How to insulate a subfloor in a house. Proper floor insulation in a wooden house. Variety of modern insulation materials

A home built with one’s own hands is the pride of every owner. In such a house, everything is done for a convenient and comfortable life. In order to feel warm and cozy in any weather, you should pay close attention to all stages of construction, especially to laying the floor. IN wooden house It should be warm in frosty winters and cool in hot summers.

Even the most professional and high-quality work on laying the floor leaves small gaps between the boards, which inevitably leads to heat loss, and also disrupts the air circulation under the joists, which is necessary in wooden building. Up to 30% of the heat escapes through such cracks, which will significantly reduce room temperature and will increase energy consumption for heating.

Selection of material and calculation of its required thickness

Before you buy material for thermal insulation, carefully study the existing range. Great importance here will have what it is made of, standard sizes, properties, manufacturer brand. Keep in mind that the material in mats will have greater density and elasticity than in rolls. Consider the thermal conductivity of the material, its specific gravity, dimensional stability and vapor permeability. Many manufacturers place this information on the packaging of their products.

You will have to apply several formulas. Calculation of the required thermal insulation thickness =RxA. Values for coefficient R (total thermal resistance building structure), can be viewed in the tables to the SNiP appendix “Thermal protection of buildings”. Building codes and regulations are a set of basic regulatory requirements and provisions. There you can see all the values you are interested in. For example, the value of the thermal conductivity coefficient is A. All parameters should be collected taking into account the requirements of SNiP. It is necessary to calculate the parameters permissible load on the floor. In the tables you will also find values for calculating the so-called temporary loads (furniture, equipment, people and animals). Calculated overall height the entire structure. The humidity and temperature inside the house are taken into account. You can also use an online calculator for calculations.

The main stages of floor insulation work

Installation of a structure with wooden joists on a leveled floor surface
Installation of waterproofing and rough flooring from boards or panels
Laying insulation between joists (filling joints polyurethane foam or sealant)
Laying material that provides reliable vapor barrier
Manufacturing wooden flooring, on which you can then mount the final finishing coat.

The insulation layer is “sealed” between the layers of waterproofing and vapor barrier.
The vapor barrier will protect the thermal insulation from the formation of condensation and steam from inside premises. The vapor barrier material is a film, which is additionally fixed with special metal tape. There are the following types of film vapor barrier: polyethylene and polypropylene.

When used for wooden floors, film material requires an air gap.

Polyethylene film vapor barrier

Perforated film (can be used as a waterproofing agent)
Non-perforated film (for vapor barrier in wooden houses, not tear-resistant)
With an aluminum layer (for rooms with high humidity)
Reinforced (a reinforced layer is placed between two layers of polyethylene)

Polypropylene vapor barrier

Non-reinforced film (cheap, but not practical material)
Reinforced film (viscose and cellulose - additional reinforcing reinforced layer). During installation it is laid reinforced layer down.

The steam barrier is installed on the logs using any available fasteners.

Features of floor insulation without logs

If there are no joists, an additional screed is poured onto the floor surface. It will level the surface and remove all possible unevenness.

We install waterproofing. We choose affordable and economical products. We focus on reliability and ease of operation. Traditional roofing felt and roofing felt, bitumen-containing roll materials are suitable.
We fill in a layer of expanded clay of the middle fraction. Thermal insulation can be carried out using expanded perlite or vermiculite. A thin layer of such materials will also create good sound insulation. Vermeculite can also be produced in leaf form. Agloporite - not very good economical option. Ecologically pure material- These are sawdust. They are hygroscopic, superior to expanded clay in terms of thermal insulation quality, non-flammable and prevent rotting. Processed special composition with an antiseptic, even with high humidity such filler will remain dry. Industrial slag is the most cheap material thermal insulation. There are certain requirements for the content of ash and coal in waste for its subsequent use as a heat insulator.
On top - an additional layer roll waterproofing. Using slats we set the height of the insulating layer.
In a small room it will be enough to place the slats only around the perimeter of the room.

Ways to insulate the floor in a wooden house with a basement

This is a rather labor-intensive process; it is most convenient to disassemble it step by step.

Installation of sheathing
Sheathing bars 5x5 mm, attached to the floor beam.
Laying the rough layer boards
Small gaps are allowed. The rough-layer boards should not completely cover the ceiling joists.
Laying waterproofing
Insulation sheets
Vapor barrier
Final finishing layer

This installation is suitable for houses with a basement or subfloor, where there are no sub-zero temperatures.

The most popular is another scheme:

Rough layer
Bulk insulation or sand
Cardboard
Air gap (about 3 cm)
Finishing

Wooden logs can be secured to posts (brick, concrete), installed directly on the foundation of the house, or embedded in the wooden base of the house. Also directly onto the supporting beams.

We insulate a wooden floor in a house without a basement

Here important will have a foundation feature. The method of installing the joists and the subsequent installation of the floor will depend on it. You can insulate the soil itself, or you can put insulation in the space between the joists.

In houses with a small base, where the height above the ground surface is small, you can lay the logs directly on the reinforced soil. The advantage of such a floor is that it will not put additional load on the foundation of the house. Reinforcement is done using a concrete screed, onto which the joist structure is subsequently installed. It is best to pour the screed in several layers. Insulation and vapor barrier are laid on the waterproofing, in the space between the joists, and you can begin installing the plank floor. Rolled mineral wool or expanded clay can be used as a heat insulator.

In the version with a large base distance, the logs are laid in such a way that there is room for air circulation. This creates a ventilated space that prevents the appearance of dampness in the house.

Variety of modern insulation materials

Fiber insulation

Fiberglass and mineral wool are excellent heat insulators and good sound insulators. The fiber is laid very tightly between the slats. The space between the slats should be made smaller than the width of the roll of material. The disadvantages of the material include low vapor permeability and low mechanical strength. Also, glass wool fibers shrink, and it is unsafe to work with it. Mineral wool is safe, does not shrink, but is more expensive than fiberglass. Mineral wool is laid with the markings facing up, that is, the denser side. In this case, vapor barrier is not required.

Organic insulation

Flax or jute fiber, its properties are very similar to mineral wool. The fibers are easy to work with and safe. They are afraid of moisture getting on the surface, as the process of rotting may begin.

Polyurethane foam

Can be used as a final finish. Applied by spraying. Quite a high price, adequate to the quality indicators. Such a coating will have low thermal conductivity, low water absorption, and environmental friendliness. Stability in its structure and shape, durability. High-quality material must be dry and free of harmful volatile impurities.

Using foam plastic

Polystyrene foam is a dense material that reflects infrared rays well. Environmentally friendly and inexpensive. The only drawback- instability to influence environment. IN indoors polystyrene foam does not wear out and does not lose its qualities.

Bulk insulation

Easy to install. Finishing flooring can be made on self-leveling insulation. Not very economical in cost.

Foam concrete and aerated concrete, granular concrete

Residues after construction can be used as insulation. These types have high resistance to heat retention. Granuloben is affordable and has high qualities heat insulator. Its composition is sand, cement and pieces of foam.

The latest insulation materials

The range of thermal insulator materials is expanding more and more.
Traditional materials are giving way to the latest advances. Physical and technical characteristics are becoming more and more advanced. The names of types, brands and types are enormous.

Penofol

The foil reflective layer of foam material and its small thickness gives results many times superior familiar materials. Laid in one layer, it does an excellent job not only of heat preservation, but also of waterproofing. Can serve as a vapor barrier. Long service life, ideal for use in a wooden house.
The new Penofol-2000 has protection on both sides in the form of aluminum foil. The efficiency of the material is much higher than that of its predecessors.

Izolon

The use of new generation materials with a uniform cellular structure will give the entire structure even greater strength and elasticity. Foam material with a cellular structure. A thin layer of such material is an unsurpassed heat insulator. Economical in price, elementary in its use and operation. Combines with any other materials, great for use in wooden houses. Eco-friendly.

For insulation with a thin layer, you can use extruded polystyrene foam, which also has a foamed cellular structure; it will good choice. Plates made of expanded polystyrene - penoplex, will also be good heat insulator. The material is laid on a leveled floor base, attached to it using plastic anchors. After installing such insulation, you should immediately begin installing the main floor covering.

Materials and methods of floor finishing

For the final finishing of the floor, there is a large selection of different floor coverings:

And massive wooden boards.

In cases where it is necessary to emphasize the beauty of a wooden floor, it is advisable to use varnish. Also pay attention to the oiling and waxing method. This treatment will protect the wood from the appearance of fungus, mold, insects and give it an excellent appearance. When choosing a finishing material, you should pay attention to such material characteristics as:

Wear resistance
Good acoustic properties
Easy and practical to clean
Matching the style and interior of the house

From the right choice The warmth and comfort of your home depend on the materials and method of insulation, as well as on the quality of the work performed.

Due to the constant increase in pay utilities and the desire to make their homes warmer and more comfortable, owners of apartments and houses are increasingly thinking about insulating floors. The benefits of this procedure are felt almost immediately; the process does not require significant capital investments; it is also facilitated by the fact that it can be carried out in a wooden house without dismantling the old one flooring, and is cheaper, thanks to the ability to design it yourself, without spending the planned budget on calling a specialist. The main thing is to decide which of the existing insulation materials is better and how to properly lay the thermal insulation layer.

Why is floor insulation necessary in wooden houses?

An additional layer will not only eliminate the cold walking down your feet and raise the overall temperature in the room, but will also eliminate the following possible problems:

excess moisture;
the appearance of condensation, which causes dampness and leads to the formation of fungus and mold;
occurrence of microorganisms;
the process of rotting in wooden structures.

The combination of these facts allows us to draw a conclusion about the need for insulation.

Technology of work execution

A double floor is a structure implemented on two levels:

Chernova- these are boards fixed to beams, on top of which an insulating flooring is supposed.
Finishing- a tier used for paving the last layer of insulation.

The general installation technology involves assembling a thermal insulation “pie”:

the old floor is being dismantled;
auxiliary boards are attached along the bottom, over the entire area;
lags required size treated with antiseptic agents to prevent rotting;
Prepared logs are laid on top of the supporting layer with a distance of 0.6 or 0.7 m, maximum 1 m.
Between them, the selected insulation is placed on the rough layer. If a solid version is used, for example, polystyrene foam, the joints must be treated with silicone, foam or other mixtures to eliminate gaps;
A vapor barrier is placed on top of the insulating material, which is mounted to the joists with thin 20x30 bars. To improve the energy-saving effect, the joints are glued with special tape containing metal.
Next, the main floor layer is laid.

Also, there are methods that use an improvised mesh, which is a strong plexus of fishing line. It is attached to beams with nails and is used as a “subfloor”; however, over time, such a structure can stretch and sag, thereby making the idea unreliable.

In private houses, when insulating the floor of the first floor, raw materials are laid along joists fixed on small brick elevations, while laying waterproofing and plank cladding between them.

How to choose the right thermal insulation material

Selection good stuff — an important part in the process of insulation formation. There are several basic parameters to consider.

Weight materials are not so important for owners of one-story wooden houses. Such buildings themselves are light in weight and create minimal load on the foundation. This parameter is relevant only for high-rise buildings with wooden floors.
Moisture resistance take into account if insulation is carried out in places with high humidity - saunas, bathrooms or kitchens, as well as in regions characterized by humid climatic conditions.
Duration of operation directly affects how often the owner will need to carry out renovation work for restoration of coverage.
Thermal conductivity- one of the most pressing issues; how much heat will be retained inside the home depends on this indicator.
Difficulty of installation sometimes it is a determining factor. Everyone wants the insulation process to be as quick and easy as possible. The material is chosen accordingly.
Availability of a basement or base requires a thicker layer of insulation, which will become a significant barrier to cold air.
Ceiling height often limits the choice of insulation. In small rooms you will have to limit yourself to a thin layer to save space.
Period of residence in the building. If this is a dacha or garden house, in which you appear once a month, you should not overpay and put a thick layer of expensive building materials on the floor.
Fire resistance important for wooden houses. The thermal insulator should not support combustion and also emit bad smell when heating the house in the summer.

You need to choose products depending on the above parameters, as well as their cost and the budget allocated for insulation work.

Popular types of thermal insulation materials

Practicality and ease of use are one of the main criteria when selecting raw materials for home insulation. Today, the line of such products is represented by a wide range for any need. Solid types of insulation are used on flat planes, while soft and flexible ones can be used in finishing almost any surface.

In rolls

The main components of such products are mineral wool and crushed cork. This form of insulation is characterized by softness, low specific gravity, and low density. This allows it to be mounted on all types of planes, including curved and torn ones with large differences. There are no joining seams during installation, which makes it possible to avoid cold bridges.

In slabs

Insulation in the form of slabs is very convenient in terms of installation if the dimensions of the openings that need to be insulated are known in advance, for example, in the inter-rafter area of the attic or between the joists in the floor. It is lightweight and does not change its dimensions during installation. It has a low thermal conductivity coefficient.

This type of insulation is a special mixture, which, when interacting with air, changes its structure from liquid to foam, and then hardens. With this product you can fill almost all the necessary places, including the most difficult to reach ones. One of the common representatives is penoizol. It is applied to the surface using special equipment, filling all the irregularities and flaws. The disadvantages of this type of material include its rather high cost.

The main component here is materials in the form of small loose particles, such as slag, wood waste in the form of sawdust or expanded clay. They fill all cavities very well and allow for good sound insulation. They are laid both on a regular primer and on a pre-prepared base. It is considered quite budget-friendly and is ideally suited for thermal insulation of floors made with wood.

The most popular materials for insulation

In our time, construction stores offer dozens of raw material options for all types of insulation. Therefore, there is no need to think long about the question of what is the best way to insulate the floor in the house. You just need to choose the most optimal one that can solve your problem and at the same time will not hit the family budget too much. The list of the most popular similar products is as follows:

Polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam

It has many advantages, including excellent thermal insulation, light weight, ease of installation and, most importantly, moisture protection and complete vapor tightness. Due to the latter quality, it is recommended for use in basements. The thickness of the finish depends on the climate zone, but on average it is 5-15 cm. Thermal insulation characteristics it directly depends on the density - the higher the coefficient, the better it will protect your home from the cold. Such materials have one more advantage - if you want to insulate your house cheaply, do this using polystyrene foam.

Mineral wool

The characteristics inherent to this insulation do not allow its use in concrete screeds. But for sound insulation and insulation of wooden floors, it is perfect. Between the first and ground floors the thermal insulation layer should be 20-30 cm. For other floors, a layer of 10-20 cm will be sufficient.

Ecowool

Once an innovative material, today it has gained high popularity. It is produced by shredding paper and paper waste with further treatment with antiseptics. Due to the substances it contains, this ecowool cannot be used on the ground, but for interfloor ceilings on beams it will be the best option. In the latter case, the layer is placed at 20-30 cm.

A very expensive insulation with a lot of advantages. Due to its structure, it can easily fill all cavities. Its use is not recommended for thermal insulation of floor beams.

Foam glass

An innovative product obtained by foaming quartz sand. The specific gravity of such raw materials is low, it has excellent noise and vapor barrier characteristics, and is capable of withstanding enormous loads without changing its original shape.

Expanded clay

Material that has come to us from time immemorial. Just 20-30 years ago it was one of the most popular and used. Now its popularity is falling due to its large dimensions. The height of the ceilings, especially between floors, does not always allow for the distance required for laying expanded clay.

Fibrolite

It is a complex mixture of cement, wood and liquid glass. The main advantage of such a heat insulator, in addition to retaining precious heat in the house, is considered to be a high degree of sound absorption. Its laying on the ground is limited, however, for the layer between floors, it would be the best option. Between the basement and the first tier it is necessary to provide a thickness of 15 cm; for subsequent levels 10 cm is enough.

Sawdust

Insulation with sawdust cannot be considered the most effective and high-quality way to preserve heat in a home, since to achieve the required indicators, it is necessary to provide a layer of at least 30 cm. However, it is still used in attics or for the manufacture of more complex materials.

Izolon

This is polyethylene brought to a foamed state, characterized by a low thermal conductivity with minimal thickness. At the same time, it is also a sound insulator, which makes its use popular between floors of a building. Isolon is laid not “joint to joint”, but with an overlap, and the seams are treated with bitumen mastic.

Penofol

The latest modern development, whose action is based on shielding. The reflective surface helps to effectively retain heat, and the ultra-thin and plastic structure allows the use of penofol in the most difficult to reach places.

How to insulate a floor in a wooden house yourself

A house built from wood can be made according to different technologies depending on the wishes of the owner, climatic conditions, proximity of groundwater, etc. Therefore, the methods used for floor insulation also differ. The following are the most common of them.

remember, that capital works Construction of a wooden building can only be done after its complete shrinkage, which lasts for at least 1 year. If fresh saw cuts were used during construction, the process can take up to 5 years.

With low underground

Since it is impossible to carry out work from below from the basement due to the low ceiling height, the existing flooring will have to be dismantled, which makes the method labor-intensive. If replacing the flooring is not part of your plans, then you need to carry out the work carefully so as not to damage it and avoid problems during the re-installation process.

Inspect the appearance of the joists and remove those that are damaged or have defects, and replace them with bars of the same size. Use self-tapping screws to connect structural elements.
Next, you need to start preparing the subfloor. To do this, take an unedged board and dissolve it into pieces that will less step lag, about 1-2 cm. This is necessary so that the parts are not laid end-to-end.
When the assembly of the subfloor is completed, it is necessary to cover the flooring and logs on top with a vapor barrier layer.
Afterwards, install the logs to construct the finished floor and place the selected insulation between them, covering it with another layer of vapor barrier.
Determine whether you need additional counter-lattice. If there is a gap of 20 mm without it, feel free to lay previously dismantled floorboards.

If you work in a room with high humidity, replace the vapor barrier layer with a waterproofing layer.

A similar principle is used to insulate the floor in a wooden house on screw piles, with the exception that a wind protection layer is laid between the wooden base (mounted skeleton) and the thermal insulation, which is necessary to prevent weathering of the insulating raw materials.

Above the cellar

With this task, it will be convenient to carry out work in a non-standard way and insulate the floor from the underground:

To do this, you need to go down into the cellar and attach a moisture-proof film from below to the ceiling.
Next, a beam or thin sheathing is attached to both sides of the beams, but if the room is damp, a galvanized plasterboard profile is used.
The insulation is cut to a size slightly larger than the lag pitch (up to 30 mm), due to which it fits tightly between them, leaving no gaps.
Transverse slats are attached to the previously fixed support beam or the material used instead of it to support the insulator, and a waterproofing layer and finishing coating are applied to them at the discretion of the owner.

According to this scheme, insulation is also installed on the side of the first floor.

On a concrete underground

In a wooden house with concrete floors, the insulation process can be carried out in two ways: traditionally - on joists and by installing a screed. The choice depends only on the funds allocated for materials and work. More often they choose the first option - due to the speed of its implementation, where the final result is a plank floor covering.

It is much easier to make a concrete slab warm - it initially has a flat surface, and the weight of the entire insulating layer does not matter.

Using the first method, it is necessary to install a sheathing on the concrete, replacing the logs, using bars. It is between them that the insulation will be located. The boards are fastened with anchors. Their thickness depends on the type of insulation, so you need to make all measurements in advance. Upon completion, the finishing floor is laid. A layer of vapor barrier is laid between the wooden structure and the ceiling. If the latter is not available, you can use thin plastic film.

Insulating a reinforced concrete slab under a screed is even easier. The best option thermal insulation is polystyrene foam or the so-called “Penoplex”. It is attached to reinforced concrete, and all the resulting cracks are blown in with foam. Next, either a screed of reinforcing mesh and concrete is installed, or a flooring of OSB, plasterboard or plywood is laid, on which the finishing coating is subsequently mounted.

The above preparation is suitable for the formation of a “warm floor” system of any type: electric or water.

If you use a layer of expanded clay instead of polystyrene, you can significantly reduce the cost of the structure. The layer of supernova isolon and penofol will be reliable and of high quality.

Arrangement of a double floor

It should be noted that this option Suitable only for rooms with high ceilings, in small rooms, it will take up significantly a lot of space (up to 20 cm).

But on the other hand, such technology will make it possible to insulate the floor in an old wooden house without dismantling the existing floor. To implement it you will need:

Dismantle the baseboards and prepare the supporting surface - replace damaged areas, seal cracks and cracks with foam.
By analogy with other options, after forming a high-quality subfloor, logs are laid in increments of 60-90 cm. If the floor covering is planned from OSB, 30-40 cm will be enough.
In this case, you need to use a level and, in places of inconsistencies, file the upper edges of the beams with a plane.
After ensuring a flat surface, the base is covered with a moisture-proofing layer with a 10-centimeter margin for the walls.
The selected type of insulation is laid between the joists and covered with waterproofing.
Afterwards, the flooring and the selected cladding option are installed.
At the very end, the missing baseboards are screwed in - in this way you can install insulation on top without opening the floor.

Regardless of which insulation is chosen: bulk, roll, slab, it is important to leave a gap between it and the floor covering for ventilation. If the height of the logs is not enough for this, a counter-lattice is formed.

№	Floor board thickness, mm	Distance between lags, cm
1	20	30
2	25	40
3	30	50
4	35	60
5	40	70
6	45	80
7	50	100

Results

Now you know how to properly insulate the floor in your house. Assess the height of the room, inspect the condition of the existing flooring, plan methods and decide on a heat insulator in advance. Choose only high-quality materials from trusted manufacturers and strictly follow the instructions when carrying out work - then the structure will serve you and future generations reliably and for a long time.

How to insulate a floor video instructions

Additional insulation of the floor in a wooden house will reduce heat loss and thereby reduce heating costs. Despite the fact that wooden floors have low thermal conductivity, heat leakage can occur due to the high temperature difference in the basement and on the first floor. In this article we will tell you which material is best to use for thermal insulation of the first and second floors in a private house with a wooden base.

Features of thermal insulation

How to insulate a floor in a wooden house? The process of installing thermal insulation is relatively simple. However, the quality of work is largely determined technical features coatings used for insulation. Before purchasing material for covering the rough foundation, you need to take into account several important nuances:

expected load on the coating;
humidity level;
temperature loads;
height of thermal insulation coatings.

The base insulation technology itself is simple and consists of several stages:

installation of logs;
fixation from below on wooden sheets on joists;
installation of insulation on joists;
base sheathing vapor barrier material;
finishing of the rough base.

When planning work, it is very important to take into account the microclimate in the room. To insulate the first and second floors, various heat insulators are used, correctly. Moreover, technologically the insulation process also has some differences, which we will talk about a little later.

Optimal thermal insulators

What material is best to use for finishing the rough coating with your own hands? To insulate wooden floors, both natural and synthetic thermal insulators are used. The most popular of them include:

Wood sawdust;
Expanded clay;
Minvatu;
Izolon;
Styrofoam;
Penofol.

Each material has its own technological features and thermal insulation parameters. To understand their disadvantages and advantages, let’s consider all of the above heat insulators in more detail.

Thermal insulation with sawdust

Sawdust insulation is one of the most budget-friendly options for thermal insulation of wooden floors. The environmentally friendly material is quite light, so it can be used to insulate interfloor ceilings. The thickness of the heat insulation layer can be easily varied due to its flowability. Thus, it is possible to regulate the level of heat loss in the room.

When finishing the base with sawdust, you can use the following types of wood-based coatings:

Blocks of pressed sawdust. The material is produced from copper sulfate, sawdust and dry cement. As a rule, it is laid between the joists when insulating the first floor. Lightweight blocks of small thickness - up to 15 mm, can be used for wall cladding;
Pellets with sawdust. Granular bulk material is made from sawdust treated with an antiseptic and glue. Hard-to-burn sawdust can be insulated interfloor ceilings, since they do not create a large static load due to their low weight;
Arbolit. In this case, the base material is mixed with synthetic and organic additives, and then molded into blocks. The non-flammable thermal insulator has high bending strength, while it is hygroscopic. Therefore, during its installation it is necessary to use waterproofing layers;
Sawdust concrete. Externally, blocks with sawdust resemble cinder blocks. They are made from a mixture of wood chip granules, cement and sand. Suitable only for thermal insulation of the first floor of a house.

Insulating the floor along joists with sawdust in any case involves the use of a waterproofing layer. Hygroscopic material is a good environment for the development of mold and pathogenic flora, so during the operation of the coating it is necessary to exclude the possibility of moisture ingress.

Thermal insulation with expanded clay

Expanded clay is a granular insulation material with good sound and heat insulation properties. Why is it worth insulating foundations with expanded clay? The heat insulator has considerable advantages, which include:

environmental friendliness;
frost resistance;
strength;
low thermal conductivity;
non-flammability.

When finishing the coating with expanded clay with your own hands, you need to take into account the low level of hydrophobicity. The material quickly absorbs moisture, although it does not deform. However, insulation with expanded clay is fraught with the formation of mold under the floor. Therefore, during the installation process it is necessary to think about additional waterproofing.

How to properly make thermal insulation with expanded clay?

Before expanding expanded clay, lay a layer of waterproofing on the base. It can be plastic film or roofing felt;
The layer thickness should vary from 10 to 50 mm, no more;
As you can see in the photo, a vapor barrier is placed on top of the insulation;
Coatings with a foil layer can be used as a vapor barrier. The best option would be Penofol.

If you want to insulate a plank floor with expanded clay with your own hands, under which there is a basement, it is advisable to pour a layer of sand underneath. Thanks to it, condensation will not accumulate under the floor, which will significantly reduce the risk of mold or mildew.

Thermal insulation with mineral wool

Is it possible to insulate wooden base on joists with mineral wool? The environmentally friendly thermal insulator is made from fibers obtained from glass containers and slag. The advantages of finishing the rough base with mineral wool include:

ease of installation;
low cost;
light weight;
environmental friendliness;
resistance to mold;
good thermal insulation.

However, in the case of treating the floor along joists with mineral wool, several must be taken into account negative points, namely:

Upon contact with water, a coating insulated with mineral wool loses its thermal insulation qualities;
It is not recommended to use the material for cladding the second floor due to low vapor permeability;
It is not advisable to insulate rooms with a high static load with mineral wool due to its low strength.

What is the work schedule?

Preparing the base. From below you need to install a plank floor treated with an antiseptic;
Waterproofing. It is necessary to make additional waterproofing using polyethylene film, pre-clean up the house;
Cladding with mineral wool. During the installation process, you need to ensure that the layers of material are laid on the joists very tightly to each other;
Installation of vapor barrier. It is better to make a high-quality vapor barrier with Penofol;
The final stage. At this stage, the finishing coating is installed.

The thickness of mineral wool is determined by the microclimate in the room. If there is a basement below the room, the material can be laid in two layers.

Ecowool thermal insulation

Why is it better to make thermal insulation with ecowool? 100% natural coating has good technical parameters and relatively low cost. It is made from cellulose and mineral additives, so even when heated, the ecowool coating does not emit caustic chemicals. A product impregnated with boric acid is practically invulnerable to fungus and mold.

What advantages does this type of insulation have?

Good heat and sound insulation;
Fire safety;
Environmentally friendly;
Low thermal conductivity.

As you can see in the photo, finishing the rough base using ecowool joists can be done in two ways:

Manual. In this case, finishing with ecowool involves installing insulation along the joists on boards attached below. To prevent heat loss, the joints are treated with polyurethane foam;
Mechanical. To finish the base of ecowool, blowing machines are used: through a special hose, crumbly insulation is evenly distributed over the coating. In this case, the layer thickness should be at least 3-4 mm.

The process of thermal insulation of ecowool floors is shown in more detail in the video clip.

Thanks to the glue that is included in the thermal insulator, it can be used to insulate not only the floor base, but also walls. It is also worth noting that ecowool is convenient for insulating not only the first floor of a house, but also interfloor ceilings. The vapor-permeable coating does not contribute to the accumulation of condensation and the development of mold.

Insulation with Izolon

How to properly insulate joists with isolon? The heat insulator, made of foamed polyethylene, has low thermal conductivity. Thanks to this quality, it recently began to be used for insulating floor coverings. What are the advantages of Izolon?

Small thickness (2-10 mm);
Low thermal conductivity;
High hydrophobicity;
Environmental Safety.

As can be seen from the photo, the material is produced in rolls, which greatly facilitates the DIY installation process. When insulating a wooden floor with Izolon, you need to take into account the following points:

The coating has good sound insulation, so when laying it it is not necessary to use additional sound-proofing layers;
To reduce heat loss in the room, when laying Izolon with your own hands, the material is not joined, but overlapped;
The seams between adjacent sheets are treated with polymer glue or bitumen mastic.

Thermal insulation work can be seen in the photo below.

Insulation with Penofol

Is it possible to insulate wooden floors with penofol? Penofol is a new generation insulating coating, available in roll form. To be more precise, Penofol is used for shielding, which prevents the dissipation of radiant energy. Lightweight and easy to use, the insulation has a reflective layer that prevents large heat losses. That is why it began to be used everywhere for finishing interfloor ceilings.

What are the benefits of Penofol?

withstands heavy loads;
non-hygroscopic;
has low thermal conductivity;
easy to install;
does not involve the use of vapor barrier.

For your information. The technology for insulating bases with Penofol is not much different from insulating with Izolon. As in the previous version, the sheets are laid overlapping to prevent heat loss.

Features of insulation by logs

How to properly insulate a rough foundation along the joists? During the installation of the thermal insulator, the following scheme must be observed:

The rough base is lined with boards that must be attached to the joists;
To prevent moisture from getting under the coating, lay a layer of vapor barrier;
Then the base is insulated with polystyrene foam, mineral wool or other materials.

If you need to make high-quality thermal insulation of a room above a non-residential and unheated room, then it is better to use mineral wool with a thickness of more than 40 mm as insulation. In this case, the “pie” made from a vapor barrier and mineral wool will keep the room warm, preventing heat exchange between cold basement and the first floor.

Features of thermal insulation of the first floor

Since wood tends to deform, over time, cracks may form in the floor, through which heat gradually begins to escape from the room. How to make high-quality insulation of the first floor in an old house?

The first step is to remove the old flooring;
Then the lag is inspected for deformation or rotting;
If necessary, rotten beams are replaced;
Then they treat the wood with an antiseptic with their own hands;
Laying blocks are nailed to the joists from below wooden planks;
Insulation is poured onto the boards;
Next, lay a layer of vapor barrier;
The work is completed by installing the finishing coating.

The insulation technology is shown in detail in the video.

By properly insulating the floor in a wooden house, you will simultaneously make the room more comfortable to live in and reduce heating costs. Familiarize yourself with the available range of thermal insulation materials, study the three main schemes for performing the work, choose the option that suits you and get started.

What material to choose for insulation?

Before you begin to study the properties of existing insulation materials, remember: it is recommended to carry out thermal insulation work only after the wood shrinks, i.e. no earlier than six months after the construction of the structure. Otherwise, shrinkage may damage the insulation.

When choosing a material for floor insulation, you need to pay attention to the following insulation characteristics:

thermal conductivity;
resistance to moisture;
installation method;
thickness;
fire resistance;
life time;
environmental friendliness;
price.

In case of wooden structures, highest value have such characteristics as fire resistance and service life.

Excellent material for floor insulation.

Advantages:

low thermal conductivity;
good fire resistance. Mineral wool successfully prevents the spread of flame;
vapor permeability. Mineral wool “breathes,” which is very important when it is used to insulate wooden surfaces;
ease of arrangement;
good environmental friendliness.

It is produced in the form of mats and rolls, which gives you the opportunity to choose.

Main flaw mineral wool – low resistance to water. When in contact with moisture, the insulation becomes deformed and loses its quality characteristics Therefore, special attention should be paid to the arrangement of the waterproofing layer.

Those. characteristics of mineral wool	Indicators
Density	115 kg/m3
Water absorption at full immersion, no more	1%
Average fiber diameter, no more	0.2 µm
Content of non-fibrous inclusions in the mass, no more	4,5%
Thermal conductivity at 283+1 K, no more	0.044 W/m*K
Shear strength, not less	50 kPa
Compressive strength, not less	100 kPa
Tensile strength, not less	150 kPa

An excellent option for floor insulation in a wooden house. It can only be used after the wood has gone through the shrinkage process. made on the basis of gypsum fiber.

Key benefits:

Main flaw– relatively high cost. A twenty-kilogram bag of mixture is enough to insulate no more than 1 m2 of surface.

The material also does not tolerate moisture well. Because of it, it is deformed. Such deformation does not affect the thermal insulation properties of the material in any way, but the finishing floor covering may deteriorate.

Popular material for floor insulation. Advantages the following:

Main flaw– significant shrinkage. In just a year of service, a meter strip of glass wool can decrease by 10-15 cm. As a result, the integrity of the thermal insulation layer is compromised. Also among the disadvantages are poor resistance to water and not the best thermal insulation properties.

Styrofoam

One of the most popular insulation materials. It features an optimal ratio of cost and quality.

The material does not deform under the influence of temperature changes and high humidity. Even with a relatively small thickness (up to 10 cm), polystyrene foam provides high-quality thermal insulation.

Main flaw– fragility. In order for the material to last as long as possible, the arrangement of the insulating “pie” must be done perfectly.

Important! Foam does not allow air to pass through. This may not in the best possible way affect the condition of the wood. Be sure to take this nuance into account.

This has many advantages, including:

resistance to fire, moisture and temperature changes;
incredibly low thermal conductivity;
high noise insulation properties;
excellent strength.

Main flaw– relatively high cost.

Find out how to do it by studying the step-by-step instructions in the article on our portal.

Prices for popular types of insulation

Instructions for carrying out thermal insulation work in different situations

Floor design wooden house can have a wide variety of appearances. Consequently, the procedure for carrying out thermal insulation work will also differ. We present to your attention instructions for insulation in the most common cases.

Due to the limited height of the subfloor, the insulation cannot be fixed from below to the joists. This leads to the need to dismantle the existing flooring, which makes this method the most labor-intensive.

In general, the work is performed in the following sequence.

First step. Remove baseboards and flooring elements. If replacing the decking is not in your plans, work as carefully as possible. For greater convenience, sign the boards to avoid problems during their reassembly.

Second step. Examine the condition of the lag. Dismantle rotten and deformed areas.

In place of the removed elements, install pieces of timber of similar sizes. To fasten parts of the structure, use wooden boards and galvanized screws.

Third step. Attach a support block to the bottom of each joist.

Fourth step. Prepare lumber for arranging the rough flooring. Good fit unedged board. Saw it into pieces 10-20 mm long less than the installation pitch of the joists - the flooring elements should be laid quite freely.

Fifth step. Assemble the subfloor. There is no need to attach the boards to the support beams.

Sixth step. Cover the flooring and joists with a vapor barrier material. If the building is located in an area with high groundwater, instead of vapor barrier, lay glassine or roofing felt. Lay the insulation with a 10-15 cm overlap on the walls. Tape the joints of individual strips of material with tape.

Seventh step. Install finished floor joists. Lay the selected thermal insulation material.

Eighth step.

Ninth step. Stuff counter battens to create ventilation gap between the insulating “pie” and the finishing flooring. The recommended gap thickness is 20 mm.

Tenth step. Reinstall the previously removed floorboards or install new flooring.

Floor board thickness, mm	Distance between lags, cm
20	30
24	40
30	50
35	60
40	70
45	80
50	100

Insulating the floor above a high cellar

In this case, you can use a trick and insulate it from the cellar side.

First step. Go down to the cellar. Attach a moisture-proofing film to its ceiling.

Second step. Nail thin slats or support beams to the sides of the beams. If the cellar is damp, use a galvanized profile instead of timber.

Third step. Cut the insulation (it is best to use mineral wool) into pieces 20-30 mm wide larger than the pitch for installing the logs. Thanks to the increased width, the insulation slabs will be placed side by side and will be additionally fixed.

Fourth step. Place transverse bars onto the previously fixed beam (profile, slats) to maintain the insulating layer.

Fifth step. Attach a waterproofing film to the slats.

Sixth step. Install the finishing coating at your discretion.

If you want from the living area, work in in a similar manner– the “pie” will consist of the same layers.

Arrangement of a double floor

Suitable for rooms with high ceilings. The insulating structure will take up 12-20 cm of usable space.

Work in the following order.

First step. Remove the baseboards, replace damaged wooden supporting elements, and fill existing gaps with foam.

Second step. Fix the wooden logs in increments of up to 90 cm. The optimal installation increment is about 60-70 cm.

Third step. Make sure the top edges of the joists are horizontal. If there are deviations from the horizontal, get rid of excess wood using a plane. In places with insufficient height, place pieces of wood, roofing felt or other suitable material under the beam.

Fourth step. Cover the surface of the base with a vapor or moisture insulating material with a 10-15 cm overlap on the walls.

Fifth step. Place the selected insulation in the space between the joists.

Sixth step. Cover the thermal insulation layer with waterproofing film.

Seventh step. Install the flooring elements.

Eighth step. Lay the selected covering and install the skirting boards.

Important! If a wooden house stands on a screw, bored or pile foundation, you need to additionally install windproof material. It is installed on the outside of the heat-insulating layer.

Now you have all the necessary knowledge to independently carry out floor insulation in a wooden house.

Good luck!

Video - Floor insulation in a wooden house

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 minimal labor and financial resources will be required. 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 is to insulate the surface of a wooden floor with expanded clay or 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, if water penetrates geometric dimensions dry screeds 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, and is 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.

The production process is complicated by the need for workers to use personal protective equipment. Negative quality This material is characterized by its significant shrinkage over time, as a result of which, if installed incorrectly, the thermal insulation is damaged.

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 budget-friendly option for 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 such insulation as insulation has undoubted operational advantages. modern materials, like isolon and penofol. 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 rooms with high ceilings, as it takes up useful space.

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

Arranging a double floor is a reliable insulation option

Place on the surface of the subfloor between the guides insulation material. 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 correct floor insulation is the 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, as it will place a constant load on the fastenings, bulk materials in this case are not suitable.

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 in terms of 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.