Do you need woolen socks for your grandchildren or how to insulate the floor in the house. Theory for practice, or how to insulate the floor in a private house How and how to insulate the floor in a house from the street

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 tile, 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. For work besides insulation material the instrument should be prepared. 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 definitely vapor barrier film laid on the walls by 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, a decorative finishing coating is laid: laminate, others.

Options for concrete floor insulation technologies

Most of the floors in apartment buildings made from 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. Fill the layer concrete mortar, the minimum thickness of which is 5 cm. A screed with a smaller 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 upper layer screeds.
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 will it be used for insulation? bulk insulation, then use metal beacons.
• Lay the selected insulation material (sheet, roll) tightly laid out between the joists or covered bulk material, which is compared to 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 warm floors do not reduce the height of the room; they are used on 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. Application of leveling heat-insulating floors – simple technology insulation of 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.

Insulating the floor in a private house with your own hands is a completely affordable task, and it can be solved without involving professional builders. The main thing is to decide on the choice of thermal insulation material and the technology for carrying out insulation work. This will largely depend on the design of the floor.

It is necessary to insulate the floor in any case, treating this task with the utmost responsibility. Without this, you will never be able to create comfortable living conditions in your home, even if you spend huge amounts of money on operating the most advanced heating system and other climate control equipment. Bet thermal insulation is money down the drain!

The publication will discuss materials used for thermal insulation, various technologies insulation, depending on the design of the floors.

Materials for floor insulation in a private house

The first thing you need to do is decide on the choice of thermal insulation material that is suitable for the floor of a particular design. Therefore, when considering the characteristics of insulation, it will immediately be noted for which floor they are suitable and an overview of the technology of their use will be provided.

So, today mineral wool (glass and basalt) and expanded polystyrene are most often used for thermal insulation of floors. various types and expanded clay. It should be noted that there are other materials for insulation, for example, ecowool or polyurethane foam. However, their use will require special equipment and experience with it. That is, it is difficult to put them under the “do-it-yourself” category.

There are other, let’s say, more “exotic” insulation materials, for example, foam glass slabs or cork. But they have not yet gained much popularity, apparently due to their inaccessibility or excessively high price. Our article is intended for the average home owner who wants to do the insulation themselves.

Synthetic foam insulation

This group includes the most used today thermal insulation materials- this is ordinary white foam, extruded polystyrene foam and polyethylene foam (). These insulation materials gained popularity due to their low thermal conductivity and quite affordable cost. In addition, foam materials have a number of other advantages, but they also have very significant disadvantages.

Extruded polystyrene foam

This material is made from the same raw materials as the familiar white foam, but using a completely different technology. Therefore, it has improved characteristics.

It is better not to consider white foam plastic at all as insulation for floors, and it is also better not to produce it. Honestly, he has no place in the system at all internal insulation residential building - there are too many shortcomings, including those that are extremely dangerous for humans. For extruded material, these “disadvantages” are still significantly reduced. Therefore, it is better to do it - this is what extruded polystyrene foam is called.

The disadvantages of this material are the following features:

• The flammability of the insulation, it belongs to the flammability group G2÷G4.
• Low heat resistance – at elevated temperatures the material begins to “float”
• Low vapor permeability, that is, the material is not breathable. Again, this is sometimes a clear advantage.
• Low tensile and compressive strength of thin insulation.

As a substrate, ordinary foamed polyethylene with a thickness of up to 3 mm is used. And the foil version can be laid on top of other rigid insulation, or also as a reflective substrate. In addition, the foil material is usually laid under the “warm floor” system, and any of its possible varieties - electric cable or infrared film, water, or other floor covering.

Polyethylene foam sheets are laid end-to-end and sealed together with foil tape. The coating must be airtight, since very often it is the layer of foiled polyethylene foam that is considered as a necessary vapor barrier.

So, the material is very good, but is designed only for use together with other insulation materials. Relying on the fact that only its use can create full-fledged effective thermal insulation of the floor of the first floor of a private house is simply naive.

Mineral wool

There are three types available for sale mineral wool- these are stone (basalt), glass and slag. Slag wool is practically not used in residential construction, as it does not have outstanding characteristics and often does not meet the requirements sanitary standards. Therefore, the features of this type of insulation will not be considered.

Basalt and glass wool also differ in their characteristics, but both of these types are widely used in insulating structures. These are the ones that will be considered in more detail.

Glass wool

Glass wool is made from environmentally friendly raw materials - sand, broken glass, borax, soda and limestone. From the melt of materials, fibers are formed that are quite brittle and brittle, but when they are pressed into mats using binders, a fairly stable air-saturated structure with high insulation capabilities is obtained.

Glass wool can have different thicknesses, have different densities, produced in regular and foil form. When using the second option for floor insulation, mats or slabs are laid with foil up, that is, towards the room. Thanks to this, heat from the room falling on the insulation is reflected back.

Glass wool has many advantages. These include high thermal insulation capabilities, fairly high heat resistance, resistance to fire and chemicals, and an affordable cost of the material.

Disadvantages: fairly high fragility of the fibers. This creates difficulties in work - the material is caustic and can cause severe irritation to the skin, respiratory system and mucous membranes. In addition, such fragility is a prerequisite for gradual shrinkage of the material during operation, especially if there are vibration loads. And this leads to a decrease in thermal insulation characteristics.

In addition, not all is well with glass wool when exposed to water - it can get wet and waste its insulating properties. Measures are required to prevent it from becoming saturated with moisture.

Stone (basalt) wool

Stone wool has the most optimal characteristics of all types of insulation of this class. This thermal insulation material is made from molten basalt rocks, from which thin fibers are drawn, which are much stronger and more elastic than glass.

High-quality basalt insulation is the most resistant to moisture. Such stability is achieved by special treatment, and sometimes reaches almost hydrophobicity - water does not penetrate into the structure of the material at all.

Basalt wool from leading manufacturers is highly resistant to open fire and can withstand very high temperatures. Therefore, such material is classified as NG group - non-combustible insulation. A very important quality for any home!

Manufacturers are also trying to minimize the possible emission of formaldehyde. Thus, basalt insulation labeled “ECO” or “Eurostandard” is environmentally friendly - it uses safe acrylic resins rather than phenol-formaldehyde as a binder. It is clear that the price of such products is much higher, but they are really worth it.

A significant drawback of any mineral wool is that mice love to make their nests and passages in them. Moreover, for some reason rodents are not at all afraid of the thorniness of the fibers - they feel great in warmth and dryness. And if the characteristics indicate that the material does not attract rodents, this should be treated with a fair amount of skepticism.

It is possible to protect the thermal insulation layer, for example, by covering its areas accessible to rodents with a metal mesh with cells measuring 2÷3 mm - it will not succumb to the teeth of mice.

* * * * * * *

Mineral wool is used in various floor insulation schemes. Low and medium density materials are suitable for laying between beams or joists. High-density slabs can be used for insulation on the ground or floor slab with subsequent pouring of reinforced screed.

You might be interested in information on how to install

Expanded clay and its use for insulation

One of the most practical, reliable and durable, as well as environmentally friendly insulation materials is expanded clay. This material is produced from refractory purified clay using special firing technology.

This material has many advantages:

• Expanded clay does not contain toxic components, as it is a natural material.
• Good thermal insulation properties. Moreover, these qualities do not decrease throughout the entire operational period.
• Low moisture absorption. Expanded clay does not swell or deform.
• Excellent soundproofing abilities. Moreover, the smaller the fraction of the material, the higher the sound insulation.
• High vapor permeability.
• Fire safety. The expanded clay mass not only does not ignite, but also prevents the spread of fire.
• High frost resistance, resistance to temperature changes.
• Resistance to biological influences. Fungus or mold does not form on expanded clay, since it does not contain a nutrient medium for such microflora of organisms. Expanded clay is not tolerated by rodents - they only do not live in it, but they also cannot make passages in it.
• Simplicity and variety of use cases.

Expanded clay also has disadvantages, but they are much fewer than the advantages. And the main thing is that the thermal conductivity coefficient is still almost three times higher than that of expanded polystyrene or mineral wool. That is, a more significant layer of insulation will be required

Expanded clay is used in various floor insulation schemes.

• The first option is the simplest of all - pouring expanded clay onto the ground in the underground of a wooden floor. Before backfilling, a waterproofing material is laid on the soil base, which is removed and fixed on the walls to a height 50÷100 mm higher than the thickness of the backfill.
• Another option is to create bulk layers of the required thickness over the soil, followed by pouring a reinforced concrete screed
• Another way to insulate with expanded clay is to backfill it between joists or floor beams onto the subfloor:

If fine-grained expanded clay is used for backfilling, the subfloor must be prepared. Gaps between the boards, if any, can be sealed with clay-lime mass, which is also a natural material. It will securely hold the backfill between the joists on the subfloor;

An alternative option is to lay it on the subfloor and glassine logs. Its canvases are overlapped by approximately 100 mm. Glassine is also secured to wooden structural elements with staples driven in using a stapler.

The next step is to fill the expanded clay mixture between the joists and distribute it evenly throughout the space. A layer of vapor barrier film is sometimes laid on top of the expanded clay.

And finally, sheets of plywood or floorboards are laid and secured onto the joists.

• Another option for using expanded clay is mixing it with liquid cement-sand mortar. Concrete binds expanded clay granules together, which increases the strength of such a base.

This material becomes especially relevant when insulating floors on the ground - a leveling screed will be poured on top. True, they also use it for floors on joists, filling the entire space under the future flooring with the solution.

Since the insulating qualities of expanded clay still leave much to be desired, which requires very significant layers of backfill, it is often used in combination with other thermal insulation materials - expanded polystyrene or mineral wool. A calculation is made in advance which combination of material layers will provide the expected thermal insulation.

How to calculate the thickness of floor insulation based on the ground?

The main options for insulating the floor of the first floor of a private house

Now let’s learn more about how floor insulation is carried out in a private house.

Floor insulation on the ground

This approach is often practiced if the house is built on a strip foundation. The insulation can be expanded clay (on its own or in combination with another material), rigid insulating boards (extruded polystyrene foam) or blocks of premium mineral wool, specially designed for such purposes (this is specified in the passport characteristics of mineral wool). All insulation in this scheme has one thing in common - they are covered with a reinforced screed on top.

It might look something like this:

The soil (item 1) is thoroughly compacted, and its surface is leveled to the maximum.

Sand is poured on top (item 2), layer by layer, also with careful compaction. The thickness of the backfill is usually at least 100 mm (compacted).

Next, an optional but highly recommended layer of covered geotextile is shown (item 3). It will be a big plus for the stability of the entire created “pie” and will serve to separate the sand and gravel (crushed stone) layer, which will improve the drainage capabilities of this structure.

Above, a layer of crushed stone or coarse gravel (pos. 4) is poured, also with tamping, on which the so-called “concrete preparation” is performed (pos. 5). This is a filled layer skinny concrete(grade strength M50 is sufficient). On this basis, it is much easier to carry out further work, which will directly affect the insulation.

After the concrete preparation, a layer of waterproofing is laid (item 6) - the insulation must be protected from moisture from the ground. Rolled bitumen waterproofing can be used for these purposes - it will fit perfectly on a fairly strong concrete base.

Then it is laid thermal insulation material required thickness (item 7). The calculation of thickness is discussed separately - a link has already been given above. Possible combinations of insulation materials are also discussed there, so that thermal insulation becomes complete.

Next, the insulation is covered with another layer of vapor-permeable waterproofing material(item 8), which can be used as a polyethylene film, but very dense, at least 200 microns thick. The canvases must be laid with an overlap of 150÷200 mm and sealed along the seam lines with moisture-resistant tape. The waterproofing should extend onto the walls to a height above the surface of the future floor. The purpose of this layer is to prevent water from leaking out of the concrete solution when pouring the screed, that is, to create optimal conditions for the hardening and maturation of concrete.

A reinforcing mesh is laid on top of the waterproofing, the cross-section of the rods and the cell sizes of which depend on the expected degree of load on the floors. But these are general construction issues that only indirectly relate to the insulation problems under consideration. The mesh must be lifted from the waterproofing layer so that it is approximately in the middle of the thickness of the screed.

After hardening, maturing and gaining brand strength, the resulting screed will serve as a universal base for any finishing floor covering.

You might be interested in information about what it is

Insulated floor on the floor slab

This scheme is rarely used in a private home, but, nevertheless, it should be mentioned. Moreover, it is very similar to the previous one, but much simpler. If only because there is already a rigid, reliable foundation that does not require additional modifications.

What are the features here?

The base is already ready - this is the floor slab (item 1) above the cold underground, usually hollow. It must be primed with the composition deep penetration, and it would not be out of place to provide a layer of waterproofing on it (item 2). Coating insulation or even thick polyethylene film is quite sufficient here.

The next layer is again waterproofing (item 4), which will protect the insulation from moisture penetration from above and ensure an optimal water-cement ratio when the screed hardens.

Well, above there is a reinforced screed (item 5), in which pipes or a “warm floor” heating cable can also be located. And the entire structure is crowned with the selected finishing floor covering (item 6).

Insulation of floors using joists or floor beams

But this option occurs, perhaps, more often than all others. And first of all, because such a scheme is practically the only possible one if the house rests on a pile or columnar foundation. But even for strip foundation with a high base it is quite applicable. “Heavy” materials such as cement, sand, gravel are not used here - wood or materials based on it become the main one. Well, and a plus, of course, is the insulation itself.

The schematic diagram can be represented as follows:

Skull blocks (item 2) or support boards are placed on the floor beams or joists (item 1). The lights will serve as the basis for installing the subfloor (item 3). For this purpose, flooring can be used as boards not the most high grade, so sheet materials such as plywood or OSB. The flooring can be continuous, but more often the boards are mounted with a vacuum - both for reasons of economy and for better ventilation insulation.

Waterproofing - wind protection (item 4) is laid on the subfloor. It is important that this layer should not interfere with the free escape of water vapor, so that moisture does not linger in the insulation. Sometimes, when the boards are arranged frequently or when rigid polystyrene foam boards are used as thermal insulation, this layer is not laid at all - there is no need to fear direct water ingress from below, and the wind impact with a well-equipped base is unlikely to be so great that it can cause damage insulation.

Even a layer of thermal insulation of the required thickness is laid (item 5). The illustration shows installation in one layer, but usually this is not enough - at least two are required. But this is for the better - the slabs or mats of the upper layer cover the joints of the lower one, and there are practically no cold bridges left.

Further - required condition: a layer of reliable vapor barrier (item 6). The humidity level indoors during the cold season is always significantly higher than outside. And so that water vapor, looking for any loophole to escape outside, does not penetrate into the insulation, it is necessary to install a reliable hermetically sealed (without exaggeration) barrier.

And finally, a plank or plywood (OSB) floor covering is laid on top (item 7). In the diagram, again, a simplification has been made, but in reality it is recommended to leave ventilation gap about 20÷30 mm. This is easy to do by installing additional counter batten slats along the joists - they will additionally press the membrane and provide the required clearance.

It is clear that the thickness of the insulation with such a scheme must be calculated in advance, since it is in this case It also directly affects the choice of lumber cross-section for beams and joists. You will have to carry out a not particularly complex thermal calculation.

How to calculate the thickness of insulation of a wooden floor on joists?

A special article on the portal will introduce you to the algorithm for carrying out such calculations. It also contains a convenient calculation calculator.

One more nuance. To protect the insulation from mice getting into it, you can also use a metal mesh. It is mounted directly on the subfloor boards under the waterproofing layer. The edges of the mesh are raised onto the wall 100÷150 mm above the thickness of the insulation. After laying the insulation, the mesh is folded onto its surface. After this, the insulation on top is completely covered with the same mesh - it is attached to the joists with brackets. Perhaps such measures may seem unnecessary to some, but it really helps if you don’t leave any loopholes for the mice.

Insulation of wooden floors on joists

This section of the article provides step-by-step illustrated instructions for insulating floors with mineral wool.

The most important thing in insulating a wooden floor raised above the ground by 300 - 500 mm is the choice optimal material and high-quality, according to all the rules, installation

The first thing you need to check when deciding to insulate such a floor is the presence of ventilation in the underground space. If there are no vents in the basement of the foundation, then they need to be equipped. Lack of ventilation with such floor insulation will lead to the appearance of dampness in the underground space and to rotting wooden elements structures, to their damage by fungus.

You might be interested in information on how to choose

The total area of ​​all vents must be at least 1/400 of the floor area of ​​the first floor, but not less than 0.85 m². The area of ​​one vent is usually around 0.05 m². that is, it is easy to calculate the required number and then think about their uniform placement on the base. In this case, the outer vents should be located no further than 0.9 m from the corners of the foundation. one more thing important condition– symmetry of their placement, that is, the vent on one wall should correspond to a similar one on the opposite. Thus, their number is usually even.

However, we again delved into general construction issues - let’s return to floor insulation.

So, insulating an old wooden floor (if we're talking about not about installing a new one during construction) can be done in several ways:

• Using old plank flooring as a subfloor. This option is possible if the boards are in good condition, that is, they do not have signs of rotting and are not moistened with inside. In addition, it must be taken into account that the floors will rise by approximately 250 mm. If the ceilings in the room are high enough, then insulation using the old coating, without dismantling it, seems possible. But, to be honest, they rarely resort to this route.
• The second option involves dismantling the plank covering and laying insulation under it. In this case, the removed floorboards, if they are in satisfactory condition, can then be returned to their place. If the boards are intended to be reused, then when dismantling, it is recommended to number them.

Naturally, if a new floor is being built, then they start from scratch, that is, with the installation of the subfloor - and then in order.

Below we will consider an insulation option in which the old floor is dismantled. Moreover, if insulation is carried out in an old house, an inspection of the underground space, as well as the reliability of the floor beams, will never be superfluous.

For work you will need the following materials:

• Insulation material. In this case it is mineral wool. As practice shows, and calculations confirm, in private houses in most regions of Russia it is recommended to lay this insulation with a thickness of at least 150, or even 200 mm. this usually involves a minimum of two layers.
• Boards or plywood for installing the subfloor. A board 10 mm thick and 150 mm wide will be quite sufficient.
• Beam for counter-battens with a cross-section, for example, 30×50 mm. The larger size should correspond to the thickness of the joist or floor beam.
• Waterproofing vapor-permeable membrane.
• Vapor barrier material.
• Self-tapping screws and staples for the stapler.

Illustration	Brief description of the operations performed
	So, having dismantled the boardwalk, you can see the floor beams and evaluate the possibilities of further work. If the floor beams are in good condition, then the first thing to do is cover them with an antiseptic solution on all sides and let the coating dry well.
	Next, you can choose one option out of two - fix it using self-tapping screws on load-bearing beams skull blocks on which the subfloor boards will be laid, or fasten the boards to the bottom of the floor beams. Each option has its drawbacks. When fixing the cranial elements, the space for installing insulation will decrease.
	Securing boards from the bottom of floor beams, in principle, has no disadvantages, except for the labor-intensive nature of the work. If the height from the ground to the beams is small, then installation will have to be done while lying on your back. The subfloor is only needed to support the insulation material, so it is not necessary to make it continuous or lay planks too often. The distance between them can be even 200÷250 mm. And the boards can be used even without edged ones. But they require antiseptic treatment no less.
	Another option for arranging a subfloor is to fasten transverse boards to the beams in increments of 700÷800 mm, and then lay a longitudinal plank covering on them. Moreover, gaps of 10÷15 mm can also be left between the longitudinal boards. Gaps are necessary for proper ventilation of the insulation.
	In some cases, OSB plywood sheets 10 mm thick are used for the subfloor. However, a gap must be left between the sheets every 500 mm for ventilation. Therefore, you will have to prepare pieces of plywood 500÷600 mm long and a width equal to the distance between the centers of adjacent floor beams (joists). As a rule, it is 600 mm - according to the traditional size of mineral wool insulation.
	The next step is to lay a vapor-permeable waterproofing and wind protection on the subfloor. It is laid to protect the mineral wool from water ingress (which is extremely unlikely in such conditions), as well as from wind, which will penetrate into the underground through ventilation ducts. The membrane sheets should go around the floor beams. They overlap each other by 100÷150 mm. It is not necessary to tape these overlaps with tape; there is no need for tightness.
	It is necessary to focus on securing the membrane to the walls. The material should be on them 50÷70 mm higher than the thickness of the insulation. On wooden walls the membrane is secured with staples, and on surfaces made of other materials - with double-sided construction tape. It is still recommended to isolate the insulation from possible contact with the walls.
	Next, the insulation material is laid. It is important to observe several nuances here. The slabs are most often laid in two layers, and the top one must overlap the joints of the lower insulation. The standard width of insulation slabs is 600 mm, and it must be laid opposite the floor beams, so optimal width between the beams in the clear is approximately 550÷570 mm (just along the axes - 600 mm, and due to the thickness of the beam the clearance is slightly reduced). However, it is not always possible to follow this step, so the slabs often have to be “replenished” with additional fragments. Their joints must also be covered with entire slabs of the top layer.
	The insulation is laid on top vapor barrier material and secured with brackets to the floor beams. This layer is necessary to protect the insulation from the penetration of various fumes from the premises. The canvases are also laid with an overlap of 100÷150 mm (on the membranes the minimum width of such an overlap is often even marked in dotted lines). But here the requirements for sealing are strict: the canvases must be glued together along the overlap line with moisture-resistant tape.
	Then, if you plan to create a ventilation gap between the board covering and the vapor barrier (and this is highly recommended), then slats 25÷30 mm thick are attached to the ends of the beams on top of the vapor barrier sheet. Some craftsmen refuse this design element and consider it optional. But it is better not to neglect such ventilation - condensation will not accumulate on the vapor barrier membrane.

The insulation is complete - and you can install a board covering or a plywood or OSB flooring on top. But these are questions beyond the scope of our consideration.

* * * * * * * *

Now, having at hand several options for floor insulation schemes with various materials, it will be possible to choose the most suitable method for a particular case. By adhering to the recommendations received and strictly following the technology, it is quite possible to independently thermally insulate the floors in your own home. At the same time, not only saving a decent amount for the family budget, but also gaining confidence that the work was done conscientiously.

In conclusion, we invite you to watch an interesting video. In it, a completely amateur master produces self-insulation floors of your house under construction. Honestly, there is a lot to learn.

A comfortable atmosphere in a private home depends on many factors. However, on comfortable temperature in the house and in the apartment, the quality insulation of all structures affects. The most important indicator can be considered the floor temperature in the room. It is worth saying that if you produce proper insulation floors in your home, you can make your stay in your home enjoyable. In addition, good thermal insulation of the floor will greatly reduce the cost of heating your home. Therefore today construction portal will talk about how to insulate the floor in a private house.

It is worth saying that insulating the floor in a private house is a simple process that absolutely anyone can handle. Indeed, such work cannot bring any difficulties. In this case, it is necessary to find a suitable thermal insulation material. In addition, you will need to select for this case modern technology floor insulation.

If you don’t know how to choose thermal insulation material for floor insulation in a private home, then before you go to the store, remember the following recommendations.

1. So, floor insulation must have good thermal conductivity and excellent strength.
2. Thermal insulation material should be light in weight so as not to create additional load on the load-bearing elements of the house.
3. The insulation must withstand loads well and be fireproof.
4. Thermal insulation material for the floor must be durable and moisture resistant.

In addition to all the characteristics described above, the thermal insulation material for the floor must be different environmental safety. Also, the insulation should be easy to install. Today, every owner of a private house will be able to choose unique technology And modern insulation. Below we will tell you in detail how to insulate the floor in a private house inexpensively.

We insulate the floor in the house using mineral wool

Mineral wool is an excellent insulation material that has high sound and heat insulation. This material is fire resistant. In addition, mineral wool can withstand even the most severe mechanical stress. Mineral wool is an excellent insulation material that retains its basic properties for a long time. Mineral wool is sold in stores in the form of flexible slabs and mats.

Flexible mats are distinguished by their high strength and elasticity. In this case, one side of one mineral wool mat is covered with perforated paper, which is located at the bottom of the structure.

Mineral wool is used for insulation in wooden structures floor, namely in the joists. Mineral wool is also used under black under the base of the surface.

Floor insulation with polystyrene foam

If you want to know how to insulate the floor in a private house above a cold basement, then we recommend that you use polystyrene foam for this purpose. It is worth saying that this insulation has not only a long service life, but also good thermal insulation properties.

This kind of material is widely used today. Basically, they are used to insulate the floor in a private house above the basement. Expanded polystyrene can be laid on absolutely any surface. It is quite convenient to use this material to insulate a concrete floor in a house. For this purpose, this insulation is first fixed to the floor, and then a reinforcing mesh is laid on it. And after that, on the surface of the concrete floor they arrange concrete screed.

We insulate the floor in our own house with penoplex

Penoplex is a well-known thermal insulation material that is used to insulate a wide variety of structures. Why is this material so popular? It turns out that this material has the most best characteristics, which make such insulation a good alternative to polystyrene foam.

Penoplex insulation is suitable for insulating absolutely any structure. And if you plan to insulate the floor with this insulation, then it should be used when laying the base floor with subsequent screed.

We insulate the floor in your home using the method of applying polyurethane foam

Despite the fact that in every hardware store There is a huge selection of various thermal insulation materials; floor insulation in a private house with polyurethane foam is very popular. It must be said that such heat-insulating material is applied quickly and in an economical way by high-quality spraying method. After applying such thermal insulation, a smooth coating is created on the floor surface, which will not have joints or joints. The method of floor insulation with polyurethane foam has several advantages:

• This method is different high speed performance of work.
• Insulation with such material implies minimal costs.
• After insulation, a small but reliable thermal insulation layer of 50 or 100 mm is formed on the floor surface.
• Sprayed polyurethane foam does not require additional vapor barrier. In addition, this material has good moisture resistance.
• Such thermal insulation material can be used to insulate the floor not only outside, but also inside the building.
• Polyurethane foam is not afraid of mold and rodents. Also, this material is resistant to serious temperature changes and other climatic phenomena.
• If you decide to insulate the floor with this particular material, then you can install absolutely any floor on top of this insulation.

We insulate the floor using double flooring

The most in a known way floor insulation is considered to be a method of floor insulation by means of double flooring. In this case, the first layer is created from smooth boards, which are usually attached to the beams with tongues. At this stage of work, it is imperative to prevent air from entering such a structure. As for the final layer, laminate is laid on a backing, linoleum or carpet.

We insulate the floor using fiberboard

Fiberboard sheets can become a decent thermal insulation material. This material can be freely used if it is impossible to raise the floor surface. For such a case, it is recommended to use fiberboard grades M-20 and PT-100. You can easily lay any floor covering on fiberboard sheets, which will become finishing layer in floor finishing.

We insulate the floor in a country house by using expanded clay

Floor insulation with expanded clay is an affordable and most famous insulation technology. Insulation with expanded clay is carried out already during the installation of the screed. To insulate the floor, expanded clay is used in the form of bedding. And to increase the effect, this insulation is added to the concrete screed. And to increase the strength of the floor, a mesh is laid between the screed and expanded clay. And modern additives are added to the solution itself, which will further avoid cracking of the finished floor.

We install heated floors

To make a heated floor in your home, it is possible to resort to the option of installing a heated floor, which can be water or electric. A warm floor in a house, in addition to high-quality thermal insulation, provides the entire house with high-quality heating. Electric heated floors are expensive. Therefore, such floors are mainly used for heating small rooms in the house. An electric floor does not affect the height of the room. It can easily be installed on the preparatory layer just before laying any finishing floor covering.

Floor insulation using gypsum fiber

More than ten years ago, one company managed to develop a unique product - gypsum fiber sheets, which have a number of advantages. It is worth saying that gypsum fiber sheet has.

In order to protect the room from the cold and keep it warm, it is necessary to insulate the floor. To decide how to insulate the floor and what technology to choose, you need to know what its base consists of. Modern market building materials provides a wide range of floor insulation products. The most common of them are expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene foam (penoplex), expanded clay, glass wool and mineral wool, cork insulation, reflective thermal insulation (penofol, isolon), cellulose insulation, self-leveling floors, stone wool, gypsum fiber, foam glass, linen mats, as well as polyurethane foam .

Before you decide which technology to choose for floor insulation, you need to know what its base consists of.

All insulation materials are divided into natural and synthetic. Natural materials include cork, cellulose, flax, and sawdust insulation. All other materials are classified as synthetic. By type, thermal insulation materials are divided into rolled (cork, mineral wool, linoleum, isolon), bulk (expanded clay, sawdust insulation, granulated slag), sprayed (cellulose insulation, liquid foam), bulk polymer mixtures and tile materials (mineral wool, stone wool, polyurethane, penoplex and polystyrene foam).

The technology of this process also depends on what you decide to use to insulate the floor.

The main advantage of electrically heated floors is high efficiency and easy temperature control in automatic mode.

For mineral wool, expanded clay and penoplex, it is necessary to install logs and make a screed. Cork insulation or warm linoleum Simply lay it on the floor, covering it with a hard floor covering (laminate, wood covering, parquet and linoleum). Linoleum itself can play the role of insulation.

Thermal insulating mixtures take up minimal space. You can insulate the floor with expanded clay at the stage of completing the rough version in a private house, when laying a wooden floor on joists, or in combination with gypsum fiber boards. All layers will be about 10cm high.

In order to insulate the floor in an apartment, you will need slightly different materials than for a private house. In the second option, insulation is carried out over the ground or joists, which makes it possible to use even insulation materials that take up a lot of space. For thermal insulation of concrete floors in an apartment, it is better to choose ultra-thin insulation(linoleum, fiberboard, isolon, cork, bulk mixtures and polyurethane foam).

Before determining how you will insulate the floor, find out the height of the ceilings of your house or apartment and the permissible value allocated for floor insulation. The higher the ceiling, the more various materials can be used for thermal insulation. The humidity level in the room should also be taken into account. Some insulation materials cannot be used in wet areas, and some require additional waterproofing.

If you want to achieve 100% results, you can install an electric heated floor using isolon and the ability to regulate the floor temperature in the house using a switch. Next, we will consider insulation technologies and the materials used for thermal insulation of the soil base, wooden floor and concrete screed.

How to insulate over the ground

A feature of this process is that the heat-insulating layer will be in contact with the ground, as a result of which it may be affected groundwater. Therefore, the insulation must not only have good thermal insulation properties, but also be moisture-resistant and waterproof. It is also necessary to take into account the presence of a basement in the house. If available, you can lay more thin layer thermal insulation than without it. The insulation is placed on top of a special waterproofing film.

To insulate the floor and level it and further install the floor, it is necessary to fill in a layer of gravel, sand or slag and compact it. After this, the wooden logs are fixed. The gaps between the logs are filled with expanded clay or slag, and sheets of foam plastic, mineral wool or polyurethane are placed in them. Another option is to lay sheets of expanded polystyrene or mineral wool, covering them with roofing felt or plastic film and subsequent filling with concrete or sand-cement screed.
Thus, thermal insulation of the floor with penoplex or expanded polystyrene is much simpler and more effective than the use of bulk and labor-intensive expanded clay and slag. Insulation materials such as foam glass and polyurethane foam are superior to others in their thermal insulation qualities and durability. All of these materials are not afraid of water.

To insulate the floor, you may need the following materials and tools:

• waterproofing film;
• gravel;
• expanded clay;
• wooden beams;
• mineral wool, polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam or mixtures with thermal insulation properties;
• construction knife;
• self-tapping screws;
• nails;
• hammer;
• screwdriver;
• concrete solution;
• building level;
• rule.

How to insulate a wooden floor

Natural materials are used to insulate wooden floors: cellulose and sawdust.

In this case, thermal insulation is carried out already during the construction of the house. To do this, sand, expanded clay or granulated slag are poured into the underground. When choosing insulation, some people pay attention to its naturalness, while others care about fire safety. Natural materials are most often flammable and susceptible to rotting and exposure to microorganisms. To insulate wooden floors with natural materials, sawdust and cellulose are usually used.

To increase the service life of ecowool, which is blown into all holes, and sawdust insulation, antiseptics and fire retardants (substances that prevent combustion) are added to their composition. The most practical materials for wooden floors are glass wool, mineral wool, polystyrene foam and dry screed. Wooden floors can be laid on joists, between which insulation is laid. A wooden floor can also be laid over a rough or pre-filled insulated screed.

To install and insulate the floor, the logs are fixed in increments of 60 cm, positioned level on the floor covered with waterproofing. The gaps are filled with insulation and then covered with either plywood or boards.

Expanded clay is used not only as a bedding under a cement screed, but also inside it.

If concrete or cement strainer, slabs can be placed under the solution stone wool, expanded polystyrene or fill a layer of expanded clay. Such a screed itself will be considered thermal insulation. And if you lay a wooden floor on top with additional insulation, the result will surpass all expectations.

During operation, a dry screed can be laid on a wooden floor. To do this, bulk insulation is used, which is poured onto a layer of waterproofing, leveled along pre-provided guides and covered with gypsum fiber boards. This method is the simplest for leveling and insulating the floor, but it cannot be used for rooms with high humidity. For waterproofing it is necessary to use bitumen paper.

Foam glass slabs provide excellent thermal insulation and fire safety. They have a thickness of 6 to 12 cm and are laid on both wooden and concrete floors.

How to insulate a concrete floor

To thermally insulate a concrete surface with polystyrene foam, expanded polystyrene, ecowool, mineral wool or liquid materials, you will need to lay logs, and lay a floor covering on top of them: plywood, parquet, laminate, linoleum or boards. This type of thermal insulation is quite labor-intensive, and it also reduces the height of the room.

Sometimes expanded polystyrene is combined with the laying of a concrete or cement-sand screed about 5 cm thick. If you add another 5 cm to this value for the bottom layer of insulation, you get a thickness of the required layer of 10 cm without taking into account the decorative coating. If necessary, warm water floor pipes are built into the screed layer.

On top of the finished one concrete covering you can lay dry screed made of expanded clay and gypsum fiber boards. If the surface is perfectly flat, you can only use gypsum fiber board sheets; the layer thickness in this case will be no more than 2 cm. If we are talking about an apartment, then it will not be possible to make an insulation layer that is too thick, especially with low ceilings.

In this case, methods such as thermal insulation with isolon and subsequent installation of an electric heated floor are suitable. They will not only provide good thermal insulation, but will also additionally heat the room. A water-heated floor is usually installed in a screed, which leads to a reduction in the height of the room by 8-10 cm. This method is suitable for rooms with high ceilings.

Another way to insulate and level the floor is to pour a polymer mixture with thermal insulation properties. The solution must be kneaded and poured onto the floor, spreading evenly with a wide spatula. The result is a coating about 1 cm thick, which can serve as a base for flooring.

The most popular and the easy way Insulation of floors is double flooring. First, mount the layer wooden planks, secured with tongues. It is covered with a substrate and insulated linoleum or laminate. Linoleum on an insulated base can be laid directly on a concrete surface. If ready concrete floor cover with two layers of polyurethane foam, you can save up to 40% of heat. This material not only has good thermal insulation, but also noise and waterproofing properties. A screed can be laid on top of this substrate, GVL slabs or finishing materials.

When choosing how to insulate a wooden floor in a private home, they are based, first of all, on financial capabilities. Thus, expanded polystyrene is the most economical option, expanded clay is more expensive but is the most environmentally friendly, and mineral wool is easy to install and unattractive to rodents.

A warm base is the key to a warm floor

Before you start insulating the floor, you need to make sure that the base is thermally and waterproofed. At the same time, we must not forget about ventilation, which will prevent the development of fungi and mold in the underground. After all, this destroys the wooden base and the floor will last very little.

Insulation of the basement floor

If the house has a basement or ground floor, you need to take care of their insulation and waterproofing. This will prevent the basement from freezing in the winter and keep it cool in the summer. After all, the basement non-residential floor is often used specifically for storing food, and if it is located above the freezing level of the soil, such measures are mandatory. But there is no need to insulate an unheated basement underground.

The basement floor is insulated from the outside extruded polystyrene foam, since it is not hygroscopic, unlike ordinary polystyrene foam. The insulation must be laid on waterproofing, such as bitumen and roofing felt. The base is dug out a meter and the EPS is attached to a special glue.

After this, the soil is backfilled layer by layer.

On the ground part of the basement floor, the insulation is laid with glue, and fixed on top with dowels and reinforcing mesh. The final stage is facing the base. The material can be any - from decorative stone to PVC panels. But it is better to choose a damage-resistant and moisture-repellent material.

If the base is low, about 50 cm, it is better to fill the space under the subfloor. This option will turn out to be much warmer - there is no cold air under the floor of the house, there is no need to install vents that will have to be closed for the winter.

Backfilling is done with ordinary soil, and the last 10 cm to the floor is filled with sand. Both soil and sand must be compacted separately in a wet state.

More high plinth it is not economically profitable to fall asleep. In this case, it will have to be insulated according to the same principle as the basement, but with ventilation vents that remain open in the summer and closed in the winter. Special attention should be paid to insulating the basement for a house on a columnar or pile foundation.

Freely “walking” cold wind significantly increases heat loss from the floor.

General features of wooden floor insulation

When the base is in order, you can proceed directly to the floor. Regardless of the stage of work (during the construction process or in an already inhabited house), do-it-yourself insulation includes:

1. Laying or checking and replacing joists.
2. Laying waterproofing on the joists (or under them if the joists are lying on sand).
3. Laying insulation between joists.
4. A layer of vapor barrier on top of the insulation.
5. Installation of a counter-lattice for the gap between the finished floor and the vapor barrier.
6. Finished flooring.

For waterproofing, you can use any rolled material - from thick polyethylene to innovative, but expensive, materials.

For vapor barrier, it is best to use foamed polyethylene with an aluminum coating on one side.

This will provide both additional insulation floor, and will prevent condensation from entering the insulation. If the winters are not very cold, sometimes only a layer of polyethylene foam is enough without additional insulation. But it is better to insulate the floor as well as possible, because then you will have to remove the covering again if the insulation is not enough.

The vapor barrier is laid with the “shiny” side facing finished floor. Both hydro- and vapor barriers are laid overlapping with an allowance of at least 10 cm, and the joints are sealed with metallized tape.

Insulation with roll and tile materials

Even at the stage of installing the log, you need to decide what material will be used for insulation. Depending on its width and length, the lag pitch will be selected, between which the insulation is laid very tightly and without gaps.

Ideally, the height of the logs should correspond to the thickness of the mineral wool layer, but given the need for an air gap between the vapor barrier and the finished wooden floor, you can simply not make a counter-lattice. In this case, the vapor barrier is attached with a construction stapler to the sides of the logs so that it lies on the mineral wool without an air gap between them.

It is important to remember that the sides of the slabs have different hardness. This type of insulation is installed with the hard side up. For convenience, the desired side is already marked with a blue stripe, so it’s difficult to make a mistake.

It is best to use slabs with corrugated edges - this will provide the best adhesion. Lay the slabs as tightly as possible, starting from the corner. The next row begins with an offset of half the slab. The last slabs must enter with force. Possible cracks are sealed with construction foam.

Insulation with bulk and sprayed materials

There are also more “exotic” ways to insulate floors in a house. For example, sawdust is increasingly used as a natural and environmentally friendly material.

The technology is not very different:

• on the slabs fixed under the joists, a vapor-permeable material is laid, not polyethylene;
• sawdust is poured out between the joists and watered with a weak lime mortar from a watering can;
• As soon as the material dries and settles, the finished floor is laid - no vapor barrier is needed.

But here you need to pay attention Special attention hydro- and vapor barriers, as well as dryness of the expanded clay itself. Because of its pores, it is very hygroscopic, but practically does not release moisture. Therefore, when improper installation Expanded clay that has accumulated moisture will only worsen the situation.

Insulating the floor of a house with sprayed materials - polyurethane foam, ecowool or penoizol - is practically impossible to do on your own, and in some cases it is dangerous. This will require special equipment, and its purchase for insulation small house extremely unprofitable.

The process of installing a wooden subfloor, its insulation, hydro- and vapor barrier is revealed in detail in the video: