What materials are needed to insulate a balcony. How to insulate a loggia from the inside: cheaply and quickly add another room to the apartment

The loggia could well be called an additional room in the apartment, but, unfortunately, many people use it only in summer time, since it initially does not have insulation, and there are no heating radiators installed there.

Polyurethane foam is sprayed onto the walls using special equipment, and specialized companies deal with this insulation.

However, before inviting them to spray such insulation, the walls need to be prepared by lathing them. It will be a kind of frame for the sprayed and expanding heat insulator, as well as for securing decorative finishing material.

The advantage of this method of insulation is that when sprayed, the material, expanding, closes all the cracks, making the surface absolutely not blown, without cold bridges. Polyurethane foam covers not only the walls, but also the ceiling and floor.

Video - How polyurethane foam is sprayed

Loggia design solutions

I would like to show several options. Perhaps by starting the process of turning a cold room into usable area, someone will be inspired by one of the ideas developed by the designers.

In this case, a standard loggia with a small footage is presented, transformed into a cozy relaxation room. Here you can retire with a book or laptop and delve into reading. If a large family lives in an apartment, usually each member is doing what they love, and sometimes it is difficult to find a cozy place to sit in silence. An insulated loggia will be an ideal option for this.

In such a room you can place a small TV and enjoy your favorite programs or sit with handicrafts, comfortably placing your feet on a comfortable chair. The main thing is that there is extra space that can serve all family members in turn to do what they love.

Such option will do for apartments in which the door to the loggia is located in the kitchen. In this case, it can become a dining room, especially since most kitchens in apartments are quite small.

If apartment owners like to frequently host parties, a loggia window sill can easily replace a bar counter.

You can also have a romantic dinner here. The evening city, which offers a wonderful view, and the pleasant summer air will create the necessary mood for this. In winter, it’s nice to sit at the counter, sipping coffee and looking at the opening wide panorama outside the window.

Glass sliding doors installed between the kitchen and the loggia will help to unite or separate the rooms, depending on the need.

In this version, it was combined with the living room, and the wall, which previously served as a dividing element between the two rooms, became a unifying one, as it was transformed into a comfortable table.

The area of ​​the former loggia in this layout can be used as an office with a comfortable desk, as well as hobbies when you don’t want anyone to interfere.

And, of course, combining the loggia and the room will increase the total space, opening big window. The room will be more illuminated, which will help save on electricity.

Additional living space can be adapted for various activities, for example, on a loggia winter Garden, workshop or computer room. Therefore, if the apartment is equipped with a loggia, but it is not yet insulated, you need to urgently get down to business and expand the area of ​​​​your home by using a room that is not used functionally.

Video - How a loggia is insulated

To create a comfortable functional room in the loggia, it is necessary to carry out work on its high-quality insulation. On the market today there are the most different materials, therefore, it is possible to insulate the loggia with mineral wool, expanded polystyrene, polystyrene foam and other types of insulation. The choice of insulation depends on many factors. It is very good if you have the opportunity to consult with specialists on this matter.

Mineral wool

Insulation with mineral wool is the traditional and most common option.

This material can provide enough high level thermal insulation and sound insulation.

At the same time, it is recommended to use mineral wool for insulation only if there is no load on the insulation. In addition, the insulation material must be protected as best as possible from exposure to moisture and the formation of condensation on it.

Mineral wool insulation work is carried out in the following sequence:

1. First, all surfaces insulated from the inside are waterproofed. This stage is preliminary. To create a high-quality waterproofing layer before insulating the inside with mineral wool, it is best to use special insulating impregnations. They can be bitumen and polyurethane mastic, special paints and varnishes. In addition, rolled polyethylene materials are often used as an insulator (sold in any hardware store). What kind of insulator will be used - special significance does not have.
2. Then you need to install the sheathing. The installation step of the wooden blocks should be approximately 1 cm less than the width of the mineral wool sheets. In addition, you need to select the bars so that their thickness is slightly greater than the thickness of the slab of heat-insulating material. The sheathing elements can be fastened to rough surfaces using dowels and self-tapping screws.
3. To install mineral wool slabs, you need to select and dilute a suitable adhesive composition (which one is not important). It is applied to the surface of the slab from the inside, after which it is placed in the cell formed by the sheathing. The slabs need to be adjusted so that they are slightly larger in size than the dimensions of the cell. This will avoid unnecessary voids.
4. As soon as the adhesive composition has dried, it is recommended to additionally secure the heat-insulating material with your own hands using mushroom dowels.
5. Surface finishing can be done using any suitable materials. Any type of finishing that will not create a large load is suitable for this - plastic panels, plywood sheets, lining...
6. At the end it is carried out fine finishing surfaces and decorative works. In this case, the work can be done with any finish.

ISOVER material gives good results and reviews.

Expanded polystyrene

Insulating your loggia inside with polystyrene foam gives enough good results. This material is produced by mixing polystyrene and special foaming components. The mixture is heated and subjected to high blood pressure, after which they foam and add carbon dioxide.

To insulate a loggia with polystyrene foam, slabs 45-50 mm thick are perfect.

1. They are fastened using dowels, double-sided tape and glue (which type of fastening to choose depends on the material of the walls). When insulating a loggia from the inside with polystyrene foam, it is best to place the material slabs in a checkerboard pattern so that they do not move during operation under their own weight.
2. In order to prevent the occurrence of cold bridges, seams, gaps and joining areas must be filled with construction foam with your own hands (when insulating with expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam, the problem of cold bridges is especially relevant).
3. As soon as the polyurethane foam has dried, you need to cut off the excess with your own hands.
4. To provide additional insulation, which is required when insulating with expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam, it is imperative to lay a layer of special foamed polyethylene 5-8 mm thick. In this case, the layer with foil should be located inside the loggia. This approach will allow you to create a high-quality vapor barrier layer with your own hands and ensure heat reflection. The seams must be taped with construction tape yourself.
5. You can attach a wooden sheathing to the heat-insulating layer (for this it is better to use small-sized bars that have been pre-treated with antiseptic compounds). In addition, instead of lathing from the inside, the loggia is often finished with plasterboard sheets.
6. On a wooden frame or plasterboard sheets, you can apply any finishing touches with your own hands Decoration Materials.

You can do without lathing and use mesh for reinforcement for finishing.

Penoplex and penofol

Very often, penoplex and penofol for insulation are used in one insulation system.

One of the best materials.

These are high-quality insulating materials that have a lot of positive performance and technical characteristics. Many experts recommend using them specifically for insulating loggias from the inside. Using such insulation for a loggia will create a comfortable environment inside the room and maintain an optimal microclimate on the coldest days.

Penofol for loggia.

Insulation work using these materials is carried out in the following sequence:

1. First, you prepare all insulated surfaces with your own hands: floor, ceiling, walls, parapet. The old finishing material is completely removed, all traces and debris are removed. After this, you need to carefully check the integrity of the structures from the inside to ensure that there are no cracks, holes or other defects through which cold air can penetrate into the room. It is important that the loggia is completely sealed on all sides.
2. Then, vertical logs are installed. The material must be fastened in a certain increment, the size of which will depend on the thickness of the insulation used.
3. Next, penofol is attached directly to the joists. To do this, you can use any suitable adhesive compositions that are suitable for use indoors. During the installation of the initial layer of penofol, it is necessary to direct the foil outward.
4. After this, the installation of penoplex is carried out ( best option for a loggia - material 20 - 25 mm thick). Laying slabs from the inside of the loggia can be done independently - there is nothing complicated in this process.
5. Finally, you need to glue another layer of penofol. In this case, the material must be positioned so that the foil layer is directed inward. As a result, we will get a kind of pie in which the main thermal insulation material (penoplex) will be protected by penofol on both sides.
6. All the joints that arose during the process installation work from the inside of the loggia, it is necessary to glue it with construction adhesive tape.

What thermal insulation material should I choose to insulate my loggia?

You need to understand that work on insulating a loggia with your own hands can be done from the inside and outside. Of course, it is much easier to do insulation inside the loggia. For this, a variety of thermal insulation materials can be used. Their choice will depend on the design features, operating conditions, and the nuances of installation work, so in each case, special attention must be paid to the choice of insulation.

It will not always be justified to purchase the most expensive insulation on the market.

For example, if the loggia has high-quality glazing, high-quality construction, and no defects are observed, then you can use the most simple materials. In addition, the choice of insulation for the loggia will depend on whether heating is planned.

When planning to renovate a loggia or balcony, the question often arises as to what material is best to use as insulation; in this article we will consider in detail each type of insulation, its characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.

Balcony insulation with mineral wool.

Mineral wool is the most common insulation material; it is a synthetic material consisting of the finest fibers of glass or rocks and slag.

There are the following types of mineral wool:

Glass wool– made by melting glass and drawing it into a thin fiber. Typically used as insulation in industry. When installing glass wool, in order to avoid injury from microscopic glass particles, you need to work in a respirator and rubber gloves.

Slag wool– made from molten slag, which remains after processing iron ore, and is also used as industrial insulation.

Stone wool– made from molten rocks of basalt, dolomite, limestone, diobase. Most often, stone wool is used as insulation for residential premises, since it has the highest characteristics compared to slag and glass wool.

Mineral wool It is manufactured in the form of felt, semi-rigid and rigid slabs, mats, segments, in shapeless form; as insulation for residential premises, it is usually used in rolls and slabs.

Mineral wool in rolls 1000 – 1200 mm wide, rolls can be 10 m² and 15 m².

In slabs of various sizes, usually 1250 x 610 mm.

The thickness of mineral wool in rolls and slabs ranges from 50 to 100 mm. For insulation of balconies and loggias, stone wool 100 mm thick is used.

An important indicator of mineral wool is density; the higher it is, the higher its characteristics and, accordingly, the price; density can be from 75 to 150 kg/m3.

Mineral wool is a heat-resistant, fire-resistant material that can withstand up to 600°C, creates good sound insulation but is afraid of moisture, so during installation it requires the use of additional vapor barrier.

It should be remembered that during production stone wool phenol-formaldehyde resins are also used, so this material cannot be called completely environmentally friendly.

Balcony insulation with polystyrene foam.

Expanded polystyrene (foam plastic) is the most popular thermal insulation material, consisting of voluminous granules filled with gas, produced by foaming polystyrene granules with vapors of low-boiling liquids. Expanded polystyrene differs from polystyrene foam in its denser structure and, accordingly, higher thermal insulation characteristics.

Expanded polystyrene is available in the form of sheets of various sizes, standard size sheet 1000 x 2000 mm, the size 1200 x 600 is often used, sheet thickness can be from 20 to 100 mm.

Based on thermal conductivity, polystyrene foam is divided into the following grades:

15 – thermal conductivity 0.043 W/(m K);

25 – 0.041 W/(m K);

35 – 0.038 W/(m K).

For insulation of balconies and loggias, sheets with a thickness of 50 to 100 mm and a density of 25 kg/m³ are used.

Expanded polystyrene when interacting with direct sun rays gradually deteriorates and therefore requires additional protection.

The main disadvantage of polystyrene foam is that it tends to oxidize when the temperature rises, even at a temperature of + 30 degrees, polystyrene foam already releases harmful substances - benzene, ethylbenzene, formaldehyde, toluene, acetophenone, methyl alcohol, and when polystyrene foam burns, the concentration of these hazardous substances in the air increases sharply.

Insulation of the balcony with penofol.

Penofol is a flexible thermal insulation material with a reflective thermal effect, consisting of a layer of self-extinguishing polyethylene foam with closed air pores, and a layer of heat-reflecting aluminum coating. It has hydro, steam, wind and sound insulation properties.

Penofol can be of three types:

A - with one-sided aluminum coating.

B with double-sided aluminum coating.

C - with one-sided coating and a self-adhesive layer.

Penofol is produced in rolls, is easy to install and has high thermal insulation characteristics. Another important advantage of penofol is its environmental friendliness; it does not contain harmful substances.

Penofol works as a heat reflector and is used as additional insulation, for example brickwork. Using penofol to insulate a balcony will not be enough.

Comparison of thermal insulation materials.

The better way to insulate a balcony from the inside.

To insulate balconies and loggias, it is more practical to use polystyrene foam or mineral wool; each insulation has its own advantages and disadvantages. In each case, you need to individually select insulation based on the conditions of its use.

The comparative characteristics of these materials are shown in the table.

There is no clear answer to the question of what is the best way to insulate a balcony - no, polystyrene foam and mineral wool, will cope with this task perfectly, you can use any of these materials, the difference is only in the installation features and the conditions under which the insulation will be used.

What materials for insulating a balcony or loggia will effectively cope with the task? I suggest you consider 5 heat insulators that I have worked with. I will tell you by what qualities they were selected and why they are considered the best.

Types of thermal insulation materials

Balcony insulation can be done with the following thermal insulation materials:

Option 1: mineral wool

Mineral wool is a roll or slab material that consists of thin mineral fibers. The latter are obtained by melting and spraying rocks or blast furnace slag.

Characteristics:

To insulate a balcony from the inside using a frame method, you can use glass wool, which costs less than basalt wool. In this case, during its installation it is necessary to carefully protect the respiratory organs, eyes and hands.

Advantages:

1. Versatility. Basalt wool can be used to insulate a balcony inside and outside. Moreover, insulation of surfaces can be carried out either by frame method or by wet method:

• Let me remind you that when frame insulation panel or sheet finishing materials are used - plasterboard, plastic panels, lining, siding, etc.;
• When finishing using the wet method, the surface of the insulation is plastered;
• High-density slabs can even be laid under a screed to insulate the floor;

1. Environmental friendliness. Basalt wool does not contain harmful substances, and even during the installation process, unlike glass wool, it practically does not cause irritation to the skin;
2. Vapor permeability. The insulation allows the walls to “breathe”, thereby creating a favorable microclimate in the room;
3. Fire safety. Mineral wool does not burn and can withstand high temperatures.

Flaws:

• Absorbs moisture. When performing insulation work, it is necessary to ensure high-quality vapor and waterproofing;
• Price. The price of basalt wool is higher than some other insulation materials.

Price:

Expanded polystyrene is a lightweight polymer insulation material, one of the most common thermal insulation materials thanks to low price

Option 2: polystyrene foam

Expanded polystyrene, or simply polystyrene foam, is a polymer insulation in the form of slabs formed by small granules.

Characteristics:

Advantages:

• Light weight. Foam plastic is the lightest slab insulation;
• Low price. The cost is significantly lower than the price of basalt wool;
• Versatility. Like basalt wool, it can be used for insulation in any way, both from the inside and outside;
• Moisture resistant. The material absorbs moisture to a lesser extent than mineral wool.

Flaws:

• Zero vapor permeability. This deficiency can lead to increased humidity inside the room, the formation of mold on the walls, etc. High-quality ventilation will help eliminate it;

• Fire hazard. Polystyrene foam manufacturers, especially little-known ones, rarely add fire retardants to polystyrene foam. Therefore, it ignites quite easily and burns well;
• Low strength and fragility. This drawback is important if the insulation boards are plastered after installation. Surfaces insulated in this way are not resistant to impact loads;
• Low environmental friendliness. Polystyrene foam itself does not threaten health in any way, but during the combustion process it releases toxins. Inhalation of these substances leads to severe poisoning.

Price:

Option 3: extruded polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam, also known as penoplex, is made from the same raw materials as regular polystyrene foam. However, thanks to a special insulation technology, it has higher characteristics.

Characteristics:

Advantages. From the data in the table it can be seen that penoplex has low thermal conductivity and high strength. In addition, it has some other advantages:

• Moisture resistance: Penoplex does not absorb water at all, so it does not need waterproofing;
• Fire safety. All well-known manufacturers add fire retardants to this material, which makes the insulation for the balcony low-flammable.

Flaws:

• High price. For this reason, it makes sense to use penoplex only in cases where a large load will be placed on it, for example, in the case of insulating walls and ceilings using a wet method. You can also use it to insulate the floor under the screed;
• Low vapor permeability. The vapor permeability coefficient of penoplex is slightly higher than that of polystyrene foam, however, the material is still not “breathable”.

Price:

Option 4: polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is another type of polymer insulation. His main feature is that it is applied to the surface in the form of foam.

Characteristics:

Polyurethane foam is also used for insulating balconies in the form of polyurethane foam. It is used to insulate all kinds of cracks.

Advantages:

• Low thermal conductivity. As can be seen from the table, polyurethane foam has the lowest thermal conductivity. In addition, it is applied to the surface in a continuous layer, due to which it retains heat in the room more effectively;
• Moisture resistant. Thanks to this quality, it does not require the use of waterproofing;
• Good adhesion. This allows you to apply insulation to any surface.

Flaws.

• Requires special equipment. You cannot apply polyurethane foam with your own hands. This procedure should be carried out exclusively by highly qualified specialists with special equipment;

• Zero vapor permeability. Like other polymer insulation, the material does not breathe;
• Increase in thermal conductivity over time. The gas that fills the polyurethane foam structure gradually leaves the shell. As a result, its thermal conductivity increases slightly;
• High price. In addition to the cost of the material itself, the cost of insulation work is added to its price;

• Impossibility of plastering. If polyurethane foam is used, finishing a balcony from the inside or outside can only be done using a frame method;
• Toxic in liquid form. When working with polyurethane, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment, as it is toxic. After hardening, the material is safe for health.

Price. U different manufacturers the price of polyurethane foam insulation varies. On average, the cost, including work, is about 500 rubles. for 1m2

Option 5: penofol

Penofol is a thin roll insulation, which consists of two layers:

• Foamed polyethylene - serves as a heat-insulating material;
• Foil - reflects heat from insulated surfaces into the room.

Thus, this material is used only for internal insulation balcony and loggia.

Characteristics:

Advantages:

• Little weight. The material is easily attached to any structure;

• Moisture resistant. This allows you to use penofol as waterproofing material if, for example, you are insulating a balcony or loggia with mineral wool;
• Small thickness. Thanks to this, the material does not take away extra space in room.

The instructions for using penofol require its location during installation with the foil side facing the room. Otherwise, the material will not reflect heat from surfaces.

Flaws:

• Zero vapor permeability. I have already spoken about the consequences of this deficiency above;
• High thermal conductivity. Penofol is a thin material, therefore it is not enough to fully insulate a room. Therefore, it is usually used as additional thermal insulation.

Price. The price starts from 50-80 rubles per 1m2.

That's all the insulation I wanted to introduce you to. Well, now you have to decide for yourself what and how best to insulate the balcony.

Conclusion

Now you know all the basic qualities of the most common thermal insulation materials, and you can make your own right choice. I recommend watching the video in this article. If you have any questions, write comments and I will answer as soon as possible.

Until recently, the balconies of city apartments served as a kind of storage room - people stored preserved food and various things there. What’s more, all sorts of unnecessary rubbish was taken out onto the balconies, which was a pity to throw away. However, today these premises are increasingly used as additional living space. And to implement such an idea, you need to take care of insulating the balcony.

If you insulate your balcony, you will not only be able to expand it relatively cheaply living space apartments, but also significantly reduce heat loss from housing. The fact is that it is through the balconies that the most of heat. But in order for everything to be done efficiently, you need to know where to start. With a well-designed scheme, turning a cold balcony into a small, but almost full-fledged room will be much easier.

So first sketch rough plan works - it will include:

Important information! The balcony can be insulated both from the inside and outside. But since you will be doing the work on your own, that is, without the help of specialists, it is better to resort to internal insulation.

Stage No. 1. Choosing insulation

On modern construction market There are a lot of thermal insulation materials, but for a balcony they are more suitable:

As for foam plastic and EPS, the laying of these materials is carried out using almost the same technology (the only exception is the form of adhesion - with EPS it is better due to the use of grooves).

It is better not to use mineral wool for a balcony - the installation procedure will be more labor-intensive, and the condensation that inevitably forms on the balcony is undesirable for this material. Expanded clay, for obvious reasons, can only be used for floor insulation (the insulation technology will be described in detail below).

And if we add to all of the above the fact that the balcony should in no case be overloaded, then it becomes obvious: the most suitable option- this is foam plastic 4-5 cm thick, which costs less than polystyrene foam or mineral wool.

Stage No. 2. We carry out glazing

If your balcony is already glazed, you can skip this step. The glazing procedure itself largely depends on the parapet installed on the balcony. If we are talking about iron sheathing, then you must build it up using foam blocks or ceramic bricks. It is important that the resulting wall thickness exceeds 10 cm. And if you have a reinforced concrete parapet, you can immediately begin installing windows.

Today many (especially admirers environmentally friendly building materials) give preference to double-glazed windows with wooden frames. It is worth remembering that such structures need to be treated with an antiseptic and painted regularly. You can learn about installing double-glazed windows with wooden frames from the video below.

Video - How to install a wooden window with double glazing

However, the majority of consumers still buy PVC windows. When purchasing, choose a special plastic profile that is characterized by increased rigidity and strength characteristics. In addition, the profile must have good thermal insulation properties.

Still have plastic windows it should be:

• 5-chamber profile;
• 2-chamber (if you live in middle lane) or 3-chamber (if in a more severe climate) double-glazed window;
• reinforced reinforcement.

After installing the PVC structure ordered according to the dimensions of the balcony (the work should be carried out by specialists), you can proceed directly to insulation.

Stage No. 3. We insulate the floor

Let's look at how to insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands using polystyrene foam (although the technology described below is also suitable for polystyrene foam).

Table. Insulating the floor on the balcony

Important information! There is another way to insulate the floor on a balcony with polystyrene foam: sheets of foam plastic are attached to a leveled and cleaned surface, and a thin screed from a previously prepared dry mixture solution is poured on top. Ceramic tiles can be used as a finishing coating here.

Alternative option. We use expanded clay

As noted earlier, the floor on the balcony can also be insulated using expanded clay. This material is also inexpensive, and its installation is not difficult. Let's get acquainted with the algorithm of actions.

Step #1. First, lay a waterproofing film on the floor with an extension of 10 cm to the walls.

Step #2. Place the beacons around the perimeter in increments of approximately 25 cm, being careful not to lean them too far against the walls.

Step #3. Cover the floor with a 15 cm thick layer of expanded clay and distribute the material evenly over the surface.

Step #4. Moisten the expanded clay using cement laitance (this is water solution cement).

Step #5. Fill the expanded clay with a layer of concrete or self-leveling mixture. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the structure of the insulator.

Step #6. Wait for the screed to dry completely. After this, you can begin laying the topcoat.

Stage No. 4. We insulate the walls

The technology here is almost the same as for floor insulation. Follow these steps:

Step #1. Mark the future location of the slats on the walls (as well as for the floor).

Step #2. Attach the slats in accordance with these markings.

Step #3. Apply polyurethane foam to the surface using wave-like movements. At the same stage, you should drill holes for the dowels.

Step #4. Attach the foam sheets using plastic mushroom dowels.

Step #5. Blow out all the resulting cracks with foam, then seal with mounting tape.

Step #6. Lay a waterproofing layer on top - for example, penofol, which will also serve as thermal insulation.

Step #7. Seal the seams at the joints with foil tape.

Step #8. Mount the counter-lattice on top of the foam foam and install the finishing material.

Stage No. 5. We insulate the ceiling

This procedure is also performed using a similar technology, but some differences still occur.

1. First, make a marking along which the hangers for attaching the guides will be installed.
2. Install the hangers themselves necessary to fix the guides (for the latter, use a galvanized profile or timber).

   

   

3. In appropriate places, cut small holes in the insulator (foam or EPS) for hangers.

   

   

4. Next, secure the insulation boards using the same mounting foam.

   

If the insulation weighs too much, you can use dowels for fastening. Blow out the cracks with foam. Otherwise there are no significant differences.

Finishing features

In most cases, balconies are lined from the inside with clapboard or profile, but plasterboard is also used, followed by wallpapering. PVC panels are also used for cladding. Concerning exterior finishing, then it is better to entrust it to professionals, especially if your apartment is located higher than on the ground floor.

Important information! It is forbidden to take there central heating, so if additional heating is required, you can lay a film “warm floor” under the linoleum.

You can also install an outlet on the balcony to which an electric heater will be connected. The described room is small, so heating will take a minimum of time. We also note that the double-glazed window weighs quite a lot, so the remaining materials (including the insulator itself) must be of minimal weight. By the way, this is another reason why it is better to give preference to EPS or foam boards.

Video - Instructions for insulating a balcony

Now you know about the strong and weaknesses materials suitable for insulating a balcony, as well as technologies for laying polystyrene foam and expanded clay. Therefore, it's time to get to work! Moreover, there is nothing complicated here if you are armed step by step instructions and everyone necessary materials. If you do everything correctly, you will turn the balcony into a full-fledged living room with all the ensuing advantages.