Bath floors are an important part of the comfort system of the entire bath room. The cold overlap makes the stay in the bath chilly and does not bring bright positive emotions. An improperly designed underfloor heating promises to heat its surface to unacceptable temperatures, sometimes to such that it is just right to install a good granite slab on it and use it for the production of pancakes and lavash. If you are interested in the question of how to insulate the floor in a bath correctly, then today's article is just for you.
In the early days of the bath, floor insulation in the bath was not a priority. There were several reasons for this. In the first, the overwhelming number of bath floors had not a solid, but a pouring structure. Disposal of dirty water took place not through a centralized drainage tank, but chaotically, through the cracks between the floor boards.
Secondly, the main heat losses occurred through the abutment of the roof to the load-bearing walls; thirdly, at that time there was no insulating material that could provide the necessary consumer qualities and operational parameters. The same moss, laid underground, in conditions of high humidity, high temperature and an abundance of pathogenic microflora organisms in the wastewater, would simply rot in a very short period of time. And finally, people at that difficult time were much more tolerant of the low level of comfort than they are now.
At the present time, when the era of simple pouring floors is over and they are extremely rare, except that in summer cottages, temporary houses, the problem of floor insulation should be taken care of seriously. So, why is it necessary to insulate the floors in the bath:
- Heat exchange with the external environment occurs through the contact surface of the floor, which is fraught with heat loss. Yes, they are small in total, about 15 - 17.5, but in modern conditions, even this figure looks unacceptably large.
- A person's feet, when moving from a hot room in a steam room to a cooler room in a washing room or dressing room, experience an active effect of the low temperature of the floor unprotected from external influences and this is fraught, at least, with unpleasant sensations, and very often with a banal local temperature shock.
- An uninsulated floor is susceptible to moisture condensation, and even heating the room itself requires much more thermal energy and, therefore, costs.
The choice of material for such work
Bathhouse floor insulation is carried out using a wide range of modern materials, the properties and qualities of which, under certain conditions, can differ significantly from each other.
As you know, the floors of the baths are made either concrete or wooden, and subsequently, various methods of finishing or finishing can be applied to them. This, however, does not interfere with formulating a list of the main types of insulation materials used.
Foamed polystyrene universal type
Thermal insulation of floors in a bath with the help of this material has become widespread in the last decade. This fairly tough copolymer with acceptable mechanical strength is excellently processed, easily cut with a simple cutting tool and easily assembled with a minimum amount of unnecessary waste. Due to the presence of closed granules in its array, it is resistant to moisture, therefore it can be successfully used for thermal insulation of plank floors, the joints of which are prone to moisture seepage.
Mineral wool and glass wool
On the contrary, this material is more suitable for such work as insulation of a concrete floor in a bath. The fibrous structure of such a heater, when installed in the construction of wooden floors, requires enhanced measures to carry out complex waterproofing measures, since its hygroscopicity leads to a significant, sometimes up to 70% decrease in the nominal insulation qualities. Basalt wool is somewhat more stable in terms of hygroscopicity, however, and it cannot compete with expanded polystyrene.
Foamed polymer materials
Due to the high coefficient of expansion during polymerization, they perfectly fill joints, cavities, sinuses, which is especially important for complex type-setting structures of wooden floors. Insulation for the floor in a bath of this type has a low specific weight, does not load the supporting elements of the structure, but it unpleasantly surprises at the price, however, quite objective for high-quality raw materials.
Expanded clay
Foamed ceramic pellets obtained from special grades of high temperature fired clay, properly enriched and prepared. Warming the floor in the bath with expanded clay pours out into a rather monotonous and monotonous operation, which consists in filling the space and cavities with an insulator. To give slopes and oriented planes, the expanded clay massif is moistened with cement milk, which keeps individual grains from rolling and subsidence. On top of the insulating layer, a thin sand-cement screed must be applied to secure it.
Perlite
Perlite occupies a somewhat isolated position in the list of insulating materials. Do-it-yourself floor insulation in a bathhouse using this mineral consists in preparing a mixture with high-quality cement and mixing it with clean water. As a result of an active reaction, active gas formation occurs, which leads to the production of a commodity highly porous mass. Due to a number of technological limitations, this type of insulation rarely has a thickness of 100 mm and is most often poured as an intermediate layer between two primary sand-cement screeds.
The technology for using perlite is quite specific and requires compliance with a number of key rules:
- Perlite dust is very mobile and light, therefore it is necessary to work with it in a windproof place;
- 2 parts of perlite are mixed with 1 part of water until the reaction is complete;
- Cement is carefully added to the resulting solution and thoroughly mixed;
- As a result of the intermediate kneading, a crumbly solution should be obtained, which, when a small amount of water is added, by the time the final batch is completed, it should acquire clear signs of plasticity;
- The maturation of the perlite layer lasts 5-6 days, only after which a top screed can be laid on it.
Alternative options for insulation materials
When making floors in a bath with a layer of insulation, you can use a floor pan, a relatively expensive material, but with high insulating functions. This technological solution is especially relevant when performing work on local insulation of critical places.
Foam concrete has sufficient insulating qualities, which can be used as a structural mass when arranging continuous concrete floors. A layer of about 250 mm should be considered a sufficient thickness.
As an ersatz option, the use of boiler slag can be advised. The technology and the principle of its use are comparable to those of expanded clay backfill. However, it should be remembered that the thermal insulation properties, the evenness of the fractions and the mechanical strength of the boiler slag are lower than those of expanded clay. A slag layer of at least 300 - 320 mm should be considered sufficient for typical operating conditions.
Schemes and technology of insulation of various types of bath floors
Having dealt with the question of how to insulate the floors in the bath, we proceed directly to the technological process. The principle of its implementation is simple. Insulation fills the space between the subfloor and the final floor in wooden structures, and between the base layer of concrete and the leveling screed in concrete.
Important! A prerequisite for the long-term operation of the insulation, without losing its original qualities, should be considered the use of waterproofing films - as a substrate and covering.
Thermal insulation of a wooden floor
The insulated floor in the bath, which is based on a wooden structure, assembled on the basis of load-bearing logs, a rough and clean non-leaking floor, is equipped as follows:
- The lower edge of the supporting main beams is outlined with a support bar, on which the sub-floor boards will rest.
- The subfloor is made from a low-grade non-grooved board, which is cut to the required size. The prepared boards are laid on a support beam and properly secured.
- A waterproofing film is laid on the formed bed, so that its canvas captures the walls adjacent to the floor at a distance of 200 - 250 mm.
- Thermal insulation of the wooden floor in the bath is carried out either directly on the waterproofing layer, or on the second layer of the subfloor, which is fixed with a board placed perpendicular to the first layer. For wooden floors, it is essential to use insulating materials with a closed capsule, which guarantees a low level of water absorption by the material. When installing a waterproofing film, it is important to protect the joints of adjacent canvases, which are overlapped with tapes of a similar material.
- The spaces around communication channels, drain pipes and other elements are filled with polyurethane foam and covered with a waterproof mastic based on modified bitumen.
- In the last turn, the elements of the finished floor are laid and fixed.
Insulation of a concrete floor
Work of this nature is carried out in the following order:
- The stage of warming is preceded by waterproofing works, which are carried out on the root layer of concrete, laid on the ground with the help of a bitumen coating, applied cyclically for the possibility of polymerization in 3 layers. The combined method should be considered rational, when there are two layers of coating, and a layer of roofing material is laid between them.
- This is followed by direct installation, laying or backfilling of a layer of insulating material, the thickness and methodology of which depends on the specific climatic conditions and design features of the structure.
- Materials with high levels of hygroscopicity are covered with a film of a waterproofing membrane.
- Above the layer of insulation, a reinforcing mesh is mounted on special plastic spacers.
- The final stage in solving the problem of how to insulate the concrete floor in the bath with your own hands should be considered the moment of formation of the finishing screed.
To facilitate heat engineering calculations, we present a table that is valid for use in winter temperatures not exceeding - 21 degrees Celsius:
These parameters can be adjusted for specific climatic conditions using correction factors.
The specifics of floor insulation in various functional areas of the bath
How to make the floor in the bath warm, in all its functional areas without exception, from the steam room to the rest room? There is only one answer - to insulate it according to all the rules of building art.
However, zones require different approaches to floor insulation, both functionality and healthy cost savings are appropriate.
Pair department
What kind of insulation is better for the floor in the bath, for its steam room? Naturally resistant to high temperatures and low hygroscopicity. In this regard, extruded polystyrene is good, but it is not entirely clear whether domestic products meet European sanitary requirements? People, especially anxious about the environmental issues of their own baths, generally refuse polymeric materials in the steam room and focus on wood. A power lathing from a bar is laid on the existing finishing floor, on which another finishing floor is laid. A kind of fixed flooring.
Obviously, in this way the floor level in the steam room rises relative to adjacent rooms by about 120 - 150 mm. At the same time, the internal volume of the paired compartment decreases, which has a positive effect on the rate of its warming up and the possibility of keeping heat. Let's face it, the option is quite controversial. However, in the presence of a sufficient amount of quality commodity board, it is quite viable.
Washing department
How to insulate floors in a bathhouse, in its washing section, where the humidity is always close to 100%, and the water on the floor is quite an ordinary phenomenon? Exclusively with the use of reinforced measures for waterproofing the insulation layer. In this regard, a layer of mineral insulation between two layers of cement-sand screed works well, and the top layer is covered with a layer of glue on which ceramic tiles are laid. Quite a traditional classic solution, proven by decades of practical use.
Rest room and dressing room
Do I need to insulate the floor in the bathhouse in these rooms? To improve the energy efficiency of the entire bath is definitely needed. Some practicing masters advise to do with a slightly lighter version. That is, use more budgetary materials for insulation and abandon waterproofing work.
Considering that the humidity regime in these rooms is rather low, this approach certainly has a rational grain. However, be sure to consider the following. Inexpensive heaters, as a rule, are either glass wool or mineral wool. Both have a fibrous structure and are quite hygroscopic. Under a number of circumstances, condensation may form in the underground space, which, falling on the fibers of the insulation, will provoke a deterioration in the insulating qualities.
The cost of a waterproofing membrane is quite low, and the effect of its use is tangible. Therefore, when deciding how to insulate the floor in the bath with your own hands, and at the same time do it efficiently and thoroughly, you should definitely spend a certain number of man-hours laying the membrane. The resulting effect will reliably insure the insulation layer from insidious condensation.
Conclusion
In the modern world, there is a constant struggle for economy. Drivers save on gasoline, employers save on wages, a moderately dear and excessively expensive government is struggling to save on pensions and benefits. A zealous bath attendant should also succumb to the general trend and save money, but naturally, not like statesmen, but wisely. For example, on the cost of heating your own bathhouse.
However, it is impossible to get the expected effect without solving the question of how to insulate the floor in the bath. Floors continue to be the Achilles' heel in saving heating in most baths, both newly built and long-term ones. And if earlier, to solve this incident, there was not enough worthy building materials, then today, with an excess of materials, there is not enough worthy information. The editors of the site hope that with this article we have filled this significant and glaring gap.
For many years, the builders of baths did not pay special attention to floor insulation, because they did not have sufficient knowledge about thermal insulation. The materials used at that time quickly deteriorated, which entailed numerous repairs of the baths - now everything has changed dramatically.
Why is it so important to insulate the floor in the bath
Old bathhouses with leaking floors are still actively used by summer residents and residents of the southern regions. For those who happened to be born in the middle and northern regions, it is better to think about floor insulation. Despite the fact that warm air naturally rises upward, a large part of it is lost when it comes into contact with the cold floor.
A large temperature difference between the upper layers of the steam room and the cold floor in a room intended for taking periodic bath procedures can adversely affect human health. To eliminate heat losses, as well as to speed up the heating of the bath room and create an obstacle to the cold from the outside, it is required to put high-quality insulation for the floor in the bath.
How the floors differ in design
Insulation should be carried out on "dry" floors with a wooden or concrete base, which means that they should not have leaks. Water drainage is carried out by making the floor surface at a slope of 10 ° towards the drain gutter or dirty water drain hole. Thereafter, the wastewater flows into the catchment area, and then into the aeration sites or gutters. If everything is done correctly, then the water will not spoil the insulation in any way, and the thermal insulation will last a very long time.
Materials used for insulation
So, everyone can ask himself the question - "What is the best way to insulate the floor in the bath?". Armed with modern craftsmen and those who want to make the floor insulation in the bath with their own hands, there are both new schemes and new materials. Concrete floor slabs or logs are often used as the basis for the usual buildings of country cottages. In both the first and second cases, the insulation will fit, taking into account the peculiarities of the base. Based on its technical characteristics, the type of insulating material will be selected.
Expanded polystyrene (foam) is a versatile material, so it can be used to insulate wood and concrete foundations. Nevertheless, foam insulation of the floor in the bath is often carried out on a wooden base. This ultra-light material does not absorb moisture accidentally seeping through the wood. As a result, the bases are lightweight, and the material itself is very easy to process, while waste is minimized.
Glass and mineral wool are most often used for thermal insulation of concrete floors. If you apply them to wooden floors, you will need to install an additional layer of waterproofing after the insulation layer. If this is not done, the insulation will begin to accumulate moisture, which will lead to a deterioration in thermal insulation.
Thermal insulation of the floor in the bath with expanded clay is carried out according to the same principle as when using mineral wool. They have similar heat engineering characteristics. If the floor for the bath is wooden, then you will need to install an additional moisture-proof layer. Loose material is not easy to use as insulation on sloped surfaces. Therefore, so that expanded clay does not roll down the floor with a slope of 10 o, it is moistened with a liquid cement mortar (in more detail: ""). Another method: to carry out the pouring of the mixture of expanded clay insulation proposed above, followed by pouring a cement screed.
For warming the floors on the logs, a foamy heat insulator Aisinin is used. Another option is to use boiler slag. It is covered with a 30 cm layer, 25 cm of foam concrete on top, and after -10 cm of half-pan. The height of the thermal insulation layer is determined based on the climatic conditions of the area in which the bath is being built.
Another good insulation is perlite. This dusty sand insulation is combined with water and cement before use. It acts as a light layer between two layers of concrete screed.
Preparation of perlite insulation
To mix dusty sand, you need to choose a room where all doors and windows can be closed at the time of preparation of the solution.
- The material is mixed in a deep container with water in a 2 to 1 ratio until smooth.
- In the resulting solution, you need to slowly pour cement (grade M300 or higher), in a volume that is half the dimensional of all components. An ordinary bucket can act as a measured one.
- After that, you need to pour in an additional half a bucket of water. Each step must be accompanied by sufficient mixing. At the final stage, another half liter of water is added.
The resulting mortar should be different from conventional plastic mixtures intended for smoothing irregularities and finishing. The output should be a crumbly plastic mixture, which can be covered with a continuous 10 cm layer of the lower layer of the concrete screed. The perlite insulating layer hardens after 5-6 days, after which you can start pouring the upper finishing layer from the cement mortar. The waterproofing layer and the reinforcing mesh are placed as desired before the finishing leveling layer, they are not mandatory.
And yet, it is important to choose the most suitable insulation for the floor in the bath - which is better - opinions differ. According to numerous reviews of experts and home craftsmen, expanded polystyrene does its best job. It is easier to handle, easier to stack, inexpensive, and the leftovers can always be used for other purposes.
The technique of laying insulation on the floor
Method of warming wooden floors of a bath
It is optimal if the floor insulation in the steam room and other rooms of the bath is carried out during the period of its construction. But provided that the floors were laid with high quality and do not leak, you can perform thermal insulation after. How to insulate the floors in the steam room of a bath?
The procedure is performed in several stages:
- To begin with, you need to remove the finishing layer and fill the cranial bars around the entire perimeter of the room at the bottom of the beams. A rough floor will be attached to them in the future.
- Unedged boards of poor quality are sawn into pieces so that when they are laid on the bars, small gaps remain between the board and the beams.
- The fixed boards form a subfloor, on which a waterproofing layer is subsequently laid - when working with wooden floors, this is an indispensable element. The best choice would be a membrane that acts as a vapor barrier. The film is laid in such a way that the entire surface of the subfloor with beams is protected, as well as the walls to a height of 20 cm. The film can be fixed with a construction stapler, and the edges of the insulation sheets must be glued with vapor barrier tape.
- There are two options for further actions - to lay another rough floor layer on the vapor barrier and then insulate, or immediately install the insulation.
- From the decision of how to insulate the floor in the steam room of a wooden bath, it will depend on what kind of vapor barrier to put on top under the final flooring. As an option, roofing material can become an alternative to the membrane, the joints of which are meticulously fastened with mastic based on bitumen.
- To isolate the gap around the drain pipe from the insulation layer, polyurethane foam is used.
When all the manipulations with the location of the insulation are completed, you can lay the finishing layer of the wooden floor, remove the remaining insulation and close the joints with plinths.
For ventilation of the wooden floor, a small gap should be left under the finishing layer - about 3-4 cm.
How to insulate a concrete floor in a bath
The concrete floor can be poured either directly onto the ground or onto the concrete slabs below the floors. A waterproofing layer is laid on this rough screed. For these purposes, either a roll coating or 3 layers of coating mastic is used. Alternatively, both of these types of insulation can be combined.
Styrofoam, expanded clay, sheets of mineral wool or other heat-insulating materials of the owner's choice are placed on top of the insulation. In this case, it is worth considering the technical characteristics of one or another type of insulation in order to correctly calculate the layer thickness and the required amount of material.
Next, reinforcement is performed - that is, a reinforcing mesh is installed on top of the insulation on alabaster-cement or plastic fasteners, into which a layer of cement screed is poured. Subsequent finishing of the concrete floor is made at the request of the owner.
The subtleties of warming individual rooms of the bath
Since the purpose and intensity of use of the bath premises vary, many are wondering what kind of floor insulation is required in the dressing room. Since this is a rest room, the insulation in it does not need to be supplemented with waterproofing. Basically, water is poured directly onto the floor only in the washing room, where waterproofing is indispensable.
The steam room is used most intensively in the bath, where heat preservation is very important. But whether it is necessary to insulate the floor in the steam room additionally - everyone decides for himself. It is recommended to raise the floor in the steam room above the general level by 10-15 cm, which will make it possible to lay another layer of thermal insulation on the finished floor and put an additional floor on the logs. This approach will reduce heat loss and speed up the heating of the steam room.
Thus, the technique of floor insulation in the bath is briefly outlined by us in this material, so that everyone can roughly imagine the estimated volume and complexity of the work. It is worth noting that when calculating the amount of thermal insulation materials, you need to rely on the weather conditions at the location of the bath.
Until recently, many did not know how to properly insulate the floor in the bath, so that the heat-insulating material does not rot, bacteria and fungus do not multiply under it. Therefore, they simply left gaps between the boards, where the water flowed down. But the precious warmth was quickly dissipated. Now people have learned how to make the right thermal insulation in high humidity conditions.
Do I have to do this
Bath floors are constantly exposed to unfavorable conditions: high humidity due to water ingress and temperature, especially in the steam room. This negatively affects the strength of the flooring material. This environment is ideal for the development of fungus, mold and disease-causing bacteria. All this does not contribute to healing and relaxation, although bath procedures are intended for this. But the selection of the right raw materials and high-quality installation will help to avoid these troubles.
The combination of a high room temperature and a cold floor can make a person sick. And the heat will disappear much faster. This means that much more fuel will be needed to maintain the desired temperature. And this does not save the budget in any way.
Therefore, the floor covering in the bath must be insulated. And this will have to be done in all rooms: a steam room, a locker room, a rest room, a washing room.
Only "dry" wooden and concrete floors are insulated, that is, the bases of which do not leak. The drains in them merge due to a 10-degree slope to the side where the gutter or special hole is located. There is a drainage tank through which it all flows into the sewer or ditch. If this system is done correctly, the insulation will last a long time.
The choice of heater for the sauna
A log structure is usually located on concrete slabs or logs. In both cases, thermal insulation is done, taking into account the characteristics of the base. These data allow you to choose the right thermal insulation material.
Floor insulation with universal foam polystyrene is allowed for both concrete and wood floors. This material does not absorb water. Its undoubted advantage is its low weight, due to which the total mass of the structure remains practically unchanged. Also polystyrene is easy to use. Styrofoam has similar properties.
The concrete base in the Russian bath is predominantly insulated using mineral wool and glass wool. They do not tolerate moisture well, therefore they lose all their thermal insulation properties when wet. You can also use expanded clay. Its technical characteristics are very similar to those of mineral wool, despite the different appearance. But it's not easy to work with him. It is not easy to pour a layer of insulation while maintaining the required floor slope of 10 degrees. Therefore, it is mixed with a weak cement solution.
Also, the floors are insulated with boiler slag, foam concrete, polpan, penoplex.
A material such as perlite is also used as thermal insulation. It is mixed with water and cement mortar. When it completely solidifies, it has a porous structure. Perlite is usually located between the top and bottom screeds of the concrete floor.
How to insulate the floor in a Russian bath from the inside with your own hands
The method of insulation depends on the insulation used and the material from which the floor is made in different sections of the sauna.
Use of perlite
Perlite is a silty volcanic sand. With a light breath of wind, it scatters, so you can work with it only indoors without a draft. Close all doors and windows tightly before proceeding. Thermal insulation of the floor in the bath with perlite must be carried out even at the construction stage. Otherwise, you will have to dismantle the top screed of the concrete base.
All work on floor insulation in a washroom or steam room using perlite consists of several steps:
- Pour insulation into a deep container. Fill it gently with 2 to 1 water. Wait for the mixture to settle. Then mix well and gently.
- Add here 0.5 parts of cement grade not lower than M300. Stir again.
- Add another 0.5 parts of water to the resulting solution. Stir and pour in the same amount of liquid again. Mix everything very well. The resulting solution must be dry and crumbly. It needs to be stirred until it becomes plastic.
- After that, spread it in an even layer over the lower concrete screed in a layer of 100 mm. Then let the coating harden. This will take about 5-6 days.
- Once everything has solidified, install the leveling top concrete screed.
As a unit of measurement, you can use a bucket, the volume of which will be equal to 1 part.
Thermal insulation of a wooden floor in a steam room and a washing room
Naturally, it is best to carry out thermal insulation work even at the construction stage. But, if for some reason this did not happen, then you will have to dismantle the final flooring.
- Nail the skull blocks along the entire length of the lower edges of the beams on both sides.
- Take the planks and cut them slightly smaller than the gaps between adjacent beams. Place them on the cranial bars. In this way, you will form the first layer of the subfloor, on which you need to cover the waterproofing material. For a wooden floor, this is a prerequisite. Ideally, use a waterproofing membrane that will also prevent steam from entering. When laying it, cover all joists at the bottom of the floor with an overlap of 200 mm. Fastening is done with a construction stapler, and the joints are sealed with vapor barrier tape.
- Lay insulation on the waterproofing, on which it is recommended to lay another layer of waterproofing material, for example, roofing material. Bituminous mastic is used for gluing it at the seams.
- Fill the space between the drain and the insulation with polyurethane foam.
- At the last stage, cover the finished floor, remove the protruding vapor barrier and nail in the baseboards.
Leave a small gap of 300–400 mm under the finished floor for ventilation. So, the tree will constantly dry out.
Insulation of a concrete floor with tiles
The waterproofing material is laid on the bottom slab of concrete slabs on the sub-floor layer. It is not necessary to use a roll of insulation. You can apply a coating paste in three layers. Both materials can be combined.
For a concrete base, mineral wool, extruded polystyrene foam or expanded clay can be used as insulation.
Special plastic or alabaster-cement supports are placed on the thermal insulation material. A reinforcement network is laid on them. Further, the upper floor screed is poured and finishing work is carried out.
Underfloor heating device
Underfloor heating is one of the most effective insulation methods. This is achieved by using water, infrared or electric heating. Its installation takes place in several stages:
- Cover the layer of thermal insulation with reinforced mesh, on which you put special mats or an electric cable.
- Lay them evenly so that the entire floor area is heated equally.
- The mats are fixed with glue.
- Finish up with ceramic tiles.
The floor is heated with pipes filled with hot water. In this case, only high-quality metal-plastic, polyethylene or copper pipes can be used. Installation of temperature sensors, thermostat and pump is mandatory. This greatly complicates the insulation process. In order for the water in the pipe system to heat up, they must be connected to a water heater, for example, an electric boiler.
- Prepare the floor surface for installation work. There should be no chips, protrusions or cracks on it.
- Cover with insulation material.
- Use a special tape to go around the perimeter of the floor. It will not allow the floor to deform under the influence of high temperatures.
- Lay the reinforcement network, and distribute the pipes with the heat transfer fluid along it. There must be a distance of 100 mm between the pipe and the wall. They must lie freely so that high temperatures do not deform them.
- Connect the piping to the heating using inlet and outlet headers. Using the sleeve and the winding, firmly fix the places where the pipes are connected to each other.
- Check how the system works at maximum water supply. Make sure there are no leaks anywhere.
- If everything is in order, then you can lay a rough screed, on which, after hardening, a self-leveling mortar is laid.
- In the last step, cover the floor with an absorbent layer and topcoat.
Video: how to make a water-heated floor with your own hands
Requirements for the insulation of different sections of the bath
The end result largely depends on compliance with the requirements for flooring in different parts of the bath:
Thermal insulation of the bath floor, although a rather time-consuming process, is mandatory. Thanks to this, the time spent in the sauna will be comfortable, and the heat will be used rationally.
The bath should be warm, at least. And in order not to spend too much time on heating, insulation must be done correctly. Floor, walls, ceiling - everything is important. Below we will deal in detail with floor insulation. Agree, even if the air is warm, but your feet are on the cold floor, you will feel uncomfortable and chilly.
Very often a bathhouse is a detached house in the country. Rarely does anyone have a positive temperature in it in winter. More often it is "heated" only for use, and this is the difficulty. For insulation, you need a material that tolerates frost / defrost and at the same time is not afraid of moisture. After all, if we are talking specifically about a Russian bath, and not about a sauna, then the humidity in the steam room will be close to 90%. In other rooms, perhaps lower, but also far from normal. So, there are two criteria for choosing a heater: it should not be afraid of periodic heating, and it should also normally tolerate moisture or not absorb moisture at all.
Tellingly, often a bathhouse and a change house appear on the site first. And only then does the construction of the house begin
Another choice parameter is safety. Baths are usually heated by wood-burning stoves, and in most cases the buildings themselves are built of wood. The combination of open fire and wood is always dangerous. Therefore, it is advisable to insulate with a non-combustible material. But there is nothing like that, and therefore they try to choose one that has a high ignition temperature, does not smoke during combustion and does not spread combustion.
How and what to insulate the floor in the bath. Choosing the best options There are also requirements for flooring. We do not heat the bath every day, even if it is in the yard, and therefore the structure must be thought out so that during the "downtime" the materials are dried. This requires a working and well-thought-out ventilation system, a ventilated / ventilated subfloor. Otherwise, literally in a couple of years, everything will have to be redone.
Insulation materials
In general, the floor in the bath can be insulated with any insulation. There are rooms with different modes of operation and the floor arrangement may be different. Let's look at the most common materials that can be used to insulate a bath.
- Foamed glass (foam glass)... Not to say that it is widespread, but it is an ideal option in all respects for any room. Foamed glass does not get wet, is not afraid of moisture, frost, withstands temperatures up to 100 ° C without problems, does not emit anything, does not burn, does not support combustion. It, like ordinary glass, melts at a very high temperature and does not release anything. It has very good thermal insulation characteristics; a small layer is needed to achieve the required degree of protection. The material has low vapor permeability and this must be borne in mind when choosing a floor structure. There is only one drawback - the price. There is foam glass in the form of blocks, granules, and you can also find scraps. The most expensive blocks (about $ 350 per cube), the cheapest are cuttings (about $ 40 per cube). Blocks can be placed between the logs, granules and cuttings can be used as backfill. This is many times more effective (but also more expensive) replacement of expanded clay.
New technologies bring new materials. For example, foamed glass as insulation is almost ideal. - Expanded polystyrene(not styrofoam). Best of all is extruded polystyrene foam. It can be put into the screed and between the lags. It has excellent thermal insulation properties, does not absorb water (or rather, it does, but in a very small amount). Up to a temperature of 95 ° C it is environmentally safe, and above it it already begins to release not the most useful substances. With regard to floor insulation in a bath, it can be placed in any room. The floor is not walls and it simply has no chance to heat up above 40 ° C. But expanded polystyrene is flammable and vapor-proof. That is, good ventilation is needed.
How to insulate the floors in the bath and what, depends on how you are going to do them - Mineral wool.
From old memory, many still remember such insulation as expanded clay. Until there was an alternative, it could still be considered a heater. Now, to replace a layer of mineral wool, for example, 8 cm thick, you need to pour 40 cm of expanded clay. Yes, it is cheap, but it is afraid of water, which makes it completely unattractive.
Bath floor cake
There are two types of premises in the bathhouse. The first - with high humidity and water in large quantities - is a steam room and shower room. The second - with conditions that can be called "normal". This is usually a dressing room and a break room. Sometimes it is two rooms, sometimes one. There may also be a furnace, but more often the stove is heated from the rest room, and its back part goes into the steam room.
There is no right solution. Everyone chooses their own. There are about a dozen options How to make a floor in a "dry room" bath
In the dressing room and the rest room, a regular insulated floor is made. But the "normal" gender can also be different. In the sense that there are several ways to arrange it. What they usually agree on is what's in these rooms. Still, it is more comfortable and it gets warm in the room faster. In this case, the floor device itself can be different:
If you don't want to make a wooden floor in the bath, then make a standard concrete floor cake on the ground. But this option is more for baths with permanent heating. It is impossible to warm up a concrete slab quickly. If this is the case, consider electric underfloor heating. To avoid cold feet, knocked down ladders can be laid on the floor.
In the washing / shower room and in the steam room, it is necessary to provide for a drainage of water. These are the so-called "wet" rooms and their floor cake is different. And the device is different too.
Spilled floors in a steam room
To begin with, the floor in the steam room is made only of wood. First of all, the tile has a high heat capacity. While it warms up, it's time to go home. Second, it can heat up so that boots won't save you either. So, the floor in the steam room is wooden, but it can be pouring or not. Pouring is when the final flooring of the boards is deliberately made slotted. The board is laid with a gap of 5 mm or so. And under the flooring there is a rough floor, with a slope to the drain, and the drain through the ladder leads to a drain pit or sewer.
Leaky / pouring floor can be made in the washroom / shower room and in the steam room With such a floor arrangement, water can be poured in the steam room. Even in the baths, which are not heated in winter, until everything cools down, it will dry out. True, if there is ventilation and it works well. For greater confidence, the flooring can not be nailed, but wooden ladders can be made, which, after the bath, can be taken out into the street or in a more ventilated room for drying.
Insulation: how to lay materials
But what about floor insulation in a bath with such a device? And you need to insulate the floor under the bottom layer. If, as in the figure (floor along the lags), then cranial bars are nailed. They can be a support for stacked polystyrene foam or foam glass blocks. The distance between the insulation and the timber is filled with foam.
For bulk types of insulation, pieces of sheet moisture-resistant material () are laid on the cranial bars. Expanded clay, granulated foamed glass or its trimmings are poured into the resulting "troughs".
The leaking floor in the bath consists of two "layers". The first one from the bottom is waterproof with a built-in drain / drain for water. The second is a wooden slatted flooring To lay slabs of mineral wool between the logs, you can:
- pull a cord or wire or strong synthetic twine with a "snake";
- knock out with a net (albeit plastic);
- fill thin slats.
Lay the slabs of mineral wool on the floor. Their width should be slightly more than the width of the trough - by 2-3 cm. Then the material holds well, and no cracks are formed during "shrinkage".
Protection of insulation from soil moisture
When using mineral wool, expanded clay or foam glass granules, it is necessary to protect the insulation from moisture that is in the soil. It is always there and there is always a vapor. At the same time, no matter how hard you try, some of the moist air will get from the premises into the insulation. And this moisture must be removed. Where to? Usually in the subfloor, in which ventilation holes (air vents) are made. That is, if the floor was insulated with mineral wool, expanded clay, broken or granulated foam glass, we nail the membrane from the bottom of the subfloor.
Membranes are needed to maintain the normal state of the insulation The membrane must be single-sided vapor permeability. She should let off steam from the insulation, but not let it go there. There are such membranes. They are nailed down with clamping bars. The holes that are formed in this case are additionally sealed. Only paired with moisture protection, floor insulation in the bath will be durable. Otherwise, you will get problems in a year.
When using boards made of foam glass or expanded polystyrene, additional protection against moisture is not needed. Both the one and the other material do not absorb moisture, practically do not conduct steam.
Non-spill floor in the steam room
Non-spill floor in the steam room - flooring made of grooved boards and an organized drain. The boards are laid with a slope towards the drain. Floor drain - concrete or metal (less often) gutter. The slope of the board is small - 1 cm per meter. Do not need anymore.
How are leak-proof floors in the bathhouse arranged - in the steam room or shower / washroom That is, structurally, it is an ordinary wooden floor. Except for the fact that stock must be done. It is made either at the opposite wall from the shelf, or as in the picture above, in the middle.
Floor insulation in a bath of this design is similar to that described above. Except that:
How to insulate floors in a bathhouse and what: a scheme for insulating the floor along the logs In general, the cake is standard. That is, the floor insulation in the bath is done according to the usual scheme. The whole difference is in the thickness of the insulation and the presence of a drain for the drain. And the thickness of the insulation in the steam room is taken taking into account the fact that it is necessary to heat it up as quickly as possible. Therefore, they usually take 50% more layer than for ordinary rooms.
Tiled floor in the sink of a wooden bath
The tiles can be laid on the screed. In this case, you need to make a traditional one. You just need to remember that you need to organize the flow of water. So immediately decide on the level of the topcoat, set up the ladder (drain), lay the pipes. Then you can start making the floor.
The technology, in fact, differs only at the very end - it is necessary to form a slope towards the ladder. And so, everything is the same. The bottom of the pit is tamped, laid out crushed stone in layers, tamped. Then you can make a slab with the strength of M150 and a thickness of 3.5-4 cm or spill crushed stone with lean concrete. The second option is more economical. Wait until the concrete gains 50% strength and you can continue. Lay waterproofing for preparation, insulation on top. How to make the floor insulation in the bath in this case? Expanded polystyrene is optimal. It behaves normally in the screed, the layer is not too large, it is not afraid of moisture. In general, there is no better one.
How to make a tiled floor in a sink We put expanded polystyrene in two layers. The slabs of the second layer overlap the seams of the first. This is for better thermal insulation. The first layer boards can be attached to the base with long nails with plastic caps. The sheets are glued together with tape, you can foam the seams with polyurethane foam, cut off the excess and lay out the second layer. You can simply lay it down, you can fix it with something. In principle, in a small washing room, he will not go anywhere. We glue the seams of the second layer of expanded polystyrene with tape. This is necessary so that the solution is not poured into the cracks - it will worsen the thermal insulation.
The floor in the shower room also needs to be insulated. Next, we spread a layer of PVC film on the expanded polystyrene. This, again, so that the solution does not flow. We roll out along the perimeter of the room, lay out the reinforcement or reinforcing mesh, set up beacons (do not forget to form a slight slope towards the ladder), etc. When the concrete has hardened enough, tiles can be laid. But even with insulation, it will feel cold. There are two ways out - knock down wooden grates or make electric heating. Cable mats are ideal for tiles. In a couple of hours, with normal thermal insulation, they will warm the floor.
Can the tiles be laid if the floor is made of joists? Quite. Again, there are options. You can lay plywood on the rough floor (don't forget about the slope). And you can not plywood, but sheet slate. It is even preferable, since their thermal expansion is closer to tiles than to plywood. Then you can put tiles on special tile glue. Special - this is for complex unstable bases. It is expensive, but the cost of preparatory layers is less.
Still, in wet areas there is nothing better than tiles. You can also pour a screed on the plywood, and lay the tiles on it. But it makes sense if you are doing water floor heating from heating or from a warm water tank. If it is electric, then it can be immediately laid on plywood.
Previously, the floor was always made of a leaky type and naturally was not insulated in any way. The walls and ceiling were insulated, since the heated air always moves upward. But, despite this, a considerable amount of heat goes out into the street and through the floor. A significant temperature difference between the upper part of the steam room and the cold floor of the washing room, where a person enters after steam bath procedures, has a negative effect on the body.
To prevent heat loss and prevent the penetration of cold air from the street, as well as in order for the bath to warm up faster, it is necessary to correctly organize the floor insulation. How to insulate the floor in the bath with your own hands will be discussed further.
Features of the structure of floors
Insulation is carried out for floors with a non-leaking wooden base and concrete structures. The drainage of water in them is carried out due to a slight slope of the floor towards the drain hole or gutter.
Types of insulation materials
Now, when building a bath, new schemes and materials are used. Concrete floor slabs or logs can serve as a base. In both cases, when insulating floors in a bath, it is necessary to take into account the characteristic features of the base. The thermal insulation layer is selected in accordance with the technical characteristics of the base.
Expanded polystyrene is a tough and very light material that consists of a polymer alloy of small closed granules. This insulation is versatile and can be used for thermal insulation of concrete and wooden bases. But most often it is used for insulating wooden floors. It does not absorb water that can seep through the wood flooring. Insulation practically does not make the weight of the base heavier. You can use a regular office knife to cut the material, with little waste.
It can also be used as insulation on the floor in a polystyrene bath.
Glass wool and mineral wool are mainly used for thermal insulation of concrete floors. When using such materials for wooden floors, it is necessary to put a reinforced layer of waterproofing on top of the insulation, since this material absorbs moisture well.
Expanded clay is used in the same way as mineral wool. These materials have a different structure, but they practically do not differ in their thermal properties. Reinforced waterproofing is required for a wooden floor. When using expanded clay for insulation of concrete floors, some difficulties arise associated with the organization of a 10 ° slope for drainage.
To comply with the required slope, expanded clay, which is filled with guides, is spilled with a weak cement mortar. You can do it differently: mix expanded clay with cement and fill in an insulating layer with such a solution, a cement screed is made on top of it.
Another type of insulation for the floor in the bathhouse is Aisinin - a foamy heat-insulating material that is used when organizing floors on logs.
For insulation, boiler slag, foam concrete, polpan can also be used. These materials are covered with a layer up to 30 cm, 25 cm, 10 cm thick, respectively. The thickness of the insulating layer depends on the climate of the region in which the bath is located.
Another type of insulation used for bath floors is perlite, which is a silty volcanic sand. For thermal insulation, it must be mixed with water and cement. The finished mixture is poured onto a concrete screed, another layer of screed is made on top. When solidified, the mixture will acquire a porous structure. The result is jellied floors in a bath with a layer of insulation.
Preparation of perlite insulation
Perlite is a very light material and flies away from a slight breeze, so the mixture should be prepared in a draft-free room. Doors and windows must be closed during cooking.
The mixture is prepared as follows:
- In a deep container, you need to carefully pour 2 parts of the material, then the perlite must be sealed with 1 part of water and let the mixture sit completely.
- Then 1/2 part of cement grade M300 and higher is added. Everything mixes very well.
- 1/2 part of water is added and the mixture is mixed again.
- At the end, another 0.5 liters of water is added.
The finished mixture should be dry and crumbly. It must be kneaded until it becomes plastic. Then the resulting solution is evenly distributed over the lower concrete screed. The thickness of the layer should be no more than 10 cm. The insulation will completely harden in 5-6 days. Then a leveling screed is poured onto it. Before that, you can lay a waterproofing material and lay a reinforcing mesh, but this is not necessary.
A considerable number of types of materials were given to know how they look, you can see the photo. And naturally, with such a variety, people ask themselves what is the best insulation for the floor in the bathhouse to choose. According to the majority, in terms of technological and technical indicators, expanded polystyrene is the leader among insulation materials. It fits quickly, and you can buy just enough to cover the entire floor area.
Insulation technology
Now let's move on to considering the issue of how to insulate a wooden floor in a bath and a concrete structure.
In fact, the insulation is carried out in the same way in both cases and consists in the following: the insulation is located between two rigid layers and is protected by insulating films. If the floor is wooden, then the thermal insulation material is placed between the rough and final flooring.
In the case of a concrete floor between the first layer and the leveling layer. There are also characteristic differences. Next, we will consider how to properly insulate the floor in the bath in each case.
Thermal insulation of a wooden floor
Thermal insulation is best done during the construction phase. Wooden floors of a non-leaking structure can be insulated later, only it will be necessary to completely remove the finishing flooring.
Warming of the wooden floor in the bath is carried out as follows:
- To install the subfloor, you need to nail in the cranial bars. They are attached to the bottom edge of the beams from both sides along the entire length.
- Low quality boards are taken. Their length should correspond to the distance between the beams. The boards are laid on the cranial beam.
- Waterproofing is laid on top of the resulting sub-floor. The best option would be a membrane with hydro and vapor barrier properties. It must be laid in such a way that all the beams are closed and its edges extend onto the walls by 20 cm. The material is fixed to the beams with a stapler. The joints are glued together with vapor barrier tape.
- There are two options for further actions: insulation material is laid or first another row of the subfloor and insulation already on it.
- Depending on the type of insulation, another layer of hydro and vapor barrier is laid. Instead of a membrane, roofing material can be used, the seams of which must be carefully glued with bitumen mastic.
- The gap between the drain pipe and the insulation should be filled with polyurethane foam.
- Planks of finishing flooring are laid, excess insulating material should be cut off.
- A plinth is installed.
There should be a gap of 3-4 cm between the boards of the finished floor and the insulation for air circulation. It ensures the drying of the wood.
Insulation of a concrete floor
Now let's look at how to insulate a concrete floor in a bath.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Waterproofing is laid on concrete floor slabs or a layer of concrete that is poured over the ground. Both roll materials and coating mastic (applied in three layers) are suitable. Waterproofing can be done simultaneously with these two options.
- Then the insulation material is laid, for example, expanded clay, glass wool, extruded polystyrene foam. The thickness of the insulation layer depends on the thermal characteristics of the selected material.
- Stands are installed plastic or made of a mixture of alabaster and cement. Reinforcing mesh is laid on them.
- The screed is poured.
- Next, finishing is carried out.
Features of insulation of various rooms
As a rule, the floor is exposed to a large amount of water only in the washing room. The rest room and dressing room do not need mandatory waterproofing. In order to additionally insulate the floor in the steam room, it is not necessary to disassemble it.
Here is general information on how to insulate the floor in a bath. However, the thickness of the insulation layers must be calculated, taking into account not the average indicators, but the real climatic conditions.