What kind of insulation is best for a bath. How can you insulate a bath outside and inside? What kind of insulation is better for a bath with inside?

Today, before starting the construction of a bath complex, each owner should ask himself how to insulate the bath from the inside. The construction market offers dozens of options. The main thing is not to get confused and choose such a heater for the bath so that it meets the construction requirements.

The principles of choosing insulation

When buying material, you should pay attention to the most important signs of an effective product:

1. environmental friendliness;
2. maximum degree of moisture resistance;
3. resistance to harmful microorganisms;
4. the ability not to deform during long-term operation;
5. thermal conductivity index: the higher it is, the better;
6. compatibility with building materials;
7. the minimum value of moisture absorption;
8. compliance with fire safety requirements, sanitary and epidemiological standards;
9. ability not to accumulate condensate;
10. ease of installation.

Varieties of insulation materials

Before running around the shops and grabbing anything, you should understand the range of materials on offer.

Sauna heaters are organic and inorganic.

Organic materials

This includes a group of heaters that are made from natural raw materials:

• sheep wool or felt;
• jute;
• tow;
• heat insulating materials from peat, reeds and wood chips.

The main advantage of natural materials is environmental friendliness.

But insulating a bath from the inside with their help has a number of disadvantages:

1. Natural thermal insulation for interior decoration of a sauna is a laborious and time-consuming process.
2. Natural heaters are short-lived and require regular renewal.
3. Flax, moss, felt, tow - a favorable environment for the life and reproduction of insects, rodents and other harmful microorganisms.
4. They are suitable for dressing rooms, rest rooms, but are not suitable for thermal insulation inside hot rooms, even after additional treatment with fire retardants.
5. Buying natural materials significantly "hits the wallet".

Inorganic or synthetic materials

There is no need to talk about absolute environmental friendliness here. Unlike natural ones, they will last more than a dozen years and will better provide thermal insulation. The synthetic sauna heater is easy to install and resistant to high humidity and hot air.

Inorganic insulation materials are divided into several types:

1.Polymer insulation

The group of these materials is represented by polystyrene, cellular plastic, honeycomb plastic insulation.

Styrofoam is easy to use for sauna ceiling insulation. It does not absorb moisture, practical and easy to handle.

A novelty in the construction industry is foam glass, which embodies the best properties of foam and stone wool. The material lends itself to carving with a knife and adheres perfectly to the surface.

Despite its advantages, it is not recommended to use foam plastic to insulate the ceiling inside the sauna. On the one hand, it is considered fire hazardous. On the other hand, as the air temperature rises, the foam deforms and emits an unpleasant odor, vapors of a poisonous substance - phenol.

If you nevertheless decide to use polystyrene, then it is better to insulate the walls of the dressing room with it from the outside.

2.Basalt heater for a bath

Made from mountain parod, the material has been in demand in recent years. It has a number of advantages:

• Not subject to combustion;
• Resistant to humid air;
• Does not deform under the influence of temperatures;
• Excellent sound and heat insulation;
• Service life up to 30 years;
• It does not cause difficulties in the process of finishing installation.

As for the shortcomings, with the exception of the cost of the material, there are none.

3.Mineral wool

The main difference between the production technology of mineral wool and the production of insulation from basalt fibers is the use of inexpensive industrial waste.

This has a positive effect on the price of the material, but negatively on the mechanical strength of the insulation. Therefore, during the installation process, be extremely careful.

Along with the disadvantages, mineral wool is not devoid of advantages:

• Reliable thermal insulation;
• Not afraid of moisture;
• High degree of sound insulation.

4.Glass wool

Thermal insulation of a bath with glass wool will not cost more than its counterparts. And according to some criteria, it is not inferior to other materials: it keeps heat well and is easy to install.

A significant disadvantage of glass wool is considered to be instability to hot air.

5.Foil insulation

To insulate the ceiling of the sauna, it is recommended to use materials that reflect light. Insulation mirrors have become widespread. Thanks to a special aluminum coating, they reflect and prevent heat from passing through the ceiling. Foil insulation for a bath is recommended to be used in combination with classic materials.

Sauna insulation

Having decided on the choice of one or two heat-insulating materials, proceed directly to work. Do-it-yourself bath insulation from the inside is a difficult process that requires skills in the field of construction. If you are confident in your abilities, then go for it. Otherwise, it is better to resort to the help of the specialists of the Marisrub company.

It should be noted that the process of thermal insulation of a wooden or brick sauna is almost the same. Therefore, it is not worth focusing on the insignificant difference.

Before you start to insulate the walls, ceiling and floor, it will be right to take care of the vapor barrier. Even if you have chosen a moisture-resistant insulation, during operation, condensation will gradually penetrate through the inner layers of the heat-insulating material and have a destructive effect.

To isolate the insulation from moisture, aluminum foil is used. The solidity of the vapor barrier is achieved due to the metallized adhesive tape, with which the joints of the foil sheets are glued.

We insulate the floors

It is correct to start warming a sauna not from the ceiling or walls, but from the floor. In the bath, it can be continuous or flowing. Considering that the structures differ from each other, the insulation of each type occurs in a different way.

Better to use mineral wool. It is laid on the subfloor made of boards and covered with a layer of waterproofing. The last stage is filling the floor.

When installing leaking floors, a pit 50 cm deep is pulled out and filled with 5 cm of sand. After careful compaction, a 20-centimeter layer of insulation is laid - foam, which is filled with cement mortar with foam plastic chips.

After drying, the concrete is covered with a layer of waterproofing, while not forgetting about the walls.

Then it is poured again with cement and vermiculite, a reinforcing mesh is spread and covered with a layer of concrete with fine gravel. At this stage of work, they make a slope in the direction where there will be a water runoff.

The work is completed by laying the finished floor on the posts.

We insulate the walls

The walls of the bath are insulated from the inside in stages:

1.With the help of wooden slats or beams, we apply a crate to the surface of the walls. The gap between the slats must be made smaller than the width of the insulating material.

This is done so that the insulation fills the resulting spaces and does not allow the appearance of bridges for cold air. It is recommended to use mineral wool or basalt fiber slabs as insulation.

2. Having laid the heat insulator, cover it with any vapor barrier with foil. In this case, the reflective side of the aluminum surface is located inside the sauna.

The vapor barrier is placed between the slats and fixed to them.

The thermal insulation of the steam room walls is ready! Other sauna rooms are insulated according to the same principle. Thick kraft paper for wrapping will work instead of vapor barrier foil.

When insulating buildings made of bricks or blocks, it is advised to increase the thickness of the basalt insulation so as not to lose heat.

We insulate the ceiling

Ceiling insulation is similar to the principle of wall insulation.

According to the laws of physics, the closer to the ceiling, the hotter the air will be. Therefore, a fire-resistant insulation is chosen for the ceiling. Mineral wool is perfect.

If the bath has an attic, then a layer of vapor barrier is made over the insulation - an aluminum film.

Insulation is placed under, above or between the rafters. If you are looking for an easy route, lay a continuous layer of insulation between the rafters.

Finally, cover the insulating material with a layer of waterproofing. Do not forget about the 20 mm air gap. This is done taking into account the increase in insulation by a third of the width under the influence of moist air.

In the absence of an attic in the bathhouse, expanded clay is often used as insulation for the ceiling. A 25 cm layer of heat insulator is poured onto the vapor barrier layer.

The construction market offers thermal insulation panels for warming a bath room. The main advantage of the material is the ability to refuse waterproofing, minus - they require a reliable vapor barrier layer.

Correctly executed interior decoration of the bath guarantees not only a pleasant stay in the company of friends, but also safety. Therefore, approach the choice of building materials and work with the utmost responsibility.

A good insulation for a bath is the most important thing to pay attention to when arranging it internally. Indeed, the safety of bath procedures, and their comfort, and the durability of the walls themselves, especially in the steam room, directly depend on its quality. But how to figure out which insulation is better for a bath, when almost a dozen of their types are offered on the modern market? Our article will help you with this.

So, back in Soviet times, civil engineers made the following discovery: any homogeneous thick wall does not guarantee effective heat retention, because it itself will necessarily absorb some of the energy. But the multilayer structure, in which there are materials of different technical characteristics - in terms of density, porosity and thermal conductivity - prevents heat loss well, and a half-meter such "cake" can be compared in its performance with a wall of one and a half meter thickness. But the effectiveness of the "pie" itself depends precisely on what kind of heater was chosen for the bath.

Requirements for sauna heater

First of all, it is environmentally friendly, maximally resistant to moisture, well resisting the growth of bacteria and fungi, and, finally, capable of keeping its shape well for many years. And the most important indicator of the effectiveness of a heater is its thermal conductivity coefficient. The higher it is, the better the material itself. For example, it is mineral wool that is considered the warmest so far - it has this indicator equal to 0.045 W / (K * m).

In addition, there are additional requirements for the insulation in the bath:

1. It should work well with existing finishing and building materials, without affecting their specific advantages.
2. Do not allow condensation to accumulate.
3. Have the lowest moisture absorption.
4. Have a certificate of safety of use and full compliance with fire and sanitary and hygienic criteria.
5. Provide the ability to perform absolutely sealed thermal insulation.

Organic insulation

These are heaters, which are made from plant or animal material, linen tow, shavings, cellulose, felt and others.

For example, thermal insulation products made of peat, reeds and woodworking waste are quite popular today. These are reed, chipboard and peat slabs, with which it is good to insulate the dressing room and the rest room. They cannot be put into hot rooms - despite the fact that such materials are usually additionally treated with fire retardants.

Inorganic heaters

Such heaters are made thanks to the processing of minerals. And they, in turn, are divided into:

Polymer heaters and their features

Polymeric insulation includes all those that are created by human hands - first of all, it is polystyrene. This material is like insulation for, if it has a second floor, it is light, comfortable and practical. It is easy for them to carry out all work, it resists moisture well and tolerates high temperatures.

These types of this material are most often used for insulation today: cellular plastics, foamed plastics with a foamy and cellular structure, honeycomb plastic insulation. The newest and rather popular option today is foam glass, which is easy to cut with a knife and saw, and is convenient to attach to the surface. In addition, foam glass as a heater for the roof of a bathhouse has embodied all the best from stone wool and foam.

But nevertheless, it is extremely undesirable to insulate inside the bath with foam plastic - due to the fact that at high temperatures it begins to emit dangerous vapors of phenol, a particularly toxic substance. After all, only materials that are ideally clean in chemical terms can be used for a bath - and absolutely fireproof.

Mineral and glass wool insulation

This includes the famous mineral wool and more. In general, mineral heaters are considered the most economical for baths. They are made from stone and slag fibers, thanks to which such mats can even be used to insulate the surface of a bathing pool.

But basalt insulation for a bath, diabase, dolomite, slag and limestone wool has its own priorities in that they are not flammable, have really high insulating characteristics, are durable, do not deform and are famous for their water-repellent properties. Installation with such cotton wool is quite simple and convenient, and the material itself is not to the taste of rodents. That is why basalt and stone insulation for a bath is one of the most preferred today.

Its characteristics are close to basalt wool and glass wool - it is also more flexible in installation. However, the limit of resistance to high-temperature exposure is lower. As a heater for the walls of the bath, it suits well - but not for the steam room.

Advantages of foil insulation

Insulation for the ceiling for a bath is most often chosen with reflective characteristics. Among them, the so-called heaters-mirrors are quite popular today - they are supplemented with a special polished aluminum film that does not let the most valuable infrared radiation outside the steam room. And such a “pie” is much more effective than ordinary cotton wool foil, which is often simply not able to withstand the massive loss of heat. In fact, this is an ideal heater for the ceiling of a bathhouse, and not only that.

What kind of insulation to take for insulation between the crowns?

Insulation for baths and saunas can be not only internal or external, but also intervening. Indeed, the heat in the bath itself depends on how densely the space is filled between the logs.

So, for a long time, materials such as red moss, cuckoo flax, sphagnum, wool felt, hemp hemp, linen tow and jute have been used to insulate the log house. But they are all very attractive to birds and insects, and therefore, after a couple of years after warming, it is necessary to restore the heat layer between the logs. On top of that, if such a mezhventsovy insulation also turns out to be underdried, then it will begin to rot and simply pull the entire log house along with it.

It is quite difficult to work with such materials - they dry out quickly during the laying process, and therefore all this takes a lot of time. That is why today builders are increasingly preferring new thermal insulators-hybrids - combinations of jute and flax fibers. These are linen, linen-jute felt, jute felt and fluffed spruce or pine wood. All of them fill the gaps in the log house well and do not require re-caulking.

However, for each type of bath, or rather, the material from which it is built, its own type of insulation is suitable. About which there is a separate interesting article on our site.

The steam room is the main element of the bath, its very essence. In order for the steam room to be really hot, it is important to carefully approach the process of it.

Incorrect actions or incorrectly selected materials can cause the steam room to heat up for a long time or give off heat too quickly.

In addition, all materials must meet safety and environmental requirements.

Let's make a reservation right away, you need to insulate a steam room in different types of baths in different ways, so here is an overview of the materials, and for details on insulation and baths, see the relevant materials on the site. Technologies and are also presented in separate materials. For more information on different types of heaters for a bath, see.

How to reduce heat costs

You can avoid additional expenses for bath insulation if you take care during the construction phase:

Insulation for the steam room bath: 4 layers of insulation

Waterproofing is aimed at isolating the interior from moisture from the outside. Needed for frame construction and for aerated concrete walls.

IMPORTANT! You should choose different solutions for waterproofing the steam room and other rooms. Steam baths should be made from materials that can withstand the highest temperatures (for example, Kraft paper).

Warming steam rooms should be aimed at reducing heat loss and creating a "thermos" effect. Then all the heat will remain inside the steam room, and not warm the environment. Therefore, when choosing a heater for a bath, the steam room requires the utmost attention.

Finishing (finishing) materials allow to hide flaws during construction, in addition, they provide a beautiful visual appearance of the steam room.

REFERENCE... The market is mainly represented by finishing materials from such tree species as pine, linden or aspen. This wood has a low density, so we recommend using narrow boards and placing them horizontally to eliminate the risk of warping. In addition, it is imperative to treat them with oils or other specialized compounds to extend their service life.

Insulation for the steam room: types

Insulation materials used for installation on: walls, ceiling and floor differ. Separate articles are devoted to the materials used for and.

For walls

Everything can be divided into two categories:

1. - natural;
2. - artificial.

Natural

Natural materials are made on the basis of natural raw materials:

• sphagnum(scope:);
• tow(scope: elimination of cracks);
• building moss(insulation of the walls of the steam room).

Artificial

Popular man-made materials include:

• extruded expanded polystyrene;
• Styrofoam.

These heaters are characterized by high resistance to damage, have a long service life and a high degree of thermal insulation.

• basalt wool.

Differs in high quality, ease of installation and low cost.

For ceiling

Traditional

For . For example, it is still used for the steam room, it is smeared with the ceiling of the steam room from the side of the attic

Widespread the use of bulk materials such as expanded clay, sawdust, slag, etc. A layer of earth must be poured onto the sawdust to ensure fire safety. A layer of expanded clay should be at least 30 cm.

Modern

For ceiling insulation, the following are better suited:

• basalite (low density basalt fiber slabs);
• isospan (there are 2 types):
• - Isospan A (barrier type from wind and condensate, fits outside the insulation);
• - Isospan B (barrier type from steam, fits indoors, protects insulation).

The ceiling can also be insulated with ordinary foil, the layers of which must be overlapped.

For floor

In the steam room you can use:

• – expanded clay synthetic boards(easy to install);
• – loose expanded clay(also easy to install, but hygroscopic);
• - penoplex ( IMPORTANT! The brand you choose should have a high compression load).

Useful video

Watch the video with the explanations of the professionals, perhaps it will greatly change your plans for choosing a heater:

Conclusions: what kind of insulation to use for a bath in a steam room

Artificial materials are more resistant to high temperatures and humidity, but can lose their thermal insulation properties over time due to constant heating and exposure to moisture.

Despite the variety of materials from manufacturers, first of all it is worth focusing on the safety of materials, and not on cost, because A steam room is a place where the materials used are constantly exposed to high temperatures.

Find out more:

Where to order

To get acquainted with the assortment of high-quality and safe, it is possible on the official websites of the companies.

In contact with

This article will consider thermal insulation materials for warming saunas and baths.

You will find out why it is necessary to insulate a sauna, what requirements must be met with high-quality insulation, and how to choose the right heat-insulating material.

1 Why do you need to insulate the sauna?

Let's think about what we want to get from a good, high-quality sauna or bath. Most owners, as a rule, answer that the main requirement is to maintain the required temperature for a long time, and to quickly warm up the room.

For example, the average temperature in a Russian bath is from 70 to 90 degrees, with high air humidity, in a Finnish sauna - about 100 degrees, with low humidity.

To maintain such a temperature for a long period, the design of a sauna and a bath must have high thermal insulation properties, which, in most cases, can only be obtained by insulating them.

As practice shows, the use of high-quality thermal insulation materials, and technologically correct insulation, makes it possible to obtain the following results:

• The consumption of electricity or solid fuel for heating saunas and baths is significantly reduced;
• Significant extension of the durability of wooden baths, since the walls receive effective protection from moisture, under the influence of which, in the long term, the tree will rot and collapse;
• Extending the service life of the stoves - much less thermal energy is required to warm up an insulated sauna or bath, since heat losses are minimized, which makes it possible to operate the stoves in a gentle mode;
• The time required to fully warm up the sauna decreases, and the period during which the sauna maintains the required temperature increases;
• If you use a refractory material for insulation - basalt or foil insulation, the fire safety of the room increases.

1.1 Key requirements for sauna heaters

To determine which insulation to use for saunas and baths is better, it is necessary to outline the basic requirements that the thermal insulation of the bath must meet. should be carried out with an orientation towards a number of requirements.

There are three such requirements, in addition to the general rules that all high-quality insulation must meet:

1. The presence of a shielding layer (foil);
2. Resistant to moisture and fumes;
3. Refractoriness.

Since baths and saunas are rooms in which a powerful source of heat is located - a stove, simple insulation is not enough for such rooms. Much greater efficiency can be obtained by using insulation with foil, which has properties to reflect thermal energy. For bulk insulation can be used.

Conventional insulation, which has low thermal conductivity, simply interferes with heat exchange, however, the heat is still much slower, but it goes into the environment or neighboring rooms. When you should take into account this fact.

While insulation with foil has two advantages at once - a base made of basalt wool or foamed polyethylene, prevents heat exchange between the cold wall and warm air inside the bath, and the foil layer reflects the thermal energy emanating from the heating stove inside the room.

Resistance to moisture is necessary so that the insulation does not begin to lose its thermal insulation characteristics and collapse under the constant influence of humid air. It is necessary to lead with an orientation to this fact.

In the case of using vapor-tight insulation - penotherm and similar products made of foamed polyethylene, there is no need for additional vapor barrier, but if you decide to install non-foil basalt insulation, then you need to use special vapor barrier membrane films (ordinary cellophane can be used as a budget option).

In the issue of refractoriness, not only the combustion class of the material is important, but also the temperature regime for its operation. For example, the boundary temperature when using Penoplex is 80 degrees, above which the material begins to deform.

As you understand, in a Finnish sauna, the temperature in which can reach 100 degrees, it is better not to use such a heater.

2 Types of insulation

Based on the above requirements, we can conclude that two types of heaters are optimal for warming a sauna or bath:

• Foil mineral (basalt wool);
• Foil penotherm.

The use of these materials makes it possible to achieve the "thermos effect", when the walls of the sauna do not allow steam to pass through, as a result of which the air temperature in the steam room does not decrease for a long period.

As an additional vapor barrier, if you decide to use non-foil insulation, it is recommended to use cellophane (density from 140 microns), glassine, or roofing paper. Roofing material, especially in the steam room, it is better not to lay down, since at high temperatures a very unpleasant smell begins to emanate from it.

2.1 Mineral wool

In total, there are three types of mineral wool with which you can: fiberglass wool - made from cullet, slag wool - produced from waste of the metallurgical industry, and basalt wool - made from basalt rock.

The best option for warming a sauna is basalt wool, although it costs a little more than other types of mineral wool, it has much better technical characteristics. A more expensive, but high-quality analogue is.

The main producer of basalt wool in the domestic market is the Ursa company, in the product line of which there is a special basalt wool for thermal insulation of saunas and baths - Ursa Glasswool M-11F. You can use it to carry out.

Ursa "Glasswool" is a rolled basalt insulation with one-sided foil. The shielding coefficient of thermal energy for this material is about 97%, while for such insulation there is no need to lay down additional vapor barrier.

Let's consider the main technical characteristics of Urs "Glasswool":

• Density - 11 kg / cubic meter;
• Flammability class - NG (completely non-combustible material);
• The maximum temperature regime is up to 800 degrees;
• Thermal conductivity coefficient - 0.04 W / mk;
• Roll dimensions: width - 120, length - 1800, thickness - 5 centimeters;
• The area of ​​one package is 21.6 m².

Also, Ursa Geo M-11F fiberglass wool with one-sided foil is a good choice for warming a sauna. The density of this mineral wool is 14.1 kg / m³, thermal conductivity - 0.042 W / mk.

The Ursa "Geo" flammability class is similar to the "Glasswool" cotton wool - NG, however, the operating temperature is limited to +270. The vapor permeability of the insulation is 0.7 mg / mchPa. As an alternative to the presented material can be considered.

2.2 Foil penotherm

While for the insulation of residential buildings, penotherm is rarely used as the main insulation, for baths and saunas - where the shielding capabilities of the material come to the fore, since the main heat loss is associated with thermal radiation, foil-clad penotherm is one of the best options for thermal insulation.

Among all the foil-clad heaters of the company Penotherm, the material "PenoPremium NPP LF" is intended, a feature of which is an extended temperature regime of operation. These are very popular.

While most foil-clad heaters based on foamed polyethylene deform at a temperature of about 100 degrees, Penotherm NPP LF can withstand temperatures of + 150C without any problems.

Let's get acquainted with the main technical characteristics of this material:

• Thermal Reflectance Index: 90%;
• Water absorption at full immersion for 25 hours - 1% of the volume;
• Thermal conductivity coefficient: 0.034 W / mk;
• Density of the material: from 100 to 390 g / m²;
• Flammability class: G2 (low-combustible materials);
• Temperature range: from -40 to +150 degrees;
• Vapor permeability coefficient: 0.001 mg / mhPa (vapor barrier material).

The indisputable advantage of Penotherm is the ease of installation of insulation from this material. To install the insulation, it is unnecessary to create a supporting frame, it is simply attached to the wall, or the ceiling of the bathhouse using a construction stapler, or nails, with foil inside the room.

The places where the staples or nails are located, and the joints of the Penotherm sheets with each other, are glued with aluminum tape, after which a frame for cladding is installed over the insulation, and the walls are clad with decorative material.

2.3 Technology of thermal insulation of baths and saunas (video)

So that the accumulated heat remains as long as possible, and the costs of maintaining the required temperature are the lowest. Therefore, the choice of insulation for the bath plays an important role. More often than others, mineral wool is used to insulate the bath. But this is the name for several types of similar heaters that have a significant difference in characteristics and areas of application.

Mineral wool is one of the most widely used materials for insulation and sound insulation

According to GOST (state standard), there are three types of mineral wool:

• Stone wool. This type of mineral wool is made from basalt, diabase, dolomite and limestone.
• Slag wool. The raw material for this type of material is the waste of blast-furnace metallurgy.
• Glass wool. This type of mineral wool is made from broken glass, or from sand, limestone and soda.

The quality and characteristics of any type of mineral wool depends (except for raw materials) on the length and thickness of the fiber. The exact composition is usually kept secret - each manufacturer tries to create a material with the best performance, selecting the percentage of components, while not forgetting to minimize costs. Therefore, the same type of this insulation from different manufacturers can have a significant discrepancy in characteristics, and also in cost.

Due to its low price, glass wool was common even a few decades ago. But working with this material is very, very difficult - small prickly fibers penetrate into the smallest pores. Therefore, when working with glass wool, disposable tight clothing is required (no processing makes it possible to remove the remnants of fiberglass from the fabric), protective gloves, glasses, and a respirator.

It happens that when a bath is insulated with foam, mice start up in it. As for glass wool, it is unlikely that mice will have a desire to gnaw glass.

Judging by the reviews on the Internet, many believe that mice are not afraid of glass wool and live well in it. Most likely, people take stone wool or slag wool for glass wool.

It is much easier to work with stone and slag wool - they are not so prickly and do not irritate the skin and mucous membranes, although a protective mask and gloves will not be superfluous. Recent studies indicate the release of formaldehyde from mineral wool, which is used as a binder. Therefore, with prolonged contact in a closed room, it is recommended to use protective masks or respirators.

Although none of the studies carried out has yet precisely proven the negative effects of mineral wool, they, depending on their composition, are classified in the world classification:

• To the 3rd safety group (there is no evidence of a carcinogenic effect) all types, except for ceramic fiber wool and discontinuous fiber glass wool.
• Group 2 includes discontinuous glass wool and refractory ceramic fiber mineral wool. For them, there is confirmed evidence of a carcinogenic hazard to animals.

Therefore, when choosing materials, it is advisable to choose trusted manufacturers who control the level of emissions of formaldehyde resins of their products (usually indicated on the packaging).

Characteristics and applications of mineral wool for bath insulation

Each of these materials has different characteristics and applications.

Glass wool

Glass wool can be used to insulate walls and ceilings. The operating temperature range is from -60 ° C to +450 ° C (+500 ° C is the threshold at which sintering of the fibers begins and the loss of thermal insulation properties). Thermal conductivity 0.030-0.052 W / m 2.

Glass wool has high elasticity and strength. When compressed, the thermal conductivity remains almost unchanged. The most unpleasant moment when working with glass wool is its causticity.

You can insulate the bath with glass wool outside and in the washing rooms, changing rooms, dressing rooms. In the steam room or openings near the stove, it cannot be laid - the temperature conditions do not allow.

Glass wool - the cheapest type of mineral wool

Slag wool

This material is produced from waste from the metallurgical industry. The charge from blast-furnace, open-hearth furnaces, waste from the production of non-ferrous metals are mixed in certain proportions, melted and drawn, obtaining long, thin fibers. There are two methods: using air currents (blowing) or centrifugal force. During transportation, storage and laying of slag wool, excessive pressing of the material must be avoided: the fibers are destroyed. You cannot load this type of insulation during operation. This type of mineral wool can be used as a filler in the construction of frame houses, but only in dry rooms.

The slag wool has an even lower "working" temperature: up to +300 ° C. In addition, it is hygroscopic, so it cannot be used for insulating wet rooms in baths. Slag wool can be used to insulate the walls of the bath from the outside, but you will have to carefully consider moisture protection. And although this material is the cheapest of mineral wool, its use for warming a bath is questionable: excessive measures to protect against moisture will easily "eat up" the savings when buying.

Slag wool is highly hygroscopic (absorbs moisture well) and does not tolerate high temperatures very well

Stone wool

Stone wool (like basalt) is made from molten basalt, to which clay, limestone and dolomite and some other substances are added. They make the alloy more viscous, which allows for a thinner fiber. As a result, a material is obtained from thin basalt fiber (marked with BTV) - 5-15 microns thick, up to 50 mm long.

The fibers are very thin (as in glass wool and slag wool). A binder is needed to give them strength and shape. Formaldehyde is used for these purposes. Manufacturers with the name strictly control its content, adhere to the technology. They guarantee safety in compliance with the operating conditions. These materials (made of fine fibers with a binder) are commonly referred to simply as mineral wool. Since formaldehyde is an unsafe substance, when choosing a heater for a bath or at home, it is better to buy products from a trusted manufacturer.

The main disadvantage of any type of stone wool is hygroscopicity. When wet, thermal conductivity increases significantly (heat is retained worse). When the humidity rises by 5%, the thermal insulation properties deteriorate by 50%. After drying, the properties are partially restored. The situation is worse if the moisture in the cotton wool freezes. When defrosting, the insulation will simply crumble. So when using this insulation, special attention should be paid to hydro and vapor insulation, as well as ventilation: the penetrated water must be removed.

Despite such a significant drawback, it is stone wool that is used for thermal insulation of baths. There is simply no real substitute. They are either not suitable in terms of their characteristics - like polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, or too expensive - like foam glass.

Therefore, the most optimal insulation for a bath is stone mineral wool. It has the following characteristics:

• Withstands temperatures up to +600 ° C, there are materials whose working temperature is up to 1200-1400 ° C.
• Thermal conductivity 0.077-0.12 W / m 2.
• Does not burn and does not support combustion.

The video, using the example of Rockwool stone wool, demonstrates that it does not burn and does not form smoke even when heated with a gas burner.

Any kind of mineral wool does not support combustion. When the limiting temperatures are exceeded, the fibers fuse together, which entails a loss of insulating properties, but not combustion. It must also be said that mineral wool is resistant to formation, which is an undoubted advantage when used to insulate a bath.

Application area

Stone wool can be used to insulate the bath from the inside and outside, both the walls and the ceiling. The only difference is in the thickness of the layer. To insulate the ceiling of the bathhouse in the steam room, it is recommended to take a double layer of insulation, because the greatest amount of heat leaves the ceiling. The thickness of the required standing depends on the region as well as the material of the walls. For central Russia, 50 mm is most often taken on the walls, and a 100 mm layer on the ceiling of the steam room. In other rooms, 50 mm is sufficient for both walls and ceilings.

Foil-clad stone wool can also be used to insulate the ceiling and walls in the steam room. In this case, the number of layers of the insulation cake is reduced, its laying and fixation is easier (foil is used in the steam room as to prevent steam from penetrating inside the insulation).

In places of the highest temperature load (passage of the pipe through the roof, thermal insulation of the wall gap when the furnace is fired from the dressing room, etc.), it is necessary to use basalt mineral wool.

Basalt wool

The raw material for its manufacture is basalt and rocks close to it, as well as for the production of conventional mineral wool. But in the production of basalt wool, no additives and binders are added to the rocks. It is also called super-thin (there is a designation STBF - super-thin basalt fiber). The thickness of the fibers in it is 1 - 3 mn, the length is more than 50 mm.

The strength of this fiber is sufficient to withstand high enough loads. Therefore, there is no need to use a binder during production. If you're looking for safe steam room insulation that won't emit formaldehyde, look for super-fine fiber basalt wool. One of the distinguishing characteristics is high heat resistance. They normally withstand constant exposure to temperatures up to + 1000 ° C, intermittent - up to + 1200 ° C. With alternating temperature loads, their properties do not change.

The disadvantage of this material is the high price. But to achieve the same heat-insulating effect, a smaller layer of material is required (less thermal conductivity of the material).

Looking at this table, it is easy enough to give an answer to the question: which is better - basalt or mineral wool. The answer is also unambiguous when comparing thin (BTF) and super-thin fibers (STBF).

Mineral wool brands for bath insulation and their application

For thermal insulation of horizontal unloaded surfaces, mineral wool with a density of 75 kg / m 3 ( grade P-75). This brand can be used to insulate the attic of a bathhouse or in a roofing cake.

Mineral plates IZOVOL ("Izovol"). To insulate the bath from the inside, plates of the P-75 brand are suitable

To insulate the walls of the bath outside and inside (any surface), it is recommended to use mats or rolls of mineral wool brand P-125... Higher density materials are not used in low-rise construction.

Any kind of mineral wool comes in the form of slabs or mats. All slabs must be impregnated with water repellent agents (hydrophobic impregnations).

Mineral wool slabs can be:

Manufacturers and materials

Since the production of mineral wool uses substances that can harm human health (although this has not been proven, but theoretically possible), it is advisable to buy it from trusted manufacturers. Very strict requirements for mineral wool manufacturers are adopted in Europe. Probably for this reason, the popular mineral wool Knauf, Rockwool, ISOVER, URSA, etc. But the most stringent requirements are adopted in Germany, because German materials are considered the safest.

TechnoNIKOL

A large corporation with 36 factories in different countries today. It specializes in the production of roofing and thermal insulation materials. The range of mineral wool is very large. For private housing construction, three lines are used:

• ROCKLIGHT
• TECHNOBLOCK
• TECHNOAKUSTIK

The scope of these materials is shown in the table.

Basalt wool with fire retardant properties in four positions:

The most acceptable option for thermal insulation of the steam room is TechnoNIKOL broaching mats - they do not contain phenols. In the production of the rest, a low-phenol binder was used (information from the manufacturer's website).

Knauff

This well-known German manufacturer has a different approach to assortment formation: materials are grouped according to application areas. There are several versatile products that can be used on walls, roofs, floors, ceilings and partitions. These are KNAUF Premium Heat, KNAUF Insulation Thermo Stove 037, Knauf Home and Home + HeatKNAUF Cottage and Cottage +. There are several narrow-profile materials:

Rockwool

This manufacturer is no less famous than Knauf. The assortment is extensive, the quality is not bad. The approach to the formation of the assortment is the same: there are universal and special materials. Universal ones are: LIGHT BATTS, LIGHT BATTS SCANDIC. There are a large number of specialized ones:

ISOVER (Isover)

This trademark belongs to the Saint-Gobain group, has a considerable number of factories, one of which is located in Russia (Yegoryevsk). Therefore, the prices for the products are reasonable. This enterprise produces mineral wool based on fiberglass. The assortment is considerable. It's easier to present everything in a graphical form (look at the photo).

Separately, it should be said about the material for saunas: unlike other materials presented above, it has a fire safety class G1 (low-combustible). One side is covered with foil.

How to work with mineral wool

Slabs or mineral wool mats are cut with a hacksaw or a well-sharpened knife. When marking, add 0.5-1 cm to the required length. This will allow the material to adhere more tightly to the frame without the formation of cold bridges.

The material is fastened with dowels with a lining, special glue or just a bullet, sometimes fixed with lathing strips.

Special dowels ("fungi") for fixing insulation

When fixing mineral wool with dowels, it is necessary to control so that the insulation does not break too much, since if the layer of mineral wool is squeezed, its thermal insulation properties will decrease.

When using insulation of sufficient rigidity, it can be tightly installed in the crate without additional fastening. The process of laying insulation on the walls of the sauna is shown in the video.

conclusions

As a rule, during the construction of a bath, three rooms have to be insulated from the inside: a steam room, a washing room and a dressing room (rest room). Since the temperature in the washing and dressing room does not reach high values, mineral wool can be used to insulate them without any problems. As for the steam room, in which the temperature can exceed 70 degrees Celsius, you need to know that low-quality cotton wool, when heated, emits formaldehyde, which is harmful to health.