How to properly insulate the floor in a bath: the choice of material, calculation, technology of work. How to make floor insulation in a bathhouse with maximum efficiency Specificity of insulation of different rooms

A Russian bath is the place where a person relaxes, rests in body and soul, so even during construction it is necessary to think about the insulation of walls, ceilings and, most importantly, the floor in all rooms, because experts say that good insulation can reduce heat consumption by almost two times. In addition, it takes much more time to heat rooms without proper insulation, and they cool down in a matter of hours.

The floor in the bathhouse often serves not only as a place on which you walk, but also as a drainage of water, which is why, in the absence of insulation and waterproofing, it can very quickly rot and become covered with mold hazardous to health.

To visit the steam room was as effective, useful and comfortable as possible, you need to know how to insulate the floor yourself. After all, the microclimate that forms in the bathhouse itself, the dressing room and the rest room is so different that such a sharp temperature drop can negatively affect your health, especially if you have small children.

*Important! If during the construction the issues of thermal and waterproofing were not taken into account, or if you got a ready-made building for a bath, then you will have to carry out a complete dismantling of the floor covering and re-equip the floor.

In this article, we will consider several options for thermal insulation, the choice of which depends on the material of the floor covering (the most common are wood and concrete) and its structure (screed over the ground, over the floor, and so on). Usually they use modern technologies or folk methods, which for many years have not lost their relevance among the owners of country houses and summer cottages. We will also give you a couple of practical tips and recommendations on how to insulate the floor in a bath with your own hands.

Material selection

Since the bathhouse is the place in which there is an increased level of moisture and temperature, professional builders recommend that you take the choice of heat-insulating material extremely seriously, because it depends on its quality and proper installation whether the steam room will be in operation for many years without causing unnecessary trouble.

*Important! The main characteristic when choosing a heater is the level of its hydrophobicity, that is, the level of water absorption.

The choice of insulation depends on the material from which the floor is made. There is also a versatile insulation with an excellent price-to-quality ratio - foam and its twin brother - expanded polystyrene. Due to their lightness, they can be easily cut into pieces of the required size, while both materials do not absorb moisture and have low thermal conductivity. In addition to these two, there are many other materials:

Mineral and glass wool. They are used only for insulation of concrete floors. When used for wood flooring, it is important to wrap cotton wool in a thick layer of waterproofing, because cotton wool absorbs moisture very well and quickly loses its thermal insulation properties. And when wet, the structure quickly collapses;
Expanded clay. It is used only for insulation of concrete floors. It has similar characteristics to glass wool, requires an additional layer of hydro and vapor barrier. Expanded clay is used both in pure form and in the form of a mixture with cement. After the solution is poured the space between the lower and upper cement screed.
Perlite. A material in the form of sand or dust, which is mixed with cement, water and poured between the screeds of the cement floor. After solidification, it has a porous structure. Less commonly used for wood flooring. After hardening, perlite acquires a cellular structure, allowing to reduce heat loss in the steam room.

*Interesting! As a substitute for the above raw materials, no less high-quality analogues are sometimes used - construction felt, cinder block and foam concrete.

Thermal insulation of a wooden floor

Immediately before starting, some preparatory work should be done, namely:

Dismantle the flooring, remove all the logs and if you plan to use them after insulation, we recommend numbering all the boards;
All floorboards must be inspected for defects, chips, cracks and fungus. If a similar was found, it is better to replace the floorboard completely;

* Tip! When you lay the flooring back after all the manipulations, do not forget to leave a gap of 3-4 cm between the top layer of insulation and the wooden blocks. This will prevent deformation of the boards, and will also provide an additional layer of ventilation.

If the bathhouse was built on a soil with a high level of moisture, ordinary roofing felt is suitable as a waterproofing material. It must be laid so that the insulation layer has no cracks and partially overlaps the walls.

Although wood is less durable than concrete, most often it is used to cover the floor in baths due to its environmental friendliness and high thermal insulation values. The most popular trees for flooring are:

Poplar;
Pine;
Fir;

*Important! If the boards in the dressing room and other rooms are covered with an antiseptic in order to prevent fungal growths from resolving the wood fibers, then due to the high level of toxicity in the steam room itself, this should never be done.

The best choice as a heater would be a material with closed cells that do not allow moisture to pass through. The best option is expanded polystyrene, as well as its modern counterparts:

Ecowool;
Foam Icynine.

This material is lightweight, therefore it practically does not affect the weight of the entire wooden structure.

And so, the second step after dismantling the flooring. To lay a layer of insulation, it is necessary to create a support for the rough floor, building up the lower edges of the lag with bars smaller than the distance between the beams.

A layer of waterproofing is laid on the support of the subfloor, represented by a special membrane, which simultaneously protects against moisture and steam. If the bath is built on water soil, then a layer of roofing material is laid, which must necessarily overlap all boards and rise to the walls to a height of twenty centimeters around the perimeter of the steam room. It is better to glue the formed seams with a vapor barrier tape, you can buy it in a specialized store, the average price is 520 rubles per 10 meters (strip width 70mm), and the joints with a construction stapler.

Further, on top of the waterproofing layer, either another sub-floor is laid, or an insulation immediately. The thickness of the common layer is usually 200-250 mm, depending on how much it is necessary to reduce heat loss, and on the financial capabilities of the owners.

On top of the insulation, another layer of hydro and vapor barrier is laid. At this stage, the membrane can be replaced again with roofing material, and the resulting seams can be covered with mastic.

At the final stage, the space near the drain pipe is filled with polyurethane foam. The finished floor is already laid on top.

*Interesting! In the shower room, you do not need to nail the finished floor to the base, but leave it as it is. This will allow you to easily remove it from time to time and dry it from moisture accumulated there.

Concrete floor insulation

Concrete flooring is very popular for its durability. Due to its high strength, the annual re-equipment of the floor can be reduced. It usually consists of concrete slabs; for insulation, blocks of mineral wool, foam plastic, as well as the aforementioned expanded clay are used. It is necessary to start insulation only after carrying out work on the preparation of the lower cement screed (sub-floor).

The first layer is waterproofing. The easiest and most inexpensive option to install is to use a durable layer of polyethylene or roofing material. We spread the film around the entire perimeter of the steam room (it should protrude onto the walls by 5-6 centimeters, later the excess edges can be easily cut off).

Insulation is laid on the waterproofing layer. For more reliable fixation, you can screw a wooden frame to the semi-draft using self-tapping screws or other fasteners.

As with the insulation of a wooden covering, we put another waterproofing on the thermal insulation layer. When laying, the canvases are laid with an overlap of 10 cm and connected with a stapler.

At this stage, the last layer is poured with a special solution no more than two centimeters thick, then a reinforcing mesh is placed, which is located on special plastic supports.

After complete drying, using a self-leveling mixture, lay the finishing rough screed 5-8 centimeters thick. It is leveled using a special device - a needle roller, which removes all air bubbles. Sometimes, at the request of the owners, instead of a finishing screed, a layer of ceramic tiles or porcelain stoneware is laid.

Other premises

In addition to the steam room and shower, the bath also has a dressing room. The amount of moisture in it is several times less, therefore, when insulating, you can not lay a layer of waterproofing, that is, it is enough to insulate the space between the rough and final screed.

In the case when the bath has already been built, professional builders recommend not to dismantle the floor covering, but simply to carry out insulation on top of the existing one. The volume and height of the room will be reduced by raising the floor by ten to fifteen centimeters, but the room will heat up faster and stay warm longer.

Folk methods

Straw. You can also use straw to insulate floors, but only rye. It must be mixed with liquid clay in a 1x1 ratio. You have to stir the clay manually or with your feet. Pour the earthen base in the bath with the resulting solution, level it and wait for it to dry completely.
Sawdust. The processing process is identical to that of straw. Sawdust can be used for any tree species, but best of all for conifers. Because they contain in their fibers special resinous substances that, when heated, are released into the air and thereby slow down the process of decay and the spread of moisture.
Bulk insulation. Expanded clay, slag from factories and so on can be used as insulation. The raw material is poured, usually on an earthen base 5-10 cm thick. On top, the layer must be tamped and poured with a thick layer of clay (10-15 cm, as much as possible).

*Interesting! If it's cold for you to stand on the floor, then the simplest and cheapest option would be to buy special wooden grates. You can easily make them with your own hands, just make sure that the nails are not sticking out from anywhere, and also process the boards to get rid of knots. Special rubberized mats are also available in stores.

Let's summarize

If you have your own bath, then so that nothing interferes with the friendly warm atmosphere, in order to reduce the cost of fuel for heating the room, in order to reduce the time for heating the bath to the required temperature, you should think about insulation initially, during construction. But even if this issue was not taken into account, then it will not be difficult to dismantle the floor covering and then insulate it.

Until recently, many did not know how to properly insulate the floor in a bath, so that the heat-insulating material does not rot, bacteria and fungus do not multiply under it. Therefore, they simply left gaps between the boards where the water flowed. But the precious warmth was quickly dissipated. Now people have learned how to make the right thermal insulation in high humidity conditions.

Do I have to do this

Bath floors are constantly exposed to unfavorable conditions: high humidity due to water ingress and temperature, especially in the steam room. This negatively affects the strength of the floor material. This environment is ideal for the development of fungus, mold and disease-causing bacteria. All this does not contribute to healing and relaxation, although bath procedures are intended for this. But the selection of the right raw materials and quality installation will help to avoid these troubles.

The combination of a high indoor temperature and a cold floor can make a person sick. And the heat will disappear much faster. This means that much more fuel will be needed to maintain the desired temperature. And this does not save the budget in any way.

Therefore, the floor covering in the bath must be insulated.And this will have to be done in all rooms: steam room, locker room, recreation room, washing room.

Only "dry" wooden and concrete floors are insulated, that is, the bases of which do not leak. The drains in them merge due to a 10-degree slope to the side where the gutter or special hole is located. There is a drainage tank through which it all flows into the sewer or ditch. If this system is done correctly, the insulation will last a long time.

The choice of heater for the sauna

A log structure is usually located on concrete slabs or logs. In both cases, thermal insulation is done, taking into account the characteristics of the base. These data allow you to choose the right thermal insulation material.

Insulation of the floor with universal foam polystyrene is allowed for both concrete and wood floors. This material does not absorb water. Its undoubted advantage is its low weight, due to which the total mass of the structure remains practically unchanged. Also polystyrene is easy to use. Styrofoam has similar properties.

The concrete base in the Russian bath is predominantly insulated using mineral wool and glass wool. They do not tolerate moisture well, therefore they lose all their thermal insulation properties when wet. You can also use expanded clay. Its technical characteristics are very similar to those of mineral wool, despite the different appearance. But it's not easy to work with him. It is not easy to fill in a layer of insulation while maintaining the required floor slope of 10 degrees. Therefore, it is mixed with a weak cement solution.

Also, the floors are insulated with boiler slag, foam concrete, polpan, penoplex.

A material such as perlite is also used as thermal insulation. It is mixed with water and cement mortar. When it completely solidifies, it has a porous structure. Perlite is usually located between the top and bottom screeds of the concrete floor.

How to insulate the floor in a Russian bath from the inside with your own hands

The method of insulation depends on the insulation used and the material from which the floor is made in different sections of the sauna.

Perlite use

Perlite is a silty volcanic sand. With a light breath of wind, it scatters, so you can work with it only indoors without a draft. Close all doors and windows before proceeding. Thermal insulation of the floor in the bath with perlite must be carried out even at the construction stage. Otherwise, you will have to dismantle the top screed of the concrete base.

All work on floor insulation in a washroom or steam room using perlite consists of several steps:

Pour insulation into a deep container. Gently fill it with 2 to 1 water. Wait for the mixture to settle. Then mix well and gently.
Add here 0.5 parts of cement grade not lower than M300. Stir again.
Add another 0.5 parts of water to the resulting solution. Stir and pour in the same amount of liquid again. Mix everything very well. The resulting solution must be dry and crumbly. It needs to be stirred until it becomes plastic.
After that, spread it in an even layer over the lower concrete screed in a layer of 100 mm. Then let the coating harden. This will take about 5-6 days.
Once everything has solidified, install the leveling top concrete screed.

As a unit of measurement, you can use a bucket, the volume of which will be equal to 1 part.

Thermal insulation of the wooden floor in the steam room and washroom

Naturally, it is best to carry out thermal insulation work during the construction phase. But, if for some reason this did not happen, then you will have to dismantle the final flooring.

Nail the skull blocks along the entire length of the lower edges of the beams on both sides.
Take the boards and cut them slightly smaller than the gaps between adjacent beams. Place them on the cranial bars. In this way, you will form the first layer of the subfloor, on which you need to cover the waterproofing material. For wood floors, this is a must. Ideally, use a waterproofing membrane that will also prevent steam from entering. When laying it, cover all the joists at the bottom of the floor with an overlap of 200 mm. Fastening is done with a construction stapler, and the joints are sealed with vapor barrier tape.
Lay insulation on the waterproofing, on which it is recommended to lay another layer of waterproofing material, for example, roofing material. Bituminous mastic is used for gluing it at the seams.
Fill the space between the drain and the insulation with polyurethane foam.
At the last stage, cover the finished floor, remove the protruding vapor barrier and nail in the baseboards.

Leave a small gap of 300–400 mm under the finished floor for ventilation. So, the tree will constantly dry out.

Insulation of a concrete floor with tiles

The waterproofing material is laid on the bottom slab of concrete slabs on the sub-floor layer. It is not necessary to use roll insulation. You can apply a coating paste in three layers. Both materials can be combined.

For a concrete base, mineral wool, extruded polystyrene foam or expanded clay can be used as insulation.

Special plastic or alabaster-cement supports are placed on the thermal insulation material. A reinforcement network is laid on them. Further, the upper floor screed is poured and finishing works are performed.

Underfloor heating device

Underfloor heating is one of the most effective insulation methods. This is achieved by using water, infrared or electric heating. Its installation takes place in several stages:

Cover the layer of thermal insulation with a reinforced mesh, on which you put special mats or an electric cable.
Lay them evenly so that the entire floor area is heated equally.
The mats are fixed with glue.
Finish with ceramic tiles.

The floor is heated with pipes filled with hot water. In this case, only high-quality metal-plastic, polyethylene or copper pipes can be used. Installation of temperature sensors, a thermostat and a pump is mandatory. This greatly complicates the insulation process. In order for the water in the pipe system to heat up, they must be connected to a water heater, for example, an electric boiler.

Prepare the floor surface for installation work. There should be no chips, protrusions or cracks on it.
Cover with insulation material.
Use a special tape to go around the perimeter of the floor. It will not allow the floor to deform under the influence of high temperatures.
Lay the reinforcement network, and distribute the pipes with the heat transfer fluid along it. There must be a distance of 100 mm between the pipe and the wall. They must lie freely so that high temperatures do not deform them.
Connect the piping to the heating using inlet and outlet headers. Using the sleeve and the winding, firmly fix the places where the pipes join together.
Check how the system works at maximum water supply. Make sure there are no leaks anywhere.
If everything is in order, then you can lay a rough screed, on which, after hardening, a self-leveling solution is spread.
In the last step, cover the floor with an absorbent layer and topcoat.

Video: how to make a water heating floor with your own hands

Requirements for the insulation of different sections of the bath

The end result largely depends on compliance with the requirements for flooring in different parts of the bath:

Thermal insulation of the bath floor, although a rather time-consuming process, is mandatory. Thanks to this, the time in the sauna will be comfortable, and the heat will be used rationally.

The service life of the building of the bath and its extensions depends on how professionally and correctly the floors in the bath will be built. One of the main functions of the floor is to quickly drain water out of the room, usually a drain pit performs this function. The material for floors can be different: wood, concrete, clay.

Wood floors are very common due to their availability, but they are generally not very durable as they do not tolerate the high humidity and high temperatures of the steam room. Even the highest quality wood flooring made from expensive types of wood begins to rot and deteriorate over time.

And one of the cheapest and warmest floors is clay, which does not allow moisture to pass through at all. After water gets on it, the clay begins to swell, and when it dries, it cracks. Water that gets into cracks stagnates and gives off an unpleasant moldy smell.

Considering all of the above, a concrete screed is considered the most preferred material for a bath floor. This applies to the steam room, but in the rest room and dressing room, you can also make a wooden floor. As a rule, both concrete and wooden floors are insulated.

Undoubtedly, floor insulation does not greatly affect the maintenance of a constant temperature in the bath room. In this case, the main role is played by the insulation of the walls and ceiling, but there is also a small heat leak through the floor, and most importantly, we walk on it with our feet, therefore, the floors in the bath must be warm. In the steam room, where the temperature is very high, we may not feel the cold coming from the floor, while in other rooms of the bath, the cold floor will be very noticeable.

Concrete insulated floor construction:

Foundation.
Concrete floor.
Insulation layer, as a rule, extruded polystyrene foam.
Concrete screed with reinforcement (mesh).
Adhesive with the "warm floor" system.
Ceramic tile.

Warming with perlite

Since concrete floors are very easy to maintain, they are most often made in the steam room and washing room. Before laying, the entire water drainage system must be installed. Glazing of windows, installation of doorways is also carried out, all finishing works are carried out. The following method of insulating a concrete floor has proven itself very well - laying two layers of concrete screed, and between them a layer of thermal insulation (expanded clay, glass wool, perlite).

Perlite is a fairly light material with low thermal conductivity. Structurally, perlite is ordinary sand, expanded using a special technology. When you insulate a bath with perlite, you need to keep the room closed, because under the influence of the wind, perlite can easily fly in all directions. The technology of floor insulation with perlite is as follows:

Two buckets of perlite are mixed with one bucket of water.
Cement is added to the mixture and everything is thoroughly mixed.
As soon as a homogeneous consistency is obtained, add another bucket of perlite and about half a liter of water to the mixture.
The resulting mixture is stirred until water appears from it - this is a sign of the readiness of the composition for floor insulation.
Now a thin layer of insulation is laid on the first layer of concrete and left to dry.
After aging for seven days, a second concrete screed is made on top of the insulation.

Thus, you get an excellent layer of thermal insulation that is not subject to decay and other harmful environmental factors.

Insulation with polystyrene

For more effective floor insulation, a modern material with a low coefficient of thermal conductivity is used today - polystyrene. Due to its cellular structure, this material has zero water absorption and retains its heat-insulating function for a long time.

Since polystyrene is a material with a closed cellular structure, moisture cannot penetrate into it, in contrast to heaters that have a fibrous or open cellular structure. The low thermal conductivity of polystyrene is maintained even with significant mechanical damage.

Thermal insulation of floors in a bath with polystyrene is especially important if the building is built of bricks, since bricks are a good conductor of moisture from the soil and the external environment. Since, as a rule, ceramic tiles are laid on the concrete floor of the bath, which implies the presence of a thick concrete screed, the slabs used for floor insulation must be especially resistant to compression. The following brands have proven themselves very well: Ursafoam, Styrodur, Ursa XPS Natur 3.

Since the thermal insulation in the bath must be environmentally safe, the use of expanded polystyrene in this case is more than justified. After all, expanded polystyrene is obtained in the process of foaming, by means of ordinary carbon dioxide, therefore there are no harmful reagents containing freon in its composition. In addition, foam plates are perfectly cut with ordinary tools, which is very convenient when working.

However, despite the relative resistance of the foam boards to compression, they must only be mounted on a flat substrate. At the same time, due to their low specific gravity, polystyrene foam plates do not make the floor and the foundation of the bath heavier. And the fact that there is practically no waste in the process of floor insulation with foam ensures the minimum cost of all work.

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The technology using foam plates has several stages. Once the foundation and wall waterproofing is done, it is necessary to make a reliable floor waterproofing. After that, foam boards are laid on the floor, and on top of them is a reinforcing mesh and a concrete screed.

Ceramic tiles can be laid on the concrete screed or left as they are. The thickness of such a "cake" can be 10/15 centimeters, but a more effective layer is 25 centimeters, which will provide minimal heat loss through the floor in a damp bath room.

Thermal insulation of a wooden floor in a bath

Despite the fact that the concrete floor is almost permanent, many developers prefer to build wooden floors, as the wooden floor is much more environmentally friendly and has excellent thermal insulation. And if the wooden floor is properly insulated and prepared, it will serve for a very long time.

For wooden floors, a board of spruce, fir, larch and pine is used. In no case should you use boards made of poplar, linden, aspen or oak. Before laying, the boards should be treated with a special antiseptic to protect against fungus and rot. This mainly applies to the floor for the rest room and dressing room, and the boards designed for flooring in the steam room can not be processed, as chemicals will begin to evaporate, and poisoning is possible.

The design of the insulated wood floor:

Foundation.
Floor beams.
Skull beam.
Vapor barrier.
Rough floor.
Insulation (extruded polystyrene foam).
Waterproofing layer.
Finishing floorboard.

The floor from removable wooden boards is very popular in the bathhouse. As soon as the floor boards are wet, they are removed and taken out to dry, and in their place other boards are laid, already dried. In addition, you can insulate a wooden floor with mineral wool mats, pre-stitched on paper with a synthetic base, as well as slag, expanded clay, sand and fiberglass mats.

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Wood floors can be leaking or non-leaking. Both types have both advantages and disadvantages, so the developer chooses one or another type of floor depending on the particular structure of the building. Very often, subfloors are built only in the dressing room and the rest room, since in these rooms the humidity is not as high as in the steam room or shower.

In this case, floor insulation begins with the removal of the wooden flooring, then the cranial beam is nailed to the beams and a vapor barrier layer (glassine) is laid. Then the rough boards are laid, and the space between the beams is filled with insulating material.

Finishing operation - laying out waterproofing and organizing slopes for water flow.

To make your favorite bathhouse comfortable and safe, while extending its life, you can just warm the floors in it. This process only seems complicated and time consuming. In fact, all the work can be done independently. The main thing is to listen to the advice of builders and choose the right materials.

The need for floor insulation in the bath

To make your favorite bath comfortable and safe, while extending its service life, you can simply insulate the floors in it

Good thermal insulation helps to solve several problems at once:

reduce heat loss - up to 20% of heat in the steam room is lost due to the cold floor.
increase the speed of heating the premises.
to extend the service life of the building - sudden temperature changes, high humidity and dampness lead to rot on the lagged wooden floors.
make the bath safe for health - a cold floor can provoke the development of colds, and rot and fungus can cause respiratory diseases.

It is necessary to insulate the floor in all rooms, including the steam room, dressing room, washing room and rest room.

Warming methods

When choosing a heater, it is important to remember that heat-insulating materials that are used in residential premises are not always suitable for baths. Simply because they cannot withstand operation in high humidity conditions, as a result of which they can quickly lose their properties.

The modern market offers many different options, including budget ones. Among them, everyone can find something for themselves.

Perlite is a material that has the structure of sand, expanded using a special technology

Perlite is mixed with cement and water to obtain a perlite-concrete mixture, which is laid out on a previously laid concrete slab. After this, the insulation works are suspended for a week until the perlite layer is completely dried.

Perlite advantages:

ease;
low thermal conductivity;
excellent vapor permeability, thanks to which all surfaces breathe, and the natural microclimate is maintained in the room;
environmental friendliness - it does not provoke allergies;
heat and sound insulation - a layer of perlite 3 cm thick has the same heat-conducting properties as a brick layer 15 cm thick;
fire resistance - perlite does not burn and can withstand temperatures from -200 ° C to + 845 ° C;
durability - the service life of this material is unlimited, due to which it retains its heat-conducting properties for a long time.

It is necessary to work with perlite in closed rooms. Otherwise, the material may scatter due to drafts.

The disadvantages of perlite include: overpriced, compared with other heaters, the difficulty of finding it, since it is not in all stores, and the need to follow the rules when working with it. Builders recommend slightly moistening it, as it is very dusty.

Expanded clay not only performs thermal insulation functions, but also smooths out existing irregularities

Expanded clay is made of clay. Firing at a temperature of 1400C, it forms granules with a porous structure. They are poured onto the prepared base, not only performing thermal insulation functions, but also smoothing out existing irregularities.

Manufacturers offer several types of expanded clay with granule sizes from 5 mm to 4 cm. They can be mixed to provide better thermal insulation. Thus, small granules will evenly fill the empty space between large ones and make the thermal insulation layer dense and resistant to subsidence.

It is undesirable to use cracked or damaged expanded clay granules, since they have worse thermal insulation properties than whole ones.

Advantages of expanded clay:

environmental friendliness - it is safe for human health;
thermal insulation;
sound insulation;
ease;
cheapness;
ability to withstand heavy loads - up to 300 kg / m2.

The main disadvantage of expanded clay is its high moisture absorption. Therefore, before backfilling, you should take care of an additional layer of waterproofing and lay roofing material, for example. On top of the expanded clay layer is also covered with several layers of roofing material, on top of which a screed is made.

Styrofoam

Polyfoam is called an ideal option for warming baths, since its plates have a cellular structure that is resistant to high humidity

Polyfoam is called an ideal option for warming baths. Its plates have a cellular structure, which is resistant to high humidity. It absorbs no more than 1% moisture from its mass, provided it is completely immersed in water for 24 hours. And its benefits don't end there. Styrofoam:

has excellent thermal conductivity;
has a high density (up to 500 kg / m2);
characterized by ease of installation;
differs in low cost.

In addition, it prevents steam from leaving the steam room and is suitable not only for floor insulation, but also for thermal insulation of walls.

Foam with a low density is undesirable for pouring concrete or cement-sand screed.

Like any other insulation, foam has its drawbacks. They are revealed in weak mechanical strength, low resistance to paints and varnishes based on nitrocellulose and inability to let air through.

Other materials

Mineral wool is successfully used for insulation of concrete floors

Thermal insulation properties are:

Penoplex, or extruded polystyrene foam - it is available in the form of plates with a thickness of 20-100 mm. In their appearance, they resemble polystyrene foam, but differ from it in improved technical characteristics. The material is highly regarded for its advantages: increased strength, durability, sound insulation, low specific gravity and high thermal insulation properties. In addition, foam does not absorb moisture at all, does not crumble during installation, does not rot and does not dry out over time. Its plates "sit" on glue or are attached with dowels.

Penoplex is absolutely safe for health only when it is manufactured in accordance with existing standards. In case of their violation, styrene, a toxic substance, can remain in the plates. You can minimize the risk of its exposure to a person by plastering penoplex or tightly covering it with sheets of drywall. In this case, you need to ensure that there are no gaps at the joints.

Basalt insulation - mineral wool, glass wool, etc. - are used to insulate concrete floors. They are laid under the wooden flooring only if there is a good waterproofing layer. Their advantages are low cost, low thermal conductivity, sound insulation, resistance to deformation and ultraviolet radiation, incombustibility and easy installation. Glass wool additionally protects the bath from rodents and other pests, but when working with it, you must use protective clothing, a respirator, gloves and glasses.

Builders recommend insulating only the floors of the washing room, dressing room and changing room with glass wool. It is undesirable to use it in a steam room or lay openings with it near the stove. High temperatures can cause sintering of the fibers, as a result of which the material will lose its thermal insulation properties.

Jute felt is an organic material that retains heat well, is durable and resistant to fungus.
Empty bottles - plastic or glass. They create an air gap under concrete, thereby retaining heat on its surface. The advantages of this method are the low cost and ease of installation. In addition, the floor insulated with bottles is not afraid of temperature changes and does not become unusable from heaving of the ground. It is done quite easily. Sand is poured and compacted onto the base under the concrete floor. A reinforced mesh is laid on top of it, on top of which bottles are laid. Slightly warmed up and closed with tight lids, they should lie with their necks facing each other, filling up all the free space. Subsequently, concrete will be poured on them so that it covers them completely. After it has completely hardened, it is advisable to pour another layer of concrete, which will serve as the basis for the final screed or ceramic tile. The only drawback of this method is its fragility. It is not intended for rooms where the floor will be exposed to heavy loads, which is why it violates safety measures. Nevertheless, it exists and is successfully used in handicraft construction.
To achieve the maximum effect, it is advisable to fill plastic bottles intended for floor insulation with sawdust before use.

Work on floor insulation in the bath can be performed using other materials. Thermal insulation properties are possessed by: building felt impregnated with bitumen, foam concrete, expanded clay sand and gravel, polpan, boiler slag, isover, ursa, etc. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages and perfectly fulfills the functions assigned to it if used correctly.

If necessary, you can even replace modern insulation with clay mixed with soil or peat, moss, sawdust, pine shavings, dried oak leaves and other materials that were used in construction several decades ago.

The right choice of insulation is the key to success

The modern market offers a huge number of heaters. They differ from each other not only in their technical characteristics, but also in cost. However, you should not focus on the latter when choosing the best option.

The choice of insulation must be carried out on the basis of:

Type of flooring. The concrete floor is insulated with foam, expanded clay or perlite. Wooden floor - foam, as this is the only material that does not absorb moisture at all. It is undesirable to lay heaters with a fiber or open cellular structure under it, for example, expanded clay, since in this case it will be necessary to equip a reinforced layer of waterproofing. Replace foam can be foamed polymers - ecowool or Aisinin foam. Low in weight, they retain heat very well. However, both concrete and wooden floors can be installed with electric, infrared or water heating.
The room in which it will fit. Organic heaters are suitable for use only in lounges or in the dressing room, since even the treatment with flame retardants does not make them resistant to high temperatures.
Personal safety wishes - the insulation can be organic and have a vegetable or animal origin (felt, tow, cellulose) and inorganic (polystyrene, mineral wool and glass wool). The latter are produced through the processing of minerals and are characterized by resistance to high temperatures. However, they lose in environmental friendliness to organic heaters.

In addition, you need to pay attention to the specific gravity of the insulation itself. A good insulation is one that does not create an additional load on the foundation.

Necessary materials and tools

Roofing material can be used as a waterproofing agent

The choice of materials for insulation and tools for working with them is purely individual. In the case of a wooden floor, you will need:

roofing material, glassine or sheet foam, from which layers of vapor and waterproofing are formed;
directly insulation - penoplex, ecowool or expanded clay;
cement, water, sand for preparing a solution with expanded clay, if it will still be used as a heater.

To insulate a concrete floor you will need:

coating waterproofing (rubber-bitumen mastic, etc.) and roll, for example, gidrotekloizol or roofing material;
insulation - polystyrene, penoplex, perlite or expanded clay;
cement and sand for filling the screed or for mixing mortar with perlite.

The calculation of the required amount of materials in both cases is based on the quadrature of the room.

Instruments:

ruler;
square;
sharp knife or hacksaw;
pencil;
hammer drill;
dowel mushrooms.

Preparation of rooms and surfaces

If for some reason the floor was not insulated during the construction phase, you will have to dismantle the old floor covering

To facilitate the assembly of the wooden floor in the future, dismantled boards and decorative elements need to be numbered.

After dismantling, it is important to check the sub-beams for suitability (they constitute the sub-floor). Damaged must be replaced with new ones. To avoid decay, they are treated with an antiseptic.

Do not cover the material that will be used in the steam room with an antiseptic. When heated, chemical fumes will appear in this room that are unhealthy.

Insulation of the floor in different rooms of the bathhouse - steam room, washroom, relaxation room is done in its own way. This is due to different temperature conditions and humidity levels that are observed in them.

Step-by-step instructions for floor insulation

Builders have developed a technology for warming wooden and concrete floors, which has been popular for more than one year. In rare cases, minor changes may be made to it, due to the wishes of the owners.

Wooden

After completing all the preparatory work, the foundation is created

After completing all the preparatory work, the foundation is created. For this, cranial bars are built on the beams. On top of them laid out a rough floor from marked and cut boards. Their length should correspond to the distance between the beams.

It is extremely important to leave gaps between the boards themselves. They will avoid deformations during temperature changes.
A waterproofing layer is laid on the resulting base - roofing material or glassine. You need to make sure that it overlaps all the beams and goes 20 cm onto the walls around the entire perimeter. To ensure tightness, an overlap of 10 cm is made, and the joints are connected with a vapor barrier tape.

2. At this stage, you can proceed directly to laying the insulation on top of the waterproofer or to lay the second sub-floor, which will serve as an additional basis for the insulation.

There are no rules governing the thickness of the insulation layer. It can reach 25 cm in case it is necessary to minimize heat loss in the bath due to floor insulation.

3. Laying waterproofing on insulation.

4. Laying the final floor. Boards must be thoroughly dried. Initially, they do not need to be fixed, but only laid. After that, the bath is dried again, and the boards are finally beaten. At this stage, the protruding edges of the waterproofing are trimmed.

When laying the finished floor, you need to take care of the presence of a gap of 4 cm between it and the waterproofing layer itself. It will provide optimal conditions for the drying of wet wood.

Builders recommend making the floor in the bathhouse from hardwood - poplar, aspen, oak, pine or fir. Not only an antiseptic or a previously made gap between the floor and waterproofing, but also a removable floor can save them from decay. It is equipped in a steam room or washing room. For this, the boards are not nailed, but only carefully laid so that after getting wet they can be replaced with dry ones.

Another option for quickly drying a wooden floor is a special technique designed for this.

Concrete

The technology of warming a concrete floor differs from the technology of warming a wooden

The insulation technology of a concrete floor differs from the insulation of a wooden one. And the term of its use is 4 times longer than that of a wooden one. Thus, concrete can reduce the cost of re-flooring in the future.

Insulation stages:

Laying a concrete slab on the foundation if it is missing.
Laying a waterproofing system, such as roofing material, on top of the stove. You can replace it with rubber-bitumen mastic, however, in this case, it is better to coat the surface with it at least 3 times.
Insulation laying - glass wool or foam. The joints between the slabs are glued with construction tape. Instead of inorganic insulation, expanded clay or perlite can be used.

When insulating with perlite, a perlite-concrete solution is prepared from water and perlite, which are mixed in a 1: 2 ratio. The resulting mixture is well mixed until complete shrinkage, after which cement is introduced into it in small parts. Its ratio to the total volume should not exceed 0.5. After thorough mixing, another 1 part perlite and 0.5 part water are added to the solution. You can not add more water to it, even if it seems too dry. Only thorough kneading will help to correct the situation and give it the required elasticity. On the concrete base, the finished solution is laid out with a layer of 10 cm. It freezes within 6-7 days.

When insulated with expanded clay, it is pre-prepared cement mortar, which is poured on top of concrete. After it has completely solidified, expanded clay itself is poured with a layer of at least 8 cm thick. A new layer of concrete is poured over it. It must be reinforced with reinforcement or reinforced mesh and wait until the surface has completely solidified, after which you can continue to work on insulation.

4. The reinforced mesh also spreads on foam or glass wool. A rough screed is poured over it with a layer of 5-8 cm, which is then leveled with a needle roller.

5. After that, ceramic tiles are laid or the final screed is poured.

Warming the floor in the dressing room, you can do without waterproofing, as in this room there is no large accumulation of moisture. Therefore, it is possible to lay a layer of insulation between the rough and the final floor. When insulating the floor in the washroom and steam room, you can not dismantle the finishing flooring, but lay the materials on top of it. This will raise the floor by at least 15 cm, thereby reducing the area of \u200b\u200bthe room and speeding up the process of heating it.

Application of the system "Warm floor"

Liquid or air heated floors, which were known in antiquity, are also very popular.

Liquid or air heated floors, which were known in ancient times, are also very popular. Their arrangement provides for laying wiring for heat carried by air, water or a heating element under the finished floor. Equip them in rooms of small areas with a small bearing load.

Stages of the work:

Leveling the sub floor.
Laying a heat insulator - expanded polystyrene or mineral wool in order to exclude excessive consumption of thermal energy. For maximum effect, you can use aluminum foil. At this stage, it is advisable to lay a damper tape around the entire perimeter. It will prevent the walls from touching the mortar and compensate for the expansion of the concrete when it cures.
Laying the reinforced mesh over the heat insulator.
Laying pipes "snake" or "snail" in places that require heating. Between them, as well as between pipes and walls, you need to leave a distance of 10 cm.
Connecting pipes to the heating system through collectors. Connect the elements with clutches and windings.
Carrying out tests at maximum head power and eliminating detected leaks.
Subfloor filling.

Considering the fact that in the baths, erected on screw piles, a wooden floor is equipped, the technology of its insulation practically does not differ from the technology of insulation of a lagged wooden floor

The pile heads are tied with helical beams, which in the future will serve as a support for flooring.
On the existing foundation of a wooden beam, a waterproofing layer is laid - roofing felt or mastic.
Inside the contour of the upper part of the foundation - grillage - supporting beams are installed on which the rough floor will be laid. In this case, you need to withstand a step of 30-40 cm.
A cranial beam is attached to the underside of the beams, on top of which a draft floor is laid.
A waterproofing layer and insulation are laid directly on top of the floor. From above it is covered with a film or waterproofing agent.
Arrangement of a fine wooden floor.

Solving the issue of insulating the second floor in the bath

The floors on the second floor of the baths are insulated using standard technology.

Modern saunas on the second floor have lounges. The floors are insulated using standard technology. On the ceiling, which now serves as a kind of foundation, vapor barrier, insulation, waterproofing and flooring are laid. It is best to use foil material as a vapor barrier. It not only perfectly performs the functions assigned to it, but also reflects heat. It is better to make a layer of insulation at least 20 cm.

It is advisable to leave gaps between the foil and the inner lining, layers of waterproofing and insulation, waterproofing and flooring.

Insulation of the floor in the bath is a troublesome and time-consuming task. However, it is fully rewarded with comfort, safety, warmth, coziness and a special atmosphere that begin to reign in it after its completion.

Therefore, do not deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying them! Moreover, subject to the correct selection of materials and adherence to technology, they will also extend the service life of the building, and help save on repair work in the future.

Thermal insulation of the steam room is required in any bath, regardless of the material of its manufacture. It is best to devote time to this business at the construction stage, although this can also be done in a finished bath. How to insulate a steam room in a bath with your own hands - you will learn from our article. The steam room is the most important room of the bath. It should not be cold, and such a statement can hardly be challenged. Each zealous owner of the bath tries to minimize any heat loss in its steam room, since the extra costs for heating, problems with heating the room, the heat in it and the discomfort of bath procedures usually do not please anyone. For reliable thermal insulation of the steam room, it is necessary to go through several stages of work on the insulation of its walls, floor and ceiling.

Features of reducing heat loss in the steam room

To avoid unnecessary costs for kindling the stove and keeping heat in the steam room, you need to take into account a few simple rules for planning a bath:

The area of \u200b\u200bthe building is determined depending on the number of visitors simultaneously present in it and the number of its rooms - a steam room, a locker room and others. The size of the steam room is usually 4-6 m2.
The location of the changing room is planned closer to the entrance door of the bathhouse. This will keep cold air from entering the steam room.
To preserve heat, the entrance from the steam room into the adjacent room can be designed in the form of a vestibule.
The doorway for the steam room is made with a high threshold and a width of no more than 0.7 m.
The sauna stove is located closer to the exit.
To reduce heat losses through the window, the latter is made of a two-chamber glass unit and is located at a height of 1 m from the floor of the double compartment.

Thermal insulation materials for steam room insulation

As a heat-insulating and sealing materials for a steam room, natural raw materials and artificial products are used.
Natural raw materials include: tow, which is used to fill the cracks, sphagnum, which acts as an intervening seal, building frame moss - wall insulation. These materials are environmentally friendly and do a good job of protecting premises from heat loss. However, they are susceptible to rapid decay and are a treat for insects. For this reason, natural insulation is recommended to be treated with antiseptics, and their use is undesirable for a steam room.
Expanded clay and polystyrene boards, basalt cotton wool and ordinary polystyrene are used as artificial materials for insulation. All of them are characterized by moisture resistance, biological safety, long-term operation and a high degree of thermal insulation. Expanded clay slabs are used to insulate the floor of steam rooms, expanded polystyrene - for their attic floors, and basalt wool - for walls and ceilings.
For insulation and waterproofing of the walls and ceiling of the steam room, foil insulation is currently used. It is a roll of basalt wool with a layer of aluminum foil glued onto it. Using this material, the process of insulation of structures is greatly simplified - the foil protects the insulation from moisture and contributes to the reflection of heat from the building envelope inside the room.

Thermal insulation of the ceiling of the steam room in the bath

To insulate the ceiling in the steam room, we will use a modern method, which involves the use of foil-clad material as a vapor barrier layer.
The work consists of five stages:

Insulation is attached to the ceiling beams using a stapler, facing with a layer of aluminum foil inside the room, which simultaneously serves as a heat-reflecting screen. This will reduce the cost of heating and maintaining the heat of the steam room by 2-3 times. The joints of the panels of the insulator, overlapped, glued with aluminum tape. Other vapor barrier materials are also used for baths, but they are not as effective.
The fixing of the ceiling lath supporting the insulation is made with screws across the ceiling beams. The lathing is necessary for the installation of the outer skin of the ceiling. On the inner side of the ceiling of the room, an air heat-reflecting gap is left between the future cladding and the sheets of foil insulation.
The selected insulation is laid from the attic side between the ceiling beams. It should be tight, without the slightest clearance.
On top of the insulation, a polyethylene film is laid and fixed to protect it from moisture and dust from the street. To avoid mechanical damage to multilayer insulation in the attic, a rough plank floor is laid on the beams.
At the last stage of work, the ceiling of the steam room is sheathed along the crate with wooden clapboard. The material for it can be hardwood - linden, aspen, etc. Which material to choose is up to you.

When warming a steam room in a frame bath, such a thermal insulation of the ceiling is necessary, and for a log house - optional. There are enough boards 6 cm thick, fixed to the ceiling beams, and a layer of mineral wool 15 cm.

Thermal insulation of the walls of the steam room in the bath

Before internal insulation of the walls in the steam room, it is necessary to seal all joints and gaps in them with the help of a sealant. After the composition has dried, the insulation can be started. Its process is similar to ceiling insulation, but has some nuances. The walls are insulated horizontally along the perimeter of the paired building, moving from the top to the floor. Moreover, the strip of foil overlaps the slope left when insulating the ceiling. The insulated wall of the steam room should have three layers of protection: waterproofing, thermal insulation and a vapor barrier membrane.
The procedure is as follows:

To exclude the possibility of vapor condensate formation on the walls, the enclosing structures of the steam room are covered with a waterproofing film.
The thermal insulation layer of mineral wool is laid in a crate of timber, which is packed on the wall for waterproofing and an intermediate layer of clean paper.
The vapor barrier layer protects the insulation from exposure to humid air. For this purpose, a foil membrane is used, which is attached over the insulation to the crate with a stapler. The overlapping joints of her canvases are glued with metal tape.
At the last stage, hardwood lining is attached to the wooden frame of the wall over the membrane.

In contrast to the steam room insulation in a brick bath, a wooden building will require less heat-insulating materials, since the wood itself has similar properties.
Important! Before the outer wall cladding, thin rails must be filled on the crate to create an air gap, which together with the foil membrane will create a heat-reflecting effect.

Insulation of the steam room floor in the bath

A concrete floor is stronger and more durable than a wooden floor, as it is not afraid of moisture. Tiles laid on a screed are very easy to care for. But tile is a cold material. Wooden floors for a steam room are much more suitable. To reduce its heat loss, both types of floors require insulation.

Insulation of the wooden floor in the steam room

Structurally, a wooden floor differs from a concrete floor, but their thermal insulation has the same principle. The whole system looks like this: foundation, floor beams, joists laid on beams, a layer of vapor barrier material, a subfloor, insulation, a waterproofing layer, a finished floor.
After installing the lag and laying the vapor barrier material, the space between the floor beams is filled with insulation. They can be sand, slag, expanded clay, fiberglass or mineral wool mats, and foam. Waterproofing and a finishing floor are laid on the insulation.

Thermal insulation of the concrete floor in the steam room

The scheme of the insulated concrete floor in the steam room is as follows: foundation, concrete floor, waterproofing layer, insulation, concrete screed, ceramic tiles or wooden floor.
You can see that such a floor is similar to a kind of "sandwich", consisting of a pair of layers of concrete and insulation, laid between them. In the same way, the floor of the bathhouse erected on a columnar foundation is insulated. The difference here is that the monolithic base is replaced with a reinforced concrete slab laid on a frame made of a metal channel.
Work on floor insulation in a steam room consists of several stages:

Laying the base of the lower floor layer is performed from a concrete mixture having a crushed stone fraction of 20-35 mm. The thickness of the concrete pad is 120-150 mm.
The waterproofing is installed after the concrete has cured. Roofing material, roofing felt and bituminous mastics can serve as materials for it. Before applying the latter, the base is painted with a special primer. Waterproofing is laid on the concrete surface after it has been treated with two or three layers of bituminous material.
For the installation of insulation, mineral wool, perlite, boiler slag with a layer of 250-300 mm, foam plastic, expanded clay with a layer of 100-150 mm, etc. are used.
The second floor layer is laid on a heat-insulating material. In the concrete of this layer, a finer fraction of crushed stone is used.

The finished floor can be covered with a platform made of wood. After the end of the bath procedures, it is removed, washed and dried.
How to insulate a steam room in a bath - watch the video:

As you can see, it is easy to insulate the steam room yourself. Include your patience and hard work, and the result will be sure! Author: TutKnow.ru Editorial

How to make steam room insulation correctly and what materials to use

One of the most important stages in the construction of the bathhouse is the warming of the steam room, since only a stable temperature regime in this room will allow to achieve excellent operational characteristics, as well as a comfortable and beneficial microclimate. The rest of the article will focus on this procedure.

Danger of improper insulation of the steam room

Any errors during insulation work can lead to a low quality of the bathing procedures adopted and a deterioration in the general operational characteristics of the room. Intensive leakage of steam and thermal energy can lead to deformation of finishing materials, to the formation of fungi and mold on them, etc.

In this regard, it is possible to form a set of rules that should be followed when insulating the steam compartment of a bath:

thermal insulation should be of high quality in everything: correct installation, reliability of materials, etc.;
the tightness of the floors is very important, since the effectiveness of the procedures depends on the degree of preservation of steam in the room;
in no case it is impossible to save on the purchase of thermal insulation materials, since this can lead to their rapid deformation and deterioration of the general visual state of the steam room in the photo or during visual inspection.

Optimal building materials for warming the steam room

If we are talking about how to insulate the steam room from the inside, then immediately it is worth pointing out the main qualities that the selected materials should have:

ecological purity without the release of any substances harmful to the human body;
high degree of fire safety required for the room where extreme temperature values \u200b\u200bare reached;
moisture resistance, allowing you not to be afraid that the material will get wet and become unusable after the first intake of bath procedures.

Basalt-based materials meet most of the stated requirements. We are talking about stone and mineral wool. A vapor barrier layer in ceilings can be created from aluminum foil.

The start of laying thermal insulation material should begin with preparatory work aimed at leveling and eliminating defects in rough substrates. Any protrusions and roughness on the walls and ceiling must be sanded, and any gaps must be repaired. Before warming the steam room from the inside, it is necessary to clean all areas affected by fungus and mold, clean them and degrease them (for more details: "Correctly insulating the steam room from the inside - master's advice").

It is possible to start laying steam and waterproofing materials, as well as the insulation itself for the steam room, only after all the wooden elements of the floors have been treated with antiseptic agents. It is always worth remembering that floors contain more than one layer of material and thermal insulation is not the crown of the entire structure. In fact, walls and floors are sandwiches in which each layer is responsible for certain functions.

Competent drawing up of a bath project is the key to success

In addition to warming the steam room in a wooden bath, it is necessary to create a competent project of the entire structure.

When developing a project, it is necessary to take the following parameters as a basis:

To begin with, it is worth deciding on the size of the bath. For this, the maximum capacity of visitors and the number of rooms that are planned to be equipped inside the building are taken into account.
The project itself is created with an emphasis on accounting for all possible losses of thermal energy and their minimization. For example, the locker room is located at the exit of the bathhouse to minimize the access of cold air masses to the main part of the building, where the steam room is located.
There should be a vestibule between the washroom and the steam room, which will not allow steam to escape into a room with a lower temperature.
The door in the steam room should not be large, but its junction with the floor should be raised using a special threshold, which prevents cold air from entering the room.
The greatest convenience of the steam room is achieved when the room is in the shape of a square. One of its corners is reserved for the installation of a heating furnace. It is advisable that this be the corner closest to the front door.

Also, do not forget that when designing it is necessary to decide on the materials used. If we are talking about how to insulate a steam room in a bath, then artificial or natural materials can be used.

Natural materials are the following types:

tow - used to seal the cracks that are formed when creating a log house or building from wooden beams;
sphagnum - is laid between the crowns;
building moss - standard wall insulation.

If the steam room is insulated in the bathhouse with artificial materials, then we are talking about the following varieties:

extruded polystyrene foam;
mats made of stone or mineral wool.

Each of these materials has a long service life, a high level of mechanical stability, moisture resistance, etc.

The importance of warming ceilings in the steam room

The ceiling has a greater amount of insulation material compared to wall ceilings. The reason for this is the convection of air: as it heats up, it rises to the ceiling, and cold air descends in its place. The same thing happens with water vapor. In this regard, thermal insulation materials are laid in the ceiling in two layers, which will reduce the level of thermal energy losses.

The thermal insulation of the steam room of the bathhouse is carried out in stages:

The rough surface of the ceiling is covered with paper in rolls. The sheets are overlapped with each other with sufficient overlap. The sheets are fixed with wood blocks 5x5 centimeters in size.
The empty spaces between the beams are lined with thermal insulation material.
Then all segments of the ceiling are covered with aluminum foil, which is fixed with adhesive tape. It is important to avoid the formation of gaps and crevices in this layer. It is the foil surface that maximizes the safety of water vapor in the steam room and prevents condensation from forming. In the absence of aluminum foil, the ceiling insulation of the steam room of the bathhouse can be made with paper or cardboard, impregnated with special compounds.
From above, the coating is once again lined with bars measuring 2x3 centimeters. This allows for better ventilation of the floor.
On top of these bars, the selected facing material is mounted.

Features of warming the walls of the steam room

After the ceiling is insulated in the steam room, you can start processing the walls. The rough surface must be specially prepared for this procedure. Any joints, crevices and other cavities must be plastered or sealed with sealant.

Installation of thermal insulation can be started only after the completion of the drying process of the plaster or sealant. Treating the walls is no more difficult than insulating the ceiling in the steam room of a bath, since both processes are similar (read: "How to make a ceiling in a steam room and lead a chimney through it").

First, the aluminum foil is fixed with 4x4 cm wooden blocks placed horizontally.
Insulating material is laid between the bars.
Then the foil is finally fixed with a construction stapler. It is important to tighten the material, but at the same time to prevent the formation of gaps, crevices or ruptures of the foil.
All construction joints are glued with a special aluminum tape.
On top of the tape, bars are attached longitudinally for laying the selected facing material.
The work is completed by laying the topcoat.

When finishing, low-density materials should be used, since warming the steam room in the bath requires the main thing from all structural elements - to preserve heat in the room. It is best to pay attention to materials made of pine, linden or aspen wood with a small thickness of planks. They not only reliably protect the steam room from heat loss, but will also look aesthetically pleasing in the photo and during visual inspection.

The installation of the material should be carried out horizontally in order to reduce the total load distributed over the main structural elements. Penofol, which is gaining popularity in the construction market, should be chosen as an insulating material.

How to insulate a concrete floor in a steam room

In the end, you should go to the insulation of floors in the steam room. In addition to thermal insulation, you should also take care of the waterproofing of the floors. There are two types of materials editing algorithm. In this paragraph, we will talk about floor insulation in a steam room with a concrete base.

The following algorithm for heat and waterproofing is simplified, since it is used when laying under tiles.

The work is carried out as follows:

The base is leveled to a perfectly level state.
Bituminous mastic is applied on top of it and is expected to dry completely.
Then the roofing material and the polymer film are laid.
Tiles are mounted on top (read: "How to choose a tile for a bath and how to lay it on the floor").

Better construction for thermal insulation of a concrete floor:

A plywood sheet is mounted on the rough base.
A hydroisol is laid on it with a spacing on the walls.
Aluminum tape glues all joints.
The gaps are sealed and insulated with a construction hairdryer.
Reinforcement mesh is laid on the layer and poured with a layer of concrete mortar.
After the screed hardens, you can start laying the tiles.

When pouring a concrete screed, it is important to take into account the age of the wood used to create the chopped bath. It is important to use material from 2 years old. Otherwise, the structure will shrink, which will cause deformation or destruction of the foundation.

Work with a wooden base

The method by which the insulation is laid in the steam room with a wooden floor is similar to the above algorithm of actions. See also: "How to make floor insulation in a bath with your own hands - a guide from the master."

The work is carried out as follows:

Mineral wool is laid under the logs.
A rolled roofing material is laid on it.
All wooden elements in the floor structure are treated with special antiseptic agents.
On the roofing material is the flooring of the rough floor.
Work is being completed by surface finishing with a finish floor covering.

After the heater for the steam room is laid inside the floor, the “cake” of the floor is as follows:

foundation;
wooden beams;
vapor barrier material;
lining and heat-insulating material;
floor board.

Also, in the process of laying the floors, you need to take care of creating a high threshold under the front door. This is the most important functional measure aimed at protecting the steam room from getting into it cold air masses. Naturally, the complete preservation of water vapor inside the room can only be ensured when the door leaf fits as tightly as possible to the frame and sill.

We must not forget that a separate area in the room should be allocated for the installation of the stove and the subsequent outlet of the chimney. A separate foundation base with a height higher than that of the main foundation is mounted under the furnace.

When equipping walls and ceilings, one must take into account that a chimney will come out through one of the ceilings, for which you will have to cut a square hole and equip the frame in it. The rules require that the chimney from the stove be located at a distance of at least 20 centimeters from any wooden elements in the bath structure. Such a hole is closed with a sheet of stainless steel.

Summary

The article describes in detail the procedure for insulating the walls, floor and ceiling in the steam rooms of the bath. It is important to take into account all the recommendations and tips given in the article, as well as pay special attention to the standards for the construction work, since installation errors can lead to an unfavorable outcome.

Also, the work can be entrusted to specialists who will take responsibility for all stages - from the purchase of the necessary materials to installation and commissioning of the bath.

How to insulate the floor in the bath: methods for different coatings

Material selection

*Important! The main characteristic when choosing a heater is the level of its hydrophobicity, that is, the level of water absorption.

Mineral and glass wool. They are used only for insulation of concrete floors. When used for wood flooring, it is important to wrap cotton wool in a thick layer of waterproofing, because cotton wool absorbs moisture very well and quickly loses its thermal insulation properties. And when wet, the structure quickly collapses;
Expanded clay. It is used only for insulation of concrete floors. It has similar characteristics to glass wool, requires an additional layer of hydro and vapor barrier. Expanded clay is used both in pure form and in the form of a mixture with cement. After the solution is poured the space between the lower and upper cement screed.
Perlite. A material in the form of sand or dust, which is mixed with cement, water and poured between the screeds of the cement floor. After solidification, it has a porous structure. Less commonly used for wood flooring. After hardening, perlite acquires a cellular structure, allowing to reduce heat loss in the steam room.

*Interesting! As a substitute for the above raw materials, no less high-quality analogues are sometimes used - construction felt, cinder block and foam concrete.

Thermal insulation of a wooden floor

Immediately before starting, some preparatory work should be done, namely:

Dismantle the flooring, remove all the logs and if you plan to use them after insulation, we recommend numbering all the boards;
All floorboards must be inspected for defects, chips, cracks and fungus. If a similar was found, it is better to replace the floorboard completely;

Poplar;
Pine;
Fir;

The best choice as a heater would be a material with closed cells that do not allow moisture to pass through. The best option is expanded polystyrene, as well as its modern counterparts:

Ecowool;
Foam Icynine.

This material is lightweight, therefore it practically does not affect the weight of the entire wooden structure.

At the final stage, the space near the drain pipe is filled with polyurethane foam. The finished floor is already laid on top.

Concrete floor insulation

Insulation is laid on the waterproofing layer. For more reliable fixation, you can screw a wooden frame to the semi-draft using self-tapping screws or other fasteners.

As with the insulation of a wooden covering, we put another waterproofing on the thermal insulation layer. When laying, the canvases are laid with an overlap of 10 cm and connected with a stapler.

At this stage, the last layer is poured with a special solution no more than two centimeters thick, then a reinforcing mesh is placed, which is located on special plastic supports.

Other premises

Folk methods

Straw. You can also use straw to insulate floors, but only rye. It must be mixed with liquid clay in a 1x1 ratio. You have to stir the clay manually or with your feet. Pour the earthen base in the bath with the resulting solution, level it and wait for it to dry completely.
Sawdust. The processing process is identical to that of straw. Sawdust can be used for any tree species, but best of all for conifers. Because they contain in their fibers special resinous substances that, when heated, are released into the air and thereby slow down the process of decay and the spread of moisture.
Bulk insulation. Expanded clay, slag from factories and so on can be used as insulation. The raw material is poured, usually on an earthen base 5-10 cm thick. On top, the layer must be tamped and poured with a thick layer of clay (10-15 cm, as much as possible).

Let's summarize

Thermal insulation of a bath from the inside - scheme

Internal insulation of the bathhouse is one of the most important stages in the arrangement of this building. Without high-quality thermal insulation, the owner will have to spend much more resources on heating the steam room, and the situation in the bathhouse without properly mounted protection will leave much to be desired.

Since ancient times, moss, felt, and even linen were used to warm the baths, mainly because of the absence of other heaters — the plant fiber rots and dries, which is why today it is not used for basic thermal insulation.

The main difference between bath insulation and a similar event in an ordinary house is simple: in the steam room you need to keep the heat for as long as possible, i.e. high temperature should stay indoors for as long as possible.

Thermal insulation work in the bath can be carried out using a wide variety of materials. For example, an ideal solution is a modern insulation based on stone wool with a foil-coated coating - it does not burn, withstands temperatures up to 750 degrees, effectively retains heat, does not rot, and is not of interest to rodents.

Having familiarized yourself with the information below, you will receive a complete theoretical understanding of the process of performing the internal warming of the steam room, as well as study the step-by-step instructions for self-installation of heat-insulating materials.

We insulate the bath from the inside: what do we need?

Any construction and repair finishing works begin with the preparation of materials, without which the implementation of the planned work will be simply impossible. Pay due attention to studying the list below: it is better to spend a little time reading and immediately buy everything you need, than then return to the store and buy what you forgot.

Insulation

The main component of the list under consideration. The modern market offers a wide range of heat-insulating materials, but not every one of them is suitable for use in a steam room - humidity and temperature can be too tough. For thermal insulation of the bath, the following are most often used: expanded clay (floor insulation), materials based on stone wool, as well as expanded polystyrene.

Important! It is strongly discouraged to use foam for insulation directly in the steam room - at high temperatures, material of dubious quality is likely to emit substances harmful to human health.

Comparative characteristics of the mentioned materials are shown in the following table.

Table. Comparison of popular heaters for a bath

Evaluation Criteria


Structure	Loose material of natural origin. Presented in the form of granules with a cellular structure.	Fibrous structure. The arrangement of the fibers is both vertical and horizontal, irregular.	Open cellular structure.
Moisture permeability	The material does not allow water to pass through.	Mineral wool insulation has practically no tendency to absorb moisture.	Moisture permeability is extremely low.
Weight	Easy	Medium light	Easy
Strength	High	Average
Compression resistance	High	From low to medium, depending on the specific variety of material and technology of the manufacturer.	Average
Toxicity	Material is safe	No toxic properties	Over time, begins to release harmful substances
Suitable for use under high loads	Suitable	Depending on the grade of material	Not suitable
Decay tendency	The material retains its original integrity for a long time	Durable insulation	Has a tendency to decay
UV resistant	Doesn't react to sunlight	Characterized by high resistance to UV radiation	Prolonged direct contact with sunlight has an extremely negative effect on the performance of the material.

As noted, expanded clay is suitable for warming bath floors. Bulk material allows you to provide the required thermal insulation for both wood and concrete structures. Mineral wool insulation is ideal for insulating walls and ceilings. The best option, as noted, is a stone wool-based thermal insulation material, equipped with an additional foil coating - the key characteristics of such heaters at a higher level.

In accordance with the relevant provisions of the technology for the work under consideration, the joints of the insulation boards are necessarily glued with foil tape. Thanks to this, a sealed surface with the highest possible thermal insulation properties will be created.

The elements of the insulating coating are placed in the cells of the pre-assembled lathing, for the assembly of which wooden blocks are used. Select the cross-section of the beams in accordance with the thickness of the thermal insulation. For example, if you are equipping a 10 cm thermal insulation layer, use bars of the same thickness or width to assemble the frame.

Choose the distance between the bars 1-2 cm less than the width of the slabs or a roll of insulation. For bulk materials, the optimal distance between the bars is 45-60 cm.

The fixing of the elements of the lathing (bars) is carried out using dowels / self-tapping screws (if the surface is wooden) or anchors (if the base is stone). The length of the fasteners is also selected in accordance with the base material: for wood - 2-2.5 cm, for capital structures - from 4 cm.

The specific length of fasteners is determined in accordance with the features of their use. For example, during the installation of the battens, the fasteners should be of such a length that high-quality fixing of the beam / profile of the selected section is ensured. Directly the cross-section of the timber, as well as the parameters of the profile, are determined in accordance with the thickness of the thermal insulation layer being equipped.