Experts recommend insulation of the first floor in all houses – regardless of the purpose (residential/non-residential), the building material from which they are built, or the architectural features of the building. This issue is especially relevant for private houses built on a pile or columnar foundation with a cold basement. For thermal insulation to have an effect, you need to choose the proper insulating material, correctly calculate its thickness, and install it in compliance with technology.
10% of the heat from the total heat loss of the building escapes through the floors. Poor thermal insulation of building structures causes cold in the house and entails unpleasant consequences for residents:
- dampness appears on the walls;
- the cost of paying monthly heating bills increases;
- There are drafts in the rooms, and there is a “cold draft” from under the floor;
- mold blooms on the walls and in the corners;
- Regular colds occur in adults and children.
- To avoid such troubles, insulate the floors well. It is better to do this at the initial stage of construction or when renovating the building. You can even carry out insulation with foam plastic yourself. Lightweight polystyrene foam is process and laid effortlessly, gives an excellent thermal insulation effect, and is inexpensive. There are several technologies for insulating the floor on the first floor with polystyrene foam – every homeowner can choose a practical option.
First-floor insulation technologies
The choice of a specific technology for insulating floors on the first floor should take into account the following factors:
- Stage of work – construction of a new house or renovation of an old one;
- Features of the building structures of the house – type of foundation, presence of screed, whether there are logs;
- What effect does the customer want to achieve – lay a thermal separation layer between the cold underground and the warm interior or install a heated floor covering “warm floors.”
- The choice of technology is also influence by the needs and budget of its owner.
Floor insulation with foam plastic along joists
Place the foam heat insulator between the wooden beams if the finish floor is lay on joists. Several rules are also followed:
- Before installing expanded polystyrene, a vapor barrier is placed on the base and joists. This is necessary to separate materials with different coefficients of vapor permeability. Wooden structures are pre-wrap with a vapor barrier film to prevent excess moisture from being absorbed.
- Wooden joists must ventilate from below. Make Ventilations in the foundation to dry the structure.
- Seal the joints between the joists and the foam sheets with polyurethane foam.
- The sufficient foam thickness for laying on the floor is 100 mm; the density can be low (15–25 kg/cubic m), but choosing a denser material – PPT-35 is better.
- Place the foam tightly between the joists, and the seams are foam to create an airtight layer, giving the effect of a “thermos.”
Floor insulation with foam plastic under the screed
Before pouring the screed, damper tape is glue around the perimeter of the walls. Then, the surface is cover with high-density polystyrene foam PPT-35, and the joints between the sheets are fill with polyurethane foam. A waterproofing layer is install on top – this is necessary so that moisture from the solution does not go down. To do this, roll out the waterproofing film with an overlap of one strip over the other by 10 cm and glue the joints with tape. Before applying the concrete solution, the surface is reinforce with metal mesh. Underfloor heating systems are install at the same stage, which are attach to the mesh. After this, a cement mortar 5–10 cm thick is apply and evenly distribute.
Insulation with foam chips
Using expanded polystyrene crumbs for floor insulation is possible in two ways – bulk and pouring lightweight concrete. In the first case, poured the crumbs into the spaces between the joists; in the second, make a polystyrene concrete mixture from it, which is use to fill the screed. Mixture composition: M500 cement, sand, foam chips, and water in proportions 1:2:5:1. A lightweight polystyrene-cement screed simultaneously functions as insulation, lightens the building structure without placing excessive load on the base and reduces cement consumption. Cheap, low-density foam is suitable for adding to concrete.
Also Read: Whole House Remodeling: Transforming Your Delaware Home
Insulation with liquid foam plastic
Liquid polystyrene foam (pencil) insulates the floor between the joists. It is produce in cylinders and sprayed under pressure. The surface is first waterproof – the base is cover with a film, the joints of which are seal. The film must be laid on top of wooden logs to prevent contact of non-vapor-permeable foam insulation with vapor-permeable wood. Penoizol is also convenient to pour into the voids of building structures: penoizol flows into cracks inaccessible for thermal insulation by other methods, hardens there, and forms a monolithic insulating layer.
Many companies provide insulation services to homes in Sydney. You can choose according to your need, considering factors like reliability, company rating, customer reviews, service offerings, pricing, and experience.
Tools and materials
The insulation material is select, taking into account its density. The most dense foam plastic suits the screed – 35 kg / cubic meter. m. Between the logs, you can lay material of lower density (15–25 kg/cubic m) in several layers. The denser the polystyrene foam, the higher its thermal insulation properties.
A specific technology selects Tools for work. A basic set of construction tools is considered typical:
- devices for measuring and marking – tape measure, marker;
- hacksaw or knife for cutting foam;
- tape for gluing joints of the waterproofing film;
- Polyurethane foam fills seams, glues sheets to the base, and seals structures.
- When pouring the screed, mix the concrete solution with a concrete mixer or containers. Spray foam chips using garden vacuum cleaners or special spraying units. When spraying liquid foam in cans, you need a respirator to protect your respiratory system.
Insulating the first floor with polystyrene foam is one of the most straightforward solutions. You can thermally insulate a room with your hands in a minimum of time, spending a small amount of money on it. You can buy suitably expanded polystyrene from our company, TM-StroyPlast – we produce the product ourselves and sell it at low prices without intermediary markups.
