What kind of insulation is better to insulate the floor. Thermal insulation for the floor: how to choose the right one? What should be the thermal insulation for a warm floor

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 during construction 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?

You can insulate floors in wooden houses with different materials. To date, the building materials market is replete with a wide variety of thermal insulation from the simplest to ultra-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 Lately 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 thermal insulation performance, expanded clay should be laid with a layer of at least 15 cm. The convenience of this material is that it can lay all the necessary communications. 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 is 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 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 insulation only using personal protective equipment, 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 used more often as an addition to slab material or where a low level of thermal insulation is required.

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.

On the modern market there is a wide choice of materials for thermal insulation. They are designed to solve various problems. 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 of apartment buildings, as well as above 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 reduction thermal insulation properties when moistened. There is hydrophobized mineral wool with minimal water absorption, but it has a high cost.
Release of toxic substances in small quantities, formation of hazardous dust during wear
High-density mineral wool with the best strength and thermal insulation characteristics is 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 universal 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 like mineral wool. Therefore, when backfilling expanded clay on the ground and using it in conditions high humidity Be sure to waterproof. 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 slab 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 - too 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 insulation of concrete bases 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.

The question "Which insulation is better for the floor?" everyone who loves comfort is asked. It is always nice to walk barefoot without fear that your limbs will freeze. And this is especially true in the off-season, when it is not yet included central heating(if any) and in winter, when the temperature outside is below zero. It is then that people often turn their eyes to floor insulation. We will tell you how to choose the material and how to lay it correctly. After all, a well-insulated floor is one of the components of heat preservation in a residential area.

When choosing heaters, it is important to take into account the climatic zone (how cold it can be in winter), the features of the room and its purpose, the type of existing or planned flooring. For example, floor insulation in an apartment and in a wooden house will differ significantly.

Option #1 - Styrofoam

Among the materials that do not require communications or connection to the network, the most common insulation for underfloor heating is polystyrene foam, well known to everyone as polystyrene.

Its thermal insulation properties are 25 times better than those of expanded clay concrete. Yes, and walking on a floor insulated with polystyrene foam is much warmer and more pleasant, because such a floor absorbs heat very slowly.

Styrofoam as a floor insulation is used when installing a floating screed. Then it is poured with a layer of cement or concrete. It is possible to lay the slabs in the gaps between the lag when constructing wooden floors. Another way - the plates are laid on a concrete floor, and on top of them - sheets of plywood.

Expanded polystyrene is not afraid of moisture, so it can be widely used for floor insulation on the balcony and in rooms with a high level of humidity.

Option # 2 - expanded clay

Expanded clay is one of the most affordable inexpensive materials. It is used both when falling asleep under gypsum boards and added to concrete. Using expanded clay, a floating floor screed is also constructed when concrete or cement mortar is poured over it.

Floor insulation is best done with expanded clay from different fractions

The porous structure of this material, made of clay, allows the floor to be thermally insulated even in areas with very cold and frosty winters. But for this, the expanded clay layer should be about 10-15 cm, which is not always convenient, because it reduces the existing living space.

Option #3 - polystyrene concrete

In comparison with expanded clay and ordinary screed, the thickness of the floor insulation based on polystyrene concrete is much thinner. 5 cm of material is enough to provide both heat and sound insulation of the room. And the pressure on the floor in this case will be less, and the floor can be leveled, and the floor can be insulated.

Almost all materials can be laid on top of the polystyrene concrete layer, including tiles. In addition, it will create a perfectly flat surface for self-leveling floors.

Option #4 - glass wool and mineral wool

These types of insulation are widely used for insulation of roofs, walls and floors due to their low cost. There are such materials in the form of plates or in rolls. They are most often used for warming wooden floors due to the vapor permeability of the material.

Mineral wool and glass wool are laid between the lags. But the composition of these materials makes you think: the release, although in safe norms, is still dangerous chemical substances is present.

Laying mineral wool between the log of a wooden floor

Glass wool must be carefully insulated so that dust does not enter the room when it is worn out. When laying such materials, it is important to leave ventilation gap. The disadvantages of these materials include their weightiness and moisture absorption.

Option #5 - cork material

To insulate the floor with a light, safe and thin material, cork fiber is used. This is the best insulation for the floor under linoleum. The best, but also one of the most expensive. In addition to thermal insulation qualities, it has durability and moisture resistance.

This material can be laid both as a substrate under floor coverings, and used as an independent floor covering. In the latter case, cork slabs are additionally polished and varnished. Get a natural beautiful warm floor.

Option #6 - sawdust insulation

By themselves, sawdust for insulation is no longer used. They do not meet fire safety requirements. But from them, with the addition of flame retardants, antiseptics and glue, sawdust pellets, wood concrete, and ecowool are produced.

Option #7 - ecowool

This loose cellulose-based material is used to insulate even hard-to-reach places. It is poured automatically or manually with a layer of 15-20 cm, which, according to thermal characteristics, corresponds to a layer of expanded clay of 80 cm.

Ecowool has soundproofing and heat-insulating properties, it is completely safe. But such material is afraid of moisture. Therefore, it is laid only in those places where there is no likelihood of an increase in the level of humidity. It is most often used when laying wooden floors.

Option # 8 - penoizol

Simply put, penoizol is a liquid foam, about all positive aspects which we have already spoken. Penoizol is good because, due to its consistency, it can be poured into hard-to-reach places, they close up cracks and seams.

It is good to use it in the first stages of building and equipping a house. It fills all the air voids, thereby preventing the outflow of heat in the future.

Option # 9 - foil insulation

The effect of the material is based on the fact that it reflects heat back into the room, but does not transfer it to external environment. Therefore, it is correct to lay it with the reflective side up. This material is durable, waterproof, so it can be used in all types of premises, including baths and saunas.

As you can see, there are plenty of materials for warming your floor, in whatever room it is located. It is important to take into account all the nuances and choose the most effective and safe insulation.

Such a heater may consist of a layer of mineral wool or polystyrene and a layer of foil. It is produced in the form of plates and in rolls. They are sheathed wooden floors or laid under underfloor heating

An additional option is the "warm floor" system

More and more people are choosing underfloor heating systems. In the case of a water system under the floor surface, through which hot water will circulate. The method is effective, but troublesome. After all, in addition to the pipes themselves, you will need risers, collectors, valves, an automatic control device (shutdown).

For mounting modern systems floor heating are usually used polymer pipes. Such pipes are very durable, resistant to thermal aging, have plasticity and flexibility, and are not afraid of corrosion.

You can also make an electrical system: in this case, a cable is laid under the floor covering, which converts current into heat. A layer of 3-7 cm of concrete is laid on top of the heating elements or cement-sand mortar and then the flooring. Those. if a breakdown occurs, you will need to completely dismantle the floor.

There are also . Such floors are much easier to install and operate. The film heat-insulated floor does not demand a coupler, it is very quickly mounted and connected. On top of this floor, you can lay linoleum, tiles, parquet, laminate. This system can be easily removed and moved to another room.

The convenience and efficiency of underfloor heating makes them the most popular for residential and public buildings (kindergartens, schools, sports complexes).

When building a cozy and comfortable home, you need to isolate all areas through which the cold penetrates inside. Sex is just such a zone, its proximity to the ground and insufficient thickness significantly reduces the coating temperature. High heating costs make little difference, so homeowners have to decide how best to insulate the floor.

You can carry out work on floor insulation in a house or apartment on your own, the main thing is to choose the right material. To avoid mistakes, you need to analyze the main characteristics of thermal insulation materials:

resistance to fire;
low thermal conductivity;
environmental safety, no toxic fumes during operation;
strength, no deformation;
life time;
vapor permeability, the material should easily release accumulated moisture;
installation complexity.

floor insulation technology

The purpose of thermal insulation is to create a reliable barrier to the cold. To do this, between the base of the floor ( concrete slab, earth embankment, lags) and top coat place a layer of insulation. Material covered vapor barrier film. To achieve maximum effect and protect it from moisture, before insulating the floor, it is necessary to lay waterproofing.

The sequence of work depends on the type of foundation, operating conditions of the premises, allowable thickness insulating layer.

Floor heaters, what to choose?

Polyfoam is popular not only because of its low cost, the material has low thermal conductivity and is resistant to moisture. He will become the best choice for basement and basement insulation. Styrofoam is environmentally friendly, and when placed under a layer of concrete screed, it is not at risk of fire. Floor insulation is universal in use, it is laid on concrete, ceramics, wood or brick.

Expanded polystyrene is an improved version of polystyrene. It is denser (40 kg/m3 versus 10 kg/m3), absorbs less moisture, and has a uniform structure. Expanded polystyrene does not rot, has low thermal conductivity and weight. Insulation plates do not crumple, serve as sound insulation, suitable for concrete and wooden floors.

Expanded clay - natural material, which is used in dry form and as an additive in concrete. It is made of clay, so it is safe for health. Expanded clay does not burn, resistant to temperature changes. As part of the screed, it significantly reduces the thermal conductivity. When used in the form of bulk granules, the insulation is sensitive to moisture, so waterproofing is required. The effective layer of material is up to 20 cm, not everywhere it is possible to raise the floor level to such a height.

Mineral wool is offered in three types:

Glass wool is an elastic and durable floor insulation, excellent heat and sound insulator. Its disadvantage is skin-irritating fibers. Modern mineral wool is made from high-quality raw materials, it is less dangerous and caustic.
Stone - a fragile insulation with high hygroscopicity. Plus mineral wool - low cost.
Basalt wool is resistant to burning, frost and biological effects. Insulation made in the form of rigid plates is not prone to creasing and deformation. Its density is 30-35 kg/m3. Basalt wool is safe for health, has good vapor permeability, and is used for up to 30 years. The material loses its properties when wet, so during installation it is carefully protected from moisture. Basalt wool is most often used as thermal insulation for wooden floors.

Cork insulation is characterized by high elasticity and sound absorption. It is environmentally friendly, retains heat and is not afraid of moisture. Available in rolls, allowing you to quickly cover the floor in the room. Cork material in the form of plates is laid between the logs under a wooden covering.

Polyurethane foam has a minimum thermal conductivity due to its low density. When sprayed, the composition forms a cellular structure that provides high insulating properties. When solidified, polyurethane foam forms a continuous surface without seams. Due to the high moisture resistance of the insulation, it is not necessary to lay a vapor barrier sheet. The polymer composition is used under a screed or subfloor made of plywood.

High moisture resistance allows not to cover the polyurethane foam with a vapor barrier film.

Thermal insulators with a layer of foil, such as penofol, reflect infrared waves back into the room. A thin layer of aluminum-coated polyethylene foam is indispensable as a substrate for laminate or linoleum. The density of penofol is quite high, it does not deform from the load. The material is used alone or in combination with other insulation.

The "warm floor" system - types and possibility of installation

The device in a private house of a water-heated floor will forever solve the problem of cold coverage. It is mounted under a concrete screed and is in an economical way maintain a comfortable temperature in the room.

Besides hot water circulating through plastic pipes, electric cable can be used for floor heating.

It is impossible to arrange such a system in an apartment due to the high load on the floor. The infrared floor on the film has become a replacement for wires and pipes under the screed. Covering strips are easy to install and spread under tiles, laminate, parquet and linoleum.

Wooden floor insulation

The tree is characterized by low thermal conductivity, but the thickness of the boards is not enough to exclude the penetration of cold, in addition, over time, gaps form in the coating, creating a draft. Recommendations on how to properly insulate the floor will help you cope with the work yourself.

Fitted along the entire length of the floor wooden beam(lags).
Plywood or trimming boards are attached to the bottom of the log, which will become the basis for the insulation.
Thermal insulation material - mineral wool, penofol, polystyrene foam is tightly placed between the timber. The thickness of the insulation for the floor depends on the location of the room - on the ground floor you will need a more solid layer.
The insulation is covered with plastic wrap or glassine for vapor barrier.
Floor boards are laid.

How to insulate a concrete floor

It is impossible to use a concrete base in a residential area without multi-layer insulation. For work, you need a dense, durable, resistant to stress and moisture material. When choosing how to properly insulate a concrete floor, consider several options.

Laying a heat insulator under the screed.

During the initial flooring, a pillow is made from a mixture of gravel and sand, which is poured with a thin layer of concrete.
Roll waterproofing is laid on top of the screed.
A heater is placed on the canvas that protects from moisture: expanded polystyrene, basalt wool, foam glass. The slabs of material are laid close to each other so that cold bridges do not occur.
A damper tape is placed between the thermal insulation and the wall.
Spreads on the heater polyethylene film and reinforcing mesh is laid.
The concrete screed is poured.

The addition of perlite or expanded clay to concrete reduces the thermal conductivity of the material. Installation of "raised floor". This method is suitable for rooms with high ceilings.

Laid on a concrete base wooden logs from a bar 5 × 10 cm.
Waterproofing is laid with a 10 cm approach to the walls.
A heater is placed between the lags: expanded clay, polystyrene foam, basalt wool.
The heat-insulating material is covered with moisture-resistant plywood or fiberboard.
The finish coat is being applied.

Having studied the performance characteristics and laying technology of popular heaters, you can easily perform thermal insulation of the floor.

The floor is the coldest surface in the room. Especially when there is an unheated underground or direct contact with the ground under it. This situation is observed in private houses and on the first floors. Therefore, the thermal insulation of the floor must meet certain requirements.

High-quality thermal insulation of the floor will provide comfortable conditions residence and prevent the occurrence of many diseases.

In order to choose the right insulation for the floor, it is necessary to take into account several parameters that the material must comply with:

strength;
terms of operation;
insulating properties;
material weight;
moisture absorption;
vapor permeability;
fire resistance.

Strength

Considering that the floor experiences the greatest loads, high requirements are placed on the strength of all its elements. This also applies to materials for thermal insulation.

Strength requirements apply to sheet materials. The main one is fracture resistance.

Service life

Since the flooring is changed and repaired less frequently than other surfaces in the house, the floor insulation material must retain its properties for a long time.

insulating properties

The main criterion by which floor heaters are selected is their ability to retain heat. Some of these materials may change their insulating properties during operation due to external factors.

Material weight

Any floor insulation, despite its apparent lightness, exerts a certain pressure on the bearing surfaces. This must be taken into account at the design stage and the foundation of the house should be calculated taking into account the weight of the insulating layer.

Minimum moisture absorption

Some floor insulators are hydrophobic, that is, they have high moisture permeability. This usually applies to fibrous materials. Such species are not recommended in rooms with high levels of humidity.

Vapor permeability

In some cases, in addition to heat-insulating properties, the material should not prevent the penetration of vapors. This property does not allow condensation to accumulate under the floor covering.

fire resistance

Fire safety requirements apply to all building materials. Floor insulation is no exception.

Some types of insulation materials release toxic substances when exposed to high temperatures.

Types of floor insulation

Now there are many different heaters on the market, what is the difference and which one is better to choose?

Expanded clay

Mineral floor insulation in the form of oval or round granules with a porous structure. It is made from clay pellets by firing at a temperature of about 1200 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Under the influence of high temperature, the clay swells and a large number of cavities are formed in it, providing insulating properties.

Expanded clay granules or fractions are divided into three categories according to grain sizes:

large - 20 - 40 millimeters;
medium - 10 - 20 millimeters;
small - 5 - 10 millimeters.

Granules less than five millimeters belong to expanded clay sand.

As a floor insulation, expanded clay of medium and fine fractions is used in the form of a bulk layer, the thickness of which can reach several centimeters. Therefore, this material is used only for thermal insulation of the first floors. Due to its good flowability, expanded clay fills well the entire space between structural elements floors.

Expanded clay grains easily absorb moisture, keeping it inside themselves due to the surface crust.

This property of the material eventually leads to a decrease in thermal insulation properties, especially when the expanded clay layer contacts the ground. To prevent contact of the insulation with the ground, rolled waterproofing is laid between them.

Mineral wool

Is fluffy fibers different materials. Due to its high thermal insulation properties, it is widely used as thermal insulation for floors. Unlike expanded clay, it has less weight and can be used for thermal insulation of interfloor floors. There are two varieties of this material, the difference between which is in the raw materials used in the production.

glass

For the production of this material, the same components are used as for the manufacture of glass: limestone, sand, soda and borax. Melted at a temperature of 1400 degrees, the glass mixture, when exposed to centrifugal force in special chambers and blown with steam, takes the form of thin fibers. At the same time, polymer treatment is carried out for better adhesion. The finished loose mass is pressed and blown for final polymerization.

Pros:

high thermal insulation properties;
resistance to chemical reagents;
high degree of sound absorption;
not subject to shrinkage during prolonged use;
immune to the effects of open fire;
does not absorb moisture.

Minuses:

high fragility of fibers;
low thermal stability.

When working with the material, breaking off from the mass of small particles of glass fibers occurs, which can penetrate clothing and into the respiratory tract. Be sure to use protective equipment.

Despite the high fire resistance, when exposed to temperatures above 450 degrees, the destruction of the material occurs with a loss of operational properties. The temperature range at which glass wool can be used is from -60 to +450 degrees.

Stone

This type is made from a melt of volcanic rocks obtained in a furnace with a temperature of 1400 to 1500 degrees. The formation of fibers occurs when the liquid mass is torn apart by rotating rolls with simultaneous processing with polymeric binders.

At the final stage, the base of the wadding is blown into a chamber where the particles are deposited, interlocking into a web, from which, after pressing, a relatively hard material is obtained.

Thermal conductivity and sound absorption stone wool close to glass, but in terms of heat resistance it far exceeds it. The temperature operating range is from minus 180 to 700 degrees.

The largest temperature range has stone wool from basalt fibers. This material can withstand cooling up to 90 and heating up to 1000 degrees.

Expanded polystyrene (styrofoam)

Represents sheets from the granules of the made foam polystyrene fastened with each other. Manufacturers produce heaters different types, differing in density, flexibility and other parameters.

As thermal insulation, polystyrene foam PS-1 is used, which has the form of sheets white color thickness from 10 to 100 millimeters. The thermal conductivity of foam is lower than that of mineral wool. Therefore, to achieve the same thermal insulation effect, the thickness of the standing polystyrene can be thinner.

Advantages:

low price. This is perhaps the cheapest insulation;
light weight. One cubic meter of foam plastic SP-1 weighs about 22 kilograms;
good tensile and compressive strength;
has excellent water-repellent properties;
ease of processing;
non-toxic.

Flaws:

low vapor permeability;
collapses when heated above 80 degrees;
lack of resistance to organic solvents.

If the house has a basement , floor insulation such as foam can be mounted from the bottom side. This will eliminate the need to dismantle the floor covering.

Cork insulation

Made from bark cork tree. The market is presented in several forms. Sheets and panels pressed from small granules are used as insulation on the floor. Due to the presence of siberin in the composition of the adhesive, there is no need to use chemical binders.

In addition to the thermal insulating layer in the gaps between the floors cork materials can be used as standalone floor coverings. To ensure sufficient thermal insulation, it is sufficient to use a thin, ten-centimeter layer of material.

Advantages:

Environmental friendliness. This is one of the main benefits.

According to some sources, cork floor insulation is able to block radioactive and some other types of radiation.

Strength. Cork floor insulation is quite hard and quickly restores its previous shape in places pressed through by furniture legs or heels.
Hygienic, easy care. Contaminants that have fallen on the cork coating are easily removed with a vacuum cleaner or a rag. The ability of the material to resist the formation of condensate prevents the formation of mold.
Thermal insulation. The material has the lowest thermal conductivity of all presented in the article and provides reliable floor insulation.

Flaws:

Price. Since this is a natural material supplied from abroad, its prices are quite high. The financial costs of the purchase will also depend on the type of insulation coating and its thickness.
Scratch sensitive. Surface cork easily scratched by fine sand particles, which are a natural abrasive. The material is also afraid of contact with rubber shoes, which can leave stains.
Exposure to excess moisture. Moisture resistance has a certain limit. Prolonged exposure to water leads to swelling and deterioration of the material.

Foil insulation

The ability of foil to reflect thermal radiation is successfully used in various types of heaters. The thinnest layer of metallic coating applied to conventional thermal insulation materials, reduces their thermal conductivity to almost zero.

Foil coating can be either one or two-sided. flooring is used in cases where 100% heat retention is required. For example, in baths and saunas, in floor heating systems.

Pros:

the use of a foil layer allows a thinner base without reducing the thermal insulation properties;
the foil reflects almost 95 percent of infrared radiation, thereby maintaining the required temperature in the room, thereby reducing heating costs;
the metal coating easily repels moisture.

Minuses:

Used as a coating, aluminum foil is subject to corrosion damage. Therefore, when decorating walls with such material in a bath, it is necessary to use waterproofing. This will not affect the reflectivity in any way.
Enough heat can heat metal surface to a dangerous level.

To prevent strong heating of the foil surface, it is necessary to leave a gap of two centimeters between the insulation and the wall.

In custody

There is no definite answer to the question of which floor insulation to choose, since each material has its own advantages and disadvantages. In any particular case, the best option is selected. The choice depends on financial capabilities, floor material, conditions for performing insulation work and other factors.

Regardless of which type of insulator will be chosen for floor insulation, before buying, you need to familiarize yourself with its properties and installation technology. Some thermal insulation materials require when laying professional approach, others can be mounted by yourself.