If you are building your own house, then you have probably thought more than once: what is the best way to insulate my house? In each situation, you need to choose a specific insulation: ecowool, mineral wool (glass wool), expanded polystyrene or polyurethane foam.
But for me, in 80% of cases the modern and environmentally friendly material ecowool. That is why I insulated my own house with ecowool.
Ecowool- This is cellulose insulation, that is, it is made entirely of paper. Why is ecowool called that? I don’t know why they called it ecowool, I would call it eco-paper. Or just cellulose, cellulose insulation. But apparently it doesn’t sound as cool as ecowool. After all, marketers are cunning. But it’s easy and quick to remember.
Moreover, you can’t say that ecowool is a super environmentally friendly insulation. Yes, it is more environmentally friendly than all other insulation materials on the market: basalt, glass wool, polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam. But still there is boric acid and antiprenes.
This is not linen insulation, in which everything is environmentally friendly except the price. But at the same time, ecowool contains no substances or components capable of releasing volatile harmful substances during operation, unlike Basalt, polyurethane foam and polyurethane foam. Unlike Basalt, ecowool does not contain dangerous hazardous particles of 2-3 microns in size that can penetrate into the room even through the vapor barrier - not the most pleasant neighborhood.
On the other hand, what is the furniture in our house made of? What is our decoration made of? And this is all inside the house, and ecowool is outside, and all this does not penetrate through the films. So what's the environmental friendliness of ecowool There's definitely no need to worry.
What is ecowool made of? Ecowool composition simple: cellulose, borax and boric acid. Pleasant to the touch, soft and fluffy.
Ecowool is packaged in 15 kg bags. It is very convenient to carry it from the car to the house, and then pour it out of the bag directly into the barrel, from where it is taken by a blowing machine or a garden vacuum cleaner. We do this in a few hours.
Pros of ecowool as insulation:
I have photographs in which the frame of the house burned down, and the ecowool lay untouched. If you're interested, I'll look for it, write in the comments
Cons of ecowool as insulation:
That's why I work only with the most the best specialists in your area.
A little more should be said about the price. It's not such a disadvantage. If we look, rockwool costs 1,800 per cube, and here it’s 2,000 per cube with installation (dry installation) and 3,500 rubles per cube (wet installation). If you select only ecowool without installation, then the price of a cube will be 1,575 rubles per cubic meter. It turns out that it is also cheaper.
This is where the disadvantages of ecowool end (with proper installation).
Why ecowool is better than mineral wool - mineral wool:
Why is mineral wool better than ecowool?
The issue with the manufacturer is resolved simply. We need to look at the reviews. For example, we only take ecowool from Kazan from a new plant. She's always good. Do-it-yourself installation is more difficult. It is possible to blow ecowool “into the horizon” yourself, but into the walls with your own hands it is virtually impossible or ineffective.
Frame houses are in first place in terms of the frequency of insulation with ecowool. I also insulated my frame with ecowool. The secret of its popularity is simple: you don’t need to get attached to the step wooden elements, you don’t need to immediately bring a truckload of insulation (it fits in a gazelle), you can insulate any amount (in depth) from 30 mm to 500 mm, it makes it easier to maintain the microclimate in the frame, etc.
Insulating the frame is one of our favorite tasks. Although insulating hangars is also an interesting task, it is much more difficult.
Separately, it is necessary to say about insulation log houses y. There are no alternatives for such houses (not counting polyurethane foam). We can easily insulate logs with ecowool, both outside and inside, and then cover them with some kind of finishing.
A big plus in this case is that you don’t need to put a film inside and don’t trap moisture there, since the ecowool will let it out. The house seems to be “breathing,” although I don’t like that word.
How to insulate aerated concrete or gas silicate houses with ecowool? Block houses are usually insulated from the outside. The sheathing is placed vertically in increments of 600-1000 mm and insulated using the wet-glue method. The concept of a breathing home also works in in this case and a vapor barrier film is usually not installed in them.
The main thing is that before insulating a block house, you need to calculate where the dew point will be in such a wall pie, since it may remain in the insulation. And although ecowool is okay with waterlogging, it is not endless.
Now let's talk about specific insulation units.
This video talks in detail about wet and dry insulation.
I think after watching you will have no questions left about how to insulate a house with ecowool. It is better to do it with the hands of masters. I initially wanted to insulate my house with ecowool with my own hands using a garden vacuum cleaner, but the deeper I delved into the topic, the more I realized that it’s not worth insulating the walls using the dry method - it will settle. But it’s impossible to do it with wet hands.
So at the same time I ordered ecowool from a specialist using both the dry and wet methods, why spend money on a vacuum cleaner that costs 5-10 thousand and waste months of time manually blowing it into the floor.
Insulating the floor with ecowool is the simplest of all activities, if done with professional installation. I insulated 200m2 of floor and attic flooring in just 5 hours! Here's the result: 
The photos turned out a little cloudy because the process is quite dusty. But if you have a high-quality respirator, there will be no problems.
Many people simply spread ecowool from a bag onto the floor onto some kind of covering, and then fluff it up with a drill attachment or blow it out using a garden vacuum cleaner. It is very long and painful. Is it worth it? Let's do the math.
Here's an example. 1 cube with insulation costs 2000 rubles. 1 cube alone will cost 35*50, where 35 is the price in NN, and 50 is the density and equals 1750. There is no mysticism. Professional installation allows you to achieve a density of 40 kg per cubic meter. As a result, the difference is 250 rubles. Now Let 100 sq.m. at 200 mm. This is 20 cubes. 250*20=5000 rubles difference. In terms of time it takes 1.5 hours to install and 30 hours manually.
See previous point. Floor insulation is no different from floor insulation. 
In the photos above we insulated frame house outside. It turned out very good and warm.
The process of insulating the floor and covering the attic can be seen in this video:
Are there options when it is contraindicated to use ecowool? There are two such options:
Let's calculate the amount of ecowool for an average house of 100 m2 and one floor. The house measures 9 by 11.
Ecowool calculator:
We have (9+11)*2 = 40 sq.m. walls Multiply 40 by a wall height of 3 meters = 120 sq.m. walls
Wall insulation thickness 200 mm (150 + 50 cross). Now we multiply the area of all the walls by the thickness: 120 * 0.2 = 24 cubic meters. The density of ecowool blown into the wall is about 65 kg per cubic meter. meter. In total, we need 24*65=1560 kg of ecowool for wet insulation of our external walls.
Internal walls. Let's imagine that we have 100 sq.m. interior walls 100 mm thick. Then it turns out 100*0.1*65=650 kg of ecowool.
Total for all walls we need 1560+650 = 2210 kg needed for walls.
We count ecowool for floors. Our floor area is 9*11=99 sq.m. The thickness of the floor insulation is 200 mm. 99*0.2=20 cubic meters (trimmed a little for beauty). Don't forget that we also have an attic ceiling. We want to put 300 mm there. 99*0.3=30 cubic meters. In total, we need 50 cubic meters for both floors. The density of dry blown ecowool “to the horizon” is 35 kg per cubic meter. Total 30*35=1050 kg.
Total for insulating a one-story frame house with a floor insulation thickness of 200 mm, a wall insulation thickness of 200 mm and an attic insulation thickness of 300 mm, we need 2210 + 1050 = 3260 kg ecowool.
Divide by the number of 15 kg bags. 3260/15 = 218 bags of pennies. We take 230 with a reserve. It will cost about 115,000 rubles. If something is not enough, you can pour 270 mm into the attic, not 300. In total, a house of 100 square meters on one floor will cost 115,000 rubles to insulate with ecowool without work. Now you understand how to calculate the amount of ecowool for your home.
But ecowool without wet insulation is not the same ecowool and loses half of its advantages.
Therefore, he calculates the price of insulating this house with professional installation: 34 cubic meters per 3500 (wet installation) = 119,000 rubles. 30 cubic meters per 2000 = 60,000 rubles (dry installation in the floor and ceiling). Total 179,000 rubles. Insulation of a 100m2 house with ecowool.
Ecowool is installed using the dry or wet-glue method. In the first case, you can do it yourself. In the second case, you definitely need to hire a specialist or expert in installing ecowool. I must admit that there are not as many professionals in the blowing and installation of ecowool as we would like.
Yes, of course, it’s possible to insulate a house with ecowool yourself. This is especially true for dry blowing into horizontal ceilings. Moreover, this can be done with a garden vacuum cleaner. Garden vacuum cleaner and ecowool - there is such a topic on the forum https://www.forumhouse.ru/threads/26958/.
We insulate a house measuring 100-200 square meters in two days. That is, we will arrive on Saturday morning, and on Monday morning your house will already be insulated. If you insulate a house of this size with your own hands and without professional equipment, it may take one to two weeks. I hope that now the question of how long it takes to insulate a house with ecowool is closed for you.
I already wrote, but I’ll say it again. 2000 rubles per cubic meter (!cube, not square) of dry insulation and 3500 rubles per cubic meter of wet insulation (it is more technologically advanced and more complex).
Only manual! Here I have given you a calculation method, everyone can easily and quickly calculate the volume of ecowool they need!
The wet method (or rather the wet-glue method) of insulation consists of using special machine, in which ecowool, water and glue are mixed, and then it delivers it with a jet under pressure to the right place. In my opinion, cotton wool can only be applied to the walls using the wet method, since if you use the dry method, the ecowool will definitely shrink over time.
Does not give! But there is one thing. Ecowool does not shrink with proper installation: with wet insulation of vertical coverings (the horizon can be done dry), as well as with the direct hands of the installer (so call people with experience, for example, us).
If we are talking about flooring, then the density should be about 35 kg per cubic meter, if we are talking about wall insulation, then the density of ecowool should be 65-75 kg per cubic meter.
If the perimeter of the house is closed, then in winter it can be insulated down to -15.
It takes 30 liters of water per cube of cotton wool.
The ideal pie: ventilated facade - MDVP - ecowool - kraft vapor-limiting paper (or PE) - lathing - plasterboard.
Plastering will not work. But you can plaster using MDVP
During the entire period of using ecowool (and it has been used abroad for quite some time) it was not noticed that anything happened to ecowool. So you don’t have to worry about its durability as insulation.
A bag of ecowool comes out at current prices of approximately 450-500 rubles. You can buy ecowool at special factories. But many factories make very low-quality raw materials, so you also need to know where you can buy and where not.
For a permanent residence house, the thickness of ecowool is sufficient: 200-250 mm for the floor, 200 for the walls, 250-300 for the attic or attic. Media is becoming more expensive, so it’s better not to skimp on insulation.
For a dacha, the thickness of ecowool is sufficient: 150 mm in the floor, 100 mm in the walls, 150 mm in the attic.
A ventilation gap in a pie with ecowool is optional, but it depends (as with other insulation materials) on the complete wall pie and especially on the facade materials. If there is siding on the outside, then a ventilation gap is not needed. If it’s wooden, then you can’t do without a ventilation gap. That is, there are no special rules regarding ecowool, unlike the same mineral wool or glass wool, all “pies” are classic.
Yes, sure. Usually foam blocks (aerated concrete and gas silicate blocks also) they are insulated with ecowool on the outside with lathing about 100 mm thick. After which the facade is made from siding (which is most convenient).
Depends on the area of the walls and floor, here I have given the calculation for a house of 100 m2. But if it’s difficult for you, please contact us in the comments, by email or by phone - we will calculate it for you.
Yes, of course, as with any other insulation, a moisture- and wind-proof film is needed on the facade after the ecowool. The fact is that it protects a wooden or other facade and insulation not only from moisture, but also from blowing, and this is no less important.
Here opinions differ. Many insist that PE is not needed inside, but I am still in favor of having it installed. Classic frame house pies all contain a vapor barrier film, and I am against inventing bicycles.
Yes. It is not as afraid of moisture as basalt and mineral insulation and easily removes it both outside and inside. The only thing is that you need to install the vapor barrier very well in this case.
According to the certificate, ecowool is classified into group G2 (moderately flammable), as well as B2 (moderately flammable) and D2 (with moderate smoke-generating ability) and T2 (moderately toxic).
In practice, ecowool does not burn at all; there are many experiments on the Internet with attempts to set it on fire, all unsuccessful. She only burns a little and nothing else. Ecowool does not burn due to a special additive: five- or ten-water borax. When ecowool is ignited, water is released from the borax, thereby helping to lower the temperature in the hearth and attenuate it. After this, a ceramic layer is formed on the surface of the ecowool, which prevents the fire from spreading deeper. In addition, ecowool is poorly blown by the wind, which also gives it a better chance of fighting fire.
And here are photos from the real object. I found it, as promised at the beginning of the post. Bottom line - ecowool does not burn:
How do plywood and ecowool combine? The situation with it is the same as with OSB-3 (I described above how best to get out of this situation)
Ceiling, floor: 200mm or 250mm
Walls: 150mm or 200mm
Attic: 200mm or 250mm
Loft: 250mm or 300mm
During the use of ecowool, no consequences for human health were identified. The fact is that both the antiseptic (boric acid) and the fire retardant (borax) are natural, sparingly soluble minerals that cannot release anything into the air during operation. Even allergy sufferers can live in a house insulated with ecowool.
The fastest method of insulation is the wet-glue method. If you need to insulate your house very quickly, then hire specialists and everything will be done very quickly.
Drywall with ecowool can be used. The only thing is that I would first give the ecowool a month to release excess moisture into the environment, and then I would cover it with gypsum board (plasterboard). It is also possible to successfully sew up walls insulated with wet ecowool material GSP and DSP.
Mice do not eat ecowool; it is inedible for them. True, there are rumors that they can still make passages in ecowool if they are allowed into it. But this can be said about any known insulation material: basalt wool, glass wool or polystyrene foam.
The main thing in the fight against mice: do not let them inside, and for this purpose steel mesh is used at the points of access to the wall (in the ventilation gap), as well as closing the access to the ceiling from below. It is also advisable to have a cat, this eliminates all possible problems.
If your house does not have rigid slab sheathing, but simply a film stretched on the outside, then insulating it from the inside with ecowool will be unrealistic. Ecowool must stick to something and this something must be hard: board, MDVP, etc.
If you want to make a vapor barrier film between the main layer of insulation and an additional cross layer, then you also cannot make a cross layer of ecowool. It is better to move the vapor barrier inside the house, up to both layers of insulation. Moreover, you can also hide pipes and communication wires under the film.
Indeed, kraf paper is very often used with ecowool. It is used by adherents of the “partial vapor barrier” method. That is, the kraft paper holds back some of the steam, and lets the rest into the ecowool. And the ecowool releases it further out. Plus, kraft paper retains dust from ecowool (if it suddenly wants to dust).
The main thing is not to use kraft paper in a pie with OSB on the outside. Then the steam will not be able to escape from the ecowool and will remain in it. So the option of using kraft paper in a pie without OSB is possible.
In fact, in the modern construction market, almost all products are dangerous in some way. Therefore, it is normal not to trust, but to check and investigate. As far as I could understand from my research - ecowool is not hazardous to health.
Boric acid does not get into the air (especially if we install a vapor barrier on the walls, but I still recommend installing it) plus the pores of ecowool are large and there are no fine particles, which can get into a person’s lungs (unlike basalt insulation).
So the answer to the question is: “ Is it dangerous to inhale ecowool?" - No. But it’s still better to work with it wearing a mask, as with any other material, such as putty and other similar materials. It is better not to inhale anything unnecessary, even harmless.
A good video about ecowool that addresses this issue:
And this is a video about what ecowool looks like after 10 years (nothing has settled). So the answer to the question: does ecowool settle - no.
I researched about 300 pages on the forum before insulating the house and found no negative reviews. Only criticism of competitors. And in 8 years of insulation, my ecowool installer has not heard any negative feedback from clients.
The only disadvantage of ecowool is the price. Soon it will grow, since there is less and less paper and most of it is taken over by drywall workers.
Update from August 3, 2016. One negative review was found: low-quality ecowool without a vapor barrier smells something unpleasant for a decent amount of time. But the quality of raw materials varies, you first need to find a master ecowool installer who you can trust, and then he will buy you normal ecowool from a normal supplier.
So, if you want to order ecowool insulation for your frame house in any region of Russia, contact me, I will introduce you to excellent installers with extensive experience.
Contact us in any convenient way.
First of all, you need to understand what this thermal insulation material is. Ecowool is modern material, which is designed to insulate the most different rooms. This is a loose, warm, cellulose and fibrous insulation, which contains eighty-one percent cellulose processed by a special method and nineteen percent other additives, such as, for example, anti-foam and boric acid.
When constructing non-residential and residential structures, ecowool is often used. This material is used as insulation in many warehouses, hangars and commercial premises. For rooms where high humidity And condensation is present, ecowool fits perfectly. If temperature control is necessary, ecowool is also used. This is explained by the operating properties of this material.
The only option when choosing materials for construction is to identify the shortcomings, since any material has advantages, but each has its own disadvantages and they vary depending on the characteristics.
There was a lot of talk about the advantages of ecowool and for a very long time everyone turned a blind eye to the disadvantages. There are no ideal products and ecowool is no exception. Ecowool is the most suitable and modern version for thermal insulation of various rooms and numerous disadvantages can be eliminated if this material is used correctly.
Ecowool often judged by its manufacturer, and not the opportunities it gives. Manufacturers who do their job poorly spoil the reputation of ecowool. Since there are no uniform standards and legislative requirements for the production of ecowool, this allows fraudsters to use materials that do not meet the characteristics of ecowool. By saving on one of the most important components of raw materials - waste, the products reduce their insulating, fire-fighting, structural and antibacterial properties.
Until ecowool is subjected to uniform standards, consumers will buy the product blindly. Recommendations when purchasing ecowool:
One of the disadvantages of ecowool is the presence of moisture in the insulation when it is applied to the surface using the adhesive method. Moisture can have a negative effect on the insulated surface, so before proceeding finishing works, it takes some time to dry the layer.
Installation tips ecowool using the glue-wet method:
Shrinkage is another disadvantage of ecowool. It must be remembered that shrinkage occurs only if the installation was done incorrectly; professional workers never forget about this feature and distribute the load evenly.
To prevent shrinkage from occurring, you must remember:
A significant drawback in the eyes of buyers is high price for ecowool. In the absence of skills and all necessary tools It is impossible to do installation using the wet-glue method on your own and clients pay for the work of specialists installing ecowool. In this case, the cost increases several times.
This disadvantage is conditional, because if you have experience or minimal theoretical knowledge, then it is quite possible to make excellent styling with your own hands.
With an ecowool density of thirty-five, a layer thickness of one hundred and fifty millimeters, insulation per cubic meter will cost about nine hundred rubles, and for one square meter - about one hundred and thirty rubles.
This insulation there are no ideal indicators fire safety. This is quite normal, since it is a product of wood origin. However, ecowool does not burn, but simply smolders at high temperatures; this insulation does not allow the spread of fire.
All ecowool defects are nominal. You need to choose the right product and then the insulation will meet all the properties that are declared for this material.
Ecowool is often used to insulate wooden houses , ecowool is not recommended for foam block houses.
Ecowool also has the disadvantage of low rigidity and low compressive strength. However, this drawback is revealed if there is no flooring or if the backfill is dry. If platforms or bridges are organized before direct insulation, then the deficiency will not be identified. The insulating layer should be below the platforms or bridges. If problems arise with low rigidity during self-insulation, when the floor is screeded, a frame that forms cells will easily solve this problem.
Despite the fact that ecowool is an excellent thermal insulator, after a certain time these properties are greatly reduced, and thermal conductivity increases. On this the following factors influence:
When comparing ecowool and polystyrene foam boards, the first significantly loses in rigidity, this does not make it possible to use it for frameless thermal insulation independently when installing floor screeds.
Experts do not recommend using this insulation close to open sources of fire, for example, near stone pipes or chimneys. Even though it's just smoldering, it's worth doing additional protection. This is done as follows: install special fences consisting of basalt fire-resistant mats and asbestos-cement slabs. The surface must be foil-coated, then it will reflect heat.
To insulate floors, scientists are developing new materials based on natural and synthetic components. One of them is ecowool. Thanks to its excellent characteristics and relative ease of installation, many owners of private houses now insulate floors, walls, and ceilings with ecowool themselves. What kind of material is this? How to work with it? It is worth understanding these and other issues in more detail.
At the beginning of the 20th century, new material for insulation of building surfaces. It was called ecowool. For its production, cellulose was used, which was obtained from substandard wood.
Serious production of this thermal insulation material organized by the Germans in 1928. Ecowool insulation became the most popular in the middle of the last century, when mass construction of frame buildings began. In Canada, Finland, USA, Germany, Austria, Japan it is especially popular.
The Finns especially mass-produce and insulate their houses with eco-wool. Compared to other materials, this building product is optimally suited for residential premises and buildings with a certain microclimate, for example, museums. In Finland cellulose wool produced in large quantities and exported to nearby countries. Russia is one of these.
In the Russian Federation, cellulose insulation has been used not so long ago, but its popularity is growing. Especially often they insulate private houses. Positive reviews consumers about the quality and use of ecowool speak in favor of the widespread use of this material. Due to increased demand, we are establishing the production of cellulose insulation. In the markets you can see Russian analogues to foreign models.
Ecowool is a lush mass, the structure resembles construction wool. It has grey colour. Doesn't smell. Does not emit when heated harmful substances. It is considered one of the most environmentally friendly and safe materials for humans and animals.
Thermal insulation made from ecowool has a number of advantages over other materials.
These characteristics are determined by the component composition of the material. It is made from the following elements:
Cellulose is a hygroscopic material. Therefore, thermal insulation made from ecowool is not afraid of moisture. It can absorb up to 14% of liquid and release it through evaporation. Ecowool itself does not deform and does not lose its heat-retaining qualities. When renovating a floor, you can save on hydro- and vapor barrier materials.
They sell insulation in 2 forms: compressed briquettes standard sizes and loose mass packaged in bags in a slightly compacted form. Before use, you need to beat it to give it fluffiness.
Ecowool insulation has disadvantages that you need to know about before purchasing and using it.
Reviews from craftsmen and amateurs say that working with cellulose material is not difficult. A special video shows how to apply ecowool thermal insulation to wood flooring or concrete base in different ways. Therefore, you can install it yourself with strict adherence to technology.
Insulating a house with ecowool can be done in two ways: manual and mechanical. If necessary, the material is used to cover the floors, walls, and ceiling from the attic side. The cellulose product is used to create thermal insulation in frame buildings for the construction of multi-layer structures and renovation of old buildings made of brick, concrete and wood.
To create a thermal insulation cushion using a mechanized method, special equipment for ecowool is used. This is a simple installation with an electric drive. It consists of several elements:
The installation is controlled and the speed at which ecowool is blown is regulated using a remote control. The machine is equipped with an emergency switch in case of a quick stop. Blowing units differ in productivity. There are high power devices for professional use. To apply ecowool insulation to the surface with your own hands small area, use semi-professional machines designed for a small amount of work.
Blowing ecowool using a compressor machine occurs in two ways:
wet (for walls and ceiling) and dry (for floors). Due to its flowability, the material does not adhere well to vertical surfaces, so it is moistened with water or an adhesive solution. This allows the mass to be compacted.
When installing thermal insulation using this method, work can be done gradually. Fill part of the space by covering it with plywood. So go to the end of the room. In this case, it is impossible to damage the material by stepping on it.
If the floors are insulated in an old residential building, then there is no need to disassemble the finishing sheet. It is enough to lift 1-2 boards to create a hole. Insert a hose into it and use a machine to gradually blow out the insulation.
You can insulate your house with ecowool yourself manually. A video made by amateur builders will tell you about this. This technique is suitable for insulating small rooms where it is not practical to use a compressor device.
Reading reviews of people who have independently insulated floors with ecowool in their homes, you can be convinced that there is nothing complicated in this matter. The main thing is to follow technology and not forget the advice of professionals.
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Let's talk about ecowool insulation, what ecowool insulation is - characteristics, properties, fire safety. Insulating a house with ecowool, how to insulate a house with ecowool.
One of the innovative developments in the field of materials for thermal insulation of premises is ecowool. The basis of this material is cellulose, the mass part of which is up to 80%. Other components ecowool insulation it is boric acid and borax fire retardant. In addition, the thermal insulation fibers contain lingin, which makes the material sticky.
Note that since the main raw material for the production of cotton wool is waste paper, ecowool is an absolutely environmentally friendly thermal insulation material. Due to this, such insulation can be used for thermal insulation of absolutely any premises.
Due to the fact that the insulation in question includes an antiseptic, the possibility of the development of fungi and various microorganisms in the material is excluded. It is due to this that the quality of the thermal insulation layer that this insulation has is maintained for a very long time. The service life of ecowool is more than 20 years.
The highest biostability and durability of ecowool allows it to be used for insulation of houses and other residential buildings.
The thermal insulation characteristics of the insulation are not inferior to the characteristics of the best thermal insulators sold on the modern construction market. The main advantages of ecowool include:
Low thermal conductivity;
Fine-fiber structure;
Low breathability.
The structure of this insulator is such that it significantly slows down the process of air movement inside the heat-insulating layer and thereby reduces heat transfer to a minimum value. An important point: during the research it was found that a layer of ecowool up to 15 cm wide is equivalent in its characteristics to 90 cm of expanded clay, 18 cm mineral wool and about 50 cm of wood beams.
As already noted, the insulation we are considering includes borax, which is one of the best fire retardants. This substance, when the heat insulator is heated to a temperature of 90 ° C or more, releases the moisture accumulated in the material and thereby extinguishes both the insulation itself and the surface on which it is fixed. In this case, under the influence of high temperature, cellulose begins to decompose into water and carbon monoxide. In terms of toxicity, this reaction is similar to the combustion of pine.
To summarize: ecowool is a non-flammable material; Without exposure to direct fire, the heat insulator goes out almost instantly.
The specific structure of ecowool allows this material collect and release moisture, which stabilizes the temperature and humidity level indoors. At the same time, the insulating characteristics of the material are not lost. Thus, the hollow capillaries that are located in the insulation allow moisture not to accumulate inside the heat-insulating layer, but to be directed to the outlet, into the air. Thus, ecowool insulation “breathes” in the same way as buildings made of natural wood. You should also pay attention to the fact that ecowool insulation does not require additional vapor barrier. This simplifies the arrangement of insulation and reduces the cost of building construction.
Ecowool consists of the finest fibers, which, during installation, penetrate into even the smallest recesses and crevices. At the same time, the rough structure allows the fibers to intertwine with each other, forming a sound-proofing layer that absorbs sound waves well. At the same time, the absence of gaps, joints and voids prevents further propagation of sound waves.
Due to its high soundproofing properties, ecowool can be used in rooms that have special requirements for noise levels. The sound insulation value of ecowool is almost twice as high compared to, for example, mineral wool.
Installation of insulation is quite simple and virtually waste-free. The material is laid by blowing fluffy insulation onto the surface to be treated using special equipment. Thanks to this technology, insulating a house with ecowool allows you to obtain a thermal insulation coating without voids and seams.
The cellulose fibers that make up the coating do not shrink on vertical surfaces. Due to this, it is possible to obtain a thermal insulation layer of the highest quality.
A certain similarity in the names of ecowool and mineral wool can mislead developers and those who plan to insulate the facade of a house with ecowool. They may mistakenly believe that we are talking about one of the varieties of traditional insulation - mineral wool.
Mineral wool is produced in the form of rectangular mats, as well as in the form of panels rolled into rolls. This material can be easily laid on flat surfaces, especially if they are located in a horizontal plane.
At the same time, when laying mineral wool on uneven surfaces difficulties are simply inevitable. The appearance of unfilled cracks and voids in this case can be considered a pattern. At the same time, ecowool insulation, which is produced in the form of compressed granules, allows you to cover structures of any configuration with insulation.
The structural features of mineral wool imply its use only in conjunction with any protective covering material. In addition, before laying mineral wool, a vapor barrier must be laid, and waterproofing and wind protection are created on the outside. Such protection is necessary due to the low resistance of the material to atmospheric influences and its inability to absorb moisture. However, over time, such insulation still settles, condensation accumulates in it and so-called cold bridges are formed.
If we remember about ecowool, then due to its structure this material has excellent moisture resistance and vapor permeability. It does not require a vapor barrier, although in some cases there may be a need for additional protection with special construction paper. Let us remember that ecowool “breathes” like wood, therefore any surface treated with it acquires the properties of wood.
Another difference between ecowool and mineral wool is fire resistance. Of course, mineral wool has a non-flammable base (this can be glass melts, rocks, slags), however binder between layers of mineral wool is flammable. Under the influence of fire, this substance ignites almost instantly, releasing toxic elements. As for ecowool, its base is non-flammable and additionally contains special non-flammable additives. Due to this, the insulation does not burn, but only melts. An important point: despite the fact that ecowool insulation is not a flammable material, it is not recommended to use it in places where there is high temperature.
Among other things, mineral wool is not characterized by high biostability. It can be damaged by rodents and insects, unlike ecowool.
Another significant difference is the durability of the materials. Thus, the service life of mineral wool is up to 50 years. Ecowool can be used for a much longer period of time without losing its thermal insulation properties.
The only thing in which ecowool is inferior to mineral wool is cost. The price of the material itself is not much higher than the price of mineral wool. However, work involving insulation with ecowool is somewhat more expensive than when using mineral wool. Of course there is a possibility self-installation insulation using the so-called “backfill”, however, this method of insulation is not always acceptable and not everywhere.
The cost of insulation directly depends on its consumption. In order to explain the calculation methodology as clearly as possible, let us consider, as an example, the process of insulating a one-story building with ecowool. Again, for example, in it we need to insulate ceilings, floors, and also outer surface walls
Let's start with insulating the walls. First of all, you should determine full area walls that will be treated with thermal insulation. In the process of calculating the area of the walls, we subtract the area of doors, windows and other fragments that do not need to be insulated.
We multiply the obtained values by the planned layer of ecowool insulation. As a result, we will obtain a volume that must be filled with insulation. Note that this calculation method will only work if the walls are smooth and do not have significant differences. If the work is carried out on rounded logs and other similar shaped elements, the calculations need to be adjusted. To do this, it is first necessary to determine the average width of the insulating layer. In other words, you will need to find the arithmetic mean between the smallest and largest thickness of the future coating.
Calculations for insulation of floors and ceilings are carried out in the same way as calculations for wall insulation were made. The surface area is measured, which is subsequently multiplied by the planned thickness of the coating or by the height of the joists and beams between which the insulation will be laid. After this, you should determine the total volume of ecowool by summing up the previously obtained values. In order to find out how many packages of insulation are needed, you need to know the laying method; the density of the insulation depends on this. By dividing the volume by the density, the weight of the material can be obtained. Knowing the weight of the material, you can determine the number of packages. Standard packaging of ecowool is 15 kg.
To roughly compare the cost of insulating a house with ecowool with the cost of insulating it with other insulation materials, let’s take the average values. One cube of cellulose insulation costs about 1.6 thousand rubles (if we take the package price of 400 rubles). This amount of material (1 m3) will be required for thermal insulation of walls with a solution density of 60 kg/m3. This is comparable to basalt wool, the cost of one cubic meter is in the range of 1.6-1.7 thousand rubles.
Thus, insulation with ecowool will cost more. The only option to save money is to dry fill flat floors. With this solution, the coating density may be less, and accordingly, less material will be required. It should be noted that when “manually” laying cellulose insulation, the resulting coating is somewhat inferior in its characteristics to the coating obtained by machine blowing.
Ecowool can be applied to the insulated surface in one of two ways: dry blowing and wet application.
The process of dry blowing insulation involves the use of special blowing equipment. In the hopper of such an installation, preliminary fluffing of the material is carried out, after which it is high pressure blown out through a hose. Laying insulation in this way allows you to get monolithic coating, because the heat insulator penetrates into all the gaps and cracks that are present on the surface being treated. This technology is most often used in mass construction or when carrying out repair work carried out without disassembling the main elements of the structure.
Dry blowing can be of two types: open and into a cavity. The second method is used to insulate frame structures, that is, those that are sheathed with plasterboard, particle boards, etc. materials. Quite often, the “into-cavity” method is used to organize soundproofing of partitions located between separate rooms.
Let's look at the technology in more detail. At the initial stage of installation, small holes are made in the sheathing of the frame structure. Ecowool, fluffed and mixed with the air flow, is fed into the cavities through a hose. After some time, the entire internal volume is filled and the material is compacted to 65 kg/m3. After complete treatment, the cavities are sealed.
Ecowool insulation horizontal and inclined planes (for example, attic, floors, interfloor ceilings) is carried out using dry blowing technology. Insulation material from the device to the hose is directed to the surface to be treated. At the same time, they try to ensure that the material lies as evenly as possible. After this, the coating is finally leveled to the specified height. Here it should be taken into account that the insulation must be laid with some margin. The fact is that after some time the ecowool becomes compacted, and therefore the width of the thermal insulation layer may decrease
The main advantages of dry blowing technology include:
Lower cost of work (compared to the adhesive method of application);
No dependence on external conditions(work can be done at any ambient temperature and any humidity level);
The insulation does not require a long time to dry (once the installation of ecowool insulation is completed, finishing work can begin).
The main disadvantage of this technique is the increase in pressure in the insulated plane. An increase in pressure is caused by air pumped during the insulation process. In this case, we can recommend the following: consult with professional builders regarding the possibility of using dry blowing before starting to insulate a house with ecowool.
The use of water or special glue as a binding element is the main difference between the wet method and dry blowing. The adhesive mixture adheres very well to the surface being treated, thereby forming a high-quality seamless coating. This technology allows you to lay ecowool as evenly as possible and thereby obtain a denser heat-insulating layer.
Wet laying of ecowool is carried out using the most common blow molding equipment. The operating technology is somewhat different from the dry blowing method. Thus, fluffy insulation, which is blown out of a hose, is evenly poured over with water or an adhesive solution. After installation, the material is leveled electric knife with a special roller that removes excess insulation protruding over its guides. After completing this work, a smooth and fairly dense thermal insulation coating is obtained.
The main advantages of this method include:
The disadvantages of adhesive ecowool insulation include the need to dry the coating after installation, which eliminates the possibility of carrying out thermal insulation work in the cold season.
The only method that involves laying heat insulation without the use of special equipment is dry backfill. This technology is quite labor-intensive and limited in application. As a rule, it is used for thermal insulation of small rooms and fragments located in a horizontal plane.
Insulating horizontal planes with ecowool involves using a layer of heat insulator up to 20 cm high. This width of the material is quite enough to retain thermal energy at outside temperatures down to -23°C. In those regions where average temperatures fall below this value, the thickness of the insulator should be slightly larger. The normal density in this case will be considered to be 45 kg/m3.
Before laying the insulation on a horizontal plane, first fluff the material. The compressed heat insulator is removed from the packaging and placed in a container of the appropriate size, after which it is thoroughly mixed with a drill with a mixer attachment. Thus, the volume of insulation increases approximately three times. After all preparatory work is completed, ecowool is evenly laid out over the surface.
It should be noted that after laying the insulation, you must wait several days and only then begin finishing work. This is due to the fact that lignin, which is part of the heat insulator, must react with the surrounding air. As a result of this reaction, a dense crust 3-5 cm thick is formed on the coating, which prevents the circulation of air through the thermal insulation layer.
In the case of vertical backfilling of insulation, the work is performed somewhat differently. The main process here is to prepare the space for subsequent filling of fluff insulator. Quite often, for this purpose, a new structure is installed at a short distance from the insulated wall. For example, a structure made of clapboard or other similar material is installed. A cellulose heat insulator is poured into the resulting cavity.
The density of the thermal insulation layer when insulating vertical fragments should be within 60 kg/m3. In order to obtain the required value, during the filling process the heat insulator is compacted by hand. These actions are performed until the insulation feels like an elastic spring to the touch.
The manual method is the only way to lay a heat insulator that can be used to insulate a house with ecowool yourself. In principle, this is the only advantage of this method. As for the disadvantages, this includes greater consumption of material, as well as the impossibility of insulating hard-to-reach areas.
After construction timber house It lasts about a year until it completely shrinks. When drying, cracks appear on the walls, which they first try to pierce, and then millet insulates the entire wall. When choosing a material for insulation, you may encounter a problem. A larger assortment and various user reviews make the choice difficult. Among the most discussed on various forums is ecowool. Insulating a house with ecowool is not labor-intensive. And the variety: laying by hand or spraying makes this insulation convenient for timber structures of any complexity. We’ll talk more about insulating a house made of ecowool timber in this article.
Ecowool was invented by the Finns, who have been using it for more than 20 years to insulate houses inside and out. The structure is loose material. Ecowool is produced from cellulose (81%) and various impurities (19%). The impurities consist of an antiseptic (boric acid 7% and borax 12%). Due to these compounds, ecowool plays a protective role for wooden wall or floors. And the natural salts included in the composition make the material non-flammable and not susceptible to rodents and fungi. This is the only insulation that helps fight black mold, so it is used to insulate old and new wooden houses, as well as bathhouses and garages inside and out.
For floors, ecowool is installed outside using damp glue method, blow into all inclined or vertical surfaces. For walls, in order to avoid subsidence and the occurrence of voids, it is recommended to use the adhesive method. But even this does not provide a complete guarantee that the fibrous texture will not settle. To prevent mistakes in insulation technology, it is better to hire specialists who use wet blowing. More details about mono ecowool can be seen in the video:
The advantages of ecowool insulation include:
To create a more complete picture of the qualities of ecowool, let’s consider its characteristics comparing with mineral and glass wool:
| Characteristic | Ecowool | Glass wool | Stone wool |
| Compound | Cellulose + antiseptics (boric acid and borax). Made from wood fibers. Natural material. | Particles of glass and quartz sand. Half artificial insulation. | Particles of lava rocks, mainly mining waste. |
| Chemical binders | Only borax and boric acid to prevent rot and mold. | Dyes. | No additives to prevent mold. |
| Fire resistance | Does not burn, does not support combustion. | Doesn't light up, but high temperature melt, releasing toxic substances. | It does not burn, but melts at high temperatures and releases toxic substances. |
| Shrinkage | If the technology is followed, shrinkage is minimal. | Slight shrinkage. | No shrinkage. |
| Moisture resistance | Absorbs moisture, but also dries quickly. | It does not absorb moisture, but when wet, it takes a long time to dry. | Does not absorb moisture, but takes more than 1 week to dry. |
| Soundproofing | high | low | High |
| Resistance to fungi and rodents | high | low | Low |
| Thermal insulation | High, no gaps | Low | At correct installation high |
| Price, m2 | From 250 | From 150 | From 250 |
A similar comparison of materials is presented in the video:
Reviews about ecowool are different, negative ones are mainly associated with myths:
All these reviews have nothing to do with high-quality insulation manufactured using modern equipment.
According to technology, ecowool insulation is divided into two types:
Each one is worth talking about in more detail.
The entire installation process can be completed without the involvement of specialists, with your own hands. Installation consists of the following processes:
You can fluff ecowool using a simple construction mixer. Mix dry insulation with a water-adhesive composition as indicated on the ½ package. To insulate the floor or ceiling from the inside, a film is laid between the beams. It must be secured with a construction stapler using 10 mm staples. Ecowool is laid on top in layers, carefully tamping and leveling each layer. This can be done conveniently using a sheet of plywood or a wide board. Particular attention should be paid to corners and joints with walls. The layer in these places needs to be compacted more thoroughly.
In the video below you can see the manual installation of insulation:
Material consumption per 1 m 3 – 35 kg (2-3 packages). With this calculation, a layer of 10-15 cm is obtained. This is enough to insulate a log house in which they permanently live. To the ceiling country house enough for 1 m 3 – 25 kg (2 packs).
Complete drying occurs in 2-3 days at temperatures above 15 0 C and humidity less than 50%.
It is impossible to do the blowing yourself, as this requires special equipment and skill. Specialists using a compressor device under the influence compressed air splashed with ecowool walls and roofing slabs. The spray height reaches 30 m. By insulating attic floors in this way, heat loss can be reduced to a minimum.
To process the walls, formwork is made from timber in increments of 50-60 cm. Then the walls are covered with a special thick film and stapled to the sheathing. They cost like this preparatory work from 70 rub./m2. But you can save money and do the preparatory work yourself.
Judging by the reviews, the work of specialists needs to be checked, since the hose does not reach the corners, and voids may remain there. It is possible to disperse ecowool in the future, but it is labor-intensive. Based on the experience of some craftsmen, wall insulation can be done without a compressor with your own hands. To do this, use wide plywood. A sheet of plywood is screwed onto the sheathing and a cell is formed between it and the wall into which ecowool is poured. The solution should be made to the consistency of thick sour cream. Let it dry and unscrew the plywood. Then the sheet is raised higher and the operation is repeated. In this simple way you can save from 350 rubles/m 2. But doing the insulation yourself will be labor-intensive and will take more than one week. This process can be seen in more detail in the video above. Specialists will complete this work in 1-2 hours.
They sell ecowool in the form of mats, which are installed in the same way as mineral wool. But monolithic design It won't work anymore.
Ecowool consumption for pitched roofing is 50 kg/m 3 (3 – 3.5 packs), for walls – 60 kg/m 3 (4.5 packs). Pretexts to consider blowing on video:
The price for installing ecowool varies and is related to the density of insulation. For example, in St. Petersburg, prices for insulating a house made of timber range from 750 to 1500 per m2, in Moscow from 800 to 2000 per m2. But do not forget that the quality of work of specialists will determine how many years the insulation will last and how the house will retain heat. There is no point in saving on work, and if you hire, then only highly qualified workers.
| Big cities | Price per pack, rub. (Russian production) | Price for work, rub./m2 | |
| Insulation of horizontal surfaces | Insulation of inclined and vertical surfaces | ||
| Moscow | From 1500 | From 250 | From 300 |
| St. Petersburg | From 1300 | From 190 | From 270 |
| Ufa | From 1900 | From 350 | From 450 |
| Kazan | From 1800 | From 290 | From 350 |
| Novosibirsk | From 1650 | From 270 | From 320 |
As you can see from the table, the cheapest insulation can be purchased in St. Petersburg, but if you order it to neighboring regions, delivery will cost from 15 rubles/km, and no one will be lucky enough to get 1-2 packages. The easiest way is to purchase ecowool in your city at large construction stores.
If ecowool insulation does not frighten you with its labor intensity, and you have enough free time, then you can do all the work yourself. This way you will save yours
