What insulation to choose the walls of a frame house. Instructions for insulating the walls of a frame house

September 6, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works (laying the foundation, erecting walls, constructing the roof, etc.). Internal construction works (laying of internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communication, high technologies, computer equipment, programming.

The day before yesterday I received an order for the insulation of a frame house. The client undertook the independent construction of this building, however, in the process of work, he decided to immediately adapt a country dwelling for year-round living. He did not know how to properly perform thermal insulation, so he turned to me.

I think that any novice builder may encounter a similar situation, so today I will tell you how and with what to heat-insulate the facade, floor and attic of a country cottage built using frame technology.

Choosing a place for installing thermal insulation

First, I will pay a little attention to where it is better to equip the heat-insulating layer - from the outside or from the inside. I prefer external insulation, however, in order not to be unfounded, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the table, which outlines the features of the two options mentioned. After studying it, you will be able to make an informed decision on your own.

outdoor	Internal
The external insulation scheme provides that the entire insulation pie will be placed on the outside of the dwelling, so the interior of the rooms does not suffer during construction work.	With internal insulation, it is necessary to dismantle the decorative finishes of the rooms, and after installing the insulation, perform a fine finish from scratch. This increases the time to complete the work and the estimated cost of construction.
With external insulation, the heat-insulating layer simultaneously protects the enclosing structures of the frame house from the effects of destructive external factors: temperature fluctuations, rain and ultraviolet radiation.	Internal insulation shifts the moisture condensation point inside the wall, as a result of which the building envelope is moistened, which significantly reduces its service life.
The wooden wall, which is in direct contact with the warm air in the room, accumulates thermal energy, and when the air temperature drops outside, it releases it, eliminating the need to use heating devices.	The insulation installed inside does not protect the enclosing structure from frost. The wall is subjected to numerous cycles of freezing and thawing, which lead to the destruction of its internal structure.

In my opinion, internal thermal insulation can be resorted to only when insulating a very old house: the insulation material installed from the inside will allow you to avoid dismantling the exterior finish, which is not always possible for objective reasons.

Yes, and one more thing. I have encountered situations several times when even proper internal insulation was not effective enough to maintain a comfortable microclimate in the house during severe winter colds. And I had to install an additional one - outside. So, whatever one may say, external insulation is more reliable.

Well, now let's figure out the better it is to perform thermal insulation of a frame house from the outside.

The choice of thermal insulation material

Given the specifics of a wooden house built using frame technology using sheet facing materials, it is necessary to select a heater taking into account the following requirements:

1. The heat insulator must be environmentally friendly. The insulating layer should not release chemical compounds dangerous to humans into the air, even if it is heated during operation.
2. The material must have fire-fighting properties - they will not ignite under the influence of fire and not contribute to the further spread of the flame. It is also desirable to select a heater that does not emit a large amount of smoke during a fire, making it difficult for people to evacuate.
3. It is better to choose a heater with the lowest coefficient of thermal conductivity, so as not to use a large layer for insulation. The optimal thickness is no more than 100-150 cm (this is the average section of the beam, usually used to construct the frame).
4. Strength and ability to maintain geometric dimensions. The material installed in the gaps of the frame must fill it completely, without shrinking over time.
5. Ease of installation. To simplify the process of building a frame house, you need to buy a heater that is easily installed inside the frame walls without the use of complex engineering equipment.

Another factor is the price. Considering the total estimated cost of building a cottage using frame technology, it is necessary to select a heater that will not significantly increase construction costs. However, I would not put the price at the forefront, preferring thermal insulation with optimal technical characteristics and performance properties.

In my opinion, the closest to the requirements listed above is basalt insulation - mats based on fibers from minerals of volcanic origin.

This material has many advantages, which I will reflect in the table below:

Characteristic	Description
Low thermal conductivity	The coefficient of thermal conductivity λ of basalt wool is about 0.036 W / (m * K) depending on the density of the material. Thermal engineering calculations show that for central Russia, an energy-efficient house can be built with a layer of wool 10 cm thick.
Incombustibility	Basalt fiber melts at temperatures above 1000 degrees Celsius, so the material not only does not ignite itself, but also serves as a reliable barrier to the spread of fire.
Hygroscopicity	Mineral wool fibers do not absorb water, and the formaldehyde resins used to glue the mats have hydrophobic properties, helping to remove moisture to the outside.
light weight	After installation, the insulation practically does not exert additional load on the building envelope, which is important for a fragile frame house.
Easy to install	Dense mineral mats of suitable size are simply inserted into the gaps between the frame beams, without the need for additional battens, fittings and the use of "wet" building processes.

In my opinion, the listed properties are quite enough to persuade you to choose mineral wool. I use TechnoNICOL or Rockwool products for work.

And if you are wondering what is the best way to insulate from the inside, refer to the corresponding article on this blog, which describes in detail the technology you need. Although I can say in advance that mineral wool is so versatile that it can be used to insulate both the house outside and inside.

Tools and materials

In addition to mineral wool (and we decided that it would be basalt fiber), you will need a lot of different materials:

• OSB boards for interior and exterior cladding of the supporting frame of the walls of the dwelling;
• wooden bars 30 by 50 mm for arranging a counter-lattice and a ventilation gap between the insulation layer and the decorative finish;
• hydro- and windproof membrane - a special polymer vapor-permeable film (Juta or Strotex), which prevents the insulation from getting wet and being destroyed by air flow, but does not prevent the removal of accumulated moisture from the heat-insulating layer;
• internal vapor barrier film - in the described case, I will use foil insulation based on foamed polyethylene (for example, penofol) to increase the efficiency of heating devices;
• block house, with the help of which external decorative finishing of frame walls will be performed;
• eurolining, with which I will sheathe the surfaces of the walls from the inside.

I will not dwell on what tools to use. You will understand in the process of further presentation.

Warming process

Now I’m telling you how to insulate a frame house for winter living. The thermal insulation technology of such a structure consists of several steps, which are presented in the diagram:

Step-by-step instructions for warming a frame house with your own hands are presented below. I must say right away that in my case the frame of the dwelling has already been erected, but the interior lining has not been installed. Therefore, the described insulation technology itself has some nuances.

Step 1 - Preparing the Frame

First of all, it is necessary to prepare the frame of the dwelling for installation inside the heat-insulating material. I do it in this order:

1. I clean wooden parts from dust, debris and dirt. In the future, the frame will be completely hidden by facing materials, so pollution can adversely affect the integrity of the structure, the efficiency and duration of operation of the insulation layer. You can clean the wood with a regular brush or vacuum cleaner.

1. I repair damaged parts of the frame. In my case, there were no defective areas, since I was insulating a new house during the construction process. But if you find areas of timber damaged by rot, you need to replace the part before installing the heat-insulating material.

1. I install engineering communications. If a hidden laying of engineering systems is supposed, then it is better to do this before the walls are sewn with decorative material. There are a few features I would like to mention:

• All electrical must be installed in flexible or rigid plastic or metal cable ducts that protect the insulation layer and the building itself from fire in the event of a short circuit.
• When installing water pipes inside the wall, there should be no detachable connections, which over time can loosen and leak.

1. I perform antiseptic treatment of the frame. To do this, it is better to use a universal composition (for example, Guardian), which prevents the formation of mold and fungus on the supporting frame of the dwelling and gives the tree fire-fighting properties. It is necessary to process wood with two layers of impregnation with intermediate drying.

Step 2 - Interior lining

For the inner cladding, I will use OSB boards and vapor barrier material with a heat-reflecting layer of brushed aluminum foil. The work is done in the following sequence:

1. I sheathe the frame of the house from the inside with OSB sheets. They will serve as a support for leveling the insulating material. A vapor barrier inner layer will be attached to the same surface:
   • Glued fiber sheets must be cut into pieces of the required size according to pre-made drawings.
   • Parts must be made in such sizes that after installation they do not reach the surface of the ceiling, floor and corners. A gap of 2-3 cm thick is needed, through which moisture condensed there will be removed from the surface of the heat-reflecting layer.
   • Sheets are fastened with self-tapping screws to the supporting elements of the frame. The step between adjacent self-tapping screws should not exceed 20 cm.
   • The cladding seams should go in a checkerboard pattern with an offset relative to each other. Their thickness is 2-3 mm, which allow avoiding warping of the surface when changing the size of the base.

1. Installing vapor barrier material. As I said, penofol will play its role - foamed polyethylene (it will become an additional insulation) with glued foil (it reflects infrared rays, increasing heating efficiency):
   • The material should be placed on the OSB sheets with the reflective layer outward, and then fixed to the panels using a construction stapler or wide-head nails.
   • Penofol rolls must be mounted so that each subsequent layer overlaps the previous one at a distance of 10 cm.
   • To seal the seams, a double-sided adhesive tape is placed inside the overlap, which glues adjacent sheets of heat-reflecting material, preventing water vapor from penetrating into the thickness of the enclosing structures and the insulation layer.

1. I install counters. They are necessary for arranging the ventilation gap between the foil and the finish lining. You can orient the parts vertically or horizontally, depending on how you will fix the decorative material (in my case, lining). The slats are fixed to the OSB boards with self-tapping screws directly through the foil foam.

1. I fix the lining on the counter rails. I already once described the technology of wall cladding with clapboard, so I won’t dwell on it in detail. I can only say that it is better to install lamellas on kleimers, thanks to which the change in the size of the eurolining during operation is compensated.

Step 3 - Laying insulation

TechnoNikol Technolight Extra boards are best suited as thermal insulation. On the one hand, they are strong enough to fit tightly between the supporting elements of the frame and stay there without additional fastening. On the other hand, they have a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, therefore, two layers of 5 cm mineral mats are sufficient for insulation.

Another plus is that I advised the client in advance to make the frame of the house with a distance between the supports of 60 cm. This is just the width of the insulation plate. Therefore, pruning is practically not necessary. Thanks to this, expensive material is consumed with maximum efficiency.

1. Installing the first layer of insulation. As I said, the width of the plates exactly corresponds to the distance between the frame bars, so you just need to bend them in the middle and insert them inside the wall. Having straightened, the mineral mat will firmly take its place. Let me draw your attention to a few things:

• It is impossible to fix the mineral mat on the inner OSB board. Otherwise, a self-tapping screw can damage the foam layer, which is laid on the surface on the reverse side.
• Trimming the plates, if necessary, is done with a sharp clerical knife or a saw with fine teeth.
• After installation of all plates, it is necessary to additionally seal the seams between the plates with polyurethane adhesive from a cylinder. It will glue the fibers of adjacent mats, eliminating the formation of cold bridges.

1. Installing the second layer of insulation. It is placed on top of the first one so that the lower and upper seams run up. The rest of the rules are the same as in point 1. Don't forget to fill the joints between the boards with polyurethane foam. Excess of it, after the final solidification, will need to be cut off with a sharp one.

1. I install insulation in structural elements of complex shape. Be sure to insulate all sections of the walls. Of particular difficulty are usually slopes, which serve to strengthen the structure. In this case, you need to cut the mineral mat according to the shape of the recess so that it fits as tightly as possible.

As you can see, the installation of the insulation itself is a simple operation, but it takes a lot of time. However, the process of thermal insulation is not yet over. Outside, the thermal insulation must be reliably protected.

Step 4 - Installation of hydro and wind protection

To protect the insulation from external influences, a special polymer vapor-permeable membrane of increased strength is usually used. Its installation has some features that I want to describe.

The gist is the following:

1. A film is laid on the insulation layer. The material is fixed with staples and a construction stapler to the frame beams. You can use carnations with wide hats:
   • Work should start from the bottom of the wall, gradually moving up.
   • Film sheets must be placed horizontally.
   • Each next canvas should overlap the previous one at a distance of 10 cm.

1. I seal the joints between the individual canvases. For this, adhesive tape is used, which is glued to the joints of the film. At the end of the work, a completely sealed canvas should be obtained, which protects the mineral wool from water penetrating through the outer lining and drafts blowing in the ventilation gap (more on that below).
2. I stuff the slats of the counter-lattice on the polymer membrane. Here, the ventilation gap is simply mandatory, since moisture condensed on the surface of the insulation will be removed through it. The slats are installed horizontally or vertically and are fixed to the frame with self-tapping screws.

1. I fix OSB-plates on the rails. I already described the technology for their installation when I talked about the inner lining of a frame house. Therefore, I will not dwell on this stage in detail.

Step 5 - Finishing

The technology of decorative finishing of the facades of the house depends on the chosen material. In my case, this will be a block house, the individual parts of which must be fixed on OSB boards using self-tapping screws.

If you are going to use, for example, vinyl siding, you can not use OSB boards at all, but mount the lamellas on a profile mounted on a counter-lattice.

Step 6 - Attic floor

To make it comfortable to be in a frame house in winter, it is not enough to insulate the walls, because most of the heat loss occurs through the attic floor. Therefore, I will briefly describe how to thermally insulate this surface:

1. Hem the ceiling from below with OSB boards. You already know the scheme, as I described it above. The filing will not experience a large load, therefore it is enough to fix the parts with self-tapping screws with small tolerances at the seams to compensate for the increase in the size of the substrate.
2. Fix penofol. I also described the rules for installing heat-reflecting material when I talked about wall insulation technology.
3. Screw the battens. By the way, they are necessary if you use a vapor barrier with a heat-reflecting layer. It can be replaced with a conventional vapor-permeable membrane. Then the decorative material can be fixed directly on the film, but the total thermal resistance of the walls (R) will decrease, since the walls will not reflect, but absorb infrared rays.
4. Decorate the surface of the ceiling with clapboard. It is mounted on clamps or screws.
5. Install insulation from the attic. Mineral wool is inserted into the gaps between the beams of the attic floor, after which it is covered with a waterproofing film and sewn up with sheet material (in my case, OSB boards).

Step 7 - Floors

The last stage of work is the insulation of the floor with your own hands. The technology practically does not differ from the ceiling thermal insulation scheme, with the exception of a few small nuances:

• the vapor barrier film is placed from the side of the living quarters, and the waterproofing is at the bottom;
• a tongue-and-groove board is used as a floor covering, which is placed on a counter-lattice;
• if it is not possible to hem the beams from below, the subfloor boards can be placed on the cranial beams, which are screwed to the side surfaces of the beams.

If you have any questions, you can read a separate material on thermal insulation of floors.

Summary

The technology described above tells about the thermal insulation of a wooden dwelling from the outside. About how to insulate a frame house from the inside, from the video that I bring to your attention.

If you are interested in even more information about the construction and insulation of a frame house, ask your questions and express your own opinion in the comments to the material.

September 6, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thanks!

A frame house is a practical, durable and very budget construction option. It has many advantages, especially in the field of ease of construction and installation.

Insulation remains unchanged for a frame house, despite the basic heaters laid in the niches, it is necessary to additionally ensure the preservation of heat.

The material of the frame house is wood or metal, more often they complement each other. Therefore, additional insulation is used either from the outside or from the inside.

Wall insulation in a frame house has long ceased to be a luxury, now it is rather a necessity. Since lately frame structures are becoming more widespread in the cold regions of the country, it is worth thinking about the warmth and comfort in the house.

Each insulation option deserves its right to exist, as in some situations it shows better results. The advantages and disadvantages of each method should be analyzed point by point.

has a higher heat retention coefficient thus reducing energy costs.

This is due to the fact that there is no need to warm up the walls, most of the air is retained directly in the room. The situation is twofold, since walls can also collapse due to a shift in the dew point.. So the moisture from the cold air will be transformed into drops almost in the room itself.

Comparison of insulation methods

Also, the internal insulation option is easier to install; you can get to the wall using a simple stepladder.

In contrast to this advantage, there is a nuance - this is a decrease in the variety of wall decor, that is, the insulation is less durable and the fastening of some structures can be difficult. It is logical that the construction of an additional layer on the walls leads to an overall decrease in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe house.

Using the method of internal wall insulation, be sure to pay attention to the environmental friendliness of the material.

- this is a more standard and safer way to keep warm. This type of insulation has the following advantages:

1. The walls are protected from destruction and are less affected by weather phenomena;
2. Does not take up space in the room;
3. Less requirements for the environmental component of the insulation;

List the main types of insulation and their brief description

Insulators are divided according to their properties and method of application, but today the variety of materials is so large that it is very difficult to describe all the options, so only the most popular methods will be affected.

thermal insulation comparison

stone wool

Stone wool is a material that is used everywhere, he is preferred by many developers. The popularity of cotton wool is based on easy installation, since special skills are not required and you can get by with improvised tools.

NOTE!

It is used in frame houses that are built with their own hands, that is, not of a factory design. Thermal insulation fills the openings between the beams of the frames.

Due to its distribution, cotton wool can be found in almost every major hardware store, while transportation is possible even in your own car. The main requirement for the installation of wool is its installation density - there should be no gaps.

stone wool

Styrofoam

- this is a cheaper and moisture-resistant insulation, but at the same time quite fragile. Installation of foam plastic is somewhat more difficult and requires some experience in this area. Since the material does not absorb moisture, there is no need for moisture / vapor barrier membranes, which reduces the cost of the project.

The performance characteristics of polystyrene are somewhat repulsive to many people, which is why serious disputes flare up around the material. As negative points, they note that the material is not at all environmentally friendly and people complain about the deterioration of well-being after warming.

Styrofoam

Mineral wool

It is often used in construction due to its high thermal / sound insulating properties, and mineral substances are increasingly gaining popularity in private construction.

Cotton wool has the appearance of fibers, which are several times smaller than a hair, and all this is in a compressed form. The length of the fiber is 10-15cm.

Due to the presence of a huge number of air cavities in the material, heat is perfectly retained, and with it sound. Installation of wool is as simple as possible due to the flexibility and elasticity of the blocks, while there is no tendency to deformation. There is no risk of fire.

Mineral wool

There are many other types of heaters, such as:

Frame wall insulation pie - what elements does it consist of

There are several basic options for building a frame house, the first is a factory one, when ready-made blocks are initially bought, it is called frame-panel. Another method is to arrange and assemble the panels on site, essentially by hand.

Both options should include several important layers, each of which has its own specific function. In fact, there are only 5 main layers:

1. So the first, of course, is the facade cladding, this also includes the external insulation, so the function is an attractive design and protection from temperature changes;
2. Further windproof membrane protects the house from drafts, removes moisture and thereby retains heat;
3. The frame itself, it always contains some kind of insulation;
4. A layer of vapor barrier protects the insulation from the penetration of water vapor, which in turn ensures the durability of the building;
5. Inner lining. There are no special standards here, you can use internal insulation, a variety of decor and everything that seems appropriate to the owner.

warming pie

Layers of vapor barrier and wind protection must be fastened with crates. It is a mesh, usually made of wooden bars, which fixes the necessary films and internal insulation, preventing the structure from deforming.

Sealing gaps and preparing the crate

The crate is vital in the insulation of a frame house. Cause in that it is simply impossible to attach to mineral wool or any other filler, since they are not able to withstand loads.

Further work implies the presence of a crate, the material can serve as an ordinary bar or a profile.

The crate itself additionally serves to seal the inner layer of insulation and its additional ventilation.

• Before preparing the crate all gaps must be sealed, which can be formed due to a loose fit of the insulation.
• It is necessary to fill the niches in the frame so that a slight pressure of the insulation on the supports is formed.. This is done so that in the event of drying out of the beams, gaps do not form due to the filler, otherwise large heat losses are guaranteed.
• Various gaps that cannot be closed with the material simply blown with foam.
• The crate itself is performed as simply as possible. For the installation of the crate, a board measuring 20x90mm is used. The crate is attached to wooden planks that secure the insulation. You can fill the timber in absolutely any direction, it depends on the decor you choose.

Frame installation

Lathing installation

Proper insulation of the walls of a frame house with mineral wool - in detail and step by step

It is worth noting that mineral wool is a very good material for insulation, but it still has several negative parameters, such as the release of harmful substances, which restricts indoor use.

It is also noted that the material is afraid of moisture and water vapor.

If the mineral wool is saturated with at least a few percent, then the insulation loses half of its heat-insulating properties.

Now you should highlight a few basic steps for insulating walls with your own hands when using mineral wool:

1. First, it is necessary to sheathe the structure from the inside with a vapor barrier material;
2. Then sew the inside of the frame, often this is done with OSB.. Thus, niches are created for further sealing;
3. Usually niches are made to the size of mineral wool, but if necessary, you will have to cut the sheet with a simple knife. It is worth considering that it should be cut 5 mm more on each side than was measured, this creates additional protection against possible gaps;
4. Selecting the number of mineral wool sheets. Each is 5 cm thick, calculation should be done based on the terrain, in normal cases 2 sheets are sufficient. Sometimes niches are made in several layers that intersect;
5. Now the frame is sheathed on the outside with wind protection;
6. There is a crate on top of the insulation.

Installation of mineral wool

Insulation laying

Insulation of frame walls with polystyrene foam - in detail and step by step

Despite the fact that mineral wool is a good material for insulation, it is worth analyzing the internal ways to keep warm. Here, the choice of material should be taken seriously, since one of the most important criteria, in addition to thermal conductivity, is the environmental friendliness of the product.

The best material for internal insulation, and in all respects, is. It has low thermal conductivity, is lightweight, does not allow vapor to pass through and is thin, but alas, it costs a little more than other materials.

Installation of polystyrene foam is quite simple:

1. A layer of wind protection is laid;
2. Rails are attached, can be installed in a horizontal or vertical position;
3. The inside is filled with extruded polystyrene foam;
4. Usually there is also a vapor barrier, but with this material it is not necessary, so this is followed by a crate and drywall or any other finishing material.

Styrofoam laying

A few words about waterproofing and vapor barrier

Vapor barrier is a certain film that does not allow moisture to accumulate in the layer with insulation. Thus, the penetration of any steam from the side of the room into the various layers of insulation and back is blocked. Often used in conjunction with waterproofing.

vapor barrier

Waterproofing helps to minimize the phenomenon of dew point. Blocks the ingress of moisture into the insulation, usually used outside the wall.

Waterproofing

Useful video

Insulation of frame walls using special technology:

Conclusion

Warming brings comfort and coziness to the house, blocks the occurrence of harmful, destructive phenomena in the structure and at the same time retains heat.

It is not for nothing that frame houses are often called thermoses, because with proper construction, the building is able to retain heat even in the cold season for several days. Also, do not forget about ventilation, since air circulation in the room is minimal.

In contact with

Frame houses have become an excellent innovation in our country - an inexpensive and quick way to build individual construction.

But, despite the large number of advantages, these buildings have one important drawback, these buildings need additional thermal insulation, since the climatic conditions in Russia are very severe.

Consider which insulation is best for a frame house? How to properly perform thermal insulation work, and which insulation is better to use.

There are many materials for thermal insulation of houses made according to Finnish technology. Each has its drawbacks and positive aspects, therefore, in order to understand how to choose a heater for a frame house and apply the best option for thermal insulation, it is worth analyzing in detail the most popular heat insulators on the construction market.

Mineral wool for warming the frame structure

How to properly insulate a frame house with mineral wool? This material is often used not only by construction companies, but also by private developers.

This is understandable - the insulation has excellent sound absorption and perfectly retains heat. Mineral wool is an eco-friendly, fire-resistant material. A layer of insulator of 5 cm is able to retain heat as well as brickwork half a meter thick.

The main nuance in the installation of basalt insulation is the arrangement of a vapor barrier to protect the material from moisture. The fact is that when wet, mineral wool loses its thermal insulation properties.

If you decide to use this insulation for insulation, then do not spare money for the purchase of vapor barrier material and special membranes.

How to make mineral wool insulation

The walls of the frame house are insulated along the crate, the cells of which should be in increments of 60 cm - this is important, since stone wool is produced in a roll of this size. The insulator must be cut so that the cotton wool enters between the bars with force and does not sag.

The thickness of the material is chosen based on the weather conditions in the region. If the climate is harsh, then it is better to use layers 20 cm thick, in a mild climate 5-10 cm is enough.

With multi-layer insulation, cold bridges may appear, in order to exclude them, 5 cm slabs are laid in two layers, in cells. It should be understood that the guide bars should be with a section of 10x10. The second two layers of material are laid on top of the frame bars.

Insulation of a frame house with mineral wool implies mandatory vapor barrier, but since the outer wall of the building is already equipped with this material, it can not be used before installing the insulation.

After laying the insulator, care must be taken to protect the mineral wool from condensation fumes. The vapor barrier material is sold in rolls, and it will not work to lay it with one sheet, so we buy construction tape to glue the joints.

Floor insulation in a frame house is made with the same basalt wool. Only in this case, the insulator layer must be at least 20 cm. The work is carried out as with the insulation of frame walls.

Ecowool insulation

An environmentally friendly and affordable insulation for frame houses, in the production of which waste from the production of cellulose products is used: paper, cardboard. Ecowool consists of 80% fiber and 10% antiseptic, which protects against the development of fungal formations and microorganisms. In order for the insulation to be less flammable, 10% of special additives were introduced into its composition.

Ecowool - disadvantages

Private developers very rarely use this material to insulate their buildings. Ecowool has a number of features that some builders consider as disadvantages:

Strictly observe the norms for filling surfaces with insulation, which are recommended by the manufacturer, otherwise areas without insulation may form during the shrinkage process.

Positive characteristics of ecowool

Many may think that such a process as insulating a frame house for winter living using ecowool is impractical, this material has a lot of disadvantages.

But with strict observance of the technological processes of application, the positive characteristics of the material are significantly enhanced:

• A small consumption of material makes it cost-effective.
• Ecowool has good noise-absorbing properties.
• The best insulation is made from natural raw materials, which determines its environmental friendliness and safety for people living in the house.
• The composition receives resistance to burning due to additives, and it is worth studying the composition of the product before purchasing. If components such as boric acid and ammonium sulfate are introduced into the composition, then it is better to refuse to use it. These components give ecowool an unpleasant and persistent smell, while the fire resistance of the material practically does not decrease. You should buy only the product in the composition of which borax is present.
• The material is laid without seams, which is a huge plus, since there are no cold bridges, and the insulation of a wooden house is of high quality and reliable.

But the decisive factor, which speaks of the importance of using cross-insulation of a frame house from the inside with this material, is the inexpensive cost in a duet with positive characteristics.

Insulation of a frame house with ecowool - a technological process

As already known, there are two ways to insulate a frame house - “wet” and “dry”. You can simply spray the material on the walls by diluting it with water or glue, then you get a great result. But most private developers follow a simpler path and use the “dry” method of insulation, which we will consider.

So, we insulate the frame house with our own hands, with ecowool according to the following algorithm:

• first of all, we will undertake to insulate the floor in the house, for this a pressed briquette of material weighing 15 kg, you need to loosen it well, you can use an ordinary drill with a special nozzle for this. After these actions, the volume of material will become three times larger;
• thermal insulation of the floor of a frame house is quite simple - the material is poured onto the rough coating between the beams with a slight excess, which will be taken by the weight of the board for the final coating;
• Let's get to the walls. Before the start of insulation, a frame is constructed from bars of the desired section. A vapor barrier is fixed to the racks, an indispensable element when insulating with ecowool. The frame is sheathed with OSB sheets in such a way that there is a gap on top for filling the insulation. The material will be compacted under its own weight, as it falls asleep, and it should be well compacted from above.

Work on the thermal insulation of a frame house with ecowool should be stocked with protective equipment: gloves, goggles and a respirator. You can significantly optimize the process by renting equipment that loosens the material and blows it in finished form.

Linen-based insulation

Flax has excellent heat-retaining parameters, this is achieved due to the optimal combination of density and porosity of the material.

Linen insulation is produced in several configurations:

• plates can insulate the frame house from the inside;
• linen strips of a structure made of glued laminated timber;
• tow canopy walls made of logs.

Due to its high density, this insulator is used for insulation of roofs, floors, partitions and attic floors, in which recreation areas are equipped.

A flax fiber heat insulator can be considered the most preferable for warming a house from the inside - it is environmentally friendly, has been serving for more than 70 years, does not rot, and mold does not form on it. Unlike ecowool, it does not shrink.

Expanded polystyrene or polystyrene - which is more practical

The choice of insulation for a frame house is not an easy task, you need to take into account many nuances. As for heat insulators such as expanded polystyrene and polystyrene, both materials are successfully used to insulate a house from the inside and outside.

Styrofoam, of course, is inferior to its counterpart in some positive properties, but it is so cheap that many private developers prefer to use this material for home insulation.

Among the minuses are noted:

• low level of sound insulation;
• when burned, toxins are released;
• the material is susceptible to attacks by rodents.

Thermal insulation of the facade with foam plastic

• Insulation of a frame house from the outside begins with surface preparation, which needs to be leveled, cracks repaired, primed with deep penetration impregnation.
• After the facade has dried, direct hangers must be mounted on it, which will not allow the plates to move off the surface, they will be securely fixed.
• Five points of glue are applied to the foam, the edges are smeared around the perimeter.
• The plate with glue is pressed tightly to the surface, acting from corner to corner.
• The second row of foam boards is laid in a checkerboard pattern.

The composition of the adhesive is prepared in such a way that it can be worked out in an hour.

The inconsistency of the material is adjusted with a heated knife, when gaps form, they are closed with the following compositions:

• crushed foam is added to the glue;
• pour penoizol;
• apply mounting foam.

For structural strength, the heat insulator should be attached to the surface with plastic dowels, 5 pcs each. on the stove. After that, you can apply any facing material.

Thermal insulation of the frame structure from the inside

The scheme for warming a frame house from the side of the room is similar to the previous version. The difference is only in the soil used - you need a composition for internal work with antiseptic properties.

When using an insulating insulator on the inside, a simple tile adhesive, coupled with dowels, is used as an adhesive.

Installed foam boards are overlapped with a reinforcing mesh if it is supposed to putty the surface, but drywall is often used for wall cladding. This method of thermal insulation is much easier than insulating a frame house with ecowool.

Penoplex

Do not know what is the best way to insulate a frame house? Buy penoplex - an analogue of foam plastic, only with a denser structure, which is why it costs a little more. It is also worth noting that this material is much more demanding during installation - you need to protect it from moisture and sunlight.

In custody

We built a frame house - insulation can be done both independently and with the help of a team of specialists. Is the building located in a harsh climate? Apply cross-insulation, and how to choose an insulator, and how to properly insulate a frame house, we described in detail above.

Even before the start of construction, it is very important to choose a high-quality insulation for a frame house. After all, low-quality material eliminates all the advantages of an economical design and will not keep the temperature in the building. It is difficult to choose the best among the variety of market offers. Explore all available options and compare their advantages and disadvantages.

How to choose a heater

Even a professional builder will not be able to immediately say which insulation is best for a frame house. The material must correspond to the climatic zone and type of house, to match the thickness and wall cladding. One prefer to sheathe the house with foam, others - with mineral wool or other materials. It is not worth saving on insulation, because without it a wooden house will be cold.

Foam insulation

Styrofoam is a very popular insulation. Insulating a frame house with polystyrene foam has many advantages:

• rather low cost of the material;
• environmental Safety;
• minimum weight;
• simple installation;
• the ability to withstand the effects of moisture without a protective coating;
• no need for additional insulation.

But polystyrene also has its drawbacks, which make many refuse it, despite the cheapness of this material. It is prone to fire, has minimal sound insulation and is very fragile.

When choosing foam, consider density. If you need to sheathe a frame structure with an area of ​​\u200b\u200b6 square meters. meters, you need to purchase 3 cubic meters. m of foam plastic 100 mm thick.

Warming with mineral wool

Another popular insulation for a frame house is mineral wool. Demand for it is growing, as it is a very convenient material, presented in the form of pressed rectangular slabs. Plates are not only easy to install, but also easy to cut. To get a piece of the desired shape and size, just use a knife or saw.

For the production of mineral wool, blast-furnace slags or basalt are used, which are thermally processed and pressed. Due to the fibrous structure, the insulation retains air, which creates a barrier for cold air and does not allow it into the room.

The following material advantages are distinguished:

• fire resistance;
• high sound insulation;
• durability of operation;
• excellent thermal insulation;
• the ability to withstand almost any deformation.

Some do not buy mineral wool because it is not environmentally friendly and somewhat toxic. The material contains small harmful particles that can penetrate the respiratory tract and cause illness. Therefore, it is necessary to work with a heater carefully. And in order to prevent mineral wool from adversely affecting the health of the residents of the house in the future, it is recommended to sheathe it from the inside with a vapor barrier film.

If moisture enters this insulation, it will begin to collapse. This will lead to loss of thermal insulation properties and even to the beginning of decay. To avoid this, it is necessary to make not only the thermal insulation of the walls in the frame house, but also install a special waterproofing layer on the outside. It will make it impossible for moisture to enter the heat-insulating layer from the outside.

Walls with mineral wool are insulated as follows:

1. From the inside, between the insulation and a layer of vapor barrier is installed to ensure air circulation with wood and make it impossible for condensation to accumulate.
2. The mineral wool itself is placed between the racks of the frame. When cutting insulation boards, it is better to make a small margin.
3. In order for the insulation to be of high quality, the heat-insulating material is installed as tightly as possible.

Similarly, the frame wooden house is insulated from the outside. But instead of a vapor barrier layer, a special waterproofing membrane is pulled over the mineral wool.

Using mineral wool, you need to be puzzled by the question of what density the insulation should be for the walls of a frame house. Usually it is enough to use 25-30 kg. per sq. m. It is important that the material keeps its shape, does not shrink under its own weight, so that there are no gaps in the thermal insulation in the wall. If possible, it is better to play it safe and use material with a density of up to 50 kg. per sq. m.

So, if you install the thermal insulation layer with mineral wool correctly, this insulation will be one of the best and most profitable options for a frame house.

Use of glass wool

This is another fibrous material that tops the list of basic insulation for a frame house. Glass wool is obtained during the remelting of waste glass, soda, sand, dolomites and borax. Sold in slabs or rolls.

The material is quite nasty on contact, as glass fragments fall off, their suspension is in the air. Therefore, when working with glass wool, you need to use goggles, a respirator and gloves to protect your eyes and skin.

Despite this drawback, glass wool has a number of undeniable advantages:

• fire resistance;
• excellent heat resistance;
• minimal hygroscopicity;
• the ability to not decompose chemically for a long time.

This type of insulation for frame houses has excellent thermal insulation characteristics. And toxic substances are not released into the air even with a strong fire. Besides, glass wool is a very cheap option which is why so many people choose it.

Insulating the room with glass wool, it is worth sheathing it from the outside with a windproof film. This will allow you to keep the heat inside the building as much as possible, and also eliminate the dispersion of glass dust in the air.

Thermal insulation with ecowool

- a more modern high-quality and environmentally friendly insulation, which is used in the construction of frame houses. It is made from cellulose.

Material Features:

1. To install insulation in a frame house, you must use a special device. He adds water to the insulation, after which he fixes it in the walls. This is a wet mounting method.
2. It is also possible to install ecowool in a dry way. To do this, the material is poured into the frame, after which it is rammed to the required density.
3. When choosing ecowool, it is not necessary to make hydro and vapor barrier, since this material does not collapse under the influence of water.

Despite these advantages, ecowool is not an ideal insulation for frame houses. Firstly, it is very expensive, and secondly, the installation must be carried out by specialists. They are needed not only for installation work, but also for calculating the thickness of the insulation, taking into account thermal insulation requirements. Professionals will come to the site, take measurements and calculate how much ecowool needs to be purchased.

Filling with polyurethane foam

(it is also called penoizol) is made from two components, the mixing of which allows you to get a reliable insulation with excellent characteristics. As a result, foam is formed, which can be poured into all the cracks in the frame house. Thanks to this, all the structure of the insulation becomes monolithic, single. Installation of polyurethane foam is somewhat similar to working with polyurethane foam.

Polyurethane foam, or penoizol, has high thermal insulation properties that many heaters do not have. But in order to fill it, you need to have certain skills and abilities. Therefore, for installation, you will have to call professionals, because you can’t do it yourself.

Penoizol is quite expensive in terms of cost. And this means that for those who are looking for an effective, but budgetary option for insulation, you will need to choose other materials.

Clay is a natural insulator

Clay mortar will be the best insulation for the frame house of the owner who chooses exclusively natural materials. Clay is not used in its pure form, but together with straw. The advantage of clay walls is that they do not need a vapor barrier. Clay maintains a comfortable microclimate in the house, absorbing excess moisture from the air and releasing it if the air becomes dry.

The most important thing is to choose clay with the required fat content. If there is a little fat content, the desired adhesion will not work.

To determine the fat content, roll a ball of clay and clamp it between the boards. If the ball has cracked, which destroyed it by 50%, sand must be added to the solution. The ideal composition of clay plaster under pressure breaks up by 30%. If the ball crumbled at all, then it is completely unsuitable for further use.

There is no ideal recipe for how to make a clay mortar for. In the process of its production, clay, water, lime, sawdust, cement and sand are used in different proportions, depending on the situation.
How to apply clay plaster on straw walls is described in the video.

Fiberboard - a new reliable material

Fiberboard insulation is made from wood shavings, which are dried, they begin to be pressed, bringing them to the appearance of a plate. Portland cement or magnesia salt is added in parallel to the chips for binding. In order for the material not to lose its thermal insulation characteristics, it is necessary to additionally make waterproofing. Fiberboard is ideal for interior floors and walls.

The popularity of fiberboard is growing every year, since this material has excellent characteristics:

• does not burn in fire, since the binders impregnate the entire material and make it fireproof;
• resistant to moisture;
• well withstands any kind of deformation, since wood chips behave as a damper, and binders ensure the stability of a warm plate;
• although the composition contains a lot of wood chips, it does not rot and has no other biological activity, since the impregnation prevents microorganisms from spreading inside the material and spoiling it;
• completely safe and environmentally friendly;
• It has high soundproofing properties;
• heat-insulating boards capable of withstanding frost without deteriorating performance, so they are used even in regions with a harsh climate;
• the maximum durability of fibrolite is over 50 years.

Sawdust - no less effective material

What to do if you want to save as much as possible on construction, but there is no way to get cheap insulation? You can use regular sawdust. Of course, an appropriate solution must be prepared from them. To do this, you need lime, cement, antiseptic.

Sawdust insulation is prepared as follows:

1. Mix sawdust, cement and lime in a ratio of 10:1:0.5.
2. The homogeneous mixture is mixed with water, an antiseptic agent is added there, for example, boric acid.
3. In order for the entire mixture to be maximally and evenly moistened, it is necessary to use a watering can for pouring.

The resulting solution is placed in the area between the bars or beams. More often, sawdust is used for floor insulation, but they can also be used for walls. At the same time, the mixture pour in small portions, tamping them strongly.

Despite the availability, sawdust as a heater has many disadvantages:

• certain fire hazard;
• low efficiency;
• quite laborious work;
• possible settling of the insulation over time.

It is possible to increase the efficiency of the insulation if expanded clay is additionally used.

What material to choose

So, there are a lot of materials, so it is difficult to say which is the best insulation for thermal insulation of a frame house. All the options considered have different characteristics, cost and appearance. Some have a limited scope, others have a high cost, the need to attract professionals, and low environmental friendliness.

You need to weigh which characteristics are priority and make the final choice. For example, according to the author of this article, basalt stone wool is the best insulation for the walls of a frame house. Perhaps the tips from the video, the authors of which tested products from different manufacturers, will help you.

Is it damn cold in the new house, not only in winter, but even in autumn? Then it will have to be insulated, and as soon as possible. And you need to insulate the outside. Firstly, it is the economy of internal space. Secondly, external insulation is much more effective, because it prevents the walls from cooling, and not just keeps the heat inside.

Since this procedure is within the power of even a novice builder, you can insulate the panel house from the outside with your own hands. And this is saving on the cost of insulation up to 50%! The main thing is to choose the right material.

The choice of materials - how not to harm the structures of the house

Considering that initially the frame house is quite light, it is often built on light foundations - columnar, shallow tape and pile. They are initially calculated for structures of low weight. Therefore, the weighting of the finished house may require strengthening the foundation. Yes, and the additional load on the floors must be taken into account.

Dew point - why the heater does not "work"?

The main reason for the deterioration of the qualities of all hygroscopic heaters is the moisture that accumulates inside. After all, water is an excellent conductor of heat - water-cooled units are much more efficient than air-cooled ones. Moisture microparticles in the insulation layer work in the same way - they absorb heat and release it to a colder external environment.

And even perfect vapor and waterproofing will not save the insulation from moisture if the dew point at which condensation begins to form is incorrectly calculated. So, the image clearly shows what an insufficient layer of external insulation will lead to, in this case expanded clay with a density of 200 kg / m3 and a layer thickness of 10 cm.

The black graph illustrates the temperature drop of the wall pie from 20 degrees inside the building to -25 degrees outside. With such strong drops, an insufficient layer of outer insulation will lead to cooling of the inner layer, at the point of contact of which steam will begin to condense.

This option will allow either to completely remove condensation, or to shift it to the outer layers. Then, if there is a ventilation gap between the insulation and waterproofing, excess moisture will simply evaporate without affecting the characteristics of the material.

Thermal insulation boards and mats

The simplest and most affordable types of materials for external insulation are mineral wool and glass wool. To reduce heat loss by almost half, ten centimeters of insulation with a density of 25 kg / m3, laid from the outside, is enough.

Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce heat losses from 42.09 kW/h to 23.37 kW/h during the heating season.

Approximately the same effect can be achieved with 10 cm of polystyrene foam. But the disadvantage of polymer insulation is their almost complete vapor impermeability, which significantly worsens the natural microclimate. In other words, in such a house there will always be high humidity, unless forced ventilation is done. And this is a direct path to the formation of mold and fungi.

But natural insulation, for example, reed slabs, must be laid in a layer of at least 15 cm to ensure a similar level of heat loss. Of course, eco-friendly material is always preferable, but the financial side of the issue should also be taken into account.

Thermal insulation backfills

Although it is quite feasible. According to its characteristics, 10 cm of ecowool with a density of 35 kg/cu.m. are in no way inferior to mineral wool. But the density is 60 kg/cu.m. will already lead to an increase in heat losses up to 25.43 kW/h.

When insulating walls with expanded clay, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to increase the thickness of the walls by 25 cm. It is better to use expanded clay crushed stone with a density of 200 kg / cubic meter. Density increase up to 600 kg/cu.m. will lead to an increase in heat loss with a similar thickness of the insulation layer up to 27.22 kW / h. Also, do not forget about the weight of the building - such an amount of expanded clay will significantly make the building heavier.

15 cm of expanded vermiculite as an external insulation will reduce heat loss to 25.18 kWh. This is a good option if there is a vermiculite production nearby. Otherwise, the delivery of the material will negate all the cheapness of the insulation itself.

If there is a sawmill nearby that is ready to give away sawdust for free, the walls can be insulated in a rather economical way. In addition, 15 cm of sawdust with a density of 250 kg/cu.m. provide only 24.48 kWh of ash loss during the heating season. And so that the sawdust does not rot and gain sufficient protection against fire, they make a clay or cement mixture.

For example, for the manufacture of "home" wood concrete, you will need 100 kg of sawdust, 25 kg of sand, 6 kg of slaked lime and 200 kg of cement. You need to mix everything in one container, adding water in an amount sufficient for normal mixing. The final mixture should not crumble when compacted, but water should not flow out either.

The advantage of frame-panel houses is the possibility of their insulation without removing the outer skin.

But if the walls are decorated with siding and are in good condition, it can be dismantled beforehand. This will save you a lot of money on new upholstery.

The main thing when laying insulation from the outside is not to leave a ventilated gap between it and the wall. This will nullify all insulation efforts, since cold air will freely contact the wall.

General scheme of external insulation

Regardless of the material chosen, the initial scheme is always the same:

All cracks are filled with foam. It is important not to forget to walk on the foam sheets with a special grater - to improve adhesion. Otherwise, the plaster layer can be easily removed along with the reinforcing mesh.

About the same, how to properly insulate your facade with mineral wool, is available on the video:

Warming the house with bulk materials

The technology of home insulation with bulk materials also requires the construction of a frame. After that, the frame is sewn up with an edged board to a height of up to 30 cm. An unedged board is not used - the insulation will spill out through cracks and irregularities. Consider insulation using sawdust as an example.

A layer of sawdust is poured around the entire perimeter of the house and compacted well. Uncompacted sawdust in the future becomes caked and the resulting voids no longer insulate anything. So gradually the skin is lifted under the roof.

The last layer under the roof is laid wet - so it will not need to be tamped, and thanks to natural ventilation, the sawdust will dry quickly.

If the insulation is planned with sawdust concrete, a special formwork is constructed, into which the mixture will be laid. The lesson is quite long - each layer must have time to dry before you can proceed to the next. Thus, only 50 cm of the facade can be insulated per day.

Basement and attic insulation

Heat loss at home occurs not only through the walls. Precious heat escapes through the roof by convection, and cold air under the floor can also cool the house well. Of course, it is best to try to order infrared thermography.

It will reveal all the "bottlenecks" in the structure and will save on insulation - after all, you do not have to "wrap" the entire house completely.

Attic insulation - how to make a panel house "breathe"

Why are frame houses considered unsuitable for permanent residence? All because of the unpleasant microclimate - the air remains damp, and forced ventilation creates additional problems during construction. But if there is a non-residential attic, the house can be made to "breathe" - to evaporate excess moisture, without creating drafts in residential premises.

For such an eco-friendly insulation of the attic floor from the outside, you will need ordinary sawdust. Due to the properties of absorbing and evaporating moisture, the insulation does not rot for a long time even in the presence of strong leaks in the roof. With proper laying, sawdust in a horizontal plane practically does not cake, which allows you to forget about the attic floor for many years.

The technology is extremely simple:

1. A material that is vapor-permeable in both directions is laid on the floor of the attic. This is necessary so that small particles of wood do not wake up down. Ideal in this case is the usual agrofibre - it does not retain moisture in itself, freely passing air and water. Vapor barrier when insulating with sawdust is contraindicated! Otherwise, all the moist air will remain below, not penetrating into the attic.



2. What is especially pleasant in warming with sawdust is that the procedure requires a minimum of effort. Spunbond is laid with an overlap of 10 cm and fixed on the logs with a stapler or nails. Joints and puncture points do not need to be glued.



3. Sawdust is poured between the lags. To make them easier to stack and also give them some fire resistance, sawdust can be sprayed with a flame retardant solution. The main thing is not to over-moisturize. Ideally, the sawdust should remain crumbly, but form clumps when pressed hard.





4. The insulation is not tamped and is not covered with anything. Immediately a subfloor is laid on top of the log. You can use an unedged board - due to irregularities and crevices, excess moisture will evaporate into the attic space.
5. It is important that the attic is ventilated! It is best to use a windproof membrane as a waterproofing to protect against rain and snow. It does not let water through from the outside, but is vapor permeable from the inside. Otherwise, condensation will form, waterlogging the insulation and leading to the development of mold and fungi on wooden structures.

Insulation of the basement of a house on a columnar foundation

If there is a basement, ash leaks will be insignificant, because even an unheated basement always keeps a positive temperature. And for owners of houses on a pile or column foundation, there is a high risk of becoming victims of strong drafts with insufficient floor insulation. And if for some reason it is impossible to remove the floor covering, and there is no access to the floor from the outside, you can simply insulate the basement.

The procedure itself, although laborious, is quite simple in technical terms:

1. A trench is dug around the perimeter of the house with a bevel outward. The soil is not taken out - it will still be useful. A frame is attached to the foundation pillars, on which the insulation will hold.



2. Waterproofing is placed at the bottom of the trench, a drainage pipe is placed on it, and everything is covered with a sand cushion, which, as with the foundation, is spilled and compacted. The pillow should not reach the future insulation.



3. Now you can fix the insulation. The ideal material is extruded polystyrene foam. It is much stronger than polystyrene, withstands temperature extremes and is completely resistant to moisture and ultraviolet radiation.



4. The slabs are sheathed with slate - this is the simplest and most economical option. To make things go faster, it is better to pre-drill holes in the slate and only then fasten the sheets with self-tapping screws.





5. The removed soil is poured on top of the sand cushion. Vents are made in the basement and covered with nets. (26) For access under the house, it is also desirable to provide an insulated door - otherwise, if there are problems with pipes, it will be quite difficult to get there quickly.

Work on additional insulation of the house will bear fruit in the coming heating season. So don't get carried away with this!