Combined method of attic insulation. Heaters for the ceiling - materials, combined insulation. Wall insulation technologies

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The problem of energy saving is always relevant for homeowners, so they try by all available means to reduce heat loss, which, as you know, occurs as a result of poor thermal insulation of the roof, walls and basement. Homes built a long time ago usually have an attic, which is used as a storage place for old and unnecessary things. In recently erected buildings, the owners now prefer to equip a mansard roof (see photo), the premises of which can be used not only for household needs, but also as an additional living room. It is advisable to figure out how to insulate the attic roof from the inside without making popular mistakes.

If you can do the insulation of the attic roof with your own hands from the inside of the house, then the work outside the building should be entrusted to specialists.

The choice of insulation

The solution to the question of how and what is the best way to insulate the attic from the inside and outside depends primarily on the structure of the roof of the building and on the characteristics of the weather conditions of the area in which it is located. You can familiarize yourself with the basic requirements and norms regarding thermal protection for different climatic zones in SNiP 23-02-2003.

Today, the domestic construction market offers a huge selection of materials of various characteristics and cost for insulation, waterproofing and vapor barrier of roofs, walls and basements. It is difficult to make a choice for a person who has never done such work before, but you can, if you first study the information, do it yourself or consult with professionals or friends who are competent in this matter.

Styrofoam. Many homeowners are attracted by such insulation as polystyrene due to its low cost (read: ""). This is where the advice of professionals comes in handy, who claim that, despite its many advantages, this material has low vapor permeability and the room will be constantly humid. Over time, when the wood of the rafters dries out, gaps appear between them and the foam, through which cold penetrates into the room under the roof. Rodents also like to settle in this insulation.

Extruded polystyrene foam. Insulation is no less popular than polystyrene and is very similar in its characteristics to it. Only the technology differs, according to which it is performed from the inside with Penoplex. Expanded polystyrene plates are laid on the rafters from above so that gaps do not appear. The material in the form of slabs is produced with stepped joints or according to the type of “spike-in-groove” construction. As for the price of insulation, it depends on its thickness, and the total cost of work - on the size of the room.

Glass wool.

The technology according to which the attic roof is insulated with your own hands using glass wool is in many ways similar to working with mineral wool, but the material itself is different in structure:

• glass wool has longer fibers than mineral wool, so it is more durable, resilient and has better sound insulation characteristics;
• the hydrophobicity of glass wool is less than that of mineral wool;
• glass wool can be used at lower temperatures.

Combined insulation. When we insulate the attic with our own hands, you can use several thermal insulation materials based on their advantages. For example, to fill the gaps between the rafters, it is advisable to use mineral wool, and lay polystyrene foam on top of the roof on the rafter structure.

This method of insulation is considered one of the most effective for a number of reasons:

• since ecowool consists of 80% paper, its properties are similar to natural wood, which in turn is an environmentally friendly material;
• in terms of thermal insulation parameters, it is similar to glass wool;
• the use of ecowool allows you to fill all structural elements with high quality, which leads to a significant reduction in heat loss;
• the insulation contains a natural antiseptic - borax, which prevents the formation of fungus and mold on wooden parts;
• ecowool provides high-quality sound insulation;
• during operation does not lose its original volume.

Polyurethane foam. Refers to sprayed insulation. To insulate the attic with polyurethane foam, special equipment (portable installations) is required. Weighing 50 kilograms, one device covers approximately 100 "squares" of the area. Additional is not needed. The coating fills the existing voids and cracks to the maximum, while the service life of the material is more than 25 years. After the insulation of the attic with polyurethane foam is completed, the composition hardens within one minute. The reason why polyurethane foam is rarely used for thermal insulation is its high cost.

Penofol. Insulation refers to modern materials for insulation and vapor barrier, the material has a reflective effect and soundproofing properties. Foamed polyethylene is covered with high quality aluminum on one or both sides.

Insulation of the attic from the inside with penofol is preferable for a number of reasons:

• ecological cleanliness;
• low thermal conductivity;
• closed air bubble system of polyethylene foam prevents steam penetration.

Insulation of the attic walls

Now the attic is initially planned during the development of a house project, so its shape depends on the construction of the roof, and the roof elements become the walls. Most often, a gable roof is created in individual buildings, since it allows you to make the most of the attic area. Often, the inner walls for the room on the roof are not made at all. When the gable roof has a slope of 45-60 degrees, then the inner walls of the attic are additionally erected to a height of 1-1.2 meters. In this case, the height of the room must exceed 2.2 meters, and the width must be at least 2.4 meters. The insulation of the attic walls from the inside depends on how the roof is insulated.

Currently, the following methods of attic insulation are used for roof insulation:

Insulation of the attic floor

Various heat insulators are used for floor insulation. Materials are placed between the logs or on the subfloor. To insulate the flooring with fiberboard plates, first two layers of roofing material are laid, and then fiberboards are placed in two rows. A clean floor is laid on top.

Sometimes they use a well-known method - insulation with sawdust, which is poured

15-20 - a centimeter layer on roofing felt in the intervals between the lags. To prevent mice from settling in the thermal insulation layer, the sawdust should be mixed with lime. It is bad that such insulation belongs to flammable materials.

Insulation of the attic ceiling

When using ecowool, a crate is specially mounted on a hemmed ceiling, which is covered with a vapor barrier film (for more details: ""). If polyurethane foam is used, then it is applied to the mounted roof from the inside, and the hemmed ceiling, if necessary, is insulated with mineral wool or glass wool (read: "").

Insulation of the attic pediment from the inside

The presence of a vapor barrier is necessary when using ecowool, glass wool, mineral wool, foam. Additional vapor barrier is not needed when using foam or polyurethane foam.

How can you independently insulate the attic so that it retains heat? We will try to cover everything related to this issue. We will also give as an example of do-it-yourself attic insulation - video plots and links to additional information related to insulation. Insulation of the attic will occur from the inside.

Those people who have an attic floor in their house are well aware that this place is more exposed to heat loss than floors that are below. And there is a simple explanation for this - there is no "heat cushion" on the attic floor. Also, this room is the largest surface of contact with the surrounding environment in the whole house. In order to increase the level of economy and comfort, you need to approach the issue of attic insulation with responsibility. In order to increase the thermal insulation for insulation, it is necessary to comply with the strict requirements that apply to the choice of thermal seal and its installation. If your selection and installation of the seal is done correctly, heat will not pass through it. In order to increase the efficiency of attic insulation, the main thing is to correctly approach the issue of choosing a heater.

We insulate the attic from the inside with our own hands

For example, you can use a slab made of mineral wool, the efficiency of which is C = 0.004 W / m.

Such insulation has its own structure:

1. a vapor barrier layer is provided on the inside of the insulating material;
2. the outside of the glass wool, for example, has a special waterproofing layer.

We insulate the attic: installing insulation

An important factor when insulating the attic is the correct installation of the heat-insulating element. It is imperative that there is a sufficiently effective ventilation space between the lower surface of the roofing and the upper surface of the insulation layer. This will aid ventilation. Also, through this ventilation space, the inevitable flow of warm humid air will be removed, penetrating through the thermal insulation layer and steam barriers.

Make the covering of the attic floor of high quality not only in order to protect your house from the effects of atmospheric precipitation (snow or rain), but also for maximum insulation. In this way, you can prevent the temperature drop in the rooms on the upper floor. Everyone knows the property of warm air to always rise up. That is why the difference in air temperature in the middle of the room and under the ceiling, as a rule, is about 2 degrees.

Even if the thermal insulation capabilities of the roof and walls are the same, a large loss of heat will be through the roof. The main reason for this difference is that there is a large temperature difference between the inner and outer surfaces of the coating. Also keep in mind that warm air tends to have a higher moisture content than cold air. Therefore, the formation of condensation on the ceiling of the attic floor occurs at higher temperatures compared to the inner surface of the wall. This is the reason for the imposition of more stringent requirements for the thermal protection of roof coatings, in comparison with products for external walls.

The largest heat losses are always characterized by attic rooms. Therefore, with the correct insulation of its coating, you can get the most tangible economic effect for your budget. If we compare two typical two-storey houses with attics with a total area of, for example, 205 sq.m., in which the attics are insulated in accordance with new and old requirements, then we can definitely come to the conclusion that the installation of modern thermal protection helps to reduce heat losses by at least 3 kW ... This helps to reduce the productive capacity of the heating system, which in turn reduces the cost of heat bills.

Quite often, when a thaw comes, due to the detection of attic insulation technology, icicles begin to hang from the roofs of houses, posing a serious danger to people. If you knock them down, you can damage the roof, which will lead to unpleasant consequences.

But icicles arise most often due to insufficient insulation of the attic. Snow, which is heated from below by heat passing through an incorrectly insulated surface, melts. Melt water flows from the roof and freezes again from the frost, turning into icicles. If you correctly perform thermal insulation, you will not have to worry about problems such as icicles.

Basic requirements for the creation of thermal protection of coatings

To control the maintenance of thermal protection standards during the construction of enclosing structures, which are also roofs, there is SNiP II-3-79. In "Construction Heat Engineering" for this, the duration of the heating period in the area in which the construction is being carried out and the average air temperature are taken into account. If these standards are followed, then for the Moscow region and Moscow the heat transfer resistance (required given) of roofing should be at least 4.7 sq.m. C / W.

What should be the design features of the insulation?

Warm indoor air in a room contains more moisture than cold outdoor air. This leads to the fact that the diffusion of water vapor occurs outwardly from the room (through the walls of the building and through the covering of the attic floor).

Since the roof from the outer (upper) part is a waterproofing layer, it does not allow water vapor to pass through well and contributes to the formation of condensation moisture on the inside of the roof. These properties can have very unpleasant consequences:

• the inner surface of the roofing can become overgrown with mold and wet spots, despite the correct waterproofing of the roof;
• the thermal insulation qualities of the insulation used will deteriorate significantly;
• condensation of water vapor will cause water to drip from your ceiling.

Since moisture has a negative effect on materials and their thermal insulation characteristics, it is necessary to protect the insulation from the possibility of humidification with water vapor that is contained in the air of any room. To do this, you can use a layer of a vapor barrier element, which must be located on the inside of the insulation (bottom).

And in order to remove moisture that can get inside the heat-insulating element, it is necessary to provide an air gap between the outer layer of the roof covering and the insulation (for ventilation).

Quite often, attics are converted into attics.

But such a re-equipment is carried out with the preservation of the rafter system. In order to reduce or reduce to a minimum level the additional load that the supporting structures of such a building receive, most often lighter insulation materials with a reduced density are used. The wind blows through such heat-insulating elements and at the same time carries away the heat. In order to preserve the heat-shielding characteristics of the structure, a layer of a special material - vapor-permeable and windproof - is laid on the surface of the heat-insulating layer that borders on the (ventilated) layer.

If you are going to insulate your attic, do not forget that heat loss is possible through the roof, as well as through the end wall. Therefore, the gable of the house will also need good insulation. And this insulation must also meet modern requirements. The roof structure of the attic is made up of a system of rafters, which are installed with a certain pitch (600-1000 mm). There is a free space between the rafters, which must be filled with insulation material (heat-insulating element). If you do not know which insulation material is best, choose a mineral wool slab, which is made on the basis of fiberglass or basalt fiber.

For proper insulation of the attic - the installation of thermal insulation boards or mats can be carried out either in one layer, or in several. In order to find out what the total thickness of the insulation should be, we will take into account the thermal conductivity of the insulation. Its meaning can be found in the certificate of conformity.

When installing insulation, do not forget to arrange a ventilated air gap between the roofs and the insulation material. Also, do not forget that on the inside, the attic covering must be protected with a vapor barrier element and trimmed with clapboard or drywall sheets.

We will also take into account the height of the rafter section. If it is less than the required thickness of the insulating layer, then wooden blocks must be attached (on nails or screws) to the legs of the rafters. When laying insulation boards, do not forget that an air gap must be left between the roof and the thermal insulation. If the height of the cross-section of the rafters is insufficient, then horizontally located antiseptic wooden bars can be fixed on them. Thus, two layers of insulation will be located in different ways: one - between the rafters, and the second - between the bars.

We will insulate the attic so that it breathes

In order to determine the width of the air gap that should be between the roof and the insulation, we will take into account the profile of the material.

• If profiled sheets of galvanized steel, metal shingles or other corrugated sheets are used as a roof, we provide that the thickness of the ventilated air layer is at least 25 mm.
• If flat sheets are used as a roof (roll, soft bitumen shingles, galvanized steel, asbestos-cement sheets), then the required thickness of the air gap must be at least 50 mm.

Also, ventilation holes can be considered as holes in the ridge and cornice. In order to protect the heat-insulating element from the side where the ventilated air gap is installed, it will be necessary to use a windproof vapor-permeable membrane.

If we evaluate this situation from the point of view of practice, then it can be argued that the most optimal roll goods are "Monaperm 450 VM", "Monarflex VM 310", "Tyvek Soft".

We will also tell you that the membranes, which are of the Tyvek type, do not allow liquid water to pass through, despite the fact that they perfectly allow water vapor to pass through. Such properties of this material prevent moisture, which condenses inside the roofing, from entering the insulation. Thus, when using Tyvek materials, you can lay the insulating element so that the thickness of the air gap is 25 mm, no matter what profile of your roofing. This is very important if you are going to insulate the attic using the rafters that have already been installed. You do not even have to install additional bars in order to increase the space for the air gap. In this case, the height of the rafter leg, which is, will be enough.

If you are building a new house, then the windproof element will have to be laid on top of the rafter legs and attached with wooden bars. And if the attic is arranged in an attic that already exists, then the fastening of the windproof vapor-permeable product is carried out directly to those rafters that are with the help of special slats. Using Tyvek, you can protect the insulating layer from the effects of atmospheric precipitation (snow, rain). Indeed, it very often happens that moisture gets under a loose coating or into air gaps. Tyvek on the insulation must be laid with an overlap of at least 150-200 mm. Laying is carried out along special dotted lines that are applied to the canvas. The panel is attached to the structure with glue, staples, nails or wooden slats.

In order to protect the attic insulation material from humidification by water vapor contained in the air, a vapor barrier layer is used on the inside: foil vapor barrier material "Polykraft" made by Monarflex, roofing material, glassine plastic film.

• Laying the film must be done so that the overlap of the panels is 100 mm.
• The resulting seams must be glued with adhesive tape.
• In this case, it is very good to use scotch tape because this way you can ensure the tightness of the seams and reduce the overlap to 100 mm. And it does not depend on what kind of roof slope.
• The film must be fixed to the bars or rafters with wooden slats.

If you use foil-clad material, then it must be laid with foil towards the room, so that the gap between the inner lining and the vapor barrier is small.

If everything is installed correctly, the shiny surface of the foil should reflect the radiation of heat that goes outside the room. This will lead to the fact that the amount of heat loss through the roof of the attic will decrease.

• The room of the insulated attic from the inside must be revetted with clapboard, boards, plywood or plasterboard sheets.
• Fastening of the cladding material must be done using metal profiles or wooden blocks.

What to do if it is cold in the attic?

Most often, the attic does not occupy the entire area of ​​the upper floor. The reason is that the longitudinal walls of the attic are arranged at a distance from the outer wall. Therefore, take care of the insulation of the area that is located between the cornice and the wall of the attic that is not heated. To do this, you can use polyethylene film or "Polycraft" vapor barrier, which is laid directly on the floor boards with the foil side down. On top of it we lay a layer of insulation, and then a windproof material (vapor-permeable). The insulation must be laid so that there are no "cold bridges" in the places where the ceiling meets the wall.

Quite often it happens that even with insulation, thermal insulation is not provided properly. All this leads to quite expected consequences: an increase in the cost of paying for services, the formation of icicles and other troubles. This means that additional insulation is urgently needed. In order to make high-quality insulation of your attic, you need to put a new insulation on top of the insulation that already exists. In this case, it is necessary to adhere to the installation rules regarding the thermal insulation of the attic. If you choose this particular type of insulation, you will not have to reduce the height of the ceiling or the usable area of ​​the room to be insulated. But on the other hand, you will have to disassemble the crate and roof. Also, in order to install a new roof covering, it will be necessary to disassemble the supporting frame.

Method of installing an additional layer

Another way to install an additional layer of insulation is to place it under the existing insulation. This can be done by installing the frame on the inner surface of the attic sheathing. The frame is built from beams, and a heat-insulating material in slabs is placed between them. Depending on the thickness of the insulation layer, the height of the bars is chosen. From the inside, the insulation is sewn up with a vapor barrier material, attaching it to the frame bars. And to cover this whole structure, they use plywood, drywall sheets or lining. Using this method of insulation, you do not have to disassemble the roof, so you can do all the work without waiting for summer. But this method has its drawbacks - the height of the room and its useful area are reduced.

Quite often, another method is used to insulate the attic floor - a combined one. When choosing this method, you will have to insulate the ceiling with an additional ball of thermal insulation over the existing one. And the sloped roof surfaces are insulated from the inside. But when choosing this method, one must not forget that it is necessary to additionally insulate parts of the floor and the vertical walls of the attic.

Some information about the attic

A fashionable element of architecture is the use of attics. They are widely demanded in industrial and civil construction. French architect's proposal.

The attic is experiencing a real boom in three centuries. These projects are used at any stage of construction. Thermal insulation boards are easy to install and hide by means of stretch ceilings.
Quite often, repairs include the arrangement of the attic space for housing. In this case, construction primarily considers the issues of insulation. The solution to waterproofing issues is basic for the roof.

A breathable roof must use ventilation currents. The mansard roof uses holes in the eaves for this purpose. Improved ventilation makes it possible to use modern thermal insulation. For the attic, the issues of heat conservation are especially acute. Mineral wool slabs are the classic material for the reconstruction of attics. Innovative materials are also widely used.

Currently, extruded polystyrene foam is used to insulate roofs and attics. The cellular structure of closed pores gives a complete absence of water absorption.

The material is absolutely environmentally friendly, does not contain gas-forming additives. The slab-shaped fabrication maintains ease of installation. The high economic effect of heat saving maintains strength. In this case, the roof can be easily repaired. This is where the design elements generate large heat losses. To solve this problem, stretch ceilings are used in the decoration. They perfectly hide the thermal insulation layer. Effective vapor recovery insulation is installed along the entire circuit. Attics have been used successfully since the 17th century. This is reflected in the architecture and the prevailing construction practice. The style of European architecture is now the most fashionable trend. Specially designed trusses are often used as decoration. A sloped or broken roof often uses supports. The original design of the ceiling uses vertical and horizontal beams.

Attic ceiling

Attic stretch ceilings can use panels and slats. Forming an original geometric pattern, they can alternate the color of the finish. Here, the beams allow you to hide the seams of the PVC film. A sound-absorbing liner can be applied to the inner layer of the ceiling. Skylights in a design approach will help to combine the play of light and shadow. Thus, the construction site can always tie the interior to the exterior of the attic. The functionality of the finish also has no complaints.

The high tightness of the ceilings does not allow the insulation to get wet. This makes it possible to use the attic floors for relaxation. They are often used as beauty parlors. PVC film can simulate various textures and colors. Also, the construction pays great attention to the design of the space in color. Unusual abstract drawing allows you to simulate interesting 3D compositions. The micron Teflon layer makes it possible to maintain high hygiene. Stretch ceilings are perfectly cleanable by any means. To prevent the accumulation of condensate, forced ventilation is used. Both construction and repairs must necessarily provide for ventilation grilles. In this case

You will ensure maximum service life. Stretch ceilings can withstand a large temperature difference from 0 to 50 degrees. The most simple installation allows you to carry out insulation at any time.

One of the most wonderful options for your own home is a frame house. This is an excellent and comfortable home and also quite economical to build. However, the business is not limited to construction. It is necessary to complete the finishing to thoroughly insulate the house, because comfort will depend on this. Among the main features of a frame house, one can single out the fact that the walls are insulated directly during construction - this is primarily due to its design.

How to insulate a frame house: the choice of materials

Initially, you should decide what material needs to be laid in the form of insulation in the wall cake. There are a wide variety of materials for this. Best suited for this activity:

Insulation of a frame house can be done by hand

Basic requirements for insulation for the walls of a frame house

1. It is best to choose insulation from an environmentally friendly material so that it does not harm human health.
2. It must be resistant to moisture accumulation as well as fire.
3. Ease of installation on the frame of the building insulation.
4. The ratio of quality and price in insulation.
5. Fire safety.
6. Low thermal conductivity.
7. Strength, as well as non-susceptibility to mechanical damage.

Wall insulation technologies

They can be different, but among them the main technologies can be distinguished:

1. Thermal insulation using board materials (foam, mineral wool, and so on).
2. Sprayed thermal insulation. This type of insulation is still quite rarely used due to its novelty. However, it is quite effective. In this case, polyurethane foam is used as a heater. The application process is similar to working with polyurethane foam.
3. Backfill technology. In this case, insulation is carried out using cellulose fiber, as well as other filling materials.
4. Combined options can also be used. Often such a scheme can be used: mineral wool is laid inside, foam plastic outside, and then plaster.

The procedure for external insulation works

When carrying out work, precise insulation technology plays a paramount role. Any factors that can provide a positive end result of insulation should be taken into account, including the reasons that can lead to a negative result.

1. Hinged insulation method. In this case, the frame is attached to the wall, and waterproofing is attached directly to the surface. It can be of a pasting and painting type. In the case of waterproofing paint, the walls are applied with bitumen after priming. In the case of pasting, using bituminous mastic, a waterproofing roll material, isol, waterproofing, glass wool is attached. Then, tapes or slabs of rolled insulation are attached to the frame cells using special glue or mounting dowels.

   

   At the end of the work, the outer side of the frame is finished with decorative plates or panels. As a result, you can make fiber cement, composite, plastic, metal, porcelain stoneware and so on.

   

   Polyfoam is the cheapest insulation for walls

   The main advantage of hinged insulation is the ventilation system, which eliminates the appearance and accumulation of condensate in the insulation layer.

2. Wet insulation method... This method is one of the cheapest, but at the same time, a rather laborious method. With the help of polymer glue, insulation plates are attached to the wall, after which the reinforcing mesh is fastened with dowels, and then decorative plaster is laid on it. This coating is also called "lightweight" plaster.
3. There is also "heavy" plaster... It will be more complicated, but in terms of its reliability and durability it will surpass the "light" one. It is carried out as follows - insulation plates are attached to the wall using dowels, after which, using blocking plates, a reinforcing mesh is fixed.

   

   Thermal insulation of the house with fibreboard plates

   Then comes the first layer of plaster. It dries up within 24 hours and expansion joints are made. This is followed by the second, as well as the leveling layer, in which temperature-shrinkage joints should be present. The last decorative, where dyes are added, is applied after five days.

4. Spraying liquid insulation... This method is the most progressive and modern. Polyurethane foam spraying is carried out using a special installation. A special feature is that the performance of such insulation is an order of magnitude higher, and the cost is equal to the average insulation. After polyurethane foam, almost any cover can be used as decoration, including curtain panels.



Insulation applied by spraying

5. Facing method... This option is one of the most expensive, however, and the most decorative. Facing with materials can be carried out on the wall of the building, as well as on top of the insulation. With the second method, the quality of insulation will be much better, however, it is necessary to perform high-quality ventilation.

• when performing work, it is important to accurately follow the insulation scheme.
• in multilayer systems, you need to make sure that there is sufficient ventilation so that the inner insulating layer does not damp, and, accordingly, does not collapse.

Internal insulation of the walls of a frame house

Sometimes there are situations when it is unacceptable. In this case, it is necessary to use internal thermal insulation. For this work, the same materials can be used as outside, however, mineral wool and glass wool, due to the complexity of installation, are rarely used. In most cases, extruded polystyrene foam is used, as well as sprayed materials: ecowool, polyurethane, penoizol.

Installation of a vapor barrier layer

The cladding of the inner surface of the walls is produced in various ways. Insulation can be done with reinforced plaster, then putty and finally wallpapering or painting.

Insulation of a frame house from the inside

You can also use clapboard, MDF and plastic finishing panels. The most common option is drywall upholstery followed by a decorative finish.

Materials such as penoizol and polyurethane foam are also used. Penoizol can be applied to surfaces of various configurations, it is able to fill all irregularities and defects. It is environmentally friendly and resistant to fire, but the main difficulty in applying it is that a special foam filling machine is needed.

Read about the features in the next article.

Combined thermal insulation has proven itself well in the construction of new houses and the reconstruction of old ones. The obvious advantage of this method of insulation is that, if desired, most of the work can be done on your own.

The main one is slabs of pressed mineral wool. The technology of their fastening largely depends on the material from which the walls are composed. Combined thermal insulation is used both for the insulation of newly built houses and for improving the thermal protection of those built long ago. First, the insulation boards are attached directly to the outer walls, and then these boards are plastered - a layer of plaster protects the easily deformable material from external influences. To compensate for the resulting internal stresses, a reinforcing mesh is embedded in the solution.

In order to provide the required degree of thermal insulation, it is necessary to carefully mount this combined "clothing", ensuring a tight joint not only between the plates themselves, but also between the plates and structures - especially near windows, pipe outlets, basement, where gaps may remain that form "thermal bridges" (builders often call them cold bridges). Corners and projecting edges are protected from damage by plinth strips, corner profiles or reinforcement mesh.

Mounting methods

When choosing a heat-insulating material, in addition to the main one, its other properties are also taken into account. So, in our case, thermal insulation meets increased fire safety requirements and is intended primarily for insulating tall buildings, which is also very important.

The method of using such thermal insulation also depends on the material from which the walls are made. Compressed mineral wool slabs can be glued to solid and even outer walls, additionally fixing them with special dowels. To fasten the thermal insulation to a weak and uneven base, connecting-supporting profiles are used, which not only hold the plates, but also compensate for the unevenness of the base.

Plinth profiles, sawn at the ends "on the mustache", are exposed with washers and fixed on special dowels.

Glue is applied to the insulating board. In this case, the board is supported on a board placed in a tray for collecting flowing glue.

The slabs coated with glue are inserted into the basement profile. Slabs of the second are placed on the plates of the first row. Vertical joints between slabs of adjacent rows must be mutually offset.

The insulation boards are pressed against the wall as tightly as possible and so that they do not protrude at the joints. Then the plates are additionally fastened with dowels.

If the substrate is weak and uneven, glue attachment will not work. In this case, mechanical fastening of thermal insulation boards is used.

Special mineral fiber boards with grooves and folds on the edges are connected to the wall and to each other using aluminum profiles.

A fiberglass mesh is pressed into the wet reinforced solution, after which the solution is immediately smoothed.

For decorative wall decoration, mineral plasters are used.

Layer-by-layer section of thermal insulation: mineral fiber insulation board, fixed on glue and dowels, covered with a solution with a reinforcing mesh; decorative finish - plaster.

Feature of plaster

The surface of the insulation boards must be flat and at the joints they must not protrude one above the other. The leveling layer of reinforced plaster serves as a protection for thermal insulation. And although the plaster compensates for the unevenness of the base, the thickness of its layer should be, if possible, the same everywhere, otherwise the occurrence of internal stresses, and therefore cracks, cannot be avoided.

When using such a combined thermal insulation, additional expansion joints are not required. However, if they are already present in the building, then they must be repeated in the thermal insulation layer.

The day before yesterday I received an order for the insulation of a frame house. The client undertook the independent construction of this building, but in the process of work he decided to immediately adapt a country dwelling for year-round living. He did not know how to properly perform thermal insulation, so he turned to me.

I think any novice builder can face a similar situation, so today I will tell you how and with what to insulate the facade, floor and attic of a country cottage built using frame technology.

Choosing a place for installing thermal insulation

First, I will pay a little attention to where it is better to equip the thermal insulation layer - from the outside or from the inside. I prefer external insulation, however, in order not to be unfounded, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the table, which sets out the features of the two mentioned options. Having studied it, you can independently make an informed decision.

In my opinion, you can only resort to internal thermal insulation when insulating a very old house: the installed insulating material from the inside will avoid dismantling the external finish, which is not always possible for objective reasons.

Yes, and one more thing. Several times I have come across situations where even the correct internal insulation was not effective enough to maintain a comfortable microclimate in the house during severe winter cold. And I had to install an additional one - outside. So, whatever one may say, but the outer insulation is more reliable.

Well, now let's figure out the better to perform the thermal insulation of the frame house outside.

The choice of thermal insulation material

Taking into account the specifics of a wooden house built using frame technology using sheet facing materials, it is necessary to select a heater taking into account the following requirements:

1. The heat insulator must be environmentally friendly. The insulating layer should not release chemical compounds hazardous to humans into the air, even if it heats up during operation.
2. The material must have fire-fighting properties - it will not ignite under the influence of fire and not contribute to the further spread of the flame. It is also advisable to select insulation that does not emit a large amount of smoke during a fire, making it difficult to evacuate people.
3. It is better to select insulation with the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient, so as not to use a large layer for insulation. The optimal thickness is no more than 100-150 cm (this is the average cross-section of the timber usually used to construct the frame).
4. Strength and ability to maintain geometric dimensions. The material installed in the gaps of the frame should fill it completely, without shrinking over time.
5. Ease of installation. To simplify the process of erecting a frame house, it is necessary to buy insulation that is easily installed inside the frame walls without the use of complex engineering equipment.

Another factor is price. Considering the total estimated cost of building a cottage using frame technology, it is necessary to select a heater that will not significantly increase construction costs. However, I would not put the price at the forefront, preferring thermal insulation with optimal technical characteristics and operational properties.

In my opinion, the closest thing to the requirements listed above is basalt insulation - mats based on fibers made from minerals of volcanic origin.

This material has many advantages, which I reflect in the table below:

In my opinion, the listed properties are quite enough to persuade you to choose mineral wool. I use TechnoNICOL or Rockwool products for my work.

And if you're wondering what is the best way to insulate from the inside, refer to the corresponding article in this blog, which details the technology you need. Although I can say in advance that mineral wool is so versatile that it can be used to insulate a house both outside and inside.

Tools and materials

In addition to mineral wool (and we have decided that it will be basalt fiber), you will need a lot of different materials:

• OSB slabs for internal and external cladding of the supporting frame of the walls of the dwelling;
• wooden beams 30 by 50 mm for arranging a counter-lattice and a ventilation gap between the insulating layer and decorative trim;
• hydro- and windproof membrane - a special polymer vapor-permeable film (Juta or Strotex), which prevents the insulation from getting wet and destroyed by the air flow, but does not prevent the accumulated moisture from being removed from the thermal insulation layer;
• internal vapor barrier film - in the described case, I will use foil insulation based on foamed polyethylene (for example, penofol) to increase the efficiency of the heating devices;
• block house, with the help of which the external decorative finishing of frame walls will be performed;
• eurolining, with which I will sheathe the surface of the walls from the inside.

I will not dwell on which tools to use. You will understand in the process of further presentation.

Warming process

Now I'm telling you how to insulate a frame house for winter living. The thermal insulation technology of such a structure consists of several steps, which are presented in the diagram:

Do-it-yourself step-by-step instructions for insulating a frame house are presented below. I must say right away that in my case the frame of the dwelling has already been erected, but the inner lining was not installed. Therefore, the described insulation technology itself has some nuances.

Step 1 - Preparing the frame

First of all, it is necessary to prepare the frame of the dwelling for installation inside the heat-insulating material. I do it in the following sequence:

1. I clean wooden parts from dust, debris and dirt. In the future, the frame will be completely hidden by facing materials, therefore, pollution can negatively affect the integrity of the structure, the efficiency and duration of operation of the insulation layer. You can clean the wood with a regular brush or vacuum cleaner.

1. I carry out repair of damaged frame parts. In my case, there were no defective areas, since I was insulating the new house during the construction process. But if you find areas of the timber damaged by rot, you need to replace the part before installing the thermal insulation material.

1. I install engineering communications. If hidden laying of engineering systems is supposed, then it is better to do this before sewing the walls with decorative material. There are several features that I want to mention:

• All electrical must be installed in flexible or rigid plastic or metal cable ducts that protect the insulation layer and the building itself from fire in the event of a short circuit.
• When installing water pipes inside the wall, there should be no detachable connections, which over time can weaken and leak.

1. I perform antiseptic treatment of the frame. To do this, it is better to use a universal compound (for example, Guardian), which prevents the formation of mold and mildew on the supporting frame of the dwelling and gives the wood fire-fighting properties. It is necessary to process wood with two layers of impregnation with intermediate drying.

Step 2 - inner lining

For the interior cladding, I will use OSB boards and a vapor barrier with a heat reflective layer of brushed aluminum foil. The work is done in the following sequence:

1. The frame of the house is sheathed from the inside with OSB sheets. They will serve as a support for leveling the insulation material. A vapor barrier inner layer will be attached to the same surface:
   • The glued fibrous sheets must be cut into pieces of the required size according to the preliminary drawings.
   • Parts must be sized so that after installation they do not reach the surface of the ceiling, floor and corners. We need a gap 2-3 cm thick, through which moisture condensed there will be removed from the surface of the heat-reflecting layer.
   • Sheets are fastened with self-tapping screws to the supporting elements of the frame. The step between adjacent self-tapping screws should not exceed 20 cm.
   • The seams of the cladding should be staggered with an offset relative to each other. Their thickness is 2-3 mm, which allow avoiding warping of the surface when changing the dimensions of the base.

1. I install a vapor barrier material. As I already said, its role will be played by penofol - polyethylene foam (it will become an additional insulation) with glued foil (it reflects infrared rays, increasing the heating efficiency):
   • The material should be placed on the OSB sheets with a reflective layer outward, and then secured to the panels using a construction stapler or nails with wide heads.
   • Rolls of penofol must be mounted so that each subsequent layer overlaps the previous one at a distance of 10 cm.
   • To seal the seams, a double-sided adhesive tape is placed inside the overlap, which glues adjacent sheets of heat-reflecting material, preventing water vapor from penetrating into the thickness of the enclosing structures and the insulation layer.

1. Installing counterrails. They are necessary for arranging the ventilation gap between the foil and the finishing cladding. You can orient the details vertically or horizontally, depending on how you will have the decorative material fixed (in my case, the lining). The slats are fixed to the OSB boards with self-tapping screws directly through the foil foamed foam.

1. I fix the lining on the counterrails. I have already described the very technology of wall cladding with clapboard, so I will not dwell in detail. I will only say that it is better to install the lamellas on the clays, thanks to which the change in the size of the euro lining is compensated for during operation.

Step 3 - Laying insulation

TechnoNicol Technolight Extra slabs are best suited as thermal insulation. On the one hand, they are strong enough to fit snugly between the supporting elements of the frame and hold there without additional fastening. On the other hand, they have a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, therefore, two layers of mineral mats of 5 cm each are sufficient for insulation.

The plus is that I advised the client in advance to make the frame of the house with a distance of 60 cm between the supports. This is just the width of the insulation slab. Therefore, pruning is practically unnecessary. As a result, expensive material is consumed with maximum efficiency.

1. I install the first layer of insulation. As I already said, the width of the slabs exactly matches the distance between the frame beams, so you just need to bend them in the middle and insert them into the wall. Having straightened, the mineral mat will take its place firmly. Let me draw your attention to a few nuances:

• Do not fix the mineral mat to the inner OSB board. Otherwise, a self-tapping screw can damage the foam foam layer, which is laid on the surface from the back side.
• Trimming the slabs, if necessary, is done using a sharp clerical knife or a saw with fine teeth.
• After installing all the plates, it is necessary to additionally seal the joints between the plates with polyurethane glue from a balloon. It will glue the fibers of adjacent mats, eliminating the formation of cold bridges.

1. I install the second layer of insulation. It is placed on top of the first so that the lower and upper seams are running. The rest of the rules are the same as in point 1. Do not forget to fill the joints between the boards with polyurethane foam. Excess of it, after the final solidification, will need to be cut off sharp.

1. I install insulation in structural elements of complex shapes. It is imperative to insulate all sections of the walls. Of particular difficulty are usually slopes, which serve to strengthen the structure. In this case, you need to cut the mineral mat in the shape of the depression so that it fits as tightly as possible.

As you can see, the installation of the insulation itself is a simple operation, but it takes a lot of time. However, this is not the end of the thermal insulation process. Outside, the thermal insulation must be reliably protected.

Step 4 - Installing hydro and wind protection

To protect the insulation from external influences, a special polymeric vapor-permeable membrane of increased strength is usually used. Its installation has some features that I want to describe.

The essence is as follows:

1. A film is laid on the insulation layer. The material is fixed with staples and a construction stapler to the frame beams. You can use wide-headed carnations:
   • Work should start from the bottom of the wall, gradually moving up.
   • Film sheets must be placed horizontally.
   • Each next canvas should overlap the previous one by a distance of 10 cm.

1. I seal the joints between the individual canvases. For this, adhesive tape is used, which is glued to the joints of the film. At the end of the work, you should get a completely sealed canvas that protects the mineral wool from water penetrating through the outer cladding and a draft blowing in the ventilation gap (about it just below).
2. I stuff the counter-lattice slats on the polymer membrane. Here, the ventilation gap is simply necessary, since moisture condensed on the surface of the insulation will be removed through it. The slats are installed horizontally or vertically and are fixed to the frame with self-tapping screws.

1. I fix it on the slats of the OSB board. I already described the technology of their installation when I talked about the inner lining of a frame house. Therefore, I will not dwell on this stage in detail.

Step 5 - finishing

The technology of decorative finishing of the facades of the house depends on the chosen material. In my case, it will be a block house, individual parts of which must be fixed on OSB plates using self-tapping screws.

If you are going to use, for example, vinyl siding, OSB boards can not be used at all, but the lamellas can be attached to a profile fixed to a counter-lattice.

Step 6 - attic floor

To make it comfortable to be in a frame house in winter, it is not enough to insulate the walls, because most of the heat energy losses occur through the attic floor. Therefore, I will briefly tell you how to insulate this surface:

1. Hem the ceiling from below with OSB plates. You already know the scheme, as I described it above. The filing will not experience a heavy load, therefore, it is enough to fix the parts with self-tapping screws with small tolerances at the seams to compensate for the increase in the size of the substrate.
2. Fix penofol. I also described the rules for installing heat-reflecting material when I talked about the technology of wall insulation.
3. Screw on the sheathing beams. By the way, they are necessary if you use a vapor barrier with a heat-reflecting layer. It can be replaced with a conventional vapor-permeable membrane. Then the decorative material can be fixed directly on the film, but the total thermal resistance of the walls (R) will decrease, since the walls will not reflect, but absorb infrared rays.
4. Decorate the ceiling surface with clapboard. It is attached to clips or self-tapping screws.
5. Install insulation from the attic side. Mineral wool is embedded in the gaps between the beams of the attic floor, after which it is covered with a waterproofing film and sewn up with sheet material (in my case, OSB plates).

Step 7 - floors

The last stage of work is do-it-yourself floor insulation. The technology practically does not differ from the ceiling insulation scheme, with the exception of a few small nuances:

• the vapor barrier film is placed on the side of the living space, and the waterproofing is at the bottom;
• a grooved board is used as a floor covering, which is placed on a counter-lattice;
• if it is impossible to hem the beams from below, the subfloor boards can be placed on the cranial beams, which are screwed to the side surfaces of the beams.

If you have any questions, you can read a separate article on thermal insulation of floors.

Summary

The technology described above tells about the thermal insulation of a wooden dwelling from the outside. How to insulate a frame house from the inside, from the video that I bring to your attention.

If you are interested in even more information about the construction and insulation of a frame house, ask your questions and express your own opinion in the comments to the material.

If you want to express gratitude, add clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!