Mineral wool floor insulation. Preparatory work before installing stone wool

One of the stages of work on the arrangement of floor coverings is the insulation of floors.

According to building regulations, insulation of interfloor ceilings must be carried out when the temperature difference between the upper and lower rooms is 10 ° C.

On the modern market of finishing materials there is a huge range of materials suitable for thermal insulation of floors. One of the most popular thermal insulation materials is mineral wool. We will analyze how, from the point of view of building technologies, it is correct to insulate the floor with mineral wool.

The need for floor insulation

Mineral wool effectively insulates floors

A little heat escapes from the room through the floors, compared to windows and front doors. However, if heat loss occurs through the floor in a living room, then it is impossible to call such a dwelling comfortable.

Cold floors bring much more discomfort than cold walls or ceilings. The fact is that a significant part of the time that a person spends in a room, he is in direct contact with the floors, so the cold coming from the floors is felt much stronger than the cold coming from other structural elements of the room.

This is especially true for rooms located above unheated rooms - basements, cold basement floors, etc.

Insulation of attic floors is necessary for the same reason: the heat-insulating layer in this case does not allow heat to escape through the ceiling of the room below.

Pros and cons of mineral wool

Mineral wool is an inorganic substance (glass, basalt, granite, etc.), melted to a liquid state and foamed with compressed air in a special centrifuge. The result is a porous material with excellent heat-insulating and sound-absorbing properties.

Mineral wool goes on sale in the form of rolls, or denser rectangular slabs. Floor insulation with mineral wool has both positive and negative sides associated with the characteristics of this material.

pros

It is optimal to use mineral wool in wooden houses, as it is resistant to fire

Among the technical characteristics of mineral wool, the following advantages should be noted:

Excellent thermal insulation properties. In terms of its ability to retain heat, mineral wool is one of the best insulating materials.
High noise absorption rate. This allows the insulation to be used also to create sound barriers between floors and neighboring rooms.
Fire resistance. In the event of a fire, mineral insulation will not only not support combustion, but will act as a shield against the further spread of fire. At high temperatures, the material does not emit toxic substances.
Environmental friendliness of the material. In the production of insulation, strict environmental monitoring of technologies and components used is carried out.
Resistance to damage by rodents. Mice and rats do not make their nests in mineral wool and do not lay their passages in it.
The lightness of the material. Due to the low density, the insulation does not create unnecessary loads on the supporting structures of the floors. Its density is about 35 kg/cu.m.
Resistance to temperature deformations. Mineral wool practically does not change its shape and volume when the air temperature changes. Therefore, during its installation, it is not required to arrange thermal seams and use a damper tape.
Affordable cost. Minvata has excellent performance in terms of "price-quality".

Minuses

If the house is located in a damp place, the use of cotton wool is contraindicated.

Like any other building materials, mineral wool has its drawbacks, which, however, are much less than advantages.

Insufficient strength. When working with mineral insulation and during its operation, care should be taken due to the tendency of the material to break and lose shape.
Fear of damp. This is the main disadvantage of mineral wool. When wet, it loses its shape, and at the same time all its thermal insulation qualities. Therefore, when mineral wool is used for floor insulation, special attention should be paid to its waterproofing.
Great height. When the insulation is compressed, its thermal insulation properties are reduced, so mineral wool should be used unchanged. If reducing the height of the ceilings is an unaffordable luxury for you, you should pay attention to thinner types of thermal insulation.

For the same reason, when working with the material, an increased separation of small mineral particles in the form of dust is observed.

As a result, it is necessary to work with mineral wool only in protective clothing, gloves, goggles and a respirator. For more information about the qualities of this insulation, see this video:

After reviewing these pros and cons of the material, you can decide for yourself whether you should use mineral wool to equip the thermal insulation layer.

floor insulation process

Warming the floor with mineral wool occurs in several stages:

Subfloor surface preparation.
Directly flooring insulation.
Installation of prefinishing coating.

Let's analyze the whole process of work in stages.

Preparation of the rough base

It is very important to repair the rough base, lay waterproofing

If you are going to insulate old floors, then before that you will have to completely remove all floor covering from them, exposing the floors down to concrete floor slabs or rough wooden floors.

Then we carefully examine their surface for cracks, holes, crevices, etc. All discovered holes and problem areas should be repaired with putty, plaster or sealant.

If the height differences are too large, then you will have to resort to a more radical method - pouring a leveling concrete screed. To do this, you can use ready-made dry mixes sold in hardware stores, or prepare a sand-concrete mortar with your own hands.

If the maximum thickness of the screed is assumed to be less than 3 cm, then coarse sand should be used as a filler for the solution.

Gravel can be added to give strength to the mixture.

If the leveling layer of the concrete screed is more than 3 cm, then it is recommended to use fine gravel or crushed stone to increase the strength.

The table shows the proportions that should be observed when mixing concrete mortar grade M-100, which is most often used for floor screed.

Proportions of concrete M100:

* Values are given in order - cement: sand: crushed stone

Waterproofing

Ruberoid and its analogues are glued with special mastics

The installation of a moisture-vapor barrier layer is a very important stage of work. The fact is that mineral wool is extremely afraid of moisture. When wet, it loses its thermal insulation properties and no longer restores them. Moreover, the moisture that got inside it remains inside for a long time, causing the reproduction of mold and fungi, passing to the floors and walls.

Coating waterproofing is applied with a brush or roller

To do this, you can use rolled waterproofing - roofing material or its modern counterparts. Roofing felt sheets are glued to the floor surface using polymer or bituminous mastics.

On the modern market, there are also self-adhesive types of waterproofing, for example, technonikol. The canvases are laid with an overlap of at least 10 cm, and the seams are carefully smeared with mastic. For greater reliability, you can lay waterproofing in two or three layers, so that the joints of the sheets of different layers do not match.

For concrete subfloors, coating waterproofing can be used. It is a polymer or bituminous mastics with increased fluidity. For their application, paint rollers or brushes are used. For more information about materials, see this video:

Mastics fill all the smallest cracks and pores in concrete, blocking access to moisture particles from the lower room.

Installation lag

Mineral wool must be laid between wooden logs, which will protect the material from crushing.

Since mineral wool cannot be crushed, care should be taken to create a protective barrier between it and the finish coat.

So that the floor covering does not put pressure on the insulation, we install wooden logs over the entire surface of the subfloors, which will serve as a support for the finishing flooring.

To do this, we take blocks with a section of 5 x 6 cm and fasten them to the concrete base with the help of dowel-nails, and to the wooden one - with nails or self-tapping screws.

The step between the lags depends on what material you are going to lay the top flooring from.

For a plank floor of “fives” or “forties”, a distance between the lags of 80 cm will be quite enough.

For plywood, OSB or "inch" boards, the distance should be reduced to 40 - 60 cm.

Mineral wool flooring

After the waterproofing device, you can proceed directly to the laying of mineral insulation. We fill them with all the gaps between the lags, so that there are no gaps and holes between the insulation and the lags. For detailed instructions on warming with mineral wool, see this video:

When laying mineral wool, it is permissible to slightly crush it so that it does not rise too much above the lag level, but it is not recommended to tamp it too much - this will not give a special increase in thermal conductivity, but will significantly increase material consumption.

Vapor barrier will protect the insulation from moisture penetration

After all the cavities between the lags are filled with insulation, a vapor barrier should be laid on top of it. It can be isospan or similar materials.

It will allow moisture particles to escape to the outside, while at the same time preventing dampness from entering the insulation from the outside.

The joints of the vapor barrier sheets after its installation should be carefully glued with adhesive tape. The last stage of all work will be laying a finishing flooring from the material of your choice on top of the insulated floor. The material of the upper flooring (boards, sheets of chipboard, OSB, plywood) is attached from above to the logs, finally covering the insulation from the effects of the external environment.

Self-arrangement of thermal insulation of a wooden floor on logs requires the performer to have relevant knowledge and at least a little experience with elementary construction tools and related devices.

After reading the instructions below and performing all the necessary actions in accordance with its provisions, you will be able to equip a high-quality, reliable and durable thermal insulation system on your own, forgetting about drafts in the room and overpayments for heating.

The modern market offers a wide range of materials suitable for insulating a wooden floor on logs. You can find the properties of the most commonly used heaters in the following table.

Table. Popular heaters

Thermal insulation material	Basic properties
Sawdust	One of the most budgetary, and sometimes completely free thermal insulation material. It is characterized by good thermal insulation properties, helps to normalize the level of humidity inside the floor structure. The main disadvantage of sawdust is its poor resistance to various kinds of insects, fungi and other harmful microorganisms. In addition to this, the material supports combustion, which is also a big minus.
Mineral wool insulation	Materials based on mineral wool are characterized by high thermal insulation properties and do not support combustion. Along with this, the material does not tolerate contact with moisture - under the influence of water, it swells and loses its original performance characteristics. In the case of using mineral wool for insulation, waterproofing will need to be equipped on both sides of the material.
Expanded clay	Relatively inexpensive and easy to arrange material with good thermal insulation characteristics. For insulation, it is recommended to use granules of different sizes - so the backfill will turn out to be more dense.
Styrofoam	One of the most popular heaters. It is sold at a relatively affordable cost, provides highly efficient insulation, is not afraid of contact with moisture, but supports combustion, releasing, at the same time, substances that are unsafe for human health. In addition, the foam plastic attracts rodents, "meetings" with which do not affect the service life of the material in the best way.

The procedure for arranging a thermal insulation system

There are 2 main options for arranging the floor on logs: on the ground (in residential premises located on the first floors, in basements and various one-story buildings) and on the floor (usually on a concrete slab or screed, poured over any suitable base, most often used in rooms located above the ground floor and even in city apartments). You are invited to familiarize yourself with both options and choose the insulation method that is best suited specifically for your case. The procedure for arranging a thermal insulation system

Floor insulation on logs on the ground

We offer you instructions for arranging an insulated wooden floor from scratch. For owners of finished floors, the recommendations remain the same, you just need to exclude the relevant items from the manual.

First step . We equip support posts in increments of up to 200 cm. For the manufacture of supports, you can use concrete or brick. Choose the option of your choice - whichever is more convenient for you.

The height of the columns is selected individually, in accordance with the design height of the floor. We make the supports themselves so that their upper faces are strictly in the same horizontal plane. Otherwise, the logs will be laid with distortions, which will accordingly affect the evenness of the floor itself. To align the columns in height, we use cement mortar. If it is necessary to equip a mortar layer with a thickness of more than 30 mm, we put a reinforcing masonry mesh into the mixture, sinking it in cement. We cover the top of the supports with a layer of waterproofing material.

Second step. On top of the waterproofed supports, we lay wooden beams - logs. The installation step of the elements is selected taking into account their cross section and in accordance with the expected level of loads on the structure. In terms of the convenience of further laying the insulation boards, the most optimal is a 60-cm lag installation step.

As for the cross-section of the beams, for the specified installation step of the supports and the lag itself, with an average level of expected loads on the base, a beam with a section of 10x5 or 15x5 cm will suffice. If you wish, you can use a material with more impressive parameters, focusing on the specifics of your particular situation.

To fix the lag to the posts, we use suitable fasteners. Usually these are dowels and self-tapping screws, anchors, corners, etc. We must impregnate all wooden structural elements with an antiseptic agent, if this was not originally done in production.

Third step. We fasten the log to the bottom, laid on the supporting pillars, reinforcing the mesh of galvanized steel. If desired, it can be replaced with boards from 2 cm thick, nailed in a run - as you prefer. Recommendations for fasteners are standard: we use nails, screws, staples or other suitable products.

Fourth step. We fix a waterproofing windproof film with vapor-permeable properties, for example, isospan, over the boards / mesh and log. The material will prevent heat loss and the formation of dust, while not interfering with the evaporation of moisture from structural elements.

The film must be laid on top of the log, across in relation to them, and lowered on both sides of each beam until it stops in the grid / boards fixed below. As a result, a kind of trays will be formed between the lags. We attach the windproof film to both sides of each log using a stapler.

If you decide to use one of the modern thermal insulation materials equipped with a windproof bottom layer, there will be no need to lay the film.

Fifth step. In the cells between the lags, on top of the windproof film, we lay the selected insulation. For example, mineral wool is well suited.

We choose the thickness of the insulation in accordance with the climatic conditions at the location of the house, as well as the features of the operation of the building. For example, in regions with a cold harsh climate, especially if the foundation / basement of the house is not insulated, it is recommended to equip a 15-20 cm thermal insulation structure, sometimes even thicker. In regions with a temperate climate, subject to the insulation of the foundation, the thickness of the thermal insulation is usually reduced to an average of 10 cm.

Experts recommend equipping two-layer insulation, laying the second ball across the first - this will eliminate cold bridges and increase the efficiency of the heat-insulating system. To equip the second layer of the structure, we fasten transverse bars with a thickness of 5 cm or more over the lag.

Material group	Properties
Fibrous insulation	They are mainly made on the basis of mineral wool. They are characterized by high sound and heat insulation properties. They do not burn, but they do not tolerate contact with water. If wet, the material increases in volume and loses its original thermal insulation characteristics. The use of fibrous insulation is strictly contraindicated for rooms in which leakage is likely. In other rooms, such thermal insulation is subject to mandatory moisture protection on both sides.
Foam insulation	A typical representative is polystyrene. The material burns, has a relatively low strength and is sold at a relatively affordable cost. If the cost of insulation is a decisive factor, foam plastic can be preferred, but in this case it will be necessary to lay gypsum boards, chipboard or plywood sheets on top of the insulation in order to ensure effective distribution of point loads and maintain the integrity of the thermal insulation. An improved analogue of polystyrene is extruded polystyrene foam. This material does not burn. In addition, extruded polystyrene foam has a higher strength, which allows you to pour a concrete screed over it.
Sprayed heaters	Such materials are not particularly demanding on the cleanliness and evenness of the base. The main thing is that there are no greasy and other similar spots and large differences in height, otherwise the consumption of the sprayed insulator will increase. After applying such a heat-insulating material, a seamless, seamless coating with very high heat-insulating performance is formed on the surface. The only drawback is that when arranging many sprayed heaters, it becomes necessary to use special expensive equipment for application. In addition, the performer must have the skills to work with this kind of installations. Otherwise, it is not necessary to count on high quality thermal insulation.

Helpful advice! To equip the upper crate, use bars 2-3 cm thick more than the thickness of the second heat-insulating layer. This will allow you to lay the waterproofing material with allowances on the rails and provide the most effective protection.

Sixth step. We lay another layer of waterproofing material on top of the insulation and the crate. Fastening is carried out with a construction stapler. We glue the joints with tape.

In conclusion, it remains for us to fix boards / sheets of plywood or other suitable material on top of the crate and lay the selected finish.

Insulation option using penofol

If you wish, you can replace the second layer of thermal insulation and vapor barrier with penofol - a modern insulation made on the basis of a foamed polymer and covered with a thin layer of aluminum foil. Other similar materials are also on the market, for example, isolon. Choose at your discretion.

The heat-insulating material is laid with foil upwards, across in relation to the elements of the crate, with obligatory allowances on both sides of each rail.

We use a stapler to attach the penofol to the bars. We glue the joints with aluminized adhesive tape.

On top of the penofol, we attach the subfloor flooring to the bars of the crate. You can use boards, plywood and other suitable materials. The flooring elements are laid across in relation to the crate. Spacers are additionally fixed between the elements of the crate - boards or other selected material will rest on them with their short side. As a result, the edges of each decking element must rest either on a spacer or on a batten.

Correct and incorrect arrangement of spacers

If desired, thermal insulation can be performed using foam or polystyrene foam boards, however, in the case of arranging wooden floors, experts recommend refraining from such a decision - such a heater will disrupt the processes of moisture and vapor exchange in the structure, which will not have the best effect on the service life of wood and its properties in general. In addition, mineral wool and other heaters based on it are characterized by higher elasticity, which contributes to an increase in the density of thermal insulation.

Name	Properties	Thermal conductivity	Where applicable
Izolon	Elastic material, light weight, waterproof and durable	0.040 W/mK	As a substrate for laminate and linoleum, mounted under warm floors
Penofol	Flexible, thin material, eco-friendly, waterproof	0.037-0.049 W/mK	Can be used as a vapor barrier for conventional thermal insulation materials
Isover	Non-flammable, dense heat-insulating material	0.041 W/mK	For insulation of concrete and wooden surfaces
Rockwool	Durable non-flammable material, resistant to deformation	0.39 W/mK	Insulation of floors on logs, heat and sound insulation of walls and ceilings
Foil Styrofoam	Temperature resistant, durable	0.037-0.041 W/mK	For insulation of a warm water floor, insulation of a floating screed

Insulation of a wooden floor on the ceiling

There is a technology that allows you to equip the thermal insulation of a wooden floor on logs not only on the ground, but also on top of the ceiling, which is usually a concrete slab. If the already used floor is insulated, the procedure will be as follows:

the flooring is dismantled;
all elements are removed until a “bare” base is obtained. If there are lags that have been preserved in a normal state, you can not get rid of them. There is also no need to replace a high-quality screed without significant damage - it is enough to repair the flaws with the appropriate building compounds, for example, a cement-sand mixture;
Floor insulation with polystyrene foam (polystyrene foam)
subfloor flooring is installed;
the chosen finishing covering keeps within.

Recommendations for the implementation of each stage are similar to the corresponding technological operations discussed in the instructions for floor insulation on logs, equipped on the ground. Follow the given sequence and everything will definitely work out.

Successful work!

Video - Insulation of a wooden floor on logs

One of the stages of work on the arrangement of floor coverings is the insulation of floors.

According to building regulations, insulation of interfloor ceilings must be carried out when the temperature difference between the upper and lower rooms is 10 ° C.

The need for floor insulation

Mineral wool effectively insulates floors

This is especially true for rooms located above unheated rooms - basements, cold basement floors, etc.

Insulation of attic floors is necessary for the same reason: the heat-insulating layer in this case does not allow heat to escape through the ceiling of the room below.

Pros and cons of mineral wool

Mineral wool goes on sale in the form of rolls, or denser rectangular slabs. Floor insulation with mineral wool has both positive and negative sides associated with the characteristics of this material.

pros

It is optimal to use mineral wool in wooden houses, as it is resistant to fire

Among the technical characteristics of mineral wool, the following advantages should be noted:

Excellent thermal insulation properties. In terms of its ability to retain heat, mineral wool is one of the best insulating materials.
High noise absorption rate. This allows the insulation to be used also to create sound barriers between floors and neighboring rooms.
Fire resistance. In the event of a fire, mineral insulation will not only not support combustion, but will act as a shield against the further spread of fire. At high temperatures, the material does not emit toxic substances.
Environmental friendliness of the material. In the production of insulation, strict environmental monitoring of technologies and components used is carried out.
Resistance to damage by rodents. Mice and rats do not make their nests in mineral wool and do not lay their passages in it.
The lightness of the material. Due to the low density, the insulation does not create unnecessary loads on the supporting structures of the floors. Its density is about 35 kg/cu.m.
Resistance to temperature deformations. Mineral wool practically does not change its shape and volume when the air temperature changes. Therefore, during its installation, it is not required to arrange thermal seams and use a damper tape.
Affordable cost. Minvata has excellent performance in terms of "price-quality".

Minuses

If the house is located in a damp place, the use of cotton wool is contraindicated.

Like any other building materials, mineral wool has its drawbacks, which, however, are much less than advantages.

Insufficient strength. When working with mineral insulation and during its operation, care should be taken due to the tendency of the material to break and lose shape.
Fear of damp. This is the main disadvantage of mineral wool. When wet, it loses its shape, and at the same time all its thermal insulation qualities. Therefore, when mineral wool is used for floor insulation, special attention should be paid to its waterproofing.
Great height. When the insulation is compressed, its thermal insulation properties are reduced, so mineral wool should be used unchanged. If reducing the height of the ceilings is an unaffordable luxury for you, you should pay attention to thinner types of thermal insulation.

For the same reason, when working with the material, an increased separation of small mineral particles in the form of dust is observed.

As a result, it is necessary to work with mineral wool only in protective clothing, gloves, goggles and a respirator. For more information about the qualities of this insulation, see this video:

After reviewing these pros and cons of the material, you can decide for yourself whether you should use mineral wool to equip the thermal insulation layer.

floor insulation process

Warming the floor with mineral wool occurs in several stages:

Directly flooring insulation.
Installation of prefinishing coating.

Let's analyze the whole process of work in stages.

Preparation of the rough base

It is very important to repair the rough base, lay waterproofing

If you are going to insulate old floors, then before that you will have to completely remove all floor covering from them, exposing the floors down to concrete floor slabs or rough wooden floors.

Then we carefully examine their surface for cracks, holes, crevices, etc. All discovered holes and problem areas should be repaired with putty, plaster or sealant.

Next, you should check the bearing surface for a horizontal slope, dips and bumps. If the defects are not so significant, they can be corrected with putty or plaster.

If the maximum thickness of the screed is assumed to be less than 3 cm, then coarse sand should be used as a filler for the solution.

Gravel can be added to give strength to the mixture.

If the leveling layer of the concrete screed is more than 3 cm, then it is recommended to use fine gravel or crushed stone to increase the strength.

The table shows the proportions that should be observed when mixing concrete mortar grade M-100, which is most often used for floor screed.

Proportions of concrete M100:

* Values are given in order - cement: sand: crushed stone

Waterproofing

Ruberoid and its analogues are glued with special mastics

Coating waterproofing is applied with a brush or roller

To do this, you can use rolled waterproofing - roofing material or its modern counterparts. Roofing felt sheets are glued to the floor surface using polymer or bituminous mastics.

Mastics fill all the smallest cracks and pores in concrete, blocking access to moisture particles from the lower room.

Installation lag

Mineral wool must be laid between wooden logs, which will protect the material from crushing.

Since mineral wool cannot be crushed, care should be taken to create a protective barrier between it and the finish coat.

So that the floor covering does not put pressure on the insulation, we install wooden logs over the entire surface of the subfloors, which will serve as a support for the finishing flooring.

To do this, we take blocks with a section of 5 x 6 cm and fasten them to the concrete base with the help of dowel-nails, and to the wooden one - with nails or self-tapping screws.

The step between the lags depends on what material you are going to lay the top flooring from.

For a plank floor of “fives” or “forties”, a distance between the lags of 80 cm will be quite enough.

For plywood, OSB or "inch" boards, the distance should be reduced to 40 - 60 cm.

Mineral wool flooring

When laying mineral wool, it is permissible to slightly crush it so that it does not rise too much above the lag level, but it is not recommended to tamp it too much - this will not give a special increase in thermal conductivity, but will significantly increase material consumption.

Vapor barrier will protect the insulation from moisture penetration

After all the cavities between the lags are filled with insulation, a vapor barrier should be laid on top of it. It can be isospan or similar materials.

It will allow moisture particles to escape to the outside, while at the same time preventing dampness from entering the insulation from the outside.

Warming the floor with mineral wool in a wooden house is a responsible and rather complicated matter. The finished floor seems to the guests just beautifully laid boards, giving the room a special chic and nobility. And only the owner of the house knows what a complex structure lies under the even rows of wooden floor boards and how much work needs to be invested in order to insulate the floor with their own hands and lay out the screed.

Floor device

A properly laid floor in a wooden house is a multi-layer structure that provides reliable waterproofing, protection from cold and overheating, insects and fungi, as well as providing strength and durability to the entire house. Also, in the correct design, a ventilation gap is needed to ensure air circulation. Depending on the floor of a wooden house, the floor arrangement may be different.

The floor on which the room is located, the degree of humidity, as well as the purpose of the entire building also dictates its requirements for floors: the requirements for floors in a country house, for example, are not as strict as for a coating in a private country wooden house. The floor of the attic is also different from the floor of the first floor. The floor of the second floor is arranged differently than the floor of the first floor or attic. Most often, the floors are arranged in the form of a so-called pie, by analogy with the well-known puff pastry. One of the layers of the floor pie is the thermal insulation layer, along with wood flooring, screed and other types of insulation layers.

materials

The floor insulation material is selected depending on the characteristics of the room (floor, purpose, humidity, floor material), as well as on the climatic conditions of the area in which the house is located.

The following materials are most often used as a heater:

Expanded clay is a porous and lightweight material made from fired clay;
Sawdust - woodworking waste. One of the cheapest materials. The cost of one m2 laid is almost worth nothing;
Polyfoam - porous polymeric material, easy and moisture resistant material. In addition to thermal insulation properties, it also has excellent waterproofing;
Penoplex - extruded polystyrene foam - is similar to polystyrene, but much more durable and is considered to be better in its properties, but has a higher price per m2;
Mineral wool- mineral fiber mats;
Glass wool - mats made of fiberglass, it is considered that its thermal insulation is not much worse than that of mineral wool, but waterproofing indicators are better.

All of these materials have their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, polystyrene, with all its heat and waterproofing properties, has a fairly high fire hazard. Expanded clay is an excellent insulation, but rather inconvenient to use and has poor moisture-proof properties, and also has a high cost per m 2. And all these materials are still better than simple sawdust, although their use increases the cost of each m2 of flooring.

In mid-latitudes, the most acceptable option is mineral wool. This material has long been familiar to everyone, has high heat-shielding and sound-proofing properties. In addition, and not least, the price of one m 2 of mineral wool and, especially, the prices for laying m 2 are among the lowest among all building materials. The material is so easy to use that even a non-specialist can lay it with their own hands.

Mineral wool is supplied in rolls or mats in certain sizes and thicknesses. Mineral wool laminated with aluminum is also produced. The price of such cotton wool per m 2 is higher than that of ordinary wool. However, the cost of laying one m 2 they do not differ. The thickness of this material varies from 50 mm to 200 mm or more, depending on the application. Unlike polystyrene or Penoplek, mineral wool does not require pre-cutting in shape and size. The roll is simply unwound and the mineral wool is placed in the right place.

Sequencing

Mineral wool floor insulation is part of a multi-stage floor installation process, which is carried out according to the following algorithm:

Alignment. The surface on which the floor will be laid must be perfectly flat;
Vapor barrier - laying a layer of vapor barrier material;
Installing guides- wooden lag;
Insulation laying- filling each m2 of the floor with insulating material;
Laying the flooring is the last, finishing layer of the pie.

Actually, this whole process is carried out in order to ensure reliable insulation and waterproofing of the room. Therefore, it makes no sense to consider laying mineral wool separately from the other stages.

alignment

Leveling is especially important when laying the floor of the first floor on the ground. There are also irregularities and cracks in the floor slabs. To eliminate irregularities in the first case, it is necessary to level the soil surface with a layer of crushed stone 10 cm thick, on which it is necessary to fill in a layer of sand of the same thickness.

Should know. When laying the floor on reinforced concrete floor slabs, a leveling screed is usually used. The screed is usually used concrete or cement-sand. The absence of a screed can lead to the destruction of the entire floor due to unevenness and the uneven load associated with them on different parts of the floor surface. This circumstance makes it necessary to arrange a screed even in the attic.

vapor barrier

A layer of vapor barrier over the screed must be laid in the floors of the premises on the ground floor for every m2 of surface. This is necessary precisely when using mineral wool as a heater. Mineral wool easily dampens, which leads to a decrease in its thermal insulation properties. Also, when laying the topcoat, it is important to observe the ventilation between the mineral wool and the floor surface.

Roofing material can be used as a vapor barrier - it is better to use such material in the country, where the requirements for floors are mainly limited by the price of materials and all work is done by hand. Film waterproofing is used as modern and reliable materials for vapor barrier:

polyethylene film, including aluminum coated;
polypropylene film;
vapor barrier membranes.

The most commonly used polyethylene, polypropylene or film coated with aluminum. This is due primarily to the price of the material. However, the efficiency of such a material is low, due to the possibility of accumulation of condensate on its surface. This can lead to wetting of the mineral wool and, consequently, to a decrease in its thermal insulation properties.

The most modern and reliable material is multi-layer vapor barrier membranes of great thickness, made using a more complex technology using many waterproofing materials. They are best used in country houses and cottages.

The vapor barrier layer is laid as evenly and densely as possible to the surface of floors and walls. In this case, there should not be any ventilation gap. Holes in the bottom layer of the vapor barrier will not lead to ventilation, but to the appearance of moisture on the insulation layer. This principle is preserved on all floors, including the attic.

Warming

Mineral wool is laid on the first layer of vapor barrier. The mineral wool roll is unwound and laid in such a way as to leave no ventilation gaps between the wool and the joists, and also no ventilation gap between the wool and the first layer of vapor barrier to avoid moisture accumulation on the mineral fiber.

This prevents the fiber from getting wet and the mineral wool from losing its heat-insulating properties. The technology provides for the installation of special ventilation gaps between the insulation and the second layer of vapor barrier.

The thickness of the mineral wool sheet is selected depending on the purpose of the building and climatic conditions. So, in a country house used mainly only in the warm season, it is enough to use mineral wool 50 mm thick. The same applies to technical buildings and houses in the southern regions, where it is still impossible to do without insulation at all, despite the milder climate. The thickness of mineral wool sheets used on the second and third floors, in the attic or in the attic may also not exceed 5 cm. This is due to lower requirements for floor insulation on the floors, as well as the need to preserve the volume of the room.

Note. In private country houses, it is better to use cotton wool 200 mm thick. Cotton wool of this thickness will provide reliable thermal insulation.

After laying a layer of mineral wool, it is necessary to lay another layer of vapor barrier on top of it. This is especially important when arranging the floor in the attic of a house or cottage. However, here the laying technology will be somewhat different than in the first layer. To ensure ventilation in order to avoid the accumulation of moisture on the insulation layer, the technology provides for the installation of ventilation gaps - special holes between the sheets of the vapor barrier film through which air will pass and the moisture trapped under the vapor barrier will evaporate. Ventilation gaps are needed between all sheets of film or membrane.

Stone wool, one of the varieties of mineral wool, is perfect for warming the house and any room in it. With the help of our advice, you can choose the right material, make high-quality installation and take care of its long service life.

Stone wool: what is it made of

Cotton wool is made from rocks of basalt, marl or metamorphic origin. Basalt rocks are considered the best component. However, the quality will determine the acidity, which should be controlled by carbonate additions. The higher the acidity, the stronger and more durable cotton wool.

Stone wool insulation: what is it made of? Stone wool also contains a binder that holds the fibers together. The most famous substances are synthetic. They include phenol-formaldehyde resins and various impurities that make the material waterproof.

In modern production, stone insulation is made from a special component - "Pele's hair", or glass fiber. The stone wool technology for its manufacture consists of a number of stages, the main of which is the separation of the rock into fibers.

Characteristics and indicators of stone wool

The material has several important properties that are indispensable for repair or construction.

Thermal insulation. Wall insulation with stone wool is a great way to protect yourself from the cold in winter and the heat in summer. The temperature in the room will be constantly regulated. The effectiveness of this property depends on the components in the composition. It turned out that stone wool for wall insulation is the right solution.
Does not ignite. Even at temperatures above 1000˚C, stone wool does not ignite. Therefore, it belongs to safe materials, and, moreover, it protects other combustible parts of the house, preventing the spread of fire. Although the binders evaporate already at 200˚C.
permanent form. Due to this characteristic, cotton can withstand mechanical stress. This allows you to use stone wool for floors that are constantly under load. Efficiency depends on the selected binder.
Soundproofing. Provides simple protection from street or neighborhood noise as the fibers block sound propagation.
Waterproof. Excess moisture in the room comes out without getting into the cotton wool. This property helps to maintain optimal humidity. And no matter how humid the air is, stone wool always remains dry, and mold and other muck do not start on it.
Environmental friendliness. During production and operation, the environment is not affected negatively.

Advantages and disadvantages

Mineral wool for insulation has the following advantages:

non-combustible;
Waterproof;
Stone wool - insulation for walls - has a wide range of operating temperatures;
Eco-friendly;
Safe during installation and operation;
Good heat and sound insulation;
It is easier to insulate with stone wool than with other materials.

Disadvantages:

Wall insulation with wool is a costly undertaking. Don't expect to buy cheap cotton wool. Low prices for it indicate that it contains a lot of impurities and low-quality material.
Dust. The process of insulating the walls of a house with stone wool is accompanied by an abundant amount of dust, especially if it is handled carelessly. For protection, it is advisable to take a respirator, although a regular mask from a pharmacy will do.

Stone wool: application

Wool insulation is used in the construction of baths, saunas, swimming pools, when laying communications, wells and air ducts. It is even placed in the foundations of houses.

Depending on where the insulation will be used, and what load it will have, it is divided into classes:

Soft. Suitable for laying wells and ventilated walls.
Semi-rigid. Suitable for walls in multi-storey buildings, for thermal insulation of pipes.
Hard. Used in foundations, floors.

Is there any harm to health during installation?

Many inexperienced builders often confuse stone wool and glass wool, although in fact they are two different materials belonging to the same class of mineral wool. Because of this, a common myth has arisen that stone wool, like glass wool, is also harmful to health, damaging the eyes and lungs. But this is only a delusion.

The point here is its special structure. Insulation - stone fiber bound with formaldehyde resins, they do not break down and do not spread harmful substances. Therefore, we confidently declare that this building material is absolutely safe.

How to choose stone wool?

Before purchasing stone wool, you need to find out the amount of material you need and calculate the load that will fall on the insulation.

We have already said that the prices for it are high, but you can still save. The following factors will affect the cost:

cotton wool density;
Manufacturer;
Binder and rock category;
The presence of another layer of coating;
Purchased quantity.

When buying, be sure to look at the instructions, it usually indicates the scope of stone wool and its technical characteristics. The most trusted companies are Ursa (URSA), TechnoNIKOL and Rockwool. The last company is located in Denmark; insulation materials from this country are of the highest quality, since strict certification bodies work there.

When choosing, check with the seller how the fibers are located: horizontally, vertically or in a chaotic manner. The first two types do not allow the material to deform, and the latter provides good heat and sound insulation.

Depending on the density, stone wool is usually divided into categories. Stone wool: wall slabs:

Mark P-75. Suitable for horizontal, unstressed interior surfaces for pipe insulation.
Insulation for walls cotton wool brand P-125. Suitable for both horizontal and vertical surfaces. It is ideal for insulating ceilings, floors and interior walls.
PZh-175. Stone insulation for walls made of metal profiled sheet or reinforced concrete.
Wool insulation PPZh-200. The hardest stone wool. This is used in buildings for engineering purposes, protecting them from fire.

Which mineral wool is better for wall insulation

Warming a house with stone wool begins with the choice of a manufacturer.

Stone wool "ROCKWOOL" - popular both in the domestic market and in the foreign. It has the following distinctive characteristics:

Good level of strength;
Mineral wool for wall insulation serves from 15 years;
The fibers are arranged in a chaotic manner;
Helps save electricity, as the manufacturer claims;
An additional layer that increases resistance to moisture.

Stone wool "TechnoNIKOL".

Produced only on the basis of basalt rocks;
Extra layer for noise reduction;
Light weight for easy work.

Wall insulation stone wool "URSA":

Special packaging will make it easy to transport the material and work with it;
Does not contain formaldehyde resins, therefore it is recommended for schools, hospitals, etc.

Buying a truly high-quality product can sometimes be difficult. Therefore, you need to know some important points.

Pay attention to where and how cotton wool is stored. Most often, it is stored in its original packaging and wrapped in shrink film. Make sure there are no holes or cuts on the packaging. Cotton wool should not be in the open air, but under a canopy.
If stone wool is packed in cardboard boxes (expensive heaters are usually placed in them), then its storage place must be protected from moisture. Even after a little getting wet, it will not be usable.
Purchase goods only from trusted sellers. Give preference to those stores that are closer to you - this will reduce the cost of delivery.

Installation of stone wool

Before you properly insulate the wall with mineral wool, you need to determine where the work will be carried out. After all, the insulation of the walls of the house with cotton wool in each area will look different. On the facades, one technology is used, on the attics - a completely different one.

Balcony and loggia

The effective insulation of a house with stone wool directly depends on the quality of the surface preparation. Therefore, it is logical to talk about it briefly.

Remove all excess debris from the loggia. Make the necessary measurements by calculating the amount of mineral wool. Estimate the load on the floor.
Next comes the glazing of the balcony. Here it is better to give preference to plastic windows. All cracks on the frames and fencing should be sealed with mounting foam. This will greatly protect the balcony from moisture and cold.
Waterproofing is the next step. Protective agents (roll or coating) must first be applied to the floor and ceiling. But wall protection is also desirable.

Only now you can proceed directly to laying. Insulation with mineral wool slabs occurs as follows:

First of all, the crate is made. It is most often made of wood (less often - of metal). The optimal thickness of the beam is 1 cm more than that of a stone wool slab. The dimensions of the cells in the lattice should be about a centimeter smaller than a piece of insulation.
Wool insulation for walls: laying goes from top to bottom: first the ceiling, then the walls and the floor. The ceiling needs a denser mineral wool, the usual one is suitable for walls and floors.
A special glue is applied to the plate, and it is placed in place in the cell. Before doing this, do not forget to clean the surface of dirt and remove irregularities.
You can press the slab firmly and evenly with plywood of a suitable size. Thermal insulation: stone wool is the best material for this.
The last step is vapor barrier using penofol (it is sometimes replaced with ordinary polyethylene).

Stone wool for attic walls

After you have installed the rafters and laid the roof on them, you can start warming the house with cotton wool. But first you need to create a layer of waterproofing. It will not allow water to get on the mineral wool and wooden structures. The best material for this is ordinary polyethylene. Fastening is carried out with a stapler.

If the waterproofing layer goes over the entire surface of the roof (up to the ridge), then it can only be insulated up to the attic ceiling. This is only done to save money. Quality repairs include insulation of the entire roof.

When laying stone wool, the most successful option is when the width of the beams on the roof is equal to the width of the slab. In this case, they simply fit between them, attached to the stapler. Additional reliability will be provided by a lath crate or a rope net laid from below. All gaps formed are sealed with mounting foam, and the crate (if it is made of wood) is treated with an antiseptic. Stone wool wall slabs insulate perfectly.

The last layer is the vapor barrier. As a suitable material, many builders choose glassine - it is cheap and performs its functions perfectly. It is attached to the rafters with a stapler, it is desirable to glue the attachment points with adhesive tape.

Insulation of walls from the outside with stone wool

In the process of insulating a house, the question often arises: is it better to insulate walls from the outside or from the inside? In the direction of each option, there are both disadvantages and positive aspects. The first option is like this:

High protection against cold, noise, sun and wind;
Will not let the walls freeze, because. moisture is released. For the same reason, mold and fungus do not form on the structures;
The area of the room inside will not decrease;
It becomes possible to choose any internal design, as well as, if necessary, change it.

Convinced of the merits of this method, we insulate the stone walls of the house. The traditional way of laying looks uncomplicated: the first insulating layer is mineral wool of medium density (75 kg / m³), it closes the unevenness of the wall; the second layer is high-density wool (from 125 kg/m³), its role is to create a smooth and rigid wall surface, because this will facilitate the next finishing work.

In total, wool for wall insulation from the outside should be a layer of 15 cm or more. The best option is when the thermal insulation is between the load-bearing wall and the outer cladding.

In practice, it is possible to insulate a house with stone wool from the outside according to the following plan.

The first step is to prepare the surface. Rid the walls of irregularities, and apply a layer of plaster. Sometimes it makes sense to apply a couple of layers.
Next comes the installation of metal guides, they are fixed above the basement of the building using anchor bolts.
How to properly insulate a wall with mineral wool? The first layer of heat-insulating material is installed (immediately followed by the second). Glue is applied to the back of the plate, and it is pressed against the wall. According to the same scheme, all external wall insulation with stone wool takes place.
Metal corners that are attached to external slopes will help protect the material from deformation.
A facing brick is placed on top of the layer, the seams are sealed with plaster.

We considered the first installation method, called a ventilated facade. You can insulate the walls with stone wool in the second way.

The second method is called "wet". The technology is only slightly different from the previous one. Stone wool: wall insulation:

Both of these methods insulate the house equally well.

After you have insulated the walls with stone wool from the outside, you need to take care of some important things.

The thermal insulation layer will increase the thickness of the walls by about 15-20 cm. Therefore, it is advisable to lengthen the slopes, ebbs and window sills so that the weather conditions do not spoil the material.

If you decide to lay not two layers of mineral wool, but more, then this is a bad idea. The more layers, the more air pockets between them. And they lead to a deterioration in thermal insulation properties.

Wall insulation from the inside with stone wool

Warming with stone wool from the inside is much faster and cheaper, and even novice builders can easily cope with this matter. However, work can only be done in a room where there is no high humidity. The advantages of wall insulation from the inside are as follows:

Low cost and labor intensity.
You can put insulation not only on the entire building, but also on individual rooms in which you will live. This is quite economical.
It is permissible to work at any time of the year, regardless of weather conditions.

Insulation of the house with mineral wool can be started by calculating the required amount of mineral wool. There is a special formula for this. Wall area (m²) multiplied by the mineral wool thickness (mm) and divided by the package volume. That is, if the area is 15, the thickness is 100, the volume is 0.432, then you will need about three and a half packages.

Do-it-yourself wall insulation with stone wool is carried out in several stages. The general scheme of an insulated wall may look something like this: first there is a load-bearing wall, followed by a layer of vapor barrier, then thermal insulation, and another vapor barrier layer, at the end there is an interior finish.

Stone wool for interior walls is suitable for medium density (look for indicators in the region of 100 kg / m³). Such mineral wool will increase the thickness of the wall by 8-10 cm. Keep this in mind when carrying out repairs. It is possible to insulate a small room with mineral wool in one day.

One of the methods for fulfilling the above plan occurs according to a relatively simple technology. Stone wool: installation:

A strong support is created from metal suspensions and profiles. You can put a foam tape under it to improve the thermal insulation in the room. If you plan to create two layers of mineral wool, then you will need another additional frame.
Then comes the vapor barrier. If polyethylene was chosen as the material, then a small air chamber should be left between the wall. It can be attached either with adhesive tape or with glue.
Stone wool insulation is placed inside each section in the frame.
Then again comes the layer of vapor barrier. This time it is better to fasten it directly to the metal profile with self-tapping screws.
Drywall is laid on top and the interior is finished.

Stone wool of internal walls, as well as wool of external ones, perfectly protects against unnecessary noise. This is especially useful in those houses that are located near roads.

Foundation insulation

Usually baths need insulation of the foundation, so we will first talk about them. Why is it necessary to insulate the foundation?

Due to the difference in temperature inside and outside, condensation forms, spoiling the base of the bath. The heater also helps to cope with this problem.
Thermal insulation will reduce the amount of wood needed for kindling.
Stone wool can protect against some mechanical damage.

It is better to insulate with mineral wool along the plinth from the outside, because in this way the foundation will be better protected, and therefore will last longer. The installation technology shown below is suitable for a strip foundation. Warming with mineral wool:

Free the foundation from the earth. To do this, dig a trench with a depth of one and a half meters and a width of 50 cm.
After that, sand is laid, and the foundation is smeared with bitumen.
Then the heater is installed. Its thickness is at least 20 cm. Seal the formed seams with foam. At the corners of the bath, a layer of mineral wool is 1.5 thick. Working with stone wool is easy here.
Stone wool needs additional protection from a brick wall (thickness - from 25 cm), which is placed around the perimeter. At the top there will be a blind area.

A few rules and notes for quality work.

How to choose and apply glue on mineral wool

Without proper selection and use of glue, insulation can sag, ceasing to act effectively. Stone wool is a rather unusual material, and not every adhesive is capable of providing high-quality adhesion to the wall.

The highest adhesion will provide polymer-cement compositions. They are sold as a dry mix similar to cement. There are several well-known brands: "EK THERMEX", "ERESIT CT190", "ERESIT CT180".

Using the package directions, dilute the mixture with water and mix well (repeat the same after 5 minutes). The solution will retain its adhesive properties for 2 hours.

Apply the solution evenly on a flat surface of the wall so that 7-8 glue circles are obtained. On the back side of the cotton wool (closer to the edges) we also apply glue; the surface should be covered with the composition by more than half. It is also better to grease the joints. The glue hardens for some time, so it is possible to properly lay the slab. Attaching stone wool to a wall is easy.

Sometimes, for greater reliability, additional fastening may be required. Anchor bolts or slats fixed to the crate can help here.

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