Hello dear forum users!
There is unfinished frame structure... Operation is scheduled from May to October. It was assumed at first that there would be a shed for collecting rubbish, garden tools, etc. During the construction process, the second floor grew (as is sometimes the case). After a while, all this developed into the construction of a workshop with two small rooms on the 2nd floor "just in case". By "every occasion" is meant a possible rebuilding of the main house.
Closer to the point ... On the 50x150 lags, a 30x100 board is laid. Through the cracks between the boards (after shrinkage), you can see the piece of land. Initially, I planned to cover it with plywood or OSB and get just a flat floor. And I only wanted to insulate the second floor from all sides, and then only for a comfortable summer stay, there is no talk of winter exploitation.
When the plans changed, I decided that it would be good to insulate the walls and the floor of the first floor so that you can work comfortably in the summer and, if necessary, warm up the room in the cool season - in early spring and late autumn... In other words, my goal is to reduce the thermodynamic properties of the system
Actually, the question: Is it possible to insulate the existing floor of the first floor without having to climb under the building and hem the insulation from below (columnar foundation), i.e. put the insulation on top of the floor? Insulation should not be like for a residential building, that is, 20 cm of mineral wool would clearly be too much for my purposes... It is permissible to raise the floor level, taking into account the finishing coating, by 70-80 mm. For example, 5 cm insulation + 18 mm plywood sheet.
At the moment, I am considering three principal options:
1. Bars and ecowool ( most likely).
2. Expanded polystyrene (possible).
3. Bars and expanded clay ( very unlikely).
The first (I plan to do wall insulation with ecowool too) and the third will allow leveling the floor level under the finishing coating, but there is no desire to pour expanded clay due to the extra load, and it is more difficult to acquire it (I convince myself of this, because on the nearest construction markets Have not found).
The second option is interesting, since the XPS can be load-bearing by itself, but it should be placed on a flat surface, and the boards, to put it mildly, are not ideal.
One of the main questions for me now is which films / membranes to use in the first two cases. If everything is clear about vapor barrier (for example, a film of 200 microns), then what kind of windproofing is needed below, under the insulation? Which side should I put it on? Already confused in the information ... And is it needed in the case of the XPS? With ecowool, there is still a question about the gaps between the boards, that is, the film is needed so as not to lose the insulation) Or to foam the gaps? A vague option ...
I would be grateful for any advice and considerations!

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Self-warming floor in wooden house- 3 options for high-quality installation

Most of them have wooden houses modern people associated with comfort and warmth. And in principle this is true, because wood is a living, natural, breathable material. But many of my friends are methodically stepping on the same rake, forgetting that floor insulation in a wooden house is no less important than wall and roof insulation. In this material, I will first tell you how to insulate the floor in a wooden house with the three most available ways, and then I will go personally through the use of each type of insulation specifically for wooden buildings.

Design options for floor insulation in wooden houses

Let's start with the fact that modern wooden houses can be erected both on a light pile or strip foundation, and on a monolithic concrete slab, respectively, and the insulation scheme in all these cases will be different.

In addition, floors in wooden houses can be insulated both from below, that is, from the basement side, and from above, from the side of the dwelling. Naturally, it is easier to do all this during the construction of a house, but not everyone is so lucky and sometimes you have to insulate the floors in an old house, which leaves its imprint on the technology.

Any major types of work in wooden houses, including the insulation of walls and floors, are recommended to be carried out only after the end of the shrinkage of the structure. And this shrinkage in a house assembled from a dry forest lasts about a year. If freshly sawn timber was used for construction, then shrinkage can last up to 5 - 7 years.

Option number 1. Arrangement of thermal insulation in a house with a low underground

Low underground is a disease of most old houses and dachas. In my experience, almost all owners who bought or somehow received a dacha built in the old fashioned way back in Soviet times are faced with a serious problem of cold and often rotten floors.

Immediately I hasten to reassure you, it is not necessary to break everything, if the log house itself is still intact and strong enough, then you can insulate the floor in a wooden house with your own hands in a few days, and for this you do not have to be a real builder. It is enough to confidently use a hacksaw, drill and hammer.

As you probably already guessed, if in a private house there is a low subfloor, then the floors will have to be insulated from above... And for this we need to disassemble the entire structure completely, leaving only the bearing logs;

If the boards and skirting boards of the finished floor are in good condition, and you are not determined to completely change them, then when you tear off the flooring, be sure to draw yourself a sketch of the masonry and number each board. This will save you a lot of time and effort when you start putting everything back in place.

• When you have free access to the logs, the first thing to do is to carefully inspect the condition of the wood. Lag it Basic structure, accordingly, they must be durable and reliable. If the number of rotten lags does not exceed 20-30%, then it is worth tinkering with their restoration;
• In general, according to the rules, the damaged beam must be removed completely, and the same one must be installed in its place. But this work is not for an amateur, there are too many small, professional subtleties. When I first encountered the problem of partial replacement of the support beam, I did it simply. - I cut out the rotten sector, and in its place I inserted the same part of a healthy beam.
  I fixed this sector to self-tapping screws using 4 standard metal corners of 35 mm, making an overlap on the old beam of about 50 cm.But if the corners were not at hand, you can fill it on both sides regular board with a thickness of about 30 mm;
• Now you can start arranging the subfloor. Opinions about how to do this correctly among builders vary. The classical technology looks something like this: on both sides of each log, a so-called supporting cranial bar is stuffed along the lower edge. I recommend taking a cross-section of at least 30x30 mm, if you take a thinner one, then it may not withstand the load or burst from a nail or self-tapping screw;

• The distance between the logs often fluctuates in the region of 50 - 70 cm. In our version, the subfloor will be assembled from the planks laid on the cranial beam, perpendicular to the logs. Therefore, we will first need to cut these boards and soak them well with an antiseptic, since they are located directly above the ground.
  For these purposes, not well suited edged board with a thickness of about 20 - 30 mm. The question of what can be impregnated is solved simply: the market is full of various impregnations, but I went the simplest way, dipped each board in the processing of machine oil;
• I am often asked the question whether it is necessary to attach the subfloor planks to the logs or the support cranial bar. So, as far as I saw and did it myself, these planks just fit on the cranial beam and that's it.
  Moreover, when you measure and cut the strips, they need to be done 10 - 15 mm narrower than the gap between the lags. This tolerance is required to compensate for temperature and moisture deformations of wood;

• Further, the instruction prescribes to lay a layer of hydro or vapor barrier on the subfloor. The difference is this: if the soil under the house is dry and there is no abundant spring flood in your area, then it is necessary to install vapor barrier membrane, and so that steam freely leaves the insulation, but in no case penetrates from the ground into the insulation.
  Waterproofing is installed in places with high level groundwater and on wet soils. Technical polyethylene or roofing felt is most often used as waterproofing. Any of these membranes is covered with a continuous overlap layer, on top of the lag, so that the subfloor is completely covered, without any gaps or crevices. I usually fix such a canvas with a stapler;
• The insulation of your choice is laid in the resulting improvised boxes. How it is possible, and also the better to insulate the floor in a wooden house, I will tell you in detail a little later, now we will not dwell on this;

• The presence or absence of a vapor barrier on top of the insulation is determined by what materials were chosen for the insulation. But in any case, between the final wood flooring and a small ventilation gap, 20 - 30 mm, should remain with a layer of insulation.
  For this, if possible, the insulation is mounted slightly, below the upper cut of the lag. If this is not possible and the material is laid flush with the lags, then you will have to fill the wooden counter crate perpendicular to the lags, with a step of 30 - 40 cm.
  Moreover, hydro or vapor barrier, if needed, should be under the counter crate. IN otherwise if the clean wooden floor is not provided with proper ventilation from below, the boards will sooner or later begin to deteriorate;
• The top layer, of course, is the finishing wood flooring.

Option number 2. We insulate the floor above the cellar

Correct floor insulation from below in a wooden house, in general, is carried out using a similar technology, but believe me, this is much easier. After all, provided normal state finish, you do not need to disassemble it. The rest of the technology is the same, only all actions are performed in reverse.

• According to the rules, in order for the insulation not to "stick" to the finished coating and the necessary ventilation gap remains, it is necessary to fill in the upper part of the log, on the border with the finished floor, a small cranial block 20-30 mm. But to be honest, I never do that.
  It is much easier to fix the vapor barrier membrane with a stapler just below the finished floor. Nobody forces you to measure everything clearly, the main thing is that there is a ventilation gap;
• I also don't see much point in mounting a cranial beam and hemming a sub-floor from planks on the ceiling of the basement using the previous technology. After laying the insulation in the niches, so that it does not fall out immediately, I stuff a row of small nails on the logs and pull several strings of fishing line or wire;

• Further from below, with the same stapler, a waterproofing sheet is attached to the logs. And on top of this canvas, to strengthen the structure, an unedged board or an ordinary slab is stuffed. If the basement is damp and there is often water in it, then it makes sense instead unedged boards Sew on the ceiling a galvanized profile for drywall. I usually fasten it with a step of 20 - 30 cm, in any case, it is only needed so that the insulation does not fall out.

The second floor, more precisely a wooden one, is being equipped using a similar technology. interfloor overlap between the first and second floors along the logs. The only difference is that instead of a subfloor layer, some sheet material, such as plywood or drywall, is most often sewn from below.

Option number 3. We insulate the floor of a wooden house standing on a concrete slab

The floor in a wooden house on a solid concrete base can be insulated using two technologies: installation on logs and arrangement of a screed. The choice depends on what kind of end result you want to see and how much money you are willing to spend on all this. Most often, in such houses, the first option is used, according to which at the finish you get a covering from a natural floorboard.

Compared to the two previous options, concrete slab, in my opinion, it is much easier to insulate. As a rule, such a base initially has an absolutely flat plane, in addition, the weight of the insulating structure itself does not matter here.

According to the first method, you need to mount on the plate wooden crate... She will replace us with the same bearing logs.

Only first, the concrete must be covered with a layer of waterproofing. In this case, technical polyethylene is quite enough. The thickness of the lathing bars depends on the type of insulation.

For a full-fledged floorboard with a thickness of 40 mm, the step of laying the lathing guides ranges from 50 - 70 cm.In the case when it is planned to sew up the floor with thick plywood or OSB, the step is about 30 - 40 cm.

The lathing bars are attached to the concrete slab with anchors. After that, just like when installing from above, a heater is laid in the niches, and a finishing coating is sewn on top of it.

Insulation of a concrete slab under a screed is made even easier. Looking a little ahead, I will say the best insulation here is extruded polystyrene foam, we better known under the name "Penoplex". I will talk about its capabilities later, but now let's get back to the technology.

So this Penoplex, in a continuous layer, is laid on a flat concrete slab, attached to it and all the cracks are blown out with foam. After that, you can choose: either lay a metal reinforcing mesh on it and pour a screed, or equip a flooring of plywood, OSB or drywall and mount a laminate on it using floating technology.

If you are interested in a blank for the "warm floor" system, then both for the electric and for the water version, the base made of extruded polystyrene foam is perfect.

In addition to extruded polystyrene foam, such a floor can be insulated with expanded clay. Of course, you will have to tinker more, but the price of such insulation will be incomparably less.

The technology is about the same here. Initially, the concrete is covered waterproofing film with the approach to the walls, just above the finishing coating. Further, a layer of expanded clay is filled up and leveled out along the horizon.

You can put reinforcement on expanded clay and pour cement-sand mortar, This will wet screed... Or lay a double layer of plywood, OSB or drywall, this is already called a dry floating screed.

Choosing a heater

We figured out how to make the insulation itself, now it remains to find out which insulation for the floor in a wooden house is more suitable in a given situation. To make it easier for you to understand, I conventionally divided all the materials into 2 large areas:

1. Budget, that is, not expensive;
2. And what is now called new technologies, respectively, their cost is an order of magnitude higher.

Traditional budget heaters

• Wood sawdust is deservedly considered the patriarch in this direction. It is not difficult to guess that the price for them is penny, if you try very hard, you can even get it for free. But in order to this material could be used as insulation, it needs to be well prepared. Otherwise, after a couple of months, the sawdust will simply start to rot.

First of all, remember, sawdust must be kept in a dry place for at least a year, freshly sawn material is not suitable. And in order for the mice not to arrange a hostel in this heater, you need to add slaked lime there.

Since we are talking about self-cooking, I will take the liberty of giving you 2 of the most popular recipes:

1. For the floor, the bulk option is best suited. Here, 8 parts of dry sawdust will need to be thoroughly mixed with two parts of dry slaked lime powder, in stores such lime is called fluff. In principle, the material is ready, now it can be poured into the space between the rough and final floor.
   Only to achieve the expected effect, in middle lane of our great homeland, this layer should be at least 150 - 200 mm. And in northern regions it can go up to 300 and even 400 mm;

1. It is much easier to work with slabs. But these slabs will need to be made first. In the composition of the solution, in addition to sawdust, the same fluff is present, and cement is added as a binder. The standard proportion is 8/1/1 (sawdust / lime / cement).
   Naturally, all this is abundantly wetted and mixed well. When the solution is ready, it is poured into molds and lightly compacted. During the warmer months, after about a week, the plates will dry and be ready for use. It is possible to lay the raw mixture directly on the floor, but in this case you will not be able to sew up the final coating, because you will have to wait a couple of weeks for the solution to dry completely.

• The second number we have is expanded clay. This material is widely used in our country. Expanded clay is a granules of foamed and fired clay. The material is porous, lightweight, strong and durable.
  Its only drawback is hygroscopicity, expanded clay is able to absorb moisture. Hence the conclusion that expanded clay requires mandatory installation of waterproofing.
  As for the depth of insulation, it is about the same as that of wood sawdust... For arranging the floor in a wooden house, you should use 2 fractions of expanded clay, gravel and sand. This will make your embankment denser;

• But perhaps the most popular floor insulation in the budget sector is polystyrene. The material is comfortable in almost every way. In the underground, protected from all sides, the foam will lie indefinitely. Where sawdust or expanded clay needs to be backfilled with a minimum thickness of 150 mm, it is enough to install foam plastic with a thickness of only 50 mm.
  This insulation is absolutely indifferent to moisture and waterproofing is installed here only to protect the wood itself. To install it, you only need to cut the slab exactly to the size of the niche, insert it and blow out the gaps with polyurethane foam.
  In a wooden house, the weak point of the foam laid in the floor is rodents. They really like to arrange their nests in it and fight it folk methods almost impossible;

• It would not be fair to skip such a common insulation as mineral wool. It is impossible to call it completely cheap, but there are several inexpensive models... In particular, glass wool and soft mineral wool mats are not expensive.

But honestly, I do not recommend them to you, this material quickly cakes, mice love it and when it gets wet it completely loses its qualities. No matter how hard you try, the soft cotton wool will have to be changed about once every 10 years.

There are also mineral wool basalt slabs, they are more expensive, but their density and quality are much higher. I recommend that if you install cotton wool, then take only slabs with a thickness of about 100m.

Of all the above budget options only sawdust and polystyrene are considered combustible. Expanded clay and cotton wool are the standard of fire safety.

New technologies

• Among the newfangled heaters, extruded polystyrene foam is now breaking all records of popularity. It is a modern derivative of polystyrene, both materials are made from styrene granules, the only difference is in technology.
  Extruded polystyrene foam boards have a closed cell structure. As a result, the material does not allow moisture to pass through, but even steam. In fact, we are dealing with a good waterproofing agent. Above, I already mentioned that Penoplex can be laid in a screed, due to the fantastic strength of extruded polystyrene foam.
  If this material can be used to insulate airfields, roads and concrete foundations, then there is nothing to say about the strength of a small wooden house. Besides, mice don't particularly like him either;

• The next number we have is the so-called ecowool. It consists of about 80% cellulose, the remaining 20% ​​are fire retardants and antiseptics. In the production of ecowool, it is not very expensive, because cellulose is obtained from shredded waste paper.
  I think that the high price here is more likely due to the fact that the material is new. There are two ways to mount such a heater. If you are interested in self-assembly, then the cotton wool is simply poured into the floor cells and fluffed up with a construction mixer.
  But it is better to order machine blowing. In this case, with the help of a compressor, cotton wool is blown onto any, including vertical and overhanging surfaces. Ecowool in front of the rest modern insulation there is one advantage, if you are confident in the high-quality installation of the rough and final floor, then in old houses you can simply make a hole and blow through the entire subfloor with ecowool;

• Polyurethane foam is quite expensive. It is impossible to apply this material to any surface with your own hands; here you need professional equipment and specialists with the appropriate qualifications.
  According to its characteristics, polyurethane foam is close to extruded polystyrene foam, only it will not withstand the screed. The best option here is the foaming of the floor from below in a wet basement. The fact is that the foam will hermetically close the tree from below, and the warranty period of operation of such a heater starts at 30 years;

• Penoizol will cost less than polyurethane foam. But it also needs specialists to apply it. Personally, in the case of floor insulation in a wooden house, I do not see much reason to pay for such material. Indeed, in fact, penoizol is the same foam, only in liquid form... Of all the advantages, only quick installation and a hermetically sealed continuous coating;

• Finally, I would like to talk about the so-called isolone. In a nutshell, izolon is foamed polyethylene. It can be covered on one or both sides with foil, and also go without foil covering. But it is difficult to call it an independent insulation for the floor in a wooden house, most of the models are up to 10 mm thick.
  With such a thickness, the isolon can only be used as an auxiliary coating. In particular, it is used in the arrangement of an electric underfloor heating. Or sometimes they are additionally covered with cotton wool. Foil isolon is a good waterproofing agent and personally I often mount it instead of the top insulating layer under the finishing coat.

Conclusion

Insulating the floor in a wooden house with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. If you choose the right insulation and prepare well, then the floors in a medium-sized house can be equipped in a maximum of a week. In the photo and video in this article, I put Additional information on the topic of insulation. If you have any questions, write them in the comments, I will try to help.

If you want to express gratitude, add clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!

It's no exaggeration to say that interior decking is the most used surface in the home. Children and animals spend most of their time on it. To prevent diseases, in particular colds, you need to think about how to insulate the old floor in a private house. In addition, it will also help reduce heating costs.

What to consider before

Define initial conditions

Cold air always accumulates from below, and warm air rises, therefore, no matter how much the house is drowned, if the floor remains cold, it is almost impossible to achieve complete comfort. Before doing installation work, several points need to be analyzed:

• What the flooring is made of. It could be concrete screed on which the tiles are laid, it may be an edged board.
• If the floor is wooden, then there are no pests in it.
• Mold visible in the corners, spreading from bottom to top.
• Does moisture accumulate under the coating.
• Is there space under the floor.
• Will it be critical if you even have to raise the level a little.
• Is there a basement downstairs. If not, what kind of flooring is located under the floor.
• Whether it flexes when walking.

There may be a concrete screed under the floor

The answers to these questions will determine whether the old coating can be used or whether it must be dismantled with the need for additional decontamination and isolation measures.

Choosing a method of insulation

So far developed a large number of varieties of material for insulation. In order to best apply them in a specific setting, it is important to become familiar with their weaknesses and strengths.

Expanded clay can be used as insulation

One of the methods of insulation, which has been used for a long time and does not lose its popularity, is the use of expanded clay. It is made from natural ingredients, and the manufacturing process consists in firing the clay base. This material wins by the following parameters:

• light weight;
• the ability to choose the size of the granules;
• relatively low price;
• resistance to moisture (does not collapse under its influence);
• long service life;
• resistance to temperature changes;
• resistance to fire.

Among the disadvantages are:

• in some cases it is necessary to make a depression in order to provide a sufficient layer;
• fragility;
• can draw in moisture, which leads to its accumulation in the granules.

Styrofoam

If you opt for foam, then you need to consider:

• undesirable use together with a wooden covering due to fire hazard;
• instability to chemical and physical stress;
• toxic when burning;
• when insulating with foam, it is important to calculate everything correctly so that the dew point does not remain under the floor.

Mineral wool

Many often have a choice between this material and mineral wool... For its manufacture can be used broken glass, quartz, rock or slag. If speak about positive qualities, that is:

• excellent sound and heat insulation;
• fire resistance (especially in stone wool);
• chemical resistance;
• good vapor permeability;
• high tensile strength (for some brands);

Of the unhappy moments, it can be noted:

• inconvenience of installing glass wool (it is imperative to use clothes that prevent it from getting on the body, as well as glasses, gloves and a respirator);
• the possibility of compaction over time, which leads to the appearance of cold bridges;
• the appearance of unpleasant dust;
• some types of this material absorb moisture well.

Penoplex

Penoplex is very similar in its characteristics to foam. Has even greater thermal insulation. It can be used in all weather conditions. Also loved by rodents and is afraid of high temperatures (with direct exposure). In some cases, insulation can be done with gypsum fiber. It is used in conjunction with a dry screed. Filling of cavities with foamed polyurethane can be considered as a method. Under certain conditions, this can be done without removing the old floor.

Vermiculite

Vermiculite is beautiful durable material, resistant to moisture, but its cost is quite high, so not everyone will be able to afford to purchase it for floor insulation.

The perfect solution there will be a combination of passive insulation with an active floor heating. For the latter, a large number of types are available today, which include water and electric options.

Planning

Antiseptic for wood

In addition to calculating the amount of base material and necessary work, the questions at the beginning helped to determine whether additional components would be needed:

Waterproofing In the case of proximity to groundwater or other reason for a large accumulation of moisture, it is important to purchase waterproofing, in some cases several layers are better.

To get the right amount of material, you first need to calculate the area of ​​the room. To do this, the length is multiplied by the width. The resulting number will be our base. For insulation, the thickness of the beams can be neglected, since it still needs to be taken with a small margin. The square of the waterproofing and vapor barrier will also be equal to the area; an overlap will need to be added to the final value, which should be 10‒15 cm.

When purchasing components for a warm floor, you can subtract the space that will be occupied by furniture.

Execution of works

Insulation with polyurethane foam

In the event that you are sure that the condition of the underground space is close to good. For example, under wooden base there is a concrete screed that can still serve long years, and the logs themselves lie on a cement base, then the work can be carried out without large-scale dismantling.

• All furniture is taken out of the room and thorough cleaning is done.
• Places to be protected are covered with construction foil.
• One board is removed between each of the lags.
• The space is filled with polyurethane foam. It is necessary to move the hose so that all voids are filled.
• Additional waterproofing or vapor barrier is not required, since after hardening, the base will perform all these functions.
• When the foam has taken its shape and is completely dry, the boards are mounted back.

Filling the underfloor space with ecowool

Another option with a good foundation under the floor is to rip off all the boards, cover the entire area with a vapor barrier and put insulation on top of the niches. If the wood flooring is in perfect condition and it is possible to raise the floor by 10 cm, then the dry screed method can be used. For its implementation, the entire area is covered with a vapor barrier. The crate is installed from wooden beam, expanded clay or other filler is poured into the space. The base for the final floor is laid on top and the final finish is performed.

In all other cases, which will be described below, the first two steps are repeated, after which you will need to remove the entire flooring. If there is a dry fill under your floor, then the scenarios for the development of events may be as follows:

• Sand, which could have turned to stone over time, must be removed. This will require construction bags... They are filled and taken out of the house.
• When you know for sure that groundwater do not come close, and you do not plan to fill the screed, then the base, which was under the sand, is well compacted.
• The surface is covered with a membrane or dense plastic film... The individual parts are laid with an overlap of 50 cm. The seams are glued with adhesive tape. It is necessary to provide turns on the walls, which will reach the level of the future floor.
• The resulting space is filled with expanded clay to the log, leveled well and tamped into all cavities.
• A vapor barrier is attached to the logs so that grooves remain between the boards.
• Insulation is placed in the intervals between the lags. In this case, basalt wool is perfect.
• From above, the entire space is again tightened with a vapor barrier. This must be done so that the particles of the insulation fiber do not scatter over time.
• The base is laid from plywood or OSB slabs.
• The final floor is covered.

Insulation is laid in the intervals between the lags

If you plan to make a warm floor, then (this option from step 8 is also suitable when there is a concrete base under the floor):

• A deepening is made to the size of the future screed plus insulation.
• The base is well rammed and leveled.
• The territory is covered with a hydro-barrier, as in the previous case (in this case, it is possible to use bikrost or roofing material).
• The crate is made of reinforcement with a diameter of 8 mm. It is laid on the prepared surface.
• Next, concrete is poured. At this stage, it is advisable to try to bring everything under the level, in order for this to work, you must first mount the beacons.
• Compaction is performed using a vibrator so that the concrete fills all the cracks.
• After 3-4 weeks, when the slab becomes a monolith, you can proceed further.
• The hydro-barrier is covered, insulation is laid on it. You can use Styrofoam or Penoplex. It is fixed through to the concrete.
• A grating or pipe guides are mounted, pipes are laid. If this electric option, then mats are placed on the insulation.
• The finishing screed is poured and after 3 weeks it can be tiled.

Floor heating scheme in a private house

As you dig out the soil, you may see the need to strengthen the foundation. In this case, formwork is mounted around the entire perimeter. The width between the boards should be 30-40 cm. A metal crate is laid inside and filled with mortar. Further work can be continued after complete setting and dismantling of the support system.

If you are lucky enough to be the owner of a basement under the house, then the task is much easier.

• The first thing to do is go down to the basement. First, the condition of the ceiling is assessed.
• All cracks are covered with plaster.
• Further, the plate is sheathed with foam or foam. Fastening is carried out with special umbrellas. The sheet is applied through it, a hole is made with a puncher, and the fastening material is inserted.
• An adhesive is applied on top. Reinforcing mesh can be omitted, since no one will be banging with elbows or knees here.
• From the side of the room, the floor is insulated in one of the above ways.

Some older houses have a concrete screed and linoleum. If in this case it is possible to raise the floor, then the cover is simply removed, logs are installed, a hydro-barrier is laid, then a heater, everything is sewn up on top sheet material, and the decoration is a matter of taste for the owner.

As you can see, floor insulation can be done by hand. This requires a careful approach to the matter. It is impossible to consider all the options within one article, so you are free to combine methods or, based on principles, do something of your own.

Thus, as in this video, you can insulate the floor from below:

You can see how to insulate the floor in the attic with sawdust below:

Living in the private sector, the owners themselves take care of the insulation of their own homes. It is not difficult, knowing the technology, having at hand step by step photos work or instructions on the video. The article will tell you how to make a warm floor in a residential building with your own efforts.

How to insulate the floor covering in a private house

When choosing a material, pay attention to the following properties:

1. Flammability. The G1 indicator indicates that the substance will not ignite without direct impact fire.
2. Water resistance. The lower the percentage of water absorption, the less moisture the material absorbs, which means it retains heat better and longer.
3. Thermal conductivity. A low coefficient indicates good insulation.
4. Density. Indicates how much the material makes the entire floor structure heavier.

Also, an important role when buying a heater is played by its quality, cost, durability (the service life should be at least 10 years) and ease of installation - which is especially important if you are going to make a warm floor with your own hands.

The most common materials for insulation:

Mineral wool... Her advantages:

• inexpensive;
• durable;
• withstands high temperatures, up to 1000 ° C;
• has low thermal conductivity;
• isolates sounds well.

Flaws:

• high vapor permeability. If you do not take care of waterproofing, cotton wool will accumulate moisture over time and become useless;
• attractiveness to rodents. They will need special protection.

Glass wool. It is similar in its properties to mineral wool, but has an additional disadvantage: you need to make sure that it does not get into the eyes or on the skin. Because of this feature, it is difficult to work with it, it is necessary that professionals do it.

Ecowool- non-toxic, environmentally friendly material that has the same advantages and disadvantages as other types of cotton wool.

Sawdust. Most cheap stuff for floor insulation. They keep heat well, but have many disadvantages: they are highly flammable, attract rodents and insects, absorb moisture well, being a favorable environment for the development of mold and mildew.

The following materials are more often used for insulating concrete floors than wooden ones:

Expanded clay. Has a clay base and is inexpensive, environmentally friendly pure material... Low thermal conductivity. Among the disadvantages: it absorbs and retains moisture well, although it does not lose its properties.

Attention! The expanded clay layer must be at least 10 cm, otherwise the floors will be cold.

Perlite. It is similar to expanded clay, but has improved characteristics.

Styrofoam... Advantages:

• good thermal conductivity;
• moisture resistance.

• non-environmental friendliness;
• high flammability;
• fragility.

Extruded polystyrene foam... This is an "improved version" of foam: it is stronger, lasts longer, and retains heat better.

Cork. Natural material which keeps warm well. It is usually placed under the floor finish.

Polyurethane foam. Good for almost everyone:

• resistance to moisture, temperature fluctuations and loads;
• durability;
• excellent thermal conductivity.

Among the shortcomings, it should be noted that it is not environmentally friendly.

Foam glass... It has all the advantages of polyurethane foam, plus it is environmentally friendly. However, it is fragile, therefore it is not able to withstand heavy loads.

Advice. When purchasing insulation in slabs or rolls, press on a small piece of material. If it takes its original form, feel free to take it.

Warming methods. Options for wood and concrete floors

There are two main ways of floor insulation:

Advice. These methods are good at the stage of construction, renovation or renovation of a house. If you plan to insulate an already inhabited room, you will need to disassemble the floors or put insulation on top of them, and then again "decorate" with a floor covering.

Instructions for insulating a wooden floor

• Before starting work, it is necessary to lay a subfloor. It is made from untreated boards, and they are attached to beams. When it comes to renovation, first you need to dismantle the old floors.
• Lay the logs on the subfloor. Secure them with self-tapping screws. The distance between the bars is 0.6-1 m.
• Lay the waterproofing material.

• Position the insulation so that it fits snugly against the joists. Lay waterproofing on both sides. If expanded clay is used, it just needs to be poured into the space between the bars.
• The next layer is vapor barrier. This is a special film or membrane that extends the life of the insulating material. It should be laid with a smooth surface to the insulation.
• Installation of a fine floor covering.

Attention! Ventilation is required between the two floor levels. To do this, at the top flooring make special holes - vents.

This version of the double floor, consisting of a "draft" and "clean copy", is also suitable for concrete base... However, it should be borne in mind that this design reduces the ceiling height by about 6 cm.

Concrete floor insulation instructions

For a concrete floor, you can use a different, albeit less effective technology, but reducing the height of the room by only 3 cm. You need:

• Clean and level the concrete floor.
• Lay the substrate, on top of it - wood slabs in 2 layers. They are laid like bricks, the seams of the layers should not coincide, they must be smeared with a sealant.
• Glue, as well as connect wood slabs with self-tapping screws.
• Lay the floor covering.

Underfloor heating

This system allows you to evenly warm up your home. However, it has a significant drawback: high power consumption. Also, this option is not suitable for houses with wood floors... Otherwise, they must be dismantled. Installation sequence of the heated system:

• Clean and level the subfloor.
• Lay in waterproofing material.
• Place insulation on top, for example, foam.
• Lay the cable over the entire surface (in the form of a "snake").
• Connect the system and fill the floor with a screed. Its thickness is about 5 cm.

Enjoy finished structure it is possible only after 3-4 weeks, when the concrete dries. The heating temperature should be increased gradually and gradually. Also, an infrared heated floor works from electricity - a special film or rods with wires. Such insulation is mounted faster, but it costs more than a traditional electrical system.

Another option for a warm floor is water. Comfort in the house is provided by pipes laid under the screed. This method requires significant financial investments, but is profitable in operation. It is advisable to install it in a house with autonomous heating... It is better to entrust the installation of a water-heated floor to professionals.

When insulating floors, one must not forget about other, no less components of the process. For example, if the house has a basement, you need to start with it first. Insulation of the foundation walls will not be superfluous so that they do not come into contact with freezing soil and moisture. Only with such an integrated approach can you achieve real warmth and comfort in the house.

Concrete floor insulation: video

Do-it-yourself floor insulation: photo

When choosing how to insulate a wooden floor in a private house, first of all, one proceeds from financial possibilities. So, expanded polystyrene is the most economical option, expanded clay is more expensive, but the most environmentally friendly, and mineral wool is easy to install and unattractive to rodents.

Warm base - a guarantee of a warm floor

Before proceeding with the insulation of the floor, you need to make sure of the heat and waterproofing of the basement. At the same time, one should not forget about ventilation, which will prevent the development of fungi and mold in the underground. Because it destroys wooden base and the floor will last very little.

Basement floor insulation

If the house has a basement or ground floor, you need to attend to their insulation and waterproofing. This will keep the basement from freezing in winter and keep it cool in summer. After all, the non-residential basement floor is often used specifically for storing food, and if it is above the freezing level of the soil, such measures are mandatory. But there is no need to insulate an unheated basement underground.

The basement floor is insulated from the outside with extruded polystyrene foam, since it is not hygroscopic, unlike ordinary foam. Insulation must be laid on waterproofing, such as bitumen and roofing felt. The base is dug out per meter and EPS is attached to a special glue.

After that, the soil is poured back layer by layer.

On the ground floor of the basement, the insulation is laid on glue, and on top is fixed with dowels and a reinforcing mesh. The final stage is the plinth cladding. The material can be any - from decorative stone up to PVC panels. But it is better to choose a material that is resistant to damage and moisture-repellent.

If the base is low, about 50 cm, it is better to fill up the space under the subfloor. This option will turn out to be much warmer - there is no cold air under the floor of the house, there is no need to arrange air vents that will have to be closed for the winter.

Backfilling is done with ordinary soil, and the last 10 cm to the floor are covered with sand. Both soil and sand must be tamped separately in a wet state.

It is economically unprofitable to fill up a higher base. In this case, it will have to be insulated according to the same principle as the basement floor, but to organize ventilation vents that remain open in summer time and are closed in winter. Special attention should be paid to warming the basement for a house on a columnar or pile foundation.

Freely "walking" cold wind significantly increases the heat loss of the floor.

General features of wood floor insulation

When the plinth is in order, you can proceed directly to the floor. Regardless of the stage of work (during construction or in an already inhabited house), do-it-yourself insulation includes:

1. Laying or checking and replacing the lag.
2. Laying waterproofing on the logs (or under them, if the logs lie on the sand).
3. Laying insulation between the logs.
4. A layer of vapor barrier on top of the insulation.
5. Counter-grating device for the gap between the finished floor and the vapor barrier.
6. Finishing flooring.

For waterproofing, you can use any roll material- from thick polyethylene to innovative but expensive materials.

For vapor control, it is best to use foamed polyethylene with an aluminum coating on one side.

This will provide both additional insulation floor, and will prevent the ingress of condensate into the insulation. If the winters are not very cold, sometimes just a layer of foamed polyethylene without additional insulation is enough. But it is better to insulate the floor as well as possible, because then you will have to remove the covering again if the insulation is not enough.

The vapor barrier is laid with the “shiny” side to the finished floor. Both the hydro and vapor barrier are overlapped with an allowance of at least 10 cm, and the joints are sealed with metallized tape.

Thermal insulation with roll and tile materials

Even at the stage of the lag device, you need to decide what material will be used for insulation. Depending on its width and length, a lag step will be chosen, between which the insulation is laid very tightly and without gaps.

Ideally, the height of the lag should correspond to the thickness of the mineral wool layer, but given the need for an air gap between the vapor barrier and the finished wooden floor, you can simply not make a counter-lattice. In this case, the vapor barrier is attached construction stapler to the sides of the lag so that it lies on the mineral wool without air gap between them.

It is important to remember that the sides of the slabs have different hardness. Such insulation is laid with the hard side up. For convenience right side is already marked with a blue stripe, so it's hard to make a mistake.

It is best to use boards with corrugated edges for the best grip. Lay the slabs as tightly as possible, starting from the corner. The next row begins with an offset of half the slab. The last plates must be forced into place. Possible gaps are sealed with construction foam.

Thermal insulation with bulk and sprayed materials

There are also more "exotic" ways to insulate the floors in the house. For example, sawdust is increasingly being used as a natural and environmentally friendly material.

The technology is not very different:

• vapor-permeable material, not polyethylene, is laid on the plates fixed under the logs;
• sawdust is poured out between the logs and poured from a watering can with a weak lime solution;
• as soon as the material dries out and shrinks, a clean floor is laid - no vapor barrier is needed.

But here you need to pay Special attention hydro and vapor barrier, as well as the dryness of the expanded clay itself. Because of the pores, it is very hygroscopic, but practically does not give off moisture. Therefore, if improperly laid, expanded clay accumulated moisture will only aggravate the situation.

Warming the floor of the house with sprayed materials - polyurethane foam, ecowool or penoizol, is practically inaccessible for implementation on its own, and in some cases it is dangerous. This will require special equipment, and buying it for insulating a small house is extremely unprofitable.

The process of installing a wooden subfloor, its insulation, hydro and vapor barrier is disclosed in detail in the video: