Frame houses are especially popular today: they are easy and quick to assemble, do not require a reinforced and expensive foundation, are inexpensive, and therefore accessible to all segments of the population.

Nevertheless, many do not dare to build houses according to frame technology, since they are considered not warm enough, intended exclusively for summer living. However, this opinion is wrong, because if you approach insulation wisely panel house, you can feel comfortable in it at any time of the year. "But how to insulate a frame house for winter accommodation"- you ask. The answer to all questions related to the process of insulating such buildings will be our article today.

Insulation options

First of all, you need to decide where you will install thermal insulation - outside the building or inside. To make the right decision, you should consider the features of each insulation method.

The following facts speak in favor of the external location of thermal insulation:

In the process, the interior of the house does not suffer at all.

Wooden walls accumulate heat in the room, and when the temperature drops, they release it back into the room, allowing you to save on heating costs.

It should also be noted that the insulating material installed outside the house, in addition to its main function, reliably protects the facade from the harmful effects of moisture, ultraviolet radiation and temperature fluctuations. As a result, the service life of the building increases significantly.

If you are wondering how to insulate the walls of a frame house from the inside, pay attention to several disadvantages of this method:

For the interior, you will need to dismantle all the decorative finishing of the room, which will have to be restored again after installing the thermal insulation. This leads to an increase in work completion time and additional costs.

With internal insulation, flows of warm and cold air meet inside the wall, which leads to the accumulation of moisture in the room, and as a result, the service life of wooden partitions is significantly reduced.

The insulation layer located inside the building does not protect the facade from external factors. The wall goes through many freeze and thaw cycles, causing its structure to deteriorate.

Selection of insulation material

When asking the question of how to insulate a frame house for winter living, you should understand that when it comes to walls made of wood-based materials, the insulation must have the following qualities:

1. Environmental friendliness. The heat insulator should not release substances hazardous to humans into the air (even when heated).

2. Fire safety. You should choose materials that prevent fire from spreading along the walls of the building and do not emit a lot of smoke in the event of a fire.

3. Low thermal conductivity.

4. Durability. must fit tightly between the walls and retain its original shape over time.

5. Low cost. The price of insulation should not exceed the cost of the building itself.

Expanded polystyrene and mineral wool are considered to be closest to the above requirements.

Expanded polystyrene

The main advantages of polystyrene foam include its low weight, which is very important when it comes to frame structures. The material withstands sudden changes in temperature, is not afraid of moisture and does not freeze.

The durability and low cost of foam plastic attract many homeowners, however, along with the positive qualities, this insulation also has disadvantages.

These include:

Rapid flammability;

Susceptibility to mechanical and chemical damage;

Poor air permeability (which creates a thermos effect in the house).

As an alternative, many use an improved type of foam - penoplex, which is resistant to various types of damage, but has a higher price tag.

Most often, this insulation is installed on the outside of the house.

Mineral wool

The most popular material used as thermal insulation in frame houses is considered to be Isover mineral wool (insulation, the price of which, compared to similar materials, quite low). On sale it is found in the form of rolls, mats and durable slabs.

It is characterized by environmental friendliness, light weight, excellent heat and sound insulation properties, the ability to bend around any irregularities, as well as long service life.

The fire safety of a material depends entirely on its density. Products in the form of slabs do not burn at all.

When choosing this insulation for frame walls, you should take into account that after some time the wool can cake and sag, which leads to a violation of the integrity of the heat-insulating layer. It is also necessary to pay due attention to waterproofing, since, when wet, glass wool loses its original properties and becomes a favorable environment for the formation of mold.

Facade insulation

Let's take a closer look at how to insulate a frame house for winter living from the outside.

For these purposes, you can use technology. It involves installing insulation between the outer wall and the decorative cladding. In this case, the thickness of the thermal insulation layer directly depends on the climatic conditions in the region of residence (20 cm or more).

This method can also be used for internal wall insulation, and lining or plasterboard can be used as finishing.

Technology of insulating external walls with foam plastic

1. The wall is cleaned of dirt and dust, all protrusions are smoothed out. The base is completely treated with a primer, and if cracks are found, they are covered with special adhesives.

2. Next, install vertical hangers. Nylon strings with weights are placed at a distance of 0.5 m from each other in order to identify and eliminate all irregularities (if the walls of the panel house are as smooth as possible, this step can be skipped).

3. Using special glue, the foam boards are fixed to the walls. It is very important that the material fits as tightly as possible to the base.

4. Finishing material is installed on top of the heat-insulating layer.

Insulation of internal walls

Now let’s figure out how to insulate a frame house with mineral wool.

Laying insulation should be started only after the wall has been treated with antiseptic compounds.

Installation of thermal insulation includes the following work:

1. Place a vapor-permeable one on the walls so that its smooth side “looks” into the room.

2. Guide rails made of wood or metal are installed on top of the membrane using self-tapping screws. The distance between the slats must correspond to the width of the insulation material.

3. Installation of mineral wool can begin either from the top or from the bottom of the wall. If you use rolled “Isover” (insulation, the price of which varies between 1500-2000 rubles per package), installation should begin from the ceiling. Mineral wool in mats is installed starting from the floor. Fastening is carried out using dowels with a wide head.

4. It is located on top of the insulation. For these purposes, you should choose vapor-permeable products that will promote natural ventilation of the room. The film is fixed using wooden slats so that it is not too tight and does not sag. Next, the cladding is installed.

Conclusion

Now you know how to insulate a frame house for winter living. To conclude the topic, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that thermal insulation will not make the building suitable for living in the cold season - it is designed to keep warm air indoors. Therefore, if you want your home to be warm and comfortable even in severe frosts, take care of its heating.

Is it damn cold in your new house, not only in winter, but even in autumn? Then it will have to be insulated, and as soon as possible. And it is necessary to insulate it from the outside. Firstly, it saves internal space. Secondly, external insulation is much more effective, because it prevents the walls from cooling, rather than simply retaining heat inside.

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

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

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

Dew point - why doesn’t the insulation “work”?

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

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

The black graph illustrates the decrease in cake wall temperature from 20 degrees inside the building to -25 degrees outside. With such strong differences, 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 either completely remove condensation or shift it to the outer layers. Then, if there is a ventilation gap between the insulation and the 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/cubic meter, laid on the outside, is enough.

Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce heat loss from 42.09 kW/h to 23.37 kW/h in heating season.

Approximately the same effect can be achieved with 10 cm of polystyrene foam. But the disadvantage of polymer insulation is its almost complete vapor permeability, which significantly worsens the natural microclimate. In other words, in such a house there will always be high humidity, if you do not do forced ventilation. And this is a direct road 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, environmentally friendly material is always preferable, but it is worth taking into account the financial side of the issue.

Thermal insulation backfills

Although it is quite doable. According to its characteristics, 10 cm of ecowool with a density of 35 kg/cub.m. are in no way inferior to mineral wool. But the density is 60 kg/cub.m. will already lead to an increase in heat loss 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/cub.m. Increasing density up to 600 kg/cub.m. will lead to an increase in heat loss with a similar thickness of the insulation layer 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 external insulation will reduce heat loss to 25.18 kW/h. This is a good option if there is a vermiculite production facility nearby. Otherwise, the delivery of the material will negate all the cheapness of the insulation itself.

If there is a sawmill nearby that is willing to give away sawdust for free, the walls can be insulated in a fairly economical way. In addition, 15 cm of sawdust with a density of 250 kg/cub.m. provide only 24.48 kW/h of ash loss during the heating season. And so that the sawdust does not rot and has sufficient protection from fire, a clay or cement mixture is made.

For example, to make “homemade” 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 leak out.

The advantage of frame-panel houses is the ability to insulate them without removing the outer cladding.

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

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

General scheme of external insulation

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

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

How to properly insulate your facade using mineral wool is clearly explained in the video:

Insulating a house with bulk materials

The technology of insulating a house with bulk materials also requires the construction of a frame. After this, the frame is sutured edged board to a height of up to 30 cm. Unedged boards are not used - the insulation will spill out through cracks and irregularities. Let's look at insulation using sawdust as an example.

A layer of sawdust is poured around the entire perimeter of the house and compacted well. Uncompacted sawdust will cake in the future and the resulting voids will no longer insulate anything. This way the sheathing is gradually lifted under the roof.

The last layer under the roof is laid wet - this way there will be no need to compact it, and thanks to natural ventilation the sawdust will dry quickly.

If insulation is planned with sawdust concrete, a special formwork is constructed into which the mixture will be placed. This is a rather lengthy task - each layer must have time to dry before you can proceed to the next one. Thus, only 50 cm of the facade will be insulated per day.

Insulation of the basement and attic floor

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

It will reveal all the “bottlenecks” in the structure and will allow you to save on insulation - after all, you won’t have to “wrap” the entire house completely.

Insulating the attic - 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” - evaporate excess moisture without creating drafts in the living quarters.

For such environmentally friendly insulation of the attic floor from the outside, you will need ordinary sawdust. Thanks to its properties of absorbing and evaporating moisture, the insulation does not rot for a long time even in the presence of severe leaks in the roof. When laid correctly, sawdust practically does not caking in a horizontal plane, which allows you to forget about attic floor for many years.

The technology is extremely simple:

1. Material that is vapor permeable on both sides is laid on the floor of the attic. This is necessary to prevent small particles of wood from spilling down. In this case, ordinary agrofibre is ideal - it does not retain moisture, allowing air and water to pass through freely. Vapor barrier when insulating with sawdust is contraindicated! Otherwise, all the moist air will remain below, not penetrating into the attic.



2. What’s especially nice about insulation with sawdust is that the procedure requires a minimum of effort. The spunbond is laid with an overlap of 10 cm and fixed to the joists with a stapler or nails. There is no need to glue the joints and puncture sites with anything.



3. Sawdust is poured between the joists. To make them easier to lay and also give them some fire resistance, sawdust can be sprayed with a fire retardant solution. The main thing is not to over-moisten. Ideally, the sawdust should remain crumbly, but form lumps when strongly compressed.





4. The insulation is not compacted and not covered with anything. The subfloor is immediately laid on top of the joists. You can use unedged boards - thanks to the unevenness and cracks, 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 waterproofing to protect against rain and snow. It does not allow water to pass 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 mildew 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 maintains a positive temperature. And for owners of houses on pile or columnar foundation there is a high risk of becoming victims of strong drafts if the floor insulation is insufficient. And if for some reason it is not possible to remove the floor covering, and there is no access to the floor from the outside, you can simply insulate the base.

The procedure itself, although labor-intensive, is quite simple in technical terms:

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



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



3. Now you can attach the thermal insulation. The ideal material is extruded polystyrene foam. It is much stronger than polystyrene foam, can withstand temperature changes 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 screw the sheets with self-tapping screws.





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

Work on additional insulation of the house will bear fruit in the next heating season. So don't delay this!

The main criterion for the quality of a house is its heat capacity, the ability to retain heat at winter temperatures. What is the best way to insulate a frame house - expanded polystyrene, polyurethane foam, mineral wool, or perhaps expanded clay?

Types of insulation

The modern construction market offers so many insulating materials that it can be difficult for an inexperienced buyer to make right choice. Each manufacturer says that its material is the best and offers to use it in various buildings. Let's figure out what the features of various insulation materials are. And which one is the best?

Foam insulation

Polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene is the cheapest insulation option. This explains its popularity in various construction. When applied to a frame, foam is not always convenient. Its slabs are not compressed and are not installed tightly between frame posts. After installation it is necessary to blow out the cracks polyurethane foam. However, these disadvantages are compensated by the affordability of the heat-insulating material.

Foam between the posts.

The thermal conductivity of polystyrene foam is 0.041 – 0.051 W/(m*K), depending on the density. This means 10 cm foam insulation replace 20 cm of wood and 70 cm of brickwork. Such high characteristics are ensured by the structure of the material. The foam contains 98% air and only 2% polystyrene.

Note

In terms of thermal conductivity, foam plastics have surpassed even mineral wool. This means that for the same winter temperatures you will need a smaller thickness of foam than mineral wool.

The structure of the foam consists of individual cells, the walls of which are made of polystyrene (the same 2% of the material), and the internal cavity is filled with air. By character relative position foam cells can have an open cellular structure (when adjacent cells are connected to each other) and a closed structure (when the cavity of each cell is limited and is not connected to anything).

Insulation with foam plastic.

Foams with an open-cell structure have some air conductivity and are able to absorb moisture and get wet. This type of foam is called ordinary foam; it absorbs 4% moisture. It can be used to insulate walls and cannot be used to insulate foundations and those building elements that often get wet.

Note

Foams with a closed-cell structure are considered waterproof. An example of such a material is penoplex, the so-called extruded type of polystyrene (made by extrusion, extrusion). It is used to insulate foundations, floors, and lower sections of vertical walls.

What insulation for frame house Would it be better - simple or extruded, moisture resistant? Both types of expanded polystyrene can be installed in the walls of a frame house. At the same time, for ordinary polystyrene foam you will need. And for extruded penoplex - permanent job exhaust and supply ventilation.

The walls are insulated with penoplex.

In addition to the main advantage - affordable price and low weight (polystyrene slabs are easy to lift and mount on walls), polystyrene foam insulation has a number of disadvantages that prevent their widespread use in frame construction:

• They contain unhealthy and downright harmful chemicals, so it is recommended that foam insulation be done on the outside of load-bearing walls. For internal and frame insulation, it is necessary to properly insulate polystyrene foam boards from the indoor space. And when outdoors, protect from heating by the sun's rays. Styrene heated to +30°C begins to actively evaporate the reagents contained in it.
• Even with an open cellular structure, the material does not conduct air well enough, does not “breathe” and does not provide. Therefore, in buildings insulated with foam plastic, ventilation must function frequently.
• Polystyrene foam melts quite easily. Already at +50°C it begins to lose its structure. This limits its use in the construction of premises with high internal temperatures (in the walls of steam rooms, saunas, baths).

Insulation with polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is one of the expensive insulation materials, which is a type of foam rubber. It differs in application method and hardness. Polyurethane foam is sprayed onto insulated surfaces from a special spray bottle. Moreover, the application process is so toxic that the worker wears special protective equipment - clothing, gloves, goggles, and a respirator. What is the know-how of this method?

Application of polyurethane foam to walls.

Traditional polystyrene foam (foam) is a rigid board. When installing them between frame posts or when laying them on brickwork small gaps form. They are bridges of cold. In order to prevent heat leakage through the slotted “bridges”, they are blown in with special polyurethane foam, without any expansion effect.

Polyurethane foam is applied to the insulated surface in liquid form. It is sprayed, forming a smooth surface of the inner wall for subsequent finishing. So he:

1. Qualitatively insulates all joints and crevices.
2. Evens out uneven inner surface walls.

We insulate the attic with polyurethane foam.

In addition, polyurethanes have the following advantages over polystyrenes:

• They have lower thermal conductivity 0.023 - 0.043 W/(m*K) and better thermal insulation, which is 1.5 times better than the insulating properties of polystyrene foam.
• Higher operating temperatures, up to +110°C.
• There is a smaller amount of harmful fumes, which makes it possible to apply the insulator on the inside of the walls and use it in frame construction.

Note

The only important disadvantage of polyurethane foam is its high price, which is due to the need for special expensive equipment and the work of a professional.

Insulation with mineral wool

Cotton insulation is one of the old proven materials that are used for various thermal insulation. Mineral construction wool can be made from fibers of various raw materials (glass, stone, slag), thereby obtaining glass wool, basalt wool, slag. Thin thread-like fibers are arranged in a chaotic manner in the insulation structure. They are glued together with synthetic glue, leaving gaps with air between the fibers. In this way, the structure of the wool is formed into slabs or rolls that can be compressed and reduced in size.

Insulation basalt wool Izover

The compressibility of the material is required when installing insulation between frame posts. Therefore, construction wool is most suitable for frame installation and are often used in frame construction.

The most popular in modern insulation is the basalt version of construction wool. This is what is often called the general designation “mineral wool”. It is made from basalt by melting the stone at high temperatures ah (from 1300°C) and dispersing the melt in a centrifuge. As a result of processing, thin stone threads are formed, which are pressed into slabs, rolls, and mats.

We lay mineral wool in the frame of the house.

The thermal conductivity of basalt wool is 0.048 – 0.056 W/(m*K). This means that to replace 70 cm of brick you will need 12-15 cm of mineral wool. In addition to high thermal insulation properties, stone wool has a number of other advantages:

• Vapor permeability and the ability to conduct air, “breathe”, provide natural ventilation through the wall.
• More than 80% - natural composition and a small amount of synthetic fumes.
• High operating temperatures (up to +300°C).

Note

Stone wool is the “weakest” among other building wools in terms of withstanding high temperatures. It retains its properties up to +300°C. While glass wool can withstand up to +500°C, and slag wool – up to +600°C.

Stone wool insulation is considered good thermal insulation for the walls of a house. However, it is necessary to take into account the following fact. To insulate vertical walls, it is necessary to use cotton wool with a density of at least 50 kgm 3. Wool less dense will quickly settle, which will negate the insulation. A density above 50 guarantees long-term operation of cotton insulation for several decades.

Insulation of internal walls with stone wool.

In order to prevent subsidence of the insulation and a decrease in the heat capacity of the walls, it is better to use cotton wool in the form of mats for a frame house. It has a certain degree of compressibility, does not form cracks or joints, does not settle and does not lose its thermal insulation properties. Basalt wool slabs are considered the best insulation for a frame house, with an optimal price/quality ratio.

Ecowool insulation

Ecowool is made from paper and cardboard fibers, which are obtained from pulp production waste or waste paper. This insulation is also called natural, although 20% of its composition consists of synthetic glue and anti-flammable substances - fire retardants.

Application of ecowool on external walls.

Ecowool is one of the most inexpensive construction wools. It is used to insulate those surfaces that are not in contact with the interior. In addition, ecowool is a bulk insulation material. It is produced not in the form of slabs, but in the form of a bulk substance. Therefore, it is convenient to insulate floors under rough screed, and it is expensive to insulate vertical walls (it is necessary to construct wall formwork).

Restriction to internal and frame insulation residential buildings is the content of harmful substances - borates - in the material. Each kilogram of ecowool contains 200 g of borax and boric acid, which are odorless but can cause severe poisoning if vapors are inhaled.

Expanded clay for frame

This is another option for bulk insulation. It is rounded clay particles of small size, fired at a temperature of more than 1000 degrees.

Expanded clay is made in different fractions.

Expanded clay is often used for floor insulation.

Advantages of expanded clay

• 100% natural material, without synthetic glue, fire retardants, toxic components.
• Relatively low price.
• The highest durability among other insulation materials.

Disadvantages of expanded clay

• Average thermal insulation characteristics, 0.12-0.15 W/(m*K), make it necessary to use a sufficiently large thickness of insulation (at least 50 cm for floor insulation).
• Expanded clay absorbs moisture, so it is not used for floor insulation inside damp and damp rooms.

Insulation for walls

To determine which insulation, it is necessary to compare their performance characteristics and installation features.

Sectional diagram of insulation.

Choosing insulation for the walls of a frame house

• Thermal conductivity of the insulating material - the lower this indicator, the better thermal insulation walls. The smaller the thickness of the insulation. When deciding what thickness of insulation is needed in a frame house, you need to start from its thermal conductivity. For example, 10 cm of foam plastic has the same thermal insulation properties, 12 cm stone wool and 70 cm of brick.
• The density of insulation for a frame house - the lower this characteristic, the more ventilated the material. The higher the density, the more rigid the shapes of the insulating boards. For wall wool insulation, the density also determines the durability of the wall insulation.
• The price of insulation for a frame house.
• Availability of do-it-yourself installation.

By comparing the performance of heat-insulating materials, the customer or construction owner selects one or another insulation material. When funds are limited, foam plastic is often chosen, although this is not the best insulation. If the criterion of quality is put at the forefront of the choice, then the most optimal material filler for the frame wall - mineral basalt wool.

The sound insulation, comfort and durability of the entire structure depend on how correctly and with what kind of thermal insulation material the frame house is insulated. High-quality insulation will retain heat inside the room for a long time and save the amount of energy required for heating it. That is why it is extremely important to know how to insulate a frame house for winter living from the inside and outside.

Insulation from outside

One of the best options for thermal insulation of a frame building is cross insulation.

Pay attention! Insulation mats are always laid with the seams staggered so that they do not coincide. This will help avoid the appearance of blown cracks.

Cross insulation allows you to block all cold bridges in the frame, which are wooden elements designs. To do this, from the outside of the house, in addition to standard insulation layer of 15 cm, it is necessary to lay a layer of thermal insulation 5 cm thick.

To do this, bars measuring 50x50 mm are attached to the outside of the frame in a horizontal position. They are installed alternately, from bottom to top, at a distance of 59 cm from each other (this distance depends on the width of the insulation used, 1 cm less than the insulation). After that, 5 cm thick thermal insulation is placed between them in the spacer. Once all the insulation is installed, it is covered with a moisture-proof membrane. It will not only protect it from moisture and wind, but will also hold the slabs in the frame. The insulation inside the house will also not be able to fall out, since it is laid across the frame.

Scheme of a cross-insulation pie for a frame house

Sheets of windproof film are laid overlapping, at least 15 cm on top of each other. Secure the membrane to the bars with a construction stapler. Another sheathing is placed on top of the film using bars measuring 5x5 cm - for installation finishing coating and to create a ventilation gap.

Insulation from the inside

After the installation of insulation on the outside of the frame house is completed, they proceed to laying the first layer of thermal insulation 5 cm thick from the inside of the building. It is mounted in such a way that the slabs are flush with all the jibs. The next layer is thermal insulation with a thickness of 10 cm. It completely fills the entire frame between the racks.

After this, a high-quality vapor barrier membrane is attached from the inside; it will limit the penetration of steam into the insulation. Place the smooth side against the thermal insulation and the rough side inside the room. The sheets are spread overlapping, and the abutments are taped with double-sided tape. It is mounted on top of it with 5x5 cm battens to secure the finishing coating.

Pay attention! The insulation cannot be compacted or pushed by force, since the thermal conductivity of mineral wool depends on the number of air voids in its structure.

Thermal insulation should be as free as possible between the frame posts, filling it completely, without gaps.

Scheme of the pie for internal insulation of the walls of a frame house

Insulation is also installed in the interior partitions, but not for the purpose of insulation, but as sound insulation. Mineral wool insulation, especially basalt, is a good soundproofing material. The slabs are laid in a layer of 100 mm (2 x 50 mm with seams spaced). No installation required for interior partitions vapor barrier membrane, since the room temperature on both sides is approximately the same. Therefore, heat does not tend to escape and does not saturate the insulation with wet steam.

Pay attention! Glassine is used instead of vapor barrier for interior partitions. It prevents mineral wool dust from leaking into the room. Cover it with insulation on both sides.

Insulation basement floor frame house is practically no different from thermal insulation of walls. Essentially this is the same wall, but in a horizontal position. From below, the floor is covered with a high-quality windproof membrane with an overlap on the strapping beam on all sides. The film is secured to the subfloor so that the insulation laid in the frame does not squeeze out or tear it. Next it is laid in 2 or 3 layers thermal insulation material with seam spacing.

The basement floor must be insulated with a layer of 200 mm. IN interfloor ceilings a layer 15 cm thick is laid for sound insulation, and the attic is thermally insulated with a layer of 250 mm.

Scheme of insulation of the basement floor of a frame house

How not to damage the vapor barrier and other nuances

According to the standard scheme, to insulate a frame house, the installation of 150 mm of thermal insulation material is required.

But there are several nuances that need to be taken into account:

1. The frame of the house itself allows heat to pass through, as the thermal conductivity coefficient of wood is significantly higher than that of any insulation.
2. After installing thermal insulation based on mineral wool, for example, basalt, on the outside of the building, it is necessary to cover it with a windproof membrane, and cover it from the inside with a vapor barrier film.

Since power networks pass inside the frame, the outputs are passed through a vapor barrier. As a result, the film becomes leaky, and some of the heat passes through the holes to the outside, letting cold into the house. Even after gluing with special tape, the tightness of the structure cannot be guaranteed.

To avoid such a problem, you should make additional sheathing according to inside frame and fill it with insulation 5 cm thick. It is extremely important to arrange it as evenly as possible, using a building level or laser level. Since in the future sheet material, for example, plasterboard, will be attached to it for finishing with a finishing coating.

The bottom beam of the sheathing should retreat from the monolithic part of the foundation by about 15-17 cm. This is necessary so that when pouring the floor screed, it does not interfere with the sheathing and insulation.

Before installing the frame, you must immediately take into account the dimensions of the insulation boards so that no additional fastenings are required. But at the same time center distance There must be at least 120 cm between the horizontal slats (according to the size of the drywall sheet).

For high-quality finishing of a frame house, it is necessary to install two layers of drywall. The first is mounted in a horizontal position, and the second in a vertical position.

Thanks to this method, the sockets will be installed up to the vapor barrier layer, that is, its tightness will not be compromised. In addition to all this, an additional sheathing with insulation 5 cm thick will completely block all the cold bridges and cover the entire frame of the house, increasing the thermal insulation of the room.

When choosing thermal insulation and hydro- and vapor barrier building materials, preference should be given to manufacturers famous brands, whose products have been tested by time, and also have quality and safety certificates. Cheap insulation materials can quickly lose their heat-saving characteristics or be unsafe for indoor use.

Frame houses are being built very, very actively. But even such reliable and high-quality structures in the Russian climate cannot do without insulation. And this means that a quiet life in the house depends on choosing the right option and on competent work.

Why is it necessary?

Panel buildings are very popular among summer residents: they are attracted by the opportunity, having started work in late autumn, to have a full-fledged house by the beginning of the season. In this case, such buildings:

• environmentally friendly;
• are inexpensive;
• serve for many decades.

But all these advantages are realized only if the insulation of the frame house is done properly.

Otherwise, it will be quite difficult to call it comfortable. It is worth immediately distinguishing between two types of buildings.

• Buildings for permanent use by default must have solid thermal protection.
• If you plan to be there only from late spring to late autumn, thermal insulation should be minimal - strictly to maintain the stability of the structure itself.

The “frame”, intended for the summer period, has a wall thickness of no more than 70 mm. During the cold season, the required figure is at least twice as high. If you limit yourself to a thinner layer of material, the heat leakage will be disproportionately large, and you will either have to freeze or lose a lot of money on heating.

Important: for winter living you will have to insulate not the entire volume of the frame, but only its individual parts, first of all:

• stingrays;
• basements;
• attic planes;
• basement structures.

It will not be possible to get by with a heated floor alone, even if its power is excessive. Through the basements external walls and other parts of the panel house structure, heat will flow away just as vigorously. Considering the variety of conditions where insulation will be installed, give a universal answer about the best option it is forbidden. The basement walls are equipped with the same types of thermal protection, load-bearing walls- by others, covering the cold attic - by others. But in any case, the choice of suitable insulation formats always comes first.

Types of thermal insulation

Cross (additional) insulation of frame structures is carried out, as its name suggests, by adding an auxiliary volume of insulation to one layer. This solution allows you to reliably close existing cold bridges. Most builders prefer the external location of insulation- because it does not take up precious internal space, which is always in short supply in dachas and rural homes. In addition to thermal protection of the façade plane, special attention It is worth paying attention to preventing heat from escaping through the corners.

They are the most problematic points in any home; Now you can find out which solutions to all these problems should be preferred.

What should you use to insulate?

Insulation for a frame house cannot be bulk; standard technology involves the use of only tiles or rolls. The difference is not only that “one is put down, the other is untwisted.” Technologists are aware of the differences in nominal thickness. Typically, increasing the layer thickness increases the energy efficiency of the material.

But it is worth remembering that even a material that is impeccable in itself can be used incorrectly, and this immediately devalues ​​all the advantages. Therefore, it is better to either turn to professionals, or study the slightest subtleties and nuances of each coating.

The vast majority of amateur builders and official firms use the “brilliant four”:

• mineral wool;
• expanded polystyrene;
• mineral slabs;
• isolon.

There are many other options, the main division of which is carried out by chemical nature (organic or inorganic substances in the base) or by structure - solid blocks and bulk substances. You can even choose expanded clay, metallurgical slag and other bulk reagents. But the problem with this solution is the gradual shrinkage of the thermal protection layer. You will have to thoroughly compact the layer being laid, and not just fill the entire volume of the wall, floor, and so on with the selected composition. Slab materials do not cause such problems - but they also have their pitfalls.

So, using mineral wool in its pure form for external insulation of walls is pointless: it will not hold up well and will retain its thermal properties only until the first rain or snow. Required condition success turns out to be attached to special design from bars packed vertically. Each beam is placed only where the border between the mineral wool slabs passes. You should also take care of external protection from getting wet.

When working, it is important to wear respiratory protection, wear special glasses and not take off gloves.

Polystyrene foam is an organic substance. Its undoubted advantages are:

• low specific gravity;
• protecting walls from strong winds;
• exclusion of rotting.

But these advantages also have a downside: high fire risks. Therefore, it is impossible to decorate walls with foam plastic that has not undergone special treatment.

Mineral wool is absolutely not prone to ignition. A similar advantage can be obtained by using basalt wool, but it also has a significant advantage - ease of processing and perfect safety for builders.

Many people call the use of penoizol the ideal solution.

But he also has weak points– after a few years, areas will form where the material will not fit tightly. Therefore, heat loss will increase sharply. The liquid version of the coating has more powerful adhesion and lasts 50–60 years (a guarantee is provided for this period). The disadvantage is also, however, obvious - without special equipment it will not be possible to succeed. But penoizol is in any case acceptable for retaining heat in the floor, roof and walls.

Internal insulation of walls of frame buildings roll materials impossible. More precisely, it will be possible to attach them to the walls, but then the walls themselves will shrink, and the thermal insulation will inevitably be damaged. Regardless of the option chosen, and whether the work is done inside or outside the house, it must be carried out very carefully. It is useful to remember this whenever the thought arises of saving money by working on your own. If among all the materials the choice fell on penoizol, its installation is preceded by the installation of profiles.

Expanded clay frame structures they are insulated extremely rarely, and even its low cost does not justify such a choice. Yes, the material is very dense and does not absorb water well. But if it has already absorbed liquid, its return will be very slow. Expanded clay is very heavy, and even with a minimum density in dry form, it puts pressure on the walls and foundation very strongly. This circumstance will have to be taken into account during external finishing, choosing the most durable solutions for it.

But the main thing is not even this, but the fact that expanded clay is three times worse in thermal qualities than mineral wool and polystyrene foam. Therefore, you will definitely have to use layers of waterproofing and vapor barrier. Insulation with stone wool also competes strongly with this material. Working with its slabs is a pleasure; there is no need for complex tools. Cutting into the required fragments is done with a knife or saw with fine teeth.

Please note: stone wool blocks should not be compressed, tamped or squeezed. This will definitely lead to negative consequences. You also need to use ecowool wisely. So, in its pure form, ecological wool is very flammable, but if you mix it with borax and boric acid, level fire danger will decrease sharply. In addition, such processing will avoid interest from microscopic organisms and certain animal species.

Near the surface, ecowool can contain up to 20% water (by weight) and retain its basic insulating properties.

When the material dries, it fully restores functionality. People will also find such advantages as an optimal microclimate, suppression of extraneous sounds, absence of seams and sanitary safety to be attractive. Regarding possible problems, they are:

• you will have to limit yourself to vertical backfilling in order to guarantee thermal protection;
• You will definitely need specialized equipment;
• if the fastening control was poor, the material may settle;
• Ecowool is not very appropriate where high humidity may be present.

Insulating frame houses with sawdust is another traditional, even centuries-old technology. But there is no reason to consider it exclusively primitive, as modern people often do. Careful consideration of the characteristics of a material makes it possible to advantageously embody its positive features and weaken its negative ones. The undoubted advantage of sawdust is its natural origin, affordable price and decent heat retention. You just need to deal with the risk of fire and the establishment of rodents in the material.

Antiseptic components, lime, clay, gypsum or cement help solve such problems.

Important: when choosing an additive for sawdust, you should pay attention to how hygroscopic it is.

In many places, high humidity can lead to very unpleasant consequences. Sawdust of a large fraction is usually used for the rough insulating layer, and heat retention is mainly ensured by a finer substance. When purchasing or preparing yourself, you should pay attention to the dryness of the material; the quality of thermal protection depends on it.

Followers modern materials And latest technologies can insulate frame houses with extruded polystyrene foam. It is quite widely used when working on floors, including:

• over unheated basements and technical undergrounds;
• under attic floors;
• to enhance the acoustic protection of structures separating the floors of the house.

Typically, on the floors of frame houses, polystyrene foam is placed between the joists; at the request of the owners or craftsmen, it can be mounted under a reinforced screed made of cement and sand. The disadvantage of the material (easily eliminated, however, with a careful approach) is the need to strictly observe the specified gaps between the plates. Expanding when heated, polystyrene foam can be damaged - to prevent such a development of events, gaps are needed. It is important to remember that this synthetic substance is flammable and should be used with caution.

It is unacceptable to glue it to mixtures containing any flammable or simply caustic component.

In addition to insulation, it is worth remembering that reliable, well-designed ventilation must be provided in a frame house.

Enter fresh air They are always organized from utility rooms, and the flow is carried out under the doors separating the rooms. If you do not take care of the presence of a gap under them, then not only freshness, but also uniform distribution of heat in the home will not be achieved. When it is not possible to form such a gap, the following come to the rescue:

• special channels for flow;
• bars across the wall;
• separate channels for the passage of air into a specific room.

Specifications

The more monolithic the insulation layer, the more stable it usually retains heat. Because It is worth paying primary attention to the density of the structure, it is much more important than a big name or a whole series of certificates. The only particularly lightweight material that deserves attention is polystyrene foam (including its modification such as polystyrene foam). Even mineral wool belongs to the simply light category, although its specific gravity can vary widely. It is this circumstance that allows us to select optimal solution for a wide variety of conditions and situations.

If you need the strongest possible cold blocking (in living rooms and on the floor), it is necessary to use the densest versions. For a non-residential attic, the requirements are lower. With a density of 75 kg per 1 cubic meter. m. cotton insulation is suitable only on surfaces that carry a relatively light load, as well as for thermal protection of pipes.

Brand P-125 is already more worthy; it can be used in different procedures:

• covering ceilings and floors;
• thermal insulation of walls;
• thermal protection of partitions;
• suppression of external noise.

Cotton wool of category PZh-175 has increased rigidity and is not used in frame houses, to a greater extent it is used in stone and concrete buildings. If you plan to cover the walls with siding, you can use basalt wool with a density of 40 to 90 kg per 1 cubic meter. m. Moreover, the densest material is recommended to be used in upper parts walls For plaster, experts advise using cotton wool with a specific gravity of 140–160 kg per 1 cubic meter. m. The requirements for insulation used in the interior of a frame house are less stringent.

When the home is covered with a pitched roof, the optimal parameters are 30–45 kg per 1 cubic meter. m, and if you plan to insulate the attic, the lower bar is already 35 kg.

The minimum value for mineral wool under a flat roof is five times higher, and for expanded polystyrene it is much more gentle, only 40 kg per 1 cubic meter. m maximum. In floors, loose insulation can only be used when laying between joists. Otherwise, the thermal protection will be a mechanically loaded element, which will negatively affect its characteristics.

Residents of frame houses naturally strive to ensure that their habitats are not only warm, but also environmentally friendly; errors in the selection of insulation can prevent the achievement of this goal. Until recently, to meet environmentally safe way thermal protection was possible only in elite areas, but now such schemes have become much more accessible. Quite predictably, natural fibers take first place:

• woody;
• linen;
• hemp and some others.

The advantage of such substances is the zero degree of allergic and toxicological risk. The softness of the structure makes it difficult for individual components to penetrate into the external space. There is absolutely no place for mineral and glass wool in an environmentally friendly home. Insignificant shards of glass and stone fibers cannot be seen without a magnifying glass. But they can cause significant harm to health.

Important: no matter how great the desire for cleanliness and health protection is, this is not a reason to refuse antiseptic treatment a number of materials – where it is really needed.

Fire retardants are most often made from borax, a natural mineral that is completely safe. The vast majority of thermal protection components, however, do not pose a danger only under strictly specified conditions. One of them is always maintaining the integrity of the insulating “pie”, from which one or another substance cannot normally escape. Linen insulation is relatively cheap and at the same time quite normal, based on data obtained from medical studies in different countries.

Peat blocks are now becoming increasingly in demand in frame construction. 1 cu. m of such material costs approximately 3 thousand rubles, and it will last for 75 years, all this time being a sharply unfavorable place for microbes. What is important in our troubled era, such insulation can reduce the entry of penetrating radiation into the house by 80%. The only problem is that there is still little operating experience, and it is unclear how peat blocks will behave in different conditions after many years.

Cork structures are easily placed under wallpaper, on interior walls and under the floor; but due to the very high price, it is unlikely that many people will be able to appreciate their quality in the foreseeable future.

Review of manufacturers

Reviews allow you to appreciate not only various types insulation materials, but also the professionalism and integrity of individual companies.

Attention: you need to take into account that we will only talk about the truly best of the best companies that have shown all their capabilities over the years of competition.

Firm "Rockwall" supplies the market with fireproof thermal insulation made from stone wool. It places emphasis on ensuring the highest environmental and sanitary performance of its products. You can use this mineral wool as part of thermal protection:

• pipes;
• facade walls;
• room partitions;
• roofing structures;
• areas experiencing intense loads.

100 mm of such a slab is enough to replace almost 2 m of brickwork.

French corporation "Isover" sells glass wool to its consumers in roll, slab or matte configurations. Of course, environmental safety is somewhat less, but the cost of the products is noticeably lower and optimal fire-fighting properties are guaranteed. The level of thermal conductivity also corresponds necessary requirements. The company's line includes pressed materials that are easy to install even without the use of fasteners.

Glass wool is also supplied under the brand name URSA, which uses significantly less phenol in production, and in some cases got rid of it altogether. The product range includes:

• slabs of moderate rigidity;
• products adapted for medical and children's organizations;
• hydrophobic structures of increased density;
• products resistant to deforming loads.

Calculations

Regardless of what specific substance is used, the thickness of the insulation must be carefully calculated. If you miscalculate this indicator, you will end up with either an insufficient effect or excessively high costs for purchasing thermal protection and working with it. When the work is entrusted to a professional team, you still need to control the measurements and calculations made by it. As practice shows, installers left without supervision, making sure that no one is checking them, will sooner or later “make a mistake” in their favor.

The main role in the calculations is played by indicators such as thermal conductivity and thermal resistance.

Glass wool has a very high resistance to heat loss - but its disadvantages prevent the widespread use of this material. When making calculations, it is worth focusing on the climatic properties of a certain area. Thus, in Moscow and its environs, the recommended layer of most good insulation materials does not exceed 0.2 m. If you use such a quantity in the Far North, the result will be disastrous for residents.

A standard formula of the form δut = (R – 0.16 – δ1/λ1 – δ2/λ2 – δi/λi) × λut has the following components (sequentially):

• thermal resistance of structures in a specific area;
• total thickness of all layers;
• thermal conductivity coefficient;
• the ability of insulation to transmit heat.

Raw materials and tools

When the type of insulation has been chosen, the calculations have been made, it’s time to get ready for work properly. You definitely need to choose necessary tools as carefully as possible, taking into account the slightest nuances.

• With the dry insulation option, the “raw material” can be considered, along with the selected thermal protection, timber or metal structures of the frame being created. It is also useful to select materials that are consistent with the material. decorative materials, waterproofing films, membranes, vapor barriers.
• The “wet” scheme is implemented using water-based adhesives.

Typical tools for insulating walls and roofs include:

• screwdriver;
• guns for applying polyurethane foam;
• hammers;
• jigsaws for precise cutting of wood and metal;
• perforator;

• spatulas;
• hydraulic levels;
• roulette;
• metal scissors;
• containers for preparing solutions, and so on.

The exact set cannot be predicted in advance, because it greatly depends on the chosen technology, on the nuances of the frame house and the amount of work. In any case, it is worth trying to purchase high-quality tools and consumables. All devices purchased specifically or already on hand should be carefully checked before starting work. Otherwise, it will not be possible to guarantee the quality and safety of manipulations during insulation. In almost all cases, craftsmen benefit from a square: it is able to both mark precise right angles and measure the actual angles formed by the sides of the part.

Among all the hammers, the machinist's type is best suited.

It is suitable for processing any surfaces. On the one hand, such a tool is smooth and allows you to strike, and on the other, it is pointed, like a chisel. If you have to dismantle building elements and structures, you need a nail puller. You can separate polystyrene foam and other insulating and decorative elements into pieces using fine-tooth saws. The teeth should be specially set and sharpened in a special way.

For cooking building mixtures Only mixers with a spiral-shaped working part made of strong steel grades are quite suitable. Using rollers, it is easy to apply primers and a variety of paints, even if the surface is very rough or rough. To apply the adhesive solution for subsequent implementation of the reinforcing mesh, it is recommended to use Swiss ironing tools with teeth. The optimal tooth size is 8 x 8 or 10 x 10 mm, it is determined by the manufacturer of the façade systems.

Self-coverage

Step by step instructions in any case, it requires installing a layer that protects against moisture. The only exception is made for those situations where such protection is already in place outside (or inside). The reason is simple - two-way blocking of water deprives it of outlet. The liquid will accumulate inside the walls and gradually destroy them.

The first step is usually to measure the external surfaces and cut the waterproofing material according to their size.

Next comes work with the vapor barrier. This point cannot be avoided even when hydrophobic or neutral substances that tolerate contact with water are used for insulation. After all, besides them, the “pie” also includes other parts that are much more sensitive to getting wet. When insulating inside and outside, it would be correct to use a special film or foamed polyethylene to contain water vapor. Such materials are attached to the frame racks, ensuring maximum tight pressure against the insulation.

Important: wrapping thermal protection blocks in film is a violation of the standard scheme - until all components of the frame, without exception, are covered from water, the work cannot be considered completed.

Only when all this is finished do they begin to work with the filler itself.

At the same time, safety requirements are strictly observed, especially relevant when choosing mineral or glass wool.

The final step is to cover the walls from the inside. Without competition in terms of the sum of their qualities, there will be drywall and oriented particle boards. It is recommended to install gypsum boards if the frame is perfectly flat, then the outer surface will be smooth. But OSB, thanks to its rigidity, will cope with flaws as efficiently as possible. But in any case, this is only preparation for the real finishing touches.

Master classes from professionals

Master classes organized by professionals allow you to obtain the latest and adequate information on all problems of insulation and related topics. As a result of the consultation, it will become clear what the width of the frame board should be in a certain case, and how to calculate the thickness of a fundamentally new material.

Experienced craftsmen understand safety measures and the storage and transportation of each insulating coating better than ordinary amateur builders. Many mistakes are made when attaching structures, drawing up diagrams and determining the sequence of layers in the “pie”. But communication with knowledgeable people helps correct this situation.

When mineral wool is used, try to prevent condensation coming from the warm rooms. But waterproofing and vapor barrier are also fraught with many pitfalls. The choice of material for cladding is often dictated by tradition, personal tastes or stereotypes - but meanwhile, a thoughtful design is much more pleasant. Professionals will tell you when you can use natural insulation, and when it is better to use artificial ones. It is very important to understand the compatibility of materials with each other: master classes again help here.

To find out which insulation retains heat better, see the following video.