Insulation of an iron garage: what materials to use for this. How to insulate a metal front door - learn the basics of craftsmanship Insulating a metal house

A garage is more than just a place for a car. You can carry out repairs in it, sit in company and store unnecessary things. Only for all these purposes heat is needed.

But what to do on cold days, and even when metal frame? You can, of course, install a potbelly stove or electric heater. But this is unlikely to help in the presence of drafts. And proper insulation of a metal garage contributes to a comfortable microclimate. That's why we'll talk about this.

Why should you insulate your garage?

First of all, let us remember that when heat and cold come into contact, condensation forms. This means that if the garage is not insulated but heated, the car body may be susceptible to rust.

Cold has a bad effect on engine performance. In case of deep minus, the car will have to warm up for a long time. After all, oil becomes viscous at low temperatures.

The optimal indicator is considered to be from +5 to +25°C. Insulation will provide protection from both cold and significant increases in temperature.

When using various heating devices protected walls will keep the heat inside. Iron has a high heat transfer rate. It turns out that by heating the metal, we also heat the street. This leads to excessive energy consumption.

Preparatory work

High-quality insulation requires several stages in preparing the garage box:


Insulation of garage walls

You can protect walls from cold penetration:

  • from the inside;
  • outside;
  • at both sides.

The last option is the most effective, but also the most expensive. Internal insulation is more often used. But it is convenient only at the beginning of construction. It requires free space around the walls. Also inconvenient is the reduction in the operating area. Will help you deal with the latter thin insulation and heat-retaining paints.

Insulation with foil insulation

Basically, roll materials are produced with one or both reflective surfaces. They are created based on:

  • foamed polyethylene;
  • mineral wool;
  • polystyrene.

The thickness of such insulation is small. Foil retains up to 90% of the heat inside the garage. This makes it possible to reduce the thickness of the base. As a result, the insulation procedure has virtually no effect on the area of ​​the room.
Another advantage is the vapor and water resistance of the material. Foil prevents vapors from the room from reaching the metal. This protects the walls from corrosion. Thanks to this characteristic, money is saved on vapor barriers.

This type of insulation is attached to the metal using wooden slats. The sheathing elements must be placed vertically. When positioned horizontally, the wood will be saturated with moisture flowing down the foil.

An air gap is required in front of the foil layer. It promotes air movement and natural moisture removal.

Insulation by painting

The advantage of this type of work is:

  • simplicity. You can apply paint using a regular brush or roller;
  • durability. The coating is resistant to mechanical stress, oil, gasoline and other compounds often found in the garage;
  • moisture resistance. When drying, the paint forms a strong, elastic film that repels liquid;
  • environmental friendliness All paints are made from safe materials;
  • fire resistance. Charring of the layer occurs at a temperature of +260°C;
  • efficiency. 1 mm of layer is equal to 50 mm of mineral wool.

The disadvantages of this technology include high price material.

Insulation with mineral wool

This type of insulation has good characteristics. He:

  • promotes fire extinguishing in case of fire;
  • non-toxic;
  • easy to process;
  • has low weight.

You can purchase the material in rolls or slabs. Fastening occurs according to wooden frame. Another advantage of cotton wool is its compressibility. You can take a less rigid approach to measuring the distances between slats.

Before installing insulation, a moisture-proofing film should be secured over the metal. After installation, a vapor barrier is laid on the insulation. It is attached to wooden slats with a stapler.

Mineral wool fibers have high water absorption. When exposed to moisture, the material loses its insulating properties.

Foam insulation

The advantages of polystyrene foam:

  • accessibility;
  • variety of densities and sizes;
  • low weight;
  • low absorption of liquids;
  • easy processing.

The foam is attached to the frame or with glue. The second method is less expensive, but more risky. You need to choose the right, highly adhesive adhesive composition.

In conditions middle zone Russia needs to use a 100 mm layer. But it is better to carry out a thermal engineering calculation before starting work. It will show the required material thickness to maintain optimal indoor conditions.

Insulation using backfill

This technology is very simple and effective. It is only suitable for garages with large area. After all, to install the frame you will need at least 30 cm of free space.

Insulation involves installing additional fencing inside the room along the perimeter of the walls. The space between the two structures is filled with insulating material:

  • sawdust;
  • expanded clay;
  • foam granules;
  • slag, etc.

It turns out something like well masonry.

The disadvantage of this type of wall insulation is the possibility of contents spilling out. In addition, mice can get in between the walls, but for a garage this is not a big problem.

The advantages are:

  • ease of installation;
  • efficiency;
  • environmental friendliness.

External insulation depends on:

  • absence of trees around the perimeter of the garage;
  • sunny and warm weather;
  • proximity to other garages.

It is made using the same materials as the internal one. The difference lies in the final finish. It should be stronger and the waterproofing layer denser.

Ventilation device

Excess toxic gases released by:

  • running car;
  • fuel;
  • paints and varnishes;
  • oils, etc.

require mandatory ventilation. It is necessary that at least 190 m3/hour enter the garage fresh air. But this detail of the room increases heat loss by 30%. Because ventilation pipes must be insulated.

Insulation of ventilation can be due to both materials and technology. For example, the “pipe in pipe” system allows you to warm the air coming from the street to room temperature.

The material for pipe insulation is:

  • polyurethane foam;
  • expanded polystyrene;
  • isolon;
  • felt;
  • mineral wool.

Attaching materials to the box occurs:

  • due to the locking system in the material itself;
  • using plastic clamps;
  • fixing with glue;
  • wrapping it with tape.

Heat loss can be reduced by installing a supply and exhaust system with air heating. It is also capable of purifying air masses, saturating them with ions.

Insulation of garage ceiling

The ceiling can be flat or sloped. The cost of insulating an uneven ceiling will be more expensive. Therefore, it is better to align everything to one level.

The materials for insulation are:

  • dense insulation;
  • bulk materials;
  • soft mats.

When choosing any insulation, the installation technology is the same:

  • We screw wooden slats onto the rough ceiling. The thickness depends on the chosen insulation;
  • lay a layer of film, securing it to the slats with a stapler;
  • hems the space between the slats with plywood or OSB boards. Thus, cells are formed on the ceiling. We sew up the space in parts;
  • fill the cells with insulation, placing it on top of the lining

It is advisable to lay wires in protected boxes. This will eliminate the possibility of the insulation catching fire due to sparking.

Foam boards can be attached directly to the flow using glue or polyurethane foam. This will simplify installation, reducing insulation time.

Floor insulation

The floor is one of the most problematic areas of the garage. It is subjected to considerable loads and mechanical stress. Therefore, the insulation must be dense and able to withstand the entire vehicle.

Special slab materials are used to insulate garages. For example, they use polystyrene foam labeled PSB S-35. It is designed for high static and dynamic loads.

Insulation with less durable products is possible when constructing a load-bearing frame. It is created from metal profile. Metal beams are welded to the iron base. For these purposes it is better to use I-beams. The height of the element depends on the “pie” of the floor.

The following layers are made as standard:

  • waterproofing sheet;
  • concrete base 100 mm thick;
  • insulation;
  • waterproofing;
  • leveling reinforced screed.

Reinforcement is carried out in two directions with Ø 8 mm reinforcement.

Floor insulation with expanded clay is done as follows:

  • a waterproofing film is placed on the metal;
  • Expanded clay backfill is laid on it;
  • A film is laid on the expanded clay. This eliminates the possibility of cement seeping into the backfill;
  • a metal mesh is placed on top of the film, serving as reinforcement;
  • the base is filled with cement.

The covering can be left concrete or tiles can be placed on top of the screed. Reinforced concrete is also used for garage floors. It will protect the base and the insulation hidden underneath it.

  • find hinges and bolts;
  • cling to the floor, preventing closing;
  • get into the opening, preventing a tight connection.

Before insulation, it is necessary to inspect the frame of the gate and gate for distortion. If cracks are found during closing, they must be removed by welding the necessary metal.

Knowing how to insulate metal garage you can create a cozy, dry and, most importantly, warm place to store vehicles. Right choice materials and compliance with the sequence of actions will extend the service life for many years.

A metal garage is the easiest option to hide your car from bad weather and intruders. Naturally, you need to make it warm to make your stay in the “stall” of your favorite vehicle comfortable. How to insulate an ordinary metal unheated garage? It is now customary to carry out insulation classic materials. Although the construction market is ready to offer a lot of new products that have excellent characteristics in terms of thermal insulation. Therefore, the problem of insulating a metal garage is easy to solve. But let’s look in more detail at how to do it correctly and how to perform insulation.

Advanced car enthusiasts who decide to do it with their own hands prefer to use the following insulator options as materials:

  1. Polyurethane foam. To apply polyurethane foam to the surface, special equipment is required. However, only such material allows for truly high-quality insulation, and for many decades. This is the best way to achieve your goal.
  2. Penoizol. This is what is called liquid foam. It is also durable, it is not afraid of moisture and high temperatures.
  3. Astratek. Another liquid heat insulator applied with a brush. A millimeter layer of astratek retains as much heat as thick mineral wool. Disadvantage: high consumption (about half a liter per square meter of metal).

Each of the listed materials for garage insulation is quite effective, but usually the car owner is forced to abandon it due to its high cost. Therefore, much more often a metal garage is insulated using the most available material, namely, polystyrene foam.

Insulation of metal garage walls

Let's look at how to insulate a metal garage from the inside, and do it entirely with your own hands. All work must be performed adhering to a certain scheme. First you need to make a frame, inside of which the insulator slabs will then be laid.

To begin with, you should make sure you have a certain tool. It is impossible to do such a thing as insulating your own garage without a drill, screwdriver, hacksaw, or grinder. When everything is collected that is necessary, you can begin the insulation process.

First, you need to mount a frame from guides and a profile, using the material that is taken for the manufacture of plasterboard partitions. The guides are fastened with dowels, and the profile is secured to them with special hangers.

After garage insulation, it is not necessary to use plasterboard to cover the thermal insulation; asbestos fiber is also suitable for this purpose. The material perfectly resists fire, but is fragile. Because of this, the distance between the posts is required to be slightly smaller.

After completing the installation of the frame, insulation should be placed between the racks. We recommend using a classic heat insulator - glass wool or mineral wool slabs. This material retains heat perfectly and is non-flammable. But more cheap option– foam plastic, refers to flammable substances that release toxic components when ignited. If the step between the racks is made according to the width of the mineral slabs, their installation will be simple and will not require additional adjustment. The final stage of insulation is securing the vapor barrier material with tape and installing the cladding.

Foam plastic is recognized as the cheapest material for insulating the walls of a metal garage from the inside. Before using glue to attach this material, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the internal surfaces of the building from rust and the slightest dirt, then be sure to degrease the metal. This way the fastening will be of better quality. When the foam sheets have already been glued, it is advisable to blow out the cracks between them using a can of polyurethane foam. Next, you can cover the insulation layer with any finishing material.

Insulation of metal garage doors

Having decided to make a high-quality insulation of a metal garage, you should make sure that the gates do not allow cold into the room. Experienced car enthusiasts recommend doing it in the gate leaf front door, then you won’t have to open them completely when entering. In addition, a special curtain should be installed from the inside in front of the gate to prevent heat leakage from the room.

An excellent material for organizing the task at hand is transparent plastic or polyethylene film(definitely fat). Having cut the selected version of the protective curtain into long strips, they are stapled to a wooden strip fixed above the gate from the inside. Each fixed strip must be one and a half centimeters apart from its neighbor, then when the car leaves, they will deviate and then return back, preventing heat from escaping outside.

However, just a curtain is not enough; the door leaf itself also needs to be insulated with protective material. Typically, foam is used for this purpose, which can be fixed to metal using glue.

You can cover the outside of the foam with anything:

  • clapboard;
  • plywood;
  • plastic.

To prevent cold penetration through the gaps around the perimeter of the gate, a rubber seal is used. To prevent condensation from appearing subsequently, it is advisable to treat the metal in the place where the rubber is glued with any anti-corrosion compound.

Ceiling insulation in a metal garage

When solving the problem of how to insulate an iron garage, you should definitely take care of the thermal insulation of the ceiling. It needs to be insulated not only from the inside, but also from the outside. Only then will it be possible to achieve the desired effect. If the outside is traditionally insulated with paint, then there are several ways to work from the inside:

  • multi-layer painting of the ceiling with a heat-insulating agent;
  • spraying liquid heat insulator;
  • the use of mineral wool or polystyrene foam boards.

Having chosen the last option, as the cheapest, you should fasten the slabs with bitumen mastic. When using expanded polystyrene, you will additionally have to treat the seams with some kind of sealant. When using mineral wool, remember that it absorbs moisture, so it is necessary to protect its layer with waterproofing.

With a roof truss system, its insulation depends entirely on the design. When there is sufficient space between the rafters, insulation boards should be installed between them, and the waterproofing should be fixed on top. It is advisable to carry out such work at the construction stage - it will be easier and better to insulate the room.

If the pitch between the rafters is small, insulation should be laid underneath them. When there is an attic, it is most practical to fill it with expanded clay and then lay it on top waterproofing material. The final stage of such insulation is pouring a cement screed. However, high-quality thermal insulation of the interior will not be achieved by this - it is necessary to carry out interior work. Here everything depends only on the material that will be used:

  1. Foil polyethylene should be secured with slats directly to the ceiling. This material perfectly repels moisture. To get the maximum effect, you need to nail plywood or fiberboard over the slats.
  2. Mineral wool. First, you need to glue the waterproofing to the ceiling, then install the sheathing. Place mineral wool slabs in its gaps and protect them vapor barrier film and cover it with cladding.
  3. Expanded polystyrene. Glue the slabs to the ceiling using tile adhesive. To improve thermal insulation, it is recommended to first glue a waterproofing sheet to the ceiling.

Floor insulation

Basically, we have dealt with the question of how to insulate a metal garage. It remains to consider additional options for protection from the cold. Helps improve thermal insulation. Since its surface is usually made of metal or concrete, we will consider options for insulating these materials.

The most affordable option now is to insulate the floor with foam plastic:

  • First you need to carefully level the surface, then clean it, eliminating all depressions or cracks with putty.
  • When covering a concrete surface, it should first be primed twice.
  • If there is a hole or cellar in the garage, waterproofing is required.
  • Apply glue directly to the floor, as well as to the foam plastic, with a notched trowel, lay the slab and press it carefully.
  • It is allowed to use special dowels, but then you will have to drill the floor.
  • The floor insulation is completed with a screed. Additional strength will be provided by adding extruded granules to the solution.

Insulation of a garage cellar

If there is a cellar or inspection hole, they also need to be carefully insulated.

Cellar ceiling

Before insulating the cellar ceiling, install a layer of waterproofing on it. Then you can glue the foam to the ceiling. Perfect option insulation - liquid filler, although its use is much more expensive.

Cellar walls

The material for wall insulation must be mold-resistant and moisture-proof. The best option is polystyrene foam. Its slabs should be attached to the sheathing or directly to the walls. When performing insulation work, do not forget about the wiring. It must be laid in a metal sleeve or a box must be secured.

Cellar floor

Since the floor in a garage cellar is usually unpaved, it is better to fill it with bitumen. First you should pour crushed stone, then sand, compact everything and pour bitumen on top. If the floor is reinforced concrete, it is better to cover it with roofing felt on top of sawdust, and then fill it with a cement screed on top.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a few tips:

  • If the garage is separate from other buildings, external thermal insulation is also necessary.
  • Insulating flat roof, it is necessary to organize a slope that allows water not to accumulate.

The technical condition of a car depends not only on its operating characteristics, but also on its storage conditions. An uninsulated garage perfectly protects your car from rain and snow, which reduces the likelihood of rust. However, temperature changes do not benefit the metal, and the equipment fails. The problem can be solved in two ways: insulate the garage or install a heating system. What's better? How to insulate a garage from the inside cheaply and reliably? Let's consider the options.

To heat or to insulate – that is the question

Ideal temperature for car storage – +5 degrees. It is uncomfortable for humans, but it is in such conditions that mechanisms are less susceptible to the destructive effects of corrosion. The car should also be protected from sudden changes: the temperature difference between inside and outside the room should be minimal. Therefore, connecting the garage to the heating system and achieving “human” +20 degrees is undesirable.

Insulated garage for two cars

Why is this mode optimal for the car? If the room is too hot or cold, condensation begins to accumulate in the mechanisms. This promotes corrosion. Due to increased humidity, fungi and mold multiply intensively, which negatively affects the condition of the interior. Sudden temperature changes also lead to the formation of condensation when a car drives from a frost into an excessively warm room.

Basic requirements for garage insulation

For the construction of garages, brick, cinder block or metal are most often chosen. The thickness of brick and cinder block walls is usually 120-250 mm. They do not protect well from the cold, so they need high-quality thermal insulation. It is necessary to achieve the so-called “thermos effect” so that the room cools and warms up as slowly as possible.

When insulating a garage from the inside, there is no need to try to seal all the ventilation holes. This will have little effect on the quality of thermal insulation, but can lead to other problems. If there is no access to fresh air, moisture does not evaporate and rust appears on the metal. In addition, harmful gases accumulate in the room. If there is no exhaust or ventilation, this can become a risk factor for people.

How to insulate - from the inside or outside

Many car owners advocate exclusively for external insulation, explaining this by saving space indoors. There are also more weighty arguments, for example, concern for people's health.

Note! Some effective insulation materials emit harmful substances in atmosphere. It is not advisable to use them indoors, but for external thermal insulation they fit perfectly.

When choosing what to cover the outside of the garage with, you can less attention pay attention to the environmental friendliness of materials and buy based on performance characteristics and price.

It makes sense to insulate the garage from the inside. In this case, the materials are less exposed to negative factors environment. When wet, thermal insulators change their properties. If they are located indoors, they last much longer.

Advice. If your budget allows, it is best to insulate the garage inside and out.

Materials market review: choosing the best

Most thermal insulation materials are made from industrial waste. They contain glass, cellulose, aggressive chemical substances and so on. The cheaper the insulator, the more disadvantages it has. We offer an overview of popular materials with an emphasis not only on their advantages, but also on their disadvantages and limitations in use.

Installation of mineral wool on the ceiling

Option #1: mineral wool

This is a traditional heat insulator that has been used for decades. There are several varieties of mineral wool, among which basalt has proven itself to be the best. It is an excellent heat and sound insulator and does not interfere with micro-circulation of air in the room.

Mineral wool is produced in the form of hard, soft or semi-rigid mats of various thicknesses. Solid slabs are most convenient to install and have higher technical and operational characteristics. In addition, hard mats do not slide off the walls or get knocked down, as sometimes happens with soft ones.

The installation technology is relatively simple. The work does not require special equipment, so many owners choose mineral wool to insulate the garage from the inside with their own hands.

Note! Mineral wool does not tolerate moisture well. When wet, it retains heat much worse. When calculating the costs of materials, you should add the cost of high-quality vapor and waterproofing insulators.

Scheme of an insulating cake with mineral wool

Option #2: glass wool

Glass wool is one of the cheapest heat insulators. This is where its advantages over other materials end. When installing glass wool, it is necessary to use protective equipment. When particles of the material get on the skin or in the eyes, they injure, cause microtrauma, itching, and redness.

The insulation needs high-quality waterproofing. If moisture gets on it during installation or operation, the glass wool crumples and loses its heat-insulating properties. Another minus is the smell. In a room insulated from the inside with glass wool, the smell remains unpleasant for a long time.

Advice. Glass wool must be carefully insulated with films or foil.

Glass wool for insulating garage walls

Option #3: foam

When deciding how to inexpensively insulate a garage from the inside, many choose polystyrene foam. This is a cheap, reliable and durable material that can last for several decades. It does not rot, is not afraid of insects and fungus. It can be cut with ordinary tools. No assistants are needed for installation. Lightweight material, convenient to use.

Like all other thermal insulators, polystyrene foam is not perfect. It does not allow air to pass through, so in an insulated room you need to organize high-quality ventilation, and seal the joints between sheets of material well to prevent condensation from accumulating.

Foam plastic is resistant to many chemical compounds, but is afraid of direct sunlight. Mice happily chew on it. If you don't take care of additional measures protection, rodents can destroy insulation within a couple of years after installation.

Option #4: polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is relatively new material, but has already become popular. It is valued for its resistance to external influences. The insulator is not afraid of moisture. After drying, it forms a dense hydrophobic coating.

After application, polyurethane foam expands, fills all cracks and voids, firmly adheres to materials, so condensation does not accumulate under it. The material does not support combustion and can last more than half a century.

Despite all its advantages, insulation is not without its drawbacks, the main one being difficulties with installation. Application of polyurethane foam requires special equipment. It is advisable that the work be carried out by professionals. All this leads to an increase in the cost of thermal insulation, but the finished coating justifies the investment.

Application of polyurethane foam on metal walls

Option #5: Reflective Insulation

The advantage of foil backed insulation is that thermal energy reflected back into the room. Polyurethane foam is usually used as insulation. The total thickness of multi-layer reflective thermal insulation can reach 50 mm.

Foil materials prevent heat loss that occurs due to infrared radiation, but cope less well with those that occur through convection and heat induction. This is a minus. And the advantages include the small thickness of the insulating layer, the durability of the materials and resistance to all types of influences.

Option #6: warm plaster

How else can you insulate a garage from the inside? If the walls are made of blocks or bricks, insulating plaster is suitable. It contains special additives that retain heat well: polystyrene foam, sawdust or vermiculite.

The material has good thermal insulation characteristics, but for it to be truly effective, you have to apply a thick layer of solution. This creates additional stress on building construction.

Advice. Warm plaster is best used in combination with other types of insulating materials.

Option #7: Heat-insulating paint

When thinking about ways to insulate an iron garage, pay attention to heat-insulating paint. This material is a liquid solution of polymers with synthetic additives.

The finished coating has good thermal insulation properties. If we compare it with mineral wool, the indicators differ by 50 times (1 mm of warm paint retains heat in the same way as 50 mm of mineral wool).

After hardening, the layer of solution turns into a dense, vapor-permeable coating that does not interfere with micro-circulation of air and at the same time protects structures from exposure to water. The material is suitable for wooden, metal surfaces. Additional plus - simple technology application.

How to insulate a garage from the outside - step-by-step instructions

For external thermal insulation, you should choose waterproof materials, best in the form of hard mats. The cheapest option is polystyrene foam. It must be closed from the outside, so you will have to purchase Decoration Materials. The thickness of the insulation must be at least 5 cm. You will also need tools for cutting slabs, a notched trowel for applying glue, and fasteners.

Work order:

  • Surface preparation. The walls are thoroughly cleaned of old coatings, leveled, and dust free. Cracks, crevices, gaps are sealed. It is better to treat surfaces with a primer. This is not necessary, but it is highly desirable that the adhesive composition adheres well.
  • Gluing sheets. The sheets are smeared with glue using a notched spatula, pressed tightly to the surface, controlling the pressure force so as not to damage brittle material. The first row is placed on a pre-prepared plank secured to dowels. The rest are in checkerboard order.
  • Additional fasteners. When the adhesive has dried, each sheet of foam should be additionally secured with plastic dowels.
  • Plastering. After installing the insulation, its surface is covered with a 3-5 mm layer of glue and a glass fiber mesh is laid, glue is applied again and plastered.
  • The finishing touch is painting. When the plaster is completely dry, it is painted facade paint. The number of layers depends on the characteristics of the coating, so you should carefully read the manufacturer's recommendations.

External wall insulation with foam plastic

How to perform internal thermal insulation yourself

To properly insulate a garage, you need to finish not only the walls, but also the floor, ceiling, and gates. The choice of materials is extensive; every car owner can find exactly those that are suitable for his premises. Most often they choose foam plastic, mineral wool, and buy expanded clay for the floor. It makes sense to combine heat insulators, because... building structures are made from various materials.

Let's consider the main stages of work on thermal insulation of a garage.

Do-it-yourself thermal insulation from the inside

Stage 1: floor insulation

Usually the floor in the garage is poured with concrete, so it is better to insulate it during the construction stage. If the premises were purchased ready-made, then insulation will have to be abandoned, because... the floor level will rise significantly, which may create inconvenience. An alternative is to remove excess soil and deepen the floor.

Expanded clay for concrete floor

Work order:

  • The earthen floor covering is leveled and thoroughly compacted.
  • A 10-30 cm layer of sand is poured on top of the ground and compacted.
  • Pour a screed over the sand cushion and wait until the solution dries.
  • Expanded clay or sand are used as insulation. The materials are mixed with cement and diluted with water. Fill the floor with the prepared solution and dry it.
  • When the insulating layer has dried, the finishing concrete screed is poured.
  • Once the work is completed, the floor cannot be used for the next month. This time is needed for the materials to completely harden.

Stage 2: ceiling insulation

How to insulate the ceiling in a garage from the inside and why is it necessary? Warm air rises - everyone knows this from a school physics course, so the ceiling must be insulated. As insulation will do Styrofoam. Taking into account the peculiarities of installing materials on the ceiling, it is difficult to find an alternative to this lightweight and convenient insulator. Sometimes mineral wool is used.

Scheme of ceiling insulation with mineral wool

Features of installing foam plastic on the ceiling:

  • The choice of technology depends on the material from which the ceiling is made. If the ceiling is wooden, then the foam can be attached directly to the surface with ordinary dowels or nails.
  • If the ceiling is a concrete slab, you will have to mount a frame and lay a heat insulator on it. In this case, sheets of material are secured with tape and then pressed against the outer skin.
  • The cracks and gaps are filled with foam.
  • The surface of an insulated ceiling can be treated with antiseptics, plastered, or painted.

Stage 3: insulate the walls

Before you insulate a metal garage from the inside, you need to straighten the walls if they are bent. Polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam and heat-insulating paints are best suited as thermal insulators. For rooms built from blocks and bricks, mineral and glass wool are often used.

Preparing surfaces for installation of insulation

How to install cotton insulators:

  • The walls are cleaned of old coatings and a frame is made.
  • Cotton insulation is placed on the frame, secured with special hooks.
  • The insulation is protected with breathable vapor barrier films.
  • The exterior finish can be anything. It is installed after laying the vapor barrier.

Adjusting mineral wool sheets to size

Insulation of a metal garage with polystyrene foam:

  • Surfaces are prepared and degreased.
  • The foam is mounted with glue, pressing tightly against the walls.
  • The sheets are laid end to end, the gaps are filled with foam.
  • When the foam hardens, cut off the excess. The surfaces are puttied and painted.

Note! When using polystyrene foam, remember that in the event of a fire it releases toxic substances into the atmosphere. It is necessary to strictly follow safety regulations, and it is also advisable to keep a fire extinguisher in the garage.

Applying foam to insulation sheet

Stage 4: defend the gate

How to insulate a garage door from the inside? The sashes can be finished with foam plastic in the same way as metal walls. If this is not enough, you can make a curtain. Thick fabric or thick plastic film is suitable for its manufacture.

Thermal insulation of walls and gates

General scheme for insulating garage doors from the inside:

  • To begin with, a sheathing is made, into the cells of which sheets of insulation are then inserted and secured with glue and dowels.
  • Joints, seams, and gaps are carefully sealed to prevent the formation of cold bridges.
  • The foam is puttied, painted or covered with sheets of outer skin.
  • When the thermal insulation work is completed, a curtain made of polyethylene strips 20-30 cm wide is hung in front of the gate. The length should be such that there is a distance of 1-2 cm between the floor and the curtain.

Foam on the sashes garage doors

Video: insulating a garage from the inside

Foam insulation:

Insulation of heated garage doors:

Insulating the ceiling in a garage with mineral wool:

Each car enthusiast decides for himself how and with what to insulate the garage. The main thing is that he himself is confident in the reliability of the chosen methods. If in doubt, you can always consult with other car owners and find out how they solved the problem. It’s even better to seek advice from professional builders. They will help you combine materials correctly so that the thermal insulation is effective, durable and relatively inexpensive.

  1. No. 1. Styrofoam
  2. No. 2. Mineral wool
  3. No. 3. "Warm" plaster
  4. No. 4. Thermal insulation paint
  5. No. 5. Reflective Thermal Insulation

Our climate is different in that for 4-6 months low temperatures reign, which is not only not very comfortable for humans, but is also harmful for cars, our faithful assistants regarding the issue of movement. Frost and precipitation in winter can seriously damage a car, and many try to leave the car in the garage as often as possible, thereby protecting it from negative impact. But if the garage is not insulated, then the “iron horse” there will not be completely protected from external environment, because thin walls almost do not prevent the penetration of cold masses into the room. To ensure your car remains safe in any weather, you need to take care of insulating your garage in advance.


It’s immediately worth noting that overdoing it with insulation and creating in the garage room temperature, is also unnecessary, unless, of course, you plan not to go outside during the winter. Otherwise, a strong temperature contrast can have an extremely negative effect on the car body, causing the onset of corrosion. Also, do not forget about ventilation so that excess moisture goes outside along with harmful gases.

The requirements for thermal insulation of a garage are not as strict as for the insulation of residential premises. And if for the latter, insulation from the inside is extremely undesirable, then in the case of a garage it is no less effective and often becomes the only possible option. So, if the structure is located close to others, then it will not be possible to insulate it from the outside. Moreover, some types of garages require double insulation, for example, metal ones. The only drawback of insulation from the inside is that the area may be reduced, but in order to negate such a “side effect” you need to select a heat insulator that will cope with its task when minimum thickness. So, what materials are suitable for insulating a garage from the inside?

No. 1. Styrofoam

Polystyrene foam is the most popular option in this sense; all work with it can be easily done independently, which is why it has enjoyed such success for several decades in a row. There are many advantages of this material.


If we add durability and low cost to all this, we get perfect material for insulation. True, and not without its shortcomings: foam plastic is a flammable material, so it is better to choose those products that are impregnated with fire retardant. Yes, and under the influence of sunlight, foam plastic can gradually turn yellow, but inside the garage, a layer of such insulation will last a long time.


Styrofoam may be of several types, but the most popular when insulating garages is expanded polystyrene. Depending on the specifics of production, it can be pressed, unpressed or extruded. Taking into account the ability of this material to burn, it is better to choose a material like PSB-S, which contains a fire retardant. Expanded polystyrene has good heat and sound insulation properties, it is easy to process, and is not susceptible to fungal infection. There is a myth that it is harmful to health because it supposedly contains residual styrene. There is some truth in this statement, but to protect yourself it is better to buy material from trusted manufacturers who follow manufacturing technology and supply safe products. Also note that decent results in insulation can be achieved if you install the insulation not only on the walls, but also on the gates and ceiling.


The second material in this group is penoizol, which is often called liquid foam. It is made at the same place where it will be used, and the resulting foam quickly hardens, filling all the cracks. This is one of the most reliable methods of insulation, which will create an excellent barrier to cold, because the thermal conductivity of this substance is quite low. Moreover, the material is durable, and manufacturers claim that it will serve faithfully for at least 40 years, although scientists put the figure at 100 years or more. The material does not support combustion, but this method of thermal insulation cannot be called the most budget-friendly, since it will require special equipment and, as a rule, the help of professionals. And the presence of dishonest manufacturers on the market, offering not the highest quality products, scares off many.

Another liquid insulation - polyurethane foam, which is applied to the walls in the form of foam, gradually hardens, forming a monolithic layer of thermal insulation. It does not weigh down the walls of the garage, since it mostly consists of air, adheres well to any surface, and does not take up the useful area of ​​the garage. The material does not support combustion, but can smolder when constantly exposed to very high temperatures. The only drawback is the need for special equipment and specialists to perform the work efficiently.

No. 2. Mineral wool

Mineral wool is a good insulation material that boasts a low thermal conductivity coefficient, breathability, safety for health, and non-flammability. Basalt wool, which is commonly called mineral wool in wide circles, has excellent sound absorption properties. For internal insulation use mats with a density of no more than 180 kg/m3.

Flaws this type of insulation is also present. So, mineral wool is very afraid of moisture, so it needs to be protected with a layer of vapor barrier. Otherwise, moisture collected from the environment will cause a loss of thermal insulation properties. The cost of mineral wool is slightly higher than that of polystyrene foam, but still quite affordable. True, this method of insulation is suitable for those who have a fairly spacious garage, because for mineral wool it is necessary to build a frame, into the cells of which the thermal insulation itself is mounted in a thick layer (10 cm or more).


Separately, it is worth noting the insulation glassy- This is one of the varieties of mineral wool. Since it is made from molten glass waste or rocks saturated with silicon, the structure contains needle-like particles, which pose the main danger during operation. When insulating a garage with such material, all personal safety requirements must be strictly observed so that particles of the material do not get into the skin, eyes or respiratory organs. Glass wool is very afraid of water, and if it gets a little wet during installation, then the material can simply be thrown away, since everything thermal insulation properties already lost anyway. And although its price is much lower than that of stone wool, it is not very popular among those who want to insulate a garage from the inside, since its installation is complicated.

No. 3. "Warm" plaster


Warm plaster - relatively the new kind insulation, which looks like ordinary plaster, but instead of sand, it contains materials with low thermal conductivity: vermiculite, polystyrene foam, sawdust, expanded clay, pumice etc. Became the most popular plaster with polystyrene foam granules, since it has universal properties, can be used both inside and outside, and has the best thermal insulation performance. Sawdust-based plasters are also common, which also contain components such as paper, clay and sand. This composition is just suitable for internal insulation, but you should be prepared for the fact that such plaster takes a long time to dry, and to speed up the process you will need good ventilation. Vermiculite-based compounds can also be used to insulate a garage from the inside.

This option is different a lot of advantages. Thus, the walls do not need to be leveled or prepared in advance; “warm” plaster has excellent adhesion to wood, metal and stone, and it does not require the use of reinforcing mesh (except for some difficult cases).
In addition, it is very simple and easy to apply and can be done without outside help, completed in the shortest possible time. But despite all this, the material is clearly inferior traditional insulation , and it is better to use it in combination with other thermal insulation materials. Applying a thick layer is not an option, since if its thickness is more than 5 cm, there is a risk that the plaster will begin to crack and peel under its own weight.

No. 4. Thermal insulation paint

Another modern material, which amazes not only with ease of use, but also with efficiency. Here are just a few striking examples: a layer of paint equal to 1 mm is equivalent to a layer of mineral wool of 50 mm, and a layer of paint applied according to the instructions is the same as a wall of 1.5 bricks. The unique properties of this insulation are based on features of the structure and principle of operation. All known to us thermal insulation materials work on the principle of a barrier, preventing heat from leaving the space. Thermal insulating paint becomes not only a barrier to the penetration of infrared rays outside, but also their reflector, making it much more difficult for heat to escape from such a room. This effect was made possible due to the presence of a vacuum inside, which prevents the passage of infrared rays.


Advantages of thermal insulation paints The list could take a long time. They have excellent adhesion to most building materials, have good thermal insulation performance, are not afraid of moisture, are vapor permeable, and protect metal from corrosion. A layer of such insulation is very light in weight, so it does not weigh down the structure, and the application process itself is as simple as possible and is not much different from using conventional paints. The list of advantages is complemented by resistance to ultraviolet radiation, ease of restoration of damaged coating, resistance to high temperatures (the paint does not burn, but only chars at 260 0 C or decomposes at 800 0 C), environmental friendliness. But it cannot be noted that minus, as the rather high cost of paint, its high consumption, and it cannot always be used as an independent insulation, but nevertheless, this option is being used more and more often for insulating a garage.

No. 5. Reflective Thermal Insulation

Reflective thermal insulation is the latest insulation, which is called one of the most effective today. Moreover, it is optimally suited for insulating a garage from the inside, since it is small in thickness, which means it does not take up much usable space. The material itself consists of a layer of heat insulator covered with a metallized film, and that is why this type of thermal insulation is called foil.


Can be used as an insulating layer different materials: polyethylene foam, polystyrene foam, mineral wool or basalt insulation. For internal thermal insulation garage as a base layer Polyethylene foam and mineral wool are optimal, and the insulation itself can be in the form of slabs or rolls. The base layer can have a thickness of 2-50 mm, and on top of it is applied aluminum foil in a very thin layer by heat sealing. A metallized film made of polypropylene can also be used; it is possible that there is an additional layer of fiberglass. The foil layer can be either one-sided or double-sided.

How does it work? this type thermal insulation and why is it considered so effective? Thus, the foil reflects the bulk of the heat waves, preventing them from leaving the room. Those IR rays that did pass through the foil are already retained by a layer of insulation, reducing heat loss to a minimum. As a result, we obtain a material with a low thermal conductivity coefficient, good noise insulation, low weight, fire resistance and resistance to moisture. In addition, it is environmentally friendly and easy to install. Minuses, due to the short duration of use of the material, not everything is known yet, but such insulation is susceptible to corrosion.

remstroiblog.ru

Insulation of an unheated metal garage

Periodic freezing and thawing of the car leads to rapid wear of the car's iron parts. To prevent this, it is necessary to keep warmer and dryness. IN winter period the most acceptable conditions for keeping the machine is temperature plus 5 or higher.

However, in a metal garage it is almost impossible to achieve this without using a heater.

That is why such a house for a garage is a must insulate. If insulation is not carried out, then in winter the temperature inside the garage will be about minus 20.

When leaving the garage, you will have to warm up the engine for at least 5 minutes.

The presence of insulation will also help protect the interior from excessive overheating in the summer heat.

Since this is also unpleasant, because the car overheats, and staying in it until it is ventilated, impossible.

So, insulate The garage needs to be such that in winter the temperature does not fall below 4-5 degrees, and in summer it does not rise above 25-28.

Important points

How to insulate an iron garage from the inside?

  1. The material covers everything surfaces garage, including floor.
  2. When laying roll or sheet materials special attention should be paid joints. To prevent cold from penetrating into the cracks, you need to overlap the sheets and connect them with aluminum tape.
  3. Pay special attention to laying the material in corners and places joints garage designs.
  4. Particular attention should be paid to the gates. It would be ideal to build a small door in them, so as not to open the gate completely every time.
  5. The insulating material must be installed close To metal parts garage, otherwise it will accumulate in the air gaps condensate. The resulting moisture will accelerate the corrosion processes, and the structure will become unusable in a very short time. short term. This is why corrugated iron garages are recommended to be covered liquid insulation , tightly covering the metal.

Tools and materials

For insulation DIY iron garage requires the following tools:

  • electric drill;
  • building level;
  • metal scissors;
  • hacksaw;
  • screwdriver;
  • roulette;
  • wood stapler.

For installation of insulation you will need the following materials:

  • wooden slats or metal profile;
  • staples;
  • self-tapping screws;
  • brushes or rollers for applying insulating paint.

Insulation methods

For insulation metal garage uses traditional and modern views materials. Their choice in each case depends on the availability of material resources and the specific climatic conditions in which the garage is located. Each of the selected options has its own dignity And flaws.

Classical

Is traditional and affordable. These include:

  1. Mineral wool slabs. They have high thermal insulation rates, so they are often used in construction. However, this material has a significant drawback - it unstable to moisture. Therefore, it must be used together with a hydro- and vapor barrier layer.
  2. Glass wool. Cheaper. Compared to the previous material, it has a lower cost. Its disadvantage, in addition to instability to moisture, is low fire safety. Glass wool– flammable material. Therefore, its use in a garage is not entirely appropriate.
  3. Styrofoam. Waterproof, easy to install. Has high thermal insulation properties. In addition, polystyrene foam is resistant to mold and mildew. In addition, this material has a low price. The disadvantage of polystyrene foam is its flammability, so it is recommended to choose only the brand for the garage PBS-S with fire retardant in the composition.

Modern

Do-it-yourself insulation of a metal garage from the inside using modern materials:

  1. Penoizol- liquid foam. It is waterproof, flame resistant and durable. The cost of it below than that of polystyrene foam.
  2. Asstratek– is applied to the surface like regular paint, so easy to use. It will reliably protect the walls of a metal garage. In terms of thermal insulation properties, the astratek layer is comparable to a 500 mm thick mineral wool coating.
  3. Polyurethane foam(PPU). To use it you will need a special one. equipment. This method of insulation is the most reliable and durable (the coating lasts from 70 years), but it is also quite Expensive.

In the photo below insulation DIY metal garage:

Process description

How to do it right insulate unheated metal garage?

The quality of the thermal coating of garage surfaces depends on compliance technologies. Each method has its own nuances and sequence of the process. Let us describe the work process step by step:

To reduce heat loss when leaving the garage, you can make a small door or build a curtain next to them. The material for the curtain can be thick fabric or 0.8 mm film. This is done as follows:

  • a wooden strip is stuffed next to the gate;
  • the material is cut to the required height;
  • The material is overlapped in strips of 20 cm and attached to the rail using a stapler.

More in a reliable way will insulation of gates sheathing with suitable material.

Most often used for this Styrofoam. This choice is due to its lightness and ease of installation.

The foam is cut with a knife into the required pieces. To attach it to the gate, wooden strips are stuffed, which will hold the foam.

Metal surfaces are covered with waterproofing, and the slats are impregnated with anti-fungal agent.

Pieces of foam plastic are lubricated with a special adhesive composition and attached to the gate. The cracks and joints must be sealed with sealant or foamed.

The surface of the insulation can be covered with slats, plastic panels or any materials that are resistant to moisture.

Be sure to lay a foam or rubber gasket around the perimeter to prevent it from getting into the gap. cold air.

If there are drains or vents in the lower part, cover them with rags during the winter.

All of the above methods of insulation are suitable for using them outside. The use of simultaneous insulation from the outside and inside will allow you to get the maximum warm room, in which it will not only effectively store the car, but also comfortably perform various types of work.

Compliance with technology and all the listed rules insulation metal garage will allow you to get a guaranteed result. Your car will be under reliable protection.

ru-house.net

Which insulation is better to take

Naturally, the insulation of an unheated metal garage for any normal owner begins with the choice of material. And if previously it was mainly only foam plastic, now the market provides many options.

  1. Board materials of medium and high strength;
  2. Soft fibrous;
  3. Foam;
  4. Liquid insulation.

Slab insulation

  • Both in the past and to this day when insulating metal structures One of the most popular materials is foam boards. Such popular love is associated, first of all, with affordable cost. But this is not the only advantage of the old polystyrene foam. These slabs are not afraid of moisture and, under normal conditions of a closed garage, can last at least 25 - 30 years. Of the negative qualities in our case, we can only name flammability, although here too the market offers self-extinguishing PSB-S slabs;
  • The closest relative and competitor of polystyrene foam is extruded polystyrene foam, in our country better known as Penoplex (after the name of the manufacturer). This material surpasses its predecessor in almost all characteristics.

Penoplex is strong enough to pour a screed over it and place a car on this screed. In terms of thermal insulation, it is about a third better; polystyrene foam, 30 mm thick, easily replaces a 50 mm sheet of foam plastic.

If the foam plastic is partially breathable, then Penoplex is considered a reliable waterproofing material and can be installed even under water. Everything about it is good, but the price is almost 2 times higher than that of foam plastic, and for most owners of metal garages this is important.

Cotton insulation

Here I will immediately disappoint you. Whatever the density fiber boards or swearing, they are all subject to the same misfortune. These materials do not tolerate moisture even in small doses. When wet by 1%, the thermal insulation properties of any of these insulation materials drop by 7 - 9%.

Metal sheets cannot be insulated with cotton wool. In the confined space of a garage, the dew point will be in close proximity to the sheet. And if you apply hygroscopic insulation to the metal, then even with polyethylene waterproofing or a layer of ordinary paint it will very quickly become saturated with moisture and become useless. There is one trick here, but I will tell you about it later.

Foam

  • The most famous material in this niche is polyurethane foam. The developers promise that such a “fur coat” will serve for at least 50 years. It is quite durable, not afraid of moisture, and in terms of thermal insulation characteristics it is slightly inferior only to penoplex.
    But it has 2 serious flaws: firstly, the price of the material is above average, and secondly, you will also have to pay specialists to apply this foam, since independent arrangement in this case it is impossible due to the lack of expensive equipment;
  • The so-called penoizol is not much cheaper than the previous option. I won’t praise it, I’ll just say that it’s the same polystyrene foam, only in cylinders. Compared to slabs, it benefits only due to its sealed, seamless installation.

Polyurethane foam should not be used as the main insulation; it was invented for completely different purposes. Plus, as far as I know, insulating just the gates exclusively with polyurethane foam will require at least 5 - 7 cylinders, and if you calculate the total square footage with all the nooks and crannies, the garage will come out “golden”.

Newfangled polymer paints

  • The most famous liquid polymer insulation at the moment is heat insulation paint"Astratek". This is a great solution for the rich and lazy. It is applied with a roller or a regular brush. A layer thickness of 1 mm is enough to replace a fifty-millimeter cotton mat. It is not afraid of moisture, does not burn and, according to the developers, lasts at least 10 - 15 years.
    But to provide a coating with a thickness of 1 mm per 1 m², you will need a little more than 1 liter of such paint, and this 1 liter costs from 400 rubles and more. If you consider that at least 2 such layers are needed, it is not difficult to calculate how much all the insulation will cost you;
  • Recently, a new heat-insulating paint under the brand name “Corundum” entered the market.. It was a worthy competitor to the previous option, since at a price of about 600 rubles per liter, to ensure the same level of thermal insulation per 1 m², only 400 g of the composition is needed, the savings are obvious.

How to insulate a garage

We’ve kind of figured out the basic material, now it’s time to tell you how to properly insulate an unheated metal garage. I think you yourself know how to use a brush and paint, so there is no point in stopping at liquid polymer insulation. But we can talk about other options.

As is known, in theory, such work is carried out both inside and outside the premises. But to be honest, I have never seen such metal structures they covered the outside with something, so further we will only talk about how to insulate an iron garage from the inside.

A few words about preparation

Whatever you decide to decorate the walls with from the inside, first of all you need to prepare any base. If you skip this step, then either the metal sheet will rust over time, or the insulation will fall off.

It is no secret that the main enemy of most ferrous metals is corrosion, so the sheet must, first of all, be protected from banal rust. If the metal is clean, that is, not painted, you need to walk over the surface with an iron cord brush. Things will go faster if you take the appropriate attachment for an angle grinder or drill. Old paint can also be scraped off well with a cord brush.

If the sheet is painted with good quality paint, then there is little point in removing it; under a thick layer of insulation nothing will happen to it. Separately, I would like to say about the so-called “shells” (garages made of galvanized corrugated sheets on a frame made of profiled pipes or angles). The professional sheet initially has high-quality coating and you don't need to touch it.

The final stage of preparation is degreasing with acetone or some similar composition.

Then you need to act according to the situation. For polyurethane foam or penoizol this is enough. But it’s better to paint the iron underneath the foam plastic again. In my garage I used Kuzbasslak; it is not expensive and of high quality.

We install polystyrene foam

In my opinion, if the walls of your garage are welded from a smooth, even sheet, then polystyrene foam will be the best option. In this case, when buying Penoplex, you are actually overpaying 2 times for 3–4 cm of space savings. On walls and ceilings, the strength of the coating does not play a big role, especially if you are going to sheathe them later.

For those who are short on funds, there is economical option cladding. It should be noted here that in regions where the temperature in winter drops to -20 - 25ºС, the thickness of the foam plastic is taken to be at least 100 mm, otherwise there is little point in undertaking all this; for foam plastic, 70 mm is enough. Although there is one trick, I will tell you about it a little later.

The instructions themselves are extremely simple. You need to take required amount sheets, cut them so that they completely cover the walls and glue them. You can use any construction adhesive; I personally used Liquid Nails. Small cracks and gaps that you will inevitably have need to be filled with foam.

By the way, the same mounting foam can be used instead of glue. Apply several stripes and apply the sheet to the wall. Only in this case you need to press several times over the course of an hour, since the foam expands and the sheet will come off in the first couple of days.

In principle, we can stop there. But as I promised, there is one trick. In order not to buy too thick foam, you can take thinner material.

Only here you will need foil-coated isolon on both sides. The base of this soft fabric is made of polyethylene foam, which is covered with foil on both sides.

So, this same isolon is glued on top of your polystyrene foam. As a result, we get the effect of a thermos, plus a pretty decent silver wall covering. As for thermal insulation, this is enough. But, as you know, polystyrene foam is a soft material and it is impossible to put nails with hooks on it or hang shelves, and you must admit, without this it is difficult in the garage.

A foam coating with isolon is perfect for arranging the ceiling in an iron garage. You won’t put anything on it, but there’s enough beauty as it is.

In order to make a major, warm cladding from the inside with our own hands, we will have to install wooden sheathing on the walls and gates. Any metal garage has a reinforcing frame, so we will attach our wooden blocks to it. It is not so important what exactly the garage is reinforced with, be it a corner or a profiled pipe, we simply drill a series of holes on the side and fasten it at intervals of about 20 - 30 cm wooden block on self-tapping screws.

There is one nuance here: the height of the bar should not be lower than the level foam insulation. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient for you to attach the internal finishing lining.

When the wooden sheathing is secured, we proceed according to the scheme described above. That is, strictly according to the dimensions of the openings, we cut out the slab insulation closely, glue it to the base and blow out the gaps with foam. Next, you can stuff the clapboard onto the sheathing.

For more simple option Sheathing made of OSB panels or thick plywood is suitable; they will withstand any reasonable load. I’ll add on my own behalf that isolon or at least just a layer of foil on top of the foam is worth sticking in any case, such a layer increases the heat-reflecting effect many times over.

Especially if you are going to use the currently fashionable UFO radiators for heating. Ultra-violet rays they are reflected much better from the foil coating, even if this coating is under wooden cladding.

Floor insulation

According to building codes, an uninsulated foundation in a private house takes up to 20% of the energy spent on heating. The garage in this case is practically no different from a residential building. From experience I can say that an insulated floor blocks dampness from the concrete screed.

True, I decided not to skimp on floor insulation. My metal garage box stands on a small, shallow strip foundation. Inside, the previous owners did not bother and simply covered the floor with waste slag. Those who know what waste slag from steel-smelting furnaces is can imagine how much dust there is in such a garage, so it had to be changed in any case.

First, I removed about 150 mm of soil along with slag, after which I leveled and compacted the base a little. The first layer of the “pie” is 50 mm sand; if possible, it needs to be leveled and compacted along the horizon. Next, I laid a layer of penoplex 50 mm thick. If the base is flat, then joining it is not difficult; there are special grooves there.

There is no need to waterproof Penoplex; as I already said, it itself is a good waterproofing agent. I poured a couple of centimeters of sand onto the insulation, tied a two-layer reinforcement frame from ten-millimeter reinforcement and poured a concrete screed on top of about 50 - 70 mm.

But that is not all. In order for the floor to be truly warm, you need to make an inclined blind area around the garage, just like when arranging the foundation of a house.

According to the rules, in order for the soil under the building not to freeze, the width of the blind area must be equal to the freezing level in a given region. But in practice, the tape is usually about a meter wide. The technology for laying the blind area is the same, only insulation and concrete screed mounted at an angle of at least 3 cm.

I was assured that instead of penoplex, foam plastic sheets with a density of about 37 kg/m³ could be placed in the screed. Allegedly, such a pillow can withstand any passenger car, even a bus, plus it is cheaper. This may be true, but I believe that in such structures a margin of safety has never been superfluous.

Many people now prefer to install a slab foundation instead of a shallow concrete foundation strip. Simply put, they make a small sand and gravel cushion and lay it on it concrete plates ceilings So, if you are just going to build a garage, then under the slabs, right on the fill, you need to lay a layer of penoplex, it will withstand the load.

If the garage is already built on slabs, then it can only be insulated from below by constructing an overlay floor made of wood. As you know, concrete floor slabs are hollow, so first you need to plug the holes in the ends with something.

The arrangement itself is not complicated. To prevent wood from drawing moisture from concrete, the base must be waterproofed. Spend money on expensive roll waterproofing It’s not worth it, roofing felt or technical polyethylene is enough.

Now we lay joists across the garage, insert foam plastic between them and cover everything with floor covering on top. 50x50 mm bars are used as lags, respectively, foam plastic slabs with a thickness of 50 mm are used.

In order for your floor to be guaranteed to withstand the car, the distance between the lags should be no more than 40 cm.

For flooring there are 2 options. Floor tongue and groove board with a thickness of 40 mm, or two layers FSF plywood, each with a thickness of at least 16 mm. To make the floor wear less easily, you can lay linoleum on top.

Alternative options

It is most difficult for owners of “shells” to insulate their garages. As you know, the corrugated sheet itself is wavy and it is difficult to cover it completely with polystyrene foam. In theory, of course, you can build a wooden sheathing based on the frame and pack it with polystyrene foam; in essence, you get a box within a box.

But the problem is that, as a rule, the dimensions of the “shells” are already more than modest; if you add another 150–200 mm for insulation, this will be very noticeable. Apart from insulating paint, there is only one way out, using foam.

In the conditions of central Russia, the layer of polyurethane foam or penoizol should be at least 50 - 70 mm. This is subject to the additional installation of wooden finishing cladding or foil insulation.

The cross-section of profiled pipes or frame corners in such structures often does not exceed 35 - 40 mm. This is not enough, the coating is corrugated, which means more foam will be needed to fill the depressions. While the layer thickness in narrow places will be less than 40 mm. As a result, you will pay money, and the garage will freeze.

I told all this to mean that a wooden hanging frame, even if not so voluminous, in the case of “shells” still needs to be mounted. To some extent, you will be able to save money only if you make this frame yourself and prepare the surface of the corrugated sheet (degrease it). Then you will only pay for the material and a couple of hours of specialist work; 1 – 2 hours is enough for a professional to blow foam into a garage.

At the beginning of the article, I promised to talk about a trick with which you can insulate an unheated metal garage with mineral wool. We will talk specifically about dense, basalt cotton slabs. Such slabs do not shrink with slight moisture. While in case of wetness, soft mineral mats, as well as glass wool, immediately lose volume and are no longer restored after drying.

Often the dew point on the walls of a heated garage is almost on the surface of the metal, so drops of condensation settle on the iron walls. I saw how one of my friends, in order to cope with this problem, filled a wooden sheathing and on top of it completely covered the entire garage with about 5 - 7 mm thick, foil-coated isolon.

After which he inserted basalt slabs into the niches, covered it all with another layer of isolon and covered it with clapboard. As a result, hygroscopic basalt wool ended up in an isolated cocoon. And most importantly, at a distance of several millimeters from cold iron. The result turned out to be quite decent; the garage has been reliably keeping warm and not getting wet for several years now.

I would also like to say a few words about auxiliary things when insulating garages. Naturally, when the garage door is opened wide when leaving or entering the garage, all the precious heat instantly evaporates. As far as I have seen, this can only really be combated with the help of a thermal curtain.

That is, a special fan heater is mounted above the gate, which separates the outside cold with a powerful flow warm air. But the price of such a fan is not small, plus its power consumption is substantial, at least 3 - 4 kW. Although if you use it only when the doors are fully open, you won’t spend much.

Things like clear plastic petal curtains, like the ones you find in car washes, should only be hung if you don't mind scratching your car. Even if you make them from soft polyethylene, after several trips, scratches will remain on the roof.

15736 0 9

How to insulate a metal garage seriously and for a long time

A warm garage is the longed-for dream of any motorist. At one time, I was as happy as a child when I managed to acquire a good, as it seemed to me at that time, metal garage. But it soon became clear that in the off-season it becomes damp, and in winter it only protects from the wind. Therefore, the question of insulation arose quite quickly. I decided to devote this material to how to insulate a metal garage with my own hands. In it I will talk about my own experience and talk about what advice various specialists gave me.

According to SNiP 21.02-99, for comfortable storage of cars and trucks and starting the engine without preliminary preparation, the temperature in the box (garage) should not fall below +5ºС, and this figure should be used as a starting point.

Which insulation is better to take

Naturally, the insulation of an unheated metal garage for any normal owner begins with the choice of material. And if previously it was mainly only foam plastic, now the market provides many options.

  1. Board materials of medium and high strength;
  2. Soft fibrous;
  3. Foam;
  4. Liquid insulation.

Slab insulation

  • Both in the past and to this day, when insulating metal structures, one of the most popular materials is foam boards. Such popular love is associated, first of all, with affordable cost. But this is not the only advantage of the old polystyrene foam. These slabs are not afraid of moisture and, under normal conditions of a closed garage, can last at least 25 - 30 years. Of the negative qualities in our case, we can only name flammability, although here too the market offers self-extinguishing PSB-S slabs;
  • The closest relative and competitor of polystyrene foam is extruded polystyrene foam, in our country better known as Penoplex (after the name of the manufacturer). This material surpasses its predecessor in almost all characteristics.

Penoplex is strong enough to pour a screed over it and place a car on this screed. In terms of thermal insulation, it is about a third better; polystyrene foam, 30 mm thick, easily replaces a 50 mm sheet of foam plastic.

If the foam plastic is partially breathable, then Penoplex is considered a reliable waterproofing material and can be installed even under water. Everything about it is good, but the price is almost 2 times higher than that of foam plastic, and for most owners of metal garages this is important.

Cotton insulation

Here I will immediately disappoint you. Whatever the density of fiber boards or mats, they are all subject to the same misfortune. These materials do not tolerate moisture even in small doses. When wet by 1%, the thermal insulation properties of any of these insulation materials drop by 7 - 9%.

Metal sheets cannot be insulated with cotton wool. In the confined space of a garage, the dew point will be in close proximity to the sheet. And if you apply hygroscopic insulation to the metal, then even with polyethylene waterproofing or a regular layer it will very quickly become saturated with moisture and become useless. There is one trick here, but I will tell you about it later.

Foam

  • The most famous material in this niche is polyurethane foam. The developers promise that such a “fur coat” will serve for at least 50 years. It is quite durable, not afraid of moisture, and in terms of thermal insulation characteristics it is slightly inferior only to penoplex.
    But it has 2 serious flaws: firstly, the price of the material is above average, and secondly, you will also have to pay specialists to apply this foam, since independent installation in this case is impossible due to the lack of expensive equipment ;
  • The so-called penoizol is not much cheaper than the previous option. I won’t praise it, I’ll just say that it’s the same polystyrene foam, only in cylinders. Compared to slabs, it benefits only due to its sealed, seamless installation.

Polyurethane foam should not be used as the main insulation; it was invented for completely different purposes. Plus, as far as I know, insulating just the gates exclusively with polyurethane foam will require at least 5 - 7 cylinders, and if you calculate the total square footage with all the nooks and crannies, the garage will come out “golden”.

Newfangled polymer paints

  • The most famous liquid polymer insulation at the moment is heat-insulating paint "Astratek". This is a great solution for the rich and lazy. It is applied with a roller or a regular brush. A layer thickness of 1 mm is enough to replace a fifty-millimeter cotton mat. It is not afraid of moisture, does not burn and, according to the developers, lasts at least 10 - 15 years.
    But to provide a coating with a thickness of 1 mm per 1 m², you will need a little more than 1 liter of such paint, and this 1 liter costs from 400 rubles and more. If you consider that at least 2 such layers are needed, it is not difficult to calculate how much all the insulation will cost you;
  • Recently, a new heat-insulating paint under the brand name “Corundum” entered the market.. It was a worthy competitor to the previous option, since at a price of about 600 rubles per liter, to ensure the same level of thermal insulation per 1 m², only 400 g of the composition is needed, the savings are obvious.

How to insulate a garage

We’ve kind of figured out the basic material, now it’s time to tell you how to properly insulate an unheated metal garage. I think you yourself know how to use a brush and paint, so there is no point in stopping at liquid polymer insulation. But we can talk about other options.

As is known, in theory, such work is carried out both inside and outside the premises. But to be honest, I have never seen such metal structures sheathed with anything on the outside, so further we will only talk about how to insulate an iron garage from the inside.

A few words about preparation

Whatever you decide to decorate the walls with from the inside, first of all you need to prepare any base. If you skip this step, then either the metal sheet will rust over time, or the insulation will fall off.

It is no secret that the main enemy of most ferrous metals is corrosion, so the sheet must, first of all, be protected from banal rust. If the metal is clean, that is, not painted, you need to walk over the surface with an iron cord brush. Things will go faster if you take the appropriate attachment for an angle grinder or drill. Old paint can also be scraped off well with a cord brush.

If the sheet is painted with good quality paint, then there is little point in removing it; under a thick layer of insulation nothing will happen to it. Separately, I would like to say about the so-called “shells” (garages made of galvanized corrugated sheets on a frame made of profiled pipes or angles). The corrugated sheet initially has a high-quality coating and does not need to be touched.

The final stage of preparation is degreasing with acetone or some similar composition.

Then you need to act according to the situation. For polyurethane foam or penoizol this is enough. But it’s better to paint the iron underneath the foam plastic again. In my garage I used Kuzbasslak; it is not expensive and of high quality.

We install polystyrene foam

In my opinion, if the walls of your garage are welded from a smooth, even sheet, then polystyrene foam will be the best option. In this case, when buying Penoplex, you are actually overpaying 2 times for 3–4 cm of space savings. On walls and ceilings, the strength of the coating does not play a big role, especially if you are going to sheathe them later.

For those who are short on funds, there is an economical cladding option. It should be noted here that in regions where the temperature in winter drops to -20 - 25ºС, the thickness of the foam plastic is taken to be at least 100 mm, otherwise there is little point in undertaking all this; for foam plastic, 70 mm is enough. Although there is one trick, I will tell you about it a little later.

The instructions themselves are extremely simple. You need to take the required number of sheets, cut them so that they completely cover the walls and glue them. You can use any construction adhesive; I personally used Liquid Nails. Small cracks and gaps that you will inevitably have need to be filled with foam.

By the way, the same mounting foam can be used instead of glue. Apply several stripes and apply the sheet to the wall. Only in this case you need to press several times over the course of an hour, since the foam expands and the sheet will come off in the first couple of days.

In principle, we can stop there. But as I promised, there is one trick. In order not to buy too thick foam, you can take thinner material.

Only here you will need foil-coated isolon on both sides. The base of this soft fabric is made of polyethylene foam, which is covered with foil on both sides.

So, this same isolon is glued on top of your polystyrene foam. As a result, we get the effect of a thermos, plus a pretty decent silver wall covering. As for thermal insulation, this is enough. But, as you know, polystyrene foam is a soft material and it is impossible to put nails with hooks on it or hang shelves, and you must admit, without this it is difficult in the garage.

A foam coating with isolon is perfect for arranging the ceiling in an iron garage. You won’t put anything on it, but there’s enough beauty as it is.

In order to make a major, warm cladding from the inside with our own hands, we will have to install wooden sheathing on the walls and gates. Any metal garage has a reinforcing frame, so we will attach our wooden blocks to it. It is not so important what exactly the garage is reinforced with, be it a corner or, we simply drill a series of holes on the side and, at intervals of about 20 - 30 cm, fasten the wooden block with self-tapping screws.

There is one nuance here: the height of the block should not be lower than the level of foam insulation. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient for you to attach the internal finishing lining.

When the wooden sheathing is secured, we proceed according to the scheme described above. That is, strictly according to the dimensions of the openings, we cut out the slab insulation closely, glue it to the base and blow out the gaps with foam. Next, you can stuff the clapboard onto the sheathing.

For a simpler option, sheathing made of OSB panels or thick plywood is suitable; they will withstand any reasonable load. I’ll add on my own behalf that isolon or at least just a layer of foil on top of the foam is worth sticking in any case, such a layer increases the heat-reflecting effect many times over.

Especially if you are going to use the currently fashionable UFO radiators for heating. Ultraviolet rays from the foil coating are reflected much better, even if this coating is under wooden cladding.

Floor insulation

According to building codes, an uninsulated foundation in a private house takes up to 20% of the energy spent on heating. The garage in this case is practically no different from a residential building. From experience I can say that an insulated floor blocks dampness from the concrete screed.

True, I decided not to skimp on floor insulation. My metal garage box stands on a small, shallow strip foundation. Inside, the previous owners did not bother and simply covered the floor with waste slag. Those who know what waste slag from steel-smelting furnaces is can imagine how much dust there is in such a garage, so it had to be changed in any case.

First, I removed about 150 mm of soil along with slag, after which I leveled and compacted the base a little. The first layer of the “pie” is 50 mm sand; if possible, it needs to be leveled and compacted along the horizon. Next, I laid a layer of penoplex 50 mm thick. If the base is flat, then joining it is not difficult; there are special grooves there.

There is no need to waterproof Penoplex; as I already said, it itself is a good waterproofing agent. I poured a couple of centimeters of sand onto the insulation, tied a two-layer reinforcement frame from ten-millimeter reinforcement and poured a concrete screed on top of about 50 - 70 mm.

But that is not all. In order for the floor to be truly warm, you need to make an inclined blind area around the garage, just like when arranging the foundation of a house.

According to the rules, in order for the soil under the building not to freeze, the width of the blind area must be equal to the freezing level in a given region. But in practice, the tape is usually about a meter wide. The technology for laying the blind area is the same, only the insulation and concrete screed are installed at an angle of at least 3 cm.

I was assured that instead of penoplex, foam plastic sheets with a density of about 37 kg/m³ could be placed in the screed. Allegedly, such a pillow can withstand any passenger car, even a bus, plus it is cheaper. This may be true, but I believe that in such structures a margin of safety has never been superfluous.

Many people now prefer to install a slab foundation instead of a shallow concrete foundation strip. Simply put, they make a small sand and gravel pad and lay concrete floor slabs on it. So, if you are just going to build a garage, then under the slabs, right on the fill, you need to lay a layer of penoplex, it will withstand the load.

If the garage is already built on slabs, then it can only be insulated from below by constructing an overlay floor made of wood. As you know, concrete floor slabs are hollow, so first you need to plug the holes in the ends with something.

The arrangement itself is not complicated. To prevent wood from drawing moisture from concrete, the base must be waterproofed. There is no need to spend money on expensive roll waterproofing; roofing felt or technical polyethylene is enough.

Now we lay joists across the garage, insert foam plastic between them and cover everything with floor covering on top. 50x50 mm bars are used as lags, respectively, foam plastic slabs with a thickness of 50 mm are used.

In order for your floor to be guaranteed to withstand the car, the distance between the lags should be no more than 40 cm.

For flooring there are 2 options. Floor tongue and groove board with a thickness of 40 mm or more, or two layers of FSF plywood, each with a thickness of at least 16 mm. To make the floor wear less easily, you can lay linoleum on top.

Alternative options

It is most difficult for owners of “shells” to insulate their garages. As you know, the corrugated sheet itself is wavy and it is difficult to cover it completely with polystyrene foam. In theory, of course, you can build a wooden sheathing based on the frame and pack it with polystyrene foam; in essence, you get a box within a box.

But the problem is that, as a rule, the dimensions of the “shells” are already more than modest; if you add another 150–200 mm for insulation, this will be very noticeable. Apart from insulating paint, there is only one way out, using foam.

In the conditions of central Russia, the layer of polyurethane foam or penoizol should be at least 50 - 70 mm. This is subject to the additional installation of wooden finishing cladding or foil insulation.

The cross-section of profiled pipes or frame corners in such structures often does not exceed 35 - 40 mm. This is not enough, the coating is corrugated, which means more foam will be needed to fill the depressions. While the layer thickness in narrow places will be less than 40 mm. As a result, you will pay money, and the garage will freeze.

I told all this to mean that a wooden hanging frame, even if not so voluminous, in the case of “shells” still needs to be mounted. To some extent, you will be able to save money only if you make this frame yourself and prepare the surface of the corrugated sheet (degrease it). Then you will only pay for the material and a couple of hours of specialist work; 1 – 2 hours is enough for a professional to blow foam into a garage.

At the beginning of the article, I promised to talk about a trick with which you can insulate an unheated metal garage with mineral wool. We will talk specifically about dense, basalt cotton slabs. Such slabs do not shrink with slight moisture. Whereas, when wet, soft mineral mats, as well as glass wool, immediately lose volume and are not restored after drying.

Often the dew point on the walls of a heated garage is almost on the surface of the metal, so drops of condensation settle on the iron walls. I saw how one of my friends, in order to cope with this problem, filled a wooden sheathing and on top of it completely covered the entire garage with about 5 - 7 mm thick, foil-coated isolon.

After which he inserted basalt slabs into the niches, covered it all with another layer of isolon and covered it with clapboard. As a result, the hygroscopic basalt wool ended up in an isolated cocoon. And most importantly, at a distance of several millimeters from cold iron. The result turned out to be quite decent; the garage has been reliably keeping warm and not getting wet for several years now.

I would also like to say a few words about auxiliary things when insulating garages. Naturally, when the garage door is opened wide when leaving or entering the garage, all the precious heat instantly evaporates. As far as I have seen, this can only really be combated with the help of a thermal curtain.

That is, a special fan heater is mounted above the gate, which separates the outside cold with a powerful flow of warm air. But the price of such a fan is not small, plus its power consumption is substantial, at least 3 - 4 kW. Although if you use it only when the doors are fully open, you won’t spend much.

Things like clear plastic petal curtains, like the ones you find in car washes, should only be hung if you don't mind scratching your car. Even if you make them from soft polyethylene, after several trips, scratches will remain on the roof.

Conclusion

Now you have an idea of ​​how to insulate a metal garage yourself. In the photo and video in this article there is Additional Information on this topic. If you know other ways to insulate such structures or have any questions, write in the comments, we will discuss it all.

September 4, 2016

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