The use of foam for insulation of the foundation. Foam insulation technology for the foundation

20.06.2020

The basis of any home is a solid foundation. The integrity, safety, durability of the building, and to a certain extent even the microclimate inside the premises directly depend on its condition. That is why for the construction of the foundation it is necessary to use the most reliable and high-quality structures and materials. However, it is not enough just to build this part of the house - it needs special protection from external influences.

In one of the publications of our portal are detailed. Usually, in combination with these measures, with the right approach, its insulation is immediately provided. Various building technologies can be used for this, but most widespread, simple, affordable for self-conducting is the insulation of the foundation with foam plastic.

This article will consider the reasons for the need for thermal insulation of the foundation, the properties of the insulation material - foam, set out the sequence of the process of carrying out such work and the applied technological methods.

Why insulate the foundation?

It would seem - why insulate the foundation? It may seem that it is enough to isolate it from the penetration of moisture, and this will fully ensure its safety. All living quarters are located above, do not directly interact with the basement and have their own thermal insulation. This opinion is widespread enough that many homeowners simply discount the need for such work, without even laying it in the plan. construction works. Meanwhile, foundation insulation is necessary for several reasons at once:

The massive construction of the foundation and basement becomes the "main path" for the penetration of cold. A significant part of the heat loss of a house is always associated with a poorly insulated ground floor floor. But even with a seemingly reliable thermal isolation the cold bridge acts from the foundation base through the walls. This leads to significant losses in terms of energy costs, and in an uncomfortable indoor environment. And properly conducted insulation gives up to 30% of the total heat savings.
The bottom of the foundation is usually located below the freezing level of the soil, and its temperature is quite constant due to the constant influence of geothermal heat. The upper part is subject to significant temperature differences. Such unevenness causes internal stresses in the reinforced concrete structure associated with the difference in the linear expansion of the material, which leads to its rapid “aging”. In order for the entire foundation array to have approximately the same heating, regardless of the season, reliable thermal insulation will be required.
A layer of insulation on the foundation walls shifts the dew point outward, and concrete structures will not become damp from the formation of condensate caused by the difference in external and internal temperatures.
Although any reinforced concrete structure has a certain margin of frost resistance, expressed in the number of cycles of complete freezing and thawing, it is better not to waste this “internal reserve” by minimizing or completely eliminating the effects of negative temperatures.
It is advisable, along with the insulation of the foundation walls, to also carry out thermal insulation of the adjacent layers of soil backfill by placing a horizontal thermally insulating belt at the level of the sole (with shallow foundations) or under concrete blind area. This can achieve a reduction in the risk of soil heaving during freezing, which is dangerous for the appearance of deformations and violation of the integrity of the foundation.
The insulation layer becomes another fairly reliable barrier to soil moisture. In addition, it well closes the layer of waterproofing that is vulnerable to mechanical stress.

The insulation of the foundation should be carried out along its outer wall. Thermal insulation material placed inside the basement (basement) room will only slightly improve the microclimate there, but will not solve the main problems.

Penoplex - the best material for insulation of the foundation

Of all the existing thermal insulation materials, it is penoplex that is probably the most the most optimal for insulation of the foundation and basement. Of course, other technologies are also used, for example, but still, foam plastic is better for independent carrying out of such work both in terms of physical and operational qualities, and it is still difficult to find at a price.

Penoplex - perhaps the best modern material to insulate the foundation

Penoplex is an extruded plate. The extrusion technology, that is, melting a mixture of polystyrene granules with foaming it with special agents and then forcing it through a molding nozzle (extrusion head), makes it possible to obtain a high-density material while maintaining excellent thermal insulation qualities.

The density of penoplex varies, depending on the brand, from 30 to 45 kg / m³. This allows the materials to withstand significant mechanical loads. So, the limit of the compressive force with a volumetric deformation of up to 10%, even for the “lightest” foam plastic, is at least 20 t / m², and for the densest it reaches 50 t / m². These indicators are quite enough not only to insulate the walls of the foundation, but also to lay a thermal insulator under its soles or install it as a basis for pouring a slab foundation.

Video: strength testing of extruded polystyrene foam

Penoplex, due to its saturation with air, has excellent indicators of thermal resistance. Thus, the coefficient of thermal conductivity is only 0.030 W / m × Cº - one of the lowest among all modern thermal insulation materials .
At the same time, the closed cellular structure of the material resists moisture penetration well. Water absorption on the first day does not exceed 0.2% of the total volume, within a month - no more than 0.4 — 0.5%, and in the future this value does not change during the entire period of operation.
The temperature range at which foam plastic does not change its physical qualities is from - 50 to + 75 ºС.
The material is absolutely harmless from an environmental point of view, does not decompose over time, does not emit harmful substances, and its service life is estimated at not less than 30 — 40 years.

Penoplex is produced in the form of rectangular slabs, usually orange, 600 × 1200 mm in size, 20 to 60 mm thick (in 10 mm increments), 80 or 100 mm. The plates have a tongue-and-groove locking part, thanks to which the installation is extremely simplified and "cold bridges" at the joints of the panels are minimized.

Several types of penoplex are produced, which are divided into classes, from Penoplex 31C to Penoplex 75. The main difference is the level of density of the material, which is quite clearly expressed by a digital indicator. In the composition of "Penoplex 31" and "35", in addition, flame retardants were additionally added, which significantly increase their fire resistance. However, for external insulation of the foundation, this indicator is not decisive. For such work, they usually purchase class material " 35C", " 45C", And for installation under the seam or under slab foundation- "45".

Prices for thermal insulation materials

Thermal insulation materials

Schemes and calculation of foundation insulation parameters

So, in order to achieve the effectiveness of thermal insulation of the foundation and the thickness of the soil adjacent to it, the insulation system should include two sections:

Vertical - a layer of insulation is installed directly on the walls of the foundation from the outside, from the sole itself to the upper edge of the base. This solves the problem of eliminating "cold bridges" through the walls and the basement of the building.
Horizontal - laid out in a continuous layer around the perimeter of the building and prevents freezing of the soil around the foundation walls, thereby completely eliminating or minimizing heaving processes. Depending on the depth of freezing in a particular area, on the type of foundation and its deepening, this layer can be located at the level of the sole, or higher, at a depth above the freezing point. In practice, very often a horizontal layer of insulation is placed directly under the concrete pavement.

What should be the thickness of the penoplex in order for the insulation to be effective and fully justify its purpose? There are special counting methodsused by experts. In some simplification, you can make a similar calculation yourself.

The thickness of the foam for the vertical section can be determined based on the following formula:

R = h 1/λ 1 + h 2/λ 2

R is the value of resistance to heat transfer, a constant established for specific regions, taking into account their climatic features;

h 1 - the thickness of the walls of the foundation;

λ 1 - coefficient of thermal conductivity of the material from which the foundation is made;

h 2 and λ 2 - respectively, the required thickness of the foam layer and its coefficient of thermal conductivity.

Meaning R it is easy to check in any local construction organization- it is installed by SNiP 23 — 02-2003 . For example, the table below shows this minimum value for some regions of Russia:

City (region)	R - required heat transfer resistance m2×°K/W
Moscow	3.28
Krasnodar	2.44
Sochi	1.79
Rostov-on-Don	2.75
Saint Petersburg	3.23
Krasnoyarsk	4.84
Voronezh	3.12
Yakutsk	5.28
Irkutsk	4.05
Volgograd	2.91
Astrakhan	2.76
Yekaterinburg	3.65
Nizhny Novgorod	3.36
Vladivostok	3.25
Magadan	4.33
Chelyabinsk	3.64
Tver	3.31
Novosibirsk	3.93
Samara	3.33
Permian	3.64
Ufa	3.48
Kazan	3.45
Omsk	3.82

h 1 = 0.5 m

λ 1 for concrete - W/m×° TO

λ 2 for foam plastic - 0.032 W / m × ° TO

3,28 = 0,5 / 1,69 + h 2/0,032

Simple arithmetic calculations give 0.0955 m. Of course, it should be rounded up, and as a result we get a 100 mm foam layer.

Foundation insulation thickness calculator

To make it easier for readers of the site, we present a special built-in calculator that allows you to quickly and accurately calculate the thickness of thermal insulation for different materials and the dimensions of the foundation, and for various types heaters appropriate in this case.

The foundation of the house is a high-quality and reliable foundation. Its strength determines the durability and integrity of the entire structure. used in the construction of the foundation best designs and accessories. However, in addition to this, the foundation needs protection from harmful external factors. And the main role here is played by the technology of insulation of the foundation.

To avoid the consequences associated with temperature changes, insulation of the foundation with foam plastic or expanded polystyrene will help. Penoplex and expanded polystyrene materials are high-quality modern heaters with increased water-repellent and heat-insulating qualities.

Why is it necessary to insulate the foundation?

Some homeowners do not seek to insulate the foundation in their private home. They believe that if the living rooms do not fit into the basement of the house and have their own high-quality thermal insulation, additional insulation foundation is not needed. However, there are several reasons why foundation insulation should be carried out:

The sole of the foundation is located very deep, often below the freezing level of the soil and does not experience significant temperature changes. The upper part of the foundation is subject to constant freezing and thawing. Due to such a temperature difference, structural stress and “fatigue” of the metal arise. To equally warm the entire foundation, you need high-quality insulation.
Significant heat savings. A bulky foundation and a plinth cause heat loss. With the right technology for warming the foundation, about 30% of heat is saved.
When insulating the foundation of a private house, the dew point comes out. This prevents the formation of condensate due to temperature differences.
Additional waterproofing. Soil moisture will not penetrate into the foundation and render Negative influence for the entire structure. Also, the insulation reliably protects the outer layer of the laid waterproofing, which is vulnerable to mechanical damage.
Together with the insulation of the foundation with foam, the insulation of the soil backfill is often carried out. At the same time, a horizontal belt of thermal insulation is placed at the level of the sole or under the blind area (depending on the depth of the foundation). This minimizes the risk of heaving of the soil with subsequent deformation of the foundation.

Types of heaters

Not all types of insulation are equally good for thermal insulation of the foundation. First of all, you need to remember that the insulation will be affected by high humidity and various mechanical stresses.

For external insulation The most commonly used foundation materials are:

Priming. The oldest and cheap way foundation insulation. He is the most labor intensive.
Expanded clay. A fairly popular insulation, often combined with ground insulation. Its use requires additional formwork.
Styrofoam. Today - the most common material for external insulation of the foundation. Work can be carried out on an already erected foundation.

Each material uses its own insulation technology.

If it is impossible to insulate the foundation from the outside for various reasons, it is possible to insulate the foundation from the inside. There are also several options here:

Sprayed polyurethane foam.
Extruded polystyrene foam, or penoplex.
Foamed polyethylene with an additional foil layer.

Most often, sprayed polyurethane foam is used for internal insulation of the foundation. To apply a layer, it is enough to spray the material on the walls, floor and ceiling of the basement.

Penoplex is a universal insulation used in warming the foundation of a house, basement and blind area, as well as walls, roofs and even balconies. Each technology for insulating a house from the outside or from the inside can use its own type of foam plastic with certain performance characteristics. Among the standard properties of penoplex stand out:

Penoplex plates have a finely porous structure. All pores are 0.1-0.2 mm in size. and are isolated. Uniform placement of pores makes penoplex insulation warm and durable.
Penoplex practically does not absorb moisture. Tests were carried out, according to which the penoplex insulation was immersed in water for a month. In the first decade, the liquid was absorbed in small quantities. After this time, the penoplex stopped absorbing moisture. At the end of the tests, the amount of liquids in the foam boards was less than 0.6 percent.
Low thermal conductivity. Penoplex can be used in places with high humidity without loss of quality. This allows you to insulate the foundation, basement, basement and other parts of a private house with foam plastic.
Long service life. Penoplex insulation withstands many cycles of freezing and thawing. According to experts, the insulation of the basement of the foundation from the outside with foam will function properly for half a century.
Load resistance. Thanks to extrusion, foam insulation has a uniform structure. After insulating the foundation with foam plastic with your own hands, the material does not change size and does not deform under any load.
Ease of installation and maintenance of penoplex There are many photos and videos on the Internet that clearly show how to insulate the foundation of a house from the outside and from the inside. When working with penoplex, you can not be afraid of bad weather.

The right choice of materials is the basis of high-quality insulation. You cannot make a mistake with the choice, otherwise there will be no effect from the insulation.

A high-quality modern insulation should have several characteristics:

Minimum thermal conductivity.
High moisture resistance, excluding the penetration of moisture into the foundation.
strength and ability to withstand high ground pressure.

Extruded polystyrene foam or foam plastic is a durable and environmentally friendly material that is resistant to various external influences. It withstands severe frosts and does not let moisture through. Most often, expanded polystyrene is used for do-it-yourself insulation of a monolithic and tape-type foundation.

Styrofoam is often used to insulate the foundation from the inside. Outdoor use depends on climatic conditions and other factors. The main advantage of this material is a low price.

Expanded polystyrene and polystyrene are light, convenient and cheap materials for insulating the foundation of a house. The market is saturated with offers, and every seller claims that his Styrofoam is the best. To choose high-quality polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam for warming the foundation of a house, basement or blind area, you need to know a few nuances:

When insulating the foundation of a house, it is worth taking a self-tightening penoplex.
Any technology for insulating the foundation with polystyrene foam from the outside and from the inside provides for the presence of high-quality material. To assess the quality, you need to slightly break the foam. If the break is uneven and there are small balls inside, this is not quality material for thermal insulation. If the fracture is even and the correct polyhedrons are visible inside, the penoplex is considered to be of high quality, and with its help it is possible to both insulate the foundation of the house from the outside and protect the blind area.

Polyurethane foam is a high-quality material that is easily connected to the building and does not have seams. It has excellent waterproofing properties and is resistant to large temperature changes. However, the installation of such a heater on the plinth and blind area is quite complicated, it requires specialized equipment and a lot of experience.

Penoplex is used when it is necessary to insulate a columnar foundation. Penoplex is produced in the form of special plates of various thicknesses and has high indicators of reliability and durability.

Guided by this instruction and a lot of photos, you can easily pick up best material for insulation of the basement.

How to insulate the foundation of a house from the outside with your own hands: the best options for insulation

Before you insulate the foundation from the outside with your own hands, you should familiarize yourself with a variety of options foundation insulation. In each case, the method of insulation is selected individually. The type of foundation, soil, temperature changes are taken into account. When choosing a technology, they also determine whether it is necessary to insulate the foundation of a house without a basement or with a basement and look at the photo how the house will look after insulation.

There are two main ways to insulate the foundation of a building. The main difference is the time of the work. The first method involves the installation of insulation in the process of pouring the foundation. The second option is to install the foundation insulation after the concrete casting has matured.

Most often self-insulation foundation is carried out in the process of construction. In order for thermal insulation to be as effective as possible, it is better to insulate the foundation from the inside and outside.

One of the simplest options for do-it-yourself foundation insulation is the use of fixed formwork during the construction process. Formwork is a solid structure into which concrete mortar is poured during the construction of the foundation. It can be made from many materials. Styrofoam formwork is quite popular. At a fairly high cost, several times higher than the price of a removable wooden formwork, polystyrene foam will serve as an excellent insulation.

With the help of expanded polystyrene, you can both insulate the foundation of the house from the outside with your own hands, and provide thermal insulation of the blind area.

After the casting has matured, you can use various foundation insulation technologies. High-quality thermal insulation of the foundation of a private house from the outside is provided with the help of expanded polystyrene, polystyrene foam, foam plastic and other materials.

Do-it-yourself foam insulation technology for the foundation: video

Penoplex material is produced in the form of plates with a constant width (600 millimeters) and with variable length and thickness. Insulation of the foundation with foam plastic can be done independently. On this topic there are many videos and photos located on our website. It is enough to observe a certain technology for warming the foundation.

Depending on what type of foundation is used in the construction of the house, various foam insulation technologies are used.

Strip foundation is used in the construction of houses cottage type. Such a foundation is a monolithic strip of reinforced concrete laid along the perimeter of the building. The technology for insulating the basement of the foundation with foam plastic with your own hands is as follows:

A trench is dug along the foundation. Width - from a meter, the depth corresponds to the freezing of the soil. The trench walls are leveled with cement mortar.
Gravel or sand is poured into the bottom of the trench, then carefully compacted. Styrofoam slabs are laid on the rammed base, protecting the lower part of the foundation from groundwater.
Waterproofing pad. Here you can use a special bituminous mastic or rolled waterproofing material, fastened with mounting adhesive.
Laying insulation outside the house. Here you need glue, which must be applied pointwise to the surface. Then foam is applied to the surface and pressed. The foam sheet must be held until the glue sets - about a minute. Subsequent sheets are laid in the same way, the inter-sheet seams are foamed. This provides better thermal insulation.

With a buried type of foundation, thermal insulation is carried out in a similar way. The brick base should also be insulated from the inside

The instructions for laying foam plastic on a columnar foundation from the outside are as follows:

Outside, the supports must be covered with a waterproofing layer. Here you can use bitumen or mastic with a roofing material.
Laying of foam slabs occurs with the expectation that they should capture the grillage and basement by 30-40 cm.
When installing penoplex, a specialized adhesive solution or dish-shaped dowels. The tile joints are foaming.

When using a tiled foundation, the technology for insulating the foundation with foam plastic with your own hands is as follows:

A trench is being dug. Width - about a meter, depth - to the level of soil freezing. The bottom is leveling out.
River sand is poured to the bottom. The layer should be 10-15cm. After that, the sand is compacted.
Installation of temporary wooden formwork and foundation pouring.
Laying foam boards. All gaps are filled with special mounting foam.
Laying a waterproofing layer. You can use bitumen or polyethylene.
The side walls are insulated after the water-repellent layer and formwork have cured.

The technology of warming the foundation with polystyrene foam, do-it-yourself foam: video

There are many photos and videos on our website that describe the process of insulating the basement with foam or foam. In the photo you can see many nuances that are familiar only to a specialist. Also, the photo shows in detail the entire sequence of actions. The insulation of the foundation with polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam from the outside is carried out to the depth of freezing of the soil. This indicator is not constant - each city has its own degree of freezing. The efficiency of insulation when installing insulation below the freezing level is noticeably lower.

With external insulation with polystyrene foam or foam plastic, the use of mechanical fasteners is not allowed from the outside. This can break the waterproofing layer.

During the insulation of the foundation with foam plastic, the sheets are fastened with a special mounting adhesive or by melting the bituminous waterproofing layer in several places. After applying glue or melting, a foam plate is installed on the prepared place and pressed tightly.

The plates are installed from the bottom up, the plates are laid side by side. Top row is laid end-to-end to the previously installed lower one. Re-installation and other manipulations with the insulation after it has been installed on the base are not allowed.

When insulating the foundation with polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam, plates of various thicknesses cannot be used. The layer should be even, tightly adjacent to the base. The plates are located with a slight offset of the joints. The joints themselves are carefully foamed.

When using foam and polystyrene boards with a stepped edge, they are placed as tightly as possible so that the edges overlap one another. This allows you to remove cold bridges.

The adhesive mixture is selected based on the waterproofing layer. If bitumen waterproofing is used in the form of mastic or rolls, you can use an adhesive composition based on bituminous mastics. The composition of the adhesive should not contain solvents that can damage the polystyrene foam.

In the lower part of the foundation, glue is applied pointwise. This allows moisture that accumulates between the base and the foam to flow down.

If the bituminous waterproofing is not dry, the installation of insulation is not possible.

Do-it-yourself warming of the blind area at home

For high-quality insulation of the blind area at home with your own hands, you can use polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam.

Styrofoam - perfect choice under conditions of high humidity and stress. It is lightweight, durable and environmentally friendly material that can last for several decades. When insulating the blind area, sheets of expanded polystyrene 50 or 100 mm wide are used. In the first case, they are stacked in two layers, in the second case - in one. A dense waterproofing polyethylene is laid over the insulation, protecting the joints.

Polyurethane foam is often used in suburban construction. With its help, the blind area, foundation, walls, septic tanks are insulated - this can be seen in the photo. However, work with this material requires personal protective equipment in accordance with the instructions. The blind area is insulated by spraying.

Features of insulation of a pile-screw foundation

The pile-screw foundation is a universal structure used in any climate and on any soil. The structure on such a foundation is not affected by groundwater.

The main disadvantage is the open space between the soil and the building. Because of this, in houses on a pile-screw foundation, the floor is almost always cold. Most owners of private houses are faced with the problem of how to insulate a pile foundation. wooden house with your own hands.

The option of warming a private house is influenced by many factors: the height and material of the pile pillars, the type of soil, the location of the house and some other features. Depending on the conditions, the pile-screw foundation is insulated in several ways:

External insulation of the foundation. This technology is used with a small height of pile pillars. A frame is being erected around the perimeter of the house, from the ground to the walls. Next, any available insulation is installed on the frame, for example, penoplex.
External floor insulation. It is produced with a high height of the pillars and other features of the location of the house, excluding insulation around the perimeter.
Full warming. The foundation insulation is installed inside and out. The process of complete insulation of the pile-screw foundation takes place in several stages:

Waterproofing piles and grillage.
Creation of the frame of the basement.
Installation of external insulation.
Installation decorative panels to hide the insulation.
The inside of the basement is insulated with soil or expanded clay.
Floor insulation. Occurs from the outside of the house. First, the vapor barrier material is attached, then the insulation (most often polystyrene foam), then the plank sheathing is laid. After that, the floor can also be used as the top of the basement. Details can be seen in the photos posted.

The optimal technology is the complete insulation of the foundation with polystyrene foam. This technology allows to achieve high-quality thermal insulation of screw piles on which the house stands. The design qualities of this method of insulating the foundation of the house from the outside are confirmed by numerous photos.

Insulation of the basement of a private house is one of the most important finishing works. The condition of the whole house depends on the quality insulation of the basement.

Do I need to insulate the foundation of a house without a basement?

A wooden house without a basement also needs high-quality thermal insulation. The foundation of a house without a basement should be insulated using installation thermal insulation materials between foundation and floor. Most often, expanded clay or polystyrene are used.

Before carrying out thermal insulation, the floor is disassembled, the surface under it is thoroughly cleaned, dried and leveled. Next, a waterproofing layer of polyethylene or foil is laid.

Formwork is installed along the perimeter between the soil and the floor. Expanded clay is poured inside or foam plates are laid. An additional waterproofing layer is laid on top, after which the floor can be laid.

The insulation of the foundation of a house without a basement has some differences from the insulation of the foundation of a house with a basement. The main difference is that the insulation layer is located both inside and outside the foundation tape, which prevents the sole from freezing.

Styrofoam is a fairly flammable material. To eliminate the possibility of fire, manufacturers use flame retardants. Polyfoam with flame retardants is marked FS.

When choosing polystyrene foam and foam plastic for insulating the basement of the foundation, you need to look at the density of the material indicated in the marking. For work on the insulation of the foundation, expanded polystyrene with a marking of 35 and above is suitable.

Some homeowners prefer to use penetrating insulators and insulation. Before using them, you need to consult with a specialist regarding the compatibility of this insulation with a certain type of foundation.

When insulating the entire basement, it is worth leaving ventilation holes so that there is always room in the interior Fresh air. In winter, the holes in the base are plugged with special plugs. This will provide thermal insulation.

Insulation of the basement with foam plastic requires waterproofing and high-quality protection of the blind area with a layer of thermal insulation.

The problem of maintaining heat in a residential building has been relevant at all times. V last years due to rising cost various kinds fuel used in individual heating systems, this issue is most acute. The best recognized way to protect against heat loss through the foundation is to insulate it with expanded polystyrene foam - an artificial material with a wide range of uses.

Getting to know the material

The name of the slab extruded polystyrene foam comes from the manufacturer. Currently, two equivalent names have been adopted - "Penoplex" and "Penoplex", obtained from the English transcription. According to the structure, the material is a slab of dense consistency, consisting of micropores filled with a gaseous mixture.

Depending on the purpose, mechanical and operational properties Penoplex heaters are available in several versions:

Standard - plate heat insulator with a wide range of applications from insulation engineering networks to improve the thermal insulation of the floor, walls, foundation.
Penoplex 35, which is also produced under the name Penoplex foundation, is used for finishing tape and slab types of building foundations for both vertical and horizontal use.
Penoplex 45 is the most dense type of foamed PPS, which allows it to be used for insulating heavily loaded structures and structures, such as highways, railways and even airfield runways.

Due to its uniformity and density, the material is well exposed to such mechanical processing methods as sawing and drilling. Professionals recommend cutting foam boards at medium speeds to avoid melting the insulation and sticking it to the cutting parts of the tools.

Depending on the conditions in the construction area and the required indicators, the dimensions, density and thickness of the foam for insulation of the foundation must be correctly selected. Plates basically have standard parameters: width - 600 mm, length 1200 mm. The thickness of the material varies from 2 to 10 cm in increments of 1 cm. Naturally, an upward change in certain indicators also affects the cost of the material.

Foam insulation options

Insulation foam foundation is widely used to reduce the thermal conductivity of two types concrete foundations various buildings - tape and slab. Currently, there are two main ways of laying - horizontal and vertical. The first type of mounting is used for the soles of the shallow-depth tape, the second for the side surfaces.

Horizontal insulation

Penoplex insulation for a foundation or foundation slab has been used quite often in recent years. This is due to the high performance of the plates. They are not afraid high humidity and can be used even on wet marshy soils, which is a great advantage over other types of insulation.

The technology for performing insulation of the foundation in the form of a slab or non-buried foam tape is as follows:

A site of the required size is marked out and high-quality excavation is carried out with giving the base the maximum possible flatness and horizontality;
The bottom of the recess is tamped, backfilled with wet sand, and after laying the geotextile layer, crushed stone is dumped;
On rubble they make thin concrete screed without reinforcement and allow the mass to solidify completely;
On the leveling layer, the foam insulation is laid as tightly as possible, using a tongue-and-groove system, the elements of which are made on all edges of the material plates. Thus, the entire surface of the future foundation is covered.
On top of the foam plex foundation plates, it is necessary to spread a layer of polyethylene with a thickness of at least 150-200 microns. The film is applied to adjacent canvases with an overlap of at least 200 mm and glued with stationery tape for better waterproofing.
A reinforcing frame is mounted directly on the foundation insulation and polyethylene and poured with prepared concrete mix. This is how the insulation of the foundation slab and the base of the shallow-depth tape are achieved.

Vertical insulation

Installation and laying of foam plastic on the foundation requires reliable fastening, especially in the upper, basement part of the tape. To do this, use special dowel nails with a plastic dowel having a cap of increased diameter. This allows you to significantly increase the clamping area and prevents the destruction of the foam boards.

the internal volume of the basement or basement of the house does not decrease;
thanks to the insulation of the foundation, it is possible to provide additional waterproofing;
additional protection of the base of the house from freezing is carried out, which significantly increases its service life;
specifications foam for the foundation can significantly shift the dew point, which also leads to the safety of concrete.

The technology for performing vertical insulation of the foundation with foam plastic differs from horizontal. To do this, it is necessary to fix the plates with the help of various building mixtures and specialized fasteners, which were mentioned above. The insulation of the foundation with foam plastic is preceded by the implementation of high-quality waterproofing, which can consist of two layers - and.

An important point is the choice, taking into account the characteristics of the insulation for the foundation: foam 1200x600x50 mm or 100 mm. With calculated indicators requiring the installation of insulation with a layer of 10 cm, builders recommend laying two layers of 5 cm plates. This will allow you to close the seams between individual plates in the first row and get a higher quality of work.

We warm the foundation ourselves

The high cost of the required materials and the simplicity of the process make it possible to insulate the foundation with your own hands, minimizing the total cost of this type of work. we will dwell on the features of each option for installing the foam plastic foundation in more detail, which will avoid inevitable mistakes in the future.

We warm the slab foundation

The technology for insulating the foundation with foam plastic with your own hands is not complicated and is similar to working with the simplest version of a children's designer. Plates are laid on a pre-prepared base, tightly joining them to each other. Additional fastening this is usually not required. A prerequisite is the laying of a polyethylene sheet to prevent the concrete mixture from leaking into the seams.

The calculation of the required amount is also not difficult for any home master who has not yet forgotten the course of mathematics elementary school. Square standard plate penoplex foundation with its dimensions of 1200x600 mm is 0.72 m 2. Therefore, to determine the required amount of material, it is enough to divide the total area of the future slab by 0.72, rounding up to the nearest integer. When calculating, do not forget to determine the amount of foam insulation for the side walls of the slab base of the house.

Often, to determine the transport costs, it is also necessary to calculate the number of packages of the material. For this, in addition to the total number of plates, it is necessary to know their required thickness. This is due to the different configuration of the foam packs, which have standard thickness in 400 mm. So, 50 mm thick plates in the package will contain 8 pieces, and 20 mm thick plates - 20 pieces.

We warm the strip foundation

Since the tape type of bases is the most common, the technology of its insulation should be considered in more detail. Penoplex plates allow you to finish the walls of the foundation of a new house or one that has stood for several decades. The sequence of work will look like this:

from the tape base, it is necessary to completely remove the soil at a distance convenient for moving two people. Usually, this value is 1 meter.
the surface of the tape is thoroughly cleaned of various debris and lagging parts of the concrete mixture. This is especially true for foundations with a long service life. As tools, plastic brushes are recommended, fixed in a drill chuck or on a grinder.
In the event of the formation of deep depressions on the surface of the foundation walls, they must be filled with fresh cement mortar and plastered.
Before attaching the foam boards to the foundation, it must be isolated from moisture. To do this, the dried walls of the tape are covered with coating mastic, on which roofing material is glued. Waterproofing the foundation with foam plastic, even considering its low moisture transmission, is not recommended.
Having decided on the basis of preliminary calculations, which foam for the foundation is suitable for your conditions, we carry out its installation. In the lower, underground part, a special adhesive for slabs is used, sold as a dry mix and prepared directly at the construction site. For the above-ground part, builders advise using dowel nails.

Among the brands of expanded polystyrene used to insulate foundation and basement structures, we most often hear the name Penoleks.

For almost 20 years, the company of the same name from St. Petersburg has been selling its extruded polystyrene foam Penoplex, which has scored more than half of the foam polystyrene thermal insulation market in Russia. Not surprisingly, quite quickly the name trademark has become a household name, denoting an insulating material based on expanded polystyrene.

New insulation of the foundation with foam, what is the benefit

Without going into the intricacies of the production technology and properties of foam, it should be noted that the material the best way suitable for facing and insulating the foundation of a house and a basement buried in the ground, for any type of construction made of concrete, metal and brick for the following reasons:

Penoplex is an extremely light and rot-resistant material with one of the lowest thermal conductivity characteristics. Polyurethane foam can compete with it, but the insulation of the foundation from polyurethane foam is somewhat more expensive;
The low level of water absorption makes it possible to ensure high-quality insulation of the foundation of the house with foam plastic, even in cases where the dew point or condensation temperature of water vapor falls on inner part thermal insulation. Under such conditions mineral wool or backfill insulation systems may lose their thermal insulation characteristics;
Thermal insulation is relatively inexpensive, the price of foam insulation of the foundation and the technology of laying slabs is quite affordable even in budget options construction and repair.

Important! Foam insulation is not an ideal solution. Relatively high strength among foams and good thermal insulation provide high-quality insulation only with strict observance of the laying technology.

The material is made from an ethylbenzene mixture, which is highly toxic. With strong heating or burning, a huge amount of toxic gases are released, so foam plastic has the right place in the foundation insulation system. On the other hand, harmless and non-flammable materials with effective thermal insulation, such as foam glass, is very difficult to mount on vertical walls, while to insulate the foundation with foam plastic with your own hands, the primary skills of the builder are enough. If desired, with the help of penoplex, you can also insulate the pile foundation, the blind area of any surface, as in the video:

Insulation of the foundation with foam plastic according to science

Before starting work on insulation, you will need to perform several basic preparatory operations:

To clean and plaster with your hands from the outside the entire accessible array of the foundation. The effectiveness of insulation and the strength of thermal insulation with foam plastic largely depend on how firmly and tightly the layer of waterproofing and foam plastic adheres to concrete walls. The presence of cavities, pits, humps and bumps can lead to damage or crushing of the heat insulator under soil pressure;
Stick a layer of waterproofing on the concrete of the foundation walls. Even if during the repair and insulation of the foundation of an old house it is found that there is no waterproofing coating, it is necessary to restore the insulation or lay it with a new layer;
Before you insulate the foundation of the house, you should take care of the drainage system of the foundation; without it, the effectiveness of foam insulation can be significantly reduced.

For your information! The main issue requiring expert advice is the practical calculation of the thickness and the required number of foam sheets.

Calculation of the thickness of the foam sheet and its quantity

To calculate the power of a foam sheet in the external insulation of walls and the blind area of \u200b\u200bthe foundation, the well-known formula is most often used:

Foam thickness

H p \u003d (A f / A p) * (R * A f - H f), where:

N p is the thickness of the foam sheet, H f is the thickness of the concrete foundation wall, A f is the thermal conductivity of the concrete wall, its value is 1.7 W / m * K o, A p is the thermal conductivity of thermal insulation, R is the heat transfer coefficient for a certain climatic zone. As a result, we obtain that for a freezing depth of 1.3 m, the thickness of foam insulation should be at least 80 mm. You can choose three sheets of 30 mm thickness or one of 100 mm.

The number of foam sheets is determined as the area of the foundation walls plus the blind area to be insulated, multiplied by the perimeter of the building with 7-10% of the margin, which will be used to compensate for damaged sheets and warm the corner areas of the blind area. In the corner sectors, it is necessary to insulate with a double layer with an increased width of the plate by 20%.

The technology of laying insulation sheets on concrete walls

After cleaning and plastering concrete walls foundation requires at least a couple of weeks before you can start coating the surface with a waterproofing layer. It is possible to use mastics based on a fused bitumen-rubber composition if the second layer will be laid with rolled insulation made of roofing felt or bicrost.

Alternatively, waterproofing can be made from liquid rubber or made by hand from tar, bitumen, residues soft roof and resin. The consumption of the coating material is quite large, therefore, in many cases, they try to make the first layer with a coating based on home-made bituminous mastic.

The second layer, immediately over the hot layer of coating, you can lay the roofing material and carefully smooth it to the wall surface so that wrinkles and bubbles do not form.

Direct laying of foam sheets is carried out on an adhesive basis. The adhesive composition is prepared most often on a water basis. Often the shelf life of the glue is short, so before sticking, you should prepare the required number of sheets in advance, cut the right dimensions and fit the insulation sheets at the joints. When sticking the material on the wall, two rules must be observed:

Glue on the back of the foam is best applied with a notched trowel. This will allow you to fix the insulation on the foundation of the house as tightly as possible;
The sheets are installed on the surface of the waterproofing with the dressing of the layers, which makes it possible to obtain an even and durable layer of thermal insulation.

In addition to cement-acrylic or bituminous adhesive mastics, a polyurethane foam composition is often used, similar to mounting grades, but with the least tendency to secondary expansion of the foam. If during the installation of sheets there are problems with the alignment of the insulation material in one plane, the corner zones of the foam boards can be fixed with plastic fungi. Such fasteners are installed like dowels, but with the obligatory sizing of the point of damage to the waterproofing layer with mastic.

The final stages of insulation of the foundation

The laid foam surface must be closed tightly plastic wrap, seal with roofing material or plaster with a layer of acrylic composition. The most expensive way will be treated with silicone waterproofing mastic, the cheapest is to finish with ordinary plaster. In any case, the protective coating should protect the soft foam layer from mechanical damage.

At the last stage, the foundation is covered with expanded clay or vermiculite. If the soil is too heavy, the lower parts of the thermal insulation can be sewn up. wooden board. This will not affect the heat-insulating properties, and the protection will turn out to be very reliable.

To insulate the blind area, you will need to make a trench with a depth of 30-35 cm, lay a layer of sand on the bottom and compact the foundations for laying foam as much as possible. Under the layer of expanded polystyrene, it is necessary to put waterproofing in the form of a film or roofing material, glue it with bitumen to the foundation wall, and only after that lay the insulation. The joints between the slabs are sealed with adhesive mass, and the entire layer is covered with reinforcement, concrete mix and screed.

Conclusion

Regardless of the type of extruded polystyrene foam used, it is necessary to ensure its reliable waterproofing and maximum drainage efficiency. This is the only way to count on a long service life, even clay soils with strong swelling.

Protecting the foundation from freezing is one of the important stages
home insulation. Whether brick, concrete, wood or
frame type of building device, the foundation is a connecting link and
a conductor of cold, therefore, it needs proper insulation.

It is difficult to say unequivocally which insulation is better for the foundation, each has its pros and cons, and it all depends on the specific conditions and requirements.

Insulation of the foundation of the house with foam

In this article, we will consider the insulation of the foundation
do-it-yourself penoplex. Penoplex insulation (extrusive polystyrene foam)
- modern, reliable and easy to install material. Represents
expanded polystyrene thermal insulation boards. Just like styrofoam
penoplex belongs to the class of styrene materials. Therefore, it has all
the advantages of polystyrene, but at the same time, it is devoid of its shortcomings.

Penoplex - technical specifications

Physical and mechanical properties are presented in the table.

Penoplex - technical characteristics (table 1)

Penoplex insulation - technical specifications (table 2)

Penoplex - comparison of thermal conductivity with other materials

Competitiveness of penoplex in comparison with analogues
(brick, concrete, wood, mineral wool, polystyrene foam) clearly demonstrates the drawing.

Comparison of penoplex with other heaters by level
thermal conductivity (thickness at the same resistance to heat transfer)

It becomes obvious why the insulation of the foundation
penoplex is the most popular among other heat-insulating
materials. Add here another argument such as the availability of material and
ease of installation, and it will immediately become clear that if you rank the heaters, then
Penoplex should be put in the first place. It can be used for outdoor
and internal insulation and no special tools are required for installation.

Foam insulation technology for the foundation - instructions

Material:

foam boards. Enough thickness to insulate the foundation
300 mm;

dowel umbrella (fungus);

glue for penoplex (adhesive mixture or glue-foam in a bottle).
Using foam will save money and time, even though
that in absolute terms, glue-foam is more expensive. But she has much less consumption.
The adhesive mixture will be needed in any case, it needs to close the grid;

mounting foam for sealing seams between sheets. Basically,
the foam panel is distinguished by the "groove-comb" system, so the installation
carried out without through joints. But, in those places where you have to customize
sheets to size, seams appear. To eliminate the possibility of
cold bridges, seams need to be sealed;

deep penetration primer or bituminous mastic;

metal or polymer reinforcing mesh;

corner with a grid for facing the corners of the building. This material
it is used only if the plinth will also be lined.

Related article: Curtains-blinds on the windows: the main advantages

Tool:

construction knife for cutting foam insulation and mesh;
mixer and container for preparing the adhesive mixture;
spatula for applying the mixture;
level;
brush for applying a waterproofing layer;
perforator or drill.

Insulation of the foundation with foam plastic from the outside

Provide access to the foundation. To do this, you need to dig a trench with a depth equal to the depth of pouring the foundation. Many advise digging to the depth of soil freezing. This
it is only advisable if your foundation is below this
level. That is, if the foundation ends below the freezing level of the soil,
then it is enough to reach this point.
The width of the foundation should be sufficient for convenience
work.

The excavated soil should also not create obstacles for
work or movement on the site. It is better to immediately identify most of it.
Take to the garden or outside the site.

Device drainage system foundation. At a high level
groundwater or improperly organized drainage from the roof of the building, water
collects at the bottom and seeps to the foundation. As a result, he is inflicted
significant damage. To avoid this, you need to build drainage for the foundation.
Its device will not take much time, especially since the trench for insulation
already dug.

How to make foundation drainage:

dig a trench;

the bottom of the trench should have a slope of 5-6 °;

the bottom is covered with gravel. Layer thickness 70-100 mm;

geotextile is laid on the gravel, in which it is wrapped
drainage pipe;

from above, the structure is covered with gravel.

Now you can continue to work on self-insulation
foam foundation.

Dry the base well. From a dry surface
it's easier to get rid of the excess.

Fix foundation defects. Over time, the foundation
deform. The presence of cracks is highly undesirable. Therefore, cracks
needs to be expanded and primed. When the primer dries, seal
gap with sand-cement mortar. It should be noted that all deep recesses or
cavities are better aligned. Otherwise, at the junction of the sheet to
air gap will appear on the surface. She's not a threat in and of herself.
bears. But if water gets into it, then the surface of the foundation will be
gradually break down.

Treat the foundation with bituminous mastic. In this way,
reliable waterproofing is created, because the foundation is that part of the house that
most contact with moisture.

Recapture the level of the foundation. Along this upper edge you will
navigate when installing a heater.

Fastening foam to the foundation. After
the waterproofing layer dries out properly, you can proceed with the installation of foam.
The sheet is attached to the solution using the “blot” method or with a notched trowel along all
surfaces. Many people use glue-foam. It is then installed in place and
tightly pressed for better adhesion to the surface. Availability of the system
Tongue-and-groove simplifies installation.

Attach penoplex with dowels-umbrellas. This stage is carried out
only if it is supposed to insulate the foundation and basement of the house
at the same time.

Installation of mesh for insulation(protection of the foundation insulation against
rodents). A reinforcing polymer or metal mesh of fine
weaving. Metal is more difficult to fix, but this is the only way
protect your home from rodents. Polymer is easier to work with. To attach it
you need to apply a strip of glue on the top of the sheet and attach the grid. Coming from
pull with a spatula adhesive mixture down. Aligning, she will hide
grid.

Finishing the insulated surface with glue or plaster. Glue
It is better to apply two thin coats than one thick coat. First, so layers
dry out faster. Secondly, the penoplex will be protected from mechanical
soil damage.

Fill the trench with excavated soil. But it's better to use
expanded clay. It will serve as an additional thermal insulator.