How to insulate the bath outside look. We warm the bath with our own hands

23.06.2020

Of course, the bath should be not only comfortable and durable, but also beautiful. Agree, during construction it is not enough to provide only these conditions, one should also consider effective thermal insulation, on which the heating time of the premises, the amount of heat loss and fuel spent will depend.

In order to maintain a favorable temperature inside, it is necessary to properly ensure the insulation of the bath from the outside.

Proper insulation should be carried out taking into account the following factors:

the material from which the bath is built. The methods of insulation for brick and wooden buildings are different;
type of heater. It can be the most common moss or felt for a log bath, or modern bulk, mineral, foam materials can also be used.

How to insulate your own bath?

In order to insulate the outside of the bath, you can use a variety of materials, including:

Natural (down, felt, cotton wool, moss). They are mainly used for warming baths built from wooden frame. In this case, the material is carefully placed between the individual logs.
Backfills. Such heaters include materials that are small granules of various sizes, densities, obtained as a result of foaming or other technological processes. Such heat-insulating materials can be applied in several ways, for example, by spraying with water.
Blocks. These are small, fairly light slabs of specially foamed material. Such products include, for example, foam glass.
Cotton wool. Such insulation consists of fluffy amorphous fibers. These include, for example, minerals, stone wool, glass-based insulation and more.
Rolls are somewhat reminiscent of thin layers of quilted cotton wool. They are very convenient to use.
Plates. Similar to roll materials, only made in the form of large slabs of a certain size.
Foil is a thin film with a special metal coating, great for warming saunas outside and inside.
Liquids are special suspensions in the form of foamed granules. After application, a durable elastic polymer coating remains on the surface. It is used most often for hard-to-reach places.

Not any type of insulation is suitable for warming a bath, but only one that meets certain requirements:

increased resistance to high temperatures;
insulation should not absorb moisture;
no deformation of the material during use, that is, the insulation should not roll down, fall off;
the insulation should not be subject to rotting, attacks by rodents;
environmental friendliness.

Mineral heaters or cellular?

Now consider the materials that are great for external insulation of baths. These include products created on the basis of 100% natural fibers: wool felt, moss, hemp hemp, linen tow. Such materials for caulking are environmentally friendly, they are easily compacted during work, and provide excellent air exchange.

Quite often, red moss is used for log cabins, which is not subject to decay. As a rule, the length of its fibers is 15-30 cm, which is very convenient. Moss called cuckoo flax, sphagnum is also used. All these materials are available and cheap: a forty-kilogram bag of such building moss will cost only three hundred rubles.

Popular for warming baths and jute, which is used for warming crowns, with caulking of the entire structure. For log cabins, jute felt, felt from a mixture of flax and jute, lnovatin are also suitable. These materials are elastic dense strips that are easy to fit and completely cover the seams between the logs.

Their cost is also low: a jute cloth with a length of up to 20 meters costs about 100 rubles, a roll of linen will cost 520-750 rubles.

Important! The process of insulation (caulking) is carried out at the stage of assembling a wooden frame, the grooves and gaps are insulated after construction works on the roof. Such a process is carried out at least twice, while the second time - a year after the construction of the bath.

For external insulation brick and concrete buildings use mineral heaters, which are soft slabs or mineral wool mats.

Such plates have in their structure flexible and thin fibers from mineral melts. All wool is divided into stone and slag, such a classification depends on the material of manufacture.

The main advantages of mineral heaters are:

incombustibility;
environmental friendliness;
the material does not absorb moisture, is not subject to decay;
has a low cost (500-1000 rubles per pack).

In addition to mineral wool, glass wool is also used, which has excellent thermal insulation properties, strength, and elasticity.

Among plastic-based products that are suitable for external insulation of baths, foamy and cellular (foam plastics), porous, honeycomb (honeycomb plastics) can be distinguished. Most often, expanded polystyrene is used, which is distinguished by strength, density, and low thermal conductivity.

From modern materials for warming baths, foam glass can also be noted, which, despite the rather high cost (up to ten thousand rubles), is one of the the best materials. This insulation absorbs sounds, is easy to process, non-flammable, water-resistant, very strong and durable.

Options for warming the bath from the outside

Insulation of a bathhouse from the outside is not such a complicated process, it is only necessary to comply with the requirements for such work.

The choice of material for insulation occurs even before the start of construction.

It will depend on what the bath will be built from (wood, stone, brick, concrete).

For example, for wooden structures, insulation should be carried out directly during the construction process, and not after it, as is possible for brick baths.

Let's consider ways of warming outside for a bath made of wood and brick in more detail.

Wooden baths

Used for wooden baths natural materials, including red moss, tow, flax fiber, jute. Such material lays down tightly during work, it provides tightness, the seam is even.

External insulation work should be carried out during the construction process, when natural fibrous material is installed between the stacked logs. After installing the roof, you can begin to caulk grooves, various gaps. At the same time, it is recommended to use tape heaters, which ensures the stability of the structure, strength, durability.

http://www..be/a1Co0Spk_Y4

brick baths

Note! For brick baths, as well as for concrete, stone, wooden frame baths, mineral heaters are usually used.

Such slabs or sheets are laid on a prepared crate, fixed on the outer walls. On the one hand, it is recommended to cover them with foil, which provides vapor barrier.

When warming the bath from the outside, careful compliance with all requirements and norms will be required. Only this will allow you to perform all the work efficiently, the bath will not quickly lose heat, and it will turn out to warm up easily and quickly. We offer several useful tips for warming the bath, which, for sure, will help many.

When insulating the outside, one should not forget about the foundation of the structure. It can be insulated with special mineral mats. A layer of expanded clay or slag should be laid under the floor; ventilation holes are required in the foundation itself.
Between the outer wall and interior decoration, especially in the steam room and washing department, it is necessary to make a layer of vapor barrier. For this, it is recommended to use foil; for rest rooms, kraft paper can be effectively used for the same purpose.
In order to avoid negative impact steam for the entire structure, it is recommended to coat wooden baths with a mixture of clay and sawdust in the upper part.
Some of the heat escapes through the cracks in the windows. To prevent this from happening, you should use non-combustible materials along the contour of the window, caulk all places under the windowsill. The frames themselves must fit very tightly to the window frames, which will prevent the glass from fogging up.

We want your sauna to be the warmest and most comfortable.

The questions of how to insulate a bath from the outside or from the inside, how to do it right, have already brought many sleepless nights to many owners of private households. After all, it's not a secret for anyone to fully enjoy the rest, inside the building you need an easily created and maintained microclimate that is optimal for each room. To a greater extent, it will depend on the thermophysical properties of the enclosing structures. For example, a steam room should not only heat up quickly, but also keep the set temperature parameters as long as possible. At the same time, one could safely be in the rest room, hiding behind only a towel. And even if you install a heavy-duty heat generator, burn exorbitant amounts of fuel or spend extra tens of kilowatts of electricity, and leave the walls “cold” - with a high degree of heat transfer, then unpleasant drafts will always walk inside the building.

In this article, we will analyze the most practical ways to insulate a bath from the outside with our own hands, in which cases they are preferable to internal ones, and also dispel some misconceptions on these issues. Read about thermal protection technologies from the inside on our website

Picture 1

When is the insulation of the bath outside selected?

By general rule improving the thermal properties of household buildings, effective thermal insulation should be placed outside. What is the reason for this requirement? The fact is that water vapor migrating through the walls to the street, when the temperature drops, condenses in the thickness of the structures, and in winter it generally turns into ice. Neither wood nor stone materials can withstand such an impact - the former rot, while the latter defrost and crumble. Therefore, the thermophysical system must function in such a way that:

ensure the operation of the walls at positive temperatures;
prevent moisture from entering them.

In practice, the best fulfillment of the first condition is easier to achieve by equipping an external heat shield. That is, the walls in the bath will be located from the street behind a layer of thermal insulation - in a warm zone. However, we still have a factor of high humidity, and extreme temperatures (in the steam room) should also be taken into account. Therefore, perhaps the ideal solution would be to insulate the bath from the outside, with the creation of a high-quality reflective internal vapor barrier made of roll foil or foil paper (Fig. 2).

Why is it possible? Firstly, the efficiency of the thermal insulation system depends on the proper selection source materials for it and compliance with the technology of their installation. Secondly, there is also a practical moment of warming the walls of the bath, associated with the mode of its operation, which even experienced builders rarely take into account.

Figure 2

Influence of the mode of use of the bath on the design of the thermal insulation system

Internal thermal protection will reduce the preparation time for hygiene procedures. After all, the walls are practically taken out of the energy contour of the building, so it is unnecessary to warm them up. Air masses in a closed volume are quickly brought to the required temperature by a heat generator of even the smallest power. On the contrary, sheathing the bath with insulation from the outside leads to the fact that the walls also have to be heated. It is more costly for initial stage, but allows leveling short-term temperature jumps. Simply put, the arrays of enclosing structures involved in the energy exchange increase the comfort of using the bath structure.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that the owner of a private building, deciding how to insulate the bath, for its irregular use, can choose the internal option. For constantly heated buildings, as well as in which several visits are steamed at once, it is better to consider the arrangement of street energy-saving cladding.

We select materials

Today, a lot of efficient heat-insulating materials with close values of thermal conductivity coefficients λ= 0.03-0.04 W/m*C have already been created. This is where their similarity sometimes ends, since there are a number of important parameters on which the technologies for their application depend. The most important characteristic for warming the walls of the bath from the outside is also the coefficient of vapor permeability (μ, mg / m * h * Pa). After all, no matter how good the vapor barrier you make, moist air will find ways to migrate through the walls to the outside. Therefore, steam must be able to escape freely into the atmosphere without accumulating inside the walls or insulating material. Otherwise, the accumulation of dampness cannot be avoided, which is fraught with damage and destruction of both the wall itself and the thermal insulation. To avoid this, two rules should be followed:

Minimize the amount of migrating steam through the building envelope. The solution is the installation of a high-quality pra-insulating membrane from the inside of the building, the arrangement of effective ventilation of the premises.
Providing conditions for free diffusion of steam. Solution - materials are selected according to the condition of increasing their coefficient μ towards the outer surface of the building.

Figure 3

Is it possible to insulate the bath with foam from the outside?

Even if we do not take into account the low environmental performance of expanded polystyrene (EPS, EPS) and its fire hazard, then the installation of such plates on the walls almost completely blocks the migration of moisture. In addition, the insulation of the bath with foam plastic violates the principle of the ratio of the coefficient μ between the inner and outer layers. Paying attention to the data from Table 1 for the most likely combinations of materials, it becomes clear that the steam simply will not have time to vent through the cladding plates.

As a result, condensate will begin to accumulate on the outer boundary surface of the wall, with all the ensuing (literally and figuratively) negative consequences.

Table 1.

Popular wall and insulation materials	Vapor permeability coefficient μ, mg/mhPa
PPS (density 10-38 kg / m 3)	0,05
EPPS	0,001-0,005
mineral wool	0,3-0,55
Ecowool	0,3-0,67
Pine log	0,06
Brick	0,11-0,14
Foam and aerated concrete	0,11-0,23

From the same table 1, it is obvious that whether it is the insulation of a wooden bath, brick or foam blocks, an increase in the coefficient of vapor permeability to the outside is possible if the enclosing structures are covered with mineral wool or ecowool. Then, all the steam that has penetrated the thermal insulation layer from the walls will have time to erode.

Figure 4

How is the insulation of the bath outside?

General requirements

Thinking over the design of the future energy screen, it is not enough just to choose an effective heat-insulating material, you also need to correctly assemble a heat-insulating system based on it. Sometimes it is called "pie", referring only to the outer layers. However, the system of the thermal contour of the building, when the bath is insulated from the outside, consists of all layers, starting from the interior and ending with the facade (Fig. 5). Understanding the individual functionality and requirements for each of them contributes to the practical success of the event as a whole.

vapor barrier

Bearing building envelope (Fig. 5)

Regardless of the material, it must comply with the condition of airtightness as much as possible. Therefore, all possible places for blowing cracks, cracks, joints are sealed.

thermal insulation layer

Its fit to the wall should be tight, excluding air pockets. The presence of such cavities contributes to a significant reduction in the energy-saving effect due to blowing and the formation of condensate. The same requirement applies to the joining of individual elements of the material - its plates or strips.

Wind protection for insulation for bath walls

Prevents wind erosion of thermal insulation, as well as the penetration of cold air flows into the thickness of the material.

Ventilated gaps

They can be on both sides of the wind protection or only on the outside, which is dictated by the properties of the films being mounted. They ensure the removal of moisture both migrating from the premises through the walls, and getting from the outside through possible defects or damage to the facade cladding.

Facade cladding

Its functions are protective and decorative. It protects all internal layers from natural factors (UV radiation, precipitation, wind), as well as artificial mechanical influences.

Figure 5

It is worth adding that Figure 5 shows how to insulate wooden bath ventilated façade technology. For walls made of brick or aerated concrete blocks, the scheme will be similar. In addition, the energy-saving system based on the wet facade technology is in no way inferior in terms of its thermal properties (Fig. 6). In this case, the functions of wind, hydro, mechanical protection and decorative coating are placed on special vapor-permeable plasters. Nevertheless, for baths built from wood materials, which are the majority in Russia, a ventilated coating is still preferable.

Figure 6

Practical moments of warming the bath from the outside with your own hands

By opting for the manufacture of an external heat shield with a ventilated gap device, you get a reliable, durable facade system. If you show maximum accuracy, use only materials recommended for these types of work, then the exterior of your building will delight for many years, and it will not need repairs.

So, let's analyze the practical aspects of how the bath is warmed from the outside with your own hands. We believe that the internal vapor barrier layer has already been installed or will be installed at the stage of facing the premises.

Walls

Walls made of brick or other block building materials are inspected for cracks or voids in the seams, which should be further strengthened with mortar (wipe, embroider). It is even better if, from the side of the premises, they are completely covered with a layer of vapor-proof plaster.

Figure 7

According to the classical technology, wall insulation in a bathhouse, the box of which is made of logs or timber, begins with caulking tow, linen strands, jute or other natural materials (Fig. 7). The operation is best performed after the end of the complete shrinkage of the structure, which depends on the timing of the initial moisture content of the wood (it can take several years). Otherwise, gaps will still appear, and it will be problematic to eliminate them under the inner and outer skin.

Figure 8

There is also a more modern way of sealing interventional and other gaps using sealants. For bath walls made of wood with normal humidity, it can be used almost immediately after their construction, but “raw” log cabins should still be allowed to stand for at least six months. Usually they wait out the winter, and closer to the summer they start processing the seams.

Such sealing, in contrast to the classical one, guarantees stable functionality regardless of the occurrence of multidirectional deformations of the wood. Synthetic sealants have good adhesion to the substrate, work both in compression and in elongation up to 300%. Before their use, the seams of the bath walls are primed from the outside and sealed with a cord made of extruded polyethylene foam. The method of laying the sealant depends on its packaging. The tape is most convenient - it is removed from it protective film, it is placed in the seam and rolled with a roller. If you purchased the composition in tubes for a mounting gun (Fig. 8) or buckets, then after application it still needs to be smoothed with a spatula (Fig. 9).

Figure 9

Energy saving screen frame

Insulation of baths on the outer surface of the walls using mineral wool or ecowool requires the installation of a frame support. Initially, it will serve to securely fasten the layer on the enclosing structures. effective thermal insulation, and then to fix the wind barrier and install the facade cladding. The frame may consist of one (Fig. 10, b) or two tiers. The second type with a cross-layer arrangement provides best performance thermal protection (Fig. 10, c).

crate

Guides in tiers are smooth, planed, well-dried bars or boards (pos. 3 and 6), treated with wood compositions with antiseptic, hydrophobic and flame retardant effects. Their cross section will depend on the tiering, the method of attachment to the wall, as well as the thickness of the thermal insulation (Fig. 10, b, c, d). Usually bars or boards with a thickness of 25-50 mm are used.

To create a ventilated insulation of the bath from the outside, you can also use a carrier system based on metal profiles- galvanized, aluminum or even stainless. However, such structures (especially the last two types) are much more expensive, so small private developers often prefer lumber guides.

The step of the frame elements of both the main and under the facade bodywork is taken based on the dimensions of the thermal insulation (pos. 4), as well as the installation requirements for the protective and decorative coating with which you plan to sheathe the bath from the outside. For dense laying of mineral wool, the distance between the guides is calculated as the width of the sheets of material minus 15-20 mm. For example, for a sheet with a width of 610 mm, it will be 590-595 mm. It is convenient to cut rolls with a width of 1200 mm along, in this case the gap between the bars is taken equal to 580-585 mm.

Mounts

Sheathing elements for established buildings can be fixed to rigid metal brackets or bars (pos. 7). At the same time, for log cabins (even after the end of their shrinkage), it is still recommended to fix vertical guides using a floating method. Its meaning is that the system facade insulation baths should not take the loads arising from the deformation of the walls. To do this, the vertical guides (pos. 3) are fixed at the bottom rigidly, and further along the length in one of three ways:

longitudinal through grooves about 200 mm long are cut in the lathing bars, through which self-tapping screws with washers are inserted and screwed into the wall or into horizontal guides;
fastening is carried out through brackets with slotted holes;
U-shaped clamps are used, in which the vertical elements of the frame can slide freely.

With bunk insulation of a wooden bath, if the starting bars are placedhorizontally (pos. 6), then they are always fixed rigidly to the walls, since slight compression is not dangerous for the first layer of mineral wool.

Figure 10

Heat insulating layer

The principles for choosing the type of thermal insulation have already been mentioned above, in the section “Selecting materials”. If you give preference to ecowool, then, although this effective material, you will have to involve third-party specialists who have the appropriate equipment for applying it under pressure. Existing alternative method free backfilling of ecowool is not the best solution for walls, since its column compacts over time, sags, which leads to a violation of the integrity of the thermal circuit of the building. Therefore, do-it-yourself warming of a bath is easier to organize using mineral wool products made of glass or stone fiber.

Attention! When purchasing such products, you should carefully familiarize yourself with the scope of its application. For example, it can be designed to solve problems of acoustics or fire protection, while its thermal resistance will be inferior to the corresponding profile materials.

Manufacturers of mineral thermal insulation wool produce both standard or universal versions, as well as specialized products for the assembly of ventilated facades. Narrow profile products can have useful advantages:

tongue-and-groove locks along the perimeter of the slabs, which simplify the insulation of the walls of the bath, and also exclude air circulation at the joints, even with a single-layer placement;
fiberglass coating, which reduces the movement of convective currents through the insulating layer;
additional hydrophobic impregnation, due to which the dropping liquid is not held between the fibers, but flows down freely.

Universal or specialized mineral wool, used for facade systems of household structures, must have a density of at least 35-40 kg / m 3. With a decrease in this parameter, heat transfer in all its forms increases: convection, thermal conductivity and radiation. The maximum density for reasons of profitability,usually choose no higher than 80 kg/m 3 , since heavier and more expensive products are used already in industry.

The fixation of the insulation plates on the walls of the bath is carried out due to their tight fit in the frame of the crate and point compression with dish-shaped dowels (Fig. 10. Pos. 5).

Figure 11

Wind protection and ventilation

The windproof sheet (Fig. 11) is fixed on the vertical elements of the supporting frame (Fig. 10, pos. 3), with spacer rails of the ventilated gap (battens for mounting the cladding, Fig. 5). In this case, preference should be given to special vapor-permeable wind-moisture protective membranes, which are rolled directly over the layer of insulation for the bath.

Important! With such installation, the use of roofing material, PE films and other sealed materials is not allowed. The vapor permeability of the wind barrier should be at least 700-800 g * / m2 per day.

The joints of the strips are glued with adhesive tape intended for such work. The average overlap of adjacent canvases is 15 cm, and the width of the ventilation gap between them and the cladding ranges from 2 cm to 5 cm (the parameters are set by the manufacturer).

Facade cladding

One of the main advantages of ventilated facades is that, regardless of the type of building box and its condition, you can sheathe the outside of the bath with one of the materials presented in the construction market in a wide range. It can be vinyl or metal siding, wall paneling, block house, fiber cement board, other hinged cladding. Such a finish is mounted according to similar schemes, the main uniqueness of which is dictated by the dimension of the step of the remote crate. For example, for vinyl siding it is about 40 cm.

Figure 12

External insulation of a bathhouse using a ventilated facade system allows not only solving energy saving issues for new buildings, it can radically change the aesthetic characteristics of even a dilapidated building, practically providing it with a new life.

September 3, 2016
Specialization: professional in the field of construction and repair (full cycle of finishing works, both internal and external, from sewerage to electrics and finishing works), installation of window structures. Hobbies: see column "SPECIALIZATION AND SKILLS"

Warming the bath outside with your own hands (as well as high-quality thermal insulation inside) is a prerequisite for maintaining a high temperature in the steam room and ensuring a comfortable microclimate in other rooms. Even walls made of energy-efficient materials (porous concrete, hollow ceramic brick, glued laminated timber) need to be insulated. And the structures erected according to traditional technology, this applies in the first place.

In this article I will give the algorithms that I myself use when performing external and internal thermal insulation of baths and saunas.

Thermal insulation of load-bearing structures

Exterior wall cladding with polymer panels

When starting thermal insulation work in the bath, many focus only on internal thermal insulation. This approach is fundamentally wrong, because by doing high-quality insulation with our own hands on the outside, we will provide additional protection against loss of thermal energy.

This means that in order to get the heat we need in the steam room and comfortable coolness in the dressing room, it will be possible to spend less energy (it doesn’t matter - firewood, gas or electricity). So the cost of insulation from the outside will pay off, and in the case of a bathhouse even faster than with a living space.

Thermal insulation of walls can be carried out according to two schemes. There is no universal option, but I prefer to finish buildings made of bricks or concrete blocks with foam or polystyrene, followed by plaster, and to carry out the insulation of a wooden bath using the “ventilated facade” technology.

First, let's figure out how a brick bath needs to be prepared for finishing:

I clean the walls, checking the seams between the blocks and, if necessary, repairing them.
The outer surface is primed, protecting the brick from efflorescence, fungus, and improving adhesion with the adhesive composition. If we neglect the primer, then we will not have time to blink an eye, as from a brick under a layer of insulation with high vapor barrier characteristics (and polymer plates do not allow air to pass through very well), salt will appear, destroying the bearing surfaces.
I install a U-shaped base profile along the lower edge of the wall: it will prevent the insulation from sliding down under its own weight.

Panels thermal insulation material- polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam or dense mineral wool - I stick it on the walls in a checkerboard pattern using adhesive mixture based on high-quality cement with waterproofing additives.

You need to choose a heater for a bath according to its resistance to heat transfer: this indicator depends on the type of material and on its thickness. If internal thermal insulation is planned, then 100 mm of polystyrene foam or 50 mm of extruded polystyrene is sufficient from the outside.

Next, I take a puncher with a long drill and drill through the insulation so that the drill goes deep into the wall by 40-50 mm. I fix the foam plastic with dowel-umbrellas, reinforcing the adhesive fasteners.

I perform plastering of the insulation, reinforcing the structure with an alkali-resistant polystyrene mesh.
I grout the plaster and paint the walls on the outside with weather-resistant paint.

Frame facade

If the bath is made of timber or logs, or erected according to frame technology, then I prefer to equip the so-called ventilated facade. The obvious pole of this design is vapor permeability (it largely solves the problem of excess humidity in the room), so when deciding which one to choose for frame bath insulation, it is worth focusing on plates based on mineral fiber.

The algorithm of work will differ significantly from the option described above:

To begin with, we need to put the walls themselves in order - clean, caulk the seams, treat all surfaces with antiseptic impregnations.

If there are signs of wood damage, then these areas must be sanitized, and with a strong manifestation of defects, the logs or beams must be replaced. All the same, it is pointless to insulate a rotten bath, since under a layer of heat-insulating material the process of wood destruction will go many times faster.

Then we install brackets on the walls, placing roofing material under their base or injure them.

We fasten the crate panels to the brackets. We make them either from a timber impregnated with an antiseptic, or from a galvanized steel profile. Despite the fact that the beam is more prone to deformation, I prefer to carry out the insulation of the bath exactly on the wooden crate: after all, the metal conducts heat better and therefore it can become a “cold bridge” .

Next, we lay the heat-insulating material in the cells of the crate. Deciding which one is better for a frame bath, I settled on mineral wool of medium density (up to 45 kg / m3). But I know of cases when the place of basalt fiber slabs on the walls outside (as well as in the internal cavities of the frame) was sprayed with ecowool - five years have passed since the repair, and there are no complaints about the quality of insulation.

Mineral wool perfectly keeps in the cells due to its elasticity, but when compressed, it somewhat loses its heat-saving properties. To avoid this, it is worth making the frame in strict accordance with the dimensions of the mineral wool boards (standard - 600 mm), and in order to prevent the insulation from falling out, additionally fix it with several dish-shaped dowels.

Insulation for a frame, timber or log bath must be covered with a windproof superdiffusion membrane. This material must be vapor-permeable, otherwise moisture will accumulate under the skin and moisten the heat-insulating layer.
Further, it all depends on what dimensions our crate has. If we did it with a margin and there is a gap of at least 20 mm between the insulation layer and the edge of the frame, then we immediately proceed to the sheathing. If there is no reserve, then we press the heat-insulating panels with the bars of the counter-lattice (I use parts with a section of 40x40): a block house, a false beam or other decorative material will be attached to them.

Roof insulation

The non-insulated bath roof is a source of about 20-30% of heat loss. Of course, we can block some of them by performing thermal insulation of the floor, but it is also desirable to finish the roof slopes with materials with low thermal conductivity.

We act like this:

If there is no waterproofing layer under the roofing material (according to the mind, it must be there, but you never know!) - we lay a moisture-proof vapor-permeable membrane, passing it over the rafters. To do this, it is almost always necessary to dismantle at least part roofing material, therefore, the waterproofing procedure should be performed at the stage of construction of the structure.

The rafters themselves and the elements of the roofing sheathing are treated with an antiseptic (again, this must be done earlier).
Between the rafters with inside laying insulating material. The best choice for do-it-yourself roof thermal insulation is basalt fiber in slabs or rolls with a thickness of 50 to 75 mm.
From the inside, we block the insulation with a vapor barrier film, which we fix directly on the rafters. To further secure the entire structure, we either stuff the transverse bars of the counter-lattice onto the rafters, or we perform the lining of the roof with clapboard - in the second case, we will get a fairly neat looking attic.

Interior decoration

We warm the floor

The answer to the question of how to insulate a bath correctly from the inside is no less complicated. This set of procedures usually begins with work on the floor covering:

We cover the concrete base with roofing material, on which we install support bars for the log.

If the floor in the bath is done on the ground, then the soil must be compacted and covered with a layer of sand and gravel mixture with a thickness of 15 to 40 cm. The bedding is carefully rammed, and for greater stability it can be concreted.

We lay logs on the support bars, the ends of which we fix on the walls of the room.
We cover the space between the lags with a layer of expanded clay. The thicker this layer is, the less heat loss through the lower layer of air in the room will be.
We block expanded clay with a waterproofing film. In principle, it is possible to equip a rough flooring over the expanded clay layer - but this is not necessary.
Between the lags we lay panels of heat-insulating material. If we are finishing a dressing room or a rest room, then you can take polystyrene foam or even get by with foam plastic, but only mineral wool is suitable for a steam room - it is important that the material is immune to high temperatures.

We lay a waterproofing vapor-tight membrane on top of the insulation. The quality of hydro and vapor barrier is very important: by providing it, we minimize the risk of contact of the insulation with water.
Next, we lay the draft floor, and then equip flooring from massive board or from ceramic tiles. The board is “warmer” and more pleasant to the touch, but the tile is easier to clean and less prone to swelling when wet, so the choice is yours!

Finishing the walls

Sheathing the steam room, rest room and dressing room with our own hands, we must take care not only of their insulation, but also of protecting the thermal insulation from moisture and high temperatures. From this point of view, the steam room is the most difficult room, so I will talk about the technology using its example:

I prime the walls with a moisture-proof antiseptic composition.
I mount the crate bars on the walls in such a way that the distance from the edge of the bar to the wall is approximately equal to or slightly more than the thickness of the heat-insulating material.

When choosing which is better to take a heater for a steam room, you need to remember that we need a non-combustible material with low thermal conductivity. Polymer plates are not suitable here, and I would not risk it with ecowool, so there is no alternative to mineral fiber up to 100 - 150 mm thick (less can be in the dressing room).

I lay the plates or rolls of insulation in the cells of the crate, making sure that the fibers experience a minimum compressive load.
From above I cover the thermal insulation with a vapor barrier material. For most rooms, an ordinary membrane is also suitable, but in a steam room a foil film or polyethylene foam with a metallized coating will be appropriate. Yes, the price of such products is quite high, but in addition to protecting mineral wool from moisture, they also act as a thermal mirror, reflecting heat into the steam room and providing solid energy savings.

Separately, I insulate the slopes: both windows and windows need to be made as airtight as possible, which will reduce the risk of drafts (in the bath, and on a steamed body - an almost guaranteed cold), as well as reduce heat loss.
Next, I equip the counter-lattice: stuffing thin slats onto the frame, which will ensure the formation of an air gap between the skin and the insulation.

I install on the control grille decorative panels. For a steam room, cladding made of alder, poplar or other hardwood is usually practiced, but for rooms where the air does not warm up to such a high temperature, you can also take quite cheap pine.
I also impregnate the decorative sheathing with a moisture-proof compound to prevent it from rotting and reduce the deformation of wet wood during temperature changes.

Minimizing losses through the ceiling

And log, and frame, and brick bath also need thermal insulation of the ceiling. But if inside the ceiling is insulated approximately according to the same technology as the walls, then outside, i.e. from the side of the attic, you can use another technique:

We lay two layers of fiberglass on top of the draft ceiling - it will act as a barrier to liquid.
We prepare a heat-insulating solution: in a 1: 1 ratio, mix clay with sawdust or chopped straw, then fill the material with water and mix until a thick dough is obtained.

We pour the solution between the ceiling beams, making sure that the liquid does not seep through the fiberglass into the lower rooms.
We dry the clay (this is not a quick matter, it can take several weeks), and then we lay a layer of dense insulation.
We close the heat-insulating material with a moisture-proof membrane, after which we fill in the cement fixing screed.

Thanks to this technology, we form a multilayer cake with our own hands, which practically does not let heat through.

Conclusion

Bath insulation is a whole range of works that (of course, if implemented correctly) will minimize all heat losses, reduce the cost of heating a steam room, and most importantly, ensure a steady heat, for which we, in fact, go to the bath!

The video in this article will help you understand the nuances of the technology, and difficult questions you can always contact me or my colleagues in the comments below.

In contrast to the equipment of residential premises in spa areas, internal and external energy-saving claddings play a completely different role. The relevance of the external thermal insulation of the walls of the bath depends, first of all, on the mode of its operation. In most cases, the procedure is not mandatory and requires a feasibility study. This review discusses the insulation of the bath from the outside with your own hands from an organizational and technological point of view.

If the owner assumes occasional use of the object for its intended purpose (no more than once a week), he expects the steam room to cool completely between sessions. That is, the internal insulation is equipped on the basis of rapid heating with a rise in temperature from the street to 60 ° C - 90 ° C. In this case, the installation of thermal insulation from the side of the street does not make sense: in winter period this measure will not save the building from freezing for 3 to 4 days. The cooling of the room will slow down, but in the end, it will be necessary to spend almost the same amount of energy on each heating as in the absence of external insulation.

When using the steam room every 2 - 3 days, the question "how to sheathe the bath outside?" is no longer idle for materials with high heat capacity (brick, concrete). Daily operation (for example, for commercial purposes) makes it advisable to cover the bath with insulating materials on both sides, regardless of the type of load-bearing walls.

Another option for using a bath that justifies double-sided insulation, regardless of the heat capacity and vapor permeability of the draft walls, is to conduct several paired sessions in one day. At the same time, the bathing day itself may not be repeated often.

Sealing the joints of the bath-log house

You should immediately make a reservation: the insulation of a wooden bath from the side of the street is, as a rule, not in the installation of additional layers, but in sealing the interventional joints. This operation does not refer to external insulation, but to the provision of basic thermal insulation, the role of which is played by the structural material. Nevertheless, if the owner of the log cabin has enough time, he may well caulk it qualitatively on his own.

Outside insulation with jute rope

The seals laid at the joints of the logs work as a hydrophobic element and a wind barrier. They eliminate heat transfer by convection and, at the same time, are decorative elements that emphasize the aesthetics of a log structure. Specialists involved in the arrangement of log cabins recommend using a jute cord for external sealing.

In some cases, it is permissible to caulk a wooden bath from the outside with latex or rubber-based sealants. However, this is permissible only in those baths in which there is no interior decoration. The condition is associated with the prevention of moisture condensation between the wall beams, which can be provoked by the combined use of internal insulation and external vapor-tight sealing.

Continuous external thermal insulation depending on the material of the load-bearing walls

How to insulate the bath from the outside, if it is not intended to seal the joints, but to install a thermally insulating lining? Consider the types of load-bearing walls:

Before warming the bath, a competent calculation of the thickness of the insulation layer is necessary

Brickwork or concrete structure. The types are combined into one category, since they belong to inertial buildings that have a high heat capacity and a high allowable moisture accumulation.

technique and features of warming a brick bath

Foam concrete and gas blocks. They occupy an intermediate position between log cabins and brick baths.
Srub. Requires strict consideration of the relative vapor permeability of each layer of the insulating sandwich.

Brick or concrete walls

Of the two ways to select a heater relative to the structural material, it makes sense to use the dew point shift technique. What does this mean? A thermal insulator with a vapor permeability close to zero is taken (for example, polystyrene foam) and glued to the draft wall. The inner insulation also contains a vapor-tight layer - a foil infrared screen. It turns out that the moisture condensing in the thickness of concrete or brick has nowhere to evaporate.

To prevent waterlogging, it is necessary to ensure that the dew point is located outside the draft wall - in polystyrene foam. To do this, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the outer insulation to approximately the value of the thermal resistance of the wall 4.0 - 5.0.

IN middle lane In Russia, this corresponds to a thickness of XPS boards of 200 mm.

The material will cost a decent amount, but the budget for the work will be less than when implementing the technology of a ventilated facade (with mineral wool, air gap and molded finishing cladding). In addition, self-pasting walls with XPS boards is much more affordable for a non-professional than any other methods of external thermal insulation. During everyday operation of such a steam room in the inner lining, only a reflective screen and clapboard lining should be left. For the mode of pair sessions 2 - 3 times a week, it makes sense to divide the estimated thickness of the insulation into 2 layers: 150 mm for outer surface and 50 mm for interior cladding.

Choice finishing from the side of the street should be correlated only with the budget, the possibility of independent implementation and personal aesthetic preferences. From the point of view of the operation of an insulating sandwich, the physical properties of this layer are absolutely not important. If there is no desire to mess with plaster, you can finish the bath with any relatively light slabs or panels that are moisture resistant. The main thing is not to use chemicals that can destroy polystyrene foam.

Foam concrete and gas blocks

Insulation of the bath from the outside with polystyrene foam

How to sheathe a bath built from cellular materials? For independent work, you should stop at the same polystyrene foam.

The only difference with the previous version of the bath will be that the thermal calculation will require a smaller thickness of the XPS layer (120 - 150 mm), all other things being equal - the climate, the thickness of the masonry and the given value of the heat transfer resistance of the wall sandwich.

log cabin

This idea may seem strange, but sometimes a log house needs a “fur coat”. Especially when it comes to re-equipping a bath with a change in the purpose of the object (for example, from personal to commercial). The only insulation whose vapor permeability is higher than that of wood is mineral wool. However, the downside of this venture is associated with the high complexity of the work. You will need:

Stuff horizontal slats to form a crate.
Lay rolled or slab mineral wool.
Hang the windproof membrane, grabbing it with a stapler to the crate.
Mount the vertical slats of the counter-lattice, which form a ventilation gap and serve to mount the finish coating (for example, wooden or plastic lining).
Lay a high-diffusion membrane (hydrobarrier) along the vertical rails.
Install decorative cover.

Myths about the goals and results of external insulation

Often in informational texts and on forums you can find the following statements:

“It is imperative to insulate a brick bath from the outside. Otherwise, it will be problematic to warm it up to the required temperature.” Note: the speed of heating the steam room to a much greater extent depends on the competent arrangement of internal insulation.
“For expanded polystyrene, it is best to use the finishing system“ wet facade“so that the wall “breathes”. Note: XPS boards have practically zero vapor permeability, which cannot be increased by any coatings.
“It is relatively cheap to buy foam glass granulate and use it as a filler for heat-saving cladding blocks.” Note: such a granulate, both in the form of fillings and as the basis for the formation of cellular concrete, is an order of magnitude inferior to the heat-shielding properties of block foam glass. In fact, it is no better than expanded clay.

Video: the main mistakes in the external insulation of the walls of a wooden bath

conclusions

If it is initially planned to insulate the outer surface of the walls, it is necessary to carry out a series of thermal calculations and coordinate the parameters of all layers - from the infrared screen of the steam room to the decorative finish of the facade. At the same time, the amounts saved on energy saving should be commensurate with the difference in capital expenditures, taking as the goal the achievement of a certain payback period.

There are no bad or good heaters. The temperature and humidity regime of multilayer walls is provided by the entire system, and not by one insulator. Therefore, an approximate schedule for the operation of a steam room should determine the choice of not only facings, but also the structural material of the walls. The denser the schedule, the more in demand is the inertia (high heat capacity) and high permissible moisture saturation:

for daily sessions - brick or concrete walls;
2 - 3 days a week - walls made of foam concrete, foam glass, gas blocks;
once a week - log cabins and frame baths.

Internal insulation can be chosen based on convenience self-assembly. With the outside, the situation is much stricter. Several characteristics of the insulator should be coordinated with the properties of the structural material of the walls at once.

When it comes to warming the bath, for most cases the best is, because this is the most common and effective method. Warming outside is more typical for residential buildings.

In order to provide the most complete and objective information, we will consider and possible options insulation of baths outside. The choice of insulation is being considered.

Is it necessary to insulate the bath from the outside?

A bath is a structure that is used periodically, and, accordingly, it is heated in the same mode. This is the main and cardinal difference from residential buildings, which have a constant source of heat.

If we restrict ourselves only to external insulation, then a situation will arise when, when heating a bath, first of all, only the walls, floor and ceiling will be heated (heaters for the ceiling are presented and analyzed).

And only after they warm up will the air inside begin to warm up. And this automatically causes increased fuel consumption and time for heating the bath.

When might it be needed?

As a mandatory recommendation, when an outdoor bath is required, one can name a situation where a bath combines its purpose with a residential one, i.e. the bath is additionally used as a place to stay. In this case, yes, external insulation is appropriate for the above reasons.

In addition, the insulation of the bath from the outside goes well with the processing of the building with finishing materials, which will allow you to create a single ensemble with other buildings on the site in terms of design and design.

Advice! Summarizing, we emphasize: if the bathhouse is not residential, there is no need and even, moreover, it may be unreasonable to insulate the bathhouse from the outside!

Useful video

Watch the video, where the principles of warming the internal and external insulation of the bath are clearly explained, it is very instructive:

External insulation of the bath: what you need to know?

In our article we will talk about the technology and the procedure for carrying out work on warming the bath from the outside. You can decide on the need for such actions yourself, based on the information provided.

The basic principles of creating a "pie" of insulation

First of all, it must be said that if you decide to insulate the bath from the outside, then do not forget to use steam and windproof layers.

The correct "pie" of insulation should look like this:

crate for separating pieces of insulation and then attaching the remaining layers to it and finishing;
insulation(everyone decides independently);
wind protection;
counter-lattice(not mandatory, but guarantees the presence of a ventilation gap, otherwise you will have to adjust "by eye");
finishing materials.

Insulation of bath walls outside: technology

As for the internal insulation of the bath, and for the outside - the main criterion that determines the procedure is the material from which the bath is built. Depending on this, heat-insulating materials, their thickness and method of application differ.

brick baths

As an additional recommendation, brick lining can be advised as an element of decorative trim. Moreover, we advise you to lay out a layer of bricks not close to the bearing wall, but leave a large ventilation gap, which can be left empty or filled with loose insulation: sawdust, expanded clay, etc.

The only negative is the need to constantly maintain a positive temperature, otherwise freezing is possible and a wall of bricks can “lead” when thawing.

From cinder blocks

Warming outer wall cinder block baths similarly to the first two options, for you finishing materials. The wood finish looks very nice: imitation of a log (block house), imitation of a bar, etc. The bath looks like a wooden one, but has the durability of a stone one.

Frame bath

The frame bath does not require full insulation from the outside at all, because. all heat-insulating tasks are taken over by a heater arranged inside the frame.

Outside, it is enough to install layers of steam and wind protection and waterproofing, as well as finish with finishing materials. The choice of which, as already mentioned, is extensive.

Don't forget to process wooden materials special formulations to extend their service life and preserve decorative properties.

Insulation of a wooden bath from the outside

Most customers prefer to trust the warming of the bath to specialists. Employees of companies offering provide a service for insulating buildings of various types.

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