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

So the walls and the roof of a wooden house have been erected, windows and doors have been inserted. It's time to move on to interior finishing work. And they usually start with the device of floors. This is one of the most important and crucial stages of work, because the overall microclimate in the rooms of the wooden structure and the level of heating costs will depend on how correctly and efficiently the floor cake is made. At the same time, close attention should be paid to the choice of insulation for floors, because up to 20% of the heat in the house is lost through the flooring.

How to choose a heater?

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

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

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

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

Wooden floors

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

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

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

Wood and similar materials are incompatible things.

Ground and slab floors

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

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

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

Therefore, for this type of floor, polystyrene foam insulation is most suitable - it is dense and does not absorb moisture.

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

maximum weight of the floor structure;
required thickness;
humidity and temperature conditions inside the house, the presence of temperature changes;
calculated loads on the floor structure and its operating conditions.

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

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

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

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

How to insulate?

You can use different materials to insulate floors in wooden houses. Today the building materials market abounds in a wide variety of thermal insulation from the simplest to the most modern types.

Insulation materials

Sawdust

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

However, sawdust has recently been increasingly used as a raw material in the production of other more modern and effective thermal insulation.

Ecowool

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

Expanded clay

Material with high strength and thermal insulation characteristics. Expanded clay is suitable for flooring on flat surfaces. To ensure optimal performance of thermal insulation, expanded clay must be laid with a layer of at least 15 cm. The convenience of this material also lies in the fact that all the necessary communications can be laid in it. Expanded clay is quite hygroscopic, therefore, before using it on the ground, waterproofing measures should be taken.

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

Expanded polystyrene, polystyrene, polyethylene

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

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

These types of thermal insulation materials have the following characteristics:

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

Expanded polystyrene insulation in our country is presented under the names "Penoplex", "Technoplex", "Knauf".

Heaters based on polyethylene foam are also used for thermal insulation of floors.One of the varieties of such insulation is the rolled foil material penofol, which has high operational and thermal insulation properties. Penofol is a polyethylene foam covered with foil on one or both sides.

High levels of thermal insulation of this material are provided by retaining heat in air bubbles sealed in polyethylene balls. The foil acts as a barrier that traps heat in winter and reflects solar heat in summer, thereby maintaining optimal thermal conditions in the room.

Penofol is also a waterproofing material.

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

Fibrolite

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

Foam glass

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

Fiberboard plates are used for warming floors on a flat base, granules for filling between logs on rough floors. The thickness of the insulation layer is 18 cm for the first floor and 15 cm for the second.

Mineral wool

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

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

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

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

The main advantages of such heaters:

they conduct heat poorly, and therefore retain it well;
vapor permeability. The insulation provides good air exchange, the floor structure is breathable, which allows you to maintain optimal temperature and humidity conditions in a wooden house. The probability of condensation formation in the insulation is small;
high density;
high noise insulation characteristics;
they are resistant to high temperatures and fire, no smoke is emitted on contact with fire;
waterproofness. Stone wool and glass wool do not absorb moisture, so you should not be afraid of dampness inside the field structure;
long period of operation - up to 50 years. This type of insulation is not susceptible to decay and damage by rodents.

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

Among the disadvantages, it is noted that when working with mineral wool, especially with glass wool, a lot of dust occurs, since the insulation consists of fragile fibers, which, if damaged, form very thin and sharp fragments. Getting on the skin when installing the insulation, they lead to itching. It is dangerous to get these fibers into the respiratory system. Therefore, such insulation can be laid only with the use of personal protective equipment, such as a respirator, overalls, glasses, gloves.

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

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

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

The main trademarks of mineral wool are Isover, Rokvol, Knauf, Ursa, Technonikol, Ecover, Izovol, Park and others.

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

There is a wide selection of materials for thermal insulation on the modern market. They are designed to meet various challenges. The widest range of floor heaters, each type has its own operational features, pros and cons. For high-quality thermal insulation of the floor, it is important to choose the right insulation that is suitable for the specific conditions of use.

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

In private houses
In apartments located on the ground floors of apartment buildings, as well as above arches

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

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

Types of floor insulation

Floor insulation can be divided into several categories:

Plated, hard - extruded and granulated expanded polystyrene (foam), mineral wool
Roll, soft- mineral wool of lower density, stitched mats based on stone fiber, isofol (foil insulation)
Loose - expanded clay, sawdust, sand, expanded polystyrene granules, expanded vermiculite, ecowool
Mechanized application (applied using blow molding machines) - ecowool, liquid polyurethane foam or foam

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

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

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

Expanded polystyrene

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

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

High density and, as a result, better resistance to mechanical stress, lower thermal conductivity
Water resistance
Resistance to biological agents - fungus, microorganisms, rodents, insects

At normal temperatures, both foam and extruded polystyrene foam are non-toxic. The main disadvantage of extruded polystyrene foam is that it is flammable, although it resists fire well. Most types of this insulation belong to the flammability class G3 or G4, more expensive products with flame retardant additives are assigned the class g1 (low flammability). When burning, extruded polystyrene releases highly toxic substances!

Mineral wool

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

Low thermal conductivity
Good resistance to mechanical deformation, especially with high density boards
Vapor permeability
High fire and high temperature resistance
Immunity to rodents and other pests
Good sound insulation performance

The disadvantages of mineral or glass wool include:

High hygroscopicity and a decrease in thermal insulation properties when moistened. There is water-repellent mineral wool with minimal water absorption, but it is expensive.
Release of toxic substances in small amounts, formation of hazardous dust during wear
High-density mineral wool with the best strength and thermal insulation characteristics is more expensive than EPS

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

Expanded clay and other bulk insulation

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

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

Its main disadvantage is hygroscopicity, low moisture resistance.

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

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

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

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

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

The principles of choosing a heater

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

What base is insulated - concrete, wood, soil
Will the insulation be exposed to moisture
What is under the floor (ground, heated room, unheated room)
Is it planned to install a warm floor system
At what stage is the insulation work performed

Insulation for concrete screed must have the following characteristics:

Rigidity, high density - he has to withstand the weight of the screed
Resistant to moisturecontained in the solution
For board and roll materials - lack of open pores, into which grains of solution can be clogged
High resistance to heat transfer, allowing you to get by with a layer of insulation of small thickness

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

The main requirement for insulation for a wooden base under a prefabricated sheet screed is vapor permeability. If you put a layer of vapor-proof insulation between the base and the flooring made of wood, the main advantage of natural wood - the ability to "breathe" will be nullified.

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

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

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

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

Video

The choice of polystyrene foam for floor insulation

Mineral wool for floor insulation

Outcome

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

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

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

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

Option # 1 - expanded polystyrene

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

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

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

Expanded polystyrene is not afraid of moisture, therefore it can be widely used for insulation of floors on the balcony and in rooms with high humidity levels

Option # 2 - expanded clay

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

Floor insulation is best done with expanded clay from different fractions

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

Option # 3 - polystyrene concrete

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

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

Option # 4 - glass wool and mineral wool

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

Lay mineral wool and glass wool between the logs. But the composition of these materials makes you think: the release, although in safe standards, is still present with hazardous chemicals.

Laying mineral wool between the logs of the wooden floor

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

Option # 5 - cork material

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

This material can be installed either as a substrate under floor coverings or used as a stand-alone floor covering. In the latter case, cork slabs are additionally polished and varnished. You will get a natural beautiful warm floor.

Option # 6 - sawdust heaters

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

Option # 7 - ecowool

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

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

Option # 8 - penoizol

Simply put, penoizol is a liquid foam, all the positive aspects of which we have already discussed. Penoizol is good because, due to its consistency, it can be poured into hard-to-reach places, cracks and seams are sealed with it.

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

Option # 9 - foil insulation

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

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

Such insulation can consist of a layer of mineral wool or foam and a layer of foil. It is made in the form of plates and in rolls. They are sheathed with wooden floors or laid under warm floors

Additional option - "warm floor" system

Increasingly, people choose a warm floor system. In the case of a water system, under the floor surface, through which hot water will circulate. The method is effective, but troublesome. Indeed, in addition to the pipes themselves, you will need risers, collectors, shut-off valves, an automatic control device (shutdown).

For the installation of modern underfloor heating systems, as a rule, polymer pipes are used. Such pipes are very strong, resistant to thermal aging, have ductility and flexibility, and are not afraid of corrosion.

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

There are and. Such floors are much easier to install and operate. Film underfloor heating does not require a screed, it is very quickly mounted and connected. On top of such a floor, you can lay linoleum, tiles, parquet, laminate. This system can be easily removed and moved to another room.

Convenience and efficiency of warm floors makes them the most popular for residential and public premises (kindergartens, schools, sports complexes).

When building a cozy and comfortable home, you need to isolate all areas through which cold penetrates inside. The floor is just such an area, its proximity to the ground and insufficient thickness significantly reduce the temperature of the coating. High heating costs change the situation slightly, so home owners have to decide what is the best way to insulate the floor.

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

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

Floor insulation technology

The purpose of performing thermal insulation is to create a reliable barrier to the cold. To do this, a layer of insulation is placed between the base of the floor (concrete slab, earth embankment, logs) and the topcoat. The material is covered with a vapor barrier film. To achieve the maximum effect and protect it from moisture, it is necessary to install waterproofing before insulating the floor.

The sequence of the work depends on the type of base, the operating conditions of the room, the permissible thickness of the insulation layer.

Floor insulation, what to choose?

Polyfoam is popular not only because of its low cost, the material has low thermal conductivity and is resistant to moisture. It will be the best choice for basement and basement insulation. Polyfoam is environmentally friendly, and when placed under a layer of concrete screed, it is not exposed to the danger of fire. Insulation for the floor is versatile in use, it is laid on concrete, ceramics, wood or brick.

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

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

Mineral wool is offered in three types:

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

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

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

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

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

Underfloor heating system - types and installation options

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

In addition to hot water circulating through plastic pipes, an electric cable can be used to heat the floor.

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

Thermal insulation of a wooden floor

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

A wooden beam (logs) is laid along the entire length of the floor.
Plywood or trim boards are attached to the lower part of the log, which will become the basis for the insulation.
Thermal insulating material - mineral wool, penofol, expanded polystyrene is tightly placed between the timber. The thickness of the insulation for the floor depends on the location of the room - on the first floor, a more solid layer is needed.
The insulation is covered with plastic wrap or glassine for vapor barrier.
Floor boards are being laid.

How to insulate a concrete floor

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

Laying the heat insulator under the screed.

During the initial installation of the floor, a cushion of a mixture of gravel and sand is made, which is poured with a thin layer of concrete.
Roll waterproofing is laid on top of the screed.
Insulation is placed on the canvas, which protects against moisture: expanded polystyrene, basalt wool, foam glass. Plates of material are laid close to each other so that cold bridges do not arise.
A damper tape is placed between the insulation and the wall.
A polyethylene film is laid on the insulation and a reinforcing mesh is laid.
The concrete screed is poured.

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

Wooden logs from a 5 × 10 cm bar are laid on a concrete base.
Waterproofing is laid with a 10 cm approach to the walls.
Insulation is placed between the lags: expanded clay, polystyrene, basalt wool.
The heat-insulating material is covered with moisture-resistant plywood or fiberboard.
The finishing coat is being laid.

Having studied the performance and installation technology of popular insulation materials, you can easily insulate the floor.

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

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

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

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

Strength

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

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

Terms of operation

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

Insulating properties

The main criterion for choosing floor insulation is their ability to retain heat. Some of these materials can change their insulating properties during operation due to external factors.

Material weight

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

Minimal moisture absorption

Some floor insulation materials are hydrophobic, that is, they have high moisture permeability. This usually applies to fibrous materials. These types are not recommended in rooms with high humidity levels.

Vapor permeability

In some cases, in addition to thermal insulation properties, the material should not prevent the penetration of vapors. This property prevents condensation from accumulating under the floor covering.

Fire resistance

Fire safety requirements apply to all building materials. Thermal insulation for the floor is no exception.

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

Types of floor heaters

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

Expanded clay

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

Expanded clay granules or fractions are divided into three categories by grain size:

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

Granules less than five millimeters are referred to as expanded clay sand.

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

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

Over time, this property of the material leads to a decrease in thermal insulation properties, especially when the expanded clay layer comes into contact with the ground. To prevent the insulation from contacting the ground, roll waterproofing is laid between them.

Mineral wool

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

Glass

For the production of this material, the same components are used as for the manufacture of glass: limestone, sand, soda and borax. The glass mixture melted at a temperature of 1400 degrees under the influence of centrifugal force in special chambers and blowing with steam takes the form of thin fibers. Simultaneously, polymer treatment takes place for better adhesion. The finished loose mass is pressed and blown for final polymerization.

Pros:

high thermal insulation properties;
resistance to chemicals;
high degree of sound absorption;
does not shrink with prolonged use;
immune to open fire;
does not absorb moisture.

Minuses:

high fragility of fibers;
low thermal stability.

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

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

Stone

This type is made from the molten volcanic rocks obtained in a furnace with a temperature of 1400 to 1500 degrees. The formation of fibers occurs when the liquid mass is broken by rotating rolls with simultaneous treatment with polymer binders.

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

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

Stone wool from basalt fibers has the highest temperature range. This material can withstand cooling up to 90 degrees and heating up to 1000 degrees.

Expanded polystyrene (foam)

It is a sheet of expanded polystyrene granules bonded to each other. Manufacturers produce different types of insulation, differing in density, flexibility and other parameters.

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

Advantages:

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

Disadvantages:

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

If the house has a basement , floor insulation such as polystyrene can be installed from the bottom. This will eliminate the need to remove the floor covering.

Cork insulation

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

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

Advantages:

Environmental friendliness. This is one of the main benefits.

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

Strength. Floor insulation made of cork is quite solid and quickly restores its previous shape in places pressed by furniture legs or heels.
Hygiene, ease of care. Any dirt on the cork can be easily removed with a vacuum cleaner or cloth. The ability of the material to resist the formation of condensation prevents the formation of mold.
Thermal insulation. The material has the lowest thermal conductivity of all those presented in the article and provides reliable floor insulation.

Disadvantages:

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

Foil insulation

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

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

Pros:

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

Minuses:

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

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

In custody

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

Regardless of which type of insulator will be chosen for floor insulation, before buying it is necessary to familiarize yourself with its properties and installation technology. Some thermal insulation materials require a professional approach when laying, others can be installed independently.