Insulation of floor and ceiling. The cheaper it is to insulate the ceiling of a house. What is the best way to insulate a ceiling? Necessary tools and materials. Tools for work

Currently, almost all residential buildings are heated using gas or electric heat-generating equipment. Even country houses and garden houses, which are used only in summer, are no exception. Most buildings that are not used year-round are equipped with inexpensive cold-type roofs, through which the main heat losses occur while maintaining a comfortable temperature regime. In this article we will tell you how to properly insulate a ceiling under a cold roof so that the house is always warm.

The design of the roof depends on the nature of the use of the house and the space under the roof. It is these factors that determine the choice of shape, roofing material, rafter frame design and the presence or absence of a thermal insulation layer . In private housing construction, 2 types of roofs are used:

Important! If the attic space is not heated, then the air in it serves as a kind of buffer zone, which serves as thermal insulation and reduces heat loss. The air rising from the heated rooms of the first floor, according to the law of convection, gradually cools and does not heat the surface of the slopes from the inside, due to which ice does not form on them.

To retain heat, as well as reduce fuel consumption to maintain an optimal temperature, the ceiling located under a cold roof is insulated using loose or fibrous thermal insulation materials. Since heated air always rises, this operation is an effective measure to reduce heat loss.

Thermal insulation methods

High-quality thermal insulation reduces heat loss and home heating costs by 30%, which is a good saving in terms of the family budget. The use of suitable insulation and the correct choice of installation method create a comfortable microclimate in the room.

The issue of thermal insulation of the ceiling under a cold roof is best decided at the stage of building a house, then you can choose the most effective and convenient option. Most often, insulation is installed in 2 ways:

Note! Any thermal insulation works comprehensively. Therefore, if you want to solve problems with heat loss in a house with a cold roof, do not forget about thermal insulation of the floor, door and window openings. A clear way to analyze where the heat goes is to look at the house with a thermal imager in winter. To improve the energy efficiency of your home, you need to pay attention to the areas painted red and yellow, as it is through them that heat escapes.

Materials

The modern construction market offers an impressive range of materials for thermal insulation, but not all of them are suitable for insulating the ceiling under a cold roof. In order for the costs to be justified, it is necessary that the thermal insulating layer is resistant to moisture, has low thermal conductivity and meets safety standards for human health.

The following materials are used for insulation:

Experienced craftsmen remind that important role Vapor barrier and waterproofing layers play a role in insulating the floor located under a cold roof. To protect the insulation from getting wet as a result of interaction with heated air saturated with water vapor, a vapor barrier membrane is first laid. And on the roof side it is protected from leaks using a waterproofing film.

Video instruction

In accordance with the laws of physics, air rises when heated, so insulating the ceiling in a house with a cold roof is not a way to get rid of extra money, but a decision dictated by expediency. If you live in a private house, then you have directly encountered the problem of a cold ceiling in the room above which the attic is located. It is usually not heated, and its own thermal insulation is minimal to ensure normal temperatures during the cold season. As a result, there is a source of constant heat leakage above the living room.

You can insulate the ceiling in a private house from the inside or outside. Both options have their own advantages and disadvantages, the use of which is dictated by rationality, circumstances, technical nuances and other significant characteristics.

Insulation of the ceiling from the outside with rolled material

Why insulate ceilings in private houses

Installing insulation material that is optimal for a particular structure will provide a thermal barrier between the room and the attic. It will prevent the heated air from cooling, escaping through microcracks in concrete or natural pores in a wooden ceiling, raise the overall temperature in the room, protect floors and walls from freezing and save a considerable amount that is regularly spent on heating.

Features of ceiling insulation in a wooden house

When working with wooden buildings, primary attention should be paid to the final weight of the insulating layer. Excessively high mass increases the likelihood of collapse or cracks in the ceiling covering.

Some are trying to insulate the ceiling in a private house with a cold roof by reducing the insulation layer, but work standards require a certain value for each region in accordance with temperature and humidity indicators. As the thickness decreases, the thermal insulation properties decrease, and the meaning of laying insulation disappears.

Insulation of the ceiling in a wooden house from the inside

List of materials used for insulation

For thermal insulation, installers use materials that are divided into four large groups:

bulk– expanded clay, dry sawdust, ecowool;

roll– mineral wool and its varieties from other materials;

slab– sheets of compacted mineral wool, expanded polystyrene (foam), cork plates;

sprayed/self-leveling- penoizol.

When choosing insulation for the ceiling in a wooden house, you need to know which one has the best insulating properties. To do this, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors that influence the final result:

external or internal installation;

weather conditions and average annual temperature in a particular area, affecting the thickness of the layer;

the need and list of additional work;

time spent and project budget.

The combination of these features will indicate the rationality of using one or another type of thermal insulation.

The photo shows a bulk version of the ceiling insulation from the outside - thermal insulation with expanded clay

External insulation

In most cases, insulating the outside ceiling of a home is a more convenient way to prevent heat loss. It allows you to expand the list of insulating materials used, reduce the time spent on work and reduce, in comparison with internal installation, the cost of thermal insulation when insulating a house with finishing finishing.

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer house insulation services. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

There are several options for insulating the ceiling from the outside:

The cheapest among all bulk insulator options. Thanks to the cheap cost of the material and minimal additional costs, the total cost of the work is the lowest among those described.

There are certain requirements for sawdust.

A minimum moisture content is required, otherwise mold will begin to form over time. To do this, the material is kept in a dry room for about a year before use.

Sawdust is mixed with fire retardants to reduce flammability.

Combining with antiseptic substances, fungicides and slaked lime will prevent the appearance of fungus and protect against rodents.

Insulating the ceiling in a house with sawdust is done in two ways. In the first, they are mixed with dry cement, followed by the addition of a small amount of water. Cement acts as a connecting material. The second method involves dry filling of sawdust without adding a connector, but due to the natural shrinkage of the material and the need for regular addition, it is not popular.

Ceiling insulated with sawdust

Expanded clay as insulation

The second most frequently used bulk material for insulation. Among its advantages:

acceptable price;

availability;

thermal insulation properties are above average.

However, the application has a number of limitations:

The own weight of expanded clay does not allow its use on thin wooden ceilings; concrete floors are desirable.

the material has low moisture resistance, so a vapor barrier must be laid as the first layer.

to ensure high-quality heat retention, you will need a layer more than 20 cm thick (in cold regions of the country it is increased to 50 cm).

When using expanded clay, experts use a mixture of large and small fractions to ensure a high percentage of filling the empty space. On top, a layer of material is filled with cement mortar 5–10 cm thick, which provides protection from moisture and serves as a floor covering.

External ceiling insulation with expanded clay

Ecowool

Modern insulation for the ceiling of a house, made from recycled cellulose, with the addition of fire retardants to provide fire resistance and boric acid, which serves as protection against fungus and harmful microorganisms. The main advantages of the material:

high-quality coverage of the entire floor space; thanks to the low weight of the individual parts, the cotton wool is easily blown into all the cracks;

the composition does not contain compounds harmful to humans;

low material consumption to ensure reliable thermal insulation.

The disadvantages include:

low resistance to moisture, you will have to spend money on laying a vapor barrier;

manual installation without special equipment is impossible or will be of poor quality;

ecowool is subject to shrinkage, so you will need to lay it with a margin of about 15%;

if crushed, it loses its thermal insulation qualities, so it is necessary to cover the ecowool with a layer of boards to ensure the ability to move around the attic.

Advice! Experts do not recommend using the material close to chimneys and other sources of high temperature, despite the addition of fire retardants to the composition. If this is not possible, then you will need to make additional fencing made of a fire-resistant coating that reflects heat.

Mineral wool as insulation

Insulating the ceiling in a wooden house with mineral wool has several advantages:

low cost of material;

high speed styling;

good thermal insulation properties.

There were some downsides:

shrinkage of cotton wool is 15–20%, so experts advise taking an appropriate supply.

the material is not moisture resistant and quickly absorbs water, which immediately increases its thermal conductivity. It will be necessary to lay an additional layer of waterproofing.

mineral wool cannot be crushed, the impermeability of the thermal barrier largely depends on the air contained between the fibers, so you will have to spend money on laying the outer covering so that you can move freely around the attic.

To insulate with mineral wool, workers must install wooden logs. They will allow you to delimit the space into sectors and will become the support of the future floor covering.

The photo shows the process of thermal insulation of a ceiling with mineral wool

Insulation with penoizol

Depending on the type of installation, penoizol is sprayed or poured. But to use this material, you will need to contact a specialized company, since the work uses specific equipment, plus, you need protective suits for workers and professional skills.

The advantages include:

high degree of penetration into all cracks and microcracks;

non-flammability;

environmental safety for humans;

not of interest to rodents;

the substance contains a large number of air bubbles, which provide high-quality insulation.

The disadvantages include the high cost and fragility of the material, which does not independently restore its shape in the event of mechanical damage.

Video description

Which insulation divides heat better, watch the video:

Advice! When working with penoizol, it is recommended to wait until it hardens completely; it has a slight shrinkage that will have to be compensated to prevent the formation of voids.

The process of thermal insulation of the ceiling with foam insulation

Internal insulation

A residential attic, a house for several owners, the presence of utilities in the attic and other situations that make external insulation impossible, require thermal insulation from the inside of the room. Bulk substances are not used for obvious reasons.

Video description

Insulating the ceiling from the inside, watch the video:

Sheet, roll or sprayed materials are used. When choosing insulation for the ceiling in a private house, you should pay attention to polystyrene foam boards or compressed mineral wool. They have the best ratio in the price/quality/speed category. Don’t forget about penoizol, which will be an excellent option if your budget increases.

The process of insulating the ceiling from the inside with foam plastic

Thermal insulation of the ceiling from the inside with polystyrene foam boards

What to choose - external or internal insulation

The choice between these types of work is based on a combination of factors:

in the absence of finishing, they are equal in the degree of thermal insulation;

if the renovation of the room is completed, you will have to remove the ceiling covering, which will increase the cost and time of work;

laying from the inside reduces shrinkage of the material, but increases the thickness of the ceiling, reducing the total volume of the room;

with internal insulation, the ceiling ceiling is not protected from low temperatures;

external insulation allows the use of a wider range of heat insulators.

Before insulating the ceiling in a private house, you need to carefully calculate all the pros and cons, only after that can you make a clear decision on what is best to use in your case.

Conclusion

When choosing a specific material for ceiling insulation, it is always better to seek professional help. Every business has its pitfalls and stumble upon them, relying on own strength, it's a waste of time and money. It’s better to make repairs once and get a guaranteed high-quality result - this will save you from unnecessary expenses and provide your home with heat for many years to come.

September 6, 2016
Specialization: master in the construction of plasterboard structures, finishing work and laying floor coverings. Installation of door and window units, finishing of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

Insulating the ceiling is a fairly simple process, but thanks to it you can significantly reduce heat loss through this part of the structure. The advantage of this type of work is that almost all insulation options can be carried out on your own without the use of special equipment. I will tell you about the correct technology for each of the options, and you carefully read all the solutions and choose the best one for your home.

Insulation methods

Of all the options that I will talk about, only one cannot be installed efficiently without special equipment; the rest can be done with your own hands without any problems. Different solutions require different costs, this factor also should not be overlooked, because in some cases the costs may be minimal, and in others you will have to shell out a large sum.

An important note: those methods that require large expenses are much more effective than budget methods, this is a well-known truth, and you must remember it.

Basically, all options involve external insulation, that is, work in the attic. This is much more convenient from the point of view of the simplicity of the process, in addition, you can work without littering inside. Of course, in some situations it will be necessary to carry out work from the inside; I will also touch on them in the appropriate sections.

Option No. 1 - polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam

This is a fairly popular solution, foam is cheaper, and extruded options are much stronger. But in the attic, strength is not particularly important, so there is no point in spending extra money. Let's figure out what you need for work:

Styrofoam	For work, it is best to use sheets with a thickness of 100 mm; the density can be as low as 15 kg per cubic meter. You can lay the material in two layers, then the joints between the sheets should not coincide, the top row is laid offset, this ensures greater reliability. The quantity is calculated based on the area to be covered, everything is quite simple, remember that one cubic meter is enough for 10 square meters with a layer of 10 cm
Polyurethane foam	With its help, all cracks at joints and junctions will be sealed. It is impossible to fit the foam perfectly accurately, so you need to fill all the voids, and polyurethane foam is ideal for these purposes, the ideal option is to buy a professional gun, since with its help it is much more convenient to apply the composition, and this can be done even in narrow crevices, which very important in our case
Vapor barrier membrane or glassine	Personally, I think that you can do without these materials, since wood does not need additional insulation. But if you still want to cover the surface, then use membrane options, but under no circumstances use film, as condensation will form under it and rotting processes may begin in the wood. If the attic is residential, then insulation can be laid on top, it is attached directly to the beams

As for technology, do-it-yourself ceiling insulation is done according to the following algorithm:

First of all, the surface is cleared of all objects and cleared of debris if any.. The space between the beams must be dry and clean so that nothing interferes with the tightest fit of the heat-insulating material;
Next, foam sheets are prepared; if you need to trim them, keep in mind that the width of the element should be 10 mm greater than the distance between the frame, this will ensure a tight arrangement of the material in the structure. For this work, I advise you to purchase a special hacksaw; with its help you will quickly and efficiently cut the material;

If you lay a vapor barrier, do it with overlaps on vertical surfaces. The easiest way to fix the material is with a construction stapler; this is the most quick way carrying out work;
The sheets are placed as tightly as possible into the frame, try to accurately measure the required dimensions and cut them evenly. If insulation is carried out in two layers, then the top one is placed offset by half a sheet relative to the bottom one, this eliminates through gaps through which heat will be lost. Remember that the material is fragile and will break under great force;

After laying the material, the stage of sealing all cracks and joints begins; the work is simple: with the help of polyurethane foam, all visible voids are filled. After the composition has dried, the excess can be cut off if it protrudes beyond the surface and creates interference.

Further work depends on how the attic will be used; you can lay a floor on it, or you can leave it as is - the material does not need additional protection and will perform its functions perfectly.

In this section you need to figure out how to insulate the ceiling on a balcony with your own hands, here the work is done exclusively from the inside, and for it it is best to use extruded polystyrene foam due to its strength and durability.

The loggia is insulated as follows:

The surface is cleaned of contaminants; if there are irregularities on it, they should be eliminated;
Then the extruded material is taken, if necessary cut to the size of the ceiling and secured to it with dowels for thermal insulation. To do this, holes are drilled in the concrete slab with a hammer drill, after which fasteners are inserted and the elements are securely fixed to the surface;

Then all the cracks and joints are sealed with polyurethane foam, the excess of which is cut off after hardening;
Further work depends on the finishing method; if you plaster the surface, then a reinforcing mesh is attached to it and a special adhesive composition is applied. If you are nailing lining or other finishing material, then it makes sense to attach penofol to the outside - this is a thin insulation with a reflective layer that allows you to retain even more heat on your balcony.

Insulation of the ceiling on the balcony can also be done using polystyrene foam; in this case, I recommend using the option with a density of 25 kg per cubic meter, it is much stronger and harder.

Option No. 2 - granulated polystyrene

For some reason, ceiling insulation is very rarely done using this option, but I really like it due to the simplicity and quality of the material, the granules do not burn, which ensures proper fire safety, and the ease of use is absolutely excellent, judge for yourself:

First of all, you need to prepare the surface - due to the small size of the insulation, it is important to seal all the cracks so that granules do not penetrate into them. The rough filing should be quite dense, so it must be done carefully;
Next, the surface is covered with either a vapor barrier membrane or glassine (paper impregnated with bitumen), these materials perform two functions at once: they protect the structure from moisture and prevent the insulation from waking up. Fastening is done using a stapler; the insulating material must extend onto vertical surfaces by at least 10 centimeters;
The insulation work is very simple: you pour granulated polystyrene onto the surface and distribute it in an even layer, no need to compact it. The recommended layer is 15-20 cm, do not worry about the load on the structure, the material is very light;
Lastly, you need to cover the surface with a vapor-permeable membrane or any material that allows air to pass through, this is necessary so that the polystyrene does not swell, because it is very light and even a slight breeze can blow the granules apart.

I would like to note that the price of a cubic meter of granulated polystyrene is about 5,500 rubles; if the layer is 20 cm, then this is enough for 5 square meters of area.

Option No. 3 - penoizol

This is a new generation material, which is a composition that is applied in liquid form and, after hardening, forms a monolithic structure with good thermal insulation properties without cracks and voids. The advantage of this solution is its effectiveness and service life of about 30 years, the disadvantage is that its application requires special equipment and cannot be done without the involvement of specialists.

As for how to implement this option, everything is simple due to the fact that the work will be carried out mainly by external specialists. You are required to prepare the surface:

Clear the space of dust and debris; it is important to remove all objects that will interfere with work and free all surfaces that will be insulated;
After this, you need to lay a vapor barrier membrane; it will protect the wood from moisture released when applying penoizol and create a barrier that will release fumes to the outside, but prevent moisture from getting inside;
Then the specialists get to work. They apply the material in the required layer over the entire area, the work happens quite quickly, and within a few hours the process will be completely completed. It will take some time for the surface to dry, after which the material will acquire all its properties.

There is no need to put any insulating materials on top of the material, which is also important; if in some places the material has risen above the required level, you can cut it off with a regular construction knife.

Let's look at the cost, a cubic meter of penoizol will cost you an average of 1500-1800 rubles, this is a fairly reasonable price, considering that you will have a minimum of worries, and you will get an excellent result.

Option No. 4 – mineral wool

I will not be mistaken if I say that this is the most popular material for thermal insulation of ceiling structures. Ceiling insulation is carried out in the following sequence:

As in all other options, the work begins with cleaning the surface and freeing the attic from unnecessary objects that interfere with the work;
Then you need to lay a vapor-permeable waterproofing material, the choice of options is very large, you need to purchase a product from a well-known manufacturer with a good reputation among buyers and specialists. The waterproofing is attached using a stapler; for reliability, overlaps of 10-15 cm are made; they can be further strengthened by gluing them with ordinary tape;

Then mineral wool is laid in the space between the beams; both roll and slab versions can be used. In the first case, the material is cut into pieces of the required width and placed tightly on the surface; in the second, the elements are placed on the surface as tightly as possible; it is important to eliminate gaps in the places where the materials join and abut;

The advantage of rigid slabs is that they do not require a continuous sheathing; the main thing is to waterproof the surface, after which the elements can be laid. The minimum thickness of the material is 100 mm, but in areas with severe winters the layer can be much larger.

Remember that when working with mineral wool, you must use protective equipment - gloves and a respirator. In the future, the material will not pose a danger, but when laying and cutting it, small particles may enter the air, which can irritate the mucous membranes, and the skin of the hands will itch.

This material is ideal for insulating an attic from the inside with your own hands; in this case, the work is carried out in the following sequence:

First of all, the surface is covered with a windproof membrane, which will also protect from moisture from the outside and ensure the evaporation of excess moisture from the inside. The fastening is standard - using a stapler, all joints must be reliable, it is better to additionally glue them with a special tape;
Next, the space between the rafters is filled with mineral wool, the layer should be as large as possible, the optimal option is 20 cm. It is important to lay the material as densely as possible, so the width of the elements should be 3-4 cm greater than the distance between the frame;

To keep the sheets in place, they need to be secured., there are two main ways. The first involves stuffing slats on top of the thermal insulation layer, and the second involves using twine, which is stretched on the surface and holds the mineral wool, an example is shown in the photo below.

A vapor barrier material is attached on top of the insulation, after which exterior finishing can be carried out; it can be anything: from lining to plasterboard or plywood.

Option No. 5 – sawdust

If you don’t know how to insulate a ceiling in a dacha on a budget and with high quality, then this section will suggest one of the simplest and most effective solutions. To complete the work you will need the following materials:

Dry sawdust, the material can be purchased at the nearest sawmill for pennies;
Lime, it is added to protect sawdust from mold and pests, it must be added in a ratio of 1:10. Finely ground fluffed lime is used;
To strengthen the composition, I advise adding cement, one part of it should be per 10 parts of sawdust;
Copper sulfate - added as an additional antiseptic, you need 2-3 spoons of it per bucket of water.

The workflow looks like this:

In a container of suitable size, mix 10 parts of sawdust, 1 part of lime and 1 part of cement; it is important to achieve uniformity of the composition;
Next, water is added to the resulting mass, in which 3 tablespoons of copper sulfate are diluted per 10 liters. It must be added carefully, the mass should be moist, but not soggy and wet;

The surface of the ceiling is covered with a layer of glassine, it is laid with an overlap on vertical surfaces, make a margin of 10-15 cm at the joints. This material serves as a waterproofing agent and does not allow moisture to penetrate the wood. It needs to be secured around the perimeter either with small slats or with a construction stapler, the second option is much simpler and faster
Insulation of the ceiling occurs by uniformly distributing the finished mass over the surface; its layer should be 10 cm or more. There is no need to compact the sawdust, just lay it out on a plane and carefully level it;

It takes about two weeks for the composition to dry; during this period it is advisable to ensure good ventilation of the attic space. It is not recommended to walk on the material in the future, so if the attic will be used for some purpose, then the insulation should be covered with a flooring made of boards or.

Option No. 6 – clay

More precisely, it will not be exactly clay, but a mixture of clay and sawdust; such a mass has good thermal insulation properties and is completely environmentally friendly, which is also an important advantage these days. What you need for work:

Clay, which you can dig up yourself at the nearest mining site;
Sawdust, it is important to find a dry option without traces of mold;
Cement - a tenth of it is needed to the volume of the solution to increase its strength later.

The insulation mass is prepared as follows:

Several buckets of clay are poured into a concrete mixer, after which water is added, the amount should be such that after mixing a liquid mass is obtained. To make the process faster, clay should be added in the form of small pieces;
Next, sawdust is added until the mass becomes relatively dense; the moisture content of the composition should be low so that when laying it, water does not flow onto the structure; this is very important. At the end of mixing, cement is added, which also dries the mass and, after it hardens, gives additional strength;

Instead of sawdust, you can use straw, then you will get adobe, the thermal insulation properties of which have been well known to people for many centuries. In this case, water is added to the clay until a wet mass is obtained, after which wet straw is added, mixing is done with hands or even feet if the volumes are large.

The surface between the beams must be covered with a waterproofing, vapor-permeable material; this is necessary so that moisture from the mass does not penetrate into the material and cause mold to form in it;
The composition is laid out on the surface in a layer of approximately 10 cm, the surface is leveled manually or using a level lath. You can also use a rule; with its help, the work will go much faster, and the result will be much better;

After laying, the mixture will dry for about a month; during this period, it is necessary to ensure high-quality attic ventilation. If small cracks appear on the surface during the drying process, they can be carefully rubbed out.

Option No. 7 – expanded clay

This lightweight fireproof material has good thermal insulation properties and is lightweight, which is important when insulating ceiling structures. I would like to immediately note that for effective thermal insulation, the layer of material should be about 20 cm, take this into account and use beams of the appropriate height when building.

Ceiling insulation with expanded clay is carried out using a fairly simple technology:

The surface is cleared of all excess, after which a vapor-permeable membrane is laid on it. The easiest way is to lay the material completely so that it covers both the surface and the beams; it is fastened with a stapler; it is fast, convenient and very reliable;
Expanded clay is poured over the entire area and evenly distributed over the surface; the process is very simple and takes little time. The main thing is that someone brings the bags, and someone scatters them and levels them out.

A cubic meter of expanded clay costs about one and a half thousand rubles, this is for your information so that you can calculate the approximate costs when using this option.

Option No. 8 – ecowool

This is a relatively new insulation, which consists of cellulose with the addition of antiseptics and fire retardants, this ensures the safety of the material and its non-flammability. The capillary structure allows moisture to evaporate from the surface, and the presence of special additives prevents the formation of mold, so when asked what is the best way to insulate the ceiling, many experts answer that the optimal solution today is ecowool.

But I want to immediately warn you against working on your own - the composition must be applied by specialists using special equipment; the manually poured mass simply retains heat much worse, such savings will cost more for you.

Let's figure out how to properly insulate a ceiling with this material; the instructions for carrying out the work are very simple:

The material does not require any special preparation, since cellulose interacts well with wood. You need to clean the surface of debris and unnecessary objects. There should be nothing in the attic, since during operation particles fly in all directions and land on all objects around;
Ceiling insulation can be done in two ways - dry and wet. In the first case, the composition is applied dry under pressure to the surface, work continues until a layer of the required thickness is formed on the surface. The second option involves supplying a wet mass, which after drying reliably adheres to the surface; its main advantages are strong attachment to the surface and high sound insulation characteristics;

Of course, there are other technologies that can be used to insulate the ceiling; I have touched only on those that are most common today and have proven themselves well among developers. From this list you can choose the best option for any structure, carefully weigh all the criteria to find the optimal solution.

Conclusion

Insulating the ceiling is a responsible process, because up to 25% of the heat from the house can be lost through this part of the structure. It is important to carry out the work efficiently and thoroughly, and the video in this article will help you understand some important nuances even better. If you don’t understand certain points or want to get additional information, then write in the comments under the review.

September 6, 2016

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Most owners of private houses only insulate the walls of the building, but a large amount of heat is lost through the roof of the house. This happens because warm air is lighter than cold air and rises to the top. Therefore, when insulating a house, you need to take care of the ceiling so that the heat does not escape outside. Let's figure out the best way to insulate the ceiling in a house.

Typically, ceiling insulation is performed in conjunction with insulation of the entire room.

If you carefully examine the roof of your house in winter, you will notice that the snow and ice melts faster there than around it. And this happens due to the heat coming out of the room. In order to reduce heat loss, you need to insulate the ceiling. As a result, you will save on electricity and the house will not need to be heated for a long time.

Thanks to an insulated ceiling, you can retain a significant amount of heat in the house. That is why it is necessary to carefully select materials. To work you will need the following:

insulation material (foam and mineral wool are ideal as such materials);
edged board;
waterproofing material (for example, glassine);
wooden slats, nails;
polyurethane foam.

To make slats of the appropriate size, you will need to take an electric jigsaw and a hacksaw. A regular knife is suitable for cutting foam sheets.

We insulate the roof using polystyrene foam

Before you start insulating the ceiling, you must insulate the roof. Almost all residential buildings have a gable roof. Such roofs need to be insulated from the inside, and after construction is completed.

Here is another option for insulating the roof of a building:

First, cover the roof cladding with a thick layer of waterproofing;
install a wooden sheathing;
Carefully place the insulation boards between the slats of this sheathing;
Fill cracks and gaps that inevitably remain with foam;
At the end of the work, nail the boards - they will fix the insulation.

It is important to leave a small space between the insulation layer and the waterproofing film - ventilation will occur through it. Otherwise, the air will not carry water vapor out of the room, the humidity will increase, and as a result, condensation will appear.

Ceiling insulation with mineral wool

If you have your own a private house, then it is easier to insulate the ceiling from the attic side. In addition, this method will not reduce the living space. It is very convenient to insulate the ceiling with mineral wool.

First, prepare the surface of the attic floor for insulation. To do this, cover the floor with a vapor-proof film and attach wooden slats. The distance between them should accommodate blocks of mineral wool. In case of very large heat loss, lay the insulation in several layers. The last layer must be placed so that it covers the beams, otherwise heat will leave the house through the wood.

Fill the gaps with polystyrene foam or seal with foam.

Moisture insulation is necessary because mineral wool, when it gets into a humid environment, loses its thermal insulation properties. When spreading the moisture-proofing film, it is better to leave a small margin. For ease of use, the edges of such a film can be attached to the side beams or wall using a stapler.

This way the ceiling is insulated with mineral wool. After all the work done to insulate the attic, you can arrange living quarters or utility rooms.

But if you want to frequently use the attic space, then you should lay another board floor on top of the insulation. And if the attic will be practically not used, then you can nail several boards in the form of paths so that you can move along them if necessary.

Ceiling insulation using expanded clay

If for some reason you are not satisfied with mineral wool, then to insulate the ceiling you can use a lightweight porous material - expanded clay.

It has a lot of advantages:

expanded clay is not damaged by rodents;
thermal insulation based on it is very long-term;
Since expanded clay is a bulk insulation material, it can easily fill absolutely any space, even the narrowest and most inaccessible.

However, this material also has disadvantages. And the main thing is its relatively low thermal insulation properties. Having carried out all the necessary calculations for insulating the ceiling with expanded clay, you may find that you will need a very impressive amount of such insulation. This means that due to the mass, the pressure on the building’s floors will increase.

Expanded clay is used to insulate the ceiling when heat loss is not very significant and it is quite possible to get by with a small amount of such insulation. Its big advantage is that expanded clay is not affected by a humid environment, which means it does not require additional protection with waterproofing material.

Ceiling insulation with foam plastic

Recently, polystyrene foam has been in great demand in construction because it is environmentally friendly and non-toxic. It is produced in the form of slabs. Bulk foam is also suitable for insulation.

When thinking about what material is best to insulate the ceiling, many people choose foam plastic. And all because:

polystyrene foam has a low mass, which means the pressure on the floors will be minimal;
slabs of this material are easily cut for joining inside the sheathing with an ordinary knife;
installation of foam boards is easy to do yourself;
polystyrene foam is a cheap material;
If previously the big disadvantage of polystyrene foam was its flammability, then modern polystyrene foam does not burn.

How to insulate a ceiling with polystyrene foam?

First, cover the ceiling with waterproofing; you can use glassine for this purpose. To do this, we cut the material into strips so that it fits easily between the beams. Leave 5 cm on the side of the beams so that you can then attach the material to the ends with wooden slats.

Cut the foam boards to a size that will fit between the joists. Carefully fill all cracks with construction foam.

Place a second layer of glassine on top of the entire resulting structure.

How much insulation to use depends on the heat loss of your home. In some cases, it is advisable to lay several layers of mineral wool on the foam layer. Such an insulating structure must be mounted so that the upper edges of the beams are covered with insulation. After all the work, you can start laying the floor.

Conclusion

Before starting work on ceiling insulation, you must determine:

what material will you use to insulate the ceiling;
how much of it you will need;
what tools should you have with you.

Floors in private houses are usually made of wood: beams are laid, and then they are lined with boards from below. If the house does not have a heated attic, the ceiling in the building must be insulated. And when installing equipment in the attic of a living space, it won’t hurt to lay something over the ceiling. After all, most, among other things, can also serve as excellent sound insulators.

Material selection

So, let's see how to insulate a house. And first, let's figure out what type of insulator is best to choose in a given case. Typically, floors in country buildings are insulated:

mineral wool;
expanded polystyrene;
sawdust;
expanded clay.

Advantages and disadvantages of mineral wool

This heat insulator is currently the most popular and is used most often in private homes. Its main advantages include:

Low cost.
Easy to install.
High heat-retaining qualities.
Insulating the ceiling in a house with this material can also improve the soundproofing properties of the floors.
Durability.
Non-flammability.

The disadvantages of this material include:

The ability to accumulate moisture and lose some of its thermal insulation qualities.
Not too much high degree environmental cleanliness.

Expanded polystyrene

This material is also an excellent answer to the question of how to insulate a wooden ceiling in a house. It is a lightweight, environmentally friendly board. Although they are made using a slightly different technology, their appearance is very similar to the well-known polystyrene foam. They differ from the latter in that they practically do not crumble and retain heat much better. Expanded polystyrene lasts much longer than polystyrene foam. Unlike mineral wool, this material is not at all afraid of moisture. Its main advantage over basalt insulator is its smaller thickness with the same heat-retaining qualities.

Its disadvantages include only its rather high cost and flammability. In addition, it is strictly not recommended to use this material if there are rodents in the house. Mice simply love to make passages and holes in foamy materials.

Expanded clay

This material is also very often used to insulate a wooden ceiling in a private house. Expanded clay is a special porous granule made from clay. The material is very inexpensive and retains heat well. Its main advantage is that it can last much longer than any other insulation. Not afraid of expanded clay and water. In addition, it is very durable and fire resistant.

Sawdust

The main advantages of this bulk material are absolute environmental friendliness and low weight. Insulating the ceiling with sawdust is very inexpensive. At sawmills they sell this material for literally pennies, and sometimes even give it away for free. The disadvantages of sawdust include, first of all, a very high risk of fire. In addition, they may dry out or begin to rot. Like polystyrene foam, they can harbor mice or rats.

Insulation of a wooden ceiling in a private house with mineral wool

When insulating the ceiling from the attic side, this material is laid as follows:

In a building under construction, the ceiling itself, made from edged boards, is placed on the beams below. If the house is old and there are already floors in the attic, a cellular frame should be installed on them.
A vapor barrier is laid between the beams. You can use either polyethylene or foil material. The latter option is more expensive, but performs its function much better. In addition, foil can reflect heat back into the room. Therefore, such materials, in addition to everything else, are also capable of additionally retaining heat. A vapor barrier is installed on existing attic floors in old houses before installing the frame under the slabs.
At the next stage, the mineral wool itself is installed. They put her to shame. That is, the step between the beams should be slightly less than the width of the slabs. This allows for the most effective insulation. You need to start laying the wool from the corner farthest from the door. To make it comfortable to walk on the floor, it is worth lining the attic with strips of plywood.
A waterproofing layer is laid on top of the mineral wool if the attic is not intended to be insulated in the future. If the roof is waterproofed with film, this step can be skipped.
Next, the finishing floor of the attic is filled.

In exactly the same way, insulation of a wooden ceiling in a brick or poured concrete one is carried out. If there is a chimney in the attic, the slabs are placed on it to a height of 40-50 cm and secured.

Installation from inside

Next, let's see how to insulate a wooden ceiling in a house with mineral wool from the living room side. Most often, the material in this case is installed simultaneously with the pre-assembled metal frame for drywall. The distance between its constituent profiles is usually 40 cm. Mineral wool slabs have a width of 50-120 cm. Therefore, installation is carried out using the “accordion” method. The cotton wool is simply slipped under the frame elements. In this case, the plates are installed close to each other. When performing this work, you should try not to wrinkle the material. Otherwise, the cotton wool will lose some of its performance characteristics.

Do-it-yourself ceiling insulation from the inside continues with the installation of a vapor barrier film. Next, the gypsum boards themselves are installed on the frame. In the event that suspended ceilings are not installed, the work is performed using a slightly different technology:

The ceiling is first covered with a vapor barrier film. If there is no attic above, it is better to use a waterproofing membrane.
Next, a wooden sheathing is placed on it. For its manufacture, bars with a cross section of 30*30 - 40*40 mm are used. In this case, the step between the frame elements is made so that the slabs lie sideways.
At the next stage, mineral wool is inserted between the bars. If the sheathing was installed correctly, the slabs will hold up well just like that. However, in order to completely eliminate the risk of falling out, it is worth additionally securing them with special mushroom dowels.
Next, it is stretched onto the frame. You need to nail it with slats at least three centimeters thick. This will provide an additional ventilation layer.
At the next stage, the ceiling is usually sheathed with plywood and covered with ceiling tiles.

Installation of polystyrene foam

Now let's figure out how to insulate the ceiling in a wooden house using another modern material. Typically, expanded polystyrene is laid in the attic in the same way as mineral wool - between beams or in the sheathing. However, it is entirely possible to install it directly on the attic floors, if any, that is, without installing a frame. In this case, the base must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and leveled. Then the work is done like this:

Check to see if the floor boards have rotted or come loose.
Lay a layer of vapor barrier. Fastening is done using staplers.
From the corner farthest from the door, begin laying out the expanded polystyrene slabs. At the same time, make sure that the joints do not meet in a cross. That is, they perform staggered laying.
The joints between the plates are sealed with polyurethane foam and additionally taped with construction tape.
Since the slabs are a rather fragile material, they either put a board on top of them, or pour a 3-4 cm cement screed. In the first case, before laying polystyrene foam on the floors, you will need to fill several logs.

Using polystyrene foam from the inside

Insulation of a wooden ceiling in a private house in this case is carried out as follows:

The ceiling is thoroughly cleaned of dirt, old plaster (if any), etc.
After this it should be primed.
Next, polystyrene foam boards are glued to the ceiling using foam glue. In this case, the material should also be additionally secured with “fungi”.
A reinforcing mesh is glued on top of the slabs.
Next, the ceiling is plastered.

Of course, you can install polystyrene foam in the same way as mineral wool, that is, in the sheathing. In this case, the ceiling is sheathed with plywood, clapboard or edged boards at the final stage.

We insulate the ceiling in a wooden house with expanded clay

In this case, the space between the floor beams is pre-covered with roofing felt. You can also use very thick plastic film. must cover the beams themselves as well. Seams on roofing felt are glued with bitumen mastic, on film - with tape. Along the perimeter of the attic, the waterproofing material must be raised to the height of the future backfill layer.

Next, the ceiling itself is insulated with expanded clay. Sometimes the roofing material is pre-coated with a clay solution. The thickness of the expanded clay layer is usually 12-16 cm. It is advisable to use a material that has different fractions of granules. In this case, the insulating layer will be denser and more even. Sometimes crushed foam is added to expanded clay to enhance the thermal insulation effect.

The heat insulator is covered with a waterproofing film on top. Next, a concrete screed 4-5 cm thick is installed. 20 days after pouring, you can begin finishing the floor.

Insulation with sawdust

For such material, cement is usually used as a binder. In order to prevent the appearance of rodents, you can also add a little lime to the sawdust. Rotting is prevented by using borax.

As with expanded clay insulation, the attic floors in this case are first covered with roofing felt or plastic film. You can also use sheet glassine.

The sawdust itself has the following requirements:

They must be aged for at least a year.
The material must be dry.
It is not allowed to insulate the ceiling with sawdust, rotten or infested insects.
It is best to use sawdust of the middle fraction.

After the attic floors have been prepared and waterproofed, they begin to actually prepare the insulating solution itself. To do this, for ten buckets of sawdust, take one bucket of cement and half a bucket of lime. In addition, dilute a glass of borax in a bucket of water and spray this solution from a watering can over the mixture. The amount of water depends on the moisture level of the sawdust. Usually you have to add 5-10 liters.

The chimney must be laid before installing this type of insulation. The wiring in the attic in this case is laid in special metal pipes. It is not necessary to make a screed over the sawdust insulation. The frozen mixture itself will be quite strong.

So, you now know how to insulate a wooden ceiling in a house. If the work will be done from the inside, use thinner polystyrene foam. When insulating from the attic side, it is better to use mineral wool. You can save money by using expanded clay or sawdust.