Do-it-yourself insulation of the balcony from the inside. Balcony insulation (100 photos): step by step instructions, tips and tricks from the masters

We will learn how to properly insulate a loggia or balcony, decide on the method and materials, and talk about laying electrical wiring.

Apartments with an additional area, which is a loggia or balcony, have a greater advantage in the eyes of apartment owners without these premises. But how are these very loggias and balconies used? In summer, you can put a light table and chairs there, breathe fresh air or just pull the clothesline and dry the washed clothes.

How to insulate a loggia or balcony

• Glazing of the loggia
• Balcony floor insulation
• Electrician on the balcony

With the onset of the first cold weather, balconies and loggias become a place for storing various unnecessary belongings; with the first frost, they allow you to do without a refrigerator and store perishable products without any problems. But square meters Living space today is expensive - why do we forget about "orphan" premises that can be easily converted into living rooms using modern insulating materials? Without postponing for "tomorrow" we take up the insulation of the loggia and balcony - the guide in this article.

Issues that need to be resolved before starting work on the insulation of the loggia

First of all, you need to decide on the purpose of the future insulated room, whether it will be a study, a nursery or, for example, a room for sports training. To a large extent, this choice will depend on the size of the loggia, to a greater extent on its width - if it is less than one and a half meters, then it will be narrow for a study. The purpose of using the insulated loggia in the future depends on the scheme for constructing electrical wiring, the positions and number of electrical outlets, and lighting fixtures.

Important: completely abandon the idea of ​​​​combining the loggia and the room adjacent to it by removing part of the wall between them!

This is the outer wall of the building, which means it is a load-bearing wall, it is absolutely impossible to make any additional expansions of the opening in it, except, perhaps, the removal of the frame and the door frame (if the loggia is located behind the kitchen)! Periodically, news channels report about the partial destruction of entire entrances in multi-storey residential buildings due to the fact that the owner of one of the apartments intended to increase living space by demolishing part of the load-bearing wall - don't even think about it!

The reason why loggias seriously freeze in winter is connected with a large area of ​​glazing in this room - after all, it was designed by architects for a clothes dryer, and not for living quarters. It would seem that what is so difficult here is to lay part of the window opening brickwork or facade drywall with a layer of insulation between its panels and the problem is solved.

But not everything is so simple - from the position of official government agencies, reducing the glazing area of ​​​​the loggia is an interference in the architectural appearance of the building, which means it is not allowed. Glazing the balcony is another matter, this is allowed, since it reduces the risk of fire from an accidental cigarette butt from the upper floors. Last years supervisory state bodies do not react in any way to these same interventions in the "architectural appearance", but this does not mean that they will continue to pay no attention - it is better not to make serious changes in the existing glazing of the loggia.

Heat loss through loggia glazing can be significantly reduced by installing modern double-glazed windows and carefully sealing the joints between new window frames, as well as frames and adjacent walls.

It is necessary to think over the heating of the loggia - if after warming this room will be used as a full-fledged room in which a person is present long time, then there is no way to do without it. It is tempting to install a heating battery on the loggia, powered by a central system, but this is prohibited by municipal legislation.

The reason for the ban is this - when designing the building and its heating system, the loggias were not taken into account, so installing a heating battery in these rooms will lead to a lack of temperature in the system for heating other apartments. As you can see, the point here is not at all the theft of heat, and your attempts to include the loggia area in the total heated area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe apartment are guaranteed to be refused in all instances.

Installing a water radiator on a loggia is allowed only if your apartment has an individual heating system, that is, it is heated from a boiler installed in it. There remains only the option of heating the loggia with electric heaters - infrared, convection or using an electric floor heating.

Preparation of the loggia (balcony) for insulation

At this stage, the loggia room is completely freed from everything that is folded in it - after cleaning it should become completely empty. Then you need to remove the existing wooden frames with single glazing, as they will need to be replaced with modern ones. If the balcony has a metal fence, it must be cut off (you will need a grinder), instead of the old parapet, lay out a new one, from a light ceramic brick or foam blocks.

The new parapet can be brought out a little higher than the old fence, but not excessively - change the "architectural appearance". Completely remove the flooring of the loggia, if it is done tiles- you can leave it by cutting out part of the tile under the conclusion of the brick parapet.

Measure the dimensions of the free opening above the parapet, and you need to remove them using the building level - with the same heights on opposite sides, there may be a serious horizontal difference, i.e. opposite points may be at different heights from the horizontal floor level. Measure the angles and take measurements from each of the walls, ceiling and floor, make a drawing with these dimensions - it will come in handy.

Glazing of the loggia

Depending on the purpose of insulation and the temperatures of the cold season, new frames can be with one glass or with double-glazed windows of two or three glasses with a heat-reflecting film inside. The frames themselves can be aluminum, wood or plastic, reinforced from the inside with a galvanized metal profile.

Measurements and recommendations for glazing the loggia will be given to you by the measurer of the opening for glazing, he will also perform all measurements - take into account at least one window in the total glazing area to ventilate the insulated loggia in the future.

Warn the measurer that you need free vertical sections between the extreme frames and the wall with a width of about 70 mm on each side, i.e. the frames on the sides of the glazed opening should not be located close to the walls.

Subsequent insulation of the walls of the loggia will require attaching a layer of insulation to them, a metal profile or a wooden beam and subsequent finishing sheathing, so the walls will move forward a little inside the loggia - if you install double-glazed windows close to the walls, then the side profiles of the frames will be “drowned” into the insulated wall. In the free areas between the frames and the wall, a beam will be installed and two layers of body insulation will be laid (before and after the beam).

In the process of installing new glazing, ask the performers to install a flashing on the outside - a special plastic tape, its width can be from 30 to 70 mm. And yet - despite the adhesive layer on reverse side flashing, you should fasten it to the frame with short self-tapping screws with a pitch of 500 mm, because over time the glue will dry and the flashing will certainly fall behind.

Balcony floor insulation

There are two main ways to do this: lay the insulation directly on the floor, lay the main coating on top; set the logs, on top of them is a heater and a rough base of the floor, on top - the main coating. If it is possible to simplify the task and not raise the floor on wooden logs, we only lay roofing felt, glue its joints with sealing tape and, if the floor height allows up to the threshold of the loggia door, we lay the base of the floor from chipboard or OSB boards, impregnated with drying oil and further drying. In this case, we will not lay the insulation, because there is no space under it.

As a heat and vapor barrier in the process of insulating a loggia or balcony, Penofol or Penoplex is most often used, the first insulation consists of polyethylene foam, the second is made of extruded polystyrene foam. Possessing good thermal insulation characteristics, easy to use and practically waste-free, both of these materials are not recommended for use in residential premises.

The reasons are as follows: despite the declared flammability classes, according to which these heaters do not burn and do not support combustion, their manufacturers at the same time prevaricate - "Penofol" and "Penoplex" smolder perfectly, releasing a significant amount of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. It is better to protect the residents of the apartment and the whole house as much as possible from such consequences of fire, using only mineral wool insulation.

So, for laying the insulated floor on the loggia, we need: roofing material, which is enough to cover the floor area of ​​​​the loggia with a slight overlap on the walls; a roll of self-adhesive tape-sealant type "Guerlain"; wooden beam 50 mm wide for setting lags; rolled mineral wool with a thickness of 50 mm; flooring for the base of the floor (sheets of chipboard, OSB 20 mm thick); finished floors (linoleum, laminate).

The surface of the floor is cleaned of debris and dust, roofing material is laid on top of it in one layer. The joints between sheets of roofing material, between the roofing material and the wall adjacent to it are covered with a self-adhesive sealant tape. Logs are installed on top of the roofing material with a step of 500 mm, the beam under them is selected with the height that will allow the plane of the new floor to be brought to the level of the door threshold. When determining the height of the beam under the logs, consider: the thickness of the roofing material (usually 5 mm), the thickness of the slabs under the base of the floor, the thickness of the finishing floor covering.

Logs are set according to building level, are interconnected by bars of smaller thickness. Logs should not be fastened at this stage with high quality - their design will have to be disassembled for processing from decay. To obtain a perfectly horizontal floor surface, you will need to substitute small supporting boards under the logs; they should not be fixed to the floor, since the roofing material will be damaged.

In the design of some balconies, the slabs forming the floor are sloped towards the side of the fence to remove rainwater - horizontal differences of up to 90 mm are possible between the inside and outside of the floor slab. Keep this in mind when setting lags.

After the upper plane formed by the lags is brought to a horizontal level, it is necessary to disassemble the entire structure and treat the timber with oxol drying oil to protect it from decay. After waiting for the complete drying of the drying oil layer applied paint brush, we collect the logs again, this time you need to fasten them together with the greatest care. The slabs selected for the base of the floor also need to be covered with a layer of drying oil on both sides and along all ends.

Having completed the processing with drying oil, drying and setting the lags, we proceed to laying the mineral wool insulation, for which it must be cut into blocks according to the size of the compartments between the installed lags. Mineral wool is easily cut with an ordinary carpenter's saw; in the process of working with it, it is necessary to wear a bandage or a respirator - small particles of mineral wool will break off and rise into the air during cutting and laying.

At the next stage after laying the insulation, the base plates are installed on the logs, fastened to them with wood screws. Further work on the flooring at this stage stop - first you need to finish the insulation and Finishing work ceiling and walls. The surface of the rough base of the floor for the time of work with the ceiling and walls is covered with two layers of PVC film, fixed along the contour with masking tape.

Insulation of the walls and ceiling of the loggia - the initial stage

Inspect the surfaces of the ceiling and walls for cracks and falling plaster, tile tiles, embroider all loose seams, then fill them mounting foam, seal the top with sealant tape.

Hand the queues - the installation of a wooden beam with a section of 40x50 mm (pre-treated with drying oil) on the walls and ceiling. The beam is set across the walls and ceiling in increments of 500 mm, the beginning of the installation is at the junction of the planes of the ceiling and walls, i.e., at the junction points, the beam is attached to both the ceiling and the wall, close to each other. To fasten the beam, concrete screws with a pitch of 300 mm are used.

On this, work on the walls and ceiling is temporarily stopped - then the turn of the electricians.

Electrician on the balcony

As a rule, the old electrical wiring of the loggia is represented by an aluminum wire 2x1.5 in a common braid, designed for the simplest lamp in one 100 W lamp. For a full-fledged living space, such wiring is not suitable at all - we will pull a new one.

First you need to find out where the junction box is located in the room closest to the loggia - this question should be clarified with the electrician of the local housing office or get a wiring diagram in your apartment in this office. If for some reason you don’t want to contact the housing office, then you can stretch a new wiring from the electrical outlet closest to the loggia, punching a channel from it to the wall between the loggia and the room, then drill a hole through this wall. For a detailed description of this process, see our article.

For wiring to the loggia, you can use an aluminum cable, for example, APPV 2x2.5 or 3x2.5, if grounding is expected (most often there is no grounding in residential buildings). You can use a copper cable VVG 2x1.5 - it will be better. Electrical cable must be laid in a PVC corrugated hose designed to completely prevent fire from a short circuit.

Accordingly, the channel for laying the cable must have sufficient width and depth to accommodate the corrugated hose (a corrugated hose with a diameter of 16 mm is suitable for one cable). In turn, a drilled hole in the wall to the loggia should accommodate a metal tube through which, according to the rules for electrical wiring, a cable is passed to the loggia.

At the exit from the hole into the loggia room, the cable is again threaded into the corrugated hose and put into the tuso-soldering box of the indoor installation - the place for it is determined and prepared in advance, for its fastening it is necessary to install a wooden mortgage (a board of sufficient size), fix it to a wooden crate.

It is most convenient to place the junction box on the wall separating the loggia from the living room adjacent to it, 250 mm from the existing ceiling (without insulation and decoration). A corrugated hose with an electric cable inside is threaded between the wall and a bar attached to it, if necessary, holes are drilled in the places where the bar and wall fit, slightly larger than the diameter of the corrugated hose. Holes are drilled in the embedded boards for the output of the electrical cable.

Decide on the installation locations for electrical outlets and a switch, the installation location for a lamp (s), a heater hung on the wall - at each installation point of electrical installation products and electrical appliances fixed on the wall, it is required to install mortgages to which these electrical appliances will be attached in turn.

The cable at the installation sites of wiring accessories and in junction boxes is led out to a greater length than is actually necessary - by 70 mm, which will allow in the future to replace the electrical appliance if necessary. In no case should the bare ends of the wiring go beyond the wiring accessories and junction boxes!

Important: all switches and sockets mounted on an insulated loggia must be external installation only.

Important: connections of the electric cable supplying power from the living quarters to the loggia, with cables distributing power to sockets and switches, should be made in the junction box only through the DIN rail of the terminal block - no twists!

After completing the wiring, turn off the general power supply of the apartment and connect the wiring of the loggia in the junction box of the living room or in the outlet to which the channel was pierced. Connection in any variant (junction box or socket) is carried out via a terminal block (DIN-rail).

Please note that direct contact of copper and aluminum cables during twisting will cause heating of the aluminum wire, which can lead to a fire - mediation of a terminal block with steel contacts will eliminate heat and fire hazard. Use the terminal block in any case, even if the wiring of the apartment is completely made of copper cable. If there is no DIN rail in the old junction box in the room, purchase and connect electrical cables through it.

So, all the work on laying the electrical wiring to the loggia is completed - we turn on the power supply of the apartment and make sure that there is power in all electrical installation products. Next, we close up the grooved channel in the living room and again take up the insulation of the loggia.

Insulation of the walls and ceiling of the loggia - continue

We return to the insulation of the walls and ceiling of the loggia. The beam is already fixed, the turn for laying mineral wool and vapor barrier, you will need a knitting wire. We cut the mineral wool into blocks in width equal to the sections between the beam on the walls and the ceiling, we start laying it from the ceiling - you will need an assistant.

Of the tools needed construction stapler with 12 mm staples - we fasten the end of the knitting wire to the edge of the beam with them, lay the insulation and hold it with wire, leading it between two adjacent wooden blocks in a zigzag manner, securing each sharp corner with a stapler.

Having finished laying the insulation on the ceiling, we move on to the outer walls - the wall between the loggia and the living room can not be insulated, because it is already “warm”, but the beam is attached to it in the same way as on the outer walls. Therefore, try to place the wiring accessories on this wall - it will not need to be insulated and covered with a vapor barrier film, which means that there will be no difficulty in placing the insulation under the mortgage plate for the electrical outlet or switch.

A vapor barrier film must be placed on top of the insulation, slightly stretched and fixed - it must be applied to the surface, fixed on the upper beam and further along the perimeter of the walls (ceiling). The installation of the film should start from the plane of the ceiling. In the areas where the walls and ceiling meet, it is necessary to overlap the film fixed on the walls by about 50 mm. In those places where the electrical installation products are located, the film is slightly cut and tightened around the cable going to the product, i.e. the electrical cable is pushed through it.

Important: the installation of a vapor barrier film is mandatory, otherwise the wooden beam will rot, and the mineral wool will sag under the influence of moisture penetrating in the form of steam from the room. Water vapor will form due to the high pressure inside the room and will be attracted to the outer walls, the partial pressure outside of which is lower due to the lower temperature of the cold season.

Finishing of walls, ceiling and floor

Walls and ceiling can be finished various coatings- plastic or MDF panels, drywall or clapboard. As a floor covering, you can use laminate, linoleum, or save money and simply cover the base of the floor with two layers of varnish or paint.

The finishing sheathing should start from the ceiling, then the floor is covered, and only after that - the wall sheathing. After installation of the floor covering, its entire surface should be covered again with PVC film to protect it from damage during wall cladding. A hole is cut in the wall covering in the installation area of ​​the junction box, in the places where electrical installation products are installed, only holes for the electrical cable are cut out - I remind you that all sockets and switches must be outdoor installation, i.e. protruding completely above the plane of the wall covering.

After finishing the plating external walls loggia sockets and switches are connected to a cable that supplies power to them and mounted in their places.

Work on the insulation of the loggia ends with the installation of a plinth and, in the case of cladding with plastic or MDF panels, butt rails on all edges and corners formed by wall and ceiling coverings.

If you intend to replace the existing loggia door with a new one, then its installation must be carried out before laying the lags or the base of the floor and before installing the timber on the walls.published

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The balcony is the most vulnerable room in the apartment, which often suffers from severe frost and wind. And if earlier it often served as a kind of pantry, storing all the necessary (and often even unnecessary) things, now many people are turning the loggia into a full-fledged room.

The only difficulty that residents face is that it is almost impossible to be on the balcony in winter - frost and strong wind create a beautiful picture outside the window, but a cold atmosphere on the loggia. However, today this problem can be prevented. A huge number of thermal insulation materials make it easy and quick to insulate the balcony with your own hands.

To date, there are a huge number of options than to insulate a balcony from the inside. The choice of one or another option may depend on many factors:

1. How much are you willing to spend on insulation?
2. climate.
3. Building type.
4. your personal preference.
5. Material resistance to frost, wind, moisture.

One way or another, before proceeding with the insulation of the loggia, it is important to study in detail all the popular materials. This is the only way you can choose the option that suits you best. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the most common heaters.

Expanded clay

It is made of clay, therefore it is considered an environmentally friendly and safe material. Expanded clay is a small and light porous granules. A similar weight and structure of the material can be achieved thanks to a special clay firing technology. The raw material is first heated to about 1000 degrees, as a result of which voids are formed inside, providing heat and sound insulation. Expanded clay is used to insulate walls, floors, ceilings or even the foundation of a country house.

Advantages:

• affordable cost;
• long service life;
• resistance to mold and fungus;
• the ability to take the necessary form;
• light weight.

Flaws:

• increased degree of moisture permeability;
• rather complicated installation of the material;
• expanded clay is used primarily for floor insulation and is not suitable for other surfaces.

Mineral wool

The most common insulation for walls and floors. Outwardly, it resembles a thick canvas, which consists of many randomly intertwined molecules. The raw material for mineral wool is glass, rocks or slag. In order for the fibers to be securely connected to each other, they are impregnated with special mixtures based on oils and alcohol. Mineral wool itself is divided into several other types:

• glass wool (consists of glass, stove and limestone);
• stone wool (made from basalt rocks);
• slag wool (produced from blast-furnace slag).

Advantages:

• low level of thermal conductivity;
• compliance with all fire safety standards;
• is not affected (deformed) by sudden temperature changes, heating and cooling;
• resistance to chemical and mechanical damage;
• vapor permeability;
• ease of installation.

Flaws:

• moisture permeability (which can be reduced with the help of special water-repellent agents);
• great weight.

Styrofoam

Perhaps the lightest thermal insulation material. It is a foamed mass, which is more than 90% filled with air. It is thanks to this technology that it is possible to achieve a good result and with high quality. The popularity of polystyrene foam as a heater is also due to the large choice of material. It is divided into the following categories:

• sheet;
• polystyrene in balls;
• extruded polystyrene foam (which we will talk about a little later);
• liquid foam;
• foam formwork.

Advantages:

• low cost compared to other heaters;
• light weight of the material;
• good thermal insulation properties, allowing the use of a thinner layer of insulation;
• versatility (suitable for floor, ceiling and wall insulation);
• long service life (up to 30 years);
• resistance to the appearance of harmful microorganisms;
• ease of installation.

Flaws:

• release of toxic substances during combustion;
• poor vapor barrier;
• selection harmful substances even at high temperatures (for cheaper options);
• absorbs moisture;
• resistant to mechanical and chemical damage.

Extruded polystyrene foam

Today, many people prefer to insulate the balcony with polystyrene foam. This material is a subspecies of foam and is also characterized by low weight and good thermal insulation properties. Comparing polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam, it can be noted that the materials have both common features and some differences. For example, the texture of the latter is not granular, but more even.

Advantages:

• low degree of vapor permeability;
• material strength;
• lack of water absorption, which allows the use of expanded polystyrene without prior waterproofing;
• low degree of thermal conductivity;
• compliance with all fire safety requirements (incombustibility);
• resistance to high and low temperatures;
• environmental friendliness;
• ease of installation;
• resistance to mechanical damage.

Flaws:

• poor vapor barrier;
• high cost of the material;
• instability to the action of sunlight (corrected by special processing of the material);
• additional costs for arranging the frame or buying glue.

polyurethane foam

The basis for polyurethane foam is a subspecies of plastic, which has a foamed structure. Like some previous heaters, this material is 90% composed of a gaseous substance with which all its cells are filled. The use of various technologies helped create several types of polyurethane:

1. Elastic (in other words - foam rubber), which fills sofas and armchairs, and is also used to make washcloths, shoe linings, etc.
2. Rigid - actively used for heat and sound insulation at home.

Advantages:

• mounted on any material (concrete, metal, glass, wood, brick, etc.);
• light weight, which does not weigh down the surface;
• able to significantly strengthen the surface;
• resistance to sudden changes in temperature, extreme heat and frost;
• compliance with all fire safety requirements;
• due to the one-piece construction, no seams or joints appear on the surface.

Flaws:

• not resistant to sunlight;
• although the material does not burn, but in an open fire it begins to smolder strongly. Therefore, you should not install polyurethane foam in rooms with a high risk of overheating or fire.

Penofol

It is one of the most innovative heaters for the balcony. This material consists of several layers:

1. Polyethylene foam self-extinguishing.
2. Aluminum foil.

Unlike previous heaters, penofol is not able to absorb heat. Thanks to the foil, it works according to a different principle, namely, it reflects thermal radiation. The material, in turn, is divided into several types:

1. Type "A" - the foil is on one side of the insulation.
2. Type "B" - with foil on both sides.
3. Type "C" - with a special self-adhesive insert.

Advantages:

• versatility. The material is used to insulate the walls of the floor and the ceiling of the balcony. In addition, it is great for both indoor and outdoor decoration;
• low vapor permeability;
• provides high-quality sound insulation;
• light weight and fine structure;
• ease of installation;
• environmental friendliness;
• compliance with all fire safety standards.

Flaws:

• due to the high softness, penofol is not used for wall insulation under plaster;
• some types of penofol require fastening with special glue;
• will not be able to protect against severe frosts and is installed mainly as an additional insulation.

Preparation for warming the balcony

In any repair or construction process, everything begins with the preparation of surfaces and territory. Therefore, before you insulate the balcony with your own hands, you will have to get rid of all the rubbish that is there. By the way, things that you still plan to leave afterwards also need to be moved to another room.

After the balcony is completely cleared of unnecessary things, you need to fully inspect the room. First, it is important to understand which parts of the loggia require more thorough insulation. In addition, you need to pay attention to cracks and chips that allow cold air to pass through.

Important! Some balconies have a rather small area. And the thermal insulation material takes up the space of the room. In this case, it is better to immediately determine the so-called "cold" and "warm" zones of the loggia and insulate only those that are more susceptible to frost and wind.

Balcony parapet especially needs to be insulated

Right now it is desirable to get rid of significant defects on the surfaces. Large gaps can be sealed with putty or foam.

At the same stage, you should decide on the type of insulation for the balcony and stock up on all the necessary tools. We will talk about thermal insulation materials a little later. And now let's look at what tools you need in order to insulate the balcony.

Balcony insulation tools:

Insulating a balcony with your own hands is a fairly simple and understandable process. The main thing is to understand the sequence of work and stock up on the necessary tools. These include the following basic materials:

1. Insulation in the required amount (the calculation takes place in accordance with the number of layers and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe balcony).
2. Facing material for external finishing.
3. Mounting foam.
4. waterproofing materials.
5. adhesive mixtures.
6. Wooden or metal beams (for the frame).
7. Dowels, screws, nails of different sizes.
8. Metallized adhesive tape for sealing seams.

In some specific cases, you may also need:

• drill;
• perforator;
• scissors;
• hammer;
• building level;
• rollers;
• spatulas, etc.

Everything here will depend on finishing loggias.

Ceiling insulation

If you plan to insulate the balcony with your own hands, then it is best to start from the ceiling and move further from top to bottom. Of course, if the ceiling of your loggia is the floor of your neighbors, then the process of protecting the room from frost and wind is much simpler. However, if the roof is independent, then a little effort should be made to insulate it.

For the best protection of the balcony from cold and wind, we recommend that you perform work in the following sequence:

1. Spraying or special film for sound insulation.
2. . In this case, the most popular materials are PVC or polyester.
3. The special membrane protecting from wind. It freely passes the steam that is released from the insulation, but it helps to completely isolate the ceiling from the wind and drops that can enter the room with it.
4. Anti-condensation material that protects the insulation from the formation of water droplets.
5. Frame (metal or wood of your choice). The crate is an optional element. Insulation can be installed using special glue. The main thing is to make sure that the mixture does not contain toluene. For greater reliability, when fixing the sheets, use dowels.
6. . We recommend that you use Styrofoam, Styrofoam, or mineral wool. They provide good protection from the cold and are easy to install, which is especially important when insulating the balcony ceiling.
7. Vapor barrier for insulation. It does not let water vapor inside, due to which the thermal insulation properties of the material are significantly increased.

Floor insulation

The initial stage of warming the floor of the balcony is the installation of waterproofing on the surface. Polyethylene or penofol will do an excellent job with this role. Be sure to hide all the joints between the sheets with adhesive tape. This way you can be sure that the balcony is protected from moisture as much as possible.

Tip: If you are using single-sided foam (type "A"), install it with the reflective layer down.

Another popular option for waterproofing the floor on the balcony is bituminous mastic. However, do not forget that such material dries for about 24 hours.

After waterproofing, you should install a frame or in another way - logs. To do this, use wood or metal. The main thing is to choose the most quality material capable of lasting for many years.

Tip: If you are installing wooden beams, make sure that the moisture in them does not exceed 12%. Also for that. To prevent the appearance of fungus, we recommend that you treat the beams with an antiseptic or a special primer.

The bars are laid at a distance equal to the width of one sheet of insulation. As for the height of the beams, it is usually 10-15 cm. Ordinary mounting foam is used to prevent gaps that appear between the logs and the balcony wall.

After installing the lags, you can proceed directly to the installation of insulation. Make sure that there are no even the smallest gaps between the sheets (or plates) and the frame. Otherwise, your work will not bring the desired result. In some cases, the insulation is laid in several layers (for greater protection). Then it is important that the seams between the plates are not in the same place. That is, you need to lay the material with a slight offset.

Wall insulation

In the process of insulating the floor on the balcony, it will not be superfluous to immediately take care of the walls. So, for example, making out a waterproofing layer, sheathe the entire room around the perimeter with it. This will make your future work much easier.

1. Create a frame from wooden beams. The distance between them and the width of each beam should be related to the dimensions of the insulation.
2. Install thermal insulation material. For walls, traditional options are most often chosen - mineral wool (or glass wool), polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, penofol (or isolon). For greater reliability, we recommend combining several thermal insulation materials (for example, foam plastic and mineral wool).
3. In the presence of cracks and large seams, polyurethane foam is used. With its help, you can reliably protect the balcony from cold and wind.
4. Do not forget to install a vapor barrier on the insulation.

Important! Most often, the wall that connects the balcony and the room (living room, kitchen, etc.) is insulated with one layer. At the same time, at least two layers of insulation should be installed on the outer walls, or a denser heat insulator should be used.

Insulation of windows on the balcony

If you want to insulate the balcony from the inside as efficiently as possible, in no case should you forget about the windows. After all, even the highest quality thermal insulation materials for walls, ceiling and floor will not bring any benefit if the wind breaks through the cracks in the window opening.

If all this time your balcony has not been glazed, you should pay special attention to the wall that protects it from the street. The parapet (namely, this is the name of this wall) must be strong enough to withstand the frames and double-glazed windows. In some cases, it is better to further strengthen this part of the loggia. There are two options for strengthening the parapet:

1. Brick. The simplest method, which, however, is not particularly reliable and durable.
2. Reinforcement with steel bars. Use thick iron bars and cement. This method is a little more complicated than the previous one, but several times more reliable.

Before glazing the balcony, it is necessary to choose the material from which the window frames will be made. Of course, the most popular today are PVC structures. However, some modern manufacturers make wooden or aluminum frames, which are in no way inferior to plastic ones (except that they are more expensive).

Classic wooden frames are practically not hermetic. Therefore, with their help it will be impossible to insulate the balcony. Therefore, they are best used in areas with a warmer climate.

As for aluminum structures, they are able to retain heat much better than wood. In addition, they are also resistant to rust and corrosive processes. However, the most optimal option (if the criterion is the price-quality ratio) are plastic windows. They are not afraid high humidity and temperature fluctuations. In addition, such structures are distinguished by good thermal conductivity. Therefore, if you want to insulate the balcony, choose PVC windows. The most common types of structures today are:

• hinged windows;
• windows with two-chamber sash;
• extended profiles.

Tip: If you do not have the time or financial ability to update the balcony glazing, you can try to insulate the opening with special materials(mounting foam, foam rubber, etc.).

Additional insulation methods

If you live in an area with a cold climate, one heater on the balcony may not be enough. After all, even the highest quality heat insulators are sometimes not able to protect against severe frosts. Therefore, on cold winter days, additional insulation of the balcony can be arranged.

For example, install an ordinary electric heater. For greater effect, it should be placed near the wall connecting the balcony and the apartment itself.

Important! Never place a heater near windows. The condensate that will be released during the process can greatly damage the double-glazed window.

If you do not want to install additional heating devices, and central heating is strictly prohibited on the balcony, you can install a “warm floor” system on the loggia. It will last for decades, creating a comfortable temperature even in the cold season. In addition, today many such systems are equipped with a special thermostat that helps you choose the most optimal mode.

Another option additional insulation is air conditioning. In addition to the fact that he will heat the loggia in winter, he will also be able to cool the air in summer days. However, the use of an air conditioner has one rather important disadvantage - it will not be able to heat the floor on the balcony with high quality. Therefore, the warm floor still wins.

Tip: Installing a warm floor is another expense item. You should not rely only on your own strength, since installing the system is a rather complicated process. It is better to entrust the work to professionals.

Protecting the room from cold air and strong wind, do not forget that on the balcony it is also important to organize good ventilation. With hermetically sealed gaps, this will be a little more difficult. Therefore, we recommend that you periodically ventilate the loggia for a more comfortable stay on it.

If you live in a cold climate, pay attention to the ventilation system of the “breather” type, which supplies purified air from the street, preheating it to the temperature you need.

Work process ventilation system breather

Common heating mistakes

Organizing the insulation of the balcony on your own, you can not take into account the many important nuances. As a rule, people make fairly predictable and common mistakes, including:

• preparation of the room (freeing up space, taking out the trash, etc.);
• ceiling repair (if necessary);
• cleaning surfaces (walls and floors) from past coatings, dust and dirt;
• restoration of walls and floors (if necessary);
• applying an antiseptic that prevents the appearance of mold;
• balcony glazing;
• balcony waterproofing;
• sealing all seams and cracks;
• electrical wiring;
• installation of insulation (from top to bottom - from the ceiling to the walls and only then - to the floor);
• fine finishing of the loggia;
• installation of furniture and lighting.

The sequence of materials when insulating a balcony

The loggia could well be called an additional room in the apartment, but, unfortunately, many people use it only in summer time, since it initially does not have insulation, and heating batteries are not brought there.

Modern method of insulation - spraying polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is sprayed onto the walls with the help of special equipment, and profile companies are engaged in such insulation.

However, before inviting them to spray such a heater, the walls must be prepared by making a crate on them. It will be a kind of frame for a sprayed and expanding heat insulator, as well as for fixing a decorative finishing material.

The advantage of this method of insulation is that when sprayed, the material, expanding, closes all the cracks, making the surface absolutely not blown through, without cold bridges. Polyurethane foam covers not only the walls, but also the ceiling and floor.

Video - How polyurethane foam is sprayed

Design solutions for the design of the loggia

I would like to show several options. Perhaps, having started the process of turning a cold room into a usable area, someone will be inspired by one of the ideas developed by the designers.

In this case, a standard loggia with a small footage is presented, transformed into cozy room recreation. Here you can retire with a book or laptop and delve into reading. If a large family lives in an apartment, usually each of its members does what they love, and sometimes it is difficult to find a cozy place to sit in silence. An insulated loggia will be an ideal option for this.

In such a room, you can place a small TV and enjoy your favorite programs or sit with needlework, comfortably picking up on comfortable armchair legs. The main thing is that extra space appears, which can serve all family members in turn for doing what they love.

The original version - the loggia turns into a stylish bar

This option is suitable for apartments in which the door to the loggia is arranged in the kitchen. In this case, it can become a dining room, especially since most of the kitchens in the apartments are very small.

If apartment owners often like to hold parties, the loggia window sill can easily replace the bar counter.

You can also have a romantic dinner here. The evening city, which offers a wonderful view, and a pleasant summer air will create the necessary mood for this. In winter, it is pleasant to sit at the counter, sipping coffee and looking at the opening wide panorama outside the window.

Glass sliding doors installed between the kitchen and the loggia will help to combine or delimit the premises, depending on the need.

In this version, it was combined with the living room, and the wall, which previously served as a separating element between the two rooms, became a unifying one, as it was transformed into a comfortable table.

The area of ​​the former loggia in this layout can be used as an office with a comfortable desk, as well as hobbies when you don’t want someone to interfere.

And, of course, the combination of the loggia and the room will increase common space by opening a large window. The room will be more illuminated, which will help save on electricity.

Additional living space can be adapted to various activities, for example, to make a winter garden on the loggia, a workshop or a computer room. Therefore, if the apartment is equipped with a loggia, but it has not yet been insulated, you need to urgently get down to business and expand the area of ​​\u200b\u200byour home due to the unused functional premises.

Video - How the loggia is insulated

Any purposeful year-round use of the balcony space involves its insulation, of course, if you do not use the balcony as a freezer in winter. An office or a "closet" for storing conservation, a winter garden or a place of secluded relaxation ... How to insulate a balcony with your own hands to implement your plan?

The sequence of actions for warming the balcony consists of the following steps:

• studying the condition of the balcony and drawing up an action plan
• reinforcing the parapet - creating a supporting structure,
• exterior finish,
• glazing,
• thermal insulation,
• sealing,
• fine finish.

Sequence planning

First things first, examine the condition of the balcony, both from the side of the street and from the side of the apartment. And it doesn’t matter that you have already visited this balcony hundreds of times - a new look at the balcony from the point of view of repair will allow you to see the previously invisible and explore the insulated surfaces.

Make a work plan. Let this be a preliminary plan, but it will allow you to decide on the purchase necessary materials, ordering double-glazed windows, etc.

When solving the problem of how to insulate a balcony with your own hands, you will definitely need information about the basic methods of insulation. Don't limit yourself to just this article. The more you know, the more different repair options will open up for you.

Important! The next step in your actions should be the "total eviction of the inhabitants" of the balcony. After all, usually an uninsulated balcony is a place to store a lot of unnecessary things.

Parapet reinforcement

Since you are planning to insulate the balcony, you should take care of a reliable basis for installing the glazing frame. The standard parapet of a “Soviet”-built balcony has a parapet in the form of a thin, low metal fence, which is quite strong in itself, but the quality of its fastening in the balcony slab often leaves much to be desired.

But even if it is well fixed and able to withstand the weight of the glazing frame, it is not possible to fix the frame on the parapet with high quality.

The fact is that the standard parapet actually runs along the edge of the concrete balcony slab. And if a frame is installed on such a parapet, then to fix it, you will have to drill the top plate almost at the very edge, which will inevitably lead to “splits” of the latter.

In order to qualitatively fix the glazing frame from all sides, including from above, it is necessary to shift the plane of the frame installation inside the balcony by several centimeters (5-7 cm) relative to the edge of the top plate. You can check the need for such a reconstruction using a plumb line.

This will happen to the detriment of the useful area of ​​​​the balcony, but it will allow you to securely fix the frame for its many years of “life”.

Attention! It is unacceptable to fix the frame on the mounting foam, since over time (1-2 years) under the influence of the sun and wind loads on the plane of the windows, it collapses.

This design can be optimally made from a bar of 50x70 mm. The option of using gas blocks is not entirely acceptable, since they will create an additional weight load on the balcony slab, which, together with the heavy construction of the glazing frame, can lead to the collapse of the balcony.

External finishing of the parapet and side walls

Need to decide on exterior trim parapet. Performing such work before glazing will provide you with a lot of convenience for installation, such as siding. On the implementation of such work, you can view a lot of materials outside the format of this article.

In short, from such material as siding, we can say that it belongs to the group PVC profiles. This is a frost-resistant and weather-resistant finishing material used for outdoor work.

The design of the profile ensures ease of installation, which must be done very carefully on the balcony. The result of unscrupulous and illiterate installation of siding is stripes torn off by the wind, which you can’t just put back in place.

Video: highlights in the installation of siding

Be careful! When installing siding, it is STRICTLY CONTRAINDICATED FOR HEALTH to bend over the parapet of a balcony to install an external finishing material. All work on fixing the siding can and should be carried out through the balcony railing. And for safety, use a mounting belt with a chain and a carabiner.

Video: "Errors when installing siding"

The exterior decoration of the balcony can also be made with plastic clapboard or corrugated board.

Balcony glazing for the purpose of its insulation

Having decided to insulate the balcony with your own hands, you will not pass by the stage of its glazing. Balcony glazing can be carried out along the entire perimeter of the parapet or partially, making the side walls and side parts of the front side “blind”. I hope you have already realized that under the glazing you need a serious supporting structure, the presence of which will guarantee the longevity of the window frame of the balcony. As a glazing today, metal-plastic windows are the best option in the price-quality comparison. Their wear resistance and durability in the "company" with correct installation firmly hold such windows in leadership positions in the market of building materials.

To insulate balconies, you can use single-chamber (there is a possibility of freezing in winter) or double-glazed windows (ideal, but heavier).

It is advisable to choose five-chamber profiles for frame structures from reliable manufacturers.

For more information about choosing a glazing option, see the article "Insulation of the loggia".

Balcony insulation

How to properly insulate a balcony after glazing? Now it's mostly about internal insulation, since “carrying out“ warming ”works outside at a height with your own hands is highly not recommended - contact high-altitude specialists.

How to insulate a balcony from the inside? And what is the best way to insulate the balcony inside?

All materials and technologies used must meet the following criteria:

• insulation for the balcony must be non-combustible;
• calculate the allowable load on the base of the balcony, especially in the case of the construction of supporting masonry from foam concrete or aerated concrete (a balcony is not a loggia);
• the insulation must have a minimum thickness with maximum heat-insulating properties - the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe balcony is not unlimited;
• take care of extra heat source on the balcony, keeping in mind that pipes and radiators of central heating are prohibited by law from being taken out onto balconies.

It is possible to insulate a balcony with high quality only with the obligatory insulation of the supporting parapet, floor, ceiling and right and left side walls. On a small balcony, it will be effective to use effective thin heaters, for example, penofol, penoplex.

Stages of creating a heat-insulating layer

In choosing the method of warming the balcony with your own hands, you should decide on the choice of heat-insulating material. How to insulate the balcony inside? What is the best insulation for a balcony? Suitable basalt, mineral wool, polystyrene foam (flammable!). The best choice may be foamed polystyrene foam, resistant to moisture, temperature extremes, aggressive influences environment and, at the same time, possessing high rates of thermal insulation qualities.

Before installing the insulation, the installation plane must be carefully waterproofed from external moisture. For these purposes, a waterproofing film (up to 200 microns) or foamed polyethylene (4-10 mm) is used. Installation is carried out on double-sided tape, staples, foam, glue - the choice of method depends on the base. The joints of the sheets are carefully glued with adhesive tape.

The thermal insulation layer must be covered with a vapor barrier layer. It can be foam foil. This material is placed with the foil side inside the room - this will create an additional heat-reflecting layer.

Attention! In the case of using cotton wool insulation, a mandatory-recommended element is a vapor barrier layer, which is designed to prevent warm steam from entering the vapor barrier layer from the side of the room.

Some ways to warm the balcony with your own hands

• What material to insulate the balcony?
• As we have repeatedly mentioned, it is possible to insulate a balcony with various heat-insulating materials. Consider some individual methods of insulation.

Insulation of the balcony with polystyrene foam (polystyrene foam)

Styrofoam - it is also polystyrene foam, it is also a heat insulator with low thermal conductivity due to its structure, saturated with large air "bubbles". Available for use in the form of plates with a thickness of 50-150 mm. Plates up to 100 mm thick are suitable for us.

The advantages of insulating a balcony with foam plastic include the hygroscopicity of this material, that is, its resistance to moisture.

"Steps" in the process of insulation with polystyrene foam:

• deep priming of balcony surfaces;
• installation of plates with a special adhesive composition;
• additional fastening of plates with dowels of the "umbrella" type;
• we fix the vapor barrier layer (for those who are pedantic about the task at hand - all others can do);
• we reinforce the surface with a fiberglass mesh fixed with an adhesive solution;
• we putty, plaster, paint, etc.

Styrofoam - as a heater on the balcony

Insulate with foam

Penoplex or extruded polystyrene foam is better, but also more expensive material for balcony insulation. Foam slabs with a thickness of 20-100 mm often have a stepped protrusion at the edges, which makes it possible to obtain a better connection when docking such as a "quarter" or "thorn-groove".

At temperatures up to "-25 ° C", a 40 mm insulation layer is sufficient. In "frosty" climatic conditions, a layer of foam 50-70mm is required.

Insulating with Penoplex, we act as follows:

• we waterproof the surface on which we will mount the foam boards;
• installation of plates is carried out "end-to-end" (Required!);
• if the plates are to be plastered in the future, then they must be fixed to the adhesive composition + we make a “control” fixation with the help of dowels - umbrellas, and in the case of a different decorative finish - it will be enough just to fix the plates with dowels - "umbrellas" (5-8 pieces per plate);

Note! If the front wall of the balcony is made of foam blocks or other “solid” material, then for mounting on it (also on the side and ceiling surfaces) Penoplex should not be made of wooden or other crates. In comparison with the thermal insulation properties of foam plastic, wood is the worst heat insulator. Therefore, the crate will simply create "bridges" of cold, which will be very inopportune. For the subsequent installation of drywall or lining, the crate is made on top of the vapor barrier layer laid on the foam. The resulting air "pockets" will play the role of additional heat insulators.

Balcony insulation with mineral wool

If in response to the question of what material to insulate the balcony with, you will say - with mineral wool! Well - this is an option, but not the best. For we have almost come to the dispute “which insulation is better for a balcony” to the dominant answer - Penoplex. And wool with a small thickness will not give a sufficient thermal insulation effect, but it will be a little “difficult” to install when eliminating the gaps between its plates.

But, "the master is the master"!

We will tell you how to insulate a balcony from the inside with mineral wool:

• we remember about the waterproofing of the surface and, of course, we carry it out;
• carefully and accurately glue sheets of cotton wool to the surface (without pushing through them) with a minimum gap;
• after the glue has dried, we additionally fasten it with dowels - "umbrellas";
• and again vapor barrier - here it is MANDATORY!
• then the installation of a reinforcing mesh or lathing and decorative trim.

Note! When insulating the floor, working with mineral wool will be much easier. It is laid between the lags on a waterproofed surface. Top covered with a layer of vapor barrier and rough floor material.

Additional heat sources

If your insulated balcony is not one with the room, but is isolated from it by a window and a balcony door, it will be useful to install an additional heater on it. The best option would be to use electric heaters: convectors, oil or ceramic radiators. The heat source power of 1 kW will allow you to set the required comfortable temperature on a balcony up to 4m2. . With a larger balcony area, it is recommended to use two heat sources with a power of 1 kW each for more uniform heating of the entire volume and walls of the insulated balcony.

Today steel available materials for the organization of "warm floor". The power consumption of a heated floor made with a heating cable for a standard balcony (up to 4 m 2) will be approximately 1 kW.

Read more about this in the article "Installation of a warm floor under a tile."

If you are using an individual heating system, consider water radiators on an insulated balcony.

And now! .. You have already read about how to insulate a balcony with your own hands! Read more in other sources! After all, it is still possible to insulate the balcony from the inside with clapboard ... And with liquid insulation ...

Now it remains to decide on the option, the better to insulate the balcony inside, or choose several in order to calculate how much it costs to insulate the balcony.

Yes, more! Entrust the process of balcony glazing to the "pros" - why risk expensive structures, as well as people and cars moving under your balcony.

The better to insulate the loggia from the inside: step-by-step instruction and advice.= professionals. From a constructive point of view, the loggia is ideal for becoming a continuation of the apartment or even a full-fledged room. To accomplish this, a series of construction and installation works on glazing should be carried out, and.

As a result, you can get a spacious living room, a cozy room for relaxation, or even additional space for a work area.

If you do not take into account important factors when choosing materials, the result of insulation may not turn out as we would like, so let's look at what materials are best for warming the loggia, and what technology should be used for insulation.

Factor number 1 - the purpose of the premises

Factor number 2 - the dimensions of the loggia

Since if you have it small in size, then you will need to give preference to a heater, which, with a small thickness, has high rate thermal protection. In this case, you will lose the usable area to a minimum.

Factor # 3 - throughput of the material

keep in mind that each material from which the walls inside the room are made has the ability to pass accumulated moisture. This is water vapor that collides with cold air from the street and settles outside on the wall. If you have insulated the wall, it means that the main insulation will be covered, and this will lead to further decay and decrease in properties. It is important to make sure that the steam simply does not reach the heater.

Insulation materials

On the construction market, you can find a lot of materials to insulate the loggia, the characteristics of which are important to familiarize yourself with before starting construction and installation work. What needs to be done?

Mineral wool, as well as materials based on cotton wool or basalt fiber, are quite popular materials with excellent thermal insulation, fire resistance and. When used, these materials perfectly retain the structure, appearance and shape, and also do not succumb to the negative effects of the environment and microorganisms, but the downside is that they are highly hygroscopic. Because of this water permeability, thorough waterproofing is necessary. The disadvantages include the need to create and the thickness of the material, which adversely affects the usable area.

What is the best way to insulate the loggia from the inside? Styrofoam, which is obtained from polystyrene. It is not chosen in vain, as it is durable, has low level thermal conductivity, has a low level of hydrophobicity and is resistant to microorganisms. For insulation from the inside, it is advised to use self-extinguishing foam, since the usual view is highly combustible.

In the role of a heater in the loggia, materials that are made of extruded polyethylene and covered with foil on one or both sides are also suitable: Isocom, Isolon, Penofol, Tepofol. Among the listed heat insulators, this type of thermal conductivity is the highest, therefore it is used as an independent material for insulation only with “cold” insulation or as a reflective material on internal walls.

But the small thickness and high level of vapor permeability makes it possible to use it as a second layer of insulation.

I would like to separately talk about the material that is produced in the form of plates or rolls. This is polyurethane foam - it is sprayed like foam and creates a heat-insulating surface. It surpasses all the above materials in terms of technical indicators. But he also has a drawback - a high level of flammability with the release of toxic agents. Do-it-yourself installation is not possible, as a special installation for spraying is needed.

Stages of warming the loggia

When you have finally decided how best to insulate the loggia, you need to carry out a series of preparatory work:

• Sealing of all cracks between the walls and the frame / parapet, glazing.
• Preparation of the necessary surfaces.

For glazing, you can safely choose double-glazed windows with a frame of any material. They must be functional, be sure to be ventilated and relatively light so that you do not create an additional load on the floor slab. The ceiling, walls and floor must be cleaned in advance of debris and other contaminants, and the integrity of the surface must be checked. If you find tile gaps or, they must be filled with sealant and, if necessary, leveled.

In addition to these procedures, it is also necessary to carry out waterproofing. For this, several materials are used, but sometimes one, since waterproofing is carried out for parapets and external walls, frames, ceilings and floors.

Such materials include:

• Penofol.
• Folgoizolone.
• Paints and coatings.
• Penetrating waterproofing.

Roll-type waterproofing should be glued overlapping to the base, and the resulting seams should be sealed with sealant, soldered or sealed with special adhesive tape. If you use foil isolon for coating, you get an additional layer of thermal insulation. When using paint, coating and penetrating types of insulation, it will be justified if you are engaged in insulation in hard-to-reach places and where the size of the room is very small.

Once you have decided on the material for waterproofing and are ready to insulate the loggia, you can proceed to the insulation itself. There are two ways:

• You can make a continuous layer of material for thermal insulation and in this way you minimize any chances of steam entering the insulation.
• Insulation and coating.

Loggia insulation methods

Method number 1

In this option, we will use materials with a low level of vapor permeability - styrofoam and polystyrene. The thickness of such materials should be such that, when created, the necessary resistance to the passage of steam is obtained, and thermal insulation is observed.

When using conventional tile insulation, the installation steps are as follows:

Reinforcement can be carried out in 4 stages:

1. Tiles are treated with coarse-grained sandpaper.
2. The plates are covered with glue, its thickness for a long time to be no more than 0.3 cm.
3. A grid with 5 * 5 cells is pressed into the glue.
4. On top of the mesh you need to apply another layer of glue.

You can still use rolled thermal insulation materials, and at the same time the laying technology will be the same. In this case, you should cut off pieces of insulation of the size you need. After that, we get a surface that is completely ready for painting or plastering, as well as for pasting with liquid wallpaper and other decorative materials.

Method number 2

In this method, there are no restrictions on choice, since thanks to the technology, the creation of a vapor barrier between the finish and the insulation is provided. This type of insulation is carried out by arranging a wooden crate (but it is possible without it), but in this case, to fix the lining and the crate, they are made on top of the vapor barrier.

A crate is made of wooden beams, but metal fasteners or a profile can also be used for this. If you are using metal parts, under them it is necessary to lay a heater.

The width and height of the crate depend on what material was chosen for the insulation of the loggia:

• If you will be using mineral wool, choose boards that are narrower than the mats so that the laying is spaced apart.
• Ideally, you need to lay several layers of wool so that the bars are covered, and then they will not act as conductors of cold.
• When using foam, all sizes of sheets and beams must be the same.

After the laying is done, we overlap to fasten the vapor barrier material. It can also be a simple polyethylene, a membrane. All joints should be sealed with adhesive tape. If you did the insulation without a crate, then profiles should be attached from above to install the finish.

Avoid These 5 Loggia Planning Mistakes

And as a reminder, we want to point out a list of common mistakes many people have made. We will help you find out exactly what mistakes and how to avoid them.

Mistake No. 1: redevelopment without permission

Often people think about the best way to insulate a loggia, but few people think that your decision to make one large room out of a loggia and a room should be registered by representatives of the BTI. This measure is necessary so that you do not have problems with the sale of the apartment in the future, when you find discrepancies with the real apartment and the technical passport.

Advice: it is possible to glaze the balcony using sliding double-glazed windows on an aluminum profile and thus equip an unheated summer loggia. This measure will add extra space to you, there will be less drafts, and you will not need to take permission to redevelop.

Mistake number 2: removal of the radiator to the loggia

If you have a permit for conversion, then you are unlikely to take such a step, but just in case, you should warn that the withdrawal of radiator pipes and heating equipment is unacceptable. There are too many heat losses on the loggia, and sometimes, even with insulation, the pipes freeze, which causes accidents. In addition, because of this, you will have to pay extra for heat supply.

Advice: for heating, use an underfloor heating system or oil as an alternative - it can be hung on the wall or used as a conventional battery.

Mistake number 3: dimensionless glass

This design solution looks great - when closed, it smooth surface, and sometimes it is not broken even by the edges. In addition, it is convenient to assemble such sashes into an accordion, and this will not occupy the space of the loggia. But for insulated rooms this is not an option - single glazing and cracks will not protect from the cold. In addition, dirt and dust quickly accumulate on them, as well as fingerprints, and there is no way to attach a mosquito net.

Advice: don't just stop at this option - we advise you to take a closer look at the latest developments such as thermally insulated lift-and-slide windows. But perfect choice there will be a PVC double-glazed window with hinged doors. They do not take up as much space as it seems, it is possible to open them for ventilation, as well as open them to clean the glass surface from the outside.

Mistake No. 4: glazing on brackets

To increase the area, or rather, the volume of the loggia, apartment owners often want to build a frame for glazing (remote by a couple of tens of cm). So, a visor is made along the upper perimeter, on which snow will accumulate, and in bad weather, the sound of rain will be heard. The main thing is that a glass build-up will form on the facade, which will spoil the appearance of the structure.

Advice: an alternative option is available only with facade uniformity. If all the balconies in your house are open, you should discard such an idea, or even simple glazing. You can ennoble the loggia with the help of greenery.

Mistake #5: Sealant Abuse

The real nightmare of a perfectionist is the seams with bubbling polyurethane foam. They are ugly, and they can also spoil the microclimate of your apartment - the fact is that with polyurethane sealants, the foam cannot tolerate exposure to sunlight and moisture, and without protection it will quickly collapse, thereby opening all the closed cracks and gaps for street noise and drafts.

Advice: the “foamed” seams should be well processed and the excess cut off, and then sanded with a thin sandpaper and covered with a layer of putty or acrylate paint (ideally, both options should be used). If there is no paint or putty at hand, use mounting tape, but then in the future paint will not adhere well to such seams.

Results

As you can see, the process of warming the loggia itself is simple. It is very important to follow the instructions and recommendations that will help create a warm loggia.