Construction moss is an effective insulation material for log houses

Selection of material for insulation

Primary requirements

To insulate a log house from the outside, the materials used must meet the following requirements:

• High level of thermal insulation.
• Environmentally friendly.
• Hygiene.
• Breathability.
• Moisture resistance.
• Fire safety.

Important! For a wooden house it is better to use only natural materials. The properties of these materials are given below:

The properties of these materials are given below:

• Moss is rot-resistant and has antibacterial properties.
• Felt requires special treatment, otherwise moth larvae will infest it.
• Jute and flax wool are durable, dense, rot-resistant materials with low hygroscopicity.

Insulation from outside

Mineral wool or ecowool is suitable for external insulation, especially if a ventilated façade is planned.

Expanded polystyrene (foam) or basalt slabs are used when installing a “wet facade”.

Important! Penoplex is not suitable for insulating a log house from the outside, as it has very low vapor permeability

Bath moss or tow. Choosing natural insulation

The technology for building a wooden house or bathhouse also includes insulation work.
There are many insulating materials. They are all divided into artificial and natural. But in order not to spoil the eco-friendly atmosphere in the room, it is better to take a closer look at natural insulation materials, and they are superior to artificial materials in their heat-insulating properties. Therefore, below we will provide answers to popular questions:

1. What moss is best to use for assembling a log house from logs and timber?
2. Which moss is better to buy for a wooden frame - red, brown or white?
3. What kind of moss is best to choose for a wooden bath?
4. Is it possible to use moss to caulk a bath?
5. Is bog moss or bog moss best used for laying chopped logs in a log house?

Procurement of raw materials before the main work

When using moss to insulate a log bathhouse, it is important to correctly collect and dry the raw materials. High-quality prepared raw materials allow you to quickly carry out caulking, as well as effectively influence wood pests and parasitic plants

Harvesting and active drying of raw materials is carried out in the summer. Often, moss is harvested at the stage of installing the bathhouse frame before its shrinkage begins. Therefore, when carrying out caulking, the material must be dried as much as possible so as not to create obstacles to the process of shrinkage of the log house.

Sphagnum moss is harvested in warm sunny weather, which promotes rapid natural drying. It is resistant to sunlight, so loss of moisture does not affect its insulation characteristics. It is recommended to collect Kukushkin flax in cloudy weather, since such a plant is susceptible to active sun.

It is better to collect raw materials in a forest area under trees. Collected cuckoo flax is carefully laid out in a continuous ribbon on any base, and sphagnum - in small shocks or bunches. Drying directly depends on the degree of moisture of the raw material and can take 3–4 weeks.

Insulation materials for thermal insulation of water pipes.

Mineral wool of various types, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, and polyethylene foam are widely used for insulating water pipes. Recently, a relatively new insulation material, foam rubber, has become increasingly used.

Mineral wool

This is perhaps the most affordable thermal insulation material for such purposes. But it’s also far from the most convenient.

Of the three existing types of mineral wool, only two are actually used for insulation of pipelines - glass wool and stone (basalt). The so-called slag wool, made from metallurgical waste, is poorly suited for such purposes. It loses in thermal insulation qualities, quickly becomes saturated with water, and not everything is in order with its chemical composition, which under certain conditions can become a catalyst for active corrosion of metal pipes.

What are the advantages of mineral wool insulation:

• Low thermal conductivity coefficient.
• One of the important advantages over many other insulation materials is plasticity. Mineral wool can be used to insulate curved or flat surfaces, tees, bends, valves and other fittings without any problems and without the need to purchase additional products.
• Chemical inertness to most acidic or alkaline compounds that may occur in soil moisture.
• A variety of release forms, any of which, in principle, can be used for pipe insulation. Thus, mineral wool is also produced in mats, including pierced ones, in separate slabs (blocks) of various thicknesses. This allows, by the way, to independently vary the thickness of the created insulation layer, depending on the initial conditions.

Stitched mat with foil coating - designed specifically for thermal insulation of pipelines.
Special products for thermal insulation of pipes are also made from mineral wool - semi-cylinders (“shell” in common parlance) of various internal and external diameters, with or without an external coating. Very convenient for quick installation on straight sections of water supply.

Semi-cylinders (“shell”) made of basalt wool for insulation of pipelines. It can be with or without foil or polymer coating.

• Mineral wool is a practically non-flammable material. For underground sections of the water supply system, this quality may not be so important, but for open sections it will be useful.

Now let's go over the disadvantages of this material:

• First of all, it should be noted that many types of mineral wool are hygroscopic. This applies to a greater extent to fiberglass materials. They can quite actively absorb moisture, losing their insulating characteristics. And when wet mineral wool freezes, it undergoes destructuring and severe shrinkage.

Basalt types of mineral wool usually undergo special hydrophobic treatment, and are more resistant to contact with water.

But in any case, such insulation must be protected from direct contact with wet soil. This is achieved by creating a surface protective layer of aluminum foil, roofing felt, or even just thick polyethylene film. The task is not particularly difficult: such an outer covering is simply wound on top with a certain overlap (overlapping) of turns, and then fixed with wire or other clamps. But at the same time, such additional operations complicate the installation of thermal insulation.

As we saw above, some types of mineral wool pipe insulation are already equipped with an applied external coating. This greatly simplifies thermal insulation work, but such materials are also more expensive.

• Working with mineral wool requires certain precautions and the use of skin, eye, and respiratory protection. The fibers are brittle (again, glass wool suffers more from this; basalt fibers have much better elasticity), and sharp microscopic fragments often cause serious irritation of the skin and mucous membranes.

Working with mineral wool always involves the need to take increased precautions.

• Another disadvantage is the tendency of mineral wool to gradually cake and lose volume (the thickness of the insulation layer). The reason for this is the same fragility of the fibers, which can increase under unfavorable conditions (overmoistening + negative temperatures) or under vibration.

The shrinkage of mineral wool insulation should be taken into account when planning the thermal insulation of pipes. How this is taken into account will be discussed below.

Insulation made from expanded polystyrene (PPR)

Expanded polystyrene (or, as it is often called, polystyrene foam) is very widely used specifically for the purpose of thermal insulation of various areas of the building. Plumbing is no exception.

By the way, this material is rightly criticized for a number of very negative qualities that limit its use in residential premises. First of all, these include problems from an environmental point of view, flammability and extremely toxic combustion products. But in terms of use for thermal insulation of underground sections of water supply, these qualities are completely unimportant. So the use of PPR should not cause any special concern.

The advantages of expanded polystyrene include:

• Excellent thermal insulation properties.
• Low density - the material is lightweight, very easy to process and install.
• High-quality PPR is not afraid of moisture - it practically does not penetrate its structure.
• The cost of products made from PPR is low - the cost of insulation will be small.
• The material is durable if it is protected from external mechanical damage and from contact with organic solvents.

The most convenient way, of course, to insulate pipes is to use a “shell” - half-cylinders with the required internal and external diameters. High-quality products of this type are also equipped with a tongue-and-groove lock, which prevents the appearance of cold bridges at the border of the two halves.

Foam “shell” for pipe insulation. The tongue-and-groove locks are clearly visible, ensuring a reliable, seamless connection of the parts.

Such half-cylinders are put on both sides of the pipe, connected in locks, and then tied with tape or even just wire clamps. On straight sections of the water supply route, thermal insulation will not take much time.

Disadvantages , in addition to those already listed above, include the following:

• The material is quite fragile, and the “shell” is easy to break if handled carelessly.
• Complete absence of any plasticity. That is, even at a slight bend in the route, this section will have to be isolated separately, and then again switched to half-cylinders.

For thermal insulation of the water supply at the bend, the following branch parts can be used.
True, many companies engaged in the production of such “shells” also offer in their assortment special shaped parts for turns, tees and some other components. But, traditionally, the cost of such fittings is significantly higher than the price of “linear” elements. Therefore, many experienced craftsmen try to independently cut out the required parts for bends, tees, etc. from half-cylinders. Or these areas are insulated with mineral wool and then covered with a waterproof casing.

Used to insulate water pipes and polystyrene foam boards. For example, they are laid on top of the pipe before backfilling the trench - this creates a kind of screen that prevents vertical penetration of cold into the depths.

This option for pipe insulation is also possible, although it is difficult to call it particularly successful.

Another option is to build a box from expanded polystyrene slabs at the bottom of the trench into which the pipes are laid. After installing the water supply, the box is closed with a lid made of the same slab, and then the soil is backfilled.

Given the affordable cost of white foam boards, this insulation option will probably be the least expensive.

• Expanded polystyrene cannot be classified as a chemically resistant polymer. Even ordinary fuels and lubricants can cause its destructuring.

Therefore, such insulation should be used with caution if the soil is saturated with petroleum products (which often happens, for example, near a car park). Or, what would be more correct, provide external protection for the “shell”, for example, from thick polyethylene film.

Polyurethane foam insulation for pipes

With a certain external similarity to polystyrene foam (more precisely, with its extruded variety), polyurethane foam is significantly superior to it in almost all respects.

As a rule, polyurethane foam insulation for pipes is not produced in its “pure form”. But manufacturers offer a wide range of pre-insulated pipes. On such products, ready for installation, the pipe is already protected by a layer of high-quality PPU insulation and an external coating that is resistant to mechanical stress, moisture, and chemical attack. By the way, polyurethane foam itself is already much more resistant to various aggressive compounds. Moreover, sprayed onto the outer walls of the pipe, it also becomes an excellent anti-corrosion protection.

Steel pipes, pre-insulated with polyurethane foam, in a metal and polymer sheath - for outdoor placement and laying in the ground.

Consumers are offered a wide range of metal pipes in finished polyurethane foam thermal insulation. But their diameter usually starts from 57 mm and above. As a rule, when installing an autonomous water supply system, you have to use smaller pipes.

Therefore, some well-known companies have launched the production of small-diameter plastic or metal-plastic pipes, which also have PPU thermal insulation and an external polymer coating. Such ready-made solutions extremely simplify the entire process of installing a water supply system, laid both in the ground and in open areas - in basements, ground floors, unheated rooms.

Polymer pipes in thermal insulation made of polyurethane foam

On both sides of these pipes, a small “bare” section protrudes from the thermal insulation, which is sufficient for connection by welding or fitting. After this, a heat-shrinkable sleeve, previously placed on the pipe, is placed over this connecting node. All that remains is to fill the cavity of the coupling with polyurethane foam (which itself is also polyurethane foam), so that after the foam hardens, you get a perfectly insulated, hermetically sealed connection.

As can be seen in the figure above, customers are also offered ready-made parts for installing individual sections of the water supply system - bends with different angles of rotation, tees, transitions, etc. That is, the installation of the system turns into a kind of “constructor assembly”.

Tee for laying insulated HDPE water pipeline - close-up.

By the way, despite the fact that polyurethane foam cannot be called a very plastic material, some polymer pipes in such thermal insulation with an external coating still have a certain flexibility, which allows laying curved sections without the use of additional bends.

Pipes with semi-rigid polyurethane foam thermal insulation and an external protective polyethylene sheath "Isoproflex".

An example of this is the Russian product, Isoproflex pipes. The pipe itself is made of cross-linked polyethylene PEX-A, reinforced with high-strength fiber, has a protective anti-diffusion layer, an insulation core made of semi-rigid polyurethane foam, and an external protective coating made of durable polyethylene.

Coil of pre-insulated pipe “Isoproflex”

Such pipes are sold in coils, which in itself indicates their flexibility. The installation task becomes even simpler - if there are no sharp turns, then one hose, already insulated and protected from the outside in advance, can be laid from the water intake to the entrance to the house, without making a single extra joint.

Polyethylene foam insulation

Another material widely used for insulation of pipelines. In its closed cellular structure filled with air, it is very similar to polyurethane foam. Quite a glare and their thermal conductivity indicators - both are excellent thermal insulators. But unlike polyurethane foam, foamed polyethylene also has high flexibility and ductility. Not at the expense of strength qualities.

The air-filled structure of polyethylene foam with a closed cell - when used for thermal insulation of pipes, it simultaneously becomes excellent insulation, reliable waterproofing and protection against chemical “aggression” of the soil.

The material is very light - usually its density does not exceed 30÷35 kg/m³, that is, no special physical effort will be required when installing thermal insulation. The closed cellular structure becomes an insurmountable barrier to water; the material itself practically does not absorb moisture - no more than 1.5% of the volume even when completely immersed.

Chemical inertness is also a clear advantage - it is difficult to imagine which of the compounds that got into the soil could cause destructuring of polyethylene foam. The operating temperature range is also impressive - from minus 55 to plus 85 ℃, which is more than enough for plumbing.

Various forms of such insulation are produced. These can be simply rolls, usually with one foil side - many craftsmen prefer this kind of material. But nowadays, ready-made sleeves for pipes of different diameters and with different thicknesses of the insulating layer, usually 2 meters long, are more popular.

Insulating sleeves made of foamed polyethylene for pipes of various diameters

Installation of such sleeves is not difficult - along the entire length on the side they have a seam along which they can be opened. The insulation is put on the pipe, and then this seam is glued together almost without a trace due to the applied self-adhesive layer.

But, again, the most convenient solution is to use ready-made plastic pipes, already “clad” in insulation and an outer protective sheath. Several leading manufacturers offer a wide range of such products.

For example, it offers products with a pressure pipe made of polybutene, with multilayer insulation made of polyethylene foam and an external protective casing made of low-density polyethylene (HDPE).

Insulated pipes for plumbing and heating systems

Traditionally, products (the old name “Ecoflex” may appear) and “Watts-Microflex” are in high demand. The pressure part of the pipes is made of cross-linked polyethylene, the insulation is several layers of foamed polyethylene, and the outer shell is HDPE.

Pipes with thermal insulation made of several layers of polyethylene foam and an outer corrugated shell made of durable HDPE: on the left - produced by Uponor, on the right - by Microflex.

Please note that the model range of all these companies includes samples with two or more pressure pipes in a common layer of thermal insulation and a protective casing. This can also be very convenient if, for example, water is sent to two different places, or in heating systems - for supply and return pipes, or for the thermal satellite already mentioned above.

Find out how to insulate a water pipe using a heating cable from our new article - “Self-heating cable for water pipes.”

Concluding the review of insulation materials, we should also mention thermal insulation made of foam rubber. In terms of thermal conductivity, this material outperforms polyethylene foam and competes almost equally with polyurethane foam. And at the same time, it is distinguished by excellent ductility and all other properties necessary for a high-quality insulating material.

Foam rubber insulation sleeves

The traditional form of release of such insulation is similar - in the form of insulating sleeves (cylinders). How insulation is carried out, including complex sections of the water supply system, is clearly shown in the video below:

Video: Thermal insulation of water pipes with Kaiflex foam rubber sleeves

It would be logical to finish the review of materials with a comparative table with the main parameters of the insulation materials mentioned above.

Comparative table of key parameters of popular pipe insulation materials

Technology of caulking a log house with jute

To perform caulking we will need:

• Small hammer – 300 – 400 gr.
• Chisel 20 mm.
• Caulk trowel or wide chisel
• Rubber mallet

The caulking of the log house must be done after the building has settled and shrinked. First, during assembly, jute insulation must be laid between the crowns. The caulking process involves turning the jute with a spatula from top to bottom and then compacting it in the groove between the logs. In this case, light blows of the hammer are made on the shoulder blade. You will end up with a folded strip of jute in the form of a rope, which is very practical.

The work is carried out in two stages - primary caulking and main caulking. It is necessary to take into account that caulking of a log house is carried out only after the house has settled; for this it must stand for at least half a year.

Primary caulking is done without strong compaction, especially in those places where the logs have not yet settled into place. In such places, the jute is tucked without compaction, but care should be taken to leave room for further shrinkage of the logs. Caulking a log house, its technology is not very complicated, so we will look at it in detail below.

Caulking must be done sequentially - from bottom to top. First of all, the lower groove around the perimeter of the building will be caulked, then the second groove, etc.

It is important to do everything along the perimeter, otherwise caulking a separate wall may cause the building to warp. We also need to take into account that the higher we rise, the less we need to seal the grooves with jute

And the very top two or three grooves are tucked only with the help of a spatula, without hammer blows, this is done in order to avoid the slightest compaction of the jute.

The fact is that the log house will shrink for at least another five years, so the upper crowns will eventually crush the jute tightly themselves.

In a log house, the ends are the weakest point, due to the cut out bowls, so you need to caulk it carefully, without unnecessary effort.

The second caulking, the main one, is carried out together with the finishing, where the caulking of the log house is carried out more tightly. It is advisable to carry out this operation no less than a year and a half after the construction of the building. During this time, the log house will shrink almost completely and, without fear, you will be able to install windows and doors, carry out electrical work and install plumbing.

Periodically, you need to inspect the log house for cracks, especially after a hot summer. After all, even a small gap can lead to wood rotting.

What properties should insulation for a frame house have?

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

• low thermal conductivity;
• fire safety;
• low water absorption;
• no shrinkage;
• environmental friendliness.

Thermal conductivity

The ability of a material to transfer heat is reflected by its thermal conductivity coefficient. The lower its value, the less heat passes through the 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 for savings on cooling and heating. For this reason, when choosing insulation, be sure to take into account the value of the thermal conductivity coefficient of the material when operating under specific conditions.

Water absorption

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

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

Fire safety

Fire safety of materials means the ability to withstand high temperatures without damaging the structure or igniting. This parameter is regulated by GOST 30244, GOST 30402 and SNiP 21-01-97, which divide them into flammability groups from G1 to G4, while completely non-flammable substances are designated NG. For frame residential buildings, insulation materials belonging to the NG group are most preferred.

Insulation shrinkage

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

Environmental friendliness

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

Selection principles

What properties should inter-crown insulation have to insulate joints?

Must be resistant to water and moisture that may fall on it as a result of precipitation. The material must protect the timber from mold and mildew and their consequences, rotting, as well as insects. Some of the best and at the same time popular materials in this direction are flax and jute. Due to the natural resin lingina included in their composition, jute and flax do their job perfectly.

Fire hazard. Although a wooden structure is a priori more susceptible to the fire element, choosing the appropriate material for insulating the seams can complicate the situation. But here everything is as usual, natural ones burn better, synthetic ones burn poorly or don’t burn at all. Linen insulation is most at risk. To increase their fire resistance, the tapes are impregnated with fire retardants. However, this is not a panacea, but only a slight improvement in their fire-resistant properties.

Life time. The heat insulator is installed during the construction stage, which means it will be difficult to replace it during operation. Therefore, it is best to choose a material that, in an ideal situation, will be comparable in service life to that of the wooden house itself.

Should not be of interest to birds. One of the problems for owners of wooden buildings is the attack of birds on the insulation between the beams. They use the material to build their homes. Most of all they like flax and moss. When using these materials, you need to regularly check the condition of the seams and seal the resulting gaps.

Quite dense, with moderate thickness. In most cases, insulation with a thickness of 8 to 10 millimeters is sufficient, provided that its density is 700 grams per square centimeter. The following indicators of the ratio of thickness and density can be considered acceptable: 5 mm - 400 grams per square centimeter; 6-10 mm - 600 grams per square centimeter; 10-15 mm - 800 grams per square centimeter.

Shape of the material. At the construction stage, tape insulation is used. It is convenient to roll it out directly onto the deck and secure it with a construction stapler. Materials in the form of tow are used for caulking (laying cracks) between the crowns.

Good thermal resistance indicator. In fact, this is one of the most important indicators. In our case, natural materials cope better with the task of preserving heat.

No harm to health. Most thermal insulators used today comply with this rule. However, there are (usually cheap) materials that contain and emit substances harmful to humans. For example, when Izover is damaged, allergic dust is released.

Elasticity and compensation properties. Wood has the ability to shrink and expand. The inter-crown insulation must be able to compensate for changes in the distance between the crowns. To do this, it must be both dense and elastic.

Material width. This indicator is directly related to the climatic conditions of the region in which it will be used. If the average temperature does not exceed -20 degrees, a tape 10 mm wide is enough, at -30 you need 12, and if it’s -40 outside - all 14 centimeters

For beauty, it is important that the tape is not visible from under the log, so it is good to purchase a product that is 5 mm narrower than the groove of the log. If this material is to be used for caulking, you need to purchase 10-15 percent more of the area of ​​the groove in which it will be laid.

Having dealt with the main principles, we can pay a little attention to three specific samples made from natural and synthetic materials and determine which inter-crown insulation is better.

Laying insulation when assembling a log house

To make the dried material more pliable and easier to take the shape of the groove, after unpacking it is folded into a stack and periodically sprayed with water from a sprayer for two days. Caulking a log house with moss has its own characteristics, taking into account the type of plant material.

1. Bunches of sphagnum are carefully fluffed with your hands and given the consistency of cotton wool. Next, the white moss is evenly distributed over the crown, placing the stems perpendicular to the logs.
2. Each subsequent bunch is laid with an overlap in relation to the previous one, so that the row is dense.
3. Ribbons of red moss are laid across the logs, also maintaining overlap.
4. The layer thickness should be at least 10-15 cm.
5. At the joints of the logs, the insulation is installed, extending it along the edge by 40 mm, and between the tiers the moss should hang down by at least 10 mm. Subsequently, the edges are folded and the seams are sealed.

Basic mistakes

People often ask how to properly caulk a log house so that the moss performs its functions as effectively as possible. Here is a list of mistakes that should be avoided when carrying out thermal insulation.

• The appearance of cracks. The larger the diameter of the logs, the more material will have to be laid, since under the weight of the next crown the moss is strongly crushed.
• Blowing seams. Even if the amount of insulation is sufficient, it is necessary to carefully apply additional caulking and fold the edges.
• Rotting logs. Despite the breathable properties of moss, before installing a log house, logs are impregnated with antiseptics to ensure the safety of the wood in high humidity.

Construction moss for log houses has many advantages in comparison with other analogues. The collection, preparation and installation of natural materials have certain nuances, so for proper insulation of a wooden house it is worth hiring professionals, gradually monitoring the construction of the log house and its insulation.

Caulking technology

Seam sealing is divided into 2 types, which complement each other:

1. Stretch. This type of seal received this name because the material is located along the seam with interlacing fibers. Used for primary caulking. The sealing material is placed with fibers perpendicular to the frame. After building a house, the gaps are small, and it makes no sense to push in a thick layer of insulation. The hanging parts of the material are carefully pushed into the seams.
2. Into the set. This method is used after the structure has settled, when noticeable cracks have formed. The process is labor intensive. The fibers of the material are collected in a heap, twisted and pushed into the gap. The size of the rollers is different, because the slots are different (sometimes larger, sometimes smaller).

When carrying out the first caulking, you should not skimp on materials, but you cannot lay a thick layer either. After the secondary compaction, after about 5 years, when the log house finally shrinks, you need to caulk all the seams again. In your work you can be guided by the following sequence:

• Clean the seams from any debris and old worn material.
• Check the caulk one by one (along the perimeter of each row) for any distortions, cracks, or crevices that have appeared.
• Work must begin on the outside of the log house, and then on the inside.
• Do the caulking carefully: fix the edge of the material in the crack, use caulking and a hammer to push the material. This is done in several approaches. If you try to hammer in the entire roller at once, skew may occur and the seal will be broken. The same operations are carried out inside the house.
• You need to move from the lower crown to the upper one.

Floor with subfloor on stilts

The transfer of heat from the plank flooring to the ground can be slowed down by increasing the air gap and covering the ground with even a small layer of material that does not transfer heat well.

In this case, the floor is constructed in the same way as a floating one on a solid fill, but a rigid support is installed under each intersection of the joists. In modern construction, the implementation of such a system is undertaken by piles: screw or made using TISE technology.

At the same time, the ground in the building is significantly lowered, which is quite normal for an old, established log house without a foundation with logs in girth. In the more modern MZLF, exposing one face of the foundation is unacceptable - torsional and lateral loads arise, for which working reinforcement is almost never provided. Therefore, the floor joist system is installed in two levels: the first with beams in the spacer inside the tape, and the second with boards on the edge, on top of the tape and the log.

If it is not planned to warm up the subfloor by circulating room air, the top row of joists is covered with synthetic burlap, supported by slats stuffed onto the bottom row. The cells of the floor joists can contain insulation, including loose insulation. If necessary, increase its thickness by adding a counter-lattice.

To reduce the volume of soil removed and support the foundation, a blade one meter wide and 40–50 cm high is left underneath, but no closer than 20 cm to the back surface of the boards. Expanded clay or perlite mixed with lime, as well as more natural materials, can be used as a heat-cutting fill. For example, reeds, straw or moss, dried and sprinkled with dry sand, then laid over a layer of waterproofing.

Floor thermal insulation device

First, they begin to install a waterproofing barrier. Then the vertical sheathing is installed. It is made from timber with a section of 5 * 5 in increments of thirty centimeters.

Note: Before installing the sheathing, the timber is treated with a special antifungal agent.

Before laying mineral wool on the sheathing, it is cut into strips of the required length and width, twenty millimeters greater than the distance between the beams. Each strip is carefully laid and firmly fixed with anchor bolts. A vapor barrier film is installed on top with an overlap of up to ten centimeters using a construction stapler.

To cover the heat-insulating layer, sheathing with 3*4 cm bars is also arranged. The walls can be covered with wooden clapboard. For thermal insulation of walls, you can also use ecowool, glass wool and polystyrene foam.

The process of wall insulation can be divided into stages:

• Cleaning the surface from dust and dirt;
• Sealing cracks with foam, linen felt or tow;
• Treatment of timber for sheathing with antiseptics;
• Installation of timber lathing;
• Mark where the outermost elements will be installed, since the evenness of the entire structure will depend on the design of the first bar;
• Fastening the bars with screws and dowels in increments of 25 to 30 cm;
• One meter is measured from the starting block and the second is attached parallel to the first. And so on around the entire perimeter;

Note: In the locations of the windows, the bars are trimmed around the window opening.

• Insulation is laid between the sheathing;
• Then a vapor barrier is made on top of the insulation using film or polyethylene.
• Wall sheathing using plasterboard, which is screwed to the sheathing beams.

Note: It is not recommended to use a metal frame for lathing, since metal has high thermal conductivity.

Floor insulation helps create warmth and comfort in your home. Here it is very important to follow the technology of installation of flooring on the ground. First, the bedding is done, then the waterproofing is installed, and then the insulation material.

If the floors are wooden, thermal insulation is laid between the joists in a layer of one hundred to one hundred and fifty millimeters. Then rough or finished floors are installed. And if it is necessary to insulate concrete floors, this can be done using the raised floor method. To install a raised floor, first begin by leveling the surface and eliminating defects. A waterproofing membrane is spread on the concrete surface, logs are laid with a pitch between the beams of up to fifty centimeters.

With the help of beams, the floor is divided into even lines. The voids are filled with insulation, on top of which a membrane is placed and a flooring is made.

Often a log house is insulated with a heated floor system.

Before proceeding directly to the installation of a heat insulator, a number of actions are performed that will stop or slow down the process of wood destruction, as well as reduce heat loss. To do this, do the following:

1. Carefully inspect the external walls.
2. Remove rotten areas.
3. Fill deep imperfections on the log with patches.
4. The gaps between the wall parts are caulked.
5. The prepared base is treated with antiseptic solutions.

It would also be useful to coat the wood with antiseptic compounds that resist the development of fungus and mold. Some also protect against insects. Such measures will help maintain the strength of the supporting structure much longer.

Using sphagnum moss to insulate a bathhouse

Since ancient times, moss and tow have been used as natural insulation for houses and baths. The advantages of using moss for a bathhouse are as follows: it is a natural antiseptic, is not susceptible to mold, mildew and other harmful microorganisms, is not susceptible to rotting and does not interfere with the natural ventilation of the bathhouse, in addition, it is moisture resistant and tolerates temperature changes well. In addition, this type of insulation is completely free, which makes it very attractive for people building a bathhouse. In addition, it can be used not only for insulating walls outside and inside a bathhouse, but also as insulation for floors and ceilings.

Technique for laying inter-crown sealant on a log

Let's look at how to properly use the material in your work.

Laying moss.

Moss must be laid in the following way:

1. If it is dry, then tamp it in a barrel and fill it with 20 - 30 liters of water. Leave for half an hour, drain the water, and squeeze out the moss.

Remember! Dry moss does not allow itself to be manipulated, so pre-washing will allow the material to become more pliable.

1. Take ready-to-install moss.
2. Lay it across the log without compacting it. Please note that the seal must lie evenly.
3. Make sure that the width of the layout is 200 - 250 mm, and the thickness is 40 - 50 mm.
4. Laying in the bowl is made with a thickness of 4–5 cm, and the protrusion beyond its limits is 5–10 cm.

Advice! Lift one end of the log and place it on the bowl, then lift the other end, about 50 - 60 cm higher from the place of laying, so as not to move the moss, and release it into the opposite bowl.

1. Tap the entire surface with the headstock.
2. Perform all subsequent actions as described in paragraphs 2 – 7.
3. Take a construction stapler and secure the laid material every 30–40 cm.

Tow is less problematic to work with, since the finished canvas does not require additional time for cleaning and even laying on the log.

Tape jute is especially convenient to use.

It differs only in the installation methods:

1. If the timber is for a bathhouse, profiled, glued, then we lay the insulation without bends. We don't use a stapler.
2. If the log is ordinary, profiled with natural moisture, then the material must be folded once with a lock. Make sure that the canvas does not extend beyond the edge of the end.
3. If the bathhouse is built from a wild log house, a fire monitor structure, or from a milled log, lay the tow in two layers. Use a stapler to secure the fabric.

Attention! Crumpling the canvas is prohibited, as this leads to poor shrinkage and further damage to the wood.

Log caulking technology

Caulking is a stage in the construction process whereby gaps and crevices are filled with a special material to prevent the inside of a room from coming into contact with the outside environment.

Kinds:

• stretch (photo);

Caulking of a stretched log house.

• set (photo).

Tips and tricks for protecting a log structure

This procedure includes the following steps:

• Treatment with an antiseptic (from rotting, insects and rodents).
• Installation of a fire retardant layer (for fire safety purposes).
• Finishing (priming and coating).

The correct process allows you to maintain the beauty and safety of a wooden house.

Insulation of a log house from the outside necessarily includes caulking, thermal insulation of walls, ceilings, window and door openings. Further work depends on the design, purpose and age of the building. All processes can be done with your own hands, but to ensure guaranteed insulation from the cold, the owner of a residential building should contact specialists.

The best manufacturers

According to builders and customer reviews, the most reliable brands are:

• Isover is a subsidiary of the French construction concern Saint-Gobain. Izover is the only manufacturer in the Russian Federation that simultaneously produces two types of mineral wool - basalt and quartz. The company’s catalog also includes sound and heat insulation solutions made from glass and mineral fibers, expanded polystyrene (for walls, roofs, pipelines, etc.)
• Knauf is a German manufacturer of construction equipment and materials.
• Rockwool is an international group of companies headquartered in Denmark. The Rockwool division is engaged in the development and production of stone wool for heat and sound insulation, as well as fire protection of all types of buildings, ships, and equipment. The materials are made from gabbro-basalt rocks.
• URSA is one of the most famous Spanish companies producing heat and sound insulation materials. The company's name has become a household name in construction. URSA products have been represented on the Russian construction market for more than 20 years. The products meet international quality standards, are safe, environmentally friendly, and durable.
• Penoplex is a Russian manufacturer that produces polymer materials for hydro- and thermal insulation, decorative and finishing works.
• TechnoNIKOL is a Russian manufacturer of thermal and waterproofing insulators, as well as roofing materials.
• ShelterEcoStroy is a Russian manufacturer of environmental insulation materials. The products are distinguished by high heat and sound insulation qualities. The company's product range includes solutions for wind protection and insulation of frame houses, thermal insulation of walls, basements and basements, roofs, as well as technological equipment.

Insulation of a house made of rounded logs

Insulation of a log house is carried out when heat loss is detected at the junctions of structural elements. Thermal insulation can be internal, external or internal

Important! Sealing and insulation are not the same thing. While insulation allows the house to “breathe,” sealant does not.

Log cabins retain heat well, provided that all the gaps between the logs are carefully caulked. If the thickness of the walls allows you to withstand frost, then you can limit yourself to caulking, preserving the structure of natural wood both outside and inside.

How to insulate a log house from the outside? Before starting insulation work, the new log house must stand for at least a year so that it has time to dry and settle.

Important! Before starting work, treatment with an antiseptic and fire retardant is mandatory.

Specific answers from a log cabin expert:

1) Which moss is best to use for assembling a log house from logs and timber? The best two types are sphagnum and cuckoo flax.

2) Which moss is better to buy for a wooden frame - red, brown or white? For a log house, it is best to buy “cuckoo flax” moss, and for a bathhouse, white marsh moss “sphagnum” is better.

3) What kind of moss is best to choose for a wooden bath? As already mentioned, “cuckoo flax” moss is well suited for a wooden log bathhouse.

4) Is it possible to use moss to caulk a bath? For caulking, it is better to buy long-fiber moss “cuckoo flax”.

5) Is bog moss or bog moss best used for laying chopped logs in a log house? In this case, it is better to choose swamp moss.

How to insulate the ceiling and roof of a log house?

The first step is to insulate the roof and ceiling. If you have a one-story house with an attic, you will need to lay a waterproofing film on the attic floor, and then pour a 20-25 cm layer of insulating material on top. For this purpose, it is recommended to use eco-wool, glass wool, seaweed or sawdust. There will be no need to cover the insulation material. You can lay boards on top to make it convenient to move around the attic. It is not necessary to arrange the floor.

If instead of an attic the house has an attic floor, then it will be necessary to insulate the interfloor ceiling and roof slope. You will need to lay 5-9 cm of insulating material in the ceiling. If the attic flooring is made of wood, then the insulation will need to be filled between the joists. If the floor is concrete, you will need to use basalt wool or polystyrene foam. To insulate the roof slope under the roof, you need to lay a waterproofing film, then lay a 15-20 cm layer of mineral wool. A membrane is laid on top of the insulation. Next, the sheathing and finishing materials for the attic are installed.

If you do all the above steps, the house will be warm.

What's better?

Having studied the features, as well as all the pros and cons, it becomes obvious which is better, glass wool or stone mineral wool. But let's look at these two insulation materials in a closer comparison. So, let's start with the price. Glass wool has a lower cost than its basalt counterpart. If we compare ease of transportation, here too mineral wool takes a leading position because it has significantly less weight and does not require much space.

Even if it happens that during transportation and unloading the glass wool loses its shape, then after it sits there it will again acquire its original appearance, that is, the material is restored very quickly.

Mineral wool is characterized by high levels of flexibility and elasticity; this property allows this type of heat insulator to be used on any surface, even those that are uneven and irregular in geometry. In addition, the sound insulation characteristics of the material are much better than those of stone wool.

However, given these comparisons, it is still impossible to say for sure which of these two insulation materials is better. To do this, you still need to take into account the following fact, under what conditions the heat insulator will be used. In one case, basalt insulation may be the best option, and in another, on the contrary, glass wool.

If we consider a comparison of stone and mineral wool in terms of their service life and cost-effectiveness, in this case the most advantageous option would be the use of basalt insulation. Which is directly related to its fairly long service life, the material can last more than fifty years.

In addition, stone wool can be laid on the ceiling, walls, under the floor covering, and on the subfloor. It should also be noted that basalt insulation can be used in any conditions, and the material will not lose its properties, but here it is mineral wool that is slightly inferior.

Specifications

Basalt material is better due to its special characteristics, which is why today this type is very popular in modern construction and private housing construction. It’s just that the price of the material is somewhat confusing, but it’s worth it, because for the money you get really high-quality insulation that will serve you faithfully for decades. With such insulation, the house will be warm even in the most severe frosts, and cool in the hot summer.

As for the installation of these heat insulators, preference should be given to mineral insulation, because its installation is easy and safe. This is because the material has fairly good flexibility and elasticity, which cannot be said about basalt heat insulator, which can crumble during installation.

In the process of manufacturing a mineral heat insulator, additives are used that are of great interest to rodents, while stone wool is not threatened by such a neighborhood. Glass wool has a low density, so over time it begins to shrink, while stone wool can retain its properties throughout its entire service life.

Now that we have compared all the characteristics and features of mineral and basalt heat insulators, the conclusion suggests itself that both materials are in many ways very similar in their properties, but which one is better, mineral or stone wool, is up to you to decide. However, before you choose any material, watch this video:

How to arrange a façade with ventilation?

You need to insulate the house from the outside using a façade with ventilation. This design will allow the wooden wall to “breathe”.

First of all, you will need to treat the walls with an antiseptic so that you can protect the wood from fire and mold. A sheathing is placed on top of the walls to hold the insulation. To do this, you need to use a block with a cross-section of 5 cm. You need to stuff it vertically, observing a step that is equal to the width of the insulation boards minus 3 cm.

When installing insulation on a log wall, you may encounter inconvenience. It has an uneven surface, so it will not be possible to lay the insulation closely without gaps. You will need to insert insulation into the gaps between the wall and the sheathing bars to provide thermal insulation. Jute is suitable for this purpose.

Insulation scheme for a log house.

Installation of insulation is carried out from the bottom up. A windproof superdiffusion membrane is installed on top of the insulation material for waterproofing. It must be vapor permeable. Such a membrane will be able to keep out moisture and wind from the street, while releasing wind and air into the street, thereby allowing the walls to “breathe”.

A sheathing of 5 cm bars is placed on top of the wind protection. Siding is mounted on this structure. A gap for ventilation between the facade and the membrane will be formed over the entire thickness of the sheathing. You will need to make vents in the lower and upper parts so that air can circulate.

Do-it-yourself insulation

Mineral wool

Before starting insulation measures, it is necessary to properly prepare the surface. Preparation includes cleaning the wall from dirt, dismantling ventilation duct grilles, air conditioning, shutters, window slopes, and other protruding elements. Because if you leave a metal object under the sheathing, it may begin to corrode, rust will begin to build up, which over time may come out as a brown stain on the wall.

Mineral wool

If the walls have been plastered or painted, clean them; if there are areas that are contaminated with mold, treat everything with special solutions. After this, you can’t start work right away; wait until the surface is completely dry. If the house was wooden, treat everything with an antiseptic.

Don’t forget about your safety - we recommend doing everything in clothes that completely cover your body and using a respirator. If you choose the siding mounting method, it is the easiest and does not require perfectly aligned walls. It is necessary to prime the surface with a deeply penetrating primer using a paint brush.

The next step is marking for attaching the frame guides; this is done using wooden beams or metal profiles. The thickness of the timber depends on the thickness of the mineral wool. The distance at which the bars are packed corresponds to the size of the sheets of cotton wool.

In order to secure the guides, use dowels; the wool is laid from the floor upward, secured with disc-shaped dowels. If you have a brick wall, it is better to use a special glue, for example, Ceresit ST 190, and fix it on top with a dowel. It is very important to avoid gaps.

First, whole elements are laid, and then they move on to covering window and door slopes. The cracks are sealed with small pieces of material, fixed with masking tape.

Then we make reinforcement; to do this, apply glue to the heat-insulating surface and press the reinforcing mesh on top. And apply more glue on top of the reinforcing material, this will prevent deformation of the slabs and also protect against moisture.

Mineral wool reinforcement

And then we will consider the option for siding. In this case, we recommend making a ventilated facade for self-removal of condensate. To do this, a vapor barrier layer is laid on top of the mineral wool, fixation is done using staples, as well as a dowel with a large hat; to restore the insulation, these places are glued with tape.

Next, the profile is attached, and the siding is attached to it; do not forget that between the siding and the insulating pie there should be a gap of 6-7 cm for ventilation. If you decide to treat everything with plaster, there is a nuance in this method regarding the reinforcing mesh, it is necessary lay with an overlap of 10-12 cm.

This is done to ensure that there are no cracks in the plaster in the future. Then prime the wall; if it turns out to be uneven, you can apply a small layer of plaster, then, when the layer has dried, proceed to finishing the facade. Isover cotton wool has proven itself to be excellent for such work.

Styrofoam

For such work, EPPS material with a thickness of 50 mm to 200 mm is used, but 150 mm is most often used, although for houses in which permanent residence is not provided, less is suitable. So, first of all, clean the wall surface from previously made finishing, sheathing, remove nails, if there are cracks, fill them with foam. Do not start work on a wet surface, as this will lead to the growth of fungal spores.

Wait until it dries on its own or dry it with a special hairdryer. Next, you need to perform waterproofing; you can use either polyethylene (cheaper) or glassine for this. When laying, keep a gap of 10-12 cm, and insulate the place where the fastening was with metal tape.

Place the sheet between the frame posts and secure it, and if the house is already completely finished, then the surface of the wall is treated with glue and a sheet of insulation is secured to it; for strength, you can also use a plastic dowel. To avoid ineffective insulation, it is better to use sheets with a thickness of 50mm and lay them one on top of the other, overlapping the joints of the bottom one.

The joint between the board should be treated with polyurethane foam. Next, sew everything up with a vapor barrier material, this will serve as protection against condensation and moisture from the outside; we recommend using foil material. If you want to plaster the wall, apply reinforcing mesh. You can also cover all OSB with panels for external use, on top of which external decoration is performed.

Expanded clay

This is not a very popular method, since bulk materials are compacted over time, so you will need to use different fractions. Although its undoubted advantage is its environmental component and it is not attractive to rodents.

So, let's look at the technology of its use.

First, well masonry. To do this, two walls are built, the distance between them is 150-350 mm, then you should skip a row and lay out a longitudinal row of the same height. The resulting niches are filled with expanded clay. The height of such wells should be 40-60 cm, then cement mortar is poured inside for strength.

Second. Using horizontal diaphragms. Two walls are laid out with a distance of 15-20 cm, the internal thickness is a brick, the external thickness is half a brick, and the height is 5-7 bricks. Expanded clay is poured into the niches, then the brick is laid without a niche in three rows of “diaphragm”. Next, the cavity for filling is built again.

Insulation of walls with expanded clay

Moss, straw and other natural materials

This is an inexpensive, environmentally friendly way to make your home warm. Clean and prepare the surface, treat the walls with protective solutions. Next, prime the walls; to calculate how much solution is needed, use the instructions on the package. Cover the walls with an overlapping vapor barrier.

Using clay, knead a building mixture from the selected material, it can be straw, moss, in a ratio of 2 parts clay and 3 parts raw materials. Bring to readiness using water. It should resemble thick sour cream. Place everything in niches, the thickness should be 20-30 mm. Then wait for it to dry completely and apply sawdust, straw, shavings on top, then sew everything up with corrugated sheets.

We invite you to watch a video about insulating a frame house:

Types of materials

There are several types of insulation designed to work with log houses. The most common of them:

• tow;
• moss;
• red moss;
• jute;
• flax wool

Let's look at each type in more detail.

Tow

This is a natural material, a product of processing bast crops (flax, hemp). It is used for thermal insulation and moisture insulation of wooden structures (caulking cracks, laying crowns, filling joints). Has a slight antibacterial effect. Due to its structure being not as dense as that of jute tape, it can be used in log houses of any type.

Moss

Most often used in combination with tow

White moss (sphagnum) grows everywhere and is found in any swamp. Its qualities are inferior to red moss, but since sphagnum is easier to prepare in any quantity, it is usually preferred.

Moss is an excellent material that has the ability to absorb moisture in large quantities due to its high hygroscopicity. Can allow air to pass through well even when wet. In addition, sphagnum moss has antifungal, antibacterial and disinfectant properties. Able to create a favorable microclimate in the room, thanks to vapor and gas permeability. Moss is a worthy option for laying seams, since it allows you to smooth out changes in humidity and thereby ensure insulation, as well as the durability of the log structure. During the work process, moss is often combined with tow due to the difficulties in installation.

Red moss (cuckoo flax)

The material is difficult to prepare

Has a number of useful properties:

• durable;
• provides insulation;
• Prevents mold and rotting.
• durable, elastic;
• less hygroscopic than moss;
• light and long.

But it does not grow everywhere and it is difficult to stock up in the required quantities.

Jute

This material is popular and is increasingly replacing moss over time. It is obtained by processing the stem of the plant of the same name.

More expensive option

Advantages of the material:

• environmentally friendly;
• durable;
• has good heat-saving properties;
• easy and quick to install;
• contains a substance that prevents the material from rotting;
• has a beautiful color.

Its disadvantage is its higher cost, as well as caking and limited use in conventional log cabins. It is suitable for buildings made of timber and rounded logs.

Lnovatin

Previously, flax was used along with moss. Now flax wool is produced on its basis. "Eurolene" is a tape made from woven fibers of this plant.

Advantages of the material:

Affordable and durable material

• durability;
• environmental friendliness;
• slight hygroscopicity;
• healthy microclimate in the house;
• availability, low price;
• good insulation;
• softness and elasticity.

Other insulation materials

In addition to the above insulation materials, others are occasionally used:

1. Mineral insulation.
2. Wool fiber.
3. Batting, synthetic padding, sealant.
4. Thermal insulating tapes.

This is fraught with the accumulation of excess moisture inside the insulation with further freezing of the seams. And some of them contribute to the release of condensation at the joints of wood and insulation, which can contribute to the destruction of the wooden structure.

Jute for laying crowns

jute is becoming increasingly popular . Felt and tow, made from the fibers of the annual plant of the same name, are replacing traditional moss with might and main. Jute, like moss, has been known to mankind for a very long time. Since ancient times, fiber has been produced from the stems of this plant, which was used for the production of durable, coarse fabrics, ropes, mats and other useful things, but even in our time, jute has not lost its value. To insulate the inter-crown space, jute tape is now being produced - a modern and easy-to-use felt-like material made from jute fiber with the addition of a certain amount of flax to give the material additional strength and flexibility. Using this tape is very simple - just roll it out and secure it with construction clips in the bowl of the log and place the crown in place.

What is good about jute? Although it is not superior to moss in terms of heat retention, it is not inferior to it. If the jute production technology is not compromised in any way, it is also no less environmentally friendly than sphagnum or cuckoo flax. Jute significantly reduces the time spent on building a log house, is very durable, hygroscopic and contains the substance lignin in its fibers, which prevents rotting of both the insulation material itself and the wood.

In ordinary log houses, the use of felt jute tape is not very practical, because... the homogeneous structure of this material, unlike moss, is unable to adequately fill all the irregularities and cavities of the log, which, in turn, can lead to some heat loss in the room. However, if you use a rounded log, profiled or regular timber for assembly, the jute tape performs best, perfectly filling flat surfaces and, again, speeding up the assembly time. So which is better, flax or jute? We will probably never get a definite answer, but we have nevertheless come to certain conclusions.

For classic hand-cut log houses, building houses and bathhouses of an old design, moss in combination with flax tow is still best suited, but for rounded logs and timber you can safely use jute tape, flax-jute, and, of course, the same moss. High-quality insulation of log walls will allow you not only to enjoy warmth and comfort on long, winter evenings, but also to significantly save on heating the room, consuming less electricity or gas. In an era of endless tariff growth, this may turn out to be a good insurance against unnecessary expenses in the future. In any case, it will never hurt to consult with a practitioner who has experience working with all the mentioned insulation materials and building materials, and only after that start building your favorite home!

Advantages of moss over other types of insulation

Let's see why moss is better or is considered better than, say, flax.

1. Moss, by definition, is not afraid of moisture. It absorbs it and at the first stage continues to grow;
2. Moss does not rot and transfers decay to the wood;
3. Moss has antimicrobial properties;
4. When working, the moss fits more easily onto the crowns.

Natural moss, used as insulation for a log bathhouse, has a number of key advantages.

• It has long fibrous stems that can be gathered into dense bunches. They provide reliable caulking of the log house;
• It is an environmentally friendly and safe material;
• Does not contain toxic substances or foreign additives;
• Has a pleasant herbal smell;
• Provides reliable protection of wood from rotting, destruction and destruction by parasitic microorganisms;
• Has high adsorbing properties;
• Has low thermal conductivity;
• Provides good air exchange and insulation of a wooden structure;
• Has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties;
• Available in preparation, drying and operation.

The most important performance characteristic of natural insulation is its effective control of high humidity that occurs between wooden beams. In this case, the insulation is able to quickly absorb excess moisture, preventing rotting and damage to the wooden structure.

Conclusion

For the manufacture of insulation, environmentally friendly raw materials are used that do not contain toxic components. Each thermal insulation material has advantages and disadvantages. When choosing a material, you need to take into account its parameters:

• resistance to open fire;
• sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation and organic solvents;
• tendency to subsidence.

Even the best material will be ineffective without professional installation. Therefore, the selection of insulation, combination of materials and installation should be entrusted to specialists.

Housing with new technology

The architects came to the conclusion that a warm house can be built from wood, but not using a solid beam, but 2 or more boards, between which a layer of insulation is laid. This new technology should be called "sandwich wall", but is more often called "double timber".

The design of walls, floors, and roofs of double timber differ from logs. They are made according to a special design: insulation between 2 planed boards, which act as timber. Their thickness ranges from 4.4 cm to 7 cm and has a height of 14 cm. They are installed on the edge, and the seating edges are made using the tongue-and-groove system, which ensures tight contact and protection of the seam from blowing. The rigidity of the structure occurs due to the joining of boards at the corners, which is characteristic of a log house (grooves are cut into the boards at 1/2 the height of the board).

A structure using sandwich technology is practically a building made of boards with insulation inside, which can have, for example, three boards that create internal cavities where the insulation is laid.

Compare by cost

The cost of glass wool, basalt or stone wool depends on several parameters:

• density;
• type of material (roll, plate);
• brand.

Thus, the average cost of glass wool “Ursa M-11”, located in a roll in two layers, with a length of 900 cm and a width of 120 cm, is 1170 rubles. The price of a package consisting of 12 slabs (50*600*800 mm) of Rockwool stone wool is 495 rubles. Pack of 5 slabs measuring 150*600*1200 mm of Rockwool wool – 930 rub. Stone wool from other manufacturers has different prices, which often depend on the promotion of the brand. Products from the most popular brands are always more expensive.

Ecowool is sold in bags or polyethylene packages of rectangular cross-section. The price for this material is indicated differently: per 1 kg or per 1 m³. The average price for 1 kg is 33 rubles, for 1 m³ – 1400 rubles. The spraying method of this insulation makes it possible to obtain different densities of the thermal insulation layer, the final cost of which is calculated taking this parameter into account.

What is building moss?

Building moss for log houses remains a good solution, since this material has good thermal insulation qualities and the ability to ensure normal air exchange. This is one of the cheapest insulation materials, since it does not require special cultivation: unlike jute and flax, in Russian conditions it grows on its own in marshy soils. Which moss is best for a log house?

In the forests in the swamps of the middle zone, you can find two main types of moss, differing in their properties:

Sphagnum, also called white moss. Most often, it chooses swampy soils and coniferous forests, forming a dense, bright green carpet on the surface of the earth.

Unlike the usual sphagnum moss, it is more dense and does not absorb water; it feels quite dense and elastic to the touch. It was used by carpenters in Rus' as the most reliable insulation material, which even today is ahead of many artificial materials.

How to collect moss for log houses? This is handmade, which also depends on the type of moss chosen. It is better to harvest sphagnum in clear sunny weather, as it will be much easier to dry. It is not afraid of the bright sun and, losing moisture, does not lose its insulating properties.

Kukushkin flax, on the contrary, is best collected on a cloudy day, as it does not like bright sun. To collect moss, it is better to choose a forested area rather than a swampy one; a lot of plant material can be collected under the trees. In swamps, the moss will be too wet, but in the forest under the trees you can easily collect the required amount, and there will be no problems with drying later.

The collected cuckoo flax is laid out to dry in the form of a ribbon. Subsequently, it forms a kind of tape insulation, which can be used to lay the crowns of a log house. Sphagnum moss is stacked like hay bales, in small bunches.

This allows you to dry it without damaging the rather fragile structure. Drying usually takes approximately 1-2 weeks depending on the moisture content of the collected material.

Laying moss insulation when assembling a log house

Assembling a log frame on moss is not a very complicated process; it is no coincidence that our ancestors chose this insulation option. A large amount of material will be required, so you will have to spend many hours collecting, but then the insulation work will not take much time. Laying moss on a log house also depends on what type of plant material you have chosen:

If sphagnum is used for insulation, it is laid out on the surface of the log in bunches, which must first be fluffed a little by hand. In this case, you need to gently press it with your hands. The next bunch is laid close to the previous one.

It is recommended to make a small overlap

Particular attention should be paid to the joints of logs, that is, more often. Moss must be placed in it, which should protrude 3-4 cm along the edges.

Kukushkin flax is laid out across the surface of the log in small strips; they need to be overlapped with each other. It is advisable to fluff the ribbons first; the moss should lie flat.

Before laying, logs must be treated with antifungal compounds and fire retardants, since subsequently access to the wood will be impossible. The treatment will prevent damage to the material due to high humidity.

It is important to know how to place moss on a log house so that its use is as effective as possible. In both cases, the thickness of the insulation layer should be at least 10 cm: under the weight of the next crowns, the moss will be very compressed, so you need to take care of a sufficiently thick layer

If there is not enough insulation, the seams will very soon begin to blow out, which is why the room will be cold.

How are they different in composition?

Basalt slab and mineral wool are classified as a general group of thermal insulation materials that have additional sound absorption capabilities. They have quite a lot in common - from manufacturing technology to the method of fastening, but there are also differences. The material is produced in the form of mats or modules of a certain size, most often having a rectangular shape. For production, glass or basalt fiber is used, joined into a common mass using special binders. But there are some subtleties in production technology and the choice of raw materials.

Features of stone slabs

A basalt slab is a type of stone wool compressed into fairly dense and thin mats. The material is obtained by melting rocks of the gabbro-basalt group. Unlike cotton wool, in which the use of urea and phenol-formaldehyde resins and bitumen binders is allowed, here bentonite clays are used to connect the fibers. They have the following properties:

• natural origin;
• environmental cleanliness;
• non-toxic;
• chemical resistance;
• ability to increase in volume when hydrated;
• resistance to clumping and caking.

Bentonite clays used as a filler in a basalt slab provide it with safety, hypoallergenicity, rigidity and density. The material differs significantly from all other types of fiber insulation. In addition, the raw materials used in it do not attract rodents and are resistant to fungus and mold.

Mineral wool and its differences

Mineral wool can be made from molten glass, slag, processed using special equipment. The resulting fibers have a length of up to 5 cm and a thickness of no more than 15 microns. The quartz base has an ordered structure. Often the same raw materials are used for its production as in the manufacture of glass. When melted, thin threads are drawn out of the mass, while at the same time the particles are treated with polymer aerosols.

In the case of mineral or glass wool, urea-modified aqueous solutions based on phenol aldehydes are used as a binder. It is these substances that are sprayed during the production of fibers, forming a mass from them that goes to the rolls. Here the material is formed, undergoes final polymerization, cooled and pressed, turning into dense elastic slabs. Finished products are divided by degree of rigidity - from mats to rolled glass felt. Mineral wool can be of different colors depending on the choice of raw materials. Foreign manufacturers' slabs are most often painted gray-pink, while the Russian equivalent is yellow or creamy white.

External skin

The main function of the outer skin is surface decoration. The choice of materials is varied and can satisfy every taste. Depending on what purpose is pursued during insulation (decorative effect or the ability to protect the tree from external influences or increase insulating properties), the type of sheathing is selected.

There are two types of facade cladding - wet, which involves the use of various plasters and mortars, and dry, with the formation of three-dimensional facades (from siding, facade tiles, metal, PVC facade cassettes, etc.). Due to the fact that thermal insulation thickens the walls, window and door openings become somewhat deeper. This problem is solved by installing new window sills along with trim or siding.

The environmental friendliness of log houses, as well as their preservation of heat indoors, is beyond doubt. It has been proven that a 240 mm thick wooden wall is equal in terms of thermal conductivity to 1 m of brickwork. However, it is often necessary. This is required when drafts are detected in a new house or after purchasing an old building.

Frame floor system

When constructing a wooden house on a pile-grillage foundation, the option of an underground floor disappears by itself. What is required here is a system that can reliably lock the heat inside and allow the use of floor heating, at least under the influence of natural convection.

The problem is solved by installing a crown of logs on the foundation, built like a frame for a floating floor: with hemming and running. These logs play the role of a second grillage, but their cell size is smaller - about 100–120 cm versus 4–5 meters for concrete beams under load-bearing walls. When laying logs on top of the grillage, they are separated by several layers of waterproofing and a windproof membrane with good vapor permeability is stretched.

The next task is to attach the windbreak with slats to the bottom surface of the joists. Although you can get to the joists through the ventilation gap under the grillage, working in cramped conditions and in poor lighting is quite a challenge. Do not screw the strips with self-tapping screws, they will wrap the wind protection around themselves. Instead, use 10mm shingles and small rough nails.

The floor insulation has the same thickness as the logs of a wooden grillage. A low-density mineral filler is usually used here; in the classic version, these are several layers of rolled wool. To support heavier materials, the cell can be lined from the inside with a polymer mesh or wire can be wound onto press washers.

1 — wind protection trim strips; 2 - logs; 3 - wind protection; 4 - mineral insulation; 5 - vapor barrier; 6 - sandwich panel

If the thickness of the beams is from 120 mm, after laying the insulation, they can be covered with a vapor barrier, and then the floor can be laid with sandwich panels with a mineral or polymer core. The floor system can also be provided with logs made of boards on edge, if the thickness of the insulation is not enough based on the results of thermal engineering calculations.

Laying technology in log cabins

Caulking a wooden frame with jute creates reliable insulation of the structure for the entire service life. The process of laying batting is as important as the construction of the log house itself. Using the wrong caulking technology will result in your home becoming cold, drafty and uncomfortable.

Jute insulation creates good conditions for wood material, as a result of which the structure will serve for many years. Caulking also prevents oversaturation of wood with moisture and dampness, protects against rotting and the proliferation of insects, fungus and mold.

The technology for caulking a log house involves performing the insulation task in two stages. Primary laying is carried out during the construction of a timber house, finishing - after its shrinkage.

Technology for laying jute in log houses

Primary caulking occurs in two steps. In the first stage, a strip of jute batting is laid between the crowns during the construction of the log house. After completion of the construction of the walls, finishing of the seams is carried out. Using jute tape to fill gaps requires following certain rules:

• The crowns are pre-cleaned of dust, shavings, dirt and other deposits. The jute is rolled out on the wall and fixed in one meter increments with a construction stapler;
• the remnants of the tape are cut along the edge of the beam or flush with the laying groove of the log;
• the dowels are driven right through the tape. Cross-shaped cuts are made at the puncture points;
• The actions are repeated on all crowns.

Caulking always starts from the bottom crown, using a special tool. The walls and roof must already be erected. Having completed the installation outside, the process can begin inside the house. The technology is the same.

After the frame has been subjected to shrinkage, finishing processing begins. The first layer of insulation is deformed, the gaps between the crowns widen. Therefore, the second caulking is done again. When wood shrinks, long and deep cracks can appear. They are filled with flax tow and sealed with sealant.

To insulate or not – that is the question

There are the following reasons why you should insulate your hive for the winter:

• To maintain the optimal temperature in the hive on their own, the bees have to spend more of their energy, and therefore consume more honey. And as you know, the main task of a beekeeper is to obtain the maximum amount of honey. Consequently, insulating the hives during the cold period will save the honey required to feed the insects.
• The second positive point in insulating bee hives is that the better the conditions for keeping the bee colony, the stronger and more productive it will be.
• Under normal conditions, bees live longer, which means they will collect more honey for their owner.
• In addition, it is difficult for bees to raise brood in uninsulated housing, and this will also affect the amount of honey produced due to a decrease in their population.

From all of the above, we can conclude that it is simply necessary to insulate the hive for the winter. What materials are used to create favorable conditions for bees to live in winter?

Insulation materials: types and characteristics

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

Insulation materials are also divided into two large groups based on their origin:

Synthetic insulation for frame walls is conventionally divided into soft and hard. The soft insulation is covered with sheathing on both sides; then you can install vapor and waterproofing, then decorative cladding.

Mineral wool materials

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

One of the indicators of the quality of mineral wool is the acidity module. The higher this value, the more waterproof and durable the wool is. The quality of wool is also affected by the binder - the component that holds the fibers together into a single whole. Several types of binders are used in production:

Video description

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

Penoizol

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

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

Polyurethane foam (PPU)

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) to surfaces of any quality, from brick and metal to wood and roofing felt. Solid varieties of polyurethane foam are produced using the slab method. 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/m3) and ease of installation (using glue). It is advantageous to use polystyrene foam for external insulation - it does not require additional vapor and waterproofing.

Polystyrene foam used in construction (and for packaging) is not toxic, but when burned it emits chemical compounds that are extremely harmful to health; knowledge of this feature forces many customers to choose another insulation.

Video description

Galileo. Stone wool:

Walls, ceilings and roofs are insulated with cotton wool; The thickness of the layer in a country house for year-round use should be 200-250 mm. The peculiarity of cotton wool is that its 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 load resistance, but also the way it is used:

Ecowool

Cellulose wool (known to the general public as ecowool) is an example of an environmentally friendly product. It consists of 80% of newspaper waste paper and waste from the cardboard and paper industry, and 20% of additives that perform a flame-extinguishing function (boric acid and sodium tetraborate). In appearance it is 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 a frame structure with ecowool is carried out in one of four ways:

Walls made of aerated concrete blocks

Wet facade

According to paragraph 8.5 of SP 23-101-2004 and taking into account the fact that the wall is made not of brick, but of aerated concrete blocks, it would be better to use stone wool. If the premises are well ventilated from the inside, then polystyrene foam can be installed.

Facing brick

When a wet facade is not satisfactory, you can choose another option - facing bricks. Then not only stone wool, but also polystyrene foam can act as insulation.

Important! If you choose stone wool, then you simply need to install a ventilation gap between the facing brick and the insulation so that the moisture evaporates.

Compromise, but reality

Universal insulation is always a compromise, because each structural element of the house has its own specific requirements for thermal insulation. But now there are already materials obtained by thermal bonding (polyester insulation), which are at the same time environmentally friendly, resistant to moisture, heat-efficient, unattractive to all types of pests and, with such an extensive list of useful properties, have a very reasonable cost.

On FORUMHOUSE you can read an article that examines in detail the pros and cons of natural insulation and find out what consequences improper vapor barrier leads to. We choose insulation for thermal insulation of the interfloor ceiling in a wooden house. Join the discussion on how to choose insulation for different elements of the house. Watch a video about the insulation system invented by a member of our portal.

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The most common insulating materials

Almost all commercially available insulation materials are suitable and common materials.

These include:

Minvata

The most successful option is stone (basalt) wool, a dense fibrous material made from molten rock

It has high heat-saving qualities and conducts water vapor well, which is important for external wall insulation

Does not promote the appearance of insects or rodents, does not burn. The disadvantage of the material is its ability to absorb moisture, which requires the organization of high-quality waterproofing.

Basalt wool

Foam plastic (PPS)

A material that is very popular due to its low price and very high heat-saving qualities. It consists of many small sealed granules filled with gas bubbles and welded into a single mass using hot steam.

It has a convenient manufacturing format, is easy to process and holds its shape well, which is very helpful during installation. At the same time, foam plastic is almost impermeable to moisture or water vapor, which requires taking appropriate measures to remove it.

In addition, it is not elastic - it crumbles or breaks when deforming loads appear.

Styrofoam

Expanded polystyrene (EPS)

Chemically, the material is an analogue of polystyrene foam, but a different manufacturing technology significantly changes its characteristics. EPPS is a frozen foam mass that does not consist of individual particles, but is a continuous porous slab.

Therefore, the permeability to water or steam of EPS is practically zero. The heat-saving properties of the material are very high, it is durable, and is produced in the form of rigid slabs. At the same time, it is much more expensive than polystyrene foam, which somewhat reduces its use.

Expanded polystyrene

Polyurethane foam

Liquid polyurethane foam is used as insulation, which is applied by spraying using special equipment. The most useful property of polyurethane foam is the ability to apply it to the surface as densely and hermetically as possible, without the formation of cracks or gaps.

A layer of frozen foam is formed, quite dense and at the same time light, impermeable to either steam or water. It is quite expensive, in addition, it requires equipment, as well as a specialist who knows how to work with polyurethane foam. It is used most often for internal application.

Polyurethane foam

Thermal insulation with mineral wool: step-by-step instructions

In most cases, mineral wool in the form of mats . Therefore, subsequent instructions will be based on working with this material.

Preparatory activities

The first thing you need to do is understand the structure of the insulation cake, calculate the material and prepare the surface for installation. It doesn’t matter which side to start the work from - outside or inside. Some people believe that it is more convenient to perform thermal insulation from the street side. However, weather factors must be taken into account.

The standard structure of a thermal insulation cake with the order of layers from the internal cladding to the facade of the house:

The recommended pitch of frame beams is 580-590 mm. This range is optimal when using standard mineral wool mats 60 cm wide. According to the standards, the thickness of the insulation for temperate climates is 150 mm. To fill the space between the beams of 15 cm, it is advisable to use mineral wool of two sizes: 50 and 100 mm.

Surface preparation comes down to cleaning off dust, removing protruding nails and blowing in the cracks with foam between the frame elements. Before attaching the insulation, it is necessary to check the wooden structures for dampness, and dry the problem areas with a hair dryer.

Interior finishing: sequence of layers

First you need to prepare the base for laying the insulation. On the inside of the house, this role will be performed by a vapor barrier film and OSB boards .

In the future, OSB boards will serve as the basis for applying the final finishing to the walls.

Rules for installing insulation

An important advantage of using mineral wool or wood fiber insulation is the ease of installation with your own hands. Both heat insulators are quite elastic, so they do not require additional fixation. The slabs are inserted between the frame posts and are held in place due to the slight difference in size.

To ensure that the thermal insulation layer does not lose its effectiveness over time, it is necessary to follow certain rules for its installation:

The film insulation is fixed with a stapler. For more reliable fastening, you can use a counter-latching system.

External wall cladding

The beams attached on top of the wind barrier create the necessary air gap between the thermal insulation material and the exterior finish. Further insulation of the facade depends on the material of the finishing cladding.

Under the block house and siding of various types, moisture-resistant OSB boards are nailed onto the sheathing, to which guide bars are attached. Artificial, natural stone or facade tiles are laid directly on oriented strand boards.

Thermal insulation of a house roof

High-quality roof insulation is of great importance in preserving heat. Thoughtful and well-executed thermal insulation of the roof of a frame house saves 25-30% of thermal energy. A popular insulation option is placing mineral wool between the rafters. The roofing pie must be supplemented with a vapor barrier film and a diffusion membrane.

install a lightning rod in a private house

We will describe sequentially how to properly insulate a roof :

Insulation of the first floor floor

A lot of heat also escapes through the foundation of the house - about 15-20% of heat costs fall on the floor. As an option, you can organize water underfloor heating. However, it is easier and cheaper to insulate the base with mineral wool.

The described technology is suitable for insulating interfloor or attic floors.

Requirements for thermal insulation material

The frames of houses built using “Canadian” technology are assembled from OSB boards or wood. To prevent the insulation from causing damage to structures, it must have sufficient vapor permeability - at least 0.32 Mg .

Fiber heat insulators – mineral wool materials – absolutely meet this requirement. Popular synthetic insulation materials, such as polystyrene foam and polymer-based analogues, cannot be used in wooden structures for two reasons:

When choosing how to insulate a frame house, in addition to vapor permeability, you should also take into account the additional properties of the heat insulator. The following indicators are welcome:

Stone wool

Stone wool is produced by processing basalt and its analogues with the addition of binding components.

The result is a fibrous material with a fiber thickness of 3 to 5 microns and a length of up to 16 mm. Stone wool is often called basalt wool. Available in slabs or rolls of various thicknesses and sizes. Depending on the added components, the slabs can be made to varying degrees of rigidity.

Characteristics and properties of stone wool:

• Low thermal conductivity. From 0.032 to 0.048 W/(m•K) is the thermal conductivity coefficient of such a material.
• Low hygroscopicity - about 1%. Does not absorb moisture.
• High vapor permeability – about 0.3 mg/(m•h•Pa). Moisture in the rooms does not accumulate.
• High temperature resistance. Melting point – from 750° C and above. Complete burnout occurs after reaching 1000° C.
• Good sound absorption.
• Frost resistance. Can be used from - 180° C.
• Resistance to deformation. Shrinkage is about 5% over 10 years.
• High strength and durability. Withstands a load of 70 kPa.
• High resistance to aggressive chemical and biological environments. Does not rot, is not affected by fungus or mold.

Advantages of stone wool

Almost all the characteristics and properties of stone wool relate to its advantages. The excellent thermal insulation of this material exceeds the thermal insulation properties of wood, expanded clay and foam. The use of basalt wool for insulation of private and industrial buildings makes the indoor atmosphere comfortable both in winter and summer. The non-combustibility of the material not only protects against fire, but also serves as a barrier to it.

Any structures, buildings, structures and individual elements can be insulated with stone wool. This material does not prick and this makes it easier to work with. No special skills are required when working with stone wool. This insulation is convenient for transportation and storage.

Disadvantages of stone wool

The high cost of basalt wool can be attributed to its disadvantages. This is due to the high costs of its production. Stone wool is soft and does not prick, but when cutting and during installation, particles of this material appear in the air, so it is necessary to use protective equipment.

The ability to transmit steam well excludes the possibility of using it when insulating a foundation or basement floor. The presence of binders using phenol-formaldehyde resins can lead to the release of phenol.

Application of stone wool

Due to its excellent characteristics, stone wool has found wide application and is used as a sound-proofing and heat-insulating material in various fields of construction.

Basalt wool is used for insulation of: • walls, both internal and external, made of a variety of materials; • ceilings, floors, roofs; • balconies, loggias and extensions; • ventilated curtain wall facades; • various pipelines, tanks, industrial equipment; • saunas, cabins and other rooms with high humidity.

This material is also used for soundproofing various rooms and insulating stoves, chimneys, and other fire hazardous objects.

To summarize, we can say that stone wool is a modern insulation material that is in demand, durable, effective and relatively safe.

Video description

We will dwell in more detail on insulating a house with polystyrene foam. Find out how safe polystyrene foam is in our video:

Expanded polystyrene (penoplex)

Expanded polystyrene is a popular thermal insulation material due to its long service life, low cost and excellent sound and heat-saving properties. The material demonstrates high hydrophobicity (absorption volume is no more than 3% of weight), compressive and bending strength, fire resistance and non-toxicity.

train schedule romanovskie dachas lublino

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

Expanded clay

The material is the most common and proven fill-type insulation; It is used in thermal insulation of floors, floors and walls. Expanded clay is based on 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 attractive parameters, which include good thermal insulation and low weight, environmental friendliness, chemical inertness and vapor permeability.

Expanded clay is not flammable and does not lose its thermal insulation properties when temperature fluctuates. The only drawback of expanded clay is that its heat-protective properties are inferior to synthetic materials.

Foam glass

Not only expanded clay is produced in the form of granules, but also foam glass - a material with a higher level of thermal protection. Sand and broken glass are used to make it, which automatically turns the material into the safest and cleanest product. Granulated foam glass is indifferent to bio- and chemical agents, moisture-resistant, and its only (and tangible) disadvantage can be considered its high cost.

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

In order for mineral wool insulation to cope with its duties perfectly, they need well-designed steam, water and wind insulation:

Modern protective membranes are capable of maximally insulating the insulation (and, therefore, the wall structure), which cannot be said about polyethylene film, which thrifty (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 insulating layer throughout the entire volume of the walls.

Rating of the best external insulation materials

What external wall insulation would you choose or recommend?

Take the survey

Disadvantages of polystyrene foam

1. Burns at relatively low temperatures (already at 80 degrees!). Therefore, it would be better for him to be between non-combustible materials, for example, between brick walls.

2. Poor strength. Yes, the strength varies: 50...160 kPa. There is even 400 kPa, but - the price! So polystyrene foam is not used as an independent structural material (well, except for the manufacture of those same ice cream boxes :)). Therefore, in construction, hollow blocks are made from foam plastic, into which concrete is poured:

Then the load-bearing function is performed by concrete.

The second way to use polystyrene foam is to attach it to walls:

The third method is in the form of crumbs for dry filling into various voids in structures.

3. Everyone who is not too lazy loves to live in polystyrene foam. Perhaps this will help lovers of hamsters, etc., but this is not for me.

Read on for another disadvantage of polystyrene foam.

Let's look at the differences in key characteristics

Next, we will analyze in detail the differences in the main characteristics. First of all, let's consider thermal conductivity (the ability of a material to transmit heat through itself). The lower this indicator, the more effective the insulation. This is a key characteristic for this category. The thermal conductivity of glass wool ranges from 0.045-0.055 W/m*K. For mineral wool this indicator is better: 0.041.- 0.44 W/m*K. The indicator of basalt wool is lower, which means it is more effective than its counterpart. However, the difference between them is very small.

Now let's look at other, no less significant indicators:

Important! Mineral wool can smolder for several hours, while glass wool undergoes active combustion.

In other components, these materials have almost equal indicators, and the differences between them are minimal. That's why we didn't mention them.

Glass wool

One of the most common types of insulation nowadays is glass wool. This is insulation produced, as the name suggests, from glass production waste. Glass wool consists of long and wide glass fibers, the length of which can reach up to five centimeters.

Advantages of glass wool

It is quite actively used due to the fact that it has a number of undeniable advantages, among which it is important to note, for example: - High elasticity. During transportation, glass wool is compressed up to 4 times, and when transportation is completed, it is straightened out without any problems. — Very high resistance to vibration. - Extremely high moisture resistance - such an excellent material almost never gets wet! - Exceptional non-toxicity and purity - No less good sound insulation and thermal insulation. — Complete fire safety. Glass wool generally does not ignite at all! — Glass wool does not rot or mold. - Glass wool is not at all edible for mice, rats and any other rodents who like to feast on building materials. This is especially important for those who live on the ground floor of a high-rise building or arrange their summer cottage with glass wool.

Disadvantages of glass wool

But it would be unfair not to note certain disadvantages of the glass wool material: - Short service life when compared with insulation materials consisting of other materials; - Low level of thermal performance for products consisting of glass wool (again, compared to other insulation materials); — Some types of glass wool contain formaldehyde; — When working with glass wool, special, enhanced precautions must be taken to avoid problems. The fact is that glass microfibers, when they come into contact with mucous membranes and skin, can cause persistent severe itching, redness, and burning. These microfibers will be extremely difficult to wash off, because they get into microcracks and pores of human skin. In addition, when small particles of glass enter the respiratory tract, serious health problems often arise, often irreversible. An unambiguous conclusion follows from the last drawback - if you still decide to use such an ambiguous type of insulation, then you will need devices that can ensure safe work with glass wool. A respirator or special one is good. gloves, professional glasses. You should definitely dress with the expectation that your special suit will be thrown out because... it will be more than permeated with fine glass dust and fiberglass.

Roll insulation

Which insulation for home is the best of the rolled representatives? Let's take a closer look at the various modifications.

Modern soft Roll Penofol 2000 C-05 for roof and walls

Modern self-adhesive insulation Penofol 2000 C-05 is inexpensive. The basis for it is cross-linked polyethylene (PPE) with a layer of metal foil. A comparative analysis of cross-linked and non-cross-linked materials revealed undeniable preferences of cross-linked polyethylene over non-cross-linked polyethylene. For example, sound insulation qualities (NPE are completely absent), low hygroscopicity, high strength and extended service life.

Penofol

The adhesive layer provides excellent adhesion to most building materials. The foil layer helps to retain heat lost in the form of radiation. Penofol 2000 C-05 insulation is widely used for insulating process pipelines, but temperature restrictions must be taken into account (not higher than 100 degrees). If operating conditions are properly observed, the service life is 25–30 years.

Suitable for internal insulation of ceilings, floors, walls, roofs. Can serve as bedding for tents and sleeping bags.

Advantages:

• low flammability, low flammability;
• ease of surface mounting;
• chemical resistance;
• high specific heat-insulating properties.

Flaws:

• With a point load, damage to the heat-insulating layer occurs.

Effective and safe Roll MOSFOL NPE-PL

The MOSFOL roll is available in two modifications - with double-sided foil or with one layer of foil and an adhesive coating. The glue used provides good adhesion to traditional building materials.

Roll MOSFOL NPE-PL

If the material is unfolded, it will remain flat due to its structure. This insulation should be used for interior construction work. The thermal conductivity coefficient is 0.035 W/m*C - one of the lowest in our review.

Recommended for reducing heat loss on ceilings, floors, walls, and roofs. Suitable as a substrate for laminate flooring, for thermal insulation of steel doors, as well as for sound insulation of cars.

Advantages:

• low water absorption;
• weather resistance;
• reliability, durability;
• hygiene, environmental friendliness.

Flaws:

• lack of soundproofing properties.

Difficulties and errors

Beginning repairmen often make the following mistakes:

1. They begin work in the cold season.
2. They do not pay enough attention to the quality preparation of the wall.
3. The glue is applied incorrectly (it is applied to the slabs along the perimeter in the form of strips about 4 cm wide, and dotted along the rest of the surface).
4. The seams between the insulation are left empty.
5. Install the insulation on an undried wall.

Consequences of errors

Mistakes made during the process of wall insulation lead to serious consequences:

• If the walls are cold or poorly prepared, the glue between the insulation and the wall will dry out quickly, which will impair its adhesion. As a result, the entire structure will be unreliable, and there will be a risk of mold and mildew growing.
• If the glue is applied to the insulation incorrectly, the material will deform, bending in one direction or another.
• If the seams between the slabs are not filled with sealant, cold bridges will form in the wall, through which warm air will escape.
• If the wall is wet, then soon a fungus will appear under the insulation.

Methods for attaching insulation to the wall

Penoplex can be attached to the wall in several ways:

• on the dowel. Fastener with a large head. Used to increase the adhesion of the insulation to the wall, especially if installation of additional materials on the insulation is provided;
• on glue. They are applied pointwise to the slabs and glued to the wall treated with an adhesive composition. You should carefully choose the adhesive solution, as some substances destroy the insulation;
• on polyurethane foam. Foam can be an additional fastening of panels when fastening them with dowels;
• self-tapping screws. Not a very suitable method, since when they are located inside the wall, cold bridges are formed, which reduces the thermal insulation properties of the material.

Fastening with dowels

The most common method of fastening is installation with an adhesive composition and fastening with dowels, which ensures the greatest adhesion and fastening strength.