Do-it-yourself insulation of the inner wall of the loggia. We analyze the possible options for insulating the balcony from the outside. Is it necessary to insulate the warm wall of the loggia

In winter, do you have to forget about the balcony? It's time for a change - make a warm cozy corner out of a warehouse of unnecessary things or even! Insulating a cold balcony in both a new building and a private house is not as difficult as it seems: it is enough to know what materials can be used and in what sequence to carry out insulation work.

To begin with, it is worth saying that there are two ways to insulate a balcony - from the inside and outside. External insulation, of course, is more convenient - precious centimeters of area are not “eaten up”, and the cladding of the balcony facade becomes more pleasant. But this is a laborious process that requires the involvement of a construction team and industrial climbers. Therefore, in the article we will focus on how to properly insulate a balcony in an apartment from the inside - this can be done independently.

For insulation inside the balcony, first of all, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work. They include several important steps:

• How to start warming a loggia or balcony? Free up space from all unnecessary. It is best if the balcony is completely empty: it is much easier to work this way. Also, get rid of the old finish in advance.
• Seal all the cracks - a lot of heat escapes through them. For small gaps, a weather-resistant sealant is suitable; fill larger gaps with mounting foam - it will not only fill the voids, but also serve as an additional heat insulator.
• To make it easier for you to carry out work on insulation, it is important to even out cracks and irregularities on the walls and ceiling with cement mortar.
• If you plan to place light bulbs or lighting fixtures on the balcony, you should take care of the wiring in advance. To hide unpresentable cables, place them in plastic boxes.
• Before starting work, cover the opening between the balcony and the adjacent room with a film so that building dust and other pollutants do not get into the apartment.

Is it possible to insulate a balcony in winter? Yes, you can. Only when working in winter, it is necessary to choose frost-resistant materials, in particular mounting foam.

How to insulate a balcony: what materials are better to choose

To understand how to insulate a loggia or balcony, let's first figure out what properties the materials should have:

• high strength;
• fire safety;
• water resistance;
• environmental friendliness;
• relatively low cost;
• ease of installation (if we want to do all the work with our own hands).

Most often, mineral wool, polystyrene foam, polystyrene, etc. are used for insulation. Sometimes several of these materials are combined. We have reflected the pros and cons of each heat insulator in the table:

insulation	Advantages	disadvantages
Expanded clay>	Low cost; Durability; fire safety; Not afraid of mold and mildew; Light weight; Easily takes any shape	High moisture permeability; Suitable only for floor insulation; May be difficult to install
Mineral wool	Good sound and heat insulation; Environmental friendliness; fire safety; Easily takes any shape	Deterioration of properties when exposed to water; The thickness of the insulation "steals" the usable area
Styrofoam	Low cost; Ease of installation; Light weight; Not afraid of mold and mildew	fragility; combustibility
Extruded polystyrene boards	High strength; Ease of installation; moisture resistance; Durability	Relatively high cost
polyurethane foam(liquid insulation)	High strength; moisture resistance; Durability; Fills cavities of any shape	Relatively high cost; Mandatory availability of special equipment
Penofol(foamed polyethylene with a layer of metal foil)	moisture resistance; Durability; Small thickness; Good thermal and waterproofing	Rarely used as an independent heat insulator, usually only in combination with other materials

What is the best insulation for a balcony? The answer to this question depends on your preferences and financial capabilities. You can read more about the characteristics of insulation, as well as about it in general, in our blog.

First, a waterproofing layer of polyethylene or penofol must be laid on the floor so that dampness does not bother us. Masters advise laying penofol with the reflective side up. Along the way, we can fix the waterproofing on the walls. The joints between the sheets of the waterproofing agent are best glued with foil tape.

Another good waterproofing agent is bitumen-based mastic. It dries for about a day, the surfaces treated with it cannot be touched.

Then we install logs - wooden beams or metal beams that serve as the basis for floors, platforms and other surfaces. Wooden logs are suitable for floor insulation. You should choose logs made of quality materials: the moisture content in wood should not exceed 12%. Also, in order to prevent fungus and decay, the bars are treated with an antiseptic or primer.

The distance between the lags should be equal to the width of the insulation, and the builders recommend making the height of the bars 10-15 centimeters - this is necessary to reliably protect the floor from frost. To seal the holes between the lags and the wall, as well as fix the bars in the desired position, use mounting foam. Do not worry about accuracy: excess foam can be cut off with a knife after it dries.

Next, a heat-insulating layer, slab or fibrous, is laid. Make sure that there are no gaps between the heat insulator and the lags: "cold bridges" will negate all your efforts to warm. If you are laying the heat insulator in several layers, be sure to shift each new layer so that the seams between the sheets of insulation are not in the same place.

To protect the floor from condensation, you will need a layer of vapor barrier.

Using self-tapping screws, attach a "rough" floor made of boards, plywood sheets, fiberboard or chipboard to the logs. This is the last step before finishing the floor, such as laminate, linoleum or carpet.

There are two technologies for insulating the ceiling - with or without a frame. Before starting work, it is recommended to apply an antiseptic layer to the ceiling: this way you will protect the surface from mold.

If you decide to make a crate, you will need wooden bars and dowels. We lay a heater in the crate - mineral wool or polystyrene is suitable as a heat-insulating layer. Mineral wool is fixed with mounting foam, and the foam plastic is held without additional fastening. Then the ceiling is finished: plastic panels, drywall, wall paneling - any materials will do, it all depends on your idea.

Without a frame, ceiling insulation work is carried out as follows: the ceiling surface must be cleaned of dust and dirt, and also treated with reinforcing soil - this will help fix the insulation more securely. Then the glue is applied to the foam sheets (it is enough to apply glue around the perimeter and a little in the middle). We glue the sheets to the ceiling, for reliability they are fastened with dowel-mushrooms. We close the joints with mounting foam.

The adhesive you will be using must never contain toluene.

Our waterproofing is already ready, so we can immediately install a crate of wooden bars. The distance between them should be equal to the width of the heat insulator, and the height of the bars should be equal to the width of the insulation. For walls, polystyrene foam plates, polystyrene foam or high-quality mineral wool are suitable. The joints between the insulation, as always, are filled with foam. On top of the insulation you need to fix the vapor barrier film.

As a rule, the wall between the balcony and the room is insulated in one layer, and the remaining walls are insulated in two layers, or the thickest heat insulator is used.

And what to do with windows?

Think about it: is it worth it to insulate a balcony with cold glazing? If you want a truly warm corner, you should not save on windows. You can insulate the ceiling, floor and walls to the highest standard, but cold air will still seep through old or low-quality double-glazed windows.

If your balcony is not glazed, first of all, pay attention to the parapet - a low wall that protects the balcony from the street. It must be strong enough to withstand the window structure.

Which windows to choose? If you are planning to turn the balcony into a living room, two-chamber plastic windows with hinged sashes will do. They are more hermetic than sliding window systems, and such windows also have better heat and sound insulating properties. The only negative is that since the area of ​​​​the balcony is mostly small, the arrangement of furniture can interfere with opening the windows.

In general, you can install plastic windows with your own hands. But it's better not to take risks if you have no experience: after all, even some window installation companies make annoying mistakes in their work. In order not to run into unfortunate installers, frosting of windows and, be sure to study the reviews of people who have collaborated with a particular company.

If it is still not possible to install new windows, it is quite possible to find another way out. on the balcony easily with the help of improvised materials.

Even on a perfectly insulated balcony it can be a little chilly in winter. To make it comfortable for you to be on the balcony on the most frosty days, an electric heater would be an ideal option. Usually it is placed against the wall separating the balcony and the apartment. You should not put a heater near the windows, otherwise the glass will start to fog up.

It is impossible to carry out central heating on the balcony: this is prohibited by building codes.

Also a good solution for heating would be an electric underfloor heating or a water floor. Modern technology of warm floors will please you as long as the balcony itself will exist. Many systems are equipped with a thermostat, so you can set a comfortable temperature.

After you have carried out all the necessary work on insulation, you should take care of. If you sealed up all the cracks on the balcony, there will simply be nowhere for fresh air to come from. Therefore, regularly

Should I insulate the wall from the side of the house on the balcony? Yes, we always insulate the inner wall on the balcony or loggia. We are asked: “Why? She's warm!" Yes, the main part will be warm, but the very corners along the inner perimeter are not quite. They can cause trouble in winter or even put an end to a warm balcony. There is nothing good if the corners start to get moldy.

Therefore, we definitely work with this wall and it is not thick at all - only 30 mm. The cladding profile will choose this thickness one way or another, and by our scheme of working with it we will insure you (and ourselves) from troubles in this way.

There are three main reasons to thoroughly insulate an interior wall. Some are more relevant for panel houses, others for monolithic and brick houses.

Three main reasons for its warming

The first reason: freezing of internal corners is possible

After the balcony is insulated, most of the wall will warm up and really become warm. But the corners along the perimeter of the wall will remain cold and in long frosts, in winter, condensation may fall on them.

Even if there is no condensation, then a few centimeters of brick or concrete are not a serious barrier to cold. These cold corners along the perimeter of the wall will cool the balcony, and this is a big problem - heat loss, where there is no central heating. Heat must be preserved.

Dew point

In Fig. 1, the zone with the “dew point” temperature is marked in blue. This is a risk zone. If there is access to warm, moist air from the apartment, then condensation will begin. To completely eliminate this unpleasant phenomenon, from the very first order, we always insulate the inner wall on a par with others. Figure 2 shows how it looks like.

It would be possible to confine ourselves to warming only the corners to a depth of 20 - 25 cm inside the room, and carefully plaster the rest of the surface for the reason indicated below. And this would also be correct, but no one needs the resulting step and makes it difficult to finish. There is no benefit from it. We continue the wall to the window opening, as in the picture above. Those. our scheme of work is a continuous, closed loop of insulation.

The second reason: drafts through masonry or panel seams, plaster

An equally important reason why it is necessary to insulate and cut off the inner wall on the balcony or loggia from communication with the apartment. This is never done by anyone, but this does not mean that it should be so. In most cases, unsuccessful balcony insulation is another fat factor, the failure to take into account which leads to a sad result.

Draft

As long as the balcony or loggia freely communicates with the street, this phenomenon does not occur or is not noticeable. There is no pressure difference - there are no drafts through masonry seams or interpanel seams, bark beetle plaster in monolithic houses. But everything changes when airtight windows are installed and all external walls on the balcony are sealed. The balcony becomes part of the apartment and the pressure also becomes shared. As a rule, it is lower in the apartment than on the street with normally working ventilation. And then all the air that circulates in the masonry or between the panels rushes through the inner wall to the balcony. Each small crack gives a tangible result in the sum of the entire surface of the wall.

If the wall is insulated inside, it does not mean that it is warm.

The wall in a brick house resembles a sieve in structure and also in tightness. We know this well when all other surfaces are insulated, but this wall is not yet. Each seam (although not always obvious) in the masonry becomes a source of draft, so we always insulate and cut off the balcony and the apartment from communication with the inner wall.

Very often, it is her non-insulation that is the cause of the cold on the balcony, and then in the apartment. Inside such walls, as in the figure above, there is a heater with a thickness of 150 - 200 mm. As a rule, this is a minvata. So it is loose and also communicates with the street through many seams below or above the balcony, which simply cannot be made absolutely airtight. And drafts circulate inside this well in the wall.

It feels great when we make through technological holes through this wall into the apartment. It starts blowing air, like from an oxygen burner, only very cold (in winter!). If you just close this wall with drywall on the frame, this draft begins to walk behind the sheathing and cool it intensively. Not to mention that it will blow from all the outlets on the balcony.

Insulated wall in a monolithic house

The same applies to the insulated wall in a monolithic house. The thickness of the “bark beetle” plaster with which it is covered is only 3 mm. And she's all porous. After combining the volumes of the apartment and the balcony, an active draft begins through it. Many people think that since it is insulated, then nothing needs to be done with it when insulating the balcony. This is not true. In there is a detailed explanation of the reasons for the problems with her, and in gives her inept handling.

The third reason: we exclude condensate from the neighbors from above

Unfortunately, condensation of steam from neighbors from above is possible if you have insulated your balcony, but not sealed it enough. Water vapor from your apartment through the cracks in the walls or ceiling of your loggia go upstairs to, perhaps, a good neighbor. The walls on his balcony are covered with frost or even frost. This is especially possible when the ventilation in the apartments of your house does not work correctly.

Look at the picture above: all these seams in the masonry are a potential threat not only for cold air to enter your balcony, but also for the removal of warm, moist air from it if the ventilation fails. That is, when the pressure from the neighbors from above turned out to be lower than in your apartment.

By sealing and insulating the inner wall, we completely get rid of possible problems with neighbors. If they have condensation on the balcony, they can demand you return your balcony to its previous state through the courts. And the court is likely to be on their side.

Therefore, it is important to completely isolate your balcony or loggia from communication with the walls of the house that you have in common with your neighbors.

Is the inner wall really warm?

There is also an argument that this wall, allegedly, then heats the balcony itself - “it is warm”. And therefore it should not be insulated. This is not true. You will not expect significant heating from it.

Even if there is a battery in the wall (or even more so in front of it), then a heater is laid inside the wall. In Soviet-built houses, this is also the case (expanded clay, for example). Now all the walls come with insulation inside. And this insulator does not allow heat to penetrate the outside of the wall. Otherwise, a house with such batteries and walls would never be heated due to excessive heat loss.

So this is not a serious argument, and it is impossible to heat the balcony through such a wall. The usual open door to the balcony brings most of the needed heat. And, if there is an additional source of heat on the balcony, for example, then it will be comfortable on the balcony and in the apartment too. This is noted by our customers when we work in the cold in winter.

Conclusion:

Be sure to insulate the interior wall. And the main reason is not possible heat loss, but sealing. It is she who guarantees that you and your neighbors from above will not have problems.

Of course, every centimeter must be saved on the balcony. But this is not the case. In addition, the inner wall must also be finished with drywall with a crate. This is only a couple of centimeters less than we need.

We also do all electrical wiring along the inner wall. With an insulated wall, we do this without problems. Through our sockets never blows.

Do not rely on chance - make the inner wall on a par with others soundly. Then your insulated balcony will be a joy to you and will not cause trouble to your neighbors.

Warm Balcony, 2012 (updated 2015)

The time when balconies were a place to store unnecessary things is a thing of the past. Increasingly, they are being turned into greenhouses, full-fledged living areas, kitchens, etc. To make this possible, it is necessary to insulate the balcony from the outside.

Such works reduce heat losses by up to 30%, which significantly affects heating costs. In addition, the sound insulation of the room is improved.

What you need to know about outdoor insulation

Thermal insulation of the balcony from the outside will protect the balcony from the formation of condensate inside the room

External thermal insulation is necessary if the balcony has high humidity, the walls often get wet, or they are colder than the air temperature inside. Warming has many benefits. The main one is the removal of the "dew point" to the outside.

The dew point is the temperature at which the air humidity reaches 100% and condensation forms on the walls. Dampness and mold appear due to the wetting of the walls. When insulating a balcony from the outside, you can not be afraid of this.

Warming the loggia from the outside has other advantages:

If the balcony parapet is deepened in relation to the extreme point of the side plates, there is no need to erect additional structures.

There are many advantages, but there are also disadvantages: high cost, complexity of work (you need an aerial platform, climbing equipment).

Before insulating a loggia or balcony, you will need to coordinate the upcoming work with housemates, architectural and construction organizations and housing and communal services.

Preparatory activities

Insulation of the balcony from the outside must begin with planning. Make a technical calculation or find ready-made solutions offered by experts.

An assessment of the condition of the parapet, the amount of work, and upcoming costs will not hurt. All this is of great importance when choosing a material, the main requirement for which is high moisture resistance.

Types of materials:

Before proceeding with the insulation, you need to prepare the surface. Brick structures are pre-puttied with tile adhesive.

The parapet of metal structures and corrugated sheets is sheathed on the inside of the balcony, and the protruding elements of the metal structures are covered with a thin layer of insulation.

All balcony surfaces are cleaned of dirt, mold. Then defects are puttied, walls and ceiling are treated with a primer.

External wall insulation, glazing

Let's consider how the balcony is insulated from the outside with the help of foam or polystyrene. Since the dew point is outside the balcony, waterproofing is not necessary. For more information about the technology of metal parapet insulation, see this video:

Stages of work:

1. If the thickness of the material is more than 50 mm, mount the frame from the rack beam.
2. Fill all seams with mounting foam.
3. It is necessary to paste over the walls with insulating material from the bottom up, aligning the rows with a stretched fishing line. Any type of adhesive building mastic is suitable for this.
4. It is necessary to apply the adhesive on the surfaces of walls, sheets of material, joints over the entire area of ​​the treated surface. Use mastic liberally.
5. When the glue is completely dry (after about 3 days), additionally fix the insulation with dowels with wide caps.

Leave your glazing to the professionals

The method is used to insulate the parapet. With side walls, this is not always possible. In this case, you can perform their thermal insulation from the inside.

Take the installation of the window unit seriously. Saving on it, frames and fittings makes all measures for warming in vain.

The best option for glazing a balcony is a metal-plastic window block with triple glazing. The choice of window profile depends on the climatic conditions in your area.

Any waterproof sheet materials (profiled sheet, siding, PVC panels, etc.) are suitable for exterior decoration. They are fixed with anchors, the length of which is not more than the total thickness of the insulation and the parapet fence.

Another option for exterior finishes is stucco. First, coat the insulation sheets with a primer. Then fix the fiberglass mesh on top (between two layers of glue), reinforcing corners in the corners. You can start plastering. How to watch in this video:

Finishing when solving the issue, to insulate the balcony from the outside, allows you to hide all the defects that appeared during the work. To achieve the best effect, after the balcony has been insulated from the outside, take care of the heating system. Do not forget about the wiring, the arrangement of sockets and the lighting system.

The value of additional square meters in a city apartment is difficult to overestimate. A loggia can be a cold storage island or a warm living room. But, in order to fully use it, you need to take care of ensuring an acceptable temperature in this room.

It has become the main task for those who want to expand the useful area of ​​​​the apartment.

The degree of insulation depends on the purpose of the room, as a living room or storage space.

And if the question of whether it is necessary to insulate the loggia has long been resolved, then there is still no consensus about the place of insulation.

Three directions for warming the loggia

• outside loggia insulation is the preferred option. In this case, the freezing point shifts to the outside, i.e. towards the insulation, mounted outside the loggia. This will allow not only to insulate the surface of the wall, but also to preserve the load-bearing properties of the material from which it is built. In addition, the interior space of the loggia is saved.

  The only drawback of insulation from the street is the cost of high-altitude work (industrial mountaineering). For insulation outside, a rigid heat-insulating material (expanded polystyrene, polystyrene) is used, which is covered with a polymer mesh and protected with a strong cement mortar and / or decorative plaster;

  Note. In some cases, the decision on whether it is possible to insulate the loggia from the outside is determined by the City Council. For example, if the house is of architectural value, it is forbidden to perform external work that changes the appearance of the building.

• double-sided insulation and finishing of the loggia. It involves the installation of heat-insulating material outside and inside the loggia. Such a decision is inexpedient in principle, because from the point of view of thermal efficiency, it does not matter from which side the work is carried out.

• insulation of the loggia from the inside. Internal insulation is the most popular option, because. It is possible to do the work yourself. However, in this case, the useful space of the loggia is reduced. Nevertheless, it is on this option that we dwell in more detail.

Do-it-yourself warming of loggias - step by step instructions with a photo

A simple technology for beginners with no experience in construction.

Step 1 - Determining the need for insulation

Depending on the future purpose of the room, a decision is made on whether it is necessary to insulate the loggia from the inside or outside, what type of insulation and what thickness will be used.

By definition, a loggia is a room in a building with one open side. This specificity makes it possible for owners to carry out insulation with less financial costs compared to balcony insulation.

The fact is that it will be necessary to insulate only one side - the parapet of the loggia. As for the other sides, if they border on the heated premises of the apartment, there is no need to perform insulation.

Step 2 - The degree of insulation of the loggia

It is a mistake to assume that glazing a loggia with double-glazed windows is a fairly reliable way to save heat in a room. In order to ensure the desired temperature in the room with minimal costs, you need to take care of the thermal insulation of all surfaces: walls, floor, ceiling. It is better to do the work at the same time, but you can do it in parts, the main thing is to follow the sequence.

Step 3 - Choosing a heater for the loggia

At first glance, the selection is not difficult. However, the variety of heat-insulating materials makes you wonder what is the best way to insulate the loggia from the inside.

• penofol(40-50 rubles / sq.m.). Belongs to the group of semi-rigid heaters. It is distinguished by the presence of two layers: foamed polyethylene and foil, which will perform the function of a reflector (reflects up to 97% of thermal energy). Warming the loggia with penofol is more justified than warming the balcony with it, but, despite this, using only penofol is a rather rare occurrence;

• Styrofoam(2560-3200 rubles / cubic meter). Optimal price/quality ratio. It has excellent thermal insulation properties, is non-hygroscopic, does not require the use of films, and is easy to install. The market offers foam plastic with different densities (15, 25, 35 kg/m3) and different sheet thicknesses - 20-100 mm, which makes it possible to vary the thickness;

• polystyrene foam(extruded polystyrene or foam plastic) (3500-5000 rubles / cubic meter). A newer generation of foams. While maintaining the advantages of polystyrene, it is distinguished by a high density (40, 100, 150 kg / m3) and a tongue-and-groove fastening system, which makes it possible to avoid cold bridges. Insulation of the loggia with penoplex is one of the most effective ways of thermal insulation, but widespread use holds back its cost;

  Note. Insulation of the loggia with polystyrene foam is advisable if you need to minimize the loss of space in the process of thermal insulation.

• cotton wool. Representative of soft heaters. Mineral (400-500 rubles / pack = 5.76 sq.m.) or basalt wool (650-720 rubles / pack = 5.76 sq.m.) are good because they make it possible to warm the surface with irregularities or crevices. In the line of heaters of this type there are materials with different densities and prices. However, the general disadvantage of mineral wool is its susceptibility to moisture. This requires the use of waterproofing films;

• polyurethane foam. A heat-insulating material that is sprayed onto the surface under pressure, allowing you to fill the smallest gaps. Work on the insulation of the loggia is carried out quickly, but expensive;

• expanded clay. Loose heater. Differs in significant weight and can only be used for floor insulation;

• aerated concrete. Allows you to level the walls and insulate them, but the usable area is reduced.

With the exception of expanded clay and aerated concrete, each of the heaters can be used to insulate the loggia.

Factors affecting the choice of insulation:

• the technical condition of the surfaces to be insulated: their configuration, the height of the floor / the lowering of the ceiling, the condition of the ceiling;

• the number of surfaces to be insulated. Often the wall adjacent to the room is not insulated;

• climate. In regions with high humidity, it is undesirable to use soft heaters;

• environmental friendliness. Styrofoam is considered the least environmentally friendly material, basalt wool is the most;

• ease of installation. Rigid heaters are easier to install. When using them, you can do without the formation of a crate for laying soft wool. It also eliminates the need for films. Expanded polystyrene has the best qualities in terms of installation, thanks to the tongue-and-groove system;

• type of finishing coating;

• project cost: turnkey loggia insulation or do-it-yourself.

Step 4 - Prepare materials and tools

For work, you need to prepare: heat-insulating material, mounting foam, primer, wooden beam (50x50, for the floor) and slats (50x30, for mounting the crate under soft insulation), vapor and waterproofing film (for soft insulation), hardware, metallized adhesive tape, Decoration Materials.

From the tool: puncher, drill, level, hammer, tape measure, foam gun, vacuum cleaner, stapler, pliers, pencil.

Note. A wooden beam can be replaced with a drywall profile. The dimensions of the timber are determined by the thickness of the insulation.

Step 5 - Glazing the loggia

Glazing and insulation of loggias are two interdependent actions. When installing plastic windows, preference should be given to a 4-chamber profile and a 2-chamber double-glazed window. During installation, it is necessary to monitor the tightness of the fit of all structures. Outside, the installation of an outflow is mandatory, which avoids water leakage. A window sill is installed inside, taking into account the thickness of the insulation.

Installing PVC windows makes it possible to increase the temperature on the loggia by 2-3 degrees compared to the temperature outside the window.

If it is not possible to replace old windows, they can be sealed. Insulation of loggia windows is best done using Swedish technology. It makes it possible to increase the thermal insulation properties of the window without changing their functional characteristics.

Step 6 - Surface Preparation

Whatever type of insulation is carried out on the loggia, due to its small area, it must be freed from everything extraneous. It is for this reason that it is advisable to carry out the insulation of the entire loggia at the same time.

Then the actions necessary for further work are performed:

• removal of protruding parts that can be dismantled;

• chasing and drilling walls. If necessary, electrification of the loggia;

• processing of elements that cannot be dismantled. The metal is cleaned and coated with a primer;

• primer treatment of all surfaces of the loggia. This will prevent the development of the fungus;

• cleaning.

Step 7 - Warming the floor on the loggia

It is advisable to start work on insulation from the floor.

Regardless of the material, it is performed on logs. An exception is the laying of insulation with subsequent screed under the tile or when installing the underfloor heating system. The work is carried out in several stages:

• penofol installation. This is not necessary, but the masters advise laying penofol with the reflective side up. Due to the reflectivity of penofol, almost all the heat that comes from the wall adjacent to the room or from the heating source remains in the room;

• lag installation. Before installation, the timber must be cut to size and treated with a primer. The longitudinal beam is laid at a distance of 50-70 mm from the walls, and the transverse one with a step equal to the width of the insulation (for foam plastic 500 mm, for cotton wool and expanded clay - 600 mm.). The bars are attached to the floor with dowels. When installing the logs, they monitor the correctness of their fastening, in the future they will serve as a guide for arranging the floor and installing a fine floor covering.

  Note. Mounting the log against the wall increases the risk of wood deformation if it gets wet.

• insulation installation. Rigid insulation is laid between the lags. When insulating the loggia with polystyrene foam or polystyrene, it is not recommended to use thick material. Masters are advised to purchase thinner sheets and stack them with an offset. This minimizes the surface of cold bridges. Cotton wool is also placed between the joists so that the material fits freely, without knocking down. A vapor barrier film is laid on top of the cotton wool to prevent it from getting wet.

• seam sealing. If the rigid insulation is laid with gaps, they must be blown out with mounting foam, which is a good insulator.

• subfloor arrangement. It is not recommended to lay laminate or lay linoleum until the end of work. If the floor is finished with tiles, it is mounted immediately and protected (covered) with cardboard.

Note. The use of a warm floor system will ensure the heating of the loggia, because it is forbidden to take out central heating radiators, and the use of a heater does not give a long-term effect.

Step 8 - Insulation of the ceiling on the loggia

This stage can be excluded if the floor of the neighbors from above is insulated. If not, then the simplest solution would be to insulate the loggia with polyurethane foam. It adheres well to any surface, and the work can be done in a day.

Often, the ceiling is insulated on the loggia with hard heaters, less often with cotton wool. The work order may vary.

Option 1 - frame method of thermal insulation of the ceiling on the loggia

• installation of penofol. From the course of physics it is known that warm air rises. And in order not to heat the floor to the neighbors from above, it is advisable to install penofol on the ceiling;

• frame arrangement. For work, wooden slats are used, with a thickness equal to the thickness of the insulation;

• the insulation is placed in the cells of the frame. If cotton wool is used, a vapor barrier film is additionally mounted;

• ceiling finishing.

Option 2 - "wet" way to insulate the ceiling on the loggia

If the base of the ceiling is even, you can glue hard insulation to it. Additional fixation will be provided by the use of dowels with a large cap. The joints of the insulation sheets are foamed with foam. For an additional effect, penofol is installed.

Option 3 - insulation of the false ceiling on the loggia

Lay insulation (usually wool) on the finishing material of the ceiling. Suitable for false ceiling or ceiling finish with laminate or plastic panels.

Step 9 - Wall insulation on the loggia

Warming the walls of the loggia is the easiest step. However, it has an important feature, namely: the walls of the loggia are insulated in different ways.

• the wall adjacent to the room is insulated in one layer;

• the outer wall is insulated in two layers or a thicker thermal insulation material is used. Moreover, it fits in pieces, and always with an offset.

Like work on the ceiling, there are two ways of insulation: “wet” and frame:

• "wet"- suitable for rigid insulation and the only possible for aerated concrete. Often in this way the loggia is insulated with penoplex.

• frame– Mandatory for soft materials. Without a frame device, it is impossible to insulate the loggia with cotton wool. The frame can be made of wood or metal profile. The technology of laying cotton wool on a wall does not differ from its installation on a ceiling or floor. The protection of cotton wool is provided by the installation of the film.

How to properly insulate a balcony from the inside with my own hands - I had to ask myself such a question when the idea came to my mind to turn our ownerless balcony into a home one. As it turned out, sewing in a room that is a nursery is not at all comfortable for me. I wanted solitude and silence in order to be completely focused on work, and I also interfered with children's study and recreation.

In this article I will talk about how we carried out repairs to turn our cold and ventilated loggia into a living room, or rather into my office, and at what price it cost us. And I will also give valuable advice that will help you avoid mistakes and save your nerves and money)

• Balcony window replacement
• Balcony (loggia) plastering
• Costings. How much money did it take us to insulate the balcony (loggia)
• A few tips for those who are going to insulate the balcony with their own hands

How to insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands

What I had to face and what our loggia looked like before insulation

When I told my friends about my idea, at first everyone laughed at me. They began to talk about how little space there was, and they were frightened by the cold of the unheated room - after all, our loggia was essentially an outdoor space. In order for you to imagine what I had to face, I am attaching a plan of the balcony. I had to turn three and a half squares of usable area into a full-fledged study, where my two sewing machines with a table, a cutting table, and an ironing board could fit.

The first window with a balcony door and access to the kitchen. This wall is the main one - it is already warm, so you can not sheathe it. Subsequently, we refused to cover it with plaster, since the brick itself looks quite interesting in the interior. We only cleaned its surface with a sandpaper from dirt.

The second window is located on the wall of the loggia; it required a complete replacement and touched the stained-glass windows. The photo was taken after the installation of a new double-glazed window.

Balcony window replacement

The first thing my story with a balcony began with was the replacement of an existing double-glazed window. When we moved into our new building, we saw that on the loggia (unlike other rooms) the developer installed the windows in one layer of glass. Of course, it was a summer version, they let the cold through with might and main. There was no talk of replacing the double-glazed window, because I also wanted to change the shape of the frame, make an opening sash of other sizes. I don’t know how the project of our house was made, but the architect obviously did not try for the convenience of the residents. Therefore, first of all, I found a company that made a solid two-chamber window according to our sizes. As stated by the window makers, such a window provides 25% more heat retention in the room than the one that was from the developer.

When ordering a new window, there was one small fad that significantly increased the amount of our expenses - this is lamination. That is, from the street side, all the window frames of our house are dark burgundy, wood-like. Therefore, we also had to fit in with the overall picture and make a window in the overall color scheme. For lamination, companies involved in the manufacture of windows ask from 20% of the total cost.

The price for a window measuring 2580 * 1520 cm with a burgundy frame, with installation and delivery, amounted to 20,700 rubles. And we profitably sold the dismantled old window to the Avito website.

Important (!)- if you are going to insulate the balcony and increase the ceiling after installing the window, then tell the window makers about it. They will put extensions on the top of the window so that later your extended ceiling does not close the shutters and you can hang curtains.

Loggia heating, which method to choose

The loggia usually has walls in one layer of bricks, the worst option is a corrugated balcony. Therefore, in order to feel comfortable in this room during the cold season, a heater is needed.

There are two options for how to make the loggia warm. The first is to open the balcony door so that it heats up at the expense of the adjoining room. The second is to install electric "warm" floors or buy oil radiators.

I will say right away from our experience that one heater was not enough for us, and we decided to install a warm floor. Despite the fact that the walls of our loggia were insulated, it was cold from the neighbors above and below - after all, their balconies remained uninsulated.

The choice of material for warming the loggia (balcony)

At the very beginning, my husband was advised to do the insulation of the balcony with his own hands, in general, he is handy with me - he can put a laminate and glue the tiles. But in the case of the balcony, I did not have time to wait until he finds free time, here I needed the work of a professional, since correcting mistakes would cost more. So we found a master who is engaged in this business and watched his work from the side. I found him through Avito, which I first of all paid attention to - real photos and accommodation in our area (so that he has the opportunity to go for lunch, I don’t spend a lot of time).

I wanted not just to panel the balcony, but to make walls that could later be wallpapered, so we chose drywall for the interior cladding. Finding a good specialist who would work with drywall and mount the wiring (after all, I still needed sockets and lighting) turned out to be not an easy task. But I was lucky and found a good specialist who promised me to bring my idea to life! On his advice, after taking all the measurements, we purchased for the insulation of our loggia:

• drywall - for walls and ceilings
• plywood - for the floor
• technonicol rocklite - for flooring
• technonikol technoplex - for walls and ceilings
• isolar - reflective metallized substrate
• bars

The most important thing on this list is insulation. It is due to him that you get a full-fledged living room. We have chosen two types of insulation:

The first type, for floor insulation, is technonicol rocklite. It is a rectangular slab, pressed from basalt fibers, in the common people it is called mineral wool. There is no need to be afraid that it can have an adverse effect on the air in the room (many write about harmful fumes, etc.), on the contrary, due to the ability to pass moisture, and not retain it, it is widely used for warming damp rooms, where there is a possibility of mold and fungus . According to the TechnoNIKOL company, its plates do not burn and do not absorb moisture, therefore today they are recognized as the best heaters on the market. In order to cover the floors of the loggia with an area of ​​3.8 m in two layers, we needed 1 pack of technonicol rocklite, in which there were 12 slabs.

The second insulation we used is technoplex technoplex for interior wall cladding. As I mentioned above, the developer built our loggia in one layer of brick, due to this, it blew from every corner. In addition, uncomfortable stained-glass windows were installed in the loggia on the sides of the window, which gave the house a businesslike look from the outside, and served as a source of constant drafts and moisture for the residents inside. This type of insulation is made of nanographite, due to which it has an unsightly gray color. Although in terms of weight and appearance, it reminded me more of polystyrene, but despite its lightness, it has excellent thermal insulation characteristics. After our balcony stopped looking like a bamboo hut, I started thinking about how to use these magic tiles to make soundproofing from neighbors in the living room)

The third type of insulation- it rather goes as an addition to the first two, it metallized substrate isolon or isolar. We all know that a shiny surface reflects well. It is this ability of the metallized surface of the substrate that allows you to redirect heat into the room, as if reflecting it and preventing it from escaping outside.

As a result, I can say that all the heaters coped with their tasks with a bang, they really keep warm, like a thermos. But at the same time, they allow excess moisture to pass through, preventing the formation of mold.

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands step by step photo

1. We cleared the balcony of everything superfluous. Before the arrival of the master, we cleaned our balcony from rubbish and debris, a window had already been installed and heating radiators had been installed.

2. Patching the "holes" of stained-glass windows with the help of technonicol technoplex insulation boards. This did not affect the exterior of the house, but for us the problem of eternal drafts was solved. The slabs were laid in two layers, all the cracks were filled with mounting foam.

Cutting the plates after taking measurements is carried out using a jigsaw and a hacksaw for metal.

3. Bringing electrical wiring to the balcony. In my workshop, it was planned to install three outlets for sewing machines and a laptop, the wires were pulled from the nearest outlet from the kitchen.

4. Floor insulation with beams and technonicol rocklite insulation (mineral wool). According to the reviews of our master, he most of all likes to work with this type of insulation. Since when placed between the bars, it expands on its own and does not leave any gaps, which means it does not require the use of mounting foam.

Although basalt wool and glass wool are two different things, I still played it safe and diligently closed the door to the balcony while he laid the floors. And then for an hour I vacuumed all the walls. Of course, our master laughed for a long time when he saw me walking in a medical mask and gloves. For me, any mention of glass wool is a fear from childhood, when we ran around a construction site and accidentally touched glass wool, any of us got a burn, after which it itched and burned for a long time.

A frame or so-called formwork for the future floor and walls is first assembled from wooden bars. Between themselves, the rails are fastened with metal corners using dowels and a screwdriver.

If the frame is laid on concrete, then first, holes are drilled on the concrete floor at the attachment points using an impact drill. Then, dowels are inserted into the wooden logs, applied to the attachment points and the screws are driven in with a hammer.

Mineral wool mats can be laid immediately on a concrete screed, in a wooden frame between the joists. It does not shrink at all, therefore it is used even on surfaces with high traffic.

To give the floor additional thermal insulation properties - on top of the first layer of basalt wool insulation, you can build a second frame of the crate and lay another layer of rocklite technonicol in the same way. In this case, wooden bars are fastened with a screwdriver to self-tapping screws.

Next, an isolar layer is used - this is a metallized substrate that reflects heat and protects against moisture, and is widely used to create a warm balcony (loggia). After laying all the layers of building materials, we reached the same floor level as the room without thresholds and steps.

Important (!)- the metallized substrate is laid with the reflecting surface upwards.

5. Ceiling insulation with technoplex insulation. In our ceiling, two wires for ceiling lights were installed. Therefore, before proceeding with the installation of the ceiling, electrical wiring was brought out under the wooden beams. I really like this method - it looks neat, without unnecessary wires. Electricians from have a lot to learn from the Bashkir masters)

6. Wall insulation with technoplex technoplex insulation.

The main difference between nanographite and basalt wool insulation is that it is not elastic. Therefore, when installing it into the crate, gaps remain, which then need to be filled with mounting foam.

After all the joints have been processed, a metallized isolar substrate is applied over the insulation. It is attached to the crate using a stapler and a special adhesive tape (connecting tape) - isospan.

After sheathing the entire surface with a metallized substrate, drywall sheets are attached to the wooden crate using self-tapping screws and a screwdriver from above.

Do-it-yourself plastering of a balcony (loggia)

After the balcony was completely sheathed with drywall sheets, including the ceiling, we had to plaster the walls. You can’t glue wallpaper on bare drywall, because its top layer consists of paper and can come off when wet. Additional surface treatment of sheets includes a primer and putty.

At this stage of work, our master left us, since he was only engaged in insulation, and the work of a plasterer as a painter was not part of his duties. We were faced with a choice - either to find a new employee, or to pick up a spatula ourselves. A significant role in the choice was played by the amount that the plasterers asked for - professionals for processing our small area.

Therefore, my friends, for the first time in my life I picked up a spatula and plastered my balcony myself (I posted a photo with the result a little lower). But I will say right away that I liked plastering, as it turned out, working with a gypsum mixture is not at all difficult, and if you are not particularly picky about your walls, feel free to pick up a trowel and master a new type of activity! Later (as experienced craftsmen scared me) after drying, nothing fell off, and the loggia became even warmer - after all, I responsibly covered all the cracks and joints.

So, to plaster a balcony lined with drywall sheets, I needed:

• gypsum plaster "Volma layer"
• deep penetration drywall primer
• serpyanka tape for joints
• putty knife
• container for diluting plaster
• drill with nozzle mixer for mixing the solution
• oilcloth to protect the surface from dirt (floor and brick wall)

1. First, I went over the walls with a primer to improve the adhesion to the top coat. Waited 40 minutes for it to dry completely.

2. I sealed all the joints on the drywall with tape - sickle. It forms a strong bond with the binder mixture, which is especially important at seams and corners.

3. Prepare the solution. I first diluted everything according to the instructions, and then mixed the plaster with water by eye. For the second time, you already know exactly what consistency the solution should be. I applied two coats of plaster. It took me four hours to get to work. I concluded that you can cope and learn how to work with a spatula even if you are a beginner. What happened to me you can judge from the photo. The color of the "Volma layer" plaster after drying becomes not white, but gray, so the ceiling had to be whitewashed with water-based paint.

How much money did it take us to insulate the balcony with our own hands

• Two-chamber window with lamination (assembly, installation) – 20.700
• Nails, switches, sockets, cable, polyurethane foam, sealant - 4.800
• Insulation, bars, drywall, plywood - 11.600
• Window sills, braids, laminate, wallpaper, lamps – 4.000
• Master's work - 10.000

Total for our loggia with an area of ​​3.43 sq.m. it took us 51.100 rubles. The amount of expenses depends on the size of the area to be insulated and what materials will be used for this. As you understand, insulating a balcony in Khrushchev will cost much less than insulating a large balcony with panoramic windows.

1. Mentally prepare for the fact that it will be necessary to allocate temporary space for building materials. All these heaters, drywall sheets and wooden blocks are impressive in size and occupied our entire hallway of 13 sq.m. It was especially hard for me with small children, who cannot be kept in place and I had to constantly make sure that they did not stumble and carry dirt around the apartment.

2. Separately, it is worth mentioning garbage and dust. Despite the fact that all the dirty work was carried out on the loggia, the builder still had to walk between the balcony and the hallway for materials and tools. Therefore, the entire floor was strewn with shavings and debris. Every time after his work, I had to carry out wet cleaning in the house with a rag and a vacuum cleaner. This is an important reason - why I quickly wanted to finish with the insulation of the loggia.

3. The amount that we were initially agreed on for the purchase of building materials was approximate. That is, in the process, you still had to buy something.

4. One person cannot do all the work for sure. There are two ways out: to find a company doing turnkey repairs, the prices of which start from 50 thousand rubles. Or, as we did, we separately looked for a master for each option. As a result, for the whole process of warming our loggia, we needed: specialists in the manufacture and installation of windows, a plumber, a master in warming and cladding balconies, a plasterer-painter. It turned out cheaper than ordering from the organization, but I also had to spend time searching.

5. Keep in mind, if you still decide to insulate the balcony with your own hands without the help of a specialist, then you should have the tool necessary for the job at hand. These are a jigsaw and files, a drill, a hammer, a screwdriver, a sealant gun, a puncher, a construction ruler with a level, a drywall assembly construction knife, a construction stapler.

6. Do not throw away checks, they may come in handy when repairs are completed and unused building materials remain. Within 14 days from the date of purchase, you can return them to the store and get your money back, provided that the package remains unopened.

7. It is better to make purchases in large chain stores. For example, Leroy Merlin gives buyers the opportunity to return an unused item for repair within 100 days after the purchase. I did not have any difficulty in returning the extra rolls of wallpaper, glue and cornices that did not fit in height.

Conclusion

I hope our experience helped you on how to properly insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands with a step-by-step photo. Many complain that after warming the loggia still remains cold. We specifically measured the temperature on the balcony, with minus outside. She remained as warm and comfortable as in the apartment.

Work on the insulation of the balcony is of course difficult and dirty. But how much joy I now have in my own workshop. I have my own little corner where I can work quietly without disturbing my loved ones, create in my personal space. So if you have an idea to make yourself an office, but there is no place in the apartment, pay attention to the balcony or loggia. Good luck everyone, bye!