Some car owners also have designated areas for them - garages. This best option not just for storage vehicle, but also to accommodate all tools, spare parts and accessories. To keep this room warm during the cold season, it is worth thinking about insulating it. If in this case there are no special problems with the walls and roof, then you will have to tinker with the gates. In this article we will look at how to insulate garage doors with our own hands and give recommendations regarding the main sources of heat loss.
Many people wonder why it is so necessary to take care of insulating garage doors from the inside. The answer is quite simple: if it is constantly cold inside, then this will negatively affect the interior decoration of the building, the car and some elements, for example, engine oil. As a result, this will lead to the formation of mold on the walls of the garage and unpleasant smell dampness, which sooner or later will transfer to the vehicle. Unprotected metal elements will begin to corrode, and the locking mechanism will often fail.
In addition, do not forget that you will not be able to spend much time in a cold room, which means that in winter you will not have time for repairs. Constant dampness in the autumn-winter period will not benefit the car owner, but will only harm his health. To solve this problem, it is enough to insulate all surfaces, but you should start with the gate.
Thoughtful insulation will reduce the cost of car care and not harm your health.
No matter how strange it may sound, to carry out high-quality insulation of the garage, in particular the gate, each owner will have to remember the basics of chemistry and physics. What is meant? Constant fluctuations in day and night air temperatures lead to the formation of condensation inside the garage, especially on the gates. It is he who will constantly negatively influence everything that is here, from the finishing to the car itself.
If you complete all the steps for insulating surfaces and garage doors, then even in the coldest season of the year, the indoor air temperature should not fall below +5ºС. Therefore, before you start planning insulation, it is worth taking into account many nuances. The basis of insulation is the correctly selected material that will be attached to the garage door.
In just one winter, in an uninsulated room, corrosion will form on metal elements, which will quickly ruin the structure. In addition, it is worth considering that this phenomenon will also deteriorate the electrical wiring, and this, in turn, can lead to a fire.
Almost the entire insulation process will depend precisely on whether the material for insulation was chosen correctly. When choosing, it is important to consider its properties and quality. Among the entire range of insulation materials, and it is quite large, you should choose the three most popular options:
- mineral wool;
- extruded polystyrene foam (foam);
- polyurethane foam.
Each of them has a lot of advantages, but you also need to pay attention to the disadvantages. For example, polystyrene foam is not fire resistant enough, but at the same time it has high moisture resistance and low thermal conductivity. Mineral wool, on the contrary, has a high level of fire resistance, but minimal moisture resistance.
Polyurethane foam is the latest technology for insulating garages from the inside. This spraying is quite effective and fully copes with the task. Benefits include:
- seamless installation;
- low weight of insulation;
- low thermal conductivity;
- high fire resistance;
- resistance to temperature changes, biological and chemical aggressors;
- durability;
- strength;
- the ability to use any finish on the sprayed surface.
When insulating garage doors, it is necessary to proceed from the fact that the surface of the door should heat up very quickly, allow heat to pass in well and slowly release it out. Also, do not forget to first measure the area that will be insulated in order to purchase required amount material and other necessary elements(fasteners or glue).
When choosing insulation, pay attention not only to the thermal conductivity index, but also to the presence of thermal inertia.
Basic methods
The insulation technology will depend entirely on the selected material. The principle of insulation is the same for everyone insulating materials. All processes are quite simple, so you can easily do them yourself without involving professionals, and, therefore, save your money.
Insulation work can be carried out in several ways:
- frame and sashes;
- for one target;
- several sections
Before you begin, carefully inspect the garage door leaves and frame. If there are traces of rust or other damage, they must be repaired. To eliminate cracks, it is enough to use polyurethane foam. This will prevent losses large quantity heat, as well as the formation of drafts. In addition, it is through the cracks that snow usually gets into the room during a blizzard.
The next step is the installation of special polymer inserts on the floor. With their help, you can prevent the ingress of moisture from melted snow and rain. For greater reliability, garage doors must be coated with a primer and then painted on top using paint with anti-corrosion properties. Before proceeding with the installation or assembly of the heat insulator, you must wait until the paint and varnish coatings have completely dried.
If the choice fell on foam insulation, then it can be laid either on the metal surface itself or between the sheathing. For the first option you will need special glue, and for the second - special frame. You can make a sheathing from slats, timber or metal profiles, and sheathe the gate plastic panels or wooden clapboard.
You can carry out the process of insulating only one sash (it is also recommended to use foam boards for these purposes). It is worth considering that if you want to repeat the process for the second section, you should use the same material of the same thickness with identical characteristics. In the process of fixing the foam, it is important to adhere to one rule: there should not be even the smallest air gap between the heat insulator and the gate. Otherwise, condensation will accumulate here, which will negatively affect the metal and the insulation carried out.
It is necessary to select the material and method of fixing it on the garage door based on the design of the gate.
Work order
To insulate the gate, you must follow a certain sequence:
- Inspecting surfaces for defects.
- Removing rust and cracks by stripping and caulking.
- Padding.
- Coloring.
- Preparation of wood for creating sheathing: cutting, treatment with antiseptics, installation (vertical).
- Laying thermal insulation between the slats. If necessary, foam boards should be cut into the necessary pieces that can be easily fixed. For reliability, glue is used. Make sure there are no gaps. If there are any, it is worth using polyurethane foam or sealant.
- After the installation of the foam is completed, you can proceed to covering the sash. The most suitable for this different ways and methods, but the simplest and most accessible is the use of boards or lining.
- On last stage The covering is opened with varnish or stain. The metal plate is painted.
Pay attention to the cracks during insulation, especially at the junction of two doors.
If your garage is located in a garage cooperative, then to equip it it is enough to limit yourself to insulating the gates. So, you will significantly reduce heat loss. This means that this event should be held without fail. The only question is which insulation material is best suited. But this has already been mentioned in this article.
To prevent the gate from being subject to corrosion due to the accumulation of condensation between the metal and the insulation layer, the metal gates should be waterproofed swing gates. Self-adhesive isolon can play this role. It can be used as additional/primary thermal insulation. In this case, it all depends on its thickness.
If the isolon is not thick enough, then sheets of expanded polystyrene, for example, should be glued to it. This is done using tile adhesive/foam. Here it is as you wish.
How to glue foam plastic has already been described in more detail in the article.
It is worth noting that extruded polystyrene foam is strong enough, so after its installation you don’t have to do any external finishing of the gate. Simply tape the seams aluminum foil. But when using expanded polystyrene foam, which has a low density, you cannot do without the finishing lining of the gate. For these purposes, you can use wooden lining/siding/OSB.
The instructions outlined in this article will help you insulate your garage door quickly and efficiently. If you already have experience in this matter, then write comments on the article.
Video
You can learn how to properly insulate a garage without outside help from the video:
Photo
The photo shows options for insulating garage doors:
Everyone knows that metal garage doors freeze over in winter and become covered with a whole coat of frost. You've probably heard that you can use grease or another product to lubricate the inside of a garage door. Then supposedly there will be no ice. Much fewer people understand why this happens and how it relates to the need to insulate their garage doors.
Each of us studied thermal conductivity at school. If the garage is made entirely of metal, then the garage doors are not afraid of frost. The entire perimeter of the garage will freeze evenly. And in permanent garages (where only the gates are metal), it is the gates that freeze, because they are the most heat-conducting element.
Even though the garage door will be frozen, the walls will be fine. In this case, the gate acts as a cooled coil in the winter. moonshine still. They condense moisture from inside the room and turn it into ice.
The temperature in the garage affects the condition of your vehicle. And first of all - on its rubber technical elements. The higher the room temperature, the more comfortable it will be for you to use your car inside in winter. Temperature also sets the microclimatic conditions inside basement(if there is one) under the garage. To retain heat inside the garage, you need to insulate it very carefully. This article will talk about how to insulate.
To determine whether you need to insulate your garage door yourself, you need to understand one thing: important point. Even without taking into account the winter cold, the usual thermal fluctuations during daylight and warm hours can cause condensation to form inside the garage. Constantly high humidity has a bad effect not only on the condition of objects, but also on the car body: the metal surface can rust, electrical wiring can rot. Fungus and mold often appear in the corners of the garage.
After condensation freezes, excess moisture will cause the finishing material to crack. But there is great news - such a seemingly serious problem can be solved. Just choose the right insulation material, and then insulate the doors and garage gates. Upon completion of work, the temperature will not drop below 5 °C.
So, insulating the gate will solve the problem with:
- metal corrosion ( metal gates garage, metal products located in the garage itself);
- “rotting” of a car in the garage, which drives there while still “warm”. And if there is a considerable amount of cold ice in a closed room, then condensation will form on every metal item. That’s why cars “rot” in garages;
- ice, which appears even with a sharp change in outside temperature (not necessarily sub-zero). It makes it impossible to open the gate.
How to insulate garage doors? Let's look at this.
Preparing for insulation work
There are several ways to insulate your garage door. You can initially buy and install high-quality garage doors that already have insulation material. You can also insulate existing gates with your own hands. The last option will cost you less. By the way, the process itself will not take much time. And for insulation you do not need to have special skills in construction.
Before installing the insulation, measurements are taken of the area of the gate structure so that the total volume of the insulation surface can be determined. Where does insulation of garage doors begin? Since the metal surface is cleaned of dust, dirt and other contaminants. Wash your garage door and dry it. Next, all holes and cracks are sealed using polyurethane foam. When it has completely hardened, its protruding remains are removed using a knife.
How to mark insulation material?
The marking of the selected type of insulation is done depending on the structure and area of the garage door structure. Perfect option markings are when all the insulation sheets are fully used, except for the seams and joints between the plates. But how to proceed to insulating garage doors from the inside without leaving any excess material? To achieve this goal, entire sheets of insulation are immediately used. And the space that remains is sealed with pieces of foam plastic.
When cutting the insulation, the stiffening ribs of the door are taken into account, because it happens that the corners of the insulation material protrude greatly above the door leaf. The selected insulation is cut at an angle to the required thickness.
How is the insulation attached?
How fastening material use polyurethane adhesive foam. If you have never used such foam before, then working with it will bring you delight, since installation with it is reliable, quick and easy. The main advantage of this glue is the quality of the polyurethane foam.
Adhesive foam is applied to the insulation. After five minutes, the sheet with the material applied to it must be glued to the cleaned surface of the gate.
Experts recommend starting installation of sheets from the bottom of the gate. The first sheet is glued without pressing firmly to the surface, otherwise the foam structure may be destroyed. After the first sheet has been installed, subsequent ones must be glued with a standard gap of about a centimeter.
Sealant or polyurethane foam fill the seams that appear between the sheets of insulation. After an hour, when the adhesive foam has completely dried, the joints and seams between the insulation sheets can be sealed with foam. Excess foam can be removed with a knife. To ensure that the insulation of metal garage doors has an attractive appearance, the installed insulation is finished with clapboard.
Selection of insulating material
Before you insulate your garage door, you should understand the following. The insulation process directly depends on whether you managed to choose the right insulation material. When choosing, consider its quality and properties. Among the choice of insulation (and there are many varieties), pay attention to the three most popular options:
- on mineral wool;
- polyurethane foam;
- extruded polystyrene foam (foam).
Each of them has a lot of advantages, but one cannot ignore the disadvantages. For example, the fire resistance of polystyrene foam leaves much to be desired. But at the same time it has high moisture resistance and low thermal conductivity. U mineral wool, vice versa, high level fire resistance, but minimal moisture resistance.
Polyurethane foam is the latest technology concerning the insulation of the garage from the inside. Spraying is quite effective and completely fulfills the task. It is different:
- seamless installation;
- low weight of insulation;
- low thermal conductivity;
- high fire resistance;
- resistance to temperature changes, chemical and biological aggressors;
- durability;
- strength;
- the ability to use any finish for the sprayed surface.
Mineral wool is a material in the form of fibers, which is made by processing a special rock. The material has low thermal insulation, but thanks to it the room is well insulated. Cotton wool is produced in rolls and slabs.
Extruded polystyrene foam is considered a more expensive finishing option. It differs from other materials in the method of installation and gluing. Installation begins with the construction of a sheathing and stretching of a film designed to protect against moisture and vapor barrier. You can see how all this is done here:
Note! When insulating garage doors, you need to understand that their surface should heat up quickly, allow heat to pass in well, and also slowly release it out. Don’t forget to measure the area you are going to insulate in advance in order to purchase the required amount of materials and other important elements (glue or fasteners).
When choosing insulation, pay attention not only to thermal conductivity, but also to the presence of thermal inertia.
Lathing for insulating garage doors
Thermal insulation using any materials involves the use of lathing for the construction of the gate leaf, which will secure the insulation. The gate lining will then be attached to it. To make the lathing, use wooden blocks with a cross-section of 4 x 4 cm or 5 x 5 cm (depending on the design of the gate). The lathing must be attached to the load-bearing frame of the gate leaf: to the corner or profile steel pipe.
To make a wooden sheathing, you need:
- Prepare the required number of wooden blocks in advance. When purchasing, give preference exclusively to dry wood;
- treat the bars twice with an antiseptic composition (to prevent them from rotting under difficult conditions of temperature changes and high humidity);
- A block is attached to each power element of the gate. Use a screw for this. To do this, mark the places where the holes will be, and then use a drill to make through holes. The diameter of the drill must match the screw. When you attach the bars, do not forget to make holes in them in advance using a thin drill. Then the screws being screwed in will not split them;
- If there is a ventilation hole on the gate, it is surrounded by lathing around the perimeter. This also applies to locks;
- if there are no steel strength elements on the central part of the gate, then the bars can be attached to one another in any way: using corners, at the end, etc.
What types of garage doors can and should be insulated? About swing gates
Most garage doors have a swing design, which undoubtedly needs to be insulated. The base of the gate is a frame made of profile pipes and a sheet of steel that plays the role exterior finishing. It is known that steel has high thermal conductivity, so many people know that uninsulated gates made of of this material are not a barrier to heat leakage from the room. It is important that swing gates have a wicket, which significantly reduces heat loss during frequent movements of people. Therefore, if you are still building a garage, then you should order gates that are already insulated and have a wicket.
Nowadays, sectional and up-and-over doors are considered very fashionable. The sections or web of this product are a sandwich of panels made of sheet steel on the outside and polyurethane foam on the inside. This design already has the necessary thermal insulation properties. And additional insulation measures are not required in this case. These types of gates, if you want, can also be equipped with a wicket. This is something that absolutely needs to be done.
Handicraft up-and-over gates are also sold. However, the insulation of garage doors of such models has no fundamental differences from swing gates, because they are based on the same frame and sheet of steel.
Rolling gates are not insulated at all due to their special design. And they cannot always be called garage doors, since in terms of thermal insulation and anti-vandal characteristics they are much worse than all other types.
If the garage for your car is located in a garage cooperative, then its arrangement consists of insulating the gates. As mentioned earlier, this will significantly reduce heat loss. Accordingly, holding this event is mandatory. The question is which materials to choose. We have already discussed what is best suited for what.
To prevent the gate material from suffering from corrosion due to condensation accumulating between the insulation layer and the metal, swing metal gates are waterproofed. Self-adhesive isolon can cope with this function. It can be used as additional or basic thermal insulation. In this case, its thickness decides everything.
If the isolon is not thick enough, then polystyrene foam in sheets is glued to it. In this case, use tile adhesive or polyurethane foam.
Additional methods of insulation
In addition to installing insulation, there are other options for insulating garage doors that reduce the amount of warm air escaping outside. Thanks to this action it is possible to create comfortable conditions in room.
- The use of ordinary curtains, but not those used in apartments, but made of dense materials that perfectly hold back the cold and do not let it immediately into the room. They are done without unnecessary hassle: first, a steel thread or thin rope is pulled. You can attach a canvas to it using rings that are well attached to a dense material (for example, to a tarpaulin). This method of insulation is suitable for those who are forced to often open the gate or, due to certain circumstances, one gate leaf always remains open.
- In the first stages of garage construction, many car owners forget to take into account the fact that less heat can escape through a small hole than when the gate is fully or partially opened. It turns out that it is better to make a small one doorway at the gate. Then there is no need to open the entire garage to simply take tools such as, for example, hammers for hammering nails. Therefore, when ordering gates, ask them to make separate doors for you.
- The joints between the wall and the gate, too, as you already know, are subject to additional insulation. You can also install thresholds to reduce the waste of heat that will escape through the cracks. To ensure the insulation function, vinyl material with appropriate dimensions and thickness is used. Vinyl tape is attached along the edges of the joints where there are gaps. To fasten the tape use nails or assembly adhesive. This is an additional barrier to heat loss.
Why is it important to insulate your garage door?
First of all, insulating your garage door is about taking care of your “iron horse.” If you can really create good conditions for your car, it will serve you well for a long time. After all, it turns out that cars can also “catch a cold” and “get sick” in an overly damp or cold room. And, like every patient, such a car needs special “treatment”, which, believe me, will cost you a lot Money. For this reason, as they say, prevention is always cheaper than cure.
In addition, many people use the garage not only as a place to park their car, but also as a warehouse for old things or even a man’s personal space. Often it is in the garage that a small workshop is organized in which sets are stored different instruments, useful in the process of creating various things or carrying out repair “work”.
Note
You can also turn a garage into a recreation room for spending leisure time with friends. Therefore, pay close attention to the insulation of this type of room. Make sure your garage feels “warm” in winter and cool in summer. To do this, you “should” try to create comfortable conditions for being inside the garage.
Not all car owners have a garage, but most of them dream of one. Not all happy owners of a garage have it insulated, but most of them, who have at least once felt the beauty of insulation, dream about it. And behind the apparent complexity of the insulation process there is a sequence simple actions, which any normal man can reproduce. In this article, car owners are invited to find out how from the inside, since they are the main source of overall heat loss.
Why insulate your garage door?
Car enthusiasts may ask a completely reasonable question: “Why, in general, insulate the gates and the garage itself? After all, this is a room where a person periodically appears in it, and the car is under the roof and protected from natural influences.” In words, everything seems to be so, but it is necessary to understand it in order. What are the arguments for insulating garage doors?
- The gate is the largest part of the garage by area, which connects it with external, not always favorable, natural conditions. It is through the gate that maximum heat transfer occurs: in winter, the necessary heat tends to escape, and in the hot summer, unnecessary heat penetrates inside the garage.
How heat “leaks” from the garage door is clearly visible on the thermogram - Very often, garage owners organize workshops in them so as not to do the necessary carpentry or plumbing work at home; many car repair operations can be done in the garage, and this requires a long stay in it. Therefore, insulating the gates is simply necessary.
- Insulating a garage does temperature regime softer, without sharp vibrations, and this saves from moisture condensation both in the garage and on the car and, especially in its hidden cavities. In properly insulated garages, car bodies are less susceptible to corrosion.
Another fundamental question: should the gate be insulated from the outside or from the inside? Construction science recommends insulating solid walls from the outside and covering the insulation layer with plaster. Gates are a completely different design. Firstly, they need to be movable to open and close, and, secondly, they perform a protective and anti-vandal function, which they do best a metal sheet. Therefore, it is advisable to insulate them from the inside.
What types of garage doors need to be insulated?
Most garage doors have a swing design, which, of course, simply needs to be insulated. The basis of such gates is a frame made of profile pipes and steel sheet as an external finish. The very high thermal conductivity of steel is known, so we can assume that such non-insulated gates do not pose any barrier to heat leakage. In swing gates, it is important to have a wicket gate, which greatly reduces heat loss when people move frequently. Therefore, if the garage is still at the construction stage, then you need to order it with a gate.
Lift-and-swivel ones are very fashionable these days and the vast majority are factory-made. Their canvas or sections are a sandwich panel made of sheet steel on the outside and polyurethane foam on the inside. This design already has the necessary thermal insulation properties and does not require additional insulation measures. These types of gates, at the request of the customer, can also be equipped with a wicket door, which must be done.
Meet up and over gates handmade, but in this case their insulation will not differ fundamentally from swing gates, since they are based on the same frame and steel sheet.
It is impossible to insulate roller gates due to the peculiarities of their design. Yes, and they can be called garage doors with a very big stretch, since in terms of thermal insulation and anti-vandal properties they are inferior to all others.
Choice of insulation
Insulation is a material that has minimal thermal conductivity. In construction science, thermal conductivity is assessed with a special indicator - the thermal conductivity coefficient. And the smaller it is, the greater the chance of this material becoming insulation.
In the presented table, its upper part is insulation materials, and the lower part (from No. 16 onwards) is building materials that need to be insulated. The insulation layer greatly slows down the transfer of thermal energy and the thicker this layer is, the better, but at the same time the principle of reasonable sufficiency is observed. For garage doors, a layer of insulation of 5 cm will be quite enough.
In today's wide selection of different building materials There are a huge number of insulation materials under different names. It is very difficult to navigate them, especially for an inexperienced person, but in fact there are only a few main classes, some of which are suitable for insulating garage doors, and some of which are not.
Mineral wool
Mineral wool is a wonderful heat-insulating material that has proven itself very well in construction. Under this name there are actually three subtypes of insulation:
- Glass wool, consisting of the finest glass fibers (5-15 microns) with a length of 15 to 50 mm. It has the required low thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.03-0.05 W/m*°K, a wide range permissible temperatures from -60 to +450 °C, good elasticity and strength. When working with it, always wear protective equipment, since the smallest fibers easily break, dig into the skin and enter the respiratory tract. The hygroscopicity of glass wool is moderate.
- Slag obtained from metallurgical production waste - blast furnace slag. The fibers are thin - 4-12 microns, and the length is shorter than that of glass wool - approximately 15-16 mm. The thermal conductivity of this material is slightly higher than that of glass wool 0.040-0.050 W/m*°K, but quite acceptable. It is better not to use it for insulating a garage, since it is very hygroscopic and at the same time has acidity, which negatively affects the metal.
- Stone wool obtained by melting rocks of volcanic origin. Its structure is very similar to slag wool, but it has better heat resistance and lacks acid aggressiveness. Thermal conductivity stone wool 0.03–0.04 W/m*°K. Some types of this insulation use phenol-formaldehyde resins as a binder, so when heated, it can release phenols into the surrounding air, which are extremely harmful to humans. The hygroscopicity of this material is high.
Basalt wool is the most popular among all porous insulation materials All types of mineral wool are highly hygroscopic, so their use for insulating garage doors is limited, since moisture will condense in the insulation layer, reducing the thermal insulation properties of this material. Glass wool is dangerous to work with; slag wool has residual acidity, so only stone basalt wool is applicable, provided that vapor barrier films are used.
Styrofoam
Foam plastics are a fairly wide class of synthetic materials, the common thing of which is their foamed gas-filled structure, and the base is some kind of polymer. It is by the type of this polymer that foams can be classified.
- Polystyrene foam is the most famous and looks like sintered gas-filled balls. This type of foam is an excellent insulator and is used most often. Designated as PSB or PSB-S. In this class, the most interesting is extruded polystyrene foam (EPS), which has better strength, negligible hygroscopicity and fire resistance. For insulating garage doors, EPS is one of the best choices. In retail chains it may be called: Stirex, TechnoNIKOL, Penoplex, URSA XPS, etc.
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foams are used in construction for heat and sound insulation. Panels made from it can be rigid or elastic. This is an excellent material, similar to EPS, which has increased fire resistance. According to international standards, it is labeled as PVC. In retail chains it is less common than PSB or EPPS.
- Urea-formaldehyde polystyrene foam (FPP) – widely used for thermal insulation. Its advantage is that it does not expand in volume when it dries, so on construction sites it is used in liquid form to fill cavities. Known in retail chains under the names: Mattamplast, Poroplast cf, Unipor, Omiflex, Penoizol, Pentyl. It can be used for thermal insulation of garage doors.
- Polyurethane foam (PPU) foam is known to us in two forms. Elastic polyurethane foam is nothing more than foam rubber, and hard polyurethane foam is polyurethane foam. For thermal insulation purposes, rigid polyurethane foam is suitable, as it has excellent adhesion to all surfaces, has excellent thermal insulation properties and is waterproofing agent. Can be applied directly on the construction site by spraying. Perhaps this the best choice for thermal insulation of garage doors. The only drawback is that applying the coating requires special equipment, which slightly increases the cost of thermal insulation.
Prices for thermal insulation materials
Thermal insulation materials
Judging by the types of garage door designs described earlier, insulation is required, first of all, by swing gates, as well as up-and-over gates manufactured independently. Before you start insulating, you should check the ventilation system in the garage. Why is this being done?
- Any garage must be provided with a ventilation system: supply and exhaust. Very often the supply hole is made in the gate, so this must be taken into account when insulating. The insulation should not block the ventilation hole.
- It happens that forced ventilation“organized” due to the loose fit of the garage door leaves. It is unacceptable! If the garage does not have an air supply hole, then it should be organized at the bottom of the door.
Preparing the gate surface
Before starting work on thermal insulation of the gate, it is necessary to prepare the inner surface of the gate, which may have pockets of corrosion, old peeling paint, various contaminants, etc. To do this, you need to:
- Large pockets of corrosion, where there are peeling layers of rust, are cleaned with a brush with metal bristles.
- Next, it is better to resort to mechanized processing of the gate surface using brush attachments to the drill.
- The most top scores allows cleaning of rust using polymer-abrasive“Piranha” brushes, which work together with the grinder. Working with it is absolutely safe, but you should not forget about protective equipment. When working, you can water the surface; the polymer fluff penetrates into the most hard to reach places. Considering that angle grinders The machines (grinders) operate at high speeds, the cleaning process goes very quickly.
- After complete cleaning and degreasing, an anti-corrosion primer is applied in two layers. You can use any suitable one. If the primer is applied with a brush, then the second layer is applied perpendicular to the first. Best to use aerosol cans– the quality of the coating will be better.
Making lathing for insulating gates
With any method of thermal insulation, using any materials, the design of the gate leaf will require a lathing, which, firstly, will help secure the insulation, and, secondly, the gate lining will be attached to it in the future. To make the lathing you will need wooden blocks cross section 4*4 cm or 5*5 cm, depending on the design of the gate. The lathing must be attached to the load-bearing frame of the gate leaf: a profile steel pipe or angle. For the manufacture of wooden sheathing necessary:
- Prepare the required number of wooden blocks. When purchasing, you need to choose only dry wood.
- The bars are treated twice with an antiseptic composition to prevent them from rotting in difficult conditions temperature changes and high humidity.
- The bars are attached to the gate's strength elements using screws. To do this, after marking, you need to mark the locations of future holes, and then use a drill with a diameter corresponding to the screw to make through holes. When attaching the bars, do not forget to first make holes in them with a thin drill so that the screw being screwed in does not split them.
- If there is a ventilation hole on the door leaf, it must be surrounded by lathing around the perimeter. This also applies to locks and deadbolts.
- If there are no steel strength elements on the central part of the door leaf, then the bars can be fastened to each other in any convenient way: at the end, using corners, etc.
Insulation of garage doors with mineral wool
If you have already decided to insulate the gate with mineral wool, then it is better to choose basalt wool from well-known manufacturers. But before laying insulation, you need to take care of waterproofing, since mineral wool is a very hygroscopic material. For these purposes the following can be used:
- The inside of the gate can be covered with waterproofing mastic, for example, bitumen-polymer.
- Very good results give self-adhesive materials Izolon or any others.
After waterproofing the surface of the gate, you can cut the insulation into pieces of such a size that they fit very tightly between the sheathing bars. Mineral wool can cake over time, so the denser the better. After laying all the insulation, a vapor barrier film is stretched on top and attached to the sheathing bars construction stapler. After this operation, we can say that the gate is ready for final cladding.
Insulating gates with foam plastic
If regular PSB foam is used to insulate the gate, then the use of waterproofing is also desirable. This material is capable, although not in the same way as mineral wool, of absorbing moisture, which reduces its thermal insulation properties. It is advisable to use EPS, which is not hygroscopic. Extruded polystyrene foam, although more expensive, does not require waterproofing. For the surface of the gate you need:
- After measuring the space between the sheathing bars, a cutting plan for the foam sheets is drawn up. The main rule is a minimum of joints. It is necessary to take into account that the size of the cut sheets should be 2-3 mm larger than the cell size - the foam should fit into place very tightly. You can cut foam plastic with a construction knife using a ruler.
Video: How to properly cut foam with a knife
- Foam sheets can be glued to the surface of the gate using polyurethane foam. It is better to use professional foam supplied by a gun, since its volumetric expansion is small. For gluing, foam is continuously applied to the back of the sheet along all edges of the sheet and one line in the center parallel to the long side. Next, the sheet is installed in its place and pressed firmly with a block or rule. By tapping you can adjust the position of the sheet. After a few minutes the position is checked and adjusted if necessary.
Video: How to glue polystyrene foam with polyurethane foam
- After installing all the sheets, all joints and cavities are treated with polyurethane foam. After the foam has dried, the excess is cut off and the surface can be lightly floated. The gate is ready for cladding.
Insulation of gates with polyurethane foam
When insulating gates using this method, it is no longer possible to do without the involvement of qualified labor and special equipment. Polyurethane foam is applied special installation by spraying in several layers. A wooden sheathing is still needed, since it is convenient to attach finishing cladding gate
Has clear advantages:
- Polyurethane foam (PPU) has excellent adhesion to almost all surfaces, and its properties do not change over time.
- The thermal insulation properties of polyurethane foam are very high - its thermal conductivity coefficient is 0.019-0.035 W/m*°K.
- When applying polyurethane foam by spraying, no cavities remain and no “cold bridges” are formed.
- Polyurethane foam is an excellent water and vapor barrier, so additional waterproofing is not required.
- According to manufacturers, the service life of thermal insulation made of polyurethane foam is at least 70 years.
Video: Applying polyurethane foam coating to a garage door
Before applying the coating, gate hinges, locks, deadbolts and ventilation holes film, pasting it around the edges with masking tape. Coating is applied only in protective clothing, goggles and a respirator. After applying the calculated layer of insulation and its complete drying, the excess on the sheathing can be trimmed with a construction knife. After this, the gate is ready for cladding.
Lining the inner surface of the gate
The main thing has already been done! Garage doors are already equipped with thermal insulation, but aesthetics and practicality have not yet been canceled, so it is best to line them with some kind of material. What can serve as cladding?
- Cladding with corrugated sheeting is a practical solution, but based on the experience of people who have done this, moisture can condense on the surface.
- Cladding with plastic lining - looks good, easy installation, but the surface is very easy to damage.
- Cladding with wooden lining is one of the most practical and beautiful solutions, but the wood needs to be treated with antiseptics and fire retardants.
- Cladding with OSB sheets (oriented strand boards). This option is perhaps the best, since OSB sheets are not subject to rotting, have the required strength and have a beautiful appearance. If desired, you can paint the surface in any preferred color.
The cladding is fastened to the sheathing bars using screws with a press washer.
Additional measures for insulating garage doors
Gate leaf seals
One of the main ways that precious heat is lost from the garage is through loose fitting of the gate leaves. Very rarely do they fit so tightly together that they exclude any air movement. Therefore, it is always necessary to use seals, which come in different profiles and sizes.
For a tight fit of gate leaves and wickets, a round rubber seal with a diameter of 20 mm has proven itself best. Due to the rubber tail, this seal can be easily attached to any door. To do this, take a perforated steel strip and press the tail of the seal in a pre-designated place and screw it with self-tapping screws in increments of 15-20 cm to the gate leaf. It is advisable to coat the tail of the tape with glue No. 88 before installation.
Another area where heat can escape from the garage is the bottom of the door. Naturally, you cannot do without a gap in this place. Rubber seals are not suitable for this purpose, but there are special brush profiles specifically designed to seal the bottom of the gate. Installation of this profile is quite simple - it must be screwed to the bottom of the gate with self-tapping screws in increments of 15-20 cm. Wherein, when fully closed, the brushes should bend by about a third of their length.
Garage curtain
A significant plus in saving heat in the garage in winter time brings in a garage curtain, which is hung directly behind the gate. The curtain material must meet certain requirements:
- The material must be dense, since lightweight materials do little to prevent heat loss.
- Resistance to high humidity and mold.
- Fire resistance.
- Strength and elasticity.
All these requirements are perfectly met by an ordinary tarpaulin, however, with a small caveat - it must have a water-repellent impregnation. They also make curtains from heavy PVC fabric, but tarpaulin Sun it is equally out of competition.
Best material for garage curtains - tarpaulin. It is worth purchasing along with eyelets Along with the tarpaulin, you should also purchase eyelets, which are inserted into the fabric at a distance of 20 cm. The panel is suspended on a cable or (which is better) a metal curtain rod using rings inserted into the eyelets of the curtain. Opposite the gate, a cut must be made in the curtain fabric to allow free movement without moving the entire panel.
Conclusion
- Insulating your garage and garage doors is not overkill. These measures will allow you to better preserve the car, which is comfortable in the garage both in cold winter and hot summer.
- Garage doors are only insulated from the inside.
- The best method of insulation is spraying.
Video: Garage door insulation option
Video: Another insulation option
The garage, in our realities, often serves its owner and station Maintenance car, and workshop. And sometimes - a cellar, pantry, warehouse and God knows what else. Therefore, the creation of a certain microclimate in it, and therefore the need for insulation, is not a whim of the car owner, but a vital necessity.
The main heat exchanger, of course, is the garage door made of metal. In the summer they serve as a huge battery that actively heats the air inside the garage, and in the winter as a refrigerator. Insulating them will radically improve the situation. And if everything is more or less clear with protection from the summer heat - almost any insulation system will do here, then protection from the cold will require more thoughtful approaches. We are talking about the choice of insulation.
The physics of heat transfer in a garage
Even if your garage is not heated in winter, a car with a warm engine placed in it after a trip serves as a kind of heating device for some time. This means, first of all, at the gate, there are 2 air flows: warm from the inside, cold from the outside, which is why condensation forms on the inner wall of the garage door leaf. If the frost is strong enough, it turns into frost - the water freezes.
If you put insulation on the inside of the garage door, then warm air will not flow to the canvas. Everything is true, but insulation is different from insulation. If you lay mineral wool or any other type of wool, it will inevitably become moist in a garage, because the car itself is a source of excess moisture, especially in winter. At the same time, not only will it significantly lose its thermal characteristics, but it will also provoke accelerated corrosion of the gate metal.
If you heat your garage in the winter, this process will only get worse.
This method of insulating garage doors can only be used if you do not operate the car in winter or this happens extremely rarely. And even then, before closing the gate insulated with mineral wool, you need to let the car cool down sufficiently. But the food in the cellar will not freeze and such insulation will save you in the summer. But we will not consider this insulation option in this article because of its unsuitability, especially since there are more effective methods.
Simple ways to insulate garage doors from the inside
Since cotton wool is not entirely suitable, we need to find effective insulation materials that do not absorb moisture. The simplest, but unfortunately not the most economical, method would be to cover garage doors with thick polyethylene foam, the same as is used for soundproofing bodies, but thicker. It has an adhesive layer on one side. You just need to degrease the canvas, let it dry, and stick on the material cut to size. Its thickness can reach 35 mm.
There is thick polyethylene foam without an adhesive layer. It can be glued using permanent adhesive (the kind used on tape), which can be purchased online.
Or use several layers of underlay under the laminate of the same material. It is better to secure such a substrate using wooden sheathing and slats. And it’s better to protect this whole pie from the inside with some kind of sheet material, protecting from mechanical damage: plywood, OSB, plastic panels, etc.
But this will not be enough if there are gaps around the gate, as in the photo. To eliminate them, you should use various seals or even metal linings with a seal if the gaps are very large.
The second option simple solution Thermal insulation of the gate opening will be the installation of thick curtains.
This solution is as simple as it is effective. The only inconvenience is the need to constantly raise or open such a curtain when entering and leaving the car.
The main requirement: a tight fit of the curtain to the walls and floor, especially from below, so that cold air, which, as you know, is below, is not blown in. The air gap between the door leaf and the curtain will serve as insulation for the door, and air circulation will actively dry the condensate that has formed.
The curtain material can be any, but dense: tarpaulin, awning fabric, thick polyethylene. The most commonly used type of insulation for garage doors is their insulation with polystyrene foam.
How to insulate garage doors with polystyrene foam
The choice of polystyrene foam for insulating garage doors from the inside with your own hands is explained simply:
- relative cheapness of the material;
- ease of cutting;
- insulation efficiency (one and a half times more effective than mineral wool);
- Possibility of operation without additional protection.
Polystyrene foam, unlike cotton wool, is absolutely hydrophobic, it does not harbor fungus and does not release small fiber particles into the air.
Let's take a closer look at the process of insulating garage doors with polystyrene foam. There are 2 types of it:
- made of foam granules (otherwise called ball);
- extruded.
The second is more dense, but quite expensive and, unlike PSB-S, quite flammable. It is only a little “warmer” than regular white, so when insulating, thickness plays a major role. For garage doors, a layer of 50 mm will be sufficient.
Step-by-step instructions for insulating garage doors:
1 . We clean the gate from dust, dirt and oil stains.
2. We fasten wooden slats with a thickness of 50 mm. You can do this with self-tapping screws to the shelf of the corners, you can do it right through the outside through the door leaf, or you can glue it polyurethane glue– a balloon for polyurethane foam applied using mounting gun for foam.
3. With its help we glue polystyrene, filling the cavities between the slats.
The glue on the sheets of polystyrene foam should be applied quite thickly, ideally completely.
4. We also foam the joints of the foam sheets and the places where they adjoin the slats with polyurethane foam (you can use the same foam glue). After polymerization, remove excess foam with a sharp knife flush with the foam.
5. We cover the entire surface of the gate with foil foam insulation (it is better to use aluminum foil rather than spraying) with a shiny layer inside the garage. We use self-tapping screws with a cone-shaped head, deepening them into the rail.
6. We cover the insulation with sheets of plywood or OSB, screwing them to the frame slats.
7. We glue the seal in the quarters of the openings, foam the cracks around the box.
It is advisable to paint or varnish the inner lining.
Do-it-yourself insulation of garage doors from the inside with polyurethane foam
Still, the best way to insulate garage doors from the inside is to spray polyurethane foam on them. Firstly, this is by far the most effective insulation: it is one and a half times better than expanded polystyrene and three times better than mineral wool, and secondly, having excellent adhesion, it fills all the cavities of garage doors, without leaving the slightest void.
Ideally, you should use high-density polyurethane foam and apply it with a special apparatus. But it’s unlikely that you have one of these in the corner of your garage, and hiring a team with necessary equipment quite expensive, but the raw materials themselves are not very cheap. But there are 2 options in which you can do the work yourself:
1. One of them is described in our self-production SIP panels:
Polyurethane foam in cylinders is the same polyurethane foam, although of low density, but it will do its job no worse than sprayed through installations high pressure. For this method of application, you can use an old spray gun, but with a large nozzle, and you will definitely find a compressor, if not at your place, then in one of the neighboring garages. The foam must be applied completely, resulting in a layer of 30 mm. You can do this in several steps.
2. The second is somewhat more expensive, but less troublesome. For it, you will need to purchase a Foam Kit type foam spraying kit, consisting of two containers with components A and B (polyol and isocyanate), when mixed to form polyurethane foam, a hose and a spray gun.
These kits come in different capacities, with fairly accurately calculated foam output by volume. Calculating it is not so difficult.
There are kits from other companies, and the spraying process itself will become clear to you after watching the demo video. After polymerization, the foam can be painted or covered internal lining in a convenient way.
Dear readers, if you have any questions, please ask them using the form below. We will be glad to communicate with you;)
Since a garage is not only the place of residence of a beloved car, but also the personal territory of its owner, it should be warm and moderately aesthetic. Then it will be pleasant to be here at any time of the year, and there is no shame in welcoming friends. Therefore, the question of how to insulate garage doors needs to be resolved responsibly and competently.
Types of insulation
The market offers a lot of materials: both budget and more expensive. However, not all are suitable for a garage.
Styrofoam
Well-known, and most importantly reliable, cheap, simple material. Extruded polystyrene foam is also in demand, but it is much more expensive. True, it is more durable and a 3 cm thick slab can replace a 5 cm thick foam plastic one.
Polyurethane foam
Controversial case. Some argue that it is enough to buy several cylinders of foam, from which it is easy and reliable to fill the frame of the sheathing. And for half a century you can forget about the problem. Others are not so optimistic: on outdoors in conditions of vibration that is present in the garage, it will not last even five years.
Perhaps this means polyurethane foam. It has all the necessary properties of garage insulation:
- level of thermal conductivity;
- complete immunity to moisture;
- ease of installation: it is laid on the metal evenly, tightly, without the slightest gaps, becoming a monolith with the base.
The best recommendation: it is polyurethane foam that is used to fill elite sandwich panels.
However, it is impossible to carry out the work on your own: it is necessary to involve a specialist with special equipment. Therefore, the price is prohibitive for many.
"Astratek"
1 mm coverage of this thermal insulation paint, according to the instructions, replaces a five-centimeter layer of cotton insulation, that is, 50 times thicker. However, such innovation does not come cheap. It is usually applied with a roller or brush.
cotton wool
It is presented in several modifications with different fillings: glass wool, slag wool, basalt and others.
Pros:
- low level of thermal conductivity;
- affordable price.
Disadvantage: high hygroscopicity. Cotton wool, regardless of its type, quickly absorbs moisture, becomes crumpled, and decreases in volume.
Use is possible if installation technology is followed or in dry climates.
Preparatory stage
It is necessary to carry out this before insulating the garage door from the inside, since the metal, although reliable, requires certain conditions in order to remain so for a long time.
Gates are a structure not designed for loads, so super-strong grades of steel are not used for their production. This has advantages: lower price and ease of working with such metal. However, the gate is strongly affected environment, so corrosion is inevitable. To prevent the metal from rusting in just a couple of years, the simplest algorithm is used:
- The surface is thoroughly cleaned from old paint, rust and other debris. Instead of traditional sandpaper or a hand brush for metal, you can work with an attachment with a core brush for metal.
- The stripped iron is degreased with acetone or another alcohol-containing solution.
- Primer. It's better to buy special remedy. The cheapest, but not The best way– paint with oil paint.
High quality durable paints and varnishes roads, and knowledgeable people If there is a shortage of funds, it is recommended to use any bitumen-based composition. They are not particularly aesthetic, but this is not necessary, because the surface will subsequently not be visible.
Lathing
In order for the insulation of garage doors to be of high quality, and the insulation itself to “sit” securely, a frame made of wooden blocks or thin metal profile. It is attached inside to the stiffening ribs or edges of the gate using metal screws or screws. Drill 4-5 holes for self-tapping screws per meter.
The cell structure is equal in thickness to the reinforcement cage or slightly larger, and corresponds in length and width to the dimensions of the insulation. Before starting work, the wood is thoroughly treated with an antiseptic and other protective compounds. A cheap, reliable method is impregnation with well-heated drying oil. This is necessary so that fungus or something similar does not appear.
The lathing is also done if the final cladding of the gate is planned, which is attached to it.
We insulate the gates
There are a lot of materials and ways to insulate garage doors with your own hands. They are selected depending on the climate, financial capabilities of the owner, and personal preferences.
Styrofoam
The simplest and most cost-effective way. Required:
- polystyrene foam in sheets;
- glue (preferably “liquid nails”);
- polyurethane foam.
Gates of any design are reinforced with a pipe or angle 4–5 cm thick. It is for this that foam plastic is selected. The sheets are cut and secured to the base.
If the insulation of garage doors with foam is done using glue, the foam is placed tightly, without gaps. It must be pressed firmly against the surface until the glue dries completely.
When working with polyurethane foam, the procedure is different:
- You need to leave a gap between the sheets so that the tip of the mounting gun can pass there, that is, about half a centimeter.
- The foam strips are applied in any order in an even layer, and the foam is applied to the base after a few seconds.
- Since the foam expands, every 15 to 20 minutes you need to re-press the sheet onto the base.
- When the sheet is securely glued, all gaps are sealed with the same mounting foam.
- Excess foam is cut off after hardening.
Polystyrene foam itself is not intended to be finishing material, therefore not particularly aesthetically pleasing. For beauty, you can use, for example, isolon. This is foil-coated polyethylene foam with a thickness of half a centimeter. Sticks onto foam plastic like regular wallpaper. At the same time, thermal insulation increases. But this beauty is quite fragile.
Polystyrene foam plus sheathing
A method for people who prefer to immediately solve the problem of how to insulate garage doors with polystyrene foam thoroughly and aesthetically.
If the thickness of the foam fits tightly into the sheathing, you don’t have to glue it, but simply insert it and treat the joints with foam. If it is thinner, then it is necessary to glue it so that it does not dangle. After this, if desired, cover it with some material, for example, clapboard.
cotton wool
The preparatory stage is the same as for foam plastic: the metal surface is well cleaned. When using this insulation, one point should be taken into account. The metal has high thermal conductivity, so condensation forms inside the cotton layer.
A buffer layer between the metal and the cotton wool can solve the problem. Painting, thin foil or polyethylene membranes are not enough. A more voluminous foil-coated isolon is ideal.
The interior space is covered with it, after which cotton mats are inserted into the sheathing. They are fixed on the sides with dowels and insulated on top with film. Regular technical polyethylene, attached to the sheathing with a stapler, is suitable.
In order for the cotton sheets to fit tightly in the sheathing, the size of the wooden cells should be half a centimeter smaller than the sheet.
The finishing layer can be plywood or other similar material attached to the sheathing with self-tapping screws.
Perimeter seal
No less important factor, without taking into account which insulating garage doors with your own hands will be useless.
Entrance door
When choosing a gate, you should prefer a model with a regular door. This is a little more expensive compared to solid canvas, but it pays for itself in the energy saved on heating the garage.
Obviously, repeated opening of a large door will carry away much more heat than a door that is several times smaller in size.
Crevices
It is unrealistic to ensure an absolutely tight fit of the sashes along the entire perimeter of the opening. The materials used in interior spaces for windows or doors are not initially suitable. For garage doors – solid metal structure– appropriate accessories are manufactured. Good decision rubber hoses, hollow or filled with foam rubber or other similar material. The seal is sold together with the strip or, if it is missing, it is attached to the base with screws using mounting strips. If the gaps are very large, slats are additionally used, and brush profiles are placed in the lower part.
Curtain
An accessory familiar to car service customers, it comes in several versions.
Thermal curtain
It operates on the principle of a fan heater, cutting off cold air right at the inlet. However, both the unit itself and the electricity it consumes are expensive.
Tarpaulin
The same classic sliding curtain, only with water-repellent impregnation. Installation is simple: a baguette is secured above the gate or a metal string is stretched. They are easy to hang canvas curtains on.
Tape
It is made from vertically placed ribbons above the entrance. Dense technical polyethylene is cut into strips 10–15 cm wide. They are stapled to wooden slats with an overlap of a centimeter - one and a half. Everything is pressed on top with the same rail for reliability.
Whatever the curtain, it should not reach the floor, but should be a couple of centimeters shorter.
Finishing
Interior design is not limited to the mentioned lining, plywood or insulation. The following options are no less popular:
- siding;
- galvanized iron;
- chipboards;
- PVC panels.
They are attached to the sheathing with glue or self-tapping screws, the joints are processed silicone sealant. The surface can be primed or painted. When deciding what to cover the gate with, you need to take into account the main requirement for materials - non-combustibility.
Insulating garage doors yourself is not that difficult. Materials are available in different prices and quality. If everything is done correctly, it will be pleasant and safe for both the car and its owner.
