How to insulate floors in a brick house. Do-it-yourself floor insulation in a private house using an old floor. We insulate the floor with foam plastic

In any structure, the floor is, as a rule, the most problematic part, since the penetration of cold air masses through it is quite likely with well-insulated walls. Neither an excellent heating system nor carpeting will help solve the problem. Wooden floors are more vulnerable than others.

The most logical solution would be to properly insulate the floor using special materials, but first of all it is worth studying the structural features of the wooden flooring.

Peculiarities

Even the correct laying of floorboards without cracks and gaps fades over time due to the nature of the wood structure. The boards can dry out and heat loss is inevitable. Up to 30% of heat escapes through a floor that has not been reconstructed, so It is necessary to insulate a wooden floor, but it is worth remembering the peculiarities of this work.

A wooden floor does not consist of boards alone; it has a more complex structure. The base of the floor is logs, which are wooden blocks. Either a subfloor, consisting of untreated boards, plywood, chipboard, and is the basis for finishing coatings (laminate, parquet), or a finished floor, the basis of which consists of milled boards, is attached to them.

To make the floor comfortable, various types of insulation are used, but for normal operation, insulation alone is not enough - it is necessary to use layers of waterproofing.

Their presence is necessary, since excessive moisture in the space promotes the formation of fungus and the development of insects that destroy wooden structure.

Insulated rooms

Most often, wooden floors are present in private buildings, and therefore it is important to know how to insulate a wooden floor in a country house. And this depends on many factors. First of all, this is the time of construction of the structure. If the house is new, then you need to wait the time necessary for the wood structure to shrink (6-7 months). If the house is old, then after dismantling the old coverings, it is necessary to pay attention to the wear of the joists, removing even partially rotten logs.

When choosing a material for thermal insulation in a village house, it is necessary to take into account the area of ​​the room and the height of the ceiling, the type of surface, the placement of the floor structure, the temperature and humidity of the room, the load, and, of course, the purpose of the house. Each of these factors directly affects the choice of material.

The ceiling height in a village house for effective and economical heating should be within 2.35-2.50 m. The height of the room after laying the insulation should not be less than 2.35 m, otherwise the space will not be very comfortable, and higher than 2.5 m to avoid increasing heating costs.

The thickness of the insulation also depends on the purpose of the house. For houses used in summer period, you can get by with insulation 5 cm thick, but for a house that will be used constantly, it is better to purchase material at least 20 cm thick.

The choice of material is directly dependent on the floor design, as this affects the installation method. There are several types of flooring:

• The flooring is laid either at a short distance from the ground or on a special bedding. Both floorings were laid without ventilation.
• The flooring is located above a basement or cellar with high humidity.
• The flooring is located on logs; below there is a pile foundation with a grating.
• Laying the flooring along the joists; below there is a ventilated basement with good air ventilation due to the presence of vents.

When choosing a material for a country house, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the insulation itself. In addition to the thickness, great importance have characteristics such as environmental Safety, fire resistance, insulation service life.

To insulate the floor in a toilet located in a private wooden building, it is worth not only taking into account the above characteristics of the insulation, but also taking care of the waterproofing of the underground space of this room, and also considering the ventilation system.

You can also insulate wooden floors in your apartment. The choice of material and installation method will depend on the floor of the apartment. For the first floor, where there is soil or a basement nearby, insulation will be both from the side of the apartment and from the side of the basement, if any. To insulate the floor on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th floor, the material is laid only from the side of the apartment.

In a private house, insulating the floor on the 2nd floor makes sense only if one or the other floor is not heated, or more warm materials compared to the second, resulting in a temperature difference.

Floor installation

Floor insulation can be done different methods. The choice of method depends on the initial condition of the coatings, the location or absence of utility rooms.

The simplest, most reliable and most often used method is the insulation method using joists. It is suitable for insulating floors both for private wooden structures and for floors located in apartments located on the 1st floor. In this case, the principle applies that The coating is divided into fine and rough.

Insulation of a wooden floor occurs due to the sequential laying of various materials.

The rough layer consists of wooden planks, docked with logs. At the bottom of the boards there are cranial bars running along each joist. The logs themselves are bars that are laid over the entire surface of the floor at a certain distance from each other, usually from 0.6 to 1 meter. They can be attached to the foundation of the building, embedded in the base of the structure, mounted on load-bearing beams or mounted on erected columns made of durable material (brick, concrete, stone).

The vapor barrier layer is laid on the subfloor and on top of the joist. It is only needed when using a certain type of insulation, and the insulation itself is placed between the joists. The gap between the insulation and the vapor barrier layer must be at least 4-5 cm. This value ensures proper ventilation of the space. If there is not enough height, counter battens are placed on the joists.

If the building is located in an area where there are high groundwater, then instead of a vapor barrier layer you need to lay a waterproofing layer that will prevent the insulation from getting wet. In addition, some types of insulation do not require the presence of a vapor barrier layer.

Get rid of high humidity Installing special vents outside the house, installed in increments of 4-5 m, and an exhaust pipe will also help. The presence of these elements promotes good air circulation and increases the efficiency of floor insulation work.

You can insulate a wooden floor without dismantling the old covering using linoleum on jute or felt base, but it’s better not to use it as independent species insulation, but as an addition to warm floor. This durable and easy-to-install coating performs the function of waterproofing.

Another method of insulation without dismantling is liquid foam which is driven under the floor through holes special device. But when using this method, it is worth remembering that the space is filled unevenly, and therefore this option is not perfect.

How to choose the right insulation

All types of materials of natural or artificial origin used for insulating wooden floors, are divided into:

• fibrous;
• foamed;
• backfill;
• cellular stone.

Any insulation has both advantages and disadvantages.

The most common and affordable material is mineral wool. Insulating floors with mineral wool has many advantages. This material, in addition to its direct purpose, has very high noise insulation properties, has good fire resistance, and has low thermal conductivity. This environmentally friendly material easy to set up and has different shapes release (rolls, mats), which is important to consider when choosing.

A type of mineral wool is insulation brand "Isover", produced by Finnish manufacturers for more than 20 years. The basis of this material is fiberglass. Izover insulation will protect a wooden structure from the development of fungi, bacteria, and invasion of rodents and insects.

But this material has its drawbacks. First of all, they include poor moisture resistance, so it is better to use mineral wool in combination with a waterproofing layer.

Unlike mineral wool, polystyrene foam does not allow water to pass through easily. This lightweight, non-toxic material is not subject to deformation due to exposure to temperature changes. Having even a small thickness, it does not lose its good thermal insulation properties. But it also has some disadvantages. The fragility of the material comes first, so the fitting of the material must be done as accurately as possible.

Durable polystyrene foam has improved characteristics. In addition to high noise insulation and low thermal conductivity, the material is distinguished by increased strength. Installation with extruded polystyrene foam, in addition to insulation, will protect the house from rodent invasion and the development of mold fungi.

Vapor-tight roll materials isolon or penofol are small in thickness and therefore cannot provide the required degree of insulation. Most often these materials are used together with others. Penofol or isolon is used to lay the rough surface of the floor, using it as a waterproofing layer on which the insulation is laid.

Bulk materials used as insulation, such as expanded clay and sawdust, are used for structures without basements.

Insulating the floor with sawdust makes it possible to save money, since sawdust has a low cost. In addition, the shape of this insulation allows you to fill even the most inaccessible places. Very often, sawdust is combined with other substances to enhance thermal insulation, antiseptic and other properties.

The floor is insulated with expanded clay if there is close proximity to the ground. This lightweight material has a porous structure, due to which, in addition to thermal insulation, it provides good sound insulation. It is not afraid of temperature changes, and even an inexperienced person can handle the installation.

Insulation technology

After analyzing the floor structure, it is necessary to consider best solutions for a specific room. There is a certain sequence of floor insulation, suitable both for insulation with joists and without them.

First, it is necessary to dismantle the old covering, if the insulation process takes place in an old room, and lay or replace the logs. Then proceed to laying the rough covering, on which a waterproofing or vapor barrier layer is laid. Its edges should extend 15-20 cm onto the walls, and the joints should be taped.

It would seem, what a miracle - insulating the floor with your own hands? I added expanded clay or put polystyrene foam in the slatted sheathing - that’s all.

But it happens, and often, that winter comes, and the room doesn’t feel any warmer. And then - spring, and mold or midges crawl from the floor along the walls. And then the floor starts to play, and then it starts to fall.

All this means that the floor was insulated hastily, thoughtlessly and without taking into account all the circumstances. Floor insulation technology is based on knowledge of floor thermodynamics, which is by no means simple. Let's try to figure it out too.

Heat transfer mechanisms and their significance for the floor

As is known, there are three mechanisms of heat transfer: direct heat transfer, infrared radiation and convection. For heat transfer through the floor, the first two are of primary importance. Convection either does not take place at all or is very weak. But if it has already appeared, then its smallness is more than “compensated” by its harmfulness: convective currents will find a way out somewhere, even a microscopic crack, and it will become a center for the spread of rot and mold. In such cases, they say that the floor “whistles.”

Heat transfer is reduced by using materials that conduct heat poorly, but thermal radiation is more difficult to cut off: materials that are completely opaque to it most often either conduct heat well on their own (polished metals) or are not durable and short-lived (foamed materials and plastics). Meanwhile, heat transfer through the floor through infrared radiation can exceed direct heat transfer.

Most effective method combat infrared radiation - multilayer shielding. The principle is simple: the screen absorbs infrared radiation from one side, from the side where its flow falls, and re-radiates it in both directions. Even if the screen is a completely black body (reflection coefficient = 0), then it will transmit only half of the flux of thermal radiation through itself, and half will be reflected back.

Let's say the screen is aluminum foil with a plastic coating; reflection coefficient is approximately 70%. Such a screen will immediately store this 70% in the room, and of the remaining 30%, half, 15%, will be returned back. Only 15% will go outside, i.e. the screen will weaken the heat outflow by 6.67 times. The second layer is another 6.67 times, for a total of 44.4 (6.67x6.67). If the initial heat flux was 1 kW/sq.m, which is more than from the Sun on a clear summer day in mid-latitudes, then only 22.5 W/sq.m will go outside, and the shielding efficiency will be 97.75%.

The matter is made easier by the fact that many materials and substances reflect infrared radiation quite well. For example, soot photographed through an infrared filter appears light gray, and the almost black foliage of tropical trees appears silver. But any granular and fibrous materials, on the contrary, absorb thermal radiation well: being repeatedly reflected in the cavities between the granules and fibers, the rays give off their energy to the material, heating it. At least half of the heat will still return, but it will take a lot to shield the layers well.

Conclusions:

1. Any materials that are suitable in terms of strength and do not conduct heat well are suitable for thermal insulation of the floor.
2. Thermal insulation of the floor should be done in layers.
3. Bulk, porous and fibrous materials in the heat-insulating floor structure should be placed with cold side so that the previous layers have time to return as much thermal radiation as possible back into the room.

Dew point

Let us remind you: the percentage of humidity that a hygrometer shows is relative humidity. It shows how saturated the air is with moisture before it condenses and fog forms (100% relative humidity). Absolute humidity is the volume percentage of water vapor in the air. For example, 1% absolute humidity means that in 1 cubic meter. m of air contains 10 liters of water vapor.

The “moisture capacity” of air increases with increasing temperature, i.e. If relatively dry, warm air is cooled, it can become saturated with moisture to the point that it condenses and falls out. That is why the hot, drying air of the desert, blown into the surrounding mountains by the wind, nourishes the local glaciers with moisture, and they, in turn, provide rivers that moisten the desert oases.

The temperature at which condensation begins at a given absolute humidity is called the dew point. For thermotechnical calculations, it is convenient, on the contrary, to tie absolute humidity to temperature. In this case, we talk about the dew point temperature.

The dependence of the dew point temperature on absolute humidity is generally described by a logarithmic function, but for the “conditional room” temperature range it can be approximated by three straight segments at four points:

• 0 degrees Celsius – 0.7% absolute humidity;
• +20 degrees – 1.8% absolute humidity;
• +32 degrees – 3% absolute humidity;
• +38 degrees – 4% absolute humidity.

Dew point and floor

If the dew point gets inside the insulated floor, even with microscopic voids, then condensation will fall into them. Due to the “empty bottle effect” (this is an interesting thing, but it would not be very appropriate to describe it in this article), condensation will accumulate in the floor, which will cease to insulate and become a source of dampness in the room. That is why it is strongly recommended to insulate rooms primarily from the outside, but there are no external floors.

Dew point and health

Dew point temperature is important not only and not so much for the floor. The comfort of the room and the health of its inhabitants greatly depend on it:

• A dew point temperature of +26 degrees Celsius is lethal for asthmatics.
• At a dew point temperature of +24 degrees, physically strong, healthy people breathe heavily and lose their ability to work.
• At a dew point temperature of +21 degrees, bed linen and clothing become damp, and everything seems sticky. Colds begin for no apparent reason.
• When the dew point temperature is +18 degrees, the room is stuffy, you want to open the window even in cold weather, which is fraught with the same colds.
• A dew point temperature of +12 – +16 degrees is a comfortable humidity range.

Conclusions:

1. When calculating floor insulation, first of all you need to ensure that the dew point does not get inside the room.
2. Floor insulation should be made thicker if possible. Then the temperature gradient (temperature difference per unit floor thickness) will become smaller, “stretch”, and the absolute air humidity in the floor microvoids will level out to insufficient for condensation due to the diffusion of moisture vapor.
3. See again conclusion 3 from the previous section.

Now, having familiarized ourselves in principle with the physical processes in an insulated floor, let’s move on to materials and methods that can ensure proper insulation of the floor in an apartment.

Materials

Vermiculite

Vermiculite is an environmentally friendly and absolutely harmless product of processing mineral raw materials: burnt secondary minerals formed during the weathering of dark micas - biotite and phlogopite - pressed in a mixture with silicates (liquid glass) and carbonate (limestone, dolomite or marble flour) filler.

Vermiculite is produced in slabs 20-60 mm thick, in the form of powder and paste for coating. Vermiculite boards can be cut with a hacksaw or sharp assembly knife. Vermiculite is not very heavy: the work of laying the slabs can be done by one person. The strength is close to foam concrete, and the drawing gives an idea of ​​its heat-insulating properties. The structure is dense, the microcavities are closed, convection and condensate accumulation are excluded. Durability – geological.

Unfortunately, this wonderful material, which has literally no drawbacks as insulation, is quite expensive. And yet, for insulating the floor in a private house of a fairly wealthy owner, it can be definitely recommended, and in other cases the possibility of insulating with vermiculite should be thoroughly considered, especially since granulated vermiculite is cheaper and quite suitable for preparing granular concrete (see below).

Note: Expanded vermiculite, a loose slab material, is also produced. It is excellent for expensive but highly effective wall insulation and is used in potted gardening as an absorbent and water dispenser.

Mineral wool

Aluminized mineral wool

There are no conditions for convection to occur in mineral wool: the microcavities, although open, are too small, and the air gets stuck in them due to its own viscosity, so direct heat transfer through the mineral wool is negligible, and its cost is low. However, the health hazards from openly laid mineral wool are well known. In addition, from a constant vertical load, even if it is insignificant, the mineral wool collapses and loses its heat-insulating properties, and it absorbs moisture quite intensively and at the same time also collapses.

However, mineral wool, due to its low cost, resistance to external influences and durability is often used for thermal insulation of residential premises. There may be cases (like the insulation of a wooden floor in a prefabricated floor described below) panel house) when the only alternative to mineral wool is expensive vermiculite.

Floor insulation in residential premises with mineral wool is made with special mats, sheet or roll, or slabs, covered on one or both sides with aluminum foil or metallized film (see figure). Insulation with open masses of mineral wool is permissible only in non-residential premises or from the basement. But still, aluminized mineral wool, with a slight increase in its price, has important advantages:

• Each layer of metal is a highly efficient heat shield. One layer of mineral wool aluminized on both sides almost completely eliminates heat transfer by radiation.
• The re-reflection of infrared radiation from the screens, combined with absorption in the mineral wool mass, evens out the temperature gradient in the insulation. I put three layers - you can forget the dew point from your mind.
• Aluminized mineral wool, if its installation technology is followed (see below), does not require a separate vapor barrier.

Mats made of aluminized mineral wool are thinner than open ones - from 6 mm, so in some cases they can be used without lathing.

Laying mineral wool should always be done wearing a petal respirator and protective gloves. Under marmoleum or a floating cork floor, mineral wool is laid in a continuous layer; between the joists - it is highly desirable to use slabs the size of the sheathing cell. In any case, the joints and edges of the slabs are carefully taped with special tape to prevent microneedles, which are harmful to the respiratory system, from entering the room air. Over time, the tape will weaken, but the mineral wool will also stop peeling.

Styrofoam

When laying a finished floor along joists (you can learn about the construction of such a floor) One of the best materials for insulation is polystyrene foam. Its advantages in this case are the following:

1. Convection is excluded - the material is dense.
2. Reflectivity in the infrared region is the same as in the visible - up to 90% and higher, so shielding is not required.
3. Condensation does not form: the material is solid.
4. Polystyrene foam is cheap, environmentally friendly, and harmless.

However, polystyrene foam is fragile and not resistant to external influences. And in every barrel of honey there is a fly in the ointment: just the “too good” insulating properties of polystyrene foam do not guarantee against the dew point moving indoors in buildings built from aerated concrete, shell rock, cinder blocks, etc. Therefore, floor insulation with foam plastic can only be recommended as additional measure the premises should be sufficiently dry, and always with a plywood covering for finishing decorative flooring.

Expanded clay

Expanded clay – pellets of aluminosilicate composition; simply - rounded pieces of baked clay. Environmentally friendly, harmless, cheap, conducts heat very poorly, strong, durable. The most common insulation under screed (about the formation of all types of floor screeds).

The main disadvantage is high hygroscopicity: its own moisture absorption is from 8% to 20% by weight, therefore expanded clay floor insulation requires a well-thought-out and carefully executed vapor barrier. It can be used both as backfill and as a filler for lightweight concrete instead of gravel.

The indisputable advantage of floor insulation with expanded clay is that in combination with a concrete screed, dew point cannot enter the room and, if the walls and ceiling have no cracks and are not porous, you can safely use cheap and highly effective foam plastic for final insulation.

Fibrous organic insulation

This kind of insulation is made from synthetic organic fibers, flax or jute fiber, often aluminized. Available in slabs or rolls, woven or loose. In terms of mechanical and thermal properties, they are identical to mineral wool and are completely harmless, but natural ones rot from moisture, and synthetic ones age and fall off over time (5-12 years).

Scope of application - additional insulation and damper cushion under laminate, floating cork flooring or marmoleum over plywood flooring without logs in rooms that satisfy sanitary standards. Advantages - ease of work: a room can be insulated in just an hour, using only a mounting knife and tape.

Gypsum fiber

Gypsum fiber () is designed specifically for laying under heated floors. It is not suitable for insulation in itself: after a year or two it picks up moisture and loses its qualities.

Polyurethane foam

– a natural variation on the “theme” of polyurethane foam

Insulation with polyurethane foam is carried out by spraying. A good method for everyone, but it requires professional equipment with skills and expensive finishing.

Self-leveling insulation

An extremely simple method, and can be laid immediately decorative coating without lag. But the ThermoPlast mixture used for this is very expensive. Floors in elite private housing are mostly insulated in this way.

Foam concrete and aerated concrete

Foam concrete is, in essence, “boiled” and immediately frozen soda in a suddenly opened warm bottle. This is achieved either by preparing a cement-sand mortar in gas-saturated water and heating at the beginning of setting, or by setting the solution under reduced pressure in vacuum chamber. Aerated concrete is prepared not in air, but in nitrogen, which gives it additional durability and strength. Aerated concrete blocks and slabs can be used in load-bearing structures low-rise buildings.

As a heat insulator, foam and aerated concrete are somewhat inferior to vermiculite, but stronger than it. In terms of price, it’s cheaper, but it’s still expensive for insulation and is quite hygroscopic, much like expanded clay. For floor insulation, it can be used in the presence of residues from construction and fighting as a substitute for expanded clay when backfilling under a screed.

Granular concrete

Foam concrete

Granular concrete is in some way a terminological contradiction, since any concrete is granules with a binder. Granular concrete is usually called a cement-sand mortar with “unusual” granules: foam, vermiculite, expanded clay, marble chips, etc. Granular concrete with lightweight crushed stone substitutes is called lightweight concrete.

For thermal insulation, granular concrete with foam or vermiculite granules is most often used. You can prepare it yourself using a concrete mixer in a bucket or trough. Thermal insulation properties are high, convection and moisture condensation are excluded. Strength is slightly higher than that of foam concrete. Foam concrete is also inexpensive.

Preparation and use of granular concrete require a full cycle concrete works, therefore, it is advisable to use it for thermal insulation in difficult cases, such as floor insulation on the first floor in a house with a wet basement, etc. as the top layer of a two-layer screed.

About vapor barrier

Vapor barrier of the floor must be carried out at the same time as thermal insulation, since comfortable temperature and humidity in the room are inextricably linked. The vapor barrier film is placed either under the bottom of the insulation, or on top of it, or between its layers. Its exact location requires thermal engineering calculations based on the parameters of a specific room; we will give further only general instructions. In any case, the vapor barrier must be laid in a single layer, carefully gluing the joints of the pieces of film with construction tape (not household!) and wrapped on the walls 10-15 cm above the level of the base floor.

About the insulation thickness

The best way to maintain a safe temperature gradient in the floor is to stretch it in height. Therefore, floor insulation should be made as thick as possible. If the height of the room and thresholds, taking into account the finished flooring, allow you to install insulation of 12 cm or more - excellent, there will be no problems. To increase the thickness of the insulation, it is better to increase the thickness of the bedding, and make the thickness of the concrete layer normal. Otherwise, a cushion of fibrous aluminized insulation should be provided under the finished floor; as a last resort - from cheaper mineral wool with the most scrupulous adherence to technology.

Methods of floor insulation

First floor

Insulation of the ground floor floor is the most complex look work of this kind: heat transfer is high, and the likelihood of dampness from the basement is also high. If you have access to the ceiling from the basement, that’s very good: first of all, you need to insulate it with mineral wool. The basement is a non-residential space, so the cheapest mineral wool can be used. Mineral wool mats must be laid in a lathing made of galvanized U- and C-profiles, arranged in the same way as the frame plasterboard ceiling(cm. ), with vapor barrier. A wooden frame in a damp basement will quickly rot and cost more.

Two or three people will have to work: when attaching the profiles to the ceiling (which in this case is under your floor), you need to hold the film; profiles fall on her. The mats in the cells are held either by a galvanized metal mesh slipped under the shelves of the frame, or by a fishing line stretched in the form of a mesh - it does not rust or rot.

At the beginning and at the end of the heating season, it will be necessary to carry out an inspection of the insulation: correct sagging mats and replace unsuitable ones. With this method, further insulation of the floor in the apartment is carried out using conventional methods.

Covering the ceiling with insulation in the basement is where to start work on insulating the floor of the 1st floor (why was said at the beginning of the article)

If it is impossible to get to your floor from underneath, then it all depends on the condition of the base floor: if its screed is cracked and crumbling, it is necessary. If the base floor is in satisfactory condition, the recommended insulation methods are as follows:

1. Remove the flooring and lay aluminized mineral wool in the cells of the sheathing (strictly according to technology!), or vermiculite and lay it again. If the base is dry, just cold, and no moisture condensation was noticed in the room, you can use organic insulation or polystyrene foam.
2. Remove the flooring with the lathing, lay an additional vapor barrier directly on the base and pour a second layer of foam concrete screed 30-40 mm thick, then completely re-lay the floor; possible without lag, as described below. This will require more work, but will solve the problem once and for all.

Upper floors

Insulation of concrete floors in upper floor apartments is easier – it is carried out according to item 1 of the list in the previous paragraph or as follows:

• We remove the old flooring.
• We install aluminized insulation mats into the sheathing.
• We lay 12-16 mm plywood on the joists; with a sheathing pitch of 600 mm or more - 18-20 mm.
• We restore the flooring.

Note: if the new flooring is self-adhering (cork, marmoleum), then the mats can be laid over plywood. This is convenient if the plywood cushion on the sheathing was made earlier.

Under heated floor

Under a warm floor on any floor, an additional vapor barrier will be required, above it a layer warm screed 20-25 mm and insulation with aluminized mats in two layers. The reasons are more economic: it’s not a radiator, why heat up your neighbors at your own expense? Also, this method of preparing a room for installing a heated floor does not require expensive gypsum fiber and can be done independently.

Wooden floor

A wooden floor should be insulated not only in a private house with a prefabricated panel structure, but also in a country house: leveling the temperature-humidity gradient across the thickness of the lower flooring will prevent fungi from spreading. In this case, the main condition: the vapor barrier is laid OVER the insulating material, freely and with sinuses - the wood must breathe (see figure).

The only suitable material is aluminized mineral wool. Vermiculite, of course, would be even better, but such a luxury for buildings with a service life of no more than 20 years is hardly justified. The floor of a country house can be insulated in the fall with ordinary mineral wool - it is cheaper. Over the winter, the peeling of the material will stop, and the NEC (the number of solid particles per unit volume of air) will drop to a safe value for premises of this class.

It happens that in a house, despite excellent performance heating system, it's still cool. This indicates that the room is losing heat. To restore a comfortable stay in the house, it is necessary to take measures and insulate the floors.

Peculiarities

Often in wooden or brick house with thick ceilings, you can feel the cold coming from somewhere below. High-quality thermal insulation will not only cost the home owner cheap, but will also allow you to achieve maximum comfort in your home.

Advantages of using floor insulation systems in a private home:

• Coolant losses will be significantly reduced, therefore, money savings will be noticeable;
• If you insulate the floor, the area of ​​the premises will be heated evenly;
• Increased comfort in previously cold rooms;

• The lower part of the room will become much warmer;
• There will be no dryness in the air. Newest technologies will delay heat flow in the apartment;
• There will be more free space, since the use of heating systems minimizes the number of radiators;
• The heating process occurs faster, heat transfer increases;
• For such systems long term services.

Types of insulation

All insulation materials can be divided into two categories: technological and using heat insulating materials.Technological types are divided into electric floors and water heating. Electric floors include infrared film, heating mats and warming copper cables, and for water heating - a pipeline system with water coolant.

Insulation materials, which use heat-insulating materials, also come in several varieties:

Oriented Strand Board (OSB)

It contains natural ingredients (wood). Produced by pressing using wood chips (sawdust) and adhesive ingredients.

There are four varieties:

• OSB-1. The moisture resistance of this modification is quite low - less than 20%. This brand is intended for interior work and contains a minimum number of harmful substances in the glue;
• OSB-2. Differs more robust construction and is used for covering elements of a dry room, because in a damp structure such material will be harmful to the human body;
• OSB-3 and OSB-4. They are distinguished by the greatest resistance to humidity and increased loads, but are the most toxic materials in this line.

But, despite the danger of such material, its use is quite often practiced not only in Russia, but also abroad.

Advantages of using this material:

• Saving money. The cost of such products is quite low;
• Easy to install. This material is very easy to cut and attach. It is lightweight, so there will be no special problems with its transportation;
• Long service life;
• Widespread use. This material has found application in wall cladding, roofing and flooring;
• Correct installation– a guarantee of resistance to a variety of hazards: corrosion, moisture, the appearance of microorganisms.

Mineral wool

According to regulatory documents, this material includes glass wool, slag wool and stone wool.

Glass wool fibers are tiny: the thickness is from 5 to 15 microns, and the length reaches only 50 mm. This structure allows it to be quite strong and elastic. When working with this material you need to be extremely careful - various dangerous situations may arise. For example, inhaling glass dust can damage your lungs, and if glass filaments break, there is a high probability of getting them on your skin and eyes.

Fibers produced from slag, or slag wool, have the quality of residual acidity. This has a negative effect on metal surfaces in damp areas. The material absorbs moisture well and is quite fragile. Not suitable for insulation of plastic and metal water pipes.

Stone wool differs from slag wool in that it is not prickly, so working with such material is much safer. Its most common type is basalt wool, It has best characteristics, and does not contain any mineral or binding components. It can be formed into rolls or sheets, or stuffed into mats. When heated above the permissible temperature, it does not burn, but only melts.

Pros of using mineral wool:

• Excellent sound insulation;
• Low cost;
• Long service life;
• The ability to achieve maximum effect when waterproofing the base material;
• Used for major repairs and construction of buildings.

Expanded polystyrene

This material is produced using natural or carbon dioxide, as well as polystyrene and styrene copolymers. Most of this material is used for insulation and is the most popular in this area.

This product is divided into several types: pressless, pressed and extruded. Pressless is characterized by many heterogeneous structures. Absorbs moisture well. Marking: PSB S-X, where X is the designation of the density of the product.

Pressed has sealed pores, due to which it is considered a reliable and high-quality thermal insulation material. It becomes dense and quite durable. Marked with the letters PS.

Extruded, or penoplex, is similar in structure to pressed polystyrene foam, but its pores are much smaller. Marking – EPPS (XPS-X). The second letter X indicates its density.

The following positions can be distinguished from the distinctive qualities of this material:

• Thermal conductivity. Penoplex has the best thermal conductivity indicators. The denser the material, the higher this indicator. Therefore, the lion's share of consumers choose penoplex insulation.
• Vapor permeability. This characteristic varies in the range of 0.019-0.015 kg/ (m*h*Pa), whereas in polystyrene foam it is practically zero.
• Moisture permeability. When a pressless insulation is completely immersed in water, absorption occurs in an amount of 4% of the volume of the material, and for the extruded version - 0.4%.
• A product with medium or high density also has high strength characteristics.
• Expanded polystyrene does not collapse when exposed to substances such as soap, soda, fertilizers, lime, and cement. Damage can be caused using turpentine, acetone, drying oil, some alcohols, varnishes, and petroleum refining substances.

Advantages of the product when used:

• Low thermal conductivity. For example: if you use polystyrene foam with a thickness of 120 mm, its thermal conductivity characteristics will correspond to a brick thickness of 210 cm or wood of 45 cm;
• Light product weight. This material is convenient to use, since its low weight allows it to be mounted and transported without outside help;
• Waterproof. This material can be used as a waterproofing component, because it is resistant to moisture;
• Resistance to deformation loads. The product has excellent compressive strength parameters. This allows it to be used for insulation and waterproofing under floor screed;
• Resistance to temperature changes. Products made from polystyrene foam are resistant to cold and high temperatures;
• Easy installation. An ordinary user can install, process the edges or trim part of the material; it is enough to have a knife at hand;
• Low cost and reduced heat costs.

Styrofoam

This insulation is a foam structure containing air (98%) and polystyrene (2%).

In the process of thermal insulation, several types of foam are considered suitable: polystyrene, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene.

For domestic needs, polystyrene foam is most often used.

According to its form and structure, it can be divided into:

• Sheet. Refers to universal types insulation, since it can be used for thermal insulation of walls, ceilings and floors. The dimensions of polystyrene foam of this modification can be varied;
• In the form of balls. Used as backfill in various cavities;
• Liquid. Another name for this insulation is penoizol. The purpose is the same as the previous type of foam.

There are many advantages of its use: versatility, ease of installation, light weight, low cost, hypoallergenic and long service life.

Izolon

It is one of the latest developments in the construction industry, allowing you to maintain the comfort and warmth of your home.

There are two main groups of such material: isolon PPE and isolon NPE. Izolon PPE is a cross-linked polyethylene foam with a transverse structure, and PPE is an extruded version, which differs from the previous one in its molecular physics and non-cross-linked structure.

Advantages of this material:

• High quality thermal insulation. For comparison: characteristics thermal insulation material 1 cm thick is equal to 1 layer brickwork, which allows you to further save free space;
• Availability of waterproofing properties;
• Protects against moisture and steam;
• High noise absorption rates;
• Strength;
• Resistance to chemical reagents;
• Long service life - over 100 years;
• Reusability;
• Elasticity and low weight characteristics.

The disadvantages of using this material include high cost, the need to comply with installation technology, compliance with storage requirements and careful transportation.

Penofol

This product is a roll material made of polyethylene foam with a layer of foil. The action of penofol is based on preventing convection due to polyethylene foam and increasing the parameters (up to 97%) of thermal reflection due to the presence of foil.

The varieties of this product can be distinguished by their markings, which are indicated by the letters:

• A. This modification of the insulation is equipped with an aluminum foil surface on only one side. Can be used together with other types of material.
• IN. This option penofol is used as independent material for insulation. It has a layer of foil in its structure that covers both surfaces of the product.
• WITH. This category easy to install, as it is equipped with a moisture-resistant self-adhesive surface on one side and a foil coating on the other.
• ALP. This type additionally has a plastic film on the foil surface.
• R and M. The product is distinguished by a relief surface with layers of foil applied to one side.
• Super NET. Used for thermal insulation of communications.
• AIR. It is used to create air exhaust structures.

Positive aspects of using penofol:

• Ease;
• Easy installation;
• This is an environmentally friendly material;
• Fire resistance;
• Low vapor permeability;
• Low material cost.

The disadvantages of penofol insulation include its softness, since any insignificant pressure can lead to damage to the material, poor adhesion and high electrical conductivity (you need to be especially careful with electrical wiring, since aluminum conducts electricity well).

Expanded clay

This type of material is produced in granules with a diameter of up to 5 cm. Rejected elements are crushed. Thus, there are three types of expanded clay: granules, sand and fine gravel.

Advantages:

• Environmental cleanliness;
• Strength and durability;
• Resistance to temperature changes;
• Fire resistance;
• Excellent thermal insulation and sound absorption qualities;
• Affordable price.

The disadvantages include the amount required for good thermal insulation. There should be a layer of at least 50 cm of such material.

Expanded clay can be used to insulate floors made with concrete screed or boards on the ground, as well as on top of concrete. More this material found application in insulating the underground of a private house, as an addition to waterproofing, in insulating the floor on the loggia and the first floors with unheated basements.

Right choice material for floor insulation country house should always be based on technical specifications products. They can be found on the product packaging.

Below are the parameters that you should pay attention to when purchasing material:

• Flammability coefficient. Denoted by the letter G. The most non-flammable material is marked G1. It ignites only upon direct contact with fire.
• Water absorption coefficient. The unit of measurement is percentage. The lower this indicator, the less moisture it can absorb. Consequently, the material will degrade less and retain its properties better.
• Coefficient of thermal conductivity. This indicator is responsible for thermal insulation premises. The lower it is, the warmer the room will be.

• Density. Indicates how much heavier the floor structure will become. The higher this indicator, the stronger the ceiling and subfloor should be.
• If the owner of the house plans not to spend too much on insulating the floors, then you can use a budget option. Extruded polystyrene foam is ideal for concrete floors. It is compatible with underfloor heating systems.
• Expanded clay can also be used for floor screed. It will last quite a long time and can be used in multi-story buildings.

There are a number of non-flammable insulation materials that have received worthy attention among domestic buyers. The following brands are especially popular: Isover, Ursa, Knauf Insulation, Termolife.

Non-flammable insulation materials also include materials based on flax, basalt, coconut and jute.

Often a person, when doing a major renovation of a private house, thinks about insulating the veranda. But here you can also save on finances. For this you can use polystyrene foam and mineral wool. However, polystyrene foam tends to release life-threatening substances when burned - this should not be forgotten.

To make the room truly warm, do not forget about insulating the attic floor. For wooden ones, a bulk version of insulation is suitable - this will allow the roof to “breathe”. Heavy options in the form of slabs can be used by home owners if the ceiling is made of concrete, and for environmentally friendly pure materials You can use roll insulation.

Old houses that were built at the beginning of the 20th century are distinguished by the fact that they have an earthen floor. It is also possible to insulate it, but before that you need to sweep it thoroughly and compact it. Next - according to technology: waterproofing in several layers, insulation, finished floor. Foamed polyethylene can be used as insulation.

Thermal insulation of a wooden base

Insulation of wooden floors is usually carried out using mineral wool along the joists. The old wooden floor is removed. After examining the boards, it is necessary to remove old paint, sand and treat them with antiseptic substances. After they dry, you need to lay them horizontally.

Debris and dust from the rough base must be removed. Rotten logs need to be replaced, and the resulting structure needs to be treated with an antiseptic and allowed to dry. When laying dense polyethylene, it is advisable to insulate the joints with construction tape. Secure the waterproofing to the joists using a stapler.

Then you need to cut the mineral wool and lay it tightly between the joists. Next, you should provide a layer of vapor barrier over the entire structure, connect the joints with tape and secure with a stapler.

The next step will be laying the old boards and installing the baseboard. The protruding parts of the waterproofing must be cut off and then the coating must be painted.

Insulation with expanded polystyrene should begin with the removal of the final finish. Then you need to inspect the base and check its level. If the height difference exceeds 1.5 cm by linear meter the base needs to be leveled.

Then you will need to remove debris and dust, and also fill cement screed required height, wait for it to dry.

We cut out polystyrene foam and lay thick polyethylene. We connect the edges of the canvas with tape, place it on the walls and secure it.

The insulation must be laid in two layers. The first layer should be laid with ligation of vertical joints. The second - in the same way, only its location should be strictly above the seam of the first layer;

We install a reinforcing mesh with a post height of 3 cm. Prepare the mixture for the screed. We concrete the base in parts, smoothing the compartments with a trowel and checking the level, waiting for drying (this process usually takes a whole month). We carry out finishing work.

Insulation of concrete

The downside of a concrete floor is poor thermal insulation. Therefore, in this case it is necessary to use insulation.

Here are several ways to insulate a concrete floor in a dacha with your own hands:

• The concrete floor is covered with expanded clay, and a screed is poured on top of it;
• The mixture to create a screed is supplemented with fine-grained expanded clay or crushed polystyrene foam;
• You can lay another layer of insulation on top of the poured screed. To do this, it is necessary to mount the bars, and from the inside make a layer of the selected material for insulation. Then lay a layer of vapor barrier and cover the top with boards or plywood;
• Installation of any type of heated floor.

In order to make a heated floor in a country house, it is best to use the services of a specialist. But in order to save money, people spend their time and effort on this.

Below are brief instructions on how to install heated floors in your own home:

• First, let's prepare a place for the collector. It is necessary for control temperature regime in room.
• Preparation of roofing felt and other insulating materials - they will be required for the waterproofing layer. The first step is to roll them out onto the surface of the base. Laying should be done with an overlap of 10 cm.

The joints are glued together. To do this, you can use the influence high temperature or tape.

• Preparing the insulation layer. Foam is usually used with high density. The layer should be at least 5 cm thick.
• The next stage is vapor barrier. Thick plastic film may be suitable. Laying is done with an overlap of 10 cm, after which gluing is done with tape.
• A reflective film is placed on the resulting “pie” to direct the flow of thermal energy upward. A reinforcing mesh with cells 150x150 mm is placed on it.
• The heating pipe circuits with a maximum length of 80 m are laid on top of the reinforcing mesh.
• The pipes with the coolant must be secured using clamps to the mesh.
• Filling the finishing screed. Additionally, you can use a plasticizer - it will prevent the screed from cracking when heated.
• The final stage is laying around the perimeter of the room damper tape and finishing coat.

Errors

Below are some points that should not be allowed during the process of insulating floors:

• You cannot partially insulate a room if they require overhaul;
• If you have a conventional meter, it is unacceptable to use an infrared or water floor;

• Cheap materials in most cases are harmful to health. They can not only cause allergies in humans, but also lead to undesirable consequences;
• During the installation of a heated floor system, the heating circuits must not be kept empty while pouring the screed. There should be no heating;
• It is prohibited to use expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam to fill the space between beams in a wooden structure that consists of several floors. When fastening the sheets, they are poorly insulated and therefore accessible to oxygen. Therefore, during the combustion process, fire can easily penetrate inside.

The cool surface in a room is the floor. When the air in the room is relatively warm, the floor remains cool - this is due to the laws of physics, when cool air is at the bottom, and warm air tends to rise. Cold also enters the home through joints and cracks. Heat loss through an uninsulated floor is about 30%. Do-it-yourself floor insulation will help reduce heat loss.

In the process of solving the issue of floor insulation, the main issue is the correct selection of material, which should have the following technical and functional qualities:

1. Strength;
2. Light weight;
3. Moisture resistance;
4. Thermal conductivity;
5. Environmental safety;
6. Withstand loads;
7. Speed, ease of installation;
8. Durability.

Manufacturers of insulation materials offer wide choose insulation technologies that can be carried out independently.

Thermal insulation material, tools

Insulation is carried out with materials that prevent heat from escaping from the room. The following are most suitable for performing such tasks:

• Bulk – wood concrete, expanded clay. They have good thermal insulation properties at a relatively low cost. Expanded clay is considered more affordable, which is used as a bedding or included in a cement screed. You can watch the technology of floor insulation with expanded clay in this video:

• Glass wool and mineral wool are an excellent option for heat and sound insulation. It is fireproof, hygroscopic, and is not subject to rotting or attack by rodents. Mineral wool perfectly tolerates mechanical loads and impacts. It is produced in slabs and flexible mats. The slabs are used with a single-layer insulation method. Flexible mats have perforated paper on one side - this side is laid down.

When using mineral wool, a mandatory vapor barrier is required.

• Expanded polystyrene and polystyrene are considered moisture-resistant materials. They do not ignite, muffle noise, and do not deform. They are used for insulation work on floors on the ground, heated coatings, above the basement. Expanded polystyrene is laid on any surface (wood, ceramic tiles, concrete, metal).
• Penoplex - has low thermal conductivity, excellent sound insulation, moisture resistance, and long service life. These indicators make the insulation an alternative to polystyrene foam. Used for insulating surfaces along joists and under screeds.

It is impossible to say specifically which type is the best, since you need to choose insulation based on the functionality of the room and financial capabilities. In addition to the insulating material, you should prepare a tool for work. You may need:

1. Shovel;
2. Hammer;
3. Screwdriver;
4. Roulette;
5. Saw;
6. Stapler;
7. Special knife;
8. Individual protection means;
9. Master OK;
10. Rule.

Insulation technology for different types of floors

The process of floor insulation depends on the type of floor surface: wooden, concrete, and each floor has its own nuances.

Insulation of wooden floors along joists

Traditionally, for insulation, a material is used that is placed in the space between the joists. The insulation method includes the following processes:

• The first thing you need to do is remove the old coating.
• Next, a layer of vapor barrier is laid. This could be plastic film. Moreover, they unfold it, laying it on the frame with an overlap of 200 mm.

The joints should be reliably insulated. And be sure to lay a vapor barrier film on the walls to a depth of 50 mm. Then the insulation remains dry.

• Insulation material is laid between the joists. When expanded clay is used, the material is evenly distributed between the lags, equalizing it as a rule. If rolled sheet insulation material is used, then it is laid close to the joists (so that there are no gaps). When forming a layer of thermal insulation from mineral wool, glass wool creates an additional layer of vapor barrier. In this case, moisture from the room does not enter the insulation through the cracks.
• Boards, OSB, and others are laid on top of the insulation.
• If necessary, lay decorative finishing coat: laminate, others.

Options for concrete floor insulation technologies

Most floors in apartment buildings are made of reinforced concrete slabs. Such a floor is quite cold, and if you take into account that there are cracks between the slabs, loose joints between the walls and the floor, the floor becomes simply icy. Therefore, its insulation is a priority problem that should be solved. There are several insulation options.

Insulation plus screed

You can improve the insulating qualities of a concrete floor by laying insulating material between the screed and reinforced concrete floor slab. In this case, insulation is carried out in this way:

1. Dismantle the floor covering and remove the old screed.
2. The reinforced concrete floor slab is cleaned, removing the remnants of the old screed.
3. A vapor barrier is made by laying polypropylene film. It is laid with an overlap of 200 mm, extending onto the walls of the room by 50 mm. The overlap joints are carefully insulated using special tape.
4. Next, foam plastic (25 mm thick) 5 cm thick is laid on top. Instead, mineral wool, polystyrene foam, and other materials are used.

The insulation is laid very tightly so that cold bridges do not appear in the joints.

1. Lay a layer of vapor barrier again. By the way, when using polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam, you can skip this point.
2. Then lay the cellular metal mesh(5-10 cm), which serves as the screed frame.
3. Pour a layer of concrete mortar, the minimum thickness of which is 5 cm. A screed of less thickness will crack and crumble.
4. It will take about 14 days for the screed to dry.
5. After which it is primed - this strengthens the top layer of the screed.
6. The finishing decorative floor covering is laid on top.

Joists plus insulation

This method of insulation is similar to insulating a wooden floor, only the logs are installed on the reinforced concrete slab independently. This method eliminates all “wet” processes. Installation technology includes the following:

• Clean the slab from old screed and debris.
• Waterproofing is done using polymer-bitumen solutions (they are applied with a brush or roller). Film is also used for these purposes.
• The logs are installed in increments of 90 cm. When bulk insulation is used for insulation, metal beacons are used.
• The selected insulation material (sheet, roll) is laid out, laid out tightly between the joists, or bulk material is filled in, which is equalized with the beacons as a rule.
• GVL, OSB, plywood are laid on top. It is advisable to lay in 2 layers with overlapping connecting seams of the bottom row. This creates a seamless coating, eliminating the possibility of cold bridges.
• These layers of floors are attached to the joists with self-tapping screws.
• Flooring is laid on top.

Alternative methods of floor insulation

When heat loss is small, then use simple methods insulation:

1. Installation of a "warm floor" heating system. In addition to thermal insulation, such an insulation system also provides heating. Electric options heated floors do not reduce the height of the room; they are used in small areas (kitchen, bathroom). Water systems are made from pipes filled with screed, which reduces the height of the room by 10 cm. Most often they are used in the house, connected to the heating system.
2. The use of leveling heat-insulating floors is a simple technology for insulating the floor covering with a mixture, for example, Thermo Plast. It has waterproofing, fire safety, good noise insulation, and environmentally friendly cleanliness. The application technology is so simple that you can do it yourself. The screed is only 50 mm.

Floor insulation is easy to do with your own hands, the main thing is to choose the right technology and insulation material. In this case, you must comply with all technological processes. Then heat loss through cold floors can be avoided, and the house will be comfortable and cozy.

Proper floor insulation is necessary to maintain warmth and dryness throughout the house, reduces heating costs, and helps maintain a cozy atmosphere in the room. To carry out the work efficiently, you need to become familiar with the basic technologies, and then master the procedure for laying the material and install the insulation, following the recommendations.

Cold concrete floors, even if there is a basement, can be easily insulated with polystyrene foam. It is important to create a layer of insulation on the basement side, since an uninsulated basement is a source of cold. High-quality insulation becomes a barrier to the penetration of cold into the building.

For proper insulation, sheets of slab foam are usually used, the thickness of which is 5-12 cm. You can purchase sheets with chamfers, since their installation is easier than classic version. If the walls in the room are uneven, you need to mask deviations from the norm with polyurethane foam. To level out uneven floors, foam of different thicknesses is used.

The foam is attached to the base with plastic dowels, the average length of which is 150 mm. Their size should be selected according to the specific parameters of the selected insulation. Work must begin from the distant hard-to-reach areas. The sheet is applied to the base, and the holes necessary for further fastening are drilled with a puncher. The sheet is removed, the designated places are drilled further until the required depth is obtained for the full installation of the dowels.

If it is not possible to adapt entire sheets to specific contours of the floor in certain places, you need to carefully cut out parts that fit the shape and continue laying. Upon completion of installation, the surface of the insulation is plastered. You can lay a thin reinforcing mesh, apply a plaster mixture on it and wait until it dries.

The floor surface must be level. A concrete screed is poured and, if necessary, a slight slope is artificially created. If any cracks are noticed in the subfloor, they should be completely repaired.

Mineral wool must be protected with a sealed layer of vapor barrier. You can use plastic film or select the material individually. The layer is laid with a large overlap, which extends to the walls, and is secured with thin anchors.

Installation of guide beams is necessary to create a clear frame for laying each mineral wool tile. The distance between the logs should be equal to the width of the insulation boards or be slightly smaller so that the mineral wool is additionally held without fastenings.

Mineral wool slabs are placed in the slots between the grooves. If the material is used in rolls, it should be pre-cut. If a decision is made to lay mineral wool in two layers, then the joints of the second should, if possible, be placed on the middle part of the elements of the first.

A layer of waterproofing should be applied to the mineral wool, which should reliably seal the coating. It is necessary to prevent the absorption of moisture into the insulation, since it will linger in the material and can come out of it extremely slowly. After installing all layers preparatory materials you can lay the finished floor.

An expanded clay cushion is poured onto the pre-prepared, leveled floor. The thickness is 15-30 cm; depending on the required reliability of the insulation, the layer can vary in thickness, but should not be lower than 10 cm, since a coating that is too thin will bring minimal benefit.

Expanded clay is poured in an even, uniform layer, so the installation of additional beacons is required. Metal profiles separate working space into several equal parts. The distance between them should not exceed 70-80 cm. If necessary, wooden linings are built under the metal profile, since the material must be poured as evenly as possible.

For waterproofing, you can use polyethylene film. It should be slightly larger than the floor area. The edges are fixed at the top, the material rises slightly onto the walls. You can make a concrete screed on the waterproofing layer. Sand, cement and water are thoroughly mixed in a ratio of 3:2:2. When pouring the mixture onto expanded clay, you need to carefully level the coating.

Waterproofing can be done in another way. An expanded clay screed is installed for it. The insulation pillow is not covered with film, but is immediately filled with a homogeneous liquid solution - “cement laitance”. This is necessary to prevent the possibility of moisture affecting the expanded clay granules. The solution should envelop the insulation, so you should not make it too liquid so that it does not go into the thickness of the material.

If necessary, additional components are added to the solution after the mixture is created. Typically, such cement is produced in a 1:3 ratio with sand. To properly mix the mixture, use a construction mixer.

Foil materials can also help reliably insulate the floor. The finished surface is filled with concrete screed or laid with a layer of any insulation. Izolon or penofol is glued to it. These materials do not allow moisture to pass through, so to avoid settling, they should be mounted so that there is a small, ventilated cavity above them to allow excess moisture to escape.

To form a corresponding cavity, thin wooden slats are placed on top of the insulation, the height of which is not less than 1.5 cm, the step is 30-50 cm. The laying level is controlled; if necessary, slats can be placed under the folding logs.

Floorboards are placed on the joists perpendicular to their location. Their thickness may not exceed 4 cm. You can lay them on top even layer plywood, for which sheets 8-14 mm thick are suitable. If very thin sheets are selected, then the coating is laid in 2 layers. The floor covering is laid on the insulated floor structure. To make a warm floor on a foil base, the selected insulation is laid, and the heating systems are laid out on it. The logs and finishing part of the floor are installed.

If you plan to pour a cement screed onto penofol, you must purchase the “ALP” type; it is equipped with a protective coating that prevents cement from affecting the penofol. This condition must be met, since cement is an aggressive environment to which aluminum, which acts as a coating for this insulation, reacts.

Video - Izolon

Thanks to the possibility of insulating the floor with foam, you do not need to use special protective films, there is no need for additional leveling of the surface or its restoration after a few years. The frame is constructed by aligning guides and modeling profiles. Foam is sprayed. The flooring is being installed.

If it is necessary to carry out thermal insulation of an already finished floor, then foam insulation will reduce the volume and duration of work. The old coating is dismantled, foam is sprayed, and it swells almost instantly. To complete the work, it is enough to install a new floor covering. If produced renovation work By additional insulation Once a wooden floor has already been constructed, the boards can only be partially dismantled to obtain the access needed inside the floor when spraying foam.

Insulating the floor with foam allows you to provide airtight thermal insulation, since the material forms a homogeneous consistency.

There is no need to install waterproofing or any vapor barriers, since the foam independently performs their functions. The foam hardens within a few minutes after application, so cover it floor covering possible on the same day. It contains no nutrients, so there is no risk of deformation harmful insects or rodents. It does not emit harmful substances, and its base is water. When purchasing, you can receive a manufacturer’s warranty for 50 years of operation, respectively, the actual terms are much higher.

Experts advise using the method of spraying ecowool from a special dispenser. The insulation is distributed from a previously rented or purchased installation. After drying, it can be covered with a floor covering. The thickness of the insulation should not be less than 30 cm to avoid heat loss.

Without the use of special installation, ecowool can be laid manually if required small area coverings. Material consumption during manual installation exceeds the amount for a similar installation from a spray gun by up to 50%. Hard-to-reach areas are not easy to fill, so there is a risk of them remaining empty. Positive side This method means there is no need to purchase a blow molding machine.

After opening the package, the insulation is placed in a large container. It needs to be fluffed using a special drill with a mixing attachment. When selecting a suitable container, remember that when fluffed, the volume of ecowool increases three times.

A vapor barrier, such as clad kraft paper, is installed. Ecowool is laid out on the surface; a bucket or other capacious but not heavy object can become a dispenser. When manually laying ecowool, before covering the finishing floor, you should wait some time until a moisture-impermeable crust forms under the influence of lignin. After finishing the work, you can lay the floorboards.

Video - Blowing ecowool

It is recommended to lay polystyrene foam boards using logs, since in this case they will take the greatest load. The thickness of the coating should not be less than 10 cm. The cavity between the polystyrene foam and the joists is special technological gap the perimeter walls can be sealed using fiberglass insulation, since its price is lower than that of polyurethane foam.

When laying a thermal insulation layer on top of a concrete base, you should select a material with the maximum strength characteristics available to the developer. To level the base, you can limit yourself to laying slabs of varying thicknesses, however the best option It is considered to create an even screed that will hide all the unevenness of the concrete, ensure the most even position of the slabs, and therefore increase their resistance to heavy loads. If necessary, you can use a leveling screed to change the angle of inclination by a few centimeters.

The prepared base is covered with a waterproofing film, which is fixed along the walls, spreading slightly onto them, therefore, when calculating this material, the reserve required for hemming should be taken into account. When laying expanded polystyrene, the fastening solution is applied to the entire surface of the insulation; its thickness should be about 2 cm, and if possible it is distributed evenly. The structure is fixed with reinforcing mesh.

The finishing screed is applied after the glue has completely dried, its thickness is 6-8 cm. All gaps formed for technical reasons or due to delamination or cracking of the material are sealed with polyurethane foam. If not available, you can use fiberglass. Stacked roll waterproofing. It should be secured with an overlap of at least 10 cm. All strips are fastened with construction tape, sold in strips. A floor covering is laid on top of the insulating layers.

Video - Floor insulation with polystyrene foam

Thermal insulation with polyurethane foam avoids seams. It is beneficial to save space, since the thickness of the insulation layer does not exceed 10 cm. A layer of vapor barrier and waterproofing is optional. Polyurethane foam resists condensation and does not allow or absorb moisture. The entire floor can be covered in one day, since the application speed is record-breaking in comparison with other insulation materials. All components for preparing the solution are stored and purchased in liquid form. The service life of the material is from 60 years.

The use of polyurethane foam is not harmful environment. The components of the composition do not evaporate, so it is completely harmless to human health. The material is not subject to rotting, mold cannot grow on it, since it is not a favorable environment for bacteria. Rodents and other pests also do not live in polyurethane foam, since it is not suitable as food. The mixture must be prepared immediately before pouring it. After applying and drying the layer of polyurethane foam, you can make the final screed without the use of additional coatings.

To ensure high-quality floor insulation, an analysis of the loads that will be placed on it should be carried out. The insulation must be installed following the rules, since working according to the instructions will help ensure its long service life and protect the floor as much as possible from heat loss.