How to insulate a loggia with penoplex with your own hands - technology and advice

Insulation of the loggia with penoplex is an effective solution to the issue of maintaining heat in this room in winter and protection from high temperatures in summer heat. The material has a number of unique performance characteristics, due to which it is in demand in private and industrial construction. Do-it-yourself insulation of a balcony with penoplex is a simple and safe event that does not require professional skills and special tools. In addition, you can do the work alone, which further reduces the repair budget.

Is it possible to use penoplex for a loggia

GOST, SNiP and SanPin do not contain any restrictions on the use of penoplex as insulation for residential, utility and office buildings.

The use of this material is dictated by the following factors:

• Outside rooms used to be used as storage and drying places, but now this attitude has changed radically. If you insulate the balcony with your own hands with penoplex, it can be used as an office, workshop, gym or greenhouse.
• High-quality thermal insulation creates a protective barrier with the adjacent room. Thanks to this, it maintains a comfortable microclimate, less heating bills.
• Prevention of dampness and mold growth on load-bearing structures. Thermal insulation of the balcony with penoplex extends the life of the building and minimizes the likelihood of costly capital repairs.

Since it is prohibited by law to take out water and electric radiators to the loggia, the best solution is to use thermal insulation boards in combination with high-quality waterproofing materials. This is not a violation and in some regions is encouraged financially through energy saving programs.

Selection of material type and thickness

The work begins with design, calculations and procurement of materials. Penoplex is produced in the form of plates of 100 × 100 cm and 100 × 200 cm formats. The edges of the parts are made in the form of a step to ensure a reliable and tight connection.

Depending on the place of installation, plates of the following thickness are used:

• for walls - 20 mm;
• for cold ceilings and balcony grilles - 100 mm;
• for floor and warm ceiling - 50 mm.

When planning, it should be borne in mind that in order to carry out high-quality insulation, it is necessary to purchase a large number of fastening, connecting and finishing materials.

For work you will need:

• waterproof drywall;
• glossy PVC panels;
• laminate;
• foil-clad penofol;
• glue;
• facade plaster;
• membrane film;
• wooden beam;
• deep penetration impregnation;
  
• antiseptic;
• disc dowels;
• polyurethane foam.

The list can be expanded depending on the design of the finished premises, its size and configuration.

To carry out insulation, you need to prepare the following tools:

• level;
• puncher;
• a hammer;
• stationery knife with spare replaceable blades;
• aluminum tape;
• hacksaw or electric jigsaw;
• iron ruler;
• steel spatula.

Since some of the work will be carried out at a height, it is advisable to have a stepladder. A helmet, goggles, gloves and a gauze bandage should be worn to protect skin, eyes and breathing.

Insulate outside or inside

Balconies can be insulated from the inside or outside. Each technology has its own characteristics, pros and cons. To make the right decision, you need to consider all the nuances in detail.

External insulation affects the parapet and side walls of the loggias. The advantages of this approach:

• Contact with the external environment occurs along the surface of the finish. Supporting structures are protected from negative natural factors.
• Usable space is not reduced. This is true for small spaces, especially if custom-made furniture is installed in them.
• There is no condensation and dampness, the risk of mold, mildew and damage to the finishing material completely disappears.

There are also disadvantages:

• The complexity of the conduct. Insulation can only be done on the ground floor without scaffolding.
• Possible limitations. Often there are bans on making changes to the facades of houses, especially on the central streets of settlements.

Benefits internal works:

• Convenience and safety.
• There is no need to coordinate your actions.
• Possibility to conduct it yourself.

Cons of this option:

• Reduction of the internal volume of the room.
• The negative impact of the environment on the supporting structures.

The decision should be made after assessing all factors, taking into account the budget and prospects.

Preference should be given to internal insulation, since loggias are much easier to repair and replace after the insulation is worn out.

Step-by-step instruction

It is better to finish the balcony in the warm season, after waiting for stable weather. Rain, snow, wind and temperature changes are not the best helpers in your work. Even in a glazed room, it is necessary to open windows for ventilation. Warming is carried out in stages, in compliance with all the nuances of technology. The screed can only be made in loggias that rest on the side walls. It is forbidden to make the balconies heavier, as this is fraught with their destruction.

Balcony preparation

First, you need to study the state of the structure. If it is badly dilapidated, it is necessary to carry out restoration measures. For this, side iron beams or vertical supports for the first floor can be installed. It is advisable to replace old wooden windows with new ones with energy-saving double-glazed windows.

After that, you should perform the following activities:

1. Remove all furniture, flowers and other objects from the balcony that may interfere with the repair.
2. Remove old finishes from surfaces. Seal through holes and crevices with sealant.
3. Measure with a level the degree of curvature of the walls, floor and ceiling. Smooth them out with plaster if necessary.
4. If you plan to electrify the loggia, make grooves and holes for mounting boxes. Lay communications in them in flexible plastic tubes. Cover the channels and openings in the socket boxes.
   
5. Treat surfaces with a deep penetration primer, wait until it dries completely.
6. Apply a layer of waterproofing. For this, you can choose a film or coating materials.

Further work can be performed after all adhesives are dry and take a permanent form.

Penoplex insulation

Installation is carried out from bottom to top. So each subsequent surface will have a support for fastening.

Insulation of the floor in the loggia with penoplex:

1. On the base, a frame is made of a wooden bar. The wood is pretreated with an antiseptic. The crossbeams are laid at intervals of 100 cm, which corresponds to the width of the insulation.
2. The slabs fit into the openings. The edges are carefully trimmed with a clerical knife and glued together. The side openings are filled with polyurethane foam.
3. A membrane film is laid on top and fixed with staples.

Further actions depend on the type of the selected finish. If it is planned to lay parquet, linoleum or laminate, the frame must be sheathed with thick slabs, which will serve as an even and solid base. Solid and engineered planks can be laid directly on the frame.

The wall cladding technique is determined by the type of finish. If these are panels or slabs, it is necessary to make a crate into which the insulation is inserted. It is simply glued to the surface, then covered with a membrane. The sheathing is attached to the frame with staples or self-tapping screws. If you plan to use facade plaster, in addition to glue, penoplex is fixed on the base with disc dowels, 5 pieces per square (in the center and corners). Then a construction mesh is glued to the insulation and only then plaster and paint are applied.

Ceiling insulation is carried out by analogy with floors and walls:

1. Manufacturing of lathing from a bar or steel profile.
2. Laying the slabs into the frame with pre-applied glue.
3. Drilling through holes in the ceiling slab, driving in disc spatulas into them.
4. Filling cracks with polyurethane foam, cutting off excess after it has hardened.
5. Sheathing of the lathing with a membrane film.

If necessary, a mesh is glued to the plates if further plastering is planned. But such decisions are rarely made, as their implementation is laborious and impractical.

Finishing

The choice of material for finishing is made based on the tastes of the owners and the characteristics of the room. If it is open, you should use waterproof coverings that are resistant to temperature extremes.

There are the following options for finishing surfaces for different purposes:

• floor - solid and engineered board, ceramic and stone tiles, linoleum, carpet, laminate and parquet;
• walls - plaster, tiles, non-woven and liquid wallpaper, MDF, wooden slats;
• ceiling - plasterboard, PVC panels, metal slats, tile systems, stretch fabric.

It is recommended to use durable and expensive materials with a long service life. The right choice will allow you to forget about repairs for a long time.

Pros and cons

Penoplex is a modern insulation material with closed internal cavities. Its performance characteristics are superior to foam, tile and roll counterparts.

The products have the following advantages:

• Low level of thermal conductivity. Thanks to this, the supporting structures are reliably protected from the destructive effects of the environment.
• Wide temperature range of operating conditions. The material can be used in almost any region of the country except the Far North, where the temperature drops below –50 ºС.
• Waterproof. Penoplex does not absorb moisture, mold and fungus do not form on it, insects and rodents avoid contact with insulation.

  

• Density. The slabs have a spongy structure, which makes them easy to cut, they do not crumble during transportation and installation.
• Safety. The material does not emit substances harmful to human health into the air and does not burn when melting at high temperatures.
• Low specific gravity. The panels are easy to work with, they do not put a serious load on the load-bearing surfaces, even when laid in several layers.
• Elasticity. The slabs bend well, they can be used to finish curved surfaces, which are often found in both old and modern buildings.
• Long service life.Manufacturers guarantee the service life of the penoplex at least 50 years, subject to the technology of transportation, storage and installation.

This unique insulation also has disadvantages. It is destroyed by ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, an appropriate cladding is needed. During installation, do not use substances containing toluene, on contact with which the insulation melts. The downside is also poor sound insulation.

Penoplex poorly protects the loggia from street noise. It should be combined with other materials, but this leads to an increase in the thickness of the coating.