How to insulate the ceiling with improvised means. How to insulate the ceiling in a private house - options and review of materials

In the cold season, any house loses heat due to leaks at the joints building structures, cracks in windows and doors, as well as due to thermal radiation of walls, floors and ceilings into the surrounding space. At the same time, the share of ceilings and roofs accounts for 15 to 45% of all heat losses. Therefore, the ceiling must be insulated, excluding heat loss due to the release of heated air and due to heat transfer. Most of the insulation methods do not require expensive equipment and special qualifications of workers. They are quite capable of doing the work of insulating a house with their own hands.

In addition to the most important task - heat preservation - thermal insulation works also solve one more - maintaining optimal humidity. For this, in addition to insulation materials, vapor barrier and waterproofing membranes are used to prevent the accumulation of condensate on ceilings and walls. Semi-permeable membrane films allow water vapor to pass through themselves and do not allow moisture to pass in the opposite direction.

General scheme of ceiling and roof insulation

Ceiling and roof insulation schemes

From the point of view of insulation, all roofs are divided into two types:

  • Warm. There are several layers under the roofing material: vapor barrier, insulation for the ceiling and waterproofing. They are held by battens - spatial structures attached to the rafters. The ceiling of the attic is insulated according to this scheme.
  • Cold. They have a layer of roofing material and a load-bearing structure and a layer of vapor-waterproofing underneath them. Air gap in the attic is an additional barrier to heat loss. The ceiling located under the so-called cold roof, must be insulated and waterproofed.

Features of ceiling insulation

The main feature of flat ceiling insulation is the impossibility of arranging a condensate drain, as is done for sloped roofs. Therefore, almost all insulation solutions are aimed at diverting water vapor upward, ensuring their unhindered passage through all layers.

Cold overlap

How to properly insulate the ceiling under a cold attic? Air gaps are left over a cold or heat-conducting floor (for example, concrete). The first, auxiliary between the vapor barrier film and the insulation, comes into effect with large temperature drops and abundant condensation. It must be well ventilated. It is easier to make the main gap between the insulation and the waterproofing layer ventilated - just leave a small gap around the perimeter. It is preferable to insulate the cold ceiling both from the top and from the bottom. Insulation used for the ceiling under a cold attic must be moisture resistant.

Warm overlap

A floor made of materials with low thermal conductivity, such as wood, is called warm. Such ceilings, which in themselves serve as a heat insulator, need only be insulated from above. Even if condensation forms at high temperature changes, it will be absorbed into wooden structures without changing their properties, and subsequently evaporate. As a rule, this process is invisible to the inhabitants.

The vapor barrier is laid on the floor without a gap, then the insulation is laid. An air gap between the thermal insulation layer and the hydro-barrier membrane should also be left to allow ventilation.

Insulation materials

There is no definite answer to the question of which insulation is better. The choice is determined by several factors, such as:

  • thermal insulation properties;
  • ceiling design features;
  • price;
  • qualification and equipment requirements
  • availability of materials.

Insulation materials are divided into basic and auxiliary. The auxiliary ones include barrier and membrane ones.

Barriers and membranes

Vapor barriers

Vapor barriers are needed so that water vapor does not pass through them. For their manufacture, polypropylene films with a thickness of over 55 microns are used.

Polyethylene is unsuitable as a vapor barrier - over time, it cracks from temperature fluctuations and begins to let vapors through. However, if you solder a layer of polyethylene and a layer of foil, you get a high-quality vapor barrier.

Folgoisols are also provided with a layer of fibrous nonwoven material such as a padding polyester. This layer collects moisture from the insulation and takes it to the side through the capillaries. If it is present, an additional air gap over the cold ceiling can be omitted.

Membranes

Multi-layer reinforced membrane materials allow vapors to pass in one direction and retain moisture in the opposite direction. The reinforcing mesh layer ensures the strength of the film, prevents it from sagging and guarantees a constant main air gap.


Membranes with a reinforcing layer

Read also - do it yourself.

Membranes for installation under the roof have a metallized outside... It increases resistance to weather conditions - high humidity, wind loads and temperature extremes.

Heaters

What is the best way to insulate a cold ceiling? The main thermal insulation materials used to insulate ceilings can be divided into the following categories:

  • Solid. Such materials consist of foamed plastics, are little susceptible to moisture, and are conveniently mounted.
  • Fibrous. Mats or rolls are formed from compressed fibers. They are inexpensive and have good thermal insulation. Sensitive to moisture, when wet they lose their thermal insulation properties.
  • Bulk. Traditional bulk materials - expanded clay, etc. The cheapest have the weakest thermal insulation. Ecowool stands out separately - an expensive but extremely effective material.
  • Sprayable. Modern coverings made of foamed plastics. Sprayed on site, do not form joints and seams. The best thermal insulation, very expensive equipment.

How to insulate the ceiling, everyone decides for himself, based on his needs and capabilities.

Mineral wool


Rolled mineral wool

The most popular type of fibrous material. It is made from several types of raw materials:

  • Basalt wool from volcanic rocks. High strength and density, short tough fibers. High moisture resistance.
  • Recycled glass wool. Low strength, light and elastic, long elastic fibers.
  • Slag wool from blast-furnace waste. Low thermal insulation properties, cheapness. Not applicable for residential buildings.

For insulation with mineral wool, no special equipment is required, the installation process is simple and fast enough. It is produced both in rolls and in insulating plates up to 150 mm thick.

Mineral wool is harmful to health, during installation it is necessary to use a respirator, protective gloves and goggles.

Attention! If the fibers get on the mucous membranes, in the respiratory system, in the digestive system, you should immediately consult a doctor.

After being laid during operation, mineral wool is completely harmless to those living in the house.

An important feature of mineral wool, which must be taken into account when designing and laying, is a large number of joints and abutments. They must be carried out so that the gap is minimal, I lay the plates to the guides and to each other. Half-centimeter gaps between the slabs can reduce the effectiveness of the coating by a third.


Correct and incorrect laying of insulation

The heat-insulating properties of mineral wool are reduced, up to their loss when the material gets wet. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the removal of vapors and condensate.

Monolithic

The most suitable and popular material for thermal insulation of ceilings is expanded polystyrene. It is produced in the form of 1200 * 600mm panels equipped with a tongue and groove. This allows making high-quality joints during installation. In addition, cracks and gaps are sealed with polyurethane foam. The material is resistant to moisture and temperature fluctuations. Perfectly manifests itself when insulating the ceiling, both outside and inside

Its disadvantage is its low fire resistance. When burned, it releases substances harmful to health.


Insulation with polyurethane foam

Polyfoam, or foamed polyurethane, is significantly cheaper than expanded polystyrene, but has low strength and is prone to chipping. Suitable for ceiling insulation from the inside.

Sprayed and bulk materials

The sprayed materials are very effective, have no joints or seams, and hardly burn. They can be effectively sprayed into hard-to-reach places and cavities, providing thermal insulation where other materials can be placed only with partial disassembly of building structures.

The main disadvantage is the extremely high cost of the equipment and the high qualification of the operator. This holds back the widespread adoption of the promising method.

Ecowool

Very promising both bulk and sprayed insulation for roofs and ceilings. It occupies an intermediate position between sprayed and bulk materials. It is made of recycled paper, and has the same thermal conductivity as mineral wool. Fibers with the addition of glue are fed to the surface or into the cavity under slight pressure and freeze there. When wet, it partially loses its properties, but after drying, they return.

The additives in the composition of ecowool make it low-flammable, environmentally friendly and unattractive to rodents and mold. The material does not cause allergies and does not contribute to the development of cancer.


Ecowool laying methods

Applying ecowool does not require special qualifications, and installation is a little more complicated than a vacuum cleaner. One of the few disadvantages is the requirement for the application temperature: not lower than +23 o С

Expanded clay and foam glass chips (foam crumb)

When backfilling with expanded clay or foam crumb, it is necessary to take into account the fact that its thermal insulation properties are small in comparison with more modern materials. Therefore, a significantly thicker layer is required.


Expanded clay - traditional bulk insulation

Few advantages of the material are its cheapness, moisture resistance and incombustibility.

Expanded clay is used in budget solutions, as an outer layer, while internal thermal insulation is performed mineral wool


Scheme of two-layer insulation with expanded clay and mineral wool

Sawdust and shavings

These materials can attract their low cost, sawdust and shavings in woodworking industries can be obtained at all free of charge. Chips have a high fire hazard, sawdust burns much worse.

Ceiling insulation

Consider the process of insulating the attic ceiling with mineral wool. The technology differs based on specific designs and selected schemes.

Outside

The simplest and quick way thermal insulation - interbeam. If the ceiling is made of solid planks, the vapor barrier must be wrapped around the beams or wrapped around the beams. If the ceiling is made of thin lining or strips, the foil vapor barrier film is attached below the beams, along the ceiling.


Insulation methods wooden ceiling from the attic

A complete insulation scheme requires significantly more labor, materials and time, but it is also much more effective. A double layer of slabs is added to the interbeam layer of rolls or mats. Layers need to be overlapped.

How to insulate a cold ceiling from the inside

choosing a way to insulate the ceiling from the inside, you need to understand that any of them will reduce the height of the room. The minimum loss of height will be in the case of installation stretch ceiling or a plasterboard false ceiling. In this case, thermal insulation plates can be laid between the guides of the metal profiles.


Fastening basalt wool on disc dowels

If a suspended ceiling is not planned, then the insulation plates can be fixed in various ways:

  • Still, make guides from wooden slats or metal profiles.
  • Fix the panels with special disc dowels. One 1200 * 600 mm mat requires at least 4-5 dowels
  • Glue to the overlap with mastic.

A reinforced mesh is glued to the lower part of the insulation, and a leveling primer and layers of paint are already applied to it.

No attic

When insulating buildings without an attic, in addition to solving the problem of preserving heat itself, it is necessary to ensure the removal of excess moisture, both contained in the air in the form of vapors and condensing on cold surfaces.


Scheme for buildings without an attic

A vapor barrier is laid under a light ceiling, a layer of thermal insulation of the material is laid on it. It is necessary to provide two ventilated gaps - between the thermal insulation and the waterproofing and between the waterproofing and the roofing material. Along the ridge, you need to arrange air vents or simply raise the skate pad so that air can escape freely.

Special cases

Consider a few special cases

In an apartment building

Apartments on the top floors of apartment buildings are known to be cold. Especially if the builders performed the thermal insulation of the floor in violation of the technology. Any independent work in the attic of an apartment building is illegal, it is better to spend time on claims against the construction or operating organization and force them to fulfill their obligations to ensure a normal temperature. But the claim process is not a quick thing, but it's cold in the rooms today.

However, you can quickly and inexpensively insulate the ceiling from the inside and cope with it on your own. We'll have to "please" the neighbors by drilling numerous holes in the ceiling under the dowels, but the result is worth it.


Ceiling insulation in an apartment building

Another disadvantage will be a decrease in the height of the rooms by 4-5 cm, and along the perimeter of the ceiling - up to 40 cm. But heat is more expensive.

On the warm ceiling a system of guides made of wooden slats or a metal profile with a height of 4 cm is installed. Between them are laid sheets of foam plastic with a thickness of 30 mm and fixed to the ceiling on disc dowels.

After that, a foil vapor barrier is attached to the lower edges of the guides. Slopes with a radius of 40-40 cm are made along the perimeter, providing a smooth conjugation of the planes of the lines of the false ceiling and walls. At the last stage, sheets of moisture-resistant drywall are attached. Curved slopes are covered with foam crumbs, starting from the short sides of the room. Ecowool is also suitable for this.

Attic

The residential attic must be insulated. Warming will not interfere with the uninhabited attic - this will be an additional barrier on the way of cold to the residential floors. How to reliably insulate the ceiling in a residential attic? The most common scheme is insulation with mineral wool or polyurethane foam plates with laying between the rafters. For vertical walls, you will need to take special cotton wool with a low shrinkage coefficient.


Thermal insulation scheme for the attic

Particular attention will need to be paid to vapor barrier. In an already built house, the ridge space is not always available. In this case, ecowool can help out - it can be blown out through temporary technological holes, which are then sealed with polyurethane foam.

Garage and sauna

The roof of the garage is often supported by metal I-beams. When installing guides for insulation, it is inconvenient to drill holes from the bottom up in a steel beam, therefore, the method shown in the figure is used. Thermal insulation boards are laid in two overlapping layers. Instead of fibrous materials, you can try ecowool. In this case, you can do without foil insulation, and instead lay Kraft paper on the false ceiling.


Installation diagrams for a bath and a garage

A standard thermal insulation scheme is used for the bath. High humidity premises require the use of basalt wool - insulation of the ceiling of the building with glass wool is not recommended. Particular attention should be paid to the quality of ventilation gaps. Ecowool must be moistened with glue. If the sauna ceiling is insulated, working from the attic side, they often use and bulk materials, such as sawdust and shavings.

Worker skills and tool

Popular methods of insulation do not require expensive equipment and high qualifications. For insulation home master general construction skills and common tools will be enough:

  • hammer
  • screwdriver
  • hacksaw
  • stepladders
  • roulette

When installing the rails, it is best to have an assistant. Help is also useful when cutting and laying roll materials.

Before starting work and purchasing materials, it is necessary to make a sketch drawing. This will help you not to be mistaken with the dimensions and correctly calculate the amount of purchased materials.

Typically, the ceiling and roof consume up to forty percent of the total heat transfer in the house. Ceiling insulation is a topical issue for many families. Such work requires certain knowledge and skills of the builder. As in any construction process, there are peculiarities and difficulties here. Currently, thanks to modern technologies, any novice builder and ordinary person will be able to do such work.



Peculiarities

The so-called cold roof is built according to slightly different principles. When erecting it, the usual types of layering of materials are not used. A similar type exists in those houses where the premises under the roof are not residential and are not heated in winter.

Due to this structure of the roof, it has a light weight and minimal construction costs. The installation itself is much easier to carry out than when building a roof with a warm structure. It used to be thought to be perfect and inexpensive option when building a simple country house.



It is important to know that due to the absence of heating in the upper room, the air there acts as a buffer, which helps to avoid unnecessary heat losses.

Due to the increase in heating tariffs, many people began to think about ceiling insulation. A large amount of heat is evaporated from the house due to the presence of cracks in the ceiling. This is due to poor quality construction and poor building materials.


Insulation of the ceiling and the presence of a cold roof is a pressing problem for residents of the top floors. This is especially true of the old housing stock. Such a problem is also relevant for the owners who live in a private house. The attic is a neutral territory, and the management company may not allow a layer of insulation to be put there. Therefore, there remains an option with ceiling insulation in your own apartment.



A feature of this solution will be that several useful centimeters from the ceiling height will be lost. But due to the possibilities of drywall and various lighting fixtures, you can get an updated and fashionable interior. To keep warm and not pay too much for heating, you should think about ceiling insulation.


Ceiling insulation in a private house has its own characteristics. It is customary to start work from the second or last floor. This can be an attic space, the last floor or attic areas. Laying special material with thermal insulation properties occurs on top of the ceiling or in empty slots and helps to retain heat in the room.

You will not need to think about additional finishing of the ceiling. The master will not need to mount the insulation on the ceiling itself. Due to the placement of the insulation in the floor, condensation will not form.


You need to know that you cannot insulate the roof slope. This will help melt snow and form icicles. In addition, the insulated attic is already an attic by construction standards. It is important to know about such a feature that the next layer directed from the room should be more vapor permeable than the previous one.

Another feature is that you cannot drain the condensate. This rule also applies to sloped ceilings. There are drained walls. This is a very expensive and difficult pleasure for private home owners. The cool and hot sides of the ceiling in an apartment building can be reversed. It depends on the time of year.

It is worth knowing that modern technology of ceiling insulation is focused on the absence of condensation in the material itself.

And if he nevertheless formed, then he should have the opportunity to go outside.

Another feature is the very process of laying on a cold floor. When using loose material, be sure to leave gaps. Another gap remains between the insulator and the insulation layer. This is a safety technique in the event of condensation.


In a private house or cottage, it is possible to insulate the ceiling of the next floor using a special material that is placed on top of the ceiling or in the existing voids. The features of the overlap depend on its type. It can be made of wood or concrete.

To put the insulation on the beams, which are made of wood, it is worth using lightweight and filling materials. Materials in the form of a roll are also well suited. In order to insulate concrete, it is worth using not very loose mats and dense materials.

If the issue of insulation was not resolved during the construction phase or it comes on the last floor of a residential building, then it is quite justified to start insulation as needed.



If we are talking about insulating the roof of a private lady made of wood, then in this case there are a number of advantages. The insulation will create additional sound insulation. This is especially true in times of heavy rain and wind outside. In the heat, the insulation will trap hot air from the street. Due to this, a pleasant climate will remain in the room.

In winter, an insulated roof will help significantly save energy and will prevent heat from escaping from the premises to the street.



You can insulate the ceiling in a private house made of wood yourself. It is important to prepare well for this. You need to know the properties different materials, their pros and cons, own specific technology for ceiling insulation, study the video instructions.

It has become fashionable to insulate attics and turn them into attics. A feature of such a room is the criteria for the ventilation area, which are located between the room and the outdoor structure. The size of such ventilation usually ranges from fifteen to twenty centimeters. But the usual roof has an attic with dormer windows. Therefore, in order to create a warm climate there, it is important to take care of sufficient air circulation.


When heating good ventilation reduces the heating of the roof and prevents the formation of ice blocks on the roof.

For residents multi-storey buildings or private, in the absence of the possibility of roof insulation from the upper floor, another option can be considered. We are talking about insulation from below. This type of work is possible if reconstruction of premises is done with good overlap in the attic when there is no way to get into the attic. This is especially true for residents of apartment buildings and intractable managers. In this case, the installation of a structure based on a frame made of wooden slats will be carried out or metal elements... Insulation can be in the form of slabs.

With this type of insulation, there is a big disadvantage. As mentioned earlier, due to this technique, the height of the room and precious centimeters are lost.



In addition, such works require more experience and time to complete them.

It must be remembered that good and durable insulation will be obtained with an integrated approach. In addition, in a room with a cold roof, it is additionally necessary to insulate door, window openings and, without fail, the floor. With the help of a thermal imager, you can easily calculate the areas through which the greatest amount of heat is emitted. They are usually red and yellow in color.


Materials (edit)

Currently, a large selection of heaters is presented in hardware stores. To choose the options you want, it is worthwhile to carefully study the presented samples and their main characteristics. They must meet all the required requirements.

There are several nuances on the basis of which it is worth choosing materials. It is important to know that products with low thermal conductivity are best suited for this. The material must be moisture resistant. This important criterion when choosing a heater for outside and with a rather worn-out roof.



Insulation and other materials must last for a long time, so they must be durable. Do not forget about environmental safety... For work, you need to choose non-flammable or low-flammable products.

For a private house the best insulation- this is expanded clay.



Often they use shavings or sawdust, often use stone or mineral wool, ecowool, polystyrene foam, foam, aerated concrete. Polyurethane foam is a spray-on type of material.

For roof insulation in wooden house it is worth using certain types of insulation. The choice of material must be strictly in accordance with the type of overlap. It comes in two types - concrete or wood. For concrete, it is worth using heavier insulation. They come in the form of a mat or a slab. As a rule, they are of the filling type.




Often builders also use natural insulation. These include sawdust, hay, pine needles, last year's leaves, algae, or reeds. However, it is worth remembering that all natural materials, except for sawdust, are subject to severe decay.

It is important to approach the choice of material extremely responsibly.


Which to choose?

Insulation in the form of shavings or sawdust is considered the oldest material. In areas where woodworking production is highly developed, this material is very cheap. It is great for creating a layer of insulation on top of a hardwood floor. A significant disadvantage of this type of insulation is its high flammability.

There are three types of mineral wool in the construction industry: stone, slag and glass. Stone wool is obtained from rocks with the addition of clay, limestone and formaldehyde.

A significant disadvantage of such material is that it contains harmful substances in its composition. When heated, they are converted to phenols and released into the air. Balsam cotton is considered safer, in it harmful substances far less.




Slag wool is obtained from the use of blast furnace slags and other waste from the metallurgical industry. Due to the average thermal conductivity and the ability to absorb a large amount of moisture, it is not suitable for insulating a cold ceiling.

Glass wool is the most suitable material and also has an extremely low cost.

A clear disadvantage is that if particles of material get on the skin or mucous membranes of a person, it can cause harm to health. In this case, experts advise using gloves when working with this type of insulation special means protection.



A clear advantage of cotton wool as a home insulation is its ease of transportation and installation. This is possible due to its low weight. Cotton wool has low flammability and can only be sintered at high temperatures. For the owners of country houses and cottages, it is important to know that glass wool is not the most favorite material for insects, various rodents and mold.



Polyethylene foam is a foamed PVC coated with a foil layer. The manufacturer produces this insulation in rolls up to one meter wide. You can also insulate the ceiling with foam. But it is important to know that in this case additional installation of suspended structures will be required. In a private house, it is also good to use polystyrene foam. It fits snugly and, due to its good density, is often used in the attic, as a base for further putty.


Expanded clay is also very popular. Better if it is made of light alloy clay. Due to this, the material is lightweight and has a rather porous structure. Production modern heaters allows you to choose foam products. Many builders consider isover as insulation. This material is similar in many respects to mineral wool. But it is more elastic and resistant to stress.


Another worthy option is penofol. His distinctive feature is the property of reflecting thermal radiation. This material is well suited as insulation inside and outside the house. With such a means, it is quite possible to insulate the entire country house, and not just the ceiling.


Do not forget about polyurethane foam. It is a comfortable and good quality material that meets all the necessary characteristics as a heater. It is a polyurethane foam that only needs to be sprayed to get desired result... It not only insulates, but also contributes to the soundproofing of the room.

For residents of an apartment building, it is best to obtain permission from management company and insulate the attic floor.



An excellent option in this case would be the use of expanded clay. This material is fire resistant and perfectly protects against moisture.

Inside the apartment, vapor-permeable insulation is often used. In the process renovation works the master uses special materials that fill the entire ceiling area. After that, you can start finishing work using drywall.


Application area

As noted earlier, materials can be used both indoors and above the ceiling. Sawdust and clay are perfect for eliminating defects in wood floors. The floor is worked with clay, then it is sprinkled with a thin layer of sand and sawdust is scattered on top.

In order to prevent mice from getting in the sawdust, it is worth using carbide mixed with slaked lime. In an old house made of timber, the height of such insulation can reach thirty centimeters. When using the attic for household purposes, it is enough to put wooden boards on top of such insulation.

Experienced craftsmen use special film with waterproofing.


It allows particles of steam to escape from the living quarters. For a residential building, you can use a mixture of clay with sawdust. An excellent option in a log or frame house.

In any case, they will walk on the concrete floor of an apartment building. This will happen in the course of repair work or preventive maintenance. In this case, you should choose dense foam or mineral wool. Be sure to put plywood or a board on the insulation.


You can use these two types of insulation and a less dense layer. Due to this, the material will be released much cheaper. In this case, you need to make a crate of wood on the stove. It is better if it is on stands, because the mounted height can reach twenty or more centimeters. Insulation is laid under such a crate and a gap is made for ventilation.



For insulation reinforced concrete floor in a brick house, you can use foam. In this case, we are not talking about the release of toxic substances during a fire. Residential apartments are separated from it by a special ceiling that does not burn.

If there is a wood floor, it is undesirable to use foam.

This also applies to fire safety standards. The most common type of floor slab is wood. In this case, you should stop your choice on ecowool. This type of material is put in a fill, it can be filled in any space.

Ecowool tiles are laid in several layers. It is important that the seams of the layers are bridged. After insulation, the attic already turns into an attic, but this applies to private houses and cottages.


Recently, the issue of insulation in the basement has become relevant.

V modern houses such a room can be equipped into a real living room. This could be an office, a gym, or a workshop. In any case, this room can be used only if there is a comfortable temperature for a person in it. Basement insulation is a sure step towards preserving energy and heat throughout the house. Even if the basement is unsuitable for equipping usable space, it still needs to be insulated.



This can be done internally, externally, or in a combination. The choice of heaters is quite wide. The main thing is to choose suitable option for specific purposes.

Work technology

It is very important that the roof of the house is warm. It is not cheap, but it saves the budget in the future. After all, energy costs are significantly reduced.

When working on insulating the ceiling with expanded clay, the weight of the material itself is of great importance. Due to the weight of expanded clay, it cannot be used in the presence of wood floors. The weight of the material can cause the deck to collapse completely. Expanded clay should be used if available concrete slabs... The ceiling and roof insulation scheme may differ slightly.

Preparing the attic begins with clearing the entire area of ​​trash and debris.



If there is an old insulation, then it is also best to remove it. It can create unnecessary stress on the floors.

The next step is to conduct a thorough isolation. This is necessary so that the consequences of flooding do not have to be removed in the spring. For this, a special membrane is used. It is placed between the lag so that about four centimeters is wound on the sides of the lag.


The insulator should be pressed very tightly against the joists. Usually it is fixed with a stapler or glue.

Wooden floor must have oxygen admission from at least two sides.

After that, the laying of the first layer of insulation begins. It is put to the level of the lag. Then the insulation is covered with a membrane that has a small throughput oxygen. Then the wood flooring is laid. Special ventilation gaps are left.



It is necessary to correctly select the thickness of the insulation.

In this case, it is worth considering the waterproofing layer. Often builders use material about fifty millimeters thick.

When insulating with polyurethane foam, you will need to call a master. The spraying process takes place under high pressure... Due to this, all gaps are filled. The layer thickness ranges from ten to twelve centimeters.

Mineral wool as insulation has different thicknesses. Indicators depend on the scope of work. The layer of cotton wool used as insulation can be from two to twenty centimeters.


Polyethylene foam is polyethylene foam.

The thickness of such material ranges from one millimeter to two centimeters. Styrofoam is laid in slabs. The thickness of one slab varies from two to ten centimeters. This is due to the fact that the material needs to overlap each other.

When insulating the attic, they are used various materials for insulation. But the average ranges from fifteen to twenty centimeters. The layer of clay and straw is about ten centimeters. In order for everything to be even, it is worth using a special ruler or stick.


Thermal insulation options

There are only two options for insulating a cold ceiling and roof - either the ceiling is insulated inside the room, or it is insulated outside. Both of these options are great for keeping your home warm and energy-efficient. Each of these options has its own set necessary materials and installation technology.



Materials for thermal insulation are divided into two classes - vapor-permeable and vapor-tight. These readings indicate the ability to absorb moisture. It is for them that one or another type of material is chosen for performing work on the insulation of the ceiling or roof. For work on external insulation, a vapor-proof material is used, and for internal works- vapor permeable.



Inside, they use most often mineral insulation. Work can be done using rolled glass wool. Complete with a plasterboard ceiling, you get an excellent buffer for hot air. The insulation process is carried out at the time of installation of the suspended ceiling.

It will be correct if, first, a frame is made of profiles, in which the insulation will then be placed.

If the work is done with your own hands and on your own, do not forget about safety precautions.


Glass wool is a rather dangerous material. The methods for attaching glass wool to the ceiling are quite simple. The material is glued to the tile adhesive. It is important that the glue dries as quickly as possible. After all the insulation has dried, it is sewn up with drywall.

It is worth remembering that cotton wool cannot be tamped and pressed.

Due to these features, it is attached to glue, and not to self-tapping screws. The whole thermal effect of mineral wool lies in the abundant amount of interlayers that are placed inside the wool.

Ceiling insulation in a private house is a procedure that owners often neglect, focusing on the walls. And in vain - a lot of heat is spent through the roof. After all, warm air is lighter, and therefore rises up. If the ceiling is not insulated, then the heat does not meet obstacles and freely goes outside. Having understood how to properly insulate the ceiling, you can significantly reduce heat loss - the house does not have to be heated for a long time using expensive energy sources.

The ways

Ceiling insulation in a private house can be done in three ways. The first option is to insulate the ceiling from inside the room. It is possible if the architectural features of the building do not allow for external (attic) thermal insulation.

Therefore, the second method is to insulate the ceiling in the attic, outside. This is the most popular method of thermal insulation, which is not only easier and faster to carry out, but also the cheapest. The third method is combined, which provides for insulation, both external and internal. Basically, it is used for high heat loss in a room.

Materials (edit)

The following materials are required for thermal insulation of the ceiling:


  • insulation material (mineral wool and foam);
  • waterproofing material (glassine);
  • edged board, nails and wooden slats;
  • mounting foam for sealing.

To cut the slats the right size, you will need a hacksaw and an electric jigsaw. The foam slabs can be cut with a knife.


Do-it-yourself ceiling insulation from the inside can be carried out with tiled mineral and polymer non-flowing materials, which include expanded polystyrene, polystyrene foam, mineral wool. Expanded clay, sawdust, insulating bulk components based on polymer mixtures are suitable for external thermal insulation.

Roof work

Before insulating the ceiling in a private house, the roof should be insulated. Most of the residential buildings are equipped with a gable roof and they are insulated from the inside after the completion of construction. One of the insulation options:


  • the entire roof cladding is covered with a layer of waterproofing;
  • a wooden crate is mounted for installing insulation;
  • insulation plates are laid between the battens of the crate;
  • all gaps and cracks are blown out with polyurethane foam;
  • boards are nailed that will fix the insulation plates.

It is important that there is space for ventilation between the waterproofing film and the insulation - the air will pick up water vapor and carry it out of the room. If there is no ventilation, the humidity will rise and condensation will appear.

Mineral wool

In private houses, the ceiling is insulated from the attic side. This facilitates DIY installation and does not reduce the living space. Consider how to insulate the ceiling with mineral wool. First of all, it is necessary to prepare the area of ​​the attic floor for insulation according to the following scheme:


  • the floor of the attic is covered with a vapor barrier film;
  • wooden slats are attached at such a distance that blocks of mineral wool can fit between them;
  • if the heat loss is significant, the insulation is laid in several layers;
  • the last layer of insulation must cover the beams, otherwise the tree can become a “cold bridge”;
  • the remaining voids are filled with pieces of foam or blown out with construction foam;
  • a second layer of vapor barrier film is mounted.

Increased attention to moisture insulation is due to the fact that mineral wool, getting into a humid environment, loses thermal insulation characteristics.

It is better to spread the film for moisture insulation with a margin. The edges of the film are stapled to walls or side rails. After insulation in the attic, you can arrange living or utility rooms.


If you plan to use the attic space frequently, then you should lay a floor of planks over the thermal insulation. If the attic will not be used, it is enough to nail a few boards in order to move along them, like along paths.

Expanded clay

If mineral wool is not suitable as insulation, you can insulate the ceiling with expanded clay. Expanded clay has many advantages:

  • it is not damaged by rodents;
  • expanded clay is a bulk insulation, so they can fill any space;
  • thermal insulation using expanded clay will serve for a long time


But you need to remember that expanded clay has relatively low thermal insulation characteristics, so a lot of insulation may be needed. This will increase the pressure on the floors of the house. As a conclusion: expanded clay is used to insulate the ceiling in case of insignificant heat loss, when you can get by with a small amount of this material. Expanded clay does not react to a humid environment, so it does not need to be protected with waterproofing materials.

Working with Styrofoam

Polyfoam is a very popular insulation. It is produced in the form of slabs. For insulation of premises, you can also purchase bulk foam. When deciding on the choice of insulation, many stop at polystyrene. And for good reason - it has very beneficial characteristics:


  • the foam is a light material, so the pressure on bearing structures will be minimal;
  • installation of plates can be done independently;
  • foam plates can always be cut with a knife so that they dock inside the crate;
  • modern polystyrene is not afraid of fire and has a low cost.

Installation steps

Ceiling insulation with foam consists of the following procedures:

  • the ceiling is covered with waterproofing (glassine) - glassine is cut into strips so that the material fits between the beams;
  • 5 cm of material is left from the side of the beams, and then the glassine is attached wooden slats to the ends of the beams;
  • foam plates are cut with a knife so that they fit between the ceiling beams;
  • all cracks are blown out with polyurethane foam;
  • a second layer of glassine is laid on top of the structure.

The amount of insulation is calculated based on the heat loss of the building. Sometimes you have to put several layers of mineral wool on top of the foam layer. The insulation structure is mounted so that the upper edges of the floor beams are covered with insulation.


Even when insulating the ceiling with your own hands, you should consult a specialist in order to know for sure the required amount of material and choose the right insulation.

Compared to city apartments in multi-storey buildings, private houses have large area contact with external environment, therefore, the issue of high-quality thermal insulation is much more relevant here. About 35% of the heat is released into the ambient air through an uninsulated ceiling, unless the roof and attic are insulated with a thermal barrier. To waste so much thermal energy is an unaffordable luxury, so we will consider optimal options thermal insulation of ceilings.

Insulation from the inside or from the attic - which is preferable?

Modern building technologies provide for a device thermal insulation layers simultaneously with the construction of the building. In this case, the most convenient and effective schemes for installing insulation are selected at the design stage, taking into account the type of overlap, the total load on building structures, the need for heat conservation in a given climatic zone. Ideally, this happens if a new house in compliance with construction requirements and regulations.

If a private building was erected a long time ago, or recently, but on our own, it is quite possible that there may not be high-quality thermal insulation, including ceiling ceilings, in the house. In such a situation, homeowners have to independently solve the problem of insulation, choosing methods that correspond to the needs for saving heat, the peculiarities of the building in general and the type of floors in particular. The first question that arises on the way to solving the indicated problem is the side of the ceiling slabs, with which it is more convenient and expedient to arrange a thermal insulation barrier.

It is possible to insulate the floors on each side, and in any case it will be correct. But when choosing a method of insulation, you need to take into account some of the nuances. The first is the height of the ceiling slabs. If the ceilings are low, and there is no desire to further conceal the useful space, insulation from the attic side definitely suggests itself, because a layer of insulation (at least 5-6 cm) plus finishing (2-3 cm) will make the ceilings even lower. Another situation is that the rooms have already been finished, the interior has been decorated, and it suits the households quite well. Insulating the ceiling from the inside will lead to the need to make repairs again, which is impractical in all respects. Here, it is also preferable to lay the thermal insulation barrier from above along the ceilings.

It makes sense to insulate the ceilings from the inside only in a situation when the house is overhaul... In this case, it is envisaged to implement one of the methods of internal thermal insulation of ceiling ceilings, which is carried out during the repair and finishing works... Although recently, homeowners increasingly prefer to insulate the ceiling from the attic side. This is much more convenient, less expensive and, moreover, not difficult. And this is a strong factor if it is supposed to build a heat-insulating barrier with your own hands.

There is an option for insulating floors on both sides. This is done by those who want to turn housing into an impregnable fortress for the winter cold and summer heat, in order to then constantly save on payments for energy carriers.

Looking for a suitable material - polymers or fiber?

There are now enough choices that can be applied for our purposes. Along with the use of modern thermal insulation materials, traditional insulation materials are often used, which have served for this for more than one century. These include wood shavings and sawdust, as well as materials based on them (sawdust concrete, a mixture of woodworking waste with clay). Some cover the floor of the attic with a layer of dry leaves or paws conifers... Such methods of insulating floors were used by our ancestors, but nothing prevents us from using such completely natural and often free materials in our time. Although modern technologies and materials are preferred by consumers, therefore, we will briefly consider their variety and main characteristics.

By classifying the materials applicable for insulating ceiling ceilings, they can be divided into several groups:

  • polymer heat insulators;
  • fibrous insulation;
  • sprayed materials;
  • free-flowing substances.

The well-known polystyrene and the rapidly gaining popularity of extruded polystyrene, known to many under the commercial name "penoplex", belong to polymers. Polyfoam is used very widely for thermal insulation purposes in construction. The popularity of the material is ensured by two factors - a very affordable cost and good thermal insulation properties. A high-quality material with a density of at least 35 kg / m 3 also has sufficient hydrophobicity to eliminate the need for a hydro and vapor barrier when installing an insulating layer. Everything is good, but there is a, the main of which is flammability, accompanied by extreme toxicity. The smoke released during the combustion of this polymer is capable of sending anyone who inhales it 2-3 times to the forefathers. For this reason, in many developed countries, this insulation is prohibited for carrying out thermal insulation works in residential buildings.

Penoplex is devoid of many of the disadvantages of foam. It belongs to the class of materials that do not support combustion or self-extinguishing, therefore its use in residential construction is not limited. In addition, polystyrene is completely insensitive to moisture and is not affected by bacterial and fungal microflora. The strength of foam is one of the highest when compared with other heat insulators, therefore, polystyrene is often used where strength characteristics play an important role (under the screed, thermal insulation of the basement of buildings, basements). In terms of thermal insulation properties, polystyrene is about the same as foam plastic - to create a reliable thermal barrier, an insulation layer of 5-10 cm is enough (depending on the geography of the region).

Fibrous materials for thermal insulation work in construction include varieties of mineral wool. The material differs in the nature of the raw material that is used to make the material. All types of mineral wool are produced by melting minerals and forming fibers held together with organic adhesives. If fibers are formed from molten glass, the result is glass wool. Slag wool is made in the same way from blast-furnace slags and other mineral waste of metallurgical production. Basalt wool, considered the most quality material from this category, is formed by thermal action on some types of rocks.

All fiber insulation materials are available in different densities. The tallest specific gravity have mats used mainly for facade thermal insulation for plastering. Such a heat insulator is durable and tough, therefore it forms a solid surface for finishing work on it. Medium density mineral wool is also produced in the form of mats, but the material is looser and does not have high strength. Mineral wool with the lowest specific gravity on sale comes rolled up in rolls. For insulation of the ceiling in the house, you can use mineral wool of medium and low density, and the first will be more appropriate for thermal insulation from the side of the attic with a cold roof, the second - for the device of a thermal barrier from the inside.

Sprayable and free-flowing options - there is plenty to choose from

The last word in the technology of thermal insulation of building surfaces is sprayed heat insulators. These include polyurethane foam and ecowool. The first material is a polymer, the second is made from natural raw materials (cellulose). Both heat insulators are applied to the surfaces to be insulated by spraying, although in some cases the ecowool is poured into the existing gaps in a dry form, followed by ramming.

Polyurethane foam in terms of chemical nature, method of application and structure of the finished thermal insulation is very close to conventional polyurethane foam. To prepare a foam with excellent adhesive properties, two components are used, which are dismounted and then applied using special equipment. The advantage of sprayed insulation is its seamlessness, which prevents the formation of cold bridges. Polyurethane foam in the polymerized (solidified) state is not flammable and has 1.3 times better thermal insulation characteristics than foam. The disadvantage of a heat insulator is in gradual destruction under the influence of ultraviolet radiation (you need to protect it) and the impossibility of working with it yourself (the equipment is expensive and it is not advisable to purchase it for one-time use).

The most commonly used bulk heat insulator is expanded clay - porous granules of various fractions. The raw material for the production of expanded clay is ordinary clay, therefore, this insulation is classified as environmentally friendly and natural. This insulation does not burn, has moderate hygroscopicity and good thermal insulation properties. The ability to resist heat loss depends on the size of the granules - the smaller the fraction, the higher the thermal conductivity.

For insulation of the attic floor, it is advisable to use expanded clay of 5-10 mm fraction.

Thermal insulation of the ceiling from the side of the living rooms

There are two ways to insulate the floors from the inside. The first involves installation thermal insulation boards or mats directly on the floor surface using glue and additional fixing with special dowels. This method is best used if a reinforced concrete slab is used as a floor. The second technology provides for the device of the lathing for the subsequent sheathing with sheets of drywall, plastic panels or clapboard. In this case, the insulation is laid between the supporting elements of the frame. This method is feasible for any type of ceiling. Both methods give a good thermal insulation effect, although the thickness of the layer is often limited, due to the desire to preserve the maximum usable space.

To implement the technology of direct installation of insulation on plates, extruded polystyrene is often used, although mineral wool mats with a high specific gravity can also be used. Polystyrene is preferred for several reasons:

  • the material is lighter, more convenient to work with during its installation;
  • the thermal conductivity of polystyrene of the same thickness is about one and a half times lower than the same indicator of high-density mineral wool;
  • to form finishing layers on the surface of mineral wool, you need to have the skills of such an activity, while plastering on polystyrene is no more difficult than on drywall.

In general, the installation of these heaters differs little. The only difference is in the used polymer-cement mixtures for gluing heat-insulating sheets. The sequence of actions with this method of insulation is as follows:

  • we treat the floor slab with a primer mixture;
  • we prepare polymer-cement glue (according to the instructions on the package);
  • the adhesive mixture is applied to the insulation sheet (along the perimeter and in the center), after which we press the polystyrene plate to the concrete surface and set it in a horizontal plane;
  • after the glue has set (after about a day), we additionally fix the sheets of insulation with "umbrellas" - special dowels with a wide round head.

It remains to plaster the insulation using a reinforcing mesh and apply finishing layers. If the second method is used, which provides for laying insulation in the gaps between the slats or profiles, we take medium or low density mineral wool as a heat-insulating material. Thermal insulation is placed between the frame elements and slightly fixed by bent straight hanger strips, with which the profiles are attached to the ceiling, after which the lathing is closed with sheathing.

The device of a thermal barrier on the floor of the attic - available methods

All of the above materials are applicable to the thermal barrier from the attic side. If for insulation with ecowool or polyurethane foam you need to hire specialized teams, form heat-insulating layers with expanded clay, mineral wool or polymer sheet heaters will not be difficult for any home craftsman.

If the overlap is done reinforced concrete slab, it is more advisable to apply expanded clay, filling it with a layer of up to 15 cm, or lay penoplex, filling the seams between the sheets of polymer insulation with polyurethane foam. When it is better to use mineral wool, since it is similar to wood in terms of its ability to pass water vapor. Fiber insulation is laid in the gaps between the carriers wooden beams, after which a vapor barrier is made from the corresponding film. Then counter-battens are sewn along the beams, which will be the basis for the flooring of the attic floor board.

If there is free access to sawn timber waste, you can reduce the cost of the event as much as possible by filling the spaces between the beams with a mixture of fine shavings and sawdust. This method of thermal insulation will be the most environmentally friendly and natural for a floor made of wood materials.

There is no need to overpersuade the developers that in private houses with a "cold" roof it is necessary to insulate the ceiling on the top floor. The question is different: how to do it correctly with your own hands, without overpaying extra money for materials. The step-by-step guide in this article will help you find the answer. Here we will explain how to insulate the ceiling from the side of the attic (or room) and what measures to take so that there is no condensation.

The better to insulate attic floors

The range of materials for ceiling insulation is so wide that it is not easy for an ordinary homeowner to make a choice. Judge for yourself:

  • mineral wool based on fiberglass and basalt fiber;
  • polymer insulation - polystyrene, extruded polystyrene foam and expanded polyurethane;
  • bulk building materials - vermiculite, expanded clay;
  • folk remedies - sawdust, straw or reeds (can be mixed with clay);
  • a relatively new insulator based on cellulose - ecowool.

This is how the application of ecowool looks like

Comparing heaters, one cannot say that one is bad and the other is good. They differ greatly in properties, price and scope. An important role is played by the budget allocated by the developer for thermal insulation of the ceilings of a private house or summer cottage. Therefore, it is worth considering each group of materials separately.

Mineral wool products

These porous building materials are produced in the form of slabs and rolls, the density varies between 35-150 kg / m3. Let's list their features:

  1. Basalt mineral wool absolutely does not burn and calmly withstands temperatures up to 600 ° C, and with further heating it is destroyed without ignition. The heat resistance limit of glass wool is 200 ° C, so it is considered a slow-combustible substance.
  2. Both insulators are good for water vapor and are capable of absorbing moisture, as a result of which they lose their thermal insulation properties.
  3. In terms of cost, cotton wool takes a middle position between cheap foam and more expensive polystyrene foam.
  4. The thermal conductivity of mineral wool products depends on their density. The average value is 0.045 W / m ° С, which is a rather high indicator.
  5. Rodents rarely eat dense plates.

Basalt wool slabs

Reference. Glass wool is prohibited by the regulations of most countries for indoor use, as it is unsafe for the health of the inhabitants of residential buildings. The most famous manufacturers- brands Ursa (Ursa) and Izover (Izover).

The main area of ​​application of both types of mineral wool is wooden and frame houses. Unlike polymer insulation materials, it allows the wood to "breathe" and not rot from moisture, since it has a high vapor permeability. At the same time, fiber insulation requires protection from direct moisture from the street.

Fiberglass plates and rolls may be used to insulate ceilings from the outside, from the side of the cold attic. Stone wool can be used from inside buildings, but at the same time hermetically cover it with a vapor barrier film.

Warm polymers

According to its properties, this group of heaters is the complete opposite of mineral wool. Styrofoam and extruded polystyrene foam, well known as Penoplex (brand name), is capable of igniting and burning, no matter what the manufacturers claim. And only polyurethane applied mechanized way in the form of foam, it can withstand fire for no longer than 30 minutes, and then it collapses. At the same time, the materials practically do not allow steam to pass through and do not lose their properties when wet.

This is how polyurethane foam is sprayed

Note. Polyfoam is still permeable to moisture, although it allows it to pass in smaller quantities than cotton wool.

Thermal insulation characteristics of polymers are the best among all heaters:

  • foam - 0.04 W / m ° C;
  • extruded polystyrene foam - 0.035 W / m ° С;
  • polyurethane foam - 0.03 W / m ° C.

Heaters are poorly "friendly" with wood, which often leads to its rotting at the point of contact. Therefore, in wooden dwellings and steam rooms of baths with high humidity, their use is allowed together with an active supply and exhaust ventilation device. The materials are best combined with concrete ceilings and basement ceilings.

Polyfoam is the cheapest, but inferior in durability, in addition, mice like to gnaw it. Foamed polyurethane is also inexpensive, but expensive to apply with specialized equipment. Expanded polystyrene takes the middle position in terms of cost, and in terms of practicality - the first. It is strong and durable, besides, it can be easily mounted on ceilings with your own hands, including from inside the premises.

Here you can see that Penoplex is simply screwed on with self-tapping screws.

Other heaters

We have combined these building materials into a general group according to one feature - a free-flowing structure. The indicators of their thermal conductivity are shown in the table:

Bulk insulation is popular due to its low cost (except for vermiculite) and ease of use. But one must understand that in temperate latitudes, the calculated layer of the same expanded clay must be at least 40 cm, otherwise the thermal insulation will be mediocre. It is not always possible to load the ceiling with such a mass.

In terms of thermal conductivity, straw is not inferior to polystyrene, but it is stored dry for only a few years. To prolong the service life, it is customary to mix it with clay, but then the insulating properties are reduced, as can be seen from the table. A compromise option is small sawdust, poured in a thick layer.

Reference. All organic insulation is very fond of rodents. They appear at the beginning of the cold period and arrange nests for the winter in a layer of sawdust or adobe.

It turns out that these budget materials can be used for thermal insulation of the floor, but with reservations. Vermiculite is expensive, and it makes sense to fill up expanded clay only in the southern regions. To use sawdust, you need to take measures to combat rodents, for example, install ultrasonic repellents.

Determination of insulation thickness

When we figured out how to insulate the ceiling, it is necessary to find out the thickness of the insulating layer. Ideally, such calculations should be performed by design engineers using a rather complex methodology. It takes into account the thermal conductivity of all materials of construction, up to the plasterboard cladding.

We offer a simpler method that allows you to determine the thickness of the insulation with acceptable accuracy using a simple formula. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

  1. Find out the exact value of thermal conductivity λ (W / m ° C) of the selected material or take the value shown in the table below.
  2. In the building regulations of your country of residence, find out the minimum allowable heat transfer resistance R (m² ° C / W) for floors in a particular region.
  3. Calculate the thickness of the insulation in meters using the formula δ = R x λ.

Example. According to SNiP, insulation of floors in Moscow should provide resistance to heat transfer R = 4.15 m² ° C / W. If you lay on the ceiling foam with a thermal conductivity of λ = 0.04 W / m ° C, you will need a thickness δ = 4.15 x 0.04 = 0.166 m or 170 mm rounded. The thinnest layer will come out of polyurethane foam - 125 mm, and the thickest - from expanded clay (415 mm).

How to make insulation from the attic side

External thermal insulation of building structures is considered correct, since it eliminates the fight against condensate that can form at the junction ceiling material with insulation. When the latter is located on the cold side, then water vapor from the living quarters cannot get into its thickness and condense, causing the appearance of mold.

To block the path of a couple to the attic, the first layer in the "pie" is a regular thick film, as shown in the diagram. Thermal insulation is laid on top of it, and a crate is lined from below for interior decoration ceiling. Above the insulation you need to do ventilation gap(air), and then cover with a waterproofing membrane that allows moisture to pass through only in one direction - to the outside.

Note. The gap between the insulating layer and the membrane is necessary for the removal of condensate formed due to the dew point. Without ventilation, moisture will accumulate in the insulation, reducing its ability to withstand the cold. For this, natural ventilation is organized under the roof.

Ceiling insulation in the attic of a pitched roof is carried out using the following technology:

  1. The vapor barrier film is attached to the floor beams from below with brackets or with battens. If the ceilings are already hemmed and tiled, then spread the film on the floor of the attic, bypassing the boards, as shown in the photo above.
  2. Place a row of slab or roll insulation between the beams. If the pitch of the rafters does not match the width of the insulation, cut the insulation exactly to size between the boards.
  3. When it is necessary to make 2 or 3 layers, lay the plates apart (with overlapping of the lower joints) and the beams themselves. Soft roll material do not tamp or crush, it should be fully extended.
  4. If the level of thermal insulation is below the roofing boards, then the ventilation duct is considered ready. It remains to cover the entire area with a diffusion membrane, to nail the bars of the counter-lattice and the boardwalk.
  5. The opposite situation: the insulation is above the level of the beams. Then they need to be increased wooden blocks, securing the latter across the boards.

The device of expanded clay or sawdust insulation layer is also made using vapor barrier films. The material is poured between the beams to the design height, leveled and covered with a membrane. It is not necessary to ram the sawdust so as not to worsen their thermal insulation properties.

The concrete pavement under the pitched roof is insulated using the same technology. The thermal insulation process is shown in more detail in the video:

Sheathing from inside the premises

Not always there technical capability independently carry out the external thermal insulation of the coatings. There are many examples: apartments on the top floors, loggias with balconies, attics of private houses. In these cases, there is nothing left but to insulate the ceiling from the inside. So feel free to start preparing - seal all the cracks with polyurethane foam, treat the wood with an antiseptic, and concrete with an appropriate primer.

There are 2 ways internal insulation coverage:

  1. Installation of slab material - polystyrene or basalt wool - on glue, followed by fixing with dowels, if we are talking about a concrete surface.
  2. Arrangement of false ceilings with insulation under the cladding.

In the first version, mineral wool or polystyrene boards are attached to the ceiling with an adhesive mixture or polyurethane foam in such a way that the joints of adjacent rows do not coincide. After the glue hardens, each element is additionally fixed with dowels in the form of fungi, as shown in the photo. From the bottom, the insulation is closed with steam insulation, after which the topcoat is mounted - plaster or stretch ceiling.

In the second case, a metal or wooden frame with a lath pitch equal to the insulation width (usually 600 mm). The lower plane of the frame should be spaced from the ceiling by the thickness of the insulation or be lower. Then a rolled mineral wool is taken and inserted between the slats a spar with additional fixation with dowels, the expanded polystyrene plates are seated on the glue. Next - vapor barrier and finishing.

Conclusion

By doing self-insulation ceilings, it is important not to confuse the vapor and waterproofing films, and put the superdiffusion membrane correctly - with the marked side up. This is the only difficult moment in the whole procedure, the rest of the work is quite simple. The last nuance: after unpacking the roll of mineral wool, let it straighten and no longer squeeze during installation: this is the working state of the material.