How to make a basement ceiling out of pipes. How to block the cellar: types of flooring, monolithic and precast-monolithic slabs, wooden structures with load-bearing beams, insulation of the basement ceiling. Since it is right to insulate the floor above a cold basement, so as not to cry

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The cellar is an indispensable building for owners of private houses, ensuring the safety of food for a long time. It is a room located below the zero mark and does not take up additional space on the site. The cellar overlap, made in accordance with building codes, will ensure structural strength, maintain a stable temperature throughout the year and prevent dampness from forming.

Storage for food, conservation, vegetables, despite its apparent simplicity, will meet the purpose, if you responsibly approach the work and close the cellar correctly.

Do-it-yourself work to cover the basement and cellar can be done on your own

Preparatory activities

In order for the room to fully fulfill the assigned functions, before you start building a cellar with your own hands, pay attention to the following points:

  • Excavation work is preceded by the development of a room layout, which is thought out to the smallest detail. This, in the future, will help to avoid unforeseen situations.
  • Assess the level of groundwater at the construction site. Ideal if they are located low. When positioning the vault floor below a water-saturated formation, take care that water does not penetrate through the floor and walls.

Only after reliable protection against moisture can the ceiling for the cellar be equipped. The task of waterproofing a building is one of the main ones, as it determines the comfortable mode of the room. How to do it right?

Moisture protection

Reliable waterproofing in the cellar makes it difficult for moisture to penetrate and is carried out as follows:

  • apply a layer of plaster with the addition of liquid glass to the side surfaces of the basement;
  • stick 2-3 layers of roofing material on a wet cement mortar;
  • erect brickwork, with which to press the waterproofing against the walls.

Before pouring concrete to create a basement floor, it is necessary to mount reinforcement and formwork

Floor protection is carried out in a similar way, it provides for the preparation of a "cushion" 20 cm thick from a mixture of crushed stone and sand.

When the box is prepared (walls, floor are concreted and waterproofed), a ceiling is built in the basement. It is necessary to determine what is better to make a ceiling from? After answering this serious question, you can calculate the need for materials and begin work.

It is convenient when the basement is located in the room where the vehicle is stored. Having done all the work in the garage with your own hands, you can save financial resources, as you will not involve professional builders. To reduce costs, determine in advance the necessary materials, find out the prices at which they can be purchased. This will allow you to estimate the overall level of spending.

What types of ceilings can be installed on the cellar?

Types of floors

To ensure the tightness of basements, various designs are used, which use:

  • solid reinforced concrete slabs;
  • reinforced concrete monolithic prefabricated elements;

The quality of the pouring is improved by pouring with vibration

  • wooden structures;
  • bearing beams.

Let us consider in more detail their differences, the specifics of the arrangement.

Features of installing a monolithic block

If you are thinking about how to make the ceiling of the cellar so that it is practical and reliable, then we recommend a common option - a monolithic reinforced concrete block, which is a reinforcing cage filled with concrete.

The process of creating a solid reinforced base requires the following recommendations:


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Remember that a single-layer reinforcing cage provides strength, but to increase reliability, it is desirable to perform reinforcement in two layers.

After completing the pouring of concrete, allow the composition to acquire the necessary hardness and dry, which will take 30 days. The high strength of the monolithic structure allows it to be used as a basis for the construction of various buildings.

Such an overlap of the cellar in the garage, which is planned, is very practical. Indeed, thanks to a solid monolithic base, it can be used as a foundation in the construction of a vehicle storage room.

The specifics of the installation of precast-monolithic slabs

The ceiling in the cellar can be formed using prefabricated monolithic slabs. To carry out construction activities, order special lifting equipment, which will significantly speed up the work.

Precast-monolithic slabs are blocks that are laid between steel beams and then poured with a small layer of concrete.

There are a number of difficulties associated with increased tolerances for the length and width of the plates. They may simply not match the actual storage sizes. Considering that the length of the slabs is from 9 to 12 meters, before installation, they should be compared with the dimensions of the building. If it is planned to use monolithic-prefabricated slabs, it is advisable to take this into account at the design stage. The size of the basement room in width must correspond to the parameters of the installed plate.

If the dimensions of the slabs correspond to the basement, installation is carried out using a crane. Perform activities in the following sequence:

  • connect structural elements using steel profiles;
  • fill the cavities in the joints with a heat-insulating composition;
  • fill the joint planes with concrete mortar;
  • lay the roofing material on the surface using bituminous mastic.

Are you having difficulty how to make the ceiling of the cellar? Use a prefabricated structure made of solid reinforced concrete slabs, which are characterized by a low price and can reduce construction time.

Use of wood

Are you planning to equip the cellar with your own hands? Use wooden beams - a proven, easy-to-work material.

If you are building a house out of wood, you can cover the basement with wooden beams.

Perform activities in the following order:

  • Treat all parts of the wood structure with an antiseptic.
  • Wrap the supporting surfaces of the beams with two layers of roofing material.
  • Install wooden beams on the top surface of the cellar walls.
  • Fix the end of the bars with small planks, providing the basis for the roll boards.
  • Lay the boardwalk, secure it using self-tapping screws.
  • Form a heat-insulating contour, coat with mastic, cover with roofing felt or roofing material.
  • Backfill the structure with earth if no structure is planned to be built above the structure.

Pay attention to the presence of grooves in the walls of the basement, necessary for the installation of load-bearing bars.

The use of rolled metal

Deciding how to cover your basement? It is possible to use conventional rails. The I-beam is used as load-bearing beams and is highly durable.

Installation of railway profiles is carried out in special grooves provided in the walls of the building. This allows you to securely fix the structural elements. The length of the beams must correspond to the dimensions of the basement, the walls of which are the base for them.

Form the bearing surface according to the following algorithm: put the bars of steel reinforcement between the beams, fix them with wire;

  • mount a wooden formwork, lay a waterproofing coating on it;
  • install a load-bearing frame under the formwork to support the concrete mass;
  • fill the structure with a solution, observing the uniformity of the layer and the continuity of work;
  • lay the ruberoid on the surface.

Insulation works

The climatic parameters of the basement depend on the effectiveness of the insulation. Use a mixture of sawdust with cement mortar as a thermal insulation, which is evenly applied to the surface with a layer 4 cm thick. Carry out finishing measures after the composition has dried. It is advisable to use foam, mineral wool or expanded polystyrene.

The basement in the garage is convenient, practical and allows you to do professional auto repair. How to block the cellar in the garage and make a reliable reinforced concrete floor yourself.

The choice of floor slab depends on the size of the garage, the properties of the soil and the features of the foundation of the building. The number and weight of cars that are planned to be stored in the garage are important. The ceiling must withstand the expected loads (with a margin).

You can make two options for the ceiling in the cellar of the garage:

  • flooring of hollow reinforced concrete slabs - for such slabs, the walls of the garage serve as the foundation, which must be strong, since loads act on them both from above and from the side of the soil on the sides;
  • if the garage has already been built and there is a foundation, then the cellar ceiling is poured separately - this is a more time-consuming process.

To build a cellar in any garage, you need to carry out certain preliminary work.

What you need to do before you start digging a cellar inside the garage:

  • you need to find out what kind of soil is on the site - on weak and clayey soils, which are highly heaving, the cellar walls need to be additionally reinforced to prevent soil pressure;
  • it is necessary to find out if there are any deep communications (electricity, plumbing) at the site of the cellar;
  • if there is high humidity on the site and the garage is in the way of seasonal sewage, then before laying heavy floor slabs, a reliable circular drainage system must be made to prevent subsidence of the slabs and large shrinkage of the foundation;
  • it is necessary to find out at what height the groundwater lies, since in spring and autumn there can be knee-deep water in the cellar. With a high passage of groundwater, it is necessary to arrange internal and external drainage.

When all the preliminary work on the removal of groundwater and seasonal water has been completed and the walls and floor of the cellar are reliably waterproofed, you can proceed with the installation of the ceiling, which will also be the floor of our garage.

Floor slab - how to choose the right size and install

The garage floor slab can be made of concrete or reinforced concrete. Reinforced concrete slabs are produced solid and hollow. The mass of a full-bodied slab is much higher, so the loads on the cellar walls are very high. For floors in the garage, it is better to choose hollow reinforced concrete slabs, they are cheaper than monolithic ones.

Hollow slabs, due to the air that is inside the slab, provide better thermal insulation for the floor in the garage and basement.

Reinforced concrete beams can also be used as floors for a garage, but in this case it will be necessary to carefully seal and strengthen the joints (concreting) - the floor slab above the basement is more reliable.

You do not need to choose ribbed slabs for the garage, because, firstly, all these products are of standard length and it is difficult to choose the material in size, as well as ribs along the edges, will cause problems with finishing the floor in the garage.

The rigidity and resistance to high loads of the floor slab depends on the reinforcement used and the brand of concrete mix. When choosing a material, it must be remembered that for a brick basement wall, the width of the support for overlapping must be at least 15 cm, and for concrete - 10 cm.

The mass of the reinforced concrete slab is large, so you need to immediately find out the capabilities of the hired lifting equipment. Will the hired crane be able to withstand the given weight of the load with the boom lowered.

It is obligatory to calculate the loads on the basement walls. Since the total loads on the slab are up to 3 tons (walls, car, coating, roof), it is additionally necessary to install welded I-beams or rails as a retaining frame for a heavy slab.

Installation of reinforced concrete slabs

Rules for laying reinforced concrete floors:

  • floor slabs are laid on the already erected basement walls with a truck crane;
  • installation is carried out on a cement mortar of medium density. The setting time of such a solution is approximately 20 minutes. It is possible to level the plate and install it evenly and correctly;
  • the floor slab should extend at least 15 cm onto the walls.

Important. After mounting the plates on the walls, the ends must be sealed to prevent freezing of the wall.

How to insulate and isolate the ends of the plates from moisture:

  • fill all the voids at the ends of the reinforced concrete panels with a layer of mineral wool - the thickness of such a layer inward is 30 cm;
  • cemented with concrete mortar - the depth of laying the mortar is 20 - 30 cm;
  • you can additionally insulate the voids from the ends with broken bricks and cement them.

The ends of the slabs are a weak point through which the ceiling can constantly freeze and ice. With a heated garage, the dew point in an uninsulated joint shifts inward, and the floor slab begins to “sweat” - the humidity in the basement and in the garage increases.

If such a problem with the floor slab already exists, then it can be corrected. It is necessary to drill holes in the places where condensation forms in the slab, as close to the wall as possible. Now it is necessary to insert tubes directed outward into these holes and pump mounting foam into them. This is how a cork is obtained, which protects the plate from freezing.

The ends of the floor slab must be insulated both from the inside and outside - this will exclude moisture in the cellar and in the garage. Often garage owners are faced with the problem of humidity in the basement precisely because of the end joints of the plates, which were not insulated and insulated, hence the constant humidity in the cellar.

How to cut a hole in a reinforced concrete slab

Standard hollow core slabs made of M200 cement have a strength of 800 kg/m2, but the dimensions of the manhole hole must match the length and width of the slab so as not to reduce its strength.

For slabs with a width of 1.2 m - a hatch measuring 90 x 90 cm, no more.

How to punch a hole in a reinforced concrete panel for a cellar hatch:

  • we cut the plates only at the junction, counting so that two plates have the same dimensions in width and length. For example, with a hole size of 90 x 90 cm, 45 x 90 cm on one plate and 45 x 90 cm on the other. Thus, we evenly distribute the load on each floor;
  • horizontally, you need to make a cut along the line of voids;
  • it is impossible to cut the reinforcement vertically with a grinder. Since the reinforcement bar is firmly fixed in concrete, the circle of the grinder can simply jam. First, the bar must be filed, and then broken with a crowbar or hammer.

After installing the plates, you can make a beautiful metal frame from the corner, hiding all the uneven trimming.

Be sure the joints between the slabs (rusts) must be concreted in order to give the entire structure rigidity and securely fasten the slabs.

Floor slabs in the garage significantly speed up all construction processes, but such materials are not cheap, plus you need to rent lifting equipment. Therefore, many pour the floor slab on their own - it is much cheaper.

How to make a floor slab in the garage

How to pour a monolithic base over the basement in the garage:

  • according to the size of the basement, we make formwork from old boards or plywood. We fasten such formwork from below with vertical posts or from the side with horizontal rails or a channel, a step of a meter and a half;
  • the slab of such an overlap should be 20 cm wider than the perimeter of the basement on each side;
  • We seal the formwork joints so that the concrete seizes securely and the cement milk does not flow out.

  • on the laid formwork we expose the reinforcing cage (reinforcement diameter 10-12 mm). Frame grid spacing - 15 cm;
  • be sure to tie all fittings with wire;
  • along the perimeter of the hatch, you must immediately weld the frame from the corner (45x45 mm);
  • for such an overlap, it is more reliable to use concrete grade M500;
  • the thickness of the concrete layer is not less than 20 cm;
  • when arranging such an overlap over the basement in the garage, when pouring concrete, it is necessary to pour the screed with vibration so that the mixture is distributed as evenly as possible and fills all the voids.

Important. It is possible to load such a screed only after the concrete has completely solidified - not earlier than after 20 days.

If you use ready-made concrete with anti-frost and reinforcing additives, you can be sure of the reliability and strength of the floor slab.

Floor slab repair

Most often, the deformation of the floors occurs due to shrinkage of the soil. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the place of subsidence of the soil and raise the slab using the technology of lifting and repairing reinforced concrete foundations.

Small cracks and chips in the slabs just need to be cleaned and cemented. If the crack is large, then horizontal reinforcement is performed and a concrete screed is poured over it.

Wooden floors - advantages and disadvantages

This is the most inexpensive version of the ceiling device in the cellar of the garage, which you can do yourself. If the loads on the floor in the garage are small, then you can set the floor frame from wooden beams.

Work sequence:

  • we put the beams on the walls of the basement, a step of 70 cm - 1 meter, depending on the selected diameter of the beam. It is necessary to expose the load-bearing beams of the wooden floor of the floor not in the length of the room, but across. The smaller the step between the wooden beams, the more reliable the foundation of the garage floor;
  • be sure to treat the wooden beams with antiseptic and moisture-proof impregnation before installation, wrap the ends of the wooden beams with two layers of roofing material or tar.

Compared with a reinforced concrete screed, such a ceiling in the cellar, if it is arranged in a garage, is less reliable and durable, since the bearing capacity of the coating is much lower.

Warming and waterproofing

Insulation of the ceiling in the basement is carried out from below along a wooden or metal crate or from above, over a cement screed. As a heater from budget materials, mineral wool or foam boards are suitable.

Be sure, in addition to insulation, you need to pay attention to reliable waterproofing of the basement. The most common cellar waterproofing options:

  • resin coating in two layers of upper floor slabs;
  • covering with several layers of roofing material;
  • application of water-repellent mastic on all joints of floors.

It is important not to forget about the insulation of the floor in the cellar. Such insulation can be done using quite affordable materials:

  • a pillow of sand and gravel, on it a layer of expanded clay or broken red brick, then a cement screed;
  • warming with a layer of clay mixed with sawdust (layer thickness of at least 20 cm), but only on soils where there is no high humidity;
  • insulation with ordinary sheet polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam.

Mineral wool should not be used as a heater for the cellar floor - when wet, this material completely loses all its thermal insulation characteristics, so high-quality expensive waterproofing will be needed.

The most reliable option for insulation + waterproofing is sprayed polyurethane foam. The material creates a reliable and durable waterproof film that maintains an ideal microclimate in the cellar.

The easiest option is the annual lime whitewash.

No amount of insulation and waterproofing will help get rid of dampness in the basement if high-quality ventilation of the room is not arranged.

basement ventilation in garage

Natural ventilation is inexpensive, but depends on many weather factors, so it does not differ in reliability. If you plan to store vegetables in the cellar of the garage, then it is better to make forced ventilation.

Important rules for ventilation in the basement of the garage:

  • one end of the supply pipe of natural ventilation is mounted 20 - 50 cm from the level of the cellar floor, and the second - 30 cm above the ground level;
  • be sure to close the outer opening of the pipe with a protective mesh and top cover so that water does not enter the cellar;
  • the second outlet pipe is installed half a meter above the roof of the garage and at a level of 10 cm from the level of the cellar ceiling;
  • forced ventilation is easy to do - just install a household fan in the outlet pipe, which can be turned on as needed.

Basically, basement ventilation is necessary in summer, when there is the sharpest temperature drop.

Covering the cellar with your own hands is a responsible event that is carried out after the construction of the storage walls, their waterproofing and insulation. Depending on the type of warehouse, its ceiling may be below the ground under the turf or rise by 100-150 cm. The choice of design depends on the availability of free space on the site, its design, the level of groundwater and the availability of public underground utilities. The higher the roof of the building, the more difficult it is to build and insulate.

Training

The standard design of a vegetable store consists of a base, walls, ceiling and an entrance group. The latter includes a vestibule, access hatches, doors, steps and stairs. When deciding how to block the cellar, you should choose materials that are lightweight, durable and durable. The right solution will allow you to build a strong warehouse, well protected from external conditions, where stable coolness will be maintained throughout the year.

The choice of ceiling design depends on the following parameters:

  1. Degree of storage depth. If it is completely immersed in the ground, then a lawn, path or garden bed is arranged on top of it. It should be possible to use the ceiling as the basis for a light building - a barn, garage, gazebo or animal pen. Such projects involve the use of a powerful and durable plate that can withstand heavy loads. For elevated buildings, a light structure is sufficient, designed for snow and wind loads.
  2. Foundation thickness. If the walls are made of reinforced concrete, then they can be covered even with monolithic reinforced concrete products. When building a warehouse of bricks and foam blocks, the cellar ceiling should be made as light as possible so that it does not bring down the support.

Before arranging the roof of the warehouse, the following preparatory work is carried out:

  • external and internal waterproofing of the foundation;
  • filling the gap between the pit and the walls with sand;
  • production of armored belt over load-bearing structures.

There are various ways to cover the cellar. The choice depends on the characteristics of the site, the skills and financial capabilities of its owner.

Types of floors

The easiest way to make a vault roof is to use reinforced concrete slabs. Hollow inside the product should be chosen, since they have less weight and thermal conductivity than monolithic counterparts. In addition, lightweight plates practically do not bend under their own weight during operation.

When building a ceiling in a cellar with your own hands from reinforced concrete, it is necessary to use light and medium-type lifting equipment. Even a few workers will not be able to lift a product that weighs hundreds of kilograms. It is better to hire a light truck with a manipulator that will bring the plates and immediately install them in place. The downside of this solution is that the reinforced concrete products have fixed dimensions and the barn will have to be designed for them, and not for your needs.

You can make a basement ceiling with your own hands from concrete without cars. The technology of such work involves pouring concrete directly above the warehouse. The advantage of this solution is the savings on the rental of equipment for the transportation and unloading of finished products. In addition, you can immediately provide holes for ventilation pipes, power cables and even plumbing.

The arrangement of the ceiling in the cellar with your own hands can be done without the use of a heavy cement mixture. This process is similar to installing a floor or roof in a wooden house. The basis of the design are wooden logs, which are sheathed with several layers of insulating and waterproofing materials.

Step-by-step instructions for arranging the floor

Let us consider in detail how reinforced concrete floor slabs are made for the cellar. Land owners choose this material because of its strength, durability and resistance to dampness.

For work you will need:

  • concrete mixer;
  • Bulgarian;
  • welding machine;
  • roulette;
  • level;
  • a hammer;
  • axe;
  • screwdriver;
  • crushed stone;
  • sand;
  • cement;
  • fittings;
  • bars;
  • boards;
  • steel wire.

The ceiling in the cellar is built in the following sequence:

  1. Arrangement of formwork around the perimeter of the structure. The boards are attached to rebar pins driven obliquely into the wall.
  2. Installation of the shield between the walls. Its bottom is sealed with a plastic film to prevent the solution from flowing out.
  3. Production of a two-level spatial frame from reinforcement. Carrying out its fixation with anchors.
  4. Installation of mortgages for skipping communications and attaching additional parts.
  5. Mixing concrete mortar. The proportion of water, cement, sand and gravel is 2:1:3:3. It is continuously poured into the formwork. Air is removed from the mixture with a pin or vibrator.
  6. Leveling the surface of the plate. The solution can be corrected within 3-4 hours after pouring.

The roof must stand still for 25-28 days for the concrete to gain strength. All this time, it must be moistened daily with water and covered with a film to prevent cracking. After that, the ceiling is sealed and further finished in accordance with the project.

Ventilation

In most cases, the basement floor is used for laying an exhaust ventilation duct. It is designed to remove warm air saturated with moisture, odors and fumes from the room. The pipe should be raised as high as possible to ensure high-quality traction. It is better to install the exhaust outlet on the side of the ceiling opposite to the one where the supply pipe is located. If the roof over the cellar is made of slate and other fragile material, it is advisable to run the pipe along the walls.

The supply channel should be deepened into the ground by at least 50 cm. This is necessary so that the air passing through it is heated in winter and cooled in summer heat. The pipe is brought into the room 5-10 cm above the floor level.

It is recommended to close the upper sections of the supply and exhaust lines with a fine steel mesh to protect against insects, rodents and amphibians. To prevent water and snow from getting into the pipes during precipitation, plastic or tin umbrellas are installed on them. To improve traction, air conditioning systems can be equipped with fans that provide forced pumping of moist air.

Floor insulation

When deciding how to make a ceiling over the cellar, one should not forget about the need for its high-quality insulation. It should be remembered that heat and dampness penetrate the room through a poorly insulated roof.

For this purpose, the following materials can be used:

  1. A mixture of cement and sawdust. The layer thickness must be at least 30 cm. A bitumen or PVC film waterproofing is applied on top of it. When used internally, the cement is treated with a lime solution.
  2. Basalt wool. Plates have low thermal conductivity and low weight. Great for insulating the ceiling in the basement of a private house. Cotton wool is covered with a membrane film, after which it is plastered or sheathed with a hard lining.
  3. Styrofoam. It has low thermal conductivity and specific gravity. It is attached to the slab on a cement mortar, followed by fixation with dowels. Requires external finishing for protection from ultraviolet radiation and mechanical stress.

Considering options for how to block the cellar, it is advisable to dwell on polyurethane foam. It will cost more than others, but is the most effective. Foam penetrates into cracks, fills cavities and recesses. For its application, there is no need to prepare the surface, carry out preliminary insulation, make frames and use a finish. The disadvantage is that you need to rent special equipment.

The main distinguishing feature of the construction of the floor of the 1st floor, located above the unheated underground, is that there is a heater in the construction. And where there is a heater, the question of its protection from adverse factors automatically arises in order to preserve its heat-shielding qualities. And one of the most important issues of protecting the insulation is the issue of protecting it from moisture, that is, a vapor barrier device. This article will focus on the insulation of the wooden floor of the first floor above the basement, and with your own hands.

Creation of a temperature and humidity regime


The main task of all structures using insulation is to create the correct mode of its operation, i.e. make sure that moisture does not penetrate into the insulation, and that which can form in it, has the opportunity to freely evaporate to the outside. The first means of protection is a vapor barrier. The second means is ventilation, as sufficient ventilation promotes the evaporation of moisture. These principles should be used when constructing the floor of the 1st floor.

The first is ensured by the correct use of vapor barriers. Ventilation is provided by air gaps and space under the floor (underground). The underground (technical underground, basement) must be dry and well ventilated. Incorrect temperature and humidity conditions of the underground can lead to the formation of condensate inside the insulation. To prevent this from happening, the underground must have air ducts for its ventilation. At very low air temperatures in winter, they can even be closed so that the temperature in the underground is not very low and this does not lead to a large temperature difference, which contributes to the formation of condensate in the insulation or on its surface.

insulation

Types of heaters

As a heater, both bulk and rolled or slab materials are used. Bulk heaters are expanded clay, vermiculite, slag, mineral fibers, shavings.

Expanded clay backfill

Board materials are prefabricated boards or blocks of materials with low thermal conductivity. Recently, polyurethane foam insulation has become very popular, which are blown into the space of the insulated structure.

Mineral wool insulation

But the most popular, especially in private construction, are flexible, soft materials. Such heaters are good because they are easy to give the necessary shape, they are convenient when laying. The most common insulation is the so-called mineral wool in the form of mats or rolls.

Advantages of mineral wool insulation:

  • good thermal conductivity;
  • non-flammable and does not support combustion;
  • lightweight, savings on load-bearing structures;
  • convenience and speed of installation.

Flaws:

  • hygroscopicity;
  • you need a foundation for laying.

Vapor barrier - why is it needed

The insulation must be protected from moisture. Any insulation, if it gets wet, loses its heat-shielding properties very much. And since mineral wool is a hygroscopic material, care must be taken that moisture does not get on it.

But protection is required not only from water. Protection is required against the ingress of steam. Vapor barrier plays an important role in creating optimal operating conditions for the insulation.

Without delving into the concepts of partial pressure, we note the importance of understanding two points:

It is the vapor barrier that is the barrier that prevents moisture (in the form of steam) from penetrating into the insulation;

It is important to correctly determine in which place of the "pie" the vapor barrier should be placed.

The principle of placement of vapor barrier

In order to briefly, but at the same time clearly understand where the vapor barrier should be placed, you need to remember: steam always spreads from a place with a higher pressure to an area of ​​\u200b\u200blower pressure. It can be put simply this way: warm steam always (practically) spreads from the room to the outside. This must be remembered and then it is easier not to get confused with where it should be placed.

It follows from the foregoing that the vapor barrier is not placed "above" or "under" the insulation. It is located "between" a warm room-source of steam (usually indoor heated rooms) and a cold room (outdoor space) where this steam moves. Therefore, in the case of insulation of the attic floor, the vapor barrier will be under the insulation, and in the case of insulation of the wooden floor above the basement - above the insulation.

The concepts of vapor barrier, waterproofing, membrane

In order for the vapor barrier to be effective, i.e. worked correctly and did not cause harm, the film must be laid on the correct side. To do this, you need to study the manufacturer's instructions and consult with the seller. A large number of various materials for protection against steam and water are now being produced. But there is a difference between them. The scope of their application depends on the type of premises, their humidity and temperature conditions, ambient air temperature, for which construction they are used - roofs, ceilings or walls. Often confusion comes from the concepts themselves: vapor barrier and membrane, vapor barrier is used instead of waterproofing.

Designed to protect against water vapor, which are in the air of the room. In fact, steam is a water-saturated gas, or we can say the gaseous state of water. The vapor barrier must have a low vapor permeability, i.e. she must not skip steam. It is approximately equal to 10 g \ m2 \ day.

Basically, the vapor barrier is a film. They can be conditionally divided into:

Vapor-permeable or "breathable" (membranes);

Vapor-tight, practically impervious to steam, water or air.

Waterproofing designed to protect structures from water. Water molecules are larger than gas molecules.

Membrane. Now the word membrane has become very popular. Membranes are already more high-tech films. With regard to the topic of vapor barrier, we can say that this is a material capable of leaking or vice versa trapping certain substances. The most commonly used expression is a vapor-permeable moisture-proof membrane. This means that this material does not pass water, but at the same time passes steam and allows moisture to evaporate. It is these properties that are required during construction to protect thermal insulation.

The direction from where the membrane passes steam and from where it does not let water through can be different for different membranes, depending on the place of its destination. Therefore, you need to be very careful when choosing and ask the seller all the necessary characteristics.

The main structural schemes of the floor of the 1st floor

Consider the construction of the floor of the 1st floor above the underground or unheated basement.

Scheme of the wooden floor of the first floor without waterproofing

The basic layout of the floor of the first floor is as follows. On the bearing beams, which are based on the foundation, the subfloor is laid. The draft floor is necessary in order to lay out insulation on it. The insulation is placed in the space between the bars. A vapor barrier is laid on top of the insulation. Between the vapor barrier and the plank flooring, it is imperative to organize an air gap for the evaporation of condensate, which may form on the vapor barrier from the side of the room. It can be organized by nailing bars 2-3 cm high. A boardwalk is arranged on top of which the finishing floor is laid.

The load-bearing structure of the floor is beams. The step of the bars is usually 60-80 cm. You can choose a step so that it would be convenient to lay out insulation between the bars. Then the step will be equal to the width of the insulation plus the thickness of the timber.

In places where the beams are attached to stone structures, there should be a waterproofing gasket between them, for example, from roofing material or bituminous mastic. Between the beam and the foundation wall, it is necessary to make a gap for ventilation, the beam should not adjoin the wall closely.

Draft floor. To attach the subfloor to the bars, smaller bars, “cranial bars”, are attached. Subfloor boards are laid on them. Here you can use a board with a thickness of 15-50 mm of low grade.


Wooden floor of the 1st floor with waterproofing

Sometimes waterproofing is provided in the floor construction. It is appropriate if the basement is very damp, there is a high level of groundwater. Then there is a need to protect the insulation from below. For this, waterproofing is arranged under the insulation. This waterproofing should be made of a water-repellent but vapor-permeable membrane. In order to avoid annoying mistakes, it is better to call the top film just a vapor barrier (even if the manufacturer calls the film itself a membrane), and the bottom one - waterproofing. And here, ideally, a membrane should really be used - a vapor-permeable waterproof membrane.

An example of the use of improper waterproofing

This video is a very clear example of the fact that water can form in the insulation. This video is very common on YouTube under various names. Very often it is called "wrong vapor barrier". The vapor barrier itself is not visible in the video. Perhaps the authors of this design used the bottom film as some kind of vapor barrier.

But the point is that the bottom film was supposed to be waterproofing, waterproof on one side, but vapor permeable on the other.

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Comments:

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Regular (17)

  1. Natalia

    Good afternoon. Completely confused in steam and waterproofing. Tell me if we are doing the floor of the first floor. We have a wooden house made of timber 150 by 150 on screw piles. we make a rough floor, then we have to put waterproofing. We bought hydro and steam insulation D in the store. It’s like a bag of sugar. Then we want to lay insulation and vapor barrier material, then the floor. I’ve seen a lot on the Internet and I think what if this film accumulates water inside? And at the same time, get the insulation wet? what kind of insulation to lay on the subfloor.?
    And one more question. We have taken out part of the second floor, that is, an open terrace below, and a room is obtained from above. Yesterday we put the same waterproofing on the logs of the second floor and then a 25mm board. It seems like they wanted to save the room from the cold, but now I think that water will also accumulate. Then they wanted to put a heater from below and again we don’t know what’s next, probably waterproofing is more correct. In stores, sellers only advise her everywhere, but according to experiments on the Internet, they write differently. please give advice.

  2. Natalia

    I live in an apartment on the 1st floor, a basement under the floor. The floors are icy in winter. Is it possible to insulate the floor with OSB, and what kind of substrate to use between the floor (wooden) and OSB, or do I need something else for insulation.

  3. Maksim


    Thanks. I would still like to get a competent answer.

    • Alexander (Foreman)

      Good afternoon. Each material has its purpose. That is why it was invented. On the manufacturer's websites there is a specific description of the use of each membrane. Therefore, we need to specifically talk about the floor cake and specific membranes.
      If you close the tree from below with a film, then it will quickly rot, because. will have the same effect as with the ventilation pipe. Moisture will condense on the inside of the film from the room, thereby keeping the logs constantly wet. To do it right, we look at the instructions for the membranes that are used to insulate the floor.

      • Maksim

        Good afternoon. I live in a small town and do not trust the competence of sellers, tk. 99% of them, as Zadornov says - KOEKAKERS - do not know anything and do not want to know. practice shows that manufacturers do not know what they produce. I will give an example: I purchased isospan D vapor waterproofing. On the official website in the description of this product it is written: it is used for insulated and non-insulated roofs, it can be used as a temporary roof. having unpacked three rolls, I finally found instructions (out of 3 rolls there was only one) for use: it is used only for non-insulated roofs. I had to return everything to the store. instead of this steam-waterproofing, PGI was purchased by another manufacturer. on their official website there was the same description as that of isospan. after unpacking the roll, an instruction was found: not to be used as a temporary roof.
        Returning to my question, I want to clarify: a vapor-waterproofing film, if I understand correctly, allows moisture vapor to pass through in one direction, and on the other hand, it prevents moisture from penetrating into the insulation. if you stretch the film from below along the lags, then the vapors from the wood and the insulation will go into the underground, and moisture from the underground will not get into the logs and the insulation. or is it not?

        • Alexander (Foreman)

          Question accepted.

          Still an opinion: As a vapor barrier is supposed to protect from steam from inside the whole house!! construction cake, and wind-waterproofing is obliged to protect the whole cake of any structures from wind and water.
          Back to the pie above the underground. No membrane protects against steam, plus with permanent residence there is no driving force for that. so that steam from the underground climbs into the pie above the underground (if the house is not permanent and there is no ventilation of the underground, it’s another matter!). I also do not consider it necessary to protect myself from water - except for the case of gushing water from the underground up to the ceiling. Therefore, in this case, we should talk about vapor-permeable wind protection (wind protection must release steam from the cake outside). Wind protection is required to protect the cake from being blown by wind / draft / pressure difference and protect the insulation from being blown away by the wind ... Therefore, the right decision IMHO is the most vapor-permeable membrane with overlaps and shims and with the obligatory protection of the entire cake. Ventilation of the underground is mandatory in any scenario. as well as the vapor barrier of the entire cake immediately under the interior flooring when overlapping the walls and gluing the mandatory overlaps.

          • Maksim

            good afternoon. actually the question is not whether to lay the film or not. I have a question: why do they lay the film TOP ON THE LAGS, AND NOT UNDER THEM?

          • Alexander (Foreman)

            And this is not right on the logs without an air gap and immediately the boards! This was done in the old days, so that dust from glass wool does not get in and so that it does not blow into the micro-slit.
            The film also protects against possible dampness when the temperature of the floor cake changes. (condensation)

          • Maksim

            WHY IS THE FILM LAYED FROM THE TOP ON THE LOGS AND THE SUB-FLOOR, AND NOT FROM THE BELOW UNDER THE LOGS?

            I AM NOT ABOUT THE TOP LAYER OF VAPOR HYDRO-INSULATION, BUT ABOUT THE LOWER.

          • Maksim

            Let's start from the beginning. something we seem to misunderstand each other.

            I have a house made of logs on screw piles. plinth height 60 cm.
            the plinth has not yet been insulated with anything, but half a brick, purely decorative, to close the plinth. in the future I plan to insulate it with polystyrene foam from the inside 50-100 mm. air ducts were made in the basement for ventilation of the underground.
            house for permanent residence

            so: now I have 50x200 logs installed with a step of 60 cm. where to start warming the floors? from bottom to top: subfloor, vapor barrier, insulation 200mm (min wool), vapor barrier, ventilation gap (which one is needed by the way?), finishing floor (board 40)

            the whole question I have is why it is impossible to make insulation like this: from the bottom up: vapor barrier, subfloor, insulation 200mm (min wool), vapor barrier, ventilation gap (which, by the way, is necessary?), finishing floor (board 40)

          • sergey pavlovich

            good afternoon. did not find the answer to Maxim's question.
            "Good afternoon. please tell me why the bottom layer of vapor-permeable waterproofing is placed on top of the logs and on the flooring. I want to stretch the film from below along the lags onto the stapler, thereby protecting the tree from the moisture of the underground. Or, on the contrary, will I leave it (wood (logs and flooring)) without ventilation and it will be even worse? tell me how to?"

            I'm very interested in the answer

          • Alexander (Foreman)

            Good afternoon. Apparently they completely forgot about the question of maxim. You need to understand the difference between a vapor barrier and a hydro barrier! It is important. The vapor barrier is laid down from the bottom of the structure to prevent the ingress of moisture during evaporation from the bottom. And the hydro-barrier, passing the moisture released by the structure (for example, the drying of wood) to the top, does not allow moisture to get from the top. Using the film itself, you thereby retain moisture ... which will lead to decay.

  4. Maksim

    Good afternoon. please tell me why the bottom layer of vapor-permeable waterproofing is placed on top of the logs and on the flooring. I want to stretch the film from below along the lags onto the stapler, thereby protecting the tree from the moisture of the underground. Or, on the contrary, will I leave it (wood (logs and flooring)) without ventilation and it will be even worse? tell me how to?

I recently bought myself a house. The former owner turned out to be a decent person and immediately warned me that the boards from which the floor above the basement was made were rotten from time and dampness and required urgent replacement. He was probably afraid that one day I might fall into it. The basement itself was located in the house under the kitchen and had the following dimensions: width - 2.4 m, length - 2.3 m. From the inside it was lined with brick and covered with a layer of clay.
The floor above it lay on two wooden beams and consisted of boards and chipboard boards laid on top of them. It was made crooked and deteriorated to such an extent that it was really dangerous to walk on it. All the wood was beaten by carpenter beetles, and some chipboard boards were damp and became loose.
At first, I expected to simply replace the boards on it, but then, after thinking it over slowly, I decided to make a metal frame and fill it with concrete. Firstly, there will always be dampness in the basement, whatever one may say, which means that new boards, given the current quality of the forest, will definitely not be enough for a long time, and secondly, if you do it, then it will be reliable, once and for all, and what could be stronger than concrete?

Dismantling the old floor
The first step was to remove the chipboard, and then the boards. With the help of a nail puller, a hammer and a crowbar, I managed to do it in three hours. There were no problems with the slabs, but it took more time to disassemble the boards: they were nailed to the beams with huge nails, so they came off with great difficulty. After the wooden flooring was completely removed, I had to remove a decent layer of earth (one bayonet) around the entire perimeter near the walls with a shovel in order to remove all existing irregularities and plan the surface. This case took up the rest of the day. The next morning was welding work.

Frame manufacturing
I did not regret the metal for the manufacture of the frame. Perhaps he used it even more than necessary, but only in order not to put additional support pillars inside the cellar, reducing its free space. The construction was based on thick-walled pipes (? 61 mm, wall thickness 5 mm), which I did not even have to buy. The fact is that earlier heating was made from them in the house. It looked terrible, cumbersome, so it was only natural that I removed all this iron from the rooms, replacing it with modern heating appliances. And the pipes, as you can see, were useful for the basement.

First, I evenly distributed four powerful three-meter pipes, which are load-bearing beams, over the cellar pit (after 80 cm). Then, setting them exactly on the level, he began to weld them together. To do this, I needed smaller diameter pipes (? 32 mm - 12 m) and thick fittings (? 12 mm - 40 m). First of all, I welded 15 lintels between the beams, after which I tightened the entire structure with reinforcing bars welded to them from below. The result is a very durable metal frame.

Separately, I would like to dwell on the manufacture of a frame framing the entrance to the basement. I made it from a 40/20 mm profile pipe in the shape of a rectangle (length - 70 cm, width - 50 cm). What is there to pay attention to? Firstly, all corners of the frame must be perfectly straight, the dimensions of the sides must be strictly maintained, otherwise the lid will not fit tightly into it, and it will begin to see through from the cellar. Secondly, it should be welded in such a way that it is at the same height as the pipe-beams, which are also beacons.

The cover itself was also made by me from a profile pipe (40/20 mm) and a thick piece of plywood, securely connected to its metal base with self-tapping screws. The limiter for the lid, excluding the possibility of its falling into the basement, served as a corner welded to the underside of the framing frame. On that day, I worked with welding from the bottom of my heart: from early morning until late at night, but still finished the job. I burned almost two packs of some electrodes, and inhaled caustic smoke - horror! (the pipes were covered in paint).

Formwork installation
The metal frame was ready, but now I had to solve a new problem - to mount the formwork over the cellar. Various options for its manufacture were considered, but in the end my choice fell on chipboard plates, which were removed from the old floor. Why? Firstly, it was easier and faster to close a large space above the pit with them, and secondly, thanks to the slabs, there were practically no cracks where liquid concrete could spill. I fastened them to the frame from the underside with a thick knitting wire: first, I drilled holes in the chipboard with a drill, then threaded the wire into them, after which I screwed it tightly to the reinforcement with pliers. It turned out reliably, but, given the severity of the concrete, just in case, I put a few temporary props from below.

Concrete work is a serious challenge, especially if you need to concrete 12 m in one day? with a layer thickness of 10 cm. For this reason, I called a friend for help, having previously prepared everything necessary for this business: gravel sifting, cement, a mixing trough, shovels, buckets, a rule. We distributed ourselves as follows: together we kneaded the concrete (in a ratio of 1/5), then one brought it in buckets to the place of pouring and poured it out, and the other leveled the finished mixture with a three-meter rule, pressing it tightly against the lighthouses and making them frequent oscillatory movements to the sides.


The two worked on the hunt. Having started work at eight o'clock in the morning, by lunchtime we had already finished pouring. The result pleased. The floor came out smooth, and the whole room immediately changed. Two days later, when it was already possible to walk on concrete, I took an old automobile disk and, making circular movements on the floor surface, removed small irregularities from it. Now all that was left was to wait for the concrete to dry completely.

final chord
A week passed, and I started the final work. First of all, I generously painted the dried concrete surface with a primer. But not for beauty, no, but to reduce the amount of dust that inevitably forms when walking. When the paint was dry, I put a waterproofing film on the floor to prevent the penetration of moisture from the concrete into the linoleum. After that, as you may have guessed, linoleum was laid, but not simple, but thick, insulated, with an abrasion-resistant surface that is not even afraid of being dragged over it. An expensive pleasure (the price of a running meter is about 2 thousand rubles), but, believe me, it is worth the money spent.



I trimmed the entrance to the basement and the lid itself with a decorative metal corner. It turned out neat and beautiful: under the corner, he managed to hide the unevenly cut edges of the linoleum, besides, he pressed them tightly to the surface. I made the handle for the lid not ordinary, but removable so that it does not interfere with walking. To do this, I drilled a cover in the center, screwed a metal plate on its reverse side, to which I spot-welded a regular nut. Under it, he made a special key, which is a small twig with a thread and a knob at the end.