Self-insulation of the garage from the inside makes it possible at an affordable cost to provide optimal conditions for year-round storage of the car.

To make your car feel winter period it is comfortable in the garage, you need to create special conditions for it. In the cold season, the temperature in the caravan should be around + 5 °. It is not necessary to heat the garage to higher values, as there is a risk that the vehicle will be covered with "sweat" when frosty air enters from the street, which can cause rust various parts car.

In addition, care should be taken to ensure that there is sufficient fresh air flow into the house for the car. In one hour, the vehicle must be blown about 180 cubic meters of air. These two requirements must be taken into account when deciding to do the insulation of a metal or any other caravan with your own hands.

At present, the thermal insulation of the garage can be carried out different materials, which are characterized by their own thermal conductivity. This should also be taken into account. Next, we give the values ​​\u200b\u200b(in W / m * K) of the thermal conductivity of popular materials, with the help of which they perform insulation with their own hands:

• 0.038 - mineral wool and expanded polystyrene (polystyrene);
• 0.043 - glass wool;
• 0.171 - expanded clay;
• 0.28 - foam concrete;
• 0.52 - ceramic brick;
• 0.64 - cinder block.

Garage insulation materials

The maximum thermal conductivity (0.9) is characterized by silicate brick.

The lower the thermal conductivity of the material, the higher the thermal insulation characteristics it has. This means that it is more reasonable to insulate the garage from the inside with polystyrene foam than with bricks or cinder blocks.

Thermal inertia is also of considerable importance. This concept means the rate of increase in temperature on the surface of a particular insulation. In simple words we can say that the wall will heat up the longer, the higher the thermal inertia index of the material.

If you plan to insulate the building where your car is stored in the winter with your own hands, experts advise adhering to general rule. It says: from the inside, the walls protect from the cold so that the thermal inertia of the materials increases (from the outside to the inside), and the thermal conductivity decreases. It is enough to follow this principle, and then your garage will become a safe haven for vehicle.

Motorists usually carry out warming with their own hands using mineral wool, polymer and fiberglass products. They are relatively easy to install, have good performance and are affordable, which makes it possible to make garage insulation cheap and with a guarantee of quality.

Mineral wool has been used for a very long time. It has proven its effectiveness in thermal insulation of motorhomes. But lately it has been used less and less. There are several reasons here:

1. Relatively high material cost.
2. Increased sensitivity of mineral wool to the influence of moisture (it is mandatory to make waterproofing, and this, as you understand, increases the cost of insulating the garage).

Mineral wool

Glass wool is cheaper. But this material has even more “cons”. It belongs to the group of flammable products, and is also afraid of high humidity. Therefore, there are few people who want to use glass wool.

The most popular insulating material today is considered to be foam. His shortcomings are almost completely absent. It does not allow moisture to pass through and is characterized by excellent thermal insulation performance, does not rot, and fungus never appears on its surface. For the price, the foam is more than "democratic". And any motorist can mount it with his own hands from inside the caravan.

The only disadvantage of polystyrene can be considered its flammability. But this problem has now faded into the background. Modern manufacturers produce polystyrene foam, which is processed at the factory with a fire retardant. This substance extinguishes the material immediately after it ignites.

Consider how to protect the walls of the garage from the cold with foam. It's easy to do this:

1. We make a crate from wooden planks 3x3 or 2x2 cm in size. They should be mounted along the perimeter of the wall, maintaining a step of at least 0.8 m.
2. We glue the foam to the crate made (this will be the first layer of insulation on the walls).
3. We mount another layer of heat insulator. Moreover, the second layer is fixed so that the connecting seams of the layers do not match (that is, in a checkerboard pattern). It has been proven that such a scheme provides maximum protection of the garage and car from cold air.

You have insulated the walls of the motorhome from the inside, spending a minimum of time and money. You can also decorate them with inexpensive material - ordinary clapboard or plywood sheets.

Decorating garage walls with clapboard

Having protected the walls from cold air, we can proceed to the thermal insulation of the garage door. Welded structures are usually mounted on a metal or any other motorhome. Such gates are made of thin steel (maximum 3 mm), which cannot guarantee a decent level of building insulation.

It is not difficult to insulate the entrance to the garage with your own hands. The procedure is performed in much the same way as wall insulation - using foam. It must be glued with the highest quality and tightness - an air gap cannot be allowed to appear (use the same adhesive that you used when insulating the walls of the garage).

Now we need to make a frame of wood (we will later mount the garage sheathing on it). Such a skeleton is made from wooden bars 6x6 cm. Be sure to use building level while doing this work. We will install boards of small thickness on the frame and close the gate with this design. They can be painted with the usual "water emulsion" or come up with another decoration option.

If you were able to insulate the gates and walls with your own hands, you should not have any difficulties with the thermal insulation of the ceiling from the inside. It is important to know a few things here.

The roof and ceiling in the garage are the same structure. If your caravan is made of foam blocks or bricks, its roof is usually made of a floor slab (reinforced concrete). In a metal garage, the ceiling is made in the form of a "skeleton" of steel corners, to which iron sheets are attached. But in frame houses for cars, the ceiling is made on beams of wood.

Caravan ceiling on wood beams

There are two ways to insulate all these types of ceiling structures:

1. Create a false ceiling and fill the space between it and the base roof with thermal insulation material.
2. Attach the insulation directly to the ceiling using the method recommended for the particular insulating material.

If you want to use foam, glue it with liquid nails to the roof of a metal or wooden garage, mount the guides and cover the thermal insulation layer with any lightweight material. Plywood is best suited for these purposes. It is attached to the guides.

When it is required to insulate the ceiling from floor slabs with your own hands, the skeleton is mounted on metal corners. Adhesives will not help here. Please note - you will need to fix the corners on the screws, which are previously placed in plastic dowels.

Most often, floors in car storage boxes are made of concrete. They are thermally insulated before pouring the concrete mix. The order of work is as follows:

1. Tamp down the earth cover.
2. Make a pillow of sand (about 10 cm thick is sufficient) and ram it.
3. Pour a 10 cm layer concrete screed and dry it.
4. Pour river fine sand or expanded clay mixed with cement and water onto the screed. Expanded clay or sand just perform the function of a warming material.
5. Dry the heat-insulating layer made for a week, and then pour the finishing concrete floor.

Thermal insulation of floors before pouring concrete mix

It only remains for us to add that the concrete flooring with insulation can be used one month after all the described procedures have been completed. That's when it becomes really strong.

This is a guarantee of the durability of the body of your car. It would seem that the body of the car is made of metal, therefore, it should serve for a long time and not be subject to various weather conditions, but everything is a little bit different from what we wanted. Metal, although a durable material, can still begin to deteriorate with improper care. Sudden temperature fluctuations and changes in weather conditions (snow-rain) can lead to violations of the anti-corrosion protection of the metal on the body of your car, which can lead to rust, followed by complete deformation of the body and its destruction. In order to keep the body of your car intact for as long as possible, I recommend taking care of the insulation of the garage. This process is quite simple and economical in relation to the funds that you may have to spend on replacing body parts when rusted.

Where to start insulating the garage?
I propose to start the process of insulation from the walls, usually when building a garage, no one seeks to make the walls thick and warm, therefore thin walls cannot become a reliable protector from the cold. In such a garage, even installing a heating element made no sense, since all the heat generated will not linger for a long time inside the garage through thin walls.

The most common mistakes when insulating a garage:
- some motorists believe that in the garage it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 20 degrees above zero, as is usually done in residential buildings. This opinion is fundamentally wrong, because if +20 degrees is a comfortable temperature for a person, this does not mean that it will be comfortable for a car, namely for a metal body. If in summer such a warm garage does not bring any harm to your car, then when it is used in winter, the temperature difference between the street and the garage will be too large, which will lead to condensation on the car body, followed by the formation of rust. The most optimal temperature that should be maintained in the garage is +5.

The second most common mistake when insulating a garage is that owners begin to seal up all possible holes and crevices in order to protect the car from penetrating cold air as best as possible, as a result of such insulation, even ventilation holes are sealed. With such diligent warming, everyone forgets about the great danger that it carries, if there is no ventilation in the garage, then the combustion products that will form when the car warms up will accumulate in the garage, which is very dangerous for human health. Therefore, ventilation is very important for a garage room. Also, the presence of ventilation will allow you to get rid of excess moisture that can form as a result of rapidly melting ice that accumulates on the bottom of the car while driving in winter.

What materials to use?
Among the many options for heaters, I recommend the most proven four types:
1. Mineral wool - very quickly and efficiently will help to insulate the walls of the garage and, despite its dense texture, perfectly provide the effect of breathing walls. If you decide to do external wall insulation, then hard mats are best for you; their density reaches 240 kg / per cubic meter, if the insulation will be carried out from nutria, then it is best to use soft or semi-rigid mats. The best variety mineral wool is basalt mineral wool, which is known for its record thermal conductivity.

2. Glass wool is a more economical option than mineral wool. When working with glass wool, be sure to use protective gloves, as this material is very scratchy and can injure your hands.

Let's start laying foam.

By itself, the plaster will perform two important functions:
- stannit a kind of protective layer of our foam sheets from the effects of weather factors;
- will perform decorative function for outside walls. The plastered walls can be painted any color you like.

warm garage- a real dream of any car owner, because it will be comfortable there for both the car and its driver. Not only that, in the winter to spend any repair work it is very inconvenient in a cold garage, as the low temperature negatively affects the condition of the car and leads to its rapid damage. Half-measures in the form do not give absolutely anything, since in a garage with thin walls, and they, as a rule, are just that, the heat does not last long. If the condition of the car and the safety of its main elements is important, then it is better to take care of the insulation in time. External insulation becomes the most effective, because in this case the dew point is shifted to the heater, and excess moisture will not accumulate in the room itself. There are several ways to organize such thermal insulation.

No. 1. Styrofoam

Styrofoam - the most popular option for garage insulation, and it is used for both indoor and outdoor work. External foam insulation is much more efficient and convenient. Firstly, the useful area of ​​the garage is not taken away, and, secondly, there is no risk of moisture formation at the points of contact between the wall and the insulation, which often occurs during internal insulation. That is why it is not necessary to equip a forced ventilation system and keep it on all the time.

To insulate the walls of the garage from, pleases affordable price, lightness, therefore, it does not weigh down the entire structure, it is as simple as possible to install: it is easy to cut, and the plates can be attached to the walls even independently, without involving specialists. This type insulation is also interesting from the point of view of absolute neutrality to moisture, since it does not absorb it, it will not become a place for the development of fungus and mold. Also, the foam perfectly tolerates temperature changes, it has good sound absorption indicators, and has a long service life.

Have foam and some cons. So, it is better not to use it where heating from a stove or some equipment is possible. In this case, it is recommended to combine it with mineral wool, and it is even better to immediately purchase foam impregnated with fire retardants, which will resist ignition and combustion. It should also be noted that the strength of the foam is not up to par, so the insulation layer must be protected immediately after its installation. Usually a fiberglass mesh is attached, and plaster is applied on top of it. over decorative plaster it is better to use non-nitro-based facade paints, as they can damage the foam, depriving it of its thermal insulation properties. Also often used is siding, moisture-resistant GKL and DSP and some other materials. It is worth noting that sheet materials in this case are attached by erecting a frame.

No. 2. Liquid polyurethane foam

Warming sprayed polyurethane foam- this is one of the most modern ways , which is almost devoid of flaws. In this case, the owner of the garage receives a monolithic layer of thermal insulation that fills all the cracks and surface irregularities. phenomenal indicators of thermal insulation, since its thickness of 1 cm can replace foam plastic 15 cm thick. It also has excellent sound insulation, because its cellular structure almost does not conduct sounds. Polyurethane foam is not affected by fire, after drying it does not emit substances harmful to health, and the process of its application does not take much time. In addition, this option is also great in cases where the garage has a complex structure or some hard-to-reach places where it is difficult to mount a roll of cotton wool or a foam board, but a sprayer with liquid polyurethane foam will always crawl through. The material perfectly tolerates critically low and high temperatures without deforming, it has good adhesion to almost all surfaces, so it can be used with equal success for brick and metal garages. Plus, it's lightweight and durable, making it one of the hottest insulators out there right now.

But, unfortunately, and not without cons. Such material is not very cheap, and the work on its application will require the involvement of professionals with special equipment. Another drawback is the fear of sunlight, therefore, with external insulation of the garage, the dried-up layer of insulation must be additionally protected. It can be panels, plaster or the most common paint: in the end, the garage and insulation will be protected and have an attractive appearance.

Number 3. stone wool

As you know, there can be several types: slag wool, glass wool and stone wool. These materials differ in the raw materials from which they are produced, and, consequently, in some properties. Thus, stone wool is most widely used, which is most often meant when we are talking about mineral wool.

To stone wool- a great option for warming the garage from the outside. This is a material with a low thermal conductivity coefficient, which perfectly resists high temperatures, which is important when it comes to garage insulation. In addition, stone wool withstands aggressive substances, retains sound well, has a "breathing" effect, and has high biological stability. It is not difficult to handle such material, but for external insulation you will have to build a frame, and since this insulation is afraid of water, you need to protect it from external influences very reliably.

For external insulation, more rigid plates are suitable than for internal insulation, and the material with a density of 200 kg / m3 is optimal. It is imperative to provide a layer of waterproofing, otherwise, after the first precipitation, the mineral wool will crumple and lose most of its thermal insulation properties. Despite some drawbacks and the fact that stone wool is more expensive than foam, this type of insulation remains the most popular when it comes to garage exterior insulation.

No. 4. glass wool

Glass wool, as mentioned above, is a type of stone wool, but still it is better to dwell on this type of insulation separately. His main advantage- the price, because it costs an order of magnitude cheaper than stone wool, and it is easy to transport this material, because it is vibration-resistant, and after delivery it will take on its original form, even if it was tightly twisted into a roll. According to some properties, this insulation is not inferior to stone wool, having good thermal insulation performance, and many experts in terms of insulation efficiency do not see the difference between these materials, and therefore they choose a cheaper option.

Trying to save money, you need to be aware that you need to work with such material very carefully. Yes, the installation of glass wool is almost the same as the process of insulating a garage with stone wool, because the construction of a frame will also be required. But at the same time, you will have to work extremely carefully, covering the body, eyes, face, hands and any other open areas. The structure of glass wool is such that it includes many small needle-like particles that easily pierce the skin, respiratory tract and eyes. If, however, all safety measures are observed, then, in principle, glass wool can be called a good competitor to basalt wool. Naturally, a layer of such thermal insulation must be reliably covered with other materials that will protect the cotton wool itself from moisture ingress, and the person from the negative effects of cotton wool.

No. 5. Warm plasters and paints

Warm plasters and paints are relatively new thermal insulation materials that are best used in combination with other heaters. They are also able to protect the garage from the effects of snow and rain, and in some cases can even be used as an independent insulation.

warm paint Outwardly, it is no different from ordinary paint. By the way, it can also be used as a final finishing layer when insulating the garage with polystyrene foam or mineral wool. 1 cm of a layer of warm paint is equal in terms of thermal insulation to 5 cm of mineral wool, and this is a very good indicator. Such a coating does not allow heat to escape from the garage, not only preventing it, but also reflecting infrared rays back into the room, and it is on this property that such a remarkably low coefficient of thermal conductivity is based.

Warm paint “sticks” well to any surfaces, and it can be applied in any convenient way, for example, with a brush, roller or sprayer, so it can be used to reliably insulate the most difficult and hard-to-reach places, and do all the work yourself, according to the instructions. Such paint protects metal surfaces from corrosion, it is not afraid of moisture, has a small weight, perfectly resists the sun's rays - all those properties that are put forward to the external insulation. Moreover, it is an environmentally friendly and completely safe coating that does not burn, and when exposed to critically high temperatures, it can begin to smolder and unfold. The only disadvantage of this option of insulation is that warm paint is not very cheap, but it will take a lot of it.

Warm plaster in composition and method of application, it resembles the usual one, only here some components are replaced with similar ones, but with better thermal insulation performance. The most commonly used plaster with vermiculite filler, you can also find a similar insulation based on sawdust, polystyrene foam, expanded clay chips, etc. on sale. This type of insulation can be applied to any surface, so the plaster is suitable for both stone and metal garages. A nice bonus is that the surface does not need to be treated in any special way before application. Warm plaster has a good indicator of thermal insulation, is not afraid of moisture and sunlight, does not burn, and mold does not develop in it. All this makes it a fairly good option for external insulation, but it can be used as an independent heat insulator only in some cases. To achieve optimal thermal insulation performance in regions with severe winters, you need to apply a decent layer of plaster, so it is better to combine it with another insulation (mineral wool or polystyrene foam), because a layer thicker than 5 cm will crack and fall off over time.

15.06.2018

The garage protects the car from direct exposure to rain and snow. But this is not the only thing that affects the state of its mechanisms. Temperature fluctuations lead to condensation. And he, in turn, becomes the cause of rust, fungi and mold, accumulates in body cavities, damages the engine. Therefore, the task of the car owner is to reduce his education to a minimum.

Warm or insulate?

When the temperature in the garage is below zero, the condensate freezes. And when the engine warms up, it starts to melt. Freeze-thaw cycles do not benefit either the metal or the internal mechanisms.

But heating the room is not the best solution. Departing from warm garage in the cold, we create a situation of a sharp temperature drop. And when returning back to the heated space, we get the formation of condensate even on those parts where moisture does not get when the car is moving.

Experts claim that Better conditions for winter storage, cars are created when the thermometer shows + 5 ° С. The danger of corrosion under such conditions is minimal, and the temperature difference between the street and the room does not have such a detrimental effect on the car.

Accordingly, choosing between connecting to the heating system and insulating the garage with your own hands, it is wiser to stop at the second option. Moreover, it will help save on monthly energy bills.

Basic requirements for garage insulation

When insulating a place to store a car, it is worth remembering a number of key points.

• You can not close up the ventilation holes - any heat-insulated building also needs ventilation, as well as a heated one.
• Thermal protection should affect not only walls, but also garage doors, floors, roofs.
• If there is a desire to do everything according to the rules, it would be useful to study the sixth section of SNiP 2.07.01–89. It regulates the requirements for the premises where vehicles are stored. Of course, when it comes to a personal garage, it is not necessary to comply with them. However, standards can help address a number of issues.
• For door insulation, in most cases, internal thermal protection is mounted.

How to insulate: inside or outside

The most desirable type of insulation is external. It protects the walls from freezing and allows them to accumulate heat.

Nevertheless, sometimes they resort to warming the garage from the inside. For example, when there is no indent between the garage boxes or their walls are adjacent.

Overview of the materials market: choosing the best

The first thing to consider when choosing a heat insulator is the type of insulation you have chosen. For example, moisture-permeable materials, when wet, change their properties. Therefore, they are not a good option for external thermal protection. And for internal thermal insulation, heaters that emit harmful substances in summer heat or domestic heating.

The modern market offers several types of garage insulation materials. Consider the main properties and characteristics of the most popular of them.

Mineral wool

Produced in the form of plates and rolls. It retains heat well and has soundproofing properties. But at the same time it easily absorbs moisture - high humidity is the main enemy of wadded heaters. And when wet, it completely loses its ability to isolate heat. Therefore, its use requires high-quality hydro- and vapor barrier. It is almost impossible to dry this insulation, it becomes brittle and easily damaged. And when wet during installation, glass wool clumps and becomes unsuitable for further use (cavities appear inside it).

Considering that the outer insulation cake can be damaged or depressurized, it is risky to use this material. In general, for vertical mounting of mineral wool - not the best choice. It has considerable weight and consists of fibers. Under their own weight, over the years, they can sag, and voids will form between them - the so-called cold bridges.

This heat insulator has two advantages: low price and the same low thermal conductivity. But that's all. Then only the disadvantages begin. Once in the lungs, glass particles are no longer excreted from the body. On the skin, they leave itching and irritation. During their installation, a protective suit, a respirator and a mask are required, and after completion of work, a thorough cleaning of the premises. Then a day or two will have to wait until the glass dust settles, not visible to the eye.

If during operation at least partial damage to the protective layer of films or foil material has occurred, you will again need to rent overalls and, after the repair is completed, resort to cleaning.

And finally, the material shrinks and does not differ in durability. Therefore, it does not matter which type of insulation you prefer: internal or external, it is better not to dwell on this option.

Styrofoam

This material is very popular due to its low cost and ease of installation. It retains heat well and lasts for decades. It can be mounted independently, without having at hand any special tools or special building skills. But you still cannot call it an ideal solution. Although not as significant as mineral wool, it absorbs moisture. Very easily damaged and crumbled. Its granules have a low adhesive strength, so over the years they can fly out even with accidental pressure on the material.

But the main thing is not even that. There is a huge amount of uncertified foam on the market due to the high demand for it. Finding a high-quality and safe product for health is not an easy task. And the one that was produced in violation of technology, with an increase in temperature and exposure to sunlight, begins to release toxic substances. Given that the garage is a closed space, this is fraught with serious health problems for the car owner.

PENOPLEX (extruded polystyrene foam)

Perhaps, for warming the garage from the inside with your own hands is the best option. It is affordable, it is even easier to install than polystyrene - the joints do not need to be sealed with foam, because they have L-shaped grooves. It is easy to cut and can be glued directly to the wall.

But the most important, of course, is its ability to thermal insulation - one of the best among modern materials. And it remains the same in all situations. PENOPLEX does not get wet (moisture absorption coefficient is less than 0.4% in 28 days), is not afraid of defrosting-freezing cycles and lasts more than 50 years.

It is resistant to compression, does not shrink, absorbs noise, does not rot, insects do not start in it, and to top it all off, it is a homogeneous mass of polymer without separate granules. This provides him with high strength even after many years after the work carried out.

Summarizing all of the above, we conclude that this material is ideal for both external and internal insulation.

Reflective thermal insulation

It is a foil material, which in itself has rather modest heat-insulating characteristics and a small thickness. It reflects infrared radiation well, which means that it makes sense to use it only for heated rooms. If there is no heat source, there will be little benefit from it. Therefore, as a rule, it is used only as an additional means of thermal protection when using other materials. For example, PENOPLEX.

How to insulate a garage from the outside - step by step instructions

For outdoor work, it is most convenient to use rigid plates. The cheapest option is foam. PENOPLEX is more expensive, but much more effective in terms of moisture resistance, thermal protection, service life and strength. Therefore, we will consider the installation procedure for this particular material. However, it almost does not differ from foam insulation technology.

We will need:

• glue (best of all branded PENOPLEX, since its composition is specially adapted for this insulation and does not destroy it);
• spatula for applying glue or a special gun;
• painting knife or electric jigsaw for cutting sheets;
• fastening disc elements (4 pieces for each plate).

Step 1. Preparing the walls.

We clean them from old paint, dirt, dust, cobwebs and other things. You can walk with a primer so that the glue grabs better. But this is an optional moment.

Step 2 Attach the bottom bar.

It is typical for plates to start installation from the ground. We fix the starting profile on the dowels and proceed to laying the material in a checkerboard pattern.

Step 3 Heater fixture.

This is a simple matter: we apply glue in strips on the plate and apply it to the wall. We connect the L-shaped grooves to each other, due to this, a snug fit of the material without gaps is ensured. When the glue dries, for greater reliability, we fix the sheet with dish-shaped dowels.

Step 4 Final works.

To protect PENOPLEX from ultraviolet radiation and make the facade more aesthetic, we plaster the walls or cover them with siding, DSP, and other materials.

Technology: how to insulate a garage from the inside with your own hands

As we see, with external insulation even an unprepared person can handle it. However, internal work is also not particularly difficult.

Floor insulation

It can be done in different ways. One of the simplest and most time-consuming options is PENOPLEX insulation under the screed. To do this, the floor will need to be slightly raised. This will reduce the height of the room, but you won’t have to dig a pit - you can mount a heat insulator on an existing floor. The order of work is simple.

1. We clean the surface, make a cement-sand screed (DSP) or level the coating using building mixtures. It is important that the differences do not exceed 5 mm.

2. At the next stage, we lay PENOPLEX FOUNDATION® directly on the floor without the use of glue and dowels. You can put insulating material in one or more layers.

3. In order to distribute the forthcoming point loads, it is necessary to fill with concrete mortar or self-levelling mixture 40 mm thick. At the same time, the insulation is insulated with a film, and its seams are securely fastened with adhesive tape. Between the wall and the screed, 1–2 cm of empty space is left to take into account thermal expansion and further make sound insulation by filling it with foamed polyethylene.

4. A finishing floor is laid at the finish.

Thermal insulation of the ceiling when insulating the garage from the inside

The order of work is approximately the same as with the walls. We glue the PENOPLEX® COMFORT sheets, fix them with dowels, supplement them with a vapor barrier film, a crate, cover them with a finishing material, and the thermal protection is ready.

Warming the walls of the garage from the inside with your own hands

It can be carried out according to the same principle as for external walls, only using a vapor barrier film that is laid on top of the heat insulator.

Gate protection

Many are faced with the problem of seasonal “walking” of the pillars (the base of the gate), which is why they do not close. The best solution– when installing the gate, protect its base (pillars) from freezing. If you have already installed ordinary iron gates, then they must also be thermally insulated from the inside. If it is possible to attach the sheets to the dowels to the material from which the gate is made, it is worth doing it. If not, the usual glue method will do. Already glued insulation is covered first with a vapor barrier film, then outer skin. To enhance thermal protection, foil polyethylene can be used.

In this way, right choice thermal insulation material makes the insulation of the garage a fairly simple process, which everyone can do.

concrete garage

Garage insulation is a measure to protect the car. Due to day and night temperature fluctuations in the room, condensate will begin to accumulate, which is harmful to the metal and will spoil the car. Do-it-yourself garage insulation is easy to make. Next, consider how to insulate a concrete garage with your own hands.

Features of insulation of a concrete garage

Too low garage temperatures are bad, but too high are no better. When insulating a room, it is important not to overdo it. Sometimes, in pursuit of saving heat, garage owners insulate all the cracks, forgetting that there should be ventilation in any room. Otherwise, moisture will accumulate, form condensation, and a musty smell will appear. An air vent should be provided in the concrete garage. The most acceptable temperature for keeping a car is + 5 degrees. You can insulate the garage both from the inside and outside.

Internal insulation has a number of disadvantages:

1. Heaters, even the highest quality, emit small amounts of toxic substances.
2. There is always a risk that the walls of the garage will freeze in the winter.
3. When interior decoration, a layer of insulation reduces space.

External insulation of a concrete structure is preferable, it will reliably protect the room from freezing, but it also has a number of “minuses”. First of all, these are significant costs for building materials.

Important! Outdoor arrangement is a rather laborious process. In addition to insulation, you will have to do the finishing to make the building look attractive.

But still, each method of warming has its advantages. Once you have made such a finish, you can provide optimal conditions in the garage for many years. You can also mount double insulation, the main thing is to choose quality materials and carry out construction work.

How to choose the right material?

Before insulating a concrete garage, you need to take care of the materials for this purpose. Each of the heaters has its own characteristics. Therefore, when purchasing products, you should focus on their properties and performance.

For thermal insulation of a concrete garage, you can choose one of the most popular materials:

1. Styrofoam. Versatile and loved by many material. With its installation when insulating the garage, no difficulties will arise. Styrofoam is very light, effortlessly cut into segments. This is an affordable insulating material that is not afraid of moisture, it is not subject to decay. Its variety - expanded polystyrene has a long service life - up to 40 years, does not let steam or moisture through. The disadvantage of polystyrene is its poor stability when exposed to sunlight, without coating, it will quickly turn yellow and begin to crumble. This material does not allow air to pass through, “does not breathe”, some varieties are quite combustible. They should not be purchased for warming the garage.
2. Mineral wool. If this material will be used for external thermal insulation, then it is necessary to choose a hard type of cotton wool with a density of 200-240 kg per cubic meter. If you plan to finish the interior of the garage, then you should buy a soft variety of mineral wool with a density of 120-180 kg per cubic meter. High rates of thermal insulation and at the same time sound insulation are the distinctive features of the basalt variety of mineral wool. Before insulating a cinder block garage with this material, it is important to take care of the vapor barrier, otherwise the substance will begin to absorb moisture and lose its properties.
3. Glass wool. Warming with this material will cost less than mineral wool. But glass wool has rather tough and prickly fibers, so you need to work with it carefully and wear protective gloves so as not to get hurt. Glass wool is even more afraid of water. If the material gets wet, then it is unlikely to dry it. Wet crumpled glass wool is not able to retain heat, and besides, it has a strong unpleasant odor.
4. reflective materials. One of the most modern and best options for interior work. Unlike other insulating coatings, shielding sheets have a minimum thickness: only 2-5 mm, so such insulation will not affect the volume of the garage in any way. Reflective thermal insulation is produced in the form of rolls, it is soft, easy to install. It is a layer of foil with foamed polyurethane foam. In addition, when using such thermal insulation, the lining of the room is automatically obtained.
5. Thermal insulation plaster. This is a finishing material that contains a filler to enhance its properties. More often it is granulated polystyrene foam, vermiculite, sawdust. The disadvantage of such insulation is that in order to significantly protect the garage, it is necessary to make a rather impressive layer of plaster, its consumption will be large. It is best to combine "warm" plaster with other methods of garage insulation or use it for finishing work. It can also be used to warm the room from the inside.
6. Heat insulating paints. This method of warming has its advantages. The paint layer is very thin: each 1 mm corresponds to 50 mm of mineral wool. Plus it's a nice cover. It is easy to apply paint, it covers any material well. Paint and varnish insulating coatings are made on the basis of acrylic polymers, dyes and synthetic rubber. Such materials are usually non-combustible and resistant to fungus.

How to make insulation with your own hands?

Arrangement of the garage

To maximize the insulation of the garage, you need to take care of the insulation of not only the walls, but also the floor, roof and gate. You have to start with the walls.

External thermal insulation of garage walls

The simplest and most common option for insulating a concrete garage from the outside is the use of foam. This is an inexpensive material, you can finish it yourself, you do not need special skills to work.

Main steps:

1. Wall preparation. They must be cleaned of dirt, dust, and chips and cracks - plastered.
2. Installation of foam. It is better to choose sheets with a thickness of 5 cm and a strength of 25 units. The fixative solution can be applied in separate "points", but such an economical option without experience is a bit difficult to perform. In this case, foam sheets must be pressed very tightly against the wall. Therefore, it is more reliable to apply the composition over the entire surface with a spatula with teeth. Insulate walls from bottom to top. For greater reliability, the sheets are additionally fixed with dowels, but after the binder solution has dried.
3. Final wall decoration. Styrofoam is a good and inexpensive insulation, but it needs additional protection from external factors. It is better to use plaster for these purposes, strengthening it with a fiberglass mesh. The foam is covered with a layer of glue up to 5 mm thick. The mesh cut into strips is pressed into the glue, always overlapping. After that, you can apply facade plaster. The final coating may be painting in several layers. It is also possible to use sheets of drywall for finishing work (special moisture resistant), but for their fastening it will be necessary to build a frame.

Internal thermal insulation of garage walls

For such work, you must first mount the frame from metal profile on which the insulating layer will be attached. If mineral wool acts as a heater, then first a layer of waterproofing film is fixed so that the wool does not absorb moisture. It is overlapped, but not pulled, so that there are no gaps. After laying the filler, a layer for vapor barrier is performed. Then spend Finishing work with drywall and plaster.

Advice! A good option insulation from the inside is the application of foamed polyurethane. True, this requires special equipment. Foam is applied to the walls, it just hardens.

Roof insulation

To insulate the roof of the garage, you first need to build a frame from a metal profile. Attach it to concrete slab metal corners and self-tapping screws. The foam sheets are first fixed to the frame with adhesive tape, and then securely pressed with sheets of the finishing inner lining. It makes no sense to install a special layer of insulation from steam and moisture, since the foam does not let them through. If, for the insulation of the roof, the choice fell on mineral wool, then the first from the ceiling is a layer of waterproofing, then mineral wool or other fibrous filler, and then a vapor barrier layer.

Gate insulation

If you do not take care of the thermal insulation of this part of the garage, then heat loss cannot be avoided. After all, the gates occupy a significant area of ​​the building. The simplest option for insulation is the arrangement of "curtains" made of plastic. A transparent film with a thickness of 8-10 mm is suitable for these purposes. It is easy to cut it into strips 20-30 cm wide and fix it with a stapler on a wooden rail-cornice. Gate leaves are often insulated from the inside, as it is technically easier. All the same foam will do. First you need to complete the crate of the gate, and then mount the foam.

Floor insulation

Concrete flooring is good because it is very strong and durable, does not allow moisture to pass through. But it also has disadvantages: it is prone to the formation of dust, since it is erased during active use. Insulation of the concrete floor in the garage is also necessary. The only exception: if there is a cellar under the garage. In the case when the floor is with a soil base in the room, then the easiest way.

To do this, you will need to perform the following steps:

• remove part of the soil to the estimated depth of insulation;
• the earth is carefully tamped;
• send out a layer of insulating material, for example, roofing material;
• fall asleep "pillow" of expanded clay by about 30 cm;
• concrete floor;
• apply a layer of protective coating, such as paint, so that there is no dust.

A more expensive and more complex option is a floor heating system. But warming a concrete floor in a garage in a similar way is considered by many to be inappropriate.