How to insulate a street iron door. Insulation of the door frame of a metal door

In winter, during severe frosts, icing, frost or condensation may appear on the inner surface of the door - this indicates freezing of the entrance metal door. What to do in such a situation? The difference in temperature in the street and in the room leads to such consequences and indicates poor thermal insulation of the door. Therefore, we will consider in detail how to insulate a metal door in a private house and apartment.


The metal itself cannot serve as a heat insulator, i.e. it has a high thermal conductivity. Cellular cardboard, which is filled with most cheap, in particular Chinese doors, also does not cope with the function assigned to it. Yes, and he does not have such a task, he is designed to reduce the weight of a metal door.

In rare cases, the cavity of the door leaf is filled with insulation, but it is impossible to check its presence in the doors of the middle price range, so you have to take the seller’s word for it, and then think about how to insulate the iron door with your own hands.

Obviously, simple methods like sticking a seal around the perimeter of the door leaf can do little to help in this situation. A more serious approach is required here, in particular, to insulate the entrance metal door in accordance with all the rules for conducting thermal insulation work.

Do-it-yourself insulation of the entrance metal door

The process begins with the selection of the optimal thermal insulation material, which determines the effectiveness of insulation and its duration.

How to insulate a metal door

Types of heaters:

Penofol

Due to the reflectivity of the foil layer, it retains almost all the heat in the room. It is used only as an additional material.

Rigid insulation

These include polystyrene and expanded polystyrene (foam). Their advantage is ease of installation, relatively low price. Since it is not hygroscopic, it does not need additional films. This is the only suitable option for installation in a cottage, country or rural house. Indeed, in this case, the door serves as a barrier to low temperatures and wind, which is not observed in apartment buildings, where the door opens into the entrance.

Note. When choosing a heat-insulating material, give preference to foam plastic (expanded polystyrene). It is an order of magnitude denser than foam and will provide doors with much more effective insulation.

Soft insulation

This category includes glass wool and mineral (basalt) wool. Their difference is only in the feedstock; in terms of their thermal insulation characteristics, they do not differ much. Mineral wool is characterized by environmental friendliness, fire safety, the ability to vary the laying height without additional trimming.

Cotton wool is sold in rolls or sheets, which makes it possible to cut blanks of the required sizes from it and lay them in the cells formed by the stiffening ribs of the door itself. To ensure the desired height (insulation thickness), it is enough to simply press down the material (press the cotton wool), the thermal insulation properties will not be affected.

But cotton wool has a drawback that does not allow it to be recommended for installation in iron doors for private houses. Because different temperatures act on different sides of the door, and sometimes the difference is up to 40 ° C (-15 on the street and +25 in the house). This leads to a shift in the dew point inside the insulation, and the wool gets wet. You can neutralize the effect by installing a hydrobarrier film.

But, nevertheless, professionals do not recommend insulating an iron door with cotton wool in a private house. It can only become an acceptable option if the front door in the apartment is insulated, since in this case there is not such a big difference in temperatures (it is much warmer in the entrance than on the street).

Inflatable insulation

Represented by polyurethane foam. Spraying makes it possible to fill all the cracks, but it has a high price.

Thermal insulation of luxury metal doors is carried out using three types of material: polystyrene foam (main material), penofol (additional), polyurethane foam (filling the voids of stiffeners and boxes).

Note: a set of materials that can be found in stores is of little use for insulating an external metal door, because. as a heater they use dermantin, foam rubber or synthetic winterizer.

Additional materials for thermal insulation of the door

  • liquid nails, hardware, polyurethane foam - when insulated with a rigid insulation;
  • a film of a hydrobarrier, a vapor barrier, an adhesive tape - with soft;
  • sheet of fiberboard, plywood, OSB (for cladding, if the door leaf is non-separable);
  • decorative material for finishing: leatherette, MDF panels or plastic panels;
  • sealant (rubber, silicone).

From the tool you will need: tape measure, drill, jigsaw, screwdriver, pencil, clerical knife.

Note. When working with glass wool, you need to take care of the protection of the respiratory tract, hands and eyes (respirator, gloves, goggles).

Frame device inside the door (stiffening ribs)

After the door leaf is disassembled, it may turn out that there are no stiffeners in the door cavity, then they will need to be made.

To do this, use a metal profile or corner with dimensions corresponding to the thickness of the door. Its widespread use is due to the fact that the metal is easier to weld to the metal surface of the door.

However, many craftsmen agree that it is better to use a wooden beam, because. wood has a lower thermal conductivity. The difficulty when working with a bar is that it is difficult to fix it securely enough and at the same time not damage the front layer of the door leaf.

How to insulate a metal front door in a private house

The technology for insulating a steel door from the inside will be described in several stages, in the form of step-by-step instructions, so that even without experience in construction, you can do the work yourself.

  • the door leaf is removed from the hinges. Masters are able to perform work "on weight", but for a beginner this can be difficult;
  • all overhead elements are dismantled. These include: lock pads, handle, peephole;
  • the casing on one side is dismantled. If the door is collapsible, i.e. it can be opened without breaking one of the layers, then the dismantled plane of the door is set aside, and then installed in place. Otherwise, one of the sides of the door (usually the inner one) is cut off, and later replaced with a chipboard sheet and finishing material;

Note. If you are going to insulate a Chinese metal door, be prepared for the fact that it will not be possible to disassemble it. You just have to cut one of the front sides of the canvas and replace it in the future with an overlay from a chipboard sheet.

  • if there are stiffeners inside the door cavity, you can start laying the insulation. Otherwise, you need to take care of their arrangement;
  • formation of the inner crate. To do this, first make a frame to which the stiffeners are mounted. The metal profile is welded, and the timber is fastened with hardware, so that the integrity of the front cover of the door is not violated.

Advice. It is not recommended to make only longitudinal or transverse frame cells, it is advisable to use a combination of them. Especially when it comes to insulation with soft insulation, which tend to settle (fall down) during operation.

  • insulation is placed in the cells of the frame. When laying, you need to make sure that it completely fills the entire space of the cell, while matching it in height;
  • when insulating with foam, it is cut into blanks of the desired size, liquid nails are applied to the blank and glued to the surface of the door. If there are gaps, it is recommended to fill them with mounting foam;

How to insulate a metal door with foam - video

  • when insulating with wool, work begins with laying the film, which should occupy the entire inner surface of the door and go beyond it by 150-200 mm. Next, cotton wool is cut into blanks of 10-15 mm. larger than the dimensions of the cell (expanding slightly, cotton wool will easily fill them) and placed in the cells. Then the cotton wool is covered with the second layer of the film, and the folds from the bottom layer of the film are wrapped onto the top layer of the film and sealed with adhesive tape. Thus, cotton wool is obtained, as it were, in a case, which will become a reliable protection against moisture.

Note. If the wool is not protected, it will get wet and will conduct heat, in addition, it will come into contact with the inner surface of the door. And the constant exposure to moisture on the metal will lead to the fact that sooner or later it will rust. Moreover, the average door does not have internal corrosion protection.

  • the insulation is covered with penofol (if the door is facing the room) with a reflective layer into the room;
  • if the door leaf is disassembled without problems, then the second removable part is put in place, and the insulation of the metal door can be considered complete. But often, it is required to prepare a cover sheet, which will replace the canvas dismantled on one side of the door.
For these purposes, chipboard or plywood is used. To prepare the workpiece you need:
  • transfer to the sheet the dimensions of the door leaf, including the peephole and lock;
  • cut out the template;
  • screw the sheet to the door frame with self-tapping screws;
  • eliminate irregularities, protruding edges, and grind off a little the edge of the sheet.

Note. The fastening of the facing panel is carried out from the bottom up. Thus, it will align as it is screwed on.

  • the last is decorative upholstery or door trim and the installation of previously removed elements and fittings.

The result of all the work will be an insulated metal door that will reliably protect the premises from heat loss.

Now it can be hung back on the hinges and the operation of the handles and the lock can be checked.

But, it is worth noting that the insulation of a metal door only in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe door leaf is a small part of the possible work on thermal insulation of doors.

One of the sources of heat loss is the door frame. In most cases, it is hollow, which means it perfectly transmits heat.

Insulation of a metal door frame

The door frame is insulated by blowing mounting foam into the metal profile.

Make it simple. It is enough to drill holes in the frame profile (not through) at a distance of 400-450 mm. The diameter of the hole is equal to the diameter of the tube from the foam canister. After that, the cylinder tube is inserted into the profile and the foam fills the free space. The material was prepared for the site www.site

Note. In the same way, it is possible to insulate metal stiffeners in the door cavity immediately after the frame is installed.

Upholstery and insulation of an iron door - video

Additional insulation of the entrance metal door

In addition to the work performed, there are two more directions through which heat escapes outside (blowing from under the front iron door):

  1. through a loose fit of the door leaf to the frame. This problem can be eliminated by gluing a rubber seal around the perimeter of the door;
  2. through doorways. In this case, you will have to dismantle the slopes, inspect the safety of the foam that was used during. Restore foam if necessary. Then make a new insulated slope.

All work on the insulation of street or apartment metal doors can be done independently. But if you are afraid of making a mistake, it is better to order the services of a master. The cost of his work will be from 1,500 rubles. (not including the cost of the material). And the final price will be determined taking into account the type of door, the complexity of dismantling one side of the door leaf, the presence of stiffeners, the type of seal and the type of finishing material.

However, the costs of insulating external metal doors are always justified, since they entail a significant reduction in heat loss through the doorway and avoid the appearance of condensate on the door surface, which leads to the destruction of the door leaf.

The microclimate of a dwelling is a complex process, which is influenced by many factors. The smallest gaps in window and door openings can significantly reduce the air temperature in the room. A particularly important detail is the entrance metal door, which can let in the cold.

Many owners believe that installing a new front door will solve the problems with cold in an apartment or house, but for complete thermal insulation, you need to know how to insulate the front metal door with your own hands and completely stop the passage of cold air.

Material selection

  • Mineral wool - a fibrous base provides a high level of thermal insulation. It is negatively related to moisture, therefore, when using cotton wool, it is necessary to take additional care of the moisture isolation system.
  • . It has high thermal insulation performance. It does not lose properties upon contact with moisture, but actively reacts to high temperatures - it melts and emits acrid smoke.

Before you insulate a metal front door and get rid of drafts, you need to decide on the material. The solution lies in choosing between a moisture isolation device and the fear of fires.

Note!
Mineral wool compresses easily, polystyrene is difficult to compress - consider these properties when choosing a material thickness.

In modern hardware stores there is a wide choice of both foam plastic and mineral wool - wool thickness from 5 cm and above, foam plastic - from 1 cm and above.

door insulation

When deciding how to insulate a metal door frame - you can not do without a sealant

Before starting work, you need to understand that the door leaf is not the only place that can let in cold air. In addition to the door itself, you need to take care of the insulation of the slopes of the doorway, the places where the door fits on the opening and where the door leaf fits on the frame.

To insulate the doorway and frame, the following instructions apply:

  • Adjacency of the door frame to the opening - this gap is filled with mounting foam or cement-sand mortar with alibaster. It is necessary to check the site for the presence of cracks and cracks, if they are detected, fill in the defects with the filler used.
  • Slopes of the opening - are performed with plaster compositions or PVC, it is necessary to exclude open areas of the opening.

Advice!
At the stage of door installation, use a vapor barrier film, one edge is glued to the door frame, the other to the sloping wall - the use of the film to prevent drafts, even if the defects between the door and the opening have not been eliminated.

  • The fit of the canvas to the box is insulated with a conventional sealant. Either rubber or foam rubber on adhesive tape is used (the second option is more convenient). The sealant is attached at the junction of the canvas to the box around the perimeter.

After completing these steps, you can proceed to the door leaf. But before you finally insulate the metal doors, they need to be removed and disassembled.

The canvas is available in two types:

  • Detachable design - the doors consist of two parts - the front and the inside. There is a free space between them.
  • One-piece - the structure is not divided into two parts or consists of one continuous sheet.

Further insulation depends on the variant of the web device.

Detachable design

The classic design of such doors consists of three parts - two sheets of metal and a frame connecting them. The middle part acts as a base with stiffeners, the sheets are fastened with self-tapping screws.

In the process, you will need the following materials and tools:

  • Styrofoam or mineral wool boards - as the main insulation.
  • Liquid nails - for fastening materials.
  • Polyurethane foam - to fill the places left without insulation.
  • Soundproofing material is a thin film, which is often used when insulating a loggia or balcony. Time-tested brands - Guerlain and Liplett.

The laying of material in the web design is carried out as follows:

  • The door is removed from the hinges and placed in a horizontal position (if there is such a possibility, if the doors are not removable, go to the second point).
  • The screws securing the inner sheathing sheet are unscrewed, the sheet is removed.
  • Liquid nails are applied to the front sheet from the inside, and soundproofing material is glued. This material, in addition to sound insulation, also affects thermal insulation - it is especially recommended to use it when insulating doors in a private house or on the ground floor of an apartment building.
  • The main insulation is cut into the required dimensions using liquid nails, the entire space of the canvas is filled with material.
  • The joints between the insulation are filled with mounting foam, the excess is cut off.
  • The last layer is a vapor barrier tape (especially necessary when using mineral wool).

When all the steps are completed, the inner sheathing sheet is in place, fastened with self-tapping screws. The canvas is hung on loops, the integrity of all materials - insulation and seals - is checked.

One-piece construction

If the canvas is an all-metal sheet or an integral structure of a certain thickness, the insulation is carried out by sheathing the fabric with material. This completely changes the appearance of the door.

As in the first case, the canvas is removed from the hinges, placed in a horizontal position, the work is carried out according to the following technology:

  • A frame is superimposed on the metal sheet around the perimeter - wooden planks or metal profiles of round or square section.
  • The frame is fastened - the profiles are welded, the strips are screwed onto the screws.

Advice!
When using wooden planks, the screws must be sunk 1-2 mm, cover the caps with putty and paint over - otherwise rust may appear.

  • The inner lining is being prepared - a fiberboard sheet. It has an eye hole. The sheet is tightly attached to the canvas, holes are made for self-tapping screws - fiberboard and frame are drilled. The drill is used with a smaller diameter than the size of the screws used.
  • Soundproofing, the main insulation are laid in layers in the frame, the seams are filled, vapor barrier film. Each layer is glued with liquid nails.
  • A sheet of fiberboard is superimposed and its fastening is carried out.
  • Before the sheathing device, a thin layer of sealant can be laid on the frame or smeared with sealant. The ends of the door are painted to match the main canvas.

If the price of materials does not really play a role, you can put a layer of leatherette on a fiberboard sheet, thus decorating the front side of the door. The material can be glued to the fiberboard with glue or put a layer of foam rubber under it.

Output

Summing up the above, it can be noted that the insulation is carried out in two stages:

  • Working with a doorway - laying seals and vapor barrier films, slopes. When plastic windows are insulated, similar materials are used, so you can safely ask for window materials in hardware stores.
  • Work with the canvas - laying foam or polystyrene foam boards. Arrangement of frame and cladding for one-piece structures.

The accompanying video in this article and illustrations provide additional visual information on the topic of the article - pay attention.

Often, owners of apartments and private houses have a question, how to insulate an iron front door? The fact is that although a metal door is a reliable protection against uninvited guests, the material from which it is made is an excellent heat conductor. This, in turn, leads to the fact that the structure freezes in the cold season, frost forms on its inside. Let's see if it is possible to insulate an iron door with your own hands, and what is needed for this.

The process of high-quality insulation cannot be started without a properly selected insulation. Fortunately, in today's market you can easily find what you need. It should be said right away that you can use both hard and soft insulation, the choice depends solely on you.

According to consumer reviews, one of the most popular heaters is mineral wool. There are several reasons for this: it is inexpensive, easy to use due to its soft structure, absorbs noise well and has memory, that is, it is able to recover in size after compression. Cotton wool copes well with temperature changes, protecting the house from the cold. The disadvantages include the fact that the material is soft and may settle over time. However, this drawback is easily leveled by creating stiffeners in the door structure, which do not allow the mineral wool to "slide" over a long period.

One of the most popular heaters is mineral wool.

A big problem for mineral wool is exposure to moisture, or rather condensate, which forms when the dew point shifts inside the door leaf. Stone wool will help to qualitatively insulate the iron door from the inside. It is not affected by moisture, so it can be used even for thermal insulation of the entrance doors of private houses. Otherwise, mineral wool will fit only for apartment doors with a heated vestibule (corridor).

Styrofoam is another popular way to keep the heat in the room. The material has a very low weight, which eliminates the weighting of the door structure. It is durable and wear resistant. Polystyrene does not need additional waterproofing, since it is not hygroscopic. In addition, it perfectly copes with the suppression of noise from the outside and keeps heat well. When choosing among various options, it is worth giving preference to expanded polystyrene, for example, Penoplex. It is much denser than ordinary foam, so with a smaller thickness (and this is very important!) It has the same properties as a larger foam. In addition, it is not recommended to use a simple foam, since it is capable of releasing harmful substances when heated.

Corrugated cardboard is a heater for almost all doors supplied from China. What can be said about this heater? The material has poor thermal insulation properties, but is very cheap, which makes doors with such insulation accessible to the majority of the population.

A rather expensive, but very effective material used in the insulation of a metal door is polyurethane foam. It is applied using a special tool. Due to its "liquid" structure at the stage of application, it makes it possible to fill all the cavities without exception, forming a single sheet. The disadvantage of this material is its price, so it has not yet found sufficient distribution among our compatriots.

Also, isolon is not too cheap a heat-insulating material. But the big advantage is its minimum thickness. The material is sold in rolls, so you can easily purchase exactly the length that you need. Thanks to the adhesive side, it is simply attached to the canvas, and this can be done without even disassembling the entire door structure, although in this case you will have to make overlays on top to hide the insulation. To do this, you can use a sheet of plywood or other material.

It is also worth noting that materials such as, for example, foam rubber, chipboard and others can be used in the insulation of entrance doors. But, frankly, the quality of their thermal insulation is almost minimal, in addition, they are highly susceptible to moisture, due to which the weight of iron doors also increases. This negatively affects their service life.

At first glance, it may seem that the process itself is overly time-consuming and requires special knowledge. In fact, even an inexperienced master can cope with the work. Having decided on the insulation material, it is necessary to remove locks, handles and a peephole from the door leaf. After that, you need to dismantle the door leaf and place it on a flat horizontal surface. Of course, you can work without removing the door, but this is extremely inconvenient and not always rational.

Even an inexperienced master can cope with the insulation of a split door

First you need to remove the trim from the inside of the door. Depending on the model, this may be an armored sheet, or it may be a simple overlay made of plywood or other material. Most often, the sheathing is attached to the door with self-tapping screws or riveting. If the door has an old insulation inside, then it must be removed by thoroughly cleaning the entire structure. If there are stiffeners in the internal space, then holes must be drilled in them at intervals of 40–45 cm and through them the cavities must be filled with mounting foam for thermal insulation. The diameter of the holes must match the diameter of the cylinder tube.

At the next stage, if mineral wool or other soft insulation is chosen as thermal insulation, a hydro-barrier is equipped with polyethylene over the entire surface. For expanded polystyrene, this is not necessary, since it already has good waterproofing qualities. Then the distance between the stiffeners is measured and the thermal insulation is cut with a small allowance. This is done in order to minimize the possibility of voids between the door structure and the heat-insulating material.

You can work without removing the door, but this is extremely inconvenient and not always rational

The next step is to lay the insulation in the cavity. For better installation, it is recommended to mount on "liquid nails" or mounting foam. All places of contact must be additionally filled with mounting foam, and if necessary, lay a layer of waterproofing on top. When all these procedures are completed, you can proceed to attach the lining. If the old material has become unusable, then it needs to be replaced with a new one, but which one is up to you. After that, you can install the door peephole, insert the lock and hang the door on the hinges.

If you have a question about how to insulate an iron Chinese front door or any other that is non-separable, then in this case the technique will be somewhat different from the above. To begin with, the canvas is removed and the locks, handles and peephole are removed from it. After that, the door is laid horizontally and the frame and stiffeners are installed on the inside and outside of the leaf. To do this, take a wooden block with a section of 20 * 20 mm. Moreover, the thickness can be more - it all depends on the thickness of the insulation itself. If it is possible to weld a metal frame, then you can use this method.

To install the frame and stiffeners, you need to take a wooden block with a section of 20 * 20 mm

The frame is attached to the surface with self-tapping screws, and all joints with the canvas are coated with mounting foam to prevent air and moisture from entering. When installing a metal structure, you can use a welding machine. All steps for installing insulation will be similar to those described above. From above, the structure is covered with a sheet of fiberboard, hardboard or other material that is securely attached to the door leaf. At the final stage, it is necessary to make holes for the peephole and the door lock and install the door in place. If desired, the surface of the door leaf can be additionally finished with leather, leatherette, forged or plastic lining, etc.

Advice! When attaching the frame or sheathing, use clamps. They will help to securely fix the structure, excluding its displacement.

Insulation of metal doors is not only the thermal insulation of the leaf itself. To effectively retain heat, you need to pay attention to some important points.

For a better fit of the door leaf to the steel frame, rubber seals must be used.

For a better fit of the door leaf to the steel frame, it is necessary to use rubber seals, which will help improve the quality of the thermal insulation of the doors. They are sold by the required footage, so before installation, you need to measure the perimeter of the door. The seal has an adhesive edge, with which it is attached to the web. To do this, the iron surface is degreased and only after that the rubber band is glued. It is noteworthy that with a wide door frame, the seal can be attached in several layers.

Please note that the tape itself comes in various thicknesses and types. Depending on the size of the gap, you can choose the desired option. For large gaps, it is recommended to use a seal in the form of the Latin letters O and D. For gaps ranging in size from 3 to 5 mm, tapes resembling the letters V or P are suitable. And you can get rid of very small gaps using a C- or K-shaped seal.

The thermal insulation of the door frame gives a great effect in warming. Since its dismantling, insulation and subsequent installation is too complicated a process, you can use the above method, which is used to insulate stiffeners. To do this, you only need a drill for metal and mounting foam.

It is important to take into account that when a one-piece door is insulated, its thickness increases, therefore, it should be possible to manufacture an elongated key so that the door can be opened without problems. The same applies to the snap-on square on the handle.

In particularly harsh climatic conditions, it is expedient to install a heating cable in the doorway, which is used to equip a warm floor. To do this, plaster is knocked off the slopes, tile adhesive is placed in the formed cavities, inside which the cable is mounted. In addition, the heating cable is laid on the floor in front of the door. Such a system eliminates the formation of cold bridges, which, in turn, reduces the likelihood of condensation on the surface of the door leaf, and, therefore, icing.

Now you have an idea how to insulate a metal door and you can do all the work yourself. High-quality thermal insulation will help not only keep the heat in your home, but also save the door from premature failure, rust and ice formation. Do-it-yourself work will help you save money and fill your home with warmth and silence.

With complex insulation of a house or apartment, it is important to take into account all possible places of heat loss, since only in this case can truly effective thermal insulation be obtained.

As statistics show, about 25% of the total heat loss of a cottage, or a private house, falls on doors and windows.

1 Why insulate the front door?

The issue of thermal insulation of windows, due to the huge amount of information on the Internet, has already exhausted itself, while the thermal insulation of the door, which, in practice, is a fairly simple task that you can do yourself, requires some explanation.

As an entrance door, in most cases, both in apartments and in private houses, metal doors are used. Such structures, in comparison with wooden doors, have one key advantage - maximum strength characteristics.

By installing a high-quality metal door with, and a good lock, you can be sure that your home is reliably protected from intruders. However, metal structures also have certain disadvantages.

First of all, this is the high thermal conductivity of the metal itself, which, given the relatively small thickness that steel doors have, leads to very serious heat losses. There are frequent cases when in the corridor where the street door is located, the temperature is 3-4 degrees lower than in the rest of the house.

In addition, a metal street door, as a rule, has gaps between the door itself and the doorway, the thickness of which can reach up to 5 millimeters. Such gaps cause a constant draft, which should not be allowed, especially if small children live in the house.

Another weakness of metal doors is that they do not have normal sound insulation, and all the sounds coming from the entrance or from the street can be perfectly heard in the house.

Do-it-yourself high-quality insulation of entrance metal doors using basalt (and safe, by the way) can fully solve problems with both sound insulation and heat loss.

1.1 What is the best insulation to use?

Ordinary foam rubber has been and remains a widespread material for door insulation, however, it is unjustified to use this material for thermal insulation of the front door due to a number of reasons.

In general, this is the lack of the required technical characteristics that can ensure the fulfillment of all the requirements for high-quality thermal insulation - foam rubber does not act as additional sound insulation, and does not have a sufficiently low thermal conductivity. The only thing it is good for is use as a sealant to eliminate drafts.

Of the heaters on the market for do-it-yourself door insulation, fibrous heaters, like mineral wool, and panel materials - polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam are best suited.

We recommend that you insulate the front door with ordinary foam or, since this insulation has an optimal ratio of cost and thermal insulation characteristics. Styrofoam is a good sound insulation, it significantly reduces the sound entering the house through street doors.

Mineral wool, in comparison with polystyrene, has one significant drawback - it is vapor-permeable, and shrinks when soaked with moisture. While in the insulation of the door it is extremely important that the insulation retains its size and densely fills all the cavities inside the structure.

One of the key requirements for insulation, which will be located in the front door, is hydrophobicity. Since the door is a structure that is constantly in contact with warm air inside the cottage, and cold air outside, condensation will constantly form in it.

Insulation saturated with moisture gradually loses its thermal insulation characteristics, and ceases to be an effective sound insulation. Styrofoam, on the other hand, will not absorb condensate, since the material has a closed structure that does not allow steam or moisture to pass through.

If the budget does not limit the choice of thermal insulation material, then it makes sense to dwell on extruded polystyrene foam and. In fact, this material, both visually and in terms of technical characteristics, is similar to polystyrene foam, but it is an order of magnitude better in terms of thermal conductivity.

The thermal conductivity coefficient of foam plastic is about 0.04 W/mk, while for extruded polystyrene foam it is 0.029 W/mk. This suggests that with an equal thickness of the insulation, the efficiency of thermal insulation with polystyrene foam will be an order of magnitude higher.

1.2 Required tools and materials

To insulate street doors with your own hands, in addition to insulation, you will need the following tools and materials:

  • Panel of plywood, or laminated chipboard, is identical in size to the dimensions of the door that will be used as the inner lining;
  • Wooden blocks for arranging the internal frame holding the sheathing material;
  • Liquid penoizol, or non-expanding polyurethane foam;
  • Plaster or putty mixture;
  • Sealant in the form of a polymer tape;
  • Glue for polyfoam to metal surfaces;
  • Hacksaw for cutting bars;
  • Stationery knife for cutting insulation;
  • Screwdriver and wood screws;
  • spatula as for .

1.3 Insulate the door frame

As a rule, reinforcing pins fix the door frame in the wall, and the box itself is a frame welded from a metal corner. Such a design, even after sealing with mounting foam, often has gaps from which a draft draws.

Even if the sealing with mounting foam is done with high quality, the main drawback of this material affects - the loss of properties under the direct influence of sunlight, which the street doors of the cottage are constantly exposed to.

Do-it-yourself high-quality insulation of the door frame is performed according to the following algorithm:

  1. The opening between the box and the wall is cleared of the remnants of the mounting foam;
  2. The resulting gap is wetted with water and foamed with liquid penoizol;
  3. Upon solidification of penoizol, excess material is cut off flush with the wall;
  4. Within 3-5 centimeters from the door frame, the wall is covered with putty, which will perform a protective function. The places where penoizol is located are puttied with a fairly thick layer using.

Such insulation of entrance wooden doors is necessary to the same extent as for metal structures. Such thermal insulation guarantees the absence of drafts and acts as an additional sound insulation.

2 We insulate metal entrance doors

Do-it-yourself technology for thermal insulation of the front door provides for sheathing the inside of the door with slats, and the subsequent installation of a decorative panel on top of the insulation.

The first stage of work is the arrangement of the internal frame of the rails. The bars are installed along the inner perimeter of the door, including along the central stiffeners.

It is first necessary to drill holes in the load-bearing elements of the door for self-tapping screws with which the beam will be attached. The pitch of the holes should be 5-10 centimeters.

To fasten the rails, it is necessary to use self-tapping screws approximately 5 millimeters longer than the total thickness of the rails and the metal frame of the door.

After the holes are drilled, the door is measured, the bars are adjusted to size, and fixed around the perimeter of the structure.

We cut the foam panels so that the insulation fits snugly between the wooden frame. The smaller the gaps, the better thermal insulation and sound insulation the insulation will have.. All gaps between the wooden slats and the surface of the metal door are foamed.

Styrofoam is installed in the cells of the wooden frame, the insulation is fixed with glue. The joints of the foam and rails are sealed with mounting foam.

After the foam has hardened, cut off its excess, and sheathe the door with decorative material. For do-it-yourself front door cladding, chipboard, plywood, laminate, wooden slats, etc. are often used.

The front door trim is attached to the wooden frame with liquid nails, after which it is additionally fixed with nails or self-tapping screws.

A metal or plastic corner is installed along the perimeter of the wooden sheathing. Also, on top of the decorative panel, the sheathing of the entrance doors made of leather or leatherette is often attached - special kits are sold in construction stores that include all the materials necessary for upholstery.

2.1 Do-it-yourself insulation features for entrance doors (video)

The closer the cold, the more apartment owners worry about drafts and the temperature in their home. According to statistics, about 30 percent of heat energy is “lost” due to cracks and insufficient thermal insulation. Most problem areas- this windows and doors. It is not difficult to deal with the first ones: metal-plastic windows with double-glazed windows protect the apartment from drafts and frosts. But how can you prevent the ingress of cold from the front door? This issue is especially relevant for those people who have metal doors installed. Everyone knows that metal has excellent thermal conductivity. And this means that valuable heat disappears without a trace. And although an iron door protects your house from robbers and thieves much better than a wooden one, it cannot cope with frost. To improve insulation, you need to take care of front door insulation.

What is needed to strengthen the iron front door?

The main problem faced by the owners of apartments and houses is that this task seems to be very difficult. Actually create an extra layer on the finished door is quite simply. Even a person who does not often do this kind of thing will be able to cope with this work. In addition, no insulation is required. special tools and materials. Everything you need can be found in the nearest hardware store. If you do not know how to insulate an iron door, then prepare tools from this list.

  • drill,
  • pencil,
  • screwdriver,
  • electric jigsaw,
  • roulette.

And of course you will be required the following materials:

  • Fiberboard, MDF or chipboard (depending on personal preference),
  • sealant,
  • insulation (polystyrene foam, polystyrene or mineral wool),
  • self-tapping screws,
  • assembly foam,
  • liquid Nails.

How to insulate an iron door from the inside: instructions

Most easy way to create warm and cozy atmosphere at home and get rid of the cold forever - insulate the door from the inside. First you need a metal door take off the hinges. It will be much easier and more convenient to do this work if the door is in a horizontal position. The sheet of metal is always fixed with self-tapping screws. Carefully unscrew them and explore the interior. With a tape measure and a pencil remove all dimensions and write them down. This must be done in advance in order to prepare thermal insulation materials. Inside, you will notice shaped pipes that divide the space into small cells. It is this design that makes the door durable. But you can drill small holes in the pipes to fill them with foam. Pick up a drill, a thickness slightly greater than the thickness of the foam canister tube. Then carefully lay out the blanks of heat-insulating material, pre-cut to the desired shape. Make sure that access to the lock and peephole remains free.

Insulation is best attached to liquid Nails to ensure its immobility. But cracks, formed between different pieces of material, you need seal with mounting foam. Leave no gaps for maximum effect.

After finishing the rough work, you can start finishing. The lining of even expensive doors is very often not made from a solid sheet of fiberboard. We recommend that you replace the questionable material with a new and thick sheet of fiberboard (do not forget to fit it to the desired dimensions). It is attached with ordinary screws.

And only after that you can proceed to the final assembly. A metal sheet returns to its place and fixed with self-tapping screws. Then carefully inspect the resulting door. All possible cracks must be sealed.

How to insulate an iron front door with your own hands?

But it is not always possible to insulate the door from the inside. In this case, you need to take care of the conservation of heat energy another way. insulation attached not inside, but outside. How to do it? Indeed, in this part there are no recesses for laying insulating materials.

This method will take a little more time and effort. Need to start with manufacturing special door frames. Remove the door itself from its hinges and carefully measure its sides. The frame will require ordinary wooden slats. They should be even (curved and deformed will not work). It is desirable to use materials with a thickness of about 20 millimeters, and a width of no more than 30 millimeters.

The created wooden frame should go along the perimeter of the door itself. Increase strength designs will help cross rails. You can fix it with ordinary screws. Thus, you yourself create an internal cavity. It can fill foam or mineral wool. Insulation is best mounted on the same liquid Nails.

Everything gaps between pieces of foam (or other insulation) it is necessary blow with mounting foam. Try not to miss even small gaps. Leave the door until the foam is completely dry.

Now gotta get busy finishing, which will hide the insulating materials. If you want to learn how to insulate a metal door, then take a sheet of fiberboard or MDF and fit it to the size of the door. This layer must be fixed with special care. To do this, first try on the sheet to the door, and only then start screwing in the screws. We recommend making holes in the metal in advance so that the screws can be screwed in without much effort.

How to insulate an iron door in a private house?

The problem of a private house lies in the fact that between the door and the street there is not a single barrier. In apartment buildings, the front door separates the entrance from the cold and frost. The temperature in it is always a few degrees higher. And this means that heat and cold do not collide with two sides of the same sheet of metal. In a private house the iron door is often covered with frost. The thing is that a positive temperature is kept in the hallway, when a negative temperature prevails on the street. It will not be possible to get rid of this problem with the help of a heater. Best way save heat energy in such a situation - make a small "dressing room", for example, glaze the veranda.

How to insulate an iron front door: video

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