Do-it-yourself attic insulation in a private house: technology. Recommendations for insulating the floor of a cold attic with mineral wool How to insulate the attic floor of a house

Preface. The attic serves to protect the house from cold, moisture and scorching rays of the sun. In addition, heat escapes from the house to a greater extent through the attic. Therefore, the question is “what is the best way to insulate an attic in a private house?” - the owner decides first. We will also look at the issue of insulating an attic in a private house with our own hands in this article and show a video lesson from the Isover company.

How to insulate the attic floor of a private house

Often the attic, due to its disorganization, remains unused. But it is from the attic that you can make great room rest or bedroom, if you choose the insulation wisely and equip the attic for living space yourself. You can solve these issues yourself, or you can invite a team of builders to insulate the attic wooden house, as well as ventilation devices attic floor will be able to offer several options.

The gables and attic floor are insulated using various types insulation materials. But more often, three types of insulation are used to insulate the attic. Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of each:

– Organic derivatives (polyurethane foam);
– Insulation based on mineral wool;
– Bulk insulation such as expanded clay.

Let's figure out what is the best way to insulate the attic of a private house

Insulation of attic with polyurethane foam (PPU)

Polyurethane foam is the most popular insulation for roofs, gables and attic floors. Among its advantages is low thermal conductivity with small thickness. Its use is especially relevant here, because the load on supporting structures is reduced and a significant part of the space in your attic is saved.

PPU is applied by spraying, which creates a monolithic structure that perfectly protects the home from cold and moisture, and also prevents heat from escaping from the house. Polyurethane foam does not absorb moisture and is resistant to mold, preventing the penetration of insects and rodents.

Insulating the attic with polyurethane foam increases the strength of the entire roof due to the creation of a single sprayed structure, without gaps or cracks. Also, polyurethane foam has high strength and wear resistance - its service life exceeds 30-40 years. PPU does not require the creation of moisture and vapor barrier, since it itself perfectly performs the functions of its moisture protection.

Insulation of house floors with mineral wool

Mineral wool is suitable for insulating attic floors and attic floor, as well as for insulating walls and roofs. However, insulation with mineral wool implies the creation of external wind and moisture protection using waterproofing. Mineral wool has a structure that perfectly allows steam to pass through, so on the room side the insulation must be protected with hydro- and vapor barrier.

Mineral wool is laid in the form of rolls or mats. Typically, mineral wool is laid between the rafters, and on the floor - between the joists. Inevitably, seams form between fragments of material and structures. They must be thoroughly foamed and sealed with adhesive tape. For middle zone Russia requires a layer of insulation of at least 200 mm.

Mineral wool has considerable weight - on support pillars and ceilings the load increases significantly. Therefore, before insulating the attic with this material, you should make sure of the reliability load-bearing structures and roofs. You ask - is this all that can be used to insulate an attic? How were attic floors insulated before the invention of polyurethane foam and mineral wool?

Insulation of the attic floor of a house with expanded clay

Expanded clay is a bulk insulation material; it is perfect for insulating attic floors because it creates a ventilated space while retaining heat. Expanded clay is lightweight, safe and environmentally friendly in terms of flammability. Thanks to the manufacturing technology, expanded clay is strong and durable, resistant to moisture, high and low temperatures.

Expanded clay varies in granule size. Attic insulation with expanded clay is often carried out in the floor area. From the inside, expanded clay needs a vapor barrier coating. The material needs a frame, and this “eats up” part of the attic space. A special “box” is usually created on the floor, into which expanded clay is poured, and a wooden floor is laid on top.

More often, insulation with expanded clay and insulation of the attic with sawdust is complemented by mineral wool or polyurethane foam, especially for horizontal surfaces. You shouldn’t choose just one option to insulate an attic in a private home – you should wisely combine materials. For horizontal surfaces it is better to use bulk insulation; they are cheaper and more convenient to install.

Insulation of attic floors with sawdust and polystyrene foam

Sawdust insulation can be used as one of the methods of attic insulation. But this method is no longer in demand today as before. The main disadvantage is the flammability of the material, which is not suitable for the roof of a house. Insulating an attic with polystyrene foam is easy to implement, but it also has a significant drawback - a fire hazard and the release of toxins during combustion.

Comparison table for thermal conductivity of materials

Video: how to insulate an attic in a private house

November 17, 2017
Specialization: facade finishing, interior decoration, construction of cottages, garages. Experience of an amateur gardener and gardener. We also have experience in repairing cars and motorcycles. Hobbies: playing the guitar and many other things that I don’t have time for :)

A set of measures to insulate a house necessarily includes thermal insulation of the ceiling, especially if the attic is cold. The fact is that heat rises, so up to 25 percent of the heat can escape through the ceiling and roof of the house. Therefore, I want to tell you how and how to effectively insulate the floor.

As you know, there are two types of attic flooring:

1. Beam;
2. Slab.

The insulation technology depends on the type of floor. Therefore, we will consider both options further.

Insulation of beam floors

Insulation process beam floor includes several steps:

Step 1: preparing materials

First of all, you need to decide on the choice of insulation. In principle, in a private house in the attic you can use absolutely any thermal insulation material. The main thing is that it is environmentally friendly.

Let's look at the most common thermal insulation materials and their features:

• Mineral wool. This is one of the most common insulation materials. It does not burn, rodents and insects do not grow in it, and it is vapor permeable. The only serious disadvantage of mineral wool is its hydrophobicity.

As for the thermal insulation properties of the material, the thermal conductivity coefficient ranges from 0.077 to 0.12 W/m *K. In general, insulating floors with mineral wool is a reasonable solution. The only thing is to ensure high-quality vapor/waterproofing;

• Styrofoam. Is lightweight and cheap material, but not without some shortcomings. And the main ones can be highlighted that it, as a rule, burns well and “does not breathe”; in addition, rodents can grow in the foam. The thermal conductivity of this insulation is 0.037-0.043 W/m*K;
• Extruded polystyrene foam. This heat insulator is an improved version of polystyrene foam. As a rule, it contains a fire retardant and has higher strength and moisture resistance.

The thermal conductivity of this insulation is lower than that of expanded polystyrene - 0.036 - 0.040 W/m*K, but it costs several times more;

• Cellulose wool. Another name for this bulk material is ecowool, since it is made of cellulose and is one of the most environmentally friendly insulation materials. Thanks to special treatments ecowool does not burn and is resistant to various biological negative impacts. The thermal conductivity of cellulose wool is in the range of 0.032-0.041 W/m*K;

• Expanded clay. This is another loose insulation material, which is granules of foamed baked clay. The advantages of expanded clay include environmental friendliness and fire safety. However, it has a fairly high thermal conductivity - 0.1 - 0.18 W/(m*K).

Therefore, expanded clay must be laid in a layer at least 25 cm thick, otherwise a good result will not be achieved.

To save money, you can use natural insulation - sawdust or reeds. The only thing is that they will have to be treated with a fire retardant and antiseptic.

In addition to insulation, you will need the following materials:

• Vapor barrier film;
• Superdiffuse membrane;
• Protective impregnation for wood.

Step 2: Preparing the Beams

Preparation involves doing the following:

Illustrations	Actions
	Installation of a rough ceiling. To perform insulation from the attic side, the floor must have at least a rough ceiling on which vapor barrier and insulation can be laid. To do this, you need to secure boards or sheet material to the beams from below.
	Beam processing. Cover the surface of the beams with an antiseptic.

Now you can start thermal insulation.

Step 3: insulation

Insulation instructions look like this:

Illustrations	Actions
	Vapor barrier: The vapor barrier spreads over the wooden beams. Lay the canvases so that they overlap each other; Tape the joints with double-sided tape.
	Laying insulation: Fill the space between the beams with insulation; If used slab material, pay maximum attention to the joints so that there are no gaps in the thermal insulation layer.
	Waterproofing. Place a waterproofing film over the thermal insulation and beams. As with laying vapor barriers, the joints must be taped.

At this point the work is completed, all that remains is to complete the attic floor - lay boards or other material on top of the waterproofing.

It must be said that it is possible to insulate the floor from below. In this case, a slab heat insulator is used, which is placed in the same way in the space between the beams. In this case, a fishing line or nylon cord is pulled to fix the plates.

Insulation of slab floors

Insulation of slab concrete floor also includes three steps:

1. Preparation of materials;
2. Floor preparation;
3. Insulation.

Step 1: preparing materials

Since the insulation will perform a load-bearing function, it must be durable. It is best to use extruded polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam with a density of at least 25 kg/m3. Can also use stone wool in slabs with a density of at least 150 kg/m3 or expanded clay.

In addition to insulation, you will need the following materials:

• Rolled waterproofing;
• Materials for screeding.

Step 2: preparing the base

The floor preparation is carried out as follows:

Illustrations	Actions
	Surface cleaning. Remove any debris that is on the surface of the stove.
	Elimination of defects. If there are serious potholes or cracks on the surface, they must be covered with cement mortar.

Step 3: insulation

Thermal insulation is quite simple:

Illustrations	Actions
	Waterproofing the floor. Lay on reinforced concrete slab waterproofing film; Be sure to seal the joints with tape (if bitumen material is used, the joints should be coated with bitumen mastic).
	Laying insulation. Lay the slabs on the floor close to each other so that there are no gaps.
	Filling the screed. The screed is poured over the insulation in the standard way. You can get acquainted with the technology of pouring screed from other articles on our portal. If mineral wool is used as insulation, be sure to lay another layer of waterproofing on top of it.

It should be noted that sometimes it becomes necessary to insulate the ceiling from the inside, for example, in apartment building. In this case, the heat-insulating boards are glued to the concrete with a special glue and additionally secured with dowels.

When insulating a house, you must definitely pay attention to the laws of physics. According to them, the air heated in the rooms will rise to the ceiling. If the attic is not insulated enough, the heat will escape outside, and this whole process can be called heat loss.

In order not to heat the street and retain more heat in the house, it is necessary to insulate the ceiling. If you still don’t know whether it’s worth doing this work, then you should take into account that 25 to 40% goes through the roof. This data is especially relevant for houses with cold roofs.

Thermal insulation of the ceiling will perform three functions at once, which are necessary to create a comfortable microclimate. The material will soundproof, which will keep the house quiet during wind and rain. IN winter period insulation will eliminate heat loss and through which heated air can freely escape outside. Thermal insulation is also needed in the summer heat, because with its help you can create a barrier against heated air. Even in the hottest weather, the inside of the house will remain cool.

Material selection

If you are planning to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic, then you need to understand the variety of materials. The insulation option you choose should be able to withstand a wide range of temperatures ranging from -30 to +30 °C. It shouldn't freeze low temperatures and highlight harmful substances when heated. It is important to purchase fire-resistant thermal insulation. This is true for electrical wiring.

It is better if the insulation is moisture resistant so that it does not lose its properties when wet. It should not cake quickly in order to fulfill its purpose for as long as possible. Insulation of the ceiling of a cold attic can be carried out using rolls, slabs or this is true for a floor made of wooden beams. Whereas if you have to work with concrete slabs, then you should purchase bulk or slab materials.

Today the following are produced as mats and slabs:

• Styrofoam;
• seaweed;
• mineral wool;
• extruded polystyrene foam;
• straw.

Concerning roll insulation, then they are offered for sale in the following varieties:

• stone wool;
• mineral wool;
• glass wool;
• algae ladders.

When choosing bulk materials for insulating the ceiling of a cold attic, you may prefer:

• expanded clay;
• reed;
• straw;
• buckwheat tyrsa;
• ecowool;
• sawdust;
• slag;
• foam granules.

Features of insulation with mineral wool

Using basalt wool

Basalt insulation is made from gabbro-basalt rocks and acts as optimal option for thermal insulation of the ceiling from the attic. The fibers of this material are more flexible and therefore not so brittle. They are well compressed into mats that have sufficient strength.

When deciding to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic with basalt wool, you have at your disposal a material that copes well with the impact external factors, therefore it can be laid on the side of an unheated room. Insulation is sold in slabs or rolls, which can have different densities. Sometimes there is a foil layer on one side, which can enhance the insulating effect, because the heat will be reflected into the room.

About the dangers of mineral wool

All mineral wools have one common drawback, which is expressed in a binder consisting of phenol-formaldehyde resins. During operation, they are constantly released into the air, which can be hazardous to human health. Therefore, this thermal insulation cannot be considered completely environmentally safe. Stacked basalt wool on the same principle as mineral.

Use of extruded polystyrene foam

Expanded polystyrene, which is also called polystyrene foam, is not very dense material. It can be used when the floor is made of beams and joists. Extruded polystyrene foam is stronger and denser than regular foam. Before laying it, the surface is leveled.

WITH warm side There is no need to cover the floor with a vapor barrier, because concrete slabs have almost no vapor permeability. Insulating the concrete floor of a cold attic involves laying a vapor barrier film. The next layer is insulation boards, which are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. The joints are filled polyurethane foam. As soon as it dries and hardens, the canvases are filled with concrete mortar up to a thickness of 6 cm. After the screed has dried, it can be used as a floor. Flooring can be laid on the surface.

Using penoplex

If you insulate the attic, this will not only increase the service life of the rafter system, but also roofing, and will also increase the level of thermal protection of residential premises under the attic. Insulating the ceiling of a cold attic with penoplex foam has replaced other technologies that were used quite widely in construction. IN in this case We are talking about the use of glass wool, expanded clay and sea grass.

Modern choice - “Penoplex panel”

In rural areas, the floor of an unheated attic is still insulated with clay and wood shavings. Today we offer for sale the Penoplex panel, which is specially designed for cold attics. If you neglect the work on thermal insulation of the room above the living space, this may cause the insulation to get wet, which occurs due to condensation. Sometimes, under appropriate conditions, the roof structure begins to collapse altogether, which is especially important when there is constant dampness.

Should I use metal fasteners?

When the attic floor is not insulated, icicles and frost constantly form. Large heat losses were mentioned above; they are caused by a weak level of thermal protection. When developing a scheme for insulating the ceiling of a cold attic using penoplex, you must take into account the features of how the ceiling units will be connected to the thermal insulation. The manufacturer does not recommend the use of metal fasteners, because they contribute to the formation of cold bridges, which reduces the level of thermal protection.

To create a heat-insulating cake, a leveling screed is laid on the floors. Next, a vapor barrier in the form of polyethylene is laid. The next layer will be penoplex. We should not forget about the presence of a separating layer in the form of polyethylene. On last stage a cement-sand screed is poured.

Insulating the ceiling of a cold attic may involve working with sheet material in the form of plywood or OSB. In this case, a vapor barrier is laid on the surface, wooden beams and foam insulation. You can cover it with sheet material in the form of gypsum fiber board or fiber board.

Finally

Insulating a cold attic allows you to create a boundary between cold and heat. Due to the formation of condensation in the attic floor area, appropriate conditions arise that can contribute to significant heat loss. Proper insulation overlap allows you to create a barrier with a low degree of thermal conductivity.

When ensuring the insulation of a private house, one must not forget that special attention should be paid to such a place as the attic.

Warm air tends to rise to the top, and therefore temporarily unheated room heat can escape through the cold attic space. Therefore, the issue of insulating the attic must be resolved without delay.

1 Why do you need attic floor insulation?

Insulating a cold attic floor with stone or mineral wool is generally necessary in lightly used rooms that are properly equipped with special roof ventilation.

The attic, or rather its ceilings, serves as a kind of boundary between heat and cold. In such places, the attic floors are exposed to intense moisture due to the formation of condensation.

However, you can properly insulate the floors in the attic of a house with mineral wool with your own hands. The very process of insulating the floor in the attic with mineral wool is the creation of a durable thermal insulation coating, which will have a low degree of thermal conductivity.

The technology itself for insulating floors in the attic with mineral wool implies strict adherence to its stages and requirements.

The technology itself is quite simple and understandable. Good thermal insulation Attic flooring using mineral wool helps close unwanted gaps.

To do this, the insulation must be laid tightly. In most cases, mineral wool is used to insulate the attic of a house.

The presented insulation is the most suitable for this type of work; it can also be used to insulate the floor surface in the living areas of the house.

By organizing good insulation with mineral wool, the most optimal temperature will be maintained in residential premises.

If the procedure is performed incorrectly, moisture rising from the floor of the house will lead to the formation of condensation.

It will accumulate on the ceiling and then seep through the ceilings. The resulting temperature difference in those areas where the attic floors adjoin the walls of the house initiates the formation of mold and microscopic fungi, which can be causative agents of allergic diseases.

1.1 Requirements for attic insulation

The process of insulating the attic floor and, more precisely, the level of its quality has direct influence not only on the size of heat loss, but also on the duration service life the entire truss structure and roof covering.

The fact is that water vapor located inside the heated room diffuses to the attic of the house. In order for the insulation used to provide a high degree of calculated efficiency of the thermal insulation layer, it must always be dry.

Based on this, the insulation must be protected from excessive humidification by vapors of rising heated air using a special vapor-proof material.

If the attic space is well insulated, it will not only provide high-quality thermal insulation, but will also help increase the service life of the entire roofing structure.

If there is no vapor barrier, steam will penetrate through unprotected ceilings attic space and condense on the floor surfaces.

This will lead to moisture flowing onto the rafters, which, under its influence, will begin to slowly rot from the inside.

As a result, the likelihood of destruction of the entire roofing pie increases. The thermal insulation performance of the structure is also reduced due to the fact that the tightness of the vapor barrier layer has been compromised.

Before insulating the attic, you need to drain the layer and remove moisture from the entire attic space. To do this, ventilation should be done through windows. They can be:

• Skate like;
• Cornice;
• Slotted;
• Auditory.

In order to ensure maximum ventilation intensity, the indicator of the total area of ​​all ventilation holes should be equal to 0.2-0.5% of attic floors.

If all work is carried out correctly, then icicles will not form on the roof in winter. The process of insulating the attic space itself is carried out not from the living quarters, but from the attic floor.

This is the most convenient way to lay insulation, the choice of which depends on the technology used and design features buildings.

1.2 Features of insulation of beam floors

When implementing such an insulation scheme using mineral wool, heat is retained in the space between the beams. Their usual height is almost always enough for this, but if necessary, several bars are packed on top.

The lower part of the ceiling is sewn up using molding material as with. For this, lining or sheets of plasterboard can be used.

The subfloor covering is laid on top of the beams. This can be a tongue and groove board, plywood sheet or OSB board. Mineral wool is placed on a previously prepared special vapor barrier layer.

An alternative can be an ordinary film made using polyethylene. If the vapor barrier material is foil-coated, then it is laid with the shiny surface down.

The intermediate distance between the beams is filled with mineral wool with the required thickness parameters. The surface of the beams must be equipped with an additional insulating layer.

This will lead to blocking the so-called cold bridges and will significantly reduce the overall level of heat loss. If timber was used to create beams High Quality, Then finishing material creep directly onto their surface.

Mineral wool is placed between them as if, and the attic floor is laid on top. The use of this technology is especially important in houses that are made of logs or beams.

Important with high degree to reliably protect mineral wool from the smallest drops of moisture, this is especially true if the roof has minor coating defects that cause leaks.

The layer of mineral wool must be reliably protected from the effects of wind from the eaves. For this purpose, mineral wool slabs with a high degree of density are used.

2 Why is mineral wool used to insulate an attic?

In most cases, when insulating attic floors, the consumer's choice falls on mineral wool. Its advantage is that its installation does not require special skills.

Mineral wool has excellent thermal insulation properties. Its structure consists of thin glassy fibers, the length of which ranges from 2 to 60 millimeters.

High sound insulation characteristics are ensured due to the presence large quantity air pores

These pores are located in the space between the fibers and can occupy 95% of the total volume of the insulation. Mineral wool is presented in three varieties; it can be basalt glass and stone.

Basalt wool is made using molten basalt rocks, to which binding elements are added.

This may be a carbonate type rock, which regulates the acidity level of the substance, which entails an increase in the service life of the insulation. Glass wool exhibits high heat-resistant properties and can withstand temperatures up to +450 degrees Celsius.

2.1 Technology for insulating attic floors with mineral wool

When carrying out work related to mineral wool, it is important to comply with all safety requirements and regulations.

This is due to the fact that in the process of cutting and laying such material, the air is filled with tiny particles that can enter the respiratory organs and thus cause harm to human health.

When carrying out installation, be sure to ensure the availability of funds personal protection. Goggles, a respirator and thick rubber gloves must be available.

The process of insulating attic floors begins with the selection of the necessary tools and additional materials. You can't do without:

Insulation

• Boards and plywood;
• Vapor barrier film;
• Mineral wool (excellent);
• Waterproofing;
• Scotch tape;
• Roulettes;
• Knife;
• Construction stapler;
• Spatula.

The essence of insulation technology is that the insulation must be carefully laid in the space between the attic floors or beams.

To enhance the thermal insulation qualities, reliable vapor barrier protection should be used. Warm and moisture-saturated air will continuously rise from the living rooms and reach the top through the ceiling.

There, in the under-roof space, it will collide with a layer of insulation. Due to the fact that mineral wool is generally considered a vapor-proof material, it will absorb all the outgoing moisture inside itself.

If it is left without the necessary access to air and sunlight, it will gradually dry out and, ultimately, lose all its heat-insulating qualities.

In order to avoid such destructive consequences, it is necessary to lay a vapor barrier material under a layer of mineral wool.

Before starting the main work, you will need to carefully calculate the required amount of insulation.

The amount of cotton wool purchased depends on how many layers are planned to be used when covering the attic space. In addition, the thermal insulation thickness parameter directly depends on the features climatic conditions in the region.

2.2 Proper insulation of the attic floor (video)

August 27, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works(laying a foundation, erecting walls, constructing a roof, etc.). Internal construction work (laying internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobby: mobile connection, high tech, computer technology, programming.

If you live in an apartment building, then you have hardly ever thought about insulating the attic. Moreover, you would hardly have guessed that such a thing existed. technical room in the building, unless, of course, you ran to the roof as a child.

However, in village house or a country cottage (which I am currently building for my son), the under-roof space plays a huge role. Often there is an open expansion tank heating system, ventilation pipes, chimneys. And sometimes they equip living quarters - attics.

Therefore, I will not talk for a long time about how important thermal insulation measures are for this room, but will simply tell you how to insulate the attic of a private house using the example of my own son’s country home.

I think the technology described will be useful to everyone who is building or is planning to build a home outside the city with their own hands.

Materials for thermal insulation

Attics have been insulated for as long as I can remember. My great-grandfather and grandfather used hay and straw, sawdust and shavings for this purpose, and some in their village used dry leaves from trees.

Dad was already a more “advanced” builder and cold - in a private house and at the dacha he insulated the attic with expanded clay and old soldier’s blankets. By the way, expanded clay granules are also used in modern construction.

I won't tell you now which one better option from the above, since I can offer more technologically advanced and effective thermal insulation materials for attic insulation.

However, before this, I will note what technical characteristics must be inherent in a heat insulator so that it can be used for the described work:

1. Light weight. The material after installation should not place a large load on the attic floor, roof trusses and load-bearing walls.

Otherwise, more durable building materials will have to be included in the project during construction, which increases the amount of the final estimate.

1. Safety. The material used for insulation should not cause harm to human health.

Therefore, both the floor of a cold attic and the roof must be insulated with heat insulators that do not release hazardous chemical compounds into the air. Especially if you plan to arrange a living room there in the future.

1. Easy to install. The less effort you need to spend on installing thermal insulators, the better, right?

In addition, there is not much space in the under-roof space of some houses, so it is not very convenient to work there. I always try to buy materials that do not require the use of complex equipment when laying them.

1. Low thermal conductivity coefficient. The better this indicator is, the smaller the layer of thermal insulation material should be used. Respectively, inner space the attic space will not be reduced much.

Again, I think this is important, since I plan to make an attic in the attic at my son’s dacha. But I think you are not very interested in laying thermal insulation 20-30 cm thick.

1. Hydrophobic properties. In attics the air often has high humidity, which reduces the efficiency of the heat-insulating layer.

I advise you to choose materials that are either treated with water-repellent compounds, or those that do not change their technical characteristics as a result of getting wet.

1. Fire safety. The roof is where there is a risk of fire due to improper installation or a clogged chimney pipe.

Therefore, when choosing a material, I would give preference to those varieties that do not ignite under the influence of open fire and do not support combustion.

Of course, I was unable to choose the ideal insulation that 100% meets all the listed requirements. But I’ll still tell you about those with whom I had to work.

So, I insulated the attics:

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

I'll tell you about them in more detail.

Polyurethane foam

The raw material for the manufacture of this heat insulator is plastic. Insulating an attic with polyurethane foam is a pleasure, but it requires special equipment. The fact is that the insulator is applied by spraying, for which compressors are used.

But you don’t need to buy screws, adhesive mixtures, lathing, and so on. And the polyurethane foam itself is applied very tightly, leaving no gaps through which cold air can penetrate into the under-roof space.

After hardening, the insulation becomes rigid, therefore it further strengthens the structure. The material has antiseptic properties; mold, mildew and other microorganisms do not multiply on its surface.

If you need to insulate ventilation pipe in the attic, you can also use polyurethane foam. Just not sprayed, but in the form of ready-made shells with a protective layer of aluminum foil. They simply need to be secured to the pipelines using adhesive tape or plastic ties.

Most big drawback the material in question is a high price. However, if you consider the total cost of the work, you can save money, because additional hydro- and vapor barrier is not required in this case.

Styrofoam

This insulation, like others similar to it technical specifications expanded polystyrene, widely used for insulation of rooms under the roof. I personally prefer polystyrene foam produced by extrusion. It is more durable, does not burn, has a low thermal conductivity coefficient and is not damaged by rodents.

The cost of insulation is quite affordable, and anyone, even the most inexperienced summer resident, can install it in the attic. Polystyrene is processed with hand construction tools and secured with dowels.

Mineral wool

Fibrous heat insulators are a universal material. Mineral fiber-based insulation comes in rolls, slabs, in the form of a dry mixture, and so on. They are perfect for insulating attic floors and roofs.

Basalt fiber, from which mineral wool is made, has a very high temperature melting. Therefore, this insulation can be used for installation on chimneys, the surface of which can become very hot.

There is one point here. The insulation is not waterproof and can lose its heat-protective properties when wet. To avoid this, when insulating, it is necessary to install hydro- and vapor barrier membranes. Or buy those varieties of mineral wool that are treated with special water-repellent compounds.

Bottleneck of some species mineral insulation is environmental friendliness. In the manufacture of basalt mats, a certain amount of formaldehyde resins is used, which can be harmful to human health. Especially during the installation process.

Expanded clay

Granules of this material, as I already told you, were used by my father when insulating his first dacha. Expanded clay has a low thermal conductivity coefficient and weighs little. However, it is free-flowing, so it can only be used to insulate the floor of the roof space.

But the installation process itself does not require any tricks. You just need to pour it on the floor, and then protect it well from moisture with a moisture-proof membrane. If you are going to later equip the attic, you can cover it with a screed on top, and then lay a decorative covering.

Do-it-yourself insulation of the attic space

With the most popular thermal insulation materials It seems like we’ve decided, now I’ll tell you how to properly insulate the under-roof space so that you can build an attic there in the future.

Let's deal with the question of how to lay insulation under the sheathing, because this method will allow you to stuff your chosen decorative material on top without any problems.

In my son’s attic, I decided to use mineral wool, but I’ll tell you right away about polystyrene foam, since the working technologies are similar, and foam plastic is easier to work with if you are a novice builder.

The entire insulation process consists of several stages:

• Preparation;
• waterproofing;
• laying the heat insulator;
• vapor barrier;
• arrangement of sheathing and installation of decorative cladding;
• insulation of utilities;
• floor insulation.

I'll tell you about each stage in more detail.

Preparatory activities

Let's start, as usual, with preparation, because it is unlikely that your attic is already ready for construction work.

After all, in almost 100% of cases this room is used as a trash storage facility, where all unnecessary things are demolished (and sometimes taken from the apartment). The attic of my son’s dacha was clean, since the house was new, but in my home, while clearing out the rubble, I found old books, clothes, several family heirlooms (which my wife did not consider such) and much more.

In addition, if you have tried to insulate before, I advise you to get rid of all traces of this process. For example, remove sawdust, scraps of felt, construction debris, and so on from all crevices. Believe me, I have insulated attics more than once and I know how important it is.

By the way. And drive away all the spiders from the attic, and then clear the room of cobwebs. After all, you will be building an attic for yourself or your children, and not for any insects.

Last moment. Bring it to the attic necessary tools and provide lighting. It’s unlikely that you have sockets there, so you’ll have to run an extension cord with a light bulb. Although these measures seem obvious to you, since I had to return to the city for an electric one, since not a single extension cord at the construction site reached from the distribution panel to the attic.

Waterproofing

A waterproofing membrane is needed in order to protect the thermal insulation layer itself and the room under the roof from excess moisture. This is especially important if the roof has been laid for a long time (for example, you are insulating the attic of an old house) and roofing materials Not the most modern ones were used.

The moisture-proof film is installed directly on truss structure. It needs to be stretched and overlapped so that after finishing work a sealed layer is formed. You can fasten the material with a construction stapler with staples.

Laying insulation

Thermal insulation material, as I already said, must be mounted on a pre-assembled sheathing. However, if you want to save a little money, there is no need to construct a separate frame. He will play his role perfectly rafter system roofs.

In the latter case, in order to press the material and be able to install decorative sheathing, you will only need to install a light counter-lattice at some distance from the surface of the heat insulator. Then you get a small ventilation gap that removes excess moisture from an insulating layer.

So, the scheme of work for laying insulation is as follows:

1. Mineral wool rolls must be cut so that their width matches the distance between the rafter supports. After this, lay it under the roof surface, gluing it to the surface or temporarily securing it with wooden slats.

1. To make installation easier, you can use mineral mats. Their width should be slightly greater than the distance between the rafters, so that after installation they will snap into place and not fall out.

1. The foam must be cut as accurately as possible so that it fits closely to the installation site. The gaps between the insulation panels will greatly reduce the effectiveness of insulation measures, so they need to be filled with foam.

Vapor barrier

After laying the insulation, you need to install a vapor barrier membrane. It will protect the insulating material from penetration of moisture generated during human activity.

For vapor barrier, special films are used that prevent the heat insulator from getting wet, but do not prevent air infiltration through the enclosing structures. As a result, a microclimate that is comfortable for living will be formed in the attic, if you look at it from the point of view of humidity.

So, after installing the insulation, it is necessary to attach a vapor barrier to the rafter supports (which act as sheathing). This should be done using a stapler, carefully pulling the film.

The edges of the material overlap each other to prevent the mineral wool from getting wet. To further insure yourself against surprises, I recommend sealing the seams with adhesive tape.

Vapor barrier films allow air to pass in only one direction. Therefore, before installation, make sure that you have turned the membrane to the desired surface.

Counter-lattice

Having finished with the films, you can begin to complete the finishing operations of the walls (or the roof, depending on how you look at it). I will use for this, but in the same way you can fasten OSB boards, drywall, lining, and so on.

Here, too, there is an opportunity to significantly save on the purchase of materials and reduce the time for carrying out all work. The fact is that the main parts of the sheathing will be powerful rafter legs, and all you have to do is make cross members that will serve as additional stiffening ribs for the sheathing.

The material for the transverse frame can be wooden slats or galvanized profile. The essence will not change. The parts just need to be screwed from above to the rafters so that they are located at right angles to them. The step between adjacent elements depends on the decorative finish; I made it 30 cm so that the cladding does not sag under load.

Herself decorative finishing also depends only on your imagination. I'm going to glue the wallpaper on top for now to save money, and then I'll come up with something more beautiful. You can do the same.

Just before gluing the wallpaper, do not forget to putty the seams between the plywood sheets and do other necessary operations(primer and so on).

Insulation of utilities

If you do not plan to create an attic, you definitely need to insulate the ventilation ducts in the cold attic, as well as, if there are heating, water supply and smoke exhaust pipes (the term you came up with).

Of course, you can use mineral wool for this, wrapping it around the pipes, wrapping it with roofing felt and securing it with wire. But why complicate your life when you can buy ready-made pipe shells required diameter(made of polyethylene foam, polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam, and so on). They just need to be snapped onto the pipe and secured with tape to be sure.

The cost of such insulators is low, so you definitely won’t go broke.

Insulation of the attic floor

The floor is a horizontal surface, so it can be easily insulated with bulk material. For example, expanded clay. But since I started working with mineral wool (foam plastic), I won’t buy expanded clay, I’ll limit myself to what I have at my disposal.

So, the attic insulation technology is as follows:

1. First you need to clean the surface of dust, accumulated debris, foreign objects, and so on.
2. Then install the support joists. I make them from wooden blocks with a section of 20 by 10 cm. You can select the height of the logs based on the thickness of the thermal insulation material you have.

1. The entire surface is covered with a layer of waterproofing. Be sure to ensure the tightness so that the mineral wool does not get wet, as this may affect its technical characteristics.

1. Cotton wool is placed on the waterproofing layer. Choose a material that is specifically designed for insulating horizontal surfaces. For example, Izover KT37.

1. The vapor barrier membrane is again stretched on top, onto which the facing material is stuffed. I used plywood, which I plan to cover with linoleum.

If you do not plan to use the attic as a living space, then you can not insulate the roof, but only insulate the floor. In this case, you need to pay attention to some features:

1. Wood for joists and cladding must be treated with hydrophobic, fire-retardant and antiseptic compounds to maximize its service life.
2. For entry, it is better to use an insulated hatch to the attic, since it is this structural element that is often the source of large heat losses.

Now we can say with confidence that the insulation of the floor (or ceiling from the cold attic side) has been completed in full. And in order to achieve maximum efficiency of thermal insulation measures, I still advise making an insulated hatch with a ladder, as described in the video in this article.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is nothing scary or difficult here. If you liked the material or have any questions, you can ask them in the comments. I would also be grateful for stories about how you insulate the attic in a private house with your own hands.

August 27, 2016

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