Ceiling insulation methods in a private house. How to properly insulate the ceiling and walls in a private house

Overlappings in private houses are usually made of wood: beams are laid, and then they are knocked out from below with a board. If the house does not have a heated attic, the ceiling in the building must be insulated. Yes, and with equipment in the attic of a dwelling, it will not hurt to lay an overlap with something. After all, most, among other things, can also serve as excellent sound insulators.

Material selection

So let's see how to insulate the house. And first, let's figure out which type of insulator is best to choose in this or that case. Usually, floors in suburban buildings are insulated:

mineral wool;
expanded polystyrene;
sawdust;
expanded clay.

Advantages and disadvantages of mineral wool

This heat insulator is currently the most popular and is most often used in private houses. Its main advantages include:

Low cost.
Easy to install.
High heat preserving qualities.
Insulation of the ceiling in a house with this material allows, among other things, to improve the soundproof properties of floors.
Durability.
Non-flammability.

The disadvantages of this material include:

The ability to accumulate moisture and lose some of its insulating qualities.
Not too high degree of environmental friendliness.

Expanded polystyrene

This material is also an excellent answer to the question of how to insulate a wooden ceiling in a house. It is a lightweight environmentally friendly board. Although they are made using a slightly different technology, outwardly they very much resemble the well-known foam plastic. They differ from the latter in that they practically do not crumble and retain heat much better. Expanded polystyrene serves much longer than polystyrene. Unlike mineral wool, this material is not at all afraid of moisture. Its main advantage over the basalt insulator is its smaller thickness with the same heat-retaining qualities.

Its disadvantages include only a rather high cost and flammability. In addition, it is strongly discouraged to use this material if there are rodents in the house. Mice simply love to make moves and burrows in foamy materials.

Expanded clay

This material is also very often used to insulate a wooden ceiling in a private house. Expanded clay is a special porous granules made from clay. The material is very inexpensive and retains heat very well. Its main advantage is that it can last much longer than any other insulation. Not afraid of expanded clay and water. In addition, it is very durable and fire resistant.

Sawdust

The main advantages of this bulk material are absolute environmental friendliness and low weight. Insulating the ceiling with sawdust is very inexpensive. At sawmills, this material is sold literally for a penny, and sometimes even given away for free. The disadvantages of sawdust include, first of all, a very high degree of fire risk. They can also dry out or start to rot. As with Styrofoam, they can house mice or rats.

Thermal insulation of a wooden ceiling in a private house with mineral wool

When insulating the ceiling from the attic side, this material is laid as follows:

In a building under construction, the ceiling itself from an edged board is stuffed onto the beams from below. If the house is old and there are already floors in the attic, a cellular frame should be mounted on them.
A vapor barrier is laid between the beams. Either polyethylene or foil material can be used. The latter option is more expensive, but it performs its function much better. In addition, the foil is capable of reflecting heat back into the room. Therefore, such materials, among other things, are also able to additionally retain heat. A vapor barrier is installed on the existing attic floors in old houses before installing the frame under the slabs.
At the next stage, the actual mineral wool itself is mounted. Lay her by surprise. That is, the step between the beams should be slightly less than the width of the slabs. This allows you to arrange the most effective insulation. You need to start laying cotton wool from the corner farthest from the door. In order to make it convenient to walk on the floor, it is worth laying the attic with strips of plywood.
A waterproofing layer is laid on top of the mineral wool if the attic is not supposed to be insulated in the future. If the roof is at the same time waterproofed with a film, this stage can be skipped.
Next, the finishing floor of the attic is stuffed.

In the same way, a wooden ceiling is insulated in brick or poured out of concrete. If there is a chimney in the attic, the slabs are placed on it at a height of 40-50 cm and fixed.

Installation from the inside

Next, let's see how to insulate a wooden ceiling in a house with mineral wool from the side of the living room. Most often, in this case, the material is installed simultaneously with the pre-assembled metal frame for drywall. The distance between its constituent profiles is usually 40 cm. Slabs of mineral wool have a width of 50-120 cm. Therefore, installation is carried out using the "accordion" method. Cotton wool is simply slipped under the frame elements. In this case, the plates are installed close to each other. When performing this work, you should try not to crease the material. Otherwise, cotton wool will lose some of its performance.

Do-it-yourself ceiling insulation from the inside is continued by installing a vapor barrier film. Further, the GCRs themselves are installed on the frame. In the event that the installation of suspended ceilings will not be carried out, the work is performed using a slightly different technology:

The ceiling is preliminarily covered with a vapor barrier film. If there is no attic on top, it is best to use a waterproofing membrane.
Next, a wooden crate is stuffed onto it. For its manufacture, bars with a cross section of 30 * 30 - 40 * 40 mm are used. In this case, the step between the elements of the frame is made such that the slabs lie flat-to-end.
In the next step, mineral wool is inserted between the bars. In the event that the lathing was installed correctly, the plates will hold well and just like that. However, in order to completely eliminate the risk of falling out, it is worth additionally securing them with special dowels-fungi.
Next, it is pulled onto the frame. You need to nail it with slats from three centimeters thick. Thus, the ventilation layer will be additionally arranged.
In the next step, the ceiling is usually sheathed with plywood and covered with ceiling tiles.

Installation of expanded polystyrene

Now let's figure out how to insulate the ceiling in a wooden house using another modern material. Typically, expanded polystyrene is laid in the attic in the same way as mineral wool - between beams or in a crate. However, it is quite possible to mount it directly on the attic floors, if any, that is, without installing a frame. In this case, the base must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and leveled. Further work is done like this:

Check that the floor boards have not rotted or come off.
Lay a layer of vapor barrier. Fastening is carried out on staplers.
From the corner farthest from the door, they begin to lay out the expanded polystyrene plates. At the same time, make sure that the joints do not converge with a cross. That is, they perform staggered styling.
The joints between the slabs are sealed with polyurethane foam and additionally glued with construction tape.
Since the slabs are rather fragile material, a board is either stuffed on top of them, or a cement screed of 3-4 cm is poured in. In the first case, before laying the expanded polystyrene on the floors, it will be necessary to fill a few lags.

Using expanded polystyrene from the inside

In this case, the insulation of a wooden ceiling in a private house is carried out as follows:

The ceiling is thoroughly cleaned of dirt, old plaster (if any), etc.
After that, it should be primed.
Further on the ceiling - using foam glue - expanded polystyrene plates are glued. In this case, the material should also be additionally secured with "fungi".
A reinforcing mesh is glued on top of the slabs.
Next, the ceiling is plastered.

Of course, you can install expanded polystyrene in the same way as mineral wool, that is, in a crate. In this case, at the final stage, the ceiling is sheathed with plywood, clapboard or edged board.

We insulate the ceiling in a wooden house with expanded clay

In this case, the space between the floor beams is pre-covered with roofing material. You can also use very thick plastic wrap. should cover the beams themselves as well. The seams on the roofing material are glued with bituminous mastic, on the film - with tape. Along the perimeter of the attic, the waterproofing material should be raised to the height of the future backfill layer.

Further, the actual insulation of the ceiling with expanded clay is carried out. Sometimes the roofing material is pre-coated with a clay solution. The thickness of the expanded clay layer is usually 12-16 cm. It is advisable to use a material that has different fractions of granules. In this case, the insulating layer will be denser and more even. Sometimes, to enhance the thermal insulation effect, crushed foam is added to expanded clay.

From above, the heat insulator is covered with a waterproofing film. Next, a concrete screed with a thickness of 4-5 cm is arranged. 20 days after pouring, you can start finishing the floor.

Warming with sawdust

For such a material, cement is usually used as a binder. In order to prevent rodents, a little lime can also be added to the sawdust. Rotting is prevented by using borax.

As with expanded clay warming, the floors of the attic in this case are first covered with roofing material or plastic wrap. You can also use sheet glassine.

The following requirements are imposed on the sawdust themselves:

They must be aged for at least a year.
The material must be dry.
It is not allowed to insulate the ceiling with sawdust, rotten or infected insects.
It is best to use medium fraction sawdust.

After the floors of the attic are prepared and waterproofed, the actual preparation of the insulating solution itself is started. To do this, take one bucket of cement and half a bucket of lime for ten buckets of sawdust. In addition, a glass of borax is diluted in a bucket of water and this solution is sprayed from a watering can over the mixture. The amount of water depends on the moisture level of the sawdust. Usually 5-10 liters have to be topped up.

The chimney must be laid before installing this type of insulation. Wiring in the attic in this case is drawn in special metal pipes. It is not necessary to do a screed over the sawdust insulation. The hardened mixture will be strong enough by itself.

So, now you know how to insulate a wooden ceiling in a house. If the work will be done from the inside, use thinner polystyrene foam. When insulating from the attic, it is better to take mineral wool. You can save money when using expanded clay or sawdust.

Foreword... If you feel that your house heating costs are too high, especially if condensation forms on the ceiling and the ceilings become damp, then you need to insulate this structure. From this article, you will learn how to inexpensively insulate the ceiling of a private house with your own hands and what materials are best used for thermal insulation of ceilings in a house. At the end of the article, you will see a video instruction from professionals.

By correctly applying modern and traditional thermal insulation, you can save heat in the house on your own and increase the sound insulation of the structure. But, before proceeding with the insulation of the ceiling in a private house from the inside with your own hands, you should deal with the most important question, how to insulate the ceiling in a private house and how best to insulate the ceiling - from the outside or from the inside. We will answer this question in this article.

What is the best way to insulate the ceiling in a private house

With the approach of winter, many owners of wooden and brick country houses are beginning to worry about issues related to the thermal insulation of living quarters and the insulation of the steam room. The most important question is how to properly insulate the ceiling in a private house, since warm air always rises and it is through the ceiling that the greatest loss of heat occurs in a private house in winter.

As we have already noted more than once, it is necessary to insulate all building structures only from the outside. Internal insulation should only be used in exceptional cases. External insulation will protect the processed structures from freezing and rapid destruction during operation. When insulating inside a warm room, moisture and mold will form between the thermal insulation layer and the wall.

Also, do not forget about using vapor barrier films. They are designed to protect the thermal insulation layer from moisture contained in warm air. If you lay the vapor barrier with the right side facing rock wool or other insulation, all moisture from the air will condense on the membrane surface and not be absorbed into the insulation.

How to insulate the ceiling in a private house from the outside, from the inside

What material is used to insulate the ceiling in a private house? Most often, mineral wool is used for thermal insulation of this structure. This insulation has chemical and temperature resistance and does not emit harmful substances. Also popular are polystyrene and extruded polystyrene foam. Traditionally, sawdust or expanded clay was used to insulate the attics of baths and houses in Russia.

If we talk about the required thickness of the insulating layer, then it all depends on the material used. Recall that the greater the density of the insulation, the more it conducts heat and the thicker the layer is required. Do not rely on advice, calculate the thickness of the ceiling insulation in a private house on the thermal insulation calculator on the website.

Before starting work, you should prepare the materials that are used for thermal insulation of the ceiling of a private house: insulation - mineral wool, polystyrene, sawdust or expanded clay, waterproofing material - wind and moisture protection film, polyethylene, glassine, roofing material or vapor barrier, boards, bars, nails, mounting foam. And the most basic tools: a hammer, a hacksaw for wood or an electric jigsaw.

How to insulate the ceiling of a private house with your own hands

So, the insulation of the ceiling in a private house is carried out from the side of the attic. To begin with, a waterproofing layer of moisture-proof film or glassine is laid on the ceiling. Roll waterproofing is laid on the surface with an overlap of at least 5 cm on each side. Fix the material with a stapler or nails using wooden planks.

How to insulate the ceiling in a private house with mineral wool

Glass wool or basalt wool in rolls is laid on top of the waterproofing in the attic, so that the mineral wool fills the entire space between the ceiling beams. It is best to lay several layers of mineral wool so that the second layer overlaps the seams of the first layer. A sub-floor is laid on top if the attic is planned to be used further.

How to insulate the ceiling in a private house with polystyrene foam

The technology of insulation of the ceiling in a private house with penoplex and polystyrene does not differ from the technology of using mineral wool. With only one exception - the use of a vapor barrier is not necessary here, since polystyrene foam is vapor-proof. And the seams between the foam boards should be carefully sealed with polyurethane foam.

Insulation of the ceiling of a private house with expanded clay, sawdust

For many years, the technology of thermal insulation of attics of houses has been associated with the use of sawdust and expanded clay. These traditional materials have been used for many years for thermal insulation of horizontal surfaces, due to their low cost and lack of condensation problems. The beginning of work is associated with the device of waterproofing from roofing material, film or penofol.

Thermal insulation of an attic made of sawdust, as well as of expanded polystyrene, is often supplemented with mineral wool, which is laid on top of the first layer of insulation on the ceiling. On top of the thermal insulation, a floor from a rough floorboard is laid. Do not forget that high-quality ventilation of the attic is necessary so that excess moisture can be eroded from the insulation.

How to insulate the ceiling in a private house from the inside

The best way to install mineral insulation from the side of the room is to install thermal insulation using a suspended ceiling. The basis is a frame made of metal profiles with a step of 30 centimeters. The frame must be properly secured to prevent the ceiling from collapsing. The mineral wool is pushed in so that the mats are laid without gaps.

From the bottom of the frame, from the side of the warm room, stretch a waterproofing film that protects the basalt insulation from moisture absorption. Next, drywall is mounted on the frame. After sheathing the ceiling, all seams are glued with masking tape and putty. After the joints have dried, the entire surface of the ceiling is putty with an oil-based finishing filler.

Video. Do-it-yourself ceiling insulation of a private house

It is not a fact that a dozen heaters installed in a private house will help to survive the cold season. The Russian winter is sometimes so severe that heating devices have to work almost around the clock. In order to save on energy costs, as well as to achieve sufficient thermal insulation of a private house, it is necessary to resolve the issue of warming the room.

It is known from the school course that warm air rises inside rooms. If it encounters a cold one, condensation forms on the ceiling, which increases the humidity, not to mention the loss of heat. In order not to observe this physical process at home, it is necessary to properly insulate the ceiling, because about 20% of the heated air leaves through it. Before getting acquainted with the technology of work, you should study the common methods.

Ceiling insulation methods

Realizing how important it is to insulate the ceiling of a private house, guests will have to choose one of two existing methods:

thermal insulation from the inside - from the inside (the method is good for houses where there is an attic under the roof, not an attic);
from the outside - outside (more suitable for attics).

The first method is a little more complicated and energy-consuming, since part of the ceiling is “concealed” (excess space is consumed). The second one is also not devoid of difficulties (the need to assemble the frame, which will reduce the height of the room, subsequent repairs, etc.), however, in comparison with the acquired advantages, these problems seem minor.

Despite the seeming difficulties of the process, you can insulate a private house with your own hands without any experience of such work.

You just need to choose the right insulation material and stock up on the right tools. After that, it remains to perform a number of simple actions.

The choice of insulation for the ceiling

If the need for thermal insulation of a private house has arisen for the first time, a potential consumer will not be faced with a shortage of material on the market. There are dozens of heaters that are more or less suitable for the ceiling. The advantages and disadvantages of the most popular are discussed below.

Styrofoam.

A material with one of the lowest thermal conductivity coefficients (the lower the indicator, the better the heat is retained), resistance to microorganisms, and has a porous structure that does not allow moisture to get inside. It costs relatively little, is produced in slabs with a thickness of 20 mm or more, and is easy to use. Among the shortcomings noted are questionable resistance to fire, the need for frequent ventilation of the room, sheathed with foam, in order to avoid the "greenhouse effect".

It is a foamed plastic foam, only in liquid form. It is inexpensive, but expensive special equipment is required to fill the ceiling with material. In terms of resistance to fire, it is much better than polystyrene, it effectively fills cracks and cracks, is hygroscopic, and has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity. Environmentally friendly and safe for people and animals. It is capable of operating at temperatures from -600 to +800 degrees, so it will withstand the harsh Russian winter with ease.

Mineral wool.

It is presented on the market in three types (basalt, slag, glass wool), each of which perfectly retains heat in a private house. It is realized in slabs or rolls (the former are better for the ceiling) with a thickness of 2 to 10 cm, effectively fills the space. Minvata smooths out inaccuracies made when marking or installing lags. The cost of the material does not differ much from the price of foam, but it all depends on the brand and thickness. Disadvantages, alas, also occur - cotton wool cannot be tamped due to caking and loss of properties, the appearance of a small gap in the slab will reduce the effectiveness of all thermal insulation. Also, the ceiling of a private house lined with mineral wool is subject to replacement after 15-20 years of operation.

Sawdust.

A morally outdated method that is nevertheless used quite often. The material is available (you may not even have to spend money), it is easy, it is simple to work with it, the process of filling the ceiling with sawdust takes a few minutes. Disadvantages - you constantly have to add sawdust due to their drying out, as well as a high fire hazard.

Clay.

A rarely used method of warming the ceiling with your own hands. The material is environmentally friendly, does not apply to combustibles, and is inexpensive. The main disadvantage is the heavier structure of the house, which accelerates its wear.

Lightweight, fire resistant; in addition to thermal insulation, it perfectly protects the room from external noise. Resistant to moisture, not attractive to rodents, it costs less than the known foam and mineral wool.

Foil insulation.

A novelty in the market of thermal insulation materials. It is usually used on a concrete floor, but ceiling sheathing is also allowed. The good thing is that it does not require laying a layer of vapor barrier, and together with mineral wool, it reduces the percentage of carcinogens released by it. It is produced in the form of mats, supplemented with a reinforced mesh. It is usually used in rarely used rooms (for example, when insulating the walls of a bath).

Experts recommend opting for foam or mineral wool as insulation for the ceiling of a private house. The first one can be used together with penoizol. Leaning towards one of the two materials, you can begin to act.

Preparing the premises for insulation

You don't have to rush to the store and buy materials right away. It is better to do preliminary work first, including:

cleaning the attic covering from debris, dirt;
analysis of the condition of the boards; if there are cracks or large gaps, they must be sealed with a sealant;
measurement of the attic (attic) space;
buying the right amount of insulation based on the dimensions of the room (also take into account how much the height of the attic will decrease due to the material of this or that thickness).

After analyzing the condition of the ceiling of the house and purchasing the best material, you can begin to insulate the ceiling with your own hands.

Thermal insulation with liquid penoizol

Ceiling insulation technology with foam and foam insulation

A greater effect can be achieved if you use materials at the same time. It happens that the foam plates do not fit tightly to the frame, forming "cold bridges"; in order to avoid this, the gaps that have arisen are filled with a liquid version of the porous insulation, after which they dry out in 20-30 minutes. However, pouring penoizol is best done by specialists.

Of the materials you will need:

the calculated amount of polystyrene and penoizol;
drywall sheets for roughing;
wooden slats for forming the frame;
polyurethane foam or sealant;
hammer;
waterproofing (roofing material or glassine is suitable);
construction stapler with brackets for fixing the vapor barrier;
vapor barrier material (special membrane or foil insulation)
self-tapping screws or screws for fasteners;
primer / antiseptic (lath treatment);
hacksaw (cutting foam plates);
glue.

First, waterproofing is laid with an overlap of 10-15 cm. Further, along the perimeter of the ceiling, the slats are fixed at a distance 1 cm less than the width of the selected foam plates. Then the insulation is attached to the ceiling; for this, as a rule, glue is used. Both wooden surfaces and polystyrene are processed.

Next, the gaps between the insulation and the frame are poured with penoizol, after drying, a layer of vapor barrier is placed (it is correct, too, with an overlap, but not necessary; then the joints are sealed with tape). This is followed by reinforcement - a special solution is applied, a mesh is laid, and again processed with a solution. After drying, it is permissible to fix drywall on top of the resulting structure for aesthetics.

Ceiling insulation technology with mineral wool

The process of installing slabs of material with your own hands exactly repeats the one described above, but some of the nuances should be taken into account:

it is necessary to first prepare gloves, clothes that cover all parts of the body, and glasses - the mineral wool is pricked and thereby complicates the process of its fixation;
the slats should be nailed to the ceiling not along the width of the insulation, but 1-2 cm less - the mineral wool is slightly compressed, after which it is placed in a dedicated cell and fills the space correctly;
remember that mineral wool is the thickest insulation; it will significantly reduce the height of the room;
between the waterproofing and the slabs (rolls) of the material, a gap of 1-2 cm must be provided for natural air circulation.

It is not difficult to achieve reliable thermal insulation at home if you take a responsible approach to the choice of material and follow the prescribed steps. With your own hands, you can insulate the ceiling of a country house with any material, depending on the characteristics of the operation of the building. Follow the tips given above, and then your private home will surround you with warmth at any time of the year.

The issue of preserving heat and saving resources is faced by every owner of a private house. In the harsh winter cold, warmth in the house and its preservation is especially important. The walls are insulated (how and what kind of insulation to choose -), the floor, the ceiling. Ceiling insulation in a private house is especially important, because most of the heat escapes through it. Unlike apartments, where the ceiling is the floor of the next heated apartment, this issue is not so acute. The roof was insulated by our ancestors. To do this, they used sawdust or clay, dry grass, slag, expanded clay and other porous material. Such insulation was quite dangerous and flammable. In the dry grass and sawdust, a variety of insects and pests were bred. Slag spoils the ceiling of the house.

Modern building materials allow you to quickly and reliably, and most importantly safely (the materials used are environmentally friendly and hardly flammable), insulate the ceiling of your house. Choosing the right material is half the battle. As a heater, mainly.

By the way, we already wrote about it on our portal. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with this useful material.

Insulation in a private house can be done in two ways:

indoors;
from the outside (in the attic).

Insulation of the ceiling inside the room can be carried out if the height of the ceilings allows it. A layer of steam and waterproofing, a layer of insulation, sheathing with plasterboard or a wooden cladding board. All this can take from 15 to 45 cm of the height of the room (the thickness of the thermal insulation layer depends on the temperature inside and outside the room, as well as the material from which it is made).

Experts advise to insulate the ceiling in a private house indoors in the following cases:

use of the attic as a warehouse;
communications are carried out in the attic (electric cables, air ducts, etc.).

Increased requirements are imposed on internal insulation, both to the quality of work and to the materials used.

The work must be carried out efficiently, carefully, accurately. The materials used for insulation must be safe and refractory (poorly flammable and with a minimum level of smoke). You can also use Styrofoam or high quality mineral wool.

The thickness of the thermal insulation layer will be influenced by the region of residence (temperature regime), the thermal insulation properties of the material from which the ceiling is made, the system of beamed floors.

The main stages of this process

Stage one. A frame is made of beams or metal profiles. The frame is made for further plastering of the ceiling with plasterboard or wooden facing boards (clapboard).

Stage two. Creation of a vapor barrier layer. By the size of the cells, plus 5 cm, glassine is cut out and attached to the beams or guides with the help of wooden slats.

Consider the methods used

Warmingoutside can be produced in several ways:

foam;
penoizole;
insulate with mineral wool;
use other methods.

Before insulating the ceiling in any way, it is necessary to bring the attic into proper condition. Remove everything from the attic, leave the beams and the main ceiling. Since the attic is very well ventilated, it is necessary to revise the ventilation system, if necessary, close up the cracks so that the thermal insulation layer does not get wet and does not break down quickly.

Styrofoam use

Conventionally, this process can be divided into several main stages.

A layer of glassine is placed between the beams, with an overlap of about 5 cm for fastening to the beams and attached to them using a wooden lath.
Then, the foam is placed as tightly as possible (note that you can use any type of foam: bulk, in rolls, plates).
The gaps between the foam and the beams are filled with construction foam.
Another layer of glassine spreads on top of the foam.
One or more layers of mineral wool are laid out.

Read more: Styrofoam ceiling tiles - its advantages

Important. Mineral wool should be flush with all ceiling beams. Mineral wool is laid out according to the brickwork principle.

We use foam

It should also be remembered that if the attic space is used and often looks in there, then it will be necessary to lay floors, or lay several boards across the beams.

We use penoizol

This method of ceiling insulation is possible if there are specialists with equipment designed for this purpose.

Penoinsol is a powdery insulation that is blown into the free space between the beams by a special machine.

The complexity of this method lies in the painstaking preparatory work, which is aimed at preventing insulation from entering the living quarters (sealing, etc.).

Therefore, it is better to entrust such work to specialists who have special equipment and skills for this type of insulation.

The photo below shows just such an option for ceiling insulation.

In the photo - penoizol

We use mineral wool

Mineral wool is more expensive than polystyrene, but it has a number of advantages: it does not burn and does not smoke, they do not like to eat it, as well as insects and small rodents to make nests and live. Mineral wool is produced in two types: in rolls and in the form of mats. For ceiling insulation, both types are suitable, you need to choose the most suitable one.

Mineral wool is laid out in several layers (mainly 2-3 layers), according to the principle of bricks, i.e. the joints of the previous slabs are in the middle of the previous slabs.

Advice. It is best to cover the beams with the last layer of mineral wool, so that they do not conduct the cold.

If finances allow, you can also make a waterproofing, foam layer. It is made according to the principle of styling foam insulation.

A layer of glassine is laid out, then there is foam and again glassine.

Mineral wool is laid on top. To improve the thermal insulation properties of the ceiling, you can lay the floor, but if the attic is not used at all, then you can make the flooring from boards, for the convenience of checking the condition of the attic.

It is better not to walk on mineral wool and foam, as this reduces their thermal insulation properties.

And finally - a photo of the surface insulation with mineral wool.

Spreading mineral wool

other methods

What other heaters can be used:

expanded clay;
clay with sawdust or sawdust;
slag.

Mineral wool and polystyrene are relatively light types of insulation with which you can safely insulate the ceiling without fear of collapse. Expanded clay, slag and clay with sawdust should be used more carefully, because they have a decent weight and the ceiling may not support the weight of the materials. Expanded clay (and other heaters) is poured into the interceiling space, having previously sent it with glassine; with this type of insulation, it is imperative to put a metal reinforcing grill on the floor or lay the floor.

Insulation of the ceiling of a private house

The selected insulation must be fire-resistant (it is difficult or not to ignite at all and, preferably, not to smoke). Insulation, according to fire safety requirements, must hold back the fire for 25 and 90 minutes (the norm for private and multi-storey buildings, respectively).

To prevent cold air under the insulation layer (by means of drafts, due to good natural ventilation), the floor must be well sealed.

If you are lucky and your ceiling is a reinforced concrete slab, then you do not need to additionally seal the ceiling. And those who have a ceiling on wooden beams need an additional layer of vapor barrier (this can be plastering the floor, specially treated, moisture-resistant drywall, etc.). You should also additionally check and attach more dense vapor barrier materials at the points of contact with supporting structures (walls, beams, etc.), check the tightness of the joints.

They are subject to more thorough insulation. Along them, as "cold bridges", cold air can move under the heat-insulating layer and enter the room. To insulate these places, it is necessary to close the outer wall with a heat-insulating layer, at least half a meter wide.

For those who better perceive video content, it is better to watch a special training video. Although, in many ways it will overlap with the material in this article. As they say, repetition is the mother of learning.

Enjoy your viewing.

There is no need to overpersuade the developers that in private houses with a "cold" roof it is necessary to insulate the ceiling on the top floor. The question is different: how to do it correctly with your own hands, without overpaying extra money for materials. The step-by-step guide in this article will help you find the answer. Here we will explain how to insulate the ceiling from the side of the attic (or room) and what measures to take so that there is no condensation.

The better to insulate attic floors

The range of materials for ceiling insulation is so wide that it is not easy for an ordinary homeowner to make a choice. Judge for yourself:

mineral wool based on fiberglass and basalt fiber;
polymer insulation - polystyrene, extruded polystyrene foam and expanded polyurethane;
bulk building materials - vermiculite, expanded clay;
folk remedies - sawdust, straw or reeds (can be mixed with clay);
a relatively new insulator based on cellulose - ecowool.

This is how the application of ecowool looks like

Comparing heaters, one cannot say that one is bad and the other is good. They differ greatly in properties, price and scope. An important role is played by the budget allocated by the developer for thermal insulation of the ceilings of a private house or summer cottage. Therefore, it is worth considering each group of materials separately.

Mineral wool products

These porous building materials are produced in the form of slabs and rolls, the density varies between 35-150 kg / m3. Let's list their features:

Basalt mineral wool absolutely does not burn and calmly withstands temperatures up to 600 ° C, and with further heating it is destroyed without ignition. The heat resistance limit of glass wool is 200 ° C, so it is considered a slow-combustible substance.
Both insulators are good for water vapor and are capable of absorbing moisture, as a result of which they lose their thermal insulation properties.
In terms of cost, cotton wool takes a middle position between cheap foam and more expensive polystyrene foam.
The thermal conductivity of mineral wool products depends on their density. The average value is 0.045 W / m ° С, which is a rather high indicator.
Rodents rarely eat dense plates.

Basalt wool slabs

Reference. Glass wool is prohibited by the regulations of most countries for indoor use, as it is unsafe for the health of the inhabitants of residential buildings. The most famous manufacturers are the Ursa and Izover brands.

The main area of application of both types of mineral wool is wooden and frame houses. Unlike polymer insulation materials, it allows the wood to "breathe" and not rot from moisture, since it has a high vapor permeability. At the same time, fiber insulation requires protection from direct moisture from the street.

Fiberglass plates and rolls may be used to insulate ceilings from the outside, from the side of the cold attic. Stone wool can be used from inside buildings, but it can be sealed with a vapor barrier.

Warm polymers

According to its properties, this group of heaters is the complete opposite of mineral wool. Styrofoam and extruded polystyrene foam, well known as Penoplex (brand name), is capable of igniting and burning, no matter what the manufacturers claim. And only polyurethane, applied in a mechanized way in the form of foam, can withstand fire for no longer than 30 minutes, and then it collapses. At the same time, the materials practically do not allow steam to pass through and do not lose their properties when wet.

This is how polyurethane foam is sprayed

Note. Polyfoam is still permeable to moisture, although it allows it to pass in smaller quantities than cotton wool.

Thermal insulation characteristics of polymers are the best among all heaters:

foam - 0.04 W / m ° C;
extruded polystyrene foam - 0.035 W / m ° С;
polyurethane foam - 0.03 W / m ° C.

Heaters are poorly "friendly" with wood, which often leads to its rotting at the point of contact. Therefore, in wooden dwellings and steam rooms of baths with high humidity, their use is allowed together with an active supply and exhaust ventilation device. The materials are best combined with concrete ceilings and basement ceilings.

Polyfoam is the cheapest, but inferior in durability, in addition, mice like to gnaw it. Foamed polyurethane is also inexpensive, but expensive to apply with specialized equipment. Expanded polystyrene takes the middle position in terms of cost, and in terms of practicality - the first. It is strong and durable, besides, it can be easily mounted on ceilings with your own hands, including from inside the premises.

Here you can see that Penoplex is simply screwed on with self-tapping screws.

Other heaters

We have combined these building materials into a general group according to one feature - a free-flowing structure. The indicators of their thermal conductivity are shown in the table:

Bulk insulation is popular due to its low cost (except for vermiculite) and ease of use. But one must understand that in temperate latitudes, the calculated layer of the same expanded clay must be at least 40 cm, otherwise the thermal insulation will be mediocre. It is not always possible to load the ceiling with such a mass.

In terms of thermal conductivity, straw is not inferior to polystyrene, but it is stored dry for only a few years. To prolong the service life, it is customary to mix it with clay, but then the insulating properties are reduced, as can be seen from the table. A compromise option is small sawdust, poured in a thick layer.

Reference. All organic insulation is very fond of rodents. They appear at the beginning of the cold period and arrange nests for the winter in a layer of sawdust or adobe.

It turns out that these budget materials can be used for thermal insulation of the floor, but with reservations. Vermiculite is expensive, and it makes sense to fill up expanded clay only in the southern regions. To use sawdust, you need to take measures to combat rodents, for example, install ultrasonic repellents.

Determination of insulation thickness

When we figured out how to insulate the ceiling, it is necessary to find out the thickness of the insulating layer. Ideally, such calculations should be performed by design engineers using a rather complex methodology. It takes into account the thermal conductivity of all materials of construction, up to the plasterboard cladding.

We offer a simpler method that allows you to determine the thickness of the insulation with acceptable accuracy using a simple formula. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

Find out the exact value of thermal conductivity λ (W / m ° C) of the selected material or take the value shown in the table below.
In the building regulations of your country of residence, find out the minimum allowable heat transfer resistance R (m² ° C / W) for floors in a particular region.
Calculate the thickness of the insulation in meters using the formula δ = R x λ.

Example. According to SNiP, insulation of floors in Moscow should provide resistance to heat transfer R = 4.15 m² ° C / W. If you lay on the ceiling foam with a thermal conductivity of λ = 0.04 W / m ° C, you will need a thickness δ = 4.15 x 0.04 = 0.166 m or 170 mm rounded. The thinnest layer will come out of polyurethane foam - 125 mm, and the thickest - from expanded clay (415 mm).

How to make insulation from the attic side

External thermal insulation of building structures is considered correct, since it eliminates the fight against condensation that can form at the junction of the ceiling material with insulation. When the latter is located on the cold side, then water vapor from the living quarters cannot get into its thickness and condense, causing the appearance of mold.

To block the path of a couple to the attic, the first layer in the "pie" is a regular thick film, as shown in the diagram. Thermal insulation is laid on top of it, and a crate is lined from below for interior decoration of the ceiling. Above the insulation, you need to make a ventilation gap (air), and then cover it with a waterproofing membrane that allows moisture to pass through only in one direction - to the outside.

Note. The gap between the insulating layer and the membrane is necessary for the removal of condensate formed due to the dew point. Without ventilation, moisture will accumulate in the insulation, reducing its ability to withstand the cold. For this, natural ventilation is organized under the roof.

Ceiling insulation in the attic of a pitched roof is carried out using the following technology:

The vapor barrier film is attached to the floor beams from below with brackets or with battens. If the ceilings are already hemmed and tiled, then spread the film on the floor of the attic, bypassing the boards, as shown in the photo above.
Place a row of slab or roll insulation between the beams. If the pitch of the rafters does not match the width of the insulation, cut the insulation exactly to size between the boards.
When it is necessary to make 2 or 3 layers, lay the plates apart (with overlapping of the lower joints) and the beams themselves. Do not tamp or wrinkle soft roll material, it must be fully flattened.
If the level of thermal insulation is below the roofing boards, then the ventilation duct is considered ready. It remains to cover the entire area with a diffusion membrane, to nail the bars of the counter-lattice and the boardwalk.
The opposite situation: the insulation is above the level of the beams. Then they need to be built up with wooden bars, fixing the latter across the boards.

The device of expanded clay or sawdust insulation layer is also made using vapor barrier films. The material is poured between the beams to the design height, leveled and covered with a membrane. It is not necessary to ram the sawdust so as not to worsen their thermal insulation properties.

The concrete pavement under the pitched roof is insulated using the same technology. The thermal insulation process is shown in more detail in the video:

Sheathing from inside the premises

It is not always technically possible to independently perform external thermal insulation of coatings. There are many examples: apartments on the top floors, loggias with balconies, attics of private houses. In these cases, there is nothing left but to insulate the ceiling from the inside. So feel free to start preparing - seal all the cracks with polyurethane foam, treat the wood with an antiseptic, and concrete with an appropriate primer.

There are 2 ways to insulate the coating internally:

Installation of slab material - polystyrene or basalt wool - on glue, followed by fixing with dowels, if we are talking about a concrete surface.
Arrangement of false ceilings with insulation under the cladding.

In the first version, mineral wool or polystyrene boards are attached to the ceiling with an adhesive mixture or polyurethane foam in such a way that the joints of adjacent rows do not coincide. After the glue hardens, each element is additionally fixed with dowels in the form of fungi, as shown in the photo. From the bottom, the insulation is closed with steam insulation, after which the topcoat is mounted - plaster or stretch ceiling.

In the second case, a metal or wooden frame is attached to the ceiling with a lath pitch equal to the insulation width (usually 600 mm). The lower plane of the frame should be spaced from the ceiling by the thickness of the insulation or be lower. Then a rolled mineral wool is taken and inserted between the slats a spar with additional fixation with dowels, the expanded polystyrene plates are seated on the glue. Next - vapor barrier and finishing.

Conclusion

When performing independent insulation of ceilings, it is important not to confuse the vapor and waterproofing films, and put the superdiffusion membrane correctly - with the marked side up. This is the only difficult moment in the whole procedure, the rest of the work is quite simple. The last nuance: after unpacking the roll of mineral wool, let it straighten and no longer squeeze during installation: this is the working state of the material.

Design engineer with over 8 years of experience in construction.
Graduated from the East Ukrainian National University. Vladimir Dahl with a degree in Electronic Industry Equipment in 2011.

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