Insulation for the external walls of a frame house. How to insulate the walls of a frame house from the inside with your own hands? Floor insulation using slabs

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Insulation is a necessary component of any residential building. A large temperature difference is the main reason why you need to choose this material very carefully. The comfort of living in the house will depend on the right decision, especially in the coldest and hottest seasons. Do optimal choice Information about the characteristics of popular methods of thermal finishing of a house will help.

Insulation for the walls of a frame house - what functions does it perform?

Almost half of the heat supplied by the heating system is lost due to poor-quality wall cladding. To make it warmer in winter, we simply turn on the boiler higher, and the temperature becomes comfortable again. A caring and practical owner will definitely think about good thermal insulation.

The advantages it gives:

saving gas fuel used to heat water in the heating system;
effective sound insulation;
no need for air conditioning in summer;
constant comfortable temperature;
increasing the service life of the frame and the “filling” of the walls, roof and floor.

It’s hard to believe, but all this is provided by the insulation for frame house. The heat will not escape outside the room, which means the heating boiler will operate at minimum power. You will save on fuel. Walls with dense filler will block noise coming from the road and street, even if the house is located near a highway, it will be quiet and peaceful. In summer, the heat in your home will not go away - you can do without air conditioning. With an optimal microclimate inside the wall, the filler and load-bearing components will be protected from premature destruction.

The best insulation for a frame house - types, properties, characteristics

Before going to a building materials store, analyze the following components:

what condition is it in?
terrain characteristics, climatic conditions;
your experience in construction work ah - if you decide to insulate your home yourself;
budget that can be allocated to purchase the necessary materials.

The specificity of the structure of a frame house is that it is entirely made of wood. On the one hand, such a cottage is quickly built and environmentally friendly. On the other hand, a wooden base is not capable of retaining heat. The entire load falls on the insulation. What is the best way to insulate a frame house and what should you pay attention to when choosing a material:

Heat-retaining properties. The material must have low thermal conductivity. The lower its coefficient, the thinner the width of the insulating sheet will be. For a frame structure, the optimal value is in the range from 10 to 15 cm. This is suitable for the middle zone. The further north you go, the thicker it should be, and vice versa.
Weight. A frame house is not able to withstand heavy weight loads, so you should not choose heavy materials for its cladding and insulation. Lightweight items are easier to install.
Vapor permeability. Term wooden structure will last significantly if you choose insulation that allows air to pass through. Frame walls are usually sheathed sheet materials, which “breathe” well. Properly selected filler will ensure good infiltration and a normal indoor microclimate. If you leave the house excess moisture, then its level will always be normal. You will not need to additionally ventilate the rooms.
Environmental friendliness. Living in a house will be safe if you use environmentally friendly materials for its construction. The health of the residents will depend on what kind of insulation is inside the wall.
Hygroscopicity. No matter the method exterior finishing building, its “filling” will be exposed to moisture contained in the atmosphere. The direct culprits are rain and snow. Choose waterproof materials or those that will not change their characteristics due to water contact. Relevant for areas where atmospheric humidity is high.
Strength. The insulation for the frame structure must retain its original shape and dimensions. If the shrinkage is minimal, then the cold will not get inside the room. During installation, the dimensions of the insulating boards are calculated so that they fit together as tightly as possible.
Price. This figure depends on your budget. How to insulate a frame house if the amount of funds is limited? The main rule is do not take the cheapest one. This will cause you to lose money in the future.

Look at the characteristics of the most popular insulation and choose what suits your situation best.

Basalt mat or mineral wool

Basalt consists of minerals of volcanic origin. First they are melted, then ultra-thin threads are obtained, which are glued together with phenol-formaldehyde resin. Slabs or mats are formed from the resulting mass.

Why basalt is interesting:

has very low thermal conductivity. This indicator is provided by the air located between the fibers;
due to the resin it contains, it does not absorb water;
the open structure does not interfere with normal air infiltration;
the mineral from which the cotton wool is made burns only when the temperature reaches 1000 degrees;
absorbs airborne and impact noise;
has antiseptic and chemically resistant properties, does not undergo biocorrosion, mold or mildew will never grow here;
very durable in compression, retains its geometry throughout the entire period of use, does not fall off or shrink inside the wall;
environmentally friendly.

The disadvantage of mineral wool is its high cost. Among the options for insulating the frame of a house, it is considered one of the best materials.

Foam plastic - inexpensive and convenient

It is produced by foaming polystyrene using steam and under high temperature. Polystyrene foam consists of thin-walled polymer granules, which are filled with atmospheric gas inside. In construction it is used in the form of slabs of various configurations and sizes. Advantages:

Since this insulation consists of 98% air, its thermal conductivity coefficient is lower than that of basalt wool. For located in middle lane, several layers with a total thickness of 10 cm are quite enough. Choose foam with a density of 34 kg/m3.
The closed cell structure inside the foam does not allow moisture to pass inside. The total water level will never exceed 4%. During construction work, the material does not need to be covered with films from the outside - it will not warp or become damp if it rains.
The material does not deform inside the wall, despite the fact that it is quite fragile when fractured.
Blocks noise.
Resistant to mold.
It's inexpensive. If you are looking a budget option with good characteristics, it is best to insulate it with foam plastic.

The thermal insulation layer of polystyrene foam can withstand freezing and thawing in unlimited quantities. This does not affect its condition in any way, because water, which usually destroys the structure during crystallization, is almost absent here.

Polystyrene foam does not conduct air. Its vapor permeability coefficient is comparable to monolithic concrete. In order for the walls of the frame to breathe and release moisture from wooden beams, they do not need to be tightly covered with slabs. In a house with foam insulation, it is necessary to install a good ventilation system.

Disadvantage: deterioration when exposed to sunlight, high level flammability. This can be dealt with by treating the slabs protective compounds.

Polyurethane is a new word in the field of wall insulation

Construction technologies do not stand still. Appeared new way insulation - using polyurethane foam. It is obtained through a chemical reaction of components that are connected to each other using a special installation, right before application. PU foam is applied by experienced specialists; during work, a special spraying installation equipped with a compressor is used.

Positive traits:

Today, polyurethane foam is the leader in low thermal conductivity. It can be adjusted during application.
Compared to polystyrene foam, the material can absorb only 2% of its volume of moisture. To enhance water-repellent properties, castor oil is added to the composition.
Does not burn thanks to special additives.
Does not allow noise to pass through.
It has a high level of strength with a density above 35 kg/m3. On top of the polyurethane foam it is enough to simply treat it with plaster, because... shrinkage coefficient is zero. When applied, the foam first expands, fills the space and hardens. Ideally maintains geometry for the entire period of operation.
Ecologically pure.

The disadvantages of the newest material include low vapor permeability. Foam applied to frame walls completely blocks air circulation with the street. The frame should not be completely foamed - the moisture inside the tree should evaporate. If you cover everything completely with foam, the water will be trapped inside the material. This will lead to premature destruction of the building. Before working with polyurethane foam, all wooden components must be thoroughly dried.

Which insulation option from the ones presented is right for you? Weigh the pros and cons, visit construction stores, look at what the materials look like, compare prices. Take your time, study the characteristics again, this will help you make the right decision.

Frame houses are distinguished not only by practicality, but also by attractive external characteristics. This perfect option for those who want to acquire inexpensive but comfortable housing. Today we will talk about insulating a frame house.

Do-it-yourself insulation of a frame house

Design Features

There are two main methods of constructing frame buildings:

frame-panel (buildings are assembled directly at the factory with ready-made elements);
frame-frame (all elements are prepared and assembled at the construction site).

In cross-section, the wall of a frame house looks like a multi-layer cake (this can be seen in the image above). It is also worth noting that the frames themselves can be of two types:

wooden;
metal.

For a long time wood was the main building material, and no wonder - it is cheap, durable, lightweight, easy to process and has excellent thermal conductivity. Metal structures are erected from perforated steel profiles, mostly galvanized (this prolongs service life up to one hundred years).

Now - directly to the process of insulating a frame house!

Stage one. Choosing a material for insulating a frame house

After it's ready Basic structure, you need to start thermal insulation, and here, of course, there are a lot of questions. And the main one is the choice of suitable material. There are quite a lot of them, but the most popular are polystyrene foam, basalt, eco- and glass wool, extruded polystyrene foam, materials that are sprayed or filled. It would seem that the choice is quite wide, but not all of the insulation described are suitable for frame building.

For example, expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam are not suitable because if they are tightly placed in the inter-frame voids, the structure itself will increase in volume in the future or shrink due to the natural properties of wood, which causes cracks to form between the thermal insulator and the frame. It is quite obvious that through these cracks the thermal energy, and the insulating material itself will no longer be effective. Therefore, a thermal insulator suitable for us must be elastic: even if the shape of the frame changes, there will still be no gaps, since the freed-up space will be filled with this material.

Now let's move on to specifics. Let's look at all the remaining materials, and you can decide for yourself which one is more suitable (in terms of price, quality, etc.).

Option #1. Basalt wool for insulating a frame house

Perhaps one of the most popular insulating materials. It has excellent noise and thermal insulation properties and is produced by melting rock basalt. For this reason, the material is sometimes called stone wool.

Note! The temperature it can withstand is +1000 C, so it is a real fireproof insulation.

The disadvantage of the material is that it absorbs moisture, which is why its main properties deteriorate over time. Therefore, when insulating a frame house, you should protect the basalt wool using vapor and waterproofing materials. We also note that for thermal insulation of walls it is necessary to use the material that is produced in slabs. It is advisable that there is a special marking on it indicating that it is for walls, otherwise after a couple of years the wool will shrink and cracks will form in the wall (namely in its upper part), through which cold air will penetrate.

Option #2. Ecowool

Modern material made from cellulose. It differs from the previous version not only in appearance, but also in installation technology. To insulate ecowool, you need a special machine to mix the material with water droplets; then this entire mixture is driven into the interframe space.

Droplets of water are here for a reason - they glue pieces of ecowool together, forming a monolithic thermal insulator along the entire perimeter of the building. Consequently, there cannot be any cold bridges in such walls. Although it is possible to install ecowool without using special equipment, that is, dry. In this case, it is simply poured between the layers of walls and carefully compacted.

Ecowool is immune to high humidity emanating from the room, so no vapor barrier is needed in this case. The only drawback of the material is the high cost (not only of it, but also of installation work).

Option #3. Glass wool

Another very popular material that can be used in frame house. It differs from basalt wool in that it is made from molten glass. It is characterized by excellent thermal insulation properties, fire safety and the fact that no toxic substances are released when exposed to fire.

Note! Glass wool is often produced in rolls. You should pay attention to the fact that it must have markings for the walls (this is necessary for a frame-type house).

Option number 4. Bulk insulation materials

These include sawdust, expanded clay, slag, and the like. At one time, this technology was a great success, since it was quite difficult to get good insulating material. But today bulk materials are practically not used. Everything is explained quite simply: their common drawback is that over time they shrink, and their thermal insulation properties are very questionable.

Option #5. Glassine

Glassine is thick paper treated with bitumen. The material is often used in construction to protect against wind and moisture, although in reality this is not necessary - the material does not allow moisture to pass through, which comes from the room, and it accumulates in the frame itself.

Note! We do not consider spraying polyurethane foam, although it is very effective and can be applied to almost any surface. Firstly, he is afraid of a direct hit sunlight, which reduces its service life by half. Secondly, its application requires special equipment, and this is not a cheap pleasure. We are talking about insulating a frame house, which in itself implies minimizing costs.

Video - How to insulate a house

Stage two. Preparatory activities

First, you should understand a number of important points, without which thermal insulation of a frame building can easily turn into a waste of money. First, we note that you need to think not only about the walls, since both the ceiling and the floor can also let in cold air! In addition, the insulating material should be properly protected from moisture using internal/external waterproofing. Finally, when performing installation work, you need to leave small ventilation gaps between the walls and the insulation itself.

Before you start installation work, thoroughly clean all working surfaces from dirt and dust. If protruding screws or nails are found, remove them. And if there are gaps between the frame elements of the building, then fill them with polyurethane foam. Dry all damp areas (if any) using a hair dryer.

Note! If previously the outer surface of the walls was thermally insulated using waterproofing material, then its re-installation inside the building is no longer required, otherwise an excess amount of moisture will accumulate in the structure and, as a result, it will quickly collapse. Below are instructions for internal insulation only.

Stage three. Waterproofing layer

Let’s immediately make a reservation that the installation technology for all materials is approximately the same. First, measure all the walls of the frame, then, in accordance with the calculations, cut strips of the material that was chosen for waterproofing. Attach the material to the posts using a stapler so that the frame is completely covered.

Stage four. Installation of a vapor barrier layer

Even if moisture-resistant materials are used for insulation, vapor barrier must still be performed. At first glance, these are unnecessary expenses that can be completely avoided. But the fact is that inside the frame there will be not only insulation, but also other elements (for example, wood), which still need protection from steam penetrating into the walls from the room.

Scheme for laying a vapor barrier layer when insulating a frame house

Both a special film and foamed polyethylene can be used as a vapor barrier. Attach the selected material to the frame racks close to the thermal insulator using a mounting stapler. Sometimes insulation blocks are simply wrapped in this material, but in reality this is not necessary - as we just noted, protection must be provided for all frame elements without exception.

The material is laid with an overlap of at least 10 centimeters, and all joints are carefully sealed with high-quality double-sided tape. Also, do not forget the fact that the thickness of the vapor barrier material in no way affects the similar indicator of the insulating material.

Stage five. Installation of insulation

If mineral wool is used for thermal insulation, be sure to put on the protective equipment before starting work. personal protection– respirator, gloves, safety glasses, special clothing. If you use polystyrene foam (and this material, as we said, is not very suitable), then such safety measures are not needed. When insulating a frame house, lay the material between frame racks evenly, not forgetting the ventilation gaps required between the thermal insulator and the sheathing. To cut mineral wool you can use scissors or an ordinary knife, but for polystyrene foam you will need electric jigsaw or a hacksaw with small teeth.

Note! Experts say that it is more effective to lay insulation in two layers. So, first there should be a first layer 10 centimeters thick, then a wooden sheathing is laid in a horizontal position, on top of which the second layer is laid (its thickness should already be 5 centimeters). This little “trick” will help avoid the formation of cold bridges.

Place on top of the insulation protective film(if it is necessary, that is, if the outside of the house was not properly insulated). This will ensure that the material will always be in a dry state, and moisture will not get in from the outside.

Note! For the ventilation gap, which has been mentioned more than once, fill the wooden sheathing with a thickness of 3 centimeters.

After this, you can begin installing OSB boards and decorative trim.

Stage six. We sew up the walls in a frame house

The procedure for insulating a frame house is almost complete; all that remains is to sew up all the walls from the inside. OSB boards are often used for this, although you can also use sheets of plasterboard. Although we note that drywall is advisable only in the case of a fairly even frame, otherwise it will take on all forms of irregularities. On the contrary, OSB is much tougher, so it can be used to eliminate minor flaws. Start finishing on top of one of them.

Fastening OSB boards to the frame in the presence of a second floor

Two options for joining plates

About additional insulation

If what is described above is not enough, then you can additionally take care of external insulation (if, of course, it is not already present). If used inside mineral wool, then lay a vapor barrier from the outside, which will protect the material from condensed moisture. By the way, it can be not only film, but also aluminum foil, although, to be honest, this material is not the best.

You can use the same OSB or plywood as wind protection. Finish coating can serve as eurolining, siding or other suitable materials. That's all, good luck with your work and have a warm winter!

Video - Do-it-yourself insulation of a frame house

Frame construction technology is becoming very popular in Russia. If in the West people buy ready-made houses, then our fellow citizens love to build with their own hands. The main question in the case of a frame house is: “Which insulation is best for a frame house?”

Properties of insulation

Mineral wool

Generally speaking, there is no clear opinion that this or that material is the most best insulation for a frame house, no. There are several most popular options, and all have their advantages and disadvantages.

In addition, there are a lot of myths about various thermal insulation materials, generated as a result of advertising wars and simple ignorance, as well as stupidity. We will also list them.

Let's start with one of the most common. This is a material that is fibers made from rocks of the basalt group, waste from the glass industry or other slags.

According to its characteristics, this material is a highly effective heat insulator, while environmental and fire safety does not cause any complaints.

Here are some characteristics of mineral wool:

Thermal conductivity ranges from 0.035 to 0.068 W/m×K depending on the class and type of material. This allows us to classify this heat insulator as one of the most effective means to block the path of heat transfer from one body to another by conduction;
Hygroscopicity is about 1%. This is a very low level of moisture absorption, but do not delude yourself: the amount of steam and water that accumulates between the fibers of the insulation is not taken into account here, but only that which is absorbed directly by the material itself;
Density ranges from 30 to 100 kg/m³. This characterizes mineral wool as sufficiently dense material, capable of maintaining its shape for a long period of time;
The melting point of the fibers is about 1000 °C. Complete fire safety, the material does not burn. This allows cotton wool to be used as an insulator for chimney pipes, stoves, fireplaces and boilers.

So, we see that mineral wool is a good answer to the question: “What insulation should I choose for a frame house?” Especially when you consider that the installation of this material is not difficult and does not require the participation of complex equipment, highly qualified professionals or expensive tools.

Regarding glass wool and stone wool There is a common myth: it cakes and crumples quickly, and needs to be changed frequently. This is complete nonsense. At correct installation lasts up to 50 years. Moreover, the instructions do not require any complex manipulations or labor-intensive work.

If you hired “builders” from a neighboring yard, be offended at yourself. They can save time and effort by spreading the joists so the mats can be inserted easily. Also, cotton wool is often attached incorrectly, according to the principle “it hangs and it’s good.”

These manifestations of carelessness should be stopped immediately and the team of workers should be changed. It is also necessary to choose the right vapor barrier materials.

Important! Mineral wool requires proper installation technology and vapor barrier. Only in this case will it serve you faithfully for a long time.

Styrofoam

Polystyrene foam and its variety polystyrene foam are perhaps the most popular materials for insulation frame houses.

The fact is that abroad, and more recently here too, the market for building materials for frame houses is confidently filled with sandwich panels. This is not surprising, since in all respects this is a truly convenient and effective solution.

A sandwich panel is a wall slab (or roofing slab, or any other) that consists of insulation pressed between double-sided sheathing made of plastic, fiberboard, OSB, PVC or metal. Canadian SIP panels, where polystyrene foam is used as insulation, have become classics of modern sandwich panels.

Polystyrene foam has very low thermal conductivity, weighs very little and is very easy to install. He's got enough low price. In principle, this is enough to choose this insulation.

But there are several “buts” that are usually mentioned when discussing this material. The first “but”: the foam burns.

Firstly, when we build a house from wood, as in the case of a frame house, does it really matter whether only the house or the house and its insulation burn down in a fire?
Secondly, polystyrene foam does not burn as well as is commonly thought. Try it, set fire to a SIP panel without using gasoline, and you will understand what we are talking about.
In fact, the main danger is the toxic smoke that foam produces when burning. For this purpose, during the construction of frame houses, a window is provided in each room, and in the event of a fire, self-extinguishing is prohibited.

The second “but”: mice eat polystyrene foam.

Firstly, mice do not eat it, but build burrows and nests there. This is not bread, cheese or grain, they will not eat your house.
Secondly, rodents build nests in any insulation material, and they especially love mineral wool. It’s logical, where it’s warm, there’s a nest.
Today there are a lot effective ways get rid of rodents, from ultrasound to powerful poisons, impregnations and other means.

The third “but”: the foam allows heat to pass through the edges.

Firstly, the foam does not let anything through. They allow gaps left by incompetent installers to pass through. All joints should be treated with polyurethane foam, and no problems.
Secondly, polystyrene foam is perhaps the most stable type of insulation, which does not wrinkle, get knocked down or deteriorate. And does not absorb moisture. What else is needed? Once again: foam plastic doesn’t let anything through, it just physically can’t, even if it wants to.

Advice! Thanks to its low weight and simplified installation, foam plastic is convenient for insulating a loggia or balcony, where you don’t have much choice with other materials.

Polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is one of the most effective thermal insulation materials . Its thermal conductivity is 0.019 – 0.03 W/m×K, which is lower than most materials common in this industry.

But that's not all its advantages.

Firstly, it is gas-filled plastic, in which air makes up up to 97% of the volume. In addition, the gas tanks are hermetically sealed, making the thermal insulation particularly effective and stable.

Secondly, this material does not absorb moisture. As you know, water conducts heat quite well and reduces the quality of any insulation in which it accumulates.

Thirdly, polyurethane foam creates a seamless monolithic hermetic coating, which simply does not have weak points and cold bridges. This is an important quality.

Finally, this material has excellent adhesion to the surface on which it is applied. In no case will it crumple, sag or crumple.

Add to this its complete chemical inertness, environmental friendliness, fire safety- and you will get almost perfect insulation. The only weak point is that he is afraid ultraviolet radiation. However, it is easy to protect against it with any coating.

The main disadvantage of polyurethane foam is the method of its application and the cost of the material. It refers to those that are applied like polyurethane foam using special equipment. Such work should be carried out by a trained specialist wearing a chemical protective suit and a respirator.

This fact negates the possibility self-installation using improvised means, and significantly increases the cost of insulation. For many consumers, it is the cost and opportunity independent work are the determining factors when choosing material for insulating a house.

Otherwise, the polyurethane foam does not cause any complaints. It can be called the material of choice; we can only hope that in the future such technologies will become more accessible to our consumers.

Conclusion

There is no clear leader among materials for insulating frame houses. All insulation materials have pros and cons; you have to choose based on capabilities and preferences. In the video presented in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

A frame house is a practical, durable and very budget-friendly construction option. It has multiple advantages, especially in the area of ease of design and installation.

Insulation remains an unchanged nuance for a frame house; despite the basic insulation installed in the niches, it is necessary to additionally ensure heat retention.

The material of a frame house is wood or metal, more often they complement each other. Therefore it is used additional insulation either outside or inside.

Insulating walls in a frame house has long ceased to be a luxury; now it is more of a necessity. Since in Lately frame structures are becoming increasingly common in cold regions of the country, it is worth thinking about warmth and comfort in the house.

Each insulation option deserves its right to exist, since in some situations it shows better results. The advantages and disadvantages of each method should be analyzed point by point.

has a higher heat retention coefficient, thus energy costs will be minimal.

This is due to the fact that there is no need to warm up the walls; most of the air is retained directly in the room. The situation is twofold, since walls can also collapse due to a shift in the dew point. So the moisture from the cold air will be transformed into droplets almost in the room itself.

Comparison of insulation methods

Also, the internal insulation option is easier to install; you can reach the wall using a simple stepladder.

In contrast to this advantage, there is a nuance - this is a decrease in the variety of wall decor, that is, the insulation is less durable and fastening some structures can be difficult. It's logical that the construction of an additional layer on the walls leads to an overall reduction in the area of the house.

Using the method internal insulation walls, be sure to pay attention to the environmental friendliness of the material.

- this is more standard and safe way heat preservation. This type of insulation has the following advantages:

The walls are protected from destruction and are less susceptible to weather conditions;
Does not take up space in the room;
Lower requirements for the environmental component of insulation;

List the main types of insulation and their brief description

Insulation materials are divided according to their properties and method of application, but today the variety of materials is so large that it is very difficult to describe all the options, so only the most popular methods will be discussed.

Comparison of thermal insulation

Stone wool

Stone wool is a material that is used everywhere, it is preferred by many development companies. The popularity of cotton wool is based on easy installation, since no special skills are required and you can get by with improvised tools.

NOTE!

It is used in frame houses that are built with one’s own hands, that is, not of a factory design. Thermal insulation is used to fill the openings between the beams of the frames.

Due to its distribution, cotton wool can be found in almost every major hardware store, and transportation is possible even in your own car. The main requirement for installing wool is its installation density - there should be no gaps.

Stone wool

Styrofoam

- This is a cheaper and moisture-resistant insulation, but it is also quite fragile. Installation of foam plastic is somewhat more difficult and requires certain experience in this domain. Since the material does not absorb moisture, there is no need for moisture/vapor protective membranes, which reduces the cost of the project.

The performance characteristics of polystyrene foam somewhat repel many people, which is why serious disputes flare up around the material. As negative aspects, they note that the material is not at all environmentally friendly and people complain about a deterioration in their health after insulation.

Styrofoam

Mineral wool

Often used in construction due to its high thermal/sound insulating properties, mineral substances are increasingly gaining popularity in private construction.

Cotton wool has the form of fibers that are several times smaller than hair, and all this is in compressed form. The fiber length is 10-15cm.

Due to the presence of a huge number of air cavities, the material retains heat well, and along with it, sound. Installation of wool is as simple as possible due to the flexibility and elasticity of the blocks, and there is no tendency to deform. There is no risk of fire.

Mineral wool

There are many other types of insulation, such as:

Frame wall insulation pie - what elements does it consist of?

There are several main options for building a frame house, the first is a factory one, when ready-made blocks are initially purchased, it is called frame-panel. Another method is to arrange and assemble the panels on site, essentially by hand.

Both options must contain several important layers, each of which has its own specific function. In fact, there are only 5 main layers:

So, naturally, he goes first façade cladding, this also includes external insulation, so the function is attractive design and protection against temperature changes;
Further windproof membrane protects the house from drafts, removes moisture and thereby retains heat;
The frame itself always contains some kind of insulation;
A vapor barrier layer protects the insulation from the penetration of water vapor, which in turn ensures the durability of the building;
Internal lining. There are no longer any special standards here; you can use internal insulation, a variety of decor and anything that seems appropriate to the owner.

Insulation pie

Layers of vapor barrier and wind protection must be secured using lathing. It is a mesh, usually made of wooden blocks, which fixes the necessary films and internal insulation, preventing deformation of the structure.

Sealing cracks and preparing sheathing

Lathing is vital in insulating a frame house. The reason is that it is simply impossible to attach to mineral wool or any other filler, since they are not able to withstand loads.

Further work requires the presence of lathing; the material can serve as ordinary timber, and profile.

The sheathing itself additionally serves to seal the inner layer of insulation and provide additional ventilation.

Before preparing the sheathing All cracks must be sealed first, which can be formed due to a loose fit of the insulation.
It is necessary to fill the niches in the frame so that a slight pressure of the insulation is formed on the supports. This is done so that if the beams dry out, gaps do not form due to the filler, otherwise large heat losses are guaranteed.
Various gaps that cannot be closed using the material simply blown with foam.
The sheathing itself is done as simply as possible. To install the sheathing, a board measuring 20x90mm is used. The sheathing is attached to wooden planks, which secure the insulation. You can fill the timber in absolutely any direction, it depends on the decor you choose.

Frame installation

Installation of sheathing

Proper insulation of the walls of a frame house with mineral wool - in detail and step by step

It is worth noting that mineral wool is very good material for insulation, but it still has several negative parameters, such as highlighting harmful substances, What limits its use indoors.

It is also noted that the material is afraid of moisture and water vapor.

If the mineral wool is saturated by even a few percent, the insulation loses half of its heat-insulating properties.

Now you should highlight several basic steps for insulating walls with your own hands when using mineral wool:

First, it is necessary to sheathe the inside of the structure with a vapor barrier material;
Then sew up inner side frame, this is often done using OSB. In this way, niches are created for further sealing;
Usually niches are made to fit the size of mineral wool, but if necessary you will have to trim the sheet with a simple knife. It is worth considering that you should cut 5 mm more on each side than was measured, this creates additional protection against possible cracks;
Selecting the number of mineral wool sheets. Each is 5 cm thick, the calculation must be made based on the terrain, in normal cases 2 sheets are enough. Sometimes niches are made in several layers that intersect;
Now the frame is sheathed on the outside with wind protection;
The sheathing goes on top of the insulation.

Installation of mineral wool

Laying insulation

Insulation of frame walls with polystyrene foam - in detail and step by step

Despite the fact that mineral wool is a good material for insulation, it is worth disassembling internal methods heat preservation. Here the choice of material should be taken seriously, since one of the most important criteria, in addition to thermal conductivity, is the environmental friendliness of the product.

The best material for internal insulation, in all respects, is. It has low thermal conductivity, is lightweight, does not allow vapor to pass through and is thin, but alas, it is somewhat more expensive than other materials.

Installation of polystyrene foam is quite simple:

A layer of wind protection is laid;
The slats are attached and can be installed in a horizontal or vertical position;
The interior is filled with extruded polystyrene foam;
Usually there is also a vapor barrier, but with this material there is no need for it, so next comes lathing and drywall or any other finishing material.

Laying polystyrene foam

A few words about waterproofing and vapor barrier

Vapor barrier is a certain film that does not allow moisture to accumulate in the layer with insulation. In this way, the penetration of any vapor from the room into the various layers of insulation and back is blocked. Often used in conjunction with waterproofing.

Vapor barrier

Waterproofing helps to minimize the phenomenon of dew point. Blocks moisture from entering the insulation, usually used on the outside of the wall.

Waterproofing

Useful video

Insulation frame walls using special technology:

Conclusion

Insulation brings comfort and coziness to the house, blocks the occurrence of harmful, destructive phenomena in the structure and at the same time retains heat.

It’s not for nothing that frame houses are often called thermoses, because when proper construction, the building is able to retain heat even in the cold season for several days. Also, do not forget about ventilation, since air circulation in the room is minimal.

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In the previous article, I described step-by-step instructions for assembling a frame house with your own hands. Now, we will look at instructions on how to properly insulate it and isolate it from wind and moisture, so that during operation, it for a long time remained reliable protection from frost in the cold season, and also saved from the sweltering heat in summer.

What insulation to use for a frame house

I will not describe here which insulation is better for a frame house; this is a separate topic, and it is discussed in detail in another article.

But it is worth noting that about 80% of the total number of frame houses are insulated with mineral wool or insulation based on it. Taking this into account, this step-by-step instruction, basically, will be based precisely on such insulation.

In addition to mineral wool, there are several other types of insulation that are, to one degree or another, suitable for use as thermal insulation for frame houses, such as ecowool, expanded polystyrene, expanded clay and others. We will talk about the differences in the technology of their use at the end of the article.
Insulation of a frame house with glass wool occurs in exactly the same way as with insulation based on mineral wool, so we will not consider this type of insulation separately.
Mineral wool, compared to other types of insulation, is the most versatile material. It is used to insulate not only frame houses, but also any others. It is used as insulation almost everywhere in the construction of private houses.

It is important to know that when working with mineral wool, especially indoors, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles and a respirator. Contact with skin can result in severe itching, redness, and allergic reactions.

In principle, the insulation of all parts of a frame house is not much different from each other, but there are still some nuances, so it is necessary to consider each part separately.

Do-it-yourself insulation of the floor of a frame house

The technology of floor insulation largely depends on the type of foundation, but since most frame houses are currently built on a pile-screw foundation, this is what we will start from when insulating the floor.

Insulation of the floor of a frame house, regardless of the type of insulation, begins with waterproofing. In addition to the waterproofing membrane, we still need to build a structure under the floor joists that will hold both waterproofing material, and the insulation itself, as shown in the diagram.
If the house is located high relative to the ground, and you can crawl under it, then first a waterproofing membrane is stretched under the floor joists and secured with a furniture stapler. The overlap of the waterproofing strips should be as tight as possible so that there is no leakage from under the floor. Find out from the manufacturer which side the material is stuffed in and which side is out.
Also, from below, on top of the waterproofing, a board is made. The size of the board and the installation pitch are not particularly important, but no more than 40-50 cm, as long as this is enough to prevent sheets or strips of mineral wool from falling through. Sometimes the board is packed tightly, without gaps, this strengthens the floor structure. This is what you should end up with:
If it is impossible to crawl under the house, then a board is first placed under the joists, and then a waterproofing membrane is attached to the joists from inside the frame house, as shown in the photo.
When the base for the insulation is ready, mineral wool is laid between the floor joists of the frame house. It is necessary to lay it tightly, the presence of voids is not allowed. Mineral wool is cut with a sharp knife, you can use a construction knife, but always a little longer than the required length, about 1 cm.
For ease of installation, the distance between the logs is selected in advance, depending on the insulation, in our case, the width of the mineral wool slab is 60cm. This means that the distance between the joists should ideally be 58-59cm.
The thickness of the insulation layer completely depends on the region where the frame house is being built, but on average it is 15 cm. It is also necessary to take into account the height of the floor joists of the frame house. As a rule, the thickness of all layers of mineral wool does not exceed, and sometimes even slightly less than the width of the board or timber from which they are made.
An important point in laying mineral wool is that each layer must overlap the joints of the previous one, as shown in the photo. The overlap should be at least 15-20cm.
On top of the mineral wool, inside the frame house on the logs, it is necessary to fix a vapor barrier membrane. It will protect the insulation from moisture from the inside, and also serve as additional wind protection. In order for it to be airtight, the joints must be taped with double-sided tape, for example.
Plywood, OSB board is laid over the vapor barrier membrane, or a board is sewn together, which will be the basis for further finishing.

It is worth noting that mineral wool itself is not a wind barrier, so the waterproofing and vapor barrier membrane must be stretched so that there is an overlap on the walls, excluding moisture and wind from getting between the wall and the floor of the frame house.

Insulating the walls of a frame house with mineral wool

In a frame house, as in any other, there are two types of walls - external, one side of which is located on the street, and internal, which are located entirely inside the house. So, it is necessary to insulate both of them.

The walls of a frame house can be insulated both from the inside and outside; this does not change the materials used and their quantity. We will look at insulation from the inside; everything is done from the outside in exactly the same way, only in a slightly different sequence.

Insulation of the external walls of the house

It is worth immediately noting that when covering a frame house outside and inside with your own hands, various materials, they may be different from those that I describe in this manual. The order of actions may also differ, but in general, it turns out almost the same, as in the diagram. This approximate diagram, for example, instead of OSB boards, on one side you can pierce the sheathing with slats or a 25mm thick board. The board, as a rule, breaks through a certain distance - about 40cm between the axes, but it is worth remembering that in this case, the rigidity of the walls will suffer a little.

The process of insulating walls with mineral wool with your own hands is almost identical to the thermal insulation of the floor, and is carried out as follows:

The outside of the frame is sheathed with OSB boards, with gaps between them specified by the manufacturer, usually 2-3mm. After installation, the gaps can be foamed. This is what it looks like from inside the house:
Then, also from the outside, a waterproofing membrane is stretched, which will protect the mineral wool, the frame of the house, as well as OSB sheets from external moisture, on top of which external Finishing work, such as installing siding, for example. Some manufacturers make waterproofing materials with self-adhesive strips to make the joint tighter. If there are no such stripes, it is advisable to glue the joints with double-sided tape.
From the inside of the frame house, between the frame posts, which, if you did everything correctly, are located at a distance of 58-59 cm from each other, sheets of mineral wool are tightly inserted.
It is better to use mineral wool with a density of at least 35-50 kg/m3. Less dense insulation will settle or roll to the bottom, which will lead to the appearance of voids and cold bridges. As a rule, manufacturers write on the packaging what material can be used for.
Just like with the floor, layers of mineral wool should be laid so as to overlap the previous joint of the sheets by at least 15-20cm. The total thickness of insulation depends on the climate zone, but the average value is also 15 cm.
After all the insulation has been laid in the walls, it is necessary to fill with foam all the small voids formed at the joints of the boards and beams.
A prerequisite for insulation with mineral wool is that from inside the house, over the insulation, it is necessary to stretch a vapor barrier membrane, which will protect the insulation from moisture coming from inside the house. On top of which, most often, the same OSB sheets are stuffed as on the outside, but you can also use boards, slats and similar materials, depending on the further finishing. An important point in installing a vapor barrier membrane is that internal corners it could not be tightened, and the vapor barrier completely followed the angle of the frame. Otherwise, in the future, it will be difficult to nail the trim at the corners.

It is worth noting that this entire procedure can be done in reverse, first stretch the vapor barrier membrane from the inside, then the internal cladding material, and the process of insulating the walls with mineral wool can be done from the outside.

Insulation of internal walls of a frame house

Distinctive features of insulation interior walls frame house are:

If it is not possible, or there are no strict requirements for the soundproofing of internal partitions, it will be sufficient to use the same insulation as for external walls. The thickness of the heat-insulating layer can be much less.

Do-it-yourself insulation of the ceiling of a frame house

Insulating the ceiling of a frame house is practically no different from other types of houses with wooden floors, and is one of the most critical aspects of thermal insulation of the entire house as a whole.

Now let's take a step-by-step look at how to properly insulate the ceiling of a frame house with mineral wool:

Because warm air has the ability to rise upward; if the ceiling or roof is not insulated correctly, the maximum amount of heat will escape from the house.

Insulating the roof of a frame house with your own hands

Very often, instead of the ceiling, and sometimes together with the ceiling, the roof of a frame house is also insulated with mineral wool. This is usually done in cases where the attic space is residential and heated.

The insulation technology is practically no different from the thermal insulation of the ceiling, with the exception that a waterproofing material must be stretched over the insulation to protect the insulation from the external aggressive environment.

This is how the thermal insulation layer of mineral wool on the roof of a frame house looks like in the diagram:

Here are a few features that will help make the DIY insulation process easier:

It is worth noting that the roof can also be insulated from the inside if it is fully assembled. But this is much more inconvenient, because you will have to come up with some kind of temporary fastenings, before stretching the vapor barrier material, so that the insulation does not fall out.

Features of using other types of insulation

All preparatory work in terms of thermal insulation of a frame house, regardless of the type of insulation, they are no different. The differences, and even then minor ones, are in the installation of the insulation itself, which will be discussed further.

Now let's look at the main differences between insulation with other materials, which can also be used as thermal insulation for frame houses.

Insulation with expanded polystyrene (foam) and EPS

If you dig around on the Internet, you will find a lot of controversy about foam insulation not only for wooden houses, but also for others. Indeed, polystyrene foam for frame houses is not the most the best option, although it will be the warmest, with the same thickness of insulation, and why is a separate topic for discussion.

The process of insulation with polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam is practically no different, so they can be combined. Here are some features of expanded polystyrene and insulation based on it:

Polystyrene foam does not always fit between the joists as tightly as mineral wool, so all cracks and voids must be removed using polyurethane foam or similar materials.
Expanded polystyrene – flammable material, this must be remembered and even potential sources of combustion should not come into contact with it.
When using polystyrene foam, it is necessary to take care of improved ventilation, because this material practically does not allow air to pass through.
Despite the fact that polystyrene foam practically does not allow or absorb moisture, it cannot be left as the only waterproofing for the house. Waterproofing and vapor barrier layers must still be present, because they protect not only the insulation, but also the wood itself from which the frame of the house is assembled.
Expanded polystyrene is very fond of rodents who make their moves in it, so you need to take care that they do not get to it.

These are the basic rules and differences in use polystyrene foam boards and insulation materials based on them. Otherwise, everything is done exactly the same as in the case of insulation with mineral wool.

Features of insulating a frame house with ecowool

Ecowool - relatively new material for insulating not only frame houses. It can be used as insulation in almost all areas of private construction, including frame construction.

Despite the fact that ecowool insulation can be done without special equipment, I still would not recommend doing so. Firstly, because with the help of special equipment ecowool is applied more evenly and blows out all the voids. Secondly, manually prepared ecowool has less good characteristics, both in terms of shrinkage and thermal insulation.
Ecowool absorbs moisture very well, so waterproofing and vapor barrier materials, as well as their installation, must be approached with special responsibility.
It is necessary to apply ecowool with a reserve, because it will shrink over time, up to 10-15%.
When applying it, you must use personal protective equipment.

It is worth noting that when insulating a frame house with ecowool, it is necessary to hire responsible and highly qualified specialists who will take into account all its features during installation.

Insulation of a frame house with expanded clay

This insulation technology is currently used extremely rarely, because now there is a huge selection of materials with much best characteristics, but still I’ll tell you a little about it.

Expanded clay in dry form, as insulation, can be used either to insulate the floor or ceiling, and it can also be used to insulate interfloor ceilings. Using it in walls is problematic, and, in my opinion, not justified.
Very often, expanded clay insulation is combined, for example, with sawdust, ash, etc.
The difference between expanded clay insulation is that the floor and ceiling, underneath the joists, must be pierced either with a board at the joint or with some kind of plywood materials.
It is better to use expanded clay of a small fraction, thereby there will be fewer voids.

In addition to those described by me, there are many more materials and methods for insulating frame houses with your own hands. But they are all so similar that describing each of them does not make much sense.

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