Behind last decade private home ownership has gained mass popularity and has become almost a trend modern world. People are increasingly striving to get out of stuffy walls apartment buildings, purchasing real estate outside the city limits. Depending on financial capabilities, cottages are built from scratch, houses in the village are rebuilt, or dachas are refurbished so that you can comfortably spend the winter in nature, away from the bustle of the city.
However, not all city dwellers, having decided to move to the bosom of nature, know the intricacies of village construction that we inherited from our ancestors. One of these subtleties is the presence of a vestibule, or simply a vestibule, in a private house. Those same ordinary canopies, sung in the lyrics and rustic prose of Russian classics.
What is it and what is it for?
vestibule in modern construction called the buffer zone between the street and front door into a living space. As a rule, the vestibule is small but sufficient in size to regulate air flows coming from the street. This is especially important during the cold season.
When you open the entrance door of the vestibule, the flow of cold air does not immediately penetrate into the house.
This is why our ancestors built canopies - cold air is dissipated in the transit space, allowing the main living space to be kept warm, and warm air from the house does not escape outside when the front door is opened, since the vestibule door is already closed by that time.
According to modern building standards, the doors of living rooms must be separated from the street by at least three doors, this will preserve optimal temperature bedrooms and will reduce heating costs.
But not all builders and the owners themselves agree to heed this valuable advice: many people believe that the vestibule takes away extra square meters from the living space of the house and it is better to make a double insulated door. However, a double door retains heat better only when closed, and when opened, it lets cold air directly into the house, since the doors are located so close that they open simultaneously.
In addition, the canopy also served as a utility unheated room where gardening tools and canned supplies for the winter could be stored, and also had an entrance to other utility rooms adjacent to the house. Currently, the entrance to the garage or boiler room is often made from the vestibule.
Another significant advantage of the vestibule is that with its presence, a significant proportion of street dirt and water is not carried directly into the house. You can leave your outerwear in the vestibule, shake off snow and rain moisture, and change your shoes.
Types of vestibule in a private house
According to the principle of purpose, the vestibule can be divided into several types:
- vestibule. Unheated room, serving as a buffer zone between the living space and outbuildings. It serves as a thermal cushion for heating the house, and also eliminates the need to go outside to get into the garage or boiler room. It is desirable to have at least one small window in the vestibule;
- vestibule-hallway. A warm room that is an extension of the house. Here, as a rule, there are wardrobes for outerwear, cabinets for shoes, mirrors and shelves for them. Such a vestibule is a continuation, and in fact a full-fledged corridor of the house, so it is insulated, heated and illuminated.
- vestibule-veranda. Most often this is a room attached to the house, which has a large number of glazed windows.
In the summer season, this bright room is used as a veranda and a place to relax, and in the winter it serves as a thermal cushion and prevents the porch from developing ice if the staircase is built into the veranda itself.
Dimensions
According to building regulations dimensions vestibules in a private house should have minimum depth rooms 1.2-1.5 m so that the front door of the house can open freely without disturbing at least one person in the buffer zone. This is done to save warm air, which when opening the door will not immediately mix with the street one. By the time the street door from the vestibule opens, the door to the house is already closed, and accordingly the heat is retained.
Doors from the house to the vestibule and from the vestibule to the street must open outward.
Device and location
Since the vestibule serves primarily for significant heating savings, you should consider maximum efficiency its location and device.
In multi-storey urban buildings, the entrances themselves serve as vestibules; in some of the houses, separate vestibules for several apartments are designed, which become additional utility rooms. In the entrances themselves, double doors with a vestibule are often installed on the ground floor at the entrance; this is also done to preserve heat in the entrance during the cold season.
Depending on the type of construction in a private house, the vestibule can be built-in, that is, located within the contour of the foundation of the entire house, or be a separate extension. In the first case, you can simply highlight the vestibule by installing a partition, and in the second, it is built as an independent building, according to all the rules and nuances of construction, starting with laying the foundation.
The vestibule can be a frame attached structure made of aluminum profile, sheathed with material or completely glazed from ceiling to floor with PVC profile. In this case, the vestibule will be an airy veranda.
Entrance room projects
The entrance, located on the north side, is best protected from the wind by a built-in vestibule. It can also serve as a convenient transition to the garage and protect the front door of the house from rain and gusts of wind.
On the south and south-west side it is not recommended to build a glazed vestibule-veranda, since the sun is in summer time will turn the room into a steam room, and the opportunity to relax on the veranda will be reduced to zero, since the sun will shine through the southwestern windows of the veranda until late in the evening.
In the attached vestibule there is often a porch structure, and, accordingly, a staircase leading into the house. This will prevent icing of the dangerous area, and will also allow you to take out keys, shake off clothes, close and open the doors of the house, while being protected by the canopy and walls from snow, wind and rain.
As a rule, the vestibule is built from the same material as the house. However, this is not at all necessary: attached to brick house the vestibule may well be made of wood materials on a stone foundation.
It is not necessary to make a vestibule door at the entrance to the house. If it is possible to make a spacious entryway, then the entrance to it can be on the side of the house. This will further preserve the thermal air cushion between the house and the street. Plan one-story house with a separate vestibule can be designed in such a way that it creates a spacious glass veranda, going around the whole house or part of it.
Vestibule finishing
The material for covering the floor, ceiling and walls of the vestibule is selected depending on the purpose and type of extension. If this is a vestibule-hallway built into the thermal contour of the house, then the decoration will fully correspond to the interior. In this case, it is necessary to insulate the floors and walls, provide heating, install windows with double glazing or do without window openings at all in order to retain heat as much as possible.
A cold attached vestibule that serves as a canopy can be lined with polycarbonate - it will protect from wind and rain and create an air cushion.
Arrangement of the interior of the vestibule
Interior arrangement the vestibule depends on its secondary purpose. If you want to make the extension as functional as possible, it will not be difficult. If dimensions allow, then even in a cold, uninsulated room you can arrange furniture for gardening tools, heaters and thermal curtain systems, as well as shelves for items that are used only in the warm season.
Insulation
Despite the fact that the main function of a cold extension is to create a protective zone in front of the front door, which prevents the door from freezing at low temperatures, it can also perform more diverse tasks. Thus, even incomplete insulation of the extension can create an optimal microclimate for a gradual transition to frosty air. For example, if you are dressing a child or waiting for the household to gather, one of you will have to stand fully dressed.
In this case, the cool veranda will prevent those already dressed from overheating, while at the same time eliminating the need to wait in the frosty air.
The attached room does not provide sources of main heating, since this is an unnecessary and unprofitable consumption of resources. The materials used to cover the walls and floor can serve as insulation. In frame buildings, there are niches for insulation inside the cladding, and for brick extensions, materials with heat-saving surfaces are suitable.
If possible, you can insulate a certain area of the floor with a heating cable laid in one of the corners. This place will serve as a shoe dryer in the autumn-winter period, and at the same time maintain a certain temperature throughout the room.
To learn how to insulate walls from the inside, see the following video.
Glazing options
IN ideal Openings for windows are included in the design of the vestibule. This helps in saving energy - during the daytime you will not have to use artificial lighting. However, in the spacious insulated vestibule with large window openings You will have to take care of high-quality glazing of the openings, otherwise warm air will not linger in the room. In the case of a vestibule-hallway with windows built into the thermal circuit of the house, it is necessary to install double-glazed windows, as in all living rooms.
If the vestibule-veranda does not imply additional heating, then you can glaze the window openings ordinary windows. This will solve the lighting problem and protect from rain and wind.
Doors
If the extension room does not serve as a storage facility for valuables, then the door can be very ordinary, with a simple lock. Its main function is protection from bad weather and precipitation, as well as the aesthetic function of decorating the front entrance of the house. The entrance door to the house itself should not only be reliable protection from intruders, but also well-insulated, preventing warm air from escaping. Ideally, the space between two doors should be one and a half to two steps of an adult, so that one of the doors has time to be closed when the other opens. Thus, both doors of the vestibule, with correct distance from each other will save on heat energy costs.
Roof
The installation of a roof is intended only for vestibule projects that are external extensions to the main facility. For the roof of an extension, a certain configuration is required for the slope of rainfall, as well as fastenings inside the room, that is, enough solid foundation and frame. Do not forget about drainage so that raindrops do not fall in a stream onto the space in front of the door.
A cold vestibule is a room that some consider useful, others do not. However, there are construction standards that this small room allows you to comply with. We’ll talk about how to build it correctly in this article.
Is an entrance vestibule to the house necessary or not?
Building codes require that in each residential building there be a room between street door and the one that leads to the living space. For private houses, this condition is not mandatory, but owners often try to fulfill it. Why? The vestibule serves as a natural barrier to wind and cold air. In addition, shoes are left here, and along with them, dirt. If it merges the input into a private house and, for example, a garage or other outbuildings, it protects from noise and unpleasant odor. in winter cold vestibule can replace a refrigerator, since few people decide to heat the room, rightly considering it unreasonable.
There are also owners who clutter the room with old things, turning it into a storage room. It is not advisable to do this. It is enough to put shelves for shoes. If the size allows, leave the stroller and sled.
How to build it correctly?
In areas where there is a lot of snow in winter, the vestibule in the house is made on the leeward side. In addition, in accordance with fire safety standards, the door, like all entrance doors, must open outward. In addition, you will be able to save space in the vestibule. And if uninvited guests want to break into your home, it will be more difficult for them to break into such a door.
It is better to make the floor 1-2 steps lower than in the house. This is another barrier to cold air. What kind of lighting you choose depends on your preferences. In order to save energy, a window and door with a transparent glass insert are installed.
Should I heat the entrance vestibule to the house or not? Experts say that this is unreasonable: the premises are non-residential. Building codes prohibit installing heating appliances in rooms where there are external doors, as they may simply freeze. It is allowed to use a warm floor and a thermal curtain (fan with directed air flow).
During construction, you can insulate the walls using mineral wool or foam boards. In the latter case, vapor and waterproofing will be required. If metal or plastic frame, the vestibule can be turned into a winter garden. Depending on how low the temperature drops in winter, double or triple glazing is used. If the sun shines too hot in summer, it is better to choose tinted windows.
Each room in a home, be it a house or an apartment, has its own characteristics. The hallway is no exception. In a private house, the hallway has direct contact with the street, as a result, through it into the house is coming cold and dirty. In the apartment, the floor in the hallway bears the main operational load due to contact with dirt and street moisture.
In addition, hallways are often small in size. At the same time, on small area There is a lot of furniture to mark. You need a wardrobe, a hanger, and a shoe rack. There is very little open floor left. That is why, if you can buy furniture for the hallway by clicking on a link to an online furniture store, then choosing the type of heated floor for the hallway requires thoughtful planning.
Choosing a heated floor in the hallway
The modern construction services market offers 4 options for installing heated floors in residential premises. I will list the devices according to their complexity, from simple to complex.
- Thermal electric mats;
- Film heated floor;
- Electric cable heated floor;
- Water heated floor.
Each type of heated floor has its own characteristics that you need to know before choosing it for the hallway.
Thermal electric mats
If we take into account that tiles are often laid on the floor in the hallway, then electric thermal mats are ideally suited for the hallway.
Heat mats for sale in finished form, according to the dimensions of a pre-made calculation. A floor calculation can be done for you in the store. If we take into account that thermal mats are not placed under furniture, the number of mats for the hallway will be minimal.
The readiness of purchased mats allows you to minimize installation work. They are relatively unpretentious to install. A level base, space for installing the regulator and a power supply are required. There is no need to do special covering work for them; the tiles are laid directly on rolled out mats, and they are covered with tile adhesive.
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However, mats also have disadvantages. Cover with thermal mats better than tiles or porcelain stoneware, and if you plan to use wood-based coatings for flooring, it is better to choose a different type of heated floor. For example, film heated floor.
Film heated floor for the hallway
Film heated floors fit any finishing material, which do not require gluing. Board, parquet, parquet board, laminate, linoleum and carpet secured with baseboards, all these materials will perfectly cover a film floor. Installing a film floor is not difficult, and you can do it yourself.
Cable heated floor
Cable heated floors are heated with an electric cable, similar to those in thermal mats, but with more complex installation. Installation of this type of heated floor is much more complicated than those listed above.
- The heat cable is laid on concrete base, which must be covered with reflective material.
- To install the cable, you need to install special holders, and the cable itself needs to be laid according to a complex pre-calculated pattern.
- But most importantly, electrical cable The heated floor must be covered with a layer of screed to ensure uniform heating and protection of the cable. Such a shelter allows you not to think about the arrangement of future furniture, and install warm floors over the entire floor area.
Such technological complexity of installation makes it unprofitable to use it only for the hallway. However, a cable heated floor in the hallway can perfectly become part of common system cable floor for the entire home.
Water heated floor
- Water heated floor is the most a complex system floor heating. Consider it as separate system It doesn't make sense to heat the hallway.
- The use of a water heated floor system in the hallway can only be considered as part of the overall heating system for the house with water floors.
- The difficulties of a water heated floor include a separate water supply, complex and expensive installation of water distribution and circulation, covering with a screed, difficult startup and operation.
conclusions
Putting all of the above together, an autonomous heated floor in the hallway should be made from.
Construction is an extremely expensive process, especially by today's standards. Hence, it is quite natural that any space should bear a certain load, that is, not be ownerless. This is a reasonable approach, but it’s a shame that people suffered undeservedly because of it small room, regarding which certain standards were even created at one time.
Modern builders consider a vestibule in a private house to be completely useless. They motivate this by the fact that a small room without heating only takes heat from the house, therefore, energy consumption increases. This is partly true, but they forget that thanks to this room, the cold from the street does not enter the house. Simply put, the front door is reliably protected from piercing winds and nasty precipitation. It is always dry and relatively warm, so the heat from the house does not escape outside, but, on the contrary, remains inside.
The new role of the vestibule in a private house
It is likely that the whole problem with the unpopularity of the vestibule lies in its size. What if we made it a little bigger? This will expand it functionality. For example, you can arrange a dressing room in it, where all outerwear and shoes will be located. If your house is connected to a garage, then such a room will act as a buffer zone that will not allow cold and exhaust from the garage to enter the living space.
options for placing a vestibule in a private house 
example of building a vestibule with your own hands
The main task of a vestibule in a private house is to preserve heat. Despite this, many consider it optional, citing the fact that it is better to install double door. Indeed, two doors retain heat much better than one. But due to this, the time it takes you to get into the house will increase, which means that the cold stream will still be able to enter with you. Therefore, having a small protected space in front of the front door is a necessity.
Design features of a vestibule in a private house
Having finally decided on the role and functions of the vestibule in a private house, and realizing its necessity, you can begin construction. There are vestibules two types: built into the structure of the house and attached to it. Let's look at each type in more detail.
For the construction of an attached vestibule The first thing you need to do is make a foundation. It makes sense to coordinate the design of the foundation with the designer, since it depends on a number of factors: the composition of the soil, the weight of the structure, the presence of a porch, etc. Most often chosen strip foundation. However, it all depends on the specific situation.
vestibule in the form of a veranda 
external vestibule in a private house
There is no need to provide heating in this room, i.e. heating is optional. It is enough to insulate the door and walls well. This will ensure reliable sealing. However, if you want the vestibule to serve as a hallway, you can install an additional radiator or heat gun. But first, let's return to the construction aspects.
It is better to build the walls from the same material as the house. Additionally, they can be insulated using foam sheets or mineral wool mats. Regardless of the chosen option, insulation will play a role important role. In winter it will not let the heat out of the house, and in summer it will keep it cool.
Now you need to tackle the floor. Firstly, the vestibule floor is lowered below the main floor of the building by 1-2 steps. This will keep the heat better. It is better to make the floor concrete to protect against rodents. You can lay a board on top of the concrete - this will make the room warmer, or you can lay tiles, which will help simplify cleaning. You should choose tiles with a rough surface to increase contact with shoes and protect against slipping. Some homeowners install a water-heated floor in the vestibule, but in our opinion, this is not convenient. Excessive heat in the vestibule will contribute to the formation of condensation on doors and locks; in winter, this can lead to freezing and problems with opening and closing doors. Heating the vestibule also implies the presence of ventilation in the room.
interior decoration
house with external vestibule
As for lighting, placing a window in the vestibule in a private house is not at all necessary. It will be enough and artificial lighting in the form of a lamp, especially considering the fact that it will only work for a few hours a day. For convenience, many owners provide a small window in the vestibule or a door with glass inserts. This is done for the purpose natural light premises during the daytime. This decision is entirely at your discretion. Doors with glass inserts will be less airtight and not as reliable. It is worth considering that external doors It is worth mounting so that they open outwards.
The size of the vestibule is also not an unimportant thing. Since the time spent in this room is not significant, he does not want to devote a lot of space from total area Houses. However, it is necessary to consider comfort for both you and all members of your family. The dimensions of this room should also allow for the possible movement of furniture from the house to the street and back. A depth of 1.4-1.5 m, in our opinion, will be sufficient. The width must take into account the dimensions door leaf internal and outer door(it is advisable to install the doors opposite each other).
The built-in vestibule is easier to organize. The same recommendations apply here, with the exception of the construction itself. You will not need additional insulation of the walls in the vestibule area. Many people make access to the garage from the vestibule, it’s convenient. We recommend placing special mats for cleaning shoes at the entrance. Rugs should have large cells and hard pile.
Walls from the inside: whim or necessity?
It is recommended to choose the finishing of a room with a constant temperature difference from moisture-resistant materials. You can see the vestibule layout options on our page.
As you can see, building a vestibule is quite simple. There is no need for this high costs, then you will feel all its benefits. Not only will you reduce heating costs, but you will also be able to ensure a comfortable environment in your home.
According to standards living rooms(bedrooms and children's rooms) must be separated from the street by at least three doors. When they are opened sequentially, cold air remains between them and does not enter the living spaces.
At the same time, the house remains warm, heating devices They don’t “warm up” the street. And in the summer, the coolness in the house is preserved, which is especially important when using air conditioning.
Thus, both winter and summer provide more efficient use climate control technology and savings in heating or cooling costs are created.
In addition, the vestibule blocks the formation of drafts and prevents smoke and unnecessary odors from entering the house. Finally, here you can leave your shoes, and with them the dirt from the street.
Reliable insulation
Whether the vestibule will act as a temperature barrier for other rooms depends, first of all, on its thermal insulation qualities.
The outer wall of the vestibule, being part of the external structures of the house, - compound element thermal circuit building, and its “pie” should help ensure and maintain the “thermos effect”.
The wall is made of the same material as the entire house. But if additional insulation For example, for a wall made of ceramic block or laminated veneer lumber it is usually not required, but in the vestibule area experts recommend installing a layer of thermal insulation made of foam plastic, perlite or mineral wool slabs (basalt or glass wool).
For the latter it is required film vapor barrier With inside, which will prevent the insulation layer from getting wet and losing its qualities. From the outside, a reinforcing mesh is strengthened onto the heat-insulating layer and then covered finishing paint or plaster.
Technologies for vestibule
The attached vestibule can also be made using technology winter garden: frame made of aluminum or plastic profile with double glazing. The main thing is to ensure reliable connection of the profile structure with the main wall.
To do this, make an expansion joint: leave a gap 20-50 mm thick, fill it with fibrous insulation (tow or mineral wool, but not polyurethane foam) and are protected with façade sealant or waterproofing tape.
The same seam must be made at the junction of the cottage foundations and entrance vestibule to avoid cracks in the future. But the roof of the extension cannot be joined in this way. To cover an attached vestibule, it is better to perform an independent truss structure, and close the joint from above with a cornice strip.
Also in the vestibule you need special attention Make sure there are no cracks: around the perimeter of the doors, along the baseboards and in the corners. It is better to fill large holes with mineral wool, but you can also blow them out with polyurethane foam, and fill small cracks with tow, seal them with insulating tape, or simply “close” them with silicone sealant.
Doors for vestibule
Particular attention should be paid to doors. The outer one should be made of solid wood or metal frame with internal insulation.
Perfect as a second one balcony door with a double-sided handle, glazing and complete sealing of the opening due to two sealing contours.
You can put a simple one, even interior door made of wood or plastic, you just need to cover it around the perimeter with a rubber seal.
To heat or not to heat?
The question of the need and possibility of heating for the vestibule raises a lot of controversy. Some experts strongly recommend installing the circuit of the general heating system here to avoid the appearance of frost on the doors or ceiling of the room in winter. In addition, according to them, the vestibule can become so cold in cold weather that it ceases to act as a temperature buffer.
However, according to building regulations, heating appliances should not be placed in rooms that have external doors to avoid freezing of the coolant.
And most designers do not recommend connecting the vestibule to traditional heating systems: this leads to unnecessary, completely unnecessary energy costs. The very essence of the vestibule is to be a buffer, a mixing zone of cold and warm air.
Heating the vestibule
It is permissible to install two heating devices here. Firstly, it is a cable heated floor. It will not harm the main function of the vestibule, will provide a more comfortable change from street shoes to house slippers, and will speed up the melting of snow, which often accumulates on the soles.
Air will also benefit thermal curtain, that is, several fan heaters installed above the doorway, with a flat, clearly directed air flow.
It will be enough to install a curtain of low power (1.5-5 kW) so that a wall of warm air along the opening completely cuts off the cold air from the residential area. In this case, the vestibule will be used only for changing shoes and accumulating street dirt.