How to properly insulate a balcony: insulation options and work technology. We analyze the possible options for warming the balcony from the outside. Everything about the correct warming of the loggia

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With the help of insulation, you can turn the balcony into a cozy living space, and this stage is mandatory. There are several types of materials for insulating a balcony from the inside. Each of them has its own application features. Knowing the nuances will help you choose the best type of insulation for each specific case.

Criterias of choice

The main technical characteristics that you need to pay attention to when choosing thermal insulation materials for balconies and loggias:

It is also worth considering the features of installation - the simplicity of the process is especially important if the work is planned to be carried out independently without the involvement of specialists.

Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene)

The most common sheet material for warming balconies. According to its composition, it is a frozen foam, in the closed pores of which air is enclosed. For insulation, foam is usually used with a thickness 5 cm, for more severe climate it is recommended to choose thicker sheets up to 10 cm.

The material has a number of advantages that led to its popularity:

low coefficient of thermal conductivity, which provides high thermal insulation of the room even without the use of other materials;
high rate of water absorption, which allows not to lay an additional layer of waterproofing;
sufficient strength makes it possible to use dense and heavy finishing materials;
environmental friendliness - no dust is generated during operation, no harmful substances are emitted during further operation;
hygiene - mold and fungus cannot form in the foam;
ease of use and ease of installation - the sheet can be cut into parts of any size;
low cost compared to other heaters;
service life up to 30 years, subject to the installation technology.

The main disadvantages of foam:

low air permeability - when warming the loggia with this material, it is necessary to provide additional ventilation methods, otherwise it will not be possible to provide a comfortable microclimate in the room;
poor soundproofing properties;
insufficient resistance to certain types of drying oils, varnishes and other chemicals based on petroleum products and alcohols - this requires special care when choosing finishing materials;
high flammability and, accordingly, a fire hazard.

To insulate the balcony, it is necessary to choose a construction foam produced by extrusion, with a density 35-40 kg/m3. Species with less than 25 kg/m3 are packaging materials and are not suitable for construction work. To determine the quality of the material, break off a piece from the sheet and look at the structure. Construction foam has cells in the form of polygons, packaging foam consists of easily detachable balls.

Read also: Calculation of the thickness of the foam for wall insulation

Penoplex (extruded polystyrene foam)

Penoplex is a close relative of polystyrene, but with much better properties and characteristics. The special production technology of this material makes it possible to obtain a porous, almost homogeneous structure with a uniform distribution of air in isolated cells. Due to this structure, the material has a lower thermal conductivity compared to conventional foam and other heaters. This is the main advantage of foam, in other respects the material is close to foam.

There are several types of penoplex on the market, which are labeled in accordance with the purpose:

"Foundation" - designed for insulation of building structures buried in the ground; it is distinguished by its special strength and the ability to withstand high soil pressure after backfilling;
"Wall" - used for insulation of external walls, partitions located above the ground level;
"Roof" - a special type for attic space; with a high thermal insulation index, it is a rather fragile material, therefore it is not intended for areas with increased load;
"Comfort" - the optimal variety for insulating the walls of balconies and loggias; differs in the balanced technical indicators for internal use.

Mineral wool

There are several types of this insulating material. For a balcony it is better to choose basalt mineral wool as the most environmentally friendly type with the best technical and operational characteristics.

The material has an impressive list of advantages:

low coefficient of thermal conductivity (only slightly higher than that of penoplex);
hydrophobicity - basalt mineral wool does not absorb moisture, other varieties (glass wool and slag wool) get wet and change their characteristics;
good air and vapor permeability - unlike foam plastic and foam plastic, this insulation does not interfere with the natural movement of air, due to which a comfortable and healthy microclimate is formed on the closed balcony;
fire resistance - the melting point of basalt mineral wool is about 1100 degrees; such thermal insulation can stop the spread of fire;
good sound insulation - mineral wool has a chaotic structure, the air between the fibers effectively absorbs sound waves and significantly reduces the penetration of noise into the room;
sufficient strength of the sheet allows the use of any finishing materials, some types of mineral wool are suitable for floor insulation;
resistance to chemicals;
environmental friendliness and hygiene - no harmful substances are emitted during use, no biological life in the form of fungi, mold, insects or rodents is born inside the thermal insulation.

Minvata also has its disadvantages:

work must be carried out in protective clothing - when cutting sheets, dust is generated that causes skin irritation;
high material cost.

Penofol

This is a versatile material with moisture, sound and heat insulation properties. It is a thin layer of foamed polyurethane with an aluminum coating, which has the ability to reflect heat. Available in roll form, easy to install.

Recently, more and more apartment owners in high-rise buildings decide to expand their area with a balcony. This is a great option if you figure out how to properly insulate it from the inside and equip it.

If the balcony is not glazed, windows must be installed before insulation. It is better to choose high-quality double-glazed windows without saving, because the amount of heat in the apartment depends on them. Elements of window structures should fit as tightly as possible to each other so that drafts do not penetrate into the house.

The balcony is a part of the building that needs insulation more than others, because not all residents use it only as a warehouse. Increasingly, people are beginning to equip their balconies for additional space, for example, a personal office. For these and not only reasons, it is necessary to produce competent insulation of the structure from the inside.

Stages of balcony insulation

In modern technologies for insulating open hinged structures (balconies), four types of material are used as internal insulation: polystyrene foam, foam plastic, penofol and mineral wool. Consider the technological features of installation and types of cotton wool insulation used for thermal insulation of balconies.

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1. First, existing gaps are sealed. It is necessary to carefully examine the balcony and determine their location. You can fix the problem with mounting foam, even if the slots are quite wide, you just need to choose a quality one, for example, Macroflex, Soudal, Moment Installation. After the foam dries, the excess is trimmed with a clerical knife.

2. Waterproofing the balcony from the inside. For these purposes, you can use penetrating waterproofing "Aquatron", "Penetron" and the like. They are applied with a brush, roller or by spraying. The advantage of penetrating waterproofing is that it penetrates inside the walls, as a result of which they become more resistant to low temperatures and more durable. In addition, waterproofing eliminates all microcracks that are not visible to the "naked" eye.

3. Laying thermal insulation material. For this purpose, you can use expanded polystyrene, polyurethane foam, foam plastic, mineral plates, etc.

Vapor barrier installation. You can use polymer "breathing" membranes, vapor barrier films "Izospan", "Rockwool" and the like, or in extreme cases penofol, which is laid with the foil side towards the apartment. So the heat leaving the room will return back.

4. Exterior finish ceiling and walls on the balcony.

Insulation option in which there is no additional insulation

This technique can be used provided that materials with low vapor permeability are available (we are talking about materials such as polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, or extruded polystyrene foam).

No. 1. Balcony insulation with polystyrene foam: sequence of work

If you chose expanded polystyrene as a heater, then the sequence of work is as follows:

After all the cracks are sealed and waterproofing is completed, the surface is treated with a deep penetration primer, for example, Ceresit. This can be done with a brush or sprayer. The primer is poured into a bucket or other container, which is not a pity, then applied to the surface. Carefully work out the walls, ceiling and floorto achieve maximum adhesion of the insulation boards with them.

After applying the primer, you must wait at least six hours, then continue work. If the wall is made of cinder concrete, then the primer is carried out twice.

Rest - continue. We unpack the styrofoam boards. They are attached with glue and fasteners. Glue must be prepared according to the instructions and mixed thoroughly. Then apply it on the first sheet, which is glued to the surface (do not forget to step back three centimeters from the edges, and leave small gaps between the sheets). Mount sheets of expanded polystyrene in a checkerboard pattern.

To lay a vapor barrier or not - it's up to you. In this case, it is not necessary to do so.

Installation of reinforcing mesh. When all the plates are securely fixed to the walls or ceiling, a reinforcing mesh should be mounted. To do this, the surface of the plates is worked out with glue, perforated corners are fixed at their corners. The reinforcing mesh is rolled to the glued surface with a roller, then another layer of glue is applied. When the wall dries, it is primed and plastered

No. 2. Insulation of the balcony with foam

Penoplex is actively used in the insulation of rooms. You can fix it to the surface using bituminous mastics, mounting foam or mushroom dowels. Consider the option of mounting on mounting foam.

So. Waterproofing done. Mounting foam is applied to the insulation plate around the perimeter. It's enough. After applying, wait a couple of seconds and fix the plate on the insulated surface. The next plate is laid end-to-end to the first. After two days, you can fix the plates with additional dowels. Then the whole process is repeated in the same order as described above. Do the finishing to your liking. You can sew up the insulation boards with plastic panels, they look very original.

Advice. If the balcony is intended only for storing essential items on it, then it is enough to insulate the walls in one layer. If you need to insulate more thoroughly, then it is better to lay the insulation in two layers.

Number 3. Balcony insulation with mineral wool: technology features

Warming of balconies with mineral wool is carried out under the constructed crate. A lining is attached over the frame - wooden or plastic panels with special grooves.

A well-known fact is the building recommendation to carry out insulation from the outside of the building. However, in the insulation of balconies and loggias, it is often not possible to place the insulation material outside. The internal placement of the insulation layer requires certain calculations, adherence to technology and the correct selection of materials so that in the future the work performed does not lead to wetting of the walls, corners and ceiling inside the remote structure.

Types of mineral wool

Depending on the raw materials used in the production, there are three main types of mineral wool: glass, stone and slag. All three materials are suitable for insulation work.

Mineral wool is a soft material that does not have rigid dimensions. It is supplied in the form of rolls (before laying they are unwound into a track) or soft mats. Sometimes one side of the insulation is covered with aluminum foil to enhance the thermal insulation properties.

Important! During installation, the foil should be located on the side of the room. The internal heat of the room will be reflected from the foil surface back into the living space.

The thickness of the mineral wool layer determines the quality of insulation and varies in size from 20 to 200 mm.

Mineral wool installation technology

Any type of mineral wool is mounted under the frame, located between the outer wall (ceiling, roof) and the frame supports. Wooden sticks or metal profiles can be used as supports, depending on which cladding will be used in the future.

When using lining for finishing wall cladding, the frame-lathing is constructed of wood. Wooden sticks with a cross section of 150 - 250 cm 2 are installed, while you can save a little the interior space of the balcony by installing sticks of a rectangular rather than square section (30 × 50 cm 2, 30 × 70 cm 2).

All racks and horizontal laths of the crate are installed under the level. Fastening of vertical racks to the concrete surface of the ceiling and floor is carried out with anchor bolts. Horizontal ones are attached to the vertical supports. If the future cladding is made of plastic lining, horizontal slats are attached at three levels: knee, thigh, shoulder.

For internal insulation with mineral wool, it is mandatory to install a vapor barrier. By itself, the cotton material is breathable, it easily passes gaseous substances (air, steam).

Given that during internal insulation, the point of condensation is shifted into the insulation, it is necessary to limit the ingress of steam or air from their living quarters into the building wool. For this purpose, a vapor barrier film is laid between the mineral wool and the finish.

Interior decoration

Purpose of interior decoration:

Close the heat insulator material from the living space.
Create an aesthetic interior wall covering of a room or insulated loggia.

There are various materials for interior decoration of balconies (drywall, wood, plastic, plaster). With a previously constructed crate frame, the finishing is done by hanging various types of panels: plywood, MDF, lining made of wood or plastic.

Finishing with clapboard is done by lining the walls with wooden (or plastic) carload panels, which have special grooves around the perimeter for ease of installation and fastening density. At the same time, plastic lining is often a cheaper imitator of a wooden coating laid on the inner walls of a balcony (or loggia). It is characterized by less strength and rigidity.

Wooden wagon panels are reliable, environmentally friendly, have sufficient rigidity for flooring. Plastic clapboard can sheathe the ceiling of the loggia, the floor is covered with wood, as for the walls - both types of wagon cover (plastic and wood) can be used here.

Clapboard lining is recommended to start from the corner. Each panel is checked for verticality by a level and fixed to the crate with a special fastener (clamp). You can fix the wagon panel with small carnations.

After finishing, the inner surface is treated with a composition that protects the wood from moisture and from destruction.

Problems faced with internal insulation of the balcony

1. When sheathing walls, ceilings and floors with insulating material, the area of the room inevitably decreases. And this drawback is not the only one.

2. Condensation often occurs in many structures, which is difficult to get rid of when all construction work has already been done. Why does excess moisture appear?

The insulation structure installed on the balcony includes the following elements:

outdoor fencing located on the street; warming material; warm room.

Air masses tend to get outside, and their moisture, which has passed through the insulation, settles on the outer fence in the form of condensate. The insulation gets wet and completely loses its performance characteristics.

Warm vapors, colliding with a cold fence, also turn into a liquid state. Excess moisture in the room causes many problems: for example, the appearance of mold or rotting of wooden structural elements. That is why you need to know how to properly insulate your balcony.

From the inside, this can be done in two ways.

Hydrobarrier

Hydrobarrier - a special design that prevents moisture condensation on the outer fence. The technology of its installation includes certain stages:

installation of vapor barrier;
facing materials.

The hydrobarrier makes it possible to use even materials that do not tolerate moisture when insulating from the inside. Polyethylene or foil serves as insulation.

Important! All seams must be sealed with construction tape.to best insulate the balcony.

The disadvantage of this method of insulation is that the walls cannot breathe.

Warming without additional insulation

It is possible to insulate a balcony from the inside in this way only if there are materials with low vapor permeability: polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam. The design includes:

fiberglass mesh, also mounted with glue; finishing.

Advice! For better fixing of the insulation, you can use plastic dowels.

For thermal insulation with polystyrene foam, glue is not required. This material is applied to the surface to be insulated with a sprayer, foams and dries.

Innovative insulation from TechnoNIKOL LOGICPIR Balcony is suitable for walls, ceiling, floor. saves space - plate thickness from 20 mm.

keeps warm due to the unique thermal conductivity of 0.022 W / m ° K (compare with glass wool 0.032-0.041 W / m ° K);
protected from moisture, rot, mold and fire (combustibility group G1 according to GOST 30244-94);
will last for many years (the insulation retains its properties for 50 years).

Advice! When insulating a balcony from the inside with polystyrene foam, it is better to make a layer of material about 80 mm thick. The vapor permeability of extruded polystyrene foam is lower than that of a simple one, so its layer can be even smaller.

Floor insulation

Behind the insulation of the walls of the balcony, the floor should be insulated. If you correctly calculate the amount of insulation and the thickness of its layer, you can make the floor on the balcony at the same level as in the rest of the rooms.

At the first stage of work, the slab is cleaned of dirt, debris and crumbling plaster. Then the floor is covered with foil and penofol. The second stage is the fastening of the crate, previously cut with a jigsaw. Insulation plates are laid between its bars (preferably foam), and the gaps between them are filled with foam. The final stage is the installation of flooring, linoleum or parquet and skirting boards.

This design can raise the floor on the balcony by about 150 mm.

Electric heated floor

It is possible to insulate the floor using modern technologies. Then the balcony will not differ from other rooms in almost nothing. Installing electric heat tracing is a relatively simple process, but electricity costs increase significantly.

To heat the balcony floor from the inside, a special electric cable is installed.

Important! Moisture must never get into the cable.

Insulation components:

Ceiling insulation

Advice! If the neighbors living on the floor above have already insulated their balcony, there is no need to insulate the ceiling.

The most optimal material for ceiling insulation is foam. It weighs very little, which is very important in this case. Its main layer is supplemented with foil, which acts as a vapor barrier and heat reflector. Foiled polystyrene foam is fixed with polyurethane foam glue and dish-shaped dowels. All seams are sealed with a special metal tape.

The foam plastic is attached to aluminum hangers using the same combined method.

Important! Insulation sheets should fit together as tightly as possible.

All cracks are filled with mounting foam with special care, so every, even the smallest, hole can make all work absolutely useless.

You can insulate the balcony from the inside both independently and using the services of professionals. However, these construction works can be simple if you use the tips and carefully understand the technology.

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands: step by step photos and instructions

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Errors when warming a balcony

September 4, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works (laying the foundation, erecting walls, constructing the roof, etc.). Internal construction works (laying of internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communication, high technologies, computer equipment, programming.

Recently, one of my acquaintances with an interesting name Gerasim (he has nothing to do with Mu-Mu, although he has been studying Russian literature all his life) turned to me with a question about how to properly insulate a balcony from the inside. The fact is that he took a two-room apartment with a huge balcony on a mortgage. And he had a great idea to convert it into an office where he is going to write his doctoral dissertation in philology.

I supported this sound idea with two hands and one foot. Especially if everything is done by hand. , the cost of such an alteration will be small. And the benefits of an extra small room hardly need to be explained to anyone.

Well, let's start with the presentation.

Possible problems with the insulation of the balcony

Before insulating the balcony inside, I recommend thinking carefully about all the pros and cons of such a solution. Despite the fact that more and more people resort to installing heaters before decorating this room, this operation has several disadvantages.

Here are the ones that I consider the main ones:

Reducing the usable floor space. If just finishing already reduces the size of a balcony or loggia, then an additional layer of heat-insulating material exacerbates the problem even more. Therefore, if you have a tiny architectural element, consider whether the resulting additional area is worth the money and effort spent.
The appearance of condensed moisture inside structures. When using heaters, the dew point shifts inward, which leads to mold and damage to finishing materials.

This shortcoming, however, is easy to deal with. I will tell you how to insulate the balcony with your own hands from the inside so as to achieve the ideal microclimate inside.

Sequencing

The very technology of warming a loggia or balcony consists of several important steps:

Sealing gaps and eliminating defects. Before laying the insulation for the balcony inside, you need to get rid of all cracks, bumps, potholes and bulges. I recommend blowing out small cracks with mounting foam (just choose a quality one), cement mortar will cope with more serious troubles.

Installation of waterproofing. To do this, I always recommend my clients to use penetrating materials. For example, Avatron or Penetron. They are easy to apply with a sprayer, but you can also use a simple roller or brush.

The peculiarity here is that the liquid penetrates deep into the mineral surfaces, as a result of which they are not only protected from water, but also do not freeze during operation at low air temperatures.

Penetrating waterproofing, among other things, eliminates minor defects that are not visible to the naked eye. But they still affect the effectiveness of insulation, so they need to be eliminated.

Heat insulator installation. It is easy to do it inside with your own hands. You do not need to install scaffolding or call aerial platforms. The main thing is to strictly follow the technology, which I will discuss below.

When choosing materials for work, immediately think about whether you will insulate the floor and ceiling. For these surfaces, more durable heat insulators are needed that do not change their properties from external mechanical stress.

Arrangement of a vapor barrier layer. It is needed just in order to avoid the condensation of moisture that forms on the balcony inside the heat-insulating materials. For this, vapor-permeable polymer membranes are used, for example, Isospan or Rockwool.

By the way, you can avoid this stage by using heat insulators with a foil layer, placing it inside the balcony. But I, nevertheless, would recommend not to save. Moreover, the vapor barrier membrane will not increase the estimate much.

Decorative decoration of the balcony. It all depends on your imagination, the amount of money and the purpose of the room. I cannot give specific advice.

Restrictions on insulation of balconies

But I can tell you what is absolutely impossible to do when decorating a balcony or loggia. Moreover, violation of these rules may result in administrative or criminal liability.

So, it is forbidden:

Demolish load-bearing partitions between two balconies (loggias) or this room and the residential part of the apartment.
Install engineering communications on the balcony (in particular, heating, water supply and sewerage) connected to the general system of the apartment.
To equip a kitchen or a bathroom on the balcony (although, as you understand, no one forbids an office or a bedroom).
Install glazing on balconies that are equipped with fire escapes to evacuate people during a fire.
Mount hanging flower beds or devices for drying clothes outside the enclosing structures of the balcony.
Reduce the height of the parapet of a balcony or loggia (by dismantling the upper part or raising the floor). The minimum height of the parapet should be 1.1 meters.
Violate the appearance of the facade of the building (this is for information, so insulating the balcony from the inside with your own hands, you are unlikely to cause damage to the exterior of the house).
Independently glaze balconies located above the 9th floor, while violating the requirements of fire safety.

As you can see, not all of these requirements are observed by our compatriots, but my conscience would be restless if I did not tell you about them.

Now a little about the materials that can be used.

Heat insulators for internal insulation of balconies

For thermal insulation of such premises, a huge amount of materials is used. I have compiled a table that lists the most popular varieties with an indication of the features of each.

Name	Description
Styrofoam	Dense material with a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, having a finely granulated porous structure. Do not confuse styrofoam for thermal insulation and packaging foam. The latter has large pores and breaks quickly. Not suitable for floor insulation, as it does not withstand the load. It can be used for installation on the enclosing plate, walls and ceiling.
Extruded polystyrene foam	A material that perfectly retains heat indoors and, thanks to a special production technology, has increased mechanical strength. Microorganisms do not multiply on the surface of expanded polystyrene, it is non-flammable and environmentally friendly.
Penofol	Another name for the material is polyethylene foam. For balconies, it is better to use insulation with a foil layer, which reflects thermal energy and prevents moisture from the insulation layer. The foil, among other things, plays the role of a vapor barrier membrane.
polyurethane foam	A special composition that is applied to surfaces using special equipment. After hardening, it forms a homogeneous heat-insulating layer that prevents unproductive consumption of thermal energy and cooling of the balcony. The material is great for warming, but you can’t cope with its application with your own hands.
Mineral wool	A material based on basalt fiber, which is great for insulating walls and ceilings of a balcony. To increase efficiency, it must be protected from moisture. It is impossible to insulate the floor with mineral wool, as it does not withstand significant mechanical stress.
Multilayer panels	We are talking about sandwich panels, which are used for both insulation and decoration of the balcony. They have a beautiful top layer that does not require additional finishing. Thermal insulation is glued from below, which reduces the coefficient of thermal conductivity of enclosing structures.

Ways of internal insulation of the balcony

On this, I consider the theoretical part to be over and proceed to the presentation of specific schemes for the internal insulation of balconies and loggias using several, in my opinion, the most effective materials.

Method 1 - Styrofoam

The most common option is polystyrene foam. It has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and is easily mounted with your own hands inside the balcony.

I tell you how to insulate the balcony from the inside with polystyrene foam:

After carrying out preliminary operations (sealing gaps and waterproofing), I always treat the surface with a penetrating primer. It improves the adhesive properties of mineral surfaces, removes dust from concrete monoliths and reduces the consumption of the adhesive composition.

Processing can be done with a regular brush or spray. Very carefully process not only the walls, but also the ceiling with the floor. Otherwise, then there will be difficulties when gluing polystyrene foam.

It is possible to continue work after priming only after the composition has completely dried, which takes about 6 hours. If the walls of the balcony where I work are made of porous materials (for example, foam concrete), I always prime everything twice.
After priming, you can proceed with the installation of expanded polystyrene, which is supplied in slabs. Installation is carried out using glue and special fasteners with wide caps.

I prepare the adhesive composition from the purchased dry powder. It is necessary to mix it with water in the proportions indicated in the instruction manual, and then achieve uniformity using a mixer connected to a drill.

I apply the finished glue to the heat-insulating material, after which the expanded polystyrene sheet is glued to the wall. I do the same with other materials, placing them in a checkerboard pattern with overlapping joints.

To compensate for the thermal expansion of the material, during installation, I recommend deviating from the corners of the order of 3 cm, and also leave small gaps between the plates themselves.

In order for the plates to fit firmly, you need to fix them with dowels with plastic caps. To do this, I use a drill to make a hole in the polystyrene foam and the wall, after which I install the appropriate bracket there.

Considering that polystyrene foam does not absorb water, a vapor-permeable membrane can be omitted. Although I see no reason to buy and fix a special film on the surfaces.
The last step is plastering. To avoid the destruction of the decorative coating, you must first fix the fiberglass reinforcing mesh on the foam polystyrene plates, and then plaster over it. That's exactly what I do.

Before plastering, you can install perforated galvanized corners on the corners, which will facilitate the work and protect the corners from damage during operation.

Method 2 - Penoplex

This material is also widely used for internal insulation of balconies. You can mount it on the walls using special bituminous mastic, construction foam or plastic dowels with wide caps.

I'll tell you how I make foam insulation using polyurethane foam:

To begin with, as in all other cases, defects are repaired and the surfaces of the balcony are waterproofed. By the way, the primer will not hurt either.
After performing the preparatory operations, it is necessary to squeeze out the mounting foam from the perimeter along the perimeter of the pre-fitted foam slab. More foam is not needed, the insulation will already be securely fixed to the surface.

After waiting a few seconds, you need to attach the material to the wall.
Further work is carried out using a similar technology. Naturally, I recommend moving the seams in a checkerboard pattern to avoid the formation of cold bridges that reduce the effectiveness of ongoing insulation work.
To keep the insulation stronger, it can be further strengthened with dowels with wide caps. Although it is not necessary to do so.

If you, like my neighbor, want to equip a living space on the balcony, I recommend installing two layers of foam insulation with overlapping seams. In this case, it will be warm and cozy on the balcony, and you will not have to spend a lot of electricity on heating.

The last stage is decorative finishing. Here I completely shift the responsibility for the choice of materials to you. Think for yourself, decide for yourself.

Method 3 - Mineral wool

Well, I can not tell you about the use of mineral wool insulation. I can’t say that they are very effective, but they are very popular. I focus on them only because the laying technology itself is more complicated here.

The fact is that mineral wool is very soft and does not have rigid geometric dimensions as such. It is produced in the form of rolls into which material is rolled up with a thickness of 2 to 20 cm.

I recommend buying stone (basalt) wool with a heat-reflecting foil layer for arranging a balcony. The latter will effectively protect the insulator from moisture and play the role of a reflective screen that traps the thermal energy of heating devices inside the room.

Given the described technical characteristics, it is possible to mount the insulating material only under a pre-arranged crate made of wooden bars or galvanized profiles. But this is good, since you can then install a decorative cladding on the crate. For example, lining or plastic panels.

For example, I will tell you about insulation using wooden blocks. It is better to take not square, but rectangular lumber with a section of 3 by 5 or 3 by 7 cm. This will save the useful area of \u200b\u200bthe balcony.

The crate can be installed in two ways:

horizontally - if later you trim the balcony with plastic panels;
vertically - if you have chosen lining as a material for decorative finishing.

In all other cases (plywood, drywall, OSB boards, and so on), the direction of the elements of the crate does not matter.

I recommend fixing the crate on all surfaces with anchor bolts. At the same time, make sure that the bars are installed at the same level, so that later you do not have problems with decorative trim.

If you bought mineral wool to insulate the balcony, be sure to buy vapor-permeable membranes for it. The fact is that the fibrous material loses its heat-preserving functions very much after getting wet from water vapor coming from inside the room.

Having described all the important, in my opinion, nuances, I can now tell you about the technology of the work. It's all on paper:

install the crate, following the verticals;
insert heat-insulating material between the crate;
from above, protect it with a polymeric vapor-permeable membrane;
after that, mount the selected decorative coating.

Most often, the lining acts as the latter, which is why the crate is needed.

Floor and ceiling insulation

Having dealt with the walls, you can go to the ceiling. To insulate it, I recommend using foam. Moreover, you need to buy the usual material for insulation and that variety of it, which is supplemented with a heat-reflecting foil layer, which increases the strength of the material and helps to keep the heat inside.

Before starting work on insulating the ceiling of the balcony, ask the neighbors from above if they insulated their floor. If the answer to this question is yes, buy a beer to the owner as a token of gratitude and safely skip the next few paragraphs, moving on to the floor (for which, by the way, the neighbor from below will later owe you a beer).

You need to insulate in the same way as the walls, using polyurethane glue and dowels. Only first you need to stick the first layer, and on top - the second, with a heat-reflecting surface.

The seams between the parts must be sealed with mounting foam, and at the end - glued with a special metallized adhesive tape. In this case, even a strong cold will not prevent you from creating an immortal masterpiece in your office on the balcony.

If, of course, you take care of floor insulation, which, for example, I carry out as follows:

I clean the floor surface from the remnants of building materials, cement influx, dirt, debris, glue, and so on;
I cover the floor with penofol;
on top I mount a crate from wooden bars pre-cut with an electric jigsaw;
I install heat-insulating material inside the crate, sealing the cracks with construction foam;
I mount a draft floor from plywood or OSB boards;
I lay a floor covering on top (usually linoleum or laminate).

However, my neighbor - a future professor - wanted to make a heated floor in his balcony office. So I had to tell him the order of work in this case:

on the reinforced concrete floor of the balcony, you need to make a screed using a self-leveling mixture in order to level out all the protrusions and irregularities;
on top of the frozen screed, you need to lay a layer of heat-reflecting material with a heat insulator;
mount a heating electric cable from above, securing it with a special tape (you remember that you can’t do water heating on a balcony, which means a water-heated floor too);
pour another layer of cement screed on top;
install the selected decorative flooring.

Decorative decoration of the balcony

I will end my story with a short story about how to finish the balcony after it has been insulated. To do this, you can use many different materials:

plastic panels;
ordinary and decorative plaster;
wallpaper;
tiles;
wooden lining.

Considering that I told you how to insulate a balcony with mineral wool, I will continue this topic. I will describe how you can install lining or plastic panels on the walls. The technology is very similar, since both of these materials are separate lamellas connected to each other using a special system of spikes and grooves.

And there is not much to do here:

the first part is mounted on the installed crate, starting from the corner;
after that, all subsequent parts are installed.

I tend to prefer wood as it's a natural material, but plastic is easier to work with, doesn't require finishing, and is cheap.

Conclusion

That’s it, I won’t distract your attention anymore, because I think you can’t wait to start warming your own balcony. Or to write a dissertation in philology. By the way, I would be grateful if you write about the results of your efforts in the comments to this article.

And for those who are interested in other issues related to repair and decoration, I recommend to look video in this article.

Having completed the insulation of the balcony, you can achieve 2 goals at once: expand the living space and improve the degree of thermal insulation of the apartment. It is most correct to produce external insulation, but here you can not do without the services of industrial climbers and the corresponding costs. Warming the balcony from the inside will be much cheaper, especially if you do it yourself.

How to insulate the balcony inside

A positive result of the work performed is the equally comfortable temperature inside the room and the balcony adjacent to it. It makes no sense to invest effort and money in insulation that does not protect against the penetration of cold onto the balcony and forces you to tightly close the doors leading to the loggia in winter.

As a rule, for internal insulation of balconies is used:

foamed polystyrene with a density of 25-35 kg / m 3, otherwise - foam;
based on basalt fiber 80-110 kg / m 3 density;
extruded polystyrene foam (one of its varieties -).

Note! For additional thermal insulation, thin foil insulation made of polyethylene foam - Izolon or Penofol - is often laid on the main layer.

In addition to the above insulators, there is another insulating material - ecowool, made from cellulose waste. In other words, waste paper. The rules for handling it and the installation technology are used the same as with basalt wool. Ecowool is not very popular due to its high cost.

Brief description of heaters

Styrofoam is the cheapest material for insulation, produced in the form of plates of various thicknesses.

Like all foamed polymers, it repels moisture well and has sufficient strength (at the specified density). It is characterized by high resistance to heat transfer and flammability, which requires protection from accidental sparks.

The thickness of the foam for insulation of the balcony in the northern regions should be at least 100 mm, in the southern regions 50 mm may be enough.

Unlike polystyrene, mineral wool does not burn at all, but it is able to absorb moisture, after which its thermal conductivity rises sharply. The problem is solved with the help of protective layers of special films, which will be discussed later.

The heat transfer resistance of mineral wool is not too high, so it makes no sense to use a material with a thickness of less than 80 mm. Insulation is offered in rolls and plates, and at a price it will cost more than polystyrene.

Advice! Do not insulate the balcony with fiberglass-based wool (glass wool) intended for outdoor or roofing work. The use of such materials inside residential premises is unacceptable.

The best option for internal insulation of a balcony is extruded polystyrene foam, sold in slabs.

Expanded polystyrene is durable, lightweight and has the best thermal insulation properties.

Where it is necessary to lay mineral wool 100 mm thick, 50 mm of foam plastic will suffice.

In addition, the polymer is absolutely impervious to moisture and is so strong that the plate can be screwed on with self-tapping screws if necessary. There is only one drawback - the high price of the material, which is offset by the long service life of the material - up to 50 years.

Balcony insulation technology from the inside

To carry out thermal insulation on the balcony, you must carefully prepare. This includes not only the purchase of materials and the preparation of tools, but also the implementation of a number of preliminary works:

The device of a reliable parapet. 2 types of structures are practiced: a welded metal frame with fastening to the wall or masonry from foam blocks. How to strengthen the parapet -.
. Sometimes the balcony is made panoramic by installing metal-plastic blocks to the full height, without a parapet. Then it remains to insulate only the floors and ceiling.
Elimination of all cracks and leaks leading to the street, removal of excess mounting foam.
pad electrical wiring for lighting, as well as drainage and lines with freon k (if any).

Before insulating the balcony inside, you need to level all surfaces, removing obvious influxes or filling up cavities and cracks with mortar.

Interior wall decoration

The technology of do-it-yourself balcony wall insulation depends on the design of the parapet and the heat-insulating material used. It is better to sheathe a metal frame trimmed on the outside with plastic or with 2 layers of thermal insulation so that the second row of insulation covers all metal racks that are cold bridges. Moreover, from the outside, between the cladding and the insulation, a windproof film should be laid.

When insulating a balcony with mineral wool, it is necessary to use not an ordinary film, but a diffusion membrane as a windscreen. It will let the moisture that occurs in the thickness of the cotton wool out, but will not let it get wet from precipitation or fog on the street. For polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene, the use of a membrane is not necessary; a regular film is also suitable.

To fix the mineral wool, you will need to assemble with your own hands an additional wooden frame made of bars, whose width is equal to the thickness of the insulation. The step between the bars is selected according to the width of the material, the latter is inserted between them by surprise. At the last stage, the heat-insulating layer is covered with a vapor barrier film, after which the frame is sewn up with clapboard or drywall.

ceiling lining

And the balcony ceiling can be insulated in 3 ways:

If you plan to do wallpapering at the end, then the method of gluing the slab insulation with a building mixture is suitable. Warming, accompanied by "wet" processes, is carried out only in the warm season at positive temperatures.
For a similar finish, you will have to attach wooden bars to the walls and ceiling, and lay the rolled or slab material between them.
When insulated with polystyrene foam, the plates can be fixed directly to the walls and ceiling with dowels. After that, the surfaces are leveled with putty and painted, or a crate is placed by fixing the bars to the foam blocks or concrete through the insulation. Lining, plastic, drywall and other finishes of your choice are calmly attached to the crate.

Note! To fasten the battens to the concrete ceiling through the expanded polystyrene, you must use special screws for concrete - frame dowels.

When insulating a balcony with mineral wool, a wooden frame is indispensable. Cotton wool can also be glued, but it is quite difficult. The best option is to insert it between the beams attached to the wall and ceiling, protect it with a vapor barrier and line it with a suitable material.

The gluing method is convenient when working with foam plastic, but after 2 days it must be additionally fixed with dowel umbrellas and a plaster layer is applied over the fiberglass mesh.

Video:

Floor insulation

The technology of thermal insulation of balcony floors differs from walls and ceilings, since the “pie” of insulation must bear certain dynamic loads and have a flat surface. Alignment is carried out by laying wooden logs, between which a heater is laid, and a finishing coating is laid on top. The sequence of actions is as follows:

Cut a wooden beam into crossbars along the width of the balcony and fix them to the floor with anchors or self-tapping screws and dowels using steel corners.
Fasten 3 longitudinal logs to the crossbars on self-tapping screws. In the process, they must be aligned horizontally, starting from the highest point. Using the building level, the beams at the intersection with the crossbars should be raised and plastic or wooden wedges should be placed.
Between the crossbars and the log, lay the insulation tightly. In the case of mineral wool, a vapor barrier must be laid on top of it.
Lay a floor covering with fastening to the logs.

It is characteristic that the length of the crossbars and the log does not need to be adjusted to the dimensions of the balcony. It would be more correct to make them shorter by 10-20 mm so that the ends do not rest against the walls. Wood has the ability to "breathe" and deform a little; with a tight fit, the floor surface may later arch.

Moreover, walking on such floors will be accompanied by an annoying creak. The resulting gaps near the walls will hide under the floor covering and become invisible.

When using slab insulation, it is worth choosing the step of the crossbars correctly so that you do not have to cut the slabs once again. The standard width is 600 mm, and you need to focus on it. After laying foam or expanded polystyrene, all joints and cracks must be filled with mounting foam.

Useful instructional video:

Mineral wool is protected with a vapor barrier as tightly as possible so that moisture from inside the room cannot seep into it. Here, too, you can use foamed polyethylene such as Penofol, but pay special attention to gluing the joints.

If you seriously and scrupulously approach the procedure for internal insulation of a balcony, then it is not at all necessary to hire craftsmen and pay them money, which is never superfluous. You will spend twice as much time to complete the work, but you will do everything with high quality and in accordance with personal wishes. In addition, save money for the family budget.

In this article, we will talk about how to protect the walls of the loggia from the penetration of cold, and also give advice on what tools and materials will be useful to you for this purpose. But first I would like to dwell on those problems that will have to be overcome in the process of work.

Common Mistakes

A serious problem is created by condensate, which forms from the inside on the cold surface of the walls and ceiling. As a result, damp areas appear, which very quickly become covered with a layer of mold. This happens due to poor ventilation, improper insulation and heating systems.

When the ventilation of the room does not work correctly, the air quickly moves from the warm part of the apartment to the cold, i.e. to the loggia. There, excess moisture settles on the coldest surfaces. Ordinary doors help to avoid such a negative effect, which separate rooms with different temperature conditions, and, consequently, with different humidity.

Insulation systems also cause a lot of trouble. If, for example, the insulation of the walls and floor was done incorrectly, then moisture will certainly leave its marks on the problem areas of the loggia.

If you decide to save on foam, and instead sealed the seams between the plates with a putty mixture, then condensation is very likely to settle in these places with all the ensuing consequences. It is better not to make such mistakes at all, since it will be very difficult to eliminate them. Therefore, it is very important to adhere to the technology of all insulation processes.

Often the problem is a poor-quality loggia heating system. If this process occurs only due to warm air from the next room, then mold will certainly form in the cold corners of the outdoor room. Therefore, it is advisable to start wall insulation with floor insulation on the loggia.

This is also important in order to comply with building codes, because the installation of water heating on balconies is prohibited. A well-equipped warm floor is sensitive to temperature changes in its various areas and automatically eliminates this imbalance.

Silence

Insulation of walls, in addition to its main purpose, has other positive effects. It becomes much quieter on the loggia, which means that the noise level is significantly reduced in the rest of the room.

After all, it is the loggia that is exposed to numerous noise influences from the outside.

Material selection

The modern market of thermal insulation materials provides customers with a huge choice, which is quite difficult for a beginner to understand, so it is better to seek advice from specialists. Many of them are advised to opt for extruded polystyrene foam or, as it is called in everyday life, penoplex.

This material has excellent heat-saving properties, high strength and low hygroscopicity. In addition, it is easy to process, featuring high environmental standards and chemical neutrality.

Other types of foam are widely used as a heater, however, unlike foam plastic, they have more modest thermal insulation characteristics. Often for and loggias use penofol and mineral wool.

Wall insulation

Insulation of the walls of the balcony consists of several stages. Let's consider each of them in detail.

It is possible to successfully insulate a wall only if the corresponding preparatory work was initially carried out on the loggia. Do not be too lazy to spend time preparing, this will provide an excellent result.

First of all, thoroughly clean the walls of the old coating. It is good if, before warming, you replace outdated window structures with double-glazed windows, and also remove the old mounting foam from the frames.

For this, it is best to use a clerical knife. If there are significant mold formations on the inside of the walls, they must be eliminated. In this case, a fungicide spray will do.
Then you should carefully mark the lines for fixing the foam sheets.

Laying the insulating layer

At first, warming a loggia may seem like a rather complicated and time-consuming process. However, if you decide to try, you will quickly realize that there are no particular difficulties here. All operations are quickly mastered and do not require special construction skills.

From the balcony it will also be possible to make a comfortable and useful room. For example, equip it with an office, a workshop, a small sports area or a comfortable rest room.