Insulation of aerated concrete walls from the outside and inside, technology. Insulation of a house made of aerated concrete, choice of facade material and insulation method

Insulation of aerated concrete walls from the outside began to be used in Lately quite wide. Previously, developers were of the opinion that houses made of such material did not need to be insulated.

After all, the very structure of aerated concrete suggests that it can be used as insulation for buildings made of brick or monolithic reinforced concrete.

However, as practice has shown recent years, insulated aerated concrete walls retain heat inside the building much better.

Mineral wool insulation

Mineral wool is attached to the sheathing

Experts in the field construction technologies are of the opinion that it is best to insulate houses built from aerated concrete from the outside, and not inside. Because:

the area of the room is not reduced by the thickness of the insulation and finishing;
the dew point shifts outside the masonry, which has a positive effect on the safety and internal state walls;
fastening the insulation is possible without installing a special sheathing.

There are two main types of insulation used. One of them is the use of mineral wool. To attach it to outside walls, pre-install a sheathing of wooden blocks measuring 5 x 5 cm.

Make sure that the insulation joints are tight so that there are no empty cold zones

The distance between the bars corresponds to the width of the mineral wool roll. The mineral wool should fit tightly into the sheathing. Otherwise, airy zones or uninsulated areas will form. If financial capabilities allow, you can install the same layer on top of the vertical sheathing and mineral wool placed in it, but horizontally.

The insulation is covered waterproofing membrane, which is attached to the bars using construction stapler. A beam is attached on top of the membrane for installation facade cladding, which is used as siding or wooden lining.

Provided that the insulation is used mineral wool in the form of mats, it is fastened using a special adhesive solution and the installation of fungi, and a mesh for reinforcement is attached on top.

That is, installation of sheathing is not required, which greatly simplifies the work and reduces financial costs.

After applying the reinforcing screed, the wall surface is decorated. As a finishing coating, you can use bark beetle plaster composition.

Expanded polystyrene insulation

It is recommended to lay several layers of polystyrene foam

The use of polystyrene foam insulation greatly simplifies the work process. However, the surface of the wall must be flat. Usually distinguished by such characteristics. However, if there are certain irregularities, they must be eliminated using cement mortar or starting material for external work. After the surface has dried, you can begin installing the insulation.

Expanded polystyrene insulation on the construction market is presented in several types: polystyrene foam and penoplex. All of them are available in sheet form different sizes and may have special grooves for connecting the plates to each other. The grooves allow the panels to be joined tightly to each other.

For strong fastening, the panels are mounted on plastic dowels with wide caps.

Before installing the insulation, the wall is coated with a special antiseptic primer, which prevents the appearance of fungus and improves the adhesion of the insulation to the wall. The boards are fastened using an adhesive solution, which is applied to the entire surface of the insulation. To strengthen the insulation more firmly, it is nailed to the wall with plastic dowels with large caps.

After covering the entire outer surface of the walls, the insulation is covered with a reinforced mesh, which provides reliable connection finishing coating with insulation. carried out according to the accepted technology for exterior finishing.

However, the use of such insulation leads to a shift in the dew point towards the inside of the wall, which over time can lead to the destruction of aerated concrete. In addition, mold and dampness may appear indoors.

Having chosen these types of insulation, it is better to install them on the inside of the wall. Moreover, work can be performed at any time of the year and in any weather.

Polyurethane foam insulation

This insulation has only recently found its application in the construction of residential buildings and industrial buildings. It is well suited for thermal insulation of wall surfaces and has a long service life.

While retaining the ability to transmit steam, it is nevertheless not afraid of moisture. Not susceptible to damage by rodents. Due to the fact that it has excellent adhesion, it can be applied to almost any unprepared surface, and it “sticks” to an aerated concrete wall better than other insulation materials.

It does not require additional fastenings and materials, so it can be applied to aerated concrete both outside the house and on the inside of the wall with equal efficiency. In this case, there is no need to install vapor and waterproofing. detailed information For insulation of a facade made of foam blocks, see this video:

As for the advantages and disadvantages of this insulation, they are all outlined in this table:

However, due to its high cost and the high cost of the spraying work itself, it is still rarely used. At the same time, there are practically no installations for its application on the open market.

Insulation with plasterboard

The gypsum board with which the facade is insulated must be painted with vapor-permeable paint

Despite the fact that for those made from any building materials, they are used plasterboards However, it is plasterboard that is used for finishing the inside of a house built from aerated concrete blocks. In this case, you can use all types of this material: wall, ceiling, standard, moisture-resistant, fire-resistant, combined.

In addition, when using plasterboard to cover aerated concrete walls indoors, two issues are resolved at once:

interior wall finishing is being carried out;
The room is insulated.

In order for drywall to serve as insulation, it should be painted with vapor-permeable paint, which is made specifically for aerated concrete. Drywall can be mounted directly on the wall by gluing the sheets using a starting or finishing putty. To strengthen the fastening, the drywall is fixed with dowel screws. For more information about how you can insulate a house, watch this video:

Another option for using drywall is to use the space between the slats or metal guides to fill it with insulating material in the form of foam or mineral wool. For finishing, wallpaper is used or the surface is painted.

The need to insulate the outer surface of walls made of foam concrete is confirmed by calculations by specialists.

This allows you to significantly save on heating your home.

Which type of insulation you choose depends on the financial capabilities of the developer.

Did you build or buy own house. Or you are just about to do it, planning your actions in advance. We weighed all the pros and cons and came to the conclusion that the building should be made of stone, and the walls should be built from warm and effective material: aerated concrete. He's the same cellular concrete, gas silicate, foam concrete. Is there a need to insulate walls made of aerated concrete (“thermal fur coat”), and if so, how to do it correctly?

Video report on the thermal insulation of a house made of aerated concrete with ecowool

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 m 2. 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 count the entire structure of external insulation: mineral wool boards, 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 best option insulation: “thermal fur coat” using hard mineral wool slabs 100 mm thick

There is another quite a few 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 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 is a place in the thickness of the 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.

Choose a method: outside or inside

We have already mentioned that the house should be insulated from the outside. But doing it from the inside is cheaper, easier and faster? Yes, but not so. Yes, there is no need to install scaffolding. Yes, you can use cheap soft glass wool and cover the walls with plasterboard, immediately completing interior decoration. Yes, you can work under a roof in winter and in bad weather.

Alas, by doing insulation from the inside, we lose a lot. Firstly, we shift the “dew point” not outward, but, on the contrary, inside the wall. Thus, we only worsen the operating conditions of aerated concrete and reduce the durability of the building. Secondly, almost every building has so-called “cold bridges”. “Warm” walls made of cellular blocks also have “cold” elements: floor slabs, reinforced belts, lintels. They are more thermally conductive and through them cold penetrates into the house, and money evaporates from the house. Insulating aerated concrete walls from the outside solves this problem. The house, like a fur coat, is completely enclosed in a heat-insulated shell. The internal insulation is like a gill caftan with holes: the belly is warm, but the back is cold.

Let's summarize: internal insulation only partially solves the problem, the only correct option is external. It makes sense to insulate it from the inside if there is simply no other way out. For example, for some reason it is not possible to change appearance facade.

Rigid mineral wool slabs are used for external insulation.

What material is better to use

The eternal question of all developers: mineral wool or polystyrene foam? Mineral wool is more expensive, but better. Polystyrene foam is cheaper, but worse. It’s like crayfish on Privoz: large ones cost five rubles, small ones cost three rubles. Let’s try to figure out why mineral wool is better and whether it’s worth overpaying for it:

Mineral wool and expanded polystyrene are extremely similar in thermal characteristics. The latter is even a little more effective. Mechanical properties and durability are also not much different.
Mice hate mineral wool and love polystyrene foam. If anywhere on the surface polystyrene foam boards there will be no decoration, and the Mickey Mouse family will immediately make a cozy hole there. But, if the facade is completely covered with plaster, this will not happen.
It is much easier to work with polystyrene foam, it is easier to cut, and random cracks can be easily eliminated with construction foam. Mineral wool boards are a little more difficult to process and you will have to work with protective gloves, goggles and preferably a respirator.

Polystyrene foam is cheaper than mineral wool

Mineral wool is an absolutely fireproof material. Expanded polystyrene does not support a flame; it cannot be set on fire. However, when exposed to fire, it releases poisonous gases, similar to those that the Germans used during the First Imperialist War. In fact, if you don’t light fires along the facade and don’t pour gasoline on the walls, there won’t be any problems.
But in terms of vapor permeability, the materials differ radically. And this is important. Aerated concrete has optimal vapor permeability. Inside a residential building, a rather a large number of moisture. Cooking in the kitchen, washing machine, home flowers, wet cleaning. And people themselves give off moisture through their skin and breath. Aerated concrete is able to absorb this moisture and remove it through the pores of the material to the outside. The vector of vapor movement is always directed from the inside to the street. This phenomenon is called the “breathing” of the wall and it has a beneficial effect on the microclimate. By the way, cellular concrete is second only to wood in vapor permeability and is considered one of the most human-friendly building materials.

Mineral wool fully supports beneficial features aerated concrete. Being even more vapor-permeable, it does not prevent the walls from “breathing”. Polystyrene foam practically does not allow vapor to pass through. The house, insulated with polystyrene foam, is tightly packed, like a “stuff” in a plastic bag. Of course, you can ventilate the rooms by simply opening the window. Of course, on average, only 8% of moisture escapes through the walls in a “normal” house; the rest is removed by ventilation. However, the humidity of walls insulated with foam plastic still increases by 4-8%. Albeit insignificantly, but because of this, the thermal characteristics of aerated concrete are reduced and the housing microclimate worsens.

Mineral wool is preferable for insulating aerated concrete walls

Undoubtedly, mineral wool has a significant advantage and is the best material for external wall insulation. Undoubtedly, polystyrene foam is radically cheaper and also serves good insulation. Conclusion: if your budget allows, it is better to use mineral wool. If “finance sings romances,” you can insulate the house with polystyrene foam.

What should be the thickness of the insulation?

We often see how people insulate their houses with thin slabs of 4, 3 and even 2 centimeters. This is a big mistake. Even the use of the most common 5-centimeter slabs is not very justified.

The thicker the insulation layer, the warmer the house will be and the lower the cost of gas or firewood. Everyone understands this. But it is not clear to everyone that by reducing the thickness of the insulation by as much as 40% (from 5 to 3 cm), the total savings on the structure will be only a ridiculous 10%. After all, the cost of glue, plaster, mesh, fasteners and labor almost does not depend on the thickness of the insulation and cannot be significantly reduced. That is why there is nothing stupider than investing in related materials and saving on the main thing - the thickness of the insulation. The optimal, economically justified insulation of aerated concrete walls for the central regions of Russia is a 10 cm slab. It makes no sense at all to use material less than 5 cm thick.

“Wet” and “dry” insulation

We won’t go into detail existing methods insulation. Manufacturers develop complex technologies and create clear, very detailed and well-illustrated manuals to help performers. They can be obtained from material sellers or downloaded online from original sites. Let us only mention that the instructions are written for a reason, and the technology must be followed strictly. Also, do not attempt to replace any materials from complex systems to cheaper ones. For example, it happens that instead of special adhesive and plaster compositions The cheapest tile adhesive is used for insulation. Yes, it will stick the slabs, but the service life and vapor permeability will be significantly lower than that of the “correct” composition.

"Wet" system is lightweight

In fact, with the so-called “wet” technology, the facade remains completely dry. The insulation is fixed to the wall with glue and dowels with a large head. Then two thin leveling layers of plaster are applied, and a reinforcing layer is placed between them. plastic mesh. Aerated concrete walls are smooth, there is no need to prepare them, just remove dust. Finish - decorative plaster or lungs facing tiles from porous ceramics or concrete.

One of the options for the “wet” system. You cannot skimp on dowels, corners and mesh.

"Wet" system is heavy

If you really want to clad the façade with stone or heavy ceramic slabs, you will have to use “heavy” technology. In this case, the insulation is not glued, but attached to the wall with powerful hooks, and a durable material is placed on top. metal mesh and fix the structure with metal plates. A thick (20-40 mm) layer is made over the mesh cement-sand plaster. Now you can place the stone. Such a system is significantly more expensive than a “light” one.

"Dry" system

It is also called a ventilated or curtained façade. It involves constructing a frame outside the facade, metal or wood. Insulation is placed between its elements - inexpensive soft mineral wool or even cheaper glass wool, polystyrene foam. Sheathing the frame various materials: more often it is plastic or metal siding, wooden cladding board. Curtain facades made of porcelain stoneware or stone slabs, colored glass for roads and residential buildings are rarely used. A “dry” facade, if you do not use expensive types of cladding, is cheaper, but less attractive from an aesthetic point of view.

Don't forget to leave air gap at least 2 cm between the insulation and the siding so that the walls have the opportunity to “breathe”

Brick cladding

The last option is to cover the facade with brick. In this case, a frame is not needed; the insulation can be attached directly to the wall. An air gap should be left for ventilation of the insulation. Brick and the inevitable thickening of the foundation will cost a pretty penny.

To prevent the brick cladding from collapsing, it is secured to the main wall with anchors

To summarize, we get the following: the optimal solution in terms of price/efficiency/aesthetics for moderate climatic zones Russia - external insulation of aerated concrete walls mineral wool slabs 10 cm thick using “wet” technology. Acceptable budget options- “wet” foam facade or expanded polystyrene + plastic siding. Properly executed insulation of external walls will reduce heating costs by approximately half.

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, the powder begins to release carbon dioxide. 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. It is relatively light, but at the same time sufficient 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 famous manufacturers Insulation of bathhouses and other similar buildings, although with caution, can be carried out. 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 sufficient quantity insulation to completely finish 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 it’s worth taking a closer look and taking into account the special aerated concrete house how the situation will immediately change. 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 walls, in moderate degree allows steam to pass through 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. Similar works It’s always easier to do, because you don’t 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 according to 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 doesn't destroy that much load-bearing structure block.

Stages of work:

We prepare the wall, remove all unnecessary elements.
We prime the base.
We apply a solution to the insulation boards and glue them to the wall.
We cover the cracks with a solution, blow them with foam or seal them.
We apply it to the insulation thin layer plaster. If mineral wool is used, then mesh will do.
We carry out finishing walls.

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:

We prepare the surface.
We install flashings, limiting elements, plinth profiles, etc.
We prime and clean the base. We remove all unnecessary elements and calculate the insulation scheme.
We lay the insulation boards in a certain order. You can lay it on a layer of insulation adhesive.
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.
We lay the waterproofing film.
Plaster the surface.
We apply the final finish to the surface of the facade.

One of distinctive features aerated concrete – its high thermal insulation properties. This is achieved by introducing into the composition concrete mixture special foaming agent (aluminum powder or powder can be used). The released hydrogen bubbles are eventually distributed evenly throughout the entire volume of aerated concrete. Compared to ordinary concrete, aerated concrete conducts heat much worse.

It would seem that such material would not require additional insulation, but this assumption is not always true. Perhaps only in warm climates and very mild European winters will no additional thermal insulation be required. In all other cases, it is desirable to insulate aerated concrete both inside and outside the building. There are many factors to consider when choosing warm insulating material and work technique.

How to insulate a house made of aerated concrete

When insulating walls made of aerated concrete, you can use many materials, from ordinary plaster to special “breathable” materials with high thermal insulation properties. The following materials are used:

ordinary plaster(with the addition of fillers such as sawdust, perlite, expanded glass). The advantages of this material include low cost, convenience and practicality. The main disadvantage is the loss of the “breathing” properties of aerated concrete. Compared to mineral wool and other thermal insulation materials, they have low efficiency;
Styrofoam(expanded polystyrene). Its vapor permeability is at least 3 to 10 times less than the vapor permeability of aerated concrete, so foam plastic is used for insulation only as a last resort.

In humid climates, insulating a home with polystyrene foam is not recommended. The fact is that moisture will accumulate between the surface of aerated concrete and foam plastic, which will ultimately lead to rotting of the aerated concrete blocks.

mineral wool. The vapor permeability of mineral wool is even higher than that of aerated concrete, so insulating walls made of aerated concrete using this material allows you to maintain a given microclimate in the room. Most often, mineral wool is used for insulation;

polyurethane foam. Combines ease of application and high thermal insulation qualities.

Polyurethane foam is applied to the surface of aerated concrete by spraying. This creates a seamless insulation surface.

Methods for insulating aerated concrete walls

There are several methods for performing external sealing of aerated concrete walls; depending on this, the composition of the required tools and materials varies. The following technologies are distinguished:

. A separate frame (metal or wood) is created, in the cells of which heat-insulating material is placed. Then it is covered with decorative elements.

Wet façade technology(easy option). Plates of thermal insulation material are attached with glue and plastic dowels, then the surface is plastered in 2 layers with a reinforcing mesh placed between them.

Heavy version of “wet” technology. In this case, you will have to widen the foundation. The insulation is attached to aerated concrete wall using powerful hooks. Then the surface of the insulation is plastered with simultaneous mesh reinforcement. After the plaster has dried, the wall is covered natural stone or other material.

From the point of view of efficiency and cost, it is the lightweight version of the “wet” insulation technology that is preferable.

Materials and tools for insulating a house made of aerated concrete

To insulate a house made of aerated concrete you will need:

thermal insulation material (foam sheets or mineral wool in the form of hard mats);
special glue;

It is better not to try to save money and use cheap adhesive mixtures; in the future, this may cause the mineral wool to peel off from the wall.

“umbrella” dowels (for additional fastening of mineral wool mats);

fiberglass mesh;
container for preparing the adhesive mixture;
perforated corners;
building level;
notched spatula;
hammer drill

Technology for insulating a house made of aerated concrete from the outside

Even before starting work, it is necessary to decide on heat-insulating material, the technology for performing the work will depend on this. The main thing you need to pay attention to is the purpose of the building, as well as the vapor permeability of aerated concrete blocks and heat-insulating material.

You should not try to save on the thickness of the heat-insulating layer. The fact is that the costs of glue and other materials will remain almost unchanged, but thermal insulation characteristics will fall significantly

The work is carried out in several stages:

Preparatory stage. The wall surface is cleaned of dirt and dust, possible defects are repaired with ordinary cement mortar. If the area of the defect is large, then “breathing” can be used to correct it. plaster mixtures. For better adhesion of the glue to the wall surface, you can use a primer.
A frame is mounted at the base level, which will serve as a support for the insulation mats.

Vertical beacons are placed at the corners of the house.
The insulation is attached to the wall using special glue. It is recommended to apply glue along the perimeter of the mineral wool (or polystyrene foam) slab and in several strokes in the center.

It is allowed to apply the adhesive mixture over the entire surface of the slab using a notched trowel. Cross-shaped joints should be avoided; for this, each subsequent row of slabs is shifted relative to the previous one. Quite often, plastic umbrella dowels are also used to strengthen the connection between the slab and the wall. They are located in the corners and in the center of the slab.

Gaps between slabs should be avoided. The presence of gaps (so-called “cold bridges”) significantly reduces the effectiveness of insulation

Mineral wool is pretty soft material, fiberglass mesh is used to give it rigidity. Glue is applied to the surface of the insulation with a spatula, then a mesh is placed (overlapping, the overlap should be at least 10 cm), and another layer of the adhesive mixture is applied on top of the mesh.

After reinforcing the insulation, it is necessary to further strengthen the corners of the building, window and door openings. To do this, perforated corners are glued to the corners.
After this, the surface is either primed and plastered (in 2 layers) or a layer of putty is applied and then the walls are painted.

If you plan to arrange curtain façade, then even before gluing the insulation, you need to mount a frame on the wall, onto which the facade panels will then be attached.

A well-insulated aerated concrete house will not only make you feel cozy and comfortable during the cold season, but will also help you save on heating bills.

Insulation of buildings and structures is a fresh and relevant topic that gives rise to a variety of materials and technologies. this process. Insulating aerated concrete walls from the outside is an operation that will give the building additional warmth, coziness and comfort.

At what stage of construction is it advisable to do this?

Before answering the question of how to insulate walls made of aerated concrete from the outside, or whether it is worth insulating a building built from aerated concrete blocks, it is necessary to understand the question: what is a material such as aerated concrete. So, aerated concrete (or aerated concrete blocks) - a material in shape similar to brick, cinder block, shell rock, that is, it belongs to the category of cellular blocks. The production of gas blocks is carried out from quartz sand, cement, with the addition of blowing agents. Thanks to special technology, as a result of production inside the building material, a porous structure is obtained, which is a poor thermal conductor. This is the main thing positive feature(along with verified shapes and sizes), what does this construction material increasingly preferable compared to, for example, cinder block.

The technology, as well as the proportions of components from different manufacturers, may differ from each other. But the physics of the process of forming and manufacturing aerated concrete blocks is the same - mixing, laying out components in forms, drying of products, during which, under the influence of chemical processes, a large number of pores are formed, which are responsible for the thermal conductivity of the building material.

So, it is worth noting that aerated concrete blocks are a material that is characterized by fairly low thermal conductivity and, in a mild climate, buildings will not need additional insulation walls But, if the region is characterized by harsh winters, and the task is to reduce heating costs, insulation of walls and facades aerated concrete houses will be prerequisite when putting housing into operation.

When is it necessary to insulate walls made of aerated concrete blocks?

At first glance, it may seem completely logical to the average reader to carry out insulation immediately after the construction of a building wall or even during its construction. However, this is a big misconception! It is important not to isolate aerated concrete blocks from external environment immediately after unpacking them from the original packaging. The thing is that after shaping and drying, the blocks are formed into packs, packing them plastic film. Thus, the blocks store enough high humidity, which is under the influence negative temperatures will certainly destroy the material, rendering the building unusable as a whole.

Thus, insulation of a house made of aerated concrete blocks can be carried out immediately only if measures were taken during the construction process to protect the structure and materials from moisture. Otherwise, exposure is required for 2-5 months (depending on climatic features terrain), and only after the walls have completely dried can an insulating layer be applied.

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 thermal insulation properties structures due to 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 insulating 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 aerated concrete from the outside with polystyrene foam

Polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam is one of the most common and inexpensive materials for thermal insulation of buildings, including those built from aerated concrete blocks. Why does foam plastic need to be fixed on the outside of the building? The answer lies in the formation of the dew point, like a plane with a temperature difference. It is the desire to move the dew point to the outer surface of the insulating material that determines the use of foam plastic for conducting thermal insulation works outside the premises.

The process of arranging thermal insulation from polystyrene foam is carried out in three stages. The first is surface preparation. Walls made of aerated concrete blocks are distinguished by their regular shape, they are smooth and even. All that is needed to prepare such surfaces is to seal cracks, chips, etc. with adhesives and mixtures. After the surfaces are plastered and dried, the walls are treated with a primer. And only when the primer has dried can you begin installing the foam panels. Foam plastic slabs are laid over the wall area using cement-based glue, and for control, they are secured in several places with disc-shaped dowels (umbrellas). The final stage The work will involve the installation of the siding strips themselves.

Insulation of aerated concrete house with extruded polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam is a material similar to conventional foam sheets. However, thanks to English production technologies, its thermal conductivity tends to zero. Thus, extruded polystyrene foam is practically perfect material for thermal insulation of buildings and structures outside.

The negative aspect of working with this material is its low adhesion and roughness, which has an extremely negative effect on the performance of adhesive mixtures. Therefore, when installing slabs of extruded polystyrene foam, craftsmen additionally apply notches on its surface or rub the sheets in order to roughen the surface and ensure better contact of the material with the wall.

How to insulate aerated concrete walls with your own hands

So, it’s worth recalling that the walls of a house built from can be insulated different ways. However, often specialists resort to methods and methods that can be done independently, with their own hands, without the involvement of specialized organizations. For these purposes, you can use any slab material, which has excellent heat-resistant characteristics and can be installed without much difficulty and without the use of additional highly specialized tools. So, insulating aerated concrete walls with your own hands will mean the following sequence of actions for the home owner:

Extrusion of walls from the described material in full, that is, completion of the construction of the box of the future house.
Aging for 2-5 months to dry and remove excess moisture from aerated concrete blocks.
Carrying out thermal insulation work on the outside of the building. To do this, you will need the material itself, adhesives, control dowels-umbrellas and traditional manual construction tool for drilling, installing slabs, mixing adhesive mortar, and other production processes.

Thus, it is clear that all work on arranging the thermal insulation layer of a building can be done independently, without resorting to the services of specialized organizations. By adhering to the basic requirements when carrying out these works, observing the installation technology, the building will certainly receive an additional thermal layer, which, in combination with heating system, will give the rooms inside comfort and coziness.