Since the roof of a cold attic only serves as a protection against rain, snow and, in part, wind, special attention should be paid to the thermal insulation of the floor. Warming of the attic floor is carried out using various heat-insulating materials with the obligatory organization of wind protection, especially from the side of the eaves of the roof.
Insulation of the floor in two layers using rolls of mineral wool
As a rule, the insulation is laid directly on the floor of a cold attic. Naturally, provided that the attic will not be used. This will save on a layer of waterproofing film, as well as on the organization of a full-fledged floor covering.
How to insulate an attic floor and what materials can be used for this - read below.
What should be the thickness of the attic floor insulation?
The thickness of the thermal insulation layer does not depend on which structure of the attic floor on wooden beams or reinforced concrete is chosen. On the packaging of any insulation, the coefficient of specific thermal conductivity λ is indicated, and it has two values: λА - for a dry environment, and λБ - for a wet one. The lower this coefficient, the better the insulating properties of the material. It is on the basis of this value that the calculation of the insulation of the attic floor is made.
The thickness of the attic floor insulation is:
α = R 0 λБ
where R 0 is the coefficient of resistance to heat transfer, which, according to the standards, is 4.15 m² · ° С / W.
Insulation of the attic floor using wooden beams
In most small houses and summer cottages with a cold roof, wooden floors are used, therefore, it is their thermal insulation that we will consider first.
The device of the attic floor on wooden beams, as a rule, is as follows:
- Hemming of the lower floor.
- Vapor barrier.
- Floor beams.
- Insulation.
- Waterproofing.
- Finishing finish.
Ceiling arrangement in a private house with a cold attic begins with the installation of load-bearing beams. Since their maximum length is usually 4 meters, then for rooms of greater width it is necessary either to construct supports or to use metal purlins.
Diagram of the device of a wooden attic floor with two layers of insulation
After the beams are laid, a vapor barrier is made for the ceiling of the cold attic. To do this, a vapor barrier film is attached to them from below, which protects the insulation from moisture penetration from the lower room. When you insulate a wooden attic floor, it is advisable to use special reinforced multilayer materials made of polyethylene or polypropylene as a film, since it is stronger and much easier to attach.
It is best when the vapor barrier layer is solid. However, the construction of a wooden attic floor does not always allow this. If for some reason the vapor barrier cannot be placed under the beams, the film is laid between them with an overlap on them and fixed with a special tape to ensure tightness.
Don't forget about the wood impregnation
The device of a wooden attic floor suggests the risk of damage to the supporting structures due to decay. Therefore, before laying the cold attic pie, all wooden beams and lathing should be soaked in special solutions that prevent rotting and mold formation.
Next, the attic floor is insulated along the beams, for which the heat-insulating material is placed between them. If you are using bulk insulation, then it should be carefully leveled and made sure that it fills all the voids.
The minimum thickness of thermal insulation for insulating an attic wooden floor, calculated by you using the formula above, may be greater than the width of the load-bearing beams. In this case, a crate of bars of the size you need is attached across them. Then another layer of insulation is laid between them with the obligatory overlap of the joints of the previous layer.
Avoid cold bridges
It is recommended to close the attic floor beams with a layer of thermal insulation even if their width is sufficient to accommodate the insulation of the design thickness. The fact is that through them, so-called cold bridges are formed, in connection with which heat loss in the house increases.
An attic floor with wooden beams is usually made with a floor of conventional flooring of treated boards laid across the battens or support beams. However, thick plywood, chipboard, MDF and other similar materials can also be used as a topcoat.
If you want to use a leveling screed as a finishing finish, then waterproofing the cold attic on top of a layer of insulation is required.
Insulation of the attic floor on a reinforced concrete slab
If you need to insulate the attic floor using reinforced concrete slabs, then this can be done in two ways: with and without lathing.
The first method is universal, but is most often used for light types of insulation. The device of the attic floor of a cold attic in this case will look like this:
- Attic floor vapor barrier in progress cold attic, which should cover the entire layer of insulation from the sides. Since the vapor barrier just needs to be laid on the floor, it is not necessary to use specialized materials for these purposes - ordinary cheap plastic wrap will do.
- Top on the film, narrow side a wooden block is placed width equal to half the required thickness, which should have insulation for a cold attic. The distance between the bars is usually taken equal to the width of the roll or plate of the selected brand of insulation.
- Between the boards the insulation for the attic floor is laid... If it is necessary to use several layers of heat-insulating material in thickness, it is laid with overlapping joints of the previous layer.
- Across the already laid bars are attached exactly the same, at the same distance from each other. Between them is laid the second layer of thermal insulation of the attic floor.
- Above the vapor-permeable waterproofing of the cold attic is laid, which is fixed either with special adhesive tape or with a thin bar nailed along the lathing. This stage can be omitted if a high-quality waterproofing of a cold roof made of corrugated board has already been performed.
- Across the bars nailed floorboards or walkways are laid for movement.
Since it is very important to properly insulate the ceiling under a cold roof to save on heating the house, I recommend using the given transverse scheme for laying thermal insulation. Such a device for the attic floor minimizes the possibility of a cold bridge forming through the wooden blocks, since most of them will be insulated with insulation.
The second method of insulating a cold attic on reinforced concrete slabs without using a crate is suitable in cases where moisture-resistant solid types of insulation are used for thermal insulation that can withstand a significant load without losing properties.
Diagram of the attic overlap device on a reinforced concrete slab
In this case, the vapor barrier of the attic floor is also laid first. Next, the attic floor slabs are insulated with a layer of thermal insulation of a calculated thickness.
A leveling screed is poured over it. The finishing floor is already laid on the screed. If the insulation of the concrete attic floor is carried out with aerated concrete and materials similar in density and properties, then you can do without waterproofing and vapor barrier, as well as a screed.
Insulation for the attic floor: which one to choose?
Before insulating the attic floor, you need to choose a heat-insulating material that is right for your case. Unfortunately, there is no universal option, the better to insulate the attic floor. This choice depends on many factors, the most significant of which are:
- heat insulating properties of the material;
- fire safety;
- price;
- ease of installation;
- environmental friendliness;
- hygroscopicity;
- strength;
- resistance to decay, temperature, acid and alkali.
You must decide which of these factors are most important to you, and which can be neglected.
Insulation of the ceiling of the cold attic with mineral wool
Mineral wool is one of the most popular materials for insulating floors. The best characteristics for insulating the attic floor of a house are its type based on basalt fibers, which is called stone (basalt) wool.
Insulation based on basalt fibers belongs to the class of non-combustible materials with a melting point above 1000 ° C; and has excellent thermal insulation properties. However, it easily absorbs moisture, therefore, when using it, the requirements for hydro and vapor barrier are particularly high.
It is better to insulate the attic floor with mineral wool using rolls, since the joints between the slabs, although not much, reduce the effectiveness of thermal insulation. It must be laid close to beams or guides, but avoiding jamming.
Mineral wool laid in two layers when insulating the attic floor
The installation of mineral wool is very simple, so this thermal insulation material is most often chosen when they want to insulate the attic floor with their own hands without the involvement of specialists. During work, do not forget to use personal protective equipment: heavy rubber gloves, glasses and clothing that covers the whole body. For people prone to allergies, this kit must be supplemented with a respirator.
Advantages:
- Fire safety;
- Environmental friendliness;
- The convenience of use;
- Relatively low price.
Disadvantages:
- Sealing tendency, good crease;
- Hygroscopicity.
Insulation of the attic floor with foam
Polyfoam is a very inexpensive material, which, in fact, is expanded polystyrene foam and retains heat due to these "bubbles" with air. It is cheap, has good thermal insulation properties, is moisture resistant and can withstand fairly high compression loads.
Styrofoam plates of different thickness
However, all its advantages are more than covered by one drawback - this material is fire hazardous. Already at a temperature of 80 ° C; foam plastic melts with the release of a huge amount of harmful substances, and at temperatures from 210 ° C; fire occurs. Therefore, insulating the attic floor over wooden beams with foam is not a good idea. However, it can be used between non-combustible materials, for example, when laying as insulation on a concrete slab with screed pouring.
Advantages:
- High thermal insulation properties;
- Low price;
- Moisture resistant;
- Resistant to decay;
Disadvantages:
- Fragility;
- Highly flammable;
- Deforms already at a temperature of 60 ° C;
- It is an excellent shelter for mice.
Insulation of the attic floor with extruded polystyrene foam
Extruded (extruded) polystyrene foam is made from the same material as foam, but using a fundamentally different technology. On the territory of the CIS, the most common heaters of this type from the Penoplex company. The performance properties of extruded polystyrene foam are significantly better than that of expanded polystyrene, in particular with regard to the ignition temperature of the material.
Extruded polystyrene foam in slabs of various thicknesses
However, insulation of a wooden attic floor with foam is not recommended. Despite the fact that open combustion of this heat-insulating material occurs at a sufficiently high temperature, it is still fire hazardous. Firstly, extruded polystyrene foam supports combustion, and secondly, it emits very corrosive and toxic substances when heated even to very low temperatures, namely, they are the cause of death in a fire in most cases. Therefore, penoplex is far from the best option than insulating the attic floor of a house, even if it is reinforced concrete.
Advantages:
- High thermal insulation properties;
- Moisture resistant;
- Resistant to decay;
- High density;
- Withstands quite heavy loads;
- Low weight.
Disadvantages:
- When heated above 80 ° C; begins to release toxic substances;
- Fire hazard;
- Deforms when heated.
Insulation of the attic floor of the house using polyurethane foam
Polyurethane foam boards are one of the best insulation materials available. This material has excellent thermal insulation properties, it is durable, resistant to chemical and bacteriological influences, non-hygroscopic and fireproof.
Insulation polyurethane foam in the form of a foil-coated plate
Polyurethane foam is the best way to insulate an attic floor in a private house. If you can afford it. It is the high cost that is its main and, probably, the only drawback. Because of it, it may even be difficult to buy this material in small cities.
Advantages:
- The best thermal insulation properties among the materials considered;
- Fireproof;
- Not affected by moisture and chemicals;
- Does not rot;
- Eco-friendly;
- Convenient to use.
Disadvantages:
- Price.
Insulation of the ceiling of a cold attic with sawdust
Previously, due to the lack of other materials, insulation of a cold roof with sawdust was a widespread phenomenon. Now this method of thermal insulation is used by those who like its environmental friendliness. At the same time, despite popular belief, the design of the attic floor using such a heater is by no means cheap. Sawdust is not stacked "dry", but in a special solution, the production of which requires money and a lot of time.
The composition of the sawdust solution for insulating a cold attic is as follows:
- 10 buckets of sawdust(wood chips are needed, which are formed when sawing and processing wood, furniture sawdust - too small for these purposes);
- 1 bucket of hydrated lime(fluffs);
- 1 bucket of cement;
- 5-10 buckets of water with antiseptic, for example, with boric acid, soap or copper sulfate (pour in gradually with a watering can, the total amount depends on the size of the sawdust).
The resulting mixture is placed on the base between the beams and tamped. The thickness of the layer of such insulation for the attic floor should be at least 300 mm, but it is better to do more, since the thermal insulation properties of the sawdust solution can be very different. On top of such insulation to cover the attic, walkways are laid for movement, which can be used as sheets of chipboard or dense plywood.
Advantages:
- Comparative low cost;
- Environmental friendliness;
- Quite good thermal insulation properties.
Disadvantages:
- Labor-intensive self-production;
- The thickness of the attic floor is large;
- Complex installation;
- Differences in thermal insulation properties depending on the composition.
Insulation of the attic floor with expanded clay
Another relatively cheap material that can be used to insulate the attic floor in a private house is expanded clay. It is made by firing clay and is one of the most environmentally friendly building materials. In addition, expanded clay has good thermal insulation properties, is refractory, durable and inert to acids and alkalis.
With the help of expanded clay, you can insulate both reinforced concrete and wooden attic floors. However, in the latter case, you need to carefully consider the calculation of the bearing capacity of the beams, since expanded clay thermal insulation weighs much more than modern heaters. Concrete attic floor slabs can easily withstand very heavy loads, so expanded clay can be used for them without additional calculations.
Disadvantages:
- Difficulty laying.
Correctly executed insulation of the attic floor of the house ensures the preservation of heat inside the premises, and not its useless waste on heating the cold attic. Warm air, rising, will freely pass through the ceiling, which means that all expenses for heating the room will ultimately go to heating the street.
This means that it is necessary to insulate the attic floor using suitable thermal insulation means even at the stage of building a building or before finishing the interior.
The technological process of thermal insulation is determined by the structural features of the building: a wooden beam or solid reinforced concrete structure.
However, in any case, thermal insulation means for warming the attic should:
- have minimum thermal conductivity;
- have moisture-repellent properties;
- be fireproof;
- resist rotting or mold formation;
- have little weight.
Based on this, today, as a heater for an attic floor on wooden beams, it is usually used:
- Mineral wool. Inexpensive, lightweight, durable material that is easy to work with. Usually, the mineral wool is placed in the space between the girders in two layers on the basis that the thickness of the material will be at least 20 cm. In this case, the joints are tightly fitted, but not jammed. If you plan to further equip a dwelling or an attic, then the insulation of the cold attic ceiling necessarily includes the installation of the lathing.
- Expanded clay. It is a loose mass of fired clay. Suitable for all types of floors, however, it is more often used for thermal insulation of concrete slabs. Nevertheless, only the bearing capacity of the structure of the building can limit the use of this material. The optimal layer of expanded clay when installing a heat-insulating layer is at least 16 cm, this must be taken into account when calculating the material.
- Styrofoam. The cheapest option used to insulate the attic floor on a reinforced concrete slab or wooden beams. Its advantages include: ease of installation, low weight, excellent thermal insulation and low cost, however, the foam is not resistant to the formation of fungal mold, it is exposed to high temperatures.
- Sawdust. Inexpensive natural insulation, often used in the attics of private houses. Possesses excellent heat and sound insulation qualities. However, such material attracts rodents and insects, is highly flammable, susceptible to moldy formations, absorbs moisture, and cakes.
Preparation of materials and tools
Before insulating the attic floor in a private house, it is necessary to prepare lumber, hydro and vapor barrier, standard carpentry and power tools. Thus, to carry out the technical part of the work, you will need:
From a hand tool:
- a pair of hammers (heavy and light);
- longitudinal and transverse saws;
- plane;
- a set of chisels;
- roulette;
- building level.
From the power tool:
- drill;
- screwdriver with replaceable nozzles;
- instead of a cross-cut saw, it is sometimes much more convenient to use an electric cutting machine.
It is convenient to use a special construction stapler with staples to fix roll insulation.
For creation, a foamed polyethylene film or a vapor-permeable waterproof membrane is suitable. To seal the joints, you will need foil tape.
Lumber will need bars with a section of 62x62 mm, as well as boards with a thickness of at least 25 mm. For the final finishing of the floor, each owner uses the finishing materials of his own free will.
Important! Before carrying out thermal insulation work, all wooden components of the structure must be treated with special antiseptics and, if possible, antipyretics. This will avoid the occurrence of putrefactive or moldy processes in the wood, and will also give fire-fighting properties.
Sewing a rough ceiling
During the construction of wooden houses, the entire load from the roof falls on wooden load-bearing beams made of timber or logs, with a cross-section of at least 120x120 mm. Most often, they are mounted on the load-bearing walls of the structure of the house, parallel to its narrow side, and they are the load-bearing elements of the ceiling of the upper floor and the attic floor.
Insulation of the attic floor on wooden beams is called hemmed, since both the rough and the final ceiling are hemmed from below to the load-bearing elements.
Before you start insulating the attic, you need to make a rough ceiling. Edged boards and plywood are usually used as the main material here. In this case, the boards are fastened closely with the help of galvanized self-tapping screws.
Vapor barrier
For all types of floors, vapor barrier is an integral step. A thin and durable film is attached to the ceiling itself, since this helps to exclude condensation of vapors in the heat insulator when heat comes from the heated room.
can fit under any finishing materials. They have additional functions in the form of protection from wind, water, dust. Therefore, the space under the roof will be reliably protected not only from the destructive effects of condensation, but also from the atmospheric effects with maximum effect.
To install the vapor barrier, it is enough to evenly distribute the film over the surface of the attic floor and fix it with metal brackets, while the joints should be glued with foil tape.
Installation of thermal insulation
After the installation of the draft ceiling and vapor barrier layer, the ceiling beams will be located on the side of the attic, so the thermal insulation will be between them. Based on what kind of insulation is chosen, the installation process itself may be slightly different.
So, for example, to insulate the overlap of a cold attic with mineral wool, sheet or roll material is laid on a vapor barrier without any jamming or compression. Another layer of film is laid on top of the insulation.
This whole pie is attached with a furniture stapler to beams and walls, all over the room. The joints of the vapor barrier membrane must be sealed with metallized tape.
When installing foam, a waterproofing film is unnecessary, since the polymer insulation itself does not allow air and moisture to pass through. Typically, the foam is mounted on the surface of the rough ceiling in two layers.
When using expanded clay as a heater, a two-layer vapor barrier is used. However, in this case, it is necessary to fill in a multi-fraction loose mass of fired clay. This will avoid the formation of voids in the thermal insulation layer and will improve heat and sound insulation.
The technological process of warming with sawdust is similar to the use of expanded clay. However, here very often wood chips are mixed with other binding components: clay, cement or gypsum. In any case, the sawdust must first be dried, treated with antiseptics and, if possible, antipyretics.
Note! Any mineral insulating material is capable of transmitting heat and moisture. To improve the heat-saving properties and extend the life of the insulation, it is also necessary to use special vapor-proof films.
Waterproofing
When the interfloor pie is ready, it is necessary to waterproof the cold attic room. It will help eliminate the appearance of streaks and condensation. Most often, the role of waterproofing is performed by foil-clad polyethylene foam.
It is fastened with a stapler with the metallized side outward, while leaving 15-20 cm long ends wrapped on the walls. The joints, as in other cases, are glued with foil tape.
A crate is mounted over the entire surface of the resulting structure, which will later be the basis for a final ceiling covering. Moreover, it is necessary to create an air-thermal overlap cushion.
Arrangement of the floor in the attic
In most cases, attics in private houses are used as back rooms for storing unnecessary trash. But it is also often made of it a living room or an attic. In any case, this room must have a reliable, safe floor.
The type of heat-insulating material used in a particular case will help you choose the right material for creating a sub-floor in the attic. So, for example, if the attic floor is insulated with mineral wool on wooden beams or foam is used as insulation, then the floor covering must be rigid. Thick plywood, edged board or OSB sheets are most often used as a rough material.
Expanded clay insulation is covered with thick plywood. As a rough floor covering when arranging living quarters in the attic, if the bearing characteristics of the building allow, sometimes a cement screed becomes.
Sawdust-cement or sawdust-clay heaters, after drying, themselves become tough and resemble a reinforced concrete rough surface, so the finishing can be done directly on it.
Conclusion
There are several variations on how to insulate the ceiling of the attic. Which one to apply to a particular room depends on the technical features of the structure and the preferences of the owners. The main thing here is the correct observance of all technological stages of the installation of thermal insulation.
During the heating season, up to 15-20% of the heat can go through the "cold" roof. That is why the issue of warming the attic floor using wooden beams is relevant for many homeowners. Experts offer several options for thermal insulation, each of which has its own pros and cons.
In private houses, the attic floor is most often made of wood. This allows optimize construction costs, reduce the overall load on the foundation ... In addition, working with wood does not require the involvement of special equipment.
The correct organization of the thermal insulation of the beam structure of the floor allows not only to reduce the cost of heating the house, but also:
- improve the microclimate in the house in the summer - avoid excessive heating and additional expenses for air conditioning;
- to minimize the amount of moisture, condensation - this helps to extend the service life of the attic structure: the tree will not rot, and metal elements will corrode;
- reduce the formation of ice and icicles on the roof by lowering the temperature of the roofing materials.
That is why it is so important to ensure complete reliable insulation of the attic space.
What materials can be used
High-quality insulation for floors made of wooden beams should be different:
- light weight so as not to create unnecessary load;
- low thermal conductivity, in this case, a smaller layer is required;
- moisture resistance- moisture accidentally trapped in the insulation can become a medium for the active reproduction of fungi and mold;
- fire safety;
- stability of geometry- otherwise, over time, the insulation material will lose its characteristics and begin to crumble;
- biological resistance- the material should not be a habitat for microbes and bacilli.
For effective insulation of the attic floor on wooden beams, the following are used: solid ( slab), roll, bulk or liquid ( sprayed) materials.
Piece insulation
Mineral and basalt wool consists of many microfibers, connected in a chaotic manner. Differs enough low thermal conductivity, fire safety and low weight... With the time of the mineral wool practically does not deform... Suitable for thermal insulation of attic floors roll and slab insulation. The disadvantages of cotton wool include it ability to absorb moisture with a subsequent decrease in their heat engineering characteristics and the need for styling in special personal protective equipment(gloves, respirator, etc.).
Styrofoam combines several positive parameters: low cost, lightness and good thermal insulation ability... He moisture resistant and easy to install... Cutting into a sheet can be done with an ordinary clerical knife. However, many homeowners are reluctant to use Styrofoam due to its low resistance to high temperatures and a high probability of damage to the material by rodents.
Extruded polystyrene foam differs in a denser structure. It is characterized by zero capillarity, good resistance to seasonal temperature fluctuations... For ease of installation, sheets with a groove-comb system are used.
Cork slabs provide good heat and sound insulation. They are not affected by rodents, smolder slowly when ignited, have increased strength... The thermal insulation index of the slabs is 0.08 W / mK.
Bulk and sprayed heaters
The main advantage bulk materials- ease of installation, as they are simply poured into the space between the girders. The most common are:
- expanded clay- balls of small diameter obtained by firing clay;
- perlite- the rock is crushed and burned to obtain a porous structure. Lighter, but, at the same time, quite expensive material;
- ecowool- made from cellulose. For fire resistance, it is treated with special solutions.
- Styrofoam- light balls, which are sold in bags.
Spray polyurethane foam – environmentally friendly, strong, durable (lasts at least 30-40 years) insulation with good thermal performance. Energy efficiency is driven by uniform application without joints and gaps... Application does not require special preparatory work, the foam fills all the irregularities and voids, after hardening you can walk on it. The disadvantages of PPU include it relative high cost and the need to use special equipment for installation.
What floors require insulation
Calculation of the thickness of the insulating material can be done independently according to SNiP II-3-79 * "Construction heat engineering".
This takes into account:
- climatic zone- the average air temperature during the cold period and the duration of the heating period in the construction area;
- material features- coefficient of specific thermal conductivity.
General principles of insulation
When preparing for insulation of floors in a wooden house, you should accurately measure the distance between the beams... According to this indicator, the materials are cut. If a residential building is being insulated, then at the preliminary stage it will be necessary to remove all unnecessary objects and debris from the attic. If you have an old insulation, you will have to dismantle it.
Biological damage on the wood (fungus, mold) it is necessary to remove with an iron brush and treat these places with an antiseptic composition.
If the estimated thickness of the insulation is greater than the height of the beams, then wooden slats are additionally packed. They are needed to create an air gap. This is true for further flooring in the attic.
Arrangement of vapor barrier
Vapor barrier materials prevent moisture penetration into the beam structure and insulation layer... It is especially important to arrange this layer over wet rooms: kitchen, bathroom, sauna. Experts recommend using durable reinforced polymer or membrane films... Foil materials are used to reduce heat loss. They are attached with the reflective surface facing down.
The optimal solution is to install the vapor barrier of the attic floor continuous layer... At the construction stage, it is convenient to do this from the side of the first floor. The film is attached directly to the beams, if this is not possible, then the installation is carried out in the space between the beams. The material is mounted overlap and to ensure tightness fixed with special tape.
Insulation laying
If several layers of material are used to insulate attic, interfloor floors on wooden beams, then it is important to take care of their laying staggered, that is, the upper sheets should cover the joints of the lower ones.
When insulating floors on wooden beams, it is important to monitor the density of the material. Any crevices, gaps or voids can cause a decrease in the thermal insulation value of the structure. Joints between rigid polymer boards can be filled with polyurethane foam.
Bulk materials evenly distributed in the inter-girder space, since here it is important to observe the calculated thickness of the backfill.
Final processes
To protect the insulation from above is attached hydro, wind protection. It is laid with an overlap (10-15 cm), with the obligatory gluing of the joints. Usually in the attic they equip floors made of edged boards, you can also use chipboard, plywood, etc.
Output
Thermal insulation of wooden floors between living quarters and an unheated attic is a labor-intensive process. It helps to reduce heating costs, create a comfortable microclimate in the house, and for greater clarity, we offer a meaningful video about the rules for insulating interfloor floors using wooden beams.
Staying in your own cottage can be overshadowed by low indoor temperatures during cold seasons and high costs. To avoid this, they carry out insulation of the floor of a private house. Ceiling, attic or interfloor insulation is performed using traditional and new materials.
The process of insulating floors in a frame house using mineral wool According to the laws of physics, warm air always rises upward. If it is not heated, the heat from the lower floor goes out through it. Heat loss can be up to 40%. Warm air escapes through small cracks in concrete, pores in wooden ceilings. Correctly executed thermal insulation will prevent freezing and reduce heating costs.
In all private houses with a cold ceiling, it is recommended to insulate the ceiling. Such work can be performed during the construction phase or in an already erected house. In the second case, warming is carried out if the coatings were made a long time ago and have lost their heat-insulating properties over time.
Insulation materials
For thermal insulation, four groups of heaters are used:
In addition to the direct function of thermal insulation, they have. In summer, they protect the house from high ambient temperatures. Among the main properties of thermal insulating agents that are important for, there are:
Before making the final choice of thermal insulation, it is also important to analyze:
- Climatic conditions. The colder it is outside in winter, the thicker the insulation layer should be.
- Budget. Quite often, the choice depends only on the availability of money.
- Additional work. What else needs to be done to insulate the floor.
Laying mineral wool in the beams before cladding the ceiling with clapboard Perhaps this is the replacement of structural elements, finishing materials, additional application or treatment with refractory preparations.
Sawdust
Sawdust can be used for thermal insulation of the floor. Affected by its low price, availability, low cost of work. The main disadvantage of sawdust is flammability, low moisture resistance. This leads to easy fire, decay, and the appearance of fungus. Therefore, the sawdust is processed before laying.
The process of filling sawdust in the cavity between the beams under the flooring sheets To reduce the moisture content and prevent the appearance of mold, sawdust is dried in a special chamber for a year. Later them, fungicides.
Slaked lime will help reduce the risk of rodent infestation. To reduce flammability, they are mixed with fire retardants.
Thermal insulation using sawdust is carried out in two ways. Sawdust is simply poured onto the prepared surface. 
This method is not in demand. Since the shrinkage of the material begins rather quickly, which requires regular replenishment. For the second method, sawdust is mixed with cement mortar.
Styrofoam
Plate breathable material, has a low price, does not accumulate moisture, does not rot. Mold, fungi, microorganisms do not grow on the foam. It has high thermal conductivity, high temperature resistance, good sound insulation. Conducts moisture well. Its light weight allows it to be installed on thin floors. Long lasting.
Installation of foam sheets to the ceiling Main disadvantages:
- Flammability. This is the main drawback of the material. It is not installed where there is free air access. When used for floors, they must be treated with plaster or refractory preparations.
- Rodents. Mice are very fond of making their nests in Styrofoam.
To exclude the penetration of rodents, use a fine-mesh metal mesh.
Expanded clay
Bulk material is the second most popular insulation. It has high thermal insulation properties, is always on sale, it is easy to install it yourself.
Inexpensive. Disadvantages of expanded clay:
For styling, mix large and small particles. This combination will fill the empty space. To protect against moisture, cement mortar is poured. Its thickness should be no more than 20 mm.
Mineral wool
It is produced in the form of a roll, rolled out on the surface, cut off. The material is inexpensive, has good thermal insulation, and fits quickly. Among its shortcomings are noted:
The thermal barrier decreases when the cotton is squeezed, so it cannot be stepped on; flooring is made immediately after installation.
Penoizol and polyurethane foam
Heaters of this type are poured or sprayed on. This material cannot be laid by yourself, because its application requires special equipment, protective suits, professional skills.
Foam products fill all the smallest cracks and cracks. They do not attract insects, do not burn, and are safe for humans. The substance contains a large number of air bubbles, contributing to.
Disadvantages:
- High price.
- Fragility. The material does not regain its original shape after damage.
- Shrinkage. Penoizol has a slight shrinkage.
After complete solidification, it is necessary to replenish the settled material.
Insulation technologies
Depending on the structure, the ceiling, attic or interfloor floors are insulated.
Ceiling slab
This type of insulation includes three main activities: preparation, interior work and work in the attic. The preparatory stage begins with cleaning the surface from debris, dirt, unnecessary items. For insulation with mineral wool, foam, sawdust, load-bearing beams 50 x 100 cm in cross-section are prepared. They must be checked before laying.
Scheme with the names of the insulation elements of the attic floor in the cottage Damaged areas are removed or replaced. Mold, mildew is removed with a grinder or ordinary sandpaper. Beams must be treated with fire and bio-protection agents.
The next step is the installation of utilities.
Detailed diagram of the attic floor insulation The process of warming the attic includes preparation, installation of thermal insulation outside and inside, thermal insulation of gables, finishing. Bulk products are not suitable for attic floors.
Insulation is carried out with slab or roll materials. When using reinforced concrete slabs, the outer and inner parts of the roof are usually insulated.
First, they remove the old flooring and check the rafter system. If necessary, change parts, carry out repairs. If the logs are thinner than the thermal insulator, they are built up with bars of a suitable size. All wooden elements are treated with an antiseptic and fire retardant. 
A vapor barrier membrane is attached to the bars with a stapler so that the smooth surface is on the side of the thermal insulation. The insulating material itself is spread or laid. Another layer of vapor barrier material is spread over the thermal insulator. All seams are closed with tape. Insulation of the attic floor is completed with work on the manufacture of wooden lathing for fastening finishing materials.
Watch in the video the process of insulating the attic floor with mineral wool.
Interfloor overlap
Insulation of interfloor floors begins with checking the floor level. If differences are noted, it is better to eliminate them with a cement-sand screed. The beams are prepared, all traces of mold are removed, and the treatment is carried out with an antiseptic and refractory agents. The space between the beams and the structure is filled with foam, the residues are cut off. A waterproofing or vapor barrier membrane is attached to the beams.
Assembled vapor barrier membrane before insulating the interfloor overlap They are wrapped in a film so that the edges remain open. This will allow them to dry better. The next stage is the insulation. For interfloor floors, it is advised to use foam or mineral wool. Waterproofing is mounted on top of the insulating material and finishing work is carried out at the end.
Insulation of the attic floor makes it possible to save thermal energy inside the room, thereby preventing the cost of heating a cold attic. It's okay if the attic space is used as a utility room or attic, but what if not? Of course, there is no point in spending money on heating it in this case.
For this reason, it is advisable to cover the attic floor with the use of thermal insulation materials. This can be done both externally and internally. Ideally, insulation should be started even at the stage of building a house or, alternatively, right before finishing the premises. Nevertheless, even during your stay, there is no reason not to worry about the ceiling insulation from the attic side.
Note! The thickness of the insulation layer is stated in SNiP. In addition, there you can find all the necessary calculations of the heat transfer resistance of various insulating materials, taking into account the average annual temperature, the material used in the construction, and the duration of the heating season.
But before proceeding directly to the insulation, you must identify the type of attic floor. In the private construction of residential buildings (regardless of whether wood is used, bricks or blocks), it can be of only two types. But both must be built according to certain rules and have a well-defined structure.
Basic requirements for attic floors
The main quality that any attic floor must have is strength. If we are talking about a mansard roof, then the entire structure should not bend or deform under the weight of furniture or equipment located in the attic. There is such a thing as a deflection rate. For attic structures, it is 1/200 of the entire span. The maximum load per square meter is 105 kilograms. Another equally important parameter of the overlap is fire safety, which is more related to wood structures. So, fire resistance has the following limits:
- for concrete or reinforced concrete structures it is 1 hour;
- for structures made of wood (in the absence of additional protection) - five minutes;
- for overlapping from wood on beams, with backfill and plaster - about 45 minutes;
- for a wooden floor with only one plastered surface - 15 minutes.
Features of the overlap device
Often it is the beam floor that is found, which is explained by the simplicity and low cost of installation, so we will focus on it. They are often found in wooden buildings, and elements of both wood and metal can serve as beams. According to experts, option number 1 is preferable because:
- wood is cheaper than metal;
- it has excellent thermal insulation performance;
- it is easier to handle.
Insulation of the attic floor, if there are beams, consists in laying an insulating material between them. If the height of the beams is not enough for this, then the bars are additionally packed on top. Before proceeding with the installation, a vapor barrier layer should be laid (only not with plastic wrap, since the vapors that come out of the room will not be able to penetrate outside). And if the film is still used, then the level of humidity in the house will noticeably increase, especially if the ventilation system is working poorly. For this reason, it is preferable to purchase a modern vapor barrier, which can be installed in such a way that air leaves the room, but does not penetrate the house from the attic. And if such material is with foil, then it must be laid “face down”.
But how to choose the right insulation so that the resulting "sandwich" is as effective as possible? We will tell you about this now.
Types of insulation for the attic
There are a lot of such materials, but we will consider only the most popular of them. Here they are:
- mineral wool;
- Styrofoam;
- sawdust;
- expanded clay.
Let's take a closer look at each of the options.
Mineral wool applications
Mineral wool is an effective insulation, the fibers in which are arranged in a special way. Due to this randomness, an oxygen "cushion" is formed between the fibers, due to which the material acquires its properties. But because of the same feature, mineral wool or and absorbs moisture. In order to prevent this, the installation must be carried out properly.
The advantages of this material are undeniable:
- density;
- ease of installation;
- long operational life;
- fire safety;
- finally, if the cotton wool is installed horizontally, then it does not slip and does not cake (read: cold bridges do not appear).
But there is also a drawback that we talked about - it absorbs moisture.
Installation technology
Mineral wool can be laid in three possible ways:
- into cells;
- into furrows;
- solid.
The first method is the most effective. The laying technology itself is as follows.
Step 1. First, lay the vapor barrier material - this is necessary to remove the steam that rises from the premises. For correct installation it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the markings on the foil made by the manufacturer.
Note! Do not forget to observe the mandatory overlap of 10 centimeters.
If the thermal insulation is done along the beams, then the vapor barrier must bend around each element that protrudes, otherwise the beams will soon rot.
Step 2. Where the film meets walls and other surfaces that protrude, raise it to the height of the insulating material + 5 centimeters, then wrap it over the slabs of material or glue it with tape.
Step 3. After that, proceed with the installation of the insulating material. This procedure is extremely simple, since strips and slabs can be easily cut with a construction knife.
Step 4. When laying, pay attention to the fact that the insulation is not squeezed and there are no gaps. You can see the common mistakes in the image below.
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In the first case, the thickness of the thermal insulation is not enough; in the rest, the similar parameter of the attic floor is incorrectly selected.
- Foil-coated material will increase the resistance to heat loss. But the material itself should be laid down with foil.
- If there are protruding structural elements in the attic, then the insulation should be raised by 40-50 centimeters and fixed.
- If a thin insulation material is laid in two layers, it will be more effective than one thick layer.
- Do not allow material to protrude from the beams. But if this still happened, lengthen it by means of a rail or beam to the thickness of the material itself.
Step 5. If the rafter system is not protected by a waterproofing layer, and the attic will not be used, then waterproofing must be installed.
Step 6. It remains only to make a rough floor. To do this, lay it on a heater - this will be the basis for the final finish.
Styrofoam use
Insulation of the attic floor with foam is in many ways similar to a similar procedure using expanded polystyrene. Moreover, the advantages of these materials are common - here they are:
- cheapness;
- waterproofness;
- ease of installation.
Installation technology
Installing foam for attic insulation is extremely simple - you can easily cope with the procedure on your own. All work is divided into several stages.
Step 1. Level the surface. In order for the thermal insulation to be of the highest quality, no irregularities should remain on the base. And if you need to eliminate the indentations, then fill everything with a cement screed.
Step 2. Lay the insulation boards - between the beams or end-to-end. What is typical, if there are beams, then the strength of the structure will increase significantly.
Note! All joints (between the bars inclusive) must be carefully sealed. Cut holes as accurately as possible when avoiding obstacles. Finally, it is the homogeneous layer that conserves heat energy best.
To protect the foam in a non-residential attic from damage, you can use plastic sheeting. But if the attic is used often and people move around it, respectively, then the foam must be covered with a rough floor - it can be like a cement and sand screed or an OSB slab.
Using sawdust to insulate the attic
Who does not know, shredded wood is called sawdust. We are now talking about this material, since it also has significant advantages, including:
- availability;
- naturalness;
- insignificant weight;
- absence of any harmful or toxic substances.
The disadvantage is the same as that of polystyrene - flammability.
Warming procedure with sawdust
Step 1. First, prepare the sawdust, that is, mix them with water and cement in a ratio of 10-1-1.
Step 2. Fill the attic floor with the mixture formed, then carefully level it. Note that it is possible to insulate an attic with sawdust without a frame only if it (attic) is uninhabited. Otherwise, the sawdust will be compressed while walking, and the screed, accordingly, will collapse.
Step 3. Using timber, build the honeycomb structure. Next, fill each cell with the mixture described above. The main advantage of this technology is that a sub-floor can be laid on top of the timber, and the room itself can be actively used.
Using expanded clay for insulation
A sufficiently high-quality insulation of the attic floor can be done using expanded clay. Who does not know, this material is obtained after firing clay. The main advantages of expanded clay include:
- availability;
- insignificant thermal conductivity;
- light weight;
- environmental friendliness;
- naturalness.
But there is also a minus, which lies in the difficulty of raising the material to the height of the attic.
Note! Often this material is used when it is required to insulate the floor over the slabs.
Instructions for warming with expanded clay
The whole procedure can be roughly divided into the following stages.
Step 1. First, inspect the slabs for cracks or crevices. If such are found, seal them with a solution and cover with thick paper. Tellingly, even with protruding structural elements, there are no difficulties in filling.
Step 2. Using a timber, build a crate. Subsequently, the subfloor will be laid on top of this lattice.
Step 3. Pour the material onto the slab and level it out with a rake. The thickness should be approximately 25-30 centimeters. It is characteristic that you can walk on expanded clay - there are no restrictions in this case.
Note! Falling asleep expanded clay, try to combine stones of different fractions (sizes). This will prevent voids from forming.
At the end, fill everything with concrete screed or mount a sub-floor.
The main nuances of the procedure
- The tree rots, therefore, the steam rising from the house must pass freely. If you install a vapor barrier or use a material that does not "breathe" for this, then soon the tree may collapse.
- Insulation with foil should be laid down with it (foil) to protect the wood from moisture.
You can see examples of correct and incorrect installation in the image below.
But a universal scheme - insulation of the attic floor using any of the materials.
Video - thermal insulation of the attic floor
As a result, we note that the thermal insulation of the attic floor will be most effective if the attic itself is reliably protected from moisture penetration from the outside. In other words, you also need to properly equip the roof. Good luck with your work!