The metal entrance door, the most reliable and durable design, has one significant drawback - high level thermal conductivity. This means that it cools quickly when sub-zero temperature, lets in external cold and does not retain internal heat well. Due to the interaction of internal and external temperatures, condensation appears on the surface. As you know, moisture is one of the causes of premature corrosion that can destroy a metal structure. The only way to eliminate this drawback is to reduce thermal conductivity through insulation. How to insulate metal front door, and what materials better use for this purpose, we will consider in detail in this article.
The choice of thermal insulation material will depend on the location of the door itself (inside the entrance or outside the house). You can consider the cheapest options, such as corrugated cardboard or sawdust. But for street structures they are not suitable: when moisture gets in, their heat-saving properties are greatly reduced. If you are looking for the most durable way to insulate a metal entrance door, you need to take into account the properties heat-insulating materials:
- Foam rubber is recommended for insulating structures located in a warm entrance or vestibule, since they are unstable weather lead to rapid destruction of the insulation.
- Mineral wool is prone to increased water absorption. When installed in doors leading to the street, it requires an additional insulating layer that will protect against moisture. When used for internal insulation, non-sheet material tends to move to the lower part of the structure over time, which increases thermal conductivity upper section doors.
- Polyurethane foam is resistant to all natural phenomena: humidity, cold, heat. It has a long service life and is not prone to deformation. Used as internal insulation, but installing it requires certain skills.
- Izolon – roll material. It has adhesive layer, which facilitates the installation process. Can be used for internal and external insulation.
- Foam plastic is resistant to moisture and deformation. A significant disadvantage of the material is its susceptibility to combustion.
- Polystyrene in its structure resembles foam plastic, however, due to the special composition of this material, its flammability properties are noticeably reduced and its durability indicators are improved. Insulation of a metal door with polystyrene can be done both from the inside and outside of the structure.
Internal insulation
How to insulate an iron entrance door from the inside? First you need to familiarize yourself with its design. In a standard collapsible design, the insulation layer will be located between steel sheet and decorative panel. Internal insulation entrance metal door with non-demountable design is a more complex process.
Insulation of collapsible entrances metal doors performed in the following order:
- Remove from the door leaf all fittings that may interfere with the process of disassembling the structure.
- The structure must be disassembled; to do this, remove the decorative panel to gain access to the internal cavity.
- Remove the old insulation, if there was any.
- All cavities are filled with prepared thermal insulation material. Elements of sheet insulation must be cut with a small margin so that they tightly fill all the voids.
- For a strong fit, the layers of insulation are placed on glue or liquid nails.
- If at the final stage of work an unfilled space is discovered, it is filled polyurethane foam.
- Next, you need to make sure that there is enough space left to install the lock and peephole. free place, then decorative panel returns to its place.
How to insulate an iron door from the inside if the design does not allow for dismantling it? In order not to violate its integrity, it would be better to use external option insulation. For internal cavity filling steel door granular ones are suitable warm insulating materials: Styrofoam or polystyrene balls. The card is cut off at the end of the door, after which the insulation is poured into the internal cavity. To ensure that it is evenly distributed, you should shake the structure from time to time. This method of insulation is absolutely not suitable for doors with anti-burglary locking bolts: loose filler can get inside the system and block the parts.
External insulation
External insulation of an iron door is carried out directly along the surface of the door opening into the room. The materials used are the same as for the interior upholstery. Do-it-yourself thermal insulation of a door can be done in two ways.
- Thermal insulation using a slatted frame. After all the fittings have been removed from the door, a rack frame is attached to the door leaf with self-tapping screws (or a metal profile is welded). Inside the frame, the entire cavity is tightly lined with heat-insulating material, which is fixed with glue or liquid nails. On top of this entire structure, a sheet of fiberboard, pre-cut to the size of the door, is attached with self-tapping screws.
- Upholstery with heat-insulating material – good, less the hard way insulate a metal door with your own hands. To work, you will need insulation, upholstery material, and glue. The door is removed from its hinges. A layer of glue is applied to the cleaned surface, after which the insulation is laid. The thermal insulation layer is masked upholstery fabric, which is tightly fixed with glue around the perimeter of the sash. To ensure that the upholstery holds tightly in the future, the gluing points are pressed with a weight until it dries.
Instructions for thermal insulation of doors using wooden mortgages
Installation of a slatted frame Foaming the gaps between the metal and the timber Filling the seams between the insulation with foam
Insulating an iron door with your own hands using wooden mortgages is a feasible task. Mortgages are bars that are necessary to hide the internal filling of the door. They are located around the perimeter of the sash and along its central part. In the place where the lock will be mounted, it is necessary to install additional bars. The fixation method is chosen depending on the material of the structure. If the frame is made of angles, you must pre-drill the holes. Self-tapping screws for metal can be screwed into a profile pipe without drilling. The size of the screws should exceed the width of the bar by 5 mm.
The next stage of work is to fill all the gaps between the metal and the installed beam with foam, after which you can lay the insulation of your choice. The main condition for high-quality insulation is that the thickness of the material is equal to the depth of the door cavity. So that the insulation does not move from its place and does not fall out during installation external cladding, it should be placed on glue.
The seams between the individual layers of insulation must be filled with foam, after which the door is left for several hours. After the foam has completely dried, it is necessary to cut off its excess and cover the door on top of the insulation with a pre-prepared panel or slats.
Insulation of seams and joints
When the insulation of metal doors is carried out according to all the rules, but the cold still seeps through the cracks, it is necessary to strengthen the tightness of the seams and joints. The gap between the frame and the wall is filled with polyurethane foam. After hardening, all excess that protrudes outwards is cut off flush with door frame. So that the polyurethane foam long term retained the properties of tightness, a layer of plaster must be applied on top of it or covered with platbands: this material is very sensitive to light and quickly deteriorates. In addition to polyurethane foam, rubber or silicone sealant can be used to fill the seams.
Another “gate” for the cold is the place where the door leaf meets the frame. To ensure tightness, the perimeter of the box is insulated with rubber, foam rubber or isolon sealant. Parts can be cut to fit the door, or use ready material, which can always be found in construction stores. The insulation is a tape that has an adhesive layer on one side, so you can insulate a metal entrance door with a seal in a few minutes, but do not forget that the seal, no matter how high-quality it is, wears out over time. It is necessary to check its condition from time to time and replace it as necessary.
Reading time ≈ 9 minutes
Despite many advantages, metal doors have one significant drawback - increased thermal conductivity, which can cause a lot of inconvenience during the cold season. Therefore, it is extremely important to know how to insulate a metal entrance door.
Metal entrance door in a private house.
Why do you need to insulate?
A lot of heat can escape through the door structure for the following reasons:
- the presence of cracks, gaps, hollow spaces (for example, inside a box) through which warm air escapes and a draft is created;
- lack of a thermal insulation layer in a purchased or homemade door structure;
- outdated, damaged thermal insulation layer requiring replacement.
In addition to the obvious benefit - heat preservation - most heat-insulating materials also have high soundproofing properties.
Up to 30% of the heat can escape through an uninsulated door structure.
Video: condensation on a metal door.
Review of materials
Today, several types of insulation are used, the choice of which depends on the characteristics of the door and house (apartment), budget and personal preferences:
- Honeycomb fillers. It got its name due to its external resemblance to a honeycomb. This is a lightweight, inexpensive material made of corrugated cardboard with good soundproofing properties (which is very important in an apartment), but its thermal insulation properties are lower than those of other materials. It is environmentally friendly, has a high level of rigidity, and tolerates temperature changes well.
Corrugated cardboard.
Mineral wool.
- Styrofoam. This material It is also often used to insulate door structures, and here’s why - it has high heat and sound insulation, is very easy to use and install, has less weight than other insulation materials, and does not shrink. Low cost is also a significant advantage.
Styrofoam.
- Polyurethane foam (spray foam). It requires tools and work skills, so it is rarely used if you plan to insulate the door yourself. However, the material has a number of advantages: it can evenly fill all voids, it is light and rigid, and is not afraid of temperature changes and high humidity.
Expanded polystyrene.
- Polypropylene. In terms of positive properties, it does not differ from the above materials - lightweight, resistant to high and low temperatures, humidity, does not shrink, easy to use.
Polypropylene.
In addition to the thermal insulation material, it is also important to choose a sealant, because without it the insulation cannot be considered complete and complete - cold air can penetrate through the cracks and gaps. Seals differ in the type of fastening: on a self-adhesive film and those that need to be glued yourself. It is very important to choose the right seal for the door profile, including calculating its thickness.
Tip: to choose the correct thickness of the seal, use the technique with ordinary plasticine - roll it into a sausage with a diameter of 1 cm, wrap it in cling film. Next, apply it around the perimeter of the door and close it - the plasticine will press down and take on the thickness you need.
Seals.
Materials and tools
Before starting work, you need to collect all the necessary materials:
- a sheet of plywood or chipboard corresponding to the size of the door;
- metal corners;
- wooden blocks (thickness equal to the width of the corners);
- polyurethane foam;
- sealant (glue if the seal is not self-adhesive);
- putty;
- glue for attaching heat-insulating material (liquid nails);
- jigsaw, screwdriver;
- construction knife, spatula;
- marker/pencil, tape measure.
The scheme for insulating a door structure in an apartment and a private house is almost identical - the door needs to be removed from its hinges, disassembled, the leaf, as well as the slopes, the door frame insulated, all gaps must be insulated and cladding done. Only the insulation material can differ.
Please note: during the installation of the thermal insulation material, the living space will be without a door for some time, so it is important to start insulating it in the warm season.
Door design.
Insulation of the box
The frame of a metal door is usually a rectangle welded from corners. When installing the frame in a doorway, gaps remain between the walls and the structure. They are usually filled with expanded polystyrene. But from UV rays it is destroyed and loses its properties. Therefore, when insulating an old metal structure, follow these steps:
- Remove the old mounting foam and also clean the gap from dirt and debris.
- You can install spacers in the doors - it is important to do this before filling with foam, since uncured mixture reacts very poorly to vibrations and movements.
- To increase adhesion, all areas must be moistened with plain water and refilled with polyurethane foam.
Blowing foam into the box.
- Once the mixture has hardened, cut off any excess areas using a utility knife.
- In order to protect the insulation from UV rays, as well as to make the seam more aesthetically pleasing, it must be covered with putty.
Slopes of a metal door.
Insulation of the canvas
Let's take a step-by-step look at how to insulate a metal entrance door:
Manufacturing of sheathing.
- The selected thermal insulation material must be placed in the resulting voids. Let's look at the example of polystyrene foam - it needs to be “cut” to the size of the cells. It is important to observe the dimensions as accurately as possible so that there are no gaps between the insulation and the frame. The height of the insulation should be equal to the height of the frame - not higher and not lower! Next, the cut sections are attached with liquid nails to the metal sheet.
- If, however, there are gaps between the frame and the thermal insulation, they are filled with polyurethane foam. After curing, the protruding edges are cut flush with the frame.
We will also consider step-by-step instructions for insulating with mineral wool:
- The steps, including the manufacture of the sheathing, will be identical. However, before installing the sheathing and laying mineral wool, you need to put a layer of vapor barrier (as we remember, wool is very hygroscopic). To do this, you need to place a thick oilcloth (film) around the entire perimeter of the metal sheet so that it protrudes 3-4 cm beyond the perimeter.
- The cotton wool is cut into pieces according to the size of the frame cells - the pieces should be 1-2 cm larger.
- After laying the cotton wool, a second layer of film is laid on top, and the bottom layer is folded over it, thus creating a kind of protective film cover. You can use tape to hold the sections together.
- Finally, the oilcloth layer is covered with penofol (foamed polyethylene with thin layer aluminum foil). If the covering is one-sided, it is laid towards the living space.
Penofol is able to reflect up to 96% of heat rays! Foil film thermal insulation efficiency is 2.5 ceramic bricks, 8 cm of mineral wool, 40 cm of aerated concrete or 50 cm of ordinary concrete.
This completes the insulation of the metal sheet; all that remains is to cover the surface and attach the door.
Final cladding
If the door is collapsible, then all that remains is to attach the unscrewed leaf. If the cladding had to be cut off, then a new covering must be made. It will not only protect the thermal insulation layer, but will also have a decorative purpose. Most often, plywood, chipboard or MDF and dermantin are used for this purpose.
How to make cladding with your own hands:
Finishing with foam rubber and dermantine.
- Next, the facing sheet needs to be secured to the door by drilling it into wooden frame. To ensure the strength of the connection, glue is applied around the perimeter.
- A handle, lock and other elements are attached to it.
- A seal is attached to the door frame, and...
Important! If the door has become thicker than the original version, you need to take care in advance of lengthening the key and the square of the door handle!
Now you know how to insulate a metal entrance door yourself. This is quite simple to do, and all efforts will certainly be justified - heat loss will be reduced, the problem of condensation will be eliminated, door leaf will last longer and utility bills will be lower!
Video: insulating an outdoor metal door.
A modern metal entrance door is actually complex design, where iron is just a shell. The cavities of the leaf can be filled with insulation, since the main function of the door is to retain heat. But there are often heat leaks, not only in private houses, but also in apartments. In addition, inexpensive metal doors have ordinary tin as a body, and instead of insulation - cardboard honeycomb.
Reasons for heat loss in the house:
- Thin walls. Folded in the classic way walls from several decades ago that do not have insulation begin to freeze over time. As a result, the thermal insulation of the house deteriorates.
- Cracks and crevices. When a heavy structure shrinks, cracks form on the walls, which over time, if you do not pay attention to them, turn into huge gaps. Such gaps are also called cold bridges.
- Technical openings(old doors and windows). Over time, the wood dries out, thereby forming colossal gaps where the boxes are installed. Windows that are not properly insulated are one of the key sources of heat loss. And the door, if it is made of sheet metal and does not have necessary insulation or a low-quality Chinese design, inside which there is cardboard instead of a heat insulator - this is the direct cause of colossal heat losses.
A metal door that does not have proper insulation is a direct source of cold in the house
That's why Door insulation is an important component of thermal protection of the entire house. But before you implement your idea, find out the exact reasons for the loss of heat, so that you don’t end up wasting time and energy on insulating the doors, and the reason for the uncomfortable microclimate lies in the cold bridges formed through the cracks in the house.
Important! The thickness of the iron door leaf is not an indicator of the thermal insulation of the door. A thick layer of metal is, first of all, protection against penetrations and only then a heat insulator (provided that there are no cracks in the structure).
Sometimes heat can be lost not through the leaf, but through the cracks of the iron door frame
Choosing insulation
The insulation on the door not only protects the room from the cold, but also insulates the rooms from extraneous noise, which is quite important in apartment buildings. Therefore, when choosing a ready-made door structure, you should inquire about its contents.
Penofol
Penofol equipped with a reflective foil layer, thanks to which all the heat remains indoors. But, as a rule, it is used only as an auxiliary insulation material.
Rigid (sheet) insulation
Sheet heat insulators (penoplex, polystyrene foam, etc.), good for ease of installation and low cost. Since the material is not hygroscopic, it is not necessary to attach a vapor barrier and moisture-proof membrane when installing it.
When choosing rigid insulation, give preference expanded polystyrene (penoplex). He significantly denser and stronger polystyrene foam, besides insulates more effectively.
Soft (rolled) insulation materials
Rolled or sheet soft thermal insulators include glass wool and mineral wool. They differ only in the base; their thermal insulation characteristics are approximately the same. Material environmentally friendly, non-flammable, allows you to independently choose the installation height, eliminating additional trimming. These advantages make cotton insulation especially popular.
Illustrative examples of heat loss
The material is sold in rolls or slabs. Elements of any shape and size can be cut out of rolled wool, and to reduce the thickness of the insulating layer, simply press and fix the material.
Vata deficiency - high hygroscopicity. The material is afraid of moisture and if the insulation absorbs water, it loses its heat-protective properties. Experts do not recommend using this insulation for doors, since with a high contrast of external and internal temperatures, the likelihood of the insulation getting wet is extremely high. However, the option is quite acceptable for the entrance door to an apartment.
Inflatable (sprayed) insulation
Video - Visual process of insulating a metal entrance door in a private house
The closer the cold weather comes, the more apartment owners worry about drafts and the temperature in their home. According to statistics, about 30 percent of heat energy is “lost” due to cracks and insufficient thermal insulation. The most problematic areas are windows and doors. The first ones are easy to figure out: metal-plastic windows With double glazing protect the apartment from drafts and frost. But how can you prevent cold from entering from the front door? This issue is especially relevant for those people who have metal doors installed. Everyone knows that metal has excellent thermal conductivity. This means that valuable heat disappears without a trace. And although an iron door protects your home from burglars and thieves much better than a wooden one, it cannot cope with frost. To improve insulation, you need to take care of insulating the front door.
What is needed to strengthen an iron entrance door?
The main problem that apartment and house owners face is that this task seems very difficult. Actually create an additional layer on the already finished door quite simple. Even a person who does not often do this kind of thing can cope with this work. In addition, special tools and materials are not needed for insulation. Everything you need can be found at your nearest hardware store. If you don’t know how to insulate an iron door, then prepare the working tools from this list.
- drill,
- pencil,
- screwdriver,
- electric jigsaw,
- roulette.
And, of course, you will need the following materials:
- Fibreboard, MDF or chipboard (depending on personal preference),
- sealant,
- insulation (expanded polystyrene, polystyrene foam or mineral wool),
- screws,
- polyurethane foam,
- liquid Nails.
How to insulate an iron door from the inside: instructions
The easiest way to create a warm and cozy atmosphere at home and get rid of the cold forever is to insulate the door from the inside. First, the metal door needs to be removed from its hinges. It will be much easier and more convenient to do this work if the door is in a horizontal position. The metal sheet is always secured with self-tapping screws. Carefully unscrew them and examine them inner space. Using a tape measure and pencil, take all measurements and write them down. This must be done in advance to prepare thermal insulation materials. Inside you will notice profile pipes that divide the space into small cells. It is this design that makes the door durable. But you can drill small holes in the pipes to fill them with foam. Select a drill bit that is slightly thicker than the thickness of the foam canister tube. Then carefully lay out the blanks of heat-insulating material, pre-cut to the desired shape. Make sure that the lock and peephole remain freely accessible.
It is best to attach the insulation to liquid nails to ensure its immobility. But the gaps that form between different pieces of material must be sealed with polyurethane foam. Don't leave any gaps to achieve maximum effect.
After completing the rough work, you can begin finishing. The lining of even expensive doors is very often not made from a single sheet of fiberboard. We recommend replacing the questionable material with a new, thick sheet of fiberboard (do not forget to adjust it to the required dimensions). It is attached using ordinary screws.
And only after this can you begin the final assembly. A metal sheet returns to its place and is secured with self-tapping screws. Then carefully examine the resulting door. All possible cracks must be treated with sealant.
How to insulate an iron entrance door with your own hands?
But it is not always possible to insulate the door from the inside. In this case, you need to take care of preserving heat energy in another way. The insulation is attached not inside, but outside. How to do it? After all, this part does not provide recesses for laying insulating materials.
This method will require a little more time and effort. You need to start by making a special frame for the door. Remove the door itself from its hinges and carefully measure its sides. The frame will require regular wooden slats. They must be smooth (curved and deformed will not work). It is advisable to use materials with a thickness of about 20 millimeters and a width of no more than 30 millimeters.
Created wooden frame should go along the perimeter of the door itself. Cross slats will help increase the strength of the structure. It can be secured using ordinary self-tapping screws. This way you create an internal cavity yourself. It can be filled with foam or mineral wool. It is best to attach the insulation to the same liquid nails.
All gaps between pieces of foam plastic (or other insulation) must be filled with foam. Try not to miss even small voids. Leave the door until the foam is completely dry.
Now you need to do the finishing that will hide the insulating materials. If you want to know how to insulate a metal door, then take a sheet of fiberboard or MDF and adjust it to the size of the door. This layer must be attached with special care. To do this, first try the sheet on the door, and only then start screwing in the screws. We recommend making holes in the metal in advance so that the screws can be screwed in without special effort.
How to insulate an iron door in a private house?
The problem with a private house is that there is not a single barrier between the door itself and the street. In apartment buildings, the front door separates the entrance from the cold and frost. The temperature there is always several degrees higher. This means that heat and cold do not collide on both sides of the same sheet of metal. In a private house, an iron door is often covered with frost. The whole point is that the temperature in the hallway is positive when the temperature outside is negative. It will not be possible to get rid of this problem with the help of insulation. The best way to save heat in such a situation is to make a small “dressing room”, for example, by glazing the veranda.
How to insulate an iron entrance door: video
home-ideas.ru
How to insulate a metal entrance door with your own hands - reasons and ways to eliminate condensation
There are far more questions on the Internet about how to insulate an iron door in a private house than there are intelligible answers to them. Or rather, there are answers, and even many, but they are basically such that they give rise to even more questions, because most of them do not solve the problem fundamentally due to fundamental errors in the approaches.
Let's try to figure out, as they say, "on the fingers", what are the main mistakes in insulating the front door in a private house, and what needs to be done to prevent them.
The picture depicted in these photographs is seen quite often. Or rather: almost always, if a steel door, even a very good one, is installed without a so-called cold vestibule and is the only barrier between a warm room and a cold street.
99% of “iron” doors, even with the most careful factory insulation, are not without cold bridges, which lead to precisely such consequences. It would seem that the door, a section of which is shown in the photo below, is thoroughly insulated.
But the stiffness profiles, the ends of the door leaf and the frame are precisely those cold bridges that, in light frost, will provide you with a large amount of condensation, and in severe frost, which sometimes happens in Mother Russia, will lead to the formation of ice. Why is this happening?
Reasons for freezing of an iron door in a private house
When does moisture begin to form on the frame and door leaf? Then, when their temperature becomes such that the vapor of the air in contact with them begins to condense into dew. When conditions are stable (cold outside - warm inside), the formed condensate flows down, and a new one forms in its place. Such a mini-factory for the production of water is capable of producing up to several buckets per day.
If the temperature outside drops further (or the temperature inside decreases), the condensed moisture will freeze and ice will form. And in the presence of cold bridges, this process cannot be stopped, no matter how insulation material you didn't pave the doors inside. And at the factory they lay anything:
I think it is not worth describing in too much detail that under certain temperature conditions, moisture will certainly condense not on the inner surface of the door, but on the inner surface of the outer sheet of its leaf. What will happen to her in this case? Definitely, it will be absorbed by the cotton insulation until completely saturated, which will lead to:
- loss of thermal insulation characteristics;
- the formation of voids due to subsidence of the cotton insulation under the increased, due to the mass of water, its own weight;
- creating a corrosion center is almost always not possible the best way protected internal metal surfaces of the door;
- emergence favorable environment for the development of mold, fungi and the residence of harmful microorganisms.
To the quite reasonable question that arises among many about why such doors are produced, there is one reasonable answer: for installation in apartment buildings, the temperature in the entrances of which (if there is heating in the house) does not fall below zero, even if the radiators are cut off. Heat penetrates staircases not only through such doors, but also through thin walls apartments After all, there are tens of times more owners who buy metal entrance doors than there are owners of private houses who want to do the same.
And what should these unfortunate owners of private houses do, who want to install a reliable iron door at the entrance to the house and categorically refuse to build even a minimal one? cold vestibule– a heat exchanger in which it will not present such surprises as described above?
Ways to solve the problem of freezing of the entrance iron door
Just search the vast steel door market for ones that are made specifically for these situations. There really aren't that many of them. It may even be more than the 1% we have allocated, but not significantly.
In such doors, first of all, condensation is combated in two ways:
- eliminating cold bridges;
- shifting the dew point from the room to the outside.
For this:
Inserts are made into the frames, ends and door stiffeners from hard plastic, which interrupts heat transfer through the metal;
Displaced structural elements doors that interrupt cold bridges (third photo above);
Electric heating of the frame and sometimes the door leaf is installed.
Sometimes the manufacturer uses similar methods in one door structure. Purchasing just such a door will be the first option to solve your problem. True, we would advise adding something to it.
Namely:
- If your door has a wooden trim on the outside (1), place a thin polyethylene foam membrane under it, at least the same as that used under laminate.
- Installed under decorative overlay door handle and locks (10, 14) tight polyethylene film, which you carefully trim along the contour after fixing them, will effectively reduce the possibility of moisture condensation from inside accessories.
- If your door uses any type of wool (4) as insulation and there is an opportunity to fix it, do it. Replace it with sheet polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam, being sure to glue them to the mounting foam to the outer steel panel of the door. It is better if it is applied without gaps, which will prevent moisture from condensing between the metal sheet and the insulation. Perfect option– when the dew point will be in the mass of this insulation. This is not cotton wool - physical water cannot form inside.
- Install the outer casing (7) on the box (8) with a gasket between them, either the same as in the first point, but possibly thicker (8 - 10 mm) polyethylene foam, or centimeter-long polystyrene foam.
This modification will definitely improve the thermal performance of your front door.
How to insulate a metal entrance door with your own hands
If your product is significantly less technologically advanced than those described above, you should know how to insulate a metal entrance door with your own hands, without spending more money on this matter than you saved on its purchase, preferring a cheaper option.
For this:
1) If the door leaf is collapsible, disassemble it; if not, carefully cut off the back card, either along the end, or along the plane, depending on which insulation option you choose.
2) Remove the so-called factory insulation and choose the option of subsequently closing the door leaf from the inside.
If you choose the option of returning the cut card to its place by refining its edges or covering the cut area with some corner, do it as shown in the picture above. Please note that the rail, screwed with self-tapping screws to supporting profile door leaf, has a smaller width than the inner cavity of the door, and the gap between the outer card and wooden slats must be filled with foam. Also, a block protruding literally 1 - 1.5 mm above the profile pipe will break direct metal-to-metal contact, and therefore the notorious cold bridge.
3) Select the insulation and the procedure for working with it as described in the previous section. With the door trim and fittings, proceed as closely as possible to what is described in it.
4) If instead of a metal back card you prefer, for example, laminated plywood or you made your door to order without a back card, and we offer you the same plywood or a material similar to it in functionality, then:
Insulation of slopes
entrance doors
- fill its insides in a familiar way;
- make in places where they bend sheet metal, corners with the required parameters (which your plywood will fit into) to screw them with self-tapping screws to the outer profile pipe door leaf;
- Insert the plywood back panel of the door into the pocket formed with the help of the corners and close its perimeter with the same corner using a sealant suitable for this purpose.
5) Don't forget about the box. When insulating it, remember that the best thermal insulator today is polyurethane foam. If you can fill the inside of the box and the perimeter around it with it, do it.
If you have the opportunity to insulate the frame from the outside at least a little in any way, be sure to do it: at least with an overlay through the insulation, or at least with a warm slope as close as possible to the door leaf.
6) In all options for insulating entrance doors, it is necessary to remember about the seals of the vestibule. If yours do not fully meet the windproof conditions, change them and subsequently regularly monitor their condition.
Heating a metal entrance door using electricity
Finally, we would like to offer you one simple, but without performing the procedures described above, not entirely economically justified way to solve the same problem of insulating a metal entrance door - electric.
It’s probably not worth explaining for a long time why, by heating the front door from the inside, we will get rid of condensation and ice on it. Naturally, by moving the dew point from the back of the door to the street, we will drive it inside. And if the materials we propose are installed correctly, then everything will be fine, but if not, then the consequences of this are listed in the same article, but higher (condensation, wet insulation, mold).
How and with what to warm it up:
Having installed thermal curtain or some kind of directional heater;
By laying infrared electrical film along the inside of the box for warm baseboards;
By placing a self-regulating thermal cable for water supply inside the box or laying it around it.
The main nuances of heating a metal entrance door using cable underfloor heating are outlined in the video below.
Some advise using the 12-volt version, but this is hardly advisable, given that such a cable is laid inside water pipe, and installing a power step-down transformer is clearly not the best option.
The effect will be the same in all cases. Also, all of the above can be set via a thermostat, which will allow you to set the required temperature once, at which condensation will not occur, and forget about this problem forever. At least as long as there is electricity in the house.
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Insulation of a metal entrance door - proper thermal insulation with your own hands
In winter, when severe frosts Ice, frost or condensation may appear on the inner surface of the door - this indicates freezing of the entrance metal door. What to do in such a situation? The difference in temperature outside and indoors leads to such consequences and indicates poor thermal insulation of the door. Therefore, we will consider in detail how to insulate a metal door in a private house and apartment.
Metal by itself cannot serve as a heat insulator, i.e. it's different high coefficient thermal conductivity. Honeycomb cardboard, which is used to fill most cheap ones, e.g. Chinese doors also fails to cope with the function assigned to it. Yes, and it does not have such a task; it is designed to reduce the weight of a metal door.
In rare cases, the cavity of the door leaf is filled with insulation, but it is impossible to check its presence in doors in the middle price range, so you have to take the seller’s word for it, and then think about how to insulate an iron door with your own hands.
It's obvious that simple ways Like sticking a seal around the perimeter of the door leaf can do little to help in this situation. A more serious approach is required here, in particular, to insulate the metal entrance door in accordance with all the rules thermal insulation works.
Do-it-yourself insulation of a metal entrance door
The process begins with the selection of the optimal thermal insulation material, which determines the effectiveness of insulation and its duration.
How to insulate a metal door
- penofol. Thanks to the reflective ability of the foil layer, it retains almost all the heat in the room. Used only as additional material;
- rigid insulation. These include polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene (penoplex). Their advantage is ease of installation and relatively low price. Since it is not hygroscopic, it does not require additional films. This is the only suitable option for installation in a cottage, country or rural house. After all, in in this case the door serves as a barrier to low temperatures and wind, which is not observed in apartment buildings where the door opens into the entrance.
Note. When choosing thermal insulation material, give preference to penoplex (expanded polystyrene). It is an order of magnitude denser than foam plastic and will provide doors with much more effective insulation.
- soft insulation. This category includes glass wool and mineral (basalt) wool. Their difference is only in the raw materials, in their thermal insulation characteristics they are not much different. Mineral wool is environmentally friendly, Fire safety, the ability to vary the installation height without additional trimming.
Cotton wool is sold in rolls or sheets, which makes it possible to cut blanks from it required sizes and place them in cells formed by the stiffening ribs of the door itself. To ensure the required height (thickness of insulation), simply press down the material (press cotton wool), thermal insulation properties will not be harmed.
But cotton wool has a drawback that prevents it from being recommended for installation in iron doors for private homes. Because the doors operate from different sides different temperatures, and sometimes the difference is up to 40°C (-15 outside and +25 in the house). This leads to a shift of the dew point inside the insulation, and the wool gets wet. The effect can be neutralized by installing a hydrobarrier film. But, nevertheless, professionals do not recommend insulating an iron door with cotton wool in a private house. It can become an acceptable option only if the entrance door to the apartment is insulated, since in this case there is not such a big difference in temperatures (it is much warmer in the entrance than outside).
- inflatable insulation. Presented with polyurethane foam. Spraying makes it possible to fill all the cracks, but has a high price.
Thermal insulation of luxury metal doors is carried out using three types of materials: foam plastic (main material), penofol (additional), polyurethane foam (filling the voids of the stiffeners and frames).
Note: a set of materials, which can be found in stores, for insulation outer door made of metal is of little use, because They use dermantin, foam rubber or synthetic winterizer as insulation.
Additional materials for door insulation
- liquid nails, hardware, polyurethane foam - when insulating with rigid insulation;
- hydrobarrier film, vapor barrier, adhesive tape - when soft;
- sheet of fiberboard, plywood, OSB (for cladding, if the door leaf is non-removable);
- decorative material for finishing: dermantin, MDF panels or plastic panels;
- seal (rubber, silicone).
Tools you will need: tape measure, drill, jigsaw, screwdriver, pencil, stationery knife.
Note. When working with glass wool, you need to take care to protect your respiratory tract, hands and eyes (respirator, gloves, goggles).
Frame structure inside the door (stiffening ribs)
After the door leaf is disassembled, it may turn out that there are no stiffeners in the door cavity, then they will need to be made.
For this, a metal profile or corner with dimensions corresponding to the thickness of the door is used. Its widespread use is due to the fact that it is easier to weld metal to metal surface doors.
However, many masters agree that it is better to use wooden beam, because Wood has lower thermal conductivity. The difficulty when working with timber is that it is difficult to fasten it securely enough without damaging the front layer of the door leaf.
How to insulate a metal entrance door in a private house
The technology for insulating a steel door from the inside will be described in several stages, in the form of step-by-step instructions, so that even without experience in construction you can do the work yourself.
- the door leaf is removed from the hinges. Masters are able to perform work “by weight”, but for a beginner this can cause difficulties;
- all overhead elements are dismantled. These include: lock lining, handle, peephole;
- The casing on one side is dismantled. If the door is collapsible, i.e. it can be opened without disturbing one of the layers, then the dismantled plane of the door is set aside and then installed in place. Otherwise, one of the sides of the door (usually the inside) is cut off and subsequently replaced with a sheet of chipboard and finishing material;
Note. When planning to insulate a Chinese metal door, be prepared for the fact that it will not be possible to disassemble it. You'll just have to cut one of them front sides canvas and replace it later with an overlay made from a sheet of chipboard.
- If there are stiffening ribs inside the door cavity, you can begin laying insulation. Otherwise, you need to take care of their arrangement;
- formation of internal sheathing. To do this, first make a frame to which the stiffeners are mounted. The metal profile is welded, and the beam is fastened with hardware so that the integrity of the front covering of the door is not compromised.
Advice. It is not recommended to make only longitudinal or transverse frame cells; it is advisable to use a combination of them. Especially when it comes to insulation soft insulation, which tend to settle (fall down) during operation.
- Insulation is placed in the cells of the frame. When laying, you need to ensure that it completely fills the entire space of the cell, while corresponding to its height;
- When insulating with foam plastic, it is cut into blanks of the required size, liquid nails are applied to the blank and glued to the surface of the door. If there are cracks, it is recommended to fill them with foam;
How to insulate a metal door with polystyrene foam - video
- when insulating with cotton wool, work begins with laying the film, which should occupy the entire inner surface of the door and extend beyond it by 150-200 mm. Next, the cotton wool is cut into pieces of 10-15 mm. larger than the size of the cell (expanding a little, the cotton wool will easily fill them) and placed in the cells. Then the cotton wool is covered with a second layer of film, and the folds from the bottom layer of film are wrapped on upper layer films and sealed with tape. Thus, the cotton wool turns out to be in a case, which will become reliable protection from moisture.
Note. If the cotton wool is not protected, it will get wet and conduct heat; in addition, it will come into contact with the inner surface of the door. And constant exposure to moisture on metal will sooner or later cause it to rust. Moreover, the average door does not have internal protection from corrosion.
- the insulation is covered with penofol (if the door is facing the room) with a reflective layer into the room;
- if the door leaf is disassembled without problems, then the second removable part is installed in place, and the insulation of the metal door can be considered complete. But often, it is necessary to prepare a covering sheet that will replace the panel removed from one side of the door.
For these purposes, chipboard or plywood is used. To prepare the workpiece you need:
- transfer the dimensions of the door leaf, including the peephole and lock, onto the sheet;
- screw the sheet to the door frame with self-tapping screws;
- eliminate irregularities, protruding edges, and also grind off the edges of the sheet a little.
Note. The cladding panel is fastened from bottom to top. This way it will level out as you screw it in.
- The latter is used for decorative upholstery or door trim and installation of previously removed elements and fittings.
The result of all work will be an insulated metal door, which will reliably protect the premises from heat loss.
Now you can hang it back on the hinges and check the functionality of the handles and lock.
But it is worth noting that insulating a metal door only in the area of the door leaf is a small part of the possible work on thermal insulation of doors.
One of the sources of heat loss is the door frame. In most cases, it is hollow, which means it transmits heat well.
Insulation of metal door frames
The door frame is insulated by blowing foam into the metal profile. It's easy to do. It is enough to drill holes in the frame profile (not through holes) at a distance of 400-450 mm. The diameter of the hole is equal to the diameter of the tube from the foam container. After this, the cylinder tube is inserted into the profile and the foam fills the free space.
Note. In the same way, you can insulate the metal stiffeners in the door cavity immediately after installing the frame.
Upholstery and insulation of an iron door - video
Additional insulation of the entrance metal door
In addition to the work performed, there are two more directions through which heat escapes outside (blowing from under the iron entrance door).
- Through a loose fit of the door leaf to the frame. This problem can be eliminated by gluing around the perimeter of the door rubber seal.
- Through the door slopes. In this case, you will have to dismantle the slopes and inspect the safety of the foam that was used when installing the door. Restore foam if necessary. Then make a new insulated slope.
All work on insulating street or apartment metal doors can be done independently. But if you are afraid of making a mistake, it is better to order the services of a master. The cost of his work will be from 1,500 rubles. (excluding material cost). And the final price will be determined taking into account the type of door, the complexity of dismantling one side of the door leaf, the presence of stiffeners, the type of seal and the type finishing material.
However, the costs of insulating external doors made of metal are always justified, since they entail a significant reduction in heat loss through the doorway and avoid the appearance of condensation on the surface of the door, which leads to the destruction of the door leaf.
Tags: Doors, Entrance doors, Metal door, Insulation
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The best way to insulate entrance doors in a private house with your own hands: choose insulation (self-adhesive, felt, dermantine), video
The front door in a private house is one of the main sources of heat loss. In order not to freeze in winter, you need to take care of its insulation in advance. In this article, we will look at what materials are best used as insulation (felt, foam rubber, polystyrene foam), how to efficiently and easily insulate a door with your own hands, cover it with leatherette and cover the cracks with self-adhesive tape.
Which insulation for the front door is better to choose?
There are several ways to insulate your front door for the winter, the best way is upholstery. The following materials are used for this:
We insulate an iron door with foam panels
Typically metal doors are made from sheet material, welded on the sides with corners, that is, they have voids inside that need to be filled from the inside for additional insulation.
The insulation technology is as follows:
- We take the dimensions of the door leaf (width and length) according to which we will cut out the fiberboard panel to cover the foam layer.
- We transfer the dimensions of the door leaf, the location and dimensions of the peephole and handle onto the fiberboard plywood, and cut out openings for them.
- We apply the panel to the door, checking that all the marks are correct.
Insulating an iron door with foam plastic - Using a sharp knife, we cut out sheets of styrofoam to glue them to the inside of the door leaf. This insulation is glued using silicone, which is applied in a dense, uniform layer over the entire surface.
Advice! The thickness of the foam is determined by the size of the corner shelf.
- Now you can cover the foam with a fiberboard panel. We put a bit on the screwdriver and screw the fiberboard to the door leaf with self-tapping screws.
- The stiffening ribs of the metal door are made of a hollow tube; in winter it freezes and the effect of a “refrigerator” is obtained. To prevent this from happening, it is filled from the inside with polyurethane foam. To do this, a hole is made in the pipe with a drill, where foam is poured.
We insulate the front door with foam rubber
To insulate a wooden front door, you can use foam rubber on the outside. To do this you need:
- Remove the door frame from its hinges and place it on a flat horizontal plane, such as stools. Then remove all protruding parts of the door (lock, eye hole, handle).
Advice! Before insulating the door with foam rubber, cover the door leaf with an iron sheet to strengthen it.
- Next, you need to make a base for the rollers necessary to plug the hole between the door and the frame. For doors opening outwards, 3 strips of leatherette 140 mm wide are cut out, of which the length of the first is equal to the length of the door, and the other 2 are equal to its width. Three strips are nailed with nails along the edge of the door frame, having first retreated 15 mm from the edge. The side on which the hinges are located is not upholstered. For doors that open inwards, 4 strips 140 mm wide are cut out and nailed on all sides.
- You need to make bundles of cotton wool with a diameter of 30 mm, wrap them in leatherette, nailed at the bottom, and nail the resulting roller at the very edge of the door.
- Next, foam sheets are laid on top of the door leaf.
- You need to cut the canvas out of leatherette according to the parameters of the door, plus 10 cm on each side. Lay the leatherette on top of the insulation and nail it, first the side corners, and then the bottom and top
- Next, you need to make the remaining three rollers (this applies to doors that open outward) and nail them so that the upper edge of the upholstery overlaps the lower one.
- Then you can nail the panel along the entire perimeter, ending with the edge on which the loops are located.
- At the end, you need to cut holes for all the protruding parts of the door, fasten the handle in place and you can hang the door back on its hinges.
Insulation with polyurethane foam
An equally effective way to protect a doorway from cold air is to use polyurethane foam:
Foam gun - Buy a foam gun, medium size.
- Apply construction tape to the border of the door, including the door itself, the frame and the wall.
- Fill the inner and outer perimeter of the door with polyurethane foam, making sure that there are no voids left between the door frame and the wall.
- Then use sandpaper and a knife to remove excess foam.
- At the end, the joints are puttied and painted to match the color of the walls of the house.
How to use sealing gasket
A rubber gasket bridges the gap between the door frame and the door leaf. Such a gap remains even when closed position door, and up to 20% of the heat escapes through it. To prevent this you need:
- Measure the perimeter of the door frame, this indicator will be equal to length tapes. The width is equal to the size of the contact point between the frame and the door leaf (rebate width), and the thickness is equal to the width of the gap between the door leaf and the door.
Advice! It is difficult to measure the width of the fold, but this can be done using plasticine. It is placed between the door and the frame and closed. After this, it is removed and measurements are taken.
- We remove the paper that protects the sticky side from the sealing gasket and smooth it along the entire perimeter of the door frame rebate.
In this way, you can insulate the door by upholstering it with insulation and covering the joints with sealing tape. If these methods do not help, you need to check that the door leaf is installed correctly and that there are no holes in the foam used during installation.
Do-it-yourself insulation of the front door: video
How to insulate entrance doors: photo
What is the best way to insulate the foundation of a house from the outside?
Tips on how to properly insulate entrance doors with foam plastic and other materials. How to insulate metal doors with non-removable leaf. If the owner of the apartment is worried about the safety of his household, then he prefers installing a metal entrance door.
This option can completely ensure the safety of your home. And if you manage not to lose heat, then this option will be even more attractive. How to insulate a metal entrance door is of concern to any rational owner.
Why is thermal insulation required?
If you have installed metal doors, then the next thing you need to do is insulate the door. According to statistics, from an apartment to heating season At least 30% of thermal energy is lost, and it is mainly lost due to cracks formed in door and window openings.
Insulating windows usually does not cause any particular difficulties. But when it comes to how to insulate a door, some knowledge is definitely required. Without them, you won’t be able to do everything yourself. Insulation of the door structure is relevant in all residential buildings where there is heat meters. Then it will be possible to achieve significant savings during the heating season.
A loose fit of the metal door leaf leads to the following problems:
- the occurrence of drafts,
- heat losses,
- increasing the risk of household members getting a cold,
- rising heating bills.
The basic configuration of such entrance doors does not have good sound insulation. Residents will constantly hear extraneous sounds from a working elevator or others, which may keep you awake at night. Therefore, it is better to insulate a metal door with your own hands immediately after it has been installed.
On one's own
Turning to professionals means carrying additional expenses. To cope on your own, you need to get acquainted with the operating technology and buy the appropriate thermal insulation materials. There are also some recommendations to consider.
Related article: Ideas for using vinyl stickers
For example, before insulating a door, you cannot use bulk components such as vermiculite and perlite as materials. When cracks form, they will constantly spill out. To achieve the best effect, you need to perform insulation entrance structure both inside and outside. This method will increase the percentage of heat retained in the apartment.
Today we need a modern approach to solving the problem of how to insulate the front door. First of all, you should find out why the draft appears. All the cracks that allow warm air disappear from your apartment must be found. Sometimes adjusting a metal door can completely correct the situation. You can make it yourself. Only in exceptional cases do you have to remove the doors from their hinges and align them using special machine. This will require certain skills.
To insulate doors efficiently, you need to prepare the following materials:
Styrofoam
- Styrofoam,
- mineral wool,
- felt fabric.
Many people prefer to do housework with their own hands in order to be sure of the reliability and durability of the structure. In addition, there is no need to purchase overly expensive materials.
Materials you will need to make your own door insulation
Before insulating the front door, you will need to purchase silicone, self-adhesive film and polyurethane foam.
The best insulation can be ensured by filling the metal door stiffeners with your own hands using polyurethane foam.
- Take measurements of the door leaf and apply them to a sheet of fiberboard.
- Precisely mark the holes for the lock and peephole.
- Cut out the workpiece.
- Using a knife, cut out panels from polystyrene foam.
- Fill each of these blocks with silicone.
- Fill the gaps between the door profile and the foam panel with polyurethane foam.
- The fiberboard blank is screwed to the door leaf.
- All that remains is to fill the space between the frame and the door.
- Self-adhesive film is glued to the frame profile.
- A plastic or wooden covering is mounted on the inside of the door leaf.
- The coating can be hidden with varnish.
Related article: Polymer floor technology: step-by-step device
Knowing fully the technology of how to insulate a metal door, you can get down to business. You need to choose the right insulation option. On the market today you can find many different insulating materials. For example, polystyrene foam is often used. After it, mineral wool is in second place in popularity.
Before you insulate your metal entrance door, you need to find out comparative characteristics mineral wool and foam plastic
Box designs
Mineral wool
To maintain normal temperature in a house or apartment, it is not enough to insulate only the closing structure. Heat can also escape from the junction of the wall with the door frame and with the leaf itself.
You can use cotton wool, felt or tow to seal all visible cracks at the front door. You need to compact them tightly with a narrow spatula or screwdriver. After slightly moistening, putty the surface with finishing putty or cement mortar. Larger gaps should be filled with foam. The composition that performed can be removed sharp knife, and at the end putty.
To seal the perimeter of the doors, you can use insulation using a special construction self-adhesive tape with a rubber or foam seal. If you stick it correctly, you can get an excellent vacuum box. Today there is no shortage of such materials on the market, so the question of how to insulate a metal door will not arise.
No removable panels
Felt fabric
The procedure for insulating metal doors that do not include removable panels in their mechanism is quite complex, but doable. In this case, thermal insulation bulk materials can be used. Before starting operations, it is important to pay attention to what a mortise lock looks like. This method applies if the opening and closing device includes a special protective pocket and a mixture of bulk materials will not get into the mechanism and will not cause the bolts to stop working. Then the issue of insulation can only be solved from the outside.