Real estate and electricity prices are growing steadily. Construction corporations and ordinary people Those who want to build a house are forced to look for ways to reduce the cost of providing heat to their premises.
– one of the best solutions. To tell the truth, this is not a new thing at all. This technology has long been used by our ancestors. It was first remembered in Europe and the USA, when the issue of thermal efficiency of houses became an issue. You should not naively assume that a house made of straw will fall apart at any moment, as in the fairy tale about the three little pigs. Thanks to special technologies, such a house will last a hundred years to the delight of its owners.
In America, for example, straw houses have been built since the mid-19th century. This began because straw was a widely available material, but wood was in short supply. As soon as pressing machines were invented, building houses from straw became popular. After new construction technologies(mid-20th century) they forgot about straw, but not for long. The environmental crisis and concern for their health have prompted people to revive such construction.
has a number of advantages listed below:
- Excellent thermal insulation.
- Relative speed of construction.
- Cheap straw.
- Quite good sound insulation.
- Ecologically pure material- does not harm health.
If technology is not followed insulating a house with straw the following consequences may occur:
- Straw rotting at a moisture content of more than 20%. It is necessary to strictly monitor during construction to ensure that the straw is dry.
- Fire is very dangerous during construction. The straw blocks themselves, compressed special technology, resistant to fire. But, during the construction process there should be no fire on the site (even smoking is prohibited), because A few tufts of straw on the floor can cause a large fire.
- Risk of rodents settling in straw walls. To avoid such troubles, experts advise using rice or rye straw, which mice do not feed on.
- Although it is not expensive to build houses from straw, you must immediately have the funds for complete construction, taking into account the internal and exterior finishing. Such construction cannot be “frozen” and continued in a year or two.
Where to begin insulating your house with straw? First you need to purchase compressed straw blocks. It is very important that the pressing is strong and of high quality (otherwise there will be risks of fire). Next, the blocks are placed between the frame posts. Straw blocks are fastened with rods (both metal and wood can be used). The next step Insulating a house with straw is processing straw. As a rule, a clay-lime solution or a mixture of clay and water is used. It should be applied in several layers.
Drywall covers the inside of the wall. For exterior finishing many options. The lining looks good. Thanks to frame technology a wall insulated with straw is quite resistant even to hurricane winds.
If the walls of the house are made of straw, then the roof cannot be constructed from very heavy materials. To prevent rain and snow from falling on the walls in large quantities, they usually make a cornice with a margin (at least 50 cm).
The positive thing about building walls from straw is that the foundation does not have to be massive, which speeds up and reduces the cost of the construction process.
In addition to the obvious environmental benefits, insulation of walls with straw is cost effective. Brick house with the same level of comfort it usually costs twice as much. Wood prices are also constantly rising, due to insufficient regeneration of the Earth's forest reserves. Straw, in fact, is a waste product that often rots. The price of straw bales mainly consists of the cost of baling the straw. The cost of the material is scanty. It’s worth thinking about why, despite a number of advantages, straw houses have not replaced other construction? The answer is simply simple - it is not profitable for someone, namely corporations that produce expensive building materials. So, before enriching someone's pockets, you should study the pros and cons in detail. And choose a house made of straw!
The bathhouse is not only a place for washing. This is a place where you can simultaneously enjoy water procedures and heat, activate the immune system, metabolic processes, cause accelerated cleansing of the body from waste and toxins.
If the bathhouse is poorly insulated, then a large number of the heat will simply go to nowhere, and it will turn out that energy is wasted. It is clear that It’s better to perform high-quality insulation once than to deal with the consequences later. After all, if there is no insulating layer on the floor beams, then they will simply get wet from condensation and quickly collapse.
Insulation is made using a variety of materials. Insulating a bathhouse ceiling with clay- an old and inexpensive option.
This technology has been used for hundreds of years, and therefore it has been worked out to the smallest detail, which allows you to carry out insulation yourself without special training or construction skills.
Methods
The easiest way Insulation with clay begins with covering the ceiling with boards. Their minimum thickness should be 4 cm, but it is better if it is 6 cm. Before carrying out work, the boards must be dried well. In no case should you paint or varnish boards, because many paints and varnishes are simply not adapted to high temperatures and, under its influence, can begin to release toxic resins and polyesters into the space.
At all It is better not to use chemicals in the bath, unless you intend to constantly inhale its destructive fumes.
After completing the sheathing, you must carefully and carefully cover the gaps between the boards with clay and wait for it to dry completely.
The next stage begins with preparing a mixture of sand and clay, which should be quite thick. All boards laid on the ceiling are covered with this mixture. The thickness of the layer should be at least 5-7 cm. Next, you should wait until the layer is completely dry, and this can take quite a lot of time. A thick layer of sand is laid on the dried clay.
Then the ceiling is impregnated first with liquid steam and then with dry steam. The clay, accordingly, first gets wet, and then finally dries and acquires the ability to retain the heat of your bath for many years.
To ensure that the insulated ceiling retains its heat-insulating properties for as long as possible, there must be ventilation in the attic. The simplest and at the same time reliable way creating ventilation - two windows opposite each other.
Another way consists of insulation with several layers of clay with intermediate layers of sawdust or expanded clay. In order to prepare the clay, it is slightly moistened and thoroughly mixed with straw until smooth. The straw is pre-chopped. The final consistency should be similar to soft plasticine or mortar, which is used in laying brick walls.
The clay layer will again be 5-8 cm. After application, it must be carefully smoothed. Seal the perimeter of the ceiling requires special care. The clay will dry in 20-30 days, provided that the outside temperature is above zero. After drying, cracks may appear. This is normal. You can apply another thinner clay layer to the cracks, and cover it with sawdust, expanded clay or wood chips on top.
Today, many people are building bathhouses on their property. It is clear that it should be as warm as possible. If the owners do not want to get an unsuitable design, then they should think about every moment at the planning level. But when creating a full-fledged bathhouse, you can save a lot on firewood.
What should you think about? Insulation of a bathhouse ceiling is important stage in construction. There are enough proposals for materials on the market. Before starting construction, it is worth considering any action. After all, each material has its own characteristics and fastening technology.
When can you not do without insulation?
According to experts, it is not necessary to insulate the ceiling in a bathhouse with your own hands in every case. There is a law of physics that you should not forget: warm air rises up. The ceiling restricts the movement of heat, and it accumulates there, without benefit. In this situation, it is important what level of thermal conductivity. In the absence of an insulating structure, about 30 percent goes to the street.
Depends on the season
Some note that for a bathhouse flooded in summer time, there is nothing wrong with the lack of insulation. If this building is used all year round, then you will have to think about insulation.
In addition, if a person does not want to heat all day, it is also worth completely eliminating heat loss. This can be done without the involvement of specialists. Since the insulation of the bathhouse ceiling is simple process, all that remains is to take full instructions for service.
Several methods to choose from
As already noted, there are plenty of ways, you just have to choose your own and implement the project. How is the choice made? This is influenced by what is above the ceiling:
- Uninsulated attic space.
- Residential attic.
- Flat roof, with little space.
Despite this, there are limitations to the work. Experts identify several main areas:
As a result, each procedure gives the main result - insulation of the bathhouse ceiling. You can complete this operation with your own hands in a couple of days. Before you begin, you should understand the effectiveness of each action, the preparation of material and tools required in the work process. Having understood the nuances, you can begin installation.
Flat ceiling
During the work process, you will need several component materials - expanded clay, clay and sawdust. When present cold attic, but you don’t want to insulate it, then it’s worth thinking through some points. The flooring option is the most suitable for this design.
This is a simplified construction - since there are no loads on the ceiling, strengthening the beams is not required. The rough structure will lie directly on the harness. From the name of this method it is clear that an embankment will be produced. Therefore, it is worth laying the block with a thickness of at least 4 centimeters to prevent collapse.
What should the layer be?
Any materials available to the owner of the building are used. But the principle is the same. This is a “pie” with several layers. The bottom-up overlay goes like this:
- Finish ceiling.
- A layer of vapor barrier material.
- Boards.
- Wax paper.
- Insulation layer.
Vapor barrier
It must be said about Its function - it is not only protection from steam, but also the ability to withstand high temperatures. There is no such product on the market large assortment, so it will be easy to choose. Many people think that foil is the best option.
The insulating layer is made of expanded clay, clay and straw. If this is a modern flooring, then to prevent component elements from spilling through the cracks, paper (necessarily waxed) is used. The thickness of the coating reaches 30 centimeters. This is quite enough to ensure maximum protection and prevent heat from escaping outside. Expanded clay of various fractions is available for sale. It is important to lay it so that no voids are formed. This is the only way to insulate the ceiling in a bathhouse with expanded clay with your own hands.
Some craftsmen additionally fill the surface with boards of small thickness (for separation.) But there is no great need for this.
Clay and other options
Next view- This is the use of clay. It is initially soaked and then mixed with straw or sawdust. Insulation of the ceiling in the bathhouse is done when a homogeneous composition is achieved. Afterwards, the resulting mass is distributed around the perimeter of the insulation zone. There is another option: you can dilute the clay, place it over the entire area, and let it dry for four days. Afterwards, repair the cracks that appear with the same solution. Sprinkle sawdust or oak leaves on the surface, up to 9 centimeters. The final layer is 5 centimeters of dry clay.
From the side of the bathhouse (to the rough ceiling) it is mounted vapor barrier material. The joints are sealed with construction tape. Afterwards the lathing is made, and the ceiling is already installed on it. This could be a forcing or just a chopping block. The choice will depend on the financial capabilities of the owner.
If both of these options are compared, then there is one common disadvantage. That's a lot of weight. This means that the ceiling should be made of thick boards. The advantage of this method is that it is inexpensive. starting materials. A good option Do-it-yourself insulation of ceilings in bathhouses with mineral wool. Expanded polystyrene is also often used. But such materials will not be cheap.
What should you prepare?
During the work process, it is worth preparing the necessary raw materials and tools. This:
- Construction stapler.
- Saw.
- Hammer.
- Boards.
- Foil and wax paper.
- Metal tape.
- Nails.
- Expanded clay or clay.
Before purchasing insulation material, it is worth making a calculation so as not to spend too much and provide maximum protection.
false ceiling
Create such ceiling insulation in a bathhouse with cold roof not so easy. This is required for those who wish to create a room on the erected structure. If there will be a living space on the second floor, then it is worth making the floors reliable and complete. Afterwards the ceiling is already finished. Before starting work prepare:
- Construction stapler and tape measure.
- Hammer and saw.
- Sharp knife.
- Mallet.
- Beams.
- Foil.
- Metal tape.
- Nails with protective layer.
- Laths for sheathing.
- Lining or other finishing material.
- Insulation.
- Edged board.
- Vapor barrier film.
Before purchasing, you should calculate the amount of insulation for the bathhouse ceiling. If the bulk method is chosen, then the calculation is made based on the height and area of the ceiling. Don't forget about the climatic indicators in the region. What the insulation will look like from bottom to top:
After preparation necessary materials and the required tools, the process of performing the work begins:
- First you need to lay the floor beams.
- After which the vapor barrier is fixed to them from below. To do this, purchase foil. To completely eliminate the passage of air, it is worth sealing with metal tape. It is good to carry out such work with a stapler.
- To ensure that steam does not accumulate, the slats are fixed and a gap of 3 centimeters is made.
- For finishing it is better to use lining. But such material is not cheap, so if desired, you can replace it with something.
- Next is to climb into the attic. It is laid between the beams insulation material and vapor protection. But what to choose? It is good to insulate the bathhouse ceiling basalt wool.
- Afterwards it is worth laying a layer of waterproofing. If we are talking about a bathhouse, then it is better to give preference to a membrane.
- Further applied edged boards, everything is hidden under them. Since this part will become the floor for the second floor, you should not use concrete. It's heavy.
- Flooring is carried out as a finishing material.
The process is not complicated and anyone can handle it. You should not skip any of the stages, otherwise the design will be unreliable and will not create additional heat.
How to insulate a panel ceiling?
Masters say that such a design is rare in a bathhouse, because it is difficult to work with. The fact is that you need to mount a pallet into which the main materials will be loaded. In your work you will need to use:
- Hammer.
- Saw.
- Construction stapler.
- Sharp knife.
- Nails.
- Foil.
- Mineral wool.
- Bars.
- Boards.
To insulate the ceiling of a bathhouse with mineral wool, it is worth taking a thickness of up to 10 centimeters. The material is easy to work with, as it is cut with a knife, inserted and, if necessary, pressed. You need to install the pallet depending on the room itself, but the width can reach up to half a meter.
Knowing the length and width of the ceiling, you can calculate in advance how much it costs to purchase. There is no need to take extra. Sometimes mineral wool has a high density. In such a situation, you won’t be able to compress it - you can only cut it. But these pieces can be used in some recesses. If the size of the bathhouse ceiling is 3.5 by 3.5 meters, then 22 standard mats will be enough.
It is clear that in the bathhouse the temperature rises greatly, so using any insulation will not work. Particular attention is paid to the place where the person will steam. The material must be:
- Non-flammable. In case of fire, do not create smoke.
- Capable of not reacting to temperatures up to 100 degrees.
- Do not accept liquid.
- Do not release chemicals into the air.
Find completely high quality and suitable material not so simple, because each has its own pros and cons. Therefore, you should base your choice on the basis of these data. How the work is going:
- The new design is made first. To do this, you need bars or boards, the length of which can reach up to half a meter.
- The bars are fixed at a distance of half a meter, and the boards are fixed to the fasteners perpendicularly. An indent of 4 centimeters is made from the edge.
- According to external data, this is a box. The vapor barrier goes deep into it. Then it is fixed. This shield needs to be raised up. It is better to strengthen it so that it does not fall apart.
- The created shields are placed close to each other on the roof.
- The supports for such a structure will be the walls. It follows from this that their length should be identical. The insulation is laid in existing pockets. Next is the laying of the flooring boards and then the finishing floor.
Panel ceilings are used in two-story baths. It is compared to a hemmed one. As a result, everyone decides for themselves whether to save money on the construction of the structure. Working with the installation panel ceiling, you should not use plastic in finishing. He is very afraid high temperatures. So, a few hours after using the bathhouse, this entire structure can simply become deformed, ruining the entire interior of the room.
Conclusion
So, we found out how to insulate a bathhouse yourself. Before making the final choice of material, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the characteristics of each insulation. Only then will it become clear which is better. Some have increased flammability, which is definitely unacceptable. Builders believe that ceiling insulation should be planned at the level of building a bathhouse. And everyone can do this with their own hands, without the involvement of specialists.
A warm room in winter is much cozier and more comfortable. Although wooden beams and logs have excellent thermal insulation properties, there are vulnerable spots that require additional thermal insulation.
Construction wooden houses has its own specific features, one of which is the insulation of walls, floors and ceilings.
Why additionally insulate a wooden house?
Wood contains a large amount of moisture, which evaporates over time. Wherein geometric shape and the dimensions of the logs from which the house is built change.
Previously, moss was used to seal cracks between logs. With the advent of new insulating materials there was an opportunity to do this in other ways.
What and how should be insulated in a wooden house?
IN wooden building additional insulation require:
- walls;
- ceiling.
The floor is insulated with a layer heat-insulating material, placed on top wax paper or waterproof film used as waterproofing.
If the house has a basement, then film or paper is spread over the ceiling of the basement. If the house is on the ground, the waterproofing is laid on the base slabs.
We insulate the floor
The thicker the insulation layer, the less heat will escape from the house through the floor. The plank floor is laid on top of the insulation.
See more details:
In addition, the so-called system is currently becoming popular in wooden houses. warm floors:
If the house has an attic, then insulating the ceiling is done in the same way as insulating the floor. A layer of hydraulic insulation is laid on the attic side, on which insulation is laid.
Insulation of the attic floor
See more details:
Insulation of the walls of a wooden house is carried out using two methods:
- outside;
- from the inside.
When the main temperature change occurs in the facing layer. Wherein wooden structures are in more favorable conditions. Temperatures inside the house and from outside logs (if available external insulation) differ little.
External insulation of a wooden house with polystyrene foam
External insulation is carried out mainly by finishing a wooden house different materials- clapboard, brick, lining aerated concrete blocks etc. Between outer wall and a layer of insulation is laid over the cladding.
When covering a wooden house with bricks, it is necessary to leave between wooden wall and a brick gap for ventilation. This will ensure timely removal of excess moisture and protect the wood from premature aging.
Aerated concrete blocks can be laid without a ventilation gap. They have greater vapor permeability than wood, so excess moisture is quickly removed.
See more about methods of external insulation:
With a wooden wall in winter time is under the influence of large negative temperatures. This contributes to conditions that adversely affect the condition of the logs.
Insulating a house from the inside with mineral wool
Excess moisture can accumulate between the insulation layer and the wall, which leads to faster aging of the wood.
- See more details: .
The insulation method is the same: on wooden wall waterproofing and a layer of thermal insulation are applied. If the house is insulated from the inside, the environmental friendliness of the insulation must be more high requirements than with external thermal insulation.
Decorative finishing on top of the insulation can be done with boards.
Also, which may not seem so obvious, sometimes it’s a good idea to insulate the roof and foundation. Cm.:
Useful video about heat conservation in a wooden house
If you want to keep warm in a wooden house, the owner should decide what he wants to achieve as a result. Internal insulation saves appearance wooden house, stylized as antique. External insulation gives the house a modern appearance and does not affect the beauty of the interior.