Is it possible to insulate aerated concrete with polystyrene foam? Insulation of aerated concrete from the outside with Penoplex, basalt slabs, mineral wool and polyurethane foam

The use of aerated concrete as a material for the construction of houses is very widespread. But often the owners do not know whether it is worthwhile to insulate such a building or not. Having understood this issue, and also considered best options Insulating a home of this type will make the living conditions the most comfortable.

Why insulate a house made of aerated concrete?

To understand why aerated concrete buildings need insulation, you should first understand the features of the aerated concrete blocks themselves. Aerated concrete is a material that has a cellular structure and is made from a mixture of cement and quartz sand. A distinctive feature of aerated concrete from other cellular concrete is the addition of a gas-forming agent during production.

There are several approaches to the production of aerated concrete blocks. Typically, the constituent elements are mixed in certain proportions and then molded. When aerated concrete dries, it is cut into blocks and additionally put through autoclave processing. There is also a non-autoclave manufacturing method, but it does not produce high-strength material.

The insulation capabilities of aerated concrete blocks are relatively high. But to reduce the cost of building a house, it is better to use additional insulation. It allows you to reduce the thickness of aerated concrete walls, but does not interfere with the permeability of the structure to air. There are two methods of thermal insulation of such a building - internal and external.

External insulation: what material to choose?

High-quality insulation of a house made of aerated concrete blocks with outside only happens when you choose suitable material. It is worth paying attention to such insulation options.

1. Foam plastic and penoplex. Well known in the construction market. They are separate slabs, the thickness of which is 3-5 cm. The big advantages of penoplex are the ease of working with it when carrying out thermal insulation measures, good thermal insulation and high density. Penoplex and polystyrene foam can be used to create a thermal insulation layer before finishing the siding or other cladding panels. Thermal panels can also be installed on top of this insulation.

2. Mineral wool. It is also very popular. But the problem is that mineral wool can absorb moisture. In the case of aerated concrete, this is a destructive feature. Therefore, it is not recommended to use mineral wool for houses made of aerated concrete blocks. Aerated concrete itself very easily allows air to pass through, along with steam passing through it. In such a situation, the probability of rapid destruction of the material is very high.

3. Polyurethane foam. Unlike the previously mentioned insulation materials, polyurethane foam is a building mixture. Special equipment is used to apply it to the surface of the walls. Polyurethane foam foams in a short period and quickly gains density. It will last for decades, but it will be expensive. Applying polyurethane foam yourself is very problematic.

Now it’s worth considering how each of these materials is installed. Then it will be clear what the essence of the insulation work is.

The simplest insulation option is to use polystyrene foam. Most often, this insulation is combined with siding or other cladding panels. First, a frame for PVC panels is installed, between the elements of which foam boards are laid. Then you can proceed to installing the siding.

It is important that there are no gaps between the foam boards. If they appear, they are filled with polyurethane foam. Another finishing option is applying plaster. It is necessary to use plaster for facade work for further painting. Then protect the walls aerated concrete house will be the highest.

Thermal insulation of aerated concrete house with penoplex

This method will not cost much more than foam insulation. But the result will be better, because penoplex is more practical. For the outcome to be truly good, the following stages of the event must be followed.

1. Preparatory work

Due to the fact that aerated concrete blocks have a smooth surface, it is not necessary to level them in a special way and transfer them with insulation. But sometimes defects are found on the walls. If any defects are found, they must be eliminated with glue and plaster. When insulating slopes, plastering is also carried out, since without it there is a danger of the formation of cold bridges through which heat will escape from the interior.

2. Consolidation thermal insulation materials

It is possible to ensure reliable fastening of penoplex on walls made of aerated blocks if the latter are first coated with a primer. After drying, you can begin to attach the insulation. It is better to use glue with a cement base to perform such work. In addition to gluing, dowels with wide heads are additionally used for installing penoplex.

3. External cladding of the facade

Most often, penoplex is laid to create a thermal insulation layer under plaster or siding. The owner can determine for himself which finishing material is most suitable for him.

Thermal insulation of aerated concrete buildings with mineral wool

When working with mineral wool, approximately the same steps are followed as in the case of laying polystyrene foam. That is, you will need to install vertical guides that will act as a frame for the siding. But it is important that the slabs mineral wool were additionally closed with a vapor barrier. After laying it, the mineral wool is fixed, which is then additionally covered with a vapor barrier film. Having completed such work, you can begin covering the facade with finishing materials.

Internal insulation of a house made of aerated concrete blocks

External insulation of aerated concrete buildings was discussed above. But there is also a method that involves thermal insulation from the inside. However, experts do not recommend resorting to this method. With this method, condensation may occur. You can reduce the risk of such a negative manifestation if you choose a more suitable heat insulating material.

Here it is necessary to proceed from the fact that in order to reduce the risk of condensation on the walls, it is necessary to reduce the vapor permeability of materials when moving from outside walls to the inside. Mineral wool, as a material with very high vapor permeability, is unlikely to be suitable in this case. It is much better if the owner chooses penoplex or polyurethane foam for internal insulation.

Proper insulation is the key to comfortable living

Buildings made of aerated concrete, with all their advantages, still require additional thermal insulation. Therefore, the owner must approach such work very responsibly if he wants to receive decent living conditions. As is now clear, it is better to place heat-insulating material on the outside. Internal insulation cannot be called optimal.

Video on how to insulate a house made of aerated concrete with your own hands

How to insulate a house made of aerated concrete, what thermal insulation material to choose? These questions concern many who decide to build a house from cellular materials. Since the distinctive property of aerated concrete is vapor permeability, this property must be preserved.

For thermal insulation materials, this coefficient should be slightly lower than that of the material from which the walls are built. If this parameter is higher, there is a possibility of moisture accumulation.

Is it possible to use foam plastic, a material that is very popular, for insulation? How to properly insulate gas silicate walls of a house?

Properties of foam plastic

Like aerated concrete, polystyrene foam has positive and negative qualities

Advantages of the material

• Polyfoam is environmentally friendly and does not emit toxic substances.
• Durable, does not decompose.
• Low thermal conductivity.
• High vapor barrier properties.
• Fireproof, fire-resistant, self-extinguishing.
• Short specific gravity, does not weigh down the structure.
• Relatively inexpensive material.

Properties of foam plastic - thermal conductivity, long service life and relatively good vapor permeability

Disadvantages of the material

• Fragility, foam crumbles easily.
• Destroys upon contact with nitro paints, enamels, varnishes.
• Does not allow air to pass through.
• The material can be damaged by rodents and therefore needs protection.

When choosing foam plastic as aerated concrete insulation on the outside, you need to take into account all its qualities. The vapor permeability coefficient of the material is lower than that of aerated concrete blocks. This problem can be solved by providing additional ventilation.

Insulating walls made of aerated concrete with polystyrene foam will increase the degree of sound insulation, eliminate temperature changes in the house, and reduce heating costs

Sequence of work on installing foam plastic from the outside

To insulate the facade of a building, you must adhere to the following sequence

1. Surface preparation. The aerated concrete surface must be cleaned of dirt, glue, and dents and other irregularities must be leveled;
2. External application of primer for porous materials;
3. It is recommended to reinforce the perimeter of the windows with fiberglass mesh. Its size should be such that 10 cm extends under the insulation;
4. Gluing foam boards. A special one is used for this. Using a notched trowel, the adhesive is evenly distributed over small area walls outside the house or on a sheet of insulation. The foam is pressed against the wall with light movements. All joints are treated with glue;
5. For additional external fastening, long plastic dowels with a cap are used - an umbrella in the middle of the sheet and at its corners;
6. The sheets will be glued correctly with an offset, just like when laying blocks;
7. Applying the first layer of plaster on the foam plastic, followed by gluing the reinforcing mesh. The joints of the mesh must be overlapped, so cracks will not form subsequently;
8. Applying a second layer of plaster;
9. Painting the facade.

Key points when working

In construction there is such a concept as “dew point”. The formation of condensate will depend on its location. When constructing walls, the point is located in the blocks themselves, but when they begin to insulate, a gradual shift occurs, moreover, towards the heat-insulating material.

High-quality insulation is the key to comfortable indoor conditions

We take into account the following points

• The house must have proper ventilation.
• It is necessary to select the correct thickness of the foam, taking into account the heat engineering indicators. It is possible to insulate the walls from the outside with thin sheets of 2 - 4 cm, but this would be a big mistake. The temperature in aerated concrete should always be positive. The central regions of Russia are characterized by low winter temperatures, sheets 10 cm thick - The best decision, that’s when the house will be warmer.

Let us emphasize once again that polystyrene foam is less permeable to vapor, so the humidity of aerated concrete walls increases by an average of 6 - 7%. Humidity can be reduced with a good ventilation system. , lightweight waterproof material. It has poor vapor permeability. Other materials for façade insulation, such as expanded polystyrene foam and foam glass, are not so popular in use.

How important it is for the house to “breathe” depends only on you. You can make a house “breathable” if you provide good hood, and air flow.

Today, facade insulation with foam plastic is one of the most inexpensive methods, and is very popular, since the main purpose of insulation is to preserve heat. A material such as polystyrene copes well with this problem.

Trying to build a house from modern building materials with, a person naturally strives to save on thermal insulation. After all, in theory, the materials themselves will provide thermal insulation.

For example, construction from aerated concrete material is now very common. Aerated concrete is considered a porous and fairly durable material from which low-rise buildings can be built.

Many people think that insulation is not required for a house made of aerated concrete. But that's not true. Moreover, reviews from users of such houses, on the contrary, confirm the fact that aerated concrete walls require insulation. It is about the insulation of aerated concrete walls that we will now talk about.

1 Features and purpose

First, let's figure out what this aerated concrete is and why it is so popular. Aerated concrete was invented not so long ago, if you look at more ancient materials such as brick. However, in our area it has been actively used in construction for decades.

Aerated concrete is produced from binders, fillers, additives from industrial waste and specialty chemicals.

Powder and aluminum powder are used as chemical additives. They are foam sample converters.

That is, upon contact with water, carbon dioxide begins to be released from the powder or powder. At the same time, the binders work fully, so the gas-filled block becomes cellular and hardens in the same state.

The result is the same aerated concrete. This is a relatively lightweight, but at the same time quite durable material. It can be used to build houses that are up to 10 meters high.

As a rule, houses up to 3 floors in height are assembled from aerated concrete without any restrictions. Everything higher is equipped with reinforcing belts. High-rise houses cannot be built from aerated concrete. This material is also excellent for arranging bathhouses, small buildings, etc.

2 Selecting material for insulation

Insulation for aerated concrete also plays a huge role. Can be used different models insulation, but not all of them are well suited for performing certain tasks.

Thus, insulation of aerated concrete walls from the outside and inside is most often performed:

• Mineral wool;
• Expanded polystyrene;
• Foamed insulation such as penoizol or polyurethane foam.

It is most convenient to insulate aerated concrete houses with mineral wool. It has a relatively low weight, high level vapor permeability, does not burn in fire. Rodents will not live in it either, and for a house made of aerated concrete this is a big plus.

It is better not to use simple mineral wool to insulate an aerated concrete bath, as it reacts poorly to contact with moisture.

But mineral wool from well-known manufacturers can be used to insulate bathhouses and other similar buildings, although with caution. And all because branded mineral wool insulation has much higher quality.

They are usually hydrophobic, like , and do not absorb moisture at all. The only serious drawback of mineral wool is its price.

Not everyone can afford to take enough insulation to completely decorate a two-story house outside or inside.

Expanded polystyrene, if you look without asking the price, turns out much better than mineral wool. In terms of its characteristics, polystyrene foam is almost in no way inferior to it, and its price is much lower.

But once you take a closer look and take into account the special aerated concrete house, the situation immediately changes. The main problem of polystyrene foam is its poor vapor permeability. Using such materials will shift the dew point into the wall, causing the blocks to slowly deteriorate.

Level these unpleasant consequences possible by using vapor barrier film or something similar, but you are unlikely to be able to completely get rid of the problem. Expanded polystyrene can also become a home for rodents. They eat it with amazing speed.

As you can see, you can’t use polystyrene foam, but with great caution. Sometimes you can combine polystyrene foam and mineral wool. For example, decorate parts of the house with foam plastic where there is minimal steam emission. But rooms with large openings such as kitchens or bathrooms should be insulated with mineral wool.

If you still cannot afford to work with mineral insulation, then finishing with foam plastic will be enough for you. It's still better than freezing in winter. And working with polystyrene foam is very convenient. It’s just better to use it from the inside, and do it wisely.

Polyurethane foam is also good for wall insulation. This is a foam material that can be sprayed using special tools. It perfectly insulates the surface of the walls, allows steam to pass through to a moderate extent and is not afraid of moisture.

The only problem is its price. Polyurethane foam is very expensive. Moreover, both the material itself and its application will be expensive. Therefore, by these decisions in civil individual construction practically never used.

2.1 Wall insulation technology

As you yourself understand, a house made of aerated concrete can be insulated both from the inside and from the outside.

Internal wall insulation is easier to perform. Such work is always easier to carry out, because you do not have to assemble large structures, worry about additional waterproofing and do a bunch of additional things.

Any man who has ever encountered construction work can do the interior decoration with his own hands.

Of course, the first couple of hours will be spent stabilizing and training your hand, but then the work will go like clockwork. And the area inside is smaller than outside. This means that the possibility of making a mistake is reduced.

It is better to insulate the walls of a house from the inside using wet technology. That is, use dowels and various fasteners to a minimum. Aerated concrete really doesn’t like things like that.

If you still need to resort to using dowels, then buy a special fastener with a chemical base. It does not destroy the supporting structure of the block so much.

Stages of work:

1. We prepare the wall, remove all unnecessary elements.
2. We prime the base.
3. We apply a solution to the insulation boards and glue them to the wall.
4. We cover the cracks with a solution, blow them with foam or seal them.
5. Apply a thin layer of plaster to the insulation. If mineral wool is used, then mesh will do.
6. We carry out the final finishing of the wall.

When finishing the inside, it is advisable to use only wet method and do not overdo it with plaster.

Moreover, we fasten the plaster using a mesh. This is a very important point. Without using a mesh, cracks may appear along the wall over time. For finishing, you can choose any options you like.

It is better not to use a vapor barrier here or to place it directly under the plaster. This essentially eliminates the advantages provided by the vapor permeability of the insulation and the aerated concrete itself.

The house will become a little stuffier and more time will have to be devoted to ventilation or installation of a reliable ventilation system. But if there is no other way out, then it is better to ventilate the room than to suffer from a displaced dew point and all the consequences that will appear as a result.

External wall insulation is much more difficult process. Here it is better to involve specialists who have special equipment. You can work with both foam plastic and mineral wool. However, using mineral wool, as noted above, will be more useful.

Stages of work:

1. We prepare the surface.
2. We install flashings, limiting elements, plinth profiles, etc.
3. We prime and clean the base. We remove all unnecessary elements and calculate the insulation scheme.
4. We lay the insulation boards in a certain order. You can lay it on a layer of insulation adhesive.
5. Additionally, we use special chemical dowels to secure the slabs. Dowels are required for mineral wool. But they will not be superfluous if you use ordinary polystyrene foam.
6. We lay the waterproofing film.
7. Plaster the surface.
8. We apply the final finish to the surface of the facade.

The structure of aerated concrete is a complex system of many open cells (voids) filled with air. This structural feature determines two useful properties of the material:

Good thermal insulation. The manufacturer claims that the porous structure of aerated concrete brings its thermal insulation properties closer to wood, and is three to four times superior to brick. In the middle zone, according to SNiPs, the thickness of external walls of 400-500 mm will be sufficient without additional insulation, if a block of a brand not lower than D500 is used. These calculations are correct, but do not take into account the second property of aerated concrete.

Gas permeability. Open Pores mean that the material is capable of not only transmitting, but also accumulating moisture, which is what happens during the operation of the house. Walls that have absorbed a certain amount of moisture become denser (water accumulates in the pores, like in capillaries). The thermal conductivity of such walls increases, and the ability to retain heat decreases, which is especially noticeable in regions with harsh winters. And if in the south (where the winter temperature difference between inside and outside the building is small) country houses do not need insulation, then to the north the walls must be protected.

The properties of aerated concrete are determined by its structure

Why is it necessary to insulate such houses?

Despite the increased thermal insulation characteristics of gas-filled blocks, the issue of thermal insulation of building facades is one of the most pressing. To maintain a comfortable indoor microclimate, in addition to external insulation, some builders also perform internal insulation of aerated concrete walls. The points of view of experts regarding the need for internal insulation of aerated concrete differ. Let's figure out why aerated concrete buildings are thermally insulated?

The popularity of aerated concrete is growing steadily from year to year.

The need for insulation is associated with a number of factors:

• porous structure of the material. Air cells evenly distributed inside the aerated concrete block provide increased thermal insulation characteristics of the building material. The thermal insulation properties of aerated concrete blocks are much higher than those of concrete walls. At the same time, the open shape of the air pores significantly increases the hygroscopicity of the material, which easily allows air vapor and cold air to pass through. As a result of the formation of condensation and crystallization of water at negative temperatures, not only the thermal insulation properties of the blocks are reduced, but also the likelihood of their cracking arises. If aerated concrete walls are not properly insulated and there is no plaster, the blocks lose their thermal insulation properties;
• displacement of the “dew point” inside the aerated concrete mass in the absence of external thermal insulation protection. “Dew point” is a term widely used in the heating and construction industries. It characterizes the location of the moisture condensation zone. It is formed as a result of sudden temperature changes associated with positive temperatures inside the building and negative temperatures from the outside of the building. Under conditions of temperature changes associated with climate conditions, and in the absence of external insulation of the walls, moisture condenses inside the hygroscopic blocks. As a result of repeated cycles of freezing followed by thawing, aerated concrete walls gradually collapse.

It is external insulation, for which you can use polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, as well as other materials, that allows you to reliably insulate the walls of an aerated concrete building and shift the “dew point” to the outside of the façade of the house. In addition, insulation is less susceptible to destructive processes associated with moisture crystallization than gas blocks. If necessary, the heat-insulating coating can be changed. It's cheaper than repairing cracked walls.

A house made of aerated concrete must be insulated from the outside

Reasons for insulation

It seems obvious: to keep the house warmer and lower heating costs. But you can just increase the thickness of the walls? Hard mineral wool, most suitable for insulating facades, with a slab thickness of 100 mm will cost (in the central regions of the country) an average of 450 rubles per m2. In terms of thermal characteristics, this is an analogue of cellular concrete with a thickness of 300 mm. And it will cost 900 rubles. In fact, if you consider the entire structure of external insulation: mineral wool slabs, two layers of glue, fasteners, plaster, mesh, the price will rise to 800 rubles per meter and will practically be equal to the cost of increasing the heat-insulating properties of the wall by increasing the thickness of the masonry. However, under a thicker wall you will have to build a more powerful and expensive foundation. “Thermal fur coat” still turns out to be more profitable. The most rational option in terms of price/energy saving ratio for middle zone Russia - a foundation 300 mm thick (preferably also insulated); walls made of aerated concrete 400 mm; insulation 100 mm.

The optimal insulation option: “thermal fur coat” using hard mineral wool slabs 100 mm thick

There is one more important point: Durability and the notorious dew point. Our continental climate is unfriendly to stone building materials. Moisture, getting into the internal pores of aerated concrete, freezes in cold weather, expands and gradually tears apart the walls. This applies not only to cellular concrete, but also to brick and concrete. In our area, a stone house will never last as long as, for example, in Southern Europe. If the Parthenon had been built in Moscow, it would have long ago fallen apart into separate pebbles. External insulation will again help to extend the life of the building in order to pass it on to great-grandchildren intact.

In heating engineering there is such a concept: “dew point”. This place is deep wall material with zero temperature. It is in this zone that condenses maximum amount moisture and the material either freezes or thaws again. Dry blocks look and feel like they have an average moisture content of 5-8%. During the thawing-freezing process, this water little by little but inexorably wears away the stone of our walls. What's the solution?

Aerated concrete is hydrophobic (absorbs moisture) and it is not worth leaving a residential building unplastered for the winter, it will be damp

Remove the dew point from the wall, move it outward. That is, make sure that aerated concrete is constantly in the positive temperature zone, then it will last significantly longer. Moreover, when correct design the wall will always be dry, which will create a healthy microclimate in the house. The fact that the dew point will completely shift into the insulation is not a problem. Firstly, it is an order of magnitude less susceptible to the destructive forces of freezing water. Secondly, unlike a main wall, insulation is easy to reconstruct.

How to insulate a house made of aerated concrete from the outside; compare wet and dry methods

Various complex methods of performing external thermal insulation of aerated concrete walls are used, which are divided into the following types:

• "dry" technology. In a professional environment, it is called a suspended or ventilated facade. The dry method involves assembling and fixing a special frame made of metal profile or wood to the outer surface of the walls. The cavities of the frame structure are filled with thermal insulation material - mineral wool, expanded polystyrene or glass wool. The outer surface of the frame is covered with plastic or metal siding, decorative boards, glass or porcelain tiles. The cost of constructing a curtain wall mainly depends on the surface area and cost. decorative finishing;
• “wet” method, performed in a lightweight version. In accordance with the requirements of the technology, the heat insulation slabs are fixed to the aerated concrete surface using plastic dowels or a special adhesive composition. The surface of aerated concrete does not require additional preparation - it is important to remove dust. After installing the sheet insulation, the surface is plastered with two leveling layers, between which a reinforcing mesh is placed. For decorative finishing, lightweight cladding panels from ceramic materials or plaster compositions;
• “wet” technology, implemented according to a weighted scheme. She is in demand when needed decorative cladding facade of the building using heavy ceramic panels or natural stone. According to technological requirements, the heat insulator is not attached with glue, but is fixed to the surface of the walls with special hooks. A reinforcing mesh of metal is placed on top of the insulation and the structural elements are fixed using steel plates. Applied to the mesh sand-cement plaster with a layer thickness of up to 4 cm. After the plaster composition has hardened, the surface is finished with natural stone.

From an economic point of view, the latter type is more expensive compared to “wet” technology, performed in a lightweight version.

Builders also use brick cladding aerated concrete facades, which does not require the construction of a frame structure. To cover walls with bricks, an increase in the width of the foundation base is required. The masonry is carried out parallel to the surface of the aerated concrete walls with a gap in which the heat insulator is placed. The decision to choose a wall insulation method is made individually, taking into account financial capabilities and design requirements.

1 Features and purpose

First, let's figure out what this aerated concrete is and why it is so popular for cladding. wooden house from the inside. Aerated concrete was invented not so long ago, if you look at more ancient materials such as brick. However, in our area it has been actively used in construction for decades.

Aerated concrete is produced from binders, fillers, additives from industrial waste and special chemicals.

Powder and aluminum powder are used as chemical additives. They are foam sample converters.

That is, upon contact with water, carbon dioxide begins to be released from the powder or powder. At the same time, the binders work fully, so the gas-filled block becomes cellular and hardens in the same state.

The result is the same aerated concrete. This is a relatively lightweight, but at the same time quite durable material. It can be used to build houses that are up to 10 meters high.

As a rule, houses up to 3 floors in height are assembled from aerated concrete without any restrictions. Everything higher is equipped with reinforcing belts. High-rise houses cannot be built from aerated concrete. This material is also excellent for arranging bathhouses, small buildings, etc.

The nuance of aerated concrete, as well as insulation under siding for a brick house, is precisely that due to its porosity, it really needs insulation. The material allows steam and air to pass through too easily and gains ambient temperature. If you do not insulate the walls of your house from the inside or outside, you may face quite serious problems.

Scheme of an insulating pie made of mineral wool

Fortunately, this can be done without any problems, but you have to be quite careful. Aerated concrete is not a standard brick or ordinary concrete

It has its own nuances, and when insulating a house, bathhouse or any other structure, it is important to take them into account.

Particular attention is paid to the decoration of the bathhouse. A bathhouse is characterized by excessive steam release, and the vapor permeability of aerated concrete, as mentioned above, is at a fairly high level

If you organize wall insulation incorrectly, you can achieve unpleasant results. So, the walls of the bathhouse will begin to accumulate moisture, or, conversely, give it away too quickly. In any case, this will lead to rather negative results, which can only be solved with the help of drastic measures.

Therefore, for thermal insulation of aerated concrete baths, as well as for any other buildings similar type you need to apply all the knowledge you have.

Methods of insulation with mineral wool

Insulation of aerated concrete with mineral wool can be done in several ways:

• “Wet facade” using thin-layer plaster.
• Heavy plaster system “wet facade”.
• Ventilated facade.
• Three-layer masonry.

Insulation using “wet facade” technology (thin-layer design)

First, let's define the terminology. You will find a hint in the name itself - “wet facade” - all stages of work are carried out using mixtures and solutions mixed with water. To insulate a house using this technology, you need to use high-density mineral wool (120 kg/m3 or more) and use only thermal insulation material intended for this purpose. adhesive composition.

Warming is carried out in the following sequence:

1. Before insulating the house, its surface is thoroughly cleaned and primed.
2. Gluing mineral wool boards to the wall.
3. Additional fixation of the insulation with umbrella dowels is performed after the adhesive mixture has hardened, i.e. after 3 days after insulation.
4. Reinforcement - a layer of adhesive composition 3-5 mm thick is applied to the wall, into which a fiberglass reinforcing mesh is embedded.
5. Leveling the surface with a second layer of adhesive mixture.
6. Final plastering.

Heavy plaster system "wet facade"

It is more advisable to insulate a building using this method if you subsequently plan to cladding it with stone or other heavy materials. Plates basalt wool together with a metal reinforcing mesh, they are fixed to the facade with special steel anchors (no adhesive mixture is used). A thick layer of plaster mixture is applied on top - 20-50 mm. The insulation ends with the installation of the selected facing material.

How to insulate using ventilated facade technology?

Insulation with mineral wool is carried out between the guides of wooden or metal frame. The insulation is covered with a waterproofing membrane to protect it from precipitation and wind. The waterproofing is fastened with a stapler, and subsequently with counter batten slats, which provide a ventilation gap. Then siding, fiber cement boards, block house or any other finishing material is mounted on the frame.

It should be insulated as shown in the photo below:

1 – wall made of aerated concrete blocks;
2 – sheathing;
3 – mineral wool slabs;
4 – waterproofing windproof membrane;
5 – counter-lattice;
6 – finishing panels.

Insulation followed by cladding with ceramic bricks

You may ask, how to insulate aerated concrete from the outside in this case? for insulating a house using this technology It is allowed to use mineral wool boards of lower density than for the “wet facade”.

Insulation of a house with brick cladding is carried out in several stages:

1. Fastening mineral wool with special fasteners, which serve both as fasteners and as flexible connections for subsequent brickwork.
2. Protection of insulation boards with a waterproofing membrane.
3. Masonry taking into account the air gap, which should be approximately 40 mm.

Mineral wool for insulating aerated concrete

Scheme of insulating a house made of aerated concrete with mineral wool.

Mineral wool is made from waste from the metallurgical industry (slag wool) or by melting basalt rocks (rock wool). Both types of material are based on minerals (slag, natural stones) and are often combined under the same name “mineral wool”.

This is a porous material with high thermal insulation properties. It is produced in the form of rolls or mats. Rolled mineral wool sags over time and ceases to properly insulate walls. The mats are more durable; they retain their dimensions and heat-saving properties over the entire area for a long time.

Being a porous material, mineral mats have a low specific gravity. This determines the low weight of the insulation as a whole and the insignificant pressure of the mats on the foundation of the building. Also, due to their low weight, mineral mats are easy to move and install on vertical walls Houses.

Scheme of insulation of lintels over an opening in a wall made of aerated concrete.

Mineral wool 50 mm thick has a heat transfer resistance coefficient of 1.35 m2ºC/W. Increasing the thickness to 60 mm increases the resistance coefficient to 1.65. Insulation with a thickness of 100 mm provides a coefficient value of 2.75.

For comparison, the following data can be provided. A similar characteristic for a wall made of sand-lime brick 500 mm thick is 0.58. That is, 10 cm of mineral wool replaces 1 m of the wall of a house made of white silicate brick.

For aerated concrete 400 mm thick, the coefficient of resistance to heat conduction is 1.6.

If we take into account that for the Moscow region the heat transfer resistance coefficient of walls should be 3.29 (according to SNiP recommendations), then the required insulation layer for aerated concrete walls 400 mm thick is 60 mm.

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Comparative characteristics of insulation materials

Insulating materials have similar properties, but there are still differences. Some of them retain heat better. But at the same time you will have to pay a round sum for the material. Some insulation fulfills its obligations worse, but is more affordable. Here the builder needs to rely on material capabilities. But you should think about whether the quality of thermal conductivity of the selected material is satisfactory.

The main thing is to make sure before purchasing insulation that it is safe, environmentally friendly and meets quality standards. This is guaranteed by a certificate that the seller must provide. If a company selling insulation materials does not have this document, you should doubt the quality of its product and think about changing the supplier.

The main mistake when choosing insulation for aerated concrete walls

We will talk about the choice of insulation for the walls of a future building, namely, the erroneous choice of expanded polystyrene for insulating aerated concrete walls. – regular (PPS) or extruded (EPS) – insulation, which is in great demand among consumers. The reason for its popularity is the relatively low cost, which, first of all, attracts the owner of the future home, and ease of installation, which attracts the builder.

Where does indoor humidity come from?

Strange as it may sound, the humidity in a living room comes from you and me. Of course, a bathtub, shower, stove and other household and household appliances periodically work in the house, but a person also breathes continuously and, as a rule, not alone. We exhale water-saturated carbon dioxide from our lungs.

The difference between aerated concrete walls and walls made of other materials

Aerated concrete is a porous material with high hygroscopicity and vapor permeability. Hygroscopicity causes the material to absorb excess moisture from the air, and vapor permeability is precisely the advantage that requires proper operation.

In short, vapor permeability is the ability of a material to “breathe”; to put it plainly, it is the ability of a material to conduct water vapor through its structure, both inward and outward.

When it comes to the vapor permeability of the outer wall of a house, you should always remember one more thing important point– difference in partial pressure inside and outside. We won’t go too deep into this issue so as not to confuse you.

Briefly, we can put it this way: aerated concrete will “conduct through itself” excess moisture in the direction from warmer air to a colder environment - that is, from the house to the outside due to the difference in temperature indoors and outdoors.

Thanks to this effect, moisture from the street, even in rainy weather, will not get inside the building, or even deep inside an unclosed wall, because the room temperature is higher.

Thus, aerated concrete walls themselves will regulate the humidity inside the room, and no ventilation will be required in such a building. By the way, wood has this property - that is why we all remember that it is easy to breathe and comfortable to be in a wooden house at any time of the year and in any weather.

What's wrong with polystyrene foam?

We have figured out the intricacies of moisture exchange of the material. Now it will be easier to explain why Insulating a house made of aerated concrete is not recommended using PPS and EPS.

Expanded polystyrene has a very low vapor permeability rate (about 5 times lower than that of aerated concrete, and about 40 times lower than that of extruded concrete), that is, the ability to allow vapor to pass through. As a result of this, excess moisture from the room: firstly, is not removed into the external environment, and secondly, part of this moisture will accumulate on the inner surface of the polystyrene foam.

The consequences of such insulation will not be the most pleasant:

• In the first case, the building will require either ventilation(which is unjustified in a private single-family home) or regular ventilation of the room(which is inconvenient and promises colds during the cold season).
• In the second case the problem is less noticeable but more serious. Over time, a damp environment forms between the wall and polystyrene foam, which promotes the development of fungus and mold. A This is harmful to both human habitation and building structures.
• Also worth adding risk of loss of adhesive strength, on which polystyrene foam is mounted to the wall during insulation, which will entail a violation of the integrity of the thermal insulation contour of the building, and subsequently - formation of “cold bridges”.

Important points of work

If polystyrene foam is chosen for insulation of aerated concrete, then care must be taken to ensure that the insulation penetrates minimal amount moisture. This can be achieved by installing high-quality passive or active ventilation inside a house made of aerated concrete. Thanks to the continuous change of air masses, moisture will be removed, and it will not be able to get into the foam and contribute to the appearance of mold and mildew. The thickness of the foam must also be selected correctly. This will depend on specific territorial conditions. If you install foam plastic of insufficient thickness, the dew point will shift towards the gas blocks, so you should not save on the material. For places with cold climates, foam plastic with a thickness of 15 centimeters or more may be required.

The final finishing of the house can be done not only textured plaster, but also siding. In this case, there is no need to tighten the foam with glue and mesh. Before installing the insulation, a wooden or metal sheathing is installed, which is necessary for siding. Foam plastic is placed between the lattice elements, which is fixed with glue and umbrellas. The seams are sealed with glue. After drying, the excess glue is cut off, and siding is attached to the sheathing, which will protect the foam from external influences.

As you can see, there is no clear prohibition on using polystyrene foam in combination with a gas block. There are certain restrictions and precautions regarding materials, following which you can achieve the correct result. It is necessary to install insulation in warm, dry weather. If it rained the day before, you need to give the aerated concrete time to dry thoroughly before starting to work with the material.

During installation of insulation, it is important to constantly check the vertical and horizontal plane of the material using a level in order to achieve a smooth finishing surface.

Why is it important to insulate aerated concrete?

House made of aerated concrete

Since cellular concrete has such excellent thermal conductivity, the question arises: “Is it necessary to insulate a house made of aerated concrete?” Let's look for the answer together.

Due to its high porosity, aerated concrete has high water absorption. And although moisture does not penetrate deep into the blocks, their outer layer is exposed to moisture and may collapse over time.

On a note! Aerated concrete dries quickly, and the absorbed moisture does not destroy it from the inside when the outside air temperature drops, due to the fact that it is evenly distributed throughout the internal dry pores.

Structure of aerated concrete

However, this is a matter of time, so the façade of an aerated concrete house must be reliably protected from moisture in order to extend the service life of the building. In addition, in construction regions with harsh winters, aerated concrete walls will have to be insulated in order to reduce their thickness, and therefore the cost of construction as a whole. Is it necessary to insulate a house made of aerated concrete 400? The answer is unequivocal - yes.

Insulation of an aerated concrete house with mineral wool

Insulating aerated concrete improves its thermal insulation qualities and increases its service life. Most modern insulation materials have soundproofing properties, which increases the comfort of living.

Important! The material for insulating aerated concrete blocks must be vapor permeable. If you use, for example, expanded polystyrene, then the inside must be sealed to prevent steam from penetrating into the thickness of the walls.

The need for insulation of aerated concrete and features of the choice of material

Aerated concrete - common construction material, which is used for the construction of load-bearing and internal walls of private houses and cottages. It itself has a low thermal conductivity coefficient, so it reliably holds thermal energy inside residential premises.

It is not necessary to insulate aerated concrete in all cases.

However, there is often a need to insulate it. I will list the most common cases:

1. When designing load-bearing walls reinforcing belts made of reinforced concrete were used to strengthen them. These sections of enclosing structures become islands of cold, unless, of course, measures are taken to insulate them externally.
2. Aerated concrete itself is a porous material, so it strongly absorbs water. If you leave the surfaces of the walls unprotected from moisture, they will absorb a lot of liquid, which, when frozen, will quickly lead to the destruction of the building. Wall insulation installed outside will act as protection against getting wet.

Aerated concrete is a porous material

1. To strengthen the walls of a house, high-density aerated concrete (more than D500) is often used. The heat-preserving properties of this material are not enough to act as an independent heat insulator. Such wall blocks require additional insulation.
2. To save money on the purchase of building materials, the walls of the house were built from 300 mm thick blocks. This thickness is not enough to prevent loss of thermal energy. To make your home energy efficient, you will have to additionally install a thermal insulation layer.
3. When laying the walls, instead of glue for aerated blocks, ordinary cement mortar was used, which has high thermal conductivity and does not allow the blocks to be laid in the manner provided by the technology.

Insulation for aerated concrete must meet certain requirements.

I would like to note right away that due to the specifics of the material (low thermal conductivity and excellent vapor permeability), it is necessary that the insulation for aerated concrete meets the following requirements:

Well, naturally, I would give preference to those types of insulation, the fastening of which would be easy to do with your own hands (without the use of special equipment or engineering equipment).

I can say that among the thermal insulation materials on the market there is no one that meets all the requirements 100%. Therefore, I will dwell on the consideration of those options that I myself have used in practice and note whether it is possible to insulate aerated concrete from the outside with one or another heat insulator.

Sometimes insulating a house made of aerated concrete is necessary!

The process of insulating external walls with foam plastic

Scheme for applying glue to foam boards.

In regions with a predominant humid climate, it is not recommended to use polystyrene foam as insulation. Moisture accumulating between aerated concrete blocks and foam plastic will inevitably lead to rotting of the aerated concrete blocks.

Work on insulating walls made of aerated concrete is carried out in several successive stages:

• wall preparation;
• insulation of indoor walls;
• external insulation;
• finishing of surfaces.

The preparatory stage consists of cleaning the surface of the walls from dirt, sealing possible cracks and crevices with cement-based plaster, various mastics and putties.

Installation diagram of the base profile.

Foam plastic slabs begin to be laid on the wall surface from the bottom row and from the corner of the building. The adhesive mixture is applied with a notched trowel to the entire surface of the slab. If the wall is not very smooth, then this method is not suitable. In this case, apply glue to a strip about 5-8 cm wide along the edge of the slab and place several dots with a diameter of about 10 cm in the center. The thickness of the adhesive layer should be 15-20 mm. After this, the plate is applied to the wall and pressed against it. The remaining slabs in the row are tightly attached to the previously installed ones.

Subsequent rows are laid offset relative to the bottom row to create a semblance of brickwork. For a more durable connection of the insulation to the wall, you need to additionally install plastic umbrella dowels. To do this, holes are drilled in the corners and in the center of each slab so that they penetrate 5 cm or more deep into the aerated concrete. The dowels are hammered into these holes. The hats are recessed into the foam by about a millimeter. A plastic core is driven into the center of the dowel until it stops. The remaining part is cut off with a knife.

The remaining gaps between the foam plates create cold bridges. They must be eliminated using polyurethane foam or a special sealant. After this, the walls can be primed and finished with plaster, then painted.

If you plan to finish with other materials such as siding and lining, then even before installing the insulation boards on the wall you need to mount a frame from wooden beams or metal guides to which the cladding material will be attached.

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Methods for insulating aerated concrete outside

There are several technologies with which it is carried out. They must be performed strictly according to the instructions. It is also better not to replace materials with equivalent ones, but at a lower price. For example, special glue or plaster mortar for insulation is replaced with cheap and low-quality tile adhesive. It will cope with its task, but at the same time the vapor permeability and service life will be significantly reduced. Now let’s take a closer look at the options for insulating walls outside.

"Wet" easy option

“Wet” technology doesn’t really live up to its name. The condition of the façade remains extremely dry. The insulation is fixed to the walls of the house using glue and dowels with a wide head. After this, two leveling layers of plaster mixture are applied, between which a reinforcing plastic mesh is placed. The condition of aerated concrete walls is initially smooth, so they do not require additional preparation. You just need to get rid of the dust covering them. Plasters are used as finishing decorative type or porous ceramic tiles for cladding.

"Wet" heavy version

This technology is used when cladding facades with stone or heavy ceramic-based slabs. In this case, the insulation is not glued, but is attached to the wall with massive hooks. A strong metal mesh is placed on top. The resulting structure is secured with metal plates. A thick layer of plaster based on sand and cement (20-40 mm) is applied to the mesh. At the final stage, the stone is laid. This option will require more costs than the “easy” one.

“Dry” option (Ventilated facade)

Also known as a ventilated or curtained façade. It is based on metal or wooden frame, which is created outside the facade. In the areas between its parts, insulation is installed, which is mineral wool, glass wool or polystyrene foam.

Advice: It is better not to give preference to polystyrene foam. This is due to its high fire hazard rates. Rising air currents from the ventilation facade can contribute to the fire of this insulation. Therefore, it is better to spend a little more money on purchasing mineral wool and thereby protect your home from fire.

Sheathing the frame is most often done with metal or plastic siding or wooden cladding boards. Porcelain stoneware slabs or slabs from natural stone Rarely used in private construction to create curtain wall facades. The cost of these materials will be an order of magnitude higher than that of others, but due to the long service life of a ventilated façade made from these materials, the payback will occur in approximately 5 or more years. The period, of course, is not short, but the facade will not require repairs for a long time.

Brick cladding

This option does not provide for the creation of an additional frame, so the insulation can be mounted directly on the surface of the walls. In this case, you should not forget about the air “pocket” for ventilation. insulation material. This type of insulation is the most expensive, since large costs will be spent on purchasing bricks and increasing the surface of the foundation.

To summarize, you can see the following: in order to insulate a house made of aerated concrete with an optimal ratio of price, quality and aesthetic appeal, the best materials for this purpose will be mineral wool and polystyrene foam. Properly created thermal insulation will help not to lose precious heat and significantly save on heating.

Insulation of a house made of aerated concrete

Experts recommend insulating the outside of the house

Is it necessary to insulate a house made of aerated concrete? It’s no longer a question, but how to do it correctly? Experts recommend insulation from the outside of the house. This will avoid unnecessary spending usable area, and will also provide additional protection to the external walls of the house and the transition of the “dew point” to the external walls. Dew point is the temperature limit at which cooling air reaches saturation and condenses into dew. In addition, you should not experiment with the thickness of the aerated concrete wall, so the option of 300 millimeters disappears immediately. According to the recommendations of experts, 375 millimeters is the minimum thickness of the walls of a private house made of aerated concrete! This is the minimum acceptable standard, taking into account the use of insulation.

Before you begin insulation, you need to select the insulation material and make a calculation of the amount of material that will be required during the work process. The choice of insulation material should be taken responsibly, because this factor will determine the final cost of the work, the installation method, as well as the quantitative consumption of the insulation material. But before choosing an insulation material, you need to decide on the option for insulating a private house.

Options for insulating a house made of aerated concrete blocks:

• From the inside. In any case, this method will suffer living space, which can be used in a more effective and efficient way. In addition, you will need to install a rather expensive ventilation system, but even this will not save you from the appearance of fungi and mold in the space between the insulation and the aerated concrete wall.
• Outside . It is recommended to insulate the outside walls of the house from the outside. This method is used not only for additional protection of walls from precipitation or scorching sun, but this method of insulation saves time due to relatively simple installation, no creation is required extra space for the execution of work. In addition, if it is necessary to change the facade of the house, this can be done without unnecessary complications. In addition, external insulation provides additional sound insulation and gives the house a more attractive appearance.

Why do you need to insulate?

Many builders prefer gas silicate blocks for certain reasons. First of all, construction works such material does not imply the presence of special skills. The blocks are large and light and can be joined together without any problems using a special adhesive. Objects do not need a strong foundation, and insulating the walls of a house with aerated concrete from the outside will reduce the cost of the project.

The blocks belong to the group of cellular concrete. If we compare aerated concrete with the production of slag concrete blocks, the technological process is different. In two words, a foam former – aluminum powder – is added to the mixture of cement and lime. Hydrogen is released, leaving a huge amount of voids in the block.

From the very beginning, porous blocks are characterized by weak strength to mechanical influences. To increase it, the final production stage takes place in an autoclave unit, where the blocks are subjected to significant pressure and high temperature. As a result, the material turns out to be quite durable.

From physics lessons we know that air is considered one of the best materials that can insulate heat. And the thermal conductivity index will depend on the number of pores in the block.

But there is one problem - porous cells in gas silicate material open, which makes the block vapor-permeable and allows it to absorb moisture. For this reason, the answer to the question - is it necessary to insulate an aerated concrete house - will be unequivocal - it is necessary.

Another thing is what protective layer create, and is it necessary to insulate a house made of aerated concrete 300, or is it enough to line it with finishing materials?

It is no secret that the thickness of load-bearing walls, no matter what materials they are made from, will be fully determined by the average annual temperature conditions your region. As it follows from this, the average thickness of aerated concrete walls can be 30–50 cm. But almost no one is interested in the fact that in this case experts are referring to the load-bearing characteristics of the blocks. Simply put, the walls will be strong.

And, for example, questions about whether it is necessary to insulate a house from aerated concrete 400 and other grades are often kept silent.

In terms of thermal conductivity, in some regions of Russia only aerated concrete walls start from 700 mm in thickness.

Anyone who is planning construction in these regions and is thinking whether there is a need to carry out external insulation of a house made of aerated concrete if its walls are 30 cm thick, or whether it is possible to simply install a plaster layer, you need to take into account that if you insulate the facade of a house made of aerated concrete with polystyrene foam or mineralized wool, then insulation slabs ten centimeters thick will equivalently replace 300 mm thick walls made of aerated concrete material. . It turns out that half-meter walls should have a thermal insulation layer of at least 10 mm

And for walls made of aerated concrete grade d 500 with a thickness of 400 mm or less, more massive thermal insulation will be required.

It turns out that half-meter walls should have a thermal insulation layer of at least 10 mm. And for walls made of aerated concrete grade d 500 with a thickness of 400 mm or less, more massive thermal insulation will be required.

In addition to the thermal conductivity indicator, there is another important feature - the concept of “dew point”. This term describes a place inside the external walls that has zero temperature. This is where the maximum amount of condensation will accumulate.

It should be recalled that aerated concrete blocks have a porous structure, and if the dew point falls on the block itself, then the moisture will freeze and thaw due to temperature fluctuations, destroying the material.

There is only one way out in this situation - try to move the point to the insulating layer. It will be less susceptible to destruction, and if it deteriorates, you can replace it faster than rebuilding walls. By the way, this explains the need to insulate external walls.

The choice of insulation: mineral wool or polystyrene foam

The modern construction market offers a variety of materials for creating thermal insulation on the outside of aerated concrete houses. Let's look at the most popular of them - mineral wool and polystyrene foam - and identify the pros and cons of each of these materials.

These two insulation materials are similar in many respects. They have almost the same service life and mechanical characteristics. For rodents, foam is more preferable due to its airy structure. They easily gnaw through it and make their burrows in it. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to carefully finish the façade with plaster. But rodents cannot stand mineral wool. It is much easier to work with polystyrene foam; it can be cut well; if cracks appear in it, they can be easily sealed with construction foam. The working process with mineral wool is a little more complicated. Also, when working with this insulation, you must use protective clothing.

There are significant differences between materials in terms of vapor permeability. The high vapor permeability properties of mineral wool do not deprive the walls of the ability to “breathe”. Polystyrene foam, on the contrary, is practically vapor-proof, which creates the effect of completely “packing” the house, in which the humidity of the walls increases by an average of 6%. With such a small percentage, deterioration still occurs operational properties aerated concrete and microclimatic indicators of housing.

From all of the above it follows that mineral wool has a large number of advantages and is better suited for, but also the means to purchase of this material more will go away. Purchasing polystyrene foam will cost much less. The choice is yours.

External house insulation technology

1. Before you decide to insulate aerated concrete house, you should first figure out how to do it correctly. It is best to insulate a house in the summer, when there is little rain and the air temperature allows the house to dry out quickly. To dry the walls even faster, you can heat the building from the inside. Warm air penetrates the walls, heats them and expels moisture outside.
2. Before insulation, the facade of the walls should be cleaned of dirt, unevenness should be corrected with plaster, and also disinfected. This will protect the walls of the home from the development of fungus in the future. After the antiseptic has completely dried, go over the walls with primer several times. This process promotes good adhesion of the insulation to aerated concrete.
3. For high-quality gluing, glue is applied to the insulation board in an even ball, without missing a single millimeter, thereby protecting the walls of the house from moisture settling on them. To further strengthen the insulation on the facade of the house, special plastic dowels with large caps are screwed into it.
4. The next step is finishing the outside of the house. First attach it to the insulation reinforced mesh. It increases the adhesion of the finishing material to the insulation. Then start covering the walls.

Technological features of installation of mineral wool

A ventilated facade finished with siding is a popular option for finishing private houses, because with its help all foundation errors are leveled out. And the work is not very complicated; it can be done on its own.

Over time, heaving forces or other reasons can cause cracks in the masonry, but the suspended cladding system does not suffer

And if we take into account the fragility of aerated concrete blocks and the need for strict adherence to production technology, most consumers give their preference to cladding, considering it a more durable finishing layer. To know how to properly insulate a house made of aerated concrete from the outside, you need to understand the stages of the work.

Preparatory stage

If you decide to insulate a building that is already in use, you should remove all functional and decorative elements from the walls, clean the surface from dirt, and prime it. If there are doubts about the load-bearing capabilities of the foundation and walls, they are examined by tapping them with a hammer.

When insulation is carried out during construction, the remaining solution is removed from the surface. Wet walls should be given time to dry completely.

Surface marking

Markings are applied to the walls using a construction level or level to create a frame base. The distances between the bars depend on the size of the insulation material.

Installation of vertical racks

To completely eliminate heat leakage, insulation is performed in two layers, with overlaps at the joints. To do this, first assemble the vertical sheathing.

The size of the bars must correspond to the thickness of the insulation. Fix it to the aerated concrete surface with special fasteners.

Laying wool

The thickness of the insulation is determined according to special thermal calculations. Most often it is 10 - 15 cm. The complete absence of shrinkage and excellent elasticity of the material make it possible to simplify the technological process by installing wool without additional fasteners, inserting it by surprise. If necessary, they can always be trimmed with a sharp knife or a hand saw with a fine tooth. Cuttings are always useful for filling gaps.

Attaching horizontal posts

Having laid the first layer, markings are made for the horizontal slats. The second row of bars is necessary in order to frame base under the siding was fixed to it vertically.

Cotton padding

Plates laid sideways with the seam sections shifted completely eliminate cold bridges, even if the racks are fixed with metal fasteners.

Protection

We figured out how to insulate walls with stone wool. All that remains is to protect it from the effects of precipitation and ensure unimpeded drainage of condensate. For this purpose, vapor-permeable material is laid.

On top of such a membrane, fasteners are installed for the cladding, while maintaining a gap of three to five centimeters, ensuring normal operating conditions for the insulation.

Many people doubt whether it is necessary to insulate a house made of aerated concrete in this way, considering it costly. But the heat saved in the future will allow you to save on heating.

Finishing of aerated concrete blocks

Aerated concrete walls for siding are an excellent application solution finishing materials

Aerated concrete blocks are several times higher than wooden materials in terms of vapor permeability. This is one of several reasons for the popularity of aerated concrete blocks. But violations made during installation or operation can affect vapor permeability. Aerated concrete walls for siding are an excellent solution for the use of finishing materials. Sometimes aerated concrete blocks can be hidden behind brick wall, decorative tiles or plaster mixtures. The work becomes easier when it turns out that an extended foundation was used to build the house. When refining appearance When using bricks, remember to create ventilation holes.

Finishing from the inside. Work order:

• A primer material is applied on top of the insulation;
• The plaster is applied after the primer has dried;
• It is recommended to smooth the walls after the plaster has dried. This stage is carried out 2 times in a row (the interval between repetitions is a day);
• The wall is insulated with the help of an internal facing material - plasterboard, using a special adhesive solution. A wooden frame of slats is first prepared, and plasterboard panels are mounted on them, which are subsequently painted with vapor-permeable paint.

Is it worth insulating?

Aerated concrete itself is an excellent material with low thermal conductivity, which is used as an alternative to classic brick or other blocks. The material is lightweight and, when installed correctly, can prevent heat dissipation. But it really needs additional finishing, because it can collapse under the influence of moisture. For the most part this happens in the cold season, when moisture accumulates in the pores of aerated concrete and increases its thermal conductivity, which increases heat transfer and negates the insulating properties. In addition, frozen moisture expands and damages the internal structure of aerated concrete. Insulation allows you to increase the insulating properties and prevent moisture from entering the pores of aerated blocks.

Due to its porosity, aerated concrete has vapor permeability, which helps dissipate excess moisture that accumulates indoors during human activity. It means that the perfect way insulation for aerated concrete is a ventilated façade, which is necessary to remove released moisture. The easiest way to implement it is with mineral wool, which also has vapor permeability. If you install foam plastic on top of aerated concrete, which is not vapor permeable, this can lead to moisture accumulation between the insulation and the block. The result of this may be the appearance of mold and destruction of aerated concrete. It is this factor that causes concern among many users as to whether it is worth insulating aerated concrete with foam plastic. If everything is done correctly, then polystyrene foam can still be used to insulate gas and foam blocks.

We find out the need

The preservation of heat inside a closed volume is facilitated by the presence of a stationary air environment. Such air itself is the best insulation. The presence of air-filled pores in the body of the block explains the good thermal insulation qualities that aerated concrete walls have.

Such pores are obtained by adding a blowing agent to the mixture. It begins to act under the influence of high temperature in the autoclave, where the forms filled with the composition are placed. Emerging through the thickness of the material, the gas leaves behind a labyrinth of small hollow volumes.

The specific heat capacity coefficient of an individual block is much lower than that of a façade wall. It increases due to the formation of cold bridges that appear when using cement-sand mortar. You can avoid their appearance by using a special adhesive composition for walls.

The specific heat capacity coefficient of the block is 3 times lower than that of brick. If we accept that the estimated thickness of a brick wall for central Russia should be about 600 mm, then the thickness of aerated concrete walls outside the building should be at least 200 mm.

Even if both the thickness of the wall and the solution used for fastening the blocks fully comply with the required parameters, it is still recommended to insulate a house made of aerated concrete for the following reasons:

1. Insulation for aerated concrete will reduce the cost of consumed energy resources.
2. The thermal insulator will protect the material of the walls of the house from the outside from the effects of water, frost, wind, thereby extending the life of the house.
3. The heat insulator shifts the dew point outside the premises and walls made of gas silicate, ensuring normal operating conditions for the material.

Dew point - place in the thickness building structure with zero temperature. Many points create an imaginary plane in the wall over its entire area. Water condensate forms here, which, when frozen, gradually destroys stone building materials.

Using insulation on a standard wall allows you to create the same energy saving effect as a house made of 400 mm aerated concrete. Installing an insulator allows you to achieve the same savings for less money, without putting undue pressure on the foundation.

Is it necessary to insulate aerated concrete - watch the video - an alternative opinion:

Installation of foam plastic

Two types of glue can be used to glue foam. One of them is made on the basis of cement and is prepared by mixing. In this case, a significant part of the time is spent preparing the composition. Another material option is special compounds that are similar to polyurethane foam, but have a lower expansion coefficient. Such adhesives are applied using a gun, which is used for polyurethane foam. If the base is made with a small border that protrudes outward beyond the walls, then you can immediately begin installing the foam; if there is none, then you will need to first secure the starting strip.

The latter is a metal profile, the width of which is selected to match the thickness of the foam used. At a height of 15–20 cm from the blind area, a line is marked with a dye cord. A metal profile is placed along this line and fixed to the wall using dowels and self-tapping screws. It must be secured around the entire perimeter of the house. Next, glue is applied to the foam sheet with a snake, and it is tightly applied to the wall, supported by the mounted profile. Installation must begin from one of the corners of the building. Each subsequent row is laid offset by half a sheet to ensure interlacing of the insulation seams. In this case, it will be easier to eliminate cold bridges and also provide greater surface strength. Each seam is additionally filled with glue.

The material is laid right under the roof. In this case, glue alone for fixing the foam will not be enough, because as the plane grows, its weight increases. Plastic umbrellas are used as additional clamps for foam. To install them on a sheet of foam plastic, you need to drill five holes. One of them is in the middle of the foam sheet and the other four are drilled into the seam in order to secure two adjacent sheets of foam with one umbrella. The umbrellas are hammered so that their caps are flush with the foam, after which their position is fixed with a plastic nail.

After completing the installation of plastic fasteners for the foam, you can proceed to strengthening the insulated surface with fiberglass mesh. No screws are used to secure it. First of all, the entire surface of the foam is covered special material on a cement base. The layer of material should be such that the mesh can be easily recessed into it. As soon as a layer of material is applied to the width of the mesh roll, the latter is applied to the surface and embedded in the glue using a wide spatula. Individual sheets of mesh are laid overlapping on the foam to create a monolithic plane. As soon as the glue layer dries, it is grouted with fine sandpaper. Next, another layer of glue is applied to the foam, which is also cleaned sandpaper. The process is repeated one more time to achieve the desired result. After the plaster has gained strength, you can begin finishing.

How to insulate the outside walls of aerated concrete houses

Currently, siding is becoming an increasingly common material for finishing the walls of buildings and structures outside, as a relatively inexpensive, practical and durable material. Covering building facades with siding is also good because there is a gap between its plates and the base of the walls, which can be filled with insulation. So, how to insulate the walls of an aerated concrete house under siding?

• Penoplex is a slab building material with a thickness of 3 to 5 cm, which is characterized by high thermal insulation. Penoplex slabs have a dense structure. This heat insulator is one of the most popular methods of increasing the thermal insulation properties of structures due to its ease of installation and subsequent maintenance;
• polyurethane foam is a foam-like mixture that is applied using special equipment and, bonded to the surface of the wall, forms an insulating layer that reliably protects the structure from cold and frost. Polyurethane foam compositions must be applied using special machines, with some experience in this area;
• mineral wool is another popular insulation material. However, experts do not recommend this component for thermal insulation of external walls. It is important to remember that mineral wool easily absorbs moisture. Therefore, it is often used indoors, insulated on both sides with film barriers.

Insulation of walls made of aerated concrete blocks

Despite the fact that the application polystyrene foam boards to insulate a house made of aerated concrete from the outside, it reduces its “breathing” properties; this material is widely used. The technology for arranging a thermal insulation layer is quite simple and can be easily done independently.

Preparing the walls

The surface of aerated concrete blocks is quite flat, so preparing the walls comes down to removing the buildup of adhesive mortar in the area of ​​the interblock seams. Potholes (if any formed during the construction process) are sealed with repair cement mortar. Then we cover the entire surface of the wall with an antiseptic solution (to prevent mold and mildew formation). After the antiseptic has dried, we prime the walls to improve adhesion when gluing polystyrene slabs to aerated concrete.

Installation of thermal insulation boards

We cover the walls of the building with sheets of expanded polystyrene using special adhesives. As glue, you can use ready-made dry mixtures (Ceresit CT 85, T-Avangard-K, Kreisel 210, Bergauf ISOFIX), liquid adhesives (Bitumast) or ready-made assembly adhesives in aerosol packaging (Tytan Styro 753, Ceresit CT 84 “Express” , Soudal Soudatherm, TechnoNIKOL 500). We apply glue to the slabs along the perimeter and additionally in several places on the surface.

Important! The adhesives should not contain solvents or other chemical components that can damage the surface of expanded polystyrene or disrupt the structure of the material. . Many adhesive compositions allow installation of slabs at ambient temperatures from -10˚С to +40˚С

Many adhesive compositions allow installation of slabs at ambient temperatures from -10˚С to +40˚С. However, experts in the field of house construction recommend carrying out thermal insulation work at a temperature not lower than +7˚С and in dry, windless weather.

First, we glue the first bottom row of foam plastic boards along the entire perimeter of the building, then we attach the remaining rows. We press the slabs with force against the wall surface and lay them in a checkerboard pattern. We check the correct installation with a level.

Important! In the corners of the structure, the panels are laid end-to-end, that is, in such a way that in one row the panel from the end of the building extends to the thickness of the sheet, and the panel located at an angle of 90 degrees rests against it. In the next row, the operation is performed in reverse order.

After the adhesive composition has completely dried (about 1 day), we additionally fasten each sheet using special dowels with large caps (“umbrellas”), which should not contain metal parts. The fact is that they rust and create additional cold bridges in the heat-insulating layer: that is, the dowel itself and the central nail must be plastic. Depending on the size, 5-6 dowels are needed for each sheet.

Using a hammer drill, we make a hole in the thermal insulation layer and the aerated concrete wall, then use a hammer to hammer in the dowel and insert a fixing nail.

After the installation of all fastening dowels is completed, we proceed to finishing the walls.

External finishing of polystyrene foam insulator

Since polystyrene foam has low strength and is susceptible to negative influence ultraviolet radiation, after its installation it is necessary to carry out finishing work.

First, on top of the polystyrene foam, using a special plaster mortar (or adhesive composition), we attach a fiberglass reinforcing mesh, which prevents cracking of the plaster and improves adhesion. After complete drying, apply a finishing layer. Such exterior finishing is quite enough to give the heat-insulating layer the necessary strength.

Cladding the walls of residential buildings with insulating materials is an event that is given Special attention still at the design stage. It doesn’t matter what materials you use to build the facility, but experienced builders advise insulating not only the roof and floors, but also load-bearing walls. This will help conserve thermal energy and avoid the appearance of fungus. To solve this problem, there is a sufficient amount of materials suitable for these purposes. Let's try to figure out what is the best way to insulate a house made of aerated concrete.

Why do you need to insulate?

Many builders prefer gas silicate blocks for certain reasons. First of all, construction work from such material does not require special skills. The blocks are large and light and can be joined together without any problems using a special adhesive. Objects do not need a strong foundation, and insulating the walls of a house with aerated concrete from the outside will reduce the cost of the project.

The blocks belong to the group of cellular concrete. If we compare aerated concrete with the production of slag concrete blocks, the technological process is different. In two words, a foam former – aluminum powder – is added to the mixture of cement and lime. Hydrogen is released, leaving a huge amount of voids in the block.

From the very beginning, porous blocks are characterized by weak strength to mechanical influences. To increase it, the final production stage takes place in an autoclave unit, where the blocks are subjected to significant pressure and high temperature. As a result, the material turns out to be quite durable.

From physics lessons we know that air is considered one of the best materials that can insulate heat. And the thermal conductivity index will depend on the number of pores in the block.

But there is one problem - the porous cells in the gas silicate material are open, which makes the block vapor-permeable and allows it to absorb moisture. For this reason, the answer to the question - is it necessary to insulate an aerated concrete house - will be unequivocal - it is necessary.

Another thing is what kind of protective layer to create, and is it necessary to insulate a house made of aerated concrete 300, or is it enough to line it with finishing materials?

It is no secret that the thickness of load-bearing walls, no matter what materials they are made from, will be fully determined by the average annual temperature regime of your region. As it follows from this, the average thickness of aerated concrete walls can be 30–50 cm. But almost no one is interested in the fact that in this case experts are referring to the load-bearing characteristics of the blocks. Simply put, the walls will be strong.

And, for example, questions about whether it is necessary to insulate a house from aerated concrete 400 and other grades are often kept silent.

In terms of thermal conductivity, in some regions of Russia only aerated concrete walls start from 700 mm in thickness.

Anyone who is planning construction in these regions and is thinking whether there is a need to carry out external insulation of a house made of aerated concrete if its walls are 30 cm thick, or whether it is possible to simply install a plaster layer, you need to take into account that if you insulate the facade of a house made of aerated concrete with polystyrene foam or mineralized wool, then insulation slabs ten centimeters thick will equivalently replace 300 mm thick walls made of aerated concrete material.

It turns out that half-meter walls should have a thermal insulation layer of at least 10 mm. And for walls made of aerated concrete grade d 500 with a thickness of 400 mm or less, more massive thermal insulation will be required.

In addition to the thermal conductivity indicator, there is another important feature - the concept of “dew point”. This term describes a place inside the external walls that has zero temperature. This is where the maximum amount of condensation will accumulate.

It should be recalled that aerated concrete blocks have a porous structure, and if the dew point falls on the block itself, then the moisture will freeze and thaw due to temperature fluctuations, destroying the material.

There is only one way out in this situation - try to move the point to the insulating layer. It will be less susceptible to destruction, and if it deteriorates, you can replace it faster than rebuilding walls. By the way, this explains the need to insulate external walls.

Insulation materials

The most common methods used to insulate walls made of thermally insulating aerated concrete are:

Features of insulation with various materials

There are many options for installing a layer of insulating material. Manufacturers offer a large selection of products needed for this at affordable prices. Let's look at the most popular options:

Expanded polystyrene

One of economical options, used only outside the object. There are two types - foam plastic and penoplex.

Foam plastic

The cost of the material is low, so it is preferred by developers seeking to save budget.

It should be taken into account that it does not allow steam to pass through. For this reason, when installing an insulating layer, it is recommended to provide a ventilation system.

The material is fixed on pre-cleaned walls with an adhesive composition applied with a notched spatula. Additionally, plastic dowels are used. When gluing foam sheets, their slight displacement is allowed. The surface can be plastered and painted after the adhesive solution has completely dried.

Penoplex

With its characteristics, the material resembles foam plastic and is used for outdoor work. Before installation, the wall surface is cleaned of gaps, chips, protrusions and cracks using plaster mortar. This gives the wall surface evenness and additional protection from the penetration of cold air currents.

When the plaster solution has dried, the wall is treated with a primer to improve the adhesion of the penoplex insulation to aerated concrete blocks. When installing the insulating layer, a cement-based adhesive composition and disc-shaped dowels are used. The final stage is finishing the facade walls plaster solutions or siding panels.

Minvata

The material has good strength and vapor permeability, and goes well with aerated concrete walls.

The use of such material provides comfort and a moderate level of humidity in the room.

The insulating layer will last for at least seventy years. The material is secured with plastic dowels and glue, which secures a mesh of fiberglass material. It will ensure the integrity of the plaster layer and paint applied on top. Some people prefer to insulate the walls outside with mineral wool under the siding.

Many people prefer stone wool

And yet, what is the best way to insulate aerated concrete? Today's market is able to offer any materials for finishing and insulation. You just need to remember that not all insulation materials can work effectively on aerated concrete blocks.

The basic principle of creating a multilayer structure is to enhance the vapor permeability of the next layer, starting from the inner surface of the walls. Be that as it may, steam is one of the waste products, and part of it is removed outside through the walls. Among all the materials used as insulation for aerated concrete houses, many experts choose stone wool.

Two types of facade are very popular - “wet”, which has a thin layer of plaster, and a suspended ventilated system. In the first option, steam is released through the walls into the insulating layer, then passes into the plaster. In another case, the steam is drawn out through the ventilation gaps, which are arranged between the insulating layer and the facing material.

More durable slabs are used under the plaster layer, and for ventilated facades, preference is given to lightweight mineral wool with a low level of compressibility.

A thin layer of plaster can be applied to all substrates, and in ventilated facade system the use of materials that meet the requirements is permitted fire safety. Is it worth reminding that cotton wool belongs to just such a group.

Technological features of installation of mineral wool

A ventilated facade finished with siding is a popular option for finishing private houses, because with its help all foundation errors are leveled out. And the work is not very complicated; it can be done on its own.

Over time, heaving forces or other reasons can cause cracks in the masonry, but the suspended cladding system does not suffer. And if we take into account the fragility of aerated concrete blocks and the need for strict adherence to production technology, most consumers give their preference to cladding, considering it a more durable finishing layer. To know how to properly insulate a house made of aerated concrete from the outside, you need to understand the stages of the work.

Preparatory stage

If you decide to insulate a building that is already in use, you should remove all functional and decorative elements from the walls, clean the surface from dirt, and prime it. If there are doubts about the load-bearing capabilities of the foundation and walls, they are examined by tapping them with a hammer.

When insulation is carried out during construction, the remaining solution is removed from the surface. Wet walls should be given time to dry completely.

Surface marking

Markings are applied to the walls using a construction level or level to create a frame base. The distances between the bars depend on the size of the insulation material.

Installation of vertical racks

To completely eliminate heat leakage, insulation is performed in two layers, with overlaps at the joints. To do this, first assemble the vertical sheathing.

The size of the bars must correspond to the thickness of the insulation. Fix it to the aerated concrete surface with special fasteners.

Laying wool

The thickness of the insulation is determined according to special thermal calculations. Most often it is 10 - 15 cm. The complete absence of shrinkage and excellent elasticity of the material make it possible to simplify the technological process by installing wool without additional fasteners, inserting it by surprise. If necessary, they can always be trimmed with a sharp knife or a hand saw with a fine tooth. Cuttings are always useful for filling gaps.

Attaching horizontal posts

Having laid the first layer, markings are made for the horizontal slats. The second row of bars is necessary so that the frame base for the siding is fixed vertically to it.

Cotton padding

Plates laid sideways with the seam sections shifted completely eliminate cold bridges, even if the racks are fixed with metal fasteners.

Protection

We figured out how to insulate walls with stone wool. All that remains is to protect it from the effects of precipitation and ensure unimpeded drainage of condensate. For this purpose, vapor-permeable material is laid.

On top of such a membrane, fasteners are installed for the cladding, while maintaining a gap of three to five centimeters, ensuring normal operating conditions for the insulation.

Many people doubt whether it is necessary to insulate a house made of aerated concrete in this way, considering it costly. But the heat saved in the future will allow you to save on heating.

Internal insulation of a building made of aerated concrete blocks

We understand how to insulate the outside of walls. It remains to provide internal insulation. It is important to know here that aerated concrete should not be insulated inside, since winter time warm air currents will not be able to pass through the block pores. Condensation will begin to accumulate, the walls will become saturated with moisture and freeze. All this will have negative impact for the operation of the facility. From the inside, you can simply level the walls with your own hands and hang wallpaper.

It turns out that aerated concrete is insulated only from the outside. This will help preserve heat and protect the house from destruction. By the way, don’t forget about the insulation for the ceiling. Mineral wool, already known for its properties, will perfectly cope with its role.

As follows from the reviews, it is better not to even design a house made of 300 mm aerated concrete without insulation.

Preference should be given to materials that have good vapor permeability.

Anyone who has decided to build a house from 400 mm aerated concrete without insulation, and is wondering whether this can be done, is recommended to simply plaster the outside walls to protect the blocks from destruction under the influence of precipitation. In addition, the plaster layer will give the building a presentable appearance.

When insulating walls, take care of reliable ventilation. In addition, the performance indicators of the insulating material must coincide with similar parameters of the materials used in the construction of walls.

Conclusion

There is now only one conclusion - wall insulation is necessary. Aerated concrete walls, insulated from the outside, have their own advantages:

• the work performed does not cause difficulties;
• the cost of the facility is reduced due to reliable thermal insulation of the walls.

To eliminate possible problems associated with the climate and the vital activity of rodents, it is recommended to insulate aerated concrete walls with mineralized wool, penoplex or polystyrene foam.

If the walls are insulated according to the rules, heating costs are minimized. Only carry out work in accordance with technological requirements, use high-quality materials.