What kind of insulation to use for the ceiling of a private house. How to insulate the ceiling in a house with a cold roof

An uncomfortable temperature in the rooms, with "astronomical" numbers in receipts for gas, is a sure sign of poor thermal insulation of a private house, in particular, the ceiling. For the most part, through it, obeying all the laws of physics, heated air seeps into the atmosphere. Modern ones make it easy to prevent this, but due to various circumstances, it is not always possible to carry out work from the attic. and strike a balance between efficiency, cost and sustainability, read below.

Materials for interior work: which is better to use

Most often, insulation of the ceiling from the attic is impossible due to the low roof slope or too thin beams. Often the reason is the elementary lack of access. In this case, you need to mount the insulation inside the room. This complicates the work, increases their cost. We have to think about the availability, make a new "clean" ceiling. The impossibility of using the most common, cheap, easy-to-use thermal insulation materials, such as expanded clay and sawdust.

Not every material is suitable for interior work. The main condition is compliance with the following requirements:

high fire resistance;
environmental friendliness, at room temperature the material should not emit substances harmful to humans;
durability, resistance to fungus;
adequate price;
sufficient efficiency with a minimum thickness, which is especially critical at low ceilings;
low specific gravity, so as not to load wooden floor structures.

Of course, there is no insulation that would fit without restrictions under the listed conditions, but there are materials that have a good average balance of parameters, which allows them to be used to insulate the ceiling in a house with a cold roof.

First of all, these are:

Styrofoam;
polyethylene foam;
mineral wool.

The quality of the materials used directly depends on how effective and durable it will be. Accordingly, this issue requires detailed consideration.

Properties, advantages and disadvantages of materials

The suitability of the insulation is determined for each case individually and depends on the material from which the ceiling is made, its height, and the financial position of the owner. In "severe" cases, you have to reckon with the interior of the house and even with the presence of rodents. The study of the features of each of the heaters, their positive and negative sides will help to speed up the choice, to make it correct.

Mineral wool

The most popular and widespread material. It was used even during the Soviet Union, however, it was known as "glass wool". The current name precisely defines the composition of the insulation. Fibers are now made not only from glass, but also from slags and some rocks, such as basalt, that is, only non-combustible substances are used.

Millions of mineral fibers stick together and form insulation, which, depending on the purpose, is produced in rolls, plates and cylinders, which allows you to economically work with surfaces of various configurations. Due to the low specific weight (from 20 kg / m3), the ceiling is insulated with mineral wool, without the risk of overloading the wooden floors. Therefore, if necessary, it is used even in dilapidated buildings.

These are not all the advantages, mineral wool has a number of other advantages:

Low thermal conductivity.
Resistant to chemical compounds.
Thanks to its porous structure, it allows air movement, which prevents condensation.
Steam does not settle on the cotton wool, which means it does not get wet.
The insulation does not burn, does not form smoke when heated, does not emit harmful substances.
An excellent sound insulator, which is important if there are neighbors upstairs.
Long service life.

True, the advantages of the material do not seem significant against the background of the following shortcomings.

Minvata is afraid of moisture, due to the ingress of large masses of water on it, its thermal insulation properties are lost. Therefore, additional ones are needed.
Dustiness. Small fibers can constantly penetrate into the room through the smallest cracks and holes.
It is unproven that the resin used to bond the fibers releases harmful compounds.

Nevertheless, mineral wool remains the most popular heat insulator, therefore, ceiling insulation will be considered on its example.

Lightweight, effective, easy-to-install material - an alternative option when it is impossible to use mineral wool. Insulation is produced in sheets of 1 × 1 m in size, 20-100 mm thick. This is practical, since it is possible to insulate the ceiling in the house at the lowest cost.

Polyfoam is often used indoors, despite a number of disadvantages:

Efficiency in work is possible only in the absence of a gap between the ceiling and the insulation, which excludes air circulation, and therefore leads to the appearance of condensation.
The foam is destroyed by rodents and microorganisms.
Flammable, gives off corrosive smoke.
Evaporates formaldehyde at room temperature.

Therefore, it is better to mount the foam from the side of the attic space.

Foamed polyethylene

Insulation is made by introducing a gas hydrocarbon mixture into a liquid material, followed by cooling. The result is a mass of closed, air-filled bubbles that serve as an insulating base.

Polyethylene foam has a number of undoubted advantages:

efficiency;
environmental friendliness;
long service life without loss of qualities;
resistant to fungus and rodents;
hygroscopic;
not difficult installation.

The main disadvantage is the flammability of polyethylene foam, and it ignites at a relatively low temperature - 100 C. Combustion is accompanied by the release of acrid smoke. In addition, polyethylene foam is not used in all rooms, since the ceiling can be insulated from the inside only if it is rather high. The reason is that for the insulation to work effectively, it is necessary to provide, on both sides of it, an air gap of 2 - 3 cm. This, if we take into account the thickness of the insulation and the crate, will significantly "underestimate" the room. However, in the case when it is assumed, insulation with polyethylene foam is quite possible. A bonus to this will be excellent sound insulation, especially if the floors are made of concrete.

The material resembles polystyrene with properties and structure, only with a denser structure, since the manufacturing technology is associated with high pressure. Thanks to this, the insulation turned out to be so durable that it is usually used as a basis for a warm floor. But, sometimes it is also used as a ceiling insulation for a private house. After installation, the plaster is applied directly to the expanded polystyrene, which is one of the main advantages.

True, the latter is true only for the insulation of unheated rooms. The fact is that polystyrene foam should not be in direct contact with warm air, otherwise, on its cold side, condensation will inevitably form. This option is unacceptable, since the insulation is afraid of dampness and is destroyed from it. Therefore, it is necessary to close it with a vapor barrier, and on top - with a decorative ceiling. Thus, the main advantage of expanded polystyrene is nullified.

There is one more plus that can be decisive when choosing a material for internal insulation of a private house - environmental friendliness. It is believed that extruded polystyrene foam, at room temperature, is absolutely safe, unlike foam.

Not without drawbacks:

flammability;
afraid of direct sunlight;
destroyed by rodents and insects, despite the fact that manufacturers claim otherwise;
at temperatures above 75 degrees, it emits substances harmful to humans, therefore it is not used for warming baths.

This is all about the quality of materials, now about how to insulate the ceiling yourself.

Sequence of work

As already noted, the installation technology will be considered using the example of mineral wool. However, the process, with minor adjustments, is suitable for other thermal insulation materials. The difference is only in some details, the main stages of work remain unchanged.

Installing the frame

This is the main element of the entire structure, which determines its durability and aesthetics. You can create a crate from wooden bars or a metal profile. In this case, everything depends on the decorative ceiling. Actually, it is for him that the crate is made. If it is supposed to mount drywall as a "final ceiling", then it is definitely necessary to use a profile. The fact is that the wood deforms greatly when it dries, and there is no fastener that could withstand this. Cracking of the seams between the sheets, "slipping" through them of the caps of the self-tapping screws.

Lining, MDF and OSB, in this respect, are more unpretentious and are attached directly to the wooden crate, which is pre-treated with an antiseptic.

In any case, regardless of the material chosen, the work is carried out in the following sequence:

The surface of the ceiling is cleaned of crumbling plaster in compliance with safety regulations, chandeliers and lamps are dismantled.
At the same distance from each other, equal to the width of the insulation, wooden bars or a profile are attached to the ceiling. There are several nuances to consider here. The slats can be attached directly to the ceiling, making work much easier. Moreover, their thickness should be the same as that of the insulation layer. To install the profiles, you need special suspensions, which are fixed to the ceiling, and the profile is screwed to them.
Hanging parts will have to be installed often, since drywall sheets are heavy. If the plane is made of concrete, special dowels must be used. A gap must be left between the profile and the ceiling in order to later slip the insulation there. Otherwise, in this place, "poles of cold" will turn out.

When all the profiles are installed, the crate can be considered complete.

Insulation installation

First, the inner layer of the vapor barrier is laid. You can fix it to the ceiling in any convenient way, for example, with glue or staples. Insulation is laid in the intervals between the profiles. When it comes to mineral wool, then you should take care of the means of protection for the eyes and respiratory organs. Another layer of vapor barrier is laid on top. Now you can move on to finishing.

Ceiling insulation can save up to 10% of heating bills. You just need to choose the right material. The main characteristics of each of them are now known. The better to insulate the ceiling, the owner of the house must decide, based on the analysis and in accordance with his capabilities.

Video

For your attention a thematic video:

As you know, according to the laws of convection, heat always tends to rise upward. And, if the roof in your house does not have a sufficient level of thermal insulation, then the heat simply goes out into the street. This is called heat loss. Therefore, in order to avoid heat loss and ensure the maximum rationality of heating any home, you need to know how to properly insulate the ceiling under a cold roof.

High-quality roof insulation is a very important task, which is best solved even at the stage of building a house. Correctly performed insulation process:

Forms the microclimate of the building;
Protects the building from damage;
Keeps about 30% warm!

We will tell you what are the methods of roof insulation that will allow you to quickly, high-quality and inexpensively insulate the ceiling under a cold roof. We will also expand on how to insulate the ceiling quickly and cheaply.

Features of the "warm" roof

A warm roof is obtained by insulating the slope. Its arrangement is carried out if the attic space is used as a residential one. In this case, a heating system is organized on this floor, and a warm roof prevents heat loss.

Features of the "cold roof"

The cold roof was named because it does not have the structure of the so-called "roofing pie" - when there are several layers of insulation, vapor barrier material and other layers. This is the simplest roof structure, moreover, the most affordable. It is very easy to install and maintain, and it is also extremely reliable. Such a roofing device is elementary. It is a rafter system, on top of which a layer of insulation and roofing material are laid. The plank floor of the attic is laid on the ceilings.

This type of roof is perfect for arranging residential or utility rooms under it, and does not require expensive roofing materials. However, if there is a need to insulate such a structure, then you should take care of:

High-quality waterproofing;
Reliable basis;
Condensate collection tanks.

Structural insulation can be done in two ways:

From the side of the attic, the work is easier to perform, this method of insulation does not affect the size of the room.
Insulation from the side of the room.

How to insulate an attic: we insulate it correctly

A cold roof is the simplest option for insulation. The simplest and most obvious way out is to use bulk insulation. For these purposes, the following may be suitable:

Expanded clay;
Mineral wool;
Plain sawdust;
Ecowool;
Expanded polystyrene;
Polyurethane foam.

Comparative characteristics that will help determine the choice of material are shown in the table.

To avoid shedding this material, it is better to put a simple polyethylene film under it on the plank floor. It will also serve as a vapor barrier layer. Or use a simpler and more budgetary option - a simple corrugated cardboard. It can be fixed to the attic floor with staples.

After it has been laid, all cracks and gaps between the joints must be sealed, for which a simple construction foam is perfect. If wiring runs along the floor, then it must be put on a special corrugated hose, ensuring the maximum level of electrical and fire safety.

Interesting: earlier, hay and straw were used as bulk insulation. There is no particular reason to neglect the old-fashioned methods, and now it is a very cheap, and, most importantly, environmentally friendly material.

It is generally accepted that the most effective thermal insulation can be provided with a layer of bulk insulation of at least 12-15 centimeters. This is for winters of average "severity". For regions with colder winters, the insulation layer can be 20 to 30 centimeters.

Warming with expanded clay

Expanded clay refers to natural materials. It is obtained from shale by firing. Represents granules or grains of different fractions.

It has properties useful for insulation of living quarters: light weight, environmentally friendly, not afraid of temperature extremes and high humidity, does not emit toxic substances when heated and does not have a smell, is not flammable, has high thermal insulation characteristics. The advantages include the absence of dust and a long service life.

Work technology:

Remove all dirt and foreign objects.
A vapor barrier film is laid on the attic floor. Fix it with a stapler or wood tape. For reliable insulation, pieces of film are laid out with an overlap and an overlap is made for at least 40 cm on the chimney and roof truss system.

Depending on the fraction, the density and strength characteristics of the material change. For insulation, a grain size of 4-10 mm is most often used. The attic is closed with a layer of insulation with a thickness of 15 to 30 cm. If the surface of the attic floor is to be covered with a wooden covering, expanded clay is poured between the logs.

The table shows the dependence of material properties on the size of the fraction.

The high insulating properties of expanded clay are used when it is necessary to isolate the chimney from the wooden covering of the attic. For this, a special metal box is made around the chimney.

Ecowool

Ecowool is not widely used as a heat-insulating material for residential premises. Nevertheless, it is used for insulation. Below are the comparative characteristics of ecowool and expanded clay, which allow you to evaluate the materials.

Ecowool contains fine cellulose fibers. Dry and wet installation.

The dry method of application consists in unfolding ecowool between the lags of the attic and its subsequent compaction. In this case, there is no need to install plastic wrap.
In the wet method, a cellulose mixture with glue is applied to the surface of the attic using special pressure equipment. The result is a continuous coating of ecowool with air. The height of the layer can be from 15 to 30 cm, depending on the region.

When applying, it should be borne in mind that the material decreases in volume over time, the application should be done with a slightly larger layer. The wet method provides greater thermal insulation due to the formation of a hard crust after a few weeks.

Advantages of insulation with ecowool:

The low weight allows installation to be carried out in any thickness; it does not create additional load on the attic floor, even in a compacted state.
Due to its loose structure, it acquires additional heat-insulating characteristics due to air gaps.
Ecowool is environmentally friendly, tolerates temperature changes well.
It has a long service life, does not lose its insulating characteristics over time.
Covered with ecowool surfaces do not grow moldy and contribute to the reproduction of microflora.
For insulation, ecowool specially treated with fire retardants is used, which does not support combustion, has a tendency to self-extinguish. Does not generate smoke or products hazardous to breathing.
The special structure of the insulation allows you to create a continuous breathable coating in which moisture does not retain.

When using ecowool, the payback period for such insulation is 2 - 3 years.

We use mineral wool

The main disadvantage of mineral wool is the presence of formaldehyde resin in its composition. Over time, the material releases components harmful to health.

Depending on the material used for the manufacture of mineral wool, the following varieties are divided:

Slag

Blast furnace waste is used for the production of slag wool.

This material is of little use for insulating a residential building. This is due to the following characteristics:

Hygroscopicity - absorption of moisture during operation, which negatively affects the thermal insulation characteristics.
Increased acidity under the influence of moisture, which has a destructive effect on the building materials nearby.
The fibers of the material are very brittle and light, during operation they can fly in the air of the room, which negatively affects the health of residents.

The advantage of the material is only in its low cost.

Glass wool

Glass wool consists of fibers that are drawn from a molten glassy material. The fibers obtained in this way are formed into rolls and mats.

Despite the high heat-insulating properties, the use is limited due to the irritating harmful effect on the human body.

Basalt wool

For production, gabbrobasalt rocks are used. This is the most common cotton wool due to its high strength and ductility characteristics.

The material does not lose its properties in the presence of moisture. Supplied in rolls, mats, slabs. To improve the thermal insulation properties, a foil layer can be applied on one side, which reflects heat and directs it inside the room.

The most commonly used mineral wool is from UPSA. The main component is fiberglass with mineral additives. Available in hard slabs and rolls. Before insulation, it is necessary to apply a film coating.

Basalt wool of the TechnoNIKOL company has become widespread.

To enhance the waterproofing properties, it is necessary to lay the film with overlapand overlap on the walls up to 40 cm.

Mineral wool is also a versatile material for floor insulation. To insulate the roof with it, you must:

Remove all waste and bulky debris from the ceilings, as well as nails and other items that can damage the vapor barrier layer;
Lay a special vapor barrier polyethylene or cellophane film on the floor of the attic. You can use glassine film - it is cheap and in its structure resembles a simple tracing paper;
Install mineral wool as tightly and without gaps as possible. The material is laid tightly between the beams with little effort. To do this, cut the material 20 mm wider than the distance between the beams.

Tip: you do not need to crumple and crumple for additional compaction. The denser the material, the more heat it conducts and, accordingly, the worse its thermal insulation qualities;

Fully seal all cracks and joints in the coating;
Lay the cover on top and insulate it. If you are going to walk a lot on the floor, it is better to lay additional boards or boards. In this case, the boards should not rest against the heat-insulating layer - the insulation should not be pressed.

It is best to use a respirator when laying mineral wool.

Recommendation. Rodents are very fond of cotton wool and foam. If there is a financial opportunity, it would be more optimal to fill the attic with foam glass. This material has excellent thermal insulation characteristics, is absolutely safe and environmentally friendly. It is durable, does not shrink, is not afraid of either heat or frost, does not burn and is very easy to install. The only drawback is its price. Foam glass can be replaced with foam, which must be protected from rodents with a screed.

Warming with expanded polystyrene

For more than half a century, the used polyethylene, at its low price, does not belong to the most popular materials. Its use is limited due to its flammability and release of toxic substances during melting. Among the positive characteristics, it is worth noting high thermal insulation properties, which are created due to the presence of up to 95% of air in its composition. The material is very light, it can be cut to the required size without any problems. Fits between lags. In conditions of high humidity, it does not lose its performance characteristics.

Despite the fact that extruded polystyrene foam at high temperatures emits substances harmful to health, it refers to self-extinguishing, low-combustible materials and is more popular for insulation. It does not allow air to pass through, therefore, if used on a wooden floor, it can contribute to the accumulation of moisture and the subsequent development of mold on its surface.

The insulation procedure is as follows:

Leveling the surface for coating.
Applying a vapor barrier material.
Laying expanded polystyrene boards.
Fastening plates with dowels with a mushroom-type head.
Thermal insulation of board joints with foam with thorough filling of the space. Aligning the joining points with a carpenter's knife.
Filling the attic floor with a cement-sand screed with a thickness of 50 mm.

Insulation with polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is applied by spraying; special equipment is required to complete the coating. For areas with severe winters, the coating is sprayed in two layers.

When performing thermal insulation with polyurethane foam, the following advantages are noted:

High thermal insulation properties of the material.
The material does not lose its performance during temperature extremes and in conditions of high humidity.
With the help of spraying under pressure, the insulation penetrates into the smallest cracks, with expansion a monolithic coating without seams is formed.
The coating has high strength, does not deform under the weight of a person.
Additional vapor and waterproofing is not required.

The coating is applied directly to the previously cleaned attic floor between the joists. The polyurethane foam protruding from the top of the beams is removed with a sharp knife after solidification.

Warming with natural materials

In order to insulate the attic and warmly insulate the rooms, you can use natural materials that were previously widely used for insulation. Before choosing from the table below, note that the material is better, the lower the conductivity coefficient and the lower the weight.

Reed insulation

For roof insulation reeds formed into mats are used. The peculiarity of the covering is that the mats overlap and each other, whileit is necessary to exclude the formation of gapsfor the penetration of cold. The mats are laid between the lags; it is advisable to use a two-layer pad.

The advantage of using reeds for insulation:

Rodents do not start in the reeds.
Possesses excellent thermal insulation properties.
Cheap material of natural origin.

Thermal insulation with marine damask

Residents of seaside cities have long used sea damask as a heater. In these areas, it has a low price. Rodents and mold cannot grow in the material. Damask perfectly tolerates temperature extremes or high humidity. Material e cologically clean, additional advantage in receiving iodine-saturated atmospheres NS .

Algae do not support burning, not emitting NS tons of harmful impurities and smoke during a fire. For insulation attic specially made ladders from kamka. For such coverage, nNo vapor barrier required.

Reeds and algae are stackeddirectlyon the floor, a flooring is organized on top. Layer thickness from 20 cm.

Warming with sawdust

In the areas where woodworking enterprises are located, sawdust can be purchased cheaply, or even completely free. As a disadvantage, it is necessary to take into account the flammability of the material,from which you can protect yourself when processing fire retardants.

The table shows the data on which layer of sawdust should be laid depending on the temperature regime of the area.

Sawdust thermal insulation is performed in the following sequence:

D in order to seal the cracks NS Previously, the surface of the attic is covered with liquid clay.

The clay surface will crack over time as it dries. Forsealing cracks andobtaining a holistic coveragea thin layer of sand is poured over the clay.

Before applyinglayer of sawdust crumbles a layer of carbide and slaked lime to avoid the appearance of rodents in front.

Sawdust is applied in a layer of 15 cm. Depending on living conditionsthe layer of sawdust can reach up to 30 cm.

NS a layer of waste slag crumbles over the sawdust, for in order to increase fire safety. Especially such insulation is necessary in the places where the cable is laid and the location of the chimney.

Insulation with sawdust and cement

A mixture of sawdust and cement in the ratio of 10/1 has good thermal insulation properties. The execution technology consists in the following actions:

Covering the attic p a an insulating coating.
Between the beams a mixture of sawdust and a binder with water is applied. Before applicationthe solution must be kept,so that the wooden components are saturated with water.
The work is carried out in the spring so that there is time for drying out ... The mixture is applied at least 20 cm thick.
You can make sure that the mixture is completely dry. yapping several times over the surface. In this case, you can hear characteristic crunch of dry wood.

Clay insulation

Clay is one of the excellent insulating materials and is independently capable of protecting the house from the cold.

But for this it is necessary to perform yat insulation with a layer of 50 cm, this weight for the ceiling will be critical. Therefore, insulation is performed with a mixture of sawdust and clay. Let's dwell on this option in more detail.

Preparation and coating technology:

To obtain a mixture of sawdust and clay, you need to prepare a special container, an old barrel will do.
Water is poured into the barrel, several buckets of clay are loaded and everything is mixed until the clay is practically all dissolved.
The solution is loaded into a concrete mixer, sawdust is added to it. The result is a mixturemedium density.
The mixture is applied to the attic floor only after the vapor barrier has been laid.
The ceiling is covered with a layer of 15-20 cm. Cracks formed during drying are treated with wet clay.
The laid layer is leveled.

An overview of thermal insulation materials is given in the video:

In more detail about warming with sawdust in the video:

We equip a summer attic

The summer attic differs from the attic, in which people live year-round in that it can also be insulated on the floor, and not over the entire roof area. The advantages of such insulation are obvious:

the floor area is much smaller than that of a gable roof;
there is no need to hem insulation;

However, the following points should be considered:

it needs to be covered with hard surfaces;
the floor covering must be laid on additional logs - so as not to compress the insulation layer.

Therefore, the most optimal insulation for this type of ceiling is foam. Its structure is quite rigid and will make it possible to create additional support for the floor.

Before laying the styrofoam, it is also imperative to put in a vapor barrier. The timber from which the logs will be made must be the same thickness as the foam sheets. It is best to place the logs at a distance of 45-50 cm from each other. After laying the foam, you can put on top of it:

plywood;
cardboard;

The thickness of such a coating may well be no more than 15 mm. This method will reliably insulate the attic floor, and, accordingly, the ceiling under a cold roof.

We insulate the ceiling directly

There are also situations when there is no access to the space that is above the ceiling level. In order to carry out the highest quality and reliable thermal insulation, a whole range of works should be carried out. However, it should be borne in mind that such insulation will "eat" part of the height of your room.

This is due to the fact that the thermal insulation layer will be located inside the building itself. This is not entirely correct, but if there is no other choice, then nothing else remains. The general rules here will be the same as during the insulation of attics and attics:

Vapor barrier layer;
Insulation;
Vapor barrier layer.

Insulation is located between two layers of vapor barrier. This is necessary in order to protect the rafters, ceiling materials, and insulation from dampness.

To insulate the ceiling indoors, you can use any of the options for performing work:

Direct fixing of the insulation to the ceiling using glue and fasteners.
Installation of a lathing from a metal profile or wooden slats on the ceiling, followed by fastening of the insulation between the guides.

Insulation works are carried out only on a previously prepared ceiling.

Ceiling preparation for insulation

Preparation of a wooden surface consists of the following steps:

Thorough treatment of the wood ceiling with a fire retardant, special attention must be paid to the application of the coating in crevices, gaps and cracks.
Sealing gaps, gaps and cracks consists in putting putty on the wooden surface. Large gaps between the boards can be sealed with polyurethane foam. Excess hardened material must be removed with a sharp knife.

Concrete surface treatment:

Examine the ceiling. Peeling or fragile decorative coatings and plaster must be removed, the remaining surface must be cleaned of dust.
Carefully widen the cracks and remove dirt. Apply a primer coat. Seal with plaster mortar, sealant. Large cracks can be treated with foam and subsequently flattened with a sharp knife to the surface flush.
General coverage of the concrete ceiling with a primer coating.

Installation of insulation directly on the ceiling

For that method of thermal insulation, a heater supplied with plates is suitable: expanded polystyrene and basalt wool.

The following materials can be used as glue:

Special cement glue, which is diluted strictly according to the instructions. It is necessary to pay attention to the hardening time indicated in the instructions. They are guided by it when choosing the required amount of solution. The mixture is applied to the surface of the insulation with a trowel or spatula along the entire contour and pointwise.

Fastening can be performed on polyurethane foam, which is applied with a gun in smaller quantities.

Coating technology:

Applying an adhesive to the insulation.
Pressing the slab to the ceiling and holding it in this state for several seconds.

After installing several plates, holes are drilled in the insulation and fastening is performed using a construction fungus. It should be more than 70 mm longer than the thickness of the insulation. Fastening is carried out at 5 points of the sheet.

The gaps between the sheets of insulation are sealed with polyurethane foam.

This method of insulation is performed before installing the stretch ceiling.

After the expanded polystyrene, you can reinforce the ceiling with a mesh and make plaster.

Insulation of the ceiling with crate

The method of insulation is used in those cases when it is subsequently planned to cover the ceiling with plasterboard or clapboard. Work order:

Marking the ceiling under the crate using a level. The distance is bounced depending on the width of the insulation. If it is supposed to use expanded polystyrene, then the distance between the slats or the profile is equal in size to the width of the insulation. When using mineral wool, there should be a distance of 30-40 mm less than the width of the slab between the slats so that the insulation is slightly compacted.
The fastening of the wooden lathing is carried out with self-tapping screws or dowels, step 50 cm, the heads of the fasteners should be flush with the tree.
The metal profile is attached to the ceiling with hangers.
Insulation is placed between the profile or crate.

When insulating with expanded polystyrene, the distance between the insulation and the frame is filled with polyurethane foam.

The insulation is closed with a vapor barrier material, which is attached to the metal profile with double-sided tape. It can be stapled securely to the wooden lathing with a stapler.

After the film, the ceiling is clad with the selected material. Only after carrying out these actions, you can carry out the finishing of the ceiling.

Vapor barrier selection

The vapor barrier is a very important element during the insulation of the ceiling. It protects the house from mold and mildew that can literally destroy the house (especially if it is wooden). Vapor barrier materials on the modern market can be produced in the form of:

Films;
Membranes.

Films, in turn, can be:

reinforced - they are used to insulate attics and attics;
micro-perforated - most suitable for insulating "cold" roofs;
anti-condensation - one of the layers of which is able to retain moisture drops.

If you only have the opportunity to insulate the ceiling from the inside, then use our tips:

If you are going to then sheathe the ceiling with gypsum plasterboards, then you need to use special structures made of galvanized iron and fix them only with self-tapping screws. Otherwise, the whole structure runs the risk of falling on your head;
If you live in an area with a warm enough climate, then you can restrict yourself to a small thickness of a layer of thermal insulation - such as an isolon;
Foam boards also serve as excellent thermal insulation materials;
And most importantly, it should be remembered that the ceiling is not the only way of heat leakage. Door and window structures, especially poorly sealed ones, also let heat through "with a bang." Therefore, thermal insulation must be comprehensive.

After all you've read, it's helpful to familiarize yourself with the basic laws of physics at the top of the house:

Roof insulation, even though it seems easy at first glance, is a rather important issue.Therefore, it must be approached with maximum attention, and all unfavorable factors that may appear during the operation of such a heater should be taken into account. After reading our tips, you already know the technique of insulating the ceiling under the roof. However, if you are not sure that you can do it yourself, then it is better to entrust it to professionals!

We also recommend you:

First of all, in order to preserve heat in a residential building, its owner thinks about the need for thermal insulation of the ceiling, and not just the walls and floor. It is known that warm air moves up and, if the ceiling is not insulated, then this problem will not be solved.

The choice of insulation

Before purchasing heat-insulating material, it is necessary to take into account several quality characteristics, including:

the degree of vapor permeability;
strength;
flammability;
price.

There are two types of ceiling slabs:

From concrete slabs... These products do not burn and have a high load-bearing capacity. It is believed that concrete has partial vapor permeability. But for slabs, this indicator is insignificant and therefore, when making a choice which insulation is better for the ceiling, it is customary not to take it into account.
Wooden... In private households, ceiling structures are often made of wood that burns well and allows a little steam to pass through. If you block the air access to the rafters, they will eventually start to rot. In addition, it is very dangerous to lay flammable insulation on a wooden surface.

One of the main parameters affecting what kind of insulation to choose for the ceiling is the place of its installation. This is explained by the fact that the ceiling can be insulated both from the side of an unheated attic room and from inside the building.

For a home craftsman, the easiest way is to make insulation in the attic, because in this case you will not need to hem the ceiling from below. In addition, in the case of outdoor installation, you do not have to decide what thickness is better to use the insulation, since there will be enough space in the attic. You can use both bulk material and in the form of slabs. It is necessary to choose insulation for the attic, based on the specific situation.

The situation is different with the installation of thermal insulation from inside the room. In private houses, it is not always possible to find really high ceilings, which means that every centimeter will need to be taken away from the living space.

As practice shows, property owners rarely decide to lower the ceiling surface by more than 15 centimeters. Accordingly, it is better to use a lightweight insulation, but at the same time durable and with a low degree of thermal conductivity.

To find out which insulation is better for the ceiling under certain operating conditions, you should analyze information about the materials most often used in construction.

Thermal insulation using foam

In terms of popularity, this material occupies a leading position, since it is lightweight, affordable and inexpensive. The strength of the foam will be sufficient for arranging the insulation. Laying this material does not require special knowledge and high professionalism. But foam also has disadvantages - low vapor permeability, and besides that, it burns well.

Can this material be used to sew up wooden floors from the outside or from the inside? There is no single answer to this question. It is undesirable to lay the foam in a continuous layer on top, because then warm and humid air will begin to accumulate in the tree, as a result of which fungus and mold will appear.

If you mount this insulation on the wood from the inside, then air will be provided from above to the ceiling, but there is no point in clogging the ceilings with waterproofing in a breathable and environmentally friendly house.

In some cases, some craftsmen lay polystyrene between the load-bearing ceiling beams, while others are negative about this approach. The fact is that the minimum thickness of the beam is 15 centimeters, and if it is clamped on both sides with this material, then it will not cope with the effects of moisture and will become damp.

Taking into account the above information, we can conclude that polystyrene is a good choice when you need to decide what kind of insulation to insulate the ceiling both from the outside and from the inside, if it is made of reinforced concrete slabs. When the floor is made of wood, the use of this material is undesirable.

Now extruded polystyrene foam is no less popular - a modern type of foam. It does not allow moisture to pass through and retains heat by 30% better. Expanded polystyrene is a more effective analogue of polystyrene in case of need to insulate the concrete floor from the inside. In this case, you can use sheets of smaller thickness.

In the case of insulation of a concrete floor with foam from the inside, slabs with a thickness of 50 - 75 millimeters will be sufficient. If you plan to arrange external thermal insulation, the minimum thickness of the ceiling insulation in a private house should be 100 millimeters.

Mineral wool for ceiling insulation

The range of this type of thermal insulation materials is wider than that of foam. Both soft elastic mats and high-density slabs are commercially available.

Previously, only one type of such heat-insulating material was produced - this is glass wool. Despite the fact that it is of dubious quality, due to its low cost, it is still being used. But after contact with glass wool, if you do not wear tight work clothes, the body will itch for about 3 days.

The inexpensive segment includes soft mats that do not cause so many problems. True, many experts prefer dense basalt wool products, since they are a universal insulation that can be laid on any surface.

By weight, mineral wool is no different from foam, but its advantage is that it has a significant level of vapor permeability and is a non-combustible material. But she has a big drawback. With high vapor permeability, mineral wool for ceiling insulation strongly accumulates moisture.

Moreover, if dense slabs can be dried, then soft mats, after drying, lose their original volume, and, accordingly, their thermal insulation qualities. The thermal conductivity coefficient of mineral wool is in the range of 0.3 - 0.4W / m ºK, which is similar to the same characteristic for foam.

But these are laboratory indicators. In fact, due to the ability to absorb moisture in living quarters, this coefficient for this insulation is several times higher.

When installing mineral wool on the ceiling, its thickness should exceed this parameter in comparison with foam by at least 30%. When it is required to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic, then the thickness of the slab for insulating the ceiling cannot be less than 150 millimeters - the more, the better.

It is very convenient to work with mineral wool, and most importantly, the result will be effective. It can be installed on different types of ceiling slabs, both from the inside and outside. When installing this material, it is necessary to strictly follow the relevant instructions of the product manufacturer and only in this case a positive effect will be achieved.

Loose types of heaters

Such insulating materials are used only for insulating attic floors from above. Expanded clay is the most popular among them.

Granules of this bulk material come in three fractions:

The smallest of them is called sand, since expanded clay does not exceed 5 millimeters in diameter.
Larger and most demanded granules differ in diameter up to 20 millimeters. They are also called gravel.
Expanded clay crushed stone has a diameter of 20 to 40 millimeters.

In terms of their quality characteristics, the fractions are the same, and their difference lies only in size. The cost of expanded clay is affordable. Compared to other types of bulk materials, dust from expanded clay is much less. The great advantage of this
insulation for the ceiling lies in the indifference of rodents to it. But, like any bulk heat insulator, expanded clay is afraid of a high degree of humidity, since it is able to absorb moisture.

Sawdust is also considered a fairly effective insulation, given that the price for them is more than affordable. But there is an important nuance - they are not used when they are fresh or in their pure form.

So that rodents are not found in this loose dump, you need to keep it in a dry room for about a year. Then it is mixed with "fluff" - the so-called slaked lime powder, observing the proportion of 8 parts of sawdust and 2 parts of lime. From already matured sawdust, you can make plates for insulation, which have a fairly high efficiency.

The manufacturing technology of such a heat insulator is simple:

Sawdust, lime and cement must be mixed in a ratio of 9: 1: 1.
The resulting mass is moistened and then poured into previously prepared forms and tamped a little.
After about 7 days at room temperature, they are dry and ready to use.

Application of new technologies

Among modern materials used for thermal insulation of ceilings, the following are most in demand:

Polyurethane foam... Refers to new and rather expensive thermal insulation materials. Its characteristics have a lot in common with extruded polystyrene foam. This insulation is not afraid of moisture, it has a long service life - manufacturers provide a 50-year warranty for it. But polyurethane foam, similarly to extruded polystyrene foam, refers to waterproofing, and since it is applied in a continuous layer, it is not suitable for wooden floors.
Penoizol... It is a highly advertised material. But in reality, this is ordinary foam, but in a liquid state. In addition to all the previously described advantages of this insulation, penoizol is applied without gaps, which means that the material is recommended to be used only for thermal insulation of concrete floors.
Ecowool... It is considered the most suitable choice of insulation for the ceiling. For its manufacture, natural cellulose is used, adding a binder, antiseptics and fire retardants. Ecowool absorbs water, but its water absorption level is lower than, for example, mineral wool. At the same time, vapor permeability and thermal conductivity are practically the same.

An important feature of the use of foam insulation is that their application requires the use of expensive compressor equipment, and with the participation of professionals. An exception is the installation of glass wool, which in a dry state can be poured onto the floor of an unheated attic by yourself. If it is necessary to carry out insulation from the inside, a compressor is also required for ecowool.

Phased installation of ceiling insulation

Since the ceiling can be insulated both from the outside and from the inside, the technologies for performing this work will differ. It will be superfluous to talk about the intricacies of foam spraying, since professional equipment is too expensive and there is no point in acquiring it. There are three ways to install thermal insulation materials with your own hands.

Option number 1 - foam insulation

The work of installing this heat insulator is not difficult:

Concrete slabs are generally flat, so surface leveling problems are rare. It is only necessary to putty the joints between the plates, but it is better to fill the cracks with polyurethane foam.
In the next step, a deep penetration primer should be applied to the ceiling twice. Since the adhesion of smooth concrete is low, the desired effect will not be achieved without this treatment.
Next, they take pre-prepared sheets of insulation, spread with an adhesive and apply to the ceiling surface. Many craftsmen arrange them without gaps, as densely as possible. But the gaps between the sheets will still be, so they are initially glued with a gap of 5 - 7 millimeters. Then the gaps are filled with foam, the coating is solid.
But the foam should not be left in this state, since it is a combustible material, and the ceiling looks ugly. Its surface must be plastered. To do this, a layer of Ceresit CT83 with a thickness of 3-4 millimeters is applied on it with a spatula and a reinforcing fiberglass mesh is immediately embedded in it.
Further, in order to be on the safe side, the foam is additionally secured with umbrella dowels, which requires a perforator. A hole is drilled through the thickness of the insulation for the ceiling in the concrete, a plastic dowel is placed in it and a central rod is driven in. One square meter of such fasteners will require 5 pieces.

When everything is dry, they begin to apply a decorative finish. If you don't want to use Ceresit CT8, you can take any starting plaster, just before that, the foam should be primed.

If the insulation of the ceiling with this material in a wooden structure is to be done, then the insulation is laid between the load-bearing beams to their full depth and the gaps are foamed. From below, the ceiling is hemmed, and from above it is better to fill the rough floor, since you have to move around in the attic. In this case, the installation of a vapor barrier is not required, since moisture is not dangerous to the foam.

Despite the fact that there is a large selection of adhesives on the construction market, experts most often use the following three options:

"Liquid Nails"... High-quality glue, but the process of its application is not easy and therefore you need to follow the instructions when using it.
Polyurethane foam... A pattern of it is applied to a sheet of foam. Then they apply insulation to the ceiling. Next, the sheet is pressed against the surface several times for an hour, since the foam expands and until this process is completed, the material will slightly move away.
Dry mix Ceresit CT83... It is simply bred according to the instructions, applied to the sheet with a notched trowel and glued. If such a tool is not at hand, it is necessary to lay the "buns" at several points and attach the insulation.

Option number 2 - installation of mineral wool from the inside

It can be done in two ways. The first of these is similar to gluing and plastering foam. The second option, no less common, is internal installation, performed under a hinged crate, which is equipped on concrete or wooden ceilings.

The frame for the lathing can be made from wooden blocks or from two types - UD and CD profiles. Experts recommend using metal products, because in the event of a temperature drop, they will not lead.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

First of all, along the perimeter of the room, beat off a horizontal line at the level of the future ceiling plane. The easiest way to do this is with a laser level, but if it is not there, then you can use the hydro level, which is a long soft tube with graduated tips, which functions according to the method of communicating vessels.
Then, according to the markings, two UD profiles are fixed on two opposite, longer walls.
Perpendicular to them, the location of the CD profiles is marked on the ceiling, usually observing an installation step of about 50 centimeters.
In accordance with the markings, at an interval of one meter, the perforated suspensions are fixed with dowels, their wings are bent down.
Next, they begin to glue mineral wool slabs to the ceiling. The insulation under the wings of the suspension is cut with a knife.
At the end of the work, CD profiles are inserted into the UD profiles and fasten them together and with the hangers using self-tapping screws. Now you can start covering the frame with plasterboard or other finishing material.

Option number 3 - ceiling insulation from above

It is considered the easiest way. If the ceiling covering made of concrete slabs or supporting wooden beams were previously sewn up and there is no desire to touch them, then a crate is arranged in the attic. For its construction, they usually take a wooden beam, 50 millimeters thick or more.

The width of the timber, which is also the depth of the lathing, is calculated taking into account what layer of insulation is needed for the ceiling. To this value add 30 millimeters to create a ventilation gap.

Further, the entire attic space on top of the lathing is covered with a vapor barrier. It should not be forgotten that the membrane of this material passes steam only in one direction and it should only move upwards. These products are always marked which side is vapor-permeable. The membrane is attached to the crate with a furniture stapler.

Then you can fill or lay the insulation. If bulk materials are used, they are poured out, leveled and everything is ready. As for the laying of a heat insulator in slabs, for example, mineral wool, then you have to work hard.

To obtain the required density of insulation for the ceiling, the mats or slabs need to be 20 to 30 millimeters wider than the gap. Then they will fit between the wooden guides as tightly as possible. In order to prevent the production of cold bridges at the joints of the plates, the insulation is usually mounted in two layers.

When laying mineral wool, slabs of 100 mm thickness are usually used. They are mounted in one layer. Next, another row of insulation is placed on top. In this case, the joints of the lower and upper layers should not coincide with each other. The result is monolithic insulation. At the final stage, a rough flooring is made on top of the crate.

Calculation of the amount of insulation for floors

Before you go to the building materials store, you need to calculate how much insulation is needed on the ceiling to create an effective layer of thermal insulation.

To do this, use the general formula:

V = Lхg, where:

V is the volume of the insulation in cubic meters;

L is the perimeter of the working surface in meters;

g - material thickness in meters.

According to the EnUV standard, adopted in 2009, the heat transfer coefficient of the thermal insulation coating must be at least 0.24W / sq.m.xK. This value can be provided by a layer of insulation with a thickness of 13 - 40 centimeters, depending on the material and its thermal conductivity.

If you need to perform thermal insulation from the inside or outside of the room, you need to know what kind of insulation for the ceiling can be used. To do this, you will need to understand the characteristics of each material, study their positive and negative sides.

Criteria for choosing a reliable insulation

The main requirement for heaters is good thermal conductivity, which does not allow warm air ceilings to leave the room. Another important criterion to consider when choosing a material is moisture resistance. Thanks to this property, the insulation will last for a long time, protecting the room from possible flooding with water.

Other factors include:

elasticity and resilience, allowing you to maintain the original shape, restore it after installation;
fire resistance;
environmental Safety;
ease of installation;
vapor permeability - a layer of insulation should not interfere with the normal circulation of air flows during natural ventilation in the room.

Several types of materials are used to insulate the ceiling. The most common are:

mineral wool;
Styrofoam;
expanded clay.

This material is lightweight, does not accumulate moisture, and does not rot. The main disadvantage of polystyrene is increased flammability, however, it will be possible to secure the room if a layer of plaster is applied to the heat insulator.

Polyfoam is now often used to insulate residential buildings and apartments. At the same time, installation work does not require special knowledge and skills from you.

The basis of the foam is made up of foamed plastics, and the main volume is occupied by gas, therefore the material is very light. The foam manufacturing technology makes it inaccessible to rodents and insects, the heat insulator easily withstands mechanical damage and negative environmental factors.

Despite its unnatural origin, foam plastic does not pose a health hazard at all and belongs to the category of environmentally friendly materials.

On a note! If concrete floors are insulated with foam, you can choose a slab thickness of 50-75 mm, for external insulation - 100 mm.

Expanded polystyrene and polyurethane foam in comparison as insulation

As already noted, the main requirement for heat insulators is high thermal conductivity. If we compare the two materials, then polyurethane foam is more effective in this indicator, since its thermal conductivity coefficient is from 0.019 to 0.028 W / m * K, for expanded polystyrene this indicator is 0.04-0.06 W / m * K.

Comparative characteristics of the two materials are presented in the table.

Insulation type	Density (kg / m³)	Thermal conductivity (W / m * K)	Withstanding temperature range (° С)	Service life (years)	Porosity
Polyurethane foam	25-750	0,019-0,028	-160 to +150	50	Closed
Expanded polystyrene	40-150	0,04-0,06	-100 to +80	15	closed

Thus, in addition to high thermal conductivity, polyurethane foam has a longer service life and a wide temperature range.

Mineral wool

It is resistant to fire, quickly takes on the desired shape and restores its original shape, it is produced in rolls or plates. Other positive characteristics of mineral wool include low heat and sound conductivity.

For insulation, it is best to use basalt wool, which has increased strength and a long service life.

A prerequisite is waterproofing, since mineral wool has one significant drawback - the ability to accumulate moisture. Moisture-impregnated material quickly loses its original properties.

In terms of thermal conductivity, mineral wool corresponds to foam plastic (0.3-0.4 W / m * K), however, under real operating conditions, the coefficient is much higher.

Bulk insulation

Such materials are used as backfill from the attic side. The most common bulk insulation for the ceiling is expanded clay. It is made from clay by firing. Depending on the size of fractions, expanded clay is presented in several types:

gravel;
crushed stone;
sand (screening).

The main advantage of expanded clay is low thermal conductivity (0.10-0.18 W / m * K) and low cost. The material is resistant to the formation of fungus and mold, is not afraid of rodents and does not pose a health hazard, since it is made from raw materials of natural origin.

Another good insulation material, the thermal conductivity of which ranges from 0.07 to 0.08 W / m * K, is sawdust. As an independent heat insulator, they are used very rarely, as they absorb moisture well. In this connection, they are mixed with clay, expanded clay, perlite or vermiculite. All of the above materials remove excess liquid well, not allowing the sawdust to rot.

Important! You can only use small sawdust obtained in the process of processing wood on modern machines operating at high speeds.

When deciding which modern insulation is better to insulate the ceiling, pay attention to the following heat insulators:

polyurethane foam it is often used in construction, although it is quite expensive. The characteristics of the material are similar to extruded polystyrene foam, it is resistant to moisture, durable (service life is up to 50 years). Due to the fact that the application of polyurethane foam is carried out in a continuous layer, this insulation is not suitable for wooden floors;
ecowool... It is a natural and environmentally friendly material. It contains special flame retardants that prevent combustion. Ecowool does not need to be additionally waterproofed, since moisture does not impair its quality. The thickness of the layer with thermal insulation is approximately 20-40 cm, and therefore no ducts are formed through which warm air can escape from the room. At the same time, it is allowed to use ecowool for all types of coatings;
penoizol despite the original name, it hides a liquid foam. Since it is also applied in a continuous layer, foamizol can be used as a heater only for concrete floors;
foil-clad polyethylene foam combines the thermal insulation characteristics of foamed polyethylene and the reflective functions of foil. It is produced in rolls with a thickness of 10 to 20 mm, a width of 30 cm to 1 meter. With the help of polyethylene foam, you can insulate both the inner and outer surface of the ceiling. It can also be used for waterproofing mineral wool. The material creates the effect of a thermos, not releasing heat from the room, preventing cold streams from entering it from the street.

Methods for installing ceiling heaters

If you live in a two-story house, then it makes no sense to carry out foam insulation between the first and second floors, since the premises will be warm without thermal insulation. To provide sound insulation, acoustic panels can be used instead of foam.

For a one-story building, foam insulation is best done from the attic side. If this is a high-rise apartment located on the top floor, you will have to be content with internal work. Then the procedure will be as follows:

the ceiling surface is cleaned to the base floor (concrete);
the base is treated with pesticides;
mount a layer of waterproofing;
on top of the film, you can lay the material, while the thickness of the insulation on the ceiling should be from 5 to 15 cm. Fix the foam on dowels or glue;
the next step is to press a reinforcing mesh (usually a basalt canvas) into the foam, attach it to a construction stapler;
the heat insulator is coated with a primer, finishing with any selected material

From the inside of the room, the material is laid as follows:

make a frame in the form of a metal crate, bolted to the ceiling ceiling. In this case, a profile of standard sizes or wooden beams of 30x100 mm or 40x20 mm are used. The dimensions of the beams depend on the weight of the insulation. The slats are fixed on dowels with suspensions every 60 cm;
a layer of waterproofing is laid. On a wooden frame, the film is attached with nails, to a metal base - on self-tapping screws;
insulation is laid in the cells of the frame, fixed on a stapler or self-tapping screws, while simultaneously performing vapor barrier as the top layer of the "pie";
from below, the entire structure is sheathed with plasterboard.

Mineral wool is one of the best insulation materials for the ceiling of a house, but if outdoor work is being carried out, it is necessary to provide full and free access to the ceiling surface from the attic. The procedure for laying will be as follows:

a vapor barrier layer is mounted. If there are logs on the side of the attic, the film is laid directly on them. If there are no lags, you will have to make them yourself. For this, metal profiles or wooden slats are used;
the crate is mounted in two stages. On the first, a horizontal bar is installed, on the second, vertical slats are attached;
insulation is laid between the lags, mineral wool is fixed on dowels with wide caps;
the final stage - laying waterproofing;
on top of the structure, a flooring of boards is installed.

Usually, indoor and outdoor insulation methods are used together extremely rarely and mainly in those rooms where constant heat maintenance is necessary. For example, in the baths.

Output

Comparing foam and mineral wool with each other, it can be noted that in terms of technical parameters, mineral wool is superior to foam, but at a cost it is higher. In addition, styrofoam is easier to work with. If it is necessary to replace a certain area, it is enough to pull out the plate, and then put a new one in its place. As for the mineral wool, you will have to dismantle all the insulation on the ceiling.

The use of bulk insulation in a house with a cold roof

How to properly insulate the ceiling under a cold roof, if you have access to free or cheap natural raw materials such as pine needles or peat, or there is an excess of expanded clay or sawdust from production or construction? Of course, you should take advantage of such a life bonus. Despite the fact that these options are outdated and require very large backfill thicknesses, nothing prevents you from using this method when it comes to a cold attic.

In this case, even if the profile of the floor beams is not enough to form "pockets" with a depth of 30 - 40 cm, they can be extended with wooden planks. After all, reducing the space in the non-residential sub-roof space does not affect anything.

It is necessary to lay a layer of vapor barrier film under the backfill, but it is not recommended to cover it with anything on top. It is better to provide high-quality roof waterproofing. The backfill must be well ventilated.

Features of the use of thermal insulation wool

For the last year and a half, new fiber insulation materials, in particular, construction padding polyester, have been introduced into practice. In this regard, today it is already relevant to single out a whole group of thermal insulators that combine mineral wool, synthetic winterizer and other synthetic materials, according to such key features as high vapor permeability and low capillary activity.

Why is construction wool not the best solution for internal insulation of an attic floor? The fact is that when they cover the surface from the side of the room, the dew point shifts in the direction of the finishing ceiling covering. The thermal insulation begins to take over the condensation.

A vapor barrier membrane does not solve the problem of moistening mineral wool or padding polyester, unless efficient ventilation is provided on the other side of the mats. Therefore, materials of this type are best used from the side of the attic with good natural air exchange.

Ceiling insulation with mineral wool, glass wool or construction padding from the attic is carried out with the obligatory observance of the sequence of layers:

Vapor barrier membrane. It is laid on top of a rigid floor base, if the flooring is made along the beams, or it is mounted on the lower ends of the beams, if the insulation is supposed to be installed between them.
Thermal insulation.
Waterproofing layer. If the roof has its own high-quality waterproofing, it is allowed to limit itself to a wind barrier.

No ventilation gaps are needed between these three layers. It is important to observe only free access of air to the surface of the wind or waterproofing.

Contact with communications

What to do if a ventilation duct or chimney runs through a timber beam ceiling? If a beam is located in the path of a vertically oriented highway, it is cut, and the load is transferred by the transverse elements to adjacent beams. In this case, the distance from the outer surface to the strapping of the lintels must be at least 100 mm.

The chimney is lined with 40-50 mm thick expanded polystyrene plates, not only in the intersection zone, but also along the entire length of the structure's exit from the roof. The membranes are tucked in (vapor barrier - down, hydro-barrier - up), and covered with bitumen tape to tightly adjoin the expanded polystyrene pipe sleeve. The gates are then crimped with a strapping of wooden bars using dowels that go into the walls of the chimney.

The same should be done with ventilation ducts with one exception: in most cases they are not sleeve. Electric cables are attracted by clamps to the beams, and in the places where they pass through the membranes, the places where the films are turned are sealed with foil tape and fixed with plastic clamps.

Vapor-proof slab materials for insulating attic floors

If we revet the draft ceiling from below with vapor-tight plates, then four questions disappear at once: moisture condensation in the thickness of the insulation, protecting it with highly diffusion membranes, providing ventilation and protection from above from moisture from the roof or dew falling out of the air in the attic space.

On the other hand, there is a problem of protecting wooden beams from waterlogging in places of contact with a vapor-proof insulation. Therefore, we will consider the specifics of the use of extruded polystyrene foam, foam and foam glass, depending on the load-bearing structure of the floors.

Video: Review of popular floor insulation

Concrete slabs or steel trusses

Thermal insulation of EPSP from the inside requires sealing of joints

Concrete is the simplest case. EPPS is mounted to it with glue from below or from above, from the side of the cold attic. There is no need to take any additional measures to ensure insulation or safety of materials. The only thing, as in all other cases, it is necessary to take care of sealing the joints between the plates and at the joints of the ceiling with the walls. If the walls in the room are lined with insulating material from the inside, you should also choose the internal placement of the insulation on the ceiling to eliminate possible cold bridges. With external insulation of walls, the EPSS ceiling is insulated both from above and from below, depending on the ease of installation, the way of using the attic space and other secondary factors.

Styrofoam and foam glass are best used for outdoor work. Even brands of high-density foams (PSB-S 35 and PSB-S 50) are distinguished by the presence of pores, which, on the one hand, leads to the emission of a small amount of styrene, on the other, to some moisture saturation. Therefore, the slabs of this material are mounted on glue from the side of the attic space, and from above they are covered with a waterproofing film laid overlapping with sealing of the joints.

Ceiling insulation with foam glass is carried out from the attic side

Foam glass insulation of the ceiling with a cold attic is also performed from the outside, but for other reasons. Firstly, these slabs are much heavier, and secondly, it is more convenient and cheaper to seal the joints between them - to use bitumen mastic, which is not suitable for internal work for environmental reasons.

All of the above also applies to the insulation of floors with these materials, which have a power base in the form of steel structures with flooring from boards or OSB boards.

Wooden beams

From the inside, decoratively painted beams, and a layer of insulation from the attic side

Thermal insulation in joists is usually placed in caissons between the beams. If you do not ensure tight contact of EPS (using foam glue) or foam with wood and do not allow the beams to evaporate excess moisture, this will lead to their rapid waterlogging. Therefore, it is imperative to install a vapor barrier membrane from the side of the room, and from the side of the cold attic, mount a hydro-barrier that allows moisture to pass from bottom to top. At the same time, the space above the hydro-barrier must be free for effective ventilation. It is unacceptable to perform any flooring in the attic with this method of insulation. Therefore, this situation is not applicable if the attic is supposed to be used for household needs.

If the design of the room allows the appearance of open ceiling beams, it is more expedient to first mount the boardwalk on top of the wooden floor, and then install a layer of slab insulation on top of it. Then the bottom of the board between the beams can be covered with OSB, plywood or drywall, followed by putty and painting. This approach combines modern energy efficiency requirements with Provence and other country-inspired designs.

At the same time, the tree remains open on three sides, which significantly increases its service life.

Polyurethane foam insulation

For environmental reasons, the technology is recommended for outdoor use only. If a floor with wooden beams is insulated, it is best to install a flooring on top of them and spray polyurethane foam on this surface. Wrapping a tree in a PU foam blanket is not a good idea, as is the case with vapor-tight slabs. But the advantages of PPU are indisputable: the material is a champion in energy efficiency.

How to determine the required thickness of ceiling insulation

All you need to do is determine the desired indoor temperature and make a list of all the structural materials in your home and their thicknesses. Next, open any arbitrary online calculator for thermal construction calculations and enter your data and region of residence in the input field. However, the recommendation received should not be taken as dogma. Reducing the layer thickness in comparison with the recommended one is quite acceptable. One should only be aware of the fact that saving on thermal insulation is just a delay in payments, which will surely happen in the form of energy overruns for heating and air conditioning.

Video: theory and practice of floor insulation from the side of a cold heart

Summary

In each situation, you should strive to use all its advantages. The cold under-roof space is intensive ventilation of the ceiling from the outside. Therefore, the use of vapor-permeable insulation materials from the attic side should be considered as one of the most acceptable, especially if the floors are made of wooden beams.

What kind of insulation to use for the ceiling of a private house. How to insulate the ceiling in a house with a cold roof

Materials for interior work: which is better to use

Properties, advantages and disadvantages of materials

Mineral wool

Foamed polyethylene

Sequence of work

Installing the frame

Insulation installation

Video

Features of the "warm" roof

Features of the "cold roof"

How to insulate an attic: we insulate it correctly

Warming with expanded clay

Ecowool

We use mineral wool

Slag

Glass wool

Basalt wool

Warming with expanded polystyrene

Insulation with polyurethane foam

Warming with natural materials

Reed insulation

Thermal insulation with marine damask

Warming with sawdust

Insulation with sawdust and cement

Clay insulation

We equip a summer attic

We insulate the ceiling directly

Ceiling preparation for insulation

Installation of insulation directly on the ceiling

Insulation of the ceiling with crate

Vapor barrier selection

The choice of insulation

Thermal insulation using foam

Mineral wool for ceiling insulation

Loose types of heaters

Application of new technologies

Phased installation of ceiling insulation

Option number 1 - foam insulation

Option number 2 - installation of mineral wool from the inside

Option number 3 - ceiling insulation from above

Calculation of the amount of insulation for floors

Criteria for choosing a reliable insulation

Expanded polystyrene and polyurethane foam in comparison as insulation

Mineral wool

Bulk insulation

Methods for installing ceiling heaters

Output

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Contact with communications

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Concrete slabs or steel trusses

Wooden beams

Polyurethane foam insulation

How to determine the required thickness of ceiling insulation

Video: theory and practice of floor insulation from the side of a cold heart

Summary

The last

You need to know