The use of modern insulation for walls inside the house in the country can significantly reduce energy loss. In a cold climate, savings can go up to a significant number. In addition, in a well-heated room a person feels more comfortable. What are the types of insulation and how to independently produce work on the insulation of a country house or cottage? Answers to these questions are looking for many owners of suburban real estate.
Types of insulation for walls and their characteristics
In the old days, weatherization of the walls at the dacha was carried out in blocks of compressed straw. It has a poor thermal conductivity, so it perfectly retains heat indoors. At the same time, straw, being a plant material, serves as an excellent food for various rodents. In addition, it is very flammable and it is almost impossible to extinguish it when ignited. These serious shortcomings today have led to the complete replacement of this cheap insulation.
The straw was replaced by modern insulation for walls inside the house in the country, not inferior to it in its ability to retain heat, but at the same time devoid of such significant negative properties. These include:
- mineral or basalt wool;
- glass wool;
- Styrofoam;
- cork wallpaper.
All of them have their own advantages, but it is common for them that they have a very low thermal conductivity, good fire safety, and excellent steam conductivity. In addition, they do not rot and are not susceptible to the formation of fungus and mold.
To understand the properties of each material, we consider in more detail their characteristics. Let’s start with mineral wool. This material has the appearance of mineral fibers pressed into plates or rolls. The size and thickness of products from different manufacturers is different. One can only say that some types of mineral wool have a heat-reflecting coating of shiny aluminum foil.
The most common slabs of basalt wool. They have a very low thermal conductivity, do not burn, easy to install and are not interested in rodents. They have excellent sound insulation properties. Among the drawbacks, it is worth noting that the plates must be closed from outside with drywall or other sheet materials, which significantly reduces the effective floor space.
Glass wool is also produced in the form of slabs and rolls. Sizes are different, including the thickness. The properties of this material make it possible to successfully use it for insulation of residential premises. At the same time glass wool has such a disadvantage as good moisture absorption.
Helpful advice! Warming glass wool should be very high quality. Moisture can penetrate the slightest gap, after which the entire plate will shrink strongly, creating voids. In addition, the composition of the material is harmful to the respiratory tract glass dust and even small glass needles, so you need to use a respirator during installation.
Polyfoam is available in standard sizes. The most common are the following: a square with a side of 1 m., A rectangle 200×100 cm, 100×50 cm. The thickness of the plates varies from 10 to 500 mm. As a heater for the walls inside the house in the country, it is best to choose plates 200×100 cm, with a thickness of 70 – 80 mm. Polyfoam, thanks to air bubbles, keeps heat very well. In this sense, it is “warmer” than all other materials. However, it has a number of drawbacks: weak strength, flammability, the need for careful sealing of all joints. In addition, it is very fond of rodents, which gnaws in it moves, making all thermal protection unsuitable. Some of these minuses are devoid of modern material based on extruded polystyrene foam. It is produced in the same plates, but more dense and thin.
Cork wallpapers are available in rolls. They are made from cork bark. This is a very beautiful natural material that retains heat and creates excellent sound insulation. It is very thin, therefore it is rarely used as an independent heater. Cork wallpaper is often used for additional insulation and sound insulation.
What kind of insulation for the walls inside the house in the country to choose – a personal matter of each owner. We will consider in more detail the construction of insulation from mineral wool and foam plastic on wooden walls.
To make high-quality insulation of the walls with mineral wool, you need to stock up on the necessary amount of material and metal guides for drywall. First of all, it is desirable to close the wall with waterproofing. As its quality can act any rolled material. The film is attached to the wall by a construction stapler, making it overlapped at the joints. Then they mark vertical lines every 60 cm. Such a distance is taken so that it is more convenient to subsequently fix the sheets of drywall, having a width of 120 cm.
U-shaped mounts for guides every 60 cm are fastened along marked lines. Then the edges of the mounts are bent. Plates of mineral wool are put on the fasteners, piercing it until the entire area of the wall is filled.
Helpful advice! When trimming mineral wool slabs, it is always necessary to leave a reserve of 10 cm, and lay the plates with an accordion at the joints. This will prevent the formation of voids during shrinkage.
After the plates are laid, on top of them you need to stretch the vapor barrier film, which is fixed with the same U-shaped fasteners. Now you can begin to mount the guides. This should be done on a level strictly vertically. When the frame is ready, drywall is fixed with screws and putty joints. The result is a warmed and flat wall, ready for finishing.
For insulation foam, consider a cheaper way. Using this insulation for walls inside the house in the country, can save on metal guides. To do this, prepare wooden bars, a length equal to the height of the walls, and a thickness equal to the thickness of the foam. They will be used as beacons for fixing drywall and as restraints for fixing foam plates from the sides.
The wooden bars are nailed vertically after 1 m. The same gutters should turn out. Their width should coincide with the width of the foam plates. In this case, the plates must enter the gutters very tightly. Over the entire structure, a waterproofing attachment is attached with a stapler. She has to go around all the lighthouses.
After that, foam is inserted into the grooves. Do it very carefully, so as not to damage this fragile material. By means of polyurethane foam isolate all joints between the plates. This should be done very carefully, since the smallest hole can nullify all efforts for thermal protection. From above, the foam is closed with a continuous sheet of vapor barrier. At the final stage, the installation of a plasterboard or plywood coating is carried out. The joints between the sheets putty.
Helpful advice! The installation of the foam must be very tight. Otherwise, this material is capable of making noise when the wind penetrates. In addition, in the presence of rodents in the country, from the use of foam should be abandoned.
If we are dealing with a flat and smooth surface, then the insulation for the walls inside the house in the country can be fixed differently. In the case when the walls are concrete or brick, it is most convenient to choose extruded polystyrene foam plates as a heater. They are thinner and denser than foam. For this reason, there is no need to construct a framework. After all, the walls, so smooth, and insulation allows you to apply a plaster mixture directly on it.
Before installation, the walls are cleaned of dust and dirt, and then glue mortar is applied on them. Plates are simply glued to the wall, and then fixed with anchors. The finished wall is plastered with any plaster mixture over the slabs. This allows you to fill the joints between the plates and create a smooth surface for finishing. However, it should be understood that such walls can not be hung shelves and furniture items without special devices. Handle them carefully, as there is soft material under the plaster.
Whatever insulation for the walls inside the house in the country was not chosen, as long as it was installed according to the rules. Then the walls for a long time and quality will keep the heat indoors.
