Do-it-yourself floor insulation on the loggia. How to insulate the floors on the balcony

What is a balcony for? Someone thinks that this is the perfect place to store car tires. Others prefer to litter it with unnecessary items. Still others, on the contrary, appreciate this part of the house and try to use it effectively - they arrange a mini-garden with flowers, a separate room, a sports corner, and so on. Obviously, in order for a balcony to bring real benefits at any time of the year, it must be insulated.

Few people understand that the sheathing of the walls of the loggia alone is not enough. It is not enough to lay insulating material on the sides, because about a quarter of the heat escapes through the lower part of the room. The question arises - how to insulate the floor on the balcony quickly, profitably and reliably? It is not necessary to resort to the help of professional finishers, because you can sheathe the room with your own hands. To do this, the right material is acquired first.

The choice of insulation for the floor of a balcony or loggia

If the tenants of the apartment are thinking about thermal insulation for the first time, there will be no problems with choosing the right material, because the range of goods on the market is huge. The following are some of the most popular balcony floor heaters and their features.

• Penofol.

The material belongs to the category of new; It has been produced not too long ago. Consists of aluminum foil and polyethylene foam. In addition to thermal insulation properties, the consumer will find good hydro and sound insulation.

Penofol is a thin material produced in rolls (standard thickness is from 3 to 10 mm). It is good because it saves insulated space, pieces of material are easily connected with aluminum tape, and in general, the laying process does not take much time. There is only one drawback - the insulation is used in conjunction with foam polystyrene (foamed polystyrene), so additional costs are inevitable. Suitable for a loggia rather than a balcony.

• Styrofoam.

One of the most popular heaters, regardless of the type of surface or room. It is supplied in sheets (from 2 to 10 cm thick), it is inexpensive, it guarantees complete thermal insulation due to its density and additional foaming of the cracks between itself and the lags using a sealant.

• Penoplex.

The material has a low degree of vapor permeability, is immune to chemicals, is lightweight, and easy to install. Thin sheets from 2 to 5 cm also save space well. The disadvantage is the high cost; penoplex is more expensive than other heaters.

• Expanded clay.

Not the best material for insulating the floor of a balcony, however, it is sometimes found. Expanded clay is hygroscopic (it removes moisture well), it is easy to work with it. There are more disadvantages - it is possible to raise the floor level, an additional layer of waterproofing is required, a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, and for good insulation you will need a thick layer of material.

• Mineral wool.

The most popular option. Low coefficient of thermal conductivity (on a par with polystyrene), lightness, moisture resistance, affordable cost - this is about mineral wool. There is only one minus - during work, the material is prickly, so you need to protect the body (overalls, gloves and goggles).

It is sold in rolls or slabs with a thickness of 3 cm or more. The structure of mineral wool allows the material to fill any gap; this is in demand if an inaccuracy is made in the calculations and installation of lags.

If the consumer makes a conscious choice of a material that would last more than one decade, it is worth leaning towards one of two options - polystyrene foam or mineral wool. Having acquired the right amount of floor insulation, he can begin preparing the initial surface.

Preliminary work

The process of preparing a balcony for thermal insulation of its lower part includes the following steps:

• removal of the old coating (tiles, boards are dismantled to the concrete base slab);
• the coating is cleaned of debris, dirt, dust;
• existing cracks or chips are covered with cement mortar so that they do not reduce the effectiveness of the insulation;
• the joints of the floor with the walls are also aligned;
• after the cement has dried, waterproofing is spread on the floor (a common option is roofing material; penofol is also acceptable, combining hydro- and heat-insulating properties); it is desirable that it go 10-15 cm onto the walls;
• it is better to seal the waterproofing joints with adhesive tape, and in the case of penofol, cover it with sealant or mounting foam;
• laying logs (wooden bars with a cross section of 40 × 40 mm or a little more are treated with an antiseptic, laid on the floor parallel to the long side of the balcony at a distance equal to the width of the insulation).

A roofing material layer is not necessary, but it is better not to neglect it, especially when it comes to the balcony of the first floor of an apartment building.

The cross section of the lags should also be selected depending on the thickness of the insulation. Small wedges are used to level the bars. To give the structure stability, the exposed logs are fastened with self-tapping screws, the outer ones are fixed to the balcony with dowels.

Insulation laying technology

After completing the draft and preparatory work, they proceed to the installation of the selected material. The following steps are taken:

• foam plastic (or mineral wool) is laid between the lags; in the first case, a small gap between the insulation and the bar (1-2 mm) is permissible, in the second case, the cotton wool should be slightly compressed in order to fit into the prepared cavity;
• gaps are foamed with mounting foam or sealant;
• a layer of vapor barrier is laid on top of the resulting surface (special film, membrane or foamed polyethylene);
• with staples (construction stapler), it is attached to the logs, the joints are glued with adhesive tape;
• it is advisable to lay another layer of waterproofing so that the insulation is protected from above and below;
• on top of the lags, a counter-lattice of bars of smaller thickness is mounted in order to ensure normal ventilation under the floor.

Finishing work

When the insulation and additional layers are fixed, a subfloor is laid on the crate. To do this, use fiberboard, simple boards like inches, plywood, special drywall. It is not necessary to fix them close to the wall, it is better to leave a gap of 3-5 mm in case of possible expansion of the draft material due to various factors. You can immediately lay flat boards that will be the finishing floor. Moreover, it is not much, but it will significantly save space.

When the floor is insulated, there are immediately more options for using the balcony. A competent choice of material and compliance with thermal insulation technology is the key to a long service life of the premises for the benefit of the residents of the house.

Tsugunov Anton Valerievich

Reading time: 5 minutes

Insulation of the loggia in the apartment is a great chance to create your own winter garden or increase living space. You can turn it into a miniature gym, a cozy office, or redevelop it by adding a few square meters to the area of ​​​​the room. Floor insulation on the loggia is an integral part of creating a comfortable environment in this room. Let's find out how to do it right without wasting time, money and effort.

Preparation for warming the floor on the loggia

This stage is very important: the life of the floor depends on the quality of surface preparation, as well as the ease of work. Step-by-step instructions for preparing for floor insulation will look like this:

• The first step is glazing the loggia. The most suitable are double-glazed windows. Wooden frames with one glass can only be installed if the loggia is not heated and used throughout the year.
• Thorough cleaning of the premises. There should be no dust left on the loggia.
• Sealing gaps. Small gaps are filled with mounting foam or sealant, and large gaps are filled with broken bricks or crushed stone mixed with cement mortar.
• Thinking through the location of outlets and lighting systems. Please note that the floors will rise at least a few centimeters.
• If due to the loggia there will be an increase in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room or it will be used constantly, you need to consider heating.

Important! It is forbidden to take radiators connected to central heating to a balcony or loggia. Permission for such an event can only be obtained in some regions of the country, but for this you will have to prove that the loggia is insulated with very high quality.

• If there is a ceramic tile on the floor, it must be removed together with the adhesive.

Thermal insulation of the floor should be carried out on a glazed loggia, protected from moisture penetration. The floor must be completely dry.

The choice of material and floor design

Do-it-yourself warming of the loggia floor begins with the question: Which insulation to choose?

• Mineral wool. It is considered one of the best heaters in terms of technical and operational characteristics. Durable, does not burn, is a vapor-permeable material. The main disadvantage is the fear of moisture, due to which mineral wool loses its properties, therefore, when using it, high-quality vapor and waterproofing is required.
• Expanded clay. Loose insulation with good thermal insulation properties and affordable cost. For high-quality insulation, a large layer is required - from 15 cm. The disadvantages include high hygroscopicity.
• Penofol (isolon). Foamed polyethylene coated with foil (photo). To insulate a balcony, its thickness will not be enough, but it is successfully used as a heat reflector and vapor barrier in combination with other insulation, such as mineral wool, making it ideal for thermal insulation.

There are two ways to insulate the floor on the loggia with your own hands:

• Lag insulation. A simple and quick method of installing a floor with insulation, any of the above heaters can be used for its implementation. The heat-insulating material is laid in the gaps between the lags, a flooring of boards or plywood sheets is placed on top, as in the next photo.

• Laying insulation under the screed. When choosing this method, it is possible to insulate the floor on the loggia with expanded polystyrene (polystyrene foam, foam plastic) or expanded clay. A screed is the best choice when installing a “warm floor” on a loggia, but you need to keep in mind that you will have to wait a long time for it to dry.

Important! Laying a heat insulator under the screed is possible when the loggia is insulated, which has a reliable overlap. In the case of a balcony, it is better to immediately choose a lag floor structure, since the balcony slab may not support the weight of the screed.

Insulation of the floor of the loggia along the logs

Step-by-step instructions for choosing a lag structure will be as follows:

• Floor level markings. It is best to make sure that the floor on the loggia is on the same level as the flooring in the rooms. The insulation together with the coating should not be higher than the level set by you. When marking, it is convenient to use a laser or water level.
• Laying a layer of waterproofing. You can use roofing material or technical polyethylene, laid in 2 layers. The material is overlapped, and an overlap of at least 50 millimeters is made on the walls.
• Installation of wooden logs, which are pine beams 50 × 50 mm. They are laid at intervals of 30–40 cm, fixed to concrete with dowels and self-tapping screws. The first element can be placed at a distance of 10-15 cm from the wall. There should be a gap of 3 cm between the ends of the log and the walls so that the bars, having absorbed moisture, do not bend and spoil the floor covering.

Important! Each timber must be treated with an antiseptic without fail.

• Insulation lining. It is necessary to insert mineral wool or polystyrene plates so that there are no gaps between the lags, as in the photo. If they nevertheless formed, they must be filled with mounting foam. Expanded clay is simply poured into the gaps of the crate, which should protrude above the level of the subfloor by at least 15 cm.

• Arrangement of vapor barrier. For this layer, you can use a film or foil polyethylene insulation.
• Floor organization. You can use boards, but more often the flooring is made of plywood or OSB.
• Installation of the finish coat.

Features of foam insulation

Insulation of the floor on the loggia with the help of penoplex has its own characteristics. The fact is that due to the strength of the material, when laying it under the flooring, it is not necessary to use logs; plywood sheets can be laid directly on the foam. The stages of work will be as follows:

• A leveling screed is made on the prepared floor, which is necessary to prevent deformation of the insulation boards.
• Foam boards after fitting to size are glued with special glue directly to the floor. It is convenient to use a type of insulation that has a groove connection system. If it is not there, then along the joints between the plates, as well as between them and the walls, you need to walk with mounting foam.
• To increase the effectiveness of floor insulation, you can lay penofol (izolon) on top with the foil side out, gluing the joints with reinforced tape.

The following photo shows the process of warming in this way.

Insulation of the floor of the loggia with foam plastic under the screed is an excellent solution for organizing a system of underfloor heating. Such insulation is done as follows:

• After removing the old coating, a thin leveling cement screed is made. Without a perfectly flat floor, foam sheets can be damaged.
• A film is laid for vapor and waterproofing, the joints are glued with adhesive tape.
• Foam sheets with a thickness of 40-60 mm are laid. Joints are sealed with mounting foam or sealant.
• The second layer of vapor barrier is placed.
• The foil heat reflector is laid with the foil up.
• The "warm floor" system of the selected type is installed.
• The screed is poured. Its thickness during the arrangement of the heating system should be at least 7 cm, without it - at least 4 cm.

In Russia, few people can boast of spacious apartments, most city dwellers live in small apartments. Therefore, our people value every piece of their home so much and strive to make it as functional as possible. And the loggia, if desired, can become a wonderful and comfortable corner in which a working area, a children's play area or a relaxation area with a cozy armchair and a coffee table will harmoniously settle down. To organize additional living space in a small apartment allows simple thermal insulation of the balcony with your own hands.

For this transformation, it is first necessary to carry out thermal insulation measures. And, first of all, to floor insulation on the balcony, since the concrete slab under your feet can in no way contribute to creating a cozy corner. The heat from inside the loggia will not be preserved and your work will be in vain. And the better to insulate the loggia, the more comfortable and cozy it will be.

With this publication, we want to help everyone who wants to find the right solution for how to insulate the floor on the balcony with their own hands. Because hiring specialists for this is not always beneficial for everyone.

There is an opinion that the insulation of square meters is an expensive procedure with the obligatory involvement of specialists - builders. This is fundamentally wrong. Today, building technologies are so advanced that even a person who is very far from construction has become quite easy to insulate the floor on the loggia with their own hands. In addition, it is quite possible to choose materials taking into account the capabilities of your wallet and the repair will be affordable for everyone.

When wondering how to properly insulate the floor on the balcony from the inside, you first need to prepare the surface. Since we plan to insulate the balcony floor, the balcony floor must be thoroughly cleaned.

And these works should be taken very seriously, because often the durability of the coating and the laboriousness of other works depend on them. At the preparatory stage, you need to perform the following work in this sequence:

The first thing to do is to glaze the loggia, because without this all the work on warming the loggia does not make sense. Best of all, 2- and 3-chamber double-glazed windows retain heat.

Options such as sliding frames, wooden or aluminum frames with one glass do not retain heat well and are not suitable for creating a full-fledged additional area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe apartment.

Before insulating the floor on the loggia with your own hands, you need to remove all types of coating from it, whether it be tiles, ceramic tiles, wood flooring or linoleum, as well as glue residues and other building materials. This is done with a perforator.

The main thing when removing old materials is not to damage the carrier plate and its ceiling.

Clean the floor of dust and debris. If there are irregularities, they should be primed with cement mortar with the addition of sand and gypsum to reduce the drying and hardening time. The evenness of the slab can be checked with an aluminum screed. You can get rid of large gaps with crushed stone or broken bricks mixed with cement mortar.

It is advisable to think over and install all the electrical outlets and the lighting system already at the stage of preparing the floor, so that later you do not puzzle over the problem of where to hide the wires.

All work should be carried out only on a glazed loggia, otherwise they do not make sense. The floor must be perfectly dry.

The choice of thermal insulation material

The choice of materials for thermal insulation in the modern market is huge. And you don’t have to worry about thinking about how to insulate the floor on a balcony or loggia. However, it is not possible to insulate the loggia from the inside with any material. The most suitable materials for this are:

• mineral wool;
• polystyrene or foam plastic (foamed polystyrene);
• expanded clay;
• pefonol.

Consider the features of working with each of the insulating materials for the floor separately.

Mineral wool

This insulation is made from fiberglass, which is melted, drawn, cooled, and then crushed. It has good thermal insulation qualities and is not at all afraid of moisture.

Before you insulate the floor on the balcony with mineral wool, you need to put a waterproofing layer on the floor, on which a wooden crate is laid so that the wool mat fits snugly between the bars. The insulation is located inside the resulting cells and, if necessary, several layers are placed to form a flat surface. For reliable thermal insulation, the wool layer should not be less than 5 cm. Mineral wool does not need to be compacted, since its thermal insulation properties are violated.

Mats should be covered with plastic wrap, attaching it to the crate with a construction stapler to avoid wetting the material. A wooden floor and floor covering are laid on it.

It is not very convenient to work with this material, because it pricks. But on the other hand, they can insulate any gap, which is an advantage over others.

Styrofoam or foam

Used in construction, due to its low cost and ease of use. Styrofoam sheets must be placed and glued all over the floor, the gaps between the sheets should be foamed and the floor covering should be laid. Pieces of polystyrene foam are glued with tile adhesive to the floor and joint to joint. After gluing the material, it needs time to dry.

Foamed polystyrene insulation is considered the best. With a relative high cost, it has a number of advantages over others. It is very light, easy to use, does not let moisture through and has absolute chemical inertness.

Expanded clay

This material is chosen for its low cost and environmental friendliness. Insulating the floors on the balcony with expanded clay means saving money without losing quality. On the floor, covered with a waterproofing layer, a crate is laid. Then expanded clay is poured into the cells and leveled. It is important that the material does not go beyond the boundaries of the bars. A vapor barrier layer is laid on top, on which plywood and cladding are laid.

It is possible to lay expanded clay on the floor without a crate, pouring a screed on top with preliminary reinforcement with a metal mesh. But it should be remembered that this option increases the weight of the structure, which is not always possible on a loggia.

In order for the floor on the loggia to acquire the necessary thermal insulation properties, it is necessary to lay at least 10-15 cm of expanded clay.

Pefonol

This modern material is made of polyethylene foam and aluminum foil. In addition to its excellent thermal insulation properties, it copes well with humidity and extraneous noise, which is important if you decide to insulate the loggia. Another advantage of this material is its very small thickness, which will save space. To fix the sheets of pefonol, aluminum tape is used.

The best results when insulating a loggia can be achieved by sharing pefonol with polystyrene.

We start work

Such a process as insulating the floor on the balcony with their own hands is considered by many to be a difficult task. Meanwhile, doing this work with your own hands is not so difficult, every adult can handle it. For convenience, we will divide all actions into several stages:

First, it is necessary to lay a heater about 5 mm thick on the prepared slab, while trying to reduce the number of joints by laying whole pieces. After that, we process all the joints and seams inside the loggia with mounting foam. Another layer of insulation is laid.

We make bars of the length we need using an electric jigsaw. When performing the crate, we lay the bars at a distance of up to half a meter between each other, the extreme ones are laid 5-10 cm from the wall. They are fixed with four screws each. Leveling by level at this stage does not make sense.

Now we insulate the cells between the bars with polystyrene with a thickness of 3-5 cm. depending on the timber used, with which the material must be flush. The insulation should fit into the openings as tightly as possible, leaving a minimum of gaps. The resulting voids must be filled with mounting foam.

Let's cut off the pefonol so that it lies on the entire surface of the balcony floor and rises by 20 cm. from each end. If it is not possible to lay it with one sheet, the pieces of pefonol should be overlapped.

Work on the thermal insulation of the floor inside the balcony ends here. After them, you should level the floor and install plywood or chipboard on it, and then lay the floor covering.

Underfloor heating system

It is strictly forbidden to display central heating batteries on balconies and loggias. An alternative to this could be the installation of a system of underfloor heating on your loggia.

This is done in the following way. Insulating boards must be glued to the concrete base with a special adhesive. The same glue can cover the insulation or install a welded metal mesh on it. For heating loggias, usually, a system with a capacity of 150 W / sq.m is enough.

The underfloor heating system is mounted using a mounting tape, which will ensure an even cable pitch. When installing a thin warm floor, it is placed on mats with a self-adhesive base, which greatly simplifies installation work. In addition, such a system will avoid raising the floor level, and the insulation of the balcony will become even more efficient.

The cable laying step can be from 7 to 12 cm, depending on what temperatures you want to achieve on your loggia.

The tape is laid out on the insulation, covered with a layer of glue, and fastened with self-tapping screws. There should not be a distance of more than 50 cm between rows of tape. The temperature sensor is located between the branches and lies in the corrugation. The end of the heating cable and the wire of the temperature sensor are led to the temperature controller, the installation of which must be carried out by a specialist.

A screed is poured onto the cable, up to 5 mm thick. This work is not required for a thin underfloor heating system when it is necessary to insulate the floors on the balcony under the tiles. In this case, the system is laid directly into the tile adhesive layer. It is possible to connect the system only after the screed has completely hardened.

It is important that all materials that you will use when installing underfloor heating are suitable for use with this system.

There is no definite solution when choosing a way to insulate the floor of your loggia. Anyone who decides to use the additional space of his apartment with benefit by insulating the loggia must independently choose thermal insulation materials and the method of insulating this area, based on its purpose, design features, financial capabilities and his level of skill.

An apartment with a balcony is a fairly convenient combination that allows you to add volume to the room and experiment with design solutions. Balconies are often turned into compact workshops, spaces for creativity or relaxation. The only thing that prevents you from making a living space out of a balcony without any problems is the lack of insulation, which is why it is impossible to warm up the balcony even if there is heating.

However, this problem can be completely eliminated by our own efforts. First, the walls are insulated, high-quality double-glazed windows are installed, then the floor is insulated, heating is carried out - and it can be used as a full-fledged part of the apartment. How to insulate the floor on the balcony with your own hands will be discussed in this article.

Preparatory work

The first thing to do before insulating the floor on a loggia or balcony is to check whether the floor is well reinforced. For example, if the balcony is not reinforced with a lower support, then this disadvantage will have to be compensated for, for which support brackets are used. Unfortunately, they are not always possible to establish, since this requires the consent of the neighbors below.

You can strengthen the balcony using a metal frame, which is mounted on top of a concrete slab and attached to the wall of the building. The installation of such a frame allows you to reduce the load that falls on the ceiling. However, in most cases, the balcony slab was initially laid on concrete supports, and there are no problems with such a design.

The next important point is the material from which the outer wall of the balcony is made. Often, for the manufacture of the outer wall, a metal grate sheathed with sheets of thin material is used.

If the floor slab lies on a reliable support, then the outer wall will need to be laid with foam concrete. True, such work will require coordination with architectural services so that there are no problems in the future. Things will be much better if the outer balcony wall is made of concrete - this design will not have to be changed or redone.

Next, the balcony needs to be glazed with high quality. The meaning of this stage is clear: in the absence of high-quality window frames or their poor-quality installation, all the heat will come out of the balcony to the street. The choice of suitable frames is completely individual: most often, apartment owners choose reliable double-glazed windows with low thermal conductivity, but sometimes good wooden frames are chosen for balconies, which, if properly processed, can also retain heat well.

In any case, after installing the balcony frames, you need to deal with the elimination of cracks and crevices. In addition to protecting against heat leaks, sealing various openings and sealing them will prevent moisture from entering the room.

This is important: any leaky joint can cause dampness, which will significantly worsen the characteristics of the insulation. After some time, mold will appear and all building materials will begin to collapse, and sealing cracks is needed precisely to prevent such effects.

Wide gaps in the plates are best eliminated with the help of special rollers, for the manufacture of which polyethylene foam is used. By laying such rollers in the gaps and sealing them with sealant, you can achieve good tightness.

Often, insulation rollers are used instead of mounting foam to save money. This is done as follows: first, a little foam is applied to the required place, and a roller is placed on top of it. As the foam expands, it will fill all the free space and ensure a good bond with the seal. You can eliminate small gaps with the help of ordinary sealant.

Having dealt with the problems at the joints and walls of the balcony, you need to deal with the elimination of such flaws in the floor. All cracks are cleaned from dust pollution and various debris, after which the floor surface must be treated with a primer. After that, each slot is filled with a sealant or cement-based adhesive mixture.

Having noticed deep and narrow cracks, you need to expand them with a drill or grinder, and then fill them with sealant: in this case, the composition will penetrate well into the surface and fill the entire space.

When the repair compound hardens, the entire surface of the floor and the lower part of the walls should be primed. This rule only works for concrete surfaces: if the outer wall is made of foam blocks, then it is primed over the entire height.

Balcony waterproofing

When all the shortcomings of the floor slab and walls are eliminated, you can proceed with the arrangement of waterproofing. Sometimes this step is skipped, and completely in vain: waterproofing is extremely important for the quality arrangement of a residential balcony.

If the waterproofing layer is not installed, then moisture will definitely get into the room. In addition to dampness and mold, such an impact also leads to the fact that the floor insulation on the balcony loses most of its properties: almost all heat-insulating materials do not withstand moisture and lose their characteristics.

Thus, it can be concluded that waterproofing is necessary.

There are several types of waterproofing:

• cast;
• Coating;
• Film;
• Roll.

Each of them has its own characteristics and requires special attention.

Cast waterproofing

For cast waterproofing, various "liquid" materials are used. These include "liquid glass", bitumen perlite, epoxy foam and other materials with similar characteristics. A common feature inherent in each of the presented compositions is a liquid structure.

The application of cast waterproofing is very simple: the composition is poured onto the surface and leveled (most often with a roller). Depending on the materials, cast waterproofing can be applied hot or cold.

To achieve maximum quality, cast waterproofing is applied in several layers so that its thickness is 2-3 mm. Each next layer is applied only after the previous one has completely hardened.

In order for the waterproofing to be equipped easily and efficiently, the surface must be dried before installation. On the lower part of the wall, small bumpers about 20-25 cm high are exposed. For this, you can use any waterproofing material, up to a regular polyethylene film.

Arrangement of waterproofing from materials requiring heating is carried out as follows:

• First, the composition is heated to the specified temperature;
• After that, the composition is applied to the surface and quickly leveled with a roller or doctor blade;
• Between the layers of waterproofing, it is worth laying a mesh for reinforcement or fiberglass to increase the strength of the waterproofing.

The process of applying a "cold" composition will be carried out according to the same algorithm, with the exception of the first paragraph, since such compositions do not need to be heated. The peculiarity of such materials is that they usually take much longer to solidify. A self-leveling floor can also be poured from above. Having chosen in advance how to fill the floor on the balcony, you can quickly and efficiently do everything.

Coating waterproofing

For this type of waterproofing, bituminous mastics, polymer varnishes and other compounds of this kind are used. The main advantage of coating waterproofing is the simplicity of its application without loss in quality: the effectiveness of such protection against moisture is quite high.

Before applying coating compositions, the surface is preliminarily degreased and primed. The frozen waterproofing composition hardens and creates a dense film that protects the room from moisture penetration.

Coating waterproofing can be applied in two ways:

1. "Cold". Cold applied materials do not require heating. In this way, waterproofing is realized from "liquid rubber" and materials that include epoxy resin.
2. "Hot." In a heated state, waterproofing materials based on bitumen and various polymers are applied.

To achieve maximum effectiveness of waterproofing, it must be applied in at least two layers.

Coating waterproofing has excellent characteristics and meets all requirements. A small caveat applies only to bitumen coatings - this material rarely lasts longer than 5-7 years due to poor resistance to low temperatures, as a result of which it cracks.

Film waterproofing

The simplest and most affordable waterproofing is film. For its arrangement, ordinary polyethylene film is used, which is very cheap and easy to fit.

The installation process is extremely simple:

• First, a more or less dense film is selected;
• A single piece of film is laid on the floor with a half-meter overlap on the walls;
• The waterproofing laid in this way is attached to the walls with adhesive tape.

This completes the laying of film waterproofing, and you can proceed to further steps.

Here are just a few things to consider when laying:

• Firstly, the film can only be used if no insulation or crate is attached through it, since the film will be damaged through which moisture will pass;
• Secondly, when working with a large solid canvas, caution is required - the slightest damage to the film will lead to a complete loss of the effectiveness of such waterproofing;
• Thirdly, when laying the film at the corners, you need to do without cuts, so the material will have to be carefully folded.

Roll waterproofing

For the arrangement of roll (glue) waterproofing, materials produced in the format of rolls or sheets are used. The entire surface of the floor is pasted over with such material with an approach to the wall of about 1.5-2 meters.

Rolled waterproofing is made using bitumen and on a bitumen-polymer basis. For laying the material, heating of its adhesive layer is required, for which a gas burner or a building hair dryer is used.

Laying of pasting waterproofing is carried out according to the following algorithm:

• First, the base surface is covered with a thin (1-2 mm) layer of bituminous mastic;
• The applied mastic is heated, after which waterproofing is immediately glued to it;
• If necessary, the operation is repeated several times, and each subsequent layer of material must be laid perpendicular to the previous one;
• The topmost layer of waterproofing is treated with polymer putty.

The process of laying rolled waterproofing can be simplified by using a special material with an adhesive strip. To install such a material, it is enough to remove the protective film from the underside of the roll before application. The canvas is pressed against the surface and connected to the base layer.

The choice of insulation material

After laying the waterproofing, you can start warming the floor, but before that you need to decide how best to insulate the floor on the loggia. The market today is replete with various heaters, so the choice, on the one hand, can be difficult. On the other hand, the possibility of choice makes it possible to choose the best option.

To insulate the balcony, you can use the following materials:

• Expanded clay;
• Penoflex;
• mineral wool;
• Expanded polystyrene (polystyrene).

The characteristics of these materials are worth considering in more detail.

Expanded clay

Insulation of the balcony floor with expanded clay is often carried out - the material is well known and quite common. Insulating expanded clay is available in three formats:

1. Large fraction expanded clay. Such material is ideal for backfilling in the space between the logs on which the wooden flooring is installed.
2. Medium fraction expanded clay. This format is used to create expanded clay concrete, which also fills the space between the lags. In addition to this application, expanded clay concrete is often used as the basis for mounting tiles.
3. Small fraction expanded clay. The fine fraction material is used in bulk floors, which are covered with gypsum fiber boards (read: "").

Penoflex

Penoflex is a foamed polyethylene produced in a roll format. In addition to the usual penoflex, there is a variety with a foil surface, which prevents the transfer of heat to the walls, reflecting it in the opposite direction.

If the conversation turns to the insulation of the floor on the balcony with foam, then usually this material is used as an additional material laid on top of the waterproofing layer. It is attached with adhesive tape, and covered with a crate on top. Separate sheets of material are interconnected with foil tape, as a result of which an integral coating is created.

After insulating the floor on the loggia with penoplex, any other insulation material can be laid on top of it, and this design will provide maximum protection against heat loss (details: "").

Mineral wool

The most widespread among heaters is mineral wool, with the help of which floor insulation is often performed on the balcony under the tile.

This material owes its popularity to a lot of advantages:

• Very low thermal conductivity;
• Light weight;
• Ease of installation;
• Environmental Safety.

There are several types of mineral wool: glass wool, stone wool and slag wool. These materials have different characteristics, so the choice of the best option will be individual. As a rule, in most cases, the choice falls on basalt stone wool, which is most convenient to work with.

The only serious drawback of mineral wool is its poor resistance to moisture, therefore, for greater reliability, the material must be covered with a vapor barrier film on top, which will prevent moisture from entering the insulation.

Installation of the vapor barrier is quite simple: the film is stretched and fixed on the logs with conventional staples. It is only important to position the film on the correct side so that it can perform its functions.

Styrofoam

Better known as Styrofoam, this material is very often used in both interior and exterior decoration of buildings. Expanded polystyrene is available with a wide variety of density and thickness levels, depending on which its characteristics change: a material of low density provides better protection, but is much more fragile.

Styrofoam has a lot of advantages - it is light, comfortable and easily adjusted to the desired size with the help of a clerical knife. All these qualities, coupled with low cost and the ability to use in combination with other heaters, make polystyrene one of the most popular insulation materials.

During the installation of polystyrene foam, gaps will appear between the lags, which must be filled with polyurethane foam in order to achieve good insulation efficiency. This must be remembered when insulating the floor of the balcony with polystyrene foam.

Balcony floor insulation with crate

One of the methods for insulating a balcony is laying insulation using crates. This method may look exactly the same for different heaters.

Before you insulate the floor on the balcony under the tiles using the crate, you need to find out how it will be installed.

The sequence of actions looks like this:

1. First, the floor height is calculated without taking into account the thickness of the floor covering. As a rule, the level of the floor usually coincides with the height of the threshold of the doorway.
2. Next, select the method that will be used to raise the floor height. The floor can be raised by installing the bars in two layers, due to the width of the boards themselves, or using special linings made of metal, plastic or wood.
3. After that, the elements necessary to create the crate are prepared - boards or bars.
4. Each element must be impregnated with an antiseptic, which will prevent the wood from rotting and the penetration of moisture into it.
5. When the dried and processed elements of the crate are ready, you can proceed directly to its installation, for which several schemes are used.

Scheme 1

The supports in this case are U-shaped parts made of a bent metal strip. A beam is mounted between the shelves of parts, located at the required height. The fastening of the beam is carried out by self-tapping screws.

The distance between the supports is about 50-60 cm. First, they are laid out next to the walls, and then, at a specified interval, they are mounted across the entire width of the balcony. The elements are fixed to the floor with anchors.

In the insulation, cuts are made at the same interval as the holder shelves are separated. The insulation material is put on a metal support and pressed against the floor. After completing this operation with each support, the rest of the space between the rows is also filled with insulation.

After laying the insulation, you need to install the bars in the holders and screw them through the holes with self-tapping screws. When performing work, it is imperative to check the level so that the raised floor is strictly horizontal.

Scheme 2

Another type of construction used to create an arrangement of insulation with a crate is studs.

Such a structure looks like this:

1. Special inserts are mounted in the concrete floor, into which the studs are screwed.
2. On the top of the mount there is a thread that allows you to adjust the height of the lag, adjusting them to the desired level.
3. After installing the lag on the studs, the excess part of the latter is cut off with a grinder, and the entire surface becomes smooth.

This design is very convenient and allows you to easily lay the insulation at the level of the lag. Often, the role of metal studs is played by plastic coasters, which must be screwed into logs.

This option has a place to be, but there is one difficulty - the log bars must be wide enough so that plastic racks of large width can pass through them. Otherwise, everything is done in the same way as with metal studs.

Scheme 3

If the previous schemes are not suitable for some reason, then you can use a self-assembled structure from bars. Such a crate can only be installed if the concrete slab is initially completely flat, otherwise it will not work to make a flat floor.

The battens of the crate will be connected by means of metal corners, and the elements located along the walls will be attached to them with the help of anchors. The resulting floor can be leveled along the upper edge of the crate, for which a straight line is beaten off on the wall, along which the side bars are attached. The rise of one of the supports of the crate indicates the need to place a small piece of board or plywood under it.

Scheme 4

If the level of overlap is initially high enough, and the floor will practically not rise, then it is possible to make a crate from two layers of beams located perpendicularly. The bottom row will be attached to the base surface, and the second row to the first.

With this design, the first row of logs is glued to the floor slab with mounting foam. It is possible to fix the second row when using this scheme only after the insulation fills the entire space between the guides.

Scheme 5

One of the easiest ways to raise the level of the floor on the balcony is the design, made as follows:

• Wide, even boards are attached to the ceiling and to each other with the help of a corner;
• The boards are installed on the edge so that the distance from the walls is about 5-7 cm;
• Insulating material is laid between the walls and boards;
• All free space between the boards is also filled with insulation;
• It is advisable to cover the structure from above with a film so that dust and fragments of insulation do not enter the room.

Having finished with laying the crate and insulation, you can start laying the final coating.

Floor insulation without crates

This method of floor insulation, as the name implies, does not require the creation of a crate. To implement this method, bulk floors are used (the so-called "dry screed"). This method is quite popular and is well suited for insulating the floor on the loggia.

It should be noted right away that for bulk floors it is imperative to use polyethylene waterproofing, preferably in combination with another layer of waterproofing material. The film is fixed with adhesive tape, and a damper tape is glued on top, leveling the expansion of the floor when the temperature changes.

Beacons are installed along the walls before work, along which it will be necessary to navigate when leveling the bulk material. Having leveled the floor, it is necessary to lay gypsum fiber panels on top of it, which are attached to each other with the help of special locks. In order for the plates to be connected with the highest quality, they must be additionally fixed with any adhesive polymer mixture.

Finished floor laying

A floor covering is laid above the insulation, which can also affect the temperature in the room. Of course, the choice of material for the finished floor is an individual thing, but it is better to choose a coating that will be comfortable and warm to the touch. Even if you know how to insulate the floor on a loggia under tiles, you can reduce the effectiveness of insulation with an unsuitable floor covering.

A good choice would be wood or plywood, covered with carpet, laminate or linoleum on top. In any case, before choosing a material for the floor, you should find out what materials are generally used as a finishing coating, and what characteristics they have.

Conclusion

Do-it-yourself floor insulation on the balcony is carried out without any problems - there is nothing complicated in this work. It is enough to design everything correctly, choose the right materials and pay attention to details when working - and then the balcony will be a warm, useful room that can be used for any purpose.

It is now difficult to find a balcony without a minimum finish. Metal-plastic windows and modern finishing materials allow you to turn it into a real extra room or place to relax. Everything works great in the summer. But autumn, winter, spring are periods of the year when it is uncomfortable on the balcony. The air temperature drops, and the floor becomes especially cold. Many are wondering how to provide maximum convenience and make the conditions on the balcony "all-weather".

It should be noted right away that without finishing the walls of a balcony or loggia, as well as their thermal insulation, there will be no sense in working on floor insulation. If the balcony is already made in Eurostyle, there are several ways to make it a real room with a comfortable year-round temperature.

The easiest method is to use passive insulation. A layer of thermal insulator is laid between the surface of the ceiling plate and the floor. Today, there are a number of modern materials that are specifically designed for such purposes.

The most "advanced" and modern material. Structurally, it is a foamed polyethylene protected by an aluminum film. The insulation layer is flexible, which allows for convenient installation and installation.

There are options on the market with one-sided and two-sided metal foil protection. If you want to not only protect the floor, but also provide waterproofing, which includes insulation from condensate, it is better to use double-sided penofol. The material is produced in rolls, and to connect the strips and pieces, the joints are glued with a special aluminum film.

The best level of heat retention is achieved when penofol is used in conjunction with another heater, for example, penoplex.

The cheapest and most common option. There are plates of various thicknesses, which is very convenient when insulating the floor with raising the level. The foam is cut into pieces of the desired size and placed between the slab and the surface of the balcony. All cracks and gaps are filled with mounting foam. The disadvantage of polystyrene is that it is hard, rather brittle, and a lot of small debris is formed when working with it.

Expanded polystyrene foam, aka polystyrene

This material was created as a standard of insulation. Its characteristics are selected with maximum compliance with the requirements of thermal insulation, as well as fire, environmental and biological safety. Penoplex is lightweight, flexible enough, it does not rot, does not burn, is chemically inert, and does not serve as a “home” for fungus or mold.

The material is produced in sheets, the thickness of which is from 20 to 50 millimeters. Penoplex comes first in terms of cost, but it is the best thermal insulator that is convenient to work with.

Old and proven stuff. Made from fiberglass or basalt threads. Mineral wool does not absorb moisture, does not burn, is inert to chemical attack, mold does not multiply in it. Unlike other heaters, it can be pushed into any gap.

The disadvantage is that protective gloves and a suit should be used when working, since mineral wool fibers are very fragile and sharp. When penetrating into human skin, it is almost impossible to pull them out - they break off. Therefore, mineral wool is prickly and causes severe itching.

Preparation for work

The first thing to do is tidy up the floor surface. Balcony slab often contains cracks and fractures along the edges, in addition, it often has an uneven surface. The best way out is to make a screed. Before deciding on the production of such work, be sure to consult with the organization responsible for the operation of the house. Perhaps, for safety reasons, it is not worth making the stove heavier.

Solution preparation

If the house is new enough and the balcony is not threatened with demolition, you can start laying the screed. The main thing here is to remember that you should not make a thick and heavy coating. The coating mass should be as thin as possible and at the same time as strong as possible so as not to crack at a minimum thickness.

Excellent results are obtained by the use of expanded clay and perlite. Perlite requires a complex mixing technique that is best done with a concrete mixer. Therefore, expanded clay is more often used at home.

The composition of the solution for work is as follows:

• 3 parts building sand. Typed "in nature" or quarry sand will not work, you need sifted and cleaned for construction work;
• 1 part cement mixed with expanded clay. The usual proportion is equally. However, to reduce the mass, you can make a composition where cement is only 25%;
• 0.1 parts lime.

The entire dry mixture is thoroughly mixed until a uniform color is obtained. Then water is gradually added and kneading is done until the composition acquires the consistency of thick sour cream.

Screeding

The next step is laying the screed. In the case of a balcony, you can do without the use of beacons, since the screed layer will be thin, about 4-5 cm.

1. The entire balcony is waterproofed around the perimeter. This can be done using mounting foam or a special self-adhesive tape. Due to the small amount of work, bitumen is rarely used.
2. Starting from the corners farthest from the door, a layer of screed is laid out.
3. In the course of work, the layer is "stretched" and aligned using the rule. The floor level is periodically controlled by a long spirit level.

The screed must be thoroughly dried. The surface is walkable after 2-3 days, however, it is better to withstand a minimum of 10-12 by wetting the floor twice a day and covering with a film. So the screed will gain maximum strength.

floor construction

The insulation cover should be built at a level close to the floor of the adjacent room. More often it is made equal or slightly lower. If you need something relatively common in the apartment, it is better to provide a small recess-pocket at the door to prevent moisture from penetrating into the room.

For work you will need tools and materials

1. Roulette.
2. Jigsaw or wood saw.
3. Wooden beam of the desired section (about half the height of the lift) or logs of the appropriate thickness.
4. Insulation.
5. Material for the floor surface: board, sheets of thick plywood, chipboard (with a thickness of 16-18 mm, you can lay it directly on the logs).
6. A balloon of building foam.

10 mm sheets are stacked on a pre-created "grid" of boards or low-quality coating. Usually thin chipboard or plywood serves only as a means of leveling the surface.

The work is carried out in several stages.

A timber of the required size is cut for laying across the balcony. The gap to the walls should be about 5 cm.

The cut parts are stacked at a distance of half a meter. They need to be attached to the surface of the balcony slab. The most convenient way to do this is with the help of "new settlers" - self-tapping screws with a plastic plug that is inserted into the concrete. To avoid splitting, the distance from the edge of the timber to the first self-tapping screw is left 7-10 cm. At this stage, you can hardly follow the final level of the floor - this task will be performed by subsequent work.

When foam or foam plastic is used, the material is cut into the necessary pieces to fill the gaps between the timber. Another recommendation: the level of insulation should be flush with or slightly below the surface of the timber. The gaps should be minimal. Wherever necessary, gaps are foamed. When using mineral wool, the insulation is tightly laid in the free space.

Penofol fits easier. A long strip is cut off in size 40 cm larger than the length of the balcony. It is simply laid on top, so that there is approximately 200 mm of “extra” insulation around the perimeter. If it is necessary to connect the pieces, the laying is done with an overlap with sizing with aluminum tape.

Level alignment

The level for laying the surface is finally leveled and an air gap is created for thermal protection. For this, bars are cut for longitudinal laying. In size - the length of the balcony minus 5 cm. The blanks are stacked, while the final level is carefully controlled. Linings are used on the basis of transverse bars.

Boards or other material are sewn on - chipboard, plywood, etc.

As a result, a flat surface is formed on the balcony, which has complex properties. It combines insulation, an air layer to dampen heat transfer and prevent moisture condensation phenomena. On such a coating, ceramic tiles, linoleum or laminate can be laid.

To simplify the work, you can lay the beam in one layer, forming a grid and laying gaps with insulation. This is not so convenient, since you will have to carefully control the level of each piece of timber, which will be many and smaller. The overall thermal insulation of the coating will be worse. However, this approach saves the height of the balcony floor level.

Technological methods for creating an "all-weather" balcony

A heating system is being created on the balcony. It should be noted right away that branches from the central heating system of the house are unacceptable. An autonomous structure is being built. The norm for ensuring a standard temperature of 18 ° C is an indicator of heat transfer power of 150 W / sq. m.

"Film" heating

Modern technologies have allowed the emergence of a means for a fairly economical electric heating. Structurally, this is a film of a carbon-based resistive element. When voltage is applied, the material heats up, and the temperature can be easily controlled by adjusting the input parameter. During the construction of heating on the balcony, passive insulation is made according to the method described above. The next step is to cover the floor with a special heat insulator for film heating.

Blocks of film are laid on top and connections to the mains are brought out. Parts are secured with double sided tape. Linoleum, carpet or laminate is laid on top, which are designed to work in conjunction with a “warm floor”. The work is simple, and the heating is quite efficient and easily regulated using a simple input rheostat.

Electric cable heaters

The technology used is the same as that of the film elements, just a different design. The cable is flexible, it is easy to lay it in one piece, without resorting to connecting different pieces. In addition, you can “brick” it into concrete or adhesive, on which ceramic tiles are placed.

If you do not feel sorry for electricity, you can go the minimal way. On the balcony, a primary leveling screed is made, as described above. Raised floor covering is not constructed. A heating thermal insulator is immediately laid, a welded reinforcing mesh is laid and a cable for heating is located. A laying layer is formed on top. It can be a thin three- or five-centimeter concrete screed, or immediately a layer of adhesive. Tiles are installed at the same time.

Work gets done easier. However, this approach will require more energy for heating. If the floor is covered with ceramic, it must be operationally compatible with the "warm floor".

Video - Heated floor on the balcony

Mini water heating systems

Today, ready-made electrical solutions of the “warm plinth” format, they are also the “contour system”, are spreading quite quickly. Structurally, this is:

• a small electric hot water boiler, about the size of a kettle;
• small priming pump;
• temperature control and control unit.

The coolant circulates through a thin tube. Such a structure is laid in the same way as a classic underfloor heating or electric cable, as described above.

The volume of coolant in the structure is minimal, about 3-5 liters. The system takes away little power, the water circulates very quickly, so the floor surface will be evenly warm. Unlike a cable or a film, such a solution has thermal inertia, that is, the system does not cool down immediately. However, the use is fraught with danger - if the temperature drops below freezing, the water will freeze and damage the pipes. Frost-resistant mixtures should be provided as a heat carrier where the climate carries the danger of cooling the balcony below zero.

What to choose for warming?

Creating a warm floor on the balcony is a fairly simple task that even beginners can handle. You just need to know how to approach the problem. With the help of a number of simple works that you can do with your own hands, the balcony will become a warm and comfortable place to relax. And the use of an autonomous heating system will easily turn it into another room in the apartment. In addition, all works do not require large investments of funds. So, if you want underfloor heating on your balcony, just make it.