A cold floor in an apartment is problem number one. Residents of the first floors suffer from constant blowing from below. Even by insulating the ceiling and walls, you will not improve the situation, since the main contact area is the floor covering. There is only one way out. High-quality floor insulation will not only create comfort in the rooms, but will also reduce material costs for heating.

Types of insulation, which one is better to choose

The types of existing insulation materials allow you to make the choice that is most suitable for each individual case. Bulk materials, slabs, roll version, and liquid composition, each is suitable for insulating the floor on the first floor.

Bulk materials
Varieties of bulk insulating materials include expanded clay, foam chips, slag and some others. Their advantage is the ability to fill the space between the existing sheathing as much as possible. Expanded clay also has low thermal conductivity, high strength and durability.

Plate materials
This type of insulation is also divided depending on their main component. This mineral wool, expanded polystyrene, polystyrene foam, basalt fiber, vermiculite and others. They are lightweight and have low thermal conductivity. To increase thermal insulation, they are used in combination with roll insulation.

Polystyrene foam is an environmentally friendly finishing material that is affordable, but is fragile and melts when heated. More good option- this is expanded polystyrene, which has a high density, and besides, it is not flammable.

Vermiculite – also environmentally friendly pure material, but expensive in slab form. An alternative may be its granular form, which is much cheaper.

Roll materials
Mineral wool, cork mats, and foil insulation with different numbers of layers are produced in this form.

Some species from this category are thin, so to preserve floor heat, it is better to combine them with thick varieties. As for mineral wool, which is an excellent thermal insulator, it copes with the task as an independent option. Add its low cost and you get an excellent solution to the problem.

Liquid insulation materials
This insulation is a mixture of cement mortar with expanded clay, foam chips or wood shavings.

Popular liquid insulation- penoizol. This is a polymer with a foamed structure. The entire space is filled with it using specialized equipment.

There is also an environmentally friendly material, but rejected by many. Plant fiber made from straw, pressed into mats, is an excellent alternative to modern materials. The only negative point is that over time it decomposes, like any organic matter.

One of the factors influencing the choice of insulation is the type of floor base - concrete or wood. Also, the design features of the insulation process are influenced by the presence of a basement or its absence.

On the one hand, the concrete base is durable, which is why it is the main material for flooring in apartment buildings. But it holds the cold firmly. This is especially noticeable on the ground floor, regardless of whether there is a basement or the floors are located near the ground. In any case, a thermal insulation device is required.

If you have a basement, you must also provide waterproofing, since the dampness that forms below will be deposited on the walls in the form of mold.

You need to start insulating the floor with preparatory work. Remove the clean coating, check the concrete base for cracks, crevices and other deformations. Eliminate existing defects by filling with cement mortar and leaving until completely dry. Then treat the surface with an impregnation specifically designed to strengthen cement and concrete.
Next, a waterproofing layer is laid, which is successfully used as plastic film. Its edges should be placed 15 cm on the walls.
Construction of a frame for insulating material. The logs are placed on the pre-laid bars, and the structure itself is attached to the concrete base.
The next stage is laying insulation. The first layer can be loose. On top of it the space between structural elements filled with any other type of insulation product.
For moisture resistance, the structure is covered waterproofing film, fixing it to the joists using brackets.

At this point the insulation process can be completed. But if the height of the room and the family budget allow, you can enhance the thermal insulation properties of the floor base. Plywood or boards are suitable as a subfloor, it depends on the type of clean coating.

A wooden floor is practical, aesthetically pleasing, environmentally friendly, and warmer than concrete. But this type of coating on the ground floor also needs to be insulated. The technological process follows a certain sequence.

Dismantle the existing covering, checking its integrity.
Fill the space between the joists with sheets of mineral wool or polystyrene foam. If expanded clay is used as insulation, choose fine granulation. Pour out the bulk and compact it so that the backfill is uniform and dense. But before you deal with expanded clay, lay waterproofing in the form of plastic film.
The next layer is gypsum fiber sheets, which differ from plasterboard in their increased strength. The seams are filled with putty and the finished floor can be laid.

Expanded clay insulation is the most reliable option for heat preservation. It can also be laid on a concrete base. It has minimal thermal conductivity, low density, and is very lightweight.

External insulation options

External insulation, that is, a series of activities carried out in the basement, will play a huge role in insulating the floor on the first floor. This is not always realistic, and not every material is suitable for these purposes, but when conditions allow, this opportunity is worth using.

It is impossible not to take into account the presence of existing communications that interfere with the work. The use of mineral wool is unacceptable if the basement humidity is high. While complying with fire safety standards, foam insulation also has a certain risk, but in some cases it is possible. Glue sheets of insulation to the ceiling of the basement using a ready-made compound sold in specialized stores. Fill the joints with polyurethane foam.

Most optimal solution– insulate the door to the basement. Even if it’s a little, you can keep the heat in this way. The access of cold air will stop if the ventilation hole in the basement is closed for the winter.

Insulated floors of a new type, in addition to maintaining thermal regime floor coverings also increase the air temperature. Their varieties differ in the principle of operation and cost, both during installation and during operation.

Infrared floors are a special purpose film. Placed directly under the finishing coating.
Electric ones are mounted in the screed or on top of the rough flooring. Installation of such a floor is quite simple, but the negative point is its high energy consumption.
Water pumps are a tube with circulating water. They are buried in the screed. This is the most economical option for installation and operation. First, one of the classic insulation materials is laid on the floor to reduce heat loss. A reinforcing mesh is laid on top, intended for fastening pipes using clamps. The tubes themselves are arranged in a spiral, and water is poured into them. And only after special testing is carried out, the screed is performed. When it dries, you can begin installing a clean floor. The effect obtained from insulation in this way will meet all expectations.

Every person has a desire to save and comfortable conditions. To get both at the same time, it is enough to use one of the methods of insulating the floor in an apartment on the first floor. You will feel comfort instantly, but the economic effect will be your companion throughout the entire time you live in a warm room.

Video: insulating the floor above a cold basement

From the author: Hello, dear reader! The heat in the room directly depends on high-quality coating floor. Therefore, when starting to make repairs, first of all, think about how to insulate the floor in an apartment with your own hands. We can focus our renovation on installing additional heat sources and new windows, but this may not be enough.

If the flooring is defective, all the heat will go into the interpanel joints, corner cracks and the basement or floor below. If you love your neighbors, then this is justified, but if you are the owner of an apartment on the first floor, then this is quite unreasonable, you will agree.

Important: high-quality flooring will retain up to 30% of the heat in your apartment!

Insulation from the basement

One of the options for solving the problem of insulation in a home on the 1st floor - thermal insulation of floor slabs in the basement.

Important: Before carrying out work in the basement, coordinate all work with the Housing Office.

There are several ways to insulate the floor covering on the basement side:

insulation or . Sheets are attached to the concrete base using liquid nails, and the gaps between them are filled with polyurethane foam. For better waterproofing glue the mounting polyethylene film onto the insulation, slightly overlapping each other (up to 15 cm);
spraying polyurethane foam. Despite the high cost, this option is durable, has high thermal insulation properties, does not absorb moisture, and is heat-resistant.

Important: insulation concrete floor from the basement will not solve the problem of retaining heat in your apartment, but will only help strengthen the thermal insulation on the outside of the room, avoid dampness and mold.

Insulation methods

Let's consider several budget methods using materials with high thermal insulation properties:

Wood-shaving insulation.
Mineral materials.
Polymer: polystyrene foam, penoplex, expanded polystyrene.

Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, but initially you must decide on the functionality and size of the insulated room and your financial capabilities.

Insulation of a wooden base

Most traditional way insulation - This is the laying of thermal insulation material in the space between the joists. Before insulating a wooden floor, decide on the further course of work and outline the installation diagram for logs and beacons.

Source: http://pol-master.com

Important: After preparing the flooring and installing the joists, lay a layer of vapor barrier, extending it 5 cm onto the wall.

Source: http://pol-master.com

Now you can lay the selected insulation between the joists and cover it with another layer of vapor barrier. You can start installation wooden planks, thick plywood, OSB/GVL sheets and finishing coating.

Bulk materials

Wood-based materials are considered to be of the highest quality and easiest to use. These include the following types of insulation:

ordinary sawdust/special mixtures: sand+cement+sawdust+lime;
plywood - involves two laying layers with different thicknesses (1st layer - up to 8 mm, 2nd layer - up to 12 mm) and mandatory gaps between the sheets to prevent shrinkage and creaking of the floor;

Source: http://teplo.guru

Chipboard is the easiest way to insulate a concrete floor, the optimal sheet thickness is 20 mm;
ecowool is a high-quality, environmentally friendly, but expensive insulation material. There are several methods of application between joists: laying with special equipment and manually filling with dry mixture. Note that when laying by machine, material savings can be up to 40%.

Source: http://www.nashpol.com

Mineral insulation

How else can you insulate the floor? Consider using mineral materials, such insulation materials include:

mineral wool;
cement-based building mixtures.

Mineral wool is considered the most popular material for insulating housing on the 1st floor and attic spaces. It has excellent soundproofing and fireproof characteristics, is not subject to deformation from temperature changes, mold infections, and is vapor-tight.

Expanded clay is a clay-based thermal insulation material with an affordable price range and high degree environmental friendliness of the components, but still it has drawbacks. Unlike mineral wool, it has high moisture permeability and fragility.

Important: To improve the performance of expanded clay, it is practiced to use it with cement mortar. Such a screed not only increases the thermal insulation performance, but also increases the strength and water resistance of the coating.

Polymer materials

The use of polymer materials in insulation is gaining popularity. Quality, availability and a large selection on the construction market allow you to immediately begin installation. Note that the process of installing polymer materials is extremely simple and even beginners can do it!

Among polymer materials it is worth noting:

penoizol - liquid polymer ny material with a foam structure;
polystyrene foam and its improved form - polystyrene foam (excellent for concrete floors);
polyurethane foam - liquid insulation, applied by spraying up to 10 cm thick;
Penoplex is a modernized version of polystyrene foam.

Today, penoplex is becoming more and more popular. Let's figure out how to properly insulate a floor with penoplex.

Updated: 02/25/2019

It will not only make your home more comfortable, but also significantly save on heating costs. Everything is explained quite simply: if heat saving is low, then the resources to maintain optimal temperature regime more will be needed. Moreover, contact with a cold floor can cause many diseases, which is especially true if small children live in the house, so thermal insulation of a concrete floor should be taken seriously.

The problem of cold floors on the ground floor is typical for both private houses and urban high-rise buildings. To properly resolve the problem, you need to find out the reasons for this situation:

for private houses the reason often lies in poor quality/absent thermal insulation of the base;
in high-rise buildings, a cold floor is a consequence of an unheated basement.

In the first case, everything is quite simple - you need to get rid of the cracks in the floor. For this purpose, the base is checked, and all detected cracks are sealed with polyurethane foam. Next, the floor is insulated with one of possible ways.

Note! The ventilation holes, which are located in the basement of the house, must under no circumstances be closed, otherwise high humidity will lead to rotting wooden elements floor (such as, for example, lathing).

The ventilation hole cannot be removed or sealed tightly

And if everything is clear with private houses, then with city apartments everything is much more complicated. There are a number of possible insulation methods; let’s take a look at each of them.

Insulation with mineral wool. This material has excellent sound and thermal insulation properties. e properties, it is impervious to aggressive chemicals and high temperatures.

Thermal insulation with foam plastic. Among its advantages, it is worth noting low cost, good insulating properties and durability. The material is lightweight and can be laid not only on concrete, but also on tiles, wood, etc.

Brand of foam boards	PSB-S15	PSB-S25	PSB-S25F	PSB-S35	PSB-S50
Material density, kg/m3	10-11	15-16	16-17	25-27	35-37
Compressive strength at 10% linear deformation, MPa, not less	0,05	0,1	0,12	0,16	0,16
Bending strength, MPa, not less	0,07	0,18	0,2	0,25	0,3
Thermal conductivity in dry condition at a temperature of 25 (+-5 degrees), W / (m * K), no more	0,037	0,035	0,037	0,033	0,041
Humidity of slabs, %, no more	1	1	1	1	1
Self-combustion time, sec, no more	3	3	3	3	3
Water absorption in 24 hours, %, no more	1	1	1	1	1
Service life, years (minimum-maximum)	20-50	20-50	20-50	20-50	20-50

Thermal insulation with plasterboard or fiberboard.

Using a "warm floor" system.

Insulation with expanded clay. Not the most reliable, but affordable option. It is characteristic that expanded clay can not only be used to fill the base, but also added to the concrete screed.

Insulation with expanded clay

Material	URSA	ISOVER	IZOVOL	IZOBEL	ECO WOOL
Thermal conductivity, W/m*°С	0,04	0,041	0,034	0,035	0,035
Operational density, kg/m3	11	11	35	28	35
Recommended layer thickness, mm	200	200	150	150	150
Cost of insulation, rub/1m3	1347,22	1470	1800	1270	1050
Cost of insulation, rub/1m2	269,44	293,8	270	187,5	157,5

Material selection criteria

When choosing insulation, you should pay attention to the main parameters.

SNiP 21-01-97. FIRE SAFETY OF BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES

Let's consider in what situations it is advisable to use each of the options, and also read the installation instructions.

Name of materials	Advantages	Flaws	Application area
1. Wood (sawdust)	cheap, environmentally friendly	rots, ignites	Old wooden houses
2. Expanded clay	does not burn	Ineffective, use lifting mechanisms, labor-intensive installation, heavy weight	Floors, attics, layered masonry
3. Foam plastics (penoizol, extruded polystyrene foam, expanded polystyrene foam)	rigid, easy to install	for all foams: limited heat resistance and flammability; smoldering begins at 80 C; not environmentally friendly - release of cumulative toxins, poor vapor permeability - does not “breathe”, formation of condensation, mold. Foamed polystyrene foam has water absorption up to 900% and a short service life.	Walls, roofs, floors
4.1 ISOROC mineral wool (IzoLANt, IzoVent, IzoRuf V)		shrinks, clumps, fibers break and turn into dust, settles when moistened	layered masonry, ventilated facade, roof
4.2 Mineral wool ROCKWOOL (LightButts, KiwittyButts, RoofButts V)	non-flammable base, low thermal conductivity	shrinks up to 20%, after moisturizing up to 25%	Non-loaded structures, middle layer in layered. masonry, roofing
4.3. Minplate (P125, P75, PPZh-200)	non-flammable base, rigidity, ease of installation	binders and water-repellent components burn out already at 250 C; poor vapor permeability - does not “breathe”; formation of condensation, mold; humidification by 1% leads to a deterioration in thermal conductivity by 8%; large shrinkage, which leads to the formation of “cold bridges” in the seams of the insulation	layered masonry, roof, facade for plaster

Insulation with mineral wool

This method is optimal for city apartments in which the finishing coating is made of wood. The algorithm of actions should be as follows.

Stage 1: First, the old flooring is removed to leave a bare concrete base. If the coating is still good, then it is removed carefully, after numbering the boards (this is necessary to maintain order when re-laying). Next, all trash is removed working surface cleaned of dust and dirt.

Stage 2. In most apartments and houses, the floors are uneven, so it is recommended to level them, which will not only ensure comfort, but will also greatly simplify further work. Often a screed is used for leveling, although there are other, cheaper methods.

Note! As already noted, a cold floor can be a consequence of the presence of cracks and cracks in the base. Therefore, if any are found, they are carefully sealed.

Stage 3. After leveling, it is laid vapor barrier material, which can serve as ordinary polyethylene film. The vapor barrier is laid with an overlap of 15-20 cm and extends onto the walls to the height of the future insulating layer along with the logs.

Stage 4. Next, logs are installed on the floor. It is advisable to do this in increments of at least 90 cm, since the smaller it is, the more even the load distribution will be. More specific step sizes are determined by the width of the mineral wool slabs and the area of the room.

Note! The logs should be installed at the same pitch and securely fixed in the appropriate places.

Stage 5. After installing the logs, mineral wool is laid. To do this, it is cut according to the dimensions of the grooves and installed between the guides.

Note! The material should fit as tightly as possible to the guides, the presence of any gaps is excluded. This is quite simple to do: the insulation should be cut into strips, the width of which will exceed the pitch between the joists.

If the ceiling height is sufficient, mineral wool can be laid in two layers. But the second layer must be laid so that the joints of the first are in the center of the slabs of the second layer. Note that builders who are not conscientious often neglect this, since such installation requires a lot of time. But this is the only way to prevent the leakage of thermal energy.

Waterproofing is installed on top of the insulation.

Stage 6. The insulation procedure is completed by laying the finished floor. First, it is attached to the previously installed joists. durable material, necessary to distribute the entire load during operation. Drywall, chipboard or plywood can be used as such material. Next, the flooring is laid (in our case, marked boards) and the room is cleaned.

Foam insulation

Thermal insulation of a concrete floor with this material can be done in one of two ways:

installation of foam plastic under a wooden floor;
installation from the basement.

First, the basement is examined for communications that may prevent the installation of thermal insulation sheets. If there are no such communications, then you can begin installing the slabs from the basement side.

Stage 1. First, the required insulation area is determined. To do this, use a long tape measure to measure the distance between the load-bearing walls.

Stage 3. Then you can begin directly gluing the foam sheets, for which you will need:

comb 10 mm;
special dowels;
glue-cement.

Note! Work can begin from any angle; if necessary, the sheets are cut. As a result, the gaps between them should remain, although minimal.

Stage 4. The foam plastic is puttied and covered with waterproofing mastic that prevents moisture absorption.

As for installation under a wooden floor, the procedure is practically no different from that described above (using mineral wool), and the only difference is the minor gaps mentioned above. Upon completion of the installation work, the gaps between the insulation and the joists are filled with polyurethane foam to form a continuous monolithic layer.

Using plasterboard or fiberboard

Another option for insulating a concrete floor is to install plasterboard sheets. Below is the sequence of actions.

Stage 1. First, the old floor covering is removed, the bare base is thoroughly cleaned of dirt and dust.

Stage 2. If the surface is uneven, then the protrusions are smoothed and the recesses are filled with putty.

Stage 3. After this, a vapor barrier layer is laid with mandatory access to the walls to the height of the planned insulating layer.

Stage 4. The first layer of thermal insulation material is laid; the thickness of the sheets in this case should be 1.2 cm.

Stage 5. Drywall is treated with adhesive mastic, after which the second layer of material is laid. It is important that the joints of the sheets in layers No. 1 and No. 2 do not coincide.

Stage 6. As soon as the adhesive mastic has dried, the surface is primed and puttied. Then the floor covering is laid.

Note! In order to compensate for the moisture/temperature expansion of the material, an edge strip is placed between the ends and the surface of the walls.

Video - The principle of laying drywall on the floor

If fiberboard sheets are used for insulation, the procedure will be even simpler.

Stage 1. The floor covering and baseboards are dismantled.

Stage 2. Sheets of insulation (grade PT-100 or M-20) are nailed to the pre-installed joists.

Stage 3. The fiberboard is covered with a floor covering - roofing felt or carpet. For fixation, it is advisable to use Bustilat glue.

Stage 4. Operation can begin after the glue has dried (usually this takes a maximum of 24 hours).

Floor covering fiberboard sheets(self-tapping option for fastening sheets)

"Warm floor"

If there is not enough space in the room to lay thermal insulation material, then you can resort to an alternative option - installing electric heating. “Warm floor” involves laying a heating cable, for which you should follow the steps below.

Stage 1. First, the old floor covering is completely dismantled.

Stage 2. Penofol is laid on the concrete.

Stage 3. Installation is carried out in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations

Stage 5. Once the concrete has hardened, the floor covering is laid on it.

Note! "Warm floor" provides the most favorable for human body microclimate in the home, since both over-drying and overheating of the air are completely excluded. The room will warm up evenly, therefore, convection currents will not form.

Use of expanded clay

Let’s say right away that this method is the least effective of all those given above, but you can also resort to it. One of the few disadvantages is that the screed will take quite a long time to dry - about 1 month. Obviously, filling with expanded clay can only be done where the height of the ceilings makes it possible to raise the floor by 15-20 cm.

This is also relevant in multi-storey buildings panel type, in which the floors can hardly be considered warm, especially in winter.

Stage 1. The old coating is dismantled, the concrete slab is cleaned of dirt and debris.

Stage 3. Thermal insulation material is dry backfilled on top of the waterproofing. In order to ensure uniformity of falling asleep and maintaining a uniform level, beacons are set ( wooden slats). The first beacon is installed 3 cm from the wall, the rest - parallel (the step depends on the length of the rule with which the level will be set).

Expanded clay is backfilled from the far wall towards the front door.

Stage 4. The surface of the insulation is treated with “cement laitance”, which will ensure more effective adhesion of the granules to each other. Preparing this “milk” is not difficult: pure water mixed with cement in a ratio of 4:1.

Note! Experienced builders recommend insulating the floor with multi-fraction expanded clay. So, for a city apartment you need to mix granules with a diameter of 5 mm or 10 mm with expanded clay sand.

A day after the insulation is leveled and secured with mortar, the surface is covered with a concrete screed.

Using Spray Polyurethane Foam

We’ll talk about this insulation technology separately, because it requires the participation of professionals - you can’t do it on your own, especially without the appropriate equipment. The material is laid in the form of foam having a cellular structure; the foam expands after application and forms a seamless monolithic mass. For application, a special machine is used - in it the liquid polymer is mixed with carbon dioxide at high pressure.

Stage 1. The concrete base is prepared - the old coating is dismantled, debris is removed (it can worsen the adhesion of the foam). It is characteristic that the floor does not need any leveling in this case.

Stage 3. To improve adhesion, the concrete base is moistened. Foam is applied between the joists, but it should be taken into account that in the future it will increase in volume.

Stage 4. The foam hardens for about 24 hours, after which the floorboard or any other floor covering is laid.

Note! Do not leave polyurethane uncoated for more than two to three days, as it may deteriorate when exposed to sunlight.

Video - Insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor

As you can see, there are many ways to insulate a concrete floor, and when using each, both the characteristics of the base and the microclimate in the home are taken into account. But regardless of the chosen option, we hope that the instructions given here will help you get a truly warm and comfortable home. Good luck with your work!

You can insulate your apartment using crumpled newspapers and tape. Or you can arm yourself with a thermal imager, an ultrasonic scanner and nanopaint for this purpose. The homeowner can easily handle some heat-saving work himself, but for some he will need professionals. Well, the quality of work will be accepted by the frost outside the window. Builders share their “winter” secrets with Remont.Divandi readers.

Treatment cold apartment starts with diagnosis. We need to find out why the room is cold, despite the radiator blazing with heat. The experience of builders says that most often heat leaves the apartment through faulty windows and where the windows connect to the wall. If we are talking about panel house, another weak point is the corners of the room formed outer wall. On the first floors, the cause of cold is often the floor.

In Yekaterinburg, there are companies that provide services for inspecting premises using a thermal imager for the presence of cold bridges. It costs from 2.5 thousand rubles. for the apartment. You can rent a thermal imager - from 1 thousand rubles. for 1 hour rental. However, even without special equipment, the owner can learn a lot about the thermal circuit of his apartment. The main thing is to understand what to pay attention to.

Treating windows for colds

Windows in Ekaterinburg apartments have been actively converted into plastic for more than 10 years. Nevertheless, as repairmen note, 50-60% of city residents' apartments still look at the world through glass framed in wood. Wooden windows are very good from an environmental point of view, but over time their thermal insulation properties may deteriorate. Director of the Repair Center “Master for an Hour” Timur Abdullaev notes that today the old-fashioned method of “piercing” wooden windows with ordinary cotton wool has not lost its relevance. Especially if the apartment owner is concerned about insulating the home after winter has arrived. When it’s frosty outside, it’s more difficult to properly repair wooden windows.

The Repair Center explained that a professional technician will insulate one window in about an hour. The cost of the work will be 350-700 rubles. Plastic windows provide better protection from the cold than wooden ones. But only if they are in good condition.

The problems may not be in the window itself, but in the places where it adjoins the walls. As master Alexey Zykov notes, construction GOSTs When installing a window, a whole range of special materials and technologies must be used. In practice, many elements are forgotten.

If cold air penetrates into the cracks between the window and the wall, then, as suggested above, you can seal them with sealant. But this will only be a temporary solution. When the frosts recede, a full cycle of work on slope insulation should be carried out. It will cost from 10 thousand rubles. for one window. By the way, cracks formed under the window sill can also be cured.

Door to the entrance

The door leading from the apartment to the entrance can also cause cold weather in the house. To increase the thermal insulation properties of a door, it is often enough to replace the rubber seal and adjust door hinges. The cost of such work is from 1000 rubles. If there are gaps where the door frame adjoins the walls, then you can use the above-mentioned insulation methods using sealant and polyurethane foam.

Central heating radiators

Commenting on the question of ways to eliminate “frost” in an apartment, master Alexey Zykov explained that the homeowner needs to take care not only of eliminating heat loss, but also of achieving sufficient heating power. In particular, Alexey Zykov believes that the second problem can be solved by installing bimetallic batteries. If this is not enough, then you can use heated floors and infrared heaters.

Director of Elitstroy LLC Sergei Rodionov warns that aluminum radiators should not be installed in houses with central heating. They are vomited by the pressure of the water. You can only use bimetal or steel modern batteries. Have proven themselves very well Radiators Purmo. The size of the battery depends on the area of the room - one section per 2 square meters. m. Replacing batteries in a room of 15-16 square meters. m. will cost 8-10 thousand rubles. (including materials).

You can increase the efficiency of the battery without replacing it. It is enough to attach a layer of reflective heat insulator to the wall behind the radiator. In the simplest version, this could be the usual food foil, glued to thin foam or cork. This “sandwich” is attached to the wall with the foil facing outward - towards the radiator. There are also ready-made solutions. IN construction stores Several types of roll insulation are sold, which is a metallized film glued to a sheet of foamed polypropylene or other polymer. To make a reflective screen using a battery, you can use, for example, “Izospan” (FD, FS or FX), “Folgoplast SP” or “Porilex”. True, as builders note, these materials are sold in rolls at a price of 1.5-2 thousand rubles. Creating screens even for a multi-room apartment will require only a small part of this volume. The rest will be superfluous. The most acceptable version of the Repair.Divandi edition was found in the OBI store. For 345 rub. here you can buy a roll of Porilex 3 mm thick. and an area of 6 sq. m.

You can attach a sheet of such material to the wall using “liquid nails.”

It is believed that installing a reflective screen behind a radiator can increase the temperature in the room by 2-3 degrees. However, there may also be unpleasant consequences. It happens that mold or mildew appears behind the screen.

It is better to insulate the ceiling from the outside

Builders notice that the need for ceiling insulation rarely arises - upward heat loss occurs almost exclusively in apartments on the top floors.

Sex question

Most often, problems with cold floors are experienced by residents of the first floor. The insulation technology depends on the floor design.

If the floor is laid on a screed, insulation can be placed under it. Foamed polystyrene is usually used. Another popular option is installing underfloor heating. Often the problem of a cold floor can be solved simply by changing the floor covering. As designer and head of Studio-33 Valentina Ivleva notes, replacing laminate with natural gives good results wooden parquet or at cork covering. The price of high-quality parquet is from 1,500 rubles. per sq. m., a cork costs from 950 to 1500 rubles. per square. Plus, you will have to pay from 500 to 1000 rubles for styling. per sq. m.

Another simple option is to lay carpet over the existing floor. Its price starts from 700-800 rubles. per sq. m.

Cold walls in panels

The weak point of panel high-rise buildings is the joints between the slabs outer wall. They are sealed with a rubber “sausage”. But over the years of operation of the building, the seams could be broken, the caulking could crack, and cold air enters the apartment.

To replace the rubber “sausage”, builders today can use hard grades of mineral wool or polyurethane foam. In principle, both options are acceptable. The main thing is not to forget to waterproof the joint before driving.

remont.divandi.ru

Why do you need to insulate the floor?

The systemic heat exchange of a house or apartment largely depends on the floors, since they are the place of large heat loss.

Concrete is durable and has excellent performance qualities, it is popular for flooring, but it has one serious drawback - the material is very cold. If it is installed in a residential area, then high-quality thermal insulation is required, otherwise any heating will not be effective.

In addition, in the absence of insulation and waterproofing of the floor in a ground floor apartment, located, as a rule, above an unheated basement, dampness may form, and as a result, mold on the walls.

All this can be avoided with a high-quality insulating structure.

The job of insulating a floor is not impossible. If you have the necessary materials and tools, any owner can handle it independently.

Which insulation is better to choose?

There are several types of insulation, produced in the form of blocks, bulk materials, rolls and even in liquid form. Each of them is quite suitable for insulating the cold floor of the first floor.

Mats and slabs

Insulation of this type has low thermal conductivity and light weight; they are ideally suited for insulating the concrete floor of the first floor.

They can be used in conjunction with thin roll materials, which increases overall thermal insulation.

Insulation in the form of mats and slabs is made from foam plastic, mineral wool, basalt fiber, based on polystyrene foam and other composite materials.

Since ancient times, mats made from plant fibers, such as straw, have been used to insulate floors in private homes, which is an excellent environmentally friendly insulation material. The only negative is that organic matter decomposes over time.

Bulk insulation materials

Bulk materials include expanded clay as floor insulation, sawdust, foam chips, slag and others.

They are used for insulating floors in ground floor apartments, as well as in private houses.

This material is suitable both for placement in open ground under the floor in a private house, and in apartments with an unheated basement below.

Roll materials

Foamed polystyrene, mineral wool, cork or cork-based composite mats, multilayer foil insulation, etc. are produced in the form of rolls.

Some of them have a small thickness, and therefore will not fully cope with the task of retaining heat - they are good to use in addition to thicker insulation.

Rolled mineral wool, 7-10 cm thick, is an excellent thermal insulator, so it is quite suitable for insulation.

Liquid insulation

Cement mortars mixed with foam chips, wood shavings, expanded clay and others are used as liquid insulation materials. light air materials.

A modern version of liquid insulation is a polymer with a foamed structure - penoizol. To work with it, special equipment is used, with the help of which the cavities between the sheathing guides are filled with material.

How to properly insulate a concrete floor?

When calculating floor insulation, you need to take into account significant load, to which all layers of the structure will be subjected.

For different types of floor insulation material slightly different from each other, but the insulation system common to all floors consists of laying materials in the following sequence:

The base is a concrete slab.
Waterproofing layer.
Wooden sheathing.
Insulation placed between the sheathing guides
Vapor barrier film (its sheets are spread overlapping by 15-25 cm and glued with special tape).
If the insulation has the thickness of the sheathing, a counter batten is nailed to it, which will create a gap between the insulation and the subfloor, allowing ventilation.
Subfloor (thick plywood or board).
Additionally, under the rough floor, rolled thin insulation can be used, which is spread over the sheathing.

The method of insulating floors is easy to understand by looking at the graphic diagram below.

Features of insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor in a private house and apartment

The insulation of concrete floors in a private house and apartment differs in some nuances, but the principle of insulation is basically the same.

If you are insulating the concrete floors of a private house that does not have a basement, you will have to resort to using several materials.

Naturally, it is better to calculate the thickness of the insulation in advance, during the construction of the house, but if the insulation is carried out in a finished room, it is necessary to prepare the base. The same thing is done in the apartment:

To do this, the decorative coating is removed and a thorough inspection of the concrete slab is carried out for cracks and chips.
The slab is cleaned, and all identified defects are eliminated using concrete or ready-made repair mortar.
After it hardens, it is advisable to treat the surface with a strengthening impregnation - sealing.
Next comes the installation of waterproofing - this process is important both for the floor of the first floor of an apartment and a private house.

The waterproofing layer can consist of a polyethylene film, which should extend 15-20 cm onto the walls, or a special deep penetration water-repellent primer applied to the floors and lower parts of the walls.

If in an apartment the sheathing (joists) can be laid directly on the waterproofing, then in a private house it is better to raise it by 5-7 cm.

To do this, pieces of timber 5x5x15 cm are laid on the waterproofing, under which it is necessary to lay small pieces of roofing felt.

Logs are laid on the bars and the entire structure is secured to the concrete base.
Next, in a layer of 12-15 cm, you can lay bulk insulation, for example, expanded clay in dry form or with the addition of liquid cement mortar. In the latter case, after filling the space, you must wait until the layer hardens.
Slabs or a rolled version of mineral wool are laid on top of it, which has low thermal conductivity and is an ideal floor insulation for both a private house and an apartment. In addition to it, you can use polystyrene foam or liquid insulation - penoizol.

Upper layer the insulation should be approximately 5 mm below the joist level.
The mineral wool is covered on top with a vapor barrier film, which is attached to the joists using staples.
The last stage of insulation is the installation of a subfloor, which can consist of boards or thick plywood - this will depend on what finishing coating is chosen.

It is worth noting that if you plan to lay ceramic tiles on a wooden floor, then the rough coating can consist of two layers: boards and plywood.

How best to insulate the wooden floor of the first floor

Wooden floors are no longer suitable in modern multi-storey buildings, but they are often found in old buildings and in the private sector.

The tree itself warm material, but has the peculiarity of drying out over time, as a result of which cracks form in the floors through which drafts penetrate into the apartment or house.

Such floors require insulation work:

To do this, it is necessary to lift the existing old covering. If it is in good condition, it can be installed back after the insulation process.
After removing the boards, the logs are inspected and, if necessary, replaced with new ones. Then they are treated with antiseptic antifungal agents and given time to dry.
Insulation is laid or poured onto the base of the floor.
The next step is to cover the insulation with a vapor barrier film, and lay a floorboard on top.

When building a house, it is better to insulate wooden floors immediately, following all technological rules. The diagram clearly shows the layers of insulated wooden floor, going in the following sequence:

House foundation.
Floor beams (joists).
Timber for subfloor.
Vapor barrier.
Rough floor.
Insulation.
On top of it is a waterproofing film.
Batten.

Insulation from the basement

If the apartment is located above a basement, it is possible to insulate the floor on its side.

Insulation can be installed on the ceiling of the basement under the apartment.

For this procedure Styrofoam will do, penoflex or mineral wool.

The foam is glued to the basement ceiling using special glue. After it dries, all the cracks between the plates are sealed with polyurethane foam.

You can also insulate basement floors using mineral wool, but this will be more difficult and more expensive.

The bars are fixed to the ceiling at a distance of the width of the mineral wool, minus 5 cm. This is necessary so that the insulation mats fit tightly between them.
In order for the insulation to hold securely, fiberboard or fiberboard is reinforced on top of the logs. thin plywood. Along the edge of the structure, along the walls, all gaps formed are sealed with polyurethane foam.

For insulation work to be effective, you need to know several nuances on which the desired result will depend.

The first thing you need to do when starting to insulate the floor in an apartment on the first floor is to examine the walls of the basement.

If cracks, chips, and possibly even holes are found on them, they must be repaired with cement-based solutions, polyurethane foam, or, if necessary, using brickwork.

Basement vents can be covered during the winter, but they cannot be completely sealed.

If insulation is being done in a private house, under which there is a basement, the floor should be additionally insulated from the outside, i.e. attach the insulation to the ceiling of the basement.
You need to know that low-density foam has high thermal insulation properties due to its porous air structure.
We must not forget about installing a vapor barrier, which must be installed correctly, and be sure to glue the joints with special tape.
Do not completely close the holes ventilating the subfloor, otherwise condensation may form under the floor covering or on the insulation itself.

If your apartment is located on the ground floor, there is no need to postpone work on floor insulation. Sooner or later, cold and dampness will settle in the room, and along with them, fungus and mold will appear on the walls of the premises, and it will be very difficult to get rid of them.

nastilaem.com

Insulation from the basement

The most the right decision– thermal insulation of the floor slab from the basement side. In other words, it is necessary to insulate the ceiling in the basement, thus moving the cold and dew point away from the floor in the apartment.

To carry out such work, it is better to coordinate with the housing office. There are usually no problems with this. Having received such permission, you can begin thermal insulation work. The following methods are available for this:

The simplest, inexpensive, but at the same time sufficient effective method- insulate with polystyrene foam. The foam sheets are glued to the concrete base with liquid nails. At the end of the work, all the gaps remaining between the sheets should be filled with polyurethane foam. Since the basement is often damp, and polystyrene foam tends to become saturated with moisture over time, it is necessary to waterproof it. To do this, a thick polyethylene film is glued to the insulation sheets with the same glue. The edges of such waterproofing must be overlapped by at least 10–15 cm.

You can spray polyurethane foam - one of the most reliable and durable insulation materials known today. After hardening, this material has high strength and excellent thermal insulation properties. Also, polyurethane foam does not burn and does not absorb moisture at all. The only disadvantage of this option is its rather high cost: spraying is carried out using special equipment and requires professional operator skills.

Advice! If you have insulated the concrete floor on the basement side, this does not mean that the floors in your apartment will automatically become warm. This technique only allows you to “push away” the cold. In any case, thermal insulation of the floor on the apartment side is necessary.

Insulation of the floor from inside the apartment

This method has a large number of materials used. Let's look at the main materials and their installation technology in more detail.

Mineral wool

This option works best if you have wood floors, but can also be used if you want to lay wood over a concrete base. Having chosen this option, you need to follow the following technology and sequence of work:

Advice! It is possible to insulate the floor of the first floor using this method using other heat insulators. For example, instead of mineral wool, you can use polystyrene foam. This material has slightly worse thermal insulation properties, but is cheaper.

This method of insulating a concrete base in an apartment on the ground floor is perhaps the most popular. This is due to ease of installation, durability and high performance of the materials used. To insulate a concrete floor in an apartment located on the ground floor using expanded clay, you should follow the following technology for carrying out thermal insulation work:

Old flooring, including cement screed, must be removed.
Having carefully removed all debris, it is necessary to inspect the floor slab and repair any detected cracks, crevices and other defects with polyurethane foam or cement mortar.
The next step is to lay thick polyethylene film as a waterproofing layer. Its installation is carried out with an overlap, and the seams must be taped on both sides.
Now the entire floor surface can be covered with expanded clay. The thickness of the layer depends on the height of the ceilings. Here, the thicker the layer, the better its thermal insulation properties will be, but the minimum permissible layer of expanded clay is 10 cm.
After backfilling, the expanded clay must be compacted. It is strictly prohibited to moisten the insulation!
A reinforcing mesh is mounted on top of the expanded clay and a cement screed is poured with a layer of 5 cm.
The screed is carefully leveled and covered with polyethylene for proper drying.
After the cement mortar has dried, you can begin installing the flooring: laminate, linoleum or other material.

Advice! For increase thermal insulation properties floor, foam granules can be added to the cement mortar at the stage of its preparation. This will significantly insulate the floor in the apartment.

This thermal insulation can be used in both floor insulation methods: with wooden joists and under cement screed. Expanded polystyrene has almost ideal properties:

low thermal conductivity,
high density and mechanical strength,
does not burn,
practically does not absorb moisture,
long service life.

When insulating a wooden floor, slabs of extruded polystyrene foam are laid between the joists, like any other material. The use of a waterproofing layer, despite the high insulation performance, is mandatory.

After laying and filling the cracks with foam, the heat insulator is covered with another layer of waterproofing. For these purposes, it is better to use penofol. Then the floor covering is installed: plywood, chipboard or boards. Insulation with expanded polystyrene under a cement screed is carried out as follows:

Advice! Electric heating cables can be laid on top of the thermal insulation material. After all installation work is completed, you will have truly warm floors that consume very little electricity.

Having studied all the options for how to insulate the floor on the first floor, given in this material, you need to choose the most suitable one in your case. Having some skills, you can do all the work yourself, without the involvement of expensive specialists.

utepleniem.ru

We insulate the floor from the basement side

External thermal insulation of the base is always effective and does not take up space in the room. In the common basement, you need to determine and mark the area of your apartment. In damp conditions, moisture-resistant insulation is used - expanded polystyrene or polystyrene foam. Layer thickness for warm regions is 10 cm, for cold weather - 15 cm. Thermal insulation occurs using the following technology:

The foam boards are attached to the concrete basement ceiling using glue.
To protect the material from rodents, a metal mesh is laid and secured with plastic dowels.
The foam is covered with polyethylene film for waterproofing. As a replacement for moisture-resistant fabric, which can be damaged, bitumen coating insulation is used.

Mineral wool can be used as insulation, but more effort will be required. It is necessary to secure the lathing under the material, lay waterproofing and cover everything with moisture-resistant plywood.

Thermal insulation of concrete subfloor

The fight against penetrating cold begins with sealing the cracks in the base. To seal them, polyurethane foam is used; it can be used to treat the joint between the floor and the wall. Thorough waterproofing will allow you to get rid of dampness in an apartment on the ground floor. When humidity is high, the entire floor area is covered with coating or penetrating insulation. After this, a polyethylene film 200 microns thick is spread. The edges of the canvas should extend onto the walls to a height of 15-20 cm. The film is laid with an overlap of adjacent strips of 10-15 cm, the joints are sealed with construction tape.

There are several ways to insulate the floor in an apartment:

concrete screed with insulating additives: sawdust, expanded clay, perlite;
laying thermal insulation material along the joists;
dry screed for gypsum fiber panels;
use of polystyrene foam boards under concrete;
heated floor system.

Arbolit or lightweight concrete made from a mixture of cement and wood fillers - an affordable and high-quality thermal insulation option. It is environmentally friendly, durable, non-flammable and durable. The disadvantage of insulation is that the floor is raised by 10 cm and the drying time is up to 25 days.

Using joists for thermal insulation will also raise the base. The work is carried out in stages:

Wooden blocks are laid on the waterproofing layer in increments of 50 cm.
Insulation is placed between the guides - expanded clay with a layer of 10-12 cm or mineral wool 10 cm thick. The material is laid tightly, the gaps between it and the logs are filled with polyurethane foam.
A polyethylene film is laid for vapor barrier. It is fastened with staples, the joints are taped with special tape.
A subfloor made of boards or plywood is laid.

Insulate concrete floor short term A dry screed that does not require time to dry will allow. Fine expanded clay or sand is poured onto the spread waterproofing, the rock is distributed in an even layer of 5 cm and compacted. Moisture-resistant plasterboard in two rows or special KNAUF superfloor panels, 20 mm thick, are laid on top of the insulation. The sheets are glued together and treated with putty. The coating has low thermal conductivity, protects against noise and moisture, is safe and does not require wet processes. Parquet, linoleum, laminate are laid on gypsum fiber.

Expanded polystyrene has a high density and strength, it will become reliable and warm base for the floor. The slabs are placed staggered so that the load is distributed evenly. The joints between them are covered with polyurethane foam. The material is covered with a metal reinforcing mesh and filled with a layer of cement screed 5 cm high.

Installation of a heated floor system - best option for an apartment on the ground floor, it will rid the room of dampness and at any time increase the temperature of the coating to a comfortable level.

Here you can install a water, electric or film floor. The system is laid on a base insulated with polystyrene foam. A foil material is laid under it, with the reflective side facing the room. Water and electric cable floors are laid under the screed, and infrared film is placed under the finishing coating.

How to insulate a wooden floor?

Wood has less thermal conductivity than concrete, but on the ground floor it also seems cold and damp. Before removing the covering boards, you need to select insulation. Usually basalt wool is used, it retains heat well, absorbs noise, does not rot and does not attract rodents, and is safe in case of fire.

Expanded clay is a natural bulk material for thermal insulation, it has little weight and affordable price, quick and easy to install. You can use expanded polystyrene, the material is durable, resistant to moisture and stress, but its cost is higher than other insulation materials.

The process of insulating a wooden base consists of several stages:

The boards are removed and inspected; if they are in good condition, they are returned to their place after all work has been completed.
Processing in progress wooden logs ov antiseptic.
A waterproofing sheet is spread, extending up to 20 cm onto the walls. All joists are wrapped in film.
Rolled basalt wool is tightly laid out between the bars or expanded clay is poured. The height of the insulation does not reach the top of the joists by 5 mm.
The laid material is covered with a vapor barrier film to prevent moisture from the apartment from getting on it.
The tongue and groove boards are nailed to the joists.

By correctly insulating the floor in your apartment, you will forget about moisture and cold for a long time.

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What options are used?

Waterproofing is done on the basement side.
They insulate the inside of the rooms.

Concrete plates the bases serve as the ceiling in the basement, which has a complex communication system. They absorb moisture vapor from them. Having agreed on an action plan with the management company, the concrete is insulated and waterproofed. This will partially protect the first floor from fumes and drafts coming from below.

Step-by-step insulation of the basement ceiling

Clean the ceiling base to reinforced concrete.
Rub the cracks with a solution of cement and sand in a 1:1 ratio. By adding liquid glass to the composition, this effect is enhanced.
Plaster with a solution of cement and sand in a ratio of 3:1. The amount of binder component (water) depends on their viscosity and temperature conditions. The solution is mixed in small portions, avoiding rapid hardening. To enhance adhesion, apply the first layer with a trowel, adding mixture to it and leveling it.
Using liquid rubber , as waterproofing, they receive a reliable primer and plaster at the same time.
Provided that the room is cold, foam sheets are glued to the ceiling. The seams are filled with polyurethane foam.
Finish the work with film. It is attached to the walls.

Electric wire heaters.
Warm floors from hot water.
Mats and slabs made of environmentally friendly material.

Preparing the subfloor in an apartment

Floor insulation work is carried out directly on a cleaned reinforced concrete slab. Bulges and dust are removed from it.
Before screeding, the surface is moistened with a solution of cement and sand, in a ratio of 1:1. This will ensure rapid adhesion of the mixture to concrete.
Rub the cracks around the perimeter and cracks throughout the entire area. This is done before applying primers that ensure contact of the leveling mixtures with the floor.

Base primer

Polyurethane

The second name of the composition is epoxy primer, which has the ability to penetrate deeply into concrete. Apply the component to the screed with a roller. Work along the perimeter of the base with a brush. No spaces allowed. This type of primer effective for adhesion with self-leveling floors (self-leveling), prevent the formation of fungus and moisture penetration.

Concrete contact

This is a composition of acrylic with quartz sand. Apply with roller and brush. After priming, a rough surface is formed on the base, ensuring tight contact with the subsequent layer. Acrylic in the composition makes the film resistant, preventing moisture from entering the concrete. After 4 hours, from the moment the composition is applied, the next stage of insulation begins.

Sequence of filling and leveling

To carry out work efficiently and with less time, ready-made compounds are used. The most practical are self-leveling self-leveling floors. Before applying them, the height of the beacons is determined by level, they are attached every 60 centimeters over the entire area and perimeter. The reinforced mesh is stretched along the established marks. A film is attached to the points of contact with the wall, protecting it from moisture from the filling composition.

They begin to level the floor from a blank wall, moving towards the door. The surface of the composition is compacted with a needle roller. This method ensures complete removal of air bubbles. Having finished the work, cover the base with cellophane film until it hardens completely. In its absence, the floor is periodically sprayed with water. After 3 days, you can move on to the next stage.

Useful video on pouring floors in an apartment

Warm floors from hot water

Installation of water heating is a step-by-step observance of the entire cycle from the beginning to the launch of the system into operation. The length of the pipe is determined by calculation, depending on the area of the room.

Advantage

Provides uniform heating of the entire floor.
The pipes are hidden and do not change the aesthetic perception of the interior.
A closed cycle of hot water from central heating does not affect overall utility costs.
Properly selected materials will not rust, which guarantees the system long term operation without leakage.

Equipment

Metal-polymer or polymer pipes(preferably corrugated, bendable).
Thermal insulation.
Fastening elements.
Manifold with fitting for connection to the battery.
Damper tape attached to the wall along the perimeter, within the height of the structure.
Reinforcement mesh.
Aluminum plates.

Sequence of work

Polyethylene is laid in two layers on the screed.
The foil insulation is laid out overlapping with the metal surface towards the room. It will create a reflective effect from the heat, increasing its power.
When placing materials without foil, such as penoplex, polystyrene, chipboard (chipboard), then aluminum plates with grooves for pipes are laid out over the entire area, keeping a distance between them of 20 to 40 centimeters.
A pipe evenly distributed over the entire area (the graphics are arbitrary) is attached to the base.
Its ends are connected to a water supply source.
The entire structure is filled with cement-sand screed, the layer thickness is from 5 to 15 centimeters.

Note:

Grooves are made in chipboard for metal plates and pipes. The entire structure is covered with a two-layer film, on which the flooring is formed.
Checking the tightness of the connection of the pipe to the central heating battery is done before pouring concrete. To do this, cold water is supplied under pressure exceeding the working pressure by one and a half or two times.

Useful video on installing a water floor

Infrared film electric floor

This type of heating is combined with such floor coverings as:

Parquet.
Laminate.
Tile.
Carpet.

Characteristic

IR – available in rolls. The polyester or polypropylene film contains carbon paste. Material divided into separate independent stripes, having a pronounced dividing line. Along the edge of each section is laid copper wire with silver coating. When current passes through it, it heats up and transmits thermal energy carbon filler. Reduce the width of the IR film along the edge between sections. Its thickness is up to 2 millimeters, with a width from 50 to 100 centimeters.

To connect to a power source, the following equipment and materials are required:

Thermostat that controls the specified heating level.
Thermostat that regulates the temperature.
The remote control with which the program is set.
Contact clamps and cable for connecting to a power source.
Bitumen insulation.
Pliers and screwdriver.
Construction tape.

Technical safety requirements

The film is protected by hydro- and vapor barrier on both sides, top and bottom.
Do not connect the cable to the power source using the plug/socket principle.
IR film does not overlap.

Fixed electrical connection is provided through RCD(a protective shutdown device with a power of 10 to 30 mA), this will protect against possible failure of the infrared heating elements.

Note:

Lifetime heating film 20 years or more.
IR is not filled with solution, it is covered with polyethylene when forming a hard floor covering. Before laying linoleum, plywood is laid on top.
Having an even covering of wood, it is used as a base for IR, having previously been covered with foil material.

Installation sequence

The infrared film is laid out in planned areas and attached to the floor using a stapler or tape along transparent edges that do not have a built-in wire.
Recesses are made in the wall. Place the cable going from the thermostat to the thermostat.
The places on the film in the connection area are thickened; for them it is necessary to create technological recesses artificially.
The starting point of installation is located on the opposite side from the power connection points. Leave a free space of 20 centimeters from the walls.
Connect the copper ends to the thermostat using the cable and contact clamps included in the kit. Secure with pliers and isolate.
The clamp is placed between the film and the wire. The IR strips are connected near the wall. When extending them, wires of the same color are connected to each other, followed by insulation, and additional fastening with tape.
The cable is routed inside the corrugation. It is sealed with a film, protecting it from moisture.
After completing installation, check the functionality of the entire structure using a portable sensor.

Useful video on installing electric floors

Insulation with electric cable

30% of the area is heated, this is enough for an apartment with a centralized supply hot water. Composing cable layout, excludes places under the closet, wardrobe, bed and similar items. More often, this type of floor heating is done in the bathroom, toilet and kitchen, with a floor covering made of tiled material.

For dry rooms, energy consumption per square meter for an hour – 120 W/, at high humidity– 140 W. For example, for a room of 6 m2 you need 720 W/hour.

The cable is distributed evenly on the foil thermal insulation material over the entire area of the site, observing a step of 20 to 40 centimeters. Withdrawn the ends are connected to the power source. Maximum length cable should not exceed 6 meters.

After checking the functionality of the entire system, it is flooded concrete mixture. Bubbles from the inside are removed using the rules for leveling the solution (needle roller).

Useful installation video

Stone wool mats

This method is the simplest and most economical. It is used more often than others.

Installation sequence

A two-layer polyethylene film is placed on the screed. The joints overlap and are secured with construction tape. The film should extend onto the wall along the entire perimeter, with a height no less than the thickness of the mat.
A frame is laid out from beams, 50 cm high (equal to the width of the mineral wool layer).
Mats are laid in the formed cells. The seams are taped with construction tape.
The finished structure is closed reinforced mesh and filled with cement screed.

Expanded clay

Cover the concrete floor with two-layer polyethylene.
A frame is formed from beams.
The cells of the frame are filled with its crumbs, and filled with a solution of cement and sand, a layer thickness of at least 5 centimeters.

Polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam

The slabs are evenly distributed over the entire area onto a layer of waterproofing film.
The joints are taped with construction tape.
Cover with a vapor barrier film. Using foil material, the metal surface is directed towards the room.
Cover the top with plywood 5 or 10 cm thick.

Izolon

Under hard floor coverings, it is recommended to lay foil material on the screed. It could be isolon. It's thin, but creates enough high level reflection of heat coming from the room.

Conclusion

All proposed types of floor insulation are recommended for residential premises. The proposed materials are environmentally friendly and do not harm health. Guided by the instructions for step-by-step work, and observing all the rules for hermetic seam connection c, the floor insulation on the first floor will be done correctly.

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How to insulate the floor on the first floor - 5 proven methods

The centuries-tested folk wisdom that says that you need to keep your head cold and your feet warm is more relevant for owners of housing on the ground floor than for anyone else. These people know firsthand what the consequences can be if you don’t insulate the floor in time. The ineradicable smell of dampness, constant colds in children and general discomfort in the house are just some of these problems. In this article, I decided to dwell in detail on how to properly insulate floors on the ground floor in a city apartment and in a private house.

Suitable types of insulation

In principle, any insulation for the floors of the first floor can be used. Here you need to look at your financial capabilities, professional skills and, of course, the basis for which the material is chosen. Insulating the first floor floor in a wooden house is one thing, but installing a concrete slab in a city apartment is quite another. I selected the most popular materials and combined them into a table.

Type of insulation	Advantages	Flaws
Mineral wool slabs (slag wool, basalt wool)	Low thermal conductivity; Easy installation; Affordable price; High density with good elasticity; Absolute fire safety; Environmentally neutral.	High hygroscopicity; The need to install sheathing.
Foam boards	Low thermal conductivity; Easy installation; Low price; Light weight; Possibility of use in damp environments; Environmentally neutral.	Polystyrene foam is afraid of rodents; In case of fire, it emits caustic and quite harmful gases.
Extruded polystyrene foam boards (Penoplex)	Low thermal conductivity; Easy installation; Ability to withstand large mechanical loads; Light weight; The material is an absolute waterproofer; Environmentally neutral.	High price. Penoplex is 2 – 3 times more expensive than penoplast; Burns when exposed to an open flame and emits corrosive gases.
Expanded clay (bulk material, is porous granules of baked clay)	Absolute environmental cleanliness; Low price; Absolute fire safety (fired clay does not burn); Low thermal conductivity.	Expanded clay is able to absorb moisture; The weight of expanded clay, although not much, is higher than that of slab insulation.
A solution of sawdust mixed with cement	Environmental cleanliness; Minimal cost; The material is considered fireproof if the proportions are properly observed.	Afraid of high humidity; Thermal conductivity is much higher than that of modern slab insulation; Relatively heavy weight.
Liquid insulation. (Polyurethane foam and penoizol)	Environmental neutrality; Light weight; Not afraid of moisture; Low thermal conductivity.	High price; Liquid insulation cannot be applied with your own hands; they require the involvement of third-party specialists.

Subtleties of insulation installation

Since the wooden and concrete bases are quite different in their characteristics, the methods for arranging them will therefore be different. Further, in order not to lump everything into one “heap”, each instruction will be considered separately.

Method No. 1. Insulation of floors from below

The concrete floor of the first floor in multi-apartment city buildings from below, in the vast majority of cases, borders on an unheated, and often even wet, basement. Therefore, I am convinced that work should begin with insulation in the basement. By doing this, you will completely cut off the access to moisture and make your floor at least half warmer.

It’s not worth spending money on some exorbitantly expensive materials here; ordinary polystyrene foam is quite enough. The thickness of the insulation in this case starts from 50 mm. As far as I have seen, in basements the ceilings are not covered with anything, it is an ordinary reinforced concrete slab. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is blow out all the cracks around the perimeter of the ceiling and on the ceiling itself, especially between the floor slabs;
The concrete slab itself is smooth; naturally, the adhesion of such a coating is quite low. To increase it, we will need to walk along the ceiling with deep penetration soil;
Then everything is simple. We take polystyrene foam boards and glue them to the ceiling. As an adhesive, you can use the same mounting foam, construction adhesive “Liquid Nails” or dry mortar Ceresit CT83. Personally, I like Ceresit better. After the glue has completely set, the remaining small gaps between the plates will need to be filled in again with polyurethane foam.

If you glue it onto polyurethane foam, then take into account the fact that it expands greatly, so every 15 - 20 minutes the slabs will need to be pressed against the ceiling. Typically the expansion lasts about an hour and a half.

Some craftsmen prefer to install polystyrene foam on the ceiling in the basement in 2 layers, offset relative to each other. Explaining this by saying that the result is a more dense monolith, without gaps. I think this is unnecessary. More precisely, in the case when it is mounted facade insulation at home, this measure is justified, but in the basement it extra waste material, time and effort.

For an ordinary dry basement this will be quite enough. But if there is water in the basement, then I recommend additional waterproofing of the ceiling. This procedure is also inexpensive.

You will need to take Liquid Nails glue or something similar, apply it with a spatula to the foam and cover the ceiling with technical polyethylene. So that the polyethylene does not fall off before the glue sets, it can be shot in places to the foam with a stapler.

Experts' opinions on whether it is necessary to install so-called external insulation of the subfloor in wooden houses, diverge. Personally, I think that it definitely won’t get any worse. This way you will not only insulate the subfloor from below, but also protect the wood from dampness.

You need to act according to the technology described above. Only here it makes sense to fix the polystyrene foam in addition to the glue on the rough subfloor layer with plastic dowels-umbrellas. This is due to the fact that wood is a living material, and when it begins to “walk”, the sheets may come off.

Method No. 2. Installation of insulation with sheathing

For a novice master, this method is considered one of the easiest and most understandable. The only problem is that the thickness of such insulation starts from 50 – 70 mm. Therefore, in apartments with low ceilings this could be a problem.

Work begins with preparing the concrete base. The old coating, if there is any, must, of course, be completely torn off and everything thoroughly cleaned down to the concrete. After this, all cracks and cracks will need to be caulked. This can be done using putty or the same polyurethane foam;
Any concrete base will need to be covered with a layer of waterproofing. Too much for an apartment powerful protection is not required, especially if you have already lined the ceiling with foam plastic. Here it is enough to cover it with one layer of technical polyethylene. But only polyethylene should be laid with an overlap along the entire perimeter of the walls. From the start I make an overlap of about 10 - 15 cm, the excess is then cut off;
The basis of the sheathing is wooden blocks. Their thickness is selected according to the thickness of the insulation. The bars are usually laid parallel to the short wall of the room in increments of about half a meter. For fixation, anchors or self-tapping screws with “quick installation” dowels are used. I usually fix at intervals of no more than 1 m, the support bars won’t go anywhere anyway;

Next comes the installation stage of the insulation itself. If the basement is not insulated from below, then the thickness of the insulation starts from 50 mm. But for mineral wool slabs the minimum is 100m. Filler from sawdust-cement mortar, expanded clay and other bulk insulation materials should be at least 150 mm. Only dense foam plastic, penoplex and liquid modern insulation materials (polyurethane foam, penoizol) can be laid with a thickness of 50 mm;
If you approached the matter thoroughly and first insulated the ceiling in the basement, then all these dimensions can be safely divided in half;
Polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam is selected or cut precisely according to the size of the gap between the support bars. In such a way that the slabs fit end to end. Slabs of dense mineral wool should be a couple of centimeters wider than the gap between the bars. They will press down slightly on the sides and you will get continuous, dense insulation;

The top layer of such insulation can be covered with a tongue-and-groove floorboard with a thickness of 30 mm or more. If you are planning a top finishing coating, such as laminate, linoleum or parquet, then it is better to use plywood or OSB sheets. Moreover, under the laminate, one layer of sheets with a thickness of 12–16 mm is enough, and under linoleum or a package you will have to lay sheets of 10–12 mm, in a double layer with a shift between the layers.

Method No. 3. Insulating the floor in a wooden house

Insulating the floor of the first floor in a wooden house is somewhat reminiscent of the option using wooden sheathing. Everything in wooden houses interfloor ceilings, including on the first floor, are made of two layers.

The design is based on massive wooden logs. From below it is hemmed with a layer of subfloor, and on top, of course, there is a finishing coating. As you probably already guessed, we will have insulation in the middle.

When the bottom rough coating is hemmed and all the wood is impregnated with protective compounds, you can begin installing the waterproofing layer. Unlike the apartment version, waterproofing the subfloor in a wooden house is done more thoroughly. Moreover, it is laid not only on the subfloor, but also wrapped on top of the joists, in a solid monolithic layer;
If you choose technical polyethylene, then it is covered in 2 layers and secured with a stapler. Roofing felt or modern roll waterproofing can be installed in 1 layer, but they sit on bitumen mastic, which in turn is also a good waterproofing agent;

In a wooden house there is already enough to burn, so in most cases preference is given to non-combustible materials. The most popular now are dense slabs of basalt wool. The depth of wooden logs, even in light country houses, is taken to be at least 150 mm. Accordingly, basalt wool is laid either in one layer of 150 mm, or in two layers of 75 mm, always with a shift between the layers;

Expanded clay is deservedly considered the second no less popular material. This is folk a budget option. According to the rules, expanded clay should be poured a couple of centimeters below the finished floor, that is, the top cut of the lag. But I always recommend pouring any bulk insulation flush with the joists from the start. In any case, over time it will shrink and you will get that same ventilation gap;

Expanded clay is produced in the three most popular fractions. Sand has a diameter of up to 5 mm, the diameter of gravel does not exceed 2 cm, everything that goes beyond this is called crushed stone. So, in order for the insulation layer to be more dense and monolithic, before backfilling you need to mix expanded clay gravel or crushed stone with expanded clay sand in a 1:1 ratio.

As I already indicated in the table, mineral wool and expanded clay are hygroscopic materials. Therefore, such insulation in wooden houses will need to be covered on top with a layer of vapor barrier or simple polyethylene. This is especially true for country houses with seasonal accommodation. Otherwise, in a periodically heated room, the insulation will quickly become saturated with moisture and lose its properties;
The last stage of arranging insulation, as usual, is the installation of the finishing coating. In permanent wooden houses, tongue and groove floorboards are often used. In light country houses, plywood or OSB is installed, and what is available is laid on top.

Method No. 4. Insulation with extruded polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam is a special modern material, and its use is worth talking about separately. Honestly, I think that as insulation for the floors of the first floor, this material is close to ideal. There are several variations of it; in our great power it is better known under the brand name “Penoplex”.

The uniqueness of penoplex lies in the fact that, in addition to all other characteristics, it is absolutely impervious to water, and most importantly, it has a serious reserve mechanical strength. Penoplex is now used to insulate highways and airfield runways.

I have already mentioned that it can be laid in the sheathing, although, in my opinion, this is too expensive. In the case of lathing, it is quite possible to get by with dense sheets of foam plastic weighing more than 30 kg/m³. By the way, they are at least 2 times cheaper. There, after all, the lion's share of the load falls on the support bars.

Penoplex showed itself best in two cases. This is used when installing laminate flooring and as insulation under the screed. Thanks to the grooves located around the perimeter of each sheet, this flooring is installed quickly and completely airtight.

If you already have an insulated basement, then you can safely use sheets of extruded polystyrene foam about 30 mm thick. Even in harsh climates this will be enough. The preparation of the base is the same everywhere. Theoretically, you don’t have to lay a layer of waterproofing under the penoplex, but it won’t be a mistake if you play it safe and cover the room with polyethylene.

The insulation sheets are connected to each other through grooves, and these grooves are additionally glued with any suitable glue; there is now more than enough of this in the markets;
As you know, laminate is installed using floating technology, that is, it is not rigidly connected to the base. Therefore, next we cover the insulation with a foamed polyethylene backing and then lay our laminate on it.

Penoplex has one weak point; it can easily carry large loads only if they are evenly distributed over the entire plane. The material may not withstand point pressure. The laminate, in turn, ensures an even distribution of this load.

By the way, using a similar technology, you can equip the base for linoleum or piece parquet. A layer of penoplex is also laid there, a thin foam substrate is laid on it, and OSB is installed instead of a laminate to evenly distribute the load. Here, sheet thickness up to 10 mm is sufficient.

As I already mentioned, Penoplex is almost the best option for insulating the screed. Moreover, the screed can be either a regular cement-sand screed or a modern self-leveling one.

The arrangement technology here is also quite simple. After laying the waterproofing and a layer of penoplex, a metal reinforcing mesh is laid on top. The reinforcement is too thick for ordinary apartment not worth using. I usually take wire with a thickness of 4 to 6 mm;
After all, the thickness of the screed itself often does not exceed 20 mm. This is only for large areas, ranging in size from 50 – 70 m² concrete screed made up to 40 mm thick;
If you are going to use cement-sand mortar, then you will need to first secure the beacons, and then lay the reinforcement between them. The easiest way to fix beacons is with a stapler. When everything is ready, the solution is thrown on top and leveled according to the beacons using the rule;

A self-leveling screed is generally a “song”; you don’t need to have any special talents or skills to install it. There are instructions on the package to prepare the mixture. Then this mixture is poured onto a layer of reinforced penoplex and slowly helped to level it out using a needle roller.

Important: Penoplex can only be installed on a flat floor. Minor, smooth differences in height within 3 - 4 mm are allowed.

Method No. 5. Insulation using dry screed

The so-called dry screed is used exclusively for insulating the concrete base. In terms of cost, it is cheaper than many of its competitors. The basis there is an expanded clay mixture (sand - gravel).

The point is to level the loose base as evenly as possible along the horizon. After that, a rigid monolithic flooring is mounted on it using floating technology. OSB sheets, waterproof gypsum plasterboard or thick, about 10 mm plywood are often used as flooring.

It is quite difficult to perfectly level loose expanded clay without skill. Therefore, I recommend first installing support beacons on the floor.

There is no point in digging into solid concrete with self-tapping screws. It is quite enough to plant beacons on alabaster pyramids. After this, you simply fill the room with expanded clay mixture and distribute it as a rule among the beacons.

Sheet flooring is installed in 2 layers, as usual, with a shift between the sheets. Such installation will not be difficult; you can safely drive self-tapping screws through there; they will not harm the expanded clay cushion in any way. And note that such flooring is called floating because it is not rigidly attached to anything. The gap between the wall and the flooring is left within 10 mm.

Conclusion

Now you know how to properly insulate floors on the first floor. In the photos and videos in this article I have included related information on the topic of floor insulation. If you have any questions, write them in the comments, I will try to help.

September 6, 2016

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