Often the floor in it is built directly on the ground. This is a practical and inexpensive solution, but due to the fact that there is contact with cold ground, it is necessary to insulate the concrete floor of the first floor to make it comfortable to use. Today we will tell you how to insulate the first floor floor yourself. Let’s look at several options that can be applied both at the construction stage and already finished floor, which was not initially insulated.
In principle, you are free to use whatever your heart desires, focusing on your financial capabilities. Technically, it is possible to use any option. Below is a table with the most common materials used for these purposes.
Table. Review of popular insulation materials.
| Name, photo | Short description |
|---|---|
| This material can only be used to insulate an already finished floor. Due to the fact that it is soft, installation is allowed only under a joist system (lathing). It is inexpensive, is not afraid of rodents, but reacts very strongly with a loss of thermal conductivity when wet, so it needs high-quality hydro- and vapor barrier. |
| Depending on the density of the material, it can be used both on the sheathing and under the screed. When surrounded on all sides by concrete, it will be protected from fire. Polystyrene foam is afraid of rodents, which is considered one of the main disadvantages of floor insulation. |
| You can insulate with expanded clay in different ways. More often it is arranged as a separate layer, on top of which a reinforced cement screed is made, or it is poured between the joists if the floor is framed. It can also be used as a component of a concrete mixture when pouring a floor slab. |
| A modern solution is to treat the room with liquid polyurethane foam. It is applied in a continuous layer, which means it will not have cold bridges inherent in other insulation materials. The material is not afraid of moisture, is environmentally neutral, weighs little and has low thermal conductivity. |
We have already mentioned. This material belongs to the category of lightweight concrete, of which there are many varieties.
This includes: foam concrete, aerated concrete, polystyrene concrete, sawdust concrete or wood concrete, etc. These solutions are also perfect for insulating floors.
Indicators of comfortable temperature in residential premises are regulated by state regulations, measurements are carried out in various rooms at a height of 1.5 meters from the floor level. If the floor has high thermal conductivity, but the temperature in the area where people are present drops significantly, it is necessary to increase the consumption of thermal energy for heating. With current energy prices, the problem of saving coolants occupies an important place.
One more nuance. In developed countries (in Lately in our country) systems for heating rooms using underfloor heating have become widespread. They provide maximum comfort with minimal losses. In this regard, great attention must always be paid to floor insulation.
In the article we will look at two options for insulating floors in an apartment and in a private wooden house using the most efficient materials.
Manufacturing companies offer consumers a wide range of different insulation materials, this makes it possible in each specific case to choose the best option depending on the technical parameters of the structure and its purpose. To make the right decision, you should familiarize yourself with brief characteristics the most common of them.
| Type of insulation | Performance characteristics and recommended areas of use |
|---|---|
| Quite new materials, penoizol is most often used. Advantages - they completely cover the space, eliminating the possibility of cold bridges. Disadvantages - special equipment is required for insulation; it is not recommended for use in children's rooms and bedrooms. Another drawback is that the technology excludes natural ventilation of wooden structures, which has a negative impact on the durability of operation. In addition, the facing boards must be thick; as liquid insulation hardens, it increases significantly in volume and can deform the flooring. The technology of floor insulation provides for stage-by-stage coating of boards and insulation; only through such an algorithm can one guarantee uniform distribution of insulation throughout the entire volume. |
| Expanded clay is most often used, less often slag. There is only one advantage - no high price materials. Bulk materials are much inferior to other types of insulation in terms of performance indicators, to ensure effective insulation you need to increase their thickness. It is allowed to use expanded clay during the preparation of concrete or cement-sand mortars. |
| Some of the most popular insulation materials do not emit harmful chemical compounds. They can be pressed or rolled, with or without additional waterproofing coatings. Disadvantages: high cost, negative reaction to high humidity. The installation technology must include reliable protection from the appearance of condensation, otherwise the thermal water indicators increase sharply. |
| Materials universal application, modern views They resist open combustion well. Extruded polystyrene foam can withstand significant loads and is used both separately and during combined floor insulation. The thermal conductivity characteristics are almost the same as mineral wool, and the cost is cheaper. |
Prices for Rockwool mineral wool
mineral wool rockwool
Types of load-bearing floors
- Wooden beams. Professional builders It is recommended to use lightweight insulation for them; polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, mineral wool (rolled or pressed) and glass wool are excellent. During insulation, special measures must be taken to ensure natural ventilation of wooden structures; its complete absence causes the appearance of rot and fungal diseases.
- Concrete. They are distinguished by the highest load-bearing characteristics. On such floors you can use everything existing insulation, including concrete and cement-sand mixtures with expanded clay.
The stronger the floor, the more options not only for floor insulation, but also for finishing floor coverings.
Types of floors
The flooring of the first floor can be done various materials, this factor also influences the choice of insulation.
They are heavy, it is recommended to install them on a cement-sand screed on a concrete base. Extruded polystyrene foam or solutions with the addition of expanded clay can be used as insulation. All other materials are not designed for high forces and are unsuitable for floor insulation.
Ceramic tile. Has less weight than artificial stone. Modern technologies make it possible to make such floors on OSB boards or plywood according to wooden beams or reinforced concrete floors. Due to the fact that the slabs are laid on special boards along the joists, it becomes possible to use them for insulation soft materials, including mineral wool.
Natural boards, different kinds laminate Quite lightweight structures; for insulating such floors there are no restrictions on the choice of insulation materials.
Linoleum or other soft coverings. The floors are laid on screeds; for insulation, durable insulation materials must be used. Extruded polystyrene foam or bulk insulation is recommended.
The technology for insulating floors on the first floor should include a set of special measures to protect insulation from harmful effects moisture. For example, let's look at step-by-step instructions for insulating the floors of the first floor in a private house and a city apartment.
Insulation of floors in an apartment
Extruded polystyrene foam is used as insulation, and the floor is made of reinforced concrete slab. The material is not afraid of humidity and direct contact with water, all micropores are closed. Due to these features, the technology of its installation is somewhat simplified; various types of steam and moisture protection are not used.
Extruded polystyrene foam is considered the most common and universal insulation, it can be used for loaded floors or under wooden coverings with natural ventilation. The material can withstand loads of 150–200 Pa, which is quite enough for all types of residential premises.
Floor insulation
To complete the work you will need a tape measure, a marker, a hand saw for wood with fine teeth, a marker and a mounting knife.
Step 1. Decide on the amount of material. There is no need to make a large supply of expanded polystyrene; the technology almost eliminates unproductive waste. But there will always be a surplus; expanded polystyrene is sold in slabs of standard sizes.
Important. For high-quality insulation of the floor of the first floor, the thickness of the insulation must be at least 5 cm; if the building is located in regions with harsh climatic conditions and without insulated basements, then the recommended thickness of the insulation increases to 10–15 cm.
Step 2. Prepare the surface. It should be leveled and all protruding parts should be removed. If the slab has large unevenness, then you need to do cement-sand screed, minimum thickness of at least one centimeter. It is necessary to ensure that the seams between the slabs are located in the same plane, otherwise cold bridges will form in these places, which will have a negative impact on the efficiency of insulation of the ground floor floor.
Step 3. Make a preliminary layout of the slabs. Most of them have an L-shaped edge around the perimeter; it covers cold bridges and increases the strength of the coating. Due to the edge, it is easier to control the quality of installation; the coating automatically levels itself horizontally, etc.
If you plan to use several rows thin slabs, then you need to space the seams, thereby minimizing heat losses. Make sure there are no gaps between the rows of slabs. Air moves in them, this movement carries heat out, and the effectiveness of insulation is noticeably reduced.
Step 4. The next row of slabs begins with half the width of the first row, in the standard case the parameter is 60 cm. Mark the size on the slab, draw a line perpendicular to the edge and cut the sheet using a hacksaw. If possible, it is recommended to purchase a special hacksaw for cutting polystyrene boards. Special sharpening makes it easy to cut the material, and special teeth eliminate the appearance of foam dust. Dust is carried through drafts throughout all rooms of the apartment; cleaning it will require a considerable amount of time.
Cutting should be done on a flat surface in a comfortable position. Be especially careful when finishing cutting; a thin piece of the slab may break off. The breaking line is uneven; measures will have to be taken to prevent the appearance of cracks.
Practical advice. Expanded polystyrene can be slightly deformed when the size of the slabs fluctuates; to ensure stability, it is recommended to install a damper tape approximately 5 mm thick around the perimeter of the room.
There is no need to fix the slabs to the base using brackets or dowels, which significantly reduces the time required to complete the work.
Step 5. Form a distribution layer on polystyrene foam slabs; with its help, loads are evenly distributed, which eliminates the possibility mechanical damage. It can be made from cement screed or using gypsum fiber boards, plywood, etc. Cement screed requires high costs time and effort, during the work a lot of construction waste is generated, and it takes at least 2-3 days for the solution to harden.
Flooring GVL sheets
Professionals recommend using slabs to create a pressure layer; all work can be completed within one working day. But specific solution accept depending on your wishes and the material of the final flooring.
Step 1. Draw a line on the sheet taking into account the selected width. GVL sheets Quite soft, you can cut them with a mounting knife. First, cut the paper on one side, then turn the sheet over and cut on the other.
Step 2. Lay GVL on top of the insulation with the seams staggered, press the materials tightly against each other, and do not allow any cracks to appear. If heavy loads will be applied to the floor, it is recommended to make the prefabricated screed in two layers.
Important. If the thermal insulation layer is covered with cement-sand mortar, then the insulation should be covered with plastic film or the joints should be sealed with tape. This is necessary to ensure that cement laitance does not get into the joints and form cold bridges.
Step 3. Fasten the sheets of prefabricated screed with ordinary self-tapping screws. Place them in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of approximately 30 cm from each other. When working with plasterboard slabs, pay attention to the pulling force; the slabs have little strength, and the self-tapping screw turns easily.
This technology for insulating the first floor does not imply the use of various mixtures on cement based, is called dry and can be used for various rooms.
Step-by-step instructions for insulating the floor on the first floor of a frame house
Insulation is done according to subfloor from scraps of boards. The beams are wooden, the distance between them is approximately 50–60 cm. Specific values are selected taking into account the maximum loads and the thickness of the finished floor boards. Mineral wool is used for insulation.
Step 1. Place a vapor barrier on the joists and subfloor. Carefully study the markings on the material, lay it in the desired position, otherwise moisture will not be removed from the space under the floor. The rough side allows steam to pass through and should always be facing the mineral wool. The manufacturer's logo is applied to this side.
Important. It is strictly forbidden to use polyethylene film under mineral wool insulation. The point is that in winter period time, the dew point is located in the thickness of the mineral wool. If she has high humidity, then the steam condenses, the cotton wool gets wet and catastrophically loses its heat-protective properties. Vapor barrier allows moisture to gradually escape, which prevents condensation.
Some don't experienced builders In order to save materials, the vapor barrier is cut into small pieces for laying them between two joists. Professionals do not recommend doing this for several reasons. Firstly, the time required to complete the work increases significantly. It is necessary to measure the width of each section, cut off the vapor barrier and fix it with staples around the entire perimeter. Secondly, theoretically, the total savings do not exceed a few centimeters, which will not affect the cost of materials in any way. But in practice, due to errors during circumcision, the result is not savings, but an increase in consumption.
Step 2. Place thermal insulation between the joists. You can use both rolled and pressed types. During installation, do not leave any gaps. Always cut the wool with a margin; during installation, the edges should be pressed tightly against the wooden structures. If the insulation is in two layers, then be sure to cover the joints of the first with the second layer.
Step 3. Place steam on top of the insulation insulating material Taking into account the above tips, secure it with a stapler. Be sure to install a vapor barrier on the walls, take all measures to protect the wool from moisture.
Step 4. Nail 2-3 cm thick counter-battens to the joists. They are needed to create ventilation gaps between the floor and the insulation layer, otherwise the boards will not dry out, which has a very negative effect on the service life of the structure.
Important. Do not forget about vapor barrier overlaps; the width of the overlap is at least 10 cm. It is recommended to glue the joints with tape.
The slats can be fixed with self-tapping screws or ordinary smooth nails. The length of the hardware should be at least 30% greater than the thickness of the slats. Drive the nails in at a slight angle, this will eliminate the possibility of them splitting.
There are recommendations to prevent steam from getting into the holes of the hardware by placing butyl rubber tape under the slats. This is an expensive material; to save money, the tape is cut into small pieces and glued only to the places where the nails are driven in. To avoid mistakes, marks are made on the front surface of the slats. If you wish, you can follow these recommendations. But experienced builders do not waste time on such events. The fact is that the lath is pressed tightly against the joists, due to this the holes in the vapor barrier are sealed, there is no need to do additional work.
This completes the work on thermal insulation of the floor of the first floor wooden house completed, you can start laying. There are a great many options here, it all depends on your wishes and capabilities.
Frequent mistakes when insulating a house or apartment
Large gaps between cut pieces of foam or polystyrene foam. They need to be sealed polyurethane foam. Before laying the cut piece, a small amount of foam is applied to the end of the already lying piece; after hardening, the excess material is carefully cut off with a mounting knife.
Using polystyrene foam to insulate the first floor of a wooden house. Floors must have vents for natural ventilation; rodents can enter the underground through them. After a short time they turn foam boards into dust, the effectiveness of thermal insulation tends to zero. In wooden houses it is recommended to use glass wool; it has a large fiber diameter, which pests do not like. Unfortunately, mineral wool does not become an obstacle for rodents; they can make passages and build nests in it without any problems.
Failure to comply with safety precautions when working with mineral wool. There is no need to trust manufacturers' advertisements claiming that mineral wool does not cause allergic reactions. The skin and mucous membranes are slightly damaged, which causes itching. Always work in protective clothing and gloves, and your respiratory system should be protected with respirators.
All elements of wooden structures under the insulating layer must be impregnated with antiseptics. Any of the most modern vapor barriers significantly impair natural ventilation, and for wooden structures a prolonged increase in humidity is unacceptable.
A layer of expanded clay can create a thermal protection effect only in the complete absence of air movement. This means that you need to make reliable wind protection from polyethylene film on both sides. Remember that this method is unacceptable when insulating wooden structures. As for the use of this material in cement-sand or concrete mixtures, the thermal insulation indicators are an order of magnitude inferior to modern materials.
Wrong choice of insulation. Before making a final decision, carefully analyze the characteristics of the structure and take into account the materials used to manufacture the supporting structures. Another important factor– when choosing thermal insulation, take into account the characteristics of the finishing floor covering.
If the work is carried out without haste and with skill, then thermal insulation of the floor of the first floor will save significant money during the heating season and increase the comfort of staying in the room.
Video - Floor insulation in an apartment on the first floor
It is difficult to achieve a good microclimate in any part of the building if you do not take care to reduce the level of heat loss by any means in a suitable way. And for apartments on the first floors, floor insulation is more than important. Up to 15% of the heat escapes through it (depending on the type of basement, its features, finishing), and the difference between the floor and average temperature indoors may exceed the very acceptable 20 that experts recommend.
But that's not all. Floors in high-rise buildings are made of reinforced concrete slabs. Constant dampness coming from below initiates the development of mold and mildew, which gradually move into the home. Consequently, insulating floors in an apartment on the ground floor is not only comfort, but also a completely justified necessity. All that remains is to figure out how to do it correctly with your own hands.
From an efficiency point of view - The best decision. One of the features of the ongoing processes is that the formation of condensation occurs at the interface between the insulation and the base. That is why it is recommended to lay thermal insulation material on the side where the “cold zone” is located, that is, the basement.
If it is possible to implement this technically, and besides, the utility room of the building is unheated (the heating circuit pipes should not be taken seriously into account), then it is advisable to start insulating the floor with this. Practice shows that in most cases management companies treat this problem with understanding (especially since the owner does such work for his own money), and there are no difficulties with approval.
Basement floor insulation technology
Everything here is quite simple, so all you need is an algorithm of actions.
- It is necessary to contact the Criminal Code, and after receiving permission to insulate the floor from the outside, familiarize yourself with the design of the house. It’s even better to negotiate with an appropriate specialist so that he can show you the outline of the apartment on the spot.
- Mark the basement ceiling.
- Decide on the square footage of the area that will have to be insulated.
- Purchase appropriate materials. In order to correctly calculate the required quantity, it is advisable to draw up a plan of the upper part of the basement, which is to be finished, and mark segments (squares, rectangles) on it, focusing on the dimensions of the slabs. This will help reduce waste in the process of cutting products and, accordingly, financial investments in purchasing a heat insulator. The easiest to implement and not too expensive option is.
Additionally you will need:
- glue;
- p/e film;
- sealing material. Adhesive tape (construction tape) is mainly used. If there are significant gaps between the fragments, they can be pre-sealed with foam.
- It is not advisable to purchase cheap polystyrene foam. It is porous, and evaporation is often observed in the basement (directly from heating or hot water pipes, due to a violation of the tightness of the joints). Plates, even covered with film, will absorb moisture quite intensively. And it will not be possible to achieve precise cutting of the material - foam plastic crumbles easily. This means that significant gaps can form at the joints of the fragments, which can sometimes be difficult to properly seal.
- The adhesive composition is only moisture resistant. It costs a little more, but in this case the costs are completely justified.
- Fixing the slabs on the basement ceiling using the gluing method. Dowels are not used in this case, since the base is reinforced concrete.
- Seal the resulting cracks (foam + tape).
- Arrangement of a waterproofing layer. The film is well attached to the penoplex with the same adhesive.
Internal floor insulation
It is always considered additional, but in some cases this method is the only one, and therefore the main one. It should be immediately noted that complete dismantling of the floor cannot be avoided. A big mistake is made by those who try to simplify the technology of thermal insulation and limit themselves to only removing the floorboards and laying the appropriate materials between the joists.
Therefore, it is necessary to begin considering the method of arranging floor insulation in an apartment (and not only on the first floor) in order to find out why it is necessary, complete (and time-consuming) dismantling.
Where condensate accumulates has already been said. If you lay the heat insulator directly on the concrete floor in the room, moisture will gradually collect on it. To avoid negative consequences in the form of constant dampness in the room, reducing the shelf life of the material for insulation, it is necessary to install a vapor barrier layer. Moreover, regardless of what exactly the flooring is finished with. You shouldn’t count on the fact that, for example, penoplex practically does not absorb moisture.
Floor insulation technology in an apartment
The choice of materials is at the discretion of the owner. It all depends on how exactly the floor is arranged. If this typical diagram– on joists, it is hardly advisable to use penoplex. It will not be possible to accurately cut the slabs, if only because the base elements are not located strictly parallel to each other (checked more than once). Moreover, the installation of the logs was previously carried out, as a rule, not by the owner himself, but by workers who were unlikely to be interested in scrupulous accuracy.
Therefore, it is better to lay mineral wool slabs (rolls) under the plank floor. This material is quite elastic, which guarantees the absence of joints between it and the wooden structure after installing the insulation.
Complete dismantling of the entire structure
Whether this is worth doing is up to the owner to decide. But insulating the floor is a good chance to simultaneously repair the supporting elements and replace some if necessary. Here you should focus on the condition of the floor. In addition, there is a good opportunity to perform additional leveling (by changing the height of individual logs).
Thorough cleaning of concrete products and inspection of the surface
If you are going to renovate the floors in your apartment, then do it in full. The slightest crack in the ceiling, an “opened” gap between the slabs - all this increases heat loss from the apartment. And since this is also the first floor, dampness penetrates into it quite quickly. How to eliminate the deficiency is decided during the inspection and determination of the scope of necessary work. As a rule, a solution based on cement and sand is sufficient.
Installation of a vapor barrier layer
For an apartment, you can limit yourself to P/E film. There are products specifically designed for these purposes. If the logs have not been removed, then the canvas should be wrapped on them, excluding direct contact of the wood with the insulation. The same applies to the perimeter walls. There is no need to remind you that the joints need to be taped with construction tape - this is an axiom.
Arrangement of a thermal insulation layer
Mineral wool has already been mentioned. Before purchasing it, it is worth measuring the intervals between the joists (if they remain in place) and purchasing insulation according to size. Separately, it should be noted such a parameter as the thickness of the material. It should again be selected according to the logs (their height) so as not to reduce the usable volume of the room. But between the insulation and the floorboards it is necessary to provide a small gap. This natural ventilation above the floor will further prevent dampness.
The second option is filling with expanded clay and then screeding it. This is one of the common recommendations for floor insulation. In principle, this is a good method, especially since there will be no significant load on the floor. But how acceptable is it for an apartment, if you take into account some factors: cramped space, dirt and the need to wait until the solution has completely hardened. But those who decide to implement such technology should be reminded that it is advisable to buy expanded clay of different fractions. This will allow for better compaction of the layer with a small thickness.
Floor waterproofing
It performs a double function - it prevents both condensation (from below) and water from entering onto the wood of the floorboards. For example, during wet cleaning of floors.
Option for arranging heated floors, possible methods and schemes -.
Everything is described in detail in the article. Perhaps some points and recommendations are not useful to the reader. But that's it useful tips, notes on the choice of materials and features of individual operations are based on practical experience the author in the matter of floor insulation in ground floor apartments. Decide for yourself how useful they are and whether they are worth following.
Good luck with insulating the floors on the first floor!
Few people have thought about how to insulate the floor in an apartment in a panel house. And why is this necessary? Usually there are no problems with cold in such buildings. However, the owners of apartments on the ground floor know firsthand what cold floors are. Basements do not always correspond technical requirements and often additional thermal insulation of the floor is required to maintain a positive microclimate.
Technical aspects of insulating the floor of the first floor
You need to start with the fact that it will be better if the thermal insulation of the floor of the first floors is laid from the outside. That is, from the basement. Remembering the experience of insulating walls in a panel house, laying insulation on the floor in an apartment is fraught with loss of free space and a shift in the dew point into the concrete. Although the second minus is not very relevant in this case. The thermal insulation pad will mostly fight against cold air and will not be exposed to any other impacts such as snow and rain.
Do often external insulation flooring is problematic because basement spaces are usually demarcated for private needs. But if the space is not occupied, then we can safely insulate the floor, having previously coordinated the actions with management company.
But, nevertheless, often such manipulations are impossible. In this case, you need to know how to properly insulate the floor inside the room. Here the choice of material plays a fundamental role. Before laying insulation on the floor, you need to determine what thickness of the material will least affect the loss of space. The insulator must be selected as little as possible, but taking into account the fact that it can cope with heat loss.
Insulation diagram from the basement.
The need for a waterproofing layer
You can insulate the floor in an apartment with your own hands different ways. There are many options regarding the use of materials. You can pour a concrete screed if heat losses are small. At lower rates, thermal insulation backfill with expanded clay can be carried out.
The best way to insulate the floor on the first floor is up to you to decide. But in any case, first you need to apply a waterproofing coating. Why is it necessary? Indeed, unlike thermal insulation of the floor in a private house, insulation in an apartment is carried out differently. The concrete slab is already installed and there are usually hot water pipes running through the basement.
Here it is necessary to remember the law of physics. If you put insulation on the floor, you will thus create a thermal insulation layer, no matter how thick it is. And if insulation is required, it means there is cold in the basement. Heat and cold will condense moisture when in contact with each other. It may not be as intense as in other cases, but over time, without waterproofing, condensation will form under the insulation, and then mold or mildew.
Waterproofing the floor. Therefore, making a waterproofing coating is simply necessary. The thickness of the films or mastics used for this is small, so the process will not affect the loss of space in any way.
On a note. You can do it another way, by using polymer insulators to insulate the floor of the first floor. They are resistant to moisture and will replace the waterproofing layer.
Technology
So, before putting the insulation on the floor, you need to cover the surface with waterproofing. At home regular one will do 200 micron polyethylene film. It is rolled out over the entire area. If there is no single piece, then you can lay it in strips, connecting the joints with reinforced tape.
Now let's decide on the choice of insulation. Bearing in mind the loss of height, it is necessary to select it so that the thickness of the insulating layer has a minimum effect on this. There really shouldn't be any problems. Because it is possible to properly insulate the floor in an apartment using materials that are not used in global insulation of the exterior walls of a house.
There are more sustainable options on the market. For example, the same polystyrene foam, the thickness of the sheets is 5 mm. This will be quite enough. In the line of floor insulation for concrete (89), there is also penoizol. This is a porous foil material that performs its tasks perfectly. Floors insulated with this material will also “breathe.”
Important! No matter how much you want to lose usable area, when using other insulators whose thickness exceeds 5 mm, narrowing will occur. Therefore, if the heat loss in the house on the ground floor is significant, you will have to come to terms with such a loss.
Laying insulators of small thickness, suitable for laying linoleum, or other finishing materials: laminate or parquet. Again, if the heat losses are not very high. For stronger temperature changes, there are other insulation options.
Insulating screed for heating
This option is not always applicable, and the thickness of the insulating layer is not pleasing to ordinary people. But it is used most often. Of course, the screed will take a long time to dry, and work must be planned so that movement in the insulated room is completely limited.
WITH installation work everyone can handle it. The execution process is carried out in the following order:
- Before pouring the screed, the entire floor surface is completely cleaned;
- then inspection work is carried out aimed at eliminating cracks and depressions;
- then beacons are installed;
- The screed is poured at the last stage.
Depending on the thickness of the screed that will be poured, manipulations are carried out in several stages. First the rough layer, then the finishing layer. Special mixtures are used to fill the screed.
When insulating the floor in a bathhouse, slag or sawdust is often added to the solution. When working at home, you cannot make such impurities. The temperature of the first floor apartment in the house is not that low, so a regular leveling screed solution will be sufficient.
Insulation on joists with expanded clay
Insulation of the floor in a house using this type can only be done in old Stalinist buildings, where the ceiling height allows. Because the thickness of the insulation will be impressive.
Insulation with expanded clay. The process begins with laying a vapor barrier. The technology is similar and described above. After this, the logs are installed. They are attached to the floor with self-tapping screws. plastic stoppers. To do this, marks are first made and holes are drilled along them. The installation pitch of the logs must be calculated based on the thickness of the floorboard. Typically, timber with a thickness of at least 40 mm is used for these purposes. Therefore, the installation step of the logs must be at least 60 cm.
Thermal insulation is laid between the beams. In this case, polymers can be used. But still, it will be easier to install insulation by filling it with expanded clay. The entire space is covered with gravel. Then comes the waterproofing layer again, and the last stage, flooring is being laid.
Important! Waterproofing over the insulation is necessary to protect it from moisture, which will penetrate through the floorboards when wet cleaning. And although expanded clay can be covered without regard to its fear of water, the very presence of moisture under the floorboards will be unclaimed.
You can also use expanded clay to make an individual backfill without floor joists. More precisely, the material will not work alone, but in a screed. Insulation with expanded clay without lags is carried out as follows:
- the floor is cleaned;
- the level of difference is measured;
- a mixture of cement is prepared with expanded clay added to it;
- Filling is carried out in one layer.
It will be kind of rough coating. To make insulation with expanded clay, thus, a fill of 5–10 mm is sufficient. After the screed has hardened, the finishing filling of the leveling compound is carried out.
Electric heated floors
Modern systems help cope with many problems. Installing a heated floor system in the house is the most humane way. In recent years, it has been used more and more often, despite rising energy costs. Warm floors on the balcony and in the room allow you not to think about the loss of height. A modern system will ensure warmth in the house throughout the winter months.
Warm floor You can consider any options, and production today offers infrared, water and electric floors. The second option in this case will be one of the most expensive, not only in terms of arrangement. Laying the pipe contour will still reduce some of the height, so if there are restrictions, then it is better to consider insulation with electrical systems.
Arrangement tips:
- the surest and simplest option is to install heated floors on a screed;
- plan the work in advance and pre-prepare the room by removing furniture from it;
- installation of heated floor systems in the house is impossible in those places where a heavy chest of drawers or a sofa will be located.
Insulating the floor of the first floor from the cold is necessary. But drastic measures should be resorted to only in extreme cases. Weigh the pros and cons and work on humane methods first. It may be enough to put linoleum on the floors in the house, insulated with additional padding. If superficial intervention does not produce results, then it will be possible to make serious changes to the floor design.
heatheat.ru
The main methods of thermal insulation of the floor in the house
Publication date: 03-12-2015
- How to insulate the floor on the first floor in a brick or panel house?
- Some tips for insulating floors
Floor insulation is a procedure that most owners resort to sooner or later own apartments, houses or cottages. High quality insulation is required for both warm wooden buildings, and for reinforced concrete or stone structures. This can be achieved in several ways. For example, you can choose the labor-intensive job of providing insulation using granulated slag or more advanced materials that include spray polyurethane foam.
Floor insulation scheme.
If you have a concrete slab as a foundation, you must first insulate the surface below, inside the foundation. For this purpose, plates of polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene glued with special glue (for tiles) are used. The gaps between the layers of thermal insulation material are filled with polyurethane foam. Insulation and insulation of a concrete floor in an apartment (in a panel house) is carried out in the following order:
- lathing beams or slabs with a thick layer of polystyrene;
- laying insulation slabs on the floor;
- vapor barrier;
- Too rough iron concrete plates finished with chipboard, plywood sheets or boards;
- The final stage is to cover the floor with laminate, parquet, linoleum, etc.
Set wide polystyrene foam boards it is possible not only on concrete floor.
So, for example, if the apartment is located on the ground floor, then it is possible to insulate the floor below - from the basement of the house. In this case, you will have to insulate its ceiling.
Concrete floor insulation scheme.
If you live, for example, on the very first floor or on one of the lower floors in a panel house, then you probably have problems with heating. This concerns, first of all, the fact that the floor in the room is almost always cold. Accordingly, it is necessary to take some measures to warm it up. First of all, the floor must be level. For this, a concrete screed is used. When purchasing a dry mixture, pay attention to whether this mixture is suitable for organizing further underfloor heating. In panel houses, the floor can be so rough and untidy that quite a lot of material needs to be spent on leveling it. As a result, the floor can rise by as much as 20 cm.
In such cases, a much more effective technology would be an installation in which the floor can be adjusted. This technology is based on the use of logs with bolts or screws - floor regulators (in in the right places it either goes down or goes up. Insulating material can be placed between the beams for greater heat and sound insulation.
Wooden floor insulation scheme.
There it is best to attach it using tile adhesive to the entire surface of the ceiling. As for insulation from the inside of the apartment, it begins with the floor being cleared of previous finishing materials. You need to get to the concrete slab itself. On the opened clean and flat surface lay a vapor barrier, but you can also use ordinary plastic film, which should be stretched very tightly. It should be noted that misaligned joints between film or foil must be glued with tape or glue and a gap must be left around the perimeter of the room at a distance of 1 cm from the wall to allow ventilation. You can lay a subfloor on top of this layer from any material intended for this purpose - boards, chipboard, plywood and any other options that can be used to finish the floor. You shouldn’t be afraid that something will turn out sloppy, since all the unevenness or roughness can be hidden by the finish - decorative coating.
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Installation of heated floors and subsequent coverings.
In addition to the above-mentioned general insulation materials (mineral wool, glass wool) and tiles (polystyrene), the most versatile are insulating fabrics, which not only retain heat and keep out cold, but are also able to resist the penetration of liquid into the room. This is a polyurethane foam designed for many types of insulation and can also insulate floors. Its use is possible in almost all types of insulation systems, it does not require additional vapor barrier, but it is somewhat more expensive than other means, and its use requires special equipment. It should also be noted that if there is a subfloor in a private house or basement, it is necessary to insulate it from the base.
If there are also under the floor reinforced concrete pillars, on which wooden beams were subsequently placed, it is necessary to resort to insulating them too. In the space between the beams themselves and between the beams and posts, it is necessary to attach foil with a stapler. It spreads so that materials intended to insulate the floor (for example, mineral wool or polystyrene foam) do not get wet and do not let the cold into the room.
After this local vapor barrier, a layer of insulation is again applied (as in the previous version), but this time on the entire surface of the floor and insulation. Thus, you can insulate the floor in a panel house with your own hands quickly, reliably and easily.
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Insulation of the floor in an apartment on the first floor: options for constructing a pie
One of the main sources of heat loss on the first floors apartment buildings is gender. The technical rooms located below are in most cases not heated. Therefore, to reduce their impact on the general microclimate, it is necessary to insulate the floor in the apartment on the first floor.
Technology requirements
At first glance, it seems that insulation technology does not present any particular difficulties. It is enough to choose the optimal heat insulator and the accepted method of its installation. In practice, you may encounter several problems.
The main condition is that the thermal insulation of the floor on the first floor should not affect the general specifications building. To fulfill the condition, the following parameters must be taken into account:
- The total mass of the floor pie. It should not exceed a critical value, after which there is a possibility of damage to the interfloor ceiling. If necessary, this indicator is agreed upon with housing office employees, who must have technical documentation building;
- Calculation of heat losses. They will determine how to insulate the surface, as well as the optimal thickness of the material;
- Changing ceiling heights. Should choose optimal technology, at which the thickness of the insulating layer will be minimal;
- Compliance with safety regulations. First of all, it relates to fire safety requirements;
- Preservation of the original properties of the interfloor ceiling. To remove excess moisture, preliminary vapor barrier of the floor of the first floor in a wooden house or in a panel building is necessary.
Taking into account these characteristics, the optimal insulation material is selected.
If you plan to install a heated floor system, it is necessary to ensure that there is no negative influence external elements to the heat insulator.
The above conditions are met by a number of materials that are designed to reduce heat loss. For selection optimal option it is necessary to analyze all the pros and cons of each of them.
One of the conditions is the minimum thickness of insulation of the concrete base of the first floor. In a private home, this is important, since changing the ceiling height can lead to a loss of comfort. The material must have a low thermal conductivity, i.e. To create calculated protection against heat loss, materials with minimum thickness.
Extruded polystyrene foam
Most often, the choice is made of extruded polystyrene foam or its cheaper analogue - polystyrene foam. The advantage of the first option is the high coating density. If a large load is not planned, then the main decorative coating can be immediately installed on top of the polystyrene foam.
Features of the use of polymers:
- Low cost;
- Small specific gravity;
- Completely waterproof;
- Easy installation;
- Flammability.
The latter fact does not allow the use of expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam when installing underfloor heating on the ground floor. In this case, it is necessary to consider alternative options.
Basalt or mineral wool
They are made from natural components and consist of many hollow fibers that are connected to each other using special compounds.
The disadvantage of basalt wool is its low density. For the arrangement, it will be necessary to install logs, between which a heat insulator will then be laid. A flooring made of plywood, OSB or fiberboard is installed on top of the structure. You should take into account the fact that mineral wool absorbs moisture well. Therefore, it is first necessary to do waterproofing.
However, along with these disadvantages, the basalt seal has the following positive traits:
- The material is completely non-flammable;
- Coefficient of thermal conductivity;
- During installation, it fits tightly to the joists, which ensures minimal heat loss at the joints.
When working with mineral wool, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment - a respirator, work clothes with long sleeves. This minimizes the likelihood of individual fibers entering the respiratory tract.
One of the least effective options is the use of cement mixtures with various additives. However, in some cases, this is the only way to insulate a concrete floor on the ground floor with heating of its surface using a water system.
During the preparation of the cement mixture, a certain amount of expanded clay is added to its composition. It is best to use a fine fraction. Approximately, the volume of bulk materials should be no more than 15% of the total mass.
Alternative option is a backfill of expanded clay. Afterwards the filling is performed concrete screed. The main disadvantage of this method is the low insulation coefficient and a significant increase in pressure on the interfloor floors.
Step-by-step instructions for arrangement
First you should choose the optimal insulation material. The general installation technology, as well as the list of additional components for performing the work, will depend on this. The most difficult is to lay the floor on wooden beams. It is its arrangement that will be discussed below.
General technology comprises preparatory stage, installing layers of thermal insulation and sheet materials, as well as preparing the surface for installing decor. For each of them, a work plan should be developed in advance so that no difficulties arise during their implementation.
Preparing the subfloor
In most cases, it is a reinforced concrete base. It may have cracks or gouges. They should be removed using putty. Further steps are done only after the mixtures have completely dried.
Then you should adhere to this scheme.
- Drying the cement screed. Can be done with a heat gun in a few hours.
- Installation of waterproofing. She happens to be mandatory element in the installation of the floor of the first floor of a private house.
- Installation of logs. They should have a height adjustment function so that the optimal level can be set.
- Wooden components should not fit tightly against the walls - a thermal gap of 5-6 mm is left. The sheathing is fastened to the cement surface using dowels.
Only after this can you begin the main stage of work - installation of the heat insulator.
Installation of insulation
Currently, manufacturers offer several options for basalt wool, which differ not only in the density of the material and its thickness, but also in shape. To insulate the floor on the first floor, it is recommended to use roll models.
The material should fit snugly against the beams. Therefore, the distance between them is calculated in advance, based on the actual width of the basalt wool. After installation, it is necessary to install a layer of fiber film.
A prerequisite is the formation of an air gap. To do this, spacer slats are placed on the top of the joists. After flooring sheet material an air gap of at least 10 mm in height must be formed.
This completes the floor insulation in the apartment on the first floor. In the future, when using the surface, you should avoid getting moisture into the floor cake. Or pre-install an additional layer of waterproofing before installing the decor.
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Insulation of the floor of the first floor of the floor slab from the basement
floor insulation with penoplex under screed
As you know, the floor is practically the only surface with which people are constantly in contact (walking barefoot or wearing shoes), so insulating the floor of the first floor will become task number one for owners of apartments located on the ground floor of a multi-storey building and private owners. In this regard, certain requirements are imposed on surfaces: for example, the difference in temperature values on the floor surface and in the room should not exceed two degrees. If this value is not maintained, then you have to resort to insulation - this difference is especially “acutely” felt in the off-season and winter months.
Insulation methods
In order to insulate the floors, usually an additional layer of thermal insulation is laid in the ceilings between the first floor and the basement. According to the laws of heat transfer, heat loss flows from top to bottom through the floors into the underground (multi-story buildings with unheated basements are considered).
In this case, in addition to heat loss, there is also condensation of water vapor released from warm air indoors. This has a bad effect on the condition of the insulation material, which absorbs all the moisture. To prevent excessive moisture, you can either use moisture-resistant material as thermal insulation, or (and this is recommended in all cases) lay an additional vapor barrier layer before thermal insulation. As a vapor barrier layer, you can use ordinary polyethylene film with a thickness of 150 microns.
By the way, if different floor coverings have different heat absorption coefficients: a concrete floor is cooler than a parquet floor - and this is logical, since concrete “absorbs” heat more actively, unlike wood. That is why experts advise using as finishing those floor coverings that have a low rate of heat absorption - wood, parquet, chipboard, linoleum, polymer tiles - otherwise the floor will be cold all the time.
Insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor
When your apartment is located on the first floor of a multi-storey residential building, and there is a technical underground below ( basement) with the possibility of access there.
Insulation with mineral wool
In this case, you can insulate your floor from the basement side - with ordinary polystyrene foam, gluing it to a special glue solution or a cement mortar with glue (like for tiles). Gaps between foam sheets can be foamed construction foam.
The disadvantage of this method is the possible rejection on the part of your neighbors of your enthusiasm for floor insulation. And if insulating the entire floor of your section with foam plastic is as easy as shelling pears, then calculating the area of your apartment and its location (“basement, bottom view”) will be much more difficult. In this case, you will have to arm yourself with a house plan and a tape measure in order to later mark “your” territory for insulation.
When it is not possible to insulate the floor from the underground side.
Here they usually proceed as follows: they arrange logs, lay plywood or boards between them, and then lay sheets of foam plastic on them. This is also a fairly simple method of insulation, but it has its drawbacks. One of them is reducing the height of ceilings (for panel houses, where insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor is required).
For apartments with wooden floors the situation is somewhat simpler: the floors are dismantled (if possible, old or rotten joist boards are replaced with new ones), foam sheets are laid between the joists. In this case, the room will not “lose” its size.
When it is not possible to insulate floors with foam plastic.
Then you have to use expanded clay insulation - here it is necessary to arrange a cement screed with a layer thickness of at least 9 cm. The disadvantage of this method is a significant reduction in the height of the ceiling in the room, since it will be necessary to take into account the thickness flooring with hydro- and heat-insulating layers. However, there are also advantages here: for example, in a cement screed using expanded clay, you can install heated floors - electric or water.
Floor insulation using joists
If you have your own house, consisting of two floors, or even an ordinary one-story house, then floor insulation is still necessary - it does not matter whether there is a basement or not. And here, since you are the owner of your home, you can install heated floors (of course, according to your financial capabilities).
In this case, insulation is carried out at the stage of installing the subfloor. And, according to many construction experts, the best modern thermal insulation material is extruded polystyrene foam, which has good thermal insulation characteristics, is moisture resistant and can withstand mechanical stress. In addition, expanded polystyrene will become the best thermal insulation material in areas where groundwater located close to the base of the foundation.
Polystyrene insulation
Insulation of walls and floors
Expanded polystyrene is laid on a layer of sand and crushed stone with a layer thickness of at least 10 cm. The thickness of the insulation is selected depending on the climatic characteristics of the region. Waterproofing in this case is a polyethylene film, which is laid on the warm side of the insulating material, fixed with ordinary glue, without the use of plastic substances. The laid waterproofing layer is filled with a screed solution consisting of sand and cement, or two layers of gypsum plasterboard. If you plan to install heated floors, then the heating elements must be laid on a screed.
If you plan to insulate the floors using “ordinary old-fashioned” materials, then you can use glass wool or mineral wool boards. However, it should be remembered that such insulation materials are not sufficiently moisture resistant, so they will have to be carefully waterproofed.
For wooden houses when flooring occurs above the ground along joists, insulation materials laid between the joists, with waterproofing, on boards hemmed underneath. And the steam itself waterproofing material laid over the insulation on the warm side of the thermal insulation.
And finally: floor insulation will be more effective the more insulated surfaces there are in the apartment (walls, windows and doors).
The floor is the coolest surface of the room. Up to 20-30% of the heat can escape from a room through a poorly insulated floor! This mainly happens on the first floors with an unheated basement. At the same time, heating bills increase, but the rooms are still cold. In this case, it’s time to start thinking about how to insulate the floors in the apartment. This will help reduce heat loss and create a more comfortable indoor climate.
Insulation of floors is relevant not only for a private home. It is often necessary to insulate the floor in an apartment on the ground floor, in this case it is simply necessary. It is possible to carry out thermal insulation work with your own hands, the main thing is to choose the right material and become familiar with the installation technology.
Materials for floor insulation must meet certain requirements: lightness, strength, durability, high thermal insulation characteristics.
Materials with the desired properties include: mineral wool, expanded polystyrene, polystyrene foam, expanded clay, wood shavings.
Mineral wool. Effective for sound and heat insulation. Fireproof (has high fire resistance), not susceptible to mold and mildew. Flaw– this is hygroscopicity, the ingress of moisture reduces its properties.
Expanded polystyrene, foam plastic. Lightweight, durable, retain heat well, and do not allow external noise into the room. They are not afraid of water, do not deform, and are easy to install.
Expanded clay, wood shavings. Bulk materials, inexpensive, environmentally friendly. They have quite significant disadvantages. The shavings are afraid of moisture and are susceptible to rotting; insects and mice infest them. Expanded clay is not afraid of water and is durable, but it can place a strong load on structures if the insulation layer is too large.
Penoplex. Modern material, is rapidly gaining popularity. Simple technology installation, it is possible to perform insulation yourself. Available in slab form.
Methods for insulating the floor of an apartment on the first floor
When choosing a method for thermal insulation, you should take into account the design features of the building and the peculiarities of the insulation installation method. Insulation of floors in a ground floor apartment can be done in several ways:
- Installation of thermal insulation from the outside, from the basement side. For insulating the floor of an apartment located on the ground floor, this method is very effective.
- Floor insulation using joists. This will require complete dismantling of the old coating.
- Using a screed over the insulation.
All that remains is to choose more convenient way. After all the work is completed, heat leaks will stop, a comfortable microclimate will be created in the apartment, and heating bills will decrease.
Insulation of the floor of a first floor apartment from the basement side with polystyrene foam
IN ordinary houses Concrete floor slabs are used, which on the ground floor border the basement. An unheated and damp room takes in an overwhelming amount of heat. To achieve maximum results, it is necessary to carry out work to insulate the floor of the apartment from the basement. How to do it?
- You don't need expensive insulation materials. The floors in a ground floor apartment from the basement can be insulated with foam plastic 50 mm thick.
- Before you start installing the insulation, you need to use foam to blow out all the cracks between the slabs and around the perimeter on the basement side.
- Further concrete surface Treat the slabs with a deep penetration liquid primer. It is applied with a brush.
- All that remains is to insulate the subfloor with sheets of foam plastic. They are glued to the ceiling using Ceresit adhesive or construction adhesive, they will provide reliable fastening insulation to the surface.
- When the glue has completely hardened, the gaps between the plates must be sealed using sealant or polyurethane foam.
This method can be used to insulate wooden floors. Only in this case, it is recommended to additionally fix the foam sheets with the help of double-umbrellas. This way you will retain heat in the house and additionally protect wooden floors from exposure to dampness from the basement.