Do-it-yourself loggia insulation: step-by-step photo instructions with recommendations. How and what is better to insulate the loggia from the inside? Insulation of the loggia in the house scheme

A loggia is a few square meters that can serve a variety of purposes. To use this room all year round, you need to provide a comfortable temperature there. Every home master can turn it into a cozy, useful and well-equipped space.

Are you going to start arranging these additional square meters, but do not know how to insulate the loggia with your own hands and what materials will be needed for this? We will help you deal with all the questions - our article provides recommendations for choosing a heater and provides step-by-step instructions for thermal insulation of walls, ceiling and floor of a loggia.

You should, of course, start with planning. You should decide on the functional purpose of this small room. If it is supposed to be used as a warehouse for things that are not too necessary, then warming does not make much sense. But the loggia can be turned into an office, a small gym, a winter garden, etc.

There are also restrictions. For example, a loggia cannot be used as a kitchen room, i.e. install a stove, sink for washing dishes, etc. there. Conducting a central heating system to this area is also prohibited.

There are a number of other restrictions that may be related to the architectural features and fire safety of the building. This may be a ban on glazing above a certain floor, on changing the appearance of the building, the height of the fence, etc.

As practice shows, many manage to somehow get around these standards and arrange a loggia to their liking. Before starting work, it does not hurt to coordinate your plans with supervisory authorities or prepare for problems after the alteration is completed.

The installation of electrical wiring, lighting and underfloor heating during the insulation of the loggia must be thought out in advance so that damage to the heat-insulating material is minimal

But under no circumstances should openings be made in the load-bearing wall, only openings provided for by the original project are allowed. Even a window and door block removed from the loggia can be dangerous.

To keep the loggia warm, you need high-quality glazing. It is better to order it from a reliable company. Double-glazed windows will do the job perfectly.

Part of the space will be "eaten" by a layer of insulation. These centimeters will have to be sacrificed in order to reliably protect the house from the cold. Loggias, which are located on the lower floors, are most often insulated from the outside. We are talking about the best materials for external wall insulation.

From the very beginning, you need to consider options for heating this space.

There are not so many of them, because only suitable for the loggia:

• electric TP;
• portable heater.

Considering that the installation area is small, you can spend money on such convenience as TP. Cable systems are easy to install, all work can be done independently. The IR floor is more difficult to lay, it requires an almost perfectly level base, but the electricity costs during operation will be moderate.

But the easiest solution would be to use it, especially if the loggia is not used every day, but only from time to time. Installing a warm floor will require more costs and effort.

The choice of materials and options for warming the loggia with your own hands is quite wide.

Among the most popular it is worth noting:

• mineral wool;
• Styrofoam;
• polyurethane foam;
• expanded polystyrene;
• penofol, etc.

Mineral wool has a low price, but this is almost its only advantage. To lay such material, you will first need to arrange a crate. Mineral wool is sensitive to moisture; when wet, it loses its useful properties, so it is not always suitable for a loggia.

You need to provide a place for installation in advance. Usually, a niche of a suitable size is made on the wall for these purposes. Among the turns of the cable TS, a temperature sensor is placed, which is placed in a corrugated tube. It will also need to be connected to a thermostat.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

A detailed video guide for warming the loggia with your own hands:

Balcony floor insulation:

Modern materials and technologies make it possible to insulate a loggia really reliably and quickly. In any case, when performing installation work, the requirements of the technology and the manufacturer's recommendations should be observed. Then the result will fully meet expectations, and the insulation will remain effective for many years.

Are you planning to do your own warming of the loggia, but do you still have questions after reading our material? Feel free to ask our experts for advice - write questions in the comments block.

A balcony or loggia is an unheated room in an apartment. Therefore, they are a source of heat loss from an apartment or house. Even a well-glazed balcony lets in a significant amount of heat.

To avoid this, the balcony or loggia is insulated from the inside. It should be noted that there are different approaches to warming this type of room.

The type and method of warming the balcony and loggia depends on:

• intended purpose:

• the balcony is not intended for storage, they are insulated in order to reduce heat loss from the room. In this case, work is carried out according to a scheme similar to outdoor heating. That is, only one side of it, adjacent to the wall of the room, is insulated;

• the balcony is for storage. Insulated around the perimeter of all surfaces. Since there should not be a high temperature here, the requirements for heat-insulating materials are not particularly high;

• balcony, which is a continuation of the living room or serving as an office, library, gym, etc. In this case, heat loss through windows and all surfaces is eliminated. And as the materials used, heat insulators with high density and considerable thickness are used. Particular attention is paid to the thermal conductivity of the material and the rules for its installation.

• heating budget. It determines both the type of insulation, and the area of ​​​​insulation, and further finishing. It also determines whether to entrust the work to professionals or to do the insulation of the balcony with your own hands;

• season. Low temperatures can withstand any kind of insulation. But solutions, adhesives and foam must be used taking into account the ambient temperature. As a rule, "winter varieties" are more expensive. And the duration of work in winter is more significant;

Consider ways to insulate a balcony using various heaters and give some important practical tips on how to make the insulation of a loggia more effective. We will proceed from the fact that it is necessary to qualitatively and inexpensively insulate the balcony on all surfaces inside - walls, ceiling and floor.

Insulation requirement:

1. light weight. In order not to weigh down the balcony, which is much lower in strength than the loggia;
2. small volume. In order not to occupy the useful living space of a balcony or loggia;
3. low cost;
4. safety. Fire and environmental;
5. opportunity to do the work yourself.

Insulation for balconies and loggias - types and properties

If you have not yet decided what is the best way to insulate a balcony or loggia from the inside, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with popular thermal insulation materials. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages, which are in characteristics, cost and installation methods.

Styrofoam

Durable, dense material that does not support combustion well. Resistant to moisture, has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity.

Styrofoam

Dense heater. It has the lowest thermal conductivity, light weight, high strength and low cost.

Basalt and mineral wool

Soft insulation. Works due to its structure. Fibers arranged in a chaotic manner contain air, which does not allow heat to penetrate through the cotton wool. Working with cotton wool, you need to create an additional frame.

Polyurethane foam (PPU)

Sprayed insulation. The material is good because it does not allow moisture to pass through, makes it possible to adjust the thickness of the insulation and allows you to get a coating without seams. And this, in turn, eliminates the appearance of cold bridges.

Penofol

multilayer material. The polystyrene backing keeps the heat in, and the aluminum screen, which is like a thermal mirror, allows the heat to be reflected inside the house. Can be used on its own or in combination with other heaters.

Expanded clay

Bulk heater. It has a porous structure, thanks to which it retains heat well. Used for floor insulation.

Using these materials to insulate balconies and loggias, you can additionally provide good sound insulation (provided that they are glazed with plastic windows).

A mandatory accompanying attribute when insulating from the inside with most of these materials is a vapor and hydrobarrier film or a superdiffusion membrane. It is designed to protect the insulation, especially soft from getting wet and condensation.

The material was prepared for the site www.site

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands - step by step instructions

• Clearing the premises. It is impossible to do quality work if you have to constantly move things from place to place.

• Crack sealing. We assume that high-quality double-glazed windows are installed on the windows. In any case, there are gaps between the balcony and the wall, at the junction of the ceiling and the floor. So they need to be repaired using foam, sealants or solutions. Slots of considerable size are sealed with pieces of foam.

• Balcony / loggia waterproofing. Needed to keep water out. Moreover, it can enter through micropores in concrete. For this purpose, a deep penetrating primer can be used.

• In the case of using cotton wool, it is necessary to install a waterproofing film. It is fastened with an overlap and secured with tape.

• Installing a heater. There are two methods here:

• frame method. In this case, you must first equip the frame from antiseptic-treated wooden boards or galvanized profiles. Boards are more popular because they are cheaper and allow you to adjust the thickness of the frame. The most commonly used beam is 50x50. A heater is inserted into the formed cells.

• Frameless method. More preferable, but only suitable for rigid insulation. This is due to the fact that the material of the frame with the frame method remains not covered with insulation. That is, wood or metal serve as cold bridges and conduct heat well. Therefore, in the vast majority of cases, rigid heaters are mounted without arranging the frame.

• Laying penofol, vapor barrier film or superdiffusion membrane.

• Floor insulation is in progress.

• The final stage is the decorative finishing of the balcony or drywall.

Insulation of the balcony and loggia with mineral wool

The cotton wool is laid so that it fits snugly against the elements of the frame, but is not “rammed”, i.e. no need to further compact it. From this, the structure of the mineral wool will change and part of the air will evaporate. This will reduce the thermal insulation properties of wool. In order for the cotton wool to hold securely on the wall, and especially on the ceiling, it must be additionally fixed using wire or umbrellas (dowels with a wide cap).

Mineral wool fixed with "umbrellas"

Sometimes cotton wool is brought behind the frame, as shown in the figure. Then the elements of the frame are held by cotton wool. However, professionals do not recommend using this approach for low-density wool (less than 50 kg/m3), since wool held in only a few places will settle over time, exposing part of the wall to cold air.

Cotton wool is covered with a vapor barrier film. Then the counter-lattice is stuffed. It allows you to protect the wool from touching the finishing material and avoid the appearance of a dew point in this place.

In more detail, the stages of installing cotton wool are presented in the diagram.

1. floor base
2. floor joists
3. frame
4. Basalt wool
5. Vapor barrier film
6. Control grille
7. Finishing material

Insulation of the balcony with polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam

Rigid insulation is also placed in the frame sections and fixed on foam or special glue. The insulation is not laid close to the frame, but with a gap of 5-10 mm. The gap is subsequently blown out with foam, and the foam sheet is additionally attached with a plastic dowel - an umbrella (fungus).

Fastening foam plastic in a frame way

Fastening polystyrene foam in a frame way

The foam sheets are tightly pressed against each other, and the joints are blown with foam.

Expanded polystyrene sheets are joined according to the "groove-comb" principle.

The sputtering method stands apart in this group. Such heat-insulating material as polyurethane foam is applied to the wall precisely by spraying. Relatively new material on the market is quickly gaining its fans among professionals and amateurs. Because it allows you to perform insulation without additional preparation of the base. The high speed of work execution - less than one day - also speaks in favor of the PPU. Among the disadvantages are the high cost and the inability to do the work yourself without special equipment.

• Firstly, reliable protection of the insulation from moisture;

• Secondly, additional internal insulation;

• Thirdly, the foil reflects 90% of the heat back. What is very important for a balcony or loggia, which, by law, cannot have their own heating sources.

By insulating the balcony, we create a buffer zone on the way of cold air to the living quarters, add a few square meters to create a pantry, or even a small room - but this is if you connect a heater. In our step-by-step instructions, we will tell you how to properly insulate a balcony with your own hands and what materials are used for this.

Insulation of the balcony begins with a check of the load-bearing structures. To do this, it is advisable to look at the balcony slab from the balcony of the neighbors below: if the beginning of destruction is visible to the naked eye, then the concrete and reinforcing layer can be strengthened as shown in the figure. If you doubt the strength of the plate and the ability to carry an increased load of glazing, insulation, floors, it is better to seek expertise. Although, as practice shows, balconies can easily withstand the increased load and collapse - this, fortunately, is an extremely rare exception to the rule.

a - concrete is knocked down in damaged places. b - the surface is cleaned and repair compounds are applied: 1 - contact layer; 2 - anti-corrosion protection; 3 - repair solution; 4 - leveling putty

Before starting work, you need to remove the old finish and frames (if any), clean all surfaces from collapsing elements, if necessary, make a small concrete screed or seal cracks in the slab with concrete mortar.

Insulation work can be divided into:

• outer skin;
• glazing;
• internal insulation;
• finishing.

Outside parapet siding

The easiest way to make the outer skin of the balcony is vinyl siding.

Outside the parapet, a vertical crate is assembled in such a way that it forms a single flat area (check with a stretched thread). The bars or the metal profile of the crate are fixed at a distance of about 40 cm from each other. Further, guides for siding (closing profile) are mounted along the lower and upper perimeters, and the corners are made out with a special vinyl profile - the “outer corner”.

The starting siding bar is attached with the long side to the lower rail using self-tapping screws. It is better to start from the side wall - and the panel is shorter and less visible from the street - you can practice. Between the siding and the balcony grille, you can immediately lay soft mineral wool slabs. At the top of the parapet, you need to mount a drainage system.

A very short video about the main stages of sheathing:

Glazing is a mandatory step in the insulation of the balcony. At the same time, you can independently make frames made of wood, aluminum or steel profiles (corner, profile pipe) and glaze, or you can purchase ready-made double-glazed windows. The first option will cost less, but it is more time consuming and, most importantly, will only slightly be able to raise the temperature on the balcony in winter. You are unlikely to succeed in sealed windows without the use of double-glazed window technologies, they will have to be insulated or not insulated for the winter and leave the balcony, in principle, cold, which will only reduce the wind load. So it is better to order ready-made double-glazed windows for glazing.

If the balcony was not glazed, and you are not insulating the loggia, then the parapet for installing frames is most likely missing or insufficient. You can create a retaining wall in the form of a reinforcing cage with concrete or brick. To facilitate the construction, expanded clay can be poured into concrete, reducing the overall load. The top of the parapet must also be reinforced with a metal profile.

If the protective grille of the balcony is strong enough, and the double-glazed windows are single-chamber, aluminum are very light, then wooden boards under the window sill, which are attached to the top of the grille, can act as a support.

If the balcony has a small area, then you can weld a frame on brackets that protrudes beyond the concrete slab. At the same time, the window sill will not "eat" the valuable volume of the balcony. Such a balcony device is called takeaway.

After that, window sills and the frame of future glazing are installed - without frames and sashes, which will be mounted later. To do this, the metal structure is welded to the metal profile of the parapet and the supports fixed to the balcony slab of the neighbor from above. If you live on the top floor, the design will be more complicated, since you will have to make a canopy-roof, for example, from corrugated board, polycarbonate, etc. At the same time, the racks must be more durable.

After the frame is fixed, the upper drains (visor) are mounted and double-glazed windows are installed according to the instructions.

On the features of glazing small balconies without increasing the area, see the video:

Balcony insulation from the inside

From the inside, the balcony is insulated from the sides of the walls, floor and ceiling. To do this, you can use various thermal insulation materials.

Balcony insulation materials

The thermal conductivity of building thermal insulation materials varies widely, so it is impossible to unambiguously name the recommended thickness. For information, see how the optimal thicknesses differ to achieve the same thermal resistance when using popular materials.

The main requirements for materials also include:

• long-term strength;
• non-hygroscopicity;
• fire safety.

Most often used:

• mineral or stone wool - fibrous insulation;
• lightweight foam and "Penoplex" (different types of expanded polystyrene) - plate materials;
• polyurethane foam or "Penoflex" - polyurethane foam.

Sometimes a composition of these materials is used.

Fibrous insulation is easy to install when it is made in the form of soft plates or a blanket with a foil surface.

Polyurethane foam is applied using special, preferably professional equipment.

To compare the consumer properties of materials, we have summarized their main characteristics in a table.

Stages of warming the balcony from the inside

Now that we know the basic properties of heat-insulating building materials, let's consider the order of work.

Advice! If lighting or heating devices are supposed to be connected on the balcony, make the wiring to the lamp, switch and socket in advance by placing the cables in plastic boxes. So the wiring will be hidden, which is much more attractive than open wiring.

Before work, make sure that dust, small particles of insulation or a solution do not pollute the apartment - close the openings with a film.

Floor insulation

Warming should start from the floor. First, a layer of waterproofing should be laid on the balcony slab. It can be ordinary polyethylene or foil isol. At this stage, the waterproofing material can also be fixed to the walls.

To protect against condensation, a layer of vapor barrier is laid on top. If you purchase embossed film, then you need to lay it with the embossed side up.

The subfloor is completed with 10 mm thick plywood in two layers. It is attached to the lags with self-tapping screws. Instead of plywood, you can use sheets of fiberboard or chipboard.

Ceiling insulation

Apply a layer of antiseptic to the cleaned ceiling. For thermal insulation, you can take foil-clad mineral wool or polystyrene. A good solution would be to use penofol - a foam material covered with aluminum foil, which is glued to the PVA, and nailed on top with a crate for attaching the finishing layer of the finish - a stacked ceiling, drywall or siding.

Styrofoam can be fixed to the ceiling with mounting foam.

Mineral wool is laid on a false plasterboard ceiling, which is fixed on an aluminum profile frame or a wooden bar 40x40 mm.

If required, we fix the lamps.

Wall insulation

Waterproofing has already been completed at the first stage, so a vertical or horizontal crate of timber is immediately mounted on top of it. The distance between the bars is equal to the width of the heat-insulating material. For walls, it is better to use polystyrene foam or mineral wool boards.

PPS can be glued to special glue or mounting foam, be sure to blow out all the joints and cracks with it.

A vapor barrier film is fixed on top of the insulation.

Finishing work

There are many materials that can be used to decorate a balcony. This is drywall, which can be plastered or covered with wallpaper, and tiles, and vinyl siding, and lining.

On most balconies, stationary or mobile clothes dryers are mounted, which can rise to the ceiling.

If the area allows, compact furniture or transforming furniture can be installed on the balcony: reclining tables and seats, and some happy owners of wide balconies even equip a sleeping place. The window sill can be made wider and turned into a countertop - for morning coffee or business.

If desired, you can install a fan heater on the balcony, which will allow you to use additional space in spring and autumn, or install an electric convector, which will make the balcony all-weather for equipping an office or a winter garden there.

In conclusion, we invite you to look at photos of the design finishes of the balcony space - for inspiration and a source of ideas.

We will learn how to properly insulate a loggia or balcony, decide on the method and materials, and talk about laying electrical wiring.

Apartments with an additional area, which is a loggia or balcony, have a greater advantage in the eyes of apartment owners without these premises. But how are these very loggias and balconies used? In summer, you can put a light table and chairs there, breathe fresh air, or simply pull on clotheslines and dry your washed clothes.

How to insulate a loggia or balcony

• Glazing of the loggia
• Balcony floor insulation
• Electrician on the balcony

With the onset of the first cold weather, balconies and loggias become a place for storing various unnecessary belongings; with the first frosts, they allow you to do without a refrigerator and store perishable products without any problems. But after all, square meters of living space are expensive today - why do we forget about “ownerless” premises that can be easily converted into living rooms using modern insulating materials? Without postponing for "tomorrow" we take up the insulation of the loggia and balcony - the guide in this article.

Issues that need to be resolved before starting work on the insulation of the loggia

First of all, you need to decide on the purpose of the future insulated room, whether it will be a study, a nursery or, for example, a room for sports training. To a large extent, this choice will depend on the size of the loggia, to a greater extent on its width - if it is less than one and a half meters, then it will be narrow for a study. The purpose of using the insulated loggia in the future depends on the scheme for constructing electrical wiring, the positions and number of electrical outlets, and lighting fixtures.

Important: completely abandon the idea of ​​​​combining the loggia and the room adjacent to it by removing part of the wall between them!

This is the outer wall of the building, which means it is a load-bearing wall; no additional expansions of the opening in it, except, perhaps, the removal of the frame and the door frame (if the loggia is located behind the kitchen), are absolutely impossible! Periodically, news channels report about the partial destruction of entire entrances in multi-storey residential buildings due to the fact that the owner of one of the apartments intended to increase living space by demolishing part of the load-bearing wall - don't even think about it!

The reason why loggias seriously freeze in winter is connected with a large area of ​​glazing in this room - after all, it was designed by architects for a clothes dryer, and not for living quarters. It would seem that there is nothing complicated here - to lay a part of the window opening with brickwork or facade drywall with a layer of insulation between its panels and the problem is solved.

But not everything is so simple - from the position of official government agencies, reducing the glazing area of ​​​​the loggia is an interference in the architectural appearance of the building, which means it is not allowed. Glazing the balcony is another matter, this is allowed, since it reduces the risk of fire from an accidental cigarette butt from the upper floors. In recent years, the supervisory state bodies have not reacted in any way to these same interventions in the "architectural appearance", but this does not mean that they will continue to pay no attention - it is better not to make serious changes in the existing glazing of the loggia.

Heat loss through loggia glazing can be significantly reduced by installing modern double-glazed windows and carefully sealing the joints between new window frames, as well as frames and adjacent walls.

It is necessary to think over the heating of the loggia - if, after warming, this room will be used as a full-fledged room in which a person has been present for a long time, then one cannot do without it. It is tempting to install a heating battery on the loggia, powered by a central system, but this is prohibited by municipal legislation.

The reason for the ban is this - when designing the building and its heating system, the loggias were not taken into account, so installing a heating battery in these rooms will lead to a lack of temperature in the system for heating other apartments. As you can see, the point here is not at all the theft of heat, and your attempts to include the loggia area in the total heated area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe apartment are guaranteed to be refused in all instances.

Installing a water radiator on a loggia is allowed only if your apartment has an individual heating system, that is, it is heated from a boiler installed in it. There remains only the option of heating the loggia with electric heaters - infrared, convection or using an electric floor heating.

Preparation of the loggia (balcony) for insulation

At this stage, the loggia room is completely freed from everything that is folded in it - after cleaning it should become completely empty. The existing single glazed wooden frames must then be removed as they will need to be replaced with modern ones. If the balcony has a metal fence, it must be cut off (you will need a grinder), instead of the old parapet, lay out a new one, made of light ceramic bricks or foam blocks.

The new parapet can be brought out a little higher than the old fence, but not excessively - change the "architectural appearance". Completely remove the floor covering of the loggia, but if it is made with tiles, you can leave it by cutting out part of the tile under the brick parapet.

Measure the dimensions of the free opening above the parapet, and you need to remove them using the building level - with the same heights on opposite sides, there may be a serious horizontal difference, i.e. opposite points may be at different heights from the horizontal floor level. Measure the angles and take measurements from each of the walls, ceiling and floor, make a drawing with these dimensions - it will come in handy.

Glazing of the loggia

Depending on the purpose of insulation and the temperatures of the cold season, new frames can be with one glass or with double-glazed windows of two or three glasses with a heat-reflecting film inside. The frames themselves can be aluminum, wood or plastic, reinforced from the inside with a galvanized metal profile.

Measurements and recommendations for glazing the loggia will be given to you by the measurer of the opening for glazing, he will also perform all measurements - take into account at least one window in the total glazing area to ventilate the insulated loggia in the future.

Warn the measurer that you need free vertical sections between the extreme frames and the wall with a width of about 70 mm on each side, i.e. the frames on the sides of the glazed opening should not be located close to the walls.

Subsequent insulation of the walls of the loggia will require attaching a layer of insulation to them, a metal profile or a wooden beam and subsequent finishing sheathing, so the walls will move forward a little inside the loggia - if you install double-glazed windows close to the walls, then the side profiles of the frames will be “drowned” into the insulated wall. In the free areas between the frames and the wall, a beam will be installed and two layers of body insulation will be laid (before and after the beam).

In the process of installing new glazing, ask the performers to install a flashing on the outside - a special plastic tape, its width can be from 30 to 70 mm. And one more thing - despite the adhesive layer on the back of the flashing, you should fasten it to the frame with short self-tapping screws with a pitch of 500 mm, because over time the glue will dry and the flashing will certainly fall behind.

Balcony floor insulation

There are two main ways to do this: lay the insulation directly on the floor, lay the main coating on top; set the logs, on top of them is a heater and a rough base of the floor, on top - the main coating. If it is possible to simplify the task and not raise the floor on wooden logs, we only lay roofing felt, glue its joints with sealing tape and, if the floor height allows up to the threshold of the loggia door, we lay the base of the floor from chipboard or OSB boards, impregnated with drying oil and further drying. In this case, we will not lay the insulation, because there is no space under it.

As a heat and vapor barrier in the process of insulating a loggia or balcony, Penofol or Penoplex is most often used, the first insulation consists of polyethylene foam, the second is made of extruded polystyrene foam. Possessing good thermal insulation characteristics, easy to use and practically waste-free, both of these materials are not recommended for use in residential premises.

The reasons are as follows: despite the declared flammability classes, according to which these heaters do not burn and do not support combustion, their manufacturers at the same time prevaricate - "Penofol" and "Penoplex" smolder perfectly, releasing a significant amount of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. It is better to protect the residents of the apartment and the whole house as much as possible from such consequences of fire, using only mineral wool insulation.

So, for laying the insulated floor on the loggia, we need: roofing material, which is enough to cover the floor area of ​​​​the loggia with a slight overlap on the walls; a roll of self-adhesive tape-sealant type "Guerlain"; wooden beam 50 mm wide for setting lags; rolled mineral wool with a thickness of 50 mm; flooring for the base of the floor (sheets of chipboard, OSB 20 mm thick); finished floors (linoleum, laminate).

The surface of the floor is cleaned of debris and dust, roofing material is laid on top of it in one layer. The joints between sheets of roofing material, between the roofing material and the wall adjacent to it are covered with a self-adhesive sealant tape. Logs are installed on top of the roofing material with a step of 500 mm, the beam under them is selected with the height that will allow the plane of the new floor to be brought to the level of the door threshold. When determining the height of the beam under the logs, consider: the thickness of the roofing material (usually 5 mm), the thickness of the slabs under the base of the floor, the thickness of the finishing floor covering.

Logs are set according to the building level, interconnected by bars of smaller thickness. Logs should not be fastened at this stage with high quality - their design will have to be disassembled for processing from decay. To obtain a perfectly horizontal floor surface, you will need to substitute small supporting boards under the logs; they should not be fixed to the floor, since the roofing material will be damaged.

In the design of some balconies, the slabs forming the floor are sloped towards the side of the fence to remove rainwater - horizontal differences of up to 90 mm are possible between the inside and outside of the floor slab. Keep this in mind when setting lags.

After the upper plane formed by the lags is brought to a horizontal level, it is necessary to disassemble the entire structure and treat the timber with oxol drying oil to protect it from decay. After waiting for the complete drying of the drying oil layer applied with a paint brush, we collect the logs again, this time they need to be fastened together with the greatest care. The slabs selected for the base of the floor also need to be covered with a layer of drying oil on both sides and along all ends.

Having completed the processing with drying oil, drying and setting the lags, we proceed to laying the mineral wool insulation, for which it must be cut into blocks according to the size of the compartments between the installed lags. Mineral wool is easily cut with an ordinary carpenter's saw; in the process of working with it, it is necessary to wear a bandage or a respirator - small particles of mineral wool will break off and rise into the air during cutting and laying.

At the next stage after laying the insulation, the base plates are installed on the logs, fastened to them with wood screws. Further flooring work at this stage is stopped - first, it is necessary to complete the insulation and finishing work of the ceiling and walls. The surface of the rough base of the floor for the time of work with the ceiling and walls is covered with two layers of PVC film, fixed along the contour with masking tape.

Insulation of the walls and ceiling of the loggia - the initial stage

Inspect the surfaces of the ceiling and walls for cracks and falling plaster, tile tiles, embroider all fragile seams, then fill them with mounting foam, seal them with sealant tape on top.

Hand the queues - the installation of a wooden beam with a section of 40x50 mm (pre-treated with drying oil) on the walls and ceiling. The beam is set across the walls and ceiling in increments of 500 mm, the beginning of the installation is at the junction of the planes of the ceiling and walls, i.e., at the junction points, the beam is attached to both the ceiling and the wall, close to each other. To fasten the beam, concrete screws with a pitch of 300 mm are used.

On this, work on the walls and ceiling is temporarily stopped - then the turn of the electricians.

Electrician on the balcony

As a rule, the old electrical wiring of the loggia is represented by an aluminum wire 2x1.5 in a common braid, designed for the simplest lamp in one 100 W lamp. For a full-fledged living space, such wiring is not suitable at all - we will pull a new one.

First you need to find out where the junction box is located in the room closest to the loggia - this question should be clarified with the electrician of the local housing office or get a wiring diagram in your apartment in this office. If for some reason you don’t want to contact the housing office, then you can stretch a new wiring from the electrical outlet closest to the loggia, punching a channel from it to the wall between the loggia and the room, then drill a hole through this wall. For a detailed description of this process, see our article.

For wiring to the loggia, you can use an aluminum cable, for example, APPV 2x2.5 or 3x2.5, if grounding is expected (most often there is no grounding in residential buildings). You can use a copper cable VVG 2x1.5 - it will be better. The electrical cable must be laid in a PVC corrugated hose designed to completely prevent fire from a short circuit.

Accordingly, the channel for laying the cable must have sufficient width and depth to accommodate the corrugated hose (a corrugated hose with a diameter of 16 mm is suitable for one cable). In turn, a drilled hole in the wall to the loggia should accommodate a metal tube through which, according to the rules for electrical wiring, a cable is passed to the loggia.

At the exit from the hole into the loggia room, the cable is again threaded into the corrugated hose and put into the tuso-soldering box of the indoor installation - the place for it is determined and prepared in advance, for its fastening it is necessary to install a wooden mortgage (a board of sufficient size), fix it to a wooden crate.

It is most convenient to place the junction box on the wall separating the loggia from the living room adjacent to it, 250 mm from the existing ceiling (without insulation and decoration). A corrugated hose with an electric cable inside is threaded between the wall and a bar attached to it, if necessary, holes are drilled in the places where the bar and wall fit, slightly larger than the diameter of the corrugated hose. Holes are drilled in the embedded boards for the output of the electrical cable.

Decide on the installation locations for electrical outlets and a switch, the installation location for a lamp (s), a heater hung on the wall - at each installation point of electrical installation products and electrical appliances fixed on the wall, it is required to install mortgages to which these electrical appliances will be attached in turn.

The cable at the installation sites of wiring accessories and in junction boxes is led out to a greater length than is actually necessary - by 70 mm, which will allow in the future to replace the electrical appliance if necessary. In no case should the bare ends of the wiring go beyond the limits of the wiring accessories and junction boxes!

Important: all switches and sockets mounted on an insulated loggia must be external installation only.

Important: connections of the electric cable supplying power from the living quarters to the loggia, with cables supplying power to sockets and switches, should be made in the junction box only through the DIN rail of the terminal block - no twists!

After completing the wiring, turn off the general power supply of the apartment and connect the wiring of the loggia in the junction box of the living room or in the outlet to which the channel was pierced. Connection in any variant (junction box or socket) is carried out via a terminal block (DIN-rail).

Please note that direct contact of copper and aluminum cables during twisting will cause heating of the aluminum wire, which can lead to a fire - mediation of a terminal block with steel contacts will eliminate heat and fire hazard. Use the terminal block in any case, even if the wiring of the apartment is completely made of copper cable. If there is no DIN rail in the old junction box in the room, purchase and connect electrical cables through it.

So, all the work on laying the electrical wiring to the loggia is completed - we turn on the power supply of the apartment and make sure that there is power in all electrical installation products. Next, we close up the grooved channel in the living room and again take up the insulation of the loggia.

Insulation of the walls and ceiling of the loggia - continue

We return to the insulation of the walls and ceiling of the loggia. The beam is already fixed, the turn for laying mineral wool and vapor barrier, you will need a knitting wire. We cut the mineral wool into blocks in width equal to the sections between the beam on the walls and the ceiling, we start laying it from the ceiling - you will need an assistant.

From the tools you need a construction stapler with 12 mm staples - we fasten the end of the knitting wire to the edge of the beam with them, lay the insulation and hold it with wire, leading it between two adjacent wooden blocks in a zigzag manner, securing each sharp corner with a staple from the stapler.

Having finished laying the insulation on the ceiling, we move on to the outer walls - the wall between the loggia and the living room can not be insulated, because it is already “warm”, but the beam is attached to it in the same way as on the outer walls. Therefore, try to place the wiring accessories on this wall - it will not need to be insulated and covered with a vapor barrier film, which means that there will be no difficulty in placing the insulation under the mortgage plate for the electrical outlet or switch.

A vapor barrier film must be placed on top of the insulation, slightly stretched and fixed - it must be applied to the surface, fixed on the upper beam and further along the perimeter of the walls (ceiling). The installation of the film should start from the plane of the ceiling. In the areas where the walls and ceiling meet, it is necessary to overlap the film fixed on the walls by about 50 mm. In those places where the electrical installation products are located, the film is slightly cut and tightened around the cable going to the product, i.e. the electrical cable is pushed through it.

Important: the installation of a vapor barrier film is mandatory, otherwise the wooden beam will rot, and the mineral wool will sag under the influence of moisture penetrating in the form of steam from the room. Water vapor will form due to the high pressure inside the room and will be attracted to the outer walls, the partial pressure outside of which is lower due to the lower temperature of the cold season.

Finishing of walls, ceiling and floor

Walls and ceilings can be finished with various coatings - plastic or MDF panels, drywall or clapboard. As a floor covering, you can use laminate, linoleum, or save money and simply cover the base of the floor with two layers of varnish or paint.

The finishing sheathing should start from the ceiling, then the floor is covered, and only after that - the wall sheathing. After installation of the floor covering, its entire surface should be covered again with PVC film to protect it from damage during wall cladding. A hole is cut in the wall covering in the installation area of ​​the junction box, in the places where electrical installation products are installed, only holes for the electrical cable are cut out - I remind you that all sockets and switches must be outdoor installation, i.e. protruding completely above the plane of the wall covering.

At the end of the sheathing of the external walls of the loggia, sockets and switches are connected to the cable that supplies power to them and mounted in their places.

Work on the insulation of the loggia ends with the installation of a plinth and, in the case of sheathing with plastic or MDF panels, butt rails on all edges and corners formed by wall and ceiling coverings.

If you intend to replace the existing loggia door with a new one, then its installation must be carried out before laying the lags or the base of the floor and before installing the timber on the walls.published

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If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to specialists and readers of our project.

Creating a favorable microclimate on the loggia involves not only wall insulation, the entire space must be airtight. The floor and ceiling surfaces are also sheathed with a material with a low degree of thermal conductivity. In our article, you will learn how to properly insulate a balcony from the inside.

The choice of heat insulator

Advantages and disadvantages are inherent in each type of thermal insulation. In order to choose the most suitable insulation, you should compare the main characteristics of heat insulators.

The most common options for heat insulators:

• Extruded polystyrene foam (penoplex);
• Foamed polyethylene (penofol);
• Polyurethane foam (PPU);
• Styrofoam;
• Mineral wool.

Mineral wool

The thickness of the sheets varies from 2 to 20 cm. Mineral wool is divided into three types, depending on the components of the raw materials:

An example of a mineral wool device on a loggia. The material is placed in the prepared structure. The frame for mounting can be made of metal profiles or wooden bars.

Manufacturers produce cotton wool in the form of mats and soft rolls. In some cases, one side is covered with foil. Aluminum foil improves the level of thermal insulation.

The main disadvantage is that moisture acts destructively, a vapor barrier device is necessary.

Polymer-based insulation

Penoplex, polyurethane foam, polystyrene, foamed polyethylene are polymers treated with foamed compounds.

Advantages:

• The presence of gas bubbles provides not only a good level of thermal insulation, but also a small weight of the plates;
• High degree of moisture resistance;
• The materials are durable;
• Antifungal resistance;
• Simplicity and convenience when laying plates or sheets, as well as rolls (polyethylene foam);
• An economical repair option, subject to the choice of foam as a heater.

Main disadvantage: support the spread of flame during a fire, emit harmful substances in the combustion process.

When choosing foam and other materials based on polymers, it is necessary to correctly select the thickness of the plates and determine the density

1. Styrofoam sheets

Insulator plates (expanded polystyrene) in the process of laying.

Styrofoam refers to budgetary methods of warming a loggia, however, it is considered a rather fragile material, so a crate is required for installation. A worthy replacement is extruded polystyrene foam; its installation does not require the creation of a special frame.

2. Penoplex

Extruded polystyrene foam boards (thickness 50 mm) are used as insulation. The seams between the elements are sealed with mounting foam. Penoplex is attached with the help of special dish-shaped dowels ("fungi").

3. Penofol

The material is used as a separate heat insulator, and with the help of penofol it is possible to provide a vapor barrier of expanded polystyrene. Due to the foil side, warm air is reflected and retained in the room.

In order to speed up the insulation of the structure, you can use an alternative method of thermal insulation - spraying polyurethane foam (PPU).

4. Polyurethane foam

PPU is one of the most modern heat insulators. The cost of application services is considered high compared to other analogues, however, many have managed to evaluate the performance properties of PPU. This insulation is characterized by high thermal insulation performance, due to the finely porous structure.

The main stages of work on the insulation of the loggia space

In order to increase the usable area in your home and operate the premises all year round, you must:

1. Close the gaps, if any. Carefully study the room to eliminate all design flaws. As a rule, the gaps are filled with mounting foam, even if they are of a significant size.

After complete drying, it is necessary to trim the excess.

2. Glazing with reliable double-glazed windows.

3. Arrange a waterproofing layer. To protect against moisture, waterproofing with penetrating properties is used - Penetron, Aquaton, etc. The composition is applied with a roller, brush, or sprayed. Such impregnation penetrates into the thickness, so the walls become maximally resistant to adverse weather, and strength characteristics are improved.

5. Installation of a vapor barrier layer. In order to make a vapor barrier, special polymer membranes (“breathing”) should be used, as well as films “Rockwool”, “Izospan”, penofol.

Balcony decoration

Purposes of creating interior decoration:

• External masking of the heat insulator;
• Organization of a favorable internal environment in the room.

To create an interior balcony, you can choose from various finishes. Plaster, plastic panels, MDF, lining, plywood, plasterboard sheets and even a block house are perfect for the finishing layer.

The lining panels are environmentally friendly and reliable. One of the main advantages of the finishing material is rigidity. The lining is fixed on a wooden frame crate.

The walls of the loggia are lined with clapboard, the flooring is laminate.

Facing the balcony with a block house.

The plastic panels have grooves for connecting elements. The plastic version of the lining has less rigidity and strength than wood.

Installation of GKLV sheets on metal profiles. Plasterboard slabs can be decorated with wallpaper, painted, or lined with decorative plaster.

Wall decoration with wallpaper over GKLV sheets.

Bamboo wallpaper. The base for finishing is drywall.

Video

1. The result of warming the loggia.

Glazed balcony. Demonstration of electrical outputs. Testing the strength of extruded polystyrene foam. The use of foam plastic with a thickness of 30 and 50 mm, wall finishing with putty. Concrete floor screed over insulation boards.

2. Stages of repair work on the balcony.

Sequential process of arranging the premises. Scheme of thermal insulation of walls with polystyrene foam and foamed polyethylene, finishing - plastic panels. Floor: leveling, thermal insulation, OSB cladding, installation of laminate lamellas.

What and how best to insulate the balcony from the inside with your own hands

The loggia is a part of the apartment that requires high-quality insulation. If you leave it in its original state, then in winter the cold will penetrate into the rest of the premises, and this is an extra cash cost for heating. Owners who do not know how and with what to insulate the balcony on their own invite workers whose services cost a lot of money. And it’s good if hired craftsmen turn out to be professionals, because contractors with a lack of qualification often come to the call.

If we take professionals as an example, they first visually assess the condition of the balcony and take into account the year in which the apartment building was built. Then they pay attention to the frame (metal or wooden) and evaluate the dilapidation of the skin. Last but not least, experienced workers compare neighboring loggias and can offer the owner to make a design in the same style as them.

Because of the old-style balconies, all the work becomes more complicated, especially if this building is not closed, but open. In this case, the craftsmen are engaged in additional strengthening of the structure and replacing rotten parts: they cut off the rusted metal elements of the frame and reconstruct the concrete site. The upper and lower parts of the balcony are reinforced without fail.

It is after the measures to restore the structure that the specialists are engaged in facing and internal thermal insulation of the room. Often, owners prefer to equip their balconies with foam blocks and double-glazed windows. The stones are laid out at half the total height of the loggia, and the open space is closed with windows. As a result, not only an attractive appearance of the building is created, but also its strength is significantly increased. By the way, a double-glazed window will significantly warm the room.

If the owner of the apartment changes the windows to plastic ones, then it is advisable for him to purchase products with double glass, since single ones retain heat by only 30% in the cold season.

Without preparing the balcony, one cannot approach subsequent cardinal actions. Before purchasing materials for warming the loggia, inside the premises, specialists carry out the following work:

The interior arrangement of the loggia concerns not only the ceiling and walls. It is equally important to insulate the floor, for example, with penofol.

For internal insulation of almost all structures, expanded polystyrene is very widely used. Its low cost does not affect the quality. It is sold in the form of plates with a thickness of 5 cm or more. If the apartment is located in the conditions of the north, then it is better to use sheets 15 cm thick. For the installation of foam, they make a crate with the same cells. Expanded polystyrene is convenient in that it can be easily cut with an ordinary knife.

The positive aspects of this insulation are that it is odorless, does not emit harmful substances, is environmentally friendly and does not affect human health. Sheets, as a rule, are fixed on special "umbrellas" or building glue. As a savings, it is better to insulate the balcony inside it.

Mineral wool is also quite popular. Such insulation is slightly more expensive than foam plastic, but this is due to the additional sound insulation that the material has. Therefore, using mineral wool, you can not only insulate the structure with high quality, but also eliminate street noise. It is sold in the form of yellow rolls.

The fire safety of this insulation is at a high level, and the absence of a specific smell makes mineral wool one of the most popular. The material begins to melt at a temperature of 1000 degrees. Under such rolls, it is also necessary to make a crate. Another plus is easy cutting. The disadvantage is due to the composition, which includes powdered glass, which sticks into the skin when working and causes itching and redness.

Penoplex is a new insulation that has appeared on the building materials market relatively recently and has already become popular. It has a low weight, due to which it is convenient to work with it. Penoplex is produced in the form of rectangular sheets, the cutting of which is possible even with a clerical knife. According to the method of attachment, it is similar to foam, which is glued or fixed with fasteners. The surface of the material is rough, so it does not slip in the hands.

Granular expanded clay is often laid on the floor. Such insulation for a balcony inside has a porous structure and consists of baked clay, so it is environmentally friendly. Builders use it to insulate floors and ceilings.

The work process is simple, it is enough to create a layer of expanded clay and spill it with liquid cement so that the granules are held together. But keep in mind that such material will take 15-20 cm of height from floor to ceiling. In addition, a thin-layer screed will have to be poured over the expanded clay, because the relief surface will not be suitable for laying, for example, the same parquet or laminate.

Another option for insulation - penofol. It is made from polyethylene foam. The material is especially suitable for water-heated floors, as it has a foil coating with a heat-reflecting effect. This insulation has 4 advantages: it does not let the wind through, retains heat, prevents the penetration of water and has vapor barrier properties. Penofol is flexible and easy to cut, and environmentally friendly substances do not harm human health. They produce insulation in the form of rolls, therefore, it is convenient to work with it. The installation process takes no more than 1 hour.

As previously mentioned, foam plastic is cheap, but nevertheless it is practical, many builders use it. What is the best way to insulate a balcony from the inside with polystyrene foam:

The thickness of the wall from the edge of the interior to the exterior, taking into account the foam block, should be 30 cm. This is enough to retain heat and prevent the penetration of cold into the room.

Pouring concrete, expanded clay layer and similar methods cost a lot of money. You can make a similar insulation, but at the same time save money. An option for a cheap finish made of wood and foam can be like this:

Specialists always start finishing from the walls and ceiling, and at the end they deal with the floor. If everything is done the other way around, then the base will be damaged, and the front surface will be scratched.

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands: from a refrigerator to a warm island

To begin with, it is worth saying that there are two ways to insulate a balcony - from the inside and outside. External insulation, of course, is more convenient - precious centimeters of area are not “eaten up”, and the cladding of the balcony facade becomes more pleasant. But this is a laborious process that requires the involvement of a construction team and industrial climbers. Therefore, in the article we will focus on how to properly insulate a balcony in an apartment from the inside - this can be done independently.

For insulation inside the balcony, first of all, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work. They include several important steps:

• How to start warming a loggia or balcony? Free up space from all unnecessary. It is best if the balcony is completely empty: it is much easier to work this way. Also, get rid of the old finish in advance.
• Seal all the cracks - a lot of heat escapes through them. For small gaps, a weather-resistant sealant is suitable, fill larger gaps with mounting foam - it will not only fill the voids, but also serve as an additional heat insulator.
• To make it easier for you to carry out work on insulation, it is important to even out cracks and irregularities on the walls and ceiling with cement mortar.
• If you plan to place light bulbs or lighting fixtures on the balcony, you should take care of the wiring in advance. To hide unpresentable cables, place them in plastic boxes.
• Before starting work, cover the opening between the balcony and the adjacent room with a film so that building dust and other pollutants do not get into the apartment.

Is it possible to insulate a balcony in winter? Yes, you can. Only when working in winter, it is necessary to choose frost-resistant materials, in particular mounting foam.

How to insulate a balcony: what materials are better to choose

To understand how to insulate a loggia or balcony, let's first figure out what properties the materials should have:

• high strength;
• fire safety;
• water resistance;
• environmental friendliness;
• relatively low cost;
• ease of installation (if we want to do all the work with our own hands).

Most often, mineral wool, polystyrene foam, polystyrene, etc. are used for insulation. Sometimes several of these materials are combined. We have reflected the pros and cons of each heat insulator in the table:

insulation Advantages Flaws Expanded clay Low cost;
Durability;
fire safety;
Not afraid of mold and mildew;
Light weight;
Easily takes any shape High moisture permeability;
Suitable only for floor insulation;
May be difficult to install Mineral wool Good sound and heat insulation;
Environmental friendliness;
fire safety;
Easily takes any shape Deterioration of properties when exposed to water;
The thickness of the insulation "steals" the usable area Styrofoam Low cost;
Ease of installation;
Light weight;
Not afraid of mold and mildew fragility;
combustibility Extruded polystyrene boards High strength;
Ease of installation;
moisture resistance;
Durability Relatively high cost polyurethane foam(liquid insulation) High strength;
moisture resistance;
Durability;
Fills cavities of any shape Relatively high cost;
Mandatory availability of special equipment Penofol(foamed polyethylene with a layer of metal foil) moisture resistance;
Durability;
Small thickness;
Good thermal and waterproofing Rarely used as an independent heat insulator, usually only in combination with other materials

What is the best insulation for a balcony? The answer to this question depends on your preferences and financial capabilities. You can read more about the characteristics of heaters, as well as about the insulation of an apartment as a whole, in our blog.

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands: step by step photos and instructions

A balcony is a place in an apartment that can be used for various purposes. Someone stores various things there, someone uses it to dry clothes, and someone makes a favorite resting place or even a small room out of the balcony. In any case, the insulation of the balcony is a very important point that should be given close attention. If you want to know how to insulate a balcony with your own hands: step-by-step photos and detailed instructions can be easily found on the Internet. The main thing is to avoid common mistakes and strictly adhere to the correct sequence of actions.

There are several points in which very many people make mistakes when insulating a balcony on their own:

• Rush. Often the insulation of the balcony occurs in haste. Usually, this involves filling the cracks with putty, installing warm windows and plugging in a radiator. At the same time, the heat from the apartment continues to leave through the balcony, which is very surprising to its owner.
• Use of poor quality materials. Therefore, how to insulate the balcony inside is an important question that must be asked before starting work. A balcony is a fairly large space, so bad windows or improperly installed flooring can create a serious leak of warm air.

In order for the balcony and the entire apartment to be as protected from the cold as possible, a certain procedure should be followed. So you save time, effort and get high quality insulation. If you want to know how to insulate a balcony with your own hands, step-by-step photos will help you with this.

Installation of double-glazed windows

The first stage, from which the insulation of any room begins, is the installation of modern double-glazed windows. If you have old wooden frames, then a very large amount of heat escapes through them, no matter how you insulate. But when installing double-glazed windows on a balcony, there is one nuance that distinguishes it from other rooms - the parapet. On many old balconies, it is not strong enough to support the weight of heavy metal-plastic windows. In this case, it will have to be further strengthened.

Useful advice! It is best to strengthen the parapet with reinforcement. The thick iron bars and cement will hold up well to any extra weight. The brick version is also good, but it is thicker and heavier.

Before you insulate the balcony with your own hands, you need to decide on the material of the window structures - these can be frames made of PVC, aluminum or wood.

Stages of work on the insulation of the balcony

Properties of different types of windows

Wooden frames are the cheapest, but not the best option in terms of window properties. Wooden windows do not retain heat well, they are not airtight. It is worth using them only if there are no severe colds in your latitudes.

Aluminum windows are more expensive, but retain heat better. In addition, they are the most reliable and durable, excellently resist corrosion and other negative influences.

PVC frames - the best option in terms of price and quality. Polyvinyl chloride is not afraid of dampness and temperature changes. It is not as resistant to stress as aluminum, but it provides the highest level of thermal conductivity.

How to insulate a balcony so that it is warm in winter? The following types of windows are well suited for this purpose:

With hinged doors;

With double glazing;

with extended profiles.

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands: step by step photos

When insulating a balcony, one of the most important points is the thickness of the insulation layer. Often it turns out that it is necessary to insulate not only the walls, but also the floor with the ceiling. The main criterion for a material for insulation is its thermal conductivity. This figure is inversely proportional to the amount of heat that the material can hold. One of the most frequently asked questions when insulating is what is the best way to insulate a balcony: foam or mineral wool? It all depends on your financial capabilities.

The most common material for insulating balconies is extruded polystyrene foam. It is thin, light, easy to cut and install, durable and resists moisture and corrosion well. Its only drawback is the rather high cost. In this case, the budget option for insulation for the balcony is foam. It is also lightweight and easy to install, however, less durable.

Crack sealing

There are gaps in any old balcony - this is an axiom. Heat will escape through numerous cracks even if you have installed the warmest and most modern double-glazed windows. It is best to seal them with polyurethane sealants and mastics, which are quite plastic, hold for a long time and are resistant to various kinds of natural influences, such as frost or wind.

The cracks are sealed with a special gun or a plastic nozzle that comes with the balloon. After the mastic or sealant has completely dried, you can proceed to the installation of the insulation. If you do not know how to insulate a balcony with your own hands, a step-by-step photo will help you in this moment.

How to insulate the floor and walls on the balcony with your own hands

After choosing and buying a heater, it must be fixed. Usually, this is done with dowels or construction adhesive. When mounting with glue, you need to choose a composition without toluene - it can corrode the material. If you decide to attach the insulation with dowels, then they must be placed around the perimeter with a calculation of approximately 10 dowels per square meter.

When insulating a balcony with your own hands, use step-by-step instructions, photos and videos that can be found on specialized resources.

Stages of insulation of the walls of the balcony:

Installation of a vapor barrier film with gluing joints with construction tape;

Installation of a crate made of wooden bars or a metal profile;

Installation of insulation - foam, mineral wool, etc.;

Sheathing of the crate with moisture-resistant plasterboard, plywood or other sheet materials;

Wall finishing.

Useful advice! The seams between the layers of insulation or foam plates must be sealed with mounting foam. This will prevent heat loss through them.

Each type of surface has its own nuances of insulation. So, before warming the floor, it is worth leveling and laying waterproofing on it. And the use of vapor barrier tape will insure you against such troubles as fungus and mold. The walls and ceiling can be sheathed with moisture-resistant drywall. Photos of the design of the insulated balcony show that drywall, with proper finishing, looks great here.

Stages of insulation of the balcony floor:

Installation of a waterproofing film with the processing of joints with moisture-resistant mastic or sealant;

Laying a heat insulator - for example, foam;

Pouring a concrete screed with a thickness of 4-5 cm (an electric underfloor heating can be additionally installed in the screed);

It is possible to equip and insulate the floor on the balcony without using a concrete screed. To do this, after arranging the waterproofing, wooden logs are laid in the longitudinal direction of the balcony, which are attached to the concrete base. A heat-insulating material is laid between the lags - foam plastic, basalt wool, expanded clay, etc. Boards or sheet material (plywood, chipboard, etc.) are attached to the logs and the floor finish is equipped.

Balcony roof insulation

If the roof of your balcony is not the floor of the neighbor's, then a separate approach is needed to warm it. The video "How to insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands" clearly demonstrates the whole process. It is necessary to choose a reliable roofing material, it is desirable to apply sound insulation in the form of spraying or film on its inside. The following layers are also used:

Waterproofing - PVC or polyester films are perfect here;

Windproof membrane - allows steam from the insulation to pass through, but does not allow drops that can penetrate with the wind;

Anti-condensation layer - does not allow water vapor to drain onto the insulation;

Wooden frame - holds the roof;

Insulation itself - serves for thermal insulation of the roof;

Insulation vapor barrier - retains the insulating properties of the insulation, does not let water vapor inside it.

Additional insulation

In order to keep your balcony warm even in the most severe frosts, you can install a radiator, air conditioning or even a warm floor on it. The answer to the question "What is the best way to insulate balconies from the inside?" depends on your imagination, needs and financial possibilities.

If the balcony is combined with the room, then additional insulation can not be installed, the air conditioner will do a good job with this task. But there is a nuance - the air will warm up, but the floor will still remain cold, even if it is carpeted. Therefore, underfloor heating is a very appropriate option for complete insulation of the balcony. Installation of a warm floor is another difficult moment that is best left to experienced professionals. A step-by-step video instruction for warming a balcony with your own hands also helps here.

The better to insulate the balcony inside, the nuances of insulation in different seasons

Sometimes it happens that it is necessary to warm the balcony in winter. Many are interested in whether it is worth doing it and what it threatens. It all depends on the materials used for insulation. Some of them change their properties at sub-zero temperatures, and it becomes more difficult to process and mount them.

It is rather problematic to insulate a balcony with penoplex with your own hands in winter, and cement in the cold freezes very quickly and does not have time to really grasp. This leads to weakening of the masonry and the rapid destruction of the parapet. But there are a number of special winter adhesives and mixtures that are focused on use at low temperatures. A video of do-it-yourself balcony insulation in winter can also be found on the Internet.

Mounting foam also depends on temperature. If you choose the “summer” option for winter insulation, then this will not lead to anything good - the foam will quickly collapse and become unusable.

Another important point to consider when warming is dampness. You can often encounter it if you warm the balcony in autumn or spring. Most types of glue or mastic do not stick to a damp surface, and humidity also has a very bad effect on the performance properties of insulation, if it is not foam. That is why it is necessary to start the insulation and waterproofing of the balcony from the ceiling. In this case, sudden rain will not prevent you from continuing to insulate the walls and floor.

Useful advice! Insulation of the balcony with penoplex and penofol can be done even in conditions of high humidity.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that it is possible to insulate a balcony not only in summer. The only exception is if the temperature drops below 20 degrees. Then even the most frost-resistant materials begin to behave very badly, and normal insulation will not work, even if you know for sure how to properly insulate the balcony from the inside.

Do-it-yourself interior decoration of the balcony: step-by-step instructions and recommendations

If the answer to the question "How to insulate a balcony with your own hands?" and step-by-step photos can be easily found on the Internet, then the interior decoration is completely up to you. The best option here is drywall, which is moisture resistant and easy to further finish: painting, tiling, wallpapering.

Wiring can be hidden in hollow plastic casings so that it is not conspicuous, and carpeting can be laid on the floor. The step-by-step video "How to insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands" will help you decide on the type of insulation and interior design.

By the way, one of the most frequently asked questions is “How much does it cost to insulate a balcony and finish it?”. There is no exact answer to it, it all depends on the selected materials and the complexity of the work.

Warming the balcony from the inside with your own hands: step by step instructions

Insulation of a balcony (loggia) is a significant part of the measures for thermal insulation of housing in general. At the same time, the external version of the work is not applicable for all cases. The ban on external insulation applies to buildings located on the "red line", that is, facades facing avenues and central squares of cities. External insulation is considered unacceptable for buildings of historical significance, with some architectural styles of buildings. In such situations, the only available solution is to insulate the balcony with your own hands from the inside.

Internal thermal insulation

Depending on how exactly the balcony is made and how the insulation is organized at the neighbors from above and below, the option for arranging thermal insulation is selected:

• only the outer fencing plate in combination with high-quality double-glazed frames. Such a measure is sufficient for loggias, which are almost completely hidden in the building and go out only on one side;
• outer and side walls. The option is acceptable for balconies, similar rooms are thermally insulated from below and above (at the neighbors);
• full insulation - walls, floor and ceiling. The most rational option, provided that there is no insulation from the neighbors above and below, as well as a large area of ​​​​contact with the external environment.

Balcony insulation from the inside can be done with one or more materials. At the same time, in addition to heat-insulating properties, such qualities of materials as the ability to resist moisture, ultraviolet radiation, dampen noise and create a sufficiently strong support for finishing materials (the latter especially applies to the floor) are considered.

Comparison of thermal insulation materials

The table below gives a comparative description of popular heat-insulating materials. A meter-thick brick wall was taken as a standard for comparison: in the climatic conditions of the central zone of the Russian Federation, it is this thickness that is considered sufficient for high-quality thermal insulation at average (not record!) Winter and summer temperatures.

Material name	Layer thickness providing thermal insulation equivalent to 1 m brickwork, mm	Advantages	Flaws
Wood (beam, board)	380	Environmental friendliness, aesthetic appearance, you can do without finishing, high-quality sound insulation	Flammable, requires for fastening the crate or leveling the walls (floor, ceiling), not resistant to moisture, large thickness and high price
Mineral wool	140	Inexpensive and proven material, dampens sound well, slightly combustible	Requires battens for fastening, has a large thickness, surface finishing is required
Penofol, foiled on one side	107	High-quality thermal and sound insulation, resistance to moisture, ease of installation (especially for self-adhesive varieties), environmental friendliness	The high price, due to foiling in contact with bare wiring, can provoke a short circuit. Requires a ventilation gap, cannot be finished with wallpaper or plaster due to the softness of the material
Penofol, foiled on both sides
Penofol self-adhesive
Basalt fiber	87	Does not burn, has high sound and heat insulating properties, the plate version is quite simple to install	High price, the need for crates for soft roll varieties
Fiberglass	85	Inexpensive, with good insulating characteristics	In case of fire, it melts with the release of toxic substances; it requires protection in living quarters and during installation
Styrofoam	83	Good thermal insulation, long service life, very low price, easy installation	Toxicity at high temperatures (depending on the manufacturer), low sound absorption coefficient
Expanded polystyrene extruded	65	Ease of installation, good thermal and sound insulation, moisture resistance	High price, toxicity during combustion and high heat, fire hazard
Penoplex
Penoizol	55	Inexpensive, high-quality insulator, non-flammable, saves space	Requires pouring into prepared cavities, therefore it is of little use without a major restoration of the balcony

In the absence of severe financial restrictions and the desire to independently carry out all the work, mainly plate and roll materials are considered - mineral or basalt fiber, polystyrene, extruded, polystyrene foam, foam plastic, penofol. Further, the total area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room and its permissible reduction are taken into account. For small sizes, it is desirable to insulate and sheathe a balcony with minimal space loss, without a crate or its small cross section. Thus, with relatively flat floors, ceilings and walls, we will consider in detail for walls and ceilings: extruded polystyrene and polystyrene for plastering, double-sided foil foam under the crate with subsequent cladding. For the floor, we will take two options - mineral wool in a crate for an OSB subfloor, followed by laminate flooring, and self-adhesive mats for installing an electric (cable) underfloor heating, followed by laying tiles.

We believe that balcony frames have an acceptable coefficient of heat and sound insulation and do not need additional insulation along the contour.

Ceiling and wall decoration

Taking into account the use of the same material for walls and ceilings, we consider the procedure for their thermal insulation together, since the technology differs little. It is important to understand: despite the option considered in the table with a thickness of insulation similar to a meter brickwork, in practice a thinner layer is required. It also depends on the planned use of the premises. If it will be used as residential, we accept the maximum layer thickness (from the table). If the balcony should be “cold”, that is, its insulation is minimal and is performed only to reduce heat loss from housing, it is permissible to reduce the thickness by 2 ... 3 times.

Step-by-step insulation of the balcony with extruded polystyrene

The initial stage of work is the preparation of surfaces. It is necessary, if possible, to remove old finishing materials from them (wallpaper, tiles, paint, plaster) and clean weakly holding sections of the main wall. Existing protrusions must be cut down to a height of 1 ... 3 mm, cracks and potholes should be cleaned (embroidered) and filled with a repair mixture. The role of the repair composition can be specialized materials (for more details, see the article “Repairing Cracks in Concrete”) or a mixture of cement-sand mortar with tile adhesive. After the completion of the filling of defects, plastering or puttying is performed, the thickness of the layer depends on the existing irregularities.

After complete drying of the surface, marking is carried out taking into account the available dimensions of the plates and cutting of the plate material. Plates of extruded polystyrene are attached to the joint, so it is desirable to cut the cutting as accurately as possible. The procedure is performed using a construction knife. Mounting is carried out on glue, which (depending on the manufacturer's instructions) is applied to the wall with an indent of at least 5 mm from the edge or on boards with the same indent. The plate is pressed against the adhesive layer and held until it sets. Further work is carried out only after the adhesive has completely cured (according to the manufacturer's instructions). In order to increase the contact strength for each square meter of insulation, 4 ... 6 plate-type dowels are used. The seams are additionally sealed with mounting foam.

Additionally, thermal insulation made of extruded polystyrene is supplied with a vapor-reflecting film or membrane, which is glued (or fixed in other ways, depending on the type) with the reflective side outward, towards the street. The joints of the film or membrane are glued with special adhesive tape.

After the installation of the insulating layer, a reinforcing mesh is glued or fastened with dowels, on top of which a layer of plaster is applied, ordinary (for further finishing) or decorative.

Penoplex is mounted in the same way.

Insulation of the balcony with foam plastic

The initial stage of work is carried out in the same way, but taking into account the greater softness and plasticity of the material, it is not necessary to plaster and putty the walls and ceiling, and you can be less careful about removing small protrusions. The sealing of cracks and cavities is mandatory - the constant supply of moisture or "cold bridges" from the outside greatly reduces the quality of thermal insulation.

Installation of polystyrene foam is carried out on glue or using dowels, it is permissible to combine both options. The procedure is the same as for extruded polystyrene. The number of dowels per square meter is 4 ... 6, the adhesive is applied to the wall. A reinforcing mesh is attached over the installed panels and plaster is performed.

How to insulate a balcony from the inside with penofol

For this material, preliminary preparation of the walls is important only when directly gluing to the base.

If, as experts recommend, to arrange a ventilation gap of 15 ... 20 mm between the supporting structures and the insulator layer using a rack frame, complete alignment of the surfaces is not necessary. It is enough to provide a flat surface formed by the outer side of the frame (this is done with the help of linings, leveling is done according to the level. An example of such alignment is described in the article “How to install beacons for plaster”).

Penofol is attached to the rack (wooden) frame with self-tapping screws, directly to the wall (ceiling) - using an adhesive layer (type C) or dish-shaped dowels. The second layer of penofol, used if necessary to ensure the "living" temperature of the balcony, is also applied over the rack frame. In this case, the seams on the upper and lower layers should not match. For a material foiled on both sides, the outer and inner sides are equivalent; for one-sided foiling, the side with the foil should be facing the inside of the room.

All seams are sealed with a special heat-insulating tape. Facing of any type on top of thermal insulation with foam foam is arranged along the frame. In connection with the obligatory nature of the crate, the optimal type of cladding is lining, panels or slab materials.

How to insulate the floor on the balcony

Insulation of the walls of the balcony and its ceiling is not very effective without high-quality thermal insulation of the floor. At the same time, the creation of a strong and durable floor covering requires either a screed device - but it greatly burdens the structure - or systems on logs.

How to properly insulate a balcony with a floor device on the logs

Logs - beams of a relatively large section, the upper planes of which are at the same level - create the necessary support for the final flooring and serve as "cells" for placing insulation. At the same time, since the logs are made of wood, "cold bridges" do not occur.

To place the lag, it is not necessary to first level the floor slab, but it is advisable to remove old coatings and materials from it. This will reduce the level of finishing and provide the necessary strength of the support.

The device of the base, the calculation of the lag step are performed in accordance with generally accepted rules. Plates or fragments of insulation rolls are placed between the bars. It can be mineral or basalt wool, foam plastic, other types of heat and sound insulating materials. A draft floor is laid on top of OSB boards or plywood, a fine floor covering is arranged.

With a low load on the floors, it is permissible to insulate the balcony with high-strength foam panels, but preference should still be given to structures with lags.

Floor insulation on the balcony under cable heating mats

The question of how to insulate a balcony in a panel house is often combined with the need to arrange heating there. The removal of central heating batteries is often irrational, so the best option (without a significant rise in the level of the finished floor) is electric "warm floors".

The type of thermal insulation material for cable or infrared heating systems is selected in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. However, the basic requirements for an insulator are as follows:

• high resistance to mechanical, including static, loads;
• good thermal insulation properties;
• small thickness.

The best option is extruded polystyrene, for example, Styrodur self-adhesive panels.

The material is glued to the prepared concrete base with special glue. A reinforcing mesh and sections of the heating system are laid on top. The power of the heating sections is selected depending on the desired temperature and the estimated heat loss of the balcony. Usually it is 150 ... 180 watts per square meter. A smaller value corresponds to a “cold” one, a larger one to a “warm”, residential balcony.

A thin screed is arranged for the cable floor, infrared can be mounted directly under the laminate or tile.

Do-it-yourself loggia insulation - video

Conclusion

Whether to insulate the balcony, do it on your own or with the help of professionals, what time of the year to perform work and how seriously to take heat loss and temperature compliance - each apartment owner decides on his own. However, with any course of action, it is worth remembering: insulating a balcony with your own hands will cost (even when choosing high-quality and effective materials) cheaper than professional finishing. It is advisable to carry out all the manipulations in the warm season, since, of course, it is possible to insulate the balcony in winter, but this will create additional difficulties in work and will lead to condensation when there is a sharp change in heat loss resistance.