Rolled insulation for a bath. Covering the bathhouse with foil

Thermal insulating material for a bath should be highly resistant to high temperature and humidity. Aluminum foil has these properties, and therefore is one of the most popular insulation materials in baths. It is used both in combination with other materials and without them, depending on the thickness of the walls and operating conditions.

One of the most important characteristics aluminum foil is considered to be reflective of up to 97% of infrared rays. Continuous covering of the steam room with this material contributes to maximum heat retention, because IR rays are not absorbed by the walls, but are reflected back into the room. And even if the surface of the foil fades over time, this will have virtually no effect on the reflective properties.

Foil on the bathhouse ceiling - photo

In addition, it can withstand temperatures up to 300 °C and higher, depending on the brand, and has low specific gravity and does not emit compounds harmful to the body.

This material also has other important properties:

• resistance to ultraviolet radiation and corrosion;
• vapor tightness;
• plasticity;
• durability;
• moisture resistance.

Almost all the heat remains in the steam room, and the walls and the insulating layer under the foil are reliably protected from condensation. For greater efficiency, not only the walls, but also the ceiling are sheathed with foil, because steam and hot air first rise upward. Attaching it is not difficult, the main thing is to avoid its deformation during operation and not leave gaps between the panels.

Foil is produced in rolls and sheets, the thickness is from 0.007 to 0.2 mm, the width of the tape is from 1 to 150 cm. Depending on the manufacturing method, it can be annealed (soft) and unannealed (hard), and this is indicated by the marking - the letters "M" and "T" respectively. Both types are suitable for thermal insulation of rooms. It is recommended to sheathe the steam room with foil from 30 to 300 microns thick.

Prices for aluminum foil for baths

aluminum foil for bath

Types of foil for baths

Thin soft foil easily crumples and tears during operation, so more convenient and durable varieties have appeared - foil paper, fabric and insulation.

To choose the best way thermal insulation, it is necessary to take into account several factors, the main of which are the operating conditions of the bathhouse and the material from which it is built. For warm log buildings with high-quality caulked walls, foil insulation is not needed, it will only extra waste money.

If the bathhouse is wooden, but large enough and does not warm up well, it is enough to sheathe the walls and ceiling with ordinary thin foil, and then cover it with clapboard. You can cover only the surface behind the stove with foil, this will speed up the heating of the steam room and save some fuel.

A bathhouse made of aerated concrete is also considered quite warm, but such material requires high-quality vapor barrier. The choice of foil in this case is completely justified, and for convenience you can use laminated rather than ordinary foil.

Brick and frame baths must be insulated. Here, foil insulation based on cotton wool or expanded polystyrene is optimal. For the ceiling, the type of foil is also selected taking into account the thickness of the ceilings and the presence (absence) of thermal insulation in the attic.

Operating conditions also have a certain meaning. If the sauna is used periodically and people steam in it for a short time, there is no great need for thermal insulation with foil. It’s a completely different matter if the steam room is heated very often or the bath procedures drag on for several hours: thermal insulation of the room will save a lot of firewood, the bath will warm up faster and take longer to cool down.

How to attach foil

Simple cladding

Another advantage of aluminum foil is that it is convenient to attach it at any time, on any surface. No need for this major renovation, the work will take very little time and effort.

For protective cladding wooden walls First you need to make sure that the surface is smooth enough and there are no sharp protrusions that will tear the foil. If such defects are found, they should be cleaned sandpaper. Then everything is simple: take a roll of foil, unwind a strip along the height of the wall, cut it off, and fix it in the upper part with a stapler. Straighten the canvas downwards, fix it again so that it does not move, then fasten it next page overlap by 5-7 cm on the first one. The joints must be secured with aluminum tape. The usual one cannot be used for these purposes.

The foil strips can also be positioned horizontally, if it is more convenient for you to mount it that way. The main thing is that there are no gaps left anywhere. Around the windows and doorways the foil is also attached close to the ends, and fixed with a stapler around the perimeter.

If the entire steam room is being sheathed, first the foil is fixed to the ceiling, leaving overhangs at the edges 10 cm wide. When sheathing the walls, the material will be overlapped so that there is not the slightest gap between the ceiling and the walls.

Finally, wooden slats are stuffed over the vapor barrier, onto which the lining is attached. The thickness of the slats should not be less than 20 mm. The presence of an air gap between the foil and finishing is a prerequisite for effective thermal insulation.

Fastening the lining - photo

Aluminum adhesive tape prices

aluminum adhesive tape

Sheathing over insulation

Very often, foil is attached on top of the insulation. To do this, 20x40 mm thick slats are placed on the walls, in increments of 40-50 cm.

The slats can be positioned both vertically and horizontally.

Roll or slab insulation is inserted between the slats as tightly as possible, and then everything is covered with aluminum foil. The joints are carefully sealed with tape, the vapor barrier is straightened so that no folds remain, then a slatted frame is mounted on top to secure the lining.

Lathing over foil for attaching lining

This time the slats should be perpendicular to those under the foil. The final stage is clapboard covering.

The corner adjacent to the stove does not need to be covered with foil if it is planned to be covered with decorative material. Then the thermal insulation is cut around the perimeter of the masonry and reinforced with additional strips, which will ensure a tight fit to the wall.

If laminated foil is used instead of regular foil, everything is done in exactly the same way. When choosing foil fabric, the only difference is in the laying of the material: the strips are laid end-to-end, not overlapping.

This is how you can efficiently insulate a steam room in a bathhouse using aluminum foil. Of course this material Suitable for other rooms, but it is in the steam room that it gives the greatest effect. The most important thing is to properly secure the vapor barrier layer, otherwise heat will escape through the gaps in the seams.

Video - Aluminum foil for bath insulation

If you are going to build a bathhouse, then first of all you need to think about its insulation. Without high-quality insulation, a bathhouse will not be able to perform even its own basic functions. Particular attention should be paid.

However, there are a huge number of materials and technologies that allow insulation to be carried out efficiently and quickly.

One of best solutions for thermal insulation of a sauna or bathhouse - the use of foil insulation material to protect the walls.

1 How does foil work?

Initially, foil was always used as a reflective material. This is important to understand. After all, it is not a complete insulator. Foil simply does not have such qualities. That’s why it’s simply impossible to use foil.

Any roll basalt insulation even with the thinnest layer of material it will be much more effective than foil, if we talk directly about thermal conductivity.

The thing is that the foil material itself has fairly high thermal conductivity. If Isover mineral wool or any other insulation has thermal conductivity at the level of 0.03-0.035 W/m, then foil material has thermal conductivity at a much higher level.

That is, they do not directly insulate it. The foil composition is needed for slightly different purposes. Its use involves installing a kind of reflective barrier.

Foil actually transfers heat quite easily. But to do this, the heated object must be leaned against it. If this situation does not happen, then the foil material reflects the waves themselves with high efficiency.

Meanwhile, it is heat waves that account for most of the thermal radiation that falls on the surface of the walls. This is especially true in a sauna or bathhouse, where heat is constantly radiated by a heating element.

Second important point– foil vapor permeability. That is, steam, as well as heat, does not pass through it. As a result, it is also an impenetrable barrier to moist heated air.

It's no wonder that foil insulation has become so popular. After all, it combines many useful functions.

1.1 Application of foil

However, you should not think that simply by covering all the walls with foil, you will suddenly get an increase in sauna performance of at least 50%.

Foil, being a rather specific material, can only really work effectively in combination with insulation. Large companies Manufacturers like Isover quickly realized this, so they immediately decided to start producing combined insulation materials. Where foil is only the outer part of the material.

And it is worth noting that the Isover company has made serious progress in this matter. Experts from Izover have learned how to create truly high-quality foil insulation.

How does Isover foil insulation differ from conventional insulation or standard foil? Because it combines both of these materials.

The foil here is a reflective material. The insulation plays the role of the base on which the foil is attached. The only thing to which the presented material is not applicable is.

Thermal insulation from Isover insulation with foil is very useful and effective. This is possible due to the combination of two seemingly incompatible materials. If desired, foil can be combined with.

1.2 The principle of operation of foil insulation

The effect of Isover foil insulation can be explained in just a few sentences. For example, let’s take the setting of a standard bathhouse.

Characteristic for a sauna or bath small areas, where it should be contained maximum amount pair. The surface of the walls in them is very heated. Glue only foil insulation to them, and it will quickly gain heat from surrounding objects.

As a result, the surface of the walls will not be insulated as it should be. At the same time, the reflective ability of the foil remains with it. But if you use foil along with the base and secure it correctly, then everything will quickly change.

The foil will reflect the main heat waves that emanate from the center of the bathhouse or sauna to the surface of its walls. It will reflect most of the waves, but some will still pass through the barrier.

This is where the second level of insulation comes into play - its base. It will extinguish all thermal loads due to its extremely low thermal conductivity, and at the same time will not allow the foil itself to heat up. That is, insulation will be as effective and efficient as possible.

Mineral wool or foamed polyethylene are most often used as a base for such materials. For example, the Isover company produces foil-coated advantages on a basalt wool base. Although the guys from Isover produce other similar materials.

As a result, the foil not only works as a reflective element, but also as a vapor barrier film. Protecting the insulation itself, as well as preventing hot steam (which also carries a lot of heat) from escaping from the bathhouse.

Insulation with such materials has become so popular that it has begun to be used almost everywhere. Not only for finishing walls in a bathhouse, but also for mounting on the ceiling and even the roof.

Let us note right away that it makes sense to use such material only from inside the sauna. It is by working from the inside that the foil will be able to reflect heat waves. Outside, it will be of little use.

2 Types of insulation

In fact, there are not many foil insulation materials. And their varieties relate rather to the selection of a specific base. Each company, for example Izover and others, produces its own specific type of insulation, or concentrates on creating an entire line.

For example, the Izover company uses mainly mineral wool as a base for foil. While Izover's competitors prefer foamed polyethylene. There are also foil samples on glass wool or polyurethane foam, but they are poorly represented on the market. This one is not in great demand.

The following bases are selected for foil insulation:

• Foamed polyethylene;
• Mineral wool;

2.1 Installation technology and nuances of operation

It would seem that insulation with ready-made foil-coated thermal insulation material is a piece of cake. Indeed, nothing complicated awaits you in the installation workflows. But still, there are a couple of nuances in the work that you should pay close attention to.

Please note that most branded Izover-type insulation is already equipped with instructions, and therefore you will have a certain understanding of the working concept, but it is far from complete.

Stages of work:

1. We prepare the surface.
2. We lay the waterproofing film.
3. We install the insulation with waterproof glue.
4. We seal all the joints between the rolls using special tape. There should be no gaps or seams left on the surface of the foil. This must be a monolithic plane.
5. We install a supporting sheathing of bars up to 3 cm thick.
6. We stuff clapboard or any other facing material on top of the sheathing that can be used inside a sauna or bathhouse.

One very important point should be noted here. Insulation with foil material from the inside of the bath can only be carried out in compliance with a special air gap.

It is for its formation that the fifth stage was invented, in which a very thin wooden sheathing is stuffed on top of the foil.

The air gap will create a thermos effect. The warm air in it will not be able to heat up to a very high temperature, and the front wall structures will not be able to transfer their heat to the foil.

In this case, heat waves will calmly pass through the same lining, and then be reflected and turn back. Failure to comply with the rules on air gaps completely eliminates all the benefits of foil.

In this case, she is from a reflective vapor barrier material will turn into a regular roll insulation with properties that correspond to the properties of its base.

2.2 Installation of foil insulation (video)

Foil for a bath, which one is better to choose, and is it needed at all? This question arises for all owners suburban areas who decided to get their own steam room. Experts consider foil one of the critical materials when finishing bath rooms, since they must quickly reach the required temperature and remain warm for a long time.

For this purpose, insulation is installed on the surface of the walls and ceiling, which will block the exit routes for the generated heat outside the bathhouse. Almost always, the traditional insulating “pie” created on the internal surfaces of this structure includes aluminum foil, produced in different versions.

However, we have to admit that this material, which is welcomed by some users, is completely rejected by others, and there is an irreconcilable dispute between these “camps.” Therefore, it is worth figuring out how necessary this thermal insulation material is, or whether you can do without it. At the same time, let's see how the installation should be done so that the created insulation layer works properly.

Do you need a foil layer?

A thin layer of aluminum foil is usually used, the thickness of which averages from 30 to 300 microns. It can be applied to kraft paper, directly to insulating material, or it can be used separately from them and used in combination with other heat insulators.

Opponents of the use of foil argue that it is of no use, since aluminum has high thermal conductivity and therefore is not able to retain heat in the room - it will freely escape outside. In their opinion, it turns out that purchasing and installing foil material is a waste of money and effort. It should be noted that to some extent this is completely fair, since the foil will “work” only if its installation is carried out according to all the rules.

• The high thermal conductivity of aluminum foil will manifest itself negatively if it is attached directly to cold wall, built from materials such as brick, concrete or foam concrete, without an additional insulating layer between them.

• Secondly, in addition to the high thermal conductivity of the material due to its structure, which is unable to retain heated air inside the bathhouse, there are other methods of heat transfer - this is a convention and infrared radiation. Thus, a hot stove releases the generated heat into rooms mainly in the form of infrared rays, which heat surfaces when absorbed.

When heat rays hit a layer of aluminum foil, they are not absorbed by it, but are reflected from it back into the room. Thus, thermal energy is not wasted on heating the walls, but is usefully used inside. Therefore, it follows that the foil retains heat not due to its thickness or the structure of the material, but due to the creation of a reflective surface. Moreover, it should be noted that it is capable of reflecting up to 97% of the heat generated by the stove.

• Thirdly, foil is an excellent vapor barrier for insulation laid on the surface of the walls. It creates a sealed, moisture-proof coating, therefore preventing heated steam from escaping through the walls and ceiling. This not only helps to retain heat in the room - the vapor barrier prevents the insulation from becoming saturated with moisture and thereby losing its thermal insulation qualities

Therefore, sheathed insulation material and complemented with a foil layer, heats up quickly and retains heat longer. The logical conclusion is that in such a room it will be more comfortable to take bath procedures, despite the fact that the cost of fuel or energy will be much lower.

Criteria for choosing foil for a bath

To make a choice, first of all, it is necessary to take into account some factors that influence the effectiveness of the material, the ease of installation of the panels and the longevity of operation. Such criteria include the following:

• Foil that has a backing is much easier to attach to the sheathing, since the likelihood of damage to it becomes much lower. Therefore, purchasing such material is much more practical.

As a substrate for this heat insulator, materials such as mineral wool, foamed polyethylene or kraft paper. In addition, foil reinforced with fiberglass mesh is available for sale, which has a thickness slightly greater than that of the material without a base.

Bath foil

• For bath conditions, it is very important that the wall decoration is resistant to elevated temperatures. This indicator should not be lower than + 100 degrees. The material for the bath must be resistant to sudden changes temperatures, and rolled foil, even without a base, or having one, fully meets this criterion.
• High-quality foil material must have a high reflectivity of at least 95÷97%, since heat retention in the bathhouse will directly depend on this parameter.
• If , then high thermal resistance values ​​should also be assessed.
• The vapor permeability of the foil layer should not exceed 0.01 g/m² in 24 hours.
• The strength properties of the material are important from the point of view of ease of installation.
• A very important criterion is the environmental friendliness of the foil material. When heated to high temperatures it should not emit toxic substances.
• Of course, you should evaluate the durability of the foil material - what guarantees the manufacturer gives for it, and how consumers respond to it.

Types of foil materials for thermal insulation of baths

So, there are many types of foil and foil-coated materials that differ in their properties. The table below shows the most popular of them:

Illustration	Name and main characteristics of the material
	Rolled foil without a base is a thin material that is not particularly tensile. It is produced in thicknesses from 0.007 to 0.2 mm, in rolls of 5, 10 or 20 meters, with a width of 1000 to 1500 mm. Baseless foil is used for installation on the walls of bath rooms, on top of previously laid insulation. The material sheets are secured with an overlap, and their joints are necessarily glued with metallized tape, forming a sealed reflective surface. The operating temperature limit for foil reaches +650 °C. The ability to reflect thermal radiation is up to 97%, so the foil can provide rapid heating of the steam room and long time save in it comfortable temperature. The material is resistant to corrosion and does not emit toxic substances when heated.
	Kraft foil is produced at paper based, as well as in a three-layer version, consisting of foil, kraft paper and polyethylene - this material is called “Izolar”. Kraft foil has good strength characteristics and can be used for fastening to well-caulked timber walls without the additional use of insulation. Kraft foil is an environmentally friendly material, as it does not emit toxic fumes when heated. The thickness of this insulator varies from 0.03 to 1.0 mm. Operating temperature – up to 100 degrees. At correct installation and gluing the joints with metallized tape, the material creates a sealed, heat-reflecting layer - the reflectivity reaches 95%. The material is more convenient to install compared to baseless foil, as it wrinkles less and is tear-resistant.
	Folar is a vapor barrier consisting of one or two layers of aluminum foil, between which a fiberglass mesh with 4x4 mm cells is laid, which is the element reinforcing the fabric. Thanks to this strengthening, the foil insulator retains its qualities even in the temperature range from -60 to 300 degrees. Folar is an environmentally friendly material that does not contain carcinogens or allergens and can withstand high loads, including mechanical ones. This material is produced in three types: - “A” - sheets with one-sided foil and operating temperature from -40 to +150 degrees; - “B” - sheets with double-sided foil and operating temperature from -40 to +300 degrees; - “C” - sheets with one-sided foil coating and adhesive base for fixing to flat surfaces of walls, ceilings and floors. Operating temperature from -40 to +80 degrees. Standard roll parameters are length 50 m, width 1000 mm.
	“Folgoizolon” ​​is foamed polyethylene with a foil coating. It is produced and sold in the form of rolls or sheets, depending on its thickness. This insulation has high strength, shock absorption and sound insulation characteristics. Since such canvases (sheets) can be quite thick, they are often fixed to the surface without additional thermal insulation materials, provided that certain conditions are met during the arrangement of the room. "Folgoizolon" is used for insulation log surfaces, as the main heat insulator, or concrete and brick walls, as an additional layer to the main insulation installed between the sheathing bars under the clapboard covering. Material sheets have the following parameters: - thickness - 20÷110 mm; - length 1200 mm, - width - 600 mm. Rolls: - thickness - 2÷10 mm; - length - 25÷30 m, - width - 1000 ÷1200 mm. Operating temperature range – up to + 100÷125 degrees. The material does not deform, is easily cut and attached to a wooden sheathing using staples and a stapler, and metal profile– using double-sided tape.
	Foil-coated mineral wool is produced in rolls and slabs with a thickness of 5 to 100 mm. The material can have different lengths and widths - these parameters may vary among different manufacturers. The reflectivity of the material reaches 97%, the operating temperature is from -60 to 300 degrees. There are many varieties of foil mineral wool, and one of the most popular on Russian market from this line of materials is the basalt heat insulator for baths “ISOVER Sauna”, which has all the qualities necessary for such specific operating conditions.

Video: foil mineral wool slabs “ROCKWOOL Sauna Butts”

How to carry out insulation correctly?

Before moving on to insulation measures, you need to find out how to carry them out correctly, and what must be provided for.

In order for the aluminum layer to participate in maintaining the required microclimate properly, as intended by the manufacturer, the following points must be taken into account:

• Ventilation of the bathhouse is mandatory. Otherwise, all the insulating layers will be saturated with moisture and lose their thermal insulation qualities, and the foil will simply become useless.
• Compliance with the parameters of the thickness of the insulation in relation to the thickness and material from which the walls are made.
• Proper fastening of layers of insulation and foil material and sealing of joints between sheets.
• Formation of ventilation gaps between layers of insulation and finishing.

We must not forget that failure to fulfill even one of the listed conditions is fraught with the fact that all the efforts made during the installation of materials will be wasted, and the vapor barrier and heat-reflecting qualities of foil insulation will be reduced to zero.

Ventilation of bath rooms

Properly organized ventilation system steam room is one of the basic conditions that are necessary for the proper functioning of thermal insulation. Ventilation is planned in advance, before insulation operations begin. There are four main layouts ventilation holes in rooms with high humidity and, accordingly, the distribution of air flows with the obligatory condition of maintaining optimal temperature regime.

• The first option, presented in the diagram under the letter “a”, is natural system ventilation. For it, holes are made on opposite walls of the room:

- an inlet hole is made in the lower part of the wall, next to the heater stove;

- on the opposite wall, in its upper part, there is an exhaust window. It is advisable to place the exhaust window behind the partition so that a direct draft is not created in the steam room.

Both windows must have doors that regulate the inflow and outflow of air.

This option can be called the simplest to set up, but not effective enough. The air flow entering the supply opening heats up immediately as it passes by the stove, and then it immediately rises to the ceiling and goes into the hood. As a result, there is no proper ventilation of the room, since the air masses move along one trajectory, without covering the far corners of the steam room. That is why it is better to place the exhaust window behind the partition.

Such ventilation will have to be strengthened after the procedures are taken by opening the door.

• The second diagram (b) represents a ventilation system in which both openings - inlet and exhaust - are located on one wall, and the stove is installed near the opposite one. Such ventilation is usually arranged if the bathhouse has one external wall, in which it is mounted ventilation windows. In this option, the ventilation system is reinforced by a fan, which is installed in the lower inlet, and is therefore called forced. The fan makes the flow of air into the room more intense, so its flows are separated and cover a larger part of the steam room.

More effective method ventilation of the steam room: the supply opening is located below the stove, the exhaust opening is on the wall opposite, but not at the top, but at the bottom. In this case, the exhaust vent must be equipped with a fan. With this arrangement of vents in the steam room, the cold air is heated from the stove, rises, cools there and falls down.

• The third option (c) is implemented during the construction of the bathhouse, since it involves the passage of air under the “clean” floor. In this case, the ventilation windows are located in the same way as in the first option, that is, on opposite walls, but the fan is installed in the upper exhaust ventilation window. In addition, air flows are separated due to holes in the floor and the gap between the opposite wall and the “clean” floor surface, since this design creates additional draft. Such a system can be called effective, since the fumes do not have time to settle in large quantities on the walls and ceiling.
• The fourth system (d) will only work while the furnace is firing. When arranging it, they make only one supply hole, which is located on the wall opposite the stove. In this option, the hot air from the furnace rises, then, when cooled, it falls down, mixes with the incoming cold air, and is discharged through the blower door.

There is another system in which exhaust air is discharged through a blower. It is positioned in such a way that the blower hole is below the level of the “clean” floor, and in the upper part of the foundation an inlet opening is arranged, which will be located in the space between the “subfloor” and the “clean” floor. Thus, the air entering through the hole in the foundation will provide ventilation not only for the underground space, but also for the gaps between the foil and the facing material of the bathhouse.

Ventilation windows should have a size that is proportional to the area of ​​the steam room. So, per 1 m² of ventilated area, the window must have at least 24 cm².

Foil insulation

Proper ventilation of the bathhouse is the key to its long-term operation!

More detailed information about all the nuances of arrangement can be obtained from a special publication on our portal.

Thickness of walls and insulation used

The effect of the foil material will depend on how correctly the thickness of the insulation for the walls of the bathhouse is chosen. In order to determine this parameter, you can use this table:

It should be understood that the indicated thickness of insulation is specifically for a bath, that is, for short-term bath procedures, and with the obligatory use of a foil reflective layer directed indoors. For indoors permanent residence people, the criteria for choosing the thickness of insulation will be different. And there is no way to do without calculations.

How to determine the thickness of insulation external walls residential building?

There is a very accessible and convenient algorithm for calculating the thermal characteristics of a wall. It is presented with all the details in the article on our portal dedicated to. There is also a convenient calculator for independent calculations.

Insulation of bath walls using foil materials

Properly installed “insulation pies” on the walls and ceiling of a bathhouse directly affect how comfortable the atmosphere in the premises will be. In addition, violation of thermal insulation technology can render not only the insulation itself unusable, but also the walls of the building.

The installation procedure for the insulation system may vary slightly, depending on the material from which the walls of the bathhouse are built.

Insulation of a bathhouse - a wooden frame

Wood has low thermal conductivity and a high ability to retain log house warm, subject to high-quality caulking of the joints of logs or beams. Therefore, there is a special technology for insulating a bathhouse made of this material.

1 - Log wall.

2 - Foil polyethylene.

3 - Lathing made of timber.

4 - - wooden lining or tongue and groove board.

Work on securing materials is carried out in the following order:

Illustration
	Foamed foil polyethylene or even baseless foil is stretched and secured onto the walls insulated with caulking logs using a stapler and staples. The material sheets are attached with a reflective coating inside the room with an overlap of 150÷200 mm. If you choose insulation that has a sufficiently large thickness - 10 ÷ 15 mm, then in this case, the sheets are fixed end-to-end, without gaps.
	When securing the foil material, it is necessary to constantly monitor its integrity, since even minor damage can disrupt the intended effect of insulation and vapor barrier. If the material is accidentally damaged, it must be immediately sealed with special foil tape. The next step is to glue all the canvases along the lines of overlaps or joints with the same tape, so as to create an airtight coating over the entire area of ​​the wall.
	On top, on the foil insulation, slats with a cross section of 30x50 mm are fixed. They can be installed vertically or horizontally, depending on how you plan to install the lining boards: in any case, perpendicular to the inner lining.
	The trim is attached to the installed sheathing. There must be a ventilation gap between it and the foil surface, which, in fact, is what the sheathing slats set - 30 mm.

All operations on internal insulation of bath rooms are carried out only after shrinkage and secondary caulking, otherwise deformation of the finish and rupture of the insulation may occur.

Video: using foil to insulate a wooden bath

Insulation of brick or concrete walls baths

Insulation of cold walls made of brick, concrete, as well as foam concrete blocks is somewhat different from similar operations with wooden structures, and is done as follows:

Illustration	Brief description of the operation performed
	The first step is to mark the walls, and fix the sheathing bars on them, with a cross-sectional thickness equal to the thickness of the insulation, since it must fit flush between the beams. Moreover, if you plan to install the paneling vertically, then the beam is also attached vertically, since to secure the sheathing after fixing the foil, another row of counter-lattice bars will be installed, perpendicular to those already installed. The frame guide bars are attached at a distance from each other, which will equally allow the slabs of insulating material to be laid between them as tightly as possible.
	If ventilation windows or openings are installed on the walls, it is necessary to secure around them bars of the same cross-sectional size as the rest of the sheathing elements, since foil will also need to be secured around them.
	Next, insulating material is installed between the beams. For bathhouses, modified hydrophobic basalt wool is most often used, for example, vapor-permeable and waterproof insulation “Rockwool”.
	The next step is to cover the insulation with one of the types of foil material - it can be regular foil without a backing or foamed foil polyethylene. Attaching the foil to the sheathing bars is done using staples and a stapler. If the foil sheets are fixed horizontally, then its installation begins from the floor. If the foil is small in thickness, then its second strip is overlapped with the bottom strip by 150÷200 mm. When the thickness of the foil material is 10–15 mm, the panels are mounted end-to-end, as when mounting on a wooden wall.
	Around ventilation holes and windows, the foil also needs to be well secured, nailed to pre-installed bars. If possible, it is advisable to seal the edge of the foil around the holes or windows with tape.
	The foil sheets are fastened together at the joints with metallized tape. If the surfaces of the walls and ceiling are insulated, then it is recommended to lower a part of the sheet, approximately 200÷300 mm, mounted on the ceiling, onto the wall so that the joint between the two planes is hermetically sealed.
	On top of the foil, slats 20÷25 mm thick and 40÷50 mm wide are fixed, which will fix the foil and insulation, create a gap between the foil and the sheathing, and also serve as a lathing for further installation of the lining.
	The next step is to cover the sheathing with clapboard, but you need to make sure that a distance of at least 20÷25 mm is maintained between the clapboard and the foil. This space is necessary to ensure effective ventilation and evaporation of condensation formed after each bath procedure.

In conclusion, I would like to note again that foil will be an excellent barrier against the penetration of moisture into wall structures and ceilings, will help maintain a comfortable temperature in the steam room, but, of course, subject to all technological rules for its use when insulating the walls and ceiling of the bathhouse. Therefore, there is absolutely no need to doubt its necessity.

Modern production technologies provide the opportunity to produce thermal insulation materials of the most different types and structures. Of course, the use of each is determined by a number of requirements both for the environment of the future location and for the methods of installation and operation. Loyal pricing policy provides the opportunity to purchase heat insulators for everyone, regardless of their financial solvency. This article will talk about foil insulation for a bathhouse.

The importance of foil insulation in a bathhouse

• The bathhouse belongs to the category of structures where a certain level of humidity is assumed to be constantly present. This, in turn, limits the choice of not only building materials, but also insulation. Experts strongly recommend using thermal insulation material with foil or metallized film, which is based on polyethylene foam.

• Excellent performance characteristics provide the opportunity to create a kind of thermos indoors. Thanks to the reflective effect, all the heat is retained in the room without passing through existing cracks in the walls.
• Fastening slabs of foil insulation for walls allows you to hide existing imperfections on surfaces. It can be not only walls, but also the floor, and even the ceiling. Because the design features When building baths, they provide for the presence of hard-to-reach places; installation of this type of heat insulator will come in very handy.
• It would seem that the bathhouse construction project should already provide for all the nuances that allow maximum heat retention in the room. However, insulation with foil material has its advantages compared to analogues.
• As a rule, a bathhouse is a stationary single structure made using wooden beam. If the building is not properly insulated, it can take quite a lot of time and energy to warm it up. It is necessary to maintain optimal temperature conditions in the Priora. And this can be spent a large number of energy. At the same time, there is a certain pattern - the higher the air temperature in the room, the greater the amount of heat evaporates through cracks and cracks formed as a result of poorly performed wall finishing work or natural aging and cracking of the material under the influence of constant changes in air temperature.
• Even if the bathhouse is a continuation of a residential building, then this method of insulation should not be neglected. After all, penetrating vapors can negatively affect other materials from which the structure is built. This, in turn, can cause rotting of individual elements and partial destruction of the surface, as well as contribute to the proliferation of various fungi and microorganisms. You may end up getting hurt decorative finishing in room.
• By improving the operating conditions of the bathhouse, you can thereby extend the overall service life. The presence of a vapor barrier will allow condensation of warm wet air exactly where it is needed.

• There are many opinions about what exactly needs to be insulated in a bathhouse. Some believe that warm air rises up and the foil layer of material should be attached to the ceiling. Others believe that almost everything needs to be insulated.
• In order to prevent heat loss from the air, it is important to place insulation on all available surfaces in the room. However, do not forget to leave a gap, the dimensions of which can vary within 15-25 mm between the treated surface and the foil material.

Selection of foil material

Insulation with foil is available for sale in a wide range:

• foil roll insulation- has a fairly large roll width spread. The thickness of the foil can vary within 30-300 microns, which allows the material to be used in these conditions. You can buy insulation with foil in the price range from 20 to 200 rubles/m2, depending on the thickness of the material (2-40mm);
• paper or fabric base with foil layer applied, an excellent insulation option that is resistant to air temperatures above 300 C. By retaining heat inside the room, the likelihood of the formation of traces of mold and the smell of dampness is eliminated;
• foil basalt insulation has the property of resistance to fire (fireproof), which allows you to raise the temperature to a limit of 150-160 0 C.

Of course, each type has its own characteristics not only in terms of fasteners, but also performance characteristics. At the same time, the possibility of use in certain conditions is regulated by the manufacturer. The thickness of the foil insulation does not matter. It is important what kind of base structure it has.

• The formation of pricing is influenced by the thickness of the heat insulator, so the price of insulation with basalt-based foil is 800-1200 rubles/roll.
• This indicates that this material is available to almost all segments of the population for insulating not only a bathhouse, but also, for example, a balcony.
• The wide range of insulation options can be the main reason for the difficulty of choosing. Someone, relying solely on their own intuition, buys foil material. Others carefully study the characteristics, listen to the opinions of friends or specialists. The main thing is that both of them implement the only correct solution, which allows you to purchase high-quality insulation. Visually assessing the amount of work, it is important to remove exact dimensions rooms where thermal insulation is supposed to be carried out. This will allow you to maximum savings purchase the required amount of material.

Rules for choosing insulation for a sauna with foil

• Each manufacturer adheres to its own nuances of manufacturing heat-insulating materials. However, in general, the production technology is the same for everyone, which allows us to assert that high quality products. The approximate value of the heat transfer resistance must be indicated on the packaging.

• When choosing a material for insulating a bath, you must carefully study the expected operating conditions. In addition, the range range is indicated, the thermal conductivity coefficient in which can vary, this may be evidence that this type of material Low quality, since this is the value in in this case indicates instability of characteristics. Experts say that based on the results of numerous experiments, the following pattern was established: the lower the thermal conductivity coefficient, the better material will retain heat inside the room.
• I would like to focus special attention on the information that is written on the labels. As a rule, manufacturers indicate approximate data regarding the operating conditions of the heat insulator. You should be extremely careful, since the resistance values ​​are not indicated for a specific material, but its characteristics under the overall dimensions of a specific structure where it was used during testing.
• Many building materials that have an organic base emit toxic substances when heated to high temperatures, which is simply unacceptable, given that people relax and restore their health in a bathhouse or sauna. Inhaling toxic fumes for a long time can cause irreparable damage to health.
• Self-adhesive insulation with foil can simply melt when exposed to heat. Therefore, you should choose heat insulators with a minimum flammability rating. Fire safety comes first.

Main characteristics of thermal insulation material with foil

The undeniable advantages of using this type of insulation in a steam room include the following factors:

• high resistance to temperature changes (from 00C to +1500C);
• thanks to the mirror surface, thermal air flows are reflected;
• excellent indicator of water resistance, which expands the range of use of foil insulation (walls, ceiling, floor);
• has the properties of heat, hydro and vapor barrier. This indicates that the material can be used for insulation of any real estate, regardless of its further use (residential, industrial);
• ease of installation makes it possible to complete all fastening work with my own hands without outside help.

Insulation with foil application

• Unlike other heat insulators, foil insulation is a priority material in construction and is popular in repair work in bathhouses and saunas. In addition to achieving a high rate of insulation of steam and heat indoors, there is also excellent sound insulation separate rooms. This is important if both production premises and leisure rooms are located in the same building.
• Quite often this material is used for insulating floors in multi-storey buildings, where the floors are concrete plates. In addition, when laying communication systems, many construction teams use this insulation to eliminate the possibility of heat loss even if the pipes are located deep underground. In places where ground freezing has been recorded, the foil material will prevent frost from capturing, for example, water.

Features of installation of foil insulation

Before proceeding with the installation of insulation with foil, it is necessary to carry out a number of measures, namely:

• treat the surface of the walls with a special product that will prevent the formation of mold and dampness;
• wooden planks should be installed at certain intervals around the entire perimeter of the room;
• Insulation is attached to this frame. It doesn’t matter at all what type it has - rolled or tiled;
• the joints are subsequently taped with special tape, which prevents moisture from getting under the insulation layer;

• the foil material must be covered with clapboard. However, you need to leave a small gap to avoid contact between the heated lining and the foil. The mirror surface will fully reflect the incoming hot air flows;

• It is not recommended to use foil insulation for the floor in a bathhouse, since the floor system implies concrete screed, on top of which a wooden flooring is mounted;
• in addition to insulating the walls, ceiling and floor, it is also important to insulate the entrance doors;
• External walls should be insulated with special care than interior walls.
• To fasten the foil material in the bathhouse, you will need a certain list of tools and construction supplies:
• planks of a certain size, made of wood and pre-finished by special means protecting the material from moisture;
• in fact, the thermal insulation material itself;
• construction stapler or regular nails;
• special tape (aluminum or vapor-tight) for masking insulation joints.

Having studied the proposed material and purchased all the necessary building materials, you can safely begin insulating both the entire bathhouse building and individual rooms. If any questions arise during the process of fastening the foil material, then having a certain amount of knowledge, you can solve all the problems without any problems. In case in own strength If you are not sure, you can use the services of qualified specialists who will fully or partially complete the task assigned to them.

Ideally, the sauna should heat up quickly and retain the resulting heat for a long time. To do this, they try to properly insulate the walls and ceiling, blocking all exits from the steam room to heat flows. The traditional insulating layer has a complex structure, but its almost always unchanged component is aluminum foil. This component is as popular as it is controversial. Philosophical battles, supported by theories from physics textbooks, have been waged on the forums of bathhouse lovers for more than one year. Some argue that foil is an excellent insulation for a bathhouse, while others claim that it is practically useless as a heat insulator. Where is the truth? Let's try to figure it out.

Aluminum foil: another scam by manufacturers?

Aluminum foil for bath insulation is a thin (on average 30-300 microns) layer of aluminum, which is used unchanged or in combination with kraft paper, fiberglass, or roll insulation. The main argument of opponents of using foil in a bath is that aluminum has high thermal conductivity.

Based on this, thermal energy can easily pass through the metal layer and end up outside the steam room. In fact, everything is not quite like that. Firstly, high thermal conductivity will “work” against us only in the case of direct contact of the foil with a heated body (for example, with wooden clapboard or blockhouse). Secondly, in addition to thermal conductivity, there are other methods of heat transfer.

Three ways to transfer heat

Heat transfer can be carried out in three different ways:

• thermal conductivity;
• convection;
• infrared radiation.

In the case of foil, it is worth considering only the last method - radiation. When lit, the stove in the steam room begins to radiate intensely. infrared rays, which a person perceives as heat. Now the fun begins. IR rays hitting the aluminum foil layer are not absorbed by it, but are reflected in reverse side, that is, back to the steam room. Reminds me of a mirror effect. Therefore, we can say that foil for baths is not insulation in the literal sense of the word; it would be more correct to call it a heat reflector. Moreover, it reflects up to 97% of all IR rays.

In addition, foil is a vapor barrier - a sealed material that does not allow water or steam to pass through. Accordingly, it prevents heated steam from escaping outside and thereby also helps conserve heat.

Due to all this, a steam room lined with foil heats up much faster and does not cool down longer.

The foil can be mounted directly on the walls of the bathhouse or on a layer of insulation ( basalt wool, glass wool, etc.). The latter option is more effective and is most often used as a traditional insulating “pie” in steam rooms.

The fact is that foil is not capable of reflecting all the heat. Part of it, due to the high thermal conductivity of aluminum, passes further. To ensure that it does not extend beyond the steam room, a heat-insulating material is secured behind the foil layer. High-quality thermal insulation “catches” what the foil missed and sends it back.

This is especially true in frame, brick, concrete baths and saunas. Without good thermal insulation, bring such a bathhouse “to condition”, especially in winter time, problematic - the lion's share of the heat flows emanating from the stove will be immediately carried away through the walls to the street. But here are good Russian log baths with real brick oven They do not need special thermal insulation other than caulking.

Covering a bathhouse with foil: how to do it correctly?

In order for aluminum foil to perform all its functions assigned to it by the manufacturer, you should know how to secure it correctly. There are some nuances in this matter, failure to comply with which reduces its heat-reflecting and vapor barrier properties to zero.

The sheathing process simplified looks like this:

1. A frame made of wooden planks, between which insulation is laid (roll or slab).
2. Foil is attached to the strips on top of the insulation. All joints are carefully taped with special tape to ensure tightness.
3. The foil is sewn up with clapboard. It is very important that there is an air gap of 15-20 mm between the aluminum surface and the lining. This will not allow the high thermal conductivity of aluminum to fully manifest itself. The heated lining and foil will not come into contact, which means there will be no direct heat transfer (air is a good heat insulator). At the same time, IR rays that reach the foil will be almost completely reflected back.

This insulating “pie” using foil is designed on the principle of a thermos. To put it simply, a thermos is a double-walled flask with a vacuum layer between the walls. A mirror layer is applied to the inner surface of the smaller flask (the one with which the heated liquid is in contact). The vacuum prevents the spread of heat through thermal conductivity, and the mirror layer prevents the spread of heat through infrared radiation. The same processes, only with a lesser degree of intensity, occur in the foil insulating layer. In this case, the role of a mirror reflective surface is played by the foil, and the role of a vacuum with very low thermal conductivity is played by the heat insulator material located behind the foil.

Thus, using foil as part of the insulating layer of the walls and ceiling of the steam room, you can significantly reduce the heating time of the bath, enjoy concentrated steam and heat longer, and save the amount of firewood or electricity.