The subtleties of ceiling insulation in a private house from the inside. Ceiling insulation in a private house is an important step to reduce heat loss How to properly insulate a ceiling

Ceiling insulation in a private house depends on the type of ceiling: basement or basement, interfloor, attic and roof. Consider all types of floors in a private house and how to insulate ceilings in a private house.

When designing the construction of a private house or performing reconstruction, they make up diagram of places of thermal insulation of barrier structures... Then they calculate the area, the thickness of the insulation for each of the insulation sections, the amount of materials for thermal insulation of the ceiling of the house and other floors: roof, basement, veranda, walls.

Methods for insulating the ceiling of a private house are selected based on the following factors:

Insulation sides: outside or inside;
Structural features of the floor (concrete slab, wooden floor panels);
Ease of installation;
The cost of insulation for the ceiling of the house and insulation work;

The diagram shows premises for various purposes: entrance veranda, residential part of the house and attic, utility part located in a heated basement, basement part, which can be located under the veranda. This scheme of insulation of the ceiling in the house from the inside and outside shows where it is necessary to isolate the premises.

1. Insulation of the ceiling in a house with an attic from the inside.
1a. Insulation on the outside attic floor beams.
1m. Insulation of the ceiling of the house from the side of the unheated attic.
1L. Insulation of the attic hatch.
1c. Insulation of the ceiling in a private house outside (veranda).
1ts. Thermal insulation of floor slabs in the basement or unheated basement.
1d. Heated basement waterproofing.
2. Insulation of the roofing part of the attic.
3-17. Thermal insulation of walls from the inside and outside, windows, doors.

If possible, the insulation of ceilings in private houses is carried out outside, but this is not always possible, sometimes they are isolated from the inside of the room.

Insulation of the ceiling from the inside of the house

The traditional way to insulate the ceiling of a private house is thermal insulation of wooden floors along the joists... Consider a fragment of the diagram - insulation of the attic ceiling in a private house from the inside of the attic.

Ceiling (1) is attached to the floor beams (2) - sheets of gypsum board or OSB.
Ceiling insulation for the house is laid between the beams (3), if they live in the attic all year round, then the vapor barrier is not laid. Insulation (3) performs the function of sound insulation.
The floor (4) is laid on damping pads so that the floor sheets do not bend when walking; in addition, transverse logs are attached between the beams.
(5) GKL.
(6) - vapor barrier.
(7) - lattice rail 20 x 50 mm.
(8) - thermal insulation; the insulation of the ceiling with stone wool in a private house is performed from the inside of the living quarters. The material is environmentally friendly and fire safe.
(9) - rafter board 50 x150 or 50 x 200 mm, the wider, the thicker the insulation layer, which also plays the role of a noise absorber.
(10) - counter grill to create a ventilation gap.
(11) - vapor barrier membrane.
(12) - Metal tiles or other roofing material.

Using the example of a veranda, let's see how to insulate the ceiling of a house from the outside, when above it unheated room... It is better to carry out thermal insulation when building a veranda, when access to the ceiling is free. The scheme is approximately the same as the previous one, but here the insulation is located between the waterproofing and vapor barrier films.

(1) - tongue and groove ceiling.
(2) - floor beam, board 50 x 200 mm.
(3) - waterproofing.
(4) - thermal insulation with basalt wool.
(5) - vapor barrier.
(6) - floor slab. You can leave only the vapor barrier, the floor is not needed, because this space is not used. The top will be closed with a pitched roof.

Advice. Use natural materials for insulation of ceilings that are readily available in your area and literally - lying under your feet: sawdust, moss, straw, clay, reeds, reeds, shavings. They are usually mixed with clay.

Insulation of the ceiling with reeds found application in a private house, where this raw material is in abundance. Reed is an excellent environmentally friendly material, and most importantly, it is free. It is prepared like a reed: it is dried under a canopy, then tied with a thin wire in mats, laid on a waterproofing film of the veranda ceiling.

The disadvantage of this method is fire hazard of insulation... It is better to perform thermal insulation of the ceiling of the house. non-combustible materials: basalt wool, expanded clay, extruded styrene foam.

How to insulate the ceiling with expanded clay in a private house

Best use expanded clay- thermal insulation of the ceiling of the basement, basement, unheated attic space. Insulation of the ceiling with expanded clay in a private house is shown in the picture.

A vapor barrier film is laid on the grooved floorboard of the veranda Izospan, then a layer of expanded clay is poured 15-20 cm and more and more nothing to lay, everything will be under the roof.

Insulation of the ceiling on the veranda of a private house with ecowool is performed if it is impossible to insulate it from the outside. Eco-wool is laid between the floor beams, then a vapor barrier film is attached to the beams with a stapler, a 20x50 mm counter-rail is nailed to the beams for the ventilation gap, and the ceiling is sewn with gypsum board or other material, as in the insulation scheme discussed above, where instead of (1) - sheets of gypsum board , and instead of (4) - stone wool, ecowool is laid.

Do-it-yourself ceiling insulation in a private house

Thermal insulation attic floor from the side of the attic, customers often do it themselves. Knowing the insulation technology, it is not difficult to do this job. Especially for the finished floor.

If the attic floor is not used for housing, then the ceiling insulation in a house made of aerated concrete is performed as shown in the picture.

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

Measure the area of the space where the waterproofing will be installed.
They buy film, adhesive tape, polyurethane foam, roll insulation 100 mm thick.
Foam the gaps between the beams and the floor.
Lay the film between the floor beams.
The joints of the film are glued with tape.
Insulation on the ceiling in a private house is laid between the beams, the distance between them is 57-59 cm.

From above, the insulation is covered with roofing material, ladders are made for walking, or OSB sheets are nailed to the beams, equipping the attic for a warehouse.

The better to insulate the ceiling of a private house

The market of thermal insulation materials is represented by rolled and sheet (in the form of mats) heaters of domestic and foreign manufacturers. For each of the floors, thermal insulation is selected according to the following criteria:

Environmental safety, for indoor ceilings.
Fire safety, for all floors.
Low thermal conductivity is expressed as W / m K.
Durability.
The cost of material and installation.

Insulating the ceiling in a house with expensive materials does not at all guarantee the quality of insulation.

Advice. It is important to observe the technology of ceiling insulation in a private house. Thermal insulation is a barrier to heat escaping from the house. Correct insulation of the ceiling in a private house does not mean that it is necessary to keep warm. The room must not be closed tightly so that there is no accumulation of harmful substances: carbon dioxide or radon. Therefore, ventilation is also needed in the house.

How to insulate the ceiling from the inside in a private house with your own hands

It is quite capable of doing basement or basement insulation by ourselves. How to insulate the ceiling in a house on a wooden floor is shown in the picture.

Insulation extruded polystyrene foam (2) "BATEPLEX" with a thickness of 50 mm is cut to fit between the beam floor. The joints and places of contact with the beams are foamed with a sealant. Then the second layer is staggered. All joints and gaps are sealed with polyurethane foam; gypsum boards are sewn on the beams. Insulation of the ceiling in a private house from the inside with foam is done in the same way. Advantages of thermal insulation with BATEPLEX plates:

The slabs are lightweight, attached to wood and concrete surfaces with liquid nails.
The structure of the slabs is vapor and waterproof.
Low rates of thermal conductivity.
A fire retardant plaster layer can be applied to the surface of the boards.
Environmentally friendly and durable.

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

When it comes to thermal insulation from inside the building, then here you need to understand that interfloor ceilings often do not insulate, but do soundproofing... Only those rooms that cannot be insulated from above are insulated from the inside. This usually happens when the cold penetrates from the basement or basement. Then, from the inside of the basement, the ceiling is insulated, as shown above.

And what is used to insulate the ceiling of the house, which is under unheated attic? Also, as in the last picture, only in addition to the beams they attach vapor barrier film... Then a counter-rail is additionally nailed along the beams and then the gypsum board. If the floor is concrete, then the BATEPLEX slabs are glued to the concrete slab, the joints are sealed with polyurethane foam, and then decorated with a stretch ceiling.

How to properly insulate the ceiling in a private house so that moisture does not accumulate in the insulation. For this there are waterproofing and vapor barrier materials... These are not only different films, but also a number of materials that have been used for a long time. Everyone is familiar roofing felt, excellent vapor barrier material, dense glassine, various bitumen-based mastics.

The task of proper insulation- prevent condensation from forming in the insulation, the temperature difference at which wet steam condenses in the form of fog or dew drops. Moisture should not penetrate the insulation, and if a small amount of it has penetrated, then this moisture must be allowed to evaporate.

Advice. Correct installation of the film helps to remove moisture from the insulation. Ventilation gaps serve for the fastest evaporation of moisture from the insulation. When buying a film, ask for instructions for its installation.

What is the best way to insulate the ceiling in private house... The owner's desire is for it to be warm and beautiful. Regardless of how to insulate the ceiling in a private house from the outside or from the inside, it is necessary that these conditions are met and plus sound insulation. These issues are being addressed suspended ceiling systems... They decorate communications and defects of the main ceiling.

How can you insulate the ceiling in a private house under a stretch ceiling? Such a need arises when the premises are being repaired and, together with thermal insulation, the laying of communications is carried out.

Insulate the ceiling in a way along the logs or fastening insulation to the ceiling... Ceiling insulation methods in a private house are described above. To them, you can also add options for warming the ceiling in a private house for cold ceilings - thermal insulation using natural materials and expanded clay - concrete screed, as well as thermal insulation with bulk and coating materials (a mixture of clay with sawdust, shavings).

Heat insulating materials Our northern neighbors Scandinavians have been using it for a long time. The concept of thermal insulation consists in the use of materials with low thermal conductivity, the use of steam and waterproofing, temperature control systems and the chemical composition of the air.

A very significant part of the heat generated in the house goes through the cold ceiling and attic, if the ceiling does not have reliable insulation. Therefore, high-quality thermal insulation of this structure is extremely necessary. Warm air always strives upward. And if a cold obstacle is encountered on his way, he will rapidly cool down. And this means, firstly, that the heating system will partially work for the useless heating of the non-insulated floor, that is, waste expensive energy resources. And secondly, a meeting with a cold barrier leads to condensation of water vapor, which is always contained in the atmosphere of the premises. Well, who likes that the ceiling is constantly wet? And this affects the durability of the finish and the floor itself in the most negative way.

In a word, the ceiling, or rather, the overlap between the living rooms and the cold attic, must be insulated without fail. Moreover, if earlier it was problematic to find a suitable material, today the market offers a very wide range of different heaters for “different tastes and wallets”.

To begin with, in the table we give some of the main characteristics of the heaters listed above:

Insulation name	Thermal conductivity, W / m × K	Flammability group	Environmental friendliness of the material
Glass wool	0.038 ÷ 0.046	NG - G3	contain phenol-formaldehyde resins
Basalt wool	0.035 ÷ 0.042
Slag wool	0.046 ÷ 0.050
Cork slabs	0.03 ÷ 0.05	NG	natural
Ecowool	0.038 ÷ 0.045	G3-G4	natural
Linen mats	0.037 ÷ 0.04	G4	natural
Thermal insulating peat blocks	0.052 ÷ 0.064	G3-G4	natural
Foam glass	0.045 ÷ 0.07	NG	natural
	0.032 ÷ 0.035	G1-G3	capable of releasing toxic substances, especially during thermal decomposition
Sprayed polyurethane foam	0.028 ÷ 0.030	G2	starting components may pose a hazard before they are mixed, foamed and polymerized
Expanded clay	0.16	NG	natural
Slag	0.29 - boiler room; 0.15 - granular	NG	may contain substances hazardous to human health
Sawdust	0.06 ÷ 0.08	G4	natural

Mineral wool

Mineral wool can be made from different materials - these are basalt rocks, glass raw materials and slag. Materials have different characteristics, therefore, products made from them differ in some parameters.

Mineral wool of any type is produced in mats and slabs with different densities, and the spread is very large: from 25 to 200 kg / m³. Low density products are mainly used for thermal insulation of horizontal surfaces. The denser versions are produced in slabs and are suitable for insulating facades, roofs, floors, etc. For thermal insulation of the ceiling (that is, the attic floor), there is absolutely no need to chase the increased density.

Basalt (stone) wool

This type of material has the best performance of any mineral wool. True, it also costs more.

You may be interested in information about what kind of insulation

Stone wool is made from the melt of rocks of the gabbro-basalt group. Microscopic fibers are drawn from the molten mass, from which mats and slabs are then formed.

Due to the special processing of high-quality products, they have a low coefficient of moisture absorption, sometimes reaching almost complete hydrophobicity. This suggests that the insulation does not lose its thermal insulation qualities throughout the entire period of operation.

High-quality basalt wool can withstand high temperatures. Many products are completely non-flammable, that is, they belong to the NG group. The advantage is the increased flexibility and elasticity of the fibers. It is easier to work with such a material, and there is practically no tendency to shrinkage in high-quality basalt wool.

The disadvantages of this material include the content of phenolic resins, which serve as a binder for the fibers. If a decision is made to purchase such a heater, then you should pay attention to products labeled "ECO". Such materials, of course, have a higher cost, but the manufacturer guarantees their environmental friendliness, since acrylic resins, which are harmless to humans, act as a binder for olokons.

Glass wool

For the manufacture of glass wool, glass breakage, sand, soda, limestone and borax are used - all of them are safe for human health and the environment. These components also melt, turn into fibers. However, the same phenol-formaldehyde resins act as binders for them, which is one of the "disadvantages" of this material. Moreover, the evaporation of these substances can occur throughout the entire operation of the insulation.

Glass fibers are much more fragile than basalt fibers. They can cause superficial damage to the skin, enter the respiratory tract, and pose a danger to mucous membranes, especially if they get into the eyes. Therefore, when installing glass wool insulation, you should always use protective equipment for open areas of the body (overalls), eyes (glasses) and respiratory organs (respirator).

The following qualities can be attributed to the positive characteristics of this material, made without violating the technology:

Fairly high fire resistance.
Low thermal conductivity.
Frost resistance.
Inertness to chemicals.
Affordable price - glass wool will always be cheaper than a basalt analogue with the same performance characteristics.

In terms of thermal insulation qualities, glass wool sometimes even surpasses its basalt "brother". But due to insufficient elasticity and strength of the fibers, it is still susceptible to shrinkage, which reduces the heat-insulating properties of the material. Her hygroscopicity indicators are also worse, that is, it is much easier to wet the insulation layer.

Slag

Slag wool is produced from blast furnace slag. The material consists of fibers (again, drawn from the melt), slag dust and solid particles, although the presence of the latter indicates the low quality of the insulation.

Since the waste of metallurgical production is used, it is absolutely possible that substances hazardous to humans may be included in the slag wool. In addition, such a "chemical bouquet" can lead to the rapid development of corrosion on metal structural elements in contact with the insulation material.

To date, this insulation is practically not used in individual construction. There are too many risks that do not justify the affordable price at all. And there are enough other significant shortcomings:

High hygroscopicity - slag wool absorbs moisture well.
Over time, the material shrinks strongly, while its thermal insulation qualities decrease.
The presence in the composition of the material not only of formaldehyde binders, but also of other substances hazardous to human health.
The material is brittle, the fibers are prickly, that is, the slag is also very uncomfortable to work with.

So, basalt wool seems to be the best choice. However, high-quality glass wool products (in many of them its shortcomings are minimized) are also good for floor insulation. It is better not even to consider slag as a possible option at all.

With all the advantages of mineral wool, it also has a serious "minus"

Although very often manufacturers assure that mineral wool does not attract rodents, it is impossible to agree with this. Mice feel great both in basalt and glass wool, and in slag insulation. They equip nests in slabs and gnaw through passages, and this happens especially often if the insulation is closed. This means that some protective measures will have to be taken, for example, to surround the thermal insulating layer around the perimeter with a fine metal mesh, in order, in principle, to exclude the possibility of mice entering it.

Cork slabs

Natural cork slabs (agglomerate) can be called a unique material. They are made from the bark of cork oak with natural wood adhesives as a binder for the crushed chips. They are activated during the processing of raw materials under certain conditions of temperature and pressure (pressing) Therefore, cork slabs can be safely attributed to environmentally friendly insulation.

Due to the peculiarities of natural raw materials, the heat insulator has excellent performance characteristics, namely:

The disadvantage of this material, perhaps, can be called only one factor - this is its cost, which significantly exceeds the price of any type of mineral wool.

Ecowool

Ecowool is made from cellulose fibers, as well as from cardboard and paper production waste. This material goes on sale in packages - in bulk or in the form of molded plates of a specified size.

The loose version of the material is used in a dry form for filling the cavities left for insulation, or in a moist one, using the spraying method. The most convenient and cheapest way is to install panel material, since no additional equipment is required for the insulation process.

The advantages of ecowool-based insulation materials include the following qualities:

Quite a high level of sound insulation.
Low thermal conductivity.
High vapor permeability, which means that moisture will not linger in the layers of insulation, subject to the rules of installation.
The material creates a monolithic seamless coating, which eliminates the appearance of "cold bridges".
Quite affordable cost.

Ecowool has its drawbacks:

High level of hygroscopicity.
Over time, the thermal insulation qualities of the material decrease due to its shrinkage. Therefore, periodically, it may be necessary to add ecowool to the original layer.
The difficulty of applying ecowool using the "wet" method, since this requires special equipment and skills to work with it.
Ecowool receives processing from the excessive flammability inherent in cellulose. But it is still impossible to call it a completely non-combustible material.

Extruded polystyrene foam

Expanded polystyrene is a modern board material that can have different thicknesses and densities. This insulation is used for both internal and external insulation of residential and non-residential buildings.

Insulation consists of 98% air, therefore it has very high thermal insulation capabilities.

The advantages of this material include the following qualities:

Low thermal conductivity, one of the lowest among all heaters in general ..
Simplicity of processing and installation, along with high strength and stability of forms during the entire period of operation.
Long service life without loss of thermal insulation properties.
Almost complete absence of moisture absorption.
As part of a quality material, flame retardant additives are introduced, which prevent the fire of expanded polystyrene in extreme situations.
Chemical stability, resistance to biological damage.

The disadvantages of extruded polystyrene foam include:

With prolonged exposure to an open flame, the plates nevertheless ignite and melt, and the molten mass is able to spread, spreading the fire. But it is even more terrible that when burning, extremely toxic smoke, which is deadly to human life, is emitted.
Extruded polystyrene foam is not vapor-permeable, that is, it is not a "breathable" material. This should be taken into account when planning the insulation cake.

Let's clarify one point: the article deliberately does not consider the "close relative" of extruded polystyrene foam, namely, ordinary white foam. Simply for the reason that it has much more serious shortcomings, and using foam for internal insulation of a house or apartment is a very risky business. Extruded polystyrene foam is still much safer.

Sprayed polyurethane foam

This insulation is made directly in the process of its application with special equipment by mixing two initial components. These constituents react with stirring, resulting in the formation of a foamy substance. It is sprayed onto the surface with a relatively thin layer and begins to expand, filling all the surrounding free space, forming a monolithic coating.

After expansion, the solidification phase sets in, and a strong thermal insulation coating is obtained, which is a homogeneous porous mass with insulated gas-filled cells.

Polyurethane foam is one of the most effective, reliable and durable insulation materials. This is evidenced by a number of its advantages:

Very low thermal conductivity. And the solidity of the applied layer excludes the appearance of "cold bridges".
Quite high strength of the solidified layer at a low specific density.
Complete resistance to moisture - the material is impermeable to neither water nor water vapor.
High adhesion capacity with almost any building material.
High noise insulation qualities.
The material does not settle and does not lose its thermal insulation properties over time.
High speed of performance of thermal insulation works on structures of any complexity.

Disadvantages of sprayed polyurethane foam:

The material is not breathable, but in some cases this can be regarded as a positive quality.
Low resistance to ultraviolet radiation - insulation requires unconditional protection from sunlight.
Flammability of the material after prolonged exposure to open fire. True, its rapid self-extinguishing is observed if the flame source is removed. In addition, the material does not flow when exposed to fire, and the charring of the upper layers prevents further spread of the fire source.
The very high cost of the material, taking into account the invitation of the master with the equipment. Disposable self-application kits are on the market, but their price is still seen as frighteningly high.

Expanded clay

One of the options for ceiling insulation is the use of expanded clay of various fractions. It is a natural material made from clay by means of its special heat treatment.

Expanded clay has a number of positive qualities:

Ecological cleanliness. The material does not contain or emit toxic substances.
Quite low thermal conductivity. Expanded clay throughout the entire period of operation does not lose its thermal insulation qualities.
Good sound insulation properties.
Low moisture absorption.
High vapor permeability.
Expanded clay refers to non-combustible materials.
High frost resistance.
Inertness to temperature extremes.
The biological stability of the material, that is, pathogenic microflora does not form on it, rodents bypass it.
Ease of use.

But, despite the numerous advantages, expanded clay has its own disadvantages:

In terms of thermal insulation, it almost three times loses to modern heaters such as mineral wool or expanded polystyrene. That is, for a full, high-quality insulation of the floor, a very thick layer of expanded clay is required, which is not always possible.
Since a lot of expanded clay is required, this can lead to a significant increase in the cost of the ceiling insulation project. Moreover, taking into account the transportation of large volumes of material and lifting them to a height.
The material is loose and rather dusty, especially if a variety with a small fraction of expanded clay is used. This affects the construction of the "insulation cake".

Sawdust

Wood sawdust is one of the oldest thermal insulation materials for private houses. The thermal conductivity of sawdust is perhaps slightly higher than that of modern materials, however, the combination of all characteristics often looks more advantageous than the use of synthetic insulation.

So, sawdust has both positive and negative qualities. The first include the following characteristics:

Affordable material cost. Sometimes he gets it for free.
Low thermal conductivity, although a thicker layer of material will have to be installed for sufficient thermal insulation.
Excellent vapor permeability. Sawdust is a breathable heat insulator that does not retain moisture. They have unique properties to absorb excess moisture, and when the air humidity decreases, they release it into the environment.
Long service life. Correctly prepared sawdust will serve as a heat insulator for 50 years or more.
Environmental friendliness of the material.

The disadvantages of sawdust insulation include its following characteristics:

Flammability. However, if a wooden house is insulated with them, it itself has the same characteristic. When burning, sawdust does not produce toxic smoke.
The need for special treatment to prevent biodegradation or damage to the material. That is, sawdust will last for a long time without losing the original thermal insulation qualities only if they are properly prepared.

Ceiling insulation with sawdust is done in three ways:

Filling of overlapping cavities with sawdust treated with boric acid, lime, antiseptics and fire retardants;

Filling with a solution of gypsum sawdust, cement, clay or PVA glue;

Formation of insulation boards from sawdust and clay.

In any case, it will take a lot of time for high-quality insulation with sawdust. Such laboriousness often scares away the owners of private houses, and they prefer ready-made materials that are easier to install.

Installation of different types of heaters for thermal insulation of the ceiling

As mentioned above, there are slab, roll, backfill and sprayed insulation. Some of them are used with very similar technology. Therefore, this process will be considered in this way.

Use of plate and roll insulation

If a plate or roll insulation is chosen, then when carrying out work, they usually follow the scheme below. However, the use of mineral wool and extruded polystyrene foam has its own nuances, since the materials differ in their density and stiffness.

The layout of materials for insulation of the ceiling from the attic is as follows:

Floor beams.
Windproof membrane.
Insulation material.
Vapor barrier membrane.

The warming process looks like this step by step:

If slabs or rolls of mineral wool, linen slabs or other vapor-permeable material are used, then the first step is to cover the floor surface with a vapor barrier membrane.

The material bends around the floor beams and is freely laid between them, then is attached to the wood using a stapler and staples. The vapor barrier will protect the insulation from fumes from the premises of the house - there the pressure of water vapor is always higher, especially in the cold season. When laying the membrane, it is necessary to be guided by the markings on the foil. The manufacturer specifies which side it should be laid down.

The membrane is laid in strips with an overlap of 100 mm between them. Along the joint line, it is sealed with moisture resistant tape.

In the case of using polystyrene foam for insulation (although, to be honest, it is better not to use it at all) or extruded polystyrene foam, it will be necessary to level the surface between the floor beams for its installation - usually a rough ceiling filing is packed. If rock wool takes the form of a base due to its elasticity, then rigid foam plates will simply break when pressed on them. That is why the base must be flat. Under the extruded polystyrene foam, in fact, it is possible not to lay a vapor barrier at all, since it is vapor-tight, non-hygroscopic, that is, it does not absorb vapors and moisture.
The next step is to install slab or roll insulation on the vapor barrier film between the floor beams.

Installation of slab or roll insulation is a simple process. Usually, such a step between the balls (lags) is already foreseen in advance, so that the slabs or rolls are stacked at random.

If styrofoam or other rigid slabs are to be laid, they should be cut exactly the width of the pitch between the beams, or slightly less. If, after installing this insulation, gaps remain between the beams and the slabs (and this, one way or another, cannot be avoided), they must be filled with polyurethane foam.

After installing the insulation, the entire surface of the attic floor is tightened with a windproof membrane, which is fixed with brackets on the beams.
Further, if you plan to equip a floor in the attic, a pressure or plywood flooring is laid on top of the wind protection. In this case, it is advisable to leave a ventilation gap so that moisture from the insulation is easier to evaporate into the atmosphere.

When using insulation with a foil layer, the resistance to heat loss will be increased. In this case, the insulation is laid with the foil side down.
If the floor beams are recessed in the backfill, then the logs are fixed perpendicular to them with a step "in the light" of about 550 mm. After that, a vapor barrier is fixed on the surface, and then the insulation is laid.

It is not necessary to install thermal insulation from the attic side, although this is probably still easier. Sometimes the installation of the "insulation cake" is carried out from the side of the room. But the arrangement of the membranes is preserved. That is, after laying the insulation, it must be tightened from below with a vapor barrier, and only then the ceiling is hemmed. This will be discussed in detail below.

Laying backfill thermal insulation

In order to insulate the ceiling from the attic side with filling material, it is necessary to prepare the base.

There are two ways to prepare the bases:

Lay material that will keep the backfill insulation in the required area, preventing it from getting into the cracks between the boards of the rough ceiling sheathing;

Cover the gaps between the boards, as well as between the boards and floor beams with a solution of clay and lime.

The second option requires more time to work, but the amount allocated for the filling material will be saved.

Roofing material, glassine or the same vapor barrier membrane can be used as a covering for loose insulation. The canvases are laid with an overlap of 100 ÷ 150 mm, and glued with a wide moisture-resistant tape. If roofing material is used, then its joints are glued with bituminous mastic.

If a filling material such as sawdust is chosen, then the preparation of the base for it should be done by smearing it with a clay-lime mixture. For ecowool, it would be better to use a vapor barrier membrane.

When filling the floor with ecowool, it must be tamped well, otherwise it will shrink over time.

When the ceiling is completely covered with insulation, the entire surface is covered with a diffuse membrane, so that moisture from above (for example, when the roof is leaking) does not get into the insulating layer, but can freely evaporate from it. Again, it is recommended to leave a ventilation gap.

Well, then the attic floor is laid.

Sometimes, in cases where the attic does not become an exploitable room, and there is no doubt about the reliability of the roofing, they do without an upper membrane at all, and without a boardwalk too.

Video: insulation of the ceiling of a private house with expanded clay

Ceiling insulation from inside the house - step by step

It is clear that it is more convenient to carry out insulation of the ceiling from the side of the attic. But it also happens that the roof slopes are located at a very small angle, and there is no possibility of free work in the attic.

For example, the process of such insulation will be shown step by step - from the side of the room. However, some processes may still require roof penetration. As in this case, the master solved this problem - it will also be presented in the instructions for installing insulation.

To begin with, it is worth determining a list of everything you need to carry out the work:

Insulation material. In this case, it is Isover Profi mineral wool in a roll, but you can also purchase a slab version.
Isover windproof membrane.
Isover vapor barrier membrane.
A bar with a section of 50 × 50 mm.
Boards 120 × 15 mm for lathing under the ceiling sheathing.
Antiseptic impregnation for wood processing.
Nylon or polypropylene twine.
Exterior cladding material - plasterboard, lining, Qwick Deck, etc.
Self-tapping screws of different lengths.
Screwdriver.
Electric jigsaw.
Scaffolding or reliable stable ladder (goats).
Stapler and staples.
Building level.
Stationery knife.
Respiratory protection mask, gloves and clothing that completely covers the skin surface.

Illustration	Brief description of the operations performed
	So, in a room with an area of 9 m², it is necessary to equip and insulate the ceiling. As you can see in the photo, so far only floor beams made of a 200 × 50 mm board are fixed on the Mauerlat.
	To carry out the work, you will need a bar with a cross section of 50 × 50 mm. The timber must be level and clean. Therefore, if black mold stains are found on its surface, it is recommended to clean them, for example, using an electric plane.
	Then the wooden parts are treated with a solution of an antiseptic - fire retardant. It is best to use solutions that have a peculiar tint - then the treated areas will be immediately visible. It is convenient to cover the timber with an antiseptic by laying the parts in a row. Having applied the composition to one side of the wood, the bars are turned with the other side - and so on until all the material has been processed.
	The next step along the perimeter of the ceiling, under the floor beams, the prepared timber is fixed to the end of the Mauerlat.
	Further, for the convenience of laying the windproof film, temporary retaining boards are laid on top of the floor beams. They are not fixed, as they will move. A windproof membrane is laid on top of the boards. In this case, Isover HB Light was chosen.
	The membrane is first fixed on the outer beams, as well as on the end boards (Mauerlat) installed on the concrete wall trim. Fixation is carried out using a stapler and staples. The adjacent membrane sheets are overlapped by 150 mm.
	Further, the work is carried out from the side of the attic, since it is necessary to fix the windscreen to the upper ends of the floor beams. For the safety of movement along the beams, on top of the membrane, the master laid support boards with a width of 150 ÷ 170 mm and a thickness of 25 mm perpendicular to the beams.
	In the next step, the previously fixed bars framing the ceiling must be supplemented with lathing crossbars. They sort of line up in frames. These lintels will provide a good support for mineral wool blocks when they are laid between the beams, and subsequently serve as a crate for ceiling sheathing. The step is chosen so that the strips of insulation fit tightly between the beams. That is, since a roll with a width of 600 mm is used, there should be approximately 550 mm between the beams in the clear.
	The master chose the Isover Profi mineral wool, which is sold in a roll, as a heater. Material thickness - 100 mm. It is more convenient to purchase heat-insulating material in a roll because you can cut slabs of the required width from it. Thus, less waste can be obtained.
	The first step in working with insulation is cut into strips to seal the gaps between the Mauerlat and the windproof membrane around the entire perimeter of the ceiling. The width of the strips should be 40 ÷ 50 mm.
	Next, the mineral wool is cut from a roll into slabs of the required length and, if necessary, width. Calculations carried out in advance showed that a layer of insulation of 200 mm would be required. This was foreseen - the height of the floor beams is just 200 mm, that is, two layers of insulation with a thickness of 100 mm will be required.
	The prepared fragments of mineral wool are placed between the floor beams. Each layer is carefully distributed in space and gently pressed against the windproof membrane.
	Then the second layer of insulation is laid below. At the same time, the place where the blocks of mineral wool of the upper layer were joined is covered with a whole slab in the lower one.
	To speed up the work, you can immediately form a mat of 200 mm from two pieces of insulation 100 mm thick and lay it under the cross-pieces of a bar fixed on the floor beams.
	However, do not forget that when laying the insulation in this way, it is necessary that the joints of the plates of the upper and lower layers are delimited from each other, by about 250 ÷ 300 mm. This arrangement will completely remove the question of possible "cold bridges" in the insulation layer.
	If there are a lot of scraps, then the inner (upper) layer can be collected from them, and the lower one can be made from solid pieces.
	To prevent the insulation from sagging down between the jumper bars, it should be reinforced with a plastic twine, fixing it at the ends of the floor beams with a stapler and staples.
	For this purpose, a conventional, inexpensive, for example, nylon or polypropylene twine is used. It will take quite a lot, since the very bottom layer of insulation has yet to be tied up. It is not recommended to spare the string. Let everything be safe.
	The last, outer layer of thermal insulation material is mounted along the packed bars. Its thickness should correspond to the thickness of the timber, that is, 50 mm. To do this, cut slabs with a thickness of 100 mm must be divided into two in thickness. Here, laying each plate, it must be immediately fixed with a twine, shooting it to the bars.
	Further, the thermal insulation structure should be closed from below with a layer of reliable vapor barrier material so that moisture from inside the house does not penetrate into the insulation. This material should not be confused with a windproof membrane! The important thing here is that a reliable barrier is set up for the pair. If moisture accumulates inside the mineral wool, it will lose its thermal insulation qualities. And waterlogging of wooden parts of the structure is not good for them.
	The master uses the Isover VS 80 vapor barrier membrane. It will be more convenient to work if you choose a material equipped with an adhesive strip, which makes it easier to fasten two adjacent sheets together. The adhesive strip is covered with a protective film, which is removed before the sheets are bonded.
	After the second web has been overlapped with the first by a width, usually indicated by a line on the web itself, the protective film is removed from the edge of the first web. After that, it is enough to run your hand along the joint of the canvases so that they are securely connected to each other.
	If the connection does not seem strong enough, it can be glued with tape. For this purpose, it is best to use reinforced sanitary tape, which is moisture resistant and has good adhesion to almost any surface. In any case, it adheres perfectly to any membranes.
	The membrane is cut to fit the ceiling and fixed on three sides. Then, holding the canvas with a piece of metal profile or a building level, the membrane is pulled up and fixed on the bar finally with the help of staples.
	For the convenience of performing work at height, it is recommended to use reliable scaffolding or goats. If you work with them, both hands of the master remain free, and it is also possible to cover a fairly large work area. With an ordinary stepladder, you can suffer a lot.
	When fixing the last side of the vapor barrier material, it is better not to stretch it, but to assemble it in an "accordion" yayayayayayayayaya, in order to compensate for the linear expansion of the material when the temperature changes. To keep the "accordion" in the required position, it should be fixed with tape.
	The joint between the wall and the vapor barrier should be glued with a sealant. To do this, the edge of the canvas is lifted up, a sealant is applied to the wall, then the edge of the material is lowered and pressed against the wall.
	The main task of using a sealant is to prevent moisture from penetrating into the insulation during the operation of the premises. The remaining rolled-down edge of the vapor control membrane can then be docked with the vapor barrier of the walls, if required.
	Further, on top of the vapor barrier to the bars, perpendicular to them, lathing boards are attached for the subsequent sheathing of the ceiling. In this case, the step between them is 600 mm, but if desired, they can be installed more often, depending on the chosen decorative material. Self-tapping screws, of course, will make holes in the vapor barrier, but boards that are securely pressed in these places to the bars will not allow the steam to penetrate the insulation. If the vapor barrier film was accidentally pierced during operation, the hole should be immediately sealed with plumbing tape.
	The result of the work done was a heater closed with membranes on both sides, enclosed between the floor beams and supported by battens. The boards stuffed from below are not only a frame for finishing the ceiling. They also set the required ventilation gap between the vapor barrier membrane and the finishing layer. If this is not foreseen, condensation can begin to accumulate on the surface of the ceiling.
	Ceiling cladding can be made with plasterboard or clapboard. But in this case, the master chose the moisture resistant Quick Deck sheets. To fasten the sheets, it is necessary to choose self-tapping screws of such a length so that they do not pierce the crate boards through and through and do not break through the vapor barrier. For the convenience of fixing the sheathing on the crate, it is recommended to pre-bait the self-tapping screws along the edges of the slab.
	Before attaching the sheathing, remember to route the electrical cable for the ceiling lighting fixture. It must be insulated into a special corrugated tube. Further, the sheets are fixed to the sheathing boards using self-tapping screws, the caps of which must be sunk into the board material to a shallow depth (about 1 mm). This is easily solved by correctly adjusting the tightening torque of the screwdriver (ratchet).
	A small gap must be left between the wall and the cladding boards for thermal expansion of the material when the room temperature and humidity changes. If necessary, additional marking, cutting and adjustment of sheets are made.
	“Quick Deck” panels are equipped with a “tongue-and-groove” lock, therefore, when they are installed, the connection is tight and even. In this case, the lock itself already provides a temperature gap. First, the slabs are grabbed in several places, and then they are completely fixed with additional self-tapping screws.

Thanks to precise markings and well-fitting details, the ceiling is flat and neat. Further? the surface is putty and painted or pasted over with decorative material. But this is already finishing work, but we, in fact, have completely figured out the insulation of the ceiling.

As you can see from the description presented, it is quite possible to carry out the insulation of the ceiling on your own, without involving professional builders. True, working extremely carefully, with exact observance of the sequence of assembling the layers of the common "pie" /

And one more important question remained unclear for us - how thick should a sufficient layer of insulation be? Let's consider it in the appendix to the article.

APPENDIX: What thickness of ceiling insulation is required?

To determine this parameter, you will have to make a small heat engineering calculation. You should not be immediately intimidated by this - with our calculator, it will not be difficult to perform the necessary calculations.

The calculation itself is based on the fact that the total thermal resistance of the ceiling structure under a cold attic (or even without it, for example, with a flat roof) should be no less than the normalized value established by SNiP. And this total resistance is the sum of the indicators of each of the layers of the structure. Thus, knowing the materials of manufacture and thermal conductivity indicators, having a clear plan for further covering the ceiling and attic floor, it is easy to calculate which layer and which insulation will provide the required thermal resistance value.

And the normalized value of the resistance to heat transfer can be found for your region according to the proposed map-scheme. A small nuance: it is different for walls, floors and coverings - therefore, the values on the diagram are highlighted in different colors. In this case, we are interested in "for overlaps" - these indicators are highlighted in blue.

We will not overload the reader with formulas, but rather immediately offer an online calculator. A number of explanations will be given directly below it, possibly necessary for a quick and accurate calculation.

September 6, 2016
Specialization: Master in the construction of plasterboard structures, finishing works and laying floor coverings. Installation of door and window blocks, decoration of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

Ceiling insulation is a fairly simple process, but thanks to it, heat loss through this part of the structure can be significantly reduced. The advantage of this type of work can be considered that almost all insulation options can be carried out on their own without the use of special equipment. I will tell you about the correct technology for each of the options, and you will carefully read all the solutions and choose the best one for your home.

Warming methods

Of all the options that I will tell you about, only one cannot be laid with high quality without special equipment, the rest are easily implemented by hand. Different solutions require different costs, this factor should also not be overlooked, because in some cases the expenses may be minimal, and in some you will have to pay a large sum.

An important note: those methods that are expensive are much more efficient than budgetary ones, this is a well-known truth, and you must remember it.

Basically, all options involve external insulation, that is, work in the attic. It is much more convenient from the point of view of a simple process, in addition, you can work without littering inside. Of course, in some situations it will be necessary to carry out work from the inside, I will also touch on them in the relevant sections.

Option number 1 - foam or extruded polystyrene foam

This is a fairly popular solution, the foam is cheaper, and the extruded options are much stronger. But in the attic, strength does not really matter, so there is no point in spending extra funds. Let's figure out what is needed for work:

Styrofoam	For work, it is best to use sheets with a thickness of 100 mm, the density can be the lowest - 15 kg per cubic meter. You can lay the material in two layers, then the joints between the sheets should not coincide, the top row is placed with an offset, so greater reliability is ensured. The amount is calculated based on the area to be covered, everything is quite simple here, remember that one cubic meter is enough for 10 square meters with a layer of 10 cm
Polyurethane foam	With its help, all the cracks at the joints and abutments will be closed. It is impossible to fit the foam perfectly precisely, so you need to close up all the voids, and the polyurethane foam is perfect for these purposes, the ideal option is to buy a professional gun, since it is much more convenient to apply the composition with its help, and this can be done even in narrow crevices, which very important in our case
Vapor barrier membrane or glassine	Personally, I believe that these materials can be dispensed with, since the wood does not need additional insulation. But if you still want to cover the surface, then use membrane options, but not in any case a film, since condensation will form under it and decay processes may begin in the wood. If the attic is residential, then the insulation can be laid on the top, it is attached directly to the beams

As for the technology, do-it-yourself ceiling insulation is done according to the following algorithm:

First of all, the surface is freed from all objects and is cleared of debris, if any.... The space between the beams must be dry and clean so that nothing interferes with the most tight fit of the thermal insulation material;
Next, sheets of foam are prepared, if you need to cut them, then keep in mind that the width of the element should be 10 mm more than the distance between the frame, this will ensure a dense arrangement of the material in the structure. For work, I advise you to purchase a special hacksaw, with its help you will quickly and efficiently cut the material;

If you are going to install a vapor barrier, then do it with overlaps on vertical surfaces.... The material is easiest to fix with a construction stapler, this is the fastest way to carry out work;
The sheets are stacked as tightly as possible into the frame, try to accurately measure the required dimensions and cut them evenly... If the insulation is carried out in two layers, then the upper one is placed with an offset of half a sheet relative to the lower one, this makes it possible to exclude through slots through which heat will be lost. Remember that the material is fragile and will break with great effort;

After laying the material, the stage of sealing all cracks and joints begins, the work is simple: with the help of polyurethane foam, all visible voids are filled. After the composition has dried, the excess can be cut off if they protrude beyond the surface and create interference.

Further work depends on how the attic will be used, you can lay the floor on it, or you can leave it as it is - the material does not need additional protection and will perform its functions perfectly.

In this section, you need to figure out how to insulate the ceiling on the balcony with your own hands, here work is done exclusively from the inside, and for it it is best to use extruded polystyrene foam due to its strength and durability.

The loggia is insulated as follows:

The surface is cleaned of dirt, if there are irregularities on it, then they should be eliminated;
Then the extruded material is taken, if necessary, cut to the size of the ceiling and fixed on it with dowels for thermal insulation. To do this, holes are drilled in a concrete slab with a perforator, after which fasteners are inserted and the elements are securely fixed on the surface;

Then all cracks and joints are sealed with polyurethane foam, the excess of which is cut off after hardening;
Further work depends on the finishing method, if you plaster the surface, then a reinforcing mesh is attached to it and a special adhesive is applied. If you are going to nail lining or other finishing material, then it makes sense to fix penofol outside - this is a thin insulation with a reflective layer that allows you to keep even more heat on your balcony.

The insulation of the ceiling on the balcony can also be done using polystyrene, in this case I advise using the version with a density of 25 kg per cubic meter, it is much stronger and harder.

Option number 2 - granular polystyrene

For some reason, ceiling insulation is very rarely done using this option, but I really like it due to the simplicity and quality of the material, the granules do not burn, which ensures proper fire safety, and the ease of use is completely at a height, judge for yourself:

First of all, you need to prepare the surface - due to the small size of the insulation, it is important to close up all the cracks so that granules do not penetrate into them. The rough filing must be tight enough so that it must be done carefully;
Further, the surface is covered with either a vapor barrier membrane or glassine (paper impregnated with bitumen), these materials perform two functions at once: they protect the structure from moisture and prevent the insulation from waking up. Fastening is done with a stapler, the insulating material should go on vertical surfaces by at least 10 centimeters;
Insulation work is very simple: you pour granular polystyrene onto the surface and distribute it in an even layer, you do not need to ram it. The recommended layer is 15-20 cm, do not worry about the load on the structure, the material is very light;
Last of all, you need to close the surface with a vapor-permeable membrane or any material that allows air to pass through, this is necessary so that the polystyrene does not swell, because it is very light and even a small breeze can spread the granules.

I want to note that the price of a cubic meter of granular polystyrene is about 5500 rubles, if the layer is 20 cm, then this will be enough for 5 square meters of area.

Option number 3 - penoizol

This is a new generation material, which is a composition that is applied in liquid form and, after hardening, forms a monolithic structure with good thermal insulation properties without cracks and voids. The plus of this solution is the efficiency and service life of about 30 years, minus - for its application, the presence of special equipment is required and you cannot do without the involvement of specialists.

As for how to implement this option, then everything is simple in view of the fact that the work will be carried out mainly by attracted specialists. You are required to prepare the surface:

To clear the space from dust and debris, it is important to remove all objects that will interfere during work and free all surfaces that will be insulated;
After that, you need to lay a vapor barrier membrane, it will protect the tree from moisture generated when applying foam insulation and create a barrier that will release vapor to the outside, but exclude moisture from entering;
Next, specialists enter the work. They apply the material in the required layer over the entire area, the work takes place quite quickly, and in a few hours the process will be completely completed. It will take some time for the surface to dry, after which the material will acquire all its properties.

There is no need to put any insulating materials on top of the material, which is also important, if in some places the material has risen above the required level, then you can cut it off with an ordinary construction knife.

Let's figure out the cost, a cubic meter of penoizol will cost you an average of 1500-1800 rubles, this is a fairly reasonable price, given that you will have a minimum of worries, and the result will be excellent.

Option number 4 - mineral wool

I will not be mistaken if I say that this is the most popular material for thermal insulation of ceiling structures. Ceiling insulation is carried out in the following sequence:

As in all other options, work begins with cleaning the surface and freeing the attic from unnecessary items that interfere with the work;
Then you need to lay a vapor-permeable waterproofing material, the choice of options is very large, you need to purchase a product from a well-known manufacturer with a good reputation among buyers and specialists. The waterproofing is attached with a stapler, for reliability, overlaps of 10-15 cm are made, they can be additionally strengthened by gluing with ordinary tape;

Then, mineral wool is placed in the inter-girder space; both rolled and slab versions can be used. In the first case, the material is cut into pieces of the required width and fits tightly on the surface, in the second, the elements are placed as tightly as possible on the surface, it is important to exclude gaps in the joints and abutment of materials;

The advantage of rigid slabs is that they do not need a continuous crate, the main thing is to waterproof the surface, after which the elements can be laid. The minimum thickness of the material is 100 mm, but in areas with severe winters, the layer can be much larger.

Remember that when working with mineral wool, be sure to use protective equipment - gloves and a respirator. In the future, the material will not pose a danger, but when it is laid and cut, small particles may enter the air, which can irritate the mucous membranes, and the skin of the hands will itch.

This material is ideal for insulating the attic from the inside with your own hands, in this case, the work is done in the following sequence:

First of all, the surface is covered with a windproof membrane, which will also protect from moisture from the outside and ensure the evaporation of excess moisture from the inside. Fastening is standard - using a stapler, all joints must be reliable, it is better to additionally glue them with special tape;
Further, the space between the rafters is filled with mineral wool, the layer should be as large as possible, the best option is 20 cm. It is important to lay the material as tightly as possible, so the width of the elements should be 3-4 cm greater than the distance between the frame;

In order for the sheets to hold, they need to be fixed., there are two main ways. The first is to stuff the slats over the heat-insulating layer, and the second involves the use of twine, which is stretched on the surface and holds the mineral wool, an example is shown in the photo below.

A vapor barrier material is attached on top of the insulation, after which you can carry out external finishing, it can be anything: from lining to drywall or plywood.

Option number 5 - sawdust

If you do not know how to insulate the ceiling on a budget and with high quality in the country, then this section will tell you one of the simplest and most effective solutions. To complete the work, you will need the following materials:

Dry sawdust, the material can be purchased at the nearest sawmill for a penny;
Lime, it is added to protect sawdust from mold and pests, it must be added in a ratio of 1:10. Finely ground fluff lime is used;
To strengthen the composition, I advise adding cement, one part of it should fall on 10 parts of sawdust;
Copper sulfate - added as an additional antiseptic, you need 2-3 tablespoons per bucket of water.

The workflow looks like this:

In a container of a suitable size, 10 parts of sawdust, 1 part of lime and 1 part of cement are mixed, it is important to achieve uniformity of the composition;
Further, water is added to the resulting mass, in which 3 tablespoons of copper sulfate are diluted per 10 liters. It must be added carefully, the mass must be moist, but not soggy and wet;

The surface of the ceiling is closed with a layer of glassine, it is laid with an overlap on vertical surfaces, make a margin of 10-15 cm at the joints. This material serves as a waterproofing agent and does not allow moisture to penetrate into the wood. Along the perimeter, it must be fixed either with small slats or with a construction stapler, the second option is much easier and faster
The ceiling is insulated by evenly distributing the finished mass over the surface, its layer should be 10 cm or more. The sawdust does not need to be rammed, just lay them flat and carefully align;

It takes about two weeks to dry the composition, during this period it is desirable to ensure good ventilation of the attic space. It is not recommended to walk on the material in the future, therefore, if the attic will be used for some purpose, then the insulation should be covered with a flooring from a board or.

Option number 6 - clay

More precisely, it will not be exactly clay, but a mixture of clay and sawdust, such a mass has good thermal insulation characteristics and is completely environmentally friendly, which is also an important advantage these days. What you need to work:

Clay that you can dig up on your own in the place of the nearest development;
Sawdust, it is important to find a dry version without traces of mold;
Cement - it needs a tenth to the volume of the solution to increase its strength later.

The mass for insulation is prepared as follows:

Several buckets of clay are poured into the concrete mixer, after which water is added there, its amount should be such that, after stirring, a liquid mass is obtained. To make the process go faster, the clay must be added in the form of small pieces;
Then sawdust is added until the mass becomes relatively dense, the moisture content of the composition should be low so that water does not flow from it on the structure during installation, this is very important. At the end of mixing, cement is added, which also dries the mass and, after it has solidified, gives additional strength;

Instead of sawdust, you can use straw, then you get adobe, the thermal insulation properties of which have been well known to people for many centuries. In this case, water is added to the clay until a wet mass is obtained, after which wet straw is added there, mixing is done with hands or even feet if the volumes are large.

The surface between the beams must be closed with a waterproofing vapor-permeable material, this is necessary so that moisture from the mass does not penetrate into the material and does not cause the formation of mold in it;
The composition is laid out on the surface in a layer of about 10 cm, the surface is leveled manually or using a flat strip. You can also use the rule, with its help the work will go much faster, and the result will be much better;

After laying, the mixture will dry out for about a month, during this period it is imperative to ensure high-quality ventilation of the attic. If, during the drying process, small cracks appear on the surface, then they can be carefully rubbed.

Option number 7 - expanded clay

This lightweight refractory material has good thermal insulation properties and low weight, which is important when insulating ceiling structures. I want to note right away that for effective thermal insulation, the layer of material should be about 20 cm, keep this in mind and use beams of the appropriate height when building.

Insulation of the ceiling with expanded clay is carried out using a fairly simple technology:

The surface is freed from all unnecessary, after which a vapor-permeable membrane is laid on it. The easiest way is to lay the material in continuous so that it covers both the surface and the beams, it is attached with a stapler, it is quick, convenient and very reliable;
Expanded clay is poured over the entire area and evenly distributed over the surface, the process is very simple and takes little time. The main thing is that someone brings the bags, and someone scatters them and level them.

A cubic meter of expanded clay costs about one and a half thousand rubles, for your information, so that you can calculate the approximate costs when using this option.

Option number 8 - ecowool

This is a relatively new insulation, which consists of cellulose with the addition of antiseptics and fire retardants, this ensures the safety of the material and its non-combustibility. The capillary structure allows moisture from the surface to evaporate, and the presence of special additives prevents the occurrence of mold, therefore, when asked what is the best way to insulate the ceiling, many experts answer that ecowool is the best solution today.

But I want to immediately warn you against independent work - the composition should be applied by specialists using special equipment, just the manually poured mass retains heat much worse, such savings will cost you more.

We will figure out how to properly insulate the ceiling with this material, the instructions for carrying out the work are very simple:

No special preparation is required for the material, since cellulose interacts well with wood... You need to clean the surface of debris and unnecessary items. There should be nothing in the attic, since during operation, particles fly in all directions and hit all objects around;
Ceiling insulation can be done in two ways - dry and wet. In the first case, the composition is applied in a dry form under pressure to the surface, the work continues until a layer of the required thickness is formed on the surface. The second option involves the supply of a wet mass, which, after drying, reliably adheres to the surface, its main advantages are strong attachment to the surface and high sound insulation characteristics;

Of course, there are other technologies that can be used to insulate the ceiling, I touched on only those that are most common today and have proven themselves well among developers. From this list, you can choose the best option for any structure, carefully weigh all the criteria in order to find the optimal solution.

Output

Ceiling insulation is a responsible process, because up to 25% of the heat from the house can be lost through this part of the structure. It is important to carry out the work with high quality and sound quality, and the video in this article will help you deal with some important nuances even better. If you do not understand certain points or want additional information, then write in the comments under the review.

September 6, 2016

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In winter, at least 25% of the heat goes through the roof of an uninsulated building, the losses are compensated by increased heating. Of course, heating also entails increased energy consumption. A budgetary way to solve the problem is to insulate the ceiling in a private house, the attic remains cold. Overlapping less roof slopes in area, hence the savings. Our task is to tell you how to properly insulate the ceiling, having previously selected the appropriate materials.

The age-old question - to insulate from the inside or outside

Any external fencing that separates the living space from the street is best sheathed with thermal insulation from the outside. Accordingly, the insulation of the ceiling on the top floor of a private house is done from the attic side. Causes:

Installation is simplified physically, which is important when doing work with your own hands. There is no need to make a suspended frame or hem the insulation from below to the ceiling.
An insulator layer 10-20 cm thick (depending on the region of residence) will not reduce the height of the rooms. This is an important plus for old buildings and "Khrushchevs" with low ceilings.
In an inhabited house or apartment, you do not have to redo the repairs.
If you do not follow the technology of internal thermal insulation, the surface under the insulation will get wet, and a fungus will appear. Moisture condensation inside the "pie" is facilitated by 2 factors: the penetration of water vapor and the formation of a dew point at the junction of dissimilar materials.

When the outside fence is sewn up from the inside, the condensation point is located near the interface of 2 different building materials

About the notorious dew point that frightens ordinary homeowners. To avoid condensation inside the structure, it is necessary to withstand 2 conditions: do not allow water vapor from the room there and use an insulator of sufficient thickness. Then the dew point will be inside the insulation, where there is nothing to condense. The second way is to organize the removal of moisture using ventilation (read below).

Reference. Dew point is the phenomenon of condensation of water vapor from the air at a certain humidity and temperature. The lower the air temperature, the earlier the degree of extreme moisture saturation is reached and the condensation begins to precipitate.

There are exceptions to the rules, not every room can be finished with insulation from the outside. Examples:

the ceiling of the upper apartment of a multi-storey building;
attic;
balcony, loggia;
concrete ceiling of the garage above the basement, cellar;
the need to save money, etc.

For obvious reasons, the garage basement cannot be insulated from above.

In these cases, the internal thermal insulation of the ceilings is arranged with strict adherence to the technology. We will describe the procedure for conducting work in the form of step-by-step instructions, but first you need to find out ...

The better to insulate ceilings

For insulation of ceiling structures, 4 groups of materials are used:

Fibrous - mineral, stone (basalt) and glass wool.
Loose - sawdust, clay, expanded clay, vermiculite.
Polymers made from expanded polystyrene and polyethylene.
Sprayed - ecowool, polyurethane foam, liquid foam - penoizol.

We will not focus on the last group of heaters - liquid mixtures are applied by spraying or filling cavities under pressure, which requires appropriate technological equipment. Such insulation of the ceiling in a private house cannot be done with your own hands - you need to hire craftsmen from a specialized company and pay for services.

Applying cellulose ecowool (left) and polyurethane foam (right)

Note. Sprayed materials are the most effective and at the same time expensive. Only the insulating polyurethane foam Polynor with a low thermal conductivity coefficient λ = 0.04 W / (m ° C) is applied manually. The price of an aerosol can is 8 USD. That is, the coverage area is 1 m² with a thickness of 50 mm. Thermal resistance of the layer: R = 0.05 / 0.04 = 1.25 m² ° С / W - the information will be useful to us for comparison.

Let's take a closer look at each group of building materials, then choose suitable insulation for ceilings in various rooms.

Porous fiber materials

For thermal insulation of roofs and attics under a cold roof, 3 types of fibrous products are used:

mineral wool on a synthetic binder, thermal conductivity λ = 0.055-0.06 W / (m ° C);
basalt non-combustible insulation λ = 0.05-0.053 W / (m ° C);
mineral wool based on fiberglass (otherwise - glass wool) λ = 0.044 W / (m ° C).

Clarification. We provide the parameters of heaters for real operating conditions, taken from the regulatory construction documentation. To overestimate the characteristics of insulators, manufacturers indicate the λ coefficient for the material in a dry state. The lower the thermal conductivity, the better the insulation withstands cold.

Above, we calculated the thermal resistance R of penoizol 5 cm thick (1.25 m² ° C / W). Let us compare the indicator with the characteristics of fibrous materials of similar thickness by performing a short calculation for each (the technique from SNiP was applied):

mineral wool - R = 0.05 / 0.055 = 0.9 m² ° С / W;
stone wool - R = 0.05 / 0.05 = 1 m² ° С / W;
glass wool - R = 0.05 / 0.044 = 1.14 m² ° С / W.

Output. In terms of thermal insulation properties, fibrous heaters are inferior to liquid and foamed polymers. The best result is shown by glass wool, the worst - by ordinary mineral wool insulators. By the way, the values of thermal resistance R are interpreted the other way around: the higher the indicator, the more efficiently the insulation of a certain thickness works.

Externally, basalt wool differs from mineral color and corrugated fiber structure

Let's list the rest, no less important properties of fiber insulation:

Cotton wool is produced in rolls, plates and mats of various densities - from 35 to 200 kg / m³.
The open cell structure contributes to the good vapor permeability of the materials.
Mineral wool absorbs moisture, but dries quickly with proper ventilation.
Basalt fiber is considered non-combustible because it can withstand temperatures of 600-700 ° C. Ordinary mineral wool slabs also do not burn, but they are destroyed by strong heat. Glass wool begins to melt at 250 degrees.
Insulation materials are not highly durable, they are attached to glue or using a frame.

Fiberglass wool contains tiny glass particles and is therefore not suitable for indoor use. The well-known manufacturer of roofing insulation "Isover" recommends covering the attic floors with glass wool from the outside.

Glass wool structure - fibers form multiple air spaces

Other mineral insulation uses a synthetic binder containing formaldehyde. Under certain conditions, these substances can be released and mixed with the air. With internal insulation, the mineral wool must be well insulated from the living space with the help of film, drywall, and so on.

Loose heaters

All filling materials are of natural origin, and therefore environmentally friendly. The following heaters are used to insulate ceilings:

expanded clay;
small shavings, sawdust;
clay;
vermiculite gravel.

Reference. Vermiculite is much more expensive than expanded clay, so it is rarely used. Clay in its pure form is also not used - it is usually mixed with reeds or sawdust.

The main disadvantage of natural heaters is their low efficiency compared to mineral and polymer products. Example: thermal conductivity of expanded clay gravel with a density of 200 kg / m³ is equal to 0.11 W / (m ° C). Heat resistance R of a layer of 50 mm will be only 0.05 / 0.11 = 0.45 m² ° C / W. Indicators of expanded clay of increased density, sawdust and clay are even less.

Vermiculite (left) and expanded clay gravel (right)

Briefly about the properties of building materials:

All bulk insulation materials are well permeable to water vapor.
The combustibility of clay, expanded clay and vermiculite gravel is practically zero. Sawdust or reeds mixed with clay mortar also successfully resists fire.
Long service life (excluding wood chips).

The low price of natural insulation is a relative concept. To create an insulating layer comparable to 5 cm thick mineral wool, you need to fill in expanded clay to a height of 100 mm, that is, spend twice as much.

Characteristics of polymer insulation

To begin with, we will give a list of the materials used with an indication of the heat-conducting characteristics in operation mode:

foam plastic with a density of 15 ... 35 kg / m³, λ = 0.045-0.041 W / (m ° C);
extruded EPS polystyrene, density - 20 ... 40 kg / m³, λ = 0.039-0.037 W / (m ° C);
foamed polyethylene 30 ... 50 kg / m³, λ = 0.044-0.042 W / (m ° C).

Reference. Extruded polystyrene foam is often called Penoplex after a popular brand. Products made of polyethylene foam are known by the names "Penofol", "Izolon" and "Tepofol".

Thin insulation made of polyethylene foam with a reflective foil layer

For comparison with fiber insulators, let us determine the thermal resistance of polymers with a thickness of 50 mm:

foam 25 kg / m³ - R = 0.05 / 0.043 = 1.16 m² ° С / W;
"Penoplex" - R = 0.05 / 0.038 = 1.32 m² ° С / W;
"Penofol" - R = 0.05 / 0.042 = 1.19 m² ° C / W.

It is noticeable that the thermal insulation performance of polymer heaters exceeds the characteristics of mineral and basalt wool. The leader is extruded polystyrene, whose result is comparable only to polyurethane foam applied by machine.

The rest of the properties look like this:

Thanks to the closed air pores, the insulation practically does not allow moisture to pass through. The exception is foamed plastics with a scanty vapor permeability of 0.05 mg / (m h Pa). Mineral wool indicators - 0.4 ... 0.6 mg / (m h Pa).
All polymers are flammable, no matter what vendors and manufacturers claim.
Materials based on polystyrene have high strength and are produced in slabs.
Foamed polyethylene has a soft and flexible structure and is sold in rolls. To reflect the infrared heat flux, the surface of the insulation is covered with aluminum foil.

In terms of availability, foam plastic is in the lead - its price is comparable to natural materials. "Extruder" is sold at the price of non-combustible basalt wool or even more.

A useful fact. A good insulator can be a polymer stretch ceiling, which forms an air gap under the ceiling. This cavity cannot be called airtight, but there are very few paths for the penetration of warm air.

A review and comparison of the characteristics of insulation materials showed that each group of insulators has strengths and weaknesses that limit the scope of application. For example, combustible polymers cannot be used to insulate interfloor ceilings of wooden houses - fire regulations prohibit. You should not ignore the requirement - with the help of a heater, the fire can easily spread to the next floor.

Reference. When installing wooden ceilings, the standards require that the supporting beams be treated with a refractory compound and non-combustible insulators should be used. If you follow these instructions, then in the event of a fire, the ceiling will last 30-60 minutes until it collapses. Here is the answer to the question of whether it is possible to insulate a wooden ceiling with foam.

Building codes recommend processing wood structures with a fire retardant

Based on experience in construction and other regulatory requirements, we will give the following recommendations for choosing thermal insulation:

It is better to insulate wooden floors from the side of the attic with basalt wool, expanded clay, vermiculite or a mixture of clay and sawdust.
The ceilings in the premises of the bath (especially the steam room) must be insulated with environmentally friendly materials. Here the choice is small - the same expanded clay, sawdust mass, vermiculite gravel, natural moss. No polymers and mineral wool, strong heating will begin to release harmful substances.
The ceilings of the attic rooms are sewn up from the inside with dense basalt fiber, glass wool is not applicable.
Monolithic concrete coatings are usually insulated with foam or expanded polystyrene. In a country house - from the side of the roof, on the balcony of a high-rise building or in the basement of a garage - from the inside.
It is more correct to insulate flat reinforced concrete roofs with polymers outside, before the installation of a fused bitumen roof. If this is not possible, "Penoplex" is easily sewn from the bottom, but in compliance with the technology.
It is desirable to use foamed polyethylene foam as an additional insulating layer. How to properly insulate the ceiling with Izolon and Penofol, from a separate guide.

Practice shows that it is better not to combine wood and vapor-proof building materials. The polymer, tightly adhering to the beam, blocks the air access, the wood does not "breathe". If steam begins to condense at the junction, which has nowhere to go, the tree will turn black and rot.

The author of the video is clearly exaggerating and exaggerating the problem, but the situation shown is, of course, unacceptable. There is only one way out - when using polymers, it is necessary to ensure the contact of wood with air, which is not easy to implement technically.

How to calculate the thickness of the insulation

We will show the determination of the thickness of the insulation layer by examples. We will take as a basis the formula for calculating thermal resistance (in the previous sections we have already used it to compare the effectiveness of different materials):

R - resistance to heat transfer of the insulating "pie", m² ° C / W;
δ - insulation thickness, m;
λ - coefficient of thermal conductivity of the material, W / (m ° C).

The essence of the calculation: according to the standard thermal resistance specified for your region of residence, calculate the thickness of the insulation, knowing the characteristic λ. The R value is determined according to the scheme given in the regulatory documents, the map with indicators for the Russian Federation is shown in the photo.

Similar maps can be found in the regulatory documents of other CIS countries

Example 1. It is necessary to calculate the insulation of a dacha with an attic located in the suburbs. We find the characteristics R for Moscow, choose an indicator of 4.7 m² ° C / W (for coatings), take the coefficient λ of basalt wool equal to 0.05 W / (m ° C) and calculate the thickness: δ = 4.7 x 0.05 = 0.235 m ≈ 240 mm.

Example 2. We determine the thickness of the insulation layer from "Penoplex" for the concrete floor, located in the city of Cherepovets. The algorithm is as follows:

We find on the Internet or reference books the thermal conductivity of reinforced concrete λ = 2.04 W / (m ° C) and find out the thermal resistance of a standard floor slab 220 mm: R = 0.22 / 2.04 = 0.1 m² ° C / W.
Using the schematic map, we find the standard R value for Cherepovets, take the overlap indicator - 4.26 m² ° С / W (the figure is highlighted in green).
We subtract the found resistance of the slab from the required value of heat transfer: 4.26 - 0.1 = 4.16 m² ° C / W.
We calculate the thickness of polystyrene foam insulation λ = 0.037 W / (m ° C): δ = 4.16 x 0.037 = 0.154 m ≈ 160 mm.

Comment. The algorithm does not take into account the heat resistance of interior decoration and attic floors, therefore it gives a result with a small margin. If you subtract the resistance of the floorboards and plasterboard ceiling lining, the thickness of the EPSP will decrease to 135 mm.

We insulate the floor with mineral wool

As mentioned above, mineral wool is used to insulate wooden floors and ceilings in attic rooms. So that the material is not saturated with moisture and does not lose heat resistance, 3 conditions must be met:

protect cotton wool from the ingress of water vapor from inside the premises;
ensure ventilation of the outer surface so that the resulting moisture is eroded from the thickness of the insulation;
the vapor permeability of the materials used in the "pie" should increase towards a colder room or street, as shown in the diagram.

Slab or rolled mineral wool is located in the space between the ceiling beams, as shown in the insulation diagram. When installing thermal insulation with your own hands, follow the following procedure:

Roll out the vapor barrier film from the bottom of the beams, overlapping adjacent canvases with a width of 100 mm. Make an overlap on the walls 10-15 cm wide. Carefully glue the joints with tape.
The right photo shows a variant of moisture insulation with foamed polyethylene with a reflective foil layer
Stick the gaps of the film to the walls of the structures with silicone sealant. The goal is to cut off room moisture from entering the attic.
The work is carried out from the side of the cold roof. Therefore, first make a rough lining of the ceiling, where the cotton wool will subsequently fall.
Lay the mineral wool boards as shown in the photo. The rolled material is neatly trimmed and inserted between the logs; it is unacceptable to wrinkle the cotton wool.
On top of the insulation, spread the waterproofing canvases - a diffusion membrane that allows moisture to pass through only in one direction - outward. Overlap 10 cm and glue the joints.
Lay attic floors of edged boards at random across the log. Continuous flooring is optional.

An important point. A ventilation duct must be provided between the surface of the cotton wool and the waterproofing. Thanks to the air gap, moisture is removed from the insulation.

Sometimes builders place the first moisture barrier over the sub-ceiling boards, bypassing each beam. We do not recommend using this approach - the vapor barrier will close the access of air to the lag wood, and from below it will remain open for steam saturation. Further it is clear - the tree will rot.

How to lay mineral wool on the ceiling, if the thickness of one layer is not enough. In such cases, the second tier of thermal insulation plates is made, shifted by 30-50 cm relative to the first row. If the height of the load-bearing beams is not enough to organize the ventilation, the frame is built up from the lathing beams, then the 2nd layer of insulation and waterproofing is arranged.

On the left, an additional lathing device is shown when the height of the beams is not enough

The attic roof insulation scheme is very similar to the thermal insulation of a wooden floor:

A counter-lattice is provided on the roof, the diffusion membrane is rolled from above along the rafters. If there is no external frame, waterproofing is allowed to be fixed from the inside, bypassing each rafter leg and targeting the edges of the canvases with a stapler.
Insulation is placed between the rafters by a spur. If the width allows, we put the slabs in 2 layers with a dressing, otherwise we mount a horizontal counter-lattice.
We nail the vapor barrier to the rafters through the slats, where the interior trim from gypsum board or lining is subsequently attached.

Reminder. When working with glass wool or basalt fiber, do not forget to wear a respirator and gloves, the material is very dusty and irritates the skin. How to insulate a wooden covering without errors, we look at the video:

It is highly undesirable to insulate concrete ceilings with cotton wool from the inside, especially in wet rooms - kitchen and bathroom. The porous material will lock and lose its properties if not secured. Another thing is to fix the mineral wool in the space behind the stretch ceiling, where water vapor hardly penetrates.

Styrofoam cladding technology

Polymers are usually used to insulate reinforced concrete floors and ceilings on both sides. To isolate the structure from the inside, the surface must be prepared - the joints of the slabs must be sealed, leveled with mortar and carefully primed.

The second stage of internal thermal insulation is the installation of a subsystem made of wooden blocks or metal profiles. The frame plays the role of a platform for finishing devices - plasterboard, suspended ceiling and so on. The polystyrene boards are attached directly to the concrete surface using an adhesive mixture and umbrella dowels.

Reference. Performing thermal insulation of balconies and loggias with extrusion polystyrene, craftsmen often do without a subsystem - they stick or screw the slabs to the ceiling in a continuous layer. The slats for the inner lining are attached to the concrete floor through the insulation with special screws - pins.

How to insulate a reinforced concrete ceiling in a private house from the inside:

After preparing the surface and assembling the frame (or without it), prepare an adhesive mortar according to the instructions on the container.
Apply glue to the foam board and press it to the surface, hold for a while. Fasten the next element end-to-end with the previous one, do the adjacent row with a shift relative to the first.
When the mixture hardens, additionally fix the polymer boards with dowels in the form of umbrellas. It is advisable to blow the joints with polyurethane foam.
The right photo shows a variant of the installation of the EPSP together with the frame of the suspended ceiling under the gypsum board
Cover the ceiling with a vapor barrier, observing the overlaps and gluing the joints. The film or "Penofol" is aimed at the subsystem with a stapler.
Fold the edges of the film onto the walls and glue it with construction sealant. Install the battens and proceed to finishing.

Advice. Do not screw Penoplex to the ceiling without glue. Firstly, there will be gaps under the insulation, and secondly, you need to perfectly level the surface. Otherwise, differences of 1-3 mm will appear at the joints of the plates.

External insulation of reinforced concrete slabs with polymeric materials is used on flat roofs and operated attics. The "pie" on the roof is formed like this:

In detail, the technology of mounting polystyrene insulators from below to the ceiling is demonstrated in the video:

Of course, you can insulate reinforced concrete from the inside with mineral wool, and the ceiling of a log house with expanded polystyrene. Then take additional measures: very carefully isolate the mineral wool from the room, and blow foam between the polymer and the tree - it allows air to pass through and prevents rotting.

Finally, about filling the attic

The use of bulk materials is the simplest option for insulating the ceiling of a country house, although not the most effective. Thermal insulation is made on top of the floor in various ways:

If you have a concrete screw mixer at your disposal, you can prepare a more modern insulation for the ceiling - polystyrene concrete. The cement-sand mortar is mixed with polystyrene balls and placed on the ceiling with a layer of 200-300 mm. There is no need to lay the flooring - the monolith has sufficient strength.

Note. There was a mistake in the video - there is no need to lay the film under bulk materials. Water vapor (especially in a bath) should freely escape through expanded clay or sawdust concrete to the outside, and the tree should dry thoroughly.

Large heat losses of the room and cold air blowing from the ceiling are the result of improper or poor-quality thermal insulation. Heat loss through the ceiling can reach 20%, as the heated air rises upward, and if there is no obstacle on its way that can keep it inside the room, it will be “blown out”, just like your budget. Ceiling insulation measures must be performed at the stage of building a house. But if for some reason this did not happen, or the old thermal insulation fell into disrepair, you will have to do it all over again. What are the ways to insulate the ceiling, how best to implement them in this or that case, what materials to use - these are the main questions that the owners have. At the same time, it is important to do everything correctly so that the insulation does not damp, condensation does not accumulate on the surface, mold or fungus does not appear. And for this it is necessary to understand the very essence of the work performed and the processes taking place in the insulation.

Why and how to insulate the ceiling

What is meant by ceiling insulation? If it blows from above, from the side of the ceiling, we say “we need to insulate the ceiling”, but what actions are meant by this? In fact, there are several technologies, and which one is suitable in each specific case depends on the starting conditions.

In a private house, the ceiling is always insulated from the side of the upper room.: whether it be an attic, next floor or attic. Laying heat-insulating material on top of the floor or in the voids of the floor ensures the retention of heat inside the room. At the same time, the height of the room to be insulated does not decrease, additional finishing of the ceiling is not required, and it is also not necessary to install thermal insulation directly over the head, because it is not so easy to fix it, and particles will penetrate into the living room. But the most important thing is that the processes taking place in the floor and in the heat-insulating material ensure the warmth and dryness of the room and materials, condensation does not form and the insulation does not get wet.

What is the principle of attic insulation? It's no secret that the best insulation is air. All modern thermal insulation materials are essentially air, enclosed in one way or another in a form. But how can you use air for insulation so as not to pay for it? Our ancestors acted very wisely when they built houses with a gable roof and an exceptionally cold attic, in which there were two windows in the gables. Our climate allows us to play this situation to our advantage. The gable roof retains snow well, which is also a heater. The snow-covered roof retains heat so well that even if it is -25 ° C outside, the temperature inside the attic is about 0 ° C. The air trapped in the attic is an ideal insulator, the characteristics of which can be changed depending on the season or the weather by opening and closing the windows in the gables and ventilating the room. The floor of the attic was always insulated with free-flowing natural materials, in combination with air, this made it possible to maintain the temperature inside the heated room +20 - +25 ° С. The advantage of floor insulation in the attic is also the fact that the material does not damp, it can be dried by airing the room.

Extremely important! In order for the attic to function as a heat insulator, the roof slope must not be insulated from the inside. This will lead to the fact that the snow on the roof will melt, and icicles will form on the overhangs. In addition, the structure of the non-insulated roof is always open for inspection and repair.

Important! An attic insulated on all sides with heating is no longer an attic. This is an attic, more suitable for the climate of the warm countries of Western Europe. The design and operation of the attic has its own rules.

In an apartment of a multi-storey building, everything is somewhat different. It is not possible to insulate the ceiling or floor of the upper floor. And the problem of a ventilated ceiling most often arises among residents of the last floor. What to do? The only option is to insulate the ceiling from the inside of the room, although this is not recommended, there is no other choice.

When insulating the ceiling, it is important to remember this rule: each subsequent layer in the direction from the room should have a greater vapor permeability.

Below we will consider separately the methods of insulating the attic from the outside and from the inside.

Insulation of the ceiling from the outside (from the side of the upper room)

Insulation of the ceiling from the side of the upper room implies the laying of heat-insulating material on top of the ceiling or in its voids, if any. As mentioned above, this is done in private houses and cottages. The type of material for insulation and the very technology of its installation depend on which floor is wood or concrete. For overlapping on beams, which is a wooden floor on logs, lightweight filling materials or materials of a roll type are suitable. But for the insulation of a concrete slab - dense mats or slabs, as well as heavy backfill materials.

One of the most ancient and time-tested ways to insulate the ceiling is to insulate the attic with sawdust. In some regions, you can buy sawdust for a song or get it for free if there is woodworking nearby. Quite often, the enterprise themselves do not know what to do with the sawdust, so stop by and take it at least every year. It is better to fill up sawdust on top of wooden floors.

The only drawback of this method is that the sawdust burns. Therefore, there are several different ways of warming with sawdust.

Method 1... Smear all the cracks in the wooden floor of the attic with clay, a little liquid. Sprinkle with sand on top. If suddenly the clay cracks somewhere, sand will immediately be poured into the gap, and the integrity will be preserved. To protect the sawdust from mice, add a layer of slaked lime interspersed with carbide. Next comes the main layer - sawdust. For different regions, the thickness of this layer may be different, but the minimum is 150-200 mm, the optimal one is 250-300 mm. Since sawdust is a combustible material, it is sprinkled on top with a thin layer of waste slag, especially around hot communications - a chimney, for example. Nothing is laid on top. You can only unfold the boards for the convenience of walking in the attic.

Method 2... The floor surface must be protected from moisture. This can be done in two ways: the first is to lay a waterproofing film on the wooden floor that can let steam through from the side of the room, the second is to smear the entire floor with clay, as in the first method. Then you need to mix the sawdust with cement. To do this, take 10 parts of sawdust, about 1 - 2 parts of cement and 1.5 parts of water. First, sawdust is mixed with cement, then water is added. The sawdust must be slightly wet for the cement to adhere. The resulting mixture can be poured on top of the attic floor or poured between the floor beams on the subfloor. A layer of 200 mm is sufficient. It is necessary to start performing all these works in the spring, so that the sawdust and cement have time to dry well over the summer (they dry for a long time).

Important! It is easy to check whether the sawdust is dry or not: just walk on it. Dried sawdust will not crunch, but will crunch slightly.

Method 3... Similar to the second method. Only clay is used instead of cement.

Method 4... Similar to the first method. You can not sprinkle slag on top. Sawdust can be spread on top with clay, only not very liquid, so that it does not spill deep inside.

Considering that expanded clay is a rather heavy material, it is not recommended to insulate wooden floors with it. The risk is too great that the wood flooring will collapse. The ceiling is insulated with expanded clay with concrete ceilings.

First of all, the surface of the concrete floor must be covered with a vapor barrier film. It should be laid with an overlap, the joints should be glued with tape. An overlap is made on the walls, about 40 - 50 cm. Wooden rafters and a chimney must also be pasted over with a vapor barrier film.

Next, crumpled clay is placed on the film. And already on top - expanded clay. For better thermal insulation, a mixture of coarse and fine expanded clay is used. Then the small one will fill the voids, and the backfill will turn out to be more uniform. For a cold climate, a layer of expanded clay should be 50 cm. Recommended in some sources 15 - 20 cm will not save the situation. It is due to the fact that for high-quality thermal insulation expanded clay must be covered with such a large layer, it is rarely used.

On top of the expanded clay, a light cement-sand screed is arranged with a layer of 50 mm. The mortar must be thick enough not to spill deep into the backfill. Thus, in the attic you get a sufficiently strong floor, and it can be used for storing something or as a boiler room. A big plus is also the complete fire safety and environmental friendliness of this method.

Clay is an ancient building material, the scope of which is varied and multifaceted. Clay itself is not used for insulation, since for effective thermal insulation its layer must be simply colossal - 50 - 80 cm. A wooden ceiling cannot withstand such a weight, and such a thickness of the backfill is simply inappropriate, it is better to choose a modern material.

Therefore, clay is used in a mixture with sawdust to insulate the ceiling.

First, the floor is covered with a vapor barrier film that does not allow water to pass through. Next, you can prepare a clay-sawdust solution. Water is poured into a large barrel, into which 4 - 5 buckets of clay are added. Then the clay is kneaded in water so that the water becomes dirty and the clay is almost dissolved. Further, a part of the resulting mixture is poured into the concrete mixer and covered with sawdust. As you mix, the amount of water is added. As a result, the solution should turn out to be neither liquid nor thick.

An excellent option for insulating the ceiling in the attic of a wooden house is reed mats. Modern reed mats, tied with twine or wire, are simply stacked on top of the ceilings in a staggered manner. Better if there are 2 layers, the second of them will overlap the joints of the mats of the first layer, removing the "cold bridges". The disadvantage of this method is fire hazard.

For those who want to insulate the ceiling with natural materials, seaweed is suitable. In the coastal regions, this material can be bought for a pittance, and if you wish, you can order delivery to another region. The advantage of seaweed ladders is that mice do not get in them, they are hypoallergenic and even medicinal, as they are saturated with iodine and sea salt, the vapors of which are useful, and also do not support combustion and do not smoke. Insects and microorganisms do not grow in algae.

Algae are not afraid of moisture, so there is no need to vaporize the floor. Ladders are laid directly on the floor or floor with a layer of 200 mm. From above, you can equip the floor or lay boards for ease of movement.

Ecowool or cellulose wool is a modern material that is positioned as natural. To reduce flammability, it is treated with flame retardants or boric acid. Ecowool absorbs moisture in itself, so there is no need to lay a vapor barrier film.

Ecowool is laid immediately on wooden or concrete floors. For this, a special blowing machine is needed, thanks to which all the cracks are blown out, the insulation layer is obtained as a monolithic and saturated with air enclosed inside. For most regions of the Russian Federation, a 250 mm layer of ecowool is sufficient, but in colder regions it is better to make 400 - 500 mm.

The technology of insulating the ceiling with ecowool sometimes includes spraying water. It is needed in order to speed up the process of lignin formation. Then, after 1 - 3 weeks, a crust appears on top of the ecowool. Due to the fact that this material tends to cake, it is always necessary to take a stock of 5 - 15%.

Penoplex is a representative of the family of extruded polystyrene foam. This material is more durable than polystyrene, which means that it can be used to insulate concrete floors before pouring a concrete floor from above. A good option for insulating the ceilings of the first or second floor of a low-rise private house.

It is not recommended to insulate the ceiling with Penoplex, if the floors are wooden. The fact is that EPS is absolutely non-breathable material. As a result, moisture will accumulate in wooden structures, this will lead to the appearance of mold and mildew.

Before laying Penoplex on a concrete floor, the latter must be checked for irregularities. First, the surface is leveled, only then the vapor barrier material can be laid.

Then the Penoplex slabs are laid out. Be sure to take a break. Attached to the surface with special dowels with a mushroom head. The joints between the slabs are filled with polyurethane foam. After the foam dries, a cement-sand screed is poured on top with a layer of 50 mm. It will serve as a solid floor in the attic or second floor.

Insulation of the ceiling with mineral wool (Ursoy)

The most demanded modern material for ceiling insulation is mineral wool. One of the manufacturers of thermal insulation materials based on minerals or fiberglass is the Ursa company, which offers both roll positions and rigid slabs.

Minvata Ursa in rolls is good for insulating wooden floors, it is convenient to lay it between the beams. But the hard slabs of mineral wool are used for thermal insulation of concrete floors, although it is possible for wooden ones.

Insulation of the ceiling by Ursa is done in this way:

For wooden floors... A vapor barrier is laid between the floor beams. Its styling is required, since the mineral wool is afraid of moisture. The film is spread with an overlap, and the joints are glued with adhesive tape, a 15 - 25 cm overlap is made on the walls. Next, rolls of Ursa mineral wool with a thickness of 100 to 250 mm are laid between the beams, depending on the calculations of heat loss. The material must enter the space with effort. To do this, it must be cut with a small margin of 2 cm more than the distance between the beams. Then there are two ways: the first - you can leave the mineral wool open, but then you will not be able to walk on the floor, the second - you can make a wooden floor on top, leaving a gap of 3 mm between the mineral wool and the floorboards. The advantage of mineral wool is its fire safety.

For concrete slabs. The concrete surface is leveled, then covered with a vapor barrier film. Slabs of mineral wool are laid on top, be sure to stagger. Further, a wooden floor or flooring made of boards, plywood, etc. is equipped. It is not recommended to perform a screed over mineral wool, since concrete has low vapor permeability, which means that the main rule of thermal insulation will not be observed.

Ceiling insulation with foam (polyurethane foam)

Polyurethane foam is a modern material that is widely advertised as the most ideal insulation for ceilings and attics. The advantages of this material are incombustibility, good adhesion, neutrality to microorganisms and insects, waterproofing and soundproofing properties, resistance to temperature fluctuations, absence of cold bridges. The disadvantage is complete vapor tightness, which has a bad effect on the microclimate of the room.

Ceiling insulation with polyurethane foam is carried out only by an organization specialized in this. The material is sprayed under high pressure so that it blows into all the cracks and envelops the protruding elements - columns, etc. The layer is usually 10 - 12 cm.

Insulation of the ceiling from the inside

An extremely undesirable measure is the insulation of the ceiling from the inside of the room. In addition to reducing the overall height of the room, there is an extremely high risk of getting heat-insulating material or its vapors inside the room, as well as the likelihood of mold and mildew in the insulation. But if there is no other way out, you will have to at least take into account a number of restrictions: do not use mineral wool and form a ventilation gap between the insulation and the ceiling finish.

Insulation of the ceiling with extruded polystyrene foam (Penoplex)

EPPS is a good option for insulating a concrete ceiling. First, the crate is nailed, on which drywall will be attached in the future. The height of the lathing timber should be 2 - 3 mm more than the thickness of the insulation. The step between the slats should be equal to the Penoplex width minus 1 - 2 mm. Next, a heater is pushed between the crate, it must come in with effort. For greater reliability, it must be fixed with dowels to the ceiling. Then drywall is attached to the crate and a suspended ceiling is obtained. Instead of drywall, you can mount a stretch ceiling.

Penofol is foamed polyethylene, one side of which is foiled. Its insulating properties are not so great, but if the heat loss is not too large, it may be sufficient.

It is necessary to fill a crate on the ceiling, to which Penofol is fixed, with the foil side inside the room. It can be nailed to the crate. On both sides of this material, it is necessary to perform a ventilation gap, so another crate is stuffed on top of it, to which drywall is attached. A stretch ceiling option is also possible.

The second way to insulate the ceiling with Penofol is to use it complete with Penoplex.

In addition to the Penoplex insulation method described above, Penofol is stuffed onto the crate, and only then - drywall.

Ceiling insulation with heat-insulating plaster mixes

For some unknown reason, the option of insulating the ceiling with special heat-insulating plaster mixtures is not popular. But in vain. It is an excellent material for insulating a concrete ceiling. Plasters are absolutely environmentally friendly, decorative, do not suffer from moisture and steam, do not burn and are not afraid of fungus or mold. Among the materials of the UMKA company there are items that can be used indoors.

Ceiling insulation with white agglomerate of cork bark is an environmentally friendly natural way of insulation. It is convenient to use the plug when installing a false ceiling of the Armstrong type, fixing it to the lathing. The use of a vapor barrier is optional, since the cork is not afraid of moisture.

The methods of ceiling insulation described above are the most common, but the general list does not end there. There are many other natural and synthetic materials that can be used to insulate the attic of a private house. When choosing this or that method and material, be sure to take into account the general concept of your home. For example, insulating the ceiling of an environmentally friendly wooden house with Penoplex or Penofol is at least silly. To keep the wood dry and breathe, it is necessary to choose natural vapor-permeable materials such as algae, reeds, sawdust or ecowool. And for a house made of concrete, foam concrete or bricks, EPS and polyurethane foam will come in handy.

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