Do-it-yourself floor installation in the attic of the house. How to make a floor in the attic on the floor beams with your own hands Insulation of a cold attic with ecowool

Insulation of the attic floor concerns mostly cold rooms that are not used as residential, that is, with an uninsulated roofing system and natural ventilation. In such cases, the attic floor becomes a kind of boundary between heat and cold, where condensate moisture is especially likely to form. It is interesting that such a responsible job can be done quite simply by yourself.

Why you need to insulate the attic

To install the roof slope, you need to adhere to a certain angle of inclination. It is formed between the rafters and the floor beams located on the upper part of the walls of the house. It is they who form the floor of the attic space. For technical work, a boardwalk is installed under them.

Timely insulation of the attic floor of the house is necessary for the following:

• Reduction of heat losses through the upper floor. Warm air rises upwards, so the ceiling of the last floor of the house should be insulated as much as possible from the effects of the air of the unheated attic space. Good thermal insulation allows you to keep the temperature in the living quarters on the order of the dew point. Any violations will result in condensation formed on the ceiling, and it will be necessary to repair it in just a few weeks.
• Waterproofing. The correct configuration of the insulating layer implies the mandatory installation of waterproofing materials. If a roof leak occurs, moisture should not penetrate into the living room.
• The difference in temperature in the areas of abutment of floors and walls becomes a decisive factor for the occurrence of mold and microscopic fungi - causative agents of various allergic diseases.

In fact, this is the arrangement of a durable and durable coating made of thermal insulation material with low thermal conductivity.

Attention

Material of questionable quality or non-compliance with technology can lead to sad consequences.

Requirements for insulation of the attic

Insulation of the floor of the attic of the house, its quality, significantly affects not only heat loss, but also the durability of the rafter system and roof covering. Water vapor from internal warm rooms diffuses intensively into the attic, but, as you know, in order for the insulation to provide the calculated efficiency of thermal insulation, it must be dry. Therefore, it is protected from humidification by warm air vapor by placing a vapor-proof material on the “warm” side.

Good steam and thermal insulation, in addition to thermal protection, contributes to an increase in the durability of the roof structure. Indeed, in the absence of vapor barrier, water vapor penetrates through the ceiling into the attic, condenses from the attic side on the surface of the roof covering and flows down onto the rafters. As a result, metal coatings and parts corrode, wooden rafters and roofing cake are destroyed.

The thermal insulation properties of the structure are also reduced due to a violation of the tightness of the vapor barrier layer.

Ventilation through air vents helps to dry the layer and remove moisture from the attic space: ridge, cornice, as well as slotted and dormer windows. To ensure optimal ventilation intensity, the total area of ​​the ventilation openings should be about 0.2–0.5% of the attic floor.

Properly carried out work prevents intensive formation of icicles on the roof. After all, how do icicles appear? If it is poorly insulated, the heat, passing through it, begins to heat the roof, melting the snow lying on it. The resulting water, flowing down the roof, freezes and turns into icicles.

Insulation of the attic floor is almost always carried out not from the side of the living room, but from the attic floor. Perform in several ways. The choice of technology depends on the design of the structure and the insulation used.

Thermal insulation of beams

An option for keeping heat in a similar structure is between the beams. Usually, their height is enough for this, in case of a shortage, you can fill a bar on top. The overlap from the bottom is sewn up with molded material, say, clapboard or sheets of drywall, and over the beams the subfloor of the attic is laid over: sheets of plywood, OSB, MDF, etc.

The insulation should be laid on a layer of special vapor barrier or plastic wrap.

On a note

If the material is foil, then lay it down with the shiny side.

The gap between the beams is then filled with insulation of the required thickness. It is recommended to lay an additional layer of insulation on top of the beams, so it will be possible to avoid "cold bridges" and reduce possible heat loss

If a high-quality, well-processed timber is used for the beams, then the finish, say, a massive board, is laid directly on the beams. Insulation is placed between them, and the attic floor covering is laid on top. This technology is quite common in houses made of rounded logs or beams.

Light fibrous materials are blown through by air currents, drafts, that is, heat is removed from them. These troubles, of course, can be avoided if protection with windproof vapor-permeable materials is provided. Thus, the thermal insulation of the attic is improved. Moreover, the insulation is protected from moisture droplets. let's say the roof has minor damage and minor leaks.

The insulation must be protected from the wind and from the side of the eaves. For this, slabs of high-density mineral wool or a wooden board left by an edge are usually used.

Provides full heat preservation of the house, partial entry of thermal insulation onto the outer wall.

What heaters are used more often

The installation technology is practically no different from the traditional floor for living quarters. It is important to choose the right material for making a heat insulator. Recently, most often they do the insulation of the attic floor with mineral wool.

Why mineral wool?

It is a heat-insulating material made from basalt rocks of volcanic origin. They are heat treated in a special drum-type oven. During this process, the molten mass is swollen and pulled into fibers. To form a dense material, they are processed with special binders.

As a result, a material that is unique in its properties is formed, which is successfully used to insulate the attic floor. For an objective analysis, it can be compared with other types of heat insulators - and.

• Thermal insulation. The heat transfer coefficient for mineral wool is 0.035 W / m * K. For foam, it is slightly higher - 0.04 W / m * K. Expanded clay has the worst performance - 0.4 W / m * k.
• Hygroscopicity. Polyfoam does not allow moisture to pass through, so if you isolate the joints during installation, you can not use an additional waterproofing layer. Mineral wool is hygroscopic - it absorbs moisture. But this does not lead to its swelling. Expanded clay also slightly absorbs moisture.
• Flammability. In this regard, basalt insulation is ideal. It does not burn, and its structure melts when exposed to a temperature of 700 ° C. This quality is very important - a chimney passes through the attic, the surface temperature of which can reach high values. Foam, on the other hand, when burning, releases substances that are harmful to humans.

Almost any surface can be insulated with mineral wool, even uneven ones. It is produced in soft slabs or rolls. It is desirable to use a material that has a metallized heat-reflecting surface. Mineral wool is cut with an ordinary knife. Lay it between the beams tightly, without jamming, without cracks. It is an inexpensive but durable and effective option.

Work requires some precautions: glasses, gloves, and allergy sufferers are advised to use respirators.

Layers are laid in the same sequence:

• vapor barrier;
• mineral wool;
• vapor-permeable moisture-proof membrane.

The floor film is overlapped, and the joints must either be glued or fixed through the wooden slats with staples using a construction stapler. The thickness of the layer is selected based on the thermal engineering standards for each specific region.

On a note

Warming and soundproofing the floor with cotton materials is considered the simplest and most effective solution.

Stone wool

Mineral wool slabs today are often replaced with stone wool. Unlike mineral wool, which is often made from low-grade slag basalt using bituminous binders, stone is an environmentally friendly material.

This insulation is distinguished by excellent performance - both technical and operational. The unique structure of the internal structure of stone wool: a chaotic arrangement of fibers, provides an effective thermal conductivity of 0.036-0.045 W / m * K. In terms of these indicators, it significantly surpasses the heaters of its class, excellently protects against temperature changes and guarantees microclimatic comfort.

Thermal insulation of slabs

The principle of insulating precast concrete slabs or monolithic floors is similar to the same process in the case of the beam type. True, since the vapor permeability of reinforced concrete slabs is rather low, it is not necessary to perform vapor barrier from the "warm" side. The thickness of the thermal insulation layer is calculated taking into account the type of the base plate. Tiled, which has a flat surface, is capable of carrying a large load.

How best to insulate

To begin with, you can install wooden beams on the slabs and place insulation between them. It can be backfill materials or different types of mats.

Installation technology

To install mineral wool, you will need to first prepare the attic space. To do this, all unnecessary things should be removed from there. The sub-floor surface is cleaned of dust and dirt. If it is a wooden deck, it is recommended to install a waterproofing layer.

It is best to use rolled polyethylene foam for this. This film for floor insulation, in addition to thermal insulation properties, has almost zero moisture absorption. An insignificant thickness (2-4 mm) will not affect the increase in the insulation layer.

It is important to choose the right thickness of basalt wool - it should not exceed the height of the log, taking into account the waterproofing layer. Models with a thickness of 50 mm and a density of up to 30 kg / m³ are often used.

Installation technology consists in the implementation of the following stages of work.

• Preparatory work. Insulate the chimney pipe before installation. This is necessary to prevent direct contact of its surface with the heat insulator. The best option is to make a small circular masonry of refractory bricks around the pipe.

• Installation of insulation on the floor should be carried out only after installation of thermal insulation on the inner surface of the roof slope. This additional measure will significantly improve the rate of heat conservation not only in the attic space, but also in the entire house as a whole.
• Installation of waterproofing protection. As mentioned above, it is best to use a foamed polyethylene film for waterproofing an attic. It should be located on the entire surface of the subfloor, including the floor beams. The joints are insulated with special tape.

You can use double-sided tape for fixing, but you cannot use a stapler or nails. This can lead to leakage.

• Installation of a heat insulator. Correct insulation of the floor of a cold attic begins with a miscalculation of the amount of material. The main indicators are the total area of ​​the room and the distance between the beams. The latter is necessary to select the optimal insulation model. The standard slabs are 600 mm wide.

If the distance between the elements of the floor is greater, you need to use the roll type of mineral wool. Depending on the manufacturer, its width can be up to 1 m.

Having counted the required amount of insulation, you can proceed to its installation.

Roll material is installed from the roof. The edge of the heat insulator should go a little on the surface of the slope - this will help to avoid the appearance of gaps between the different layers of the heat insulating layer.

The material is firmly pressed against the floor surface. Additional fastening is not required for it. When the entire surface between the beams is insulated, the roll is cut with a knife.

The installation of the rest of the attic floor is done in the same way. After that, a technological wooden flooring can be installed on top of the beams. These can be ordinary boards, the thickness of which can withstand the weight of an adult.

Backfilling of heat-insulating material

Filling of insulation can be performed without a log device. Expanded clay or slag is poured in a layer of 25-30 cm, leveled and poured with a thin layer of screed. It is recommended to stick roofing material on the plates.

It is possible to insulate without a lag of overlap using a rigid insulation. The most effective, but also expensive, is foam glass. Sometimes foam concrete is used, however, it is somewhat heavy and the estimated height of its layer should be about 40 cm. In this case, no screed is made.

Correct insulation of the attic floor is the main factor in keeping the house warm. It is important to observe the order of installation of all materials of the thermal insulation layer. You should also worry about the safety of operation - a protective structure must be installed around the chimney.

Warming a house does not end with insulating walls, ceilings and floors. As a rule, most private buildings have an attic. It must also be insulated depending on the desired indoor temperature. There are two ways of covering the attic floor - warm and cold. In the first case, the entire circuit is isolated so that the air under the roof is warmed up from the exhaust ventilation. The second method involves only covering the floor. It is the insulation of the cold attic that will be considered further.

Most often, a cold attic is found in multi-storey buildings. The quality of its insulation affects the overall heat loss of the room, as well as the durability of the roofing and rafter systems. To improve heat conservation, it will be necessary to place insulation between the vapor and waterproofing materials. The first one prevents mineral wool from getting wet, which occurs due to the rise of wet masses to the top of the room. The second eliminates the ingress of moisture from the roof of the house through cracks, holes, gaps in the roofing material.

Insulation of the attic is carried out more often from the side of the floor than from the ceiling of the lower floor. The sequence of actions is different and depends on the chosen insulation.

Many consumers opt for mineral wool - a soft, reliable, inexpensive heat insulator with high compressibility that can cover even uneven surfaces.

It is realized in rolls or soft plates, and is cut with a stationery or a simple knife of sufficient size.

The positive properties of mineral wool are:

• high fire resistance;
• resistance to moisture;
• the material is not afraid of rodents;
• the convenience of use;
• affordability.

Despite the relative simplicity of the material, when working with mineral wool, you need to use protective gloves, glasses, tight clothing with long sleeves (covering your arms completely), and a respirator for those prone to allergic diseases.

Required tools and equipment

For full-fledged insulation of a cold attic floor with mineral wool, you will need:

• vapor barrier (special membrane or plastic film);
• waterproofing (a classic example is roofing material);
• several rolls / slabs of mineral wool (the amount is determined by the area to be insulated, the climatic conditions of the region, as well as the desired number of layers of insulation);
• Scotch;
• tape measure, preferably from 5 m;
• stationery knife;
• construction stapler;
• boards and sheets of plywood (to form areas inside which the material will be placed);
• spatula (for leveling / sealing insulation).

If everything you need is ready, it's time to get down to work.

Attic floor sheathing instructions

Correct insulation of a cold room involves the sequential implementation of the following steps:

1. Laying vapor barrier material on the floor. They can be a vapor-proof membrane, plastic wrap or glassine. The first example is the most expensive, the last is the most affordable. The material is laid with an overlap, the joints are glued with tape or fixed with thin wooden slats using a stapler.
2. Logs (horizontal sections) are formed from plywood or small blocks. The distance between parallel boards should be a couple of centimeters less than the intended width of the insulation.
3. The mineral wool fits tightly into the logs, is compacted with a spatula so that there are no cracks. If it was necessary to lay two pieces of insulation, their joint is glued with tape.
4. It is advisable to lay a waterproofing material on top of the cotton wool layer so that it does not allow the floor to get wet. Most likely, a layer of roofing material is already under the roof, but for greater peace of mind, it is recommended to complete this step when insulating a cold attic floor.
5. After laying three layers of protection of the attic from freezing and moisture, flat boards are laid on top of the logs, forming the floor.

Fulfillment of the above plan is the key to quality work. A flat floor laid on top of the insulation is the base surface for finishing.

Features of working with material

Compared to foam, expanded polystyrene or similar insulation, mineral wool is an order of magnitude superior to them in terms of precautions. In addition to the previously mentioned clothing rules, the following guidelines must be observed:

• cut pieces of mineral wool only on a horizontal flat surface;
• lay it in a layer whose width is at least 25 cm;
• insulate pipes, ventilation wells, beams and other areas protruding in the attic near the floor with mineral wool.

Obviously, the insulation of a cold attic with the considered material is an elementary process, which is complicated only by the properties of cotton wool. Compliance with the installation technology will give warmth to your home for many decades, and the applied insulation will perform its functions efficiently.

Sometimes the time comes when it becomes problematic to accommodate within the living area of ​​the lower floors, then the owners of private houses are engaged in the arrangement of the attic space.

However, at the initial stage, everyone should know how to make a floor in the attic, because in most cases there are open floor beams at the top.

About indoor spaces

The attic floor is a room cut off at the top by a rafter system. In this case, the pediments most often have the shape of a trapezoid, since side walls are arranged on both sides. Nowadays, SNiP treats this structural part of the building as a floor in the attic space, formed by inclined roof surfaces.

Features of the attic

Before you understand what to do - to make the floor, you need to familiarize yourself with some of the distinctive features of this room. Currently, there is a large number of design solutions to the upper structures, helping to revive the look of residential buildings. Therefore, it does not hurt to know the features of the attic floors.

• The geometry of the space under the roof varies. The planes are triangular or broken, symmetrical or asymmetrical. In addition, they can be located on one side of the longitudinal axis or across the entire width.
• The attic floor is capable of extending to the entire quadrature of the structure or some part of it. With a limited overhang, the attic space rests on a cantilever stem.
• The planning features largely depend on the structure of the structure, since there are load-bearing walls below. For such premises, it is advisable to choose relatively light materials.
• The area of ​​the external enclosures is very large, therefore, the maximum reduction in heat losses is necessary. Although the bottom plane is not in contact with the environment, it still needs good thermal insulation.

Note!
Having studied the listed features, you can understand how to make floors in the attic without serious mistakes, because if the bottom covering is incorrect, the operation of the room will be difficult.

Benefits of using

The use of attics as living quarters has its own advantages, which are quite important for individual developers. Before doing work on the floor with your own hands, it is worth considering them. The following is a list of the most basic incentives for action.

• When arranging the space under the roof, it is possible to use the ready-made infrastructure of the building.
• The living area of ​​the same house is increased to a great extent.
• The new space is made available without the need to create load-bearing structures.
• With high-quality insulation, heat losses through the upper part of the building are reduced, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the house in winter.
• Space is saved on the site due to the location of the premises above others.

Addition!
After reviewing the basic information about the advantages and features of such a space, you can proceed to the study of how to make floors in the attic yourself.

Lower plane device

In order to move freely in the attic during repair work, it is necessary to prepare the lower base, but it is wiser to lay the flooring after finishing the rest of the surfaces. Although the room below is not in contact with the street, it is still necessary to install insulation materials.

Basic procedure

In contrast to the first floor in the attic, a passage is made at the very bottom, which is further connected by a staircase. Therefore, in any case, you need to find out how to make a hatch in the floor.

However, at the initial stage, you need to decide on its location, leaving enough space for it.

1. The first step is to prepare the base, which involves dry cleaning. From the surface of the lower part, foreign objects and large particles of dirt must be removed.
2. The reliability of the floors is checked. That is, you should make sure that the beams can withstand the additional floor. They should not be seriously damaged or rotten.
3. Wooden logs are being prepared. Their section and location relative to each other will depend on the spacing of the floors and the thickness of the board used. The length is determined by the dimensions of the room.
4. First, the extreme support strips are installed. They are fixed with screws or nails to the pediment or side partitions. It all depends on the location of the roof structure.
5. Next, the crossbar is launched directly along the edge of the hatch, while fastening is carried out using steel corners. At this stage, you might think about how to make a cache in the floor.
6. After the place for the manhole is determined, the remaining logs are installed with a step that is suitable in a particular case. Wooden beams must be in the same plane.

1. The entire surface is covered with a vapor barrier film, since the penetration of air condensate from the side of the lower floor is not excluded. The canvases are connected with an overlap of 10 to 15 cm.
2. In the intervals obtained after the erection of the crossbeams, plates of insulation for the floor are inserted. There should be no gaps along the edges, therefore, when cutting, it is advisable to add 1-2 centimeters.
3. A new layer of vapor barrier is laid on top with the same overlap. However, in this case, the material is spread over a flat surface. Fastening with staples is carried out directly into the logs.
4. A wooden flooring is mounted on the crossbeams. In the first case, the elements are inserted into each other, and in the second, they are simply pressed. The strips are fixed with nails or self-tapping screws.
5. Oriented strand boards are laid on top of the flooring, but only if there is a rough flooring made of edged boards. The grooved board surface does not require additional leveling.
6. At the stage of completion, the necessary flooring is installed, suitable for the specific room. It is advisable to avoid slippery materials in the attic floor.

Attention!
The above provides information not only on how to make the right floor in the attic, but also to create a lower base in other structures and areas of the house.
For example, in a sauna or on a terrace, with the exception of some details.

Safety engineering

Any instruction must give rules for working with the tools used, otherwise a novice builder can get serious damage.

In addition, the price of modern equipment is quite high, so its damage is reflected in the family budget.

• When using a hacksaw, avoid sudden movements. Do not guide the blade with your finger.
• When working with a hammer, hold the tool by the handle 20-30 mm from the lower end.
• Fixing the vapor barrier with a stapler, you need to firmly press the tool to the surface of the log.

Important!
Having learned in all the details how to make the floor yourself, every second developer starts work, forgetting about safety precautions.
However, this cannot be neglected, because a frivolous approach leads to negative consequences.

Final part

Having examined in detail the process of creating the floor in the attic room, you can proceed directly to the practical part.

To reduce heat loss in a private house, one effective heating system is not enough - to minimize them, it is necessary to insulate all elements of the building. The same applies to the roof. If the arrangement of the attic is not planned, insulation of the ceiling of the cold attic will be required.

A little from the history of roofing

Since ancient times, people have erected private households with such high quality that they could stand for 100 years. At the same time, living in them was not cold, and the roof frame made of natural wood was always dry. As for the shape of the roofs on such buildings, they were most often erected with two slopes, and had a slight slope.

This choice was explained by the fact that the snow that fell in winter had to linger on the roof and serve as a natural insulation. In the attic of the building, one, less often two, windows were made. They were closed for the winter and then the air in the under-roof space played the role of a heat insulator.

In the summer, the windows were slightly opened at night so that the temperature in the attic would drop. In the heat they were closed, and the air did not heat up. This was how the temperature was regulated in the attic.

In winter, when snow fell, it covered the roof with a solid carpet and thus was a natural roofing heat insulator. Even in severe frosts, the temperature in the under-roof space did not drop below zero. As a result, the house was warm in cold weather.

At the same time, the roof slopes were not insulated so that the snow on them would not melt. The rafter system was left open, thus allowing for inspection and maintenance. Therefore, in such attics, only ceilings were insulated.

If the roof slopes are insulated, then the attic becomes a heated attic, which has a different functional purpose.

Building materials for thermal insulation of floors - the better to insulate

A large selection of building materials is presented on the domestic market. To determine how to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic, it is necessary to take into account the conditions in which the heat insulator will be used.

A number of requirements are imposed on the insulation:

• preservation of their original qualities at temperatures from -30 to +30 degrees;
• in hot weather, the material should not emit substances harmful to people and freeze in severe frost;
• you need to choose a fire-resistant heat insulator if lighting is planned in the attic;
• products must be moisture resistant so that when wet, their original properties do not decrease.

Before purchasing materials for insulating the floor of an unheated attic in a private household, you need to consider what the overlap is made of. If these are wooden beams, then bulk, roll or slab insulation is used. When the floor is made of concrete slabs, bulk or slab insulators that are heavy in weight can be used. Often a cement screed is poured onto the floor.

In the form of slabs and mats they sell:

• mineral wool;
• extruded polystyrene foam;
• Styrofoam;
• straw;
• seaweed.

In the form of rolls, they are made:

• mineral wool;
• stone and glass wool;
• algae ladders.

One of the most popular options for arranging thermal insulation is insulation of the attic floor with mineral wool.

Bulk materials include:

• expanded clay;
• sawdust;
• straw;
• reed;
• ecowool;
• granular foam;
• slag.

When laying insulation in an attic in a wooden house, you need to use natural, environmentally friendly and breathable materials.

Insulation of the attic floor with mineral wool

This modern and demanded insulation is produced in rolls or mats. Minvata does not burn, does not rot, various microorganisms and rodents are not dangerous to it.

Insulation of the attic floor with mineral wool is carried out in stages:

1. First, the lining material is laid on the floor. In the case of an economy option, an inexpensive glassine is laid on the floor. A more expensive and high-quality device will turn out to be a flooring device made of a vapor barrier film, which is mounted with an overlap.
2. At the same time, the joints of the segments are glued with tape or fastened with wooden slats, fixing them with a stapler.
3. The width of the insulating material is selected taking into account the technical standards for a particular region. Mineral wool between the lags is laid out tightly, leaving no gaps. Scotch tape is used to glue the joints.
4. After completing the installation of the insulation, flat boards are placed on the logs and this is how the floor is formed in the attic.

The above solution of how to insulate the attic of a private house with mineral wool gives the material the ability to "breathe" and ventilate when moisture gets on it. In order to prevent the penetration of moist air into the insulation, waterproofing is mounted under the roof.

When working with mineral wool, you must use protective equipment, such as a respirator, goggles, gloves and overalls.

Application of extruded polystyrene foam

Polyfoam (expanded polystyrene) refers to loose materials, so it is used if it is necessary to insulate a floor made of logs and beams. For thermal insulation of plates, extruded polystyrene foam is used, which is denser than conventional foam.

Before laying it, the surface of the base is leveled. On the warm side of the floor, vapor barrier is not needed, since concrete slabs have practically no vapor permeability. A vapor barrier film is laid on the prepared base. Then, plates of extruded insulation are laid out in a checkerboard pattern. Polyurethane foam is blown into the joints.

After it dries and becomes solid, the thermal insulation slabs are poured with a concrete mixture with a thickness of about 4-6 centimeters. After hardening, the screed becomes suitable for use as an attic floor. If desired, the final coating can be laid on the screed.

Insulation of a cold attic with ecowool

Ecowool is a lightweight and at the same time loose heat insulator, consisting of cellulose; it also contains flame-extinguishing agents, for example, boric acid and borax. Before starting work, a film is laid on the floor. For laying ecowool, a special blowing machine is used.

The heat-insulating layer is applied continuously, without leaving even the slightest gaps. Ecowool contains a large volume of air, so a layer equal to 250-300 millimeters is sufficient. When performing insulation, it should be remembered that this material shrinks over time. Therefore, a layer of ecowool is applied with a margin of 40-50 millimeters.

Then the insulation must be moistened with water or with a solution. It is prepared from 200 grams of PVA glue and a bucket of water. The broom is moistened in a solution and the cotton wool is well moistened. After drying, lignin forms on the insulating layer - a crust that does not allow the insulation to move.

Which method of isolating the attic space from the above options to choose depends on the specific situation.

The slab must have very good thermal insulation in order to keep the temperature in the rooms within the dew point. Otherwise, condensation will begin to form on the ceiling, and repairs will be required in a few weeks. However, these are not all the troubles that lie in wait for future residents of the house if the insulation of the floors is not properly insulated. As a result of the temperature difference, mold and microscopic fungi appear in the places of abutment of walls and ceilings, which can provoke various allergic diseases. The use of heat-insulating materials of dubious quality also often lead to disastrous consequences. Even the most effective heaters, if technology is not followed, become useless, and in some cases, dangerous. This applies to modern thermal insulation materials.

Do not forget that in the floor insulation system, the layer of vapor barrier film is not unimportant, which increases the service life of the thermal insulation. The slightest violation of the vapor barrier will lead to rapid wear of the heat-insulating layer.

Another very important requirement for the device of a heat-shielding cake. In the attic, it is imperative to provide several windows or special openings for ventilation of the under-roof space. This will ensure air exchange in the room and moisture transfer in structural elements.

Layouts of the thermal insulation layer of the attic

As discussed in previous articles, roof space can be residential and non-residential. If the use of the attic does not provide for year-round living, then it is enough to insulate only the ceiling itself, which

separates the living area and the attic space. Everything is simple here, the thermal insulation is laid directly on the surface of the attic floor, observing the installation technology (Fig. 1), the insulation of the slopes in this scheme is not at all necessary. Please note that for more efficient heat preservation around the perimeter of the room, it is recommended to live a double layer of insulation 80 - 100 cm wide. When laying the material, it is very important not to block the ventilation ducts, therefore, boundary strips are installed at the eaves.

If you plan to use square meters under the roof for arranging a recreation room or a children's playroom, then the method of insulation may be invariant (Fig. 2).

For regions with different climatic conditions, the value of the thermal insulation layer ranges from 50 to 200 cm. And it is desirable that the height of the beams is not less than the height of the insulation, therefore sometimes it is necessary to increase the size of the floor beams with additional bars, which are stuffed over the horizontal elements (a, Fig. 3) ...

Tools and procedure for insulating attic floors

Of the tools you need

• Metal ruler

  Construction knife

  Polyurethane foam

• Special tape

  Construction stapler

The technology of layer-by-layer stacking of material in the inter-girder space is practically no different from the insulation of roof slopes. The only thing, depending on the type of material used, some additions to the structure may be made. Basically, the principles of insulation of walls, ceilings, roofs are very similar.

Interbeam insulation begins with the installation of a rough ceiling on the lower floor. For this, ordinary low-grade lumber is used, the slab is used as a roll, and shields are knocked down from the wood (b, Fig. 3). In some technologies, for example, insulation with penoizol, a reinforced film is taken as the base, which is the base of the rough ceiling.

Then, in the structure, all the cracks that are inevitable in the places where pipes, manhole and other engineering communications are removed are carefully sealed. Polyurethane foam, special mastics or waste of heat-insulating materials are perfect for this.

A vapor barrier membrane is spread over the entire surface of the floor, in the budget version it is an ordinary polyethylene film with a thickness of 150-200 microns. But at the same time, one must be aware that such a material is not very practical, it is susceptible to mechanical damage and does not withstand low temperatures poorly. When using extruded polystyrene foam, the laying of a vapor barrier material can be excluded, since it itself is an excellent vapor barrier.

In order to avoid tears of the film during installation and laying of the insulation, its fit should be free, without any tension. Ideally, it should completely describe the floor surface, covering the beams and inter-girder space. The vapor barrier layer is fastened with staples using a construction stapler. Butt joints are glued with a special tape, turning individual strips of vapor barrier into a single sheet.

In the next step, the insulation material is laid. The horizontal surface expands their list many times over. To a greater extent, this applies to bulk materials, since their use on roof slopes is rather difficult and laborious. From free-flowing, traditional ones can be called sawdust, expanded clay sand, coarsely granulated vermiculite, expanded perlite, etc. Of the new technologies, ecowool should be noted, which is produced from newspapers and waste from the pulp industry. This is a fairly energy efficient and environmentally friendly material.

When using rigid insulation materials, such as polystyrene foam boards, cellular concrete blocks with a density of D 200 - 400, cement-bonded particle mats or a mixture of clay and straw, leveling of the floor surface is required. For this, all kinds of irregularities and differences between the boards are removed. The easiest way to do this is with building leveling compounds. Thus, you will ensure a snug fit of the piece material to the base of the floor. Particular attention should be paid to the manhole cover; it is best to glue the insulation with the entire surface, and not with local areas. Scraps of thermal insulation can be used for insulation in hard-to-reach places and structures with complex configurations.

The simplest and fastest is the insulation with roll materials (mineral wool, basalt and linen fiber), the spraying method (polyurethane foam) and the application of compounds in the form of quick-hardening foams (penoizol). Currently, the last two of the above methods have become very popular. Special compounds have appeared on the market, which, under the influence of pressure, form a dense and stable foam - an ideal thermal insulation material. However, self-guided solutions do not always lead to positive results, so it is better to entrust this work to professionals.

Laying of engineering communications

As for the laying of utilities and, in particular, electrical wiring, this issue requires special attention. Non-residential attics are very often a place for storing old things and other junk. Dustiness and susceptibility to temperature changes make it possible to classify premises with similar conditions as fire hazardous. Conducting electrical wires in attics is highly undesirable, but it is not always possible to avoid their presence, in such cases it is worth following some rules.

The wiring cannot be laid under the insulation, it must be visible and have free access, so the wires are thrown either along the top, 2500 cm from the ceiling, or attached directly to the beams. It is necessary to exclude their contact with wooden structural elements and thermal insulation materials. For this, metal pipes can be used, but the connections must be completely sealed to exclude the ingress of moisture and dust.

Another very important point is that all pipes are covered with a protective material, for example, foil insulation, in order to prevent their direct contact with the thermal insulation.

Completion of work

The finishing layer can be a waterproofing coating, although it is not necessary when insulating attic floors. But for the convenience of movement, especially on soft material, it is necessary to lay the ladders, the best would be to sew up the thermal insulation flooring with a thinned crate.