Ceiling insulation is very important to reduce heat loss. Let's discuss how to do such work with your own hands. What material is best for a private home? Let's look at the stages of work using the example of insulating the ceiling from the attic side. The descriptions are supplemented with a diagram and a video showing the work process in detail.
For thermal insulation of the ceiling of a private house or cottage, use a large number of various insulation materials. These include traditional materials that have proven themselves, or new ones, even innovative ones. The most widespread are:
- Sawdust.
- Expanded clay.
- Minvata.
- Styrofoam.
- Ecowool.
Sawdust Sawdust are considered obsolete raw materials, but they are still widely used. The main advantage is the affordable price. But this insulation is fire hazardous, shrinks over time, and requires additional filling.
Expanded clay suitable for external insulation. The material is made of lightweight fire-resistant clay. Rodents do not grow in the layer of this insulation. Expanded clay has good heat and sound insulation and is resistant to moisture. However, it is recommended to use a vapor barrier. But the material is quite heavy. Expanded clay is often poured on top with a screed.
Expanded clay Minvata is environmentally friendly material. Gained great popularity due to its non-flammable properties, high level heat and sound insulation, vapor permeability. Divided into different kinds, such as:
- glass wool;
- varnish;
- stone;
- ceramic, etc.
Minvata Mineral wool must not be compacted. When laying the insulation layer, care must be taken to ensure that no gaps are formed. You should work in safety glasses, clothing made of very thick fabric, and a respirator.
Important. Unpack mineral wool necessary immediately before the installation process.
Styrofoam has very low thermal conductivity. Microorganisms do not grow in it. The price of the material is not very high. Having chosen such insulation, you need to take care of ventilation or regular airing, since it practically does not allow air to pass through. Fireproof characteristics do not correspond modern requirements.
Styrofoam Ecowool – new material based on cellulose, contains antiseptics. Non-toxic, completely safe. It is distinguished by elasticity, elasticity, and vapor permeability. When ignited, it smolders slowly and is fireproof.
Ecowool Stages of ceiling insulation work
Unlike apartments, where the process of insulating or soundproofing the ceiling can only be carried out from below, the owner of a private house decides for himself how to carry out this work. Often preference is given to the option when the insulation is laid outside. Thermal insulation on the cold air side increases the service life of the floors.
You should start by drawing up an estimate and calculating the amount of material. Next, carefully examine the ceiling. All dirt and delaminations are removed. I lay the insulation only on a flat and clean space. Failure to do so runs the risk of causing damage. rafter system or floor elements already in the process of work. It is important to provide storage space for materials and tools. Insulation from the attic side is a system of layers:
- Vapor barrier.
- Insulation.
- Waterproofing.
Ceiling insulation with expanded clay There should always be a vapor-proof material on the outside and a breathable material on the inside. The vapor barrier is overlapped by 10 cm. It can be fixed (as well as waterproofing film) construction stapler. But not all materials need a vapor barrier layer. Insulation that does not absorb moisture does not require additional measures. Depending on the material chosen, a sheathing device may be required. If the insulation is mineral wool, the slats are placed at a distance of 0.5 m. This material is not very durable, so a wooden frame is installed to relieve the load on the insulation.
Important. It is necessary to leave an air gap of about 2 cm between the layers of waterproofing and insulation. This is necessary to maintain natural air exchange.
Waterproofing is laid on top, also with an overlap. This layer is necessary to prevent the main insulation from getting wet. The simplest and most affordable option is polyethylene film. You need to be especially careful when working close to chimney. Ideally, it is isolated and exclusively fire-resistant materials are used in this area.
Installation of insulation When choosing a material and the method of laying it, it is necessary to calculate its thickness and quantity. It is quite possible to do this yourself. By observing accuracy, rules and safety precautions, all work can be carried out efficiently and in a short time. Well-executed insulation of the ceiling of a private house will significantly reduce heat loss, and, as a result, will allow significant savings.
Heat loss in a room in winter is about 15%, so the question of how to insulate and what to insulate with should always be taken seriously. And there are enough nuances in this matter.
If you take on this work with your own hands, choose the insulation especially carefully. To insulate the ceiling from the inside, virtually any mixture is suitable, and in addition, all types of tile and polymer materials. And these, in turn, include expanded polystyrene and penoplex.
Exterior work can be carried out using the following materials:
- Expanded clay. It is a clay-based material that is considered highly fire resistant. Looks like gravel. It has good heat and sound insulation. Ceiling insulation with expanded clay will not only protect against heat loss a private house– rodents will not grow in expanded clay.
- Styrofoam. And this material is resistant to the influence of microorganisms, heat conservation is excellent. The downside is that polystyrene foam is, unfortunately, flammable.
- Ecowool – it's cellulose lightweight insulation, safe for human health. Very often they insulate the ceiling in wooden building, both old and new. Suitable for insulating the ceiling of a residential building and industrial premises.
- Mineral wool. If you choose it for insulation, prepare for the job as best you can. Respirators and safety glasses are required. IN wooden house used less frequently, as it is more suitable for concrete ceiling.
Well, the insulation itself can take place in two ways.
Methods for insulating the ceiling in a private house
You can insulate the ceiling surface directly inside the room, or you can also in the attic, that is, with outside. A ceiling that is insulated inside can only be insulated if the height of the ceilings allows this procedure to be carried out.
Since the process consists of:
- Laying a layer of vapor barrier and waterproofing;
- Laying a layer of insulation;
- Sheathing with gypsum plasterboard or cladding boards.
This whole “sandwich” can take up from 15 to 40-45 cm of room height. Experts advise making internal insulation if the attic is used for storage. And also if communication systems are installed in the attic. These could be air ducts and electrical cables.
There are more requirements for insulation inside; work must be carried out carefully and accurately.
How to insulate a ceiling in a private house: a diagram of step-by-step actions
In order to properly and efficiently insulate the ceiling, you need to know the main points of this process.
Ceiling insulation scheme in the house:
- First stage. The frame is made from beams or metal profiles. On a frame base, the ceiling is subsequently covered with plasterboard or clapboard.
- Second phase. Creating a vapor barrier layer. Glassine is cut to the size of the cells with the addition of 5 cm, wooden slats it is attached to guides or beams.
- Third stage. Laying a layer of insulation. Let's say it's mineral wool or polystyrene foam. It’s easy to lay polystyrene foam, since you can adjust the number of layers as you work. The foam is inserted into the cells of the sheathing as tightly as possible, but try not to break it - you never know, the material is fragile in this sense.
- Fourth stage. You cover the insulation with a glassine layer and fix the sheathing.
- Fifth stage. The ceiling is awaiting finishing and finishing.
Insulating the ceiling indoors has its drawbacks. It will not be possible to install lamps in this ceiling. This is explained by the fact that during operation the lamps will heat up quite strongly, and the thermal insulation layer will not allow this heat to escape. So the lamps in the lamps will deteriorate quite quickly.
Insulation of the ceiling in a private house from the outside
And here there are also several methods of insulation - polystyrene foam, mineral wool, penoizol. First, of course, tidy up the attic. Remove everything from it so that only the beams and ceiling remain.
The attic is well ventilated, so review the ventilation system and, if necessary, seal the cracks so that the thermal insulation layer does not get wet and thus fail.
If you use polystyrene foam for insulation:
- Place a layer of glassine between the beams, the overlap will be 5 cm for fixation to the beams, it is attached to them with a special strip;
- Then place the foam very tightly;
- Use construction foam to fill the gaps between the beams and the foam itself;
- Lay another glassine layer on top of the foam;
- Lay one or two layers of mineral wool on top.
Useful tips for insulating ceilings with foam plastic:
Place the mineral wool flush with all floor beams. The laying principle is brickwork.
External insulation using penoizol
This method has its own nuances, so it will be difficult to cope on your own; usually they turn to specialists. Since the work requires special equipment.
Penoizol is a powdery insulation material that a special machine blows into the space between the beams. This method is complex, since it is necessary to ensure sealing so that the insulation does not get into the living space.
Typically, this type of work is trusted to specialists or those who have already had experience in such insulation.
What should the insulation be like?
There are not many requirements for him, but they are quite serious. Firstly, the insulation must be fire resistant. That is, it is very difficult to ignite or not to ignite at all. According to safety rules, it must contain the fire for 25 minutes (the norm for a private home).
The joints between thermal insulation and load-bearing external walls must be thoroughly insulated. To insulate these places outer wall sealed with a heat-insulating layer, the width of which is not less than half a meter.
Types of insulation for ceilings (video)
Ceiling insulation in a house with a cold roof: ecowool
This insulation is not as popular as mineral wool, but this circumstance is obviously temporary.
Consists of ecowool from small cellulose fibers, it can be laid either wet or dry.
Methods for laying ecowool:
- The dry method means scattering, precise distribution and compaction of the insulation between the beams.
- The wet method involves the use of special equipment, where the fibers are mixed with adhesive composition, then wet ecowool is fed through a special pipe under pressure, and thus distributed over the surface.
Ecowool can be laid in any layer, even when compacted it will have little weight. Its airiness precisely ensures reliable insulation ceiling. This insulation prevents the formation of mold and other microorganisms.
During production, this material is treated with fire retardants, therefore it is a low-flammable material, and also self-extinguishing. Ecowool forms a sealed, seamless coating, therefore this insulation perfectly protects from both heat and cold.
Since cellulose wool is a breathable material, moisture will not be retained in it.
How to insulate the ceiling of a house with your own hands (video)
And in the foam block ceiling, and in reinforced concrete, and in wood, there are no such properties as to refuse insulation. Buy high-quality modern materials that are fire-resistant and environmentally friendly.
Happy renovation!
Large heat losses in the room and cold air blowing from the ceiling are a consequence of incorrect or poor-quality thermal insulation. Heat loss through the ceiling can reach 20%, since the heated air rises, and if there is no obstacle on its way that can keep it indoors, it will be “blown out”, just like your budget. Ceiling insulation measures must be carried out during the construction of the house. But if for some reason this did not happen, or old thermal insulation It has fallen into disrepair and will have to be done all over again. What are the ways to insulate a ceiling, how best to implement them in this or that case, what materials to use - these are the main questions that arise for owners. At the same time, it is important to do everything correctly so that the insulation does not become damp, condensation does not accumulate on the surface, and mold or mildew does not appear. And for this it is necessary to understand the very essence of the work performed and the processes occurring in the insulation.
Why and how to insulate the ceiling
What is meant by ceiling insulation? If it blows from above, from the side of the ceiling, we say “we need to insulate the ceiling,” but what actions are meant by this? In fact, there are several technologies, and which one is suitable in each specific case depends on the starting conditions.
In a private house, the ceiling insulation is always done from the upper room: be it the attic, the next floor or the attic. Laying thermal insulation material on top of the ceiling or in the voids of the ceiling ensures heat retention inside the room. At the same time, the height of the insulated room does not decrease, additional finishing of the ceiling is not required, and there is no need to install thermal insulation directly above the head, because it is not so easy to fix, and particles will penetrate into the living room. But the most important thing is that the processes occurring in the ceiling and thermal insulation material ensure warmth and dryness of the room and materials, condensation does not form and the insulation does not get wet.
What is the principle of attic insulation? It's no secret that the most best insulation- this is air. All modern thermal insulation materials are essentially air enclosed in one way or another in a form. But how can you use air for insulation without paying for it? Our ancestors acted very wisely when they built houses with a gable roof and an extremely cold attic, which had two windows in the gables. Our climate allows us to play this situation to our advantage. Gable roof It retains snow well, which is also insulation. A roof covered with snow retains heat so well that even if it is -25 °C outside, the temperature inside the attic is about 0 °C. The air trapped in the attic is an ideal insulator, the characteristics of which can be changed depending on the time of year or weather by opening and closing gable windows and ventilating the room. The attic floor was always insulated with bulk natural materials, together with the air, this made it possible to maintain the temperature inside the heated room at +20 - +25 °C. Another advantage of insulating the floor in the attic is that the material does not become damp and can be dried by ventilating the room.
Extremely important! In order for the attic to serve as a heat insulator, the roof slope cannot be insulated from the inside. This will cause the snow on the roof to melt and icicles to form on the eaves. In addition, the structure of a non-insulated roof is always open for inspection and repair.
Important! An attic that is insulated on all sides and has heating is no longer an attic. This is an attic, more suitable for the climate of warm countries Western Europe. The design and operation of the attic has its own rules.
In an apartment in a multi-story building, things are a little different. Insulate the ceiling or floor top floor does not seem possible. And the problem of a drafty ceiling most often arises among residents last floor. What to do? The only option is to insulate the ceiling from the inside of the room, although this is not recommended, there is no other choice.
When insulating the ceiling, it is important to remember this rule: each subsequent layer in the direction from the room must have greater vapor permeability.
Below we will look separately at ways to insulate an attic from the outside and inside.
Insulation of the ceiling from the outside (from the upper room)
Insulating the ceiling from the upper room involves laying heat-insulating material on top of the ceiling or in its voids, if any. As mentioned above, this is done in private houses and cottages. The type of insulation material and the technology for laying it depend on whether the floor is wooden or concrete. For flooring on beams, which is wooden floor on joists, lightweight backfill materials or materials are suitable roll type. But for insulation concrete slab- dense mats or slabs, as well as heavy backfill materials.
One of the most ancient and time-tested methods of ceiling insulation is insulating the attic with sawdust. In some regions, you can buy sawdust for next to nothing or even get it for free if there is a woodworking plant nearby. Quite often, the company itself does not know where to put the sawdust, so stop by and take it at least every year. It is better to add sawdust from above wooden floors.
The only drawback this method the fact that the sawdust burns. Therefore, several in various ways insulation with sawdust.
Method 1. All the cracks in wooden floor coat the attic with clay, a little liquid. Sprinkle sand on top. If the clay suddenly cracks somewhere, sand will immediately be poured into the crack, and the integrity will be preserved. To protect sawdust from mice, add a layer of slaked lime mixed with carbide. Next comes the main layer - sawdust. For different regions the thickness of this layer can be different, but the minimum is 150 - 200 mm, 250 - 300 mm is considered optimal. Since sawdust is a flammable material, it is sprinkled on top thin layer waste slag, especially around hot communications - a chimney, for example. Nothing is laid on top. You can only lay out the boards for ease of walking in the attic.
Method 2. The floor surface must be protected from moisture. This can be done in two ways: the first is to lay a waterproofing film on the wooden floor that can allow steam to pass through from the side of the room, the second is to coat the entire floor with clay in the same way as in the first method. Then you need to mix sawdust with cement. To do this, take 10 parts of sawdust, approximately 1 - 2 parts of cement and 1.5 parts of water. First, sawdust is mixed with cement, then water is added. The sawdust must be slightly wet for the cement to adhere to it. The resulting mixture can be poured from above onto the attic floor or poured between the floor beams onto the subfloor. A layer of 200 mm will be enough. It is necessary to start doing all this work in the spring, so that the sawdust and cement have time to dry well over the summer (they take a long time to dry).
Important! It’s easy to check whether the sawdust has dried or not: just walk on it. Dried sawdust will not sag, but will slightly crunch.
Method 3. Similar to the second method. Only instead of cement, clay is used.
Method 4. Similar to the first method. There is no need to sprinkle slag on top. The sawdust can be spread on top with clay, only not very liquid, so that it does not spill deep inside.
Considering that expanded clay is a rather heavy material, it is not recommended to insulate wooden floors with it. There is too great a risk that wood flooring may fail. Ceilings with concrete floors are insulated with expanded clay.
First of all, the surface of the concrete floor must be covered with a vapor barrier film. It should be laid with an overlap, and the joints should be taped. An overlap is made on the walls, approximately 40 - 50 cm. Wooden rafters The chimney also needs to be covered with a vapor barrier film.
Next, crumpled clay is placed on the film. And already on top - expanded clay. For better thermal insulation, use a mixture of large and small fractions of expanded clay. Then the fine grain will fill the voids, and the backfill will be more uniform. For cold climates, the expanded clay layer should be 50 cm. The 15 - 20 cm recommended in some sources will not save the situation. It is precisely because expanded clay needs to be covered in such a large layer for high-quality thermal insulation that it is rarely used.
A light structure is installed on top of the expanded clay cement-sand screed layer 50 mm. The solution should be thick enough so as not to spill deep into the backfill. This way, the attic will have a fairly strong floor, and it can be used for storing something or as a boiler room. A big plus is also the complete fire safety and environmental friendliness of this method.
Clay - ancient construction material, the scope of which is diverse and multifaceted. Clay itself is not used in insulation, since for effective thermal insulation its layer must be simply colossal - 50 - 80 cm. A wooden ceiling cannot withstand such a weight, and such a backfill thickness is simply impractical, it’s better to choose modern material.
Therefore, to insulate the ceiling, clay is used in a mixture with sawdust.
First, the floor is covered with a vapor barrier film that does not allow water to pass through. Next, you can prepare a clay-sawdust solution. Water is poured into a large barrel, to which 4 - 5 buckets of clay are added. The clay is then mixed in water until the water turns a dirty color and the clay almost dissolves. Next, part of the resulting mixture is poured into a concrete mixer and covered with sawdust. As mixing progresses, more water is added. As a result, the solution should be neither liquid nor thick.
An excellent option for insulating the ceiling in the attic wooden house- mats made of reeds. Modern reed mats, tied with twine or wire, are simply laid staggered on top of the floors. It is better if there are 2 layers, the second of them will overlap the joints of the mats of the first layer, removing “cold bridges”. The disadvantage of this method is the fire hazard.
For those who want to insulate the ceiling with natural materials, seaweed is suitable. In coastal regions, this material can be bought for pennies, and if you really want, you can order delivery to another region. The advantage of seaweed ladders is that they do not harbor mice, they are hypoallergenic and even medicinal, as they are saturated with iodine and sea salt, the vapors of which are beneficial and also do not support combustion and do not smoke. Insects and microorganisms do not grow in algae.
Seaweed is not afraid of moisture, so there is no need to vapor barrier the floor. The ladders are laid directly on the ceiling or floor in a layer of 200 mm. You can install a floor on top or lay boards for ease of movement.
Ecowool or cellulose wool is a modern material that is positioned as natural. To reduce flammability, it is treated with fire retardants or boric acid. Ecowool absorbs moisture, so there is no need to lay a vapor barrier film.
Ecowool is laid immediately on wooden or concrete floors. This requires a special blowing installation, thanks to which all the cracks are blown in, the insulation layer becomes monolithic and saturated with the air contained inside. For most regions of the Russian Federation, a layer of ecowool of 250 mm is sufficient, but in colder regions it is better to make 400 - 500 mm.
The technology for insulating the ceiling with ecowool sometimes includes spraying water. It is needed in order to speed up the process of lignin formation. Then after 1 - 3 weeks a crust appears on top of the ecowool. Due to the fact that this material tends to cake, it is always necessary to take a margin of 5 - 15%.
Penoplex is a representative of the family of extruded polystyrene foams. This material is more durable than polystyrene foam, which means it can be used for insulation. concrete floors before pouring the concrete floor on top. A good option for insulating the ceilings of the first or second floor of a low-rise private house.
It is not recommended to insulate the ceiling with Penoplex if the floors are wooden. The fact is that EPS is absolutely not a “breathable” material. As a result, in wooden structures Moisture will accumulate, which will lead to the appearance of mold and mildew.
Before laying Penoplex on a concrete floor, the latter must be checked for unevenness. First the surface is leveled, only then can it be laid vapor barrier material.
Then the Penoplex slabs are laid out. Be sure to take a running start. They are attached to the surface with special dowels with a mushroom cap. The joints between the slabs are filled polyurethane foam. After the foam has dried, a cement-sand screed with a layer of 50 mm is poured on top. It will serve as a durable floor for the attic or second floor.
Ceiling insulation with mineral wool (Ursa)
The most popular modern material for ceiling insulation is mineral wool. One of the heat manufacturers insulating materials based on minerals or fiberglass is the Ursa company, whose product range includes both rolled items and rigid slabs.
Ursa mineral wool in rolls is good for insulating wooden floors; it is convenient to lay it between beams. But rigid mineral wool slabs are used for thermal insulation of concrete floors, although it can also be used for wooden floors.
Ceiling insulation with Ursa is carried out as follows:
For wooden floors. A vapor barrier material is laid between the floor beams. Its installation is mandatory, since mineral wool is afraid of moisture. The film is spread with an overlap, and the joints are taped, an overlap of 15 - 25 cm is made on the walls. Next, rolls of Ursa mineral wool with a thickness of 100 to 250 mm are laid between the beams, depending on heat loss calculations. The material must enter the space with force. To do this, it must be cut with a small margin of 2 cm more than the distance between the beams. Then there are two ways: the first - you can leave the mineral wool open, but then it will be impossible to walk on the floor, the second - you can make a wooden floor on top, leaving a gap of 3 mm between the mineral wool and the floor boards. The advantage of mineral wool is its fire safety.
For concrete floors. The concrete surface is leveled and then covered with a vapor barrier film. Mineral wool slabs are laid on top, always spaced apart. Next, a wooden floor or flooring made of boards, plywood, etc. is installed. It is not recommended to screed over mineral wool, since concrete has low vapor permeability, which means that the main rule of thermal insulation will not be observed.
Ceiling insulation with foam (polyurethane foam)
Polyurethane foam is a modern material that is advertised everywhere as the most ideal insulation for ceilings and attics. Advantages of this material are non-flammability, good adhesion, neutrality to microorganisms and insects, waterproofing and soundproofing properties, resistance to temperature fluctuations, absence of cold bridges. The disadvantage is complete vapor tightness; this has a bad effect on the microclimate of the room.
Ceiling insulation with polyurethane foam is carried out only by an organization specializing in this. The material is sprayed under high pressure so that it is blown into all the cracks and envelops protruding elements - columns, etc. The layer is usually 10 - 12 cm.
Insulation of the ceiling from the inside
An extremely undesirable measure is to insulate the ceiling from inside the room. In addition to reducing the overall height of the room, there is an extremely high risk of heat-insulating material or its evaporation entering the room, as well as the likelihood of mold and mildew appearing in the insulation. But if there is no other way out, you will have to at least take into account a number of restrictions: do not use mineral wool and form a ventilation gap between the insulation and the ceiling finish.
Ceiling insulation with extruded polystyrene foam (Penoplex)
EPPS is a good option for insulating a concrete ceiling. First, the sheathing is nailed onto which the drywall will later be attached. The height of the sheathing beam should be 2 - 3 mm greater than the thickness of the insulation. The pitch between the slats should be equal to the width of Penoplex minus 1 - 2 mm. Next, the insulation is stuffed between the sheathing; it must fit in with force. For greater reliability, it must be secured to the ceiling with dowels. Then plasterboard is attached to the sheathing and a suspended ceiling is obtained. Instead of drywall, you can install a suspended ceiling.
Penofol is foamed polyethylene, one side of which is foil-coated. Its thermal insulation properties are not that great, but if the heat loss is not too great, it may be sufficient.
It is necessary to fill the ceiling with a lath, to which Penofol is attached, with the foil side facing the room. It can be nailed to the sheathing. It is necessary to create a ventilation gap on both sides of this material, so another sheathing is placed on top of it, to which drywall is attached. A stretch ceiling option is also possible.
The second way to insulate a ceiling with Penofol is to use it in combination with Penoplex.
In addition to the Penoplex insulation method described above, Penofol is applied to the sheathing, and only then plasterboard.
Insulation of the ceiling with heat-insulating plaster mixtures
For some unknown reason, the option of insulating the ceiling with special thermal insulation plaster mixtures is not popular. But in vain. This is an excellent material for insulating concrete ceilings. Plasters are absolutely environmentally friendly, decorative, do not suffer from moisture and steam, do not burn and are not afraid of fungus or mold. Among the materials from UMKA there are items that can be used indoors.
Insulating the ceiling with white agglomerate of cork tree bark is an environmentally friendly natural method of insulation. The plug is convenient to use during installation suspended ceiling Armstrong type, secured to the sheathing. The use of a vapor barrier is not necessary, since cork is not afraid of moisture.
The methods of ceiling insulation described above are the most common, but the general list does not end there. There are many other natural and synthetic materials, which can be used for thermal insulation of the attic of a private house. When choosing this or that method and material, be sure to take into account the overall concept of your home. For example, insulating the ceiling of an environmentally friendly wooden house with Penoplex or Penofol is at least stupid. To keep the wood dry and give it the opportunity to “breathe,” you need to choose natural, vapor-permeable materials, such as seaweed, reeds, sawdust or ecowool. And for a house made of concrete, foam concrete or brick, EPS and polyurethane foam are perfect.
Any owner strives to create a comfortable stay in his home. To do this, periodically monitors possible heat losses, as a result of which room temperature may decrease and energy use increase. Window and doorways are the main conductors of cold air.
As a rule, they are the first to be replaced by home owners with quality products. Many rushed to insulate the walls and foundation. But for some reason people don’t always remember about the ceiling. And in vain! According to the laws of physics, heat loss due to poor quality ceiling may be over 20 percent. The barrier created at the top will prevent heat from escaping, and heating devices there is no need to heat the environment.
Methods for insulating the ceiling in a private house include both interior work and in the attic. These works to strengthen the energy protection of the house are equivalent, so each owner can choose a convenient option for themselves.
The difference between the methods lies in the installation technology and materials used:
- Insulation of the ceiling from the inside is accompanied by subsequent finishing of the surface with plasterboard or other suspended structures. It should be noted that the height of the room after installation will decrease from 10 to 25 cm. The material used must have vapor-permeable properties. These can be: mineral or basalt wool, penofol.
- External ceiling insulation is performed in the attic. A more economical and profitable option, as it does not require further finishing works, if the use of the attic space is not provided. It is recommended to use a vapor-tight material to prevent moisture from entering the ceiling. The most commonly used are: polystyrene foam, penoizol, mineral wool, expanded clay.
Choice of insulation
The modern construction market offers a huge amount of materials for ceiling insulation. Even expanded clay, sawdust, hay, clay and slag are used, which have a number of significant disadvantages among their advantages. The choice must meet the technology requirements.
Basic requirements that insulation must meet:
- do not release toxic substances;
- be resistant to moisture;
- have a low degree of flammability.
Popular materials for energy saving work at home
Mineral wool in the form of sheets or rolls is widely used in construction work. The characteristics of the insulation meet technical requirements thermal insulation. Use in residential premises is dictated by the absence of toxic substances in the composition and excellent thermal insulation properties. Mineral wool has components of limestone, basalt, diabase and dolomite.
Rocks endow the material with valuable qualities:
- low degree of thermal conductivity;
- resistance to temperature changes;
- lack of flammability;
- environmental characteristics.
Still, the material has disadvantages:
- ability to absorb moisture;
- When installing, be sure to use a waterproofing film;
- additionally treat the joint seams with polyurethane foam for better sealing;
- to attach the insulation, a lathing is made of wooden beams or profiles;
- relatively short service life (10-15 years).
Penofol consists of layers of foamed polyethylene and aluminum foil. Combines the properties of several insulating materials with a fairly wide range of applications. It represents the basis for innovative finishing of balconies and loggias.
It has low thermal conductivity, which will save energy resources. Protective qualities will prevent the penetration of cold air, draft and radon into the room. In summer, penofol will help keep the house cool and create a comfortable microclimate.
The light weight of the material makes installation convenient, and the structure of the building does not become heavier. To work with penofol you will need a minimum amount of available tools: construction knife, tape and liquid nails.
Along with the advantages, there are also disadvantages:
- flexible surface implies ceiling finishing suspended structure with frame;
- It is problematic to attach the material to some surfaces;
- To increase thermal protection, it is recommended to use mineral wool.
Expanded polystyrene is better known to many as polystyrene foam. The material, easy to use, creates strong heat protection in the room without harming the health of household members. At correct execution installation fully justifies the costs and retains its quality for a long time.
The advantages are:
- moisture resistance;
- good thermal conductivity;
- light weight, eliminating structural reinforcement;
- easy installation.
Disadvantages include:
- easy flammability;
- instability to influence ultraviolet rays and solvents;
- low resistance to mechanical damage.
Penoizol is a liquid foam plastic. To insulate the ceiling from the outside, it is necessary to use special equipment to apply a binder to the surface.
Advantages of the material:
- affordable price;
- thermal insulation qualities;
- flammability resistance;
- Easily fills hard-to-reach places;
- safe operation.
Flaws:
- the lack of special equipment precludes independent installation;
- weak resistance to mechanical stress;
- the first 2-3 weeks after installation, a small amount of toxic substance evaporates;
- ability to absorb moisture.
Do-it-yourself insulation
If you stick to technological process and do right choice material, installation is quite possible to do independently.
Insulating the ceiling indoors using mineral wool
To complete the work you will need the following materials:
- mineral wool;
- metal profiles or wooden blocks 150x30 mm;
- hardware;
- vapor barrier film;
- staples;
- polyurethane foam;
- dowels with a wide head;
- drywall.
Set of tools:
- perforator;
- roulette;
- hammer;
- screwdriver;
- scissors;
- construction knife.
Installation stages
- Make a sheathing of wooden blocks on the ceiling or metal profile in increments of 50 cm.
- Cut the insulation to the size of the sheathing cells with an increase of 2 cm on the sides.
- Place mineral wool in cells without compacting it.
- Treat the joints of the insulation with polyurethane foam for sealing. The foam will also serve as resistance to shrinkage of the insulation.
- Cover the surface vapor barrier film. The joints of the material should overlap by 10 cm. Using staples, secure the film to the sheathing.
- Using plasterboard sheets finish the ceiling.
Insulating the ceiling in the attic using polystyrene foam
Materials required for installation:
- foam sheets 40 mm thick;
- polyurethane foam;
- OSB sheets 15-18 mm;
- hardware.
Tools:
- drill;
- hacksaw;
- hammer;
- bench knife;
- screwdriver
Installation stages
- Clear the attic floor of debris. If there are damaged areas or holes, seal them with cement or gypsum mixture.
- Place the foam on the surface, butting it tightly together.
- Treat the connecting seams with polyurethane foam.
- Cover the top with OSB sheets (15-18 mm) or boards.
If you plan to use attic space as an attic, the insulated surface must be filled cement screed, thickness of at least 5 cm. The use of reinforcing mesh is mandatory.
- Insulation in the attic using polystyrene foam sheets must be supplemented with finishing in the form of screed or wooden planks. Unprotected foam is susceptible to mechanical damage, which will affect its functionality.
- Thermal insulation from the outside is easier and more economical.
- Mineral wool must not be compressed. By losing its structure, it loses its valuable properties.
- Built-in lamps in an insulated ceiling should be mounted with a barrier from the material using plasterboard inserts at a distance of 2-3 cm.
- To increase thermal protection, you can lay the attic in a comprehensive manner: polystyrene foam and mineral wool. The insulation layers should resemble brickwork.
- For vapor barrier, use marked film. The use of ordinary polyethylene is not allowed.
- When using penofol for insulation in the attic, install with the foil facing down.
In accordance with the laws of physics, air rises when heated, so insulating the ceiling in a house with cold roof- this is not a way to get rid of extra money, but a decision dictated by expediency. If you live in a private house, then you have directly encountered the problem of a cold ceiling in the room above which the attic is located. It is usually unheated and its own thermal insulation is minimal to ensure normal temperature in the cold season. As a result, there is a source of constant heat leakage above the living room.
You can insulate the ceiling in a private house from the inside or outside. Both options have their own advantages and disadvantages, the use of which is dictated by rationality, circumstances, technical nuances and other significant characteristics.
Insulation of the ceiling from the outside with rolled material
Why insulate ceilings in private houses
Installing insulation material that is optimal for a particular structure will provide a thermal barrier between the room and the attic. It will prevent the heated air from cooling, escaping through microcracks in concrete or natural pores in a wooden ceiling, raise the overall temperature in the room, protect floors and walls from freezing and save a considerable amount that is regularly spent on heating.
Features of ceiling insulation in a wooden house
When working with wooden buildings Primary attention should be paid to the final weight of the insulating layer. Excessively high mass increases the likelihood of collapse or cracks in the ceiling covering.
Some are trying to insulate the ceiling in a private house with a cold roof by reducing the insulation layer, but work standards require certain value for each region in accordance with temperature and humidity indicators. As the thickness decreases, the thermal insulation properties decrease, and the meaning of laying insulation disappears.
Insulation of the ceiling in a wooden house from the inside
List of materials used for insulation
For thermal insulation, installers use materials that are divided into four large groups:
bulk– expanded clay, dry sawdust, ecowool;
roll– mineral wool and its varieties from other materials;
slab– sheets of compacted mineral wool, expanded polystyrene (foam), cork plates;
sprayed/self-leveling- penoizol.
When choosing insulation for the ceiling in a wooden house, you need to know which one has the best insulating properties. To do this, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors that influence the final result:
external or internal installation;
weather and the average annual temperature in a particular area, affecting the thickness of the layer;
the need and list of additional work;
time spent and project budget.
The combination of these features will indicate the rationality of using one or another type of thermal insulation.
The photo shows a bulk version of the ceiling insulation from the outside - thermal insulation with expanded clay
External insulation
In most cases, insulating the ceiling in a house from the outside is more convenient way prevent heat leakage. It allows you to expand the list of insulating materials used, reduce time spent on work and reduce, in comparison with internal installation, the cost of thermal insulation when insulating a house with finishing finishing.
On our website you can find contacts construction companies who offer house insulation services. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.There are several options for insulating the ceiling from the outside:
The cheapest among all bulk insulator options. Thanks to the cheap cost of the material and minimal additional costs, the total cost of the work is the lowest among those described.
There are certain requirements for sawdust.
A minimum moisture content is required, otherwise mold will begin to form over time. To do this, the material is kept in a dry room for about a year before use.
Sawdust is mixed with fire retardants to reduce flammability.
Combining with antiseptic substances, fungicides and slaked lime will prevent the appearance of fungus and protect against rodents.
Insulating the ceiling in a house with sawdust is done in two ways. In the first, they are mixed with dry cement, followed by the addition of a small amount of water. Cement acts as a connecting material. The second method involves dry filling of sawdust without adding a connector, but due to the natural shrinkage of the material and the need for regular addition, it is not popular.
Ceiling insulated with sawdust
Expanded clay as insulation
Second most frequently used bulk material for insulation. Among its advantages:
acceptable price;
availability;
thermal insulation properties above average.
However, the application has a number of limitations:
Expanded clay's own weight does not allow it to be used on thin wooden ceilings, concrete floors are desirable.
the material has low moisture resistance, so a vapor barrier must be laid as the first layer.
to ensure high-quality heat retention, you will need a layer more than 20 cm thick (in cold regions of the country it is increased to 50 cm).
Using expanded clay, experts use a mixture of large and small fractions to ensure high percent filling empty space. A layer of material is poured on top cement mortar 5–10 cm thick, which provides protection from moisture and serves as a floor covering.
External ceiling insulation with expanded clay
Ecowool
Modern insulation for the ceiling of a house, made from recycled cellulose, with the addition of fire retardants to ensure fire resistance and boric acid, serving as protection against fungus and harmful microorganisms. The main advantages of the material:
high-quality coverage of the entire floor space due to low weight individual parts cotton wool is easily blown into all the cracks;
the composition does not contain compounds harmful to humans;
low material consumption to ensure reliable thermal insulation.
The disadvantages include:
low resistance to moisture, you will have to spend money on laying a vapor barrier;
manual installation without special equipment is impossible or will be of poor quality;
ecowool is subject to shrinkage, so you will need to lay it with a margin of about 15%;
if crushed, it loses its thermal insulation qualities, so it is necessary to cover the ecowool with a layer of boards to ensure the ability to move around the attic.
Advice! Experts do not recommend using the material close to chimneys and other sources. high temperature, despite the addition of fire retardants to the composition. If this is not possible, then you will need to make an additional fence made of a fire-resistant coating that reflects heat.
Mineral wool as insulation
Insulating the ceiling in a wooden house with mineral wool has several advantages:
Not high price material;
high laying speed;
good thermal insulation properties.
There were some downsides:
shrinkage of cotton wool is 15–20%, so experts advise taking an appropriate supply.
the material is not moisture resistant and quickly absorbs water, which immediately increases its thermal conductivity. It will be necessary to lay an additional layer of waterproofing.
mineral wool cannot be crushed; the impermeability of the thermal barrier largely depends on the air contained between the fibers, so you will have to spend money on laying the outer covering so that you can move freely around the attic.
To insulate with mineral wool, workers must install wooden joists. They will allow you to delimit the space into sectors and will become the support of the future floor covering.
The photo shows the process of thermal insulation of a ceiling with mineral wool
Insulation with penoizol
Depending on the type of installation, penoizol is sprayed or poured. But to use this material, you will need to contact a specialized company, since the work uses specific equipment, plus, you need protective suits for workers and professional skills.
The advantages include:
high degree of penetration into all cracks and microcracks;
non-flammability;
environmental Safety for a person;
not of interest to rodents;
the substance contains a large number of air bubbles, which provide high-quality insulation.
The disadvantages include the high cost and fragility of the material, which does not independently restore its shape in the event of mechanical damage.
Video description
Which insulation divides heat better, watch the video:
Advice! When working with penoizol, it is recommended to wait until it hardens completely; it has a slight shrinkage that will have to be compensated to prevent the formation of voids.
The process of thermal insulation of the ceiling with foam insulation
Internal insulation
Residential attic, house for several owners, presence in the attic engineering communications and other situations that make external insulation impossible, require thermal insulation from the inside of the room. Bulk substances are not used for obvious reasons.
Video description
Insulating the ceiling from the inside, watch the video:
Sheet, roll or sprayed materials are used. When choosing insulation for the ceiling in a private house, you should pay attention to polystyrene foam boards or compressed mineral wool. They have the best ratio in the price/quality/speed category. Do not forget about penoizol, which will become excellent option when the budget increases.
The process of insulating the ceiling from the inside with foam plastic
Thermal insulation of the ceiling from the inside with polystyrene foam boards
What to choose - external or internal insulation
The choice between these types of work is based on a combination of factors:
Without finishing they are equal in degree of thermal insulation;
if the renovation of the room is completed, you will have to rent ceiling covering, which will increase the cost and operating time;
styling with inside reduces shrinkage of the material, but increases the thickness of the ceiling, reducing the total volume of the room;
at internal insulation the ceiling overlap is not protected from low temperatures;
external insulation allows the use of a wider range of heat insulators.
Before insulating the ceiling in a private house, you need to carefully calculate all the pros and cons, only after that can you make a clear decision on what is best to use in your case.
Conclusion
Choosing specific material To insulate the ceiling, it is always better to seek professional help. Every business has its pitfalls and stumble upon them, relying on own strength, it's a waste of time and money. It’s better to make repairs once and get a guaranteed high-quality result - this will save you from unnecessary expenses and provide your home with heat for many years to come.