How can you insulate the walls in a garage? How to insulate a brick garage from the inside with your own hands
Attempts to heat a garage without comprehensive insulation lead to one disappointing result - money spent on heating literally goes down the drain, and the garage does not get any warmer. In an unheated building, things are no better - the temperature inside is no different from the conditions “overboard”. But every engine start at -20°C leads to the same wear as a 600 km mileage. To create comfortable conditions in the garage even in winter, you will have to take care of reliable thermal insulation. This is the only way to cut off the cold outside and keep the heat inside.
Insulation options for garages built from different materials
To choose one or another technology for insulating a garage, you will have to weigh many pros and cons, “try on” various insulating materials to suit the features of the building and your own wallet. It will also be mandatory thermotechnical calculation, taking into account the climate in the region, the thickness and material of the enclosing structures. For example, walls made of aerated concrete blocks with a large number of air pores themselves have good resistance to heat loss. At the same time, metal frame buildings seriously lose in this regard.
There are three options for insulating a garage:
- external;
- internal;
- combined - the most effective and expensive.
Insulation along the facade is vital for buildings that tend to accumulate moisture: wooden frames and garages made of porous concrete blocks. In a good way, metal boxes also need to be insulated from the outside, since their dew point is always on the inner surface. But it is difficult to do such work on your own, so we will consider this option as an exception to the rule.
It would be correct to insulate the garage from the outside - this is the only way to move the dew point outside the enclosing structures and protect them from getting wet when condensation forms
It is also advisable to protect brick and concrete buildings from the outside, but installing thermal insulation from the inside is cheaper - the right of choice remains with the owner. Here we will have to additionally take into account the safety of the materials used for the human body. Of course, none of them are absolutely harmless - not even natural wood treated with chemical impregnations - but you need to strive for this. The safest products are considered to be from well-known brands that monitor the maximum permissible concentrations of phenols, formaldehydes and styrene in their materials.
If you are using unheated garage V winter time, internal thermal insulation is still needed. Otherwise, you get a simple carport with a gate that protects the car from precipitation, but not from cold. But you can refuse external insulation.
It is also worth considering the insulation of the garage roof, since a lot of heat is lost through it. It all depends on the design and availability of the attic space. Possible options for roofing of different configurations:
- Flat or with a slight slope allows insulation to be laid on top. It is better to use rigid slabs of polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam (EPS), and waterproof the top using roll materials.
- The pitched roof is insulated with the same polystyrene foam or mineral wool laid between the rafters. The latter option is preferable because it does not require particularly precise sizing and additional fasteners.
- In a garage with a cold attic, you can line the floor with glass wool rolls - you will get reliable and budget-friendly thermal insulation. The main thing that roofing material protected it well from getting wet, and ventilation ensured the removal of accumulated moisture.
We also allow the option of insulating the ceiling in the garage. The same materials are used here as for wall insulation: mineral wool, rigid polymer boards. This solution allows you to create a continuous “warm” contour without gaps or cold bridges. But it is necessary that on the side of the room it is covered with a vapor barrier that cuts off moist air. Additional waterproofing on top is required.
Having decided on the insulation technology and the features of the garage enclosing structures, choosing the material is much easier. For example, for a metal box, spraying polyurethane foam or forming a “sandwich” using polystyrene foam is ideal. Walls made of aerated concrete with a thickness of 300 mm are enough to be finished on the outside with warm perlite plaster. But most buildings allow the use of simple and cheaper technologies. We offer a unique TOP of popular types of thermal insulation with calculation of their quantity and associated costs for drawing up estimates.
Polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam
These two related insulation materials differ from each other in both characteristics and price. But the technology for working with hard polymers remains unchanged, so we will consider them as one material. Polystyrene foam is sold in flat sheets of varying thicknesses, so just calculate the surface area and add 10% for waste to calculate the amount needed.
The most reliable way to insulate structures is with two layers of polystyrene foam. Laying thin slabs with overlapping joints provides protection from blowing.
Calculation example:
- It is necessary to insulate 50 m2 of walls with foam plastic slabs 10 cm thick.
- For two-layer installation you need 100 m2 of hard polymer, but already 5 cm thick.
- Taking into account the reserve for trimming and waste, we accept 100 + 10% = 110 m 2.
- The largest sheets of PSB-S foam come in a standard size of 1000x1000 mm - you will need 110 of them.
- Extruded polystyrene foam has a smaller area of 1200x600 mm (0.72 m2), that is, 153 pieces are already needed - that’s less than 20 packages of 8 sheets each.
For fastening, you will need special glue and foam to seal the seams. Dry adhesives are sold in bags weighing 25 kg and have an average consumption of about 4 kg/m2, that is, in our case you will need 400 kg or 16 packages of the mixture. Polyurethane-based adhesive foam is purchased at the rate of one container per 10 square meters - a total of 10 units plus mounting gun.
For reliable adhesion, the area of the adhesive mass after pressing the sheet should occupy 30–40% of the surface of the foam. In the case of adhesive foam, stripes with a width of at least 6–7 mm are applied for this purpose.
As for the consumption of polyurethane foam for sealing joints, it all depends on the density of the insulation panels, as well as the quality of the edges. In addition, this composition is ideal for correcting all flaws in the insulating layer, so more of it may be required. Minimum consumption for our example - 2 cylinders (about 60 liters of foam). But often the actual volume of the composition at the exit does not correspond to what is stated on the packaging, plus some of it ends up outside and must be removed, so this figure at least needs to be doubled.
This category includes both basalt slabs and cheaper fiberglass. The latter has a very limited scope of application, since the density of the material is low, and under load it quickly loses volume. The maximum that glass wool can do is insulate horizontal and flat surfaces from the inside.
Basalt wool is available in a wider range, so it can be used on almost all surfaces if you choose the right material:
- Internal insulation attic floor(for example, in a garage with an attic floor) allows the use of lightweight, inexpensive rolls with a density of 30 kg/m 3.
- The inside walls are sheathed with mats weighing 45–60 kg/m3.
- For curtain wall systems, slabs with a density of about 70 kg/m3 are suitable.
- External insulation under plaster is performed with two-layer sheets with a more rigid weave of the upper fibers with a density of 90 kg/m 3.
- Flat roofs under fused insulation or thin screed require the use of expensive slabs from 110 kg/m 3 and above.
Mineral wool insulation is not the cheapest option for a garage. But if the building is adjacent to a residential building, in order to fire safety it's better to use it
As in the case of polystyrene foam, it is recommended to lay the wool in two layers, so that the insulation area when calculating the materials is multiplied by 2. In addition, you will need a waterproofing film 200 microns thick and a vapor barrier. Their sizes will be larger, since all seams must be made with an overlap of 10–15 cm.
Insulation with mineral wool usually does not require the use of any fastening elements- it is simply inserted into wooden frame from timber. You'll need a lot of it. The length of the lumber is determined by the dimensions of the protected surface, that is, the height of the walls or the length of the slopes of the sloping roof. The number of bars depends on the installation pitch - it should be 1–2 cm less than the width of the mineral insulation. The “wet” method of insulating the outer walls of a garage does not involve the installation of sheathing - basalt slabs are glued with a special compound applied to their surface. The average consumption of the finished mixture is 9–10 kg/m2.
When gluing facades with mineral wool, additional fixation of the slabs is performed with dowel mushrooms - 5 pieces for each sheet
Mineral thermal insulation in the case of a garage is not suitable only for the floor, although in residential buildings this option is quite acceptable. But in a box it is impossible to provide it with sufficient protection from moisture, as a result of which the insulation quickly loses its properties and becomes unusable.
“Highly specialized” insulation materials
The choice of insulation materials on our market is not limited to foam plastic and mineral wool. However, the use of other insulation materials is not so widespread, as they have their drawbacks. However, they should also be given attention, since in some cases the use of alternative types of thermal insulation may be justified.
- Expanded clay is an inexpensive bulk material that is suitable for backfilling between walls in two-layer masonry, as well as for installing “warm” floor screed. It has high water absorption and average thermal conductivity of about 0.1–0.18 W/m∙°C.
- Foam glass blocks are a good heat insulator that is resistant to many external influences, but they are very expensive. In addition, glass foam blocks are not friendly with alkaline cement-based solutions (glues, plasters).
- Fiberboard and wood concrete are mostly building materials that certainly have good thermal insulation characteristics (0.08–0.11 W/m∙°C). It is better to foresee the use of cement-bonded particle blocks and slabs at the construction stage, and then select insulation materials for them.
Required Tools
Each stage of garage insulation work requires its own set of tools. The list also depends on the selected material, but mainly the changes will affect cutting devices. For example, mineral wool can be cut well with a construction knife, but polystyrene foam is easier to handle with a homemade “hacksaw” made of steel wire on wooden handles. You can, of course, use a jigsaw, but in this case the sheets will crumble a lot, so you will have to work slowly. The rest of the set of tools is standard.
To prepare surfaces:
- a hard synthetic brush (in some cases - a hand brush or a cord brush for an angle grinder);
- grinder - to remove protruding reinforcement and large protrusions of the main surface;
- narrow spatulas for sealing cracks.
To attach the insulation:
- drill/screwdriver;
- construction stapler;
- notched trowel or mounting gun for adhesives.
In the case when the insulation layer is laid in the sheathing, do not forget to select a tool for making the frame: a jigsaw for a wooden beam, a hacksaw, an angle grinder or scissors for a metal profile.
Instructions for DIY floor insulation in an unheated garage
Most cheap way insulate the floor in the garage - make an expanded clay pillow and fill it with concrete. True, in this case the finished base will have to be completely disassembled, and the whole process will be labor-intensive.
Work order:
- Dig a pit up to half a meter deep in the ground and line it with roofing felt, extending onto the walls. Seal the waterproofing seams with bitumen mastic or simply seal them.
- Fill the hole with expanded clay to a height of 30 cm and cover it with reinforcing mesh.
- Prepare concrete mortar and pour screed of the required thickness. Try to make the base sloping towards the gate to drain water.
Do not forget that when installing a concrete floor around the perimeter, it is necessary to leave expansion joints. Use a special damper tape made of foamed PET for this.
Insulation under cement pouring can also be done using polystyrene foam. There is no need to fasten it - just lay the sheets tightly on a leveled surface covered with film and foam the seams. Waterproof the top again, lay reinforcement and pour concrete mortar.
Under cement screed you need sheets with a density of at least 25 kg/m 3
Thermal insulation of the floor in a garage with a cellar
When it comes to a garage with a cellar underneath, floor insulation has to be done especially carefully. Here a lot depends on the design of the ceiling. Ideally, if it is wooden - the fight against excess humidity in the basement does not give a 100% result, and solid wood, unlike concrete, not only accumulates moisture, but also readily releases it.
The insulated floor diagram will look like this:
- Waterproof insulation laid between the joists - the lightest foam plastic will do, since there will be no load on it.
- A diffusion membrane with one-way permeability so that the wooden beam can “breathe” through it. In this case, 10–15 cm of the lag at the ends remain free.
- An extension sheathing 5 cm high provides a ventilated gap above the insulation layer.
- Subfloor made from edged boards.
For a garage with a basement - the best option
This solution will allow you to cut off the cold coming from the basement, and the excess humid air will let you into the garage. Here the ventilation ducts will come into operation, preventing dampness from accumulating and destroying wooden structures and the car itself. However, all lumber should also be protected from rotting - for this they are treated with antiseptic impregnations and given time to dry.
To provide better protection the base of the garage from the cold, you can create a “warm” blind area around the entire perimeter from the outside. It will shift the freezing line of the soil, and the temperature under the building will remain above zero even in winter.
Insulating walls with foam plastic from the outside: instructions and photo gallery
Traditionally, before starting work, we prepare surfaces for insulation: we remove peeling pieces, repair chips and potholes, and clean the walls of dirt. Brickwork or concrete with their absorbent properties must be additionally treated with a penetrating primer. After this, insulation is performed in the following order:
- Attach a metal corner to the bottom of the walls - it will serve as a support for the rows of foam plastic.
- Prepare the adhesive mixture according to the instructions given on the package.
- Apply the composition to each sheet using one of the methods shown in the photo.
This method is only suitable for polymer adhesives in cylinders. The adhesive is applied with a notched trowel in a layer of 3–4 mm
“Blots” of glue should be evenly distributed on the sheet
Heat conservation is a prerequisite for any room that will be used in the winter season. This is especially true for garage buildings, which are open to “all winds” and, for the most part, are not suitable for installation central heating. Adaptation of the garage to winter conditions is carried out through internal or external wall insulation, which allows you to maintain a positive temperature inside the room even in severe frosts.
Where to insulate: inside or outside?
To keep heat inside the garage, you need to create a screen from insulation material, which will not let in cold from outside and will preserve internal heat. The thermal insulation layer can be located both outside and inside the building - the principle of heat conservation is the same in both cases, however, each option has its own nuances that should be taken into account. External thermal insulation is more effective, as it prevents the cold from reaching the walls and does not affect inner part garage. But at the same time, this method of insulation is more expensive and labor-intensive - creating a camouflage facade that will hide the insulation will not be cheap.
Internal insulation reduces the internal area of the garage by the thickness of the insulating material, but at the same time it costs several times less and does not require special skills for self-installation. If your main goal is to directly prepare the garage for cold weather and you are not planning large-scale construction work, then this method of insulation will optimal solution.
Material selection
Almost any material with a porous or fibrous structure can be used as insulation - mineral wool, polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, organic insulation, etc. In general, for insulating a garage, it is appropriate to use any of the above names, if you are guided by the principle “it won’t get worse.” However, if you have the opportunity to choose, it is better to familiarize yourself with all the advantages and disadvantages various types insulation to choose the most suitable name for a particular situation.
Foam plastic - universal insulation for the garage
- Styrofoam. Foam boards are characterized by low cost - this is the cheapest insulation material on the domestic market. The advantages of this material include its low weight, moisture resistance and ease of processing. Obvious disadvantages include a high fire hazard and a fragile structure.
- Expanded polystyrene. Possesses everyone technical advantages polystyrene foam, but at the same time it is less flammable and more durable material. The price of insulation is slightly higher than its foam counterpart, but it does not exceed acceptable limits.
- Mineral, basalt wool. A more advanced analogue of glass wool, popular in the Soviet Union. Absolutely non-flammable material. A critical disadvantage of mineral wool is its fibrous structure, which absorbs water like a sponge - with high humidity, the insulation gets wet, losing its thermal insulation properties and promoting the development of fungus.
- Organic insulation. An analogue of mineral wool on an organic basis (linen, cotton, etc.) is an environmentally friendly material of natural origin. Unlike mineral wool, organic insulation is flammable.
Mineral wool is popular, but not reliable in damp conditions
The most suitable material for insulating a garage, regardless of the material from which it is made, is insulation based on foam plastic or expanded polystyrene, due to ease of installation, moisture resistance and reasonable price. Fiber insulation is less preferable due to its structure, since unheated room It is not always possible to maintain an optimal level of humidity. However, this does not mean that the use of cotton wool materials is categorically not recommended - their use is also appropriate, although not as preferable.
Important! If there is a stove, heater or other heat sources in the garage, then the area where they are located must be insulated with mineral wool to prevent fire and the release of toxins due to excessive heat.
Material calculation
The calculation of the material is carried out by calculating the quadrature of the insulated area - the length of the wall is multiplied by its height. So you will get the quantity square meters which needs to be insulated. The thickness of the insulation is directly proportional to its thermal insulation properties.
Since the thermal insulation layer requires an outer shell, in addition to insulation, it is also necessary to purchase consumables for assembling and covering the frame. To form the frame, it is better to use metal profiles that are not afraid of moisture and are quite easy to install. The calculation of the footage of the supporting profile is carried out taking into account the fact that the distance between load-bearing elements the frame should not exceed 50−60 cm. It is also necessary to take into account the presence of intermediate fasteners. The footage of the guides is equal to the perimeter of the room multiplied by 2.
To cover the frame, it is best to use moisture-resistant plasterboard, which contains moisture-repellent impregnation and antifungal additives - an inexpensive, fire-resistant and easy-to-process material. The calculation of the required number of sheets is carried out in the same way as in the case of insulating material.
Important! Based on the data obtained, you should remember about possible unforeseen situations and purchase material with a small reserve, which on average is about 10-15% of the initial quantity.
Insulation of walls in a garage from the inside
Frame installation
Installation of the frame is necessary for the subsequent installation of decorative sheathing, which will hide the insulation from prying eyes. During the installation process you will need the following tools:
- Hammer drill;
- Screwdriver;
- Metal scissors;
- Level;
Ready frame for drywall
All fasteners in the wall are pre-drilled with a hammer drill, then self-tapping dowels are inserted into the holes and tightened with a screwdriver. Metallic profile Easily cut with metal scissors, in almost any position. The frame in the garage is assembled as follows:
- First of all, guides are mounted on the ceiling and floor into which the supporting profile will be inserted. They must be parallel to each other - first, the guide is mounted on the ceiling, and then, using a level or plumb line, the guide on the floor is adjusted. The distance from the wall should allow the insulation to be placed so that it does not “push” the sheathing. There must be a sealing tape between the base and the guide, which will absorb small irregularities and create a tighter connection.
Important! When attaching the profile, it is necessary to take into account differences in the surface - it should not be “swayed” by excessive bending. Deep differences, especially if the dowel becomes clogged in them, must be smoothed out with stands, and protruding parts must be removed.
- Before installing the supporting profiles on the wall, supporting brackets are mounted, which impart rigidity to the entire structure. The bracket is a metal plate with perforated edges - the middle is mounted to the wall, and the edges are bent to form a “U” shaped figure into which the supporting profile will be inserted. The pendants are located along a strictly vertical line, which is measured using a plumb line or level. The step between the vertical lines can be 60, 40 or 30 cm - the larger the step, the weaker the structure will be.
Important! If necessary, you can choose the step between the guides arbitrarily, within the mentioned values, however, in this case you will have to constantly adjust the plasterboard sheets, since their standard width is 140 cm.
- The supporting profiles are inserted into the guides along the hangers. Fixation in guides and hangers is carried out using a screwdriver and small metal screws. The general plane is adjusted using a rule, or using a fishing line stretched between the outer profiles.
- Between the carriers, with a similar step, transverse frame elements are installed, which are made from a profile - they are necessary to strengthen the structure. As a fixing connection, you can use single-level “crab” connectors or simply cut off the sides of the profile, forming a tongue that is attached directly to the surface of the supporting profile.
Attaching the profile to the suspension
Waterproofing
Fiber insulation is very sensitive to moisture - in this case you cannot do without waterproofing. To avoid getting the wool wet, it is necessary to create a sealed, waterproof layer between the wall and the insulation. For this purpose, membrane film or any other flexible waterproof material is used. After the frame is completely assembled, it is covered with waterproofing material. The film should not be pulled, it should lie freely, fastening to the profile is carried out using staples. The main thing is to create a sealed barrier for condensation - the overlap between the edges of the strips should be at least 10 cm. The junction is taped.
When thinking about the need for waterproofing, we should not forget that its main function is to protect the insulation from small amounts of moisture that can seep in from the outside. It is insurance against unforeseen situations, and not a panacea - if there is high humidity from the walls, it is necessary to carry out comprehensive work on external waterproofing. Internal waterproofing in this case it will be a temporary and short-lived solution to the problem.
Installation of insulation
Insulation of walls with foam plastic
Before starting insulation, the walls must be cleared of strongly protruding elements: fittings, metal fasteners, etc. If there are through gaps in the wall, then they must be covered with concrete or plaster mortar (sand 1:2 cement based on the weight of the components) to remove drafts.
The process of installing insulation largely depends on the structure of the material - polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene with a block form factor can be mounted using glue, while mineral wool is fixed only with self-tapping dowels. Insulation of walls with polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene is carried out in the following order:
- The walls are cleaned of dust and primed with a special compound to improve adhesion (degree of “stickiness”). After the primer has completely dried, you can proceed directly to the installation of insulation.
- The insulation is installed from the bottom up; the sheets must be cut exactly to fit the opening between the supporting profiles. Adhesive composition is applied to the surface of the insulation using a calibrating spatula, after which the block is pressed against the wall. Since the material is very light, there is no need to additionally press or fix the block until the glue is completely polymerized.
- After the glue has set, the blocks can be additionally secured using self-tapping dowels with wide plastic caps or bolts if the garage is made of sheet iron.
Installation of mineral wool or its varieties is carried out using self-tapping dowels with wide plastic caps, which fix the block in five places - in the corners and in the center. The insulation process is carried out as follows:
- Before installation, at the bottom of the wall, it is necessary to install a profile or strip so that the wool does not touch the floor and does not absorb moisture.
- The insulation is cut so that the width of the strips exceeds the width of the opening between the supporting profiles by 1 - 2 cm.
- The mats are driven into the openings between the profiles; there should be no gaps or voids left. The insulation is fixed with dowel screws with plastic caps or bolts if the garage is made of sheet iron.
In this case, we mean a design in which the profile is pressed tightly or very close to the wall. If the distance between the profile and the wall is large enough, then a solid thermal insulation coating is formed, in which recesses are cut for fastening the frame.
Covering the finished frame with plasterboard
The plasterboard sheets are fastened using self-tapping screws 25 mm long. The sheets must be positioned so that the edge falls exactly in the middle of the supporting profile. The distance between the screws should not exceed 20 cm, while the caps must be sunk into the surface by approximately 1 mm. First of all, whole sheets are mounted, then inserts. Drywall is cut using a utility knife - the sheet is cut deeply on one side, and then simply broken in the direction opposite to the cut.
Video on the topic
Insulating gates with your own hands
Insulating gates with foam plastic
Iron garage doors let in not only your car, but also the cold outside - the metal instantly freezes and does not protect against frost in any way. For insulating gates with inside it is necessary to assemble the frame for the sheathing. It is most convenient to use wood as a material - a frame is assembled from timber, reinforced with intermediate inserts. The beam is attached to the gate using metal screws.
Assembling a wooden frame
It is advisable to glue the insulation sheets to the surface of the gate to avoid the appearance of condensation on the surface of the metal. In connection with this circumstance, the use of polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam is more preferable. After installing the insulation, the frame is sheathed with plywood, tin, etc. If the gate profile implies the presence of an internal cavity sufficient for installing insulation, then you can do without installing a frame. Since sheet insulation is lightweight, if desired, you can simply glue the sheets to the gate without assembling the frame and sheathing. In this case, you will have to be more careful when operating the gate, since unprotected thermal insulation will be quite easily damaged by careless action.
Ceiling queue
Laying insulation on a garage ceiling
An uninsulated ceiling is the biggest gap in a room's thermal insulation. Unlike walls, it is more expedient to insulate the ceiling from the attic side - the insulation will be more effective and there is no need to form decorative cladding, which “eats up” useful space and finances. It is better to use polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene as insulation, although mineral wool would also be quite appropriate in this case.
External insulation of a garage is not particularly complicated - waterproofing is laid on the surface of the attic and the insulation sheets are simply laid without cracks or voids. The thickness of the insulation material must be at least 10 cm. In this case, it is important to create a dense thermal insulation layer, without so-called cold bridges - polyurethane foam is used to fill seams or hard-to-reach places.
Floor
Expanded clay for insulating the floor in the garage
If the floor is formed from monolithic concrete, it also intensively “sucks” heat from the room. The only one rational decision, in this case, is backfill thermal insulation material(expanded clay) and the formation of a new concrete screed. Alternative Methods Insulation in this case is inappropriate, since the coating must support the weight of the car. Ideally, the thermal insulation of the floor should be carried out at the time of construction of the building, since in any other case it will be necessary to either break the old covering or form thermal insulation on top of it, which means raising the floor by 15 - 20 cm.
If the garage has already been built, then you will have to proceed from existing circumstances - the best option will completely break the concrete screed to free up enough space for the insulation backfill. However, if the height of the room allows you to raise the floor by 15 cm or more, then you can do without dismantling the old covering. If possible, it is better to purchase expanded clay of heterogeneous (fine and medium) or medium fractions in order to reduce the likelihood of voids forming. To form the screed you will need cement and sand. The work order is as follows:
- The site is being prepared for filling insulation. The insulation layer must be at least 10 cm thick, optimally about 20-30 cm. You should also take into account the layer of concrete screed, which is formed at least 5 cm thick. The site must be as level as possible so that the backfill is uniform.
- A layer of waterproofing is laid over the soil or old coating so that the expanded clay granules do not absorb moisture. For this purpose you can use various materials: from roofing felt to dense polyethylene film.
- Insulation is poured onto the waterproofing in an even layer. To evenly distribute the expanded clay, the surface is leveled with a rule or a long level.
- To strengthen the insulation granules, cement mortar is used - cement is mixed with water until a homogeneous substance is formed, which should not be too liquid or thick. The resulting mixture is poured into the top layer of expanded clay so that the cement penetrates into the voids between the granules.
- After cement mixture When completely dry, the concrete screed is poured. Concrete mortar consists of cement and sand, in a ratio of 60/40 based on the mass of the components. When making concrete mortar, it is easiest to focus on the color of the mixture, which should have a clear cement tint. A rule is used to level the filled area. The surface of the screed is smoothed with a spatula or trowel.
Important! In this case, Portland cement M400 is implied - the lower the grade, the more cement is required and vice versa. But we should not forget that the principle “the more the better” is inappropriate in this case, since excess cement will disrupt the structure of the screed.
Leveling expanded clay using the rule
Since the garage area is generally not very large, it is quite possible to form the screed “by eye”. But if you want to get a perfectly flat surface, then you need to install beacons. As beacons, you can use profiles, pipes and any other material with a smooth edge. Beacons are installed using a level, thus creating limit marks that indicate the level of a perfectly flat plane.
Installing beacons is quite simple - along the edges of the room, using a hydraulic level, extreme profiles are installed, then a fishing line is stretched between them, which determines the level of the intermediate elements. The main thing is to firmly fix the beacons so that no displacement occurs during pouring. Concrete mortar with a small addition of alabaster is best suited for this purpose. Beacons need to be fixed pointwise, and not along the entire length.
Important! Adding alabaster to a concrete solution significantly reduces its hardening time - the count can go by tens of seconds. Don't dilute it too much a large number of, otherwise you will not physically have time to develop it.
Cellar
If the garage has a cellar, then its insulation is also a prerequisite for creating good thermal insulation of the room. Installation of insulation in this case is carried out in the same way as in the case of the main room, with the difference that the cellar ceiling is insulated from the inside.
The procedure for insulating the ceiling:
![](https://i2.wp.com/legkovmeste.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/uteplenie-potolka.jpg)
The floor in the cellar is insulated in accordance with the same recommendations as for insulating the floor in the garage. After the work is completed, the humidity level in the cellar will rise significantly, so it is necessary to consider a high-quality ventilation system.
Insulating the garage allows you to maintain a positive temperature in the room without central heating. The only thing to remember is that you should not make the room completely sealed in order to prevent an increase in humidity. The garage must have ventilation to remove moisture from melted snow, rain and other things that the car brings with it during bad weather.
Insulating a garage is a way to ensure proper operating conditions for the building and storage of the car, especially in the autumn-winter period.
Proper insulation of a brick garage
Very often, car owners believe that the temperature inside the garage should be almost the same as in the house. But this is a mistaken opinion, since driving from the cold into warm room In the garage, the car will definitely become covered with condensation. Which in turn will destroy its anti-corrosion coating, which will lead to the appearance of rust and subsequent destruction of the metal parts of the car.
During construction, the garage walls are not laid out thick enough. Naturally, they cannot prevent cold air from entering the room in winter. For this purpose, the walls of the building are insulated. Let's take a closer look at how to insulate brick garage.
Important: the temperature inside the garage should be no more than 5-6 degrees so that the difference between the temperature inside and outside is minimal.
Insulation methods
Plastering garage walls for insulation
In order for the insulation of a brick garage to be correct, it is necessary to increase the inertia of the insulation and reduce thermal conductivity. If you follow this rule, the garage will be quite warm in winter and cool in summer. To achieve greater effect, it is best to use a combined method, in which insulation is used in conjunction with a heat insulator. At the same time, it is impossible to achieve the set goal by limiting itself only to insulating the walls, forgetting about the roof and gates. Insulation must be complete and comprehensive.
Before choosing materials, you should decide on the method of carrying out insulation work, since the technology of implementation depends on the latter finishing works. The following methods are distinguished:
- plastering technology;
- double insulation;
- internal insulation;
- external.
Double wall insulation scheme
The first option is the cheapest. It involves the use of a fiberglass mesh on which a layer of plaster is applied. But additional installation of a thermal layer is required. It is usually made of siding, lining, plastic and other similar materials. But this method takes a long time to complete and is therefore not used so often.
The double insulation method is very effective. It allows you to retain heat, significantly reduces the cost of additional heating of the room in winter and almost completely eliminates the possibility of corrosion.
The latter methods are the most common. Moreover, any one is used. External insulation is the best method and fully meets building standards.
The internal method of laying insulation is less effective; there is always a risk of freezing of the walls, release of harmful fumes and destruction of the structure under the influence of condensation.
Currently, new thermal insulation technologies have appeared on the construction market. But they are not yet widespread enough. These are reflective thermal insulation and thermal insulating dyes. Reflective thermal insulation is used mainly for metal garages and is available in roll form. If the inside of the garage is finished with plaster, you can use heat-insulating dyes as insulation. It will allow the layer of plaster to breathe.
Insulation materials
Photo of insulating garage walls with foam plastic
Can be used as insulation materials:
- Styrofoam;
- mineral wool;
- glass wool
Glass wool is a classic insulation material and is quite common. But when choosing it as a thermal insulation material, you must remember some rules:
- its fibers are very hard, so you should only work with it with gloves;
- It is necessary to isolate it from moisture, since when water gets in, the fibers crumple. Glass wool loses its basic insulating qualities and can no longer be used.
- In addition, glass wool is flammable. It is better not to use it to insulate the garage from the inside.
Photo of insulating a garage wall with mineral wool
Mineral wool is a good and common insulation option. It, like glass wool, is sensitive to moisture; it is necessary to apply a layer of waterproofing. It can insulate garage walls both outside and inside. The only difference may be the degree of hardness of the mat. For external insulation they must be more rigid. Modern market building materials has wide range mineral wool. Experts recommend basalt for purchase, as it is a leader in quality and sales level. But it is worth noting that it has a higher cost than glass wool.
Polystyrene foam is an almost ideal thermal insulator for a brick garage. They can be used to insulate the walls and ceiling in the garage from the inside. This material has a number of advantages:
- light weight and ease of installation, allow you to do the work yourself;
- good thermal insulation properties and moisture resistance;
- long service life;
- not subject to rotting;
- quite reasonable price.
However, polystyrene foam has a drawback - it does not allow air to pass through at all and is flammable. But for interior decoration In the garage, you can use PBS-S foam, which is treated with fire retardant and is capable of extinguishing itself in the event of a fire.
Insulating the garage from the outside
Insulating the garage wall from the outside with polystyrene foam
Many experts consider external insulation to be the most suitable and effective method. The following arguments support this:
- The risk of walls freezing is almost completely eliminated.
- Resistance to condensation between the wall and the insulation.
- There is no environment for the formation of mold and fungal compounds.
- Saving space indoors.
- No harmful fumes.
The most common material for external insulation is polystyrene foam. For this method, it is necessary to prepare the surface of the walls well.
Important: it is necessary to store polystyrene foam and its derivatives without exposure to sunlight, since under their influence it is destroyed and loses its basic properties.
It is necessary to first clean the surface from chips, repair potholes and oil stains. In some cases, an adhesive solution can be used for leveling. Then allow time to dry and apply a layer of special primer.
Now you should move directly to insulation. A profile under the starting row is attached to the bottom. Then the remaining rows are installed and the top profile is installed. Glue is applied to sheets of foam plastic (expanded polystyrene). This is done using a notched trowel over the entire surface evenly, or pointwise, with a small amount of glue. Install the foxes by adjusting their position by level.
It is better to lay the foam in a checkerboard pattern, carefully pressing it against each other. The glue is allowed to dry completely for three to four days, and then the sheets are additionally secured with dowels.
To maintain high thermal protection properties and eliminate the possibility of moisture ingress, additional finishing surfaces. You can use traditional plaster or the now popular siding finish.
Important: the garage must have a ventilation system installed to avoid the accumulation of harmful carbon monoxide and excessive humidity.
Insulating garage walls from the inside
Internal wall insulation is used quite rarely. But if that's the only thing possible variant, then the work must be carried out in a strictly defined sequence.
How to insulate a brick garage from the inside?
Initially, you should thoroughly clean the surface of the garage walls. Next, you should mount a frame that will hold the insulation layer and at the same time serve as the basis for attaching finishing materials.
Any material can be used as insulation. But for fire safety purposes, it is best to use mineral wool. You can insulate a garage from the inside with polystyrene foam, but working with it is quite complicated and requires additional help.
The frame is mounted in increments, depending on the geometric dimensions of the insulation sheet (roll). It is necessary that the step width be slightly (1-2 cm) smaller than the size of the heat insulation sheet to ensure density during installation. Before laying insulation, it is necessary to perform waterproofing. This can be done using special insulating mixtures or film coating.
In some cases, an additional layer of aluminum-based film insulation is laid on top of the insulation.
The last stage of internal insulation can be finishing wooden clapboard or drywall. On drywall, it is imperative to apply a layer of plaster on top of the fiberglass reinforced mesh. The lining is additionally treated with various antiseptic mixtures.
For insulation from the inside, you can use the method of constructing an imitation (false) partition. Then a layer of thermal insulation is placed in its frame. But be prepared for the fact that this method will significantly reduce the area of the room.
Video on insulating garage walls:
Gate insulation finishing
When insulating a garage, you should pay special attention to the gates, since a lot of heat is lost through them. Unnecessary heat loss can be eliminated and insulate garage doors? To do this, it is better to make a door in one of the gate leaves.
The gate leaf is usually insulated with polystyrene foam. A sheathing is mounted on the inside, then sheets of expanded polystyrene (foam) are attached to it. The gaps where the gates close are treated with special adhesive tape. You can install seals in places where air penetrates. Next, waterproofing is performed. For the final cladding of the gate, you need to mount the frame. Experts recommend using OSB or thin boards as finishing materials.
Important: the gate panels are usually metal, so before insulation they need to be thoroughly treated with anti-corrosion mixtures. You can use regular drying oil for this, just warm it up a little.
You should not use moisture-resistant materials such as gypsum plasterboard to decorate garage doors.
Video on insulating garage doors:
Garage roof insulation
Insulating the garage roof photo
To complete the insulation process, you should also think about the roof. Is it worth spending effort and money on insulating walls if warm air rising up to the ceiling will escape through the structural elements of the roof?
If the roof is wooden, then sheets of foam plastic are simply laid on top, fastened well, a layer of waterproofing is laid and covered with roofing materials.
If the garage floor is concrete, then it is better to insulate the ceiling in the garage from the inside. Using metal corners, a frame is constructed. It is secured with self-tapping screws. Sheets of insulation are laid over the frame (it is better to use polystyrene foam and its analogues). You can secure them with glue or tape. Then they are pressed tightly with the sheathing and fastened again. If necessary, you can lay an additional layer of waterproofing material on an aluminum base and finally cover it with clapboard. But this option makes sense if mineral or glass wool is chosen as the thermal insulation material. Foam does not require any additional waterproofing.
Video on insulating the ceiling in the garage:
Additional insulation measures
Garage owners rarely insulate the floor, especially if it has an inspection hole. Of course, when the garage is part of the house and there is a basement, then there is no need for such work. But if the floor freezes, then this problem also needs to be solved.
15.06.2018
The garage protects the car from direct exposure to rain and snow. But this is not the only thing that affects the state of its mechanisms. Temperature fluctuations lead to condensation. And it, in turn, causes rust, fungi and mold to appear, accumulates in body cavities, and damages the engine. Therefore, the car owner’s task is to reduce his education to a minimum.
Heating or insulating?
When the temperature in the garage is below freezing, the condensation freezes. And when the engine heats up, it begins to melt. Freeze-thaw cycles do not benefit either the metal or the internal mechanisms.
But heating the room is not the optimal solution. Leaving from warm garage in the cold, we create a situation sharp drop temperatures And when we return back to the heated space, we get the formation of condensation even on those parts where moisture does not enter when the car is moving.
Experts say that the best conditions for winter storage cars are created when the thermometer shows +5°C. The danger of corrosion under such conditions is minimal, and the temperature difference between the street and the room does not have such a detrimental effect on the car.
Accordingly, when choosing between connecting to the heating system and insulating the garage with your own hands, it is wiser to choose the second option. Moreover, it will help you save on your monthly energy bills.
Basic requirements for garage insulation
When insulating a car storage space, it is worth remembering a number of key points.
- Cannot be closed ventilation holes- any thermally insulated building needs ventilation just as much as a heated one.
- Thermal protection should affect not only walls, but also garage doors, floors, and roofs.
- If you want to do everything according to the rules, it would be useful to study the sixth section of SNiP 2.07.01–89. It regulates the requirements for premises where vehicles are stored. Of course, when it comes to a personal garage, it is not necessary to comply with them. However, standards can help address a number of issues.
- To insulate the gate, in most cases, internal thermal protection is installed.
How to insulate: inside or outside
The most desirable type of insulation is external. It protects the walls from freezing and allows them to accumulate heat.
Nevertheless, sometimes they resort to insulating the garage from the inside. For example, when there is no space between garage boxes or their walls are adjacent.
Materials market review: choosing the best
The first thing you have to consider when choosing a heat insulator is the type of insulation you choose. For example, moisture-permeable materials, when wet, change their properties. Therefore, they are not a good option for external thermal protection. And for internal thermal insulation, insulation materials that emit harmful substances in the summer heat or during domestic heating.
The modern market offers several types of materials for thermal insulation of garages. Let's consider the main properties and characteristics of the most popular of them.
Mineral wool
Available in the form of slabs and rolls. It retains heat well and has sound insulation properties. But at the same time it easily absorbs moisture - high humidity main enemy cotton insulation. And when wet, it completely loses its ability to insulate heat. Therefore, its use requires high-quality hydro- and vapor barrier. It is almost impossible to dry this insulation; it becomes brittle and easily damaged. And when the glass wool gets wet during installation, it clumps and becomes unsuitable for further use (cavities appear inside it).
Considering that the external insulation pie can be damaged or depressurized, using this material is risky. In general, mineral wool is not the best choice for vertical installation. It has considerable weight and consists of fibers. Under their own weight, they can sag over the years, and voids will begin to form between them - the so-called cold bridges.
This heat insulator has two advantages: low price and the same low thermal conductivity. But that's all. Then only the shortcomings begin. Once in the lungs, glass particles are no longer excreted from the body. They leave itching and irritation on the skin. When installing them, a protective suit, a respirator and a mask are required, and after completion of the work, a thorough cleaning of the room is required. Then you will have to wait a day or two until the glass dust, invisible to the eye, settles.
If during operation there is at least partial damage to the protective layer of films or foil material, you will again need to rent special clothing and resort to cleaning after the repair is completed.
And finally, the material shrinks and is not durable. Therefore, it does not matter what type of insulation you prefer: internal or external, it is better not to stop at this option.
Styrofoam
This material is very popular due to its low cost and ease of installation. It retains heat well and lasts for decades. You can install it yourself, without having any special tools or special construction skills at hand. But ideal solution You still can’t name him. Although not as significant as mineral wool, it absorbs moisture. Very easily damaged and crumbles. Its granules have low adhesive strength, so over the years they can fly out even with accidental pressure on the material.
But that’s not even the main thing. There is a huge amount of uncertified polystyrene foam in the market due to the high demand for it. Finding a high-quality and safe product for health is not an easy task. And the one that was produced in violation of technology, when the temperature rises and the sun’s rays hit it, it begins to release toxic substances. Considering that the garage is a closed space, this is fraught with serious health problems for the car owner.
PENOPLEX (extruded polystyrene foam)
Perhaps, for insulating a garage from the inside with your own hands, this is the best option. It is affordable and even easier to install than foam plastic - the joints do not need to be sealed with foam, because they have L-shaped grooves. It is easy to cut and can be glued directly to the wall.
But the most important thing, of course, is its thermal insulation ability - one of the best among modern materials. Moreover, it remains unchanged in any situation. PENOPLEX does not get wet (moisture absorption coefficient is less than 0.4% in 28 days), is not afraid of defrost-freeze cycles and lasts for more than 50 years.
It is resistant to compression, does not shrink, absorbs noise, does not rot, does not harbor insects, and to top it all off, it is a homogeneous mass of polymer without individual granules. This provides it with high strength even many years after the work has been carried out.
Summarizing all of the above, we conclude that this material is ideal for both external and internal insulation.
Reflective Thermal Insulation
It is a foil material, which itself has rather modest heat-insulating characteristics and low thickness. It reflects well infrared radiation, which means it makes sense to use it only for heated rooms. If there is no source of heat, there will be little benefit from it. Therefore, as a rule, it is used only as an additional means of thermal protection when using other materials. For example, PENOPLEX.
How to insulate a garage from the outside - step-by-step instructions
For external work, it is most convenient to use rigid slabs. The cheapest option is polystyrene foam. PENOPLEX is more expensive, but much more effective in terms of moisture resistance, heat protection, service life and strength. Therefore, we will consider the installation procedure for this particular material. However, it is almost no different from the foam insulation technology.
We will need:
- glue (branded PENOPLEX is best, since its composition is specially adapted for this insulation and does not destroy it);
- a spatula for applying glue or a special gun;
- paint knife or jigsaw for cutting sheets;
- fastening disc elements (4 pieces for each plate).
Step 1. We prepare the walls.
We clear them of old paint, dirt, dust, cobwebs and other things. You can use a primer to help the glue adhere better. But this is an optional point.
Step 2. We fix the bottom bar.
It is typical for slabs to start installation from the ground. We attach the starting profile to the dowels and begin laying the material in a checkerboard pattern.
Step 3. Insulation fasteners.
This is a simple matter: apply glue in strips to the slab and apply it to the wall. We connect the L-shaped grooves to each other, thereby ensuring a tight fit of the material without gaps. When the glue dries, for greater reliability we fix the sheet with disc-shaped dowels.
Step 4. Final works.
To protect PENOPLEX from ultraviolet radiation and make the façade more aesthetically pleasing, we plaster the walls or cover them with siding, DSP, or other material.
Technology: how to insulate a garage from the inside with your own hands
As we see, with external insulation even an unprepared person can handle it. However, interior work are also not particularly difficult.
Floor insulation
It can be done different ways. One of the simplest and least labor-intensive options is PENOPLEX insulation under the screed. To do this, the floor will need to be raised a little. This will reduce the height of the room, but you won’t have to dig a pit - you can install the heat insulator on the existing floor. The procedure is simple.
1. Clean the surface, make a cement-sand screed (CSS) or level the coating using building mixtures. It is important that the differences do not exceed 5 mm.
2. At the next stage, we lay the PENOPLEX FOUNDATION® directly on the floor without using glue or dowels. You can put insulating material in one or several layers.
3. To distribute upcoming point loads, it is necessary to fill with concrete mortar or self-leveling mixture 40 mm thick. In this case, the insulation is insulated with film, and its seams are securely fastened with tape. Leave 1–2 cm of empty space between the wall and the screed to take into account thermal expansion and subsequently make noise insulation by filling it with polyethylene foam.
4. At the finish, the finishing floor is laid.
Thermal insulation of the ceiling when insulating the garage from the inside
The order of work is approximately the same as with the walls. We glue the PENOPLEX® COMFORT sheets, secure them with dowels, add a vapor barrier film, lathing, cover them with finishing material, and the thermal protection is ready.
Do-it-yourself insulation of garage walls from the inside
It can be carried out according to the same principle as for external walls, only using a vapor barrier film, which is laid on top of the heat insulator.
Gate protection
Many people are faced with the problem of seasonal “walking” of the pillars (the base of the gate), which is why they do not close. The best solution is to protect the base (posts) from freezing when installing the gate. If you have already installed ordinary iron gates, then they must also be thermally insulated from the inside. If it is possible to attach the sheets with dowels to the material from which the gate is made, it is worth doing so. If not, the usual glue method will do. The already glued insulation is covered first with a vapor barrier film, then external cladding. To enhance thermal protection, you can use foiled polyethylene.
Thus, right choice thermal insulation material makes insulating a garage a fairly simple process that anyone can do.
Insulation of a brick garage is a kind of guarantee of the long life and safety of the car. Due to sudden temperature changes, condensation may occur on the parts and body of the machine. And this, in turn, often causes a violation of the car’s anti-corrosion protection. What is needed to ensure that the temperature in the garage is optimal?
Some car enthusiasts do not think about how to insulate a garage from the inside and believe that achieving comfortable temperature conditions in a garage you can just install one or more powerful heaters.
But, alas, this is not so. They will heat, but not only the garage, but also the street, since heat from a garage that is not properly insulated will constantly evaporate into the external environment.
Based on all this, the conclusion suggests itself: without major insulation of the garage, you can achieve comfortable conditions impossible for a car. That’s why it’s necessary to find the right answer to the question: how to properly insulate a garage? Let's figure it out together.
To prevent warm air from leaving the interior, and cold air, on the contrary, not penetrating inside, you need to insulate the garage with your own hands, namely its walls and ceiling. As for the floor surface, this is a separate issue. But we will also consider it within the framework of this publication. Next, we will consider this process step by step.
We insulate the gates
- The inner surface of the gate should be treated with some kind of antiseptic (for example, heated drying oil);
- We lath the gate with beams. The cross-section of the beams must be selected in such a way that this indicator coincides with the thickness of the insulating material that is planned to be used (in our case, it is mineral wool). The distance between the sheathing bars must correspond to the width of the insulation layer. As for fastening the beams themselves, there are many options. However, we recommend fastening them with self-tapping screws onto corners pre-welded to the gate with holes drilled in them. If the garage is brick, then it is not necessary to use metal corners. In this case, the sheathing is fastened with the same self-tapping screws, but using dowels;\
- We put layers of mineral wool into the resulting paving cells. The insulation for the garage should fit tightly into the sheathing, without gaps, but should not be hunched over;
- Any thin waterproofing material (for example, roofing felt) should be placed on top of the mineral wool. This must be done, since condensation in the garage is common, and our task is to prevent this condensation from getting on the insulation. And since the insulation was not secured with anything, slats should be placed horizontally on the waterproofing material. The slats are fastened with self-tapping screws to the sheathing beams.
- On top, everything is sheathed with thin clapboard, OSB or plywood, which are attached with the same screws directly to the sheathing beams.
We insulate the ceiling
If you are thinking about how to cheaply insulate a garage from the inside, in addition to all other surfaces, you need to take care of the ceiling. Since all the warm air accumulates at the top, in order to avoid the loss of this precious heat, you need to thoroughly insulate the inner surface of the garage roof, that is, insulate the garage from the ceiling. Insulating a garage ceiling can be done in two ways:
- We are constructing a false ceiling.
- at some distance from the main ceiling along its perimeter, they are mounted on the walls wooden blocks or metal profile guides. Ceiling profiles or strong bars are mounted across them;
- we carry out the covering of the resulting frame. For these purposes, you can use lining, drywall, boards, chipboard, plastic panels, corrugated sheets and other covering materials;
- In parallel with the sheathing, insulation material is laid: mineral wool, polystyrene foam or other insulation materials.
- We insulate the ceiling with polyurethane foam
Here everything is solved literally in two stages:
- we clean the ceiling from rust, dirt, dust and various irregularities (the best option would be to clean the ceiling surface with a grinding machine) and treat it with degreasing agents;
- After the ceiling has dried from the degreaser, we blow out its entire surface with polyurethane foam. This insulation is good because it does not require the use of any fasteners. It lays evenly on any surface and adheres to it very reliably.
Note: although polyurethane foam is the most expensive insulation material, we decided to give an example of insulating a garage ceiling with it, because its thermal insulation characteristics are several times higher than those of other insulation materials. And its service life (up to 50 years) will allow you to save many times in the future.
If there is one above the garage attic space, you can create additional insulation ceiling with a mixture of clay and sawdust.
We insulate walls or how to insulate garage walls
When insulating a garage from the inside with your own hands, you cannot do without insulating the walls. We propose to consider the progress of this work using an example when polystyrene foam is used as insulation for garage walls. This material copes well with the task of thermal insulation. If necessary, polystyrene foam can be completely replaced with mineral wool. The progress of work with such a replacement does not change in any way. So, how to insulate a brick garage, or rather, its walls:
- Before making thermal insulation, it is necessary to make a sheathing from bars with a section of 2x2 cm or 3x3 cm. The step between them should be 800-1000 millimeters. This design should cover the entire perimeter of the wall;
- The garage walls are waterproofed under the sheathing. Materials such as polyethylene film, roofing felt or corrugated sheets are suitable as a waterproofing material;
- Wall insulation (in our case, polystyrene foam), cut strictly to the dimensions of the sheathing cells, is inserted into these same cells and pressed against the wall with glue previously applied to its surface. Cutting polystyrene foam is done with an ordinary knife;
- Next, you should protect the foam from the external environment. What's the best way to do this? The best option for this is to use some kind of sheet material. For example, gypsum plasterboard, plastic, gypsum fiber board, plywood, etc.;
- Reinforced tape should be glued to the joints of the sheet material, after which, if desired, plaster or other facing material can be applied on top of all this.
You can also insulate walls with polyurethane foam.
This is done in the same way as it was done with the ceiling. However, the area of the walls is quite large - it is several times larger than the area of the ceiling. Therefore, given the high cost of polyurethane foam, we consider this action too economically unfeasible and do not recommend using this material for insulating garage walls.
Insulating the floor in the garage
Most often, the garage floor is a concrete screed without any surface covering. This is understandable: the load on the surface is constantly increased, plus aggressive gasoline, oil, diesel fuel and other specific liquids. We will not break this concrete tradition either. Let's just say that a concrete floor is also quite capable of insulation. Let's figure out how to insulate the floor in the garage:
- A layer of soil 45 centimeters thick is removed over the entire area of the garage space - in other words: a pit of appropriate depth is dug. The bottom of the resulting depression is carefully compacted;
- The compacted bottom of the pit is covered with any waterproofing material (for example, roofing felt). This waterproofing allows you to inexpensively and efficiently protect the garage floor from moisture. When laying it, a 1-centimeter overlap is made on the walls;
- Control beacons are set to determine the thickness of the backfill layers. Such beacons can be made from cut pieces of reinforcement, for example. Or you can use your own version of control beacons for these purposes. The beacons are fixed with cement mortar, or gypsum can be used for these purposes;
- The expanded clay layer is poured first, the thickness of which should be 250-300 millimeters;
- Placed on top of the expanded clay layer reinforcement mesh with a cell of 100x100 millimeters. Making such a mesh from iron wire with your own hands or purchasing a ready-made one is entirely your choice;
- Next, a standard sand-cement mortar is poured. When pouring the screed, you must constantly monitor the level so that it is strictly horizontal, without tilting, distortions, depressions or bulges. The screed should be leveled and left until completely dry. The latter may take 20-30 days.
If you already have a concrete floor and you really don’t want to break it, and there is also the opportunity to sacrifice 15-20 centimeters of the height of the garage space, the floor in it can be insulated using a less labor-intensive, but no less effective method. It consists of the following:
- The floor is thoroughly cleaned using a vacuum cleaner;
- The floor is covered with any waterproofing material, for example, plastic film or roofing felt;
- Expanded polystyrene boards with a thickness of at least 100 millimeters and a minimum permissible density of C-25 are laid as tightly as possible on the waterproofing material;
- Another waterproofing layer is laid on top of the polystyrene foam;
- Reinforcing mesh is installed;
- On top of everything, a screed is poured from the same cement-sand mortar as in the first method we considered.
So, having correctly arranged and combined everything, we will get a perfectly insulated garage. At the same time, we did not need to invest particularly large sums of money in insulation work. The conclusion suggests itself is the following: with the right materials and correctly performed work, insulating the walls of a garage from the inside turns out to be not such a difficult and expensive undertaking, and insulating a garage with your own hands is not so difficult. And in the vast majority of cases, after carrying out such a complex of work, insulating the garage from the outside is no longer required.