Why is it better to insulate the ceiling in a private house from the outside than from the inside. Ways to insulate the ceiling How to close the insulation on the ceiling

16.06.2019

December 27, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works(laying the foundation, erecting walls, constructing the roof, etc.). Internal construction works (laying of internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communication, high tech, computer technology, programming.

Whatever efforts we make to insulate the walls and floor of the dwelling, a huge part of the heat energy loss falls on the upper part of the room. Therefore, it's time to talk about how to insulate the ceiling in a private house.

Today I will tell you the best way to insulate the attic beam ceiling in wooden house, as well as describe in detail the technology of laying heat-insulating material inside the house in the country. The article shows the most effective, in my opinion, scheme, when a vapor barrier membrane is installed from the inside, and the main insulation from the outside. But about everything in due time.

The choice of material for work

To begin with, I want to figure out with you how you can insulate a ceiling constructed from floor beams. If you study the advice of heating professionals, you can see what each of them offers various materials: expanded clay, polystyrene, perlite, polyurethane foam and so on.

But from the whole variety of heat-insulating materials for warming a wooden ceiling, I suggest using basalt wool. In my opinion, this is the best choice if you decide how to insulate the ceiling from the outside along the logs. In support of what has been said, I present the most important specifications this material.

Characteristic	Description
Low thermal conductivity	The coefficient of thermal conductivity of basalt wool is approximately 0.035 W / (m * K). Hence for effective thermal insulation it is enough to use a layer 10 cm thick. That is, the insulation boards will just fit into the gaps between the support beams.
High vapor permeability	The vapor permeability coefficient of the described insulation with a density of 50 kg per m3 is 0.6 mg / (m * h * Pa), which is more than that of wood. Consequently, the thermal insulation layer will not prevent air infiltration through the walls, moisture will evaporate from the floor beams. This will have a beneficial effect on the microclimate in the house, and on the integrity of the building envelope.
Low hygroscopicity	In direct contact with a liquid, the material absorbs no more than 2% of its own volume of moisture. That is, if on the ceiling (ceiling with reverse side) water ingress due to a leaking roof, the liquid will not reduce the performance of the thermal barrier layer.
High fire safety	According to the current classification building materials basalt mats are classified as NG. The insulation does not ignite under the action of an open flame, does not contribute to the spread of fire and does not emit toxic smoke. This is very important for a dwelling built of wood.
High sound insulation	The open structure of mineral mats (in contrast to foam) contributes to a very effective absorption of sound waves of structural and air origin. Using basalt insulation to insulate the ceiling, the inhabitants of the upper and lower floors will not hear each other's conversation, and the people below will not suffer from the rumble of furniture moving upstairs and careless steps.
biological neutrality	The insulation has antiseptic properties; mold, fungus and other microorganisms do not form on its surface and inside. Consequently - wooden beams floors will be reliably protected from rot, which will extend their life.
Ease	The insulation is a porous material, therefore it is light in weight. The thermal insulation layer on the ceiling (even with additional hydro and vapor barrier membranes) will not exert a large load on the floor beams, load-bearing walls and foundation.
Ease of installation	All work on the installation of basalt insulation is carried out manually. To do this, you do not need compressors and other mechanisms (as is the case with PPU). In addition, its use eliminates the use of "wet" construction processes, so you can work even when negative temperature air.
Long service life	Basalt mats will retain their original technical characteristics for as long as the ceiling beams themselves. At the same time, the insulation does not shrink, forming islands of cold and reducing the efficiency of the heat-insulating layer.

A small fly in the ointment in this barrel of honey is the high price of insulation. However, considering all of the above performance characteristics, I believe that this is the best material for thermal insulation of a ceiling in a frame or in log house outside.

For work, I will use basalt wool slabs manufactured by Knauf Insulation TeploKrovlya Expert. They are cut into pieces 1200 by 610 mm in size, that is, with a distance between the beams of 600 mm, the insulation will fit back to back without forming gaps. The thickness of the material is 50 mm, since I will put it in two layers with alternating joints. One package is enough for 18.3 m2 of surface (but keep in mind that you will have to put in two layers).

Now you know how to insulate the ceiling. However, in addition to mineral mats, other materials with tools will also be needed. I will list them in the next section.

Necessary tools and materials

In addition to the insulation itself, you will need to stock up on other materials:

Vapor barrier membrane. This polymer film does not allow water vapor formed in the room as a result of human activity to penetrate into the insulation, causing the latter to become wet. It is better not to use impervious films, as all the benefits of breathable mineral wool are lost. An excellent manufacturer of vapor barrier membranes is Juta.

waterproofing film. A waterproof membrane that protects the insulation layer from moisture as a result of water getting inside the insulation cake due to a leaky roof or for other subjective reasons.

Plywood. With it, I will hem the floor beams from below, that is, glued veneer sheets will support the mineral mats between the rafters. Instead of plywood, you can use a board, GKL, GVL, lining and other similar materials. The thickness of the sheets is 10 mm, the brand is ordinary FK (you can use moisture-resistant PSF, but it has a higher level of formaldehyde emission).
Polyurethane adhesive for insulation. Sold in bottles, applied with mounting gun. It is needed only in order to, if necessary, seal the joints of thermal insulation sheets. Since I have everything calculated exactly, and the mineral wool is laid in two layers, it is practically not necessary to use foam.
Wooden bars with a section of 5 by 5 cm. They are useful for mounting a counter-lattice from the outside of the ceiling, since a ventilation gap must be left between the insulation and the decorative material on top to remove moisture. Choose high-quality lumber, the dimensions of which are the same along the entire length, otherwise you will not be able to make a flat floor.
Grooved board. The attic above the ceiling in my case will be used as residential attic. Therefore, I will make the floor (that is, the ceiling on the reverse side) strong and reliable from a grooved board. If you have just an attic there, you can limit yourself to plywood.
Fire and bioprotective impregnation for wood. This substance will need to process the floor beams and bars used for mounting the crate. The liquid will increase the fire safety of a wooden structure, destroy microorganisms and protect the enclosing structures from biocorrosion. You can use, for example, Bastion liquid, which, among other things, has hydrophobic properties.

As for the tools, the main ones are a screwdriver for tightening screws, a stapler for fixing films and a saw for cutting plywood and foam. Everything else is the usual set of plumbing fixtures, available in the arsenal of even a novice specialist.

Well, now it's time to move on to the story of how to properly insulate the ceiling in a wooden dwelling.

Warming technology

Do-it-yourself ceiling insulation in a private house is carried out in several steps. All of them are shown in the diagram below.

I will try to describe each of them in as much detail as possible.

Floor preparation

Insulation of the ceiling in a wooden house begins with the preparation of the ceiling, which in my case is a set of load-bearing beams (from bars with a section of 50 by 100 mm) installed at a distance of 60 cm from each other.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

I carry out the processing of load-bearing beams. Several important tasks need to be solved at once:
- Check the integrity of structural elements, remove damaged areas and replace defective fragments. If the beams are not new, they need to be cleaned of mold and mildew sandpaper and grinder. Damaged sections are cut out and replaced with new fragments, and I advise you to completely change the heavily worn beams for new ones. Otherwise, the life of the insulated ceiling will not be very long.

Treat the beams with fire protection. To do this, the primer antiseptic composition of your choice is diluted with water in the proportions indicated on the package, after which the load-bearing beams of the ceiling are covered with it. It is best to work with a brush-brush, carefully rubbing the fire protection into wooden surface(it should be well saturated).

I carry out the installation of engineering communications in the ceiling. Most often (as in my case) these are three separate systems - ventilation, electricity and a chimney passage. Each has some minor features:
- I recommend insulating ventilation pipes (made of thin-walled metal or plastic) with polyethylene foam cylinders or mineral mats. This will improve the efficiency of the system and reduce the noise generated by the airflow.

Electrical wires in the ceiling wooden house(if you prefer concealed wiring) must be carried out in special metal or plastic fireproof channels. The latter prevent the ignition of the ceiling and the further spread of fire in the event of a short circuit.

The intersection of the chimney pipe and the ceiling of a wooden house must be carefully protected with non-combustible fireproof material. I made a square box out of tin, which I mounted in the ceiling. Then inner part the boxes were covered with expanded clay, which excluded the contact of the hot pipe with the boards and plywood of the ceiling.

Having completed the preparation wooden poles ceiling, you can go down to the living rooms, as further work will be carried out from inside the house.

Works indoors

From the bottom of the ceiling, we need to solve two problems - to exclude the moistening of mineral mats by water vapor dissolved in the air and to provide a reliable support for basalt fiber slabs (their installation procedure is described in the next section).

Therefore, the workflow will be as follows:

I fix a vapor barrier membrane on the floor beams. For this, as you already know, Juta vapor barrier film is used. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- I roll out the first roll of insulating membrane, after which I fix it on the bottom of the beams with construction stapler and staples. It is not necessary to pull it strongly, especially if the work is carried out in the warm season. The film should sag 1 cm every meter. In this case, after cooling (in winter), it will not tear.

The second and subsequent rolls of the vapor barrier layer must be fixed in such a way that their edges form an overlap of 10 cm wide. This is necessary to ensure the tightness of the joints.
After processing the entire ceiling, the joints of the individual sheets must be glued with adhesive tape. The result should be a picture similar to the one shown in this photo.

I install the bars of the counter-lattice. With their help, a ventilation gap is formed between the film and the decorative material (in my case -), which will help to remove the moisture concentrated there.
- The lumber that I will use for work is pre-treated with flame retardant and antiseptic (in one bottle). Better do it on outdoors and bring it inside after protective compound completely absorbed into the surface and dry.

Directly through the vapor barrier membrane, using self-tapping screws, I fasten the bars to the supporting joists of the ceiling so that the parts are perpendicular to each other. The distance between adjacent elements is about 40 cm. Thus, the bars will form a gap and serve as a support for the mineral wool insulation boards laid in the sphere.

Between individual bars, as well as at the walls, gaps of 3-5 mm should be made, which are necessary to compensate for the possible thermal expansion of the bars.

I hem the ceiling from below with sheets of birch plywood. I use this material because of the peculiarities of the subsequent decorative finishes. However, you can replace it with other suitable sheet or rack products. The scheme for mounting plywood is as follows:
- I cut the sheets of material into parts of the required dimensions in such a way that after fixing the counter-lattice on the bars, there is a gap between the wall and the plywood. Through it, the condensed moisture will be removed from the air gap.

I fix the plywood on the bars of the crate. For this, black self-tapping screws are perfect, which are protected from corrosion. The distance between the screws is 20 cm. They need to be screwed along the edge of the plywood sheets and in the middle, attracting the material to the supporting elements. There should be a distance of a few millimeters between plywood sheets to compensate for thermal expansion.

After that, you can finish work inside the living space and move to the attic, where the insulation will be laid.

Works in the attic

It is much easier to work from the outside of the attic floor than from the inside. The fact is that in this case you do not have to come up with various tricks to fix the mineral mats. They are easy and simple to lay on a horizontal surface and do not sag.

The detailed workflow looks like this:

I lay mineral mats between the floor joists. It is done like this:
- Basalt fiber slabs are cut under the right dimensions. I have the distance between the lags exactly equal to the width of the slab minus 1 cm (the slab is 61 cm, the beams are located at a distance of 60 cm from each other). That is, the thermal insulation will become a surprise without the formation of cold bridges. If you need to customize the dimensions, then for this I recommend using a file with fine teeth or a sharp stationery knife with interchangeable blades.

The first layer of insulation is laid on a vapor barrier film and bars of a counter-lattice fixed on the lower plane of the ceiling. It is necessary to fit the heat-insulating mats to each other as tightly as possible so that cold bridges do not form along the seams. Then the second layer is placed on top so that the gaps are interspersed with an offset of 15-20 cm relative to each other.

Joints between mineral wool boards can be filled with polyurethane adhesive-foam. It glues the insulation fibers together and forms a homogeneous heat-insulating layer, which excludes unproductive losses of thermal energy.

Installing a waterproofing membrane. It is necessary to use a special polymer film, and not ordinary polyethylene. The latter stops air infiltration through the ceiling, which negates all the advantages of using wood, mineral wool and other "breathable" materials. The scheme is as follows:
- The membrane is rolled out over the insulation in such a way that the edges of one roll are located on the edges of the other, forming an overlap of 10 cm wide.

After that, the film is fixed on wooden details using staples and a construction stapler. It is not necessary to stretch the material too much so that it does not tear in winter. But there is no need to leave a lot of slack, otherwise the polymer film will rustle during operation.
The joints of adjacent elements of the waterproof layer are sealed with adhesive tape. The film must form an impermeable layer to prevent water from entering the surface of the basalt mats.
The film should lie on the surface of the basalt insulation. If its thickness is not enough to fill the vertical space between the beams, then the membrane must be lowered down and fixed on the side surfaces of the supporting elements using wooden blocks.

I fasten the bars of the counter-lattice to the beams. It is necessary when you are going to lay on top decorative material(in my case, a tongue-and-groove floorboard in the attic). It is done like this:
- Wooden beams with a section of 5 by 5 cm are screwed onto the beams over the waterproofing. They must be placed perpendicular to the direction in which the boards will be laid. You can fix the crate with self-tapping screws.
- To avoid warping of the coating, I recommend not to install the bars close to the walls of the attic and to each other. Small seams a few millimeters wide will help compensate for the thermal expansion of the material.
I lay a tongue-and-groove board on top. I took this material

On this, the process of insulating the ceiling can be considered complete.

Summary

Now you know how to insulate the ceiling in a wooden house with mineral wool. But there are other, cheaper ways to insulate. Instructions on how to use expanded clay for this purpose are set out in the video in this article. And you can read about how to insulate a wooden ceiling from the inside (if there is no access to it from the attic), you can read in my other articles on this site.

You can leave your opinion about the information contained in the material in the comments below.

In the conditions of severe Russian winters, the problem of high-quality insulation of a house is a matter of, if not survival, then at least the comfort of life and health of your family members. In a “cold” cottage without any thermal insulation, heating costs will beat all conceivable records, and colds will become the norm for its residents.

But this will not happen if you make sound insulation of walls, floors and ceilings in the house. This is especially true for ceilings - heated air always tends to rise, and if it does not meet a barrier in the form of a layer of heat-insulating material on its way, it will simply go outside. And you end up with condensation on the ceiling and b about higher heating costs.

The quality of ceiling insulation is highly dependent on what material would be used and how well it was installed. And at this point, the owner is faced with the question: what to choose? Today, there are many types of insulation on the building materials market, and each of them is presented as the best in its segment. This article should help you solve the problem of choosing thermal insulation materials, it will tell you about their features, installation methods, advantages and disadvantages.

Ways to insulate the ceiling

First you need to talk about ways to insulate the ceiling. In our case, this will be the ceiling of the last floor, above which there is only an attic and a roof - it is through it that the main heat losses occur.

The first method of insulation is external. If you do not plan to make an attic under the roof, then this method is suitable for you. On the attic floor with wooden beam and boards, a frame is mounted, the internal space of which is filled with heat-insulating material. The design of the frame depends on what kind of insulation you use.

If you want to arrange an attic or a small warehouse in the attic, then the ceiling should be insulated from the inside.. In this case, in the rooms of the last floor, the above-mentioned frame is formed on the ceilings, fixed with dowels-nails. After laying the heat-insulating material, it is closed with drywall, plastic panels or lining. This method of insulation is very time consuming and also reduces the height of the dwelling. Therefore, at the stage of building a house, this moment should be taken into account and the walls of the last floor should be made a little higher.

Advice! A layer of vapor barrier should be laid between the insulation and the ceiling, otherwise the moisture rising with the air will be absorbed by the insulation, which will significantly worsen its properties. In addition, dampness under the roof is not in the best way affects the strength of the rafters.

Insulation of ceilings in the house with mineral wool

Mineral wool is a fibrous heat insulator produced in the form of rolls or plates. The composition of the material is determined by GOST R 52953-2008, and in total there are three types of mineral wool - stone, slag and glass (better known as glass wool). Let's consider them in more detail.

GOST R 52953-2008 “Heat-insulating materials and products. Terms and Definitions"

Stone wool is made from various rocks such as diabase or gabbro, and also contains clay, limestone, dolomite and a binder containing formaldehyde resins. Average thermal conductivity stone wool is 0.08-0.12 W / (mK). In our case, the lower its value, the more the material is suitable for the role of insulation.

Important! One of the biggest drawbacks of mineral wool is that it can contain substances in its composition that, when heated, release phenols into the air that are dangerous to humans. There have been discussions and disputes around this issue for a long time. Basalt wool is considered the safest, which contains the minimum amount of potentially harmful substances.

Unlike stone, slag wool is produced from blast-furnace slags and other metallurgy waste. The thermal conductivity coefficient averages 0.47 W / (mK), which, combined with its high hygroscopicity (ability to absorb moisture), makes slag wool an unsuitable material for ceiling insulation. In addition, it has residual acidity, so it should be kept away from metal pipes, beams and other products.

Glass wool ranks first in the quality of thermal insulation among mineral wool - 0.03 W / (mK). It also has a very low price. The disadvantages include the fact that particles of this material can harm a person by getting on the skin, eyes or lungs. But this is to some extent characteristic of all types of mineral wool, therefore, when working with them, it is imperative to wear gloves, goggles, a respirator mask and closed work clothes.

The main advantage of all types of mineral wool is that this material is very convenient for transportation, carrying and installation, as it has a low weight. In addition, it is non-combustible and can only sinter at very high temperatures (losing its heat-insulating properties). And it is especially important for country houses that mineral wool is not an attractive place for rodents, insects, fungi or mold.

The most famous manufacturers of this material are Isover, Ursa and Paroc. If quality is important to you, then when you go to a hardware store, look for mineral wool from these companies. When choosing, also pay attention to the density of the material - the ceiling may not withstand too dense and heavy samples of mineral wool.

The process of warming should begin by determining the area of \u200b\u200bthe ceiling, because first you need to calculate how much mineral wool, vapor and waterproofing films you will need. Next, the technology of the external method of ceiling insulation will be considered. If you need internal insulation, follow the same instructions, but swap the layers of hydro and vapor barrier.

Ceiling area calculation

In addition to the insulation itself, you will need wooden planks or metallic profile, tools for cutting mineral wool, protective clothing and accessories (gloves, respirator and goggles) and fasteners.

First, we lay a vapor barrier film on the attic floor, while making sure that there are no gaps on it. Laying should be overlapped, the seams should be glued with a special vapor barrier tape.
On top of it we mount a crate made of wood or a galvanized profile. The distance between the slats should be several - a couple of centimeters - less than the width of the sheet or roll of mineral wool. So the insulation will fit tighter. The height of the crate should exceed the thickness of the heat-insulating layer by 1-2 centimeters in order to subsequently ensure air circulation between it and the waterproofing.
We unpack the mineral wool and put it in the space between the slats. If the material is laid in several layers, the next layer should overlap the seams of the previous one.
From above, we attach waterproofing to the crate using a furniture stapler. At the same time, as already mentioned above, between it and mineral wool there should be a small space for air circulation.

Foam insulation

Styrofoam is considered the second most popular after mineral wool. Foam plastics are called polymer materials, consisting of cells filled with gas. That is why foam plastics perform well as a heat-insulating material. Of these, in everyday life you can most often find polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam. On average, the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the foam is 0.041 W / (mK), which, in terms of insulation qualities, makes it similar to glass wool.

Like mineral wool, expanded polystyrene and polyurethane foam have a low price and low weight. The latter property makes their transportation, storage and installation on the ceiling convenient. However, the foam has a number of disadvantages that make it not the best choice for a residential building.

Styrofoam burns well and at the same time emits many substances dangerous to humans. Moreover, they can stand out even with a slight heating.
Mice can live in the foam layer, but it is worth noting that it is not a breeding ground for insects or fungus.
In a room whose ceiling is insulated with foam, a "greenhouse effect" may occur.

There are two ways to mount foam - on the frame and on glue. The first is in many ways similar to mineral wool insulation, but when laying foam sheets between the slats, “liquid nails” must be applied to their sides. And about the installation of this material with glue, you should tell in more detail and step by step.

The surface on which the foam will be laid is thoroughly washed and cleaned from possible irregularities. If necessary, it can be primed.
Glue is applied to the foam sheets (tile works well) and after three minutes of waiting, the sheet must be pressed against the surface of the attic or ceiling.
Repeat the procedure with all other foam sheets.
Apply a layer of reinforcing plaster on the sheets and lay the fiberglass mesh. After drying, the mesh is covered with another layer of plaster.

Penoizol as a heater

An alternative to polystyrene foams and polyurethane foams can be penoizol, which is a "liquid" foam. Thanks to special additives, it gets rid of the main disadvantages of its solid counterparts - attractiveness to rodents and flammability. The disadvantage of penoizol is that for its application it is necessary to call a team of workers with special equipment, and this can be quite expensive.

The technology of insulation using penoizol is simple: we lay a vapor barrier and fill the space between the attic beams with a layer of insulation to a thickness of 20-30 centimeters. From above, you can additionally lay a layer of roofing material and lay a plank floor.

Ecowool

The prefix "eco-" in the title of this material is not for the purpose of advertising. Ecowool is indeed an environmentally friendly material, as it consists of 80% natural cellulose. The remaining 20% are various additives, such as lingin, which gives the structure stickiness, or boric acid and antiseptics that protect ecowool from decay, fungus and rodents. Also, the composition of this material includes flame retardants, thanks to which ecowool does not burn, but only smolders under the influence of flame and very high temperatures. The thermal conductivity of the material is 0.038 W / (mK).

There are two ways to insulate the ceiling with environmentally friendly cotton wool - dry and wet. In the first case, the material is placed in the prepared "cells" of the ceiling, but at the same time its thermal insulation properties will be only 60-70% of the possible ones. The second method uses special equipment that moistens ecowool and sprays it under high pressure. Upon contact with water, the insulation becomes sticky and adheres tightly to the surface of the ceiling or attic. The disadvantage of ecowool is just that for its “wet” application you will need special equipment and people who know how to work with it.

Consider the stages of ceiling insulation using ecowool in an external way.

The surface of the ceiling is cleaned and leveled - it is necessary to get rid of dirt and debris.
A crate made of wooden beams is mounted, similar to a crate for laying mineral wool. If desired, this stage can be skipped, but then it will be impossible to use the attic.
A layer of vapor barrier film is laid. If necessary, it is possible to wrap the crate structure itself in it.
With the help of a blowing machine, the space between the slats is filled with ecowool. Particular attention should be paid to cracks and hard-to-reach places. The minimum layer of insulation should be 25 centimeters, but if you live in an area with very cold winters, then the thickness should be increased to 40-50 cm.
A waterproofing film is laid over the ecowool, overlapping and fastening the seams with a special adhesive tape.

Video - External attic insulation with ecowool

Ceiling insulation with expanded clay

Expanded clay - loose thermal insulation material, which are stones made of baked clay with a porous structure. It is very popular as a floor insulation, but it is also suitable for ceilings if they are insulated externally. The thermal conductivity of expanded clay is 0.18 W / (mK). Due to its composition, this insulation does not burn, does not smolder or melt, does not emit harmful substances into the air and is unattractive to fungus or mice.

But at the same time, expanded clay is inferior in terms of thermal insulation properties to foam plastic or mineral wool, and, moreover, it is a very dense and heavy material, therefore it can only be used for fairly strong ceilings with support beams.

The technology for insulating the ceiling with expanded clay is as follows.

An alternative to expanded clay among bulk heat insulators can be foam glass, also often called foam crumb. Its thermal conductivity is 0.08 W / (mK), which is more than two times less than expanded clay (recall that in the case of insulation, the lower this indicator, the better).

sawdust as insulation

Finally, we come to a material that has been used as insulation for decades, even before the advent of foam and mineral wool. These are sawdust. They can be used both independently, simply filling the attic with them, and as part of a mixture with clay or cement.

The only advantage of such a heater is its cheapness - you can either use the waste of your own construction, or contact the nearest sawmill and get the material for free or for a symbolic price. But does the cheapness of sawdust outweigh all its shortcomings?

Sawdust burns well, therefore, when using them, all electrical wiring in the attic should be protected with metal boxes. In addition, this material should not be used near a chimney or chimney.
Rodents, insects, or a fungus can appear in the sawdust, and without impregnation with an antiseptic, these problems cannot be eliminated.
The material shrinks over time, which significantly worsens its thermal insulation properties. In addition, you will have to add fresh sawdust regularly.
With such a heater, it is impossible to use the space under the roof - neither to arrange an attic, nor to store old furniture and other things in the attic.

Cement-sawdust mortar is prepared as follows: for 10 parts of sawdust of small or medium fraction, 1 part of cement and 1 part of lime are taken. Substances are thoroughly mixed with each other until a dry mixture is formed. Then you need to take 5-10 parts of water mixed with a few tablespoons blue vitriol. Vitriol in our case acts as an antiseptic, which will not allow sawdust insulation to rot. Pour the mixture and bring it to a homogeneous mass. Checking if it is ready is quite simple: take the cement-sawdust mixture and squeeze it in your fist. If no water drips from it, then it is ready.

Next, you need to prepare the attic for insulation. To do this, you need to lay a vapor barrier material and process everything wooden elements flame retardant (impregnation that protects against combustion). After that, you need to lay out the cement-sawdust mixture, level it and leave it for a couple of weeks so that it dries completely.

Important! If necessary, cement can be replaced with clay. Also remember that when drying in the cement-sawdust insulation, cracks may appear. They need to be sealed with the same mixture.

Outcome

This review of materials for thermal insulation of the ceiling in the house can be completed. Now, having weighed all the pros and cons, you can choose the most suitable insulation for you. Below is a table designed to compare the characteristics of thermal insulation materials.

Table. Comparison of the main parameters of popular heaters.

Name	Density, kg/m3	Thermal conductivity coefficient, W/(mK)	combustibility
glass wool	200	0,03	Does not burn, melts
Basalt wool	From 75 to 200, depending on the brand	0,12	Does not burn, melts
Styrofoam	40 to 150	0,041	Burns, emits hazardous substances
Ecowool	40 to 75	0,038	Does not burn, melts
Expanded clay	800 to 1200	0,18	Does not burn
Sawdust	200 to 400	0,08	Are burning

Do not want to breathe phenols and are a fan of environmental cleanliness? Then you should opt for ecowool, but here you will have to provide for the costs of hiring a specialist who will insulate the ceiling using this material. The most optimal in terms of cost, ease of installation, safety and thermal insulation properties is mineral wool, while basalt wool should be singled out separately, as it contains the least amount of harmful substances and has the widest range of allowable temperature. The cheapest options would be sawdust or expanded clay. Styrofoam is relatively inexpensive, has good thermal insulation, but the substances emitted by it can be dangerous.

Video - What is the best way to insulate the ceiling of a private house? Comparison of options

Ceilings in private houses are usually made of wood: beams are laid, and then they are knocked out from below with a board. If the house does not have a heated attic, the ceiling in the building must be insulated. Yes, and when equipping a living room in the attic, laying a floor with something will not hurt. After all, most, among other things, can also serve as excellent sound insulators.

Material selection

So, let's see how to insulate the house. And first, let's figure out which type of insulator is best to choose in a particular case. Typically, floors in suburban buildings are insulated:

mineral wool;
polystyrene foam;
sawdust;
expanded clay.

Advantages and disadvantages of mineral wool

This heat insulator is currently the most popular and is used most often in private homes. Its main advantages include:

Low cost.
Ease of installation.
High heat-preserving qualities.
Insulation of the ceiling in the house with this material allows, among other things, to improve the soundproofing properties of the floors.
Durability.
Fire resistance.

The disadvantages of this material include:

The ability to accumulate moisture and at the same time lose some of its thermal insulation qualities.
Not too high degree of environmental cleanliness.

Styrofoam

This material is also an excellent answer to the question of how to insulate a wooden ceiling in a house. It is a lightweight environmentally friendly plate. Although they are made using a slightly different technology, they look very similar to the well-known polystyrene. They differ from the latter in that they practically do not crumble and retain heat much better. Expanded polystyrene serves much longer than polystyrene. Unlike mineral wool, this material is not afraid of moisture at all. Its main advantage over the basalt insulator is its smaller thickness with the same heat-preserving qualities.

Its disadvantages include only a rather high cost and flammability. In addition, it is strongly not recommended to use this material if there are rodents in the house. Mice simply love to make passages and holes in foamy materials.

Expanded clay

This material is also very often used to insulate a wooden ceiling in a private house. Expanded clay is a special porous granules made from clay. The material is very inexpensive and retains heat well. Its main advantage is that it can last much longer than any other insulation. Not afraid of expanded clay and water. In addition, it is very durable and fire resistant.

Sawdust

The main advantages of this bulk material are absolute environmental friendliness and low weight. Ceiling insulation with sawdust is very inexpensive. At sawmills, this material is sold literally for a penny, and sometimes even given away for free. The disadvantages of sawdust include, first of all, a very high degree of fire risk. In addition, they can dry out or begin to rot. As with Styrofoam, mice or rats can get into them.

Insulation of a wooden ceiling in a private house with mineral wool

When insulating the ceiling from the attic side, this material is laid as follows:

In a building under construction, the actual ceiling from the edged board is stuffed onto the beams from below. If the house is old and there are already floors in the attic, a cellular frame should be mounted on them.
A vapor barrier is laid between the beams. You can use either polyethylene or foil material. The latter option is more expensive, but performs its function much better. In addition, the foil is able to reflect heat back into the room. Therefore, such materials, in addition to everything else, are also able to additionally retain heat. On the existing attic floors in old houses, the vapor barrier is laid before installing the frame under the slabs.
At the next stage, the mineral wool itself is mounted. They lay her down. That is, the step between the beams should be slightly less than the width of the plates. This allows you to arrange the maximum effective insulation. You need to start laying cotton wool from the corner farthest from the door. In order to make it convenient to walk on the floor, it is worth laying the attic with strips of plywood.
A waterproofing layer is laid on top of the mineral wool if the attic is not supposed to be insulated in the future. If the roof is waterproofed with a film, this step can be skipped.
Next, the finishing floor of the attic is stuffed.

In exactly the same way, a wooden ceiling is insulated in a brick or poured concrete. If there is a chimney in the attic, the plates are superimposed on it to a height of 40-50 cm and fixed.

Mounting from the inside

Next, let's see how to insulate the wooden ceiling in the house with mineral wool from the side of the living room. Most often, the material in this case is installed simultaneously with the pre-assembled metal frame for drywall. The distance between its constituent profiles is usually 40 cm. Mineral wool slabs have a width of 50-120 cm. Therefore, installation is carried out using the "accordion" method. Cotton wool is simply slipped under the frame elements. In this case, the plates are installed close to each other. Fulfilling this work, you should try not to crush the material. Otherwise, wool will lose some of its performance characteristics.

Do-it-yourself ceiling insulation from the inside continues with the installation of a vapor barrier film. Next, the GCR itself is installed on the frame. In the event that the installation of false ceilings will not be carried out, the work is performed using a slightly different technology:

Previously, the ceiling is covered with a vapor barrier film. If there is no attic above, it is better to use a waterproofing membrane.
Next, a wooden crate is stuffed on it. For its manufacture, bars with a section of 30 * 30 - 40 * 40 mm are used. In this case, the step between the elements of the frame is made in such a way that the plates lie flat.
At the next stage, mineral wool is inserted between the bars. In the event that the crate was installed correctly, the plates will hold up well and just like that. However, in order to completely eliminate the risk of falling out, it is worth additionally fixing them with special fungal dowels.
Next, it is stretched onto the frame. It needs to be nailed with slats with a thickness of three centimeters or more. Thus, an additional ventilation layer will be arranged.
At the next stage, the ceiling is usually sheathed with plywood and glued with ceiling tiles.

Styrofoam installation

Now let's figure out how to insulate the ceiling in a wooden house using another modern material. Usually, expanded polystyrene is laid in the attic in the same way as mineral wool - between beams or in a crate. However, it is quite allowed to mount it directly on the attic floors, if any, that is, without installing the frame. In this case, the base must be carefully cleaned of dirt and leveled. Further work is done like this:

They check that the floor boards have not rotted or come off.
Lay a layer of vapor barrier. Fastening is carried out on staplers.
From the corner farthest from the door, they begin to lay out the expanded polystyrene plates. At the same time, make sure that the joints do not converge in a cross. That is, they perform laying apart.
The joints between the plates are sealed with mounting foam and additionally glued with construction tape.
Since the plates are a rather fragile material, they are either stuffed with a board or poured over them. cement screed 3-4 cm. In the first case, before laying polystyrene foam on the floors, you will need to fill a few lags.

Using Styrofoam from the Inside

Insulation of a wooden ceiling in a private house in this case is carried out as follows:

The ceiling is thoroughly cleaned of dirt, old plaster(if available), etc.
After that, it should be primed.
Further on the ceiling - using foam glue - expanded polystyrene plates are glued. In this case, the material should also be additionally fixed with "fungi".
A reinforcing mesh is glued on top of the plates.
Next, the ceiling is plastered.

Of course, you can mount polystyrene foam in the same way as mineral wool, that is, in a crate. In this case, the ceiling at the final stage is sheathed with plywood, clapboard or edged board.

We insulate the ceiling in a wooden house with expanded clay

In this case, the space between the floor beams is pre-covered with roofing material. You can also use a very thick plastic film. should cover the beams themselves as well. The seams on the roofing material are glued bituminous mastic, on the film - with adhesive tape. Along the perimeter of the attic, the waterproofing material must be raised to the height of the future backfill layer.

Next, the ceiling is actually insulated with expanded clay. Sometimes the roofing material is pre-coated with a clay solution. The thickness of the expanded clay layer is usually 12-16 cm. It is desirable to use a material having different fractions of granules. In this case, the insulating layer will be more dense and even. Sometimes, to enhance the thermal insulation effect, crushed foam is added to expanded clay.

From above, the heat insulator is covered with a waterproofing film. Further arranged concrete screed 4-5 cm thick. 20 days after pouring, you can start finishing the floor.

Insulation with sawdust

For such a material, cement is usually used as a binder. In order to prevent the appearance of rodents, a little lime can also be added to the sawdust. Rotting is prevented by using borax.

As with expanded clay insulation, the attic floors in this case are first covered with roofing felt or plastic wrap. You can also use sheet parchment.

The following requirements are imposed on the sawdust itself:

They must be aged for at least a year.
The material must be dry.
It is not allowed to insulate the ceiling with sawdust, rotten or infected insects.
It is best to use sawdust of medium fraction.

After the attic floors are prepared and waterproofed, they proceed to the actual preparation of the insulation solution itself. To do this, ten buckets of sawdust take one bucket of cement and half a bucket of lime. In addition, a glass of borax is diluted in a bucket of water and this solution is sprayed from a watering can over the mixture. The amount of water depends on the moisture content of the sawdust. Usually you have to add 5-10 liters.

The chimney must be laid before laying this type of insulation. Wiring in the attic in this case is pulled in special metal pipes. It is not necessary to do a screed over sawdust insulation. The hardened mixture itself will be strong enough.

So, now you know how to insulate a wooden ceiling in a house. If the work will be done from the inside - use thinner polystyrene foam. When insulating from the side of the attic, it is better to take mineral wool. You can save money by using expanded clay or sawdust.

In accordance with the laws of physics, air rises when heated, so the insulation of the ceiling in the house with cold roof is not a way to get rid of extra money, but a decision dictated by expediency. If you live in a private house, then you have directly encountered the problem of a cold ceiling in the room above which the attic is located. Usually it is not heated, and its own thermal insulation is minimal to ensure normal temperatures during the cold season. As a result, there is a source of constant heat leakage above the living room.

You can insulate the ceiling in a private house from the inside or outside. Both options have their own advantages and disadvantages, the use of which is dictated by rationality, circumstances, technical nuances and other significant characteristics.

Insulation of the ceiling from the outside with roll material

Why insulate ceilings in private homes

Laying insulating material that is optimal for a particular building will provide a thermal barrier between the room and the attic. It will prevent the cooling of heated air, its exit through microcracks in concrete or natural pores in a wooden ceiling, raise general temperature indoors, it will protect floors and walls from freezing and save a considerable amount that is regularly spent on heating.

Features of ceiling insulation in a wooden house

When working with wooden buildings, the final weight of the insulating layer should be given priority. Excessively high mass increases the likelihood of collapse or cracking in the ceiling.

Some try to insulate the ceiling in a private house with a cold roof with a decrease in the insulation layer, but work standards require a certain value for each region in accordance with temperature and humidity indicators. With a decrease in thickness, the heat-insulating properties decrease, and the meaning of laying the insulation disappears.

Insulation of the ceiling in a wooden house from the inside

List of materials used for insulation

For thermal insulation, installers use materials that are divided into four large groups:

bulk- expanded clay, dry sawdust, ecowool;

rolled- mineral wool and its varieties from other materials;

slab- sheets of compacted mineral wool, expanded polystyrene (polystyrene), cork plates;

sprayed / poured- penoizol.

When choosing insulation for the ceiling in a wooden house, you need to know which one has the best insulating properties. For this, it is necessary to take into account whole line factors influencing the final result:

external or internal installation;

weather conditions and average annual temperature in a particular area, affecting the thickness of the layer;

the need and list of additional work;

time spent and project budget.

The combination of these features will indicate the rationality of using one or another type of thermal insulation.

In the photo, a bulk version of the ceiling insulation from the outside - expanded clay thermal insulation

External insulation

In most cases, insulating the ceiling in a house from the outside is a more convenient way to prevent heat from escaping. It allows you to expand the list of used insulating materials, reduce the time spent on work and, in comparison with internal installation, reduce the cost of thermal insulation when insulating a house with finishing.

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer. You can directly communicate with representatives by visiting the exhibition of houses "Low-Rise Country".

There are several options for insulating the ceiling from the outside:

The cheapest among all bulk insulator options. Due to the penny cost of the material and minimal additional costs, the total cost of the work is the lowest among those described.

There are certain requirements for sawdust.

A minimum moisture content is required, otherwise mold will begin to form over time. For this, the material is aged in a dry room for about a year before use.

The sawdust is mixed with flame retardants to reduce flammability.

Combining with antiseptics, fungicides and slaked lime will prevent the appearance of fungus and protect against rodents.

Insulation of the ceiling in the house with sawdust is done in two ways. In the first, they are mixed with dry cement, followed by the addition of a small amount of water. Cement acts as a connecting material. The second method involves dry filing of sawdust without adding a connector, but due to the natural shrinkage of the material and the need for regular addition, it is not popular.

Ceiling insulated with sawdust

Expanded clay as a heater

The second most commonly used bulk material for insulation. Among its advantages:

acceptable price;

availability;

thermal insulation properties are above average.

However, the application has a number of limitations:

own weight of expanded clay does not allow it to be used on thin wooden ceilings, concrete floors are desirable.

the material has low moisture resistance, therefore, a vapor barrier is necessarily laid in the first layer.

to ensure high-quality heat preservation, a layer of more than 20 cm thick will be needed (in cold regions of the country it is increased to 50 cm).

Using expanded clay, experts use a mixture of coarse and fine fractions to ensure a high percentage of empty space filling. A layer of material is poured on top cement mortar 5-10 cm thick, which provides protection against moisture and serves as a floor covering.

Ceiling insulation from the outside with expanded clay

Ecowool

Modern house ceiling insulation made from recycled cellulose, with flame retardants added to provide fire resistance and boric acid, serving as protection against fungus and harmful microorganisms. The main advantages of the material:

high-quality coverage of the entire floor space, due to low weight separate parts cotton wool is easily blown into all the cracks;

the composition does not contain compounds harmful to humans;

low material consumption to ensure reliable thermal insulation.

The disadvantages include:

low resistance to moisture, you will have to spend money on laying a vapor barrier;

hand-made installation without special equipment is impossible or will be of low quality;

ecowool is subject to shrinkage, so it will need to be laid with a margin of about 15%;

if crushed, it loses its thermal insulation qualities, therefore it is necessary to cover the ecowool with a layer of boards to enable movement in the attic.

Advice! Experts do not recommend using the material close to chimneys and other sources of high temperature, despite the addition of flame retardants to the composition. If this is not possible, then it will be necessary to make an additional fence of a fire-resistant coating that reflects heat.

Mineral wool as a heater

Warming the ceiling in a wooden house with mineral wool has several advantages:

low cost of the material;

high laying speed;

good thermal insulation properties.

Not without cons:

cotton wool shrinkage is 15-20%, so experts advise taking the appropriate stock.

the material is not moisture resistant and quickly absorbs water, which immediately increases its thermal conductivity. You will need to lay an additional layer of waterproofing.

mineral wool cannot be crushed, the impermeability of the thermal barrier depends to a large extent on the air contained between the fibers, so you will have to spend money on laying the outer covering so that you can move freely in the attic.

For insulation with mineral wool, workers must install wooden logs. They will allow you to delimit the space into sectors and will become the basis of the future flooring.

In the photo, the process of thermal insulation of the ceiling with mineral wool

Penoizol insulation

Depending on the type of installation, penoizol is sprayed or poured. But in order to use this material, you will need to contact a specialized company, since specific equipment is used during the work, plus, protective suits for workers and professional skills are needed.

The advantages include:

high degree of penetration into all cracks and microcracks;

incombustibility;

environmental safety for humans;

not of interest to rodents;

substance contains a large number of air bubbles, which provide high-quality insulation.

The disadvantages include the high cost and fragility of the material, which does not independently restore its shape in case of mechanical damage.

Video description

Which insulation divides heat better, look at the video:

Advice! When working with penoizol, it is recommended to wait for complete solidification, it has a slight shrinkage, which will have to be replenished in order to prevent the formation of voids.

The process of thermal insulation of the ceiling with foam insulation

Internal insulation

A residential attic, a house for several owners, the presence of utilities in the attic and other situations that make external insulation impossible require thermal insulation from the inside of the room. Bulk materials are not used for obvious reasons.

Video description

Insulation of the ceiling from the inside, see the video:

Sheet, roll or sprayed materials are used. When choosing insulation for the ceiling in a private house, you should pay attention to polystyrene foam boards or compressed mineral wool. They have the best ratio in the price / quality / speed category. Do not forget about penoizol, which will be an excellent option when increasing the budget.

The process of insulating the ceiling from the inside with foam

Thermal insulation of the ceiling from the inside with polystyrene boards

What to choose - external or internal insulation

The choice between these types of work is based on a combination of factors:

with absence finishing they are equal in terms of thermal insulation;

if the repair of the room is completed, then you will have to remove the ceiling covering, which will increase the cost and time of work;

styling with inside reduces shrinkage of the material, but increases the thickness of the ceiling, reducing the total volume of the room;

with internal insulation, the ceiling overlap is not protected from low temperatures;

external insulation allows the use of a wider range of heat insulators.

Before you insulate the ceiling in a private house, you need to carefully calculate all the pros and cons, only after that you can make an unambiguous decision, which is better to use in your case.

Conclusion

When choosing a certain material for ceiling insulation, it is always better to ask for professional help. Every business has its pitfalls and stumbling upon them, relying on your own strength, is a waste of time and money. It is better to make repairs once, and get a guaranteed high-quality result - this will save you from unnecessary expenses and provide the house with heat for many years to come.

In private homes, it is very important to save as much heat as possible inside each room. For this use various ways thermal insulation. In addition to working with walls, in such a situation, you should not forget about the insulation of the ceiling from the side of the cold attic. In the house, it serves as a boundary between external cold and comfortable internal heat.

Fundamental rules

For buildings in which a cold roof is installed, it is important to calculate in advance the use of an optimal heat insulator. It will perform several functions at the same time:

in winter, heat-insulating characteristics are used that do not allow warm air to escape;
in summer, the roof warms up, and the insulation does not transfer heat to the rooms;
at any time of the year, laying insulation on the ceiling will increase the sound and noise insulation of the premises.

Material selection

Before you properly insulate the ceiling under a cold roof, you need to select a material with the desired characteristics:

resistance to moisture;
maximum fire safety;
minimum coefficient of thermal conductivity;
ecological cleanliness;
duration of operation.

Insulation of the ceiling in a house with a cold roof in most cases is carried out using the following substances:

loose expanded clay (you need to work with it from the side of the attic);
slabs of mineral or basalt wool (it is applied both from the side of the room and from the side of the attic);
sawdust(they are used with a clay solution);
ecowool (made from cellulose);
foam plates or its varieties (they are distinguished by their availability and ease of installation);
polyurethane foam (expensive, but effective material, which requires special expensive equipment).

You need to know that before you properly lay the insulation on the ceiling, it is necessary to calculate the increase in load. Floors must be able to support the added weight. Majority modern materials meet this standard.

Carrying out installation work

High-quality insulation of the ceiling in a house with a cold roof can be carried out with any of the listed materials. However, the work carried out and the result obtained will have its own characteristics:

materials produced in slabs are laid on the surface and fixed to it according to the same algorithm;
the introduction of gruel from polyurethane foam or ecowool is carried out with special equipment, in this process all kinds of cracks are filled and irregularities are smoothed out;
loose expanded clay or vermiculite is leveled evenly over the surface.

It is allowed to lay insulation not only in one, but also in two or more layers. For a false ceiling, the plank upholstery is fixed to the floor beams. For rolling levels, thermal insulation is placed on the cranial beam.

In the space located between the beams, it is imperative to put a vapor barrier. There are several common ways to use it:

for false ceilings it is spread inside the room, and it is fastened there with building brackets;
in rolling ceilings, the material is spread over boards and cranial timber.

Insulation of the ceiling with mineral wool from the side of the attic requires proper installation of the material. This will provide correct work insulation and long service life. In the process, the following rules must be taken into account:

a positive effect is achieved in the absence of gaps between the slabs with wool and ceiling beams, so that such gaps do not cause heat to escape through them;
the preparation of the plates is carried out in such a way as to ensure a clear hit across the width between the beams, without the formation of a wave from excess, because heat will also escape from under them;
the wool should be positioned in such a way as to ensure the closest possible fit to the vapor barrier under it and the beams around the perimeter

when the ceiling is insulated from the side of the cold attic with mineral wool, it must be separated by a waterproofing layer that blocks the material from cool air and moisture.

Sufficient overlap must be ensured when laying the waterproofing and vapor barrier. In this case, all joints or seams of materials are sealed along the entire length with adhesive tape.

An air cavity must be left above the waterproofing layer. To do this, slats 25-35 mm high are nailed along the beams. The final layer of thermal insulation of the ceiling of the house from the side of the attic is a board or plywood. They are stuffed over the rails.

According to a similar scheme, work is carried out with varieties of expanded polystyrene. However, in this case there are some nuances.

Before you properly insulate the ceiling in the house with foam boards, you need to cut them as clearly as possible, but they still cannot fill the space due to weak flexibility. Used to get rid of cracks mounting foam. It is applied to all seams to reduce heat loss and fix the EPS boards.

The use of polyurethane foam spraying

One of the gaining wide popularity is the method of insulation with ecowool or polystyrene foam. At the initial stage, it requires significant financial investment, but subsequently the payback is sometimes a couple of seasons due to high productivity.

During the application of polyurethane foam, there is no need to use a vapor barrier. The material itself will show high moisture-resistant qualities. Due to its liquefied state, it penetrates deeply into all areas where no other insulation can reach. No seams in finishing layer also allows you to do without a waterproofing layer.

Working with ecowool

Considering the question of how to properly insulate the ceiling in the house, you need to pay attention to ecowool. Under it you need to lay a vapor barrier. This step is due to the fact that in its structure there are a large number of fibers that can droop through the cracks into the room below.

The material forms a high-quality seamless layer. It is often used to fill the space between already filled boards. Filling begins after the dismantling of some of them, forming a technological hatch. Through the resulting space, a dry mixture is pumped into the voids. They also conduct insulation of the ceiling in a bath with a cold roof. It is necessary to make a mass between all beams.

VIDEO: More tips for proper insulation attic