How and with what to insulate a wooden floor. How to insulate the floor in a private house with your own hands and inexpensively - wooden over boards. Plank and plywood floors on joists

A wooden house is eco-friendly and cozy. However, in order to be comfortable in our climate, the house must be properly insulated. Insulation work includes not only adding additional thickness to the walls and ceiling, but also measures to insulate the floor - a lot of heated air can leak through cracks and holes in the floor.

In a house with an insulated floor, you can’t wear socks in winter - you’ll have to put on felt boots or ugg boots. And in general, living in such a room is uncomfortable, especially if there are small children who like to crawl on the floor. The importance of floor insulation in wooden house is indisputable - we will consider this issue in more detail in the article.

General requirements

What characteristics should a modern safe and high-quality insulation have?

  • Ease. The insulation should not weigh down the building structure.
  • Durability and reliability. Properly chosen material will definitely become a reliable support for the entire house.
  • Safety. Mandatory requirement. It is important that the selected material fully complies with all sanitary standards and is non-toxic.
  • Easy to install. Installing insulation should not be difficult.
  • Low thermal conductivity. This main characteristic material, since its main functional purpose- keep the house warm.
  • Density. The higher the density of the material, the better it will protect your home from winter cold.

In the video - insulation for the floor in a wooden house:

How to insulate

What materials are best suited for floor insulation in a wooden house.

Sand or expanded clay

Protozoa natural materials, which can be used for floor insulation. In addition, they are also the most inexpensive. These insulation materials are simply poured onto the rough flooring, thereby creating a dense layer between this flooring and the regular floor.

These materials are of natural origin, which means they are safe from an environmental point of view. In addition, they have a dry structure and absorb moisture well - this will help protect the floor from fungus and mold.

The downside is that these materials lose their ability to absorb moisture over time, so we can’t talk about the durability of these insulation materials.

It will also be interesting to know what the technical characteristics and price of isover insulation are:

Sawdust

Wood sawdust- one of the inexpensive and environmentally friendly materials, which can be used to insulate the floor of a wooden house. Wooden sawdust is simply easy to lay - they are simply poured onto the subfloor, compacted a little - no special construction tricks are required.

The photo shows expanded clay for insulating a wooden house:

The downside is that sawdust is flammable and short-lived, and it will be somewhat better. But what are the proportions of a floor screed with sawdust and how to do everything correctly is described in great detail in this

Fiberglass

One of modern materials, but now it has been replaced by even more “advanced” mineral wool. Fiberglass is made from glass production waste and is produced in the form of slabs different sizes and thickness.

In the photo - fiberglass for insulation

The material is safe, environmentally friendly and free of toxic impurities. Fiberglass is non-flammable and fire resistant.

This is a dense material that has a low level of thermal conductivity. With its help you can perfectly insulate your home. The disadvantage of the material is its high cost compared to others. But what are the characteristics basalt wool and where in construction it is used, information will help you understand

Mineral wool

The most common type of insulation. It is used for all surfaces of the house - both for the ceiling and for the walls, and is also great for the floor. Mineral wool can be produced from basalt, stone chips, slag, and other waste from various industries.

The photo shows mineral wool for insulating a wooden house

Cotton wool perfectly absorbs noise. This material is durable and reliable - its service life, with the initial quality choice, can be tens of years. Cotton wool is resistant to chemical, mechanical, and thermal effects. All these qualities make the material one of the most attractive on the market. modern market insulation materials. Used quite often.

The material reliably protects the house from the cold, as it has a low level of thermal conductivity. Cotton wool also has a high level of water repellency, making it suitable for homes in humid climates. However, the material is afraid of direct dampness - in this case it immediately loses its technical characteristics. Therefore, insulating mineral wool floor, make sure there are no water leaks in the basement.

But many people are concerned about the question of whether mineral and... Mineral wool is safe and does not cause allergies. Cotton wool does not last too long - insulation with this material will be cheaper than with expanded polystyrene or fiberglass boards.

The disadvantages include low vapor permeability. Due to the fact that cotton wool does not allow vapor to pass through well, condensation can accumulate on its surface, which will freeze in winter. But that's because. Therefore, laying mineral wool provides additional vapor barrier.

Penofol

This is one of the latest scientifically developed materials for insulation. It is a rolled material, one side of which is made of foil. In addition to foil, the material also includes several layers of insulation, creating a kind of sandwich that perfectly retains heat in the room.

In the photo, penofol for a wooden floor in a house:

Penofol is good because it is very easy to install. Even a person who does not have special construction skills can roll out a roll on the floor. Penofol perfectly withstands mechanical loads, shocks, and withstands high temperatures. The material is dense, so it can be laid thin layer. This article explains how to do it correctly.

Penofol has excellent vapor permeability, so additional vapor barrier is not required. You can save a lot on this.

Insulation thickness

It should be noted that for each specific house this indicator is calculated individually - and the thickness of the material that is suitable for a house in southern latitudes may differ radically from the thickness of the material for a northern cottage. This calculation also includes other features.

On the video, the thickness of the insulation for the floor in a wooden house:

What do these mysterious letters mean:

  • R is the level of thermal resistance of the structure. This level is different for each climate zone. You can find it out from the application map that is attached to the SNiP.
  • A is the coefficient of thermal conductivity level of insulation. Each type of insulating material has its own. You can see it on the packaging of the material. Some coefficients are also indicated in SNiP.

Using this formula, you can accurately determine what thickness of insulation is suitable for you, so that you are guaranteed not to freeze and achieve optimal temperature in the house.

Attention: if according to the formula it turns out that the insulation layer in your house should be thin, then experts recommend in this case using expanded polystyrene or rolled materials. Such insulation can best protect the house, even if the layer is not too thick.

Manufacturers and prices

Let's find out which brands on the modern building materials market offer customers best choice high-quality insulation materials.

Rockwool

One of the most common and sought-after brands of insulation on the Russian and global markets. It produces mainly basalt mineral insulation for ceilings, floors and walls.

The photo shows floor insulation from Rockwool

This manufacturer truly produces quality materials. Rockwool insulation is very dense, non-flammable and durable. Available in slabs. The cost depends on the brand of the product, on average - 140-230 rubles per sq. m.

Euroizol

This brand produces mineral wool with high technical characteristics. Euroizol cotton wool is non-flammable and can withstand significant mechanical and chemical loads. Poorly absorbs moisture. The average cost of a cubic meter of this material is 4,000 rubles.

The photo shows floor insulation from Euroizol

Linerock

This is insulation that has excellent vapor permeability, which means that the house will not look like a hermetically sealed room - it will have normal air exchange. This will create a favorable microclimate in the room.

The photo shows floor insulation from Linerock

Linerock is available in slabs, suitable for walls and floors. Cost -140-170 rubles per sq. m.

Izover

One of the most popular insulation materials on the Russian market. It is a high-quality glass wool with high performance characteristics. Isover - very durable and durable material, has a low degree of shrinkage. The cost is approximately 150 rubles per sq. m.

The photo shows floor insulation from Izover

These are just a few of the variety of manufacturers, brands and brands on the market. modern building materials. On sale you can also find high-quality insulation from brands such as Ragos, Technonikol, Penoplex, Knauf and others. The choice depends on your climate and the technical characteristics of the building.

We looked at the most popular and optimal insulation for floors in a wooden house. Choosing suitable option for yourself, be sure to take into account all its pros and cons - and then your home will be warm, safe and comfortable.

Properly done thermal insulation of a wooden floor can significantly reduce heat loss and ultimately significantly save on heating bills. Wood is an excellent material, very well suited for arranging floors in residential premises. But over time, its structure changes, the material begins to gradually deform, which leads to the appearance of cracks through which up to 30% or more of the heat can escape from the house.

The technology for insulating a wooden floor is extremely simple; it can be mastered even without such skills. You just need to understand the main stages of thermal insulation and additional features of working with the most popular insulation materials.

The procedure for installing thermal insulation on a wooden floor remains virtually unchanged for different materials. However, before starting work, you should determine the conditions under which the floor will be used in the future. By them we must understand the expected load on the surface, the main purpose of the room, temperature and humidity indicators.

Be sure to determine the possible height of the floor “pie” in general and the thickness of the insulation in particular.

Insulation work is carried out in the following order:

  • first mounted wooden joists;
  • boards or wood panels are attached to them from below;
  • The selected heat insulator is installed between the lags. It is recommended to lay the material as tightly as possible. It is customary to use sealant to seal gaps. You can also use foam;
  • A vapor barrier is laid on the laid insulation. Commonly used polyethylene film. The material must be fixed on the joists, and any kind of gaps, various joints, etc. glue with metallized adhesive tape;
  • Finally, it is necessary to lay the plank flooring and perform the finishing touches.

In the process of preparing for work, you should determine optimal thickness heat insulator. Usually it ranges from 5-15 cm and depends mainly on the climate in the region where the building is located and the type of insulation chosen. This parameter is determined individually and is one of the most important.

The procedure for self-insulation by joists

An extremely simple, but very effective and popular method of insulation in private construction is a technology that involves laying insulation boards along joists. This method is especially good for floors that are located a short distance from the ground (first floors and basements).

Having mastered the procedure for installing joists, you will be able to perform insulation using almost all existing insulating materials used for thermal insulation of wooden floors.

First you need to prepare or buy ready-made logs of a special T-shape. They are installed on the foundation or secured by cutting into wooden frame. Elements should be placed at a distance of 60-95 cm from each other.

After installing the logs, proceed to securing boards or wood panels. Thermal insulation will be laid directly on them in the future.

These elements can be secured using special cranial bars or hemmed from below. Thermal insulation material is placed on the flooring. Afterwards it is laid layer of hydro- and vapor barrier.

Depending on the chosen insulation, a heat and moisture protection device may not be necessary. For example, mineral wool needs such protection.

The vapor barrier material should be laid with an overlap of 10-15 cm, bending the edges onto the wall by about 10 cm. The vapor barrier can be done using ordinary polyethylene, or you can buy special materials for this; it all depends solely on the budget and desires of the developer. Lastly, the floorboards are installed. and the planned finishing.

There is also a method in which wooden logs are placed on brick posts. A wood gasket is fixed between the contacting elements. The space between adjacent joists is tightly filled with the selected insulation. It is most convenient to use the material in slab format.

What materials are suitable for floor insulation?

For high-quality insulation A wide variety of materials can be used for wooden floors. The most popular and most frequently used thermal insulation materials.

1. Sawdust.

2. Mineral wool and its varieties.

3. Penofol.

4. Foam plastic.

When choosing a specific material, you need to take into account not only the owner’s personal preferences and the thickness of his wallet, but also a number of other significant factors, ignoring which will not allow you to obtain high-quality thermal insulation.

Special attention should be paid to the insulation of such an element as the subfloor. Thermal insulation is carried out along logs. First, they are attached to their sides wooden blocks. Next, the boards are fixed using self-tapping screws or ordinary nails. The craftsman needs to cut the boards in advance to the size corresponding to the distance between the lags to be fixed. After installing all the boards and obtaining a complete surface, a vapor barrier material is laid and secured. Polyethylene film is usually used, glassine also works well.

Next, thermal insulation material is placed in the space between the joists. It must be placed without gaps, as tightly as possible. After filling the entire planned space with insulation, a second layer of vapor barrier is laid on top of it and the work is considered complete.

A vapor barrier does not need to be used in all situations. Some insulation materials feel great without it. All these points are clarified individually and depend on the properties of the specific insulation.

Guide to DIY insulation using sawdust

Sawdust is the most affordable and simple view thermal insulation for wooden floors. Their main advantage is relatively low price, ease of installation, environmental friendliness and absolute safety for human health.

Can be insulated with sawdust even in a clean state. But sometimes various special materials made on the basis of sawdust are used for thermal insulation.

  1. It is based on sawdust mixed in certain proportions with cement and copper sulfate. In the case of floor insulation, they are practically not used; they are more suitable for wall finishing.
  2. Granular thermal insulation material made from sawdust and various additives, increasing its fire-fighting and other important properties.
  3. Made from sawdust, water, sand and cement. The most environmentally friendly of all materials considered in this list. Needs high-quality double-sided waterproofing.
  4. Made from cement different brands, sawdust (chips) and chemical additives. Sold in the form of slabs with good sound and heat insulation properties. It does not burn, is extremely easy to pre-assemble, and has good strength properties. It does not tolerate contact with moisture well, so it needs thorough waterproofing.

“Clean” sawdust is most often used. Direct insulation is extremely simple. First, the logs are fixed, as described earlier, and then the space between them is filled with insulation. The material is very convenient, it can be used to fill even the most difficult to reach places. The thickness of the layer should be selected taking into account the climate of a particular region.

Using mineral wool as insulation

Mineral wool is the most common thermal insulation material. Available in many varieties. Does not support combustion, withstands biological and chemical influences, has good heat and noise insulation characteristics. Disadvantages include weak mechanical strength and mediocre vapor permeability.

Mineral wool must be protected from contact with water, because... under its influence, the thermal insulation qualities of the material deteriorate. In view of this, special attention should be paid to vapor barrier. Another big disadvantage is that mineral wool is not environmentally friendly. It is because of this that its use has been actively abandoned recently.

Sold as rigid or flexible slabs, ready to install. You just need to first cut them into elements of the required width. On the harder side, a marking is applied to the slab, usually in the form of a blue stripe. When laying insulation between the joists, this strip should face upward. The insulation is laid in 1 layer.

The advantage of using mineral wool is that this material in addition to its thermal insulation properties, it is characterized by excellent noise-absorbing properties, which is especially important when finishing floors in a multi-story building.

It is one of the most modern, produced in the form of a roll material consisting of a layer of thermal insulation and reflective material in the form of thin aluminum foil. The thermal insulation layer can be represented by almost any existing insulation. The best option is foamed polyethylene.

The insulation can be fixed to almost any base using glue without any problems. Installation is carried out as quickly as possible and without unnecessary difficulties. Places directly on the floor surface. Sheets can be laid end-to-end or overlapped. The joints should be fixed using metallized adhesive tape. Penofol eliminates the need to use moisture and vapor barrier materials, because The material of the second layer – aluminum foil – copes well with this function.

Foam plastic has long been one of the leaders in the insulation market. It is also well suited for insulating wooden floors. It has many advantages, including: good thermal insulation qualities, resistance to rotting, mold formation, damage by insects and rodents. Thanks to its cellular structure, insulation using foam plastic is as effective and durable as possible.

The disadvantages of this insulation include its poor tolerance to contact with moisture, which reduces its thermal insulation properties. Therefore, the installation of insulation must be carried out with a parallel device of high-quality moisture and vapor barrier.

Also, a big disadvantage of polystyrene foam is that it is not environmentally friendly. Here everyone must decide for themselves which thermal insulation properties are more important to them.

Thus, in self-insulation there is nothing complicated about a wooden floor. All work comes down to fixing a certain number of lags and fixing the selected insulation. Knowing the properties of the most popular insulation materials, you can choose the most suitable option specifically for your case and ensure the highest quality insulation of a wooden floor.

Good luck!

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Create a cozy environment in own home Without high-quality floor insulation it is impossible, since it is when the feet freeze that most people feel discomfort or get sick. By warm floor It's always nice to walk barefoot, especially when there is snow or pouring rain outside. However, to achieve such results, it is necessary to choose insulation for the floor in a wooden house, which has the best characteristics and has the simplest installation technology.

Floor insulation process stone wool

Since the floors in a wooden house are also laid from boards, special requirements are imposed on them:

  • Security required maximum level fire safety, since wood is a highly flammable material. It is recommended to choose non-flammable or at least non-flammable insulating material.
  • Resistance to moisture and resistance to its accumulation is required. This is due to the fact that wood has the property of absorbing and releasing moisture at different temperatures, and if the insulation causes its accumulation along the contact boundary, the boards will begin to rot.


  • Thermal insulation must retain its basic properties throughout its service life, but at least longer than the service life of wooden floors.
  • Sufficient mechanical strength is required to prevent caking or loss of thermal insulation properties.
  • The composition should be free of harmful chemicals, especially volatile and easily evaporated ones.
Important! In addition to the requirements for insulation materials, care must also be taken to create appropriate conditions for their operation.

Insulation for floors in a wooden house, which one is better to choose?

To choose which insulation for the floor in a wooden house is better and cheaper, you need to know what its main types are. According to the delivery method, they are divided into the following:

  • Mats or slabs . They are lightweight slabs that hold a certain shape and maintain geometry during installation. They are usually characterized by minimal thermal conductivity and low weight. These include Penoplex slabs, polystyrene foam, mineral wool, etc. Install them on a flat surface with minimal roughness. Their simultaneous use with others is allowed. In the manufacture of mats, both natural and artificial materials can be used.


  • Rolls . They are rolls based on composite materials, cork, mineral wool, etc. They can have different thicknesses and usually have softness and minimal density. That is, they are light and fit even on uneven surfaces without much difficulty. Thanks to the standard length, installation is possible without transverse joints, which significantly improves the level of thermal insulation. However, they are not resistant to moisture and therefore require special attention for laying the waterproofing layer.

Helpful information! In some cases, mineral wool insulation is produced with a foil layer, which must be on top when installed. It is designed to protect against moisture.
  • Polymer-based liquids . Supplied in sealed containers in the form of cans or containers containing special composition, capable of forming a solid substance with a foamed structure when interacting with air. With its help, you can apply thermal insulation layers of any complexity, since it has increased adhesion to almost all building materials, and is also capable of filling uneven or hard-to-reach places. A striking example polymer composition is penoizol. To apply it, you need to use special sprayers. If you need to choose the optimal cost insulation for the floor in a wooden house, which one is best applied to wooden base, then you should pay attention to other heat-insulating materials. Such insulation is expensive in price compared to other materials for thermal insulation.


  • Bulk insulation materials . These include materials such as expanded clay, sawdust, slag, etc. Due to their flowability, they are able to fill any volume with sufficient density to ensure minimal thermal conductivity. They can be laid directly on the ground or on a prepared base. The disadvantages of laying such insulation are the following: raising the floor level, as well as the need to install transverse beams for laying the finished floor.

In each specific case, the insulation should be selected in such a way that it is convenient to install, has more advantages from its use, and the disadvantages do not play a significant role. That is, it is recommended to lay on flat floors slab insulation or rolled, for an uneven rough base - bulk, and for complex bases - polystyrene foam.

Step-by-step process of insulating the floor in a private house with your own hands

Do-it-yourself floor insulation in a private house is done in stages in the following sequence:

  • The subfloor is being prepared for the installation of joists intended for use as the main structure for fastening the insulation.

  • If there are damaged structures, replacement or repair is carried out. The base for the insulation is carefully strengthened and, if necessary, leveled with your own hands.

  • Thermal insulation material is laid in accordance with the installation technology.

  • The finished floor is being laid.

Related article:

Features of sawdust insulation

Sawdust is one of the cheapest but most effective insulation materials. They are much cheaper in cost than expanded clay or mineral wool, but at the same time have almost the same thermal conductivity coefficient. They are environmentally friendly and therefore will not pose a health hazard. Insulating the floor with sawdust involves pouring it into the space between the joists. even layer. In this case, there will be no difficulties with insulation hard to reach places, since sawdust can be easily compacted there. Waterproofing material is laid on top of the laid sawdust.

Attention! Sawdust, like wood, has an increased fire hazard. Therefore, they must be impregnated with special impregnations. Otherwise, it is recommended to use non-combustible materials.

Floor insulation with penoplex

The method of laying penoplex slabs is quite simple. First, you need to lay it along the joists in one layer, then foam the joints with polyurethane foam, and then lay the second layer, but with bandaging of the seams.

The advantages of using are the following:

  • Resistant to moisture and rodents.
  • Long service life.
  • Has sufficient protection against mechanical influences.
  • Does not cake over time and does not lose properties.

Laying rolled materials based on mineral or stone wool

Roll insulation is one of the most popular today, as it has excellent insulating properties and a long service life at a relatively low cost. In addition, they are not flammable and do not emit harmful substances.

Helpful information! Some experts believe that mineral wool is harmful to human health, since formaldehyde is used in its production. However, in practice it turns out that this volatile substance evaporates even during its stay in the production premises.

Since mineral wool loses its thermal insulation properties when moisture comes into contact with it, it must be properly waterproofed from the external environment and vapor-proofed from interior spaces. The rolls are laid in one layer between the joists directly on the waterproofing layer, but so that the wool lies tightly against the walls without the slightest gap. A layer of vapor barrier is laid on top. The technology is relatively simple and therefore even non-specialists will not have questions about how to properly insulate floors in wooden houses.

Review of manufacturers and product prices

The most popular in Russia are the following manufacturers of high-quality thermal insulation materials:

  • Isover is a French brand of the Saint-Gobain concern, which has existed for more than 350 years and has managed to prove its reliability and high quality products. One of the priority areas is the production of glass wool insulation. In fact, products from this manufacturer are the standard for competitors. At the same time, the cost of glass wool is within reasonable limits and is quite affordable for purchase.

  • Linerock - a separate product line of the Saint-Gobain concern. Represents mineral wool slabs High Quality, which are also designed to provide high-quality sound insulation of premises. The manufacturer is domestic with the main production facilities located in Chelyabinsk. The cost of the products is quite reasonable, since foreign analogues are several times more expensive.

  • Company Euroizol produces high-quality mineral wool insulation in the form of slabs. They are characterized by increased fire safety, resistance to water absorption and compression. In this case, the cost of the insulating material is at high level, however, if you compare its service life with analogues from other companies, Euroizol will win in all technical parameters.

  • Products from Rockwool is branded and in demand all over the world. The main activity of the company is the production of basalt thermal insulation materials. They are unpretentious to difficult conditions operation and preservation of its properties for several decades. However, their cost turns out to be quite affordable and affordable for any resident of Russia.

Cold winters still exist, and you need to prepare well for them so that living in your home is 100 percent comfortable. Warm floors are the basis on which it depends how pleasant it is to be indoors when it’s cool outside. There are convenient options for insulating this part of the building without removing the top layer - it’s easy to do yourself if you follow simple recommendations.

We insulate floors from the basement - when is it advisable?

Any wooden house quickly loses heat, this is due to the nature of the material. Therefore, insulation of all parts related to the external environment is mandatory. Walls are only part of the overall structure, which must undergo a thorough thermal blocking procedure. The process of working with the floor will solve problems such as:

  • excessive energy consumption for heating the room;
  • high humidity – important for transitional seasons;
  • rotting of wooden building elements;
  • the appearance of fungus and mold, which poses a danger to the health of the residents of the house.

Most often, cottages have insulated floors above a cold basement, because... in the cold season they quickly cool down and have low temperature even if the room is heated using its own boiler system. Poor thermal insulation or its absence - these are icy floors on which it is useless to lay carpets. The problem can only be solved by proper insulation; there are simple techniques that can be used without removing the old floor. It is better to spend money once on such an event than to constantly spend extra gas or electricity on double heating of rooms.

In the event that the building has already been built and there is a need for additional insulation floors, it is more expedient to do this from below, i.e. without removing floor coverings. Advantages of the lower technique:

  • The ceiling height in the rooms will remain the same, because... there will be no need to raise the floors due to insulation;
  • there is no need to specifically spend money on insulating compounds of increased density and rigidity due to the load of furniture, appliances and other items in the house;
  • you will protect not only the floor itself, but also all floor structures from freezing, which will extend their service life and generally make your home warmer;
  • there will be a change in the location of the dew point from the inside to the surface of the ceiling - this will help get rid of rotting of wooden elements.

The method of insulating the floor from below has only one limitation - the subfloor is too low, in which it is impossible to be in for work. Such cottage buildings are quite rare. If this is your case, choose the option of insulating the floors from above, i.e. with the procedure for opening it and filling it with suitable insulating material.

Mineral wool - fiber insulator

Mineral wool is a building insulation material consisting of many fibers, presented in three separate types: glass; stone or basalt; slags For working with the floor, basalt cloth is preferable, because... it is easiest to install under the floor structure. Of the two options - rolled and mats in the form of slabs - choose the second one, because... it holds its shape well. Advantages:

  • good level of thermal insulation;
  • simple installation technology;
  • relatively low level perception of moisture from the environment;
  • reasonable price;
  • heat resistance and fire safety;
  • The material does not harbor bacteria, mold or mildew.

Flaws:

  • When laying with your own hands, you must use special protection - gloves, clothing, a respirator, glasses, because... there will be many particles of fibers and dust in the air, causing irritation to the skin and respiratory system;
  • protection from moisture is required, because the structure is susceptible to vapor absorption;
  • If installed incorrectly, severe shrinkage may occur;
  • when laying between the joists, you need to leave a gap of 5 centimeters to the main structure.

If you decide to choose mineral fiber, select the material required thickness. Specific data depends on the climate zone, e.g. middle zone An indicator of 100-150 millimeters is suitable for Russia. Basalt wool is suitable for all types of floors, including attics.

Polystyrene foam - airy material made from granules

Polystyrene foam consists of foamed PVC granules containing a maximum of air inside, this gives it good thermal insulation qualities. Advantages:

  • has strength, stability, rigidity;
  • almost does not absorb moisture - the percentage is lower than that of mineral mats;
  • is light in weight;
  • easy to install, because does not change shape;
  • inexpensive;
  • durable, does not mold, does not rot.

Flaws:

  • susceptible to fire;
  • fragile to break;
  • Base ventilation is required, because does not allow steam and air to pass through.

Suitable for insulating floors in an ordinary private house foam boards grade PSB-S-15 ten centimeters thick. When purchasing, do not confuse them with granulated polystyrene foam, which easily crumbles into small PVC balls. The latter can also be used as insulation if the renovation budget is very small. The material has good thermal conductivity, but has a relatively short service life - no more than ten years.

Polyurethane foam - do you need a device to work with it?

This building material consists of two types of foam - light and hard. To work with the floor, the second option is used, because it does not require special vapor barrier on the basement side and has the best thermal insulation characteristics. The first type is very similar to mineral wool - in the same way, when working with it, you will have to leave gaps for ventilation and waterproof the lower surface. PPU consists of two components:

  1. 1. polyol or hydroacid with emulsifiers, polyesters and reagents responsible for foaming;
  2. 2. isocyanate or polyisocyanate and diphenylmethane diisocyanate mixed with each other, which are strong reagents in combination.

Advantages of the building material:

  • fills all the cracks and corner spaces thanks to spraying technology;
  • suitable for installation from below;
  • does not shrink, is fireproof;
  • does not require protection from vapors;
  • durable - lasts up to 50 years;
  • high level of adhesion to all materials;
  • high installation speed;
  • complete environmental friendliness;
  • has no seams, because represents a single canvas after drying.

Disadvantages include high cost, the need for skill in application and the use of special equipment - a machine. high pressure, which can be rented.

Installation technology - how to preserve heat quickly and efficiently?

Mineral wool and polystyrene foam, in the form of slabs, are mounted on the “wrong side” of the floor from the side basement using the same technology. Attach bars with a cross-section from 50 to 100 millimeters to the rack-beams from below. Place a layer of thermal insulation material on top, like on shelves. The beams should be located under the “top” floor at such a distance that there are a few centimeters between it and the top surface for ventilation. Hem the bottom of the heat-insulating “pie” with boards, apply waterproofing to prevent vapors from penetrating into the material from the basement.

The waterproofing function can be performed by ordinary polyethylene film - this is the cheapest and convenient option. A moisture-proof membrane will cost more - it is stronger and does not prevent air movement, unlike cellophane. In order for the materials to last longer, the top surface of the main thermal insulation will need to be covered with film. The order of all layers from top to bottom will be as follows:

  1. 1. flooring;
  2. 2. concrete screed or expanded clay;
  3. 3. overlap;
  4. 4. vapor barrier from the side of the room;
  5. 5. a layer of mineral wool or polystyrene foam;
  6. 6. waterproofing from the basement;
  7. 7. holding boards.

The application of polyurethane foam is carried out on a specially prepared floor surface; it is necessary to remove dust and debris from it and make sure that it is completely dry and free of grease. Foam does not adhere to polyethylene and fatty compounds. The procedure can be carried out at temperatures above 10 degrees, otherwise the material will not stick to the ceiling as it should.

To work, you will need a high-pressure apparatus - it is very expensive to buy, you can rent it from specialized companies. It is connected to two containers with the first and second components. When you press the start button, the compositions are combined in a vortex chamber, then they are sprayed in the form of a small and light mass. The pressure in the car must be at least 140 atmospheres. When choosing equipment, pay attention to the current source - the required one must match your home network.

Apply polyurethane foam evenly, after putting on protective equipment– glasses, respirator, gloves. The procedure to perform it by a professional takes about an hour, if you are confident in your abilities, you can try it yourself, but it will take more time due to insufficient experience. Apply polyurethane foam not only to the space between the joists, but also to the joists themselves - this will protect them from rising steam from the ground.

After applying a layer of about 10 centimeters, turn off the device and leave the room to dry. Complete hardening of the material and its ideal adhesion is achieved in two days. There is no need to specially treat the bottom layer, because it is not exposed to moisture and holds well to the top of the floor.

In domestic climatic conditions, the need to insulate residential buildings is beyond any doubt. Owners of private houses have to solve this problem on their own. Wooden boards, which in most cases are used to make floors in country houses, become deformed over time, and gaps appear in the initially tightly packed coating.

It’s hard to imagine, but up to thirty percent of thermal energy can escape through these cracks in the cold season. As a result, heating costs increase sharply and living comfort decreases. winter period. To prevent these consequences, it is necessary to properly insulate the floors.

The list of materials for floor insulation is quite wide

Options for wood floor insulation technologies

The procedure for thermal insulation of a wooden floor should be provided for at the stage of design and construction of a house, and then it will be necessary minimum costs labor and financial resources. If it is necessary to perform this manipulation when the ceiling is already ready, the technology for performing the work becomes significantly more complicated. In this case, the job can be done correctly and the floor can be insulated from above, directly over the old coating, or by partially dismantling it. There is also the option of insulating the flooring from below on the basement side.


In this case, it is more convenient to insulate the floor from the basement side

Thermal insulation of floors is done from above if the house has a low basement. If the flooring is dismantled, only the joists remain. The procedure is very labor intensive. If the basement is of sufficient depth, the insulating material can be laid from below. This is much simpler and faster, since during the work you will not have to dismantle and disassemble the flooring if it is in good condition.

What is the best way to insulate floors in a private house?

It is quite possible to do the insulation of the floor in a private house with your own hands. In this case, a variety of heat-insulating materials are used. Which one is better is determined after analyzing their performance characteristics and the specific conditions in which they will be used. An insulated floor significantly increases the comfort of living in a house at subzero ambient temperatures and reduces heating costs.


Ecowool is one of the insulation options for wooden floors

Polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene are widely used; the use of glass wool and mineral wool has its own characteristics. The simplest and cheapest method of insulating the surface of a wooden floor with expanded clay or using sawdust. The so-called dry screed has good performance characteristics.

Advantages and disadvantages of polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene

Many people know that you can insulate the floor with polystyrene foam. Expanded polystyrene for flooring is also popular among professional builders and home craftsmen. Polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene, due to their excellent performance qualities, are most widely used as insulation materials. Apart from minor differences, their technical characteristics are comparable to each other. The use of these thermal insulation materials has the following advantages:

  • low cost;
  • low thermal conductivity;
  • small mass;
  • wide area of ​​use;
  • long service life;
  • resistance to pathogenic microflora;
  • ease of installation.

Quite often the floor is insulated with polystyrene foam.

In addition to the above advantages, these materials also have operational disadvantages. Their list is also quite impressive; the following negative qualities can be noted:

  • release harmful substances when ignited;
  • prevent the passage of water vapor;
  • afraid of exposure to direct sunlight;
  • attractive to rodents;
  • are destroyed upon contact with solvents;
  • have low mechanical strength.

Characteristics of “Dry screed” for floor insulation

The so-called “Dry screed”, which is made from gypsum fiber, is excellent for thermal insulation of the wooden floor of a private house. The use of this composition suggests the following positive aspects:

  • excellent thermal insulation;
  • fire safety;
  • ease of installation;
  • compatibility with all finishing coatings;
  • small thickness;
  • good noise absorption characteristics.

The process of laying “dry screed” for floor insulation

At the same time, since we are insulating the floor with a factory-made dry mixture, we should take into account its high consumption: for processing one square meter the surface requires twenty kilograms of the mixture. In addition, when water penetrates, the geometric dimensions of the dry screed change, which can lead to damage to the final coating.

Possibility of using mineral wool

Mineral wool is widely used to provide thermal insulation for wooden floors. The material is made in the form of slabs, which are easy to lay on the floor with your own hands.


Mineral wool is well suited for floor insulation

Mineral wool has many positive properties. The material has excellent noise-absorbing and heat-insulating qualities, fire safety, prevents the proliferation of pathogenic microflora, resistant to aggressive chemical environments.

However, when water gets in, deformation and partial loss of heat-insulating qualities occur. In addition, mineral wool has low mechanical strength and is not an environmentally friendly material.

Features of using glass wool

Glass wool is similar in its characteristics to mineral wool. The peculiarity of its use is that when performing work, you must carefully ensure that it does not get into the organs of vision or on the skin.


Glass wool is a common option for insulating a wooden floor.

Manufacturing process complicated by the need for the employee to use personal protective equipment. Negative quality of this material is its significant shrinkage over time, as a result of which when improper installation thermal insulation failure occurs.

Pros and cons of using expanded clay

Expanded clay is foamed and fired granules of a porous structure made on a clay basis. The big advantage of this material is its low cost, environmental friendliness, low weight and long service life of about fifty years. Expanded clay has excellent soundproofing and insulating qualities. Thus, thermal insulation of the surface of a wooden floor with expanded clay will not break through family budget.


Floor insulation with expanded clay - simple and inexpensive

The disadvantage of using it is the need to make a significant thickness of backfill layer, otherwise wooden floors will remain cold, especially at sharply negative ambient temperatures. In addition, it absorbs moisture well, although it does not lose its insulating properties.

Sawdust is the cheapest material

The cheapest material is finely ground sawdust. They do not pose any danger to human health, the technology for performing the work is extremely simple: the space between the rough and final floor covering is filled with sawdust. Before use, this material must be thoroughly dried for at least twelve months, otherwise it will quickly become unusable. Cutting waste from freshly cut trees cannot be used immediately.


Apparently sawdust is the most a budget option floor insulation

By increasing or decreasing the thickness of the layer, the level of thermal insulation is adjusted. In northern regions with very cold climates, a very thick layer has to be poured. It is necessary to take into account the attractiveness of this material for rodents and to repel them, add two parts of dry slaked lime to the composition. The disadvantage of sawdust is the occurrence of rotting processes in them when wet.

Modern choice - isolon and penofol

The use of modern materials such as isolon and penofol as insulation has undoubted operational advantages. Isolon is a polyethylene foam coated with a layer of foil and is distinguished by excellent sound insulation properties with a very small thickness. The material does not support combustion, prevents the development of pathogenic microflora and corrosion processes, a two-centimeter layer is comparable in sound insulation and heat-saving properties to single brick masonry.


Fragments of laying penoizol for floor insulation

Produced in the form of rolls, penofol consists of several layers of insulation, on top of which there is reflective foil. It acts as a screen that prevents large losses of thermal energy.

When using penofol it is not necessary to carry out additional work for waterproofing or arranging a vapor barrier layer.

The easiest way is to lay a double floor

The simplest way to perform insulation is to provide for the laying of a double floor, which is a rough and finishing coating, at the stage of building a house. This insulation system should be used in a room with high ceilings, since you have to take up useful space.

The construction technology involves laying joists on which the subfloor will be strengthened. The coating can be made from wooden planks, particle boards, OSB or other similar materials, the only important thing is that the structural elements fit tightly together without forming gaps.


Arrangement of a double floor - reliable option insulation

Insulation material is laid on the surface of the subfloor between the guides. At the same time, sand should not be used as a sand material at high natural humidity, since in this case condensation may form. A finishing covering of wooden boards about five centimeters thick is mounted on top of the insulation. The new coating will have to be painted, as described in the article

Of course, you can insulate the old floor in the same way, but you should take into account the reduction in the relative height of the ceiling.

The most correct floor insulation is by joists

When building a new house or dismantling the covering, the most proper insulation flooring - a method of performing work on joists. In this case, the insulation is placed between the joists, which serve as the basis for the finished floor. Depending on the design of the building, the basis for installing joists and insulation can be a subfloor made on its own joists, as well as concrete covering or even soil. In the latter case, it is useful to equip a clay castle with a layer of about 5-10 cm to protect it from moisture.


Dense insulation can be held between the joists using ordinary nails

In the technology under consideration, the height of the logs and the distance between them must correspond to the height of the insulation and its width. Before installing the floor covering, a vapor barrier layer of waterproof film fixed to the joists should be installed on top of the insulation. The joints of the film can be fixed with tape.

How to insulate floors with your own hands from below without removing the old floor

If a private house has a deep cold basement, the most correct way would be to insulate the floor from below without removing the old covering. In this case, there is no need to choose a material that can withstand the weight of heavy furniture and other mechanical loads. In this case, not only the finishing surface will be protected, but also the entire floor as a whole, and the dew point of the floor will shift outward, and the coating will not rot.

When performing such a task, some of the difficulties lie in the rapid fatigue when working with constantly raised arms. There are also restrictions on types heat-insulating material and the need for its fastening with increased reliability.

Schematically, insulation from below is performed as follows:

  • First, a waterproofing layer is installed;
  • then the heat insulator is located;
  • on top of it is insulation from water vapor;
  • Next, an overlap is performed to ensure that the floor’s thermal insulation is retained.

The foam can be secured from below with nails with spacers and polyurethane foam

By adhering to this technology when doing work with your own hands, you can get the most comfortable temperature regime in the living areas of the house. The heat insulator should be light in weight, since it will place a constant load on the fastenings; bulk materials are not suitable in this case.

Insulating the floor in a wooden house from the inside with polystyrene foam or glass wool

Insulation from the inside with polystyrene foam or glass wool gives good results. These materials are lightweight and have excellent thermal insulation properties. First, waterproofing is secured to the bottom surface of the ceiling using a stapler. Next, you can lay the thermal insulation slabs in such a way that they are held during installation due to frictional forces. To do this, their width should be slightly larger than the distance between the lags. When working with glass wool, be sure to use individual means protection of respiratory organs, vision and skin.


Penoplex - reliable insulation for wooden floors

Placed on top of the insulation vapor barrier film, which is attached to the joists using staples and a stapler. Next, a frame is mounted along the joists to hold the insulation. It can be made of any material that suits you appearance and durability. Gaps are allowed between the holding elements, through which the insulation is guaranteed not to fall out.

Step-by-step instructions for thermal insulation of a wooden floor with polyurethane foam

Currently, thermal insulation of wooden floors with polyurethane foam has become widespread. To perform this work, it is necessary to first prepare the base on which ecowool will be applied and spray the composition onto the lower surface of the ceiling. Step-by-step instruction as follows:

  • the coating is cleaned of dirt and thoroughly degreased;
  • the base is dried to a moisture content of no more than five percent;
  • the high-pressure installation is connected by hoses to containers with mixture components;
  • polyurethane foam spreads evenly over the floor surface;
  • Drying time for the coating occurs within two days from the moment of application.

It is quite possible to insulate wooden floors underneath with polyurethane foam

High-pressure equipment used to spray polyurethane foam is very expensive. It is irrational to purchase it for installing thermal insulation in a private house and it is better to rent this equipment.

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