Do-it-yourself insulation of the house from the outside with penoplex. Durability, warmth and reliability - insulation with penoplex Penoplex insulation of the facade from the outside

Advantages and disadvantages of wall insulation with penoplex, technology for installing heat-insulating boards, choice of auxiliary materials.

The content of the article:

Insulating walls with penoplex is the use of a new generation of heat insulator, which will not only preserve heat in the room, but also save money. The slabs can be attached to a base made of any material, and then decorated with a finishing coating of your choice. We will talk about the features of installing insulation in this article.

Features of works on insulating facades with penoplex

Penoplex appeared on the construction market recently. It has the properties of foam and plastic, hence its name. The manufacturing technology makes it possible to obtain a material with a closed cellular structure with good insulating properties. Unlike polystyrene foam, its composition does not contain chemically hazardous elements.

Penoplex is produced in the form of 0.6 x 1.2 m slabs with a thickness of 2 to 10 cm. The sheets are manufactured with great precision and a high-quality surface finish, which reduces installation time. The choice of thickness and density of the material depends on the climatic zones. The minimum thickness of the sample, which ensures acceptable thermal insulation standards, is only 1.24 cm, which is the lowest value among other products. Sheets are sold packaged in plastic film, 7 or 10 pcs.

To insulate facades, penoplex 31 or penoplex 35 is used. The first type is preferably installed on the lower floors. The second is distinguished by fire-resistant properties.

The heat insulator is fixed with an adhesive solution. A properly selected mixture allows you to attach products to a wall made of any material. For insurance, the sheets are additionally supported by special dowels with wide heads. To get a good effect in preserving heat in the house, along with insulating the facade with penoplex, it is necessary to thermally insulate the foundation and roof.

Advantages and disadvantages of wall insulation with penoplex

The material surpasses most modern insulation materials in terms of performance characteristics, as it has the following advantages:

• The insulator almost does not absorb moisture. In the first days after the start of operation, it can absorb a small volume of water - up to 0.5% of the total weight of the coating. The value is so small that it is not taken into account in strength calculations.
• The insulation has unique properties due to the closed cells in its structure. The product will also protect the building from wind, rain and freezing.
• The special structure of the material does not allow moist air to penetrate the walls and form condensation on the warm surface, preventing the appearance of fungus and mold.
• Penoplex has a low thermal conductivity coefficient, so the thickness of the insulating layer is much thinner than that of other samples.
• Manufacturers claim that the building will need to be renovated to replace the insulator after 50 years. The product possesses such qualities due to the chemical inertness of the components and resistance to rotting. Immunity to moisture allows installation of insulation panels in any weather.
• Penoplex cells are very small (0.05-0.12 mm) and create a high density of 35 kg/m 3. A material with such characteristics can withstand high mechanical strength, so builders are not afraid to insulate the walls from the outside with penoplex.

The negative properties include the following:

• The insulation melts at high temperatures, although no open fire appears.
• Mice and other small rodents love to live in the panels and spoil the material from the inside.
• The product is afraid of ultraviolet radiation, so after installation it should be covered with plaster.
• It is recommended to store it in a dark place; in the sun it crumbles.
• The sound and heat insulation of penoplex is weak; if it is necessary to achieve the desired effect, another material with better insulating properties is used together with it.

Technology of insulating the facade of a house with penoplex

Installation work is carried out in several stages. After leveling the surface, the sheets are tried on by installing them in standard places, followed by gluing. The last stage is the application of protective and decorative coatings. More details about the preliminary and main work when insulating the facade are written below.

Preparing the surface for gluing penoplex

The sheets are fixed to the walls using an adhesive solution, so the base must be carefully prepared before work.

We adhere to the following instructions:

1. Clean the insulated area from dirt, dust, oil and other greasy stains.
2. Remove peeling plaster and other unreliable elements.
3. Remove paintwork mechanically or with a solvent.
4. Inspect the surface for the presence of fungus and mold. If necessary, treat it with antiseptic, fungicidal and bactericidal agents.
5. Remove salt deposits mechanically.
6. If the walls are monolithic and cast in formwork structures, clean them from oil contaminants and coat them with a primer with the addition of quartz sand to increase adhesion to the insulator.
7. Paint all metal parts on the partition with anti-corrosion paint.
8. Use a plumb line to check the deviation of the walls from the vertical. Attach a long rule to it and check for defects. Irregularities of more than 2 cm on an area of ​​3 m2 are not allowed.
9. Cover walls that absorb moisture well with primer fixing agents. The compositions must match the base material.

If leveling is necessary, outline the defective areas and choose a method of improvement. There are several options for solving this problem: leveling with plaster, changing the thickness of the slabs, using compensating spacers.

Leveling the walls with plaster is considered the best finishing option. The additional layer of solution does not affect the durability of the insulator and does not reduce its performance. The solution hardens for almost a month, and during this time no insulation work is carried out.

The thickness of the slab is changed if the thermal characteristics of the material do not deteriorate. Before work, you need to create a map of wall defects and, based on the results, order samples of the appropriate thickness. The method does not affect the quality of insulation, but installation time increases due to the adjustment of elements.

Eliminating defects using leveling shims is considered a complex process and is intended for experienced craftsmen.

Installing auxiliary profiles

For ease of installation of insulating boards, it is recommended to use metal profiles, which are attached before laying the panels.

Plinth profiles are installed at the bottom of the wall to support the insulation in the vertical plane. With their help, the elements are easily aligned during gluing. The products also protect the material from rodents, moisture, and mechanical stress.

When installing profiles, consider the following points:

• The fixtures are fastened with dowels every 30 cm. The hardware must go into the brick or concrete wall to a depth of at least 40 mm. If the base is made of slotted brick, the hole must be at least 60 mm, if made of foam concrete - 100 mm or more.
• The thickness of the profile must correspond to the size of the slabs; other options are not recommended.
• It is prohibited to deform the base profile when attaching it.
• To ensure a tight fit of the device to the wall, washers can be used.
• Overlapping installation of profiles is prohibited; they are connected to each other with special strips. You can do without them if you leave 2-3 mm gaps between the products for thermal expansion.
• Use a base profile with a drip that removes moisture from the wall.
• Before gluing 80 mm thick boards, install additional supports under the products. After the glue dries, they are removed.
• At the corners, attach profiles with cuts at an angle of 45 degrees.
• Attach special connection profiles to window and door frames. They should be located at the same distance from the window opening. When installing, fasten the sheets close to the inside of the profile.

Before work, mark on the wall the locations of the hanging structures and secure in advance the elements to which they will be fixed. If you plan to clad the façade with siding or clapboard, install a sheathing on the surface to secure the cladding panels.

Selection and cutting of foam sheets

For installation, choose only high-quality samples. If the actual characteristics of the material do not correspond to the declared values, the slabs will swell, collapse and cease to perform their functions. It is very difficult to distinguish a quality product from a counterfeit at home; you can only rely on indirect evidence.

Purchase the product only in original packaging, which guarantees its preservation for a long time. When purchasing, carefully inspect the wrapper - the film should be without holes. A bar code, a security label and a hologram of the manufacturer are required.

It is advisable to buy products from well-known manufacturers, because it is impossible to check the basic characteristics of penoplex at home. Monitoring the thermal conductivity and repulsion of water can only be done using special equipment in the laboratory.

Inspect the insulation sheets and select slabs with the correct geometric shapes, without bends, deformations or damage. Check the sheet for compression by holding it between your fingers. There should be no dents left on the surface.

Trimming of slabs is carried out for high-quality laying of material near window and door openings, balconies and other structures. Excess small parts are removed with a knife with a wide blade. Large areas are separated with a hacksaw with fine teeth. Immediately before applying the glue, it is necessary to place the sheets in their regular places and check the quality of cutting.

It is prohibited to use pieces of material 200 mm wide at the corners of buildings and in areas adjacent to openings in the wall. When determining the dimensions of products, keep in mind that in the corners the sheets are connected by gearing.

Lay solid slabs at the tops of the corners of window and door openings, removing excess parts in place. Technological cutouts in the insulation should not coincide with the line of the opening corners; they are located at a distance of at least 200 mm from them.

The insulation overlap on the opening boxes must be at least 20 mm. If the openings of windows and doors are recessed into the wall, the slopes are also subject to insulation. Sheets must be cut to overlap the opening.

Preparation of adhesive solution

When choosing an adhesive, it is necessary to take into account that penoplex is a type of expanded polystyrene, so it will be destroyed by compositions with solvents based on aromatic compounds, with the addition of formaldehyde and its derivatives, with fuel and lubricants. It is better to buy products specifically designed to work with this material.

There are several types of adhesives for fixing insulator sheets, each with its own purpose. For example, mineral ones are used for gluing panels to any dry surface, waterproofing ones are used for attaching insulation to walls covered with bitumen.

One of the popular solutions for fixing penoplex is “Teplokley”. The specific type of product is indicated by the insulation manufacturer in the product instructions. A properly selected composition ensures good adhesion to the base and a long service life.

The glue is prepared immediately before installing the panels, because the properties of the mixture deteriorate after 2-4 hours. It is not recommended to dilute the frozen solution with water. It is also necessary to take into account that low temperatures and high humidity increase the hardening time of the glue, and when the temperature drops to +5 degrees, gluing panels is prohibited.

To prepare the mixture, pour the calculated amount of cold water into the container and add the powder with constant stirring. Stir the solution thoroughly with a low-speed drill for 5 minutes. Check that there are no lumps in the solution. Leave the liquid for 10 minutes. to ripen and stir again for 5 minutes.

Installation of penoplex on walls

To ensure high-quality adhesion to the adhesive composition, the surface of the boards is milled at the manufacturing stage. If there is no such treatment on the purchased material, sand the surface of the insulation with coarse sandpaper.

The basic technology for insulating a façade with penoplex looks like this:

1. Apply a strip of glue 8-10 cm wide around the perimeter of the slab and in the middle in puddles (2-3 pieces) with an area of ​​up to 10 cm 2. Make sure the glue covers at least 40% of the sheet area. The thickness of the layer is 1.5-2.5 cm, it depends on the unevenness of the wall.
2. When installing in corner areas, do not apply glue to those parts to which adjacent elements will be attached. Areas with mortar should be located in places where dowels will be driven in. If the base is perfectly flat, the product can be applied with a notched trowel with a tooth length of 10 mm over the entire surface.
3. Place the first row of insulation on the base profile and make sure that the slabs fit snugly against the limiting edge of the product. Protrusion beyond the profile indicates insufficient thickness of the adhesive layer.
4. If necessary, level the products by moving them in the vertical and horizontal planes. Remove any remaining solution from the surface. It is not allowed to leave the adhesive solution in the gaps between the panels. The hardened solution leads to heat loss and can affect the quality of the finishing coating of the wall.
5. After leveling, tap the board to improve the quality of adhesion. Check the flatness of the surface of the first row of insulation using a long ruler. If necessary, level it with coarse sandpaper or a sander and then remove dust.
6. All rows are installed in a similar way, taking into account the rules for laying sheet insulation.
7. When forming corners, glue the panels with an overlap, the length of which should be greater than the thickness of the material. Attach another sheet to the protruding part, then cut off the excess flush.
8. If there are cracks on the wall, the vertical and horizontal lines of the sheet joints should be located at a distance of at least 200 mm from them in any direction. In this case, buy sheets with a thickness of at least 60 mm.
9. Insulate the slopes with sheets 50 mm thick, keeping in mind that there will be a drip lining at the bottom of the window.
10. Fill gaps of more than 2 mm that remain between the sheets with wedges cut from waste foam. Do not fill cracks with foam, sealant or other materials that may cause cracks to appear in these areas.
11. If, after gluing, the sheets for some reason are not covered with a reinforcing layer or finishing coating, they should be protected from exposure to the sun and precipitation.
12. After installation, the abutment profile must not be dismantled or moved to a new location.

To increase the reliability of fastening, the slabs are additionally fixed with disc-shaped dowels, which are screwed or driven into spacers. There are several types of dowels that are designed for different materials from which the walls are made. For example, for concrete partitions, concrete dowels “D 6 mm” with a length of 60 mm or “D 8 mm” with a length of 80 mm are used.

The fasteners are made of synthetic material with low thermal conductivity and a thermally insulating plastic head. Their number depends on their size and the properties of the wall. Usually it is enough to fix the sheet at the corners and in the middle of the panel, but the supplier can make adjustments to increase the number of dowels.

The dowels are installed after the adhesive has completely dried. Make holes in the partition, the depth of which should be 15 mm longer than the dowels. They are drilled in the corners and in the middle of the sheet. To fix the panels to a concrete wall, it is necessary that the fasteners enter the hole to a depth of 45 mm, and into a brick wall - 60-70 mm. Narrow slabs are fixed at a distance of 200 mm from the edge of the opening or corner.

To fasten, insert the dowel spacer into the hole and press the head flush with the surface of the sheet. Install the core inside the dowel and hammer it in completely.

Application of protective and decorative coating

Insulation needs protection from external influences. For this purpose, after insulating the facade of the house with penoplex, apply a layer of plaster, usually Ceresit or Econmix, to its surface. To securely fix the mixture, a reinforcing fiberglass mesh is used.

The work is performed in the following sequence:

• Prepare the plaster solution more liquid than required in the manufacturer's instructions.
• Cut a piece of mesh 1 m wide and as high as you like.
• Apply the mixture to the wall, place the mesh on top and drown it in the solution, leaving the edges free.
• Glue the next piece next to it, overlapping the first one.
• Wait until the plaster dries a little and grout the surface.
• Apply a leveling layer of the same composition 3 mm thick.
• After complete drying, repeat the grout before painting.
• You can use any paint, there are no restrictions. The main condition is that it should hold up well and retain its original appearance for a long time.

How to insulate a facade with penoplex - watch the video:

The technology for insulating walls from the outside with polystyrene foam with your own hands is not at all complicated; for this you need to carry out the work in stages according to the recommendations given. Due to the ease of installation and good insulating qualities, this method of thermal insulation is very popular.

Such thermal insulation material as penoplex has good characteristics and has a number of advantageous qualities in comparison with other insulation materials. That is why it is becoming increasingly popular in private construction. But insulating the facade with penoplex is associated with a number of problems and has several important features.

This article discusses the detailed technology of external insulation of a building with penoplex, and also discusses common mistakes that inexperienced builders can make.

What is penoplex?

Penoplex is a brand of insulating material produced by a company specializing in the production of insulators based on polystyrene foam. Today this name has become a household name. Penoplex is foamed polystyrene boards that are produced using a gas-free method.

• To achieve the effect of porosity of the finished material, the initial raw materials for its production - polystyrene itself and the solid filler that forms gases - are driven through special filters under significant pressure and at high temperatures.
• The resulting foamed substance passes through roller rollers, where it is flattened and divided into strips corresponding to the required thickness.
• The frozen material is cut into fragments of the required size.

Why do you need a detailed acquaintance with the structure of penoplex? The use of this material in the insulation of facades often causes a flurry of criticism, which is not always justified. When choosing insulation, it is important to rely on facts related to its real nuances and characteristics.

For reference. Penoplex is especially durable, and this happens as a result of the use of foaming technology for the source material. As a result, penoplex slabs are not afraid of either pressure or stretching. The gasification method without the use of freon promotes the formation of pores of a closed structure with a given size and shape.

This type of thermal insulator is universal, not susceptible to chemicals and has significant strength indicators. Penoplex is successfully used to insulate foundations, plinths, and even to create road surfaces. Many experts are convinced of the high flammability of the material, which is why it is not recommended to use it for thermal insulation of facade planes located above the first floor of a building. In fact, such a limitation is relevant for brands of ordinary EPS, which are really only installed in the ground or under a concrete coating layer.

In order to insulate or finish the facade of a house without risks, the manufacturer recommends using only a special converted type of extruded polystyrene foam, produced under the manufacturer’s brand name “Penoplex Facade”. Thanks to improved production technology, including the addition of fire retardants, the output is an insulating material that almost does not burn, but at the same time retains the valuable properties of low heat conductivity, high strength and moisture absorption.

Algorithm for installing insulating material on the walls of a house

For proper thermal insulation of walls from the outside, a hybrid method of attaching sheets of material to the facade of the building is used:

The rows of insulation are aligned without waiting for the adhesive mass to completely harden. It is produced using a horizontal level, this helps to minimize gaps at the joints of the plates. The final stage is carried out no earlier than three days after applying the insulator to the glue. Sheets of material are additionally secured using special mushroom-shaped dowels. When the glue is completely dry, all cracks and slab joints are closed by blowing in mounting foam or aerosol material under the Fastfix brand.

Procedure for insulating a facade with your own hands

Penoplex slabs have special recesses along the edges, allowing for reliable and strong connection of insulation fragments. In addition, this technique allows you to cut off cold bridges. Insulating walls using extruded polystyrene foam is as simple as insulating them using polystyrene foam. But the required amount of material will decrease noticeably.

To install a reliable and high-quality insulating coating for the facade of a building, you only need to strictly follow the facade insulation technology.

Preparing the wall surface

In order for the insulation of the façade of a building to be durable and have a significant service life, it is necessary to ensure maximum adhesion of the insulating material to the wall surface. This effect is achieved by proper preparation of the insulated surface. First you need to remove all types of existing contaminants, including dirt, dust and old facade coating. As a result of cleaning, only bare brick or concrete remains. Any vegetation - moss, mold, fungus - is also eliminated. For this purpose, specialized compounds with bactericidal properties are used.

After the walls have dried, all potholes and sagging found on the surface of the masonry are leveled. Cracks and seams are also treated with a primer solution, followed by sealing with cement.

The geometry of the walls is determined using a building level. If there are deviations greater than 20 millimeters, they are leveled by applying a layer of plaster. When it is completely dry (waiting period is up to 4 weeks), a primer layer is applied, which will promote better adhesion of the insulation to the wall. If there are metal elements on it that are planned to be hidden behind a layer of insulator, they are treated with an anti-corrosion agent. Once the primer has dried, you can begin the next stage of thermal insulation work.

Setting up a starting profile

The starting profile is needed, first of all, in order to set the right direction for the first row of insulation boards, as well as to serve as a support for them. In addition, the starting strip serves as a kind of protection for the ends of the slabs, leveling the negative impact of weather and physical factors. Its width should be equal to the thickness of the foam board.

First, a straight line is measured with a laser level, located in the same plane as the horizon. It is better to place the slabs of material 20-30 centimeters below floor level, this will serve as protection from moisture and frost. The profile itself on the wall is fixed to dowels, the distance between which is from 30 to 50 centimeters. The profile material is attached to the wall tightly, without gaps, but you should not be too zealous so as not to crush the metal. The profile parts are easy to connect with each other using special fasteners that are mounted in interprofile joints.

Corners can be formed either by direct joining of profiles, which will need to be cut at an angle of 45°, or by using specially designed corner elements. If the thickness of the penoplex is more than 80 millimeters, it will be necessary to install temporary supports under the first row of the insulator. This will help prevent it from possibly sagging.

Installation of foam boards

When the entire profile is mounted, begin cutting the heat insulator slabs. It is recommended to place solid slabs near window and door openings. The technology for laying them is carried out by analogy with laying bricks, with the elements of each subsequent row shifting relative to the previous ones. It is important to consider the operating temperature of the adhesive solution. If the ambient temperature drops below +5o, its adhesive properties will decrease significantly.

The first row of slabs is laid closely on the starting profile. Then, each fragment of insulation is pressed against the insulated surface as tightly as possible and aligned horizontally and vertically, aligning the joints. An adhesive solution will protrude from the gaps, the excess of which must be immediately removed.

Each tile must be perfectly level. When all the insulation is glued, you need to wait for it to dry completely. This will take at least three days. After this, the heat insulator is finally fixed using dowels. Fasteners are installed in the center of each slab and its edges. The gaps between the tiles are filled with waste insulation, then additionally sealed with foam for installation. When the foam is completely dry, you need to remove excess foam from the gaps, after which you can begin to reinforce the surface.

Creation of a waterproof reinforced layer

A fiberglass reinforced layer is used to create the base of the plaster coating. Before the main layer, which performs the functions of protection and decoration, you need to apply a reinforced layer that will protect the insulation from moisture penetration. It consists of mesh fragments cut into strips with dimensions of 20*30 centimeters or 30*50 centimeters. They are mounted in the area of ​​external corners in a plane perpendicular to the diagonals of window and door openings.

For better adhesion of the mesh to the surface of the insulation, the surface of the insulating boards is rolled with a roller with needles, treated with a metal brush or sandpaper. A primer layer is applied on top of the treated material. Reinforcement begins with the slopes - an adhesive layer of 4 to 5 millimeters is applied and the mesh is immersed in it. Then they begin to reinforce the facades, taking into account the overlap of the edges of the mesh with each other by about 10 centimeters. As the first layer of glue dries, a second one is applied. In places where the heat insulation fragments adjoin the openings of doors or windows, you will need to mount a special profile with a sealing tape.

Installation of perforated corners

Strengthening various protrusions of the facade, such as corners, openings, etc. carried out by installing corner profiles with perforations. They can be made of aluminum or plastic. In addition, there are models with a fixed mesh.

Installation proceeds as follows:

• An adhesive solution is applied to both sides of the corner so as to touch the surface of the mesh.
• The corner is pressed tightly against the penoplex with a spatula so that it is completely immersed in the layer of glue. Excess solution must be removed.
• The angle must be set using a building level in the horizontal and vertical plane.
• Perforated corners are installed end to end; the shelf fragment and part of the mesh must be cut at an angle of 45 degrees.

It is possible to use a less expensive method of reinforcing corners - reinforcement is done by fastening sections of mesh bent at an angle. But it must be taken into account that this method cannot be used for thermal insulation of individual residential construction projects, as well as the first floors of the house. This is due to the increased risk of mechanical impacts in these areas.

Application of the main reinforcing layer

When the corners are reinforced, the main stage of reinforcement begins, which extends to the entire surface of the facade. A fiberglass mesh is placed over insulation boards, which are coated with a layer of protection. It is cut into strips of equal length, and then pressed against the surface, where a layer of glue of 2 millimeters has previously been applied. If the length of the stripes is significant, you can use the vertical option of pasting. Then you will need nails for additional fastening. The mesh is smoothed from the center to the edges, and excess glue is removed. Then a second layer of adhesive solution is applied.

The edges of the mesh material are laid with an overlap of 10 centimeters, this is necessary to prevent the formation of cracks at the joints. To make these places less noticeable, you can apply only one layer of glue to them - the surface one. When the main layer of reinforcement is applied, it is covered with a finishing layer of glue, the thickness of which is about 3 millimeters. It is convenient to do this with a wide spatula.

Applying plaster mixture

After three days, the reinforcing layer will dry completely, and it will be possible to begin applying the decorative plaster coating. Before this, the facade is treated with a primer solution; it is better to use a composition containing quartz sand. It will create a rough surface that will provide better grip and reduce moisture absorption. In addition, the use of a primer creates additional protection from external influences for the reinforcing mesh. It is more convenient to treat large areas with a brush.

Before application, the plaster solution must be thoroughly mixed with a construction mixer until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Plastering is carried out using tools such as a trowel and trowel. The layer should not be too thin and not too massive. In the first case, the protective properties of the plaster will decrease, in the second, the decorative texture of the mortar will be hidden. When the plaster layer has dried a little and does not stick to the surface of the instrument, you can begin to design the texture for painting.

Remember: the texture of the decorative pattern directly depends on the evenness of the reinforcing layer.

Coloring

Painting of the facade is carried out only after all applied layers have completely dried. Consider the compatibility of the materials used. For example, a hydrophobic paint and varnish coating forms a good combination with decorative plaster. Do not use paint types that contain aggressive substances that could negatively affect the insulating material. These include drying oil, benzene, ether resins, kerosene, etc. It is recommended to use paints based on silicates or minerals.

The selected color, which will help achieve the desired shade, must be added to the paint approximately 1 hour before the start of painting work. Painting is done manually; you can use a soft foam roller, a paint brush, or a spray gun. There is plaster on sale that contains a coloring pigment, but applying the paint yourself allows you to maintain the best effect.

Finally

Thermal insulation using extruded polystyrene foam can last much longer than insulation with mineral wool. This is achieved by strict adherence to the material installation technology. The insulator is durable, practically not subject to shrinkage and is not afraid of vibrations of the walls of the house, which determines its high popularity. The thermal insulation characteristics of penoplex remain unchanged even when it is completely wet. Other types of materials cannot boast of this quality.

Video on penoplex insulation

When the need arises for economical wall insulation, the choice of insulation is obvious - penoplex. It's just a matter of small things - insulating walls with penoplex technology: how to perform insulation, from the outside or from the inside, what are the pros and cons of each method.

Penoplex or extruded polystyrene foam appeared relatively recently and gained popularity so quickly that it now occupies second place in insulation systems after mineral wool. It is used for insulation of all types of structures - foundations, walls, ceilings, roofs. Distinctive characteristics of the material:

1. Light weight.
2. Energy efficiency.
3. Low water absorption.
4. High mechanical strength.
5. Wear resistance.
6. Vapor permeability.
7. Durability without loss of performance up to 50 years.
8. High degree of sound insulation.
9. Wide temperature range of application – from minus 100 to +75 °C.
10. Ease of processing.

The addition of special reagents during the production of the material reduces the fire hazard and increases resistance to rotting and rodent damage.

IMPORTANT: Since penoplex has a smooth surface with poor adhesion to adhesives, the adhesive application areas must be cleaned before installation.

As a popular insulation material, penoplex is often counterfeited. To avoid being deceived by the seller, it is better to buy material from a large company specializing in the production of insulation, or from a network of specialized stores. When purchasing, ask for a certificate of conformity and manufacturer's instructions.

To perform insulation, you will need, in addition to penoplex, the following materials and tools:

• SSS glue or foam glue;
• dowels at the rate of 6 pcs. on the stove;
• smooth and serrated spatulas;
• needle roller or sandpaper;
• carpenter's knife and hacksaw with fine teeth;
• perforator;
• a screwdriver or drill with an attachment for mixing glue;
• starting strip for external insulation;
• primers;
• reinforcing alkali-resistant mesh;
• finishing material.

External insulation

Do-it-yourself penoplex insulation from the outside is most often found in individual housing construction. Insulation can be done either using the “wet method” - using a light plaster system, or using the “ventilated facade” system. Both of these systems, when executed well, give excellent results. The technology of insulating walls with penoplex technology has slight differences from working with other materials.

Plaster insulation system

Work is carried out at air temperatures from +5 to +25 °C. The technology of insulating walls with penoplex from the outside, followed by plastering, involves the following steps:

1. Surface preparation.
2. Installation of the starting bar.
3. Gluing insulation.
4. Fastening the insulation with dowels.
5. Trimming the corner outlets of penoplex slabs, filling the joints between the slabs with sealant to eliminate cold bridges.
6. Strengthening external and internal corners and corners of openings by gluing strips of alkali-resistant plastic mesh and installing special corners.
7. Installation of a reinforcing layer of alkali-resistant mesh over the entire insulated surface.
8. Installation of an additional layer of mesh to a height of 2 m.
9. Finishing.

The quality of insulation of the walls of a house largely depends on the thorough preparation of the surface for insulation: the walls must be cleaned of dirt and leveled. If the facade is plastered, tap it with a mallet to determine the places of delamination and repair these areas. Then treat the wall with primer, which strengthens and increases the adhesion of subsequent layers.

The starting strip is attached with dowels 2 cm below the junction line of the foundation and the wall along the perimeter of the building. The width of the starting strip should correspond to the thickness of the insulation. The evenness of the plank is checked using a building level.

The insulation is glued to the walls with glue diluted from dry building mixtures (DCM), or foam glue is used.

ATTENTION: Using foam glue gives a time gain of up to 3 days, since SSS adhesives must dry for at least 3 days before doweling the insulation boards, while foam glue dries for 2 hours. Also, insulation can be attached to foam adhesive at air temperatures down to minus 7 °C.

The glue is applied along the perimeter of the slabs at a distance of 2.5 cm from the edge and in three points in the center of the slab.

ATTENTION: The glue should not get onto the end of the slab and into the seams between the slabs, as this leads to the formation of cold bridges.

The slabs are glued from bottom to top along the perimeter of the building. The slabs are fastened staggered: the corners of 4 slabs should not meet at one point. Seams between slabs more than 3 mm wide are filled with glue with foam, polyurethane foam, sealant and insulation scraps.

After the glue has dried, the slabs are secured with dowels. For fastening, use plastic disc-type dowels with a thermally insulated core (fungi). The length of the dowels depends on the wall material and the thickness of the insulation. Planting depth:

1. In concrete - 4.5 cm.
2. In solid brick - 6.0–7.0 cm.
3. In hollow brick – 8.0–9.0 cm.
4. In blocks made of cellular materials - 10.0–12.0 cm.

The hole for the dowel is drilled with a hammer drill 1–1.5 cm longer than the fastener. The dowel heads are lightly pressed into the heat insulation slab. Number of fasteners – at least 6 pcs. on the stove.

Reinforce all corners of the building and openings with mesh strips, attach plastic or galvanized corners in the openings with glue. Then a reinforcing mesh is also installed from bottom to top along the perimeter of the house: the surface of the wall is coated with a layer of 3–4 mm of glue, embedding the mesh with a spatula. After the first layer of glue has dried, apply a second layer to 2 m or the height of 1 floor, embedding the second layer of mesh.

After the adhesive composition has dried, finishing is performed.

Insulation system “ventilated facade”

The “ventilated façade” system involves constructing a frame made of wood or special galvanized profiles, into which insulation boards are attached, and then the curtained façade is mounted on the wall. Working steps:

1. Preparing the base.
2. Fastening the frame.
3. Installation of insulation with glue, then doweling.
4. Installation of a moisture-windproof membrane.
5. Fastening the curtain façade.

The system is advantageous in that it limits the number of wet processes, thereby reducing temperature restrictions.

The preparation of the base is carried out by analogy with the wet method. The wood frame is selected with a cross-section corresponding to the thickness of the insulation: with a slab thickness of 100 mm, the cross-section of the frame is 40X100 mm, the timber is secured with dowels in increments of 5 mm less than the width of the foam slab. The insulation is installed directly on the glue, additionally secured with dowels. Then the membrane is attached to the frame with a stapler, securing it on top with a beam with a cross-section of 40x40 mm. A curtain facade made of any slatted or panel material - siding, plank, lining, etc. is mounted on the timber.

The “ventilated facade” insulation system provides enormous opportunities for changing the facade in a variety of styles.

Insulation from the inside

If for some reason it is impossible to insulate the walls externally, the walls are insulated from the inside with penoplex. This could be a loggia or an outer wall in the direction of the dominant winter winds, or a wall adjacent to a cold vestibule. In this case, it is necessary to carry out insulation at the expense of the living space.

Another inconvenience lies in the fact that it is necessary to remove furniture from the room during the period of work. In addition, since it is not possible to ensure the correct natural operation of the insulation system, when materials are positioned as vapor permeability increases towards the street, it is necessary to provide a ventilation system to remove excess steam. As a rule, air conditioning is performed in such rooms.

IMPORTANT: For insulation with penoplex from the inside, a frame is not required, except in cases where plasterboard cladding is intended as a finishing touch. You also don't need a starting bar.

For insulation from the inside, it is better to select penoplex with a tongue-and-groove edge, which gives a more complete fit of the plates to each other. Since the load on the internal walls is much less than on the external ones, for insulation you can use PPS25-RG-B brand slabs, as they have the best thermal characteristics.

When insulating from the inside, the following stages of work are necessary:

1. Surface preparation.
2. Installation of a vapor barrier membrane.
3. Installation of penoplex with adhesive composition.
4. Additional fastening with dowels.
5. Fastening the reinforcing mesh with glue.
6. Finishing.

Surface preparation for internal insulation is the same as for external insulation:

• the wall is cleaned of dust, dirt, oil stains and oil paints;
• the adhesion of the plaster to the base is checked by tapping, the peeling plaster is knocked down, the surfaces are repaired;
• a primer is applied to strengthen the base, increase adhesion, and prevent the formation of fungus;
• metal elements protect against corrosion.

Then a vapor barrier membrane is attached to prevent the flow of moisture to the insulation from the street. From bottom to top, foam boards are mounted onto the glue in a staggered manner; after the glue has dried, the fasteners are duplicated with dowels.

Apply glue to the surface of the slabs with a notched trowel from bottom to top to a width of 1 m, and use a smooth trowel to embed the reinforcing mesh into the glue. Finishing is done using the dried adhesive composition.

IMPORTANT: It is necessary to provide in advance the location of sockets, switches and reinforcement at the locations of attachments.

Brief conclusions

Any of the proposed methods of insulating the walls of a house outside and inside can be easily done independently by a person who knows how to use a drill and a building level. To obtain a long-term result, you just need to follow the rules of the work technology. Only then will it be possible to enjoy the comfort of your home with legitimate pride for many years without unwanted changes in the form of fungus or mold.

The thermal insulation material penoplex has fairly high characteristics and has a number of advantages over many other thermal insulators, as a result of which it has recently become widespread. However, its use for external insulation of housing is associated with some difficulties and has a number of important nuances.

Therefore, in this article I decided to tell you in detail how to properly insulate the outside of a house with penoplex and avoid the mistakes that beginners often make.

A few words about extruded polystyrene foam

Before we begin the technology of external insulation of a house, let’s consider what penoplex is. I’ll say right away that it is more correct to call this material extruded polystyrene foam, since “Penoplex” is the name of the manufacturing company of this insulation.

Extruded polystyrene foam is made from ordinary polystyrene foam (foam plastic). As a result of special heat treatment, it acquires higher properties, and along with them, properties that affect the installation technology and the area of ​​application of the material.

These properties primarily include:

• low level of moisture absorption;
• smooth structure.

On the one hand, this allows the material to be used in unfavorable operating conditions; in particular, it can be used for façade insulation. But, on the other hand, penoplex has poor adhesion. Therefore, it is not even a material, much less intended for “wet” finishing.

The most common mistake made by beginners is that when insulating a facade, they work with penoplex in the same way as with ordinary polystyrene foam. Some construction resources “help” with this, for which would-be specialists write articles. The result of this approach is clearly visible in the photo below.

However, this does not mean that insulating the facade using the “wet” method using penoplex will have to be abandoned. The technology that I will discuss below will allow you to create a reliable and durable finish on top of this insulation.

Beginners probably have a question: why use penoplex if it can be replaced with polystyrene foam, which is cheaper and has good adhesion?

The fact is that extruded polystyrene foam has several important advantages over polystyrene foam:

• has higher strength, and accordingly, the façade finish is more durable;
• is a vapor-permeable material;
• thermal conductivity is lower than that of foam.

Therefore, it makes sense to use penoplex for “wet” finishing of the facade. As for the “dry” insulation, which is used for a suspended facade, this procedure practically does not contain any special features.

Below I will tell you in detail how to insulate external walls with penoplex using both methods.

Installation of a wet facade

First of all, let’s look at how to perform penoplex insulation using the “wet facade” technology, since it is this technology that raises the most questions and disputes. The advantage of this technology is that it can be used not only for thermal insulation of houses, but also apartments (for this you must obtain the appropriate permit).

In addition, this solution allows you to give the building a respectable appearance. The only thing I note is that for a number of reasons this technology should not be used for thermal insulation of wooden houses.

The insulation process consists of several stages:

Preparation of materials

First of all, you need to prepare the materials. At this stage, it is extremely important to choose the right glue for penoplex. I recommend using a special adhesive foam for these purposes, for example, FastFix from the same Penoplex.

In addition to glue, you also need to prepare some other materials:

• Ceresit CT83 glue, which will be used for plastering;
• fiberglass reinforcing mesh for exterior use;
• perforated corners;
• facade decorative plaster;
• facade paint;
• adhesive primer;
• deep penetration primer.

The thickness of the penoplex for insulating the facade should be at least 5 cm. But, it is advisable to lay the slabs in two layers so that the thickness of the insulation is 10 cm.

After preparing all these materials, you can begin to work.

Preparing the walls

So, before covering the walls with penoplex, you need to prepare them.

This work is carried out as follows:

1. remove from the walls all elements that may interfere with the finishing - canopies, antennas, etc.;
2. Next, it is necessary to provide a reliable foundation, i.e. if you notice, for example, peeling areas of old plaster, you need to get rid of them;
3. after this, wipe the facade with a damp cloth or vacuum so that there is no dust on the surface;
4. Now the surface of the walls needs to be primed with a deep penetration façade primer. The most convenient way to do this work is with a paint roller; you can also use a brush.

The primer must be applied in an even, thin layer. After the walls dry, be sure to repeat the procedure..

This completes the preparation process.

Gluing penoplex

Now you can start gluing the facade with penoplex.

Instructions for doing this work look like this:

1. First of all, it is advisable to attach a starting profile from below along the perimeter of the facade, which will allow you to level the bottom row of insulation. The profile is installed using dowel nails. Wherein It is extremely important to position the profile correctly, so use a level while working;

1. after this, the adhesive foam is applied to the penoplex around the perimeter and center of the slab, as shown in the photo above. Moreover, it is advisable to apply even a few strips of foam in the center;
2. Now you need to glue the plate to the wall. Work starts from the corner - insert the slab into the guide profile and lightly press it against the wall. Be sure to check the position of the insulation with a level;
3. then the entire first row is glued using this principle. Try to place the slabs as closely as possible to each other so that there are no gaps;
4. then the second row is glued on. It must be mounted offset, i.e. in a checkerboard pattern, and with bandaging of the corners;

1. After all the walls are covered with insulation from top to bottom, it is necessary to install penoplex on the slopes. To do this, cut the slabs into panels of the required width and paste them over the window openings and;
2. now it is necessary to additionally fix the slabs of extruded polystyrene foam with special dowels, which are popularly called “umbrellas” or “fungi”. To install the dowel, you need to drill a hole in the wall directly through the insulation. The hole must match the diameter of the dowel, the length should be 5-10 mm longer.

As for the location of the dowels, it is advisable to install them in the corners at the joints so that one head fixes several slabs at once; in addition, one or two dowels should be placed in the center. Keep in mind that the caps must be recessed.

As for the slopes, there is no need to fix them with dowels.

For complete external insulation of the house, it is advisable to insulate the foundation. The technology is quite simple - the foundation is dug up, cleared of dirt, then covered with penoplex (can be glued to the bridge), and then buried.

This completes the process of gluing the facade.

Surface preparation

Now it is extremely important to properly prepare the surface of extruded polystyrene foam with your own hands for further finishing.

This operation is performed as follows:

1. First of all, it is necessary to make the surface of the penoplex rough. To do this, rub it with a metal brush, a jointer with sandpaper or a special foam grater. You can also treat the surface with a needle roller;
2. after the surface of the insulation becomes rough, the facade should be treated with an adhesive primer, which is applied according to the scheme described above;

1. then you need to fill the gaps between the slabs with the same foam that was used to glue the penoplex to the wall;
2. Next, perforated aluminum corners must be glued to all external corners, including slopes, using Ceresit CT 83 glue or its equivalent. When installing the corners, be sure to use a level to ensure that the corners are strictly horizontal or vertical.

After such preparation, you can begin reinforcement.

Reinforcement

Exterior finishing of penoplex begins with reinforcement, which is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. start reinforcement from the slopes. To do this, first cut the mesh according to the dimensions of the slopes so that it is located with a turn at the corners;
2. dilute Ceresit ST 83 glue in water;
3. then apply glue 4-5 mm thick to the slope;
4. move over the glue-treated surface with a notched spatula;
5. then apply the mesh to the slope and run it over its surface with a spatula. As a result, the canvas should be completely immersed in the glue;
6. The façade walls are also reinforced using the same scheme. Do not forget that the canvases should overlap each other by 10 cm;
7. After the surface has dried, apply another layer of glue, trying to level the walls as much as possible.

This completes the surface reinforcement.

Decorative finishing

Now you can begin decorative finishing, which is carried out as follows:

1. treat the facade with a primer according to the scheme described above;
2. then the surface is covered with decorative plaster. The composition is diluted in water according to the instructions on the package and applied in an even thin layer;

1. after 5-7 minutes, when the decorative plaster begins to set, its surface is rubbed with plaster powder. To do this, you should make reciprocating or circular movements;
2. After the decorative plaster has dried, the facade must be painted using a paint roller. Let me remind you that the paint is applied in two layers. In order for the coating to look neat, each layer must be applied evenly and without drips.

Here, in fact, are all the nuances of installing a wet facade.

Curtain facade

An equally common technology for insulating houses with penoplex is a curtain wall façade.

It has some important advantages over the “wet facade”:

• There is no wet work during the installation process, so insulation can be done at any time of the year;
• there is a large selection of facade finishing materials;
• the finish is more durable and durable.

As mentioned above, a “wet facade” using penoplex is not suitable for wooden houses. This raises the question: is it possible to insulate a wooden house with penoplex? I’ll say right away that such finishing is allowed, however, it also has its own subtleties, which we will get acquainted with below.

The technology for arranging a curtain façade also consists of several stages:

Preparation of materials

To insulate a house using this method, you will need the following materials:

• wooden slats or metal profiles and brackets;
• vapor barrier film;
• glue foam;
• protective impregnation for wood;
• finishing material - lining, vinyl siding, etc.

Preparing the walls

If the walls of the house are made of bricks, blocks or other similar materials, preparation is carried out according to the scheme described above.

If the walls are wooden, built from timber or logs, preparation is carried out as follows:

1. the walls need to be wiped from dust and dirt, and then treated with protective impregnation;
2. then it is necessary to insulate the inter-crown cracks by filling them with any suitable thermal insulation material.

Now the walls are ready for insulation.

Frame installation and wall insulation

There are several ways to make a frame.

As an example, I will tell you how to make a structure on brackets:

1. First of all, you need to mark the location of the racks in the form of vertical lines. The optimal distance between them is 50 cm;
2. then, on the marked lines, brackets are attached to the wall, also in vertical increments of 50 cm. To fix them, you can use self-tapping screws or dowel nails;

1. After that, we cover the walls with penoplex, which is strung on brackets, as in the photo above. It must be said that it is not necessary to use glue in this case, the only thing is that it is advisable to secure each slab with at least one dowel;
2. If a wooden house is insulated with penoplex, there is no need to fill the cracks with foam, as this will improve the vapor permeability of the insulation, which is important for wooden walls. If the walls are brick or other material, the cracks should be filled with foam;
3. if the house is wooden, the surface of the insulation must be covered with a vapor barrier film so that moisture does not get through the cracks onto the walls. You can grab the vapor barrier with umbrella dowels;

1. Then metal racks or wooden beams are fixed in the brackets. During the installation process, it is necessary to ensure that they are all installed in the same vertical plane..

This completes the insulation and installation of the frame. It must be said that in the case of insulating a wooden house, you can first sheathe the walls with extruded polystyrene foam, and then attach the sheathing slats to them with self-tapping screws directly through the insulation.

Finishing

The final stage is finishing, which does not contain any special features, so let’s consider this procedure briefly using the example of installing vinyl siding:

1. a starting profile is installed around the perimeter of the house in a horizontal position;
2. Next, corner profiles are installed on the outer and inner corners;
3. then the first row of vinyl siding is installed, which is connected from below with a hook to the hook of the starting profile, and from above is attached to the frame with self-tapping screws;

1. the second row from below clings to the hook of the first row, and from above it is fixed in the same way with self-tapping screws. The entire frame is sheathed according to this principle;
2. before installing the last row, the finishing profile is installed, after which the top row is connected to the penultimate one and tucked into the profile;
3. At the end of the work, additional elements are installed - slopes, ebbs, etc.

The sheathing of the frame and lining will be done in approximately the same way, the only thing is that the boards are connected to each other using a tongue/groove locking connection. In addition, corner trims are installed after sheathing the frame, and not before, as is the case with vinyl siding and other similar materials.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that penoplex is not a façade heat-insulating material, it can be used to insulate walls with high quality, even using a “wet” method. However, for this it is necessary to observe all the subtleties of this work, which I described above. Otherwise, you will be wasting your time, money and your own energy.

I recommend watching the video in this article, which clearly shows how façade insulation is done with penoplex. If any of your questions remain unanswered, feel free to ask questions in the comments, and I will definitely answer you.

Thermal insulation of a house is an important measure that allows you to extend its service life and reduce operating costs. One of the modern types of thermal insulation materials is extruded polystyrene foam. The largest company in Russia that produces such heat insulators is Penoplex, so among many builders the words extruded polystyrene foam and penoplex are synonymous. Insulating walls with penoplex is an effective measure. The technology is quite simple.

Selection of material for insulation

After the owner of the house has already decided that foam insulation for the walls will be used, it is necessary to choose among its types. Manufacturers produce material that can be classified according to the following criteria:

1. Thickness. Can be in the range of 5-30 mm. Here the choice depends on the material of the external walls and the climatic features of the area. In order to make a full-fledged thermal engineering calculation, it is not at all necessary to contact specialists. You can do it yourself, even without knowing the regulatory framework. To do this, you need to find the “Teremok” program on the Internet. It is offered in two versions for PC and online. There are no differences between them. Using the program is quite simple. Before starting the calculation, you need to know the thermal conductivity of the wall material and thermal insulation and the thickness of the wall. There are two modes of operation: selecting the thickness of the insulation for the facade or checking the already accepted one.
2. Density. Another important indicator. Manufacturers produce slabs with a density of 31-45 kg/m3. When used in a wall structure, there will not be a high load on the material, so the minimum value can be taken. It is rational to choose a more durable material if, when insulating the facade, the penoplex will not be covered with anything, but will only be covered with plaster on top. In this case, high mechanical strength and, accordingly, density are needed.

The slabs are produced in a standard width of 60 cm and length of 120 cm. To choose quality material, when purchasing you should pay attention to the following points:

• when squeezed with your fingers, there should be no dents left on the material;
• packaging must be of high quality and integrity;
  the product must have a barcode and a hologram of the manufacturer;
• presence of protective labels;
• The seller must, upon request, provide all the necessary documents for the product, which include a passport, quality certificate, sanitary and hygienic certificate.

These are the methods for checking the quality of the material that are available in the store. You can verify compliance with the thermal insulation and water-repellent characteristics only in laboratory conditions. But these tests will require additional financial costs.

Insulation technology

Insulation of the facade of a building can be done in two ways:

• from the inside;
• outside.

You should choose the option of securing from the inside only if it is not possible to use another method. The disadvantages of this technology include:

• reducing the area of ​​the room;
• the material protects only the interior; the load-bearing structures are left without protection from cold and moisture, which leads to their premature destruction.

Insulating the wall from the inside with penoplex

It is these two disadvantages that make the choice in favor of insulating the facade from the outside more correct. There are two options for finishing the insulated facade:

• facing elements (siding, block house, facing panels, etc.);
• plaster.

If you are insulating walls from the outside, penoplex needs protection from mechanical damage and atmospheric phenomena.

To ensure this function, it is better to choose hanging elements for finishing the facade rather than plaster solutions. In addition, there is no guarantee that the plaster will not simply fall off after some time. It will require cosmetic repairs and financial investment.

Scheme of facade insulation with polystyrene foam

The technology for insulating a façade using penoplex is as follows:

1. Cleaning the base from dirt and dust. Elimination of uneven walls and small cracks. Removing fungal infections, as well as moss and mold from walls. To prevent their reappearance, the surface is treated with antiseptic compounds.
2. Fastening the base profile. This element will provide support for the first row of insulation boards. In addition to supporting it, the profile will ensure even gluing of the elements and protect the lower edge of the heat insulator from damage by moisture, harmful microorganisms and rodents. Dowels for securing the profile are placed in increments of 30 cm.
3. Having secured the base profile, they begin to cut out the insulation boards. For cutting you will need a steel ruler, a square, a knife and a saw with small teeth.
4. Before adhesive fastening of each element, it is tried on in the design position. This will ensure geometric correctness of installation.
5. Next you need to prepare the adhesive composition. For gluing, it is strongly recommended to use those compounds recommended by the heat insulator manufacturer. The fact is that some chemicals can destroy polystyrene foam. Preparation of a solution from a dry mixture is carried out according to the manufacturer's instructions.
6. Applying glue to penoplex. Before application, the surface of the insulation is sanded with a machine or sandpaper. This is necessary to increase the adhesion strength of the material to the wall. If the slabs are factory milled, there is no need to sand them. The thickness of the adhesive layer is selected depending on the unevenness of the surface and is 15 – 25 mm.
7. I am gluing the slab. The first row is mounted on the base profile. The insulation is glued to the surface, controlling its location in relation to neighboring elements. They should all be located in the same plane. After gluing, remove excess solution. The installation of the slabs is carried out from top to bottom, and it is important to ensure bandaging, that is, there should be no extended vertical joints between the slabs. It is not permissible to place vertical and horizontal joints at the same level as the corners of door or window openings.
8. Lastly, connections to door and window openings are made. Elements for this are cut out in place.
9. After completing all stages, the slabs are attached to the facade with dowels, checking the correctness and strength of the fastening. Disc-shaped dowels are used for work.
10. The gaps between the thermal insulation elements are sealed with sealant.

When securing it, it is important to remember several mandatory requirements:

• simultaneous fastening with glue and dowels;
• ensuring ligation of slabs;
• proper preparation of the base;
• sealing gaps between slabs.

If the technology is followed, the insulation will last a long time and provide reliable protection of the facade from low temperatures.