Proper insulation of the frame house. How to do the insulation of the walls of a frame house from the inside with your own hands? Insulation of frame walls with lightweight concrete

The correct "pie" of the walls, floor and roof of a frame house should include a reliable one. It should be chosen according to the density of the material and thickness, taking into account the climatic features of the region. It is desirable that the insulation last the entire life of the building itself, provide good thermal insulation, otherwise heating bills in winter threaten to spoil the mood of the owner.

General requirements for frame insulation

If you decide to live in a frame house permanently, you should not save on insulation. In winter, the cost of space heating with an “economical” finish can cost a pretty penny. Frame houses are distinguished by the fact that their rate of heat loss is quite high.

The general criteria for choosing thermal insulation materials for a frame house are as follows:

• Low thermal conductivity (heat must stay indoors, not go outside).
• Moisture resistance (insulation should not absorb moisture like a sponge).
• Fire safety (material must be resistant to high temperatures).
• Environmental friendliness (no harm to human health).

In addition, a good insulation does not lose its functional properties during the entire period of operation.

Types of insulation for a frame house

The modern market offers a number of solutions for the thermal insulation of frame houses. Below we consider the types of heaters that are in consistently high demand.

• . Pros: inexpensive, lightweight, environmentally friendly material that is easy to install and keeps heat well. Cons: brittle, easy to catch fire, poor soundproofing, prone to decay due to rodent activity. An acceptable option for seasonal country houses.
• Mineral wool exists in two "states": soft and hard. Soft mineral wool, or, is fire resistant, does not let heat through, is virtually not subject to chemical decomposition. However, during installation, the material must be fixed with transverse wooden inserts made of boards, otherwise the insulation will not be tightly fixed, which will eventually lead to the appearance of so-called “cold zones” - wall sections not covered with a heat-insulating layer.
• It looks more rational to use . The material is most often made on the basis of basalt (sometimes from slag). Pros: excellent thermal insulation, light weight, good sound insulation, fire resistance, strength, durability. However, the insulation allows moisture to pass through, therefore, during its installation, the openings of the frame blocks must be additionally protected with waterproofing materials.
• (EPP) - durable and dense material, easy to install. Pros: heat and moisture resistance, good sound insulation, relatively inexpensive. Minus: at high temperatures (from + 70º), the structure of the EPP sheet is subject to deformation, and the material itself emits toxic substances.
• PIR insulation is a more versatile, but also expensive (about 450 rubles per square meter) option. PIRs can be used in any construction site: they insulate walls, roofs, ceilings, floors, foundations. The material is durable, environmentally friendly, keeps heat well, resistant to temperature extremes (from - 65 to + 110º).
• When insulating frame-panel houses, environmentally friendly, but prone to decay and fire resistant, polyurethane foam spraying technology is used. The solution keeps the thickness, volume of the walls and the weight of the supporting structures unchanged, and the processing of the house itself requires much less time than the installation of traditional insulation. Minus: for such work you will have to call professionals.
• Ecowool. Environmentally friendly insulation, safe for humans, fire resistant, does not rot or damp, retains heat well. Cons: only European production guarantees the environmental friendliness of the material, and wall insulation with ecowool must be carried out using the so-called “wet” method (eliminates the likelihood of shrinkage of the material), which will require the services of specialists.
• Clay with a certain fat content. The most environmentally friendly option. It is important to remember that improperly selected clay (low-fat) will insulate your house for a short time: after a while, the thermal insulation layer will begin to crack and crumble.
• Sawdust is cheap, but this is perhaps their only plus. Cons: high thermal conductivity (twice as much as mineral wool), fire hazard, material settling over time.

How to properly insulate a country house

When installing insulation on a frame house, it is necessary to take into account the climatic features of the region in which you live, and on the basis of this, select the material according to density, thickness and other characteristics.

Since a house, as a rule, is a zoned object (walls, floor, roof, living quarters, storerooms, etc.), then the selection of material for insulation should be approached creatively. The floor can be insulated with sawdust, while for walls it is better to use dense material (foam, EPP, stone wool), and for the roof it is worth buying soft mineral wool or using PIR.

To get a more accurate idea of ​​what and how much is needed, regulatory documents containing the parameters and characteristics of various types of heaters help. To do this, there is our domestic "Code of Rules" - SP31-105-2002 (here is its updated version), copied from the Canadian COD as a blueprint.

For example, for a region with stable -35º in winter, a “pie” is enough, including drywall, 150 mm thick foam, thick veneer, wind protection and wall decoration material from the outside.

For those who want to experiment and make a combination of different materials, it is easy to find free calculators for calculating the insulation of multilayer walls on the Internet.

Another important question: insulate the walls from the inside or outside? Thermal insulation from the inside involves the use of only soft materials. This method is not very effective and, moreover, has a significant drawback: due to the insulation layer, the useful, often residential, area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room is reduced.

With thermal insulation from the outside, heat is retained much better. In addition, a heater from almost any material is suitable for it, it does not “eat” living space, which means that you can choose a material of any desired thickness, even with a margin (the main thing is to keep within the width of the foundation).

Increasingly, when building a country cottage, frame structures that are easier to install are preferred. Finished panels with a thickness of 12 to 20 cm are not inferior in technical characteristics to stone walls. Building houses from SIP blocks is an inexpensive way to build your own house in a short time. Panels for such structures can be factory-made or be a type-setting structure.

The construction of frame houses has gained its popularity due to the simplicity of building walls, but they are rather poorly susceptible to cold, so they need to be insulated additionally.

When using multilayer "sandwich" panels, you need to think about how to insulate the frame house, which insulation to choose for walls and ceilings.

The post-beam structure, which serves as the frame of the house, is made of durable materials - wood or metal. Blocks of thermal insulation are placed between the racks of the frame of the house. It is better to choose a heater in plates, and not in rolls. Sheets are easier to mount in frame bases. The walls are sheathed, starting from the outside - in this sequence it is easier to fix the vapor barrier and insulation. A membrane wind protection is attached to the crate, followed by a layer of heat insulator, which is protected by a vapor barrier coating.

Thermal insulation materials used in frame structures

There are several possible options to insulate the cottage. All heaters on the market today have their own advantages, allowing you to build a warm, economical home. When choosing a heater in frame structures, it is better to focus on one of the following materials:

1. Synthetic wool (mineral, fiberglass, slag).
2. Eco-friendly materials (ecowool, wood fiber wool, reed boards and mats).
3. Styrofoam.
4. Extruded polystyrene foam - additional external insulation.
5. Polyurethane foam.
6. Foam glass.
7. Natural heaters: expanded clay, slag, straw, flax tow, cereal husks, etc. are mixed with clay. For such materials, it is necessary to make frame walls of greater depth.

The thickness of the thermal insulation layer is determined based on the capabilities of each insulation, the design of the house and the characteristics of the climatic zone. The multilayer wall as a whole has a thickness of 12 to 40 cm, which, according to its characteristics, corresponds to brickwork of 50 cm. during installation.

Insulation of building walls with mineral wool

Mineral wool is the most common material for warming a house on a frame. A high level of thermal insulation is provided by the fibrous structure of the mineral wool. The air gaps between the particles of the substance provide a high level of protection against noise and cold. An important condition for wool to perform its functions is its correct installation. The pressed plate is attached to the frame walls with a snug fit to wooden or metal racks without creasing and creases of the material. Mineral wool should not be tamped or compressed. It is better to lay cotton wool in layers of 50 mm. The total thickness of the layer should be about 15 cm.

The most highly effective representative of mineral wool is basalt, or stone wool, made in the form of slabs. They can not only insulate the walls, but also provide a reliable level of sound insulation. It is a fire-resistant material, withstands temperatures up to 1000 ° C and does not shrink. Basalt (stone) wool is produced from molten gabrobasalt rocks (95% is stone).

For the installation of energy-saving structures using mineral wool, you will need a minimum set of tools:

• knife for trimming excess plates;
• a hacksaw with a fine tooth for cutting material.

Among the disadvantages of mineral wool, the following features of this material can be noted:

1. Fibrous material is able to accumulate moisture, so it is better to pay special attention to the layer of hydro and vapor barrier on the inside and outside of the wall. When the mineral wool gets wet by 2-3%, the heat-insulating properties decrease by 50%. Due to the low moisture-resistant performance, basalt wool is not recommended for floor insulation.
2. One of the main disadvantages is the presence of formaldehyde in the composition of mineral wool. These carcinogens are harmful to health. To prevent the release of harmful substances into the room, cotton wool is covered with environmentally friendly materials - membrane vapor barriers. It is better to use durable polyethylene for such purposes, as they do, for example, in Canada.
3. Basalt wool serves up to 25 years. After this period, the walls will lose their energy-saving properties. The heater will have to be replaced with a new one.

On sale you can find glass wool. This material is easy to install, but too fragile for home insulation, sags in vertical structures and is harmful to health both during installation and in the further operation of the building. Slag wool has the highest thermal conductivity among mineral wools. When moisture gets in, slag wool becomes aggressive for metal structures.

Foam-based insulation for frame cottages

For the construction of energy-saving housing, double wall insulation will be required. Styrofoam is a lightweight and inexpensive material that can be used as a thermal insulator inside walls between studs and on the outside of a building. Polyfoam is often used in the manufacture of frame-panel structures assembled in factories. Styrofoam sheets have different sizes and configurations. When buying this material, you need to carefully inspect the panels for cracks.

The advantages of polystyrene include the following indicators:

1. It is used for insulation of horizontal and vertical surfaces inside and outside the house.
2. With a smaller layer thickness (5 cm is enough), the quality of thermal insulation is not inferior to other heaters.
3. Safe for health.

Expanded polystyrene has the same characteristics - a more modern material, in some respects better than the usual foam. It has an aluminum layer. Expanded polystyrene is produced in rolls and in the form of plates. It is easy to install due to the presence of a self-adhesive surface. Styrofoam sheets are placed on a special glue.
Styrofoam has negative qualities. These include:

• when burning, it emits acrid smoke (modern analogues have a lower degree of flammability);
• has poor sound insulation;
• collapses under the action of heat - for external installation, additional protection from sunlight will be required - painting or plastering walls;
• possible destruction by rodents.

A new and not very common insulation is foam glass. This is foamed glass, consisting of small cells. The heat insulator is better than its predecessors in many respects. Foam glass is an environmentally friendly substance, easy to attach, has high thermal insulation performance. Protects from external noise, and is also a vapor barrier in itself. The only drawback of foam glass is its high cost.

Seamless eco-friendly insulation for any surface

Heat insulators can be not only in sheets or rolls. There are a number of safe heaters with a loose structure - these are bulk materials, the application of which requires special equipment. Such heaters include ecowool and polyurethane foam. According to some characteristics, bulk insulation is better than sheet counterparts.

Polyurethane foam (PPU) is a relatively new material on the market of heaters, with high rates of heat and sound insulation. The heat-insulating substance consists of two components that are mixed and sprayed between the uprights of the frame structure. Outwardly, it resembles a mounting foam.

With the use of polyurethane foam, roofs, attics, floors under the screed, exterior facades of buildings, internal partitions and walls are insulated. A layer of polyurethane foam of a certain density lies on different surfaces. For example, for facades and floors, the density of the heat insulator is 40-60 kg / m, and for roof insulation - 20-40 kg / m.

Polyurethane foam refers to a new generation of insulation, which have a number of positive qualities:

1. Thanks to its sticky consistency, PPU adheres to any surface, fills it without leaving joints.
2. Hardens in a few seconds.
3. Does not accumulate moisture.
4. The elasticity of the material allows it to be used on structures of any shape and at an angle.
5. There is no need to use fasteners, PPU fills all joints and cracks.
6. Non-flammable, resistant to temperature changes.
7. Biologically neutral, environmentally friendly.
8. Service life more than 30 years.

Ecowool belongs to loose environmentally friendly heaters. Thermal insulation particles are 80% cellulose. This adhesive material has the same characteristics as PPU. The difference between ecowool and the above-described heat-insulating agent is several ways of applying it to the surface: dry, wet and wet-adhesive.

During dry installation, ecowool is used to fill the closed space between two panels. The material is blown into the technological hole in the wall of the house. During wet application, cellulose particles are mixed with water, which is sprayed by a special blowing machine. With the wet-adhesive method of installation, water vapor is mixed with the adhesive. The disadvantage of PPU and ecowool is the high cost due to the need to call a professional team.

Natural insulation based on natural materials

Now, when all new modern means of insulating frame houses appear on sale, sawdust concrete is used less frequently. Many experts are skeptical about the use of such products, arguing that a mixture based on sawdust cannot serve for a long time and will rot in a few seasons. The practice of building frame houses shows that buildings that have been in operation since the 60s of the last century have not lost their qualities.

During the shortage of building materials, the use of improvised means was the only possible way to insulate summer cottages. Today, suburban residents can be stopped not only by the age of origin of this material, but also by the laboriousness in its production. Mixing clay with sawdust, shavings, straw is done exclusively by hand. You also need to cut the straw yourself.

It will take a lot of time to produce 1 cubic meter of insulation. And for the thermal insulation of a one and a half-story frame house 6x9 m, it will take about 2 months. Sawdust concrete can be used in a cramped financial situation, because its main advantage is its low price.

Insulation is one of the most important components, without which it is impossible to build a frame house. The energy-saving characteristics of a residential building largely depend on the choice of a heat insulator. Before choosing one of the proposed materials, you need to carefully study the characteristics of each of them and the design features of the cottage. Knowing the requirements for insulation, it will be easier to navigate in all the variety of choices.

The question of how to insulate a frame house, in those countries where this technology came from, is usually not worth it - it is believed that it is sufficiently insulated at the construction level. Our winters are very severe - in the central part of the country the frosts are much stronger than at the same latitude in Europe or North America, so even frame houses have to be insulated, the design of which initially provides for a layer of insulation.

Another layer of insulation for our climate will not be “superfluous” Source fasad-exp.ru

The choice of frame house insulation

Before insulating a frame house from the outside, you need to find out what heat-insulating materials were used inside the walls. And already focusing on their properties, choose a warming scheme. Such a dependence is determined at the level of standards, which expressly states that the materials and external insulation scheme should not create conditions for the wall itself to get wet. What does this mean?

It is estimated that during the day, during the life of one person, up to 4 liters of water evaporates in the room: cooking, washing, hygiene, wet cleaning, pets and indoor plants. The main part should be weathered due to ventilation, but the other part of the moisture will penetrate into the building envelope.

The standard wall scheme is a frame sheathed with thin-sheet materials on both sides, between which it is located to insulate. And so that it does not get wet, it is protected from the inside with a vapor-tight membrane, from the outside - with a windproof and waterproofing film that can “pass” water vapor.

Standard scheme of the facade of a frame house Source stroyfora.ru

If you use thermal insulation outside with a vapor permeability lower than that of the main insulation, then the process of diffusion (removal) of water vapor to the street will be disrupted.

Three types of materials are used in the construction of the wall of a frame house:

• expanded polystyrene;
• polyurethane foam (mainly in SIP panels);
• mineral wool.

Polymer insulation has approximately the same vapor permeability, and it is low.

Note. The exception is PVC foam, but this is an expensive insulation that is used to insulate the hulls of yachts and other small elite class ships.

If the frame house is insulated with mineral wool, the scheme should take into account the fact that this is a "breathable" material, but hygroscopic. The latter property is compensated by the fact that the fibrous structure (unlike the cellular one) releases moisture just as easily as it absorbs it. Subject to its free weathering.

• If expanded polystyrene or polyurethane foam is laid inside the wall, then the frame house can be insulated from the outside with any material.
• If there is mineral wool inside, then only it can stand outside. Alternatively, ecowool or open-cell spray foam, which have approximately the same vapor permeability.

It is desirable to insulate the frame house outside and inside Source k-dom74.ru

Properties, advantages and disadvantages of heaters

Each type of insulation has a certain "set" of properties that affect the choice. Permeability has been discussed above. It is worth focusing on other qualities and differences.

Density

What density of insulation for the walls of a frame house, in addition to direct thermal insulation, also affects the method of attachment. When using insulation with fastening sheets or mats inside the frame (battens), there are no strict requirements for strength.

stone wool. If we are talking about stone wool, then it should not be too loose - so that it does not slip or wrinkle in a vertical structure. In ventilated facades, its density can start from 50 kg/m³.

When choosing the “wet” facade technology with a thin layer of light plaster, mineral wool must have a density of at least 85 kg/m³. For heavy plaster - from 125 kg/m³.

Note. The division of plaster is rather conditional. Light are considered up to 1500 kg / m³, heavy - over.

If we take into account that the density of cement is 1100-1300 kg/m³, and that of acrylic polymers is about 1200 kg/m³, then the main factor influencing the "gravity" is fillers. For decorative facade plaster, coarse quartz sand, screenings and stone chips are usually used, which provide higher mechanical strength, but increase the specific gravity. Therefore, most of its species are heavy.

With the choice of the density of polystyrene foam is a little easier. For external insulation, it is used either according to the “wet” facade scheme, or as part of thermal panels. And here we are usually talking about PSB-S-25 or PSB-S-35. The second option is preferable - stronger, with almost the same thermal conductivity.

Video description

We will dwell in more detail on the insulation of the house with foam plastic. Find out how safe polystyrene foam is in our video:

Extruded polystyrene foam, used for facade insulation, has a density of 35 kg / m³. But due to the cellular structure with a monolithic "skeleton" (rather than glued together from individual microcapsules), its strength is much higher than that of conventional PSP-S-35 foam.

Extruded polystyrene foam is not susceptible to water Source remontik.org

PPU (polyurethane foam). There are two types of spray foam: open-cell and closed-cell.

Open cell PPU refers to light insulation (9-11 kg / m³). By properties, it is similar to mineral wool: high vapor permeability and almost the same coefficient of thermal conductivity. It can only be used when spraying between frame or batten elements, followed by paneling. But it is more expensive than mineral wool.

Closed cell spray foam for facade insulation has a density of 28-32 kg / m³. It is already able to withstand a layer of finishing plaster and has the lowest thermal conductivity among all types of insulation.

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer home insulation services. You can directly communicate with representatives by visiting the exhibition of houses "Low-Rise Country".

Thermal conductivity

The lower the thermal conductivity, the better the thermal insulation properties of the material. For calculations, coefficients fixed at the level of standards are used. Although manufacturers often indicate the characteristics that they obtained during laboratory tests, they always differ for the better. However, when calculating according to standard indicators, you can be sure that it will not get worse.

Comparison of thermal conductivity of different materials Source realsroier.ru

Both two-component and one-component polyurethane foam are considered the best thermal insulation materials. According to some sources, their thermal conductivity is not higher, and sometimes lower than that of dry air - 0.02–0.023 W/m*deg. Expanded polystyrene heaters have the same coefficient in the range of 0.031–0.38, and mineral wool - 0.048–0.07.

Other characteristics influencing the choice

Water absorption indicates the material's tendency to get wet. The best performance here is for extruded polystyrene foam and closed-cell sprayed polyurethane foam - about 2%.

Expanded polystyrene is next on the list - up to 4%.

Mineral wool (including stone wool) - up to 70%. Ecowool when wet can increase its weight several times. But after drying, they restore their thermal insulation properties.

Video description

Which thermal insulation is better: based on stone wool or fiberglass, discussed in the video:

If we talk about the cost of insulation, then the most expensive technologies are spraying with ecowool and polyurethane foam. "In the middle" - hinged facades with stone wool. Then - insulation with EPPS. And the most accessible view is the "wet facade" with polystyrene foam.

It would seem that the insulation of a frame house with foam plastic outside and inside the walls should be the most popular technology - low cost and water absorption with high thermal insulation properties.

For brick and monolithic houses, this is indeed the most common material. And the scheme for insulating the walls of a frame house, like a wooden one, should first of all take into account the fire safety of materials and their environmental properties.

Styrofoam insulation is incredibly popular Source lineyka.net

When the polymer insulation is “surrounded” on all sides by non-combustible materials (brick, concrete, building blocks, plaster), and it itself is classified as low-flammable and self-extinguishing, then such insulation is safe for residents. But if the supporting structure of the house is made of wood, the foam is dangerous - in case of fire, it begins to melt and release life-threatening suffocating gases.

Therefore, for internal insulation of frame walls, non-combustible mineral wool is more often chosen, and as a result of the requirements for the vapor permeability of materials, it is also used outside.

Insulation of a frame house from the outside with mineral wool

Of the three types of mineral wool, stone (basalt) wool is used to insulate residential buildings. When working with glass, quite a lot of microscopic fragments of fiberglass are formed, which are dangerous for the respiratory organs of workers during the installation of insulation and residents for the first time after settling in the house. Slag wool is not recommended for use because of its low environmental qualities.

Scheme of wall insulation of a frame house with an additional outer layer Source stroyfora.ru

With external insulation with mineral wool, the technology of a ventilated facade is somewhat different from the usual scheme. For a house made of bricks, building blocks, logs or timber, the crate is attached to the wall. A frame house does not have a wall as such in the usual sense. What is the point of sewing up the frame outside the OSB with a slab, and for the next layer of insulation, attach the crate on top if it can be immediately mounted on the supporting racks.

This is also justified by the fact that the vapor permeability of a “fresh” OSB board is lower than that of stone wool. Therefore, ideally, the “pie” of the correct insulation of a frame house with mineral wool looks like this:

• interior decoration (with crate for panels);
• vapor-tight membrane;
• frame with insulation;
• crate for the outer layer of mineral wool;
• windproof vapor permeable membrane:
• counter-lattice to create a ventilated gap;
• facade cladding and finishing.

Outside insulation with polymeric materials

With the technology of building frame houses from SIP panels, at the stage of factory production, foam plastic is laid as an internal insulation - expanded polystyrene or rigid polyurethane foam.

It looks like a prefabricated sandwich panel Source superdom.ua

In addition, the usual technology of assembling a "sandwich" on site allows the use of polymer insulation in the form of plates or sprayed liquid polyurethane.

Application of polyurethane foam as an internal insulation of a frame house Source pinterest.es

In both cases, the wall has a "finished" structure with double-sided sheathing with thin-sheet materials. And it is possible to insulate the frame house with foam plastic from the outside using the “wet facade” technology.

• A horizontal level is beaten off along the base, along which the starting bar is attached.
• With the help of glue, the first row of foam boards is fixed.
• The second row is fixed with an offset of at least 20 cm relative to the first.

So it is impossible to mount EPS. Intersecting horizontal and vertical seams are the cause of cracks in facade plaster. Source es.decorexpro.com

• The corners of the openings should not be at the seams and at the intersections of the seams.
• Each sheet is additionally fixed with plastic dish-shaped dowels, 5 pieces per sheet.

Plastic dowel does not form a "cold bridge" Source kronshtein.by

• A layer of adhesive solution 3 mm thick is applied to the foam, a reinforcing mesh is attached to it and covered with another layer of glue.
• Carry out finishing with plaster.

Another way to use foam for external insulation of a frame house is thermal panels with clinker tiles.

Thermal panels - insulation plus brick finish Source pro-uteplenie.ru

Sprayed thermal insulation

To some extent, this technology resembles the application of plaster on lighthouses - vertical slats are stuffed on the walls, between which polyurethane foam or ecowool is sprayed.

Frame house, insulated on the outside with polyurethane foam, ready for facade finishing Source mirstrojka.ru

After the PPU "hardens", its excess is cut off with a special manual electric cutter or electric saw. From above, you can either install facade panels, or apply a layer of decorative plaster.

Video description

You can get acquainted with the technique of cutting excess PPU with an electric saw in the video material:

When insulating the frame walls with ecowool, it is sewn up with panels.

Conclusion

Technically, it is not difficult to perform the insulation of a frame house. If you do not consider the option of insulation with sprayed thermal insulation, then this does not require any special equipment. But in each case, it is necessary to carefully calculate the density of the insulation for the walls of a frame house, plus, there are always some technological “nuances” that you need to know - otherwise the result will not give the expected effect. Therefore, it is better to have professionals do the home insulation.

The main criterion for the quality of a house is its heat capacity, the ability to retain heat in winter temperatures. What is the best way to insulate a frame house - polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, mineral wool, or maybe expanded clay?

Types of heaters

The modern construction market offers so many insulating materials that it can be difficult for an inexperienced buyer to make the right choice. Each manufacturer says that his material is the best and suggests using it in various buildings. Let's see what are the features of various heaters. And which one is the best?

Foam insulation

Styrofoam or expanded polystyrene is the cheapest option for insulation. This explains its popularity in various construction. In relation to the frame, the foam is not always convenient. Its slabs do not compress or fit tightly between frame posts. After installation, it is necessary to blow out the slots with mounting foam. However, these shortcomings are compensated by the affordability of the heat-insulating material.

Styrofoam between racks.

The thermal conductivity of the foam is 0.041 - 0.051 W / (m * K), depending on the density. This means that 10 cm of foam insulation replaces 20 cm of wood and 70 cm of brickwork. Such high characteristics are provided by the structure of the material. Styrofoam is 98% air and only 2% polystyrene.

On a note

In terms of thermal conductivity, foam plastics overtook even mineral wool. This means that for the same winter temperatures, a smaller foam thickness is needed than mineral wool.

The structure of the foam plastic consists of separate cells, the walls of which are made of polystyrene (the same 2% of the material), and the inner cavity is filled with air. By the nature of the relative position of the cells, foam plastics can have an open cellular structure (when adjacent cells are connected to each other) and a closed structure (when the cavity of each cell is limited and does not connect to anything).

Foam insulation.

Foam plastics with an open-cell structure have some air conductivity, are able to absorb moisture, get wet. Such foam is called ordinary, it absorbs 4% moisture. It can be used for wall insulation and cannot be used for thermal insulation of the foundation and those building elements that often get wet.

On a note

Closed cell foams are considered waterproof. An example of such a material is penoplex, the so-called extruded type of polystyrene (made by extrusion, extrusion). It is used for insulation of foundations, floors, lower sections of vertical walls.

Which insulation for a frame house is better suited - simple or extrusion, moisture resistant? Both types of expanded polystyrene can be installed in the walls of a frame house. In this case, for ordinary polystyrene you will need. And for extruded foam - the constant operation of exhaust and supply ventilation.

The walls are insulated with foam.

In addition to the main advantage - an affordable price and low weight (polystyrene plates are easy to lift, mount on walls), insulation with expanded polystyrene has a number of disadvantages that prevent their widespread use in frame construction:

• They contain useless and frankly harmful chemicals, therefore, foam insulation is recommended to be performed from the outside of the load-bearing walls. With internal and frame insulation, it is necessary to qualitatively isolate polystyrene foam boards from the space inside the room. And when outdoor - protect from heating by sunlight. Styrene heated to +30°C begins to actively evaporate the reagents contained in it.
• Even with an open cellular structure, the material does not conduct air well enough, does not "breathe" and does not provide. Therefore, in buildings insulated with foam, ventilation should function frequently.
• Styrofoam melts quite easily. Already at +50°C, it begins to lose its structure. This limits its use in the construction of premises with a high internal temperature (in the walls of steam rooms, saunas, baths).

Insulation with polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is one of the expensive heaters, which is a type of foam rubber. Differs in a method of drawing and rigidity. PPU is sprayed onto insulated surfaces from a special spray gun. At the same time, the application process is so toxic that the worker wears special protective equipment - clothes, gloves, goggles, a respirator. What is the know-how of this method?

Application of polyurethane foam on the walls.

Traditional expanded polystyrene (styrofoam) is a rigid plate. When they are installed between the racks of the frame or when they are applied to the brickwork, small gaps are formed. They are cold bridges. In order to prevent heat leakage through the slotted "bridges", they are blown out with special mounting foam, without the expansion effect.

Polyurethane foam is applied to the insulated surface in liquid form. It is sprayed, forming a smooth surface of the inner wall for subsequent finishing. So, he:

1. Qualitatively isolates all joints and cracks.
2. Evens out uneven interior walls.

We insulate the attic with polyurethane foam.

In addition, polyurethanes have the following advantages over polystyrenes:

• They have a lower thermal conductivity of 0.023 - 0.043 W / (m * K) and better thermal insulation, which is 1.5 times better than the insulating properties of foam.
• Higher operating temperatures, up to +110°C.
• A smaller amount of harmful fumes, which makes it possible to apply the insulator from the inside of the walls, its use in frame construction.

On a note

The only important disadvantage of polyurethane foam is its high price, which is due to the need for special expensive equipment and professional work.

Warming with mineral wool

Wool insulation - is one of the old proven materials that are used for various thermal insulation. Mineral building wool can be made from fibers of various raw materials (glass, stone, slag), while obtaining glass wool, basalt wool, slag wool. Thin filamentous fibers are placed in the structure of the insulation in a chaotic manner. They are glued together with synthetic glue, leaving spaces with air between the fibers. In this way, the structure of the wool is formed into slabs or rolls, which can be compressed and reduced in size.

Basalt wool insulation Izover

The compressibility of the material is in demand when installing the insulation between the racks of the frame. Therefore, building wool is most suitable for frame mounting and is often used in frame construction.

The most popular in modern insulation is the basalt version of construction wool. It is she who is often called the general designation - "mineral wool". It is made from basalt by melting the stone at high temperatures (from 1300°C) and dispersing the melt in a centrifuge. As a result of processing, thin stone threads are formed, which are pressed into slabs, rolls, mats.

We lay mineral wool in the frame of the house.

The thermal conductivity of basalt wool is 0.048 - 0.056 W / (m * K). This means that to replace 70 cm of brick, 12-15 cm of mineral wool will be needed. In addition to high thermal insulation properties, stone wool has a number of other advantages:

• Vapor permeability and the ability to conduct air, "breathe", provide natural ventilation through the wall.
• More than 80% - natural composition and a small amount of synthetic fumes.
• High operating temperatures (up to +300°C).

On a note

Stone wool is the "weakest" among other construction wools in terms of high temperature resistance. It retains properties up to +300°C. While glass wool can withstand up to +500°C, and slag wool up to +600°C.

Stone wool insulation is considered a good thermal insulation of the walls of the house. However, the following fact must be taken into account. For insulation of vertical walls, it is necessary to use cotton wool with a density of at least 50 kgm 3. Wool less density will quickly settle, which will negate the insulation. A density above 50 guarantees the long-term functioning of a cotton wool insulation for several decades.

Insulation of internal walls with stone wool.

In order to prevent the subsidence of the insulation and the decrease in the heat capacity of the walls, it is better to use cotton wool in the form of mats for the frame house. It has a certain degree of compressibility, does not form cracks and joints, does not settle and does not lose its thermal insulation properties. Basalt wool slabs are considered the best insulation for a frame house, with an optimal price / quality ratio.

Ecowool insulation

Ecowool is made from fibers of paper, cardboard, which are obtained from pulp production waste or from waste paper. This insulation is also called natural, although in its composition 20% falls on synthetic glue and fire retardant substances - fire retardants.

Applying ecowool to exterior walls.

Ecowool is one of the most inexpensive construction wool. It is used to insulate those surfaces that do not come into contact with the interior. In addition, ecowool is a bulk insulation. It is produced not in the form of plates, but in the form of a bulk substance. Therefore, it is convenient to insulate floors under a rough screed with it, and it is expensive to insulate vertical walls (it is necessary to build wall formwork).

The limitation to the internal and frame insulation of residential buildings is the content of harmful substances-borates in the material. Each kilogram of ecowool contains 200 g of borax and boric acid, which are odorless, but can cause severe poisoning when inhaled.

Expanded clay for skeleton

This is another option for bulk insulation. It is a clay rounded particles of small size, fired at a temperature of more than 1000 degrees.

Expanded clay is made of different fractions.

Expanded clay is often used for floor insulation.

Advantages of expanded clay

• 100% natural material, without synthetic glue, flame retardants, toxic components.
• Relatively low price.
• The highest durability among other heaters.

Expanded clay disadvantages

• Average thermal insulation characteristics, 0.12-0.15 W / (m * K), make it necessary to use a sufficiently large thickness of insulation (not less than 50 cm for floor insulation).
• Expanded clay absorbs moisture, therefore it is not used for floor insulation inside wet and damp rooms.

wall insulation

To determine which insulation, it is necessary to compare their performance characteristics and features of installation, installation.

Sectional diagram of insulation.

The choice of insulation for the walls of a frame house

• Thermal conductivity of the insulating material - the lower this indicator, the better the thermal insulation of the wall. The thinner the insulation. When deciding what thickness of insulation is needed in a frame house, it is necessary to build on its thermal conductivity. For example, 10 cm of foam plastic, 12 cm of stone wool and 70 cm of brick have the same thermal insulation properties.
• The density of the insulation for a frame house - the smaller this characteristic, the more we blow through the material. The higher the density, the more rigid the forms of the insulation boards. For wall wool insulation, the density also determines the durability of the wall insulation.
• The price of insulation for a frame house.
• Availability of do-it-yourself installation.

Comparing the indicators of heat-insulating materials, the customer or the owner of the construction makes the choice of one or another insulation. With limited funds, foam is often chosen, although this is not the best insulation. If the quality criterion is at the forefront of the choice, then the most optimal filler material for the frame wall is chosen - mineral basalt wool.

Insulation of a frame house is the most important stage in the construction of a frame house. Given the fact that the frame house is energy efficient, then the choice of the type of insulation should be taken responsibly.

The choice of heaters is quite wide. Frame houses are insulated with foam, mineral wool, ecowool, polyurethane foam, extruded polystyrene foam. Consider each heater separately.

Overview of insulation materials

One of the cheapest insulation is foam. It is lightweight and easy to install. And, of course, it has a low cost. Styrofoam does not absorb moisture. The advantages of polystyrene, perhaps, end there.

Styrofoam is a combustible material, emitting toxic smoke when burned. In work, although the foam is convenient, it is fragile in structure, so you need to handle it carefully. And when buying foam, you need to make sure that there are no cracks on it.

Mineral wool for warming a frame house

Mineral wool, produced in the form of slabs or rolls, has been very popular lately. It should be noted that basalt wool in slabs is in great demand than in rolls.

Mineral wool has good thermal insulation properties. I don't get angry. But cotton wool contains formaldehyde, which is harmful to human health. Mineral wool fibers, like fiberglass, are carcinogenic.

For this reason, when insulating internal walls with this insulation, it is necessary to use vapor barrier membranes (in addition to the main purpose), so that small grains of mineral wool do not scatter around the room.

When laying mineral wool, it is imperative to use additional products to protect the face and other exposed parts of the body. On top of mineral wool, you can attach not only a vapor barrier film, but simple polyethylene. The seams are sealed with tape.

A significant disadvantage of cotton wool insulation is the fear of moisture. When the insulation is moistened by 2-3%, its heat-insulating properties decrease by 50%. Therefore, it is essential to use a vapor barrier. As a rule, after 25-30 years, mineral wool needs to be replaced.

Styrofoam for home insulation

Extruded polystyrene foam is superior to mineral wool in thermal insulation performance, and also has a high water repellency, and lower weight. combustible Compared to Styrofoam, Styrofoam is more durable and resistant to chemicals. It does not need to be replaced during operation.

Polyurethane foam is a modern insulation that has appeared relatively recently. It has high thermal insulation characteristics. Not hot. It does not contain substances harmful to humans. When spraying with polyurethane foam, the thickness of the sprayed layer can be varied.

Ecowool

Ecowool is a combination of excellent thermal insulation properties and safety. Ecowool consists of 81 cellulose, 12% antiseptic (boric acid) and 7% flame retardant (borax). The raw material for the production of ecowool is waste paper, which is a product of wood processing. Therefore, ecowool is environmentally friendly and does not contain harmful and hazardous substances.

It is not afraid of moisture, does not rot, prevents the spread of fire, the development of fungus, has excellent soundproofing performance. If we talk about the quality of insulation, then only blowing ecowool and spraying with polyurethane foam can create a seamless layer of insulation that will not have voids, cracks, "cold bridges", which cannot be said about plate types of insulation.

Ecowool surpasses mineral wool in its properties and is very similar to polyurethane foam, but at the same time it is cheaper than mineral wool and much cheaper than polyurethane foam. In comparison with polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene, ecowool also wins in all positions.

Of course, it will not work to lay (fluff) ecowool without equipment with your own hands, and you will have to turn to the installation team for help.

But on the other hand, ecowool insulation will be performed efficiently and reliably. The cost of these services is low, while saving time. In a few hours, you can blow out a large volume.

If we talk about heat-insulating properties, then the most effective heaters will be ecowool and polyurethane foam, followed by polystyrene foam, mineral wool and polystyrene foam.

Photo of frame house insulation