One of the most wonderful options for owning a home is frame house. This is an excellent and comfortable home and, moreover, quite economical in construction. However, the matter is not limited to construction. It is necessary to finish the house well to insulate it, because comfort will depend on this. Among the main features frame house it can be distinguished that the walls are insulated directly during construction - this is caused, first of all, by its design.
How to insulate a frame house: the choice of materials
Initially, you should decide what material needs to be laid in the form of insulation in the wall cake. For this, there are a variety of materials. Best suited for this activity:
Do-it-yourself warming of a frame house
Basic requirements for insulation for the walls of a frame house
- Insulation is best chosen from environmentally friendly material so that it does not harm human health.
- It must be resistant to the accumulation of moisture, as well as to fire.
- Ease of installation on the frame of the building insulation.
- The ratio in the insulation of quality and price.
- Fire safety.
- Low thermal conductivity.
- Strength, as well as non-susceptibility to mechanical damage.
Wall insulation technologies
They may be different, but among them the main technologies can be distinguished:
- Thermal insulation with board materials (foam, mineral wool, and so on).
- Sprayed thermal insulation. This type of insulation is still quite rarely used due to novelty. However, it is quite effective. In this case, polyurethane foam is used as a heater. The application process is similar to working with the use of mounting foam.
- Sleep technology. In this case, the insulation is carried out using cellulose fiber, as well as other backfill materials.
- Combinations may also be used. Such a scheme can often be used: mineral wool is laid inside, foam plastic is outside, and then plaster.
The order of external insulation work
When carrying out work, the exact technology of insulation plays a paramount role. Any factors that can provide a positive final result of warming should be taken into account, including the reasons that can lead to a negative result.
- Hinged way of warming. In this case, a frame is attached to the wall, and waterproofing directly to the surface. It can be pasted and painted. When painting waterproofing, the walls after the primer are subjected to the application of bitumen. In the pasting option, using bituminous mastic, waterproofing roll material, isol, hydroisol, fiberglass is attached. Then, in the cells of the frame, using special glue, or mounting dowels, tapes or plates of rolled insulation are attached.
At the end of the work, the outer side of the frame is trimmed with decorative plates or panels. As a result, it is possible to perform fiber cement, composite, plastic, metal, porcelain stoneware and so on.
Styrofoam - the cheapest wall insulation
The main advantage of hinged insulation is a ventilation system that eliminates the appearance and accumulation of condensate in the insulation layer.
- Wet insulation method. This method belongs to cheap, but at the same time, to rather laborious methods. With the help of polymer glue, insulation plates are attached to the wall, after which the reinforcing mesh is fastened with dowels, and then decorative plaster is laid on it. This coating is also called "light" plaster.
- There is also a "heavy" plaster. It will be more difficult, but in terms of its reliability and durability it will surpass the “easy” one. It is performed as follows - insulation boards are attached to the wall using dowels, after which, using blocking plates, a reinforcing mesh is fixed.
Insulation of the house with fiberboard slabs
Then comes the first layer of plaster. During the day it dries, and deformation seams are made. Next comes the second, as well as the leveling layer, in which there must be temperature-shrinkage seams. The last decorative, where dyes are added, is applied five days later.
- Spraying liquid insulation. This method is the most progressive and modern. Spraying polyurethane foam is carried out using special installation. The peculiarity is that the performance of such insulation is an order of magnitude higher, and the cost is equal to average heaters. After polyurethane foam, almost any coating can be used as decoration, including curtain panels.
- Facing method. This option is one of the most expensive, however, and the most decorative. Facing materials can be performed on the wall of the building, as well as on top of the insulation. With the second method, the quality of insulation will be much better, however, it is necessary to perform high-quality ventilation.
The insulation is applied by spraying
- when performing work, it is important to strictly observe the insulation scheme.
- in multilayer systems, you need to make sure that there is sufficient ventilation so that the inner insulation layer does not become damp and, accordingly, does not collapse.
Internal insulation of the walls of a frame house
Sometimes there are situations when it is unacceptable. In this case, you need to use internal thermal insulation. For this work, the same materials can be used as outside, however, mineral wool and glass wool, due to the complexity of installation, are rarely used. In most cases, extruded polystyrene foam is used, as well as sprayed materials: ecowool, polyurethane, penoizol.
Installation of a vapor barrier layer
Sheathing of the inner surface of the walls is produced different ways. You can perform insulation with reinforced plaster, then puttying and finally wallpapering or painting.
Insulation of a frame house from the inside
You can also use lining panels, MDF and plastic. The most common option is upholstery with drywall sheets, after which a decorative coating is applied.
Materials such as penoizol and polyurethane foam are also used. Penoizol can be applied to surfaces of various configurations, it is able to fill all the bumps and defects. It is environmentally friendly and resistant to fire, but the main difficulty in applying it is that a special foam filling machine is needed.
Read about the features in the next article.
Frame houses are becoming increasingly popular, however, this European trend in the Russian climate requires significant thermal insulation, as well as protection from wind and moisture. Experts recommend insulating the walls of a frame house not only from the outside, but also from the inside.
Choosing materials for thermal insulation
A few decades ago to keep the heat in the house in the walls frame houses covered with a mixture of clay with straw, sawdust or shavings. At one time, sawdust concrete was also popular, but these materials have long been out of use, although they do not lose their attractiveness due to their low cost. IN modern houses on the basis of the frame for insulation, mainly mineral wool (glass wool, stone wool) and polystyrene are used.
Mineral wool has a number of advantages - they are fireproof, which is especially important for houses made of wooden frames, have low thermal conductivity, are easy to install, are produced in a form convenient for builders (mats, rolls) and are quite light. The disadvantage of this insulation is that it cannot be called environmentally friendly, since it contains formaldehydes in small doses. In addition, moisture is contraindicated for him. Most often, mineral wool is used for external insulation, since for internal works using this material is not always convenient and safe.
Very quickly, among building materials, foam plastic broke out into the category of the most popular materials for thermal insulation. It is made from granules of polymer plastics, which are filled with carbon dioxide or natural gas.
Styrofoam boards are very light, easy to install, do not conduct heat and are environmentally friendly at normal temperatures. Insulation of this kind is not subject to decay and the appearance of fungus, therefore, during its installation, additional layers of vapor and waterproofing may not be required.
Perhaps the most important advantage of polystyrene is its modest cost. Its main disadvantage is the possibility of ignition and the release of substances harmful to human health during combustion. True, there is a fire-resistant version of this material - extruded polystyrene foam, which is also more compact.. All types of polystyrene, oddly enough, can easily be spoiled by rodents, which is another significant disadvantage.
Polyurethane foam (PPU) is a sprayed type of thermal insulation that has the highest degree of heat retention and is very resistant to moisture. Spraying takes place with the help of special equipment, in which the active components are mixed and, falling on the surface, instantly foam, forming a dense crust. You can spray PPU on almost any surface, even on glass and metal, regardless of its position. Vulnerable point of polyurethane foam - sunlight. When exposed to direct sunlight, its life is reduced by about half. But you can protect PPU from the sun with ordinary painting. Another disadvantage is that special equipment is needed to work with this material.
For hydro and wind insulation, builders often use glassine - thick paper impregnated with bitumen. However, its use as a protection against moisture and wind is undesirable, since glassine does not allow moisture coming from the house to pass through and contributes to its accumulation inside the frame. In modern practice, builders are increasingly using superdiffusion hydro-windproof membranes, which have a huge vapor permeability compared to glassine and perfectly protect the house from wind and moisture from the outside.
Insulation of the walls of a frame house from the inside - preparatory work
First, let's clarify some basic principles, without which the insulation of the walls of such a house can be a waste of money. First, when wondering how to insulate a frame house from the inside, you need to think not only about the walls. The floor and ceiling can also let in the cold! Secondly, heat-insulating materials must be reliably protected from moisture by external and internal waterproofing. Thirdly, during the process of laying the insulation, it is important to observe the gaps necessary for ventilation between the material and the wall surfaces.
Before starting the installation of insulation, clean the walls, floor and ceiling from dust and dirt. Any protruding nails or screws should be removed. The existing gaps between the frame elements of the house are filled mounting foam. Use a blow dryer to dry the damp areas of the frame if necessary.
The website site masters have prepared a special calculator for you. You can easily calculate the heat loss of a building.
How to insulate a frame house from the inside - step by step instructions
In the event that the house was nevertheless carried out and external thermal insulation with the use of waterproofing, it is not necessary to re-mount another layer of moisture protection inside the house, otherwise it may lead to accumulation excess moisture inside the structure and its rapid destruction. We will consider the option of warming the house only from the inside.
How to insulate a frame house from the inside - step by step diagram
Step 1: Installation of the waterproofing layer
We measure the walls of the frame house and cut into the appropriate strips the one we have chosen waterproofing material. By using construction stapler we fasten it to the racks, completely sheathing the frame. It is best to lay the waterproofing with an overlap, leaving under upper layer about 10 cm. Fastening is carried out at the junction every 10 cm.
Step 2: Installing the vapor barrier
Even in the case of using materials that are not afraid of moisture as a heater, it is still necessary to perform a vapor barrier. The reason for seemingly unnecessary costs at first glance is that, in addition to the insulation itself, there are other elements in the wall frame that should be protected from steam penetrating the walls from inside the building, for example, the same wood.
For vapor barrier use a special film or foamed polyethylene. This material is also attached to the racks of the frame with a construction stapler close to the insulation. Sometimes builders simply wrap heat-insulating blocks in such a film, but this is not entirely correct - as already noted, all elements of the frame must be protected from steam. The joints of the film, as in the case of waterproofing, should be made with an overlap of at least 10 cm. For greater vapor barrier, all joints and junctions of this layer should be glued with double-sided tape. When installing a vapor barrier, please note that its thickness does not in any way reduce the thickness of the main insulation.
The owners of suburban areas, choosing the material for suburban buildings, begin the analysis of available alternatives with timber, bricks or log cabins, undeservedly ignoring the frame technology. But the construction of a frame house with its proper insulation is good decision for getting quick results with a limited budget.
In this article I will talk about what insulation is best used for frame houses and what parts of it must be protected from the penetration of cold air.
What needs to be insulated in a frame house
When building frame houses, customers sometimes agree to insulate only the walls, which leads to some cost savings during the construction phase, but greatly affects the level of comfort and the cost of heating in the future.
For optimal heat and sound insulation (provided that people will live in the house at least occasionally during the cold season), it is necessary to insulate all places where air from the street can enter the premises, i.e. in addition to walls, it is also a floor and under-roof space.
Only by observing the specified norms, it is possible to achieve the correct heat-saving effect.
Types of insulation for frame houses
In the most general case, heaters can be divided into two large classes: natural and synthetic. Natural (or organic) materials are mainly natural substances such as peat, clay or. Currently, they are rarely used due to their low energy saving and moisture resistance characteristics.
They were replaced by synthetic materials with a much higher thermal insulation ability. Among them, for the insulation of frame houses, the following are most often used:
- Styrofoam;
- mineral wool;
- polyurethane foam;
- ecowool;
- expanded clay.
Each of these materials has its own advantages and disadvantages, which we will discuss below.
Styrofoam
In the last century, it was the best insulation for a frame house - quite cheap, easy to cut and fit, has a small specific gravity and does not absorb moisture.
The main advantage of foam plastic is that when it is laid, no additional protection in the form of moisture-absorbing films is required, so the cost of installation is very attractive in comparison with other means of insulation.
However, polystyrene also has serious disadvantages:
- flammability - upon contact with fire, very caustic and toxic substances are released;
- low noise insulation - there are heaters that simultaneously protect the building from extraneous noise, which cannot be said about foam;
- rodents love it, building their nests in it;
- fragility - the material does not tolerate physical impact, so you need to work with it very carefully.
In general, polystyrene has a fairly high popularity among developers (due primarily to its low price).
Mineral wool
High-quality insulation, which is gradually coming out on top in popularity. For laying inside the walls of a frame house, rectangular mats are used, which are easily cut with a knife.
Among other advantages mineral wool should be noted:
- Light weight;
- Good heat and sound insulation;
- fire resistance;
- Durability.
The main disadvantage is the presence of small particles that can penetrate the body and cause serious illness. Therefore, when installing mineral wool, the walls of the frame house are covered from the inside with special vapor barrier films - not so much for their intended purpose, but in order to avoid the penetration of mineral wool particles into the room.
Another disadvantage of this insulation can be considered susceptibility to the destructive action of moisture - when wet, even by a few percent of the volume of mineral wool, it can lose up to half of its heat-insulating properties. Therefore, when insulating walls and roofs, the openings of the frame block must be protected from the outside with waterproofing materials.
polyurethane foam
One of the most modern materials, which is characterized by high thermal insulation properties, resistance to water and fire, as well as a high speed of application to the surface.
This insulation belongs to the class of sprayed substances. It is obtained by mixing two components that are delivered to the facility separately, under the action of air.
In the process of spraying, toxic substances are released, so work with this material is done in protective clothing.
The main disadvantage of polyurethane foam is its high price - if the work on insulation with foam plastic or mineral wool can be done independently, then polyurethane foam requires the use of special equipment, so it will cost several times more to insulate something with it. And since the choice in favor of a frame house is often dictated precisely by economic considerations, polyurethane foam as a heater is still quite rarely used here.
Ecowool
Ecowool is a completely natural insulation, consisting of 95% cellulose (shredded paper, most often newsprint) and special fillers that make it non-flammable. It does not require any protective films, so the entire structure of the house will be protected exclusively by environmentally friendly materials. This material has other advantages that provide it with increasing distribution:
- very high rates of heat and sound insulation;
- resistance to decay and fire;
- lack of shrinkage and moisture resistance;
- lack of seams and cold bridges.
The disadvantage of ecowool is the same as that of polyurethane foam: its application requires special equipment and qualified performers, which seriously increases the cost of work.
There are different ways to apply ecowool, but the most productive of them is "wet", after which the material must dry for several days.
The laying of this insulation in the walls can also be carried out in a “dry” way, with a certain skill it can be done independently.
Expanded clay and other bulk materials
Application bulk heaters for a frame house is possible, but has some limitations. The main problem when working with expanded clay, slag and other similar materials is that over time they can cake and settle, leaving part of the previously insulated surface unprotected. This greatly reduces the quality of all thermal insulation, therefore, when filling such heaters, they must be very carefully tamped.
Bulk materials are mainly used for. They can also be used for heat treatment of walls, but only in those areas where the average daily temperature does not fall below -20 ° C.
Before backfilling, waterproofing must be done to prevent the insulation from getting wet from the outside. At the same time, the use of any membrane films is undesirable; glassine is best suited for these purposes. In general, work with bulk insulation is quite complicated and time-consuming, in this they are much inferior to the same mineral wool.
Summarizing all of the above, two conclusions can be drawn:
- that in most cases, when the main goal is to build a reliable and solid house for little money, it is worth choosing mineral wool or polystyrene;
- If the environmental component is more important to you, your choice is ecowool (or mineral wool, subject to the installation technology).
For this, I round off, and I look forward to your questions and opinions in the comments.
Over the past half century, frame housing construction has spread and become a common technology in Western Europe and America. Such a rapid (on a historical scale) success was achieved by the technology due to the properties of buildings - economy in construction and practicality in operation.
World frame construction did not go unnoticed in the Russian expanses. All more owners of suburban areas are chosen for construction frame version. The choice of thermal insulation material is critical for such a building. A well-chosen insulation for the walls of a frame house will allow you to get comfortable and warm housing without going beyond the budget. In our article we will tell you which insulation is best for a frame house, and which one should not be used.
Work on external insulation of the wall of a frame house Source iobogrev.ru
Varieties of frame houses and the principle of their insulation
Houses that fall under the definition of frame houses are built using several similar technologies that do not have fundamental differences. In addition to the traditional fachwerk and high-tech frame-panel technology (which includes buildings using German and SIP panels), other methods are actively used. The most popular frame options include the following varieties:
Frame-panel houses. They are often referred to as shield houses, Canadian houses, or Finnish houses. In factory conditions, panels (shields) of a given size are manufactured. This preparation saves time on the construction site. Shields are quickly fixed on the frame, and then insulated.
Frame-rack houses. The space between the racks is distributed with insulation for the walls of the frame house, the crate is stuffed on top. Then wind and waterproofing is arranged, the walls are sewn up, internal and external decorative finishing is carried out.
One of the technologies for insulating the roof of a frame house Source iobogrev.ru
Which insulation is better for the walls of a frame house in each individual case is thought out at the planning stage, and the issue must be approached competently; a house in which not only the walls are insulated, but also the roof and foundation will be truly warm. It should be borne in mind that different surfaces will require heat-insulating materials with different properties.
The best way to insulate the frame is to use cross technology, when the wall is formed by two frames - the main one (power, acting as a supporting structure) with uprights, and cross (external), with horizontal. With such an organization of the walls, the probability of the formation of cold bridges (in case of shrinkage) becomes vanishingly small, and the energy efficiency of the building increases significantly. Work on the insulation of a frame house is carried out in the following order:
External insulation. It is carried out only under favorable weather conditions. Work will have to be postponed if it rains or snows.
Internal insulation. It is carried out using the cross method. Its disadvantages are the displacement of the dew point inside the room (with errors in the construction of the wall) and the reduction of precious living space.
Thermal insulation of floors, ceilings, windows and doors.
Double cross frame; the main circuit is not insulated source seattlehelpers.org
Insulation for a frame house: selection criteria
Aiming to pick the best option for insulation, you should decide on the selection criteria, as well as familiarize yourself with the offers available on the market. After comparing these two categories, you can determine which insulation is best for a frame house. The thermal insulation of the frame walls is selected according to the following parameters:
Life time. The operating time of the structure and insulation must match.
Thermal conductivity. The lower that indicator (expressed in terms of the coefficient of thermal conductivity), the more reliably the building saves heat. The thermal conductivity coefficient is used to calculate the necessary and sufficient thickness of thermal insulation; the value of the coefficient is specified by the manufacturer.
Water absorption. The lower the better, since a wet (moisture-absorbed) insulation can significantly increase the thermal conductivity of the walls. With the thermal efficiency of housing, in the walls of which there is a damp insulation, you can say goodbye.
Classic frame pie Source palacestroy.ru
Shrinkage. A frequent problem of frame dwellings, assembled with their own hands. Some types of insulation are subject to sealing, which is sometimes forgotten to be taken into account when choosing and installing. As a result of subsidence of the material, cold bridges appear and heating costs increase.
fire safety. Construction Materials divided into groups according to combustibility (ability to resist flame). For the insulation of frame houses, materials of the NG group (non-combustible) are often chosen.
Environmental friendliness. Since the insulation occupies the bulk of the walls and surrounds the inhabitants of the house from all sides, the question of its harmlessness concerns any adequate owner. The main problem is that not all materials can boast of naturalness, and the best technical indicators belong to synthetics. But even here everything is not so bad: certified products do not dangerous influence on the health of the inhabitants of the house.
bioneutrality. Insulation for a frame house should not become a haven for rodents, insects, mold fungi and microorganisms.
Warming of the inner surface roll material Source obustroeno.com
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each insulation, when choosing, they take into account not only the price, but also additional criteria:
The climate of the region. Weather conditions (winter temperatures, duration of autumn rains) at the construction site country house influence the choice not only of the thermal conductivity coefficient, but also on the dimensions of the insulation for the frame house.
Location of the heater. For different surfaces use a material with different densities. For thermal insulation of the floor, a denser (and, accordingly, more durable) insulation is chosen. This parameter can be ignored when insulating walls and roofs, where the use of a denser (and more expensive) material will only increase the cost of construction.
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".
Heaters: varieties and characteristics
Before choosing a heater for a frame house, you should familiarize yourself with its varieties. The materials used in construction are usually classified according to the method of application:
zasypnye. Backfill method - insulation with ecowool, expanded clay, foam glass or sawdust.
sprayed. "Wet" technology is suitable for ecowool and polyurethane foam.
Plate (roll). The thermal insulation layer is fixed between the racks or in the ceilings frame structure.
Proper floor insulation in a frame house is a guarantee of comfort Source strojdvor.ru
Also, heaters are divided into two large groups by origin:
natural. This includes materials of natural origin that have long been used in construction: moss, sawdust, peat, straw. They are available, cheap and environmentally friendly. The main disadvantages of natural insulators are flammability and high hygroscopicity, leading to the appearance of mold fungi. Do not discount insects and rodents, which also highly value naturalness and environmental friendliness.
Synthetic. Materials that have appeared thanks to progress and human ingenuity. They are often non-combustible, easy to transport and use, and biologically stable. And, although synthetics are not without drawbacks (they are more expensive, and they emit dangerous toxic compounds during combustion), they are valued in construction for their convenience and valuable properties.
Synthetic insulation for frame walls is conventionally divided into soft and hard. Soft insulation is sewn up with sheathing on both sides; then you can equip steam and waterproofing, then decorative cladding.
Scheme of floor insulation with synthetic material Source patter.ru
Mineral wool materials
Mineral wool is the common name for a universal and professional group of thermal insulation materials, the use of which in insulation reaches 70%. This distribution of mineral wool is due to its advantages: low weight, incombustibility, heat efficiency and sufficient vapor permeability. The basis of the material are fibers obtained from the melt of the feedstock; cotton wool is produced in the form of mats and rolls.
One of the quality indicators of mineral wool is the acidity module. The higher this value, the more waterproof and durable the wool is. Also, the quality of cotton wool is affected by the binder - a component that holds the fibers together. Binders of several types are used in production:
Based bitumen.
Based bentonite clays.
Synthetic. Based on phenol alcohol, phenol-formaldehyde or carbamide resin
Composite(most common). The composition includes synthetic resins (up to 2% by weight) and additives with hydrophobic (water-repellent) properties.
Video description
About mineral wool in the following video:
There are several varieties of this fibrous material in structure, differing in the method of preparation and properties:
stone wool. The raw materials are rocks (basalite, diarite, porphyrite), but more often basalt. In construction, the second name has taken root - basalt wool, although it is this variety that is more often used for thermal insulation. industrial equipment and pipelines. Stone wool is a durable, non-flammable and environmentally friendly material with a high heat retention capacity. Small shrinkage of this board material during operation does not allow the formation of cold bridges.
glass wool. It is made from glass melt, produced in slabs and rolls, has characteristics similar to mineral wool. Glass wool has increased strength, elasticity and vibration resistance. However, glass wool fibers are brittle and fragments are a health hazard. Working with the material requires the use of a respirator and overalls, as well as installation using a special technology. Glass wool is cheaper than mineral wool, but its service life is shorter.
Glass wool requires careful handling Source pinterest.fr
slag wool. The raw material is a melt of blast-furnace slag. This type of filler is similar in properties to glass wool; it is recommended to use it only for dry rooms. The main advantage of slag wool is its low cost.
Cotton wool insulates walls, ceilings and roofs; layer thickness in country house year-round living should be 200-250 mm. The peculiarity of cotton wool - hygroscopicity is neutralized by the use of vapor and waterproofing membranes. The density and thickness of the material affects not only the cost, weight and resistance to stress, but also the way it is used:
Roll web(often laminated, foil-coated). Effective heat retaining material. It is used for thermal insulation of horizontal surfaces, has a density of 35 kg / m 3.
Plates. Material with a density of 75 kg / m 3 is used to insulate the floor, ceiling and interior partitions, with a density of 125 kg / m 3 - for facade insulation. More rigid plates (200 kg / m 3) are used for floors, devices of a roof and floors under a coupler.
Roofing cake element - foil-coated mineral wool Source pinterest.cl
Ecowool
Cellulose wool (known to the general public as ecowool) is an example of an environmentally friendly product. It consists of 80% newspaper waste and cardboard and paper industry waste, and 20% of additives that perform a flame-extinguishing function (boric acid and sodium tetraborate). It looks like a loose material of various shades of gray.
Ecowool has proven itself well as sound and heat insulation; it insulates all parts of the frame structure. The disadvantages of ecowool are its high cost and the use of special equipment during installation. Warming frame structure ecowool is carried out in one of four ways:
Dry backfill. Manual labor-intensive method, limited in application. Suitable for insulation and soundproofing of small interfloor floors, the floor of the first floor, attic floor.
dry blow. The most preferred (fast and high-quality) method, suitable for isolating any cavities. It is carried out with the help of blowing equipment.
Video description
About the insulation of ecowool on the second floor of a frame house in the following video:
Wet glue method. It is used if it is necessary to insulate a large surface area or if the project does not provide for cladding. In this case, water is added to the ecowool if the untreated tree is to be protected; or PVA glue, which increases the adhesive (adhesive) ability of the mixture. It can also be applied using a blow molding machine.
Liquid plaster (liquid wallpaper). A variation of the wet method, applied by troweling. If the layer will serve not only as a heater, but also as a lining, it is possible to add dyes.
Penoizol
Urea-formaldehyde foam, better known under the brand name Penoizol (aka Mettemplast or Poroplast), is a universal heat insulator with low density and thermal conductivity. It is produced and poured in the form of foam; after hardening, penoizol resembles foam plastic with its white fine-meshed structure.
Penoizol has an impressive service life (up to 80 years); The composition of the material is based on nitrogen, therefore it is classified as a low-combustible substance. For thermal insulation, not only foam is used, but also a slab version, as well as crumb (thermowool), which allows you to create a seamless layer with excellent insulating and soundproofing qualities.
Insulation of the ceiling with penoizol Source barberosalon.ru
Polyurethane foam (PPU)
There is a large group of polyurethane foam, with different properties and a variety of applications, from the filler of car seats and toys, to bumpers and shoe elements. In construction, polyurethane foam is used in the form of finished sheets or self-foaming composition for pouring with a density of 5-40 kg/m 3 .
PPU is considered a universal material that allows you to effectively insulate a house from the basement to the roof. It is cheap, has low thermal conductivity and excellent adhesion, which allows it to be applied (sprayed) on any quality surface, from brick and metal to wood and roofing material. Solid varieties of polyurethane foam are produced in a slab way. Unlike soft insulation, they serve as the basis for waterproofing and facade cladding.
Styrofoam
White material with a fine mesh structure, fragile and short-lived. Despite this, it is considered a proven and convenient sound and heat insulating material due to its availability, low weight (15-35 kg / m 3) and ease of installation (using glue). It is beneficial to use polystyrene for external insulation - it does not need additional vapor and waterproofing.
Elastic and resilient polyurethane foam is easy to use Source zemkadastr45.ru
The foam used in construction (and for packaging) is not toxic, but when burned, it releases extremely harmful chemical compounds, knowledge of this feature makes many customers choose another insulation.
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:
Expanded polystyrene (penoplex)
Expanded polystyrene is a popular heat-insulating material, thanks to long term service, low cost and excellent sound and heat-saving properties. The material demonstrates high hydrophobicity (absorbency is not more than 3% by weight), compressive and bending strength, fire resistance and non-toxicity.
Penoplex plates are attached to the frame racks with glue. Experts advise protecting the material from solar ultraviolet radiation.
Expanded clay
The material is the most common and proven bulk type insulation; it is used in the thermal insulation of floors, interfloor ceilings and walls. The basis of expanded clay are refractory clays, which are subjected to heat treatment during the production process. The result is granules, crushed stone or sand with a characteristic porous structure and with attractive parameters, which include good thermal insulation and low weight, environmental friendliness, chemical inertness and vapor permeability.
Various fractions of expanded clay Source stroyfora.ru
Expanded clay is not combustible, does not lose its thermal insulation properties with temperature fluctuations. The only drawback of expanded clay is that its heat-shielding performance is inferior to synthetic materials.
Foam glass
In the form of granules, not only expanded clay is produced, but also foam glass - a material with more high level thermal protection. For its manufacture, sand and glass cullet are used, which automatically turns the material into the safest and purest product. Granulated foam glass is indifferent to bio- and chemical agents, moisture-resistant, and its only (and tangible) drawback can be considered high cost.
Video description
About the insulation of the American frame house in the following video:
The importance of high-quality vapor barrier and wind protection of heaters
In order for mineral wool heaters to do their job perfectly, they need well-arranged steam, hydro and wind insulation:
vapor barrier. Serves as a barrier to moisture coming from the room. In the absence of such a protective layer, mineral wool absorbs moisture, and its ability to retain heat drops sharply.
Hydro wind protection. Both a windbreaker worn over a sweater and a protective membrane on the outside of the wall help to retain heat. Such a protective material has a complex multi-layer structure - it not only retains heat, but also allows water vapor to pass out, while simultaneously preventing atmospheric moisture from penetrating inside.
Modern protective membranes are able to isolate the insulation as much as possible (and, therefore, the wall structure), which cannot be said about polyethylene film, which strive to use economical (or not familiar with physics) builders. Polyethylene will inevitably create the effect of a thermos inside the wall without the possibility of ventilation, which leads to damage to the insulation layer throughout the walls.
Wind protection of a frame house is a mandatory component of construction source seattlehelpers.org
Conclusion
The final decision on the best way to insulate a frame house remains with the owner of the future housing. So that the wrong choice of material and technology does not lead to disappointment in the frame house, you should carefully consider the features of heaters. Properly selected heat-insulating material and its installation, carried out taking into account technological requirements, will make the house truly warm and energy efficient.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 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 foam insulation replace 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 - constant work of exhaust and supply ventilation.
The walls are insulated with foam. In addition to the main advantage - 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 unhelpful and frankly harmful chemicals, so foam insulation is recommended to be performed from the outside bearing walls. With internal and frame insulation, it is necessary to insulate with high quality polystyrene boards from indoor space. 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 fairly 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 puts on special means protection - clothing, gloves, goggles, 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 superimposed on brickwork small cracks appear. 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:
- Qualitatively isolates all joints and cracks.
- 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 best 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.
Most popular in modern insulation uses the basalt version of building 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.
Warming internal walls 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 are not in contact with interior spaces. 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).
Restriction to internal and frame insulation residential buildings is the content of harmful substances-borates in the material. In each kilogram of ecowool - 200 g of borax and boric acid, which are odorless, but can cause severe poisoning when inhaled vapors.
Expanded clay for skeleton
This is another option 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 thermal insulation walls. 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, the same thermal insulation properties have 10cm foam, 12cm stone wool and 70 cm of brick.
- 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 head of the choice, then the most optimum material filler for frame wall- mineral basalt wool.
