How to insulate the house yourself from the outside. How to insulate walls in a private house from the outside: a description of technologies and installation methods

The use of thermal insulation systems in building structures can significantly reduce heating costs. The use of all kinds of insulation makes it possible to accelerate the pace of construction and reduce the budget for building a house. In order for them to cope with the responsibilities, you need to know how to choose them. Do you agree?

We will tell you how to choose the right insulation for the outside walls of the house. In the article presented by us, all types of heat-insulating materials used in practice and features of operation are described. Independent owners of country estates will find here the technology for insulating facades.

Heat losses through walls average about 40%, depending on the structural integrity and wall thickness. With the rise in gas and electricity prices, it becomes unacceptable to spend money on heating the street.

Therefore, it is necessary to insulate the walls from the outside, which gives the following advantages:

• the thermal insulation of the house from the outside does not take away the useful area of ​​the living space inside the building;
• a layer of insulation performs decorative and protective functions for walls, extending their useful life;
• walls insulated from the outside do not freeze and do not become saturated with moisture from steam, as with internal insulation;
• thermal insulation materials also have a soundproofing function.

But the main reason for insulating the facade of the house is still economic, because this simple procedure can almost halve the amount in receipts for heating.

For a competent selection of material designed to reduce heat loss, you need. The article we recommend will acquaint you with its examples and formulas.

Types of insulation materials

So what is the best way to insulate a house from the outside to reduce heat loss? Manufacturers offer many materials suitable for this purpose. But there are several main types. Among them: polystyrene, basalt wool, glass wool, extruded expanded polystyrene, mineral wool and others.

A less effective method of insulation is the application of a layer of plaster to the outer part of the walls. This is an inexpensive way to reduce heat loss, but it requires experience and certain skills - just desire will not be enough.

External wall insulation requires certain professional skills from the performer. They will come in handy, both when choosing a material and when installing it.

Wooden houses are often insulated with a double frame. In this case, any of the listed materials is attached to the walls, and cladding is performed on top. At the same time, an air "cushion" remains between the insulation and the decorative layers for air ventilation.

Option number 1 - foam

Expanded polystyrene has gained the greatest popularity among thermal insulation materials. First of all, this is due to its low cost. A distinctive feature of the insulation is also low weight.

Other advantages of the material:

• low thermal conductivity;
• affordable cost;
• long service life.

Among the disadvantages, one can single out the fact that the foam does not allow steam to pass through. This feature does not allow it to be used for insulating wooden houses.

Among other disadvantages, it is essential that expanded polystyrene is a combustible material that emits substances harmful to humans during combustion. In addition, the fragility of the material, which leads to damage to the insulation, even with minor mechanical influences, significantly complicates its installation.

Foam insulation is a great way to reduce heat loss, both in a private house and in an apartment or industrial enterprise, and for quite a bit of money

Option number 2 - mineral wool

This material is also deservedly popular with owners of residential and non-residential premises.

Benefits of mineral wool:

• high vapor permeability, which prevents wooden structures from rotting, and the bricks are not saturated with moisture, which prevents the appearance of mold and mildew on the surface of the walls;
• low cost;
• light weight of mats, which makes it easier to work with them and reduce transportation costs;
• the material is not flammable, there are no toxic odors;
• long service life.

There are three types of mineral wool: slag wool, glass wool and stone (aka basalt). Each of the materials has its own characteristics.

Basalt wool is considered the most suitable for residential buildings, since it is made from safe raw materials, unlike glass wool. At the same time, the material is stronger and more durable than slag. But the high cost of basalt wool is its disadvantage.

Mineral wool, made in the form of mats, is the most practical option for insulating low walls and small rooms. And everyone who knows at least a little about construction will be able to cope with its installation.

Modern glass wool is considered safe to use. Unlike the material of the same name, made ten years ago, it does not irritate the respiratory tract. It can be used to insulate not only external, but also internal walls and ceilings.

Differs in ease of installation, low weight. Can be purchased in rolls or slabs. It is more expedient to buy rolled material for insulation of long walls. And glass wool slabs are suitable for small walls.

The following advantages of the material are distinguished:

• does not absorb moisture from the air;
• there are no toxic odors;
• not flammable;
• does not change shape during operation;
• high rates vapor permeability;
• good sound insulation properties;
• does not interact with chemicals;
• can be used in all climatic zones of the planet.

In some cases, rolled glass wool will cost less than manufactured in the form of slabs. You can use ordinary sharpened knives to cut it.

There are not very many disadvantages of the material. Among them:

• when insulating walls with glass wool, you need to work in protective gloves and glasses;
• fragility of the fibers of the material, due to which a lot of synthetic substance is in the air during installation and prevents safe breathing.

Despite the fact that modern insulation material is an order of magnitude more environmentally friendly and safer for humans, with a significant amount of polymer particles in the air, it is better to use a respirator.

In some cases, rolled glass wool will cost less than manufactured in the form of slabs. You can use ordinary sharpened knives to cut it.

Option number 3 - e extruded expanded polystyrene

This material is made from ordinary foam.

After special processing, it receives the following benefits:

• increased compressive strength;
• low moisture absorption;
• low flammability or its complete impossibility, which depends on the amount of fire retardant substance;
• reduced thermal conductivity.

For such a material, you will need to pay a higher price than for ordinary foam. But more durable and reliable.

Another disadvantage is the smooth surface of the slab of the material. Because of this, solutions do not "grasp" with it, therefore, without preliminary surface preparation, such foam cannot be used in a "wet facade" construction.

You will need to sand the smooth side with fine emery paper to give it a rough surface. Additionally, you can apply a layer of adhesive primer, which will increase the penetration of the solution into the insulation material.

Option number 4 - bulk insulation

Bulk materials can also be used for external thermal insulation.

Among them, the most popular are:

• vermiculite;
• perlite crushed stone;
• expanded clay.

Vermiculite can be used not only for wall insulation outside the room, but also from the inside. They insulate sewer and water pipes, floors, attics, foundations. It can be manufactured in the form of slabs. There are technologies by which this material is added to concrete or mortars.

Vermiculite is a natural material that does not emit harmful toxic odors. Its advantages are: durability, lightness, fire resistance, low thermal conductivity and sound absorption. It also does not absorb moisture.

To insulate the outer wall, bulk material can be added to the mortar or filled up between the main wall and the decorative one, erected on a foundation of facing bricks. This method is more costly, as it requires expansion of the foundation. An additional load on the foundation slab is also assumed.

Vermiculite is sold in paper bags, usually 25 kg each. It is very convenient for transportation, because you can get by with your own light transport for delivery.

Perlite, depending on the fractions, it can be of different sizes. It is also used for roof and floor insulation. It is a volcanic glass-like rock, odorless. It is widely used not only in construction, but also in metallurgy and agriculture.

Material advantages:

• porous structure;
• low cost;
• easily absorbs and gives off moisture without losing its qualities;
• fire resistance;
• low thermal conductivity.

A perlite layer of only 3 cm has the same thermal insulation efficiency as a 25 cm wide brickwork.

Expanded clay- granular porous material obtained by artificial means. When several components are burned (peat, swollen clay, diesel oil, sawdust, sulphate alcohol stillage), a low-melting raw material is obtained. It is foamed and thermally treated to give the final shape.

To save on buying expanded clay, you need to buy it from the manufacturer. Of course, this is not always convenient, but there is a guarantee that the material is really high quality

The material is sold in fractions from 2 mm to 40 mm. The most popular is expanded clay from 10 mm to 20 mm. It is they who need to fill the space between the walls - the main one and the decorative one.

An interlayer of only 100 mm replaces 1000 mm brick masonry in terms of thermal conductivity. In frosty times, the insulation will not allow the house to lose a lot of heat, and in the summer heat it will keep the room cool due to the extremely low thermal conductivity.

Advantages of wall insulation with expanded clay:

• this is one of the cheapest heaters;
• reduction of heat losses reaches 75%;
• can be used at any outside temperature and humidity;
• long service life;
• there is no burning and decay of the material;
• expanded clay does not attract insects and rodents;
• you can insulate the house on your own, since high technical skills and special tools are not required.

Expanded clay can be poured into the interlayer between the decorative and the bearing wall in its pure form, or mixed with cement. Proportion 1:10 - one part of cement and ten parts of expanded clay. You will need a concrete mixer and water to dissolve the cement. The ready-made mixture is poured into the empty space between the walls.

This is how a cement mixture with expanded clay looks like, which can be poured as insulation between two walls. Of course, insulation with a cement mixture is a rather lengthy process, but it's worth it.

You can also act differently: first, pour expanded clay to a height of 300 mm, and then saturate it with prepared cement "milk". Then fill up the insulation again. And so, repeat until the height of the insulation reaches the desired level.

Any of the methods will not impair the thermal insulation properties of the material.

Facade insulation technologies

There are three main technologies for insulating facades:

• Well method- construction of a multi-layer wall;
• Wet method- under plastering;
• Dry method- "ventilated facade" technology.

Depending on the choice, you should choose suitable thermal insulation materials for implementation.

"Wet" method is the application of a topcoat to a layer of insulation in the form of a plaster mixture. Since the mixture is rich in moisture, it is necessary to use only materials that do not absorb water. Styrofoam is best suited for this, but mineral wool is also used.

Depending on the strength of the wall and the integrity of the brickwork, the plastering system can be “light” or “heavy”. In the first case, the main goal is to reduce the weight of the thermal insulation layer.

The insulation is fixed to the wall with glue and dowels. It is protected from the outside by a thin aluminum metal profile. Only a thin decorative layer of plaster is applied to it to level the surface of the wall and give it a complete visual appearance.

In a "heavy" system, the insulation is fixed with metal anchors and pressed down with a reinforcing mesh. A layer of plaster of 5-5.5 cm is applied on top. This design is reliably protected from temperature extremes and moisture.

With the "dry" method insulation, plaster is not used at all. The insulation is fixed on the wall with glue and mounting "umbrellas". In this case, it is ideal, for which telescopic fasteners with wide heads and other mounting elements are specially produced.

From the outside, the insulation is protected by a membrane layer, the main task of which is to provide protection from atmospheric water. The membrane is fixed with spacer metal or wooden strips that form a ventilation gap between the thermal insulation and the skin.

The width of the gap is up to 5 cm. The cladding layer can be made of various panels: wood, steel. It can also be "half-brick" masonry, tiles or siding. This method of insulation is more durable, in contrast to the "wet" one, and can reach a service life of half a century.

By multilayer technology the surface is insulated with two more layers: insulation and an outer brick wall. This method of insulation was described above. Various bulk materials that are resistant to steam, condensate and moisture (expanded clay, perlite, etc.) are suitable for it.

For a competent choice of insulation, you need to take into account several more factors that can affect the quality of the work performed.

Condition of walls and foundations. If the house is old, and the foundation or brickwork is already cracked, then it is necessary to abandon heavy insulation structures. In this case, the installation of lightweight and durable materials is best suited. It is better to fix them using special adhesives.

The architectural complexity of the building. Polyfoam and mineral wool are well processed and make it possible to provide reliable insulation of walls with recesses, patterns and other decorative elements.

Resistant to insects and rodents... Often, small rodents and insects, for example, mice or ants, can make nests for themselves under a layer of heat insulator.

If there is such a problem on the site, then it would be advisable to carry out insulation with the help of bulk materials. Expanded clay is well suited, since it does not attract animals.

It is also imperative to take into account other factors, such as the price of the insulation, the features of its installation, the material of the walls, the impact on the environment, resistance to fire, etc.

If you plan to install a thermal insulation system from the inside of the house, it is worth reading, in which the materials and methods of their use are analyzed in detail.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

To avoid common mistakes when choosing materials for insulation, we recommend watching the following videos:

With all the variety of materials and insulation methods available, you can always choose the most suitable one. Despite the fact that some of the work seems to be easy to perform, it is still better to entrust them to experienced builders and heating technicians.

Do you want to talk about how you selected insulation for arranging your own country house? Do you have information that will be useful to site visitors? Please write comments, ask questions on controversial or interesting points, post a photo in the block below.

For owners of country houses and especially country houses with year-round living, ensuring a constant comfortable temperature in all rooms is always very important. No matter how effective various heating systems are, the main factor is always the ability of house structures to retain heat inside the building. First of all, this applies to walls that have the largest surface area of ​​the house and, accordingly, give out the maximum heat loss of the building. The simplest and most effective method in execution is the insulation of the walls from the outside. What materials are the most effective for insulating the walls of a house, as well as learn about the technology for performing such work, you can by studying this article.

Heat loss through the wall

The purpose of any insulation is to minimize heat transfer with the environment.

Based on this, we can safely say that the external insulation of the walls of the house is a very important stage of construction work:

• Reduced heating costs in winter and air conditioning in summer.
• Comfort and coziness in the house, not only at the peak of frost and heat, but also in the off-season with minimal use of household heating appliances.

Even high-quality construction of houses from any building materials cannot completely solve the problem of saving heat inside them. There are always invisible gaps between rows of logs or wooden beams, inhomogeneities and voids in brick or block masonry, lack of insulation, air cavities, expansion joints in panel and monolithic housing construction.

All the flaws of the walls can be clearly identified only with the use of thermal imaging technology. This service is provided by some specialized and construction organizations to assess heat loss during heating of buildings and develop solutions for their elimination.

The traditional solution to eliminate heat loss is various methods of external insulation of the walls of a private house:

• Plaster using various fillers.
• Wall cladding with lumber.
• External single-row brick or stone masonry for wooden buildings with filling of the formed gap with heat-insulating materials.
• Facing with sheet materials () using insulation.
• The use of modern curtain walls.

Sometimes the insulation of the walls of a private house with their own hands is also performed from the inside of the premises using sheet or roll thermal insulation materials, cladding, sheathing with gypsum fiber sheet,.

The materials and substances used to reduce heat loss are characterized by both their own low thermal conductivity and additional heat retention during their use due to the multilayer structure (hydro, sound and thermal insulation) of wall insulation. After all, such a structure contains air layers that do not conduct heat well.

Advantages of outdoor insulation

Structurally, there are three possibilities for insulating the external load-bearing walls of any building:

1. Placement of insulation elements inside the wall. Possibly at the stage of construction or reconstruction of the building. Most often, it requires design solutions to ensure the bearing capacity, structural and thermal calculations.
2. From inside the premises... This type of insulation reduces the area and volume of the premises, and also creates certain difficulties in carrying out work in cramped conditions in a populated residential building.
3. Outside the wall... This method is usually not limited by space for work, delivery and storage of necessary materials, scaffolding and use of lifting mechanisms. Depending on the materials used for insulation and decoration, it is possible to perform work almost at any time of the year.

• Important! With external insulation of the walls of the house, moisture condensation due to the temperature difference outside and inside the building does not occur inside the room or wall structure, but outside. This not only solves the problem of sweating and the inevitable formation of fungus when the walls freeze, but also significantly slows down the process of wall destruction due to the cessation of the regular formation of moisture and ice crystals inside the structures. To reliably protect the walls outside the house from external factors, it will not be superfluous to use a hinged ventilated facade.

In addition, by insulating the walls from the outside, along the way you will solve at least two more problems - improving sound insulation and the appearance of the building, which is often just as important for the owner and family members. Thermal insulation perfectly absorbs background noise and harsh sounds, and many facing materials of different texture and color can protect walls from external influences and radically change the appearance of a house.

This method of insulation with an optimal investment will help to significantly reduce heating costs, which is important given the cost of heating at the constantly growing prices for any energy sources: firewood, coal, gas and electricity.

You can qualitatively insulate the walls of the house with the help of liquid polyurethane foam. To do this, using special equipment, it is pumped through the external holes into the air gap between the wall of the house and the inner lining of the room.

Wall materials and methods of insulating them

For the construction of load-bearing walls of buildings, various materials and ready-made structures will be used, as well as various methods and methods of masonry, assembly and fastening, binders and fastening elements. The physical properties of these substances and materials directly shape the dynamics of temperature changes inside the house under the influence of external and internal factors.

Brick and wood, foam and reinforced concrete, blocks of cement mixture with various fillers, prefabricated layered wall structures have different thermal conductivity, thermal inertia, density and strength. The worst heat-insulating properties are possessed by factory building structures made of reinforced concrete, which is most often aggravated by the shortcomings and disruptions of the technological process at all stages of the construction of buildings from it. This also applies to monolithic reinforced concrete buildings. All this is important for the correct choice of material and method of external wall insulation.

Materials used for the construction and insulation of the walls of the house

The main task of the external insulation of the house is to protect the building structures of the wall from contact with too hot or cold outside air and precipitation. In practice, this range ranges from traditional planed boarding, clapboard to the installation of ventilated facade systems.

Facade of walls

Sheathing and cladding of external walls of buildings for wind protection and insulation using sawn timber, roofing felt, technical cardboard, profiled metal sheet, various types of siding with mineral wool mats or foam sheets is the most common method of external insulation.

Decorative plaster with various mixtures with subsequent surface painting is no less widespread and is also used today. The disadvantages of this type of insulation have always been the high labor intensity and fragility of work without constant supervision, current repair of the coating, which is quickly destroyed by temperature extremes and precipitation. The efficiency of insulation by this method also leaves much to be desired.

The lower the density of the heat-insulating material (there are more closed air cells in it), the better properties for insulation it has.

The most demanded and used types of wall insulation today are various mineral wool in rolls or ready-made mats of various sizes, expanded polystyrene sheets, often called polystyrene, fiberglass materials.

Rarer are foil-clad polyethylene foam, wood fiberboard, various liquid polymer compositions foaming in the filled volume, heat-resistant organosilicon paints, cellulose insulation called ecowool, sprayed polyurethane foam.

On top of the layers of insulation and waterproofing, wall cladding is performed with sheet and tile materials:

Professional sheet;
Siding;
Curtain facades.

Good to know! Profiled sheet and siding are the best selling and used facing materials. In addition to their excellent appearance, they qualitatively protect the insulation located between them and the wall of the building from all external influences.

Outside wall insulation technology

To insulate the surface of the walls of buildings outside, several methods and technological methods are used:

1. Fastening of heat-insulating materials to the facade using glue or mechanical fixation. This is followed by a reinforcing mesh, a layer of plaster and finishing paint. This method is called a wet façade.
2. Thermal insulation is attached to the wall in the same way as in the first method. Then a wall is erected with an air gap in one brick of facing or ordinary brick, followed by painting.
3. Fastening alternately a waterproofing layer, insulation, wind protection. Decorative cladding made of profiled sheet, siding, ceramic tiles is attached to a frame made of a mounting metal profile or a wooden bar.

The choice of wall insulation method depends on many factors:

• The type and height of the building;
• Material and wall area;
• The degree of freezing and heat loss;
• Finances allocated for these works.

It is possible for the owner with family members and friends to insulate the walls of a country or country house with his own hands, but it is worth entrusting the performance of insulation work for a multi-storey building to a specialized construction organization.

The best option for performing work on external insulation:

It is better to carry out the whole range of works when there are design solutions, thermal and structural calculations, as well as specifications of building materials and fasteners. You can make them yourself or order documentation from specialists construction organization, engaged in the insulation of buildings.

This approach will save you from a lot of problems: the choice of a suitable certified material, its delivery, installation work, especially at height, which requires mandatory qualifications and permits for such work.

If the owner of a private house is confident in his strengths and building skills, then you can choose the most acceptable way from his point of view, buy materials available everywhere today and insulate the walls outside the house yourself. So you can not only save money, but also enjoy the result.

Many people face such a problem, the heat is not stored in the heated room, the reason for this may be the dissipation of heat energy through the walls. How to deal with this? How to keep warm inside the house? How to insulate the house? What is the best way to insulate a house from the outside? For this, the house is insulated. The most correct solution would be to insulate the walls of the room, their outer part, you can use any heat insulator for this.

He will be able to create protection for warm indoor air from outside cold and will effectively maintain the necessary microclimate of the room. Also, the advantages of external wall insulation include their protection from water vapor and light emission, which will significantly extend their operational life.

What is the best way to insulate the walls of the house from the outside? What is the best way to insulate a house? How to insulate a stone house, brick or wood? High-quality thermal insulation is the key to the comfort and coziness of a private or country house.

How to insulate a house with your own hands? How to get good thermal insulation and do it in the best way?

In total, there are three main types of thermal insulation work in a private house:

• The insulation is fixed directly to the wall using special glue or other devices. Then it is covered with construction mesh and plastered under the finishing materials.
• In this case, the heat insulator is also mounted on the wall of the room, but then an additional brick wall is installed on the foundation. A small air space or gap is left between the insulation and the wall. With this method, the heat insulator is not plastered.
• This insulation option consists of several stage-by-stage works. First of all, the walls of the house are covered with a special waterproofing film, then the material selected as insulation is mounted, after which it is necessary to install protection against water vapor and wind. And only after that, with the help of a special frame made of wooden beams or metal guides, the materials for the external cladding of the room are installed, such as various siding, wall paneling, ceramic tiles and much more. The use of this option, the so-called ventilated facade, can be done at any time of the year, since there is no need to use any solutions.

The options considered represent a general direction, in each of them there may be certain changes associated with the use of certain materials as insulation. The modern market for thermal insulation materials is quite wide and some of them may require a different installation method.

Also, the choice of a heat insulator, its parameters depend on the material from which the walls of the house are made. As an example, consider the principles of installing insulation for wooden, brick and concrete walls.

Installation of heaters

How to insulate? Any heat insulator has certain properties, but in any case it will be able to keep your home warm. They differ in price, in the material from which they are made and in such parameters as moisture resistance, vapor permeability and thermal conductivity. Heaters, which are presented in the construction market: expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, polyurethane foam, basalt plate and cellulose insulation.

The use of one or another insulation material is associated with climatic conditions, the method of installation work and the coefficient of thermal conductivity. The calculation takes into account the width of the bearing wall, the thermal conductivity of the insulator, and the internal temperature of the room. Then you can start installing the insulation. How to prepare the wall for the installation of insulation?

Consider the instruction:

• First of all, it is necessary to clean the wall from old plaster and other materials down to the material from which it is made.
• After that, it is necessary to level the wall surfaces, close up cracks and holes and cut off protrusions, clean up dust and dirt, and carefully apply a primer, not missing a single centimeter of the area.

A primer should be used that has the property of deep penetration into the wall, choosing one type or another depending on the material from which the primed surface is made.

• The installation of the insulation should be carried out in an even layer without curving the surface, depressions and protrusions, using the tools provided for this: beacons, plumb lines, levels, corners and others. Otherwise, you may encounter problems with further plastering the wall or installing the facing material, that is, applying different thicknesses of the plastering material and installing additional guides. What does a beacon system look like? At the upper edge of the surface, screws are screwed in, several pieces, depending on the length of the wall, on which a dense thread is hung with a metal plumb line at the bottom.
• After that, horizontal threads are installed, which connect all vertical threads. Thus, a network is formed that will determine the level when installing an insulation or frame system. After carrying out such preparatory work, you can start installing the heat insulator.

It can be made with different materials. How to insulate the walls of the house outside? How do materials differ from each other?

The use of expanded polystyrene

Use of expanded polystyrene as a heater. How to insulate a house from the outside with expanded polystyrene? You need to properly insulate according to the instructions.

Installation instructions for this thermal insulation product:

• At the beginning, it is necessary to install a corner along the lower edge of the wall, observing the required level - the first layer of the heat insulator will be leveled along it. It is installed using a special glue, and glue for ceramic tiles is also suitable.
• The sheets are pressed tightly against the wall and leveled using plumb lines and a level. The second layer of material is applied after the first has dried completely, so as not to knock it off the level.

It should be noted that the sheets of each subsequent level are mounted in brick order, that is, the seam of the lower level is located in the middle of the sheet of the next row. This is done so that the sheets of the lower row hold the upper ones.

• From the second row, expanded polystyrene is attached using special anchors, "umbrellas", as they are called differently. They are driven into each of the four corners and into the center of the sheet.
• Vertical and horizontal seams are glued with construction tape with reinforcing properties. In window openings and at the corners of the walls, insulation is additionally attached with corners made of metal.
• After the wall is completely covered with insulation, a construction mesh is mounted on it, then plaster can be applied.

Expanded polystyrene is best suited for insulating walls made of bricks and concrete. This installation of insulation also has its negative sides. So, for example, this material has a low permeability to water vapor, as a result of which the condensate that will accumulate in the wall, over time, can cause it to get wet.

To avoid this, the walls must be thoroughly dried before installation work on the installation of insulation. It is also important to keep them dry during operation. If all this is impossible to achieve, then in this case it is better to use the method of installing a heater, which provides for its ventilation.

Remember that in the end there should be no place in which there will be access to polystyrene foam, otherwise small rodents can damage it, and it will also be affected by the environment, which will lead to damage and deterioration.

Do-it-yourself thermal insulation of a house can be done using expanded polystyrene.

Mineral wool applications

Many are inclined to believe that it is better to insulate the walls with mineral wool. Mineral wool is another popular insulation material. How to insulate a private house with mineral wool? The installation of this insulation is similar in its technological procedures to thermal insulation made with basalt or cellulose slabs.

Installation instructions for mineral wool:

• In the beginning, wall preparation is always required. Let's clean the walls of old plaster and try to level the surface.
• Then you should proceed with the installation of the frame. It is made of wooden beams by creating vertical and horizontal lathing. At the same time, the width and length of the empty space should be less than a sheet of insulation by about thirty millimeters - these are the necessary conditions for the sheet of mineral wool to enter it easily and not form a large gap.
• As an attachment to the sheets of mineral wool, anchor bolts are mounted on which the material is hung. Since most of the walls remain uneven, it is better to use mineral wool, which consists of two layers. In this case, the softer layer is installed directly on the wall, due to its structure, the most excellent connection of the sheets with the insulated surface occurs.

On some variants of mineral wool, you can apply plaster after installing the building mesh or install a special vapor-permeable insulating film. Then it is necessary to strengthen it and the heat insulator with additional wooden beams, after which the facing material is installed. Lining, various siding, tiles and facing bricks are suitable.

This type of home insulation, three-layer ventilated, has proven itself in all climatic zones. It is especially suitable for walls made of wood, as it allows this product to breathe and not get damp.

Use of polyurethane foam

How to properly insulate a house with polyurethane foam? When installing this insulation, it is necessary to adhere to the same frame structure as when insulating with mineral wool with the installation of a windscreen. At the same time, polyurethane foam is foamed on the wall in a place free from the frame for the film, forming a very strong connection with the wall, thanks to which an excellent result is achieved in keeping warm inside the premises.

But there is one drawback - when using this type of insulation, when mounted on vertical walls, it is difficult to form a layer of the same thickness, therefore it is most often used on horizontal surfaces such as ceilings or roof slopes standing at a slight angle. It is not difficult to insulate walls with polyurethane. It is necessary to insulate the house (booth) using additional products.

Application of basalt slabs

Insulation of the walls of the house from the outside can be carried out using basalt slabs. During the installation of this thermal insulation product, it is necessary to additionally apply a vapor barrier film.

The laying of this protective film is carried out on the bars, which have a horizontal position, and between the rafters. Then it is necessary to seal the formed joints. Sealing is done using a specially designed tape. The layer should be 200 millimeters. Next, a layer of wind protection is laid, and a covering is made from the purlins thanks to the beams. This is done to provide ventilation.

Before starting the insulation of external walls with this material, it is necessary to make a covering from the battens - this differs from the thermal insulation of the internal walls of the building. Leave a gap for ventilation. Basalt slabs are attached using self-tapping screws. The final stage of installation includes surface finishing with siding or some other coating.

To insulate the walls from the outside with basalt slabs, you must strictly follow the rules. Insulation of a private house is often carried out using basalt slabs.

Use of cellulose

How to insulate walls with cellulose? Pulp can be mounted using three methods: mechanical, dry, wet.

The first mounting method involves the use of dedicated hardware. Do-it-yourself wall insulation outside with your own hands is quite expensive. The mechanical method has high productivity. This method allows the walls to "breathe". Therefore, it is not necessary to apply a vapor barrier.

The dry mounting method is used only for thermal insulation of horizontal surfaces. How are the walls insulated from the outside using this method? The insulation product is applied to the walls manually without the use of special equipment. First, the pulp must be fluffed, this is done with a drill.

Then it must be poured out of the container onto the surface. Further, it is tamped. If, nevertheless, the insulation needs to be applied to a vertical surface, then the work will take place in two stages. First you need to build a wall from a frame, the height of which should be 50 centimeters. Then you need to pour in a heat-insulating product and tamp it. This is how other parts of the walls are insulated.

Wet method - it is used for thermal insulation of structures in a vertical direction. First, the pulp must be moistened with water. Thanks to this procedure, the cellulose will set without problems.

All insulation methods can be used to insulate a private house from the outside. Or it will be the insulation of a country house.

What is the best way to insulate the house from the outside? There are various materials for wall insulation outside. Each insulation material has its own advantages and disadvantages. The main thing is that it is cheap, inexpensive, but of high quality. Use that material for insulation of the house outside, which has high technical characteristics.

We hope that the description of each of them will help you make the right choice. Insulating walls from the outside is an important element in achieving overall comfort. You can insulate the house outside with your own hands without anyone's help. You will achieve maximum comfort and coziness in your home.

Currently, when constructing new buildings, developers pay special attention to the thermal protection of the outer walls. This is required not only by building codes, but also by the desire to increase their competitiveness. However, the situation with walls in old houses is somewhat different. Owners of private houses have to carry out insulation of the premises with their own hands in order to keep the heat inside, and leave the cold outside.

There may be several reasons for the decrease in the temperature inside the house: a poor heating system, the presence of cracks, and drafts. However, the most common cause is poor wall insulation. Walls occupy the largest area in a room and are the main source of heat loss. There are several ways to insulate the walls in a private house from the outside.

Why insulation should be done outside

1. When insulating a house from the outside, the material protects the walls not only from heat loss, but also from the negative effects of moisture. Household heat warms up the wall and, in the event of moisture ingress and condensation, contributes to its rapid drying.
2. moves closer to the outer edge of the wall. This prevents condensation from forming.
3. Do-it-yourself insulation of the house from the outside not only protects the room from the cold, but also preserves the useful area of ​​the rooms.

Outside wall insulation options

There are several options for how best to insulate a private house from the outside:

• Installation of heat-insulating material on the wall using an adhesive solution and further plastering.
• Formation of a three-layer non-ventilated wall. The insulation is fixed with a solution. Next, the outer wall is laid in one layer of brick, taking into account the air space.
• Ventilated facade installation. Insulation is attached on top of the waterproofing, on which the windscreen is installed. The finishing stage is decorative clapboard or other siding.

Each method has its own nuances in performance. There are combined materials, as well as modern modified ones, when installing which you should adhere to a special technology. can be carried out even in the cold season, since its technology does not provide for the use of an adhesive composition.

The better to insulate the house outside

There are several types of insulation material. Each of them has its own characteristics and price range. The following heaters are considered the most popular:

• polystyrene (expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene foam);
• mineral wool;
• polyurethane foam;
• basalt slabs;
• cellulose-based insulation.

The correct insulation of the walls of the house outside with your own hands depends on the choice of the best option for wall insulation. The main differences between the above materials are vapor permeability, moisture resistance and thermal conductivity. The first two parameters are selected based on the characteristics of climatic conditions, as well as the mounting method to ensure maximum protection of the room from dampness. Thermal conductivity is taken into account when calculating the required thickness to achieve the optimal effect.

Calculation of the thickness of the insulation

Insulation work should be started by calculating the thickness of the heat insulator. Calculations are carried out on the basis of SNiP, GOST and SP data. If it is not possible to carry out calculations on your own, it is better to use the services of private design organizations. The thickness of the insulation depends on the indicators of the heat loss of the house through the outer walls, window frames, foundations, ceilings and roofs. Taking into account the obtained data, and also taking into account the power of the heating system, calculate the thickness of the heat-insulating layer.

Further, they are determined with the choice of material and carry out the insulation of the house from the outside with their own hands. In this case, it is important to take into account not only the type and size of the heat insulator, but also the number of layers required. For example, it is better to refuse from expanded polystyrene if laying in several layers is required. For this, mineral wool or polyurethane foam, the thickness of which is much smaller, is suitable.

Preparing walls for insulation

After choosing the best way to insulate the house from the outside, they begin the main work. The main goal is to prepare the walls for further installation of the material. To achieve a perfectly flat brick, wood or concrete surface, the old layer of plaster or other insulator is completely removed.

Particular attention should be paid to the priming of the walls. If there are differences in levels on the wall (protrusions and depressions over 2 cm), it is better to seal them up with a special solution or comb them to the desired level. Use a deep penetrating primer. Before applying the primer, the wall is cleaned of dust and dirt.

In order for the insulation for the walls outside to lay down in an even layer and not interfere with the construction of the external wall from decorative bricks or plastering, you should think over the system of plumb lines and lighthouses in advance. They are used to determine the plane of the outer edge of the insulation, which facilitates its installation.

Anchors or screws are installed to the upper edge of the wall. A strong thread is tied to them and lowered with plumb lines to the very bottom. Horizontal threads are attached between them, which form a control grid. It serves as a guide when installing the frame or installing insulation.

Installation of polystyrene and extruded polystyrene foam (EPS)

Styrofoam is attached to the wall using special glue for expanded polystyrene boards. Sometimes construction "fungi" are used for these purposes.

When insulating walls with EPS, the surface on which the adhesive solution will be applied is made rough. This contributes to a more reliable adhesion. There are no such problems with foam, since the glue fixes it without additional processing.

Often, to strengthen the fastening, both glue and "fungi" are used at the same time. This is a more correct solution, which extends the life of the insulation.

The final stage of wall insulation from the outside is the application of plaster or cladding with decorative materials.

How to insulate walls in a private house from the outside with foam plastic using wooden battens

In practice, another method of attaching foam sheets is used - by forming a frame from wooden slats.

For the construction of the frame, slats are used, the thickness of which is not less than the thickness of the insulation. If the thickness is slightly greater, this will create a ventilated space between the insulation and the cladding material. The distance between the slats is calculated in such a way that the slabs fit tightly into the niches and do not fall out.

This type of installation is acceptable if siding or wall paneling will be used for finishing the walls. The slats will serve as the basis for attaching the cladding material.

fastening features

Mineral wool can also be used to insulate a private house from the outside. Materials and advice for performing work are similar to the instructions for fastening basalt slabs and cellulose-based insulation.

For a more reliable installation of mineral wool sheets, a frame system of wooden slats is formed. The width of the lathing should be 2-3 cm less than the width of the insulating material. This ensures that the mineral wool fits tightly between the beams and there are no gaps. Additionally, anchors are installed, on which insulation sheets are subsequently put on. If the surface of the wall is uneven, two-layer mineral wool is used, the layers of which have different densities. The soft layer provides a secure grip on the wall.

In terms of external finishing, mineral wool is more versatile, unlike other types of heat insulators. On top of the insulation, an external horizontal cladding can be installed, under which a windproof layer in the form of a dense polyethylene film is attached. For wall cladding, decorative bricks, lining or other siding are used. This technology allows you to create a three-layer ventilated insulation that is suitable for most climatic zones.

How to insulate walls in a private house outside with polyurethane foam

The principle of installation of polyurethane foam is similar to the technology of fixing mineral wool. However, it is almost impossible to insulate the walls on your own using this material. The method involves the use of special expensive equipment that distributes the liquid mixture over the surface to be treated. In addition, without professional skills, working with the installation causes many difficulties.

The main feature of this method of insulation lies in the very fast execution of work. With the above installation, polyurethane foam is sprayed over the surface. As a result of a chemical reaction, a liquid substance is transformed into a solid state and foamed. The insulation does not create an air space between the wall and the heat insulator, which provides a stronger and more durable coating.

Features of polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam has many benefits, including:

• after hardening, it fills all cracks and depressions;
• steam permeability is significantly lower than that of other materials;
• quickly and reliably fixed to the wall;
• excellent mechanical strength;
• good heat and sound insulation.

However, the cost of the material and its installation are quite expensive. Durability and high quality indicators justify the high installation costs.

If sooner or later the question arises of how to insulate a house outside with your own hands, instructions for using polyurethane foam will help solve the problem of heat loss and maintain a comfortable temperature in the room.

Regardless of what material is used as a heat insulator, any of the above options copes with its main task - the insulation of the room. In addition, the outer insulation allows you to keep warm and protect the surface from dampness. How to insulate the walls in a private house outside, will tell you step-by-step instructions and practical recommendations from experts.

We can confidently say that every owner wants his dwelling to be warm, does not have problems with freezing of the walls, condensation, the spread of mold, wants the house not to cause any problems. In addition, well-insulated walls mean savings in heating costs and partly an improvement in the indoor climate in summer, which has a positive effect on air conditioning costs. There are several options for how to insulate the house from the outside with your own hands. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, differences in cost, and some require a special approach to the design of the external facade.

A brief overview of the advantages of external insulation and methods of protecting the thermal insulating layer from moisture

Insulating a house from the outside is quite popular because it has clear advantages for the user. The short list can be formulated as follows:

• there is no need to spoil the interior decoration;
• external insulation, for example, of a small country house, will not affect the usable area of ​​the rooms in any way;
• carrying out work from the outside allows you to vary the thickness of the layer, as well as apply various design solutions.

In addition to the improved heat retention characteristics of the walls, external insulation has several other advantages. The main and most noticeable of them is the shift of the dew point to the outside of the building, which means solving problems with damp walls, excess condensation, freezing and the spread of mold.

Depending on the material used for the exterior decoration, the question may arise about the insulation of the thermal insulator layer from direct or indirect (in the form of condensation) exposure to moisture. The most common protection methods (divided by the complexity of the work and the level of financial investments) are as follows:

• surface finishing of a layer of insulation with plaster, adhesives for tiles and other types of finishing, called "wet facade technology"
• facade cladding with materials that do not require large investments of funds and do not put forward special requirements for the qualifications of the work performers (plastic lining, wooden). At the same time, before starting work on the insulation of the facade, it is necessary to provide for the construction of a frame for fastening parts, which is, most often, wooden strips.
• construction of a ventilated facade. In this case, the film is often used as a surface for the formation of condensation. A ventilated facade requires both the qualifications of the contractor and tangible financial investments. By the level of complexity of the structure, it can be considered as a separate complex means of insulation with various methods of forming the outer surface.

Despite some complexity and high cost of the latter method, it shows excellent results, preventing water from entering the insulation, as well as improving thermal protection performance due to its own properties (the presence of an air gap, ventilation and evaporation of condensate, compensation of rapid significant temperature changes, which shows good results in autumn period, when the house is not yet warmed up).

What to choose as a layer of insulation

Any wall insulation can be conditionally divided into two groups:

1. applied in the form of a composition of various kinds, ideal for processing, for example, a small country house;
2. applied in the form of mats, boards, sheets, in the form of masonry from various materials.

Depending on the qualifications of the landlord, most of the work can be done by hand. In fact, using modern ready-made building mixtures, any operations for warming a country house can be done independently. Let's briefly review the materials used for finishing buildings.

Mineral wool

A classic and very common material for insulation. It can be used both for wall decoration and thermal protection of foundations, which reduces the level of humidity inside and has the best effect on the comfort, ease of use and other characteristics of the building that are priority for the owner. This material has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of using it include the following:

• mineral wool is produced in the form of mats of various thicknesses;
• there are several ways of fastening the insulation to the wall surface, some of them are specially stipulated (as recommended) in the manufacturer's instructions;
• mats are easy to cut if you need a covering element of a certain size;
• working with mineral wool is very simple, creating both a continuous layer of insulation on the wall, and laying it in various kinds of frames, or - forming a multilayer protection.

The last undoubted advantage for the consumer is the high prevalence and relatively low price of mineral wool. However, its use is also associated with a list of disadvantages:

• the material is porous, therefore, although the wool fibers do not absorb moisture, the layer of material must be protected from the effects of water, both in the form of precipitation and condensation;
• working with the classic (created by pulling into the finest threads of glass melt) mineral wool should be very careful, since the fibers are strong and brittle, dig into the skin, break off inside and cause severe itching. The use of protective equipment is mandatory.

To improve user performance, manufacturing techniques are constantly being improved. Basalt mineral wool is more durable when exposed to moisture, but significantly more expensive. Slag wool has high thermal insulation rates, but it is less common and very much retains moisture inside the insulation layer.

Classic plaster and fur coat

The most proven and simple methods include a thick layer of plaster and spraying a solution with slag on the wall surface. If you describe the advantages and disadvantages of this method of insulation, you can make the following list:

• the method is simple, when using ready-made building mixtures, you can do work to insulate the facades of a country house yourself;
• with a small volume of operations, the cost is quite acceptable, especially if a classic cement-sand mixture is used;
• you can vary the thickness of the coating layer to achieve your goals. A minimum layer of 50 mm can eliminate internal condensation and freezing, and a thicker one with a secondary coating with a fur coat will provide warmth;
• with the help of reinforcement with steel mesh, it is easy to achieve the desired thickness of the plaster when finishing facades;
• insulation can be formed on any type of wall, which is interesting when decorating a country house;
• plastering can be carried out even on surfaces with large irregularities.

In a nutshell, classic plaster has the lowest thermal protection characteristics of all possible materials, it is quite simple to work with, but it will require a significant amount of material when processing the facades of a large structure.

It should be noted that the ease of use and versatility of application gave impetus to the development of application techniques and coating properties. Modern warm plaster has much better performance:

1. the level of thermal insulation is close to that of mineral wool;
2. the finish is light, porous;
3. the application layer is small, the maximum recommended is 50 mm;
4. there are no contraindications for secondary finishing.

In fact, warm plaster can be an excellent complementary method of insulating facades, leveling the wall while reducing heat loss.

Styrofoam and expanded polystyrene

Two materials obtained using modern technologies are very common - foam and extruded polystyrene foam. According to its characteristics, the latter is somewhat better (it retains heat by 30% better, is vapor permeable to a small extent, at least 5 times stronger to break), but significantly more expensive. The undoubted advantages of materials include:

• low weight;
• good thermal insulation performance;
• ease of use;
• can be attached to the wall in several ways;
• complete indifference to the effects of moisture;
• do not serve as a breeding ground for bacteria, with a certain surface treatment, the formation of mold can be prevented;
• fixed thicknesses of finished sheets, which speeds up design and work.

The availability of these materials has led to their widespread use in facade insulation. There is a list of disadvantages that cannot be considered as decisive in most cases:

• fragility (primarily refers to polystyrene, expanded polystyrene is much stronger and more technologically advanced);
• flammability, when ignited, carcinogenic toxic smoke with a large amount of soot is emitted;
• zero vapor permeability, which puts forward certain requirements for the organization of ventilation inside the building.

However, the listed signs are not the dominant restrictions, therefore, polystyrene and expanded polystyrene are very often used to insulate facades of a wide variety of buildings. They can also be used when decorating a country house; it will be especially successful to create a secondary cladding from plastic or wooden lining, which looks quite neat.

Thermal panels

One of the modern composite materials actively promoted on the market for facade finishing products is thermal panels. They are a layer of insulation (most often - polyurethane foam) with clinker tiles applied to the surface. The result is a durable and good looking finish that guarantees excellent insulation.
Working with thermal panels is quite simple. Applying the manufacturer's recommended methods of fastening to the wall surface, you can guarantee a long service life, as well as excellent characteristics of the facades. The main advantage of thermal panels is the choice of appearance options and the speed of operation, and the disadvantage is the very high cost and requirements for using a special tool to form parts of the required size and configuration.

Warming a country house with thermal panels can be very justified, however, preliminary work will be necessary to level the walls - the finishing material is not flexible.

Foil penofol

Penofol is an excellent material, thin, easy to use, the foil coating protects against moisture penetration and guarantees surface strength. However, such insulation is a rarity, since it literally "flies into a pretty penny." The use of penofol is justified only when creating additional insulation, since its use in structures such as "ventilated facade" with a professional approach is simply technically inconvenient, ineffective, and sometimes not recommended.

Sprayed materials

There are several groups of ready-made products that can be simply sprayed onto the cleaned and primed wall surface. It is worth noting immediately some of the key characteristics that determine the use of such facade insulation only in rare cases. The list looks like this:

1. extremely low strength;
2. not aesthetic appearance;
3. it is necessary to protect some materials from ultraviolet radiation, otherwise they disintegrate very quickly;
4. zero vapor permeability.

A separate group, for example, foam glass insulation, can be characterized by an extremely high cost with excellent indicators of durability and strength, others, on the contrary, have a very low cost, but it is desirable to use a secondary finish.
The leader in application is industrial polyurethane foam. It performs well because it can provide the following benefits:

• good insulation;
• ease of application;
• low cost of coverage.

The formed layer looks unaesthetic, but when using a secondary finish in the form of a lining, plastering or coating with an adhesive for tiles, this drawback is completely neutralized.

Masonry materials

In fact, insulation with the help of masonry materials is difficult to consider only as thermal protection. Rather, it is a modification of the wall to obtain new properties, produced using a separate layer of building material.

Some masonry insulation, for example, aerated concrete, requires UV protection with a secondary finish. If we bring all the characteristics of masonry insulation into one list, it will look like this:

• extremely unreasonable thickness of the coating, unacceptable, for example, for the facade of a country house;
• very high cost;
• average indicators of thermal protection.

However, masonry materials can be useful due to interesting advantages:

• insulation has its own integrity and technological strength;
• a wide range of secondary finishes available;
• zero flammability and excellent vapor permeability.

As a result, if it is necessary to carry out insulation and at the same time - structural transformation of the building, masonry materials for the facades can be considered as a reasonable option.

Conclusion

As you can see, the modern market offers many options for materials that can be used to insulate any structure, a residential multi-storey building or a small country house. Ultimately, each owner chooses an option that is characterized by acceptable indicators of the balance of price, quality of insulation, speed and convenience of work.