As you know, warm air tends to rise up, as a result, the floor remains the coldest place in an apartment or house. This is especially true for the first floor, which often has a basement or underground. In our article we will talk about how to insulate the floor on the ground floor and not only.

The most reliable way to protect against the cold is to use insulation, which can be in the form of blocks, rolls or bulk materials. When deciding how best to insulate the floor, you must choose between cost, heat-insulating properties and durability of the material.

Warming of the basement space

Builders don't care much about airtightness when laying out the floor. In the basement space, most often there are gaps. You can even see them from the basement. The first thing to do is to close up the gaps in the ceiling. Small holes can be puttied from below. In a private house, insulation boards can be glued to the floor from the underside.

This is where styrofoam mounting adhesive comes in handy. How to make an insulated floor from below so that the plates do not lag behind? To do this, they are additionally grabbed with parachute dowels, and the joints are foamed.

A clear advantage of the method is that nothing needs to be broken. Everything will remain as it was, and the house will become warm.

Wooden floor insulation

The old floor board can be replaced with a new one. If it is in good condition, then the floor is carefully disassembled. At the same time, you need to make the marking of the boards, so that later you do not waste time and effort on fitting. This is especially true for the half floor. Disassembly is done in order to reassemble in the same way. The nails are removed carefully so as not to damage the boards. When assembling the floor, it is advisable to use self-tapping screws, which create stronger connections and are easily removed.

Before insulating the floor on the ground floor, the cracks from above must be carefully sealed with mounting foam, putty and cement-sand mortar. Logs should be checked by level and further strengthened. Otherwise, the floorboards will creak just as before. In hardware stores, there are racks for sale that screw into logs and abut against the ceiling. They can also be made from steel studs.

Floor slabs are tightly laid with mineral wool, which should go on the walls. A budget solution is to use mats made of straw or sawdust, but they decompose over time. You can also use expanded clay, foam chips or slag. In principle, any insulation is suitable if it performs its functions. From below, a layer of vapor barrier is laid on the ceiling so that moisture does not accumulate, from which the properties of the insulation deteriorate significantly.

How to insulate the floor with foam or polystyrene foam

If the floor is covered with ceramic tiles or cement screed, it can be insulated with thin sheets of Styrofoam or Styrofoam.

Fiberboard and drywall GVL are also used. But their thermal insulation properties are much lower.

A layer of vapor barrier is placed on the concrete floor, and a layer of insulation and a plastic film are placed on it. Then a screed of cement or a special mixture is laid on top. It must be reinforced with mesh. To compensate for temperature fluctuations, an edge tape is laid along the perimeter of the wall. A new floor covering is installed on top: tile, parquet, laminate or linoleum.

Insulating underlay for linoleum

The problem of how to insulate the floor on the ground floor can be solved in the simplest way by using linoleum with a backing. It is the most common, cheap, easy-to-install and maintain coating. It is enough to cut it correctly and insert it under the plinth.

The material consists of layers of PVC with a pattern, fiberglass and a substrate, which is often used as the same material on both sides, which prevents the coating from deforming when the temperature changes.

There is also a heater for the floor under the linoleum. It is the bottom layer, which can be made from jute or fabric.

Additional substrate for linoleum

If the coating does not have the necessary protection from the cold from below, then additional substrates are used for the main coating: cork, linen and expanded polystyrene. Cork is a good insulation, but it can also be used as an independent coating. Ordinary plywood or fiberboard also have heat-insulating properties, but the effect will be much greater if an additional layer of expanded polystyrene is laid under them. Linoleum floor insulation is best laid under plywood or fiberboard.

This is done in the following way:

• an insulating substrate is laid on a dry and even floor;
• plywood is laid and fastened with screws to the floor;
• linoleum is covered from above and the edges are hidden under the plinth, which protects the substrate from water penetration.

This method is used in rooms with high ceilings.

How to connect a warm floor

It makes it possible to create uniform heat in the room. It is a heating system located under the cover, which gives the most favorable temperature distribution in the room in height.

The problem of how to insulate the floor on the ground floor using electric heating can be solved in one of the following ways:

1. with the put polymer keeps within under any covering of a floor. It does not require pouring the screed.
2. whose power varies with temperature. It heats cold areas more and warm areas less. It requires pouring the screed.
3. Carbon rods attached to a fiberglass mesh can be filled with ordinary tile adhesive.

After installation, you need to know how to connect a warm floor. This requires a thermostat to which the heating cable is connected. All connections should be made according to the instructions, carefully following all the steps.

Water heating is carried out using pipes with circulating hot water. They are laid under the floor or poured with a screed. Heating is carried out through copper, polypropylene or metal-plastic pipes, which are connected to the space heating system.

Floor heating can be distributed in such a way that separate sections are connected. To do this, a manifold with control valves is placed at the top.

Conclusion

It is possible to insulate floors by installing heat-insulating materials used separately or as a substrate for floor coverings. Heat-insulating panels from the bottom of the floors are especially effective. When installing them, there is no need to disassemble the floor above. In addition, you can install a floor heating system, which can be autonomous or part of the home heating system.

Updated: 25.02.2019

It will allow not only to make housing more comfortable, but also significantly save on heating. Everything is explained quite simply: if the heat saving is low, then more resources will be required to maintain the optimal temperature regime. Moreover, contact with a cold floor can cause many diseases, which is especially true if small children live in the house, so the thermal insulation of the concrete floor should be taken seriously.

The problem of a cold floor on the ground floor is typical for both private houses and urban high-rise buildings. To properly troubleshoot the problem, you need to find out the reasons for this situation:

• for private houses, the reason often lies in poor-quality / missing thermal insulation of the base;
• in high-rise buildings, the cold floor is the result of an unheated basement.

In the first case, everything is quite simple - you need to get rid of the cracks in the floor. For this purpose, the base is checked, and all detected gaps are sealed with mounting foam. Next, the floor is insulated in one of the possible ways.

Note! The ventilation holes, which are located in the basement of the house, should never be closed, otherwise the high humidity will lead to rotting of the wooden floor elements (such as, for example, the crate).

The ventilation hole cannot be dismantled or sealed tightly

And if everything is clear with private houses, then with city apartments everything is much more complicated. There are a number of possible ways of warming, we will get acquainted with each of them.

Mineral wool insulation. This material has excellent sound and thermal insulation properties. e properties, it is immune to aggressive chemicals and high temperature.

Thermal insulation with foam. Among its advantages, it is worth noting low cost, good insulating properties and durability. The material is light, it can be laid not only on concrete, but also on tiles, wood, etc.

Thermal insulation with drywall or fiberboard.

Use of the "warm floor" system.

Expanded clay insulation. Not the most reliable, but affordable option. It is characteristic that expanded clay can not only be used for backfilling the base, but also added to the concrete screed.

Expanded clay insulation

Material selection criteria

When choosing a heater, you should pay attention to the main parameters.

SNiP 21-01-97. FIRE SAFETY OF BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES

Let's consider in what situations it is advisable to use each of the options, and also get acquainted with the installation instructions.

Warming with mineral wool

This method is optimal for city apartments in which the finish is made of wood. The algorithm of actions should be as follows.

Stage 1. First, the old floor covering is dismantled so that a bare concrete base remains. If the coating is still good, then it is removed carefully, having previously numbered the boards (this is necessary to maintain order when re-laying). Next, all debris is removed, the working surface is cleaned of dust and dirt.

Stage 2. In most apartments and houses, the floors are uneven, so it is recommended to perform leveling, which will not only provide comfort, but also greatly simplify further work. Often a screed is used for leveling, although there are other, cheaper methods.

Note! As already noted, a cold floor may be due to the presence of cracks and cracks in the base. Therefore, if any are found, they are carefully sealed.

Stage 3. After leveling, a vapor barrier material is laid, which can be an ordinary polyethylene film. The vapor barrier is laid with an overlap of 15-20 cm and with access to the walls to the height of the future insulation layer, together with the lags.

Stage 4. Next, logs are installed on the floor. It is advisable to do this in increments of at least 90 cm, since the smaller it is, the more even the load distribution will be. More specific step sizes are determined by the width of the mineral wool slabs and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room.

Note! Logs should be installed with the same pitch and securely fixed in their respective places.

Stage 5 . After installing the lags, mineral wool is laid. To do this, it is cut in accordance with the dimensions of the grooves and installed between the guides.

Note! The material should fit as closely as possible to the guides, the presence of any gaps is excluded. It is quite simple to do this: the insulation should be cut into strips, the width of which will exceed the step between the lags.

With a sufficient ceiling height, mineral wool can be laid in two layers. But the second layer must be laid so that the joints of the first are in the center of the plates of the second layer. Note that builders who are not distinguished by conscientiousness often neglect this, since such laying requires a lot of time. But only in this way can the leakage of thermal energy be prevented.

Waterproofing is mounted on top of the insulation.

Stage 6 . Completes the insulation procedure laying the final floor. First, a durable material is attached to the previously installed lags, which is necessary to distribute the entire load during operation. As such a material, you can use drywall, chipboard or plywood. Next, the floor covering is laid (in our case, marked boards) and the room is cleaned.

Foam insulation

Thermal insulation of the concrete floor with this material can be performed in one of two ways:

• installation of foam plastic under a wooden floor;
• basement installation.

First, the basement is examined for communications that may prevent the installation of thermal insulation sheets. If there are no such communications, then you can start installing the plates from the basement side.

Stage 1. First, the required area of ​​\u200b\u200binsulation is determined. To do this, using a long tape measure, the distance between the bearing walls is measured.

Stage 3. Then you can start directly gluing foam sheets, which will require:

• comb 10 mm;
• special dowels;
• adhesive cement.

Note! Work can be started from any angle, if necessary, the sheets are cut off. As a result, the gaps between them should remain, although minimal.

Stage 4. The foam is puttied and covered with a waterproofing mastic that prevents moisture absorption.

As for the installation under a wooden floor, the procedure is practically no different from that described above (using mineral wool), and the only difference is the minor gaps mentioned above. At the end of the installation work, the gaps between the insulation and the lags are filled with mounting foam to form a continuous monolithic layer.

Application of drywall or fiberboard

Another option for thermal insulation of a concrete floor is to install drywall sheets. Below is the sequence of actions.

Stage 1 . First, the old floor covering is removed, the bare base is thoroughly cleaned of dirt and dust.

Stage 2. If the surface is uneven, then the protrusions are smoothed out, and the recesses are puttied.

Stage 3. After that, a vapor barrier layer is laid with a mandatory exit to the walls to the height of the planned insulation layer.

Stage 4. The first layer of thermal insulation material is laid, the thickness of the sheets in this case should be 1.2 cm.

Stage 5. Drywall is treated with adhesive mastic, after which the second layer of material is laid. It is important that the joints of the sheets in layers No. 1 and No. 2 do not coincide.

Stage 6. As soon as the adhesive mastic dries, the surface is primed and puttied. Then the floor covering is laid.

Note! In order to compensate for the moisture / temperature expansion of the material, an edge tape is laid between the ends and the surface of the walls.

Video - The principle of laying drywall on the floor

If fiberboard sheets are used for insulation, then the procedure will be even simpler.

Stage 1. Dismantling of the floor covering and skirting boards.

Stage 2. Insulation sheets (PT-100 or M-20 grades) are nailed to pre-installed lags.

Stage 3. Fiberboard is covered with a floor covering - roofing felt or carpet. For fixing, it is desirable to use Bustilat glue.

Stage 4. Operation can be started after the glue has dried (usually it takes a maximum of 24 hours).

Floor sheathing with fiberboard sheets (self-tapping sheet fastening option)

"Warm floor"

If there is not enough space in the room to lay the thermal insulation material, then you can resort to an alternative option - the arrangement of electric heating. "Warm floor" provides for the laying of a heating cable, for which you should follow the steps below.

Stage 1. First, the old flooring is completely dismantled.

Stage 2. Penofol is laid on the concrete.

Stage 3. In accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, laying is carried out

Stage 5 . As soon as the concrete hardens, the floor covering is laid on it.

Note! "Warm floor" provides the most favorable microclimate for the human body in the home, because both drying and overheating of the air are completely excluded. The room will warm up evenly, therefore, convection currents will not form.

The use of expanded clay

We will immediately make a reservation that this method is the least effective of all the above, but it can also be resorted to. One of the few drawbacks is that the screed will dry for a long time - about 1 month. Obviously, backfilling with expanded clay can be done only where the height of the ceilings makes it possible to raise the floor by 15-20 cm.

This is also true in multi-storey panel-type buildings, in which the floors can hardly be considered warm, especially in winter.

Stage 1. The old coating is dismantled, the concrete slab is cleaned of dirt and debris.

Stage 3. A dry backfill of thermal insulation material is made on top of the waterproofing. In order to evenly fall asleep and maintain a single level, beacons (wooden slats) are set. The first beacon is installed 3 cm from the wall, the rest are parallel (the step depends on the length of the rule that the level will be set to).

Backfilling of expanded clay is made from the far wall towards the front door.

Stage 4. The surface of the insulation is treated with "cement milk", which will ensure a more effective setting of the granules with each other. The preparation of such a "milk" is not something difficult: pure water is mixed with cement in a ratio of 4: 1.

Note! Experienced builders recommend insulating the floor with expanded clay of different fractions. So, for a city apartment, you need to mix granules with a diameter of 5 mm or 10 mm with expanded clay sand.

A day after the insulation is leveled and fixed with a solution, the surface is covered with a concrete screed.

Use of sprayed polyurethane foam

We will talk about this insulation technology separately, since it requires the participation of professionals - on our own, especially without the appropriate equipment, we cannot cope here. The material is laid in the form of a foam having a cellular structure; the foam expands after application and forms a seamless monolithic array. For application, a special machine is used - in it the liquid polymer is mixed with carbon dioxide at high pressure.

Stage 1. The concrete base is being prepared - the old coating is dismantled, debris is removed (it can impair the adhesion of the foam). It is characteristic that in this case the floor does not need any leveling.

Stage 3. To improve adhesion, the concrete base is moistened. Foam is applied between the lags, while it should be borne in mind that in the future it will increase in volume.

Stage 4. The foam hardens for about 24 hours, after which the floorboard or any other floor covering is laid.

Note! Do not leave the polyurethane uncoated for more than two or three days, as it can be destroyed by sunlight.

Video - Insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor

As you can see, there are many ways to insulate a concrete floor, and when using each, both the features of the base and the microclimate in the home are taken into account. But regardless of the option chosen, we hope that the instructions given here will help you get a really warm and comfortable home. Good luck with your work!

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How to insulate the floor on the first floor - 5 proven ways

The folk wisdom that has been proven for centuries, which says that you need to keep your head cold and your feet warm, is relevant for owners of housing on the ground floor like no other. These people know firsthand what the consequences can be if the floor is not insulated in time. The indestructible smell of dampness, constant colds in children and general discomfort in the house are just some of these problems. In this article, I decided to dwell on how to properly insulate the floors on the ground floor in a city apartment and in a private house.

Suitable types of insulation

Insulation for the floors of the first floor, in principle, you can use any. Here you need to look at your financial capabilities, professional skills and, of course, on what basis the material is chosen for. It is one thing to insulate the floor of the first floor in a wooden house, and quite another, the arrangement of a concrete slab in a city apartment. I selected the most popular materials and combined them into a table.

Subtleties of installation of insulation

Since the wooden and concrete bases are quite different in their characteristics, accordingly, the methods of their arrangement will be different. Further, in order not to dump everything in one "heap", each instruction will be considered separately.

Method number 1. Floor insulation from below

The concrete floor of the first floor in multi-apartment city buildings from below, in the vast majority of cases, borders on an unheated, and often even a wet basement. Therefore, I am convinced that it is necessary to start work with insulation in the basement. Thus, you will completely cut off the access of moisture and at least half make your floor warmer.

• It is not worth spending money on some sky-high expensive materials here, ordinary polystyrene is quite enough. The thickness of the insulation in this case starts from 50 mm. As far as I have seen, the ceilings in the basements are not covered with anything, this is an ordinary reinforced concrete slab. Therefore, the first thing to do is to blow out all the cracks around the perimeter of the ceiling and on the ceiling itself, especially between the floor slabs, with mounting foam;
• The concrete slab itself is smooth, naturally the adhesion of such a coating is rather low. To increase it, we will need to walk along the ceiling with deep penetration soil;
• Then everything is simple. We take foam boards and glue them to the ceiling. As an adhesive, you can use the same mounting foam, Liquid Nails construction adhesive or Ceresit CT83 dry mortar. Personally, I prefer Ceresit. After the glue has finally set, the remaining small gaps between the plates will need to be blown out again with mounting foam.

If you glue on mounting foam, then take into account the fact that it expands greatly, so every 15 to 20 minutes the plates will need to be pressed against the ceiling. Typically, the extension lasts about an hour and a half.

Some craftsmen prefer to mount the foam on the ceiling in the basement in 2 layers, with a shift relative to each other. Explaining this by the fact that a denser monolith is obtained, without gaps. I think it's redundant. More precisely, in the case when the facade insulation of the house is mounted, this measure is justified, and in the basement it is an extra waste of material, time and effort.

For an ordinary dry basement, this will be enough. But if there is water in the basement, then I recommend making additional waterproofing of the ceiling. This procedure is also inexpensive.

You will need to take Liquid Nails or some similar glue, apply it with a spatula to the foam and paste over the ceiling with technical polyethylene. So that the polyethylene does not fall off before the glue sets, it can be shot in places with a stapler to the foam.

The opinions of experts about whether it is necessary to install the so-called external insulation of the underground in wooden houses differ. Personally, I don't think it will get any worse than this. So you not only insulate the basement from below, but also protect the wood from moisture.

You need to act according to the technology described above. Only here it makes sense to fix the foam in addition to glue on the draft layer of the subfloor with plastic dowels-umbrellas. This is due to the fact that the tree is a living material, and when it starts to “walk”, the sheets may peel off.

Method number 2. Installation of insulation with a crate

For a novice master, this method is considered one of the easiest and most understandable. The only problem is that the thickness of such insulation starts from 50 - 70 mm. Therefore, in apartments with low ceilings, this can be a problem.

• Work begins with the preparation of the concrete base. The old coating, if there is one, must of course be completely torn off and cleaned well to concrete. After that, all cracks and cracks will need to be caulked. This can be done using putty or the same mounting foam;
• On top of any concrete base, you will need to lay a layer of waterproofing. Too powerful protection is not required for an apartment, especially if you have already hemmed the ceiling with foam plastic in the basement. Here it is enough to lay technical polyethylene in one layer. But only polyethylene should be overlapped around the entire perimeter of the walls. From the start, I do an overlap of about 10 - 15 cm, then the excess will be cut off;
• The basis of the crate are wooden blocks. Their thickness is selected according to the thickness of the insulation. The bars are usually laid parallel to the short wall of the room with a step of about half a meter. For fixing, anchors or self-tapping screws with “quick installation” dowels are used. I usually fix with an interval of no more than 1m, the support bars will not go anywhere anyway;

• Next comes the stage of installation of the insulation itself. If the basement is not insulated from below, then the thickness of the insulation starts from 50 mm. But for mineral wool slabs, the minimum is 100m. Filler from sawdust-cement mortar, expanded clay and other loose insulation should be taken at least 150 mm. Only dense foam, foam plastic and liquid modern heaters (polyurethane foam, penoizol) can be laid with a thickness of 50 mm;
• If you approached the matter thoroughly and first insulated the ceiling in the basement, then all these dimensions can be safely divided in half;
• Styrofoam or extruded polystyrene foam is selected or cut clearly according to the size of the gap between the support bars. With such a calculation that the plates were butt. Slabs of dense mineral wool should be a couple of centimeters wider than the gap between the bars. They will press down a little on the sides and you will get a solid, dense insulation;

• From above, a layer of such insulation can be sewn up with a tongue-and-groove floorboard with a thickness of 30 mm or more. If a top finish is planned, such as laminate, linoleum or parquet, then it is better to use plywood or OSB sheets. Moreover, under the laminate, one layer of sheets with a thickness of 12 - 16 mm is enough, and under linoleum or a package, sheets of 10 - 12 mm will have to be laid, in a double layer with a shift between the layers.

Method number 3. Floor insulation in a wooden house

The insulation of the floor of the first floor in a wooden house is somewhat reminiscent of the option using a wooden crate. In wooden houses, all interfloor ceilings, including those on the first floor, are made two-layer.

The design is based on massive wooden logs. From below, it is hemmed with a layer of subfloor, and from above, of course, there is a finishing coating. As you probably already guessed, in the middle we will have a heater.

• When the bottom draft coating is hemmed and all the wood is impregnated with protective compounds, you can proceed with the installation of the waterproofing layer. Unlike the apartment version, waterproofing the subfloor in a wooden house is done more thoroughly. Moreover, it is laid not only on the subfloor, but also wrapped over the log, in a single monolithic layer;
• If you have chosen technical polyethylene, then it is covered in 2 layers and fastened with a stapler. Roofing felt or modern rolled waterproofing can be installed in 1 layer, but they sit on bituminous mastic, which in turn is also a good waterproofing agent;

• In a wooden house, there is already enough to burn, therefore, in most cases, preference is given to non-combustible material. Dense basalt wool slabs are now considered the most popular. The depth of wooden logs, even in light country houses, is taken at least 150 mm. Accordingly, basalt wool is laid either in one layer of 150 mm, or in two layers of 75 mm, always with a shift between the layers;

• Expanded clay is deservedly considered the second no less popular material. This is a popular, budget option. According to the rules, expanded clay should fall asleep a couple of centimeters below the finishing floor, that is, the upper cut of the log. But I always recommend from the start to fill up any loose insulation flush with the lags. In any case, over time it will shrink and you will get the same ventilation gap;

Expanded clay is produced in the three most popular fractions. The sand has a diameter of up to 5 mm, the diameter of the gravel does not exceed 2 cm, everything that goes beyond these limits is called crushed stone. So, in order for the insulation layer to be more dense and monolithic, before backfilling, you need to mix expanded clay gravel or crushed stone with expanded clay sand in a ratio of 1: 1.

• As I already indicated in the table, mineral wool and expanded clay are hygroscopic materials. Therefore, from above such a heater in wooden houses will need to be covered with a layer of vapor barrier or simple polyethylene. This is especially true for country houses with seasonal residence. Otherwise, in a periodically heated room, the insulation will quickly become saturated with moisture and lose its properties;
• The last stage of the arrangement of insulation, as usual, we are installing the final coating. In capital wooden houses, a tongue-and-groove floorboard is often used. In light country houses, plywood or OSB is mounted, and what is on top is laid.

Method number 4. Warming with extruded polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam is a special modern material, and its use should be discussed separately. To be honest, I think that as a heater for the floors of the first floor, this material is close to ideal. There are several variations of it, in our great power it is better known under the brand name Penoplex.

The uniqueness of penoplex lies in the fact that, in addition to all other characteristics, it absolutely does not let water through, and most importantly, it has a serious margin of mechanical strength. It is penoplex that now insulates highways and runways of airfields.

I have already mentioned that it can be laid in a crate, although, in my opinion, this is too expensive. In the case of a crate, it is quite possible to get by with dense foam sheets of more than 30 kg / m³. By the way, they are at least 2 times cheaper. There, after all, anyway, the lion's share of the load falls on the support bars.

Penoplex showed itself best in two cases. This is when arranging a laminate and as a heater under a screed. Thanks to the grooves located along the perimeter of each sheet, such flooring is mounted quickly and completely hermetically.

If you already have a basement insulated, then you can safely use sheets of extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of about 30 mm. Even in a harsh climate, this will be enough. The preparation of the base is the same everywhere. Theoretically, you can not lay a layer of waterproofing under the penoplex, but it will not be a mistake if you play it safe and cover the room with polyethylene.

• The sheets of insulation are connected to each other through grooves, and these grooves are additionally glued with any suitable glue, this stuff is now more than enough on the markets;
• As you know, the laminate is mounted using a floating technology, that is, it is not rigidly connected to the base. Therefore, further we cover the insulation with a polyethylene foam substrate and already lay our laminate on it.

Penoplex has one weak point, it can easily carry heavy loads only if they are evenly distributed over the entire plane. The material may not withstand point pressure. Laminate, in turn, provides a uniform distribution of this load.

By the way, using a similar technology, you can equip the base for linoleum or piece parquet. A foam layer is also laid there, a thin foam substrate is laid on it, and OSB is mounted instead of a laminate to evenly distribute the load. Sheet thicknesses up to 10 mm are sufficient here.

As I already mentioned, penoplex is perhaps the best option for screed insulation. Moreover, the screed can be either ordinary cement-sand or modern self-leveling.

• The technology of arrangement here is also quite simple. After laying the waterproofing and the foam layer, a metal reinforcing mesh is laid on top. Too thick fittings for an ordinary apartment should not be used. I usually take wire with a thickness of 4 to 6 mm;
• After all, the thickness of the screed itself often does not exceed 20 mm. This is only on large areas, from 50 to 70 m² in size, the concrete screed is made up to 40 mm thick;
• If you are going to use a cement-sand mortar, then you will first need to fix the beacons, and between them already lay the reinforcement. Lighthouses are easiest to fix with a stapler. When everything is ready, the solution is thrown on top and aligned with the beacons by the rule;

• A self-leveling screed is generally a “song”, you do not need to have any special talents and skills to install it. There are instructions on the package to prepare the mixture. Then this mixture is poured onto a layer of reinforced foam and slowly helped to level it with a spiked roller.

Important: Penoplex is allowed to be mounted exclusively on a flat floor. Insignificant, smooth differences in height within 3 - 4 mm are allowed.

Method number 5. Warming with a dry screed

The so-called dry screed is used exclusively for warming the concrete base. At a cost price, it comes out cheaper than many of its competitors. Expanded clay mixture (sand - gravel) is taken as the basis there.

The point is to align the loose base as evenly as possible along the horizon. After that, a rigid monolithic flooring is mounted on it, using floating technology. OSB sheets, waterproof GKL or thick, about 10 mm plywood are often used as flooring.

It is quite difficult to ideally level loose expanded clay without skill. Therefore, I recommend that you first mount the support beacons on the floor.

It is not worth biting into durable concrete with self-tapping screws. It is quite enough to plant beacons on alabaster pyramids. After that, you simply fill the room with expanded clay mixture and distribute it according to the rule over the lighthouses.

The sheet flooring is mounted in 2 layers, as usual with a shift between the sheets. Such installation will not be difficult, there you can safely drive through the screws, they will not damage the expanded clay pillow. And note that such flooring is called floating because it is not rigidly attached to anything. The gap between the wall and the flooring is left within 10 mm.

Conclusion

Now you know how to properly insulate the floors on the first floor. In the photo and video in this article, I placed related information on the topic of floor insulation. If you have any questions, write them in the comments, I will try to help.

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thanks!

The scheme of insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor depends on how the floor is made:

• (described in detail in the article, we do not consider here);
• Floor on floor slabs (with a cold underground).

Consider all options for warming the concrete floor of the first floor on the floor slabs.

Insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor, from below, from the underground

Such insulation can be performed when there is a place in the underground for these works (at least 1 meter). Underground soil, while not specially closed. In the underground, air is needed (the required amount is determined by calculation). A reinforced screed is poured over the slab from above. Reinforcement from a mesh with a cell of 100x100 from a wire with a diameter of 3-4 mm.

Insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor, from above from the room under the screed

Insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor (from above under the screed)

Such a scheme is used if there is no longer access to the space under the plates. A reinforced screed is poured on top of the insulation. Reinforcement from a mesh with a cell of 100x100 from a wire with a diameter of 3-4 mm.

Insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor (using logs)

When there is no access to the space under the slabs, then a scheme using a lag is also applied. This design allows not to perform screeds, all work is "dry".

How to insulate the concrete floor of the first floor

Consider insulation options for all insulation schemes (shown in the figures above).

To insulate the concrete floor of the first floor, from below, from the side of the underground (Figure 1), XPS is used, density 30-35 kg / m3. The thickness of the XPS is determined by the calculation for a specific region of construction, but not less than 50 mm. EPS from the underground can be plastered over the grid, but this is completely optional. This material is not afraid of moisture, but there is no sunlight there (EPS is not recommended to be left for a long time under the influence of UV).

To insulate the concrete floor of the first floor, from above from the room under the screed (Figure 2), XPS or foam plastic is used. XPS density 30-35 kg/m3, polystyrene with a density of at least 30 kg/m3. A vapor barrier film must be laid under the insulation on the stove. The thickness of the insulation is determined by the calculation for a particular region of construction, but not less than 50 mm.

To insulate the concrete floor of the first floor, from above from the room, using a log (Figure 3), mineral wool or fiberglass wool is used. Density for mineral wool 20-40 kg / m3 (both slab and roll positions are possible). For fiberglass, the density is 11-17 kg / m3, both plate and roll positions are also possible. A vapor barrier film must be laid under the insulation on the stove. From above, the insulation can be covered with a superdiffusion membrane (for rooms such as a kitchen). The thickness of the insulation is determined by the calculation for a particular region of construction, but not less than 50 mm.

Insulation of the concrete floor is very important to create comfort and warmth in the house, especially if the apartment is located on the ground floor.

But wooden floors sometimes also require insulation.

For example, in a private house, no matter how well the coating is made, it does not give a full guarantee of heat preservation, which means that it will not be possible to save on heating.

The systemic heat exchange of a house or apartment largely depends on the floors, since they are the place of great heat loss.

Concrete is durable and has excellent performance, it is popular for flooring, but it has one serious drawback - the material is very cold. If it is arranged in a residential area, then high-quality thermal insulation is required, otherwise any heating will not be effective.

A cold floor means uncomfortable conditions in the room, significant energy overruns for heating.

In addition, in the absence of insulation and in the apartment on the first floor, located, as a rule, above an unheated basement, dampness may form, and as a result, mold on the walls.

All this can be avoided with a high-quality insulating structure.

Floor insulation work is not impossible. With the necessary materials and tools, any owner can handle it on their own.

Which heater is better to choose?

There are several types of insulation, produced in the form of blocks, bulk materials, rolls, and even in liquid form. Each of them is quite suitable for warming the cold floor of the first floor.

Mats and slabs

Insulators of this type have low thermal conductivity and low weight, they are the best suited for insulating the concrete floor of the first floor.

They can be used in conjunction with thin roll materials, which increases the overall thermal insulation.

Heaters in the form of mats and plates are made of foam, mineral wool, basalt fiber, based on expanded polystyrene and other composite materials.

Since ancient times, mats made from plant fibers, such as straw, which is an excellent environmentally friendly insulation, have been used to insulate floors in private homes. The only negative is that organic matter decomposes over time.

Loose insulation

Bulk materials include sawdust, foam chips, slag and others.

They are used for floor insulation in apartments on the first floor, as well as in private houses.

The advantage of bulk insulation is that they completely fill the space between the bars of the crate.

This material is suitable both for placement on open ground under the floor in a private house, and in apartments with an unheated basement below.

Roll materials

Expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, cork or cork-based composite mats, multi-layer foil insulation, etc. are produced in the form of rolls.

Some of them have a small thickness, and therefore will not fully cope with the task of retaining heat - they are good to use in addition to thicker heaters.

Rolled mineral wool, 7-10 cm thick, is an excellent thermal insulator, so it is quite suitable for insulation.

Liquid heaters

Cement mortars mixed with foam plastic chips, wood shavings, expanded clay and other light airy materials are used as liquid insulation materials.

The modern version of the liquid insulation is a polymer with a foamed structure - penoizol. To work with it, special equipment is used, with the help of which the cavities between the guides of the crate are filled with material.

How to properly insulate a concrete floor?

When calculating floor insulation, it is necessary to take into account the significant load that all layers of the structure will be subjected to.

For different types of floors, the insulation material is somewhat different from each other, but the insulation system common to all floors consists in laying materials in the following sequence:

1. The base is a concrete slab.
2. waterproofing layer.
3. Wooden crate.
4. Insulation laid between the guides of the crate
5. (its sheets overlap by 15-25 cm and are glued with special adhesive tape).
6. If the insulation has the thickness of the crate, a counter-rail is nailed to it, which will create a gap between the insulation and the subfloor, allowing ventilation.
7. Draft floor (thick plywood or board).
8. Additionally, a thin rolled insulation can be used under the draft floor, which is spread over the crate.

The method of floor insulation is easy to understand by considering the above graphic diagram.

Features of insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor in a private house and apartment

Insulation of concrete floors in a private house and apartment differ in some nuances, but the principle of insulation is basically the same.

If the concrete floors of a private house are insulated, which does not have a basement underneath, then you will have to resort to the use of several materials.

Naturally, it is better to calculate the thickness of the insulation in advance, during the construction of the house, but if the insulation is carried out already in the finished room, it is necessary to prepare the base. The same is done in the apartment:

1. To do this, the decorative coating is removed and a thorough revision of the concrete slab is carried out for cracks and chips.
2. The slab is cleaned, and all identified defects are eliminated with a concrete or ready-made repair mortar.
3. After it hardens, it is advisable to treat the surface with a strengthening impregnation - siling.
4. Next comes the waterproofing device - this process is important both for the floor of the first floor of the apartment and for a private house.

The waterproofing layer can consist of a polyethylene film, which should be 15-20 cm on the walls, or a special water-repellent deep penetration primer applied to the floors and lower parts of the walls.

If in an apartment the crate (logs) can be laid directly on the waterproofing, then in a private house it is better to raise it by 5-7 cm.

Floors raised above the concrete slab will allow a thicker layer of insulation material to be laid.

To do this, pieces of timber 5x5x15 cm are laid on the waterproofing, under which it is necessary to lay small pieces of roofing material.

1. Logs are laid on the bars and the entire structure is fixed to the concrete base.
2. Further, with a layer of 12-15 cm, you can lay loose insulation, for example, expanded clay in dry form or with the addition of liquid cement mortar to it. In the latter case, after filling the space, it is necessary to wait for the layer to harden.
3. Slabs or a rolled version of mineral wool are laid on top of it, which has low thermal conductivity and is an ideal floor insulation for both a private house and an apartment. In addition to it, you can use foam or liquid insulation - penoizol.
4. The top layer of insulation should be below the level of the lag by about 5 mm.
5. Mineral wool is covered on top with a vapor barrier film, which is attached to the logs with staples.
6. The last stage of insulation is the installation of a subfloor, which may consist of boards or thick plywood - this will depend on which finish is chosen.

It is worth noting that if it is assumed, then the rough coating can consist of two layers: boards and plywood.

How best to insulate the wooden floor of the first floor

Wooden floors in modern high-rise buildings are no longer satisfactory, but they are often found in old buildings and in the private sector.

Wood itself is a warm material, but it tends to dry out over time, as a result of which cracks form in the floors, through which drafts penetrate into an apartment or house.

Such floors require insulation work:

• To do this, it is necessary to lift the existing old coating. If it is in good condition, after the insulation process it can be installed back.
• After removing the boards, the logs are inspected and, if necessary, replaced with new ones. Then they are treated with antiseptic antifungal agents and given time to dry.
• Insulation is laid or poured on the base of the floor.

  If the logs are high enough, you can arrange two layers of insulation, the lower of which will be bulk, and the upper one will be made of foam or mineral wool slabs.

• The next step is to cover the insulation with a vapor barrier film, and the floorboard is laid on top.

When building a house, it is better to insulate wooden floors immediately, observing all technological rules. The diagram clearly shows the layers of an insulated wooden floor, going in the following sequence:

1. The foundation of the house.
2. Floor beams (logs).
3. Beam for subfloor.
4. Vapor barrier.
5. Draft floor.
6. Insulation.
7. On top of it is a waterproofing film.
8. Batten.

Basement insulation

If the apartment is located above the basement, it is possible to insulate the floor from its side.

On the ceiling of the basement under the apartment, you can strengthen the insulation.

For this procedure, foam, foam flex or mineral wool is suitable.

• Styrofoam is glued to the basement ceiling using special glue. After it dries, all the gaps between the plates are sealed with mounting foam.

With the help of mineral wool, you can also insulate the floors from the basement, but this will be more difficult and expensive.

• Bars are fixed to the ceiling at a distance of the width of the mineral wool, minus 5 cm. This is necessary so that the insulation mats fit tightly between them.
• In order for the insulation to hold securely, fiberboard or thin plywood is strengthened on top of it on the logs. Along the edge of the structure, along the walls, all the gaps formed are sealed with mounting foam.

In order for the insulation work to be effective, you need to know a few nuances on which the desired result will depend.

1. The first thing to do when starting floor insulation in an apartment on the ground floor is to examine the walls of the basement.

If cracks, chips, and possibly even holes are found on them, they must be repaired with cement-based mortars, mounting foam, or, if necessary, apply brickwork.

Basement vents can be covered for the winter, but they cannot be completely sealed.

1. If insulation is being done in a private house, under which there is a basement, the floor should be additionally insulated from the outside, i.e. fix the insulation on the ceiling of the basement.
2. You need to know that low-density foam has high thermal insulation properties, due to its porous air structure.
3. We must not forget about the installation of a vapor barrier, which must be installed correctly, and be sure to glue the joints with special adhesive tape.
4. It is impossible to close the holes completely ventilating the subfloor, otherwise condensation may form under the floor covering or on the insulation itself.

In order not to make any mistakes, before starting work, you need to study its technology, calculate all the necessary parameters in accordance with the chosen method of thermal insulation and the type of insulation material.

If your apartment is located on the ground floor, there is no need to postpone work on floor insulation. Sooner or later, cold and dampness will settle in the room, and along with them, fungus and mold will appear on the walls of the premises, and it will be very difficult to get rid of them.