Frame house: foam insulation. Method of insulating a frame house with polystyrene foam. Is it possible to insulate a frame house with foam plastic from the inside?

Houses built using frame technology are often used as a summer house or place permanent residence. Such buildings are distinguished by their special design, high strength and durability. polystyrene foam will make life in it more comfortable. Correct installation This heat insulator can be installed without the help of professional craftsmen.

Specifications

Polystyrene foam (expanded polystyrene) is a heat-insulating material characterized by excellent physical and chemical properties. Available in the form of white slabs consisting of polystyrene balls filled with pure hydrocarbon (pentane).

To make this material, only 2% polystyrene is used, the remaining 98% is air. During the foam creation process, pentane becomes volatile and expands. The balls, filling with air, increase in volume. When exposed to steam, they become elastic and stick together. This results in a lightweight material, the scope of which includes not only construction.

Depending on the brand, the density of the foam is from 15 to 50 kg/m3. When bending, the strength limit is up to 0.42 MPa. In a dry state at temperatures from +20 °C to +30 °C, the thermal conductivity of the foam is no more than 0.029-0.033 W. Humidity no more than 2%.

Advantages

Expanded polystyrene as insulation for walls, floors, and roofs is very popular among owners frame houses. This is due to a number of its advantages compared to other heat-insulating materials:


  • moisture resistance (can be used to insulate foundations and basements where there is direct contact with water);
  • fire safety (modern foam plastic does not support the combustion process);
  • not subject to rotting;
  • low cost;
  • light weight;
  • low level of thermal conductivity;
  • environmental friendliness (does not emit toxins during installation and operation);
  • ease of installation.


This heat-insulating material is not afraid of temperature changes. creates an additional soundproofing layer. Over time, its slabs do not shrink and do not change their geometric parameters.

Due to its many advantages, this material has been used in the field of construction for more than 40 years. More than 60% of all expanded polystyrene produced in Europe is used to insulate houses.

Flaws

Polystyrene foam cannot come into contact with organic solvents (acetone, turpentine), saturated hydrocarbons (alcohol) and petroleum products (kerosene, gasoline and others): under their influence it is damaged or dissolved.


With prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the material may begin to deteriorate, so it is always covered during storage.

Installation technology

A frame house can be insulated with expanded polystyrene both outside and inside. In any case, the slabs are placed between the studs and the sheathing on both sides of the walls. To avoid the formation of cold bridges between polystyrene foam boards, it is necessary to install them correctly.

Preparation

At this stage, the frame is processed. Remove uneven walls, protruding nails, and wire.


The surface is cleaned of dust and debris. Gaps and cracks are filled polyurethane foam to avoid air getting into them. Wet wood is dried with a hair dryer. The entire area of ​​the frame is primed and allowed to dry completely.

Waterproofing layer

The waterproofing layer is installed with outside walls: it will protect them from moisture and wind. Of course, polystyrene foam is a moisture-resistant material, but sub-zero temperatures dampness and moisture penetrating inside the frame can freeze and destroy the insulation.


Waterproofing material (glassine, plastic film or membrane coating) must be laid on the walls, secured with nails, and the joints taped. The strips are overlapped (10 cm overlap).

Installation of vertical sags and beacons is carried out using cords. In this way, it will be possible to accurately position the polystyrene foam slabs and prevent them from warping.

The insulation is fixed between the frame posts using glue. It is mixed in the amount required for 1 hour of work. The adhesive composition is applied pointwise in five places of the slab and the edges of the insulation are carefully treated with it. If the pieces of foam do not match, they are cut with a heated knife.


Additionally, the heat-insulating material is secured with plastic dowels (5 pieces). You should not use metal fasteners: they will create cold bridges in the insulation. The fastening points must be primed with adhesive.

All cracks must be sealed with liquid foam or frost-resistant foam.

To insulate surfaces frame house was as effective as possible, it is necessary to lay the heat insulator in three layers, each 5 cm thick. In this case, the installation of the slabs is carried out in such a way that the next layer overlaps the joints of the previous one.

Reinforcement

A reinforcing mesh fixed on top of the heat-insulating material will help securely connect the next layer final finishing with foam. The corners of the walls must be strengthened using special corner profiles.


For reinforcement, choose a mesh with a cell size of 3*6 cm. It is laid overlapping (an overlap of 10 cm), pressed tightly into the insulation boards and fixed with a layer of glue.

Walls can be protected from negative atmospheric influences using putty. The surface is treated with it twice; before applying the second layer, the first must be completely dry.

After puttying, you can start painting the surface. facade paint. This type of work is carried out using a roller. The coloring composition is applied from top to bottom in 2-3 layers. Each subsequent layer is performed after the previous one has dried. Facade paint dries quickly and is easy to apply.


The external walls of a frame house can be decorated with stone or siding. In the latter case, installation of sheathing is required. In the case of a frame house, its functions will be performed by the frame elements.

Internal thermal insulation

Using expanded polystyrene, it is carried out in a similar way, only after the installation of the heat insulator it is necessary to lay a vapor barrier layer.

After this, reinforcement is carried out. Then the surfaces are plastered or finished with plasterboard. In the future, they can be painted, wallpapered, tiled.

Compliance with accuracy and careful execution of work is a guarantee high-quality insulation frame house using polystyrene foam.

A frame house is the most affordable way build your own home. But such buildings are not warm. They definitely need additional thermal insulation.

Mineral wool or polystyrene foam is often chosen as insulation. Today we’ll figure out whether it’s possible to insulate frame house foam and if so, how to do it?

What is this material and its advantages

Polystyrene foam is produced by foaming and pressing polystyrene. The result is a slab that consists of many bubbles filled with air. Thanks to this structure, the material has gained popularity as insulation.

It has several positive characteristics:

  • Light weight. The design does not load the main structure and problems rarely arise during transportation.
  • Good level of thermal insulation. 1 cm of material transmits less heat to the outside than 7 cm of red brick.
  • Affordable price. The cost of polystyrene foam is the lowest compared to other insulation materials.
  • The material does not shrink even after prolonged use.

A close “relative” of polystyrene foam is extruded polystyrene foam (EPS), which is produced in an extrusion autoclave. It is also used to insulate buildings.

Workers who have specialized education do not recommend insulating the walls of a frame house with foam plastic. This is due to several disadvantages of the material:

  1. Flammability. The insulation is easily flammable. For it to catch fire, you need a continuous source of fire, which can be the wooden elements of the house frame. Although manufacturers claim that the material is treated with special fire retardants and is absolutely safe in this regard. But here are the opinions of experts on fire safety are different. And by State standards Polystyrene foam is still considered a combustible material.
  2. Toxicity. During operation, the insulation does not emit any caustic or harmful substances. But if the material begins to ignite, black smoke is released, which is very dangerous to human life and health.
  3. Low vapor permeability. In the process of life, all living organisms emit steam. To live comfortably indoors, steam needs to escape outside. Otherwise, mold and mildew will develop on the surfaces in the rooms, which is also very dangerous for humans.

Resistance of polystyrene foam to chemical compounds

Chemical compound
Saline solution (brine, sea water)+
Soap and wetting solution+
Bleach: hypochlorite, chlorine solutions or hydrogen peroxide+
Acid solutions+
Not concentrated hydrochloric acid (35%) or nitric acid (less than 50%)+
Concentrated sulfuric acid, 100% formic acid-
Caustic sodium, ammonia+
Organic solvents: acetone, ether, benzene, xylene, trichlorethylene-
Medical gasoline, white spirit-
Paraffin oil, Vaseline+ -
Diesel fuel-
Petrol-
Alcohols: methanol, ethanol+ -
Organosilicon compounds+
stable (regardless of duration of action)+
conditionally stable (long-term action leads to shrinkage or destruction of the surface layer)+ -
unstable (shrinks or dissolves)-

Since the material does not allow steam to pass through, it will accumulate between the wall and the insulation and this will lead to the wooden elements beginning to collapse prematurely. In addition, insulating a frame house with foam plastic creates the effect of a thermos. Heat is always retained indoors, both in winter and in summer.

But if for cold season such an effect is simply necessary, then in the summer it will be unbearable to be in the house, due to the constant high temperature air. It will be necessary to install air conditioning or fans.

If you choose more safe insulation If your family budget doesn’t allow it, you can use a few tips from professionals:

  • Before insulating a house with polystyrene foam from the outside, the material must be additionally treated with fire retardants (substances that resist fire).
  • Forced ventilation will help remove environment steam.
  • Foam insulation must be covered on both sides with windproof film. From the outside interior wall it will perform the function of waterproofing. Condensed steam will be removed using a ventilated gap. And the outside will be protected from moisture from the atmosphere and low temperatures.

Installation rules

If the building is being erected on your own, then with the question of how to properly insulate a frame house with polystyrene foam, you should turn to professionals. After all, if you do not adhere to technology, then over time the wooden elements of the frame will begin to rot.

Insulation scheme with curtain façade: 1 - interior decoration; 2 - vapor barrier; 3 - frame stand; 4 - expanded polystyrene; 5 - siding; 6 - vapor-permeable moisture-proof membrane.

  1. In order to extend the service life of the main structural elements, they must be protected from moisture. To do this, they are covered with double-sided sealing adhesive tape. Before applying protection, you need to clean the wooden posts from dirt.
  2. The next stage will be the installation of a vapor barrier. On the side of the premises, a vapor-proof membrane is laid to a length of 10–15 cm; the joints must be taped. This will make the layer airtight.
  3. The wall on the side of the room is covered with boards or slabs.
  4. Next you need to go to the side of the facade. There, between the frame posts, it is done. The slabs of material are laid tightly so that there are no gaps or cracks. It is advisable to treat the joints with sealant or polyurethane foam. It is necessary to ensure that the joints of subsequent rows do not coincide with the previous ones.
  5. When the insulation is completely laid over the entire area of ​​the facade, it should be covered with a windproof membrane. A small amount of moisture that gets on the foam can destroy the material under the influence of low temperatures. The film will protect both the insulation and the premises from heat loss.
  6. Insulated frame houses with polystyrene foam require additional decorative finishing. It will also perform the function of protection from external negative influences. For this you can use siding, facade tiles and even decorative plaster.

Insulation of a frame house with extruded polystyrene foam is carried out using the same technology as polystyrene foam. The difference is that if penoplex is used, you do not need to buy slabs of maximum thickness. This insulation has a thermal conductivity coefficient even lower than that of polystyrene foam.

Every day more and more people want to live in own home. For this purpose, plots outside the city are purchased, and the construction of their own small house begins. But building a house is usually a huge financial expense, but not everything is so bad; today frame houses have become popular among private homeowners.

The cost of constructing such a building is much less compared to other structures. After all, the basis of such a house is a frame, which is then sheathed and interior finishing is carried out. But the most important stage is the correct insulation of such a structure, and we will talk about this in our article.

The advantage of frame structures

Why are frame structures so popular today among private homeowners, and why is it much more profitable to build such a house than with stone or brick?

As for the structure itself, it is, first of all, a foundation, on which a wooden frame is then installed. This frame is then sheathed inside with plywood or OSB boards are used.

Here are a number of advantages of frame buildings that are worth noting:

  • Price, wood-based materials are much lower in cost than analogues from which houses are usually built. The cost of a finished frame cottage differs from the same one built of stone by almost half, downwards.
  • Construction speed. It usually takes builders two to three weeks to construct the skeleton of a building. Afterwards the interior and exterior decoration begins.
  • Body and comfort, thanks to the fact that the structure is insulated modern materials, in such cottages it is much cozier and more comfortable than in stone houses.
  • Lightweight design. Fully ready house In terms of weight, it turns out to be much less than the same stone buildings. Therefore, it does not exert significant pressure on the foundation. As a result, the owners of frame cottages are protected from subsidence of the foundation and, accordingly, from the appearance of splits or cracks in the building.

But the question of how to properly insulate a frame house with polystyrene foam still remains open, and now we will take a closer look at this not difficult process.

Insulation technology for frame cottages

The construction of such a house itself, as well as the insulation technology, is not complicated. When assembling the skeleton of the building, the installation uses wooden beam, it, in turn, is the walls of the entire house.

First of all, you should sheathe all the walls with thick plywood inside the house, and only then can you proceed. With this approach, we have niches that are created thanks to the rack beam. It is in these niches that the insulation will go.

Finishing the inside of a house can also be called preparation for insulating the facade of the building, because without it it is simply impossible to carry out work. By sheathing the internal frame, we get ready-made solution for laying insulation.

Advice: it is also more advisable to insulate the loggia using polystyrene foam. The principle of installation is similar to the work on insulating a house.

Choosing insulation

Today on the building materials market there are two types of particularly high-quality heat-insulating products. This:

  1. mineral plate;
  2. polystyrene foam

We chose foam plastic slabs for ourselves, and we will work with them.

Why not use it, you ask? The answer is obvious; mineral slabs shrink quite often. After some time, it can settle behind the walls, and areas will form into which cold air will flow.

Therefore, in our case, we will choose a polystyrene foam board and answer the question of how to insulate a frame house with polystyrene foam. But let us immediately note that self-insulation requires additional construction equipment, this is scaffolding. They can be rented or assembled from wood, which is, in principle, very labor-intensive and time-consuming.

We buy insulation: choose the size of the foam board

In order to efficiently insulate your new home, we need to select foam plastic of the appropriate thickness. It is these parameters that determine what kind of thermal insulation the walls of the house will have.

The thermal insulation properties of the material depend on the thickness of the material

Technologically, it would be correct to choose foam plastic with a thickness of one hundred and fifty millimeters or more. You also need to take into account the width of the frame beams; the polystyrene foam board should not be wider than the frame posts.

Looking ahead, we’ll say that if the slab protrudes, you will have great difficulty completing the exterior finishing of the façade.

Tools needed for work

Accordingly, without necessary tools, such work will be difficult to carry out. So it’s better to prepare immediately and then start insulating your home.

So, what should be the material available.

  • Scaffolding, they must be assembled over the entire surface of the wall being finished.
  • Construction knife, hacksaw with small tooth. For cutting slabs.
  • Construction polyurethane foam.
  • Roulette, building level

Here are the basic tools you'll need. If you need anything else in the process, it will most likely be minor details.

Advice! If you are going to do the insulation work yourself, then we will disappoint you. For one person this is quite labor intensive. Therefore, it is better to start working with an assistant right away.

We carry out work: installation of polystyrene foam boards

Now we have come to the most important stage of the work; now we need to install the insulation in place and secure it there. As you can see, we will insert polystyrene foam boards between the beams of the frame itself, strengthening it there.

So, let's start installation, and these instructions will help us with this:

  1. We measure the width between the beams and cut the slab to the size we need, along the width.
  2. Insert the first sheet. He, like everyone else, must fit tightly between the beams and not have free movement.
  3. Installation of insulation must be carried out from the bottom up. This is done so that if you have an undercut, you can put it under the base of the roof.
  4. Use a building level to check vertical compliance relative to the plane.
  5. The entire surface quadrature is laid according to this principle.

Important! After installation is completed, between installed sheets there may be gaps, all these results are not perfect size foam sheets, and trimmings. These gaps are best eliminated using construction materials. It will additionally open all the sheets and remove cold bridges.

Exterior decoration of the building facade

We have practically received the answer to the question of how to insulate a frame house with polystyrene foam; the insulation boards are already in place and performing their immediate task. But, as you understand, the house cannot be left in this condition. Now is the time to start finishing the facade.

House finished with siding panels

Siding is ideally suited for these purposes, and we recommend using metal panels rather than vinyl. Why do you ask this way? As practice has shown, vinyl siding is not resistant to strong temperature changes.

Such panels are especially afraid of severe frosts; after severe frosts, the panel loses its properties and may crumble. Metal panels not affected by temperature changes.

Attention! Before installing the siding panels, it is recommended to cover the insulation with a vapor barrier. This will protect the foam from moisture and create an additional thermal insulation barrier.

It is worth noting that if you decorate the facade of a building with siding panels, you will no longer need to install a frame for them. The beams of the building skeleton will act as the panel fastening profile.

What other methods of finishing the facade are there?

Finishing the facade of a building with siding panels is of course not the only option for decorating a house. Knowing how to insulate a frame house with polystyrene foam, you also need to have an idea of ​​what it will look like.

This method is suitable for those who, for some reason, do not like finishing with siding panels. If this is the case, then you can use the “block house” finishing technology to decorate your building.

According to the principle of fastening, it is somewhat similar to the installation of siding panels, but the appearance is of course different. After completion of the work, we receive a house whose appearance is almost no different from a log structure.

It is the “block house” panels that give it such an extraordinary look. Typically, the price of this finishing material a little higher than siding, but the result is worth it.

When choosing this material, the technology of facade cladding also changes slightly. In order to install the “block house” panels, you must first cover them with OSB boards outer part buildings. Thus, hide the insulation under dense protection OSB boards and provide a foundation for attaching decorative panels.

Advice! If you are covering your façade in this way, after installing the OSB plywood sheets, be sure to go over the entire plane and blow out all the cracks with foam. Remove all potential cold air bridges before installing the facing material.

Now that you have processed everything efficiently, you can begin installation. cladding panels. The principle of their installation is almost the same as when installing wooden lining. The panels are inserted into grooves among themselves and then attached to the wall.

In practice, you already know how to insulate a frame house with polystyrene foam; now all you have to do is choose a technology and you can safely get down to business. By following these tips, you will definitely build a cozy and warm home.

In conclusion

We are confident that the article will help you understand the principle of insulating a frame house. And the tips will help you avoid mistakes and unnecessary expenses. In the video presented in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

After the frame is erected, it’s time to insulation works. The wooden skeleton itself serves as an excellent basis for filling the cells with insulating material, one of which is polystyrene foam. This material has excellent thermal insulation properties and other characteristic advantages, including an affordable price.

First you need to decide what types of polystyrene foam will be needed to insulate the walls, floors and ceilings in the house, followed by choosing the brand of material. After which it is time for installation work, which must be carried out following correct technique in compliance with all rules and regulations. As a result of all manipulations, the building receives excellent thermal insulation and is ready for further finishing work.

Species

Polystyrene foam is not just one material, but a whole class of them, distinctive feature which is a foamed cellular structure. At thermal insulation works The following types of foam plastic can be used in a frame house:

  • PPT– thermal insulating polystyrene foam board or “ordinary polystyrene foam”;
  • PSB-S– suspended polystyrene foam, pressless, self-extinguishing, non-flammable type of foam;

  • penoplex– modified version of expanded polystyrene;
  • penofol– rolled polystyrene foam with foil backing;
  • liquid foam– urea-formaldehyde foam, excellent for blowing in cracks, joints and other problem areas.

Each of these types has its own specifics, and its use is appropriate under certain conditions. Standard foam plastic has several basic criteria, such as density and purpose: for walls, plinth, foundation, and the like.

Density determines the main parameters of foam plastic - thermal conductivity; the higher the density, the better the thermal insulation properties and strength, which are in the same progressive relationship.

The main types of foam have a density of 10-35 kg/cubic meter. m and the corresponding marking: PPT-20 (20 kg/cub. m), PPT-35 (35 kg/cub. m) and so on. And also this parameter determines the price and scope of the foam. For example, PPT-15 is relatively soft and cannot be used for floor insulation.

PPT-35 is considered universal, having the highest characteristics, due to which it can be used everywhere, but its price is also the highest. It is not advisable to use such foam for internal insulation walls where its strength will not bring any dividends, since it is simply not needed there. The dependence of strength on density is much higher than for thermal insulation properties. Often, PPT-15 is used to insulate roofs/ceilings, PPT-25 for walls and other vertical surfaces, and PPT-35 for floors.

Laying insulation with your own hands is not at all difficult if you follow the recommendations of specialists. It can be insulated with either mineral wool or penoplex. Each of them has both its pros and cons and different reviews. You can choose how to insulate it yourself.

Stage-by-stage insulation of the house

Vapor barrier

Polystyrene foam does not allow steam to pass through, and, accordingly, does not allow moisture that has entered through the facade of the building to evaporate. To prevent its penetration into the building frame from the room, it is necessary to provide a vapor barrier.

  • double-sided sealing adhesive tape;
  • reinforced mesh or other material as a vapor barrier.

Work is performed in a certain order.

  • At the time of work, the frame must be treated with protective impregnations, after which access to it will be closed.
  • Dust and dirt are removed from the frame in the work area.
  • Removed from tape protective film and is applied to all frame elements with which the vapor barrier will come into contact.
  • The protective film on the second side is removed from the tape.

  • The roll with vapor barrier is rolled out across the racks, sequentially pressing against the tapes. The joints are taped, and the roll webs overlap each other by approximately 200 mm.
  • After gluing the film, it is additionally fixed with a stapler at intervals of 25 to 30 cm.
  • To ensure further wall cladding and protect the vapor barrier from damage, slats are mounted on the frame. It does not matter whether they will be attached immediately after the vapor barrier or immediately before finishing.

Wall vapor barrier technology provides absolute protection against moisture penetration into the foam, but prevents it from leaving the room. In this regard, the house should be equipped with a good exhaust ventilation, otherwise mold and other problems cannot be avoided.

Thermal insulation and waterproofing of walls

After the vapor barrier is completed, it is time to insulate the walls with foam plastic. For these purposes you will need the following materials:

  • PPT or PSB-S slabs 10 cm thick, Styrofoam will do with a density of 15 kg/cu.m. m or higher;
  • film with wind and waterproof properties;
  • slats with a section of 20x30 mm;
  • adhesive sealing tape;
  • polyurethane foam.

The work is carried out as follows.

  1. The slabs are laid between the frame posts, often the distance between them is initially set to the size of the slabs - 50 cm. If the slabs are not of the same size, you will either have to cut them or fill the gap with a cut piece of the slab of the appropriate width. To cut foam plastic, it is better to use a small hacksaw or mounting knife.
  2. The gaps between the frame and the slabs are filled with polyurethane foam.
  3. The second layer of slabs is laid so that the joints do not line up with the first row, otherwise there will be cold bridges. The cracks are also filled with foam.
  4. The wind and waterproofing film on the outside is installed similar to the vapor barrier on the inside. The frame is covered with sealing tape, then a protective film is attached to it and subsequently secured with a stapler.
  5. On top of the attached film, slats are attached to the frame with self-tapping screws. The gap created is necessary for ventilation in order to remove moisture trapped under the façade cladding. When installing slats, you need to use a level to maintain the correct verticality of the walls. If the frame was not built perfectly, slats make it possible to correct this. The location of the slats is easily adjusted by placing scraps of plywood under the required end.

There is no big difference between sheathing the frame first from the inside and then from the outside, or, conversely, the sequence of these stages is left to your discretion.

Floor insulation

At this stage you will need the following materials:

  • PPT-35;
  • vapor barrier film;
  • sealing adhesive tape;
  • polyurethane foam;
  • penofol or other substrate.

Isolation occurs according to this plan:

  1. a vapor barrier film is laid on the logs with the joints glued; the overlap of the sheets should be about 200 mm;
  2. PPT is laid between the logs, and the gaps between them are filled with foam;
  3. a second layer of vapor barrier film is laid on top, the fastening method is the same as for the walls - on adhesive tape, secured with a stapler;
  4. a substrate is laid above to improve sound insulation.

Ceiling insulation

For these purposes you will need the following materials:

  • vapor barrier film;
  • sealing adhesive tape;
  • nylon thread;
  • nails.

The work is carried out in the following order:

  1. the vapor barrier is secured to the floor beams and attic flooring using self-adhesive tape and a stapler, like walls;
  2. nails are driven in at the bottom of the beams at intervals of 20-30 cm, so that the heads protrude under the thread binding;
  3. polystyrene foam is inserted between the floor beams and fixed by zigzag stretching the nylon thread between the nails; if the slabs fit tightly, additional fixation can be omitted;
  4. the second layer of vapor barrier is fixed to the beams with a stapler.

Advantages and Disadvantages

When using polystyrene foam, it is worth considering the specifics of this material based on its strengths and weaknesses.

  • Provides excellent thermal insulation - thermal conductivity is only 0.037-0.043 W/K*m. In winter, no heat comes out of such a house, and in summer there is no coolness; hot street air is again trapped outside. Polystyrene foam creates the effect of a thermos and allows you to save on both heating and air conditioning.
  • It has excellent moisture resistance and waterproofing, the water absorption of a foam sheet for 28 days under water is about 3%, the resistance to water vapor diffusion is (p) for rigid foams from 20 to 100 units.
  • High level of noise absorption.
  • Low price, one of the most available materials for thermal insulation.

When using polystyrene foam, it is worth considering the specifics of this material based on its strengths and weaknesses.

  • Provides excellent thermal insulation - thermal conductivity is only 0.037-0.043 W/K*m. In winter, no heat comes out of such a house, and in summer there is no coolness; hot street air is again trapped outside. Polystyrene foam creates the effect of a thermos and allows you to save on both heating and air conditioning.
  • It has excellent moisture resistance and waterproofing, the water absorption of a foam sheet for 28 days under water is about 3%, the resistance to water vapor diffusion is (p) for rigid foams from 20 to 100 units.
  • High level of noise absorption.
  • Low price, one of the most affordable materials for thermal insulation.
  • When exposed to environmental temperature conditions (temperatures of more than +100 C are terrible for polystyrene foam), the material practically does not change its volume. The consequence of this is the lack of movement inside the frame when the foam is heated, leading to damage to the fasteners and surrounding materials. The slabs sit in place, do not deteriorate, which means they do not require replacement or repair, and the service life of the entire structure increases.
  • No toxic substances. Polystyrene foam does not emit dangerous fumes, does not provoke allergies, and does not emit unpleasant odors and is completely safe for health normal conditions.
  • Flammability. Standard polystyrene foam (PSB, PPT) has a flammability degree of G3-G4; when fire retardants are added, it is reduced to G1 (low-flammable self-extinguishing substances) and is marked with the prefix C - PSB-S.
  • Simple and easy installation. The work can be performed by one person and does not require physical strength or special skills; all you need to do is carefully familiarize yourself with the technology.

The weaknesses of the heat insulator are not many characteristics.

  • Vapor tightness. Moisture that gets into the walls cannot pass freely through the foam and accumulates, as a result the wooden frame becomes damp and can rot. In houses with high humidity, exhaust ventilation is necessary.
  • High flammability of low-quality PPT. An unscrupulous manufacturer may not add fire retardant components, as a result of which the flammability of the foam will be at the G3-G4 level.
  • Toxicity. Under normal conditions, polystyrene foam is safe, but when melted and burned it releases toxic substances.

For information on how to insulate the floor in a frame house with polystyrene foam, see below.

Workers who have specialized education do not recommend insulating the walls of a frame house with foam plastic. This is due to several disadvantages of the material:

  1. Flammability. The insulation is easily flammable. For it to catch fire, you need a continuous source of fire, which can be the wooden elements of the house frame. Although manufacturers claim that the material is treated with special fire retardants and is absolutely safe in this regard. But the opinions of fire safety experts differ. And according to State standards, polystyrene foam is still considered a flammable material.
  2. Toxicity. During operation, the insulation does not emit any caustic or harmful substances. But if the material begins to ignite, black smoke is released, which is very dangerous to human life and health.
  3. Low vapor permeability. In the process of life, all living organisms emit steam. To live comfortably indoors, steam needs to escape outside. Otherwise, mold and mildew will develop on the surfaces in the rooms, which is also very dangerous for humans.

Resistance of polystyrene foam to chemical compounds

Chemical compound
Saline solution (brine, sea water) +
Soap and wetting solution +
Bleach: hypochlorite, chlorine solutions or hydrogen peroxide +
Acid solutions +
Not concentrated hydrochloric acid (35%) or nitric acid (less than 50%) +
Concentrated sulfuric acid, 100% formic acid
Caustic sodium, ammonia +
Organic solvents: acetone, ether, benzene, xylene, trichlorethylene
Medical gasoline, white spirit
Paraffin oil, Vaseline + —
Diesel fuel
Petrol
Alcohols: methanol, ethanol + —
Organosilicon compounds +
stable (regardless of duration of action) +
conditionally stable (long-term action leads to shrinkage or destruction of the surface layer) + —
unstable (shrinks or dissolves)

Since the material does not allow steam to pass through, it will accumulate between the wall and the insulation and this will lead to the wooden elements beginning to collapse prematurely. In addition, insulating a frame house with foam plastic creates the effect of a thermos. Heat is always retained indoors, both in winter and in summer.

But if such an effect is simply necessary for the cold season, then in the summer it will be unbearable to be in the house due to the constantly high air temperature. It will be necessary to install air conditioning or fans.

If your family budget does not allow you to choose a safer insulation material, you can use several tips from professionals:

  • Before insulating a house with polystyrene foam from the outside, the material must be additionally treated with fire retardants (substances that resist fire).
  • Forced ventilation will help release steam into the environment.
  • Foam insulation must be covered on both sides with windproof film. On the side of the inner wall it will serve as waterproofing. Condensed steam will be removed using a ventilated gap. And the outside will be protected from moisture from the atmosphere and low temperatures.

How to insulate walls

Polystyrene foam is traditionally used to insulate the walls of a frame house, but it is still better to use it to insulate the house from the outside, since the technical smell that foam boards emit disappears from the room in at least a week. In the first week after insulating the walls inside the house, residents may experience headaches and disturbed sleep.

Insulation of an internal wall with foam plastic

What you will need to prepare the walls for insulation:

  • hammer drill
  • grater
  • paint brushes
  • bucket or other container for diluting mixtures
  • spatulas
  • needle roller
  • hammer

To fix the foam you need to do flat surface walls, for which we remove the old finish. After cleaning the wall from dirt, dust and other coatings, make sure that when applying the foam sheets there are no recesses or air spaces left. The foam should fit tightly to the wall. If the quality of the walls leaves much to be desired, it is necessary to prime them. To do this, use a brush or spray.

Using a needle roller, we roughen the surface of the foam board.

Important: we start gluing the insulation from the bottom, for which we install a starting strip. This strip will act as a support for the first sheets of polystyrene foam, and will help to install them evenly

Using a spatula, apply the adhesive mixture to the insulation, then press it to the surface of the wall and press it with your palm. You cannot use hard things that will damage the foam - only your palm. After installing the insulation, check for dents, cracks or damage.

We continue to insulate all the walls in the same way, trying not to leave gaps between the foam sheets. When the work is finished, it is necessary to use special plastic nails, which experts call mushroom. This mushroom consists of a plastic circle and a sleeve-leg. Hammer a nail into the sleeve, which is preferably plastic, this will avoid cold spots.

Mushroom for fixing foam boards to the wall

The fungus is attached thanks to holes made using a puncher. The length of the holes should be 20 mm greater than the size of the fungus. On average, one sheet of polystyrene foam takes 5 fungi.

Fungi are located at the joints of the plates, additionally pressing the foam sheets against the wall

Make sure that the caps are level with the insulation, and after hammering the nails, they are heated by 1.5-2 mm. If, after insulating the wall, gaps of 5 mm or more remain between the sheets, they must be additionally foamed

The required foam sizes are easy to cut

How to properly insulate a frame house from the inside with polystyrene foam

Before starting to insulate walls with foam plastic from the inside, everyone asks many questions about the rules and technology of the process.

Remember that you need to follow certain rules when insulating a frame house from the inside with foam plastic, otherwise the work will be a waste of money and time.

You should take care of the following nuances:

  • firstly, if you are planning to insulate the walls, then think about insulating the ceiling and floor, because they also allow the cold to pass through. The right decision problems – it’s worthwhile to completely insulate the house;
  • secondly, the room must have good internal and external waterproofing;
  • thirdly, when laying foam sheets, do not forget to make small special ventilation gaps.

The technology for insulating a house from the inside is not much different from the process of insulating a house with polystyrene foam from the outside, but there are still some differences.

Stages of work:

  • prepare the wall: remove and clean the surface from the remains of the old wall covering;
  • leveling and priming walls. Unlike external insulation, regular ceramic tile adhesive can be used inside. If desired, you can attach sheets of foam plastic with plastic dowels (this is not necessary, since the foam inside is not influenced by negative external factors, for example, strong temperature changes);
  • apply glue. Lay the mesh so that it overlaps the adjacent sheet by 15 centimeters. Then apply another layer of glue at least 2 mm thick;
  • after everything has dried, do the facing work: glue wallpaper, paint the walls, etc.

Which is better: insulating walls with foam plastic inside or outside?

From the above properties of the material, it can be argued that external insulation has more benefits than internal insulation:

  • saves room space. Considering that it is insulated country house, which is usually small in size, then saving space inside will be very useful;
  • the temperature in the building does not change, and because of this, condensation will not appear inside the room.

The thickness of the foam sheet layer depends only on the desire of the owner and on climatic conditions in which the house is located.

Foam sheets of different thicknesses are produced, so some use several layers of material when insulating to be sure.

The checkerboard order when gluing sheets of polystyrene foam must be observed, otherwise the so-called. “cold bridges” that allow air to pass through.

Pay special attention to the joints and corners in the openings - they need to be well filled with polyurethane foam. . Products made from expanded polystyrene are safe for health, and due to the fact that the material consists of 98% air, such “upholstery” retains heat in the premises: you cannot find a better means for insulating a house in terms of quality and price

Products made from expanded polystyrene are safe for health, and due to the fact that the material consists of 98% air, such “upholstery” retains heat in the premises: you cannot find a better means for insulating a house in terms of quality and price.

Installation technology

A frame house can be insulated with expanded polystyrene both outside and inside. In any case, the slabs are placed between the studs and the sheathing on both sides of the walls. To avoid the formation of cold bridges between polystyrene foam boards, it is necessary to install them correctly.

Preparation

At this stage, the frame is processed. Remove uneven walls, protruding nails, and wire.

The surface is cleaned of dust and debris. Gaps and cracks are filled with foam to prevent air from getting into them. Wet wood is dried with a hair dryer. The entire area of ​​the frame is primed and allowed to dry completely.

Waterproofing layer

A layer of waterproofing is installed on the outside of the walls: it will protect them from moisture and wind. Of course, polystyrene foam is a moisture-resistant material, but at sub-zero temperatures, dampness and moisture penetrating inside the frame can freeze and destroy the insulation.

Waterproofing material (glassine, plastic film or membrane coating) must be laid on the walls, secured with nails, and the joints taped. The strips are overlapped (10 cm overlap).

Laying insulation

Installation of vertical sags and beacons is carried out using cords. In this way, it will be possible to accurately position the polystyrene foam slabs and prevent them from warping.

The insulation is fixed between the frame posts using glue. It is mixed in the amount required for 1 hour of work. The adhesive composition is applied pointwise in five places of the slab and the edges of the insulation are carefully treated with it. If the pieces of foam do not match, they are cut with a heated knife.

Additionally, the heat-insulating material is secured with plastic dowels (5 pieces). You should not use metal fasteners: they will create cold bridges in the insulation. The fastening points must be primed with adhesive.

All cracks must be sealed with liquid foam or frost-resistant foam.

In order for the insulation of the surfaces of a frame house to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to lay the heat insulator in three layers, each 5 cm thick. In this case, the installation of the slabs is carried out in such a way that the next layer overlaps the joints of the previous one.

Reinforcement

A reinforcing mesh fixed on top of the heat-insulating material will help securely connect the subsequent final finishing layer to the foam. The corners of the walls must be strengthened using special corner profiles.

For reinforcement, choose a mesh with a cell size of 3*6 cm. It is laid overlapping (an overlap of 10 cm), pressed tightly into the insulation boards and fixed with a layer of glue.

Final finishing

Walls can be protected from negative atmospheric influences using putty. The surface is treated with it twice; before applying the second layer, the first must be completely dry.

After puttying, you can begin painting the surface with façade paint. This type of work is carried out using a roller. The coloring composition is applied from top to bottom in 2-3 layers. Each subsequent layer is performed after the previous one has dried. Facade paint dries quickly and is easy to apply.

The external walls of a frame house can be decorated with stone or siding. In the latter case, installation of sheathing is required. In the case of a frame house, its functions will be performed by the frame elements.

Step-by-step algorithm for installing the walls of a frame house

It is very important to carry out high-quality work before starting any work. antiseptic treatment using special impregnations for this. The frame of the house must begin to be erected from the bottom frame

Initially, you need to install cut-off waterproofing.

To preserve the wood as much as possible, the concrete is coated with bitumen. The timber should be laid on roofing felt, pulling it to the concrete base with anchors.

Next is the process of constructing corners frame structure. To connect the boards and so that they do not change their position during the construction process, you must first secure them with special spacers.

Then they equip intermediate racks, installing the upper trim on top. To further strengthen the structure, the gaps must be reinforced with jibs. Also, jibs are installed in the openings of doors and windows. After completing the installation process, you can begin to insulate the walls.

Technology of wall insulation with foam plastic

A frame house is insulated directly between the posts and always on both sides. To do this, you first need to process the frame and prepare it for insulation work. It is imperative to remove all air channels so that after filing the foam the cold does not pass through. It is desirable that the walls be smooth, but if this cannot be achieved, then you need to carefully nail the sheets into all recessed areas.

It is also necessary to remove all old nails from the walls and other protruding objects. The key to quality work is that the foam sheets fit snugly against the wall. If vibration is observed, this can significantly affect further processing of the walls. Each remaining space between the wall and the foam can cause cracks in the facing plaster and, in general, the thermal insulation properties may be impaired because of this.

The walls of a frame house must be dry, but if there is moisture or even dampness appears as black spots, then everything must be thoroughly dried with a hair dryer. Black mold spots can be treated special solutions(antifungal primer deep penetration), so that it does not appear again after a while.

As a result, a high-quality and reliable frame must be dry, smooth and hermetically sealed. This stage is called preparatory and a lot depends on it. First of all, this concerns durability. The more responsible the preparatory work is, the more likely it is that the insulated walls will last a long time. It’s also better not to skimp on the materials themselves, because you have to pay for quality.

Next, you should properly waterproof the walls. Taking into account the fact that foam plastic is completely resistant to moisture and does not absorb moisture, the waterproofing layer can only be applied from the inside of the house. This is absolutely necessary so that after a few years the walls do not begin to freeze in severe frosts.

As waterproofing material in modern construction, polyethylene film, glassine or special membrane coatings are used. It is worth remembering that each subsequent waterproofing sheet of material must be overlapped by at least 10 cm and then glued with a special adhesive film or transparent tape.

At the end of the successful construction work, you can proceed directly to laying the foam. The thickness of the sheet is chosen purely according to individual preferences, since everything depends on the house itself and desired result. Each sheet of foam plastic must be placed between the frame posts. The foam is pre-treated with a special glue, onto which the sheets are attached.

Polystyrene foam can also be fixed using special nails (umbrellas), but if the wall is not level, then in order to avoid unnecessary gaps, it is better to use adhesive solutions. Dowels are more suitable for smooth walls and at the same time fix the insulation quite well. It is also worth noting that each joint of the sheets must be filled with frost-resistant foam. This will further save heat and protect the walls from freezing during severe frosts.

When insulating the walls of a frame house, it is necessary to take into account the fact that walls can be compressed and expanded during temperature changes; accordingly, it is recommended to leave gaps of a few millimeters between the foam sheets.

This feature also significantly affects appearance facing plaster. If you do not leave gaps between the foam sheets, then over time cracks may appear in the plaster.
Be sure not to forget about such a nuance as the vapor barrier procedure. For this, a special vapor barrier film is used, which is necessary to protect the insulating layer and to prevent condensation from appearing on the walls.

So, for example, with outside walls can be vapor-proofed after waterproofing. As for the interior finishing, it is recommended to pre-plaster the surface using a special mesh. For example, a fiberglass mesh for plastering work or an ordinary plastic one is ideal. Finally, you can prime the wall.

Installation rules

If the building is being erected on your own, then with the question of how to properly insulate a frame house with polystyrene foam, you should turn to professionals. After all, if you do not adhere to technology, then over time the wooden elements of the frame will begin to rot.

Insulation scheme with a suspended facade: 1 - interior decoration; 2 - vapor barrier; 3 - frame stand; 4 - expanded polystyrene; 5 - siding; 6 - vapor-permeable moisture-proof membrane.

  1. In order to extend the service life of the main structural elements, they must be protected from moisture. To do this, they are covered with double-sided sealing adhesive tape. Before applying protection, you need to clean the wooden posts from dirt.
  2. The next stage of foam insulation will be the installation of a vapor barrier. On the side of the premises, a vapor-proof membrane is laid to a length of 10–15 cm; the joints must be taped. This will make the layer airtight.
  3. The wall on the side of the room is covered with boards or slabs.
  4. Next you need to go to the side of the facade. There it is done between the frame posts. The slabs of material are laid tightly so that there are no gaps or cracks. It is advisable to treat the joints with sealant or polyurethane foam. It is necessary to ensure that the joints of subsequent rows do not coincide with the previous ones.
  5. When the insulation is completely laid over the entire area of ​​the facade, it should be covered with a windproof membrane. A small amount of moisture that gets on the foam can destroy the material under the influence of low temperatures. The film will protect both the insulation and the premises from heat loss.
  6. Insulated frame houses with polystyrene foam require additional decorative finishing. It will also perform the function of protection from external negative influences. For this you can use siding, facade tiles and even decorative plaster.

Insulation of a frame house with extruded polystyrene foam is carried out using the same technology as polystyrene foam. The difference is that if penoplex is used, you do not need to buy slabs of maximum thickness. This insulation has a thermal conductivity coefficient even lower than that of polystyrene foam.

We insulate external walls and basement

Most often, foam boards are used for external insulation Houses. Since it is not afraid of moisture, it is therefore preferable to use it instead of mineral wool. As we know, a frame wall consists of several layers, and its last layer is an OSB board.

We insulate a frame house from the outside with polystyrene foam

It is best if the work is carried out in the warm season, since frosts worsen the properties of the glue and the insulation boards will not adhere well. We attach the foam in the same way as we attached it to the wall. We use dowels after we have glued several sheets. They securely fix the sheets. And you can be sure that when the adhesive expires, the sheets will not come off.

Insulation of the foundation and basement

To insulate the base we use 10 cm polystyrene foam, since the base is the coldest part of the wall. We process the base using reinforcing mesh cement mortar. When the cement is completely dry, you can begin exterior finishing. The most commonly used material is plaster. If you have chosen lime plaster, it is necessary to add cement of a grade of at least 400 to it. We process the wall in two layers without intermediate grouting. We read about finishing the facade after insulation.

Floor installation

Installation of the floor in a frame house begins with preparatory work. So, used wooden materials must be soaked by special means, which protect against fire, pests and mice in a frame house.

If the construction of a frame house is carried out on columnar foundation, on preparatory stage it is necessary to start arranging the pillars. Insulation of the floor of a frame house on screw piles begins with screwing in the piles themselves.

Lags

Before installing the logs in a frame house, the bottom piping of the foundation is made, which allows you to connect the pile-screw foundation and the floor into a single chain. Tying is done as follows:

  1. On pile foundation the beam of the lower trim is unfolded.
  2. The strapping beam is connected to each other at the corners “into the paw” and is additionally fixed with a bracket.
  3. The timber is bolted to the ends of the pile foundation.

Floor joists and subfloor.

After tying, they begin to lay the lag directly. For the process, 100 by 50 mm boards are most often used. The choice depends on the load on flooring. The logs are laid on bottom trim foundation and fixed with nails. The finished structure must be impregnated with antiseptics and fire-fighting solutions.

Traditional construction of a frame house involves the installation of a subfloor at the first stage; after installation is completed, the installation of walls and partitions begins. Deviations from the described principle are allowed depending on the type of construction and the wishes of the home owner.

Subfloor

Stuffed between the joists wooden slats, on which sheet plywood or special moisture-resistant boards are laid. In order not to hide the height of the joists, which can be used to lay insulation of greater height, you can attach the subfloor directly to the bottom of the joists without using support rails. There are several installation recommendations.

  1. The subfloor sheets are laid in a checkerboard pattern.
  2. The thickness of the plywood or slab is selected depending on the distance between the logs.
  3. The sheets are fastened using a complex method - using special glue and self-tapping screws; this approach allows you to subsequently avoid squeaks in the floor when walking.
  4. Fastening is carried out along the edge and in the center, fasteners with self-tapping screws are placed 150 mm from each other.
  5. A gap of 2-3 mm must be left between the sheets of plywood. To ensure that the distance is the same everywhere, nails are placed in the spaces. required diameter. After installation is completed, they are pulled out.

The subfloor boards are attached to the joists.

Waterproofing membrane

A waterproofing membrane must be installed in the space between the joists and the subfloor. It is most convenient to fasten the waterproofing membrane using a construction stapler. Insulating the floor in a frame house on stilts is one of the last stages of floor installation. Foam or mineral wool is most often used for insulation. We will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each insulation later.

Insulation of a frame house with foam plastic

Before you start laying insulation into the space between the posts, you need to cut sheets of the required size. This will be needed if the pitch of the frame and the width of the insulation do not match. Foam can be cut using a tool designed for this purpose. It is sold in construction stores. If it is not possible to buy it, and the amount of work is large, you can make a similar device yourself. The principle of its operation is to heat a thin metal string that can cut foam like butter.

The cutting is done in such a way that the insulation fits tightly into the space between the posts. But no matter how hard you try, cracks will remain somewhere. Polystyrene foam is a non-plastic material and tends to crumble. Therefore, the appearance of gaps is inevitable. Each of them should be filled with polyurethane foam. After completing this work, they begin installing a vapor barrier.

The membrane is laid on frame racks and attached to them using a stapler and staples

It is important not to mix up the sides of the material and place it as recommended by the manufacturer. To do this, you need to follow the markings on the canvas.

Vapor barrier is installed on the inside of the walls. Windproof fabric is placed on the outside.

Pros and cons of the material

Among the main advantages of polystyrene foam:

  • good thermal insulation performance, allowing the house to warm up quickly and cool down slowly;
  • good moisture resistance, thanks to which this material is used as insulation for the basement floor and foundation;
  • excellent sound insulation;
  • when insulating with foam plastic, there is no special need for wind protection and vapor barriers;
  • Quite low cost, allowing significant savings for large volumes of work;
  • the service life of foam plastic as insulation can be 20-50 years, depending on the density and thickness of the material and correct installation;
  • constancy of overall dimensions during temperature changes, foam plates do not shrink or move;
  • low weight of material;
  • ease of installation.

insulation of frame cabins with polystyrene foam

However, there are also disadvantages, here they are:

  • low mechanical strength, to protect against mechanical damage, it is necessary to take care of a protective coating;
  • the material is almost completely impervious to air;
  • polystyrene foam is destroyed under the influence of organic solvents, paints based on nitro paints, petroleum products, and exposure to ultraviolet rays;
  • flammability, although the addition of special additives - fire retardants - reduces the flammability of the material. Burning may release toxic materials.

Based on the properties of the material, the economic feasibility of using polystyrene foam as insulation is quite obvious. Low cost and excellent performance characteristics were the reason for the particular popularity of the material among budget developers.

Advice: the apparent cheapness of the material may turn out to be imaginary. For high-quality thermal insulation with polystyrene foam, a lot of polyurethane foam may be required.

Video about the production and characteristics of polystyrene foam:

Insulating the walls of a frame house with your own hands

The material for wall insulation can be any. Need to remember
about your area and select material accordingly. Expanded clay or slag can be used
if in winter it is not colder than 20°C. Otherwise, the material must be different. Before insulation
walls need to be waterproofed between the outer wall and the insulation, the best
The material is parchment paper. The waterproofing is fixed with slats and secured
overlap Corners and bends overlap by at least 20 cm.

Having completed the construction of the walls, you need to take care of their insulation. Properly Done
insulation will protect the building from heat loss during the cold season and will contribute to
maintaining a comfortable temperature regime indoors. So, let's start insulating
frame house. Various types of insulation can be used as insulation for walls.
structure and its technical specifications materials. Insulation materials can be distributed
into two types - organic and inorganic. When we choose one of the types of insulation
for the walls of our house, we need to ensure the effectiveness of the insulation. He doesn't
must lose its quality properties during the operation of the building. Material,
which we will use to insulate the walls of the house must have a density, not
exceeding 500-600 kilograms per cubic meter. Insulation materials such as slag
or expanded clay, of course, can be used for thermal insulation of walls, but only if
In the area where you live, the average daily temperature in winter does not drop
below 20°C.

Before you start insulating the walls, you need to perform waterproofing -
between the outer wall and the insulation. For this purpose, you can use film, better
For example, parchment paper is suitable for waterproofing. Cutting out
it into strips of the required sizes, fasten them to the wall using slats, making sure to fix them
overlapping material (sheet on sheet). For corner joints of house walls, the overlap should be
not less than 20 cm.

Plate materials

It is more convenient to insulate walls with slab materials. Because fall asleep
pouring bulk material onto the wall is a rather labor-intensive procedure. As a slab material
can serve stone wool or mineral wool. After fastening, do not forget about the joints
- they need to be covered with foam or other material.

If you are insulating your house using bulk materials, automatically increases
the complexity of the work performed. But the insulation of walls using slab materials,
for example, mineral wool, will provide us with high-quality and fast work.

Mineral wool must be attached to the walls of the house using bars with a cross-section of 15×20
see. It is advisable to fill the bars vertically. Remember that you need to provide
sealing the longest joint of mineral wool slabs (from the bottom point of the building to the top).
Therefore, it is best to fill the joints of the slabs with bars that have a large width,
than those that fasten mineral wool slabs in the middle.

Stage-by-stage insulation of the house

Vapor barrier

Polystyrene foam does not allow steam to pass through, and, accordingly, does not allow moisture that has entered through the facade of the building to evaporate. To prevent its penetration into the building frame from the room, it is necessary to provide a vapor barrier.

  • double-sided sealing adhesive tape;
  • reinforced mesh or other material as a vapor barrier.

Work is performed in a certain order.

  • At the time of work, the frame must be treated with protective impregnations, after which access to it will be closed.
  • Dust and dirt are removed from the frame in the work area.
  • The protective film is removed from the tape and applied to all frame elements with which the vapor barrier will come into contact.
  • The protective film on the second side is removed from the tape.

  • The roll with vapor barrier is rolled out across the racks, sequentially pressing against the tapes. The joints are taped, and the roll webs overlap each other by approximately 200 mm.
  • After gluing the film, it is additionally fixed with a stapler at intervals of 25 to 30 cm.
  • To ensure further wall cladding and protect the vapor barrier from damage, slats are mounted on the frame. It does not matter whether they will be attached immediately after the vapor barrier or immediately before finishing.

Wall vapor barrier technology provides absolute protection against moisture penetration into the foam, but prevents it from leaving the room. In this regard, the house must have good exhaust ventilation, otherwise mold and other problems cannot be avoided.

Thermal insulation and waterproofing of walls

After the vapor barrier is completed, it is time to insulate the walls with foam plastic. For these purposes you will need the following materials:

  • PPT or PSB-S slabs are 10 cm thick; polystyrene foam with a density of 15 kg/cubic meter is suitable. m or higher;
  • film with wind and waterproof properties;
  • slats with a section of 20x30 mm;
  • adhesive sealing tape;
  • polyurethane foam.

The work is carried out as follows.

  1. The slabs are laid between the frame posts, often the distance between them is initially set to the size of the slabs - 50 cm. If the slabs are not of the same size, you will either have to cut them or fill the gap with a cut piece of the slab of the appropriate width. To cut foam plastic, it is better to use a small hacksaw or mounting knife.
  2. The gaps between the frame and the slabs are filled with polyurethane foam.
  3. The second layer of slabs is laid so that the joints do not line up with the first row, otherwise there will be cold bridges. The cracks are also filled with foam.
  4. The wind and waterproofing film on the outside is installed similar to the vapor barrier on the inside. The frame is covered with sealing tape, then a protective film is attached to it and subsequently secured with a stapler.
  5. On top of the attached film, slats are attached to the frame with self-tapping screws. The gap created is necessary for ventilation in order to remove moisture trapped under the façade cladding. When installing slats, you need to use a level to maintain the correct verticality of the walls. If the frame was not built perfectly, slats make it possible to correct this. The location of the slats is easily adjusted by placing scraps of plywood under the required end.

There is no big difference between sheathing the frame first from the inside and then from the outside, or, conversely, the sequence of these stages is left to your discretion.

Floor insulation

At this stage you will need the following materials:

  • PPT-35;
  • vapor barrier film;
  • sealing adhesive tape;
  • polyurethane foam;
  • penofol or other substrate.

Isolation occurs according to this plan:

  1. a vapor barrier film is laid on the logs with the joints glued; the overlap of the sheets should be about 200 mm;
  2. PPT is laid between the logs, and the gaps between them are filled with foam;
  3. a second layer of vapor barrier film is laid on top, the fastening method is the same as for the walls - on adhesive tape, secured with a stapler;
  4. a substrate is laid above to improve sound insulation.

Ceiling insulation

For these purposes you will need the following materials:

  • vapor barrier film;
  • sealing adhesive tape;
  • nylon thread;
  • nails.

The work is carried out in the following order:

  1. the vapor barrier is secured to the floor beams and attic flooring using self-adhesive tape and a stapler, like walls;
  2. nails are driven in at the bottom of the beams at intervals of 20-30 cm, so that the heads protrude under the thread binding;
  3. polystyrene foam is inserted between the floor beams and fixed by zigzag stretching the nylon thread between the nails; if the slabs fit tightly, additional fixation can be omitted;
  4. the second layer of vapor barrier is fixed to the beams with a stapler.

Floor insulation

“Cranial” (support) beams are attached to the bottom of the side surfaces of the logs. Any sheet material spreads on them:

  • Chipboard; OSB; thick (at least 1 cm) plywood.

Can be used slab, unedged board, as well as boards of 2 - 3 grades. When using cheap lumber, they must be cleared of bark.

In addition, before starting work, the surfaces of wooden sheets or lumber must be treated with an antiseptic. The rolling surface is covered with a waterproofing membrane - moisture permeability is at least 800 g/m2. The canvas is laid overlapping with an overlap of about 20 cm onto the wall. Then a layer of any “breathable” insulation is laid:

  • basalt wool; glass wool - special care should be taken during installation; slag; expanded clay.

Wood waste can be used - small shavings and sawdust. But in this case it is necessary to provide for their protection from rodents. Another disadvantage is that sawdust is highly flammable.

A moisture-proof fabric is laid on top of the insulation. The work from the inside is completed with the installation of the “finished” floor and floor covering.

Specifications

Polystyrene foam (expanded polystyrene) is a heat-insulating material characterized by excellent physicochemical properties. Available in the form of white slabs consisting of polystyrene balls filled with pure hydrocarbon (pentane).

To make this material, only 2% polystyrene is used, the remaining 98% is air. During the foam creation process, pentane becomes volatile and expands. The balls, filling with air, increase in volume. When exposed to steam, they become elastic and stick together. This results in a lightweight material, the scope of which includes not only construction.

Depending on the brand, the density of the foam is from 15 to 50 kg/m3. When bending, the strength limit is up to 0.42 MPa. In a dry state at temperatures from +20 °C to +30 °C, the thermal conductivity of the foam is no more than 0.029-0.033 W. Humidity no more than 2%.

Insulation of walls with polystyrene foam sequence of work

Insulation can be done from inside the house or outside. The technologies are the same. Careful observance of them ensures that the room will forever be warm, cozy atmosphere, which neither wind, nor rain, nor temperature changes can spoil.

Scheme of waterproofing frame walls.

  1. Proper thermal insulation is carried out in several layers at once, and begins with preparation. Remove paintwork, nails, and any foreign inclusions from the wall. If the partition is uneven or made of bulk materials, it must be well plastered. The result should be a smooth surface without depressions or cracks. Before it should be coated with a primer: this will improve adhesion (adhesive properties).
  2. If insulation is carried out in a building under construction, then at the second stage it is recommended to install external window sills and insulate the slopes. The ebbs are attached so that the window sill protrudes beyond the wall by 3-4 centimeters: this leaves room for thermal insulation. In order for the slope insulation to fit reliably with the wall insulation, it should not be cut flush: it is better if it protrudes 1 cm beyond the wall from the outer slope.
  3. Before gluing the insulation on the bottom, a profile is installed that secures the foam. If the insulation is placed on a flat surface, then the fixing solution can be applied under the comb. If there are differences of more than a centimeter, it is better to do it in bloopers, so that more solution gets into the recesses and less into the bulges. This way the plane will be smoother, so the insulator will be attached to it more securely.
  4. The solution is also applied to the edges of the foam: on the wall it will disperse and fall under other sheets. The work is carried out from the bottom up.
  5. Important: when gluing the slabs, you should ensure that they are laid in a checkerboard pattern, and the seams of the next row do not coincide with the seams of the previous one.
  6. After gluing the last sheet of thermal insulation, let it sit for three days so that the glue dries.

What is expanded polystyrene

Expanded polystyrene is a foam material of artificial origin. There are two types of polystyrene foam for do-it-yourself insulation of walls and other building structures:

Option 1. Foam plastic

Option 2. Extruded polystyrene foam

  1. foam;
  2. extruded polystyrene foam.

The most affordable option for thermal insulation is polystyrene foam. It consists of small balls with a cavity filled with air inside. Air is one of the most effective insulation materials, only inert gases prevent heat loss better. Do-it-yourself insulation with polystyrene foam allows you to achieve excellent results due to the following material characteristics:

  • availability and low cost;
  • high thermal insulation characteristics;
  • resistance to biological effects (mold, fungus);
  • ease of working with the material and installing it yourself;
  • the material does not shrink over time;
  • safety for humans.
  • low strength (required additional protection polystyrene foam from mechanical stress);
  • instability of the material to high humidity at low temperatures, can easily crumble into individual balls;
  • instability to fire.

All these shortcomings are compensated by the low price of the material, but it is possible to take them into account and reduce the negative manifestations to zero.

Insulation of attic roof

The order of layers when insulating the attic

When building a private house, the option of using the under-roof space as an attic is becoming increasingly popular. In this case it is necessary to ensure comfortable conditions stay and reliably protect the room from the cold

Basic heat losses occur precisely through the roof, so sufficient attention must be paid to its insulation.

In the vast majority of cases, polystyrene foam is placed between the rafters. Fastening is carried out using adhesives and special nails to the rafter legs. The bottom sheathing acts as additional reinforcement.

The thickness of insulation in the main territory of the country will be in the range of 150-200 mm

It is important to remember that the height rafter legs cannot be taken less than the thickness of the insulation layer. In the case of polystyrene foam, a ventilated air layer is not necessary

To protect structures and foam from negative internal and external influences, the following materials are used:

  • vapor barrier;
  • waterproofing;
  • wind protection

As the second and third layers, modern moisture-windproof membranes can be used, which are mounted outside the heat-protective material.

  • Main characteristics and properties of polystyrene foam
  • Recommendations for insulating the outside of a building

Polystyrene foam is building material, with which buildings are insulated.

Polystyrene foam is used in all areas of construction and is used for interior and exterior work. The material is in demand in the construction market.

Due to the high air content, foam sheets have high thermal insulation properties.

To make polystyrene foam, you need to use a fairly large amount of different raw materials, which will differ in density and strength.

The main properties of polystyrene foam should be highlighted:

  • safety. The material is manufactured, used and disposed of without harming the health of others. Evidence of the safety of polystyrene foam is the fact that it is used not only as a building material for insulation, but also as packaging for vegetables and fruits, children's toys, etc.;
  • good thermal insulation. Retains heat not only in dry weather, but also in humid conditions and at low temperatures;
  • high level of sound insulation. Prevents the desired sounds from entering;
  • moisture resistance. If PSB-S sheets are placed under water, the material will absorb only a few percent of its volume. Therefore, polystyrene foam is recommended to be used not only for insulating frame houses, but also for insulating the foundation. After all, when such a slab comes into contact with the ground, absolutely nothing will happen to it, only the basement will be better insulated;
  • one of the main properties of expanded polystyrene is its high resistance to stress;
  • durability. The material is not susceptible to rotting, the spread of various bacteria, fungi and mold on the surface;
  • convenient to use. Because polystyrene foam sheets are so lightweight, they can be cut to any size and raised to any height;
  • hypoallergenic;
  • resistance to external factors (temperature changes, fungal infection or mold), to various chemicals, for example: sea water, soap, alcohol, water-soluble paints and much more.

The only drawback of polystyrene foam is that rodents and termites love the material. If this problem occurs on the site, then it is better to use other materials: cement, stone, concrete, sand.

Wall insulation

Most often, polystyrene foam in a frame house is used to insulate the surface of the walls between the studs and the sheathing on both sides. This is done as follows.

Pre-cleaning and sealing

Insulating a frame house with polystyrene foam always begins with processing the frame itself. If this is not done, then even the most careful styling thermal insulation material will not help to avoid thermal losses through the air channels remaining at the joints.

Despite the fact that foam insulation technology involves high speed of processing even large areas as one of its main advantages, preliminary steps must be performed very carefully.

All bumps, nails and other protruding sharp objects must be removed. Existing gaps and cracks must be filled with polyurethane foam. If during the construction stage the wood was exposed to moisture, we treat the damp areas with a construction hairdryer.

As a result, the frame should be a dry, even and airtight structure, ready for laying insulation.

Waterproofing

The waterproofing layer is laid on the outside of the walls and protects them from moisture and wind. Many experts claim that polystyrene foam does not absorb moisture at all, so it is possible to insulate a house with it without external insulation. However, dampness and humidity, which penetrates inside the frame at subzero temperatures, can freeze and destroy the insulation material and walls.

Typically used as waterproofing:

  • glassine;
  • plastic film;
  • modern membrane coatings.

The waterproofing material must be laid with an overlap of one row over another (about 10 cm) and taped with a special tape.

Laying foam

Sheets of insulation are laid in the opening between the frame posts and secured in it:

  • If the inner or outer surface of the walls is already ready, the foam is attached to it using impregnation pre-treated with an adhesive composition. This is done in order to avoid air gaps. For additional fastening of insulation, you can use plastic dowels. Fastening polystyrene foam to dowels
  • If the walls of a frame house will be mounted after insulation, then the foam plastic is attached to self-tapping screws through inner part racks and are additionally fixed with twine attached to the frame.

To insulate a frame-panel house with maximum quality, it is better to use three layers of foam plastic, each 5 cm thick, laying them on top of each other and overlapping the joints in the previous one with the next layer. The joints between slabs within one layer must be coated with professional frost-resistant polyurethane foam.

One of the most important parameters that must be ensured when insulating walls with foam plastic is the size of the gaps between the plates. The fact is that the insulation of a frame house undergoes expansion and contraction as the outside temperature changes. Correct location the slabs will not allow them to warp during expansion and affect the outer cladding.

More details about laying insulation during heat treatment of walls can be seen in the video:

Vapor barrier and wall cladding

A vapor barrier film is laid on the inside of the walls. It protects the insulation layer from excessive moisture due to condensation. Most often, foil materials (penofol) or special membrane films are used for these purposes.

Please note - all seams must be foamed

External cladding can be installed directly over the waterproofing. A ventilated façade is not required when insulated with foam plastic. Interior decoration It is done in the same way; if it is necessary to pre-plaster the surface, a reinforcing mesh is used.

Alternative floor insulation options

For many years, expanded clay has been one of the basic means for insulating foundations in a house. This material used in buildings varied structure. Although it has certain disadvantages, its positive qualities are significant. Sometimes what has been tested by time becomes much more reliable than modern and the latest materials.

The double floor design is a classic base insulation technology that has survived to this day. A lot of people insulate their own frame houses using a system of finished and subfloors with a layer of air between them. Today, the concept of double flooring comes down to the use of a laminate system on a substrate. This makes it possible to maintain the temperature of the base in the house at a very high level.

You can use water or electric heating as floor insulation in a frame house. In this option, you will need a separate material for insulation. However, such warm floors are primarily a way to heat the internal air in a building. Floor insulation will be additional, and not the primary purpose of the above system.

If you need to insulate the constructed foundations, you can use gypsum fiber boards. This material is a modern product for complex use. He has quite good characteristics for heat and noise insulation. Due to this this remedy can be used as additional heating of bases. The latest system in organizing the insulation of foundations in a house is self-leveling floors. The use of a leveling warm mixture makes it possible to reduce the level of heat loss through the base by 15%. There is good vapor permeability, sound insulation, environmental friendliness and fire safety of these materials.

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