Types of technologies for insulating floors from below in a wooden house using different insulation materials. How to properly insulate with your own hands

Insulating the floor in a private house with your own hands is a completely affordable task, and it can be solved without involving professional builders. The main thing is to decide on the choice of thermal insulation material and the technology for carrying out insulation work. This will largely depend on the design of the floor.

It is necessary to insulate the floor in any case, treating this task with the utmost responsibility. Without this you can never create a home comfortable conditions residence, even if you spend huge amounts of money on operating the most advanced heating system and other climate control equipment. Bet thermal insulation is money down the drain!

The publication will discuss materials used for thermal insulation, various technologies insulation, depending on the design of the floors.

Materials for floor insulation in a private house

The first thing you need to do is decide on the choice of thermal insulation material that is suitable for the floor specific design. Therefore, when considering the characteristics of insulation, it will immediately be noted for which floor they are suitable and an overview of the technology of their use will be provided.

So, today mineral wool (glass and basalt) and expanded polystyrene are most often used for thermal insulation of floors. various types and expanded clay. It should be noted that there are other materials for insulation, for example, ecowool or polyurethane foam. However, their use will require special equipment and experience with it. That is, it is difficult to put them under the “do-it-yourself” category.

There are other, let’s say, more “exotic” insulation materials, for example, foam glass slabs or cork. But they have not yet gained much popularity, apparently due to their inaccessibility or excessively high price. Our article is intended for the average home owner who wants to do the insulation themselves.

Synthetic foam insulation

This group includes the most commonly used thermal insulation materials today - ordinary white polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam and polyethylene foam (). These insulation materials gained popularity due to their low thermal conductivity and quite affordable cost. In addition, foam materials have a number of other advantages, but they also have very significant disadvantages.

Extruded polystyrene foam

This material is made from the same raw materials as the familiar white foam, but using a completely different technology. Therefore, it has improved characteristics.

It is better not to consider white foam plastic at all as insulation for floors, and it is also better not to produce it. Honestly, he has no place in the system at all internal insulation residential building - there are too many shortcomings, including those that are extremely dangerous for humans. For extruded material, these “disadvantages” are still significantly reduced. Therefore, it is better to do it - this is what extruded polystyrene foam is called.

The disadvantages of this material are the following features:

• The flammability of the insulation, it belongs to the flammability group G2÷G4.
• Low heat resistance - at elevated temperatures the material begins to “float”
• Low vapor permeability, that is, the material is not breathable. Again, this is sometimes a clear advantage.
• Low tensile and compressive strength of thin insulation.

As a substrate, ordinary foamed polyethylene with a thickness of up to 3 mm is used. And the foil version can be laid on top of other rigid insulation, or also as a reflective substrate. In addition, the foil material is usually laid under the “warm floor” system, and any of its possible varieties - electric cable or film infrared, water, or other flooring.

Polyethylene foam sheets are laid end-to-end and sealed together with foil tape. The coating must be airtight, since very often it is the layer of foiled polyethylene foam that is considered as a necessary vapor barrier.

So, the material is very good, but is designed only for use together with other insulation materials. Relying on the fact that only its use can create full-fledged effective thermal insulation of the floor of the first floor of a private house is simply naive.

Mineral wool

You can find three types of mineral wool on sale - stone (basalt), glass and slag. Slag wool is practically not used in housing construction, since it does not have outstanding characteristics, and often does not meet the requirements sanitary standards. Therefore, the features of this type of insulation will not be considered.

Basalt and glass wool also differ in their characteristics, but both of these types are widely used in insulating structures. These are the ones that will be considered in more detail.

Glass wool

Glass wool is made from environmentally friendly raw materials - sand, broken glass, borax, soda and limestone. From the melt of materials, fibers are formed that are quite brittle and brittle, but when they are pressed into mats using binders, a fairly stable air-saturated structure with high insulation capabilities is obtained.

Glass wool may have different thickness, possess different densities, produced in regular and foil form. When using the second option for floor insulation, mats or slabs are laid with foil facing up, that is, towards the room. Thanks to this, heat from the room falling on the insulation is reflected back.

Glass wool has many advantages. These include high thermal insulation capabilities, fairly high heat resistance, resistance to fire and chemicals, and an affordable cost of the material.

Disadvantages: fairly high fragility of the fibers. This creates difficulties in work - the material is caustic and can cause severe irritation to the skin, respiratory system and mucous membranes. In addition, such fragility is a prerequisite for gradual shrinkage of the material during operation, especially if there are vibration loads. And this leads to a decrease in thermal insulation characteristics.

In addition, not all is well with glass wool when exposed to water - it can get wet and waste its insulating qualities. Measures are required to prevent it from becoming saturated with moisture.

Stone (basalt) wool

Stone wool has the most optimal characteristics of all types of insulation of this class. This warmth insulating material produced from basalt melt rocks, from which thin fibers are drawn, which are much stronger and more elastic than glass.

High-quality basalt insulation is the most resistant to moisture. Such stability is achieved by special treatment, and sometimes reaches almost hydrophobicity - water does not penetrate into the structure of the material at all.

Basalt wool from leading manufacturers is highly resistant to open fire and can withstand very high temperatures. Therefore, such material is classified as NG group - non-combustible insulation. A very important quality for any home!

Manufacturers are also trying to minimize the possible emission of formaldehyde. Thus, basalt insulation labeled “ECO” or “Eurostandard” is environmentally friendly - it uses safe, rather than phenol-formaldehyde, as a binder acrylic resins. It is clear that the price of such products is much higher, but they are really worth it.

A significant drawback of any mineral wool is that mice love to make their nests and passages in them. Moreover, for some reason rodents are not at all afraid of the thorniness of the fibers - they feel great in warmth and dryness. And if the characteristics indicate that the material does not attract rodents, this should be treated with a fair amount of skepticism.

It is possible to protect the thermal insulation layer, for example, by covering its areas accessible to rodents with a metal mesh with cells measuring 2÷3 mm - it will not succumb to the teeth of mice.

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Mineral wool is used in different schemes floor insulation. Materials are low and medium density Suitable for laying between beams or joists. High-density slabs can be used for insulation on the ground or floor slab with subsequent pouring of reinforced screed.

You might be interested in information on how to install

Expanded clay and its use for insulation

One of the most practical, reliable and durable, as well as environmentally friendly insulation materials is expanded clay. This material is produced from refractory purified clay using special firing technology.

This material has many advantages:

• Expanded clay does not contain toxic components, as it is a natural material.
• Good thermal insulation properties. Moreover, these qualities do not decrease throughout the entire operational period.
• Low moisture absorption. Expanded clay does not swell or deform.
• Excellent soundproofing abilities. Moreover, the smaller the fraction of the material, the higher the sound insulation.
• High vapor permeability.
• Fire safety. The expanded clay mass not only does not ignite, but also prevents the spread of fire.
• High frost resistance, resistance to temperature changes.
• Resistance to biological influences. Fungus or mold does not form on expanded clay, since it does not contain a nutrient medium for such microflora of organisms. Expanded clay is not tolerated by rodents - they only do not live in it, but they also cannot make passages in it.
• Simplicity and variety of use cases.

Expanded clay also has disadvantages, but they are much fewer than the advantages. And the main thing is that the thermal conductivity coefficient is still almost three times higher than that of expanded polystyrene or mineral wool. That is, a more significant layer of insulation will be required

Expanded clay is used in various floor insulation schemes.

• The first option is the simplest of all - this is pouring expanded clay onto the ground in the underground wooden floor. Before backfilling, a waterproofing material is laid on the soil base, which is removed and fixed on the walls to a height 50÷100 mm higher than the thickness of the backfill.
• Another option is to create bulk layers of the required thickness over the soil, followed by pouring a reinforced concrete screed
• Another way to insulate with expanded clay is to backfill it between joists or floor beams onto the subfloor:

If fine-grained expanded clay is used for backfilling, the subfloor must be prepared. Gaps between the boards, if any, can be sealed with clay-lime mass, which is also a natural material. It will securely hold the backfill between the joists on the subfloor;

An alternative option is to lay it on the subfloor and glassine logs. Its canvases are overlapped by approximately 100 mm. Glassine is also secured to wooden structural elements with staples driven in using a stapler.

The next step is to fill the expanded clay mixture between the joists and distribute it evenly throughout the space. A layer of vapor barrier film is sometimes laid on top of the expanded clay.

And finally, sheets of plywood or floorboards are laid and secured onto the joists.

• Another option for using expanded clay is mixing it with liquid cement-sand mortar. Concrete binds expanded clay granules together, which increases the strength of such a base.

This material becomes especially relevant when insulating floors on the ground - a leveling screed will be poured on top. True, they also use it for floors on joists, filling the entire space under the future flooring with the solution.

Since the insulating qualities of expanded clay still leave much to be desired, which requires very significant layers of backfill, it is often used in combination with other thermal insulation materials - expanded polystyrene or mineral wool. A calculation is made in advance which combination of material layers will provide the expected thermal insulation.

How to calculate the thickness of floor insulation based on the ground?

The main options for insulating the floor of the first floor of a private house

Now let’s learn more about how floor insulation is carried out in a private house.

Floor insulation on the ground

This approach is often practiced if the house is built on a strip foundation. The insulation can be expanded clay (on its own or in combination with another material), rigid insulating boards (extruded polystyrene foam) or blocks of premium mineral wool, specially designed for such purposes (this is specified in the passport characteristics of mineral wool). All insulation in this scheme has one thing in common - they are covered with a reinforced screed on top.

It might look something like this:

The soil (item 1) is thoroughly compacted, and its surface is leveled to the maximum.

Sand is poured on top (item 2), layer by layer, also with careful compaction. The thickness of the backfill is usually at least 100 mm (compacted).

Next, an optional but highly recommended layer of covered geotextile is shown (item 3). It will be a big plus for the stability of the entire created “pie” and will serve to separate the sand and gravel (crushed stone) layer, which will improve the drainage capabilities of this structure.

Above, a layer of crushed stone or coarse gravel (pos. 4) is poured, also with tamping, on which the so-called “concrete preparation” is performed (pos. 5). This is a poured layer of lean concrete (grade strength M50 is sufficient). On this basis, it is much easier to carry out further work, which will directly affect the insulation.

By concrete preparation a layer of waterproofing is laid (item 6) - the insulation must be protected from moisture from the ground. Rolled paper can be used for these purposes. bitumen waterproofing– it will fit perfectly on enough solid foundation concrete preparation.

Then the thermal insulation material is laid required thickness(pos. 7). The calculation of thickness is discussed separately - a link has already been given above. Possible combinations of insulation materials are also discussed there, so that thermal insulation becomes complete.

Next, the insulation is covered with another layer of vapor-permeable waterproofing material(item 8), which can be used as a polyethylene film, but very dense, at least 200 microns thick. The canvases must be laid with an overlap of 150÷200 mm and sealed along the seam lines with moisture-resistant tape. The waterproofing should extend onto the walls to a height above the surface of the future floor. The purpose of this layer is to prevent water from flowing out of the concrete solution when pouring the screed, that is, to create optimal conditions for hardening and maturing of concrete.

A reinforcing mesh is laid on top of the waterproofing, the cross-section of the rods and the cell sizes of which depend on the expected degree of load on the floors. But these are general construction issues that only indirectly relate to the insulation problems under consideration. The mesh must be lifted from the waterproofing layer so that it is approximately in the middle of the thickness of the screed.

After hardening, maturing and gaining brand strength, the resulting screed will serve as a universal base for any finishing floor covering.

You might be interested in information about what it is

Insulated floor on the floor slab

This scheme is rarely used in a private home, but, nevertheless, it should be mentioned. Moreover, it is very similar to the previous one, but much simpler. If only because there is already a rigid, reliable foundation that does not require additional modifications.

What are the features here?

The base is already ready - this is the floor slab (item 1) above the cold underground, usually hollow. It must be primed with a deep penetration compound, and it would still be a good idea to provide a layer of waterproofing on it (item 2). Coating insulation or even thick polyethylene film is quite sufficient here.

The next layer is again waterproofing (item 4), which will protect the insulation from moisture penetration from above and ensure an optimal water-cement ratio when the screed hardens.

Well, above there is a reinforced screed (item 5), in which pipes or heating cable"warm floor". And the entire structure is crowned with the selected finishing floor covering (item 6).

Insulation of floors using joists or floor beams

But this option occurs, perhaps, more often than all others. And first of all, because such a scheme turns out to be practically the only possible one if the house rests on a pile or columnar foundation. But even for strip foundation with a high base it is quite applicable. “Heavy” materials such as cement, sand, gravel are not used here - wood or materials based on it become the main one. Well, and a plus, of course, is the insulation itself.

The schematic diagram can be represented as follows:

Placed on floor beams or joists (item 1) cranial bars(item 2) or support boards. The lights will serve as the basis for installing the subfloor (item 3). For this flooring, both low-grade boards and sheet materials such as plywood or OSB can be used. The flooring can be solid, but more often the boards are mounted with a vacuum - both for reasons of economy and for better ventilation of the insulation.

Waterproofing - wind protection (item 4) is laid on the subfloor. It is important that this layer should not interfere with the free escape of water vapor, so that moisture does not linger in the insulation. Sometimes, when the boards are arranged frequently or when rigid polystyrene foam boards are used as thermal insulation, this layer is not laid at all - there is no need to fear direct water ingress from below, and the wind impact with a well-equipped base is unlikely to be so great that it can cause damage insulation.

Even a layer of thermal insulation of the required thickness is laid (item 5). The illustration shows installation in one layer, but usually this is not enough - at least two are required. But this is for the better - the slabs or mats of the upper layer cover the joints of the lower one, and there are practically no cold bridges left.

Further - required condition: layer reliable vapor barrier(pos. 6). The humidity level indoors during the cold season is always significantly higher than outside. And so that water vapor, looking for any loophole to escape outside, does not penetrate into the insulation, it is necessary to install a reliable hermetically sealed (without exaggeration) barrier.

And finally, a plank or plywood (OSB) floor covering is laid on top (item 7). In the diagram, again, a simplification has been made, but in reality it is recommended to leave a ventilation gap of about 20÷30 mm between the vapor barrier membrane and the flooring. This is easy to do by installing additional counter batten slats along the joists - they will additionally press the membrane and provide the required clearance.

It is clear that the thickness of the insulation with such a scheme must be calculated in advance, since in this case it also directly affects the choice of the cross-section of lumber for beams and joists. You will have to carry out a not particularly complex thermal calculation.

How to calculate the thickness of insulation of a wooden floor on joists?

A special article on the portal will introduce you to the algorithm for carrying out such calculations. It also contains a convenient calculation calculator.

One more nuance. To protect the insulation from mice getting into it, you can also use metal mesh. It is mounted directly on the subfloor boards under the waterproofing layer. The edges of the mesh are raised onto the wall 100÷150 mm above the thickness of the insulation. After laying the insulation, the mesh is folded onto its surface. After this, the insulation on top is completely covered with the same mesh - it is attached to the joists with staples. Perhaps such measures may seem unnecessary to some, but it really helps if you don’t leave any loopholes for the mice.

Insulation of wooden floors on joists

This section of the article provides step-by-step illustrated instructions for insulating floors with mineral wool.

The most important thing in insulating a wooden floor raised above the ground by 300 - 500 mm is the choice optimal material and high-quality, according to all the rules, installation

The first thing you need to check when deciding to insulate such a floor is the presence of ventilation in the underground space. If there are no vents in the basement of the foundation, then they need to be equipped. Lack of ventilation with such floor insulation will lead to the appearance of dampness in the underground space, rotting of wooden structural elements, and their infection by fungus.

You might be interested in information on how to choose

The total area of ​​all vents must be at least 1/400 of the floor area of ​​the first floor, but not less than 0.85 m². The area of ​​one vent is usually around 0.05 m². that is, it is easy to calculate the required number and then think about their uniform placement on the base. In this case, the outer vents should be located no further than 0.9 m from the corners of the foundation. one more thing important condition– symmetry of their placement, that is, the vent on one wall should correspond to a similar one on the opposite. Thus, their number is usually even.

However, we again delved into general construction issues - let’s return to floor insulation.

So, insulation of an old wooden floor (if we are not talking about installing a new one during construction) can be done in several ways:

• Using old plank flooring as a subfloor. This option is possible if the boards are in in good condition, that is, they do not have signs of rotting and are not moistened with inside. In addition, it must be taken into account that the floors will rise by approximately 250 mm. If the ceilings in the room are high enough, then insulation using the old coating, without dismantling it, seems possible. But, to be honest, they rarely resort to this route.
• The second option involves dismantling the plank covering and laying insulation under it. In this case, the removed floorboards, if they are in satisfactory condition, can then be returned to their place. If the boards are intended to be reused, then when dismantling, it is recommended to number them.

Naturally, if a new floor is being built, then they start from scratch, that is, with the installation of the subfloor - and then in order.

Below we will consider an insulation option in which the old floor is dismantled. Moreover, if insulation will be carried out in an old house, an audit underground space, as well as the reliability of floor beams - will never be superfluous.

For work you will need the following materials:

• Insulation material. In this case it is mineral wool. As practice shows, and calculations confirm, in private houses in most regions of Russia it is recommended to lay this insulation with a thickness of at least 150, or even 200 mm. this usually involves a minimum of two layers.
• Boards or plywood for installing the subfloor. A board 10 mm thick and 150 mm wide will be quite sufficient.
• Beam for counter-battens with a cross-section, for example, 30×50 mm. Larger size must match the thickness of the joist or floor beam.
• Waterproofing vapor-permeable membrane.
• Vapor barrier material.
• Self-tapping screws and staples for the stapler.

Illustration	Brief description of the operations performed
	So, having dismantled the boardwalk, you can see the floor beams and evaluate the possibilities of further work. If the floor beams are in good condition, then the first thing to do is to cover them with an antiseptic solution on all sides and let the coating dry well.
	Next, you can choose one option out of two - fix it using self-tapping screws on load-bearing beams skull blocks on which the subfloor boards will be laid, or fasten the boards to the bottom of the floor beams. Each option has its drawbacks. When fixing the cranial elements, the space for installing insulation will decrease.
	Securing boards from the bottom of floor beams, in principle, has no disadvantages, except for the labor-intensive nature of the work. If the height from the ground to the beams is small, then installation will have to be done while lying on your back. The subfloor is only needed for support insulation material, therefore, it is not necessary to make it continuous or lay the boards too often. The distance between them can be even 200÷250 mm. And the boards can be used even without edged ones. But they require antiseptic treatment no less.
	Another option for arranging a subfloor is to fasten transverse boards to the beams in increments of 700÷800 mm, and then lay a longitudinal plank covering on them. Moreover, gaps of 10÷15 mm can also be left between the longitudinal boards. Gaps are necessary for proper ventilation of the insulation.
	In some cases, OSB plywood sheets 10 mm thick are used for the subfloor. However, a gap must be left between the sheets every 500 mm for ventilation. Therefore, you will have to prepare pieces of plywood 500÷600 mm long and a width equal to the distance between the centers of adjacent floor beams (joists). As a rule, it is 600 mm - according to the traditional size of mineral wool insulation.
	The next step is to lay a vapor-permeable waterproofing and wind protection on the subfloor. It is laid to protect the mineral wool from water ingress (which is extremely unlikely in such conditions), as well as from wind, which will penetrate into the underground through ventilation ducts. The membrane sheets should go around the floor beams. They overlap each other by 100÷150 mm. It is not necessary to tape these overlaps with tape; there is no need for tightness.
	It is necessary to focus on securing the membrane to the walls. The material should be on them 50÷70 mm higher than the thickness of the insulation. On wooden walls the membrane is secured with staples, and on surfaces made of other materials - with double-sided construction tape. It is still recommended to isolate the insulation from possible contact with the walls.
	Next, the insulation material is laid. It is important to observe several nuances here. The slabs are most often laid in two layers, and the top one must overlap the joints of the lower insulation. The standard width of insulation slabs is 600 mm, and it must be laid opposite the floor beams, so optimal width between the beams in the clear is approximately 550÷570 mm (just along the axes - 600 mm, and due to the thickness of the beam the clearance is slightly reduced). However, it is not always possible to follow this step, so the slabs often have to be “replenished” with additional fragments. Their joints must also be covered with entire slabs of the top layer.
	The insulation is laid on top vapor barrier material and secured with brackets to the floor beams. This layer is necessary to protect the insulation from the penetration of various fumes from the premises. The canvases are also laid with an overlap of 100÷150 mm (on the membranes the minimum width of such an overlap is often even marked in dotted lines). But here the requirements for sealing are strict: the canvases must be glued together along the overlap line with moisture-resistant tape.
	Then, if you plan to create a ventilation gap between the board covering and the vapor barrier (and this is highly recommended), then slats 25÷30 mm thick are attached to the ends of the beams on top of the vapor barrier sheet. Some craftsmen refuse this design element and consider it optional. But it’s still better not to neglect such ventilation - for vapor barrier membrane Condensation will not accumulate.

The insulation is complete - and you can install a board covering or a plywood or OSB flooring on top. But these are questions beyond the scope of our consideration.

* * * * * * * *

Now, having at hand several options for floor insulation schemes various materials, it will be possible to choose the most suitable way for a specific case. By adhering to the recommendations received and strictly following the technology, it is quite possible to independently carry out thermal insulation of floors in own home. At the same time, not only saving a decent amount for the family budget, but also gaining confidence that the work was done conscientiously.

In conclusion, we invite you to watch an interesting video. In it, a completely amateur master produces self-insulation floors of your house under construction. Honestly, there is a lot to learn.

When choosing how to insulate a wooden floor in a private home, they are based, first of all, on financial capabilities. Thus, expanded polystyrene is the most economical option, expanded clay is more expensive, but the most environmentally friendly, and mineral wool is easy to install and unattractive to rodents.

A warm base is the key to a warm floor

Before you start insulating the floor, you need to make sure that the base is thermally and waterproofed. At the same time, we must not forget about ventilation, which will prevent the development of fungi and mold in the underground. After all, this destroys the wooden base and the floor will last very little.

Insulation of the basement floor

If the house has a basement or ground floor, you need to take care of their insulation and waterproofing. This will prevent the basement from freezing in the winter and keep it cool in the summer. After all, the basement non-residential floor is often used specifically for storing food, and if it is located above the freezing level of the soil, such measures are mandatory. But there is no need to insulate an unheated basement underground.

The basement floor is insulated from the outside with extruded polystyrene foam, since it is not hygroscopic, unlike ordinary polystyrene foam. The insulation must be laid on waterproofing, such as bitumen and roofing felt. The base is dug out a meter and the EPS is attached to a special glue.

After this, the soil is backfilled layer by layer.

On the ground part of the basement floor, the insulation is laid with glue, and fixed on top with dowels and reinforcing mesh. The final stage is facing the base. The material can be any - from decorative stone to PVC panels. But it is better to choose a damage-resistant and moisture-repellent material.

If the base is low, about 50 cm, it is better to fill the space under the subfloor. This option will turn out to be much warmer - there is no cold air under the floor of the house, there is no need to install vents that will have to be closed for the winter.

Backfilling is done with ordinary soil, and the last 10 cm to the floor is filled with sand. Both soil and sand must be compacted separately in a wet state.

It is not economically profitable to fill a higher base. In this case, it will have to be insulated according to the same principle as the basement, but with ventilation vents that remain open in the summer and closed in the winter. Special attention should be paid to insulating the basement for a house on a columnar or pile foundation.

Freely “walking” cold wind significantly increases heat loss from the floor.

General features of wooden floor insulation

When the base is in order, you can proceed directly to the floor. Regardless of the stage of work (during the construction process or in an already inhabited house), do-it-yourself insulation includes:

1. Laying or checking and replacing joists.
2. Laying waterproofing on the joists (or under them if the joists are lying on sand).
3. Laying insulation between joists.
4. A layer of vapor barrier on top of the insulation.
5. Installation of a counter-lattice for the gap between the finished floor and the vapor barrier.
6. Finished flooring.

For waterproofing you can use any roll material- from thick polyethylene to innovative, but expensive, materials.

For vapor barrier, it is best to use foamed polyethylene with an aluminum coating on one side.

This will provide both additional insulation floor, and will prevent condensation from entering the insulation. If the winters are not very cold, sometimes only a layer of polyethylene foam is enough without additional insulation. But it is better to insulate the floor as well as possible, because then you will have to remove the covering again if the insulation is not enough.

The vapor barrier is laid with the “shiny” side facing finished floor. Both hydro- and vapor barriers are laid overlapping with an allowance of at least 10 cm, and the joints are sealed with metallized tape.

Insulation with roll and tile materials

Even at the stage of installing the log, you need to decide what material will be used for insulation. Depending on its width and length, the lag pitch will be selected, between which the insulation is laid very tightly and without gaps.

Ideally, the height of the logs should correspond to the thickness of the mineral wool layer, but taking into account the need air gap between the vapor barrier and the finished wooden floor, you can simply not make a counter-lattice. In this case, the vapor barrier is attached with a construction stapler to the sides of the log so that it lies on the mineral wool without air gap between them.

It is important to remember that the sides of the slabs have different hardness. This type of insulation is installed with the hard side up. For comfort right side is already marked with a blue stripe, so it’s difficult to make a mistake.

It is best to use slabs with corrugated edges - this will provide the best adhesion. Lay the slabs as tightly as possible, starting from the corner. The next row begins with an offset of half the slab. The last slabs must enter with force. Possible cracks are sealed with construction foam.

Insulation with bulk and sprayed materials

There are also more “exotic” ways to insulate floors in a house. For example, sawdust is increasingly used as a natural and environmentally friendly material.

The technology is not very different:

• on the slabs fixed under the joists, a vapor-permeable material is laid, not polyethylene;
• sawdust is poured out between the joists and watered with a weak lime mortar from a watering can;
• As soon as the material dries and settles, the finished floor is laid - no vapor barrier is needed.

But here you need to pay attention Special attention hydro- and vapor barriers, as well as dryness of the expanded clay itself. Because of its pores, it is very hygroscopic, but practically does not release moisture. Therefore, if installed incorrectly, expanded clay that has accumulated moisture will only worsen the situation.

Insulating the floor of a house with sprayed materials - polyurethane foam, ecowool or penoizol - is practically impossible to do on your own, and in some cases it is dangerous. This will require special equipment, and its purchase for insulation small house extremely unprofitable.

The process of installing a wooden subfloor, its insulation, hydro- and vapor barrier is revealed in detail in the video:

For any home, thermal insulation is of paramount importance, because it is the best way to provide comfortable living conditions and reduce heating costs.

To keep the house warm, first of all, it is necessary to insulate the floor. It is quite possible to cope with this task on your own.

Insulating the floor in a wooden house follows the principle of one room per day, provided that there is no need to replace the joists that perform the load-bearing function. For implementation you will need materials that have thermal insulation properties, basic construction skills and, of course, the desire to rid your home of drafts.

Selection of insulation material

Used for thermal insulation of floors different kinds insulating materials, and their choice depends on the specific situation and the tasks assigned to the heat insulator. It is advisable to carry out floor insulation work at the construction stage.

Important! Maximum insulation can be achieved by placing insulating materials between the bars of the rough layer.

So, what materials can be used for insulation? Let's take a look at the list of the most popular insulation materials:

• expanded clay;
• mineral wool;
• Styrofoam;
• ecowool.

To insulate floors in a wooden house, penofol, slag and sawdust are also used.

Thermal insulation with expanded clay

Expanded clay is a granular material containing clay. Expanded clay granules differ in fractions. The material is poured between wooden blocks, trying to achieve maximum density.

Plywood is used as a finishing coating.

For thermal insulation of floors in wooden building Slag and sawdust are also used. These natural materials allow us to achieve good insulation at low cost.

Mineral wool

Mineral wool is a material that is convenient to work with. Among the advantages of this material – safety, almost complete absence of shrinkage and affordable price.

But mineral wool also has disadvantages; over time, this material cakes and has to be replaced. In addition, it has the following property: hygroscopicity, which leads to the appearance of fungus. This disadvantage can be mitigated with the help of film waterproofing.

To insulate floors in a wooden house, mineral wool with a thickness of 15 cm or more is used. Mats consisting of cotton wool are placed between the bars of the rough layer, leaving no gaps. The top edge of the mat should align with the top surface of the bars.

Next step - laying membrane waterproofing, which overlaps and is secured with staples.

Foam boards

As thermal insulation material Excellent for floors in wooden households foam boards with an optimal degree of rigidity.

For insulation, 10 cm slabs are used: they are placed between the joists, leaving no gaps. Foam sheets are superior to mineral wool in terms of strength. This the material does not sag over time.

Polystyrene foam serves as an excellent support for finishing coatings, such as plywood.

Important! Other advantages of this material include resistance to moisture; it becomes extremely wet top part material, which does not impair its properties. Foam boards are not afraid of mold.

But, like any material, polystyrene foam also has its disadvantages, these include:

• release of toxic substances when heated (this material is not suitable for a sauna);
• susceptibility to fire.

The process of insulating a floor with foam plastic consists of several steps. The material is cut into sheets and placed between wooden blocks. The main thing is that there are no gaps left through which heat escapes.

The final step is installation of external covering.

Ecowool

Thermal insulation of the floor in a wooden structure with ecowool requires the use of special equipment. Ecowool is a bulk material based on cellulose impregnated antiseptics and fire retardants.

Ecowool is blown into the underground using a compressor, due to which the voids are filled evenly.

You can insulate floors with ecowool yourself, but it will take more time than if you have equipment.

Ecowool contains adhesive components that ensure it rigidity and resistance to shrinkage.

A worthy alternative to cellulose is polyurethane foam.

Warm floors as the main component of comfort

Well-insulated floors help create optimal temperature dampness and penetrating drafts disappear from the rooms, and the efficiency of heating devices increases.

In addition to creating a cozy atmosphere in the house, insulated floors directly affect health - residents do not suffer from drafts and, therefore, are less likely to catch colds.

If there are cold walls in the house, this is not so scary, because there is no constant contact with them, like with the floor.

The initial step in insulating any living space is insulating the floor: remember that the cold spreads from below.

No wonder there is a saying that says that you need to keep your feet warm: it applies not only to shoes, but also to floors.

Important! Start insulating your home from the floor and only after that start insulating the walls. To create a warm environment, you need a protective foundation, a foundation, which is the floors.

In households built of wood, this task is greatly facilitated, since private houses have a standard layout. Such buildings must have subfloors. Just need to dismantle outer covering so that the subfloor is in the access zone.

Several years ago, during the reign Soviet power, the task of insulating floors in a wooden household had a simple solution. Sand was poured onto the rough board covering (expanded clay was also used for this purpose). Then the flooring of the upper plank layer was filled along the protruding bars, and this completed the thermal insulation.

The layer of sand lying under the finishing coating served as an obstacle to the escape of heat and, to a certain extent, created ventilation. Problems such as mildew and rapidly spreading mold did not develop quickly in the crawl space. But such a “thermal cushion” had a limited service life (about 10 years), and only under the condition that the climate was not humid.

Gradually, the thermal insulation properties of these materials decreased and, accordingly, their resistance to rot decreased. After 10-12 years, the boards crumbled, turning into dust. For this reason, insulation began to be carried out using a more complex method, requiring a change in the base of the floors.

Before you begin work on dismantling the old floor before insulating it from below, watch the video below to avoid mistakes when arranging floors:

Preparation

Before proceeding directly to the insulation installation, you should perform preparatory work. Remove all pieces of furniture from the room and inform your household what you are going to do. Floors serve as transitions from one room of the house to another, but this is somehow forgotten.

Attention! Having gotten used to the fact that the floors are reliable, you can injure yourself on the openings that will inevitably appear during the repair work.

To disassemble the top plank covering, use a pry bar; a nail puller will also work. Carefully fold the boards and assess the condition of the underground.

Remove hardened sand residues. Use a broom to sweep the old sand into trash bags and clear out the room.

Perform partial replacement of rough boards.

Important! Check the strength of the bars that perform the load-bearing function, on which the rough coating is located. The reliability of the entire structure of the renewed floor depends on the strength of the bars.

The floor in the house needs not only to be insulated, but also take care of its reliability. Carpentry skills are required to make the floor durable.

It should be taken into account that over a long period of use, wooden blocks could have exhausted the resource inherent in them, and they will need to be replaced. To do this, remove the black covering that is nailed to them and stack the boards separately from the finishing boards.

If there is no need to install new joists, or to replace rough boards, skip this step, but be sure to make sure that these elements are in satisfactory condition; It will be difficult to return to the named problem later; everything needs to be done sequentially.

Step-by-step guide to insulation

Below we offer a step-by-step guide to insulating floors in a private home.

Installing load-bearing beams (joists)

If there is even a small defect on the block that will be used as a base (for example, cracks, vibration or signs of rot), do not take risks and use another one. The installation of the load-bearing beam is identical to the installation of floors designed between floors, but is done on the floor.

Please note that this is a very labor-intensive and time-consuming job and will take about a day.

The timber is poured with concrete mortar, so the used logs will need to be cut out of the hole formed during the installation process, and the width of the opening in the concrete will need to be increased in order to freely install a new supporting structure.

Need to take into account important point – the cross-section of the beam must coincide with the remaining bars. New structures are installed according to the level of their location due to the stretched fishing line.

Before installation, each load-bearing log is treated with antiseptic agents, and the landing sites are treated with resin. The end parts of the replaced bars are attached using dry gravel in the holes provided for installation, the location is re-checked and filled with a mixture of gravel and cement.

It is important to wait until concrete mortar will harden, and only after that continue insulation work.

Be sure to place a fence in front of the room where the floor is being removed.

Installation of the rough layer

For roughing, you need to use boards with a thickness of at least 2 cm, the maximum possible width is 20 cm. Directly to the bars rough boards fastening is unacceptable!

The first step is fastening the sheathing to thick joists using self-tapping screws; This is a line of parallel bars with a cross section of 5x5 cm.

Second step - nailing rough boards.

On a note! Choose nails for fastening rough boards such that their ends do not “reach” the bars themselves (5-6 cm).

The features of installing a subfloor in a wooden house can be assessed in the video below:

To prevent the formation of rot and to increase resistance to fire treat the sheathing and rough boards with antiseptic compounds and fire retardants. With this treatment you will make wooden elements more reliable and extend their service life. In addition, the cost of such funds is affordable, so don’t skimp.

When installing rough boards, it is important to same thickness and smooth surface . Gaps between the floorboards of up to 1 cm are allowed - they will close during the thermal insulation process.

Waterproofing

The most important stage of proper insulation is waterproofing with film.

Only membrane waterproofing is suitable for the floor: it will allow moisture to flow down freely and will not allow it to penetrate upward. If there is a swamp underground, the boards will rot very quickly.

Film insulation must be laid over the rough layer, sheet material At the same time, it is covered by 10-15 cm and is well sealed with large tape that is resistant to moisture. Installation of waterproofing can be done simultaneously with the flooring of the logs, pressing the membrane with bars.

Once again, lay down the logs

The finishing coating should be attached to the bars, and not to the rough boards. The internal logs of the base are leveled at a distance of 100 cm, their size must be at least 5x15 cm.

Advice. If you want to thoroughly insulate the floor, install large-sized bars.

For rooms with massive pieces of furniture or with a heavy load on the floors (with frequent traffic, for example, in the corridor), it is worth using thicker bars - 7.5x15 cm.

The width of 15 cm determines the size of the insulating material, since it will be laid in all cavities formed during the installation work.

A small distance should be left between the wall and the second row of bars; it is filled with insulating material.

Thick logs are fastened with self-tapping screws: they must go deep into the lower bars, and for this their location is marked on the rough boards with a pencil.

Insulation and external covering

Insulating materials, for example, polystyrene foam, mineral wool, or penoplex, which is so popular today, are placed on film insulation in all cavities between the joists. You can combine several insulation materials, for example, put mineral wool on a roll of material.

Make sure that the insulating material does not stick out and fills the gaps well.

Materials with thermal insulation properties do not require additional fastening.

The final finishing coating can be made from old floorboards (of course, if their quality is acceptable) or from new boards. Fastening is done using nails or self-tapping screws.

As a top covering, you can use milled boards, solid wood, or create an imitation of parquet. If the budget is modest, fill it with fiberboard or lay laminate on top. The design will be solid, so it will be reliable, and most importantly, warm.

Step-by-step instructions - all the secrets of choosing insulation and the subtleties of technology thermal insulation works described in detail.

If heat loss is minimal

With minimal heat losses for insulating old floors in village house They use a material called Penofol with a foil coating. The photo below shows penofol for insulating a wooden floor:

The boards are re-laid, and the thermal insulation material is laid with foil facing up. Penofol acts as a heat reflector, reduces heat loss and helps create warm atmosphere in room. With this material you will be able to insulate the floor in a private house cheaply and without much effort.

If it is not possible to re-lay the old floorboards, penofol can be placed under the finishing coating. The thickness of the heat-insulating material should not exceed 4 mm, otherwise the coating will spring back under load.

By insulating the floor, you can walk on it barefoot and forget about colds due to drafts.

Kirill Sysoev

Calloused hands never get bored!

Content

One of the problems of living in a private house made of wood is a cold floor. The fact is that low-temperature air currents descend downwards, and coolness also emanates from the ground. Insulating the floor covering, which is done using a variety of materials, will help make your home cozy, warm and comfortable, and protect it from freezing.

How to insulate the floor in a wooden house from below

It is known that home is the fortress of every person, so it should always feel cozy and warm. One way to transform a living space is to insulate the floor in a wooden house from below. To get a positive result, you should carefully familiarize yourself with the range of insulation products, find out the features, choose the best option and complete the installation.

Installation of the thermal insulation layer has several specific nuances:

1. It is necessary to have two-layer insulation of the floor in a wooden house from below. It is necessary to reduce the loss of heat escaping through the rough bottom. Typically, the floor is made from regular boards, which adjust to each other. The surface will suffer from strong exposure to humidity and low temperature from the ground, so building materials must be treated with special means in advance.
2. Given the fact that wood absorbs liquid well, waterproofing will be required. Before you begin to insulate a wooden floor, it is recommended to lay one-sided fiber.
3. Products for floor insulation in a wooden house from below should not change their characteristics when in contact with wood.

Which insulation is better for the floor in a wooden house

Very often, consumers think about what material is more profitable to use to insulate a cold floor in a wooden house from below. The choice of insulation depends on the following factors: room size, type of surface, type of wood, climate, price. It’s worth saying right away that it’s expensive. finishing material not always the best in quality and may simply not be suitable for a particular building. To make the right choice, it is recommended to find out what insulating floor materials are, study their characteristics and advantages.

Materials for thermal insulation

The range of modern thermal insulation is very wide. Products may differ in dimensions, characteristics, installation technologies, and so on. Insulation of floors in a wooden house is often carried out with the following building materials: mineral wool, expanded clay, penofol, polystyrene foam (expanded polystyrene), polyurethane foam, sawdust, penoplex. The choice of thermal insulation layer depends on the individual preferences of the owner of the building and the characteristics of the floor covering. How to insulate the floor in a wooden house during construction or renovation of a residential premises?

Mineral wool

Cold wood flooring is often insulated with mineral wool. This type of sealant is available as elastic mats or durable panels. The material must be laid in a single layer. The main advantages of mineral wool:

• high sound and heat insulation;
• long term practical use;
• fire resistance and high humidity;
• affordable price;
• environmental friendliness;
• This insulation is resistant to damage: mechanical and chemical influences.

Polyurethane foam

Perfect fit wooden floor a seal whose pores are closed with air and gas for insulation is polyurethane foam. This cellular material has a small mass, but retains heat well. This insulation is most resistant to the formation of fungus and mold, is not afraid of rotting, and is not susceptible to acids. Polyurethane foam is applied using a special technique and has good adhesion (adhesion to the surface). Thanks to the use of this type of thermal insulation, it is possible to insulate a floor of any shape without creating joints.

Styrofoam

Thermal insulation of floors using polystyrene foam (expanded polystyrene) has many advantages. The structure of the material provides low level vapor permeability and thermal conductivity, fire resistance, reliability, resistance to chemical and biological factors. Expanded polystyrene has a long service life and retains its characteristics for a long time. The main disadvantage is that the seal absorbs a certain amount of liquid, which may affect some properties.

Penoplex

Insulation of a wooden floor is also done with penoplex - a very light polymer homogeneous material that does not put any load on the base of the building. It is produced by extrusion - forcing molten raw materials through the molding cavity of an extruder (special equipment). Penoplex is very strong, resistant to low temperatures, durable, and has minimal moisture absorption and combustion.

Expanded clay

Thermal insulation of a wooden floor can be done using expanded clay - a loose, porous product that consists of small round balls. Insulation is produced by burning slate or clay in a special oven. Expanded clay for preserving the heat of wood floors is durable and environmentally friendly materials. It has high levels of sound insulation, fire resistance, and frost resistance. There is one significant drawback: after a certain period of time, expanded clay becomes compacted under the weight of its own weight and loses its thermal insulation qualities.

Penofol

Roll-type insulation for wooden floors, which is made from foamed polyethylene, which is covered on top aluminum foil- this is penofol. This seal is not very thick (3-10 mm), but it conducts heat well and does not require additional vapor barrier. Due to its composition, penofol has several disadvantages: foil can be “eaten” by rust, and polyethylene loses strength over time.

Installation technology

Reliable and effective option laying insulation for wooden covering from below there is installation along logs - transverse boards (beams) on which the floor covering is located. ­

1. First, logs are attached to the brick foundation, the distance between which should be 1-1.2 meters (as in the photo).
2. Chipboard or thick plywood is mounted on the beams below using self-tapping screws. This is necessary for laying thermal insulation.
3. The insulating material is laid on the surface between the joists. The thickness of this layer of thermal insulation can be varied, so you need to be guided by the dimensions of the transverse boards (joists).
4. Waterproofing is laid on top of the seal (for example, plastic film). This type of material is not always used, because some types of insulation are themselves resistant to moisture.
5. The final stage of installation is the installation of elements of old or new wooden flooring on the ground floor.

Let's consider the main stages of thermal insulation work:

1. Laying lag on the subfloor. This operation is carried out as in repair work, and the construction of a wooden house. The main advantage of this flooring system is that there is no pressure on the insulation during the operation of the house. In this case, any insulating material can be used. The subfloor is made from untreated boards - inch boards (board thickness 25 mm). Before installing the boards, treat them with an antiseptic. The logs are attached to brick posts, and the edges of the logs do not reach close to the walls. The distance between them is up to 1 meter; subfloor panels are attached to them from below. You should pay attention to large gaps between the floor boards: they need to be eliminated. Next, a waterproofing film layer is laid.
2. The insulation is installed in the joist openings. It can be sheet, tile or roll.
3. Installation of a vapor barrier, and, if necessary, another layer of waterproofing (when using mineral wool or glass wool). It can be impregnated, painted and pasted over. Pasted - this is cellophane film, the most common type. Roofing felt and isoplast are also often used. When creating a vapor barrier, layers of film are overlapped on top of each other. Joints and distances near walls and partitions are taped with special tape.
4. Laying a clean floor and final finishing. A gap between the vapor barrier and the floor is required to provide an air gap. Planed boards are used, about 5 mm thick, and a special lock is milled onto them along the length of the board.

Scheme for insulating a wooden floor in a wooden house

Choice of insulation

Let's consider all types of insulation:

Insulation with Penofol

To carry out insulation between joists, it is better to use a combination of insulation. For example, first fill the space with mineral wool. All gaps are filled with foam or sealant. Penofol is laid on top, with an overlap between the layers and on the walls of about 10 cm, with the foil facing up.

Sheets of insulation are attached with a stapler or tape and chipboard is laid on top of the joists. A gap of about one and a half centimeters is left to the walls. It is also necessary to remember about the gap between the insulation and the floor. Then the finishing floor is laid. You can only insulate with Penofol without slabs.

But there is another way to insulate with Penofol. We clean the old floor from uneven areas and lay an insulating layer. Then slats are attached to create a ventilation gap, and everything is also covered with chipboard and a clean floor. A very easy way to insulate.

Sheets of insulation are attached with a stapler or tape and chipboard is laid on top of the joists.

How to insulate a floor with penoplex

We lay a layer of waterproofing (polyethylene or roofing felt) on the subfloor. Then we lay Penoplex sheets into logs without gaps. We fasten the edges together with tape or glue the sheets to the base. We lay a layer of vapor barrier on top and cover it with a clean floor. When working, it is necessary to use basic rules and recommendations - the overlap between the thermal and vapor barrier panels should be at least 10 cm.

Floor insulation with penoplex

The peculiarity of this type of insulation is that a screed is made on top of the expanded clay layer, and a wooden floor is attached to it. Recommendations – it is better to entrust the calculation of the expanded clay layer to a specialist. In a wooden house, it is better to use several sizes of expanded clay granules to fill the voids as much as possible.

In a wooden house, it is better to use several sizes of expanded clay granules to fill the voids as much as possible.

Mineral wool for insulation

It is better to use slabs or mats. Rolls are inconvenient to work with and a lot of waste remains when adjusting to size. The gaps between the plates should be filled well. Cold bridges can form here, leading to heat loss. Expanded clay can be used as an additional layer. This will further increase the thermal insulation of the wooden floor in the house.