The balcony is a part of the building that needs insulation more than others, because not all residents use it only as a warehouse. Increasingly, people are beginning to equip their balconies for additional space, for example, a personal office. For these and not only reasons, it is necessary to produce competent insulation of the structure from the inside.
In this article, we will consider three ways to insulate a balcony with your own hands using different materials.
Stages of balcony insulation
Insulation of the balcony from the inside is performed in the following sequence:
- First, existing gaps are sealed. It is necessary to carefully examine the balcony and determine their location. You can fix the problem with mounting foam, even if the slots are quite wide, you just need to choose a quality one, for example, Macroflex, Soudal, Moment Installation. After the foam dries, the excess is trimmed with a clerical knife.
Balcony waterproofing from the inside. For these purposes, you can use penetrating waterproofing "Aquatron", "Penetron" and the like. They are applied with a brush, roller or by spraying. The advantage of penetrating waterproofing is that it penetrates inside the walls, as a result of which they become more resistant to low temperatures and more durable. In addition, waterproofing eliminates all microcracks that are not visible to the "naked" eye.
No. 1. Balcony insulation with polystyrene foam: sequence of work
If you chose expanded polystyrene as a heater, then the sequence of work is as follows:
- After all the cracks are sealed and waterproofing is completed, the surface is treated with a deep penetration primer, for example, Ceresit. This can be done with a brush or sprayer. The primer is poured into a bucket or other container, which is not a pity, then applied to the surface. Carefully work out the walls, ceiling and floor to achieve maximum adhesion of the insulation boards with them.
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No. 2. Insulation of the balcony with penoplex (video)
Penoplex is actively used in the insulation of rooms. You can fix it to the surface using bituminous mastics, mounting foam or mushroom dowels. Consider the option of mounting on mounting foam.
So. Waterproofing done. Mounting foam is applied to the insulation plate around the perimeter. It's enough. After applying, wait a couple of seconds and fix the plate on the insulated surface. The next plate is laid end-to-end to the first. After two days, you can fix the plates with additional dowels. Then the whole process is repeated in the same order as described above. Do the finishing to your liking. You can sew up the insulation boards with plastic panels, they look very original.
The process of warming the balcony is completed. As you can see, it does not represent anything complicated. If you are just planning to do this work, then our article will help you. If you have already done the insulation of the loggia yourself, then share your methods with readers in the comments.
Number 3. Balcony insulation with mineral wool: technology features
Warming of balconies with mineral wool is carried out under the constructed crate. A lining is attached over the frame - wooden or plastic panels with special grooves.
A well-known fact is the building recommendation to carry out insulation from the outside of the building. However, in the insulation of balconies and loggias, it is often not possible to place the insulation material outside. The internal placement of the insulation layer requires certain calculations, adherence to technology and the correct selection of materials so that in the future the work performed does not lead to wetting of the walls, corners and ceiling inside the remote structure.
What materials can be used to insulate a balcony and a loggia from the inside? What finish will allow you to reliably protect the insulation from the interior space and create an aesthetic appearance of the interior walls?
In modern technologies for insulating open hinged structures (balconies), four types of material are used as internal insulation: polystyrene foam, foam plastic, penofol and mineral wool. Consider the technological features of installation and types of cotton wool insulation used for thermal insulation of balconies.
Types of mineral wool
Depending on the raw materials used in the production, there are three main types of mineral wool: glass, stone and slag. All three materials are suitable for insulation work.
Mineral wool is a soft material that does not have rigid dimensions. It is supplied in the form of rolls (before laying they are unwound into a track) or soft mats. Sometimes one side of the insulation is covered with aluminum foil to enhance the thermal insulation properties. 
The thickness of the mineral wool layer determines the quality of insulation and varies in size from 20 to 200 mm.
Mineral wool installation technology
Any type of mineral wool is mounted under the frame, located between the outer wall (ceiling, roof) and the frame supports. Wooden sticks or metal profiles can be used as supports, depending on which cladding will be used in the future.
When using lining for finishing wall cladding, the frame-lathing is constructed of wood. Wooden sticks with a cross section of 150 - 250 cm 2 are installed, while you can save a little the interior space of the balcony by installing sticks of a rectangular rather than square section (30 × 50 cm 2, 30 × 70 cm 2).
All racks and horizontal laths of the crate are installed under the level. Fastening of vertical racks to the concrete surface of the ceiling and floor is carried out with anchor bolts. Horizontal ones are attached to the vertical supports. If the future cladding is made of plastic lining, horizontal slats are attached at three levels: knee, thigh, shoulder.
For internal insulation with mineral wool, it is mandatory to install a vapor barrier. By itself, the cotton material is breathable, it easily passes gaseous substances (air, steam).
Given that during internal insulation, the point of condensation is shifted into the insulation, it is necessary to limit the ingress of steam or air from their living quarters into the building wool. For this purpose, a vapor barrier film is laid between the mineral wool and the finish.
Interior decoration
Purpose of interior decoration:
- Close the heat insulator material from the living space.
- Create an aesthetic interior wall covering of a room or insulated loggia.
There are various materials for interior decoration of balconies (drywall, wood, plastic, plaster). With a previously constructed crate frame, the finishing is done by hanging various types of panels: plywood, MDF, lining made of wood or plastic.
Finishing with clapboard is done by lining the walls with wooden (or plastic) carload panels, which have special grooves around the perimeter for ease of installation and fastening density. At the same time, plastic lining is often a cheaper imitator of a wooden coating laid on the inner walls of a balcony (or loggia). It is characterized by less strength and rigidity.
Wooden wagon panels are reliable, environmentally friendly, have sufficient rigidity for flooring. Plastic clapboard can sheathe the ceiling of the loggia, the floor is covered with wood, as for the walls - both types of wagon cover (plastic and wood) can be used here.
After finishing, the inner surface is treated with a composition that protects the wood from moisture and from destruction.
How to properly insulate a balcony or loggia (video)
We warm the balcony from the inside correctly. 6 stages of work
Creating a favorable microclimate on the loggia involves not only wall insulation, the entire space must be airtight. The floor and ceiling surfaces are also sheathed with a material with a low degree of thermal conductivity. In our article, you will learn how to properly insulate a balcony from the inside.
The choice of heat insulator
Advantages and disadvantages are inherent in each type of thermal insulation. In order to choose the most suitable insulation, you should compare the main characteristics of heat insulators.
The most common options for heat insulators:
- Extruded polystyrene foam (penoplex);
- Foamed polyethylene (penofol);
- Polyurethane foam (PPU);
- Styrofoam;
- Mineral wool.
Mineral wool
The thickness of the sheets varies from 2 to 20 cm. Mineral wool is divided into three types, depending on the components of the raw materials:
An example of a mineral wool device on a loggia. The material is placed in the prepared structure. The frame for mounting can be made of metal profiles or wooden bars.
Manufacturers produce cotton wool in the form of mats and soft rolls. In some cases, one side is covered with foil. Aluminum foil improves the level of thermal insulation.
The main disadvantage is that moisture acts destructively, a vapor barrier device is necessary.
Polymer-based insulation
Penoplex, polyurethane foam, polystyrene, foamed polyethylene are polymers treated with foamed compounds.
Advantages:
- The presence of gas bubbles provides not only a good level of thermal insulation, but also a small weight of the plates;
- High degree of moisture resistance;
- The materials are durable;
- Antifungal resistance;
- Simplicity and convenience when laying plates or sheets, as well as rolls (polyethylene foam);
- An economical repair option, subject to the choice of foam as a heater.
Main disadvantage: support the spread of flame during a fire, emit harmful substances in the combustion process.
When choosing foam and other materials based on polymers, it is necessary to correctly select the thickness of the plates and determine the density
1. Styrofoam sheets
Insulator plates (expanded polystyrene) in the process of laying.
Styrofoam refers to budgetary methods of warming a loggia, however, it is considered a rather fragile material, so a crate is required for installation. A worthy replacement is extruded polystyrene foam; its installation does not require the creation of a special frame.
2. Penoplex
Extruded polystyrene foam boards (thickness 50 mm) are used as insulation. The seams between the elements are sealed with mounting foam. Penoplex is attached with the help of special dish-shaped dowels ("fungi").
3. Penofol
The material is used as a separate heat insulator, and with the help of penofol it is possible to provide a vapor barrier of expanded polystyrene. Due to the foil side, warm air is reflected and retained in the room.
In order to speed up the insulation of the structure, you can use an alternative method of thermal insulation - spraying polyurethane foam (PPU).
4. Polyurethane foam
PPU is one of the most modern heat insulators. The cost of application services is considered high compared to other analogues, however, many have managed to evaluate the performance properties of PPU. This insulation is characterized by high thermal insulation performance, due to the finely porous structure.
The main stages of work on the insulation of the loggia space
In order to increase the usable area in your home and operate the premises all year round, you must:
1. Close the gaps, if any. Carefully study the room to eliminate all design flaws. As a rule, the gaps are filled with mounting foam, even if they are of a significant size.
After complete drying, it is necessary to trim the excess.
2. Glazing with reliable double-glazed windows.
3. Arrange a waterproofing layer. To protect against moisture, waterproofing with penetrating properties is used - Penetron, Aquaton, etc. The composition is applied with a roller, brush, or sprayed. Such impregnation penetrates into the thickness, so the walls become maximally resistant to adverse weather, and strength characteristics are improved.
5. Installation of a vapor barrier layer. In order to make a vapor barrier, special polymer membranes (“breathing”) should be used, as well as films “Rockwool”, “Izospan”, penofol.
Balcony decoration
Purposes of creating interior decoration:
- External masking of the heat insulator;
- Organization of a favorable internal environment in the room.
To create an interior balcony, you can choose from various finishes. Plaster, plastic panels, MDF, lining, plywood, plasterboard sheets and even a block house are perfect for the finishing layer.
The lining panels are environmentally friendly and reliable. One of the main advantages of the finishing material is rigidity. The lining is fixed on a wooden frame crate.
The walls of the loggia are lined with clapboard, the flooring is laminate.
Facing the balcony with a block house.
The plastic panels have grooves for connecting elements. The plastic version of the lining has less rigidity and strength than wood.
Installation of GKLV sheets on metal profiles. Plasterboard slabs can be decorated with wallpaper, painted, or lined with decorative plaster.
Wall decoration with wallpaper over GKLV sheets.
Bamboo wallpaper. The basis for finishing - drywall.
Video
1. The result of warming the loggia.
Glazed balcony. Demonstration of electrical outputs. Testing the strength of extruded polystyrene foam. The use of foam plastic with a thickness of 30 and 50 mm, wall finishing with putty. Concrete floor screed over insulation boards.
2. Stages of repair work on the balcony.
Sequential process of arranging the premises. Scheme of thermal insulation of walls with polystyrene foam and foamed polyethylene, finishing - plastic panels. Floor: leveling, thermal insulation, OSB cladding, installation of laminate lamellas.
How to properly insulate a loggia
The internal insulation of the loggia has recently become more and more in demand and is carried out after its isolation from the street by full glazing. Having learned how much it costs to insulate the entire wall from the outside, apartment owners are more inclined towards the option of sheathing and cladding from the inside, at the same time solving the problem of expanding the living space. Accordingly, these people are interested in how to properly insulate the loggia with their own hands and what is the best way to sheathe it, which will be discussed in this article.
The better to insulate the loggia from the inside
From the point of view of an ordinary owner of an apartment located in a brick or panel house, the task of thermal insulation should be solved taking into account the following requirements:
- it is desirable that the temperature on the balcony and in the adjoining room be the same and comfortable in the winter season;
- the space of the apartment should be maximized due to the loggia; for this, part of the wall is sometimes dismantled along with the window;
- the cost of the work and the purchase of insulation materials should be acceptable;
- it is necessary that the internal design of the loggia after insulation and finishing turn out to be aesthetic, but not costly.
In accordance with the above requirements, it is necessary to choose a durable, thin enough and at the same time effective insulation for the loggia, affordable. The only way to save money on work is to do it yourself. Then, by elimination, we refuse such options as insulation with polyurethane foam or polyethylene foam materials. The first is too expensive, and the second is inefficient.
Advice. Thin polyethylene foam insulation (izolon, penofol) with a layer of aluminum foil should be used correctly, that is, in conjunction with other heat-insulating materials.
It turns out that for the insulation of the loggias inside, which is done by one's own hands, the following choice of suitable heaters remains:
- foamed polystyrene (polystyrene) in plates;
- polystyrene foam extruded in slabs (penoplex);
- mineral wool, which is made on the basis of basalt and fiberglass.
Styrofoam with a density of 25 kg / m3 is the best option for insulation in terms of cost, and therefore the most popular. A little more expensive will be a more durable polystyrene laid on the floors - 35 kg / m3 of specific gravity. In addition to the fact that the material is cheap, it has one of the best thermal conductivity values - 0.043 W/m2 °C. Better than it is only extruded polystyrene foam, which has a thermal conductivity of 0.037 W / m2 ° C, while for mineral wool this indicator at a density of 80 kg / m3 is 0.06 W / m2 ° C, and for glass wool it is 0.044 W / m2 ° C.
Comparative analysis of materials
Which of the above heaters is better for thermal insulation of loggias? According to all characteristics, polystyrene foam (penoplex) is in the first place, the heat-insulating layer will be the thinnest. In addition, the polymer has high strength and prevents the passage of steam (permeability - 0.02 mg / m h Pa) So when a dew point occurs in its thickness, there will be nothing to condense there. At the same time, this material is more expensive than others.
The second place goes to polystyrene, as its performance is slightly lower, including strength. Also, polystyrene repels water vapor worse (permeability - 0.05 mg / m h Pa). But it is cheap, which is important for people with average incomes. There is another point: when insulating with foam or polystyrene, it is not necessary to arrange a vapor barrier, these materials themselves can serve as a good barrier.
Polymers are easily destroyed when exposed to high temperatures and can burn, so it is better to hide them behind some kind of sheathing, such as drywall. In contrast to them, there is mineral wool, which is not able to burn at all. As for glass wool, its limit is 200 ° C; at a higher temperature, it chars and collapses. That is, the best non-combustible insulation is mineral wool, which is in the middle price category.
The main disadvantage of mineral wool is its ability to absorb moisture with open pores (permeability - 0.6 mg / m h Pa). And with direct contact with water, mineral wool completely gets wet, although it can restore its insulating properties after drying. This is especially true for rolled mineral wool of low density, when warming the loggia from the inside, it will have to be protected from moisture and ensure the removal of vapors, which is not always technologically possible.
Even if, for the sake of experiment, mineral wool is completely soldered into polyethylene, then at a certain temperature difference on both sides, a dew point will appear in its thickness and condensate will form. The only correct way when insulating with mineral wool is to ensure the removal of vapors through the air (air gap). This complicates the process and leads to an increase in the cost of work, so it is easier to take sheet foam. It makes sense to put cotton wool in cases where the issue of fire safety is acute.
Preparatory stage
Before starting work, preparation should be made. It consists not only in the selection of tools and the purchase of materials, but also in the preparation of the loggia itself for insulation. The following recommendations must be followed:
- first of all, glazing is installed, and only then insulation is made;
- close up all the cracks leading to the street, otherwise the warming procedure will lose all meaning;
- cut flush protruding excess foam;
- seal the windows with plastic wrap so as not to stain;
- lay all the necessary communications: these include electricity and the installation of freon and drainage pipes for the air conditioner.
Often in new panel houses you can find gaps on the loggia, stuffed with anything. They should be cleaned and filled with polyurethane mounting foam. It is also important to remove irregularities on the walls and ceilings, and carefully remove the resulting construction debris.
Wall, ceiling and window insulation
The first question is which insulation technology to choose, the answer depends on the configuration of your loggia. The best option is when a concrete parapet is available, and if there is a metal fence instead, then there are several scenarios for further actions. The first - the parapet can be laid out from foam blocks or aerated concrete, and the metal can be completely removed. This path is the most acceptable both in terms of excellent insulation and design of the loggia, and security.
Note. The laying of the parapet is carried out before the installation of a new double-glazed window.
The second scenario - the fence is sewn up with corrugated board, and then a wooden frame is made of beams for attaching the insulation. This path is somewhat shorter, but it cannot be said that it will cost you much less. There is a weak point here - wooden bars will serve as cold bridges and in order to get rid of them, you will have to put a heater in 2 layers with an offset. There is a third way - the device of a panoramic loggia without a parapet with full-height glazing.
The technology of finishing with foam plastic, which you have to follow when insulating a glazed loggia with a concrete parapet, is quite understandable. Mounting foam is first applied to the cleaned and slightly moistened surface of the walls for the primary fixation of expanded polystyrene or polystyrene boards. Pre-cooked and cut to size plates are pressed against the wall and glued on the foam to the surface.
Often, homeowners in a panel house ask themselves the question - is it worth it to insulate the main wall between the loggia and the adjacent room? Some construction crews sinning with this, seeking to earn money in any way. With thermal insulation of all enclosing structures of the loggia, it is pointless to sheathe the wall inside.
At the same time, we insulate the walls of the loggia in the likeness of brickwork, placing foam sheets with bandaging of the seams. In simple words, the vertical seams of each subsequent row should be at least 150 mm apart from the seams of the previous one. In the process, it is necessary to monitor the vertical using the building level. After the foam has hardened, it is recommended to fix each expanded polystyrene plate to the wall with dowels - umbrellas.
The process of warming the ceiling of the loggia is a little more complicated, the help of an assistant will not hurt here, although with a certain skill you can manage it yourself. Insulation plates will have to be immediately fixed to the ceiling with dowels, for which it is necessary to drill holes quite accurately, and then hammer in the dowels while supporting the plate. Upon completion, all seams and cracks are carefully filled with the same polyurethane foam.
Advice. To increase the efficiency of insulation at this stage, it is recommended to sheathe the walls of the loggia over the insulation and the slopes of the windows with foil penofol (foil inside).
Now you need to create a frame for mounting the interior trim of drywall, plastic, lining or other facing materials. Wooden slats cannot be attached to the insulation, but you can drill a hole through it in concrete. Which is done using a drill with a diameter of 6 mm, and then the slats are screwed directly to the wall with special screws for concrete (called frame dowels).
That's all, the insulated loggia is ready for finishing, you can view the step-by-step guide to action on the video:
Floor insulation technology on the loggia
The main trick of this technology is to correctly assemble a wooden frame, displayed in one horizontal line, for the subsequent installation of a fine floor covering. To do this, a beam is taken and cut into crossbars along the width of the loggia. The crossbars are attached to the floor directly with anchors or with the help of steel corners with self-tapping screws and dowels, the installation step depends on the width of the insulation plate.
Further, the floor is insulated on the loggia by laying foam sheets between the transverse bars. To fix them, it is enough to carefully foam all the seams around the plates. Then longitudinal bars are laid on the crossbars - logs. So they need to be brought into one plane, for which special mounting wedges are used, which are placed on both sides of the beam. After that, the lag is screwed to the cross member with a self-tapping screw. On an ordinary loggia, 3 logs just lie down.
It remains to cover the frame with thick plywood, which will be the basis for the final flooring. Step by step and in detail about the installation of the frame for floor insulation is described in the video:
For reference. There is another method of insulation - under the screed, but you need to understand that this creates an additional load on the floor slab, and this option will cost more.
Conclusion
In fact, there are several ways to properly insulate balconies and loggias, but we presented the simplest and using the best material - polystyrene foam. Styrofoam can also be mounted in the same way, but for mineral wool, a vapor barrier would have to be additionally laid.
10 loggia insulation mistakes to avoid
The small areas of typical apartments awaken the itch of construction inventions in residents, aimed at the possibility of increasing square meters. This leads sooner or later to the fact that the gaze of the owner of the apartment stops on the balcony or loggia. “What if we insulate the loggia and thereby increase the area?” - such a thought comes first. It is possible to insulate and make the loggia a full-fledged part of the living space, but it is important not to make mistakes that, instead of joy, will bring problems and disappointments. What mistakes should be avoided when insulating a loggia?
Remodeling without permission
Remember what a technical passport for an apartment is: this document describes in detail the housing that you own. Including what non-residential premises look like, what kind of walls and windows they have, what material they are made of. When rebuilding, for example, when insulating walls (even if you don’t demolish the partition between the hall and the balcony), you run the risk of not selling your apartment later, because there will be a discrepancy between the passport and the real state of the apartment. To avoid this problem, coordinate your alterations with BTI.
Installing a new radiator on the loggia or transferring the old one
I would like it to be warm in the new attached living space, and here the solution seems to be the transfer of the heating radiator from the hall or kitchen to the loggia. This is a gross mistake that you should not even think about: taking the heating radiator out of the outer (bearing) wall is strictly prohibited. This is fraught with heat supply accidents (for example, freezing of pipes), and you will never get permission for such arbitrariness. And if you still redo it this way, then you will have to return the pipes and the radiator to their original position at your own expense. Is there a way out? Of course, there is - electric floor heating. Modern technology allows you to make efficient and safe floor heating by laying a special electric cable. Moreover, for maximum heat transfer, the laying step can be varied depending on the planned heating temperature. I do not like? Instead of a water radiator, you can hang an oil electric heater in the same place, which will do the same job.
Frameless glazing
Frameless glazing seems both beautiful and modern, besides it takes up a minimum of space. But. This is single glazing, which in winter will turn the loggia into a branch of the refrigerator, and frost will penetrate into the gaps between the frames. Therefore, this option should be discarded immediately. Double glazing only. Plastic windows with double-glazed windows and hinged sashes will be the right solution. In addition, they do not take up much space, they are easy to clean, and you can install mosquito nets in them. But if you still don’t have a soul for plastic windows, you can look at new technologies: these are lift-sliding windows with thermal insulation.
Remote glazing of the balcony with brackets
Having made the removal of glazing by 10-20 centimeters, you get another problem. The visor, which will inevitably cover your glazing from above, will collect snow in winter. And in the summer, rainwater will knock on the visor like a pioneer drum. In addition, remote glazing spoils the appearance of the entire facade of your building.
Single layer insulation
There was an opinion that it is enough to lay out the loggia from the inside with foam blocks in one layer, and this is enough for full insulation. In fact, such a wall will freeze through. It is necessary to add stone wool or extruded polystyrene foam insulation to this sandwich.
Insulation without vapor barrier
The main scourge of a newly insulated room is condensate. Temperature fluctuations between the cold concrete panels and the warm air of the heated room will inevitably lead to the appearance of condensate in the form of moisture. And where there is condensate, there are unpleasant consequences - mold and fungus, which are very difficult to remove. They can be eliminated if you first put a vapor barrier on the path of condensate (finish the walls on the balcony or in the loggia with plastic wrap or foil). This is especially true if you plan to insulate the walls with mineral wool. There are modern materials in which heaters are combined with vapor barrier. This is, for example, foam, on which a film or glassine has been previously applied. Another option is a material such as foil foam.
Using a sealant without a protective layer
Mounting foam ideally closes the seams during insulation, but the trouble is - if you leave the sealant as it is, then under the action of sunlight (and there is enough of it in the loggia), it will decompose and turn into crumbs. The way out is to protect the outer surface of the sealant. Excess flows are cut flush, the surface is treated with sandpaper, and then covered with any acrylate paint. Putty is also suitable - just to protect the polyurethane sealant from ultraviolet radiation. Even glued construction tape will make the polyurethane sealant almost eternal.
The floor is not properly insulated
In order not to overload the floor slab (for example, with a concrete screed or leveling mixture), it is better to make the floor covering from lightweight modern materials. On top of the vapor barrier - foil or polyethylene film - two layers of foam or mineral wool mats are laid. Above - waterproofing, which can be used, for example, hydrostekloizol. Rolls are placed on top with an overlap of about 10-20 centimeters. With the help of a blowtorch, mastic-based strips are fused together, and if the use of open fire is impractical or dangerous for some reason, then the sheets are mechanically fastened together. Then a layer of plywood, and only then carpet or laminate.
Finally, the “classic” way of floor insulation is also not bad: wooden logs are laid on the slab, between which modern insulation materials are located.
Unnecessary wall insulation between the loggia and the hall
It makes no sense to insulate the wall between two warm rooms; you should not spend materials and funds on this senseless undertaking.
Inattention to detail
Any ill-conceived trifle in advance can reduce the work done to zero. Therefore, consider and do not forget:
- Do not use gypsum putty for sealing joints during insulation.
- The gaps between the floor slabs and the glazing plane must be filled before the start of insulation.
- Even before glazing, consider the height of the handles on the hinged window sashes.
- The width and design of the window sills (if they are to be installed) should be thought out right away.
- The feasibility and number of installed mosquito nets are thought out in advance.
- If wood elements are used for insulation, then they must be treated to protect against moisture and decay.
If you managed to avoid all of the above mistakes, then you took the warming of the loggia as collected and serious as possible. In this case, you got what you wanted with the highest possible quality, and the result of your improvement efforts will delight you and your loved ones for a long time.
How to insulate a loggia: options + instructions for the device from the inside of the do-it-yourself insulation system
A loggia is a few square meters that can serve a variety of purposes. To use this room all year round, you need to provide a comfortable temperature there. Every home master can turn it into a cozy, useful and well-equipped space.
Are you going to start arranging these additional square meters, but do not know how to insulate the loggia with your own hands and what materials will be needed for this? We will help you deal with all the questions - our article provides recommendations for choosing a heater and provides step-by-step instructions for thermal insulation of walls, ceiling and loggia floor.
How to start warming the loggia?
You should, of course, start with planning. You should decide on the functional purpose of this small room. If it is supposed to be used as a warehouse for things that are not too necessary, then warming does not make much sense. But the loggia can be turned into an office, a small gym, a winter garden, etc.
There are also restrictions. For example, a loggia cannot be used as a kitchen room, i.e. install a stove, sink for washing dishes, etc. there. Conducting a central heating system to this area is also prohibited.
There are a number of other restrictions that may be related to the architectural features and fire safety of the building. This may be a ban on glazing above a certain floor, on changing the appearance of the building, the height of the fence, etc.
As practice shows, many manage to somehow get around these standards and arrange a loggia to their liking. Before starting work, it does not hurt to coordinate your plans with supervisory authorities or prepare for problems after the alteration is completed.
But under no circumstances should openings be made in the load-bearing wall, only openings provided for by the original project are allowed. Even a window and door block removed from the loggia can be dangerous.
To keep the loggia warm, you need high-quality glazing. It is better to order it from a reliable company. Double-glazed windows will do the job perfectly.
Part of the space will be "eaten" by a layer of insulation. These centimeters will have to be sacrificed in order to reliably protect the house from the cold. Loggias, which are located on the lower floors, are most often insulated from the outside. We wrote about the best materials for external wall insulation here.
From the very beginning, you need to consider options for heating this space.
There are not so many of them, because only suitable for the loggia:
Considering that the installation area is small, you can spend money on such convenience as TP. Cable systems are easy to install, all work can be done independently. The IR floor is more difficult to lay, it requires an almost perfectly level base, but the electricity costs during operation will be moderate.
But the easiest solution would be to use a heater, especially if the loggia is not used every day, but only from time to time. Installing a warm floor will require more costs and effort.
The choice of materials and options for warming the loggia with your own hands is quite wide.
Among the most popular it is worth noting:
- mineral wool;
- Styrofoam;
- polyurethane foam;
- expanded polystyrene;
- penofol, etc.
Mineral wool has a low price, but this is almost its only advantage. To lay such material, you will first need to arrange a crate. Mineral wool is sensitive to moisture; when wet, it loses its useful properties, so it is not always suitable for a loggia.
Styrofoam is a lightweight and durable material that tolerates moisture well and is considered a fairly moderate-priced option.
Polyurethane foam is a sprayed seamless coating. Its thickness can be varied to save precious centimeters.
Insulation such as extruded polystyrene foam is light and comfortable plates. It is very durable, retains heat well, provides a high level of fire safety. It can be installed very quickly, but the cost of such insulation can be quite high.
Penofol is a relatively thin material that complements other heaters for the loggia.
It consists of a layer of expanded polystyrene and a reflective foil coating. To reduce costs and ensure the desired effect, materials can be combined.
For example, on the ceiling, you can use foam covered with a layer of foam, and on the balustrade and walls, you can use expanded polystyrene plates.
The main stages of room insulation
To properly insulate, you must perform the following basic operations:
- Free up space from foreign objects.
- Remove the old coating from the ceiling, walls, floor.
- Inspect the base, identify cracks, chips, noticeable irregularities.
- Carefully eliminate the found deficiencies.
- Remove old glazing if it needs upgrading.
- Treat surfaces with antifungal and hydrophobic compounds.
- Carry out sealing of joints.
- Carry out glazing work.
- Lay insulation on the ceiling, walls and floor.
- Carry out electrical installation.
- Perform the installation of the TP system.
- Carry out finishing work, install lighting, etc.
An important point is the assessment of the wear of the fasteners of the structure. After installing double-glazed windows and thermal insulation, the weight of the structure can increase markedly.
To carry out the necessary calculations and install reinforcing elements, you need to contact companies that have the necessary licenses. Self-activity in these matters can be fatal.
Stage # 1 - careful preparation of the loggia
When insulating and finishing the loggia, you should be very careful about sealing cracks and sealing seams. In such places, all crumbling material is carefully removed to a solid foundation.
Cracks in concrete structures are filled with repair compounds, strictly following the instructions. If a part of the reinforcement was exposed during the process and there are traces of rust on it, the rod should be cleaned and treated with an anti-corrosion agent.
The vulnerable spot is the filler around the window frame. The material with which this space is foamed begins to lose its properties after a couple of years. Before installing new glazing, the foam must be completely removed.
To insulate old frames, the worn-out filler is cleaned out of the grooves, and the resulting space is sealed with a more stable composition.
Stage # 2 - installation of foam and penofol on the ceiling
The insulation is mounted according to the “top-down” scheme, i.e. start from the ceiling. Most often, foam plates are installed here. They can be fixed with tile adhesive. The composition is smeared around the perimeter of the plate, and several strokes are also made in the center.
It is not necessary to completely cover the surface with glue. After that, the plate is pressed against the ceiling and wait a few minutes for the composition to seize. Then you can start gluing the next element.
The frame method of mounting this material is also allowed, but it is considered more time-consuming.
Before starting work on the insulation of the walls of the loggia, the plates are cut from the inside so that they have the appropriate dimensions. It is necessary to ensure that the joints on adjacent plates do not coincide. The surface of the foam ceiling is covered with foam. The foil side should face the floor.
Stage # 3 - fastening polystyrene foam to the walls
Such boards can be glued to the walls using an appropriate mounting foam or adhesive. The foam will be appropriate where the base on which the expanded polystyrene is laid is fairly even, the installation time will be noticeably reduced.
If there is a bias, it is more logical to use glue. You can vary the thickness of its application in order to fulfill the surface of the wall. After that, the plates are additionally fixed with plastic "fungi".
When installing polystyrene foam, it is also necessary to ensure that the seams in adjacent elements do not match. This will increase the overall level of thermal insulation and prevent the appearance of “cold bridges”.
A plastic mounting grid is glued on top of the plates to prepare the base for finishing materials. Some inexperienced craftsmen press the mesh against the slab and then apply a layer of glue. This is an erroneous method; after drying or later, such a mesh may simply fall off.
According to the technology, first you need to apply a layer of glue to the surface of the plate, then put a grid on it, and put glue on top of it again. This is a longer and more expensive installation option, but it provides the necessary adhesion.
Some craftsmen, before installing the grid, level the surface of the expanded polystyrene with glue: they apply a layer, level it with a rule and wait for it to dry. After that, put a fresh layer of glue, mesh and glue again.
The fact is that the protruding polystyrene can be simply cleaned off with a suitable sandpaper, but polystyrene foam has to be cut off. With small differences, it is easier to use a solution rather than a knife. The density of the facade mesh must be sufficiently high, at least 140 g/sq. m, although it is better to take a denser one, for example, 180 g / sq.m.
After its installation, the surface of the wall is puttyed to finally level it. Then you can carry out finishing: painting, wallpaper, etc. Of course, the wiring should be done before the mesh is installed.
Stage #4 - laying electric floor heating
To lay electrical wires, recesses are made in the insulation layer. The wire is first inserted into the box, and then mounted on the wall, floor, ceiling, etc. In the future, this will facilitate the elimination of possible breakdowns.
Floor insulation is carried out with approximately the same materials as on the walls. Expanded clay is sometimes used, it is poured on a base covered with a layer of waterproofing. Further, you can use expanded polystyrene plates or other material, for example, mineral wool. It is laid between wooden logs.
If you plan to install a floor heating system, you need to take care of a flat base. Cable systems are laid in a screed layer. The composition is selected in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
The film infrared floor is placed on the base, you can immediately mount the floor covering on top. In this case, the floor level will rise quite a bit.
We have provided step-by-step instructions for laying cable and film underfloor heating in the following article.
In advance, you need to provide a place for installing a thermostat. Usually, a niche of a suitable size is made on the wall for these purposes. Among the turns of the cable TS, a temperature sensor is placed, which is placed in a corrugated tube. It will also need to be connected to a thermostat.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
A detailed video guide for warming the loggia with your own hands:
Balcony floor insulation:
Modern materials and technologies make it possible to insulate a loggia really reliably and quickly. In any case, when performing installation work, the requirements of the technology and the manufacturer's recommendations should be observed. Then the result will fully meet expectations, and the insulation will remain effective for many years.
Are you planning to do your own warming of the loggia, but do you still have questions after reading our material? Feel free to ask our experts for advice - write questions in the comments block.
How is a balcony different from a loggia?
First, let's make these concepts clear. Both are glazed, so most people call the resulting space a balcony, although this is incorrect. And some mistakenly believe that if you install windows on the balcony, it automatically turns into a loggia.
The key difference between the two structures is that the balcony has no walls and protrudes beyond the facade, while the loggia has side walls and, on the contrary, is recessed deep into the building. In other words, the outside air acts on the balcony from three sides, and on the loggia - from only one or two, if the apartment is corner.
What result to expect
You can insulate both, but the final effect will vary greatly. A well-insulated loggia is no different from a room. In the presence of a heat source, it becomes a full-fledged living space for year-round use.
Due to the lack of main walls, the thermal resistance of an insulated balcony is much worse - it is comfortable to stay there until late autumn. A sufficient level could be achieved with an additional layer of thermal insulation, but this is not rational due to the small area of the room. After warming, there will be almost no free space left.
What about glazing
Since 25% of heat loss falls on, it makes sense to take on the insulation of a loggia or balcony only if there are energy-saving windows. If wooden frames with one glass are installed, you will first have to replace them with modern ones.
Double-glazed windows with higher thermal resistance weigh a lot, and they can only be installed on loggias. Balcony ceilings have a weak bearing capacity, and it is most likely that it will not work to mount such windows there.
2. Consider the design
Before starting work, it is necessary to decide on the type of insulation, choose the option for finishing the walls and finish the floor covering, and also decide how the room will be heated. All this will determine the design and algorithm for its installation.
Since the balcony or loggia is insulated from the inside, it is important to use a vapor-tight material to avoid condensation and the appearance.
instrumentgid.ru Extruded polystyrene foam (EPS) is best suited for this. When installed with sealed joints, it allows you to make a thermos out of the room, which will retain heat well by cutting off the outside cold. At the same time, with EPPS, you can achieve sufficient thermal insulation by taking a minimum of precious space from the room.
Some consider Styrofoam to be toxic. This is not entirely true. The material is really combustible and emits harmful substances when heated above 60 ° C, but this does not make it dangerous, since XPS is always covered with a finish.
wall decoration
After good insulation on the loggia or balcony, you can apply any type of finish. Depending on the selected coating, the technology of thermal insulation work is slightly different.
- Wooden lining, PVC or MDF panels - for fastening to the wall, you will need to first make a crate.
- Decorative plaster or putty with subsequent painting - this type of finish can be applied directly to the insulation.
- - the easiest way to glue on drywall, fixed on a wooden crate.
Flooring
The floor of the insulated loggia is no different from the floor of the room, so all existing finishes can be used there. However, for each type you will need one or another version of the subfloor.
- Laminate, linoleum, carpet are laid on sheets of plywood, chipboard (chipboard), CSP (cement-bonded particle board) or OSB (oriented strand board) fixed on top of wooden logs.
- and porcelain tiles are laid on a concrete screed.
Balcony floor slabs have a low bearing capacity, so only floors on wooden logs are allowed on them. On more solid foundations of loggias, in addition to this, you can also pour a screed for laying tiles.
In both cases, if desired, an electric floor heating system can be equipped. The only difference is that a film infrared floor is used for the structure on the logs, and a heating cable or heating mats are used for the screeds.
Heating
It is important to understand that the insulation of a balcony or loggia will only prevent the walls from freezing and slightly increase the temperature compared to the street. To maintain a comfortable microclimate in winter, one cannot do without a heating source.
There are three main ways to heat a room:
- Electric is the most expensive and difficult to install option, but at the same time the most effective and convenient.
- Convector - the heater installed at the outer wall can be turned on only on the coldest days or only when there are people in the room.
- Central heating radiator - according to the law, it is forbidden to transfer the device to a loggia or balcony, but if the partition is removed or the door is constantly open, the battery will cope with heating even from the room.
Take things out, remove shelves, hangers and other items. Clean the walls of old paint and plaster. If there are foci of fungus damage, remove it and carefully treat the places with a special antiseptic, and then dry all surfaces well.
To prevent blowing, seal all the cracks along the perimeter of the fence plate, as well as at the junction with the side walls, floor and ceiling. Remove the old plaster from the joints and fill them with mounting foam.
The bottom line is to cut off any streams of cold air from the street and make the room as airtight as possible.
If you plan to use the insulated space as an office or a recreation area, you must install the electrical wiring in advance. To do this, install in the right places, lighting and switches.
YouTube channel "We build for ourselves" It is better to conduct cables along the inner wall adjoining the room. It is not insulated, so it will be easy to hide all the wiring inside the frame or plaster layer. Sockets and can be connected from the nearest socket in the room. But to power the underfloor heating, it is advisable to run a separate cable from the switchboard.
Expanded polystyrene is sold in the form of plates measuring 60 × 120 cm and thicknesses from 20 to 150 mm. Sheets have an L-shaped lock along the contour, which simplifies installation and prevents joints from blowing through.
There are many ways to attach the EPS to the walls. The most common is glue-foam in cylinders, which is applied around the perimeter of the sheet and in the middle. Another option is fixing in the corners and in the center on umbrella dowels with a plastic or metal core. Also, expanded polystyrene is fixed over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe sheet to adhesive mixtures for heaters.
To form a single contour of thermal insulation, it is necessary to seal all junctions. It is important to leave gaps of 10-15 mm near the walls in the corners, under the ceiling and near the floor, so that later they can be filled with mounting foam. It is recommended to coat the joints in the locks between the plates with glue-foam or seal with foil.
YouTube channel DendenTV The required insulation thickness can be achieved either with one sheet or with a combination of two. In this case, the second option is even more preferable, since the fragments of polystyrene foam are tightly adjacent to each other and form a single layer, and due to the displacement of the joints between the plates, maximum protection against blowing can be achieved.
After completion of the work, an inextricable structure should be obtained, where each sheet of XPS fits snugly against the neighboring one, and all joints between them in the corners, under the ceiling and near the floor are sealed with mounting foam.
The fencing slab borders the street and is exposed to cold air the most, so the maximum thickness of the thermal insulation here is 80 mm. It is better to use not one 80 mm sheet, but a “pie” of plates: 50 + 30 mm.
YouTube channel "We build for ourselves" If dimensions allow, the wooden crate is mounted on top of the second layer of XPS, fixing the bars with anchors or dowels directly through the insulation. When the width of the window sill is limited, the crate is attached to 50 mm polystyrene foam, and the second layer of insulation is placed between the frame bars.
If selected as a finish, you can do without the construction of a frame. In this case, the mixture is applied directly to the XPS surface. For better adhesion, the sheets must be processed with a grater or scratched with an ordinary hacksaw.
YouTube channel "We build for ourselves" For walls, a layer of 50 mm EPS is sufficient. The work is carried out according to the same principle. If necessary, the sheets are cut to the desired size with a sharp knife. To join the pieces with each other, an L‑shaped lock is formed at their ends with the same knife.
It is better to insulate in two layers (30 + 20 mm), and mount the frame on top of the XPS. But if the window is installed without extensions and the space is limited by the width of the frame, the second layer of expanded polystyrene can also be laid between the frame bars.
If you are going to plaster the walls in the future, then the crate is not needed. It is enough to fix the sheets and make their surface rough with a grater or hacksaw.
The ceiling borders the apartment, not the street. Therefore, the same layer of XPS is sufficient here, as on the walls - 50 mm. Laying is done according to a familiar principle. Fastening of your choice: glue-foam, dowel-umbrella, glue mixture. Expanded polystyrene is a very light material and is securely held on the ceiling exclusively with glue.
YouTube channel "We build for ourselves" When installing, pay attention to the height of the windows. If the frame is installed right under the ceiling without additional profiles, then due to the thick layer of insulation, the window sashes may not open. Consider the thickness of the lathing and finishing so that after installation there is a gap of at least 5-7 mm to the sash.
For thermal insulation of the floor, an EPS with a minimum thickness of 50 mm is required, and preferably 80 mm in two layers. Extruded polystyrene foam has a high density and can withstand a load of up to 30 tons per square meter, so it can serve as a floor base.
YouTube channel "XPS TechnoNIKOL" After mounting on XPS, it is enough to lay plywood, chipboard, DSP or OSB - and you can lay a finishing floor covering like laminate or on top. When installing a film underfloor heating, you must first lay penofol or another heat-reflecting substrate.
Under the laying of tiles or porcelain stoneware, a reinforced cement screed is poured directly onto the EPS, into which, if desired, a cable underfloor heating or thermomats can be mounted. If the heating elements have a small thickness, they can easily be laid in a layer of glue when laying tiles.
The floor on the balcony or loggia is always lower than in the room, so many people prefer to bring them to the same level and remove the step. This is done using a log of a wooden beam 50 × 50 mm or 40 × 40 mm.
YouTube channel "We build for ourselves" First, transverse logs are laid in increments of 40–60 cm and attached to the slab with anchors. Then the gaps between them are filled with insulation and foamed, and longitudinal logs are attached on top with a similar step and leveled. Next, a second layer of insulation is laid with foam filling and plywood or other sheet material.
10. Finish
At the very end, the ceiling and floor are trimmed. If plaster is selected, then a reinforcing mesh is glued onto the sanded XPS surface, and then two layers of plaster and paint are applied.
YouTube channel "Vladimir Odorov" When lining with clapboard, plastic or MDF panels, molding materials are attached to a wooden frame on the walls and ceiling.
YouTube channel “Loggias. buy" For wallpapering, it is easiest to sheathe the walls with moisture-resistant drywall. Use the crate as a frame, seal the joints between the sheets with putty and, after priming the surfaces, stick the wallpaper.
The final stage of finishing is the installation of the finishing floor. Linoleum is laid or spread on the previously prepared base. If a warm floor is planned, then it is installed first. Next, skirting boards are installed.
YouTube channel "We build for ourselves" The exception is tiles. Due to the wet processes during laying, it is better to mount it at the stage of floor insulation and before starting work on the walls.
If you decide to turn the balcony into a small room, but do not intend to combine it with the adjoining living area, just this area will be enough.
The procedure for warming a balcony is a set of works that are conditionally divided by professionals into three components:. Starting thermal insulation work, it is necessary to resolve the issue with glazing, namely, to select high-quality energy-saving and vacuum double-glazed windows. This will determine how warm the room will be at the end of the work. Moreover, high-quality double-glazed windows are a guarantee of a comfortable temperature all year round.
So, what is the technology for warming the loggia with your own hands?
Let's start with glazing. For this stage of work, it is necessary to select two- or three-chamber double-glazed windows, since in the future you plan to be on the loggia all the time, even in winter. Therefore, the best solution would be to choose products from well-known and well-established manufacturers. Remember that expensive does not mean quality.
One of the important factors for a person is the fight against direct sunlight, which, at times, is even very annoying, especially if you have a sunny side, as well as the curiosity of prying eyes. In this case, the ideal solution would be to purchase PVC.
After the builders finish the installation of windows, you should check the quality of the work performed: whether the window is securely standing, whether the seams around the perimeter of the window are sealed. For example, if mounting foam is used during installation, and it will be used, it must be protected with flashings or sealant.
The sequence of warming the loggia after glazing involves the processing of all existing seams, joints and cracks. You need to carefully check your loggia for their presence, also pay attention to the corners. It is they who can cause the penetration of cold air and moisture into the room, the presence of heat loss, as well as the appearance of fungus. Therefore, it is necessary to seal all seams and cracks with high quality and using mounting foam. Pay attention to the ceiling, floor and walls.
If your walls are brick, they must be plastered using tile adhesive. This should be done in order to minimize drafts that can seep through the micro-crevices between the brickwork and the mortar. It is the glue that will help seal all the seams between the bricks and perfectly cope with drafts.
Sealing gaps before laying thermal insulation material
To find out where the air is leaking from the outside, run a burning candle, match, lighter along the seams.
In order to carry out the thermal insulation of a loggia or balcony with your own hands as efficiently as possible, the construction market offers a lot of heaters of any kind, type and thickness. It can be extruded or or isolon, foam,. Insulation must be chosen correctly, depending on the region in which you live. When insulating a loggia, you should choose materials whose thickness is at least 3 cm. When combining a room with a balcony, it is better to choose a thickness of at least 5 cm. the whole process of installation of materials for interior work.
Insulation with extruded polystyrene foam
Consider an example of thermal insulation with extruded polystyrene foam. Getting started, you should use glue, dry or in cylinders, to prime the surface to which you will attach the insulation. After that, while the adhesive layer is still fresh and has not had time to grab, it is necessary to fix the material panels to the wall, fixing them with special plastic dowels.
Do-it-yourself installation of penoplex on the balcony
After all the sheets are attached in this way, it is necessary to process all the seams with construction foam. For this, a gun specially designed for mounting foam is used in construction. Such seams will be denser and stronger, and, therefore, it will be better to keep the heat inside the room and prevent cold air from leaking in from the outside.
At this stage, the insulation work does not end. On the insulation you have already laid, you need to glue the second one - foil (isolon or penofol). The material got its name due to the fact that its side is covered with foil.
The foil part of the insulation should be front. Its thickness is approximately 1 cm. Such a solution in insulation does not allow warm air to penetrate into the area between the balcony wall and the layer of insulation material, it will be an excellent barrier to cold air from outside.
Sheathing the balcony with foil isolon
It is not necessary to lay the foil insulation with an overlap, butt-to-butt is better. The joints should eventually be glued with aluminum tape exactly on the foil surface, and not on the wrong side.
We remind you that in the process of warming the balcony area, it is important that all joints and cracks are sealed with foam and adhesive tape!
Before completing the thermal insulation work of the walls and ceiling and proceeding with the cladding, it is necessary to leave an air gap of 1.5 cm between the insulation material and the cladding. To do this, a frame is constructed from a wooden beam or a metal profile, vertical and horizontal slats are installed using a level. Further, the bars are fixed to the concrete wall with dowel-nails - 6 mm thick, 60 mm long. And already on this frame you can safely attach the facing material: drywall, wall paneling, wall panels.
Thus, you consistently carry out the thermal insulation of the loggia with your own hands - walls, floor, ceiling.
As for the floor, its insulation has a number of features. Before laying, for example, with polystyrene foam, it is necessary to first level the floor with a screed. Then the insulated material will fit well to the surface. After the screed is ready, you can start laying the extruded material. It must be laid in the same way as it was described with the walls. At the junction, it is necessary to cover all the cracks with mounting foam. After that, it is necessary to fill the floor again with a screed with a thickness of at least 5 cm, also using a reinforcing mesh with cells of 100 mm x 100 mm.
After that, you can safely lay the "warm floor" system. How to install an electric floor? Installation of a heating cable, for example, under a parquet board. This solution allows you to use the warm floor immediately after installation, unlike the concrete screed, which takes time to dry. Such a solution with a warm floor allows installation even in winter. The system does not load the floor, it is economical, and the correct installation of the floor allows you to minimize energy consumption.
Do-it-yourself electric heated floor on the loggia
If you do not install a “warm floor” system on the balcony, you need to take care of other sources of heating, since the room is isolated in cold winter and will cool down.
It is important to know that installing central heating on a balcony is prohibited by law!
As an alternative, you can choose electric heaters such as oil heaters, heaters or convectors. All this can be implemented based on your preferences and financial capabilities.
If you happened to become the owner of a long loggia, then the ideal solution would be to install not one, but two heaters with less power.
Warming with mineral wool
To carry out high-quality thermal insulation of the loggia, you should install a wooden or metal frame and sew it up with plasterboard or plastic, filling the gaps with mineral wool.
Another important factor in wall insulation is the installation of a wind barrier, which is a dense plastic film. As for the installation of a hydrobarrier, it is not always used, it is installed when the balcony initially did not have any main walls.
Do-it-yourself insulation of the balcony with mineral wool
The most well-known way of exterior decoration of a balcony is to cover its lower part with a profiled sheet, siding or other material that has joints and joints. Otherwise, getting rid of drafts will not work.
If the loggia is made of brickwork, the wind barrier is not installed.
As for the ceiling, here all work is carried out identically to the walls: the frame, (if the insulation is mineral wool). If you are on the top floor, then using a wind barrier will come in handy.
Alternative ways of thermal insulation
Basically, the balconies in the apartments are not spacious, and by insulating the structure from the inside, you make it even tighter. If the balcony is very narrow, thermal insulation of the walls from the outside can become an option for insulation. Performing such work is not only important, but also dangerous, especially if the balcony is on the top floor. To do this, you must have climbing equipment and the absence of fear of heights. Therefore, it is better to entrust this method of thermal insulation to specialists.
It is possible to insulate a balcony, but for this it is necessary to coordinate the redevelopment with the relevant authorities and coordinate this issue with them. If the installation of batteries will not be in your favor, in this case, the installation of a system of "heat-insulated floors" electric or infrared is perfect.
So, how good is the insulation of the balcony and loggia? First of all, you protect your living space from dust, dirt, rain, noise and cold. Moreover, at your disposal there is an additional full-fledged and functional living area, which will be used at any time of the year. You can equip a balcony or a loggia for an office, a recreation area, a nursery, a bedroom, and so on, where you will feel comfortable and cozy.
Do-it-yourself step-by-step technology for warming a loggia
Fastening of a polyethylene film on a wooden frame with expanded polystyrene. Do-it-yourself insulation of the balcony with mineral wool Closing the cracks before laying the heat-insulating material Mounting the crate for finishing on top of the isolon Do-it-yourself wooden formwork installation on the floor 
Sheathing the balcony with foil isolon We close the gaps on the balcony with mounting foam Insulation of the ceiling with mineral wool. Installation of a metal frame.
A loggia in a city apartment, as usual, is a practically unused living space.
How to make these "square meters" convenient for use?
After all, this will be the best option for increasing the usable area of \u200b\u200byour apartment. There is only one way out: glaze and insulate. This will significantly reduce heat loss, penetration of street noise, dust and harmful emissions, which are so saturated in the atmosphere of our metropolis. This is especially noticeable in apartments whose windows overlook avenues and busy streets. Proper and rational loggia equipment plays a significant role in the improvement of a modern apartment, so it is better to entrust this work to specialists with extensive experience in this area. This will save you from inevitable mistakes and turn the loggia into a cozy and beloved corner of your home.
So, the very first and main step to getting a warm loggia is glazing it with warm plastic structures. Since our market is full of various profile systems, the emphasis should be on well-known brands, the quality of which has been tested in practice by the Russian consumer.
They are produced in Russia under license, and some profile systems are brought from Germany. Do not forget that the structures should have exactly a double-glazed window with a thickness of 32 mm. or more. When placing an order for glazing, do not forget about additional expansion profiles, which are installed on top and on the sides (left, right) of structures. They are necessary for the subsequent installation of insulation and finishing.
When glazing a loggia, preliminary work may be necessary. Such works include laying the parapet (if the parapet on the loggia is metal or it does not coincide with the upper ceiling in the vertical level) and side walls made of foam block or lightweight ceramic bricks.
The loggia after the installation of plastic glazing becomes more comfortable and beautiful, but not warm. The temperature on a glazed uninsulated loggia in the cold season is usually a couple of degrees higher than on the street. If there is a desire and an opportunity to make an additional room out of the loggia, it is necessary to insulate it. This will require additional work and transformations. To make the loggia warm and dry, you need to insulate the parapet, side walls, ceiling and floor.
Thermal insulation work on the loggia is impossible without the use of modern extruded and roll insulation. These are heaters Penoplex, Penofol, Isolon PPE. The small thickness and unique heat-saving properties of these heaters make them indispensable for warming a small space, where every centimeter is important. There are several options for insulating loggias, but we offer to insulate a loggia using our time-tested technology.
When carrying out work on the insulation of loggias (according to the requirements of SNiP 31-01 “Residential buildings” and SNiP 21-01-97 “Fire safety of buildings and structures”), we use heaters of the Penoplex and Penofol trademarks, which are low-flammable and flame retardant materials and are included in the material groups G1 and B1.
After installing the plastic structures, check the mounting seams along the perimeter of the window frame. They should be well and densely processed with foam. From the street side, the mounting joints must be closed with plastic flashings or must be treated with facade sealant to protect the foam from destruction and moisture.
To obtain a warm loggia, a prerequisite is the use of extruded Penoplex with a thickness of at least 30 - 50 mm. Penoplex 50mm thick. it is better to use when combining a room and a loggia into one single space and for colder (northern) regions of our country. Penoplex is installed with the first layer to a concrete wall and fastened with plastic "mushrooms" (see photo). All seams and junctions are treated with mounting foam (this is also a prerequisite). To do this, it is better to use a special foam gun, because. foam for manual use, forms a lot of hidden voids during hardening - the assembly seam inside turns out to be empty.
The second layer, on top of Penoplex, Penofol is installed, with foil inside the room (see photo). Penofol with our technology plays a very important role and combines two functions. It is the second additional insulation and at the same time performs the function of a vapor barrier so that vapors from the air in the room do not penetrate into the contact zone between Penoplex and the concrete wall. When installing Penofol, it is important to avoid overlaps, butt joint installation is the most suitable option. For complete thermal insulation, it is necessary to glue the joints of the Penofol sheets with aluminum tape.
Remember that it is necessary to create an appropriate heat-insulating package, consisting of a massive Penoplex insulation 30 - 50 mm thick, Penofol reflective insulation 10 mm thick, an air gap between the foil and the inner lining with a thickness of at least 15 mm. through a wooden frame (see photo). It is necessary to process the seams between the Penoplex slabs with mounting foam (if slabs without a quarter are used) and the junctions to the enclosing structures, the joints of the sheets in the Penofol layer with foil tape! In other words, it is necessary to create the so-called "thermos effect", due to which the heat will remain on the loggia. According to this scheme, it is necessary to insulate the side walls, parapet, ceiling and floor.
However, it is not always possible to leave an air gap between Penofol and the top floor covering in the heat-insulating structure of the lower floor slab. In such cases, Penofol will act as a uniform heat distributor (in the case of a cable "warm" floor). But when installing an electric cable floor, it is necessary to use not Penofol, but a lavsan-coated insulation or Polyf special insulation for a warm floor, in which the foil is under the protective layer of the film.
Floor insulation on the loggia- This is a separate topic of conversation. We offer two options for floor insulation on the loggia. The first option is to create an insulated floor with a wooden base (see photo). It can also be used as a base for the installation of the “Devicell Dry” tie-free system. The second option is the installation of a warm electric floor on the loggia, which in turn is also divided into two options. The first option is the device of a warm floor with pouring a concrete screed (see also fiber screed for a warm floor) for sticking ceramic floor tiles on it, the second option is KNOW-HOW from DEVI. This is the "Devicell Dry" system - it allows you to install the heating cable in a dry way under a specialized laminated parquet board. This system has huge advantages, namely:
- you can start using a warm floor immediately after installation, and not wait a whole month, as in the variant with a screed;
- the load on the ceiling (floor) of the loggia is lightened by 2-3 times (depending on the floor area covered on the loggia);
- installation is carried out within one working day;
- installation can be carried out at any negative ambient temperature, which cannot be allowed in the version with a screed.
The frame on the walls, ceiling and parapet is made of dry wooden beams and is exposed to vertical and horizontal levels. Attaches directly to concrete with dowels and self-tapping screws. Finishing is attached to the frame. Usually these are plastic wall panels 25 cm wide, wooden lining of various types of wood or moisture-resistant KNAUF drywall / aquapanel (see photo). In the case of using drywall, additional finishing work is required, namely: priming, puttying, corner processing, leveling, wallpapering, cork panels or painting.
Do not forget that lighting fixtures should be installed on your loggia. It can be both built-in spotlights and overhead ceiling / wall lights, switches and sockets. For their installation, it is initially necessary to conduct an electric cable of the desired section (usually 2 x 1.5 or 3 x 1.5 is enough), which is pulled out and under the finish. In some cases, a necessary condition is to supply all the electrics on the loggia with a separate cable (2 x 2.5 or 3 x 2.5) directly from the electrical panel on the site with the installation of a separate machine. Electrical work on loggias should be carried out competently and in accordance with modern standards and requirements.
Common solutions for heating an insulated balcony or loggia
Remember, no matter how well you take care of keeping the heat on the loggia - there will be no heat if there is no heat source on the loggia (insulators can only store heat, but not generate it). Since it is strictly forbidden to take out central heating pipes on loggias (see the Housing Code of the Russian Federation), we offer several alternative solutions.
1. The most common solution is the use and installation of electric heaters. These are devices such as mobile oil heaters, electric fireplaces or electric convectors (see photo). This solution is the simplest, most affordable and economical. On the loggia of 3 - 4 sq.m. it is quite enough to install an electric convector with a power of 0.75 - 1.0 kW. If the loggia is larger (6 - 9 sq.m.), then it is better to install two convectors of 1.0 kW each on it than one powerful one of 1.5 - 2 kW. This will ensure faster and more uniform heating of the entire area of the loggia.
2. Also a common solution is the installation and use of a cable heating system on the floor - a warm electric floor on the loggia (see photo). It is a mistake to think that a warm cable floor consumes a lot of electricity. The power of the cable laid on the loggias is usually 180 - 200 W per square meter. And even if your loggia has an area of 6 sq.m., then your heated floor will consume less electricity than an electric kettle or iron. And with the correct use of temperature sensors and modern temperature controllers (for example, DEVIREG 550), the problem of electricity consumption by cable floors ceases to be relevant for you. On top of the warm floor, you can lay ceramic tiles, laminate and even linoleum. But the best flooring for underfloor heating will always be ceramic tiles.
3. A less common, “exotic”, but no less effective solution is to use an air conditioner on the loggia that works even in winter (see photo). All conditioners work in the cooling/heating mode up to -5*С. But if the external unit of the air conditioner is improved for operation in the winter, then the air conditioner will function in both modes all year round (up to -25*C in winter). Confirmation of this and the most reliable option are DAIKIN air conditioners. This option is the most expensive of all the proposed solutions. But with such an air conditioner on the loggia it will be warm - in cold winters and cool - in hot summers.
If there is a water leak on the loggia, then it is necessary to seal the interpanel seams with a sealant. One-component polyurethane sealants are ideal for this. If there is a clear water leak from above on the loggia, then you should not limit yourself to internal work on waterproofing the seams. It is best to eliminate such leaks from above, i.e. carry out work directly on the upper loggia or on the roof.
This insulation technology is an ideal solution when combining a room with a loggia.
When insulating / combining a loggia, you can get:
- expansion of the children's room
- computer (work) office
- additional area in the kitchen
- additional seating area
- home workshop
- hostess's corner
- winter Garden
New technical solutions
In recent years, the problem of loads on a single floor (floor) of a loggia relative to the total load in the common riser of a loggia along the facade of the building has become relevant. At the moment, it is no longer a rarity that several loggias in a row are finished one riser of the building, which are one under one. This creates a large additional load on the entire facade of the building. And of course, under such a combination of circumstances, technical solutions become necessary that make it possible to lighten the load on a single concrete floor as much as possible, and, accordingly, on all nodes of the common riser of the loggia along the facade of the building.
We offer you 3 new solutions, which we came up with thanks to our extensive practical experience and new technologies of the 21st century. These solutions make it possible to avoid the problem of overloading panel ceilings on loggias, even within the strict framework of state standards of modern construction:
- application in the production of masonry work on the loggias of foam concrete (foam block) instead of ceramic bricks, which greatly facilitates the load on the floor;
- the use of a single-chamber double-glazed window with low-emission glass for glazing loggias and the simultaneous injection of inert Argon gas into it;
- use as an additional heat gain on the loggias of the electric floor heating system based on the DEVICELL DRY screedless system.
- the use of fiberglass when pouring concrete screed in the DEVI underfloor heating system.
A competent combination of all these solutions gives a significant gain in the mass of the load on a single loggia floor, and, accordingly, on the entire facade of the building, which in turn guarantees the high safety of our work!
Insulation and decoration of the loggia will change your idea of comfort and coziness so much that the loggia can become your favorite resting place in your home!
Remember that we recommend that all work related to the re-equipment and redevelopment of the apartment, including the loggia, be carried out after consulting with specialists and after obtaining the necessary permission!
REVIEW ARTICLE ABOUT OUR TECHNOLOGIES OF INSULATION AND FINISHING OF BALCONIES AND LOGIAS.
Work examples
A loggia or a balcony in a city apartment, as usual, is a practically unused living space. How to make these "square meters" convenient for use? But this will be the best option to increase the useful area of \u200b\u200byour apartment. There is only one way out: glaze and insulate. This will significantly reduce heat loss, penetration of street noise, dust and harmful emissions, which are so saturated in the atmosphere of our metropolis. This is especially noticeable in apartments whose windows overlook avenues and busy streets.
Proper and rational loggia equipment plays a significant role in the improvement of a modern apartment, so it is better to entrust this work to specialists with extensive experience in this area. This will save you from inevitable mistakes and turn the loggia into a cozy and beloved corner of your home.
The insulation technology described in this article is patented and is protected by Patents of the Russian Federation (“Thermal insulation system for external walls” (Patent No. 72242 and Patent No. 96585)).
So, the very first and main step to getting a warm loggia is glazing it with warm plastic structures.
When glazing a loggia, preliminary work may be necessary. Such works include laying the parapet (if the parapet on the loggia is metal or it does not coincide with the upper ceiling in the vertical level) and side walls made of foam block or lightweight ceramic bricks.
The loggia after the installation of plastic glazing becomes more comfortable and beautiful, but not warm. The temperature on a glazed uninsulated loggia in the cold season is usually a couple of degrees higher than on the street. If there is a desire and an opportunity to make an additional room out of the loggia, it is necessary to insulate it. This will require additional work and transformations. To make the loggia warm and dry, you need to insulate the parapet, side walls, ceiling and floor.
There are several options for insulating loggias, but we offer to insulate a loggia using our time-tested technology.
According to SNiP
When carrying out work on the insulation of loggias (according to the requirements of SNiP 31-01 "Residential buildings" and SNiP 21-01-97 "Fire safety of buildings and structures"), we use heaters of the Penoplex and Penofol trademarks, which are low-flammable and flame retardant materials and are included in the material groups G1 and B1.
To obtain a warm loggia, a prerequisite is the use of extruded Penoplex with a thickness of at least 30 - 50 mm. Penoplex 50mm thick. it is better to use when combining a room and a loggia into one single space and for colder (northern) regions of our country.
The second layer, on top of Penoplex, Penofol is installed, with foil inside the room (see photo). Penofol with our technology plays a very important role and combines two functions. It is the second additional insulation and at the same time performs the function of a vapor barrier so that vapors from the air in the room do not penetrate into the contact zone between Penoplex and the concrete wall.
Floor insulation on the loggia is a separate issue. We offer two options for floor insulation on the loggia. The second option is to install a warm electric floor on the loggia.
The first option: KNOW HOW from DEVI.
This is the "Devicell Dry" system - it allows you to install the heating cable in a dry way under a specialized laminated parquet board. This system has huge advantages, namely:
- you can start using a warm floor immediately after installation, and not wait a whole month, as in the variant with a screed;
- the load on the ceiling (floor) of the loggia is lightened by 2-3 times (depending on the floor area covered on the loggia);
- installation is carried out within one working day;
- installation can be carried out at any negative ambient temperature, which cannot be allowed in the version with a screed.
Second option: electric underfloor heating
The device of an electric warm floor with pouring a concrete screed (see also fiber screed for a warm floor) for sticking ceramic floor tiles on it.
Third option: underfloor heating with a wooden base
Creating an insulated floor with a wooden base. It can also be the basis for the installation of the "Devicell Dry" tie-free system.
According to our technology
In 2008, we finalized the technology for attaching the frame using a special fiberglass dish-shaped dowel-mushroom!
This technology of fastening the frame to reinforced concrete / brick walls initially eliminates the appearance of cold bridges and is ideal for insulating loggias attached to rooms
The frame on the walls, ceiling and parapet is made of dry wooden beams and is exposed to vertical and horizontal levels. Attaches directly to concrete with dowels and self-tapping screws. The finishing of the balcony is attached to the frame. Usually these are plastic wall panels 25 cm wide, wooden lining of various types of wood or moisture-resistant KNAUF drywall / aquapanel (see photo). In the case of using drywall, additional finishing work is required, namely: priming, puttying, corner processing, leveling, wallpapering, cork panels or painting. You can read more about the options for finishing balconies and loggias in our article - FINISHING A BALCONY AND LOGGIA. Balcony design. floor heating.
Do not forget that lighting fixtures should be installed on your loggia. It can be both built-in spotlights and overhead ceiling / wall lights, switches and sockets. For their installation, it is initially necessary to carry out an electric cable of the required section (usually 2 x 1.5 or 3 x 1.5 is enough), which is pulled and located under the finish. In some cases, a necessary condition is to supply all the electrics on the loggia with a separate cable (2 x 2.5 or 3 x 2.5) directly from the electrical panel on the site with the installation of a separate machine. Electrical work on loggias should be carried out competently and in accordance with modern standards and requirements.
Remember, no matter how well you take care of keeping the heat on the loggia - there will be no heat if there is no heat source on the loggia (heaters can only store heat, but not generate it). Since it is strictly forbidden to take out central heating pipes on loggias (see the Housing Code of the Russian Federation), we offer several alternative solutions.
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