Will 100mm of insulation be enough in a frame house? What is the minimum permissible thickness of mineral wool when insulating houses

It happens that a consumer buys mineral wool, insulates the walls with his own hands and hopes for a long service life of the product, but in reality everything happens the other way around. The material breaks down very quickly, the premises begin to freeze, and the user develops a negative attitude towards the product, which he expresses on the forums on the Internet.

Alas, such situations are not uncommon, but the main reason is not a violation of installation technology, operating rules or incorrect preparation of walls, but incorrectly selected dimensions or physical indicators. In particular, the density and thickness of the slabs. So that the insulation of walls outside with mineral wool does not become a waste of money, a potential buyer should familiarize himself with the recommendations regarding the parameters of the material.

It is known that the considered insulation is perfect for the interior or exterior surfaces of residential buildings. Since in the latter case, wall insulation with mineral wool affects the entire thermal insulation system and the resource of the house, it is necessary to choose its size taking into account the following factors:

climatic features of the region;
humidity;
insulated surface material;
maximum and minimum temperatures throughout the year.

Even if a consumer buys mineral wool with the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient, there is no guarantee that the purchase will fulfill its functions.

By the way, in order to achieve the best effect, you should not pay attention to rolled insulation - they are cheaper and, as a rule, are made of lower quality components.

In addition, the thickness of the roll is maximum 50 mm, which may not be enough when insulating the outer walls. Having given preference to large-sized mineral wool slabs, the consumer will not lose.

Density indicates the weight of the insulation contained in one cubic meter of volume. The higher the indicator, the higher the cost of mineral wool. This fact is due to the difference between the production technology of some plates from others. To get a high density, you need to spend a lot of raw materials. This, in turn, affects the growth of producer costs.

The density of mineral wool slabs varies from 20 to 250 kg / m3. m. The physical properties and technical capabilities of the material will vary greatly. In order to determine exactly which slab is best suited for the outer wall of a particular structure, it is worth knowing that the density depends on:

the ability of the structure to withstand a certain load;
resistance to deformation;
resistance of the material to compression.

However, a number of functions are not affected by density. Among them:

noise insulation properties;
vapor permeability;
plate thickness;
insulating properties.

Having full information about the features of the operation of the insulated building, you can choose mineral wool slabs, the size of which will increase their service life and the house as a whole.

Recommendations for the thickness and density of mineral wool

Taking into account the climatic characteristics of the region is of decisive importance when choosing the size of the insulation. For the outer walls of houses located in areas of moderate continental climate (Moscow, Leningrad, Volgograd and other regions), it is recommended to choose slabs with a thickness of 80-100 mm. With the remoteness of the region from this area (continental, sharply continental, monsoon, maritime climate; subarctic, arctic belts), the thickness increases by about 10%. For example, for the Murmansk region, it is advisable to take mineral wool with a thickness of 150 mm on the outer walls, and for Tobolsk the correct range will be from 90 to 110 mm.

Insulation with a density of up to 40 kg / cu. m is used only in unloaded horizontal surfaces, so it is better to ignore them. Such cotton wool is produced in rolls, rolled out on sheathed interfloor partitions, floors, etc. For insulation of external walls of non-residential or industrial premises, the indicator varies from 50 to 75 kg / cu. m. If the user makes a ventilated facade, the slabs should be even denser - up to 110 kg / cu. m. Otherwise, the indicator can reach 130-140 kg / cu. m, but on condition that later the walls will be plastered. The first option implies the subsequent finishing with siding or a similar method of finishing work in order to extend the service life.

Installation rules for mineral wool boards

The house is insulated from the outside in one of three possible ways:

well system;
ventilated facade;
"Wet" method.

The first implies the placement of mineral wool slabs inside the wall, that is, between the base material (brick, foam concrete, etc.) and the outer cladding (silicate brick, cellular concrete).

For wooden buildings, the technology of a ventilated facade is often used, in which a frame is placed around the perimeter of the house, and slabs of material are tightly placed inside it. Fasteners are carried out with adhesives or plastic dowels with a wide head. All work is quickly done by hand, and without outside help.

The method is good in that there is no need for an additional layer of vapor barrier. The resulting ventilation gap between the cotton wool and the cladding allows air to circulate, preventing moisture stagnation inside the insulation, and also shifts the dew point outside the cotton wool. Therefore, the purchased material will not shrink, will not get wet and will withstand the service life specified by the manufacturer.

With the wet method, the insulation plates are attached to the original surface, previously leveled, after which plaster or other special solution is applied on top of them with a layer of about 2-3 cm.The method includes the following stages:

surface cleaning, sealing pits, cracks, cracks;
installation of a basement cornice;
gluing heat-insulating material;
additional reinforcement - dowel fasteners;
application of a reinforcing mesh;
surface primer;
plastering (decorative or rough);
coloring in the desired color.

The classic way of installing insulation on wooden walls with your own hands, like a ventilated facade, is to follow these steps:

impregnation of walls with an antiseptic, and places where rot appears - with special solutions;
dismantling of platbands, slopes;
drying the walls (minimum period - 1 day);
laying a layer of a vapor-permeable membrane, while the smooth side of the material is located to the insulation;
if the walls are perfectly flat, it is not necessary to use a membrane;
fastening wooden slats on top of the film on self-tapping screws, nails or dowels; the distance between the slats should be 1-2 cm less than the width of the mineral wool slabs so that it fits inside the lathing of the rasp, and the thickness should be equal to the thickness of the latter;
laying insulation boards inside the resulting sheathing;
one more additional layer - wind protection (waterproofing) - is fastened with staples of a construction stapler;
in order to create a ventilated gap on top of the bars (lathing), counter-battens are again filled so that the facing material is located at a distance of 5-7 cm from the insulation;
since the thickness of the walls has increased, it will be necessary to purchase new platbands, slopes, etc.

If the stages of fastening mineral wool to the outer walls with your own hands are performed correctly, there is no doubt that the material will work out the service life prescribed by the manufacturer. For most fiber insulation brands such as Ursa or RockWool, it ranges from 50 to 70 years.

The consumer should remember that the slabs with the highest density will significantly weigh down the structure, so do not assume that the most massive option is the best. Even if the choice of thermal insulation was made correctly, and the insulation of walls outside with mineral wool seems to be a simple task, this does not free the user from additional work such as preparing the surface of the house or fixing hydro and vapor barrier.

The correct choice of insulation is one of the most important tasks in the construction of your own home, since the coziness and comfort of living depends on it. It doesn't matter if the building will be used all year round or only during a certain period. It is necessary to approach the issue of thermal insulation of buildings with the utmost responsibility, since in winter the insulation protects the room from the cold, and in the summer from high temperatures. To ensure high-quality thermal insulation, you need to pay attention to the characteristics of the mineral wool. One of the main characteristics is the thickness of the mineral wool.

Contents of the article on the thickness of mineral wool

Requirements for the thickness of mineral wool

The chemical composition determines its main properties - high resistance and incombustibility. It is also important that in case of fire, products made of mineral wool prevent the spread of fire. Often they are used not only for thermal insulation, but also as fire insulation and fire protection.

The material's resistance to high temperatures depends on the thickness of the mineral wool. The cotton fibers of the mineral material can withstand temperatures of over 1000 ° C, and the organic binder is destroyed from 250 ° C. When exposed to high temperatures, the mineral fibers are not damaged and remain bound together. Thanks to this property, the material protects against fire and retains its original strength. The thicker the mineral wool, the higher the level of fire resistance.

According to building codes, for the outer walls of houses in Moscow and the Moscow region, it is necessary to lay insulation with a thickness of 120 to 140 mm (this depends on the characteristics of a particular material). Given the fact that insulation is often produced in multiples of 50 mm, 150 mm is more than enough for thermal insulation of residential buildings in the Central Region of Russia.

When insulating the upper floors of structures located in the Moscow region, it is necessary to use insulation with a thickness of 150-200 mm.

Thickness of Isover mineral wool products

Material	A type	Purpose	Thickness, mm
Isover frame-P32	plate	thermal insulation of frame structures	40-150
Isover frame-P34, P37	plate		40-200
Isover frame-M34, M37	mat		40-200
Isover frame-P40, P40-AL	mat		50-200
Isover Sound Protection	plate	sound insulation of partitions, ceilings and walls from the inside	50-200
Isover Floating floor	plate	soundproofing floating floor	20-50
Isover pitched roof	plate	pitched roof insulation	50-200
Isover OL-TOP	rigid plate	flat roof insulation	30
Isover OL-E	plate	insulation of walls for plastering	50-170
Isover Plaster facade	plate	insulation of walls for plastering	50-200

ISOVER is a popular brand of high quality thermal insulation materials manufactured by Saint-Gobain Isover. Isover mineral wool heaters have excellent properties: low thermal conductivity of mineral wool, a high level of sound insulation and environmental safety. As for the thickness of Isover mineral wool, this characteristic differs depending on the type and purpose of the material.

Isover mineral wool thickness for roofing

For thermal insulation of a flat roof, 30 mm thick Isover OL-TOP mineral wool is used. This thickness is sufficient for this type of work. For the insulation of pitched roofs, the manufacturer produces Isover Pitched Roof boards with a thickness of 50 to 200 mm. By the way, you can read about the roof insulation device in another article.

Thickness of mineral wool for thermal insulation of facades

Thermal insulation of facades is not an easy task, and here it is very important to choose the right insulation. Their thermal insulation is described in the article Thermal insulation of facades with mineral wool. Let's just say that rigid boards Isover OL-E 50-200 mm thick and Isover Plaster facade 50-170 mm thick are suitable for wall insulation with plastering. For the insulation of walls with a ventilated gap, Isover VentFasad bottom (bottom layer, 30 mm), Isover VentFasad top (top layer, 50-200 mm) and Isover VentFasad mono single-layer insulation 50-200 mm thick are used.

Insulation of frame structures

The popularity of the choice in favor of the construction of frame houses for permanent residence is determined a number of factors.

The cost of building a frame house lower up to 30%than for the construction of private houses in a different design.

At the frame house no need to erect a powerful foundation, a pile, block or shallow strip foundation is suitable.

The construction speed is up to 1 month, no shrinkage, low thermal conductivity of frame walls and the use of fire-resistant heaters that provide fire safety, makes the construction of such a house very attractive.

One of the important milestones in the process of erecting a frame structure is the choice of high-quality insulation. This issue should be approached in advance. Insulation mistakes will cost your budget dearly. It is important to calculate correctly the thickness of the insulation in order to avoid rotting processes at home in the future.

The main characteristics of the insulationto which you need to pay attention:

high heat engineering efficiency;
durability;
fire resistance;
vapor permeability;
environmental friendliness.

Attention! Don't forget about rodents. Mice and rats happily settle in natural and foam insulation. Use loose building materials for the first floor, and also observe the installation of insulation without gaps in order to prevent the penetration of small rodents into the house.

The variety of heaters in frame housing construction

The modern building materials market brings to your attention row of heaters with different characteristics and price range:

fibrous mineral insulation.

The most popular among developers is the use from various manufacturers.

Payment insulation thickness

It is possible to insulate frame walls by calculating the required thickness according to special formula:

where, R is the heat transfer resistance for your region, (m 2 ° С) / W;
λ - thermal conductivity of the insulation, W / (m · ° С).

Better to add additional centimeters to its value, since an error in calculations towards a decrease in the required thickness will result in freezing and dampness of the walls.

It is important to consider the location that needs to be shifted further from the inner surface of the house. Otherwise, at negative temperatures, moisture will form on the walls, causing putrefaction, fungus and mold.

Shouldn't forget, that the accuracy of the calculated value of the thickness of the insulation can be neglected upward due to the acquisition with a margin. The manufacturer produces material of a certain size, be it rolled insulation or slabs.

Information on building codes for insulation thickness for your region will be sufficient, so as not to resort to calculations using formulas. You can also use the online calculator to calculate the insulation, taking into account the region of construction.

Recommended thickness of insulation for permanent residence in a frame house

If you have planned to use ecowool as an insulating layer, then also take into account the thermal conductivity coefficient indicated by the manufacturer on the package. Ecowool layer thickness must be in the range:

from 150 mm in the southern regions;
from 170 in Central Russia;
from 190 mm in the European North;
from 200 in the Far North, Siberia, Kamchatka.

Foam boards as insulation should be laid on the basis of:

from 50 mm for southern regions;
from 150 mm for northern regions.

Most popular with individual home developers mineral woolmust be at least thick:

150 mm for the southern regions and Central Russia;
200 mm for the European North;
250 mm for the Far North, Siberia, Kamchatka.

Summarizing all of the above, the choice of insulation and the calculation of its thickness should be approached with great responsibility. The thickness of the insulation for the walls of the frame is determined according to approved building codes, which are calculated for different regions depending on the climate and seasonal temperature fluctuations.

Reasonable calculation:

will save your home from heat loss;
save your budget in terms of heating costs;
prevent the destruction of walls and the development of putrefactive processes.

Frame houses have earned popularity due to their cost and reliability. It is important to know that, depending on the period of operation, there are differences in the construction of walls and roofs. Frame houses intended for winter residence must be sufficiently insulated. This is the only way to ensure the comfort of permanent residence in them.

Why is insulation necessary

By itself, a frame house cannot provide the required resistance of the roof, walls and ceilings to heat leakage from the premises. It is uncomfortable to live in such a house, the air temperature in the premises does not meet the standards. In addition, dampness and even mold appear on the walls.

In order to be able to live in a house without fear for one's own health, the thickness of its walls must differ from that of a summer house. Winter frame houses are more serious buildings. In addition, with insufficient insulation, heating costs increase sharply, which will not please the residents.

How to insulate?

For the insulation of walls, roofs and ceilings, different requirements are imposed. For example, when insulating a floor, special attention is paid to the strength and rigidity of the materials. It is important to choose lightweight heat insulators for the roof.... There are no special requirements for wall insulation, you can use the following types of heat-insulating materials:

mineral wool (slabs and mats);
styrofoam;
extruded polystyrene foam (penoplex);
polyurethane foam (foam).

The installation technology of all these materials is similar, only mineral wool has differences, but this will be discussed later.

Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages, but all of the above types refer to modern insulation with a high degree of efficiency.

Material thickness calculation

The heat insulators listed in the previous paragraph have approximately the same thermal conductivity values, which means that their thermal insulation capabilities are also comparable. A frame house for a long stay must be properly insulated, and for this you need to choose the thickness of the heat insulator. The value depends on the climatic region. For most of the country, a 100 mm layer can be used.

Calculation of insulation for the walls of a frame house

To live in the house with maximum comfort, a full-fledged thermal engineering calculation is performed. To do this, it is not necessary to study mountains of regulatory documents and delve into the principles of calculation.

Now there is a simple program "Teremok", which performs a complete calculation based on regulatory documents. With the help of it, the thickness is selected in a few minutes. You can install the program on your computer (free free access) or use the online version.

The calculation will require:

the thickness of all layers, except for insulation;
thermal conductivity of all materials.

The thermal conductivity of the insulation is indicated by the manufacturer. For a tree, take 0.15 W / m * ᵒC (pine across the fibers). Also take into account the inner and outer skin (for mineral wool, the outer skin located after the ventilated layer does not need to be taken into account). After the thickness is selected, you can buy the material and get to work.

How to insulate?

According to the technology, the thermal insulation material is placed in the gaps of the wall frame. The load-bearing elements of the wall can be made of wood or steel. The work is performed in several stages.

Preparatory

It will not take much time, but it will significantly increase the quality of work. Before starting work, the wall frame is cleaned of construction debris, dirt and dust. Next, the walls are inspected for the presence of protruding fasteners that can damage the thermal insulation material.
The protruding nails are hammered in.

All cracks in the frame are insulated with polyurethane foam. The moisture content of the wood is checked, if the elements of the wall frame are damp, they should be dried with a construction hairdryer. Then proceed with the next stage of work.

Waterproofing and vapor barrier

Protection of the wall frame from moisture is required in the following places:

Vapor barrier scheme for the walls of a frame house

supporting walls on foundations (at the junction of elements from materials of different properties, horizontal waterproofing);
on the outside of the wall, on top of the insulation to protect against atmospheric moisture;
a vapor barrier is installed on the inside of the wall to protect against moisture coming from the inside of the room (warm steam).

Vertical waterproofing and vapor barrier is especially necessary when using mineral wool, because of all the wall materials presented above, it has the highest degree of water absorption. Also, do not neglect these measures when insulating with foam and polyurethane foam. Perhaps the only material that is able to cope with moisture on its own is penoplex.

Thermal insulation

Insulation is placed between the racks of the wall frame. The distance between the supporting elements is selected so as to ensure easy installation, namely:

580 mm clean between mineral wool racks;
600 mm for foam and extruded polystyrene foam;
for polyurethane foam, the distance does not really matter.

Scheme of the principle of the insulation in the wall

The fixing of mineral wool is performed on the dowels. In this case, it is important that there are no gaps between the posts and the heat insulator through which cold can penetrate. For styrofoam, you can use special nails or glue. Polyurethane foam is held by its own adhesion to the surface and penetration into small gaps in the structure.

Sheathing

At this stage, there are differences in technology for different materials. Unlike all the others, mineral wool does not allow the sheathing to be attached directly to it. It is necessary to provide for an air-ventilated wall layer to remove excess moisture. The layer is located after waterproofing, its thickness is 5-10 cm.

Sheathing scheme of a frame house

Polyurethane and polystyrene allow wall cladding to be installed without a ventilation gap. After finishing the cladding of the frame house, the thermal insulation work is completed.

Important! When using polyurethane foam and mineral wool, do not forget about protective equipment: workwear, gloves and a mask. Particles of these materials can enter the skin and lungs and cause serious irritation.

Thermal insulation of floors and roofs

In order to build a frame house for winter living, it is also important not to forget about reliable insulation of the first floor overlap and the mansard roof. If a cold attic is provided in the house, then thermal insulation is mounted in the pie of the upper floor.

Thermal insulation of the attic of a frame house

For the roof, rigid mineral wool slabs are most often used. To ensure ease of installation, the pitch of the rafters is pre-assigned so that there is a distance of 580 mm between them. The thermal insulation is fixed after the installation of waterproofing and lathing.

Insulation of the floor of the first floor must be performed using durable, non-crease material. Penoplex would be an excellent solution. If the insulation does not have high rigidity and strength, choose installation between the logs. To do this, boards or bars are fixed on the floor, which will take the load from people and furniture, and a heat insulator is placed between them.
Competent insulation of the frame will make the house a comfortable and economical home.

In recent years, a frame structure is increasingly being chosen for the construction of houses, which is significantly cheaper in cost compared to the construction of brick, block, or log walls. In addition, the process of installing the frame takes much less time than raising the main walls. However, without proper insulation, it will be impossible to live in such a house. Therefore, the question of which insulation is better for a frame house becomes relevant for all potential owners of such housing.

Thermal insulation in frame buildings should not only provide a comfortable temperature regime in the premises, but also make the house quiet. Thus, heaters must also have good soundproofing qualities. In addition, there are a number of important criteria that must be taken into account when choosing materials for insulating the "frame". All this will be described in the proposed publication.

The main criteria for choosing insulation for a frame house

The first step is to figure out what properties the insulation should have in order for it to be effective for heat and sound insulation of the frame walls of the house and as safe as possible for the people living in the building.

So, it is necessary that the material meets the following requirements:

It should go well with the material of the frame, that is, with a wooden beam.
Optimal material - as clean as possible from an environmental point of view
Insulation should be selected with the expectation of the longest possible service life, which should not be less than the service life of the wood selected for the construction of the frame.
Moisture resistance, that is, the ability to resist moisture absorption (as a percentage of volume or mass), which can have a destructive effect on the material and drastically reduce its insulation qualities.
Thermal conductivity coefficient - the lower it is, the better the insulation, since the main function of thermal insulation is the maximum reduction in heat loss.
Water vapor permeability. Ideally, the material should be breathable, that is, it should not interfere with the release of water vapor. Only in this case, moisture will not accumulate in its structure and on the border between it and the wall surface, which becomes a favorable environment for various microflora - fungus, mold, etc., which can cause serious damage to the structure.
The insulation should not attract rodents, otherwise they will settle in it for a permanent residence, making passages and arranging nests.
For frame houses, fire safety is of particular importance. Ideally, the material should be non-combustible, or at least as resistant to fire as possible.

Thermal insulation materials can be divided into three types according to the method of application - they are filled, sprayed and slab (roll), installed between frame racks.

Backfill insulation is expanded clay, foam glass, ecowool and sawdust.
Sprayed heat insulators - polyurethane foam and ecowool, applied by "wet" technology.
Plate or roll insulation - various types of expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, foam glass, linen, fiberboard and cork boards.

Each of these materials has its own characteristics and differs in technical and operational characteristics. To make a choice, it is necessary to consider each of them in more detail, both in terms of its main qualities and from the standpoint of ease of use.

For thermal insulation of frame structures, modern and traditional materials are used, familiar to builders for more than a dozen years. Since all heaters above were classified into three groups according to the method of their application, their characteristics will be considered further in accordance with this division.

Backfill heaters

This type of materials is used in construction for thermal insulation of walls, ceilings and floors along logs. These include expanded clay, granulated foam glass, ecowool and sawdust.

Expanded clay

Expanded clay is a natural material that has been used to insulate different parts of the building for a very long time, and it fully justified its purpose. It is produced in the form of gravel (granules) of different fractions, sand and crushed stone.

Expanded clay is used in construction not only as a backfill insulation, but also in combination with concrete mortar. The latter option is called expanded clay concrete and is most often used as an insulating layer under the concrete screed of the floors of the first floor on the ground.

Expanded clay is produced from refractory clays, which undergo special heat treatment at high temperatures, brought to melting, swelling and sintering of the material. As a result of these processes, expanded clay granules acquire a porous structure, which provides the material with low thermal conductivity. Expanded clay has the following characteristics:

High level of thermal insulation. Expanded clay is made from clay, which is one of the "warm" natural materials, and the air structure of the granules helps to reduce the thermal conductivity of the clay.
It has a low weight, which is ten times lower than the mass of concrete. Therefore, it is suitable for insulating light buildings, since it does not give a large load on the foundation and the wooden formwork into which it is backfilled.
The material is absolutely environmentally friendly - it does not contain any synthetic or toxic substances.
Expanded clay is inert to chemical and biological influences.
The material is vapor-permeable, that is, it is "breathable", which prevents the walls from becoming waterlogged.
The moisture resistance of the material is important - it does not absorb or retain water.
Expanded clay will not create any problems for people prone to allergic reactions.
The material calmly withstands very low winter and high summer temperatures without losing its insulating properties.
The insulation is not flammable. It does not support combustion, does not emit smoke, even if it gets into an open fire, so it can be called a fireproof material.
Rodents and insects do not live in expanded clay, which makes this material indispensable for insulating a private house. Even a mound is often made from fine-grained expanded clay, as it helps protect the structure from mice.
Long service life. It is difficult to talk about any specific time periods, but the frame house itself will survive such insulation for sure.

Expanded clay has its own letter and digital marking from M300 to M700, but unlike other building materials, it does not indicate strength, but the bulk density of the insulation, which depends on its fraction.

Expanded clay sand has a grain fraction of 0.13 ÷ 5.0 mm, it is used for backfilling as a heater in walls of relatively small thickness, up to 50 mm.
Expanded clay gravel has a fraction of 5 ÷ 50 mm, and it is excellent for the manufacture of expanded clay concrete.
Expanded clay crushed stone differs from gravel in that it has an angular shape. It is obtained by crushing or rejecting gravel mass. The size of the crushed stone fraction can vary from 5 to 40 mm.

The use of expanded clay for insulating frame walls can be considered a fully justified option, since this material combines excellent performance characteristics and ease of installation - they can insulate any structure in shape. It should be noted that this material is suitable not only for filling wooden walls into the frames, but also for three-layer brick or reinforced concrete enclosing structures.

The disadvantage is not too outstanding thermal insulation performance compared to other materials. If expanded clay is chosen as a heater, then in order to achieve the desired effect, the thickness of its layer must be at least 200 ÷ 300 mm, or it is used in combination with other heat-insulating materials.

Foam glass in granules

In addition to the well-known expanded clay, foam glass produced in granules is used in about the same way.

Foam glass is not used as widely as expanded clay, although it has higher thermal insulation performance. Apparently, this is due to the lack of information about this material. This material has been produced at Russian enterprises since the 30s of the 20th century, and it is intended specifically for insulating buildings. Foam glass can be purchased in bulk or in the form of slabs. The divisions of the building structure are isolated with alluvial material - it is poured into the floor space along the logs, attic floors, as well as in the cavity of the frame walls.

In addition, granulated foam glass is mixed with concrete to provide insulation under the screed.

The material is an environmentally friendly product, as sand and glass breakage are used for its manufacture. Raw materials are crushed to a powdery state, then mixed with carbon. The last component promotes foaming of the charge and gas formation - this process makes the material porous, filled with air and light. Granules are made in special furnaces with rotating chambers, into which preforms - pellets are filled in advance. The fraction of granules can be different - large, having a size of 8 ÷ 20 mm, medium - 5 ÷ 7 mm and small 1.5 ÷ 5 mm. The main characteristics of this material are presented in the comparative table at the end of the publication.

Expanded clay prices

expanded clay

Foam glass is a chemical and biological resistant, moisture resistant, solid material. In addition, it does not collect or emit dust, and does not contain any substances to which allergy sufferers are sensitive. The hardness of the material and the absence of any nutrients whatsoever protects it from rodents.

The disadvantages of loose foam glass can only be attributed to its high cost. True, if you closely calculate the "accounting" of insulation and compare it with the cheaper expanded clay, then it is still worth seeing which material will be more profitable.

Loose foam glass is laid in the same way as expanded clay.

Ecowool (dry laying)

This material can be classified as a relative novelty in the field of insulation, but it is gradually gaining popularity due to its merits. To insulate frame structures, ecowool is used in two versions - dry, backfilled in a cavity, or by "wet" technology - by spraying on the surface. The second method requires the use of special equipment, while the first one can be done on our own.

Ecowool is a mixture of paper waste and cellulose fibers, which occupy about 80% of the total weight of the insulation. In addition, the material contains a natural antiseptic - boric acid, which takes up to 12%, as well as a fire retardant - sodium tetraborate - 8%. These substances increase the resistance of the insulation to external influences.

Ecowool goes on sale in hermetically sealed polyethylene bags, in loose form, therefore, when choosing a dry method of wall insulation, it can be used immediately.

Ecowool has the following characteristic features:

Low coefficient of thermal conductivity. Cellulose, of which this insulation mainly consists, has all the qualities of wood, which has been used for the construction of residential buildings for more than one hundred years precisely because of the natural warmth of the material.
The lightness of the material, even when it is moistened, allows it to be used for thermal insulation of frame structures.
This is an environmentally friendly insulation that does not emit harmful fumes throughout the entire period of operation.
Pronounced vapor permeability. Ecowool does not retain moisture in its structure, therefore it does not require vapor barrier, which allows you to save some amount when building a house.
Ecowool is resistant to biological influences, as it contains an antiseptic additive, as well as to chemicals.
This insulation can absorb moisture even up to 20% of the total mass, but at the same time it does not lose its heat-insulating qualities. Here it must be said that moisture is not retained in the structure, since the material is "breathable".
Resistance to low temperatures, i.e. frost resistance of cotton wool.
Despite the fire retardant included in the insulation, the material belongs to the G2 flammability group, that is, it is slightly flammable and self-extinguishing. That is, it is impossible to exclude smoldering of the material, but it will not become a flame spread.
Mice and insects do not start in ecowool, since it contains boric acid.
It attracts with its long service life and the possibility of recyclability.

When ecowool is dry laid into a wall, its consumption is 45 ÷ 70 kg / m³. Before work, the material is fluffed with an electric drill. It should be borne in mind that over time, dry cotton wool will sag by about 15%, so the insulation must be tamped well. It is also important to know that when this material is fluffed up, there will be a large amount of dust and debris in the room, therefore it is best to work on the street or in outbuildings, and the respiratory tract must be protected by wearing a respirator.

The walls are insulated with dry ecowool in two ways - backfilling and blowing.

Backfilling is done manually, into the gradually erected formwork, and blowing into the space completely closed by the cladding fixed on the frame racks. In order to blow out, special equipment is needed, into which ecowool is poured, fluffed up, and then under pressure is fed into the empty space of the frame sheathed on both sides through the drilled holes.

The stages of work on backfilling ecowool will be discussed below.

Sawdust as backfill insulation for frame walls

Sawdust cannot be called a popular insulation, although they have been used for this purpose from time immemorial. We can say that this natural material has been replaced by modern synthetic insulation. However, there are craftsmen who to this day do not give up sawdust and shavings, successfully insulating the walls of frame houses with them.

It is believed that sawdust was first used to insulate frame buildings in Finland, where the climate is more severe than in most regions of Russia, and it should be noted that the material has fully justified its purpose. But we must not forget that sawdust has not only advantages, but also its disadvantages, which you also need to know about.

To achieve the desired thermal insulation effect, it is necessary to choose sawdust of hard wood - these are beech, maple, hornbeam, oak, alder and maybe pine, the moisture of which should be no more than 20% of the total mass.

The disadvantages of sawdust used for insulation in pure form, without processing them with special compounds, include the following features:

Flammability. Dry sawdust quickly ignites and burns, spreading the fire to nearby combustible materials.
Various insects and rodents feel good in the layer of sawdust.
With high humidity, sawdust can begin to rot and mold can form on them.
When moistened, sawdust can shrink significantly, in addition, their thermal conductivity increases, which reduces the heat-insulating effect.

Taking into account all the features of this natural insulation material, the master builders have developed mixtures in which there are additives that level all the disadvantages of sawdust.

To make such an insulating mixture, in addition to sawdust, the following materials will be required:

Cement, clay, lime or cement are the binding components of the mass.
Boric acid or copper sulfate are antiseptic substances.

Clay or cement is used in sawdust, if it is prepared for warming the attic floor, for floors, sawdust is mixed with lime, and for walls, a sawdust-gypsum mixture is usually used.

The process of making a mixture for insulating frame walls can be considered in the following proportions, based on mixing it in a construction wheelbarrow with a volume of 150 liters:

Sawdust is poured into the container, about ⅔ of the total volume, that is, about 100 liters. (0.1 m³).
Gypsum is added to the sawdust, it will take two liter cans. If the attic floor is insulated, clay is taken instead of gypsum, and lime for the floors.
Further, in a bucket of water for 10 liters, 100 ml of boric acid or copper sulfate is diluted.
Then the finished, well-mixed aqueous solution is poured into a wheelbarrow with sawdust and one of the selected binders, after which all components must be mixed well. Here it must be remembered that when using gypsum as a binder, the mixture must be poured into the formwork, immediately after mixing, since gypsum, when mixed with water, remains in working condition for a few minutes. Therefore, a large amount of sawdust-gypsum mass cannot be kneaded. The thickness of the insulation layer made of this material should be at least 150 ÷ \u200b\u200b180 mm. After filling the mixture, it needs to be tamped only slightly, since after the binder hardens, it should have an air-filled structure.

How the formwork is built will be discussed below, in the section on installation work.

This table presents a more accurate composition of a sawdust-gypsum mixture, laid with a thickness of 150 mm for insulating a house with a certain wall surface area.

Parameter name	Numerical indicators
House wall area, (m2)	80	90	100	120	150
Amount of sawdust (in bags)	176	198	220	264	330
Amount of gypsum, (kg)	264	297	330	396	495
The amount of copper sulfate or boric acid, (kg)	35.2	39.6	44	52.8	66

Laying bulk insulation

The method of insulating walls with any backfill insulation material is almost identical, however, for each of them there are some nuances. It should be noted that there is nothing complicated in warming the frame structure, and the work can be easily done independently:

In the first step, the frame is sheathed with plywood (OSB) or other material from the outside or inside. It is best to clad the structure from the street, especially in cases when it is planned to use wooden lining for cladding the house. Having fixed the boards on the front side of the house, you can safely, without haste, work from inside the room, without fear of rain.
The next stage of the insulation process is to fix the plywood strips or boards, from the inside of the room from the floor, first to a height of 500 ÷ 800 mm. You will get a kind of formwork into which the insulation will be filled and then rammed.

When the cavity is filled with ecowool, the cladding is built up higher from the inside. The newly formed space is again filled with ecowool and this continues until the wall is completely insulated. Experts advise leaving the formwork fixed for two to three days. During this time, the cotton wool fibers will bond well with each other and give a slight shrinkage, freeing up some of the space that must also be filled with cotton wool.

If sawdust is used for insulation, then the lower part of the formwork is left in place, and its next elements are fixed on top of it - plywood or boards, after which the space is also filled with insulation.
When insulating the walls with ecowool, after filling the entire free space with it, the formwork plywood is often removed, and from the inside of the house the frame can be sheathed with plasterboard or other facing material.
If another backfill material is used, then the drywall or finishing cladding will have to be fixed over the formwork material.
If additional wall insulation is required, heat-insulating material is recommended to be mounted on the outside of the building, before the decorative cladding.
On the front side, the insulation material must be tightened with a hydro-windproof membrane.
When used for filling sawdust or ecowool into the wall frame, it is recommended to use kraft paper as a waterproofing material. It is laid inside the formwork, spreading it to the bottom and walls. After filling the insulation, to a height of about 200 ÷ 300 mm, the next sheet of waterproofing is laid on it, then the insulation, and so on.

Spray applied insulation

If you plan to use sprayed materials for insulation, then immediately you need to prepare for the extra costs of their installation, since special equipment is used for it. Moreover, installations for spraying polyurethane foam differ from those intended for working with ecowool.

Ecowool (spraying)

The application of ecowool, in addition to filling in the cavity, is also carried out by the "wet" or adhesive method. The fact is that the composition of cellulose includes a natural adhesive - lignin, and when the raw material is moistened, the ecowool fibers acquire adhesion ability.

Prices for ecowool

This quality of the material allows it to be used to insulate vertical surfaces. Wall insulation is done in two ways:

Spraying the material between the frames of the frame after sheathing it from the outside or inside with plywood (OSB) or boards, and then leveling the cotton wool along the racks using a special roller;

The frame is sheathed with plywood (OSB) on both sides, and then the empty space is filled with ecowool through holes drilled in the cladding with a size of 55 ÷ 60 mm.

Both spraying and blowing of ecowool into the space between the frame posts is carried out under pressure, which is created using special equipment.

In the capacity of the apparatus there are special mechanical "stirrers" for fluffing, whipping ecowool and moistening it throughout the entire volume

Dry ecowool is filled into the bunker, where it is moistened and mixed, and then enters the corrugated sleeve, through which it is sprayed onto the surface under pressure or blown into the sheathed frame.

If the wall is to be filled through a hole, then first it is drilled into the sheathing plywood. Then, a rubber seal and a pipe are installed in the resulting hole, through which fluffed and moistened ecowool is fed.

When spraying cotton wool on the surface and after leveling it, the insulation is closed with a windproof material, after which you can proceed to the outer skin of the frame.

Today, you can find simpler sets of equipment for blowing in and spraying ecowool, for independent use. However, when using such a device, ecowool will have to be fluffed manually before filling it, and this is additional time and a large amount of dust, which is collected in a special dust bag in a professional device.