What kind of sauna foil do you need. Bath foil: technical specifications and installation features

An ideal bath building should warm up as quickly as possible and retain thermal energy for a long time. To do this, the walls and ceiling in it are insulated. Such a heat insulator as aluminum foil for a bath is one of the most popular materials, as it is resistant to high temperatures and humidity.

foil properties

Among the characteristics that bath and sauna foil has, the most important is the ability to reflect about 97% of infrared rays. If the steam room is completely covered with this material, thermal energy will be saved as much as possible. The fact is that IR rays are not absorbed by the walls, but are reflected towards the room.

Foil for a steam room is ideal because:

the material is able to withstand temperatures up to 300 degrees and even higher - this property depends on its type;
does not emit substances harmful to the human body;
has a small specific gravity.

In addition, aluminum foil has the following advantages:

moisture resistance;
plasticity;
durability;
vapor tightness;
resistance to corrosion processes.

When using this material, almost all the heat remains in the steam room, while the insulation for the bath with foil on the walls will be reliably protected from condensate. The fastening process is simple, the main thing in the work is to prevent deformation, and do not leave gaps between the canvases.

To achieve a greater effect, not only walls, but also the ceiling surface are sheathed with foil insulation for a bath, since steam and hot air rise first.

Rolled Aluminum Foil

Foil is produced both in rolls and in sheets. Rolled material can have a thickness of 0.007 to 0.2 mm, a width of 10-1500 mm. The percentage of aluminum content in it is up to 99.5%.

Depending on the type of surface, the foil is:

smooth, without additional finishing;
for finishing;
finishing.

According to the scope of application, the material is divided into canvas:

food;
technical;
tape.

Depending on the manufacturing method, foil is distinguished:

soft (annealed), marked "M";
solid (unannealed) - it is assigned the letter "T".

A quality product is a canvas that does not have wrinkles, spots, tears and other inclusions on the surface. When viewed through the light of a thin canvas, it should not have gaps and tiny holes. Thick foils are allowed to have a small number of holes, which is regulated by the technical parameters of the equipment used.

A thin web is wound on bushings having different diameters. Thick foil is produced in sheets.

Before starting work on insulation, developers are interested in how much bath foil costs. Rolled products of domestic production will cost less than imported material. With a roll length of 25-30 meters, the price will be approximately 20-30 dollars.

Using foil for warming baths

To determine which foil to use for a bath is better, you need to consider what material the structure is built from and the conditions for its operation. If the building is a log building with carefully caulked walls, then it does not require a foil heat insulator.

In the case when the bath is built of natural wood, but large in area and does not warm up well, experts recommend sheathing the ceiling and walls from the inside with thin foil, and then closing it with clapboard. You can use a foil cloth for the surface behind the heating unit, as a result of which the steam room will warm up faster.

Despite the fact that a foam concrete bath building is considered warm, it requires high-quality vapor barrier, so the use of foil will be justified, but it is better to opt for laminated products.

Frame and brick buildings must be insulated. For this, heaters for a bath with foil based on expanded polystyrene and mineral wool are ideal (read: ""). The type of this material is chosen for ceilings, taking into account the thickness of the ceiling and the absence / presence of attic thermal insulation.

In addition, operating conditions matter. If the bath is used infrequently and the procedures are taken for a short time, there is no need to insulate it with foil. When the steam room is used frequently and is in it for a long time, high-quality thermal insulation will save fuel, and the room will quickly warm up and cool down for a long time.

Performing a simple bath cladding

When sheathing the walls of bath buildings, the foil sheet is attached to the surface or over the thermal insulation layer. Such work will take little time and will not require much effort.

The process looks like this:

Before sheathing the bath with foil, a frame made of wooden planks is fixed on the wall.
A heater is placed between the rails.
The top of the heat-insulating material is covered with overlapping foil, the joints between the strips are glued using aluminum tape.
The foil is sheathed with clapboard and a 15-20 cm air gap is necessarily made between it and the surface of the foil. This is a prerequisite for efficient heat transfer.

The air gap will reduce the thermal conductivity of aluminum, and since the hot lining will not come into contact with the foil, direct heat transfer will become impossible due to the insulating qualities of the air. At the same time, infrared rays falling on the surface of the foil sheet will be reflected towards the steam room.

Types of heaters with foil for a bath

In the process of work, a thin soft sheet of foil is easily crumpled and torn, so new technologies for its application have appeared.

Now on sale are:

foil paper;
the cloth;
insulation.

foil paper

Its other name is laminated foil on a paper basis for a bath. It is an elastic and dense material and has excellent vapor barrier characteristics. It is produced in two types: foil plus kraft paper and foil plus paper plus polyethylene.

Foil paper can withstand 130-degree heat. Resists compressive loads. It holds its shape and cuts easily. The standard band width is 120 centimeters. For its fastening, self-tapping screws, building brackets and nails are used. The material is used for lining baths from the inside. It is not recommended to use laminated foil for the surface of the walls adjacent to the stove.

Foil fabric (foil fabric)

This soft two-layer material is made from fiberglass and foil. The thickness of the foil fabric is in the range of 0.12–3 mm. Cloths need to be fastened end-to-end. Foil fabric is used to insulate the premises of the baths; it can be used to sheathe the walls near the heating unit.

Its main characteristics:

the ability to withstand temperatures up to 500 degrees;
resistance to mold and other harmful microorganisms;
good moisture resistance.

Foil Styrofoam

The insulation is made on the basis of expanded polystyrene and covered with the thinnest layer of aluminum foil. The material is produced in sheets measuring 1.2x0.6 meters with a thickness of 2-10 centimeters. They are used for the purpose of warming the premises of a bath building from the inside. The sheets are equipped with stepped locks that prevent the formation of cold bridges.

Foiled polystyrene foam has the following qualities:

does not absorb moisture;
reflects about 98% of thermal energy;
differs in vapor barrier properties;
resistant to chemical influences;
safe for health;
has a long service life.

Foil polyethylene foam

This roll insulation with a thickness of 2 to 10 centimeters has a one-sided or two-sided foil coating. It is used in the arrangement of thermal insulation of the interior of baths.

This material is able to withstand temperatures up to 100 degrees. It is not used for covering surfaces near the furnace.

Foil mineral wool

It is produced in rolls or in the form of mats of different thicknesses. Possesses excellent heat-insulating qualities. Ideal for warming frame bath buildings. The use of foil rolls or mats makes finishing work easier and more convenient.

The best material for warming a bath

Since the cost of energy is constantly growing, the owners of baths and saunas are forced to look for ways to save the cost of operating a steam room. When building a new building, it is necessary to use materials that have heat-saving characteristics. Baths built from bricks, foam concrete, cinder block and other building materials, except for natural wood, need additional protection from heat loss.

When arranging a steam room, you should be especially careful when deciding which foil is best for a bath, since the material must be environmentally friendly and reflect heat well. All these requirements are met by heaters having a foil-coated aluminum coating.

Advantages of foil insulation:

The material is universal, since it is used for walls, ceilings and bath floors.
Foil-coated insulation has good light reflection.
Products are produced in a wide range.
They are used in wet areas, while they do not need to be treated with fungicidal compounds.
They have high hygienic indicators. The properties inherent in aluminum do not create a breeding ground for the growth of fungus and mold.
They do not deform and do not melt in the steam room at elevated temperatures.
The material is comfortable to work with. It is easy to mount and fix on different planes: vertical, horizontal and inclined.

Tips for warming baths:

If the bath building does not have a commercial purpose, it will be enough to finish the walls with 3 mm foil in rolls.
For commercial enterprises, the solution to the problem of which foil is better to choose for a bath will be the use of laminated products based on basalt mineral.

When insulating a bathhouse located inside a capital building, it is necessary to take into account the functioning of central heating, since it warms up the air additionally.

Among the many varieties of heat-insulating materials for arranging baths, consumers increasingly prefer aluminum foil. This simple and affordable coating retains heat well inside the building, preventing the building from quickly cooling down, thereby reducing energy costs and providing a comfortable stay inside the bath.

Taking into account the peculiarities of operation and the microclimate of the bathhouse, a number of requirements are imposed on the foil used:

good moisture, steam and water resistance;
high refractory qualities;
good anti-corrosion properties;
high reflectivity (within 95-98%), achieved by special polishing of the top layer;
significant thermal conductivity.

Self-adhesive insulation with foil

Excellent vapor barrier properties help prevent hot steam from escaping from the room, which will not accumulate in the coating. In addition, aluminum foil has the following advantages:

complete absence of deformation and loss of original consumer properties;
high plasticity of the coating under prolonged exposure to high temperatures;
no release of substances harmful to humans and fumes;
resistance to ultraviolet;
protection against excessive condensate, mold and pathogens;
ease of installation;
durability;
hygiene;
resistance to chemicals;
protection of adjacent or adjacent rooms if the bath is located inside the house.

With careful installation, even thin paper-based sheets do not tear or deform. But it should be remembered that such material should be bought with a small margin of 5-7%.

Aluminum foil can withstand temperatures up to 145 ° C, which, combined with high reflectivity, helps to keep the heat inside the steam room 2-2.5 hours longer compared to other heaters, providing the so-called thermos effect. This is a versatile insulation suitable for walls, floor surfaces and ceilings of steam rooms, baths and saunas and does not require special treatment of rooms with fungicidal substances.

Sauna foil prices

bath foil

Types of foil and coating features

The building materials market offers customers several types of foil with different properties and characteristics.

Coating type	Advantages	Application type	Application type
Folgoizolone (foil applied to polyethylene foam in rolls or polystyrene sheets)	High strength, cushioning and soundproofing properties, the ability to lay the material directly on the surface without additional thermal insulation.	Suitable for log walls, as well as surfaces with lathed lathing or sheathed with clapboard.	The thickness of the material in sheets is from 20 to 100 mm, the dimensions of the canvas: length -120 cm, width - 600 mm. The thickness of the rolled material is from 20 to 110 mm, the standard length is 25 or 30 m, the width of the roll is 100 or 120 cm. The temperature range is from 100 to 125 °C.
	Environmentally friendly material.	Foil material is used on any surface, but in combination with a heat-insulating coating.	The thickness of the sheets ranges from 0.03 to 1 mm, the temperature range is 50-85 ° C.
	High degree of vapor and moisture insulation.	Suitable for use on concrete and brick walls, as well as all types of wooden surfaces.	Thickness 8-10 mm, maximum withstand temperatures: from + 100 to +125 °C.
	Good insulating properties and easy installation.	The same as for roll materials.	Similar to the previous ones.
	Low cost, accompanied by breaks and deformation of the material during the installation process.	Only on refractory heat-insulating material with obligatory fastening with metal brackets.	Sheet thickness is 0.01-0.5 mm, roll width is 1500 mm, temperature range is from -50 to +75 ° С.

To obtain a high-quality coating during laying work, it is recommended to strictly adhere to the thickness of the foil insulation.

wall material	Steam room wall thickness	Recommended layer of foil insulation
Brick, concrete	35-37 cm or more	8-10 mm
Brick, concrete	25-35 cm	10-12 mm
Wooden frame	10-15 cm	6-8 mm
Wooden frame	15-20 cm	4-6 mm
Wooden frame	over 20 cm	2-4 mm

Experts remind that aluminum foil or foil coatings are not capable of reflecting all the lost heat back into the premises, therefore they work best in steam rooms insulated according to the “pie” principle, while basalt or glass wool, as well as similar ones, should be used as an additional heat-insulating material. mineral thermal insulation. This is especially true in baths and saunas built of brick or concrete and other frame structures. With a sufficient thickness of the outer walls of wooden log cabins, additional thermal insulation can be neglected, but thin sheets of kraft foil should not be preferred as a foil material.

Coating installation

For the most effective and high-quality coating and ensuring a comfortable stay in the steam room, when laying the material, a number of tips should be followed.

When laying foil materials in steam rooms of non-commercial baths and saunas, it is sufficient to use rolled or craft foil with a thickness of at least 3 mm.
For large steam rooms, mineral or basalt-based foil is suitable.
When locating the sauna inside the house or in the basement, it is important to take into account the central heating and the location of its sources, if possible using it for additional heating of the steam room air.
Before starting work, it is necessary to provide for the removal of condensate by making a small withdrawal of the canvas from the ceiling to the walls, as well as from the walls to the floor. To do this, the foil material is laid with an overlap of 15-20 cm and glued with foil tape.

Important! To create the “thermos” effect, a gap of 13-18 mm must be left between the foil coating layer and the finish to ensure ventilation and maintain a healthy microclimate.

Foil Mounting Process takes place in several stages, the most convenient in work are rolls or sheets 60 cm or 1.2 m wide.

On the walls of the steam room, you need to make a crate with bars with a section of 5x5 cm. The distance between adjacent planks depends on the width of the material. For rolls of 600 and 1200 mm, this is 60 cm, for foil materials with a width of 1000 mm and 1500 mm - 50 cm. The bars are fastened with self-tapping screws of a suitable length.
A layer of mineral insulation is laid between the planks so that it does not protrude beyond the level of the bars.

Fixing insulation boards to the ceiling. In the photo - the use of foil insulation
A foil material is fixed on top of the insulation layer with the obligatory placement of a reflective layer inside the steam room. The joints of adjacent canvases or sheets can be glued with metal tape, but it should be remembered that under the influence of high temperatures the glue can soften and the panels will disperse, violating the tightness.

It is best to fix the foil with staples or nails, nailing them directly onto the bars. With a large width, the foil material is fixed not only at the edges, but also in the middle.
The laid foil is sewn up with clapboard, leaving a one and a half centimeter air pocket, the main function of which is to reduce the heat-conducting properties of the foil layer and to maximize the reflection of all the rays that hit the foil back into the steam room. An air pocket will allow you to create a crate for lining. Choose strips with a thickness of 10-20 mm and fix them with self-tapping screws.

Sometimes the order of arrangement of materials can be changed - a layer of foil is stuffed on a layer of insulation, laid between the bars of the crate, staples or nails, which is fixed on top with thin slats, located strictly on top of the crate with self-tapping screws of sufficient length.

In some cases, a wooden crate can be stuffed over a layer of insulation, laying foil over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe walls, incl. and on the bars. Then it is not advisable to leave air pockets, and the lining is fixed directly on the crate. But, as practice shows, the purchase of combined heat-insulating materials with a layer of foil is not only more cost-effective, but also greatly simplifies the entire installation process.

Ideally, the bath should heat up quickly and retain the resulting heat for a long time. To do this, they try to isolate the walls and ceiling with high quality, blocking all exits outside the steam room to heat flows. The traditional insulating layer has a complex structure, but aluminum foil is almost always its unchanged component. This component is as popular as it is controversial. Philosophical battles, backed up by theory from physics textbooks, have been going on in the forums of bath lovers for more than a year. Some argue that foil is a wonderful heater for a bath, others that it is practically useless as a heat insulator. Where is the truth? Let's try to figure it out.

Aluminum foil: another "divorce" of manufacturers?

Aluminum foil for bath insulation is a thin (on average 30-300 microns) layer of aluminum, which is used unchanged or in combination with kraft paper, fiberglass, roll insulation. The main argument against the use of foil in the bath is that aluminum has a high thermal conductivity.

Based on this, thermal energy can freely pass through the metal layer and be outside the steam room. In fact, it's not quite like that. Firstly, high thermal conductivity will “work” against us only in case of direct contact of the foil with a heated body (for example, with a wooden lining or a blockhouse). Secondly, in addition to thermal conductivity, there are other methods of heat transfer.

Three ways to transfer heat

Heat transfer can be carried out in three different ways in nature:

thermal conductivity;
convection;
infrared radiation.

In the case of foil, it is worth considering only the last method - radiation. The stove in the steam room during kindling begins to intensely emit infrared rays, which a person perceives as heat. Now the fun begins. IR rays, falling on the aluminum foil layer, are not absorbed by it, but are reflected in the opposite direction, that is, back to the steam room. Reminds me of a mirror effect. Therefore, we can say that foil for baths is not a heater in the truest sense of the word, it is more correct to call it a heat reflector. Moreover, it reflects up to 97% of all IR rays.

In addition, the foil is a vapor barrier - a sealed material that does not allow water or steam to pass through. Accordingly, it prevents the heated steam from escaping to the outside and thereby also contributes to the preservation of heat.

Due to all this, the steam room, lined with foil, heats up much faster and does not cool down longer.

The foil can be mounted directly on the walls of the bath or on a layer of insulation (basalt wool, glass wool, etc.). The latter option is more effective and is most often used as a traditional warming "pie" in steam rooms.

The fact is that the foil is not able to reflect all the heat. Part of it, due to the high thermal conductivity of aluminum, passes further. In order for it not to go beyond the steam room, a heat-insulating material is fixed behind the foil layer. High-quality thermal insulation "catches" what the foil missed and sends it back.

This is especially true in frame, brick, concrete baths and saunas. Without good thermal insulation, it is problematic to bring such a bath “to standard”, especially in winter, - the lion's share of the heat flows emanating from the stove will immediately be carried away through the walls to the street. But good Russian log-baths with a real brick oven do not need special thermal insulation, except for caulking.

Covering the bath with foil: how to do it right?

In order for aluminum foil to perform all its functions assigned to it by the manufacturer, you should know how to fix it correctly. In this case, there are some nuances, the failure to comply with which nullifies its heat-reflecting and vapor barrier properties.

The plating process is simplified like this:

A frame of wooden planks is attached to the walls of the bath, between which a heater (roll or slab) is laid.
Foil is attached to the slats over the insulation. All joints are carefully glued with special adhesive tape - for tightness.
The foil is sewn up with lining. It is very important that an air gap of 15-20 mm be maintained between the aluminum surface and the lining. This will not allow the high thermal conductivity of aluminum to fully manifest itself. The heated lining and foil will not come into contact, which means there will be no direct heat transfer (air is a good heat insulator). At the same time, the IR rays reaching the foil will be almost completely reflected back.

Such a warming "pie" using foil is arranged according to the principle of a thermos. Simply put, a thermos is a double-walled flask with a vacuum layer between the walls. A mirror layer is applied to the inner surface of the smaller flask (the one with which the heated liquid is in contact). The vacuum prevents the propagation of heat through thermal conduction, and the mirror layer through infrared radiation. The same processes, only with a lesser degree of intensity, occur in the foil-coated insulating layer. In this case, the role of a mirror reflecting surface is played by the foil, and the role of a vacuum with very low thermal conductivity is played by the material of the heat insulator located behind the foil.

Thus, using foil as part of the insulating layer of the walls and ceiling of the steam room, you can significantly reduce the time of heating the bath, enjoy concentrated steam and heat longer, save the amount of firewood or electricity.

The dispute about the effectiveness of the use of foil for finishing the bath began from the first moment the material appeared on sale. On the one hand, aluminum foil acts as an excellent vapor barrier and infrared reflector. It helps to quickly heat up and retain heat in the steam room. On the other hand, foil is a metal product with a thermal conductivity several times higher than the material of bath walls. Therefore, there will be no benefit from the foil, because in the bath the main source of heat is heated walls. On the third hand, the high vapor barrier properties of the foil and its usefulness for protecting coatings from moisture are noted. The review offers to obtain information on existing materials with the inclusion of foil, a list of manufacturers of this material and the rationality of use for lining baths, saunas, and swimming pools.

Rolled aluminum foil. General characteristics of the material

Roll foil is produced in accordance with GOST 618-73. Standard dimensions are thickness 0.007 mm - 0.2 mm, width 10 mm - 1500 mm. For the manufacture of the material, aluminum of the following grades AD, AD 1, AD 0, AMTs, A 5, A 6, A 0 is used. The percentage of aluminum content is maintained up to 99.5.

By type of surface, the following types of foil are distinguished:

Without additional finishing - smooth. It is used as an insulator, in the production of radiators, for the manufacture of household foil rolls and food storage containers.
Converter foil - for finishing. High tech foil. For this type, the characteristics and properties of the surface are extremely important: fat-free, wettability, absence of sagging and folds, porosity. Compliance with these characteristics facilitates the subsequent application of covering layers to the foil.
Finishing. The surface of the foil is printed, primed, heat-sealed varnish, paper, polymer film, glue or embossing.

According to the field of application, the foil is divided into the following groups:

Food canvas. It is used as a protective packaging material in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and tobacco industries.
Technical canvas. It is used to isolate and protect parts in the electrical, construction, aviation and automotive industries.
Ribbon fabric. It is used in the construction industry in the production of wall panels.

According to the state of the material, the foil is divided into two types:

Hard or unannealed. Foil released without annealing. Used in pharmaceuticals for the manufacture of blisters.
Soft or annealed. The material goes through all stages of production, including annealing. Multifunctional material for a wide range of applications.

Foil marking is carried out according to its properties; annealed soft foil is assigned the letter "M". Not annealed - the letter "T" is assigned. A high-quality canvas has a uniform surface, without spots, folds, tears and other inclusions. When viewed through the light of a thin canvas, there are no small holes and holes. For thick foil, a small number of holes is allowed, which is regulated by the technical characteristics of the manufacturing process equipment. A thin web is wound on bushings of different diameters, up to 5 breaks per meter are allowed. Thick canvas is produced in sheets, the allowable number of breaks is 3. Easy unwinding of the canvas is necessarily ensured.

Quality control is monitored in each released batch, several rolls are selected, an external visual inspection is carried out on torn off 5 meters of the web. Chemical and spectral analyzes of the composition of the material are carried out, the correspondence of the percentage of aluminum is determined. If discrepancies are found for each of the stages of verification, a complete withdrawal of the lot is carried out.

Aluminum foil for baths. Thermal insulation characteristics

Perform high-quality thermal insulation of the steam room - this means properly equipping a thermos. Aluminum bath foil is perceived by many as an ordinary non-woven-based shiny film, thin and unsuitable for work. Users prefer to use Mylar reflective PE foam and are unaware that foil can provide a perfect reflective finish.

The nature of heat transfer by a foil surface is radiation. When kindling, the oven actively emits infrared rays, perceived by the body as heat. IR rays hit the aluminum foil layer, but are not absorbed, but reflected back into the steam room. The process is similar to the mirror effect. Conclusion foil for the bath does not act as a heater, it acts as a heat reflector. The reflectivity of the foil is 97%.

Aluminum foil has high vapor barrier performance. It is considered a good sealant that traps water and steam on the surface, prevents the leakage of heated steam air to the outside, and helps to retain heat. All these qualities have a positive effect on the rate of heating of the room and ensure the long-term preservation of the high-temperature regime of air.

It is advantageous to buy rolled aluminum foil from domestic manufacturers. The average price for a roll of 25 m is $23. Roll 30 m - 27 $. Imported manufacturers offer this product more expensive for a roll of 25 m - $ 30, a roll of 30 m - $ 42.

How to make a simple bath cladding

For sheathing bath walls, foil is attached to the surfaces themselves or to a layer of a "pie" of insulation.

A simplified process for creating a foil thermostat:

The frame of wooden planks is attached to the surface of the walls.
Insulation is laid between the rails.
From above, the insulation is covered with foil. Joints for tightness are glued with special adhesive tape.
The foil is sheathed with clapboard, leaving an air gap between the surface of the material and the clapboard of 15-20 mm. The air gap will reduce the heat-conducting properties of aluminum; the hot lining will not come into contact with the foil, there will be no direct heat transfer due to the insulating properties of air. At the same time, all IR rays that hit the surface of the foil will be reflected back into the steam room.

The device of the insulating "pie" with the presence of foil is similar to the principle of operation of insulation in a thermos, only instead of a vacuum there will be an air gap between the walls. The user will get more time to enjoy the concentrated steam and heat of the air in the steam room, along with saving the consumption of wood fuel or electrical energy.

Aluminum laminated foil

Laminated foil is made by combining foil, paper and polyethylene. Features high barrier properties

It has the highest surface impermeability for gases and steam. For example, a film with a thickness of 9 microns has a water vapor transmission capacity of 0.1 gm2 day.
High hygienic indicators. In wet rooms, the surface does not create a nutrient medium for the development of microflora and mitoxins.
Elasticity. Capable of resisting compressive loads. Retains shape.

The main types of laminated foil for a bath:

Kraft paper with foil. Three-layer lamination material
- The first layer is kraft paper. It is made from long-fiber cellulose by digestion and the use of chemical salts. It is characterized by density, mechanical strength and wear resistance.
- The second layer is thin polyethylene. It has high thermoplastic, water-repellent, vapor barrier properties.
- The third layer is aluminum foil. Thin aluminum material with high heat reflective performance.

The cost of Chinese-made kraft paper is $26 per sheet. Laminated aluminum foil - prices from European manufacturers from $25 to $45 per sheet. Domestic manufacturers offer kraft paper from $20 per sheet.

The density of kraft paper creates a solid base for the foil. The layered structure is sometimes fastened with a reinforcing mesh made of polyethylene thread. Laying the mesh between the polyethylene layer and the foil prevents delamination. Foil kraft paper has high tensile and tear strength characteristics.

Laminated aluminum foil is used for lining baths from the inside. The material lends itself well to cutting, drilling, allows you to cut parts of complex configuration. The temperature regime of application is from - 600 to + 1200. At high temperatures, the adhesive softens, so the sheets are attached to the surface with self-tapping screws and staples to enhance strength.

Expanded polystyrene with a foil surface. Combined material consisting of closed-cell polyethylene foam and aluminum foil. It is used for noise protection, as a thermal protection material for outdoor and indoor work. The combination of two heat insulators into one building material allows you to efficiently and economically produce high-quality finishes for saunas and baths. The main qualities of the material:
- Does not absorb moisture.
- Has vapor barrier properties.
- Reflects 98% of heat.
- It has shock absorbing properties.
- Chemically stable.
- Safe for health.
- Has a long working life.

Industrial sheets have a thickness of 20 mm to 100 mm, a length of 1200 mm, a width of 60 mm. Sheets are supplied with stepped locks to exclude cold bridges. The cost of material for 1 m from 0.2 $.

Polyethylene foam with foil. There are two types, one-sided and two-sided. Is issued in rolls. Material thickness 20-100 mm, width 1000 mm or 1200 mm. Roll footage is 25 m and 30 m. The cost of material per 1 m is from $0.6 to $32.
Mineral or glass wool with foil. Available in two versions soft in the form of rolls and hard reinforced in the form of mats. The cost of material for 1 m - from 1 to 34 $.

Carrying out finishing work with cotton rolls or mats with foil is more practical and convenient. Ordinary roll foil without a base is torn, deformed and hard to level. Laminated foil has high strength, but tolerates heat worse than rolled material without a backing.

What material is better for warming a bath

The constant rise in energy prices is forcing the owners of baths and saunas to take measures to economically operate the steam room. In the case of new construction, the use of materials with heat-saving properties is considered. For wooden baths, it is enough to choose natural wood and not finish it. Additional protection against heat loss is performed for baths made of brick, cinder block, foam concrete and other mineral building materials.

Particular attention and strict selection of finishing materials is made for the equipment of the steam room. First of all, requirements are imposed on the environmental friendliness of the material and its heat-reflecting properties. Aluminum foil meets all requirements.

Advantages of foil insulation

Universal insulation, used for walls, ceilings and floors of baths and saunas. It has good reflective properties.
Wide range of products. Thin film foil materials are produced, laminated on various substrates, with a mirror surface to improve the reflection characteristics of IR rays.
It is used in wet rooms without additional treatment with fungicidal substances.
High hygienic qualities. The unique properties of aluminum do not create a breeding ground for the development of fungus and mold.
Does not deform or melt at high temperatures in the steam room.
Convenient in work. Easy to mount and fasten on horizontal, vertical and inclined surfaces.

For a non-commercial bath, it is enough to finish the walls with 3 mm rolled foil.
For commercial saunas with a steam condensate temperature of 1200 or more, laminated foil on a basalt mineral base is considered the ideal material.
To insulate the bath, located inside the building, take into account the presence of central heating for additional heating of the air.

One of the most important stages in the construction of a bath is heat and vapor barrier for a bath. Using foil to warm the bath will help to complete this stage at a sufficiently high quality level. Modern technologies have led to a huge range of materials in the construction markets, but their use in combination with foil will make the final result more highly effective.

When buying foil for a bath, you should thoroughly decide on the question: which one is better to choose. The purchase must be made based on the compliance of the product with a number of important criteria, among which one can single out ease of installation and durability in operation. In this regard, special attention should be paid to the following nuances.

Aluminum sheet, due to its technical features, is a raw material that is very sensitive to mechanical damage, therefore it should be purchased on a substrate and, preferably, in a reinforced form. This solution will significantly reduce labor costs during installation due to the absence of time losses for unnecessary gluing of damaged areas.

Among the most common types of substrates are:

kraft paper,
foam polyethylene,
mineral wool.

A very important detail that makes foil insulation for a bath an indispensable product is its reflective ability. 95% for this characteristic will be a sufficient value for the product to perform its functions. The higher the reflectivity, the less heat the room will lose.

Thermal insulation must necessarily have a significant resistance to high temperature and humidity. If we talk about temperature, then the insulation must withstand at least 100 C.

Separately, attention should be paid to the environmental friendliness of thermal insulation. During operation, foil insulating substances will be repeatedly subjected to heat treatments. These processes should not become a catalyst for the release of harmful, toxic substances into the air.

Foil insulation must have certain vapor barrier properties. So, vapor permeability during the day should not be higher than 0.01 g/m2.

Durability and reliability are also important criteria. Before making a purchase, you should read reviews of thermal insulation products on information sites, as well as learn about warranty periods from manufacturers or distributors.

Product range of possible foil insulation products

Knowing the basic requirements for foil materials, it is necessary to consider in detail the varieties of thermal insulation products. Finishing the bath with foil will take less time if you study all the variety of the heater market in advance. Below is a list of the most common ones:

Bath aluminum foil. This thermal insulation product is sold in rolls. Rolls in the markets are presented in a wide range. Rolls can be of different widths and lengths. The thickness of the layer can also be different.

Foil rolls have no base. It is used for mounting on top of an existing mineral insulator. You can use aluminum foil for a bath up to 650 degrees. In this case, the owner himself can choose the thickness of the thermal insulation, it is important to remember that the final strength depends on this. The reflectivity of the aluminum sheet is usually not less than 95%.

Installation is carried out with an overlap with obligatory gluing of joints with metallized adhesive tape. The use of foil for insulation is absolutely safe for human health, since it does not emit toxic substances when heated.

Kraft foil. This thermal insulation material is made on the basis of cellulose, it can also be found in a three-layer version, consisting of foil, polyethylene and kraft paper.

The main properties include high strength, environmental friendliness, tightness. Kraft foil has a small thickness, which may not exceed 1mm. The surface of the foil has a reflectivity of 95%. Despite the fact that the operating temperature of kraft foil is noticeably lower than that of a rolled aluminum sheet, and is only 100 degrees, it is much more convenient for installation, since it is less susceptible to mechanical damage and has greater flexibility.

"Folgoizolon". Baths, the walls of which are sheathed with this material, subject to all the requirements of the technology, do not require additional insulating measures. In addition to all the main functions, "Folgoizolon" has soundproofing properties. This product is usually sold in rolls, but you can also find sheet packaging with its large thickness. Its base is polyethylene foam.

In sheets "Folgoizolon" has standard dimensions of 600 * 1200 mm with a thickness of 20 to 110 mm. In rolls, the thickness does not exceed 10 mm with a width of 1000 to 1200 mm.

"Folgoizolon" is easily processed during installation, it is not subject to deformation, in operation it can withstand temperatures up to 125 degrees.

The most popular thermal insulation product on the Russian market is foil mineral wool. Products based on mineral raw materials have traditionally been used in the insulation of any premises for many years. In the markets, it can be purchased both in rolls and sheets, with a thickness of 30 mm to 100 mm. Of the main disadvantages, you can indicate the presence of an unpleasant installation procedure. Cheap thermal insulation causes irritable reactions of human mucous membranes.

"Penofol". For a bath, this foil thermal insulation can be an excellent product with vapor barrier properties. Being a canvas based on vapor barrier, "Penofol" not only does not release heat to the outside, but also helps the walls to "breathe". The reflectivity of the material is about 97%. With such indicators, we can safely say that the thermal insulation of the walls of the bath when using "Penofol" will be better. The thickness of the main heat-insulating layer, as a rule, does not exceed 10 mm. The vapor barrier material is able to withstand temperatures up to 300 degrees.

This is a foil for a bath, which has higher quality parameters compared to competitors. "Megaflex" can be used at temperatures above 300 degrees. Bath foil has a high reflectivity. Subject to the installation technology, this product will help create a sufficiently sealed system that prevents the spread of steam outside the bath room.

Which of the thermal insulation products is better

Bath heaters, due to their characteristics, have different properties, with foil they will cost more, but these are justified costs. It is difficult for a layman to figure out from the first time which product is better, more reliable, what are the properties of thermal insulation foil, how much does 1 sq.m cost. product for insulation. The table below will help you save time when choosing foil for a bath.

Foil thermal insulation	Price R. per sq.m	Reflectivity	Environmental friendliness	Ease of installation
aluminium foil	From 60	95%-97%	+	-
kraft foil	From 35	From 95%	+	+
"folgoizolon"	From 25	From 95%	+	+
"penofol"	From 60	0.97	+	+
mineral foil insulation	From 80	From 95%	+	-

Installation of foil thermal insulation cannot be called too laborious. If the premises of the steam room are made of logs or wooden bars, then you can attach the foil directly to the wall in the bath. The whole process is carried out in several stages: Rules for the installation of foil insulation

Thermal insulation is attached to the wall with special construction brackets. It is important to monitor the integrity of the canvas, to avoid tears. If it was not possible to do without damage, then the metallized adhesive tape will help to correct the situation.
The insulation is overlapped, the width of which must be at least 20 cm. Each joint is glued with special tape. The better this work is done, the less heat loss will be in the future.
A frame is mounted on top of the insulation for finishing. It is important to pay attention to one point: it is necessary to maintain a gap between the finishing panels and the insulation to ensure air circulation.

If the walls are made of brick, then, as a rule, the installation is done on top of mineral wool. To perform this process, the order of operations is somewhat modified. Then it will be necessary first of all to assemble the frame of the future partition, and already mineral wool is laid inside this frame, on top of which the foil is already mounted in the usual manner.

Outcome

The process of warming any room, including baths, is an important stage in the work. Not only the consumption of energy sources, the safety of building structures, but also indoor comfort depend on how well the work is done, how effective materials are selected. Now materials for thermal insulation can be chosen from a huge number of products on the market. It is important to know that bath insulation foil is an integral part of the process of creating optimal operating conditions in the future.