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Modern insulation for walls outside the house. The best way to insulate a house from the outside: choose insulation. The outer wall of a house performs three main functions

For owners of country houses and especially country houses With year-round accommodation Ensuring a constant comfortable temperature in all rooms is always very important. No matter how effective various heating systems are, the main factor is always the ability of the house structure to retain heat inside the building. First of all, this applies to the walls that have the largest surface area of ​​the house and, accordingly, produce the maximum heat loss of the building. The simplest and most effective method is to insulate the walls from the outside. What materials are the most effective for insulating the walls of a house, and you can also learn about the technology for performing such work by studying this article.

Heat loss through the wall

The goal of any insulation is to minimize heat exchange with the environment.

Based on this, we can safely say that external insulation of the walls of a house is very important stage construction work:

• Reducing heating costs in winter and air conditioning in summer.
• Comfort and coziness in the house not only at the peak of frost and heat, but also in the off-season with minimal use of household heating appliances.

Even high-quality construction of houses from any building materials cannot completely solve the problem of saving heat inside them. There are always invisible gaps between rows of logs or wooden beams, inhomogeneity and voids in brick or block masonry, lack of insulation, air cavities, expansion joints for panel and monolithic housing construction.

All wall defects can be clearly identified only with the use of thermal imaging technology. This service is provided by some specialized and construction organizations to assess heat loss during heating of buildings and develop solutions to eliminate them.

The traditional solution to eliminate heat loss is various ways external insulation of walls of a private house:

• Plaster using various fillers.
• Wall cladding with lumber.
• External single-row masonry with brick or stone for wooden buildings with filling of the resulting gap with heat-insulating materials.
• Facing sheet materials() using insulation.
• Application of modern curtain facades.

Sometimes do-it-yourself insulation of the walls of a private house is also done from inside the premises using sheet or roll thermal insulation materials, cladding, cladding gypsum fiber sheet, .

The materials and substances used to reduce heat loss are characterized by both their own low thermal conductivity and additional heat retention when used due to the multilayer structure (hydro-, sound- and thermal insulation) of wall insulation. After all, such a structure contains air layers that conduct heat poorly.

Advantages of external insulation

Structurally, there are three possibilities for insulating external load-bearing walls any building:

1. Placing insulation elements inside the wall. Possibly at the stage of construction or reconstruction of the building. Most often requires design solutions to ensure bearing capacity, structural and thermal calculations.
2. From inside the premises. This type insulation reduces the area and volume of the room, and also creates certain difficulties in carrying out work under cramped conditions in a populated residential building.
3. Outside walls. This method is usually not limited by space for carrying out work, delivery and storage of necessary materials, installation of scaffolding and use lifting mechanisms. Depending on the materials used for insulation and finishing, it is possible to carry out work at almost any time of the year.

• Important! When externally insulating the walls of a house, moisture condensation due to the temperature difference between the outside and inside the building occurs not inside the room or wall structure, but outside. This not only solves the problem of sweating and the inevitable formation of fungus when walls freeze, but also significantly slows down the process of wall destruction due to the cessation of the regular formation of moisture and ice crystals inside structures. For reliable protection walls outside the house from the influence of external factors, it would not be superfluous to use a hinged ventilated facade.

In addition, by insulating the walls from the outside, you will simultaneously solve at least two more problems - improving sound insulation and appearance building, which is often equally important for the owner and family members. Thermal insulation perfectly absorbs background noise and sharp sounds, and many facing materials different in texture and color can protect walls from external influences and radically change the appearance of the house.

This method of insulation with optimal investments will help to significantly reduce heating costs, which is important taking into account heating costs with constantly rising prices for any energy source: firewood, coal, gas and electricity.

You can qualitatively insulate the walls of your house using liquid polyurethane foam. To do this, using special equipment, it is pumped through external holes into the air gap between the wall of the house and the internal lining of the room.

Wall materials and methods of their insulation

For the construction of load-bearing walls of buildings they will use various materials And ready-made designs, and different ways and masonry, assembly and fastening methods, adhesives and fastening elements. Physical properties These substances and materials directly shape the dynamics of temperature changes inside the house under the influence of external and internal factors.

Brick and wood, foam and reinforced concrete, cement mixture blocks with various fillers, prefabricated layered wall structures have different thermal conductivity, thermal inertia, density and strength. Factory building structures made of reinforced concrete have the worst thermal insulation properties, which is most often aggravated by shortcomings and violations technological process at all stages of construction of buildings from it. This also applies to buildings made of monolithic reinforced concrete. All this is important for the right choice material and method of external wall insulation.

Materials used for construction and insulation of house walls

Name of material	Density	Thermal conductivity coefficient (W/m*K)
Concrete block	2100-2200	0,8-1,74
Brick (red)	1700-1900	0,55-0,96
Wood (pine, spruce)	450-550	0,10-0,18
Polystyrene concrete	900-1100	0,25-0,39
Minvata	50-100-200	0.045-0.055-0.06 (respectively)
Styrofoam	30	0,04
Expanded polystyrene	100-125-150	0.039-0.051-0.055 (respectively)
Polyurethane foam (PPU)	50	0,033

The main task of external insulation of a house is protection building structures walls from contact with too hot or cold external air and precipitation. In practice, this range varies from traditional cladding with planed boards and clapboards to the installation of ventilated facade systems.

Wall facade

Sheathing and cladding of external walls of buildings for wind protection and insulation using lumber, roofing felt, technical cardboard, profiled metal sheet, various types of siding with laying of mineral wool mats or foam sheets is the most common method of external insulation.

No less common and also used today is decorative plaster using various mixtures followed by painting the surface. The disadvantages of this type of insulation have always been the high labor intensity and fragility of work without constant supervision, current repairs coating that is quickly destroyed by temperature changes and precipitation. The effectiveness of insulation using this method also leaves much to be desired.

The lower the density of the heat-insulating material (the more closed air cells it contains), the best properties for insulation it has.

The most popular and used types of wall insulation today are various mineral wool in rolls or ready-made mats different sizes, expanded polystyrene sheets, more commonly called polystyrene foam, fiberglass materials.

More rare are foil polyethylene foam, wood fiberboard, various liquid polymer compositions foaming in the filled volume, silicone heat-resistant paints, cellulose insulation called ecowool, sprayed polyurethane foam.

On top of the layers of insulation and waterproofing, the walls are faced with sheet and tile materials:

Profiled sheet;
Siding;
Curtain facades.

Good to know! Profiled sheets and siding are the most sold and used facing materials. In addition to their excellent appearance, they qualitatively protect the insulation located between them and the wall of the building from all external influences.

External wall insulation technology

To insulate the surface of the walls of buildings from the outside, several methods and technological techniques are used:

1. Fastening heat-insulating materials to the facade using glue or mechanical fixation. This is followed by reinforcing mesh, a layer of plaster and final painting. This method is called a wet facade.
2. Thermal insulation is attached to the wall in the same way as the first method. Then a wall with an air gap is erected in one brick from facing or ordinary brick followed by painting.
3. Fastening alternately the waterproofing layer, insulation, and wind protection. On a frame made of a mounting metal profile or wooden block fasten decorative cladding from corrugated sheets, siding, ceramic tiles.

The choice of wall insulation method depends on many factors:

• Type and height of the building;
• Wall material and area;
• Degrees of freezing and heat loss;
• Finance allocated for these works.

Insulate the walls of a country house or country house is within the power of the owner with family members and friends, but performing insulation work multi-story building should be entrusted to a specialized construction organization.

The best option for performing external insulation work:

It is better to carry out the entire range of work when there are design solutions, thermal and structural calculations, as well as specifications of building materials and fasteners. You can do them yourself or order documentation from specialists construction organization engaged in insulation of buildings.

This approach will eliminate a lot of problems: choosing a suitable certified material, its delivery, execution installation work, especially at height, which requires mandatory qualifications and permits for such work.

If the owner of a private house is confident in his abilities and construction skills, then he can choose the most acceptable method from his point of view, buy materials available everywhere today and insulate the walls outside the house himself. This way you can not only save money, but also enjoy the results.

For comfortable stay in their home in winter, many perform external insulation. In addition, this improves the thermal insulation of the room in summer and prevents the walls from overheating. What is the best insulation to use for the outside walls of a house? The article will tell you their features.

Before insulating external walls, it is worth getting acquainted with its characteristics and main advantages.

Insulating the walls of a private house from the outside allows you to:

• Save usable space indoors.
• Protect the house from freezing.
• Increase the overall operational life of the building, without additional load on its structure and foundation.
• Improve the degree of frost protection. This is explained by the fact that insulating the outer wall of the house allows you to shift the point of condensation formation towards the heat-insulating layer. There is no risk of mold and mildew formation.
• Keep externally insulated walls from cooling down, and long time retain heat inside the building without losing it.
• Insulation for the external walls of a house from the outside quickly loses moisture, without changing its basic characteristics.
• Ensure high sound insulation of the room.

Before insulating the walls of a house from the outside, you need to pay attention to such material characteristics as:

• Vapor and moisture permeability.
• Degree of air and moisture absorption.
• Thermal conductivity.
• Resistant to temperature changes.
• Biological stability.
• Resistance to chemicals.
• Temperature retention coefficient.
• No shrinkage and aesthetics.
• Light weight.
• Easy to install with your own hands, so there are no butt seams.

Some characteristics of the most popular materials for external wall insulation are presented in the table:

Advice: In any case, the external thermal insulation of the walls of the house should create a rational warm design. In this case, everything should be taken into account external factors: rain, snow, strong temperature changes that the insulation must withstand.

Types of materials

When choosing insulation for the wall of a house, first of all, the material of the building should be taken into account.

The most popular types of insulation and their characteristics are presented in the table:

Advantages	Flaws
Excellent thermal insulation properties. Low weight and small size. Almost does not absorb moisture. Durability. Affordable price. Fast and easy installation.	Almost no air passes through. Affected negatively paint and varnish coatings, made on the basis of nitro paints, gradually begins to deteriorate.
Frost resistance. Low thermal conductivity. Strength. Durability. Does not absorb moisture. Fast and easy installation.	Bad influence high temperatures– the material begins to melt. No resistance to rodent attacks. High price.
The absence of freons makes the material environmentally friendly. Lowest moisture absorption. Durability. Special additives increase fire resistance. Very light.	Poor resistance to ultraviolet radiation. Do not work or leave on cold surfaces.
Ecological cleanliness and harmlessness. Fire resistance. Repels moisture. Lets air through. Budget cost.	If installed incorrectly, the material may become deformed over time. Does not tolerate significant temperature changes.
Ecological cleanliness. Only natural raw materials are used for production. Easy to cut and install. The service life of the structure is up to 50 years. The air gap provides low thermal conductivity. Moisture absorption no more than 5%. Passes steam well. Does not burn. High sound insulation. Upon contact with skin, it does not cause irritation. Good sound absorption.	High price. When working with basalt wool, a lot of dust is generated, which requires respiratory protection. There is no tightness of the seams after installation of the material. Cannot be used to insulate the basement.
You can get a very thin, vapor-permeable coating with protective functions against snow, rain, and frost, which significantly increases service life. The walls “breathe”. The most comfortable microclimate for humans is maintained indoors. Good adhesion to any materials used for wall construction.	The composition of the material is 80% liquid thermal insulation consisting of microspheres with rarefied air, almost a vacuum, and only 20% are binding components, the quality of which determines the adhesion of the material to the wall surface. Poor quality insulation contributes to the rapid loss of its characteristics. In this case, the microspheres begin to crumple inward due to higher atmospheric pressure. Poor-quality binders contribute to peeling and peeling of the material from the walls. Advice: To avoid negative phenomena, you need to purchase coatings only from manufacturers with good positive reviews.

Calculation of the thickness of the insulation layer

Of great importance for high-quality insulation of a building is the correct thermal calculation of the outer wall of a residential building.

This should take into account:

• Insulation thickness. Too small can cause the walls to freeze, and the “dew point” can be moved indoors. This will lead to an excess of moisture in the house and the formation of condensation on the walls. Increasing the thickness of the thermal insulation layer more than necessary will not bring significant improvements, but will only add additional financial costs.

Advice: Only a correctly calculated thickness of thermal insulation for a house will save money and maintain normal thermal conditions in the house.

• Thermal resistance of insulation material – R. This is a coefficient representing: the temperature difference at the edges of the insulation / by the amount of heat flow passing through it. This value reflects the properties of the insulation and is determined by: material density / thermal conductivity.

As R increases, they improve thermal insulation properties material. Formula for calculation: R = wall thickness in meters / coefficient inherent in thermal insulation of a particular material.

• Meaning R can be selected for different climate zones using the appropriate tables.

As an example, we chose to calculate the insulation of a house with polystyrene foam 100 millimeters thick, with walls made of sand-lime brick, the thickness of which is 51 centimeters.

For this:

• Thermal resistance coefficients R for the wall and foam are calculated.
• The two obtained values ​​are added together.
• Wall thickness 0.51 meters/thermal conductivity coefficient of the wall material 0.87 W/(m °C) = 0.58 (m 2 °C)/W.
• The resistance to heat transfer of the wall was obtained from brickwork R=0.58 (m 2 °C)/W.
• The value of R is calculated for foam plastic 0.1 meters thick.
• Divided by the thermal conductivity coefficient corresponding to the foam, equal to 0.043 W/(m °C).
• The result was R = 0.1/0.043 = 2.32 (m 2 °C)/W.
• The resulting R coefficients for sand-lime brick and polystyrene are added up: R = 0.58 + 2.32 = 2.9 (m 2 °C)/W.
• The value is compared with the required coefficient values ​​for external walls in different climatic zones.

Analyzing the result, we can conclude that the building needs to be insulated with insulation at least 10 centimeters thick.

External wall insulation

After choosing the material, before insulating the outer wall of the house, you need to prepare the surfaces for further work.

For this:

• If necessary, remove the remaining layer of plaster down to the very base. The result is a smooth surface.
• If there are significant differences in levels on the wall, depressions or protrusions of more than one centimeter, they are sealed with mortar or combed out.
• The surface is cleaned of dirt and dust.
• The wall is primed. It is better to use a primer with deep penetration.
• To obtain an even layer of insulation, a system of beacons and plumb lines is pre-installed. These elements determine the plane of the outer edge of the insulation, facilitating installation.
• High-strength threads are tied onto anchors or screws installed along the upper edge of the wall and dropped plumb to the bottom.
• Horizontal threads are tied.
• Using the resulting control grid, you can navigate when installing a heat insulator or frame.
• Further technology for insulating the external walls of a house is somewhat different for each material.

To ensure that all processes are completed correctly, it is better to first familiarize yourself with the video in this article.

Foam insulation

The instructions for carrying out the work are as follows:

• After preparing the surface, window sills are installed outside and the slopes are insulated.
• The ebbs are attached to the window itself or to an additional profile.
• The window sill is removed taking into account the insulation of the wall - one centimeter is added to the thickness of the insulation. In this case, the window sill will protrude beyond the finished wall by 4 centimeters.

• Bottom mounted starting profile, which will ensure reliable fixation of the insulation from below.
• The mixture is applied to the wall.

Tip: Do not apply the solution to foam plastic. Otherwise, when gluing parts to the wall, voids may form between the flat plane of the foam and the uneven wall.

• The solution is distributed in an intermittent strip along the perimeter of the sheet. This strip, when the foam sheets and the wall come into contact, will spread under the edges of the adjacent sheets, which will increase the strength of the joints.
• A sheet is glued to the mixture, carefully positioned and pressed with force.

Tip: Laying foam on the wall should be done in a checkerboard pattern.

• Three days after gluing the sheets, they are nailed to the wall with special mushrooms or caps with a plastic sleeve.

• After attaching the fungus, a plastic or metal nail is driven into its sleeve.
• Approximately 5 mushrooms should be placed on the sheet, approximately 10 centimeters away from the corner of the wall.
• Carefully inspect the joints between the foam sheets for any gaps. If they are more than 5 millimeters, they should be filled with foam.
• In gaps larger than 1.5 centimeters, additional strips of insulation are inserted and blown in with foam.

• After 5 hours, the protruding parts are cut off with a knife.
• The joints are corrected using a foam float.
• All butt seams and fungal caps are puttied with an adhesive mixture.
• A mesh is glued to the corners and walls.

• The mixture is rubbed with sandpaper.
• The facade is primed.
• The façade walls are being finished.

Insulation with mineral wool

Before you insulate the outside of a house with mineral wool, you need to properly prepare the walls.

For this:

• Wooden structures are impregnated with an antiseptic to prevent damage to the log house by microorganisms.
• Areas of walls damaged by rot, fungus or mold are thoroughly cleaned and impregnated with appropriate solutions.
• Walls made of brick and foam concrete are freed from peeling paint and plaster.

• Wet walls are thoroughly dried.
• Slopes and window casings are dismantled.
• All decorative and fastening elements that could harm the vapor barrier and insulation are removed from the walls.

• A layer of vapor-permeable membrane is placed under the insulation. In this case, the film is placed with the vapor-permeable side towards the wall of the house, and the smooth side towards the insulation. The role of the membrane is to ensure the removal of water vapor from the surfaces of the building walls through the insulation.

• Guides are fastened with self-tapping screws or dowels wooden slats, or a metal profile for fixing drywall. The pitch between the slats is taken to be 2 centimeters less than the width of the insulation elements used, and the thickness of the slats is equal to the thickness of the insulation.
• The slats are fixed from the corner of the house.

Tip: When using insulation in the form of mats, you should additionally secure a horizontal strip at the bottom of the wall to install the lower insulation mat.

• Mats or rolls of mineral wool are laid between the guide slats: the mats are laid from below, and the rolls from above, fixing the materials on the wall between the slats by surprise, or using dowels with a wide head.
• For brick or block surfaces slab material It is attached without a gap using special glue for a tight fit of the insulation.
• First, solid pieces of insulation are laid, then the remaining areas around door and window openings are filled.

• Another layer of film is laid for wind protection and waterproofing.
• The material must be vapor-permeable to allow moisture to drain freely from the insulation to the outside.
• The film is attached to the slats with clamps without tension.
• The entire layer of insulation and vapor barrier is additionally secured to the wall with wide-headed dowels.
• For better waterproofing The fastening points are taped with metallized tape.

• An important stage of wall insulation is the installation of a ventilated facade. Wherein ventilation gap must be more than 5 centimeters. To do this, additional counter-battens are placed on the guides, and a ventilated façade is mounted on them. This could be: siding, block house or other materials.

• When externally insulating walls, their thickness increases, which will require the installation of new window slopes, window sills, trim and finishing elements.

External insulation of building walls with mineral wool is one of the most popular methods used for thermal insulation of buildings.

These are just some recommendations on how to properly insulate the walls outside the house, using the most commonly used types of material. When performing work, you need to be guided by your desires and capabilities, and most importantly, strictly follow the rules for installing a specific insulation.

Insulation of the walls of a house is carried out when the house is intended for living and the walls do not retain heat sufficiently.

All devices for heating a house (steam, stove, gas heating) consume maximum energy, but the heat is not retained.

By carrying out thermal insulation, you can ensure a comfortable environment in the house by insulating the walls, because a wall is a vulnerable place in a house that experiences high wind loads.

If the walls are not insulated sufficiently, the cold easily penetrates into the house.

Insulating walls from the inside or outside is an individual decision. A less popular method of insulation is from the inside. With this method, the area of ​​the room is significantly reduced.

This disadvantage of the method plays important role in deciding the method of thermal insulation in favor of external works on insulation. In addition, there is a high probability of moisture occurring inside the wall, this is especially true in regions with high humidity.

Insulation of walls from the outside is carried out significantlymore often. This method requires more costs, but the internal living space in the house is preserved, which is important especially in houses whose area is already small.

Methods of wall insulation

Types of thermal insulation, their advantages and disadvantages

Among the many insulation materials, those that are most suitable in terms of their physical characteristics and heat-insulating properties predominate.

What is the best way to perform external insulation? The main types of wall insulation intended for external thermal insulation are:

• (good thermal insulator, resistant to deformation, waterproof, but poor vapor permeability, risk of damage by rodents, toxic when burned);
• (low water resistance, durability, resistance to temperature changes, but is vapor-tight, susceptible to rodents);
• (durable, low thermal conductivity, durability, resistance to temperature changes, no seams during application, however, it can create pressure in the cracks of the building, susceptible to ultraviolet radiation, low fire safety during application);
• (excellent heat insulator, sound insulator, non-flammable, durable, but during installation it emits harmful formaldehydes);
• (waterproofing, sound insulation, environmental friendliness, durability, no seams, not affected by mold, rodents, however, it shrinks during application, which can provoke peeling, recommended for combined insulation);
• glass wool(thermal insulation, sound insulation, not affected by mold, rodents, fire safety, moisture resistance, non-toxic, but due to the fragility of the fibers requires additional protection);
• fiberboard(thermal insulation, sound insulation, environmental friendliness, fire resistance, durability, but despite all the positive properties it is short-lived, not recommended for rooms with high humidity: baths, saunas);
• cork material(lightweight, durable, non-flammable, environmentally friendly, heat insulator, sound insulator, but quite expensive). In addition, there are other materials, but they are less popular.

Choice of insulation

Differences in insulation of aerated concrete, wooden, brick houses

The method of insulation depends on what material the walls of the house are made of. If we compare houses made of wood, brick and aerated concrete, we can highlight following points worthy of attention:

• unlike brick walls and aerated concrete houses, prerequisite installation is the installation of lathing to ensure ventilation. Installation of sheathing of block walls is carried out only under or other suspended cladding;
• most suitable insulation materials for aerated concrete and brick walls are materials with high rate moisture resistance (penoplex, expanded polystyrene), while For wooden houses the ideal insulation is breathable mineral wool slabs;
• thermal conductivity brick wall higher than that of aerated concrete, so the wall must either be insulated with a thicker layer of insulation, or the thickness of the brickwork must be increased;
• with external insulation wooden house the surface should be carefully prepared by treating it with antiseptics;
• Most often, attaching the layers of a wooden wall requires the installation of chipboard or OSB sheathing.

In addition, you should keep in mind all the indicators of the materials from which the walls are built, such as moisture resistance, thermal conductivity and heat resistance.

How to calculate the thickness of insulation for walls

Before purchasing insulation, you must correctly calculate thickness of the purchased material.

An indicator of the thickness of a material is the result of thermal resistance. The value for each region is different and is determined in accordance with the readings of SNiP.

For the region of the central part of the Eurasian continent it is approximately equal to three.

The thickness of the insulation layer is equal to the difference between this indicator according to SNiP and the total amount of thermal conductivity of each material that is present in the wall.

To determine the thermal conductivity coefficient for each material, use the formula:

P=R/K ,

where R is the thickness of the material, K is an indicator of its thermal conductivity (the manufacturer indicates on the packaging).

After adding all the coefficients, the value is subtracted from three. This results in the thickness of the material required for insulation.

Wall pie device

A wall pie is a collection of layers of materials that are laid vertically in a certain order.

Each layer of the wall pie has its own laying characteristics. If the sequence of layers is disrupted, there is a risk of destruction of the entire structure.

Device wall pie for external insulation must correspond to the order of laying materials, starting with inside walls:

• interior decoration;
• internal load-bearing layer (plasterboard, sheathing);
• vapor barrier (required in frame houses);
• load-bearing wall;
• insulation;
• waterproofing (depending on insulation);
• sheathing;
• ventilation gap (depending on the heat insulator);
• finishing.

Wooden Wall Pie

This scheme for laying materials should be followed if the house is timber, frame or log.

If the wall is brick or aerated concrete, then the wall pie is slightly different:

• interior decoration;
• Brick wall;
• insulation;
• ventilation gap (if mineral wool is used);
• load-bearing layer on the outside or sheathing (if it is necessary to install façade materials);
• finishing (plaster, siding, porcelain stoneware).

"Wet" wall cake

Particular attention should be paid to waterproofing and vapor barrier.

Installation of sheathing

Lathing for external insulation is necessary when attaching siding as exterior finishing walls. With vertical siding, the sheathing is attached horizontally, and vice versa: with horizontal siding - vertically.

The sheathing can be made from wooden beams or their metal profile.

Lathing made of beams

Before you start lathing, you need to prepare the beams: treat them with an antifungal agent.

• saw off the beam of the required size;
• secure the brackets around the entire perimeter with self-tapping screws according to preliminary markings;
• secure the timber as guides along the right and left sides of the wall;
• If there is no thermal insulation, then the beam must be attached to the wall by drilling holes for dowels and securing it with self-tapping screws.

Perform lathing along the entire wall; if necessary, level the surface, use special mounting wedges.

Lathing made of beams

Profile lathing

The metal profile should be secured using hangers and brackets.

Installation of metal sheathing:

• fix the profile on the right side of the wall and on the left so that there is at least 100 mm from the corner to the guide;
• according to the markings, drill holes for dowels and attach brackets along the entire wall;
• if thermal insulation is installed, then the insulation boards are pinned onto the brackets;
• lay a vapor barrier in the same way as insulation;
• install metal profiles along the edges of the wall;
• Use a thread to set the height of the profile and secure the profile along the entire wall;
• between the elements, fasten stiffening ribs from the remains of the profile.

NOTE!

It is better to choose metal profiles for siding with curved edges.

It is best to use a good quality aluminum profile.

Profile lathing

Why do you need a counter-lattice?

Lathing and counter-lattice are concepts that are often confused. The lathing is necessary for attaching covering elements to it.

The counter-lattice is attached perpendicular to the sheathing and performs the function of ventilation and at the same time secures the water barrier.

Counter battens must be installed in the walls on the sheathing or on the rafters.

The walls of houses equipped with counter-lattice are called ventilated.

With a ventilated facade, the properties of the cake materials are preserved and the formation of moisture and mold is prevented.

Installation of waterproofing and vapor barrier

When installing waterproofing outside the wall of a wooden house, it can be done:

• by applying a special solution to the walls;
• by using additional materials(waterproofing polyurethane foam).

If the wall is brick, then you can use special solutions or resort to an adhesive form of waterproofing: roofing felt. Glue it vertically, overlapping, removing any air bubbles that have formed and gluing the joints with mastic.

When using decorative facing materials, special plaster waterproofing is used.

Waterproofing mineral wool

When installing a vapor barrier from the outside, films should be used that protect the wall surface from the outside and allow moisture to pass through from the walls.

Installation vapor barrier films boils down to the rules:

• they should be laid between the insulation layer and the wall;
• provide a gap for ventilation between layers;
• Lay the film overlapping, glue the joints, secure the film with staples.

If the vapor barrier is installed on round beam, then there is no need to install a ventilation gap. In the case of square boards, this is a must.

External wall insulation with mineral wool for siding

For effective wall insulation with mineral wool the surface should be prepared for subsequent installation work: clear debris, seal cracks, remove gutters and other decorative elements, apply markings, attach hangers.

• laying mineral wool slabs from bottom to top between the guide posts end-to-end, placing the material on hangers and attaching with dowel nails;
• seal the cracks with pieces of insulation;
• cover vapor barrier membrane similar to insulation;
• attach racks to hangers;
• then proceed to cladding.

Metal sheathing

This method is suitable for metal profiles.

If used wooden beam, then insulation with mineral wool is somewhat different:

• Attach the beams to the prepared wall with corners at a distance of the width of the mineral wool slab;
• the insulation is laid end-to-end between the studs, secured with a pair of dowels, and the cracks are sealed with polyurethane foam;
• if a second layer of insulation is needed, then counter-battens are attached to the racks and mineral wool slabs are laid between them;
• a diffusion membrane is attached to the frame with staples;
• install a counter-lattice, which serves as the basis for fastening the siding panels and creates an air gap in the wall pie.

Wall cake for siding

Fastening mineral wool to the wall with dowels

External insulation technology using foam plastic

To insulate the walls of a private house from the outside, you can use polystyrene foam. The procedure for foam insulation involves the sequence of work performed:

• preparation of walls (cleaning of debris, sealing cracks, priming);
• applying the necessary markings;
• attach a profile at the bottom of the wall, which will serve as the basis for the even laying of the first row of slabs;
• attach the foam by applying adhesive solution, starting from the bottom corner. The second row of sheets is fastened in a cross pattern;
• after the glue has completely dried, secure the foam with umbrellas;
• The joints are sealed with polyurethane foam, if large, with pieces of polystyrene foam. After hardening, excess foam is cut off;
• To finish slopes and corners, you should use special corners that are glued to the reinforcing mesh tape.

Laying sheets in a checkerboard pattern

Fastening sheets

CAREFULLY!

It is better not to insulate wooden houses with polystyrene foam., since with breathable wood it is better to use porous insulation that can allow moisture and air vapor to pass through.

In this case, mineral wool is ideal.

Basic insulation mistakes

External insulation of the walls of a country house must be carried out in accordance with the requirements and rules for installing materials. Errors that most often occur during insulation contribute to improper circulation of air flow and the formation of moisture inside the cake, which leads to a weakening of the thermal insulation qualities:

• incorrect calculation of thermal resistance;
• if there is no base strip at the bottom of the wall, the insulation may come into contact with the ground;
• Expanded polystyrene should not be left in the sun for a long time during installation;
• cracks between insulation boards lead to the appearance of cold bridges;
• Expansion dowels should be installed at the corners of the building and around doors and windows to securely fasten the material.

In addition, you should not skimp on materials, since in addition to their correct installation, the low quality of the material should not cause poor-quality insulation.

Thus, when insulating walls, the living space is preserved; careful consideration of details is required to calculate the amount of materials and determine the order of installation work.

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The market for thermal insulation materials offers us a huge selection of options for external wall insulation, especially popular. These are products based on mineral wool, liquid insulation, classic polystyrene foam, and a variety of products made from expanded polystyrene.

In this article we will figure out which insulation is better, study reviews, and find out what should be followed when choosing a thermal insulation material in each specific case.

1 Why do you need external insulation of the walls of a house?

External thermal insulation of walls greatly increases the comfort of living in the house, both in winter and in cold seasons. By insulating the walls of the house high-quality insulation, your house will receive full protection at any time, not only from freezing, but also from overheating of brick, expanded clay concrete or gas silicate blocks in the summer.

Moreover, good thermal insulation materials, as a rule, are completely hydrophobic (for example) - they do not absorb water, so the walls of the house will be reliably protected from moisture.

Executed according to the right technology external thermal insulation increases the average temperature inside the house by 4-5 degrees, since the walls do not freeze in winter and do not transfer cold to the air inside the house, which, as reviews indicate, can significantly reduce the financial costs of heating the room.

High-quality calculated and executed thermal insulation even at the stage of building a house makes it possible to optimally select the elements of the heating system and save on both the boiler and radiators.

Similar savings apply to equipment for maintaining a comfortable temperature for humans during the hot season. Thermal insulation materials work not only for insulation.

Since their thermal conductivity is minimal, they do not allow the walls of a house made of brick, expanded clay concrete or gas silicate blocks to warm up under the scorching rays of the sun, as a result of which in the summer the inside of such a house is much cooler than in non-insulated buildings.

The right approach to sandwich wall insulation

2 Types of insulation

As a material for external thermal insulation walls, depending on financial capabilities, foam plastic, mineral ( basalt wool), liquid penoizol, or extruded polystyrene foam. It is not recommended to save on thermal insulation materials.

Of course, there are ways to insulate walls made of brick, expanded clay concrete, or gas silicate blocks with polystyrene foam on a budget; such insulation will provide a certain improvement, however, you should not expect from it the same effectiveness as from insulating a house with basalt wool or foam insulation.

When choosing insulation, the key factor is its thermal conductivity coefficient, which will determine the thickness of the material layer required for wall cladding.

For almost all materials in demand today in the average price category, this indicator ranges from 0.025 to 0.045 W/μ (Watt per meter per Kelvin). The extreme place is occupied by polystyrene foam, for which this indicator is equal to 0.043 W/μ like that of.

When choosing materials for external wall insulation, it is also important to take into account such qualities as hydrophobicity (resistance to water), chemical inertness and mechanical strength, since these factors directly affect the durability of the insulation.

It is best that the heat insulator also has noise-reducing properties, which will allow you to kill two birds with one stone: external insulation of the house will also solve the issue of sound insulation of the home.

According to statistics, at least 85% of private residential buildings built over 20 years ago do not meet thermal insulation standards. As a result, people are forced to spend a large amount of money on heating their premises in order to maintain a comfortable temperature for their homes during the winter period.

As the graph below shows, even insulating the external walls of a house with a ten-centimeter layer of ordinary inexpensive insulation (the same polystyrene foam, or extruded polystyrene foam) reduces heat loss through the walls by at least 3 times.

2.1 Mineral wool

The most popular insulation for the outer part of walls is mineral wool. Insulating walls outside with mineral wool is very popular due to the excellent thermal insulation characteristics and the moderate price of this material.

The concept of mineral wool can mean three types of insulation: wool based on basalt rocks, slag wool (made from slag left in blast furnaces of the metallurgical industry) and glass wool made from cullet and similar waste.

The most quality option mineral wool is considered basalt wool. The production methods of this insulation are based on the melting of basalt rocks.

Rock smelting can be carried out either in blast furnaces or by induction heating under the influence of electromagnetic radiation.

Molten basalt rock is fed into a centrifuge, inside of which there is a cooled forming drum. Due to the pressure drop and centrifugal force of the drum, individual basalt fibers are formed from the melt on its surface, which are fed to the former.

The forming unit turns individual mineral wool fibers into a continuous carpet like that, which is impregnated with additives that improve the performance properties of mineral wool.

Mineral wool itself is susceptible to moisture absorption in order to eliminate this disadvantage manufacturers impregnate it polymer mixture, which, after hardening, gives the mineral wool the required hydrophobicity.

Comparison technical characteristics different types of mineral wool

1. Temperature conditions: slag wool (SHW) – up to 250, glass wool (SV) – up to 450, basalt wool (BV) – up to 1000 degrees;
2. Thermal conductivity coefficient: ШВ – from 0.46 to 0.48; SV – from 0.038 to 0.046; BV – 0.035 to 0.042 W/m-k;
3. Flammability class: all types correspond to class NG (non-flammable);
4. Absorption coefficient for 24 hours of immersion in water: SW – 1.9%, SW – 1.7%, BW -0.095%;
5. Causticity: SHV – yes, SV – yes, BV – absent;
6. Concentration of binding impurities: for all types of mineral wool from 2.5 to 10%;
7. Nominal heat capacity: ШВ – 1000, СВ – 1050, БВ – 1050 J/kg;
8. Mineral wool sintering temperature: ШВ – 250, СВ – 450, БВ – 600 degrees;
9. Length of individual fibers: SHV – 16, SV – 15-50, BV – 16 millimeters;
10. The noise reduction coefficient is the same as: ШВ – 0.75-0.82; NE – 0.8-0.92; BV – 0.75-0.95.

Mineral wool is produced in the form of rolls and slabs, suitable for insulating walls made of brick, expanded clay concrete, or gas silicate blocks. This insulation, as evidenced by reviews, the best option for thermal insulation attic floors, floor, and any flat surfaces.

2.2 Liquid penoizol

Of the liquid insulation materials, the most popular option is penoizol.

This is not an option that is suitable for arranging thermal insulation with your own hands, since you will need to rent special equipment that produces foam insulation directly on the job site, and pay the labor of the workers managing it, however, if you are not afraid of these difficulties and the accompanying financial costs, then penoizol is the best option for insulating the external walls of a house.

In general, the cost of insulating a house with foam insulation is comparable to the final price of insulating a house with mineral wool.

However, there is one important difference: penoizol is also successfully used for insulating internal voids of already used hollow walls made of brick, expanded clay concrete, or gas silicate blocks, without the need to dismantle them, which cannot be done with other insulation materials.

Among the advantages of insulating a house with foam insulation, one can highlight the maximum protection of walls from any external influence, since after hardening penoizol turns into a monolithic surface through which neither wind nor moisture passes.

Solidity guarantees and high-quality insulation, since the possibility of the formation of cold bridges, which reduces the effectiveness of the entire thermal insulation, is eliminated.

To insulate a house with foam insulation on work site a unit is delivered that produces foam from a special resin and chemical reagents.

Penoizol is applied to the wall using a hose; the surface of the walls is first coated with special compounds to improve adhesion. A facing layer of siding or any decorative material is installed on top of the penoizol.

2.3 Extruded polystyrene foam

This material is used not only for insulating the external walls of a house. Due to its mechanical strength and durability, expanded polystyrene is also used for thermal insulation of the external contour of a foundation located in the ground.

Using extruded polystyrene foam to insulate a house stand is justified if your house itself has good thermal insulation and you are looking for an inexpensive and durable material.

Among all budget options insulation, polystyrene foam is the best option, superior to conventional foam in all respects. Among strengths The following advantages can be identified from this material:

• Maximum hydrophobicity (expanded polystyrene, like polystyrene foam, is completely waterproof);
• Low thermal conductivity coefficient, from 0.029 to 0.034 W/m-k;
• High density, and, as a result, resistance to deformation;
• Chemical resistance;
• Wide range of permissible temperatures, from -500 to +700 degrees;
• Self-extinguishing property;
• Minimum panel weight and thickness.

It is also worth highlighting the ease of installation of extruded polystyrene foam on all types of walls. In order to fix this insulation on a surface made of brick, expanded clay concrete or gas silicate blocks, there is no need to install an additional supporting frame, which is necessary when installing mineral wool.

Extruded polystyrene foam panels are mounted on walls using liquid nails, and are secured around the perimeter with umbrella-shaped anchors.

Nowadays, insulation of buildings is increasingly being used from the outside. This applies to both private houses and high-rise buildings. By insulating the walls from the outside, you can save up to 50% of energy on heating and air conditioning, so the cost of thermal insulation sometimes pays off in less than five years.

However, before starting thermal insulation measures, you need to decide on the choice of insulation, which would be better suited in a specific case. It is also important to choose which method of insulating the outside will be more suitable. It is these questions that we will consider next.

Why better insulation outside

External wall insulation is used more often than internal insulation for several reasons.

1. The living space is not insulated when thermally insulated. This is especially true in small apartments And small houses, because the amount of insulation with sheathing reaches 7-8 cm, which significantly reduces the already small living space.
2. Outside, you can put a much larger layer of insulation, which will, as a result, give a much better thermal insulation effect.
3. External thermal insulation of walls is combined with any type modern finishes, for example, by covering with siding, thanks to which you can update a dilapidated facade
4. The seams between the slabs are closed when insulating the outside of multi-storey block houses.
5. Defended construction material, from which the walls are built, thereby extending its service life.
6. A home that is insulated on the outside, covered with siding or plastered with a modern decorative compound will increase in value dramatically, so insulation is a good investment.

What technologies are used for external insulation?

External thermal insulation involves several methods, among which three main methods are most widespread.

1. Wet insulation technology when leafy heat insulating material glued to the wall, followed by additional fastening using dowels with a mushroom-shaped perforated cap. Next, the surface is reinforced with a special fiberglass mesh, which is mounted on a layer of plaster glue. After full cycle To prepare the surface, one of the types of decorative plaster coating is applied to it, which, after drying, is painted with tinted water-based paint.
2. Way curtain façade , which is somewhat reminiscent of in-wall insulation. In this case, the heat insulator is fixed to the existing surface, just as with the method described above. Next, the external masonry is erected, which is then plastered and painted. You can make external masonry from decorative brick to avoid the need finishing. A ventilation gap is left between the wall surface and the heat-insulating layer.
3. The most popular, especially for external insulation of private houses, is ventilated facade technology. If this option is implemented, a sheathing is constructed, which is intended for covering with thermal panels or siding. Between the guides of such a frame, a heat-insulating material is laid, which is attached either spaced between the sheathing elements, or with the help of mushroom-like dowels. A windproof film is fixed on the outside, which protects against moisture, including if a hygroscopic heat insulator is used. The last step here is siding or some similar finishing cladding.

The choice of one of the methods described above depends on the type of building, its number of storeys, and the material from which the walls are built. So, for external thermal insulation of the walls of high-rise buildings, it is better to use the “wet” method. When insulating private houses, it is preferable to construct a ventilated facade with siding. Depending on the technology used, preferences for one or another thermal insulation material change.

What types of insulation exist?

All the most common thermal insulation materials used externally are divided into natural and polymer. The first include:

• mineral insulation (mineral wool, glass wool);
• cellulose heat insulators (ecowool).

Polymers are:

• Styrofoam;
• penoplex;
• polyurethane foam.

Now let's look at each type in more detail.

Mineral wool thermal insulation materials

Mineral wool is used for installation on walls with subsequent finishing decorative plaster, and for arranging a ventilated façade siding system.

In the first case, mineral wool mats measuring 100x60 cm are used, which are attached to the wall with glue and dowels, reinforced with a fiberglass mesh, which sits on plaster glue.

The second option involves the construction of a frame, onto which siding is sewn as the final cladding. It is better to use mineral wool here medium density. Considering that the insulation is capable of absorbing moisture, thereby deteriorating its thermal insulation qualities, it is necessary to do waterproofing protection special perforated film. Before installing the siding, it is better to make a counter-lattice to ensure the presence of a ventilation gap.

Insulation outside with ecowool

To insulate with ecowool, it is also necessary to arrange a frame for siding.

First, the sheathing is done. Then insulation is applied to the wall, which is a cellulose mass mixed in certain proportions with water. Ecowool adheres to the wall, forming a continuous, seamless heat-insulating layer. After drying, the excess that is outside the outer plane of the sheathing is removed. Then a layer of wind protection is laid, a counter-lattice is made, and siding or a material similar in function is sewn on.

Thermal insulation with foam plastic and penoplex

These sheet insulation materials are mainly used for arranging a “wet” facade. They are very convenient to use and subsequent finishing. Due to the fact that penoplex is much stronger than polystyrene foam, it is better to use it at the bottom of the building, where there is a high probability of damage of mechanical origin.

Above the level of one and a half to two meters from the ground surface, it is more advisable to use polystyrene foam, since it is much cheaper than penoplex and this will help make thermal insulation more economical.

How external walls are insulated with polyurethane foam

The method of thermal insulation using polyurethane foam spraying is in many ways similar to the method of applying ecowool. The scheme is the same - sheathing, spraying of insulation, covering with finishing cladding. The difference is that, unlike “breathable” ecowool, polyurethane foam does not allow moisture or steam to pass through, so for, say, thermal insulation wooden walls, not suitable. But they can insulate walls made of brick, concrete or cinder block much better than sheet materials.

In this article, we briefly told you about materials for insulating walls outside, so that you can decide which one is better suited in a particular case.