Visiting a bathhouse is a very pleasant and healthy pastime. In order for this lesson not to be overshadowed by anything, you should carefully think through all the stages of work even in the process of planning the bathhouse project. One of the most important stages work is to insulate the bathhouse. If everything is done correctly and efficiently, the bathhouse will heat up quickly, retain heat well, and fuel consumption will be significantly less than when heating an uninsulated bathhouse. Read the instructions on how to make insulation brick bath.
Proper insulation
The microclimate inside the bathhouse depends on what material the bathhouse itself is made of. Accordingly, the design and materials for insulating a bathhouse from the inside also differ depending on the original material of the bathhouse built.
The process of step-by-step insulation of a bathhouse from the inside depends, first of all, on the material from which the walls are made. In any case, there are basic standard insulation works that apply to any bathhouse:
- Waterproofing walls;
- Construction of the sheathing (depending on the type of insulation chosen);
- Vapor barrier;
- Finishing the walls with finishing material.
Types and methods of insulating a bathhouse from the inside
- Insulation of a bathhouse made of blocks from the inside. Block building materials, such as foam blocks and cinder blocks, have a porous surface, due to which they are endowed with excellent thermal insulation properties. And yet, in the cold season, a bathhouse made of blocks will freeze, so it should still be insulated. IN in this case It is recommended to use mineral wool, fiberglass or foam, which are then covered with a vapor barrier if we are talking about a steam room. Read the instructions on how to insulate a bathhouse with foam plastic.
- Insulation of aerated concrete baths from the inside. When constructing a frame for thermal insulation, a gap must be provided between the wall and the frame and good ventilation must be ensured. To do this, special holes are left at the top and bottom of the building, which during bath procedures should be closed, and during drying the premises should be open. Next, the selected thermal insulation material is attached to the frame, a board is placed on top, then a vapor barrier and a finishing board on top of it, preferably made of aspen or cedar. If you comply this design, then the problem of wall freezing simply will not arise.
- Insulation frame bath from the inside. The very structure of a frame bath involves laying thermal insulation into its “skeleton”, and the insulating technology of this type is called “Canadian”. In this case, mineral wool is used, which will make the frame bath energy-saving, unlike foam plastic. Thus, insulation boards are placed in each compartment of the frame and are necessarily covered with hydro- and vapor barrier. Afterwards, all that remains is to cover the walls with finishing material, such as wooden lining. Experts also recommend using a mixture of sawdust and wood chips with lime as insulation for a frame bath.
Photo
Numbers 1 and 3 indicate hydro- and vapor barrier materials. Number 2 is the thermal insulation material, number 4 is the finishing material of the walls.
The brick bathhouse is insulated with slabs mineral wool, on top of which foil-foamed polyethylene foam is attached, enhancing the thermal insulation properties of the main insulation and protecting it from moisture.
Insulation from the inside
Mineral wool is very popular among insulation materials; it is produced by processing mineral stones. This material has excellent thermal insulation characteristics, has a high thermal conductivity coefficient, is fire resistant, environmentally friendly and durable.
To insulate walls with mineral wool, first construct a lathing floor wooden lining, which will serve as a finishing material. The lathing is usually attached to metal consoles. That is, first the consoles are attached, then the mineral wool slabs are placed directly on the consoles, and then the sheathing is attached to the console.
Base insulation
Insulation and waterproofing of the basement of the bathhouse is very important. The fact is that the foundation and plinth are located quite close to the cold and often damp soil, and therefore are destroyed more quickly under the influence of negative factors. To prevent dampness and cold from penetrating into the steam room, the base should be well waterproofed and insulated. In this case, penoplex or polystyrene foam will serve as a good thermal insulation material.
Roof insulation
Insulation of a log bathhouse
Mineral and basalt fibers are most often used as internal insulation for the walls of a log bathhouse. The technology is described above.
Materials
Insulating the bathhouse from the inside with cardboard. Corrugated cardboard can be used as insulation, which is laid in a thick layer of at least 5–10 centimeters. In addition, this material is also quite cheap. To insulate a bathhouse with cardboard you will need good protection it from moisture.
Video
There are many ways to insulate a bathhouse from the inside. Everyone independently chooses the appropriate material and methods for their type of bath, as well as based on financial capabilities. In any case, there is a suitable method for any wallet.
Zemtsova Valentina
Hello! Tell me how to properly insulate a bathhouse made of cinder blocks? The walls have been built, but there is no roof yet. Is it better to have a pitched roof? Does it need to be insulated too? The size of the bath is 4 x 6 m, steam room 2.5 x 3 m, shower 1.5 x 3 m, relaxation room 3 x 4 m.
Answer to the question
Bathhouse made of cinder blocks
I have already answered similar questions many times (see). He explained why it is necessary to insulate any bathhouse, especially one made of expanded clay. Expanded clay bath walls must be insulated and protected first from the outside, then from the outside. You can view many more answers on our website in the “Questions and Answers” section.
Now about the construction of the roof. Naturally, pitched roof the cheapest during construction, but the most economical from the point of view of use, is still gable, especially with an attic. Even if the attic is cold, you can store many useful things in it, both for the bathhouse and for the household.
The angle of the roof depends on the climate of the area in which you live and the strength of the wind in your area. In the southern regions, the angle of the roof can be made small; in the northern regions, it must be increased due to the possible large snow load. In any case, first of all, the ceiling should be well insulated, especially in the steam room (see), and protected from moisture penetration both from above and from the inside.
The general principle of insulating a bathhouse is simple: protect the walls with outside from cold and dampness with a thick layer of insulation, waterproofing and protective exterior decoration, the inside walls and ceiling must be protected, first of all, from moisture, then a thinner insulation must be laid - foil in the steam room, ordinary in the rest of the rooms.
Often such a health corner is built not only together with the main building, but even before it. More recently, the issue of choosing building materials for this purpose was decided unequivocally - only wood. It is an ideal material for a bath: it has low thermal conductivity and high heat capacity, is hygroscopic, air-moisture and vapor-permeable. But wood also has a number of disadvantages, which largely manifest themselves in conditions of high temperatures and humidity, characteristic of bathhouses - it is a fire hazard, susceptible to rotting and fungus.
Why insulate a bathhouse made of blocks?
Today modern market offers the widest selection of building materials from brick and concrete to the recently extremely popular block materials, such as expanded clay concrete, gas silicate, cinder blocks and many others. They:
- functional;
- retain heat well;
- hygroscopic and resistant to temperature influences;
- allow you to quickly erect any structure.
In a word, they are quite comfortable building material with good characteristics.
However, their thermal insulation properties, although better than those of traditional brick and concrete, are still significantly inferior to wood, so buildings made from such blocks, especially if they are used in winter, need insulation, and this applies primarily to bathhouses.
Insulating a bathhouse from blocks is a process that requires calculation and an integrated approach:
- For residential buildings, external insulation is considered the main and most effective, allowing, by placing a point negative temperatures from the wall material to the outside, significantly reduce heat loss, increase the overall efficiency of the heating system, and protect the walls from rapid destruction.
- Unlike them, for bath rooms internal insulation is most suitable.
Internal thermal insulation is used in them as an auxiliary measure that further increases the thermal protection of homes.
- The baths are used sporadically, usually no more than one day a week, remaining unheated the rest of the time. The main task of insulating a bathhouse- keep the rooms warm only during its use. Under these conditions, external thermal insulation practically does not protect walls from freezing and loses its effectiveness, and periodic temperature changes quickly destroy wall building materials.
- Stone and block materials heat up much more hotly in the sauna than wood, increasing the risk of burns, which is why such bathhouses are usually lined with wooden facing materials: clapboard, block house. This measure provides a convenient opportunity to place a layer of thermal insulation material under the casing.
- And even with well-made internal thermal insulation, which effectively protects the walls from high temperatures, external insulation, which reduces the risk of severe freezing, will not hurt.
Bath insulation
Made from expanded clay concrete blocks
Expanded clay concrete blocks are produced on a vibropress with subsequent steaming, therefore they have a fairly porous structure, which causes their increased moisture capacity. Bathrooms are constantly exposed to moisture and water vapor, and expanded clay concrete blocks are saturated with them, which significantly worsens their heat-shielding properties. At the same time, constant temperature fluctuations will quickly destroy the structure of the blocks, increasing the possibility of heat loss through the walls.
How to insulate a bathhouse made from such blocks? Measures for insulating a bathhouse made of blocks can be divided into several stages:
- Steam room insulation. The most extensive thermal protection measures are required here. As mentioned above, block walls tend to freeze when rooms are occasionally heated. Heating a bathhouse with frozen walls requires high fuel consumption and a long period of time. That's why best result Only comprehensive internal and external thermal insulation can provide.
- Washing. Here, the indoor thermal conditions do not reach extreme values, but the humidity still remains quite high. Therefore, protective measures must be applied almost the same.
- Waiting room. Here, measures to maintain a comfortable temperature will be sufficient. Polymer materials can already be used to insulate walls.
From the inside, both thermal insulation and good vapor and waterproofing should be provided. If in a residential building the task is to remove excess steam and the insulation must have good vapor transmission, then in a steam room the opposite is true.
Foamed polymers such as polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam cannot be used for the main insulation of a steam room. When exposed to high temperatures, they release toxic styrene. Mineral wool boards are best suited. However, mineral wool absorbs water very well, so it should be covered with a layer of vapor barrier on top.
For vapor barrier, you should not use plastic film - aluminum foil or kraft paper is better. The most the best option there will be the use of foil plastic, such as Penofol, for example. It will reflect thermal radiation well, preventing it from reaching the walls, and retain water vapor.
Especially good The ceiling of the steam room should be protected, because the hot air and steam collecting at the top will quickly “leave” if there is the slightest leak, quickly reducing the temperature.
In the washing room, you need to take care of good thermal protection of the floor, since the slightest gap will cause cold air to leak from below, quickly reducing the temperature in the room. But at the same time, it is necessary to ensure effective drainage of water from the floor. To do this, you can use the principle of a water-locked siphon, like in a bathtub, which will prevent the entry of outside air.
For external thermal protection of a building, any effective modern thermal insulation materials can be used. A very good effect is achieved by sprayed polyurethane foam, which creates a monolithic thermal insulation layer on the surface of the walls and foundation, which does not create “cold bridges” and has minimal heat loss.
Can be mounted on top wall cladding decorative materials : lining, block house, siding or facade panels. A good option for external insulation is “warm” plaster. Good feedback There is also information about such a new material as liquid ceramic insulation.
From cinder blocks
How to insulate a cinder block bathhouse? Cinder blocks in manufacturing technology and in their main characteristics they are similar to expanded clay concrete, only instead of expanded clay granules, they usually use waste from the metallurgical industry, which determines their low cost. In addition, they have a wider range of overall dimensions, due to the fact that the ease of production allows them to be made even at home.
In addition to traditional slag, other waste from various industries can be used in the production of such blocks. The raw materials used in production determine the thermal conductivity characteristics of these blocks, which can be in a very wide range.
Otherwise, measures for insulating a bathhouse built from cinder blocks do not differ from expanded clay concrete blocks.
Made from gas silicate blocks. Is it worth it?
Unlike sand-lime brick, obtained by pressing a lime-sand mixture, the blocks are produced by sintering in an autoclave, therefore specifications these materials are different.
Gas silicate is similar to aerated concrete, only the latter uses cement instead of lime. Thermal insulation properties gas silicate blocks are determined by their brand:
- over D800 - structural: good strength, low thermal insulation;
- D500-D800 - structural and thermal insulation: average values for both parameters;
- D300-D500 - heat-protective: low strength, high thermal insulation.
Gas silicate blocks are extremely hygroscopic, therefore require the most effective waterproofing, especially when used in bathhouse construction. In addition, they also have rather low heat resistance, so they should be protected from high temperatures.
I must say that this material least suitable for building baths, since it requires the most effective measures on hydro- and thermal insulation. Its use can only justify significantly more low price but this is not the case everywhere. Besides additional measures protection not only eats up cost savings, but even increases costs.
The warmer the sauna itself is, the less wood will be consumed to heat it and the longer the heat will be retained in it. In general, insulating a bathhouse is a complex process. And the relaxation room, steam room and dressing room can be insulated in completely different ways: due to their constant microclimate. So how to properly insulate a bathhouse? Let's figure it out.
Insulating a bathhouse from the inside: photos, diagrams and videos
So, how to insulate a bathhouse from the inside, depending on what material it was built from.
Features of log house thermal insulation
For a long time, no one has ever insulated a log bathhouse - not even the floors. The logs were simply changed from time to time and the lower crowns were repaired. But today, when good log house and a real Russian steam room is almost a rarity; the question of high-quality insulation is far from the last. After all, its longevity depends on how protected the bathhouse is from moisture and cold.
In general, insulation in wooden bath it is necessary only when the dimensions of the timber are small; in all other cases, caulking and good waterproofing are sufficient. For internal insulation Steam baths made of timber use a traditional “pie” with mineral wool - except that the thickness of the working layer itself can be 2 times less than for a steam room made of brick.
Brick bathhouse and its insulation
How to insulate a bathhouse made of foam, cinder blocks and concrete
Cinder blocks and foam blocks themselves have quite good thermal insulation materials due to its porous structure. But here they are freezing in winter time after all, they can, and therefore it is necessary to additionally insulate the block bathhouse. Otherwise, all its walls will be pleased with unaesthetic dark damp spots in frosty weather.
Mineral wool and fiberglass are most suitable for such a bath. But in general, the whole pie must be provided with a reliable vapor barrier - any blocks are extremely disliked high humidity in the air, and they absorb water like sponges. In general, it can be used as insulation and foam.
The first task when insulating aerated concrete walls baths means removing the icy mass of concrete from the heating circuit. Why should the frame inside the entire structure be made indented from the walls? Moreover, the resulting space must be well ventilated - for this, special vent windows must be made on the outside at the top of the bathhouse and at the bottom. During bath procedures, they need to be closed, and while drying the bath, they need to be opened. And then the usual “pie” of insulation in the steam room and washing room is made. The most standard one looks like this: an aerated concrete or block wall - a frame for insulation with an indentation from the wall - insulation - board - vapor barrier where the steam room is - finishing with aspen or cedar boards. This way, the ice walls don’t have to be heated - that’s all the tricks.
Rules for insulating a frame bath
Option two: the insulation of a frame bath occurs according to this scheme. A vapor barrier made of parchment (or roofing felt, or roofing felt) is laid directly on the frame, which is secured by wood sheathing. Between the resulting internal and external walls you need to put foam plastic, fiberboard slabs or heat-insulating reed slabs. All this is covered on all sides with layers of asbestos cement, which makes the frame bath both stronger and warmer.
You can also insulate a frame bath using sawdust, gypsum and wood chips. All this is mixed with lime in a ratio of ten to one and laid in a thick layer between the outer and inner cladding. The main thing is that the sawdust is well dried and the layers are treated with iron sulfate.
Features of ceiling and floor insulation
Baths are ideal for the waiting room and washing area ceramic tile– but there should also be thermal insulation underneath. Here is the most common scheme for insulating the floor in a bathhouse: a cranial block is sewn to the beams, on which a subfloor made of boards is laid. After this comes a layer of vapor barrier, and then the space between the beams must be filled with the selected heat-insulating material - expanded polystyrene or expanded clay, for example.
On top of this is placed reinforced metal grid and the concrete screed is poured. After the latter has dried, the floor is waterproofed with waterproofing. Again the screed is 3-5 cm thick and a heated floor system can be built in if desired. And finally, ceramic tiles are laid on the screed.
But in the steam room and relaxation room, the floor must be made of wood - so that the so-called “heat stroke” does not occur.
Making a “pie” when insulating the ceiling
Insulation of a bathhouse from the inside always begins from the ceiling - after all, the most heat is always at his level, and therefore this part of the steam room needs to be given Special attention. The ceiling should be arranged as follows: vapor barrier - insulation - sheathing - beams - ceiling boards.
If the attic or the second floor in the bathhouse is residential, then the insulation cake will look a little different: the ceiling boards need to be smeared with clay in a two-centimeter layer and covered with wood chips up to 20 cm, or expanded clay, or use some kind of insulation. The main thing is that it is the right thickness.
This is how a bathhouse is insulated from foam blocks, logs and bricks. Each type of structure has its own technology, and knowing at least its basics will help you always keep your steam room warm.
The room under the bathhouse should hold heat well. For this, during construction work it needs to be well insulated from the outside and inside. After all, the steam room should not only heat up quickly, but also retain heat for as long as possible. In this article we will tell you how to insulate a log bathhouse from the outside and inside.
Exterior works
After we insulate our building from the outside, we will not only help reduce heat losses, but also protect the walls of the building from external factors. But before we insulate a frame bath, we must choose the material that we will need to thermally insulate the building. You must choose it depending on what material the walls of the bathhouse are built from.
Note! Because of high humidity In the bathhouse, for its thermal insulation, you need to use only special vapor barrier materials.
If the walls of our structure are made of brick or foam blocks, they must be thermally insulated, since without additional thermal insulation such buildings will quickly cool down, which means heating costs will increase.
The surest option to improve the thermal insulation of a given building is to use ventilated facade technology. In this case, a heat insulator will be attached to the walls of this building; if it is afraid of moisture, then it will need to be additionally insulated with film.
On top of the thermal insulation layer you will need to fix Decoration Materials in the form of lining or siding. It is extremely important that there is a small space between the finishing materials and the insulation, which will provide ventilation.
Typically, mineral wool is now used as a heat insulator. But for the reason that, as a result of getting wet, it may lose its original properties, it will need to be insulated with film.
Ventilated facade method
The instructions below will tell you how to properly insulate the walls in a bathhouse using the ventilated facade method.
- on external walls structure, you will need to attach the bracket that is provided metal corners. The space between these corners should be slightly smaller than the width of the sealing material;
- between the corners you will need to lay mineral wool mats;
- Seal the joints between the plates with special construction tape;
- then we attach a layer of waterproofing that will protect the cotton wool from moisture;
- at the end we install additional fasteners, which you will need in the cladding work of the facade of the bathhouse.
This method of thermal insulation of your building will allow you to cope with several tasks at once. Mineral wool will allow heat not to leave the bathhouse for a long time, and ventilation between the cladding and the heat insulator will help create an air flow that will remove moisture from the room.
Analyzing how to properly insulate a frame bath, we come to the conclusion that only mineral wool can be the best heat insulator for you, because it has a lot of positive qualities.
Of which we can highlight:
- non-flammability of this material;
- low level of thermal conductivity;
- good noise insulation performance;
- environmental friendliness.
Insulation of bathhouse walls made of wood
How to insulate brick bathhouse, you now know. Now let's talk about what may be required for thermal insulation of this structure, built from wood with your own hands.
Over time, wooden walls can dry out and then gaps will appear between them, and as a result, cold air currents will begin to pass into the room. Therefore, even during the construction of the bathhouse, its walls should be insulated using jute fiber.
Note! Jute is a material that has a low thermal conductivity coefficient. It is not susceptible to rotting even when in a humid environment.
But at the same time, it is not strong enough, so it is advisable to use jute with the addition of flax fibers..
How to properly insulate a bathhouse using this material? As we said earlier, thermal insulation of this structure must begin during construction work.
You will need to insulate each element of the frame, and you will need to compact the jute fiber using a hammer or a special caulk.
- at the first stage of construction work, you will need to lay jute between the logs;
- after the log house is erected, the joints between the timber and the log should also be sealed with jute;
- Seal all joints using caulk or a hammer.
Advice! The final stage of compaction should be carried out sequentially, otherwise the log house may sag. You must first caulk the lower crown around the entire perimeter of the house. After the first crown is thermally insulated, you can move on to insulating the new crown, and so on.
Insulation of a frame bath
We have already told you how to insulate a dressing room and a bathhouse made of brick and wood, now we want to tell you how to properly insulate a frame bathhouse.
For such a structure, it is very important to choose the right heat insulator; polystyrene foam is most often used as it.
This material has many advantages:
- it is light;
- has a low percentage of thermal conductivity;
- it can be attached with glue;
- he is not afraid of moisture;
- Any material can be used on top of it as a cladding.
But it also has a number of disadvantages.
Among them we can highlight:
- flammability of some types of this material;
- it crumbles easily, so it must be installed with special care.
Note! The first point is very important, therefore, for thermal insulation of our building, it is advisable to use special types of foam that are not afraid of fire.
Insulation of a bathhouse from the inside
Insulating the walls of this structure from the outside is not such a difficult process; it may only require a little free time and desire from you. Upon completion of all necessary work for insulation from the outside, you will also have to. And now we’ll tell you how to insulate the walls in a bathhouse from the inside.
Due to the fact that in this design a high temperature must be constantly maintained inside, external insulation alone will not be enough.
We insulate floors
You should start working on thermal insulation of the building from the inside from the floors, but before that you must think about how to insulate the foundation of the bathhouse. After all, without effective insulation of the foundation it will not work.
Due to the fact that the foundation of our building will come into contact with frozen soil, it will give off a lot of heat. The foundation must be thermally insulated to the depth of soil freezing. Its underground part can be insulated with expanded clay, and the base itself with mineral wool.
Wall insulation
When deciding what and how to insulate a steam room in a bathhouse from the inside, give your preference to natural insulation - mineral wool.
To do this you will need:
- To internal walls attach the frame;
- put mineral wool in it;
- provide waterproofing to the insulation;
- cover the walls with any finishing material convenient for you.
Any suitable material can be used as a waterproofing material. Usually, waterproofing materials distinguished by price and their technical characteristics. But definitely the most the best material For waterproofing, polyethylene films are used.
When deciding how to insulate the walls of a given building, you should also know how to insulate the door to the bathhouse. After all, this will directly determine how warm it will be inside a given room, and how long it will remain there.
We insulate the ceiling
There are several ways to insulate a ceiling. The order of execution depends on the floor material; a distinction is made between wooden and concrete floors.
Insulation of a wooden ceiling
In this case the order is:
- cover the ceiling with a layer of fiberglass;
- cover the fiberglass with a 30 mm thick screed made of clay and sand mixed with straw;
- Apply a layer of clay and vermiculite 50 mm thick on top;
- leave to dry;
- after complete drying, lay a layer of foam plastic or mineral wool 100-150 mm thick;
- Cover the foam surface with a cement-sand mortar screed.
If the ceiling is concrete
In this case, the order of work from the inside is as follows:
- fasten 100x100 mm beams every 50 cm on the side walls;
- cover the slabs with fiberglass;
- fix the thermal insulation 100-150 mm;
- cover the thermal insulation with a layer of foil;
- fasten the lathing from the slats;
- Sew the lining over the slats.
It will allow you to steam longer, without using up extra firewood or electricity.
Conclusion
We told you about how to insulate a bathhouse made of expanded clay concrete blocks, brick and wood. You will get more information on this topic from the video in this article.
