The floor is one of the cold elements of a wooden house. Streams of cold air rush directly to the floor. Often from its lower side there is also a coolness. To reduce the cost of consuming quickly leaving heat, it is worthwhile to insulate the floor in a wooden house from below. As soon as cracks appear in the floor, a draft begins to enter the room, which leads to an average of 30 percent heat loss.

The technology of warming the lower part of the house does not cause much difficulty. Heat insulation can occur using completely different types of insulation. However, before starting repair work, it is worth paying attention to certain parameters:

• operating conditions of the floor covering (humidity level, temperature, purpose of the room, estimated percentage of load);
• what layer should be laid thermal insulation.

To do the work on your own will not be particularly difficult. The main thing here is to remember that warming includes three main layers:

• heat insulation;
• isolation of the emitted steam;
• direct flooring.

All these components carry an important semantic load.

Successive work steps

Warming of the lower part of the room occurs with the implementation of several mandatory steps. These include:

• To the bottom of the lag are fixed shields made of wood (less often boards). This will be a kind of coating, an additional base. It is intended to lay thermal insulation;
• The distance between the lags is filled with insulation. The layer should be tightly fixed. In the event of a space between the sheet and the logs, you should resort to the help of a specialized sealant, foam for installation work;
• Following the heater, a material should be installed that is responsible for the isolation of the formed vapor. The material must be fixed on the lags. The resulting gaps, joints should be covered with tape, preferably metal;
• The final stages are the laying of the flooring made of wood, the final finishing of the floor.

When choosing the thickness of the layer of material for heat insulation, there are no specific criteria. Parameters must be selected individually for each type of room.

Lag insulation

A separate point is to consider insulation on the logs of the floor below in a wooden garden house. The advantage of this type of heat conservation is simplicity in operation. In this case, you will be able to save a fairly large amount of heat in a private house. So, work on insulation should occur in this way :.

• wooden logs are installed;
• mounted boards on which thermal insulation is laid;
• vapor barrier is laid;
• all this is covered with boards for the underground;
• the final stage is the installation of the coating.

The considered option is notable for its operational efficiency. The implementation of all stages of the work does not require the intervention of specialists, everything can be done with your own hands.

What material to use?

Today in the consumer market you can find a large selection of materials for heat insulation. Each of them is endowed with individual, characteristic properties, a ruler of sizes, a method of installation, a price segment. Among them:

• mineral wool;
• expanded clay;
• styrofoam;
• sawdust and others.

Sawdust insulation

The considered method refers to one of the oldest species. The main advantages of sawdust insulation are ease of installation and low cost. At the same time, it is possible to lay this type of insulation in hard-to-reach places. An important factor here is the ecological purity of the material. In addition, they can be used as a single material, or introduced as one of the components of the mixture for construction.

Mineral wool insulation

If the house was built more than a dozen years ago, then mineral wool will be the best choice as insulation material. Today, this type is the most popular among consumers. The material is attracted by its ability to resist fire.

In addition, the following positive characteristics were noted:

• resistance to biological, chemical effects;
• high levels of heat insulation.

However, along with the positive characteristics, there are a number of negative points. It is worth paying attention to them before the work on warming the floor from the tree from below begins. These include:

• low mechanical strength indicators;
• steam penetration is low;
• cotton wool perfectly absorbs liquid, but at the same time its insulating properties of heat lose their characteristics.

In connection with the latter, close attention should be paid to the additional installation of steam insulation.

Mineral wool of mineral origin is realized in plates, mats. The side that is characterized by a high level of hardness is marked with a strip of blue. Laying of the material is carried out so that this strip is located in the upper part. For a wooden floor, it is preferable to choose plates. To ensure reliable heat retention, it will be considered sufficient to lay one layer of material.

Polystyrene insulation

Polystyrene is otherwise known among consumers as polystyrene. Today he is among the leaders among thermal insulation materials. This is due to the fact that the foam has a huge number of positive characteristics. Negative ones are minimized. The insulation is characterized by low heat conductivity, steam penetration. It perfectly resists fire, chemical, biological influences. The structure of the material is cellular. This allows the foam to be in operation for a long time, while not losing its effectiveness as a heat insulator. Of the more significant disadvantages, good moisture absorption can be distinguished. Sometimes this can lead to the fact that some properties lose their significance.

Polyurethane foam insulation

The material under consideration has a similar structure structure with polystyrene. In this case, the pores are filled with air, gases. This allows you to create a low level of heat conductivity in the material. In addition, the weight of the polyurethane foam is negligible. Today it is recognized as the best insulation. Important advantages of the insulating element include:

• resistance to the effects of acids, alkalis;
• lack of decay during the long term of use;
• lack of mold.

There was no particular difficulty in installing the type of thermal insulation under consideration. However, certain nuances still exist. So, for example, polyurethane foam is applied by spraying. It is impossible to do this without using specialized equipment. Tight, reliable adherence of the material to any kind of surfaces allows you to spray it almost everywhere. This application method will allow to insulate any surface, while its shape, size will not matter. The material lies in an even layer, each circuit will be observed. The formation of joints in this case is excluded. Polyurethane foam is practically not able to absorb moisture, which leads to the absence of the need to install a vapor barrier.

Conclusion

We have considered far from all the insulation materials that can be found on sale today. Nevertheless, it is necessary to insulate the floor. Not only is a warm floor needed, so that the building can retain as much heat as possible, it will create a cozy, homely mood in each separate room.

Of course, you can entrust the type of work under consideration to specialists in this matter. However, not every home owner has the financial ability to do this. In this case, it is worth resorting to the option of independent work: special skills are not required here. The main thing is to remember that there is a certain algorithm that should be strictly adhered to.

Every owner of a wooden house knows that in order to withstand the harsh Russian winters, winds and cold, it must be properly insulated. Thermal insulation materials must also be used on the walls of the house, on the ceiling and, of course, on the floor. A lot of precious heat can escape through the cold wooden floor. To avoid significant heating costs and to make the floor warm, you can use different materials. But now, modern high-tech insulation materials that allow the coating to breathe, and at the same time have high thermal insulation properties, are especially popular. Exactly such material is foam or extruded polystyrene foam. In the article, we consider the features of this insulation, find out its advantages and disadvantages, learn how to properly lay it when warming the floor in a wooden house.

Description and features of floor insulation in a wooden house with foam

Penoplex is the collective name for a heat-insulating material.   Generally speaking, strictly speaking, Penoplex is the name of a company that produces building and finishing materials - by the way, our Russian one. Due to the popularity of their extruded polystyrene foam, this material, even from other manufacturers, is now called penoplex.

Penoplex is made from the same raw materials as the familiar white foam. By the way, the latter can also be used for insulation. However, if the foam is always white, then the foam can be gray, and red, and even color. Penoplex took all its advantages from the foam, leaving the disadvantages.

Extruded polystyrene foam is produced by foaming the feedstock. As a result of this processing, the output is a light but solid material penetrated by many tiny air bubbles. Thanks to this air gap, the material has really high heat-insulating performance.

In addition to floor insulation in a wooden house, penoplex can be successfully used for thermal insulation of ceilings, attics, floors, walls.

You will learn about the technology of warming a wooden house outside with mineral wool for siding.

Material advantages polystyrene foam, comparison with polystyrene

We will find out what are the advantages of floor insulation in a wooden house with foam.

This insulation provides reliable protection of the room from the cold.   The material has really high and reliable thermal insulation performance. In addition to the fact that the material retains heat well in the house, it also has high soundproofing properties.

Compared to polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam is more durable. Many people know how easy it is to break a fragile foam sheet. With modern penoplex this will not happen.

Due to the fact that it is a solid material, over time it will not sag, exposing sections of the floor. By the way, such an incident often happens when warming with soft materials, for example, mineral wool. Penoplex is resistant to deformation, easily resists compression.

In addition, you may be interested in material about features.

Penoplex is resistant to moisture. This is a really important nuance, as the house can be located in a swampy area or in a flooded area. Mineral wool, for example, can not withstand moisture.

Penoplex is conveniently and simply mounted. No need to wear respirators and protective clothing. The plates of this material are light, if necessary, you can achieve the desired size by simply cutting the plate with a knife. Penoplex easily "gets up" on the glue, while securely fixing.

Penoplex do not gnaw mice, bugs and other insects do not start in it. For an eco-friendly wooden house, such a problem sometimes becomes a direct threat to the preservation of heat, the integrity of the surfaces. For example, mice love to settle in soft mineral wool. But with penoplex this, fortunately, will not happen.

Due to its artificial origin and immunity to moisture, penoplex does not decay at all, does not deteriorate and does not decompose. The material is eco-friendly, completely safe for those living in the house.

The safety of this insulation is manifested in the fact that penoplex does not emit any toxic substances. At work, he, unlike mineral wool, does not "dust", does not cause allergic reactions. In addition, extruded polystyrene is odorless.

Penoplex is of different types. You can choose a non-combustible variety, which is important for a wooden house.

Characteristics of a heater penopleks.

The material is laid in a rather thin layer, but thanks to its high heat-insulating characteristics and density, this is quite enough. Therefore, penoplex can also be considered a rather economical type of insulation.

If you correctly install, and choose a high-quality foam from a trusted manufacturer, the material can serve for a very long time without any loss of its technical characteristics. With careful use, manufacturers guarantee uninterrupted foam service for at least 55 years.

How and how to insulate a brick house from the outside will tell.

Minuses

For balance, it is necessary to find out the disadvantages of warming floors with foam.

The material has a fairly high price. This stops some homeowners. However, we must not forget that the installation of foam does not require a thick layer.

The material is completely artificial. But thanks to this, mice and bugs do not start in penoplex. So it is quite possible to consider this drawback as a virtue.

Penoplex does not withstand too high temperatures, deforming at the same time.   But these temperatures are from plus 80 degrees on the one hand and minus 90 degrees on the other. Such differences in life are rare, therefore, we can say that this drawback does not greatly affect the qualitative characteristics of the material.

The material does not tolerate strong mechanical stress. Do not forget that, in fact, these are balls inflated with air or gas, so the foam is quite fragile. Do not jump, run on a laid surface that is not yet protected by a floor covering.

Summary: in comparison with the list of pluses, the disadvantages of the material look completely invisible, so you can safely go to buy this high-quality and durable insulation.

Read also about penoplex insulation of the foundation outside.

How to stack

In a wooden house, the floor is mainly blown due to the fact that the boards dry out over time, and cracks form between them, sometimes quite large. But if the floor is insulated with high-quality material, then even as a result of the drying of the floor covering, the heat in the house will not be noticeably less. Our recommendations for the competent installation of foam plastic when warming the floor in a wooden house.

What is needed

What tools and materials may be needed for floor insulation with foam.

• Roulette, a large line;
• Construction flat pencil;
• Level. You can - laser.
• Stationery knife;
• Chisel;
• Construction gun for sealant and, in fact, the sealant itself. This material will be needed to carefully fill all the joints and the voids and cracks that formed during the laying process.
• A film with vapor and waterproofing properties is required.
• Well, actually, the extruded polystyrene foam itself.

You will read all the information about polystyrene adhesive for outdoor use.

It should be noted that wooden floors can be insulated with foam in various ways.   The most common and easiest of them is lag insulation.

The result is a really warm floor. But in this case, high-quality waterproofing is necessary.

Work stages

The horizontal surface under the floor must be carefully cleaned and leveled. If you decide to insulate the floors in an already inhabited house, then before carrying out work, it is necessary to dismantle the floor covering. If it is still in good condition, then remove it carefully, so that after work, lay it back in place. Well, if you plan to replace the cover, then you can not especially stand on ceremony, and take off quickly. Check the condition of the subfloor. If it is deformed or has defects, carry out work to strengthen it.

Prepared wooden logs must be positioned and secured so that there is no more than 70 cm of space between them.

The boards on which the penoplex will be laid must be hemmed to the lags or secured to bars specially designed for this purpose.

Before laying the insulation, it is necessary to treat the logs and all wooden elements with antiseptic solutions. This precautionary measure will protect the tree from rotting and damage by bugs. After the antiseptic, the treatment with a water-repellent will also be useful.

On a board or plywood, you must first lay out a layer of dense waterproofing filmtherefore, carry out installation work on the waterproofing. Keep in mind that this material is overlapped (about 15 cm) to ensure complete tightness and high-quality protection against moisture.

It is possible that you will be useful to study the material about.

The scheme of insulation of the floor.

The next step is the direct installation of insulation on wooden boards. When laying out penoplex, be careful not to form gaps and crevices during operation. Accurate material placement will provide reliable protection against the cold.

For additional protection against moisture, you can stretch a plastic film on the surface of the insulation. This technique is of particular importance if the house is located in a marshland and the climate is rainy.

The floor covering is laid on top: laminate flooring, parquet, solid wood, etc.

By the way, similar work can be done in an ordinary apartment. Such insulation is of particular relevance if you live in an apartment building on the ground floor.

Penoplex can also be used as an insulator for the "warm floor" system. In this case, it will provide additional protection for the room from blowing and heat loss. In order to lay the material in this case, a concrete screed with floor pipes mounted in it is used.

Video

On the video, how floor insulation in a wooden house occurs with foam:

We examined the features of penoplex, as a heater for floors in a wooden house. It is important that the installation is quite feasible to carry out independently and that the foam has truly outstanding performance characteristics. Thanks to our recommendations, as well as your own hard work and accuracy, you will be able to provide your country house or cottage with a quality warm floor.

Each person wants to live in a warm, comfortable and cozy house. But not all people at the initial stage of building houses think about thermal insulation. If it was decided to build a house of natural wood, then it will delight you with high heat-insulating qualities, a natural smell of wood, and durability. Insulation of the floor from below is simply necessary.

There are many options for how to insulate floors. TO main materials   relate:

• dry screed;
• glass wool;

Let's look at them in more detail and talk about each option separately, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

Attention: major work in wooden structures when insulating walls and floors is only necessary after complete shrinkage of the structure. As a rule, it takes about a year to shrink a new house. And if the house was built from, then the shrinkage can drag on for 5-7 years.

When choosing a material for insulation, it is necessary to take into account such characteristics as:

• thermal conductivity;
• moisture resistance;
• thickness and weight;
• environmental friendliness and safety;
• fire resistance;
• cost.

  The choice of material also depends on where and on which surface you place it: bottom or top, from the side of the basement, to insulate the attic floor or inside rooms.

It is best to consult with qualified builders before making your final choice.

Mineral wool insulation

Most often, people resort to warming with mineral wool. This is due to:

• high heat and sound insulation qualities;
• long term of operation;
• affordable cost;
• resistance to high humidity and fire;
• environmental friendliness.

Also, the advantages of mineral wool can be attributed to it resistance to various types of damageboth mechanical and chemical. Mineral wool has a wide range of applications. But if you plan to use it to insulate a subfloor where there is high air humidity, then this is not the best option. For such rooms it is better to choose more moisture-resistant synthetic materials, such as polystyrene foam, polystyrene and others.

Foam insulation

As for the foam, this material also has a number of advantages and positive qualities. The special structure of the material provides low level of thermal conductivity and vapor permeability.

Also polystyrene is refractory, differs in reliability and resistance to mechanical and chemical damage. It has a high level of operation, simple and easy to use.

note

Polyfoam does not pass air.

Sawdust insulation

Sawdust is considered the traditional method of floor insulation in wooden buildings. They differ affordable and low cost   and ease of use. But keep in mind that this material does not deteriorate after several months of operation, it must be carefully prepared.

Important: Freshly sawed sawdust is not suitable for floor insulation.

  They must be aged in a dry and well-ventilated area for at least 6 months before use. To avoid mice and other pests in the sawdust, add slaked lime to them.

Sawdust with lime is mixed in a ratio of 1: 4 and poured into the space between the finishing and rough floors. To achieve maximum effect, it is necessary to make a layer of at least 20 cm.

TO the benefits   the use of sawdust can be attributed to them:

• naturalness and safety; low cost;
• high heat-insulating qualities.

How to insulate expanded clay

As for thermal insulation, this method is also widely used in our country. This material is: natural and safe, lightweight, strong and durable. It absorbs moisture perfectly. To make the embankment more dense, it is necessary to apply 2 fractions of expanded clay: sand and gravel.

Expanded polystyrene

Polystyrene insulation is one of the more modern methods. This material is similar to polystyrene, but it is more durable. Expanded polystyrene not only does not pass moisture, but also steam. It is an excellent waterproofing agent. It is used not only for warming wooden houses, but also for roads and concrete foundations.

Dry screed

Dry screed insulation is used only after wood shrinkage. The advantages of a dry screed should include:

• excellent thermal insulation performance;
• fire resistance;
• ease of installation;
• small thickness of the material;
• excellent soundproof qualities.

A dry screed does not tolerate high humidity and is deformed under its influence. This does not affect the thermal insulation properties of the material, but can lead to damage to the finish coating.

Glass wool

As for glass wool insulation, the positive characteristics of this material include: incombustibility, ease of use and environmental safety.

But keep in mind glass wool shrinks, because of which the integrity of the thermal insulation layer may be violated.

Proper lag insulation

Any insulation in a private house with their own hands should be carried out in accordance with building codes and rules. All thermal insulation works are complex and are aimed at preventing the entry of cold air into the room.

Floor insulation is carried out only after all basement and basement rooms have been insulated. Lagging insulation is a common method.

  Before you begin the workflow, you must:

1. Remove old flooring.
2. Logs are laid on a clean, dry and even surface, which are pre-treated with an antiseptic.
3. Between the lags fit your chosen insulation.
4. Waterproofing is done on top.
5. Next, a board, plywood, fiberboard or chipboard is laid on the lags.

Double sex

This method is suitable for buildings. with high ceilings:

1. Dismantle the old skirting boards, inspect the wooden support elements for damage and fill the cracks with construction foam.
2. Fix the wooden logs in increments of 60-90 cm.
3. Check the horizontal lag. If they have deviated from the horizontal, use a plane to get rid of excess wood.
4. Top surface of the base must be covered with a moisture-insulating material.
5. Then, between the lags, the insulation you have chosen is laid.
6. Thermal insulation is covered with a waterproofing film.
7. Install the flooring elements.
8. Lay the cover and attach the skirting boards.

Features of ground floor insulation

  Since natural wood is prone to deformation, cracks can form in the floor over time. Therefore, the following work must be done:

1. Remove old flooring.
2. Inspect the lag for rotting or deformation and replace the rotten boards if necessary.
3. Fill or lay insulated.
4. Install a vapor barrier.
5. Install the finish flooring.

Pie from additional steam and heat insulation layers will provide good and reliable protection against condensate and drafts.

Features of thermal insulation of the second floor

To insulate the floors in a wooden house, roll materials should be used. They are lighter in weight and do not carry loads on the structure. To create a thermal insulation cake on the second floor, you will need to do the following:

1. Put insulation on the base.
2. Fix the heat insulator to the wooden base.
3. Fasten the seams with masking tape.
4. Lay the topcoat.

Concrete floor insulation

To insulate a concrete floor, you must create multilayer construction. This process is carried out in several stages:

• the first stage is carried out before pouring the rough screed;
• the second stage is carried out in the arrangement of concrete construction;
• the third stage - before laying the finish flooring.

As practice shows, this technology prevents heat loss.

Attic floor insulation

To insulate the attic, you can use any heat insulators. Before laying the insulating layer in the attic, it is necessary to make a frame of timber. Next, we proceed to the arrangement of the vapor barrier and put the insulation.

As insulation of the attic floor, mineral wool or glass wool are perfect.

How to calculate the thickness of the insulation

note, the choice of thermal insulation layer plays an important role. The thickness of the materials is calculated individually for each individual building and depends on climatic conditions, features of the building and the type of insulation you choose.

Summing up, it can be noted that it is possible to insulate the floors in a wooden house on their own. The main thing is to choose the right consumables, get acquainted with the basic technologies and the layout scheme and prepare the tools.

Useful videos

In the video below, look at the option of floor insulation on logs in a wooden house:

This video highlights the common mistake of floor insulation - condensate, wet insulation:

Video - floor insulation with foam at the lags:

How to insulate floors with expanded polystyrene, what tools are needed, the whole technology - see the video below:

26014 0 21

Independent floor insulation in a wooden house - 3 options for quality installation

Wooden houses in most modern people are associated with comfort and warmth. And in principle, this is true, because wood is a living, natural, breathing material. But many of my friends methodically step on the same rake, forgetting that the insulation of the floor in a wooden house is no less important than the insulation of walls and roofs. In this material, I will first tell you how to insulate the floor in a wooden house in the three most affordable ways, and then I will go over personally on the application of each type of insulation specifically for wooden buildings.

Design options for floor insulation in wooden houses

To begin with, modern wooden houses can be built both on a light pile or strip foundation, and on a monolithic concrete slab, respectively, and the insulation scheme in all these cases will be different.

In addition, the floors in wooden houses can be insulated both from below, that is, from the side of the basement, and from above, from the side of the living room. Naturally, it’s easier to do all this during the construction of the house, but not everyone is so lucky and sometimes they have to insulate the floors in the old house, which leaves its fingerprints on the technology.

Any major types of work in wooden houses, including insulation of walls and floors, are recommended only after shrinkage of the structure. And this shrinkage in a house assembled from a dry forest lasts about a year. If a freshly sawn forest was used for the construction, then the shrinkage can last up to 5-7 years.

Option No. 1. Arrangement of thermal insulation in a house with a low underground

The low underground is a disease of most old houses and summer cottages. In my experience, almost all the owners who bought or somehow got a cottage built in the old way, back in Soviet times, face a serious problem of cold, and often rotten floors.

I’ll hasten to reassure you right away, it’s not necessary to break everything, if the log house itself is still whole and strong enough, you can heat the floor in a wooden house with your own hands in a few days, and for this, it is not necessary to be a real builder. It is quite confident to use a hacksaw, drill and hammer.

As you probably already guessed, if the private house has a low subfloor, then the floors will have to be insulated from above. And for this we need to disassemble the entire structure completely, leaving only the supporting logs;

If the boards and skirting boards of the finishing floor are in good condition, and you are not configured to completely change them, then when you tear down the flooring, be sure to draw yourself a sketch of the masonry and number each board. This will significantly save your energy and time when you start to return everything to its place.

• When you have free access to the lags, the first thing to do is to carefully examine the condition of the wood. Logs are a supporting structure, respectively, they must be strong and reliable. If the number of rotten lags does not exceed 20-30%, then it is worth tinkering with their restoration;
• In general, according to the rules, a damaged beam must be completely removed, and the same one should be installed in its place. But this work is not for the amateur, there are too many small, professional subtleties. When I first encountered the problem of partial replacement of the load-bearing beam, I acted simply. I cut out a rotten sector, and put in its place the same part of a healthy beam.
    I secured this sector with self-tapping screws using 4 standard metal corners of 35 mm, making an inlet on an old beam of about 50 cm. But if there are no corners at hand, you can fill a regular board with a thickness of about 30 mm on both sides;
• Now you can do the arrangement of the subfloor. Opinions on how to do it right among builders vary. The classic technology looks something like this: on both sides of each log, on the lower edge, a so-called bearing cranial beam is stuffed. I recommend taking a cross section of at least 30x30 mm, if taken thinner, it may not withstand the load or burst from a nail or self-tapping screw;

• The distance between the lags often fluctuates around 50 - 70 cm. In our version, the rough floor will be collected from laid on the cranial beam, perpendicular to the lags, sockets. Therefore, we will need to cut these pieces first and saturate them well with an antiseptic, since they are directly above the ground.
    For these purposes, a non-edged board with a thickness of about 20-30 mm is well suited. The question of how to impregnate is solved simply: the market is full of various impregnations, but I went the simplest way, dipped each board into the processing of engine oil;
• I am often asked whether it is necessary to fix the rafters of the subfloor to the lags or the supporting cranial beam. So, as I saw and did it myself, these slats simply fit on the cranial beam and that’s it.
  Moreover, when you measure and cut the slats, they need to be made 10 to 15 mm narrower than the gap between the lags. This tolerance is necessary to compensate for temperature and humidity deformations of wood;

• Further, the instruction prescribes to lay a layer of hydro or vapor barrier on the draft floor. The difference is this: if the soil under the house is dry and there is no abundant spring flood in your area, then it is necessary to mount a vapor barrier membrane so that the steam freely leaves the insulation, but in no case penetrates from the soil into the insulation.
    Waterproofing is installed in places with a high level of groundwater and on moist soils. As a waterproofing, technical polyethylene or roofing material is most often used. Any of these membranes is covered with a continuous layer of overlap, on top of the logs, in such a way that the subfloor is completely covered, without any gaps or crevices. I usually fix such a canvas with a stapler;
• In the resulting improvised boxes, the insulation chosen by you is laid. What it is possible, as well as the better to insulate the floor in a wooden house, I will tell you in detail a little later, now we will not stop here;

• The presence or absence of a vapor barrier fabric on top of the insulation is determined by what materials were selected for insulation. But in any case, between the finishing wooden flooring and the insulation layer there should remain a small ventilation gap, 20 - 30 mm.
    For this, if possible, the insulation is mounted a little, below the upper cut of the log. If this is not possible and the material is laid flush with the lags, then you will have to perpendicular to the lags to fill a wooden counter crate, with a step of 30 - 40 cm.
    Moreover, hydro or vapor barrier, if necessary, should be under the counter crate. Otherwise, if the clean wooden floor is not provided with adequate ventilation from below, the boards will sooner or later begin to deteriorate;
• The top layer, of course, is the finishing wooden coating.

Option number 2. We warm the floor above the cellar

The correct insulation of the floor from below in a wooden house, in general, is carried out according to a similar technology, but believe me, doing it is much easier. Indeed, subject to the normal state of the final coating, you do not need to disassemble it. Otherwise, the technology is the same, only all actions are performed in reverse.

• According to the rules, in order to prevent the insulation from “sticking” to the finish coating and maintaining the necessary ventilation gap, it is necessary to fill a small cranial block of 20-30 mm on the top of the log, on the border with the finish floor. But to be honest, I never do that.
    It is much easier to fix a vapor barrier membrane with a stapler, just below the finish floor. Nobody forces you to measure everything out clearly, the main thing is that there is a ventilation gap;
• To install a cranial beam and to hem on the ceiling of the basement a rough floor from slats using the previous technology, I also do not see much point. After laying the insulation in niches so that it does not fall out right away, I put a number of small cloves on the logs and pull several strings of fishing line or wire;

• Further from below, with the same stapler, a waterproofing sheet is attached to the lags. And on top of this canvas, to strengthen the structure, an unedged board or an ordinary crochet is packed. If the basement is damp and there is often water in it, then it makes sense to sew a galvanized profile under the plasterboard instead of the unedged board. I usually fasten it in increments of 20 - 30 cm, in any case, it is needed only so that the insulation does not fall out.

By the same technology, the second floor is also equipped, more precisely, a wooden floor between the first and second floors along the logs. The only difference is that instead of a layer of a rough floor, most often sewn from the bottom is some kind of sheet material, such as plywood or drywall.

Option number 3. We insulate the floor of a wooden house standing on a concrete slab

The floor in a wooden house on a solid concrete base can be insulated using two technologies: installation on the logs and arrangement of the screed. The choice depends on what end result you want to see and how much you are willing to spend money on all this. Most often, in such houses the first option is used, according to it at the finish you get a coating of a natural floorboard.

Compared with the two previous options, in my opinion, it is much easier to insulate a concrete slab. As a rule, such a base initially has an absolutely flat plane, in addition, the weight of the insulating structure itself does not matter here.

According to the first method, a wooden crate must be mounted on the stove. She will replace those bearing logs for us.

Only at the beginning should concrete be laid with a layer of waterproofing. In this case, it is enough technical polyethylene. The thickness of the bars under the crate depends on the type of insulation.

For a full-fledged floorboard with a thickness of 40 mm or more, the step of laying the guides of the battens ranges from 50 to 70 cm. In the case when it is planned to sew up the floor with thick plywood or OSB, the step is about 30 - 40 cm.

The battens of the battens are fixed to the concrete slab by anchors. Then, just like when installing from above, a heater is laid in the niches, and a finishing coating is sewn on top of it.

Insulation of the concrete slab under the screed is even easier. Looking a little ahead, I’ll say that the best insulation here is extruded polystyrene foam, which is better known as Penoplex. I’ll talk about its capabilities later, but now back to technology.

So this Penoplex, in a continuous layer, is laid on a flat concrete slab, attached to it and all the cracks are blown up with foam. Then you can choose: either lay a metal reinforcing mesh on it and fill in the screed, or equip the flooring from plywood, OSB or drywall and mount the laminate on it using floating technology.

If you are interested in a blank for the “underfloor heating” system, then for both the electric and water versions, an extruded polystyrene foam base is perfect.

In addition to extruded polystyrene foam, such a floor can be insulated with expanded clay. Of course, it will be necessary to tinker more, but the price of such insulation will be incommensurably lower.

The technology here is about the same. Initially, concrete is covered with a waterproofing film with an approach to the walls, just above the finish. Then a layer of expanded clay is filled up and leveled horizontally.

You can put rebar on expanded clay and pour cement-sand mortar, it will be a wet screed. Or lay a double layer of plywood, OSB or drywall, this is already called a dry floating screed.

Choose a heater

How to do the insulation itself, we figured out, now it remains to find out which insulation for the floor in a wooden house is more suitable in a particular situation. In order to make it easier for you to understand, I conditionally divided all the materials into 2 large areas:

1. Budgetary, that is, not expensive;
2. And what is now called new technologies, respectively, their cost is much higher.

Traditional budget heaters

• Wooden sawdust is deservedly considered the patriarch in this direction. It is not difficult to guess that the price is cheap, if you try very hard, you can even get it for nothing. But in order for this material to be used as a heater, it must be well prepared. Otherwise, after a couple of months, the sawdust will simply begin to rot.

First of all, remember, sawdust must be aged in a dry place for at least a year, freshly sawn material is not suitable. And in order for the mice not to arrange a dormitory in this insulation, slaked lime must be added there.

Since we are talking about self-cooking, I will take the liberty of giving you the 2 most popular recipes:

1. For the floor, the bulk option is best. Here, 8 parts of dry sawdust will need to be thoroughly mixed with two parts of dry slaked lime powder, in shops this lime is called fluff. In principle, the material is ready, now it can be poured into the space between the rough and finish floors.
     Only to achieve the expected effect, in the middle zone of our great homeland this layer should be at least 150 - 200 mm. And in the northern regions it can reach 300 and even 400 mm;

1. It is much easier to work with stoves. But these plates will need to be made first. In the solution, in addition to sawdust, the same fur is present, and cement is added as a binder. The standard proportion is 8/1/1 (sawdust / lime / cement).
     Naturally, all this is richly wetted and well mixed. When the solution is ready, it is poured into molds and slightly tamped. In the warm season, after about a week, the plates will dry out and be ready for use. You can lay the raw mixture directly on the floor, but in this case you will not be able to sew up the final coating, because you will have to wait a couple of weeks for the solution to dry completely.

• The second number we have expanded clay. This material in our country is used quite widely. Expanded clay represents granules of the made foam and burnt clay. The material is porous, lightweight, strong and durable.
    His only drawback is hygroscopicity, expanded clay is able to absorb moisture. This leads to the conclusion that expanded clay needs a mandatory installation of waterproofing.
    As for the depth of insulation, it is about the same as that of wooden sawdust. To arrange the floor in a wooden house, 2 fractions of expanded clay, gravel and sand should be used. So your embankment will be denser;

• But perhaps the most popular in the budget sector insulation for the floor is polystyrene. The material is comfortable in almost every way. In the subfield, protected from all sides, the foam will lie indefinitely. Where sawdust or expanded clay needs to be covered with a minimum thickness of 150 mm, it is enough to install a foam plastic with a thickness of only 50 mm.
    This insulation is absolutely indifferent to moisture and waterproofing is mounted here only to protect the wood itself. For its installation, you only need to cut the plate clearly to the size of the niche, insert it and blow out the gaps with mounting foam.
    In a wooden house, the weak point of the foam laid in the floor are rodents. Very much they like to build their nests in it and it is almost impossible to struggle with these folk methods;

• It would not be fair to miss such a common insulation as mineral wool. It’s impossible to call it really cheap, but there are several inexpensive models in the line. In particular, glass wool and soft mineral wool mats are not expensive.

But honestly, I do not recommend them to you, this material quickly cakes, mice love it and when wet it completely loses its qualities. No matter how you try, soft cotton will have to be changed about once every 10 years.

There are also mineral wool basalt slabs, they cost more, but their density and quality are much higher. I recommend that if you install cotton, then take only slabs with a thickness of about 100m.

Of all the above budget options for thermal insulation, only sawdust and polystyrene are considered combustible. Expanded clay and cotton wool are a standard of fire safety.

New technologies

• Among newfangled heaters, extruded polystyrene foam now breaks all records of popularity. It is a modern derivative of foam, both materials are made from styrene granules, the only difference is in technology.
    Plates of extruded polystyrene foam have a closed cell structure. As a result, the material does not let in moisture, not even steam. In fact, we are dealing with a good waterproofing agent. I have already mentioned that Penoplex can be laid in a screed, due to the fantastic strength of extruded polystyrene foam.
    If airfields, roads and concrete foundations can be insulated with this material, then there is nothing to say about the strength in a wooden house. In addition, mice also do not particularly favor him;

• The next number we have is the so-called ecowool. It consists of about 80% cellulose, the remaining 20% \u200b\u200bare flame retardants and antiseptics. Ecowool is not very expensive to produce, because cellulose is obtained from shredded waste paper.
    I think that the high price here is more likely due to the fact that the material is new. There are two ways to install such a heater. If you are interested in self-assembly, then the cotton wool just pours out into the cells of the floor and fluffs with a construction mixer.
    But it is better to order engine blowing. In this case, the cotton wool is blown with the help of a compressor onto any, including vertical and overhanging surfaces. Ecowool in front of other modern heaters has one advantage, if you are confident in the high-quality installation of the rough and finish floor, then in old houses you can simply make a hole and blow through it the whole subfloor of ecowool;

• Polyurethane foam pleasure is quite expensive. It is impossible to apply this material on any surface with your own hands; professional equipment and specialists with appropriate qualifications are needed here.
    According to its characteristics, polyurethane foam is approaching extruded polystyrene foam, only it will not withstand screed. The best option here is foaming the floor from below in a wet basement. The fact is that the foam hermetically closes the tree from below, and the warranty period for the operation of such a heater starts from 30 years;

• Penoizol will cost less than polyurethane foam. But for its application, specialists are also needed. Personally, in the case of floor insulation in a wooden house, I do not see much reason to pay for such material. Indeed, in fact, penoizol is the same polystyrene, only in liquid form. Of all the advantages, only quick installation and tight continuous coating;

• Lastly, I wanted to talk about the so-called Isolon. If to explain in a nutshell, the isolon is a foamed polyethylene. It can be coated on one or both sides with foil, and can also go without a foil coating. But it is difficult to call it an independent heater for the floor in a wooden house, most models have a thickness of up to 10 mm.
    With this thickness, the isolon can only go as an auxiliary coating. In particular, it is used in the arrangement of an electric heated floor. Or they are sometimes additionally covered with cotton wool. Foiled isolon is a good waterproofing agent and personally, I often mount it instead of the top insulating layer under the finish coating.

Conclusion

Insulating the floor in a wooden house with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. If you choose the right insulation and prepare well, then the floors in a medium-sized house can be equipped with a maximum of a week. In the photo and video in this article, I posted additional information on the topic of insulation. If you have any questions, write them in the comments, I will try to help.

The method of floor insulation in a wooden house depends on the location of the floor. Increased requirements are applied to work on the ground floor of the building, especially if the main structure does not provide for a high basement or insulated basement.

Technically competently carry out floor insulation from below. This method does not change the room parameters, allows you to use a soft type of insulation, reduces the degree of sedimentation of the condensate and provides uniform protection of the entire coating.

Materials and Tools

• Saw-timber - are selected individually for each building, taking into account technical characteristics.
• Waterproofing and vapor barrier material.
• Construction stapler with a set of staples.
• Saw a tool.
• A screwdriver with a set of screws, the size of the latter should correspond to the cross-section of the lumber.
• Reinforced tape.
• Sheet finish for rough base.

Read also:

Installation sequence

• If the building does not have a basement or a high basement under itself, work will have to be carried out from the inside of the room. To do this, completely dismantle the floor covering, both fine and rough.

• Inspect the old logs. Damaged should be replaced, all boards are treated with a protective compound.
• From below, plywood or shields are attached to create a raised floor. It serves as the basis for insulation.

• A waterproofing layer is installed - a membrane or a PVC film.

• Insulation is laid.

• A rough floor of dense plywood, chipboard or fiberboard is laid.

• Finishing is stacked.

ATTENTION!

Any mounting element made of wood should be treated with an antiseptic protective compound, regardless of its scope.

What to do when the floor is concrete?

• Reinforced concrete slabs are used as a base in those structures where a basement is provided for storing products and households. inventory. In the presence of such a floor, its insulation is carried out from the inside, i.e. from the underground space.
• The main stages of installation are similar to those described above. It is permissible to use penofol and materials similar to it in technical specifications. The foil layer of such a heater serves both as a hydro- and vapor barrier.
• If you decide to use mineral wool, you will additionally need to create a frame base. In the case of concrete floors, it is more practical to use metal slats for it. Between the concrete and the crate, waterproofing is necessarily laid.
• Mineral wool is stacked by surprise. The whole structure is closed with a vapor barrier. Next, a sheet material is attached to the counter grate.
• Warming of the concrete floor from below with low density polystyrene foam is carried out according to the principle of installing mineral wool, but dense types of insulators can be installed without lathing by gluing. The seams formed in the latter case are filled with polyurethane foam.
• Roll types of thermal insulation are also glued to the base, and the joints are treated with aluminum-type tape.

Some subtleties

When choosing a basis for insulation, the following should be considered:

• Design features of the house.
• Type of foundation.
• Wood used in construction.
• Owner financial opportunities.

Installation of insulation is carried out using waterproofing to prevent abundant absorption of moisture, leading to swelling, and subsequently to the drying of the construction board.

• Before starting work, wood must be treated with special protective solutions and thoroughly dried. The heater, regardless of its type and installation method, is mounted in 2 layers.
• The selected insulator in contact with the board should not change its characteristics.

How to insulate a wooden floor?

There are a lot of materials on the construction market. They differ in cost, installation method, technical parameters and operational qualities.

Penofol   - foamed polyethylene with a base of aluminum foil, while remaining environmentally friendly, it has heat and sound insulation qualities. It is not resistant to moisture and not durable, but affordable. Warming a wooden floor with penofol, know after 3-5 years, the work will need to be repeated.

Penoplex   - a foamed type of polymer that retains its shape and has high strength. The cellular structure of the material improves heat transfer. Penoplex does not require additional waterproofing, as it is resistant to moisture penetration into its structure. It is lightweight, does not give a load on the foundation foundation and is popular for frame structures on piles.

Min cotton - a popular and affordable insulator having light weight and high noise insulation qualities. It is made of stone, glass and slag fiber. It is fireproof and easy to use. It is presented in the form of compacted plates or soft mats. The first type is marked, allowing installation in the right direction. The disadvantage is its instability to moisture, but with careful vapor barrier, this nuance can be eliminated. When working with any type of cotton wool, a protective suit should be worn so that the fiber particles do not come into contact with the body and do not cause allergies.

Eco cotton wool   - New and unique in its properties material unlike other heaters. It is used both for private buildings and in apartment buildings. Polyurethane foam is sprayed using special equipment, which is its only drawback, since it is impossible to carry out the installation on its own.

Foam blowing with the help of a compressor unit allows the heater to penetrate into all cracks and voids, creating a dense coating with high vapor barrier qualities. When working, there is no need to lay a waterproofing layer, since it is resistant to moisture. Eco-cotton, despite the integrity and density after drying, does not weigh down the weight of the house, which allows it to be used for any type of substrate. At the same time, it is resistant to increased loads.

Expanded clay   - environmentally friendly and absolutely harmless type of insulation. They make it from clay or slate, in the form of small porous in structure balls, fired at high temperatures in special furnaces. Expanded clay has increased resistance to low temperatures and soundproofing qualities. The material has the property of being compacted under its own mass by pressing together. As a result, their mass and pressure on the structure increases, and the thermal insulation qualities decrease. It is not recommended for wooden structures on a pile foundation, as the increasing mass of underground insulation leads to subsidence of the foundation.

Wood shavings (sawdust) - accessible and safe. It retains heat and has sound and vapor barrier qualities. It can be used both for private buildings and for floor screed in apartments. The cement component allows subsequently laying such finishing materials as tiles, laminate and parquet. Chips before starting work must be processed with specialized compounds that protect its pests. Then it combines with water and cement, mixes thoroughly and is evenly applied to the base.

When using sawdust as a heater, it is recommended to use natural clay as the basis. It is also safe for the human body, but has better thermal insulation properties compared to cement. It is permissible to use this type of insulation if the structure does not have a strong foundation.

Expanded polystyrene   - has high thermal conductivity, is resistant to fire, has low sound and vapor permeability, but high thermal conductivity. It retains its qualities for a long operational period, is exposed to chemical compounds and other external factors.

Expanded polystyrene is convenient in operation, its plates are easy to lay, but this should be done on high-quality waterproofing, as it absorbs moisture, which can adversely affect the performance properties. Do not give it preference if a wooden house is located in a zone of low groundwater.

Installation Rules

Each of the above insulators is distinguished by its mounting properties, but they have the same thermal protection device, or rather:

• Laying a waterproofing layer.
• Installation of the selected insulation.
• Vapor barrier coating.

You get an insulating “sandwich” that closes first with overlapping elements and directly with the main floor covering. Compliance with the above technology contributes to optimal thermal conditions without disturbing the air exchange in the house.

When warming the floor in a wooden house from the bottom, get timber with a cross section of 5 or 10 cm. When fixing it from below between the main structure and the beams, an insulating layer is laid. Cover it with additional boards.

About waterproofing

A protective layer is necessary to prevent the formation of condensate that contributes to the development of the fungus and rotting the wooden structure. Before mounting boards should be treated with protective compounds and primed. The waterproofing is laid on the side where the cold air comes from, i.e. from the outside of the structure.

About vapor barrier

The warm air inside the living room coming from the heating system and household appliances penetrates through the wooden floors, colliding with cold flows at the outlet. As a result, condensate forms, which negatively affects the structure and leads to internal decay of the boards. Treatment with liquid solutions is not able to fully protect the living room, and therefore the laying of a vapor barrier is mandatory for non-moisture-proof heaters.

The most affordable material is PVC film. It can be used both for steam and waterproofing. Installation of the film is done first when the sexual base is insulated from below.

Know!

The presence of a vapor barrier should be included in the design of the structure, if it was not installed, then do it yourself immediately after putting the structure into operation.

Useful videos: