How to insulate the floor in a private house: the secrets of thermal insulation. How to insulate a wooden floor in a private house. Insulate floors with your own hands with step-by-step photographs.

From the author: Hello, dear readers. This article is dedicated to those who realized their dream and began building a private house or simply renovating it. Private house- it’s not at all like an apartment, it has its own soul and history. We all want to make every effort to ensure that coziness and comfort always reign in it. This is why we spend our energy, money and time. If you are already thinking about how to insulate the floor in a private house, then you are at the final stage.

This article will help you understand everything related to doing insulation work with your own hands. You will learn what materials there are, which ones are the best and cheapest, and how to make this very insulation. We strongly recommend that you read the article to the end, because if you miss any important point, all the work may go down the drain, and insulation may turn out to be ineffective.

Why is it necessary to insulate floors?

In order for living in a house to be comfortable, it must maintain a certain temperature regime and create a favorable microclimate. For humans, these are indicators of temperature and humidity. Comfortable temperature ranges from 23 to 27 o C, and humidity should vary in the range from 40 to 60%.

Various climate control equipment helps us maintain such parameters: heating boilers, air conditioners and humidifiers. And, it’s no secret that maintaining such equipment requires considerable investment, especially in private homes, where there are often large areas. Therefore, if you want to live comfortably without spending a lot of money on heating or cooling, you should think about how to properly perform insulation work.

In most cases, private houses are located on the ground, less often - on stilts or foundation pillars. And, of course, direct contact with the earthen surface helps to cool the home as a whole. According to the laws of physics, warm air always tends upward and rests on the ceiling, which, in turn, is an interfloor or attic floor. As you can see, physics is not at all on our side, because heat tries to leave the home by any means. It will not be possible to completely get rid of heat losses, but we can reduce them as much as possible.

Main types and characteristics of insulation

Let's talk about what types of insulation there are and what characteristics they have. By shedding light on this question, we can decide which material is best for us.

Let us immediately note that the most important indicator of insulation is thermal conductivity. The less heat it can conduct, the better, which means this is a bad “bridge” for our heat leaving the house. Thermal conductivity is measured in watts per square meter per degree, that is, the amount of thermal energy loss in degrees per square meter. Let's look at the most common and frequently used materials:

• polystyrene foam (foam plastic)- is a compressed sheet of polystyrene foam balls. Absolutely does not absorb moisture, has excellent performance, thermal conductivity varies within 0.038. Supplied in sheets one meter per meter and packs of one cubic meter, it is relatively inexpensive. It comes in different thicknesses, but the most popular sheets are 5 cm thick. There is also so-called extruded polystyrene foam, which has the same properties and coefficients, but they are achieved in a smaller layer. For example, 2 cm of extruded foam replaces about 7 cm of regular foam;

• fiberboard- wood fibers, a kind of wood “hair”, impregnated cement composition. It has excellent noise and heat insulating properties, coefficient 0.09. In practice, it is not often used due to its weight and price; it is much more profitable to purchase polystyrene foam for insulation. In certain situations it is irreplaceable, since it does not support or spread combustion;
• ecowool- it is used extremely rarely among private owners, as it is difficult to install and requires a special installation for application, but at the same time it creates a solid coating of insulation. Made from paper. It’s good as insulation, coefficient 0.038, but it decreases over time, and it’s afraid of moisture like fire, oh yes, it’s afraid of fire too;
• mineral wool - the most common insulation on the market in all countries. Very cheap, sold in rolls of 10–50 m2 and has an excellent coefficient of 0.038. Unlike the previous material, mineral wool is not afraid of fire, but does not like moisture. It absorbs very well and practically does not dry out, and when wet, the properties are lost by 80%! Therefore, if you decide to insulate your home with this material, take care of good waterproofing;
• basalt wool- the best material in terms of its characteristics, but at the same time the most expensive. There are external similarities with mineral wool, but the characteristics here are simply incredible. The coefficient is only 0.03, can withstand temperatures up to 1200 degrees, and is absolutely not afraid of water. There is only one minus here - the price;
• expanded clay- excellent insulation, which is made using a thermal clay extruder. The output is foamed porous clay in the form of balls, which has been fired. The coefficient is 0.16, not much, but also good. Mainly used to create a thermal barrier and cut off the cold that blows from the ground.

In addition to these materials, about ten other types of insulation are used in practice, but they are used very rarely, and their characteristics are not impressive. Of all the above, only two materials are mainly used: polystyrene foam and mineral wool, and then wool 3 times more often. Therefore, if the price aspect is important to you, then mineral wool is the best option.

Proper floor insulation is necessary to maintain warmth and dryness throughout the entire house, reduces heating costs, and helps maintain cozy atmosphere indoors. To carry out the work efficiently, you need to become familiar with the basic technologies, and then master the procedure for laying the material and install the insulation, following the recommendations.

Cold concrete floors, even if there is a basement, can be easily insulated with polystyrene foam. It is important to create a layer of insulation on the basement side, since uninsulated basement- source of cold. High-quality insulation becomes a barrier to the penetration of cold into the building.

For proper insulation Usually they use sheets of slab foam, the thickness of which is 5-12 cm. You can purchase sheets with chamfers, since their installation is easier than classic version. If the walls in the room are uneven, you need to mask deviations from the norm polyurethane foam. To level out uneven floors, foam of different thicknesses is used.

The foam is attached to the base with plastic dowels, the average length of which is 150 mm. Their size should be selected according to the specific parameters of the selected insulation. Work should begin from distant, hard-to-reach areas. The sheet is applied to the base, and the holes necessary for further fastening are drilled with a puncher. The sheet is removed, the designated places are drilled further until the required depth is obtained for the full installation of the dowels.

If it is not possible to adapt entire sheets to specific contours of the floor in certain places, you need to carefully cut out parts that fit the shape and continue laying. Upon completion of installation, the surface of the insulation is plastered. You can lay a thin reinforcing mesh and apply plaster mixture and wait for it to dry.

The floor surface must be level. A concrete screed is poured and, if necessary, a slight slope is artificially created. If any cracks are noticed in the subfloor, they should be completely repaired.

Mineral wool must be protected with a sealed layer of vapor barrier. Can be used plastic film or choose the material individually. The layer is laid with a large overlap, which extends to the walls, and is secured with thin anchors.

Installation of guide beams is necessary to create a clear frame for laying each mineral wool tile. The distance between the logs should be equal to the width of the insulation boards or be slightly smaller so that the mineral wool is additionally held without fastenings.

Mineral wool slabs are placed in the slots between the grooves. If the material is used in rolls, it should be pre-cut. If a decision is made to lay mineral wool in two layers, then the joints of the second should, if possible, be placed on the middle part of the elements of the first.

A layer of waterproofing should be applied to the mineral wool, which should reliably seal the coating. It is necessary to prevent the absorption of moisture into the insulation, since it will linger in the material and can come out of it extremely slowly. After installing all layers of preparatory materials, you can lay the finished floor.

An expanded clay cushion is poured onto the pre-prepared, leveled floor. The thickness is 15-30 cm; depending on the required reliability of the insulation, the layer can vary in thickness, but should not be lower than 10 cm, since a coating that is too thin will bring minimal benefit.

Expanded clay is poured in an even, uniform layer, so the installation of additional beacons is required. Metal profiles separate workspace into several equal parts. The distance between them should not exceed 70-80 cm. If necessary, under metal profile The linings are made of wood, since the material must be poured as evenly as possible.

For waterproofing, you can use polyethylene film. It should be slightly larger than the floor area. The edges are fixed at the top, the material rises slightly onto the walls. You can make a concrete screed on the waterproofing layer. Sand, cement and water are thoroughly mixed in a ratio of 3:2:2. When pouring the mixture onto expanded clay, you need to carefully level the coating.

Waterproofing can be done in another way. They are setting up for her expanded clay screed. The insulation pillow is not covered with film, but is immediately filled with a homogeneous liquid solution - “cement laitance”. This is necessary to prevent the possibility of moisture affecting the expanded clay granules. The solution should envelop the insulation, so you should not make it too liquid so that it does not go into the thickness of the material.

If necessary, additional components are added to the solution after the mixture is created. Typically, such cement is produced in a 1:3 ratio with sand. To properly mix the mixture, use a construction mixer.

Foil materials can also help reliably insulate the floor. Finished surface is poured concrete screed or laid with a layer of any insulation. Izolon or penofol is glued to it. These materials do not allow moisture to pass through, so to avoid settling, they should be mounted so that there is a small, ventilated cavity above them to allow excess moisture to escape.

To form a corresponding cavity, thin layers are placed on top of the insulation. wooden slats, the height of which is not less than 1.5 cm, the step is 30-50 cm. The laying level is controlled; if necessary, slats can be placed under the folding logs.

Floorboards are placed on the joists perpendicular to their location. Their thickness may not exceed 4 cm. An even layer of plywood can be laid on top of them, for which sheets 8-14 mm thick are suitable. If very thin sheets are selected, then the coating is laid in 2 layers. The floor covering is laid on the insulated floor structure. To make a warm floor on a foil base, the selected insulation is laid, and the heating systems are laid out on it. The logs and finishing part of the floor are installed.

If you plan to pour a cement screed onto penofol, you must purchase the “ALP” type, it is equipped protective coating, preventing cement from affecting penofol. This condition must be observed, since cement is an aggressive environment to which aluminum reacts, acting as a coating for this insulation.

Video - Izolon

Thanks to the possibility of insulating the floor with foam, you do not need to use special protective films, there is no need for additional leveling of the surface or its restoration after a few years. The frame is constructed by aligning guides and modeling profiles. Foam is sprayed. The flooring is being installed.

If it is necessary to carry out thermal insulation of an already finished floor, then foam insulation will reduce the volume and duration of work. The old coating is dismantled, foam is sprayed, and it swells almost instantly. To complete the work, it is enough to install a new floor covering. If produced renovation work For additional insulation of an already constructed wooden floor, it is possible to only partially dismantle the boards to obtain the access necessary to the interior of the floor when spraying foam.

Insulating the floor with foam allows you to provide airtight thermal insulation, since the material forms a homogeneous consistency.

There is no need to install waterproofing or any vapor barriers, since the foam independently performs their functions. The foam hardens within a few minutes after application, so cover it flooring possible on the same day. It does not contain nutrients, so there is no risk of its deformation by harmful insects or rodents. Doesn't highlight harmful substances, and its basis is water. When purchasing, you can receive a manufacturer’s warranty for 50 years of operation, respectively, the actual terms are much higher.

Experts advise using the method of spraying ecowool from a special dispenser. The insulation is distributed from a previously rented or purchased installation. After drying, it can be covered with a floor covering. The thickness of the insulation should not be less than 30 cm to avoid heat loss.

Without the use of special installation, ecowool can be laid manually if required small area coverings. The material consumption for manual installation exceeds the amount for a similar installation from a spray gun by up to 50%. Hard-to-reach areas are not easy to fill, so there is a risk of them remaining empty. Positive side This method means there is no need to purchase a blow molding machine.

After opening the package, the insulation is placed in large capacity. It needs to be fluffed using a special drill with a mixing attachment. When selecting suitable container It should be remembered that when fluffed, the volume of ecowool increases three times.

A vapor barrier, such as clad kraft paper, is installed. Ecowool is laid out on the surface; the dispenser can be a bucket or other capacious, but not heavy object. When manually laying ecowool, before covering the finishing floor, you should wait some time until a moisture-impermeable crust forms under the influence of lignin. After finishing the work, you can lay the floorboards.

Video - Blowing ecowool

It is recommended to lay polystyrene foam boards using logs, since in this case they will take the greatest load. The thickness of the coating should not be less than 10 cm. The cavity between polystyrene foam and joists, a special technological gap around the perimeter of the walls, can be sealed using fiberglass insulation, since its price is less than that of polyurethane foam.

When laying a thermal insulation layer over concrete base You should select a material with the maximum strength characteristics available to the developer. To level the base, you can limit yourself to laying slabs of varying thicknesses, but the best option is to create level screed, which will hide all the unevenness of the concrete, ensure the most even position of the slabs, and therefore increase their resistance to heavy loads. If necessary, you can use a leveling screed to change the angle of inclination by a few centimeters.

The prepared base is covered with a waterproofing film, which is fixed along the walls, spreading slightly onto them, therefore, when calculating this material, the reserve required for hemming should be taken into account. When laying expanded polystyrene, the fastening solution is applied to the entire surface of the insulation; its thickness should be about 2 cm; if possible, it spreads evenly. The structure is fixed with reinforcing mesh.

The finishing screed is applied after the glue has completely dried, its thickness is 6-8 cm. All gaps formed by technical reasons or due to delamination or cracking of the material, they are sealed with polyurethane foam. If not available, you can use fiberglass. Rolled waterproofing is installed. It should be secured with an overlap of at least 10 cm. All strips are fastened with construction tape, sold in strips. A floor covering is laid on top of the insulating layers.

Video - Floor insulation with polystyrene foam

Thermal insulation with polyurethane foam avoids seams. It is beneficial to save space, since the thickness of the insulation layer does not exceed 10 cm. A layer of vapor barrier and waterproofing is optional. Polyurethane foam resists condensation and does not allow or absorb moisture. The entire floor can be covered in one day, since the application speed is record-breaking in comparison with other insulation materials. All components for preparing the solution are stored and purchased in liquid form. The service life of the material is from 60 years.

The use of polyurethane foam is not harmful environment. The components of the composition do not evaporate, so it is completely harmless to human health. The material is not subject to rotting, mold cannot grow on it, since it is not a favorable environment for bacteria. Rodents and other pests also do not live in polyurethane foam, since it is not suitable as food. The mixture must be prepared immediately before pouring it. After applying and drying the layer of polyurethane foam, you can make the final screed without the use of additional coatings.

For high-quality insulation floor, an analysis of the loads that will be placed on it should be carried out. The insulation must be installed following the rules, since working according to the instructions will help ensure its long service life and protect the floor as much as possible from heat loss.

Floor insulation reduces heat loss in the house and affects the temperature in the rooms.

The better the thermal insulation of the floor, the less money is spent on paying for gas or electricity for heating.

An insufficiently insulated floor leads to a decrease in the air temperature in the room, which negatively affects the health of the inhabitants of the house.

This article will discuss ways to solve the issue of thermal insulation. various types floor.

The following materials are used for floor insulation:

• mineral wool;
• foam boards;
• foamed polyurethane;
• reflective foil insulation;
• linoleum;
• self-leveling floors.

Insulation of a wooden floor

In half of the houses with wooden floors, the joists are located 10 or more centimeters above ground level. They are fixed in wall niches and supported by stone or brick tables standing on the ground. When laying a floor on concrete, the joists are placed directly on the surface of the slab.

The floor insulation scheme is as follows: a material with low thermal conductivity is placed between the concrete or soil and the coating, and measures are taken to ensure that the material does not reduce the strength of the floor.

This scheme is used on concrete and wooden floors for any reason.

Expanded clay

This is the easiest way to insulate floors in an apartment. Remove the covering and subfloor, mark it so as not to confuse it during subsequent installation. Inspect and, if necessary, repair the joists.

Fill in expanded clay. The backfill level should be 2-3 cm below the subfloor. Reinstall and lay the covering.

Foam boards or mineral wool

Remove the covering, subfloor, repair the joists. If the floor is mounted on concrete, cut the insulation into pieces the width of the joists and lay it on the floor. If the logs are on bedside tables, cut strips of plywood 10 mm thick, 20 cm wide and 1-1.5 meters long. Place the strips at the bottom of the joists until they look like an inverted T.

Secure with self-tapping screws. The distance between the strips is 20-30 cm. Treat all the joists. Measure the distance between the joists and cut strips of plywood 5-7 mm thick to that width. The distance between joists varies, so measure separately for each sheet. After cutting out the sheets, place them between the joists. Do not leave a gap between sheets of more than 1 cm.

Cut and lay insulation on sheets. Try not to make gaps between the insulation and the joists. The amount of insulation depends on financial capabilities. If possible, install one centimeter below the subfloor level. This will improve the thermal insulation of the floor.

Cut strips of vapor-permeable film, sold in construction and hardware stores. Determine the width using the formula: average distance between logs + 15 cm.

Video - insulating a wooden floor in a wooden house:

Place the film on the insulation, leaving equal projections on the joists. Wrap the protruding parts 2-4 times. Avoid wrinkles from forming. Press the hems to the joist and secure with a staple gun. Drive staples every 5 cm. Lay and secure the subfloor, then the covering.

Reflective thermal insulation

Remove the covering and subfloor, repair the joists. Cut the seal so that one piece completely covers the gap between the two joists. Do not use multiple pieces - each joint between pieces reduces the insulation efficiency by 5-10 percent.

Determine the width of the pieces using the formula - the distance between the logs + 10 cm. Place the insulation with the foil towards the top. Secure it on one side to the joist using a stapler. The fixing height is 1 cm from the subfloor level. Fasten the other side in the same way. Lay and secure the subfloor, then the covering.

Foamed polyurethane

Remove the covering and subfloor, repair the joists. If the floor is on bedside tables, install plywood as described above in the section “Insulation with foam boards or mineral wool.”

Fill the resulting niche with a layer of 2-3 cm of polyurethane foam. Wait for the mixture to completely harden and lay the subfloor and coating in place.

When working with polyurethane, use a protective suit, goggles and a respirator. The drug is toxic.

Insulation of concrete floor

Foamed sheet materials

If the height of the room allows you to raise the floor by 15-20 cm, remove the covering and remove any remaining adhesive. Fill up any uneven surfaces. Cover the entire floor with insulation. Use thick sheets polystyrene, rigid foam and others dense materials. The thickness of the sheets is 3-5 cm. Place a two-layer reinforcing mesh made of steel or fiberglass reinforcement with a diameter of 10-15 mm.

Install beacons from boards measuring 25*125 mm. These boards will provide a smooth horizontal surface of the screed and provide temperature compensation for the concrete. The drying time of the screed is 25-30 days. After drying, lay down the covering. But is a floor screed necessary? panel house, where the ceiling height is already low, it’s up to you to decide.

If the ceiling height does not allow such an increase, use wooden blocks size 30*30 or 30*60 mm. Lay them across the room along the entire length. Secure with anchor dowels. The distance between the bars is 20 cm. Fill the space between them with foam plastic 25-30 mm thick.

Cover the floor with vapor-permeable film and cover it with 20 mm thick plywood. Join plywood only on blocks. Secure with self-tapping screws 35-40 mm long. Recess the screws by 0.5-1 mm. On top, parquet, cork or linoleum.

This technology is used to insulate the floor in an apartment on the first floor, because the height of the ceilings does not allow laying two screeds.

Mineral wool or expanded clay

Expanded clay has the following characteristics:

• excellent heat and sound insulation;
• high strength;
• fire resistance;
• frost resistance;
• environmental friendliness and durability.

Carry out insulation in the same way as for foam sheet materials when the floor height cannot be increased.

Reflective foil insulation or technical cork

Remove the coating, clean the concrete from traces of glue, and fill in any uneven areas. After four days, cover the room with insulation. When using multiple pieces, ensure there are no gaps. Place the insulation with the foil facing up.

Lay plywood 25-30 mm thick on top of the insulation, securing it with anchor dowels in the amount of 9 pieces per square meter. The permissible gap size between sheets is 1 mm. On top, laminate, solid wood or linoleum.

Liquid floor

The use of “liquid floor” material gives the worst thermal insulation parameters of all those described in the article. At the same time, self-leveling floors make it possible to create a strong screed that does not require reinforcement and reduce the pressure on wooden floors. The cost of such a screed is 5-7 times higher than a traditional one.

Linoleum

In terms of thermal insulation properties, linoleums are on par with self-leveling floors. Therefore, the use of insulated linoleum alone will not give a noticeable effect. When used with any insulation, you will improve thermal insulation by 5-10 percent.

Floor insulation requires an individual approach. No uniform standard the best materials or technology. It all depends on the conditions, condition of the floor and financial capabilities. Sheets of foam materials provide good insulation, but are not suitable for all floors. Foil reflective insulation has 10-20 times worse thermal insulation parameters, but is used to insulate any floor.

The wrong choice of material will lead to the fact that the strength of the floor and the height of the room will be greatly reduced. Don't try to save money by using more cheap technology. Better find less material famous manufacturer or use thinner insulation.

Video - thermal insulation of the first floor floor:

When choosing how to insulate a wooden floor in a private home, they proceed, first of all, from financial capabilities. Thus, expanded polystyrene is the most economical option, expanded clay is more expensive but is the most environmentally friendly, and mineral wool is easy to install and unattractive to rodents.

A warm base is the key to a warm floor

Before you start insulating the floor, you need to make sure that the base is thermally and waterproofed. At the same time, we must not forget about ventilation, which will prevent the development of fungi and mold in the underground. Because it destroys wooden base and the floor will last very little.

Insulation of the basement floor

If the house has a basement or ground floor, you need to take care of their insulation and waterproofing. This will prevent the basement from freezing in the winter and keep it cool in the summer. After all, the basement non-residential floor is often used specifically for storing food, and if it is located above the freezing level of the soil, such measures are mandatory. But there is no need to insulate an unheated basement underground.

The basement floor is insulated from the outside with extruded polystyrene foam, since it is not hygroscopic, unlike ordinary polystyrene foam. The insulation must be laid on waterproofing, such as bitumen and roofing felt. The base is dug out a meter and the EPS is attached to a special glue.

After this, the soil is backfilled layer by layer.

On the ground part of the basement floor, the insulation is laid with glue, and fixed on top with dowels and reinforcing mesh. The final stage is facing the base. The material can be any - from decorative stone to PVC panels. But it is better to choose a damage-resistant and moisture-repellent material.

If the base is low, about 50 cm, it is better to fill the space under the subfloor. This option will turn out to be much warmer - there is no cold air under the floor of the house, there is no need to install vents that will have to be closed for the winter.

Backfilling is done with ordinary soil, and the last 10 cm to the floor is filled with sand. Both soil and sand must be compacted separately in a wet state.

It is not economically profitable to fill a higher base. In this case, it will have to be insulated according to the same principle as the ground floor, but organize vents for ventilation that remain open in summer time and close in winter. Special attention should be paid to insulating the basement for a house on a columnar or pile foundation.

Freely “walking” cold wind significantly increases heat loss from the floor.

General features of wooden floor insulation

When the base is in order, you can proceed directly to the floor. Regardless of the stage of work (during the construction process or in an already inhabited house), do-it-yourself insulation includes:

1. Laying or checking and replacing joists.
2. Laying waterproofing on the joists (or under them if the joists are lying on sand).
3. Laying insulation between joists.
4. A layer of vapor barrier on top of the insulation.
5. Installation of a counter-lattice for the gap between the finished floor and the vapor barrier.
6. Finished flooring.

For waterproofing, you can use any rolled material - from thick polyethylene to innovative, but expensive, materials.

For vapor barrier, it is best to use foamed polyethylene with an aluminum coating on one side.

This will provide both additional insulation floor, and will prevent condensation from entering the insulation. If winters are not very cold, sometimes only a layer of polyethylene foam is enough without additional insulation. But it is better to insulate the floor as well as possible, because then you will have to remove the covering again if the insulation is not enough.

The vapor barrier is laid with the “shiny” side facing finished floor. Both hydro- and vapor barriers are laid overlapping with an allowance of at least 10 cm, and the joints are sealed with metallized tape.

Insulation with roll and tile materials

Even at the stage of installing the log, you need to decide what material will be used for insulation. Depending on its width and length, the lag pitch will be selected, between which the insulation is laid very tightly and without gaps.

Ideally, the height of the logs should correspond to the thickness of the mineral wool layer, but given the need for an air gap between the vapor barrier and the finished wooden floor, you can simply not make a counter-lattice. In this case, the vapor barrier is attached with a construction stapler to the sides of the log so that it lies on the mineral wool without air gap between them.

It is important to remember that the sides of the slabs have different hardness. This type of insulation is installed with the hard side up. For convenience, the desired side is already marked with a blue stripe, so it’s difficult to make a mistake.

It is best to use slabs with corrugated edges - this will provide the best adhesion. Lay the slabs as tightly as possible, starting from the corner. The next row begins with an offset of half the slab. The last slabs must enter with force. Possible cracks are sealed with construction foam.

Insulation with bulk and sprayed materials

There are also more “exotic” ways to insulate floors in a house. For example, sawdust is increasingly used as a natural and environmentally friendly material.

The technology is not very different:

• on the slabs fixed under the joists, a vapor-permeable material is laid, not polyethylene;
• sawdust is poured out between the joists and watered with a weak lime mortar from a watering can;
• As soon as the material dries and settles, the finished floor is laid - no vapor barrier is needed.

But here you need to pay special attention to hydro- and vapor barrier, as well as the dryness of the expanded clay itself. Because of its pores, it is very hygroscopic, but practically does not release moisture. Therefore, if installed incorrectly, expanded clay that has accumulated moisture will only worsen the situation.

Insulating the floor of a house with sprayed materials - polyurethane foam, ecowool or penoizol - is practically impossible to do on your own, and in some cases it is dangerous. For this you will need special equipment, and buying it for insulation small house extremely unprofitable.

The process of installing a wooden subfloor, its insulation, hydro- and vapor barrier is revealed in detail in the video:

Properly insulated floors in the house are the key to comfortable living. It is worth thinking about this event at the stage of implementation construction work for the construction of your home. In this case, insulation can be carried out with minimal costs and a greater degree of convenience when creating a warm floor.

When purchasing housing on the secondary market, you will have to carry out insulation work in relation to finished coating. In such a situation, the technological process of work will be significantly complicated.

Rules for floor insulation

When carrying out floor insulation work during construction work, the following rules must be followed:

1. If groundwater is located at a distance of less than two meters, waterproofing methods must be applied.

2. Laying the subfloor.

It should consist of layers:

• underlying;
• leveling;
• intermediate;
• insulating.

3. Laying a layer of thermal insulation.

4. Design of the finished floor.

Which can be made from:

• planed boards;
• Chipboards;
• OSB boards.

What and how to insulate floors?

The floors are insulated various materials, including:

• mineral wool;
• expanded polystyrene;
• expanded clay.

The mineral wool material has the property of excellent moisture absorption, due to which its rapid destruction occurs. To avoid this, it is necessary to lay waterproofing under the layer of this insulation.

in the world modern technologies It is possible to carry out floor insulation in three ways:

1. insulated screed method;
2. insulated wooden flooring;
3. by using various systems and devices for underfloor heating.

Selection of insulating material

To make an objective choice of insulating material for floor insulation, it is necessary to familiarize yourself in advance with all the options offered by the market. Typically, polystyrene foam, mineral wool or expanded clay are used. Each material has many modifications with various properties and characteristics. Also, each of the above substances has a number of advantages and disadvantages.

Polystyrene foam and expanded clay are the main insulation materials

Foam plastic – comfortable material for floor insulation. It is a white gas-filled polymer consisting of small foamed polystyrene particles. It consists of ninety-seven percent air, which is the best heat insulator. Has moisture-repellent properties. The manufacturer produces the material in the form of sheets, differing in different characteristics in terms of strength and thickness.

There are several varieties of foam, including:

• polyurethane foam;
• polyethylene foam;
• polypropylene foam.

The disadvantages of polystyrene foam are:

• inability to pass air;
• exposure mechanical damage, including as a result of rodent activity;
• ability to be destroyed under the influence of paints and varnishes.

Expanded clay is an oval glassy material brown with a sintered shell.

It is produced in the form of:

• gravel;
• crushed stone;
• sand.

The material is made by firing clay or shale, which, when exposed to high temperatures begin to “swell.” Depending on the temperature regime chosen by the expanded clay manufacturer, it is possible to obtain a product of varying densities.

Main characteristics of expanded clay:

• granule size;
• hardness;
• layer density after filling;
• ratio of weight and volume.

The advantageous properties of expanded clay over other floor insulation materials are:

• thermal insulation characteristics;
• sound insulation;
• low cost.

Thermal insulation of the floor in an old house

When insulating the floor in a house that has already been built and put into operation, two options are possible:

1. At low ceilings When the additional layer of building materials used reduces the distance between the ceiling and the floor, it is necessary to completely remove the old floors. In some cases, even some deepening is carried out in order to improve the comfort of the home.
2. Overlaying elements of the new floor onto the old version.

Sequence of work

1. Carrying out a deepening with a decrease in the floor level relative to the original zero ground level.
2. Applying a layer of waterproofing.
3. Attaching the heat insulator.
4. Installation of rough and finishing floors.

Insulation of a wooden floor

To carry out insulation work in an old house with a wooden floor, it is necessary to check its strength. To do this, you need to remove several boards and assess the condition of the joists. If they are not rotten or damaged by rodents, then you can safely proceed to the stages of insulation.

Sequence of work:

1. Cover the floor surface with a waterproofing material, which can be used as:

• roofing felt;
• glassine

2. Apply to waterproofing wooden beams sixty centimeters thick and attach them to the surface of the old floor.

3. Fill the distance between the beams with heat-insulating material.

4. Lay the finished floor on the beams, which can be in the form of:

• edged boards;
• OSB slabs.

Thermal insulation of concrete base

In private homes, the base of the floor is often a concrete surface. If it is not insulated, then the temperature in the room with any heating method will not rise above thirteen degrees due to the fact that any heat will be absorbed by the concrete floor.

Sequence of work

When insulating a concrete floor, you need to follow the sequence of certain actions.

1. Cleaning the concrete surface with a broom or vacuum cleaner.
2. Location of the waterproofing layer on the floor
3. Laying wooden logs in a perpendicular position relative to the expected direction of the main movement around the room

Floating floor insulation method

The design of a floating table consists of many layers of various building materials, between which there is no rigid fixation. The use of polystyrene foam as insulation is effective due to its excellent heat-retaining characteristics and ease of installation.

Sequence of work

1. Laying waterproofing on an old concrete floor.
2. Laying the insulating layer.
3. Applying a second layer of waterproofing.
4. The product of the screed is six centimeters thick.

Heated floor installation

Depending on the nature of the heat source, there are several options for heated floors.

Such as:

1. Water floor. Refers to itself economical option insulation and heating due to low installation costs. However, this type of floor insulation is prohibited in multi-storey buildings due to increased accident rates with the potential for flooding of the floors located below.
2. Electrically heated floor belongs to the category of environmentally friendly methods of insulation and floor heating. Characterized by rapid heating of the floor and air in the room. As heating element an electrical cable is used.
3. Infrared heated floor easy to install and consists of laying a thin film, which is a source of infrared radiation.

Insulating the floor in a house with a basement

Insulation of the entire house must begin from the basement. It is necessary, first of all, to prevent groundwater moisture vapor from destroying building material, from which the house is made. Therefore, the main measures for carrying out insulation work will be waterproofing and vapor barrier. It is also important to ensure sufficient ventilation of the space under the ceiling.

Sequence of work

1. Ensuring the ventilation process is sufficient.
   • doing ventilation holes in that part of the foundation that rises above the ground level. The total number of vents must be at least four. Their location should be in different parts of the house. Ventilation is carried out due to the temperature difference, which ensures air movement.
2. Thermal insulation and waterproofing of soil.

Insulation of the floor in a house located on the ground

When the floor is located on the ground, the soil layer is influenced groundwater, due to which the moisture content in it increases. To insulate such a floor, it is important to provide adequate waterproofing for better heat retention in the house.

Sequence of work

1. Before starting insulation work, it is necessary to assess the location of the floor relative to ground level. It is also necessary to take into account the presence of a basement.
   • If the house has a basement, then it is necessary to lay a layer of thermal insulation thinner than if it does not exist, and above the waterproofing.
   • In the absence of a basement, thermal insulation is placed depending on the depth of groundwater.
2. Destroy vegetation.
3. Add crushed stone and gravel to the soil.
4. Lay a layer of sand to cover the previous laying level.
5. Make a concrete screed.
6. Apply a waterproofing layer, followed by a thermal insulation layer.
7. Cover all layers cement screed, at least four centimeters thick.
8. Secure the screed with steel mesh.
9. Create a finished floor.

Insulation of floors between floors

between floors it is necessary to carry out only in the case when in the rooms located on both sides of the ceiling there are different temperature conditions. This method of insulation is also suitable for a house with an attic. The choice of insulating component depends on the method of its application, on joists or on floors.

Sequence of work

1. Laying a vapor barrier layer between joists or on slabs.
2. Fastening the insulation in such a way that there are no gaps between its sheets. In some cases, installation with overlapping seams is allowed.
3. Application of waterproofing material.
4. Laying the finished floor.

If there is an attic in the house as non-residential premises, a windproof structure is laid on the insulation.

How to insulate a floor in a country house?

Cold floor in country house is the reason:

• the formation of black wet spots of rot on the walls;
• the appearance of a specific unpleasant odor deceit.

As a result of constant dampness in the cold season, building materials gradually deteriorate.

An insulated floor in a country house helps save on heating costs due to heat retention.

Sequence of work

1. Floor insulation begins in the basement due to the fact that heat loss through this room is up to twenty percent.
   • Cleaning the walls and floor of the basement from various types of dirt.
   • Full surface treatment chemicals in order to destroy fungus and mold.
   • Leveling by applying plaster.
   • Treatment with a primer that has moisture-protective characteristics.
   • Fastening thermal insulation material using dowels, or applying an adhesive composition to them.
2. Insulation of the floor in a country house.
   • Remove debris and dust from the floor surface using a broom or vacuum cleaner.
   • Elimination of traces and causes of wood damage.
   • Surface treatment with special chemicals that have antiseptic and moisture protection agents.
   • Fastening the insulation using glue and self-tapping screws.
   • Laying and fastening of vapor barrier film.
   • Exterior finishing work.
3. Insulation of the foundation. This procedure must be carried out with outside Houses.
   • Digging a trench around the perimeter of the house seventy centimeters deep.
   • Cleaning the foundation freed from the earth.
   • If necessary, carry out its restoration.
   • Covering the walls with a layer of waterproofing, which can be used as mastic, impregnation or roofing felt.
   • Fastening the insulation - polystyrene foam.
   • Filling the trench with sand to a depth of fifteen centimeters, and gravel to a depth of fifty centimeters.

Rating: 4.9 33 votes