Insulation of the floor in the bath. Do-it-yourself steam room insulation We insulate the ceiling step by step instructions

In every Russian bath (and not only Russian), the steam room is considered the main room. Modern large buildings have an additional washing room, a rest room, a separate dressing room, during the construction of these premises it is also necessary to pay great attention to their comfort, but still the steam room always comes first. In addition, the operating conditions of the steam room are the most severe in terms of building materials, this must be taken into account when choosing methods and methods of insulation.

The article considers several options for insulation, let's talk about the criteria for choosing materials and their physical characteristics. Professional builders will share their knowledge and practical experience in the production of works. First you need to give brief description thermal insulation materials, based on this knowledge, you can make informed decisions when choosing a method for thermal insulation of the steam room.

For warming the steam room, you can use various materials, from the most modern mineral wool and to traditional, but ineffective straw or expanded clay insulation. Comparisons are given in the table various heaters and building materials for thermal conductivity based on the recommendations of SNiP 23-02-2003. Calculations are made for the Moscow region.

SET OF RULES. THERMAL PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS. SP 50.13330.2012. Download file

Specifically for pairs, the thickness of the insulation is not regulated, we recommend using these data as the minimum values. You can increase the thickness of the insulation, but you should not reduce it.

As can be seen from the table, expanded polystyrene and mineral wool are confidently leading in terms of heat saving qualities; these materials are most often used for thermal insulation of baths. What can be said about these heaters?

It has one rather unpleasant property - it releases unsafe substances into the air. Advantages - the cost of the material is much lower than that of mineral wool. In addition, he is not afraid of moisture, which greatly reduces the cost and simplifies the waterproofing of the insulation, and for baths this is a very important issue.

What do practitioners advise on the use of expanded polystyrene? It can also be used for interior spaces, an insignificant time spent in the steam room practically cannot affect well-being in any way. In addition, there are modern brands that are approved by the sanitary authorities for indoor use. Of these, by the way, various decorative elements for interior decoration are made: ceiling plinths, baguettes, art products, etc. True, the cost of such safe polystyrene foam is much higher.

In the case of a bath, the use of expanded polystyrene has another problem - rodents “love” it very much. In just one year, the plates can turn into separate balls, the insulation efficiency will decrease significantly. This should also be kept in mind when choosing a heater.

The material can be used to insulate walls and ceilings, and expanded polystyrene with increased physical strength is also used during the arrangement of warm floors with ceramic tiles.

Styrofoam prices

polystyrene foam

Mineral wool

In terms of heat-saving indicators, it almost does not differ from polystyrene foam. There are two disadvantages - high price and extremely high sensitivity to increasing relative humidity. Wet cotton wool worsens the initial characteristics by an order of magnitude and becomes the cause of rotting of all wooden structures.

Mineral wool - photos and characteristics

During the warming of the steam room, it is necessary to carefully and carefully carry out construction measures for steam and hydro protection, this is quite expensive and time consuming. During the construction of the bath, mineral wool is used to insulate all surfaces of the steam room, except for the floor.

Mineral wool prices

mineral wool

In terms of efficiency, it is significantly inferior to the above materials, but it has two advantages: low cost and high versatility of use. It can be used as an embankment on the ceiling, and as an additive to concrete for flooring bases.

Bulk insulation also includes loose polystyrene foam. It can also be added to concrete, such a material is somewhat inferior in terms of heat saving characteristics to foam concrete, but surpasses it in strength. In the bath, these materials can be used to insulate ceilings or make warm floors.

Expanded clay prices

expanded clay

Ecowool

Enough new material, universal application. The price quite suits consumers, the application technology is not difficult. It is made from recycled cellulose (waste paper) with the addition of antiseptics and flame retardants. Diluted with water before mechanical application, any surface can be insulated. The use of ecowool is sometimes the only possible way insulation of complex profile surfaces, the technology of use allows additional processing of sheathed surfaces without their dismantling.

Ecowool - packaging

In terms of heat-conducting characteristics, ecowool is not inferior to mineral wool, is not afraid of high humidity, is slightly combustible, and is not damaged by rodents.

Suitable for insulation of ceilings in bulk without dilution with water. Disadvantage - after application of wet material mechanized way wooden structures must dry well, and this is quite difficult for all bath rooms.

traditional materials

This refers to the use of straw and sawdust for insulation of ceilings. The materials are mixed with clay, diluted to the consistency of thick sour cream. You can only insulate the ceilings of the steam room. Advantages - the lowest price. Disadvantages - unsatisfactory indicators of heat saving, a large amount of heavy manual work. Today, such heaters are used extremely rarely.

In that summary insulation materials we tried to give objective characteristics, not to point out only the positive aspects, but also not to forget about the shortcomings. And each of them has them. We hope that this will help you make informed decisions when choosing technology and materials for insulating your bath, taking into account the maximum number of individual factors.

How to insulate a steam room

Effective steam room insulation is a complex complex construction works. How to start warming a steam room? Most will answer without a hitch: of course, from the walls, ceiling and floor. But this is not at all the case, these measures should be carried out already at the second stage of warming, and you need to start from a completely different point. Why?

Windows and doors

If there is a large window in the steam room, and even with single glass, then heat losses largely level out all work on the insulation of walls and ceilings. In the steam room, the window should be at least single-chamber (ideally two-chamber) and small size. Professional builders advise making a steam room without a window at all. Heat loss through a large window can be over 20%.

Small window in the steam room - photo

Slots in the doors are the second reason for significant losses; be sure to nail rubber seals around the perimeter. Doors must be wooden, dense, the thickness of the boards is not less than 35 mm.

Another very important factor to pay attention to is ventilation. No matter how you insulate the steam room, the effect will be minimal if the air exchange rate in the room is too high. Ventilation is needed, no one argues, but it should only be made adjustable. You should always be able to close it completely or increase the air change rate as needed.

Having solved these questions, start thinking about the methods and materials for insulating the floor, walls and ceiling of the steam room.

Now, in turn, consider the methods of warming the steam room.

Steam room floor insulation

Wooden floors do not require insulation. Even with a very strong desire, heaters will do much more harm than good. It is worth warming the floors from ceramic tiles. How it's done?

Step 1. Prepare the base. The ground under the steam room needs to be leveled, a sand cushion about ten centimeters thick should be poured on top.

Important. Before starting work, beat off the zero mark. Construction zero is the level of location of the finishing flooring. Knowing this point, you can calculate the thickness of the pillow and the concrete base.

Step 2 Tamp down the sand cushion, install plastic pipes to drain water, lay a layer of waterproofing. For these purposes, you can use roofing material or ordinary plastic wrap. Waterproofing will reduce the relative humidity of concrete, which increases its heat-saving performance.

waterproofing prices

waterproofing

Step 3 Prepare concrete. We strongly recommend using foam concrete for the base or adding expanded clay or loose foam plastic to the cement-sand mixture. To prepare a solution for one part of cement, add two parts of sand and three parts of expanded clay.

Step 4 Install beacons. Water drainage can be done in the middle or in the corner of the steam room. We do not recommend the first option - it is rather difficult to perform a screed with a slope towards the center. It is enough to have a slope within 2÷3 mm on running meter premises. Make a slope towards the location of the shelf or doors. Take a specific decision, taking into account the location of the bath and the possibility of withdrawing water beyond its perimeter.

Step 5 If there is a desire and opportunity, then it is possible to concrete the wires for electric floor heating. No desire - wait a few days until the screed dries, and start laying ceramic tiles.

The cost of an insulated ceramic floor in a steam room is much higher than a wooden one. Regarding the comfort water procedures, there is no significant difference. The only advantage is that the life of floors under ceramic tiles is much longer than wood floors.

Steam room wall insulation

It can be made with pressed or rolled mineral wool, polystyrene foam or ecowool. It is quite difficult to give unambiguous advice, there are too many different factors. Most often, mineral wool is used for these purposes, in order to facilitate the waterproofing process, it is better to immediately purchase foil. True, it costs more than usual. But, if we take into account the additional costs of waterproofing, including the loss of time, then the money invested pays off.

As for the thickness of the thermal insulation. Comparison of the data available in the tables gives nothing to many developers. We recommend using two criteria: the climatic zone of residence and the time of using the steam room. If the bath is located in areas with very low temperatures, then the thickness of the wool should be at least 10 cm. For a milder climate, it is enough to insulate with wool 5 cm thick.

If the steam room will be used for a short period of time, then the heat will be retained by a thinner layer of insulation. When people are in the steam room for several hours, then put a heater at least 10 cm thick. But this general recommendations, select the specific values ​​yourself.

Consider the algorithm for performing work on wall insulation with rolled foil mineral wool 10 cm thick.

Step 1. Check the walls of the room, mark the installation of vertical mounting rails. The width of the laths should be equal to the thickness of the mineral wool. Nail the two extreme rails, check their verticality with a level. If necessary, use various linings under the rails to give them a vertical position.

Council of professionals. If the thickness of the mineral wool should be 10 cm, then difficulties arise with the fastening of rails of such dimensions. We advise you to use metal corners, with their help you can not only quickly fix the supporting frame, but also adjust the vertical position. In addition, narrow material can be used. For one rail, 3 ÷ 4 corners are enough.

Allowed wooden slats replace with metal ones made of galvanized sheet steel, but they will cost much more.

Metal crate - mounting option for suspensions

Step 2 Pull the ropes between the extreme slats and pin the remaining slats along them. Constantly check their position. The distance between them should be 1÷2 cm less than the width of the roll or sheets of pressed mineral wool. Do the same work around the entire perimeter of the steam room.

Step 3 Prepare the lining, bring it into the room and let it stand for several days. For a steam room, we strongly recommend using European profile lining.

1. Firstly, it has increased the dimensions of the spike / groove, which eliminates the appearance of cracks during the swelling / drying of the material.
2. Secondly, the rear plane of the eurolining has a recess - the drying conditions are much improved.

You can nail the lining both into the groove and into the front plane. The first method is more beautiful, but requires some skill, the second method is simpler, but the hardware caps will be visible. It is better to use galvanized or copper nails.

Step 4 Start laying the insulation between the slats, make sure that there are no gaps and gaps. Mineral wool is fixed with special hardware with large caps. If you don’t have them, make your own hats from sheet steel.

Council of professionals. We recommend using foil-clad mineral wool for insulation. It costs more than usual, but this difference pays off. There is no need to buy additional materials for waterproofing and the terms of work are significantly reduced.

Step 5 Seal the seams between the joints. To do this, you can use special self-adhesive aluminum foil or ordinary tape. What material you choose - there is no difference. The main thing is to completely exclude the possibility of penetration of moist air into the thickness of mineral wool.

Step 6 Fasten the rails for fastening the lining, the thickness of the rails is approximately two centimeters. Due to these rails, it will be possible to naturally ventilate the skin. Leave gaps of 1÷2 cm between the floor and ceiling for ventilation. The gaps will then be closed with a ceiling and floor plinth and become invisible.

Crate for lining

If all the requirements of the insulation technology are met, then the thermal insulation of the walls will be effective and durable.

Steam room ceiling insulation

Ceilings can be insulated with foam, mineral wool, ecowool, expanded clay or straw with clay. The best option is mineral wool. The algorithm for insulating ceilings with mineral wool is no different from the work on arranging walls, it makes no sense to repeat. Let's talk about another method using expanded clay. Insulation is carried out after the finishing sheathing of the steam room ceiling. The thickness of expanded clay is not less than twenty centimeters.

Important. Expanded clay has hygroscopicity, during saturation with moisture it can increase its weight several times. This has a very negative effect on the bearing surfaces, there are cases of deformation of the ceiling sheathing. To avoid such an unpleasant phenomenon, carefully make hydro- and vapor barrier.

Step 1. Lay vapor barrier material on the ceiling. For these purposes, you can use both ordinary cheap polyethylene film and expensive modern non-woven materials.

Step 2 Gently evenly pour a layer of expanded clay on the film with a thickness of at least 20 cm. Cover with a film on top.

It is necessary to say a few words about how expanded clay works. Among its shortcomings, none of the manufacturers mentions one rather significant one. Air passes through it almost without resistance, the large diameters of individual balls create significant free spaces between them. Since the air passes almost freely, the heat loss due to convection increases significantly and, accordingly, the effectiveness of thermal insulation deteriorates. After covering the expanded clay from above, efficiency improves - warm air does not have the opportunity to leave the insulator.

It's good that the expanded clay is covered, the ceilings retain heat better, but another danger appears. The material can absorb a large amount of moisture, wet insulation not only worsens the initial thermal conductivity, but also becomes much heavier. And this threatens to increase the burden on all structural elements ceiling, there are risks of their deformation or complete loss of stability. Experienced builders recommend at least once a year to open the top film for several days to ventilate and dry expanded clay.

Work on insulation with straw and sawdust is almost no different from those described with expanded clay. But there are a few additional downsides. The first - the weight of the insulation layer increases significantly. The second is liquid clay, it takes time and conditions for the water to dry. Third - the thickness of the ceiling boards must be at least 35 mm. Fourth - the low efficiency of this method of insulation.

It is very difficult to find premises in any buildings, building structures and materials in which would be operated in such difficult conditions: high humidity and temperature, direct contact with water, the presence of multidirectional splashes, large temperature differences in certain sections of the walls and ceiling. In this regard, we strongly recommend that during the production of work do not rush and do not try to skip some technological operations in order to save time and money.

This is a virtual savings, theoretical expectations to reduce the cost of construction in most cases cause very real losses. And reducing the comfort of taking water procedures is not the biggest nuisance.

Perform all insulation work in the complex, pay equal attention to ceilings, walls and floors. Do not forget that thermal insulation includes reducing losses through windows and doors, do it right and use ventilation. The choice of methods, materials and methods of thermal insulation of the steam room should be made consciously and taking into account both all the architectural features of the bath and the modes of use of the steam room.

Until now, about a dozen types of baths have been preserved, differing in the number of required rooms, the method of operation, and the main purpose. The most popular are Finnish and Russian.

According to the method of exposure to water and high temperatures baths are divided into:

• water (Japanese);
• cheese-air (Russian);
• dry air (Finnish).

Modern bath has become an entertainment facility, a kind of space for leisure or lovers of a broom and a steam room, which affected the structural and technological features its erection.

Traditional dressing rooms, washing rooms and steam rooms began to be supplemented by rest rooms, swimming pools, gyms and even billiard rooms.

We can do it ourselves, with our own hands

If we are not talking about an ambitious project, but about a simple rustic bath for suburban area or country house, then with today's opportunities in the construction market, it can be built with your own hands.

This process is time-consuming, but feasible, taking into account modern materials and technologies.

Suppose that you did just that, put up a detached log house according to a traditional project, of which there are so many “walks” on the Internet.

How to reliably protect this room from severe winter frosts middle lane if the cold spreads from the bottom up, from the frozen ground along the walls? There is only one answer - to insulate the floors. How to insulate the floor in the bath?

To choose best option insulation, you need to evaluate the type of bath floor:

• clay floors (not insulated);
• earthen floors (not insulated);
• wooden floors (leaking and non-leaking);
• concrete floors;
• warm water;
• and the principle of obtaining and maintaining heat in a Russian bath.

Features of the Russian bath

Progress has also touched the device modern traditional bath: stones for heating and steam are placed in the oven itself and heated by a hidden electric heater.

Pour over hot stones cold water, lovers of the steam room receive hot steam, which reaches 100 degrees in the upper part of the room, and stable 50 degrees below. This temperature must be maintained for the entire duration of the steam procedure.

How to insulate the wooden floor in the bath?

• Modern baths are placed on the foundation, which involves the construction of a rough and finishing floor.
• The finishing floor (leakproof) is made with a slope towards the drain;
• The finished floor (leaking), laid on logs with a gap of 3 cm near the walls, requires drying in the air - the convenience is doubtful.
• The groundwater level determines the type of vapor or water insulator used: if it is low, it can be a vapor barrier membrane; at high - glassine or roofing material.
• Waterproofing should, capturing the entire surface of the subfloor, protrude up the wall surface by 15 cm, overlap, fasten with adhesive tape or a stapler.
• The best insulation is polystyrene foam. It doesn't actually absorb moisture. Slabs of this material are laid between the floor joists so that a 2-centimeter ventilation gap is formed on top. Perlite or expanded clay can also be used as a heater.
• The next layer of waterproofing protects the insulation from water ingress.
• The finished floor is laid from well-fitted planed tongue-and-groove boards and impregnated with a special water-repellent and antiseptic impregnation.
• The edges of the waterproofing are cut off above the installed skirting boards.

In the following diagrams you will see other options for floor insulation.

And here is a video on how to insulate the floor in the baths with your own hands.

Insulation of the concrete floor in the bath

1. The draft floor is represented by a draft screed.
2. As a waterproofing agent, a thick polyethylene film with a 5 cm rise along the wall or a layer of bituminous coating is sufficient (the rolled material is fastened together when overlapping).
3. On top of the waterproofer, frames are made of wood, which are fastened with self-tapping screws on dowel plugs to a rough screed.
4. Styrofoam is placed in the frame structure, fixed with a solution.
5. The entire structure is reinforced with a reinforcing mesh and concreted with a thickness of 2 cm.
6. A self-leveling compound 5-8 cm thick completes the flooring. The needle roller removes air from the mixture.
7. Floor cladding can be wood or tile, with wooden lattice under your feet.

Time tested material

As many years of practical experience shows, in the competition of heat insulators expanded clay wins in many respects:

• expanded clay base - natural material, clay;
• in the process of firing, it acquires the structure of porous, but closed with a sintered crust, granules;
• it is fire resistant;
• its 15 cm layer is superior in thermal protection to 25 cm of wood, 60 cm of foam concrete, 1 m of brick;
• withstands loads up to 300 kg/sq. m;
• cheap.

Ability to absorb moisture, as a disadvantage, it is compensated by a special technology for laying the floor, which makes it moisture resistant even for a bath.

Sequence of work when warming the floor in the bath with expanded clay is the same as with other heaters:

• a thick layer of plastic film is spread on the rough screed with a call to the wall;
• beacons are set to the finish level;
• expanded clay (preferably a mixture of two fractions - gravel and sand, without splitting the granules) are filled in by the "jamming" method; (also, the expanded clay insulation method is used directly in bags, with pre-drilled holes);
• cement "milk" fastens the top layer of leveled expanded clay backfill;
• if necessary, lay a reinforcing mesh;
• on the surface of expanded clay, seized by cement, a screed of 3-4 cm is poured; (concrete will dry 28 days, polymer - 7);
• air bubbles are etched out with a special concrete roller.

Warm floor. His device

The invention of warm floors (liquid and air) is a merit of ancient civilizations. Nowadays, only some improvements are made due to technical progress (heating with electricity).

The essence of underfloor heating is that under the finishing coating there is a wiring for heat carried by water, air or a heating element. Such a floor is relevant for small rooms with a low bearing load.

1. A heat insulator is laid on the leveled surface of the subfloor (rough screed) - mineral wool mats, expanded polystyrene. To enhance the effect, aluminum foil is laid.
2. On the reinforcing mesh with a certain freedom fit ("snail" or "snake") pipes for heated water, no closer than 10 cm to the wall, when laying, the probability of deformation is taken into account.
3. Through the outlet manifold, the pipe system is connected to the heating system. The joints are fixed with a coupling and a winding.
4. A leak test is being carried out.
5. A rough screed is poured, and then a self-leveling one.
6. An absorbent layer is placed under the top coat.
7. Facial finish - tiles.

Floor insulation in the dressing room

Stability depends on the preservation of heat in this room. temperature regime soaps and steam rooms. The entrance to the dressing room in order to preserve heat is equipped with a vestibule. A well-thought-out arrangement of doors in the bathhouse will also work for this purpose. Small in size door frame, high threshold - essential conditions for heat saving.

dressing room does not interact with water to the same extent as the main premises of the bath, therefore, it does not require serious efforts to waterproof the subfloor.

It is enough to put between layers of glassine heat insulator layer, in the form of mineral wool, and close it all with a grooved board. As finish coat you can use laminate.

The main heat loss in the bath occurs through bearing walls and floor construction. But unlike the walls, the floor is constantly exposed to a large amount of moisture and waste water. When insulating the floor, these points should be taken into account. Otherwise, constant exposure to moisture can damage the insulation. How to edit to insulate the floor?

The need to insulate the floor of the bath

Floor insulation in the dressing room with extruded polystyrene foam

When heated, warm air rises, partially mixing with cold air masses penetrating through cracks and voids in the floor structure. Floor insulation avoids heat loss and reduces the penetration of cold air.

According to statistics, properly organized insulation helps to save up to 25% of all heat obtained from the combustion of solid fuels. Therefore, it is necessary to insulate the floor in the bath in every room - a steam room, a washing room, a rest room and a dressing room.

In addition, thermal insulation of the floor allows you to solve such problems as:

• high fuel consumption;
• slow heating of the room;
• high humidity in the steam room;
• mold and rot.

A sharp temperature difference on the floor surface in various premises baths can be detrimental to human health. Especially if a person during bathing procedures leaves the steam room many times and goes into the rest room or washing room.

Warming methods

Insulation of the concrete floor in the steam room at the construction stage of the bath

The method of insulation depends on the design of the foundation and floor, as well as the materials that were used to build the base. Usually, thermal insulation of the floor is carried out at the stage of building a bath. In the process of work, the technology of laying the insulation and its insulation is observed, which prevents the ingress and absorption of contaminated water into the material.

When the floor is insulated in an already operated bath, dismantling is carried out facing material. The space between the supporting structure of the floor is cleaned and treated with antiseptic impregnations. After that, the estimated amount of insulation is laid and a fresh facing coating is laid.

Regardless of the method, when insulating the floor, it is important to take care of the protection " heat-insulating cake". Otherwise, the material used will quickly become unusable.

Material selection

Expanded polystyrene and polystyrene in slabs for floor insulation

When choosing a material for insulation, one should take into account: type of floor, type of room, thickness of the heat-insulating layer, environmental friendliness and specific gravity material.

Other things being equal, it is worth choosing materials with the least hydrophobicity. The material should not absorb moisture and have a minimum hygroscopic index. Especially in the case of wooden floors. Below is an overview table with the most popular materials for floor insulation.

Table: advantages and disadvantages of heaters

heat insulator	floor type	Material Advantages
Styrofoam	wooden/concrete	Does not absorb moisture, has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, high service life and low weight. It is environmentally friendly and safe for human health, does not emit harmful substances when heated.
Styrofoam	wooden/concrete	Does not absorb water, has high thermal insulation qualities. Does not weigh down load-bearing structure, for thermal insulation of most types of floors, a material 10 cm thick is sufficient.
Mineral wool	Concrete	Does not burn, has a small specific gravity, convenient size. During installation, it is easy to cut and adjust to any floor configuration.
Ecowool	Wood	Effective and safe type of thermal insulation material. Mounted by spraying, which allows you to apply the material on any surface, even in hard-to-reach places.
Expanded clay	wooden/concrete	Environmentally friendly and safe material. Possesses high insulating qualities and small weight. Compared to other heat insulators, it is the most affordable.
Perlite	wooden/concrete	Does not absorb moisture, does not burn, has a low weight. Well suited for floor insulation, when the thickness of the heat-insulating cake should be minimal.

Despite the described advantages, each of the materials has its drawbacks. Styrofoam and extruded polystyrene foam are best used for insulating concrete floors with further cladding tiles or laying a board grating.

Glass and mineral wool in rolls for thermal insulation

For the insulation of wooden floors from structures on logs, foamed heaters are somewhat worse. When laying, it will be necessary to level the rough base and carefully isolate the heat-insulating layer from possible heating.

Mineral wool is not suitable for floor insulation in a steam room. When heated, the material may release formaldehyde. It is dangerous by poisoning, exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and pulmonary edema.

High moisture absorption is the main disadvantage of expanded clay. When insulating a wooden floor in a washing room and a steam room, it is necessary to carefully equip the waterproofing of the floor. The expanded clay layer must be reliably protected from water and moisture.

Expanded clay and perlite are well suited for insulating a wooden floor.

Before using perlite, you should carefully study the technology of work. The material has a low weight and high volatility. For laying in the screed, you will need to thoroughly mix the material with water and cement. When insulating wooden floors, personal protective equipment should be used and work should only be carried out in rooms without drafts.

Ecowool is well suited for warming the bases in the washroom and dressing room. In the steam room, it is better to use more hygroscopic and dense materials. And also when exposed high temperature the material may deform and begin to smolder.

Calculation of the required amount of material

Wooden floor insulation with ecowool

To calculate the insulation required for thermal insulation work, you will need to know the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room in which it is planned to insulate the base. The thickness of the heat-insulating material is selected individually depending on its type and temperature conditions at the work site.

Foamed heat insulators are produced in plates with a thickness of 20 to 150 mm. For floor insulation, as a rule, plates with a thickness of 50 and 100 mm are used. Glass wool in slabs has a similar thickness - from 50 to 120 mm. The working thickness for floor insulation is 50–100 mm.

The minimum thickness of ecowool must be at least 20 mm. For baths in most regions of Russia, it will be necessary to lay an 80–100 mm layer. The minimum thickness of the expanded clay layer depends on the size of the fraction. For insulation of wooden structures and floors under a concrete screed, it is recommended to use expanded clay fraction 20–40. The thickness of the heat-insulating layer is at least 100 mm.

For example, let's calculate required amount polystyrene foam for thermal insulation of the floor in a steam room with an area of ​​8 m2. 8 / (0.5 * 1.2) = 13.33 ≈ 14 pieces, if you buy the material individually or 3 packs, since on average one pack contains 7 boards with a total area of ​​4–5.3 m2.

To calculate bulk heat-insulating materials (expanded clay, perlite), the formula is used: V = S * h, where:

• V - the amount of required insulation, kg;
• S - base area in the room, m2;
• h is the thickness of the heat-insulating layer, m.

For example, let's calculate the volume of expanded clay needed to insulate the floor in a steam room with an area of ​​10 m2. V \u003d 10 * 0.2 \u003d 2 m3. In practice, it will take a little less material, but according to SNIP, any heat insulator is purchased with a 10% margin.

Necessary tools and accessories

Tool for warming the concrete floor and leveling the screed

To carry out thermal insulation work, you will need:

• tape measure and pencil;
• steel square and level;
• construction knife and hacksaw;
• screwdriver and drill;
• electric planer;
• container for water and cement;
• rule and trowel;
• a construction mixer or a mixer attachment for a drill;
• galvanized screws.

Depending on the technology used and the type of insulated floor, additional material may be required, which is calculated individually for each room.

How to insulate the floor with your own hands - step by step instructions

Scheme of the device of a conventional and insulated floor in a bathhouse on a columnar foundation

It is optimal if floor insulation is carried out at the construction stage of the bath. In this case, it will be possible to fully prepare the space between the foundation and the floor, as well as properly protect and process the foundation itself.

Before insulating the floor in the operating bath, you will need to remove the final flooring from the supporting structure and clean it free space from dust. If thermal insulation of concrete floors is required, then the existing layer concrete screed will need to be dismantled with a puncher and improvised means.

Wood

Preparing support beams and laying rough flooring

For work, in addition to the insulation used, it will be necessary to prepare an antiseptic for wood, a vapor barrier membrane, a 200 micron thick polyethylene film, a 30 × 30 mm bar, and a 25 mm thick edged board.

Wooden floor insulation is performed in the following sequence:

1. Cranial bars are mounted to the lower edge of the support beams for the entire length. For this, galvanized self-tapping screws 40–50 mm long and a screwdriver are used. A rough base of edged boards is laid in the space between the beams. The length of the board is equal to the distance between adjacent beams.
2. In the selected place, using a hacksaw or a jigsaw, a hole is cut out for entering the drain pipe pipe. Similar actions are performed when working with insulation, only a sharp knife is used. The material is carefully cut to the shape of the pipe. After fixing the pipe, the gaps are filled with mounting foam.

   Laying insulation and installing bevelled guides to form a slope

3. The floor structure is treated with a wood preservative at a time. A vapor barrier membrane is laid on top of the rough flooring with an overlap of 10–15 cm on the walls. The overlap between adjacent rows is at least 10 cm. The membrane is attached to the beams using masking tape or a construction stapler.
4. Expanded clay is poured over the insulation or expanded polystyrene is laid, adjusted to the width between the support beams. For cutting, use construction knife, but it is important to remember that the material must be laid tightly and without gaps.
5. The insulation layer is covered with a vapor barrier membrane or a layer of roofing material. When working with roofing felt, the overlaps between the rows are smeared bituminous mastic, which will provide a more reliable adhesion of the material.
6. On top of the insulating layer, pre-prepared wooden supports are installed. To do this, wooden bars 50 × 50 or 70 × 70 mm are planed to form the required slope. For fastening, only galvanized self-tapping screws are used, which are recessed into the wood.
7. A sheet of galvanized metal is mounted on beveled bars with a solid sheet with an overlap on the wall of 15–20 cm. A rubberized mallet is used to form a bend. The fastening step to the guides is 20 cm. In the center of the sheet, a hole for the drain is carefully cut with scissors for metal.
8. In the lower part of the wall, supports made of timber with a section of 70 × 70 mm are mounted for laying a clean floor. The installation step is 70–80 cm. For fastening to the wall surface, it is better to use a stainless steel corner and self-tapping screws 40 mm long. A finishing flooring made of planed larch boards is laid over the supports.

If the wooden floor is insulated in the dressing room or rest room, then there is no need to form a slope and lay a galvanized sheet. After laying the second layer of insulation, a plank finish is laid.

Concrete

Scheme of floor insulation on the ground for baths on a strip foundation

For thermal insulation of a concrete base, it is necessary to prepare a polyethylene film 150–200 microns thick, a damper tape, a construction stapler, beacons for leveling the screed.

The process of warming a concrete floor on the ground consists of the following steps:

1. The surface of the soil is cleared of debris and plant roots. After that, a layer of slightly damp sifted sand is poured. The thickness of the sand cushion is 10–15 cm. The sand is carefully distributed over the ground and well compacted.
2. A hole of small diameter is made in the foundation structure for the introduction of a drain pipe. Inner surface the bearing base is smeared with mastic based on bitumen for one or two times. A layer of roofing material is laid on a sand cushion. The overlap between the rows is at least 10 cm, the overlap on the walls is 20 cm. Before laying, the adjacent areas are treated with mastic.

   Backfilling the sand cushion and laying the heat-insulating material

3. A heat insulator is laid on top of the insulation. When forming a layer with a thickness of more than 50 mm, the material is laid with offset joints in order to avoid the formation of cold bridges. When using foam insulation, the gaps between the plates are filled with mounting foam.
4. The insulation is covered with polyethylene with a strength of 150–200 microns. The joints between the rows are fixed with masking tape. An expansion tape is glued along the perimeter of the wall in the lower part to a height of up to 20 cm.

   Filling and leveling concrete mortar

5. A reinforcing mesh and guides for leveling the screed are being installed. To do this, a cement-sand mixture is taken and laid out in a slide to a height of 10-15 mm. A reinforcing steel mesh with a cell of 10 × 10 cm is installed on the mixture.
6. After that, a little more cement is laid, so that after installing the linear guide, the distance between the reinforcing layer is at least 3-4 cm. When installing the beacon, the necessary slope towards the drain is observed. If desired, the steel mesh can be replaced with fiberglass, which is added to the concrete solution during mixing.

   Laying ceramic tiles or wooden flooring after the concrete layer has cured

7. A concrete mortar based on M300 cement is being mixed. The ratio of sand to cement is 3:1. For convenience, it is recommended to use ready-made dry mixes from the manufacturer. A metal rule is used to distribute the screed over the surface.

Before pouring the screed, the reliability of the fastening of the drain pipe is checked. If necessary, the pipe is fixed with steel wire directly to the reinforcing mesh. On the 4-6th day after pouring, the beacons are removed, and the space is rubbed with a solution. On the 29-30th day, you can start laying the finish coating and operating the insulated floor.

Video: floor insulation with polystyrene foam

Thermal insulation of the floor in the bath is time-consuming, but quite a feasible process even for people with minimal building skills. Before performing thermal insulation work with your own hands, we recommend that you carefully study the technologies described above. If you are unsure that you can perform floor insulation according to the requirements, then it is better to contact qualified specialists.

Our ancestors were sure that the heat from the room, including the baths, escaped through the ceiling and walls, no one was engaged in floor insulation at that time. The floor was cold, water dripping through the holes in it.

The cold floor in the bath is suitable only for the southern regions. In places with a colder climate, the concrete floor in the bath should be insulated with high quality. What to do if there is a cold floor in the bath? How to fix the situation and make a warm floor in the bath?

Warm air moves up, but much of it passes through the floor. If there is a need to insulate the concrete floor in the bath, then it is important to know:

• how it is carried out (stages of work);
• what materials are most effective in arranging insulation.

Choose a material that has good thermal insulation and at the same time it will be inexpensive.

The process of warming the concrete floor in the bath is necessary for favorable conditions of use. Due to sudden changes in temperature, the human body is negatively affected. To speed up the heating of the room, it is necessary to create thermal insulation of the concrete floor in the bath. In order for the insulation to be effective, it is important to familiarize yourself with the most commonly used materials for these purposes, as well as with the installation process.

Thermal insulation must be laid on a dry concrete base. Drainage of water with a concrete base occurs due to the slope, which is constructed towards the drain hole. It is important to correctly carry out all work on the installation of the floor, in order to avoid trouble in the form of wetting the insulation. If a flood of heat-insulating material occurs, then alteration of the floor cannot be avoided.

When installing it is better to use modern materials They are very practical and durable. It is necessary to take into account the features of the subfloor. For example, if the bath is on piles, then the drain is made through a special trench, which enters the sewer pipe, and then the water goes into the ground. To avoid bad smell the structure should be equipped with a check valve and an adapter, it will be the connecting link between the ladder and the sewer pipe.

The most popular heaters are polystyrene foam, mineral wool. When choosing a material, you should take into account the purpose of the room and the possible loads on the base.

Mineral wool

The use of mineral wool, as well as glass wool for insulation of a concrete base, is very popular. If this material is used, it is important to create a waterproofing layer so that moisture does not get on the insulation. With the penetration of moisture, the thermal insulation qualities are significantly reduced.

Mineral wool, produced in the form of slabs, has considerable strength.

Advantages of mineral wool:

• fire safety, high temperature resistance;
• has vapor permeability;
• not subject to the formation of all kinds of microorganisms (fungus, mold, etc.).

It should be noted that the material does not have water repellency, use in rooms with high humidity is not recommended. If the insulation is wet, then it begins to sag and quickly loses its original properties. The material is laid between the lag, therefore, no load should be placed on it.

Mineral wool is divided into:

• stone;
• slag;
• glass.

The type of cotton wool depends on the constituents of the material. In the process of work, safety precautions must be observed. Avoid getting into Airways on the skin. As a precaution, masks, gloves, special clothing are used.

Styrofoam

Varieties of expanded polystyrene, its application:

• Styrofoam;

This is the most economical insulation, after expanded clay. At the same time it gives a high effect, moisture resistant. Has some disadvantages:

• low strength of the material. In the process of work, a reinforced cement screed is placed on top of the insulation;
• wet foam plastic breaks up during freezing, turns into small balls, loses its properties;
• the material is moderately combustible, emits harmful substances when burned.

Extruded polystyrene foam looks like polystyrene, but is devoid of many of the disadvantages that polystyrene has.

It has a number of advantages:

• high strength characteristics;
• durable;
• waterproof;
• some categories of expanded polystyrene are non-combustible (safety class NG)

Expanded clay

One of the ways to insulate a concrete base is expanded clay. According to the characteristics, it is similar to min. cotton wool. For proper insulation concrete bases must be moistened with expanded clay cement mortar. It is important to organize a slope of 10 degrees for arranging the drain.

Perlite

Perlite can serve as a heater for the floor of the bath. This a good option for concrete base. The basis of such a heater is dusty sand mixed with a light cement mortar. The mixture is placed between two base screeds. Perlite is light and has low thermal conductivity. Perlite is sand that has undergone a swelling process using a certain technology.

To complete the work you need:

• eliminate the possibility of drafts;
• ten liters of water must be mixed with two buckets of perlite;
• cement should be added to the resulting mixture and everything should be mixed well;
• a homogeneous mass should be obtained, into which another bucket of perlite and 0.5-1 liter of water are added;
• it is important to carefully mix the constituent components, until the moment when water begins to beat off, this indicates the readiness of the mixture - insulation;
• the concrete base is covered with a layer of insulation and allowed to dry completely;
• the drying process takes place for a week, then a concrete screed is made over the perlite insulation.

This thermal insulation will not rot from time to time, it is resistant to environmental influences.

Insulation of the concrete floor is a crucial moment. The thickness of the insulation is determined based on the material used during installation. A reinforcing mesh is placed on top of the laid material. It has plastic or alabaster-cement supports, the resulting floor device is poured with a screed. This is the final stage of warming the floor of the bath.

To warm up the room faster, you need to prevent heat from escaping through the cold floor of the bath.

Before warming the floor, the question arises - why? How expedient is this? Concrete has poor heat retention properties. Heat loss must be prevented. To do this, you need to use materials from the highest performance thermal conductivity.

Installation of an insulating layer solves such problems:

• condensation does not form on the cold floor inside the room;
• the occurrence of microorganisms - mold and fungus, harmful to health is prevented;
• reduced heating costs;
• creates a favorable microclimate in the room (optimal ratio of temperature and humidity).

Without floor insulation in the bath, the microclimate will not be comfortable, and the design will be less durable.

Concrete base insulation options

The concrete floor in the bath can be insulated indoors, or it can be from the bottom of the ceiling in the subfield. Basically, the first method is used and insulation is made from above. Why is this method preferable? What are the pros and cons of the options?

When floor insulation is carried out in the subfield:

• insulation option gives high efficiency;
• V winter period freezing of the building is prevented;
• the appearance of condensate is possible from the side of the subfloor;
• does not affect the height of the room;
• indoors, the floor has a solid base without insulation.

Please note that this method of insulation from the coldest side is the most correct. If the subfloor is very low, the process of carrying out the work will be difficult or even impossible. In this case, the insulation is carried out indoors, on top of the ceiling.

The sequence of insulation of the concrete floor from the inside of the room

Carrying out insulation inside has its own characteristics:

• the dew point is located inside the mounted structure;
• the room does not have frost protection;
• with this method, it is necessary to create a waterproofing on the cold side;
• a reinforced cement screed is poured on top of the insulation;
• the warming layer significantly underestimates the height of the bath room.

There are materials that have high strength and make it possible not to reinforce the screed.

Installation

For laying insulation - polystyrene foam you will need:

• knife for cutting insulation;
• balloon with polyurethane foam;
• glue;
• foiled polyethylene is required for insulation pairs;
• metal construction tape (for gluing polyethylene sheets).

How to properly insulate the concrete floor of the bath?

It is important to prepare the floor for insulation. Carry out the procedure for cleaning from dirt, dust. The material is placed in a constructed wooden or metal carcass. A cement-sand screed is poured from above.

Necessary tools for working with mineral wool:

• tool for cutting material;
• adhesive tape for gluing the joints of a film or membrane material;
• polyethylene film for waterproofing;
• thermal insulation membrane for vapor barrier.

The process of floor insulation in baths is very responsible, it requires a competent approach in the choice of material, as well as in compliance with the technological process. To produce insulation with expanded polystyrene is faster, easier, more efficient than with a mineral plate. The cost of the material will pay off in the process of comfortable and durable operation.

Each room in the bath has its own function. For example, it is most important where people directly wash themselves. In other rooms, for example in a room, for relaxation, or it is not so important.

When carrying out work in an already built bath room, ideal solution there will be a creation on top of the existing base, a layer of insulating material. Insulation is inserted between the built-in log.

In the steam room, the floor should be higher, for the most quick warm-up air than less room steam room, the faster it heats up. Before work is carried out, the calculation of the required materials is carried out. Warming of the bath should be carried out under favorable weather conditions. Under such circumstances, the work will be argued and brings satisfaction.

For many years, bath builders did not pay special attention to floor insulation, because they did not have sufficient knowledge about thermal insulation. The materials used at that time quickly deteriorated, which entailed numerous repairs to the baths - at the present time, everything has changed dramatically.

Why is it so important to insulate the floor in the bath

Old bathhouses with a leaking floor are still actively used by summer residents and residents southern regions. For those who happened to be born in the middle and northern regions, it is better to think about floor insulation. Even though warm air naturally rises, much of it is lost when it comes into contact with a cold floor.

A large temperature difference between the upper layers of the steam room and the cold floor in a room intended for taking periodic bath procedures can adversely affect human health. To eliminate heat losses, as well as to speed up the heating of the bath room and create an obstacle to the cold from the outside, it is required to put a quality insulation for the floor in the bath.

How floors differ in design

Warming should be carried out on "dry" floors with wooden or concrete base, which means that they should not have leaks. Water drainage is carried out by making the floor surface at a slope of 10 ° towards the drain gutter or drain hole. dirty water. After that, water runoff enters the water collector, and then into aeration places or sewers. If everything is done correctly, then water will not spoil the insulation in any way, and the thermal insulation will last a very long time.

Materials used for insulation

So, everyone can ask themselves the question - “What is the best way to insulate the floor in the bath?”. In service with modern masters and those who want to do floor insulation in the bath with their own hands, there are both new schemes and new materials. Concrete floor slabs or logs are often used as the basis for the usual buildings of country cottages. In both the first and second cases, the insulation will be laid, taking into account the features of the base. Based on its technical characteristics, the type of insulating material will be selected.

Expanded polystyrene (polystyrene) is a versatile material, so it can be used to insulate wood and concrete bases. However, floor insulation in the bath with foam plastic is more often carried out on wooden base. This ultra-light material does not absorb moisture accidentally leaking through the wood. As a result, the bases are light in weight and the material itself is very easy to process, while waste is kept to a minimum.

Glass and mineral wool are most often used for insulating concrete floors. If you apply them to wooden floors, you will need to lay an additional layer of waterproofing after the warming layer. If this is not done, the insulation will begin to accumulate moisture, which will lead to a deterioration in thermal insulation.

The floor insulation in the bath with expanded clay is carried out according to the same principle as when using mineral wool. They have similar warmth specifications. If the floor for the bath is wooden, then you will need to lay an additional moisture-proof layer. Bulk material is quite difficult to use as a heater on oblique surfaces. Therefore, so that the expanded clay does not roll down the floor with a slope of 10 o, it is moistened with a liquid cement mortar (in more detail: ""). Another method: to fill the mixture of expanded clay insulation proposed above, followed by pouring the cement screed.

To insulate floors on logs, Aisinin foam heat insulator is used. Another option is to use boiler slag. It is covered with a 30 cm layer, on top of 25 cm of foam concrete, and after -10 cm half a pan. The height of the thermal insulation layer is determined based on climatic conditions the area in which the bath is being built.

Another good insulation- perlite. This dusty sand insulation is combined with water and cement before use. It acts as a light layer between two layers of concrete screed.

Preparation of perlite insulation

To mix pulverized sand, you need to choose a room where all doors and windows can be closed at the time of preparation of the solution.

• The material is mixed in a deep container with water in a ratio of 2 to 1 until smooth.
• In the resulting solution, you need to slowly pour cement (grade M300 or higher), with a volume that is half the measured from all components. An ordinary bucket can act as a measuring bucket.
• After that, you need to pour in an additional half a bucket of water. Each step must be accompanied by sufficient agitation. At the finishing stage, another half-liter of water is added.

The resulting solution must be different from conventional plastic mixtures designed to smooth out irregularities and finishes. The output should be a crumbly plastic mixture, which can cover the bottom layer of concrete screed with a continuous 10 cm layer. The perlite insulating layer hardens after 5-6 days, after which you can start pouring the top finish layer of cement mortar. The waterproofing layer and the reinforcing mesh are laid as desired before the finishing leveling layer, they are not mandatory.

And yet, it is important to choose the most suitable insulation for the floor in the bath - which one is better - opinions differ. According to numerous reviews of experts and home craftsmen, polystyrene foam does its job best. It is easier to handle, stack, inexpensive, and leftovers can always be used for other purposes.

The technique of laying insulation on the floor

The method of warming the wooden floors of the bath

It is optimal if the floor insulation in the steam room and other rooms of the bath is carried out during the period of its construction. But provided that the floors were laid with high quality and do not leak, it is possible to perform thermal insulation after. How to insulate the floors in the steam room of the bath?

The procedure is carried out in several stages:

• To begin with, you need to remove the finishing layer and fill the cranial bars around the entire perimeter of the room at the bottom of the beams. A draft floor will be attached to them in the future.
• Low-quality unedged boards are sawn into pieces in such a way that when they are laid on bars, small gaps remain between the board and the beams.
• The fixed boards form a rough floor, on which a waterproofing layer is subsequently laid - when working with wooden floors it is a required element. best choice will become a membrane that performs the functions of a vapor barrier. The film is laid in such a way that the entire surface of the subfloor with beams is protected, as well as walls to a height of 20 cm. The film can be fixed with a construction stapler, and the edges of the insulation sheets must be glued with vapor barrier tape.
• There are two options for further action - lay another rough layer of the floor on the vapor barrier and then insulate, or immediately lay the insulation.
• From deciding how to insulate the floor in the steam room wooden bath, will depend on which vapor barrier to lay on top under the finishing flooring. As an option, roofing material can become an alternative to the membrane, the joints of which are meticulously fastened with bitumen-based mastic.
• Mounting foam is used to isolate the gap around the drain pipe from the insulation layer.

When all the manipulations with the location of the insulation are completed, you can lay the finishing layer of the wooden floor, remove the remaining insulation and close the joints with skirting boards.

To ventilate the wooden floor, a small gap should be left under the finishing layer - about 3-4 cm.

How to insulate a concrete floor in a bath

The concrete floor can be poured either directly onto the ground or onto the concrete slabs below the floors. A waterproofing layer is laid on this rough screed. For these purposes, either a roll coating or 3 layers of coating mastic are used. Alternatively, both types of insulation can be combined.

Styrofoam, expanded clay, mineral wool sheets or other heat-insulating materials at the choice of the owner are placed on top of the insulation. In this case, it is worth considering the technical characteristics of a particular type of insulation in order to correctly calculate the layer thickness and the required amount of material.

Next, reinforcement is performed - that is, a reinforcing mesh is installed on top of the insulation on alabaster-cement or plastic fasteners, into which a layer of cement screed is poured. The subsequent finishing of a concrete floor is made at the request of the owner.

The subtleties of warming individual bath rooms

Since the purpose and intensity of use of the bath rooms vary, many are wondering what kind of floor insulation is required in the dressing room. Since this is a rest room, the insulation in it can not be supplemented with waterproofing. Basically, water is poured directly onto the floor only in the washing room, where waterproofing is indispensable.

The steam room is used most intensively in the bath, where heat preservation is very important. But whether it is necessary to insulate the floor in the steam room additionally - everyone decides for himself. It is recommended to raise the floor in the steam room by 10-15 cm above the general level, which will make it possible to lay another layer of thermal insulation on the finished floor and put an additional floor on the logs. This approach will reduce heat loss and speed up the heating of the steam room.

Thus, the technique of floor insulation in the bath is briefly described by us in this material, so that everyone can roughly imagine the expected volume and complexity of the work. It should be noted that when calculating the amount of thermal insulation materials, you need to rely on the weather conditions at the location of the bath.