A bathroom is present in every home today, now it is difficult to imagine those times when in order to bathe we had to heat buckets of water to fill an old but reliable metal basin.

The idea to insulate the bath arose for a reason, on the eve of the winter cold, we all love to lie in warm bath and relax, but unfortunately it happens that our pleasure does not last long, for the simple reason that the water in the bathroom cools quickly, and constantly pour new hot water in order to maintain comfortable temperature water is a very costly business, due to high water tariffs. Let's try to solve this problem and insulate the bath, today we will insulate the metal bath.

The rapid loss of heat for a metal bath is one of the biggest drawbacks. A metal bathtub is the most common bathtub model that is now used in most homes, and this is quite justified since a steel bathtub has such advantages as:
- low cost;
- stable enamel coating;
- ease of transportation and installation;
- stability of the whole structure.
But still, it also has some disadvantages, such as:
- fast loss heat;
- low level soundproofing.
We can eliminate the listed shortcomings with our own hands, spending a minimum of effort and money on everything.

To warm the bath we need:
- Vibroizol
- Mounting foam,
- foam gun
- scotch.

Vybroizol is a special material that was developed for use in the automotive industry. Due to its composition, which includes components such as bitumen and a rubberized base, it perfectly performs the function of a sound insulator.

On the one hand, it has a dense adhesive structure, which allows it to adhere to any smooth surface.

You decide which parts of the bath to treat with this material.

I am suggesting two options:
1. completely process the entire surface of the bath, which will provide you with complete sound insulation;
2. Treat only those parts of the bathtub where the water flowing from the faucet comes into contact with the surface of the bathtub and that place on the bottom of the bathtub where your body comes into contact with it.

At this stage, the soundproofing of the bath is completed, we can proceed directly to its insulation.
We will insulate the bath with polyurethane foam.

To do this, we need a foam can and a foam gun. When choosing a foam, pay attention to the lines of its storage, do not buy foam with a stitched shelf life, because after their expiration it loses its properties.

Foam should be applied in even layers on a previously prepared surface. If you decide to insulate your newly acquired bath before installing it, then for convenience, turn your bath upside down and do not forget to degrease the surface before you start applying the foam.

It is important to apply the mounting foam evenly, while forming a single layer without gaps.
Before applying the foam, I advise you to warm the bottle under the stream warm water, then the foam output will be the largest and most economical. Please note that the place for the siphon should not be covered with foam.

After completing all the insulation operations, our bathtub does not look very presentable, but this issue can be solved with the help of decoration. To do this, we need to make a frame with metal profile around the tub, and then sew it up with plastic or drywall of your choice.

At to overcome the main disadvantage of a metal (steel) bath, high thermal conductivity, you can “dress” it in a heat-insulating “shirt”. This shirt is easy to make. Let's consider, how to insulate a bath with your own hands, and what is needed for this.

Materials and tools for bath insulation

We use polyurethane foam and sheet foam 2-3 cm thick as a heater. We calculate the approximate consumption of materials as follows. We find the surface area of the bath, considering it as a rectangular box. To do this, measure the dimensions internal parties. An ordinary steel bath 1.5 m long has inner dimensions 1.4x0.55x0.4 m. We find the perimeter (1.4 + 0.55) x 2 \u003d 3.9 m. Multiplying the perimeter by the height 3.9x0.4 \u003d 1.56 m 2, we get the surface area. Of course, due to the curvature, the area will be smaller, but in practice this is not so important, since the foam is sold in meter-long pieces.

We calculate the approximate foam consumption from a conditional layer thickness of 2 cm, that is, we need about 30 liters of foam (1.56x0.02 / 1000 \u003d 31dm 3). A bottle of 500 ml should be enough with a margin.

Since we will apply the foam twice, if necessary, it can be purchased in addition.

It is better to apply foam with a gun. It is not expensive, about 300 rubles, in addition, given that such a gun saves foam up to 20%, its actual cost will be even lower.

Some pistols are equipped with interchangeable nozzles of various sections and shapes. If you purchased a device without nozzles, you can make a homemade tip from a polyethylene or PVC tube of a suitable diameter. We heat the end of the tube and flatten it, leaving a narrow gap so that the foam comes out not in a stream, but in a strip.

If insulating an iron bath with your own hands is not part of a general home renovation, you can do without a gun using ordinary (“household”) cylinders.

Preparation for warming the bath

We take the bath out of the bathroom and put it “upside down” on small wooden linings, placing it so that you can work from all sides. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the enamel. We cover the floor before installation polyethylene film or thick paper so as not to stain it. It is better not to remove the legs of the bath.

Armed with masking tape and scissors, we seal the places where the foam can get, but where it is useless, in particular, the edges of the bathtub and the edges of the drain and overflow holes. It is better to do this immediately, so as not to scrape off the foam later.

Steel baths immediately won the hearts of consumers who were fed up with Soviet cast-iron models. But even despite, they have 2 very unpleasant drawbacks:

High thermal conductivity. That is, the bowl gives off heat very quickly. environment so hot water needs to be added all the time. This is very expensive, given that the tariffs for public utilities are constantly rising.
acoustic resonance. If you draw water into an iron bath without noise insulation, neighbors at a distance of 2 floors will be able to hear this ringing.

The above problems are not critical, they are easy to deal with at the stage of installing the font.

In our article today, we will analyze in detail how to insulate steel bath and reduce thermal conductivity. To learn how to make soundproofing, read our special article.

How to insulate?

There are many materials that will help you insulate the bath, let's focus on the more practical and effective.

1.Mounting foam. Perhaps this is the most popular option among home craftsmen. The main advantages of foam are:

low price and consumption (for one font you will need 1, maximum 2 cylinders);
resistance to high humidity;
low thermal conductivity;
ease of application

2. Foil polyurethane foam (penofol). A special insulating material that consists of two main layers.

The first is foam rubber with a large number of micro-bubbles of air (as you know, air is one of the best heat insulators).

Second layer - aluminium foil, which reflects heat back to the surface of the walls of the bath. Polyurethane foam is more efficient thermal insulation material than mounting foam. But for the price, this method is somewhat more expensive.

For ease of installation, buy polyurethane foam with an adhesive layer, so you will greatly simplify your work.

How to insulate a metal font with your own hands?

Below is the detailed step-by-step instruction for the insulation of an iron bath with the help of foil-wrapped polyurethane foam (penofol).

For detailed instructions on thermal and sound insulation of a bathtub using mounting foam, look in our special article.

Step 1. Put the bath against the wall or lay it upside down on the floor, first covering it with cardboard or cloth. This is necessary to avoid damage to the enamel.

Step 2 The next step is to degrease the surface. Great for this fit universal degreaser. But if it is not there, it does not matter, you can use alcohol or ordinary dishwashing detergent. Thoroughly wipe the entire surface and let it dry for 10-15 minutes.

Step 3 If you have insulation in rolls, cut a piece desired length so that the bowl is covered across from side to side, as shown in the photo. Do not forget to peel off the film from the adhesive layer. After you have glued the sheet to the bath, you need to cut off the excess and once again press the insulation tightly with your hand so that there are no bubbles.

Step 4 Measure the width of the most even sections and cut strips of 15-25 cm. Then glue them to the bowl in the same way, cutting off the excess.

Don't forget to cut a drain hole.

Step 6 Glue the joints of the insulation with reinforced tape.

Step 7 Release the leg attachment points from the insulation.

Useful video

We have prepared a video tutorial for you. steel bath:

conclusions

In the article, we dwelled in detail on the options for thermal insulation of the bath. And brought complete instructions for warming the bowl with polyurethane foil. If you are more comfortable using foam, be sure to read an article about heat and sound insulation using mounting foam.

Jun 30/12

Do-it-yourself insulation and soundproofing of a steel bath - step by step guide(photo)

The lion's share of products in the sanitary ware market is occupied by steel bathtubs. They can be called budget option its product class. They are relatively cheap, and with proper handling they have quite a decent service life. But with all this, they have several significant drawbacks. Firstly, the water in the steel bath cools down very quickly, and secondly, the jet of water drawn into it makes a very loud sound, which can be heard even in neighboring apartments. Agree, these negative qualities of steel bathtubs completely negate their main advantage - low cost.

But that's not a problem, either. how to insulate a steel bath quite possibly on your own. Modern construction and insulation provide an excellent opportunity for a rather small cash investment to make a metal bath warm and almost silent. And just for this you need to purchase, depending on the size, three or four large cylinders polyurethane sealant, popularly called polyurethane foam, to produce insulation and soundproofing of a steel bath with your own hands.

Thermal insulation and soundproofing of a steel bath with polyurethane foam

How to insulate a steel bath with mounting foam - what to look for

The whole process of warming is best done immediately, before the primary one. Subsequently, it will be quite difficult to dismantle the already installed and tiled "vessel" for bathing. That is why the insulated bathtub must be fully assembled and ready for installation - you need to install a drain siphon, fix the legs on which the bathtub rests, and if sewing and subsequent lining are planned later front side, you need to install the ud guide profile. Believe me, if you foresee all these details in advance, then the installation of almost any bath will go smoothly, as they say, without a hitch. But we will do all this later, and now we turn to the direct insulation and soundproofing of a steel bath.

Insulation and soundproofing of a steel bath - stages

You probably know that before applying any adhesives and sealants, the surface must be cleaned of dust and dirt, and when it comes to polyurethane sealant, that is, mounting foam, the surface must be well moistened. The foam adheres better and stronger at high humidity. Therefore, we take a rag abundantly moistened with water and wash off all the dust and dirt from the bath. And let the water flow in streams from the bath - this will not hurt our warming process in the slightest.

Insulation and soundproofing of a steel bath - surface preparation

Without waiting for the water to dry, we proceed to the preparation of mounting foam for insulating the bath. The sealant bottle must be thoroughly shaken and, if possible, heated under running water. hot water- this step will help to maximize the foam output from the cylinder and save you money.

Then everything is simple - we direct the cylinder tube to the bottom of the inverted bath. Slightly, so that a lot of foam does not come out at once, we press the feed lever and with a snake we lay the outgoing foamed polyurethane over the entire surface of the bottom of the bath. Do not forget that the siphon, the main part of which is located under the bathtub, may sometimes need to be replaced - which is why it is better to leave some space free from foam around it. The same empty space must subsequently be left around the installation site of the overflow.

Now a little about the insulation of the side walls of the steel bath. Here it may be difficult to apply foam - it can drain and fall down in large chunks. In principle, if you do not apply foam with a strong jet and carry out the whole process carefully and slowly, then everything will be in order. But if you are not confident in yourself and your abilities, then you need to wait a bit until the foam at the bottom dries up (half an hour will be enough) and simply turn the bathtub on its side. Do the same with the remaining sidewalls.

How to insulate a steel bath with your own hands photo

That's basically it, now you know how to insulate a steel bath most accessible way and with your own hands, without any extra investment. Now you should leave the bath alone until the polyurethane sealant is completely dry - this will take about eight hours, maybe a little more. After this time, the insulated and noise-free bath can be installed in its rightful place, and then it can be tiled further.

Do-it-yourself warming and soundproofing of the bathtub photo

This is how inexpensively and quickly you can produce high-quality insulation and soundproofing of your steel bath. You will definitely like the result.

Proper bathroom equipment is very important for the owner of any home, because it is this room that you need for comfortable well-being and good mood. Proper repair can not only create a pleasant and comfortable environment, but even improve your health. The whole positive effect is achieved by the necessary for the given territory - warmth and the absence of excessive abundant humidity. The bath itself should not cool too quickly, the walls and floor should keep a comfortable temperature regime, it is also desirable that no excessive noise be heard from the work of the sewer, neighboring apartments, boiler, water supply.

IN this material you will learn how to lay thermal insulation on the bath itself, the walls and the floor in the restroom. The proposed methods will not require large financial costs from you, and you can do most of the work yourself without the need to hire professional builders.

Bath insulation

Many people prefer to purchase a steel bath because it is durable, reliable, lasts a very long time, is comfortable and is quite inexpensive. The only drawback of such plumbing is that it does not retain heat well, the water in it cools down quickly, and the running stream of water makes a lot of noise. However, these negative qualities are easily compensated by insulating the device, while you do not even need the help of a specialist and do not have to spend an additional large amount of money. Do-it-yourself warming of the bath can be done using only ordinary mounting foam. With its help, the bottom will better retain heat and the level of outgoing noise will decrease significantly. You need to purchase in any hardware store large cylinders of polyurethane sealant, you will need three to four units.

You need to start work before installing plumbing and connecting it to the water supply, because it will not work to apply an insulating substance from the floor neatly and evenly, but to dismantle new design of course not worth it. Therefore, we fully assemble all the parts, install plumbing equipment, which involves the installation drain siphon, and also fasten the support legs, the guide profile for subsequent sheathing. That is, at the stage of complete readiness for installation, the bath is insulated with its own hands.

Do-it-yourself bath insulation

For work, you will need quite a few building materials and tools:

Mounting foam with a gun.
Styrofoam.
Putty.
Two component adhesive.
Fiberglass.

First of all, it is necessary to prepare the surface for applying mounting foam. Keep in mind that absolutely any adhesives and sealants are applied only to clean areas, therefore, first place the bath upside down and wipe the entire area well from construction debris, dust, lint, dirt, packaging residues.

The next step is to wet the rag with plain water and wet the bottom with plenty of water for better adhesion with the insulation compound. Polyurethane sets well and hardens under wet conditions. Next, take one bottle, shake it well, you can also warm it up a little under a stream of warm tap water. This technique allows you to provide a volumetric output of the mounting material, which is necessary for maximum application. Point the tube at the bottom from the outside, gently press the lever and begin to lay the composition in a snake pattern over the entire surface of the inverted tub. Leave free space around the siphon, because it is sometimes replaced. Also, do not fill the place where the overflow will be fixed. When the base is completely processed, wait ten to fifteen minutes and proceed to the design of the side parts. It's better to start at the top, slower than you were before. Be sure to first look to see if the insulation used is leaking, and lay the sealant in neat strips on the steel.

When working with mounting foam, be careful and careful, it should not get on other surfaces, and even more so on the skin. The thing is that this solution is washed off with great difficulty and only when using special chemical liquids, so put on overalls, gloves, cover your hair, lay cellophane or paper on the floor, cover all adjacent appliances, walls, any surfaces with a protective layer. Rarely, but it happens that the cylinders explode, the contents instantly scatter throughout the room and freeze tightly.

Construction with foam

There is another option for designing a heat-saving layer, it repeats the technology described above, but involves additional details that will improve and strengthen the entire system - a combination of mounting foam and polystyrene. You will need sheets 20-30 mm thick. To calculate the required amount of thermal material, calculate the perimeter of the structure (standard length is 1400 and width 550 mm) and multiply by 2. It turns out 3900 mm - multiply this number by the height. You will get the area that you will cover. You need these calculations because the foam is sold in the form of meter panels. As for the sealant, you should have enough with a supply of two large packages for each of the two upcoming stages of processing.

It is best to apply foam with a special gun, it is sold at any hardware store. It lays the composition evenly and does not allow for overspending, which provides you with obvious savings. It is convenient when the liquid comes out not in a jet, but in a neat strip. In order for you to do this, use a professional trick: take a tip from a plastic or polyethylene tube of the diameter that suits you. Heat the very edge of the hole a little, it will flatten, now form a slot - put the resulting tip on a container with foam (video).

The tub also flips upside down, making sure you have easy access from all sides. Be very careful not to deform or damage the enamel. Cover all surfaces of the room with polyethylene so that the remaining liquid can be easily removed upon completion. Do not forget to cover the holes for the drain and overflow with tape, seal the edges as well.

Continuation of installation

It has already been mentioned above that the best adhesion is achieved with sufficient moisture content of the substrate. Wet the entire area with plain tap water. The nozzle is pressed against the metal at an angle, and the insulation is applied in even stripes. Alternately apply foam sheets on top, distribute them so that they evenly cover the entire bottom. To cover the curves, cut the panel into small pieces. The most great detail should not exceed 15-20 cm.

When all the elements are laid, wait 30-40 minutes and then start filling in the cracks and the free space between the panels. Wait the same amount of time again and use a knife to cut off the excess of the hardened mass. Now you have to final stage, on which is formed additional protection and an increase in the thermal protection layer is provided. You need to put fiberglass.

To do this, use putty or two-component glue. Most importantly, the adhesive must be fully compatible with the foam plates, and it must also be water resistant. To do this, choose from acrylic, epoxy or polyester solutions. Fiberglass is applied fragmentarily with overlaps on putty with glue.

In the end, when all the applied layers have solidified and hardened well, remove the adhesive tape, check the good accessibility to the siphon and overflow necks, cut off the excess material if it will be inconvenient to connect to these holes.

Wall processing

Walls can also retain hot air longer, for this they are torn with coatings of mineral wool as well as fiberglass. These foundations have long gained popularity because they are effective and reliable, provide high level thermal insulation and waterproofing, easy to process and install and completely inexpensive. For their fastening, it is necessary to use a vapor barrier, which is formed from a superdiffuse membrane and a building film.

Along with them, the installation of extruded polystyrene foam is common, because it is best to lay out on it ceramic tiles. The tile is considered the best and most functional facing decorative coating.

Many builders use another interesting technique: they apply a special thermal plaster on a woven mesh with a layer of 3 cm. An important warming device in a restroom is a reflective screen installed behind a heated towel rail or behind a heating radiator. Thanks to it, hot air is reflected and distributed throughout the room. It can be made from a sheet of foil with aluminum.

When choosing a heater, it is important to remember that a soft cotton base is laid under the drywall. You can choose tile materials, or roll materials, while their density should not exceed 50 kilograms per cubic meter. A vapor barrier film is always placed on top. The use of extruded polystyrene foam is relevant under the subsequent layer of plaster. Choose products whose flammability group does not exceed G1. You can also choose a basalt slab as a thermal protection base for plaster and ceramic tiles.

Separately, it is worth noting the cladding, which should not be used as a heat-insulating base for walls - the use of granular expanded polystyrene is not recommended, it increases humidity and can provoke decay, the formation of fungus and the spread of mold.

Warm floor

The heating floor provides an optimal ratio of temperatures in the bathroom - around + 25-29 degrees below and + 20-22 degrees above. Thus, a comfortable atmosphere is created that is beneficial to health, mold and fungus do not arise and spread. The floor can be mounted from pipes supplying boiling water or from an electric heating cable (video).

Therefore, the whole system can be adjusted from:

Electrical cable.
Pipes.
Electric film with infrared heating.

If you choose to electric floors, then keep in mind that they are based on a heating cable, and it works from the network. The use of such a system is absolutely safe because it is laid under several layers of insulation. For mounting, you need to first draw up a laying plan, then determine where the thermostat, sensors and connection point will be located. Then a reflector, conductors are laid, thermoregulation is installed and the entire structure is poured with a dense layer of cement screed.

Infrared floors are another functional novelty on the market. They are also popular because their installation is much easier than other systems, and you can do all the work yourself. You will be working with a heated film that can be placed under carpet, tile, parquet or laminate. You need to lay out the canvas on a flat, cleaned base and connect the sensors, check how everything works, and close the coating with a protective film layer or cement mixture.

Also, some install horizontal system polymer pipes through which water flows from common system heating. A strong one is also poured on top. cement strainer, but this technology can only be carried out by a repair and construction team.

As you have seen, even in old panel or brick houses you can equip a warm restroom, you can perform almost all of the above methods yourself, and Construction Materials and repair equipment is now sold in any specialized store. The main thing is that a dry heated bathroom is a guarantee of your health and the well-being of your loved ones.