Efficient technologies to insulate the base of the penoplex can significantly reduce heat loss during their use. Extruded polystyrene (penoplex), due to its cellular structure, has a low level of thermal conductivity. However, he, unlike his brother – foam, has sufficient density and strength. These properties led to its widespread use in various insulation works.
Foam base insulation technologies
The foundation of any building and structure during thermal insulation works needs arrangement of thermal protection no less than other structural elements. There are several different technologies for basement insulation with extruded polystyrene foam:
- Warming of the tape base in the vertical direction. Such heat protection is made on external surfaces. Penoplex slabs are glued to the walls with a special glue having a base of cement and polymers. On the base they are fastened with dowels having wide caps.
- Warming of the base of the basement in the horizontal direction. This protects the foundation from freezing to the bottom. Plates are laid before construction starts on a cushion of a slab or strip foundation with a small depth.
- Installation of thermal protection of the ground itself around the entire building. In this case, a blind area is created with the use of foam panels, on top of which a concrete screed is made. This method is especially good on hard ground soils, as it effectively protects buildings from deformation during frosty heaving.
Helpful advice! If the foundation has yet to be poured, but it is already clear that it will not be deep, it is necessary to make horizontal insulation with the penoplex. This will create a good thermal protection at the initial stage of construction.
Before you insulate the foundation of the house outside with your own hands using the vertical method, it is necessary to prepare the surface not only of the walls, but also of the basement with the foundation. Only having finished it, it is possible to start installation of thermal insulation. All work is done in several stages:
- all impurities are removed from the surface of the foundation. Large irregularities are leveled using a cement composition, after which they make waterproofing with any coating material, which should be water-based. You can not use mastic from organic solvents, because they easily destroy and completely dissolve penoplex;
- glue is diluted in the required proportions strictly according to the instructions printed on the package. Then it needs to be mixed very carefully and left to ripen;
- along the entire length of the foundation, using the level, mark the lower edge along which the slabs will be laid. If, due to the unevenness of the relief, this line somewhere goes into the ground, there is nothing terrible about it. You can simply undermine the foundation to the desired depth;
- after that glue is applied to the foam plate. With force pressed the plate to the right place on the foundation and set the level. All subsequent plates are glued in the same way, not forgetting to combine tightly mounting grooves;
- Under the ground slabs to glue to the walls of the foundation there is no need. They with sufficient force will squeeze it to the ground. The penoplex must be attached to the base using special dowels similar to long thick nails with large plastic caps. The metal spigot is inside the plastic clip. With the help of a drill and a drill, holes are drilled in the plates, deepening the drill by 4 cm into the concrete. Then dowels are hammered into them so that the caps do not rise above the surface of the plate;
- Finishing the foundation can be done with any finishing material. If it is plaster or tile, it is necessary to provide for the use of reinforcing mesh.
Helpful advice! In harsh climatic conditions, two or more layers of foam plaster should be applied to the foundation. Do it in a checkerboard pattern with overlapping joints. This technology significantly increases thermal protection.
The technology of warming the foundation with foam base from below is used for slab and small strip foundations. To do this, use the plate thickness of 5 – 10 cm. The sequence of work is as follows:
- marking of the platform for the basement and removal of the top layer to the required depth. The bottom of the trench must be smooth. This can be achieved only with the manual digging of the last 30 cm. Then a thin layer of sand (5 – 7 cm) is placed on the bottom and it is heavily tamped;
- installation of temporary formwork and preparation of the base of concrete (3-5 cm), without reinforcement. Waiting for complete solidification of concrete;
- Laying foam panels on top of a concrete base. It is necessary to clearly align the mounting grooves so that there are no gaps left;
- Laying waterproofing on top of penoplex. It is possible to make it from a thick plastic film, the joints of which need to be glued with tape. In addition to the waterproofing effect, it creates conditions for the retention of liquid concrete, which cannot flow through the slabs;
- fill and reinforce the foundation on top of the plates. After its solidification and disassembly of the formwork, the side walls must also be warmed. The technology of warming the foundation with foam plastics by this method is used only for new construction.
Helpful advice! For more effective protection against freezing, it is recommended to make a drainage system around the entire structure. To do this, at a distance of 60 cm from the walls of the foundation they dig a trench into which drainage pipes are laid.
This technique is often used by experienced builders to significantly reduce the depth of the foundation by creating insulated space around it. At the same time, there is a serious savings in the cost of foundation devices. Technology insulation basement penoplex coverage of the surrounding area is as follows:
- a vertical external insulation of the foundation is carried out, after which it is covered with sand and gravel 15 cm below the zero mark. Then formwork is made around the entire perimeter 1 meter wide from the walls. Its height does not exceed 30 cm;
- they carefully tamp and equate the bottom of the blind area, after which the foam panels are laid on the entire surface. The joints between them are made into the grooves and very carefully glued with glue;
- They put a waterproofing film on them with an overlap on the walls of the foundation and pour the formwork with concrete. You can use polyethylene instead of special films, but you need to know that polyethylene can lose its integrity over time.
Helpful advice! When pouring concrete onto the blind area, it is necessary to withstand a slight slope away from the house. This will allow the water to flow freely away from the foundation.
Finishing of the formwork can be made with tiles, decorative stones or any other material.
Having considered three different methods of warming the foundation of a house with the help of penoplex, you can develop an integrated approach that allows you to warm the foundation of the house outside with your own hands. How to do it most effectively? You just need to combine all the methods in one construction.
What insulation is better for the roof of different designs. Types of insulation for roofs and floors. Mineral and synthetic insulation for the roof. Warming of a mansard roof.
At the initial stage of the construction of the house, horizontal insulation of the foundation cushion by the penoplex is performed. After the end of the main construction works, a drainage system is arranged around the perimeter of the entire house with the drainage away from the foundation. Then the method of horizontal insulation provides insulation of the walls, basement and side surfaces. The final touch is ground insulation near the house.
How to insulate the foundation of the house outside with your own hands most effectively with the use of foam panels? The answer suggests itself. The complex of all the above measures will prevent the freezing of the foundation and the ground next to it and under it. In addition, it will eliminate temperature drops inside and outside, which will not allow condensation to form. This, in turn, reduces the humidity in the basement, creating a favorable microclimate throughout the house and dramatically extending its life.
The solution to the issue of thermal protection of a building is one of the fundamental moments during construction. On how competently resolved this issue depends on the comfort of living in the house.
