Well      06/26/2020

How to insulate a summer house for winter living video. How to insulate a country house for winter living Insulating a garden house with your own hands

With the onset of cold weather, many summer residents, who have decided to admire the beauty of nature outside the city in winter, are seriously thinking about proper insulation its own, which will greatly increase its heat energy efficiency. Since these works are now not cheap, and the materials sometimes have exorbitant prices, we bring to your attention information that you can use to insulate your dacha yourself.

Yes, you can more thoroughly begin to insulate your country house, for example, install heating, all kinds of heated floors, etc. BUT... this is increasingly possible to do when the house is just being built or even earlier - when drawing up a project for a country house, where it will be obligatory All necessary communications are in order. What should those summer residents do who have recently bought a house that does not have a heating system at all?

Using our advice, you can quickly, efficiently and inexpensively make yours warm. country house hic!

So, insulating a country house: where to start?

The first step is to carefully examine your entire house and study all the places through which heat can escape from your home. If not detected in time and subsequently not eliminated this problem, then, in this case, even the most expensive and high-quality heating system will not be able to sufficiently heat your home and make living in it as comfortable as possible!

We will engage in a set of measures that will help us properly organize energy saving in your home.

The most popular materials used for insulating houses are mineral wool and expanded polystyrene.

By insulating the entire house from the outside with these materials, you can achieve an excellent energy-saving effect. However, this pleasure does not come cheap! No problem, take up external insulation gradually. Even if this procedure takes you a year and a half, you will definitely be satisfied with the final result!

  • We create a strong frame, it is also called lathing, with the help of which we will strengthen the insulation around the country house;
  • Treat the walls of the country house with any antiseptic intended for these purposes;
  • The time has come to protect the insulation using wind insulation or vapor barrier (the technology for using one or the other insulator depends on the selected insulation material);
  • Provide a frame for exterior finishing and, cover everything with siding;
  • Thoroughly plaster the insulated wall.


Many novice “builders” believe that the thicker the foam, the better thermal insulation in the house! This is a wrong opinion! In fact, high-quality thermal insulation will be ensured by strict adherence to the technological process of wall insulation, according to all existing rules.

Many summer residents argue among themselves about how best to insulate their summer house: from the outside or from the inside?

Let's not get into arguments - in the end, every point of view has the right to exist! Let us note that interior decoration walls with any insulation will definitely take up some usable space in the room, but external insulation will not affect the space at all, but will certainly entail somewhat higher monetary costs!

As always and everywhere, it’s up to you to decide which side you will use to insulate your country house.

The most affordable and popular upholstery insulation for the interior of your home is mineral wool. Today we will look at her example detailed instructions insulating the inside of the house with your own hands.

  • Initially, we make a frame (metal from profiles, or wooden from slats). When making the frame, you should take into account the width of the mineral wool roll; the wool should fit easily but tightly between the slats or profiles.
  • Place mineral wool between the profiles;
  • Cover the walls with OSB boards, subsequently they can be easily covered with stain or painted in any desired color. Even more popular finishing material is drywall. It is easy to attach, wallpaper, tiles, lining, paint and many other finishing materials lie smoothly on it.

The bulk of cold air enters the room through the door when it is opened and closed. However, it often happens that the doors do not fit tightly to the container, multiple cracks appear through which cold air gets into the house, and the heat constantly leaves.

To avoid such heat loss, we suggest that you insulate the entrance doors of your dacha.

Here are several materials successfully used as insulation:



Rubber pasting (glued on the pan on all four sides);
Felt (also laid and nailed along the edge of the door).

These methods are successfully used if your doors are made of wood, but what should those summer residents who installed metal ones do?

For metal doors We suggest insulating the door leaf itself.

How can you insulate a metal door?

  • Cut a few wooden beams(2 – 3 pcs.). The length of the beams should be equal to the width of your front door. We fasten the beams to the door with through bolts, and the heads of the bolts should be on the outer side of the door;
  • We tightly insert sheets of foam plastic between the beams, by surprise;
  • We cover the insulation with an OSB sheet of the required size (cut it exactly to the size of the door), screw the sheet with self-tapping screws to the wooden beams.

That's all the insulation is! Thanks to your efforts, now not only will cold air not be able to penetrate into your home, but warm air will not find a single crack through which it can slip out. The house will maintain a stable, comfortable temperature!

Windows, as well as doors, can become conductors of cold air into your room. In order to protect yourself from such “unauthorized” penetration, you should take some measures, namely:

  • We identify windows with broken or cracked glass and replace them with new and intact glass;
  • Using “old-fashioned” putty, we carefully cover the cracks in the places where the glass meets the wood. By the way, newfangled sealants are also able to cope with this task!;
  • We thoroughly paint the frames and thereby further reduce the chance of cold air entering;
  • Checking for drafts underneath window frames, sealant will also help us eliminate them.

However, if the cracks are too large, then it is better to use mounting foam, or simply carefully plaster these problem areas and then paint them.
In such cases, our grandfathers also used cotton wool, folded newspaper, foam rubber for insulation and sealed it all with special paper using ordinary laundry soap!

Modern technologies have given us double-glazed windows that are conveniently inserted and provide the living space with the necessary heat and sound insulation. But this pleasure is not cheap!

Warm floors are the key to the health of every household!

There are many different methods for insulating a floor with your own hands. This includes the use of expanded clay and the laying of pipes under the floor hot water, And. one of the most easily accessible and cheapest is insulation with foam plates.

Let's consider the method of floor insulation using polystyrene foam:

A wooden frame corresponding to the size of the foam boards is placed on the existing floor screed;
We tightly insert the foam plastic boards into the resulting wooden frame (foam plastic can also be crushed and filled, broken and cut, but best way, after all, the first one is to tightly lay the foam plates in the grooves);
Lay on top of the insulation floorboard, or, in the absence of it, OSB sheets (they can be painted, or linoleum can be laid on top of them, also with or without insulation, depending on your finances).

Floor insulation country house no longer presented for you a lot of work, since you have already undergone good training on the walls of the dacha, the entrance doors!

We all went to school and know that warm air necessarily rises, and cold air, on the contrary, falls down. It follows that insulating the ceiling, or even the attic of your country house, should occupy a very important place in the insulation of all rooms of a country house.

Again, materials such as polystyrene foam and mineral wool (for attic spaces) are often used as insulation. Technologies for insulating a ceiling or attic are not particularly different from insulating the walls or floor of a building. A distinctive feature is the desirable (but not mandatory) use of galvanized metal profiles as a frame, between which foam plastic boards will be laid and on which drywall will be fixed using self-tapping screws.

When using mineral wool as insulation, be sure to use safety glasses and gloves.

We insulate the dacha with our own hands, video


You have already theoretically familiarized yourself with all the stages of insulating each part of the house, all that remains is to consolidate the information received with a video tutorial and immediately begin. Therefore, we bring to your attention our video, which will further reveal to you the “secrets” of construction and will help you independently carry out insulation work at your dacha.

September 6, 2016
Specialization: master in construction plasterboard structures, finishing work and laying floor coverings. Installation of door and window units, finishing of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

If you want to use a country house or country house for winter living or sometimes spend time in it during the cold season, you must take care in advance effective thermal insulation designs. I will tell you about my work experience, which gave excellent results. There is nothing complicated in the process, you just need to repeat all the steps outlined in the review and use quality materials For maximum efficiency insulation.

Insulation process

I will talk about the work, dividing it into six parts, so it will be easier for you to understand the nuances of insulation, and you will be able to plan all the actions in correct sequence. There are no trifles here - the more meticulously you approach the process, the best result you will get it in the end.

Stage No. 1 – windows

You need to start work with this part of the structure. Why? It's simple: if you do not insulate the window openings in advance, then when insulating the walls from the outside or inside you will not be able to make openings, and without this it is very, very difficult to achieve an ideal appearance.

  • First of all, you need to assess the condition of the existing window structures; if the wood is severely damaged and restoring it will be problematic, then it is better to order new ones window units. The perfect solutionplastic double glazed windows, but if you cannot afford to install them, then it’s okay - if you wish, you can also qualitatively insulate an ordinary wooden window;

  • Frames must have double glazing, single glass is a weak barrier to cold. It is best to use either a double frame design or insert a second frame for the winter, as is still done in rural areas. That is, you need to measure the size of the opening and make a separate structure, which will be installed during the cold period, this is the cheapest solution of all possible;

  • I advise you to disassemble the structure; if there are cracked glasses, they need to be replaced, and also stock up on new beads in advance. The glass is sealed with silicone sealant around the entire perimeter, this will significantly reduce heat loss through the joints. It is also advisable to coat the bead with sealant, after which it is fixed with nails; this option ensures maximum reliability;

  • Another important part of the work is sealing the joint between the frame and the sash or sash. It is best to use a special sealant with a self-adhesive base; it is sold in construction stores footage, so you need to first take all the necessary measurements. A cheaper solution is foam rubber tape for insulating windows; it is also glued around the perimeter, but unlike the first option, its service life is only one season;

  • If there are gaps and cracks on the frame and sashes, they need to be sealed with putty, after which the surface is painted. It is important to protect wood from adverse influences, since moisture and temperature changes deform the structure, and over time the material begins to rot;
  • It is very important to properly insulate the joint between the frame and the wall; all gaps wider than 5 mm are easiest to fill polyurethane foam, it is important that there are no voids inside the structure. IN as a last resort, you can fill the space with batting, tow and other materials, but this option can be considered as temporary; subsequently it is better to use polyurethane foam;

  • All joints, especially on the outside, must be closed or wooden casing, or other materials and additionally protect from moisture using silicone sealant. The fact is that foam does not tolerate ultraviolet radiation well and, under its influence, begins to deteriorate very quickly;
  • As a more radical option, you can consider using shutters; they close when necessary and allow you to create an additional barrier to the cold. But it is much easier to install good frames than to build such a structure.

If you urgently need to insulate your windows in winter, then use the option with plastic film– take a piece larger than the size of the window and fasten it around the perimeter using a stapler.

Stage No. 2 – door

An ordinary summer house usually has a more or less strong door, the only function of which is to protect against entry. But if you want to use the structure in winter, then the structure should provide excellent protection from the cold.

Let's figure out how to properly insulate this part of the structure:

  • The most important thing is that the front door should not go directly into the living space. Be sure to provide a dressing room; if there is none, then fence off a small part of the space. There should be such a barrier between the street and the house; this will significantly reduce heat loss through the door block;
  • As for the door material, it is most often wood, although in Lately Metal options are increasingly being used. Here it is important to choose a design with a thicker leaf, and if you have a metal door, then it is advisable that it be filled with mineral wool insulation;
  • Let's figure out how you can modify an ordinary wooden door; first of all, you need to seal all the cracks and cracks with a special putty. After this, apply 2 layers of paint or varnish to protect the material from moisture;

  • If you need to insulate a structure, then simple option is covering the surface with batting or foam rubber. The outside surface is covered with dermatin, for better protection rollers are made around the perimeter of the joints, they seal the junction points;

  • Additional joint density door leaf The box is provided with a special rubber seal. It is glued around the perimeter in a matter of minutes and performs two functions at once: with it, heat loss is significantly reduced, and the door closes more softly. The seal is sold by the meter and has a self-adhesive side for quick installation;

  • As an option that is suitable for both wooden and metal structures you can consider using mineral wool or polystyrene foam with inside canvases. The material can be used to fill the internal cavities, or it can be attached to the outside, it all depends on the features;

As a quick option for improving the thermal insulation of a doorway, I can recommend a curtain made of thick material, a blanket or something similar will do. It’s not very pretty, but it’s very effective, if you don’t believe me, try it.

  • As for the connection of the box to the wall, it is filled with polyurethane foam, the excess of which is cut off after drying. Next, you need to close the cracks with a platband or some kind of plank, this will protect the foam and create an additional barrier to the penetration of cold.

Stage No. 3 - ceiling

Do you know that 20 to 25% of heat is lost through a poorly insulated ceiling? This is due to the fact that when heated, the air always rises, and if the structure is not thermally insulated, then it turns out that you are heating the street. Just recently I wrote a detailed review on ceiling insulation, read it and you will understand this part of the work very well.

Here I will briefly talk about the most popular insulation options:

  • The most budget-friendly solution is to use sawdust; in order to protect the material from dampness, it must be mixed with lime. The minimum layer of material is 20 cm, but for effective insulation it is advisable to add 25-30 cm. Greatest advantage– reasonable price, but other indicators leave much to be desired;
  • Using clay involves making a solution with sawdust, this increases the strength of the layer and makes this technology more reliable than the one described above. The advantage is the low cost, but the work is quite labor-intensive: you need to dig up the clay, prepare a solution of the correct consistency, after which it needs to be evenly distributed over the surface and leveled, it dries for at least a month;

  • Expanded clay is a good option; this insulation is very popular due to its low cost, light weight and fire safety. The technology for its application is very simple: you need to fill the material on the ceiling with a layer of 20 cm or more. An additional advantage of this material is that it absorbs excess moisture from the air, maintaining optimal humidity in room;
  • Polystyrene foam is a very popular solution today; insulation is affordable and easy to use.. The technology for carrying out the work is not at all complicated: you need to prepare the surface by leveling it and laying a waterproofing, vapor-permeable membrane. The sheets are laid in a layer of 100 mm or more, all cracks and joints at the junctions are sealed with polyurethane foam, it serves as a heat insulator and as glue;

  • Mineral wool is another modern effective option for ceiling insulation. The advantage of this material is its ease of use and high thermal insulation performance, the disadvantage is that the cost will be higher than all the options described above, although it cannot be called very high either. When laying, the main thing is to fill the space tightly; the layer thickness should be at least 100 mm, but it is better if it is 150-200 mm;

  • Another option is to use sprayable compounds like penoizol. The advantage of this solution is its simplicity: specialists will do all the work for you, the disadvantage is the high cost.

If your country house design does not have an attic, you will have to insulate the ceiling from the inside. For this type of work, foam plastic or extruded polystyrene foam is best suited; these materials are simply glued to the surface using a special compound, after which all joints are also sealed.

What is the best way to insulate a ceiling? It's up to you to decide, personally I lean towards mineral wool as it is very effective and easy to use. There is no point in saving on insulating your house.

Stage No. 4 - floor surface

Let's figure out how to insulate a floor in a dacha with your own hands. I will consider the option with a wooden floor, since this is what is found in the vast majority of cases. To keep the structure as warm as possible, you should follow a few simple tips:

  • Insulation of floors in a dacha begins with filling the space under the floor with sand, no empty spaces through which frost and wind can travel. One of my friends spent a lot of time and money on expensive insulation, but the floor became warm only after he filled the space underneath with construction sand and waterproofed the surface. Cold and dampness are what an empty underground gives you;
  • Next, the logs are laid, the height of which should be 20-25 cm; this is exactly the layer of insulation that we will lay on the surface. The distance between the elements should be such that you can lay the selected material without cutting, this will simplify the work process and improve the final result;

  • Then the surface is covered with insulation; it is best to use mineral wool, as it retains heat well and is easy to use. An inexpensive one is used for the job. roll material 100 mm thick, which is laid in two layers. The insulation should adhere to the structure as tightly as possible, so when cutting, make the elements 3-4 cm larger than the distance between the joists;

Of course, you can use foam plastic or mineral wool in the form of slabs as insulation; in this case, you need to place the elements with offset joints to prevent the appearance of cold bridges. All joints that are not tight enough are filled with polyurethane foam; this should also not be forgotten.

Before you insulate the floor in your dacha, you must decide on the material and purchase everything you need for the job. Of course, you can use sawdust or expanded clay, but these materials will not give the desired effect unless they are sprinkled in a 40 cm layer. Therefore, rely on the experience of many developers and choose what works.

To ensure the best effect, the surface is covered with a vapor barrier material, after which it is sewn up with either a floorboard or sheet elements, it all depends on your project, because the floor can be finished with a variety of materials.

Stage No. 5 - wall insulation

It is through this part of the structure that the the largest number heat, and this is no wonder, because the walls are the largest part of the building by area, which opens to the open air, and is not covered by soil or roofing, like the floor and.

Let's figure out how to insulate a country house with your own hands:

  • First of all, you should point out the fact that it is advisable to carry out work outside, this is due to the simplicity of the process, and to the dew point, which moves outward, and to the fact that work inside takes up useful space. I will talk about a comprehensive solution in which the walls will be thermally insulated on both sides; this option provides the best effect at low cost;
  • On initial stage you need to choose insulation for the walls outside, there are two main options: either polystyrene foam or mineral wool. The first solution is characterized by low cost and light weight, the second – by high efficiency. Most often, foam plastic is used, since not everyone can afford to spend a lot of money on a country house;

  • Work begins with leveling the surface and attaching the frame into which the insulation will be placed. The spacing of the elements should be selected in such a way that the insulation is tightly inserted between them without additional cutting. It is important to align the sheathing evenly, since this determines how level the wall will be later; hangers can be used to secure the structure; this will simplify the work process;

  • Then the entire space is filled with foam plastic, the thickness of which should be 100 mm. Everything is simple here: insert the sheets into the cells as tightly as possible, without gaps or voids. If any have nevertheless formed, then fill them with polyurethane foam to prevent the emergence of places for cold penetration;

  • For additional reliability, the insulation is additionally fixed with self-tapping screws, onto which special pressure washers are placed (this element is called a rondole). Two fasteners per sheet are sufficient; it is important to fix its position and prevent shifting or sliding over time;
  • Next, the surface is covered with a windproof membrane, which will prevent the penetration of moisture into the structure and protect the surface from wind loads. The easiest way to attach it is with a stapler;
  • To improve thermal insulation performance and ensure unhindered evaporation of moisture from the surface of the walls, a counter-latt 3-4 cm high is placed on top of the main frame;
  • The finishing can vary from siding or wood paneling to more expensive solutions or even plastering (in which case oriented strand board is nailed down first).

I am often asked which insulation to choose for external insulation of a summer house. The advice is simple: if funds allow, then use mineral wool or spray foam, but if there are financial restrictions, then polystyrene foam will become great solution, the main thing is to lay it correctly and fill all the cracks with foam.

Modern industry produces excellent insulation for walls inside a country house - penofol. It is made of foamed polyethylene, on one side of which a reflective surface is glued; it has the property of reflecting heat, thereby helping to save energy resources and increase the temperature in the room.

Let's figure out how to carry out insulation from the inside with your own hands:

  • First of all, you need to prepare the surfaces; no special leveling is required, because the material is flexible. The main thing is that the base is clean and dry; do not cover wet areas with penofol. best idea, since mold may subsequently begin to form in these areas;
  • Next, pieces of material of the required length are cut, it is better if they extend onto the floor and ceiling, thereby isolating the joints, which are areas with increased heat loss. As for fastening, there are two main options: penofol can be attached to wooden walls using a construction stapler, or you can nail slats on top; this option is good if the surface will subsequently be covered with clapboard;

  • Do not forget about additional insulation of the seams between penofol - they are glued with special metallic tape. This eliminates cold loss through the seams, which will inevitably occur if you do not take care of it in advance. A country house insulated in this way from the inside will be much warmer, and less energy resources will be spent on heating it.

Stage No. 6 - thermal insulation of the attic

I put this part of the work last, since an attic can not be found in every building, but due to the limited space for construction, the presence of such a room is advisable, because it significantly increases the usable area. But in order to use this part of the building as a full-fledged living area, it must be very well insulated.

Unlike other rooms, the attic is separated from the outside air only by a roofing system, which is clearly not enough to effectively retain heat.

The workflow in this case looks like this:

  • First of all, you need to prepare the space, remove dirt and cobwebs, and also remove from the attic everything that could interfere with the work. Easy access should be provided to all surfaces, then you can begin work on laying materials, below is a drawing showing the structure of the structure;

  • Next, a vapor-permeable membrane is attached, which will act as a water barrier and will also prevent wind from penetrating into the structure. The material is fastened with a stapler; for reliability, overlaps of 10-15 cm are made on the joints;
  • As for the insulation, its layer must be at least 150 (or better 200) mm, perfect option- mineral wool, but, in extreme cases, polystyrene foam is also suitable, all joints between the sheets of which must be sealed with polyurethane foam. When laying, try to achieve maximum density; the fewer cracks and voids left, the warmer the room will be in winter, remember this;

  • Next, the surface is covered with another material - penofol., it allows you to improve the thermal insulation properties of the surface, as well as reflect heat back into the room, which is especially important in the attic, because this is the upper part of the structure and warm air accumulates here. All recommendations for fastening are described in the section above, so I will not dwell on this aspect in detail;

Conclusion

Thermal insulation of a country house is a simple process, but it requires a considerable investment of time and effort. Therefore, it is better to start work in advance, so that the entire structure is prepared for the onset of the cold season, and you do not worry about having to sleep under three blankets at low temperatures.

The video in this article will help you understand some important nuances even better, and if you don’t understand anything, write your questions in the comments under this review.

September 6, 2016

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Insulation of a country house is necessary due to the fact that most buildings located outside the city are not heated from the central heating system. heating system, or boilers running on gas, but using solid fuel boilers, or conventional heating stoves.

Such heating is effective, but labor-intensive. In order for the resulting thermal energy was used as rationally as possible, it is necessary to take care of the insulation of the walls of the country house. The best way to do this will be discussed in this article.

From this material you will learn where to insulate the dacha - from the outside or from the inside. The answer to the question: “Which insulation to choose?” will also be given. We will consider such materials for do-it-yourself home insulation as mineral wool, extruded polystyrene foam, penoizol and foil penofol.

1 Where is it better to insulate: inside or outside?

It’s worth mentioning right away that if you want to arrange as much as possible effective insulation country house with, then the required result can be obtained only through its comprehensive insulation. Especially when it comes to insulating a country house made of wood with your own hands.

There are a huge number of ways of heat loss in a house with low thermal insulation. These include windows, attic floors, doorways, and walls.

But there are often cases when the budget for a dacha thermal insulation project allows you to choose only insulation from the outside or from the inside of the house. Let's figure out which option is better to give preference in this case.

In order to easily understand all of the following, you first need to understand the concept of thermal inertia. For example, a cottage built of brick stands in the sun during a summer day at an air temperature of +35 degrees.

During this time, the brick walls warm up so much that the warmth of the walls will be felt even 3-4 hours after sunset.

Based on this, brick is a material with high thermal conductivity, as well as - it absorbs sunlight for a long time, increasing its temperature, and when the temperature decreases environment it also gives off its heat back for a long time.

1.1 Insulation of cottage walls exclusively from inside the house

There is one key rule in construction, which is formulated as: “design external structure(walls) of the house, the layers of the wall should be arranged in order of decreasing their thermal insulation and increasing vapor barrier properties from the outside to the inside of the building.” That is, the outer contour of the walls should have the lowest thermal conductivity.

If layer thermal insulation material, contrary to these requirements, will be located inside the house, then both points of this rule will be violated. Of course, insulating the walls from the inside will give quite a tangible result, but the microclimate inside the room will significantly suffer.

There is a great risk that the humidity and dampness of the air in the house will increase significantly due to the unnaturally high vapor barrier, which is promoted by most types of thermal insulation, especially foil, materials.

Internal insulation of dacha walls is usually done with your own hands by installing heat-insulating material on the surface of the walls, and then covering it with plasterboard.

This technology is often performed incorrectly, as well as, since one of the key factors that must be adhered to so that internal insulation with your own hands does not bring all the above problems is the strongest possible connection of the thermal insulator to the wall and a tight connection of the joints.

This is important due to the high thermal inertia of a brick wall. For 5-10 days of serious subzero temperatures outside surface the walls of the house will cool down very much, and the brick will turn into a serious source of cold, working to cool the inside of the house, which has more high temperature, and, as a result, provoking heat exchange.

If you are insulating a wall inside a house with your own hands, then it is very important that the thermal insulation is made as tightly and monolithically as possible, since any gaps in the connections of the thermal insulation material with the wall and with each other will contribute to the appearance of cold bridges.

A cold bridge is a place that has greater thermal conductivity than the main part of the house structure. Cold bridges are a serious reason for reducing the effectiveness of wall insulation, even if it is made using the highest quality thermal insulation materials.

If cold bridges have appeared, then the brick or wooden wall of the dacha will give off cold through the insulation (even if it is), as a result of which the layer of plasterboard with which it is lined will cool.

When drywall is cooled below the dew point temperature, due to the temperature difference, moisture will condense on it, which over time will turn into mold or mildew. This situation especially often happens in the corners of the most poorly heated rooms.

To ensure that the internal insulation of a country house does not bring more disadvantages than advantages, it is necessary to strictly follow the following recommendations:

  • The optimal insulation for insulating walls from the inside is foil-coated thermal insulation material like penoplex; it is best if the foil is done on both sides. Double-sided foiling significantly reduces heat transfer between the cold wall and facing material, as a result of which condensate is either minimal or not formed at all;
  • Arrangement of a thick facing layer with. If drywall is used, then it optimal thickness should be about 5 centimeters. Such cladding, due to its size, will prevent intensive cooling of the air inside the room due to freezing of the walls in winter, even if cold bridges are present.

1.2 Insulation of cottage walls from the outside

External wall insulation is one of the most common and universal options partial thermal insulation of a country house with your own hands. And, in fact, the only one correct option.

The low thermal conductivity of insulation helps maintain the optimal internal temperature of the brick or wooden wall, throughout the cold season.

The wall will not freeze due to the fact that the insulation prevents the penetration of cold from the outside, and the wall is warmed up from the inside by warm air.

For example, in practice, this plus, taking into account our knowledge of the thermal inertia of walls, results in the following. After opening the window to ventilate the house with cold winter morning, you will get instant heating of the air entering the house, since the heated walls will give off their heat inside the house.

As a result, even if the window is open for an hour, the temperature in the house will drop by a maximum of 2-3 degrees. Similar ventilation, when the insulation is located outside the walls of the house, will most likely provoke a decrease in the temperature of the house by 7-8 degrees.

An additional advantage of high-quality external thermal insulation, provided that the insulation is installed as tightly as possible and covered with a layer of plaster and external cladding, is the complete absence of any air convection, cold bridges and drafts.

2 Types of insulation

Question: “Which insulation to choose?” is very multifaceted, moreover, each individual case requires an individual choice, and it is impossible to say exactly which insulation is objectively the best. Let's look at the basic requirements that a truly high-quality insulation must meet.

  • Thermal insulation properties. The higher the thermal insulation characteristics of the material, the thinner the cladding layer will be, as a result of which both finances and free space will be saved.
  • Hydrophobicity The lifespan of the insulator directly depends on how much moisture the heat insulator absorbs. The presence of internal moisture contributes to the accelerated destruction of insulation. It is important that the material has water-repellent properties.
  • Fire resistance. High-quality insulation should not be subject to combustion and be self-extinguishing.
  • Lifetime. It is important that over time the insulation does not decompose, does not lose its thermal insulation properties, and does not harbor microorganisms, midges and rodents.
  • Safety. This factor acquires maximum significance when it comes to materials for thermal insulation of a country house from the inside. The insulation should not have any negative effect on the human body;
  • Soundproofing. High-quality insulation materials, as a rule, have good soundproofing properties. We are talking about foamed foam and mineral wool products.
  • Price. How much insulation costs is often one of the leading factors when choosing a thermal insulation material. It is important that the cost of insulation is optimally correlated with its functional characteristics.

Let's figure out which insulation is best to use to insulate a country house with your own hands. The following materials meet the above requirements:

  • Mineral (basalt) wool;
  • Foamed polystyrene foam;
  • Foil penofol;
  • Liquid penoizol.

If you are not limited on funds, then the best option for insulating your dacha with your own hands is mineral wool. According to the thermal conductivity parameter this material is one of the best insulation materials. It does not burn, does not rot, has excellent soundproofing properties and vapor permeability, which helps maintain an optimal indoor microclimate.

Mineral wool can be used to insulate walls with your own hands, both inside and outside the house. Weak side mineral wool insulation is unsatisfactory moisture resistance.

Manufacturers are trying to solve this issue with the help of various hydrophobic additives, with which mineral threads are impregnated at the creation stage, however, in order to be completely sure that the insulation will not collapse due to moisture accumulation, it is necessary to equip a high-quality waterproofing layer.

If you do all the work yourself, then important factor is the maximum simplicity of the insulation. The best option in this case, it is foil penofol or expanded polystyrene foam.

These materials have good thermal insulation properties, and at the same time, they are quite inexpensive. Penofol with double-sided foil is great for internal insulation walls of the house, while polystyrene foam should be used for external wall insulation.

2.1 Features of insulating a country house with foam plastic (video)

A country house is a structure that is initially designed only for summer use, therefore, during its construction, insufficient attention is paid to thermal insulation measures. If it is necessary to use it during the cold period, the question arises of how to insulate a country house intended for winter living.

Why insulate

Insulating your dacha will help you save on heating costs in winter

Modern systems Heating systems can create the desired temperature in the room, so why do additional measures need to be taken? Insulating a country house will allow the owner to solve the following problems:

  • high heating costs;
  • the appearance of condensation on the walls and ceiling;
  • violation of the operating conditions of structures and their destruction.

If during the cold season there is a positive temperature inside the house, but its enclosing structures are not insulated enough, this will lead to many problems, which are easier to prevent than to fix with your own hands.

Materials for thermal insulation

The building materials market offers a huge range of types and manufacturers of thermal insulation materials. It’s easy to get lost in this variety. The choice depends on the location of the thermal insulation and the wishes of the home owner. The main heat insulators include:

  1. Mineral wool. Available in the form of mats (rolls) and rigid slabs. The first option is suitable for walls and floors along joists, the second for walls, floors, and roofs. The advantages include non-flammability, high efficiency, durability, resistance to rot and mold. The disadvantage is the ability to absorb moisture. It is important to remember that when working with this material you need to use masks, gloves and protective clothing. Neglecting safety measures will lead to cotton particles getting on the skin and into the lungs, and ultimately to irritation and allergic reactions.
  2. Styrofoam. The material is made of polystyrene. It is a slab of small balls filled with air. The undeniable advantage was the low cost of the material and availability. There are quite a lot of disadvantages. These include flammability, inability to pass air (the house will need additional ventilation), low strength and instability to simultaneous exposure to moisture and low temperatures. Suitable for do-it-yourself insulation of walls (it is recommended not to use outside), ceilings (better for insulation from below), and attic roofs.
  3. Extruded polystyrene foam (penoplex). The material is similar to foam, but is an improved version of it. It is low flammable, has increased strength and moisture resistance. Disadvantages include airtightness. Suitable for insulating walls and floors (both between floors and on the ground).
  4. Expanded clay. Inexpensive material. Compared to the previous three, it is not highly effective. It is small granules of baked clay, free-flowing. Disadvantages include high thermal conductivity and large mass. Suitable for insulating floors (at the same time leveling the surface).

There are also a number of less common materials, these include:

  • polyurethane foam;
  • ecowool (insulation mats made of flax);
  • penoizol (foamed polymer resin);
  • isokom (foil material);
  • sawdust.

How best to insulate

After choosing a heat insulator, you need to decide on the method of insulation. Do-it-yourself insulation of a house for winter living can be done using two methods:

  • outside;
  • from the inside.

Insulation of a country house from the inside is relevant in the following cases:

  • work is carried out in winter, when it is not comfortable to perform operations outdoors;
  • you must not touch the façade of the building or disturb its decoration;
  • insulation of walls at a sufficiently high height.

It is important to remember that insulating the outside with your own hands is more correct from a technical point of view.

Protecting your home from cold air helps prevent the effects of cold on supporting structures and extend their service life.

Insulation technology

It all depends on the location of the structure that needs to be protected. In the case of a country house for living in winter, the following elements need thermal insulation with your own hands:

  • floors on the ground;
  • floors of the first floor with a cold basement;
  • exterior walls;
  • attic floor in a cold attic;
  • attic roof.

It is necessary to consider each of these cases separately.

Insulation of floors on the ground

The event may be required if the building has a basement that is planned to be used as warm room and install heating there. Two types of thermal insulation materials are suitable for this event:

  • extruded polystyrene foam;
  • expanded clay gravel.

Scheme of thermal insulation of the floor on the ground with expanded clay

If expanded clay is used, then the work is performed in the following order:

  • compact the foundation soil by compaction;
  • fill with coarse or medium sand (the thickness depends on the characteristics of the soil, it is approximately 30 cm);
  • expanded clay is poured (thickness approximately 30-50 cm depending on the climatic region of construction);
  • lay a layer of waterproofing;
  • concrete subfloor is poured.

Floor thermal insulation scheme with foam plastic

If a decision is made to insulate with penoplex, work is carried out in the following sequence:

  • compact the soil;
  • make a backfill from sand or crushed stone;
  • pour the footing;
  • lay waterproofing;
  • foam layer;
  • reinforcing mesh;
  • pouring a rough concrete floor.

For floors on the ground, it will be more economical and easier to use expanded clay. It is important to choose the right thickness depending on the outside temperature during the cold period.

Ceiling above the basement and attic

Laying insulation on top can be done in two ways:

  • between lags;
  • under the screed.

Thermal insulation of the attic floor between the joists of the cold attic and between wooden beams attic floor

The choice depends on the design solution of the floor and floor plan. Laying along joists is suitable for houses with beamed floors. In this case, almost any type of heat insulator can be used:

  • polystyrene foam and penoplex;
  • mineral wool (slabs and mats);
  • expanded clay and sawdust;
  • polyurethane foam and penoizol;
  • ecowool.

Laying under a screed requires increased strength from the material. Here it is better to stop at:

  • mineral wool slabs;
  • penoplex;
  • expanded clay.

Scheme of floor insulation under screed

When installing along joists, beams are first installed under the flooring, then waterproofing is laid between them (in the case of insulating the attic from the outside, a vapor barrier is installed). Next, thermal insulation is laid into the space.

If insulation is laid under the screed, then the work is carried out in this way:

  • waterproofing is laid on the leveled and cleaned base (again, in the case of protecting the attic with your own hands from the outside - a vapor barrier);
  • lay insulation (for penoplex, the distances between the plates are provided);
  • when insulating from the outside, it is necessary to provide waterproofing, when insulating from the inside - a vapor barrier;
  • lay the reinforcing mesh;
  • pour the screed.

The second option for insulation is from the ceiling. It is undesirable for the attic floor, since the thermal insulation is located on the side warm air. For basement floors, insulation from the outside is a more correct option, but extremely labor-intensive. To secure the heat insulator, use wooden slats or adhesives.

Wall insulation

Conducted from the inside and outside. When fixing the heat insulator with your own hands from the side of the facade, the work is performed in the following order:

  • clean the wall from dust and dirt;
  • fix waterproofing;
  • install a frame for insulation;
  • lay thermal insulation;
  • wind protection is attached to the insulation layer;
  • perform external cladding.

It is important to remember that for materials such as mineral wool and ecowool, it is necessary to provide a ventilated layer on the outside between the heat insulator and external cladding, 5-10 cm thick. Attaching heat-insulating materials to the wall depends on the selected type.

When installing thermal insulation from the inside, follow this order:

  • cleaning the surface from dust and dirt;
  • fixing waterproofing;
  • installation of insulation;
  • vapor barrier;
  • interior decoration.

Mansard roof

The most common insulation option is rigid mineral wool slabs. Work order:


  • installation of the rafter system;
  • securing waterproofing and wind protection;
  • installation of a counter-lattice (needed to provide a ventilation gap between the mineral wool and the roofing; gaps are provided in the counter-lattice for free movement of air);
  • installation of sheathing;
  • laying roofing material;
  • installation of heat insulation slabs between the rafters;
  • vapor barrier;
  • bottom sheathing;
  • ceiling trim.

For the convenience of laying mineral wool, the pitch of the rafters is taken so that there is 58 or 118 cm of clearance between them. After thermal insulation of the roof, the insulation of the house is completed.

Preface. How to insulate a garden house for the winter yourself, and inexpensively? This question is beginning to interest many summer residents who want to spend time outside the city not only with the onset of the first cold weather, but also in the summer. In this article we will look at how to insulate an old garden house for the winter yourself. At the end of the material we will show detailed video instructions: insulation garden house outside.

The main purpose of the house is suburban area lies in the formation comfortable conditions life outside the city. Despite the nature and fresh air, everyone wants the conditions of a country holiday to be as close as possible to those at home. In addition, many avid gardeners extend their summer season until late autumn, and sometimes even in winter, they come to the dacha with great desire.

Is it necessary to insulate a garden house for the winter?

Not possible at the dacha comfortable stay in cold weather, as old garden houses have simple design not intended for winter living. If there is no thermal insulation in the panel garden house, then it will be difficult and very expensive to maintain heat in the summer house. Heating costs will increase as all the heat will be lost through entrance doors, ceiling, walls and floor.

All this says that it is necessary to seriously think about the thermal insulation of a country home, and besides, this work is not particularly difficult. Only after this is it possible in early spring and in winter, spend your weekends in comfort, without rushing to get work done. But you should remember that all work should be carried out when it is warm - in this case you will do the insulation inexpensively and with high quality.

How to insulate an old garden house for the winter

The most practical today are thermal insulation materials such as Rocklight mineral wool, foam and polystyrene foam boards. Many still try to use inexpensive old-fashioned methods of insulation, one can tell from what lies under their feet. So, when insulating attic floors, you can use sawdust, moss, expanded clay, etc. But we will consider exclusively modern materials.

Materials for thermal insulation of a summer house

When using mineral wool and cellulose insulation, high-quality hydro-vapor barrier of the material from moisture is necessary. Basalt insulation is used primarily to protect facades and insulate wooden floors from the cold. Mineral wool has been used for decades in construction and has proven itself to be the best. It is believed that this insulation is not chewed by mice.

Polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam are used for insulation of strip foundations and blind areas. Penoplex is a dense and durable material that is not afraid of high humidity. Polystyrene foam, on the contrary, is a fragile material favored by rodents. Along with this, foam plastic is the most popular insulation material in Russia due to its low cost and ease of installation.

In order not to overpay and make the thermal insulation layer optimal, you should calculate the thickness of the insulation using a thermal calculator. As a first approximation, it should be noted that for basalt materials the thickness of the thermal insulation of structures should be at least 10 centimeters. For expanded polystyrene foam, the thickness of the thermal insulation layer must be at least 15 centimeters.

Requirements for materials for thermal insulation

When laying mineral insulation should be placed tightly in the frame, the material returns to its original state after pressing. Mineral wool absorbs moisture, so they must be covered with a vapor barrier. The insulation layer is always laid only on the cold side. Before use, the material must be dry, otherwise it will rot with all the ensuing troubles.

Since rodents infest garden houses, for thermal insulation it is worth choosing a material that is resistant to moisture and rodents. To save money Money and improving thermal insulation characteristics building structures You can use mineral and organic insulation, laying them like a layer cake. In this case, the moisture-proof material is laid on the side of the warm room.

How to insulate the inside of a garden house with your own hands

Many people associate a garden house with a simple summer building made from inexpensive scrap materials. Modern Construction Materials They also allow you to build a good-quality country house for relaxation away from the bustle of the city with a minimal budget. But to keep your dacha house warm and comfortable in winter, it’s worth thinking about high-quality insulation of this building from the inside and outside.

Insulation of the floor and foundation of a garden house

Comfort in a living space largely depends on underfloor heating. Most often, in vegetable gardens, one row of boards is laid on a roll, the subfloor is covered with chipboard or fiberboard and linoleum is laid. But through such a floor, cold will penetrate from the ground and even good system heating will not protect your feet from freezing. The first step is to make a blind area and insulate the strip foundation.

All information on self-insulation of the foundation garden house You can find it on our website in the “Foundation insulation” section. To insulate the floor in a garden house, you should first remove flooring. Insulation is carried out by laying thermal insulation material between the joists. After that, boards, OSB sheets or Knauf heated floors are laid on the logs.

Do not forget that basalt insulation should be covered with a vapor barrier film on the side of the warm room and waterproofing on the cold side. Mats and mineral wool slabs should be laid close to the joists to avoid the formation of cold bridges in the ceiling. When laying slab insulation (foam plastic or extruded polystyrene foam), all cracks must be treated with polyurethane foam.

Insulation of the ceiling, attic of a garden house

Ceiling insulation is very important; more than 10% of the heat is lost through this structure. When choosing insulation, keep in mind that the material must be durable, fire-resistant and safe for health. To insulate the attic of a garden house, you can use Isorok mineral wool or loose natural insulation materials. As inexpensive material You can use sawdust with soil, expanded clay or moss.

All insulation is laid in the required layer from the attic side. A vapor barrier film is first laid on the floors so that the thermal insulation does not absorb moisture from the warm air. A subfloor can be laid on top of the insulation if there is a need to walk through the attic. Or simply cover the insulation layer with windproof film to protect it from blowing out and being pulled apart by rodents and birds.

Insulation of the facade and walls of a garden house

The first method of wall finishing, the so-called “ wet facade» – slab insulation it is attached to the facade of the house with glue, a reinforcing mesh is glued to the foam plastic and plaster is applied, followed by painting. The second method, “insulation under siding” - thermal insulation is attached to the facade between guides made of bars or profiles for plasterboard, then the walls are sheathed with siding or PVC panels.

These two methods are well known to many. One has only to take into account that the “wet facade” is suitable exclusively for block and brick walls, and insulating the walls of a country house under siding is suitable for any material - foam block, wood, panel house. In a country house, you can use inexpensive insulation. The choice of insulation depends only on financial capabilities and personal preferences.

Insulation of windows and doors of a garden house

After insulating floors, walls and ceilings, many people forget about the entrance doors and windows, through which a lot of heat also escapes from the house. Windows, especially wooden ones, require careful insulation for the winter. Be sure to inspect the windows and slopes, check that there are no gaps between the frame and the glass, and lubricate all joints silicone sealant and replace the beads with new ones if necessary.