The balcony space can be used in different ways: for storing something, for example, vegetables and preparations for the winter, as a greenhouse or winter garden, as a separate warm room, which can be used as a study or relaxation area. In any case, to realize your plans, you will need to insulate the balcony from the inside. Even if you are not going to make a completely warm room out of your balcony, but want to store winter preparations on it, so that the temperature on the balcony does not drop below zero, you need to insulate it.
By the way, in everyday life there are two concepts: “balcony” and “loggia”, which are fundamentally different from each other.
Balcony is a completely remote structure that is located outside the building. The floor is a slab protruding from the building. The space is fenced with a light parapet made of metal structure. The parapet can be sheathed with some kind of simple material: plywood or plastic panels.
Loggia is a room built into a building, one of the sides of which is open and can be fenced with a metal or concrete/brick parapet. On two, and more often than not three, sides there are walls adjacent either to the premises of the apartment or to the neighbors.
Of course, a loggia is more suitable for equipping a separate room than a balcony for several reasons. Firstly, it is always larger in size. Secondly, the loggia is part of the building, which means its floor can withstand heavy loads. Thirdly, two or three walls of the loggia lead to warm rooms, which significantly reduces insulation costs.
Most often, both the balcony and the loggia are called the same word “balcony”. We will also use this concept, but with reservations, if the structural differences of these objects require clarification.
It’s better to start with glazing, and use a minimum double-glazed windows. And if you live in a region where the temperature in winter drops below - 40 °C, then you should think about three-chamber ones.
Important! If you have old wooden windows with single glass, and you think: “Now I’ll blow it here, insulate it there, and everything will be fine,” you’ll have to disappoint. You can't get away with half measures. Such insulation will not change the situation; the temperature on the balcony will not rise. The money spent on insulation will be blown out into the chimney, or rather through the windows, those same wooden ones.
The cladding and insulation of the balcony should create a “thermos” effect. To do this, you must first install high-quality glazing through which heat will not be lost, and then insulate the walls, ceiling, parapet and floor of the balcony.
The technology for insulating a balcony can be divided into the following stages:
The balcony insulation scheme is unified. So if you want it to be of high quality, follow all the steps and don’t skimp on the little things, so you don’t regret it later.
Important! The vapor barrier must be installed on the side of the room. Because its task is to prevent the penetration of household steam from the room into the insulation. Whether to install a vapor barrier on the street side is up to everyone to decide for themselves, but a layer of waterproofing is mandatory.
Depending on how exactly you want to use the balcony in the end, you can insulate it different ways.
If you have a loggia that you plan to use for storing vegetables and drying clothes, then you should insulate it in only one layer, and then only the parapet.
If you have a balcony that you are going to turn into a separate room, then you need to insulate it in two layers various materials, paying maximum attention to all surfaces - walls, parapet, floor and ceiling.
If you plan to attach a loggia to a room, you should insulate it from the parapet side - in two layers, and the walls, floor and ceiling - in one layer.
Repair and insulation of balconies is carried out using various materials using their own technologies. Thermal insulation materials (insulation materials) have different thermal conductivity coefficients, structure and shape. Next, we will look at just a few of them and clarify some of the nuances of their use and fastening.
Penoplex is a material from the group of extruded polystyrene foams. It has a thermal conductivity of 0.030 W/(m°C), does not absorb moisture, and has high compressive and bending strength. Penoplex is available in slabs different sizes thickness from 20 mm to 100 mm. The slabs can be smooth, or they can have recesses and protrusions that act as a “tenon” and “groove” system, which greatly facilitates their installation and fastening.
In regions with harsh climates, Penoplex with a thickness of 50 to 70 mm should be used. If the temperature in your region rarely drops below - 25 ° C, slabs with a thickness of 40 mm will be sufficient.
The method of attaching Penoplex insulation is selected taking into account what the finishing will be like.
If you plan to cover the balcony with plastic, sheets of plasterboard or other material, then it is enough to secure the slabs using special plastic dowels resembling a mushroom.
The plastic legs of the dowel have a thickness of 8 - 10 mm, the lattice caps act as a fastening element. We recommend using dowels 80 - 100 mm long. In case finishing coat There will be plaster, the slabs should be secured using a combined method. First glue it to the surface, then additionally secure it with “mushrooms”.
Penoplex insulation technology is as follows:
Important! Under no circumstances should you make a wooden sheathing on the wall and then insert Penoplex slabs into the space. In this case, the tree will act as a “cold bridge” and quickly release heat from the room. If you plan to install plasterboard sheets on top of the insulation, then secure Penoplex using the technology described above, then lay a vapor barrier and then fill the sheathing on top. The empty space between the insulation and the finishing sheets will act as additional thermal insulation.
Today Penoplex is considered the most popular and a good decision for insulating the balcony. This is due to its strength characteristics. If strength is not so important, you can use polystyrene foam for insulation.
Polystyrene foam is less durable than extruded polystyrene foam, but has lower thermal conductivity due to large air bubbles. It is produced in slabs with a thickness of 5 cm to 15 cm. To insulate a balcony, 5 - 10 cm slabs will be sufficient.
Polystyrene foam is hygroscopic and does not lose its properties under the influence of moisture.
The technology for insulation with polystyrene foam looks like this:
You can apply plaster, putty, paint or other finishing on top of the mesh.
Wooden lining is used for insulating balconies only as a material for the second layer of insulation. There is only one exception: if a loggia is insulated, the walls of which are adjacent to the heated rooms. In this case, the walls, floor and ceiling are finished with clapboard, which in this case acts both as insulation and as a finishing touch. The parapet requires more careful insulation - first with polystyrene foam, only then with clapboard.
Technology for insulating a balcony with clapboard:
The top of the lining can be varnished.
Important! Please note that it is impossible to arrange such insulation on a frail balcony - the lining is too heavy. Therefore, be sure to make preliminary strength calculations.
Experts recommend abandoning the idea of insulating a balcony with mineral wool, due to its fragile structure and the impossibility of tightly joining the material without leaving gaps. It is more advisable to use polystyrene foam or the same Penoplex, but if you have decided definitely and irrevocably that you want to insulate it with mineral wool, well, we’ll share the technology.
Technology for insulating a balcony with mineral wool:
We install logs on the floor, and lay mineral wool sheets in the space between them.
All work on insulating a balcony from the inside can be done independently, regardless of what material you choose. No specific skills or knowledge are required, only a tool and skill in handling it. But the glazing of the balcony should still be entrusted to professionals; this is not an easy task.
To turn a loggia into a full-fledged room, you first need to make it warm. It's no secret that there are many options for insulating a loggia using a variety of materials and technologies. Some owners prefer to hire specialists to carry out finishing and insulation work. Others, on the contrary, prefer to improve the premises themselves.
In any case, it will not hurt to find out how to properly insulate a loggia or balcony, what materials to choose for these purposes and read the instructions for installing thermal insulation. The videos presented in our article will clearly demonstrate the process of insulating a loggia.
Wherever your loggia is located, panel house, Khrushchev or new building, its insulation implies a certain set of preliminary measures. Firstly, your loggia must be glazed. To arrange extra room in an apartment, the glazing of the loggia should be warm, consist of plastic profiles with two or three layers of glass.
Secondly, to install high-quality glazing, a strong and solid parapet is required. If the fence begins to collapse, then the loggia needs repairs, which will involve restoring its integrity. If the parapet is metal, it is best to lay a partition of foam blocks or bricks in front of it.
On a note! Most often, foam blocks are used to create a reliable parapet when insulating loggias and balconies. Unlike bricks, they have a light weight and allow you to minimize the load on the floor slab.Foam block partition photo
The third component of success is good waterproofing of loggias and balconies. It is important that precipitation does not enter the room through cracks in the glazing, and that moisture does not enter from neighbors through the top balcony slab. To ensure that the insulation does not subsequently become wet and retains its qualities for as long as possible, careful sealing of the loggia is necessary.
Thus, before you start finishing and insulating the loggia in the apartment, you need to take into account all these nuances and carry out the appropriate work.
Before considering the materials used for thermal insulation, let's talk about existing methods insulation. The loggia can be insulated both from the inside and outside. For internal insulation it is necessary to sheathe its surfaces - walls, ceiling and floor - with thermal insulation, and finish and decorate the top. Insulation from the outside involves covering the outer wall of the loggia, sealing it and finishing it. In this article we will talk about materials and methods of thermal insulation of loggias from the inside.
On a note! It is difficult to do external insulation yourself if the apartment is located above the first floor. This requires the professional participation of high-altitude workers. You can easily do the internal things yourself.
Loggia insulated from the inside photo
So, how to insulate a loggia from the inside? Of course you need to choose suitable material. Rooms are usually insulated with expanded polystyrene, penoplex, technoplex, mineral wool or polyurethane foam. Each of these materials can be used on any surface - walls, ceiling or floor. As a rule, a sheathing is made around the perimeter of the insulated surface, a layer of insulation is created and the cladding is installed.
Advice! The finishing of the loggia over the sheathing is done using a variety of materials - plasterboard, plastic or sandwich panels, clapboard and others. However, before finishing the room, do not forget to carry out all the work on lighting the loggia in order to hide the wiring under the cladding layer.Among the options for how to insulate the floor on a loggia, there is also thermal insulation using expanded clay or an electric heating system, the so-called “warm floor”.
Laying a “warm floor” when insulating a loggia with your own hands photo
Expanded polystyrene, or, as it is popularly called, polystyrene foam, is the most economical insulation material. It is lightweight and low cost. Foam boards are produced in different forms. They can vary in area and thickness. To insulate a loggia with polystyrene foam, you should choose a finely granulated, dense material that can be easily sanded and leveled. It is also necessary to pay attention that the purchased foam is non-flammable.
An example of using polystyrene foam to insulate a loggia in a panel house photo
Another type of thermal insulation is penoplex, as well as its analogue technoplex. Both of these materials are made on the basis of extruded polystyrene foam, which has a dense structure of completely closed cells. As a rule, technoplex and penoplex slabs are orange.
Using penopelks to insulate a loggia photo
This material was specially developed for use in insulating rooms. It is resistant to moisture and can last up to 40 years. In terms of price, it is slightly more expensive than polystyrene foam. The video will clearly demonstrate the process of insulating a loggia with penoplex:
You can also insulate the loggia with glass wool, mineral or stone wool. This is a non-flammable material with excellent heat and sound insulation properties. However, you should protect it from moisture - if it gets wet useful qualities this insulation deteriorates sharply, it becomes heavier and adds load to the entire structure of the room. Therefore, when installing mineral wool, you should organize its comprehensive vapor barrier.
Stone wool on the loggia floor
On a note! Penofol is used to install a vapor barrier layer when waterproofing loggias. This is a foil material that sticks to the surface and protects it from moisture penetration. It also has other names - isolon or folgoizolon.This video will help you get acquainted with the use of penofol when insulating balconies and loggias:
The next insulating material is polyurethane foam (PPU). It is radically different from others, because it is initially a liquid that is sprayed using a specialized apparatus under high pressure. After hardening, it forms a monolithic seamless layer, adhering perfectly to any clean, dry surface.
Walls covered with polyurethane foam
Polyurethane foam has the lowest thermal conductivity of all the above materials; a small layer of polyurethane foam is enough to make the room warm. However, insulating a loggia with your own hands using polyurethane foam is not possible without the appropriate equipment. To do this you will have to hire a specialized organization. The video will more clearly demonstrate how polyurethane foam is used and how to insulate a loggia:
Let us consider in detail the technology of insulating a loggia using polystyrene foam.
The plates should fit together as tightly as possible. They need to be mounted staggered, avoiding the coincidence of the longitudinal seams. The resulting gaps are best eliminated with foam glue.
This video will clearly show how to insulate a loggia with your own hands:
Another popular material used for insulation is mineral wool. The technology of its application is as follows.
This video will help you get acquainted in more detail with the technology of using mineral wool for insulating a loggia with your own hands:
Insulating the loggia will allow you to use it as a place to relax.
To increase the space of the apartment, you can take advantage of the area of the loggias, which are mainly used as a warehouse for unnecessary things. But in order for it to be comfortable not only in summer, but also in winter, it must be insulated. makes it possible to transform the room into a place for relaxation or a study.
Insulation methods
The market for materials for do-it-yourself insulation is now quite diverse, but the most popular are penoplex, or extruded polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, and mineral wool. The choice of insulation depends on various factors, the main of which are the area of the balcony and the financial capabilities of the apartment owner. But in general, if followed the right technology, each of these materials will cope with its task.
Before you start insulating it yourself, you need to glaze the loggia. To prevent heat from escaping, it is necessary to carefully fill all seams polyurethane foam.
Penoplex is applied to the walls and ceiling of the balcony. The easiest way to secure it is with construction glue, and after using the glue, additionally fill it with disc-type dowels. The joints between the foam sheets also need to be filled with polyurethane foam.
Important! In order not to spoil the insulation, the polyurethane foam should not contain toluene.
Penoplex can be used to insulate not only walls, but also ceilings.
Next comes a layer of vapor barrier. It is necessary so that the condensate that forms does not cause the destruction of the penoplex. The simplest vapor barrier material is polyethylene film. It is attached with your own hands on top of the insulation using tape, and the joints of the film also need to be secured with tape. In addition, you can use small nails for better fixation.
At the next stage of finishing the loggias, you can insulate the floor with your own hands. , work is underway on the production of cement-sand screed. It is used as a subfloor, and can be placed on the screed flooring.
To finish the ceiling of balconies, it is necessary to make a lath on which it will be attached finishing material. The lathing is made by hand from wooden beam, which is connected with self-tapping screws. The ceiling can be finished using plasterboard or lining.
Insulation with polystyrene foam begins in the same way as with penoplex - with the glazing of the balcony. Having completed all the glazing work, you can begin to insulate the floor. The polystyrene foam is attached with your own hands between the logs, which are pre-installed on the floor of the loggias. Chipboard is laid on top of the insulation, and at the end - the floor covering.
The rest of the balcony decoration is practically no different from penoplex insulation.
Important! We must not forget that any work with mineral wool should be carried out with gloves and a mask, because its vapors have a bad effect on the respiratory organs.
In the same way as in the case of polystyrene foam, mineral wool is attached to the sheathing. The only difference is that this material perfectly bends around fencing elements.
Warm floors are divided into three types:
Most often, electric heated floors are installed on the balcony.
Electric floors are the most common and are installed more often than others. Their feature is heating cable, running along the perimeter of the loggia floor.
Heating mats do not require creating a screed after installation. This system is placed on concrete surface, and the finishing coating is mounted on top.
Having purchased a suitable cable, the pitch of its installation is calculated, i.e. distance between parallel segments. It is better to lay the cable along the balcony so that there are fewer bent pieces.
The cable is fastened with your own hands on a metal mesh. The cable connection is made through a thermostat, which is mounted on one of the walls of the balcony. After laying the cable, you need to check its functionality. Only after making sure that it works properly can you screed the floor.
It is recommended to choose materials with high thermal conductivity as flooring for loggias.
Considering that radiators cannot be placed in the balcony room, the most suitable option a convector will be used. It is able to heat a room and maintain a certain temperature in it.
But, if it is planned to equip a place for permanent residence, it is better to combine all the methods proposed for.
Creation favorable microclimate on the loggia involves not only insulating the walls, the entire space must be airtight. Floor and ceiling surfaces are also sheathed with material with a low degree of thermal conductivity. In our article you will learn how to properly insulate a balcony from the inside.
Advantages and disadvantages are inherent to each type of thermal insulation. In order to choose the most suitable insulation, you should compare the main characteristics of heat insulators.
The most common thermal insulator options:
The thickness of the sheets varies from 2 to 20 cm. Mineral wool is divided into three types, depending on the components of the raw material:
An example of installing mineral wool on a loggia. The material is placed into the prepared structure. The mounting frame can be made of metal profiles or wooden blocks.
Manufacturers produce cotton wool in the form of mats and soft rolls. In some cases, one side is covered with foil. Aluminum foil improves the level of thermal insulation.
When laying mineral wool, the foil side should be directed inside the room. This principle allows heat to be reflected from the aluminum coating and returned to the room.
The main disadvantage is that moisture is destructive; a vapor barrier is required.
Please pay attention to the integrity of the mineral wool packaging before purchasing. Moisture negatively affects the properties of the heat insulator. For high-quality insulation, it is necessary that the loggia space be dry.
Penoplex, polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam, foamed polyethylene are polymers treated with foam compounds.
Advantages:
Main disadvantage: support the spread of flame during a fire, emit harmful substances during the combustion process.
When choosing polystyrene foam and other polymer-based materials, it is necessary to correctly select the thickness of the slabs and determine the density
If you plan to use the space in winter, then choose a thickness of 50 mm. The density is determined by further coating - for putty, a value of 25 kg/cube is suitable. m.
1. Foam sheets
Insulator slabs (expanded polystyrene) during installation.
Polystyrene foam is a low-cost method of insulating a loggia, but it is considered a fairly fragile material, so lathing is required for installation. A worthy replacement is extruded polystyrene foam; its installation does not require the creation of a special frame.
2. Penoplex
Extruded polystyrene foam boards (50 mm thick) are used as insulation. The seams between the elements are sealed with polyurethane foam. Penoplex is attached using special disc-shaped dowels (“fungi”).
3. Penofol
The material is used as a separate heat insulator; foam polystyrene foam can also be used to provide vapor barrier. Due to the foil side, warm air is reflected and retained in the room.
In order to speed up the insulation of the structure, you can use alternative method thermal insulation - spraying polyurethane foam (PPU).
4. Polyurethane foam
PPU is one of the most modern heat insulators. The cost of application services is considered high compared to other analogues, but many have managed to evaluate the performance properties of polyurethane foam. For this insulation Characterized by high thermal insulation rates due to its fine-porous structure.
Spraying of polyurethane foam is carried out by specialists at installation work One day is enough; it also doesn’t take much time to dry completely.
In order to increase usable area in your home and operate the premises all year round necessary:
1. Seal gaps, if any. Carefully examine the room to eliminate all design flaws. As a rule, cracks are filled with polyurethane foam, even if they are large.
After complete drying, it is necessary to trim off the excess.
2. Glazing with reliable double-glazed windows.
3. Organize a waterproofing layer. To protect against moisture, waterproofing with penetrating properties is used - “Penetron”, “Aquaton”, etc. The composition is applied with a roller, brush, or spray. This impregnation penetrates into the thickness, so the walls become as resistant to adverse weather as possible and their strength characteristics improve.
The installation of a waterproofing layer allows you to eliminate the most minor surface cracks that may not be visually visible.
5. Installation of a vapor barrier layer. In order to make a vapor barrier, you should use special polymer membranes(“breathable”), as well as films “Rockwool”, “Izospan”, penofol.
When using penofol, lay the insulation so that the side covered with foil is directed into the room. Subject to this condition, heat will constantly be reflected from the foil, lingering inside the space.
WITH detailed description Each stage can be found in the article: .
Goals for creating interior decoration:
To create a balcony interior, you can choose various options finishing. Plaster, plastic panels, MDF, lining, plywood, gypsum board sheets and even a block house are perfect for the finishing layer.
Lining panels are environmentally friendly and reliable. One of the main advantages of the finishing material is rigidity. The lining is fixed to wooden frame- lathing.
The walls of the loggia are covered with clapboard, the flooring is laminate.
Facing the balcony with a block house.
IN plastic panels There are grooves for connecting elements. Plastic version lining has less rigidity and strength than wood.
Installation of gypsum board sheets on metal profiles. Plasterboard slabs can be decorated with wallpaper, painted, or covered with decorative plaster.
Decorating walls with wallpaper over gypsum board sheets.
Bamboo wallpaper. Reason for finishing- drywall.
1. The result of insulating the loggia.
Glazed balcony. Demonstration of electrical terminals. Testing the strength of extruded polystyrene foam. Use of penoplex with a thickness of 30 and 50 mm, finishing the walls with putty. Concrete screed floor on top of insulation boards.
2. Stages repair work on the balcony.
Consistent process of arranging a room. Scheme of thermal insulation of walls with polystyrene foam and foamed polyethylene, finishing - plastic panels. Floor: leveling, thermal insulation, OSB sheathing, installation of laminate slats.
.Most of us do not attach importance to repairing a balcony or loggia. Perhaps this is due to the small size of the space, and sometimes just out of habit. However, it is precisely these small utility rooms apartments can be completely different, and their insulation is worth thinking about seriously.
Repairing a balcony is closely related to the idea of insulation, since its enclosing outer walls are thinner than the walls of the house. For most regions of Russia thermal calculations determine the need for thermal insulation materials, the variety of which is expanding with ever newer and more technologically advanced samples on the construction market.
Insulating a balcony is a step towards obtaining additional comfortable space in the apartment
To properly or sufficiently insulate a balcony or loggia, you must consider:
Since repairing a balcony or loggia is a complex undertaking, insulation must be calculated in advance, selecting all necessary materials. Methods of their installation for different types balconies and loggias differ from each other.
The insulation method also depends on the position of the insulating material; there are two main types: external and internal.
External insulation is used when there is a solid base for installing the insulation. This method is typical for panel monolithic houses, the balconies of which have reinforced concrete bases. You can also insulate a loggia, the underrail part of which is lined brickwork. The method of external insulation of enclosing structures is considered the best, since the “dew point”, or the formation of condensation, is located outside the walls of the balcony. The main disadvantage: the high cost of work. Since all work is carried out outside the balcony, loggia, this requires the participation of industrial climbers.
Internal insulation is carried out by fixing the insulating material from the inside of the balcony or loggia. The method is not complicated, you can do it yourself. Usually it is done immediately after the balcony or loggia is glazed with new frames. The effect of such insulation is somewhat lower, but it will also cost much less. In addition, by fixing thermal insulation materials, you can immediately carry out all the necessary communications, as well as level the surfaces of the walls, ceiling and floor.
Insulation frame balcony can be classified as an intermediate method, since the heat-insulating material in in this case fixed in the cells of the frame between the outer and inner skins.
Market building materials is replete with a variety of insulation materials, advertising of which claims that each of them is the best. How not to get confused in this diversity, and what is the best way to insulate a balcony?
The main thermal insulation materials that are worth paying attention to are the following:
Class polymer materials with gas-filled granules, 2-5 mm in diameter, widely used for packaging various products and insulation. The granules sintered during steaming form a single structure, the strength of the interconnections of which determines the density of the material.
Polyfoam is a lightweight and affordable material for insulating balconies.
The main advantages of polystyrene foam:
Disadvantages: high flammability class, destruction under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, chemical vapors of acetone, benzene, toxicity dangerous to humans when burning.
This is a type of foam, the most common on the building materials market, obtained from styrene copolymers. By steaming the raw material into its finished form, the gas-filled granules are firmly sintered together to form a durable shape, which is then cut into slabs of various thicknesses, usually 20-100 mm.
The density of expanded polystyrene for construction work usually varies between 15-50 kg/m3. With their own positive characteristics low thermal conductivity and water absorption, this material, like most in its group, has a low bending strength - an average of 0.25 MPa. Its flammability class is also high - G3-G4.
Expanded polystyrene is a more advanced version of polystyrene foam
Expanded polystyrene crumb, which is a porous filler in polystyrene concrete, is also used in construction. The resulting material belongs to the class of lightweight concrete, its density is 150-600 kg/m3, thermal conductivity is 0.055-0.145 W/(m*K). At the same time, a screed made of such material can withstand a sufficient load to be used for surface screeds in the floors of houses, attics, balconies and loggias. Polystyrene concrete is non-toxic, flammability class - G1 (low flammability).
If you don’t know how to insulate a balcony, this material is without a doubt one of the best! Its main advantage is its extremely dense cellular structure, consisting of granules measuring about 0.1-0.2 mm. The high tensile strength during static bending of this material makes it almost universal in insulating any possible surfaces. The water absorption of XPS is 10 times less than that of expanded polystyrene - only 0.2-0.4%! The disadvantages include low vapor permeability and high flammability class G3-G4.
Penoplex is a modern and easy-to-install insulation
A traditional material, the ancestor of which (glass wool) was widely used in the construction of the last century. Stone mineral wool today is also popular in insulating roofs, canopies, ceilings, partitions, etc. Its main advantage is resistance to high temperatures and chemicals.
Thermal conductivity is close to some foam plastics, but due to the fibrous structure, its moisture absorption and vapor permeability are quite high. During installation it must be protected from moisture and vapor barrier membranes. There are sheet and roll samples of mineral wool on the market medium density 60-120kg/m3.
Mineral wool is an inexpensive, fire-resistant material
Thermal insulation is fixed in various ways. The facade and internal insulation systems have some differences here.
Foam, polystyrene or XPS boards are secured with external insulation using cement-polymer or polyurethane adhesive. For greater confidence in installation, and to avoid cracks and chips of thermal insulation boards, they are secured to plastic dowel-nails. High-density mineral wool is also installed. At the next stage, the finished continuous surface of the insulation is reinforced. Fiberglass mesh for exterior use and moisture-resistant tile adhesive based on cement and polymers are used as reinforcing materials. Finally, a protective layer of weather-resistant paint or plaster is applied. Sometimes the surface is decorated with wild stone or its imitation.
For internal insulation systems with a solid base of reinforced concrete or masonry, the same methods and materials for fastening are used. In some cases, for installation of drywall or OSB boards a frame made of galvanized profiles is attached to the base or wooden slats, bars. Pre-fitted insulation is tightly inserted into its cells, covering it with a vapor barrier membrane. Low-density mineral wool sheets are secured with tape and a stapler. Only after this the cladding is installed.
When inserting polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene into the cells of the frame, small gaps will be inevitable. They must be sealed to avoid cold bridges and freezing of the insulation. This can be easily done with polyurethane foam, cutting off the excess after drying.
For intermediate, when the enclosing structures of the walls are a metal or wooden frame, slabs of any type of foam are inserted into its cells and secured with polyurethane foam. If mineral wool slabs are used as insulation, roll insulation, it will need to be protected on both sides with vapor barrier membranes, and only then the sheathing will be secured to the frame.
The following materials are widely used for floor insulation:
The advantage of these bulk heat insulators is that they allow you to raise the level of the screed by 10-20 cm or more with relatively little effort and inexpensively, without adding much weight to the balcony structure. Practically no surface preparation is required for their use. To be sure, you can ensure reliable moisture insulation using bitumen mastics or plastic film. Disadvantage: for cooking correct proportion maintaining cement and other fillers, as well as pouring concrete on site, requires professional skills and tools.
Frame-based floors wooden logs insulation is much easier. A heat insulator - mineral wool, polystyrene foam or expanded clay - is placed in the hollow space between the logs and covered with moisture-resistant cladding, for example, OSB boards.
Do right choice A comparison of the main characteristics of thermal insulation materials will help. The following table allows you to do this in full.
Before insulating the balcony and starting repair work, you should consult with specialists and choose the most the best way make the balcony or loggia of your dreams!
