How to choose a heater for the floor. Which insulation for the floor is better: the characteristics of expanded clay, mineral wool, glass wool, polystyrene foam, foam plastic Thin thermal insulation for the floor

Almost everyone who loves comfort and warmth prefers to additionally insulate their floor. Today, this is extremely important, since in construction stores you can find a heater for every taste. This applies to both insulating properties and the cost of the material. However, at first glance, the choice may seem obvious, but in reality it is not. Let's figure out what it is, high-quality thermal insulation for the floor and how to choose it.

Some general information

Before proceeding with the choice of material, you need to answer yourself one simple question: do I need it? The fact is that today in many houses and apartments there is no exception, only those rooms where “warm floor” systems are installed, since in this case thermal insulation is necessarily laid. In the end, the main goal that we need to achieve is warmth and comfort. But we must not forget that if we can direct the heat in the right direction, then we will also save a significant part of the money. It would seem that everything is simple, but it is not quite so. Firstly, there are a large number of bases, for each of which it is necessary to use a certain material. Secondly, there are systems such as "warm" or "water" floor. Everywhere has its own nuances, so thermal insulation for the floor must be carried out taking into account even the smallest details.

About material selection

Before proceeding with the installation, it is necessary to select good stuff which will satisfy all requirements. Of course, you should consider your financial capabilities as well. The most popular and at the same time relatively inexpensive thermal insulation material- it is In fact, it is an ordinary roll compactor, the main advantage of which is that it is completely environmentally friendly and clean. But use cork backing limited by several factors: firstly, the floor will rise by about 3-4 cm, and secondly, it is necessary to use reflective material in the kit. If we take into account the last nuance, it turns out that such thermal insulation for the floor becomes quite expensive. But there are several other, more economical options.

Thermal insulation for underfloor heating

One of the most popular materials is polypropylene. It is usually used in the form of extruded boards. This is due to the fact that they are perfectly processable, and this allows you to correctly install with a complex configuration of the room. What is also important is the non-hygroscopicity and closed cellular structure of polypropylene. Polypropylene can be used for quite high temperatures ah (up to 130 degrees).

Often, thermal insulation for a warm floor is made of a material such as expanded polystyrene. Sometimes an overlay is used on top, which is a polypropylene film. Extruded polystyrene foam is produced with a thickness of 50-100 mm. By the way, many believe that this is one of the the best materials under the water floor. He has such mechanical properties like strength, lightness and hardness. In addition, it withstands both high and low temperatures and serves for many years, which is facilitated by the cellular structure.

Thermal insulation for a water floor

Let's look at what better material choose for such a popular water floor today. As noted above, expanded polystyrene is well suited for these purposes, and we'll talk about it. The fact is that in our case it is extremely important to save heat from the coolant as long as possible. Due to the preservation of its operational properties at temperatures from -180 to 180 degrees Celsius, expanded polystyrene is excellent for solving this problem. In principle, it makes sense to note that air itself is a very poor conductor of heat. Therefore, we can safely count on a low coefficient of thermal conductivity.

More about polystyrene foam

We have already figured out that the substrates of this material are very effective. In addition to thermal insulation, expanded polystyrene shows excellent soundproofing properties. Again, all this is achieved due to the presence of air bubbles, which prevent the conversion of sound energy into heat. Many may say that soundproofing properties are superfluous. In principle, this is true in a private house, but the residents of high-rise buildings will definitely not agree with you.

Another feature is resistance to salt solutions and acids. Such thermal insulation for a water-heated floor will not be eaten by insects and rot. By the way, polystyrene is also good because it can serve for decades, and during this time nothing will happen to it. Therefore, the device of a heat-insulated floor will not be broken. Unlike some other insulating materials, this one does not emit harmful and toxic substances when heated.

What is best for wood flooring?

Usually for complete wooden houses trying to find environmentally friendly materials. In principle, mineral wool, polystyrene and fiberglass are best suited for these purposes. These materials are not only environmentally friendly, but also good insulators. For example, fiberglass is well suited for wooden houses and structures, and polystyrene can be used for other buildings. The first option is more preferable, but the price "bites". The second way is less expensive. Mineral wool, as a thermal insulation for a wooden floor, has such significant advantages:

low thermal conductivity;
environmental friendliness;
incombustibility;
chemical resistance.

Expanded polystyrene is good in its own way, it is worth noting the following strengths:

excellent thermal insulation;
ease of installation;
well amenable to processing;
durable and resistant to mechanical damage.

A little about the durability of materials

When choosing, it always makes sense to look not only at the initial quality of the insulating properties, but also at how long it will work. Agree, I would not really like to buy expensive material that will rot in three years or simply lose its technological qualities. For this simple reason, it always makes sense to pay attention to durability. Any materials for thermal insulation of the floor must serve at least 10 years. For example, "warm floor" systems work for 15-20 years. After this period, a partial replacement of the system will be required. During such maintenance, it is recommended to change the thermal insulation. Some materials do not recover their original shape after a small load. This contributes to the fact that insulating properties are lost and appear. Because of this, the overall effectiveness of insulation is reduced.

Something about proper installation

It must be understood that depending on the surface, not only the material differs, but also the method of its installation. For example, mineral wool for a wooden floor should be light color. This will indicate the minimum amount. Laying is carried out according to subfloor. It must be understood that between the rough, finishing floor and heat-insulating layer must be left air layer required for effective moisture removal.

Izolon fits much easier. A roll is rolled out on a pre-treated surface, then it is glued with adhesive tape. It is important to monitor the absence of visible mechanical defects and bumps. The technical plug is laid in the same way. By the way, latest material- it is almost ideal thermal insulation for the floor. The fact is that the thickness of the layer does not exceed 1.5 cm, so you can try to lay 2 layers with minimal raising of the floors.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a large number of thermal insulation materials. All of them have their own advantages and disadvantages. The same applies to cost. By the way, it is not at all necessary to buy too expensive insulation. Sometimes the same foam is more effective than mineral wool. For example, thermal insulation for a warm electric floor requires a thick material that will not absorb moisture under a concrete base. In the end, the main thing is to know what kind of floors you have at home. Experts will tell you what to choose. Remember that a lot depends on correct installation. You can also lay the thermal insulation on your own, but this should be done very carefully and slowly so as not to damage the insulation.

On the modern market there is a wide choice of materials for thermal insulation. They are designed to solve various tasks. The widest range of floor heaters, each variety has its own operational features, pros and cons. For high-quality thermal insulation of the floor, it is important to choose the right insulation suitable for specific conditions of use.

The main purpose of floor insulation is to reduce heat loss. and reducing heating costs during the cold season. The task of thermal insulation of the floor is particularly acute:

In private houses
In apartments located on the first floors apartment buildings, as well as over the arches

In such premises heat leakage through the floor is up to 10-15% of the total heat loss. For apartments located above residential, heated premises, this figure is lower. But floor insulation is required not only to reduce heat leakage.

From the floor, laid on a concrete base, it pulls cold, this often causes colds
If you use electric or, and do not insulate the base, a significant part of the heat will go down
Thermal insulation materials, as a rule, also provide sound insulation, their use helps to increase acoustic comfort.

Types of floor heaters

Floor heaters can be divided into several categories:

Slab, rigid– expanded polystyrene extruded and granulated (styrofoam), mineral wool
Roll, soft– mineral wool of lower density, stitched mats based on stone fiber, isofol (foil insulation)
Bulk– expanded clay, sawdust, sand, expanded polystyrene in granules, expanded vermiculite, ecowool
mechanized application(applied with blowing machines) - ecowool, liquid polyurethane foam or polystyrene

Some modern materials are both structural and insulating. If in a frequent house instead of the usual concrete mortar use polystyrene concrete, you can do without additional insulation of the base.

Sprayed (blown) compositions are convenient in that they ideally fill all voids. Mechanized application reduces labor costs, but it requires special equipment. In addition, liquid polyurethane foam is expensive, ecowool is more affordable, but you still need to take into account the cost of work or equipment rental. So this method of floor insulation has not yet received widespread.

Let us consider in more detail the pros and cons of the most common heaters.

Styrofoam

Granulated polystyrene foam (PPS), which is often called polystyrene foam, is the cheapest insulation. It is used for floor insulation less and less, because it has a number of disadvantages:

Extruded polystyrene foam (EPS) is usually colored green, orange, pink color. It is produced using a different technology and compares favorably with traditional foam in a number of technical and operational characteristics:

high density and, as a result, better resistance to mechanical stress, lower thermal conductivity
Waterproof
Resistance to biological agents– fungus, microorganisms, rodents, insects

At normal temperatures, both foam and extruded polystyrene foam are non-toxic. The main disadvantage of extruded polystyrene foam is that it is combustible, although it resists fire well. Most types of this insulation belong to the flammability class G3 or G4, more expensive products with flame retardant additives are assigned class G1 (low combustible). When burned, extruded polystyrene releases highly toxic substances!

Mineral wool

One of the most popular heaters made of stone (basalt), slag or fiberglass. It has a number of advantages:

Low thermal conductivity
Good resistance to mechanical deformations, especially for high density boards
Vapor permeability
High fire resistance and high temperature resistance
Invulnerability to rodents and other pests
Good soundproof performance

The disadvantages of mineral or glass wool include:

High hygroscopicity and decrease in thermal insulation properties when moistened. There is hydrophobized mineral wool with minimal water absorption, but it has a high cost.
Isolation in small amounts toxic substances, generation of hazardous dust during wear
High density mineral wool with the best strength and thermal insulation characteristics more expensive than XPS

Sewing mats based on basalt wool reinforced steel mesh and covered on one side with a shielding layer of aluminum foil. They differ from slabs in their lighter weight and are very easy to install. Rolled mineral wool is less dense, its thermal conductivity is higher than that of plate material. It can be used in addition to rigid insulation or in areas where the requirements for thermal insulation are not very high.

Expanded clay and other bulk insulation

Loose heaters are good because they fill all the voids and when they are used, no waste is generated..
Sawdust- a cheap and environmentally friendly product, but in its pure form they absorb moisture, are susceptible to decay and are afraid of pests, they must be mixed with clay, cement. Currently, sawdust is practically not used as a heater.
Ecowool- cellulose-based insulation with the addition of antiseptics and fire retardants - has not yet become widespread. At a price it is comparable to expanded clay and has many advantages:

Ecological cleanliness
Excellent thermal insulation characteristics (4 times better than expanded clay)
Vapor permeability
Immunity to fungi, rodents
Incombustibility

Its main disadvantage is hygroscopicity, low moisture resistance.

The most common bulk insulation, which has been used for a long time and managed to gain popularity, is expanded clay. It has the inherent advantages of ecowool, but differs from it in higher mechanical strength.

This is a versatile material, it can be used as a backfill for a screed, as well as added to a mortar for a rough screed, reducing the load on the base and increasing the thermal insulation characteristics.
Expanded clay is practically the only insulation that is suitable for floors on the ground, but under it you need a pillow of rubble and sand. It is very convenient to lay communications in the expanded clay layer.

The effect of the use of expanded clay is noticeable when it is backfilled with a layer of at least 15 cm, and this is the main drawback of this material. It is recommended to be used where an increase in floor height is not critical.

Tip: in order to increase the density of the insulation layer and its resistance to mechanical stress, it is better to use a mixture of expanded clay of different fractions for backfilling.

Due to the porous structure expanded clay absorbs moisture, while its thermal insulation characteristics are reduced, as in mineral wool. Therefore, when backfilling expanded clay on the ground and using it in high humidity conditions, it is imperative to perform waterproofing. Read about materials for waterproofing.

Principles for choosing a heater

Almost any insulation can be used for thermal insulation of the floor, but a number of factors must be taken into account:

What base is insulated - concrete, wood, soil
Will the insulation be exposed to moisture
What is under the floor (soil, heated room, unheated room)
Do you plan to install underfloor heating?
At what stage is the insulation work carried out

Insulation under concrete screed must have the following characteristics:

Rigidity, high density- he has to support the weight of the screed
Moisture resistance contained in solution
For plate and roll materials - no open pores, into which grains of the solution can be clogged
High resistance to heat transfer, allowing you to get by with a layer of insulation of small thickness

The best solution is extruded polystyrene foam or hydrophobized high density mineral wool. Expanded clay is also a good option, but its use will lead to a significant increase in floor height.

The main requirement for insulation for wooden base under the combined sheet screed - vapor permeability. If you lay a layer of vapor-tight insulation between the base and the floor covering made of wood, the main advantage of natural wood, the ability to "breathe", will be nullified.

Therefore, extruded polystyrene foam is not the best solution. The use of vapor-permeable foam is undesirable, since rodents and bugs successfully pass through it, which can damage the wood.

In apartments located above the first floor, the role of insulation can play. Mandatory laying of insulation under the underfloor heating system, it may have a small thickness, more important is the presence of a shielding layer that reflects heat upwards. Isofol can serve as such a heater, and on the ground floor - pierced mineral wool foil mats.

Important: under the water and cable electric floor, you can use foil insulation, under the infrared film - a metallized substrate.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to insulate the floors in a private house from the basement side in order to avoid dismantling the flooring. In this case, bulk insulation is not suitable, you can use slab or roll.

Video

The choice of polystyrene foam for floor insulation

Mineral wool for floor insulation

Outcome

For warming concrete foundations the best choice are high-density materials - extruded polystyrene foam, mineral wool in slabs, expanded clay, for wood - mineral wool or ecowool, for insulation on the ground - expanded clay. Expanded clay must be covered with a thick layer, which limits the possibility of its use.

Vapor-permeable insulation that goes well with wooden floors absorb moisture and need high-quality waterproofing. With underfloor heating systems, heaters with a reflective layer are used. The higher the requirements for thermal insulation, the more dense the material should be used, or it will be necessary to increase the thickness of the insulation layer.

Here are the walls and the roof wooden house, Windows And Doors Are Inserted. It's time to move on to the inside finishing work. And they usually start with the flooring. This is one of the most important and crucial stages of work, because the general microclimate in the premises of the wooden structure and the level of heating costs will depend on how correctly and efficiently the floor cake is made. At the same time, close attention should be paid to the choice of floor insulation, because up to 20% of the heat in the house is lost through the flooring.

How to choose a heater?

The most important thing that determines the choice of insulation for processing the finished floor from below is the type of foundation and, accordingly, the design of the floor:

If the foundation is strip, then the floor can be laid directly on the ground or on the floor, arranged along the beams.
A low grillage foundation suggests the same options for flooring as with a strip foundation.
With a high grillage foundation, the floor is arranged along the floors laid on the beams.
If there is a floating slab (this is often done when building wooden houses on wet soils), then the floor can be laid on logs or on a screed.

So, it becomes clear that there are three options for flooring in wooden house, on which the choice of material for their insulation directly depends. This is a device of floors on the ground, on a slab and on wooden floors with logs.

Therefore, when choosing a heater, it is necessary to take into account the mutual influence of the floor pie construction materials.

Wooden floors

Since the floors of a wooden house are also made of wood, when using vapor-tight thermal insulation, all the moisture that is inside the floor structure will be absorbed into the wood and, due to close contact with the insulation, will not be able to go outside. The result of this will be the appearance in a year and a half of fungus, insects and the spread of decay processes.

A completely different result is given by heaters with the property of hygroscopicity.(sawdust, ecowool, cork granules, mineral wool, expanded clay) and due to this they absorb moisture in the same way as wood, but at the same time give it out.

Therefore, with this type of floor device, it is absolutely impossible to use various heaters based on expanded polystyrene and polystyrene.

Wood and similar materials are incompatible things.

Floors on the ground and slab

In this kind of floor structures, the insulation is covered from above with a screed.

Loose and wadded materials will not be able to provide the required level of strength, although now they also produce mineral wool with a fairly high density.

In addition, these types of thermal insulation are hygroscopic and there is a possibility of them getting wet. And, when wet, they will not be able to give moisture out through the screed.

Therefore, polystyrene foam heaters are most suitable for this type of floor - they are dense and do not absorb moisture.

In addition, when choosing thermal insulation for floors in a wooden house, one should proceed from the following factors:

maximum weight of the floor structure;
required thickness;
humidity- temperature regime inside the house, the presence of temperature differences;
design loads on the floor structure and its operating conditions.

Separately, one should dwell on the thickness of the heat-insulating layer.

This indicator determines how warm it will be in a wooden house. It is calculated individually and depends on the climatic conditions in which the house is built, and the thermal conductivity of the insulation itself. To determine the thickness of the insulation, it is necessary to technical description to a specific insulation, multiply the thermal conductivity coefficient by the thermal resistance of the structure (determined according to SNiP "Thermal protection of buildings"). This formula helps to accurately calculate what the thermal insulation layer in the floor structure should be in order to ensure optimal temperature conditions in the house.

When choosing thermal insulation for the floor, you should also pay attention to:

ease of installation material;
environmental friendliness;
efficiency, that is, the preservation of its characteristics throughout the entire service life;
fire safety;
density and reliability;
price.

What to insulate?

It is possible to insulate floors in wooden houses different materials. To date, the market building materials replete with a wide variety of thermal insulation from the simplest to the most modern types.

Materials for insulation

Sawdust

The simplest and cheapest insulation. It is easy to apply - just sprinkle it on the rough base of the floor. This material is environmentally friendly and safe. But it has a serious drawback - high degree fire hazard. And also when using sawdust as a heater, they will have to be laid in a layer as much as 0.3 m. Sawdust, in addition, like any wood product, can rot, rodents can start in them. Therefore, just sawdust is most often used to insulate the floor of unused attic spaces.

However, sawdust recent times increasingly act as raw materials in the production of other more modern and efficient thermal insulation.

Ecowool

Thermal insulation material made from cellulose with the addition of flame retardants and antiseptic compounds. This product has good performance thermal insulation, vapor permeability. It is environmentally friendly, non-flammable, resistant to rodents and fungi. But ecowool strongly absorbs moisture. This is its main drawback.

Expanded clay

Material with high strength and thermal insulation characteristics. Expanded clay is suitable for the device of floors on the equal bases. To ensure optimal performance of thermal insulation, expanded clay must be laid with a layer of at least 15 cm. The convenience of this material is also that it is possible to lay all the necessary communications in it. Expanded clay is quite hygroscopic, therefore, before using it on the ground, waterproofing measures must be taken.

The main advantage of bulk thermal insulation for the floor is their wastelessness and the ability to fill all kinds of (even the most inaccessible) voids.

Expanded polystyrene, polystyrene, polyethylene

These materials are vapor-tight thermal insulation that can be used when laying a floor cake on a flat base. For floors on floors with a lag device (in wooden houses on piles, columns, strip and grillage foundations), such material is not suitable due to the laws of building heat engineering.

The thickness of the insulation layer will be 5-10 cm for expanded polystyrene and 5-13 cm for polystyrene.

These types of thermal insulation materials have the following characteristics:

low thermal conductivity;
strength;
resistance to rodents and decay;
resistance to temperature changes.

Expanded polystyrene heaters in our country are presented under the names "Penoplex", "Technoplex", "Knauf".

Polyethylene foam insulation is also used for thermal insulation of floors. One of the varieties of such a heater is a rolled foil material penofol, which has high performance and thermal insulation properties. Penofol is a polyethylene foam coated on one or both sides with a layer of foil.

High thermal insulation performance of this material is ensured by retaining heat in air bubbles sealed in polyethylene balls. The foil acts as a barrier that traps heat in the winter and reflects the heat from the sun in the summer, thus maintaining optimum thermal regime in room.

Penofol is also a waterproofing material.

It is light, non-hygroscopic, safe for health and has a long service life (up to 25 years).

Fiberboard

Not a very common type of insulation, which is made from a mixture liquid glass, cement powder and wood wool. Such material retains heat well and has high soundproofing characteristics. Such a heater, due to its hygroscopicity, is not suitable for laying floors on the ground, but it is ideal for floors on beams. To insulate the floor of the first floor, it is laid with a layer of 15 cm, the second - 10 cm.

Foam glass

Foam glass is obtained by foaming quartz sand. It is a durable slab or granular material with high vapor barrier and noise insulation characteristics, which is able to withstand the weight of a truck.

Fiberboard slabs are used for floor insulation on a flat base, granules for backfilling between joists on subfloors. The thickness of the insulation layer in this case is 18 cm for the first floor and 15 cm for the second.

Mineral wool

This type of thermal insulation is by far the most popular. Mineral wool insulation is made from slag fiber, fiberglass or basalt.

The most budgetary mineral wool insulation is glass wool, which is made from broken glass, sand, borax, dolomite, limestone and soda.

The raw material for slag wool is blast-furnace slag, which is a waste in the production of pig iron. Due to its excessive hygroscopicity, slag wool has practically not been used recently.

stone wool made from basalt rocks such as gabbro, basalt. Diabase with the addition of carbonate rocks (limestone and dolomite).

The main advantages of such heaters:

they do not conduct heat well, and, therefore, retain it well;
vapor permeability. The insulation provides good air exchange, the floor construction is "breathable", which allows you to maintain optimal temperature and humidity conditions in a wooden house. The likelihood of condensation in the insulation is small;
high density;
high soundproofing characteristics;
they are resistant to high temperatures and fire, no smoke is emitted when in contact with fire;
waterproof. Stone wool and glass wool do not absorb moisture, so you should not be afraid of dampness inside the field structure;
long service life - up to 50 years. This type of thermal insulation is not subject to rotting and damage by rodents.

The disadvantages of mineral wool insulation are ambiguous. Currently, many large manufacturers have practically reduced them to zero, and the rest are successfully working to minimize them.

Among the shortcomings, it is noted that when working with mineral wool, especially with glass wool, a lot of dust arises, since the insulation consists of fragile fibers, which, when damaged, form very thin and sharp fragments. Getting on the skin during the installation of insulation, they lead to itching. It is dangerous for these fibers to enter the respiratory system. Therefore, it is possible to lay such a heater only using individual means protection, such as a respirator, overalls, goggles, gloves.

When wet, mineral wool loses its high thermal performance. Therefore, such heaters are specially treated with hydrophobes. To reduce the likelihood of mineral wool getting wet, it is recommended to install waterproofing on the side of the room and vapor barrier on the side of the street.

Until now, builders argue that mineral wool releases phenol-formaldehyde resins into the air. But the data of recent studies indicate their very small amount, which cannot have a detrimental effect on human health.

Mineral wool can be produced in the form of rolls or plates. Mineral wool material in rolls has a lower density than thermal insulation in slabs. It is often used as an adjunct to board material or where required high level thermal insulation.

Main trade marks mineral wool - Izover, Rokvol, Knauf, Ursa, TechnoNIKOL, Ecover, Izovol, Parok and others.

Professionals cannot give an unambiguous answer to the question about floor insulation for a wooden house - which choice is the best.

High-quality thermal insulation of the floor is necessary to ensure comfort and prevent the appearance of cold bridges in the house. This issue is especially relevant if we are talking about direct contact of the floor with the ground, the coating is located on the border of the heated and unheated parts of the house or in the access zone outdoor air. Warming measures will help create optimal conditions for human habitation, as well as significant savings on heating costs.

In work, you should use a material with low thermal conductivity, compressive strength, moisture resistance and durability.

When choosing a material, the following factors should be taken into account:

Insulated surface area
Relative humidity in the room
Type of premises (residential / non-residential).

Types of floor insulation

The modern market offers different types thermal insulation materials, each of which has its own scheme and laying procedure. For example, for warming a wooden base, it is best to use mineral wool materials, for floors on the ground and concrete bases - expanded polystyrene. Consider in detail the most popular types of heaters:

Mineral wool

It is characterized by low thermal conductivity, high sound insulation and fire resistance. Mineral wool is produced in the form of a flexible mat or a solid slab. One side of the flexible mat is coated with perforated paper. This side of the mat should be laid directly on the floor surface. One side mineral plate is also more rigid and dense (marked with a blue stripe). On the surface of the base to be insulated, the slab should be laid with the marked side.

Styrofoam

The use of extruded polystyrene foam allows you to provide high-quality thermal insulation of the floor and significantly save on waterproofing materials. To the list undeniable advantages include low thermal conductivity, fire resistance, high strength, resistance to decay and durability.

Measures for the thermal insulation of the base with the participation of expanded polystyrene can be carried out at any time of the year without additional leveling of the floor surface.

However, when it comes to insulation concrete floors, make sure that the joints of the thermal insulation materials do not coincide with the joints of the concrete slabs.

Expanded clay

This material is produced on the basis of ordinary clay. Its quality directly depends on the quality source material(clay), and the cost - from the size of the fraction (the degree of thermal conductivity). The larger the fraction of granules, the higher the thermal conductivity. Expanded clay is most often used as a heater under the screed.

Polystyrene concrete

In comparison with expanded clay, the thickness of the floor insulation with the participation of polystyrene concrete will be much thinner. To ensure high thermal insulation of the floor, it is enough to lay the material 5 cm thick. Any floor materials, including tiles, can be placed on top of polystyrene concrete. With it, you can create a perfectly flat base for self-leveling floors.

glass wool

It is especially popular in the thermal insulation of wooden floors. This is explained by the high vapor permeability of the material. Lay glass wool between the lags. The next step is the insulation of glass wool, which helps prevent dust from entering the living room, which occurs during the wear of the material. When laying materials, ensure ventilation gaps. Glass wool, as well as mineral wool, has such disadvantages as water absorption and weightiness.

Cork

This light, thin and safe material is the best option thermal insulation of the floor under floor coverings. To undeniable merits cork fibers are moisture resistant and durable.

Cork can be used both as a heater and as an independent floor covering. In the second version, cork slabs are additionally polished and varnished. The result is a beautiful, natural and expensive floor.

sawdust heaters

This category includes ecowool and wood concrete, produced on the basis of sawdust with the addition of antiseptics, flame retardants and special glue. Ecowool is the most popular these days. It has high heat and sound insulation properties and is environmentally friendly. However, it can only be used where there is no risk of a sharp increase in moisture levels. With the help of ecowool, a layer 15-20 cm thick is created, which, according to its thermal characteristics, corresponds to a layer of expanded clay with a thickness of 80 cm. Most often, ecowool is used in the construction of wooden floors.

Penoizol

This is a liquid foam that can be thermally insulated hard-to-reach places seal gaps and cracks. Most often it is used at the stage of building a house to fill air voids, thereby eliminating the outflow of heat.

Foil insulation

This material is able to reflect heat, keeping it indoors. The foil is placed with the reflective side up, which prevents heat from escaping to the outside.

Due to its absolute waterproofness and durability, it can be used in rooms with high humidity(baths, saunas).

Warming the floor in the house is an important procedure that requires a responsible approach. Qualitatively insulate a wooden floor - minimize cash costs for heating in the winter and ensure flooring long service life. Currently, the insulation materials market offers a wide range of products that make a person's life comfortable even in cold climates. However, it is necessary not only to correctly install the insulation, but also to choose it correctly. The fact is that each of these materials has features that allow it to be used in certain cases.

Insulation is performed during the construction of the house, in this case it is not necessary to dismantle the insulation material, and the consumption of building materials and time costs is minimal. But if it is necessary to insulate the floor of a wooden habitable house, then it is more difficult to do the work here. First you need to decide which insulating material is suitable.

Types of heaters

Choosing a heater

The choice of insulating materials is approached deliberately. In no case should you save money on thermal insulation, remember that heat losses in a room entail cash costs for constantly rising prices. electrical energy for home heating. But what should be the floor insulation in wooden housing and how to choose it correctly, you can determine after you get acquainted with the pros and cons of each type of thermal insulation. Popular heat insulators are:

Ecowool and mineral wool.
Sawdust.
Expanded clay.
Styrofoam and foam.
Polyurethane foam insulation

They differ from each other in features and installation technology. To choose the right type of thermal insulation, take into account some parameters:

Temperature and humidity indicators inside a wooden house and the frequency of their drops.
The required thickness of the insulation layer.
Operating conditions of a wooden floor and the expected load on it.
Estimated weight of the floor structure.

Insulation with sawdust

It should be noted that the tree itself is a good heat insulator, however, without an additional insulating layer, wood will not provide a high level of heat saving in the room. High-quality thermal insulation of the floor is carried out using sawdust.

This material has several advantages, including:

Low price. Buying sawdust will be cheaper than buying mineral wool.
Environmental friendliness of the material. To insulate the floor with sawdust in a wooden house, the draft floor will need to be covered with material.
The thickness of the layer is from five centimeters or more. The thicker the layer of thermal insulation, the better.
Sawdust can be easily poured into cracks and other hard-to-reach places where it is impossible to lay another type of thermal insulation on the floor.

Insulation with sawdust

Advice! Insulation of a wooden house with sawdust is done if you are not afraid of a high level of fire hazard, otherwise it is wiser to pay attention to heat-insulating material, which has a lower degree of flammability.

Warming with mineral wool

If the question arose before you, what is the best way to insulate a wooden floor, in this case ideal solution will be mineral wool. On the this moment such thermal insulation is an attractive solution in terms of price and quality. In addition, mineral wool has many advantages in comparison with other heaters:

A low degree of thermal conductivity, this minimizes heat loss in winter.
Excellent level of water repellency. Mineral wool is used as a heater in houses with high humidity the material does not allow moisture to pass through.
Fire resistance. This indicator minimizes the occurrence of a fire.
Long service life. Warming a wooden floor with mineral wool ensures a long service life of the heat insulator, which other materials cannot boast of.
Environmental friendliness.
Rot resistance.
Mineral wool is resistant to temperature extremes.
Low cost. The price of such a heat insulator is slightly higher than sawdust, but lower than most other heat-insulating materials.
Good soundproofing.

A number of minuses of mineral wool follows from the pros. The main disadvantage is the low level of vapor permeability, because of this, water condensate is collected on the heat insulator. Therefore, if you have chosen mineral wool, then think about the vapor barrier device.

In addition, over time, mineral flooring becomes caked, which negatively affects the properties of wool - thermal insulation becomes worse. Therefore, during installation, mineral wool is recommended to be laid in two to three overlapping layers. Installation of insulation is carried out without gaps, a vapor barrier layer is placed on top of it, the seams are glued, such a step will ensure reliable protection mineral wool from the accumulation of condensate on it.

Mineral wool installation

Penofol insulation

Such material for floor insulation has been used not so long ago, so penofol did not have time to "grow" with great popularity like many heat insulators. Such a heater consists of two layers, the first layer is foil, the second is insulating. Using penofol as floor insulation, you provide many advantages:

Simplicity and ease of installation. Laying such material will not present difficulties, for this you do not need to have professional skills.
The insulation is resistant to mechanical stress.
The insulation has high density indicators, this allows you to lay the material under the wooden subfloor in a thin layer.
When using penofol as a heater, there is no need to arrange a vapor barrier, because condensate does not accumulate on such material.

Advice! Penofol is too expensive, but don't let that scare you, because performance such a heater more than compensate for such a price.

To insulate floors using penofol, you must adhere to the following sequence of work:

At the first stage - laying a layer of waterproofing.
The insulation material itself is laid on the already laid waterproofing layer.
Joints and seams are securely closed with polyurethane foam.
Next, logs are installed on the insulation in steps of at least fifty centimeters.
Between wooden lags again laying insulation, cracks and seams are again sealed with foam.
Now you can install the boards.

Penofol

Foam insulation material

This type of insulation in its popularity is in the same position as mineral wool. However, the thermal insulation material differs from the latter in higher rates: it does not cake over time, does not absorb moisture and retains its properties for a long time. In addition, using foam as insulation under wooden floors, you will provide the following benefits:

The highest strength characteristics of the heat insulator, it freely withstands mechanical stress.
Low degree of thermal conductivity. Thanks to this property, even a thin foam layer minimizes heat loss in the room.
Fire resistant.
Resistant to temperature extremes and negative environmental influences.
The material is not subject to decay.
Styrofoam is not afraid of rodents.

Styrofoam

ecowool insulation material

When choosing ecowool as a heater, you should be aware that such thermal insulation will take time to install, unlike the above materials. But on the other hand, such a heat insulator will serve you for more than a dozen years and during this time it will reliably keep heat in a wooden house. The disadvantages of the material include its price and the need to use special equipment during the installation process.

Ecowool insulation

Foam insulation material

If you insulate the floor with foam, then here the installation scheme is the same as the laying of mineral wool. Installation in progress insulation material, seams and joints close up with foam. Insulation can be laid in two or three layers. The use of penoplex provides the following advantages:

During installation, there is no need to make a vapor barrier, because condensate does not collect on such a heat insulator.
The material does not require the creation of additional protection against moisture.
Resistant to any mechanical stress.
Penoplex is not afraid of rodents.
Has a long service life.