Living in a building made of solid wood is comfortable, prestigious and even healthy. But there are no ideal objects, and houses from a bar have disadvantages characteristic of them. One of the disadvantages is the cooling of the floors of the first floor under the influence of the air coming from the cold ground. Walking on icy surfaces negates all the benefits of an environmentally friendly building. Competently carried out floor insulation in a wooden house will allow you to get rid of this problem forever. To do this, you need to choose the right materials and, in accordance with the technology, fix them on the base plate.
How to choose insulation
Homes on concrete and screw piles suffer the most from soil cold. Their foundations are not protected from environmental influences and can quickly deteriorate. A wide range of heaters is on sale, which differ in price, appearance, application methods and operating conditions. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages, which must be taken into account when planning work. In order not to be mistaken when making a decision, you should briefly familiarize yourself with the features of the most common heat insulators used in modern construction.
Penoplex
Penoplex is produced by passing the foamed polymer through an extruder. The result is slabs with an impressive list of positive characteristics. They are determined by the structure of the material, the structure of which is many small closed cells. The blocks are available in 100 × 100 cm format, 20, 50 and 100 mm thick.
Penoplex advantages:
- low thermal conductivity;
- flexibility and resilience;
- wide temperature range of application;
- ease;
- ease of installation;
- waterproofness.
The disadvantages of penoplex include instability to ultraviolet light and the release of toxic smoke when exposed to high temperatures. In addition, the polymer conducts sound well. This factor must be taken into account if the building is located in a noisy place.
Mineral wool
Mineral wool is a proven thermal insulation for decades that has proven itself in a wide variety of conditions. Represents fibers oriented in space and tightly intertwined with each other. It is produced in mats and rolls, depending on the thickness and raw materials used in the manufacture.
The following types of mineral wool are on sale:
- stone;
- slag;
- glass.
The most popular product among builders is Knauf's basalt mats.
The material is used to insulate logs, supports, basements, floors and has the following advantages:
- light weight;
- incombustibility;
- good sound insulation;
- insignificant thermal conductivity.
In addition to the high price, mineral wool has such a disadvantage as hygroscopicity. When saturated with moisture, its performance decreases. In addition, many small fibers are separated from the material during the installation process. Laying must be carried out in protective equipment and special clothing.
Styrofoam
Polyfoam is often used to insulate a wooden floor, since, along with an affordable cost, it has a number of other positive properties:
- low thermal conductivity;
- waterproofness;
- ease of processing;
- light weight;
- durability;
- resistance to temperature extremes.
The disadvantages of the material are that it decomposes under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, crumbles and breaks even under light loads.
Foil materials
The decision to foil the insulation was made based on the study of space technologies. A thin layer of aluminum reflects heat back into the room, preventing cold penetration from outside. Thanks to this property, the thickness of the porous component decreases, which has a positive effect on construction - useful volume is saved, thin material can be wrapped around structures of almost any complexity.
Penofol has the following advantages:
- ecological cleanliness;
- versatility in application;
- good heat retention;
- excellent sound insulation.
The disadvantage of penofol is its limited service life. From contact with moisture, aluminum foil is destroyed within 5-10 years, after which water penetrates into the porous structure and the material must be replaced.
Other heaters
It is possible to insulate a private building in other ways, using raw materials from factory and own production.
To do this, you can use:
- Polyurethane foam. This is a binary substance that is applied to surfaces under pressure using a spray gun. After solidification, a dense porous mass is formed, filling all the voids. PPU has excellent thermal insulation and only needs protection from ultraviolet radiation.
- Expanded clay. Vulcanized porous clay balls are poured into the space between the subfloor and the final floor. The material has excellent insulating characteristics, is environmentally friendly, and has an affordable cost. The disadvantage is that it thickens over time under the influence of gravity and loses working qualities. The material needs to be changed periodically, for which the cover will have to be opened.
- Wood sawdust. Natural raw materials are inexpensive and protect housing well from the cold. Sawdust is used together with clay, making a thick solution. They are pretreated with antiseptics and hydrophobic drugs. Once cured, the clay can be used as a base for laying the topcoat.
To choose the right heat insulator, you need to carefully consider all the available aspects, putting the durability of the filler at the forefront.
Preparatory work
Before the start of insulation, it is necessary to carry out a number of measures to prepare the supporting structures and surfaces for long-term insulation. This is necessary to prevent the development of corrosion and decay of materials that are inaccessible for inspection.
Sequencing:
- Remove the old cover. It must be disassembled carefully so as not to damage the supporting structures.
- Inspect the wood, mark the places damaged by mold. Remove rot, reinforce these areas if necessary.
- Treat the structure with a fire retardant, antiseptic and hydrophobic agent.
- If access to the supports or foundation is subsequently closed, equip them with waterproofing and cover with insulation.
After preparatory work, you need to choose a way to insulate the floor in a wooden house, carry out calculations and purchase the necessary materials. They must be purchased with a margin of 10-15%, taking into account errors and losses during transportation.
Warming options
Before starting work, you need to decide on which side to lay the insulating materials. Insulation from below gives the following advantages:
- maintaining the height of the room;
- the point of contact with cold air is moved away from the supporting structures;
- there are no restrictions on the thickness of the created layer;
- the overlap is protected from dampness, insects, microorganisms and thanks to this it will last a long time.
The disadvantage of this approach is that it is convenient to use it at the stage of building construction. To insulate a wooden floor during operation, it will be necessary to dismantle it, which is fraught with breakage and damage to the previously laid coating.
Top finishing can be done at any time, even several years after the completion of construction. But this is the only plus of this technology. The cons are as follows:
- you need to select a finish with a hard coating;
- the overlap is in contact with the external environment and quickly deteriorates;
- raising the floor level decreases the height of the room.
Experts recommend applying insulation from below, as this is the optimal solution in all aspects.
Step-by-step instruction
Before starting the repair, you need to draw up a competent scheme. It will help you do the job accurately, in the correct sequence.
Step-by-step instructions for carrying out insulation:
- Laying rough boards on logs. They will be the basis and support for all subsequent layers. The slots are sealed with polyurethane foam or tape.
- Laying a vapor-permeable membrane. It is necessary to remove moisture generated in the room. The fabric is fastened with a hand stapler with 6 mm staples.
- Wireframe creation. The height of its walls should correspond to the thickness of the insulation. If mortar or bulk material is used, its layer must be at least 20 cm.
- Installation of thermal insulation. This procedure is carried out in accordance with the technology that applies to each type of material. Pay attention to the absence of gaps.
- Installation of waterproofing. For this, webs that conduct moisture in one direction are best suited. The strips are superimposed on each other with an overlap of 15-20 cm. The joints are fixed with tape.
- Laying the finished floor. The choice is determined by the type of finish. For linoleum, parquet and carpet, it is better to take inexpensive sheets of waterproof plywood with a thickness of 16-25 mm. A solid board can be laid directly on the frame. In this case, you should take slats with selected edges so that there are no through slots in the surface.
Since the main advantage of a wooden structure is its ventilation qualities, the finishing coat must be similar.
Common mistakes and problems
When insulating buildings made of wood, novice craftsmen make mistakes at various stages of construction.
- Unpacking insulation well before laying. As a result, the material becomes saturated with moisture and loses its characteristics.
- Incorrect installation of thermal insulation. With strong compression, thermal conductivity increases, and the slots are cold bridges.
- Ignoring the preparatory phase. If the mold is not removed from the wood, it will continue to deteriorate until it cracks or breaks.
- Lack of treatment of boards and lag with an antiseptic. Under the influence of dampness, a fungus starts in them, which soon leads to unscheduled repairs.
- Insufficient insulation layer. Saving or incorrect calculation leads to the fact that in severe frost, insulated floors still freeze.
- Using a vapor barrier film. The consequence is the formation of condensation under the coating and decay of the filler.
- Violation of the sequence of laying materials. The result is the penetration of moisture into the finished "cake".
To avoid such mistakes, you need to act in strict accordance with the drawn up plan, strictly following the instructions specified by the manufacturers of building materials.
