How to insulate a floor in a dacha: the better to insulate, a step-by-step process for insulating a floor with your own hands. How to insulate a wooden floor in a private house Insulating a plank floor in a private house

The cool surface in a room is the floor. When the air in the room is relatively warm, the floor remains cool - this is due to the laws of physics, when cool air is at the bottom, and warm air tends to rise. Cold also enters the home through joints and cracks. Heat loss through an uninsulated floor is about 30%. Do-it-yourself floor insulation will help reduce heat loss.

In the process of resolving the issue of floor insulation, the main issue is considered correct selection material that must have the following technical and functional qualities:

1. Strength;
2. Light weight;
3. Moisture resistance;
4. Thermal conductivity;
5. Environmental safety;
6. Withstand loads;
7. Speed, ease of installation;
8. Durability.

Manufacturers of insulation materials offer a wide selection of insulation technologies that can be carried out independently.

Thermal insulation material, tools

Insulation is carried out with materials that prevent heat from escaping from the room. The following are most suitable for performing such tasks:

• Bulk – wood concrete, expanded clay. They have good thermal insulation properties at a relatively low cost. Expanded clay, which is used as bedding or is included in cement screed. You can watch the technology of floor insulation with expanded clay in this video:

• Glass wool, mineral wool – great option for heat and sound insulation. It is fireproof, hygroscopic, and is not subject to rotting or attack by rodents. Mineral wool perfectly tolerates mechanical loads and impacts. It is produced in slabs and flexible mats. The slabs are used with a single-layer insulation method. Flexible mats have perforated paper on one side - this side is laid down.

When using mineral wool, a mandatory vapor barrier is required.

• Expanded polystyrene and polystyrene are considered moisture-resistant materials. They do not ignite, muffle noise, and do not deform. They are used for insulation work on floors on the ground, heated coatings, above the basement. Expanded polystyrene is laid on any surface (wood, ceramic tile, concrete, metal).
• Penoplex - has low thermal conductivity, excellent sound insulation, moisture resistance, and long service life. These indicators make the insulation an alternative to polystyrene foam. Used for insulating surfaces along joists and under screeds.

It is impossible to say specifically which type is the best, since you need to choose insulation based on the functionality of the room and financial capabilities. In addition to the insulating material, you should prepare a tool for work. You may need:

1. Shovel;
2. Hammer;
3. Screwdriver;
4. Roulette;
5. Saw;
6. Stapler;
7. Special knife;
8. Individual protection means;
9. Master OK;
10. Rule.

Insulation technology for different types of floors

The process of floor insulation depends on the type of floor surface: wooden, concrete, and each floor has its own nuances.

Insulation of wooden floors along joists

Traditionally, for insulation, a material is used that is placed in the space between the joists. The insulation method includes the following processes:

• The first thing you need to do is remove the old coating.
• Next, a layer of vapor barrier is laid. This could be plastic film. Moreover, they unfold it, laying it on the frame with an overlap of 200 mm.

The joints should be reliably insulated. And definitely vapor barrier film laid on the walls by 50 mm. Then the insulation remains dry.

• Placed between the joists insulation material. When expanded clay is used, the material is evenly distributed between the lags, equalizing it as a rule. If rolled sheet insulation material is used, then it is laid close to the joists (so that there are no gaps). When forming a layer of thermal insulation from mineral wool, glass wool creates an additional layer of vapor barrier. In this case, moisture from the room does not enter the insulation through the cracks.
• Boards, OSB, and others are laid on top of the insulation.
• If necessary, a decorative finishing coating is laid: laminate, others.

Options for concrete floor insulation technologies

Most floors in apartment buildings are made from reinforced concrete slabs. Such a floor is quite cold, and if you take into account that there are cracks between the slabs, loose joints between the walls and the floor, the floor becomes simply icy. Therefore, its insulation is a priority problem that should be solved. There are several insulation options.

Insulation plus screed

You can improve the insulating qualities of a concrete floor by laying insulating material between the screed and reinforced concrete floor slab. In this case, insulation is carried out in this way:

1. Dismantle the floor covering and remove the old screed.
2. The reinforced concrete floor slab is cleaned, eliminating residues old screed.
3. A vapor barrier is made by laying polypropylene film. It is laid with an overlap of 200 mm, extending onto the walls of the room by 50 mm. The overlap joints are carefully insulated using special tape.
4. Next, foam plastic (25 mm thick) 5 cm thick is laid on top. Instead, mineral wool, polystyrene foam, and other materials are used.

The insulation is laid very tightly so that cold bridges do not appear in the joints.

1. Lay a layer of vapor barrier again. By the way, when using polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam, you can skip this point.
2. Then lay the cellular metal mesh(5-10 cm), which serves as the screed frame.
3. Fill the layer concrete mortar, the minimum thickness of which is 5 cm. A screed with a smaller thickness will crack and crumble.
4. It will take about 14 days for the screed to dry.
5. After which it is primed - this strengthens upper layer screeds.
6. The finishing decorative floor covering is laid on top.

Joists plus insulation

This method of insulation is similar to insulating a wooden floor, only the logs are installed on the reinforced concrete slab independently. This method eliminates all “wet” processes. Installation technology includes the following:

• Clean the slab from old screed and debris.
• Waterproofing is done using polymer-bitumen solutions (they are applied with a brush or roller). Film is also used for these purposes.
• The logs are installed in increments of 90 cm. When will it be used for insulation? bulk insulation, then use metal beacons.
• The selected insulation material (sheet, roll) is laid out, laid out tightly between the joists, or bulk material is filled in, which is equalized with the beacons as a rule.
• GVL, OSB, plywood are laid on top. It is advisable to lay in 2 layers with overlapping connecting seams of the bottom row. Then it turns out seamless coating, the possibility of the appearance of cold bridges is excluded.
• These layers of floors are secured to the joists with self-tapping screws.
• Flooring is laid on top.

Alternative methods of floor insulation

When heat loss is small, then use simple methods insulation:

1. Installation of a "warm floor" heating system. In addition to thermal insulation, such an insulation system also provides heating. Electric versions of heated floors do not reduce the height of the room; they are used in small areas (kitchen, bathroom). Water systems are made from pipes filled with screed, which reduces the height of the room by 10 cm. Most often they are used in the house, connected to the heating system.
2. Application of leveling heat-insulating floors – simple technology insulation flooring mixture, for example, Thermo Plast. It has waterproofing, fire safety, good sound insulation, environmentally friendly. The application technology is so simple that you can do it yourself. The screed is only 50 mm.

Floor insulation is easy to do with your own hands, the main thing is to choose the right technology and insulation material. In this case, you must comply with all technological processes. Then heat loss through cold floors can be avoided, and the house will be comfortable and cozy.

From the author: Hello, dear readers. This article is dedicated to those who realized their dream and began building a private house or simply renovating it. A private house- it’s not at all like an apartment, it has its own soul and history. We all want to make every effort to ensure that coziness and comfort always reign in it. This is why we spend our energy, money and time. If you are already thinking about how to insulate the floor in a private house, then you are at the final stage.

This article will help you understand everything related to doing insulation work with your own hands. You will learn what materials there are, which ones are the best and cheapest, and how to make this very insulation. We strongly recommend that you read the article to the end, because if you miss any important point, all the work may go down the drain, and insulation may turn out to be ineffective.

Why is it necessary to insulate floors?

In order for living in a house to be comfortable, it must maintain a certain temperature regime and create a favorable microclimate. For humans, these are indicators of temperature and humidity. Comfortable temperature ranges from 23 to 27 o C, and humidity should vary in the range from 40 to 60%.

Various climate control equipment helps us maintain such parameters: heating boilers, air conditioners and humidifiers. And, it’s no secret that the maintenance of such equipment requires considerable investment, especially in private homes, where often large areas. Therefore, if you want to live comfortably without spending a lot of money on heating or cooling, you should think about how to properly perform insulation work.

In most cases, private houses are located on the ground, less often - on stilts or foundation pillars. And, of course, direct contact with the earthen surface helps to cool the home as a whole. According to the laws of physics, warm air always tends upward and rests on the ceiling, which, in turn, is an interfloor or attic floor. As you can see, physics is not on our side at all, because heat tries to leave the home by any means. It will not be possible to completely get rid of heat losses, but we can reduce them as much as possible.

Main types and characteristics of insulation

Let's talk about what types of insulation there are and what characteristics they have. By shedding light on this question, we can decide which material is best for us.

Let us immediately note that the most main indicator for insulation it is thermal conductivity. How less heat it can conduct - so much the better, which means this is a bad “bridge” for leaving our warmth from the house. Thermal conductivity is measured in watts per square meter per degree, that is, the amount of thermal energy loss in degrees per square meter. Let's look at the most common and frequently used materials:

• polystyrene foam (foam plastic)- is a compressed sheet of polystyrene foam balls. Absolutely does not absorb moisture, has excellent performance, thermal conductivity varies within 0.038. Supplied in sheets one meter per meter and packs of one cubic meter, it is relatively inexpensive. Happens various thicknesses, but the most popular sheets are 5 cm thick. There is also so-called extruded polystyrene foam, which has the same properties and coefficients, but they are achieved in a smaller layer. For example, 2 cm of extruded foam replaces about 7 cm of regular foam;

• fiberboard- wood fibers, a kind of wood “hair” impregnated with a cement composition. It has excellent noise and heat insulating properties, coefficient 0.09. In practice, it is not often used due to its weight and price; it is much more profitable to purchase polystyrene foam for insulation. In certain situations it is irreplaceable, since it does not support or spread combustion;
• ecowool- it is used extremely rarely among private owners, as it is difficult to install and requires a special installation for application, but at the same time it creates a solid coating of insulation. Made from paper. It’s good as insulation, coefficient 0.038, but it decreases over time, and it’s afraid of moisture like fire, oh yes, it’s afraid of fire too;
• mineral wool- the most common insulation on the market in all countries. Very cheap, sold in rolls of 10–50 m2 and has an excellent coefficient of 0.038. Unlike the previous material, mineral wool is not afraid of fire, but does not like moisture. It absorbs very well and practically does not dry out, and when wet, the properties are lost by 80%! Therefore, if you decide to insulate your home with this material, take care of good waterproofing;
• basalt wool- the best material in terms of its characteristics, but at the same time the most expensive. There are external similarities with mineral wool, but the characteristics here are simply incredible. The coefficient is only 0.03, can withstand temperatures up to 1200 degrees, and is absolutely not afraid of water. There is only one minus here - the price;
• expanded clay - excellent insulation, which is made using a thermal clay extruder. The output is foamed porous clay in the form of balls, which has been fired. The coefficient is 0.16, not much, but also good. Mainly used to create a thermal barrier and cut off the cold that blows from the ground.

In addition to these materials, about ten other types of insulation are used in practice, but they are used very rarely, and their characteristics are not impressive. Of all the above, only two materials are mainly used: polystyrene foam and mineral wool, and then wool 3 times more often. Therefore, if the price aspect is important to you, then mineral wool is the best option.

In any living space, floor insulation reduces heat loss by 15-27%. And in order to achieve maximum results, you need to carefully approach the choice of material and follow the work technology. In this article we will describe both aspects in detail and show how to properly insulate floors with your own hands.

For convenience of consideration, we will divide all heat insulators into two fractions:

1. Mineral;
2. Polymer.

The common quality of all heat insulators is the presence of air in the body of the material itself. Air is the best heat insulator (after vacuum). But the structure of the material, its physicochemical characteristics and biological activity have a decisive impact on the properties of the insulation as a whole.

Mineral insulation

This group includes:

• Mineral wool;
• Foam concrete;
• Expanded clay;
• Foam glass.

Mineral wool. Basalt, granite and glass wool are all materials with almost the same production process. The raw material melt is sprayed onto the cooled surface. The resulting thin threads are collected and packaged.

A similar process for producing cotton wool leads to similar pros and cons. All mineral wools have extremely low hygroscopicity, they cannot withstand any serious compressive load, and are capable of forming air suspensions of particles. That's why, to insulate the floor with cotton wool you will have to lay it between the joists in the floor, which is not always applicable for an apartment. Overall, in terms of price/quality ratio, this is an excellent option.

Expanded clay. Bulk material obtained by firing clay. Relatively high water absorption, low thermal conductivity. Environmentally friendly.

Foam concrete. Depending on the production technology, it may be:

• Structural;
• Thermal insulation (monolithic).

The difference is in compressive strength and physical characteristics. Accordingly, thermal insulating foam concrete has exceptionally good performance characteristics, but is somewhat inferior to other insulation materials in terms of thermal insulation properties.

Foam glass. Ideal material for floor insulation with unique performance characteristics and the highest price among all insulation materials.

Material\ characteristic	Foam glass	Expanded clay	Mineral wool
Water absorption	Practically zero	High	Very high
Thermal conductivity	Very low	Low	Low
Mechanical strength	High	High	Absent
Biological resistance	Absolute	High	Average
Vapor permeability	Very low	High	High

This table is intentionally omitted numerical values, because different brands of the same material it varies greatly. For example, for foam concrete with a density 200 kg/m 3, thermal conductivity 0.048 W/(m * K), and at a density of 1200 kg/m 3, thermal conductivity increases by almost an order of magnitude, up to 0.4 W/(m * K). Expanded clay has the same variation, only the changes depend on the fraction and feedstock. But the general conclusions are as follows:

1. All mineral wools are very hygroscopic. When wet, they lose their thermal insulation ability. Rodents love this material (basalt fiber), but fungus does not grow on it. Not used for floor insulation.
2. When wet, expanded clay increases thermal conductivity by ≈20 times. When used as insulation, high-quality waterproofing is required.

Foam concrete Very good material for floor insulation, but its drawback lies in the subtleties of its manufacture. In principle, it can be done right on the spot, but failure to adhere to technology leads to a sharp deterioration in physical performance.

Foam glass generally leads in operational characteristics in the insulation market. Rodents (unlike foam polymers) and fungus avoid it, it is almost vapor-permeable and does not absorb moisture. Chemically inert. It is quite durable and can be easily processed with carpentry tools. But it has an exceptionally high price: 1 m2 of foam glass 3 cm thick will cost ≈900 rubles.

Polymer insulation

This group includes foamed polymers. But not to consider the whole spectrum similar materials, let’s focus on those that are suitable for floor insulation and are widely available. For example, “Penoizol” is extremely rarely sold in sheets, and rigid “Vinipor” is mainly produced and used in China.

Expanded polystyrene. For floor insulation, most the best option extruded polystyrene foam. It is produced under the brands “TechnoNIKOL”, “”, “Technoplex”, etc. It is a fairly rigid material with low thermal conductivity and vapor permeability. Rodents pay attention to it last. But it has two serious disadvantages:

• Flammable;
• Decomposes on contact with chemical solvents.

And if they fight flammability by using it for foaming carbon dioxide, then even contact with penoplex paints should be avoided.

Cross-linked polyethylene foam. Please note that only cross-linked polyethylene foam can be used for floor insulation. In this material, after physical or chemical treatment, additional bonds between oligomers appear. They give polyethylene foam increased strength and resistance to pressure loads. Plus, this polymer is not affected by household solvents. Produced under the brands “Penolon”, “Izolon”, etc.

Additionally, we can say that mold does not grow on polystyrene foams, although rodents easily destroy them.

If you want to save money first of all, use regular foam. However, it is not as durable and is capricious to the conditions of the floor.

How to insulate the floor in an apartment

If there is a warm floor, then all the work comes down to laying a cross-linked polyethylene foam base under the finishing coating. "Penolon" 8 mm thick, replaces 25 cm brickwork by thermal insulation ability. Immediately, on top of such a layer, you can lay linoleum or carpet, lay laminate or parquet.

And for the first floor, the process of floor insulation becomes more complicated. First, remove the floor covering. Concrete floors in the apartment are treated with a primer. A layer of cross-linked polyethylene foam 3 mm thick is laid on top. Then the logs are laid in increments of 0.6 m.

IMPORTANT: 60 cm should be between the sides of the joists, and not between the centers of the beam.

50X50 timber is used as logs in the apartment. Expanded polystyrene (or mineral wool, depending on specific conditions) is laid between the lags. In this case, extruded polystyrene foam is not required, because no load will be applied to it, and the price will be three times cheaper. Polyethylene foam is necessary to avoid the formation of cold bridges, because wood conducts heat 7 times better than polystyrene foam.

This structure should be closed in accordance with the floor covering. If you intend to use floorboard, then it is simply sewn on top. Otherwise, it is necessary to lay plywood on the joists so that form a subfloor. At the same time, instead of one layer of plywood 12 mm thick, it is better to use 6 mm plywood, but lay it in two layers, spaced apart.

The base prepared in this way is suitable for laying any floor covering. Moreover, such a design is suitable for both concrete base, and for wood. Of course, on the subfloor you will need to lay a 2 mm thick cross-linked polyethylene foam underlay. But it will already play the role of a shock-absorbing and leveling layer, and not insulation.

If you plan to install in the apartment tiles, then instead of 6 mm plywood, use sheets 14-16 mm thick. The total thickness of the plywood must be at least 30 mm. Then the top layer is primed and the tiles are laid on it. It should be glued special adhesives, for example “Moment station wagon” or “Bustilat-M”.

In this case, the floor was insulated and covered with OSB sheets on top

Floor insulation in a private house

Insulation of the floor in a house (on the first floor) is usually carried out directly on the ground. There are no restrictions for its construction, except perhaps a house on stilts. But its organization must be approached scrupulously.

Floor pie on the ground can be roughly divided into two parts. The first part includes at least four layers:

• Sand;
• Crushed stone;
• Polyethylene;
• Skinny concrete.

Sand is poured in a layer of 10-20 cm and compacted well. The same is done with crushed stone. At the same time, a layer less than 10 cm loses its functionality, and if you pour more than 20 cm, then compact it well hand tools It won't work anymore. This has been proven empirically. And the functions of these two layers are cutting off capillary rise groundwater. In this case, the crushed stone must be on top. If you fill it with sand, the latter will gradually seep through the rubble. Lays on top double layer thick polyethylene film. It is needed to ensure that the concrete layer does not seep into the crushed stone. The film is laid overlapping, and the joints are taped.

The layer of rough screed should be 8-12 cm. Expanded clay may be used instead of crushed stone. This will increase the thermal insulation properties of the floor pie. The proportions of lean concrete are as follows: cement 1 hour: river sand 3 hours: expanded clay 4 hours. Dispersed reinforcement with steel fiber will have an extremely positive effect.

After two days, sprinkle the moistened surface of the rough screed thin layer cement, and then rub it in using grout. Ironing of this layer significantly increases the strength. They wait another week for the concrete to gain primary strength. And only then can you proceed to the second part.

It also consists of four layers:

• Waterproofing;
• Insulation;
• Finish screed;
• Flooring.

For waterproofing, use ordinary roofing felt, laying it in two layers. Due to rough screed not yet ripe, it is preferable to use cold styling. For this purpose, bitumen mastic is used.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to fix the roofing material on the walls with a spacing upward of 10 cm.

Thermal insulation is performed with sheet extruded polystyrene foam. Minimum thickness 50 mm. The joints between the plates are taped. It seems more preferable to use 30mm thick insulation, laid in two offset layers.

The minimum thickness of the finishing screed is 5 cm. To prepare the solution, use high-quality river sand 3 hours and cement 1 hour. Exclusively good feedback obtained from the use of dispersed steel fiber reinforcement ( 0.7% by volume). In this case, you can do without using reinforcing mesh. Otherwise, it is necessary to lay a mesh with a cell size of 100 mm and a wire thickness of 3 mm. The mesh is laid so that it is at a height of 2-2.5 cm from the insulation. Before pouring the screed, damper tape is glued along the walls. The maturation time for a 1 cm screed is 1 week. As a result, you will get a warm, reliable and durable concrete floor.

It is worth approaching the process of floor insulation with maximum attention, because... A well-organized “floor pie” will help you save serious money on heating in the future.

Reading time ≈ 11 minutes

Saving energy resources in your own home is not an empty phrase - it is a real problem, on which comfort and financial position families. In this regard, sometimes the question arises of how to do it yourself without removing the old floor, that is, in fact, to install a budget one, but at the same time quality option insulation. This desire cannot in any way be attributed to a whim or to something impossible to fulfill - the most important thing here is the right approach to the situation and this requires certain knowledge.

In what cases is floor insulation necessary?

The principle of insulation of any floor

More than once we have had to deal with situations where residents of a house or apartment asked for assistance in insulating the floor in order to somehow reduce heating costs. But the thing is that this is not always correct and insulation is needed not on the floor, but on the walls or ceiling, or it is not needed at all - the problem lies in bad windows and the front door.

In what cases does the floor need insulation:

• this is the first floor of a private house, where concrete floors located close to the ground are laid as a rough foundation;
• first floor apartment building– cold penetrates from the basement;
• there is a basement or under the floor;
• private house built in the northern region;
• sound-absorbing insulation is required.

What materials are used in such cases?

Extruded polystyrene foam (penoplex) of different thicknesses

If you install insulation on top of an old floor, then the conclusion inevitably arises that the material cannot be free-flowing, but it must be thin. Such conclusions are certainly correct, but only partly, since in some cases thick and sometimes loose insulation products are suitable.

What materials can be used:

• Extruded. This is perhaps the most powerful insulation, although it is also one of the most expensive, which are listed below. The thickness of the material varies from 5 mm to 100 mm. The usual density for domestic use is 35-45 kg/cm3. Depending on the manufacturer, the name of extrusion products may change, these are:

1. EPPS.
2. XPS..
3. Pollan.
4. TechnoNIKOL.
5. Etc.

• . Currently, the construction market is replete with such products, which are produced in rolls and mats (plates), with and without foil coating. There are three main types of such insulation:

1. – is currently practically not used for domestic purposes.
2. – made from blast furnace slag melts. Due to the iron (Fe) particles that remain there, the material is undesirable for use in rooms with high humidity.
3. Stone wool – also known as basalt wool. It is made from melts of volcanic eruptions (basalt) and is considered the best of all three in technical and technological terms, but at the same time, the most expensive.

• . By appearance very similar to extrusion, but it is simply foamed plastic with air-filled cells and a lower density (15-25 kg/m3). The thickness of the panels is from 20mm to 200mm. Marked as PSB and PSB-S (does not burn, only melts).
• . It is also called liquid foam, but in fact, it is urea-formaldehyde foam (UF) in liquid form. Its density in the hardened state can be 6-60 kg/m3, but in construction options from 10 to 15 kg/m3 are used.
• . This material belongs to reflective thermal insulation, as it is foamed polyethylene covered with aluminum foil on one or both sides. It is produced exclusively in rolls, its thickness ranges from 2 to 10 mm.
• Cork. As a rule, it is used as a substrate for laminate and linoleum. Serves as heat and sound absorbing insulation.
• . It is a very light, hard, porous material that is produced by firing shale or pure clay. Its density ranges from 350 to 650 kg/m3. There are four fractions of such material, determined by grain size:

1. Large – 20-40 mm.
2. Average – 10-20 mm.
3. Small – 5-10 mm.
4. Sand – up to 5 mm.

Note. Using fine expanded clay and expanded clay sand, the installation of dry screed is carried out. This is very often done on top of plank or other flooring.

Some methods of insulation over the facing floor covering

There is no point in considering all the options for how to insulate the floors in a private house with your own hands without removing the old floor, since some are simply similar in technical design. Therefore, we focus our attention not on the materials, which, by the way, are already listed above, but on the ways in which you can achieve the desired result.

All work begins with determining the zero or finishing level of the face covering, and this in this case is the instruction for laying all the materials listed above. That is, before you begin installing the sheathing, you need to calculate the height of the ceilings and determine how much distance can be sacrificed, since not all rooms can be very high. In Soviet times, this question was simple: living room had at least 2.5 m in height, but now everything has changed. So, according to SNiP 41-01-2003, ceilings can be from 2.2 to 2.7 m in height, but this is convenient, for example, for the Chinese with an average height of 165 cm, but for a European under two meters such standards are at least may cause a feeling of discomfort.

Installing joists on top of the old floor

Logs can be installed on top of the old floor without removing the covering

Let's imagine that we have the opportunity to raise the floor by 10 cm, but this is by no means the thickness of the insulation, but zero, which is possible at a certain height of the room. For insulation, it is more advisable to use lumber as the front covering: boards, moisture-resistant or laminated plywood, as well as oriented strand board of strength and moisture resistance class 3-4 (OSB-3, OSB-4). However, you can lay other facing materials such as linoleum, carpet or laminate - this is no longer included in the definition of height.

The minimum thickness of the boards in this situation should be 25-30 mm, but this is only if the logs are installed in increments of no more than 400-500 mm - as the increment increases, the thickness of the board increases proportionally. If sheet materials such as plywood or OSB are used, then the pitch should also be maintained no more than 400-500 mm, although permissible thickness the sheets here may already be 18-20 mm.

But before installing logs on top of the old floor, without removing the front covering, you should make sure that it is mechanical strength and integrity, this is especially important for wooden structures. It may be that the floor became cold due to dampness, and this in turn destroyed the wood (floorboards and/or joists). In this case, it is necessary to repair the damaged areas - it is still easier than complete replacement. In cases where dampness has not disappeared or is found on the wood fungal mold, it is strictly not recommended to lay any other covering on top! Installation is possible only if the old floor is intact, dry and free of dampness and fungal mold.

You can use timber as a log, but this is not rational - it is much more profitable to use a board 50 mm thick, for example, 50×100 or 50×70 mm, or a 50×50 mm timber. Such beams are usually attached to the floor using plastic dowels and long self-tapping screws, but all profiles should be set strictly at level.

This is a molly-type anchor dowel - not suitable for fastening floor joists

Attention! I would like to warn you that there is a widespread opinion on the Internet, or simply a repetition of someone else’s misconception, that logs are fixed with anchors, implying a steel umbrella dowel of the molly type. Such fastening is only possible if the fixation line constantly coincides with the voids in the ceiling, but this is impossible in principle.

Insulation with foam plastic and mineral wool

Floor insulation with foam plastic over ceramic parquet

This method of laying insulation is most suitable for mineral wool and polystyrene foam, although no one and nothing prohibits the use of extruded polystyrene foam of any brand as insulation. Panels or mats are laid between the joists, trying to press tightly against them to prevent most cracks and gaps, although this is impossible in practice, it is not critical.

In the case of laying mineral wool of any type (roll or in slabs), all remaining cracks are sealed with scraps of material, which will certainly remain during installation. Mat width basalt wool according to the standard is 450 mm, therefore, the distance between the two edges (not centers) of the beams should be about 400-420 mm so that the slab fits tightly into seat.

When laying foam plastic, where the panel is standard 1000x1000 mm, it can be cut exactly in half, that is, into two fragments of 500x1000 mm each. The logs are installed so that their side walls are at a distance of 497-499 mm. No, this is not rocket science at all, you just need to try to ensure that the PSB-S sheets fit closely into the seat, but if there is still room for a gap, then this is not critical. All cracks and small gaps are filled with a mounting vein, which does not even have to be cut off after drying.

Attention! When laying polystyrene foam or mineral wool for floor insulation, it is imperative to create a ventilation gap, which significantly increases the service life of the lumber. The ventilation gap is the distance between the insulation and the underside of boards or sheets of plywood or OSB; it should be at least 20-25 mm. Such a device helps natural circulation air under the coating, preventing artificial accumulation of moisture that forms when cleaning the room.

Insulation with penoizol

Insulation of a wooden floor with foam insulation

Penoizol or urea-formaldehyde foam (UFP) is in most cases used for floor insulation, although it can also be used for walls, for example, blown into the gap of a well masonry. You can blow penoizol either under a covering (boards, plywood, OSB) or without it, although it is best to use the second option, since in open space you can see the level of filling of the material between the joists. Urea-formaldehyde foam has one good feature: It does not expand as it dries, like polyurethane foam, therefore, the level that was initially set will remain until the end. This allows you to provide the required distance (20-25 mm) for the ventilation gap between the front covering and the CFP.

It is seen: Fast way floor insulation

Insulation with extruded polystyrene foam or cork

Floor insulation with extruded polystyrene foam under laminate

Materials such as extruded polystyrene foam and cork are widely popular for floor insulation, but most often they are purchased in rolls and used as a backing for laminate or linoleum. But it is also possible to use other modifications of such materials, this is a slab version of the product. So that no one has any doubts, I will say that when installing penoplex or cork on the floor, they can easily walk on the panels with their feet and no dents remain, although they can be easily cut with a knife. That is, you can cover the floor with EPS panels, for example, 30 mm thick and lay directly on top of it parquet board, laminate, plywood or OSB. Installation of any rigid floating floor is allowed here.

Floor insulation under infrared film

Thermal insulation of the floor with penofol under infrared film

When installing a film heated floor, a reflector is usually placed underneath, and this is most often penofol or foil-foil-foamed polyethylene. That is, the material itself can be used as a regular insulating substrate for laminate flooring, but this is a special case. An IPO or infrared film heater does not heat the room, but the IR rays reflected from objects and hitting a person create a warming effect, keeping the air fresh. Aluminium foil, with which the substrate is covered in this case, is the best reflector of IR radiation, therefore, in such cases, it is best to choose penofol.

Video: Insulating the floor under the carpet

Dry screed

Laying dry screed on expanded clay sand

Dry itself is warm, since its main component is a material that conducts poorly thermal energy, this is fine expanded clay or expanded clay sand. Essentially, in this case, you are killing two birds with one stone, so to speak, one of which is a cold floor, and the other is the lack of an even base for any facial covering. Dry screed can be installed not only concrete floors, but also wooden and mineral (concrete, ceramic tiles) floors.

Conclusion

As you can see, the question of how to insulate the floors in a private house with your own hands without removing the old floor does not represent any complex, much less an insoluble problem. As you noticed, the description used, so to speak, fundamental methods, but the videos used life hacks - choose what you like best!

Floor insulation reduces heat loss in the house and affects the temperature in the rooms.

The better the thermal insulation of the floor, the less funds goes to pay for gas or electricity for heating.

An insufficiently insulated floor leads to a decrease in the air temperature in the room, which negatively affects the health of the inhabitants of the house.

This article will discuss ways to solve the issue of thermal insulation. various types floor.

The following materials are used for floor insulation:

• mineral wool;
• foam boards;
• foamed polyurethane;
• reflective foil insulation;
• linoleum;
• Self-leveling floors.

Insulation of a wooden floor

In half of the houses with wooden floors, the joists are located 10 or more centimeters above ground level. They are fixed in wall niches and supported by stone or brick tables standing on the ground. When laying a floor on concrete, the joists are placed directly on the surface of the slab.

The floor insulation scheme is as follows: a material with low thermal conductivity is placed between the concrete or soil and the coating, and measures are taken to ensure that the material does not reduce the strength of the floor.

This scheme is used on concrete and wooden floors for any reason.

Expanded clay

This is the easiest way to insulate floors in an apartment. Remove the covering and subfloor, mark it so as not to confuse it during subsequent installation. Inspect and, if necessary, repair the joists.

Fill in expanded clay. The backfill level should be 2-3 cm below the subfloor. Reinstall and lay the covering.

Foam boards or mineral wool

Remove the covering, subfloor, repair the joists. If the floor is mounted on concrete, cut the insulation into pieces the width of the joists and lay it on the floor. If the logs are on bedside tables, cut strips of plywood 10 mm thick, 20 cm wide and 1-1.5 meters long. Place the strips at the bottom of the joists until they look like an inverted T.

Secure with self-tapping screws. The distance between the strips is 20-30 cm. Treat all the joists. Measure the distance between the joists and cut strips of plywood 5-7 mm thick to that width. The distance between joists varies, so measure separately for each sheet. After cutting out the sheets, place them between the joists. Do not leave a gap between sheets of more than 1 cm.

Cut and lay insulation on sheets. Try not to make gaps between the insulation and the joists. The amount of insulation depends on financial capabilities. If possible, install one centimeter below the subfloor level. This will improve the thermal insulation of the floor.

Cut strips of vapor-permeable film, sold in construction and hardware stores. Determine the width using the formula: average distance between lags + 15 cm.

Video - insulation of a wooden floor in a wooden house:

Place the film on the insulation, leaving equal projections on the joists. Wrap the protruding parts 2-4 times. Avoid wrinkles from forming. Press the hems to the joist and secure with a staple gun. Drive staples every 5 cm. Lay and secure the subfloor, then the covering.

Reflective thermal insulation

Remove the covering and subfloor, repair the joists. Cut the seal so that one piece completely covers the gap between the two joists. Do not use multiple pieces - each joint between pieces reduces the insulation efficiency by 5-10 percent.

Determine the width of the pieces using the formula - the distance between the logs + 10 cm. Place the insulation with the foil towards the top. Secure it on one side to the joist using a stapler. The fixing height is 1 cm from the subfloor level. Fasten the other side in the same way. Lay and secure the subfloor, then the covering.

Foamed polyurethane

Remove the covering and subfloor, repair the joists. If the floor is on bedside tables, install plywood as described above in the section “Insulation with foam boards or mineral wool.”

Fill the resulting niche with a layer of 2-3 cm of polyurethane foam. Wait for the mixture to completely harden and lay the subfloor and coating in place.

When working with polyurethane, use a protective suit, goggles and a respirator. The drug is toxic.

Insulation of concrete floor

Foamed sheet materials

If the height of the room allows you to raise the floor by 15-20 cm, remove the covering and remove any remaining adhesive. Fill up any uneven surfaces. Cover the entire floor with insulation. Use thick polystyrene sheets, rigid foam and other dense materials. The thickness of the sheets is 3-5 cm. Place a two-layer reinforcing mesh made of steel or fiberglass reinforcement with a diameter of 10-15 mm.

Install beacons from boards measuring 25*125 mm. These boards will provide a smooth horizontal surface of the screed and provide temperature compensation for the concrete. The drying time of the screed is 25-30 days. After drying, lay down the covering. But is a floor screed necessary? panel house, where the ceiling height is already low, it’s up to you to decide.

If the ceiling height does not allow such an increase, use wooden blocks size 30*30 or 30*60 mm. Lay them across the room along the entire length. Secure with anchor dowels. The distance between the bars is 20 cm. Fill the space between them with foam plastic 25-30 mm thick.

Cover the floor with vapor-permeable film and cover it with 20 mm thick plywood. Join plywood only on blocks. Secure with self-tapping screws 35-40 mm long. Recess the screws by 0.5-1 mm. On top, parquet, cork or linoleum.

This technology is used to insulate the floor in an apartment on the first floor, because the height of the ceilings does not allow laying two screeds.

Mineral wool or expanded clay

Expanded clay has the following characteristics:

• excellent heat and sound insulation;
• high strength;
• fire resistance;
• frost resistance;
• environmental friendliness and durability.

Carry out insulation in the same way as for foam sheet materials when the floor height cannot be increased.

Reflective foil insulation or technical cork

Remove the coating, clean the concrete from traces of glue, and fill in any uneven areas. After four days, cover the room with insulation. When using multiple pieces, ensure there are no gaps. Place the insulation with the foil facing up.

Lay plywood 25-30 mm thick on top of the insulation, securing it with anchor dowels in the amount of 9 pcs per square meter. The permissible gap size between sheets is 1 mm. On top, laminate, solid wood or linoleum.

Liquid floor

The use of “liquid floor” material gives the worst thermal insulation parameters of all those described in the article. At the same time, self-leveling floors make it possible to create a strong screed that does not require reinforcement and reduce the pressure on wooden floors. The cost of such a screed is 5-7 times higher than a traditional one.

Linoleum

Linoleums by thermal insulation properties stand on the same level as self-leveling floors. Therefore, the use of insulated linoleum alone will not give a noticeable effect. When used with any insulation, you will improve thermal insulation by 5-10 percent.

Floor insulation requires an individual approach. There is no single standard the best materials or technology. It all depends on the conditions, condition of the floor and financial capabilities. Sheets of foam materials provide good insulation, but are not suitable for all floors. Foil reflective insulation has 10-20 times worse thermal insulation parameters, but is used to insulate any floor.

The wrong choice of material will lead to the fact that the strength of the floor and the height of the room will be greatly reduced. Don't try to save money by using cheaper technology. Better find less material famous manufacturer or use thinner insulation.

Video - thermal insulation of the first floor floor: