Insulation of the attic in a bath with a cold roof. Do-it-yourself ceiling insulation in a bath: we do the correct ceiling insulation by examining the available methods. Insulation of the ceiling in a bath with a cold roof

Greetings, dear readers, the topic of today's article is how to insulate the ceiling of a bathhouse and what is the best way to do it. In the last article, we chose the optimal ceiling height, now we will go directly to the device and insulation of the bath ceiling.

A bit of theory. We all know perfectly well that warm air is lighter than cold air and rises up to the ceiling. And imagine the situation - hot steam has gone up, and the ceiling is cold. What will happen? That's right, condensation will fall out. You bathe with brooms in the bath, and the rain is dripping on you :). Let's see how improper insulation of the ceiling and the lack of vapor barrier can harm:

Constant wetting of ceilings and, as a result, their premature destruction.
Very fast cooling of the bath, perhaps in the cold season, the steam room will not be able to warm up properly.
Excessive consumption of firewood or electricity.
The real danger of collapsing ceilings.

Correct insulation of the ceiling

In this one we will tell you how to avoid all these problems and properly insulate the ceiling. The whole process can be roughly divided into three key stages:

Insulation of the ceiling of the steam room.
Moisture insulation of the attic.
Vapor barrier.

At this time, we, as builders, have a serious advantage over our ancestors - the modern construction market offers the widest range of various thermal insulation materials for every taste and budget. Let's take a look at the most popular thermal insulation materials.

How to insulate the ceiling in a bath - popular materials.

Mineral wool- the most common insulation material among our compatriots. It is very much appreciated for its good insulating qualities, for its ease of installation and, most importantly, for its cost. Mineral wool consists of many basalt threads, intertwined in a chaotic manner, among which there are billions of tiny voids filled with air. Such a mixture of air and basalt keeps heat well and is great for insulating the ceiling of a bath. But min. cotton wool has one big drawback - it is afraid of moisture. When wet, mineral wool cakes strongly and at times loses its thermal insulation characteristics. Inexpensive and practical.

Expanded clay- this material is often used for insulation of ceilings. Expanded clay is a lot of small granules, each of which weighs less than a gram. The required layer of expanded clay laying is 20-30 centimeters. Although one granule weighs practically nothing, such a mass of expanded clay in a small section of the ceiling will exert a significant load on the ceiling slabs, which must also be taken into account when designing.

Basic insulation materials

People's insulation- a mixture of clay, earth, sawdust or straw. The most budgetary option, but unfortunately not the best. A layer of earth (2-3 centimeters) is laid on the ceilings, a layer of sawdust or straw is laid on top of the ground.

Polypropylene- modern heat-insulating material, recently replaced by mineral wool. It is a very lightweight and comfortable foam structure material, which is specially designed for the insulation of saunas and baths. The material itself keeps heat well, and the foil side of polypropylene reflects thermal radiation in the manner of a mirror. The use of penotherm allows you to reduce the heating of the sauna and bath by 2, or even 3 times.

How to insulate the ceiling in a bath

Let's go directly to the installation of thermal insulation. The installation of the ceiling is made after roofing cake laid down and the walls up. The roof is especially important, otherwise your insulation could suffer outdoors.

Consider the main methods of ceiling insulation in a bath:

Flooring (for small baths).
Hemming (for large baths).
Panel (alternative to the first two).

It also makes sense to consider two types of construction of a bath - with an attic and without an attic. It is best to make a bath with an attic room. First, you will have where to dry the brooms :). Secondly, a large air gap between the ceiling and the roof will significantly reduce the heat loss of the ceiling and save on insulation. Of course, provided that the roof is properly insulated.

The most popular method of warming a bath

This method is suitable for baths with or without an attic room. The main condition for insulation is the mounted ceiling slabs. Before starting the installation of thermal insulation, you need to treat wooden beams with an antiseptic. We present to your attention, in my opinion, the most correct installation scheme for insulation:

Stage 1

Laying the vapor barrier - sectional diagram

From a different angle, white material - vapor barrier

Tight installation of thermal insulation

As you can see, even a beginner in the construction business can make a sauna ceiling insulation. In the attic, we also recommend that you lay special guides and lay the floorboard. And the waterproofing is safe, and free access to the attic. You can start harvesting brooms.

Folk method of warming

Watch a video on how to insulate the ceiling with clay, sawdust and straw.

Voting is your choice of insulation

Dear bath attendants, we are always glad to receive feedback from our readers. Please leave your opinions on the insulation of the bath, your advice and suggestions, we will be happy to add useful things to the article. And now I ask you to vote:

A modern bath is the ultimate dream of many owners of summer cottages and country houses. The construction of this building must be carried out taking into account the existing rules and technologies. In particular, its functionality and comfort directly depend on how correctly it is possible to insulate the ceiling in the bath. The operation of this facility implies the creation of a given microclimate inside a given air temperature and humidity significantly higher than the average for the street and residential premises.

The inability to properly insulate the surface, as well as ineffectively performed thermal insulation work, will require increased energy consumption during heating. In addition, condensation will settle on the walls and ceiling, which, dripping and flowing, will interfere with enjoying all the benefits of a bath and will gradually damage the roof structure, increasing the threat of fungus.

Types of roofs in the bath and how to insulate them

The design of modern baths, regardless of the material for their manufacture, can be of two types:

with a warm roof;
with a cold roof, which provides for the installation of heat and waterproofing directly under the roof on the floor.

According to the laws of physics, heated air always rushes upward, and, without encountering obstacles in the form of insulation, it will freely leave the room, reducing energy efficiency.

Ceiling insulation in a bath with a cold roof can be done in two ways:

from inside the premises - simple and easy-to-implement technologies that are suitable for objects with high ceilings, allowing them to be reduced by 15-20 cm, depending on the insulation and decoration used.
outside the premises - it is advisable to use it for low buildings, the bearing capacity of the roof of which allows the installation of insulation on the ceiling in the attic space.

The choice of materials for insulation of the ceiling in the bath

The modern construction market offers many materials with which you can insulate the ceiling of any design, structure and area with high quality and inexpensively. The main task for doing insulation with your own hands is strict adherence to the laying technology, as well as the installation of additional layers of steam and waterproofing. Given the harsh operating conditions of ceilings in bath rooms, the insulation used must meet the following characteristics:

resistance to sudden changes in temperature;
low absorption and stability during prolonged exposure to a humid environment;
resistance to fungi, rodents and other biological microorganisms;
simplicity and high speed of do-it-yourself installation;
sufficient level of fire safety;
low thermal conductivity to create and maintain the desired indoor climate as long as possible;
complete environmental safety of the material.

Consider the most common options for thermal insulation materials used for the ceiling in the bath. This will help determine the better one or the other insulation in each case.

Expanded clay

It is a natural bulk material obtained by firing clay shale. The packing density of the material depends on the selected fraction. The smaller it is, the higher the density. Among the main advantages of this insulation is complete environmental safety, as well as resistance to any humidity in the air and temperature extremes. It is non-flammable and odorless, and does not generate dust during operation.

Given the structure of this material, expanded clay insulation is carried out only outside the premises. He falls asleep from the side of the attic floor, if the design of the bath provides for such a space.

The technology for performing work with this material provides for the following procedure:

cleaning the surface from dirt and foreign objects;
installation of a vapor barrier film, which is attached with a stapler or double-sided tape;
expanded clay is backfilled with a layer of 15-30 cm;
from above, the material is covered with a waterproofing film;
the final stage of such insulation is the installation of the roof or plank floor of the attic.

Among the main disadvantages of the solution to insulate the ceiling in the bath with expanded clay, experts call the inability to perform installation from the inside of the room, as well as use only on flat surfaces or with a minimum slope.

Ecowool

Although this material has not yet become very widespread, it can be used as a modern, high-performance insulation for the ceiling. It consists of the finest cellulose fibers, which are harmless to humans and perfectly perform thermal insulation functions in the room.

The technology of working with this material provides for two methods of application. Dry installation assumes external laying of the material with subsequent compaction. In turn, the wet application of ecowool is more effective, but requires special equipment, with the help of which the material is applied under pressure to the surface to be insulated. Among the main advantages of using this insulating material, experts highlight:

complete environmental safety and the ability to easily endure sudden temperature changes;
has a long service life and does not lose its qualities during use;
minimum weight allows installation on surfaces with low load-bearing capacities;
non-susceptibility to the occurrence of fungi and lack of attractiveness to rodents;
treatment with fire retardants speaks of increased fire safety and a tendency to self-extinguishing in case of fires.

Mineral wool

When deciding which insulation is better, many opt for this particular insulating material. Building supermarkets offer users three types of this fibrous heat insulator:

glass wool;
basalt wool, which includes waste from the mining industry;
slag wool made from blast furnace melts.

This material has low thermal conductivity and is resistant to fungal growth and other biological organisms. Mineral wool is resistant to sudden changes in temperature and is classified as non-combustible. It comes in the form of slabs or rolls, which can be conveniently mounted on any surface.

Thermal insulation of the ceiling is effective, which with the help of this material can be performed both from the inside and from the outside of the ceiling. In both versions, a vapor barrier must be installed at the bottom of the material, and a hydro-barrier at the top. This will help rid the material of its main disadvantages:

the ability to absorb and accumulate moisture;
evaporation of phenols, which may be part of the insulation.

Installation of mineral wool from the inside of the building is carried out on a pre-prepared crate, in the openings of which the material is installed. The frame is most often made of wood, but in some cases a galvanized profile can also be used. The surface of the insulation is closed with a vapor barrier and finishing material. In the case of a bath, it can be lining or other structures made of natural wood. You can learn more about the technology of warming rooms with mineral wool by watching a step-by-step video.

The technology for installing this insulation from the attic side is the same as from inside the room. The only difference is the lack of lathing, since the laying is done between the lags. In general, mineral wool can be laid on any surface, both in a frame bath and in a permanent brick structure.

Expanded polystyrene

Despite some disadvantages, this material is one of the most common and is excellent for effectively insulating the ceiling of the bath from the outside. It is easy to install, does not absorb moisture and has low thermal conductivity. Low weight and the ability to cut to any required size, allow installation on the surface, without regard to the bearing capacity of the building.

The disadvantage of extruded polystyrene is the risk of emission of harmful particles during combustion. Work with this material is carried out as follows:

leveling, cleaning and surface preparation;
laying of vapor barrier material;
installation of thermal insulation material;
fixing plates with special plastic dowels;
insulation of seams between plates;
screed filling or laying on top of the thermal insulation layer in the outer part of the ceiling.

Polyurethane foam

This material is one of the answers to the question - how can you insulate the ceiling in a bath. The only limiting factor in its use is the need for specialized equipment for its application, the rental of which can be quite expensive. Among the main advantages of such material are:

high thermal insulation properties;
resistance to sudden temperature changes;
high strength of the coating;
the ability to work both in a log bath and frame, brick or cinder block buildings.

A mixture of shavings and clay

It is excellent in its characteristics and at the same time affordable insulation used from the attic side. Sawdust and clay are mixed in a ratio of 10 to 1. Vapor barrier films are placed below. The layer thickness should be at least 20 cm. After drying, the surface is treated with antiseptics and covered with a hydro-barrier.

Warming with earth

This technology belongs to the ancient and is suitable for insulating the attic space of a log bath. Blocks are stuffed onto the ceiling, the height of which should be at least 6 cm. Further, insulation with foil is performed. A layer of clay is laid on top of it to level the surface. After that, you can insulate the ceiling of the bath with earth, the layer of which should exceed 20 cm. To isolate the surface from moisture ingress, a hydro-barrier is placed on top.

Reed insulation

Mats made from these plants can also be excellent, ecological insulation. They are overlapped between the joists, forming a surface with perfectly insulated joints. This natural material is suitable for lovers of eco-construction. Reed is not susceptible to a decrease in its properties during operation, its cost is lower than any similar materials. In addition, its low weight allows it to be used in buildings with low load-bearing capacities.

Insulation of the ceiling in the steam room

The main function that the ceiling in the steam room should perform is to isolate it from the penetration of steam, which should accumulate in the room and not leave it during operation. For this, two layers of vapor barrier and a layer of insulation are installed from inside the room.

The standard scheme for insulating a steam room is as follows:

the lower part of the floor beams is sewn up with boards;
roll-up shields are made. These are structures consisting of two layers of perpendicularly knocked down boards, between which a vapor barrier film is fixed. They should be located loosely to each other with a gap of 5 cm. Wooden surfaces should also be at least 25 cm away from the chimney;
the wooden surface of the boards is impregnated with special antiseptic compounds;
insulation is mounted on the shields. It is necessary to isolate all sections of the ceiling;
then the ceiling of the steam room is upholstered with foil. It increases the vapor barrier function and makes the surface fire resistant;
the next layer is the finishing layer, which is treated with fire-fighting compounds.

After that, the insulation of the ceiling in the steam room from the inside can be considered complete.

Conclusion

Based on the foregoing, we can safely say that ceiling insulation in a bath is a rather complicated and time-consuming process, the result of which can have a direct impact on the functionality, efficiency and ease of use of such facilities. It is best to entrust the complex of the above works to specialists, but if you have the necessary tools, equipment and basic skills, you can cope on your own. The main task when performing insulation is strict adherence to technological processes and a willingness to follow all the rules for performing work until the desired result is obtained.

How to properly insulate the ceiling in a bath with a cold roof or attic? What is the difference, how to avoid mistakes?

Home page »What is the best way to build a bathhouse» Thermal insulation of a bathhouse »Thermal insulation of a ceiling in a bathhouse» How to properly insulate a ceiling in a bathhouse with a cold roof or an attic? What is the difference, how to avoid mistakes?

Going to a hot bathhouse to take a steam bath, we certainly put on a warm hat, although for a beginner it looks more than strange.

But the hat is like a heat insulator that absorbs moisture and protects your head from overheating. So during the construction of the bath itself - the insulated ceiling is the most important part.

It is unacceptable to forget about this after insulation of the floor and walls, for which different materials are used. In order for the bath to keep heat well, it is necessary to correctly select the insulating material and the method of thermal insulation of the ceiling, of course, taking into account the type of roof.

The main types of attic roofs

Types of sauna ceiling insulation:

outside- more convenient in execution, most effective for a ceiling located under an uninsulated roof, insulation is laid out on the attic floor and closed with a rough or final floor;
from within- prolongs the durability of the material, there are no temperature changes, but you will have to "steal" a few centimeters of the bath height, a frame is mounted on the ceiling, after the first layer of vapor barrier is fixed, and a heater is placed in it, then again a vapor barrier and a ceiling covering is attached.

With a cold roof or with an attic - what's the difference

In the presence of an attic floor, there is a problem with the penetrating temperature threshold from the steam room, from where a large amount of steam, warm and hot air rises and, accordingly, if it is not properly disposed of, it will accumulate in the attic space. Therefore, in order to insulate the ceiling in a bath with a cold roof, you should carefully calculate the thickness of the ceiling insulation taking into account the loads and take care of the best vapor and waterproofing.

There is an opinion that it is not necessary to insulate the ceiling in a bath with an attic, but it is more necessary to increase the thermal insulation characteristics in it than in a non-insulated attic space, where the heat penetrating outside does not encounter serious obstacles on its way.

Insulation of the ceiling in a bath with a cold roof

Warm air is lighter than cold air, so it rushes upward. Without meeting a barrier, it will heat the atmosphere, in order not to take part in the progress of global warming, it is necessary to organize the correct thermal insulation. The air masses filling the under-roof space of course keep the heat leakage, but this is not enough.

With competently performed thermal insulation measures, the time for heating the room is significantly reduced, fuel is saved, heat and steam are saved longer, and the service life of the ceiling increases. Installing thermal insulation in a multi-layer top floor system prevents many types of thermal leakage.

How to insulate

Before laying the thermal insulation layer, a vapor barrier is laid. It prevents the transit of humid vapors and their settling in the insulation layer, because water accumulated in the thermal insulation will increase the weight of the ceiling system and deteriorate the insulation properties.

As a vapor barrier layer, they use: aluminum foil, thickened cardboard impregnated with linseed oil, waxed paper, a special film with lint, membrane material.

For more information on using foil, see this page.

How to insulate

Insulation of the ceiling with sawdust

Traditionally, people insulated wooden houses with sawdust and lived, did not grieve in warm houses in severe frosts. The people recommend to this day to insulate the ceiling with dry straw and fragrant sawdust. They are environmentally friendly, safe, hypoallergenic, natural. No special skills or special tools are required to use them.

In the presence of a solid foundation, a vapor barrier is first laid: roofing material, rubimast, high-strength cardboard or membrane film; the edges are displayed on the sides of the beams and are attached with a stapler to prevent spilling down. The slots are pre-blown out with polyurethane foam. Then sawdust is poured, in pure form or with impurities.

Insulation compositions based on sawdust

Insulation compositions based on sawdust are:

clean- sawdust of different fractions is used, the rough layer is coarse shavings - 10 cm, the finishing layer is another 10 cm fine, usually this thickness coincides with the height of the beams, from above so that the sawdust does not scatter, spread a diffuse membrane;
with clay –
- first option: a layer of crumpled clay is laid out - 20-25 mm, on top of sawdust, as a heat-insulating layer - 10-15 cm, dry earth - 10-15 cm;
- second: in equal volumes, shavings are mixed with clay and laid out on a prepared base 10 cm thick; the ratio of clay and sawdust 2: 3;

with cement - sawdust is mixed with cement, in a ratio of 10: 1, mixed with water to a very thick solution, laid in a layer 20-30 cm thick, an antiseptic and anti-combustion agents are added if desired.

Clay based mortars

Clay concrete- obtained by mixing: sawdust, clay, lime, cement or gypsum with water. To knead 1 cube you will need: 200 kg of sawdust, 300 kg of cement, 70 kg of lime, 300 kg of clay, 350 liters of water. First of all, dry components are combined, then lime and clay are added. It turns out a solution with good thermal insulation qualities, durable, reliable, inexpensive, does not rot.

Clay-sandy- the ratio of sand and clay is 2: 6, water is added to the consistency of sour cream. The slots of the flooring are covered with liquid clay, after drying, the vapor barrier membrane is overlapped by 15-20 cm, the joints are glued with foil tape, with a mixture of sand and clay we evenly cover the base with a thickness of 5-7 cm, after hardening, we fill it with dry sand 10-15 cm, you can mount the logs on top and a clean floor.

Expanded clay

Bulk type thermal insulation material. An environmentally friendly product made from clay, perfect for thermal insulation of the ceiling of a bath. Basic properties: non-flammable, does not emit harmful substances when heated, light weight, does not create additional load. For insulation of the ceiling, expanded clay is used with a fraction size of 4-10 mm, a layer thickness of at least 30 cm.

Useful video

Watch the video on how to properly use expanded clay for ceiling insulation, what mistake to avoid:

Minwatoi

Fiber insulation based on minerals, produced in the form of mats, plates, rolls. It is considered the most effective for thermal insulation of the ceiling, a long service life, although its cost is higher. Mineral wool properties: good heat retention, noise insulator. Spread out between the floor lags. For a bath with an insulated attic, a thickness of 10 cm is sufficient, with a cold ceiling of 15-20 cm.

Other heaters

ecowool from small cellulose fibers;
expanded polystyrene plates- a favorite among heat-shielding building materials, due to the ease of installation and low cost;
folgoizol used to keep the heat of the ceilings of baths and saunas, it does not corrode and decay from the environment.
polyurethane foam- material sprayed with the help of special equipment.

Ceiling insulation in a bath with an attic

The attic room is the coldest in the bath, because does not have a "thermal cushion", therefore, insulation of the ceiling in a bath with an attic is the main task, with such a constructive construction scheme, both the floor of the second floor and the roof are insulated. After all, excess heat from the bath fully heats the attic room, and the heat-insulating layer does not allow it to overheat.

Keeping warm under the roofing material is also necessary. Both winter and summer, you will be comfortable. Under the summer sun, the roof heats up, the outside heat is added to the heat coming from the steam room, as a result, on a bath day, you will get hell on the second floor.

How to insulate

An approximate "pie" of insulation from the inside of the steam room (about heaters for the steam room here) is as follows:

lining;
rail;
foil glued with tape;
rough board 150 x 20 mm;
floor beam;
glassine;
expanded clay - 120 mm;
insulation Rockwool - 50 mm;
glassine;
batten.

Useful video

See the explanation of the above illustration of the roof top pie with an attic:

How to insulate

What kind of insulation material to use? Yes, everything that is listed above, from time-tested, natural, natural insulation to ultra-modern (wood chips, shavings, sawdust, sand, expanded clay, mineral wool, basalt wool, ecowool). More information on sauna heaters here.

conclusions

Heat leakage problems need to be solved comprehensively, and not only those discussed in this article. There are no trifles in the organization of thermal insulation, window and door openings, walls, roof, ceiling, floor - everything must be done correctly, in compliance with building codes and calculations, taking into account your region. When insulating the ceiling in a bath with an attic, one should also take into account the peculiarities of thermal insulation of buildings made of different materials: foam block, brick, frame, timber or logs.

Where to order or buy

When building a bathhouse or having problems with maintaining heat in an already operated building, it is better to turn to professionals or get their qualified advice than to comprehend construction science by trial and error. But for those who prefer to master the technique of building and thermal insulation of a bath on their own, you should pay attention to companies selling heaters.

Insulating the ceiling in a bath with a cold roof: 4 best ways

A cold roof is not designed to retain heat, so it will be very uncomfortable to wash in a bath with such a roof. How to insulate the ceiling in a bath, so as not to face such a problem? We'll figure out.

Why insulate the ceiling in the bath

If the roof of a building is cold, it means that it is not insulated. The roof space is separated from the street only by a layer of waterproofing and roof elements. This gives certain advantages:

low weight of the structure;
savings on the purchase of building materials and installation;
lack of ice in the cold.

But there are also disadvantages. The biggest one is heat leakage. And as a consequence, the need to heat the room is much more intensive. If a bathhouse is covered with a cold roof, the situation is aggravated by the presence of moist heated air. It rises to the non-insulated ceiling, cools down and forms abundant condensation, which spoils building structures and drips onto people inside.

The presence of condensation on ceilings and on the ceiling is highly undesirable. Moisture penetrates into the structure and begins to destroy it. Depending on the type of coating, it passes at different speeds, but always fast enough. Fungus and mold, dangerous to humans, appear. The only way to solve all the problems is to insulate the ceiling.

Competent insulation technique

Under the insulation, it is supposed to lay a layer of insulating material that will keep the heat inside the room. However, only the insulating layer in the bath is not enough. He will not be able to fulfill his task, since it will become saturated with moisture and deteriorate. In order for the insulation to last for a long time, it is required to lay three layers of insulating materials.

Layer 1: vapor barrier

The main task of this layer is to prevent fumes from entering the inside of the insulation. All vapors rising from the heated room must be contained. As an insulator for this layer, materials such as glassine or roofing that have been tested over the years can be used. Or more modern geosynthetic coatings, various membranes and thermofol. Well, if the coating is foil, then it can also screen heat, returning it to the room.

Layer # 2: thermal insulation

The second layer of insulating cake should trap heat without letting it out. A wide variety of materials can be used here. Which to choose, will tell you the budget and your own skills in carrying out construction work. It is important that the insulation is as light as possible (then it will not create an unnecessary load on structures that is resistant to moisture) and non-combustible, as simple and convenient as possible to install.

How to insulate the ceiling in a bath with a cold roof?

If the ceiling is not insulated in a bath with a cold roof, condensation will accumulate on its surface. Chilled drops of water dripping on top of people in the bath will clearly deprive them of the expected pleasure. Water droplets falling further upward with warm air currents will contribute to rotting and complete destruction of ceiling ceilings, and in general - the rafter structure of the roof. The only way to prevent the occurrence of such troubles will be the arrangement of ceiling insulation in a bath with a cold roof.

Planning of works on thermal insulation of the bath roof

Before purchasing the building materials necessary for work and preparing the necessary tools, you need to draw up a detailed plan for the insulation work performed. Drawing up a plan will avoid mistakes and alterations of the roofing structure.

The process of thermal insulation of the ceiling and roof of a bath is not a very laborious work, therefore it is not difficult to do it with your own hands, even in the absence of sufficient experience in carrying out repair and construction work. The main thing is that it is necessary to strictly adhere to the sequence (technology) of performing installation operations. Another argument for self-insulation of the ceiling is the availability of the necessary thermal insulation materials - they are available in almost all hardware stores.

Ceiling insulation in a cold-roofed bath includes 3 stages:

Thermal insulation.
Laying a vapor barrier layer.
Waterproofing.

At the end of the work, a structure is obtained that looks like a puff cake, in which the lowest layer is the ceiling overlap, and above it layers are sequentially located: steam, heat and water insulators. Then you can start choosing the necessary building materials.

The choice of heat insulator for the roof and ceiling of the bath

In a well-heated bath, it is necessary to maintain sufficiently high values of humidity and temperature. Thermal insulating building material should be fully suitable for such requirements and, most importantly, it should not emit substances hazardous to people and the environment during heating. And besides this, a good heat insulator for a bath should not support combustion, be excessively heavy and inconvenient for moving and laying.

Minvata

One of the most common options for fibrous heat insulators for insulating the ceiling in a cold-roof bath and individual housing construction, available in 3 types:

glass wool;
slag wool produced from blast furnace waste (slag);
stone wool, made from melts of basalt and other minerals.

The main advantage of mineral wool, in addition to very low heat conductivity: mold and fungus spores do not develop on it, and insects and rodents avoid it. For a bathhouse located on a land plot, this advantage of mineral wool is very important. It should also be noted that this building material does not change its volume and shape when the ambient temperature changes, does not support combustion, it is very convenient for installation, due to its low weight. Mineral wool is produced in rolls or in the form of rectangular sheets / panels.

There are two disadvantages of mineral wool - the high ability of mineral wool to absorb any moisture (especially slag wool) and phenolic compounds contained in it. These 2 drawbacks are easily eliminated: with the help of good hydro and vapor barrier and prevention of contact of air flows and mineral wool, especially in the interior of the bath room.

Important: when performing any work with mineral wool, it is necessary to be in tight outerwear, and to use protective devices (glasses and a respirator) to protect the eyes and respiratory organs, since its small elements affect the skin, eyes and lungs of a person.

Expanded clay

This building material is represented by small porous clay pebbles. For all its properties, expanded clay is considered the most suitable heat insulator to insulate the ceiling in a bath with a cold roof.

Thermal insulation of the roof of a bath with expanded clay

This material is safe - it does not support combustion, does not harm people and the environment, does not emit pollutants and substances harmful to humans. Expanded clay - durable, does not collapse under the influence of sun rays. Spores of fungi and bacteria do not develop in this building material, it is inexpensive and its installation is simple.

Also, expanded clay absorbs significantly less water than mineral wool, however, it is also necessary to use hydro and steam insulators for its installation.

Styrofoam

More recently, this thermal insulator was one of the most popular among all thermal insulation building materials. But, despite its excellent heat-insulating properties, it is impossible to use polystyrene to insulate the roof or ceiling of the bath - this building material is flammable, and when burned, it releases toxic substances that are dangerous to human life. It can also decompose and lose its shape when exposed to high temperatures in the bath.

Ecowool

It is a fibrous natural heat insulator made from cellulose fibers with various additives that give additional properties - resistance to combustion and protect against rodents, microorganisms and insects. Ecowool has a low specific weight and can fill absolutely all gaps and crevices.

As well as expanded clay, ecowool is an environmentally friendly heat insulator that does not emit hazardous substances into the air.

Roof insulation with ecowool

However, this heat insulator has a significant drawback - it absorbs a lot of liquid, which leads to a deterioration in the heat-insulating properties. Therefore, when using ecowool, excellent ventilation of the under-roof space and a high-quality layer of waterproofing are required. Another disadvantage of its use is the complexity of installation, with the "wet" method of installation, special equipment is required.

A mixture of cement and sawdust

This is a "classic" building material, insulation, which was used before the appearance of foam and mineral wool. Sometimes clay is used instead of Portland cement, and sawdust is replaced with straw.

Important: the sawdust used in this mixture must be dried for several months, and even better - for a year.

This is a very cheap and environmentally friendly thermal insulator, but with low thermal insulation characteristics. In addition, the preparation of the mixture is very laborious.

Materials for hydro and vapor barrier

The vapor barrier of the ceiling in the bath is very important, otherwise the moisture circulating in the room will worsen the properties of the heat insulator and lead to the development of mold and mildew both on the ceiling itself and on the details of the rafter structure. For vapor barrier, special films and coatings are most often used - in particular, with anti-condensation membranes (preferably with a foil layer). At the moment, the leading positions in the market are occupied by Technonikol vapor barriers.

As a waterproofer, you can also use both special films and cheaper building materials - roofing material or thick polyethylene.

Ceiling insulation in baths

There are 3 main types of ceilings in baths:

The ceiling of the floor type is common in small baths, which are used seasonally and quite rarely. On the upper parts of the walls, boards that are adjusted to each other are placed, fixed without supporting beams. The resulting structure is very simple, but it cannot bear a lot of weight, so the heat insulator layer must be thin and light.

Important: a floor-type ceiling must be erected just below the upper boundary of the walls in order to get space for filling expanded clay or placing mineral wool.

From the side of the attic space, a film vapor barrier is placed on the flooring so that the foil on it is directed downward. The vapor barrier itself is laid with an overlap of 10-15 cm, and the joints and seams are sealed with special vapor barrier tape with a layer of foil.

Mineral wool is laid on top of the vapor barrier, expanded clay or cement-sawdust mixture is placed. The insulation layer should not be thick.

Then the heat-insulating layer is closed from above with a waterproofing agent (film or roofing material) on top of which boards or plywood sheets are nailed.

Hemmed ceiling insulation

For a ceiling of this type, the upper parts of the walls do not have a flooring, but support wooden beams made from beams or spliced boards. Then, from below and above, on these support beams, the attic floor and ceiling are placed. And in the space between the attic floor and the ceiling, layers of heat, steam and waterproofing are mounted.

Stages of the installation of a false ceiling in a bath

The process of placing a heat insulator is as follows. From the side of the roof, a film waterproofer is placed on the beams and attached with a stapler. Next, boards or plywood sheets are laid on top of it. The hemmed ceiling is strong, so the resulting under-roof space can even be used as an attic.

Mineral wool is placed between the beams. The thickness of the heat insulator depends on the location of the bath structure: for middle latitudes 15.0-18.0 cm, in areas with severe winter frosts - 20.0-25.0 cm. ...

A vapor barrier film is attached to the floor beams from below. On top of the vapor barrier, the slats are fixed perpendicular to the beams.

After that, the lining is laid, which is nailed or fixed with self-tapping screws directly to the slats.

Insulation of a panel-type ceiling is the most difficult and practically not used for self-production. First, the panels are made directly, and then they are lifted up and fixed - either on the cross-beams or on the upper parts of the walls.

Important: the choice of the type of ceiling and thermal insulation building material must be performed based on the planned budget, construction experience, the area of the bath room and the frequency of its use.

It is an integral rule for arranging a comfortable steam room. Until now, the old folk methods have not lost their relevance, which provide an optimal microclimate in a room with a high temperature regime.

Along with them, new materials and technologies demonstrate excellent insulating performance. In order to properly carry out the insulation work with your own hands, you need to consider all the available options and choose the most acceptable one for yourself.

Popular methods of insulation

Based on the experience of professionals, mineral wool, clay, expanded clay and earth can be distinguished from all materials. The bathhouse, steam room and washing room can be insulated in several ways and various materials suitable for such a procedure can be used in the work.

Traditional methods are known for inexpensive components, environmental friendliness and fire safety, but their implementation will take more time and effort. Modern methods, on the contrary, are simpler in terms of installation, but the materials will entail certain costs.

What shouldn't be used?

If a decision is made to opt for modern materials, it is worth remembering that in such work, in no case should foam be used. This affordable and popular thermal insulation, when heated, emits chemicals that poison the air in the room, and in places where it touches the hot pipe, it can completely melt.

Multi-layer construction

Correctly executed insulation technology consists of several layers and is the so-called insulation cake, where the materials are arranged in the following order:

waterproofing (membrane film);
protective foil.

The thickness of the insulating layer is on average 20 centimeters and depends on the type of roof (the presence of an attic), the functional purpose of the room and the climate in the region where the building was erected.

As a rule, in the steam room, these parameters are increased and two layers of membrane film are laid in front of the insulation sheets, which will increase the concentration of steam inside the bath.

Mineral wool

Baths with mineral wool are equally suitable for rooms with and without an attic. The main thing is to provide the ceiling with floor beams, on which the insulation cake will be fixed.

This method is quite simple to implement and will not entail large financial costs. Before thermal insulation is installed, all wooden elements are treated with antiseptic agents. Further, all work consists of stages.

The vapor barrier material is divided into several types: ordinary, aluminum foil and membrane film. For a bath room, insulation with an aluminum coating or foil insulation is best suited. Along with protection from moisture, it provides heat reflection inside the steam room, which allows you to save on heating two or three times.

The canvases of the vapor barrier film are fixed with an overlap on a wooden beam with a construction stapler. With the help of foil tape, all joints are carefully glued. This is the most effective way to correctly and efficiently provide a bath with thermal insulation.

Installation of the lathing

From the inside of the room, a crate is nailed perpendicular to the wooden beams, which fixes the insulation and is sheathed from above with facing material.

On one edge, a gap is left between the vapor barrier layer and the decorative cladding, which will reflect heat, and the insulation layer will firmly settle on the foil insulation.

The selected type of insulation is pressed into the space formed between the ceiling beams of the steam room. There should be no gaps between the sheets of mineral wool; for this, the material is compressed and installed on the seats with little effort.

In order for this process to pass without difficulty, the beams are fixed from each other at a distance less than 1 - 1.5 cm from the width of the cotton wool.

Waterproofing laying

For reliable protection of the insulation from moisture and dirt entering from the outside, it is covered with polyethylene or thermal film.

As in the case of vapor barrier, the film is fixed to the supporting structure using a construction stapler. For natural air circulation between the heat-insulating and waterproofing layers, a ventilation gap is provided.

Installation of decorative cladding

The insulation cake ends with a decorative finish on the ceiling of the bath. The cladding panels are nailed to the ceiling beams with finishing nails. A stainless steel screen is usually suspended above the stove (at a distance of 15 cm from the ceiling). This will protect the roof area from overheating and, as a result, deformation.

To protect the thermal insulation structure from mechanical damage, it is recommended to equip a rough floor in baths with an attic.

The most popular and high-quality lining for the ceiling of a steam room is linden, larch or aspen lining.

These types of wood tolerate high temperatures and create a healthy indoor climate.

Folk materials

In baths with an attic, heat loss is reduced by sawdust, sand and clay. At the beginning of the process, the attic floor is covered with a vapor barrier (roofing material, isolon) with an overlap. Top covered with a twenty-centimeter layer of sawdust, on which the earth is poured (layer 5 cm).

To increase the thermal insulation effect, sawdust can be mixed with sand or clay mass.

There is an old reliable recipe that meets all the requirements in baths and can be easily prepared with your own hands. To do this, a composition, 2 cm thick, made from cement, clay, sawdust and water in a ratio of 1: 2: 3: 0.7, is applied to the boards from the side of the attic.

After complete drying, a monolithic heat-insulating plate is formed, which is also fire-resistant.

Sawdust

It is better to purchase sawdust in carpentry shops - they work with well-dried material, and shavings and sawdust are dry and lightweight.

In ancient times, sawdust was sprinkled with ash on top, but now a membrane film serves as an alternative to it. In the event that it is planned to use the attic space, then the boardwalk is mounted with a ventilation gap.

Expanded clay

If there is no sawdust, do not despair, since the ceiling of the bath can be insulated with the help of common expanded clay. It is distinguished by high thermal insulation performance, but it absorbs moisture, because of this, a vapor barrier device will be required from the steam room.

Expanded clay is poured onto it (a layer of 30 cm) and the layers are completed with a waterproofing material. The flooring is mounted on request.

In order to maintain optimal temperature conditions and steam generation in the bath during health procedures, comprehensive insulation of the building should be provided.

All this will lead to an increase in the load on the heating equipment for heating the room, which means:

rapid wear or breakdown of equipment as a result of extreme loads;
increase in the period of warming up the steam room;
an increase in the consumption of fuel material, and, consequently, an increase in the cost of utilities.

To maintain the optimal temperature and humidity conditions in the steam room, it is necessary to comprehensively approach the issue of choosing and installing insulation material. After all, improper thermal insulation of the ceiling of the bath can lead to an increase in heat loss and a decrease in the service life of the interior decorative finish.

Materials (edit)

What is the best material to use for insulating the ceiling surface in a bath? Experts recommend choosing heaters that can be used in extreme conditions. Below are the requirements for these materials:

resistance to temperature extremes, high humidity and vaporization;
resistance to damage by fungi, mold and pathogens;
inertness to decay and combustion;
safety and environmental friendliness;
low rate of thermal conductivity and moisture absorption;
simple and affordable installation;
long service life.

Thermal insulation materials for a bath include:

Mineral wool

The most common mineral-based insulation, which is widely used for internal insulation of bath buildings. It is made from basalt fiber, therefore it has low thermal conductivity, good thermal insulation, resistance to high temperatures and humidity.

Another indisputable advantage of the material is its high fire resistance. Mineral wool is used for internal and external insulation, it can withstand heating temperatures above 650 degrees. The service life of the insulation reaches 45 years, due to its resistance to the development of pathogenic microflora and decay.

Among the disadvantages are the tendency to get wet and the brittleness of basalt fiber. To eliminate them, it is enough to use a vapor barrier membrane with a special dusting of aluminum chips.

Mineral wool is produced in slabs or rolls with a thickness of 50 to 100 mm. One of the types of insulation is cotton wool with a heat-reflecting foil layer.

Styrofoam and expanded polystyrene

A budgetary and practical option for insulating a sauna ceiling. Insulation materials are lightweight, low cost and easy to install. Other advantages of foam include:

insignificant thermal conductivity;
low moisture absorption;
resistance to rotting and mold infestation.

Polymer insulation also has some disadvantages:

susceptibility to destruction at temperatures above 75 degrees;
the release of toxic substances;
low vapor permeability, susceptibility to aggressive components and fire.

Considering all the negative characteristics, expanded polystyrene (polystyrene) is recommended to be used in order to insulate the ceiling of the bath from the outside. It is not suitable for interior work.

Penoizol

A modern type of thermal insulation for the ceiling surface, which is a urea-formaldehyde cellular foam. The advantages of the material include:

low thermal conductivity;
seamless application;
high resistance to mechanical and chemical stress;
inertness to decay and fire;
high service life - up to 75 years;
affordable cost.

The only drawback is the increased moisture absorption. Penoizol is produced in the form of plates and thermal wool.

Isover

The most popular thermal insulator for mineral-based ceilings - slag, dolomite, basalt and diabasalt. It is practical, affordable and easy to install. It is produced in roll and plate form. It has the following advantages:

resistance to biological, mechanical and chemical influences;
inertness to moisture absorption;
light weight, which simplifies delivery and lifting to a height;
environmental friendliness and safety;
long service life in high humidity conditions.

The material has some disadvantages - resistance to heating temperatures up to 300 degrees, the possibility of emitting a small amount of smoke when ignited.

Ecowool

Ecological and safe heat insulator, which contains cellulose, sodium tetraborate and boric acid. Due to its unique structure, ecowool is highly resistant to decay, fungal attack, mold and insects, does not emit hazardous substances when heated.

The main advantages of the material include:

low thermal conductivity;
environmental friendliness and safety;
small mass;
long service life - up to 50 years;
high thermal insulation characteristics.

The negative sides of the insulation are a high rate of moisture absorption and the need to use specialized equipment for installation.

Expanded clay

Natural porous clay heat insulator, which is successfully used for thermal insulation of wooden bath ceilings. The main advantages of the material are:

ecological cleanliness and practicality;
low thermal conductivity;
durability and safety of use;
high thermal insulation properties;
resistance to burning and decay;
resistance to damage by fungi, mold and bacteria;
inertness to high humidity;
affordable cost.

Sawdust with cement and clay

Environmentally friendly insulation for a bathhouse on the ceiling, characterized by accessibility, practicality and safety. It is made from natural ingredients - clay, cement and sawdust, therefore it has high thermal insulation properties. The thermal conductivity of the insulating layer is determined by its thickness and structure density.

The main advantages include:

environmental friendliness and availability;
resistance to combustion and high temperatures;
high rate of heat and sound insulation.

Insulation technology

The choice of a suitable method of ceiling insulation is determined by the design features of the bath building - the presence of an attic room, attic, flat or pitched roof.

In practice, the following options for insulating a bath ceiling are used:

Sewn - for overall baths.
Flat - for small buildings.
Panel - for various types of structures.

The main requirement for arranging ceiling foundations is the presence of correctly installed waterproofing and vapor barrier - reliable protection of the insulating material from high humidity.

Deck ceiling

The plank ceiling structure consists of 5 cm thick planks mounted on the sauna walls. It is used for buildings with a cold roof up to 250 cm wide.

Ceiling insulation in a cold-roofed bathhouse, in which an attic room is provided, is performed using sawdust, clay or expanded clay.

All do-it-yourself ceiling insulation work is carried out step by step as follows:

On the ceiling flooring, sheets of vapor barrier material (film or roofing material) are laid with an overlap and fixed with metal staples or nails.
Next, they install thermal insulation protection - mineral or basalt wool.
If you use bulk insulation - expanded clay, sawdust with cement or clay, you should equip an additional side around the perimeter of the ceiling surface. The thickness of the layer of bulk insulation is 30 cm.
The multilayer structure is covered with a waterproofing material - plastic wrap or membrane.
Finally, a wooden flooring made of boards or plywood sheets is installed.

False ceiling

The hemmed design provides a practical bath ceiling. The boards are mounted to the load-bearing floors from the inside of the functional rooms and from the attic side.

Arrangement of multilayer thermal insulation is carried out between the decks. The installation process includes the following steps:

The vapor barrier film or membrane is laid on the ceiling slabs with an overlap of 12 cm with an approach to the wall surfaces. The canvases are fixed with thin wooden slats, which are stuffed in compliance with the minimum technological gaps. A double layer of vapor barrier and insulation material is laid over the steam room.
A wooden lining, pre-treated with antiseptic impregnation, is mounted on the ceiling structure to the slats.
The load-bearing beams in the attic are insulated with expanded clay, basalt or mineral wool. Thermal insulation is laid in a dense layer without gaps and crevices. The height of the insulating layer is 10 cm.
A waterproofing protection is mounted on the heat insulator with an overlap of 12 cm with tight gluing of the joints.
At the end, the installation of wooden flooring from boards or plywood is carried out.

Panel ceiling

Ceiling panel pie is a panel structure made of identical bars interconnected. This is the most difficult and time consuming type of ceiling base that can be fitted in a private bath.

How to insulate the ceiling with wooden boards in stages:

A board up to 65 cm long is nailed to the parallel bars one by one. The wood is carefully treated with an antiseptic composition. The protrusion of wooden elements on all sides of the structure is 6 cm. In the process of joining, an insulating layer is arranged in the gaps formed.
On the inner side of the shield, a vapor barrier protection is fixed with an overlap of 10 cm.
The prepared structure is mounted on a crate installed on the bottom of the ceiling beams.
In the ceiling panels, moisture-resistant thermal insulation is installed - mineral, basalt wool or expanded clay.
At the end, a vapor barrier layer of polyethylene film is mounted, which provides reliable protection against steam and high humidity.
At the bottom of the ceiling, linden, cedar or aspen lining is mounted to the crate.

Thermal insulation of a sauna ceiling is a responsible process. Using reliable and durable insulation, as well as following the technology of their installation, any owner of the bath will be able to independently perform the entire range of insulation work, having received a practical structure for comfortable rest and strengthening the body.

Each room of the bath requires the organization of high-quality insulation of the ceiling. This is necessary to prevent the loss of warm air, which will inevitably tend to the top. If the ceiling does not delay it, then the process of heating the bath and maintaining a constant elevated temperature inside will require an increased consumption of heat carriers and time.

Another possible problem is condensation in non-insulated rooms. Cold drops dripping here and there will significantly reduce the degree of comfort. And moisture, which will rise up along with heat fluxes, will gradually destroy the ceiling slabs and structural elements of the roof. To avoid condensation, it is necessary to put a heat-insulating "pie" on the ceiling during the manufacture of the bath, which will protect the wooden structures in the attic of the bath with a cold roof.

Insulation selection criteria

Expert advice on the requirements for heat insulators for a Russian bath:

Expert opinion

Konstantin Alexandrovich

Ask an expert

If the material you have selected for thermal insulation meets all of the above criteria, then it will be safe, warm and comfortable to be inside the dressing room and the steam room itself.

Bath ceiling insulation with mineral wool

Mineral wool is more often found on sale packed in rolls, their thickness ranges from 5 to 10 centimeters. It is not difficult to work with such material, it is enough just to unwind the roll, measure the required fragment along the length and, having cut it off with an ordinary knife, lay the insulation where it is necessary. Thicker material, more than 10 centimeters thick, is realized in the form of slabs or mats, which are placed between the structural elements of the sheathing, rafters or log from the attic side. Often this method of fastening does not require additional fastening. Experienced builders advise choosing basalt cotton wool for thermal insulation of the steam room.

In other cases, the elements of the insulation material will need to be fixed. The fixing methods can vary in each case and depend on the density of the material and the gaps between the structural elements of the attic or roof.

In addition to fixing the rails, there are other methods of fastening:

ATTENTION! When starting to work with mineral wool, it is imperative to prepare means for protecting the organs of eyes, breathing and hands - glasses, a respirator and gloves. Ideally, you should use a protective suit to protect your body.

The procedure for thermal insulation of the ceiling space in the bath

Thermal insulation of the ceiling of the bath with expanded clay

Expanded clay is a very budgetary and fairly common insulation for the floor and ceiling. Its filling can be easily done by yourself, with a minimum of effort. In fact, expanded clay is large-sized clay granules that have been baked at a high temperature. Its texture resembles a stone with many pores. Such insulation is not afraid of the effects of harmful insects, bacteria and other pests of buildings do not develop in it. It is not biodegradable. The insulation is absolutely harmless to human health, since it does not emit hazardous substances. In addition, it is completely non-flammable. The algorithm for thermal insulation of the ceiling space using expanded clay varies depending on the material of the arrangement of the floors - wood or concrete. First, familiarize yourself with the sequence of insulation of concrete floors.

The procedure for insulating the ceiling in a claydite bath will differ slightly depending on whether the ceiling is concrete or wooden elements were used for its arrangement. First, you are invited to familiarize yourself with the procedure for warming concrete floors. Detailed information is given on each technological stage of isolation.

Thermal insulation of concrete and expanded clay slabs

Insulation of concrete floors with expanded clay does not create any particular problems.

ATTENTION! Despite the fact that expanded clay has a porous structure and belongs to light materials, its thirty-centimeter layer will have a fairly considerable weight. Thermal insulation of wooden floors using this material is possible only if the ceiling is strong enough. In the case of internal lining of the ceiling with OSB plates, it will be necessary to provide additional fastening to the plates. It is made by mounting the lathing, which is attached to the beams using special studs.

Do-it-yourself thermal insulation of a wooden bath floor using expanded clay

The installation of the insulation "pie" can be considered completed at this point. The further procedure will be carried out according to the wishes of the owner of the premises. Most often, the finishing flooring is laid either along the beams themselves, or on top of the lags specially laid for this purpose. This is advisable if a residential attic will be equipped.

Ceiling thermal insulation using ecowool

Ecological wool is considered a completely safe material of natural origin. It has a long service life and copes with the function of keeping warm in the room quite effectively. The material is free-flowing, therefore, for its transportation and storage, it must be pressed and packed into consumer containers - briquettes. For direct use, ecowool is freed from packaging and fluffed, after which it increases in volume several times. Professionals for applying ecowool prefer to use equipment specially designed for this. First, the material is slightly moistened and sprayed onto the insulated surface. After that, the crate is blown out with dry material, which is injected using a powerful compressor. This fact is the most significant disadvantage of using ecowool, since buying or renting equipment is not cheap. Moreover, if it is planned to insulate a not too large area, for example, the ceiling space of a small bathhouse, it is quite possible to carry out the work manually. The process will take a lot of time and will increase the consumption of insulation, but the insulation will still be of high quality and will not be too expensive.

The list of tips for arranging battens and layers of moisture and steam insulation is the same as for mineral wool, so there is no point in repeating them again. But it is worth considering that in the industrial application of ecowool, hydro- and vapor barrier is usually not used. When applied manually, they should not be abandoned for greater reliability.

REFERENCE. In order to achieve maximum quality indicators with manual insulation with ecowool, it is important to correctly assess the required weight of the building material.

It is calculated using a simple formula:

m (ecowool weight) = S (cell area where the insulation will be placed) * L (thickness of the insulation layer) * P (standard density of the insulation, for horizontal surfaces - 45 kg / m3).

After the space of the crate is filled with insulation, waterproofing and sheathing material are installed on top of it.

Thermal insulation of the ceiling of the bath with expanded polypropylene

Foamed polypropylene, also called penofol, or foamed polyethylene - all these types of insulation materials are similar in structure, and they are installed in a similar way. The heat insulators in question are very easy to install, but their thermal insulation performance is often insufficient. Because of this feature, polypropylene foam and similar materials are best used in combination with other types of insulation, for example, mineral wool.

Such a tandem can provide the most efficient heat saving in the finished room.

The scheme of insulation of the ceiling in the bath with expanded polypropylene

A mixture of cement and sawdust

Such a material for insulation has long been known and belongs to the traditional, which were used even before the era of modern materials for thermal insulation. Cement is successfully replaced in such compositions with clay, and instead of sawdust, you can take straw. The mixture is made up by mixing dry ingredients with water. The proportion is as follows: for 10 shares of sawdust, add 1 share of cement and the same amount of lime. The resulting dry mass is poured with 1.5 parts of water and thoroughly mixed until a thick mixture of a homogeneous texture is obtained. The mass is laid out on the insulated surface and evenly distributed.

ATTENTION! The sawdust for the preparation of the mixture should be thoroughly dried, ideally about one year.

Such an insulating material is characterized by minimal cost and environmental friendliness. But its thermal insulation qualities are inferior to those of mineral wool or expanded clay. The process of preparing and laying the mixture requires significant labor costs, and upon completion of the laying, it will be necessary to seal the inevitable cracks.

Finally

Thermal insulation of the ceiling in the bathhouse in the country is very important. If you want to save money on heating the steam room, then you won't be able to achieve this without thermal insulation. With limited funds, you can give preference to budget options for the correct insulation, which will allow you to inexpensively make the ceiling and take a steam bath with pleasure and not think about the cold that the ceiling emits.

Video about ceiling insulation in a bath with sawdust and cement

The special operating conditions of the bathhouse require the correct construction of the enclosing structures and their layers. Then the time for heating the bath, fuel consumption and heat retention will be optimal to create favorable conditions that allow a person to carry out bath procedures. We will tell you how to insulate the ceiling in a bath. The heated air rises, therefore, insufficient insulation of the ceiling structure contributes to the rapid leakage of a third of the heat from the steam room.

Functions of insulation for the ceiling in the bath

Thermal insulation of the ceiling in the bath performs certain functions. Moreover, the higher the air temperature in the bath room, the higher the requirements for the quality of thermal insulation of the ceiling surface.

Thermal insulation of the bath ceiling is designed to solve the following tasks:

The heated air quickly escapes through the cracks in the ceiling. High-quality insulation should ensure the tightness of the structure.
Heat is also lost if the building structures have high thermal conductivity. Thermal insulation material will not allow such elements to come into contact with heated air.
Heat waves easily cross obstacles with a uniform texture, so the use of loose porous insulation will protect against heat loss.

If the heat-insulating material is laid in the multilayer structure of the bath floor, then it reliably protects against all three types of heat losses. At the same time, it is important to correctly calculate the thickness of the insulation, use a suitable material, and lay it in the right place in the bath floor. Violation of the principles of laying thermal insulation will lead to the deposition of condensate on the ceiling surface, prolonged heating of the room and high fuel consumption.

Insulated ceiling device diagram

Before making the ceiling in the bath, you need to understand the features of the insulated floor device. In baths made of any materials, the ceiling structure remains unchanged. The functions of the supporting frame are performed by beams that rest on the top of the walls made of timber or logs, or on the Mauerlat in buildings made of bricks or wall panels. The timber is treated with an antiseptic without fail. You also need to additionally protect the beams when they come into contact with brick, concrete or metal surfaces. At this point, the supporting elements are wrapped with roofing material in two layers.

The ceiling in the steam room can be made according to one of the following schemes:

from the side of the room, the ceiling surface must be sheathed with boards that are attached directly to the floor beams (this option is suitable for plastering, but you can fasten the boards at a run);
cranial bars are attached to the lower part of the side edge of the floor beams on both sides, from above between the supporting elements a roll from the boards is laid on them;
so that the surface of the ceiling is in the same plane with the beams, cutouts are made in the roll-up boards along the height of the cranial bars (it is important that the height of the board is twice the thickness of the bar);
Another version of the ceiling scheme is the installation of cranial bars and roll-up boards above them, diaphragm boards are attached to the bars, and the ceiling is hemmed to the bottom of the beams with an ordinary board.

Important! If in any of the above proposed schemes the material for insulation is mineral wool or expanded clay, then waterproofing is required. This layer is laid above the insulation and protects against condensation collection from the attic side.

Also, when choosing the option with laying roll-up boards, it is worth remembering that a gap of 25 mm is left between them and the floor beams on each side. It is needed to protect against deformation due to the expansion of the material in conditions of fluctuations in humidity and temperature. In the places where the chimney passes through the wooden structures of the ceiling, a gap of 250 mm is made.

In any scheme of the device, a layer of vapor barrier is laid on top of the filing boards or roll-up. The material should bend around all beams. It is laid with overlapping strips and subsequent gluing of the joints with tape. After that, a heat insulator is placed in the voids between the supporting elements. Its height should correspond to the thickness of the beam. Above, a layer of waterproofing is laid and the sub-floor of the attic is mounted.

Instead of boards for the device of the ceiling, fiberboard, cement-particle boards are used. At the junction with the chimney, all wooden structures are treated with fire retardants and protected from fire with asbestos sheets.

Insulation methods and their advantages

Depending on the type of bath roof, one of two options for warming the room is used - laying heat-insulating material from the outside or inside of the floor.

External insulation

Ceiling insulation in a cold-roofed bath is performed from the outside of the structure. This option is simple and reliable and is used if the bath has an attic and a pitched roof. From below, the overlap is hemmed with boards, a simulator of a bar or clapboard, a vapor barrier is laid above between the beams (for example, a polyethylene film or aluminum foil), and then a heater follows.

For insulation outside, mineral wool, expanded clay or insulating material with a glued layer of vapor barrier are suitable. Above, a layer of waterproofing is spread and the attic floor is mounted.

Internal insulation

If there is no attic above, then the heater for the bath is attached to the ceiling from the inside. This option of insulation is more difficult to perform, but in the absence of an attic, there is no choice. The efficiency of internal insulation is much lower, because the race point in the floor structure is shifted towards the room, which means that the thermal conductivity increases, and the steam room will lose heat faster.

With this method of the device, a layer of waterproofing is first attached to the ceiling surface of the boards. It is overlapped, and the joints are glued. Staples are used for fixation. Then, thermal insulation is attached to the ceiling surface. If foam is used, then fungus dowels are suitable for fixing. Mineral wool and other soft insulation are laid between the guides of the wooden crate, which is pre-built on the ceiling. After laying the thermal insulation, a layer of vapor barrier material and a filing of boards or other material suitable for a bath are mounted.

The choice of material for insulation and installation technology

Thermal insulation is selected for the bath room, which, when heated, does not form toxic compounds and can be operated in conditions of high humidity and extreme temperatures. Choose lightweight materials that are easy to transport and install.

Important! The heat insulator must have a certain degree of fire resistance and not sustain combustion.

After choosing the right material, a step-by-step guide on how to insulate the ceiling in a bath with your own hands will help you to install the insulation correctly.

Mineral wool

This insulator is often used to insulate private houses and baths. This fiber insulation is available in three versions:

stone wool;
slag;
glass wool.

The main advantage of mineral wool is low thermal conductivity, resistance to damage by rodents, insects and mold, low weight. The material does not support combustion and does not change its characteristics with a temperature drop. Mineral wool is sold in the form of slabs and rolls.

Important! The main disadvantage of mineral wool is its high hygroscopicity. But this problem is solved by a competent device for steam and waterproofing. The material must not come into contact with the air flow coming from the sauna room.

Installation sequence of mineral wool:

After the construction of the run-up from the boards and cranial bars, a vapor barrier layer is spread between the floor beams.
Slabs of material are cut to a width slightly larger than the pitch of the beams to ensure a snug fit to the building structures. The material fits into the gaps between the beams. To achieve the desired height, the mineral wool is laid in several layers so that the joints of the slabs in the layers do not coincide.
Above, a layer of waterproofing is spread.

Clay insulation

Since ancient times, clay has been used to insulate the ceiling surface in the bath. A three-centimeter layer of this material copes well with the task of warming a room and serves as a vapor barrier.

The advantages of clay include its environmental friendliness and reasonable price. However, the thermal conductivity of this material is slightly lower than that of mineral wool or expanded clay. The process of laying clay for thermal insulation of the ceiling surface is quite laborious. In addition, the resulting cracks will have to be repaired later.

To reduce the weight of clay insulation, well-dried sawdust is added to it. Clay can also be mixed with sand, lime or cement. The clay layer itself is ineffective. Above it, a layer of oak leaves or sawdust is laid, and above it is an earthen layer 180 mm high.

Warming with expanded clay

These small porous clay pebbles are ideal for warming a bath because they have the following advantages:

do not emit harmful substances;
it is a natural environmentally friendly material;
do not support combustion;
have durability;
not subject to damage by rot and mold;
acceptable price;
ease of installation.

Expanded clay does not absorb moisture as much as mineral wool, but you should not give up laying steam and waterproofing. The installation sequence is the same as for mineral wool. The granules are poured between the beams along the laid vapor barrier. The backfill height should be equal to the height of the beams. Waterproofing is spread on top.