solid boards to the bottom cut of the beams, coating the gaps between them with clay and placing any type of insulation on top. Then the top boards are nailed and the finishing coating is installed.

Wood itself retains some heat; it is a natural, environmentally friendly material.

The concrete base of the floor eliminates the need to make a frame from logs, build supports for them, or use a lot of wood. But even here, not everything is simple - for reliability, pouring must be carried out in several layers, and the cost of a high-quality solution is high. For a concrete base you need to select upper layer soil, fill in a cushion of sand 10-15 cm thick, pour water on it and compact it thoroughly. A 10-centimeter layer of crushed stone is poured and compacted onto the sandy one.

The next layer of a reliable concrete floor is a rough screed made of expanded clay or crushed polystyrene foam, gravel, sand and cement 10 centimeters thick. After laying and leveling, you need to wait until the mixture dries and lay the waterproofing. Roofing material is best suited for this. It is necessary that it also covers the walls by 10-15 cm. The joints must be additionally glued.

Insulation is placed on the waterproofing and placed on top reinforcing mesh and finally, they make a finishing screed. Thanks to its multi-layer nature, the concrete floor is durable, warm, and reliable. You can do anything on top of it decorative coating: linoleum, parquet, laminate.

An earthen floor is usually made in a garage, bathhouse or outbuildings of a private house. It does not have a monolithic base or frame made of beams; there is natural soil immediately underneath it. However, there are effective methods of insulation for it: gravel, expanded clay, penoplex.

Types of insulation

There are several dozen varieties of heat-insulating material for a private home. It is worth considering the most popular of them and their properties.

Expanded clay is porous granules of fired clay. Thanks to the voids inside, they prevent the penetration of cold air and absorb moisture well. A layer of expanded clay 10-15 cm thick has excellent thermal insulation. The advantages of this material include its low cost, environmental friendliness without chemical impurities and ease of installation. The granules are simply scattered with a shovel in an even layer on a horizontal surface.

Penoplex can effectively insulate an earthen floor, but it is also perfect for concrete or wood. Made from extruded polystyrene, the material is supplied in slabs with smooth surface thickness from 20 to 100 mm. It has high thermal insulation even in harsh winter conditions, is very lightweight, relatively cheap, and does not emit harmful substances. The sheets are easy to install and are easy to cut. assembly knife. The disadvantages of penoplex include relatively low fire resistance (when burned it emits acrid smoke), vapor permeability, instability to ultraviolet radiation and poor adhesion to other materials due to the smooth surface.

Polystyrene foam insulates any type of floor. This material is widely known and time-tested. It has all the same advantages as penoplex, but adheres better to other surfaces. The sheets can be crushed and added to the screed solution as additional insulation. It is very successful to use polystyrene foam to insulate wooden floors on joists; it will provide excellent protection from both cold and moisture.

Insulating the floor at the dacha with penofol or tepofol will also be effective. This is a thin polymer material covered with foil with a thickness of 2 to 10 mm. Closed pores prevent air or moisture from penetrating, and the micron foil layer is reflective. The insulation is universal and suitable for any conditions and can be combined with many materials. Penofol is sold in rolls, which are cut and rolled out on a horizontal surface, the joints are sealed with special foil tape.

Insulation with expanded polystyrene provides excellent thermal insulation, vapor permeability and moisture resistance. This polymer material, consisting of 98% air, is stronger than foam, the static bending strength reaches 1 kg per square meter. cm. This means that it can withstand almost any mass upper layers floor covering. Expanded polystyrene sheets with a thickness of 10 to 45 cm are easy to install, do not interact chemically with other substances, and are resistant to deformation.

Floors are often insulated with Izolon in combination with other effective insulators: polystyrene foam, expanded polystyrene, mineral wool. It is produced in rolls, the layer thickness can be from 2 to 100 mm, inside the foil layer there is foamed polyethylene. Izolon has high sound absorption, waterproofing, and can be used in a wide temperature range - from -80 to +80 degrees.

Polyurethane foam is available in the form of rigid slabs; it is a fairly durable material. But it does not have high waterproofing properties, so it must be used in combination with other polymer insulators.

Thermal insulation boards consist of a solid polymer material with properties similar to expanded polystyrene. But unlike it, their surface is covered with a layer of foil, due to which these materials effectively reflect heat, are fire-resistant and resistant to mechanical stress.

Heat-insulating boards from the manufacturer TechnoNIKOL are popular.

Insulation of walls and floors with mineral wool has been used for a long time. This material, produced in rolls and slabs, has a thickness of up to 10 cm, a high degree of heat and sound insulation, cheap and easy to install. A huge advantage of mineral wool is its non-flammability. One of the disadvantages is that over time it shrinks a little.

This inorganic insulation comes in three types: stone wool, glassy and slag. The difference is only in the raw materials, the differences in physical properties Hardly ever. You should work with mineral wool carefully, wearing gloves and preferably a respirator, since its small particles floating in the air have a harmful effect on the skin and respiratory tract.

Wood fiber board (WFP), due to its porous structure, retains heat well, but it is better to install it in combination with other effective heat insulators: penofol, isolon, mineral wool. The most popular types of fiberboard used for floor insulation are M-20 and PT-100. This material is also used for finishing flooring; its surface is smooth and has a pleasant natural texture.

The subfloor between the joists can be insulated sawdust. This method is the cheapest, especially if you have a lot of wood processing waste on hand. Sawdust retains heat well and does not emit harmful substances, but over time it dries out and shrinks, forming voids and can rot. It is possible that harmful insects may appear in them.

Which material is better?

The choice of material depends on many factors: type of floor, climatic conditions, type of soil on which the house stands, financial capabilities. If you want to save on thermal insulation, then you should choose expanded clay or polystyrene foam as they are cheaper. If you don’t mind spending money on ensuring long-term comfort in your home, then you need to make multi-layer protection from penofol, penoplex or expanded polystyrene.

For a concrete floor, in order to avoid a layer of screed that is too thick, you should choose thin foil polymers in rolls, the thickness of which does not exceed 1 cm, and insulate a spacious subfloor on joists with massive slabs of mineral wool or expanded polystyrene.

Sawdust is not suitable for an environment that is too humid; mineral wool also tends to absorb water.

Polymer and foil based insulation is the best and most versatile, they provide any protection - from cold, moisture, rot, insects, wind and fire. In addition, they are easily cut into even pieces and mounted. The leader among materials for floor insulation in a private home can be considered thermal insulation boards from various manufacturers.

Methods

Almost any of the above insulating materials can be filled or spread over the joists. This method is suitable for any of them - loose or spread. The first rough covering is attached from below, then an insulator is mounted on top of the boards and closed at the top.

The second way is to concrete base requires laying each layer in stages, after each it is necessary to level and check the level. If the layer is liquid, then you need to wait a certain time for it to dry. In addition, it is necessary to maintain the appropriate temperature inside the room, since cement mortar does not set well in the cold and loses its beneficial properties.

How to do it yourself?

Any person familiar with construction work, can independently insulate the floor in a country house, in a cottage, in a rural house, the type of building and dimensions do not matter, the installation principle is the same everywhere. A small kit is required for installation hand tools. If dry mixtures are used, you will need an electric mixer for mixing. Workplace should be well lit; it may be necessary to maintain a suitable temperature for solutions to harden.

If the foundation in a country house is located on logs, then it will not be difficult to make internal insulation. To do this, you need to build a subfloor. You will need the following tools: a wood saw, tape measure, level, hammer and nails. Boards can be selected from different breeds wood, the main thing is that they are dry and even.

Most often the following sizes are suitable for them:

length – from 2 to 6 m;
thickness – from 2 to 4 cm;
width – from 15 to 20 cm.

The boards are nailed to the joists from below across the entire width of the floor; the gaps between them must be closed; for this you can use clay, acrylic sealant or wood putty. After drying, the selected insulating material is placed inside. To ensure rigidity of the entire structure, transverse fastenings made of boards or metal profiles must be installed at a distance of 0.7 - 1 m. A finishing coating is placed on top. If everything is done correctly, then the owners of the house will receive a warm and dry floor for many years to come.

It will not be difficult to put it in yourself country house cement screed with insulation. Before installation, it is necessary to install beacons, in construction stores can be found special types exactly for this purpose. Metal profile pipes may also be suitable. For leveling along the beacons, a metal building rule 1-2.5 m long is used. Each layer after laying is checked with a horizontal level and left to dry.

To insulate the floor on the veranda, it is best to use foam sheets with additional waterproofing, for example polyethylene film or penofol. Since this room does not need to retain heat so much, you can get by with an earthen floor with expanded clay and laying a rough board.

One of the most important tasks of any owner of a private home is floor insulation, and it should not be neglected. Especially if the housing is located in a region with harsh climatic conditions. You need to know that a large amount of heat is blown out through uninsulated floors. That’s why the first thing you need to start insulating your house with is the floors.

Since they can be made from various materials and have a different design, they can also be insulated in several ways.

Today, there are many technologies for insulating floors in a private home, and in addition, some owners themselves create their own methods or complement existing ones with their inventions.

To find out in more detail which insulation method and type of thermal insulator to choose, you need to consider several common methods.

First, you need to figure out what material the floor can be made of, since the method and material of insulation will depend on this. So, floors can be made of wood, concrete or using dry screed.

Wooden floors

This type of flooring includes flooring made from floorboards or plywood.

Also, according to their design, they are divided into two types - single-layer and double-layer, i.e. having a rough floor.

All types of wooden floors are installed on joists raised to a certain height above a concrete screed or above compacted soil. And it should be noted that wood itself is a warm material when compared with others used for flooring.

Insulation of a wooden floor can be done in several ways:

pour a thick layer of expanded clay onto the ground, and arrange a wooden flooring of boards on joists over it;
if a subfloor is installed, then the issue is resolved more simply - some of the insulation is placed in its cells, or they are filled with liquid expanding material;
it is possible to install an infrared floor on top of the wooden flooring, and then lay a decorative coating;
if there is no subfloor, it can be replaced vapor barrierfilm, which is spread and secured on a sheathing made of bars, and light-weight insulation is placed on it, sold in the form of slabs or rolls. On top of such insulation is first laid vapor barrierfilm, and then the flooring is also made from the floorboard.

Concrete floors

Floors made from this material are very durable, but they have a big drawback - the fact that concrete is very cold and requires mandatory insulation. such a floor is most often used as a basis for insulating material and decorative covering. Concrete floors can also be insulated in different ways:

The screed is placed on an expanded clay backfill.
The solution is mixed with insulating materials - fine expanded clay or crushed polystyrene foam.
The bars are fixed to the finished screed, and different types of insulation are laid or poured between them. Next comes a vapor barrier, and then the sheathing is covered with plywood or floorboard.
The device of the “warm floor” system is electric, infrared or water.

Dry screed floors

Today, dry screed is increasingly used for flooring. Although this technology has been around for quite some time, it has not been as popular as it has been recently.

This floor will require a special backfill mixture, which may consist of fine expanded clay, expanded perlite sand, pumice and slag. The dry backfill, after leveling it, is covered with materials that will serve as the basis for the decorative floor covering, and will also take on the main load - these can be chipboard sheets, OSB, moisture-resistant plywood or special composite boards.

Dry screed itself is a good sound and heat insulator, it is easy to install, and allows you to install various communications in it without any problems. But if it is necessary to increase the insulation of such floors, then this can be done using one of the methods of installing a “warm floor” - electric or infrared.

Insulation of floors

Floor insulation in a private house, depending on the coating material, is carried out according to various technologies, and to achieve a positive result, you need to do everything in order.

Insulation of a wooden floor

You can start insulating a wooden floor by insulating the soil. To do this, expanded clay is laid on it in a layer of 20 to 40 centimeters thick. This material will not allow cold air to escape from the ground to go up, but for the floor to be warm, this will not be enough.

The floorboards are laid on a sheathing made of thick bars.

In Russian huts, a subfloor was required, since it served for laying insulation materials, which served as dry leaves, slag, chopped straw. Today, numerous mineral or synthetic insulation materials are used, from which you can choose the one you need.

To start with in the rough the floor is sealed all holes and crevices - this can be done with ordinary clay, soaking it and diluting it to the consistency of thick sour cream. Clay is a natural, breathable material; it adheres well to a wooden surface and will serve as a material for sealing seams between boards for a long time.

After the clay has dried, the cells of the subfloor are filled with insulation - this can be expanded clay, polystyrene foam, mineral wool, ecowool or liquid insulation - penoizol, which works on the principle of polyurethane foam.

Next, the insulation is covered vapor barrier film, which needs to be secured to the sheathing joists.
After this it is laid batten, and the baseboards are fixed.

If the subfloor is not made for some reason, it can be replaced with thin insulation or vapor barrier film. These materials are attached to the joists so that slabs or rolls of mineral wool can be laid on them.

Then the entire structure is covered with a vapor barrier film, which is secured to the joists using a stapler and staples.
The final steps are to lay the floorboard or thick plywood. Linoleum or laminate can be laid on plywood. Then the floor is decorated around the entire perimeter with a plinth.

Another way to insulate a wooden floor can be an option when you don’t want to lift the existing board flooring. In this case, the logs are fixed perpendicular to the floor boards. If there are gaps between the boards, they need to be sealed, for example, with a special sealant

Next, the insulation is laid or filled in, then it is covered with a vapor barrier membrane, and plywood is laid on top. It can be primed and painted, or varnished. You can also lay decorative coverings on a plywood floor. flooring. To enhance insulation, an infrared film system is sometimes laid under linoleum or laminate.

Video - How to insulate a floor on joists

Insulation of concrete floor

A concrete floor installed in a residential area must be insulated, and this process is carried out in several ways.

To make concrete floors less cold, when installing a screed, a waterproofing film is first spread on the ground, then expanded clay is poured, the thickness of which should be from 10 to 15 centimeters. To ensure the evenness of the backfill, beacons are installed, the insulation is leveled along them and covered with a reinforcing metal mesh.
When such a base is prepared, it is watered with liquid cement mortar - this process is necessary to create a kind of film on the expanded clay that will retain the moisture of the mortar and help it dry naturally.
After the initial expanded clay treatment has dried, a screed is laid on top of the reinforcement. Cement mortar it can be made from sand and cement, or you can add foam chips to it - this will also help make the floors warmer.
After the screed has hardened, it is necessary to lay a covering on it.
If the housing is located in a region with a cold climate, then the above-described insulation will not be enough. Therefore, in order to finally make the floors warm, several methods are used, and for each of them it is necessary to waterproof the junction of the walls and the floor.
When the waterproofing is in place, wooden logs made of blocks are laid and secured to the floor at a distance from each other by the width of the slabs or roll of insulation. The height of the logs should correspond to the thickness of the insulation, and the width should be 7-9 centimeters.
If wide insulation is purchased, it is cut to the required size.
It must be remembered that the logs begin to be laid at a distance of about five centimeters from the wall, where pieces of insulation are also laid.
After laying the material, a vapor barrier film is fixed on top of it.
Next, thick plywood or floorboard is laid. If desired, you can put laminate or linoleum on the plywood floor. Finishing includes installation of skirting boards.

Insulation of the floor in a private house, how wooden and concrete, it is also very successfully implemented using the “warm floor” system, which will be given special attention below.

Insulation of floors on dry screed

Dry screed is used both for constructing the floor itself and as insulation for concrete. But if the owner of the house considers this situation insufficient, you can insulate it additionally. This is done using the “warm floor” system.

The dry screed is covered with slabs, which are covered with waterproofing and only the electric heated floor is laid on it. In this case, it is impossible to do without waterproofing, since the heated floor system must be covered with a thin layer of mortar on top ( construction mixture), which after hardening is covered with a floor covering.

The decorative coating can be anything - ceramic tiles, linoleum or laminate.

The water version of this system is not suitable for a floor made of dry screed, since it has more weight, requires penetration into the coating, and in the thermally insulating expanded clay layer, heating will lose any meaning - heat cannot be achieved.

If you do not want to use self-leveling floors on top of a dry screed, you can use the installation of an infrared floor, which is a thin film and can even be laid under linoleum.

Warm floor system

As mentioned above, “warm floor” can be infrared, electric and water.

Electric floor

The electric floor can be purchased in an assembled version, i.e. laid and secured on a special grid, in the form of heating mats, which simply need to be laid out on a prepared, flat base. The mesh is glued to the floor using ceramic tile adhesive.

This electric floor kit is available in lengths up to 25 meters and widths from 50 to 150 centimeters. Therefore, before purchasing it, you need to carefully measure the room or all the individual rooms where it will be installed.

This electric floor option is well suited for dry screed floors

Another, more complex way to make an electric floor is when you need to select a specific electrical cable and place it in holders designed for it, which are attached to the prepared base. Similar option Suitable as insulation for cement floors.

When the floor is laid and fixed, a thermostat is installed on the wall at a height of 50-70 centimeters, which will control the temperature heating elements. The temperature regulator is connected to the floor cable. The coupling that will connect the cable to the thermostat must be positioned so that it is covered with a tie.

When the entire system is laid, you can begin installing the screed - it should have a thickness of at least five cm.

Such a floor can be connected to the power supply only after the concrete has completely hardened - after 3-4 weeks.

« Warm floor" water

If an electric floor consists of a heating cable or mats, then a water floor is a piping system. Metal-plastic or polyethylene pipes, which can be laid on special mats or attached to a metal mesh laid underneath them.

The pipeline is laid in two ways - with a snake or a snail, in increments of 30-35 centimeters. After laying the pipes and bringing their ends to the manifold cabinet, the entire floor system is covered with a concrete screed; its total thickness, including the thickness of the pipeline, should be 10-12 centimeters.

The manifold cabinet is the place where the connection to common system heating. A mixer and pump can also be installed there, if necessary.

Any decorative covering can be laid on top of the screed above the heated floor - linoleum, carpet, tiles or laminate.

It should be noted that electrical and water system“warm floors” are best laid on foil insulation - then the heat will not escape towards the ground, but will be reflected into the room.

Infrared heated floor

If it is to be laid on a concrete surface, it is necessary to provide waterproofing, and then thin foil insulation based on polyethylene foam is laid on it, the strips of which are fastened with special tape.

Then the film heating elements are prepared and laid on the floor with copper elements downwards according to a pre-drawn diagram. The stripes should usually be spaced five centimeters apart. If you plan to lay laminate or linoleum on top of the IR floor, then to achieve maximum heating effect, you can place the film as close as possible.

When the film elements are mounted, contact clamps are installed on them - one side of the contact must be placed in the layers of the film, and the other on the copper side, after which the contacts are crimped.

To control the heating of the film floor, a thermostat is installed on the wall, which is also connected to a cable coming from the floor.

The selected decorative floor covering is laid on top of the film.

Insulation of the floor in a private house will depend on various criteria related to its design, as well as the desires and capabilities of the home owner. Before you settle on a specific option, you need to find out the prices for all components and their installation, if you decide to invite a specialist to do this work.

After building a house, in order to retain heat, floor insulation will be required, especially if we're talking about about a wooden structure. It is necessary to prevent the penetration of cold coming from the ground or from the basement. Before you choose technological process When insulating a floor with your own hands, you need to choose a material based on the characteristics of the base to be insulated.

Now there are a lot of insulated insulation materials on the market, and high-tech ways to retain heat are appearing every day. To understand the best way to insulate a floor, let’s look at the types of insulators.

The most popular are:

Styrofoam;
expanded polystyrene;
glass wool;
expanded clay;
mineral wool;
penofol or isolon;
cork insulation materials;
ecowool consisting of cellulose;
fiberglass or gypsum fiber;
“Thermo Plast” – bulk material;
foam glass;
stone wool;
linen in mats;
slag;
polyurethane foam.

These insulators are divided into synthetic and natural. Natural – ecowool, cork, sawdust, flax. The rest are synthetic.

Floor insulation material is divided into types:

bulk– sawdust, expanded clay, slag, foam glass;
aspic – polymer compositions, applied by pouring;
sprayed– polyurethane;
in the form of slabs– penoplex, mineral wool, flax in mats, gypsum fiber layers, glass wool, polystyrene foam, stone wool;
roll– penofol, cork, isolon, flax, linoleum with an insulating layer.

The technology that will be used for thermal insulation directly depends on the type of insulation chosen. If expanded clay or penoplex is chosen as an insulator, then you will have to install logs or arrange a screed.

Rolled cork insulation, or isolon, can simply be rolled out over the surface and closed on top facing material, such as parquet, laminate, or railcar. As for linoleum with an insulating layer, there is no need to lay insulating material under it; it itself is a good insulator.

If the height of the room is small, then it is better to use a self-leveling heat insulator, which will take the minimum height. If we consider bulk or slab insulators, then it is worth remembering that they will take up about 5-10 cm in height.

For a wooden house, you can only use thermal insulation using logs, or on the ground, this makes it possible to use thick slab or roll insulation. As for the apartment, it is better to use thin materials, since the ceiling height in apartments is usually 2.5 meters.

Before choosing a heat insulator, it is worth assessing the humidity of the room and measuring its height.

The higher the ceiling height, the wider the choice of insulators that can be used for floor insulation.

You can get 100% insulation by using an electric heated floor in combination with isolon; in this case, you can regulate the temperature of the floor covering by switching the heating power.

How to properly insulate a floor, there are several insulation methods that are used to insulate a floor depending on the type of base - it can be wood, soil and concrete.

Floor insulation on the ground

When building a house, many private developers save on insulation by pouring a concrete screed directly onto the ground, and this is not entirely correct. Firstly, the ground may freeze in winter, and the concrete coating will be cold, and secondly, the screed will not only be in contact with the ground, but will also be exposed to bottom waters, which will quickly damage it. Therefore, it is important to carry out high-quality waterproofing and insulation of the floor on the ground.

It is advisable to carry out insulation of the floor on the ground only if the bottom waters are at a sufficient depth from the surface. Otherwise, it is better to install beams and double flooring with insulation.

Insulation of the floor on the ground is carried out during the construction process; the finished covering will have to be dismantled, which will lead to the waste of additional funds. The floor pie begins to be formed after the foundation of the building has completely dried. It is worth noting that the latter structure should rise 20 cm above the ground.

Several layers should be arranged:

directly the soil;
coarse river sand to level the surface;
waterproofing layer;
thermal insulation material;
mesh, chain-link, for reinforcement;
screed

The first insulation option

Let’s take a closer look at how to properly insulate a floor over the ground:

The soil under the house needs to be leveled, debris and weeds removed, recesses filled and the entire surface compacted well.
Fill the entire surface with river sand, you can mix it with crushed stone to a height of more than 5 cm. If you decide to insulate the floors with expanded clay, then it can be poured directly onto the ground, but such floor insulation will cost much more. The sand must be leveled and compacted well.
Lay a layer of waterproofing; for this you can use:
- polymer-based membrane material;
- roofing felt;
- polyethylene film 200 microns, in two folds - the most cheap option waterproofing.
After this, you can begin laying the slab heat-insulating material - this can be expanded polystyrene or polystyrene foam.
Then you can start pouring the finishing screed, just lay the reinforcing mesh first.

Second insulation option

A better quality one, although it will cost more, is being built for this purpose. rough screed, on which the waterproofing is laid - for the sake of economy - polyethylene film. It needs to be pressed against the foundation with bars, and the material should extend onto the walls no less than 15 cm. An insulated floor in this way has very good thermal insulation characteristics.

As soon as the waterproofing is ready, insulation is laid, for example:

penoplex;
expanded clay;
Styrofoam.

These are cheap types, but they are good heat insulators.

How to insulate a floor in a wooden building?

At the stage of building a house, the process of insulating the floor begins. First of all, the area under the floor is covered with sand to a depth of 5-6 cm, then expanded clay is poured onto it.

When choosing insulation, you need to take into account many points, for example, if you choose natural materials, then it is worth remembering that they are susceptible to combustion, and they rarely resist moisture, and various microorganisms and rodents can grow in them.

Sawdust and cellulose, treated for fire safety, are often used to insulate the base.

Concerning slab insulation, then the following are considered in demand and of high quality:

mineral wool;
expanded polystyrene;
glass wool;
dry screed.

The finished floor is mounted on joists, with insulation installed in the gaps. The finishing coating can be installed over the screed. The screed is additionally insulated with expanded clay.

How to insulate the floor along the joists? To do this, the structure is assembled in increments of 40 -60 cm, while the subfloor must be well waterproofed from below. A vapor barrier is laid on top of the boards and joists. After this, insulating board material is laid in the gaps, the width of the boards is exactly 60 cm, and covered with a finishing coating - plywood, OSB or board.

If during construction it is decided to pour a rough screed, then it is better to do it using expanded clay. This will give the effect of additional thermal insulation of the floor. Then logs are installed on top of the screed, on top of which the finished floor will be laid, under which there will be a layer of heat-insulating material. Thanks to this cake, you will end up with perfect floor insulation.

If the floor in the house is wooden, then dry screed on the floor is well suited for insulation. To install such insulation, you need to fill the expanded clay along the leveled guides. Then slab gypsum fiber insulation is laid on the expanded clay. This method is simple, but is not applicable at high humidity.

Not long ago, a practical, durable and fireproof material appeared on the market - foam glass. The thickness of this material reaches 12 cm. These slabs can be laid not only on a wooden floor, but also on a concrete one.

How to insulate a concrete floor

Concrete floors can be insulated with the following materials:

expanded polystyrene;
Styrofoam;
ecowool;
liquid insulation;
mineral wool.

But this heat insulator will take away precious centimeters from the height of the room, since logs need to be mounted on top of the base, on top of which you will have to lay plywood or OSB, and only then the finished floor covering. At the same time, this is a very labor-intensive process and very expensive.

You can arrange a screed by combining it with polystyrene foam. In this case, pipes for heated floors can be installed into the screed - the thickness of the coating will be more than 10 cm.

You can arrange a pie from expanded clay and gypsum fiber board, then the thickness of the thermal insulation will be 7 centimeters. If the base is initially flat, then only gypsum fiber sheets can be used, and the insulation thickness will be only 2 cm. When insulating the floor in an apartment with not very high ceilings, choosing thick insulation is not advisable, since the usable space for living will decrease.

If the floor in the apartment requires insulation, then it is better to use Izolon followed by the installation of a warm, infrared, or electric floor. This option will not reduce the height, and will make living in the apartment more comfortable, due to the fact that the floor temperature can be adjusted.

The most effective option for high ceiling heights is to install a water-heated floor. The height of the coating in this case will be 10-12 cm.

To save space, you can use a screed with an insulating effect. This is enough new material, but has already proven itself to be of high quality and reliable. In this case, the insulation layer will be only 3 cm.

You can use the simplest and most common method - double flooring. Boards 2.5 cm thick are fixed directly onto the concrete base with tongue and groove. After this, wooden base lay the substrate and laminate, or linoleum with an insulating layer.

Linoleum on a backing is often used directly on a concrete base, and the thermal insulation properties are quite good.

Fiberglass or wood can be laid on top of this insulation. Some people lay a finished floor covering directly on polyurethane foam in order to save money.

In custody

Insulating the floor in a room - each master has his own method. Some people prefer time-tested materials, making a thermal insulation “pie” out of them. Some people prefer innovative thermal insulators. But the main factor when choosing a material is the cost and quality of floor insulation.

In connection with the general trend towards reducing housing heating costs, the issue of floor insulation has become acute. Although the floor releases less heat into the atmosphere than walls, when cold it can reduce the temperature of the home and lead to excess heating costs. In a private home, cold floors can lead to frequent respiratory diseases among its inhabitants.

There are several ways to insulate floors in a private house with your own hands by removing the old floor. They vary depending on the type of existing floor covering, and the work itself has varying degrees of complexity.

Insulation without removing the old coating is relevant for those houses in which the floor has a structural function and serves as a roof for the basement.

Features of steam insulation

Wooden floors in a private home are the easiest to insulate with your own hands; it can be easily done without removing the old floor. Wood is easy to process and easy to insulate. IN wooden floors There should be the following layers of insulation:

Vapor barrier
Insulation
Flooring

For steam insulation, use modern materials, which allow air to pass through but retain moisture. Vapor barrier is one of the main components of insulation; without it, the floor quickly wears out, and the desired effect of saving energy resources is not achieved.

It is advisable to purchase vapor barrier materials from well-known companies, sold in specialized stores. This will avoid counterfeits and guarantee trouble-free operation.

Video: film for floor vapor barrier

Insulation material

After choosing a vapor barrier material, you should decide on the insulation. There are many materials on the market that have both advantages and disadvantages. Here is their list:

Polystyrene boards relatively inexpensive, have good performance and a wide variety of sizes. They can be laid in one or several layers. They are non-biodegradable, easy to install, durable and hold their shape well.

Extruded polystyrene boards It differs from the previous type in its increased density, which allows them to be laid on any surface, including ground.

Polyurethane foam boards are used only on a vapor barrier basis. They are reinforced with various substances, it can be fiberglass, aluminum, or other materials.

Mineral wool has excellent thermal insulation properties. It is very environmentally friendly, does not burn, is inexpensive and does not require additional equipment during installation. This type of cotton wool is soft material, sold in large rolls.

Insulation with expanded clay requires considerable effort, it must be compacted and filled with cement.

The choice of material for insulation depends on the financial and technical capabilities in each specific case.

Preliminary preparation

Before you insulate the floors in a private house with your own hands without removing the old floor, you need to carry out preparatory work, which will make the room suitable for laying thermal insulation:

Inspect the underground space for high humidity.
Provide basement ventilation.

If these points are ignored b, condensation will accumulate from the bottom of the floor, causing the growth of mold. It is almost impossible to get rid of mold, so it is better to prevent its occurrence from the very beginning.

The process of laying a floor on an old wooden one

In order to insulate the floors in a private house with your own hands without resorting to removing the old floor, you should collect the following building materials:

Plaster or polyurethane foam
Sand
Sheets of roofing felt
Vapor barrier material
Construction stapler or nails
Thermal insulator
Chipboards

Using the materials from the first point, the gaps between the boards of the old covering are covered. The floor prepared in this way is covered with roofing felt, and sand is poured on top. Its layer should be no more than 0.5 cm thick.

A vapor barrier material is laid on top of the sand. Depending on its thickness, nails or staples from a construction stapler are used for fastening.

The insulation itself is laid on top of the vapor barrier. It also needs to be fixed with nails of suitable length.

Chipboard is laid on top of the insulation layer. The external flooring will be installed on it - parquet, laminate, or other options.

This method is suitable for wood floors. For buildings with a concrete base, a slightly different installation technique is used.

Installation on concrete floor

There is a simple and convenient method on how to insulate the floors of a private house with your own hands without removing the old concrete floor. First of all, you need to carry out the so-called floor screed. It is necessary to level the surface and bring all floors in the house to the same height. For a simple and inexpensive dry screed, the following materials are required:

Gypsum-based screed boards
Polystyrene
PVA glue
Self-tapping screws

A vapor barrier coating is laid on the screed slabs, it is secured with nails or a stapler. You can purchase a vapor barrier from the same manufacturer as the screed slabs.

Insulation is laid on top of the vapor barrier, it is also fixed.

After this you need to carry out the finishing screed. For it, you can use chipboard, as is the case with a wooden floor, or you can use the same screed slabs that formed the basis for the insulation.

The finishing screed with slabs should be primed. The first layer of primer is applied to the joints; it must dry well.

After the joints have dried, the primer is distributed over the entire surface of the floor. Immediately after it dries, you can lay the final floor covering.