Do you want to get cozy and warm housing, the temperature in which does not depend on the vagaries of the weather? Then you should insulate the walls from the outside with foam. Don't know where to start and how to get started with this work? In this case, study this article - it will give you answers to your questions.
First, let's get acquainted with the material that will be discussed in the article. Styrofoam is a polymer insulation produced in the form of plates white color. The material has a pronounced granular structure, and each individual grain contains many voids filled with gas. It is their presence that gives the foam excellent thermal insulation qualities. For other material properties, see the table.
Table. Polyfoam - the main characteristics.
Important! When buying foam, pay attention to the fact that it has flame retardant additives, and the pores in the grains contain non-combustible carbon dioxide.
The advantages of polystyrene include:
- low cost;
- good thermal insulation qualities;
- small mass;
- ease of processing and installation;
- unattractive to bacteria and fungus;
- high durability.
As for the shortcomings of the foam, there are two of them. The first is the combustibility of the material. The second is low vapor permeability, which, in the event of an error in the design or installation of insulation, can lead to mold on the main wall.
The main task performed by insulation is to shift the dew point outward. Consider three building options.
- In the first case, there is only a wall without any insulation. The dew point is located inside the material, between its outer and inner sides there is a significant temperature difference. As a result, a lot of heat escapes through the wall, condensation forms in the house, and the service life of the material drops significantly due to dampness.
- In the second case, the insulation is located from the inside. The dew point shifts to the area between it and the wall. Heat losses are significantly reduced, but dampness remains. There is also a risk of mold appearing between the insulation and the wall.
- In the third case, the insulation is located outside, the dew point is shifted beyond the wall of the house. The latter is now not subject to dampness and does not lose heat.
Styrofoam prices
Styrofoam
Preparing exterior walls for insulation
Construction work related to the insulation of the facade of the house with polystyrene foam begins with the preparation of the walls. They need to be cleaned, leveled, primed, etc. All these actions are described in more detail in step by step instructions below.
Step 1. To work at a height exceeding human height, build scaffolding. You can make them yourself from the timber and boards available on the site, but it is safer to use factory-made products.
Scaffolding prices
Scaffolding
Step 2 Examine the walls for various defects. Coat cracks and holes, chip off the build-up of mortar. Prepare openings for water and gas pipelines and other utilities.
Step 3 Treat the wall with a deep penetration primer. Since the house in the example is made of aerated concrete blocks, two layers will be required. For the first time, the primer must be diluted by adding water from a third to a half of the total volume.
Important! Two-layer primer treatment is necessary not only for aerated concrete, but also for others porous materials such as foam blocks and sand-lime bricks.
Step 4 Apply a second coat of primer, but not diluted with water.
After completing the preparation, proceed to laying the polystyrene foam boards. In this case, their mounting on the wall will be combined - both glue and dowels with "umbrellas" are used.
The process itself will include:
- laying polystyrene foam for insulation on ordinary walls of the house;
- on window and door openings;
- at the corners;
- on the space under the roof of the cottage.
For all processes from this list, separate step-by-step instructions have been compiled, which can be found in the subsections of the article below.
Working with Regular Walls
Let's start warming the house from the outside with foam. Let's start with a relatively simple one - mounting the first row of polystyrene foam boards and laying them on ordinary walls.
Step 1. Measure how smooth the walls of the house you are insulating are, identify the presence of differences in thickness. To do this, use either a stretched thread or a laser level.
Step 2 Set a mark at the bottom of the wall and draw a line from it along which the first row of polystyrene foam plates will be laid.
Important! In this case, when insulating the walls from the outside, the foam is laid directly on the foundation - it is even enough for this. In other situations, install a special aluminum support profile before installing the EPS boards.
Step 3 Mix the adhesive for mounting the polystyrene foam insulation. To do this, dilute the dry mixture in water. Choose the proportions based on the instructions printed on the glue package. Stir the solution using a mixer or a drill with an appropriate nozzle, working at low speed.
Step 4 Prepare polystyrene boards for the first row of insulation. In this case, a cutout is created in each of them, as in the diagram below. Cutting polystyrene foam plates is carried out using a special table with a hot nichrome thread. In the absence of such equipment, use a hacksaw with a fine tooth.
Step 5 Apply adhesive to the first block. To start, make a thin strip around the perimeter by pressing the trowel into the Styrofoam. Then add more mortar, bringing the layer thickness to 25-30 mm. In the center of the block, apply several adhesive dots, their number depends on the area of the insulation element.
Application of the second layer, more voluminous. In the process of working with it, be careful - the glue should not get on the ends of the foam block
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Glue Ceresit
Step 6 Perform a test laying of the styrofoam block. The purpose of the event is to find out what proportion of the total area is occupied by glue. To do this, lean the block against the wall, and then set it back. Depending on the thickness of the insulation layer, the adhesive contact area should be 40-60% of the total.
Step 7 On paper or directly on the wall, prepare the marks on which the polystyrene blocks will be placed. Lay the tiles in the same way as brickwork- the top row is shifted to the side relative to the bottom row so that the vertical seams do not match. The allowable distance is from 15 cm, otherwise the seams will become "cold bridges". You can get acquainted with the layout of the foam blocks in the images below.
Step 8 Start laying the first block - apply on it adhesive composition as shown earlier, lean against the marked place and lean. Then align the position of the product. This will help you with a thread stretched along the upper edge of the first row of blocks, and the usual building level.
Important! Use small pieces of Styrofoam as pads to support the first row of blocks.
Step 9 Following the same principle as in the previous step, lay the second, third and subsequent blocks of the first row.
Step 10 Then lay the remaining rows of foam insulation. You can read about how to do this at corners and openings in the following subsections of the article. Dock the blocks to each other tightly, fill the gaps with polystyrene foam glue, polyurethane foam or thin pieces of material.
Step 11 After the glue or mounting foam has dried, with which you filled the joints between the blocks, cut off the excess with a construction knife.
Step 12 Use the rule to determine how even the insulation layer turned out. Protruding areas grind with a special grater.
Corner insulation
Installation of insulation at the corners occurs according to the following scheme - on one side, the block extends beyond the wall boundary at a distance equal to the thickness of the block installed on the second side. On the next row, the order of location of the foam insulation elements is reversed. By a similar principle, blocks are installed on internal corners. For a better idea, check out the images below.
Now let's look at how the installation of foam blocks on the corners of the building actually takes place.
Step 1. Mark one of the foam blocks. Select the part that will go beyond the border of the wall at the corner and the part that will be glued to the surface.
Step 2 On the part of the block that is glued to the wall at the corner, apply the mortar mixed earlier. Perform this operation carefully - the glue should not get on the other part of the product that you previously separated using the markings.
Step 3 Lean the block against the wall so that the adhesive adheres to the surface. Align horizontally and vertically, be sure to use the building level.
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Building levels
Step 4 Measure how long a block you will need to install on the other part of the corner. Cut off the excess with a fine-toothed hacksaw.
Step 5 Apply glue to the back of the foam and place the block on the other side of the corner. Connect it tightly to the product that you installed a few operations ago.
Step 6 Cut off the protruding part of the first block with a hacksaw. At the end, you should have a right angle without any defects. If there is a gap between the blocks, then cover it special glue for foam or polyurethane foam. By the same principle that was outlined in this instruction, work with the rest of the external and internal corners of the building.
Insulation of window / door openings and walls next to them
To begin with, consider the principle by which the walls are insulated near the doorway. Here main task for you will provide enough space to open and close. There are two options for mounting the frame and door.
- The door is installed flush with the outer side of the insulation layer. In this case, you need special fasteners for it and supports in the form of channels. You can see the diagrams of their installation in the image below.
- The door is installed flush with the main wall. As a result, it turns out to be "drowned" in the insulation. To ensure the normal opening of the door, the polystyrene foam at the edges of the opening has to be filed.
Imagine the process of laying insulation near the doorway in the form of step-by-step instructions. In this case, the option is considered with the installation of the frame and the door itself at a level with the main wall.
Step 1. Pick up the right number of blocks and file them from the edge with a regular hacksaw with fine teeth.
Step 2 Install a frame in the doorway, if this has not been done before.
Step 3 Degrease the surface of the door frame.
Step 4 Prepare the required number of profiles for thermal insulation of openings. Unpack them, measure and cut. In this case, the edges of the profile adjacent to the corners of the openings must be cut at an angle of 45 °.
Step 5 Remove the protective tape from the adhesive layer of the profile and fix it on one side of the opening. Make sure the profile fits snugly against the surface.
Step 6 Glue the profiles on the other sides of the opening in the same way. In the corners, join them tightly to each other with cuts made at an angle of 45 ° in one of the previous stages of work.
Step 7 Prepare fiberglass strips. Their width should be equal to the thickness of the insulation layer plus 10 cm for fastening to the main wall. In this case, the strip is cut off from a single mesh roll.
Step 8 Along the perimeter of the opening, apply a strip of adhesive mixture 10 cm wide on the wall.
Step 9 Rest a strip of fiberglass mesh with one of the edges on the glue applied in the previous step. Press the material against it, literally "drown".
Step 10 From above, apply another layer of glue to the part of the grid leaning against the wall.
Step 11 Repeat the previous mesh operations for the other sides of the doorway.
Step 12 Install foam blocks with cut edges around the perimeter of the opening.
The situation with window openings is approximately the same - the block itself with a frame and glass can be installed both in the depth of the opening and on its edge. In the first case, a gap appears between the outer layer of insulation and the window, which is closed by narrow strips of foam. They are laid on the glue in the inner surfaces of the opening.
In the second variant, the window is attached to the edge of the opening, adjoining the frame to the insulation layer on outer wall. Similar way from the point of view of thermal insulation is more effective.
It is also worth saying that the joints of the polystyrene blocks should not coincide with the joint of the window block with the opening. Therefore, along the perimeter, the insulation is installed in the form of products with L-shaped cutouts. There are two options for how to do this, and they are presented in the images below.
The process of wall insulation with foam near window openings in many ways resembles that of a doorway. Here is a step by step guide.
Step 1. Install window block, move it closer to the edge of the opening and fix it well there.
Step 2 Remove protective film from the frame and degrease the latter.
Step 3 Glue a special profile around the perimeter of the frame.
Step 4 Apply a 10 mm wide adhesive strip along the perimeter of the profile on the wall.
Step 5 On the glue applied in the previous step, fix the fiberglass strip according to the same principles as for the doorway.
Step 6 Cut out the blocks in accordance with the diagrams outlined in the images in this section of the article. Fasten around the perimeter of the opening.
Important! When fixing the foam plastic under the window opening, make a slight slope necessary to install the ebb.
As for the space under the roof, here the difference from working with ordinary walls is that it is necessary to pre-cut blocks with different and complex shapes from the foam.
Installation of mounting umbrellas on foam plastic
For a more reliable connection of the insulation layer with the main wall, mounting "umbrellas", also known as dish-shaped dowels, are used.
Step 1. Determine the length of the dowel you need. It consists of the thickness of the insulation layer (in this case it is 200 mm), the adhesive layer (15 mm), the length of the expansion part of the dowel (60 mm) and another 20 mm of reserve. Also decide which of the schemes shown in the image below, you will mount the fasteners.
Step 2 Unpack the plate dowels, check if the parameters of the product match those you need.
Step 3 Prepare a drill with a hole depth limiter, adjust the latter to the value you need.
Step 4 Mark the points for the plate-shaped dowels and drill holes there.
Step 5 Insert the leg of the dowel into the hole so that the head is flush with the surface of the foam. Then use a special nozzle on the drill and tighten the spacer part of the fastener, then close it with a protective cap.
In some dish-shaped dowels, the expansion element is not twisted, but clogged. You can see an example of how to work with them in the images below.
Some builders believe that dish-shaped dowels in foam insulation are "cold bridges." They deal with this problem in the following way: using a special cutter, they cut out a cylindrical recess in polystyrene foam, insert fasteners there and fix it. Then the dish-shaped dowel is closed with the foam cover cut earlier.
Prices for popular models of rotary hammers
Perforators
Video - Insulation of the facade of the cottage with polystyrene foam
Insulation reinforcement
On the installation of expanded polystyrene blocks, the process of wall insulation from the outside is not completed - the material must be protected with a reinforcing mesh and plaster mixture.
Step 1. Prepare a plaster-adhesive mixture of dry powder and water. Choose the proportions based on the recipe printed on the package. Mix the mortar with a construction mixer.
Step 2 Start with windows and doors. On the inner surface of their openings, apply a thin layer of plaster-glue mixture and level it.
Step 3 The reinforcing mesh laid on the inner surface of the openings in one of the previous sections of the article is pressed against the adhesive mixture and drowned in it. Smooth everything on top with a rectangular trowel.
Step 4 In exactly the same way as in the previous operation, press the mesh belonging to the previously installed profile to the adhesive layer and drown it.
Step 5 Repeat the previous three steps on all sides of the window opening.
Step 6 At the corners near the openings, apply stripes of the adhesive mixture at an angle of 45°. Then lay a reinforcing mesh on them and smooth it with a trowel. Such areas near the openings are called "kerchiefs".
Step 7 Measure the corner profile to the required length. Apply a layer of adhesive mixture around the outer perimeter of the window, then lean against it and inner surface opening profile with mesh and smooth with a rectangular trowel.
Step 8 By the same principle, install corner profiles on other surfaces of the window opening.
Step 9 TO inside corners of the opening, attach a small rectangle or square of reinforcing mesh, straighten and smooth with an adhesive mixture.
Step 10 Repeat steps two through nine for each individual window and door opening.
Step 11 Apply an adhesive solution around the perimeter of the house to the bottom of the insulation. Then attach a drop profile there. Install it so that there are no air cavities between it and the insulation. Control the process using the building level.
Step 12 Apply another coat of plaster over the mesh of the drip profile and smooth with a rectangular trowel.
Step 13 By the same principles as above, install corner profile- apply an adhesive layer, attach the product to it, drown it in the net and smooth everything from above.
Step 14 Now proceed to reinforcing the entire surface of the walls. Make cuts from a roll with a mesh length corresponding to the height of the insulated walls of the house.
Step 15 On top of the polystyrene foam, apply a layer of plaster-glue mixture and smooth with a notched trowel.
Step 16 Lay a sheet of reinforcing mesh on top of the adhesive layer, press it and cover it with another layer of mortar on top. Carefully smooth everything - irregularities and cavities with air are unacceptable.
Step 17 In the same way, lay the next piece of mesh side by side. There must be an overlap of at least 100 mm between it and the previous one.
Step 18 Let the glue mixture dry a little (but not completely!) and scrape off any bumps.
Step 19 Using the rule, search for concavities on the adhesive layer applied over the insulation. Then align them by adding a little more mixture in the right places.
Step 20 On the finally hardened adhesive mixture, make another leveling of the surface - puttying.
The easiest way to insulate a house is to sheathe it with foam. The material is inexpensive, installation is easy to do on your own, the energy-saving effect is obvious. And in order to protect such a skin from the destructive influence environment, you need to choose for her suitable coating. Read more.
After the putty has hardened, the insulation of the walls from the outside with foam plastic can be considered complete. Then you just have to apply the finishing decorative trim according to your tastes and preferences.
Styrofoam is very common. The material is quite popular due to its low cost and ease of installation. How to properly insulate walls, what you need to consider, we will analyze in detail in the article.
Expanded polystyrene - a material with a gas-filled structure, is the most common insulator at the moment.
The material appeared on the market recently, but many developers immediately appreciated it. It is used everywhere, for thermal insulation, loggias, balconies, houses, garages and other structures. Consider the characteristics that caused such popularity.
Positive qualities of the material:
- it is a good heat insulator, which allows the material to be used not only outside;
- moisture resistant - does not get wet, even with prolonged contact with water;
- vapor-permeable - despite its origin, the material allows the walls of the building to "breathe";
- does not rot, fungal diseases do not appear in it;
- well isolates the building from outside noise;
- does not shrink;
- environmentally friendly;
- is inexpensive;
- simple in application.
Like any material, polystyrene has disadvantages, but they are not so significant:
- not resistant to chemical compositions;
- rodents can start in it, as the material is porous and soft;
- the material can burn, although manufacturers are trying to solve this problem by treating it with special compounds.
These disadvantages are not so significant if the installation is carried out correctly, given these shortcomings.
Insulation of the walls of the house with polystyrene foam from the outside
Expanded polystyrene, most preferably, for thermal insulation of walls. The usable area of the room does not decrease, it is possible to increase the insulator layer up to 20 cm. When finishing a heat-insulated building, you can use ordinary siding or profiled sheet.
Wall preparation
The process of warming always begins with surface preparation. It is necessary not only to clean the wall of dust and foreign objects, but also to close up all the bumps, cracks, and prepare the material.
Attention! The plane for this insulation should be even and smooth, the difference should not be more than 3-5 mm.
So, the work algorithm is as follows:
- on uneven wall with significant differences, it is impossible to install expanded polystyrene, since a void forms in the places of depressions, which will greatly reduce the quality of thermal insulation;
- if the walls are even, then it is necessary to evaluate the structure of the facade, for example, if the facade was previously painted, then the surface must be cleaned well. The paint will begin to fall off over time, along with the heat insulator;
- as soon as the old coating is removed from the walls, cracks, chips and other defects may be found that need to be repaired. Before repairing cracks, they should be embroidered with a perforator with a spatula nozzle, and primed. For masking, you can use a solution of cement, gypsum plaster or construction foam. The cracks are foamed, after drying the foam is cut off. Chips covered with plaster.
Attention! The wall will be ready for gluing insulation when, after running your hand over it, it remains clean.
We warm the slopes
Windows are the main source of heat loss, and the quality of insulation will depend on how well the slopes are insulated.
Work on slope isolation is carried out in several stages:
- the surface is well cleaned of dirt and dust. Remove dried foam that can stick out after installing windows;
- prime the slopes in two layers, for better adhesion of the surface and the plaster mixture;
- level the surface after the soil has dried. Plastering slopes is better cement mortar. They need to be made as even as possible so that the polystyrene foam fits snugly to the surface. To do this, use a perforated corner, which is leveled using plaster.
As soon as the preparation is completed, and the solution on the slopes is completely dry, you can start warming. The algorithm is this:
- cut insulation for walls, the desired size;
- apply glue on it, and press it firmly against the slope;
- if gaps are formed during the installation of the material, then they should be foamed or sealed with a solution.
Pasting the cornice
Before you insulate the walls, you must first paste over the eaves, for this:
- for pasting the cornice, you need to take the thinnest material that will hold on to one glue;
- strips are glued strictly from the wall;
- First, it is worth fixing the vertical elements, and only then lay the horizontal ones on them.
The material must be installed in such a way that it does not protrude. If necessary, it should be cut with a sharp knife.
Vapor barrier and waterproofing with polystyrene foam insulation
Despite the fact that polystyrene foam for wall insulation is one of the best materials, moreover, it is a vapor-permeable material, before installing it, it is necessary to install a vapor barrier so that condensation does not form between the wall and the insulation. In this case, membrane films are perfect.
Vapor barrier is installed on fully prepared, dry walls. If the walls are insulated with polystyrene foam from wood, then the vapor barrier material can be installed on the brackets using a construction stapler.
The material is laid on the walls with an overlap of 10 cm, while the joints must be glued with construction tape. This will eliminate the appearance of bridges of cold.
on concrete or brick wall the condensate insulator is installed using glue with additional fastening on dowel nails.
After that, you can safely proceed to the preparation of the material.
The process of preparing insulation when using extruded polystyrene foam
Since expanded polystyrene differs from polystyrene in a smooth surface, the plates must be carefully prepared before gluing.
Manufacturers care about their customers, and took into account this shortcoming in production. In this regard, a material with a slight corrugation has appeared on the market, but it may not be available for sale.
The main task of preparing the material is to make the plates rough so that the glue adheres well to the surface. The expanded polystyrene sheet is rolled with a needle roller, which is used to create curved foam structures.
All plates that are planned to be installed on the wall are rolled at once.
If there is no roller, then you can use an iron brush. The material should be processed on both sides.
Wall primer
The primer is selected based on the material of the walls. But the main requirement for the soil is that it must be deep penetration.
Before applying the primer, the walls should be washed to remove street dust and soot from it.
In this case, the primer can be applied after 24 hours.
If there are islands on the wall white plaque(release of minerals during weathering of moisture), it must be removed with an iron brush.
Only after careful preparation can priming begin. If the surface area is large, for speed, you can use a conventional spray gun to apply the composition.
Installation of foam boards to the wall
As soon as everything preparatory work finished, you can start mounting the material on the walls:
- Installation starts from the bottom of the corner, and lead in rows, rising up. The material is attached to the wall horizontally, while the vertical seams should go in a checkerboard pattern. To do this, the corner layers on every second layer are cut in half.
- Apply a layer of adhesive to the wall with a notched trowel. The composition must completely cover the entire surface of the wall. Then apply a little adhesive diluted to the state of a net on the sides of the material, install the plate and level it with light wiggles.
- It is worth considering that high-quality insulation of the house with polystyrene foam will not work in one layer, so when calculating the material, you need to take this into account. The second row of slabs is glued with a shift, so that the joints of the previous layer, when the house is insulated from the outside with polystyrene foam, are closed with a whole slab. The second layer of thermal insulation is glued to the sour cream.
Plates for the first and second layers of wall insulation from the outside should be bought in the same thickness, for example, if you plan to lay thermal insulation of 10 cm, then buy plates of 50 mm thick.
Installing the mesh on the insulation
The mesh begins to be mounted on the wall a day after the heat insulator is laid. It is necessary to prepare a solution by milking the nets, and apply it to the polystyrene foam with a notched trowel over the entire surface.
Start gluing the mesh from the corner, but only from above, spreading it with a spatula to the bottom, until the reinforcement is completely pressed into the composition. After the first strip is laid, the second one begins to be glued with an overlap of 5 cm.
A perforated element is installed at the corners, with a reinforced sickle, so that the corner is even and protected from impacts.
If laying on the solution does not work out, you can do it differently, first stick the sickle, and then walk over it with the solution using a wide spatula.
Further work can be continued only after the solution with reinforcement has completely dried.
Preparation before plastering insulation
If a decision is made to plaster the house after insulation, then it is better to lay a PVC mesh for reinforcement. It will last a long time, as it is not subject to corrosion.
This grid is mounted according to the same principle as a sickle. They cut off the layer along the height of the wall, fix it from above from the corner, and begin to clog the cells with plaster, 0.5 cm thick. It is worth doing the work so that the mesh does not stick out from under the plaster and fits well to the surface of the insulation.
Applying the final layer of plaster
As soon as the layer of plaster with the built-in mesh dries, you can start plastering the surface, having previously primed it.
Need to buy facade plaster dry and dilute according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Plastering is done with a wide spatula, applying a solution to it with a small spatula.
For good result the plaster is applied in two layers, with each subsequent layer must be applied to the dried surface
After the plaster layers have dried, the walls must be puttied, and after stripping, paint or apply decorative plaster on the walls.
siding finish
It is much easier to finish the insulated building with siding. The material is not expensive, easy to use, while it has a huge colors and imitation of various materials.
Before fixing the siding, a metal profile frame is mounted on it.
The work is done as follows:
- fasten the guide profile to the dowel nails, which is installed below - on the foundation, above - under the roof;
- stand-up profiles are screwed to the rails, which are additionally attached to the walls with the help of direct hangers. It is important to remember that between the insulation and facing material there should be a gap of 5 cm. suspensions are attached to the wall directly on the dowels directly through the insulation;
- after that, you need to mount the jumpers in increments of 60 cm.
The result should be a lattice of profiles around the perimeter of the entire building.
Once the siding structure is ready, installation can begin. Regardless of the type of siding, the installation of panels starts from the corner and is done in rows from the bottom to the top.
Conclusion
As we can see, there is nothing complicated in the external insulation of the house with polystyrene foam, even a non-professional can do this work with his own hands, it is enough to carry out the installation in strict sequence.
Updated:
2016-09-28
Experts recommend insulating the walls from the inside with polystyrene foam. In fact, even a beginner can independently insulate the walls, taking into account all the recommendations of experts. After the acquired experience, the wall insulation can be made of the entire dwelling without effort!
Before starting to insulate walls, each person asks the question: “Inside or outside?” Internal insulation requires a more responsible approach. Beginners can handle this task with proper guidance. From the outside, only houses from natural stone and those apartments and houses that are "back to back" with neighboring houses or apartments.
It must be remembered that wall insulation from the inside is convenient for those who live on the upper floors. If outside it is impossible to carry out insulation on your own, then from the inside it is quite real!
Wall insulation with polystyrene foam
In order to ensure comfort and warmth in the house, experts recommend using a proven and popular method using expanded polystyrene. This is a unique and affordable material. It is used for insulation various kinds walls not only from the outside, but also from the inside. It is ideal for insulating stone, block and brick walls.
Expanded polystyrene: varieties and types
There are two types of polystyrene on the modern market: polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam. According to their manufacturing technology, they are practically no different. Yes, their specifications differ due to the use of different additives. Penoplex is dense and flexible. Experts recommend using it for the floor. The main advantage of polystyrene is that it is lightweight. Despite this, he is very fragile.
In addition to the advantages, it is necessary to highlight a number of disadvantages. Chief among them is that they are not resistant to fire. These are materials that require additional fastening. But, despite this, when repairing, it is not difficult to hide these shortcomings. Usually carried out finishing which reduces the risk of fire.
How to prepare for work?
Styrofoam and foam plastic are laid in almost the same way. Moreover, inside or outside - it does not play a special role. Before starting work, you need to remove the old coating.
First inspect the wall and remove the old coating. It can be wallpaper or plaster. Deep holes should be filled with putty.
In order to carry out repairs with your own hands, it is necessary to take into account even the smallest details. And then even for beginners construction works will be no worse than that of specialists. So, for example, every beginner should know that in order to insulate walls, the walls do not have to be perfectly even. But despite this, thermal insulation material must be firmly attached to the surface. If the wall is loose from the inside, then it is necessary to carry out an antifungal primer in advance. This will provide maximum protection against mold.
For better adhesion of the wall with polystyrene foam, a layer of putty is also needed. After that, foam or foam should be ready to go. If the penoplex has only smooth surface, then the foam must be completely ready for installation. To work with polystyrene from the inside, it is necessary to carefully process the sheets with a spiked roller. This provides excellent adhesion to any wall.
List of tools that you will need to install insulation from the inside of the house with your own hands:
- Styrofoam boards. Your choice of Styrofoam or Styrofoam.
- Glue. It is best to purchase high-quality glue designed for gluing and reinforcing.
- To mix the glue, you will need a drill with a special nozzle.
- Spatula and perforator.
- Reinforcing mesh and stationery knife.
Internal insulation on your own
How to insulate walls with polystyrene foam from the inside yourself? Firstly, this procedure must be carried out only after the walls have been completely cleaned. They must be primed and puttied. Styrofoam boards must be fully prepared - neatly sliced. To insulate walls from the inside, it is best to cut them up to 50 millimeters thick. However, the thickness of the penoplex can be slightly less - up to 30-40 millimeters. After that, it is necessary to prepare an adhesive solution and apply it using a spatula. Experts recommend gluing from the inside from top to bottom.
Important rule! The glue must dry completely and only after that it is necessary to carry out the final installation with dowels. Moreover, there should be 2-4 holes in the center and 4 in the corners. It is necessary to drive dowels into the insulation and plastic nails into them.
The joints that are located between the plates must be carefully sealed. If the gap is larger than 4 centimeters, then it must be repaired with foam plastic scraps. If less than 4 centimeters, then you need to hide using mounting foam.
At the final stage of wall insulation with polystyrene foam from the inside, it is necessary to lay a reinforcing mesh on the glue. After the last layer of adhesive has completely dried, you can proceed to the final finishing of the walls!
Wall insulation from the inside with polystyrene foam has gained wide popularity due to the excellent thermal insulation of the material. Expanded polystyrene can be used to insulate a room both inside and outside.
It is possible to insulate with polystyrene foam from the outside and from the inside, this insulation is popular due to its qualities and low price.
Characteristics of expanded polystyrene
Extruded polystyrene foam is a product of mixing polystyrene with a substance based on carbon dioxide and light freons.
This mixture is heated and passed through a special apparatus - an extruder. This equipment contributes to good mixing and foaming of the mixture. This composition is then formed into sheets which, when solidified, form a light porous material.
Wall insulation with polystyrene foam is much more effective than with polystyrene foam. This is due to the fact that expanded polystyrene has a granule size of 2-8 mm, interconnected by heated steam. Extruded polystyrene foam is subjected to heat treatment while still in a liquid state, due to which the material acquires a solid solid structure.
Expanded polystyrene has the following properties:
Technical characteristics of expanded polystyrene boards.
- Low thermal conductivity: 0.03 W per 1 cc. Such a high ability to retain heat is due to the fact that this material consists of 90% of the air in the cells.
- Ability to withstand heavy loads: 35 tons per 1 sq.m.
- Resistant to temperature extremes, humidity, precipitation, direct sunlight.
- Chemical resistance: does not rot, is not destroyed by insects and rodents.
- Does not pass moisture, which eliminates the occurrence of mold and swelling.
- Low vapor permeability. Wall insulation with polystyrene foam eliminates the use of vapor barriers.
- Fire resistant.
- Long service life: up to 50 years and above.
- Environmental friendliness. Expanded polystyrene is widely used not only in construction, but also in Food Industry. From this material make containers and disposable tableware.
Currently, the technique of erecting hollow walls has gained popularity. Its essence lies in the fact that a sheet of insulation is inserted into the cavity of the supporting structures. This allows you to save Construction Materials and improves the performance of the building. In this case, the insulation lasts much longer, as it is hidden from the aggressive effects of the environment.
Partitions inside the house are rarely insulated with polystyrene foam, since in any case they are inside a warm room.
On a wall insulated with polystyrene foam, installation electrical sockets undesirable.
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Preparing walls for thermal insulation
Figure 1. Scheme of insulation using expanded polystyrene inside the building.
Insulation of walls from the inside is done when it is impossible to do it from the outside. For example, when the facade of the house has a great historical significance or a lot of decor. In other cases, it is advisable to insulate the room from the outside, since internal thermal insulation reduces the volume of the room.
Internal thermal insulation has a scheme, as in Fig.1.
To work, you will need the following tools and materials:
- spatulas;
- paint roller and brush;
- perforator;
- rubber mallet;
- dowels;
- mounting knife and pencil;
- building level;
- glue;
- container for adhesive liquid;
- painting net;
- primer;
- antifungal agent;
- expanded polystyrene sheets, at least 5 cm thick.
Wall insulation begins with surface preparation. First you need to dismantle the old wallpaper or other finishing material. The old and plinth should also be removed to insulate the wall as low as possible.
Mold must be removed sandpaper. In the presence of irregularities and cracks, the wall must be leveled with plaster and puttied.
After the putty has dried, the surface should be coated with an antifungal agent. The next day, the walls are primed. This is for a good grip. finishing material with the wall and prevent the appearance of fungus. When performing this procedure, it is recommended to ventilate the room.
To prevent the accumulation of condensate, it is necessary to lay a waterproofing substrate before installing the insulation.
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Insulation of internal walls: instructions
Figure 2. Scheme of fastening polystyrene foam to the wall with dowels
Insulation with polystyrene foam from the inside can be done in two ways:
- fixing sheets to the wall with dowels;
- laying tiles on glue.
The scheme of the first method is shown in fig. 2.
The insulation begins to be fixed from the bottom up from the corner. The plate is set vertically and pressed against the wall to be insulated, and the end of the sheet against the side wall. Holes are drilled through the insulation with a perforator, into which the dowels will be hammered.
Then plastic dowels are inserted into the holes, and nails are hammered into them. The dowel cap should tightly press the sheets of insulation and not rise above its surface.
The second row is laid close to the bottom. To get a smaller sheet of insulation, it is cut with a knife. The gaps between the sheets are sealed with mounting foam, but not with adhesive tape.
The second method of insulation is performed using glue, the best option which is performed by Ceresit. This adhesive composition has good adhesion with polystyrene foam, drywall and other finishing materials.
Glue should be applied to the wall, not to the Styrofoam! To do this, with a notched trowel, the adhesive mixture is applied pointwise or in stripes to the surface, and then a sheet of insulation is applied to this area. The glue hardens very quickly, so the sheet should be mounted within 10 minutes.
For secure fastening, the sheets can be fixed with dowels. 5 dowels are enough for one layer of material: 4 in the corners and 1 in the center.
Expanded polystyrene is a material that in its own way appearance looks like styrofoam. Only it is pressed, not ordinary. They sell it in special sheets, with different sizes and different densities. The speed of installation and convenience are the main advantages for which the builders themselves praise polystyrene foam. Such material can be used for thermal insulation of any part of the house: on the foundation and windows, floor, roof, walls. The most successful and most often insulation with polystyrene foam is used outside. At the same time, they work with this technology both during the reconstruction of old buildings and during normal construction.
What are the advantages of the material?
- impact resistance external factors: high atmospheric humidity, temperature changes, exposure to sunlight.
- Insects, birds and rodents are not able to destroy such structures.
- Styrofoam - fireproof material
- The service life, subject to all rules, is 55 years.
- With such wall insulation vapor barriers are not needed because steam simply does not penetrate inside.
- Environmental friendliness
- Resistant to mold, warping and moisture penetration. What is provided by moisture resistance.
- High compressive strength.
Warming outside: how to do it right?
How is the insulation done from the inside?
Situations when you need to insulate walls with polystyrene foam from the inside happen quite often. For example, if decorative elements on facade decoration too much. Concerning internal works, then material with a thickness of 30 to 40 millimeters, or from 10 to 20 mm, is most suitable here. Typically, an adhesive is used to secure the material to the inside surface of the wall. So the sheets may not be recorded at all. using other devices.
Walls must be moistened and cleaned of dirt before insulation work is carried out. Do the same with polystyrene foam. With a stirrer or a powerful electric drill glue is diluted in a plastic container.
The surface of the expanded polystyrene is slightly moistened with water, then a little glue is rubbed into the material with a trowel, and small spots form. Distance between them should not exceed 20 centimeters. A certain amount of glue is then applied to the stains themselves. It turns out a kind of cake. Glue must also be applied to the ends, if the sheets are joined along them. But this condition is by no means obligatory.
Finally, the insulation sheet is attached to the wall. Everything is pressed, the surface should be tapped with the palm of your hand. Thanks to this movement, the adhesive will be evenly distributed over the entire surface. You can support the sheets with boards to additionally fix the structure. The gaps between some sheets are sealed after all the walls are covered with insulation. Above the windows and doors in the sheets, it is better to leave small ventilation openings so that condensation does not accumulate under the insulation.
What else do you need to know about the material?
The structure of expanded polystyrene can be called truly unique. It is being developed with inflating polystyrene granules with air. It is this process that becomes the basis for the unique properties of the expanded polystyrene itself. Styrofoam is small granules that are interconnected.
Generally the material is different. high sound insulation, since it itself converts sound energy into heat energy. A plate of 2-3 centimeters is enough to achieve high rates for this parameter.
The properties of the insulation do not change even under the influence of too low or too high temperatures. The structure is not deformed, even if the material is affected a large number of water.
About the thermal insulation of the foundation
The basis of any building is the foundation, thermal comfort and durability largely depend on this element. Therefore, one of the first places should be the question related to the insulation of the foundation, especially this is true for regions where the climate is quite severe. Styrofoam plates are traditionally used as the middle part of three-layer foundation blocks.
On device basementless premises expanded polystyrene also proved to be quite good. Insulation plates are laid on a specially prepared site. There can be one layer, but you can make several. Then everything is poured with concrete, the structure is erected in the usual way.
The concrete screed in this case becomes both the base of the floor and the foundation. At the same time, the need for a point foundation for load-bearing supports does not disappear anywhere. Expanded polystyrene can be used for thermal insulation and in cases where it is necessary provide additional protection from freezing.
Floors and ceilings: Thermal insulation
Reducing the transmission of impact noise is a task that polystyrene foam does an excellent job of using for thermal insulation of ceilings and floors. So it can not only protect against possible heat loss. In this case, the plates must have a thickness at least 50 mm. Expanded polystyrene is laid on top, on a material with insulating properties. Be sure to seal the seams that are formed during this process. Finally, on last step stacked up concrete or sand-cement a mixture up to 6 cm thick, or a grooved chipboard.
About roofs and their thermal insulation
There are several ways in which roofs are thermally insulated in any premises:
- In the first method, slabs of this material are used. up to 70 mm thick. A bituminous layer is laid on top of them, completely protected from moisture. Styrofoam boards are also laid on top of the rafters so that heat loss is minimal, so that so-called cold bridges do not appear in the structure.
- In addition, expanded polystyrene boards can be laid only on the back side of the roof. Condensation of water vapor is prevented by the fact that a small ventilated plane is created. Such thermal insulation is economical, at low cost it helps to achieve significant results.
Facade insulation: additional rules
You need to follow some rules to create reliable design, really allowing you to save maximum heat.
First of all, it is simply necessary to remove all unnecessary objects from the surface of the facade. Can use skin to surface after repair work became even more even.
Usually, leveling walls is a rather complicated and costly process. You can use a nylon cord to save yourself the hassle. It is enough to lower it along the wall to find the deepest dips and uneven places.
The outer side of the facade will not be smooth if nothing is done. Glue should be used more into the void if the dips are deep enough. So in space there will be no vacuum the material won't go anywhere. With a hammer, you can knock down the usual bulges. After that, you can seal the surface with putty. In this case, it will be easier and faster to cut the insulation altogether, as far as necessary.
The cut sides should be joined to the sheets of the insulation itself. The gap between them in this case will be minimal, since it is these sides that differ smoother surface. Liquid polystyrene foam can be used to seal the largest gaps. Do not use mounting foam, as it may adversely affect the integrity of the entire structure.
Dish-shaped dowels are supplied with a special hat, similar to an umbrella, due to which the polystyrene foam adheres more effectively to the surface. You can use other fasteners, but they are not as effective.
