Detail of floor insulation on the ground. Do you need woolen socks for your grandchildren or how to insulate the floor in the house. Non-standard insulation methods for technical rooms
The simplest and in an accessible way To perform a rough covering for a room of any purpose is to install a concrete floor on the ground. Although the procedure does not require special skills, the quality of the final floor directly depends on compliance with certain technical points related to its arrangement. We will discuss below how to make a concrete floor on the ground and how to pour a concrete floor on the ground.
Characteristics and components of a concrete floor on the ground
When installing any floor on the ground, the main thing is to ensure high-quality thermal insulation. It is precisely because of its installation that in the end it is possible to obtain a multi-layer floor, called a pie.
The production of floors on the ground directly depends on the type of soil and its characteristics. The first and most important requirement for the soil is the level at which the soil is laid. groundwater, which should be at least 500-600 cm from the surface. In this way, it will be possible to avoid movement and heaving of the soil, which will be reflected on the floor. In addition, the soil should not be loose.
For better performance of all work, it is necessary to determine the requirements for installing thermal insulation, which are as follows:
- prevention of heat loss;
- protection against groundwater penetration;
- providing sound insulation;
- prevention of vaporization;
- ensuring a comfortable and healthy indoor microclimate.
A warm concrete floor on the ground contains the following components and stages of work:
1. Cleaning the soil from the top layer. In addition, the surface is carefully leveled.
3. Then a bed of gravel or crushed stone is installed on the sand. It is this area that prevents the rise of groundwater, in addition, it additionally levels the surface. The thickness of the filler layer is about eight centimeters.
4. The next layer is the use of reinforced steel mesh. It is an excellent fixer for concrete bases. In addition, it is a place for fixation metal pipes. Reinforced mesh It is not used in all cases, but only when additional strengthening is necessary.
5. The next layer is more than 5 cm thick and is the subfloor. For its arrangement it is used concrete mortar. After it gains strength within 2-3 weeks, the next layer of “pie” is installed on the surface.
6. This layer consists of a special membrane or waterproofing film that prevents the risk of excess liquid being absorbed by the concrete base. The film is laid with an overlap; to avoid the appearance of cracks, construction tape is used to seal all joint areas.
7. The next stage is the installation of insulation, for which it is recommended to use foamed polystyrene foam or high-density polystyrene coated with foil. If there is too much load on the floor, it is better to use insulation in the form of slabs.
8. Next, waterproofing or roofing felt is installed. After which the construction of the true screed is carried out. This is where the final finishing coat will be installed. The thickness of this layer is from 8 to 11 cm. This screed requires mandatory reinforcement.
Concrete floor in a house on the ground: advantages and disadvantages of arrangement
Among the advantages of making a concrete floor on the ground are:
- security reliable protection bases from the effects of low temperatures, the soil on which the floor is installed always differs only in temperature above zero;
- a variety of thermal insulation materials for floor insulation allows you to build a structure with good performance in preventing heat loss;
- the resulting floor is finished with any of the existing floor coverings;
- no special calculations are required for the floor, since the entire load is taken by the ground covering;
- installing heated floors perfectly heats the room; in addition, they heat up quickly enough, and the heat is distributed evenly throughout the room;
- heated floors on the ground have good sound insulation characteristics;
- In addition, mold and dampness practically do not form on such a floor.
Among the disadvantages of a rough concrete floor on the ground are:
- when using a multi-layer floor, the height of the rooms is significantly reduced;
- if problems arise for dismantling works a lot of material resources will be required;
- arranging a floor on the ground requires a large investment of material, physical and time resources;
- If the groundwater is too high or the soil is very loose, it is not possible to install such a floor.
Construction of a concrete floor on the ground: selection of materials
As mentioned earlier, to install a concrete floor on the ground, you will need to build a multi-layer structure. It is recommended to use as the first layer river sand, then crushed stone or expanded clay.
After their installation, the rough screed is installed, waterproofing film and thermal insulation. Next, a finishing screed is installed, which is the basis for laying finishing materials.
The main function of sand and crushed stone is to protect the room from moisture penetration. When using crushed stone, it must be thoroughly compacted, and the crushed stone must be treated with bitumen.
If the soil is too wet, the use of expanded clay is unacceptable. Because it absorbs excess moisture and then changes its shape. After covering the layer with a polyethylene-based film, a rough screed is poured in a layer of about eight centimeters. Next, waterproofing is installed on it from two polyethylene layers laid overlapping. Please note that the polyethylene must be very tightly connected to each other to prevent moisture from entering the room.
- extruded polystyrene foam;
- mineral wool;
- foam glass;
- polystyrene foam, etc.
After this, arrangement is made finishing screed, which is necessarily reinforced. To ensure the evenness of the screed, it is recommended to use beacons.
Concrete floor on the ground manufacturing technology
The construction of the floor should begin only after the walls and roof have already been erected. Manufacturing procedure concrete covering on the ground includes the following stages:
- carrying out work to determine the height of the floor and marking it;
- cleaning the top layer of soil and compacting the base;
- installation of gravel or crushed stone;
- hydro- and thermal insulation works;
- strengthening the concrete screed;
- installation of formwork for pouring mortar;
- direct filling.
The ground floor is lined up so that it is flush with the doorway. Markings should be applied around the perimeter of the building. To do this, marks are placed on the walls at a distance of 100 cm from the bottom of the opening. When the marking is completed, you should lower it back one meter. This line will become a guide for pouring concrete. To make marking easier, you should install pegs in the corners of the room on which the ropes are tensioned.
The next stage of work involves clearing the base from the top layer of soil. First you need to get rid of any debris on the floor. Gradually remove all top part soil. The concrete floor on the ground has the appearance of a structure, up to 35 cm thick. Therefore, the soil that is removed from the surface must be exactly this thickness.
Using special equipment, such as a vibrating plate, the surface is compacted. If it is not available, it is enough to use wooden log, with handles previously nailed to it. The resulting base should be even and dense. There should be no marks left on it while walking.
If the soil is located lower than the doorway, only the upper part is removed, the surface is compacted well, and then covered with sand.
Next, work is carried out on the installation of gravel and crushed stone. After compacting the base layer, gravel is backfilled; the thickness of this layer is about 10 cm. Tip: After filling, the surface is watered and compacted again. To simplify control over the evenness of the surface, it is necessary to drive pegs into the ground, set in relation to the level.
After the gravel layer, leveling is done with sand. The layer should have the same thickness, about 10 cm. In order to control the evenness of the surface, use the same pegs. To construct this layer, it is recommended to use ravine sand, which has various impurities.
Crushed stone is laid on the sand, with a fraction of 4x5 cm. Next, it is compacted, and the surface is sprinkled with sand, leveled and compacted. Lay the crushed stone in such a way as to avoid the appearance of protruding edges on the surface.
Please note that each of the layers laid on the floor must first be checked for horizontalness. Therefore, during the work process, use a building level.
Thermal and waterproofing of concrete floors on the ground
To create a waterproofing layer, it is sufficient to use a polyethylene film or membrane. Waterproofing material should be rolled out along the entire perimeter of the floor, try to bring its extreme sections a few centimeters beyond the zero markings. The sheets are overlapped and fixed to the surface with tape.
In order to improve the thermal insulation of the floor and prevent the ground from freezing, it is recommended to treat the floor with mineral wool.
Features of reinforcing a concrete floor on the ground
In order for concrete to acquire the required strength, it must be reinforced. For execution this process It is recommended to use metal or plastic mesh, reinforcement rods or reinforcing wire.
To install the reinforcing frame, special stands should be equipped, the height of which is about 2.5 cm. Thus, they will be located directly on the concrete floor.
Please note that using a plastic mesh involves stretching it over previously hammered pegs. When using wire, the manufacture of a reinforcing frame will require welding and skill in working with it.
In order for the pouring procedure to go quickly and the result to be of high quality, the guides should be installed and the formwork mounted. Divide the room into several equal sections, the width of which is no more than 200 cm. Install guides in the form of wooden blocks, the height of which is equal to the distance from the floor to the zero mark.
To fix the guides, use thick cement, clay or sand mortar. Formwork is installed between the guides, which forms cards filled with concrete mortar. It is recommended to use moisture-resistant plywood or wooden boards as formwork.
Please note that the guides and formwork are brought to zero and aligned in relation to horizontal surface. In this way, it will be possible to obtain a base that is even. Before installing the guides and formwork, they should be treated with a special oil, which will facilitate the procedure of pulling them out of the concrete mixture.
Technology of pouring a concrete floor on the ground
Filling is carried out once or maximum twice. Thus, it will be possible to build a homogeneous and powerful structure. In order for the concrete floor on the ground to serve its owners with their own hands for a long time, it is best to order a special concrete solution from the factory. Its strength and quality are much higher than those prepared at home.
For self-made the solution will require a concrete mixer, cement grade of at least 400, river sand and filler in the form of crushed stone.
In order to prepare a concrete solution, you should mix one part of cement, two parts of sand and four parts of filler, and, based on the total amount of ingredients, half of the part of water will be required.
All ingredients are mixed in a concrete mixer, make sure that all ingredients are mixed well together. Start pouring the floor from an area opposite to the entrance to the room. Fill three or four cards at once, and then use a shovel to level the composition over the entire surface.
To ensure good adhesion of concrete to the surface, it is recommended to use a hand-held concrete vibrator.
After most of the cards are filled, it is necessary to perform a rough leveling of the surface. For these purposes, you will need a rule two meters wide, which stretches smoothly across the floor. This rule will help get rid of excess concrete that ends up in empty cards. After leveling, remove the formwork and fill the remaining areas with mortar.
After leveling the entire floor area, cover the floor with polyethylene film and leave for a month. Please note that after several days, the surface is constantly moistened with water to avoid drying out of the concrete, the formation of cracks and looseness of the base.
The final stage involves treating the floor using mixtures on a self-leveling basis, which are used to equip the screed. It is the mixture that will help make the base perfectly smooth and eliminate minor surface irregularities.
Work also begins from the corner opposite the door; it is recommended to use a shovel to apply the solution, and a rule to level the base.
The floor is left to settle for 72 hours. Next, the floor is ready for laying finishing materials for flooring. It is this type of concrete floors on the ground in a private house that will provide a strong and durable foundation.
Concrete floors on the ground video:
Laying out the floor on the ground is one of the first stages in the construction of a private house. This floor is intended for basements, cellars and other underground premises, and if these are not provided, then for the first floor of the house. For the same purposes, you can install a floor in a ventilated underground, but this is the subject of a separate article.
On the Internet you can find information about various options floor designs, about several types of “construction pies”. But, as the poet said, “Don’t make life difficult for yourself. It’s already difficult.” Only one option for installing a floor on the ground with insulation for all occasions can be called optimal. The “layer cake” scheme for insulating floors along the ground from bottom to top looks like this:
compacted sand and gravel mixture, thermal insulation, technical polyethylene film, cement-sand screed, finishing coating.
Soil preparation
Before “bake the construction cake”, figuratively speaking, “let’s knead the dough”, i.e. Let's prepare the soil. First, remove the fertile layer of soil. The thing is valuable, but not intended for construction.
Compacted sand and gravel mixture
This is done to minimize shrinkage. The best option The backfill is a sand-gravel mixture. This mixture will need to be compacted. You can use your own boots for this purpose, but in the 21st century, high-quality equipment, for example, a vibratory rammer, is preferable.
The resulting surface should be smooth.
Attention! We got to the main element of the “pie”. Why the main one? Gravel and sand, which we just discussed, as well as polyethylene and cement, which we will talk about below, do not imply a variety of options. Simply put, they are all the same. And the thermal insulation may be different.
First of all, it can be organic and inorganic in its chemical nature. Among inorganic insulation materials, the most popular are the so-called mineral wools: stone wool and glass wool. However, they cannot be used for insulating floors on the ground. They perfectly absorb water, which sharply reduces the thermal insulation properties of materials.
Products made from expanded polystyrene have gained fame as high-quality insulation materials and are widely used for thermal insulation of building structures. However, brittle white foam is used as insulation only in areas where there is little risk of contact with water. But where there is soil, there is groundwater. And the second type of polystyrene foam thermal insulation materials - PENOPLEX®, manufactured using the extrusion method - will be very appropriate. It has zero water absorption, which will keep it intact thermal insulation properties material. It turns out that PENOPLEX® has no alternative for insulating floors on the ground. The numbers confirm this.
Advantages of PENOPLEX®
Let us present a small table indicating the main parameter that determines the heat-protective capabilities of a particular heat insulator - the thermal conductivity coefficient λ. These tables are based on SP 50.13330.2012 " Thermal protection buildings."
The lower λ, the better material suitable for thermal insulation, because conducts heat worse.
In addition to high heat-shielding properties and zero water absorption, mention should be made of the high strength of PENOPLEX® - lightweight, but capable of withstanding up to 27 tons per square meter of surface. Therefore, it will work perfectly with a cement-sand screed poured above and will withstand all loads.
It is also important to note the biological stability of this material, which is completely uninteresting to harmful bacteria, fungus and mold. Firstly, because it does not absorb water, which is necessary for all living beings, including these. Secondly, it cannot serve as a breeding ground for them. Therefore, mycological tests of PENOPLEX® confirmed its resistance to fungal formation.
Tested material
Each of us expects to live a long and happy life. And in this case, those who build their house thoroughly, using long-lasting materials, are right. PENOPLEX® has been most seriously tested for durability.
In the laboratory of the Research Institute of Building Physics Russian Academy Architecture and Construction Sciences (NIISF RAASN), material samples were subjected to cyclic temperature and humidity exposure. The cycle consisted of two freezings to – 40°C, alternating with heating to + 40°C, and subsequent holding in water. In terms of temperature and humidity exposure, this is equivalent to one year of operation.
PENOPLEX® went through 90 such cycles without changing its shape or its technical characteristics. Taking into account safety factors, the durability of PENOPLEX® is estimated at 50 years. This means that before the next repair of the floor insulation on the ground, more than one generation of residents of the house will grow up.
Installation of floor insulation unit on the ground
The process of installing floor insulation on PENOPLEX® soil is as easy as the material itself and pleasant. Tired of hard physical work with soil, you will enjoy taking a break while cutting, cutting and conveniently laying PENOPLEX®. This is facilitated by the homogeneous structure of the material (so it does not crumble), optimal size slabs and L-shaped edges along all edges of the slabs, so that they fit well together. The slabs are laid staggered.
Technical film
You can find a lot about this layer on the Internet. smart sayings, but its purpose is simple - to retain moisture in cement-sand screed, so that it gains the proper strength and prevents this screed from getting into the space between the slabs. Therefore, we will make do with a regular polyethylene coating.
Polyethylene rolls are overlapped by 10-15 cm for reliability, and the upper edges are raised up a couple of centimeters.
Cement-sand screed
The work is carried out in two stages. First put steel mesh with cells 10x10 cm, wire diameter 3-4 mm.
The mesh is placed in the lower layers of the screed so as to be inside it. To do this, it is raised slightly (10-15 mm) above the thermal insulation using clamps for “chair” fittings or others. For large screed thicknesses, use “chairs” 20-30 mm high.
And then, a layer of mortar is poured to the designed thickness.
Summary
Floor on the ground using reliable and efficient slabs PENOPLEX® will last a long time without loss of technical characteristics. Taking into account its 50-year durability, after installing such thermal insulation of the floor on the ground, more than one generation of residents of the house will grow up before its next repair.
In the case of a garage or basement, we usually lay the concrete floor directly on the ground to save money. Insulation of the lower part of the building plays a role here important role, since high-quality hydro- and thermal insulation allows you to create a comfortable temperature in this room in winter. If it's a garage, favorable climate it will help protect your car from corrosion, and you can also store various electronics there without unnecessary fear. If it is a basement or cellar, vegetables and fruits stored for the winter will not freeze there. It’s not even worth talking about if this is a residential building, since the advantages here are obvious.
Thermal insulation of the floor along the ground must be of high quality, since the earth is a powerful transmitter of cold, and if the bottom of the building is not insulated properly, cold and dampness will seep inside without difficulty.
It is important to note that insulating the floor on the ground is economically beneficial only if The groundwater located far from the ground surface. If they are located in close proximity, laying high-quality waterproofing will cost you much more than installing an additional floor structure using floor slabs and beams.
Floor installation on the ground
To begin with, it should be said that it is best to insulate the floor on the ground during its creation. It is incredibly difficult to insulate a finished floor - you will have to rip fine coating, which will lead to unnecessary waste of time and money. Therefore, when laying a floor on the ground, take the process of insulating it responsibly.
The ground floor is built directly on the ground. To do this, first make markings, then pour the strip foundation. As soon as the latter has dried, they begin to build the floor pie. If you are building a garage, you need to make a small depression in the ground, or take care in advance of a gentle entrance that can be filled with concrete. For high-quality insulation floor on the ground, you need to strive for the height of the foundation to be at least 20 cm.
The ground floor consists of several layers. Let's list them in order:
- priming
- leveling layer of sand
- waterproofing
- insulation
- reinforcing mesh
- screed
The first step is to level the soil, remove all weeds and debris from it, and fill in all uneven areas, after which the soil is compacted. Next, a leveling layer of river sand or sand with crushed stone is poured. If you insulate the floor with expanded clay, you can fill the soil with it alone or with a mixture of it and sand. The sand is poured to a certain height on the basis that the height of the insulation should be at least 5 cm, and the finishing screed at least 7 cm. After backfilling, the sand is compacted, leveled using the rule, and waterproofing is laid. The following materials are usually used as waterproofing:
- roofing felt
- polymer membranes
- polyethylene film
The last option is cheap and cheerful. For high-quality hydro- and vapor barrier, it is necessary to use a film with a density of at least 200 microns. It is necessary to lay the film in two layers - this way you will provide it with greater protection from possible microdamages.
More quality option waterproofing - rough screed and laying roofing material or roofing material on top of it polymer membranes. But since in this article we are mainly considering the most cost-effective option for insulating the floor on the ground with our own hands, we will insulate ours with plastic film.
The film is laid evenly over the entire area of the subfloor, and is fixed using wooden blocks, which are placed at the junction of the film with the foundation. Needless to say, the dimensions of the film must have some margin so that its edges protrude beyond the upper edges of the foundation. A second layer is laid on top of the first layer of film.
When the waterproofing is laid, you can proceed directly to laying the insulation. We recommend using one of the three most cost-effective options:
- Styrofoam
- extruded polystyrene foam (penoplex)
- expanded clay
Let's take a closer look at the features of each of these insulation materials.
Insulating the floor on the ground with polystyrene foam
Floor insulation on the ground with polystyrene foam
Extruded polystyrene foam or penoplex is a modern analogue of polystyrene foam. This material does not burn and has high thermal insulation characteristics, making it ideal for insulating floors on the ground. The main difference between expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam is the way these materials are created. If, when creating polystyrene foam, individual granules of insulation are filled with gas, then when creating polystyrene foam, the total mass of the material is filled with gas. On average, the density of expanded polystyrene is 3-5 times greater than that of polystyrene foam. In addition, it weighs more and has greater density than its younger brother, and its cost is slightly higher.
The technology of floor insulation on the ground with polystyrene foam does not differ from the technology of floor insulation on the ground with polystyrene foam. The only difference is the price and quality of the material. If you want a more economical option, insulate the floor on the ground with polystyrene foam; if it is of higher quality, use penoplex.
Insulation of the floor on the ground with expanded clay
Expanded clay is small granules of baked clay and is used in construction as insulation and material for dry floor screed. We talked about it in detail in the article “Insulating the floor under a screed”, so we will not repeat it.
Insulation of the floor over the ground with expanded clay is carried out according to a principle similar to the first two options. First, a strip foundation is poured, the soil surface is leveled and a hydro- and vapor barrier is laid. Then the expanded clay is evenly poured onto the rough soil and leveled using a guide rule. The second option is to do rough screed floor, waterproof it and pour expanded clay on top. To do this evenly, it is best to install transverse joists at a distance of half a meter from each other and pour insulation into the resulting compartments.
Whatever option you choose, you will need to make a semi-dry screed on top. Pouring expanded clay wet screed possible, but not advisable. Before pouring the screed, it is imperative to lay a layer of plastic film so that the solution does not come into direct contact with the insulation. After the screed has dried, it is done fine finishing floor.
Perlite insulation
Floor insulation with perlite on the ground is effective method thermal insulation of the bottom of the house. According to Wikipedia, perlite is a rock of volcanic origin. In its structure, this material is small, pearl-like granules, which contain silicon (65%), potassium, sodium, aluminum and other substances. Perlite is actively used in agriculture(which speaks about his environmental safety), as well as in construction as a material for dry floor screed and thermal insulation.
Expanded perlite is usually used as a thermal insulation material. This material is perlite heated to a temperature of 1100°C, as a result of which an individual granule of this material increases in volume up to 15 times. Perlite has high density(from 75 kg/m³) and low coefficient thermal conductivity and in this characteristic is significantly superior to foam and expanded clay. The technology for laying insulation is the same as for expanded clay - by pouring it between the longitudinal joists. The only disadvantage of this material is its high cost, which starts at 1,200 rubles per cubic meter. meter. In addition, perlite is not sold in all construction stores, especially in large quantities. Therefore, the easiest way is to look for it in large construction hypermarkets or order it online.
Perlite suppliers
Foam glass insulation
Foam glass is another expensive one, but quality material for floor insulation on the ground. It is a foamed glass mass that foams at a temperature of approximately 1000°C. Foam glass is available in the form of granules, blocks or slabs. To insulate the floor on the ground, slabs and granules are usually used. The slabs are laid according to the principle of expanded polystyrene, the granules are laid using the pouring method, like expanded clay. Foam glass has an almost zero thermal conductivity coefficient and high density (up to 200 kg/m³). As with perlite, the price here will be steep. Price of one cubic meter foam glass starts from 6 thousand rubles. It is difficult to find, so it is best to order online or look in specialized stores.
Foam glass suppliers
Warm floor
Many articles on our website are devoted to the “Warm Floor” system. Our regular readers know that it is a set of heated elements that are located under the floor and radiate heat according to the principle radiator battery. It is believed that the “Warm Floor” system is used exclusively for insulating a bathroom or kitchen. Actually this is not true. With its help you can insulate the bottom of any room and even the floor on the ground.
Typically, the installation of the system occurs in the following order:
- installation of longitudinal and cross beams and laying insulation between them (expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, etc.);
- insulation vapor barrier;
- installation chipboards to provide a solid base for installation heating elements systems;
- installation of guide rails between which the system elements will be laid;
- installation of an aluminum or foil gasket;
- installation of heated elements;
- floor screed or covering.
Today, laying the “Warm Floor” system is the most technologically advanced method of insulating the bottom of your home. But is it possible not to insulate the floor on the ground if the structure has a heated floor and thus save on materials? Of course, you can save on insulation. But then you will have to constantly overpay for electricity or gas consumption. The fact is that the bottom of the room, in which the insulation is included, is easier to heat, and it retains heat longer when the system is turned off. If there is no insulation in the structure of the floor pie, the system of heating elements will have to work constantly and, ultimately, you will overpay much more later than you save in the beginning.
Floor pie on the ground
Thus, we get the following pie of the floor on the ground when it is insulated:
- priming
- leveling layer of sand or sand with crushed stone
- rough screed (optional)
- waterproofing
- laying insulation
- installation of underfloor heating system elements (optional)
- structural reinforcement
- finishing screed or pie covering
- decorative floor finishing
Now let's look at the pros and cons of the resulting design.
Pros and cons of floor insulation on the ground
If everything is clear about the advantages (thermal insulation will create a comfortable temperature in the building), then we need to dwell on the disadvantages in more detail. Here are some of them:
- often such insulation requires a lot of money and labor, which do not always pay off
- floors on the ground, as a rule, cannot be finished with parquet or other wood derivatives, since dampness and fungus easily appear on them if underground water is located in the immediate vicinity of the ground surface
- erecting a floor pie is only possible if the soil is sufficiently hard and level
- in any case, heat loss will be greater than if the house was located on a pile or slab foundation
Installing a floor on the ground and insulating it is, on the one hand, a cost-effective idea that allows you to save money at the very beginning. On the other hand, as you know, the miser pays twice. You are building a house to last for decades, which means you should not skimp on building a high-quality foundation. It is possible to build and insulate a floor on the ground if it is the bottom of a garage or basement. If this is a house, the team of our site does not recommend building it on bare ground, since the labor costs will be unjustified, and the durability and quality of the building will be in question.
Summarize.
Conclusion
In this article we reviewed the main methods and materials for insulating floors on the ground. Let's finally see what advantages and disadvantages each of them has.
| Name of material | Advantages | Flaws |
|---|---|---|
| Styrofoam | Inexpensive, easy to install. | It has low strength and relatively low density. |
| Expanded polystyrene | Easy to install, high strength, low thermal conductivity. | Average cost. |
| Expanded clay | Ecologically safe material, low thermal conductivity coefficient. | Difficult to install, high cost. |
| Perlite | Environmentally and hygienically safe material, low thermal conductivity coefficient. | |
| Foam glass | Almost zero thermal conductivity coefficient. Environmentally friendly material. | Difficult to obtain, high cost. |
| "Warm floor" | Creates a comfortable indoor climate; it is possible to set the desired temperature in the house; the bottom of the room will never be cold; sold in any hardware store; There are both cheap and expensive options. | It is difficult to install, relatively expensive, and if it breaks, the bottom of the room will have to be opened. |
Thus, from all of the above, we can conclude that insulating the floor on the ground with polystyrene foam is the most preferable option, which will not put too much of a cost on the pocket of the average resident of our country. You can easily insulate the floor with this material yourself, as well as other parts of the house. All you need to do is study articles on this issue on our website.
Download material Video: DIY ground floors
Probably, no one needs to be convinced that the floor on the first floor of a private house should have reliable thermal insulation. This is important both for creating comfortable living conditions and from the point of view of preserving the health of all family members. Besides, efficient system insulation of all building structures own home- this is the key to economical consumption of energy to ensure the operation of the heating system in winter and other climate control equipment - at any time of the year. And a properly organized thermal insulation system also has a significant impact on the durability of the structure itself.
On the first floors of private houses, floors are often installed directly on the ground - this, for example, is typical for buildings on strip foundation. Exists whole line methods of their thermal insulation using various insulating materials. But in any case, it is necessary to determine in advance which layer of insulation will be sufficient so that one can safely declare the usefulness of thermal insulation.
Let's try to understand this issue: insulating the floor on the ground - calculating the thickness of thermal insulation, for example.
Principle of calculation
It would be a big mistake to believe that you can insulate any building structure, as they say, “by eye.” It’s good if you’re lucky and guess right, but the likelihood of such luck is small, you can make a mistake in one direction or the other. Both are bad. The consequences of insufficient thermal insulation have already been discussed above. And its redundancy leads to completely unnecessary waste of materials or complication of the design.
Everything must be based on calculations. Yes, many readers are frightened in advance by the prospect of carrying out any calculations. Let us hasten to reassure them - nothing supernaturally difficult awaits them. Moreover, we will “arm” them with an understanding of the calculation principle and a convenient calculator, in which they just need to indicate some initial data.
We will not talk directly about the technology for performing thermal insulation work when insulating the floor - this is the subject of a special publication on our website. Let us dwell only on those nuances that directly affect the dimensions of the thermal insulation layer.
How is floor insulation done in a private house?
The task is not easy, but you can cope with it yourself, without resorting to the services of hired specialists. Let the reader be helped by a special publication on our portal dedicated specifically.
So, for insulation to be considered complete, the total resistance to heat transfer building structure(it is also often called thermal resistance) must not be lower than the established standardized value. This indicator is measured in m² × °C / W, and is calculated for each region, taking into account the specifics climatic conditions. The specific value can be found in the SNiP tables, check with your local construction organization or simply take it from the proposed map of the territory of Russia.
Important - for different designs their normalized values have been established. Since we are dealing with floors, we are interested in the meaning “for floors”. To make it easier to navigate on the diagram, these indicators are highlighted in blue numbers.
Now - a small formula that will be required to carry out the calculations.
The thermal resistance of a homogeneous layer of a building structure is equal to:
R=h/λ
h– the thickness of this layer (important – expressed in meters )
λ – thermal conductivity coefficient of the material from which this layer is made (measured in W/m×°C).
Thermal conductivity coefficients are tabular values, the meaning of which can be easily found on reference Internet resources. And for insulating materials, in addition, they are usually indicated by the manufacturer in the passport data.
The total thermal resistance of a building structure consisting of several layers, including an insulation layer, will be equal to:
Rc = R₁ + R₂ +…+ Rt = h₁ / λ₁ + h₂ / λ₂ + …+ ht / λt
The symbol “t” in this case indicates that these are indicators of the thermal insulation layer.
So, if the value of the normalized thermal resistance is known, if you have an idea of the structure of the floor structure being created, then it is not at all difficult to determine the thickness insulation material which will provide the required level of thermal insulation.
ht = (Rc – h₁ / λ₁ – h₂ / λ₂ – …) × λt
Knowing the thermal conductivity coefficient of the selected thermal insulation material, we obtain its required thickness.
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Possible options for floor insulation on the ground
We have decided on the principle of calculation. But now we need to figure out what combination of layers is possible when creating a floor on the ground? And which of them makes sense to take into account?
- Expanded clay is very often used as a thermal insulation material in such conditions. Moreover, it often acts as the only insulation.
(Here and below the diagrams will be shown. Let’s say right away that they are given with a significant simplification. In particular, they do not indicate the layers of waterproofing. Not because they are unimportant, it just doesn’t make sense to take them into account in thermal engineering calculations - the layer is too thin , in order to have any serious impact on the overall insulating qualities of the entire “pie” of the floor.)
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expanded clay
We go from bottom to top.
1 – layer of compacted soil on which the floor is built. It is not taken into account, since it is precisely from heat loss through the soil (which has a colossal heat capacity and can literally “suck” the heat from the house if the insulation is poor) that all thermal insulation is started.
2 – compacted sand or sand-crushed stone layer. It is not taken into account for the same reason as soil.
3 – layer of expanded clay – this is the thickness that should be calculated. Since the thermal insulation qualities of expanded clay are almost three times lower than, say, mineral wool or expanded polystyrene, the thickness of this layer may require quite impressive.
4 – reinforced concrete floor screed. There is no point in taking it into account, since the thermal conductivity of concrete is very high. And with a screed thickness of only 50 ÷ 100 mm, its thermal insulation qualities will play virtually no role.
5 – finishing floor covering. If natural boards, thick plywood or OSB are used, then this layer can be taken into account when making calculations. The thermal insulation qualities of wood are quite good, and this will make it possible to at least somewhat reduce the layer of expanded clay backfill. And conditions are often such that every millimeter of floor lifting counts.
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If laminate, linoleum, and even more so - ceramic tile, then they can be completely ignored in the calculations. Either the thermal conductivity is high, or the layer is too thin and does not play any role.
- The second option is the use of slab insulation materials. This could be, for example, polystyrene foam various types, special grades of high-density mineral wool, foam glass blocks and other insulation materials.
The diagram can be represented as follows:
What's new in the diagram:
6 is the so-called “ concrete preparation"- thin (about 30÷50 mm) layer of lean concrete. It is convenient in the sense that it is easier to carry out high-quality waterproofing on such a surface, and then lay insulating material. Thermal properties are practically none, that is, they are not taken into account.
7 – layer of selected insulation material. It is its thickness that remains to be determined.
- The third option is the complete use of expanded clay and another, more effective thermal insulation material. High-quality insulation materials often have a very considerable cost, and this approach allows you to achieve certain cost savings.
Read more about how it is produced in a special article on our portal.
There’s probably no need to explain anything about the diagram here - all the same layers that were already mentioned in the first two options. To calculate the thickness of more expensive insulation, you will have to estimate the thickness of the expanded clay backfill in advance.
For the second and third options, a slightly modified scheme can be used. The main insulation under the floor screed is not performed. And on the screed itself, the joists are already being fastened, followed by laying a wooden (plywood, etc.) floor on them. In this option, the insulation (slab, roll or backfill) is placed in the space between the joists. The thermal insulation layer changes its position, but, in principle, this does not affect the calculation result.
Everything must have fallen into place, and you can proceed directly to the calculation. That is, to our online calculator. Below we will give some explanations on working with the program.
It is unlikely that anyone will object to the fact that walking on a cold floor at home is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous, in the sense of the possibility of catching a cold. Therefore, it makes sense to take care that the floor covering does not feel cold. And an insulated floor will have a positive effect on the family budget, as it will save up to 20% of the funds spent on energy costs for heating the home.
Residents of apartments are luckier in this regard, since in most cases under their square meters There is a similar heated housing, so their floor does not cool down much.
But owners of private houses have to take care of creating a barrier between the floor surface and the underlying soils, which freeze thoroughly during prolonged periods of frost. Even wooden floors in such a situation do not save from the flow of cold coming from below, if during their construction they did not take care of reliable thermal insulation. If you make an uninsulated concrete screed on the ground, you will have to use felt boots as indoor shoes in winter.
Based on the above, it is clear that insulating the floor on the ground is simply necessary. So let's look at how to do different variants thermal insulation of flooring in a private house, and what insulation to use.
Thermal insulation of a concrete subfloor in a private house
Taking into account the fact that now most home owners strive to use modern materials for flooring, a concrete screed is prepared as a base, which is ideal for the subsequent installation of laminate, linoleum or parquet. However, if concrete, which in itself is not warm, is poured without insulation, the floor surface will turn out to be very cold. Therefore, in this case, you cannot do without high-quality thermal insulation.
From modern means For thermal insulation, polystyrene-based polymer insulation is best suited for these purposes:
- Styrofoam;
- penoplex.
For insulating a concrete base, penoplex or extruded polystyrene foam is preferable. This thermal insulation material is ideally suited for these purposes due to its performance properties, such as:
- very low thermal conductivity;
- strength, which is especially important in this case;
- absolute moisture resistance;
- not damaged by rodents, insects and microorganisms;
- non-flammability.
However, penoplex is a fairly expensive insulation material, so in order to save money, you can use foam plastic with a density of 35 kg/m3.
This type of polystyrene foam has less strength and greater thermal conductivity, and is also flammable and can be damaged by rodents. However, many people use it to insulate concrete floors in order to reduce the cost of work performed.
- The sequence of work processes when insulating a finished concrete base, starting from the ground, may differ slightly in one case or another, but, in general, it looks like this: The existing soil should be thoroughly compacted. This can be done either using mechanical tamping machine
- , if the area is large, then by manual tamping. The main filling is done. If its layer is large enough (with a high base), it makes sense to use hard material as a material. construction garbage
- or other similar waste. If there is nothing like that, you will have to add large crushed stone. A leveling bedding is made on top of the main one with coarse sand or small crushed stone (screenings). If possible, it is better to make the leveling layer with expanded clay, which is also a heat insulator. It makes sense to carefully level the expanded clay and fill it with very liquid cement-sand mortar
- , which will make a fairly strong expanded clay concrete pad. In this case, you can do without arranging a rough concrete foundation.
- A layer of waterproofing is laid on top of the dried rough base. For this you can use plastic film. Another option for protecting against moisture coming from below can be to treat the surface of the rough screed with bitumen mastic.
- Now you can lay polystyrene foam. It is better to lay foam plastic slabs in a checkerboard pattern, avoiding the formation of longitudinal continuous seams. Penoplex sheets are usually equipped with locks, which allows the insulation to be installed more tightly, without gaps. Attach to rough foundation Expanded polystyrene slabs with dowels are not necessary, since the top finishing layer of concrete will press the insulation with sufficient force. The gaps that formed between the slabs, as well as thermal insulation material and the wall, it is advisable to fill it with polyurethane construction foam.
- To prevent the formation of cracks in the screed during its drying and use, it should be laid on top polystyrene foam boards reinforcing metal or plastic mesh. There is no need to add a second layer of waterproofing on top of the insulation, since both materials are hydrophobic, that is, they do not get wet, and therefore do not allow moisture to pass through.
- To ensure that the screed surface meets the requirements for the installation of modern flooring materials, it should be as level as possible and be in the same horizontal plane. In order for the result to be appropriate, it is necessary to set horizontal guides (beacons), according to the level of which the final layer of concrete will be leveled.
- After pouring, the concrete must be allowed to mature, that is, the cement must completely crystallize. This period lasts about 26 days. Only after this can you begin laying the final floor covering.
Insulation of a wooden floor along joists in a private house
Floor boards made using modern equipment look very aesthetically pleasing. And with the subsequent correct processing and painting, a wooden floor, in appearance, is only slightly inferior to the same parquet. Therefore wooden flooring, which is laid over joists is again in demand. However, even here, despite the fact that wood itself is a good heat insulator, it is advisable to additional insulation floor surface.
As insulation, it is better to choose a material that, like wood, would have the ability to “breathe,” that is, allow steam to pass through. Among the heat insulators available on the building materials market, this property has, which is made by melting certain types of rocks or blast furnace waste. In addition, mice will not grow in mineral wool and it is not afraid of mold. In addition, this material does not burn at all and harmful substances does not emit, meeting all environmental and hygienic standards.
The only disadvantage of mineral wool is the ability to absorb moisture and thus lose completely or partially its thermal insulation properties. However, this disadvantage is leveled out thanks to the high-quality double-sided moisture insulation of mineral wool.
Now about the sequence of workflows:
- A rough draft should be done concrete base, similar to what was described above. Waterproofing measures can also be done using one of the described methods.
- After to concrete screed logs are attached, such as wooden beams with a section of 50x80, or 50x100 mm.
- Mineral wool is laid between the joists. This material comes in different densities. Here, mineral wool with an average specific gravity, which is available in the form of mats, is more suitable. The material must completely fill the space between the beams so that so-called cold bridges do not form.
- Another water barrier layer is laid on top. Here you need to use a special perforated fabric that can allow steam to pass through. The waterproofing film is laid across the joists, to which it is attached with a construction stapler. It is important that adjacent strips of film overlap each other by approximately 10 mm.
That, in fact, is all the insulation is. Afterwards the boards are laid and subjected to final processing.
It is clear that the thermal insulation measures described above are carried out during the construction of a private building or during its major repairs. Therefore, it is advisable to think about floor insulation in advance, because redoing it is always more expensive and inconvenient.
