The construction of a country house is the dream of many of us. But in order to provide the necessary conditions for a favorable life for the whole family in winter and summer, it is imperative to insulate the foundation of the house outside. Without thermal insulation, not only the level of heat loss increases, but also there is a danger of destruction of the underground structures of the structure.
On a suburban area
Thanks to high-quality insulation of the foundation and basement, heat is stored in the room, the penetration of groundwater is prevented, and protection from low temperatures is also provided. In order to prevent the impact of an aggressive environment on the foundation of the house, protective measures are taken, and the most important of them is the external thermal insulation.
Insulation requirements
To obtain a high-quality result, it is not enough just to perform all professional activities.
The correct choice of consumables and their high quality are also important factors.
It is rather difficult to choose a heater that is optimal for a specific purpose, both in quality and financially. Indeed, today you can find many options for insulation of various price categories and from different manufacturers.
DIY installation of extruded polystyrene foam on a plinth
Therefore, when choosing, you should pay special attention to the following qualities of the material:
- Low hygroscopicity. This parameter is very important, as it determines the degree of moisture absorption. At a high rate, the material will absorb moisture and, as a result, collapse, which will lead to the destruction of the base itself.
- High strength. The heat insulator must withstand heavy underground compressive loads. For example, the effect of soil, which increases in volume when frozen.
- Low thermal conductivity. The thermal insulator must have a reduced thermal conductivity to provide good thermal insulation.
- Long service life. The thermal insulator should have approximately the same service life as the building, because its replacement is a rather laborious process.
Considering all these requirements, you can choose the most suitable material for insulating a house outside with your own hands.
Coating waterproofing and penoplex
Heat insulator selection
To insulate the foundation of a house from the outside, it is important to choose a material that, in terms of its properties, is most suitable for the building, taking into account all its features and climatic conditions of the area. Today, the following are especially popular among many consumers:
- expanded polystyrene;
- liquid polyurethane foam;
- extruded polystyrene foam.
Expanded polystyrene
It is an improved version of polystyrene and its derivatives and is a gas-filled material. It is widely used in various sectors of construction and industry.
Penoplex installation
The main advantages are:
- Low degree of thermal conductivity. Allows you to keep warm in the room. For example, an 11 cm thick material gives the same results as a 2 meter brick wall.
- Moisture resistance. The moisture absorption is about 6%, which allows the material to be used in high humidity conditions without fear of deformation.
- Long service life. Withstands up to 60 cycles of operation in temperature conditions from -40 to +40 C.
- Insensitivity to biological effects. The material is not attacked by microorganisms, mold and fungi.
- Environmental friendliness. In production, substances that are harmless to human health and the environment are used, therefore expanded polystyrene is also used in the food industry.
- A light weight. Thanks to him, the insulation of facades becomes easy and does not take much time.
- Heat resistance. When ignited, fire-resistant polystyrene foam tends to self-extinguish.
- Soundproofing properties. This is especially important for home and apartment owners in noisy areas. The use of expanded polystyrene sheets with a thickness of 3 cm for insulation allows to reduce the noise by 25 dB.
- Vapor tightness. The indicator depends on the density and structure of the grade of expanded polystyrene. Varieties with low vapor permeability are similar in this indicator to some types of wood: pine, oak.
- Chemical resistance. The substance is not attacked by ethers and alcohols, but is destroyed by solvents.
- Resistance to mechanical stress. The tensile strength is approximately 20 MPa.
- Relatively low price, which increases the availability of the material for many consumers.
Wiring diagram
So, expanded polystyrene is ideal for various purposes, especially for thermal insulation of the foundation.
Liquid polyurethane foam
Liquid polyurethane foam is a polymer insulation that is widely used to obtain a uniform insulation coating.
This is one of the few materials that are simultaneously a thermal insulation, vapor barrier and waterproofing layer. They allow you to significantly save money and labor costs during the implementation of thermal insulation work.
Cutaway
The advantages of liquid polyurethane foam are:
- Low degree of thermal conductivity. This allows you to significantly reduce heat loss.
- Long service life. The service life is over 30 years.
- The ability to create a favorable microclimate in a room due to optimal thermal conductivity and sound insulation.
- Considerable strength. Due to good indicators of density and strength, the material is able to withstand large mechanical loads without losing its operational properties.
- Absolute sealing, which is very important when performing any type of insulation work.
Liquid polyurethane foam
Thermal insulation of the foundation using a liquid polymer can be carried out both from the inside and from the outside. For external use, additional protection from direct sunlight may be required.
Protection is carried out by applying liquid rubber or facade paint, which prevents the loss of waterproofing properties and increases the service life.
Extruded polystyrene foam
It is a relatively young type of polymer heat insulator and is produced by foaming raw materials in the extrusion process. Due to a number of advantages, the material has won the trust of many consumers and today is widely used in various fields of construction.
Formwork for blind area
The advantages of the material are:
- low water permeability;
- low thermal conductivity;
- resistance to chemical attack of inorganic solvents;
- the ability to withstand a wide range of temperature changes: from -50 to +75 С;
- long service life;
- a light weight.
Installation drawing
Extruded polystyrene foam is widely used for internal and external insulation of buildings, roofs, is an integral part of sandwich panels, etc. One of the most common varieties is foam.
Insulation of the foundation from the outside with penoplex is relevant and popular due to its excellent performance. Such slabs have increased strength and withstand enormous loads, providing excellent waterproofing and groundwater drainage.
Do-it-yourself thermal insulation of the foundation with penoplex allows you to solve several problems at once related to the construction of the base and equipment of the basement.
Thermal insulation of the foundation
The use of modern methods of thermal insulation is of great importance, especially in areas with harsh climatic conditions. This prevents a significant part of heat loss and freezing of soils, which increase in volume, which leads to a rise in their level.
Insulation of the foundation with expanded polystyrene
Warming the foundation of the house outside with expanded polystyrene is an excellent option for improving the thermal insulation qualities of the base of the house and preventing freezing.
Expanded polystyrene is an improved type of foam. Its use is more profitable and installation is easy.
The video tells in detail about the insulation of the base of a residential building with your own hands.
The process is carried out as follows:
- Preparation of the base. This stage can be carried out both during the construction of the building and after its completion. To do this, you need to dig out the foundation, clean it of soil, debris, rust and grease.
- Selection of sheets. In this case, you need to pay attention to two factors: density and thickness. Basically, sheets with flame retardant additives and a density of 35 kg / m3 are used.
- Waterproofing. This will prevent groundwater exposure and penetration through the insulating layer.
- Fastening of expanded polystyrene sheets with contact adhesive. You can attach two layers, but so that the panels of the second layer cover the joints of the first.
- Protection of the insulation with a reinforcing mesh to avoid strong mechanical stress and the penetration of rodents. A layer of cement mortar can be applied to the protective mesh.
- Providing drainage. This step is considered mandatory when erecting a building on wet ground.
- Insulation of the basement. The base also needs to be insulated in the same way, followed by finishing. After the glue dries, the panels are additionally fastened with nails.
- Warming of the soil. The event involves isolating the surrounding land with a blind area insulated with expanded polystyrene plates.
Insulation of the foundation and the blind area can significantly increase the temperature in the structure and protect the base from destruction.
Insulation of the foundation with liquid polyurethane foam
It is considered a fairly effective method that reduces heat loss by 20-25%.
The main difference is the method of application using a special spray machine.
For this, two liquid components are mixed with each other, forming a thick foam. When applied, it expands and hardens, forming a protective seamless layer with excellent thermal insulation and waterproofing properties. The optimal application thickness is considered to be 60 mm.
Wooden structure
The polyurethane foam layer is allowed to be applied at a temperature not lower than +5 C. Surface preparation implies cleaning from dirt, and the surface quality is an unimportant factor.
When solidified, the foam changes color. When performing work, various problems may arise related to equipment and neglect of weather conditions.
For example, when applied in sub-zero temperatures, cracks may appear, which must be repaired in the future, otherwise water may accumulate in them and freeze. After polymerization, the polyurethane foam layer has low plasticity.
Insulation of the foundation using EPS
As a rule, not all heaters are suitable for thermal insulation of the base. To select the right material for this purpose, you need to consider its service life: it must be as durable as the building itself.
Thermal insulation with extruded polystyrene foam (EPS) is considered a more reliable method than, say, foam, since this material is more durable and has excellent performance characteristics.
Blind area with trays
For this purpose, you need to purchase thermal insulator plates and suitable glue for fixing it. After this, a number of preparatory measures should be carried out:
- Dig a trench around the foundation by digging in the ground.
- Apply EPPS to the depth of freezing of the earth.
- Clean the foundation from debris and dirt.
- Apply a special primer in two layers, wait for it to dry and soak into the concrete.
- Provide waterproofing with bituminous mastic.
- Apply glue to the boards.
Fastening the slabs to the outer section of the foundation is allowed 1 minute after applying the glue. If the panels have a large area, the adhesive should be applied in several strips using a comb trowel. If the slabs have locks, then a few days later the seams are sealed with polyurethane foam, and the slabs themselves are additionally fastened with dowel nails.
Two-story mansion
How to insulate the foundation of a wooden house
Many owners of wooden houses believe that it is enough to insulate the walls and floor to ensure favorable living conditions. However, this is not the case, because serious heat loss can occur through the wooden floor - up to 20%. Therefore, thermal insulation of the foundation is a must, especially if the house is located in an area with harsh weather conditions.
Insulation of the foundation of a wooden house from the outside will not only create favorable conditions in the room, but also prevent adverse effects on it. For this purpose, polystyrene foam and its varieties are usually used, as well as expanded clay.
Stone decoration
Insulation of the foundation PPS or EPS
Expanded polystyrene has excellent consumer properties, such as a low degree of thermal conductivity and moisture absorption, resistance to negative weather conditions, affordable cost, ease of installation, etc.
These and other characteristics have made this material one of the most relevant and in high demand among many consumers.
To insulate only the ground part of the foundation or plinth, a fairly simple installation is required. PPS sheets are simply attached to the surface using glue or special fasteners.
After that, cladding or plastering is performed. In this case, you should be aware that the installation of a heater does not mean complete waterproofing, therefore it should be carried out separately to avoid the penetration of groundwater under the floor.
At the summer cottage
If there is a basement, it is necessary to insulate not only the ground part of the base, but also that part of it that is underground.
In this case, it is necessary to carry out complete waterproofing of the walls. For this purpose, a trench is dug around the wooden house, then the foundation is cleared of soil and debris. Further, panels made of PSP are attached to the surface, after which all this is filled up and rammed.
The insulated base can additionally be finished with bricks or other types of cladding that can withstand the adverse effects of weather conditions.
Warming the foundation with expanded clay
Often a wooden house is insulated from the outside with expanded clay. However, it has increased moisture absorption.
To avoid the negative effects of this phenomenon, a trench is dug around the house and formwork with waterproofing is installed, after which the expanded clay itself is filled up.
Blind area
This method is no less effective, but it requires special attention and the need to adhere to all installation rules.
DIY insulation video
The video describes in detail how to insulate the base of the house yourself.
When building a private house, it is necessary to comply with the basic building codes, including for building insulation. Lack of insulation will negatively affect comfort and heating bills, as well as numerous cycles of freezing the walls will lead to their premature destruction.
You should especially pay close attention to the insulation of the foundation and basement. In addition to cold air, this part of the structure is negatively affected by soil swelling and water, which can be at a high level.
Insulation of the foundation with penoplex: material features
Various materials can be used for thermal insulation of the base and basement, but it is best to insulate the foundation of the house from the outside with penoplex. The material has excellent thermal insulation characteristics.
Given the good resistance to moisture and various pathogenic microorganisms, such insulation of the foundation with penoplex with your own hands will save a lot of money on building repairs.
The advantage of the material lies not only in its excellent physical properties, but also in its low cost. The low price is due to the fact that the production of foam is carried out from polypropylene crumb, which is inexpensive.
- For example, you can purchase 50 mm for a foundation, the price of which will be no more than 150 rubles per 1 m2. Accordingly, the cost of 100 mm of material will cost 2 times more.
- In addition to the low cost, the insulation has sufficient flexibility to compensate for the displacement of the soil during freezing.
With proper installation of the material, a reliable barrier to moisture penetration is formed between the base and the surrounding soil, which makes it possible to significantly increase the service life of the building before major repairs. To carry out the installation work correctly, you do not need any special skills and experience in construction work, it is enough to clearly follow the instructions set out in the article.
Before proceeding with the insulation of the foundation, it is necessary to choose the right material and calculate the required amount of insulation.
Calculation of the amount and selection of the "correct" penoplex
If high-quality material is used for insulation work, then you can count on a good result. By its appearance, you can determine whether the material is suitable for insulating the support of the house.
The surface of a high-quality material is smooth without traces of destruction, and when broken, the cells of the penoplex have the shape of a polyhedron.
For insulation of the foundation, material of a special series "F" is used. This type of insulation is more resistant to biodegradation, mechanical stress and moisture. The material is ideal for external insulation of the base, basement or basement, therefore, when purchasing, be sure to pay attention to the marking.
To simplify the process of selecting penoplex, you should pay attention to the products of well-known manufacturers, which are used not only in the construction of private buildings, but also for the insulation of apartment buildings.
From domestic manufacturers, preference should be given to the products of the TechnoNIKOL company. Which is not inferior in quality to European materials, and the cost will be noticeably lower than that of imported heaters.
Before purchasing polystyrene from any trade organization, you should correctly calculate the amount of material that will be used to insulate the foundation, etc.
- To determine the area of the insulation, it is necessary to measure the perimeter of the base, multiply the resulting value by the sum of the depth of the foundation and the height of the base.
- For example, if the perimeter of the building is 36 m, the depth is 1.5 and the height of the above-ground part of the basement is 0.5 m, then 36 * (1.5 + 0.5) = 72 m2.
Preparatory work
To insulate the foundation, you will need to perform a fairly large amount of preparatory measures.
First of all, it is necessary to remove soil around the perimeter of the structure to the full depth of the foundation slab. In order to carry out the entire volume of work on laying the penoplex as comfortably as possible, the trench must be made at least 90 cm wide.
After the completion of earthworks, it will be necessary to thoroughly clean the surface of the foundation from adhering soil. The most suitable tool for this type of work is a hard-bristled plastic brush, with which you can qualitatively prepare the surface of the foundation slab for leveling.
In order for the insulating material to be fixed on the surface of the foundation, it will be necessary to level the surfaces of the slab using cement mortar.
The concrete mixture is prepared from 1 part of cement and 4 parts of sifted sand. The solution is applied along the beacons, which must be in the same vertical plane. A building level is used to control the position of the beacons.
After leveling the base, wait at least 1 week for the cement mortar to gain strength.
Foundation waterproofing: features
For it is customary to use a mastic based on petroleum bitumen.
You can make the mastic yourself:
- For this purpose, a metal container is used, in which bitumen is heated to the melting point, after which motor oil is added.
- Oil is added to give the material plasticity and resistance to low temperatures.
- To give the mastic the necessary qualities, prepare a mixture of bitumen and oil in a 3 to 1 ratio.
The mastic is applied to the even surface of the foundation with a layer of no more than 4 mm.
After that, the entire treated area must be additionally sealed with roll materials. For this purpose, roofing material is suitable, which must be glued with an overlap.
To fasten the roll waterproofing to the foundation and plinth, you must:
- on one side, heat the material with a gas burner;
- attach roofing material to the wall;
- smooth the material so that air completely escapes from under the surface;
- the joints of the rolled waterproofing should be smeared with mastic.
That's it, you can start installing the penoplex.
Installation of insulation
It is forbidden to install the foam in the underground part using dowels, therefore, to fix the insulation plates, you will need to purchase acrylic glue. The adhesive is applied to the back of the slab in several places, after which the material is installed around the entire perimeter of the building.
Installation of plates is carried out from the bottom up. After application, it is pressed against the foundation for 1 - 2 minutes, then the next plate is installed in the same way.
The fixation between the slabs is carried out according to the "thorn-groove" system, therefore, after the end of the work, a continuous sheet of insulation will be obtained. For greater reliability, it is recommended to coat with acrylic glue the joints of the foam boards.
To increase the reliability of fastening the insulation to the above-ground part of the foundation, the penoplex should be additionally fixed on the plinth using dowels with wide caps.
Foundation finishing
For the final finishing of the strip base, above ground level, it is necessary to perform plastering with cement mortar. In order for the plaster layer to adhere well to the insulated surface, you will need to use a reinforcing mesh.
The most suitable material for this type of work is one that is lightweight, resistant to moisture and does not rot.
The mesh is fixed to the insulation using an adhesive or dowels.
The underground part of the foundation does not need to be additionally fixed, its surface will not be exposed to wind load.
After the completion of the installation work, the trench can be covered with soil or expanded clay can be used to increase the level of thermal protection.
For additional protection of the underground layer of insulation, it is necessary to make a blind area along the walls around the perimeter of the house.
Installation of the blind area
In order for atmospheric moisture to be effectively removed from the walls of the house, it becomes necessary to install a blind area. This part of the comprehensive protection of the underground part of the foundation from negative impacts will allow to reduce not only the soil moisture around the house, but also to reduce its freezing due to an additional layer of thermal insulation located in a horizontal position.
- To obtain the maximum thermal insulation effect, it is necessary to lay a layer of foam plastic under the blind area.
- must be placed on a sand and gravel cushion. For the construction of which it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil with a thickness of at least 10 cm.
- On top of the pillow, the thickness of which should be about 5 cm, penoplex is laid, then a metal reinforcing mesh, on top of which a cement-sand mortar is poured.
The upper surface of the blind area should be at a slight angle from the wall of the house and raised above ground level by a few centimeters. To do this work correctly, you cannot do without the construction of formwork at a distance of 1 - 1.5 meters from the foundation of the building. After pouring the mortar and holding it for several days, the formwork can be removed, and the soil removed for filling the pillow can be distributed in an even layer immediately behind the line of the concrete layer.
Thus, it is possible to provide additional protection for the foundation of the house from the negative effects of precipitation.
Insulation of the pile foundation
The technology of insulating the pile foundation with penoplex requires mandatory waterproofing of the supports before the heat-insulating layer is installed. All wooden structures are treated with an antiseptic to protect them from insects and mold.
You will need a homemade plinth, which will act as a heat-saving cladding. You can lay out a brick wall in one row.
The do-it-yourself plinth is insulated with penoplex and hides behind the decorative design.
Fastening of the penoplex to such a structure is carried out with additional fixation with dowels. Reinforced fastening is necessary so that the insulation layer does not shift under the influence of heaving soil, on which, as a rule, piles are installed.
To prevent moisture from entering through the holes made for installing the dowels, they are treated from the inside with bitumen mastic, and the fastener caps are covered with a layer of acrylic glue.
Each type of supporting part of the structure is protected by facing material from negative effects.
Conclusion
Now you know how to properly insulate the foundation of a private house with penoplex. If all the stages of preparation, fastening of the material and the construction of the blind area are performed correctly, then it will not be necessary to carry out major repairs of the building for a long time.
In order to prevent heat loss through the foundation, it must be insulated from the outside. One of the best options for insulation, in this case, is extruded polystyrene foam or, as it is also called, penoplex. Although this is essentially the name of one of the Russian brands producing such material, it has firmly established itself in the lexicon of many people, as a synonym for the word extruded polystyrene foam. This material has unique qualities: low thermal conductivity, high compressive strength, elasticity, and at the same time practically does not get wet. It is quite simple to insulate the walls and foundation of the house with it, and you can even do this work yourself. And in order to know how you can carry out the insulation of the foundation with penoplex with your own hands, in this article we will consider the technology of such insulation: the procedure for work and the necessary materials.
Technology of insulation of the foundation with penoplex
All work when insulating the foundation with penoplex with your own hands can be conditionally divided into three stages:
- Preparation of the foundation surface for insulation;
- Penoplex fastening;
- Insulation surface protection.
The preparatory stage includes the following work:
How to calculate the required amount of insulation
In order to know how much foam is required to insulate the foundation from the outside, it is necessary to calculate the surface area that should be insulated and determine the thickness of the insulation layer.
In order to correctly choose the thickness of the insulation layer, you can use the following formula:
H = (R-h 1 / λ 1) / λ 2, m
- R is the standard resistance to heat transfer, which depends on the region (for example, for the Moscow region - 3.2 m 2 xK ⁰ / W);
- h 1 - foundation thickness in meters;
- λ 1 - coefficient of thermal conductivity of the material from which the foundation is made (for reinforced concrete = 1.69 W / mxK ⁰);
- λ 2 - coefficient of thermal conductivity of extruded (extruded) expanded polystyrene (0.032 W / mxK ⁰).
H = (3.2-0.4 / 1.69) / 0.032 = 0.092 m, that is, one layer of insulation 10 cm or two - 5 cm each.
If you have a different region and different foundation material, then the corresponding coefficients are not difficult to find in regulatory documents, reference books or the Internet.
To find out the number of slabs, divide the value of the previously calculated surface area of the foundation by the area of one slab. Its dimensions are usually 0.6x1.2 m, therefore the area is: 0.72 m 2.
For example, the area of the foundation is 36 m 2, then 36 / 0.72 = 50 slabs 10 cm thick or 100 slabs 5 cm thick.
Fastening of extruded polystyrene foam boards
Fastening the foam on the waterproofing layer
Penoplex slabs are best fixed on the foundation surface covered with a waterproofing material using acrylic glue. You can use other glue, but it should be designed for gluing expanded polystyrene and should not contain organic solvents: acetone, benzene, alcohol.
The glue is applied to the board dotted or dotted in 5-6 places and it is pressed with a certain force to the surface to be glued. We take a short exposure (about 1 minute) and proceed to gluing the next plate.
Plates of extruded polystyrene foam are stacked from bottom to top. Often they have a half-thickness cut on the sides for better connection with each other and the absence of cold bridges. In this case, the previous board must be glued so that the cut is on top and covered by the next board.
Before gluing the first row, it is necessary to draw a horizontal line with the help of a building level or pull the cord and focus on them when laying the slabs. This will allow you to glue the boards in the first and subsequent rows evenly and avoid the formation of gaps.
The slabs have a fairly regular geometry and are usually joined without gaps. But if, nevertheless, gaps have formed, then they can and should be filled with polyurethane foam or, if they are small, with the same acrylic glue.
If the insulation is glued in two layers, then the second layer is attached to the first also with glue. In this case, the slabs of the second layer are glued with a spacing of both vertical and horizontal joints in relation to the slabs of the first layer.
When the penoplex is glued along the entire perimeter of the foundation, sometimes it is additionally fastened with plastic dowels (fungi, umbrellas). This can be done only on the plinth - the ground part of the foundation. In the underground part, the use of dowels is not advisable, as they will damage the waterproofing layer and through them moisture can get into the inside of the foundation.
Insulation of the basement
Do-it-yourself insulation of the basement basement outside with penoplex is performed in the same way as its underground part. The only difference is that after gluing the boards, they can additionally be fixed with plastic dowels. Moreover, each insulation plate is fastened with five dowels (one in the center, and four in the corners, at the junction with other plates).
Insulation of the basement with penoplex can be performed simultaneously with the insulation of the entire surface of the foundation or separately, if the underground part has already been insulated before or if you decided to insulate only the basement of the house. The second option is often found, but it is undesirable, since in this case the thermal insulation of the foundation will be insufficient, especially when the soil freezes.
Insulation layer protection
After the end of the fixing of the penoplex, its surface must be protected from external influences: above the ground - sunlight, atmospheric precipitation and mechanical damage, underground - the effects of soil and groundwater. This can be done using a putty with an adhesive mixture or plastering with a cement-sand mixture with simultaneous reinforcement with a fiberglass mesh.
If the surface of the foam is corrugated, then you can start working immediately after the glue dries. If the surface of the slabs is smooth, then before applying the glue or cement-sand mortar, it must be prepared - roughened. This can be done with a wire brush, coarse sandpaper, or special grinder attachments.
In the process of reinforcing the surface of the foam, an adhesive solution is first applied with a layer of 2-3 mm. After that, a reinforcing fiberglass mesh is laid on it. Separate pieces of mesh are laid with an overlap of 10-15 cm. The mesh is smoothed and sunk into the mortar with a spatula. After that, a second layer of adhesive is applied.
Protection and reinforcement of foam with polymer-cement adhesive solution
After the protective reinforcing layer has dried, you can backfill the soil, closing the underground part of the foundation. At the junction of the underground and above-ground parts, a blind area is arranged, and the basement is finished with tiles, stones or plaster according to your taste and capabilities.
Blind area
For the installation of a blind area along the foundation, we dig a shallow trench 30-35 cm deep and 70-100 cm wide.If backfilling was carried out, then it is simply left at the top 30-35 cm to the ground level of the uncovered foundation, and then the trench expands to the required size.
At the bottom of the prepared trench, we arrange a "pillow" of 10-15 cm of sand or sand and gravel mixture with careful tamping. A roll-up waterproofing material is laid on the "pillow", with a careful connection of the joints. After that, there can be two options: reinforced concrete is poured over waterproofing and a blind area is arranged, or penoplex is first laid, and already a blind area along it. The second option, although more costly, provides additional thermal insulation of the foundation, especially in the case when the insulation of its underground part was not performed.
Insulated blind area device
For strength, the blind area is reinforced with longitudinal and transverse reinforcement with a diameter of 8-10 mm or a metal mesh with a cross section of 4-6 mm. To drain water, its surface is sloped, with a slight slope from the house.
The foundation is the basis of the construction, the strength and durability of the entire structure depends on the quality of the laying. In addition, a huge amount of heat leaves the house through the foundation, which is why its insulation is the main stage in the process of thermal insulation of the entire home. The technology of warming the foundation with penoplex is the most common and effective method of warming a house, which this article is devoted to.
Features of penoplex - a material for warming the foundation
The most common method of thermal insulation is insulation of the foundation with foam. This expanded polymer material is produced by the extrusion of polystyrene foam. During this, cells of a closed structure appear in it, which do not allow moisture to pass through and are not saturated with it. These cells are filled inside with the best heat insulator - air.
Protection of the base of a wooden building
Penoplex is produced in the form of slabs of different sizes and thicknesses. Each plate is equipped with grooves, which allows the installation of the material quickly and efficiently (the plates are firmly adhered through the grooves, which does not allow the appearance of seams and gaps).
Foundation insulation methods
The horizontal insulation method is used for the base of the slab and strip foundations of the house. At the same time, do-it-yourself penoplex slabs are placed under the foundation base. This method well protects the base from freezing.
The vertical method of warming the foundation involves gluing foam boards on the outer walls of the base and basement. Plates are mounted with polymer glue, and in the area of the basement they are also reinforced with dowels.
Insulation options for various types of foundations Insulation of the blind area around the house with foam boards. This method is resorted to when the soil on which the building stands is heavily heaving, which leads to deformation. In this case, the foam plates are laid on a pre-filled special pillow, and a concrete blind area is installed on top of them.
Materials and tools
First of all, you need to prepare the following materials:
The impact of natural phenomena on the base - foam boards;
- glue in a tube or balloon glue-foam (needed to close the mesh);
- dowel umbrella;
- mounting foam for sealing the seams (despite the fact that the foam panels are fastened together with grooves, which seems to exclude the appearance of through joints, if the sheets cannot dock, seams are formed that must be sealed with your own hands so that cold air does not penetrate through them);
- bituminous mastic;
- reinforcing mesh made of polymer or metal.
In addition, to insulate the foundation with foam, you will need the following tools:
- a vessel for diluting glue and a mixer for mixing;
- a knife for cutting foam;
- building level;
- putty knife;
- brush for lubrication with a waterproofing mixture;
- drill or hammer drill.
Foundation vertical insulation technology
Vertical insulation of the foundation with polystyrene foam can be carried out both for buildings under construction and for a finished house. If you are insulating a finished building that has already been put into operation for a long time, you will first have to excavate the base to the depth of its occurrence.
The foundation of the house should be cleaned of dust, dirt and soil residues, as well as leveled with cement mortar. After that, you need to carry out a coating waterproofing using a water-based bitumen mastic. In no case should you use solvent-based mastic, because penoplex is destroyed by touching it.
Vertical insulation of the base Before gluing the slabs, it is necessary to make a careful marking on the foundation and mark the lower edge of the installation of the slabs. If the base is bumpy, then in this case it is better to insulate the foundation with expanded polystyrene deeper than the level of the sole.
Penoplex glue is diluted and prepared according to the instructions on the package. To glue the slab with your own hands, you need to point glue on it, press it to the desired place and hold it for a few seconds, pressing it into the surface as hard as possible. When gluing the next board, it is necessary to correctly align the mounting groove.
To increase the level of thermal insulation at home, you can glue 2 layers of foam to the foundation.
In this case, the slabs of the second row are staggered relative to the first row so that the seams of the slabs of the first layer are covered with the second layer.
Horizontal method of insulating a slab foundation
To make horizontal insulation of the foundation with polystyrene foam, foam tiles with a thickness of 5 centimeters or more are needed.
As in the first method of insulation, the area allotted for the foundation must be marked out, and the top layer of soil must be removed to the depth planned for the initial construction. During excavation, the top 25-30 cm of soil are removed by hand in order to make the bottom more even.
The prepared area is covered with sand and carefully compacted. There is no need to reinforce the base, it is enough to make a temporary formwork and fill it with a small layer of concrete.
Horizontal insulation After the concrete layer dries up and hardens, you can proceed to the installation of foam boards. To do this, they must be carefully laid on concrete, aligning the grooves and leaving no gaps. To increase waterproofing, you need to lay a thick polyethylene film over the foam and glue the joints with tape.
After waterproofing work, you need to make a solid formwork with your own hands, perform reinforcement and pour the slab foundation. After it hardens, the formwork can be removed and the side walls can be additionally covered with foam boards.
Soil insulation technology
Thermal insulation of the soil significantly reduces the estimated depth of laying the foundation, and therefore, reduces the overall cost of its construction. It is produced by insulating the blind area.
Insulation of the blind area Thermal insulation of the soil is carried out most often after the vertical thermal insulation of the foundation. For this, near the lower edge of the slabs, backfilling with sand or gravel is made 15-20 cm below the ground level. Further, at a distance of a meter from the walls, a plank formwork with a height of about 30 cm is placed.
The bottom of the blind area is carefully tamped and leveled, and foam tiles are laid on it along the perimeter of the base. A polyethylene film is laid on top of the penoplex and concrete is poured.
After the concrete pad is dry, the formwork can be removed, and the blind area can be refined with decorative stone trim.
So, the insulation of the foundation with penoplex excludes freezing of the foundation, does not allow temperature drops and, consequently, the formation of condensation. After the foam insulation procedure, which can be easily done with your own hands, the microclimate in the house is significantly improved, which increases the service life of the entire structure.
When building a house, the number one task is to make a strong and reliable foundation. And so that it does not draw cold from it, it is necessary to make high-quality thermal insulation and finish the basement. It is important to choose a good, but inexpensive insulation that will allow you to implement different cladding ideas.
In this article, we will tell you how the foundation is insulated with penoplex - a durable insulating material in the form of slabs, we will analyze the installation technology step by step, and compare the prices for this service.
Benefits and features of penoplex
Penoplex is a Russian-made product. It is actively used by builders and residents of the private sector, who decided to do the insulation of the old base themselves. It is polystyrene foam, which during the manufacture was able to be extruded (foamed under the influence of high temperatures), thereby improving its technical characteristics:
- moisture resistance - 0.5% of the total volume of the material;
- operating temperature range from –500 to +750 С;
- compressive strength - 27 t / m2;
- service life - 50 years and more.
Photo: Penoplex thermal insulation material
Insulation is presented in 3 main types:
- Penoplex 45. Expanded polystyrene with maximum density. Designed for thermal insulation of complex structures with high loads - airfields, industrial buildings, highways.
- Penoplex 35. Another name is Penoplex Foundation. It is used for thermal insulation of tapes, monolith, pile base. Suitable for vertical or horizontal laying.
- Standard. Made in the form of slabs. It is widely used. They are isolated by engineering networks, walls, wooden floors.
Each of the types is made according to the “thorn-groove” principle. This ensures tight fastening of the elements to each other without gaps.
Thematic material:
Choosing a way to insulate the base
One of three types is usually used:
The advantages of outdoor insulation:
- there is a barrier for groundwater, rain;
- the basement maintains a constant temperature all year round;
- the service life of the base is extended due to the fact that the concrete is protected from moisture and frost;
- increased resistance to temperature extremes.
Photo: thermal insulation of the base during the construction phase
Another plus of thermal insulation is a shift in the dew point when water vapor condenses into water. In winter, when there is a difference in temperature inside and outside the room, drops of water can appear on the walls, which leads to the destruction of the finish and the appearance of mold.
When insulating the foundation from the outside, you shift the dew point towards the insulator, which maintains a constant temperature in the room and prevents condensation from forming.
Technology of external insulation of the foundation
Starting this stage of work, you need to determine the thickness of the material in accordance with the climatic conditions of the region, clearly calculate how much it will be needed. Let's consider each feature in more detail.
The choice of foam thickness
When arranging the foundation of a private house, it is recommended to take Penoplex 45 or Foundation. The size of the slab is 60 * 120 cm. The average weight of one element is from 2 to 2.5 kg. The thickness is different - from 2 to 10 cm.
When building in regions where the temperature in winter reaches -30 C, it is better to use slabs 10 cm thick.
Calculation of parameters
On the packaging, the manufacturer applies the minimum recommended board thickness for areas with different temperature indicators. But for reliability, it is better to do such a calculation yourself. We take the following formula as a basis:
R = h1 / λ1 + h2 / λ2
- R - regional resistance to heat transfer;
- h1 is an indicator of the thickness of the foundation;
- h2 - slab thickness;
- λ1 is the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the material from which the base of the building is built;
- λ2 - coefficient of thermal conductivity of the foam.
The value of R, λ1 can be spied on in scientific publications. For example, for the Moscow region, R is 3.2 m2 x ° K / W. λ2 = 0.032 W / m * ° K.
Our desired value is h2. The rest of the data is simply inserted into the formula, and by mathematical calculations we get the desired result. It should always be rounded up - let it be better than the material with a margin.
The number of slabs is calculated based on the area to be treated. The area of one foam element is standard - 0.72 m2.
If you need a thickness of 10 cm, then two 5 cm plates are superimposed on each other.
Do-it-yourself insulation: step-by-step instructions
Before starting work, it is worth drawing up a diagram of the foundation of the structure, preparing all materials and tools.
We will need:
Now you can start the construction process.
Digging a tranche
Surface preparation
If there are drops of 2 cm or more on the basement or the walls of the foundation, then it is recommended to reinforce the surface with a netting mesh before plastering.
Waterproofing
When insulating the foundation of a house externally, it is also important to provide reliable protection against moisture. Therefore, it is laid in two layers: first, bituminous mastic, then - TechnoNIKOL sheets.
In the first case, the application is carried out with a roller in a small layer up to 5 mm on all walls of the foundation, basement, we give time to dry.
After that, you can proceed to the second stage - fastening the sheets. We do this from the bottom up and with an overlap of 10 cm. Lightly melt the front part with a gas burner. Each element must be smoothed out to release excess air from it.
It is the combination of these two materials that will avoid the ingress of excess moisture on the surface of the foundation.
Installation
If you choose from the methods of thermal insulation, then preference should be given to the vertical one.
The procedure is as follows:
Outdoor decoration
Upon completion of the installation, it is recommended to plaster the surface. We fasten a fiberglass mesh with an overlap to the plates, smooth it so that there are no knots, irregularities. As a material for finishing, you can use acrylic glue or standard cement-sand mortar.
The photo below is an example of fastening the mesh and applying a layer of plaster.
Backfilling, creating a blind area
When insulating a bath or a house from a foam block, it is better to fill in expanded clay instead of soil in a trench under the building. This will strengthen the insulation against temperature and humidity changes. But the final step is creating a reliable blind area.
- At a depth of 20–25 cm from the top of the trench, fill in 10 cm of sand and ram it.
- We carry out roofing material flooring. At the joints we coat with bituminous mastic, wait until it dries.
- We lay the penoplex. Blow out the gaps between the plates with polyurethane foam.
- Under a slope, we make a blind area from a concrete solution.
As for decorating the basement, in addition to plaster, facing with stone, porcelain stoneware, siding is allowed.
Experienced builders share their experience and secrets of the correct execution of each stage of thermal insulation work:
Cost of services in companies in Moscow and St. Petersburg
Owners who want to independently perform insulation should take into account that the price of penoplex varies significantly depending on its thickness. On average, a 20 mm slab costs 65 rubles, 50 mm - 170 rubles, 100 mm - 300 rubles.
If you trust professionals with insulation, then the average prices in Moscow and St. Petersburg for their work are as follows:
- plinth primer- 30 rubles / m2;
- installation of penoplex- 350 rubles / m2;
- surface reinforcement- 350 rubles / m2;
- plinth trim with decorative stone- 1150 rubles / m2;
- plastering- 450 rubles / m2.
Although thermal insulation with penoplex by masters is expensive, high-quality insulation of the foundation and basement will extend the service life of the base and allow you not to spend money on its permanent repair.