The most effective insulation for a frame house. Warming a frame house with your own hands: step by step instructions, video

Frame house insulation- a responsible process, which then determines how much you will pay for heating and whether it will blow through in your house, whether you can even walk barefoot in winter and let your children play on the floor for hours, or you will have to buy warm home clothes, socks and slippers.

I will define important concepts necessary for understanding the text:
Close up of the outline of a house- this is the result of that stage of construction, when the house is covered with a roof, doors and windows are installed in it, i.e. we are closed from precipitation from the street.
Warming "vraspor"- this is insulation, in which the pieces of insulation are wider than the cavity into which we insert it, which leads to the fact that the insulation holds itself due to natural expansion (after all, we compress it so that it fits into the desired cavity).

Let's look at the insulation of various frame elements.

Floor insulation in a frame house can be carried out in a variety of ways and with various heaters. If your house is not built on UWB, then this moment is definitely relevant for you. I drew such a diagram in order to immediately highlight all types of floor insulation in the frame:

The risk of insulating the floor of a frame house before circuit closure is that moisture will most likely get into the insulation during construction and more than once (rains in Russia are not uncommon, and the floor made of plywood or OSB still lets moisture through), which means that the insulation may lose all its insulation properties ( unless, of course, it's styrofoam).

Insulation of the floor of a frame house after circuit closure devoid of this risk, but it requires additional gestures: either removing the floor already under the roof or climbing under the house and insulating it from there, or building walls without a floor at all and installing the walls of the frame house immediately on the logs (not recommended, this is quite dangerous).

As you already understood, the floor of a frame house can also be insulated both from above (being on the floor) and from below (from under the house). Let's look at all the possible options and potential problems.

Option 1. Insulation of the frame house floor from above until the contour is closed.


The most traditional option. Immediately after fixing in place, we can insulate the floor of a frame house before covering it with plywood.

If our heater glass wool or mineral wool, then we just need to just insert the insulation rolls between the lags. The width of the insulation should be 1-2 cm larger than the space between the lags (if the insulation is 600 mm wide, then the step of the lag is 630 mm, and the space between them is 580 mm). If the insulation does not converge, then we cut the insulation to the desired size.

To simplify this process, you can first hem the boards or plywood from the bottom of the log so that the insulation cannot fall into the underground over time. To do this, cranial bars are either nailed to the lags from below before installation, on which plates for floor insulation will already be attached (picture 1), or they are attached, and under it an inch in increments of 300-400 mm across the lag (picture 2).

Everything is easier and harder at the same time. It’s easier, because it’s not scary for him to get wet, which means that it’s not scary to insulate the floor of a frame house with foam until the contour is closed. Harder because he's tough and does not stand up so easy, it needs to be cut to the exact size of the gap between the lags (or generally put it on one lag immediately upon installation and press it with the adjacent lag, then there will be no gaps). True, when the boards dry out (unless, of course, the board was already dry), most likely, gaps will appear between the foam and the lags, it is better to foam this space (you can later from the underground). Under the foam, it is also necessary to hem something from below (boards, plywood or wind protection).

Option 2. Warming the floor of a frame house from below after closing the contour.

If you have a basement or your house is on, and it is at least 40 cm off the ground, then you can safely insulate the floor from below. To do this, you will need to prepare rolls of insulation, crawl under the house and place the insulation there by surprise. Then, in the same way, pull under the heaters (or plates supporting the insulation as in option 1). Remember that even if your piles are only 30 cm above the ground, then by adding a grillage to them, you get a distance to the floor lag of 50 cm, and this is already a completely working option for warming from below.

Option 3. Floor insulation in a frame house from above after closing the contour.


Insulating the floor of a frame house in this way is the most comfortable option, in my opinion. First we put the logs, fix them in their places, put ours on top, fixing it TEMPORARILY 2-4 screws to the lags.

After that, we put walls on plywood (but only load-bearing, non-bearing partitions are not installed at all yet), we put floor logs, rafters, etc. on the walls. until we close the entire circuit walls-roof-doors-windows.
Then we unscrew the screws from the plywood in the floor and cut out the plywood in the places where the load-bearing walls lie on it and insulate everything as in the first option (just do not forget to add jumpers under the joints of the newly cut places in the plywood).

Book your home

There is another variation. If, in advance of installing the walls, not whole sheets of plywood are placed under them, but cut pieces of 150 mm wide. In this case, you do not need to make additional jumpers, and you also do not need to cut anything, just unscrew the screws, remove the black floor and insulate it.

Ecowool and floor insulation in a frame house from above after closing the contour.
Everything is the same with ecowool, only it is necessary to attach a windscreen to the bottom of the lag or sew it up with something, because. bulk ecowool and it needs a solid base (it also makes sense to use MDVP instead of wind protection in this case). A big plus of ecowool is that in any case, you won’t need to cut anything with it, take a step lag under the subfloor slabs (and, of course, under the necessary load).
At all, ecowool, in my opinion - the best insulation for a frame house. If you decide to insulate your house with ecowool, contact me, I work with a real professional blowing walls with ecowool, who travels to different regions.
Personally, for myself, I chose the option with ecowool.

Wall insulation in a frame house

Wall insulation in a frame house goes in a similar way. We put the insulation in between. Remember that the pitch of the racks should also be 20-30 mm larger than the width of the insulation. Typically, the pitch of the racks is 625 mm with a 40 mm board and 635 mm with a 50 mm board. By the way, it seems to me that it is better to cut OSB-3 a couple of times than to constantly cut the insulation.

Video about wall insulation in a frame house from the Rockwool company (manufacturer of the insulation of the same name):

What kind of wall insulation is there?

Types of wall insulation: mineral wool with a density of more than 30 kg / m3, ecowool (wet) and foam. It is these three modern heaters that are used in 95% of the walls of frame houses in Russia. It is difficult to say for sure that the best thermal insulation of walls is ecowool or mineral wool or polystyrene, since each insulation has its pros and cons.

Insulation for external walls

Special external wall insulation is used if you want to make a plaster facade over the insulation. In such cases, you have 2 options: polystyrene foam or high density mineral wool (about 125 kg/m3).

The cheapest and best wall insulation

It can be said for sure that the cheapest wall insulation is mineral insulation with a minimum density, but it is not recommended to use it, although some take risks and even use glass wool in the walls of a frame house. Over time, basalt with a low density can settle in the walls and cracks will appear.

In my opinion, the best insulation for frame walls is. Therefore, it is with her that we insulate the houses of her clients and those who have not been dissatisfied for 7 years of work have not yet been. Ecowool can even withstand fires.
So contact us, we will insulate your walls with ecowool. But we had to throw mineral wool out of the walls more than once because it had become unusable. Of course, she herself was not to blame for this, she simply did not follow the insulation technology, but ecowool forgives even that.

Cross insulation of the walls of a frame house from the outside

Cross insulation of the walls of a frame house from the inside

Insulate a frame house from within invented by the Scandinavians. In fact, it is much more convenient than outside, because. in this version, we are not afraid of precipitation and other weather disasters (in particular, tips from a neighbor). Warming from the inside usually also goes in a horizontal crate 40 × 50 or 50 × 50 with a pitch of 400-625 mm, only the crate is already on top of a plastic film (vapor barrier).

Do not forget that the crate is torn at the openings:

Insulation of the attic floor (ceiling) of a frame house

FROM top floor everything is the same as with the floor of a frame house, only there is no point in warming from below, we do everything from above. Remember that you can pour or lay not only 150-200 mm of insulation (in the size of the overlap lag), but also 300, 400 or even 500 mm of insulation. Walking on it will be problematic, but it will be very warm in winter and also cool in summer.

Attic insulation

Video about the insulation of the attic with Rockwool:

Insulation of the basement of a frame house

The plinth of a frame house is conveniently insulated with foam or extruded foam, which is attached to special fasteners.

So, in this article, we got acquainted with a variety of options for warming a frame house. This is a very important stage that can directly affect the health of you and your loved ones, so I urge you to take it responsibly.

And traditionally, I remind you of our services - you can buy a ready-made one from us or order its development according to your needs, and if you are still interested in insulation, we will insulate your house with ecowool or bring it.

Over the past half century, frame housing construction has spread and become a common technology in Western Europe and America. Such a rapid (on a historical scale) success was achieved by the technology due to the properties of buildings - economy in construction and practicality in operation.

World frame construction has not gone unnoticed in the Russian expanses. An increasing number of owners of suburban areas are choosing a frame option for construction. The choice of thermal insulation material is critical for such a building. A well-chosen insulation for the walls of a frame house will allow you to get comfortable and warm housing without going beyond the budget. In our article we will tell you which insulation is best for a frame house, and which one should not be used.

Work on external insulation of the wall of a frame house Source iobogrev.ru

Varieties of frame houses and the principle of their insulation

Houses that fall under the definition of frame houses are built using several similar technologies that do not have fundamental differences. In addition to the traditional fachwerk and high-tech frame-panel technology (which includes buildings using German and SIP panels), other methods are actively used. The most popular frame options include the following varieties:

Frame-panel houses. They are often referred to as shield houses, Canadian houses, or Finnish houses. In factory conditions, panels (shields) of a given size are manufactured. This preparation saves time on the construction site. Shields are quickly fixed on the frame, and then insulated.

Frame-rack houses. The space between the racks is distributed with insulation for the walls of the frame house, the crate is stuffed on top. Then wind and waterproofing is arranged, the walls are sewn up, internal and external decorative finishing is carried out.

One of the technologies for insulating the roof of a frame house Source iobogrev.ru

Which insulation is better for the walls of a frame house in each individual case is thought out at the planning stage, and the issue must be approached competently; a house in which not only the walls are insulated, but also the roof and foundation will be truly warm. It should be borne in mind that different surfaces will require heat-insulating materials with different properties.

The best way to insulate the frame is to use cross technology, when the wall is formed by two frames - the main one (power, acting as a supporting structure) with vertical posts, and the cross (external), with horizontal ones. With such an organization of the walls, the probability of the formation of cold bridges (in case of shrinkage) becomes a vanishingly small value, and the energy efficiency of the building increases significantly. Work on the insulation of a frame house is carried out in the following order:

External insulation. It is carried out only under favorable weather conditions. Work will have to be postponed if it rains or snows.

Internal insulation. It is carried out using the cross method. Its disadvantages are the displacement of the dew point inside the room (with errors in the construction of the wall) and the reduction of precious living space.

Thermal insulation of floors, ceilings, windows and doors.

Double cross frame; the main circuit is not insulated source seattlehelpers.org

Insulation for a frame house: selection criteria

Having set out to choose the best option for insulation, you should decide on the selection criteria, as well as familiarize yourself with the offers available on the market. After comparing these two categories, you can determine which insulation is best for a frame house. The thermal insulation of the walls of the frame is selected according to the following parameters:

Life time. The operating time of the structure and insulation must match.

Thermal conductivity. The lower that indicator (expressed in terms of the coefficient of thermal conductivity), the more reliably the building saves heat. The thermal conductivity coefficient is used to calculate the necessary and sufficient thickness of thermal insulation; the value of the coefficient is specified by the manufacturer.

Water absorption. The lower the better, since a wet (moisture-absorbed) insulation can significantly increase the thermal conductivity of the walls. With the thermal efficiency of housing, in the walls of which there is a damp insulation, you can say goodbye.

Classic frame pie Source palacestroy.ru

Shrinkage. A frequent problem of frame dwellings, assembled with their own hands. Some types of insulation are subject to sealing, which is sometimes forgotten to be taken into account when choosing and installing. As a result of subsidence of the material, cold bridges appear and heating costs increase.

fire safety. Building materials are divided into groups according to combustibility (the ability to resist flame). For the insulation of frame houses, materials of the NG group (non-combustible) are often chosen.

Environmental friendliness. Since the insulation occupies the bulk of the walls and surrounds the inhabitants of the house from all sides, the question of its harmlessness concerns any adequate owner. The main problem is that not all materials can boast of naturalness, and the best technical indicators belong to synthetics. But even here everything is not so bad: certified products do not have a dangerous effect on the health of the inhabitants of the house.

bioneutrality. Insulation for a frame house should not become a haven for rodents, insects, mold fungi and microorganisms.

Insulation of the inner surface with rolled material Source obustroeno.com

Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each insulation, when choosing, they take into account not only the price, but also additional criteria:

The climate of the region. Weather conditions (winter temperatures, duration of autumn rains) at the site of construction of a country house affect the choice of not only the thermal conductivity coefficient, but also the size of the insulation for the frame house.

Location of the heater. For different surfaces use a material with different densities. For thermal insulation of the floor, a denser (and, accordingly, more durable) insulation is chosen. This parameter can be ignored when insulating walls and roofs, where the use of a denser (and more expensive) material will only increase the cost of construction.

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer home insulation services. You can directly communicate with representatives by visiting the exhibition of houses "Low-Rise Country".

Heaters: varieties and characteristics

Before choosing a heater for a frame house, you should familiarize yourself with its varieties. The materials used in construction are usually classified according to the method of application:

zasypnye. Backfill method - insulation with ecowool, expanded clay, foam glass or sawdust.

sprayed. "Wet" technology is suitable for ecowool and polyurethane foam.

Plate (roll). The thermal insulation layer is fixed between the posts or in the ceilings of the frame structure.

Proper floor insulation in a frame house is a guarantee of comfort Source strojdvor.ru

Also, heaters are divided into two large groups by origin:

natural. This includes materials of natural origin that have long been used in construction: moss, sawdust, peat, straw. They are available, cheap and environmentally friendly. The main disadvantages of natural insulators are flammability and high hygroscopicity, leading to the appearance of mold fungi. Do not discount insects and rodents, which also highly value naturalness and environmental friendliness.

Synthetic. Materials that have appeared thanks to progress and human ingenuity. They are often non-combustible, easy to transport and use, and biologically stable. And, although synthetics are not without drawbacks (they cost more, and emit dangerous toxic compounds during combustion), they are valued in construction for their convenience and valuable properties.

Synthetic insulation for frame walls is conventionally divided into soft and hard. Soft insulation is sewn up with sheathing on both sides; then you can equip steam and waterproofing, then decorative cladding.

Scheme of floor insulation with synthetic material Source patter.ru

Mineral wool materials

Mineral wool is the common name for a universal and professional group of thermal insulation materials, the use of which in insulation reaches 70%. This distribution of mineral wool is due to its advantages: low weight, incombustibility, heat efficiency and sufficient vapor permeability. The basis of the material are fibers obtained from the melt of the feedstock; cotton wool is produced in the form of mats and rolls.

One of the quality indicators of mineral wool is the acidity module. The higher this value, the more waterproof and durable the wool is. Also, the quality of cotton wool is affected by the binder - a component that holds the fibers together. Binders of several types are used in production:

Based bitumen.

Based bentonite clays.

Synthetic. Based on phenol alcohol, phenol-formaldehyde or carbamide resin

Composite(most common). The composition includes synthetic resins (up to 2% by weight) and additives with hydrophobic (water-repellent) properties.

Video description

About mineral wool in the following video:

There are several varieties of this fibrous material in structure, differing in the method of preparation and properties:

stone wool. The raw materials are rocks (basalite, diarite, porphyrite), but more often basalt. In construction, the second name has taken root - basalt wool, although it is this variety that is more often used for thermal insulation of industrial equipment and pipelines. Stone wool is a durable, non-flammable and environmentally friendly material with a high heat retention capacity. The low shrinkage of this board material during operation prevents the formation of cold bridges.

glass wool. It is made from glass melt, produced in slabs and rolls, has characteristics similar to mineral wool. Glass wool has increased strength, elasticity and vibration resistance. However, glass wool fibers are brittle and fragments are a health hazard. Working with the material requires the use of a respirator and overalls, as well as installation using a special technology. Glass wool is cheaper than mineral wool, but its service life is shorter.

Glass wool requires careful handling Source pinterest.fr

slag wool. The raw material is a melt of blast-furnace slag. This type of filler is similar in properties to glass wool; it is recommended to use it only for dry rooms. The main advantage of slag wool is its low cost.

Cotton wool insulates walls, ceilings and roofs; the thickness of the layer in a year-round country house should be 200-250 mm. The peculiarity of cotton wool - hygroscopicity is neutralized by the use of vapor and waterproofing membranes. The density and thickness of the material affects not only the cost, weight and resistance to stress, but also the way it is used:

Roll web(often laminated, foil-coated). Effective heat retaining material. It is used for thermal insulation of horizontal surfaces, has a density of 35 kg / m 3.

Plates. Material with a density of 75 kg / m 3 is used for floor insulation, ceiling and interior partitions, with a density of 125 kg / m 3 - for facade insulation. More rigid slabs (200 kg / m 3) are used for interfloor ceilings, roofing and floors under a screed.

Roofing cake element - foil-coated mineral wool Source pinterest.cl

Ecowool

Cellulose wool (known to the general public as ecowool) is an example of an environmentally friendly product. It consists of 80% newspaper waste paper and cardboard and paper industry waste, and 20% of additives that perform a flame-extinguishing function (boric acid and sodium tetraborate). It looks like a loose material of various shades of gray.

Ecowool has proven itself well as sound and heat insulation; it insulates all parts of the frame structure. The disadvantages of ecowool are its high cost and the use of special equipment during installation. Insulation of the frame structure with ecowool is carried out in one of four ways:

Dry backfill. Manual labor-intensive method, limited in application. Suitable for insulation and soundproofing of small interfloor floors, the floor of the first floor, attic floor.

dry blow. The most preferred (fast and high-quality) method, suitable for isolating any cavities. It is carried out with the help of blowing equipment.

Video description

About the insulation of ecowool on the second floor of a frame house in the following video:

Wet glue method. It is used if it is necessary to insulate a large surface area or if the project does not provide for cladding. In this case, water is added to the ecowool if the untreated tree is to be protected; or PVA glue, which increases the adhesive (adhesive) ability of the mixture. It can also be applied using a blow molding machine.

Liquid plaster (liquid wallpaper). A variation of the wet method, applied by troweling. If the layer will serve not only as a heater, but also as a lining, it is possible to add dyes.

Penoizol

Urea-formaldehyde foam, better known under the brand name Penoizol (aka Mettemplast or Poroplast), is a universal heat insulator with low density and thermal conductivity. It is produced and poured in the form of foam; after hardening, penoizol resembles foam plastic with its white fine-meshed structure.

Penoizol has an impressive service life (up to 80 years); The composition of the material is based on nitrogen, therefore it is classified as a low-combustible substance. For thermal insulation, not only foam is used, but also a slab version, as well as crumb (thermowool), which allows you to create a seamless layer with excellent insulating and soundproofing qualities.

Insulation of the ceiling with penoizol Source barberosalon.ru

Polyurethane foam (PPU)

There is a large group of polyurethane foam, with different properties and a variety of applications, from the filler of car seats and toys, to bumpers and shoe elements. In construction, polyurethane foam is used in the form of finished sheets or self-foaming composition for pouring with a density of 5-40 kg/m 3 .

PPU is considered a universal material that allows you to effectively insulate a house from the basement to the roof. It is cheap, has low thermal conductivity and excellent adhesion, which allows it to be applied (sprayed) on any quality surface, from brick and metal to wood and roofing material. Solid varieties of polyurethane foam are produced in a slab way. Unlike soft insulation, they serve as the basis for waterproofing and facade cladding.

Styrofoam

White material with a fine mesh structure, fragile and short-lived. Despite this, it is considered a proven and convenient sound and heat insulating material due to its availability, low weight (15-35 kg / m 3) and ease of installation (using glue). It is beneficial to use polystyrene for external insulation - it does not need additional vapor and waterproofing.

Elastic and resilient polyurethane foam is easy to use Source zemkadastr45.ru

The foam used in construction (and for packaging) is not toxic, but when burned, it releases extremely harmful chemical compounds, knowledge of this feature makes many customers choose another insulation.

Video description

We will dwell in more detail on the insulation of the house with foam plastic. Find out how safe polystyrene foam is in our video:

Expanded polystyrene (penoplex)

Expanded polystyrene is a popular heat-insulating material due to its long service life, low cost and excellent sound and heat-saving properties. The material demonstrates high hydrophobicity (absorbency is not more than 3% by weight), compressive and bending strength, fire resistance and non-toxicity.

Penoplex plates are attached to the frame racks with glue. Experts advise protecting the material from solar ultraviolet radiation.

Expanded clay

The material is the most common and proven bulk type insulation; it is used in the thermal insulation of floors, interfloor ceilings and walls. The basis of expanded clay are refractory clays, which are subjected to heat treatment during the production process. The result is granules, crushed stone or sand with a characteristic porous structure and with attractive parameters, which include good thermal insulation and low weight, environmental friendliness, chemical inertness and vapor permeability.

Various fractions of expanded clay Source stroyfora.ru

Expanded clay is not combustible, does not lose its thermal insulation properties with temperature fluctuations. The only drawback of expanded clay is that its heat-shielding performance is inferior to synthetic materials.

Foam glass

In the form of granules, not only expanded clay is produced, but also foam glass - a material with a higher level of thermal protection. For its manufacture, sand and glass cullet are used, which automatically turns the material into the safest and purest product. Granulated foam glass is indifferent to bio- and chemical agents, moisture-resistant, and its only (and tangible) drawback can be considered high cost.

Video description

About the insulation of the American frame house in the following video:

The importance of high-quality vapor barrier and wind protection of heaters

In order for mineral wool heaters to do their job perfectly, they need well-arranged steam, hydro and wind insulation:

vapor barrier. Serves as a barrier to moisture coming from the room. In the absence of such a protective layer, mineral wool absorbs moisture, and its ability to retain heat drops sharply.

Hydro wind protection. Both a windbreaker worn over a sweater and a protective membrane on the outside of the wall help to retain heat. Such a protective material has a complex multi-layer structure - it not only retains heat, but also allows water vapor to pass out, while simultaneously preventing atmospheric moisture from penetrating inside.

Modern protective membranes are able to isolate the insulation (and, therefore, the wall structure) as much as possible, which cannot be said about the plastic film, which economical (or not familiar with physics) builders strive to use. Polyethylene will inevitably create the effect of a thermos inside the wall without the possibility of ventilation, which leads to damage to the insulation layer throughout the walls.

Wind protection of a frame house is a mandatory component of construction source seattlehelpers.org

Conclusion

The final decision on the best way to insulate a frame house remains with the owner of the future housing. So that the wrong choice of material and technology does not lead to disappointment in the frame house, you should carefully consider the features of heaters. Properly selected heat-insulating material and its installation, carried out taking into account technological requirements, will make the house truly warm and energy efficient.

How to choose a heater for a frame house. Types of heaters, their advantages and disadvantages. Stages of work on the insulation of the structure.

If a wooden house is chosen for year-round living, it is necessary to choose the right insulation for a frame house. What properties should a frame house insulation have? What is its peculiarity in relation to - thermal conductivity, water absorption and fire safety. How does the shrinkage of the insulation occur and how environmentally friendly it is.

What materials are suitable for insulating a frame structure. What are mineral heaters, ecowool and basalt wool. Why is wind protection and vapor barrier so important?

Rules for the insulation of frame houses. Types of heaters. Features of insulation of frame-panel and metal frames. How does insulation perform for a frame building. Is polyurethane good for use? Stages of work in the insulation of walls, ceilings and roofs.

What properties should a heater for a frame house have

Everyone who is faced with frame construction at some point is forced to think about what kind of insulation is best for a frame house. To make the right decision, it is necessary to know the properties of the main heat-insulating materials offered by the modern market. In addition, the rules on which their choice is based should be taken into account. After reading this article, you will be able to consciously and competently choose the most suitable insulating material for insulating the walls of a frame house.

Heaters used to insulate the walls of a frame house must have the following properties:

• low thermal conductivity;
• fire safety;
• low water absorption;
• lack of shrinkage;
• environmental friendliness.

Thermal conductivity

The ability of a material to transfer heat reflects the coefficient of thermal conductivity. The lower its value, the less heat passes through this material. At the same time, in winter, the room does not cool down so quickly, and in summer it heats up more slowly. This allows you to achieve savings on cooling and heating. For this reason, when choosing a heater, be sure to take into account the value of the thermal conductivity of the material during operation in specific conditions.

Water absorption

The next important indicator that affects the ability of the insulation to retain heat is its water absorption. It is the ratio of the amount of water absorbed by the insulation to the mass of the insulation itself. This characteristic demonstrates the ability to absorb and retain moisture in the pores in case of direct contact with water.

Due to the fact that wet material conducts heat well, the smaller this value is, the better. This is due to the fact that when wet, the air pores of the insulation are filled with water, which has a greater thermal conductivity than air. In addition, too wet material can simply freeze, turning into ice and completely lose its function.

fire safety

The fire safety of materials means the ability to withstand exposure to high temperatures without breaking the structure and igniting. This parameter is regulated using GOST 30244, GOST 30402 and SNiP 21-01-97, which subdivide them into combustibility groups from G1 to G4, while completely non-combustible substances are designated NG. For frame residential buildings, heaters belonging to the NG group are most preferred.

Insulation shrinkage

When choosing a heat insulator for a frame building, it is imperative to take into account such an indicator as the ability to shrink. This value should be minimal, otherwise, during operation, material subsidence will appear at the places where the insulation is laid, which will lead to the appearance of cold bridges and an increase in heat loss.

Environmental friendliness

The basis of the walls of the frame house is a heater. Since the insulating material will surround you everywhere in the frame house, you need to be sure that this is a really high-quality insulation and that it does not emit harmful substances.

Frame construction technology allows at minimal cost and in a short time to build a house that can comfortably accommodate a large family. The walls of such a house consist of a frame, sheathed on the outside and inside with finishing materials, between which there is a heater. It is from the insulation that the energy-saving characteristics of the building depend.

This article will discuss how to properly insulate a frame house.

The choice of insulation for a frame house

Any material with good thermal insulation properties can serve as a heater.

In the middle of the last century, boiler slag, sawdust, straw, reeds and other natural materials were used during mass construction. Their common disadvantage was hygroscopicity, exposure to precipitation and pests.

Much better results are obtained with:

• Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene)
• stone wool
• glass wool
• Ecowool

These materials have a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and low volumetric weight, which makes it possible to build buildings with thin (100 - 150 mm) walls, and this further reduces the cost of construction.

To insulate a frame house from the inside, cotton wool is used in the form of slabs with a density of at least 125 kg / cu. m.

The advantages of this material are:

• Fire safety
• Low bulk density
• pest resistance
• Vapor permeability
• Environmental Safety
• High level of sound insulation

The disadvantages of mineral wool are the decrease in performance when wet, the formation of dust during cutting and installation of insulation.

Mineral wool is the most common type of insulation, as it is easy to install and has high consumer characteristics.

Warming with mineral wool is carried out as follows:

• After mounting the frame and its inner lining, a vapor barrier film is hung
• Insulation plates are inserted between the bars of the frame, the installation is carried out in two or three layers with a shift in the joints
• From the street, the insulation is covered with a windproof membrane
• The walls are covered with finishing materials

You may be interested in another of our articles -. In the article you will learn how to build the roof of a frame house with your own hands.

If you want to build a frame house with your own hands, you will find the answers to all your questions!

Styrofoam and extruded polystyrene foam (EPS) are not afraid of moisture, so they can be mounted without vapor and moisture barrier films. This material is superior to mineral wool in terms of thermal insulation properties and is easier to install.

The disadvantages of expanded polystyrene are the release of harmful substances within two to three weeks after installation and in case of fire, a low level of sound insulation, exposure to rodents.

When using foam plastic, measures must be taken to ventilate the space between the insulation boards and the wall cladding. Otherwise, due to the low vapor permeability of the material, conditions arise for the appearance of fungus and mold.

Ecowool is made from cellulose (wood fibers or waste paper), is environmentally friendly and is not afraid of pests. It is produced in the form of balls, sticky when wet. The use of ecowool allows you to avoid cold bridges that appear at the joints of foam and mineral wool boards.

This material is an excellent (twice as good as mineral wool) sound insulator, low combustible and does not emit toxic substances when ignited.

Also, this material is the most environmentally friendly insulation for a frame house.

Warming with ecowool is carried out by blowing moistened material into the space between the inner and outer skin of the frame. The disadvantage of ecowool insulation is the need for special equipment.

At the moment, ecowool is the best insulation for frame houses on the market.

Comparative characteristics of heaters

It is convenient to summarize the characteristics of common heaters in a table:

The service life of the listed heaters is approximately the same and is more than 50 years. Light grades of mineral wool eventually slide off the walls and cake, so they are recommended to be changed after 25 years.

An analysis of the characteristics shows that polystyrene is the cheapest material, mineral wool is superior to other heaters in terms of fire safety. The use of ecowool makes it possible to fill even small gaps with insulation and perform high-quality sound insulation, so this material, despite its relatively high cost, is becoming more and more in demand.

Before choosing the right insulation, you need to decide which one will be used in your case. The choice of foundation depends on many factors.

If you are just thinking about building a frame house, then it will be useful for you to familiarize yourself with the disadvantages of frame houses in this one.

In a previous article, I described step-by-step instructions for assembling a frame house with my own hands. Now, we will consider the instructions on how to properly insulate it and isolate it from wind and moisture, so that during operation it remains a reliable protection against frost in the cold season for a long time, and also saves it from the languishing heat in summer.

What insulation to use for a frame house

I will not describe here which insulation is best for a frame house, this is a separate topic, and it is discussed in detail in another article.

But it is worth noting that about 80% of the total number of frame houses are insulated with mineral wool or heaters based on it. Given this, this step-by-step instruction will mainly be based on just such insulation.

• In addition to mineral wool, there are several more types of insulation that are more or less suitable for use as thermal insulation of frame houses, such as ecowool, expanded polystyrene, expanded clay and others. We will talk about the differences in the technology of their use at the end of the article.
• The insulation of a frame house with glass wool occurs in the same way as with mineral wool insulation, so we will not consider this type of insulation separately.
• Mineral wool, in comparison with other types of heaters, is the most versatile material. She insulates not only frame houses, but also any others. As a heater, it is used almost everywhere in the construction of private houses.

It is important to know that when working with mineral wool, especially indoors, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles and a respirator. Skin contact can result in severe itching, redness, and allergic reactions.

In principle, the insulation of all parts of a frame house is not much different from each other, but there are still some nuances, so it is necessary to consider each part separately.

Warming the floor of a frame house with your own hands

The floor insulation technology largely depends on the type of foundation, but since most frame houses are currently being built on a pile-screw foundation, we will build on this when insulating the floor.

1. Insulation of the floor of a frame house, regardless of the type of insulation, begins with waterproofing. In addition to the waterproofing membrane, we still need to build a structure under the floor logs that will hold both the waterproofing material and the insulation itself, as shown in the diagram.
2. If the house is located high relative to the ground, and you can crawl under it, then first a waterproofing membrane is stretched under the floor logs and fastened with a furniture stapler. The overlap of the waterproofing strips should be as tight as possible so that it does not see through from under the floor. Which side is inward, and which outward material is stuffed - ask the manufacturer.
3. Also from below, a board breaks through on top of the waterproofing. The size of the board and the installation step does not really matter, but not more than 40-50 cm, if only this is enough so that the sheets or strips of mineral wool do not fall through. Sometimes the board is stuffed tightly, without gaps, this strengthens the floor structure. Here's what the end result should be:
   
4. If it is impossible to crawl under the house, then a board is first stuffed under the logs, and then a waterproofing membrane is attached to the logs from the inside of the frame house, as shown in the photo.
   
5. When the base for the insulation is ready, mineral wool is laid between the joists of the floor of the frame house. It is necessary to lay tightly, the presence of voids is not allowed. Mineral wool is cut with a sharp knife, you can use a construction knife, but always a little more than the required length, about 1 cm.
   
6. For ease of installation, the distance between the lags is selected in advance, depending on the insulation, in our case, the width of the mineral wool slab is 60 cm. This means that the distance between the lags, ideally, should be 58-59cm.
   
7. The thickness of the insulation layer depends entirely on the region where the frame house is being built, but on average it is 15 cm. It is also necessary to take into account the height of the log floor of the frame house. As a rule, the thickness of all layers of mineral wool does not exceed, and sometimes even slightly less than, the width of the board or beam from which they are made.
   
8. An important point in laying mineral wool is that each layer must overlap the joints of the previous one, as shown in the photo. The overlap should be at least 15-20 cm.
   
9. On top of the mineral wool, inside the frame house on the logs, it is necessary to fix the vapor barrier membrane. It will protect the insulation from moisture from the inside, and also serve as additional wind protection. In order for it to be airtight, the joints must be glued with double-sided tape, for example.
   
10. Plywood, OSB-board, or a board is sewn onto the vapor barrier membrane, which will be the basis for further finishing.
    

It is worth noting that mineral wool itself is not a wind protection, therefore, the waterproofing and vapor barrier membrane must be stretched so that there is an overlap on the walls, excluding moisture and wind from entering between the wall and the floor of the frame house.

Insulation of the walls of a frame house with mineral wool

In a frame house, as in any other, there are two types of walls - external, one side of which is located on the street, and internal, which are located completely inside the house. So, it is necessary to insulate both of them.

The walls of a frame house can be insulated both from the inside and outside, the materials used and their quantity do not change from this. We will consider the insulation from the inside, everything is done from the outside in exactly the same way, only in a slightly different sequence.

Insulation of the outer walls of the house

It should be noted right away that when sheathing a frame house outside and inside with your own hands, various materials are used, they may be different from those that I describe in this manual. The procedure may also differ, but in general, it turns out almost the same thing, as in the diagram. This is an approximate scheme, for example, instead of OSB-plates, on the one hand, you can pierce the crate with slats or a 25mm thick board. The board, as a rule, breaks through a certain distance - about 40 cm between the axes, but it is worth remembering that in this case, the rigidity of the walls will suffer a little.

The process of insulating walls with mineral wool with your own hands is almost identical to the thermal insulation of the floor, and is carried out as follows:

1. Outside, the frame is sheathed with OSB-plates, with gaps between them specified by the manufacturer, as a rule, it is 2-3 mm. After installation, the gaps can be foamed. This is what it looks like from the inside of the house:
   
2. Then, also from the outside, a waterproofing membrane is stretched, which will protect the mineral wool, the frame of the house, as well as OSB sheets from external moisture, on top of which external finishing work will be carried out, such as siding, for example. Some manufacturers make waterproofing materials with self-adhesive strips so that the joint is tighter. If there are no such stripes, it is advisable to glue the joints with double-sided tape.
   
3. Inside the frame house, between the frame posts, which, if you did everything correctly, are located at a distance of 58-59 cm from each other, sheets of mineral wool are tightly inserted.
   
4. It is better to use mineral wool with a density of at least 35-50kg/m3. A less dense insulation will settle or roll down, which will lead to the appearance of voids and cold bridges. As a rule, manufacturers write on the packaging what material can be used for.
   
5. As well as with the floor, the layers of mineral wool must be laid so as to overlap the previous joint of the sheets, at least 15-20cm. The total thickness of the insulation depends on the climate zone, but the average value is also 15cm.
6. After all the insulation has been laid in the walls, it is necessary to fill with mounting foam all the small voids formed at the junctions of boards and beams.
   
7. A prerequisite for insulation with mineral wool is that from the inside of the house, over the insulation, it is necessary to stretch the vapor barrier membrane, which will protect the insulation from moisture coming from inside the house. On top of which the same OSB sheets are most often stuffed, as well as outside, but you can also use a board, slats and similar materials, depending on the further finishing. An important point in the installation of the vapor barrier membrane is that it is not overtightened at the inner corners, and the vapor barrier completely repeats the angle of the frame. Otherwise, in the future, it will be difficult to nail the sheathing at the corners.
   

It is worth noting that this whole procedure can be done the other way around, first pull the vapor barrier membrane from the inside, then the inner sheathing material, and the process of insulating the walls with mineral wool can be done from the outside.

Insulation of the internal walls of a frame house

Distinctive features of the insulation of the internal walls of a frame house are:

If it is not possible, or there are no strict requirements for soundproofing internal partitions, it will be enough to use the same insulation as for external walls. The thickness of the heat-insulating layer can be much less.

Do-it-yourself insulation of the ceiling of a frame house

Insulation of the ceiling of a frame house is practically no different from other types of houses with wooden floors, and is one of the most crucial moments in the thermal insulation of the whole house as a whole.

Now let's take a step-by-step look at how to properly insulate the ceiling of a frame house with mineral wool:

Since warm air tends to rise up, if the ceiling or roof is not properly insulated, the maximum amount of heat will leave the house.

Do-it-yourself insulation of the roof of a frame house

Very often, instead of the ceiling, and sometimes together with the ceiling, the roof of the frame house is also insulated with mineral wool. This is usually done in cases where the attic space is residential and heated.

The insulation technology practically does not differ from the thermal insulation of the ceiling, except that a waterproofing material must be stretched over the insulation to protect the insulation from an external aggressive environment.

This is how the heat-insulating layer of mineral wool on the roof of a frame house looks like in the diagram:

Here are a few features that will help facilitate the process of warming with your own hands:

It is worth noting that it is possible to insulate the roof from the inside, if it is fully assembled. But this is much more inconvenient, because you will have to come up with some kind of temporary fasteners before pulling on the vapor barrier material so that the insulation does not fall out.

Features of using other types of heaters

All preparatory work on the thermal insulation of a frame house, regardless of the type of insulation, is no different. Differences, and even then insignificant, in the laying of the insulation itself, which will be discussed further.

Now consider the main differences between insulation with other materials that can also be used as thermal insulation for frame houses.

Insulation with expanded polystyrene (styrofoam) and EPS

If you dig around on the Internet, you will find a lot of controversy about foam insulation not only for wooden houses, but also for others. Indeed, foam plastic for frame houses is not the best option, although it will be the warmest, with the same thickness of insulation, and why is a separate topic for conversation.

The process of insulation with foam plastic and extruded polystyrene foam is practically no different, so they can be combined. Here are some features of expanded polystyrene and insulation based on it:

1. Styrofoam does not always lie as tightly between the lags as mineral wool, so all cracks and voids must be removed using mounting foam or similar materials.
2. Expanded polystyrene is a combustible material, this must be remembered and even potential sources of combustion should not come into contact with it.
3. When using foam, you need to take care of improved ventilation, because this material practically does not allow air to pass through.
4. Despite the fact that expanded polystyrene practically does not pass or absorb moisture, it cannot be left as the only waterproofing at home. Waterproofing and vapor barrier layers should still be present, because they protect not only the insulation, but also the tree itself, from which the frame of the house is assembled.
5. Styrofoam is very fond of rodents who make their moves in it, so care must be taken that they do not get to it.

These are the basic rules and differences in the use of polystyrene foam boards and insulation based on them. Otherwise, everything is done in the same way as in the case of mineral wool insulation.

Features insulation of a frame house with ecowool

Ecowool is a relatively new material for insulating not only frame houses. It can be used as a heater in almost all areas of private construction, including frame construction.

1. Despite the fact that ecowool insulation can be done without special equipment, I would still not recommend doing this. Firstly, because with the help of special equipment, ecowool is applied more evenly and blows out all the voids. Secondly, manually prepared ecowool has less good characteristics, both in terms of shrinkage and thermal insulation.
2. Ecowool absorbs moisture very well, therefore waterproofing and vapor barrier materials, as well as their installation, must be approached with special responsibility.
3. It is necessary to apply ecowool with a margin, because it will shrink over time, up to 10-15%.
4. When applying it, you must use personal protective equipment.

It should be noted that when insulating a frame house with ecowool, it is necessary to hire responsible and highly qualified specialists who will take into account all its features during installation.

Insulation of a frame house with expanded clay

This insulation technology is currently used extremely rarely, because now there is a huge selection of materials with much better characteristics, but still I will tell you a little about it.

1. Expanded clay in dry form, as a heater, can be used either for floor or ceiling insulation, it is also possible for them to insulate interfloor ceilings. Using it in the walls is problematic, and, in my opinion, not justified.
2. Very often, expanded clay insulation is combined, for example, with sawdust, ash, etc.
3. The difference between expanded clay insulation is that the floor and ceiling, from below under the logs, must be pierced either with a butt board or with some plywood materials.
4. Expanded clay is better to use a fine fraction, thereby there will be fewer voids.

In addition to those described by me, there are many more materials and methods for insulating frame houses with your own hands. But they are all so similar that it makes little sense to describe each of them.